[PC] Call of Duty: Black Ops III Beta - Impressions

This won't be a review as much as just some general impressions and overview of the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Multiplayer Beta that released earlier in August, what I played of it and what I thought about it. A lot of it will be compared to Advanced Warfare which I have played a lot and so far consider the best game in the series.

One thing that struck me as very different off the bat is the focus on "Specialists". These are basically characters you play as during multiplayer, each with their own special skills and special weapons. I played as the Scout class (although I'm sure she had a different name...) and didn't get a chance to try the other ones. Her skills were a vision pulse that showed enemies around you for a while and a special recurve bow with explosive arrows.
It seems like a very cool concept to have the focus shifted from one customizable character to a whole bunch of more well defined classes to play and seems to take some ideas from games like Borderlands. I didn't get a feeling that these classes were meant to work together or synergize in any way though, which made it feel more like you chose more for your own reasons than to support your team, just choosing a class suiting your playstyle and preference.

The weapons... felt kinda boring. There was no option for akimbo weapons that I saw, which after AW's focus on different akimbo guns made the game feel almost lacking in a sense. The weapons that were shown in the beta felt very underpowered and I never felt like I dealt enough damage, even though I tried out different SMGs and assault rifles (my preferred weapon classes) extensively. I died a lot more than I do in AW as a result.

One thing i kinda like though is that the way of achieving gun attachments is enormously simplified. You now simply level up guns by killing enemies. The higher the level of the gun, the more attachments you get. Although a part of me prefers the weapon challenges in AW, I can see this system being more fun and fair for everyone.

The game also felt really unoptimized, but being a beta that's almost a given. Most of the time it felt perfectly playable but it had its slowdowns. I'm pretty sure this will be fixed in the final weeks leading up to release.

All in all, so far Black Ops 3 seems a lot less fun than AW. It has some interesting features such as the Specialist classes and I'm looking forward to trying more of them and seeing what other guns the game has to offer me. There was no customization in the game in the beta, but they promise gun customization and also custom player cards and emblems, and I truly hope there will be some cosmetic customization of the specialist character you play.
But I died a lot, none of the guns I used felt powerful even at close range and the movement felt clunky compared to AW and I couldn't really get into it. I'm probably still going to love the game, but so far I doubt Advanced Warfare is going to be uninstalled any time soon...

[PlayStation Vita Game Review] Xeodrifter

XEODRIFTER
Platform: PlayStation Vita
Released: September 2015
Genre: Action/Adventure/Sidescroller
Developer/Publisher: Renegade Kid

Since Nintendo seems to have no interest in making good Metroid games anymore, it seems indie game devs have taken the torch and a lot of Metroid-influenced games have entered the market. Xeodrifter is one of them and since it was free on PS Plus for my Vita, I gave it a download. I'm not sure how different this version is from the PC, PS4 or 3DS versions, but you might as well treat this as a general review of the game as nothing about the PS Vita versions felt like it took particular advantage of the Vita's gimmicks. Is it worth picking up, or is this a game that should just be left drifting? Let's find out.

Xeodrifter is about a spaceman who ends up stranded in a small system when he accidentally bumps into a rogue asteroid. Scanning the nearby planets for resources, he finds some good energy signatures. However it turns out the simple plan to get a new warp core turns into a huge ordeal where he has to explore all four planets around him in order to find what he's looking for.

Not sure if it's meant to be lava, or boiling hot KoolAid...

Xeodrifter immediately should feel familiar to anyone who's played Metroid. The formula is pretty much intact, and the game obviously takes most of its inspiration from Nintendo's classic franchise. You know the drill by now. Find upgrades so you can uncover more of the map. You get upgrades by killing bosses. And you kill bosses by upgrading. However the system in Xeodrifter is a little unique. In addition to health upgrades that increase the number of hits you can take, you also have gun upgrades. Now, these upgrades DON'T act like you would expect in a Metroid game. Instead of each gun upgrade being something specific, it instead adds a gun point in your menu that you can spend in several categories, each category impacting how your gun behaves. You can have up to 3 different customizations and this gives you a lot of freedom to create different gun customizations for different situations. For instance, you can have one customization with maximum power for bigger more armoured foes, and one customization focused on fire rate for large hordes of smaller weaker enemies. It's a nice system that gives the game a very nice feel to it where you are in complete control of your power. The upgrades you get from killing the bosses mostly affect your exploration abilitiy. Areas that are previously locked off become available as they rely on you using your new abilites to reach them. For instance, while the areas in the background might seem off limits at first and nothing but cool little backgrounds to add more detail to the game's visuals, once you gain an ability you can literally phase into the background and use it as a secondary playing field. It's a cool mechanic that seems obviously inspired by oldschool platformers that tried playing the 3D gimmick, but adds some extra depth to the gameplay in a literal sense.

All modern space ships are of course outfitted with a save station, teleporter and map screen. No bed though.

Now, that's kind of where the positives about the game end for me. Aside from the graphics which are really good for an 8bit retro game and the music which is perfectly decent, the game falls short in a lot of areas. Despite having 4 planets to explore, they all feel... small. Tiny even. The maps don't feel that big and instead of feeling like you are exploring different planets they might as well be parts of one planet like in Metroid. Each planet has its own unique theme to it, but due to the small size of each planet's map, it ends up feeling a bit unnecessary to have them being 4 planets. I simply wish there was more to explore and not to mention a bit more variety as a lot of the same enemies appear on all of the planets without any indication why they would if they belonged to one planet's ecosystem. For instance, a giant eye-block (for the lack of a better term) on one planet looked like it belonged on that planet because its design seemed to fit the planet's design theme. However I ran into the same enemy on an entirely different planet where it felt entirely out of place. Not to mention, the game is VERY short and you can easily finish it in a couple days if you are good enough. There's a bit of a difficulty to the game but it feels cheap because it relies entirely on how much health and gun powerups you have. If you get killed it's easily because you aren't strong enough and by the end of the game you can pretty much rape everything and take all the hits in the world if you have found enough powerups.

"Imma firin' mah eyelazor!"

Another part where the game feels very lazy and cheap are the bosses themselves. Now, instead of having different bosses that fit the different planets and their themes, they have instead opted to reuse the same boss. Over and over. The only difference is that each iteration is a little bit tricker and involves a new pattern, as well as a simple color swap, but the bosses are essentially the same each time. It ends up feeling extremely monotonous and once you learn the boss' pattern, ALL of them become ridicilously easy. There's simply no challenge in them and they feel repetitive. The final boss does have one cool trick up his sleeve that I won't spoil, but otherwise, I really wish the game had more boss variety. Fighting the same boss over and over with some new patterns is just boring and tedious and doesn't feel interesting. It also feels a bit like untapped potential as the planets felt very thought out in their different designs, however putting the same boss on all planets made NO sense to me.

Controlling the spaceman also feels like it could've been improved. Not only is he WAY too tiny compared to his environment (he basically looks like Samus if she was the size she is when morph balling), which makes calculating his position hard on smaller screens (this game was obviously developed originally with PC in mind...), but his controls feel very slippery and takes a while to get used to. Even hours after playing this game it's still very easy for me to screw up simply because the controls don't feel as tight as they should be.

That'll teach you to spit fireballs on unsuspecting spacemen!

SUMMARY

STORY: 5/10
Not really important to the gameplay and nothing memorable. It's just there pretty much.

GAMEPLAY: 4/10
Offering some cool gimmicks like the gun customization and phasing between background and foreground, but does little to expand on its formula or take full advantage of its level design and concepts. Repetitious boss battles and very cheap difficulty as well as slippery controls makes it hard to recommend repeated playthroughs of the game for anything but speedruns and to get a 100% rating.

GRAPHICS: 8/10
The different planets have very cool designs to them and the graphics are generally very well done. The size of the hero is a bit too small for my taste though and I would've preferred a larger sprite for him.

SOUND: 8/10
While the music isn't outstanding and a lot of the sound effects are re-used over and over, it's servicable. A minor complaint is that the sound feels a little inconsistent. The sound effects sound like 16bit quality but the music is pure NES chiptunes which creates a bit of dissonance in my head. And the end theme is definitely not 8bit by any stretch. A bit more theming and consistency to the sound would've added a lot I feel. The music is alright, but nothing too memorable in my opinion.

FINAL SCORE: 6/10
All in all, Xeodrifter isn't a bad game. But it feels like it could've used more testing, more variation, and simply more of everything. Conceptually I like the idea of exploring different planets, but it doesn't feel like they explored the concept enough and instead stuck to some lazy shortcuts. It doesn't feel fleshed out enough. Compared to something like Metroid which the game obviously takes inspiration from, this doesn't feel like a worthy tribute. It has good ideas, but ultimately falls a bit short on all of them. It's probably worth the cheap price or getting it for free right now on PS Plus, but don't expect much for the money.

- Alyxx

My Top 10 Most Awaited Games 2015

So with all the new games that have been announced lately, naturally I am very excited about some of them. So without any long introduction, here are the top 10 games I am most excited for in 2015.


10//

I am a pretty big Star Wars fan. The movies have become more than the mere blockbusters they were and have become cultural icons to a lot of people. And with EA handling the newly acquired Star Wars IP, naturally people are skeptical to it. I remain hopeful it will be decent though, judging by the gameplay I've seen it seems to be pretty much Battlefield, just Star Wars themed. Which is not necessarily a bad thing.



9//

 There's not much we know about Mass Effect Andromeda yet. Is it an MMO? Is it a standalone sequel? Is it a reboot? I don't care as long as it doesn't have Shep in it. Please.



 8//

After playing Ground Zeroes (which I still can't believe they wanted 60 bucks for), all I can say is that I am hyped as hell for this game. Kiefer Sutherland was a perfect casting choice for Snake and if Ground Zeroes is anything to go by, the gameplay is going to be sleeker than ever and it feels like a proper modernization of the series. And this might definitely be the final MGS game considering Konami seems uninterested in working with Kojima anymore. A sad affair that's hard to ignore, especially since Konami removed Kojima's name from the game... But, still having high hopes it might be the finest MGS experience yet. And from what I hear, PC gamers will have a reason to be hyped since the PC version seems to be the graphically superior version (given you have good enough hardware that is).


7//

While it does seem like a bit of a cash-grab, it's nice to see Capcom giving their old mascot some well-deserved love at last. Mega Man Legacy Collection seems to be a collection of all the classic NES Mega Man games in one complete package, with remix modes, boss runs and other goodies. It definitely seems worth picking up when it comes out. I'm not super-hyped for it since the Mega Man games already are available on 3DS and Wii via the Virtual Console, and you can emulate them easily on PC. But after Capcom shitting all over Mega Man for decades now, I can't help but feel a bit happy inside that he's finally given some attention.



6//

Shadow Warrior was an amazing remake. It had its flaws sure, it was really linear and repetitive, but the depth of the gameplay, the awesome graphics, the humor and not to mention the kickass soundtrack helped make it a strong comeback title for 3D Realms. It seems the sequel will introduce a lot of things to help fix the problems with the first game. You can have up to 4 people playing together in co-op which is already an awesome addition, levels seem more open-ended and not as constrained, and the new weapons seem amazingly over-the-top and silly. I'm already riding the hype train hard for this game. Who want some Wang?!



 5//

  
It seems Adam Jensen didn't just survive the end of Human Revolution, he's back with even more augmentations and more badassery as this sexy goatee cyberpunk supersoldier returns in another installment of the beloved Deus Ex franchise. We haven't had a sequel this soon since Deus Ex: Invisible War. Let's cross our fingers it won't be another disappointment...


4//

While it seems to be rehashing the first game quite a bit, Rise of the Tomb Raider still intrigues me as I want to follow Lara's story from the first game. The first game was a wonderful remake and a great origin story for Lara so to see where this game carries her is going to be interesting. I've heard rumors of this being a console exclusive, though I'm really hoping for a PC release eventually...
 


3//

Probably no surprise there as I am admittely a huge Call of Duty fangirl at this point and await each annual installment with great excitement, eager to stay in the fray regularly with new levels, new game modes and new weapons and not to mention, another campaign to play through (yes, I actually do play through the campaign, shocker). It seems Black Ops III will carry on the slight cyberpunk feel of Advanced Warfare and considering AW has been my favorite CoD so far, that's definitely not a bad thing. It will be interesting to see what Treyarch has in store as their installments always remain some of my favourites in the franchise. The main reason I am excited for Black Ops 3 is the fact the campaign is co-op so it can be enjoyed with a friend. Colour me hyped!


2//

When I saw the gameplay demo for the DOOM reboot, I just about orgasmed. The brutality of it, the executions, the soundtrack, the graphics, gameplay, everything seems like a wonderful return to form for the franchise. It seems faster, more intense and importantly more fun than DOOM 3 which, while being good, didn't exactly feel like DOOM. This however seems to be exactly what people want from a DOOM game and all I can do is applaud id Software for finally returning mod support with the SnapMap feature. The best thing about it? It's cross platform, and while you can't play with people on other systems, you can share content across them which I think is awesome. Speaking of DOOM and content sharing, this brings me to the number one game on my list...


1//

After seeing the gameplay at E3 and QuakeCon all I can say is that Fallout 4 is looking to be a huge improvement over Fallout 3 in terms of gameplay. I'm still not sure about the story as it still seems very tame in comparison to Fallout 2 and I doubt with Bethesda in the ruling seat the series will ever go back to its over-the-top roots but it still looks like Fallout 4 will be a game I'd gladly sink 400+ hours into. I'm especially looking forward to the base building feature, the improved dialogue system and just getting lost in the wasteland again. I'm playing a lot of Fallout 3 to warm up for it. And speaking of content sharing, it seems Fallout 4 WILL be modable not only on PC this time but also on consoles, sharing content across systems using BethesdaNet. I'm super hyped to see what people can come up with not just on PC but also on the console side. Either way, Fallout 4 is gonna be a massive experience and probably a game I'll be playing for a good time forwards...

[PlayStation Vita Game Review] Borderlands 2

BORDERLANDS 2
Platform: PlayStation Vita
Released: 2014
Genre: First Person Shooter/Roleplaying Game
Developer: Gearbox (Ported by Iron Galaxy)
Publisher: 2K
Buy on eBay

Borderlands 2 is arguably my favourite game of all time, so when I heard it was being released for the PS Vita, it quickly became a system seller for me. I promptly purchased a PS Vita in 2013 and in 2014 the game was finally released. It's taken me a while to get around to reviewing the Vita version, but let's find out if this game is worth your money to get on the Vita. This review will focus exclusively on the Vita version and how it compares to the home console and PC versions of Borderlands 2, but let's begin with a short story recap and a basic summary of the main gameplay.

Borderlands 2 takes place a good time after the first game and as a result of the vault opening at the end of Borderlands 1, a substance known as Eridium has begun leaking out of the planet's core to the surface. The Hyperion corporation saw this opportunity to mine this substance, to use it for their own ends (among other things creating a unique type of gun known as E-Tech that turns bullets into lasers), which aren't always in the best interest of Pandora's citizens, especially when Hyperion legend Handsome Jack is in charge of it all. Your adventure starts as 1 of 4 (6 if you have the DLC characters) vault hunters who come to Pandora to, well, hunt vaults (duh), though it turns out the entire thing was a trap set up by Handsome Jack and the train you're on gets attacked by Hyperion soldiers. Although you easily survive the attack, the train turns out to be rigged with explosives and after an earth-shattering kaboom, you wake up in the frozen cold north of Pandora, greeted by everyone's favourite annoying robot, CL4P-TP (Claptrap).

Gameplay wise the game largely keeps the same formula from Borderlands 1, consisting of doing quests, choosing which abilities you want to upgrade on your character and all the while looking for the sweetest guns you can find. Some things are much improved in Borderlands 2 though. For instance, you no longer have to manually pick up shit from the ground as you'll automatically pick up ammo and money as you run over it. Guns and other items still have to be picked up manually though, as well as loot from chests. The skilltrees are also far more interesting in their structure, offering a broader range of abilities that affect each other in different ways. In short it feels like there are more skills to choose from in this game, which is a welcome change from the rather boring skilltrees in Borderlands 1. The guns also feel more like they have an identity in this game from a design perspective. In BL1, it seems the guns blended together a lot, and it wasn't easy to tell the various manufacturers apart aside from some minor differences such as colour schemes. In BL2, each gun manufacturer has its own unique design, making the guns more aesthetically diverse which I approve of. The colour schemes change based on the rarity of the gun. The only thing I would say is a step down is that legendaries are far more difficult to obtain, as it seems Marcus has completely removed them from his shops in this game (tough times it seems), so your only option is to hope they drop from the enemies you kill, or you can farm bosses (each boss has a higher chance of dropping certain legendaries).

The Vita version restricts the co-op to only 2 people as opposed to 4 people in the console and PC versions. I haven't had the chance to test this out yet but I'll update my review once I get to play the game multiplayer.

The Vita version controls pretty much identical to its console counterparts, although with some unique twists, such as sprinting, powersliding and meleeing by tapping the back screen of the Vita, or pressing the left and right side of the Vita screen to use your ability or throw grenades. It's fairly intuitive once you get used to it, although I would like to have more control options since a lot of people don't like being forced to use the Vita touch screens.

Graphically the game looks a lot less impressive on the Vita. Compared to more powerful systems it is obvious some sacrifices had to be made in the graphical department. The game doesn't look ugly by any means and the Borderlands graphical novel style definitely is intact, though less flashy and with less impressive effects, especially when compared to the PC version's PhysX liquids. It's a bit sad as games like Killzone: Mercenary show that the Vita CAN pull off impressive graphics without sacrificing framerate, however it is important to keep in mind that KM was developed specifically for the Vita while Borderlands 2 was never intended to run on a handheld system, so it's understandable at least.

The audio department is also stripped down a fair bit. Due to what I would guess are memory restrictions, there's no processing on the voice acting, so most of the time it can be a bit hard to hear. I also noticed the audio lags heavily sometimes whenever the game starts using up a lot of memory, especially after playing a map for an extended period and after playing a lot of dialogue.

It seems in general most of the problems of the Vita version are related to memory. The maps and the amount of data in them are obviously meant for more powerful systems and I've experienced crashes and audio lag and stuttering a lot when playing one map for a longer time. Loading times are also painfully slow at times. It's obvious that porting a game to a handheld system it was never intended for brings its share of issues and I wish the game had been given more time or budget so that we could've maybe gotten an exclusive Vita Borderlands game or a more customized port that would work better with the system's limitations.

In short, Borderlands 2 on the Vita is what it is. When it works it's pretty much the same game, pretty much everything is there and intact, although a bit stripped down. I've had hours of fun with the game personally and despite its flaws, I keep coming back to it. It offers shoot'n'looting on the go and to me, that's all I want from it.

SUMMARY
STORY: 9/10
GRAPHICS: 5/10
SOUND: 5/10
GAMEPLAY: 7/10
TOTAL: 6/10

Top 10 Games of 2014

The year is once again coming to an end and it's time to let you guys know what games I enjoyed the most this year. And what a year this was... batshit insane titles like Goat Simulator that I never thought could exist, mixed in with a lot of older games being re-released such as Strife and Eradicator. It's been a hell of a ride. So without further ado... let's get to it.


10 - FAR CRY 4 (PC)

It's not always I orgasm over graphics in games but Far Cry 4 is definitely one of those times. This game is drop dead gorgeous and I found myself incredibly immersed in it. It's one of those games you want to explore simply because the world is so lush and beautiful and inviting! The lighting in this game pretty much makes the entire atmosphere. It's far from a perfect game though as I had to do some tweaking to get it running smoothly, the mouse controls were pretty wonky at first before I tweaked my settings as well and to be honest, gameplay wise this game is just Far Cry 3 with a new coat of paint. But that's okay with me as I absolutely loved Far Cry 3. The story is great too with Pagan Min serving as a perfect substitute for Vaas. The game also supports co-op which is a huge plus for me. Definitely worth checking out if you loved Far Cry 3 and want more of the same. If not, you can easily pass on it.


9 - VELOCITY 2X (PS Vita)

Velocity 2X is one of those games I fear fell under the radar this year, and undeservedly so. Being on PS4 and PS Vita, the game mixes elements from several genres, being both a horizontal and vertical shooter with a beautiful electro soundtrack that will make you orgasm (seriously)... There's a twist though as the game uses the element of teleporting to give it a bit of a puzzle feel as well, so you definitely have to think a bit 4-dimensionally to be good at it. The graphical style is entirely unique and very appealing with a lot of great use of lighting and very intense colours, looking hand drawn but futuristic at the same time. I've found myself playing this game a lot on my Vita this year and with two DLC packs already released, it offers a ton of play time for those who want it. Definitely check this out if you're a fan of oldschool 2D shooters and need more Vita or PS4 games to play.

8 - THE WOLF AMONG US (PC)

 

While it technically released last year, the final episodes of Wolf Among Us came out this year, completing the game and I didn't buy it until very recently and I'm very glad I did. The Wolf Among Us is one of the best adventure games I've played to date and as someone who has read the Fables comic it was interesting to get a prequel to the whole thing. The game had me really invested in the story in a way only TellTale can do and I couldn't help but love the unique graphical style of the game, the strong characters and just the entire noir atmosphere. Seeing such a sleazy hard-boiled take on something that we associate with our childhood is amazing to me and I can't recommend this game enough. It has some unique gameplay elements as well, time being a factor and the choices you make shaping the story so each playthrough has a chance of being different from your last one.

7 - DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN (PC)

This is easily the best RPG this year. Offering an experience that is both oldschool yet innovative at the same time, it gives an entirely unique co-op experience where the two players can interact in a way that I've rarely seen done in co-op RPGs and actually reminds me more of a proper tabletop RPG experience. It's a LOT of fun to play with great atmosphere, music and all around a very good story. The combat system is the crowning achievement though as it is turnbased but has a gimmick of giving you the ability to "save" action points for your next turn. Highly recommend this if you're a RPG fan and want something to play co-op cause that is in my opinion the only way to play this game.

6 - WASTELAND 2 (PC)

Speaking of oldschool RPGs... Wasteland 2 finally came out. Yeah, in 2014 of all years. Wasteland of course is pretty much the grandfather of the Fallout franchise, and you can definitely tell the connection is there. Wasteland 2 feels like it was made in the 90's and to me that's not necessarily a bad thing. The character customization is extremely good and offers a lot of specialization which is good when building a strong party. The combat reminds me of Divinity: Original Sin but with guns so if you play these games back to back, it'll come as second nature. The story isn't all that good but the post-nuclear atmosphere is thick as oil and the gameplay is rock solid. Worth checking out if you're a fan of oldschool RPGs or Fallout.

5 - WATCH_DOGS (PC)

Watch_Dogs is not an amazing game and definitely doesn't live up to the insane hype that was built up around it. However, I do find it to be a pretty fun and solid experience with a story that isn't epic or big, but doesn't need to be. It feels relatable and touching, and to me that's perfectly acceptable. Not all games need big epic storylines, sometimes it's okay to have a more soap-opera'esque story in my opinion. And the game still looks pretty gorgeous, making the city of Chicago come to life in a way few games take time to do. People react very realistically to the things you do and I can't help but feel like my character actually has an impact on his world in this game and that's an amazing achievement to me. Like I said, this game is not amazing, but what is there is solid and offers an experience for those who give it time to grow on them. If you get past your initial expectations, you might actually come to enjoy it like I did. It's definitely not something for everyone, but it depends on what you are looking for...

4 - ALIEN: ISOLATION (PC)



I am probably one of the few people who enjoyed Aliens: Colonial Marines. But while I did enjoy that game, this game... this game is in a league of its very own and doesn't AT ALL compare to Colonial Marines. Comparing the two games is unfair because they are in entirely different categories with entirely different inspirations and goals. Colonial Marines was a shooter. It was based on a movie that took the franchise in a more action oriented direction. It made sense to be a shooter and in my opinion, Colonial Marines did a good job of offering a simple alien shooter experience. Isolation however takes its inspiration and influence from the first movie. It takes the franchise back to its hardcore sci-fi horror roots and focuses on the very core of what Alien is meant to be. Facing a creature that is invulnerable and superior and surviving against the odds. Alien: Isolation is one of the most terrifying games I've played and does its job perfectly. The atmosphere is spot on and makes me feel like I am actually inside the first movie. Attention to detail is stunning and nothing is left to coincidence. If you're an Alien fan, in any way shape or form, get this game. Believe me, please believe me when I say this game GETS IT. This game GETS what Alien is meant to be. If you are going to get ANY Alien game, it HAS to be this one. This is a MUST OWN!


3 - CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE (PC)

To me, Advanced Warfare is the best Call of Duty game in a long time. It mixes the core CoD gameplay with new and fresh elements and focuses on the most important thing: being fun! I haven't had this much fun with a Call of Duty since I got into the franchise with MW3 and to me that is an amazing feeling. The story is solid as well with amazing performances from everyone involved, especially Kevin Spacey who does a wonderful and memorable role as the villain. I can't recommend this game enough if you're a Call of Duty fan, this is easily a must have. And if you want an entry point for the series, this is in my opinion the best game to choose so far. Everything is rock solid, the amount of customization is INSANE and the exo suits give the series a new dimension that makes everything 10 times more intense, but at the same time 10 times more fun.


2 - BORDERLANDS: THE PRE-SEQUEL (PC)

Borderlands being pretty much my favourite franchise, I was insanely hyped for this game. And boy did it deliver. It's actually hard for me to go back to playing the earlier games now since this game makes a lot of improvements to the franchise and adding new elements as well with the low gravity environment and more mature writing. The music reminds me a lot of Mass Effect, which fits the more space-oriented theme very well. Gameplay wise it's just more Borderlands but if you're as much of a fan as I am, that's not necessarily a bad thing.


1 - WOLFENSTEIN: THE NEW ORDER (PC)

Wolfenstein: The New Order is arguably the best game in the entire franchise so far. With an amazing story with characters that you will never forget, with the best graphics since RAGE, with an intense musical score that creates an unsettling and mechanical atmosphere, with gameplay that mixes oldschool and new school flawlessly, with an insane amount of attention to detail, this game is in my opinion flawless. It gets EVERYTHING right and is one of the most awesome experiences I've had in a long, LONG time. It's to this day one of the only games on my blog I've given a perfect 10/10 score and I proudly stand by that. It's the first time I've seen a game that takes the Wolfenstein name seriously and does something unique and memorable with it, something special that will live on with me forever. And that's why it's my game of the year.

[PC Game Review] Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE
Platform: PC (Steam)
Released: 2014
Genre: First Person Shooter
Developer: Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Buy on Steam


It should be firmly established by now I am a huge fan of this franchise, having been so ever since I played Modern Warfare 3. The consistent quality, high production values and solid gameplay keeps me coming back to each new iteration. So it's about time I give my thoughts on the most recent one, Advanced Warfare, which promises to reinvigorate the franchise with some new tricks. Is this truly a game changer, or just advanced bullshit? Let's take a look!


THE CAMPAIGN

The campaign in Advanced Warfare sets up a story in a near future where Jonathan Irons (played by Kevin Spacey) offers a new chance for Mitchell, a soldier who loses his war buddy and best friend as well as his arm in a sabotage operation that goes horribly wrong. Armed with a new robotic prosthesis and working for the biggest PMC in the world, Atlas, he becomes part of Iron's closest elite. However he soon finds out that there is more to Irons than he first realizes and becomes part of an intricate plot to stop Irons from committing mass genocide of innocent civilians on American soil.

The campaign lets you upgrade your new Exo suit's abilities between missions, as you earn points for certain objectives, such as enemy kills and gathering intel. It gives the campaign some replayability as you can replay earlier levels to unlock more upgrades, offering a sort of New Game + option.
The Exo suit is introduced in full force during the campaign and you are introduced to all its concepts, including boost jumping, slamming (buttslam!) and dodging, so the campaign works as a nice training mode before jumping into multiplayer in that sense. 

Several missions focus on driving vehicles as well which gives a nice variety to the action. Riding a hoverbike, piloting a combat jet and manouvering a giant combat exoskeleton are just a couple of the sweet toys you get to play with in the campaign. You also get some stealth missions that actually manage to feel like proper stealth missions and using the exo suit to enhance them in a very interesting way.

Night vision balls... I be trippin' them...

THE MULTIPLAYER

Multiplayer is probably more expansive than ever in Advanced Warfare. The mode features more customization options than ever. You can now fully customize your appearance in the game, choose your gender, head, shades, helmet, gloves, pants, jacket, loadout, you name it. You can customize your guns in a much deeper fashion than before, re-using the slot system from Black Ops 2, as you now can customize your attachments and choose between more skins than ever. The variety of weapons is also through the roof as you have laser weapons to add to the mix now, as well as more akimbo weapons than before, which I absolutely love!

A new feature is that each round of multiplayer you play has a chance of giving you a loot drop crate. These crates contain entirely random loot, ranging from temp bonuses to unique clothing items and even unique gun variations with special attributes. I often found myself getting these loot crates when I was doing particularly bad in a round and it's nice to have incentive to keep playing despite not doing too hot.

Hiiiiiiighway to the DANGER ZONE!

You can also choose between several special Exo abilities, such as getting a temporary speed boost, getting temp health regen boost, hovering in the air or getting a shield. You're also equipped with a grenade launcher, meaning you no longer have to specifically throw grenades, you can just launch them from your arm which I find much more satisfying. There are also several new more tactical grenade types, including the Threat grenade which lights up enemies wherever it hits. 

In addition to all the classic modes you've come to expect from CoD, there's a new uplink mode that plays out pretty much like a futuristic handball match with guns. Grab the ball, get it into the enemy's goal without getting shot. The first team to score 10 points wins the match. It's a mode where it's not so much about getting kills but just getting the ball. Otheriwse you have your standard TDM, KC, Hardpoint and Domination matches.

Surprise, motherfucker

The levels are now fully designed with the exo suits in mind and this results in a lot of levels offering very vertical gameplay and encounters. It brings a new certain intensity to the franchise that definitely makes this a much more hardcore experience in multiplayer, especially if you play with people who are skilled with the exo suit boosting. Be prepared to spend a lot of time on rooftops...
The emblem editor is thankfully available within the game again so editing your emblem no longer needs to be done via an app like in Ghosts. Your clan and clan tag still needs to be edited via the app though...

In addition to the standard multiplayer there is a new co-op mode called Exo Survival, which I sadly found a bit disappointing. The mode, which is pretty much just another co-op horde mode, doesn't really offer much reason to play it other than for practice since you can't really do much other than choosing what class to play and then upgrade guns as you play the match. It doesn't get boring though as you always have secondary objectives to do and it does get really intense on higher difficulties. However, for me the mode is too barebones to offer much in comparison with the main multiplayer.

One technical issue I'm suffering a bit from is that I get some bad client lag during the start of matches. Not sure why but it seems to be a sync issue. Nothing that ruins the experience but it is a minor annoyance.

Tearing up ALL the shit!

THE GRAPHICS

Advanced Warfare might just be the most gorgeous Call of Duty yet! The new engine truly is capable of some spectacular graphics and the facial capture in the cutscenes is near uncanny valley levels of perfection, giving the cutscenes some true cinematic flair since the actors can be very expressive with their models. The game also just looks really pleasing to look at, with popping colours and lots of nice lighting effects.

Especially during the single player do the graphics come to their right, offering tons of eye candy during the grand scale set pieces and the game feels enormous in scale. Detail on the guns is splendid and I adore their futuristic style that fits perfectly into the game.


THE SOUND

Voice acting is absolutely superb, especially Kevin Spacey as Jonathan Irons. His performance is bone chilling and emotional, all at the same time, giving the character he plays a very much needed strong presence in the game. The guns all sound very good to use and have a nice punchy sound to them. One thing I noticed is that the game has a lot of high frequency metallic sounds which does get a bit annoying to me after a while but I tend to just get used to it. It's nothing that makes the game worse, but I couldn't help but notice it. The only downside is that much like most high value productions nowadays the music isn't much to speak of and is rather forgetable and I mostly keep it off.

Imma firin' ma lazooooor!

All in all, Advanced Warfare is the most fun Call of Duty so far and feels the most complete. It offers a new take on the franchise and taking a note from Titanfall, gives it much more vertical gameplay. I strongly recommend picking it up, regardless if you're a fan or not. It might not do as much innovation as most people are looking for, but what it offers is the same solid CoD experience with new toys, and to me, that's all I wanted.


SUMMARY
STORY: 10/10
GAMEPLAY: 8/10
GRAPHICS: 10/10
SOUND: 8/10

FINAL SCORE: 9/10

[PC Game Review] Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

BORDERLANDS: THE PRE-SEQUEL
Platform: PC (Steam)
Released: 2014
Genre: First Person Shooter
Developer: 2K Australia
Publisher: 2K Games

To say I was hyped about the Pre-Sequel is an understatement. Borderlands and Borderlands 2 have both quickly become some of my favourite shooters of all time, with Borderlands 2 admittedly taking the spot as my favourite game of all time. The mix of RPG and FPS with an insane amount of customization and not to mention, an insane amount of guns, combined with humor and a very unique graphical style, has made these games very dear to me and hold a special place in my library.

The Pre-Sequel pretty much is what it says. It's the sequel to Borderlands but also a prequel to Borderlands 2. While I think the term "mid-quel" might be more appropriate, I think "pre-sequel" has a better ring to it. The story follows the rise of Handsome Jack and you play as four (with more characters available in DLCs) vault hunters who follow him and aid him in his rise to power. Athena, who in many ways is the protagonist of the story, appeared in the first game's General Knoxx DLC as a sort of mercenary who worked for the Atlas corporation. After the fall of the corporation she became a bounty hunter with a certain code of honor. Among the characters, she is the only one with a distinct morality to her. Nisha, who I chose as my main character, is a self-proclaimed Lawbringer who ends up as Handsome Jack's love interest in the game. Wilhelm, who like Nisha served as a boss in Borderlands 2, is addicted to cybernetic enhancements. Claptrap is... annoying as usual but has a unique and very interesting playstyle. Together, they form the team that helps Jack into the Vault on Pandora's moon Elpis.

What I noticed right away is that while the game looks and plays very similar to Borderlands 2, it definitely has a unique feel to it. Everything is a bit smaller, so the gameplay is actually faster in terms of leveling, since it's scaled to the length of the game. While it may be seen as a negative that the game lacks a bit in size compared to Borderlands 2, it does make the game feel more focused and fun. I especially enjoyed being able to have my action skill at level 3 and feeling like I actually progressed much faster than in Borderlands 2. The setting is also unique compared to any other Borderlands game as so far, none of the games have actually taken place outside Pandora. The Pre-Sequel's setting is the moon Elpis and the Helios space station, both serving as very fresh and interesting locales that feel like a breath of fresh air after playing Borderlands 2 which, granted it did expand on the environments from Borderlands 1 but the difference in the Pre-Sequel is much bigger.

The main difference to notice is that there is low gravity on the moon and also no air. To remedy this you are given O2 kits (pronounced "Oz" by the locals due to how the 2 resembles a Z). O2 kits can be used to not only breathe in vacuum but also give you boosts, making the gameplay more vertical and bouncy. I cannot stress enough how much of a difference this makes and the Pre-Sequel really has its own unique playstyle compared to Borderlands 2. In fact, I find it difficult to go back to the earlier games after playing this.

The weapons are mostly the same from Borderlands 2, retaining the individual gun manufacturer designs from that game, though there is a new weapon type, namely lasers. Lasers come in several different types as well and can be charged with any kind of element. Speaking of, there is a new element called Cryo which, you guessed it, freezes your enemies. It's one of the elements that me and my friend have been wanting for a long time and it's awesome to finally see it in a Borderlands game.

Legendaries are also easier to get in this game. Stores actually sell them now, and much like in the first game, they are super expensive, but at least available, something I missed in Borderlands 2. You also have a new tool, called the Grinder, where you can insert guns and get a new one of potentially higher rarity and even with unique bonuses given from the moonstones you pick up during gameplay.
The moonstones serve various purposes and work as a replacement for Eridium from Borderlands 2. Thankfully, moonstones are much more easily obtained in this game, and I actually had all the SDUs before reaching playthrough 2.

Despite using the same game engine, graphically the game looks amazing and actually a bit better than Borderlands 2. I know a lot of people see it as a mere standalone DLC to BL2 but the graphical upgrade is noticable. The different setting allows for more unique visuals as well and gives the game a unique atmosphere. I haven't been able to see the PhysX effects since I use an AMD card but assume they are as cool as in Borderlands 2. Even without PhysX the effects when you shatter frozen enemies and such are really cool (pardon the pun).

The music is nothing memorable but works fine within the game. A lot of it reminds me of Mass Effect actually, which is fitting considering the space theme. The sounds are also pretty good and I love the voice acting. The game actually has a Mature rating and the script has a much more adult feel to it which I greatly approve of. While some of the performances left some to be desired, I generally enjoyed the different feel to the writing and humor as the game feels a bit darker and more adult overall, which I think a lot of fans will enjoy. A new thing I especially like is that the vault hunters actually talk to each other and the NPC's, giving them more personality beyond the usual grunts.

All in all, the Pre-Sequel is more than just a standalone DLC to Borderlands 2, it is a different and honestly improved experience compared to BL2, and while it is shorter, I think the improvements make up for it and there is plenty of reason for repeated playthroughs. My only gripe with it is the short length, but I hope DLC will be released that expands on it and maybe adds a higher level cap.


SUMMARY
STORY: 9/10
GRAPHICS: 9/10
SOUND: 8/10
GAMEPLAY: 8/10

TOTAL: 8/10

Top 10 PS Vita Games

Ah the PlayStation Vita. While many would argue the system is a bit of a failure, for me it came at the right time with the right games. Thing is, I don't have a laptop or a phone more advanced than a simple Java phone so to have a handheld console like the Vita pretty much fulfills all my needs from a handheld device. It's more than a game system to me. It's also a device I can use to browse the web, watch YouTube, post on Facebook or even use Skype. It's very multifunctional and from the PSN store you can also get PSP titles (which is a godsend since I never owned a PSP to begin with) and PS1 titles (which is also great since I wanted a device to play PS1 games on the go with). Ever since I bought it, it has become my most used handheld and so far my favourite. Not that I don't give my 3DS playtime either, it just happens that I am more often in the mood for Vita games. So let's take a look at my own top 10 favourites of them.


10. BORDERLANDS 2


 

Borderlands 2 is arguably my favourite game of all time, and in my opinion also one of the best sequels of all time. It's a game that centers around two things; GUNS and LOOT. What makes the Borderlands games so special are the insane amount of guns in them. Guns can spawn in any kind of strange combinations, though most players are most likely going to go for the unique and legendary guns. So it goes without saying that the idea of being able to play the game wherever I go is extraordinarily tempting. In fact, this game was the reason I bought a Vita to begin with since I had kind of held off until it was announced. When I got the game, granted, I was a bit disappointed. What I was promised was the Borderlands 2 experience on the go and what we all got was a heavily watered down port, with subpar graphics and audio, only two-player co-op, and one that likes to crash a lot or have audio that goes out of sync. Still, with all these flaws there is one undeniable truth. It's Borderlands 2, and you can take it anywhere you want. When it works, it's still Borderlands 2 and that's what matters to me. If you're a fan of the game and want to play it on the go, pick it up if you find it on discount. It also comes with a few DLCs so there's a lot of playtime here.


 
9. SURGE DELUXE



Futurlab is quickly becoming one of my most liked developers on the PS Vita. Their games have a really futuristic style to them (which goes well with their name), sporting bright colourful neon colours and very distinct shapes and lines. Surge is a puzzle game in the vein of Bejeweled or Tetris, though has its own unique twist. Using the touch screen, you need to connect blocks of the same colour together in order to clear the screen, since pressure is building up on both sides and needs to be released. It's a very intense arcady game where it's all about making a high score and battle on the online leaderboards. Or you can just play it to kill time which I often do when I am in the mood for it. Definitely gives your brain an exercise as well which is never a bad thing.


8. ASPHALT: INJECTION
 

There are about three racing games on the Vita that I play in rotation. Wipeout 2048, Need For Speed: Most Wanted and Asphalt Injection. Asphalt is actually the game that I find myself coming back to the most for several reasons. While Wipeout is something I have to be in the mood for and never feel like I master 100%, and Need For Speed: Most Wanted definitely feels like a port, you can tell Asphalt Injection was made specifically with a handheld system in mind and with people who like arcady racers in mind as well. The graphics for one are really nice and colourful and very bright so that they show well even in non optimal conditions. A problem I have with other games, especially ports is that they don't show up well in less than ideal conditions, for instance if you're out in the sun. The game also is really fast, notably much faster and smoother than Most Wanted for instance. Gameplay wise the game offers several different racing modes with different goals and the fun of the game comes from achieving different objectives in each race instead of just merely reaching the finish line in first place. Additional points for taking down enemy vehicles are given, collecting a certain amount of cash etc. Definitely highly recommend the game if you have a Vita.



7. METAL GEAR SOLID HD


Unlike the title suggests, Metal Gear Solid HD is not an HD remake of MGS 1 but rather an HD collection of MGS 2 and 3. These are easily some of the most beautiful and cinematic experiences from their era and have a gameplay style that is entirely unique to the series. While you wouldn't think this kind of experience makes sense on a handheld device, when  you sit down with a pair of headphones, lock out the world around you and dive into the world of Tactical Espionage Action, these games come alive on the Vita in a beautiful way. I definitely recommend picking this one up if you're a fan of stealth games as they are worth playing through at least once.


6. RESISTANCE: BURNING SKIES



Resistance: Burning Skies is not really that special of a game. It's standard first person shooter fare for the most part where the goal is to survive and kill any opposition that comes your way. The difference of course lies in the setting and weaponry you have and the fact it's on a handheld device. The fun of the game comes in how all the weapons have an alternate fire mode and you use the touch screen more often than not to use these extra modes which adds a bit of strategy and fun to the shooting and gives a nice break up now and then. It's also a bit difficult if you're not used to console shooters like I am, so it gives a lot of bang for your buck. The game is strangely enough about a 50's alien invasion however, it does this in a way that no other game has done as far as I can recall. While the concept of 50's alien invasions have been done before (it was the decade where sci-fi was born after all), this game doesn't really do it in that oldschool 50's sci-fi style but does it in a really modern and gritty style which makes the alien culture actually feel alien to the game's original setting. Much like the newly released Wolfenstein: The New Order, it gives a very nice contrasting setting that makes the game feel like it takes place in an alternate reality. Definitely recommend it if you're a shooter fan like me.


5. VELOCITY 2X



Velocity 2X is another game from Futurlab that, like Surge Deluxe, has a very arcady oldschool feel to it. But where Surge went the puzzle route, Velocity takes the shooter route. It blends two kinds of game modes seamlessly where you fly around in a vertical shmup style game in one moment and then run around inside platformer levels in the other with a handgun. At first it takes a while getting used to switching between these two game styles, but it becomes second nature quickly. The music consists of nice techno and chiptunes which greatly fits the futuristic sci-fi style, the graphics are definitely typical Futurlab here, going hand in hand with the music, and I would go as far as saying they far surpass even Surge. The design of the main heroine herself is especially nice and she has some Samus Aran qualities to her. It's a pretty good game that is a lot of fun to play on the go, especially if you're a fan of oldschool 2D shooters.


4. RAYMAN LEGENDS



Rayman Legends is probably my favourite Rayman game nowadays. It harkens back to the roots of the franchise of being a 2D platformer with cartoony graphics and does this even better than the original in my opinion. The most fun aspect is that you have multiple characters to play, all of them with different attacks, voices and gameplay styles, and the levels all feel very varied and memorable, something the original did so well. Granted Rayman Legends is on pretty much every system nowadays, the Vita version still feels pretty unique in how it utilizes the touch screen for a lot of the game's levels. It makes it feel like more than just a port and making the touch screen feel like it was intended to be used with the game, instead of just a tacked on feature like with a lot of Vita titles. That alone makes it worth picking up even if you might already own the game on a different system. 


3. GRAVITY RUSH



Gravity Rush might as well be considered a perfect bundle game to pick up if you have just gotten a Vita. While I also hear Tearaway is a good game that shows off the Vita's functionality, to me that game just feels too gimmicky. The thing about Gravity Rush is that it shows off what the Vita can do but implements those things into the game's story and has the Vita's functions work within the story rather than making it feel like someone simply made a game to have fun with the Vita's touch screens which is the feeling I got from Tearaway, and which is why I was put off playing it. Gravity Rush has a rather intriguing story set in an unknown universe where you play a character who is unaware of who she is or what her past is, trying nothing more than to make a living for herself in a floating city. She discovers though she has powers that allows her to control gravity. The game is in a genre of its own and is unlike anything I've played before. It's not really a shooter or anything, since all you do is use gravity to attack your enemies, and not really an action/adventure game either. It kind of mixes a lot of genres and at times, feels kind of like a platformer where you can control gravity. It's an entirely unique experience and I cannot recommend it enough if you have a Vita.

2. DRAGON'S CROWN



Dragon's Crown feels a lot like a modern version of Golden Axe. It's classic 2D sidescrolling slice-em-up fun and best of all, it's co-op, both with AI NPC's and your friends. There are also a lot of RPG elements to the game and making sure you always have the best gear for your characters, giving it a lot of depth beyond being just a simple action game, though I like it because it also has the satisfying action I love. The art style is also pretty unique, with a sorceress sporting boobs the size of Jupiter. If that doesn't make you want to play, I don't know what doesn't. :P


1. KILLZONE: MERCENARY



For me it was impossible not to be impressed when I first played Mercenary. Not only is it a gorgeous game - sporting graphics that truly impress for being on a handheld device, showing the game was made to take full advantage of the Vita's hardware - it's also a really solid shooter experience. While the campaign is pretty short and split into multiple short missions that you can play in bursts, there is also a lot of challenge and fun in the game from completing these missions in different ways. The multiplayer is also solid as hell, giving the game a lot of longevity. If you're at all a first person shooter whore like me and have a Vita, get this game immideately. It at least makes up for the subpar Call of Duty game we got on the system. The only downside I can say about the game is that the story isn't really that good and the music is pretty bland. But the game is definitely a solid shooter and exactly the kind of game I wanted the Vita for.

[PC Game Review] Wolfenstein - The New Order

WOLFENSTEIN: THE NEW ORDER
Platform: PC (Steam)
Released: 2014
Genre: First Person Shooter
Developer: Machine Games
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Buy on Steam

Wolfenstein is one of the biggest grandfathers in gaming history as it spawned an entire genre, the first person shooter. While it wasn't the first game to put you in the eyes of your character, it was the first to do so in such a raw and intense way. It paved the way for future successes from id Software such as Doom and Quake, and it would be difficult to imagine gaming as it is today without it.

The Wolfenstein franchise itself is a bit of a strange one as there has never been any direct sequel to the original Wolfenstein 3D game and even that was a sort of remake of the Castle Wolfenstein game from the 80's by MUSE Software, itself the grandfather of the stealth genre, so in a way the franchise stretches far back and was actually influential both as a first person shooter AND as a stealth game. And while the original Wolfenstein 3D was not a stealth game, stealth was a minor gameplay element in the game. A remake came out around 2001-2002, cleverly titled "Return To Castle Wolfenstein", featuring an entirely new storyline. It was followed by the multiplayer game "Enemy Territory" later on.

While these two games were pretty successful, Activision released another reboot of the franchise in 2009, the also cleverly titled "Wolfenstein", which was not a remake of the first game nor a remake of Return, it was simply a new Wolfenstein game not in any way tied to the earlier games. It focused more on using dark powers to aid your fight against the Nazis and introduced a big city hub to go around in. While it wasn't any big hit, it sold decently though most critics called the game mediocre. Needless to say, Wolfenstein: The New Order has a bit of a weird history to follow but decides to mostly do its own thing and in some ways be a bit of a sequel to the 2009 Wolfenstein game. Let's take a look and see how well it fares in comparison to earlier games and also, whether it truly is worth the title of a Wolfenstein game.

Say CHEEEEESE

STORY

This is a game where I really don't want to talk much about the story out of fear of spoiling it for everyone. Let it just be said that the game has one of the best stories I've ever played not only this year but in a long time. At times the game has an almost Tarantino-esque feel to it which I don't mind at all as the writing is really good and tight and the characters are all extremely memorable and easy to connect with. I especially love Deathshead who returns as the villain and, if anything, is creepier than ever and is one evil S.O.B. you WANT to kill by the end of the game. The game has two different storylines with slight differences. I strongly suggest playing both of them as each storyline has some minor differences, giving the game some amount of replay value. And one spoiler I will give is that... yes. You go to the moon...

GAMEPLAY

Gameplay-wise the game might be one of the best single player FPS's ever made. All the guns are exceptionally well designed and look really cool on the screen (something more games should take into account if you ask me, considering you run around most of the game staring at it). I especially love the enormous shotguns and the assault rifles. Some of the weapons also have an alternative fire method or ammo type, and all of them save for the heavy weapons can be dualwielded, which naturally gets a big point from me as it is one of my biggest gaming fetishes. I also love that all the weapons are instantly available at any time and you are never limited to just two guns. Granted your arsenal is a bit limited and you cannot carry turret guns in your inventory but this is fair. If you are a fan of oldschool shooters, the game will definitely cater to your taste. Some guns even fulfill multiple functions such as opening crates or doors.

Instead of using health regen which most shooters nowadays do, the game opts for a more oldschool system of having to gather health packs and armor. The health will slowly regen to the nearest 10% though so if you're at 55 health it will slowly regen but stop at 60. I find this system very balanced and one thing I love is that you can overcharge your health using extra medpacks so if you find some laying around and don't wanna waste them, you can still take them. A lot of tactical play is involved with maintaining and managing your health and armor, adding some strategy to combat other than simply aiming and shooting while hiding behind cover and leaving some health and armor behind and backtracking to it later is of course a completely valid strategy.

Come to daddy

However it wouldn't be a Wolfenstein game without going back to the stealth roots a bit. While you can technically go full mayhem through most of the game, at times opting for a more stealthy approach can be preferable and you are given plenty of opportunities where you can choose to use stealth and sneak around if you want to, and your knives will prove useful stealth weapons as you can not only sneak up on someone and perform a takedown but also throw your knife at your enemies. I personally love how the game mixes stealth and action so seamlessly and leaves so much freedom to the player to approach the game however they see fit. It is a lot of fun playing the game this way and I strongly recommend people try different gameplay styles and see what fits the mission.

You can gain additional abilities and weapon mods by performing certain challenges which unlocks additional perks. The perks are divided into several categories, each one catering to a certain playstyle and you are almost guaranteed to be rewarded with more perks by simply sticking to that style as most of the challenges are simply just playing the game a certain way. You will definitely want to replay the game a few times to get all the perks if you're a completionist.

GRAPHICS

The graphics are simply amazing, not surprising given the game uses the idTech 5 engine which also powered the equally breath-taking RAGE which I reviewed in 2011. The same tech is used here to give an insane amount of detail and atmosphere to the game's levels. The game even has a slightly stylized look about it which gives it a very memorable and attractive style. There are also tons of little easter eggs and nods to the original Wolfenstein 3D, such as taunts when you want to exit the game, the difficulty names and there's even a completely playable level of Wolfenstein 3D recreated in the game if you can find it. While it felt a bit distracting at times, it is fun to see the game acknowledging its roots.

The PC port does feel a little unoptimized at times as the game would often run very slow if I alt-tabbed out of it and some of the audio didn't sync up with the mouth movements in-game. None of this really broke the experience for me though and I still enjoyed the game immensely. Just bear in mind the game is an idTech 5 engine game so some texture popin is to be expected. I found it was very easy to minimalize the popin by lowering the Max PPF setting to the minimum. Another tip I have is to keep in mind the memory requirements for the Ultra setting are rather high so if you have a mid to high range graphics card, I wouldn't set the cache size above High. I never had any major problems with the game and after tailoring the options a bit it ran smooth as butter for me.

SOUND

Sound-wise everything is top notch. The voice acting is superb with really emotional performances from the voice actors that perfectly matches the game's cinematic feeling. The guns all sound really good and gives them that extra "oomph". The music is also exceptional with a lot of it being a mix between a slightly electronic score and some rock. None of it felt too intrusive and still felt memorable to me. The ending theme simply had me in tears and felt perfectly fitting to the game.

Dual laser rifles. Why? Cause why not!

SUMMARY
STORY: 10/10Terrifically written dialogue coupled with memorable characters and setpieces that keep the game from ever feeling boring until the end makes this one of the best stories in any game I've ever experienced. The story had me at tears in parts which I didn't expect from a Wolfenstein game.
GAMEPLAY: 10/10
A seamless blend of gratuitous first person violence and stealth coupled with a few breather segments kept the game from getting too stale and overall the game feels very varied and fun to play. Even if I pretty much went through the game sticking to the "shoot everything in sight into chunky salsa" style, it never got old for me. If you're a fan of oldschool shooters, this is a perfect pick for you. The perks of course encourage trying different gameplay styles.
GRAPHICS: 10/10Varied level design, really cool weapons and enemy designs, a great style and overall a highly detailed game. The 40 gigs the game takes up on your hard drive will definitely show on the screen.
SOUND: 10/10
Awesome music, awesome sound design and a simply amazing voice cast gives this game all the cinematic flair it needs.

FINAL SCORE: 10/10
 
Wolfenstein: The New Order is my personal game of the year and so far the only if not one of the few games I would honestly give a 10/10 score. It's not often I do so but I honestly cannot find anything wrong about this game. It does everything a good game should do in my opinion. It offers an amazing story, satisfying gameplay and simply an experience you will not soon forget. This is a game I recommend to everyone, not just fans of first person shooters but anyone who wants a great gaming experience. It has a few technical shortcomings on PC but so far nothing that ruins or even dents an already flawless experience. The balancing of the difficulty is just perfect as you will die but it will always feel like your own fault.

In my opinion this is the definitive Wolfenstein game and possibly the best in the franchise.

[GameCube Game Review] StarFox Adventures

Reviewed for GameCube/Wii by Alyxx Thorne

Star Fox Adventures was one of the first titles for the Nintendo GameCube and the sequel to Star Fox 64 aka Lylat Wars on the Nintendo 64, itself the sequel to the groundbreaking Super FX shooter Star Fox aka Starwing on the SNES. Although originally planned as an original IP by Rare, called Dinosaur Planet, Shigeru Miyamoto came in during development and realized that there was potential here to make it a Star Fox game since the hero had a resemblence to Nintendo's furry space pilot. Rare immediately redesigned the assets to make the game an official Star Fox game and thus Star Fox Adventures was born. It is sort of the odd ball in the franchise, not really fitting in with the rest of the games that well and thus while it has a cult fanbase, there are a lot of fans who don't consider it a true Star Fox game due to its nature, it is an action/adventure game more in the vein of Legend of Zelda rather than a rail shooter after all, and due to the fact it wasn't developed as a Star Fox game from the get-go. So where do I stand on this odd game? Let's find out.

Eight years after the events of Star Fox 64/Lylat Wars, with the evil Andross defeated and peace brought back to the galaxy, the Star Fox team find themselves rather bored and without much to do. Falco left the team without a trace, Slippy has become an inventor and Peppy has retired from active duty to concentrate on being a navigator and advisor. But it isn't long before they receive a message from General Pepper. It seems that the once tranquil Dinosaur Planet has fallen under distress as General Scales has amassed an army and caused pieces of the planet to float into space, separating the tribes from each other and keeping the Krazoa spirits locked in their shrines, unable to bring the pieces of the planet back together. His minions have also taken the four spell stones, also needed to bring the planet back together. It doesn't help that Krystal, the lone survivor of her doomed planet Cerinia, gets caught when attempting to save the planet and it is up to Fox McCloud and his team to save the planet with the help of Krystal's magic staff.

The transitions between planet regions gives a nice throwback to the previous StarFox games.

The story is pretty simple and remains largely a big fetch quest for different items. I don't mind this though as it gives a context for the gameplay and what you need to do in the game. I just wish there was a bit more to it than that, though for a Nintendo game I guess it's to be expected. The setting is pretty unique for the game too and you get to spend the entire game exploring Dinosaur Planet and all its different environments. The game plays mostly as an action/adventure game in the vein of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, though there are some minigames and events during the game that offer different styles of gameplay. For instance, when you travel between parts of the planet with your Arwing you get to do a railshooter sequence reminiscent of Star Fox 64 and there are also other similar sequences during the game though I won't spoil them for you. Fox can use the magic staff to attack enemies, shoot magic missiles, open doors and a variety of other functions, and you also get aid by Tricky, a young dinosaur who serves as your partner during most of the game. While he can get a bit annoying during the game, especially with his constant lines, for the most part I enjoyed solving puzzles with him and he gives the game a lot of personality.

The combat is pretty intuitive and feels pretty satisfying.

The levels themselves did tend to get a bit confusing though. I often got stuck not knowing how to progress or what to do and had to do some substantial exploration and often the solutions were not very obvious at all, at least not to me. For me it did get in the way of my enjoyment of the game but it did feel very rewarding to finally progress after being stuck on a level for a long time. Usually your goal throughout the game remains largely the same, gathering spell stones and Krazoa spirits, and solving puzzles and mastering challenges that come in your way. The challenges and puzzles are pretty varied though and I never once felt like the game became too repetitive or boring as a new challenge or puzzle would come along and spice it up. Some of the events near the end especially had me on my seat, such as the infamous Test of Fear or the railshooter segments which were some of my favourite parts of the game.

Fox' face is beautifully animated during cutscenes.

The graphics are really good for an early GameCube title. I especially liked the lighting effects and depth of field effect during combat and cutscenes. The variety in levels also means the game has a lot of different settings and moods to offer and each level felt very unique and memorable. I also liked that the game would subtly change from day to night as you were playing and small details like NPC's falling asleep during the night were very nice to notice. In fact the game is chocked full of small details you might not pick up on at first but notice as you play and I loved them. The only bad thing I have to say is that some of the NPC animations were a bit lacking and stiff. I even encountered times when the NPC's wouldn't even animate at all which felt a bit lazy. The animation on Fox is amazing though, especially his facial expressions and like Link in Windwaker he is extremely emotive and this is easily one of the main reasons I love playing the game since he is a very appealing character to play as. Krystal remains largely unplayable though for most of the game which is a shame as I would love to see a game where you could play Krystal and Fox co-op. Idea for StarFox Adventures 2 here, Nintendo...

The music is extremely good. Ranging from beautiful chants and sweeping orchestral scores to a badass 80's rock theme during the ending credits, the score is varied and very high quality for the game and never gets boring. It did remind me a lot of Disney scores now and then which is never a bad thing. The voice acting was largely enjoyable, especially Krystal and Fox had very pleasant voices, though Peppy sounds like he's been a chainsmoker all his life, Slippy's voice makes me wanna put him out of his misery as usual and some of the NPC's voices were a bit grating (the Shopkeeper... good god...) but overall the cast was very enjoyable. The sound effects do their job pretty well, some of them very obviously stock sound effects, though that didn't bother me much.

Fans of this game will cringe at this screenshot...

All in all, StarFox Adventures is an absolutely fun and solid action/adventure game and highly underrated. Don't pass it up just because it plays differently from other StarFox games as it had me really excited and on the edge of my seat a few times, which I did not expect at all. While some of it might seem a bit unpolished and lacking, overall this game is definitely one of Rare's finest and a worthy addition to the StarFox franchise.

SUMMARY:
STORY: 7/10
GAMEPLAY: 8/10
GRAPHICS: 8/10
SOUND: 7/10

FINAL SCORE: 8/10