44 public reviews
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During the course of just seven years, the name “Dark Souls” has nearly become as much of a recognizable name as “Mario” or “GTA.” I honestly think it’s to the point that it’s become a franchise that needs next to no introduction. It’s a series that constantly strives to screw you over at every turn and, of course, it’s gained a reputation of being very difficult. Thanks to an insanely dedicated fanbase, the…
Since the launch of Braid back in 2008, there’s usually been at least one independently developed game each year that reaches the upper echelons of “unforgettable.” I’d argue that 2015’s showcases were Her Story and Ori and the Blind Forest, which were expertly crafted experiences and some of the best titles to come out of last year. This year, we may have an early adopter to that crown with the rise of Hyper Light…
Castlevania is dead. If Konami didn’t bury the name under pachinko machines and Lords of Shadow 2, the official stake to the heart came during the company’s controversial departure from the game industry during 2015. Of course, Igarashi’s putting out the not-so-subtle Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, but Castlevania as a series is unfortunately long gone. However, that will never diminish the quality titles that…
The Hitman franchise saw a significant amount of attention in 2015. With another feature film just recently released last summer (a film that is not as bad as people made it out to be; not saying it’s particularly good, but you could do worse...except for that horrible ending) and a new game underway very soon, it may just be the biggest time in years for the bald assassin. However, following the release of 2006's…
What is Firewatch? You could say it’s an experimental approach to the story driven experiences in games that we’re used to. You could say that it’s a relatable tale that manages to encapsulate the humanity of our lives better than most virtual worlds have in the past. However, you could also say that it fits the definition of “tripping at the finish line.” That the game had all the parts in place to produce an…
No one has ever really made a game like The Witness before. Its influences may be somewhat obvious (Myst), but the particular way The Witness is structured is nothing short of intriguing. Never before have I found myself writing random stuff on a piece of paper, or even editing screenshots in Paint just to work out the in-game tribulations. With a composition that is nothing short of unique and unforgettable, The…
I found myself repeatedly mashing the ‘X’ button, mindlessly slashing my way through countless waves of Stormtroopers. The action would be abruptly interrupted by an incoming cinematic, a signal of poor design. A game of hallways and pointless collectibles always awaited me every time I booted up the 2008 software, reminding me of an archaic design that may not be too appealing in the world eight years later. Freaky…
Final Fantasy IV represents an entire era for the industry. It’s an exercise in competent pacing, world design, and character development; during a time when no others dared to be as ambitious. Not only was the JRPG genre was forever changed by its progressive reformations, but it’s one of the early SNES titles that contributed towards its future legacy. I’ll admit, there are aspects of Final Fantasy IV from a…
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve done this song and dance nine different times now. Since the franchise’s initial endeavor into the 12th century, we have now made our way all the way up to the 19th century. I have personally played every mainline Assassin’s Creed title since its inception except Rogue, but I’ll be the first to admit that I understand the mass fatigue with the series, but that still hasn’t kept me from…
It’s been awhile since we last visited post-apocalyptic America’s wasteland, but Fallout 4 is finally among us, and it’s already made a significant splash within the gaming community. For the past month, the game has infiltrated the Reddit front-page on a daily basis and has easily become the biggest release of 2015. I have personally spent dozens of hours wandering the streets of destroyed Boston, and enjoyed every…
I can’t think of a licensed franchise that carries more weight than the Star Wars brand. The universe alone allows for so many consumer passes, particularly in the realm of video games. For instance, I’m not convinced The Force Unleashed was actually a good game, but I enjoyed it because of its implementation of the Star Wars franchise. 2015’s Star Wars: Battlefront is in that same general category for me. I’ve had…
From my experience, the Tales series has always straddled the line between great [Tales of the Abyss], good [Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Vesperia], and not good at all [Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World]. Over the course of 20 years, there have been a lot of main series entries, but I’ll admit that I haven’t played one since 2008’s Tales of Vesperia. I went to into Tales of Zestiria with somewhat low…
Ladies and gentlemen, this is it. After establishing a story over the course of almost three decades, the Metal Gear saga is probably seeing its last untold chapter, at least under the jurisdiction of Hideo Kojima. However, this is no ordinary swan song. The Phantom Pain is Kojima’s “Symphony No. 9,” a monumental finale before the series is put to rest. While the game may still isolate certain partitions of the…
I want you to try to imagine for a moment that your entire childhood was housed over a single roof. Born into a self-sufficient society that's locked away and governed by a post-modern system reminiscent of a dictatorship - but then again, how would you know? Let's say that upon reaching adulthood you managed to escape this oppressive habitat, thus coming across your first taste of daylight. What you see leaves you…
Amidst the far-reaching mountains and appropriately adjacent colored sunset is you - a tiny speck on what is basically just two monolith creatures interconnected. Throughout your time while playing, you will travel along all portions of these goliath figures across your nearly one hundred hour journey, but during that time you will never feel fatigue. You will want to see the story to its end. You will want to…
AAA development of Metroidvania titles have mysteriously halted in recent years. While they were never absolute top-sellers to begin with, a large amount of classics in the genre have been both critically and publicly lauded. Metroid , the innovative series that single-handedly brought about the genre, hasn't seen a traditional 2D entry since 2002's Metroid Fusion for the GBA. Axiom Verge looks exactly like another…
Back in 2009, the industry was treated to one of the biggest surprises of the last generation. The arrival of Batman: Arkham Asylum forever changed AAA development of action-adventure titles, further instantiating a wide array of derivations surfacing as a result of its nearly perfect mechanics. Since then, additional games have been released under the subheading of "Arkham", comprising of two more by original…
Enter a world that has been scarred from abuse, megalomania, and thievery, yet also retains attributes of simplicity and lush landscape. Flora and fauna exquisitely coexist in harmony, joined together against the unwritten war of beings. Emotional tales of absolution and personal triumph leak through its sea of content. In the midst of an overarching struggle, a lone monster hunter seeks for a reunion of a girl he…
Rail shooters are generally very minimal games, usually lacking content. You rarely get anything more than a very short campaign, limited forms of strategy, and relentless waves of enemies only placed to suck up your credits in arcades. Star Fox has always stood out in this crowd with its intricate action, gameplay diversity, and replay value. Star Fox 64 not only brings these elements to the next level, but is…
Competitive shooters have generally been analogous to each other, in terms of layout. In this kind of game, you can usually count on the basic deathmatch, progression system, and set of rather annoying children throwing random obscene insults. Nintendo has decided to enter that market, and the results are something that shakes up the formula. Splatoon still derives attributes from those other games in its design,…
Abstract in nature and unique on all fronts, Journey is the prime example of why this medium can be so effective. It presents a world with significant interactions that cannot be adhered to in any other format. Your trek will be a short one, most likely two hours at most, but the experience along the way is a literal unforgettable journey. You begin in an anonymous and vacant desert, waking with no apparent…
The Simpsons is probably my personal favorite TV show of all-time, second to possibly only Futurama . Having watched nearly every episode released, I think it's safe to say that I am a fan. That said, I'd still be one to admit that the franchise has had a rocky history when it comes to video game titles. I found enjoyment in 2007's The Simpsons Game , which contained abundant humor and a well-represented art style,…
Insomniac is a much different developer today than in the time that many would consider to be their prime: the PS2 era. With multiple references and adherence to fellow Sony first-party company Naughty Dog, their set tone and general target audience of the era is varied in comparison to today. Before the series had arguably burned out at the tail end of the PS3, Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank series was renowned for…
The term "Western RPG" has been typically used to deviate the genre between Japan and American developers. Companies like Bethesda have crafted wide-scaled role-playing games with the insight of American culture to counter the often culturally stylized JRPGs. However, CD Projekt RED is an exception to this term, as their Witcher series attributes its influences from their own country of origin: Poland. Based on a…
*Note: This was originally written around its initial release. This a revised version. At an initial look, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor looks like a straight-up AAA crossover between the Arkham and Assassin's Creed games. This is absolutely true; it replicates the free-flow combat established in Batman: Arkham Asylum and reiterates the interface and traversal mechanics found within the Assassin's Creed franchise.…
Translating a film to a completely different medium is a commendable task. 2011's Drive was a fairly well made movie consisting of gruesome violence alongside a dark, brooding, and atmospheric mob narrative. 2012's Hotline Miami utilizes that film as a direct influence for its own atmospheric style; easily the title's greatest asset. The rest of which could be described as relentless and challenging, perhaps taking…
Thirty years ago, a launch title for the Nintendo Entertainment System named Super Mario Bros. forever changed the video game industry; almost single-handedly resurrecting the market from the crash of '83. The game ignited the platforming genre to parts never seen previously, creating a multitude gaming tropes common today. Fast-forward to 1996, and Nintendo released Super Mario 64 , reinventing the wheel yet again,…
Star Wars games have been apparent in the industry for almost as long as video games themselves. However, perhaps the largest load of games came in light of the arrival of the prequels. No matter how you feel about the actual films, you cannot deny that some quality video game titles were produced in that time, particularly during the sixth generation of consoles. Republic Commando , LucasArts' 2005 offering, stands…
Quality indie games have been pervasively released within the past few years. Since the arrival of the eighth generation of consoles, one may be right to state that indie games have generally overshadowed AAA titles. Moon Studios' inaugural product is perhaps the most effective argument to that statement. Ori and the Blind Forest is not only one of the most polished titles released in 2015 thus far, but a unique and…
In November of 2001, a launch title for the original Xbox named Halo: Combat Evolved forever changed the controls and impact of the home console first-person shooter. Nine years later, developer Bungie had grown the series into one of the most successful and recognizable franchises in the entire industry, becoming a household name nearly rivaling Mario. 2010 saw Bungie's final game in the series that they will…
I think it's time for a confession: I've never played a SimCity game before. Initially, I had interest in diving into 2013's SimCity iteration, but after reading about the complications and issues with that title, I chose to back away. Fast-forward almost exactly two-years later and we have Cities: Skylines ; the exact game SimCity hypothetically should have been in the first place. The resulting product is a game…
Casltevania as a series can be seen in three very different lights; a set of linear yet difficult and strategic 2D platformers, a side-scrolling Metroidvania, and a set of 3D hack-and-slash action games. The original iterations, which fall under the linear description, hold their place in history in the evolution of the series, but were basically halted production upon arrival of the fifth-generation of consoles. I…
Innovation in the video game industry is seemingly becoming scarce as each year passes. Several AAA titles released recently have noticeably reiterated on the exact tower-climbing, microtransactions, or lack of variety that the last was already criticized for. There Came an Echo , 2015’s latest Kickstarter-funded project from Iridium Studios, attempts to distance itself from such derivations by emphasizing an…
"Atmosphere" in today's world of video games is a term usually reserved for the description of a game's world, and rarely anything more than that. Perhaps one of the greatest achievements that Super Metroid has achieved over its twenty-year legacy is how that word can be applied to practically every aspect of this masterpiece. Sure, in the end, each attribute in regards to atmosphere can be recalled back to its…
Syphon Filter is a response to 1998's monumentally successful Metal Gear Solid . The original Metal Gear Solid was, and still is, highly regarded for its perfect mix between story and stealth-espionage action. Syphon Filter attempted to grasp that same feel, and it doesn't even try to hide it. There is a fight very similar to the Hind battle, not to mention that the main protagonist, Gabe Logan, somewhat resembles…
Persona 4 is a journey. It's a definition of what the word "experience" could mean in regards to a video game. It's an emotional and relatable trek within a believable yet unfamiliar setting. But perhaps most important of all, it is unforgettable; by the time the credits roll, you too will be saying goodbye to the cast. The Persona series is home to perhaps the most interesting and unique JPRG concept; some might…
What do you get when you cross the precedents set forth by developers Quantic Dream and Telltale? Well, that would be Life Is Strange , a coincidentally memorable episodic adventure game from developer DONTNOD Entertainment; the people behind the ironically forgettable Remember Me . While their 2013 product was not an absolute failure, it was unable to capitalize on the promise of its concept. Fortunately, Life Is…
It's been fifteen years since Nintendo released its experimental crossover fighter for the Nintendo 64. During that time-span, the series has transitioned through four different console generations, and has seemed to have exclusively left fond memories behind. To some, this next iteration of Super Smash Bros. may just seem like the natural progression and development of the series. While that is by all means true,…
Read the full review Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/Nintendo 3DS
At an initial look, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor looks like a straight-up AAA crossover between the Arkham and Assassin's Creed games. This is absolutely true; it replicates the free-flow combat established in Batman: Arkham Asylum and practically steals the exact interface and traversal mechanics found in the Assassin's Creed franchise. Add this with the open-world flora elements in recent Far Cry entries and the…
In 1992, the FPS genre was forever changed with the addition of Wolfenstein 3D . It is widely regarded among the most important and significant video games in history. Following the success of Wolfenstein 3D , the genre coalesced, and gradually developed into the alarmingly standard presented in 2014's Wolfenstein: The New Order . However, that is by all means not a bad thing. There have been new incarnations of the…
When Telltale Games released the original incarnation of The Walking Dead in 2012, many people instantly felt attached to the characters and story. It obtained critical acclaim, and deemed among the best of that year by many. The game was designed to be based around "player-choice", adhering to the plot and characters resulting from your decisions. Most of the NPC outcomes were inevitable, but the moment of the…
Released after the Genesis was already being replaced with the Saturn, Vectorman has become a cult classic. Its tight controls and varied level design have stood the test of time even better than most games released in that area. Nothing presented here can be seen as groundbreaking or completely original for its time, but the product as a whole is near-flawless; and that trumps any aspect which may be slightly…
Variety is strangely the basis and necessity for Deus Ex: Human Revolution 's format. What the game sets out to achieve is in fact achieved, but at the cost of creativity for every level following the first. It sticks to the concept set out initially, but doesn't try to alter those roots in enough interesting ways. What's left is a solid game. The problem? It could have been among the greatest of all-time. Narrative…
If film director Christopher Nolan made a Blade Runner-esque thriller for a video game, it would be Gods Will Be Watching . What appears to be a standard point-and-click adventure game, is actually a story-driven turn-based strategy game with an emphasis on decision consequence, and ingenious level design. Deconstructeam's various minimalistic approaches result in a product that succeeds in all the right ways.…
