Hey all - just a quick note that we'll be article-free until July 5th next week. We're going to spend a couple of extra days eating food, drinking beers and of course, playing video games.
Happy upcoming 4th of July!
Hey all - just a quick note that we'll be article-free until July 5th next week. We're going to spend a couple of extra days eating food, drinking beers and of course, playing video games.
God Wars: Future Past - PS4 Review
There have been a handful of excellent RPG/strategy games that have released so far in 2017, and God Wars: Future Past hangs in there with a nice mix of old school sensibilities with some modern touches that make it an enjoyable adventure until the end.
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls - PS4 Review
There comes a point in one's life where they simply have to accept the facts. Danganronpa is a prime example of this as it continues to raise the bar on each subsequent entry. Thinking that the first title had set the bar for insanity, craziness and the darkness that mankind is capable of, it wasn't long before the second game released and passed it and Another Episode that dark trend. Having only recently played the first two entries through the PS4 release of Reload:1 and Reload:2, I wasn't sure how these tales could get any darker.
Needless to say that Spike Chunsoft found a way, and I never should have questioned it.
Ultra Despair Girls surprised me on many levels. Unlike its predecessors, it takes a different path in regards to gameplay. Gone are the trials, gone are the searches for evidence in locked off areas that can only be dreamed of looking outside of. Inside of these, players take control of the unlikely duo of:
- Komaru Naegi, the sister of the first protagonist; and
- Toko Fukawa, one of the survivors of the first and a dual personalities serial killer
The core idea of gameplay is nothing new with the idea of a Third Person Shooter. It works and it works well before even adding the other ideas that come along for the ride. Komaru is given a hacking gun by one of the previous characters Byakuya as she's told to run and seek help from one of his agents. After she's captured she's told by one of the characters from the second entry that her hacking gun has been nerfed for game balancing purposes. There's a lot of fourth wall breaking and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Once Komaru's weapon is nerfed then begins learning how to use it from the ground up to see exactly what each type of "truth bullets" it can use as they become available. The idea of the bullets are back but this time they pack a punch in the literal sense from breaking to burning and paralyzing any Monokuma drone that comes your way. Various situations require different ammo and it was nice that instead of having to carry around a ton of different guns a la don't pay attention to how I can really carry around all this gear, they simply all load up into the same hardware.
Now just because this gun takes in all these different kinds of ammo doesn't mean that they are all unlimited. Short of Movement which is needed for puzzle solving and exploration, the rest are limited in that Horror styled in which you can pick it up but you can't buy it. This makes hoarding important because running out is bad as it can take quite some time in order to be able to reload either your favorite or your most useful. Break ammo which is your default is the worst to run out as it's effective in most cases and when you run out? Getting creative ensues.
There are some vendors around town that will take in the coins that you pick up for upgrades. These upgrades are modifiers to your Truth Bullets that either allows them to pack even more of a punch or to carry a higher amount. Mixing and matching can be done at any point once you buy them, so buying them when you can is highly recommended. Side to these though are upgrades for Komaru's partner Toko who we've known better as Genocide Jack which when used turned this Third Person Shooter into a Devil May Cry style.
Letting the serial killer out of the bag is fun in a gameplay sense but limited in that Toko can only be Genocide Jack for a limited time in the form of batteries. That's the only limitation as she's utterly invincible with no health bars and packs a punch as she runs and dashes around slicing up the Monokuma hordes with her scissors. Like Komaru's ammo, these batteries can only be found so waiting until the moment is right can sometimes be hard as you never know when you're going to need unlimited power.
While the gameplay is solid, Another Episodes doesn't throw away what makes Danganronpa tick. Themes of despair and hope are back and there's more than enough dialog like its predecessors to make it feel more like a Visual Novel with breaks to go out about and shoot some Monokumas and solve some puzzles instead of screaming objection a la Phoenix Wright.
Actually the dialog is so heavy at times that it's possible to forget that you do need to go out and about in order to explore and find what is needed while also defending yourself. Is it a proper balance? I would say no as often the action takes a backseat to the dialog but considering what series that this belongs to? It's really not an issue and the boss fights more than make up for the heavy dialog.
Like its predecessors, the dialog and the voice acting are spot on and great to listen to for hours on end. I can say this as of the sixteen hours that it took to make it to the credits, twelve may have been in one sitting.
What? It was dark and stormy outside.
On the subject of dark and stormy however Another Episode I think is the darkest in the series yet. Instead of the trials of who killed who to be allowed to leave with a limited set of people trapped in one location, Komaru and Toko are trapped in a city where children are hunting down and slaughtering the adults with a Monokuma army. The ones leading these children? They are children that have been scarred so badly that there's no real coming back from it. If that doesn't raise the bar from the form of battle royal of the first I don't know what will, and Danganrompa 3 is right around the corner.
I thoroughly enjoyed Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls. It was different than its predecessors but kept the same feel even if it went in another direction for its gameplay. It fits right in with everything that the series bases itself off of and it was a nice touch to make a few characters return for cameos or star roles. Now we wait for the next entry!
Game Information
Sony PlayStation 4
Developer(s):
Spike Chunsoft
Publisher(s):
NIS America
Genre(s):
Action
Visual Novel
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
Sony PlayStation Vita
PC
Source:
Provided by Publisher
Article by Pierre-Yves
Planet Nomads - PC Preview
Note to self that if I ever, ever, get on a spaceship? I should stay away from the escape pods. Why? Because in this title I find myself once again crash landing on a planet’s surface. Planet Nomads is exactly what I had expected out of Lacuna Passage, with a variety of indigenous beings and plenty of things to toy with as I attempt to survive.
Planet Nomads was a coin toss of who would be bringing this Early Accessed Sandbox experience to you. As Breanna was busy farming with the newest Farming Simulator, I jumped on the chance while she wasn’t looking. Would she have been a better choice? I would say most likely as she lives and breathes these styles of experiences. Having watched her play Ark for long hours at a time (past what I myself have done) I drew in some similarities between this sandboxed world and that one. The biggest difference would be that you won’t be taming Dinos around here yet the wildlife will kill you all the same if you’re not careful enough.
Planet Nomads is still very much in Early Access though the stability is more than enough to take it for a ride. Leaving your pod for the first time you are provided with food pills, clean water and medical supplies. These won't last long but they are a start and that is much better than nothing. As of yet oxygen is not a survival factor but it could come along if the developers wished it to. Does it need it? I would say no as you already have enough details to worry about. It could be a difficulty upgrade but the base experience doesn’t need it as a core factor.
Along with your supplies you are given a multi tool that will be the focus of your entire survival. Pickaxes, shovels and hatchets are all a thing of the past. Being energy based, your tool is both your resource collector as well as your weapon. Loaded up with ammo and you can hold down the left-mouse to collect resources or hold down the right-mouse destroy whatever is in your way until the count drops to zero. Without the ammo? It goes through its charge and you have to wait for it to build back up. One way or the other you are never out of options!
While the concept of mining out these materials in simple sometimes the execution isn’t quite there. Destroy an entire boulder set and you could be looking at nothing more than a few pieces of metal or silicon for your efforts. The same can be said for tackling trees for carbon. Sometimes the size is in no correlation to the amount of resources received but a quick look through the forums and it’s an issue being worked on. Some patches it works great while others it doesn’t. It seems that so far I’m in the doesn’t part of the wave.
Once you do get some materials collected it’s time to get crafting. Crafting isn’t simply loading up the interface and saying craft nor is it building a table and taking care of the commands that way. Starting off with having to build a replicator, it will be processing the pieces that you need in order to build up the object that you wish to have constructed. Frames, electrical components and sidings are among the basics and will be needed in large quantities in order to get your first base up and running.
Having a few replicators may not be a bad idea as once you select what you wish for your raw materials to be processed into the machine takes the materials from your inventory and processes until there’s nothing left to process. You don’t need to wait around either and can simply come back later in order to pick up what you ordered to be done. Queues can be set but all depending on the size of the operation and the time you wish to spend away more than one producer is a good idea.
Once you have these refined materials in your inventory it’s time to get building. Planet Nomads has two separate interfaces, one for exploration and the other one for building. Picking what you wish to build you find an appropriate spot to place it and then the framework is set up in that location. To finish the process you use your multi tool's energy to put it all together as long as the materials are in your inventory. Without it, you aren’t going to be going very far with your construction projects.
Building up your first little base should be one of your primary goals or finding a good cliff to carve a roof out of because even with an environmental suit things are going to get ugly. Once it starts to rain you won’t have much time in order to find a place to take shelter because if you take too long you’ll be poisoned and your health is obviously going to take a hit. On the subject of both your health and not being able to take a hit the wildlife is something to be avoided in larger groups as your multi-tool is more of a crafting device than a weapon. Does it work as a weapon? Yes. Should it be your primary weapon? Nope.
Planet Explorers works well and is fun to play but it still has some improvements to be done especially in the resource gathering department. Aside from that, it’s shaping up to be a great experience and all depending on controller support could make an easy leap over to the consoles.
Game Information
PC
Developer(s):
Craneballs
Publisher(s):
Craneballs
Genre(s):
Simulation
Sandbox
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
N/A
Source:
Provided by Publisher
Article by Pierre-Yves
Dead Effect 2 VR - PC / VR Preview
Dead Effect 2 VR is a ridiculous, bombastic experience that probably would not be nearly as much fun on a standard monitor, but makes great use of the virtual reality technology. There are some rough edges, it's an Early Access title, but so far things are looking pretty good for this VR title.
Nadia Was Here - PC Review
About this time last year I took a look at the Kickstarter Demo for Nadia Was Here, and upon booting it up again I felt just as at home with it now as I did then. Being able to go further than the first hour this time around, Nadia the Thief, Hogan the grouchy old Warrior and Tereshan the Wizard make up the classic RPG trinity as they head towards their not-quite-shared goal alongside one of my favorite squirrels.
Nadia Was Here is a retro inspired RPG with a twist as it takes several classic elements and adds in some new ones of its own. Starting off on the first morning of the Last Year of the world it doesn't take long for our three unlikely cohorts to come together as Hogan has his shield stolen and in the midst of chasing the thief runs into Nadia who's just made her own prison break. Escaping the prison together even after proving she's not the Thief he's looking for, the two encounter their Wizard in a pub who needs protecting on the road because he's not strong enough to make it to his destination on his own. With grumbling a plenty the three set out.
This really isn’t your typical Retro inspired title. Joep Aben has managed to find the sweet spot between the both the 8 and 16-bit styled graphics to create a unique look that won’t easily be mistaken for another. Designed with Gamer Maker it’s also easy to see where some of the different approaches come from compared to if an RPG Maker engine had been used.
Exploration of the world with Nadia and the party is both simple in basic designs and complex with some of the puzzle solving. Controls are quite literally WASD or the arrow keys with the space bar. The mouse could also be used but it’s not as comfortable. Having the controls configured in this sense allows for your brain to wrap its mind around some of what you’re going to have to do in order to move forward.
Puzzles until you “get them” can be a bit tricky to pull off. It’s not that they are super hard but they are designed at just the point that you have to wonder if you’re missing something in order to move on. In certain cases? Yes you will be because your party either has not picked something up or you haven’t been through the room from a certain direction. Pushing blocks into place, shoving stones to destroy other blocks, then moving pillars around the floor beneath in order to create walkways above. Sometimes it works while other times it works after you’ve been through a few more rooms because something isn’t quite right. Figuring that part of it added to the charm as it was never frustrating but simply “there’s more to it than this”.
Through these explorations the party will need to defend itself and combat is just as smooth as the demo and just as fun. Battle is “real-time” with an un-pausing ATB system in which everyone on the field fills up their meters in order to perform their abilities and attacks. Ready or not, once the meter is filled the slotted action is performed even if there’s no one in front of the character. Battle is VERY hands on and taking your attention away for even an instant is not recommended.
At a first glance it can seem like Nadia Was Here holds just another classic system with your party on the right and the enemies on the left. Then you notice that you can select your characters and move them between the rows. Because of the real time nature this allows for characters to be moved in one after another into place in order to slay a particular enemy faster than the others either because they happen to be a healer or because they keep poisoning your party.
As enemies are subject to the same rules they will attack whoever is in front of them and they don’t care who it is. This is why you can’t multitask the battle with making a latte for example because you need your attention focused on moving your party members where they will be hurt the least between attacking where they can hurt the most. It takes some getting used to between the various abilities of the characters and the defensive shields that Hogan picks up but it’s because you can’t just sit back that battling enemies is some of the most fun in an old schooled styled RPG that I’ve had in a long time.
Overall these elements come together for a well balanced adventure. Nadia Was Here is a refreshing retro styled adventure that shows that just because it’s “retro” doesn’t mean it has to hold onto a full set of old ideas.
Game Information
PC
Developer(s):
Jajaben Games
Publisher(s):
Indietopia Games
Genre(s):
RPG
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
N/A
Source:
Provided by Publisher
Article by Pierre-Yves
Perception - PS4 Review
Perception is a tough one to review, because it is a relatively short game that is at its core very similar to a lot of other action/horror titles out there. However, a clever mechanic combined with a very cool visual style helps to creates some excellent atmosphere that had me holding my breath on multiple occasions. In the end these smart design choices help to elevate Perception above the sea of also-ran titles in the genre, even if it never really quite realizes its potential.
Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls - PC Review
Superdimension Neptune vs. Sega Hardgirls is the latest installment in the Neptunia franchise making its way to PC. As a cross-over between the Sega Hardgirls and Neptunia franchises, we see IF finally taking a spotlight role. Drawing from the Neptunia format with revamped combat and exploration, be prepared for a pleasant surprise on the classic Neptunia system.
Farming Simulator 18 - 3DS Review
It is disgusting how addictive this game is. As with every game in this franchise, Farming Simulator 18 should really be called Farming Equipment Driver 18 since pretty much all you do is drive in as straight of a line as possible with various farming equipment to grow crops and make money. Like I said, this game should not be this addictive, but true to the franchise's history, Farming Simulator 18 on the 3DS proves that the formula of slow moving accomplishment can be successfully ported onto a handheld in a slimmer, slightly less visually detailed package.
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the satisfaction of a hard day's work without the inconvenient smells and dirt then this game is for you! You start off with a few small fields and a meadow which is a new feature to this edition along with the basic gear needed for farming. The starting gear includes Deutz Fahr AgroStar and Massey Ferguson MF 5610 tractors, a Case Axial-Flow 1660 harvester, a tipper, a Kuhn cultivator and a Giant Plains sower start you off with many larger and more powerful machines from big agricultural names available for purchase from the shop. Using these basics your job is to cultivate, sow and harvest various crops to sell to different buyers in the quaint American town you reside in.
As your operation grows in size you can hire helpers to manage multiple fields you own as well as purchase the equipment needed to produce hay or straw for sheep, pigs and cows. These livestock in turn provide fertilizer and products you can sell for additional cash income. On that subject, you can accept quests such as hauling a specific crop or a trailer to a set location for a cash grant. The game is pretty grind heavy so you'll need that cash saved for the periodic purchasing of equipment that spices things up. Like its computer based partner (Farming Simulator 15), the 3DS version allows for the storage of crops in silos if prices at the time are low. If farming isn't your thing you can also eventually get into forestry. Your only objective is to grow stuff, sell it, buy bigger toys and repeat.
There is no storyline. There are no explosions. You can’t even drive over the cliff. I tried so this game is strictly a relaxation sort of thing.
Each iteration of this franchise is pretty much the same base with a few new mechanics, some new crops and new equipment. This port is not exception. The new features are the ability to breed pigs, buy tractors already equipped with front loaders and plant sunflower seeds. Again I have no idea why this thing is so addictive, logically it should not be. I blame hypnotoad.
If you’ve played any of the computer versions you’re going to find this one a little simplistic since a lot of the gameplay is paired down. The timeline for crop production is significantly sped up and the chemical sprayers have disappeared removing one step in the growing process. You also can’t get out of your tractor so you’re pretty much a ghost that inhabits various pieces of farm equipment. Other than those few differences it’s pretty much the same experience you’d expect if you’re familiar with the franchise and a great place to start if you’re new.
My two biggest issues with the 3DS version are the map and the controls. The game is set in a canyon village that looks pretty when you first start but is a nightmare to navigate. Some locations are an unreasonably long way away from your starting location and you have to drive the long way around to get to them. Or just avoid them if you're lazy like me. The canyon also makes managing the placement of your equipment a little dicy.
Also, occasionally the helpers would get hung up on something I’d left by the field and call for help because there isn’t a lot of space around the beginning fields. Also, I don’t know what it was but if a helper had to go fill up the fertilizer they would go full derp on the way back. Several times I caught them driving diagonally across the wrong field or attempting to fertilize the base of a large rock. My other issue was the clunkiness of the controls. It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out how to start equipment (Editor's Note: She looked at me wondering how the hell and then went silent. She had figured it out. Laughing ensued). A better tutorial or an in game help would not go amiss here.
All in all Farming Simulator 18 on the DS is exactly what you expect: a massive illogical timesink that will make you question your life goals.
Game Information
Nintendo 3DS
Developer(s):
GIANTS Software GmbH
Publisher(s):
Focus Home Interactive
Genre(s):Simulation
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
Sony PlayStation Vita
Mobile
Source:
Provided by Publisher
Article by Breanna
Marvel Heroes Omega - PS4 Review
Marvel Heroes Omega delivers some fantastic action and an addicting loot gathering loop that should appeal to fans of Diablo-style gameplay. Even better however, is the rich universe that Gazillion Entertainment has to draw on here, with a huge list of characters, plenty of villains, lots of powers and a variety of systems to back everything up. I've sunk tons of time into this title already, and I know it'll be getting even more hours out of me in the weeks and months to come.
WARTILE - PC Preview
In recent years board games have really taken off. I personally think it has to do with the popularity of crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and the fact that many of the successfully backed board game projects actually get delivered to backers. As the physical board games continue to ramp up and successfully deliver hours upon hours of engrossing stories and engaging gameplay it is only natural for developers to push from the physical realm to the digital one. While there have been some successful titles that started initially as board games or miniature wargames (Battletech, Warhammer: War of the Rat, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, Super Dungeon Tactics to name a few), there are plenty that just miss the mark.
Week in Review - June 19th to the 23rd
"t can be a dicey proposition blending together a handful of different genres, but to its credit Thea: The Awakening manages to balance them with considerable skill."
- Nick
"Everspace on Xbox One has "Game of the Year" written all over it."
- Robert
"I love this game and i really hope that it continues being great but I don't think the console is the place for it. It's simply too slow to keep interest as it is and efforts to increase the speed might mean a decrease in detail or performance. Maybe upcoming consoles will have the horsepower needed to run this puppy but right now the Xbox is really not up to the task. "
- Breanna
"This one release has my faith in the franchise almost restored. Now if only the Warhammer 40,000 franchise could get the same treatment"
- Robert
"Now, I have a bit of an embarrassing confession to make: Ys Origin is actually the first Ys game I've ever played, much to the chagrin of Pierre-Yves who I managed to slide by to snag this review. I can honestly say that if the rest of the series is even remotely similar to Ys Origin, I can see why he was so bitter." (Editor's Note: Yeah. Nothing else needs to be said on this)
- Richard
Article by Pierre-Yves
Ys Origin - Vita Review
Ys Origin was originally released for PC in 2012, and has finally received a PS4/PSVita port this year. Created as a prequel to the other Ys games, Ys Origin takes place roughly 700 years before the events of Ys I and provides backstory of the world. With a story that will draw in new and veteran players alike, with a simple yet effective combat system and a stellar soundtrack, Ys Origin definitely demonstrates a quality product.
Total War: WARHAMMER - Mac Review
I have historically been extremely critical of the Warhammer/Warhammer 40k franchise so when I first learned of Total War: Warhammer I was a bit skeptical. I love the Total War series and with the exception of Total War: Attila they have produced some of the best strategy titles to date. Attila was not bad, just not up to par with previous titles and that, along with the abysmally bad pile of Warhammer crap that has come out in recent years, had me seriously concerned for the franchise. Fortunately Total War: Warhammer is actually really, very good. So good that it almost washes the bad taste of over a dozen horrible Warhammer/Warhammer 40k titles out of my mouth.
Cities: Skylines - Xbox One Review
Cities: Skylines has successfully stolen quite a few hours of my life and taught me that the urban architecture in my home city leaves a lot to be desired. With its ability to create your own city design right down to the roads and the great detail available on each of your denizens, Cities firmly rivals, and in my opinion passes SimCity. It’s the only game I have even bought computer parts specifically so I could play it. I had to install a heat sink the size of my fist into my computer to keep my core from becoming a puddle of useless metal. Totally worth it though because this game is one of my favorites of all time. However, I’m a firm believer that not everything should be brought over to console. Although the developers did an amazing job in converting a quintessential computer game for the couch warriors, it just doesn't work.
Everspace - Xbox One Review
Everspace is a single-player space shooter that takes its primary gameplay influences from roguelike games, and rather than dungeon diving you are careening through stunning sectors of dangerous space. With a captivating story, massive 3D environments, fast-paced and brutal combat, Everspace does what few other titles could do, and that is make the incredibly frustrating and often cheaply challenging roguelike genre an interesting, gorgeous, and most importantly, an accessible genre to those gamers like me that are put off by roguelikes. Everspace, now fully released on Xbox One, is easily one of the best games of the year.
Thea: The Awakening - PS4 Review
Thea: The Awakening is a mishmash of different genres that could have come out feeling jumbled and confused. However, some smart design choices allows Thea to be something bigger and better than the sum of its parts and brings its interesting experience over from PC to console rather successfully.
Week in Review - June 12th to the 16th
"...I seriously hope to see more of it over the next additions. They added a Boss Fight."
- Pierre-Yves
"Having played From Software's wonderful happy go lucky Souls series has prepared me for the happiness that can be found outside of these walled cities."
- Pierre-Yves
"...A New Frontier delivered a quality narrative adventure game that sets up some interesting possibilities for its next inevitable chapter."
- Nick
"Once again I think Telltale Games benefits from the opportunity to tell an original story using established characters in a universe we are already at least somewhat familiar with."
- Nick
"So is The Town of Light worth playing? For me it was, despite the somewhat disappointing act of actually playing the game, because the tale is engrossing and the ending is incredibly memorable."
- Nick
Article by Pierre-Yves
The Town of Light - PS4 Review
The Town of Light is a fascinating if unsettling story that is seen through the eyes of a sixteen year old girl. The visual style is unique if not fantastic, with a thick atmosphere that is held back by limited gameplay. This is an adventure game that can fall into the walking simulator category for the most part, which allows you to explore - but at a pace that is going to be too slow for some gamers. There is some payoff here however, for the patient who are willing to survive not just the tale, but some technical challenges along the way as well.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Episode 2: Under Pressure - PS4 Review
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Episode 2: Under Pressure continues what the first episode began, putting together an interesting tale about a group of misfits who are as often their own worst enemies as they are best friends to one another. Still, the quirky but lovable collection of characters helps to carry what has been only an average story so far, while demonstrating that there is plenty of potential to be had here in the upcoming chapters.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier Episode 5: From The Gallows - PS4 Review
The last episode in almost every Telltale Game winds up being the best in the series, but The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier Episode 5: From The Gallows continues the trends we saw throughout the entire New Frontier series. For better or worse, this was a very consistent five episode arc that had very few highs or lows, and simply delivered a good but not great tale in the Walking Dead universe.
Kenshi - PC Preview
Kenshi, which has been in Early Access for quite some time now, is labeled as a free-roaming squad based RPG. There’s no real direction other than the one that you wish to take which is refreshing as even most open world games have an agenda. Skyrim? Kill Dragons. Witcher 3? Take on the Wild Hunt. Fallout 4? Find your kid. Kenshi? Depends what your mood is like.
There are multiple manners in which you can start off the adventure in regards to your funds however otherwise? You quite literally start off with nothing more than a few tatters of clothing on your back and a stick for a weapon. Once you’ve decided your level of poverty it’s time to decide what this poor soul looks like. Height, weight, length of limbs, brows, how hunched over you are, male, female, race whether organic or some form of robotic undead? They call them Skeletons. While the first set of choices are for flavor the character’s race adds bonuses or penalties so while technically being for flavor, it’s flavor that counts in the long run once the numbers start getting crunched in combat.
Once you’ve gone through and created, named, and exported your character to use them again, they are dropped into the middle of a small town or even just a walled village. Now what? Now you do whatever you want to do. Leave town and explore, talk to people and hire a companion or two (heh good luck affording that this early on), steal and try not to get caught or try to talk to people. Do what you want, when you want. There’s no hidden agenda and once you’ve wrapped your mind that this truly is an open world in all senses, it’s yours to explore.
Having played From Software’s wonderful happy go lucky Souls series has prepared me for the happiness that can be found outside of these walled cities. “Hey they look like a friendly bunch… why are they running… towards me? Oh crap.” Prepare for a fair amount of humiliation as you are made to eat dirt while being completely outnumbered on more than one occasion. You’ll be knocked out, robbed and sometimes even left to die. Setting the autosave for less than every ten minutes is a really good idea. There’s a steep learning curve.
Combat is in a semi-real time format not unlike the Dungeons & Dragons games of old or Dragon Age. Characters attack when it’s their “turn” but things move in real time which can be frustrating at times especially when you are left bleeding out to a damned dog that got five attacks in before you even managed to swing once. AND MISS! After being left on the ground with no one in sight I figured to let myself “bleed out” and guess what? I was found! By Slavers… It was a very rough day for my Skeleton HeX. Other characters had an easier time starting off.
Before all the above happened however I was left to my own devices in order to figure out the world for myself. Kenshi doesn’t force feed you tutorials but it does pop them up on the left hand side of the screen in order to teach you something that you may be about to encounter. Movement speeds, camera angles, combat, stealing (this one came up because I looted a guy after kicking his butt for attacking me. Should have accepted my offer to join instead of being a jerk), sneaking around to steal (I swear I was innocent! I was trying to talk to the shop vendor!) and more. They aren’t in your face about it either, they just pop up and it’s up to you whether or not to pay attention. You really should your first time.
Now with all Early Access games there comes the chance that issues are encountered. It’s Early Access after all and the ironing out isn’t done yet. Kenshi for example needs enough of a powerhouse behind the wheel as well as an Nvidia card. I couldn’t get it to run even remotely smoothly it no matter how hard I tried on an AMD yet it purred to an Nvidia card as Kenshi is being designed with their physics engine. The same happened when I took Wolcen, at that point Umbra, for a spin the very first time. Wolcen now runs so Kenshi is only a matter of time. This may not end up being the case for everyone but if is, it may be better to find an Nvidia card or a friend that has one to take it for a spin. It is worth taking it for the spin.
Overall Kenshi is looking pretty good though it takes some time in order to settle into it. Being dropped into a world and knowing nothing about it is nothing new but it’s always a bit of a learning experience trying to figure out exactly what you can or cannot do. I’m excited to see where development takes it and hopefully it does become a bit smoother and available to play on a AMD card.
Game Information
PC
Developer(s):
Lo-Fi Games
Publisher(s):
Lo-Fi Games
Genre(s):
Action
Strategy
RPG
Simulation
Mode(s):
Single Player
Other Platform(s):
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Article by Pierre-Yves
