The Metal Slug series has been around for a long time, and
despite its age, the titles tend to stand the test of time. They have a fun,
colorful visual style that ages gracefully...
In this open-world game you are challenged with turning a hostile planet into a habitable haven for all of human kind. You have the ability and equipment to temper the climate, and to create a breathable atmosphere!
Dungeon Inn is a cozy strategy management game that has an amusing story. The premise? Sara and her crew end up trifling with a scary dragon who catches them red-handed stealing from him.
Shadows are Alive is an interesting sort of mash-up of a lot of fairly popular titles coming together to create a pretty solid premise. A weird mix of Player vs. Player, puzzle solving, and exploration...
Come one! Come All! Listen as we regale you with details of a vampire game that fully released on May 8th with more content, bosses, and just loads of fun!
Going into Natsu-Mon I wasn't sure what to expect. I watched the trailer and knew it was about a ten-year-old boy on summer vacation and from what I saw it looked like a mix of Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing...
8-Bit Adventures 2: The Adventures of Squishy, is finally here on consoles! Who's Squishy you ask? Squishy is your robot and totally the main protagonist.
Placing you in command of either NATO or Warsaw Pact nations, Sea Power is an incredibly detailed simulation of modern naval combat and will test you every step of the way.
The good news keeps on rolling in today with The Gentlebros and PQube teaming up for the release of Cat Quest II! You can be damned sure that my brother and I will be co-oping this mewtastic adventure together next year!
And yes, I am quite aware of the amount of exclamation marks!
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PQube (Bristol, UK) June 28th 2018 – PQube and The Gentlebros are purr-leased to announce that CAT QUEST II: THE LUPUS EMPIRE will be coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC/Steam in 2019!
Following the phenomenal success of the acclaimed Cat Quest, developers The Gentlebros, will be continuing the story of the world of Felingard – a fantastical land populated by adorable cats.
Under threat from a continuing war between the Cats of Felingard and the advancing Lupus Empire, CAT QUEST II will tell the tale of two rivals, brought together against their will, on a journey of discovery. Can they put aside their differences and bring peace to their world?
CAT QUEST II: THE LUPUS EMPIRE WILL FEATURE:
Brand new story set in the world of Felingard - and beyond!
All new switch and co-op gameplay. Play as both Cat and Dog, either alone or with a friend!
New weapons types – Swords, Staves and more will bring added depth to combat.
More spells bringing added furry judgement to your foes.
New passive abilities, who's attributes can be mixed and combined for endless possibilities!
Retaining the delightfully additive bite-sized adventuring and combat mechanics of Cat Quest, that won the hearts of gamers the world over, CAT QUEST II will expand and improve on every aspect of the original.
PQube and The Gentlebros look forward to revealing more details for Cat Quest fans in the coming months!
CAT QUEST II: THE LUPUS EMPIRE releases on Consoles and PC in 2019
So we have something a little interesting for you today, the Square Enix Collective is publishing the PC version of an MMO that has been in development for some time and me, who doesn't generally do MMOs, is interested!
Boundless is an open-world sandbox that could be that something great that we had hoped for with EverQuest Next. We've got the trailer for you below and the press release below that!
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Into the Infinite: Wonderstruck signs up Square Enix Collective to publish PC version of space epic Boundless
Create, explore, influence. One universe, all the players
London, UK (27th June, 2018) – Square Enix Collective® is excited to announce it has signed up to publish forthcoming MMO Boundless from UK studio Wonderstruck ahead of its release later this year.
Currently in Early Access, Boundless is a single universe of connected worlds in which everything - including politics, the economy, crafting and building communities - is entirely created and run by the players, all without stepping into the realm of the kind of starbound battles or spaceship travel other games have made their signature. Instead, in Boundless, you can simply step from one world directly into another.
There's no set path to follow within the game, so players can choose how they want to fit into the diverse expanse of pursuits on offer. Whether it's mastering martial prowess, economic superiority, crafting finesse, unparalleled building creativity, or bringing people together to create a new settlement, Boundless is open to all: all paths, and all possibilities.
The game, which has been in development since 2014, is due to hit both PC via Steam and PlayStation 4 later this year. As part of the deal, Square Enix Collective today announces it will publish and support the PC version of Boundless, with developer Wonderstruck in tandem handling the game's release on Sony's console.
"Boundless has been on our radar for some time, and it's genuinely thrilling to be able to come together with the team at Wonderstruck to help bring the game to Steam," offers Phil Elliott, Director of Indie Publishing at Square Enix West. "It's a game which, to me, feels like nothing else I've played. The universe is constantly evolving, and that's because everything in the game is made by the players - everything you do, you do in the full view of everybody else that plays the game. This gives the choices you make, and actions you take, so much more meaning."
Ahead of its release, players involved in the Early Access version have already collaborated to create varied and sprawling cities on multiple different worlds across the game's universe, building a fluid and vibrant environment that bodes well for Boundless' full debut.
"Partnering with Square Enix Collective on the PC version of Boundless is a big step forward for us here at Wonderstruck," says James Austin, Director of Wonderstruck. "They get what we're trying to do and I think they're going to do an amazing job of conveying everything the game has to offer to what we hope will be an excited and growing group of gamers."
With more than four dozen games in its collection, the recently released Sega Genesis Classics brought back a lot of memories for me when I played and reviewed it. In the process, it also reminded me of so many songs I had completely forgotten about over the last couple of decades. So as I sat there revisiting some classic titles from my youth, I took note of the songs that stood out to me along the way, prompting a handful of Memorable Music in Gaming articles.
State of Decay 2 is the sequel to 2013's fantastic zombie survival game, State of Decay. True to the original formula, State of Decay 2 is focused on base-building, resource collection, relationship management (to a limited extent), and some good old fashioned zombie slaying. While I have long professed being burnt out on the oft-overused zombie trope, State of Decay 2's focus on scavenging in a weary yet highly detailed world has brought new life to the zombie genre for me. Wonderfully colorful graphics, a draw distance that goes for miles, and some excellent zombie-crushing melee attacks are all packaged neatly together in a rather intense and thrilling adventure. State of Decay 2 is 2018's zombie game to beat.
Admittedly, I have shown no real interest in anything zombie-related; in fact the only real game I play that involves zombies (outside of fantasy RPGs) would be Rebellion's utterly excellent Zombie Army Trilogy. So when the opportunity arose to review State of Decay 2 I was a bit concerned that the theme would be a bit tired and I would find little enjoyment in it. Boy was I wrong. Prior to firing up State of Decay 2 though, I loaded State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition on Xbox One to try and get a feel for the franchise.
Though I was not super thrilled with the first title, I slogged through a dozen or so hours and found that while not strong enough to change my mind, it was an enjoyable experience. With that I then loaded up State of Decay 2 and was immediately thrilled with the tense combat and incredibly suspenseful moments that State of Decay 2 is chalk full of. While it is a sequel, playing the first State of Decay is not really a requirement, so new players can jump right in, though if you enjoyed the first game, you will most certainly enjoy State of Decay 2.
In rare form, I was enjoying a zombie game! Not only just a zombie game, but a zombie game that is focused heavily on stealth. That is, until you start getting swarmed, then all bets are off and the firearms will come into play (and the gunplay is a blast in State of Decay 2). Upon loading into the game and choosing your character you are thrust into a scenario where you are working towards escaping the mass of zombies and you will happen upon a handful of survivors.
From there you will be gradually introduced to new community members, features, and zombie types that can be found throughout the entire game. In fact I find the pacing in State of Decay 2 to be absolutely fantastic. From the very beginning there is a slow but inevitable increase in activity, both good and bad, as your small community and various outposts begin to grow. As you continue to perform various tasks your influence with the various NPCs will grow, allowing you to then assign them tasks or bring them along for some extra zombie-smashing goodness.
I do, at times, wish there was a little more variety to the gameplay as the core of it is simply "Forage for survival" and while it is certainly fun, it is not necessarily the deepest of gameplay styles. Repeatedly raiding nearby (or distant) buildings and coming in to the same small group of zombies, which then turn into a small wave of zombies, can get old after a while. Raiding at night time is significantly more tense, but in ways far, far safer. If you can sneak your way into a building and quietly dispatch the zombies, it makes it far, far easier to gather resources or take over outposts.
The downside is that it is extremely dark and the use of your flashlight will draw the zombies to you no different than a gunshot or a pile of fireworks and heaven forbid you stumble upon a screamer, which will attract a horde if you are seen, at night as it will be an absolute fight for your life. Scouting during the day is the likely way to go for many users, but I personally found that forays into the day brought more zombies that had a wider detection radius than those at night. Sure, you can see them further away, but they can see you too.
Crafting is simple, straightforward, and fun, assuming you have the correct outpost upgrades and that is where the real challenge comes in. Most larger settlements have 4 upgradable stations where you can build things like farms, water centers, infirmaries, etc. and some items you can only get/upgrade with workshops or infirmaries, or various other upgrades so choosing what to place where can be a tense decision all in its own right. With the limited upgrade capacities, State of Decay 2 forces players to go out and expand their community, thus making it more difficult to protect all of the NPCs in said community, not to mention you will then need to travel between outposts in order to gather required resources.
While it is a chore at times, it actually adds a bit of weight to the realism and certainly ups the ante with regard to navigating the world-weary travelers in State of Decay 2. It is also incentive to get out and truly explore, which is what I feel the State of Decay franchise is really about; get out and see the world, find new things, make new allies/enemies, and simply experience life after the zombie apocalypse, and in that, State of Decay 2 truly does excel.
State of Decay 2 excels as survival sim with zombies strewn about a decaying world and really does provide near endless hours of grinding zombies down, hunting and scavenging for more resource, destroying Plaguehearts in hopes of finding a cure, and managing communities. In more ways than one, State of Decay 2 is the pinnacle of zombie survival, successfully melding numerous genres into a dismal world nigh devoid of hope. Amidst the overwhelming tide of darkness lies a small ray of hope within your community.
Scavenge. Craft. Kill. Survive.
Game Information
Platform:
Microsoft Xbox One Developer(s):
Undead Labs Publisher(s):
Microsoft Studios Genre(s):
Action
Adventure
Survival
RPG Mode(s):
Single Player Other Platform(s):
Cross Buy XB1 / PC
Rainbow Skies is the sequel to EastAsiaSoft’s Rainbow Moon that originally released for the Vita years ago before finding its way over to the PS4. Taking a new direction, you no longer have a single protagonist but instead a true party of three brought together by some careless magical casting binding them together until they can finally break the magic spell that holds them together.
Starting off after having made a bad decision, Damien wakes up to a legendary hangover right before his exam being given to him by none other than his friend Layne. Starting off the exam with the knowledge that if he doesn’t ace it with high marks, Damien will be cast out as the worthless bum that he’s been up to this point in his life, he gets right to it hangover and all. Turning things from bad to worse with what should have been a series of “good ideas”, the boys both fall to their deaths off of the flying island that they’ve called their home for the past nineteen plus years into the perfectly timed casting of a binding spell meant for a monster cast by Ashly on the ground below. Who said JRPGs can’t bring about a wacky good time?
Stuck together, the three adventurers set out in this brand new world for the two of them that have been told since childhood was an uninhabitable region that would kill them simply by breathing the air found there. Rainbow Moon was all about a warrior cast into another world when he acceptable a duel and was tricked and punted into another world where he eventually picks up others to join him. Rainbow Skies takes a much better direction by having a cast come together rather comically with plenty of humor and dialog making it feel much more like an adventure than simply a really bloody hard grindfest.
Rainbow Moon was bloody hard. Seriously it was not easy to get into as you had to fight for everything. Wanted to move forward? Combat. Wanted to get just a few coins to heal up? Combat. Died? Had to fight more money to heal up and buy new healing supplies. Rainbow Skies in comparison, is much less of a grindfest as things are a lot more balanced especially with the fact that you start off fairly early on with all three of your adventurers. If you want to grind to get more powerful, if you want a challenge in order to really test your mettle, there’s an option for that but it isn’t mandatory. If things get too hard, the difficulty can always be dropped from your main menu but in a good twist, you’ll have to re-unlock the harder difficulty which can only be changed from specific NPCs.
Having gone with the fantasy trifecta, your three characters can fully support one another between the Warrior (Damien), the Ranger (Layne) and the Wizard (Ashly). Each have types of enemies that they are strong and weak against before even taking into account their individual skills. You’ll really need to capitalize on these because often there’ll be battles of the three versus ten or twelve enemies and even if they are weaker, there are more of them than there are of your which is where upgrades come into play.
The upgrade system unlocks as your party’s levels grow. Adding in points for attacking, points for defense and surprisingly extremely useful, hit points. Because of the often 3v12, you’ll need to survive the hits from multiple sources if you’re going to counter attack and win the fight. Each of these upgrades require a skill point that is dropped by enemies alongside other materials that you can use in order to upgrade equipment which is also a must and should not be ignored especially if you plan on upping the difficulty.
Everyone in this world wants something whether big or small. So because of this there’ll be plenty of back and forths when it comes to acquiring quests and submitting them. With all of these opportunities, it was great to see the whole party involved in the discussion instead of a one sided affair from the “main protagonist” since they are all in the driver’s seat. What I really appreciated was that EastAsiaSoft weren’t afraid of a little bit of Meta and referencing Rainbow Moon through their tutorials which have the character don university graduate robes and hats as mechanics or theories on mechanics are explained to both you, the player, and to Damien who’s a bit on the slow side. It’s a good thing that he’s good with his swords!
Now, the biggest factor to Rainbow Skies isn’t its gameplay, but how you can actually experience the gameplay. Rainbow Skies is a shining example of what a cross-play title should be. Loading it onto both my PS4 and my Vita, I currently have my PS3 in a non-gaming location, I could play either comfortably at home on the big screen or on the go while on the bus to work in the morning or in someone else living room while getting ready to do whatever it was that we had set out to do. It’s also hassle free. When you go to save, you can either save to the HDD / SD Card, or, you save save straight to the server. The same can be done with loading which makes it fantastic to move around while you play. Just prepare yourself if you’ve moving from a 103” screen to that of the Vita’s 5”.
Rainbow Skies is a perfect example of a sequel that takes everything from its predecessor and does it better. From the dialog to the various system enhancements and the sheer ease of playing on the platform you want when you want. This is a sequel worth looking into and the best part is that you don’t have to play Rainbow Moon to enjoy it as the adventure itself only references its predecessor in passing meta dialog.
Game Information
Platform:
Sony PlayStation 4 Developer(s):
EastAsiaSoft Publisher(s):
EastAsiaSoft Genre(s):
Strategy RPG Mode(s):
Single Player Other Platform(s):
Cross Platform / Buy PS3-4-Vita
Jurassic World Evolution is Frontier Development's latest foray into the park management simulation field, following on the heels of their wildly popular Planet Coaster though this time with a bit of a Jurassic theme to it. Placing you in the roll of an illustrious park manager, your goal is to build the perfect dino-friendly money-making park in everyone's favorite bevy of islands off of the coast of Costa Rica, Las Cinco Muertas. Take a trip to beloved locations like Isla Nublar, Isla Sorna, or build on new islands like Isla Matanceros, Isla Tacano, and Isla Pena, but the primary goal here is to build the best dinosaur attraction money can buy! Though a little light on the actual park management aspects, any would-be dino-cloner will be outright thrilled with the genetic customization options for each of its impressive 40+ dino embryos. Jurassic World Evolution is, finally, a solid Jurassic Park franchise game, even if it does lose a bit of its luster after you have unlocked your third or fourth island…
While I am a huge fan of the Jurassic Park theme music, I was completely unprepared for Dr. Ian Malcolm himself introducing your roll, and the various dinosaurs/mishaps/islands, in Jurassic World Evolution. Jeff Goldblum himself lends his luscious laugh and fantastic lilt to the world-building park sim and it is such a spectacular little addition that I immediately had to fire up Jurassic Park in the background as I built my various dinosaur enclosures on the opening island, Isla Matanceros. Acting as a bit of a tutorial island, you can experiment with the various buildings, dinosaurs, and on-the-ground features found in JWE.
Since each island's income is separate, I personally found that if I needed to do research for a particular issue on one of the other islands (where money is often extremely scarce to start), then I would hop back to my extremely successful tutorial parks (that pulls in hundreds of thousands of dollars a minute) to perform research or extract DNA from fossils. Doing that can feel a bit game-breaking at times, but at other times it is a most welcome pseudo-exploit (hint: hopping back and forth between islands also pauses the inactive islands, so if you have an outbreak of a disease you do not have a vaccine for, you can head to your more successful islands, minus Isla Nublar, and you can research there without the fear of continued contagion).
I am rambling, which is easy to do with Jurassic World Evolution since there are so many things that I absolutely love about it; dinosaurs! Stunning Costa Rican visuals! DINOSAURS! Though Jurassic World Evolution is a park simulator it feels far more like a dinosaur simulator with park-themed elements. Building enclosures, upgrading fences, building non-dino attractions like toy stores, restaurants, hotels, and a pile of other money-making enterprises are just as important as ensuring you have the most badass of dinosaurs wandering around doing dinosaur things. Genetic research allows you to add "flair" to your formidable force of carnivores, or if you would like your docile herbivores to be a bit more aggressive, then you can do that too.
The level of customization for your dinosaurs is staggering; it is a pity that the maps/islands are so small since it is awfully difficult to give some of the larger breeds the real room they need to stretch their legs. Some, like Raptors, enjoy the forested hills where they can run and hunt, but more often than not it is difficult to give them the actual space to really get moving (on the note of Raptors, I do wish that they had a pack mentality as is described in all of the Jurassic movies, instead they act 1-on-1, even in battles; kind of lame), or the large herbivores, like the Brachiosaurus variants, as they most certainly need space else they will break out of their paddocks. Managing a dinosaur's comfort is important else you will run into the issue of loose dinosaurs which will result in plummeting satisfaction.
On top of developing and managing your dinosaurs and other attractions, there are three factions, Security, Science, and Entertainment, that all vie for your attention and depending on your ranking with them, you will be awarded new technologies/buildings/research opportunities. While I have yet to come across any serious detriments to choosing one over the other (minus the chain of contracts that force you to pit dinosaurs against one another; I was less fond of that than I was of any other aspect in the game), I often found myself going for the Entertainment aspects as they can often bring in the most money and given how scarce cash can get at times (ever try pumping out 3-4 velociraptors at about $800,000 grand a pop? It gets pricey), especially when you gamble on trying to incubate a new embryo that costs upwards of $1M only to have it fail. It sure is costly and happens often in the early stages of the game. I recall trying to incubate a triceratops as a way to bring some variety to my peaceful herd of struthiomimous only to have the $400,000 incubation procedure fail, thus losing out on much-needed funding. There are even islands that start off in the deficit and it is up to you to manage the existing properties with the hope of turning a profit (hint: when you get there, sell literally everything, you will need every penny).
While I do wish the buildable areas were larger/expandable, what space is there is fantastic to work in and my lifelong dream of being the manager of a park full of dinosaurs has come to full realization in Jurassic World Evolution. With a stunning array of customization options for your dinosaurs, interesting and often challenging contracts, hazardous weather, and some tedious micromanaging (PLEASE Frontier, please give us the option to automatically send out the park rangers for curing dinosaurs or the transport helicopter for removing dead dinosaurs), Jurassic World Evolution is a wonderful experience to behold. To fans of the franchise, of dinosaurs, or park simulators as a whole, Jurassic World Evolution is a must-buy.
Game Information
Platform:
PC Developer(s):
Frontier Developments Publisher(s):
Frontier Developments Genre(s):
Simulation Mode(s):
Single Player Other Platform(s):
Sony PlayStation 4
Microsoft Xbox One
Android
I really enjoyed City of the Shroud when I had the chance to originally take a look at it back when Abyssal Arts were in the middle of their Kickstarter. Coming close to its release, we have great news for you!
The PC / Mac will be releasing the first chapter on August 9 while a complete console version will be coming out later this year. Trailer and full news release below,
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Real-time Tactical RPG City of the Shroud Takes the Fight for Iskendrun to Steam Aug. 9
Definitive Edition Slated for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 in 2019
CLEVELAND – June 25, 2018 – Chapter one of City of the Shroud, the real-time tactical RPG and social experiment from Abyssal Arts, will launch on PC and Mac via Steam on Aug. 9. A definitive edition containing all four chapters will come to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in 2019.
A former Capcom production manager and Amazon bestselling author Moira Katson have teamed up to weave an ambitious tale of political turmoil in collaboration with their community. PC gamers who play chapter one before development on chapter two commences will impact City of the Shroud's story, influencing decisions about who lives, dies and rises to power, as well as the ultimate fate of a city under siege.
Iskendrun's collapse seems inevitable as the nobility continues to neglect the poorest citizens while pursuing an unsustainable conquest of neighboring countries, bringing the city to the brink of bloody civil war. Faceless evil looms, increasing tension among the people and widening the division between the city's five political factions.
The fight for power won't be easy, but it will be fun. City of the Shroud combines tactical RPG elements with classic fighting game inputs that result in intense, devastating combos that play out in real-time. Down, left, up, right – the game's Combo Wheel draws inspiration from the traditional d-pad to promote think-on-your-feet strategy in new ways.
Players must choose their foes carefully, though. Future chapters of Iskendrun's story will see political shifts based on allegiances sworn by members of the community, as well as their decisions within those factions. While it's possible to revisit decisions and story branches by replaying the game, every decision has permanent consequence, as only the first playthrough of each player will contribute to the narrative direction of subsequent chapters. Become a part of history: join City of the Shroud's writers and community as they craft this tumultuous tale together.
"How do people react when everything is complicated, when it's all a moral grey area?" said Keaton White, founder of Abyssal Arts. "We want to see what choices the community makes and create a cycle where we take the base material they give us and weave it into a coherent narrative. The story has only begun – the players will finish it."
City of the Shroud will be available in English for $19.99 USD / €19.99 on Steam. Purchase includes the whole game, with each of the four chapters coming out every few months via free updates to allow time for the team and players to craft the story.
For more information, please visit City of the Shroud's official page or follow Abyssal Arts on Twitter and Facebook.
It's hard to have first impressions when you already "platinum-ed" the game on PS4, but I can tell you that the first view we get when emerging from the cave feels like coming home. This game is really suited for the Switch - it's a nice, relaxing game that is equally fun to play on handheld mode as it is to play on the big screen. The colors and design are an absolute delight without being overwhelming. I find myself regularly stopping to admire the scenery, no matter what season or time of day. If you crossed Stardew Valley with a non-combat "lite" version of Breath of the Wild, you might get something like Yonder.
Plot
You play as a young guy or girl that you can customize with various clothing and accessories throughout the game though you initially only get basic customizations like hair and body type. You are traveling to an un-mapped island (though no one explains truly why you you wanted to go there in the first place) but you get caught in a storm which shipwrecks you conveniently on the island that you were traveling to anyway - the island of Gemea.
As you awaken, you can tell something bad has happened here - but it's not clear what. A giant fairy-thing explains to you that your job is to clear the murk that has infested Gemea and return the kingdom to its former glory. She presents you with a celestial compass and a sprite to guide you. You unlock more sprites by exploring the world and assisting villages with their dilemmas and tasks.
As you explore the island and its history, you can build farms, collect resources, tame animals, join guilds to acquire the necessary skills to rebuild the Cloud Catcher and rid Gemea of all the murk for good!
Gameplay
There is no combat in this game. No real danger. Even when you drown, you are just revived at the nearest shore (you can't swim). When you jump from high places like mountain tops (and I encourage you to try this), you will automatically deploy your rainbow parasol and glide lazily to the ground.
There are no concerns with controls, though I wish there was an option to key map certain tools that you use most often, instead of scrolling through the list. Or at least, let you reposition them in the order you want. I appreciate that none of my tools need to be purchased (they can all be granted through quests) nor do they need to be replaced or repaired. Additionally, I should probably clarify that this game doesn't truly let you purchase anything - every merchant works on a barter system. You trade resources or crafted items of the same value for the goods that you want.
Resources are practically infinite - if you can't find it on the ground, you can likely build, harvest or adopt an animal to produce it for you. Once you build a shelter for the animal on a nearby farm, you can lure an animal to you with an offering of its favorite food. Talking to a girl with pink hair (who travels faster than the speed of light) named Kari can sometimes give you hints on what each animal likes. I will give you a hint: not all animals want to eat grass; some have a more refined "Canadian" palate.
The game relies heavily on seasonal and time-specific actions. For example, certain quest items, animals and special events are only available at certain times of the year or day. A recent update to the game added trick or treating in the Fall at a certain small town. It was worth playing through 3 other seasons just to experience it and trade in my candy for limited edition accessories.
The Switch edition of the game released, thankfully, with all the updates and patches included. When the game was initially released for PS4, there was no fast travel option and you had to unlock all the sage stones to get anywhere quickly. That being said, the map isn't exactly large (remember, BOTW "lite") but unless you like getting distracted by side quests (I actually do) don't expect to get from one side of the map to the other in one full day cycle without the sage stones or special weather-specific secret passages.
On that note, while you are wandering around, there isn't a lot of variety to the music so it can get obviously quite repetitive and annoying for some people. I didn't mind it… I found myself humming along with it.
Overall
If I was to make one real complaint about this game, it would be related to the map. There isn't a proper indication of elevation on the map, which makes navigating terrain a little more difficult. The game isn't complicated by any stretch of the imagination, but I have heard this from a few people who have played it, so I thought it was important to point out.
Otherwise, this is a beautiful game that keeps me entertained for hours at a time. It doesn't matter how much I play, I will always have a reason to go back. If you are looking for an uncomplicated, sweet, relaxing and colorful adventure, then this is the title for you!
They also take criticism very seriously - just check out the troll island. :)
Now, if someone could please tell me what this giant blue jellyfish is all about, that would be great!
Game Information
Platform:
Sony PlayStation 4 Developer(s):
Prideful Sloth
Publisher(s):
Prideful Sloth
Genre(s):
Adventure Mode(s):
Single Player Other Platform(s): Sony PlayStation 4
PC
This week I'm going to talk about two things. The first will be about the new story content launching for Guild Wars 2 and the second is reviewing the World Health Organization's ruling on video game addictions being classified as a mental illness. Let's get started!
Guild Wars 2 Story
Earlier this week ArenaNet finally launched the long awaited story trailer for Season 4 Episode 3 titled "Long Live the Lich" and fans have been patiently looking forward to it.
I've covered previous episodes of Guild Wars 2 in other Jaggy's Corner's and we're picking up where we left off. Joko and his minions are still wreaking havoc on Tyria. The other few times player's have faced this enemy, he has bested them and run off. Now, players are going to war with him.
Let me just say that ArenaNet continues to amuse me with their presentation. Joko has a sense of humor, "10 seconds to curtain. Places for act one please! Places for act one. Break a leg people." Already, viewers are sucked right into the trailer's story because Joko is waging war. This is the moment we've been waiting for. (Hopefully. I want to take down that little pansy.) Of course, our plan is to meet him head on. It's going to be nuts.
In this next episode, players gain access to a new Legendary Warhorn called Verdarach. A new map releases called the Domain of Kourna. A new fractal called Deepstone launches where players will kill an ugly spider. Also, the fractal contains some interesting looking traps. New story content will push forward the narrative. The Tyrian champions hopefully come together to face Joko and his undead army. Finally, there is a new roller beetle mount. A beetle! Honestly, just check out the trailer to see what it looks like. It looks awesome and I want it! Anyways, the trailer ends with Joko saying, "End scene."
I love the general design of this trailer. Players likely won't get a chance to face Joko just yet (we are only on Episode 3 after all), but I can't wait to beat him into the ground. The people of Tyria have taken down the elder dragons and before that, Scarlett, and we'll succeed in defeating this foe.
The new story will release for players on June 26th but be prepared. Historically, when Guild Wars launches new content, the servers have been a bit wonky. Be prepared peeps! There will always be day one bugs.
Check out the full trailer,
World Health Organization Ruling
Earlier in the week I was hoping to cover this particular topic. Instead, I will cover the topic here. Buckle up peeps!
The World Health Organization (WHO) made a ruling. Gaming addiction is now categorized as a recognized mental illness. The BBC originally announced the new ruling and the outcry has been astounding.
First, I'd like to chime in. Yes. I do believe that gaming is also an addiction that can cause people a lot of harm if not dealt with properly – like any other addiction. I once knew someone that had issues functioning if there was no internet connection (although, that wasn't just because of gaming. It was an addiction to the internet itself.) When I say 'issues' in this case, what I mean is that this person had full on panic attacks, crying fits, etc... It was as though nothing could be done to fill the void left by the power outage/internet company updates/etc...
As with many addictions people are subjected to, there will be different reactions. Some can't function properly, as I explained above, while others become violently hostile. Plenty of people have highly addictive personalities. If it isn't gambling, it's smoking. If it isn't smoking, it drinking... People become stuck in patterns of behavior much more easily than others and gaming is just another medium.
If that seems weird with video gaming, think about years ago when Blizzard included a system message in World of Warcraft that said, "You have been playing for 1 hour. Go take a break." Today, in Twitch Streams, people have become so focused on their stream that they have forgotten to eat or drink. In fact, streamers have died because of it (although, keep in mind that those people died due to years of poor habits.) As a result, there are bots specifically designed to remind people to perform basic functions like drinking water. So yes, I do recognize that gaming addiction is just as real as any other addiction. It does have some negative affects for people in all age categories. Thus, I'm not discrediting the need to deal with such an issue.
My issue with the BBC article and WHO ruling, is the amount of time they deemed to qualify gaming as an addiction. The ruling given was that 20 hours is enough to warrant such a harsh reaction. It is significantly less time than what most gamers consider to be appropriate. In fact, while I'm about to reference a Twitlonger post written by a friend, I would like our readers to understand the gravity of the determination. In this post, Alex details his own life and mathematically calculates how much time he spends on various social and school activities. Based on his explanation as well as my own personal experience, I tend to agree with his thoughts on the matter.
When I was younger and in high school, I spent significantly more time than 20 hours watching Television. If not that, I practiced playing my Clarinet rather than completing other homework (though playing the instrument was part of my homework, so it wasn't necessarily an excuse). I also spent a lot of time riding my bike, socializing, dancing, and learning to program in computer languages. I spent time painting models (like Warhammer figurines and cars), beading, and learning how to play board games. Yes. I spent a lot of time around and on computers. An argument could be made that I too am addicted to gaming. However, as most of you many know, writing for video games is effectively my main profession. Even with all the time I sink into video games (for fun or for review), I spend a fair amount of time volunteering, attending writing events, getting together with friends, and watching movies. I can guarantee you that I spend infinitely more than 20 hours a week on video games. Yet somehow, I still have plenty of time to do other things. Tell me, am I addicted too? In my case, it's not something I do for fun, it's also my career path. However, I'm old enough to know that bills need to be paid, chores need to be done, and exercise is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Many people are going to argue that because playing video games is my profession, that it makes sense to play more than 20 hours per week on them. However, others will play more than that time because they are trying to make video gaming into a profession. People who watch a ton of television aren't trying to make that into a career. Just because the rest of the world outside of gaming doesn't understand why the industry is so large, doesn't mean it should be discredited as a valid means of escape. To date, the video games industry has brought in millions of dollars to businesses, fostered tourism, and has helped many young adults learn life skills. Video gaming as a career teaches the younger viewers about professionalism, major issues in the world (like net neutrality and the importance of voting), and forces them into running business (like being self employed through streaming). ESports has become large enough that the Olympics will have a eSports division in 2024. (And there are many websites that covered the pros and cons of this particular topic). So, while WHO makes the video game industry seem bad with their ludicrously low ruling, video gaming has some major benefits.
Here's the problem: people want to find creative ways to blame video gaming for everything from violence to attention disorders to depression. None of those things can be blamed on video gaming. Parents are responsible for their children's upbringing and often (not always) people turn to video gaming and television as a way to escape reality. People are depressed. People are upset with the political climate. People are disgusted with complacency. Yet no one stops to think, 'maybe these escapisms are becoming more prevalent because the world fucking sucks.'
Video gaming at 20 hours is not an addiction for plenty of gamers. In my opinion, that low of a number serves as an easy way to over medicate the populous or to force people into paying more money for treatments too early in life. Video gaming is not the root of the problem, so stop using gaming as a scapegoat for bad parenting. Again. (The industry has gone through this kind of thing before).
At the end of the day, people are pushing their problems onto other people instead of taking a stand against actual video gaming addictions. I'm talking about the kinds of addictions where people aren't going into work, paying their bills, or medically suffering as a result of their gaming habits. Even then, the issue is more likely depression or anxiety or other such legitimate mental health issues. I don't believe that the BBC and WHO did enough research to back their diagnosis, and several sites have called them out on it. I'm inclined to agree with the same article quoted above, where the author states:
"The decision to class gaming addiction as a mental health disorder was "premature" and based on a "moral panic", experts have said."
I'm inclined to agree in this case.
Final Thoughts
I'm super excited for the new episode in Guild Wars 2. I want to take down Joko after all the harm he has caused. So remember, it releases on Tuesday, June 24th and it's going to be an awesome time.
I don't think the BBC and WHO did enough research on video gaming professions and how that could affect the ruling. I want to know what happens from this point to see whether or not WHO imposes solutions. Video gaming addictions can be difficult to diagnose, as with any medical ailment, and I think more research needs to be done before a true ruling could be made.
What are your thoughts? Do you think 20 hours is too low of a number? What should be done about it?
Let us know in the comments below.
Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the world of 16-bit. It's been a long time since I last played a game like Fox N Forests, and I have to say that I'm speechless. This game ended up being a tasty treat that I thought would have ended up bitter.
The Fox N Forests is a 2D, 16-bit style action platformer that throws in a side of adventure and puzzle solving for extra flavor. Through a Kickstarter that was funded back in 2016, Bonus Level Entertainment were successful in launching their project into reality. You play as our mischievous hero, Rick the fox, who was strolling along looking for his next meal when he gets roped into helping old grandpa Oaks, who has lost his strength due to thieving scoundrels. You are gifted with a magical crossbow that has the ability to change the season with the power of mana. Though this power is limited it will help you track down the missing magical bark that will give grand-papi, Lord of Trees, his mojo back. Alongside with your partridge sidekick, Patty, you venture off into the seasons.
You are given a world map that displays the surrounding area. With each level you encounter you'll notice a list of items that can be found throughout the level. Your main goal is to reach the end of the stage, but also keep a lookout for seedlings, they will be important to progressing the story. You'll also find other items that will either help raise your attack power or give you a larger mana bar. There are two generic area levels, a boss level and a bonus level in each season, but to reach the bonus level you must find every seedling in that area.
Defeating a boss in that seasonal area will get you the magic bark, that you can offer to the Tree of Life for a reward. Each season that you complete will reward you a set of magic arrows. With these you can return to visited location and further your search for items that you may have missed. These items can only become accessible with the proper power-up.
Remember those seedlings I told you to keep on eye on? Well they will come into play once you defeat bosses. Unfortunately defeating the area boss won't grant you access to the next season. You must have collect the required amount of seedlings and offer them up to the mini treelings in town in order to progress the story. So backtracking will be necessary, but don't worry, you've been given new magical arrow for just such an occasion.
The music is also dully noted. It's definitely what you'd expect to hear in a 16-bit game, but not entirely forgetful. I always seem to find myself tapping my foot in time with the catchy chip-tunes that play throughout the levels.
All in all, The Fox N Forest game was an excellent retro platformer. Especially if you are the type of person who like to go out of their way to be a collector. This game does give you the choice to play from easy, normal or hard, which could definitely give those who like a challenge a run for their money. I'm giving this game 9.5, a must play if your ever looking for fun time.
Game Information
Platform:
Nintendo Switch Developer(s):
Bonus Level Entertainment
Independent Arts Software Publisher(s):
EuroVideo Medien Genre(s):
Action
Adventure
RPG Mode(s):
Single Player Other Platform(s):
Sony PlayStation 4
PC
After the wonderful review from Nick earlier this morning, we have some good news for you! Having originally released on the PSVR before the PC and the Oculus Rift, Moss is both getting a physical edition and an update!
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(MOSS) - PSVR Physical Disc and Big Update Available Now
Moss is now available as a physical disc for PSVR in EU territories. The game has also been fully localised into Spanish and Italian!
With this physical release, even more VR gamers can enjoy Moss, the highest rated PSVR game of the last year. The game is available now from retailers such as GAME, Xtralife, Smyths Toys, Media Markt, Amazon and many more.
Along with the retail availability, the game has also received an update today that features save slots, localisation and special features for PS4 Pro owners. Here’s a bit more detail on the update:
Save slots (3) – Players can now share Moss with others without having to interrupt their own progress
Additional localisation support for:
Japanese - VO
Spanish - subtitles and UI
Italian - subtitles and UI
Chinese (Traditional and Simplified) - subtitles and UI
PS4 Pro support – Experience increased graphical fidelity with the latest Moss Update, specifically:
Enhanced water quality with player interactivity and planar reflections throughout entire game
High definition rendering for in-book sequences
Best render resolution throughout all environments
Moss is a fantastic tale that really is brought to life by virtual reality. Filled with wonder and charm, this action/adventure title follows Quill - a female mouse who embarks on a grand journey through a variety of memorable landscapes that makes this somewhat short title one that VR owners owe it to themselves to play.
Vampyr is one that we have had our eyes on for quite some time now; set in a grungy, wet, and broken London? Check. Vampires? Check. Action RPG? Check. Darkness and Intrigue? Check and Check. In fact, Vampyr checks a whole bunch of favored aspects in gaming here at Chalgyr's Game Room. Developed by Remember Me and Life is Strange studio Dontnod Entertainment and published by the good folks at Focus Home Entertainment, Vampyr is the best vampire-related release in decades and easily the best RPG-oriented title. While many may have been concerned with Dontnod being able to pull off an action RPG, Vampyr is clearly an excellent title that oozes character around every turn. Well done, Dontnod, well done indeed!
In an opening scene that is a bit gut-wrenching, Vampyr starts off with some gruesome scene-setting as you, Dr. Jonathan Reid, wake up in a pit of Spanish Flu-infested corpses as a newly-turned vampire. On a quest to figure out what is wrong and putting your profession as a hematologist to good use, you will travel throughout early 1900's London during the height of the Spanish Flu epidemic.
Rather than the atypical hack-and-slash adventure that most action-RPGs provide, Vampyr brilliantly blends the hack-and-slash action of a lightweight Soulsbourne-style game with the narrative excellence gamers have come to expect out of the studio that brought us Life is Strange. Adding further depth to Vampyr, players will need to manage the terror in various districts by warding off the creatures of the night and helping, or harming, the districts' inhabitants. The added level of complexity brings a new light to the forever dark London that Dr. Jonathan Reid inhabits.
Though combat is a little stiff at first, up until you start leveling up your vampire skills, by mid-game the tactical choices available to you are thicker than the blood Reid thrives on. Where melee combat feels a bit flat at times (even amateur), using your vampire skills is an absolute joy. I myself, once leveled enough, thoroughly loved using Shadow Veil + Shadow Mist. The combination of the Shadow Veil, which makes you effectively invisible (and drains stamina if you move), with Shadow Mist, which is something of a blood-based hand-grenade, is a joy to use.
While I do wish there was more variation in the skillset, those skills that are there are fun to use. If you are more of a brawler then investing in Blood Barrier, which is effectively a shield, is a must and if you invest heavily into your Hard Biting passive skill then you can easily tear through the masses with little real damage. In fact, using Spring, which rushes you forward in a neat shadow-like blink effect, in combination with Blood Barrier and a pile of points invested into the Bite evolution can make for an extremely potent melee warrior.
Vampyr is aesthetically, one of the darker titles I have played in a long time. Even amongst horror games where the environment is key to setting the mood, Vampyr easily outclasses them. I often felt Vampyr's London as something of a more detail-rich and "living" world and the closest thing I could relate it to is Bloodbourne's Central Yarnham. Though similar in feel, Vampyr's London feels more alive, if broken by the Spanish Flu. It is a truly wonderful setting and is everything one would expect out of a post-Jack the Ripper era London. Dark, dank, and full of not only misery, but also of Londonites trying to make the best of a bloody situation.
Humanity can be horrible at times, but there are little rays of light in even the darkest of nights, and there are a number of NPCs that shine just ever-so-brightly. On the other hand there are some real pieces of shit in London's underground. Screw that ambulance driver that happens to take a little on the side by giving priority to those that can pay. Seriously, eff that guy. The NPCs range from the downtrodden to ridiculously optimistic and everything in between and at times they are the real reason London, in one of its darkest time, is not overbearingly depressive. Kudos to Dontnod for continuing their world-building excellence.
Vampyr is to date, 2018's most interesting and ultimately satisfying release. Stunning world-building, detailed and interesting non-player characters, enjoyable RPG level-building mechanics, and an intriguing story mixed with the district management features have yielded an excellent action RPG title that is a bit deeper than your atypical affair. Moody and brilliant, Vampyr is a must-have for any fan of the non-sparkling vampire variety.
Game Information
Platform:
Sony PlayStation 4 Developer(s):
DONTNOD Entertainment Publisher(s):
Focus Home Interactive Genre(s):
Action
RPG Mode(s):
Single Player Other Platform(s):
Microsoft Xbox One
PC
If there's a single Musou out there that I enjoyed playing with someone else more than any other, it was playing Warriors Orochi 3 with Breanna as she kicked my kill count straight out of the arena time and time again. Now while Sterk, from the Atelier Rorona Trilogy, may not make it back along Soul Cal's Sophitia and Ninja Gaiden's Ryu, I'm sure I'll find someone else super hard to unlock and dominate the terrain with. Well behind Breanna anyways...
Here's the trailer and the press release with the great news that it's only a few months away!
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KOEI TECMO America Announces Warriors Orochi 4 Release Date
Popular Returning Spin-Off Title Re-Introduces Split Screen Co-Op at E3 2018
Burlingame, Calif. – June 18, 2018 – Fresh from the Electronic Entertainment Experience (E3) 2018, KOEI TECMO America revealed that Warriors Orochi 4, the latest instalment in the one-versus-thousands action game series, is slated for release in North America - on October 16, 2018 for the PlayStation®4Computer Entertainment System, Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and digitally on Windows PC via Steam®.
Additionally, at the expo, the publisher showcased the return of a fan-favorite feature: split screen co-op. Warriors Orochi 4boasts a remarkable 170 playable characters from the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors universes - giving players an astounding number of options to choose from when playing alone or with a friend.
This latest fusion title features the inaugural appearance of Magic abilities, allowing characters to wield phenomenally powerful and visually impressive attacks against their most challenging foes. These new-found powers come from the gods’ most divine artefacts: the Sacred Treasures. In this distorted, merged version of their worlds, all Warriors are unexpectedly gifted with a Sacred Treasure that fuels their spell-casting attacks. Alongside their legacy moves and special attacks, they can now cast ranged and targeted spells, or even combine their powers with those of an ally for truly devastating blows.
To further showcase the new possibilities that open up in Warriors Orochi 4 KOEI TECMO America released a set of screens and a new trailer, offering a deeper look into the game’s first announced new character - the father of the Greek pantheon: Zeus. Wielding the mighty Keravnos, Zeus has the power to call down thunder to devastate his enemies and he seems to partner up with familiar faces from the Warriors-verse to defeat a yet-unknown foe.
More information about the game’s release, narrative, and new mechanics will follow in the coming weeks. To keep up to date with the latest news on Warriors Orochi 4 please visit the official site at www.koeitecmoamerica.com/wo4, like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/koeitecmous, and follow us on Twitter -@KoeiTecmoUS
