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Who is Delilah? That’s the question asked – and partially answered – in Arkane Studios’ The Knife of Dunwall, the latest piece of DLC for their critically acclaimed 2012 stealth action game, Dishonored. If you haven’t played the original game yet, read our review to find out whether it’s likely to suit your tastes.
Considering the fact that Dishonored retailed at $60, The Knife of Dunwall is comparably a pretty good deal at $9.99. The DLC consists of three missions (Dishonored has nine) set in two expansive new maps (plus a map recycled from the main campaign), contains about 4-6 hours of gameplay in total, and is the first of a two-part story that will conclude in The Brigmore Witches. Together, the two pieces of DLC are best described as ‘Dishonored 1.5′; a sidequel that tells a story quite independent from that of Corvo Attano, though bearing a number of thematic similarities.
Whereas Corvo was something of a blank slate, his enigmatic past and persona allowing the player to decide for themselves what kind of a man he is, Daud has an established backstory and persona. Since we already know that he is a blade-for-hire unhampered by a conscience, implementing a moral choice system for Daud is slightly more complex then simply handing the player a silent protagonist and letting them form the character from their own play style. To get around this, the DLC begins with Daud finding himself in an unexpected moral quandary after killing the Empress and beginning to question his usual “stab first, ask questions later” approach, thereby allowing the player to choose whether he will continue as he has done before, or seek a more peaceful path. In contrast to Dishonored‘s tale of revenge, The Knife of Dunwall seems to be a story of redemption – if the player chooses to seek it.
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As with Dishonored, the decisions that the player makes as Daud have consequences, both great and subtle. Like Corvo, Daud is carefully watched by a protégée whose character is being influenced by her mentor. In this case, Emily’s place is taken by Daud’s second-in-command: a red-clad assassin called Billie Lurk, whose main job seems to be making the player jump out of their skin by randomly popping into existence whenever a particularly creepy room is being explored. Unfortunately, Billie’s character development suffers from the briefness of the campaign, and from the fact that she remains masked and almost indistinguishable from the other assassins under Daud’s command, meaning that her responses to Daud’s actions aren’t nearly as satisfying as those of Emily or Samuel in Dishonored.
The real test of The Knife of Dunwall is how well the developers convey tangibly, through gameplay, the sense that the player is in control of a recognizably different character, despite the fact that Daud and Corvo have the same occupation and are both aided by the powers that the Outsider grants. This is at least partially successful, mainly through the introduction of a few changes that have been made to the player’s arsenal of weapons and abilities.
The changes to primary weapons are largely cosmetic. Daud slices enemies up with his titular blade – which looks like a scale model of Pyramid Head’s Great Knife – instead of Corvo’s collapsible sword, and uses a wristbow that performs the exact same function as Corvo’s crossbow with a slightly more subtle motion. New weapons include arc mines – portable versions of arc pylons that work the same way as spring traps, with the added bonus of reducing enemies to ash – and chokedust, which is basically just a smoke bomb.
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A notable improvement has been made to the ‘Blink’ ability, which was a little bit tricky and clunky in Dishonored - using it to climb up walls, in particular, often felt like threading a needle while trying to find the sweet spot at which the circular marker would transform into a set of upward arrows. In The Knife of Dunwall, charging ‘Blink’ also freezes time, allowing for more accurate aiming and transportation to the planned destination.
Daud certainly feels a lot more powerful than Corvo; the lone wolf approach to missions is still available, but being the leader of a gang does come with some optional perks. In The Knife of Dunwall, the player can call in favors with contacts at the beginning of each mission, meaning that when they arrive an alarm might be conveniently out of order, or an asset may be placed in a useful location. The most significant addition to Daud’s powers is an ability similar to the ‘Call Recruit’ command from Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, which will cause one of Daud’s crew to appear and either attack nearby guards or deliver useful information about the surroundings. You definitely feel more like a leader than a lackey in this game.
If you liked Dishonored then this DLC is a must-buy. The new missions feature everything that was enjoyable about the main campaign, from the highly polished stealth to the intriguing riddles that unlock extra features. Look in all the corners and you will also find some insights into Corvo’s story, including a certain poem about young Lady Emily that has some frightening implications.
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It’s an age-old question: who would win in a battle between Superman and Batman? DC Comics writers have sought to answer the question with various story arcs, alternate timelines, and one-off issues, but in each of those instances the fans have no agency in the matter. However, in NetherRealm Studios latest brawler, Injustice: Gods Among Us, fans can finally put the issue to rest.
Injustice: Gods Among Us takes DC Comics’ best and brightest, and puts them into the type of over-the-top fighting game only NetherRealm could pull off. Essentially, the game creates a scenario where heroes would fight heroes and villains would fight villains. How Injustice: Gods Among Us establishes that idea is a bit silly, but once players accept the general concept they’ll have a blast with the game.
As with Mortal Kombat 9, Injustice features a story mode that seamlessly transitions from cutscene to fight. The conceit of Injustice is pretty simple: several Justice League members from one universe are pulled into an alternate universe where Superman has named himself the “High Counselor.” On the opposite end of Superman’s dictatorship is Batman, who enlists the help of the alternate universe characters to bring Supes down. So, what starts out with Batman fighting a few of his common foes turns into an ensemble piece with players seamlessly segueing from character to character.
And by the end, players will have seen all of the marquee match-ups, including a few throwdowns between characters and their doppelgangers (i.e. Batman vs. Batman, Superman vs. Superman). That being said, the game’s story is pure fluff – the type of comic book fodder that lacks true depth but that delivers all of the superhero-on-superhero action fans crave. And in all honesty, the set-up and story beats only serve to fuel the fights, which are superb.
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There are definite heirs of Mortal Kombat in Injustice, but its fighting systems still carve enough of a unique path so as not to feel like a reskin. Every character has their inherent weaknesses, and each is well represented with a bevy of iconic moves (Superman’s heat vision, Batman’s batarangs, Wonder Woman’s lasso) to mix and match. On its own, the fighting feels solid, with enough variety to make each character functional, even if most will find their favorites based on playstyle.
NetherRealm has also included MK‘s meter system, although it works a little different in Injustice. A single bar of the meter can be used for supercharged versions of a character’s basic move, while two bars can be used for EX moves and better combos. Players can also initiate what are called wager matches, which allow each combatant to wager some portion of their meter in a risk/reward fashion. If the player who initiates the wager bets more of their meter they regain a specific amount of healthy, but if their opponent wins then the original player takes a specific amount of damage. Wager matches are few and far between in the game – unless the player regularly initiates them – but they are a fun addition.
More importantly, wager matches keep players from fully charging their meters and activating their “super.” These supers are akin to Mortal Kombat‘s fatalities, only they happen mid-match and can deal a large amount of damage (like MK’s X-Ray moves). Granted, the supers are a little long in the tooth, and take away from the momentum of a very fast-paced game, but they help differentiate Injusticefrom all the other fighting games out there.
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The backgrounds also have a dynamic flair about them. Peppered throughout each level are a few items that players can interact with to deal out some extra damage. The fact that these level interactions are, for the most part, unblockable make them a bit of a nuisance, but they do keep players on their toes.
In addition to the level interactions, players can also trigger level transitions by enacting a specific attack while on the periphery of a map. Triggering a transition sends an opponent flying through an interstitial area, accumulating damage along the way, before they end up in a new stage. Again, the level transitions are fun to watch, and they usually include one or two DC Comics Easter Eggs, but they go on for a bit too long.
In addition to the story campaign, the game offers two other single player modes: Battles and S.T.A.R. Labs. Battles is a tournament-style set of matches with different modifiers. The options in Battles are pretty standard, but they will give players plenty of opportunities to test out all the characters – including those not playable in the story campaign – in a wealth of different scenarios like ‘Poisoned,’ which requires the player to defeat their opponent while taking damage internally and externally.
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S.T.A.R. Labs is Injustice‘s analog for the Challenge Tower. Unlike MK‘s Challenge Tower, which required that players only win to move on, S.T.A.R. Labs adds a 3-star objective system that players must complete to get full marks. That way players won’t just focus on winning the match, but will try and change their strategies in order to get 3 stars. The more stars the player earns, the more challenges they can unlock.
And finally there is multiplayer, where a lot of players will spend the bulk of their time. Multiplayer includes both ranked and unranked matches, and 3 modes within each: 1v1, King of the Hill, and Survivor. 1v1 is your standard multiplayer mode, King of the Hill puts a handful of players together and lets the “king” fight till he loses, and survivor takes king of the hill’s concept but requires the winner to enact certain moves to regain health between matches.
Like most fighting games, multiplayer is a mixed bag, with a lot players favoring Nightwing and Deathstroke (at the time of this writing). That being said, I was still able to win a fair share of matches, even while trying out less familiar characters. In that regard, Injustice is a success, as it makes the online fighting game a little less daunting; that is, until players log hundreds of hours with the game and become “pros.”
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Without question, Injustice: Gods Among Us is the definitive fighting game for DC Comics fans. While its roster doesn’t include everybody, it does make good use of those characters that are available. Its story, while a bit goofy, fuels a fun variety of match-ups, and gives players opportunities to test out a large portion of the roster.
The fighting systems are very accessible, and work well within the context of these iconic heroes, and the interactive backgrounds take combat to another level, turning each fight into a fittingly epic throwdown. Some fighting game purists might find that the game has a few too many “cheap” moves, including the level interactions and transitions, but DC Comics fans will love the chaotic super-powered mayhem. Most would have been sold on Superman vs. Batman, but the fact that Injustice is approachable and fun makes it worth recommending.
Have you had a chance to check out Injustice: Gods Among Us? Do you have any questions about NetherRealm’s latest fighting game? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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There’s an abundance of racing games nowadays, and all of them have their own style and niche that helps them appeal to their respective fan bases. What setsMotocross Madness apart from the rest of the pack is the zaniness of each track, trick, and race, and the end result is a downloadable game that manages to be just as much fun as many had hoped. That said, there are a few issues that keep this title from being a must-have experience on the Xbox Live Arcade, but overall it’s something that almost any gamer can jump into and have fun doing so.
For those who didn’t know, Motocross Madness started from humble beginnings on the PC, but it’s been a few years since the franchise has reared its helmet toting head. This iteration, while staying true to the original’s concept, features an entirely different look compared to its predecessors. This new aesthetic comes fromMicrosoft‘s desire to throw players’ Xbox Avatars into the fray, but the inclusion of such a cartoony breed of racers actually just adds to the wackiness of the game itself.
There are a total of nine different courses featured in Motocross Madness, and they are divided into three separate areas. Each of the three areas in question take place in a unique environment – allowing for a little visual diversity when it comes to each track – and they consist of an Egyptian desert, an flushed out forest, and a snow-covered Iceland mountainside. All of these are fairly typical for a racing game, but the layout of each track makes a majority of them memorable.
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Along with standard races are several other offerings that are available to users. Players can race against ghost times in an attempt to score a coveted gold medal, and that quest will take them across all nine of the game’s tracks. Meanwhile, an exploration mode throws players into an open-world sandbox that spans each of the three environments that the race tracks are hosted on. These courses are absolutely loaded with coins and other collectibles that give users a medley of new content, and medals are given away based on how many collectibles are gathered in total.
If those weren’t enough, then daredevils will be delighted by an unlockable mode that focuses purely on the tricks that players can execute. Each medal has a certain score that must be achieved, but they need to bust out some insane maneuvers to reach that score within a limited amount of time – or they risk failing the challenge all together. Score multipliers and time extenders litter each course, and are essential aids for Evel Knievel wannabes hoping to extend their fictitious fan bases.
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Every single race track is filled to the brim with secrets, shortcuts, and coins for users to find and collect. Doing so not only gives players an edge when it comes to going against other gamers/CPUs, but first place victories and coins collected while bombing around each course will go towards money and experience that users can make use of to purchase new equipment and level up. Levelling up unlocks new abilities and items, making it an essential part of progressing through the game.
Upgrading existing bikes, buying new ones, and investing in new clothing items are some of the perks that are available for those who collect enough coins and rewards in the game’s racing circuits. Purchasing the content is the easy part, it’s unlocking the content for purchase that’s tricky, and the game does an absolutely wonderful job at putting players through their paces to earn the privilege of purchasing a majority of the items that can grace the shelves of the in-game store.
The biggest issue that can be had with Motocross Madness is that it’s incredibly short, and won’t take gamers that are familiar with this brand of racer long to reach 100% completion. For 800 Microsoft Points ($10) this isn’t completely unexpected, but the addition of more content would have been much appreciated.
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While it won’t take long to complete the title, the inclusion of split-screen and onlinemultiplayer will breath new life into the game long after the single player portion has been completed. Allowing for one-on-one action on the same console is a lot of fun, especially given the insane wipe outs and tomfoolery that occur regularly throughout every race, but it would have been nice to have 4-players simultaneously. That said, Motocross Madness supports 2-8 players online, and that option is very rarely a boring time.
On top of standard multiplayer offerings, there’s a feature called Bike Club. This option allows users to interact with their friends even when they aren’t online by posting the player’s best lap times and challenging their friends to top them. This makes for some friendly competition amongst friends, and adds a nice layer of challenge provided a solid number of Xbox Live friends actually have the game.
Overall, Motocross Madness is the game that a majority of longtime series faithfuls would expect from a $10 installment. While it’s short on content, what is present manages to be a very fun, pick-up-and-play racer that almost anyone can jump into with relative ease. The inclusion of upgradeable dirt bikes and an XP meter scratches the itch of players looking for something a little deeper, while still keeping the overall experience simple and satisfying.
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Sony-owned developer Naughty Dog has historically stuck to developing one franchise of games per console generation. They had Crash Bandicoot for the original PlayStation, the Jak series for PS2, and on current-gen systems they’ve seen mighty success with Nathan Drake and the Uncharted games. Sneaking one more title in before the PS4 hits the market, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us is a brand new IP exclusive to Sony.
How does The Last of Us compare to Uncharted and is it a worthwhile current-gen investment? Read on for our review.
The Last of Us builds on many of the core pillars of Naughty Dog’s last three releases, especially when it comes to attention to detail in the level design as well as wonderfully rendered and animated characters, but everything from the story and style of play to the weapon mechanics and enemy types are vastly different. The Last of Us isn’t a fast-paced adventure with a joyous story. That’s not to say it’s not fun. It’s a different kind of experience, one where players feel tension, confusion, shock and sometimes, misery, and are rewarded for surviving through it. And the only reason it works is because of how well realized its protagonists are.
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The story begins with an outbreak in late 2013. There’s panic and anarchy, and all of a sudden its 20 years later. Whatever the source of the pandemic is or was doesn’t matter; the world and remaining few people who reside in it are forever changed. In The Last of Us, players are taken along an epic journey with Joel and 14 year-old Ellie. They are the stars of the game and their relationship is so genuine that despite their extraordinary situation, gamers won’t help but feel for them, think like them and do everything in their power to assist them. It’s a testament to the brilliant writing and performances, arguably the best we’ve ever seen in a video game. It’s that fact, combined with polished gameplay and a highly realized world that make The Last of Us one of the best games on current-gen consoles, despite its flaws.
The third-person gameplay of The Last of Us crosses several genres. It’s a linear, story-driven game by design with areas to explore and puzzles. More often than not, players will find themselves simply moving, traveling from one place to the next and scouring abandoned buildings for critical resources. There’s an RPG element at play where the player can loot weapons, equipment or materials to craft or upgrade them. It’s a practical system that plays into the idea of scavenging to survive. Workbenches and tools are required to craft holsters or permanently improve weapons, and rare training manuals can improve their effectiveness. To craft items, equip different weapons in the limited holsters or apply first aid, Joel needs time to stop, take off his traveling pack, and take out what’s required.
The other crucial gameplay elements are found in combat encounters which can - and often should – be avoided by opting for the stealth option. The most useful feature, and the most video gamey, is the character’s ability to listen through walls and thereby see exactly where enemies are. That description may make the skill seem out of place but it’s essential to playing the game in a non-shoot-em-up way – and it actually works well with the stealth mechanics. Whether or not players choose to avoid conflict however, it’ll find them regardless and by nature The Last of Us is an extremely violent game.
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Stealthily creeping up behind infected or humans to take them down lethally is animated in a way that emphasizes how brutal killing is. The game uses the environment in takedowns, so when not strangling, giving someone the blade or stomping their head, the player character may be smashing an enemy’s face onto a desk or into a wall. An equal level of unapologetic violence is displayed when entering full-on melee combat with objects found in the game, from bricks and bottles – which can also be used to distract enemies – to axes, bats and metal pipes, etc., many of which can be upgraded by taping on some scissor blades for a few extra one-hit kills before the tool begins to degrade and become unusable.
The melee system is impressive and very intuitive to control. The same goes for the gunplay which has been refined from the Uncharted series with much improved weapon mechanics, albeit different mechanics with slower-firing weapons. With the scarcity of ammunition and more realistic focus on the action front, shootouts are more calculated and intense. Every bullet literally counts and shots cannot be wasted.
The Last of Us really is about survival in every sense of the word and what people are willing to do to help others or help themselves overcome the worst physical and emotional situations. The violence – much of the time in self-defense – isn’t out of place here, and in the established world where food and resources are hard to come by, killing is sometimes a means to survive. The infected, in their various forms, are not the only enemy at play. They’re a part of the background that is sometimes unavoidable. It’s the humans element, and the relationships formed, that defines Naughty Dog’s latest and greatest.
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For a linear game, players may occasionally find themselves not exactly knowing where to go. The character(s) may know the answer, but the player controlling them may not. It’s one of the issues carried over by Uncharted and the solution usually involves a ladder. Moving ladders, planks and large bins is a repetitive part of the game, but each scenario is different enough that it works, and the character dialogue makes the drawn out sections enjoyable and interesting.
The Last of Us is not a fast-paced action game, but players must be quick to react if they draw the attention of armed bandits or infected hordes. While stealth gameplay is the preferred choice, there are quicktime events and plot moments where players are forced into a skirmish and the AI, both enemy and friendly, isn’t always up to the job. Friendly AI frequently walks in the line of sight of enemies, sometimes even bumping into them, to no effect. They’ll even speak at full volume in moments where silence is necessary to avoid the horrifying Clickers – infected who can “see” via sonar. I even had Ellie walk into an explosive trap after Joel told her to avoid it. Enemy AI on the other hand, occasionally has difficulty traversing or observing, sometimes with them running in circles or back and forth bumping into each other, and it allows them to be exploited. It’s not common and in the later sections of the game, doesn’t seem to be an issue at all.
The focus of the game is on its meaty single-player campaign that can run upwards of 15 hours, even more for players looking to replay in new game plus mode, but The Last of Us also features online multiplayer. There are two modes, Supply Raid and Survivors, and each features four vs. four combat under different conditions. Supply Raid gives each team a shared pool of respawns whereas in Survivors players are out for good when they die but have a chance to be revived when downed. The gameplay is naturally slower paced than traditional competitive third-person action games and draws from the single-player survival elements, meaning players need to scavenge goods across the map to craft items, while playing stealthily.
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There are some changes to certain mechanics from single-player to online play however, as players are limited in how long they can use their ability to listen for enemies through objects, but they can tag them for allies to see. Players can fully customize their look and their loadouts for multiplayer and there’s an ongoing progression system that’ll give them skills or skill boosts, along with a meta game that sees players growing their own clan of offline characters that play into special objectives they may try to complete while playing online. It works and there’s fun to be had across the two modes, but its limited, arguably unnecessary, and may not have a lasting appeal for most players. Think of it as bonus content for gamers who want to enjoy the mechanics with others.
Many of the themes and situations are the tropes of post-apocalyptic and zombie fare, but The Last of Us does it better than all the others. The narrative and characters to the gameplay and level design, combined with mindblowing presentation values, all help raise the bar from what players should expect from narrative-driven video games. Releases of this level of quality are hard to come by and Naughty Dog deserves applause for crafting this epic. It’s not only a contender for game of the year, but a contender for the best game to release on the PlayStation 3.
When a game can survive year after year, after waves upon waves of competition across numerous genres bid for gamers’ time and money, it is a testament to its impeccable design and function to remain relevant. Civilization V: Brave New World is the second expansion for Civilization V, and despite a few minor hiccups, it is one of the best entries in the franchise’s long and storied history.
What makes Brave New World stand out is the level of detail that Firaxis carefully crafted into the game. Culture and diplomacy take center stage, and are the main focuses for players. Unlike Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (which boasted cultural and diplomacy improvements but didn’t deliver on them entirely), this time Firaxis has got it right with the amount of changes and the way the player has to do rethink their strategy.
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Everyone loves my blue jeans and rock music.
Culture has been greatly changed from Civilization V: Gods and Kings, adding a new “resource” called tourism. As your empire expands and reaches new eras, you’ll encounter great people (as in the other versions of the games), but this time with a few twists. A great artist, for example, can still start a golden age, but he/she can also create a Great Work that can be displayed in an appropriate building or wonder, which creates tourism and culture points for the empire. Think of tourism as an “offense” against other civilizations, with culture serving as a “defense” against their tourism. There are eight new wonders, and most of them (like the Globe Theater, Broadway, and Uffizi) directly help tourism and culture.
Great works and tourism don’t stop with Great People in the game, however. Upon researching archaeology, a completely new feature of the game opens up, with players gaining access to an Indiana Jones-like unit aptly called an archaeologist. After reaching that level, the terrain becomes littered with antiquity sites, primed for digging up valuable artifacts the archaeologist can recover. Although a neat idea, this feature is lacking in variety and depth.
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Ban a luxury? Those rulers are a little nutty…
Also new is the World Congress, which morphs into the United Nations later in the game (there is no longer a United Nations wonder). The World Congress is where all the leaders of the world come together and propose global issues, such as banning certain luxuries, enacting trade embargoes on warmongering nations, or even constructing the International Space Station. Player influence on the congress is controlled by delegates, which increase in number based on the size of your empire and how many city-state allies you have. Diplomacy is very important as players can find themselves without friends when the AI suddenly decides to ban your luxuries, sending your empire into a foul swoon which spawns barbarian units that wreck havoc on your infrastructure. This subtle yet drastic change forces players to re-think strategies on how best to deal with neighbors.
International trade is another new feature that greatly boosts the economy in the early years, and is a source of mutual beneficial resources for trade partners. Your civilization does not require treaties with a neighbor to trade with them and instead, trade caravans or ships can be sent to another city. It’s mostly automatic but becomes aggravating when playing as a city-state like Venice and have dozens upon dozens of trade routes that need to be renewed.
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Selecting new tenants will unlock more powerful ones…choose wisely.
Social policies have been given a major overhaul, with many of the benefits being re-organized (and changed) into new categories like Exploration, Trade, and the expanded Ideologies (Freedom, Order, and Autocracy). Upon reaching the modern era, the player will have to pick an ideology they want to follow. If you’re a warmongering menace to the world, you’ll probably go with Autocracy, while a smaller civ focused on great people will likely choose Freedom. There are a lot of new benefits that can be unlocked in each branch, and it makes the entire process of selecting an ideology so much more rewarding than the previous versions of the game.
There are a lot of minor changes and tweaks to the game and, despite 30 hours of playing the expansion, some have yet to be encountered. Barbarians are a lot smarter and tougher on the surface, and, with the addition of the trade routes, it makes it all the more tedious to scout and protect your trade caravans from marauding barbarians. This became an exercise in tedium and greatly increased the micromanagement of the game to the point where players may want to turn the feature off.
The AI is much more aggressive in their expansion this time around and it highlights one of the major issues with the expansion that has much to do with starting locations. Neighboring capitals can be within close proximity and players may find themselves needing to wage war very early to give themselves room to grow their cities. For an expansion that has a primary focus on diplomacy, putting capitals a small amount hexes apart is a recipe for disaster.
A very annoying bug that the AI continually exploits…
There’s also a disturbing bug that the AI routinely takes advantage of. InCivilization V, players cannot build cities within 4 hexes of each other. The AI is under no such restriction as they will repeatedly build cities within three (and even two) hexes of another city. This can be frustrating when they do this in your territory early in the game, and you’re forced to eliminate the city just because the AI is exploiting a bug, and again, it diverts resources from culture to war.
There are two new scenarios: The American Civil War, and Scramble for Africa. Both scenarios offer unique gameplay elements not found in the core game, and like all the scenarios that came before them in previous versions, they are difficult to beat unless following a specific formula for victory. The scenarios are usually quite scripted and feel tacked on, and this is no exception, but this is only a minor portion of the overall game experience.
The X-Com soldier is a new and powerful late-game unit.
Despite these few minor hiccups, Civilization V: Brave New World is a wonderful expansion. For players still enjoying Civ V, it is a definite must-buy as it adds many rich elements to an already comprehensive game. The level of detail in the changes and additions show the tremendous effort that the Firaxis put into the expansion.
Civilization V: Brave New World releases for the PC on July 9, 2013 in North America, and July 12, 2013 for the rest of the world.
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Although the Saints Row franchise has been around for almost a decade now, a strong case could be made to say the series came into its own with Saints Row the Third. Sure, a lot of the key elements of Volition’s open world crime game have been there from the beginning, but the way in which Saints Row 3 packaged it all was rather remarkable.
As a result, anticipation is high for Volition‘s followup, Saints Row 4, not simply because SR3 was so good, but because Volition seemed to know exactly where they were headed in the future. So, with that mind, is Saints Row 4 everything fans hoped it would be or is it a disappointment?
To be honest, Saints Row 4 is a little bit of both. It’s more of what gamers loved from Saints Row the Third, but without that same refinement and attention to detail. The trademark humor of the series (goofy, self-referential) is present from the very beginning, and that helps make up for a lot of the game’s shortcomings, but it’s still a product that feels a little less-than. Allow me to explain.
Saints Row 4 picks up shortly after the events of SR3. The player character, now in complete control of Steelport, is working a covert mission when he or she, almost by mistake, ends up saving the White House. As a result, the player character is offered the presidency (or do they take it?) and enjoy a solid 5 years as the leader of the free world before an alien race known as the Zin invade. The Zin leader, Zinyak, kidnaps all of the President’s staff – made up of fan-favorite crew members like Shaundi, Pierce, as well as Vice President Keith David – and puts the President in a virtual version of Steelport a la The Matrix.
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From that point forward, Saints Row 4 settles into an open world formula similar to what was on display in Saints Row the Third, but with one key difference: superpowers. Because this is a virtual version of Steelport, players have access to a pretty diverse selection of powers, including the ability to run at super speed, leap higher than buildings, and dole out elemental blasts like a fighting game character.
As we explained in our hands-on preview of the game, any time the player gains a new power, or levels up a current one by collecting a set of “data clusters,”Saints Row 4 shines. And that’s without taking the game’s absolutely absurd weaponry into consideration. Let us just say that the dub step gun is a brilliant invention, and deserves to be in more Saints Row games going forward. In a way,Saints Row 4 is the Crackdown sequel we never got, but done bigger and better, and with a zany sense of humor.
However, those superpowers work more so in the open world than they do in the game’s individual missions. In fact, a lot of the story missions restrict or eliminate the player’s powers altogether. On the other hand, side missions like “Professor Genki’s Mind Over Murder,” where the player has to telekinectically throw objects (people, cars, etc) through hoops, or “Blazin,” SR4′s version of the super-powered race, take full advantage of the super powers, and are some of the most engaging activities in the game.
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That isn’t to say the single player missions, wherein the player character tries to rescue his staff from their biggest, and most absurd fears, are bad. They are just hit or miss. Without spoiling the more surprising and inventive gameplay opportunities, let me say that some levels are pitch perfect and will instantly remind fans why they love the Saints Row franchise, while others are little more than repurposed levels from Saints Row the Third.
There are some truly brilliant ideas at play in Saints Row 4, like the way in which the game constantly calls back to the franchise’s entire history, but a lot of those ideas don’t feel fleshed out, or part of a cohesive whole. We knew going into the game that Saints Row 4 was comprised of the Enter the Dominatrix DLC and early developmental work on SR4, but we didn’t expect to see the seams – to see where one piece is stitched to another. Several audio and visual hiccups were prevalent during my PC playthrough, but they works (strangely) within the context of this rapidly decaying virtual world. Still, I’m sure more than a few of the audio and video issues I encountered were not intentional.
Saints Row 4 works towards a spectacular, over-the-top finish, but the journey is more like a series of vignettes than anything else. Vignettes that, at times, are laugh-out-loud hilarious, and parody popular video game tropes and franchises in some smart ways, but are also completely independent of one another. Had the game featured only one or two familiar characters or levels, we might have looked the other way, but the amount of re-purposed assets and even gameplay mechanics is noticeably high.
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Still, a Saints Row game with a truly great soundtrack, cool superpowers, and engaging side missions may be enough for a lot of gamers. Playing around in Virtual Steelport is, in and of itself, a wildly entertaining game, and there’s plenty to do within that sandbox. Yes, it’s practically the exact same Steelport from Saints Row the Third, but projected through a completely different lens. Had a little more diversity been put into the single player missions, this would have been a great leap forward for Volition, and proof that they are ready and willing to push the envelope whenever possible.
As it stands, though, Saints Row 4 is a slight step down for the franchise, which feels odd considering the story set-up and gameplay possibilities. And ultimately a nagging sense of déjà vu and far too many repurposed assets were hard to overlook, and left me with the sense that Saints Row 4 was a case of too many ideas and not enough time. Fans of the entire Saints Row franchise, present company included, will find a lot to like about the game, as it calls back to previous entries in some pretty enjoyable ways. It’s just a shame the overall package doesn’t completely justify the retail price tag.
Are you excited for Saints Row 4‘s release next week? Do you have any questions about Saints Row 4 you want answered? Let us know in the comments below.
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At long last, Sam Fisher is back in action in Splinter Cell: Blacklist. After three years of hard work from Ubisoft Toronto, the studio’s first release is as sharp and action-packed as its predecessors — despite a few minor drawbacks. Following the example set by the previous game, Conviction, the newest installment of the stealth-action franchise improves upon many of the same great features, but adds some new tricks of its own.
Following the events of Conviction, the elite operative team Third Echelon has been shut down by President Caldwell, and replaced with a small counter-terrorist unit known as Fourth Echelon. Taking orders directly from the Commander in Chief, this handful of special forces is all that stands in the way of a series of precise terrorist attacks directed at the US from a mysterious group who call themselves ‘The Engineers’. As Sam Fisher, players must stop the Engineers from carrying out the planned attacks, known only as ‘The Blacklist’.
Despite an explosive debut at E3 2012 that had many players wondering if the series was moving away from its roots, Blacklist follows the same stealth-action formula that the franchise is known for. However, gone is the personal vendetta drama opened up in Double Agent, which had created a more vulnerable and human side of Fisher. With this new story, Ubisoft Toronto has gone back to basics: the free world is at stake, and that’s all that matters. Fisher’s daughter Sarah, for example, is largely removed from the game, with interaction kept to optional phone calls between missions.
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Stalk your prey from any angle, but make sure your shot counts.
While previous Splinter Cell games have been fairly linear, Blacklist breaks this trend by allowing players to seek out alternate routes, and use varying combat styles throughout the game. The ‘Ghost’ method rewards players with bonus points and cash for leaving no trace and performing nonlethal takedowns if necessary. ‘Panther’ awards a reasonable amount of points for aggressive actions and one-on-one combat, and ‘Assault’ lets players throw caution to the wind, so long as they leave no witnesses. Each style of gameplay has its merits within a specific situation, but Blacklist values stealth the highest, with Ghost earning the most points and money out of the three options. The result is an effective solution to account for various play styles, as opposed to restricting players to a linear way of thinking.
Many gameplay and aesthetic elements are carried over from Conviction, including the ability to mark & execute targets, and the projection of objectives and mission details onto the environment. While it’s a handy addition, controls can be a bit tedious at times, as jumping between cover and peaking under doors are actions that require more precision than should be necessary. A new ‘Killing in Motion’ technique allows Fisher to move and execute multiple targets with more fluidity, and ‘Active Sprint’ opens up more free-roaming possibilities, letting the player traverse ledges, rails and rooftops with ease. Using this ability can quickly alert enemies however, as Active Sprint is bound to the same button as environment actions, which can have Fisher jumping from cover or kicking in doors when the player doesn’t want to.
Campaign progress, online leaderboards and character upgrades are made available through the Strategic Mission Interface (SMI), used by Fourth Echelon operatives and located at the core of the Paladin aircraft. Completing missions earns points and cash to spend on new weapons, suit upgrades, and multiplayer character loadouts. Ubisoft has cleverly integrated the SMI into the fabric ofBlacklist, encompassing both single-player and multiplayer gameplay, and adding a new layer of depth to the stealth-action genre.
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Fourth Echelon is home to plenty of highly skilled operatives.
Assisting Sam Fisher are the rest of Fourth Echelon: Anna Grímsdóttir and Victor Coste, both of whom reprise their major roles from the previous game; and newcomers Isaac Briggs, a loose cannon field operative, and Charlie Cole, a snarky and sarcastic tech officer. The dynamic between these characters is sharp and quick, and it’s interesting to see Fisher coordinate with team members who work in real time to create distractions and assist in mission completion. Interacting with your teammates between missions opens up new tasks and upgrades, the latter of which become essential later on in the solo campaign. While side missions are not required to complete the solo campaign, they offer more insight into character motives and overall plot.
As with the previous games, missions are punctuated with brief side tasks, like flying a small drone through a building to shut off power, or picking off baddies from the air while Fisher moves between cover. One mission puts the player in a first-person run-and-gun scenario, which sadly feels out of place due to clunky controls and an abrupt lack of stealth options. Instead of being an exhilarating push toward a goal, the FPS sequence feels somewhat rushed and incomplete. All in all, these small mission objectives do help to break up otherwise predictable stealth fare, with gadgets like the tri-rotor drone also usable nearly anywhere in a given mission.
Cooperative missions also play a heavy role in Blacklist, forcing players to rely on each other and communicate in order to complete their objective. Clever checkpoints in the form of dual breach points ensure players meet at a specific location before pushing forward, while other objectives will require them to split up periodically. This allows for greater replay value, as players can replay missions in order to try different routes. Like the solo campaign, there are quick sequences that break up the stealth gameplay. For example, one player might take control of UAVs and drones, clearing a path for the other player to reach a checkpoint. These are particularly exciting, and allow players to communicate and plan their attack.
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Cooperative missions are double the fun, but double the risk.
Multiplayer gameplay is an important feature that has been greatly expanded in Blacklist, most notably in the completely re-worked Spies vs Mercs mode. In SvM, two teams fight to achieve a set goal, similar to Counter-Strike‘s various missions that give terrorists or counter-terrorists their own objective to complete by the end of the round. ‘Classic’ mode is a faithful remake of the original 2v2 gameplay found in Pandora Tomorrow, while ‘Blacklist’ mode comes with numerous updates, including multiple character loadouts, 4v4 matches for increased carnage, and much more.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a fantastic addition to the popular franchise, and sets the bar high for future stealth-action titles. A few small missteps aside, Ubisoft Toronto has created a wonderful first entry, cementing itself as a top-notch team of video game developers and enthusiasts alike. This game is a must-have for fans of the original Splinter Cell, who will be thrilled to see their favorite features of the original games making a comeback.
Over the past few years, the Madden franchise has done its best to stay relevant, while at the same time not pushing the envelope in any appreciable ways. Madden NFL 13 was a passable annual iteration, but one that only die-hard fans were interested in.
This year’s entry, Madden NFL 25 (named for the 25th anniversary of the franchise) attempts to justify the $60 price tag, but isn’t as revolutionary an entry as fans might hope. And with the next-gen right around the corner, it feels surprisingly empty when it comes to new or exciting features. Read on for our review.
One of the new key features is the addition of an ‘Owner’ option for career mode which adds a new dynamic to the experience, but most of the owner’s upgrades and decisions don’t factor into the actual gameplay. In essence the only major difference between playing as an Owner or a Coach is that the player gets to set the price of tickets and food. It’s a novel idea, but not a game-changing one.
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Madden‘s Ultimate Team mode has perhaps the game’s most exciting new feature, which is called Chemistry. Basically, gamers will want to build their team around a specific offensive or defensive mindset, be it the long pass, the speed run, man defense, or zone defense. After choosing what Chemistry the player wants to adhere to, they then acquire players who best suit that Chemistry. The better the Chemistry is between the players on a team, the more successful that team will be on the field. It’s a smart addition and one that keeps players focused on something other than simply acquiring the best players for Ultimate Team, and it rewards them for sticking to a game plan.
However, while new modes are all well and good, they don’t fundamentally change the on-the-field play in Madden NFL 25. And unfortunately, that’s where the game feels the most lacking. The game is competent, and mechanically sound – a byproduct of years of fine-tuning – but nothing about the experience feels new.
The only noticeable difference in this year’s entry that had any impact on the gameplay is the physics system, which this year is much more forgiving for running backs. Rather than instantly succumb to a tackle, some players will actually bounce off tackles or sidestep defenders based on their skill level. It makes for more dynamic run plays, but can occasionally work against the player, as they struggle to bring down an opponent who’s miraculously still on their feet.
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Madden NFL 25 is, for better or worse, an instantly recognizable experience. Passing, playing defense, and calling plays are all relatively unchanged this year, and if there is a change it’s more a slight tweak than a radical reinvention. For example, turnovers don’t instantly lead to a camera swivel this year, which gives the player some time to get their bearings before taking off downfield. Again, not a monumental change, but an improvement nonetheless. Unfortunately, those changes don’t add up to a product that screams, “Buy this one,” especially for owners of Madden NFL 13.
Where the game doesn’t improve, but actually suffers, is in the presentation. It may be because EA Sports has been regularly blasting the trailers for next-genMadden, but something about this game’s visuals looked off. It’s not bad, but a lot more clunky than I remember them looking in year’s past. Animations and collisions however, are greatly improved, and more indicative of real football.
It wasn’t as prevalent, but the game’s AI was also less reliable than in year’s past. At least once a game the opposing AI would stand in place without hiking the ball for a solid 30 seconds+, and it wasn’t to run out the clock. As well, the defensive AI struggled more often than not to stop any passes, and would oftentimes let the opposing team complete numerous passes in a row. Clearly, some things were not running at the optimum level under the hood, and it showed.
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When reviewing Madden NFL 25, there ultimately isn’t much to cover. Not because the game doesn’t introduce new mechanics or new systems, but because it feels the more like a stopgap than anything else. With the next-gen right around the corner, including a next-gen version of Madden NFL 25, what is available for current-gen owners is sorely lacking. There are a few tweaks to the physics, some new features for Madden Ultimate Team, and a new approach to the connected career, but those are merely surface improvements. They don’t fundamentally alter the experience of running a game of Madden, or drastically change how players will approach any of the modes.
And that’s where Madden NFL 25 fails – it doesn’t justify its existence. In fact, in a few spots it feels like a step backwards for the franchise, where some of the progress made in terms of defensive AI and players getting sucked into offensive lineman is lost. It’s a shame that in the year we celebrate 25 years of Madden that the franchise is still running in place.
For a closer look at Madden NFL 25‘s new modes and to see a full game in action make sure to check out our gameplay video.
Are you planning on picking up Madden NFL 25? Will you wait for the next-gen version? Do you have any questions about the game? Feel free to ask in the comments below.
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Killzone: Mercenary, the second handheld title in Sony’s first-party producer FPS series was first teased at the launch of the PS Vita. Months later, at Gamescom 2012, the project was branded with its Mercenary subtitle – an element that informs both the story and gameplay in the new Vita title.
As a result, Killzone: Mercenary, puts players in control of Arran Danner – a former UCA soldier that has renounced army life in favor of private (and extremely lucrative) contract work. Despite a colored backstory, Danner is ambivalent in the war between the ISA and Helghast – unless there’s money to be made. However, when ISA and Helghast forces clash over a new and extremely dangerous weapon (a weapon that is capable of global genocide), the titular mercenary lands in the middle of the conflict. Tasked with securing the weapon for the ISA, Danner must navigate an increasingly volatile warzone in a story filled with morally ambiguous characters that will stop at nothing to achieve their own personal objectives.
The Killzone: Mercenary storyline is par for the course in the Killzone series – which, despite an extremely intriguing overarching plot and mythology, continues to struggle with each installment’s central narrative and characters. Instead of following the ongoing adventures of meathead franchise protagonists, Sev and Rico, Killzone: Mercenary doubles-back to the early days of the series (right after the events of the original Killzone) with a few interesting nods to the larger canon for returning fans. That said, the storyline has little impact on the larger series narrative (or the upcoming PS4 installment Killzone: Shadow Fall) and, frankly, follows a pretty predictable (and downright cliche) character journey.
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Mercenary, and its leading man, are style over narrative substance at nearly every turn – directing Danner from one explosive scenario to another without spending time developing any of the twists and turns along the way. The thin and derivative plot would be serviceable in similar first-person shooters but developer Guerrilla Cambridge takes the Killzone: Mercenary story very seriously – placing added emphasis on a number of developments and moral quandaries that will likely cause discerning players to roll their eyes.
Nevertheless, the gameplay in Mercenary is surprisingly sharp – relying heavily on established Killzone series staples (enemy types, cover mechanics, not to mention glowing red Hig eyes) while also throwing in some interesting new ideas as well (black market weapon suppliers and customizable character load-outs). While console gamers might be reluctant to play a Killzone title (known for precision firefights in large action environments) on a handheld, aiming and player movement is extremely fluid and precise – aided by the vibrant (and sizable) PS Vita screen. Aiming down a gun sight as well as on the move blind firing benefit from keen hit detection that rarely miss an intended mark. As a result, despite the smaller screen, console players (in addition to handheld regulars) should have no problem aiming across the battlefield and picking out Hig arms and limbs sticking out from behind cover or racking-up multi-kill and headshot bonuses.
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In fact, Mercenary features the series’ widest array of weaponry – including, as mentioned, role playing-like character load outs. Through the Black Jack market (large weapon lockers that are scattered throughout the campaign), players can customize their primary and secondary fire arms, grenades, armor, and VAN-Guard equipment to suit their play type. Plus, once the campaign is complete, additional challenges open-up that task players with replaying each scenario in a certain way for added rewards (i.e. stealthy, etc). All of the different gear has pros and cons – heavier armor takes more damage but causes the player to move slower, proximity mines can be used as traps but Danner can only care two (as opposed to four regular grenades) at a time. Similarly, the VAN-Guard equipment options have different cool down rates but each one allows for a major advantage on the battlefield – especially when they complement a player’s armor and weapon choices (for example: active camo, light but quiet armor, and a sniper rifle versus an energy shield, heavy but slow armor, and grenade launcher).
Fortunately, while gamers have the option of using the touch screen, nearly every action in the game is also mapped to a button – only brutal melee attacks and hacking mini-games require touch controls. Any of the forced touch elements are pretty intuitive and detection on the Vita screen is crisp – meaning that gamers who are typically skeptical of touch mini-games and QT events shouldn’t be too bothered. That said, even though touch controls are not intrusive, they are frequent – especially for players who prefer a stealth approach (silent brutal melees require a QT screen swipe) or gamers that are collecting Mercenary‘s hidden intel files.
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In addition to the various in-level challenges that open up (after completing the campaign), Guerrilla Cambridge has added replayability through the collectible intel files (six per level) that flesh-out the Mercenary backstory. Three of the files are hidden behind hackable firewalls (touch puzzle mini-games) and the other three require that players interrogate enemy lieutenants (extended three-hit QT swipe events). The lieutenant intel challenges can be especially grating, given that the players will often need to clear out other enemies before attempting an interrogation. As a result, while gamers can make it through most of the campaign without the touch screen, certain play types or those seeking extended replay value may tire of the number of times they’re asked to perform touch responses.
Of course, more strategic players who are also seeking out the collectibles will significantly extend the length of the Mercenary campaign. There are nine chapters in the single player mode and each one will, depending on play approach and difficulty, last between 30-45 minutes. It’s not the most robust campaign available on the Vita but the game offers a number of fun and explosive set pieces that, previously, would have only been achievable on consoles. Running on a modified version of the Killzone 3 engine, Mercenary is also a great looking title – and one that players will likely use to showcase the handheld’s capabilities to curious friends. Yet, there are also a number of “gamey” elements (most notably a downright frustrating and derivative boss fight in the final act) that undercut some of the title’s more progressive aspects.
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Mercenary also includes a full online multiplayer mode – adding extra value on top of the quality single player experience. Overall, it’s a suitable online experience for players on the go – one that benefits from all of the quality gameplay choices that make the single player campaign so enjoyable (customization, VAN-guard equipment, tight controls) as well as tried and true Killzone multiplayer modes like Guerrilla Warfare (Team Deathmatch) and Warzone (Team Missions).Mercenary‘s third online mode, Mercenary Warfare, is an all-for-one Deathmatch where players battle it out for the number one spot (and the most Vetkan dollars). Competing online with other players on a handheld console can be intimidating but Guerrilla Cambridge has made it especially easy for reluctant competitors to jump into the multiplayer offerings – as any guns, armor, VAN-Guard systems, and grenades that are purchased in the single player experience are immediately available for placement in players’ multiplayer load outs (and vice-versa).
Despite an underwhelming (but serviceable) single player story and some redundant gameplay elements, Killzone: Mercenary offers a high quality shooter experience for PS Vita gamers – and is easily one of the Sony handheld’s most polished game packages. A variety of difficulty levels and genuinely sharp controls make the title a solid choice for experienced handheld shooter fans and newcomers who have been skeptical that the Vita could offer a FPS experience that’s as enjoyable as its at-home console counterparts. Players may roll their eyes from time to time at Guerrilla Cambridge’s heavy-handed story of a ruthless anti-hero with conflicting morals and duties but smart customization options and exciting action set pieces mean that each moment provides plenty of fun for players as they head-shot enemy soldiers and rack up brutal melee kills.
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After a plethora of solid entries into the world of strategy gaming, Total War: Rome 2 arrives on the scene to make its case as the next great entry into the series long-standing lineup of tactical RTS as well as turn-based empire conquest. But does Total War: Rome 2 live up to the lofty expectations, and does it reach the heights of the series’ best entry, Shogun 2?
For the most part, yes, though it is not without shortcomings.
Historically, Rome 2 has an incredible scope. Players take control of various world powers after the fracture of Alexander’s empire following his early death, leading them through military might, shrewd diplomacy, and economic prowess. As ambitious as the game tries to be, the size of the game creates tedium for managing larger empires, which makes smaller countries more attractive for management. Real-time battles are a sight to behold indeed, but the lack of multiple tactics on the battlefield as well as occasional path-finding issues keeps the combat from reaching the heights seen in previous entries of the series. Still, the battles are epic in scale and entertaining – and the battlefield is where Rome 2 has its finest moments.
As mentioned, the scope is large, and Rome 2 can be very daunting for new players to the series. It offers a very steep learning curve, as new players will undoubtedly spend hours upon hours playing the game with little regard to what they are actually doing. The tutorial campaign does help mitigate this somewhat, and the in-game encyclopedia is extremely helpful, filled with lots of information on the cultures, units, building, etc., but novice Total War players may still be left wondering what to do next due to the sheer size of the game.
The player’s goal is still the same as other Total War installments: fight your way, one turn at a time, across the large map of countries in an attempt to grow your influence and economy, all the while trying to keep citizens happy at home so they don’t get any ideas of gathering pitchforks and disposing you to a deserted island. Rebellions on the home front present the player with a unique challenge as occasionally your own armies rise up to battle you. This leaves the player in a constant state of alert, always looking for the next settlement or general to choose their own path.
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The campaign map spans from the British Isles to the shores of North Africa and Egypt, as well as the entire Mediterranean area and as far east as India. Each culture has its own unique flavor, and unlike other games that simply paint other nations varying colors, the differences in nations are noticeable, each having its own tech tree, military units, and battlefield tactics. Variety is a great strength to the game, not only because of how each nation is presented, but also how they evolve over the course of the game. Roman Legions fight distinctively differently than the Woad Warriors of the Celtic lands, for example, and using the same battlefield tactics for each will result in unfavorable results for the player.
Unlike previous games, in Rome 2, assembling armies can only occur with a general. The player must recruit new units from the general’s control panel, and wait the appropriate number of turns for deployment. While recruiting, that general’s army is unmovable, though a pleasant change to Rome 2 does not require the army to be in the capital city to receive new troops – they just need to be in friendly territory. The garrison forces of a city are also much larger, and with the easier method of recruitment, battles are easier to get into in Rome 2, and the game is all the better because of it.
Speaking of those garrisons and cities, each province has one major capital city with large walls to protect it, along with up to three smaller settlements in that province that don’t have walls for defense. This is a distinct departure from previous titles, and forces the player to re-think how they will conquer their neighbors, but also provides a much simpler interface for managing the empire as a whole (such as dealing with political unrest). The map is also constructed with choke-points for armies, making some areas much more easily defensible than others. Natural terrain plays a significant role in planning battlefield tactics, and players would be wise to learn how to take advantage of this, such as using spearmen hiding in a forest to defend a narrow passageway from marauding cavalry.
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Diplomacy, unfortunately, is really just an afterthought in the game, mainly because political alliances and trade routes don’t mean the same in this entry as they did in previous titles like Shogun 2. Few options exist for the player to engage the AI, and these engagements are oftentimes frustratingly met with refusal and lack of cooperation, despite the fact that it would be an advantage to the AI to enter into some agreements with the human player. Players will undoubtedly ignore most of this aspect of the game, instead focusing on rolling over their weak neighbors, increasing their empire, dealing with unrest, and continuing down the same path over and over. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Rome 2 has another issue in terms of the progression of the game and ultimately, how it ends. The game slows down as it grinds on, as each turn becomes an exercise in moving generals, upgrading spies, researching technology, ensuring unique abilities are selected, etc. It is indeed ironic that Creative Assembly would attempt to simplify empire management within the campaign, but as the game wears on, the tedious slog can easily frustrate the human player who might just want to command their armies and plan their next assault.
That being said, the excellent parts of the game are still excellent. Hundreds and thousands of units engaging in battle is immensely satisfying, especially when proper tactics are used. As previously mentioned, the terrain on the battlefield should be constantly used to the player’s advantage – hiding units in a forest for a surprise flank attack, for example, is richly pleasing. It is difficult to describe the emotion of watching your carefully placed and hidden cavalry units cut through the flank of the unsuspecting ranks of enemy archer units all the while knowing that the enemy spears, scouted by one of your scouting parties on top of a large hill, were in no position to provide any cover or counter-attack.
Sieging an enemy city is incredibly fun, though this is typically one of the weaker moments for the AI, as it still doesn’t know how to properly defend. The best improvement from previous games, though, is that the AI no longer sends its entire force out to chase one or two units, leaving critical parts of the battlefield undefended. Had this same intelligence been present in the stormtroopers in Return of the Jedi, none of them would have chased that ridiculous Ewok into the forest – they would have instead defended their post.
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On the sea, naval combat is sorely lacking, but keeping in mind the historical nature of the time period, this might not be that surprising. That being said, some of the more unfortunate bugs are prevalent during naval battles, especially when attempting to land units on the shore, where occasionally entire armies are “lost” to a magical (and invisible) shore monster.
The online matchmaking system is decent, though Shogun 2 remains the series top dog in this regard (notice a trend here?). The same interface issues that bog down the single player campaign are obviously still present here, though facing human opponents makes your errors and missteps all the more critical. And while playing against and with human players can be so much more satisfying than the bland AI (which can be manipulated), this level of play will make the glacial pace of the single player campaign feel like a rocket ride as you wait for your human counterparts to move.
Rome 2 does a fantastic job overall at presenting the player with many engaging “what if” scenarios of the post-Alexander the Great time period. It is surprisingly satisfying to be in the middle of a campaign and notice that, due to decisions you’ve made (not necessarily militarily either), actions of other nations as well, that Rome itself might be nothing more than a backwater nation with little to speak of. It is moments like this that cause the player to smile and continue to play the game over and over, as replayability is high.
Rome 2 does not scale the heights nor match the brilliance of Shogun 2 but Total War: Rome 2 still manages to stand on its own two feet and offer a very good if not a spectacular entry into the world of Total War games.
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The world didn’t know it needed Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but when it was released by Frictional Games in 2010, gamers and press alike wondered what had taken so long. Putting an emphasis on atmosphere and hiding, the little game from Sweden instilled fear into hundreds of thousands of players after going viral, with many seeing it as a rejuvenating experience for the entire horror genre.
Horror in video games have been going through somewhat of an identity crisis of late. Flagship franchises in the genre like Dead Space and Resident Evil have moved away from their original tone and have gone about trying to appeal to action focused audiences, while other franchises like Silent Hill have simply struggled to find form. With that, many have placed a lot of hope on Amnesia‘slong delayed spiritual sequel, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, to continue the good work and show the market that pure horror games can be successful.
Does Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs live up to those lofty expectations? It’s scary, but not as much as the original. It’s also a very good game. This time round Frictional Games has taken on publisher duties and left the creative side to The Chinese Room, the small studio who crafted the ethereal Dear Esther. On the surface it is perhaps an odd match, but when you look at it closer, it makes a lot of sense. A large portion of Dear Esther, much like The Dark Decent, revolved around building atmosphere and playing as a passive participant to the story, with a large portion of the game involving piecing together details through notes and journal entries of past events. Their promise has proven to be a compelling match for theAmnesia franchise.
The game isn’t a true sequel in the sense that it continues the story of the first, but instead is tied to the previous game through narrative and gameplay devices. Set at the dawn of the 20h century, Oswald Mandus wakes up with amnesia, soon to find out from a mysterious voice that his missing children have ventured down into the depths of his own factory towards “The Machine,” meaning he must trudge to the very bowels to retrieve them. To say much more than that is to reveal more than you should know going into the experience, but it makes for a haunting setup, only made more haunting by the inevitable destination of your journey.
Structurally, the game has many twists and turns that are revelations to the character, but thematically, they do not serve the same purpose for an audience. The game leaves pretty heavy clues early on that Mandus isn’t just a caring father on a hunt to save his children, so the reveals don’t necessarily ‘shock’ players. But this is not a mark against the game. On the contrary, it is a plus. Knowing that there is more to Mandus and his relationship with ‘The Machine’ adds an incredible weight of dread to his journey down into the penetralia of pipes and steam.
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However, as alluded to earlier, the game fails to scare on a consistent basis.Amensia: The Dark Descent was full of scream inducing moments, and players felt hunted and followed throughout the experience. A Machine with Pigs, while certainly knowing how to pull a good jump scare as well as featuring several of the series’ trademark “hiding from monster” scenes, doesn’t keep players on the edge of their seat on such a consistent basis.
While the game isn’t a terror-fest, it is certainly unsettling. In fact, it nails unsettling in a way seldom seen since Silent Hill 2. While The Dark Descent’s distress came from something unknown coming for you, A Machine for Pigs’ comes from facing an internal truth of what has been done. To explain it another way, The Dark Descent was often likened to H.P. Lovecraft’s works which were often about an unknown and unstoppable terror emerging from the dark to torment protagonists and the world. On the other hand, A Machine for Pigs is more in line with the works of Edgar Allen Poe, often the terror coming from within the deep recesses of a protagonist who wrestles with madness and torment of a terrible act seen or done. The screams are less immediate but the horror often has more emotional impact, which A Machine For Pigs succeeds in even more so than its predecessor.
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That is why it’s a shame the gameplay can sometimes let it down. For the majority, the gameplay is split between marching through the environments and picking up notes to help illuminate the story, hiding from deformed “wretches” and solving simple, if not time consuming puzzles. Easily, the most enjoyable of all of these is exploring deeper into ‘The Machine’ and uncovering the story. As mentioned, hiding and running from the “wretches” is effective, but just never quite reaches previous nerve-wrenching highs, where as the puzzle solving, despite giving you more of an excuse to explore the world, can get repetitious as you walk from room to room flipping switches. For just a short time in the middle of the game, where the story is most convoluted and puzzle heavy, it can almost approach something close to tedium. That is a pity because it does hurt the overall experience of the game. A Machine For Pigs more than makes up for it with its scare laden beginning and surprisingly bombastic ending, but it is just an experience that is occasionally marred by its limited execution.
However, as a whole, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a haunting yet gratifying ride, rewarding players who are willing to read every note and explore the horrendous truths of ‘The Machine’. The location is really a compelling dive into the recesses of nineteenth century Britain, ‘The Machine’ just falling short of iconic locations like Rapture and Aperture Science Labs (of which it borrows heavily from). While it is brought down by some troublesome execution and a lull in the middle, A Machine for Pigs is full of ideas and heart, telling a compelling story of all encompassing grief with a smattering of political commentary. It may not surpass The Dark Descent in scares, but it tells a more unsettling and emotionally gratifying story that sticks with players after turning the lights back on. It is up to you which makes the better Horror game.
