Remember Me Review

Video Review

Intro

Developed by a newly formed studio Dontnod Entertainment, Remember Me is a refreshing new IP that flourishes through creativity.  The core theme deals with memories and how these memories shape who and what we become.  Certain memories can haunt us for the rest of our lives, but what if they didn’t have to?  Remember Me toys with the idea of being able to enter another person’s mind in order to steal or fabricate their existing memories.

So Pretty...

Story

You play as Nilin a likeable and believable female protagonist.  Wiped of her memory Nilin must piece together who she was and is on her mission to destroy Memorize an organization gone awry responsible for the dystopian type world. Aided and rescued by a mysterious voice by the name of Edge who guides her.  Early on Nilin discovers she is a memory hunter, wielding a high tech glove she has the ability to steal along with remix people’s memories to her every whim.  Which plays a pivotal role in the gameplay and is implemented very well.  The actual plot itself is a pretty solid one that remains interesting throughout, although most of the secondary characters aren't utilized properly and instead seem to only exist to forward the story and produce some poorly written yet stupidly funny dialogue.  There are some decent yet predictable twists that revitalize the game going into its finale.  Overall I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but it doesn't live up to the astounding world in which it takes place.

Push ups?

Graphics

Based in a future cyber punk themed world, environments in Remember me feel immersive.  Character models are lacking a bit seeming a little rough around the edges, but in no way feel out of place.  I think it may be that they just look a little cartoony.  The breathtaking environment visuals make up for any of these rough spots.  The world of Remember me really comes to life which causes the player to quickly become sucked in.

Structure

Remember Me is set up to be story-driven and because of this is linear based.  I’ve heard quite a few complaints particularly from critics complaining about how this game isn’t open-world.  Why people now-a-days want every game to be absolutely open is beyond me.  Personally I don’t think this game would’ve been nearly as good if they would’ve attempted an open-world structure.  Of course then again I do prefer linear to open anyways although if it would’ve been open I’d review it based on the type of game it is not the type of game I want it to be which doesn’t seem to be the case with a lot of critics.

You can make it

All that being said Remember me is split up into separate chapters that don’t offer a lot in terms of exploration.  Aside from some hidden collectibles there is really only one route to take.  It should be mentioned that the campaign is the only mode featured in the game.  For some this may be a deal breaker, but in the games defense the campaign is a lengthy one taking me at least 10 hours to complete.  Not to mention in my opinion the replay value is quite high not because any incentive is given to players who start back up aside from higher difficulties. Simply because the game is just downright intriguing and fun to play.

Gameplay

Everything about remember me strives in being original. The gameplay is no exception, boasting an intuitive, addicting combat system.  Which I absolutely love although not without its flaws.  Being a new IP this is not overly surprising.  This gives the developers plenty of room to expand on the combat should this game get a sequel.

At first glance the combat appears to be overly complex.  In reality though it’s actually fairly simple.  Throughout the course of the game the player is granted different combo strings.  These combat strings are predetermined the simplest string being X-X-X what makes  these strings unique is that the player is able to customize each button press in the string with a different effect.  So, the player could make the First Button press in the combo regain health, the second increase power, and the third decrease the cool down for the different special attacks.  Also it’s worth noting that the further the button press is in the string the greater the effect will be.  Special attacks are quite effective and are tailored to be effective against certain enemies and ineffective against others.  Knowing under what circumstances to use these special attacks can turn the tides of battle in the players favor.

Combo System

Alright, so activating these combo strings is fairly simple seeing as the timing between each button press is universal between each separate string.  On top of being able to attack the player’s only means of defense is dodging.

I mentioned the combat has some flaws, I’m not sure flaws is actually the best word to use because it all works well, but there’s plenty of things that need improved.  As it stands now the combat system is an excellent base from which the developers could expand upon if given opportunity

Do it I dare you

First off throughout the entirety of the game the player is only given a few different combo strings to customize.  I think they should have made more to add some diversity.  That way the player isn’t always inputting the same buttons constantly.  Better yet they should make it so the player can make up their own button combinations, and as the game progresses allow players to be able to purchase extra inputs for the combo.  So, at the beginning the player can execute a 3 hit combo, but by the end make it so they could perform a 15 hit combo or something of the sort.

Secondly the dodge mechanic works fairly well, but unless you dodge over the enemy you’re currently attacking your combo is interrupted causing you to have to start it again.  Same thing happens if you start a combo on one enemy, but try and transition into attacking a new enemy halfway through the combo.  Instead of continuing the combo as it should instead it breaks the string.  In my opinion this interrupts combat flow which is kind of the basis of the whole system. 

That's one hell of a dodge

One thing the game is lacking and is in serious need of is some sort of a block or parry button that can be activated during your combo, and won’t disrupt it.  Dodging looks smooth and allows the combat to flow together seamlessly, but something else is needed in terms of defense.  I mainly say this because there are times where you’ll be fighting a lot of enemies at once causing you to become overwhelmed.  This is when the dodging/attacking method just isn’t enough.  Something more is needed, so the player doesn’t realize the combat is almost too limited for certain situations which can cause frustrations.  Along with all that I would occasionally encounter some minor camera and auto targeting issues.

On top of combat there is more to the gameplay.  Platforming takes up a good portion of it.  Platforming functions similarly to how it does in Tomb Raider games.  Nilin can scale walls, jump gaps, and whilst doing so a small orange icon hovers over the area you’re supposed to be going.  Which is quite nice, helps avoid the typical running around not knowing where to go.  There are also few minor puzzles/riddles towards the end of the game that add a bit of diversity.

Mid-air cat fight!

I mentioned earlier how Nilin could enter a person’s mind and either steal or remix their memories.  Remixing memories is definitely the most unique addition to the gameplay.  During one of these few and far between sequences the player watches the victims memory all the way through.  Afterwards they then are able to rewind, play, pause, fastforward back through the person’s mind all the while changing little things throughout the memory to produce different outcomes.  Until the outcome desired is reached.  The changes made aren’t drastic but when combined with others is able to produce the lethal ending desired.

Whoops did I do that?

Conclusion

Remember Me succeeds in becoming the unique sci fi epic it set out to become.  Through a decent story and an immersive world, most people will be sold on it.  Secondary characters are a bit under used and at times have some iffy dialogue.  Platforming is simple fun and works well.  The combat system is an excellent, unique base from which the developers have plenty of room to grow from.  Remixing memories is something I’ve never seen done in a game and is executed satisfactory.  This is one IP that desperately deserves a sequel.

Pro's

+ Immersive World
+ Decent Story
+ Unique Combat system
+ Excellent new IP
+ High Budget Quality

Con's

- Secondary Characters
- Iffy dialogue at times
- Combat needs expanded on
- Story doesn't live up to the awesome world it's based in

Resident Evil Revelations Review

"A much needed return to the roots"

Video Review

Intro

Originally released exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS Resident Evil Revelations has finally been ported over to consoles.  This game is stripped down to the bare minimum, likely because of the hardware it was first designed for.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, having to create a simplistic Resident evil game sort of brought the game's structure much closer to where it was in the 90's when it was at its prime, yet choosing to retain the newer combat style was probably for the best.  This game successfully brings Resident Evil closer to its survival horror roots while still having some action now and again.  So, for all the people who bashed RE6 to death should be pleased at this games approach.

Story

Revelations has a typical Resident Evil story.  Charming characters displaying their classic cheesy dialogue and one liners mixed into a somewhat interesting plot.  This time around you play primarily as the sexy leather clad Jill Valentine.  The only other main character who comes into play is Chris Redfield although some new characters are introduced as well.  The premise of the story is simple Jill and her partner Parker are sent aboard the SS Queen Zenobia to investigate the disappearance of Chris and his partner Jessica who were sent to investigate the reappearance of Veltro the main antagonist.  Confined to the tight, dark, dank spaces of the ship players will feel the survival horror vibe right away.  Players won't be alone on the ship either seeing as they will encounter plenty of enemies infected with the T-Abyss virus a new strand of the T-Virus used to infect marine life.  There are a decent amount of plot twists and betrayal towards the 6 hour campaigns finale to keep players intrigued.

Graphics

Reviewing this games graphics is a bit tricky considering it's simply a direct 3DS port.  On the 3DS this game looked spectacular, but now that it's been released on consoles the game is put in an entirely new league.  It's sort of the equivalent of putting a light weight fighter up against a heavy weight.  Revelations obviously being the light weight who I have to say puts up an awesome fight, but theres no denying the inevitable knock out.  Updated to a new HD look Revelations by no means looks bad.  Actually cinematics are gorgeous and character models are highly detailed.  The way Jills curvaceous body glistens in the light after treading through water is almost enough to allow me to overlook the uninspired environment visuals and bland textures.

Gameplay

As I mentioned earlier since this game's development was focused on providing the best experience for the player on the 3DS, now playing it on consoles the simplicity of it is showcased.  Sort of reminds me of going back and playing Code Veronica or something now a days.  The experience is still as fun, but it's missing a lot of the extra features we are usually spoiled with.  In other words it feels like you're playing a handheld game on a console which you are.  It lacks the high budget feel which would make it that much more epic.  That all being said, it will only actually bother some people others will just bless it because its the only RE in a long time to actually feel like the good old days when RE was focused solely on survival horror.

Players control the character from an over the shoulder perspective as was first introduced in Resident Evil 4.  The game allows the player to shoot while moving similar to Resident Evil 6.  Camera control in the beginning feels a bit loose particularly when moving it up and down.  After an hour or so with the game I adjusted to the awkwardness.  I can only assume that it doesn't feel as precise as other entries once again because it wasn't originally designed for console usage.

Controlling Jill and being on the ship is when Revelations feels most like older RE games.  The game is much more puzzle oriented, and allows the player much more freedom which endorses exploration.  These instances act as fan service to those who love the older Resident Evil games where ammo was scarce, enemies were something to fear, and constant back tracking was key.

And for the it seems "hated" minority who prefer the series newer entries and action orientation will get a decent amount of linear shooting sequences on the off-levels where the player generally is not in control of Jill.

The only real new addition to the gameplay would be the genesis, a device which allows players the ability to scan for hidden hand prints which act as collectibles, along with scanning enemies to obtain data.  Which adds to an overall percentage which when maxed grants the player an item.

It becomes obvious early on that the game is indeed simple.  Which is showcased through the limited control scheme. Players can shoot, throw grenades, heal, use the genesis, interact with objects, and thats really about it aside from dodging which to me seemed a bit inconsistent and clunky.  Dodging is dictated solely by timing all you really have to do is move the joy stick right before an enemies attack would hit you.  At times it worked brilliantly aside from the awkward animation accompanied with the dodge.  Other times I couldn't seem to get it to work at all, amusingly I found myself doing some dodges completely on accident sometimes even from attacks I couldn't see coming.  Most sections to an episode only last 5-10 minutes which seems quite short, but I can only assume this is because once again the game was meant for the 3DS.

Aside from campaign mode which in itself offers plenty of replayability with an extra difficulty mode and a new game + feature, the only other mode is called Raid.  Which I can tell you now won't be everyone's cup of tea.  It's gonna be a love it or hate it kind of mode.  In Raid Mode your purpose is simple all you do is try and shoot your way through a level and attempt to get an S rank with bonuses consisting of not getting hit, killing every enemy etc..  What makes the concept a little more interesting is that as you play you earn money which can be used to purchase a variety of new gear, weapons, upgrades, and ammo refills.  Along with money XP is also gained which obviously allows you to level up with the cap appearing to be 50.  The reason leveling up is even necessary is because the different stages all have a recommended level notification to them.  Which basically tells you if you're not at least this level you will have a harder time beating this stage because the enemies are stronger than you and will consume a lot more ammo.  Each of the many different stages are either recycled areas from the campaign or at least inspired from it.  Players could easily rack up the hours just trying to S rank all the stages and hit the level cap.  I imagine a lot of people won't bother simply because of the sheer repetition of Raid.  Even just plugging a couple hours into it you'll start to see how it could get old pretty fast.  At the same time though it is in a way addicting. 

Conclusion

Resident Evil Revelations will likely please any hardcore fan because of its much needed return to the root of the franchise, that being survival horror.  Aside from character models and cinematics the graphics arent great and it becomes obvious the game is a port. Which is probably why revelations lacks the high budget quality.  Luckily the game plays a lot more like older resident evil games but keeps the control scheme of newer entries. 

Pro's

+ Gorgeous cinematics and highly detailed character models
+ Survival Horror
+ Plays Like older RE Games
+ Enough content to satisfy
+ Plenty of Replayability

Con's

- Simplified with limited controls
- iffy dodge mechanic
- Lacks the High Budget Quality
- Camera feels loose in the beginning

Metro: Last Light Review

"A Story-Driven Atmospheric Adventure held back by a few technical flaws"

Video Review

Intro

The year is 2034, and and the remnants of the human race face complete eradication.  Not just from the many mutated monsters lurking in the darkness, but from each other   Different factions have formed down in the metro away from the post apocalyptic surface.  Instead of banding together these factions threaten to destroy each other   Humanities only hope rests in the deformed hands of the sole surviving Dark One, and the man who brought about the near extinction of the Dark Ones.  An unlikely duo to say the least.

What a Cutie

Going into this game I truly had no idea what I was getting into having never actually played Metro 2033.  I sort of assumed I was in for another generic First Person Shooter.  Man was I wrong instead I was treated with a remarkable, story driven, immersive, atmospheric adventure held back only by some technical flaws that I truly wish I could overlook.  The game is actually based on a book series by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky.  Which is obviously why the game takes place in Russia.  Playing this game I'll admit I was a bit lost with story in the beginning, but due to the large amount of references and flashbacks I pretty much pieced together all the events in the first game.  Either way though I'd recommend playing through the first one to get the best experience story-wise although it's not absolutely necessary because like I said I figured it all out.

Story

The game picks up one year after the events of Metro 2033.  You play as Artyom a member of the rangers who is dispatched by Miller early on to kill this rumored sole surviving darkling.  Accompanied by Anna, Millers daughter proud title owner of being the best sniper the Rangers have.  Also boasting a sarcastic attitude, which is displayed early on, my favorite being how when climbing a ladder she accused me of staring at her ass, and saying how "It's out of my reach".  Sadly, she wasn't wrong because I was staring at her ass.

That's one hell of a pose

This truly is now my favorite post apocalyptic based shooter.  Although I stress that I only say that in regards to the games story and atmosphere   Very few games have immersed me so fully and completely into their world.  Metro Last Light is now one of those game.  The world created may be based on a version of our own, but its brought to life in an entirely new and exciting way.  This game refreshes the lately over-used post-apocalyptic environment.

Coolest Rail Cart I've ever seen

As mentioned humanity now resides in the metro which I suppose is where a majority of the game takes place.  Honestly I assumed going in that this "metro" setting would get old.  Surprisingly this wasn't the case.  Traveling on a makeshift rail cart killing bandits, and saving people was actually quite enjoyable.
Plus the Metro has different well I suppose you could call them towns that are bustling with people trying to make a life out of this squalor.  Weapons and ammunitions can be purchased in the market, which is the primary purpose of the town, but there are other things to do.  Such as eavesdropping on all the different conversations going on, taking a go at the shooting range, rescuing a young childs teddy bear, and fulfilling mans primal needs at the local brothel.  And for anyone curious yes you can pay for a lap-dance from a very well endowed nude young lady.  Actually one of the better brothels I've seen in a game, and definitely the best lap-dance featured in one.  Surprisingly the game has a decent amount of nudity for a first person shooter, even teases the player with the beginnings of a sex scene late into the games story.

Doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on here

Characters are what make the game feel believable.  Aided with some solid voice-acting all around.  And if the people fail to immerse you the world on the surface likely will.  The different mutated creatures are well crafted, and might even give the player a fright or two.


Graphics

As most First Person Shooter's this game is completely linear, split up into different chapters that can be replayed independently via a handy little chapter select feature on the main menu.  The game mixes up real time cutscenes meaning dialogue going on whilst the player is still in control with your typical straight up cinematics.  To further add to the story, and also to make load screens more enjoyable between each chapters Artyom recaps what transpired during the previous chapter and reflects on it.

It's hard not to be at least somewhat impressed with the game's graphics.  Environments look gritty, realistic, and deadly.  Character models look surprisingly good up close, which makes that lapdance I mentioned all the better.  Lighting effects at times are dazzling, and monsters are quite detailed.  What truly impressed me though was all the little things the developers did to add an extra sense of realism.  Things like having to wipe the blood off your mask after shooting a shotgun blast at close range into your enemy.  Or, seeing your mask becoming damaged causing your screen to have cracks and holes in it.  Giving the player reason for trading out masks in order to get rid of the vision impairment.  Also adding character animations in for interacting with almost every object was a nice touch.  All of these things showcase the high production value put into the game.

Open Wide!

Not all is good though the game suffers from some obvious glitches, the occasional texture pop-ins, along with some really bad looking rain effects which seemed out of place compared to the detail put into the environments.  None of the glitches I encountered effected the gameplay negatively.  They were of more a visual variety.  Such as one particular glitch I suitably named "I dine alone" during which in the cinematic Artyom was having some drinks at a bar.  The person talking to me was supposed to be sitting across from me in his chair.  Instead he was sitting on well the air itself a good ways away from the table.  Oddly enough whenever he took a drink the cup on the table would be lifted as if he was indeed across from me.  Amusingly enough the cup appeared suspended by nothing.  This is not the only glitch I encountered and while I said none of them broke the game, they did manage to draw me out of my immersion.   Obviously further polishing should have been done to eliminate these glitches.

Why don't you come join me at the table? ... "No I prefer to hover over here"

Gameplay

All has pretty much been well and good for this game up until this point.  This point bringing us to the actual gameplay.  Which is where it falters a tad bit.  Luckily it manages to hold itself together for the most part.
During my initial 8 hour playthrough I quickly realized that this game seems to put the story ahead of gameplay.  I felt as if a lot of the time I didn't seem to have full reign to go about my business.  Constantly during each chapter I was interrupted by scripted events.  Trudging through areas in which I'd have to wait around for dialogue or story segments to come to pass.  These constant interruptions are fine during the first playthrough for those who are engaged in the story, and want to invest their time in it.  But, I imagine people who just want to run through a mission shooting things and could care less about the story may find these constant interruptions an annoyance.  Especially when having to wait around for a companion to catch up and allow the game to continue. This also could cause subsequent playthroughs to be a bit of an annoyance seeing as the player already will have knowledge of the story, and just wants to play.  At the same time though these scripted events are what help to immerse the player.  What I'm trying to get at is to be aware of how story-driven this game actually is.

Say Hello to a Town

Mechanically the game handles quite well.  Structurally it's a bit of a hit and miss.  I felt it had some serious balancing issues between stealthiness and run and gun.  Weighing much more heavily on the stealth.  What I mean is even though the player is technically able to approach situations how they please it seems being stealthy is by far the way to go in almost every encounter.  Which perhaps is what the developers intended, I honestly don't really know.  I mean I have all these sick looking guns yet it seemed me resulting to my silent throwing knives produced the best results.

Stealth is handled fairly well considering this is a first person shooter.  Sticking to the shadows eliminating enemies by executions or other long range silent attacks worked about as well as I figured it would.  I mean the game is no Splinter Cell, but I've seen far worse implementations of stealth in games.  Pretty much every light in the game can either be manually turned off or shot out, doing this is the key to success.  Light is your absolute enemy in this game.  Being in it will result in your detection and a fire fight you have a decent probability of losing.  It helps that the enemy AI is extremely lenient on your being detected.  There were plenty of instances where I was 3ft from an opponent and he was looking right at me, but since I was in a shadow he could not see me, yet other times I was seen far away for no apparent reason.  Strangely bodies can be looted, but you are incapable of dragging the bodies into hiding which seemed silly considering the game focuses so heavily on stealth.  Like I said every situation could be handled by a shootout, but I do not advise this for a couple reasons.  One ammo is a scarcity in this game so shooting willy nilly will result in you being in a predicament when you actually need the ammo you so carelessly wasted.  The other reason is shootouts against human AI can be slightly annoying because of slow character movements  and not a lot of cover, which results in frustrating deaths.  Not to mention these shoot outs bring about the realization that the enemy AI is not that great.  Like one time I hid beneath the level in the sewers after being detected and simply killed every enemy one by one as they came single file around the corner.  Also note that I was always playing this game on normal difficulty so I am unsure whether on easy running an gunning becomes more of a viable option.  I don't want you to think that you can't run and gun your way through because during the first half of the game that is what I mostly did, but later on I began to realize just how advantageous stealth was to this game, and once I started using it more I died less.

Prepare to die!

Alright luckily there are instances where it is ideal to use your awesome looking weapons, which can be upgraded with different accessories like scopes at local shops.  These instance where being loud is allowed (pun intended) happen mostly on the surface where your enemy is of the monster variety, and aren't capable of shooting back.  I had no complaints against fighting the different monster types except when I was low on ammo.  Nothing sucks more than being completely dry and having 12 wolf mutations surrounding you.  For awhile I tried knifing the wolves, but I quickly realized how inconsistent and ineffective the knife really is when not using it for a stealth execution.  So, I resulted in using the games drastic back up for situations such as these using my currency as ammo which conveniently in this game is extra effect ammo rounds.  I also used this tactic on one of the bosses and obliterated him in seconds.  Obviously its not exactly advised since you're literally burning away your money in doing so.

My HUD looks like it just got hit by a deer

One thing that may annoy some and impress others is the consequence that comes with the radiation on the surface and areas in the Metro.  This radiation can suffocate the player if filters are not collected and regularly switched out.  Paying attention to the timer on your watch is important, fail to do so and you may find Artyom gasping for breath resulting in death after 30 seconds or so.  Inventory management in this game really impressed me.  Holding down "Y" brings up weapon management where players can swap out from 3 different primary weapons and a variety of different secondary weapons including Frags, Incendiaries, and throwing knives.  On top of that holding down "LB" brings up equipment inventory allowing the player to swap filters, charge the battery on their headlamp, equip a mask, and do a variety of other things.  The setup of all this was very smooth and fluid.  Other games could learn a thing or two from this setup.  Although the amount of things to manage and swap out was a bit daunting at the beginning.

Finger Painting perhaps?

Something to take note of going into this game is that your actions during certain key events along with the amount of times you kill opposed to knocking people out will affect what ending you receive   Being a saint grants you the good ending and well I'm sure you know how you get the bad ending.  I've seen both endings and while I find neither ending all that satisfying considering the abruptness of them along with how short they are.  I found the bad ending to actually have a more powerful and sorrowful effect.

Conclusion

Last Light is a very story driven game.  Almost too much so seeing as at times it feels that the gameplay comes second.  Resulting in a loss of replay value.  The atmosphere of Metro is truly astounding and has a way of immersing the player.  Stealth seems key in this game and aside from a few hiccups does its job.  Straight up shooting could use a bit of fine tuning perhaps not the actual mechanics of it but the structure of the battles themselves.  Enemy AI seem to lack strategy causing firefights to be annoying at times.  Graphically the game looks quite good particularly some of the character models. Glitches are more abundant than I would like luckily I only encountered the cosmetic variety.  The game is gritty and realistic not only visually, but also in the way it plays.  I recommend Metro Last Light to any fan of the shooter genre, but particularly those fond of a engaging story.  Here's hoping they make a sequel.

Pro's

+ Good Story
+ Atomospheric
+ Immersive
+ High Production Value
+ Realistic touches

Con's

- Glitches
- Certain things lack polish
- Gameplay is hit and miss
- Enemy AI

Rating

Dead Island: Riptide Review

"A bit too much deja vu"

Video Review

Intro

A year and a half ago, the original Dead Island released shortly after a phenomenal, yet mostly unrelated, trailer, that provided some false hype. The game sold very well. Why wouldn't it, considering it seems that lately zombies are the new vampires, if you catch my drift.  Critically, the game didn't fair quite as well; most complimented the concept, but ragged on the lackluster graphics and glitches.  Wasting no time on pumping out a sequel to follow the original's success, Dead Island: Riptide came to be.   The question is: How is it?  Well, let me put it this way: Riptide plays more like an expansion or DLC than it does a sequel, yet, sequel is what it's supposed to be.  It's funny though, because I'd never gotten as heavy a sense of deja vu until this game came along.

Free Fallin!

Graphics/Presentation/Story

The story picks up right where the last one left off, and newcomers to the series are brought up to speed on what has transpired by a very to-the-point cut-scene.  Our band of immune misfits once again must fight their way through a seemingly endless onslaught of undead in an attempt to overcome the zombie apocalypse.  Players can expect about the same from the story department in this newest entry.  By that, I mean the story is mostly unimagined and predictable, yet for some unknown reason, it's still somewhat interesting.  Cinematics appear outdated  and are poorly executed, which do not help the story come along.  Dialogue, once again, is very hit and miss, but really missing more than hitting.  I found myself watching all the actual cinematics, but when it came to talking to NPC's in-game I skimmed the dialogue or just outright skipped through it.  None of it was interesting enough to be granted my full attention.  The people in the game, to be straightforward, are really boring. One would think with a full-out zombie apocalypse going on outside they would be more fun to listen to.

Burning Ring of Fire

In-game graphics can pretty much be classified as identical to the first Dead Island, which, if you remember what I mentioned earlier, was criticized for having "poor" graphics.  Personally, I really don't mind how this game or the one that came before it looks. I'm rather fond of its cartoonish gorey charm.  Considering the scope of the game, I think they are more than acceptable.  Although, in opposition, I do think that, given this is supposed to be a sequel, the graphics should have gotten an overhaul.  The only changes I noticed were some very minor changes to the menu screens, some slight improvements on the blood effects, and I think the lighting looked a little better; but that last one might be a stretch.  Other than that, there's not much to say. Most of the objects from the first game were recycled and used in this entry.  The locations are different, although the majority of the game takes place in the jungle, which is very reminiscent of the first island locale from the original,  However, that's not necessarily a bad thing because everyone I've talked to preferred that location, opposed to the later areas featured in the game.

Gameplay/Structure

From the start, the player is given the option of either loading their high-level character obtained from the first installment. or choosing from the same 5 characters and starting fresh, which is what I did.  Allowing people to transfer over characters was perhaps one of the few smart moves done by the developers.  Everybody loves knowing that all their hard work and time put into a game wasn't for naught.  Anyway, if you start fresh your character is actually jump-started to level 15, and the overall cap is now level 70.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre anyone?

As soon as you are in control of whichever character you choose, the sense of deja vu I spoke of will begin to set in.  I'll start trying to name all the changes I noticed to the gameplay, which actually isn't as hard as it should be.  Kicking now seems to be less effective, the stamina bar appears to be a bit more generous, looting bodies is now instantaneous instead of having a split second delay as it did before, the map looks a tad better (sadly the mini-map is still as un-detailed as ever), there are defense inspired missions, a couple new zombie types are added, and boats can now be driven, along with cars.  Out of all these changes, I'd have to say the boat is the biggest addition. Plus if you charge 100 infected with your boat, you are granted a very generous 90 point achievement. Good luck trying to turn it though, hope you enjoy three-point turns.  One other change is that some animations have changed ever so slightly, although for some reason, most of the interactions required (activated by the "X" button) still lack any character animation whatsoever.  I do have to say that I encountered fewer issues with this game at its launch than its predecessor, so, I guess it is more polished. However, that doesn't prevent the occasional graphical hiccup.

Waterkill

The game is set up exactly how the previous game was, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, seeing as the formula worked wonders the first time around.  Combining action, zombies, and an open world with RPG elements will probably never get old.  Leveling up is as addicting and rewarding as needed.  More addicting is the collecting of rare, unique, and powerful weapons to enact gruesome acts upon one's foes.  Managing inventory and keeping track of weapons is necessary, yet for some reason, still kind of a hassle.  Not because doing it bothers me, but because I don't feel that comparing weapons, and finding which ones are ideal is as fluid or simple as it should be.  What is ideal, though, is the amount of weapons able to be assigned to your character and held in your inventory.  Something I still personally feel could be done away with is melee weapons becoming damaged and constantly needing to be repaired.  I mean, come on, nobody in their right mind actually enjoys having to repair their weapons after every mission.  Plus, if the developers need something for the players to spend their cash on, then they should just come up with a more in-depth weapon upgrade system.  I mean, they're already sort of on the right track with being able to build custom mods, but if they were to include something similar to the upgrade system introduced in Dead Space 3 and completely get rid of having to repair weapons, then they would be golden.  That would allow people to truly feel that the weapon is unique to them, which is what people want.  People want to be able to create something that other people don't have.

Bum-rushing the game's main-plot will take roughly 9 hours, or at least that's how long it took me starting with a fresh character.  After doing so, I was right around level 40 I think.  The game notifies you right before its end that after activating the last mission you will no longer be able to explore the island.  Even if you do choose to end the game, you are able to start up a brand new campaign with your same character and inventory, so it's not a big deal. You'll just have to redo missions that have already been completed.

This is a game that a lot of people won't want to put down just because they finished the campaign.  No, they'll want to try to hit the max level cap, complete the extra side-quests, and find the many different collectibles.

Zombie Gropage

Like its predecessor, the game features drop-in/out co-op.  As expected, playing cooperatively with friends can be a blast, and from what I've noticed, it tends to make the game easier.  Solo play is equally enjoyable, so don't feel pressured into needing people to play with.  Actually, more than likely, someone will end up joining your game anyway, unless you disable that feature.  Three times during the main plot, someone joined me on my missions.

Conclusion

Dead Island: Riptide seems to be nothing more than an almost exact replication of the original, which causes it to not actually feel like a sequel.  If you can get past the obvious disappointment of not getting any real, yet much needed ,improvements, then you will once again get to experience some fun zombie slayage with your friends.  This game proves again that the unique RPG-esque formula with zombies can create an awesome experience for the player.  Being able to transfer your high level character over to this game was a well-made decision.  Graphics remain outdated and gameplay flaws remain.  Technically speaking, out of the two, I found this to be the better game.  Just tread carefully when making your decision to purchase this game.  Make certain that you are okay with experiencing a lot of deja vu.  If you loved the first game, and couldn't get enough of it, then you will likely still enjoy this game.  Actually, you may not even care that this is far from a "true sequel."

Headshot!

Pros

+ RPG elements
+ Gameplay formula equals awesome
+ Gorey fun
+ Cooperative
+ Rewarding/addicting

Cons

- Not a true sequel
- Deja vu
- Graphics weren't improved
- Cinematics still suck
- Story is still unimagined
- Dialogue is hit and miss
- Some quests are boring

Star Trek (2013) Review

"A mostly bland shooter set in the Star Trek Universe"

Video Review

Intro

I was at the rental store this week, and my choices for new releases wer either Star Trek or Dead Island: Riptide.  For some reason, after getting there, I was torn between the two.  Which was strange, because going in I had every intention of getting the new zombie-infested island game.  But, Star Trek was simply too alluring.  Not sure why-maybe I let the hype surrounding the upcoming movie cloud my better judgment.  Regardless of the reason I ended up getting Star Trek, I had hopes that it would be more than just another unimagined movie tie-in game.  Odds were against it, seeing as 99% of movie games could and usually should be classified as awful.  To my dismay, this one wasn't in the rare 1% category.   While still being better than a lot of movie games, Star Trek fails to be much more than another uninspired shooter.

Hold On!

Graphics/Presentation/Story

The concepts behind this game are about as creative as its title.  It's a third-person, co-operative, cover-based shooter that attempts to rival Gears of War 3 on how many times a team effort is required to open a door.  Just in case they didn't succeed, they had a back-up plan of trying to topple Mass Effect's record on elevator scenes.

Yay! another elevator scene

Star Trek is bold enough source material to work with, that one expects the different locales to look spectacular.  Instead of being blown away, I was usually dulled by the just OK presentation.  I will admit, though, on occasion I thought it looked pretty, but those thoughts never lasted very long.  Considering the awful transitions from gameplay to cut-scenes and the atrocious animations.  All right. Well, to be fair the animations themselves look fine, but for some reason they have a delayed reaction.  For example, when jumping towards a cliff that you're required to latch onto, the character will bounce into the cliff and start to fall. This would cause me to think I was gonna die, but then after a second the animation would magically start up and he would grab onto the cliff, despite the fact it looked like he teleported to do so.  Another strange, yet slightly amusing, decision was allowing the player to be able to literally run inside of and through their AI companion. I suppose this may have been done to prevent them from bumping into you or getting in your way, although, oddly enough, they didn't decide to do this with bullets.  If you shoot at him, he will block your shots instead of allowing you to shoot through him.  Cut-scenes look decent, except I can't help but want more from them, probably because their quality doesn't match the stellar voice-acting.  I say that because thankfully this game acquired the actual actors/actresses from the movie to voice their respective roles.  Not much point in doing so, though, when the characters on-screen don't do them justice.

See it sort of looks good

From the start, the player is given the option to choose between the careful and calculating Spock, or the brash and arrogant Captain Kirk.  There are only very minor differences between the two, so it doesn't really matter who you choose.  Since the two of them are constantly together throughout the course of the game, there is plenty of great dialogue between them, as expected.

The story takes place between the events of the 2009 Star Trek movie and the upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness film.  After having beaten the game, I can't really say that playing this game enhances the overall story.  In other words, when you watch the new movie I doubt your going to think that playing the game added to the experience.  To be honest, the story told in the game was kind of boring. Of course that was probably mostly because the cinematics weren't much fun to watch.  I didn't focus a lot on the game's audio when I was playing, but there were moments when it had some nice background music.  I'm not much of a Star Trek buff, seeing as I've only seen the 2009 Star Trek, but I'm assuming it was the classic music.

Gameplay/Longevity

Onto the category that makes or breaks a game, the gameplay.  Star Trek has all the right materials to be a great Third-Person Shooter, it's just that the quality of those materials are less than desired.  The developers were very smart about this game's pacing.  It's packed full of platforming, hacking mini-games, flying through space dodge sequences, interesting puzzles, timed events, collectibles; actually it seems like you don't even start shooting people until you're 45 minutes in.  Now, one would think that all that I just mentioned sounds pretty good, and some of it is, but none of it is fully realized.  Once again, I must refer back to quality, and the quality of this entire game is just really average.  It's got everything, except none of it is done well enough.  The dodge sequences, instead of being exciting, intense, and fun like they are in Dead Space, are pretty corny and almost boring.  It doesn't help that the game doesn't give you enough control over your character, and a few times I died without appearing to have hit anything.

Well you know what they say "two heads are better than one"

Shooting mechanics in this game are acceptable. Actually, I was quite fond of the animation the character has when simply running around popping off shots without aiming in with the Left-Trigger.  This game, like most third-person shooting games, insists on wanting you to take cover a lot.  Which would be fine if this game had a cover system that wasn't so lame.  I've seen worse cover systems, but this one had too many issues, and would occasionally screw up my shots.  Something I realized towards the end of my playthrough is if you want cover to be the most effective, just constantly blind-fire.  You will take very little damage, yet you're still fairly accurate.  I didn't realize how advantageous blind-firing was until I was a good 75% done, probably because it doesn't look like it should be, seeing as your character still pops his head up more than he should. Yet, for some reason, he will hardly take damage.  It's something to keep in mind if any of you decide to give this game a go.  Coincidentally, this game, like Army of Two, which I just got done playing, also has a cover-to-cover system.  I loved the one from Devil's Cartel because it was so simple and easy to use.  This one is a bit more of nuisance to activate, and the animation that follows is so lame it's actually kind of laughable.

Gameplay

The control scheme accompanying this game is not as thought-out as I would have liked.  It comes across as a bit clunky, and I'm sure that if further thought would have been put in, they could have come up with something a bit more smooth.  I did quite like how, at all times, I had a pistol-type weapon with infinite ammo, along with one main weapon which could be swapped out with tons of weapons on the map.  Actually, every weapon in this game has its own sort of charm, probably because they offer a nice variety and are unique.  Every weapon has a secondary shot which can be activated with a tap of the Right Bumper.  As expected, the Phaser alternate fire mode is stun, which is surprisingly effective.  Almost any enemy can be stunned and then executed with a press of the X button.  It's kind of weird seeing how enemies can take so many real bullets, yet can be incapacitated with a simple stun execution combo.  One of the animations for Spock is the Vulcan Pinch, which is highly amusing to watch.  Since you are able to stun enemies, there are areas in which stealth can be utilized.  While it is very helpful to attempt to adhere to these opportunities, I often found myself getting spotted and having to shoot my way out.

hmmmm... Skin Condition?

Campaign averages between 6-10 hours to complete a playthrough.  Mine was probably pushing the 10 hour mark since my partner AI companion has some serious issues actually staying alive.  I encountered this more towards the end of the game, when the gunfights got a little more frequent and intense.  He seemed to get into the habit of becoming even more stupid as the game progressed.  I mean, I noticed it in the beginning when he would get stuck up on object and not always do as he was told, but I never got frustrated with him until he started dying on me.  Really, I'd like to say the bad AI both friendly and enemy didn't bother me.  That would be a lie, though, because their stupidity often annoyed me. It might just be the worst AI I've seen this year thus far.

Cheater!

Conclusion

Star Trek (2013) has a lot going for it, so much so that I could have seen it breaking the trend that's associated with movie games, if only it would have been of a higher quality.  Sure, dialogue-wise the game is quality, what with the entire main cast lending their voices.  But, graphically the game fails to be anything more than average. This average-ness rubs off on its gameplay as well, turning it into another run-of-the-mill, cover-based third-person shooter.  It doesn't help anything that the AI is and should be called worthless.  If you're a Star Trek fan, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that this is not a worthy Star Trek game.  On the bright side, though, it could have been a lot worse, and it does offer a bit of fun, especially since there are very few games based in the same universe.  Just do yourself a favor and wait until this game is more around the $20 price tag.  May the Star Trek franchise Live Long and Prosper even if this game Dies Young and Fails.


Pros

+ Movie voice actors/actresses
+ Impressive pacing (diversity)
+ Well-implemented hacking
+ A bit of fun
+ A Star Trek game

Cons

- Overwhelmingly average
- Terrible, terrible AI
-  Bad game-to-cutscene transitions
- Delayed animations
- Texture pop-ins

Injustice: Gods Among Us Review

Video Review

Intro

Developed by the makers of the last Mortal Kombat installment, Injustice seeks to unite the DC: Universe characters together in a successful game.  The last attempt at this was the, in my opinion, less than lackluster Mortal Kombat VS. DC Universe, which had scope, but lacked fluidity and execution. Luckily, this new attempt is very reminiscent of the last Mortal Kombat title.

Not sure what's going on here...

Story/Graphics

Before I get too far into this game's review, I should probably mention that I am not a hardcore fighting enthusiast.  I just occasionally enjoy fighting games now and again.  Normally, I prefer the ones that let you move forward and backward along with side-to-side.  Favorites of mine are the Dead or Alive Franchise and Soul Calibur.  As I said, I'm not an expert when it comes to fighting games. I prefer to think of myself as a strategic button masher; one who memorizes a few of the more convenient combos.

Injustice unsurprisingly offers a story mode, which will take the average gamer 2-4 hours to complete, mostly depending on if the person chooses to watch the cut-scenes.  I actually did watch every single cut-scene in the game and, to be blunt, I wish I hadn't.  The story came across as rather dull, although I imagine comic book fans may say differently.  The only part of the story I enjoyed listening to were the random one-liners and catch phrases the characters would say.  I mainly enjoyed this because some of them were so stupid, they were amusing.  The ones that weren't amusing sort of just awkwardly hung in the air.  Perhaps I would have been more into the story if the cinematics weren't so poorly done.  They utilize the in-game character models, which look good when playing as them, but just look out-of-place and extremely awkward during the cut-scenes, in turn making them look bad.  The only diversity mixed in with story mode is some random little mini-games, that are actually nothing more than quick-time-events.  Aside from those, the story is just composed of random battles with different enemies.  I should also probably mention that the story is very similar to how Mortal Kombat's story is set-up. By that I mean that the game forces you to play as different characters on separate Acts.  So, the player never has the option of actually choosing the character they're fond of using for Story Mode.  Not a big deal, though, because I assume most people will start with the story, which will allow them to test-drive a decent portion of the characters to help them find which they prefer using.

Good Batman, Bad Joker

On top of Story Mode, players are granted with a decent amount of extra content, to flesh out the game a bit.  S.T.A.R.S mode offers the player 140 unique battles, which rank the player based on a 3-star system.  I myself didn't much get into this mode, but it's there for those who want it.  Oh, and the battles aren't your typical ones either. They are usually modified in some way with requirements.  One such requirement may force the player to defend for 30 seconds without getting touched.  Along with S.T.A.R.S, the game features all the other expected modes: Practice Mode, allowing players to learn everything there is to know about each character; Battle Mode, the Arcade replacement whereupon completion the player is given an ending for whichever character was used; and an online mode where players can test their skills against the world.  Online is basically just an expanded and refined version of what we were given in the newest Mortal Kombat game, consisting of a few different game modes.

Character Roster

Gameplay/Rewards

As we all know, the characters featured in this game consist of DC Universe characters, and this game boasts a pretty impressive Roster, with even amounts of Heroes and Villains alike.  It has your expected Superman, Batman, Joker, Lex Luther etc.  Each character is very unique to each one's personality, and this is shown in their move sets.  It won't take long before you find a character that suits your play-style. My personal favorite was Harley Quinn, mostly because of her stylish moves and funny taunts, but also because who doesn't like a female psychopath?  Injustice plays like your run of the mill 2-D fighter, with some added features to spice things up a bit.  Each character has a unique attack built specifically for them, activated with the B-button.  For Green Arrow this attack quickly launches an arrow towards his opponent.  While his may lack originality some of the other characters are a bit more thought-out.

Psychopath!

Spectacle is not truly displayed until a character's super move is charged up, shown by a meter at the bottom of the screen.  After activated, the character will perform a truly remarkable and deadly attack shown by a gorgeously animated cinematic.  An example is Flash, who literally runs around the Earth to deliver one single monstrous punch onto his opponent.  All of these super-moves are entertaining to behold.  I found myself picking different characters just to see each one's super-move.

Each player has two health bars and after the first is depleted, the opponent will taunt you in some way.  I found these taunts to be quite amusing.

Mini-Games

Perhaps the most unique thing introduced into the fighting, is the level transitions and interactions.  When the enemy and yourself are within range of one of these interactions, the player can activate them to attack the player with a piece of the environment, whether it be throwing them towards something or something towards them.  This was a clever addition that adds an extra dimension to combat, along with making the different stages more than just eye-candy.  One possible issue, is that these different transitions and interactions may be exploited to unfairly turn the tides of battle.  I didn't spend a whole lot of time with the game, so I am unsure whether the characters are balanced properly.  I imagine the online community will quickly bring to light any balancing problems and the developers will hopefully make patches accordingly.

Netherrealm incorporated tons of extra content and customization options, which act as some great fan service.  All these unlockables can be purchased in the gallery: concept art, music, character models, extra costumes etc.  Each player is given their own player card, listing tons of stats that can be customized to create a unique identity.

Get Some! Batman

Conclusion

Netherrealm has once again given us a more than satisfactory fighting game.  Deciding to base their game around DC Universe characters worked brilliantly, and actually made me forget about the last time DC Universe characters were used in a fighting game, which is a good thing.  Each character captures the personality of their source material, and is brought to life through their moves and taunts.  Story Mode was a little bit of a let-down for me, but then again, it usually is in fighting games.  Characters look pretty good in combat, but look atrocious during the cinematics.  Mini-games offer some mindless fun, but are nothing more then QTE's.  Gods Among Us has a fair amount of different modes to flesh it out.  Extra features introduced into the gameplay were all cleverly utilized and add to the experience.  Customization options and unlockables offer some great fan service to the players.  Environmental interactions may have brought about some balance issues, but they can be turned off.  This is an obvious purchase for any fighting enthusisast, but even casual players who just like comic book characters might have some fun beating each other up. I know I did.


Pros

+ Fan service (Customization, unlockables)
+ Characters are brought to life well
+ Super moves are gorgeous
+ Fast, Fun, Fluid
+ Decent amount of content
+ Robust roster of fighters
+ Nice additions to the gameplay

Cons

- Lackluster story mode
- Terrible cinematics
- Not enough to hold my attention beyond a couple weeks
- Possible balance issues