thatcritical-hit-blog

[thatcritical-hit-blog]

Samus Returns Finally

Metroid Lives

Forget that Federation Force happened. Push it far to the dark recesses of your mind. Let it become nothing but a blip on an other wise fine radar. 5 Years between Metroid: Other M, which wasn’t well liked anyway, and the release of Federation Force is a long time to wait for disappointment. 

It came out of nowhere. Expectant fans turned their eye’s to the big screen, E3 goers sat with bated breath awaiting the news that so many had wished for. And there it was, Metroid. Only where was Samus? Why were the characters chibi? What the hell is going on? What is this £$%<!? Were some of the many comments that followed what can only be described as a supremely tragic train reck of an announcement. For a company so dedicated to nostalgia and continuity in their series Nintendo had taken, what they believed to be, a calculated risk. Something new and fresh. A “family friendly” Metroid they said. An insult fans cried back and pointless for a series that has prided itself on its eerie environments, challenging bosses and intricate puzzles. Nothing about Metroid should be family friendly. Fans went so far as to try and boycott Metroid: Federation Force. It was a grand betrayal. Many turned away from the series, resolute that they would never again see a decent Metroid game come to light.

Another Metroid Story II

Following the flop of Federation Force fans were left without a decent outlet for new Metroid titles. Either they wandered back to better and older titles or they simply relived nostalgia by watching others play through their favourite titles either speed running them or watching for enjoyments sake. However something has been brewing in the background for some time. Quite a success story especially considering how long it was going on for.

2008. DoctorM64 reveals his name as Milton and that he lives in Argentina and that he has been working on a remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus. The game is supposed to mimic the graphics of Zero Mission and even in 2008 it is an impressive piece of work. For reference here is his blog post from January 4th 2008: http://metroid2remake.blogspot.co.uk/2008/01/screenshots.html

Skip ahead 3 years and AMR2 Demo goes live. The detail that has gone into it is clear even at this stage, so much hard work and experience. Fans flocked to see this game designers work, to see what he has managed to do that Nintendo apparently couldn’t or wouldn’t do themselves. The project continued to gain traction and recognition with fans speed running the game and contributing to this mammoth project. It was all looking up for both fans and for the creator of such a monumental undertaking. 

“Nintendo of America, Inc. has filed a takedown request under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). I received the request on my personal email, so I'm complying with their requests. There will be no more AM2R updates, and no more releases under any platform. Thank you for the support during all these years.“

September 2nd 2016 saw the death of a mans and then a teams work. A culmination of so much effort and love. Crushed. Especially as by that point Federation Force had been out for a month and Nintendo clearly didn’t want to lose even more money, credibility and fans to a much better and independently made game. A true labour of love and a shame that it had to go. Milton or DoctorM64 deserves massive praise for his determination and humility. 

Metroid: Samus Returns

E3 2017, in my own estimation, was a very very mixed bag of both success and utter drivel. There were some standouts that really didn’t stand out, there were some indie titles that did and just generally the excitement was moderate and capped. With nothing big or meaningful coming out I resigned myself to the fact that this E3 was watered down and unimpressive. I held some hope for Nintendo but not much. When I saw Samus returns, I cheered. Loudly. 

A 2.5D Metroid remake in which you have new powers, abilities and weapons. With the added benefit of Amiibo functionality and a whole host of new features fan faith in Metroid has been restored. The mistakes of the past disappear becoming vapours in the wind. 

Nintendo have always prided themselves on nostalgia and continuity. It didn’t make sense to leave a classic like Metroid to gather dust in a corner. Nintendo step with trepidation around “new” things. They didn’t break into the mobile market until quite recently and when they have tried new things its either gone really well, in the case of Splatoon, or its failed to impress, like Federation Force. 

Prime 4 and beyond

Of course samus returns isn’t the only title coming out, though it is the only one coming out this year, Metroid Prime 4 was also teased with a trailer showing the number 4 with Metroid’s theme playing in the background. All in all it was an impressive display and truly heartening to see that Metroid didn’t go the way of so many other misbegotten titles, that have shrivelled into obscurity. The future of the series is obviously still up in the air but its gratifying to know that, for now, Metroid has a future. Thats all that can really be said.

See You Next Mission

[thatcritical-hit-blog]

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Limited Edition Content

Fire Emblem has gained massive traction in the last four months, its gone from a fantastic tactical series that only a smattering of people had known about to a series that Nintendo have begun to take seriously. Although the portable Fire Emblem titles will finish after this one, Nintendo seem dedicated to keeping the series alive especially after the runaway success of FE Heroes a game that, had Nintendo broken into the market earlier, has made new fans and old ones invest with interest. 

This isn’t a review so much as more of a look. I purchased the FE Echoes limited edition and thought I would show what was included in this masterpiece of a remake. 

Box Art- Front and Back

Its actually a lot bigger than I was expecting but with the amount that is in it, it makes sense. I won’t talk about what the box looks like because I am really not that sort of person. Suffice to say though its pretty sweet. 

Pins of Alm, Celica and Marth

Though obviously not much to look at these pins are really nice and as extra’s go in limited editions I could certainly see myself using these somewhere. 

Art book- With some pages

Alright so when I said some.....I meant most pages....minus the one’s with spoilers in them and even those are pretty minor. The art book is really nice, I love it when you can see the influences and detail that go into video games its always something I’ve enjoyed. 

Game case and box art

You’ve probably seen it around so I only took one picture of it. Nothing more to it really still nice though.

Soundtrack and soundtrack art

Really nice design on these. Like the sepia tones that its given.

Alm and Celica Amiibo

Finally we come to the last bits of the package. Quality isn’t great in this picture so I apologise for that. These two Amiibo’s unlock extra dungeons in the game and each one can be summoned to assist in each others campaigns. 

And thats it. As far as limited edition’s go this one really hit the mark. The art book, game and everything is really nicely packaged together. From a personal standpoint its a shame that this, maybe, the last portable title as I thought that this could spark a whole new range of remakes. I hope that if you didn’t get the limited edition that this brings some closure on whats included and be sure to check back here in a few weeks or so for a review on FE Echoes.

Thanks for reading people. Cheers. 

[thatcritical-hit-blog]

5 Games worth a look that are coming out soon....ish. Maybe. Next year. Or the year after.

The Waiting Game

There are a myriad number of new games that will grace our consoles/ pcs/ mobiles in the following months. As to what is coming out I will humbly provide a list of some of the more interesting and obscure titles that may have slipped under the radar for many or been shouted down by other louder triple A titles. 

V) Absolver 

By and large one of the most interesting games so far is a fighting title that seeks to break with convention and focus on a unique style of fighting. Absolver is based in the fallen Adal empire and you are a prospective Absolver, masters of martial arts and sworn to maintain stability in a ruined kingdom. Burgeoning Absolvers are called Prospects and they are thrust into the world to learn all that they can of fighting wether its fighting an NPC, challenging another player or training under another player as their apprentice and they your master.  

As you go through Absolver you begin to put together a combat deck, allowing you to personalise your fighting style with each attack you make shifting you stance and making a seamless transition between each movement. 

Absolver looks to be a title that will be heavy on player customisation as everything is changeable. From your armour to weaponry, attack style and other cosmetic changes. If your a little tired of the same formula and wish to try your luck in an eye catching new online multiplayer fighter then I would recommend this game wholeheartedly.

IV) Death’s Gambit

Similar in style to dark souls, Death’s Gambit puts you in the shoes of a undead knight sworn into Death’s service so that you can rid a planet of immortals, be they beasts, knights or other horrors. 

White Rabbit, the makers of the game, have clearly been heavily influenced by a number of titles ranging from Darks Souls to Shadow of the colossus. Perhaps the biggest draw for many will be the metroidvania style of gameplay that encourages players to think outside the box and each level has great replay-ability.

Visually the game looks great and its always good to see new 2D games built for modern systems. That nostalgic tick is often what sells these games in the first place and seeing as were not getting any new (good) castelvania games this is definitely one to watch. 

III) Eitr

Sticking with that souls theme we move on to a title that sorely needs to be released, Eitr. You take on the mantle of the shield maiden in a ruined world that is slowly being destroyed. Your mission is to traverse the nine norse realms and restore the light to Yggdrasil. 

Eitr sets itself apart from souls however by employing a loot system similar to Diablo, and having seen gameplay for it. The game feels more like Diablo but given Dark Souls homework for it to read from. Development for Eitr is on going but it looks like an incredible game. If you need to scratch that souls itch look no further. 

II) Indivisible

Another game that is still in development, Indivisible is brought to you by the team behind the popular fighting game Skull girls. The story follows Ajna as she travels the world to learn about her mysterious powers. 

The game plays very similarly to Valkyrie Profile and uses the same battle system but more fast paced, making you think on your feet and adjust your strategy to fit the enemies you fight.  

Indivisible is a great game but has sadly gone unnoticed for a while now. Hopefully we’ll here more news soon but all information so far promises this to be a game well worth playing. 

Forgot to mention that several Indie games have collabs in this as you can Summon Shovel Knight, The drifter from Hyper light Drifter and even one of the Skull Girls puts in an appearance. For more information on how things are progressing go here: https://labzerogames.com/

I) Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

The Castlevania game we deserved but never got. The casual disregard that Konami have for such an amazing series is stunning. Nowadays Castlevania spends its retirement as a pachislot game. Dragging a classic name through the dirt unjustly.

But Koji Igarashi, the father of Castlevania has come forth to bring us Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night! ......Eventually. 

The only downside to this fantastic game is that Bloodstained’s release has been pushed back to 2018 but speaking personally I would rather they take their time over this and fine tune the game as much as they can.

In Bloodstained you take on the role of Miriam a young woman scarred by an alchemic curse. She now travels through a castle summoned by her old friend Gebel to find the cure to this curse. 

[thatcritical-hit-blog]

Dishonored 2

Honor Bound

Two routes lay ahead. One leads around the side of the building to an innocuous and hidden entrance; this one requires very little in the way of vertical movement, and a simple far reach from Emily can send her sailing through the air and through an open window. Simple. Clean. Efficient. The other route however is completely juxtaposed with flood lights scanning the grounds, woe betide you should you fall into their peripheral as a vicious salvo of projectiles threatens to shred you apart. To complement the route is a smattering of guards, all with varying levels of alertness. Some are retiring for the night, and others have conveniently placed their backs to you allowing for an easy takedown in whatever fashion you wish wether it’s a blade to the throat, or a much less morally compromising choke hold. Neither route is particularly safe however and no matter which way you go the gaol is pretty much the same. But there is another path.

“A space between the walls”  Corvo might say. Hidden option three has you bypass all of the guards, walls of light, witches, hounds and clockwork soldiers and will inevitably reward you for your resourcefulness by having treasures placed sporadically throughout this hidden section and as a bonus your journey is cut almost in half as it deposits you right outside the target area.

The framework of Dishonored hasn’t changed. The way in which you can play hasn’t changed. The approaches to missions, though now more varied and with side quests thrown in for longer playtime, haven’t changed either. So that begs the question. What has changed?

Vigilante or Saviour

Dishonored 2 doesn’t do much to shake up the formula. There are differences, but they are minute and that is perhaps the greatest failing of Dishonored 2. Lets focus on the changes first though. The option to choose between two characters at the beginning of the game presents itself. Emily or Corvo. Empress or Royal Protector. Father or Daughter. The choice is not as grand as you might think, and doesn’t really impact either one in a dramatic way. The opening, like a lot of the game, felt familiar. The opening of the game is almost exactly the same; you are branded a traitor and usurped by the “True” empress and forced to flee from Dunwall as your chosen character while the other is transformed into a statue.

The core of Dishonored is still here and rightly so. There were parts of the game that needed tweaking and it seems that Arkane have addressed these issues. Looking around corners now alerts guards, their own alert patterns have changed and they will scout out an area more thoroughly trying to discover where you disappeared too. All of the movements from the original hold true, drop assassinations, lethal and non-lethal takedowns and even these have changed, you can now perform non-lethal movements more readily than before allowing you to end confrontations without blood shed, whereas in the past a sleep dart had to do the work now you can parry someone’s attack and then put them into a choke hold instantly.

Bonecharms return and with three separate groups to define their abilities ranging from regular charms to black and corrupted Bonecharms. Each one is different and with the addition of Bonecharm crafting you can synthesise your own specialised arsenal of occult wonders.

The Outsider makes his appearance again offering you the abilities from the previous game and these too have changed, though many of Corvo’s abilities remain the same he now has the option to change how those abilities operate. Want to travel further? Then upgrade to greater blink. Want to stop time and assess where you’ll land? Then upgrade to redirective blink. Feel like punting a guy off a ledge? Blink assault is your bread and butter. These differences are slight but they make the game feel even more moulded to your choices, to how you wish to approach a situation. Some allow for greater stealth while others are geared more to assault. The outsider is generous with his gifts it seems. However....

Perhaps the most intriguing part of Dishonored 2 comes in the form of spurning the outsider’s gift all together. You now have the option to deny his mark and fight as a simple flesh and blood mortal (though not entirely as you can still use Bonecharms). This brings a sense of detachment from the occult as if to separate the two main characters from what they were in the past and what they have to be now. In a way it makes the story far more “real”. Corvo and Emily must rely on their own inborn talents to survive.

Choice, again, plays a big role in the outcome of the story and how people respond to you and your actions. Leave too many corpses in the streets and people will respond with horror and vitriol. Spare the lives of each man you face and people will respect your choice to preserve the lives of even the lowliest serf and underling. Dishonored has always prided itself on this system and now you are informed at the end of each mission how much chaos you have caused with an alignment meter to show exactly where your moral compass is pointed. It takes a lot of guesswork out from the previous game, as there weren’t many indicators aside from the dialogue that NPC’s would give you.

Karnaca, My Karnaca

An important facet of gaming is the world. Building one is essential and a great amount of detail has to go into it. Some of the most interesting parts of Dishonored are found in what is not said but what is written. The lore of the game is heavy and quite frequently ignored unless you are more interested in the scholarly side of Gristol and the lands beyond. This is one of the saving graces of Dishonored and its universe. The decision to move the game world to Karnaca, a seaside kingdom rich in both mineral deposits and corruption, is a good one.

Gone are the bleak scenes of Dunwall, so often a reminded of Victorian England, in its places is a thriving and bustling new land. But then this the seat of power for the game’s various antagonists. There may be sunlight in abundance but the guards are still threatening. There is a plague not unlike the first game except this time rats have been replaced with flies, blood flies and to top it all off there is a voice booming out of loud speakers giving the denizens of Karnaca an auditory reminder of who they owe their lives to while simultaneously ingratiating the duke of Karnaca in a blatant act of smug self satisfaction.

This is the way in which Dishonored is clever. It shows that corruption, you can see it in how guards have leeway to do whatever they wish, you can hear it in the voice of the Duke and it is this that Dishonored does well showing the worst that Karnaca has to offer and the choice of wether or not to push it towards complete destruction or to sift through that muck and make something better of the land rests squarely on your shoulders.

After all this time

Dishonored 2 makes a good show of itself. It sheds its leaves but remembers its roots. The intrigue, the backstabbing, the world filled with the evil and corrupt and even our heroes seem compromised as well. But if anything that is what Dishonored does so well. Showing that humans are by no means perfect. As you finish Dishonored 2 you’ll probably have the sense that more could have been said and done, far more. It’s all a little to familiar, the leaves are different but do the changes bring a sense of closure? Or did it perhaps feel that some other, less obvious, conclusions could have been made? All’s well that ends well, that predictability however brings another question. Are Arkane a one trick pony? Hopefully not as there are good ideas here, just applied in the wrong places.

[thatcritical-hit-blog]

Movement

So, trying something new isn’t exactly my thing. Being aware of change and embracing it are two different things though. I am currently un-employed, sure that will change eventually. The thing I want though is to be better. In my experience the easiest way to be better at something is to try something completely different. That’s how we change and move forward. So here we are. I am all about gaming here. Though I will talk about whatever I want, this is Tumblr after all. Welcome new people or returning or whoever you are.