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Video Review: Bloodborne Chalice Dungeons

Taking on Chalice Dungeons one level at a time is easier said than done... especially if you're trying to take part in some jolly co-op.

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Why The Last of Us shouldn't be made into a damn movie

As featured on Hyper.com.au It’s no secret that games have had a terrible run when it comes to movie adaptations. Just look at the stinking beast that is the long-running Resident Evil series, the hilariously bad live action first person shootout in the movie Doom, or anything by that cretin Uwe Boll… but that’s almost a different story altogether. My gripe isn't whether The Last of Us is going to make a good film or not. From a film perspective, it seems to be on the right track. Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, The Grudge) is in the production seat, a potential Maisie Williams (aka Arya Stark) looks to be filling Ellie’s shoes and the script is even being penned by Neil Druckmann himself. What bugs me is The Last of Us doesn’t need a film adaptation, just as the film world doesn’t need The Last of Us – it’s bad news man.  In 2013, the game released to critical acclaim and – despite the subsequent “too cinematic!’ cries – now boasts over 200 ‘game of the year’ awards, five BAFTA’s, three VGX awards and the ability to make a grown man cry. And no, I’m not ashamed. A combination of brilliant voice acting, well-rounded writing and character animation that managed to avoid the dreaded uncanny valley led to an experience that blew game brains the world over.

Yet this was a gaming experience, an interactive journey that played like a love letter to the last two generations of games. We met Joel and Ellie as strangers, became familiar with their ways and embraced them as our avatars. We experienced their pain firsthand, because we controlled them. We chose what they did; we chose when they interacted; we chose when they were violent and when they were stealthy. If we wanted to hear one of Ellie’s jokes – we asked her. If we grew sick of the dated punch lines – we ignored her. These experiences built up an understanding between game and player, right up until the final scene where control was ripped from our hands, leaving us with no choice but to pull out our hair as we watched how the end would play out. Naughty Dog dangled these instances in front of us with each extensive cut scene, allowing the characters to explain themselves to each other and us, strengthening our emotional bond like they do in film land. Yet while it borrows these traits, it uses them to enhance its interactive nature. And that’s just it, the real reason The Last of Us doesn’t need a film adaptation is because it’s already an amazing goddamn game. If those H-wood jerks insist we look towards a film adaptation of this gaming giant, the best place to look is actually behind; we’ve already got a Hollywood version of The Last of Us. It’s called Children of Men and it’s pretty damn great. A once compassionate man who’s forced to distance himself from his previous life due to a traumatic event is begrudgingly drawn into a rebel scheme to transport humanity’s last hope across a dangerous landscape of post-apocalyptic mayhem. Along the way, the brooding dude and his sassy young replacement daughter – who carries all our hopes on her shoulders – bond, teach each other compassion and the rest is summed up by a really great long-shot. If you haven’t already seen it, watch it. It even has Michael “blow the bloody doors off” Caine.

Children of Men is an incredible achievement for film, just as The Last of Us is an incredible achievement for games, but there’s no huge demand for a Children of Men game because, frankly, it would be inferior. Children of Men was designed to be a film as much as its gaming counterpart was designed to be a game, and with that comes certain design decisions that shouldn’t make the cross-medium jump. Considering their similarities, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that The Last of Us took some inspiration from Children of Men (*ahem* or even more than that), but in doing so it created an entirely new universe, an original story and endearing characters that perfectly suited the medium, and managed to challenge it. I don’t believe a Last of Us film will be able to do the same for cinema. Just as Gary Oldman, actor, politely asks professional basketballers to “STAY THE BLEEP OUT OF MOVIES”, it’s important that film and games finally accept they are very different mediums, capable of very different experiences. To take an interactive story and make it passive is a whole new cartridge. The Last of Us has already proven itself a damn fine game. A mediocre film adaptation won’t help this, nor will a good film adaptation for that matter – because that is the general nature of replication. On the other side of the spectrum, a bad film could tarnish the characters we’ve put in our “Must Have in Case of Apocalypse” lists, rob them of their life and distance some from the original material. We’re at the point where games should be able to stand as games, without the need to justify themselves in other mediums. While cross medium stories can definitely be beneficial, like Dragon Age’s graphic novels or Halo’s ‘Forward Unto Dawn’ web series, a direct retelling is simply a waste of time. Sony and Naughty Dog would be better off circling the wagons and leaving their film dreams to the Clickers, before it’s too late.

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A feature I wrote for Hyper #254 about gaming's blank canvas. Click the following links to read Page 1, Page 2, Page 3.

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Wii U Ain't Next Gen - It's Retro Baby

As published on Hyper.com.au From the moment some dingus decided to slap the uninspired “Wii U” on the unit, Nintendo’s latest home console has had a hard time in the battle for the new generation. The Kinect 2.0 has routed the once novel draw of Motion Plus, the PS4's processing capabilities seemingly tower above anything the Wii U can produce, and looking inward we have the troubles of single gamepad support, a lacklustre launch lineup, and a stale first year that lead the console to slowly shuffle into the darkest part of our collective awareness.  But lately Nintendo have done something very un-Nintendo. Instead of their usual in-house nature. they pulled a fast one and outsourced for this years E3. They drew on the “hip” crowd, calling upon retro fanboys Mega64 and RobotChicken to make content that not only poked fun at the company but drew upon its rich history to spice up the usual boardroom (MOAR LIKE ‘BORED ROOM’) delivery. They struck a POW here, creating ripples that caused the great burning eye of the interwebs to cast its gaze on Nintendo once more. But the fact remains that the console still doesn't quite rival it's next gen predecessors, not when you look at it from a next gen point of view. The sad thing is, most people still think it's simply a Wii. 

But E3 proved to us Nintendo have made a shift. The shift may not have been as dramatic as previously stated, but at the very least it evoked a cry from some guy’s throat in some basement…. somewhere. “FINALLY!” Sounded the cry (er, it was more like “fuhmally” being stifled by Doritos and cola) Fuhmally, Nintendo are throwing names around that we desire: Zelda, StarFox, Smash Bros - hell, they’ve even gone so far as to risk new ground with the ingeniously named Splatoon. All these titles make for an exciting 2015, but by then we may well have hover-boards, teleporters and microwaves that make roasts the work of mere seconds - so what have they to offer us now? The truth is, I jumped the gun with my Wii U purchase. I got it straight out of the gate and — while ZombiU offered a good bit of gore, Wind Waker reminded me that Zelda games pre-Skyward Sword were actually exciting and Mario Kart is about as much fun as you can possibly have on wheels — in the two years I’ve owned it there has been little praise to give the black box known to me and mine as “Dust Gatherer”. Yet lately, I’ve been spending more time with my WiiU than any of the other next gen consoles - a fact that made me realise we’ve been looking at the WiiU in the wrong way. It’s not really a “next gen” console. For one, it’s technologically inferior to its intimidating brothers. When people think about getting a console, they ask themselves whether they want to buy a PS4 or an XBONE, umming and ahhing ‘til the cuccoos come home before diving one way or the other.

So why is the Wii U left out of this debate? I don’t believe it’s because it’s the ugly duckling of the bunch - but simply because it’s a different beast all together. It's not getting the AAA titles that other consoles are getting — Arkham City proved that this would be a bad move going forward — yet that’s because Nintendo are utilising their console in a different way, focusing on what it can excel at instead of making inferior versions of cross platform games. No, while the other consoles battle it out in a neck and neck brawl, Nintendo is walking its own path. If anything, this year’s E3 proved the company is finally looking forward with their console, teasing the names we’ve been sobbing into our pillows at night, but the reason this has taken so long is because to move forward, they first had to look back. Of all three new consoles, the Wii U has the best foundation of games upon which it currently sits, and that’s all thanks to Nintendo’s history of colourful characters, stories and innovative gameplay. Sure, the Wii U sections in your closest games retailers are tucked into the tiniest corner, cobwebbed and abandoned, but the amount of quality titles that live on the online shop is impressive to say the least. Enter the Virtual Console, something we’ve been familiar with for a long time on our respective Wii’s and 3DS’ but a function that has never quite got it right until now. Previously, we could access a tiny bit here, a glimpse of an era there, but Nintendo have been working hard to get as much of their back catalogue online as possible, and the list just keeps growing.

At the risk of sounding like a used car salesman, the Virtual Console has gaming gold. They’ve got bargains from the NES, the SNES, the GBA and soon to come the N64 (bring on Mario Kart n Smash Bros) and I'll be damned if they aren't cheap, Cheap, CHEAP. They’ve got yer Castlevanias, yer Mega Mans, yer Zeldas, yer Mario Karts, they’ve got Ghouls n Ghosts and they’re matchin’ them with Ghosts n Goblins. They’ve thrown in some F-Zeros, some Fire Emblems, Street Fighters, a bunch of RPGS (Earthbound and Breath of Fire come to mind). HELL, they even got the damn classics like Galaga and Donkey Kong. And what’s more? The majority of these games are under ten bucks. Sure, the future of the WiiU is looking a lot better than a year ago, but the present is also pretty damn healthy as far as the Nintendo nerd is concerned. The release of Gamecube controller ports alongside the new Smash Bros. is also a shining light for the console, meaning Gamecube titles could also feasibly make their way to the console in the near future. Sure, you can just emulate these games on your compy if you really like - but if you have a conscience - playing these games on an official Nintendo console is pretty damn special. The WiiU tablet works perfectly for this retro style of play laying down the option for a quiet handheld experience or the epic home theatre system depending on the mood. The only thing that’s lacking is linked access across the 3DS and the Wii U, allowing saves to be easily transferrable for optimal play. So let Sony and Microsoft butt heads over who gets what first or who is beating who at a random point in time. We all want what they are offering, but no one wants all their gaming experiences to be bundled into one form. The fact that Nintendo are offering a unique play experience, one that at the moment is considerably retro, is something special all in itself, and something definitely worth exploring.

[alexthe-dragon]

Dark Souls II DLC: The Crown of the Sunken King

As featured in Hyper Magazine #253. Downloadable content is a mysterious beast. You can never know whether you’re in for a meaningful expansion, a rushed add-on or a demonic turd. Despite having one of the most heinous beginnings to grace a DLC, Artorias of the Abyss proved itself by not only offering a huge chunk of extra content, but shining new light on the previous game’s illusive lore. This alone should have been enough to make Souls fans eager for the first of three add-ons, yet From Software still teased players to the point of salivation: gifting special items pre-release as well as inserting the realm’s gate in-game a week early. Hordes of rabid players and hackers broke themselves upon its iron doors, but somehow the gate managed to remain shut. A COUCH TO BE SUNKEN IN >> Like their previous DLC, The Crown of the Sunken King is accessed organically; no awkward menus, no warp stations - rather content that’s placed strategically as if it were part of the game from the get go. This time FromSoft had the wisdom to keep it simple, utilizing the spire in Majula to direct players to the sunken tomb of Shulva, the forgotten city. Here level design is far from linear, creating an area where it’s not only easy to get lost, but one that manages to connect back on itself on multiple occasions like the original Dark Souls’ serpentine maps. Mayan-esque pyramids rise from the depths as stalactites thrust down to meet them, hiding secret tombs, teetering stone bridges and even switch based puzzles from the world above. “HOORAY! POOZZLES!” you ‘re probably yelping - incoherently I might add - but it’s more exciting than it sounds. These are handled with great care, adding elements that feel fresh without straying too far from the original content.

THINK THANK THUNK >> Puzzles aren’t merely limited to the environment in this forgotten city, as some of the more interesting enemies require a bit of thought to take down. Even once a problem has been identified, a combination of bravery and skill is necessary to achieve success. On the other end of the blade lie the Sanctum Warriors, an enemy that run the risk of brainless combat, only being saved by their placement in what is ultimately a constantly shifting environment.

For the Sun Bros out there, the new content is packed with plenty of secrets that will make repeated run-throughs extremely beneficial. The three new bosses tend to lean towards these “grossly incandescent” co-op players – yet for those running solo these can feel like mere tweaks of those previously vanquished. Despite this, the first entry to the triple-threat crown saga manages to capture the rewarding highs and terrifying lows that define the Souls series, and that alone makes it well worth the coin. VERDICT: An enjoyable piece of content that is well designed, providing some fresh gameplay elements without straying too far from the original material. 8/10

[alexthe-dragon]

Neverending Nightmares and Mental Illness

Everyone has nightmares, but not everyone’s nightmares are quite as terrifying as Matt Gilgenbach’s. Having battled mental illness in the form of obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, the Infitap Games founder and co-founder of 24 Caret Games has taken it upon himself to shine some light on his more hellish experiences through his work-in-progress title Neverending Nightmares. DREAM WEAVER >> The game follows main protagonist Adam as he navigates his way through a set of recurring nightmares, challenging the player to sort the real from the imaginary. The pencil-stroke art successfully creates oppressive, dark environments that draw inspiration from legendary illustrator Edward Gorey, but it’s the brutality of the blood-red gore that really stands out against the hand-drawn black and white aesthetic. “Many of the disturbing images came from intrusive thoughts that came from my OCD” Gilgenbach reveals in his dev diary, not ashamed to share the truth of his illness. “I suffered a lot, and why did I suffer a lot? Because I was born with mental illness.”

Despite being met with critical acclaim, Retro/Grade, (Gilgenbach’s first indie game) was unsuccessful financially, and the shock sent the designer spiraling into depression. “All the memories of when I was at my darkest points came flooding back.” he recalls, “I just wished I could communicate what I was feeling to others but I couldn’t find the words.” According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, approximately one million Australians currently suffer from depression, a number that’s believed to be grossly under exaggerated due to the tendency to leave the illness unaddressed. But Gilgenbach mind won through, as he turned the situation to his advantage. “I soon realised that this was a great opportunity. I could channel my experience into a game and recreate the fear, the terror, the anxiety of suffering from OCD and depression.”

BARE BONES >> To do this, Gilgenbach has put the focus on immersion, avoiding the use of any HUD and UI elements that may distract players or break tension. As a result, the black and white art style has become key, as players will only be able to interact with objects that are in colour. This single handedly negates the desire to spam clicks across a screen, allowing the pace and atmosphere to fully embed themselves in a gamer’s mind. To make matters even more tense, the game is set to branch out into multiple paths depending on player decisions, with the intention of providing as wide a variety as possible, allowing for multiple playthroughs and avoiding the need to return to a singular narrative. Having successfully achieved their Kickstarter goal at the end of last year, a demo of Infinitap’s latest title is currently playable online. While only a mere taste of what’s to come, it’s already managing to send hearts racing, but Gilgenbach isn’t solely malicious in his drive to dish out scares. ”While drawing on true psychological horrors is a great way to create a terrifying and disturbing game, I feel like this is the opportunity to do so much more.” He says, “I feel like with this game I can help people who are suffering and show them they’re not alone. If I can help people through their struggles… that makes my hellish struggle worthwhile. That’s why making this game is so important to me.” As featured in Hyper Magazine #252.

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The Five Faces of Geralt - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Preview

The Witcher 3 looks incredible. More than incredible. So much so that I must have broke some kind of salivation record while sitting through almost an hour of gameplay lead by CD Projekt RED’s Head of Marketing, Michal Platkow-Gilewski. The Nilfgaardian’s have invaded the Northern Kigndoms, but while the upper class are distracted by the onslaught, Geralt roams the wild searching for bounties.  In doing so, The Witcher 3 places the focus back on the grizzled Witcher’s personal journey and, between changing drip buckets, I was exposed to five different sides of of the famous White Wolf.

Geralt the Traveller

The Witcher 3’s biggest change from previous titles is the addition of a huge open world for players to explore. To give you an idea of what this means, the island we were on was the size of the entire Witcher 2 game alone, with a mounted trip from the top to the bottom taking players roughly 40 minutes. The world has been designed to reflect an eclectic array of mythological epics, creating wastelands, towns and forests inspired by the stories of old. No Man’s Land, for example, is a reflection of a famous Slavic legend, depicting a war-ravaged territory made up of swamplands and overgrown forests, whereas Skellige, a wind swept archipelago, is the setting of many Nordic and Celtic sagas. More importantly, there are no painted horizons, everything you can see you can travel to.

Geralt can travel between all these locations as he pleases, whether it be on foot, horseback, boat or the new fast travel mechanic. Each place is a dynamic life force and will develop whether the White Wolf is around or not. An integrated economy system means prices will vary depending on the state of the landscape and the distance to the items origin, and characters will continue to interact with each other on a daily basis.

One of the most impressive visuals we saw was the REDengine3’s powerful weather simulation. When Geralt went to rest at a campfire, the camera began to spin around our hero as clouds rushed by, switching between day and night in a magnificent time lapse. When we stood back up, it was suddenly storming, the world around us raging with thunder, lighting and billowing rain. Geralt’s hair blew fiercely in the winds, and the surrounding environments reacted just as intuitively. It was truly awe inspiring, which leads us onto our next Geralt…

Geralt the Hunter

Now the war is over, Geralt can finally focus on his trade, namely “Killing. Monsters.”. As he travels from town to town, Geralt can pick up contracts from the local government, but from what we saw, The Witcher 3 also leads the contracts to you by creating dynamic events that pull you unknowingly towards them. For example, after battling a Slavic Fiend that we happened across in the wild, Geralt entered a small town in which the townsfolk were gathered together causing a ruckus. On closer inspection, we saw someone had been impaled by a tree root risen from the ground. The crowd was in an uproar, with accusations flying to and fro, but Geralt decided to gather more information before committing himself to the hunt.

To do this, we activated our Witcher senses, a similar technique to the Arkham game’s Detective Vision or the Eagle Vision in Assassin’s Creed. Here Geralt’s senses are heightened and anything beast related appears in a glowing red. Following some animal tracks into the forest, we slowly found clues that helped us piece together what we were dealing with, and the further we delved the more we found out about the creature. Its weaknesses, fears, strengths etc. were all revealed, thus giving Geralt an idea how to handle things moving forward.

Upon consulting our bestiary (a much less confusing version of The Witcher 2’s countless books and journals) we learnt even more about the subject at hand, namely a powerful Leshen, a forest spirit that appears alongside a murder of crows. With all these facts at hand, players can now make educated choices, choosing whether it wise to hunt the creature or leave it be, as well as whether they’ll be strong enough to take it on. There are over 80 different beasts scattered throughout the world, and Geralt is able to hunt them all.

Geralt the Warrior

The skill tree in The Witcher 3 has been modified to incorporate a larger array of active skills, expanding on the meagre passive upgrades of The Witcher 2. The tree remains focused on the three strands of Swordsman, Mage and Alchemist, but each skill increase has a notable affect on combat. Putting points into the Swordsman branch, for example, will not only unlock more combos and skills, but will also increase Geralt's general swordsmanshipl depending on how many points lie within, whereas more points towards signs will see the Igni flame build to a fierce blue and so on so forth.

Combat plays out in a similar fashion to The Witcher 2, only that swordplay has expanded to 96 action sequences in order to create a much smoother system, compared to the Witcher 2’s mere 20. On top of this, signs are more streamlined to slot into combat, becoming more accessible than in previous titles. For the Alchemist path, potions operate in largely the same way, with Geralt only being able to handle a certain amount of potions at the one time. A nice addition comes in their execution. however, for while they are still required to be drunk before battles, they can now be activated at the players will, no longer being wasted on the periods of dead time before conflict.

Geralt the Wolf

One of the more exciting parts of the gameplay wasn’t necessarily the most action based, rather it was the return of the gruelling decision making system. While inspecting the surrounding forests, Geralt discovered that the Leshen marks a person from its neighbouring village, meaning it cannot die while that person still breathes. Believing it was one of the elders who had been defending the beast, an ambitious young villager openly declared that whoever was marked needed to die in order for the rest of the village to live. On closer inspection it was his lover who was marked, and as we chose to tell him publicly, we were impressed when the young man went through with his words.

After slaying the beast however, we returned to the town to find the elders massacred anyway by the man and his brigands. And while he paid the Witcher the money promised, we left the small town with a bitter taste in our mouth and a not so pleasant exchange. The Witcher games have never shown a black and white morality, but the murky grey of Geralt’s current world is masterfully handled, and the White Wolf’s isolation was outlined perfectly in this exchange.

Geralt the Lover

A Geralt that was glaringly absent from the gameplay was the infamous lover, but once pried for information, Michal Platkow-Gilewski revealed that Geralt is still “up for the ladies”. In fact, he was adamant that in The Witcher 3 he is “much more romantic” than in the previous two titles. This most likely means that he’ll be more focused on the two swords strapped to his back, and not as quick to use the one below his belt.

At this stage, The Witcher 3 boasts 50 hours of main story and 50 hours of side quests, and while a release date is still unconfirmed, it's easily the most ambitious in the series so far. As seen on Rocket Chainsaw.

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The Evil Within Preview

As published in PC PowerPlay #229 and pcpowerplay.com.au Shinji Mikami, affectionately known to the video game world as the Father of Horror, has been extremely tight lipped about his new IP. Having initially bought the survival horror genre to the fore with Resident Evil, it seems any game he’s behind will be greeted with a greedy anticipation from fans the world over. Yet admittedly when the first load of footage surfaced I wasn’t drawn in. The Saw-like dungeons, swinging corpses and a chainsaw wielding maniac showcased a game that got its kicks from excessive gore as opposed to a tense atmosphere. But upon trying my hand at the game, I was surprised to find something very different. To keep things vague, I was assigned to play through chapters four and eight, with little to fill the blanks between. Each chapter took around an hour to complete, making up a mere one seventh of the total game. Chapter four opened up with main character Sebastian Castellanos and a gentleman in a white coat (who we’ll simply call “The Professor”) entering a small shanty village. The Professor, concerned about a missing patient, urged me toward an ominous wooden house that creaked in the distance, but this wasn’t my first walk in the park, so I decided to hug the walls and get a feel for the mechanics. My inventory was made up of a pistol, a shotgun, a crossbow (with a few homemade bolts), a box of matches and a syringe used to recover health. Despite playing on a PC, the demo required a controller to play, not yet being geared for keyboard and mouse, and as a result I was able to map only four of these to the D-pad to provide quick access. As I circled the house, it wasn’t long before I found a bloated mass of flesh wandering around outside. The fat mess, who had an axe protruding from his stomach, caught my scent and stumbled carelessly in my direction. A nuisance, more than anything, one that quickly fell to the rounds of my pistol before I set the sucker aflame with a single match.

“Scary, my butt.” I thought to myself, walking away from the burning corps like a cool dude walks away from explosions. “A common problem with horror games is the need to make the main character a super hero. Empowering the player takes the threat away from their aggressors, rendering things that go bump in the nigh-“ All of a sudden the door in front of me slammed open, cutting my pompous train of thought in two. A woman burst through screaming in agony as flames engulfed her body. My reaction was instinctive, but in vain. By the time I’d raised my pistol she was already gone, having disappeared without a trace. An illusion? A ghost? I break my eyes from the screen and look around the room at the few others engrossed in the game. My heart’s pounding, but it looks like no one saw me jump. I collect myself the same way a child who just grazed his knee might, the type who decides not to cry when he realises there’s no audience to turn on the waterworks for. “Gotcha scares don’t count” I think to myself. I guess there’s some truth to the words fear makes children of us all. As I worked my way through the two separate chapters it became clear that Mikami’s latest title takes inspiration form his previous works. Its over the shoulder viewpoint leans towards Resident Evil 4, yet the stripped back nature of combat, especially seen through the almost futile melee option, as well as Castellanos having the sprinting endurance of an overweight pensioner, help make things a bit more tense during action sequences.

While still living in gore city (a prime example being a sequence where you wade through a pool of blood, needing to destroy X amounts of undead bad guys before the fleshy mass that blocks your exit let’s you through) the storyline leans more towards the psychological, focusing on some severely disturbed characters. Things are not always what they seem, and some strange occurrences have left a bunch of questions I’m dying to find answers for. The Evil Within even goes so far as to play mind games with the player via some strategically placed items. Certain enemies can’t be damaged, and when you come up against one of these you need to push Castellanos’ underwhelming endurance to its limits by bolting as fast as you can in the opposite direction. During these scenes, there were some very tempting placements of certain items. Disarming traps yields gears that can be used to upgrade weapons later in the game, and these are placed heavily and pointedly during these sequences. As I was only glancing through the game, I didn’t bother trying my hand, as the risk/reward margin wasn’t worth it, but when it could mean the difference between having more fire power later on… the temptation might just be enough to risk some very close calls. Ammunition is scarce, even more so in higher difficulty modes, which encourages players to hide when possible, saving their ammo for future encounters. To avoid wastage, players can hide under beds and tables, inside cupboards, behind boxes etcetera, peeking out at enemies as they amble around in search of their prey. The closer enemies get, the more intense the heartbeat soundtrack becomes, building tension and coercing player’s hearts to fall in line.

By the end of the playthrough, I felt far more excited by the Evil Within than I did going in. The game itself was enjoyable, but whether it fills the horror mark is a different matter entirely. I found it hard to connect with characters or become engrossed in the story, but this could well have been the product of beginning the game a third of the way through, and then skipping a large chunk to continue on. Whatever the case, the result was sadly that I never truly had my heart in my throat. The game promises some great action sequences, but I feel its creepy environments and eerie character design won’t be enough to sate the frightful fix that horror purists crave.

[alexthe-dragon]

Dark Souls II PC Comparison Review/Discussion

Note: This is a comparison review regarding the nature of Dark Souls II on PC versus that of Dark Souls II on console. For a straight up review click here. Before we start things off let’s get one thing straight. Dark Souls II is a damn good game. Well, it’s more than good. It’s great. The gaming community as a whole has generally been unified in this belief since the game’s inferior release on the console world, yet if you’re reading this magazine (PC PowerPlay #224), you’re already well aware of the restrictions that world implies. The real questions here are will Dark Souls II’s greatness transfer onto our beloved PCs? Or will we be left with some deformed monstrosity of an age long past, one trapped by the confines of its console origins? Before we can answer that there are a few things we need to go over. It’s no secret the Souls series has a troubled history with its PC iterations. Demon’s Souls has sadly never had a proper port, largely due to a combination of ownership, sales and FromSoftware’s lack of PC knowhow. Dark Souls, on the other hand, was free of this first constraint and its popular console reception helped push it over the edge, yet it soon became apparent that FromSoftware were still being hindered by that latter ball and chain. Despite this, the Japanese devs were always upfront about the demons that plagued their attempts to breach our golden shores. When initially asked how the Dark Souls port was coming along, producer Daisukle Uchiyama stated “To be completely honest, we’re having a tough time doing it due to our lack of experience and knowledge in terms of porting to PC. First we thought it would be a breeze, but it’s turned out not to be the case." He finished by revealing that it the final result would be "more strictly a port from the console version. We haven’t been able to step up into doing any specific optimisation for PC.” When the battle was over, the result was as unfortunate as one would expect from such an announcement: awkward controls, blurry visuals and a mediocre frame rate led to a game that was a mere shadow of its consolian brother. 

But the Souls series has always inspired a strange kinship amongst its players, one that has slowly formed from its obscure content, resulting in a strong sense of “jolly cooperation”. And so it was that, within days of release, Peter ‘Durante’ Thoman did wield his modding sword to cut through the main issues, releasing the celebrated DSFix to the public. The mod essentially made the game user friendly, inspiring other modders to work on textures, controls and so on and so forth to create a Dark Souls experience that left previous versions in the dust. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, especially considering the arduous process one had to go through to achieve the final result, but it did offer an experience that, in essence, is very much linked with the Souls series itself. FromSoftware were lucky. Thanks to some talented (and extremely efficient) fans, they were able to recover from a blunder that should have proved fatal... yet somehow the PC community were still on their side. Even so, one thing remained clear, FromSoftware had to lift their game if they wanted to avoid going hollow. So what did they do? The clever devs sent their best PC smiths to the forge to build an entirely new engine for Dark Souls II, going forward to use the PC as the lead test platform for both iterations of the title. Praise. The damn. Sun.

The final result is a game that is able to run and render at 1920 x 1080, providing a crisp and sharp experience. On top of this, the PC version runs at a tight 60 frames per second (as opposed to the console’s standard 30 frames) allowing for a more accurate execution of moves and abilities. Despite being aesthetically pleasing, this actually makes a world of difference to the gameplay itself. Dark Souls II’s combat, much like its predecessors, is entirely reaction based, with the slightest delay spelling the difference between gaining and losing an ungodly sum of souls. The smoother frame rate makes the timing of parrying, blocking and rolls all the more accurate, allowing highly skilled players to weave between attacks with anime-esque precision. Furthermore, the functions themselves appear to perform more accurately in the PC build. Those familiar with the console version may have noticed a slight button lag when sprinting or jumping - an upset that, while not entirely fixed, has been improved with the PC edition. But of all the improvements the PC world offers, by far the most important is the load times. One of the game’s new features is the ability to warp between bonfires, demanding that you travel back to the land of Majula (the games main hub) whenever you want to level up your character. Previously, this came as a tiresome inclusion, especially considering the first title allowed you to level up at any bonfire you wanted to rest your tush beside. In this version, players are able to warp between three bonfires in the time it would take the console version to load one, making Majula trips a breeze.

The keyboard and mouse controls are much more effective than the previous Dark Souls, with remappable buttons and keys allowing for a customisable experience. Yet for some reason FromSoftware left the tacky Xbox interface for action prompts, meaning you’ll need to stay on top of your key allocation as finding the green “A” button on your keyboard may prove futile. Generally, I found that the controller makes for a more comfortable fit (not really a surprise considering the game was designed with controller functionality in mind) but I have no doubt that purists will be able to make the keyboard and mouse work just as effectively… even if it does take a little bit longer. An upside for those who tread the purist path comes with the decision to make the mouse appear in menu screens, a small blessing, but one that leads to quicker item browsing and equipping without having to address every single item in the menu. For Souls veterans, gameplay follows in a very similar stream, only its mechanics have been tightened and tweaked to allow for greater variation in class configuration. One of the most notable aspects is the ability to effectively dual wield, as your left hand can now strike with both light and heavy attacks, while also allowing for special dual attacks when wielding two of the same weapon. There’s so much choice here, as the weapons list in Dark Souls II is incredibly large, providing a vast array of maces, sword, bows, staves, axes, shields and spears to sate whichever path you choose to roam, not to mention deciding whether you’ll fight one handed or two handed, weapon and shield or weapon and magic etc. There are even specialty weapons such as whips, catalysts and claws, all of which have their own unique combination of attacks, keeping combat fresh and exciting.

For those looking for something to sink your teeth into, Drangleic offers a huge world to explore so newcomers can expect to clock up at least 70 hours in their first playthrough, give or take a few depending on how much jolly cooperation and online PvP one decides to attempt. On top of this, FromSoftware have gone out of their way to add a bunch of new content to New Game+, inserting more boss fights, increased enemies and new items that simply aren’t accessible in a single playthrough. But by far the best part of any Souls game is the lore. FromSoftware have built their name around their epically derelict landscapes that speak of a bygone age. It's true that most of what lies within these landscapes may never be found by the player, but that’s where the brilliance of Dark Souls II’s design lies. Everything they create has a purpose, whether or not that purpose will be realised by the user matters not, for it only adds to the authenticity of their landscapes. It allows for the explorers among us to delve deep into the world, theorise and discuss their findings without a definitive answer lying a click away in some forum, a concept rarely found in games these days. At the same time, those who are content to simply play through the game, cutting down the monsters and men that cross their path, can still do so without heavy slabs of text or lengthy cut scenes getting in their way.

It’s evident that the PC version’s numerous little tweaks all work towards a much more enjoyable Dark Souls II experience, yet the game is in no way a rebuild of its counterparts, as the mechanics, environments and combat all dance to the same tune as the console versions. Yes, the resolution is sharper, offering textures that are more pronounced, but it still very much looks like a last gen game. If you are looking for a title that pushes the boundaries of current tech DSII is not it. But don’t let this throw you off, as it is still an incredible sight to behold. At first I was a little disappointed with some of the area designs, lamenting the use of canvas backgrounds and closed in spaces, but as the game progresses the environments open up to offer some truly awe inspiring stages that will stick with gamers for a long time to come. For all these reasons, it has to be said that the PC version of Dark Souls II undoubtedly provides the definitive DSII experience to date. If I had one complaint, it would be that the lighting, while offering a better light/dark contrast than the previous instalments, is still a far cry from what we were shown in the mirror knight previews way back when. But hey, considering they don’t have to worry about fixing a broken game this time around, I expect our beloved modding community is already working tirelessly to remedy that. Verdict: The definitive Dark Souls II experience, the latest entry to The Souls series shines on the PC. As published in PC PowerPlay #228.

[alexthe-dragon]

Demon Gaze Review

It’s hard to know what you’re going to get when you first pick up an NIS title. If you’re lucky, you may be gifted with an insanely deep tactical RPG that offers hours upon hours of playtime, but on the other hand you might be in for a perverted web of sexually charged Japanese fetishism that crosses multiple lines. Demon Gaze somehow manages to sit right in the middle, with elements of each breaking through. A Blank Slate >> You are the Demon Gazer, a being tasked with hunting down Demons, beating them to a pulp and capturing their souls with your intense, brooding stares. Apart from this, you’re not given much to go on as far as your character is concerned. Instead, it’s up to you to choose between 40+ different character designs, including their class, voice and name. Parties can consist of up to five characters at one time, all being created from the same pool of designs. But while these characters have no interaction with the story whatsoever, it’s impressive how quickly the few traits you choose begin to create their own stories through the gameplay. Stages function in a bizarre mix of East meets West, with the first person dungeon navigation being reminiscent of early Wizards and Warriors titles, while the varied turn-based combat undoubtedly draws from classic JRPGs.

The dark side of the coin surfaces from the Inn sequences. The Inn acts as the game’s hub, a place where players return to revive fallen characters, sell and buy weapons and where most of the games storyline plays out. It’s run by “The Manager”, Fran, a money obsessed mishmash of master/servant fetishism, but deep down she’s got a good heart… supposedly. Other notable characters include Lancelorna, the scantily clad veteran, Prometh, a morbid young girl who constantly forgets to wear clothes and Lezeren, an eccentric male Elf who loves taking baths when you happen to be in the same room. It all plays out like a teenage manga, crammed full of angst and sexual suggestion with moments that border on the criminally perverted. Stay Inn-doors >> Luckily, the majority of the gameplay comes from the Dungeon sequences, which are fun, exciting and perfect for the pick up and play nature of the PS Vita. This function is only jeopordised by the occasional scandalous image that may spring up during Inn sequences, but they are easy to gage if you’re trying to avoid awkward moments on public transport.

The lack of animation should be a hindrance, but the art is incredibly detailed, the class system expansive and the scope of enemies so varied that the game ends up benefiting from its low budget design. The result is a JRPG that does what JRPGs do best, offers a variety of strategical gameplay that is as addicive as it is lengthy, while still managing to squeeze in the odd side-boob whenever it gets the chance. 6/10 Verdict: Demon Gaze offers a simple yet addicting handheld RPG experience, distracted only by its flirty anime desires. As published in Hyper Magazine #250.

[alexthe-dragon]

'Working Stiffs' a feature on gaming and the rise of new media for Hyper Magazine #250. Click the following links to read Page 1, Page 2, Page 3.

[alexthe-dragon]

Castlevania: LOS2 Revelations DLC

If you’re one of the few who followed the first Lords of Shadow through to its completion, DLC and all, then you’ll know that Mercury Steam don’t take extra content lightly. If you weren’t one of those people…. well, rejoice in your newfound knowledge, but you should also know that the following review is full of spoilers for Lords of Shadow 1 and 2, so stop reading if you plan to session either epic title in the near future. That said, the Revelations DLC continues in much the same manner as the previous game’s DLC, not only in its choice of title (Reverie and Resurrection being CLoS’s two expansions) but also because playing through this add-on will give you a greater insight into the game's plot... considering you hung on long enough to care, that is.

Revelations follows Gabriel’s son turned vampire as he desperately struggles to prepare the ancient castle for his father’s return. Alucard has long been a fan favourite, first appearing in Castlevania III but most notably taking the lead in series pièce de résistance Symphony of the Night. Thankfully, Mercury Steam’s re-imaging of the character is handled far better than LoS 2’s portrayal of Dracula, as he’s relatable, fun to play and expertly voiced by the talented Richard Madden, more popularly known to Game of Thrones fans as Robb Stark. It’s also nice to see old favourites making a return, such as Alucard’s signature wolf transformation, which has been innovated to pave the way for some interesting puzzles.

Unlike his father, Alucard wields only one weapon, the Crissaegrim, a blade that combines pieces of the Vampire Killer left in Carmilla’s heart, with the Glaciem and the Igneas, two hellish swords imbued with the elemental powers of ice and fire. As a result, combat works largely the same as LoS2’s, but instead of switching between weapons, Alucard is simply able to channel blue recovery magic and orange destructive magic through the same weapon, playing more to the ballad of LoS1’s light and dark magic. By doing so, Mercury Steam manage to streamline the clunky three weapon upgrade system into one smooth function, while simultaneously drawing more attention to the already transparent content filler that is LoS2’s combat mechanic.

The same thing can be said for the rest of the expansion really, as Revelations tends to correct the errors of the main title by paring things back. It’s linear for one, which means far less awkward load sections and far more interesting directorial decisions. The game is entirely set in the past, with no dull modern environments threatening to destroy the traditional gothic fantasy, and most importantly of all, there are absolutely no stealth sections. Sure, the story might be lacking (but considering what they were working with, it does pretty well for itself) and the return of Alucard’s sword and shield combination is sorely missed, but the title is short and sweet, being genuinely fun from start to finish. The extra content cleverly cuts out all the mundane extras that weigh down its father title and, in doing so, almost allows this piece of DLC to stand on its own two legs. Unfortunately, no matter how good the extra content may be, the fact that you have to wade through the mish-mash of parts that is Lords of Shadow 2 beforehand works very much to its detriment, for, at the end of the day, Revelations acts as a brief but sad reminder of what LoS2 could have been. As seen on Rocket Chainsaw.

[alexthe-dragon]

The Witch and the Hundred Knight Review

ALEX MANN is on a witch hunt. Over the years, NIS has become synonymous with immersive strategy RPGs. Their first foray into the action RPG genre on the other hand, comes as a blundering misstep. Meet Metallia, an overtly sexualised swamp witch who is about as charming as a rotting turd. She swears like a Call of Duty troller, has a knack for repeating the same dry punch lines, and is malicious beyond comprehension. She is possibly one of the most abhorrent characters I have ever encountered, and she just happens to be the focus of The Witch and the Hundred Knight. TOIL AND TROUBLE >> The game itself is a mess of different ideas that, while plausible on their own, are ill fitting when pieced together. You play the Hundred Knight, a legendary warrior demon with a huge arsenal at his disposal. It’s no secret that his squeaky toy appearance is meant to be a source of humour (evident from NIS constantly rubbing our noses in it), but the joke works against itself on a practical basis, clashing with the overall layout. The main offender is the HUD, which perplexingly places the stamina bar directly over the character whenever he jumps, strikes or runs. This, together with the endless flurry of text appearing with each strike, a camera angle too removed to properly catch the action and the ever-blazing flame atop the tiny Hundred Knight’s dome, heinously obstructs the action at hand, making it very hard to discern what the little squeaker is doing mid-scuffle.

The distant camera causes even more problems in the dialogue heavy sections, which become even more tedious than they already are. Not only does the dialogue sound like it’s written by a school of severely abused, teenage monkeys, but the fact that all we can see are the brims of each character’s hat means we may as well be watching a group of mushrooms grow in the forest. The sad part is you’d probably have an easier time relating to the mushrooms. A TINY FLAME >> It’s a shame, because behind the jumbled eyesore that makes up The Witch and the Hundred Knight there are some really strong ideas. The combat system, for example, is built around five hit combos, with players being able to choose from an array of ranged and close combat weapons for each strike. But every good idea is met with a hundred roadblocks, which in this instance comes at the hands of the aforementioned visual clutter.

On top of this, the game tries its hardest to stop you from discovering these strengths by alienating you with its content. Not only is the intended irony lost thanks to a severe lack of restraint, but the tastelessness in which it handles character interactions is abysmal. Excessive cussing and overt sexualisation are one thing, but jokes implicating sexual abuse are downright unacceptable, and as The Witch and The Hundred Knight is a multiple offender on this front from early on, it comes as an insulting addition to the video game world. 2/10 Verdict: A pile of ideas that don’t quite mesh, The Witch and the Hundred Knight is as offensive as it is bland. As published in Hyper Magazine #248

[alexthe-dragon]

Dark Souls II Review

ALEX MANN lives to die again. When Demon’s Souls first hit Japan in 2009, Sony had no plans to bring From Software’s brutal title to western shores. It was believed that the vague narrative and lack of instruction wouldn’t float on the foreign market, not to mention the notoriously hard difficulty, but a year and half later the game finally made it our way. As feared, some palmed it off as a poorly translated JRPG, but others reveled in its dark splendour, affectionately recalling the merciless nature of gaming’s retro years. Now, thanks to the subsequent release of Dark Souls, the series has built up a following bordering on the fanatic, a strange community in which gamers band together in defeat. Like soldiers on a battlefield, players worldwide sympathise with each other’s failures, treating those who achieve victory with gracious respect and envious wonder. Some have dedicated their time to deciphering Lordran’s mysterious history while others, those who couldn’t take the heat, aren’t met with mockery or scorn, but merely given an understanding nod. It’s something the gaming world has rarely experienced, a true brotherhood of shared hardships, but as a community grows so too do expectations, and Dark Souls II has very large boots to fill.

GIVE A LITTLE TAKE A LITTLE >> The most brutal new addition to the series is undoubtably the focus on hollowing. Sure, the idea of going hollow has been present from the beginning, but we’ve rarely seen its true effects on our own characters. In Dark Souls II, the more characters die, the more hollow they become. Physically, this means losing a bit of hair here, a scrap of flesh there, slowly decaying until they reflect the very ghouls we’re set to destroy. Yet the most horrifying factor comes from the sudden realisation that, with each death, the health bar decreases, eventually leaving players with barely enough life to survive a single strike. As if that weren’t enough, health replenishment is extremely scarce at first. Characters are created with no Estus to their name, and once they finally get their hands on a flask, only a single health replenishing gulp is left in the bottle. Thankfully, this number can be increased by collecting shards of Estus scattered across the planes of Drangleic, the sprawling world in which Dark Souls II is set, yet such meagre incremental growth means it can be hard going early on in the game.

It’s a good thing From Software aren’t completely heartless (we hope) as they’ve bought in some new functions to allow for these changes. To make up for the cruel Estus trick, Life Gems can now be found on fallen foes, a “one time use” item that restores health and can often mark the difference between life and death at the hands of a particularly tough boss. On top of this, if a character dies enough times around the same bonfire, a few enemies will be removed in order to make player progress a little more achievable. However, like most things in Dark Souls, this comes as a double edged sword, for the same function applies to those trying to excessively farm souls for easy levels. By far the biggest allowance the team have made for players is the inclusion of the Soul Vessel, a droppable item that enables a complete character respec, which means If you’ve poured too many points into a skill you never use, it’s not necessarily permanent. UNDER LOCK AND KEY >> The amount of helpful items a player will receive in certain areas can mostly be attributed to luck in the beginning. Dark Souls II heralds the addition of Pharros’ Lockstones, a rectangular object that can be inserted into one of many sealed locks throughout the land. Upon doing so, players might be rewarded with all manner of treasures, such as a glorious ring or a Human Effigy (a crucial item that reverses hollowing). Sometimes these doors will open a shortcut or even go so far as to reveal a new covenant or hidden boss. On the other side of things, an unfortunately placed Lockstone can lead to a sadistically underwhelming room or, even worse, a deathtrap. Dark Souls offered one of the blackest developer jokes in gaming history, namely the first time a treasure chest rose up and swallowed the player whole, and you can be sure that this sense of humour, as dark as it may be, has been transferred to the latest title.

THE POINTY END >> The Souls series has always boasted an impressive array of weapons, but the amount on offer in Dark Souls II is truly staggering. Not only can players now choose to effectively fight with dual weapons, but no two weapons act the same way, setting grounds for a wide variety of different combat options. A Longsword, for example, will begin its light swing with an overhead sweep, moving to a series of vertical attacks, while the Heide Knight sword begins with an arced slice from the ground up, retaining the horizontal axis for the remainder of its swings. It may sound simple, but having a fresh animation for each individual weapon strongly affects the way enemies are handled, making or breaking an encounter. Old favourites make a triumphant return, such as the anime-sized Zweihänder, but new additions are just as iconic. The Twin Blade, a double edged blade staff, allows you to perform a whole manner of showboating moves reminiscent of a medieval Darth Maul. It may be useless in a confined space, but surrounded by enemies in the open… well, that’s a different story.

Weapons and armour now automatically repair themselves at bonfires, but once broken, must be taken to a blacksmith to repair. This doesn’t carry the same weight it once did (I’m thinking of a particular moment where I, trapped in the middle of Dark Souls’ Blight Town, first found out that weapons could break) as fast travel between bonfires makes long distance trips a much less daunting affair. HEXCELLENT >> A new type of magic, known simply as Dark, enters the fray, with Drangleic drawing those with shadowed hearts towards its shores. For brawlers, weapons can now be imbued with the power of Dark, as is the case with Fire, Lightning, Magic etc, but for casters, it’s a whole new ball game. Hex scrolls play off both your Faith and Intelligence attributes, but what makes them unique is their ability to scale depending on how many souls you attribute to each use. A healing Hex, for example, can heal with greater efficiency the more souls you pool into it, or a Dark attack can be truly overwhelming wen an abundance of souls are used to fuel the flames. Scrolls and weapons are available from those practiced in the arts who, while physically aren’t animated as much as they could be, are voiced exceptionally well, and bestow much more information about themselves and the world than in the previous games.

A WALK IN THE DARK >> In the lead up to Dark Souls II’s release, panic spread when co-director Yui Tanimura’s described the latest title as “more accessible” than previous installments. His words, misconstrued to mean “easier”, had loyalists in outrage that such deep fantasy would suddenly resort to hand holding, feeding players information instead of making them search for it. After spending 40+ hours with the game, it’s clear that this is not the case. Dark Souls II ups the ante in many respects. It’s a solid game that, while being brutally hard, is far from broken. While NPCs are much more talkative now, they only do so to kindle the desire for knowledge, encouraging players to delve into the lore to find the true answers. But most important of all, its clever world design means that when one feels they’ve reached an impasse, there’s always another road to take, encouraging a return when they’ve grown stronger, more skilled, or better equipped to handle the challenges that hound them. I believe this, above all, is the secret to the Souls formula. Hard for hard’s sake is never welcome, but a true challenge? Now that’s something to die for. 9/10 Verdict: A well-paced, immersive RPG that is constantly challenging, but never impossible. As published in Hyper Magazine #247.

[alexthe-dragon]

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Review

When Mercury Steam first announced a Castlevania that would go against canon, fans reeled in horror, hissing through their teeth as cries of heresy filled the night. But when Castlevania: Lords of Shadow finally landed, the hissing stopped. As it turns out the game was good, very good. Sure, it took a few pointers from the God of War series, but it did so in a way that fit perfectly with Castevania's signature style and, more importantly, its tone. The gothic atmosphere, a tortured Belmont and the large cast of interesting characters all worked together to create a game that was frankly hard to put down.

Now, after many years in development, Lords of Shadow 2 sees that same Belmont skulking around a modern city in the guise of Dracula. At first all seems well, but after destroying a few trashcans, hiding from binge drinking cyborgs and being offered “gear” by a sketchy lad in a hoodie, it slowly becomes obvious that something's not quite right with Gabriel's latest outing. Instead of unbridled Transylvanian fantasy, the modern setting offers corrupt corporations, rocket launchers and business suits. It all smells very DmC, right up until the game decides to expand out into a wide open world. As technology advances, it seems that a large portion of the gaming community are under the impression that bigger is better. The idea of “let's do it because we can” is such a Titanic mentality its a wonder why people are surprised when things go bad. While there is definitely a place for open world games, when it comes to active storytelling linear games rule supreme. I’m going somewhere with this, I promise.

Lords of Shadow the first, for example, was as linear as they get, coming complete with self contained levels, closed corridor advancement and fixed camera angles. But the game was handled so well that it created the illusion of freedom. Moving through a level felt organic, and even though you may have only seen a fraction of the whole, the level design made one feel part of something bigger. Even the arcade stage selection worked to its advantage, focusing on the important parts of the narrative instead of seamlessly making a snow level melt into a forest level, or the fire section attach to the castle section and so on and so forth. By choosing to take Lords of Shadow 2 into an open world environment, Mercury Steam have stretched their world into a far bigger beast than it need be. The beauty of certain areas are often lost upon those who don’t happen to point the camera in that one perfect direction, mainly because gamers have become fatigued after trudging through corridor after dull corridor by that point, or activating familiar switch after switch in a clumsy attempt to mask loading times. It’s true that the game jumps back and forth between Dracula’s castle and the modern era, yet the repetitive design utilised to link areas means even the grandest medieval setting can lose its charm, drowning in the swamp of its monotonous counterparts

But what Castlevania: LoS2 lacks in setting, it makes up for in combat. The God of War inspired moveset makes a triumphant return, this time offering three unique weapons. The Blood Whip, The Void Sword and The Chaos Gauntlets all work around similar combos but have been tweaked slightly to serve different purposes. The Void Sword, for example, regenerates Gabriel’s health bar with every hit, while the Chaos Gauntlets shatter shields and armour that the other two can't penetrate. New moves for each weapon can be unlocked through individual skill trees and, once unlocked, can then add to that weapon's “Mastery” level with each use. By doing so, the game cleverly encourages variation in battle, rewarding users who avoid spamming by increasing their overall power. On top of this, combos seamlessly link into each other, having players chaining moves together with ease. This is mainly due to Gabriel's well realised character animation, as every move looks fluid and natural, never skipping frames to make up for an unconventional move.

The care taken here can also be seen in the game's enemy design. One benefit of  the dual setting means that enemies are unique and varied, forcing you to stretch out of your usual habits and adapt with each battle. The downside is that not all enemies can be engaged in battle, with some areas placing the focus on stealth. Throughout the game, Gabriel unlocks various vampire abilities that can aid him in combat and stealth missions. The ability to turn into a creeping mist, for example, is a perfect dodge tool, seamlessly inserting itself into the action. But during the stealth sections these tools are used in such a forced manner that it breaks up the action and becomes a right old grind.

There are definitely sections of excellence in LoS2. On occasion, a particularly engaging enemy will draw you in, or a pretty setting will catch your eye, all while Oscar Araujo’s soaring soundtrack carries you lovingly off to another place. But it seems every time the game is about to nail that Castlevania tone, it yanks you back out into the cold light of the modern day, or inserts one of the many unwelcome stealth sections that eat away at the gameplay like the bubonic plague. It’s a shame really, for while Mercury Steam have created a game that offers some truly exciting moments, it’s simply too big for its own boots. Thus, like one of the many hulking monstrosities that Gabriel faces, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a beast that simply buckles under its own weight. As seen on Rocket Chainsaw.

[alexthe-dragon]

Nidhogg Review

You killed Alex Mann’s father. Prepare to die. RUNNING THE GAUNTLET >> For years Nidhogg has been circling gaming events, garnering Indie cred with its undeniable style. It could generally be found amidst a crowd of excited spectators, cheering on two brave warriors as they jump, lunge and riposte their way to glory. But after spending more than three years in the forge, developer Mark Essen has finally honed raw steel into a fierce weapon, releasing the game to the general public. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE >> Two combatants face off, poised for battle. They edge back and forth, shifting sweaty grips on 8bit swords as each one waits for the other to strike first. The canvas behind them explodes in a vast array of colours while Daedelus’ retro anthems build to a crescendo, coaxing the rainbow warriors to battle. The tension is palpable. The first advances. If it were a narrow hallway he would have kept his sword low, backing his opponent into a corner and avoiding any chance of the fiend rolling under. Yet on a bridge he stands, high above the world, so he chooses to line his sword with his opponent’s chest, switching deftly to her head and back again, discouraging any attempt to be leapt over. His enemy gingerly approaches, weapon held high, clearly intending a risky shot at his face. The fool.

As swords meet, the first lifts his blade, knocking his opponent’s sword from her hand. But before he can move in for the kill she cartwheels out of reach, raising her reclaimed weapon overhead before hurling the blade through the air. The last thing he sees is a weaponless opponent running for the goal, his own blood splattered across the stony ground like spilled paint. But he is not defeated yet… TUG O’ WAR >> The goal of the game is to gut your opponent and bolt as far as you can towards the end screen before they have time to respawn. The crux being a player can only proceed once they’ve landed the last kill, placing one player on the offence and one on defense. By doing so, the game creates a fast paced back and forth that cleverly mimics the nature of fencing itself. Each level is mirrored, with an even amount of stages in both directions, and the same set of moves being given to both players. With a sword these are based around three stances, low, middle and high, but once disarmed punching, tripping and dive kicking make up your arsenal. The beauty of Nidhogg lies not only in its retro kitsch, but the simplicity of these mechanics.

BALANCE IS EVERYTHING >> By no stretch is Nidhogg a complex game, quite the contrary really, but in its simplicity lies a competitive edge that has drowned under the weight of most modern games. The stripped back mechanics place the focus on the duel, not confusing itself with character rosters, overpowered weapons, or the ability to spam hadoukens. Nidhogg simply dumps everyone on the same playing field. As a result, the game works best in a PvP environment, hearkening back to a time when your opponent was sitting next to you on the couch, not some faceless stranger on the other side of the world. This is encouraged by the addition of Tournament Mode, in which up to eight players can face off in a series of elimination battles, deciding who the great Nidhogg (the Norse deity who gnaws at the roots of the world) will ultimately deem worthy of snacking upon.

The game also offers online multiplayer, but with no dedicated servers match-making is sketchy at best. This can be avoided by selecting to play someone from your friends list, but if none of your friends have the game, an online match is almost as fabled as Nidhogg himself. It’s clear that Messhof intend their game to be played from the one computer. WORLD EATER >> Nidhogg’s simplicity comes as its shining glory, yet it also provides its greatest weakness. While the mechanics are incredibly sound and the stripped back combat can lead to hours of strategic swordplay, the lack of diversity in game modes ultimately let it down. Its single player mode consists of the four available levels repeated over 16 matches, with the computer players growing slightly harder as you proceed. The problem with this is that battling AI over and over lacks the adrenaline rush that comes with outsmarting a real opponent, and can quickly become a grind. What’s more, there is no final reward for slugging through all sixteen matches, just a trip back to the main title screen. Even a simple “A Winner is You” screen would have sufficed.

The addition of a sub par single player almost makes the game feel incomplete, as if Nidhogg perfected its combat mechanic but then forgot to make the rest of the game. Imagine if the Arkham games were completely made up of combat mini games, or if Gears of War was entirely based on Horde Mode (although, being rid of the bromance storyline might actually improve things). It’s not that every game needs a single player mode - that’s just the thing, Nidhogg doesn’t - and the inclusion of a half arsed attempt detracts from the true PvP experience. For at its best, Nidhogg’s minimalistic approach places the focus entirely on the two combatants, giving it a gladiatorial feel that makes it one of the most exciting spectator bloodsports to date. VERDICT: A beautifully presented retro game that proves less really can be more, but lacks any lasting appeal beyond the immense joys of local multiplayer. As published in Hyper Magazine #246.

[alexthe-dragon]

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z Review

ALEX MANN has a bad case of the Z’s Dragon Ball Z is arguably one of the most successful animes to reach western shores. Exploding onto Cheez TV in the mid 90s, the series acted as a gateway drug to the spiky haired joys of Japanese animation. It comes as no surprise then, that a new game is churned out almost yearly… what does come as a surprise is that they’re only getting worse. GOoOOoOo TEAM >> The entire game is built around teamwork, pitting players alongside three AI/human controlled characters depending on the game mode. Different characters fall under different classes, namely Melee, Ki Blast, Support or Interference, with each class having three special moves based on their category. Melee, for example, have attacks that encourage close combat, while Support players wield the power of healing. What is strange, is a game that boasts teamwork (going so far as to state “Team up with Dragon Ball Z” on the cover) lacks any form of local co-op. This means if you’re not willing to source multiple copies of the game, multiple TVs and multiple consoles, you’re restricted to online matchmaking, a process that feels much the same as playing alongside computer controlled players.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Dragon Ball Z, and every once in a while I get the urge to revisit my childhood romance by picking up a DBZ title. Unfortunately, Battle of Z even fails at the nostalgia aspect, not only through its terrible script, but by failing to properly recreate iconic moments. Remember when Goku spent an ungodly amount of episodes charging a spirit bomb? Drawing on all the planets energy to create the ultimate weapon? Yeah that doesn’t happen. Well, at least not until the alternate universe section is unlocked, but even then it’s far from canon. Instead, your choice of Piccolo, Gohan, Vegeta or (God forbid) Krillin are by Goku’s side, and together they simply kick the crap out of the old intergalactic menace like it’s nobodies business. What’s more, each of the boasted 60+ single player levels continues in exactly the same way, but instead of Frieza, there’s Cell, instead of Namekian trees, Earth trees and yada yada yada. Sounds fun, right?

REACHING BURST LIMIT >> The result is sadly a game that is as uninspired as the name suggests. Yes, it’s built around the unique three-dimensional aerial combat mechanics that Dragon Ball games have made a name around, but older entries have done it better, ultimately lacking any of the charm that previous games managed to exhibit. The large roster of characters might as well be whittled down to a select few, as most feel like an old character with a new skin, and the campaign exists merely as a right old grind. 3/10 Verdict: A bland entry to an already bloated array of games, Battle of Z fails to scratch that Dragon Ball itch that its predecessors managed to hit. As published in Hyper Magazine #246.