So when I picked up my PS4, the first game I decided to give a shot was of course, this. Rocking into remastered edition showed me two things; the graphic capability was beautiful, and two, five minutes in and my heart would collapse from the emotional gut-wrenching tale that Naughty Dog and the IP's Neil Druckmann wanted to tell. Not five minutes in and we're shown the man we're to play; Joel, and the morally ambiguous tale following the death of his daughter launches away!

"I got you this watch so you can count down the minutes til I eat bullets, dad."

I slipped through the game on normal difficulty, marking it for all the right things; the writing, the characters, the believability of the cordyceps infection on its victims. This was why the game was so beautiful, under the construction of several teams, it seemed that Naughty Dog didn't want to just give us a run-and-gun game--they wanted something soul. If not for the little things, the way characters flinch at flashlights, the tiny little comments, or the completely beautiful desolation of the world we're seeing, then the game wouldn't stand on its own merit. Yet, this isn't why I believe it gave a lasting impact on me.

I completed the Last Of Us within two days and I loved every single moment of it as a game. I can understand why it won 240 awards, and did exactly what I expect Naughty Dog to do; make worthwhile games.

Then I decided to give Grounded a shot.

For those of us that weren't illuminated by the brilliance of this game, a little bit of backstory must be given. See, I've played games where supplies dwindle, hope runs out, and you're left to ponder the constant fear of death and destruction from whatever the fuck's coming around the corner to eat your ass like groceries, but this game toppled that effect.

"You think this bothers me? I took on six clickers with a paperclip once!"

When it comes to TLOU, Grounded places the character in the worst case scenario. The entire game sets you up like so:

Welcome to The Last Of Us.

FUCK YOU.

While the game tried to implement a system of dwindling resources against an onslaught of zombies, bandits, fireflies, the environment, Donald Trump, AIDS, and thirst, there was always the feeling of safety in you finding supplies, healing up Joel, and moving onto the next part. However, Grounded cuts down supplies by 90%, lowers health to 10%, and increases the enemies, the AI, and the overall shitstorm of gunfights, monsters, and everything!

While before you could count your twelve bullets of your snub-nose revolver and think "Eh, fuck it, if I miss, I miss," you aren't given such a privileges this time around.

"I can take all of em out if they stand in a line."

You are to completely change your way of thinking. You don't have bullets, you don't have health packs, you have six men coming for you, and you've got a paper-clip, a piece of string, an arrow, a brick, one clean sock, and four nails. Facing people head on is a complete suicide act with the AI hiding behind cover and only coming out to shoot the second you pop out yourself, you're completely outnumbered, underwhelmed, and that is why I absolutely love it.

Joel and Ellie are on the moral ambiguous line of storytelling. We hear plenty of times that he's changed throughout this world; once a dedicated father and hard-worker, he had now become a murdering, flip-flopping smuggler who doesn't acknowledge the right or wrong in the world. Yet, we see him as a complex, real character and from that we empathize, and it makes wanting to see him and Ellie survive so much more that Grounded really gives us the game we're aching for. You feel the desperation in the their situation and story, and when you finally get to the third act of this magnificent tale, you feel like you've been through the same ordeal yourself. You've scrounged up molotovs, snuck around more clickers than a ninja in a nightclub line, and come out of every ordeal by the skin of your teeth, and overcome it in the only way you could.

When those credits finally started rolling, I really did feel like I'd been through one hell of a journey. And from it, my entire gaming perspective changed completely. While going back over old games like Fallout 3, New Vegas, Far-Cry 2--I began to realize that I was running and gunning my way through everything. When looking back to the gameplay of Grounded, it made me appreciate everything so much more. I would look back and completely evaluate every action I would make. When I hopped on Alien Isolation, I'd collect everything, work out every kink, save every piece of scrap, and barely used any supplies while evading the evil bitch. While playing Fallout, my stimpaks wouldn't falter or fade--my guns would be repaired, and I'd be cautious. I would leave settlements in Far Cry with more bullets than I spent, and health too. The Last Of Us completely revolutionized my playing style and made me appreciate the important of both challenging gameplay, style, and story.

Unfortunately now all I can do is throw bottles to distract my family while I search my fridge for food and if anybody asks me how I am, I instinctively smash their heads into cupboards while screaming for Ellie to run.

Having recently played ODST for the second \r time, I can still say with confidence that it's my favorite Halo simply \r due to its narrative. Of course, if you were to ask me the before to \r explain why, I'd honestly be stuck in just saying the structure. I \r couldn't tell you why the structure worked so well, the theme it \r carried, and what it does for the player. I'd almost leave the \r impression that you could impress me with that kind of narrative \r technique despite its use. Now, after about five years, I can do all of \r that. But in doing so, I can't help but see where it fell short of being\r something more than just the beatnik of the Halos.

In ODST, the main character is Rookie, the newest member of the \r squad. He is silent through the entire game, and only becomes a vital \r role to the game's sub-plot at the end. Even then, however, his role is \r to simply act as another gun or driver for the more important characters\r in the sub-narrative.

Early on in the game, the squad gets scattered as they drop into an \r invaded city. The Rookie is knocked out for several hours, and wakes up\r lost and alone in the city. The plot, at this point, is simple: reunite\r with the rest of the squad.

As the game begins, the player, as Rookie, is introduced to the city \r they came to. Being several hours after the initial invasions and \r battles, the city is dark and generally silent. Deep neon lights dot \r along buildings in a jazzy green or red that stand out along a lot of \r black, and dark iron. It's a color combination I can only describe as a \r war-torn poetry club. The music adds to this, by clashing with the tone \r of being alone in a warzone with a dreamy piano tune accompanied by low \r brass and strings.

The low tension, yet mysterious atmosphere almost feels disneyesque. \r There's a sense of wonder that comes over the player- a child like \r desire that demands to slowly stroll through the streets and take in the\r low lightning and dark towers as just another mystery to solve. The \r idea of being attacked or harmed is almost out of sight, and the player \r feels more relaxed. They end up craning Rookie's head around, not \r minding the lack of action or speed as they soak in the world around \r them, a world that's all too inviting to tell you a wonderfully \r fantastic tale.

This is when the theme is starting to get pushed. Rookie isn't a \r desperate, scared, and battle hardened vet looking to find his squad \r and save the day, he becomes something smaller and more naive. Rookie \r becomes a child lost in the expansive and dark woods behind his \r backyard. He's lost, but unafraid. He's focused, yet curious. Little \r trinkets he finds, become artifacts from a great warrior from long ago. \r Shadows are mysterious woodsmen or monsters, hiding and watching him as \r he travels through, but scared and hesitant of the strange thing in \r their woods. Everything he finds tells a fantastic story, despite how \r trivial the object may be, and that's where the rest of Rookie's plot \r comes in.

As Rookie wanders the rest of the city, he comes across items of \r interest that relate to his squad. He uses these items to follow\r their trail and eventually reunite with them. Whenever Rookie does find\r an object of interest, the player is temporarily taken out of the shoes\r of Rookie as one of his squadmates to experience what \r happened to them when they were scattered. This tells the story of how \r they came together, and then accomplished their mission from each \r member's perspective. While this does well to serve the purpose of \r fleshing out the squad, and organically giving players the typical Halo \r experience, this could also be interpreted as a part of Rookie's own \r character.

When Rookie finds an object, his interactions with the object can be \r seen as somewhat childlike. He'll get scraps of metal to poke at a \r hanging rifle, he'll jump on a broken turret and aim it around, as a \r child would play pretend. The idea here is Rookie is drawing his own \r conclusions, and while what the player sees during the flashbacks to the\r teammates could be very well how they transpired, they are also in huge\r contrast to Rookie's own situation. There's a lot more shooting, \r explosions, bravado, and drama. The term unreliable narrator comes to \r mind when thinking of these sections. Like how many children would over \r dramatize an object they find, the Rookie could very well be doing the \r same. Maybe his squad didn't kill that many aliens, or had so many close\r calls. Maybe one just took a fall and got hurt, or tripped and lost his\r gun.

It's a journey of discovery where a person can only understand so \r much thanks to the little they find, and due to these findings, their \r imagination runs wild. The game feels less like a war simulator, and \r more of just a lost simulator. Discoveries carry a lot of weight, and \r constantly bring you towards something familiar that's buried in all the\r mystery the city holds. It's a story that illustrates value on what we \r know, and how it can affect our perception of realities. These realities\r can be very fantastic, and exciting. Maybe not true, but the point is \r they cause us to create our own narrative and expand on what may or may \r not be real. And sometimes we need those fantasies to keep moving, and \r to hold out hope for finding our own familiar security- to find home.

Rookie could have assumed at anytime that his squad had died on \r arrival, or killed in action, but he didn't, because he created \r narratives that kept him motivated. They kept him alive.

Now with all of that said, you might be in agreement that Halo: ODST \r did have quite the story to tell, right? Well, it's all the more sad \r that the game abandons this approach as soon as Rookie does find his \r squad. Nothing is talked about, but the currently front-running sub-plot\r of saving a specific alien due to its knowledge. While this plot \r doesn't necessarily come out of nowhere, it does undermine all of \r Rookie's story before hand. Rookie's experience never truly feels \r complete and concluded, despite him achieving his goal. The focus is \r quickly changed to a very forced and cliche love story, as well as the \r rescued alien. And this focus is so strong, it makes me feel like that \r Bungie only did it to remind the players that ODST was a Halo game.

It's such a shame that such a much more interesting narrative had to \r be sacrificed for the sake of the source material, which did well to \r simply act as a base for the rest of ODST and Rookie's story. It's \r almost offending how quickly Rookie is tossed aside for two much less \r developed sub-plots.

If Bungie had somehow kept to Rookie's story of simply finding his \r way home, I think they would have been able to make ODST stand out more \r in the Halo crowd. It was the first game to not feature Chief, and \r instead emphasized on the struggles of the human characters. This let us\r get closer to Rookie already, and his journey felt much more human than\r anything else in the franchise. Maybe it wouldn't be considered the \r best game in the series, but I believe many more people would appreciate\r it, had it stuck to the path.

It's a bit ironic, and also quite sad, that a game about being lost, ended up lost in the shadow of it's older brothers.

November 4^th marked the release of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, the most innovative of the franchise, and in turn one of the worst of its series. Sledgehammer Games has made some changes to how players move in Call of Duty via what is called an Exo Suit, but have failed to tap the potential of these new movement options.

Before in Call of Duty games, players could only walk, run, duck, crawl, jump, and climb. Advanced Warfare expands on these movement options by giving players what is called an Exo Suit. The Exo Suit more or less acts like a jetpack, reinforcing the futuristic setting the game is in. On top of what has already been stated, players can now slide in any direction, double jump, hover, and dash in the air.

• By expanding the movement players have by so much, the rest of the game should be built around these new movement options. Maps should include more verticality, be wider, and give players several paths both vertically and horizontally to encourage the use of the Exo Suit. The size will also allow players to plan their approaches. However, the maps in Advanced Warfare feel as small and congested as ever.

• The Exo Suit seems only allows players to find each other and kill each other even faster than they already could before. While maps have generally lower buildings now for players to jump up to for vantage points, they are also very open. Teams can move across the map, getting around and behind defensive positions so quickly that players are more inclined to keep running in circles to try and keep up with the chaos rather than hold back and let it come to them. Also when players respawn after dying- spawning being the act of being replaced in the map after being killed- they usually are immediately greeted with more conflict, having no time to strategize their next move.

• Despite how conflicting the elements are, the goal is more or less achieved. The Call of Duty franchise does highly value constant high impact action. The Exo Suit makes conflicts almost impossible to avoid, appealing to audiences who love the constant engagements. However, this can also turn off a lot of players who want to take the military genre more true to its name with tactics, strategies, and a playstyle that emphasizes survival over kills.

• After several hours of trying to adapt to the new movement and ever increasing speed of the game, I find myself turned off by the emphasis on reaction and lowered value on strategy. Due to this, I believe Advanced Warfare's addition of the Exo Suit was bold, but hardly considered when creating the rest of the game. I just hope that Sledgehammer will make maps in the future that will better utilize the changes they've made.

I have been coming to terms with the fact that my childhood was short lived since I have been employed for the majority of my life in one way or another ever since I was ten years old. I have had little time for games and being destitute during that time meant that if I wanted any kind of games, then I had to pay for them myself with the money that I earned. This made me appreciate the games I bought even more and I carefully chose which ones I would be purchasing. But I guaranteed you, nine times out of ten, the game would always be something from Nintendo. They always put love and care into every game they made and it made them all the more special to me when I actually learned a life lesson from them. They were like the Father I never had, and that's why it greatly pained me to find out that the great Satoru Iwata, CEO of Nintendo and master programmer for many great games like Balloon Fight, EarthBound, and games in the Kirby and Pokemon series, had passed away.

When I found out this news, I was distraught. It was like losing a family member that you secretly loved the most and I didn't really know how to cope. He was an inspiration to me and his charm, humor, wisdom, and overall likability made him very much a father figure in a time where I didn't have a strong male influence in my life. His soft spoken demeanor gave me a sense of comfort that I desperately needed in times of great stress and he was always so apologetic even when things didn't go as initially planned. Listening to his voice always calmed me when I was feeling annoyed or enraged because it gave me the feeling that everything was going to be alright. Now that he is gone, I really don't know what to do now...

So, as a tribute to the late, great Satoru Iwata, I have prepared a Haiku in his honor to help me grieve in this time of great stress. I hope you will all appreciate it.

One of the greats, gone,
Now, forever a legend,
Now we understand.

Thank you for reading, and I wish you all to leave luck to the heavens.

Following the popularity of Aeon of Strife, WarCraft III's release in mid-2002 brought the creation of Defense of The Ancients, or DoTA for short, thanks to a modder by the name of Eul. The new developer of Defense of the Ancients incorperated much more complex systems into his creation, adding in a "jungle" between the lanes filled with more powerful, yet rewarding monsters that spawned every minute, and items to pick up and buy from a store at the very back of either team's base. Shortly after DoTA's creation, Eul decided that his own work was done, and left the modding scene for good. As Eul had left no legacy, or people to assist, modders came from all around to try and create their own evolution of Defense of the Ancients, dozens of different and tweaked versions popping up all over the place. After the release of WarCraft III's expansion, known as "The Frozen Throne", a person known as Meian made a variant that, although closely resembling Eul's original map, featured the best community made heroes of the time, and was named DoTA: Allstars. A few months following, Meian left as well (Yeesh, reported for AFK), however, unwilling to repeat Eul's mistake, granted the rights to DoTA's legacy to Steve Feak, also known as Guinsoo.Guinsoo had his own batch of changes for the ever-changing game, and helped proper the popularity of DoTA even further.

Guinsoo spent over a year adjusting, recreating and making the game the best that he could, as well as vastly re-imagining the map's layout, before finally stepping down, handing over development to a good friend of his, by the name of Neichus. After barely a few weeks, Neichus felt unworthy to carry the torch of DoTA's already popular legacy, and stepped down to hand development over to a modder named IceFrog, who changed nearly everything about DoTA: Allstars excluding the heroes, editing the mechanics, complexity, item diversity, as well as other factors. (At which point during development the pinnacle of difficulty and complexity, Invoker, was spawned, I can not say, but he's a real monster to try and play - trust me.) IceFrog's changes made him quickly loved by the community, and, with the creation of a DoTA forum and website, active users were reported to have reached above the one million mark. One. Million. People. All playing the same mod.

2008 marked the true beginning of the MOBA genre, with Gas-Powered Games releasing a full-priced game known as Demigod, featuring both player-versus-player combat and offline play against the computer. A free flash game called Minions was also released, instead focusing on simplistic visuals and a much easier gaming experience. However, neither of these could even get close to DoTA's near-total domination of the genre at the time, Demigod being rife with bugs and glitches to hamper the gameplay experience, and with Minions lacking the deep complexity and variation that DoTA had, with a mere six heroes, or eight if you bought an additional pack.

Heroes of Newerth was also developed to completion in 2010, developed by S2 Games as a almost entirely faithful adaptation of DoTA: Allstars. However, due to sale concerns, the game was shifted to the free-to-play model which is so prevalent in MOBA games today. Other heroes were added by S2 Games, making Heroes of Newerth it's own beast entirely.

Competition only heated up in 2009, with Riot Games' (founded in 2006 by Brandon Beck and Mark Merrill League of Legends finally showing up on the scene. This project was headed by Steve Feak, also known as Guinsoo, who had his own hands in DoTA's production. Riot Games themselves coined the term MOBA as the genre, short for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. In the same year, Valve hired the stillambiguousIceFrog to work for them and help create a sequel to DoTA: Allstars.

League of Legends was a breath of fresh air into the MOBA genre, myself logging a rather disgusting amount of hours played in the few years I myself picked the game up for(2556 hours, according to a stat-tracker. I should really get a life). League of Legends was made with much less complexity than DoTA, but still managed to keep the fun and steep learning curve that DoTA prided itself upon. League of Legends has a new champion added roughly every month or so, and is as ruthlessly addictive as you might expect from a MOBA. DoTA 2, however, had finished completion in 2013, first announced in 2010 by GameInformer's website. (The resulting interest in the sequel's announcement crashed GameInformer's website - talk about a loyal fanbase!), and DoTA 2 was completed with Valve's insane level of polish and attention to detail, even enlisting Eul (the one and only) to help out with development. Between Valve, IceFrog and Eul, DoTA 2's creation was widely accepted, and the two titans of the genre have butted heads ever since.

Both League of Legends and DoTA 2 have a fierce fanbase, who constantly seem to wish to remind the other party of which game is better. In all honesty, which game you prefer is entirely up to you. There is no true better game, and which is better for you is entirely determined on your own tastes. I personally play both DoTA 2 and League of Legends on a regular basis, and greatly enjoy theseparateexperiences of both games. DoTA 2, League of Legends, and Heroes of Newerth are absolutely free to play, and are a blast to play once you get used to them. The MOBA genre is great fun, and you're thoroughly missing out if you don't play one of these in your lifetime.

This is hopefully the first of many articles for "Zerg Rush!", a weekly article not just focusing on the background of genres, but the reasons for their popularity, fanbase, and overall sales values, as well as poking a bit of fun at the gaming community if given a chance. MOBAs are pretty great, guys.

With the new generation of video game consoles comes change, do you appreciate the changes to old characters, such as Reptile's "bone man" look? Or does a traditional, green-ninja look suit the series better?

The game appears to run far better than MK9, now with a steady 60 frames per second. As fans, do you appreciate NetherRealm's moving of Mortal Kombat towards a more traditional fighting game feel? Or will the clunky, block-button fighter always be the way to go?

The mechanics can be a bit rough without any prior knowledge, since the game can overload you on information. The tutorial can help, but you may find that it's easier to learn on the go, playing a few practice games is the best way to understand the mechanics. Don't be discouraged right at the start. The game is rewarding to learn, and eventually you'll find yourself managing an entire empire AND an army at the same time with a few clicks. 

Endless Legend possesses a fairly powerful non-player AI at its disposal. Past the normal difficulty the AI expands quickly, and falls into their preferred victory type quickly. You'll find that the more militant AI will expand and build armies quickly while the more political will send you compliments or peace treaties, hoping to win by forging good relations with all other players. The competent AI provides an enjoyable and challenging option for players who cannot play online or chose not to. For those who look towards the challenge of real players, you might find that online matchmaking is poor, so you may have to do a bit of searching looking for players. This is a problem all 4X games possess, the time requirement for games such as these means you cannot knock one out in an hour, games can span days or even weeks, depending on settings. Building up a friends list and setting times to play is crucial, since most evenings will end with a save to be picked up later. 

It would be remiss not to mention the flaws in the game. It contains some minor glitches and bugs, such as quests not working properly or minor crashes, but considering the quality compared to more recent releases, they are only minor inconveniences. Considering this, the overall quality far outweighs this tiny issues. The online works fantastic, and rarely do you experience crashes or internet issues that would impede gameplay. 

Easily a top 5 game of 2014, it was easy to miss Endless Legend if you don't actively monitor alphas or 4X games. But I highly recommend anyone interested in joining the 4X genre or just looking for a fresh start try out Endless Legend. The developers are still actively patching and updating the game with new content, and I see a bright future for the series. 

COST-

Sometimes a special edition may only be an extra $40, but I have seen some pretty pricey collectors editions. Some games even come with different levels of bonuses, for different prices. When it comes down to it, it's the game which will ultimately persuade you to pre-order or not.

BONUSES - 

For me, the best pre-orders are the ones where you get the bang for your buck. Large detailed statues, in-depth art books, the soundtrack of the game, additional content and a cool box it comes in. If a pre-order offers me all that it's a done deal. But more often than not, you'll see maybe only a statue or a coin. It's really personal preference, but there are plenty of people willing to pay $150 for a nice statue. Honestly more pre-orders should offer a copy of the soundtrack, it's not difficult and takes up limited space. I'm sure the game's composer would appreciate more people hearing his work too. Right now 

WHAT ABOUT YOU?-

You need to decide whether or not you're over-hyped. For me, I pre-ordered Assassin's Creed 3 because I was super hyped for the game, I got the game and enjoyed it but don't think I would have paid as much for it as I did. Especially since i didn't get much in the way of bonuses. You need to think rationally. Look at the bonuses and decide whether you really want to pay nearly double for the game for the bonuses.  

FINAL WORDS-

In my opinion, most of the time it's not worth pre-ordering. You can pick up the game on the day it comes out, if you wan't to get it. If you the pre-order is too good to be true: Well priced, Full of neat stuff and you know enough about the game to know you'll like it, then go for it. If you feel at all hesitant, that feeling won't go away. Buyers regret is a pain in the ass.

Also I'm real sorry if none of this applies to anyone, I'm Australian and our video games are really weird . . .

Last month Starbreeze AB: an independent creator, publisher and distributor of high quality entertainment products; announced their agreement with 505 Games to acquire the full rights to the PAYDAY-franchise. The consideration for the acquisition amounts to 10.9 million B-shares in Starbreeze, equivalent to 30 MUSD.

Along with creating new DLC for PAYDAY 2, Starbreeze partnered up with CMUNE (UberStrike) to create a mobile PvP multiplayer game set in the Payday universe. This 2-8 player game let's you for the first time choose whose side you want to be on, the heisters or cops. Challenging your enemies in iconic locations from the bank to the Golden Grin Casino.

If you where at E3 for the past few days you may have passed by booth #F5A and have had the chance to play OVERKILL's new PAYDAY 2 DLC; The Biker Packs, along with the PAYDAY: Crime Wars demo. Please comment below seeing I was not there unfortunately, so I have no review of the demo Expo goers had a chance to play. Though I do know it will be out on both iOS and Android devices with a release date TBD.

I am very excited that this game is coming out. Like many mobile gamers, I have been waiting a long time to see PAYDAY crossover from a PC to a mobile platform. I hope I can get my hands on it soon, maybe even test drive what looks like to be a very will thought out crossover.

So then... How does a gamer who takes pride in his real life analyst skills write a weekly article when he takes\r more pride in a single character design (bio type stuff) than anything \r worth money? Well I got thinking and I'm good with weapons and stuff... I\r figured out how to build a Metal Gear and several weapons crossovers \r along with knowing many key vitals on the human organs. So why not look \r at just that. Weapons and characters. Stuff like did Sephiroth kill Aerilth. So, to make it easy I'm \r using weapons that "don't work" in real life so no guns and I may \r explain staves however magic is hard to cover as some spells are \r impossible.

I\r am going to place a note at the beginning here... I'm working around two \r "bases" for the weapons. My physical structure as it is something I can \r work with for using weapons, however I'm also gonna\r use world records for weight lifted and similar aspects. This should \r give a range of most people so because I say I can lift it with \r difficulty don't mean you will struggle. That said I'm male and I'll be \r using male records for consistency but will adapt for female weaponry

All the formalities covered I need a weapon...Metal Gear, Rail-Gun's, HF blades... What's the best to start with? Well... I'm gonna\r look at the HF blade as I like the concept, so what is a high frequency\r blade Its based on real stuff as a blade vibrating fast enough can cut \r anything while moving slow making it look good so far since its had high\r frequency vibrations sent through the blade however this don't work in \r practice. As either the blade would shake too much from needing constant\r vibration or it would cause your hand to go numb.

The\r issue is animals like ants that use similar techniques work because of \r the size and there is a constant source unlike in the games causing \r issues in implementing the theory to reality. However hypersonic \r technology may be a nice work around. The vibration from these is enough\r to help remove the drag and cut objects easier... We have an issue with\r the hand going numb though. You may be able to direct the vibration \r away from the hilt and into the blade however it would be a larger \r hand-guard and may break the blade if you are nanometres out.

It's\r a plausible weapon if done correctly however may need some work and \r bulky blades to be effective on anything without melting your hand. Or \r shaking bolts loose (not a hint for my next article at all.) Leave \r suggestions in my email (addavenye@live.com or gmarshall1996@gmail.com)

Now listen. I know what you're thinking. But seriously, the Wii U Is just about the sickest thing to be sitting in my living room since my elderly grandma (Love you Gran, get well soon xx). 

And I'm not just saying this because I got it back when it was still like $600. Since getting the Wii U, I've accumulated a fine assortment of games; Shovel Knight, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros.Brawl, Lego City Undercover, Lego Hobbit, Just Dance 3 etc. 

While playing these on and off I got my PS4. I love the PS4 and love . . . most of the games I have for it. . . Around the same time my neighbor got an XBOX ONE. But as many people who got an Xbox or a PlayStation know, the launch title games weren't all that great . . . A lot of issues and a lot of disappointment. Ryse: Son of Rome? More like 'Son of the Bargain Bin'. Watch_Dogs? More like 'I'd rather be Watching my mum get eaten by Dogs'. Sure a lot of people love these games (I myself love the look of Ryse and think it's a pretty groovy game) but the general consensus seems to be one of disappointment. Assassin's Creed Unity, The Master Chief Collection it feels like every game coming out is being disliked by heaps of people.

Here's where the Wii U comes in. Mario Kart 8: Straight upgrade, no complaints. Bayonetta: More of what everyone loves. Lego Hobbit: Great Lego game, open world, fun for all ages. That's one of the things the Wii U has going for it, it's a console for all ages. From Skylanders to Resident Evil, gamers of all ages and skill levels can enjoy it.

The games coming out are so hype. The new Zelda, new Yoshi, new Kirby, XenobladeChornicles and even a new Starfox! This is so fly. Now of course I'm hyped for games like Bloodborne (Sorry Xbox owners) but the Wii U's track record for rad games is consistent. Captain Toad is such a basic idea but it's done so well and it's a heap of fun! Amiibos are fresh to death (even if they're getting a bit costly). I'm getting butterflies in my stomach just thinking about how sweet all this new stuff for Wii U is, and I just don't get the same feelings for many of the games coming to PS4 and Xbox.

Keep in mind I am still plenty excited for a lot of PS4 and Xbox games (I'm sure my neighbour will continue to let me use his Xbox), and this is all just my opinion but the evidence is there. This war is over. N1nt3nd0 izthasikest.

(Inb4 PC Master Race)

The narrative of the game is you are Ikk, who is on a journey to cheer up his only friend, Sally who is a giant landbound whale. While being mentored by Death (who supplies you with multitudes of abilities, along with an arsenal of guns, and ammo) you traverse an ever-changing land full of unwieldy creatures who don't appreciate your trespassing or Sally the whale.

The definition of insanity is doing the same exact thing and expecting different results. GoNNER definitely embodies the insane; just like The Binding of Isaac there is no ‚ÄúCareer Mode‚; though there are randomly generated levels that gets progressively harder as you vanquish your enemies one by one.

If you think you're getting the hang of the game, knock yourself down a few pegs as you try the latest daily challenge. I've made it a few levels in on a good day though there are some days that are just ragetastic where I can't even get past the first level. This game will leave you embarrassed, while crying live on twitch to a thousand followers retweeting the clip of you punching your green screen.

If you thought Edmund Mcmillen or Bennett Foddy where the only sadists in the indie game business well meet Ditto; he has been making indie games at his gaming studio Art in Heart for what looks like a good while now. With eight games he self released on itch.io, GoNNER is his first game being released with (Un)publisher Raw Fury getting it to the masses. If this Ditto’s Super Meat Boy or Qwop, I can't wait to see what he follows this amazing piece of art up with which has become one of my new loves and hates.

GoNNER is definitely one of the best indie games on the Nintendo eShop that went under my radar; And from what Raw Fury is putting out, they are the publisher that could be putting out my favorite Indie games for the Switch. 2018 is looking like another great year for the small developers making great games.

INITIAL THOUGHTS-

For those who loved the original resident evil this game is a god send! For those who never played it, even more! The game is new and improved, featuring updated sounds, graphics, lighting and even some new puzzles.

VISUALS-

The game looks stunning, the lighting is gloomy and fits the tone well. This is the type of game I would love to get an art book for. The redone textures look amazing and the player models look great too.

CONTROLS-

When starting a new game, players are given the option to play with the original controls or the remastered controls. People have described the original controls as 'tank like' and I agree, but don't think it's a bad thing. You adapt to the controls and the it puts you on edge during intense situations. The new controls allow for easier use of the joystick and I feel take away from the experience. It allows for faster and more precise turning and overall more accurate movement. However if you were put off from playing because of the original controls are recommend using the new controls, so you can still enjoy the experience.

COMBAT-

Scary. The encounters with enemies are few and far between until later in the game. Making every new room you enter your possible final resting place. You may think you've got the controls mastered, but when you hear the sound of a zombie shuffling towards you, your hands will become a water park of sweat, and the controller will slip and slide around in your hands like no ones business. You will be on edge. And when you think you're safe. Ka-POW! You're dead.

COMPLAINTS-

- The addition of new puzzles might confuse fans of the original.

-Lack of understanding at the beginning of the game can have major consequences later, and this might turn players away.

-Zombie models repeat each other (not really a complaint but could have been easily changed).

OVERALL VERDICT-

Excellent game. Fans of the original will want to replay it, new players will love playing it. Would recommend!

I'm typically not one to review games, or to read a whole lot of reviews unless they're from people that I value the opinions of. These are people that play a lot of games and know when something is good and well, when it isn't. 2014 was a slow year for video games in my opinion, and Titanfall stands out as one of the few "diamonds in the rough" that we were gifted last year.

Now, let's get on with the actual review. The multiplayer, (which is all this game is) is an overall solid experience with a nice amount of variance in weaponry and loadouts, albeit reminiscent of the "Call of Duty" franchise that the dedicated gamer community loathes. But hey, in a game that literally boasts "Crafted by key developers behind the CALL OF DUTY franchise..." on the back of the box, what more can you expect?

Game Modes

Titanfall has a number of different Game Modes to pick from when you initially load up the game, some of these are well known, such as "Capture the Flag" and "Hardpoint Domination", but others are a bit more unique, such as "Last Titan Standing", and "Pilot Hunter". Attrition, which is the main mode that you'll see played, is very simple and basically "Team Slayer". Using your standard loadout weapon or Titan mech, you kill enemy pilots, grunts, or titans to earn points. These points go towards your overall team score, and the first team to reach 300 is the winner.

Another Game Mode featured is "Campaign", although it hardly lives up to the name. Campaign mode consists of cooperatively playing with other players as well as against enemy players. You play as one of two teams, The IMC, or The Militia. This is where the story really shows its thin, underdeveloped plot. Basically, the IMC is the big-bad government that wants to have control over all of the colonized planets, and the Militia is primarily made up of those on the frontier that want to have their own independence. Not much more to it than that, unless you attempt to externally dig deeper for the lore. All I could think of while playing was the Insurrectionists vs. the UNSC from the Halo franchise, but maybe that's just me.

Anyway, Campaign places you into a battle on one of these two opposing sides, as well as giving you a very brief explanation of what purpose the battle holds. For example, one assault by the Militia on an IMC refueling depot was to prevent the IMC from having the capacity to refuel their warships, thus being unable to make the jump into the frontier effectively. Hardly anything new or inspiring, but hey, it is what it is.

Gameplay Mechanics

Gameplay is where Titanfall really shines. Your pilot is given a standard loadout at the beginning of each match. This can vary from your Automatic Carbine or SMG, to a Semi-Auto Rifle or Sniper. You're also given a sidearm, explosive ordinance of your choice, and a pilot ability, which range from increased running speed to cloaking. Perhaps the unique part of this loadout is your Anti-Titan weapon, such as a massive homing rocket-launcher or a slow-yet-deadly laser. These are the weapons that give you a fighting chance against the behemoth mech-suits called Titans that fall out of the sky when you've earned enough points to acquire one.

Speaking of Titans, this game is called Titanfall, and the real reason anyone evem bothered to play this at all.

Titans

Titans are large, mechanical suits constructed for pilots to battle in. There are 3 basic chassis in which Titans can be built from. Atlas is the All-Around body, with a balance of both maneuverability and durability. The Ogre is a slow moving tank, able to take massive damage before going down. Finally, the Stryder is the fast-moving hit-and-run mech, able to dish out serious punishment, but is taken down easily with concentrated fire due to a lack of armor. Which you choose is up to you. Titans can also be custom-built to suit your playing styles with main weapons such as electricity-cannons and rockets, we well as abilities like nuclear ejection and temporary shields.

Overall Judgment

There's more to this game than I can personally fit into this review. To experience what Titanfall really has to offer, you're gonna have to play it yourself. The Game is available for Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC This gives you a wide array of platforms in which to enjoy the title. Overall, Titanfall is a solid title that will give you hours of mind-numbing entertainment, but at the end of the day, what is does is cool, but not revolution. It feels like a recipe with all of the ingredients taken from other existing titles like CoD, Halo, MechAssault, etc. Still, it's fun to play, and that's what I truly value in a game.

FINAL SCORE: 8/10. Fun to play. Lack of campaign story and originality are drawbacks.

The game plays almost exactly the same as the God of War franchise so if you know how to play those games, you'll be able to pick up and play this one without much trouble. However, while the game is virtually the same as God of War in terms of gameplay, the environment and atmosphere is vastly different and where this game really shines. The music is one of the most atmospheric details about this game. It has a very demonic feel to it and it sends chills down my spine when it starts to crescendo at the right time and place. And don't get me started on the environment. The depictions of the various levels of Hell and the eldritch horrors that occupy them is extremely detailed and imaginative, ESPECIALLY with the fight against Cerberus. I have never seen such a unique interpretation of the 3-headed hellhound in my life.

In conclusion, I had a lot of fun with this title mostly from the atmosphere alone, but if you want to play it for yourself, I highly recommend that you get one of the console versions as the PSP version has quite a bit of content cut from it in exchange for a digital comic which really isn't worth the amount of game that was removed. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Console Score

PSP Score

While attending this year’s New York Comic-Con, I\r had the rare opportunity to use the Oculus Rift for the first time. The Oculus\r Rift is a three dimensional video gaming device that tracks the motions of your\r head in order to control your character’s movements. The game system’s technology utilizes a\r strap-on visor and headset in order to immerse the player into the world of the\r game with a full range of vision and surround sound capabilities. The game I played was a flight simulator\r based on Dreamworks’ “How to Train Your Dragon.“ As my character flew over the ocean, I was in\r awe of the spectacular graphics and accurate motion tracking capabilities of\r the visor as I looked in all directions.\r The experience was so immersive that an attendant had to tell me to “take\r it easy on the controls.“ In those two\r minutes I spent playing, I had become more immersed in a video game than I had\r ever experienced in the countless hours I have spent on other console and\r computer games. This technology heralds\r a new era for the gaming industry. In\r only a few decades, video games have gone from 8-bit graphics to complex three\r dimensional worlds. With the Oculus\r Rift, the concept of virtual reality gaming now seems feasible, and with it, a physical and mental evolution of the gamer.

I feel that the goal of gaming has always been to\r immerse players in a new world, inhabiting another person’s body, and\r experiencing physical and mental challenges that may not be possible in their\r own lives. Games as they are now rely on\r joysticks, buttons and triggers in order to carry out an array of functions\r such as running and picking up items.\r These factors ground the player in reality and keep them detached from a\r heightened experience of gameplay. Basic\r motor functions are carried out by pre-programmed functions and animations\r within the game. What if these functions\r depended upon the player’s own physical actions in order to be performed (beyond the motion sensor capabilities of the Wii and Kinect)? What if video games immersed the player\r through senses such as touch, instead of just sight and hearing? Any person is sure to notice a distinct\r difference between swinging a sword using the B button on a controller, and\r holding the simulated weight of a sword in their own hands. Physical stimuli evoked from a video game\r would have major health benefits for players.\r Playing video games would no longer be limited to problem solving and\r hand-eye coordination. It would be an\r experience that requires players to engage their minds and their bodies in\r order to complete challenges, resulting in a new form of exercise. The adrenaline released from this exercise\r would serve to increase a player’s overall physical health and mood. Enjoying all of the fantastic experiences\r some games would have to offer would be dependent upon how much a player is\r willing to improve upon themselves both mentally and physically. "Achievement unlocked" would no longer be a generic means of praise for the players doing what they are supposed to do in the game, but a true sense of achievement from pushing their minds, bodies, their entire being, in order to accomplish their goals. Eventually, this same feeling will inspire gamers to push their limits in other parts of their lives, such as their careers.

However, I believe it is important to remember that\r games such as this must also be designed to accommodate physically challenged\r individuals, as basing a game’s functionality on complete body control would be\r discriminatory toward the handicapped.\r While some might like the idea of complete physical control of a\r character in a game, there might also be individuals who enjoy the prospect of\r complete mental control of a character.\r What this would entail is using a person’s brain activity and thought\r patterns to control video game characters.\r Joysticks only have so much accuracy when aiming at a target or changing\r direction, but future technologies might be able to calculate a character’s\r movements based on factors such as a player’s eye movements and focus, creating a new level of\r precision control. Complete mental\r control would also provide handicapped individuals with realistic simulations\r of physical functions that may no longer be available to them, since thoughts\r would dictate actions. There is always the fear that individuals might become dependent on this type of escapism, choosing to experience simulations of a fully-functioning body more often than experiencing life in their own limited ones. However, if video games can be programmed to react to brain stimuli, who is to say they cannot be programmed to respond to the brain with stimuli of their own? The clash of swords could replicate the feeling of an amputee player's arm tightening. The sensation of running could simulate the feeling of weight pressing on the feet of a paraplegic person. Eventually this technology might yield advancements in the production of prosthetic limbs, electronic eyes, etc., allowing the brain to recognize these appurtenances as part of it's organic makeup.

The 3D is actually good now.

If you're like me, not needing weird 3D glasses to experience Link beating your ass all over Final Destination in 3D was like living in the future. Then you realize it's pretty bad, you have to keep your face directly in front of the screen to see the 3D, which makes it not so much fun to play games in 3D. So why is it good now? Because you can face the screen from all the angles, and still get that sweet 3D. 3D for days son.

C-stick, It's back baby.

If you played on ye old Nintendo console's you'll know what the C stick is, and what it does. Otherwise its just another joystick, that'll do new stuff. Get that vitamin C-stick.

Aren't there enough buttons?

No. Two shoulder buttons? Does 4 sound good? Because you'll get 4.

But first let me take a 3D selfie.

If you have a 3D then you'll know that the camera is pretty weak, your phone probably has a better camera. But with the new 3Ds Nintendo promises that it'll be better much better, muuuuuuuch better. So get ready for some sweet 3D photos. (inb4 3D nsfw)

It'll play new things.

The new 3Ds boasts increased power, with newer and faster CPU's and GPU's. Which means it'll play old games smoother (I'm looking at you Pokemon X/Y in 3D mode), and it'll play newer more power Intensive games. Like Monster hunter 4, and other titles. However that also means that these new power intensive games won't run well on the older system. Which means new games for the new 3Ds won't play on the 3Ds. It's annoying, especially for everyone who still think the 3Ds is a newish system, and don't exactly have the dosh to get another. 

More bang for the same amount of buck.

Unless you bought the first 3Ds then that statement is true. The price for the new 3Ds is about the same with the first iteration, the compact $151 and the XL for $174 .So for the same price you get a butt load more, and if you do wanna shell out for the new system regardless, I'd say worth. Unfortunately for the US only the XL will be available, and the systems will still be region locked.

D-Day, when's it gonna drop?

It already has... in Japan and Australia. In the Eu and the US you'll have to wait till February 13th, 2015.  

All in all, its annoying as hell that they bring a new system so soon. But for what it brings, i'm looking forward to it, most definitely.

But I can hear your clamor, "It has a seamless storyline, so what? It's a video game, there's more to it". I couldn't agree more my hypothetical straw-man gamer, but would you believe me if I told you that wasn't all there is to this game? Gamers of old had to have started playing somewhere, and if you were like me it was with Jumpman 'Mario' Jumpman; And if you remember playing that game, don't worry, we're not that old yet. The controls of this game are as clean and simple as they get, you can jump, you can dig and hit things with your shovel. Gathering treasure is still important to shovel knight apparently because there's a tonne of it wherever you go, and you'll want to pick it all up; because who doesn't .There's some extra power ups, but otherwise there are no combo's you need to memorize. It feels clean, plays like a charm on any platform (and every platform). Shovel knight has made it to pc on steam, to the 3DS, to OS X, Linux and will be coming to playstation 3, 4 and vita (I'm looking at you xbox one).

These days, platformers have made a return through indie games. A strong return too, as well as pixel art. So if you like that, this will blow your mind. The art is easily one of the games strengths. Each level is crafted with awesomeness, from the plague infested castle of the aptly named plague knight, to the icy landscapes of polar knight. It's glorious in all it's pixely splendor. The music on the other hand, is amazing. Every tune is beautiful, and the best thing is their collectible. They really set the atmosphere for every level, its like actually being there; and if you stayed for the retro art style then you'll stay for the chiptune goodness that is crammed into every second of this game. The music is easily my favorite aspect of this game and I think Yacht games hit this nail right on the head.

So if you find yourself with a couple of hours with nothing to do, and have an affinity for retro games and a flair for odd weapons. Then you'll love digging yourself into this game.

While looking for new games on Google Play I came across the Early Access category. What I found was a little PvP/strategy game called Titan Brawl. The game comes from Omnidrone, a video game development company that was established by ex-Digital Chocolate colleagues, and later formed by developers from other companies (like King, Gameloft, Playfish, Social Point and Wooga). Omnidrone's first endeavor was a real-time strategy mobile game for iOS called Dwarfs and Dragons.

With most MOBA games, there are big areas that are hard too keep up with, and characters that have too many abilities to keeps track of. I am not very good at MOBA games like League of Legends, or Vainglory, yet I find myself feeling like a MOBA veteran playing Titan Brawl which was Omnidrone's vision for the game; that anyone who plays the game, from a casual mobile gamer to the most hardcore MOBA PC gamer will feel challenged and a winner at the same time. Even if you lose, you'll still want to play the game until you have gotten your team to the level you want them to be at to challenge the next top dog.

"We did not want to simply build a MOBA that is playable on mobile, we wanted a MOBA that is carefully crafted for mobile devices. We want to prove that you do not need a gaming PC to compete in eSports and your phone is just enough."- Omnidrone.

Titan Brawl is a real-time PvP game with intense 4-minute matches and awesome collectable heroes that blends action and strategy to test your combat skills to the limit. In the game you assemble a team of four comprising of intergalactic brawlers; from ex-military mercs to ancient gods. Tanks, healers, damage dealers... And one titular Titan. They have one mission - protect their Totem and destroy enemies’ one which are flanked by two towers. Opposing territories are connected with two lanes, where most of the brawling happens. You play the game by deploying your troops and using power-ups.

In the short time I have played the game it has become one of my new favorite games to live stream on Mobcrush. If you ever played a MOBA game and felt like a total noob that could never master the genre, Titan Brawl is the game that will give you your confidence back.

Features Include:

• Real-time games, with real players;
• Quick paced, 4 minute long matches;
• Easily connect with friends;
• Awesome heroes to collect;
• Co-op with friends.

The following is just one of the forms you can use to get you started. There are entire websites for how to write an article, but I hope mine is more entertaining to read, and it's a bit more focused on writing for games.

Getting Started:

The first, and most important part of writing is to pick a topic. One of the easier things to write is a review. It's simply the impression you got off the game and what you think. You can't do anything wrong with it, and it should be a good starting point to launch your writing career. Something else you might want to consider is a tone and form. It's probably best to imitate someone that you enjoy reading, it can help a bit with writing (right now I am imitating my theater teacher, she always had a sort of floaty effect to her acting, and by imitating her my writing is more upbeat because of it). It also makes it easier to submit because it isn't entirely "yours." Later on you can form your own tone and form.

Introduction:

That pesky introduction(The only reason it took me so long to write this(and school)). the first sentence is always the hardest. After that the words usually write themselves. Unless you are experimenting with new forms(which is fine, but I can't help you here) you want to sum up everything in the first paragraph. Just about everything you'll write about in your article is foreshadowed in some way. I'm not too good with opening, but the general rule of thumb I use is to start with stating the game and developer followed with "I feel this game is ... because ..." It gets most of my writing juices running.

Body of Writing:

This is where you explain everything in detail. You should separate each point into paragraphs. Something like: graphics, gameplay, story; or getting started, introduction, body of writing, conclusion, submitting, improving; or reason of hate, reason of love, reasoning raisins. Really, all you need to do is to write what's on your mind. It's pretty easy to write the body once you have an idea and introduction. If you have any issues you can contact the editors to help out.

Conclusion:

All you really need to do here is to restate what the purpose of the article and all the points you covered that supports what you say. You can give your rating here. It's isn't anything we didn't talk about above. It's just the introduction, but the opposite. the last sentence should be they overall though or final point. Again, if you need help there are plenty of people (brainwashed or not) willing to help out all you need to do is just ask.

Submitting:

It might sound scary (I certainly was scared when I submitted by first article), but take it from an editor, it's very straight forward and as long as your article has a purpose and clearly isn't spam we'll just read through it, correcting a few grammar and spelling issues, and submit it within about an hour. You can help us out by including the thumbnail and tags so we don't have to. The only reason it would bounce is because the grammar and spelling is totally wrong and the editor doesn't want to rewrite half of your article, or its point isn't clear and you might want to restructure it. being denied isn't bad. It's a chance to fix what was wrong and to allow you to learn how to write better in the future. We editor all have short-term memory (might be the brainwashing) and we don't judge. We are your asset and you can use us to figure out what to work on.

Improving:

I would recommend holding onto the pre-submitted article and compare it to the one that makes it to the community. Find all the discrepancies and learn why the editor even bothered to change it. You can ask an editor to give some C&C (constructive criticism) and they can tell you how to improve. Something else you can do it studying others writing. Learn why they formed their sentences certain ways and learn how you can do the same. Play some grammar flash games (this is my favorite way!), or make some grammar games (which I'll play!). There are sources everywhere to help out. Just use them.

:novo:

Indie games are quite unlike any other genre of games. They can take an idea that would sound crazy in any other format, and turn it into a compelling, immersive game. 'Lets make a game where the players move giant blocks, to survive', sound familiar? That's because I just described Minecraft. One thing I like about games like this is that it has so many different aspects that don't seem like they would mesh well, but somehow they manage to conceive a game that does exactly that. Sounds a little like a chef just throwing random ingredients into the pot. Some rhythm, a little dungeon crawling, RPG, and rogue-like for good measure. Eh, Voila Crypt of the Necrodancer.

   The music, it compels me to WRECK SLIMES! The game play in CotND (Crypt of the NecroDancer) is most interesting in the fact that everything revolves around the music. Why? Because you're a zombie whose heart is controlled by a NecroDancer. The story is simple, Candance (you) is looking for treasure, but when she enters the dungeon she falls to her death. When she awakes she finds that her heart beats as if it were a drum, eager to get her heart back she goes in search of the NecroDancer.

 Move over WASD

The game uses only four keys, the arrow keys. These control where you move: up, down, left or right. They also control what items you use, which are selected by inputting two keys at once (for example left + right). There is nothing else you need to remember in terms of controls. But don't let the simplicity of the controls fool you, the dungeon is anything but safe. The game doesn't try to hold your hand too much. There's a short tutorial, but that's about it. Mostly you've got to figure it out on your own.

But is the music good?

For a game based completely and utterly around music, the music needs to be good. That depends, for instance, is the color purple your second favorite number? It's a matter of opinion, as it always is with music. If you're asking my opinion (and I hope being a total retro head has some merit), then yes, the music is bloody terrific. No tune is a pushover, each one is absolutely amazing in its own right; and they never grow old. You might have to replay a level hundreds of times because you are a scrub and you need to 'git gud' (i know that feel), so replaying a level with the same song will happen. I found that no matter how many times I had to replay a level, it was always amazing to listen too.

If you do somehow get tired of a song (no idea how that would happen), the developers added a truly magnificent option. The ability to add your own songs, indeed. Ever felt like cracking skulls to Daft punk? Perhaps stomping wraiths to Prince? The possibilities are as endless as your music library. You'll have to have mp3's however. So perhaps not endless.

Pixel art? What's that?

So as you might be able to tell, I enjoy pixel art. So let me tell you that this game doesn't disappoint, but then again its nothing spectacular. There are no wondrous views like in Dark Souls and the dungeons aren't as atmospheric as Shovel Knight. But it fits sooo good. I honestly have a hard time thinking of a different art style that would work, plus, pixel art, am I right?

Mod it till it crashes.

Maybe you get bored with playing as Candance, or you want the shop keeper to be that creepy old man who gives you the sword in legend of zelda. Well guess what, you can. I love games that allow for modding, and actually encourage it. You don't limit your game to whatever you put in, but you give the community free reign to craft as they see fit. The amount of content in that game skyrockets, as does re-playability. Some mod for the 'kek', others for creativity's sake. Don't ask whether you should, ask if it'll look alpha when you wield the master sword.

Final say:

I am enjoying every second I play this game. It looks amazing, feels amazing, and sounds like the gods had synthesizers instead of lutes. The game is still in early access in steam, but with the amount of content already in the game, and the active community, there's a whole lot more game to look forward too. So if you don't mind paying up early, this game is definitely worth it.

            So hold on to that dagger son, and what ever you do. Don't you drop that beat.

HOW IT LOOKS-

The game uses a much more realistic and dark style, and while Majora's Mask had dark themes mixed with playful imagery, Twilight Princess incorporates melancholy themes with dark visuals. The world is open, not necessarily big, but open to explore at your own pace, and as the story progresses it changes around you. The enemies all have similar dark looks, with twisted physiques and human like qualities, it only draws you deeper into the world. Graphically the game looks excellent, and playing it on the Wii helped to refine it. 

HOW IT FEELS-

Themes are important in video games. If The Last Of Us had inconsistent themes then it would be much harder to take it seriously. Twilight Princess incorporates Majora's Mask's time element in a much more subtle way. From the time you're introduced to Hyrule Castle you can see it off in the distance surrounded by a barrier. Having it there, since you start the game, is an excellent way to have it in the players minds while playing. The game keeps the strange characters that have become a staple of the series and makes them feel fresh and exciting. I mentioned that the world changes around you and I fully believe that. Although you may not see physical differences, the way you perceive the world changes while you play. You feel like you're making progress and the story drives you forward.     

The game feels like a combination of Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time, (Ocarina's exploration and Majora's dark world).

HOW IT PLAYS-

As I am filth and don't own a GameCube I played the Wii version of the game. This was back when Skyward Sword's precise cutting wasn't around, so frantically swinging the Wiimote was just like mashing the attack button (although this became troublesome later). Moving and exploring is easy and fun. Combat is beautiful. Each enemy has it's own style of fighting and you have to adapt to fight that enemy. For example, there's this one enemy that, at certain points in the story, will surround you in a barrier and you'll be forced to fight it. If you don't know when this is going to happen it can be quite nerve racking. The only way to beat them is to transform into Link's wolf form. 

Every temple is fun. Yes, there is a water temple. No, it doesn't suck. Every temple in the game will make you think, and puzzle you. You'll need to go back and think hard about the puzzles. Every boss is unique and requires a special way to beat it. Even the "shoot it in the big glowing eye" boss still felt like a challenge, and added another level. I would recommend not touching a walk through for anything, because you will feel like you'll want it.

LINK'S WOLF FORM-

I honestly think this needs it's own sub-heading because it sounds really silly at first. Link is transformed into a wolf whenever he enters a Twilight Zone (haha). This restricts his access to items and forces you to solve puzzles, in a way that is unique to Wolf Link's ability's. I felt like this was a really cool part of the game, and once you're able to transform whenever you want the game felt like it had really taken it up a notch. Wolf Link's combat feels unique and he is necessary to complete most temples. 

FINAL THOUGHTS-

The game looks great and feels great. I remember getting really frustrated with Ocarina even though I love that game. I got frustrated while playing Twilight Princess but only because I was frustrated with myself. The game gives you everything, you never get confused unless the game wants you confused and it does this consistently. The world is so varied and interesting. Going to the desert for the first time is incredible and filled me with the kind of wonder that I don't really get any more. 

If you haven't checked out this game yet, please do. For your sake.

1. MAX PAYNE: I DREAMED A DREAM.

Being a gamer, it's not easy to dodge the discussion of Max Payne. Before going under the wing of Rockstar, Remedy's initial 3D run-and-gun had something that most shooters lack; good story, great atmosphere, and interactive disturbing shit that made you freak out. It wasn't all rooty tooty, point and shooty.

Still more emotion than Kristen Stewart, hardy har.

What really makes this one of the top three is simply put; interaction. Unlike other games where we're thrust into a prologue, the gameplay takes place after a turn of events, we witness the horrific murder of Max's wife and child up front. You examine the house, you pull the gun out, you shoot the people crazy enough to step up to Max Run-and-Gun Payne, and then you walk in to find this:

Baby blocks with reverse numbers on them; haunting, truly haunting.

 A game that starts out like this means to go on so. It isn't all go here, shoot there, right, RIGHT?

Wro--right! One of our top three is the dreaded dream sequences set in Max Payne's head. These had everything; long winding hallways, the demented sound of demonic laughter against the crying pleas of your dead baby, blood-soaked nurseries, and who could forget the blood in the dark? Precisely why this hits home with a top What The Fuck moment!

2. FALLOUT 3; Dun, dun, Dunwhich!

Fallout 3 was a brilliant achievement by Bethesda Studios. Something that it mastered was its ability to throw us into a world we knew nothing about. From there, it was your choice whether to be the prodigal white knight, complete with Geiger-counter and an unwavering trait of volunteering for everything, ever while everybody thinks you're the tightest shit out there that can get stuff done. Since daddy went missing you have a choice to follow him in his footsteps or make a left turn into nowhere and live your life away from the responsibilities of being a sacrificial dummy to save the world. Sometimes the game just straight up discarded logic : 

"You must go in there and get radiation poisoning so I can pull you out for the $5.99 DLC!"

One of Fallout's greatest additions comes in the form of The Dunwhich House. In a far corner of a map, away from any settlements, the Dunwhich house looms over the dead area. There are so many What The Fuck  moments that I'm counting the whole experience as one; from ghost flashbacks, to moving objects, to demonic backstories, and a looming mythology of H.P. Lovecraft.

I traded in all of my caps for a big ol' bag of NOPE.

3. SPEC OPS: THE LINE: EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALL WHITE.

Bu--but...how could anything American soldiers do be wrong?

 It isn't the act itself which makes us freak out here, but when we're sent to examine the remain, our protagonist walks through the charred and frozen remains of the enemy and discovers something bleak, and horrifically disturbing:

It turns out the orders were wrong, and the protagonist has just horrifically eviscerated a large group of civilian refugees. All's good in love and war, right? Am I right? 

Spec Ops: The Line was made to mimic such works as Jacob's Ladder and Heart of Darkness. Where once military shooters cared more for the run and gun rambo hero with the enemy's head on a stick routine, you constantly question your ethics and morality as a soldier in this game. And of course, with this What the Fuck moment, it's shown to be a very emotional, and classic game.

"Don't look, sweetheart." 

Do you agree with my choices? Are there any moments out there that you think tops these? \r

I'm going to be straight with you, horror games are not for\r everyone. I've noticed that while people will almost indefinitely play out\r RPG's they are quick to give up on horror games after a few good scares, and\r while it's not proven (by any means), I suspect that this is because the\r average player cannot identify with many of the protagonists of horror games in\r the same way they can relate to the hero's and anti-hero's of other games. This\r is completely reasonable as much of a games enjoyability comes from the player\r being able to project aspects of who they are, or aspire to be, onto the main\r character. This is also why Among the Sleep stands out as a\r horror-adventure. In Among the Sleep you play as a young child who is searching for his mother. This is one of the most fascinating aspects of the game because everyone knows what it is like to be a child who is scared -and maybe a little lost. 

One of the first points that I'd like to make is this: the narrative in this game, while a little on the short side, is pretty good. Granted, it is nowhere as in-depth as say Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but it is fairly compelling despite its simplistic nature. As previously mentioned, you are a toddler, 2 years old to be exact, who has woken up in the middle of the night to find that something is amiss in your house. Like any scared child you stumble through the house (keeping your faithful companion, Teddy, close by) and eventually make your way to your mothers bedroom to seek comfort and reassurance that there are no monsters in the closet. Unfortunately, upon making it to her room you find her bed empty; this is where the story truly begins.

Playing through this Among the Sleep with the unique perspective of a child lends an added creep factor to the game. While on your quest you find yourself in various strange dark places; many of which appear to be distorted memories of the child protagonist that have been overcome by nature. The scenery in this game is an eerie amalgamation of unsettling and whimsical and works well as a metaphor for the themes of destruction and loss that are present though out the game. 

Some of the core game play is also driven by the petite stature of the playable character. Toddlers are not particularly adept at walking and so they occasionally revert back to crawling; in this game you can switch between the two at will. The two methods of movement also offer different benefits and weaknesses. While walking you are able to interact with objects and hug teddy (which provides a little bit of comforting light), walking, however, is slow and makes you more visible. Crawling, on the other hand, is fast and allows you to hide under things. You also have no way of fighting, well... what ever that thing is, you are only 2 after all.

Most of the "horror" that comes from this game is rooted in the environment, there is a thing eventually, and a few jump-like scares here and there, but ultimately it will be the little noises and movements that send chills down your spine. As a bit of a side note: this game is oculus compatible. I have not yet played Among the Sleep on oculus (though I might try to get around to it within the month) but I have played a few other horror games/demos on the oculus and I believe that this game would be infinitely better on oculus. The atmosphere developed through the maps is what really shines about this 

Overall this game is a great introduction to horror games. The puzzles are not overly complex, nor do you have to dedicate too much time to finishing the narrative. At $21.99 CDN Among the Sleep is a little bit expensive, considering the quantity of content (and I've never been a fan of characters body parts passing through walls either), but aside from some minor flaws with the character models the quality of this game is great and I would strongly recommend it to anyone, horror and non-horror fans alike.

What if it turns out all those checkpoints were really dead though?

Bioshock Infinite places you in the role of Booker DeWitt, an ex-pinkerton agent sent to the angelic, ludite spawned, racist city of Columbia. This wonderful floating palace is home to the rich, the poor, the blacks, and the normal people. Ahem...Booker is tasked with saving Elizabeth, a princess locked in a tower, guarded by a massive bird which likes to fuck with you at every turn. Elizabeth, however, holds a secret. With her magical pinky-less hand she can manipulate time and space to create tears in the fabric of time, allowing her and Booker to escape to infinite dimensions of Columbia to escape the evil clutches of her sermon-spouting religious father; Father Comstock. 

The game sports a great story, with you dodging massive flying mechanical birds to zipping through time like some inter-dimensional Indiana Jones with a penchant for drinking strange liquids from bottles and throwing spinny hooks into people's faces! Starting off with a crazy entrance to Columbia and a strange baptism for Booker, almost killing him in the process, we begin Bioshock: Skyhook everything with a fucking pulse. 

Seems like Booker was hooked from the get go. Eh? EH?

After a long and arduous journey of escaping Comstock, fending off rebels against Comstock and finally fighting your way to him, Booker does what game protagonists do best and bludgeons Comstocks head on a holy water bowl. Symbolic as Hell, right? So here's where the twist comes in! Elizabeth is captured and Booker is launched through a separate dimension of Columbia. After returning to safe Elizabeth, it is alluded that Booker has been gone for a long time, and as such Elizabeth has managed to figure out the story, and all the little tidbits. SO!

Booker and Elizabeth plan to escape to Paris finally, but it turns out that that ain't on the cards for Booker. No baguettes and pencil mustache for him, non, non! Elizabeth leads Booker through a series of portals into the place where ALL other Bookers and Elizabeths from separate portals meet in an ocean of lighthouses. Elizabeth remarks: "There is always one man, one lighthouse, one city." 

Now that's just bullshi--

GOD, DANGIT, LEVINE.

So in the end, Booker and Elizabeth escape the lighthouse ocean and then here comes the kicker! 

COMPLICATED SPOILER AHEAD, DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT HEAD TO IMPLODE:

Booker is taken to a similar baptism that he goes through in the beginning of the game. It is then alluded that Booker took a similar baptism many years before, but opted out of it because "dousing yourself in water doesn't absolve your sins." Booker becomes a gambling drunk, loses all of his cash, and realizes he must go to Columbia for a job to absolve his debts. HOWEVER. It turns out that YOU, Booker DeWitt, are in fact ZACHARY HALE COMSTOCK and that Elizabeth is Booker's legitimate daughter who Zachary Hale bartered with him over giving her to him as to erase his debts. HOLY FUCKING SHIT, KER-AZZY RIGHT? 

The explanation goes like so! Booker DeWitt lives in an infinite number of dimensions. Each dimension is created when a decision is made. For example, if I drink coffee in this universe, another universe splinters off where I drink water, or coke, or piss, yum yum. The baptism that Booker goes through forked off in two ways. Booker refused it and stayed as Booker, the war-hero, and another in which he became Zachary Hale Comstock, founded Columbia, and mastered inter-dimension travel (hence why he's old as Gahndi's nutsack). In the end, Booker realizes that in order to fully kill Comstock, he must die, and with an army of Elizabeth's, he is drowned under the water and one by one the Elizabeths from Comstock's universes are erased from existence. 

Or are they?

2. KoTor: Knights of the Old Republid: I AM YOUR FATH--YOU, I MEAN.

Knights of the Old Republic was a crowning achievement of Bioware. Sporting a control system similar to Mass Effect, it put you in control of one of the Old Republic's soldiers, an adept character who is tasked with stopping the evil agenda of Darth Malak, the apprentice to one of the most evil Sith lords in all of Star Wars continuity; Darth Revan. You spend a large portion of the game trying to fight you way through to Malak, learning about the characters, and your link to Bastila, a sexy jedi with a double lightsaber, a British accent, and a badonkadonk as round and hot as Tatooine itself.

Oh, I'mma use the Force alright, girl.

So you're working with a ragtag group of people to stop an Empire of evil. Bastila Shan was revealed to have killed Darth Revan in a large battle before the events of the game, however, this is the kicker:

YOU ARE DARTH REVAN

It turns out that Bastila only knocked him out and using the force, the Jedi council brainwashed Revan and wiped his memory and any trace of his actions as Darth Revan, thus returning him to his previous state of super-duper jedi hero. It was a twist that was delivered through hours upon hours of gameplay. But don't worry, it all ends well for our hero who saves the day and nothing bad ever happened to him again after that. He settled down and lived happily ever after and wasn't used to boost the sales of a dying MMO or anything.

The Old Republic what? 

3. SILENT HILL 2: 100% EGYPTIAN COTTON

Silent Hill has been a franchise which has slowly sort of began to rot like the skin-walkers that populate the foggy town, apart from the Norman Reedus reboot cause that looks flash as fuck. However, going back it's roots, Silent Hill 2 proved to be a formidable, atmosphere masterpiece from Team Silent. 

The story goes like this: You are James, a man who has lost his wife. After receiving a letter from her, telling you to meet her in Silent Hill, it becomes abundantly clear that that is where you're going. The game is like any other Silent Hill art, a worthy horrific endeavor choc-a-bloc with crazy characters and psychosis inducing horror.

Hahahahahaahahahaeeeeegugug OH GOD OH GOD OH FUCKING GOD.

The problem with Jame's wife is that she kicked the bucket a long while back thanks to the Big C. This meant two things; either it's a fake by some sick prankster, or it's the demonic spawn of Satan sitting in a rusted out warehouse, chopping up bodies and fucking leg-people waiting for you to show up. 

The smart money would go on prankster, but this isn't smart.

James spends the whole game jumping through demonic hoops, from fending off Toblerone-man, to going through a demonic hospital with faceless nurses. After shooting and killing his way through an army of the undead, he finally makes it to his wife. 

THE KICKER: Jame's wife has been dead all along and James murdered her out of some sick kind of euthanasia with a pillow.

Silent Hill has always been a game that looks in to its characters for their flaws, and the land has always been sort of a punishing, surreal world in which characters guilt mixes with the trans-dimensional horror, allowing the people to go in and out with some sort of dramatic change, except this time, that doesn't happen. The endings all come to a halting, depressive end in which your choices range from James driving his car into Toluca lake out of guilt, to saving the doppelganger of his wife, Maria, who ends up coughing like Mary did when she first started to get ill.

Isn't the world a happy place?

Those were the three biggest twist of gaming, for me at least. Watch this space for more articles. 

Bloodborne is the latest upcoming game from FROM soft, the developers of Dark Souls and Demon Souls. Dark Souls is my favourite game of all time so it's no surprise that I am super hyped for Bloodborne. And I think you should be too!

YOU MAY BE THINKING-

• I was disappointed by Dark Souls 2, how can I trust FROM soft to deliver a good game?
• There are two different teams in FROM soft, the A team and the B team. The A team has the genius Hidetaka Myazaki, who is working on Bloodborne. The B team does not have Myazaki :/
• Dark Souls was hard, I don't want to be punished for playing a game!
• Suprise! Myazaki has said that he wants to make it more open to casual players. Man up and grab the game by it's balls
• But I haven't played any of the previous games, how will I know what's going on?!
• This game isn't even a part of the Souls series! (Though recent theories on r/Bloodbornethegame would tell you otherwise). The lore will all be fresh and groovy, dive in!

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT GAMEPLAY-

Listen, this game is faced paced and bloody. It's risk and reward. It's a lot more forgiving than the previous games but no less hard. New weapons that have multiple different set-ups (We're talking swords that transform into even longer swords, hammers turning into swords and one knife, into two knives! This means you can changing your weapon setup while in combat! No more shields but you get a gun now. Time your shots right and you'll stun an enemy, leaving him open for a brutal counter attack. Character customisation has been hinted at but not confirmed (I have high hopes though).

THE WORLD-

Souls games have always been rich in lore. Bloodborne should be no exception. A world filled with mystery and misery. Beautiful Gothic architecture and bright dancing flames adorn every alley and plaza. The enemies that inhabit it are frightening and dangerous, very spooky and will keep you edge.

FINAL WORDS-

Look these kinds of games aren't for everyone, but seriously if you like the look of any of the screenshots and like the look of it,, check out some gameplay!

As the title suggests, rupees play a very large part in the game's mechanics, so much so in fact that they also act as your health. Because of this, the standard shop system from the normal Zelda titles was removed in favor of a haggling system which punishes you for going too high or too low with your offer. An easy way to get large sums of rupees is to find a map and fill in the landmarks that are missing from it. Selling the completed map back to the old woman at the end of the town strip will net you some easy money. Extremely large sums of rupees are also needed as offerings to Uncle Rupee who will open up the way to Rupeeland and also gradually opens up the new areas of the world which contain progressively stronger and more annoying enemies and increasingly more difficult dungeons.

Now since Tingle isn't exactly a fighter (with the exception of Hyrule Warriors), he can't really defend himself effectively, so to protect his hide, you need to go to these taverns called "Salons" and hire a bodyguard to help you fight and collect treasures. Bodyguards range in 3 different sizes and 3 different AI patterns and as such, their fee for hiring them also differs significantly. Bodyguards also have unique abilities dependent on their size: Small ones can enter tight places that Tingle cannot enter, medium ones can open locked gates, and large ones can break boulders. Almost all areas that only a bodyguard can access usually guarantee a Rupee Good of which there are 30 to collect.

Now the combat system is extremely simplistic. You walk into an enemy to engage the fight and the entire ordeal is played out in a cartoon dust cloud. You can round up more enemies to fight and even your bodyguard for help while the battle is happening, but the way to win is to rapidly tap the cloud on the screen to help tip the scales in your favor. The more enemies you run into and defeat at once, the better your rewards are after the fight, many of which can be sold or used for cooking in Tingle's kitchen which in turn can be placed in empty jars for use on the field or to be sold for some extra cash later.

Now come the words of warning: This game was rated PEGI 12+ when it was released in Europe. The reasoning behind this is because of the suggestive and somewhat homosexual tone a small handful of characters emit. If this might damper your decision on getting the game, then I would suggest you watch Vinesauce's stream of the game on YouTube instead before you make a final verdict. If it is the region where it was released that is causing a problem with your decision, then I should probably note that Nintendo DS games are region free meaning they will play on any DS regardless of the country you bought it in. If it some other reason, then I honestly think you would be missing out because I had a lot of fun with this game and I think you all would have fun with it too if you gave it a chance. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Game Score:

So real life hit me over the past few weeks and i've been unable to type my cybernetics weapon thing i decided to do... so i shortened it and done magic briefly (in prep for the third thing) so enjoy this short analysis and ill upload these as possible..

So\r I have a friend who designed a robotic arm for when / if I lose my arm \r building or testing his weapons and how dangerous some were I felt \r inclined to look into it... And its too easy too look into the workings.\r Nerve endings trigger movement by sending elecro-chemical signals and then its motors and hydraulics' kinda the basic stuff for me... And its been done... Sadly im\r not looking at speed of it just making it work and it exists already so\r I need a new weapon too look at... So from my spiritualistic point of \r view (basically souls being a part of a person AND souls having an minor\r influence on our world and the people in it) does magic have any \r validity to it? 

Now\r magic is the manifestation of energy and a soul is energy which is you \r so what can a soul do? Now I can say 2 things for definite the first is \r that each person has different spiritual abilities l can identify \r spiritual traits to a degree and read specific aspects of a soul... \r There are moral issues so simply put it takes time to look at a soul as I\r cant look when I don't truly know someone and then I avoid personal \r stuff so it can take weeks to look at aspects of a soul... It takes \r weeks to look at a soul you with the 6/7 years of training in this ive had it gives me the magic stuff some ground.the rest will be covered in the next few weeks as magic is a difficult topic

Minecraft is a powerful sandbox video game that has really impacted gaming history.The game was conceived by a Swedish programmer by the name of Markus "Notch" Persson, who founded the game. The idea was to allow player's to build anything they wanted out of 3D textured cubes among neat things. The possibilities are endless,  such as slay zombies, ride pigs, make mansions, even make music. 

The game Is widely popular and very well known for its capabilities. Like fun with friends, real life building designs, and just to play when you're bored.  Some schools even use Minecraft as a way to teach kids about design and creativity. This game can and has been used for many different purposes.

There are many Blocks, items, and resources in this game, also including several modes that can be played. Survival mode is the most basic, that you can play.  The player will get a health bar, hunger bar and an experience bar where the player can level up and use those levels to enchant his or her weapons and armor. This help increase the destruction they inflict upon their mortal enemies. A key mechanic is the hunger bar, which slowly depletes as the player does actions such as running, mining, chopping, fishing, or even walking, all except for just standing still.  This can easily be filled back up by making food such as bread from wheat, steak from cooked cow, cooked pork chop from the pigs you kill, and many other wonderful dishes.

The next game mode is the Creative mode which was made for players who don't want to spend hours on end mining and collecting resources; and  instead want everything handed to them for easier and faster building.  The player also gets the power to fly and instantly break blocks which players do not get outside of this mode.  All this for the main purpose of testing designs and building things quick and easy.  But of course using this mode is less prestigious due to the fact that everything is just given to you.  

Lastly the Adventure mode where the player is in a survival type game but has many restrictions to their player.  This mode was made for the purpose of playing on adventure maps that other people have made such as Mario party in Minecraft, or an arena game, or perhaps some Zelda related games.  This mode helps give the player a lot more to do since they can experience.  More than just vanilla Minecraft.

Minecraft is a wonderful game in my own opinion and in the eyes of millions as well.  This game has grown from such a small place and has grown a long time into something so beautiful its almost blinding.  Overall this game is very fun and needs to be played, at least for the experience. Having played the game and seen what it can do, I give Minecraft a  9/10.

Along with watching movies, I found myself playing video games in the same vein. I was introduced to them by my buddy Dylan who had become a YouTube gaming content creator. One of the games he made a series on was Layers of Fear from an indie studio called Bloober Team out of Poland.

If you didn't know the gaming industry is really big in Poland. So big in fact that the Prime Minister gave President Obama a copy of The Witcher II as a gift. Some of my favorite indie games like Layer of Fear, GoNNer, and Butcher have been ported to the Nintendo Switch are from Polish developers.

Bloober Team solidified themselves as a studio who could sit at the adult table with Layers of Fear. Now with Observer, there are talks that Bloober Team could be one of the studios to remake Silent Hill. That's only if Konami wants to follow the trend set by Capcom with the Resident Evil 2 remake.

Observer takes the theme of a futuristic Poland where cybernetic enhancements are a common medical practice after the last world war. You play as Observer detective Daniel Lazarski (voiced by Rutger Hauer of Blade Runner) who gets a strange call from his estranged son Adam. Like in most horror games taking place in one place. You find that Adam has been living in a rundown tenement building (which is a real building that one of the developers live) where drug and hologram addicts live.

(Screenshot taken from Nintendo Life's video on making the Observer)

You get yourself in Adam’s apartment, which has been ransacked. You find a body with its head cut off, which triggers a security shutdown to the building. Without being able to get a positive ID on the body Dan has to find a way to get out of  Adam’s apartment to find the killer. This starts the more core mechanics of the game. Opening and scanning everything you can, searching for clues, and hacking into keypads. Once you override the security system to the apartment you roam the halls trying to find a way out. Along the way, you have the opportunity to interview the other tenants.

With clues leading you to other dead bodies, you use your title as Observer to link into their memories to find out who and where the killer might be. Though linking up doesn't just give you access to the victims past, your past with Adam as a boy mixes in with those memories. The way these memories play out is where the horror and puzzle aspects of the game shines. With winding hallways, and puzzles where if you take the wrong turn you are back at where you started. Observer builds on what Bloop Team learned with Layers of Fear and ramped it to 11. This time around you have villains, the murderer and this rag doll monster that looks like something out of the movie 9 that you have to sneak by while trying to find an exit.

The story is well thought out. You have multiple people this time telling their side of how they either fought against Chiron (the mega-corporation that took over Poland and started the Fifth Polish Republic) or those who were apart their cybernetic experiments and the people who are addicted to drugs and/or holographic stimuli. If Layers of Fear deals in psychological horrors of a painter in the 1920s, Observer deals with the psychological choices made in a future where we can be anyone and have anything, though it may cost us our life.

That is the real horror about this game. That this fantasy could someday be our reality. This game may have been overlooked, but this game is just as brilliant as Detroit Become Human, and if you just own a Nintendo Switch longing for an immersive thought-provoking game, Observer is that game. This is already a cult classic, why not let us make it a critical success.

Have you ever completely failed to make a jump from one platform to another, again and again? Well Wings of vi will kindly reintroduce you to that feeling you get when you do. The game is no joke, supposedly opting for a complete 'skill based game play' over pixel perfect jumps and luck. If you have some serious focus and mad reaction speed then you'll do fine. If you're not a super human warrior, then you might find yourself having a struggle once in a while.

Mechanically this game is smoooooooooooth. It plays and feels like a glove, so there's very little input lag. Not that there's much to input. Akin to earlier platformers Wings of Vi has simple controls; up, left, right, down bound to their respective arrow keys. In addition to a jump, action and restart (or suicide) button. Getting used to the controls won't be tough, mastering them is another thing however.

If one thing can be said about Wings of Vi, is that they don't shy from fleshing out their characters (if ya know what I mean). Or the rest of the game for that matter. Another flashback to platformers of old is the pixelated art style that Wings of Vi sports. The style is akin to the megaman series in the way area's are designed and given filling. You won't be focused on whats around you most of the time however. The little angel sprites are cute, as well as the many other things you may come across (except the demons, not cute). One thing I might add as well is that you can customize your character; but if you want them, you'll have to work for them. Flawlessly beat that boss and maybe you'll get a hat to wear, who knows, it might look badass.

Lets\r face it, we all hate chores, running errands, and pandering to the needs of\r annoying neighbours, but for some reason we just can't stay away from\r games that incorporate these aspects of life into game-play. Fantasy Life, for the Nintendo 3DS, is\r essentially what you would get if Final\r Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and Harvest\r Moon had a baby; it's a magical RPG packed with quests, weapons, fishing, flower\r picking, crafting, and monsters. Like Harvest Moon before\r it, Fantasy Life allows you to explore and\r immerse yourself into a colourful world filled with a wide array of charismatic\r NPC's and their never-ending requests. 

In many\r games the class you choose during character creation is the class that you are\r stuck with, one of the key features that Fantasy\r Life offers is the opportunity to have your character switch between 12 unique\r classes at almost any point during game-play. This allows the player to embrace\r their inner miner while living the peaceful life of a fisherman but still being\r able to kick-ass as an adorably ruthless mercenary. Additionally, each class\r has unique goals which will no doubt keep the player occupied for hours. One of\r the more disappointing qualities of the 12 class system is that the fundamental\r game play does not change in any way when you switch between classes, and aside\r from gaining new skills and quests when you switch classes (which are retained\r when you switch again) there is no real change in how the game is played. In\r some respect this makes the 12 class system unnecessary, but at least the class\r specific costumes are cute. 

Fantasy Life also offers a main quest\r that involves the player running about, defeating monsters, and saving the\r world. Despite following the standard RPG archetype the story line it is quite\r charming, and besides, if you're already venturing out into the world to\r improve the rank of your life-at-the-time you might as well get some of the\r main quest done too.

The\r majority of time spent with this game will involve forging swords, sewing hats,\r and mining gem stones for NPC's, and aside from being able to purchase a few\r different homes and a wide array of items there isn't much to work towards\r financially. That being said Fantasy Life\r is a game that you will either love or hate; if you enjoy games like Animal Crossing you will no doubt be\r hooked on Fantasy Life after an hour.

Recent years have been good to indie games, with recent releases like Transistor, Shovel Knight and Freedom Planet becoming more than just diversions from our big-budget entertainment; these games are now commonplace, and many see them as a breath of fresh air in an era of developers who, despite deploying decent products, might be playing things a little too safe. Risk is the key element to an indie game. A smaller development team means a more unified vision, and that means an indie game can take risks.

That brings us to a very niche genre of indie games: Dating simulators. Immediately, some people will groan. Dating sims are often associated with an exaggerated portrayal of perverted young men looking for an easy, vicarious solution to romantic issues. Distaste for this genre of games is not unwarranted, as dating sims go against almost every standard of gaming. 

In the mind of this author, most games are based around both escalation and reward. Escalation can come in the form of a growing world (sandbox games), increasing difficulty of levels (platformers), or character growth (RPG). The standard dating sim normally plays scene-by-scene, with little conflict other than the goal of dating (and potentially sleeping with) one or more romantic interests. Reward can be something as simple as beating a level or boss, but more and more games have a player's actions rewarded with in-game money, experience points, items, concept art, and so on. Dating sims, more often than not, do not reward the player with much more than what is expected (bow-chicka-bow-wow), and that is only gained by playing through the scenarios provided, which usually don't require more than a few dozen clicks of the mouse.

There have been two dating sims in recent years that have included both dynamic change and rewards for your troubles, and as such have earned their popularity among gamers who don't often play dating sims. Katawa Shoujo included escalation and reward in its story, in which the player must be cautious in what they say and do, seeing as only one love interest can be pursued, and every single one has a physical disability. Good players are rewarded with a sensitive and heartfelt story, while less successful players will meet a depressing ending. Another dating sim to break the mold is HuniePop, which makes escalation and reward part of its gameplay.

Nikki likes Talent (blue tokens) and dislikes Sexuality (red tokens). Better plan ahead.

The fact that HuniePop even has gameplay is one of the reasons it stands above most dating sims. While it is, at first glance, an average dating sim, it's actually a puzzle game, not unlike  Bejeweled and (Blargh) Candy Crush. In the game's dating portions, the player must fill their date's affection meter by performing matches of three or more of the same tokens. While that alone is simple enough, HuniePop manages to up the ante by cleverly integrating dating sim elements with the puzzle elements. For instance, each token represents a particular trait, and each girl you meet in the game has a most desired and least desired trait, giving the player incentive to match up certain tokens while avoiding others. Further, special tokens will earn the player sentiment points, which can be used as currency to give the girl a present. Every present gives the player a different perk, which can make the puzzle easier, making a successful date more likely.

What gives HuniePop an edge is that the player has to make a genuine effort to succeed. Between dates, the player is encouraged to get to know each girl on an individual level, learning about their daily lives, their goals, their occupations, and their personalities. These girls aren't cliched archetypes, either. While they aren't overly complex, HuniePop's roster of girls are three dimensional, some with surprisingly subtle traits that are fun to analyze (most of them, anyway). It's important for the player to pay attention, as they will be regularly quizzed for facts on each girl. If the player does well, they are rewarded with experience points called Hunie, which can be spent on upgrades for the puzzle segments.

Don't worry, Jessie is only twice as slutty as she looks.

It's a continuous cycle. The player must upgrade themselves to do better on dates, which become harder as the game goes along. Doing well on dates gets the player a higher money reward (ironically), which allows the player to buy food and drinks for the girl between dates. A well-fed girl can have more conversations with the player, and drinks can be used to earn extra Hunie, as well as a sentiment bonus during dates. The player has to summon their inner strategist to ensure they do well in HuniePop, and in doing so are rewarded with the necessary assets to do well in later gameplay. The ultimate reward for succeeding in repeated dates with a girl is, well... Let's just say it's a bonus round, and even those segments provide a reward. For best results, play the non-Steam version.

HuniePop is a winner because it takes risks with the dating simulator formula, without abandoning the qualities that dating sim fans love. It strikes a fine balance between fun puzzle gameplay and the thrill of getting to live out a romantic fantasy. Combining a form of escapism with gameplay that challenges the mind has earned HuniePop overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam. As such, even if either puzzles or dating sims don't appeal to you, you should at least give this one a try. It's an example that many dating sims should follow.

Rather than the deluge of Mountain Dew and Doritos filled Bro-filled shooters available for every console, Adr1ft aims to be everything Alien:Isolation was not. Rather than a horror-survival sim everyone expected A:I to be it still contained many action sequences that put a gun in your hand and told you to shoot your way out of a situation rather than building up the tension as Alien did. Adr1ft aims to change that by presenting space as it really is; A horrifying void of death and silence.

You start of in the shoes of a cosmonaut staring across space at the stars and of course the debris of your newly destroyed space station, this visually stunning opener is quickly forgotten as you make your way to the bulk of your once safe home through the eerily silent void of space with a pinch of dead friends scattered along the way. With the lack of communication and setup in play during the first few minutes of this game, it looks as if 505games have put a lot of effort into making this a proper FPX (First person experience) without the compulsive need to put a gun in your hand and slaughter waves of seemingly endless grunts.

The Aim of Adr1ft is to make it back to the surface in you EEV ( Emergency Escape Vehicle) While collecting canisters of oxygen scattered around to supplement your rapidly deteriorating supply in your broken EVA (Extravehicular activity) suit. All this combined with the eerie soundtrack should make for a powerfully frightening puzzle adventure game with the enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seats at all time.

Hopefully the visuals and soundtrack aren't there to distract from a lack of substance a large portion of games released onto next gen consoles seem be suffering with at the moment.

In February of 2014, Sega announced Sonic Boom: Rise of\r Lyric, which was to be the first game in a sub-franchise of the ever-popular\r blue blur, tying in with a toy line and a new cartoon. The game was to be made\r with the Crysis Engine, boast beautiful visuals, and provide a gameplay\r experience not unlike classic sixth console generation platformers. The game\r was developed by Big Red Button, which was comprised of experienced developers\r who worked on Uncharted, Jak and Daxter, and other beloved series.

Well, that could have gone better. The game was released with poor sales, critical panning, and scalding reception from fans.

This rough reception sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it?\r Let’s rewind about eight years, to when the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 had just\r hit the market, and Sega was developing a Sonic game that would take full\r advantage of these new consoles. Sonic the Hedgehog (often referred to as Sonic\r Next-Gen or Sonic 2006) was marketed with an epic story, a day to night system,\r and a massive world to explore.

Whoops.

If the Sonic franchise is a classroom, then Sonic 2006 is\r the butt of all jokes, the student with minimal talent, a grating voice, and many\r bugs. People still mock that student to this day, even though he has long since\r left the classroom. At the very least, he was musically adept.

In a franchise as saturated as Sonic’s, with many different\r games spanning a variety of genres, Sonic 2006 has been the laughing stock of\r the franchise, with fans and detractors of the series alike never forgetting\r its massive faults, regardless of the quality, good or bad, of any game to come\r out since then. To a critic, this can seem like an unusual perception. To a fan\r who was disappointed with Sonic 2006, it’s as though the game’s poor quality is\r a residue that has splattered onto every Sonic game to come out since then. It\r is justified to find this unusual. In the mind of this critic, the quality of\r one product does not represent the quality of a franchise as a whole.

The Sonic franchise does not have the luxury of being seen\r this way, as it has far more games than most franchises, and has been a beloved\r part of many gamers’ lives. As such, it can be difficult to look at the series\r objectively. One’s emotions can easily get in the way. This way of viewing the\r series has lead fans to blind themselves from enjoying other games in the\r franchise.

Sonic 2006 and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric’s similarities are\r clear. They’re critically panned, hated by the fanbase, and are both made fun\r on a memetic level. So what are the differences in their failures? What\r separates Rise of Lyric from Sonic 2006 comes down to their development periods.

Rise of Lyric was developed by a third party\r company, Big Red Button, whereas Sonic 2006 was made by Sonic Team, Sega’s go-to developer for Sonic games. The rumors as to what went wrong during Big Red Button’s development\r of Rise of Lyric have been piling up since the game’s release. Supposedly, most\r of Big Red Button’s staff was fired during development, causing the game to\r suffer. The game was riddled with even worse glitches than Sonic 2006, including a means for finishing the\r game within a half-hour. Further, the Crysis Engine did not work well with the\r Wii U’s hardware, resulting in a significant difference between the game’s\r promotional trailers and the final product (Mind that the HD version of Sonic\r Unleashed, a game with Pixar level visuals, was released on consoles less powerful\r than the Wii U).

The nail on the coffin was that the game did not fulfill any\r of the promises that were made before its release. The proposed character\r development that Sonic was going to go through did not happen, several plot\r threads are alluded to and dropped, returning and new characters alike serve\r little to no purpose, and in the end, little is accomplished to justify this\r new Sonic universe’s existence. Not a good sign for Sega, let alone Big Red\r Button, who might have Rise of Lyric as their only game.

Sonic 2006’s poor release can be attributed to Sega wanting\r to rush the game out to store shelves in time for Christmas, therefore leading\r many game elements to be left on the cutting room floor. Quality control was\r almost nonexistent. The game’s disc didn’t even have hacker protection. It\r wasn’t the first game to suffer from a rushed release. Suffice to say, it won’t\r be the last.

Whether not Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric has the same negative\r impact on the series as Sonic 2006 has yet to be seen. But it shouldn't.

Sonic 2006 represented a problem with Sega’s treatment of\r their flagship franchise, and they would later go on to rectify these problems\r with later games. While opinions vary on games like Sonic and the Secret Rings,\r Sonic and the Black Knight, Sonic Unleashed, and Sonic Lost World, they were\r much more well-received than Sonic 2006. Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations are\r especially praised for appealing to Sonic fans both old and new, as well as being\r quality games in general. Rise of Lyric’s failure does not represent anything.\r It is a bad game developed by a third party company, and that is the extent of\r it.

It seems that the mood of the Sonic fanbase, as well as\r outsider opinion of the series, depends on the objective quality of Sonic's\r most recently released game. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric has left the fans\r disappointed, turning them somewhat bitter, and there is no doubt the game will\r be used as ammo against Sonic Team's next product. The fanbase should find\r solace in the positively received Sonic Boom cartoon series (Saturdays on Cartoon Network), and Sonic's more beloved recent games. 

If any lesson should be taken from this, it's\r that even a poor product can lead to a positive outcome. Sonic Boom: Rise of\r Lyric, like Sonic 2006 before it, may stand as a memetic failure in a franchise\r with many ups and downs, but it should be nothing more than that. Only time\r will tell if the fanbase will allow it.

I have a bit of an unconventional taste when it comes to video games. I'll play almost anything as long as it plays well and how it looks is often unimportant. Yoshi's Story falls under that category. Sure, it looks like it was designed for younglings, but looks can often be deceiving.

All in all, I had a lot of fun with this game. While the music is overly happy and cheerful and the environments literally look like cardboard and felt, the gameplay is what really matters and I think it plays extremely well for what it does. If you want to legally play it for yourself, the game is available on the Wii's Virtual Console service. You may find that looks aren't everything as well. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

Super Mario Bros.

There is also a way to continue after a Game Over. At the Game Over screen, hold A and when the Title screen reappears, press Start. Do not release the A button during any of this or it won't work.

The Legend of Zelda

There is a way to start the game's Second Quest right off the bat. All you have to do is enter ZELDA as your file name. If done correctly you should see that Link is now holding the Magic Sword. Word to the wise, the Second Quest is not easy, so be prepared for the worst.

In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, there is a hidden chamber under the castle that contains a large sum of rupees, but you cannot access it by normal means. What you need to do is start at the Sanctuary and use the Pegasus Boots to get to the bush that covers the hole that you entered near the castle at the start of the game as quickly as humanly possible. If you were fast enough to get there, you will enter a cave by falling in from the ceiling. A stone tablet in the back of the room will tell you that the room belongs to Chris Houlihan and asks you to keep it a secret. I guess the cat's out of the bag!

Donkey Kong Country

Quite a few cheat codes were programmed into the game to give you a much easier time with completing the game or just for fun. Most of the codes are entered on the file select screen when "Erase Game" is highlighted. They are as follows:

• Down, A, R, B, Y, Down, A, Y (activates sound test, press Select to cycle though them)
• B, A, R, R, A, L (start the selected file with 50 lives)
• B, A, Down, B, Up, Down, Down, Y (allows you to hijack control in a 2-player co-op game)

A couple stages also have secret shortcuts that let you bypass most, if not the entirety of the level. In the first minecart stage, if you can manage to jump over the barrel cannon and land in the pit close to the cliff wall, you will be launched out of a hidden cannon and transported to the end of the stage. There is also a shortcut in Stop and Go Station. Just head left through the entrance to be warped to the end.

Well, that's it for now. If I find more tips or codes, I'll be sure to let you all know as soon as I can. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Metro 2033 is where the bulk of the remastering went. It looks almost as if it were built from the ground up using the updated 4A Engine similar to that of Metro Last Light, but a more realistic idea is that the textures and placements of some objects were given a fresh coat of paint that still looks absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately though, the best comparison image I could find was a compressed YouTube image that doesn't do it as much justice as I would have hoped it would, but I think it still gets the point across. 

As well as a graphical upgrade, Metro 2033, also gets an upgrade to it's HUD and menus. Now it's exactly like Metro Last Light where you hold down a button or key that brings up all your tools. This is a million times more convenient than the older Metro 2033 HUD and menus though I can see why some people may not like it feeling like the same game, but i like it being two different games feeling like one huge video game ride. 

Some times you will be given a small side quest for money or a karma point towards the good or bad though it doesn't really matter because Last Light will always pick up after the bad ending. I can not say enough good things about this game. It's really more like an experience because even after you've finished the game you will never forget the experience you had with it. Since you can buy each game separately I give this game on it's own merit a 9/10. 

Metro Last Light picks up right after the bad karma ending to 2033 where Artyom launched the missle strike against the Dark Ones' nest, but only after it's revealed to him that the Dark Ones were actually good and mean't no harm to humans and actually wanted to help them rebuild humanity. Khan, from 2033, visits Artyom and reveals to him that one Dark One survived so now it is race to get the last remaining Dark One. You will fight against the Fourth Reich, the Soviets, and bandits as well as everybody's favorite mutated dog things; Nosalises. 

Artyom also gets a love interest named Anna whom the developers spent more time modeling her boobs than her face (you'll see what I mean in a minute). Anna actually goes through a bit of a character arch. She starts out as a real bitch to Artyom then through a set of events she respects and becomes attracted to him. Anna isn't given a lot of screen time though. She's at the beginning of the game then disappears for more than half the game to show up towards the end. Artyom still only speaks during loading screens and remains silent during gameplay which makes me wonder how he ever gets Anna. 

This is what I meant when I said that the developers spent more time modeling Anna's boobs than her face. I have to note that the breasts and nipples are the most realistic I've ever seen in a video game (which is warrant enough for a 10/10 amiright, guys??) The nudity is kind of strange in this game though. Both times it happens you are in a really intense fire fight then less than 5 minutes later you get boobs in your face. I'm not really complaining for that reason, but it did hurt some of the pacing for two really intense parts.

The first time you on a raft with another survivor fighting off mutated water monsters called "Shrimps" to get to a nearby station then you get a bare breasted lap dance. It is optional though. The second time you shooting your way through a metro station that is burning down and are trying to get to Anna because she was captured by the Soviets in the last mission. At the last moment the enemy breaks you gas mask and you are exposed to a biological weapon that the Soviets tested on the metro station with. You and Anna are then both saved and quarantined by Khan and his men because the biological weapon was Ebola. In the face of uncertain death Anna gets partially naked and Artyom and Anna make a baby. 

There are less side quests to do in most of the stations though. You'll still see your typical bum in the corner asking for a bullet and you can still give him one for a good karma point. Metro Last Light also has the ability to get a good ending and a bad ending except this time one of the endings implies a sequel to this game and the other ends the series. You'll see which is which depending on the ending you get. 9/10.

So, I'll stop gushing for a moment and get down to it. Metro Redux isn't flawless. Stealth is some times way too easy. There are some minor animation hiccups here and there. Last Light has minor pacing issues, but overall these games are amazing. The story is well told, the atmosphere is incredible, the gameplay is rock solid, boobs, and you get to kill Nazis. What more could you possibly want. Both Metro 2033 and Last Light have both been remastered and it shows (more in 2033). You also get both games for the price of one. I highly recommend you pick this one up on any platform of your choosing. I know that it should average out to about a 9/10, but I'm taking into account you get two games for the price of one. Overall I give Metro Redux a 9.5/10. It's that good. 

Reason 1: Value

Reason 2: Free Online Play

Once again, if you are on a budget, this is a great alternative to XBox Live and PlayStation Plus/Now as there are no online subscription fees. However, while there aren't many games on the Wii U that use online gameplay, the ones that do are very good and are (for the most part) stable with little lag or connection drops. (Keep in mind this still does happen regardless of which console you choose.)

Reason 3: Backwards Compatibility

Out of the three current gen consoles, the Wii U is the only one that can play the games of its predecessor without the need for modding. And because you can transfer your all of your Wii Shop Channel purchases and save files from the Wii to the Wii U, you could move all of your data onto the new Wii U and sell the Wii at GameStop/EBGames or on eBay for some quick cash to help cover the cost of the system.

Reason 4: Exclusive Games

When it comes to games, exclusivity is what usually sells a console, and out of the three, the Wii U has the widest and most fun selection of games you could ever ask for. Here are some examples:

• Super Mario 3D World
• Bayonetta 2 (Includes Bayonetta 1)
• The Wonderful 101
• Super Smash Bros for Wii U
• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
• Pikmin 3
• Nintendo Land
• Hyrule Warriors
• Mario Kart 8
• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Reason 5: Amiibo

Reason 6: Off TV Play

Say you're the kind of person that lives in a house with other people (terrifying I know) and they want to watch a show or movie on the TV you're using, but you're playing games and don't want to give up the remote because you just got comfy. Well because of the Wii U's GamePad, most games for it have the ability to play the game with the TV on a different channel or even completely off. This even applies to the TV streaming apps on the system as well. No more fighting for the remote!

Reason 7: Miiverse

Most gaming forums are usually pretty boring and lackluster due to a lot of them being run by a small handful of people in their spare time, but since Miiverse is run by Nintendo itself, there is an air of family friendliness which is a nice alternative to the many other forums I have found to be uninviting. Also, if a game supports Miiverse, you can post screenshots of your achievements or if you're stuck, you can ask for advice in game specific communities. Plus every once and a while, Nintendo's employees will post updates on news, contests and various other activities which help to mix things up a bit.

Reason 8: Local Asymmetrical Gameplay

Reason 9: No More Friend Codes

Assuming you were like me and hated the Wii's constant use of friend codes in any game that had online, then you'll love the fact that Wii U has abandoned that feature entirely in favor of a Nintendo Network user ID. Plus it also gives you the ability to send friend requests instead of the stupid and tedious act of registering each other's friend codes and hope that it worked.

Reason 10: Unique Single Player Experience

Single player games that put emphasis on use of the GamePad are often the most entertaining to play as the second screen provided by the GamePad is frequently put to good use. Usually it provides easy access to a map or your inventory, but there are a few games that offer a more unique experience by using the GamePad in conjunction with the TV. It just feels innovative and fresh.

Hopefully these reasons will help sway you into buying a Wii U the next time you have some extra cash to burn. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Please come back next time when I cover more secrets and Easter eggs that I've found over the years. I don't think I can find them all by myself, but I can sure as hell try. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Alice: Madness Returns is what happens if Tim Burton had made a GOOD interpretation of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland. Madness Returns was developed by American McGee and his development team, Spicy Horse, and published by everybody's favorite publisher, EA. Alice: Madness Returns is a Third Person Action Adventure Platformer that puts a dark spin on Lewis Carrol's original source material. This is actually a sequel to American McGee's Alice originally released in 2000.

When Alice arrives back in Wonderland, the world, is bright and colorful, but the deeper she goes into Wonderland the more dark and sinister it gets. On her journey, Alice, is accompanied by the Cheshire Cat whom may or may not be a figment of Alice's imagination. In fact, the entirety of Wonderland may or may not be a figment of Alice's imagination and that is what Alice's story revolves around; her sanity.

After Alice's adventure to Wonderland in the first game she had been declared clinically insane and spent a majority of her life in Rutledge Asylum. Madness Returns takes place a year after her release at the age of 19 and she now resides in an orphanage under the care of a psychiatrist named Dr. Angus Bumby. The gameplay begins when Alice relapses into Wonderland.

The second story is Alice returning to Wonderland. Hence "Madness Returns". Wonderland is now falling apart. It is being destroyed by a mysterious train dubbed by the inhabitants as "The Infernal Train". Alice may be the only one able to stop The Infernal Train from completely destroying Wonderland, but is Wonderland as real as she believes it to be? I personally found Alice's story in the real world dealing with her sanity to be far more interesting and meaningful.

Out of combat, Alice: Madness Returns is a platformer. Again, not much new here, but at least it isn't flawed in anyway. Alice can now jump not once, not twice, but four times whilst in the air. She also will float if the jump button is held down to help guide Alice down onto a platform.

Though, there is one thing everybody seems to agree upon....

Alice: Madness Returns really is an underrated gem because it sets up nicely a sequel, but sales didn't meet their goals so it was cancelled which is a shame. There is hope though. In 2013, American McGee started a Kickstarter to fund a concluding chapter in the Alice series called "Alice: Otherlands". There was a catch though. It wouldn't be a game, but rather an animated mini series. The Kickstarter met it's goal and now Alice: Otherlands will be released some time this year. Again, there is more hope. American McGee still wants to make Alice Otherlands into a game, but it depends on the success of the animated mini series.

Alice: Madness Returns isn't perfect. The gameplay is pretty stale and the middle act has a lot of filler fetch quests, but I'd be lying to you if I said that I didn't like this game. I actuallygenuinely love this game. The art style, the story, the soundtrack, and Alice herself are all so well done that it is sad that this game isn't more well known. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You won't be disappointed. 8.5/10

Returning from Super Smash Bros Brawl are the challenges. Challenges are in both versions of the game, but they are split up into three separate pages on the 3DS version with a total of 105 relatively easy ones to complete whereas the Wii U version has 140 moderately more difficult ones all on one page. Completing a challenge will give you a reward and a special picture to view as a little bonus.

Classic Mode also makes a return in these games as it always has since the series' beginning, but this time it has gotten a drastic overhaul. On the 3DS, you go through branching paths of varying difficulty (Blue = Easy, Green = Normal, Red = Hard) and it feels very similar to how Classic Mode has been in past games, but in the Wii U version, Classic Mode is more based on your actual skill level as there are multiple groups of fighters each with a varying number of opponents and the occasional rival and surprise ambush.

Now for the mode everyone knows about, SMASH MODE. This is the game's basic free-for-all versus mode in which you choose your character and beat the crap out of your opponent on one of dozens of different stages inspired by a game in Nintendo's MASSIVE repertoire of franchises. The types of battles that can be done include Timed, Stock, and Coin battles and each can be played in teams. Smash mode can also be played online in modes called "For Fun" which has all items on and uses every stage except for Final Destination, and "For Glory" which all items are turned off and the only stage available is Final Destination or a visual variation of it.

Stadium mode also returns from the previous games, but with some slight alterations. Break the Targets has been completely removed and a new mode called Target Blast has taken its place. The 3DS version only has one stage while the Wii U version has three and if you want an idea of what Target Blast plays like, think Angry Birds but instead of a slingshot, you're launching a large bomb with a character's smash attack. 15-Minute smash mode in the Stadium has also been replaced with a new mode called Rival Smash in which you have to knock out more opponents than a CPU controlled rival character. The Fighting Alloy Team from Brawl in Stadium has also been replaced with the Fighting Mii Team. I find this to be pretty humorous as the Mii's faces are taken from the system's internal memory (I have some pretty low brow ones on my systems).

Now, here is what is exclusive to each version.

Returning from Brawl are the Event Matches, but these are exclusive to the Wii U version of the game. Event Matches are special battles with very specific win conditions. Some examples would include defeating a specific character before a computer controlled rival, or even preventing a hoard of slowly falling enemies from landing of the stage. Each event also has a secondary win condition that will reward you with a special prize should you succeed.

Also returning from Brawl and are exclusive to the Wii U are the Masterpieces. Masterpiece are demos of classic games that last anywhere between 1 to 5 minutes in length. If you happen to like the game's demo by the time the timer runs out, you are given the option to buy the game from the eShop which is a very nice convenience.

New to the game and exclusive to the Wii U version is Special Orders mode. Special orders gives you randomized rules and opponents to fight with a guaranteed prize should you succeed. In Master Orders you pay a small sum of coins to take one of three challenges and the options reset with each win or loss. In Crazy Orders however, you can either pay a fairly high sum of coins or pay with an Orders Pass which can be won from Event Matches or from the roulette in Classic Mode. In Crazy Orders, you go round after round with most damage kept after each round until you feel like you don't have the confidence to continue any further. Whatever damage you accrued from the previous rounds will be then calculated into health for the final battle with Crazy Hand and any minions he may have helping him.

Now comes the verdict. The controls are tight and responsive, the music is fantastic, and everything else will keep you occupied for a very long time like collecting trophies and betting coins on the online spectator mode. If you're like me and enjoy playing games with other people in the same room, then get the Wii U version. Almost all the game modes in the Wii U version can be played in co-op mode with friend which is very nice. However, if you aren't the person who spends a lot of time playing TV games or if you travel a lot, then I would recommend the 3DS version as the game can be taken over to a friend's house for use as a controller for the Wii U version or you can play the 3DS exclusive Street Smash game mode when you encounter a random person with the game when out and about. I guess you could also get both if you have the money, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

3DS Score:

Wii U Score:

I'd like to start by stating that I have not personally played any of the games on this list. These are simply games that, for various reasons, have captured my attention. If you buy any of these games and they turn out to be terrible I take zero responsibility for your lost funds (but if you ask I'll apologize, I'm Canadian and super good at apologizing.)

1. Dwarf Fortress

Ok, I'm not going to lie, this game might be a little bit overly ambitious for this list. Dwarf Fortress is a deeply complex strategy game in which you control a dwarven outpost. There are no real objectives in this randomly generated world, and crazy and absurd events are likely to occur. This game was recommended to me by a good friend who is very much into this game, he has played numerous games and restarted countless times, but he assures me that it's worth it (for reasons other than Dwarves beating off enemies with severed limbs amongst other bizarre happenings).

-Screenshots from Dwarf Fortress.

One of the main reasons why I have not playedDwarf Fortressyet is that it seems to be very complex, and so much so that I am unsure of how much time I would need to dedicate to learning how to play. There's also the graphics; they are not exactly cutting edge, but I think with a little bit of imagination the narrative provided could easily make up for the lack of traditional visuals.

Dwarf Fortress is a game that I believe would be well suited to players who have enjoyed games like Rimworld. Both revolve around a randomly generated world in which the player is responsible for overseeing the activities, happiness, and lives of individuals in a colony, and as the friend who recommended this game once said to me "Rimworldis essentially just babby's first Dwarf Fortress."

From what I've been told the depth and unimaginably complex situations that are generated in this game are essentially never the same from one play through to the next and this is whereDwarf Fortressshines. Fair warning though, the learning curve steeps backwards before platueing.

2. Orcish Inn

This is a fairly new Steam Greenlit game and it's fairly simple. You are an orc. You run an inn. Your patrons want beer. You brew beer. Now you also have to grow barley and worry about whether or not your brew is too hoppy for your patrons, but aside from that it's seems like it will be an easy game to pick up.

I have watched a few youtubers play around with Orcish Innand initially it seems to be something betweenHarvest Moon and Terraria.

Currently Orcish Innis in alpha, but from what I've seen it's designed beautifully and there will hopefully be many new features to look forward to in the future. And hey, it's free, so you might as well give it a try!

3. Besiege

Once again, this game makes the list because I believe it would be simple to pick up, and deliver on the fun while not taking up a huge amount of time.

The singular goal of Besiegeis to build an ransacking vehicle/contraption/apparatus/thing that is capable of destroying a set target. The only real limitation is a modest height restriction, your imagination, and surprisingly good in game physics.

Like Orcish Innthis game is in early access alpha and is currently a little lacking in terms of the volume of content available, but if the alpha is an accurate indicator of what we can expect from the final product I think this game will be well worth themodest price tag of $7.79 CDN. There is really nothing more to be said about Besiege. If you like building, and you like destroying, you'll like Besiege...probably.

(Please keep in mind that my opinions may or may not reflect your own, this list is entirely biased)

The Revolver Gunblade from Final Fantasy VIII

Squall Leonhart's weapon of choice, this kick-ass blade is basically a single-edged broadsword with an over-sized 6-shooter revolver as the hilt. If you pull the trigger on it, it sends a shock wave up the blade making it vibrate which inflicts a more devastating cut. This weapon makes the most impact in the opening cut-scene just before you are given the option of naming your character.

The Valiantium Blade from The Wonderful 101

Said to become even sharper every time it slices into its enemies, the Valiantium Blade can act as a lightning rod to divert electrical currents, reflect lasers back at their sender, cut the thickest steel construction cables and can even be used as a key to unlock blast doors in certain locations. The only real flaw it has is its wielder as he is a hot-headed, arrogant jerk that only cares about his own selfish goals over the safety of his comrades. He eventually learns his lesson, but not after putting his entire team's lives in peril to chase after his own personal vendetta. Remember, a sword is an extension of its handler and is only as good as the person who wields it. Oh, and here's a little Easter Egg, the Valiantium Blade is also in Bayonetta 2 as the main weapon of the angel Valiance albeit in a different form.

The High-Frequency Blade from the Metal Gear Solid/Rising series

A technologically advanced Japanese katana made by the government that can cut the most durable of alloys due to it being able to resonate at a frequency so high that it separates materials at the molecular level. This blade has actually been in the possession of two previous owners before it finally found its way to Raiden, A.K.A. Jack the Ripper, and it is his weapon of choice during the events of Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The blade is incredibly powerful and can be seen cutting an unmanned Metal Gear RAY unit completely in half during the prologue chapter of Revengeance, but while it is very strong, it kinda plays second fiddle to Gray Fox's Fox Blade which could be only obtained in the game when you pre-ordered the game at GameStop. Never really liked pre-order DLC bonuses because of that.

The Z-Saber from the Mega Man X/Zero series

The Keyblade from Kingdom Hearts

Destined to be used by the one who will save the worlds from the Heartless and the Nobodies, the Keyblade is a sword of great power that can change its shape depending on what kind of keychain is clipped onto its pommel. Because of its ability to lock the door to the heart of a world, it plays great importance and a very heavy burden on its wielder, Sora. In reality though, there are actually many keyblades all which now rest at an old battlefield called the Keyblade Graveyard where a large scale war once took place.

Soul Calibur and Soul Edge from the Soul Calibur series

Now, I know that they are technically two separate swords, but because of them both being pretty equal in power and magical influence, I have little choice but to consider them the same weapon (Especially considering the fact that they were once one blade at one point in their history, picture on the left). These two swords are basically two sides of the same coin, one is of light and the other of darkness. This is also reflected by the fact that the ones who wield them are good and evil variations of the same person. Soul Calibur is the weapon of choice of Siegfried and his demonic alter-ego Nightmare uses the Soul Edge in battle. "Transcending history, and the world, a tale of swords and souls eternally retold." Ahh, I'll never get tired of hearing that phrase.

The Energy Sword from the Halo series

As the name suggests, this is a sword made of energy, but the symbolism the sword represents within the Halo lore is actually quite fascinating. It states only the highest ranking elites can wield these blades. While these specific Elites are not allow to marry, they have the privilege to mate with any female they want regardless if they have a spouse or not. This is so they can preserve the lineage of sword wielders for as long as possible. Lore aside, this weapon is also very powerful as it can one-hit-kill any enemy as long as it is a sneak attack in the back. Seems a little cheap, but it gets the job done.

The Blades of Chaos from the God of War series

These weapons of mass bloodshed are wielded by everyone's favorite screaming Spartan, Kratos, but he doesn't use these swords by choice. When he pledged his loyalty to Ares, the God of War, he painfully chained the two blades to Kratos's arms. This gave him the power he needed to destroy his enemies with ease, but he was cursed to be Ares warrior-slave until the day he died. These swords are brutal, jagged, unholy weapons meant only to be used to kill and they certainly do their job without fail.

The Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda series

The all powerful "blade of evil's bane." This sword was forged with the power of the gods with the intent of being the weapon of choice for the Goddess Hylia's chosen hero. This masterfully crafted one-handed longsword also housed the spirit Fi, a calculative construct whose sole purpose was to serve the chosen hero until he completed his task. The blade strikes fear in all of the evil beings of the land and the only one who dared to fight its power was the Demon King Ganondorf and all of his reincarnated forms across the space/time continuum.

The Monado from Xenoblade Chronicles

Well, that's my list folks, if you disagree with my choices, tell me why in the comments and what you would have chosen instead. Until then, I'll be seeing you.

#1: Gallade

Gallade is the male equivalent of the effeminate Gardevoir, but unlike her whose design is based on a ballroom dancer, his overall design appears to be based on sword dancers and samurais. I think a fighter of this type could be a very nice speedy combatant that combines psychic blasts with twirling sword strikes and capoeira like dancing.

#2: Tyranitar

When I saw Garchomp as a playable fighter, I immediately thought of the kaiju Gigan, and because of this, I think Tyranitar who was likely inspired by Godzilla would compliment Garchomp quite nicely. A slow, powerful, tank of a pokemon like that would really add some unusual fighting strategies, especially since most pokemon in the game are pretty quick or rapid-hitters. Just give it Hyper Beam and it would be the perfect Godzilla clone.

#3: Zoroark

Now this pokemon would certainly make for an interesting fighter. Zoroark can use illusions to disguise itself to look like other pokemon, but once it uses its first attack, its illusion is broken. What I think could work with it would be a very technical fighter that would be something similar to Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat, but with a few specific special moves instead of just transforming into a different pokemon. It's not Ditto after all.

#4: Greninja

Super Smash Bros anyone? Greninja certainly stole the show when it was announced for Smash Bros back in 2014, probably because everyone thought it was actually Mewtwo, but that's beside the point. Considering that it was the only generation 6 pokemon that made it into Smash as a playable character, it makes me wonder why it wasn't considered for Pokken. I think Greninja would make for a very speedy fighter and since there is only one other Water-type fighter in the game, I think it could add some much needed variety.

#5: Heracross

For some reason, there aren't any Bug-type pokemon in this game and that genuinely confuses me. Although, out of all of the bugs in Pokemon, only a fraction really stand out and Heracross is probably the most iconic of them. Since it changes into an entirely different type of beetle when it mega evolves, it could have an entirely different fighting style for burst mode. Definitely could be a fan favorite if executed properly.

#6: Hawlucha

I'm pretty sure everyone would have preferred this pokemon over Pikachu Libre anyway. Being both Fighting and Flying types, it could have a very aerial-based fighting style that could also be inspired by professional wrestling. The wrestling aspect about it could also lend itself to a good selection of grappling moves that could open itself to a more technical close ranged battle strategy.

#7: Swampert

Come on people. Pokken has both Blaziken AND Sceptile, but no Swampert? I was honestly a little disappointed by this. Swampert is a beast of a fighter being both Water and Ground types, and the fact that there aren't any Ground-type pokemon outside of Garchomp would allow it for more visual appeal with moves like Muddy Water, Mud Shot, and Mud Bomb. Plus it would fill in the emptiness regarding Water-type fighters as well.

#8: Meowth

Considering how long the TV series has been going on, it was quite the surprise that Meowth was missing from this game in its entirety. Even though he's a Normal-type pokemon, I feel that he could make for a rather silly fighter that takes his moves from the traps that he and Team Rocket have tried to use to capture Pikachu in the show. Plus he of course could use his species signature move Pay Day to round out his moveset a bit more.

#9: Hitmonchan

Yet another pokemon that I'm sure that everyone wanted in the game because of how obvious he would fit in, but that's because HE'S A WRECKING MACHINE! Why didn't Namco even think of this? Hitmonchan is a natural born pugilist and would fit perfectly within the game's narrative. He's strong, nimble, and can take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. Maybe he'll be one of the first new characters to be added if DLC is confirmed? Who knows.

#10: Abomasnow

Bet you weren't expecting this one were ya? Well you see by my logic, I want to see pokemon that have type combinations that are unusual, and can synergize well on the battlefield. Since Abomasnow is both Grass and Ice types, it can offer an unusual and creative moveset that can take advantage of freezing plant-based attacks to create environmental hazards or by creating makeshift weapons. Plus it can mega evolve, so there's that bonus.

#11: Kangaskhan

Betting you weren't expecting this one either, but hear me out on this. By itself Kangaskhan is pretty generic in terms of move selection in the main games, BUT when it mega evolves, the young one in its pouch jumps out and fights as well. THIS is what I think could be used for its fighting style in the game. It could be pretty slow and generic to start with, but it could charge its burst meter more quickly than the other pokemon allowing it to go into burst mode sooner and fight with a partner. Could DEFINITELY make for an interesting technical fighter.

#12: Genesect

The Team Plasma equivalent to Team Rocket's Mewtwo, and in my opinion, equally cool. A heavily modified Steel/Bug-type with a giant modular laser cannon on its back. This cannon gives it a ton of power that would otherwise be unavailable to it, and its attack type changes depending on which disk is installed into it. This disk-swapping mechanic could theoretically give it a pretty good selection of moves that could mix up fighting strategies quite significantly.

#13: Deoxys

A pokemon like Deoxys that is capable of changing forms each of which that is designed for combat? You bet your ass that it should be in this game; it could probably be a potential boss fighter as well. Because it has four different forms, each based on Normal, Attack, Defense, and Speed-based skills, it could be all four fighting traits as well being Normal, Power, Technical, and Speed respectively. And if it were to be an easy fighter to learn, I think shifting between forms at the press of a button would be the best way to go.

#14: Lopunny

As much as I hate to admit it, if there were to be a fighter based around a kick-boxing style of combat, I think Lopunny would be a much better choice than Hitmonlee. It offers a more unique look about it and it becomes more combat oriented when it mega evolves. Plus it would probably help the non-existent "gender ratio" for the game because of its feminine appearance. You gotta hit all those points for the fans after all.

#15: Hydreigon

Probably one of my favorite fifth generation pokemon, Hydreigon is a monster on the battlefield. Not only is it a Dark/Dragon-type, it looks like a more evil version of King Ghidorah. Plus it can learn one of my favorite attacks that so few pokemon can learn, Tri-Attack. This could be one of the more powerful Power-Based fighters in the game if done correctly, but only time will tell if Namco will actually add more characters to the roster.

Well, that's my list folks, if you disagree with my choices, tell me why in the comments and what you would have chosen instead. Until then, I'll be seeing you.

(Please keep in mind that my opinions may or may not reflect your own, this list is entirely biased)

The BFG 9000 from the DOOM series

With a name that is literally an abbreviation for "Big Fucking Gun," you can just imagine the kind of sheer force that is expelled from the barrel of this monster. The BFG 9000 fires highly concentrated bolts of plasma that explode into an immensely powerful concussive shockwave vaporizing anything unlucky enough be to within range. The BFG also appears in the DOOM film that was released in 2005, but it was renamed as the Bio Force Gun.

The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device from the Portal Series

While not a weapon per say, the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, otherwise known as the Portal Gun (or as I like to call it, the ASHPoD) is used primarily for opening miniature wormholes to get you from point A to point B much faster. This also makes solving the puzzles issued by the psychotic GLaDOS during her little "tests" much easier as just about all of them need the Portal Gun in order to complete them. Plus if you happen to know a thing or two about physics, you could turn all of those cubes that you have to lug around into catapults using gravity alone.

The Needler from the Halo series

Unlike most people, I happened to like the Needler from the first Halo. If used properly, the weapon's explosive glass needles would deal a ton of damage against whoever was unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end. I suppose the only real downfall is the fact that its shots moved through the air at a snail's pace, but in my opinion, the homing feature makes up for that. Plus it can be dual wielded in Halo 2, doubling the amount of explosive crystalline fury at hand.

The Super Scope accessory from Nintendo

Unlike every other gun on this list, the Super Scope was a real accessory that was made by Nintendo for use with a small handful of games on the SNES. It was calibrated with a sensor that was placed on top of your TV set and was powered by six AA batteries. Because of the impact this particular weapon had on the gaming community (and because of how cool it looked), this weapon was revived in the Super Smash Bros series, but instead of it being a harmless toy, it instead fired bolts of light that could be charged up for extra power.

The Scarborough Fair from Bayonetta

While this weapon is technically four separate handguns by the names of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, the Scarborough Fair instead feels like one gun as they are part of Bayonetta's fighting style called Bullet Arts. She grips one gun in each hand and the other two are strapped to the heals of her boots. They are made of a demonic alloy that makes them virtually indestructible and are used for killing angels due to a contract she made with a demon called Madama Butterfly. These guns are replaced by a blue variant called Love is Blue in the sequel, but I think these guns are more cleverly named and look much better as red.

The R.Y.N.O. from the Ratchet & Clank series

Bought by a shady looking merchant at the end of an alley on a distant planet, the R.Y.N.O. is a portable auto-targeting rocket launcher with multiple barrels making it obscenely powerful, especially considering that "R.Y.N.O." is short for "Rip You a New One." It also changes its appearance in each game, but that doesn't diminish its power in the slightest. It's just too bad that it is the most expensive weapon in the series, often costing millions of bolts to purchase.

The Morph Gun from the Jak & Daxter series

This gun, which is given to Jak by Krew as payment for an important delivery, has the ability to be quickly modified on the fly into one of 12 different weapon styles. These include a close range shotgun, a rifle with a laser scope, an arc cannon and even mini nuke launcher. This was one of the best and most versatile weapons in any game I've ever played, and the games were also good enough to back that claim up.

The Crossbow from Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath

This is probably one of the most unusual firearms I've encountered, but also one of the most unique. This crossbow was custom built to be used by a bounty hunter known as the Stranger and is mounted on the back of his right hand. The crossbow itself is nothing special on its own, but the ammunition it uses is very unique to be sure. Unlike most crossbows that use arrows or short bolt-like darts, this one uses creatures picked up by the Stranger as he's on his hunts. Some of these creatures are zappflies, stingbees and fuzzles and each one is unusually dangerous despite their names.

The Peanut Popguns from the Donkey Kong Country series

These wooden handguns first appeared in Donkey Kong 64 and are wielded by Donkey Kong's nephew, Diddy Kong. Despite the fact that they are made of wood and their ammunition is peanuts of all things, they are surprisingly powerful and have left quite an impact on the series as they reappear in later Donkey Kong Country games whereas the weapons of the rest of the DK crew didn't. They are even used by Diddy Kong again in the Super Smash bros series where the ammunition will sometimes drop shelled peanuts that can be eaten to regain health.

The Blazefire Saber from Final Fantasy XIII

Okay, I'll admit this is cheating a little bit, but the way I see it is that even though it is technically a sword, it can still fire live rounds which effectively makes it a gun. This weapon (and variations of it) is used by Lightning in the Final Fantasy XIII saga and in Dissidia 012. Because it is also a sword, if it happens to run out of ammo (which never happens in the game), you can still use the blade for melee strikes. This gun also appears in the game The 3rd Birthday as an unlockable bonus.

Well, that's my list folks, if you disagree with my choices, tell me why in the comments and what you would have chosen instead. Until then, I'll be seeing you.

One hazard to avoid is if the book is just a retelling of the game because more often than not the author didn't fully play or understand the game before writing. The best route for video game books are if they are a prequel, a midquel, or a sequel/epilogue to the events of the game.

BioShock and BioShock Infinite

BioShock is definitely a universe that can and should be expanded. The first book is BioShock: Rapture. BioShock: Rapture is a prequel to the first game that that takes place after World War II. The book focuses mainly on Andrew Ryan as he begins to create his underwater utopia of Rapture and Ryan's relationships with Sullivan, Frank Fontaine, and Atlas. A problem with the book though is that with some of the explanations of some of the events in BioShock Infinite and it's two expansions, Burial at Sea Episodes 1 and 2, this book may not be canonical.

The next book is BioShock Infinite: Mind in Revolt.Though I hesitate to call this one a book because it is only about 35 pages long that you can finish in a little under an hour. Mind in Revolt is still definitely worth the read though. If you are a fan of the game you will appreciate the further insight into Daisy Fitzroy and the city of Columbia itself. Columbia isn't the utopia it makes itself out to be and Daisy isn't the saint her people make her out to be.

The Last of Us: American Dreams

This one isn't a book in novel form like the rest of the books in this article, but rather in comic book form. American Dreams is a mini series that ran for 4 issues and is a prequel to The Last of Us. This mini series focuses on the start of Ellie and Riley's friendship that leads into the story DLC for The Last of Us: Left Behind. American Dreams takes roughly one year before the events of The Last of Us and follows Ellie when she is first introduced to Riley whist in her Military Boarding School.

The art style is quite appareling and isn't like how it is shown on the cover. American Dreams was co-written by Neil Druckmann so there's no question of whether or not it's canonical. The mini series was released periodically, but now can be purchased with all 4 issues in one big comic book. This is a must buy for any fans of The Last of Us.

Metro 2033 and Metro 2034

Metro 2034is still a sequel to 2033, but instead of focusing on Artyom the perspective is shifted to Hunter, Artyom's man crush from the first game and book. It shows most of the events of 2033 through Hunter's eyes and new events he himself has to battle through. Hunter's character arch is actually pretty interesting and playing a game of his story would be amazing. Hint hint 4A Games for (hopefully) the next Metro game.

Mass Effect

The Mass Effect books have actually been treated fairly nicely with the three I like the most being written by Drew Karpyshyn, but there are others written by another author named Marc Walters that I like as well. All the books act as prequels, midquels, and sequels. Most of the fan favorite characters make an appearance or brief cameo in at least one of the books adding to the complexity that Bioware already put into them in the games.

Though, just like with BioShock: Rapture, there's no confirmation that these books are canon. I can confirm to you right now that one isn't though. Mass Effect: Deception. Not only is this game factually incorrect to the game's lore it is also not a very well written book. It really is a stain on the Mass Effect legacy. At least one part of Mass Effect 3 was really bad. Just imagine an entire book like that AND the author couldn't even bother to get the lore right. That's Mass Effect: Deception. I had to go into paint and color over it. It doesn't deserve to sit with those other books. Avoid it at all costs.

Out of all the books I've talked about and going to talk about, the Mass Effect universe, needs to be expanded on. We know Bioware are working on Mass Effect 4 (or the next Mass Effect or whatever they are calling it) and these books can not only help explore and expand on already established lore, but also hold us over until the next Mass Effect game. There's so many secrets and mysteries hiding in this universe. Why not expanded on it?

I'm a pretty big Mass Effect fan and I can safely say that all the Mass Effect books that aren't Mass Effect: Deception are pretty good. If you are a fan of the games you should check these out. Even if you want to you can read these at a library. They aren't a tough read, but if I were to pull one negative from these books; it's that you will have to have played all the games to understand everything being said. But if you interesting in reading these you've probably already played through them all.

The Elder Scrolls

Right next to Mass Effect on a list of "Games That Need Their Universes' Explored More" would be The Elder Scrolls and we get two original books to help fit that fit that category. The Infernal Cityand Lord of Souls. The Infernal City takes place 40 years after the Oblivion crisis (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) and Tamriel is once again threatened by an evil force. This time by a floating city that casts a shadow and where ever the shadow is cast people die and rise again as a kind of zombie. With a premise like that you may or may not be turned off, but the book is actually pretty well written and feels like a good adventure worthy of The Elder Scrolls name.

Lord of Souls takes place directly after the events of The Infernal City. Though, I must admit that I haven't finished this one yet. I'm still recommending it though because so far it's even better than the first one and reviews for it say the same. If anything, check out the first book and if you enjoy it get the second one. They are both still better than The Elder Scrolls: Online.

Uncharted: The Fourth Labyrinth

Uncharted: The Fourth Labyrinth is a prequel to Uncharted: Drake's Fortune written by Christopher Golden. I'm a pretty big Naughty Dog fan starting from Jak and Daxter so I was both excited and skeptical when I heard about this book. Here we have your standard Uncharted globe trotting story following Nathan Drake and Sully as they look for a fabled treasure within a mythical Fourth Labyrinth, but with a murder mystery added to it.

This time time Nate and Sully are accompanied by the murder victim's daughter, Jada Hzujak. The "who dunit" aspect gives the standard Uncharted story a more fresh take. The author, Christopher Golden, was also able to emulate Nate's and Sully's personality's almost down to a T on paper. Nate's still the lovable jerk and Sully is still that really cool grandfather you've always wanted.

As good as the book is it still isn't as good as the main Uncharted games. The only game it's better than is Golden Abyss, but that wasn't developed by Naughty Dog. The book is missing a certain "je ne sais quoi" that you only get with Naughty Dog. But in the end I still recommend that you pick this one up if you are an Uncharted fan it's still pretty good.

So in the end: video game books are pretty good, but if you want the REAL experience I'd advise you to play the actual game. Trust me. I'm a doctor man with a PHD in Video Games. If you want to read more into the lore of video games then you can safely bet on these books.

Have a good day :).

Story:

In Life is Strange you play as Max Caulfield. A socially awkward girl that has a passion for photography. While in her photography class, Max discovers that she has the ability to rewind time. but only so far. Max is the definition of socially awkward and is constantly shit on by other people who go to her school; which brings me to the first problem of the game.

Everybody is either a bully or a socially awkward victim. There is no in between apparently except for Max's friend Chloe who is introduced later on in the episode.

Writing:

It's blatantly apparent that the developers have no idea what real schools in this day in age are like. It genuinely feels like tumblr's idea of high school is. And unfortunately, that's what this game feels like. Tumblr: The Video Game.

Now, you could chalk this all up into "Maybe it's only this one school that is like this." Well if that were the case I wouldn't have a problem with it, but the dialogue is written so poorly that all the bullies' dialogue might as well have been written like "You're dead meat. I'm gonna pound you." And on top of that, the acting is just as poorly executed with the exception of one character. All the dialogue is acted out in such a stale manner. Like all the voice actors wanted to go home or something. Lip syncing is just as bad. Not one piece of dialogue matched up with any of the character's lips.

Decisions:

Just like in Telltale's TWD, Life is Strange, contains an actions and consequences element that happens through actions and dialogue. In addition to this, Max's rewind ability lets her change a decision she made on the spot. Saving you from a second play through. I actually like this because, more often or not, you're going to fuck up a timed event and with this you can save yourself the frustration of loading a previous save.
One problem I have with this actions and consequences system implemented is that so seem comical. Like, in one part of the episode, if you water a plant in your room you will get the notification that "Your action will have consequences." What's the worst that will happen? The plant hunts down and kills your mom for not watering it properly?

Graphics:

The graphics confuse me. Scenes like this one in the picture can look pretty pretty (?), but I still can't tell if the devs are going for a stylized approach like TWD or if they are trying to be realistic. It's like the developers stopped half way through making the decision and said "Fuck it. Just do both."

Opinion piece:

One thing I'd like to add that really bothered me (but probably wont bother you) is Chloe's step dad, David. Obviously this dude is going to be a huge antagonist further down the line and he's just a huge asshole the entire episode. Bulling people on campus and the lot. But it's his background and the way he's portrayed that bothers me.
David was in the military and is a huge asshole. Which I don't mind, but it's the way that his and Chloe's dialogue is written that bothers me. "I was in the military." "He was in the military." "You're paranoid." "War does that to you." It's like the developers are trying to imply really negative things about the military. And they just keep going on and on about how he was in the military and he's an asshole. But that's just me. So if that doesn't bother you, then more power to you.

Before I wrap up this review I'd like to talk about Max's friend; Delsin Rowe... I mean Chloe. Chloe's voice actress sounds like the only one in the entire episode actually trying. You can tell that she has some pretty intense demons under her tough punk exterior. She's genuinely interesting and I want to know more about her and her missing friend Rachel Amber.
Why the fuck aren't we playing a game about her?? Max is so stale and boring. It would be a lot more interesting to see Chloe change into the rebellious punk she is in Life is Strange. But that's just me.

I tried so hard to like this game. I really did. I brushed aside all the preconceived notions I had about it before playing and tried to get invested, but in the end I just couldn't. To me: the only one redeeming factor in this game is Chloe's character. I'm probably going to buy the rest of the episodes when they come out just to find out what happens to her.
Overall, it's lackluster to say the least. I was hoping for a deep story which game like from the likes of Telltale, but what I got was Gone Home meets The Walking Dead. Sound on paper, but was executed poorly. I wasn't going to recommend this, but given that it's only $5. So if you have the extra cash and have already bought every Telltale game; you should try it. Maybe you will get engrossed in it. Unfortunately, I didn't.
And if you want a numerical score: 6/ 10

*This review is written improperly because I originally posted it on FunnyJunk. The reason that I basically copied and pasted it from their is because I'm really proud of this piece. I've never had anyone else read my writings so constructive criticism is much appreciated so my writing will improve in future articles. I hope you have a wonderful day.

My parents never loved me like a PS1 did anyway.

I've always been a big fan of Rockstar, and whenever any Grand Theft Auto was released, I lapped it up like a crack addict relapsing in a snowstorm. The glory days of Take-Two and Rockstar filled us with unending joy, from Bully (originally entitled Canis Canem Edit) for the Playstation 2, and eventually Xbox 360 to Manhunt, GTA III, Vice City, and many, many others. It seems that production in Rockstar games has come to a very slow pattern over the last few years and with their recent release of Grand Theft Auto V, I decided to revisit it and give it a play to see where it stands.

LET'S BEGIN.

Grand Theft Auto V puts you in the role of Michael Townley, or uh...Michael De Santa if you know what's good for you. The story begins with a prologue. North Yankton, Ludendorff. Nine years ago. Michael, Trevor, and Brad are three friends, a crew, who are turning over a cash depot when, shocker, things don't go to plan and Brad and Michael are shot and Trevor escapes into the woods of Canada. This begins the game with is set nine years later. Michael is a rich, lonely, miserable wreck in Witness Protection following the fucked up prologue. He hates his life and what his family has become. His tendency to fly of the handle lands him in trouble when he befriends Franklin Clinton, who he recently discovered stealing his idiotic son's car. His escapades with Franklin earn him the unwanted attention of one of the West Coast's biggest criminal gang-leader, Martin Madrazo, and as a result, Michael must pick up his balaclava and six shooter once more to rob and pillage Los Santos. However, following a successful stint, the once-thought-dead Michael is suddenly noticed by none other than his psychotic ex-best friend: Trevor Phillips.

Why, Mikey? Why?

Michael Townley is the first ever Grand Theft Auto character to actually be a married man and living in a nuclear family. As far as he goes as a man, he seems to share the same characteristics of any psychopath. He is a bitter, angry man who seems to hate rotting away in Los Santos and doesn't quite come alive until there really is a threat or action. He tears down houses, murders people, and in the end, he finds that the very thing pulling the family apart is the same thing that can bring it together. He is a funny character, with great lines, and his chemistry with Trevor is great. However things that sell him short is his consistency to want to kill Trevor, almost achieving this back in Ludendorff and in the final mision: Death wish. 

Trevor is the catalyst that sold GTA V like it did. A necrophiliac cannibal with an addiction to meth-amphetamines, his introduction to the audience is in one of the most symbolic ways possible. Trevor is introduced murdering Johnny Klebitz from GTA IV, the second protagonist and playable character in The Lost and Damned DLC. Trevor fucks his girlfriend, turns, smashes Johnny in the face and crushes his head with a few stamps from his boot. One story ends, another begins. 

Our final character of the trio, Franklin Clinton turns out to be the most under-developed and ultimately useless one of the group. An ex-gang banger with delusions of "makin' it big, dawg," his aspirations earn him looks of disapproval from his friends and family, and earns him a one way ticket to Betrayal Town with people who can't be trusted. He flows through the game like any throwaway character, spouting bad one-liners and ultimately only becoming semi-useful in the end when you use him to either murder Michael or Trevor. 

Grand Theft Auto V: Good ol' fashioned racial stereotypes DLC only $19.95.

Gameplay mechanics in GTA V seemed to have improved greatly. Borrowing a similar platform style to Max Payne 3, shooting is a lot easier, with a simplistic approach to aiming and weapon selection. Looking back at the controls for GTA IV, Rockstar have centered on linear control, allowing more advanced driving and shooting, with a more active cover system. Everything feels a little too polished, with some buyers remarking that GTA IV driving seemed a lot more enjoyable and took skill, while GTA V's car handling has been suited for twelve year old's. Ludicrous! Grand Theft Auto isn't played by twelve year old's...

...

Ahem...

Rockstar seems to have changed a lot of GTA V's mechanics. Physical control of your car means that flipping it over means you just have to shimmy your joystick a little and it'll flip right back. This seems like a pointless feature, and ruins the idea that reckless driving has consequences. Another issue I seemed to find with the game is of course, the very same things others have found problems with:

"Is he jaywalking? BRING OUT THE DE-VIRGINIZER."

These bastards. I am unsure of whether or not game developers decided to go overkill due to GTA IV's cops being bumbling morons, but the fact that cops in GTA V resemble The Terminator is an annoying feature. Cops are quick to shoot, quick to appear, and if you think physics were thrown out just with cars, you can think again, hombre. 

Police in this game will spawn almost anywhere, as well as helicopters coming from complete blank areas, you are fucked pretty much up from a three star wanted level. Cops will ram you, shoot you with precise aiming, and if you think your modified sports car will change anything you are sadly mistaken. Cops are armored, quick, and will corner you like a rat and shoot you from across the map with a potato gun and you'll still wonder how fucking high the game developers were when they were making them as a feature.

Previous stories in GTA involved your main character being a lowlife criminal who raises through the ranks and fights his way to the top. In this one, your character has pretty much done that. The game centers around the trio robbing shit, then paying for it for the rest of the game. The three heroes are constantly and proverbially fucked in the ass over money, teasing big pays for big risks, and then they're bum-rushed and screwed over at every chance they get. Like a large metaphor for capitalism at its finest, the best way to make big money, is to play the stock market, like the suit and tie capitalist pink you are.

Dan Houser's taken a turn for the worst since GTA's release.

The story gives way to a final choice with Franklin. Three endings, which, surprisingly, sell the game shorter. Unlike other amazing, philosophical endings like GTA IV's, V seems to cram in three awful conclusions to a game that wasn't the best or the worst in the franchise. 

ENDING A: Kill Michael. 

Franklin kills Michael who has his life in order. It's a depressing, bleak, and ultimately anti-climactic end. 

ENDING B: Kill Trevor.

You and Michael kill Trevor, setting him ablaze. In the end Michael comes full circle as a slimy scumbag who sells his friends short and kills his best friend. 

ENDING C: The happy-dappy walk-away-into-the-sunset ending which leaves all three alive, killing off the competition and living happily ever after. The ending felt so false and rushed that I believe somewhere on the cutting room floor, GTA V has a hidden ending which encapsulates what was really trying to be put across. The trio all escape and stay best chums with their lives ahead of them and no issues from th FiB or the agency or whatever cheap antagonist decides to show up. It was a low end for an otherwise high game. 

Being such a big fan of Rockstar, I've loved their games over the years; Red Dead, Max Payne, GTA, Manhunt, and somewhere along the line I felt that GTA V, in all its glory and beauty, was a game that didn't live up to the hype it was given. It was a fun game, with interesting characters, but was sold short in the story and ending which didn't seem up to par with other games in the series. While enjoyable, it is a game which didn't leave an impression on me like others did, and while I have tried my best to be fair, it seems more like a game that was manufactured and polished, rather than a game with heart and soul like IV, or Vice City, or any other Rockstar game.

7/10.

Don't even get me started on GTA: Online.

Summed it up in one picture, son.

Max Payne, out.

Now, unlike the show, the game actually has a plot. Because of how good Arino had become at classic games, he becomes a god-like demon called the Retro Game Master and sends the player into the 80's where you must complete gaming challenges in his domain. Now because of the licensing issues with making a game like this, eight brand new NES styled games were created instead. These titles replicate the look and feel of of the era they represent extremely well and could even be considered legitimate individual titles in their own right.

• Cosmic Gate (a space shooter inspired by games like Galaga and Space Invaders)
• Robot Ninja Haggle Man (an arcade platformer styled after Ghosts 'N' Goblins and the many ninja themed games of that time)
• Rally King (a racing game modeled after titles like Super Off Road and Bump 'N Jump)
• Star Prince (a space themed shmup designed after games like Gradius and Star Soldier)
• Rally King SP (a more difficult reskin of Rally King meant to parody "special edition" games given out as contest prizes)
• Robot Ninja Haggle Man 2 (the sequel to the first Haggle Man, it has the same gameplay, but levels are much larger and more difficult)
• Guadia Quest (an RPG inspired by games like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy)
• Robot Ninja Haggle Man 3 (the sequel to Haggle Man 2, this game parodies how many games underwent a drastic redesign for their sequels. It is modeled after Ninja Gaiden)

All in all, this title replicates the games and magazines from the 80's extremely well. Each of the eight games are responsive, the music is well designed for the games they are made for, and after all of the challenges for a specific game are finished, you can play the game in its entirety from the title screen without any of young Arino's commentary. If you buy the game and happen to like it, I would also recommend the show from which it is based. Most of the episodes have been getting subtitled by fans and are being posted here. I think you might enjoy them too, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

• Unite Hand can turn gears and ignite itself to throw fireballs
• Unite Sword can cut cables, unlock diamond shaped keyholes, repel lasers and act as a lightning rod
• Unite Gun can hit distant and unreachable targets
• Unite Hammer can pound switches, break floors and protect against arial fire
• Unite Whip can be used to swing from certain points and can rip spikes from their mounts
• Unite Claw can be used to scale walls, pry open doors and can occasionally freeze enemies
• Unite Bomb can temporarily slow time to a near standstill in a given radius

Now my favorite part, the Boss Fights. Each of these fights are unique and interesting, sometimes even being dramatically overdone to the point where it keeps trying to top its own wackiness. A couple of these fights even play homage to the Punch-Out!! series of games which amused me to the point of laughing. I just wasn't expecting anything like that at all. All of these fights also start with a cutscene of Wonder Red initiating his suit's Infinity Form which greatly increases his power and endurance for the duration of the fight. Whenever this scene happens, I always find myself mimicking Red's movements. It's just one of those things that made me feel like I was a kid again sitting in front of the TV watching Power Rangers and eating some sugary cereal.

All in all, this game has been an invigorating experience for me. The controls were great, the music was fantastic and each level was extremely well made and had something unique to offer from it. The camera's isometric view might cause some viewing issues during close up shots, but it can be zoomed out in some cases where that happens. Still, I highly recommend you pick up this game because this underrated title has been one of the most fun games I've played in years. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

Reason 1: The Story

Reason 2: The Director

Many of you know that who directs the film can either make it or break it depending on how they interpret the source material. A good example would be Joss Whedon when he directed The Avengers, whereas a bad one would be M Night Shyamalan when he directed that godawful film, The Last Airbender. Now the director that has signed on for this film is Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment who has directed the fantastically scary films The Ring and The Grudge which both follow under the same kind of psychological horror that Five Nights pulls of quite well. If anyone can make a good film based on that game, it'll be him.

Reason 3: The Original Creator's Involvement

"The story really lends itself to being a movie and it taps into a largely unexplored niche of horror that a lot of people will be able to relate to."

Scott Pilgrim Graphic Novel

Scott Pilgrim vs The World (Film)

Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game

Well, that's all I can say about this. If you wish to buy the books or the movie, you can get them from Amazon for pretty reasonable prices and if you wish to buy the game, you can download it to the PS3 and XB360 for about $15USD. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Graphic Novel Score:

Film Score:

Game Score:

The controls for the game are fairly simple, but also complex enough to require a fair amount of skill to be good at it. B is Jump, Y is Shoot, A is Dash and X cycles through your weapons. Holding L locks the position of your gun in place so you can move without readjusting your aim. Hold R to use your shield and this is quite critical to know as your shield can block almost everything in front of you. If this control scheme doesn't suit you just right, you can change the controls in the options from the title screen.

All in all, while the game is hard, it is also very rewarding. Since the controls are tight and responsive, it is YOUR fault if you mess up, not the game's. Its music also gives the game a sense of actual accomplishment if you happen to do well. I personally felt very pleased with myself when I finally beat the game almost fifteen years after getting it as a child. So, if you want a difficult but rewarding game with tight controls and badass music, then Cybernator is your game. It is also available on the Wii's and Wii U's Virtual Console service. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

So I am here to ask you two questions: Can/Will video game movies ever be good and Should video game movies even exist? Those really are the age old question in the video game industry. We know that video game movies in the past have been awful, but does that necessarily mean that future video game movies are going to be just as bad?

One of the most prevalent problems that video game movies have is the lack of care the directors, writers, and producers have for the source material. Most of the time, the directors or writers, have little care for the game and are only working on the film for sake of a pay check. Now, I'm usually against fanboys taking over something like a game franchise, but for a video game movie it works because they actually want to represent the source material fairly. This is why fan made movies on YouTube usually are the best adaptations out there right now.

My solution to this is for the developers to make an entirely CG movie. That way the original game directors, writers, and voice actors can produce an actual representation of the game counterpart. A good example would be Resident Evil: Degeneration and Damnation. Lower budget, but infinitely better than the extremely lackluster Paul W.S. Anderson films. Now imagine this for every video game and even your favorite game. That way you never have to lose familiar voice actors to over used Hollywood actors and you can still have the same writers and directors from those games.Fun fact: George A. Romero was actually originally going to make the Resident Evil movie. he even sat down with one of his assistants who played through the first game while he took notes.

So yes, I do believe that video games movies should still happen because one of these days a director and writer that actual care about the game will do it justice. I have a few good examples of this coming up.

For better or for worse, a few video game movies have been planned, but have been since cancelled. One of the most popular victim of this was a potential BioShock movie that was to be directed by Gore Verbinski (Director of the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and Rango). This was cancelled for many reasons, but mostnotably was the cost. The cost to make the underwater looking sets to represent Rapture would have been astronomical. And since the film would have needed to have been rated R the budget would have been a lot lower than a PG-13 movie. So a BioShock movie was canned.

When I first heard a movie of The Last of Us announced I was disappointed because I was sure that it was going to stain The Last of Us name. But then I saw a glimmer of hope; Neil Druckmann, the writer and director of TLoU game was writing the script. And to further my hope, Naughty Dog, has final say on casting choices and changes to the story. I was also excited when Neil Druckmann stated that Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) may play Ellie. Now, I'm exited and looking forward to The Last of Us film.

A Half-Life film has been in development hell almost as long as Half Life 3. Two notable directors actual want to be the director; J.J. Abrams and Quentin Tarantino. Both are actually fans of the game and I believe both could do the franchise justice. Though, if I had to pick; I'd pick J.J. Abrams. His style offilmmaking would much better match the style of Half-life. Again, nothing against Tarantino. I actual am a Tarantino fanboy, but I see Abrams much better suited for the Half-Life movie. A Portal film would also suit J.J. Abrams very well with Olivia Wilde as Chell. That's something I'd like to see.

Until the day that Hollywood decides to make a good video game movie, Fan films are your best bet. This also is a good example of why fans of the games should be in charge of making video game films. Of course since they are indie films, the budget, isn't very high so you have to cut them some slack, but there are some pretty good ones. These fan films usually all live on YouTube. Some good fan films of games are inspired from: Half-Life (pictured above), Mass Effect, BioShock, Mortal Kombat, Fallout, and Watch Dogs. Fans have the power to make the game better or worse.

In the end, I do believe that video game movies will one day be as good or even better than the game they are based on. They need to be given to filmmakers who actually want to do the source material justice instead of just getting a paycheck.

(Only creatures that are non-playable in their source game are eligible for this list. Also, please keep in mind that my opinions may or may not reflect your own, this list is entirely biased)

Lumas from Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2

Pikmin

LocoRoco

Slimes from the Dragon Quest Series

Tamagotchi

Chao from the Sonic the Hedgehog series

Chocobo from the Final Fantasy series

Pichu from the Pokémon series

Nintendogs

Lynians from the Monster Hunter series

Ahem...Well that was my list. If you disagree with my choices, tell me why in the comments and what you would have chosen instead. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take a sledgehammer to a shed wall in order to reclaim my manliness. Until next time, I'll be seeing you.

Honorable Mention: Viva Piñata

I would've included at least one piñata from this game in the list if it wasn't for the fact that all of them in the game are pretty much equal in cuteness, but only in large numbers. It wouldn't have been fair to just choose one.

Welcome to "Early Access Impressions"!

One of the great things about PC Gaming is the amount of games in Early Access.

For those not familiar with Steam's Early Access system, developers release their unfinished games at a reduced cost at both benefit to the user and the developer.

The user is essentially an In-Dev Tester(yes that means broken games) and they get the game once it becomes full release. This series will feature games in Early Access as I get to them. And there's a lot.

Onto the show!

Killing Floor 2 is a first person co-op shootin' wave survivin' gore fest.

Developed by Tripwire Interactive Killing Floor 2 is kind of like Left 4 Dead and Call Of Duty's Nazi Zombies had a Super HD and over the top cRazY baby.

The gameplay is solid. Running around the maps aiming down sights and blowing apart heads feels very satisfying. Teamwork is made very essential in KF2. While a solo mode is available I wouldn't suggest it, even on Normal difficulty, you're gonna have a bad time. These are very similar characteristics to the original Killing Floor although I'd say KF2 is a more fluid experience.

                                                                                                                                                                                    Visually this game is amazing. If you told me this was developed by a AAA developer I'd believe you. Above you can see me blowing apart the head of a Siren in Slow Motion. The picture really doesn't do it justice but the gore effects are very very nice.

The enemy types is something else to consider. At this point in the early access stage the game features the standard Zed, Scrakes, Fleshpounds, Sirens, Crawlers, Stalkers, Sirens, Bloats, Gorefasts, Stalkers, Ranged Zeds(who I cant find the name of) and  the newest addition, an end level boss.

Going by the name of Hans Volter, this is one boss you should not take lightly. Multiple times I've been blown up, shot or poisoned by Hans Volter. While difficult to defeat Hans is that much more rewarding a kill. The difficulty in KF2, I think, is just right.

After you and your team destroy those enemies that have spawned, after each round you are then prompted to go to head to the trader with all that Dosh you've earned. 

Weapon variety is something Tripwire definitely needs to work on. 

Being the crazy over the top gory shooter this game is, my commando class felt no love in the crazy weapon department. Although there is decent variety, it got boring very quickly knowing that every time i played I just had to save up enough Dosh for that SCAR-H to be destroying zeds effectively. Keep in mind, this is early access, so there's a very good chance more content is coming. Map variety also needs to be improved at this point in time.

Glitches?

I didn't see any. Other than the fact that the matchmaking doesn't seem to be 100% working yet (sometimes I'd get thrown into games outside my search preferences) this game is virtually glitch free. This is probably one of the first times I've looked at an Early Access release that is actually very stable. Good on ya' Tripwire!

Final Thoughts

-Killing Floor 2 is just great. As far as an early access release, probably one of the best.
 
-The gameplay is solid feeels great and offers enough variety in weapons and enemies at this point in time to be satisfying.

-It's visually amazing with great lighting very high quality water and gore effects that are all so shiny I couldn't wait until the next Zed exploded.

-I think what makes this game even more amazing is how impossible they made winning, without a team. This is a real co-op survival shooter.

If you are the kind of gamer who likes blowing apart zombie heads with shotguns or slicing them off with military shovels, Killing Floor 2 is a must buy. I would suggest getting it soon, as the price will only go up. Just pray Tripwire adds more content before the full release.

I am also excluding games that are already getting movies so I apologize to games like The Last of Us, Uncharted, Half-life, and Portal. The games on here aren't obscure by the eyes of us gamers, but not many of them have been considered for a film adaptation. So you may not see the games you wanted on here.

Hotline Miami

Clearly the developers, Dennaton Games,were at least some what inspired by Drive (2011) starring Ryan Gosling. This bloody, pulse pounding game could transition fairly well to the big screen. I believe it would be important for the actor to play Jacket to not speak, but rather show his emotions through his actions. It would keep the air of mystery around him like in the game.

The soundtrack is one of the best you'll ever hear in gaming and would work for a film adaptation. The story is very well written and is a damn good one at that. It would be preferable that the combat/fighting scenes are as smoothly choreographed as the fight scenes in The Raid and as stylish as the fight scene in the nightclub in John Wick.

Do you like hurting other people?

The Cat Lady

It's no secret that I love this game, but The Cat Lady would still work as a emotional psychological thriller movie. The point and click gameplay that helped make the game unique doesn't necessarily need to be in The Cat Lady to keep the intriguing story and spooky atmosphere. It would basically be the proper Silent Hill movie since Hollywood screwed that up twice.

The actress that would play Susan can not be attractive, or at least can't be extremely attractive like most actresses since Susan is depicted as being unattractive. The overall mood and atmosphere would also have to be perfectly recreated down to a T. Let the scenery do the talking rather than the actors. Though Susan would have to talk, unlike Jacket from Hotline Miami.

Nekopara

Now hear me out.....this explanation could go a few ways so let me explain. I am not a weeaboo. Hell, the only anime series I've ever seen was Pokemon when I was a kid, but the Nekopara Vol. 1 visual novel was very well made. I can definitely see it as either a movie or an anime series. The hentai and other stuff aside, the story was pretty convincing and you do end up caring for Chocola and Vanilla.

Who would play Chocola and Vanilla would be anyone's guess. The humor and drama were well handled..and yes the sex scenes were too, but those probably wouldn't be in a movie or anime series. Maybe a hentai series which would be...interesting. Anyways, Nekopara still has a good convincing that you should definitely check out.....but for the "full" experience you need to buy the 18+ version off of the developer's website. Just a suggestion.

Alan Wake

If you haven't played Alan Wake then shame on you. Just kidding. Alan Wake is a game set up like a T.V. series. Even to the point of having a "Previous on Alan Wake.." narration between chapters. If you've played the game then you know that it has an absolutely amazing story. Obviously taking inspiration from Stephen King. Alan Wake even references him as an inspiration.

It would be fairly easy to adapt Alan Wake into a movie. The model of Alan Wake is based off Ilkka Villi and voiced by Mathew Porretta, whereas Alice Wake's model is based off of Jonna Järvenpää. Having Ilkka play Alan Wake in a movie would be the preferable option andJonna Järvenpää as Alice Wake. The dark and spooky atmosphere of the game would make this film a great psychological thriller. Check out this awesome music video from Poets of the Fall to get a taste of an Alan Wake movie.

Max Payne

Okay, okay. I know that this one shouldn't count, but holy hell, the actually Max Payne movie was so awful. Like really?? Mark Wahlberg as Max Payne?? Nothing against the guy as an actor, but as Max Payne? That was a horrible idea. Max Payne's story is so tragic, but the way he goes on a war path, in the games, for revenge is stylish and awesome. This shouldn't have been a screw up of a movie, but it was. So why not a reboot?

Remedy, the developers of Max Payne 1 and 2, did the same thing with Max's character model as they did with Alan Wake's; they based it on a real actor. He even voices Max in the game. James McCaffrey is the definitive Max Payne and should have played him in the movie. So in a reboot, James,should play Max. With Courtney Cox as Mona Sax since they look alike. The dark noir tone of the Max Payne games would work beautifully on the big screen.

Obviously, I wasn't able to put every game that would work well as a movie on here. Which is why I'd like you to comment on this with your suggestion of a game that would be a cool movie. Hopefully, I can make an updated list with all the suggestions. Until then have a good day :)

Monkey tries to get into an escape pod, but Trip takes it and ejects it with Monkey hanging on for dear life. After they crash land, Monkey wakes to find that Trip has fitted him with a slave head band that will inject him with a neurotoxin if she either dies or he tries to escape. Making him Enslaved. Monkey now must help Trip get home. The story is fairly simple and easy to follow. At first you dislike Trip, like Monkey, because she essentially makes him her slave, but as the story progresses you begin to care about her just as Monkey does. It's very similar to the likes of BioShock: Infinite and The Last of Us, but Enslaved did it before them.

....at least for about half way through the game. Then the developers completely forget about this interesting piece of gameplay and just stick to the hacking and slashing and shooting and covering. It's sad that the distraction part of gameplay eventually disappears because it's the only thing that keeps the gameplay fresh. Even the platforming is really scripted. Monkey can only climb on certain objects in the environment. It's definitely apparent after playing games like Tomb Raider and Uncharted. Enemies are also pretty stale. Just rush-in-and-melee mechs and annoyingly-shoot-from-afar mechs. There is a few boss fights, but they are only with 2 or 3 of the same bigger mechs.

After clearing out an area of mechs you can walk around the environment and see a once booming city now nothing more than dying buildings and streets. Even being 5 years old this game still looks pretty good. Obviously, it's not on par with games like Metal Gear Solid V and The Order: 1886, but it still looks pretty good. Especially when Monkey and Trip look off into the distance.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is very underrated. The story is good and the graphics are really good. It's a shame this game was overlooked because it sets up a sequel fairly properly, but due to low sales the idea was scrapped. Yes, I will admit that the gameplay was interesting at first, but about half way through they disappear in favor of VERY safe and rather stale gameplay. But overall, I still very much like this game. Andy Serkis and Lindsey Shaw give it their all and it shows because it is very convincing. You should definitely check this one out 8.5/10

The troops are your main means of getting a large bronze bell from your side of the field toward the back gate so you can proceed to the next stage. Once again, by itself, this sounds fairly easy enough, but you also have that big freaking cannonball to worry about, and it CAN kill your soldiers if you aren't paying attention. However, if you can find it, there is a power-up that can help with this. If your odama is glowing green, not only will it not flatten your army, but it will also turn any enemy soldier that you crush over to your side. This is often necessary as adding more troops to the field will raise your army's morale making them more likely to follow the orders you will eventually and inevitably scream into the microphone.

If it wasn't already hard enough that these two gameplay elements were clashing head to head with each other, there is one last one that pushes the difficulty over the threshold from being reasonably fun and challenging to being a hair pulling nightmare. Each and every level in the game has a VERY strict time limit that results in an INSTANT loss regardless of how many odamas you have left. This time limit bullcrap is the reason why I was unable to legitimately get past the eighth board, otherwise known as The Spider Temple.

While this game is extraordinarily hard, I don't at all hate it. Its challenge is excruciating, yes, but it more than makes up for its short length. It reminds me of those old NES games that were short but had enough challenge to make it worth it. All in all, I suggest you try this game out if you're looking for a legitimately challenging game that is guaranteed to make you rage. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

Graphics

Now the DS version released in late 2007 was much different as it has fully polygonal characters, enemies, and environments which made everything feel much more alive and vibrant. Plus it allowed for much more detailed character animation which was shown quite prominently from the game's many dancers scattered around the world's many towns and kingdoms (I'm quite partial to the City of Troia myself). Overall, the DS version a much better visual treat than the SNES version.

Music

If Final Fantasy's spinoff series Theatrhythm has shown anything, then the music is just as iconic as everything else in the game. The music in the SNES version is especially good, ranging from atmospheric, to intense, to melancholy and even climactic. It certainly does its job considering the hardware limitations imposed by the console's specifications.

The DS version however is honestly not much different. Aside from having some slightly better audio files for the game's midi tracks, the music is virtually identical. There are a couple of songs in the game where the music is noticeably higher quality than its SNES counterpart (Most noticeably Fabul Castle) which is I guess a pretty nice bonus if you happen to remember what the orginal sounded like. All in all, I'd say the DS version wins this category, but not by much.

Translation

Now because the DS had a much more memory, a more accurate and faithful translation of the original story could be used in the game allowing for a much better understanding of the plot which was also accompanied by cut-scenes with stellar voice acting. In addition to this, more of the story that had been left on the cutting room floor during the SNES version's development period was able to be re-added allowing for even more back story to be told on the game's antagonist, Golbez. Gonna have to give the scoring point to the DS version here.

Gameplay

Now if you want a REAL challenge, the DS version is where it's at. The enemies are much more threatening and items and characters can actually be customized further to better suit your needs. The boss battles are also require much more thought involved as well as many of them either counter half of what you throw at them, or they they are immune to everything else. Also, exclusive to the DS version are special side missions with Namingway, and a special little Eidolon that you can also customize and have fight in place of your summoner, Rydia. This Eidolon can be trained to become stronger through minigames that are played with the touch screen and can also be used in a special one-on-one battle mode with another player a la Pokemon. The DS version is definitely the way to go here.

Overall

The DS version is hands down the winner of this contest. It just has so much more to offer than the original and it really shows. While the SNES version has a special place in my heart, it just can't hold a candle to this exceptionally well made remake. Plus, since it is a DS game, it can be played on 3DS systems without any problem. Don't have a 3DS either? Well there is also a PC version available that is basically the same version as the DS one, minus the special Eidolon and the associated minigames. Not really a big loss, but I like to have my games with as much content as possible. Maybe you do too, who knows? But until then, I'll see you next time.

SNES Score:

DS Score:

Unturned is in early access. Normally I'd steer clear of that too, but this is a great example of how Early Access should be used. The developer is constantly updating the game and keeping the players up to date with what he's doing with the game and what tweaks he's making. Believe it or not, but Unturned is actually also free. So if you are at all interested you can get it on Steam.

Unturned's map is of decent size. Consisting of small towns, waterfronts, a military base, and airport. You can repair cars to travel to these locations faster. Items also respawn after leaving your game so it's really easy to farm for more important items to fight off zombies and other players. Unfortunately, because famous YouTubers have played this game on their channels, you will find an abundance of little kids running around killing everyone. But you can still find normal servers or you can play by yourself in single player.

Unturned also has a fatigue system so you will need to regularly eat and drink to stay alive. This seems a bit extreme in game though. You will constantly have to be looking for food and water because you character begins desperately needing them after only about 5 to 10 minutes with out eating or drinking. 

Unlike Minecraft, textures aren't very detailed. They are usually only one color; even on the highest settings. This is upsetting, but again, Unturned is in Early Access so that can easily change somewhere down the line.  Unturned also doesn't currently have in game music. You may or may not like that depending on your preference. Walking around in the complete darkness of night with no music of sound can be pretty atmospheric, but some dark and lonely music in a setting like that would have been preferable. But right now, the only music is the main menu music. 

Most computers shouldn't have a huge problem running it either. Unturned is very well optimized. You can customize just about everything in terms of graphics settings. There's even an option to enable a nifty little FPS counter to show you how many frames per second you are getting so you can change your graphics settings accordingly. 

Unturned also has a pretty good crafting system. Though it's mainly only used for creating structures like player made homes and forts. There isn't any in game recipes on how to create items so you will more than likely be consulting the Unturned wiki pretty often to make a basic house. 

Typically the best place to find any attachment is in the military base. So as soon as you find a map in game you should head there and stock up on guns and ammo.  Scopes are especially varied starting with improved iron sights to red dot sights to scopes that can practically see across the entire map. While guns with no attachments can still get the job done, it's still nice to have attachments to make the job easier.

While the game is free, there is a optional "Gold Upgrade" that gives you some improvements in game. They aren't anything that make the game insanely different or make you over powered, but they are noticeable. It's only $5 and a one time charge. I recommend that you get this with the game. Not for the upgrades, but to support the developer.  The developer of Unturned is a 17 year old kid and he's offering the game for free. In his own words when asked if the price of Unturned will ever change, “It will remain free, but the abilities provided by Gold may change. Nothing that will make the game pay to win, however.“

Unturned is a solid game that has a lot of potential and this potential may be realized since it is in Early Access. You have nothing to lose by checking this game out. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day :). 

Basis

Shadow Warrior is a wonderful ride through humor and gut wrenching fun where you play as the geeky lovable mercenary Lo Wang, working currently as one ofOrochi Zilla's right hand and reliable mercenaries' with his new side kick Hoji, a demon banished from his home world. Together combining both of Hoji's demon magic and Lo Wang's amazing katana mastery, they power their way through the demon hordes in this unlikely duo's journey for the Nobitsura Kage.

Game-play

Game-play in shadow warrior is quite fun. You can hack hack slash and shoot just about anything in the entire game and, yes the demons of course! you will obtain more weapons through out your adventure, such a the quad barrel shotgun. all of these attainable weapons all have upgrades to make these weapons even stronger than they already are but, be careful with your cash you will not be able to upgrade everything just like in previous games like Bioshock. When in combat your are scored for every move you make and how that move effects your enemy's body. So for example if you pull out your revolver and score a flawless head shot on a standard demon you shall be rewarded with more karma which is used to upgrade Wang's combat abilities (but not Hoji's demon attributes). Combat is broken down into;

• Small Encounters
• Large Encounters

  

• Boss Fights

1. Exploration
2. Scavenging
3. ADT (attention to detail)

Story

(This is where the very minor spoilers I mentioned are at)

Closing Statement

Overall, Shadow Warrior is a hell of a lot of fun and really deserves a lot more credit that what it has received over the course of all most two years since it's first release on PC. The game hits it all. Shadow Warrior plays with your emotions makes you laugh and could at times make you feel like an absolute badass and, I would STRONGLY recommend this game to any one who enjoys first person action with a deep and meaning full story with lovable and interesting characters. FINAL SCORE: 4.5/5

Before I begin, I'd like to explain that I previewed/played the Xbox One version of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited beta. So any and all problems I found within the beta may be resolved before the game's official release date of June 9, 2015.

That being said, I found the controls to be fine. I never found myself tripping over the controller trying to remember which button does what. You still use the left stick to move, the right stick to move the camera, Left Trigger blocks, and Right attacks. Those are the controls that need to stay the same to keep the game playable, and they are the same. 

I couldn't shake the feeling of how strange the first person camera feels. It feels....wrong. Like it isn't meant to be in the game. It's clear the developers put more time and polish into the third person camera, which works well.

The graphics for ESO on Xbox One can be very pretty at times, especially far off vistas. Standing on a mountain over looking Tamriel is a good example of that. ESO definitely has the look of a Bethesda Game Studios Elders Scrolls entry. The textures are a bit of a different story though. 

If you run up to an NPC or any texture in the world too fast then you have to wait a second or two for that texture to fully load. This is especially apparent when you run up to an NPC to open up dialogue and turn in a quest. And even with the texture fully loaded it isn't as pretty as the Elder Scrolls has been before. 

Though, I suppose this is excusable considering it is an MMO with a huge world and dozens of players with you at times. If ZeniMax Online tried to implement Skyrim level graphics into a game of this magnitude then it would more than likely run very poorly. Fortunately, ESO runs rather smoothly. One thing I have to commend ESO for is that there are no load times going into major cities. Similar to Morrowind. This was minor annoyance in Oblivion and Skyrim so it is nice to see it ironed out in ESO. The load times going into buildings is near instantaneous, which on console is a rarity so it's a nice touch. 

Magic also isn't as streamlined as it was in Skyrim. Your melee attacks are interrupted to use any magic attacks which are mapped to the face buttons. I found myself not using magic attacks at all really. Strangely enough, magic doesn't seem to be as important in ESO as it was in previous entries even though the game still encourages you to play with a magic style. Though, this didn't bother me very much because I rarely use magic in Elder Scrolls games; a lot of players still enjoy playing in the Mage class, but here it feels watered down.

In there attempts of being WoW, ZeniMax Online, have watered down the Elder Scrolls experience to the point where it, sadly, feels like a generic MMO with an Elder Scrolls coat of paint. 

Some things are strangely taking out of ESO that were in previous Elder Scrolls game. Like being able to loot all bodies, not in ESO. Only certain bodies can be looted. I suppose it's to help preserve the economy of the game so players can't farm the same types of enemies for hours. Not being able to read every book is gone too. Now, you can only read "lore books" which, yes, are still nice to read if you are into the lore, but there aren't many of those. Also, how is "The Lusty Argonian Maid" in ESO when it was written by an Imperial in the Third Era? I know this sounds like I'm really nitpicking, but it just furthers my concern with how canon this game is when the developers can't even get Bethesda's original lore right. 

You can't loot every object in the world either anymore. So no more stealing goblets and plates to sell for a few gold each. Strangest yet, no more sitting down on chairs and benches. Why this was taking out? I have no idea. Why couldn't the developers go for a more original experience rather than a WoW clone? It's the Elder Scrolls. It was one of the most original games back in the day.

If you aren't an Elder Scrolls fan, this isn't going to be the game that converts you. I am, however, a huge Elder Scrolls fanboy so I can still see myself getting lost in this game for hours upon hours when it officially releases despite these flaws. But again, like I said, this was a beta so everything I just said could be completely different when the final game launches. Maybe, and hopefully, all these issues and concerns are ironed out in the final product. 

I also recorded some gameplay if you are interested in watching the beta in action:

A big thanks to ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda Softworks for allowing me to participate in the limited access beta of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited for Xbox One.

The Cat Lady is a point and click adventure game developed by Harvester Games and published by Screen 7. This is genuinely one of the creepiest games I've ever played. The atmosphere and art style are so spooky that this feels like one of those haunted games in Creepypastas. Most point and click games in this day and age are underrated, but The Cat Lady takes the cake for the most underrated point and click game.

The story is very well told and you a genuinely begin to care about Susan and the people you encounter on your journey. Though, some people may not be who they say they are; thread lightly...

Other developers really should take notes from this gem on how to tackle depression in video games. The Cat Lady is really an emotional roller coaster that will leave you in tears during more intense moments of the game. Two things I got from this experience was a new found appreciation for life and a stronger will to live. You know when a game can do that to you that it did something right. That wasn't until I had finished the game though so if you don't finish it quickly while you're depressed it may make you even sadder so head my warning.

The Cat Lady is unlike anything I've ever experienced. It manages to capture the horror atmosphere of the earlier Silent Hill games and what made point and click games like The Secret of Monkey Island. There really isn't another experience like the one found in The Cat Lady. Even if you aren't a fan of point and click games you will still get enjoyment from this game. Same goes for people who aren't fans of horror. Another thing to note is that there aren't any damn jump scares which is as rare as Gearbox making a good game that isn't Borderlands.

In the end, I can't say enough good things about The Cat Lady. Horror and point and click adventure games have never mixed together so well before. The Cat Lady is not for people with weak stomachs though. There are some pretty intense moments and imagery. That same, "What the hell am I looking at? All I know is that it's horrifying and I want nothing to do with it" imagery that you got with early Silent Hill games. Play this gem in the dark and with headphones. 9/10

The first DLC pack came out in November, and it was a welcome treat, as well as a good reason to hit the track once again. Now the second DLC pack is fast approaching, releasing on April 23. Just today, Nintendo of Japan released trailers that show off every track in this upcoming pack. Have a look below. Note that this is not the exact order in which these tracks are listed in-game, and some of the new tracks are not named as of yet.

Returning Tracks

Ribbon Road (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)

"Andy's coming! Finish up the race!" This was one of the more memorable tracks from the otherwise forgettable Mario Kart: Super Circuit on the GameBoy Advance. All it really had to its name was its aesthetic, and Nintendo played that aesthetic up to 11, with some extra features that couldn't have been done in the original.

Baby Park (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)

If your friendship survived up to this point after a long session of Mario Kart, then Baby Park is the final gauntlet that tests how much you can take before you tear the plug out of the wall socket. This track is 7 short laps of pure mayhem, blood, sweat and tears. But have fun, y'know?

Neo Boswer City (Mario Kart 7)

It's time to have a race IN THE FUTURE! Take those tight future turns, throw your future items, jump off those future ramps, pull off some future tricks, and win future first place! IN THE FUTURE!

Cheese Land (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)

You'd gouda be kidding me. I feta brieng some extra green shells, in queso emergency. There's no whey I'm not playing this edam track on day one, because it's looking grate!

New Tracks

Animal Crossing

"I gotta win this race. I put down 10,000 bells on myself. If I don't win, I won't be able to pay Tom Nook and he's gonna have the Nooklings adorably break my legs!" In all seriousness, though, this track actually has four variations, one for each season. However, there is not a dynamic clock system, which would be impractical anyway. Who would want to wait a year just to see the winter version of this track?

Subway

Where the hell is my five dollar footlong? Oh, right. This track seems to have an aesthetic based on the London Underground. Expect a lot of tight corners, small corridors, and hectic item battles in this cramped course.

Woods

Wood you kindly not burn the forest down while you have your race? Kay thanks. This track seems to have a Shy Guy theme, which would coincide nicely with previous tribal iterations of the character from games like Paper Mario or Yoshi's Island. It's very vertical, with a lot of high-flying jumps involved. In truth, it reminds me of the wooded tracks from the original Sonic Riders. Am I the only one? ...Yeah? I... I liked that game... Oooh, speaking of futuristic racing games!

Big Blue!

Jiminy Cricket, Nintendo! The only way you could show more love for F-Zero would be for you to actually make a new F-Zero game! This appears to be one more addition to the game's few linear tracks, consisting of three segments rather than three laps. Like Mute City before it, this track takes full advantage of the gravity mechanic, providing some of the sickest jumps and viewpoints in Mario Kart history. I think Nintendo is just laughing at us at this point. Or perhaps they're getting us hyped up for something special in coming times. We'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, see you all on the race track in a week!

Original Post

Mercy Covington is 41 years old and a mother of 3, so it is exceptionally important that she is brought home safe. A Facebook profile was also created in hopes of finding Mercy called Findmercy Covington. This profile hosts as much information possible on the mother of 3 for anyone who may have seen her and a number you can call if you have any information regarding her disappearance. So, if you have ANY information regarding the disappearance of Mercy Covington, please call (214) 200-5693 (you can even remain anonymous, if you would like to be). Please help bring Mercy Covington home.

All in all, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale tries too hard to be something that it's not. The visuals and music are great, but that doesn't forgive the fact that the gameplay gets drawn out for too long due to the fact that the only way to knock out your opponent is with a finishing move. The game isn't great, but this doesn't automatically make it a bad game either. I enjoyed the time I had with it, but the novelty of the game started to wear thin after a while because it felt like it was desperately trying to be Smash Bros instead of trying to be its own thing. Overall, the game is pretty average, but that shouldn't stop you from playing it a few times in your life. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

Now because of how new this app is and because no-one knows whether or not more game demos will be added to it in the future, it's only really best used as a "try before you buy" type program, but you can't really "try" unless you have enough amiibo to unlock everything so you can play them "before you buy." All in all, it is only really good for people like me and have a large collection of amiibo to use. Maybe you'll get some amiibo yourself so you can use this app, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

Guitar Hero was put on an indefinite hiatus back in 2009 when sales weren't meeting expected goals. Guitar Hero was also beginning to leave the eyes of gamers until February 2015 when rumors of a new Rock Band and Guitar Hero game surfaced. As of today, April 14th 2015, Activision has officially announced the reboot of the Guitar Hero series.

Many aspects of the familiar Guitar Hero formula have been changed for better or for worse depending on your opinion. Most notably are the changes to the guitar controller and the game's visuals. 

The crowd is live action as well and their reaction is determined by your guitar playing abilities. If you're good, then they will rock out. If you aren't, then they will make that known and begin to boo. 

Your band mates will also let you know if you need to start preforming better by doing things like glaring at you for hitting the wrong notes.

Now the controller has six buttons on the fret board. Three on top and Three on the bottom. The three on the top are all black and the three on the button are all white. 

The new fret board is actual a much better representation of an actual guitar than the previous Guitar Hero controllers. It seems the new developers are going for a more authentic and personal experience in the music world through Guitar Hero Live.

Guitar Hero Live will be coming to PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PS3, and Xbox 360 Fall 2015. 

Unfortunately, I can not say the same for the plot. It's the common consensus that nobody plays Battlefield games for their story. So I went into Hardline with my brain "off" to try and enjoy the story to it's fullest. Even that didn't work. Even with my brain "off" I still saw every twist and turn come from a mile away. I'm more impressed with how Visceral was able to fit every cliche from every crime drama into Hardline.

The main hero is a new goody-two-shoes cop, His partner and friend turn out to be dirty and both stab the main hero in the back, main hero tells captain cop but turns out that the captain is dirty too, main hero is blamed for all the dirtiness, now main hero has to team up with dirty friend and a criminal to take down dirty captain.

And that's just a brief synopsis. You should count just how many more cliches the story is riddled with. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but I wouldn't be surprised either way.

You can level up Nick, our main hero, by playing certain ways, though playing stealthily rakes in more experience points. There is even a neat feature that allows Nick to raise his badge, announce he's a cop, and arrest the enemy. This is vital if you want to arrest enemies with warrants for an XP boost. The gameplay is the best that I've seen in a Battlefield game to date. Take notes Battlefield 5 (or Hardline 2, which is inevitable.)

I was surprised how much I actually felt like a cop (aside from the Michael Bay explosions). You don't just feel like a guy running around shooting people that happens to have a badge. I also found it fun to use Nick's phone scanner to analyze evidence, put together clues, and learn back story on this fictionalized take on Miami and L.A. and the enemies with warrants.

Environments can be such a pleasure to look at, but these are mainly for scripted events. So that may be a turn off to some people. The games run at a pretty solid 60 FPS on Playstation 4 and Xbox One. It's the resolution that's different. On PS4, Hardline, runs at 900p and on Xbox One it runs at 720p. Whilst, Hardline runs at 1080p and 60 FPS on PC. But doesn't every game?

The graphics did have to get toned down a bit in multiplayer on all systems to accommodate the large maps and frantic action. It's not THAT noticeable it's to be expected with how chaotic the multiplayer can get. So I can't knock off points for that.

What you won't find is Battlefield 4's large assortment of weapons. Hardline trimmed the fat of the guns in BF 4's multiplayer, but at the same time made the selection of guns feel really restricted. You also can't use all of the same guns on each team (unless you get over 1,000 kills with each gun). Cops have their own selection of guns and so do the criminals. Only the primary weapon and pistol you start with can be used on either team. This is a huge let down for an otherwise extremely fun multiplayer.

The destruction also feels lacking in multiplayer. Other than a few small buildings that can be blown up, the destruction feels even more heavily scripted than Battlefield 4. You can blow up a giant crane in one map that crashes into a building and changes the map a little. Wow...whatever happened to the days where destruction felt dynamic and you really feel like you are blowing up buildings like in Bad Company 2?

Now some may argue that cops and criminals wouldn't be causing the same amount of destruction found in Battlefield 4, but Visceral and EA are marketing this as a BATTLEFIELD game. If it were just "Hardline" then I would understand,but gamers know Battlefield as almost a destruction simulator. Why take that out?

The story coulddefinitely use work. And I don't mind the crime drama cliches, just don't use them as the main story. Use them in an entirely new and unique story ironically. Also, if it couldn't hurt, drop "Battlefield" from the title. The game would be better without it.

I would not recommend that you pick this up at full price, but rather pick it up when it is down to around half that price or even cheaper. You will enjoy it for that much. 7/10

Rejoice Fallout fans! Because Fallout 4 may have been indirectly confirmed through a few sources. But, as always, this should only be seen as a rumor or speculation unless otherwise confirmed by the developer (here; Bethesda Game Studios). So let's start from the beginning:

A freelance 3D artist (who's name will not be revealed because he's probably already in huge trouble) who's previously worked with Mirada Studios, Blur Studios, and Microsoft Games posted his job experience and for what game and studio [As seen on the right]. His experience includes cinematic work on The Avengers, The Elder Scrolls, Forza Motorsport 5, Far Cry 4, and something rather odd... He claims experience on a "Fallout 4 cinematic trailer" which he claims he worked on for 4 months.

Did he actually work on said Fallout 4 cinematic trailer? Let's dig a bit deeper. Soon after people began discovering this bit of information, the Fallout community started getting very excited. Then an unconfirmed party forced the freelance 3D artist to remove the Fallout 4 cinematic trailer from the public view of his experience.

Now the last piece of evidence comes from game journalist site, Destructoid, where they were one of the first to run this story. Mirada Studios (supposed studio behind the Fallout 4 cinematic trailer) reached out to Destructoid and demanded they pull the story due to a break in a non-disclosure agreement. [As seen below].

What are your thoughts on all of this? Is Fallout 4 confirmed? Or is this nothing more than a simple mix up and it isn't confirmed?

Prey for the Gods is a game where the scale is you=ants. Action is fast paced, and the world is brutal and unforgiving. Your survival hinges on killing the gods that you pray to.

Prey for the Gods is currently in Kickstarter and is being developed by No Matter studios, a team consisting of only 3 developers and composer Ian Dorsch. So far the game looks absolutely stunning, and promises to play with the tight controls of Bloodborne, the scale of Shadow of the Colossus, and an open world several times bigger than the bosses (I jest of course).

Brought to my attention by the Gods over at Indieformer, Prey for the Gods may very well be the next BIG game (heh). Currently 6k from the 300k goal with 19 days to go and a whole host of stretch goals we might get to see this game get made.

This has been a public service announcement, thank you for your time.

Links:

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/802508750/pre...

and for more games in the works;

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHFDtPdTc-ymerPwh...

If you liked the fast paced, retro, ultra violent challenges that the first Hotline Miami had to offer then I assume you'll love Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number even more. Hotline Miami 2 comes with a revamped soundtrack that still holds the style of the prequels music and it gets you super pumped at times. The most notable thing about Hotline Miami 2 is the expansion on the game's lore. In the first Hotline Miami the player was left to make inferences and the only real bit of story occurred towards the game's ending. The story in Hotline Miami 2 gives insight on the first game and expands even more and ends up becoming a crazy existential crisis that leaves you feeling like you just got round housed by your own mother, assuming yo momma is fat. In Hotline Miami 2 the story is in depth and takes place over many different characters, locations, and time periods. The levels are also a lot bigger so if you like challenging fast paced game play Hotline Miami 2 delivers even better than it's predecessor. The story in this game is one of the things that kept me motivated to keep playing. Even after all the dying in each level finding out what came next in the story compelled me to keep trying.

A sample of the awesome soundtrack.

If there was anything negative I had to say about Hotline Miami 2 it would be that sometimes the rooms within the level are far too big and cause a lot of stress and anger. But with a cool head you can still enjoy the game.For those of you who are new to Hotline Miami I have one tip for you, and that is to not get angry. Dying is a very big part of this game and there's no health bars. One bullet and one hit can kill you faster than you can say, "What the hell was that?" One more thing that slightly upset me would be that the creators of the game got rid of masks and replaced them with the multiple characters. There is still variety, and even more depth to the game because of the new characters, but it still doesn't have the classic Hotline Miami feel without the multiple masks that added more of a challenge to the game and allowed you to mix up your play style. Another thing that let me down personally is that the main character from Hotline Miami 2's prequel : Jacket is only shown briefly and is not playable.

If you do find yourself looking for more of a challenge you can try out the hard mode that unlocks after you beat the game for the first time. Hard mode adds in extra special enemies, and gives them a better reaction time which is harder to get around than it sounds.  Hard mode also flips each levels layout which makes each level feel refreshed and new. There's also an added secret in hard mode that will put things in perspective. For those of you reading who have played Hotline Miami 2's prequel you should keep your eyes peeled for secrets and Easter Eggs to get more of an insight on the game's story line.

A small peek at the game's play style.

All in all I'd give Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number an 8.5/10  As no other game has made me feel like more of a badass killing machine than this one.

Developer: Lag Studios
Price: FREE
This game will cost you nothing, so why not try it? If you want to know what you are getting into, read on

(Spoilers Probably)

Spooky’s House of Jump Scares is exactly as it’s name states. This indie horror game throws you into a retro styled mansion, with a graphical style that reminds me of Wolfenstein 3D. Your objective, to get to the farthest room you can. The game is advertised as having 1000 rooms, I was only fortunate (and brave) enough to make it to 200.

The game begins with the main character, Spooky herself, talking to you and challenging you to traverse her house. Once inside the narrow corridors and creepy music don’t seem like your typical horror game.

Before I mention Gameplay, this game has some weird resolution issues. I usually screenshot through steam overlay but this causes weirdness. Being early access it’s fine to have technical issues, I just hope they do get fixed. Technical issues, especially getting resolution correct, is very important. In this version of the game there is a fix resolution option in the settings that you need to activate every time you play.

As you sprint down the halls little cardboard cutout ghosts, skeletons and other creatures unexpectedly pop out from the walls accompanied by cute sound effects.

It’s scary I swear.

Controlled with mouse of keyboard feels fine in the first person perspective. As you run through the rooms and are eventually chased by monsters, you will find challenge in having to manage your sprint and being aware of your health. There was one situation where I had to take a hit to make it through a room.

Even though some may find traversing hundreds of small rooms lackluster, I found the story and the mystery of why things are the way they are enough to keep me going.

For example there are random notes scattered around the house, from an unknown source who, in the past took the same path as you. Additionally, there is a random chance for little arcade machines to generate which feature 2D arcade games to play.

Below is one of the arcade games, where you play as Spooky herself and stab shoppers in a mall.

The variety of rooms and the way the gameplay changes is enough to keep me interested. Some of the different rooms feature blindingly white environments with audio puzzles while others are dark paths falling into darkness.

One of the things I cannot capture in writing is the sound. This game has fantastic sound design. While the voice acting of Spooky at the beginning is poor at best, the rest of the game sounds great. The monsters moans and screams and this one demonic track you are going to fear, as it just unsettles you and lets you know of danger being near.

Final Thoughts

Spooky’s House of Jump Scares is good at what it does. One second you’re laughing at the cutesy art style and the next you’re running for your life as demonic music plays.

-Its got a great graphical style
-Fantastic(and spooky) sound design
-Interesting backstory
-Surprisingly lots of gameplay variation

-Needs to fix resolution issues and steam overlay issues though

I suggest trying this game out!
Beware, this is not for the faint of heart.

After YEARS of waiting, Fallout 4 has finally been officially announced and WILL BE shown at E3 2015. Get hyped Fallout fans!

Original article is as follows:

With E3 2015 just around the corner, novoGamer has compiled this list of confirmed games that will make an appearance. This year's E3 looks to be one of the best in some time. Hopefully it will live up to our expectations and we can have a year of fantastic games. 

Confirmed Games:

Rumored and Unconfirmed Games:

Have a lovely day :)

Storyline/features:

          Mark of the Ninja is a 2D platformer that focuses on stealth and otherwise being ninja. The story is set in the modern day, where ninjas have perhaps become slightly outdated. You play as a ninja (go figure) who's clan was ruthlessly attacked by mercenaries. Your task is to strike back at the man who ordered the attack, and regain your clans honor. However, to do it you accept the burden of the mystical Mark, giving you mysterious abilities; but these powers come at a horrible price. The marks powers hail from a mysterious plant, who's origins I will later discuss. Besides giving you superhuman abilities, it turns whoever accepts it mad, in time. Turning on anyone and everyone, killing with the only intention to end lives. To ensure the safety of the clan the bearer of the mark kills themselves, turning themselves in before becoming to powerful to stop. 

        One thing that you catch on quite quickly is that the game strives to keep elements of the ninja authentic, point in case is that you don't know who you are. Your name, and anything about you is shrouded in mystery. Perhaps the only information you have is Ora, your companion throughout the game, and the name of your clan, the Hisomu. This approach to a character, especially a main character is not a common thing. Even in other games where the main protagonist is a ninja, it's more common that his/her name is one of legend (or infamy). However the fact of the matter is that the identity of a ninja was completely secret. So much so that it would be quite common that ninja's from the same clan would confront each other in battle (1). This was the case because ninja families were born to serve lords, for honor of their lords and clan.

      I will admit that the storyline is not the most complicated, nor is it a epic that spans several hundred hours; but for the narrative it tries to tell, it is well done. Not only from what happens during cut scenes, but during the game too. Now in most cases I don't really enjoy collecting, running every which way to find small things that give you an arbitrary 100% that don't really affect the game and its story. In Mark of the Ninja there are collectibles in the form of scrolls, and artifacts. Artifacts only give you points that count towards your final score, where the scrolls contain Haiku's. There are three a mission, and together they tell a short story about the clans history. Here's an example:

       On a starless night,  An unkindness of ravens,  Lands along a wall

Drunken, laughing guards ,  Spill outside with joy to meet ,  The eyeless faces

A thick liquid drips ,   Down a silken thread that hangs ,  Above a pillow

This particular set of scrolls tells of a mission. One that brought the Hisomu clan into legend. Reading through them really gives you an idea of how things were back in the day. When ninjas were feared, for the unknown power they wielded with deadly precision, and how it has all changed in the modern day. This is a major theme in the games storyline, and drives the majority of the plot. The death of the Baron, who ordered the attack on you from out of nowhere. To the well kept, dark secrets of the ink plant. These events simply act as a story, a children's tale. Because the whole game leads to its finale quite literally, and figuratively. 

       Throughout the game, it feels like you are alone in your mission to save the clan. Like you have been knowingly abandoned to your death, and the only 'light' is your one companion in all this. Ora, who is that companion seems to follow you through the thick and thin. Through the castles, deserts and back home. During development, it was decided that Ora would have a big speaking role. Which is hard to imagine in a game about stealth. So what you'll notice is that she only shows up at select times during a mission. Most often at the beginning and end, with some exceptions. So she's a constant factor in how you see the different situations, always lending a couple quips to give you some perspective. One thing I don't like, is that it's a narrative you have to listen to, and her reasons are never explained. All you know is she's a 'friend'. It feels like she has no other use in game than to push an idea. Thankfully, or at least true to the games varying gameplay, you make the finale decision. Figuratively and literally.

Game play:

Mark of the ninja is a particular game in the sense that its a 2D stealth platformer with emphasis on lighting dynamics. It uses a number of small mechanics to make the game play .It also uses sound quite effectively in its design. Stealth is often based on being able to see the mark and in some cases hearing them move, there are also some instances where you can sense the unseen. Mark of the ninja's game play makes use of them all. In general game play, not standing in a spotlight's or flashlight's gaze means you are in the shadows. 

       The lighting system is really interesting, and I'll explain. All light in this game comes from a source: lights, chandeliers, spotlights, floodlights, flashlights etc. Each has a one of a few 'gazes', as in it propagates outwards from the source in a particular way. Chandeliers give light out in about a ~150degree radius, and the light reaches as far as the outline shows. Flash lights have a smaller ~25 degree radius but can be shown anywhere the guard points, so are flexible in their direction of gaze. However if the guard is looking for you it's much harder to move around. So being caught out by them will happen more often. Another example of a source are the floodlights. They are similar to the the flashlight and ceiling light, in that it is staitionary and has a smaller AOE; but it has a protection from another small game mechanic, which i'll get too soon. Being able to skirt light sources is key in staying hidden, and you'll have too look out for a number of different types too. Because as soon as you step into the light you'll know. If you take a look at the photo to the side, paying particular attention to the to left you'll see a small icon of the ninja. This is your stealth indicator, and the icon will become lighter, as well as your character model if you step into the light.

       This is when you know you can be seen. Which is interesting because it doesn't mean you will be seen. The guards that populate each level have a small area in front of them that they can 'see'. This is indicated by a light outline that propagates out their eyes. If you come into this area they'll see you, and being sighted is its own little mechanic. You can in fact stand right in front of them, if your in the shadows, without being noticed. Get too close though and you'll be spotted out from the flashlight. So here two mechanics come together to create a game play experience. If you're standing in the light, and a guard happens too look towards you, he or she will instantly spot you. Which means a light source effectively extends the guards sight range. I think this is a really cool because of how it mirrors real life, as light tends to help you see stuff. In game play it keeps you on your toes, as just because there aren't any guards on screen to spot you doesn't mean one won't. As far as I know the range is pretty big, but not infinite. So avoiding lights becomes immensely important if there are guards around, especially if they are looking towards you.  

       The other way you can be found out is by sound. Being a ninja, you were trained to be as quiet as possible, so moving around generally makes very little noise. Running however will make quite a racket, and anyone nearby will hear it. In the first play through of the game you can see how far the sound travels out from its source. The game indicates this by a transparent white circle that moves outwards from the source. So its omnidirectional, but in a 2D space (if that makes sense); and I think it does because if you think about it, the idea feels right. It makes sense when you play the game and hardly needs explaining, it's easy to grasp. Which is a recurring theme around Mark of the Ninja's game play, and this why I think the game does very well.

       Now its all well and good that you can see the sound visibly, but how does it affect the game play? I'll use an example; in the image to  

the left. Here you'll see two guards, and our ninja protagonist perched on a hanging platform just above. By the feet of one of the guards is the source of the sound (I'll explain later what it is). Now you can see by the outline how far the sound went, and that the guard is in that area. The smaller yellow circle around the guard indicates that he has heard something, and the fainter yellow circle is where he thinks he heard it. So you can imagine how this works now. Using something that makes sound you can get a guard to turn away, so you can slip by, or murder him.

         One thing you'll have to remember though is how much sound you make, because if you noticed, the sound in this game travels through everything. Its one of the slight gripes I have with the game but its fairly minor, and actually makes game play better. In the picture above you'll see the outline goes into the floor. In another case perhaps its at a wall; the sound would go through it and into the next room for anyone to hear. Thus the real life physics of sound absorption is omitted (its not the only time this game does that). You'll find though that this has very niche but effective game play uses. For example getting the attention of a guard behind a door, so that he comes outside and you can sneak into the building without being spotted. Its a peculiar interaction, but its quite cool to think about.

       Now for actual gameplay, the how do I ninja bizz. Controls in Mark of the ninja are really quite simple, left analog for moving and right for looking around. A button for jump, X to punch/kick, and Y to use your tools (if you haven't noticed I used a xbox controller). Other buttons do things but i'll get to that in time. In the beginning of the game you don't have much, in fact you have nothing. So everything is 'vanilla' and as the game progresses more tools are added, more powers tapped, and techniques learned. Each level is story driven so there's no generic kind of mission, but I'll use the first level as an example. The first mission is to free your ninja brethren from the mercenaries, and is quite simple as most first levels are. In order to do so however you need to stay hidden, or you get caught and there's no one to free anyone else, logically. 

        So you have to hide, and there are a lot of places to do so. Much of each levels design is centered around how you can move through them. For example a hallway will have doors that you can hide behind. Allowing you to avoid detection by sensors and patrolling guards.  Simply done by pressing A next to one. There are many other things to hide in and on, trash dumps, garbage cans, pots, statues etc. For a normal person, hiding behind one of these isn't too hard, if whoever is looking for you isn't trying very hard. So a ninja with superhuman abilities should have no problems. 

      Suppose however you can't hide. There's a guard who just won't look away long enough, what do? In Mark of the ninja you have to often think about 'how can I get past this, and what can I use to do that?' In most cases your tools are immensely helpful. They allow you to distract and kill, depending on how you feel. Historically a ninja would not kill anyone but his/her mark, to avoid being caught; and it is possible to end every mission without killing anyone (save a select few). If you do choose to kill, there are many ways to do it. A wide variety of tools, and death blows are at your disposal. Assassinations are sometimes necessary, and they work like a combo. Input the combo correctly and the mark dies silently, but mess it up and whoever is dying will make a lot of noise.  It's oddly satisfying to flawlessly take down an entire task force alone. But it also comes at a cost. A cost to your score.

       Now it might be odd to think, there's a score system in a ninja stealth game. What the diddley doo for? To create balance, and options for the player. You could kill everyone and hide their bodies (for extra points, plus safety) or just leave them be. Not killing them is harder to do, if your plan is to stay unnoticed, but also gives greater reward. At the end of each mission your score is tallied, and the points come from how you interacted with the guards. Either he/she never noticed anything, got distracted by a noise or something you did, or died at your hands. For the system to be balanced, each has a different point value. Untouched give the most while dead give the least. Additionally extra bonus points come from not killing anyone, and distracting no one. They are much harder to achieve but are possible. 

      Most of the fun in the game play for me was being able to choose. It felt like I chose my own path. If a particular area was too hard to get by without killing, then I would go find a different way past. And my favorite thing about the games is its vast array of possible plays. There is absolutely no reason to play a level the same way ever, if you wanted to. It was also a lot of fun to be a ninja, in the way ninja's really were.

Audio + visual:

The game looks like a cartoon, there's no denying this. The visuals are bordered with a small out line to make it easier to see, which is nice in the relatively small amount of light. Only the foreground, and things you can interact with have these visible outlines. The rest of the scenery though is very much beautiful. Mark of the ninja makes use of multiple layered backgrounds, and I think its a cool way to depict a city. There are 5 different areas, with completely different visuals, and its a treat to just look at them sometimes. 

It's not generally a thing to do, but if you stop and look once in a while you can see how much detail goes into this game. Especially when you listen a bit. In a game with patrolling guards, most of their dialogue is simple and repeats over and over. In mark of the ninja the guards have a huge repertoire of lines, and they hardly ever repeat something you've heard before. I mean they don't exactly say anything that has any particular importance to the game, but its that level of detail they put into the little things that count.

     The music is also quite dynamic. Each level has some ambient music that's played in the background, but there are many occasions where it transitions out. For example if you get seen and the alarm goes off, the music becomes energized and really helps give that atmosphere of panic. And generally I enjoy the music, and how atmospheric it is.

      The art style in this game is amazing and is definitely one reason you should play it.

Final Thoughts:

      For me this game is amazing. There's so much option, and each play play through can be different from the last. There just so many small mechanics that just mesh together so well, and its clear the developers really spent a lot of time building the system. Plus the finale is just amazing, the atmosphere is just amazing.

     This game definitely for me deserves a spot in my top 10 favorite games, and I highly recommend anyone playing it regardless of whatever type of games you enjoy. 

If you asked me i'd give it a  9.5/10

What are they?

First of all, amiibo are little figurines that are around four inches tall (or shorter) and feature characters from various video games made by (or approved_2 for sale by) Nintendo. Some of these figures come in series and sets that are designed in a theme from a specific game like Mario Party and Super Smash Bros. Each of these figurines are also set on a small stand that is a little less than two inches in diameter, and the base contains a Near Field Communicator (NFC) pad that can interact with a reader embedded in the Gamepad of the Wii U, bottom half of the New 3DS, or the yet to be released NFC reader for the classic 3DS. Each of these figurines act in one of two ways: as a key to unlock content locked away within the game's code; or as a memory card for amiibo specific game modes. Now before you get all up in arms exclaiming that Nintendo is starting to act just like EA with having content locked away on the disc, just hear me out first. With the exception of Splatoon, the content unlocked by the amiibo's "key" function is often negligible and doesn't offer anything to the full enjoyment of the game. It's just a nice little bonus for people that own the figure and are often considered bragging rights stating that you own it.

Pros

1. They are very well made and extremely detailed considering their small size and they are cast in a very nice, sturdy plastic that doesn't feel cheaply manufactured.
2. Most of them are fairly priced at an MSRP of $12.99USD which is great for people that like to collect many figurines of their favorite characters.
3. They are region free meaning that if you have an amiibo imported from another country then it will still work with your game.
4. They aren't locked for use with a specific game. I.E. specific amiibo that may have been designed for Super Smash Bros can be used with Mario Party 10 or vice versa. This is useful if you like the design of one version of a character but not one of the others.
5. The "memory card" function that is used for amiibo specific game modes allow for a customizable experience that can be continued at a friend's house if you so choose.

Cons

1. Because of their unexpected popularity and Nintendo's failure to increase manufacturing to keep up with the demand, certain specific amiibo are often much more difficult to get a hold of due to the low number of them. Also, retailer exclusive and limited edition amiibo should never have been a thing. It just adds to the difficulty of obtaining one at retail price. I'M LOOKING AT YOU, SCALPERS!
2. The "memory card" function of the amiibo can only be used with one game at a time. If you wish to use the same amiibo with a different game, you'll either need to delete the data on the amiibo you currently have, or buy another one of the same character.
3. Keeping their collector's value is nearly impossible if you want to use them but not remove them from their box as an NFC blocker is embedded in the bottom of the package preventing their use while unopened.
4. While extremely rare, it is possible to accidentally buy an amiibo that that has a broken base or lacks the NFC functionality, and if you bought one from a place that doesn't allow you to return goods that have been removed from their original packaging, then you would be stuck with a piece of plastic whose only purpose is to take up space on a shelf in your room.

Closing Statement

Amiibo are a great little bonus for figurine collectors and Nintendo gamers alike. They have a charm about them that pulls people in to buy them and they are really well designed and priced well (assuming you buy it at retail). They aren't without their faults, but I see that the only real big problem of theirs is availability. If you can get a hold of a few yourself, I suggest you buy them regardless if you own anything Nintendo related that can use them. They are still considered figures and you could treat them as such, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

Like every other game in the series, Dr. Mario Miracle Cure keeps the series tradition of eliminating viruses by matching them with like-colored pills (called Mega-Vitamins) in rows or columns of four or more. The pills can be rotated to better fit into certain areas, and if the entirety of the pill isn't vaporized, the remaining half will drop down toward the bottom of the bottle if it isn't blocked by an obstacle in its path. As you play, the bottle will fill with more and more viruses in each subsequent stage, with the drop speed of your pills increasing in later stages. Now if this were just a simple game of Dr. Mario, then I'd be done with my review right now, but it's not, and now I'll explain why.

This iteration of the series actually includes quite a few features from previous games in the series and even throws in a few brand new gameplay elements in order to keep things fresh and exciting. Starting by order of additions, we have the game mode called Virus Buster which actually first made its appearance in the DS game Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day as a bonus minigame. Virus Buster still goes by the same gameplay staple of connecting four viruses and pills of the same color to remove them from play, but the major difference is that the game is played with the stylus and two or even three pills can be dropped into play at once, although they fall at a fairly slow pace. Next is the Online mode which was introduced in Dr. Mario Online RX on the Wii. All it does is let you face a random player from somewhere around the world, or play against a friend on your 3DS's friend list. Then we have the game mode Dr. Luigi, which was introduced as the Operation L game mode in Dr. Luigi on the Wii U. This game mode drops two pills at once in the shape of the letter L with the long side of the shape often being comprised of all one color. This forced the player to think of new strategies as the unusual pill configuration and its large size made it difficult to maneuver in the confines of the bottle.

All in all, Dr. Mario Miracle Cure is a great entry to the franchise. It includes enough game modes to keep you busy for a long time to come and its new Miracle Cure power-ups make for a fine addition to the series. Hopefully we'll being seeing more of them in future installments, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

How The Know obtained this information was not revealed. All they stated was that it came form an "anonymous source".  From Software also has yet to comment on this supposed leak.

Until official confirmation from From Software themselves, this information should be taken with a grain of salt (though it seems very likely).

 The alleged release window for Dark Souls III is 2016 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A PC port has been stated as being "negotiable".  According to the leak, the player count will be 1 - 4. Though whether or not this player count is for co-op or PVP has yet to be revealed.

It is also said that there will be 10 playable classes, all of which will be available from the start. There will also be 45 new enemies and 15 new bosses. The Know go on further to state that characters and enemies from the previous games are not counted in those numbers. The same goes for weapons and armor. 

Bosses in the game will also "Heat Up" due to "undescribed factors". This will more than likely make the boss even harder to beat.

To join another player's game you will have to drag a body around and perform a "sacrificial ceremony", but this will mark you and make you a target for other players in that game. These "sacrificial ceremonies" can also create a new bonfire to rest at or have other players join your game. 

Dark Souls III is also said to feature around 12 areas, The Know state that this is to make it more akin to the original Dark Souls. The game will also feature "Sword Fighting Arts".  Not much is said on this feature, but it sounds to be special fighting moves your character will be able to do after you choose them. Two other features will be "Rush in" and "Circle". Rush in will allow the player to dive into a fight and take damage, but deal a tremendous blow to the enemy. Circle sounds to be a dodge move, but it also said to be a retreating move to get away from a fight. 

The final piece of information from this anonymous source is that Dark Souls III will debut at E3 2015. So keep your eyes peeled.

Have a lovely day :).

Now since we are still in this current generation of games, only time will tell if gamers will eventually reconcile their differences and focus more on what the future of video games has to hold. With the Oculus Rift, mobile games, and indie games being funded by Kickstarter, we can only hope that the future will shine. And come rain or shine, sites like novoGamer.com will provide info on games old and new. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

After all this time... could it finally be happening?

THE ANSWER IS YES. IT'S FUCKING HAPPENING. BETHESDA GAME STUDIOS HAS FINALLY OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED FALLOUT 4.

On June 2nd of 2014 Bethesda Game Studios posted a link on their Twitter that led to a very familiar screen with a timer.

Now, for fans of the series this was an obvious hint at something Fallout related.

When I saw it I had my doubts. I mean we all remember thesurvivor2077 hoax that raised our hopes and dashed them so extravagantly. But this was the real deal.

When the timer on the site reached zero, this time God smiled upon the fans. An official teaser trailer featuring game play was released and by god. It was beautiful. Being an avid Fallout fan, it was like pure concentrated Viagra and every other stimuli to me. I immediately went into an insane babble and started throwing things on the floor when I saw the amazing graphics, bustling cities, and prewar cinematics that I've been wishing for as long as I've been playing the game.

For now there isn't much information on the game except for the minor script leaks pictured above, and that the location of the game will be set in Boston after Fallout 3 takes place. But rest assured when more info is released, my fellow novoGamer pals or me will continue to keep everyone updated. Till then I'm gonna go watch the trailer fifty more times.

For today, I bring you The  Plan, by Krillbite studio. You may recognize Krillbite studio as the makers of Among the Sleep. If you've played Among the Sleep you probably have a pretty good idea of what this game is like and whether or not you will like it. Nonetheless I bring you the very first Free to Play Sunday: The Plan

Gameplay

To be frank, the gameplay is lacking. You need nothing more than wasd to play and there is no strategy or thought required to reach the end of the game. In fact, you could likely just hold w (while occasionally switching it up and going for d) and successfully reach the end. There are a few events, if they can even be called that, that lead you to believe that there are going to be more obstacles in your way, but I found myself disappointed when I realized that failure was not an option. Playing as a fly, I expected to have to handle a few tricky spiders, and while there were spider webs, there were no enemies to be seen. There is no way to lose this game and so technically there is no way to win this game; your only real options are to complete it or to quit.

Story

In all honesty I am not sure how I feel about the story of this game. I am stuck somewhere between "this is deep (I think)" and "that was boring." It makes me think back to high school when an English teacher of mine would insist that there was some deeply significant meaning behind the presence of oranges before all of the death scenes in The Godfather (maybe Francis Ford Coppola just had a thing for oranges). I won't give any spoilers, just in case you really want to play this game, but if I were being forced to write a paper on the meaning of this game I'm positive I'd get an "A" for discussing mortality and the finite nature of life. Though I have to admit that the ending made me chuckle, and then briefly question whether or not I was a bad person for finding humour in the situation when surely the feeling I was supposed to have was one more akin to melancholy.

Aesthetics

Despite the disappointing lack of gameplay, and my mixed feelings on the story, I found both the visuals and audio in this game to be spot on. I'll start by saying that the visuals were nothing entirely special. The art style was basically the popular artsy-indie-shadowy style, similar to what you would see in Limbo,  or Grimind, or even Never Alone, that being said the graphics suited the game well and I believe that any impact that this game has would have been lost if another style had been adopted. My favourite part of this game was hands down the audio. It was altogether lovely, relaxing, and atmospheric.

Final Thoughts

Once again I find myself with mixed feelings towards this game. I'm not sure if it's brilliantly or boringly simple. This game has very little replay value, but it takes under 10 minutes to complete and you can even get an achievement (if you're into that sort of thing). If you enjoy laid back games that are more like poetry than like epics then you may genuinely enjoy this game, but all in all it's a free game available on Steam so at the very least you should give The Plan a play and see for yourself. You don't have anything to lose after all!

Beyond Earth is what I found easier then V to get a grasp of; the tutorial is just a little bit more user-friendly and it is perfect for any new Civ players. Other then that though I found it not much better then V. It's somewhat shorter and easier to win with only a small amount of corporations and the "large" map not being as big as in the previous game. There isn't much advantage to being one race over another which is okay and the choices you make affect the outcome a lot more then any choices you would make in V but there are no mods, nothing strange like being able to be a facist dick to everyone and that is where Beyond Earth just doesn't shine like the other Civ games. Beyond Earth is V with a fancy coat of paint, different enemies and a more intuitive tutorial. If you're new to Civilization, buy it, but if you're a Civilization veteran and you don't have too much money to spend then leave it be and just get some more mods.

Besides, it's fun being a Nazi Russian warlord on Earth, and you can't do that in space....right?

(Please keep in mind that my opinions may or may not reflect your own, this list is entirely biased. It should also be noted that many of these entries spoil story elements from the games they are from. You have been warned.)
\r

The Ride Armor from the Mega Man X Series\r

Let's start with something simple first shall we? The Ride Armor is a series of small multi-purpose mechs that are are deployed to areas of interest to help the Reploids and/or Mavericks in their war against each other. While there are many different varieties that are designed for specific battle scenarios, my personal favorite from these games is Vile Mk. II's Goliath Armor from Mega Man X3. It is heavily armored, fast, and is equipped with spiked fists and a chest mounted buster cannon. It's only real flaw is that it can only be ridden by Vile, which I personally find to be a bit unfair, but I guess it's alright since X gets four of his own to ride in that game.

The Platinum Robo from The Wonderful 101

The greatest weapon devised by Mother Platinum in order to repel the invading alien force known as GEATHJERK; the Platinum Robo is a massive mech aligned with the CENTINELS and created to aid the Wonderful Ones. It is roughly one hundred meters high, has the combined abilities of all of the Wonderful Ones, and it can also utilize the weaponry of both the CENTINELS' Virgin Victory and the enemy Cough-Foon ships. It is also theorized that it may be the reincarnated spirit of its creator (and Luka's mother), Professor Margarita Redgrave, but that has yet to be proven.

The Drill Dozer from Drill Dozer

I bet you're thinking "How can this tiny thing possibly be considered a mech?" Well, it has legs, and that's one of the primary prerequisites for it to be classified as one. The Drill Dozer is a compact, one-ton mech that can drill through hard earth and stone like it's nobody's business. It can also use its drill like a screwdriver and use it to turn screws, bolts and gears to help its pilot Jill get to her intended goal, which is usually a treasure or jewel of great value. Not a bad vehicle to get the job done if you ask me.

The Tinker Tank from Shovel Knight

This mech in particular is probably MUCH more advanced than the technology of its time would allow, but it's freaking awesome so I'll allow it. The Tinker Tank is a massive wood and iron medieval themed mech made by the rather diminutive Tinker Knight in order to compensate for his stature and overall poor strength against Shovel Knight. It is equipped with a colossal drill lance, rocket launchers and a massive cannon that can fire both missiles and bouncing grenades. Plus if that isn't cool enough, at the end of the game it is revealed that Tinker Knight started to make little toy versions of that mech for the village kids to play with. Please make these real Yacht Club Games!

The Magitek Armor from Final Fantasy VI

This magic-powered piece of machinery is the primary mode of transportation of Emperor Gestahl's army, and Terra for the first area of the game. It is surprisingly durable considering that its coloring suggests that it is made out of bronze or copper, and it is equipped with many pieces of magic-based weaponry like beams of lightning, ice and fire, and more advanced tech like missile launchers and a fogger that sprays dangerous microorganisms. This excursion is short-lived though as they are can only be piloted in two small segments in the game, but I hear that they made a comeback in the new expansion for Final Fantasy XIV. That makes me a very happy camper indeed.

The Anthropomorphized Battle Engine from Codename S.T.E.A.M.

This is a bizarre entry for sure, but it is very cool nonetheless. The Anthropomorphized Battle Engine (AKA The A.B.E.) is a giant steam-powered combat mech built for the sole purpose of fighting off the invading alien menace known as the Shoggoth, but if that isn't weird enough, its appearance is modeled after President Abraham Lincoln and it's piloted by him as well. When engaged in combat, it has the ability to use its internal steam to propel its fists forward at rocket speed, or to power the mech's wrist-mounted Gatling gun. This is probably the most absurd entry on this list, but I can't help but smile when I play as it in the game.

The Glastonbury from No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

Commissioned by Travis Touchdown and built by Dr. Naomi, the Glastonbury is a gigantic mech modeled after the mech from Travis's favorite anime series, Pure White Lover Bizarre Jelly. In classic anime fashion, this mech is armed with a giant energy katana (in the shape of a guitar no less), laser cannons, and a devastating attack called "Anarchy in the Galaxy" which completely vaporizes everything in the surrounding area. However, Travis doesn't get to use it for very long as it confiscated shortly after the battle ends because it is described as a "public nuisance." Imagine how much money was lost on the construction of that thing only for it to be impounded ten minutes after its first test run.

The Umbran Armor from Bayonetta 2

Built over five-hundred years ago by the Umbran Witches to help them in the great war against the Lumen Sages; the Umbran Armor is a large and powerful magic-fueled suit of armor that greatly improves the abilities of its pilot. While it is similar in design to Final Fantasy VI's Magitek Armor, its abilities are vastly different. Instead of magic-based attacks and abilities, the Umbran Armor's weapons are much more technology-based with machine gun mounted arms, shotgun mounted legs, and a powerful jet propulsion system allowing it to skate along the ground or even take flight. Even though the chapter you play it on is short lived, you can get a trinket afterwards to allow you to use it as a modification to Bayonetta's Umbran Climax ability. This is very cool and helpful power-up to be had.

The Great Sacred Treasure from Kid Icarus: Uprising

Built by Dyntos, the great God of the Forge, and given to Pit after he completes his "three" trials to see if he is worthy enough to us it, the Great Sacred Treasure is a fantastically powerful mech made from the most durable and magical metal known to man: Orichalcum. This mech is capable of changing into several different forms to better fit the situation at hand and is equipped with a gatling turret, arrows of light, ring lasers, an energy sword, and a massive divine cannon that can devastate even the vindictive god Hades. It doesn't last very long though as it is only used in the final chapter and is slowly destroyed by Hades as you fight him. It's too bad though, Pit had so much fun using it before the fight.

The Mechonis from Xenoblade Chronicles

This is by far the most massive of any mech I have ever seen. One would initially assume that the Mechonis, the colossal titan that killed (and was killed by) the Bionis would just be a simple relic of times long past, but about half way through the game you find your way from the Bionis to the behemoth corpse on the other side only to find an entire country within its body and a control deck inside its head. It started to move again after Egil in the Yaldabaoth took control of it in the absence of its goddess Meyneth and nearly destroyed all life on Bionis in the process. He would have succeeded too if Shulk and his friends hadn't intervened.

Well, that's my list folks, if you disagree with my choices, tell me why in the comments and what you would have chosen instead. Until then, I'll be seeing you.

• Shooters: Continually sprays ink as long as the fire button is held down. Comes in several different varieties that have different firing patterns and effects.
• Chargers: Long range weapon that fires further the longer the gun is charged from holding the fire button. Some of these also come with scopes for more accurate aiming.
• Rollers: Paints the ground with ink as you run as long as the fire button is held down. Can also throw ink a short distance in front of you so you can get higher platforms.
• Sloshers: Hurls large quantities of ink in an arcing pattering an average distance in front of you. Can be used like a mortar to aim over barriers that an opponent is hiding behind.
  
• Splatling: A gatling gun type weapon that rapidly fires ink an incredible distance in front of you after a short wind-up period. Not all that effective at spreading ink, but very useful for crowd control.
  

• Splat Bombs: Tetrahedron-shaped ink grenades that explode shortly after landing.
• Burst Bombs: Ink filled water balloons that explode on impact.
• Ink Mines: Explodes when in close proximity to an opponent.
• Disruptors: Hinders the speed and abilities of the affected target.
• Point Sensors: Tags an enemy with a tracking marker for a short time.
• Splash Walls: Acts as a wall and shield that only you and your teammates can pass through unaffected.
• Seekers: Can lock onto a target and chase them down trailing ink of your color behind them.
• Suction Bombs: Works similarly to the Splat Bombs, but can latch onto walls and ceilings with its suction cup.
• Squid Beakons: Gives you up to three one-time-use jump points so you can quickly get back into the fray.
• Sprinklers: Sprays a small area around it with ink until it is destroyed or until a new one is thrown.

• Bomb Rush: Allows you to throw bombs repeatedly without spending ink.
• Bubbler: Activates an impenetrable shield that can be shared with your teammates if they touch you.
• Echolocator: Tags ALL opponents with a tracking marker no matter how far away from each other they are.
• Inkzooka: Powerful rocket-launcher type weapon that fires mini ink tornadoes that plow through multiple targets.
• Killer Wail: Spreads no ink, but obliterates any opponent in a straight line in front of it.
• Kraken: Transforms you into the invincible Kraken which lays ink behind it as it swims and changes its jump into a strong attack.
• Inkstrike: A powerful nuke-like weapon that creates a towering cyclone of ink at wherever you tap on the Gamepad's screen.

• Regular Battles (For Fun)

1. Turf War: The purpose of this game mode is to cover the ground with as much of your own color of ink as possible in three minutes. Any ink sprayed onto walls and any opponents knocked out do not count toward your final score and your win/lose ratio is not recorded at the end of the match. This game mode is also the primary way to gain money for purchasing clothes and weapons, and experience that levels up your currently equipped clothes and your character allowing you to equip higher-leveled weapons.

• Ranked Battles (For Glory)

1. Splat Zones: This game mode is much like a territories match where you and your teammates try to take control of an area (or two) by spraying the enclosed area with ink and keeping control of it until your timer runs out or whoever has the least time left when the match timer runs out. Losing control of a zone to the enemy team adds a penalty timer onto your main one and it must run out before you can start lowering your time again.
2. Tower Control: This game mode is more like King of the Hill, but with a twist. You need to take control of a tower in the center of the map by standing on top of it, but once you gain control of it, it will start to slowly make its way to a location near the opposing team's spawn point. You win once the tower reaches its destination, or whoever got the tower closest when the time runs out.
3. Rainmaker: A Capture the Flag style game mode where you need to free a powerful dragonfish shaped weapon called the Rainmaker from an orb in the center of the map and carry it to a designated platform near the opponent's base. As long as you are carrying the Rainmaker, you cannot super-jump, your running and swimming speed are reduced, and you are visible while swimming. You are also subjected to a sixty second timer in which if you fail to deliver the weapon to the opponent's base before the timer runs out, you will explode in the opponent's ink color. However, you can use the Rainmaker like a stronger, chargeable Inkzooka to help you get to the opponent's base a little more easily. Secondary win conditions are the same as in Tower Control.

Two maps for each mode are only available to play at any one time and are rotated out every four hours according to an online clock that the game pings when connected to the internet. While the Regular Battles are a lot of fun to be had, the Ranked Battles (which can only be played after you reach level 10) are more geared for hardcore players as your rank will go up or down based on your wins and losses. The cash and experience you receive if you win the match is based on your score in the match and much better than in the Regular Battles, but if you happen to lose, you receive absolutely nothing. This game mode would probably best be played after you max out your inkling's level and equipment so you would have less to ultimately lose. Also, once your level reaches 20, you can add more bonus slots to weaker pieces of clothing that you like by talking to Spyke and paying him 30,000 in cash, or with a Super Sea Snail that you can win from Splat Fest.

Overall, Splatoon was a very nice surprise from Nintendo. They don't make many new big-name IP's any more, but when they do, they never seem to fail. Everything about the game is so perfectly polished and well designed. The gameplay is easy to pick up, the music is unique and fun to listen to, the game modes are varied enough that it rarely gets stale, and in order to improve the pacing and to artificially inflate the length of the game, content locked away on the disc (like new weapons and stages) gets released for free at specific dates along the game's lifespan via an online calendar. While this is a bit unorthodox, it is a smart way to keep the game from getting stale early in its life. SO, now I have one final question to ask you.

ARE YOU A KID, OR A SQUID?

But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score:

To celebrate the Pokemon series 20th Anniversary in Japan, Nintendo announced that the 7th generation Pokemon games, titled Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, were in development and would be released by the holiday season of 2016. In addition to this, they also revealed that the eShop versions of Pokemon Red Version, Pokemon Blue Version, and Pokemon Yellow Version would be compatible with Pokemon Bank so you could transfer the pokemon you trained in those games to Sun and Moon when they're released. Here's hoping for a great new addition to the Pokemon series, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

New DLC characters in the form of Street Fighter's Ryu, Fire Emblem's Roy and Mother 3's Lucas were released for Super Smash Bros for 3DS/Wii U along side two new stages (Dreamland N64 and Suzaku Castle) and a handful of new costumes for the Mii fighters. In addition to this, several new compatible amiibo were also confirmed for the game:

• R.O.B.
• Duck Hunt
• Mr. Game & Watch (Customizable)
• Falco
• Mii Brawler
• Mii Gunner
• Mii Swordfighter
• Ryu (In development)
• Roy (In development)

Also released along side the new Super Smash Bros content was EarthBound Beginnings for the Wii U Virtual Console. This game is actually the finished, yet unreleased NES prequel to the cult classic SNES title EarthBound. You can buy it now from the Wii U eShop for $6.99USD.

A new Chibi Robo game called Chibi Robo: Zip Lash has been confirmed and was shown to be a 2.5D platformer with an emphasis on action and puzzle solving. In addition to this, it will be packaged with a special Chibi Robo amiibo that can be used with the game. This game will be released this October for the 3DS.

I'm sure Skylanders: SuperChargers is no surprise to anyone that knows of the series, but what is certainly shocking is that the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game have exclusive content coming to them in the form of special Skylanders that double as amiibo. These new characters come in the form of Turbo Charged Donkey Kong and Hammer Slam Bowser, and both have a unique base that doubles as a switch allowing it to be used as both a skylander for those games, and as an amiibo for other compatible games. They will come packaged in the game's starter sets in the Nintendo versions of the game and will be released September 20.

Nintendo and Sega have confirmed that Mario & Sonic would return once again for the 2016 summer Olympics at Rio De Janeiro and different sports would be in different versions of the game with American Gridiron Football being in the Wii U version and Golf being in the 3DS version. As of now, the release date is still unconfirmed.

Now I don't know much about this series other than the fact that Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a survival horror game in which you defeat hostile ghosts by taking pictures, but from what I've seen, it looks to be a very interesting entry in the series as the Gamepad is used as your camera for this installment in the franchise. A release date hasn't been announced yet, but expect it by the end of the year.

Genei Ibun Roku #FE is the official Japanese name of the crossover title featuring the Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem franchises. With a lot of heavy influence from Japanese music and pop culture, this is probably going to be a very unusual game, especially when you add characters from the Fire Emblem series into the mix. It is currently unknown if the Japanese title will be changed when it is localized, but expect it to be released some time in 2016.

Speaking of Fire Emblem, the newest installment on the 3DS has gotten an official English subtitle under the name Fire Emblem: Fates. You can expect this title around 2016 as well.

New info for Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer had been announced with a new video showcasing new gameplay features in the form of outdoor decorating and being able to put a villager's house where ever you want on the map, assuming it's on solid ground. Amiibo cards will be made to go along with this game and may be needed to fully enjoy it. This title will be released late September this year.

While we're on the subject of Animal Crossing, a new gameboard party game featuring Animal Crossing characters has been announced for the Wii U and will use the eight new Animal Crossing amiibo figures (Mabel, K.K. Slider, Tom Nook, Isabelle, Digby, Cyrus, Reese and the new character Lottie from Happy Home Designer) as your game pieces in the same fashion as in Mario Party 10's amiibo Party game mode. Expect Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival to be released by the end of the year.

A new Zelda title that I'm sure no-one was expecting was announced in a multiplayer compatible game in the form of The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes. Unlike the Four Swords games which were more competitive in design, this title appears to be more focused around co-operative play and the number of Links is reduced from four to three. There is also a single player mode for those that like to play alone, and online multiplayer for those that aren't near anyone that own the game. Expect this game for the 3DS in the third quarter of this year.

While we're on the subject of Zelda, Hyrule Warriors is also coming to the 3DS as Hyrule Warriors: Legends. This version of the game will include all the DLC that was in the Wii U version plus two new characters in the form of Tetra and The King of Hyrule from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.  This game will likely be released early next year.

Yo-Kai Watch had been hinted at for quite a long time, but now it appears that it is finally getting localized outside of Japan. Expect this Pokemon-like RPG to be released by the end of 2015.

I'm sure all of you wanted a new Metroid game to be announced at this year's E3, but how many of you were expecting THIS of all things? From the information I've gathered, Metroid Prime: Federation Force is MULTIPLAYER ONLY and will have gameplay elements similar to Metroid Prime: Hunters. In addition, it will also include a mini game called Metroid Prime: Blast Ball which is like a futuristic take on Soccer, but with mech suits and power-ups. While I mostly agree that this is not what anyone wanted when we wanted a new Metroid game, I for one will be giving this game a chance when it is released next year. Hopefully the negative reactions were unjustified.

There were a few new Mario games announced during E3 and one of them was Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash for the Wii U. A new addition to this series appears to be the ability to grow to gigantic size with the help of a Mega Mushroom. Expect it to be released by the end of the year.

Now THIS was a nice surprise. This new entry in the Mario & Luigi series titled Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam has Mario & Luigi teaming up with Paper Mario in a rather unique crossover experience. This will likely be much better than Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Expect this game to be released sometime in the first half of 2016.

Yoshi's Woolly World has been on everyone's minds since was announced two years ago. No new info has been announced for the American release dates for the Yarn Yoshi amiibo, but I'm assuming that they'll be released along side the game on October 16.

Super Mario Maker is the new name for Mario Maker that was announced for the Wii U and more details have also been shown. The game is apparently going to be compatible with many different amiibo and a special 30th Anniversay amiibo of 8Bit Mario will be released along side the game. It will be released on September 11 of this year.

No new info was announced for this game other than a release date. Xenoblade Chronicles X will be released on December 4 of this year.

Now for the game that everyone was hoping to see footage of, Star Fox Zero. Shown in the footage is a ton of new gameplay elements like the ability to see from the cockpit of the ship on the Gamepad and the ability to change the shape of the ship your piloting. Co-developed by Platinum Games, this title will be released some time late this year.

Many indie titles will also be released periodically throughout the year like Shantae: Half-Genie Hero and nine specific ones will also be available as special limited time demos on the Wii U eShop:

• Forma.8
• Lovely Planet
• Runbow
• Typoman
• Extreme Exorcism
• RIVE
• Mutant Mudds Super Challenge
• Soul Axiom
• Freedom Planet

I will be trying every single one of these demos, and if you own a Wii U, I encourage you try them out too. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

So you've got no money. Your Steam library is crying out , "Gimme a new game pleaaassee". Well, I've got a free to play shooter like no other. These guys took some simple parkour, great shooting and a fair model and have created what I think is one of the best free games you can play right now.

The game I'm talking about is Dirty Bomb. At the time of writing this Dirty Bomb is in Open Beta. Which means that everything I say may not be representative of the final product. I however find the game finished enough to get a good impression of it. Any drastic changes at this point would make no sense anyway.

Played from the first person perspective, Dirty Bomb is a fast paced objective based shooter. 

The game features different Merc classes which are pretty traditional as far as team shooters go. Characters like the Commando, Sniper and Medic should feel familiar. All with their own abilities each one can turn the tides of battle in different situations. For example Skyhammer has the ability to call down an air strike which can effectively wipe a team if placed correctly. He can also resupply allies with ammunition when need be by throwing down an ammo bag.

This is the main screen when you get into the game. It shows your progress along with daily quests as well as whatever is going on in the world of Dirty Bomb. At the time of reviewing the Phantom was the featured Merc and is sold for real money. This is probably a decent time to talk about the game's Business Model. Dirty Bomb is built around classes which are represented by different Mercs. To start there are a couple free Mercs to let you play and then one can either invest time to earn in game money or spend real world money to acquire other Mercs. Frankly quite a fair model considering the amount of content you get for no cost. Additionally you will not be at a significant disadvantage playing the game without paying money, the characters are quite well balanced.

Once you've bought your Mercs and played a few games you will come into contact with cases which contain random load-out cards. Sorry there are no customizable load-outs. This system however works well and motivates me to play even more. After playing a fair bit I feel the need to get golden load-outs and get better guns for my Mercs. Also the suspense of opening a case is a feeling I can't describe but thoroughly enjoy.

Combat is fast and bloody, shooting can be long distance or close up and accuracy is rewarded. A few successful headshots will take down enemies quickly while body shots will prove almost useless in a lot of cases. Additionally enemies are only put into a crawling mode after initially taken down, they need to be damaged more to be actually killed. This allows time for allies to bring them back into the fight or for the medic to use her instant revive ability. 

 Here I am playing the Fragger class, who brings a heavier weapon to battle along with 2 grenades. He is used mostly for defending objective as throwing a grenade into an enemy diffusing your bomb will probably help a bit. Ill be honest, haven't played a lot of the other classes, mostly because I haven't purchased them or they aren't on the free rotation but also due to the attraction to blowing stuff up. I've also unlocked a gold class for the Fragger, so it can be cool to show that off in lobbies.

Unfortunately, Dirty Bomb isn't always great, it's something they need to work on. 

Remember how I told you about the free rotation of Mercs? At the time of writing the least balanced class(the phantom) is only available via purchase.   Now while the paywall makes it so that the character isn't super common in matches the fact that you can be an invisible sword wielding maniac is kinda OP. Imagine combining the Demo Knight's damage and the Spy's invisibility. Yeah, it's crazy. On another note the menu can be randomly glitchy at times. Now remember this is still a Beta build, but sometimes while matchmaking I will get booted from the screen even though I'm queued to join a server. 

Overall, I really like Dirty Bomb.

This twitchy tactical FREE shooter is the kind of thing I'm into. The collectability of cards and the leveling system motivates me to play while the rewarding gun play keeps me amused in games. While Dirty Bomb definitely isn't perfect(due to a few glitches and the business model being close to the best ever in free games) but i can look past all it's flaws for the combat just feels too dang good. The free experience as well, just rocks. I have spent no real world money at this point in time and I honestly don't feel like there is anything to be sought after(except maybe playing the temporarily OP character).

So yes, I am suggesting Dirty Bomb. Go play it. It's free of course. Put a few matches in, see if you can get friends to play or at least randoms who communicate and the experience is amplified by a lot.

Just remember to play the objective and all will go well!

Before I begin, I'd like to state that, for the record, I'm a huge Metal Gear fan. I've played through every entry (except The Phantom Pain since it's not out yet) and loved them all. I could go on for hours about what is so great about this franchise, but fans and non-fans alike need to realize that something fishy is amidst the early Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain reviews.

Metal Gear games have been known for getting perfect scores in the past, so is The Phantom Pain worthy of the 9's and perfect 10's it's been receiving from early reviews? I personally do not know yet (I haven't played it yet). It could, by all means, be as amazing as early reviews say it is, but that's not the issue here. It's how certain game journalists played the game early and reviewed it. That's what needs to be addressed.

Typically, when a game journalist wants to get a copy of a game early to review: they contact the developer/publisher, inform them of their intentions, sign an NDA (Non-disclosure agreement), and get the game early to review, but that's not what happened with The Phantom Pain.

The following is a statement from Dan Dawkins at GamesRadar:

"For fear of spoilers, Konami invited journalists to review the game at five-day 'boot camps' tied to strict NDAs (non-disclosure agreements). We played between 9am to 5pm, with no unsupervised play outside these hours. That's a maximum play time of 40 hours, assuming no stoppages for eating, drinking, stretching or reality. So you're trying to complete a 35-50 hour game (or longer, depending on your play style and the nature of your 'completion' I can't say more), that you've been anticipating for five years, in a realistic window of 30-35 hours. On one hand, you're finally immersed in one of the deepest, most experimental, open-worlds in history – overwhelmed by side-missions, upgrades and secrets – on the other, haunted by a tick-tock race to reach the 'end' without knowing when that is."

That last paragraph is reason enough to not trust early reviews, but it goes even deeper.

This statement also comes from Dan Dawkins and gives you a bit more insight into how the game was played:

“Based on the UK boot camp, I know of only one reviewer (who was able to play for six days) who has seen enough of the game to deliver a meaningful perspective and I can't even explain why for fear of spoilers. In my boot camp, reviewers were charging through missions wearing the chicken hat (which makes you invisible) almost completely ignoring Mother Base and all the side-ops in a race for the 'end'. Will it score high? I mean, duh, but I don't feel the boot camp was sufficient basis to offer my views on Kojima's intentions and MGS5's abiding legacy. At times, the boot camp felt like being gifted a bottle of Macallan 1946 whiskey in a frat house and being told to chug, chug, chug.“

That last statement openly reveals that most journalists that partook in these 'boot camps' did not play The Phantom Pain to it's entirety.

So how is it that these same journalists that gave The Phantom Pain 9's and perfect 10's did so without even playing through the entire game? I shouldn't have to tell you that you have to play through the ENTIRE game to review it fairly.

A hands-on report from RockPaperShotgun claims that reviewers were under strict NDA to "share only information that was deemed necessary by Konami higher-ups."

It's completely understandable that Konami doesn't want story spoilers to be leaked, but they went about it all the wrong ways. The way Konami went about this means that journalists cherry picked the things they liked to put into their reviews and did not report on many things that may have hindered the game experience if Konami found these details "necessary".

Many journalists were quick to point out that the story wasn't up to par with previous Metal Gear entries, forced combat in many unnecessary moments, and included serious pay-walls in the form of microtransactions; yet that still warrants scores of perfect 10's by the same journalists?

The two aforementioned journalist sites did not have to share the 'boot camp' and NDA details, but they did. Most journalists wouldn't have and most didn't. All the journalists that gave The Phantom Pain 9's and 10's failed to mention the inner workings of the 'boot camps' and the NDAs. Were they trying to hide something or did they simply "forget"?

Again, this article isn't bashing The Phantom Pain. Is The Phantom Pain worthy of the 9's and 10's it has been receiving? It very well could be, but that's not the issue here. This article only serves as an attempt to bring important information to light that was trying to be hidden.

Luigi isn't in any way perfect. He's a coward, he resents the brother he looks up to, and he is often the subject of ridicule. But I like Luigi all the more for it. Adversity builds character, and if The Year of Luigi is evidence enough, he may someday become even more popular than the brother he holds in such high regard. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Windows 10, the Next Big Thing for Microsoft

First of all, the release is July 29, next week. Excited yet? You should be. Not only are we getting a complete update for the famous operating system free for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users, but also the much anticipated release of the phone assistant, Cortana, for specific phones. Windows 10's release not only offers benefits for PCs, but also for the Xbox, Windows phones and tablets, and other interesting devices like virtual reality headsets.

How To Get It

First off, Microsoft has made Windows 10 more accessible than ever before. The home version can be bought at the price of $119/£99/€135, but that's not the thing that's making people happy. It's the fact that anyone with Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 can update their OS to Windows 10 for absolutely free. Notable, however, is that this offer is only available for one year, so don't slack on that (though I don't expect that many will). Another thing that is absolutely notable is that this is update from Windows is quite special. It's the reason why I've been calling it an update for most of this article: it's more of an update than an entirely new OS. Not only is this slightly different in changing Window's philosophy to versions of Windows, but it's almost an extension of a previous Windows version. You can download and install this Windows without losing any of your data at all, according to Microsoft.

There are in total seven total versions of Windows 10 that cover many different systems, including Home, Mobile, Pro. Though those aren't all, those are the ones eligible for free download under the deal of upgrading from a previous version of Windows. Others include Windows 10 Enterprise, Education, Mobile Enterprise, IoT Core.

New Features

Windows 10 offer many functions that vary depending on the version from a better alt+tab to a better computer search to being able to schedule restarts, but for the sake of discussion, it could be most closely related at an improved Windows 8 in both appearance and functionality. While it's absolutely true that the release of Windows 8 wasn't exactly world-shattering in revolution – in fact, it was more of a step back in usability upon initial release – Microsoft has listened to the pleas and overhauled the entire thing, even skipping the number nine this time around.

Compared with Windows 8, Windows 10 has been stated to offer a more usable interface for multitasking and the return of the start menu verily. From the start (pardon the pun), the start menu employs Cortana, the assistant from Microsoft's Halo series who we all know and love. Stating that her integration will bolster capabilities in multitasking or general use through day to day activities, it's something quite new to see in an OS. While Apple has employed an assistant to some success, they've never spanned into desktop computers or anything larger than a tablet. Cortana will be the next big competitor, facing against already popular assistants like Siri and Google Now. Though I'm not usually one to touch the digital assistant, I'd be pleased to see what potential she has.

Because Microsoft has released their line of more portable devices, we've seen a blend in the styles between tablets and phones to those of down to earth desktops. Though the initial introduction of such a design in Windows 8 led to an experience of staggered usability, Microsoft has tried to learn from their mistakes and implement what are truly the best of both worlds. While there are features like "home" view, we still manage to have the tried and true start button amongst many other details that we might've been missing from Windows 8. As seen, one could imagine Windows 10 being a modernized Windows 7 and use it at that alone.

Another line of usability that might be drawing from tablets or phones that have the ability to directly multitask through separate windows is the fact that Windows 10 allows you to have multiple desktops. No, not multiple windows using the alt+tab, but actually multiple desktops with independent windows and applications open. This might be the most useful when you are doing two significantly different tasks, such as discussing a business plan on Skype and reviewing the Excel spreadsheets on one desktop while reading novoGamer on the other.

Something that is interesting is that, while in recent years security for devices have meant fingerprint scanners, swipe locks, and other neat things, that all changes with this new Windows. Not only does Windows 10 offer support for fingerprint readers like most devices do now, it also is planned to implement infrared face scans, 3D cameras, and iris scans. Yes, it is the future! Now we just have to wait for devices to actually have infrared cameras, 3D cameras, and iris scanners.

You might be reading this and find it underwhelming, the new features, but in total there are way too many to cover in one article. Microsoft has been slowly releasing the features behind their tech quite slowly, but that's only been adding on to the anticipation of it all. I believe we won't have a full grasp of what's to come until we actually use it for the first time – or we find out a year afterwards some amazing feature that would've come super handy had you known about it earlier.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge? What's that? You may be scratching your head that you've never heard of one of Microsoft's biggest features for Windows 10, and that's just how they want it: Microsoft Edge is the new Internet Explorer. That's right, Windows 10 will feature the new browser with a new name, no longer associating itself with the shoddy, slow one we love... to hate. Under the name Project Spartan until now, Microsoft Edge is reportedly completely redesigned. This might be your next favorite browser! That's right, favorite! Because the browser will be built into the OS, it will be able to operate at higher speeds, better efficiency to its already substantial performance, and will even feature Cortana. Yep, she's everywhere, even giving tips whenever you pose for a selfie on how to smile... not really, I hope.

One thing of note is that IE is still there, but not as a traditional browser. When certain plugins or third party programs are needed, Internet Explorer still serves a role.

How Windows 10 Is Going To Change Gaming

For gaming, Microsoft 10 is coming with DirectX 12. Yes, you heard me! No more DirectX 11, but a more powerful API with much stronger performance on all aspects. This is expected to expand the limits of PC gaming quite a bit, especially with better 3D modeling and such required games. The new technology is claimed to have better manipulation of graphics cards, "unlocking" their potential, as well as having backwards compatibility to DirectX 11 cards. GameSpot recently provided a test which results can be seen here:

Click on the image to see GameSpot's full article on the matter. Other features that Microsoft claims to be evident in the new DirectX 12 is a 50% power consumption reduction and just general higher performance for a better experience with gaming and more efficient computers. Because of this, it might be possible that this starts a new generation of graphics cards, and Microsoft has already been working with Nvidia to produce promising results.

The DirectX 12 release should also help Xbox users to see a boost in performance, as that console implements it as well for its graphics processing. It should be noted, however, that many Xbox developers have stated that they don't have high hopes for the new technology, in contrast to PC users. Microsoft's Xbox division boss, Phil Spencer himself stated:

"On the DX12 question, I was asked early on by people if DX12 is gonna dramatically change the graphics capabilities of Xbox One and I said it wouldn’t. I’m not trying to rain on anybody’s parade, but the CPU, GPU and memory that are on Xbox One don’t change when you go to DX12. DX12 makes it easier to do some of the things that Xbox One’s good at, which will be nice and you’ll see improvement in games that use DX12, but people ask me if it’s gonna be dramatic and I think I answered no at the time and I’ll say the same thing.“

Even so, we here at novoGamer believe that DirectX 12 will allow for a larger space for game developers to work with and also hardware specifications to expand. As Mr. Spencer said, we may not see a huge difference, but one may appear over time.

Another big thing for Xbox users, Windows 10 offers something pretty huge in the gaming industry. You know what gaming device is also owned by Microsoft? That's right, the Xbox. According to sources, Windows 10 is offering cross platform play between Windows and Xbox. While it's not clear how many games will be supported, Microsoft invited a few developers to create games to get the ball rolling and initial results have been reported to be successful. While it's not clear how usable the games are with the physical limitations of using a keyboard and mouse over a controller, it's certainly the next step with using cross platform play with the PC. Nevertheless, this will make the console/PC war a bit more literal.

Another interesting feature that will be featured in Windows 10 is supposedly Microsoft's Windows Holographic. Debuted earlier this year, Microsoft is trying to literally offer a Window (get it) into the virtual reality world. Very credible names like Oculus have already been invited to try to make games for the new device and, from early reports, it's working out well. What's amazing is that support will come with Windows 10. No downloads from their website, no extra programs.Virtual reality may become the next big thing for gamers at home, surprising many.

To pair with those awesome features, Microsoft will be releasing what they call Hololens: a full PC, packed into a small headset, completely standalone. During Microsoft's presentation of the technology, they featured the someone wearing the virtual reality headset building a small drone with 3D software by Microsoft named Holo Studio, similar to what you might expect from AutoCAD. Afterwards, they actually brought the drone on stage: she had been building it real time with a 3D printer backstage, which only goes to show the detail that can be managed through the 3D view. We can only hope that the same detail provides a crystal gaming experience when that very same headset will be undoubtedly used to stimulate virtual reality. One factor that will probably be necessary is that you may need to connect it to an actual desktop PC if you wish to play beefier games, but we might be able to see implementation of technologies like Steam's broadcasting service for wireless use.

Something interesting, however, is the thought that you have a 3D headset, right? And you also have Microsoft's shining, smart, blue A.I., Cortana. That's right, something you could very well expect is an actual holographic projection of Cortana coming out as your digital assistant. If that doesn't happen, it's almost guaranteed that someone will make one!

Last Windows Version

This will be the last version of Windows. Worried? You really shouldn't be. Because of how this Windows is being written, there won't be any big updates like this one anymore. This is what Microsoft is saying, but I wouldn't be too surprised if something pops up later in life. However, the reason why there doesn't need to be any more updates is because Microsoft is gearing towards smaller updates. Updates a little more like how Apple handle updates. When an Apple computer updates, it's something you do overnight or even just while you're out grabbing lunch; suddenly your computer is running OS X Yosemite and you're good to go for the rest of the day. Compare this to Windows, where every version is a purchase, a new install, and what feels like a new computer. No more of that now, as Microsoft is planning on making itself more of a service, meaning that it will provide small updates and improvements.

Microsoft states that this is all possible by making stuff in the operating system modular. Confused? It's really quite innovative. If you imagine a car, Microsoft has taken the mentality that you replace the outdated things, the parts that have been broken, the parts that can be taken out relatively easily without replacing the car. By using this metaphor, if you imagine that Microsoft would be able to fix the start menu, or maybe the desktop, or maybe Microsoft Edge, without updating any major changes. However, a car is likely to need to be eventually replaced, which is why I say that I wouldn't be too surprised to Microsoft 11 or Microsoft 12 jump out at us within the decade.

Remember to mark the date, everyone, July 29th!

When I first opened up the box, I noticed that the console itself is extremely lightweight; it feels like it could break very easily. Although, it looks very nice with its glossy sheen and it is well put together. The controller has a very unusual design however; it doesn't feel quite right in my hands and it has a digital joystick instead of a standard directional pad. Now as I went to boot up the system, I found that the controller wasn't synced with the console by default. Luckily I had a spare SNES controller that I could use to access the menus which allowed me to sync up the controller that came with it. After syncing, I browsed the menus and discovered that the system could be updated with a new version of the existing firmware. So, I grabbed an SD card, plugged it in to the back of the console, followed the onscreen instructions, took out the card, went to the official site, downloaded the update onto the card, put it back into the Retron 5 and finished the update. THIS is an egregious flaw in the system's design as this could easily have been done via WiFi. That being said, this tediousness was the biggest problem with it and everything else flows a little more smoothly.

The first game I decided to test on this thing was EarthBound for the SNES. Everything worked really well and the controls did what they were supposed to. Plus the system saves a state the first time you start a game up. So I played for a little while until I got far enough to save my progress and I discovered that the system has the ability to save a backup of your progress to the internal memory or the SD card if you so wish. So I did, and quit the game, but this is when I ran into my second problem: the Retron 5 doesn't have an eject switch for any of the five cartridge slots. While this usually isn't a problem in and of itself, but it was in this case because the console had one helluva death grip on my game. I'm sure that if you need to use excessive force in order to remove a game from its slot, then that is an indication that an eject button would have been sorely needed. It wasn't until later when I found out that the games come out more easily when you gently pull them out from one side at an angle.

Now because of how much force it took for me to remove my game from the cartridge slot, I feared that I might have damaged my precious copy of EarthBound. So as a second test, I tried out the game again on my SNES, and (unfortunately) I saw that my save file had been wiped clean. This pissed me off until I remembered that the Retron 5 saved a backup of my save file. So I reluctantly put the game back into the system and had the Retron rewrite the file onto the cart. Then came the moment of truth; I CAREFULLY removed EarthBound from the Retron 5, booted the game back up in my SNES and lo and behold, everything was all peachy-keen. Despite the problems I had, this is an extremely nice feature that I think all future cartridge-based consoles should have.

Next thing I tested was the built in Game Genie with the NES game Little Nemo: The Dream Master, at least, that's what I would like to say. As it turns out, the Game Genie codes had to be downloaded separately from the firmware update. I had to do all of that downloading crap again and it doesn't even work when there are too many cheats active at one time. There were some games that weren't even compatible with it as it was an early version of the list. At least the process is much more user-friendly than the firmware updates. The last thing I tested was the screenshot tool with the Famicom game Summer Carnival '92 RECCA. Not really much of big feature, but it is nice to able to save screenshots as a jpeg or png file.

Now I bet you're wondering, "This sounds a lot like a glorified emulator that can play cartridges," and well, you'd be half right. While it does emulate the console specs of the NES, SNES, Famicom, Sega Mega Drive and Game Boy Advance (and the Sega Master System with the help of Sega's Power Converter), it CANNOT play ROM files of any kind. "Then what's the point when I can just download an emulator and connect it to my TV?" you may ask. Well, my valued readers, let me ask you this: Can you backup your cartridge data from an emulator? Well no, but honestly, that feature of the Retron 5 (while nice) really isn't all that worth it since it can't even use any hardware features that might be built into the cartridge. If you get it as a gift, great. If you buy it with your own money though, don't spend more than $100 on it. I guess the new firmware update that allows you to patch games with ROM-hacks or translations might be nice. I would need to test that first though, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score

Submerged is minimalistic "relaxporation" adventure developed by Uppercut Games that puts you in a post-disaster world where you mosly scavenge for supplies to save a dying boy's life. Submerged is completely combat free and, instead, focuses all it's efforts on story and gameplay. With the post-apocalyptic art style of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and the beauty and relaxed gameplay of Journey, will Submerged sink or swim?

Submerged begins with Miku and her wounded brother, Taku, arriving in a flooded and abandoned city in order to find supplies to keep Taku alive from his injuries.

The story seems simple enough and it remains that way until you begin finding story art cards that provide backstory on Miku and Taku before arriving in the city, and the flooded city as well.

I never really found myself caring all that much about Taku, but I did find myself very much caring about Miku and the city itself. I cared more about Miku's safety than Taku's, but that's probably because Taku spends the majority of the game lying on a bench and not doing anything. Though, to be fair, he is dying, but Miku's safety came first in my eyes.

The city's story and what happened to the people is also quite interesting. It's also quite interesting with how these stories unfold. You have to boat around the ruined city and collect story art cards that piece everything together, but you won't find them in order of story events. The story won't become completely clear until all the story cards have been collected.

Also, the developers created an entirely new language to further emphasize just how far society has fallen. If that's not impressive then I don't know what is. Though, I do have a gripe with the story. (The next tidbit isn't REALLY a spoiler, but rather, a broad statement with no specifics.) [spoiler]Over the course of Submerged, the game, begins heavily implying that there's going to an emotionally devastating ending that will leave you in tears, but there's a complete cop out. I wish it had gone with the course it was going because it was shaping up to be one of those endings you're going to remember forever; like Telltale's The Walking Dead and The Last of Us.[/spoiler]

Made with the Unreal 4 engine, Submerged, can look downright beautiful. The beauty is especially realized when the day becomes night and rain begins to pour down.

It's clear the developers knew just how beautiful the game is because there's a "Make Postcard" option that allows the player to stop time and rotate the camera around Miku and create absolutely gorgeous screenshots.

Allow me to put it like this: Submerged is so beautiful that I ended up using the "Make Postcard" option to take beautiful screenshots every time I was in game. Every time I started up the game; I saw something new and beautiful. Unfortunately, though, the graphics aren't perfect.

Upon closer inspection, some noticeable textures seem blurred and a bit dull. The framerate will even drop quite frequently and, seemingly, out of nowhere. At one moment, the framerate dropped so low that the entire game stopped and I thought it had crashed but, fortunately, it came back in a split second.

The gameplay in Submerged mainly consists of climbing and navigating the city streets with your boat. This creates a strong sense of relaxation.

Watching waves roar around as whales and dolphins swim by feels so relaxing. From an artistic standpoint, it's great, but from a gaming standpoint; not so much.

Sadly, the gameplay in Submerged gets redundant pretty quick. Gameplay in Submerged can be summarized in this order: boat, climb, collect ration; rinse and repeat. This was something I was afraid of and my fears were realized.

At first, I didn't think this would be an issue, but it slowly began feeling tedious and I realized that I wanted to do was sail around and admire the beauty. You can do just that, but you have to boat, climb, collect ration to progress the story. Once you complete the game, you unlock an "Explore" mode that allows you to explore the game world and collect missed story cards and boat upgrades free from distractions. This was my favorite aspect of gameplay.

The soundtrack is where Submerged REALLY shines. Composed by BAFTA-Award Winner Jeff Van Dyck, Submerged's soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful and intensely elevates the sense that you are alone in this post-apocalyptic world.

From somber melodies to more uplifting tracks, Submerged's soundtrack is one I hope to purchase and listen to whenever. It's quite amazing to stand on the edge of a decaying ruin with nothing but the wind and a quiet song playing evoking many emotions.

Submerged is just one of those games that help further the proof that video games are capable of becoming high art, but the redundant gameplay and weak ending hold Submerged back from realizing it's true potential. This beautiful apocalypse accompanied by gorgeous visuals and a haunting soundtrack makes Submerged an experience I won't soon forget.

If you care for the artistic nature of Submerged then I highly recommend it to you, but if you don't care about any of that then this may not be for you. Otherwise, Submerged is an experience worth checking out.

Sigma Star Saga is a dual genre RPG/Shoot-em-up developed by WayForward Technologies and released for the Game Boy Advance in August of 2005. In it, you play as Ian Recker, a skilled fighter pilot for Earth's forces, who is tasked with infiltrating the ranks of an extraterrestrial species known as the Krill who attacked Earth by boiling away its oceans killing almost all life on the surface. While undercover, Recker meets Psyme, a female Krill that outfits him with a parasite suit that gives him enhanced strength and speed and allows him to interface with the Krill's living spaceships, which is where the game's main mechanics come into play.\r

The RPG part of the game works in a very unusual, but surprisingly logical way. In order to make sure the Krill (and Recker by extension) are safe during a mission on another planet's surface, the Krill scramble the battleships in low orbit above the planet to scout for intruders, but because the ships are unintelligent living beings much like cattle, they scare very easily. As such, they warp in a nearby pilot to help them rid of whatever is causing their distress a la Random Encounter. While piloting a ship, the game plays like a side-scrolling shmup much like Gradius or Sky Kid, but once all of the enemies in the battle are destroyed, you are rewarded with some experience points and the ship will quickly warp you back to the overworld shortly afterward.\r

\r

The overworld map on the other hand plays VERY different than what I was expecting for an RPG endeavor. Unlike most RPG's, your character does not engage in battle while walking around the map. Any and all enemies shown in the overworld are nothing more than obstacles that block your progression forward and most can easily be taken out with Recker's gun. Another thing that makes this very different is the fact that Recker can find permanent power-ups on the map for both himself and whatever ship that may beam him aboard. While Recker's abilities stack in the fashion of Metroid, your ship's power-ups are customizable allowing you to better fit your play style.\r

All in all, I had fun with this game, but it isn't for everybody. It is a very nice change of pace for fans of the shmup genre, but RPG fans may have a hard time getting into the battle segments due to them being much more action oriented, and the fact that the story can be overly complicated at times. But if you're the kind of person that plays through a game multiple times, then you'd probably enjoy the multiple endings and New Game +. It even has an extra secret ending if you manage to complete it 100%. If you have the time, you should definitely check this game out, but until then, I'll be seeing you.

Score

Blues and Bullets is a story driven episodic adventure that puts you in the shoes of Elliot Ness, a retired cop that gets dragged back into the life he thought he left behind. Developed by A Crowd of Monsters, Blues and Bullets is a unique blend of Telltale's The Walking Dead's gameplay and L.A. Noire's tone and themes while still maintaining it's own identity.

Blues and Bullets' story is very well executed that takes some of the common cliches found in Noir drama and adds a new spin on it.

The overall plot deals with the heavy subjects of murder, mutilation, torture, and revenge – topics that can only make a good story if executed perfectly.

The story follows Elliot Ness, a former cop and now diner owner, as he gets pulled into a job by Al Capone. The story isn't as straight forward as it seems with curveballs being thrown at you to keep you on your toes.

Elliot himself is surprisingly charismatic and likable with realistic motives and the personality of a retired law enforcement officer just trying to live the rest of his days happily. Though, not everyone's life can be so happy and it seems Elliot's can't be either.

The developers have done a fantastic job of keeping the Noir story in balance with the tone and atmosphere they have created with the soundtrack and visual style. This looks to be one of those stories that sticks with you long after you've experienced it all the way through.

The graphics in Blues and Bullets are rather impressive considering the engine it was made with, but boasts an even more impressive art style.

If you are a fan of the Sin City films, then you are going to love the visuals in Blues and Bullets. The game mainly features a black and white art style, but with accents of red to show off smaller details – and blood, lots and lots of blood.

The graphics just ooze with Noir mystery that will make you want to investigate every item of the environment to unlock back story and reveal more about the world the game takes place in, but the graphics aren't without their own flaws.

Some of the animations within the game are stiff and robotic, and lips won't always match up to some character's dialogue. Blues and Bullets isn't very well optimized either, with only 4 changeable graphical settings; Resolution, Full Screen, Quality, and Visual Effects. Because of this, I had trouble playing through Blues and Bullets at a stable FPS.

Don't expect to be just walking around and talking to people like similar games of this genre. Blues and Bullets does a fairly well job of including exciting action set pieces that don't feel tacked on with no rhyme or reason.

On top of investigating and shooting, you will also piece together a gruesome murder to figure out how to proceed with Al Capone's task. This was a gameplay element I was pleasantly surprised to see and I hope it is used again in future episodes.

There are also quick time events with Blues and Bullets. It's understandable to be turned off by this element, but there aren't many and they are fairly easy to accomplish once you've encountered them.

The soundtrack of Blues and Bullets fits the tone of the game perfectly.

Ranging from more lively upbeat songs to more quiet and somber tracks.

The same can be said for the voice acting. No one phones it in here and all the actors make this feel like you are actually watching a Noir film drama.

Also, the voice of Geralt from The Witcher series voices Elliot Ness, which is a great addition. Elliot's sort-of-not-really sidekick who accompany's him throughout the majority of the game has a more softer and down to Earth voice which is a great contrast to Elliot's gruff monotone voice.

Overall, I very much enjoyed my time with Blues and Bullets and will eagerly await the release of episode 2. The developers were able to succesfully blend everything great about Noir mystery dramas and turn it into a fantastic game.

The story, the graphics, and the gameplay tied up neatly with great voice acting and a stellar soundtrack make for an incredible experience that I won't be forgetting anytime soon, regardless of it's minor flaws.

It's been 6 years, hombres. 6 long years since Red Dead Redemption was released into our hearts. Since then we've had L.A. Noire, Grand Theft Auto V, and entered an entirely new console generation. Now Rockstar have officially christened their announcement of a third Red Dead game with a trailer. Ladies and Gentlemen: Red Dead Redemption 2.

Rockstar's current official description for Red Dead Redemption 2 is as follows:

Developed by the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America’s unforgiving heartland. The game’s vast and atmospheric world will also provide the foundation for a brand new online multiplayer experience.

I currently work in a support role at an inclusive, public College in County Durham, England that is in the Top 20 bracket of Sixth Form in the country (Quite an achievement since most in the top 20 are rich private colleges) and I have performed the same role for other schools and Universities for nearly 20 years.

Gaming is a hobby of mine outside of my work. It is not my only hobby but it would be accurate to say it is my primary one.

My political affiliations are, well, none. That is to say that I am very distrustful of both the Left and the Right and I find that political parties to be nothing more than legalised Mafia organisations. I have been labelled an Anarchist as a result, however that would be inaccurate as I am agreeable with most of the structure of the British Government (House of Lords should be replaced with something else though!), I simply prefer to vote for a non-party individual to be my representative and hope one day that the House of Commons is filled with nothing but non-party representatives, although I'm willing to concede that it won’t be likely to happen within my lifetime.

I have also been likened to Conspiracy Theorists types that believe in the Illuminate and the New World Order (Not the Pro Wrestling faction) and that 9/11 was an inside job. In reality I have taken on their incredulity so much they think I am a C.I.A. “Psy Op“. An MI5 operative would be more believable since I am British but it goes to show how moronic they can be!

Anyway, that is enough introductions. I have a challenge to issue.

For the past year the Twitter hashtag GamerGate has been a significant talking point within the gaming world, if not necessarily aloud within the development and publishing part of the industry. Over 8 million tweets have been posted in the hashtag that was declared by its detractors that it would be over in a week, then a month and then it became just wishful thinking as they buried their heads in the sand, or at least they started to use blockbots!

Why the hashtag started is merely down to consumers being unable to raise their concerns about the unethical state of the industry’s media. When revelations came to light in the summer of 2014 that there was a conflict of interest between a reporter at Kotaku promoting a game without first, disclosing his financial support towards the game he was promoting (This earned his name being listed in the game’s credits), secondly not disclosing their close personal relationship, consumers had decided after years of suspicion of unethical behaviour in the gaming media that questions finally needed to be answered. They were instead met with censorship. Comment sections were being suppressed and forum threads deleted on a massive scale.

Consumers were left to turn to Twitter, YouTube and Chan Boards (Ones that would allow GamerGate discussions) to raise their questions and concerns. The actor Adam Baldwin was the first to use #GamerGate on Twitter while linking to one of the many videos being made at the time, talking about the gaming media’s unwillingness to tackle the accusations levelled at itself. While personally, I would have preferred a different name rather than using the clichéd suffix of having “Gate“ at the end of a scandal, you work with what you get and everyone else in the hashtag took to using it.

Rather than deal with the accusations and the evidence presented to them, the games media instead attempted the head in the sand technique by releasing the many “Gamers are Dead“ articles on the hope that they could emerge from the sand and be surrounded only by like-minded ideologues within a purpose made bubble, housing only the worthy (translated: privileged) few and keeping out the unclean “misogynists“ (translated: working class).

Over the following twelve months the narrative from the gaming media, which would infect the mainstream media, was that GamerGate was nothing more than an organised harassment campaign against women and other minorities trying to get into the male, patriarchal dominated video games industry simply because they were women and minorities. Unlike the significant number, if not the majority in the video game world of women and minorities that have already been in the industry, with great successes for the past 25 years that gamers have had no issues with at all!

What I have always found to be fascinating was the effort made to keep the narrative about GamerGate being a hate movement for this length of time. Proponents of Homeopathy and Geocentricism (Theory that the Earth is the absolute center of the Universe) are rightly mocked in academia and the media for their claims, largely in part because they are unwilling to offer evidence for their assertions or claims. Even if they do offer something they claim to be evidence, it is so faulty that it only serves to prove how spurious their claims are.

With opponents of GamerGate however, they have managed to go a whole year without ever being seriously held to account and prove the validity of their claims, albeit not that surprising given that they have the privilege of controlling the mechanisms for pushing the narrative. Disturbingly some on the Anti GamerGate side say without any irony that “Evidence is a patriarchal construct“ which does not help any attempts they might make to dissuade observers that their “Listen and Believe“ mantra is very much cult-like.

So here is where I finally put the challenge to opponents of GamerGate. Many will right now be shocked or “triggered“ to realise that a GamerGate sympathiser is in fact not stuck in a basement (They don’t really exist much here in the UK) but is in fact working in an educational establishment supporting the learning experience of young adults which I'm sure they find “problematic“.

Now as keen as they will be to call my employer and claim that I am every evil under the sun and demand I be fired ala Tim Hunt, I suggest they don’t for two reasons. First, I have already had two meetings with management over my support of GamerGate, they are supportive of my views.

This was done in preparation for meeting my constituent MP in July as I figured those who were Anti GamerGate then might try and harm my livelihood and yes you read correctly, I spoke to my MP about the demonisation of GamerGate supporters in the media after seeing two supporters of GamerGate claim on social media that they were going to attempt to take their own lives. The Anti side do not have exclusive access to Left Leaning, Female Politicians.

If the Anti side attempt to sully my name to my employers, the claims will either be ignored because they already know it is not true, or they will pass the complaint onto me in case I wish to invoke those infamous UK Defamation laws, or if the college believes their name is in danger of being besmirched they will make inquires on the same said laws or even possibly the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

Secondly, there will be no need to risk jail time in your attempt to destroy my livelihood because I am in fact going to gift you an open goal with my challenge if you can complete it. Based on Chris von Csefalvay’s statistical analysis, the best educated hypothesis is that GamerGate supporter’s numbers are rounded to be 100,000 people. For the Anti Gamergate statement to be true, that the majority of the hashtag for this whole year is nothing but harassing and doxing women, then 51,000 accounts on Twitter will have to be identified as doing nothing but harassing and doxing.

For perspective, Chris von Csefalvay came to a conclusion of 0.2% he believed was harassment only. That would be 200 accounts needed to be found to match that percentage, which of course is nowhere near the majority and I am sure that the opposition do not want to be likened to the sort of bigotry that says “Because this one Radical Islamist blew up a train, all Muslims are terrorists“!

However, if they can produced verifiable evidence of 51,000 Twitter accounts that have done nothing but harass and doxx, I will offer my resignation to my employer stating that I cannot realistically continue to be trusted to safeguard our students and for bringing down the reputation of the establishment as a result of supporting a hate group for a year.

There are some requirements to meet the 51,000 mark however. First, don’t just give me a list of account names from a Block Bot. That doesn't show me anything other than a list someone has decided to generate to help people with more burying heads in the sand. Plus considering that at one point Kentucky Fried Chicken ended up on a block list, without any reference to GamerGate made, that list’s trustworthiness is about zero!

For every name that you are putting on the list has to come with evidence of a section of tweets proving that the account is a GamerGate supporter and that they are mostly harassing or doxing people. Sorry, despite what may have been said recently at a UN Women’s conference, criticising someone making hypocritical statements, logical fallacies, lacking or refusing to provide evidence or citations for arguments or mocking statement/arguments made using sarcasm, parody or memes does not count as harassment in rationality let alone the law. Threats of physical harm counts as harassment.

Second, an account on the list will be disqualified if found that the account is in fact the common problem of a third party troll and I am referring the true definition of a troll here which is someone saying anything to rile up anyone and everyone, not someone who questions your assertions. If the account is only 6 months old maximum with less than 500 tweets, zero following count, low favourite numbers, that is a troll account made just to troll. If an account is found attacking both anti and pro GamerGate and anything else that is trending, that is also deemed a troll account and won’t count.

So there you have it Anti GamerGate, here is your chance to not only prove that the majority of GamerGate is actually harassment but you also get the chance to end the career of a supporter. Since I am what you call working to lower middle class, losing my job would mean I would become homeless and destitute within a month or two, which seems like a fitting punishment for someone promoting a hate group does it not?

Oh, you feel uncomfortable possibly making someone working class drop into poverty? Well if it makes you feel any better, you have never had any conscience or cared about that before! That is the point of all this though. I am willing to put my head on the block of the guillotine and I am daring you Anti GamerGate, Social (Media) Justice Warriors to pull the string. Because then you might finally realise and come to terms with what you are and the rest of the world can finally get to see who you really are.

Although I am sure that some of you will be quite content to do that while telling the rest of the “peasants“ watching that they can eat cake.

After 16 years of waiting, System Shock 3 has finally been officially announced. Otherside Entertainment are now at the helm of development. Otherside Entertainment are also partnered with Night Dive Studios. Night Dive Studios is a company that are trying to revive old classics. They are also currently working on the System Shock 1 remake.

Otherside Entertainment first launched a teaser site with nothing but an image of a logo that read "System Shock 3. Then, shortly after, the site displayed a countdown timer to what many fans correctly assumed to be an official announcement. After the timer concluded, the site displayed a large green computerized image along with the System Shock 3 logo as well as Otherside Entertainment's logo.

Interesting enough, if you try to save the green image, it will automatically name it to "Shodan." Not much is known so far about System Shock 3 besides that it is in development by Otherside Entertainment.

For more on System Shock 3, stay with us at novoGamer.

Video Game

This game is fantastically good and a helluva lot of fun, even if the difficulty on the Normal setting is a little unforgiving. The music is fantastic as well and the character and enemy designs are extremely creative and fit the theme of the game superbly. The story can be a little confusing at times, but it all comes together nicely in the end. However, depending on which version of the game you get, it can be either an extraordinary experience, or torture for the eyes. If you decide to get the game, go for the Xbox 360 or Wii U version of the game as the PS3 version is plagued by terrible frame-rate issues making it look awful to watch, let alone play. Plus as a bonus to those that get the Wii U version, Nintendo themed costumes for Bayonetta are also available which alter some minor aspects about the game without affecting the gameplay. All in all though, just avoid the PS3 version.

"The Eyes of Bayonetta" Artwork Book and DVD

Now despite how interesting and informative the artwork books was, the "Making of" DVD actually was what I more interested in. The development process was quite a sight to behold. As it turns out, the main character, Bayonetta, was designed by Mari Shimazaki with the only instruction that she should look feminine. Needless to say that this gave her a lot of freedom and she rolled with it. She wasn't the only one that was given a lot of freedom in her work, just about everyone involved in the game's creative process was allowed to let their imaginative juices flow freely. The way everything meshes together really shows that love and care was put into the game's creation. The DVD is definitely well worth the watch; the dev's personalities show in both their commentary and their work.

Animated Film

Closing Statement

No matter what medium you enjoy Bayonetta in, this first entry in the series definitely had a very strong impact. Bayonetta as a character is probably my favorite female protagonists of all time as well. She is strong, independent, knows that she's sexy and casually exploits that fact in her work, which she also enjoys. If you can get any of these things, definitely go for it, just remember to avoid the PS3 version of the game due to a very shoddy porting process. But until then, I'll be seeing you.

Game Score

Book Score

Film Score