I've moved!

To whom it may concern:
 I've recently switched over to WordPress indefinitely as my new origin of posting. I felt it was the right thing to do and I hope that most of you, if they are really any of you out there who read my reviews/posts will join me on my new page at https://dpopsgamereviews.wordpress.com. :)

"Until Dawn" Review

     You know how when you're watching a horror movie and every single character is always making the worst decision they could possibly make? Well, Until Dawn leaves the horror movie decisions up to you. Sure you could inspect that noise you heard, or you could just say screw that and maybe save your life in the process. The story, although thin, is thick with horror clichés and stereotypes. Until Dawn takes place at a cabin in the woods. Yes, you heard that right. Ten friends go up to the cabin one night and some of them decide to play a prank on the other. Basically, the prank goes wrong and it leads to two sisters, Hannah and Beth's, death. A year later, Josh, Hannah and Beth's brother, returns to the cabin with the seven others to try to get closure from the night his sister's went missing.

     Things quickly get scary and it's up to you to keep the eight friends alive "until dawn." Early on, there are a lot of jump scares, but as the game progresses, things become psychological. The player will see a therapist multiple times during the story and reveal what scares them the most. What you say you are afraid of will affect the game, but unfortunately, not in as big of a way as you might think. The real changes come from the decisions you make with the eight friends, using the game's "Butterfly Effect" system. In other words, a burst of butterflies will briefly fill the screen whenever you make a decision that will affect something in the story later on. There are even character traits that will increase or decrease depending on your choices. Many of the decisions I had to make throughout the story drove me crazy because I loved and hated that these characters' lives were in my hands. I always felt uneasy while playing. The game's ominous soundtrack and wide camera angles continuously kept me on my toes as I fearfully looked around my environment, waiting for something to pop out and make me scream. Exploration is a big help in Until Dawn. "Totems," that reveal glimpses into characters' possible futures, can be found throughout the environment. Weapons can also be found through exploration.

     Although your decisions determine the fate of the characters, maybe it's best to not make any decision at all sometimes. (Example: Two characters are surrounded on the edge of a cliff by a swarm of deer. Do I obey a button prompt and hit one of the deer with an axe? Or, do I ignore the prompt and calmly walk past them, hoping for the best)? It's all up to you. Graphically speaking, Until Dawn is superb, but it's high graphical fidelity comes at the cost of

some performance issues. The game seems to just barely run at 30 fps and texture pop-in is also prevalent. Character models have been motion-captured amazingly (Some odd facial and movement animations here and there) and you'll surely recognize some of the very talented cast. Some include Hayden Panettiere (I Love You Beth Cooper (2009)), Rami Malek (Mr. Robot (2015)) and Brett Dalton (Agents of Shield (2013)).
     Until Dawn is pretty light on gameplay mechanics. Aside from being able to walk, the game uses quick-time events and the analog sticks for actions. In most cases, I despise quick-time events, but here, they felt good. The reason being that the game is about the story and making the decisions that affect it, so it shouldn't be heavy on gameplay mechanics. Almost all of the QTE's in Until Dawn require split-second thinking. They actually immersed me into the game's world because of how quickly I needed to react in order to keep the characters alive. The game also makes use of the Dualshock 4's motion sensors with "Don't Move" prompts. If you move the controller during one of these prompts, it's likely that you will die by some means.
     Even if you aren't a fan of horror, you should definitely give Until Dawn a try and see how you like it. Usually, I'm not a fan of horror games, but I loved what developer, Supermassive Games, accomplished with this title. Until Dawn may be a cheese-fest of a game filled with clichés and stereotypes from horror movies, but it pays homage to those types of movies in excellent ways and lets YOU determine the game's outcome through your choices and your choices only.

"Dishonored: Definitive Edition" Review

*Unfortunately, due to me getting a new computer a while back and losing all previously saved things, including some reviews that I never published onto here, I do not have a copy of the previous review I once wrote on Dishonored back in 2012, so, consider this as my first-ever review on the game.*

     *MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD* Dishonored is the perfect example of a stealth-based video game. You, as the player, have the freedom to not kill a single person throughout the entirety of the game, kill everybody, or mix it up and do a little bit of both. You play as Corvo Attano, protector of the Empress, Jessamine Kaldwin, and her daughter, Emily. The Empress is murdered, Emily is kidnapped and Corvo is framed for it. Sent to prison with it seeming like there is no way out, his new allies, the Loyalists, come to the rescue. After escaping prison, Corvo is given a chance at revenge and takes it. Dishonored's art style alone, might make you want to play it. From its dark, steampunk world filled with futuristic technology to a plague sweeping across the city, devastating most of its population, Dunwall is filled with things for your eyes to marvel at.
     During the beginning of the game, Corvo meets the Outsider, a mystical being who brands Corvo with his mark, giving him wondrous powers. He also blesses you with a mechanical heart, which can be used to learn about the world, new information on targets and alternate pathways during missions. The heart also points the way to Runes and Bone Charms. Runes are the game's currency for upgrading your powers, while Bone Charms add small "buffs" like allowing Corvo to eat white rats for Mana, (magic).  A few powers include "Blink," "Bend Time" and "Possession." Blink allows you to teleport short distances. Bend Time slows down time. Possession allows players to take control of animals for a short amount of time. All powers can be upgraded. I found that the best way to use your powers is to experiment with different combinations of them. A good example would be to wait for an enemy to fire his gun at you, freeze time, possess him, face him towards the bullet, unfreeze time and watch that sucker go flying! Save often when playing, as you never know when you might want to try something differently.

     Dishonored's level design is brilliant. It's well-variated and it doesn't confine the player to linear areas. There are multiple ways to get around each mission, each offering unique ways to approach your targets. You can take to the rooftops or even, possess a rat and crawl through vents to reach otherwise unreachable areas. Each assassination target has the option to either be taken out lethally or non-lethally. During my playthrough, I largely went for the non-lethal option in order to achieve low-chaos ratings for my missions. The amount of casualties you leave in your wake will shape your experience. If you go for the high-chaos option and kill most of your enemies, future missions will be much tougher to complete. If you go for the low-chaos option and sneak through missions with a minimal amount of kills, future missions will not have a large enemy presence. Your chaos ratings will also affect the game's ending.
     Let's talk about why the game has "Definitive Edition" in the title. Aside from some lighting improvements and all the DLC from the original release being included, this should in no way be considered, "Definitive." It seems like more of a cash grab and a chance for players on current-generation consoles to get into the series. Frame-rate is still disappointingly locked at 30 fps, too. DLC includes "The Dunwall City Trials," "The Knife of Dunwall" and "The Brigmore Witches." The first is a set of time-limited missions and the others are story packs where players take control of the Empress's killer, Daud. All three of these DLC packs should be experienced. The story packs featuring Daud are fun and refreshing with new powers and a look into one of the game's important antagonists.
     Picking up the "Definitive Edition" of Dishonored all comes down to whether or not you've played the originally released game before. If you haven't, pick it up immediately because it is a tremendously enjoyable game. If you have played it before, you're probably better off skipping the "Definitive Edition," because there are just not enough improvements here to warrant a repeat purchase.

"Payday 2: Crimewave Edition" Review

     Put your mask on and grab your guns because it's about to get crazy. Payday 2: Crimewave Edition bundles together all previously released DLC and adds in some slightly crisper graphics, as well as a new skill category. Contrary to what the title might have you believe, the game isn't just about making the big bucks. The real goal is to cooperate with other players as a team, pull off the perfect crime and not get your ass handed to you by the opposing forces in the meantime. You must plan carefully... or, you can just go in guns 'a' blazing and mow down everything in your wake. However, in doing so, you risk you and your team's lives dearly. With five difficulty options for each mission, "Normal," "Hard," "Very Hard," "Overkill" and "Death Wish," there is a challenge here for everybody. Most missions also offer the option to be done stealthily. For these, you will need to be at your utmost sneakiness. Some missions require multiple "days" to be completed.
     There are over twenty different missions, most of them being just as variated as the last. Even though there are many missions, once you reach the higher levels, it becomes increasingly difficult to level up unless you do the tougher missions. This is a drag because there are not enough of these types of missions, forcing repetition in order to reach the higher levels, thus leading to balancing issues. If you don't want to participate in the more variated missions, you may also play the simpler ones, like the one-day bank jobs. Drill the vault open, bag everything inside and then throw it all into the escape van and be on your way. In rare cases, the cops can catch up with you and you'll have to wait for another escape method to finish out the mission. "Crime.Net" is your map of available missions. If you don't see one on the map that you want to participate in, feel free to use some of your "offshore money" to purchase a contract at the desired difficulty and start the mission. The difference between your offshore money and spending money is that one is mainly used for buying mission contracts while the other, is used for purchasing skills. Both are earned after completing missions.

     You have five skill categories. Each one has skills that can be purchased with the duo of skill points and spending cash earned after missions. Each skill has a "basic" and "aced" version. The ace being the advanced version of the skill, which is only available for purchase once the basic has been unlocked. Each category offers every player something for their inner thief. For instance, you could choose to be the "Mastermind" and call the shots or be the "Enforcer" and get your teammates out of sticky situations. In addition to the skill categories, there are also "Perk Decks." Perk Decks give players the option to choose a specific deck and fill it up with their perk points, giving them extra abilities. Once you reach the end of your desired Perk Deck, you get a card that gives you an extra special ability.
     You can't forget about the masks and weapons! Payday 2 offers hundreds upon hundreds of customization options to players. Whether it's adding attachments to your weaponry or designing the perfect, custom mask, you have the option to be quite creative. There are materials, patterns and colors for each mask. All of these can be obtained by random "card picks" after missions or by an "offshore payday" where you bet some of your money for a chance at a mask, mask customization or weapon mod. Many of the masks also draw inspiration from popular culture, such as movies and video games.
     After you've reached the maximum level in Payday 2, you may enter "Infamy." Infamy is similar to Call of Duty where you lose mostly everything you've earned throughout your playing time and must re-earn it. It's not all bad, though. Infamy offers players rewards based on how many times they enter it. Some of these are masks and others are XP buffs, making your next go-around to infamy a little bit easier. Payday 2 is a quite the achievement of a game, but it isn't perfect.
     Payday 2, even "remastered" for current generation consoles, doesn't show much of an improvement over its "non-remastered" counterpart. It's still graphically outdated with half-baked textures, disappointing character models and relatively poor animations. There are also glitches with online, preventing the finishing of missions, among other things. Despite these problems, Payday 2 is still one of the most fun games that I have ever played. Each mission brings an intense adrenaline rush along with it and most of the soundtrack is filled with loud, intense bass thumping. It keeps my heart pumping and I'm

always thinking on my toes, planning my next move when I play. The game offers an offline counterpart where you can play solo, completely disconnected from online players. Of course, the game will attribute three A.I. partners to your side. The A.I. team members are certainly not the smartest bunch, but they are good for when you need to be revived and can make good meat shields when you need to get away from enemies. Although offline play is available, I wouldn't recommend it because playing with real people is far more fun, as you can communicate with them and coordinate your moves during missions.

     One of my favorite aspects of Payday 2 was determining who was who before I played with a team. By this, I mean that I would talk to my teammates and figure out who would be providing the medkits or the extra ammo, etc. I won't be robbing anybody anytime soon, but Payday 2 did make me feel like I was in the shoes of my character, pulling off these big scores with a team of fellow criminals. For that, it is absolutely a game that everyone should experience.

"Batman: Arkham Knight" Review

     Batman: Arkham Knight is the first game in the Arkham trilogy where you truly feel like Batman. The rewind and fast-forward version of detective mode from Batman: Arkham Origins makes a return. There are even scenes where the player must look through specific frames of camera footage and then analyze them for clues. Developer, Rocksteady, has crafted a completely mesmerizing Gotham. Split into three districts, each one feeling just as large as the last, it feels incredible to glide high above the skyscrapers of Gotham. Batman can glide as a method of travel, but he also has one other option, the Batmobile. That's right; for the first time ever in the Arkham games, the Batmobile is a fully drivable force to be reckoned with. The Batmobile can pretty much obliterate anything in its path by running through it or by using its weapons. Armed with a 60mm cannon, a machine gun and a riot suppressor for subduing criminals, you do NOT want to mess with this behemoth of a vehicle. The Batmobile has the ability to essentially transform itself into a tank. During specific moments of the game, the Batmobile's "Battle Mode,"

is used to destroy unmanned tank drones. While it feels like there are a tad too many of these sequences throughout the game, at the same time, I found them to be quite satisfying, forcing me to think on my feet in the heat of battle. Driving all over Gotham is a blast and damn do I wish I owned the Batmobile in real life.

     The story here follows Scarecrow, who has forced most of Gotham's population to evacuate with his threat of detonating a chemical weapon and unleashing his fear toxin all over Gotham. Alongside Scarecrow, a new nemesis, designed by Rocksteady, is the "Arkham Knight." Throughout the game, as Batman and the Arkham Knight interact with each other, it becomes increasingly clear that the Arkham Knight knows almost everything about Batman, from his true identity to the weaknesses in his Batsuit. Watching the two of them interact, playing this game of "cat and mouse," it's quite exciting. But wait, there are still more villains. The other villains in the game are part of side-missions. We have Riddler, Two-Face, Penguin, Firefly and a couple of other surprise appearances as well. Missions can now be selected more easily than in the previous games. You can open up a radial menu and select from there.

     It's clear that Rocksteady did not want to hold back on their storytelling and design capabilities with Arkham Knight. Both character development and design are at their finest in the final installment. As the story went on, I found myself becoming more and more engrossed with it because of the ingenious writing that went into crafting a story with all of these characters. There are many surprises in store for players that will make their jaws drop multiple times. Design-wise, Arkham Knight is definitely the best looking in the trilogy. What's really cool about it is that Rocksteady fully utilized the power of new-generation consoles to provide a more realistic looking world, while still maintaining some comic book aspects. It's always raining in Gotham, lightning shooting across the sky, rain drops sliding down Batman's cape; this game is beautiful. The three different sections of the city are extremely well-detailed, with easter eggs littered throughout, but the most noticeably detailed would have to be the Chinatown area on Bleake Island. Neon signs everywhere glisten, as their bright lights reflect on Gotham's streets. Character models are shockingly realistic. They can be examined in even closer

detail through "Character Showcases" where you have the option to look at and zoom in on the in-game character models and see how truly well-designed they are.

     Fast, bone-crunching fury... is unleashed as Batman strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. With new moves and new abilities, Batman is as ready as he'll ever be to defend the city he has sworn to protect. There are six unique skill trees, allowing for many possible upgrades. After a couple of upgrades to the grapnel, you can practically fly through the air like Superman. "Waynetech Points" (Experience) are earned through main/side missions and challenge maps. New enemies have been introduced, each with their own attack strategy. There's a new counter system where depending on your timing of your counters, you can throw enemies away from you. Batman can now pick up enemies' melee weapons for his own use. New combo moves are available and even environmental takedowns make their debut. The new "Fear Takedown" ability allows you to take out multiple enemies at once in a quick succession. Combat is much faster than in the previous games. Batman punches and kicks like his fists and feet are made of pure titanium. Bright flashes of color appear around Batman's attacks each time he lands a hit. I loved these because of how gimmicky they felt. It was almost like they came straight out of the 60's Batman show with Adam West. Also new to the Arkham games, "Dual-Play." Dual-Play is employed during specific missions of the game and allows the player to switch back and forth between Batman and one of his allies, such as Nightwing, Robin, or Catwoman. I found Dual-Play to be a satisfying part of Arkham Knight, but I'm also glad that it wasn't overused. This time around, Arkham Knight is unfortunately lacking in the challenge maps department. There are very few combat and predator maps. The other challenge maps just use the Batmobile. You don't even have the option to play as other characters. Rocksteady chose to focus most of their attention on the story, while focusing less attention on the side content. Speaking of less attention focused on things, what the heck happened to all of the cool boss fights? There are rarely any boss fights in Arkham Knight and the ones that do exist are pitiful attempts. 

     The voice-acting and soundtrack could not have been better. John Noble as Scarecrow left me trembling with fear each time I heard his voice. Wally Wingert's Riddler made me annoyed, but determined to show the Riddler that I wasn't some idiot and could solve his riddles and collect his trophies. Troy Baker as Two-Face reminded me of Batman: The Animated Series. The best performance though? Kevin Conroy as Batman, hands down. I could hear every emotion being conveyed through his voice in every scene. The soundtrack, of course, is as brooding and beautiful as ever.

     Batman: Arkham Knight is Rocksteady's swan song to the caped crusader and it certainly shows. By the time I reached its conclusion, I couldn't bear to see it end. Which is why I caved and purchased the season pass for more Bat content. Arkham Knight is a testament to what comic-based video games and other games should be like. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a new game plus to start.

PROS:

- You truly feel like Batman

- The Batmobile

- Fantastic story

- Beautifully designed

- Revamped combat

- Voice-acting

- Soundtrack

CONS:

-  Lacking and disappointing challenge maps

- Boss fights?

Final Score: 9.5/10

"The Witcher III: Wild Hunt" Review

     The Witcher III: Wild Hunt has tales of horrific monsters, a deep, rich world, wondrous magic, bloody-fun combat; yet a lackluster story. There is plenty here to marvel at, but is there really enough to hold your interest in developer, CD Projekt RED's latest venture in The Witcher series? Players take control of Geralt of Rivia. Ciri, a girl who Geralt holds very close to his heart, has gone missing. Geralt must go on a long quest to find her, all while meeting old acquaintances and dealing with the "Wild Hunt," a menacing force plaguing the game's world. Sounds cool, right? You would expect the story to be very engaging based on the above description, but it unfortunately boils down to a bunch of "fetch quests" for people. "Oh Geralt, could you find this for me?" "Oh Geralt, would you kindly solve this mystery for me?" Frankly, you'll have considerably more fun with the engaging side-quests, rather than the main story. There are tons upon tons of side-quests, ranging from monster contracts to treasure hunts. It'll be quite some time before you've even neared completing all of them.

     First, I must say that Wild Hunt is a GORGEOUS game. From its bright sun and luscious fields of grass at daytime to its alluring moon and the cries of wolves at night time, it's certainly quite the treat to behold. There are many different areas to explore, each just as big and intricately-designed as the last. People just going about their business surround you practically wherever you go. Character models have an astonishing attention to detail. Even watching Geralt's hair flip around as he moves is entertaining. You can tell that there is no way this game would have been playable on last-generation consoles. There is just too much on screen. If you ever decide to play Wild Hunt for yourself, you should do two things. One, turn the game's impressive, but also very annoying at times soundtrack all the way down and two, just go for a stroll or ride your horse through the beautiful world that CD Projekt RED has created. I honestly believe that it would be impossible to grow tired of looking at Wild Hunt's stunning world.

     Secondly, there are a lot of things to be afraid of in Wild Hunt. But don't worry, you have a lot at your disposal to dispatch them. Geralt can use "Signs" to shoot fire from his hands, summon a shield to protect his body from damage and influence opponents' minds so they'll attack each other, as well as other magical abilities. You may also craft potions. Of course, if you're not such a fan of the magic or potions at your disposal, there are always Geralt's two swords. Geralt's steel sword is used to fight humans, while his silver sword is strictly for doing battle with Wild Hunt's large array of monsters. If you are ever having trouble with a particular monster, just consult your handy "Bestiary," where you will find its weaknesses and a short description on it. Geralt also has his "Witcher sense" for discovering things in the environment and examining them. You should always be keeping a close-eye on your weapons' stats whether its their damage that is just too low for certain battles or they are dangerously-close to breaking. New weapons can be crafted by blacksmiths by finding diagrams throughout the world. If you are close to breaking your weapon, head on over to a blacksmith and pay a small fee to have it restored to its former glory.
     However, there is a catch with the blacksmiths. Only those with a certain level can craft particular things for you. For instance, an "Amateur Blacksmith" will be unable to craft a high-level weapon. You would however be able to get your weapon crafted at a "Journeyman Blacksmith." Both blacksmiths and shopkeepers also offer items needed for crafting, but you are better off looking for these items yourself than buying them due to inflated prices. Most items can even be dismantled by a blacksmith in favor of specific materials you might need. The only gripe I have about Wild Hunt's crafting is how unnecessarily complicated it is. There is just way too much on screen in the crafting menu. There had to have been a better way to implement crafting in this game.

     Thirdly, combat, albeit a tad clunky, is extremely satisfying and gory. Finishing moves can be executed, severing limbs or even slicing the head or half of an opponent's body off. Geralt can also parry his opponents' attacks and then proceed to unleash a flurry of light and heavy attacks. Like I said before, you are likely to find combat a little tough at first due to its clunky nature, but you will get the hang of it eventually. Upgrades can be acquired by earning "ability points" through leveling up Geralt. Even more ability points can be acquired by finding "places of power" throughout your environment. These "ability points" can be spent on Geralt's combat skills, magic skills, etc. To get the most out of Wild Hunt's combat, I would advise using an equal combo of both swordplay and magic.

     I found the game's characters to be uninteresting and it was difficult to establish any kind of real bond with them. Geralt might be the only character I was truly intrigued by in even the slightest, but his "gravel voice" didn't exactly help maintain my interest in him. Many of the other characters feel under-developed due to their constant request of you to simply do things for them. Scenes of dialogue are often dragged out for way too long and I found myself skipping them frequently just to reach the end of the conversation. Most of the time, you have the option to gauge for more information by asking other available questions, but it really isn't even necessary to do so. There are loading screens, but they move quickly. Voice-acting is solid throughout the game as well.
     The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is certainly an impressive feat by developer, CD Projekt RED, but does fall short ever so slightly with some of it's problems.
PROS:
- Deep, rich world
- Engaging side-quests
- Absolutely gorgeous everywhere
- Large array of monsters
- Extremely satisfying combat
CONS:
- Lackluster story
- Overly-complicated crafting system
- Uninteresting characters
Final Score: 8.5/10

"Shovel Knight" Review

     

     Shovel Knight, both developed and published by developer Yacht Club Games, is an adorable homage to old school gaming and it shows with every minute of gameplay. You play as the aforementioned Shovel Knight in this 8-bit, side-scrolling platformer. You must work your way through a large array of bosses in order to reach and defeat The Enchantress and save your lost love, Shield Knight, in an inspiring, hilarious and heroic tale. I'm only twenty years old and haven't exactly played a lot of older games, but when I played Shovel Knight, it was like I traveled back in time to the era of old-school gaming. Get your shovels ready knights, because we're going on an adventure!
     Split into four sections with multiple levels, including optional ones, there's quite a bit of stuff for you to do in Shovel Knight. You have a main hub called the "Village" where you can interact with townsfolk and purchase upgrades for your health and magic. Certain upgrades such as additional moves are available, but unfortunately, there aren't enough of them and they feel kind of useless. You can also go to an armor outpost and buy different kinds of armor, offering you different abilities, but in the end, these felt merely cosmetic. Throughout each level, you'll be collecting lots of treasure. Each time you die, you lose a hefty amount of this treasure, but it can be retrieved upon respawning. Relics can also be found, giving you additional abilities at the cost of magic each time you use them. There are also checkpoints in each level that can be destroyed for treasure at the expense of no longer having a checkpoint.

     Shovel Knight's level design is its most brilliant aspect. Cleverly designed with contemplative navigation, multiple secret paths, and ingenious boss fights, you'll be smiling (and crying) the whole way through, but I'll get to that. Navigating the levels here will require quick-thinking as one hit could bounce you back and have you falling to your death. Let me tell you a short story real quick. A specific segment of the game has a blue treasure chest. I'd advise you to not open it, but you kind of have to in order to progress. You knock it open with your shovel and begin to rummage through it, but suddenly, a giant Angler fish with the treasure chest attached to it arises; its a trap! You begin to run for your life, carefully timing your jumps to reach each platform to get the hell out of there. As for the multiple secret paths, there are walls that can be destroyed with your shovel revealing treasure. There are also shortcuts around enemies sometimes.

     Combat in Shovel Knight will appear to be simple, but it's more challenging than you think as there are many different types of enemies, each with their own tactic. You'd think that a shovel wouldn't exactly be a very powerful weapon, but in this universe, you're wrong. Your attack is simply mapped to one button, but a downward stab can be performed by jumping and holding "down" as well. Boss battles are innovative with different phases and designs. You'll have to learn and adapt to these phases in order to win. I remember dying over twenty times during the Propeller Knight boss because of his floating ship blowing the ground out from under me with cannon balls. I was ready to cry. By the end of the game, I looked at my stats and found out that I had died over seventy times during the Propeller Knight level. That damn flying bastard. Oh, and if you're playing on the PlayStation version, keep an eye out for a certain pale-skinned boss. ;)

     The art design here in Shovel Knight is magnificent. Every pixelated environment will catch your eye with its attention to detail. I loved watching Shovel Knight run. Seeing his legs move; it was like I was playing Mario. From the dark, ominous areas to the bright, luscious ones, my eyes always widened with happiness as I continued to play. Even the way the map is designed is straight out of the old-school gaming era. The game's soundtrack will have your ears listening intently as you wait for the infectious music to change with each level. You do have the option to start a new-game plus upon completion, but there just wasn't enough here to warrant me starting the story all over again. Yacht Club games is certainly an ambitious developer and it shows with the amount of love put into Shovel Knight. I can't wait to see what they have planned next!
PROS:
- Inspiring, heroic tale
- Good amount of content
- Cleverly designed levels
- Many different types of enemies
- Creative boss battles
- Magnificent art design
- Infectious soundtrack
CONS:
- Certain upgrades feel useless
- Not enough here to warrant starting a New Game Plus
Final Score: 8.5/10

"Mortal Kombat X" Review

     Blood, blood everywhere. You're going to see lots of it in Mortal Kombat X. Hell, there's even a trophy for spilling 1,000 pints of blood in kombat. MKX is the latest entry in NetherRealm's gory fighter and it's a hell of a step up from the last one. The story here is the best story I've seen out of any Mortal Kombat. Shinnok, a fallen Elder God, is attempting to exact his revenge on the other Elder Gods and Earthrealm. Told in chapters by bouncing back and forth between different time periods, each chapter focuses on a specific character, giving many of them their moment to shine. MKX employs the previous storytelling method from its predecessor. You watch a cutscene, then take on a few different opponents, advancing the story. The cutscenes transition into the fights seamlessly without breaking the experience as well. There are QTE's, but they're barely noticeable.

     Certain characters such as Sindel, Baraka, Stryker and Rain from the previous Mortal Kombat return in the story, but unfortunately, aren't playable outside of it. Jacqui Briggs and Cassie Cage, the daughters of Jax and Johnny Cage are main characters of the story, along with their parents. Seeing the interactions between the parents and their children was a really cool concept and only pulled me further into the story. While there is sequel bait here, it's actually a cool twist, opening up intriguing possibilities for the next installment in the series. The only way I could see the story getting even better is if they were to bring back Konquest Mode.

     Combat has been ramped up with the addition of interactive, environmental objects from Injustice. Each combatant now has the option to choose one of three variations before a fight, essentially adding a modifier to their character. For instance, Scorpion's "Ninjutsu" variation gives him a specific set of attacks using his dual swords. In addition to the twenty-four character strong roster, these fighter variations give players even more opportunities to study MKX's combatants. I applaud NetherRealm on making the bold choice of adding eight new characters to the roster instead of relying on past ones. The new characters are all well-designed and unique from the returning veterans. For example, "Erron Black," a gunslinger whose main weapons of choice are dual-wielded pistols. While in the pause menu during a fight, frame and damage data are listed for the more "skilled" players. The game also runs in sixty frames per second for that buttery-smooth experience. The best part about the combat in MKX is how simple it is for newcomers and professionals alike to learn to play.
     GET OVER HERE!!! Prepare your stomachs people, because MKX's fatalities, X-Rays (and Brutalities) will make you cringe like you've never cringed before. Want to watch Cassie Cage whack the lower half of her opponent's mouth off with her baton then take a selfie with them, followed by posting it to a social network? How about watching Scorpion launch a raging fireball through his opponent's chest, followed by slicing their face off with his sword? I seriously don't understand how NetherRealm comes up with original, better-than-ever fatalities for every new MK game. These people are sick-geniuses! For the more skilled players, try pulling off a Brutality. Brutalities are basically fatalities built into a combo. You'll have to meet a specific set of requirements during your fight to pull them off though. Perform an X-Ray and watch your fighter wreak carnal havoc on your opponent's detailed muscle and bone structure. If you ever need any help learning the ropes with a particular fighter, just enter the game's training mode and practice away. You can also "tag" moves to the screen during a fight to further study them.
     With everything that I've discussed so far, you might be thinking, "He's going to give this game a perfect score for sure." Well, you're wrong. Whether it's Warner Bros. or NetherRealm to blame, somebody screwed up along the way. MKX has the worst kinds of micro-transactions! The kinds that you DON'T NEED for any reason whatsoever. There are "easy fatalities," which are tokens that can be purchased for $1 to $5, enabling players to perform simplified fatalities. There is also the option to unlock everything in the Krypt for $20, as well as purchasable skins. Sidenote, the design of the Krypt is marvelous. It's in first person, with multiple-hidden areas to explore, tons of unlockables and even little enemies that will scare the crap out of you. Oh, and want to play as Goro? Well, unless you pre-ordered the game, he'll be listed on the main menu, as well as the fighter-select screen with the bold words, "Purchase Goro," below him. The only micro-transaction I'll let slide is the "Kombat Pack." A season pass if you will, the "Kombat Pack" costs $30 and gives players access to four new characters and skins which will be doled out over time. Because how else are you going to unlock those cool new characters? I suppose you could wait for the inevitable "Komplete Edition" of the game, but you probably don't have that kind of patience.

     The sound of any Mortal Kombat game is integral to the atmosphere. Here, every popping-bubble of blood, every bone breaking and every cry of pain is heard crystal-clear, making every cringe worse than the last. The music here makes you feel like you're in a fight-to-the-death gladiator match, which you kind of are. From loud, unrelenting drums to war cries to metal guitar riffs, it's all here, and it only further draws you into the world of Mortal Kombat X. Graphically, NetherRealm did not squander the new-generation console power. The attention to detail with character models, such as the sweat covering Scorpion's arms or the damage done to you/your opponent in combat are sharply detailed. While some models are a little more rough around the edges than others, they are nonetheless impressive. Blood pours out at an enormous rate during fights, all while sparkling under the lighting of areas. The environments always surprised me because of how realistic they were. Whether it was the glistening water in the background of a fight taking place on a wharf or the desert with inhabitants in the background just milling about their business, it again, only sank me further into the game's world.

     Online is significantly more stable when compared to MKX's predecessor. When you start the game for the first time, you'll be asked to join a faction. I joined the "Lin Kuei." When you join a faction, you are battling against other players of their factions. At the end of every week, the winner with the most faction points is announced, awarding things like in-game currency or new finishing moves. Faction battles have specific challenges to be completed with the added bonus of more points, but aren't required to be completed. You earn points for your faction by simply playing the game. Also, specific teams can battle each other. Another new addition are "Living Towers." These are just like the regular towers from the previous MK where you work your way up them by fighting enemies and completing challenges, except now, they are only available for a certain amount of time before switching to another different tower. These add more replayability to an already highly-replayable game. "Test Your Luck," where you take on your opponent with a set of randomly selected modifiers, also makes its return with new, even more ridiculous modifiers than the last game. If you're feeling lucky or particularly skilled, try the returning online mode, "King of The Hill" where you fight consecutive opponents until you die.
     Want to further improve your skills? Online matches that you participate in are all automatically recorded and viewable in game. That's not even the best part though; when watching the replays, the buttons you and your opponent pressed during the fight will come up on each side of the screen for enhanced learning. On a slightly disappointing note, there really isn't a way to solve the still-existing problem of people who just endlessly spam you with the same move over and over again in online. Although I got my ass kicked in online many times, I still found myself happily coming back to try again.
     Mortal Kombat X just about delivers on every level, aside from its sickening micro-transactions. It's a more engrossing experience, with ballsy-experimental changes made that paid off in a big way. Another one of MKX's visually appealing features is how cinematic everything is. When a fighter is selected, they will walk up to the screen and pose. When a match is started, the fighters will turn and walk away from each other. Before a fight begins, the fighters will exchange a little banter just like in Injustice. I can only hope that NetherRealm further expands on the changes they made here in MKX in the next game of the series.
PROS:
- Best story yet
- Combat deeper than ever before
- More brutal than ever
- Pretty graphics
- Overall sound of the game
- Stable Online
- Bold experimental changes
CONS:
- Micro-transactions
- A few rough character models
Final Score: 9/10

"Bloodborne" Review

     From Software, known for their creations of the Dark Souls series and Demon Souls has released a new game made exclusively for the PlayStation 4. If you could not already tell from the picture above, its name is Bloodborne. Bloodborne is both a brutally difficult and incredibly satisfying game at the same time. First off, I'd like to state that I am a newcomer to From Software's games. I only recently experienced Dark Souls for the first time. Bloodborne drops players into the city of Yharnam. There is a strange illness spreading all over the city infecting its residents and turning them into your worst nightmares. Although the story here may not necessarily wow you, there's plenty more to be wowed by. You may start off in Yharnam, but soon after you will be traveling to many other locations. There is a fast-travel system in place with the fast-travel method being done using lanterns. Only one or two lanterns can be found in most areas of the game making for tense, sweat-inducing hysteria as you search for one to save your progress.

    As long as you've lit any lanterns you've come across, you'll have fast-travel access to those lanterns from within the "Hunter's Dream." This is essentially your main hub for purchasing/upgrading weapons, purchasing items and purchasing stat upgrades. You may also further customize your character here by purchasing new clothing. Bloodborne has a customization system in place for creating your character when you first start out. It's fairly deep, with the ability to shape many of your character's defining traits. There are also classes that you can choose at the start of the game based on your preferred play style. Assigning "Blood Gems" to your weapons also adds buffers to them for extra capabilities such as a damage increase or health boost. Weapons do have a durability counter, so be careful to check how much damage your weapon has taken and whether or not you need to repair it. Bloodborne's main currency is known as "Blood Echoes." These are obtained through killing

the game's deeply-varied enemies and or by collecting/selling certain items. Spend your echoes wisely though to ensure you're playing how you want to play. The game's secondary currency is known as "Insight." "Insight" can be used to purchase limited items from the "Hunter's Dream" as well as summoning other players for co-op play.
     Co-op in Bloodborne is a bloody-disaster. First off, to play with friends, both of you must be within ten levels of each other. Secondly, you both have to be in the same area and must each have the same game password set to play together. Even if you aren't planning on playing with friends, it still takes forever to have someone join your game. Other players, provided they have the "Sinister Bell," can also join your game as your adversary and murder you. While this has only happened to me a couple of extremely frustrating times, it's a brilliant feature of Bloodborne adding to the fact that you never know what awaits you in From Software's stunningly crafted world. When co-op does work though and someone joins you, it makes for quite a bit of fun as you and your "partner" traverse Bloodborne's world fighting enemies and bosses. You as well as other players can also leave notes for each other warning against a certain path or a note telling you to explore a certain path for loot. Other players' "ghosts" can also be seen by viewing "specters" throughout the environment, showing their demise.

     Bloodborne also contains "Chalice Dungeons." These are procedurally-generated dungeons that all have multiple layers with different loot to collect and different bosses to fight. "Chalice Dungeons" can only be accessed using "Chalices" you'll either collect from defeating bosses or from exploring the dungeons themselves. Perhaps one of my favorite features of Bloodborne, I loved the dungeons so much in part because of how separate they felt from the actual game. They're like a whole other world.
     Exploration is central to Bloodborne and if you don't do it, you're likely to miss out on some vital tools. For instance, there is a "badge" you can collect that allows for the purchase of a new weapon called "Ludwig's Holy Blade." The door that is used to access the area that the badge is in can only be opened after defeating a boss though. Other times, exploring is necessary to maybe find a hidden shortcut to a lantern or around a few nasty enemies. The game does an excellent job of making you feel like you need to inspect every nook and cranny of your surroundings.
     

Combat in Bloodborne is fierce and heart-pounding, and good luck, because is there no option to pause the game. If you don't dodge at the right moment or attack at the wrong moment, you'll end up severely damaged or worse, dead, losing all of your Blood Echoes. Your echoes can be retrieved though if you go back to where you died or kill the enemy that killed you. You'll know he has them because his eyes will glow. Enemies are fast and relentless and getting too close can either allow you to inflict massive damage or have massive damage inflicted upon you forcing you to quickly roll away and consume one of your blood vials (health potions). As your health bar deteriorates from enemy attacks, you have the ability to regain your health by striking back.
     Luckily, you have an arsenal of "Trick Weapons" and guns at your disposal. These "Trick Weapons" have two versions. One usually for close-range (Moderate damage) and the other, for long-range (Heavy damage). These really give the player the ability to fight how they want. For example, the "Kirkhammer's" short-range version is a sword, while its long-range version is a much larger hammer. Primary weapons are held with the right hand and when switched to their long-range version, typically become two-handed. Secondary weapons are held with the left hand. These include guns and even torches (more for lighting the way in dark places). Parrying is done by shooting an enemy right before they are about attack. This staggers them to the ground allowing the player to inflict massive damage with their primary weapon or by performing a visceral attack where you shove your hand into an enemy's body and essentially rip out a piece of them. Enemies can be locked onto for easier targeting as well. Having played Dark Souls recently, I can without a doubt say that in comparison to its combat, Bloodborne's is far more fluid.
     Aesthetically, Bloodborne shines or rather darkens with beauty. The city of Yharnam is Gothic around every corner and I love it. Blood spatter from your enemies soaks your clothes and glistens in the darkness. Rendered in a smooth 1080p, everything looks great. Other parts of the game also look like they're straight out of the Victorian Era. I did experience some frame-rate hiccups from time to time, but they did nothing to dampen my experience. Load times however were annoying to say the least. Being the brutally difficult game that it is, I died a lot. Every time you die, the game's title, "Bloodborne" in large, bold letters is centered across the screen for a solid forty seconds to a minute and every single enemy that you slaughtered, respawns.
     Boss-battles are a huge corner stone of Bloodborne, most of the time being painstakingly hard. Many bosses are actually optional, but are still an angry-joy to participate in due to how accomplished you'll feel after and the rewards you'll earn such as a chalice and or many Blood Echoes. Bosses are usually much, much larger than you with tremendously more health than you. With this being said, it is best you pay close-attention to a boss's move set so you can out-maneuver them. Grotesquely well-detailed, From Software's genius art design stands out amazingly well against anything else I have ever seen.
     Is Bloodborne a "fair" game? Yes, because as long as you pay attention, you'll be just fine. It's designed to be difficult, but learning from your mistakes is what makes you better. One minute you'll be cursing From Software's name and the next you'll be praising Bloodborne, calling it a masterpiece. Employing a stellar equation of risk with reward, Bloodborne is near-perfect in all its glory.
PROS:
- Deeply varied enemies
- Chalice Dungeons feel like a whole other world
- The necessity of exploration and strategy
- Deep combat system
- Absolutely breathtaking to look at in every way
CONS:
- Co-op
- Loading times
- Poor story
Final Score: 9/10