Observation - Review

At the end of each year, I compile a list of games I want to play over the coming twelve months.  One of the games I was looking forward to playing this year was Observation, created by Glasgow-based No Code and published by Devolver Digital Studios.  It was an intriguing concept where instead of playing the main character Dr. Emma Fischer you instead play as the onboard artificial intelligence SAM (Systems Administration and Maintenance).  Observation is the first game I have purchased on Epic Games, the next one is likely going to be John Wick Hex when it is released later this year.


For any of those who read my games reviews on a regular basis, you will know that this is the point where I take about food.  Sometimes it's a food I like other times not so much, I then use a food analogy to help describe the kind of game it was or could be. This time I...I don't have one.  Not because I'm out of food ideas but I just can't come up with one that would satisfy my thoughts and feelings on the game.  So, for the first time since I starting writing games reviews this time, there will be no food analogy.

Story


The story takes place aboard the space station 'Observation'. Dr. Emma Fisher has woken up to find that they are no longer orbiting Earth.  Instead, it seems that Observation is a tad off course. What exactly is a tad? Give or take about 750 million miles.  Naturally enough Emma is a little freaked out and can't seem to reach any of her colleagues on board.   Strangely though while the story follows Dr. Fisher you don't play as her.  Instead, you play as SAM on the onboard artificial intelligence.  SAM's mission is to help Emma find out what happened and how to get back home.  However, that is going to be tougher than she could have ever imagined.



Overall the story is fantastic from beginning to end.  Playing as an AI was inspired and isn't like anything I have ever played before or am likely to in the near future.

Visuals


The game's visuals are both stunning and different.  Obviously being an Artificial Intelligence you don't have a body to walk around in, instead, you use the station's cameras.  When switching from cameras there is feedback and distortion for a moment giving the feeling of actually switching between cameras.  The visuals reminded me of those in Arkane Studio's Prey 2017, they look lifelike and is easy to forget that you are playing a game and not watching a movie or actual camera.  They're a number of nice small details in the game I liked; pictures of the crew, personal belongings, tools littered around the place.



Overall the visuals in Observation are stunning and helping to create a realistic and claustrophobic environment.



Music


There is not much in the way of music in the game, a lot of it are the ambient sounds of the space station, but sometimes that's enough.   The music is composed by Omar Khan who previously did the soundtrack for Stories Untold also by No Code.  The intro track is composed by Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finick. The intro track has this industrial, rock, machine kind of sound which is unnerving and perfect for this kind of game.


I was unable to find anywhere I could listen to the soundtrack, which makes sense considering most of it is background with the exception of Robin Finick's intro.  The sounds used in the game can be sometimes haunting and help create a feeling of isolation.

Gameplay


Wow.  Where do I begin?  I have never played an AI in a game and can't imagine it something I will see too often or ever.  Initially, the game has SAM quite restricted in his movement, some of the cameras are not working and some of the power is out.  With a little help from Emma, she helps give you access to the entire station.  SAM's user interface comprises of; a communications system, map of the station where you can move between cameras, station alerts and the memory module.  SAM's memory module is damaged and by finding schematics, documents and accessing laptops you can slowly rebuild yourself.


The gameplay is can be best summed as being an adventure-puzzle game. While you will be provided with objectives your hand won't be held through the process and you will need figure things out yourself.  The puzzles are interesting and while a few times I got stuck I just need to think a little until the little light bulb turned on over my head.


The gameplay itself felt massively rewarding and while it could be easy to dismiss a SAM as just being an Artificial Intelligence he is so much more.   By the end of my time playing, I felt there was a real bond between SAM and Emma.





Final Thoughts


So, after around eight hours of playing how did I feel?  Excited, moved, connected in a way I have not felt in a long time.  The story is amazing and is not how I saw it playing out at all.  The visuals are strong and interesting, the sounds and music in the game may be used sparingly but were used perfectly.  The gameplay was unique and challenging and help provide a real reward feeling.  Observation is not only a fantastic game but has now become my favorite game of the year so far, this one gets a solid 5 out of 5

Koral - Review

I like a lot of different types of games which can be tough sometimes because there are new games being released all the time and playing them all just isn't possible.  One of the games on my list to play this year Carlos Coronado's Koral.  Coronado's previous works include Mind: Path to Thalamus and Infernium (both available on Steam).  What intrigued me was the interesting concept and beautiful visuals, last night I decided I had to play it.


Fruit Loops are pretty tasty and they look amazing, so colorful.  That is the good part, the part is later when your stomach doesn't feel great, maybe you ate too many, maybe that milk should have been thrown out three days ago, who knows.  Playing Koral I wondered was it a pretty game filled with stunning visuals that would later leave me feeling bad?

Story

The game is described as a 'love letter to the ocean', and being honest this isn't an inaccurate statement.  The story has you play as a current, who is traversing the ocean trying to heal the coral reefs that have been damaged and destroyed by fishing and rubbish.  Playing you can find facts about the ocean which really pulled at me, for example by the year 2050 the weight of plastic waste in the ocean will be heavier than that of the fish. I think a game like Koral is really important, the reality is the eco-systems in the ocean are being destroyed at an alarming rate, it will get to point where the number of dead zones will increase to a point where almost all sea life will be extinct.


Overall the story or more the message that Koral tells is a bittersweet one that left me thinking how long do we have until everything has been destroyed?

Visuals


The visuals can only be described as stunning.  The sea life you get to experience is almost magical and made me feel excited.  While there are few darker levels later where waste is floating past you and certain area are almost completely dead most of it is very uplifting.  Moving through the posidium meadows was really cool, and getting to move around fishes, turtles, jellyfish, and more aquatic life was a thrill.


Overall stunning visuals that help distract you from the lingering thought that one day it could be all gone.


Music

The music used is similar to that found in a David Attenborough documentary, which is perfect because in many ways Koral is one.  The music always floats in the background for the most part and only comes up for air from time to time.  There was no specific composer or artist credited for the music as music packs were used instead.

Overall the music works well with the game and helped enhance the experience.

Gameplay

The game has you play as current, by completing small puzzles you clean up and repair parts of the coral reefs and ecosystems.  They generally don't offer to much of challenge, apart from a few near the end.  The gameplay and the game itself is more about realising the beauty of the ocean and how important it is for us as well as life living in it.


There isn't really much in the way of bad points other than due to the silhouettes used to create a more immersive world it can make it difficult to see where you are going. In honesty, though this only happened to me a handful of times.


Overall the gameplay was fun and magical and I enjoyed it all even when things were a little darker.

Final Thoughts


So, after fours hours how did I feel?  I don't quite know. I mean enjoyed the game and all that it had to offer but I was left feeling a little melancholy.  Concerned as to how much of our ocean has been destroyed in my life so far and how much worse it will get before I leave this world.  I have included the Making of Coral above as it was a lot of fun and it is great to see some of what goes into making a game.  This one gets a 4 out of 5

TellTale Walking Dead Final Season - Review

Back in April 2012 Telltale released The Walking Dead Episode One.  It was a five-part episodic series that would release new episodes every couple of months.  Being honest it was barely a blip on my radar, the big reason being is that I was tired of zombies and while the Walking Dead comic books were pretty good (from the small bit I read) the TV series seemed a little hit and miss. In Christmas of the same year, the season pass was on special and I thought, let's give it ago.  I can quite honestly say I was blown away.  The depth of the characters, the decisions you had to make, I was hooked.  I have followed the series since then, naturally, I was really excited to see how the final season would end.


I like a chicken pot pie. It's full of chicken and veg and is oh so wholesome. While I like sides chicken pot pie is so good it doesn't need any and would almost spoil it.  Whenever I have one I always feel so satisfied if not a little sad that it is finished.  Playing the Final Season of the Walking Dead I found myself would I be left satisfied if not a little sad it was all over?

Story

The series has closely followed Clementine, I have seen grow from a small scared child to adult toughened survivor. It has been an amazing journey and was curious to see how it would all end.  Sadly in 2018 Telltale Games announced that they would be closing their doors due to poor sales.  It was a sad time not only for the studio and its employees but also for the future of the Final Season of the Walking Dead.  It wasn't finished and there was a chance it would never have been.  Luckily Skybound Games stepped in and helped finish it.  I was obviously nervous as I am sure other fans were, would it feel right, would they do Clementine justice?  The short answer is yes, yes they did.

The Final Season follows Clementine and AJ as they try and survive the zombie-infested world. They are on a road trip and that seems nice until it isn't.  After a collision, you are knocked unconscious and are rescued by some kids living at a boarding school.  It quickly becomes clear that this will be your new home, or will it?  Clementine and AJ will have to fight to stay and protect their new home.  The danger is everywhere and comes in the form of walkers, raiders, and people long thought dead.

Overall the story is fantastic and was the perfect end to the series.  Skybound games did a terrific job of finishing the Final Season of the Walking Dead.  I am sad that it is over for many reasons but am glad the series was able to have its much needed and deserved conclusion.

Visuals

Before playing another game called Borderlands I was unsure as to how I felt about comic book style graphic in games.  I mean, I like them in comic books but wasn't sure if it would translate well to a game.  I was misguided and wrong, it works perfectly.  The visuals in Telltale/Skybound games have stayed relatively similar throughout the series.  The visuals are certainly sharper than in previous seasons and there are more notable details, such as the state of decay of zombies, weapons and even smaller details such as cans, bottles, and the new inclusion of collectibles. 

Overall the game is a visual work of art and perfectly captures the darkness and the small glimmers of hope in the world.

Music

The series has a penchant for using a melancholy sound, which considering the story suits it perfectly. The final season focuses on this more than usual, most likely as it was the end of the series. The score is penned by American composer Jared Emerson-Johnson; who worked on; Telltale The Walking Dead and Wolf Among Us.  There is music by, The Be Good Tanya a Canadian Folk Music Group, First Aid Kit and Swedish Folk sister duo and Alela Diane an American singer-songwriter.  All of who have produced a slew of albums.

The soundtrack is quite short at under half an hour, but sometimes less is more.  This is certainly the case with this soundtrack, every song is important and really helps draw out your emotions.  A perfect example of how video game music can be just as important as the story, visuals, and gameplay.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Telltale games has generally been quite simplistic, pick an answer to follow the quick-time event instructions.  This has always worked perfectly and allows you a deeper connection with the story. This time around they have added a little bit more meat to the gameplay.  This time around you can explore a little more than before and even get collectibles put in your and AJ's room.  There is an increase in the number of quick-time events versus the others in the series.

The relationships and decisions made always made a difference in the series but in some ways even more so in the final series. Making everyone and happy can be hard and sometimes it's just not possible, all you can do is do what you think is best and hope it pans out.  Similar to real-life sometimes it works others time you will fall flat on your face.

There are few weapons in the game but mostly Clementine will rely on her trusty knife to put an end to any enemies.  Occasionally when you are really in trouble AJ will step in and help out which is great but you also feel concerned that such a little kid has to deal with this much darkness, but then again it has been the same for Clementine.

Overall the gameplay is stronger than ever and offers an even more engaging experience.  I am already excited about the next time I play it and am really excited for when Nolls gets to play it too.

Final Thoughts

So, after twelve hours how did I feel? Happy and sad.  Happy that the final series of the Walking Dead got to have its conclusion, sad that the series was over and that it was the last game that Telltale games will ever make.  The credits sequence at the end was particularly tough watching AJ walk through the school, the wall covered with the people who worked on the game, it really (drilled, maybe should be a different word?) it home that this was the end. The story, visuals, music and gameplay were a perfect combination and was a perfect ending to such a great series.  Overall this one gets a solid 5 out of 5

Rage 2 - Review

Rage 2 is a game I have been quite excited to play.  I really enjoyed the first game and was curious what Avalanche Studios and ID Software could achieve together.  Avalanche Studios is known for their open world games; the Just Cause series and 2015's Mad Max.  Of course, ID Software is well known for its rich body of work on first-person shooters; and created both Quake and Doom.


Anyone that knows me would find it hard to describe me as refined.  When it comes to food it's not much different, although I am partial to cheese and crackers with a drop of red wine.   There are so many great cheeses and quite a variety of crackers, don't even get me started on red wine.  I have, unfortunately, had some mediocre experiences with cheese and crackers.  This is normally caused by the cheese drying out or the crackers getting soft.  Playing Rage 2 I found asking was this a tasty experience or a mediocre one leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth?

Story

Rage 2 is set in a dystopian world, where the world as we know it is gone.  There are few safeish places for people to hang out but it is very much a cruel cruel world with bandits and mutants ready to kill anything that moves.  There is an army of sorts fighting the good fight who have specialists called Rangers.  Life wasn't hard enough so General Cross, an old enemy long thought dead, appears to remind everyone it could always be worse.  After Cross wipes out almost every soldier including the Rangers he leaves smugly. You play as Walker, a young soldier who has stolen/borrowed some Ranger armor. If Doom Guys and Master Chiefs armor is full-fat Coke then the Ranger armor is Coke Zero.  Walker swears revenge against General Cross and goes in search of a way to stop him once and for all.

There are side missions/stories but with the exception of rewards it doesn't add anything the story and most people you return seemed to give you a shoulder shrug and 'meh' reaction.  I thought this was a shame as it would have been a great way to expand on the Rage universe.  The main story itself is okay but with so few missions it never really fully drew me in.

Visuals

The visuals in Rage 2 are...interesting?  Despite the world being pretty much a wasteland, there is actually a lot of bright colors.  I liked this for the most part and helped provide light in a very dark world.  The non-human enemies look really well and could certainly see how Doom influenced the game.  When it comes to the human faces and details the world sometimes looked a little simplistic, non-rendered or slight underdeveloped.  I found this to be a real shame and similar to the story it just seemed like it never reached its full potential.

Overall there were some great visuals, but they were let down by some the lesser ones used in the game.

Music 

I enjoyed the music used in the game, a few styles of electronic music blended together to make a great soundtrack for the world of Rage 2.  Unfortunately, it's not very easy to find the actual music just a Spotify 'Official Soundtrack' none of the songs the best of my recollection were used in the game.   The score was composed by Swedish composers, Andreas Kinger, Johan Nilsson and Eirik Røland.  Between them, they worked on the music for, Gauntlet, Elite Dangerous, and Renegade Ops.

There is a one-hour main theme you can listen to on YouTube which seems to contain some of the music used in the game.  Elias Adaptive Software was used to produce the soundtrack, it basically helps create a dynamic soundtrack rather than a static to help produce a more immersive experience.

Overall a pretty solid soundtrack that was well suited for the wasteland of Rage 2.

Gameplay

The game is a first-person shooter and playing it did remind a little of playing Doom (not really a bad thing).  There are a limited number of weapons in the game, all of which can be upgraded.  There also secondary items like grenades, drones and the return of the wing stick (kind of like a mix of the Glaive from the movie Skrull and a boomerang).  Then there is your Ranger armor, it offers some interesting abilities like ground smash, das, and vortex.  While they were good I found most of the time I relied on my weapons as they were faster, especially the assault rifle and combat shotgun.

Each ability you learn can be upgraded and additional perks can be purchased too. There are also projects which can be used to make minor and major changes to the gameplay.   Some of my favorites being able to carry more ammunition, health, being able to find items more easily.  A pretty solid system and a bit different from the normal skill tree leveling systems found in many games.

There are cars available in the game, which you will need as the world is quite vast.  There are many upgrades to purchase and some of them can help you own the roads, such as rockets, improved chassis, and auto-cannons.

There are tons of side objectives which all help in making you stronger.  Initially, I was thinking 'yeah I'm going to get everything' and then after twelve hours I thought 'no I'm good'.  Quickly they became very rinse and repeat and decided to focus on the main story.  Unfortunately, the story itself is extremely short and definitely could have used, well, more.

Overall I had fun playing Rage 2 I was always felt wanting something a little more that never quite materialized. 

Final Thoughts

So after sixteen hours how did I feel?  A little underwhelmed.  The story was okay, the visuals were okay, the music was good and so was the gameplay.  The issue I had overall was that the game had potential but never quite managed to achieve it, the game was okay but nothing beyond that.  This one gets 3 out of 5

My Friend Pedro - Review

I initially played My Friend Pedro last year when it was an online flash game.  I had so much fun playing it I hoped it would become a full-fledged game. After a little checking, I found they were, in fact, working on a full game and earlier this month it was released by Devolver Digital.


I like bananas - not every day, but I like them.  I like banana flavored drinks and sweets but what I love is Banoffee.  If you have never had banoffee pie you are missing out, it contains bananas, toffee, a biscuit base and cream.  I have had really really good ones like the one I had in Scoozi's earlier this week but I have also had some awful ones.  Playing My Friend Pedro I found myself was this is a really good mouth water banoffi or did it have me reaching for the toilet?

Story


How do I even being to discuss My Friend Pedro's story?  You wake after taking a knock on the head, floating in front of you is a talking banana called Pedro.  He helps guide you out of the meat packing plant you are in and provide guidance and some cheesy and sometimes dark humor.  The story starts by feeling a little all over the place to start with but quickly turns into you trying to stop the Dictator of the Internet (the internet is actually a real place).


Overall the story is crazy, outlandish and never takes itself seriously, all of which helped in making the game really fun through my time playing.

Visuals


There is an interesting variety when it comes to the visuals in My Friend Pedro, there is everything from industrial, abandoned buildings and futuristic buildings, to a sprawling highway, and the sanctuary where a sentient banana goes to relax. The visuals in some ways can be jarring but it works.  Sometimes you are walking through a bunch of derelict buildings, then you are falling out a high rise head first killing floating bad guys.  Other times you get to hang out with a banana and use his uncle propeller hat to fly through the air.


Overall the game has a rich variety of visuals which are not only fun but help you keep you on your toes when enemies are nearby, which is always.




Music


The music in My Friend Pedro combines elements of electronic, industrial and chillout-style music which suits the kind of game it is.  The music was composed by Naive D, Nounverber, Noisecream and Marks_SF.  Nounverber worked on Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and released an album called Midnight Album and Noisescream released an album titled Bananas. Unfortunately could not find any information on the others.


The soundtrack runs a little over two hours, while the start of it is slow it quickly finds its rhythm.  There are a number of stand out tracks my favorites being;  'Cave Crawl', 'Sambafellas', 'Low Life on the Highway', 'Sink Drip', 'Stop and Watch', 'Most of Rage', 'Pendulum', 'Overshadowed' and 'Starselect'.


Overall a solid soundtrack for the game with a number of really good tracks that work well with the game.

Gameplay


The gameplay is...hmm, how best to describe it.  Imagine if Max Payne and TV show Happy! made a game, that game would be My Friend Pedro.  At its core, the game is a shooter but it is so much more than that.   Ever kicked a frying pan into the air and shot at it so the bullets deflect off it and kill enemies around you?  I have.  Have you spun gracefully in the air while shooting two pistols killing enemies and avoiding a barrage of bullets? I have.  This is just the tip of the iceberg with My Friend Pedro.


The game allows players to shoot, dodge and slow down time to get many many kills and avoid certain death.  There are two objectives in the game, the first complete each mission the second is to complete it with the highest possible ranking.  This can be achieved by avoiding getting shot, using a skateboard to roll past enemies in style (while killing them) or dropping a barrel on an enemy's head.  There is so much fun to be had with when killing.


Each level is broken into small sections that can be completed in between one and three minutes.  At the end of each level, Pedro gives you a rank between S and C. S is for silky smooth,  A is for Aww Yeah, B is for Bravissimo and C is for Come On.  There are variations on each these which often made me smile.


Overall the gameplay was a lot of fun and is a great example of, easy to learn hard to master.  It is game I have no doubt I will revisit in the future if nothing else than to get praise from a sentient banana named Pedro.




Final Thoughts


So after fours of play how did I feel?  I felt like my experience was short lived and was looking forward to playing more.  The story was bizarre and fun, and I quite enjoyed it.  The visuals were often exciting and sometimes crazy, the music suited the game well and help intensify some of the gameplay.  The gameplay was lots of fun and already look forward to improving on my next playthrough.  Overall My Friend Pedro gets a solid 4 out of 5