Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope - Review

 

A few years ago I played Supermassive Games' Until Dawn, a fantastic story-driven horror game. Naturally, when I heard they had released a series of games called The Dark Pictures Anthology I was excited. Last year I played the first game in the series The Man of Medan and was a little underwhelmed, everything was very so so, but I was willing to give the second instalment in the series Little Hope a chance. My lovely partner in crime got it for me at Christmas and just finished playing it this week.

With it being January I have been trying to reduce my intake of sugary goodness. I have been having slightly less bold things, one such thing is Milky Bar Milk Slice. Barely 100 calories, so how bad? Well it's a mixed bag, I like Milky Bars but these slices not so much, I mean I wanted to like them but just couldn't get into them. Playing Little Hope I have found myself asking did I like it or was I just trying to like it?

Story

The game is set in the small Salem-like town of Little Hope, an apt name. The story moves between the past, very past and present. There are five main characters and while you get to move between them Andrew is the main protagonist who is a student and comes across as fairly emotionless.  There are four others who make up the group, Angela, an old mean woman that is constantly stirring things up, although one of her main traits is that she is understanding? There is John, the professor who is a stick in the mud and prone to behaving rashly and attempts to be the leader no one needs.  There is Taylor who is a bit of drip and a troublemaker and her nice-guy jock boyfriend Daniel who seems nervous to go public about them until 'I trust you 100%'. 

The dialogue is quite poor and most conversations seem overly simplistic or over-explained. That being said the overarching story is actually really good and went a small way to making up for the dialogue. As with the Man Of Medan, and Until Dawn there are many dialogues choices and actions, some of which can result in the death of any or all characters.

Overall the story is good, but the clunky dialogue and poor characters really let it down, and how Supermassive Games went from the great story and dialogue in Until Dawn to that of Little Hope is beyond me. 

Visuals

The visuals are one of the strongest parts of Little Hope which is something Supermassive Games are constantly good at delivering on. While the quality of the visuals is good at a lot of the game feels like you are walking down a long road. What really stands out are the 17th-century sections which feel authentic, and eerie, from the clothes to the buildings. Without giving too much away the enemies are twisted and unnerving, which help in providing jump scares.

Overall there are some great visuals with two of the timelines but present-day feel likes you spend a lot of time walking down a long road, while there are detours along the way none of them really excited me as much of the 17th Century sections.

Music

The music left little impact on me and unfortunately no matter where I looked it I was unable to find a place to listen to the soundtrack. The music is composed by Jason Graves who has an extremely rich back catalogue of work, Command Conquer 4, Far Cry Primal, Until Dawn, Friday The 13th: The Game, Evolve, Dead Space, and Fear 3 to name but a few.

Overall the soundtrack sadly did not do a lot for me which is disappointing as Graves is an accomplished composer. Perhaps it was less to do with him and more how Supermassive Games incorporated his music into the games.

Gameplay

The gameplay like much of the rest of the game is underwhelming. There are a lot more chances to move around and control characters, than in the Man Of Medan. Unfortunately, movement is still an issue, it feels like trying to drive a forklift with only two wheels - that are both on one-side. Outside of movement, there is a lot of dialogue choices, while each choice does affect your relationship with the characters it does not really seem to matter. The only true thing that seems to matter in the game is how you react to quick-time events. If you mess up even one you can kill a character, which can be interesting, as much as seeing someone die horrifically can be interesting.

The game can be played solo or with friends, I would be curious to play it with friends to see how the mechanic works as while the game is short it might be difficult to get multiple people to play in one sitting or multiple ones. 

Overall the gameplay is very so so and I can't say it enough - how did SuperMassive Games go from something as good as Until Dawn to the Dark Pictures Anthology.

Final Thoughts

So, after six hours how did I feel?  Sadly, underwhelmed. The overall story was pretty good, but the characters were annoying and fairly unlikable, there were some good visuals, the music was meh, the gameplay felt like it was still in the Beta stages. That all being said there is still a part of me curious to play the next instalment. Overall this one gets a lowly 2 out of 5

Panzer Dragoon Remake - Review

 

Many moons ago I played a game by Sega called Panzer Dragoon Saga II, a fantastic rails shooter. Later they released a game called Panzer Dragoon Saga, one of the first RPG's I ever played and one of the most memorable. The first game in the series was called Panzer Dragoon. I played it years after it was released on PC - it handled poor and looked in desperate need of a visual overhaul. When I saw there was a remake I thought it was worth a look.

I love food but I might love sweets even better. Refreshers were something I really like growing up, which is unusual as I don't really like lemon or lemon flavoured things. There are tough, chewy, full of colouring and sugar - simply put they are bad for you. Things you enjoy during your childhood are not always the same as those you like as adult. Strangely while Refreshers have enjoyed their high point there is still something great about them now. Playing Panzer Dragoon had the time of this game and indeed series seen its day?

Story

The story is set a thousand years in the future, the once densely populated Earth has been reduced to almost nothing. It is no surprise that weapons of mass destruction were the cause of the issue. Civilization seems to be made up of small towns and nations, and the ruling force is known as The Empire. They are already starting to take over but their latest discovery is ancient weapons which could change everything. 

Moments into the game's intro sequence someone riding a dragoon kills another in front of your eyes. The dying rider chooses you to take charge of the dragoon and simply tells you to follow the dragoon, he knows where he is going.  

Overall the story is sparse yet intriguing and continues to develop as the series continues. When all is said and done you don't really get much of a story from any arcade rail shooter but this one certainly piqued my interest.

Visuals

Panzer Dragoon was originally released on the Sega Saturn in 1995, at this time polygons were being used to help create visuals. The visuals could sometimes look clunky and even ugly but at the time they were pretty damn good. While the newly remake Panzer Dragoon Remake cannot hope to rival today's visual marvels it is also far cry from the original release twenty-five years ago. The colours used in the game are quite vibrant especially during the forest episode, the games look pretty smooth and it is easy to see how much time and effort MegaPixel Studios put into the game.

Overall the visuals are massively improved over the original release and while the remake may not be as impressive as some of newer games on the market it cannot be overlooked how much effort has gone into this remake.

Music

The music is classic Sega, warm and whimsical sounds, it is reminiscent of the music of Studio Ghibli. The music is composed by Yoshitaka Azuma, who worked on Panzer Dragoon Orta and Saori Kobaishi who worked on Panzer Dragoon Saga, Sonic Drift 2, Nights Into Dreams, and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz.

The soundtrack runs just shy of an hour, it features some great tracks including; 'Main Title', 'Sudden Turn', 'Departed Souls', 'Imperial Capital Set Ablaze' and 'Conclusion'. Overall it's a fairly solid soundtrack that really is a classic example of early Sega Saturn music.

Gameplay

Panzer Dragoon Remake has the same mechanics as the original but with some improvements. Essentially the game is an arcade rail shooter, which is really fun as you don't see any nowadays. There are two weapons; your pistol and the dragoons lock-on lasers, the lasers are far superior to use on enemies with the exception of one of the bosses.

While you are stuck on a rail you can, and need, to bob and weave to avoid structures and incoming projectiles. The radar is a big help in this regard, not with structures but enemies as you can see where they are coming from and act accordingly.

Overall the gameplay is simple and fun - the only issue I ever ran into was that the lock-on lasers could be slow to recognise targets on occasion. There is a lot of replay value as there are a number of difficulty setting and even a Pandora's Box menu which can really change the game.

Final Thoughts

So, after a few hours of play how did I feel? Pretty damn good. The game really played on my nostalgia and made me giddy to play Panzer Dragoon Zwei (which hopefully will be released later this year). The story is interesting, the visuals look pretty solid for an older game, the music reminds me of a simpler time and the gameplay is a lot of fun. Overall this one gets a solid 4 out of 5

The Witcher 3 Game Of The Year Edition - Review

 

Wow, what an epic and fantastic year 2020 was....well it probably was in an alternative universe but here it sucked ass. Everyone has been affected by COVID in some way and even typing the word sends shivers down my spine. Feeling everything creeping in around me I needed a reliable escape and after nearly fives years decided to play Witcher 3 again - this time it was the Game Of The Year Edition with all the downloadable content.

There is nothing better than roast dinner, its reliable, hearty, and - depending on how much you consume - healthy-ish. Over the Christmas period, I had days and days worth of roast dinners. Did I get sick of eating so many of them? Nope. Playing Witcher 3 I found myself was there almost too much game and was it as good as a Christmas roast dinner?

Story

The Witcher series does not do simple when it comes to storytelling - it is filled with politics, revenge, espionage, war, romance and monster slaying. Geralt is a mutant - a skilled fighter with two swords; steel for humans and silver for monsters, on top of that he can perform small amounts of magic referred to as Signs. Witcher 3 sees Geralt trying to find Yennfer his love and Ciri someone who was his ward and like a daughter to him. Things are never simple for Geralt and he will have trade blows politically and physically to get her back. The main storyline is excellent, the side missions are even better. Helping out people who are looking for loved ones, sorting out disputes, helping people get back their land and even some more unusual deeds.

There are two large DLCs for Witcher 3 - Blood and Wine, and Hearts of Stone. The Blood and Wine DLC is set in a brand new area of the game and is clearly inspired by the French with the new area being called Toussant. It is a story filled with wine, lots of it, along with a mysterious assassin, royalty, oh and did I mention, wine. A really solid story that I dare say is better than the main game story itself. Hearts of Stone focuses on a deal with the devil of sorts, partying with a devil, talking cats and dogs and living paintings. The story is many ways in more heart wrenching than any other in the game and is a solid example of CD Projekt Reds commitment to not just phone it in but to really create something new and special.

Overall the main story, side missions and the DLCs are amazing and I would be hard-pressed to think of a game of this size and magnitude that does it better. 

Visuals

For a game that has a few years under its belt, it really looks amazing and being honest it puts a few more recent games to shame. The cities in the game look old and grim and tell a story of downtrodden people, back-alley dealings, and other much darker elements. The villages in some ways are a breath of fresh air, open country farmland, animals and something resembling peace if not a hard life - although still, waters run deep. Where the game shines visuals is the open world, the vast lands, mountains and wooded areas. The enemies, especially the monsters, have a lot of unique designs that make monster-hunting all the better. 

That all being said the Blood and Wine DLC leaves the rest of the visuals in the main game in the dust. They are fantastic, the buildings, artwork, vineyards, animals, it is just breathtaking and once again shows CD Projekt Red going above and beyond to create fantastic content.

Overall the game looks amazing and I would be really curious to see a little upgrade in the visuals to bring it more up to date. I genuinely feel if this happens few other games will be able to stand above it.

Music

The music used in The Witcher 3 including the DLCs is some of the best fantasy music I have heard in a game. The music moves between epic battle music, to folksy melodic music which works really well when roaming the countryside. The music is composed by Marcin Przybylowicz who has worked on Cyberpunk 2021, The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter, and Duke Nukem Critical Mass to name but a few and accompanied by Polish Folk Group Percival.

The complete soundtrack runs around three and a half hours and features some brilliant pieces of music, my favourites being:

• The Trail
• Commanding The Fury
• Silver For Monsters
• 4. Whispers of Oxenfurt
• Cloak and Dagger
• Forged In Fire
• Drink Up, There's More!
• After The Storm
• The Song Of The Sword Dancer
• The Hunt Is Coming
• Back On The Path
• A Story You Won't Believe
• Fanfare and Flower
• For Honor, For Toussaint
• Wine Wars
• On the Champs-Desoles

Overall a magical and powerful soundtrack that I never got tired of and may even feature some of it myself and Noll's wedding in 2021 (we're having a fantasy RPG themed wedding).

Gameplay

When I say there is a lot to do in The Witcher 3 it is an understatement. The world is huge, the story is huge and the gameplay is no different, I will do my best to try and summarize it all.

Fight, fight, fight! Naturally, there is a lot of killing to be done, roll, sword attack, use a sign to set someone on fire, roll again, throw a bomb. That is just a snapshot of what is involved in combat. The system works pretty well and while the lock-on targeting system is not always 100%, it works well the majority of the time. Everything can be upgraded if you have enough coin and materials. There is a levelling up system that is one of the most satisfying I have experience in a long time. The levelling is steady, every time you level up and upgrade an ability you genuinely feel more powerful and is extremely rewarding.

Need a break from the main story? No problem. There many people who need your help and are willing to pay for it; some are simple, while others take time and patience. There are treasure hunts, quests for new witcher gear, and of course witcher contracts so take down troublesome monsters terrorizing the locals and threatening their livelihoods.

Sick of swords? Like boxing? Got you covered. There are opponents big and small waiting to be defeated to you can be crowned champion -  lots of fun and a great way to make coin. Horse racing is another great past time as long as you have the right upgrades for your horse. One of my favourite card games of all time is in this game - Gwent. It's not only about playing the game but also battling to win cards and then getting others from merchants, tavern owners and some unexpected people. It is so much fun and has such a following a stand-alone game was created from it.

Overall the gameplay is really good bar a few glitches, there is so much to do and none of it ever seems to be boring or a waste of time and the DLC adds even more including a home for Geralt and his trusty steed Roach to stay in.

Final Thoughts

So after a hundred plus hours (this time), how did I feel? Excellent and like I could easily play more, I'm even considering starting the plus game already. The story is so in-depth and enthralling, the visuals are in places boarding on the masterful, the music is impactful and helps to create a more organic world, the gameplay is like the Christmas dinner you can't finish as your heart might shut down but you keep going anyway. After careful consideration, this one gets a solid 5 out of 5