Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Review

It's my week off and it has been awesome! One of the best parts of it was getting to start a new game I had missed out on last year; Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.  I am not a huge Star Wars fan but I have been entertained by some of the movies, and while not every video game with the Star Wars name attached to it has been good, I have also enjoyed some of them, like The Force Unleashed. I went in with an open mind and excited about using a lightsaber to take down bad guys.


Nolls and I went for lunch yesterday, I wasn't quite sure what to get so went for something that sounded pretty reliable. I decided on a puff pastry steak and vegetable pie, well kind of, it actually had a loose puff pastry top with the filling in a clay oven dish. It looked good but when I got down into it there were only carrots and a bit of steak. There was more gravy than filling and while it looked good there was not a lot else going on.   Playing Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order I found myself asking, was it as good as it looked?

Story


The story is set after The Purge at the end of Star Wars Episode III, for those not familiar with film this is where the Jedi are wiped out.  There is Cal, a young Padawan who manages to escape and a few years on is now working in a scrapyard pulling apart old ships and trying to keep a low profile. Of course, things get rough pretty quick and Cal finds himself trying to escape from Inquisitors who want to see him dead. Luckily before you get killed you get rescued by Cere (an ex-Jedi) and Captain Greez. Cere tells you about Jedi Master Eno Cordova who has a Holocron with the names of Force-sensitive children who could help rebuild the Jedi Order.  Shortly after befriending a droid called BD-1 who belonged to Cordova you find out he knew The Purge was coming (thanks for letting everyone know, oh wait he didn't). On top of that, he was obsessed with the Zeffo culture and has decided to hide the Holocron. Rather than simply giving it to you he wants to test you by traveling between a few planets and walk-in his footsteps to see if you are worthy.


Overall the story is a bit dull and a Master Jedi makes it as awkward as possible to get the Holocron just to see if Cal is worthy (because there is a surplus Jedi's to choose from don't you know!).  The story gets a little more interesting when the Nightsister comes into it, but with the exception of her and  BD-1 (a droid), I never felt very invested in the characters or the story until almost the end. Not the best story and the pay off was a bit weak.

Visuals


The game shines when it comes to the visuals.   The forests of Kashyyk were a particular favorite as the world is covered in lush fauna and feels very otherworldly. The outfits and armor of characters look like those you would see in any of the movies. The lightsaber effects look cool and the only real hang-up I had was with Cere's eyes which looked like they were about to pop out their sockets at any moment.


Overall the visuals are good and for any Star Wars fans, it will really feel like you are part of the Star Wars Universe.


Music


The music in the game is what you would expect to hear, what I mean is that it has a very John Williamsesque sound. It is hard to try something different when the Star Wars Universe has a very distinct sound and I have no doubt certain restrictions were imposed on the composers.  Stephen Barton is a British composer who created the soundtrack for Titanfall 1 and 2, along with Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered.  Gordy Haab is an American Composer who worked on Battlefront 1 and 2, Halo Wars 2 and Star Wars; The Old Republic.


It was hard for me to pick out any specific track as standing out more than any other.  Overall the soundtrack isn't bad but sounds like what I have heard before with nothing very unexpected.

Gameplay


The gameplay itself is a little bit of a mixed bag.  Naturally, as a Jedi, you will have your lightsaber and through flashbacks, you learn or relearn how to use the force. The force abilities work quite well whether you are using them in a fight or using them to solve a puzzle.  Lightsaber combat initially works well, but things fall apart a few hours in when it can be incredibly difficult to parry, especially when there are multiple enemies to deal with. In the end, I just started treating it like Dark Souls, lots of rolling, stab, stab, roll, stab stab, force push, roll, finisher.


There is a relatively small skill tree you can use to unlock new moves and extra health/force. While I unlocked most things I was never really excited by any of them, with the exception of double lightsaber related ones. Meditating not only lets you unlock new moves, but also rest and save your progress.


Playing Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order reminded me a little of Prince of Persia and Dark Souls. There is lots of wall running and some climbing.  When you get killed by an enemy they take your experience points and you will need to defeat them to get it back.


The gameplay is relatively linear, and while there are some areas you can explore for chests that provide visuals upgrades like a paint job for your ship or a different colour poncho (not a joke) there is little reason to explore.


There are bosses in the game which can be awkward enough, rather than looking cool parrying moves and counter-attacking it often felt like I was just rolling around and trying to whittle down their health.


Overall the gameplay was okay but not as smooth and sleek as it could have been. It was often a feast or a famine when it came to enemies, one or two enemies together, then none, then six or more.





Final Thoughts

Meh meh, meh meh meh meh meh, meh, meh meh meh, meh meh (saying that to the Star Wars Theme). So, after thirty hours I was left feeling pretty underwhelmed by my experience. The story was very underwhelming, the visuals were good. The music wasn't bad but was far from exciting and the gameplay really felt lacking sometimes. Overall this one managed to slide in with a 3 out of 5

Gears of War 2 - Review

At the end of last year, I played Gears 5 and I was surprised as to how good it.  Playing it reminded me of the first few games in the series and I had the desire to play them all again, but this time I would have a partner in crime to play with (Hi Nollsy!). We already completed the original Gears of War together, and as  I reviewed it previously there was no point doing it again.  But with Gears of War 2, I never reviewed it and was looking forward to it.


I like Snickers, there are reliable, tasty, a good bit of bite and they have nuts! The only thing better than a normal Snickers is a peanut butter one or an ice-cream one. Being honest, if it is a Snickers bar of any description I don't think you can go too wrong.  Playing Gear of War 2 I found myself asking was it as reliable as a normal Snickers or was it even better?

Story


The first installment of Gears of War introduced us to the Gears Universe but was sparse on a lot of details.  With Gears of War 2, it really builds up the Gears Universe and answers a number of questions along with asking a few more. At the end of the first Gears of War, it was thought that the Locust might be beaten, it turns out this could not be further from the truth. The Locust are eager to take over the surface of the planet, but before doing that they want to sink all the cities. But why? Well, you will have to play to find out, I'm not telling you.  There is more effort gone into character development , and not only between Marcus, Dom, Baird and Cole.  We also see Dom struggling to try and find his wife and Marcus hoping to find his father who seems to have a deep knowledge of the Locust.


Overall the story is really good and focuses on so many different things without it feeling jumbled.  There is a real sense of feeling like you are a team.  There are some highs but many sad lows which left me feeling a little emotional.  The story of Gears of War 2 is it all it could be and more.

Visuals


The Gears of War world is dark and gritty, not only because of the damage done by the Locust (and the humans) but also because the buildings have a very industrial feel to them.  When I found out we would be spending some time underground I was a little nervous.  Not because I'm afraid of the dark but because in the first Gears of War I found it a little tough on the eyes and while there were some cool visuals the lighting was so low it made it hard sometimes to work out where you were going.  This time is very different it well lit, you can enjoy the underground rivers and some of the Locust architecture which is very standout and ornate.  There are many more types of enemies this time, they are big, bad and won't go down without a lot of bullets.


Overall the visuals look really good and the developers have taken more risks and it has paid off.  The world feels much more organic than the original Gears of War and we felt more engaged with it.



Music 


The world is dark and the music in the game is a great reminder of this, and when it isn't doing that it provides some great battle music that helps you keep pushing forward.  The score is put together by American composer Steve Jablonsky. He has a rich body of working including; Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, The SIMs 3 and Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands. On top of this, he also penned the scores for movies such as Transformer, The Island, Pain and Gain and a host of TV series.


The score is almost two hours longs and features some great tracks, my favourite being...all of them. It is one of the rare cases where I enjoyed the whole soundtrack. It is perfectly suited for the game and helps add to an already enjoyable experience.

Gameplay


The gameplay is in third-person and the mechanics are much improved in Gears of War 2, the cover system is much stronger and responsive. The weapons feel more varied and the constant looming of battle helps keep you on your toes.  The Lancer weapon now has a chainsaw that feels much more responsive than the first Gears of War.  There is now a range of weapons including the Hammerburst, Poison Grenades, along with bigger weapons like a minigun and mortar canon.


Down but not out. This is big thing in Gears of War 2, your allies will pick you up if you are down but enemies will also help each other.  This time you can carry out executions on downed enemies which can vary depending on what weapon you have. It's pretty fun and nasty at the same time especially with the noises being made.


There are some larger enemies like the Brumak and Reavers which offer tough resistance but offer more fun when you can actually use them yourself. Yep, that right you have a mount, kind of, it is short-lived but a lot of fun.


Outside of the main campaign is Horde Mode which sees you take on wave after wave of enemies. It can be done solo but is not as much fun.  There are a number of maps to pick from Avalanche being my favourite by far.  If you just want some mostly mindless fun for a short time this will suit you down to the ground.


Overall the gameplay is awesome and much improved over the original.




Final Thoughts

So, after twelve hours or playing how did we feel?  Pretty damn good. The story was really good, as were the visuals, music and gameplay. I am really happy and getting to play it with someone else was a lot of fun.  Gears of War 2 still holds up well and gets a solid 5 out of 5

Death Stranding - Review

Last year Kojima Productions released their first game, Death Stranding. There was a lot of hype around it, primarily because it was created by the mastermind behind the Metal Gear Series, Hideo Kojima. Sometimes the hype is validated and other times not so much. I was hesitant to purchase when it was first released so I said I would hold off and pick it up in January, which actually ended up being February.


Ever tried a Portuguese Tart?  They are pretty damn good, especially with a coffee.  The strange thing about them is that the two main parts; the custard and tart by themselves they are okay but kind of dull. Somehow though when you put the two together they form something amazing.  Playing Death Stranding I found myself asking was this the perfect combination of custard and tart?

Story


America has changed after an event referred to as the 'Death Stranding' and now beings not of our world roam and destroy humans. If that wasn't bad enough they bring with them rain called 'Timefall' which even a mere drop of can cause aging and decay, and can kill humans, animals, and plant life.  President Bridget Strand (Lindsey Wagner), the last President of America has the vision to reconnect all the towns and cities spread throughout the country. Unfortunately, she is close to death and needs help, enter Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus).  A courier who just wants to do his job, survive the day and be left the hell alone. Unfortunately, fate has other things in store for him. His mother is President Strand, and she has two final wishes; to help complete her vision and to save his sister Amelie. Reluctantly Sam agrees to help. He won't have to do it alone as he will have people who want to help him along with what is the most important delivery he has ever done.


When I started I wasn't sure what to think, it seemed interesting, but there were characters called Mama, Die-Hardman, Deadman, and Fragile. I thought are these just gimmicky names attached to characters who are just background figures.  But no, they are all so much more than that.  Each character gets their own episode, you get to learn who they are, what their story is and quickly they became real people to me who really mattered and I felt connected to and I think essentially at the heart of it all that is what the game is about. One of my favorite characters in the game is Cliff Unger played by Mads Mikkelsen, who just fantastic.  There are side missions that provide some extra stories which help show you what is left of America and what you are fighting for.


Overall an amazing story that is very different from any game I have played before.  Watching the final credits roll I really felt like I had been on a journey and while I enjoyed my time I was sad it was over.

Visuals


The visuals are not good in Death Stranding, they are amazing. It is such a beautiful world - well, apart from the constant threat of death, beings try to kill everything and the bad weather. But hey, you have to take the rough with the smooth.  The open world you traverse is filled with lakes, streams, low rolling hills, cliffs, and snow-capped mountains. There are so many times playing the game I had to take a moment to just take in my surroundings. The snow effects were probably my favorite as it really looks and feels like you are moving through the snow. Everything looks so sharps and there is so much detail that it is hard to fathom how much time Kojima Productions must have spent on the game.


Overall the game is and was easily the best looking game of 2019. I am curious to see if in 2020 anyone can match the visual wonderment of Death Stranding.


Music


The music of Death Stranding is separated into two very distinct sounds; there is the tranquil, and melodic sound that helps provide a relaxing vibe when traversing America. Then there is the futuristic, often intense and foreboding sound that is ever-present. The chilled sound is provided by the American-Icelandic folk band Low Roar. Kojima is a fan of their music and getting them to create songs for the game essentially helped save them from going broke. 

The rest of the soundtrack was created by Swedish composer Ludvig Forsell who worked on Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain, Ground Zeroes and Silent Hill 10.


There is hours worth of music and for a game this big it makes sense.  The music is really good, and some of my favorites tracks are; 'Don't Be Serious', 'Patience', 'Beached Things', 'Chiral Carcus Culling', 'BB's Theme', 'The Severed Bond', 'Claws of The Dead', 'Stick vs Rope', 'Strands', and 'Flowers of Fingers'.

Overall the soundtrack is both diverse and interesting, it really stands out in the not only in the game but against many other games where the music is simply there rather than being part of the game as a whole.

Gameplay


If you are like I was at first glance, you could say the game is just you being a courier and what makes interesting is the backdrop. As the hours flew by the less I felt this way.  Of course, you will may a lot of deliveries as you are a courier but it is often not as simple as that. Going from A to B often involves you traversing difficult to reach areas, stealthily trying to move around enemies and other times having to all-out fight.  The game has a lot to offer but this isn't evident in the first couple of hours, but in many ways, that is a good thing.  The slow build-up helps you get used to the world before getting too crazy.


First, there is Sam, he is pretty tough and carries a lot on his back, facilitated by his suit, but that doesn't mean it's easy.  Move too quickly, don't watch where you are stepping you can end up losing your balance and falling over. It is possible to shift your weight to stop this happening but if you get sloppy you fall, hurt yourself, damage your packages and upset BB.  Who's BB? Well, he is a baby that lives in container attached to you. I know that may sound weird but you get used to it and it does make sense in the context of the story. He helps you detect danger and plays a bigger role in the story later on. When BB gets upset you need to soothe him by rocking him and this helps increase your bond with him.


Sam is special, he along with a few other characters in the game have abilities called DOOMS.  It allows him to sense BT's (Beached Things) even without BB. What makes him really special is that he is a repatriate which means he can come back from the dead. On top of this is that his urine, sweat and blood can harm and destroy BT's. These can be infused into bullets and grenades and is really necessary later in the game. BT's themselves can be avoided if you are careful but if they catch you and pull you into their place tar they will drag you away and lead you to a mini-boss.  While the bosses are never too tough you equally don't have time to stand around enjoying the view. Another enemy in the game are MULE's they are human enemies who like to steal packages, generally, you can give them what for.


There is no leveling up system as such. When you do something good, you get likes, the more likes the higher your level - by the end I was over 200.  The higher your level the more upgrades you unlock which gives you materials and helps increase your stamina.  In most games, I like a leveling system as I find it really helps me focus, but it was quite refreshing not having the same pressure that I might ordinarily and helped me put my focus into other elements of the game.


Weapons and even transport can be fabricated by using materials you find in the world or by completing missions.  I mainly used materials to help build new roads, bridges, generators and even safe houses. While Death Stranding is not strictly a multiplayer game (you won't see anyone wandering around) you can see things that others have built and vice versa. Make sure to leave a like when you use something as this helps everyone level which is really cool and gives the feeling of being part of a community.


There are side missions available in the game and while they help you level and gain more materials I generally did not complete them unless they happened to be on my way to another delivery.  I think they are designed mostly for the completionist, at some point I might try them all but that won't be for a while.


Overall the gameplay is really really good, it took me a while to get the hang of everything. It is very different from anything I have played before, and I mean that in a good way.  I enjoyed my experience and one day look forward to doing it all again.





Final Thoughts


So, after forty hours plus how did I feel?  Shocked, amazed and really taken aback it was like no other game I have played before. The story was immersive and interesting, I cared greatly for the characters. The visuals were absolutely stunning and I feel it will be a while until I see a game that looks that good. There was something really special about the music and it felt almost as important as the story itself.  The gameplay could be challenging at times but never really stopped being fun and rewarding. It's hard to even after writing this to fully do the game justice. There were three games released last year that I gave 5 out of 5; Katana Zero, Observation and Gears 5. I now give Death Stranding the same score and think it might be the best game of last year. 'Keep on keeping on'.

The Witcher Enhanced Edition - Review

It's 2020, whoop whoop!  I have a clear vision for the year, my eyesight is now 2020! Well, now that is out of my system let's get on with it.  Since the popularity of Netflix's The Witcher, I have been pumped to play the games again. I realized I had never played the first one and I like to play the whole series of a game franchise.  When Uncharted 4 came out I went back to the beginning and played them all. Apart from getting to see the whole story, it helps give me a greater appreciation for how far a game has come. The first time I felt this way was with Half-Life 2, and relatively speaking it still holds up well.


I am a sucker when it comes to cakes, biscuits or chocolates with coconut in them. There is a chance if I see one of those things with coconut in it I have already tried it or I'm going to try it.  A recent enough purchase was McVities Digestives Twists Chocolate Chip and Coconut biscuits.  I was excited to try them. Unfortunately, the experience was a bad one, they were super dry, tasted like a combination of low-grade chocolate, carob, and dark chocolate.  On top of that, there was barely a hint of coconut.  I learned my lesson though, just because I like coconuts snacks doesn't mean they are going to be good.  Playing The Witcher I found myself asking was this a great coconut treat or one I would end up regretting?

Story


The game has you take on the role of Geralt of Riva, a Witcher, experimented on a child and made into a monster killing machine just like all Witchers before him. The opening scene sees you unconscious on the ground, found by your fellow Witchers and brought back to your home Kaer Morhen. Shortly after waking up your secluded and secret home is invaded and after a skirmish, some powerful Witcher making materials are stolen. Geralt, along with the remaining Witchers go in search of those who attacked and robbed Kaer Morhen.


This is the basic outline of the story, along the way you will have to deal with a deadly group known only as Salamander.  The Scoia'tael,  non-humans that are being pushed to the brink of extinction and are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want. Outside of that, you will have to deal with Royalty and navigate the twists and turn of politics.


While all of what I said sounds good the pacing can be extremely slow and sometimes drawn out. Friends of Geralt tell him they saw him die.  This is never really explained that well and there are only some small breadcrumbs handed out near the final scenes of the game.  The side missions help fill out the world and are often more exciting than the main narrative.


Overall the story was okay, but I don't feel the experience enriched the world of The Witcher for me.

Visuals


Originally The Witcher was originally released in 2007 and was released as an enhanced edition in 2008.  Considering the age of the game the visuals look surprisingly good. There are little frogs you see jumping around the place, a monkey/squirrel/pokemon creature that runs after you sometimes.  The background is pretty lush and can be quite varied. The finishing moves are purposefully in slow motion and look pretty cool.


Frame rates can be poor and sometimes take a bit for slightly more distant objects to load, but in fairness considering the age of the game, it is to be expected.  The 'romantic' cut sequences (one eyebrow raised) are fairly tasteful and don't really show anything, especially by comparison of the second and third games. The voice acting is a little overacted and is not always synced correctly with the character's facial movements.


Overall considering the age of the game it holds pretty well but would benefit massively from a full remaster, although that is easier said than done.



Music


The music definitely has an old school sound, and reminded me very much of Diablo and Warcraft 3 which is kind of cool. The composers are Polish composer Pawel Blaszczak and Adam Skorupa, who between them have worked on Dying Light, Call Of Juarez, Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, and Witcher 2.

The soundtrack is over an hour long and features some standout tracks including; 'Dead City',
'Last Battle', 'To Arms (Rebellion)', 'Do You Remember', and 'Tavern At The End Of The World'.

Overall the soundtrack was good, but due to the long, long, hours of playing, I found I had to mute it due to some track repeating over and over (not a fault of the composers, but added a niggle to an already frustrating game).

Gameplay


Many moons ago I used to play quite a few PC games but nowadays I enjoy the comfort and ease of console games. Going back to a full-on keyboard and mouse game was a little daunting, but I needn't have worried.  Almost the whole game can be played with the mouse which was great.  However, sword attacks can miss their mark even when targeted correctly, this got much worse during the epilogue. Additionally, in the epilogue magic spells (activate by pressing the right mouse button) would not always work.  This was incredibly frustrating especially at such a critical time in the game.


There is quite a cool leveling system in the game which rather than just focusing on level 1-20, for example, they use titles like 'Novice Witcher' and 'Skilled Witcher'.  Instead of the normal leveling points, you gain bronze, silver and gold talents each time you go up a rank.  I really liked this as I really had to think about what I was leveling up and wanted I needed.


There is a lot traveling to be done in The Witcher and all of it is on foot.  In place of a horse or a proper run, Geralt does what appears to be a type of prance. This is a pretty inefficient way of travelling and the game could have been completed much quicker with a proper run or some transport.


The missions can be a lot of fun, while there were main quests that I liked my favorites were the drinking ones. Drinking with Dandelion and Zoltan was always fun, especially when it ends up turning into a party. It reminded me of the mission Red Dead Redemption 2 where you get drunk and ends up with everyone looking like the same character. Another shoutout is to an old lady in the house that keeps kicking you out for no good reason over and over again. This got old quick until one point where you can select the answer 'Die you hag!' and she drops dead. There was the occasional issue where if I had multiple missions to be handed into an NPC none of them were recognized, or better yet one gets accepted and the other fails.


There are other activities for Geralt to complete when he isn't slaying monsters including; fist fighting, dice, drinking and 'romancing' humans and non-humans alike. So there are many characters Geralt can romance, and when I say romance I mean have a one night stand which often doesn't last that long.  I guess Geralt just isn't into pillow talk.


Up until the epilogue, my frustration with the game was relatively low but playing the epilogue became so brutal I almost had to throw in the towel. And when I say throw in the towel I mean break something.  It felt like the game just wasn't completed correctly, everything from sword fighting, casting spells and even not having a merchant in the epilogue was crazy when it was so long.


Overall the gameplay left me feeling frustrated and confused as to how things could take such a downward turn?




Final Thoughts

So, after nearly fifty hours how did I feel? Frustrated and let down.  The story wasn't bad and certainly had highlights.  The visuals were pretty good especially for an older game, the music was good.  The gameplay turned from okay into a total car wreck, I am shocked to see that it got such high ratings when it was released. This one gets a disappointing 2 out of 5.

Evil Within 2 - Review

I am fresh off the back of playing The Evil Within, which was a really great horror game.  Luckily enough Ivan who loaned me The Evil Within was eager to loan me the sequel, thanks bruh. I was excited and couldn't wait to play it.


Celebrate good times come on! It's Christmas! Well, almost the end of it but doesn't mean I have stopped indulging in the consumption of too much food and nice things.  No home is complete without at least a few tubs of Celebrations. There is variety and it's chocolate so can't go too wrong. Plus I love Bounty so there are never any left behind.  Playing The Evil Within 2 I found my asking was there enough variety or did it matter as it was all chocolate anyway?

Story


Poor Sebastian Castellanos had a rough time after the events of Beacon, and finding out his wife's conspiracy theory may not have just been a theory.  We find him in a bar at the bottom of a barrel when Mobius agent and ex-partner Juli Kidman turns up.  It turns out that maybe his daughter Lily isn't dead and the evil shadow organization Mobius has set up a new STEM system that has gone awry.  Despite himself, he decides to help them for no other reason than the chance to see and possibly rescue his daughter.


This time things are different, you are in the small fabricated town of Union, you have the support of Mobius agents along with Kidman giving you words of encouragement. The story is less fear-inducing this time and is focused on redemption and dealing with the past.


Overall the story is really good and the inclusion of side missions helps mix things up along with providing more information about Mobius and the world you find yourself in.

Visuals


The visuals were not exactly poor in the first The Evil Within, but this time Tango Gameworks have really stepped it up a notch.  The visuals are sharper and rather than simply rehash the first game they have taken the best parts and on top of that have created an open world of sorts.  Don't get me wrong there are still plenty of horrific moments throughout the game though. The town of Union feels dead and broken, parts of becoming detached and floating in the air, it feels familiar, yet very different.


Overall, I like really liked the visual direction Tango Gameworks took as it would be all too easy to create the same game twice.  Variety is the spice of life after all.


Music


The sound is very different from The Evil Within, this time there is a focus not only on the horror aspect but also redemption and some epic battle tracks.  The composer is Japanese composer Masatoshi Yanagi who worked on the first game and The Killer Is Dead.


The soundtrack is much longer this running at over two and a half hours that feature some really great tracks.  My favorites tracks were; 'A Memory', 'Tredwell Trucking', 'The Artist's Domain', 'Psychoplasm', 'A Bouquet of Flesh and Blood', 'Unspeakable Things', 'The Harbinger', 'You Have To Stay Strong', 'Climbing The Stronghold', 'The Evil Within' and 'An End To All Of This'.


Overall it is a really solid and powerful soundtrack that suits the story perfectly along with the world you traverse.

Gameplay


Much the same as it's predecessor the game is a Third-Person Survival Horror, the gameplay is much more refined in the Evil Within 2, everything from the combat to the way you purchase upgrades.  There are a slew of weapons in the game, some much more powerful than others.  This time you don't need to decide whether you use your green gel on upgrading your abilities or your weapons.  The green gel is used for your abilities and you find weapons parts to upgrade your weapons.  Additionally, you can find supplies to make ammunition on the fly or at your workbench.  My favorite weapon was the sniper rifle, a well-placed shot with this was toppled almost any enemy.  Melee combat is much smoother now and going one on one with an enemy doesn't feel overwhelming.


There are a number of side missions in the game that are very worthwhile.  Not only do you get to interact with other people that I felt invested in but the rewards were always good.  Most of the time they would be simple enough, kill a few enemies, and then turn on something.  It was a new direction and added variety to the game.  Each side mission could be found in a Safe House, drink some coffee, upgrade your weapons and take some time to escape the craziness.


There are a number of collectibles in the game. There are memories which are echoes of events that have already passed, files providing information on Mobius, the citizens of Union and more. There are also slides you can collect and view in a projector which was really cool.


There are a number of bosses throughout the game, nothing unbeatable but still providing a challenge. One of my favorites being the second last boss, can't say more without giving away spoilers but rather than just being a boss it sees Sebastion overcoming his mental restraints.


I have to give a shoutout to Chapter 17, it was so well done, so enjoyable and was the perfect way to finish off the game.




Final Thoughts

So, after eighteen hours how did I feel?  I wanted more and was sad there was no DLC or any news about The Evil Within 3.  The story was great, I felt invested in the characters and cared what happened to them.  The visuals were impressive and the open-world sections really added a new element to the game.  The music was powerful and evoked feelings of horror and redemption. The gameplay was so much more refined and improved while still making it feel like a challenge. Overall this one gets a solid 4 out of 5

The Evil Within - Review

I have never been huge into the horror genre, well at least with movies but with games, it's slightly different for me.  Perhaps it's the deeper level of engagement and control?  There are a number of standout horror titles for me; F.E.A.R. series, Until Dawn, Alan Wake, Condemned, and Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 4.  Recently, my work brah Ivan offered to loan me The Evil Within developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda, I was intrigued so I said why not.


I love steak (yes I have used it before as an analogy but it's different this time).  There is never a bad time to eat steak unless you have just eaten steak and even then I can usually chow down another.  There is something challenging about a steak, especially a large one.  Imagine the slab of meat below all cooked up and you have to eat it all.  I mean if it is was there I would challenge myself to eat it, doesn't mean it wouldn't be a struggle or sweat a bunch, but could  I finish it all?  Playing The Evil Within I found myself asking could I devour this steak or was it more likely I would pass out?

Story


The story is starts out in an old mental asylum, a classic horror staple and immediately put me on edge.  The protagonist is Detective Sebastion Castellanos, who has had lost his wife and daughter, along for the ride is Detective Joseph Oda mild-mannered and the brains, then there is Detective Juli Kidman cold, distant and doesn't feel like part of the team.


I was stabbed, chainsawed, driven off a hillside, strapped to a bed, and molested by something that didn't look human, that was the first twenty-eight minutes of the game. The story is unrelenting and certainly does not want you to feel at ease.  The director of the game is Shinji Mikami who was the force behind Resident Evil 4.


The story is fantastic and constantly had me questioning the world I was in and what was real. Even after finishing the game I was still left curious, luckily there are three DLC which expands on the story...well two really.  'The Assignment' and 'The Consequence' focus on Detective Juli Kidman and what her role was in the story and what she was doing with everyone else was doing their thing.  It definitely adds more depth to The Evil Within world, and there are some shocking revelations in it. 'The Executioner' focuses on a dad trying to find his daughter but in honesty, it doesn't really add a lot to the overall story.

Visuals


Playing The Evil Within it reminded me of Resident Evil 4, not that they look the same but that feeling of constantly feeling encased by the darkness that could swallow you at any moment.  The enemies look human but are either a little twisted or completely deformed into something that left me genuinely creeped out.  One of the most interesting character designs was the Safe Head, which is exactly what it sounds like and also where a butcher's apron covered in blood - lovely.  There are a couple of areas where the sky is dark and the rain is heavily pouring down that felt so real it was almost like being in Sebastion's shoes.


Overall the visuals are eerie and quite unnerving, which is really what you want from a horror game.  However, The Evil Within manages to do it better than most which really is saying something considering the number of good horror games available.



Music


With a horror game having the perfect soundtrack is key and the soundtrack is certainly perfection. There is something about it that made my heart pound and that was without the visuals or gameplay.
The soundtrack is composed by Masafumi Takada, who created the sound for Shining Soul 2, God Hand, No More Heros and Vanquish to name but a few.

The soundtrack is short and sweet or terrifying depending on which way you look at it and runs at just shy of an hour.  My favorite tracks include; 'Clair De Lune (by Claude Debussy), 'Them', and 'Lurking In The Dark'.


Overall the soundtrack is great and certainly made my experience playing all that more terrifying.

Gameplay


Where to even begin?  Firstly, the game is a third-person horror, initially, you start with nothing but a knife, kind of like the first Assassins Creed. This makes things extremely challenging and I ended up dying more than a few times, normally this would be annoying but I liked the challenge.  Then you finally get some weapons which made me feel unstoppable, for all of five seconds.  The enemies get much faster, smarter and tougher and ammunition is in short supply so if you are going to pull the trigger you better hit something.  Most things can be upgraded by using brain goo? You sit in what can only be described as a torture chair, shocked and then you're upgraded.


The controls at times did feel a little awkward, for example when you are disarming a trap it takes ages to disarm it and it takes a second to stop and often run to avoid getting bludgeoned.  I didn't think too much about it until Ivan informed this was not done by accident and in an interview with Shinji Mikami, he confirmed it was intentional.  Detective Castellanos is far from the top his game and he has hit the bottle hard meaning sometimes even basic things can be tough, this is personified in the controls which I love.  It isn't broken controls due to oversight or poor planning but a very intentional effort to put you in the shoes of Detective Castellanos.


While the entire game is challenging (not in a Bloodborne or Dark Souls way) I was able to overcome everything with a little perseverance.  The only section that got a little frustrating was during the final chapter where there is an onslaught and with so little ammo it took me more than a few tries to get past it.


The DLC is a mixed bag.  'The Assignment' and 'The Consequence' focus on stealth more than anything else as you have no weapons for the most part.  It did feel frustrating at times especially after playing as Sebestation who has a small arsenal. 'The Executioner' on the other hand was a lot of fun, you play as a Dark Keeper (the guys with a safe for heads) in first-person.  All missions involve you beating the hell out of enemies, and you can upgrade yourself which was a lot of fun.


Overall the gameplay is amazing and manages to splice old school gaming with more modern games.  If you are up for a challenge this game is for you.




Final Thoughts

So, after nearly thirty hours did I manage to devour the oversized steak?  Yes, yes I did, even if I did gain a few pounds and sweat the same amount out of myself.  The story is intriguing and kept me hooked throughout, the visuals are creepy and cool, and the music is on another level.  The gameplay is frustrating good and certainly curious to see what has been done in the second installment.  This one gets a very solid 4 out of 5

Anthem - Review

At last years E3 (or maybe the year before) BioWare announced their new game, Anthem. The idea of going around in an Iron Man suit appealed to me a lot.  When the game was released this year it got a lot of flack and I had other games to play (as I always do) so let it fall by the wayside.  Recently, Sinisa, one of my favorite technicians at work, let me know that Anthem was on sale for €10 on sale in Smyths. Naturally, I did not have to spend much time debating about the purchase.


Does anyone remember having Nerds as a kid?  Coloured, sugary balls of E numbers. They weren't really nice but at the same time, I couldn't get enough of them. I had a friend, Harry, in secondary school, and one day while waiting for his mum to pick us up he ate a whole box of them in minutes. The results were amazing, he puked hard and in multicolor like a rainbow.  It makes me wonder when they depict unicorns with rainbows coming out their mouths have they simply eaten too many Nerds? Playing Anthem I wondered was I going to be puking like a unicorn?

Story

BioWare has always been well known for its great storytelling abilities, interesting characters and dialogue choices that could really shape the game.  This is all largely absent from Anthem.  The game features you and a bunch of Freelancers who are wearing suits called Javelins.  There is something called the Anthem that seems to be almost alive, if someone can control it then they could remake the world.  There are also artifacts that need to be kept in check so they don't destroy the world. A load Freelancers go to take on a major artifact and it goes badly.  The story from that point is about trying to go back and finish the job.  

There are many characters in the games but I didn't feel invested in them, with the exception of Mathais, a historian/archaeologist/scientist type. He's the only one whose storyline provoked enough interest that he was memorable at all. Conversations and the answers you choose seem to have no bearing on what happens at all.

Overall the story feels like an unfinished novel, there are some interesting parts that could offer potential if only BioWare bothered to finish it, and it smacks of an incomplete EA release to get as much money as early as possible.

Visuals

While the story is lacking BioWare have at least tried to provide some great visuals. The world you traverse is full of lush forests and some cavernous places.  In 4K they look really good and the Javelins themselves are very detailed.  The character designs are pretty good and for the most part, it feels like you are interacting with an actual person rather than just an NPC.

Overall the visuals look great, the only thing lacking is a bit more variety with the world itself, one area can look very much like another - all high cliffs and lush forests with some rocky terrain. Different times of day would have added to this as well, missions at night perhaps.

Music

The soundtrack has an almost cinematic sound to it, featuring lots of strings, a choir, and the occasional electro sound. The music is composed by Sarah Schachner responsible for; Assassin Creed Origins and Unity, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019.

The soundtrack runs at just shy on ninety minutes.  My favorite tracks include; 'Strong Alone, Stronger Together', 'The Monitor', 'The Titan', 'Outlaw Ambush', and 'The Chimera'.

Overall the soundtrack is good but not quite as strong as Schachner's work in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019.

Gameplay

There is so much to discuss, so let's get it into it.  The game can be played solo, in co-op or with up to three other players. There are four types of Javelin, Colossus, Storm, Interceptor, and Ranger. Each with their own specialties and you can unlock all of them as you level up.  They each feel quite different and each provides a slightly different experience. The javelins can be fully upgraded, from weapons to appearance.  Weapons can be collected or crafted but for the most part, crafting isn't really necessary.  The javelins each have a power number and can increase as you add better equipment and weapons.

The enemies are varied and while a large number of them can feel a little intense at times it never feels hard even when the difficulty is on hard. There are only a few bosses in the game which are fun to be fair and offered more of a challenge.  By far the most challenging areas are the Strongholds which offer lots of enemies and even more experience points.  It was this element of the game that really kept me wanting to play more and is a really great co-op game. I suspect if I hadn't been playing it with my Nollsy, I wouldn't have gotten nearly as much enjoyment out of it, and she felt the same. Co-op is really the thing that saved the overall experience.

Okay now for the bad.  The load times are horrendous, which is made even worse through the matchmaking element which nearly takes as long. With side missions especially they can be completed so quickly that you can spend at least a third of your time waiting for the game to load.  This part of the game needs a massive overhaul and hopefully, be fixed in BioWare big redesign/update.

Once the game has been completed you can play missions on Legendary difficulty and take on all manner of challenges.  It because of things like this that I will keep going back and playing more of the game.

Overall the gameplay has a lot of work to make it all it could be, that being said I can't enough of playing it!

Final Thoughts

So, after twenty-plus hours how did I feel? Confused.  The story is far from epic, the visuals are pretty good but could use more variety, the music was good.  The gameplay is addictive even though it really needs work.  It is really tough to rate this one, I like giving round numbers so this one gets a 3 out of 5