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

Gears 5 - Review

I have been a fan of Gears of War since the beginning so I feel compelled to play each and every one of them that has come out.  Gears of War 4 wasn't bad but definitely did not excite as much as the previous games in the series.  Perhaps this was due to Epic Games not being at the helm and instead Canadian based game's developer The Coalition taking the reins.  Naturally, I wanted to play Gears 5 but was slightly dubious, one day I thought to hell with it I'm just going to buy it and give it a go.


Oreos is something I have had a mixed relationship with.  Their normal cookies are a little dry but still tasty, the white chocolate covered ones are amazing! Then there are the new Oreo bites mixed with Cadbury's chocolate.  Initially, I was unsure but quickly I found myself really drawn to them and alas before long the bag was empty.  Playing Gears 5 I found myself asking what kind of relationship would I have it, would it be dry but manage to stay tasty or was it so it going to be my new addiction?

Story


Gears of War 4 saw the return of any long since dead and the world still very much in the process of being rebuilt.  In Gears 5 you get to see civilization like never before in New Ephyra.  The COG have grown strong again and their new city is definitely a testament to that.  The story heavily focuses on Kait, her mother, and her family. She won't be doing it alone though she will have JD, Del, Fahz, and Jack watching her back.  The story sees the all-powerful Hammer of Dawn brought online, however, this quickly goes bad. Shortly after this Kait leaves the group along with Del to try and find out who she really is and why she keeps getting visions. It seems that the Locust are back and this time they want to stick around.  Right, that's all you get, no spoilers!


Overall the story is amazing, I felt a real bond with all the characters and what happened to them mattered to me. The story starts a little slow but after that, it kicks into first gear and there is no stopping it.  One of the best Gears of War stories since Gears 2.

Visuals


The visuals are very different in Gears 5 and Gears of War 4, there is more color used in the game, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The series has always focused on darkness, which I have always really liked.  That being said I really like the new art direction, the visuals are more detailed than before and it very much feels a new world.  The enemies are more detailed, the armor you wear looks more impressive and is generally just pleasing to look at it.  I like the new art direction but only hope that Gears 6 (they are totally making another one) does not go the way of New Dawn which feels way too colorful.


Overall the visuals are very impressive and have helped create a very new feeling world which is the fresh coat of paint the series needed.



Music


I'm not going to beat around the bush, the soundtrack is amazing.  Each track has this underlying somber tone but in the foreground, it has a very 'keep fighting, keep pushing forward' feeling. Which suits the game perfectly as that is what the whole campaign is about.  The soundtrack was composed by the amazing Ramin Djawadi.  He has an impressive body of work and scored the soundtracks for; Iron Man, Pacific Rim, Game of Thrones, Person of Interest, Medal of Honor and Gears of War 4.


Listening to the soundtrack again I realized that I did not have a favorite track, I loved them all.  The soundtrack is probably one of the most impressive if not the most impressive in the Gears of War franchise. It worked so well and really hope Ramin Djawadi returns for Gears 6.

Gameplay


The gameplay, where do I even start?  Let's starts with weapons, they feel better, more accurate and overall more satisfying when using them.  In fact, I almost forgot to use the classic chainsaw attached to the Lancer as I was having fun trying the other weapons. Jack is back, your little robot friend, but this time he is badass.  He can be upgraded with components and modules, he has your back and is much a teammate as anyone else in the group.  He can attack enemies, heal the team and use a variety of special abilities. Not happy with how you have upgraded him? No problem, respec him without any penalties.


The cover system feels more dynamic, this time it does not just have small barricades but multilevel ones that are often very destructible so don't get too comfortable. It made the gameplay more challenging and forces you to engage with the environment more.


The enemies go from straight forward to bordering on brutal. A new addition is The Warden, super armored, can only be shot in the head and carries maces that will annihilate you if you are not too careful.  There are many more new enemies each looking to wipe you out.  The AI seems to adapt more than in previous games in the series meaning you have to be always focused and not get careless.


There is now an element of exploration to the game, you can use a skiff which basically a retro-looking jetski with a sail attached to it.  Exploring means more fights, but also more rewards which are pretty cool. I made sure to go everywhere I could just to see what might be on offer.


Similar to the other games in the series there are collectibles in the world including COG tags, documents, and history about the old and new world.


Overall the gameplay is awesome and while sometimes fights felt almost unwinnable a little bit of patience and tactics went a long way to beating certain sections of the game.





Final Thoughts

So, after twenty-five how did I feel?  Amazing!  The story was great and there was a real feeling of being part of a team rather than just lifeless AI.  The visual was new, different and exciting and brought a new element to the series.  The music was perfect!  The gameplay was challenging but a little work and you would be just fine.  I can't wait to play this in co-op with Nolls in the future, I think we will have a blast with it.  Overall this one gets a delectable and tasty 5 out of 5

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 - Review

Another year, another Call of Duty game.  I have bowed out the last while from playing them, as one of the small percentages of people who enjoy playing the campaign and not multiplayer I have found them to be mediocre at best.  I was excited this time around due to the name Call of Duty Modern Warfare, which for me had some of the best storylines and an all-round enjoyable game.  Plus I loved seeing Captain Price on the box art, thinking how does he look so young?  I got a copy with the latest PlayStation 4 I picked up and was excited to play it.


I love a good slice of Apple Pie, sometimes just by itself and other times with custard.  I like to be sweet with a slight hint of bitter flavouring. Sadly, I have had many any Apple Pie that is too bitter and a bit hard to digest at times.  Playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 I found myself asking was this a tasty sweet piece of pie or a very bitter one?

Story 

Just like in the previous Call of Duty games you get to play as different characters which really helps mix things up and increase suspense and anticipation.  The game starts with you taking control of 'Alex', a CIA operative and his team trying to recover a lethal gas from Urzikstan.  Unfortunately, they get hijacked and everyone is killed apart from poor old Alex. Then we see Sergeant Garrick and Captain Price try to foil a terrorist attack in London.  Back to Urzikstan, we see Freedom Fighters Farah and Hadir trying to push an evil Russian General out of the country.   All characters end up coming together to help defeat a shared set of enemies.  I know it is an odd thing to complain about but I didn't know it was a reboot until I started the game. I wish this need to reboot everything would stop especially as they could have just created all-new characters rather than trying to entice people with nostalgia.

Overall the story is good, with a few weak points near the end of the game.  There is a mission called Highway of Death which received quite a lot of backlash as they have essentially taken something historic, changed the names and switched the bad guys to the Russians.   A little embellishing is fine but this went way beyond that and felt a little in poor taste.

Visuals

The visuals in Infinity Wards latest installment are nothing short of breathtaking, and easily the best in the series.  The world feels real and very dangerous, often creating a very claustrophobic environment.  This is particularly true of the missions set in Urzikstan, and the one in London which, while being a big city, feels really congested.  The weapons and character designs are sharp, realistic and help create an almost cinematic world.

Overall the visuals are spot on with rarely any issues and certainly helped enhance my overall experience. 

Music 

The soundtrack has a mix of moaning strings to help create an intense atmosphere and a distinct middle eastern sound which worked really well.  The composer is Sarah Schachner responsible for;

Assassin Creed Origins and Unity, Anthem, and Call of Duty Infinite Warfare.

The sound is just shy of two hours and features some great tracks, my favorite being; 'Modern Warfare Main Theme', 'Highway', 'Know Your Enemy', 'Old Comrades', 'Rooftop' and 'Threat Assessment'. Overall it was a good soundtrack but certainly doesn't stand out as much as the previous Modern Warfare games.

Gameplay

The gameplay is fast and furious with little time to catch your breath, and that's a good thing. In some previous Call Of Duty games, you can easily play it safe and take your time, this time you are pushed to move up and move on.  Clearing any area of enemies doesn't mean one still can't sneak up from behind and clock you in the back of the head or shoot you dead.  

In a similar fashion to most first-person shooters, there isn't really a cover system.  While at times this can make things dicey it also adds to the excitement.

The weapons sound, look and feel great.  Sniper rifles feel powerful and require a little patience to get good shots, especially long-distance ones.  The Molotov cocktails are quite fun but one miscalculation and you will be turned into barbecue.

Rather than one final mission to pull everything together the last few all felt like one giant final mission, this stopped the gameplay feeling rushed. While it was very dark I enjoyed the mission where you play as a young Farah try to help her and her brother avoid being caught by soldiers.

Overall the gameplay was really entertaining and is much closer to the feel Modern Warefare 2 provided then some of the newer games in the series.

Final Thoughts

So, after almost ten hours how did I feel.  Pretty good.  I definitely had some issues with the story but as a whole, it was pretty solid and has already sent up the sequel Spec Ops.  The visuals were amazing and some the most realistic I have seen in a shooter in a long time.  The music was spot on and helped make a tense environment even more so.  The gameplay was strong and occasionally stuff but never stopped being fun to play.  Overall this one just slides in with 4 out 5

Far Lone Sails - Review

Sometimes there is simply not enough time to play all the games I want to and games from last year don't get played until the following one.  Far Lone Sails has been on my list of games to play from last year and I just got around to playing it. It was the art style that drew me and I knew I just had to play it.


I am one of those strange people who love Bounty Bars, recently I found out they released a cookie version.  They are perfect, soft, full of chocolate and coconut, and right now are up there as my number one junk food.  Playing Far Lone Sails could this be my new tasty thing?

Story

The game opens on the character Lone kneeling in front of her fathers grave, then she gets up and the journey begins.  Lone will use her and her father's locomotive to traverse a world that has been ravaged by some natural disaster.  While there is a story it is very subtle and most questions you may have won't be answered until the last third of the game.

Overall the story is engaging and has great way of pulling at your heart-strings.

Visuals

The visuals used in Far Lone Sails are amazing.  The world feels unforgiving and a shell of its former self, but even with that there is some beauty left.  There is the occasional sighting of animals, an orange sky as night approaches, or the green light of your locomotive.  There is something amazing about seeing capsized ships and old buildings of a forgotten world.  

Overall the game is a visual masterpiece that had me hooked the whole time, this alone was enough for me to make it worthwhile playing Far Lone Sails.

Music 

The sounds used in Far Lone Sails include jazz, country, and something else almost whimsical.  The music is composed by Swiss composer Joel Schoch, and this is his first video game soundtrack.

The soundtrack runs at just under an hour and features some great tracks, some of my favorites being; 'Coloured Engine', 'More to See', 'Inconvenient Circumstances', 'Sun Down', 'Drive It', 'Half', 'Lone Sail' and 'Warmth in the Cold'.

Overall the soundtrack is really great and helped keep me and Lone entertained.

Gameplay

Lone takes control of the locomotive (featured above) and has to keep it chugging along.  The locomotive needs power to fuel the core, it needs to be powered on and often you will need to release the steam valve. There is an emergency stop button so you can jump out and collect supplies, everything can be used for fuel.  Initially, you don't start with sails but get them installed later, they really help increase your travel speed.  There will be a few more upgrades later including a welding torch and water hose.  

Considering you are exploring an almost dead world there is something peaceful about it all.  Even when there are small light puzzles I never felt overtaxed in any way.  I think I felt that way due to the locomotive being the only thing that really felt alive, apart from Lone herself of course.

Overall the gameplay is simple, but so much fun and helped me really immerse myself in the world. 

Final Thoughts

So, after just over three hours how did I feel?  Blown away.  The story, while very minimal was great and the ending really got to me.  The visuals are stunning and the music works perfectly.  The gameplay works and I don't really remember having any issues.  This one gets 5 out of 5