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

Control - Review

Remedy Entertainment has been making great games for years, classics like the Max Payne series, Alan Wake and Quantum Break.  When Control was released I knew I had to play it, even before I knew much about it.  I recently picked it up and could not wait to try it!


Something I tried in the last couple of years is Portuguese Custard Tarts.   They are exactly what they sound like, sweet and tasty (unless you don't like custard). They are small yet so satisfying and filling.  Playing Control I found myself was this the small perfect sized treat I needed?

Story

The game has you take control (no pun intended) of  Jesse, a woman who has walked into the Federal Bureau of Control to find her brother Dylan.  Strangely the building is oddly quiet and very quickly she goes from trespasser to Director of the Bureau!  This happens all in the first fifteen minutes and it gets a lot crazier from there.  The duty of the Bureau is making sure that certain powerful artifacts are kept under lock and key, sort of like the TV series Warehouse 13 but way more intense.  That's all you are getting.


Overall the story is fantastic, with many twists and turns and would be very curious to see if Remedy will do a sequel or not.

Visuals


The visuals in Control are great...kind of.  The world feels cold and dark and this is amplified being sent in an old building with old technology.  The building is not always as seems and can shift, sometimes without warning.  There is a sprinkling of art deco style visuals with some really cool supernatural backdrops.  It is worth noting that I played this on the XBOX One, I found the frame rate and general refresh rate could be quite poor at times which was very jarring and pulled me out of what is generally quite an immersive world.


Overall the visuals were great but could have vastly been improved by increasing the frame and refresh rate.  I am generally not overly picky about things like this but was bad enough that I had to mention it.



Music


There was no doubt at any point that I was playing a supernatural style game, especially when it came to the music.  There are eerie and often unnerving tracks that helped put me on the edge of my seat. The soundtrack was composed by Finnish composer Petri Alanko (Alan Wake, Quantum Break) and Danish composer Martin Stig Anderson (Young Blood, Tomb Raider, Wolfenstein, Limbo).


There is over an hour of music, my favourite tracks included; 'counterfeit', 'portam ad inferno', 'voces ignotas', 'and soror et frater'.  Overall it was a good soundtrack that helped create a creepy supernatural feel.

Gameplay

I have always enjoyed the gameplay in Remedy games but it feels like this time they really pulled out all the stops.  Jesse uses a special gun that, through upgrading, can morph back and forth and you never need to collect ammunition, which is pretty handy.  Each of them feels distinctly different and can be more or less effective against certain enemies.  Each of them can be modded and upgraded quite easily using items you collect naturally through playing.


The weapons are good but the abilities are even better.  My two favorites without a doubt were launch and levitate, they do exactly what they say on the tin.  Combining these two abilities along gun variants is so much fun, there are also skill trees to help improve them further.


The enemies are varied which helps stop the game from feeling repetitive, some are a lot easier to kill than others.  The difficulty never seemed unbalanced or unfair no matter what was being thrown at me.


The game map is quite large so making use of control points is key otherwise you will spend a lot of time running.  The map can be a little awkward to work out at times but as a whole, it works.


There is not only the main story to focus on but a slew of side missions wish to offer a little break from the main dialogue with some great rewards.


Overall there is little to nothing to complain about in relation to the gameplay, I enjoyed myself and can see myself replaying Control in the future.





Final Thoughts

Well, after fifteen hours of playing how did I feel?  Pretty damn good.  The story was strong and interesting, the visuals were good but a little more of investment could have made them great. The music was exactly what it needed and the gameplay was fantastic.  Overall this one gets a solid 4 out of 5

FEIST - Review

Fresh off the back of playing Wilmot's Warehouse, I was curious to check out some of Finji's other games.  FEIST was one that really grabbed my attention due to its art style which is reminiscent of games like Limbo and Badlands. I decided to download it for iOS as it had been some time since I played a game on there apart from Boom Beach.


I am one of those few people who really like Bounty Bars, but not the dark chocolate ones.  In honesty, I love a lot of coconut flavored treats, and there seem to be few coconut things I haven't tried, some of which have been horrible. There is a Bounty Bar knock off that Aldi sells called Romeo Bars.  They are pretty good, but they just ain't Bounty Bars.   Playing FEIST I found myself asking was this as good as a Bounty Bar or a poor imitation?

Story

The game starts with a bunch of large lumbering hedgehog looking creatures moving through the wilderness.  One of them has a small wooden box on their back.  The camera then pans to a tree with a wooden crate hanging from a tree, this is where the story really begins.  After escaping you get to take control of a dust bunny style creature, his mission is to chase after and save their friend from the creatures.

Overall there is little to no story is FEIST and the small bit you do glean comes from short cut sequences showing the creatures moving through the wilderness and showing the differences between them.  The story itself isn't the important thing, it is the journey itself.

Visuals

I cannot overstate this enough, the visuals (even on a mobile device) look amazing.   The creatures you are following and the smaller enemies in the game are all black with the exception of their eyes which are red.  The northern lights coloring shines through the backdrop of each level, sometimes it becomes more pronounced and other times it turns to a simpler lighter shade of green.  There was one point, in particular, I really had to take a moment to admire the beauty of the game - the starlight was reflecting off a body of water and it looked amazing.  

Overall the game is visually stunning and helps show you not only the beauty of nature but also the darkness that can hide within it.

Music

The soundtrack for the game is very eerie and really works well with the visuals used in it and if nature was to have a dark soundtrack it might sound like FEIST.  The soundtrack is composed by Swiss composer and musician Tomek Kolzynski.  This is his video game soundtrack but has provided music for a number of other projects, albums including, Popple Music, Igloo, & Drama, and Vastzapinside.

The soundtrack runs at around ninety minutes, some of my favorite tracks include; 'After A Long Night', 'Down By The Lake', 'A Bad Hair Day', 'Dwellers in the Dark', and 'Ruins of the Past'.

Overall Kolzynski's soundtrack is perfect for this game and would be worth listening to even if you decide not to play it.

Gameplay

The game at its core is about strategy, how to get over obstacles, how to beat enemies and sometimes how to avoid them altogether.  The game is also a side scroller, you have left and right move, jump and pick up.  The on-screen controls work well for the most part but later in the game can be a little over/under sensitive ending in a few unnecessary deaths. 

The smaller enemies can often be avoided, however, doing this too often can end up with you running from a vast number of them trailing behind you.  The main enemies/bosses need to be defeated, they can be tough but using traps and throwing rocks and a bit of tree will eventually take them down. The final enemy was a particular pain as it involves you playing ping pong with balls of light.

The games work but can feel overly fiddly at points, especially when it comes to jumping.  One part in one of the end chapters had me pulling my hair out (which is a mean feat with the little nubs of hair I have), you had to jump from one branch to another. Simple? No.  It was necessary for you to jump in the opposite direction and then back up to get to the next branch, it might hard to read but far harder to actually do it.

Overall the gameplay is mostly solid, the awkwardness of the controls could be just due to it being on a mobile device, but if that was the case it should have been tested a little more first.

Final Thoughts

So, how did I feel after almost five hours?  A little mixed.  The story was lacking but that wasn't really a big deal, the visuals were amazing and were certainly the highlight of the game.  The music was really good and certainly helped enhance my overall experience.  What let the game down at times was the gameplay, simple things could be overly awkward and the controls were not always as responsive as they could have been.  Overall this one gets 3 out of 5

Everybody's Gone To The Rapture - Review

Everybody's Gone To The Rapture is a game I heard about a long time back and had download it last year from the PlayStation Store.  My better half and partner in crime Nollsy played it a while back and kept saying how good it was, and that I needed to play it.  Finally this week I got around to playing.


I am on a semi-diet so I shouldn't be talking about chocolate but screw it. I love, I mean love, Cadbury's Caramel Bars.  It's smooth on the outside, has a bit of bite to it and then has a soft centre filled with caramel.  Playing Everybody's Gone To The Rapture I found myself asking did this have the right kind of bite and still have a soft centre?

Story


When it comes to talking about the story I will be pretty brief to avoid spoilers. You take control of a character (who they are is never established) who enters the fictional picturesque town of Yaughton, in Shropshire.  It seems like all the inhabitants are gone, the only signs of life or that life was there are echoes/memories of people's conversations and of course the dead birds everywhere.  It is about discovering what happened to the inhabitants of Yaughton and what, if anything, will happen next.


Overall the story is amazing - it starts slows and really builds up. I enjoyed the ending and wonder what it would be like playing the game with the knowledge I have now?

Visuals


The visuals are really something and remind me of quaint English villages.  There is countryside and nature all around you in Everybody's Gone To The Rapture.  I found myself getting lost while playing simply because I was taken aback by the picturesque looking village.  It is a shame that The Chinese Room and SIE Santa Monica Studio did not have a bigger budget as it would really have helped sharpen up some of the visuals.


Overall the game looks amazing and was certainly nice getting lost in Yaughton for a few hours.


Music


If quaint English villages had a soundtrack it might sound like Everybody's Gone To The Rapture.  The music is quite calming, and certainly has a very spiritual feel to it, there are moments where the music intensifies but only for brief appropriate spells.  The composer is UK based Jessica Curry who created the video game soundtracks for; So Let Us Melt, Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs and Dear Esther.


The soundtrack comes in at around one hour and really does fit the game perfectly.  Normally, I list out my favorite track but this time I can't as I find it to be one giant track. That isn't to say it all sounds the same, far from it, but each and every track is as important the next.  Overall a brilliant well-crafted soundtrack that could be appreciated even if you haven't played the game.

Gameplay


The game is an adventure exploration game, about following and finding the hidden stories and memories in Yaughton. Outside of the directional movement, the only other control used is the tilt mechanism in the controller.  I found this to be a little awkward on occasion and if anything pulled me out of the story rather than suck me in further.  It wasn't too bad overall but a simple button pressing mechanic or quick time event would have been sufficient.


Similar to TellTale's The Walking Dead, Erica or any other games of this caliber, the story and gameplay are hugely linked making it difficult to get into too many specifics.  The game leads you around by getting you to follow balls of light which take you to point to hear different things, you can break free from this and take your own path.  Be warned though, it is possible to get lost and can take a while to find your glowing balls of light.  The balls of light glitched a few times for me meaning I ended having no idea where to go next which was a little frustrating.


Overall the gameplay (and story) are great with really very few complaints or at least not enough to stop me enjoying my experience.





Final Thoughts

So, after seven hours of play how did I feel? Enthralled. The story is amazing, the visuals and music really help bring the little town of Yaughton to life. I had some qualms with the gameplay but nothing that would put me off my experience.  Overall, this one gets a 4 out 5

Luftrausers - Review

The other day I found myself really wanting to play a handheld game, I decided to check out PS Vita titles.  One title I had missed was Vlambeer's 'Luftrausers' published by Devolver Digital.  Watching the trailer I felt quite nostalgic due to the style and gameplay.  With my debit card in hand, I decided to purchase it.


Years ago I would never have entertained protein bars, it just seemed pointless unless you worked out a lot or were pretty athletic (I didn't tick any of those boxes and don't really now either, maybe a half tick).  I got into them over the last year or two as I was trying to increase my protein intake.  There are many out there that taste like cardboard and are as tough as it as well. One brand that I found to be really good was Nature Valley.  They are still tough, and a little hard to swallow but it tastes pretty good and feels like an achievement eating one.  Playing Luftrausers I found myself asking was this the perfect protein bar?

Story

The story is straight and to the point, you are a pilot during the war and while it isn't directly stated, it seems like your enemy is the Nazis.  Your mission, survive, or die a lot and hope to eventually survive long enough to get a high score or unlock new parts for your plane.

Overall there isn't a story, and the game makes no qualms about it, which is fine because this kind of game is all about the gameplay.

Visuals

When I first saw the visuals in Luftrausers it reminded me of my days with the GameBoy.  Just a couple of colours used to create an amazing looking world.  Obviously, Luftrausers is made with much more modern technology, the edges on ships and planes are softer and it is more colourful.  That being said it's look is quite retro and very cool.

Overall some really cool looking visuals that were fresh, but retro enough to remind me of my childhood.

Music

The soundtrack is a little more advanced than chiptune but shares some similarities.  It has distinct war sound and at points had me thinking about some of the original Command and Conquer games. The soundtrack is composed by Finish composer Jukio Kallio, who has an eclectic mix of work including videos game including Minit, Evil Factory and PixelJunk Monsters 2.

The soundtrack is short running slightly over the twenty-minute mark, but that does mean it's bad quite the contrary.  My favorite tracks were; 'Luftrauser', 'Heavyrauser', 'Laserrausers' and 'Devil From The Deep'.  Overall a great soundtrack that works well with the game.

Gameplay 

Luftrausers certainly falls into the category of 'easy to learn, hard to master'.  Training lasts all of about sixty seconds before you are thrown into the thick of it.  The plane is controlled with one analog stick and one button for shooting.  Essentially you can fly the plane up and then let your self fall with style to avoid and attack enemies.  The game is tough but there is one saving grace, stop shooting for a few seconds and your health regenerates.

There are so many parts to unlock for your plane, everything from lasers to nuclear hulls, to propellers that shoot bullets.  There are a ton of combinations, each of which changes the name of your plane.  On top of that, each part has missions attached to them pushing you to try and use everything. The balance of the plane completely changes depending on the parts used meaning you can't just stick them on you have learned to adjust the way you control your plane.

Even with the simplicity of the controls and the mass amount of plane parts the game is tough.  Each enemy you kill increases the difficulty until it gets to a point where you are screwed.  But if that isn't enough of challenge don't worry there is a hard mode.

Overall the gameplay is great, grueling and highly rewarding if you don't enjoy a little pain this game might not be for you.

Final Thoughts

So, after fifteen hours of playing how did I feel?  Tried, tested, and ready for more.  There is no story but the game doesn't require it.  The visuals are amazing, the soundtrack is awesome and while the gameplay is tough it is also quite rewarding.  Overall this one gets 4 out 5