Review The Last Game You Beat

[Kenny]

The desert chapter made me go WTF at first but by the end I got where it was going with it, it's supposed to set-up the whole idea that this is all about ghosts and demons trying to enter our world. The super cheap Horror setups with that native american tribesman appearing out of nowhere could've been done without.

They should've had Dafoe's family dead before Jodie came in, it would've made WAY more sense. Think about it, your family is dead, you're struggling with denial over it, hear about the so-called scientific possibilities with communication with the dead, hear about a kid with an imaginary entity friend, and then have her demonstrate that the entity is real and it able to communicate with the dead. That's all they needed to do since everything else perfectly falls into place (especially that Black Sun chapter, damn that was GREAT stuff about him holding his family hostage selfishly without his realizing it) but having Jodie come in when they're still alive and them dying by drink driver...I dunno, it seemed shoe-horned in to me.

And I LOVED that ending, it made perfect sense to me. People have found a way to open a way into the Infraworld, they will inevitably try to open it again. And when they do, it'll create a post-apocalyptic scenario and Joe and Aiden might have to come in and either stop it or survive through it.

I found out if you played the scenes in order, the story is actually alot stronger than it was if when it was non-linear. I guess they were trying to be clever to keep some mystery alive by making it non-linear, but it just ended up really sloppy and people accused of it being too nonsensical over that. But it really isn't if you look at it in order, big mistake on their part. If they wanted to play these things out of order, they could've gone the traditional route and play out her whole adult life in order while flashing back to when she was a little girl.

[Thief]

Found out my friend had never played Super Metroid before... so I brought it over to his house and we beat it today. I've forgotten how incredibly good this game is. It may not be my favorite game but it may very well be the best game I've ever played. I can't think of a single thing wrong with it.

[Ri_oh]

Deadfall Adventures.

It's incredibly cheesy. And there are some minor annoyances with the checkpoint system. But overall I really enjoyed my time with it. Great puzzles/level design, and fun multiplayer. My video review:

phpBB [video]

[Axm]

Persona 4: Golden (Vita)

Cracking game. I put almost 80 hours into it, in total. The game was hyped all to hell, but it's one of those rare cases where it actually lived up to it. Not that I ever doubted Atlus anyway. Like I said in another topic, it was refreshing to play a "lighter" and "charming" RPG from Atlus, a developer known for the weird, occult, gothic and/or dark style games. When I finished it I felt as satisfied with the game as I did when I first beat SMT3. I'd probably rank it either second or third as my favourite game from Atlus thus far.

It's definitely an essential RPG that all fans of JRPGs should play, I think. It also has that "small town Japan" feel to it that I've been craving from a game for some time now and wow the characters have so much depth to them. And even though I loved P4, I am looking forward to new things with P5, it's really good that the series is as diverse as it is.

I've got to say though, I don't really understand where the complaints from some of the MegaTen/Atlus fanbase are coming from when they say that it is too "light" or whatever...the game still has those classic MegaTen moments in it and the final three-four bosses are totally straight out of a classic MegaTen.

[AnimeGamer183]

Well I finally finished Tales of Xillia, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the game. The production values could be a bit better and it was a shame all the sea port areas were re-hashed and re-skinned and it was blatantly obvious. But the story and characters are great, it reminded me of watching a well made anime, and its one of the few games I have seen that blends anime into a JRPG so well, and I think the character models looked pretty darn awesome too, but thats about the extent of visuals sadly, many area look and scope seem like it could have been done on PS2, it feels like a bit more enhanced PS2 JRPG, and while thats not bad completely, it leaves you wanting a little bit more, but with such involving story and characters you can almost over look it.

battes are fun, very addicting action combat system, the ability to link characters and customize them with a plethora of different skills really gives the ability to switches alot of things up in battle and experiment. Sure the Lithium Orb (which is basically the sphere grid from FFX, thus bringing up the PS2 again) is kinda of stolen, but it works well for this setup, and I enjoyed leveling my character other atributes with it. Here is another small gripe but doesnt end up really being a gripe at all, so the game is way too easy on normal, and I mean you could play it with your eyes closed, its that easy, thankfully the JRPG gods blessed these devs with a revelation taking from many other game genres in putting a difficulty settting in a JRPG. Wow how did they not think of that sooner? Its scarce but im glad its there, but i'll have to play again to see how difficult it actually is on other settings, which brings me to my next point...

New Game + in this game is alot more than the usual New Game + in many other JRPGs. So at the beginning of the game you choose a character and you progress the story through that characters point of view, you cant watch all the cut scenes or even do all the quests and see everything in one playthrough (which is probably a hit or miss with some people). And that works fantasically with new game plus because it gives you a bit more incentive to actually play the game again. You start your new game + with the usual fare, keep levels, items and character progress from the last play through. Just this time you get a whole other point of view, and there are many times in the game where your party, and the main 2 characters split and go off on their own and certain events happen that can only be seen when choosing that characters perspective, its actually significant scenes to the story and not felt tacked on or short events that really defeat the purpose.

All in all Tales of Xillia was a very unique experience, it blends so many different elements from gaming and anime, and does so blissfully like no other JRPG I have seen, it has a certain perfection for me since I love both (although the game is far from perfect). Tales of Xillia is a very focused experience and has many well done touches and refinements that other JRPGs simply look over. The game definitely isnt for everyone, but if you like anime, JRPGs, and want an 80 hour experience with a well told tale with little strings left hanging loose and fun combat definitely give it a try.

[Axm]

Killzone: Shadow Fall (PS4)

So being that this is one of the PS4’s major launch titles and a first party exclusive this game should be the best example of what the system is capable of right? Well for the most part I think it does live up to being a great show case for what the PS4 is capable of in regards to graphics and control.

First to mention is the graphics. In my opinion, this game is the best looking next gen console game I have seen and played. Lighting is most notable due to it’s constant use in the game to show it off. If you crash through a window for example, that light will then radiate down onto the floor in a way that says “Hey look at me. You created this.” Or “Hey look at how the sun is glaring into your retina right now.” It’s all quite beautiful, yet for some maybe annoyingly overdone.
Beides lighting though the level of sharpness and detail in objects are overall rather impressive besides the occasional low res texture that they dont intend for you to pay attention to.

Sound is also rather impressive especially when using some 5.1 surround sound headphones like my Triton AX Pro’s.

Gameplay I say is a solid noteworthy mention here as an improvement over previous entries. AI seems smart enough to not be just running and ducking targets. The DualShock 4 also adds one of the best new elements to the game which is your attack/support drone. This is controlled entirely using the touch pad. After a level or so of getting adjusted to it, the touch pad in this game is a very intuitive control method. You can tell the drone to switch modes by swiping on it and then clicking down on it or pressing L1 to send it off to do it’s job.
On the negative end of this game though is the kind of mundane nature of having to pick up these power cores in later levels to place them into this conductors to blow them up. They over use it in at least 3 of the last few levels of the game and it really kind spoiled the fun. Id rather just continue to have nice set pieces to shoot down enemies then deal with distractions in the gameplay like that.
Otherwise the gunplay itself is rather satisfiying and fun. The guns have a great feel to them and when you shoot an enemy you see the reaction quite well defined so it really feels like you shot someone rather then in other FPS where enemies can feel like bullet sponges.

The multiplayer is kind of the downside of this game atleast for me. It’s just not very imaginative and its a pretty standard affair as far as the average game mode types go. The maps feel at times congested with all the players choosing to gather into one part of the map rather then utilize what should be a larger gameplay area. The exclusion of such a basic feature like In-Game voice chat is also a major downer.
During a game of capture the flag you’d think you would want to be able to communicate with your team without having to individually invite people to the PS4’s cross game chat so you can work together but thats the only option they force us into. Talks on a patch are in the works for this but I fear for the sake of the future of this game online, that people will have moved on to other games by then. Games that feature better multiplayer anyways.

The story however is actually quite impressive!
I didn’t think I would have gotten that into it but to be quite honest, I really enjoyed it. I though the plot and characters were well done and I genuinely wanted to find out what will happen next as I was mowing down enemies. In comparison to the other forgettable story lines of previous entires, this one is definitely the best and really a stand alone experience. They also reintroduce key story line events through in game dialogue that helps in curing any questions in your mind about what happened in the past.

In the end, its a solid game. I wouldn’t say worth $60 but atleast worth buying at $40.

It gets a 3.5/5 from me.

[Yokosuka Martian]

ANyone played Knack yet?

[Axm]

Dead Rising 3 (Xbox One)

So after completing the story, most of the side missions, crafting many of the weapons/vehicles, leveling up to 50 and maxing out my skill points, I think I can give a proper review of this game.

Graphics/Performance

Let me be clear right off the bat. The game looks great. I think it does deserve to be in the next gen category level of graphics, however this is far from the best example one could give of what next gen graphics can look like. It’s not the best example for graphical power of the system but rather the game emphasizes other technical aspects such as frame rate, quantity and quality you can get out of massive amounts of zombies all in one place.
Despite the rare frame rate hitch, the game runs very smoothly given the circumstances. Despite the rare instances of object pop in or slow rendering, the game delivers a seamless experience between areas without any loading at all.
Despite the rare invisible zombie horde, sound hitch, object clipping or anything else most games will have, the game is a solid example of how other games in it’s genre should take note going forward. It truly delivers the ideal of a next gen experience and it’s satisfying to know that if this is just the beginning of what is going to be capable on these next gen systems then we all have alot to look forward too in the years to come.

Gameplay

This is also another category the game shines in. It strikes a great balance between fun and difficulty. When you pack in hundreds of zombies into one place, get in a steamroller and barrel down a street destroying everything in your path, it’s one of the most enjoying experiences you’ll have in a game in years. When you can pick up literally almost every object in the environment and use it as a weapon or use it to create a combo weapon you will realize the game wants you to have fun with your surroundings. No matter where you are, theirs lots of weapons to choose from and they are all placed in the environment that makes sense for them to be in.
Combat is improved over previous entries in both melee and ranged. Gunplay feels tighter, weapons last longer, vehicles last longer and this is all necessary because when you constantly have hundreds of zombies around you’re going to need them to last.
Which brings me to the negatives id have mention. During chapters 1-4 id say overall I viewed zombies as enemies. They were dangerous and I genuinely was scared to traverse certain areas because id be afraid of dying or dealing with that many enemies at once. I liked that feeling and I respected the horde. Once I got into later chapters however, I started viewing them more as obstacles rather than enemies. If I had to get from point A to point B, especially on foot, it sometimes became a chore to do. Run, Jump, Hit, Run, Jump, Hit *look around for car* Run, Jump, Hit etc.. x1000 over and over again throughout the game.
Now while this was strenuous in my opinion, this really only became apparent to me after I had already been playing for an hour or so per session. Doing the same general motions over and over in any game can make it seem repetitive, so I grant it that simple fact. Take a break from the game, come back and you'll be ready for more zombies.
However I know I cant be alone with this when I say after awhile I wish their were actually LESS zombies to fend off so I can travel more easily a few feet without being constantly hit, shot or grabbed. Especially when theirs objects around I’m trying to pick up this can be especially annoying.
I cant harp on this too much though, because if I still had the choice of less zombies vs. more, I would prefer it nearly as-is with only abit less inside of buildings where lots of objects are present and theirs not much room to move around.

Sound

The soundtrack is awesome and fits the game very well. All the sound effects from different weapons, guns, vehicles are all unique. Even certain suits like the Mega Man outfit, give a classic bouncy jump sound effect.

Co-op Multiplayer

Despite my initial horrendous experience where the game took a crap all over itself in every way imaginable before eventually crashing, the co-op experience has since been a solid and fun affair. A friend can seemingly jump in “automagically” aslong as they are in your party chat. The game almost really makes it too easy and simple to the point in which really you have no choice but to enter a room when invited and playing the same game. It just picks you up like a small child and places you into your friend’s room like you belong there. Again on my initial experience I had trouble getting it to work for some reason but after multiple sessions later on it became apparent it was a fluke and it has since worked just fine. Blame it on connection type/quality I guess.


The game is a solid buy that anyone who is getting an Xbox One should get. Depending on who you are, it could be a system seller. For me, the combination of this game and Forza 5 made the Xbox One my system seller.
I picked up DR3 during Black Friday for $40, but imo it’s still worth the $60.

For me DR3 gets a 4.2/5

If I can sum it all up into one word it would be “Fun”

And if I could show it in one video it would be this.

phpBB [video]

[Kenny]

Infamous 2.

Great game overall, it was a blast to play. The story was better here too, I think. I liked the fact there was a trio of superhumans with different elemental powers (fire, ice, and lightning). Wish they had gone the full mile and included other elements like Wind and Earth, even if it would've had a Captain Planet vibe to it.

I can't wait for Second Son to come out now.

[Crimson Ryan]

I've been dreading the fact Second Son will probably make me buy a PS4..

[OL]

What ending did you get, Kenny?

[Kenny]

The Heroic one. My Karma was bad for awhile because of one decision I made but I had it changed so I could get the good ending.

It's a very fitting ending, and it turns out to be canon too based on how Second Son is gonna turn out. And yeah Ryan, Second Son is already one good reason to get a PS4.

[Axm]

I still have to play infamous 2. I own it but havent started it yet with all this next gen stuff ive been on. Will have to play it before Second Son.

[Axm]

Alex We should play AC and ResooGun!

[Axm]

I lost this review before and had to type the entire thing out again. Oh well.

Persona 2: Innocent SIn (PSP)



(Yes, yes, I know that is the PSX box, I just like the art more than the PSP's version).

After initially hating Persona 1 (which was my first SMT game I ever played), trying Innocent Sin (which was my second) and being turn off by the extremely frequent random battles/annoying load times and trying 3 and finding it such a chore to play I finally went to 4: Golden and loved that. Now I've gone back to Innocent Sin with knowledge (and obsession) of all things SMT, it's a much more pleasant experience).

Innocent Sin is the first half of the Persona 2 storyline and the last game to feature Kaneko's art design before Soejima took over on the series. This was also Soejima's first job as an artist on the Persona series. A sort of collab between the two, Kaneko would design the Personae and characters in concept phase, whilst Soejima would design additional characters and redraw Kaneko's characters into the character portraits in-game.

Anyway, trivia aside, the game features arguably some of the series best art design, the game's aesthetic are what drive me to keep playing these games and Innocent Sin does not disappoint at all. Unfortunately, the gameplay does, I mean, some of the boss encounters are well done, but the frequent random battles and the clunky UI will definitely drive some of the newer Persona fans away and it's a shame, since this game has such an amazing storyline to tell. The dungeons are also on the overlong side and the loading pops up every single time you start a battle. The game will try your patience. The basic gist of the battles are negotiations (which are FUBAR) and setting up your party members to go attack and watch 'em go and do that. It's all third person in this game, a series first at this point. As long as I understood the mythose this time around, I was fine, but when I started this game years ago not knowing any of the terminology, it was a nightmare.

Gameplay woes aside, I think the story was brilliant, as were the characters. In fact, I think Innocent Sin might have the best cast in an ATLUS game yet that I have played. The characters goes through so much development throughout the course of the game and have real depth to them that they manage to break through any stereotypes that may be placed upon them if it was done any other way. Special mention goes out to Eikichi AKA 'Michel'; an extremely vain/effeminate wannabe rock star (obviously based on similarly effeminate make-up covered Japanese bands) whose choice of weapon is a guitar case that fires bullets, Mariachi style (from Robert Rodriguez's films) despite this, he is also clumsy and rather funny because of his stupid/tough guy attitude and initial outlook on life and other people just because of where they are from (another high school) that changes as the game goes along. It also helps that he's voiced by Troy Baker, who does a really good job. All in all, Eikichi is an effeminate badass.

From a sound standpoint, I think this is the best ATLUS has ever done. Best music in the series (alongside Eternal Punishment) which features a toggle between the old style and Shoji Meguro's newer rearrangements (both of which are some of the best in MegaTen franchise) and what little voice acting that is there (battle quotes, voice acting during important scenes) is excellent.

[video]

phpBB [video]

phpBB [video]

The most frequent theme of the game is "who am I?" and in turn, "who are these characters?" and the answers the game provides are often chaotic and satisfying. The ending just has to be seen to believed. It's just balls to the wall crazy and so bittersweet.

Fighting Nazis, Hitler himself and finally Nyarlathotep from H.P Lovecraft's works and the end of the world, in typical SMT style.

Insanity aside, the game really resonated with me and I even found the game really emotional at points, which is a rarity in most games for me. If ATLUS truly are going back to making a darker Persona game with 5, I hope that they look to this game instead of 3, for inspiration, since it's much better on the story and characters front.

Like with Digital Devil Saga, it's a game of two halves and since I've only completed Innocent Sin, it's time I headed straight for Eternal Punishment, the second half of P2, which I am gonna play right now and hopefully finish before Christmas.