One thing I’d like to make clear is that I am not a fan of the term “walking simulator.” As a writer, I find that what I like to call “narrative adventures” offer a way to experience a story through light interaction and decision-making. Calling something a walking simulator devalues the work that goes into telling an interactive story. With that out of the way, Paradise Lost is a narrative adventure out now for PS4 and playable on PS5. It’s a story set in an alternate version of post-WWII where the Nazi’s decimated Europe with nuclear weapons, and our main character finds himself exploring a seemingly abandoned bunker that for reasons that become known as the story progresses. Does this dive into a version of history that never happened tell a story worth experiencing, or should we leave this paradise to the fold of time? Let’s find out! A Gripping Exploration of an Alternate Timeline Paradise Lost is a game that excels in creating a rich and detailed atmosphere right from the beginning. This level of immersion is due to a few things, but in no small part to the richly realized environments and little touches like being able to see your entire character’s body as he jumps off ledges or climbs through elements of the environment. The game’s story didn’t grab me immediately, but as it progressed through the roughly four hour run time, I found that it very organically reveals more and more about the events that transpired prior to your arrival, and the reasons for why you find yourself in this elaborate bunker. I say bunker, but it’s more of a sprawling underground city with multiple districts and distinct areas. In this version of history, the Nazi’s decimated Europe with nuclear weaponry, leaving the area in Poland where you spend the game nearly uninhabitable on the surface. With a few clues to go on, you play as a 12-year-old boy with nothing but his wits, a photograph, and a lighter to guide him in the beginning. The story is told through some flashbacks, dialogue between the boy and one other character (I’m leaving out their names as they’re not revealed right away in the story), audio recordings, and of course, the good old fashioned method of finding in-game documents. Where Paradise Lost’s story worked really well for me was in the way that it doesn’t show all of its cards until later. You’ll spend the first chunk of the game alone and eventually make contact with someone via the camera / microphone system, but even the documents play coy with what the Nazi’s were up to in this massive underground society. I imagine that some people will predict several elements of the story before they come to fruition, but I even found myself surprised at a few of the developments. It’s also a story with some flexibility thanks to a few different paths you can take through environments and moments where you interact with a complex machine … Read More
Black Ops: Cold War – The Harsh Review
Well, here are. After a month of the initial release, I can confidently share my thoughts on Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War. I wanted to wait long enough for a couple of meaningful patches to update that game and see if the improvements would give it a better review or if the patches would give anything meaningful at all. The verdict? They kind of don’t. I try to keep in mind that this title was originally being made by the developers over at Sledgehammer and that Treyarch was called in to take over 2020’s release one year before the game dropped. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if this game is made up of coding from one studio and mixed from another or if this game was built from the ground up in 12 months. All I know is, something is off about this game. I’m pretty good when I play Black Ops: Cold War. I don’t fare so well when I am obviously playing against a couple of cheaters on the enemy team, but even then, I manage to find ways to shut down the handful of jerks I come across that are using rapid fire mods, wall hacks and aimbots. Cheaters aside, I’m definitely above average with my strategies and gun gameplay. I can’t say I don’t like the game because I do. I like alright, but it is as they say, a step back. Treyarch is known for the more arcade playstyle in their games. You don’t expect too much realism with the fast pace movements, and that’s some of the charm Treyarch offers with their games. Unfortunately, the way the game looks and the long list bugs that dropped upon release and not to mention the large number of map exploits, it is clear that this game wasn’t ready and you know what? I don’t blame Treyarch. I blame Activision. Instead of taking a loss for the year and maybe even using Warzone as a backup for revenue, Activision forced this game out the door and put immense pressure on Developers involved with the game. If this was a launch PS4 title, it would seem to fit right in, but it’s a launch next gen title that was rushed out the door and took away any magic we fans might have seen with the first CoD title on a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. The campaign is ok. The story was kind of dull, but it had it’s fun moments. I completed the story on the default difficulty mode in about 4-5 hours. It felt like I was playing through a bad 80’s action movie. I know that sounds like an insult, but a bad 80’s movie is kind of a compliment since so many of us think fondly on crappy over the top films that have bad writing and even worse dialogue. I guess it’s charming in its own right. I don’t play CoD games for their … Read More
Haven Review – All in The Name of Love
As someone who knew they wanted to be a writer at a very young age, I grew up on stories in all of their forms. Books, movies, TV shows, and especially video games. It’s why I’ll dabble in some multiplayer from time-to-time, but you’ll always find me hunting down that next great story. Haven, out now on PS5, is a game that immediately grabbed my attention. Two lovers, on the run from their past life, find themselves crash-landed on an alien planet with nothing but themselves to keep each other company.] Love is an easy emotion to replicate, but capturing it is something else entirely. Let’s find out how these literal star-crossed lovers navigate the perils of both survival and a budding relationship. A Captivating Tale That Keeps You Engaged Throughout The Ups and Downs Haven takes place on an alien planet called Source, where two lovers by the names of Yu and Kay have managed to escape and survive a crash landing in their ship. Instead of focusing on how their relationship began, the game begins after they’ve been together for some time. Thanks to excellent writing, the player doesn’t feel like a third wheel in this relationship. Their struggle is relatable, and even if their relationship begins in a classic “honeymoon phase,” it’s believable and endearing from the beginning. They joke, they argue, they laugh, they cry. It’s a science fiction world, but the struggles Yu and Kay face feel all too real. As someone in a relationship for the long haul, I found bits of myself and my partner in both of them, which helped me become attached to these characters early on in the adventure. Speaking of real-life relationships, you can play Haven single player, controlling both Yu and Kay, or you can have someone join in local co-op. Given the romantic nature of the story, I imagine it would be awkward playing with a friend, but if you have a Player 2 in your life, it’s easily the best way to experience this game. Story developments happen around the world, but the most intimate moments occur in the Nest, which is your ship and home base. Here you’ll talk, sleep, cook, shower, and heal yourself between excursions into the world. While the game is never explicit in its more romantic moments, it’s not afraid to let its characters express their love. Again, maybe not the best experience for a group of friends, but the authenticity of the relationship comes through in these very human moments. Yu and Kay’s relationship isn’t wholly passive either. You’ll need to choose dialogue options for each of them, or have the other player decide their responses. You can choose to play them however you like, but certain choices will boost their confidence and improve the relationship dynamic, but like any relationship, there are going to be arguments, which can be interesting to navigate in both single player and co-op. Not only will you need to decided the dialogue choices for … Read More
Demon’s Souls Remake Review – PS5
Demon’s Souls… Before the Dark Souls series grew the popularity it has today, there was Demon’s Souls on the PS3. I didn’t personally know a single person that enjoyed Demon’s Souls, but for me, it was a perfect fit. I didn’t mind dying repeatedly to learn my lessons and figure out how the game works. I sunk many hours into the original and the remake had managed to suck me back in. Demon’s Souls is just as it sounds. You are the slayer of Demons and other unruly creatures that need to be eradicated in order to bring peace and safety to the land of Boletaria once again. This is no simple task and this is no simple game. It is riddled with challenges and secrets that will call for a second, third or fourth playthrough, but this game is not for the faint of heart. Developer Bluepoint, has recreated the cult classic and they did do an excellent job keeping it true to its roots, but I am going to get this out of the way now. My personal opinion in regards to it being a PS5 exclusive, is that it really doesn’t live up to what I would expect from a next gen release. It is definitely a step up in regards to playability and graphically when compared to it’s PS3 predecessor, but feels like it would have been a better fit for the PS4 system and played with backward compatibility on the PS5. The game features a choice between fidelity and performance mode. I didn’t honestly see any difference in the graphics when playing on fidelity mode, but I did see a difference in gameplay when using performance mode. I highly recommend performance mode when playing. If there is any value to fidelity mode, it doesn’t compare to perks of performance when it comes to faster/consistent frame rates. The cinematics are excellent and very polished in detail. Watching a cutscene is generally short and is really where the next gen feeling comes in. When playing the game, it is nice to look at, but at the same time, it does again, look like a game that was released a few years ago. I know, I know, graphics don’t make up an entire game, but we can’t mention a PS5 exclusive without mentioning the graphics and being a PS5 exclusive makes the graphics a tad bit more important than usual this time. In regards to audio, I have to say that not all of the sound effects lineup in the game. Audio is a huge part of immersion and I really expected to hear something special from this game. I felt like some of the sound effects had a delay. The sound of my footsteps would continue for a second after I stopped walking. The sound of an enemy groaning or breathing heavily would make it appear as if they were right beside you, when in fact they were quite a ways away. … Read More
Spirit of the North Enhanced Edition Review – Taking The Scenic Route
The last generation of consoles brought two major characteristics of gaming to the surface: the inclusion of smaller indie studios, and games as a form of art. With so many titles made by small teams, leveraging unique art styles and storytelling, games became an even more diverse type of art than ever before. When I reviewed Spirit of the North on PS4, I found it to be a gorgeous looking game, with a presentation that goes beyond what you would expect from a smaller studio, but ultimately it didn’t have the emotional impact or depth that I would have liked to see from it’s unique storytelling approach. Now that Spirit of the North Enhanced Edition has come to PS5, how has that experience improved? Let’s find out! A Beautiful, if Similiar Experience Spirit of the North, for those who haven’t played it, is an action adventure title with a focus on a story told without words. You play as a fox who, with the help of the land’s guiding spirit, sets out to rid the world of a mysterious corruption that has taken hold through the various regions. There are hints are something greater, and a history displayed through the use of murals that you can find. Optional skeletons of what seem to be mages from a lost civilization can be activated as well by bringing nearby staffs to the bodies, at which point the spirit seems to thank you before passing on. Visually, it’s a stunning game with plenty of mystery in its various ruins and and the aforementioned murals that you come across, but it’s all hints at something greater and never quite becomes something more than that. I appreciate the approach of a wordless story, and I’ve seen it work in other titles like the excellent Virginia on PS4, but here I feel like the story could have conveyed more detail about the origins of the corruption, or the role of the titular spirit and their struggle against it. Missed story opportunities aside, the world in Spirit of the North is compelling to explore, with plenty of variety across icy vistas, water-logged ruins, and harrowing encounters with the corruption that has taken hold in later areas. Gameplay is a mixture of light puzzle solving, exploration, and utilizing new abilities you unlock to progress forward. There’s a nice sense of progression as new gameplay mechanics unlock and change how you traverse or interact with the world. I will refrain from specific examples as these abilities represent some of the few surprises you’ll encounter on your journey. Speaking of surprises, the environments also have a good sense of flow, conveying the feeling that you’re truly moving through a connected world. While the story doesn’t quite utilize them to the fullest, that sense of mystery and intrigue never quite goes away. Despite being linear, the environments are quite open, and while exploration can reward you with staffs to reunite with mage skeletons, there isn’t much else to motivate you, making … Read More
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Review on PS5
It has been a crazy week these last 7 days. With the release of the PS5 and a slew of new games, I can’t remember a time where I have been busier. That is why it has taken so long for my Miles Morales review. I am playing through a handful of titles right now and it’s not easy to juggle with so many at once. Anyway, let’s move onto the review, shall we? I just finished my first playthrough of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and I have to say, regardless of the short amount of time it actually takes to complete everything, this is top notch for me. Not even going to beat around the bush here. This game is an easy 9.5 out 10. EASY!!! You don’t have to be a fan of Spider-Man to know when there is a good game in front you, but being a fan of the friendly neighborhood spider, that just makes the game that much sweeter! Not to worry, no extra points here simply because of the game title. The game is as fluid if not more so than its predecessor Marvel’s Spider-Man from 2018. There is something to be said about an open world game that really feels open. Swinging around in the city of New York can be distracting just by how fun it is. One minute you’re web slinging around to your next objective and the next thing you know, you’re dropping in on a crime in progress and wipe the floor with some bad guys. Just another typical day in the life of Miles Morales. This game really hits home graphically. My opinion is that graphics are important. They aren’t everything, but in combination with a story, mechanics, frame rates, etc., it is an equal part of the equation. Insomniac did a stellar job with Miles Morales’ look. Playing the game in performance to keep faster frames running is great. It looks great and runs as smooth as you would imagine on the PS5. Playing in fidelity mode however, that’s where the game really hits it’s sweet spot. Fidelity mode gives the game better lighting and detail that you really need to take the time to experience. I would recommend playing through the first time if fidelity mode and then run a new game+ on performance. Best of both worlds, but of course, play however you want, just enjoy playing. The story is really well written. I always love a good story and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is no exception. I often find that games have a good storyline and they more often than not, ruin what could have been a great ending. Either by pulling too much of a cliffhanger (like Call of Duty Ghosts… What the hell happened? We may never know.) or they just botch the end and it doesn’t really make much sense. With Miles Morales, it is such a good ending. I won’t spoil it, but I will … Read More
Watch Dogs: Legion Preview – No Such Thing as an NPC
Watch Dogs, otherwise known as the hacker version of Assassin’s Creed in my household, has been a series that promised big things, but didn’t always deliver as well as it could. It started, of course, with the first game looking less impressive at launch than promised, but the second title was a solid one overall. Now we have the most ambitious game yet in the form of Watch Dogs: Legion. Recruit anyone, play as anyone, and build your very own DedSec from the ashes of the old one. Too good to be true? These are my impressions of the PS4 version thus far while I wait for my PS5 to arrive. A Promise Fulfilled? The promise that Watch Dogs: Legion issued to players seemed too good to be true. How could they possibly make every single person a playable character? How would they differentiate them? Would they just end up falling into a few categories with no real differentiation? Having played several hours of Watch Dogs: Legion on PS4 while I wait for the PS5 version, I can say that they’ve managed to (mostly) come through on this promise. The ability to recruit anyone you’d like is there, with some challenges for characters who aren’t huge fans or who need a little convincing, but the sheer amount of choice between people leads to some dips in quality as compared to prior games. For example, my starting character was chosen based on his skillset, but the guy looked like a face painted version of Jared Leto and sounded a lot different than you would imagine. He didn’t really “feel” like a main character to me, and between the unconvincing lip sync and the odd look, I had a hard time connecting with him like I did with the character in the opening mission. The story of course is that DedSec has been framed for a terrorist attack by a group called Zero Day, which has led to the London chapter of the group to fade into obscurity. One person is trying to bring them back together, starting with you. Meanwhile, a military group called Albion have taken over the city and implemented a regime that feels a little too close to reality. It wasn’t until a short time into my playthrough that things started to click for me. The second person I recruited was better, but still not interesting enough to really grab my attention. Ironically, the person I didn’t like much at all ended up winning me over to this formula. They were the final opponent in an underground fight club that I did as part of a side mission, and a result I was able to choose them as a potential recruit. They required a little more than just a favor. I needed a deep profiler upgrade to dig up some info on them, at which point I discovered that they were trying to fight back against the powers that be by destroying a weapon shipment. Naturally I infiltrated … Read More
Bugsnax Preview – You are What You Eat
Bugsnax may seem like an odd game to pick for the PS5 launch, but when you realize that it comes from the same developers that did Octodad: Dadliest Catch, it starts to make a little more sense. Beneath the colorful exterior, this game hides a lot of humor, some interesting mechanics, and more than a few mysteries to uncover. Let’s find out what we know so far! More Than Meets The Eye (or Stomach?) In Bugsnax, you play as a journalist who heads to Snaktooth Island in response to a request from an explorer by the name of Elizabert Megafig, who wishes to learn more about the Bugsnax themselves, which as you can imagine, are a combination of bugs and various foods. Early impressions of the game are quite positive, pointing to the sharp writing and excellent voice acting from the expansive cast. In true Pokemon fashion, the Bugsnax also say their names when you catch them, and catch them you will. Beyond this, you’ll also meet with each of the village’s people to learn more about the story behind the island and bring them together in the game’s main hub, Snackburg. During exploration, you can also use a viewfinder to spot key elements in the environment and areas where Bugsnax could be found. All of this information about their hiding places and footprints helps you learn their behaviors so you can capture them more efficiently. Various slings, traps, and even sauces like Ketchup will assist you in your efforts. Much of the remaining mysteries are left up in the air, but it’s clear that Bugsnax has some depth based on initial previews. A wide range of creatures, traps, and mysteries to solve among the eclectic cast of characters are being kept hidden until launch. A Colorful and Fun Style Bugsnax isn’t going to push the PS5 to its limits, but the fun style and colorful palette look like a great evolution of the developer’s work from the Octodad days. It also seems like the game has more depth and scope, especially if the trailers and early previews are to be believed. We’ll find out more when Bugsnax releases alongside the PS5 November 12th, 2020! In the meantime, let us know if you’re going to go hunting in the comments below! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 10/27/2020
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Preview – Dimension Hopping
Ratchet & Clank was a huge part of my formative gaming years. I remember reading an issue of PlayStation Magazine back when those things came in the mail, and it had a feature called Ratchet & Clank vs Jak and Daxter. As time went on, Naughty Dog left their duo behind, but the Lombax and his robot pal have endured. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was a surprise announcement at Sony’s PS5 reveal event, but we also got an extended look at gameplay recently during Gamescom Opening Night Live. How does the series look and play on PS5? Let’s find out! Check Out Our Highlights From The Ratchet & Clank State of Play on April 29th! Sony is hosting a State of Play stream with a primary focus on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on April 29th, 2021! Watch the full stream here and stay tuned for our highlights on this page throughout the event! The State of Play opens with a dive (pun intended) into Subnautica: Below Zero, coming to PS5 with confirmed 4K and 60 FPS support, along with haptic feedback from the DualSense Among Us is also coming to PS4 and PS5 with Ratchet & Clank skins later in 2021. We’re on to Ratchet & Clank with a look at a cutscene featuring the female Lombax, Rivet.Next is gameplay with Ratchet looking for Clank in a futuristic city that takes place in a different dimension. In an interesting twist, this dimension seems to be a parallel universe where Doctor Nefarious found a lot more success. Ratchet also runs into Ms. Zurkon, who will be selling us weapons in the new game. We also learn that Rivet herself has taken Ratchet at this point in the game. The new game focuses on enhanced momentum, with the ability to run on walls and dash now, alongside other familiar moves. The Rift Tether also allows you to move around quickly using dimensional rifts in the environment. DualSense features include adaptive trigger support that allows for different firing modes based on whether you pull the trigger halfway or all the way down. Haptic support is also in as well.
Deathloop Preview – Deadly Déjà Vu
Time loops are perhaps my favorite type of story structure in movies, but they’ve only recently been implemented into games. The Outer Wilds is an amazing example, but Deathloop from Arkane Lyon seems to take the concept to another level. How does the new PS5 title from the developers of Dishonored and Prey look? Let’s find out! Two Assassins, One Loop Deathloop is a new first-person action adventure that takes place in the “Black Reef,” which is caught in a never-ending cycle. As part of this loop, two assassins keep killing each other over and over again over the course of each loop. While the game originally had a launch window planned for PS5 in 2020, it has since been pushed back as per an announcement on the game’s Twitter page: To the community, an update on DEATHLOOP: pic.twitter.com/XveoG6AgoT — DEATHLOOP (@deathloop) August 18, 2020 Given the ambitious nature of the title and the ongoing global pandemic, it wasn’t difficult to see this coming. The game seems to offer a large open area with plnety of guns and possibly even powers as well. The abilities look like the kinds of things you saw in Dishonored or Prey and allow you to enhance your traversal or your attacks in various ways. Beyond the two assassins, it also appears that other enemies will play into the experience and further complicate matters. As with other Arkane games, the developers promise a lot of freedom in how you approach things, and also guarantee their signature level design, which is often extremely detailed and unique. Gameplay looks very similar to Dishonored with some flavors of Bioshock thrown in there. The weapons seem to have multiple firing modes as well, and the promise of playing as either assassin gives you some variety in both the story perspective and in the abilities available to you. I think the Dishonored formula could certainly benefit from a time loop structure, and the addition of other targets based on the latest PS5 gameplay trailer means you won’t always be fighting a single other assassin. The new release window for Deathloop is Q2 2021, so while we wait for more information, let us know how you like the look of Arkane’s next title in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 8/24/2020