Immortals Fenyx Rising Review – PS5

Immortals Fenyx Rising is one of those games that come along once every blue moon. A game that just doesn’t have any real flaws to complain about. At least in regard to the PS5 version. I think it’s unfortunate that Fenyx Rising released when it did and Ubisoft didn’t put a lot into the advertising. Sure, we knew it was there, but it’s ultimately the timing that is wrong with this game. While it did release a week ago, it inevitably has to compete with all the hit titles that dropped in November and taking on Cyberpunk 2077, is enough to squander sales. That being said, let’s move onto what the majority is missing out on.  Immortals Fenyx Rising is an open work RPG that looks cartoony in essence. I personally don’t opt for games that have this look, but this game has taught me that I cannot use that as a reason to pass on a game anymore. Fenyx Rising might not have the “real life” look I would normally want in a game, but everything about this game had me hooked from beginning to end.  Taking elements from games such as The legend of Zelda and Monster Hunter world to name a couple, gives this game a great environment with simple gameplay mechanics that get slightly more complicated over time, but the transition comes easily. Immortals Fenyx Rising has a great story that is told in a way that keeps things interesting. You can stay focused on the main quest, but there is so much to do and see, it’s easy to get distracted and complete a bunch of side quests along the way. The story is initially told by Greek god Prometheus. He tells his brother Zeus, the story of Fenyx. As the story evolves plenty of conversation breaks out between the gods as they watch you play from above. I found the story to be fun, well told and it had a great ending!! I mean, endings can be difficult and sometimes they’re just ok, but this game has a great ending. I loved it and it came as a surprise to me because I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy that much. You really can’t judge a book by it’s cover.  Graphically, this game is just fine. There is nothing I can really complain about. The style of art chosen to create the world and characters fits well with the story and how it is told. This is a game that you can take seriously and have a lot of fun at the same time. In the end, the cartoonish style gives the game some of the charm I enjoyed so much and I don’t think having it appear to be more live action, would make it any better.  The audio is good in this game for sure. Music that plays through is often fitting for the scene. Playing through a Greek open world filled mythological creatures and puzzles, I often felt treated to my very … 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

Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition Review – Dungeon Crawling Makes Its PS5 Debut

The dungeon crawler, or action RPG (ARPG), is a genre that has stood strong across numerous generations. From the days of the original Diablo on PC, to now on the PS5, these co-op games focused on sprawling dungeons filled with loot will never be unwelcome on a console in my home. Bonus points if it offers local co-op! Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition was something I enjoyed on PS4 primarily because of the local co-op and the variety of improvements it made to the core APRG experience on consoles. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it didn’t need to for me at that time. Now that it’s on PS5? Well, let’s just say next generation comes with some big expectations. Let’s see how this new version shapes up. More of a Shuffle Than a Leap into Next-Gen Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition offers a deep and rich fantasy setup for its story, one that fans of the extended Warhammer fantasy universe will no doubt enjoy. Even someone who dabbles in tabletop RPGs or Dungeons & Dragons will enjoy the lofty narration and various themes at play. One thing I noticed right off the bat is that the still image-based story scenes seem to exhibit screen tearing on the new console. I’m particularly sensitive to this issue as I tend to notice it very quickly, but the problem seemed to subside from my view when I got into gameplay. The story doesn’t move exceptionally quickly in Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition, instead offering a grand opener and then smaller updates as you take on quests and begin plundering dungeons. With so much lore to draw from, I would have liked to see the story offer more consistent and engaging narrative, or even simply play a larger role during missions. Instead, the general flow tends to be the same from mission-to-mission, with objectives playing it safe for the most part. Some curveballs, like a timed mission, can mix things up, but otherwise the formula is pretty standard.

Demon’s Souls Preview – Prepare to Die in 4K

Before Dark Souls and its sequels spawned an entire sub-genre of RPGs, Demon’s Souls started the entire phenomenon. I actually remember when it released on PS3 way back when, and while I didn’t know it then, I felt like it was on to something. After all, there’s no shortage of games that will bend to your will or offer difficulties, but the punishing difficulty of a Soulsborne is unique to games like this one. With Bluepoint at the helm of the remake, we’re in for a gorgeous and wild ride. Let’s dive in. A Faithful and Detailed Remake Demon’s Souls releases alongside the PS5 on November 12th, and it comes to us from Bluepoint Games, who have been known for their excellent remakes and remasters. Their work on Shadow of the Colossus, for example, was absolutely amazing. When Sony finally unveiled the Demon’s Souls remake for PS5, the gameplay footage blew everyone away, and rightfully so, as it looked like a true generational leap in terms of sheer detail and effects. For those who aren’t familiar with Soulsborne games, the concept involves a dark fantasy setting, a lone fighter, and plenty of monsters and or demons to constantly challenge you to the point of constant death in some cases. The gameplay comes down to a combination of timing and managing your stamina, which is drained by everything from attacking to blocking, and even dodging. The intensity here comes from the mystery of the world you find yourself in, but also from the knowledge that anything, even a common enemy, can easily kill you if you’re not careful. Demon’s Souls is set in Boletaria, where the king has used a forbidden power that brouht back a demon known as the Old One. From here, the kingdom was covered in a thick fog that brought even more monsters into the world, ravaging the people of the land. It’s the game that kicked off the genre as we know it, and while there have been plenty of titles since, it’s entirely possible that this remake will once again take the crown. There is a standard and Digital Deluxe edition available, with the latter offering some helpful gear for the beginning of the game, but regardless of which version you pick up, the main draw here is the punishing difficulty that will never let up from the moment you hit the start button. The Next-Gen Leap We’re Looking For All it takes it a look at the footage to see that this game is truly a next-gen experience. We know the Demon’s Souls remake will offer two modes for resolution and frame-rate, but beyond the confirmation that resolution mode is 4K, it’s hard to say if the frame-rate mode will be something like 1440p with 60 FPS, or a different approach. Personally, I think frame-rate matters a lot in this kind of game where responsiveness is key, but in other games I would opt for the higher resolution, if only to showcase the power … Read More

Ghost of Tsushima Review

There is a lot I want to say about Ghosts of Tsushima, but to get us started, I would like to point out something that Ghosts of Tsushima is not. It is not like Dark Souls or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, from developer FromSoftware Inc.  Months before Ghosts of Tsushima released, the opinion of the internet was that this game tite would be similar to the games FromSoftware have developed, but it really isn’t like that at all. Ghosts of Tsushima does not offer the same depth. The controls are simpler in several ways. Even if you were playing Dark Souls as a hack n slasher without strategy, you would still find the learning curve of Ghosts of Tsushima to be simpler. So, if the reason you haven’t played it is because you aren’t a FromSoftware fan, you can take that reason off your list, because they are very, very different games.    Now that I got that out of the way, let’s take a look at what Ghosts of Tsushima really is. It is a solid game that has the potential to be a 10 out of 10, but it has its share of things that bring the score down a little. I am not paid to tell you what the developers want you to hear, I am paid to tell you how I feel about the game and with all due respect, opinions differ. So, bear with me here and hear me out.    The story is amazing. The story itself is very well written and doesn’t leave you feeling in the dark about what’s going on. Granted, it does reveal itself at times when you might start to wonder where the story is going, but before you find yourself confused over it, things reveal themselves to help make sense of it all along the way. Without spoiling the story, I’ll sum it up. You are a Samurai that is on a mixed path of emotions. A Samurai that is hell bent on revenge, loyalty, protecting those that cannot protect themselves and dare I say, out for justice? As to why this is the path of our Samurai, you will have to play it or read a spoiler review in order to get that info and I’m sorry to leave you with a cliffhanger, but I don’t want to spoil it. This really is a story that I feel people should experience themselves. Yes, I found the story to be that good.    Now, a game without a good story is disappointing and can make a game seem meaningless, but we have to remember that it’s not just about a good story, just good graphics don’t make a good game alone. There are plenty of things to factor in and I will do the best I can to point out the good and the bad. So, in regards to graphics, I have to say Ghosts of Tsushima does not disappoint. It is very beautiful and has a great … Read More

Maneater Review

So, Maneater released last month and while I had full intentions of bringing you my thoughts on the game closer to its initial release date, I felt compelled to hold off so I could really “dive in” the game. I regret that decision now because there was really no need to try and discover everything I could.    In Maneater, you play the role of a shark. If you’re more into fishing than being fished yourself, you might not enjoy the shark justice this game provides, but that aside, there is a little more to the game, but playing as a killer shark that’s taking revenge out on human society (think JAWS the movie) pretty much sums up the bulk of the game.    It is a RPG title and rightfully so. As you stalk the water throughout the game, you level up as you grow into an adult shark. You unlock upgrades as you play. Things early on such as a sonar to detect all the life in the surrounding area and electric bites that stun and deal a little extra damage take the shark to a level that only a video game could deliver. If sharks did evolve in real life that way our protagonist does in game, we’d all be screwed and likely wouldn’t survive a trip on the water Luckily, we dodged that evolution bullet!   Upgrading along the way is pretty simple. You have a slew of missions and side missions to complete. One minute you could be hunting a killer alligator at large or you’re in need of killing 10 humans in the swimming hole. There are plenty of things for you to do while you explore an open world of water and yes, a little bit of land. Some missions might be a little challenging depending on your level, but for the most part, it’s all pretty easy. Even as you hunt people and they send their own hunters out to catch and kill you, it’s a little too easy. Even what you could consider boss fights, don’t really offer much challenge.  The simplicity is fine and all and at the end of the day, this game shouldn’t be taken too seriously. You’re certainly not going to find much challenge, but one you will find is repetition. Most games are repetitious to some degree, but I’m no kidding when I say that after 30 minutes of gameplay, you’re not going to see much more in regards to something new. On the one hand, you’re playing as a shark, what can you expect? On the other, you’re a friggin shark video game, I mean they could have offered endless possibilities, but they watered it down a little. Pun kind of intended.    So, to chalk it all up, the game is a lot of fun, but for me anyway, it’s only fun in small doses. I enjoyed chomping on a few people that were swimming and enjoying the sun in their flamingo floats. There … Read More

Final Fantasy VII Remake Preview – The Long Road Ahead

Many a gamer, myself included, has a strong attachment to the Final Fantasy series. We all have our favorites, but it’s clear that the seventh entry is perhaps the most widely praised by the fans. It’s this rabid fandom that led to the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake. At E3 2019, we heard that the first entry in this remake will be out in March of 2020, with no concrete news on when or how many other entries may follow. With the game just getting started, it’s time to talk about Final Fantasy VII Remake on the PS5. To Midgar, and Beyond! We finally saw gameplay during the Square Enix E3 2019 press conference, and FFVII Remake is coming along nicely. The combat seems to be a mixture of real-time attacks and the ability to switch between characters on the fly. It’s a little hectic, and certainly not a turn-based system like the original. However, there’s no denying that it looks fantastic. We also got a release date for the first entry in the remake: March 3, 2020. This first part of the game will focus on Midgar exclusively, with the team promising that the experience has indeed been filled out into a full length game. When asked about subsequent entries in this remake, the information is scarce. Additionally, no one seems to know just how many titles this concept will span. One thing is certain: the PS5 will be out before we see the next entry in the FFVII Remake saga. Final Fantasy VII Remake Confirmed For PS5? It’s a pretty safe bet we will see subsequent parts released on next generation consoles, but what about this first entry? Game Informer caught up with Square Enix President and CEO, Yosuke Matsuda, and asked him this very question. “I believe that our teams have made it so that the game will support both the next generation and the current generation of consoles. I believe it is being developed so that it is going to be playable on both, so I’m not really concerned about that and I believe that the fans are also going to be a able to enjoy it on both, including the next-generation of consoles.” The wording here is careful, so as not to falsely confirm the information. Notice how he says “I believe…” before many statements. Even so, it’s most likely a safe bet we will see Final Fantasy VII Remake on the PS5. Will you hold out for the next-gen version, or buy the first part on PS4 day one? Let us know in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 6/18/19