REVEIW - Kingdom Hearts 3 - The Plot Thickens... I Think

Name: Kingdom Hearts 3
Developer: Square Enix, Disney Interactive
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PlayStation 4(reviewed), Xbox One
Release: 25.01.19

Where do you start a review of a game like Kingdom Hearts? ("Did you like the game?" There's a good start. I know it's been a while since you did some writing but...) I enjoyed Kingdom Hearts 3 a lot. The combat was that weird mix of Devil May Cry hack and slash meets Final Fantasy menu selects, the story is a mix of nostalgia and confusion banana pants, level and character design were once again beautiful and scaled to a new generations console power. I felt it was worth the wait. Let's get into it, shall we?

Is this Kingdom Hearts?

The Dumbo in the room is the Kingdom Hearts plot. KH3 felt like a game that was trying to acknowledge it's very convoluted past and straighten some things out. (For the most part) Given that it's a series that's had more spin-offs and side projects than Happy Days, it's had its work cut out for itself. I'm not going to defend it, the story is screwy and I've spent slightly more time than I care to mention on various fan wikis trying to fill gaps in my not inconsiderable Kingdom Hearts knowledge. Once again you're travelling from Disney world to Disney world, interacting with that movie's characters in a loose interpretation of the film's plot. For some, it works pretty well. I particularly loved the Tangled and Monsters Inc. worlds. (So much so that I really want to watch Tangled now) For others (*cough* Toy Story and Big Hero 6 *cough cough*) it kind of feels like you've been given a world to explore that has a basic theme and no actual objective in mind, which at this stage and after 13 years after the last main instalment, is a little disappointing. The Kingdom Hearts side of the story does make a decent effort to tie things up though, though can still be annoyingly cryptic and repetitive in its choice of dialogue. (We get it, Sora, your friends are your strength. Hearts, yeah, connected, great)

Serious work for serious people.

To think I never thought I'd love again. I love you, lizard bro.

Visually, it's just lovely. It's never been a bad looking series but with the polish allowed it on the current generation of consoles, it really can be picturesque. So much so, they introduce a camera to take pictures. Did I spend too much time taking selfies with my various teammates? Why yes, yes I did. (Considering Kingdom Hearts 2 came out before the first iPhone, this addition is a little unsurprising) Of course, I also spent far too much time flying around in the Gummi Ship. I've talked before about how this is one of my favourite minigames and Kingdom Hearts 3 basically makes it its own separate game. Instead of linear flight paths, however, you're given "systems" to fly about in with fights you can participate in to get new ship parts and models depending on what rank you earn. For the most part, as long as you have a ship that can deal out massive damage (My ship was basically a glass cannon, it could deal it out but it could barely take a scratch without dying) you'll generally have no issues earning As. With all the lasers firing and enemy ships exploding on screen it can become a bit of a mess of visual noise on the screen, but then if it wasn't like that I would be a little disappointed. (Wear shades, destroy enemy fleets in style)

Shades like this would be perfect, in fact. *hint hint*

Seguing fluidly into the game's combat in general, it's got its ups and downs. First off, it feels very fluid, you can hotkey spells and work them into combos with your keyblade, stacking up some serious damage. Shotlock, from Birth by Sleep, is back and it is by far the most useful set of moves you have in your arsenal. On more than one occasion, I've used it to completely annihilate both bosses and large groups of enemies. The moves change, depending on the keyblade being used but more often than not it'll get the job done. Next, are the spells, where you can now cast "Grand magic" which are devastating (I'm not being hyperbolic with that term, it's the business) versions of your basic elemental spells pumped up to MAX. The special moves I wasn't so keen on were the Disney Land attractions. Summoning teacups and carousels is cute but 95% of the fights would present me with a prompt to use one and it kind of hit pause on the flow of the battle. You don't need to use them and can skip over them if other prompts appear, but they really pushed the Disney with this instalment. Then there's the biggest issue, which has been the biggest bugbear I've had with the series combat since Kingdom Hearts, which is the camera. It just doesn't quite do what it's meant to and locking onto enemies is only possible if the camera is facing them. Pressing the attack button generally sends Sora in the direction of the nearest enemy to remedy this, but sometimes Sora can get confused and think the priority target is a clutch of coconuts at the top of the nearest tree. This is further aggravated by later enemies that can teleport, most often off-screen, breaking your lock on them. I mean, it is what it is and I've fought and won every battle the game threw at me with relative ease. (That said, the difficulty felt a little dumbed down from previous games)

Baddiemax, Baymax's big bad brother.

A special mention goes to the cooking minigame. Apparently, I needed that in my life. Who knew? (Another special mention goes to WHERE ARE ANY FINAL FANTASY CHARACTERS?! Just thought I should get that off my chest)

I have three Michelin stars, thanks to KH3.

Would I recommend this game to Xehanort, eh, I mean you? No. I don't think I could. There would be no point. Either you've waited patiently for this game's release for the last 13 years and you've snapped it up regardless of reviews. Or you've lost interest during the myriad of side games that have further muddied the plot. OR you didn't have the interest, to begin with. I enjoyed the 50+ hours I've sunk into the game and, for the most part, this was every bit the next instalment I was waiting for.

(Don't get me wrong, I would recommend the entire series to you. Sure it's an epic time-investment, and you really have to put up with a lot of Donald Duck's voice but as a game series, it has provided me with some great moments and satisfying challenges. Maybe even a few tears... I DON'T KNOW MY GOD I SAID MAYBE GET OUT OF MY FACE ALREADY... ahem)

GOTY 2017 - Persona 5 is Always Darkest Before the Horizon Zero Dawn

It's that magical time of year again. The time I think "Shit, what came out last year? What year is it anyway? It seems like ten thousand years ago since I played..." Of all the games I've managed to get through last year, two come to mind instantly as the contenders for my Game of the Year pick. One placing me in the shoes of one of gamings best protagonists to date as I fight and tame robot dinosaurs, Horizon Zero Dawn. The other, the latest in a JRPG series that until last year I hadn't even touched despite its 20-year history, Persona 5.

Let's start off with Horizon Zero Dawn. I wrote about it earlier in the year and pretty much became Guerilla Games PR department in the process. I Love this game. (Yes, with a capital "L") Given that whenever I pick up an open-world adventure game nowadays, I have a nagging feeling I'm about to get myself into about 6 hours of story and 40 hours of scouring a needlessly massive map in search of pointless tat. (I'm not naming names, Ubisoft, but I'm totally naming names) HZD has a massive map, it has collectables. What it does differently is it makes those collectables interesting and ties them into the world you are finding them in with flavour text. (And what delicious flavours they are)

My, what big razor grindy thingies you have

The combat is intense and challenging, with a few issues concerning the larger enemies hitboxes. I haven't played a game that has had me at the edge of my seat and tensed in almost every encounter since (and don't hate me for using it for reference) Dark Souls. The combination of using stealth and tactics, stalking and laying traps to ambush your prey. Then when you were rumbled, using brute force and the rope launcher like you were trying to knit a very cosy jumper over a very angry robot created such an enjoyable experience for me. While there were more than your fair share of enemies to fight, I never got bored just going for a runabout, taking down whatever got in my way. (Though you do tend to think twice when two Thunderjaws start taking a run at you) The way you're able to make one of the beasts your own was also an excellent feature of the game. Watching your robo-pet launch itself at an enemy was always an entertaining sight, especially if said robo-pet was five times larger than the target. (Or smaller, if you wanted to re-enact David and Goliath with robots)

Aloy, how I love thee, let me count the ways. She's the One. I may have said in the previous write-up for the game but I was blown away by how well written the game was, especially the character of Aloy. Briefly: having been raised outside of her tribe or any other major settlement she goes to become someone who doesn't take any stock in superstition or religion. She's a realist in a room full of dreamers. My favourite example of this is when she meets one of the people who worship the sun as God, the Carja. While the priest goes on about the Sun and His many blessings, Aloy stops him and asks why he assumes the Sun is a He. "I've never seen anything dangling from it." As this happens pretty early on in the game I knew I was in for some pretty brilliant observations from an outsider looking in. There was no character that didn't have there own unique personality, making interactions a far cry from the likes of Eldar Scrolls. (Even the most recent Mass Effect had problems keeping the player engaged enough in a conversation)

This is Nil, he likes to kill

Horizon Zero Dawn was the best 60-odd hours I spent running about a massive open-world last year. There are so few flaws and the fact that it's an original I.P. gives me hope that this can happen again. The Frozen Wilds, HDZ's expansion, adds another 10 hours to this game. It gives you a massive new area with lots of side quests and other missions to keep you exploring the beautiful environments. Have you ever wondered if you could win a fight with a bear? How about a robot bear? Did I mention it can freeze you with an ice beam? Because it can. So there's that new fun to contend with. From start to finish, The Frozen Wilds has reminded me exactly how much I loved this game. (Now that I've actually gotten round to playing it)

The "Complete" edition is now available and provides you with The Frozen Wilds and everything else you could possibly need for your adventures in dino-bot husbandry.

Next up is Persona 5. Until July of last year, I hadn't touched a Persona game. (I picked up Persona 4 Golden on the PlayStation Vita for pennies) Playing through that blew me away. I never thought I would enjoy life as a Japanese high schooler, nor did I think that a ragtag group of teenagers would make a competent murder-solving agency.

Persona 5 places you in the shoes of a high school student, (insert your name here), and you've just been falsely accused of assaulting a shady yet powerful individual. This earns you a transfer to a new school for a year of "rehabilitation". There, you're introduced to a whole parade of interesting characters. First up is Ryuji Sakamoto, a troubled teen whose reputation around the school is that of a troublemaker. Various teachers and other students comment that you shouldn't socialise with him if you are wanting to do well in school. (To Hell with those guys though) Next, you are introduced to Ann Takamaki. Despite her good looks, she feels isolated. This isolation leads her to an abusive and toxic relationship that eventually you, as the protagonist, find yourself intervening in. Together, with a talking cat called Morgana (Don't question it) you create the Phantom Thieves. A group dedicated to eradicating evil and corruption from society by stealing the hearts of those who would prey on the innocent. (It's less bloody than you would imagine, though not by much) All in all, the rag-tag group you put together to right societies wrongs include some of the best-written character arcs I've seen in an RPG. Describing them here would a) do them an injustice and b) spoil them for you discovering themselves. I'm at a stage where I feet I don't have enough time to interact with everyone and help them, which is no fault but my own and makes me want to dive straight back to the start of what is already at least an 80-hour experience.

Here are the freaks and geeks you'll be buddying up with

The game is a mix of a couple of genres. Part visual novel/part classic RPG. You'll spend a lot of time exploring areas of Tokyo, hanging out and bonding with your friends. Each of the characters you can create a "bond" with presents you with interesting back stories and personal dilemmas that you can delve into on a day-to-day basis. I know what you're thinking, I play video games to avoid people's backstories and personal dilemmas. You're right. So do I for the most part, but on the other hand, you find you won't be rewarded for prying into your friend and families personal problems like you will in Persona 5. This requires you to get involved in a bit of time management. Spending time with people takes time, studying takes time, improving your social stats takes time. You have to spend it all wisely as you never know what might be around the corner. (And you're only given an in-game year to get everything done)

The RPG aspects come in the form of Palaces. These are constructs created within peoples hearts when they have strong desires. As Phantom Thieves, you have to infiltrate these Palaces, secure a route to the Treasure Room and steal whatever lies within. Sounds simple enough, sure. Palaces are set up like your typical RPG dungeon, with enemies, locked doors and treasure chests. All of them are themed to whatever that specific person's desires are. The first Palace you infiltrate, the owner sees it as a castle in which he is the King and everyone else is his obedient subjects. Fighting your way through, with turn-based combat, you eventually meet with various sub-bosses and a final boss. Upon stealing the Treasure, the subject of the infiltration has a "change of heart" in the real world. Much like the "bonds" you create with your friends, these changes of heart can also be some of the best examples of writing I've seen from a JRPG in years. (Though Persona 4 also displayed some excellent scenarios)

Such anime, many waifu

Stylistically, Persona 5 is stunning. From the way the characters are drawn to the transition screen between combat and exploring, it is so sleek and sexy that it genuinely seems a crime that Atlus, the games developers, still have a "No Recording/Screenshots" policy on the game. (Hence no proper screenshots) 

The "Ultimate" edition is available now with a whole manner of different costumes for your characters to where. However, they don't really do much to add to the game unless you're really invested in the series as a whole so I would highly recommend the standard version. It's been on sale a couple of times and is very much worth the money if you're looking for an RPG with a lot of depth and challenge.

This is a tough choice. I've sunk a lot of hours into both of these games and of all the games I played last year they were easily my favourites. (Otherwise, what was the point in everything I just wrote, right?) While I've loved all of the time I've put into living as a Japanese teenager and all the emotion-alternating that that entails, true love wins the day. Horizon Zero Dawn introduced me to a world filled with collectables I didn't find tedious picking up, robot animals I could tame and the digital woman of my dreams. All presented in a post-apocalyptic environment that isn't the usual browns, greys and darker browns of your standard end-of-the-world scenario. If we can get another game of its ilk this early in the year again, that would be lovely. Just saying. (Also, these are both PS4 exclusive. I'm sorry, but more accurately, I'm not)

Winner

Horizon Zero Dawn

REVIEW - SteamWorld Dig 2 - 6ft Under and Counting

Name: SteamWorld Dig 2
Developer: Image and Form International AB
Publisher: Image and Form International AB
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (reviewed), PlayStation Vita, PC, Mac
Release: 21/09/17

Time to hit the open road, something something cowboy reference

As you may have guessed by this point, I'm a massive fan of 2D platform games. So you can guarantee that this review will be totally unbiased. (Wait, no, come back it will I promise) SteamWorld Dig 2 takes place after the events of SteamWorld Dig. (That may seem like a redundant statement but I have my reasons*) SWD2 maintains the Wild West/Steam Powered robot theme from the original. (And who doesn't love cowboy robots?) Unlike the first game, where you played as grizzled mining bot, Rusty, you are now in control of Dorothy McCrank, the merchant NPC from SWD. After the events of the first game, Rusty has gone missing after saving everyone and Dorothy has set out to look for him. You have your pickaxe (for digging) and that's about it. So far, so good.

Look, we're all missing Rusty but drawing his picture and looking
 forlornly at the sunrise isn't bringing him back any sooner

Story-wise, it's pretty basic: Friend is missing, find him. Early on you're partnered up with a glowing sprite called Fen. Despite his cute appearance, Fen is a sociopath. You first come across him zapping Doomsday cultists and giggling to himself. Needless to say, he quickly became my favourite character. Once you get to El Machino, which acts as the hub for your adventure, you are introduced to the majority of the steam-powered robots that will help you on your way. Here you can sell the vast amount of minerals you'll find while digging, using the money to buy upgrades for your gear. Upgrading is important. As you progress further downwards the ground becomes tougher and the enemies become deadlier. In addition to your standard upgrades, you also have mods. Equipping mods can do a whole array of things and each piece of equipment has their own. This can range from faster water tank filling (for your water-powered grenade launcher) to earning more money from your mineral hauls. To equip mods you need to find Cogs which can mostly be found at the end of challenge caves and secret areas. (There are loads of them so the mods you can have equipped at the endgame are pretty extensive)

I'd call this mayor a tool but I feel that discriminates against robots
 somehow

While the objective for most 2D adventure games is to head right until the day is saved/evil is thwarted, SWD2 takes you on a different path. Here, your challenge is how far down can you get until the game forces you to turn back and buy a few upgrades. (Or that's how I played it anyway) You're rarely met with a situation that can't be solved with a swing of your pickaxe, and when you do come across such an obstacle you are directed towards a nearby cave for a new piece of gear to play with. Your hand isn't held at any point in your adventure, you even have the option to turn off your waypoints so you can find your way yourself. (While I didn't choose that option, I ended up ignoring them anyway and doing my own exploring) More often than not, you'll be rewarded for exploring dangerous new locations (even if you technically don't have the gear to be there) leading to some new mods or a butt-load (technical jargon) of minerals and cogs. I found this to be SteamWorld Dig 2's strongest aspect. By the end of the game, which I reached in one 8 hour sitting, I felt such a distinct difference in the way I would be able to explore a cave in comparison to the start of the game.

Talk about a prickly situation

At times the platforming can seem a little "floaty".This can be a bit of an issue later on when some of the puzzles require a fair amount of precision jumping. If you can afford the wait, you get a piece of gear later on that make pretty much all of the tricky jumping puzzles obsolete. (I don't know why I'm being vague, it shows you in the game's trailer but I'll let you discover it for yourself) The map turns out to be pretty massive. The game, however, makes good use of a fast travel system in the form of pneumatic tubes. They can make cleaning up an area's secrets a lot easier when you pick up an upgrade without having to trudge all the back to the cave you were last stuck on.

Not the gear I was alluding to, but still pretty awesome

Would I recommend SteamWorld Dig 2 to you? I had a lot of fun with this game. So much fun, in fact, that I didn't realise the 8 hours passing. If you're after a fun few hours of Metroidvania-esque platforming with all the joy of being a steam-powered, robot cowgirl with a sense of humour and great aesthetic then this is the adventure for you. If you want to be a sad loser with no friends who smells bad and can't count without using your fingers, that's your choice but you can still play this excellent game regardless.

Ironically, my inflatable friend is a prick

Currently £15.99 on PlayStation Store, and £14.99 on Nintendo Switch and Steam. If you've got a Switch handy, might be worth looking into it as SteamWorld Dig 2 would make a great portable game.

(*Mind this from earlier? Basically, I have an issue with numbered sequels that turn out to be prequels narratively. I have no issues with prequels themselves, just when you expect the next chapter of a game and you get an origin story instead. Drives me round the fucking bend)

REVIEW - Destiny 2 - One Man's Destiny is Another Man's Destiny

Title: Destiny 2

Developer: Bungie

Publisher: Activision

Platform: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), Xbox One, PC

Release: 05/09/17

: Electric Boogaloo

Unlike a lot of people, I didn't really play the first Destiny. I finished the story (for what there was of it) and faffed about for a bit in the original incarnation of the post-game stuff. (which was pretty sparse) Needless to say, I wasn't exactly blown away by the experience. Going into Destiny 2 my hopes weren't too high. I've now been playing it pretty solidly for two weeks now and I don't regret a second of it. Firstly, it remembered the character I created all those years ago for the first game. It was like seeing an old friend. (An old friend that could shoot blackholes from their hands. The best kind of friend) You then get dropped into an intense situation with most of the powers you knew and loved. Pew pew, you're kicking ass while everything is going to shit around you. New Big Bad shows his face. Breaks your powers. Disposes of you. Oh.

Any chance of sorting this out over a pint? No? Okay.

There's actually a story this time. Yay! You have to get your powers back and beat Dominus Ghaul (pictured) before he kidnaps the Traveler and gets superpowers of his very own. Luckily, as the chosen one, you find a way to regain your powers in pretty short order and are sent all over the solar system rescuing those necessary to save the universe. I have one little problem with this. Throughout the game, you are referred to as the only one to have been able to regain your powers. The place you got them back is accessible to everyone. Why doesn't everyone just form an orderly queue and get suped up again? Also, as an MMO, literally thousands of players have gone through the same process. Why can't we just pull together and finish this invasion 5 minutes after it started? I know. I'm picking holes in a story I couldn't come close to writing myself. It just removed any immersion for me, story-wise.

I love the way my eyes really bring out my eyes

Have I mentioned how pretty this game is? It's pretty. There you go. I've said it.

There are so many screenshots of me pointing a gun at beautiful scenery

Bang bang, take that stunning vista

Alright, alien landscape, this is a stick-up

I've played the majority of what the game has to offer at the time of writing. (Everything except the Leviathan Raid, which is a pretty big undertaking if what I'm told is true) Story missions and side missions (adventures) can keep you occupied for a fair amount of time. Like I say, I'm two weeks in and I still have a few to do. Activities unlock as you progress and if anything, the main story acts as a prelude to the actual game. Once you're done with it you're then presented with a whole plethora of new quests and activities to challenge you. As this is an MMO, you are encouraged to team up with others and take on these challenges together. This is done best with friends (in my experience anyway) as playing with strangers can result in encountering the worst examples of humanity. (Again, in my experience) Post story I've pretty much played with a couple of friends exclusively and it really makes the game a lot more enjoyable, especially when enemies are coming at you like rats from a sinking ship.

I've found my new summer getaway

PvP is something I've dabbled with as much as to get a feel for it. That feeling is "Eww, I suck at this, nevermind". Some matches are good, some are embarrassingly bad. My overall experience makes me glad there's so much more to do in the game to advance my character and get decent loot. Speaking of loot, it's everywhere. Hidden chests, tradeable tokens, Legendary and Exotic drops from bosses. There's loot for days. Don't get me wrong, a lot of it you'll look at for two seconds and scrap. In a way, it makes finding the better stuff that much better, but it can also be where the game can be it's most grindy. I haven't experienced too much of a grind which is nice and, again, I think that's in large part to having played with other people. It takes your mind off it so you can just concentrate on blasting aliens and explore new worlds. 

SPACESHIP!!!

The worlds are big, as you might expect. Each one is split into areas that have tonnes of hidden little objectives for you to find. The best of these being the Lost Sectors which act as mini-dungeons for you to explore and fight groups of enemies. The reward at the end of them won't blow you away but I really enjoyed the act of exploring and finding these areas. Strikes are good fun as well. Here you're teamed up with two others and sent on a tougher than average mission with the chance of a pretty decent reward. These do have a habit of repeating themselves as you get assigned a random one when you select "Strike". (Not a massive issue and more Strikes will become available over time) The various quests and adventures (side-missions) reuse a lot of the map you may have already explored through the story missions though they can do a good job of guiding the player in a different direction to keep the gameplay interesting.

Oh, Nathan Fillion is also the best damn robot ever btw

Of course with it being an online game, Destiny 2 is at the mercy of it's servers. Scheduled or not, if the servers are under maintenance then you aren't playing until it's done. This can be a little frustrating, especially if you've planned a game with others. On the other hand, the maintenance is there to improve the game over all and add new features as they're released so it's a bit like complaining about a cake having to be baked before you can eat it. (Also, we can assume you have a few other games you could be playing while you wait. Like Enter the Gungeon *wink*)

The one Grunt that would give Master Chief a run for his money

Would I recommend Destiny 2 to you, most valued and gracious reader? I'm currently having a lot of fun playing with others. If you have a reliable group of friends then go forth and Destiny together. If you have an unreliable group of friends, play something else. Solitaire, maybe, I dunno. (If you want to join a clan, I hear the Pangender Space Octopus [PGSO] is pretty cool, just putting that out there)

Currently £55 for the standard version of the game, £70 to include the season pass and £80 for a little bit extra. (Not, in my opinion, £10 extra though) A bit on the steep side and you can guarantee something happening over the Christmas period when it comes to the sales. Or just ask for it from Santa. (Like a grown-up)

REVIEW - Sundered - New H.P. Lovecraft Look, Same Metroidvania Taste

Name: Sundered
Developer: Thunder Lotus Games
Publisher: Thunder Lotus Games
Platform: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), PC, Linux
Released: July 28th, 2017

Sundered is a beautiful game. It was the main draw for me when I first saw it on Kickstarter. From the animations of the main character, Eshe, to the gigantic bosses and backgrounds of each area, everything is hand drawn. Some of the intricate detail is amazing, creating some striking visuals that wouldn't look as good if the game were in any way 3D. Coupled with music that's a little unnerving you are left feeling very isolated and vulnerable as you explore, fight and occasionally flee your way around the mysterious, Lovecraftian world you find yourself in.

When you start the game you have hardly any health, no power-ups, no upgrades to strength or armour. Only a voice introducing itself as The Trapezohedron, offering to become your weapon to help you fight for your survival and escape. From your starting area, the "Sanctuary", you have nowhere to go but down. Everything is a bit quiet at first, some might say "too quiet". You poke about a bit more, doing your best to avoid spikes and heading towards a part of the map marked with a mask. Getting there you unlock your first ability, the shield. Finally, you think to yourself, those spikes were tearing through my health. A gong sounds. At first, you think it's part of the music but then enemies start pouring in from both sides of the screen. You can fight them off but most likely you'll die. You die quite often in Sundered. Dying isn't the end though. Killing enemies and smashing objects earns you shards that you can use to buff various stats from damage to luck. When you come back to life you are back in The Sanctuary. Now you have access to The Trapezohedron's Tree.

Now it's time to buff yourself up. Hitting harder and being able to take more of a beating are the obvious routes when levelling up but the luck attribute is important as it determines how many shards enemies drop when beaten. Each stage of the tree requires you to spend three times on it before you can move past it. The price of the upgrade increases by 5 each time so at later stages of the game, it really starts to cost you for the basics. (I'm currently shelling out over 1000 per upgrade) Jumping back into the fray, you are better equipped to make it further, reaching new locations with bosses and new upgrades. At random points during exploration, the gong will sound again and the hoard will arrive. Depending on the location this can get a little overwhelming. This is kind of the point in terms of the setting for Sundered but at times it can feel like the game is being difficult for difficulties sake. Later, coupled with platforming sections that require a high amount of precision, you have the perfect reason to rage-quit and walk away for a few hours. As I've said though, dying just gives you an opportunity to upgrade yourself and push further into the game's mysteries and doesn't feel like the grind that a lot of games fall into.

A few issues so far. When the action gets high on screen the frame rate can drop to a point where you'll freeze then appear a few steps further than you were. This can throw you off in the flow of combat or make you miss time a jump which can be a little frustrating if you're in a tense situation. Loading screens are quite long if heading into a new area. This can be taken into account as large sections of the map are randomised and change every time you die or leave the area. (It has been optimised with a recent patch but can still drag a little) A couple of times I've encountered the game crashing on the loading screen or during a particularly intense amount of frame rate slow down. Most of these problems have been addressed by Thunder Lotus and steps taken to help fix them. They've been very open with their backers and with the public in general that if there is a problem then they are there to listen and help where possible which is reassuring. The patch that fixed a few of the problems also introduced the "Backer Rooms" which consists of around 50 people (5 per backer room) hand drawn into the game, providing the player with various timed buffs. These appear randomly but can provide some much-needed support such as increased agility or luck.

Each section of the game contains three mini-bosses and the main boss. In the first area, you can tackle any of the mini-bosses in any order and even challenge the big bad if you're strong (or crazy) enough. The mini-bosses reward you with an increased amount of shards for beating them and a fragment of Eldar Shard. Beating a main boss earns you one full Eldar Shard. These are the games important MacGuffin. Collecting three fragments makes one whole Eldar Shard and with it, you have the option to corrupt one of the abilities you've obtained (by revisiting the shrine you received it) or destroy it (by taking it to the Furnace). The tagline for the game is "Resist or Embrace". Either you destroy these shards and maintain your humanity or corrupt your abilities and become closer to the monsters you're fighting. (I took the "resist" option and can't go into detail on how the abilities change after corruption) For the most part, the "resist" path has felt pretty rewarding, allowing me to upgrade my various basic attacks. The game is easy enough to pick up and play that I'm more than willing to start a second play through to see what the "embrace" path has to offer.

Perks can be equipped that have both advantages and disadvantages. (Though most often one perks advantages can cancel out another's disadvantage) These can be from increasing attack strength 25% to earning health back per attack. Equipping the right ones for the right kind of run can really give you the edge in the more difficult areas later on. (I've had a "bonus exp" with zero disadvantages equipped since pretty much the start of the game) Exploration of the map is kept in check by enemy difficulty or requiring a specific ability to unlock a path. (Much like your classic Metroid games) While that can sound limiting it's implemented in such a way that you're still left to explore a vast area without feeling boxed in. Enemies can always be beaten and if there's the promise of a new ability somewhere then there's the excitement of finding out what it is.

Would I recommend this game to you? If you've missed the 2D Metroidvania hack-and-slash genre like I have then yes, this game is well worth your time and money. The right level of challenging combat mixed with some stunning visuals and gameplay makes this an excellent (spiritual) successor.

Available PlayStation Store (£15.99), and Steam (£14.99)

REVIEW - Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy - Orange Was The New Blue

Name: Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy

Developer: Vicarious Visions

Publisher: Activision

Platform: PlayStation 4

Well, look who it is. It's everyone's favourite spinning mascot. (Eh, the orange one, not the blue one) Yes, Crash Bandicoot is back and ready to relive his first three adventures. Time to game like it's 1996! And '97 and '98. (Jeez, yearly releases. Who did it think it was? Assassin's Creed?)

First off, the game looks lovely. The backgrounds and character designs have been remade shiny and new for our eyes to appreciate. (I did fiddle about with the buttons at one point to see if I could switch between old and new but alas no) New cutscenes add a bit more depth to the overall story and additional voice acting round off the experience nicely. The gameplay itself, however, seems to have remained much the same. This isn't a bad thing but when starting it up you have to remember that 3D platforming in the mid-90s was still in its early stages. For a 20-year-old set of games, they stand up pretty well. Some of the levels later in each of the games require the precision of a highly trained assassin to land specific jumps. The timing of certain obstacles becomes a memory game of trial and error. Crash Bandicoot does not hold your hand basically. You get a wee reminder in the corner of the screen telling you how to jump and spin at the start then your left to jump and spin your way through the rest of the game. While the levels can provide a steep challenge at times they remain fun and reminiscent of a time 3D platform games were the go-to genre for most gamers.

All the music is either the original or slightly modified version of the iconic soundtrack. (I've had the main menu music stuck in my head in work for the best part of a week now) All the sound effects from the "shwoop" of a wumpa fruit to the "aboogada" of an Aku Aku pick up are the originals. It's small touches like that that make the remaster feel like it was a passion project for those making it. (Vicarious Visions having been involved with various Crash related projects in the past this come as no surprise) Even Naughty Dog themselves have gone on record to say they are "very pleased and touched" by the efforts of Vicarious Vision on the CB remaster.

There are a few new features added to keep fans of the originals eager to play the series again. You can now play as Crash's sister, Coco, in most of the levels. (Excluding boss fights and a few select levels) She handles much the same as her brother with the spinning and the jumping. Rather inexplicably there are three gold trophies on offer for killing five enemies as her in each of the games. (I have no idea what makes her so special) For the most part, the character swap is just a fun cosmetic change. (Unless someone has experienced something different, let me know) While there were always checkpoints in the originals, this time the game will put a few extra in if you keep dying at a specific point. (It's probably one of the few times the game will extend an olive branch) On the world map you can save/load your game at the touch of a button and autosave has been added. (There's even a throwback that made me laugh until I remembered it made me feel old)

Time trials have been added to all the levels in the first and second games as well as returning to the third instalment. While some of the levels in Crash seem made for speed running, a lot of the later levels can have you waiting for openings and throw unexpected hazards at you that make the fun of beating the clock feel a little too much of a chore. Needless to say, as some of the game's trophies are tied into getting Gold times on all levels I won't be receiving "dat plat" anytime soon. (Or ever) Loading screens are long. A little too long for a game that came out 20 years ago and has essentially just had a facelift. During these screens, you'll be given a little hint for that level, either a tip for beating the boss or that beating the level without dying and breaking all the boxes gets you a special Gem. (These levels are mostly in the last third of the original game, making it some of the most frustrating gaming since I last picked up Bloodborne. No joke)

I want this on my tombstone

Maybe someday soon we'll get an announcement about a Crash Team Racing remaster. Oh, what a glorious day that would be. If you didn't play it the first time it was a pretty solid racing game akin to Diddy Kong Racing and Mario Kart. I Have my fingers crossed for that one. In the meantime, I still have my hog and my tiger. (I don't include the baby polar bear because I only really played the first and third Crash back in the day)

Would I recommend this game to you? Aye. It's hard as balls and doesn't reward you for your efforts like a lot of games do now but frankly, that's pretty refreshing. You have lives, you can get a game over and despite your best efforts you will still fail to get that collectable you've spent the best part of an hour trying to unlock. But in that process you hone your reaction times, you get a little more focused. (A cup fell off the counter the morning of writing this and I caught it without looking. Whispered a prayer to Saint Crash) Sticking on a few levels to pass the time is easy as you're not bogged down in a confusing narrative, you just run and spin and smash boxes until the level ends.

Most prices are at around the £30-£35 mark. Works out at roughly a tenner a game which I had no issue spending. Available for retail and download for Playstation 4.

REVIEW - Injustice 2 - Injustice We Trust, In Superman We Stick the Boot

Title: Injustice 2
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), Xbox One 

You've got your Superman and your Wonder Woman, your Flash and your Aquaman. You know these guys, they're pretty cool. Enhanced strength, super speed, talking to fish; these guys have it covered. Why would you bother picking any other combatants? Oh, wait, because the goddamn Batman is why!

Fair warning, I've sunk the majority of my time with this
game as Batman so I may show a slight bias

I have played a bit as each of the characters, some are for me, some just aren't. Black Canary and Bane are both fond of counters and parries. I'm sure people with the skill and concentration can be phenomenal with them but I have a short attention span and can't make effective use of them. Robin works pretty much like Batman with the gadgets and kung-fu. (It's the Damian Wayne Robin so added assassin training and a sword to boot) Making an appearance I didn't expect is Swamp Thing. Big and tough with an emphasis on special grab attacks that are both short and long range. Fighting him with the computer AI cranked up can have you bouncing around the screen without so much as a howdy-do. Finding a character you're comfortable with is a relatively fast process. (For instance, I found I especially like Batman because even when you button mash like an n00b you still pull off awesome combos) If it's one thing I play a fighting game for it's a good roster of characters. (I don't play them for my astounding lack of skill with them surprise surprise) You're presented with an array of DC heroes and villains to hit each other with and the selection is quite tasty.

Nine more players are planned to be added

Practice makes perfect, and the special moves are mostly a short directional input followed by an attack button so it makes the combat easy to learn even if fighting games aren't really your thing. As it's NetherRealm, the good people behind Mortal Kombat, some of you will be familiar with this style of combat. Even getting the timing down for combos can be a lot easier than other fighting series. (Yeah, I'm looking at you Street Fighter. You wanna go?!)

 

There are instances where attacks that connect don't actually hit and ones that don't magically do. This can happen to both you and the computer so it is a real blessing/curse scenario. Not a massive issue, and by no means common, but when you've been fighting a particularly hard fight and you get screwed at the last inch of health it can get a little frustrating.

As you fight you earn gear that you can equip to your fighters. These come in three flavours: common, rare and epic. Gear not only upgrades certain stats for the chosen character (increased health/defence/damage) but also act as the alternate costumes for everyone. Pieces are broken down into head, arms, torso, legs and then a fifth aspect specific to that character. (Superman and Supergirl have their chest emblem, Deadshot has his rifle etc.) I am such a huge fan of this aspect of the game. Saving your configurations and taking them online, you can see other people with the same character in gear you haven't seen before. Maybe I get fascinated too easily, and there is a fair amount of "meh" equipment to be had, but I think it's a really clever way of encouraging a player to play a fighting game even if it's just by themselves.

A great way to earn better gear is to level up your fighters. The Story Mode, which carries on from the previous game, is a great way to not only get some practice in with the majority of the roster also gain a few levels as them. This time round Superman is in jail for being a naughty boy. (Quite right, self-righteous prick) Bruce Wayne/Batman is trying to put the world back together and the Joker is still dead. Brainiac takes this time to show up and help himself to some cities for his collection. Usual comic book chaos ensues. It's a fun wee mode that takes about 3-6 hours to blow through. (I like the trend of fighting games giving us longer, more entertaining story modes than your average FPS nowadays)
"The Multiverse" is where the majority of your time will be spent if you want to unlock lots of gear and level up your fighters. (If you're like me and play mostly by yourself *starts playing tiny violin*) Here you're given various challenges at varying difficulties to test your skills and, most importantly, have fun. Like any game, fulfilling harder goals leads to more prizes. Each of the scenarios is timed in real-time so you can miss out if half way through the clock reaches zero meaning you miss out on epic gear for specific characters. The cycle is regular enough however that this isn't an issue. It can even encourage you to fight as characters you wouldn't normally go, even just to give them a cooler look.
Speaking of looks, the game is pretty polished. Environments are pretty varied and character models are much more detailed than the last game. Occasionally this can lead to ventures into uncanny valley territory. Smiling is not the easiest thing to make a digital face to do, let's just say. Arena transitions are back. (Where you hit a guy so hard he ends up in another place, via damage inducing hazards) There aren't any locations that have more than two of these yet, but hopefully, like the fighters, the selection of stages will expand over time.

Would I recommend Injustice 2 to you? Yeah, it's a solid fighting game. You get to beat various DC heroes and villains with Batman's righteous fists. Everyone should get to do that at the end of a hard day. Especially Batman.