REVIEW / Hipster Attack (PC)

 

This will not be new to you but I have a very serious dislike of clones. There is a subtle difference between saying a game is a bit like another game and saying that it’s virtually the same game in a different skin. These little monstrosities are plaguing sites like Steam and are one of the reasons why the really good games in it’s free to play category get missed. In many cases this seems to be done as a cash grab. Take something that you know works, call it something different and change the characters so you can’t be sued for plagiarism and bob’s your uncle you have a game. Stick this on Steam with a mammoth pay wall and hope nobody notices. This mentality is doing so much harm and it really makes my blood boil. It was also with this in mind that I began playing Hipster Attack. This game is effectively a re-skin of another title but it isn’t making my teeth itch and I’m going to explain why.

 

 

You can be all nasty, lazy and stealy and fall into the group of charlatans I’ve just mentioned or you can pay homage to another well loved game and make yours just different enough that it isn’t really a clone. This, for me is Hipster Attack, a game that is basically Plants Vs Zombies without the plants or the zombies. What makes this stand out is that you can see a real level of care has gone into the making of this title and this begins with the unique and hilarious concept behind it.

In the game you run a series of coffee shops and you need to protect your beloved beans from a horde of rampaging Hipsters who are determined to do horrible, completely unnecessary things to your wonderful cups of Joe. If you are to stop a perfectly good cup of black coffee becoming a mocha-choca-frappe-latte-thingy you will need to use your speed, skill and of course your employees to fend the flannel wearing nightmares off.

 

You’ll need to protect those tables at all costs.

 

What makes this game so similar to PVZ is it’s layout. You are looking after a series of lanes along which the Hipsters move. You must position your own employees in the path of the enemy and stop them reaching the coffee tables at the end of each row. The formula is very simple but it makes for some very addictive, fun, and often completely frantic gameplay. In PVZ, (expect a hell of a lot of comparisons, I can’t help it, it’s the best way to explain the game,) you use sunshine as your currency. In Hipster Attack your main currency is coffee and to maximize this you will need to build coffee machines. These just sit there and help you replenish your units until they’re upgraded, then they get mean and start slinging projectiles.

The main thing that sets this game aside from the other one is that you have two currencies. Coffee is used in each level to buy your employees and set them. Different units cost different amounts and they have a cool down to stop you just playing anything, anywhere. The second currency is cash. You use cash to kick off special unit abilities and play field powers. Each unit has a more powerful move type which will really help you if used properly. The thing with cash is that it really needs balancing because the total carries over between levels. If you get stuck and blow all your hard earned money on a particularly tough run you might find you’ve just made life harder for yourself in the levels to come.

 

The hipster menace is varied and dangerous. You will need to be on your toes.

 

As you progress through the game, you unlock new unit types and powers ready for use. Different units are great for different scenarios and are better equipped to deal with different types of Hipster than others. You start out with your HR employees who are armed with one of the most baneful things to a Hipster in the game, the job application. God forbid the beard wearing weirdos might actually ever work. As you go, you expand your staff adding security guards.

These big lumps just sit sleeping in the way of the attacking mob and act as blockers. Their special ability wakes them up and causes them to throw a flurry of damaging punches before dozing off again. This is a short range attack but woe betide anyone who happens to be in the way. HR Managers are another useful unit. These guys are never happy with their own work and have a ton of little screwed up balls of papaer on them at all times, this gives them a mortar attack and makes them very useful for taking out shielded enemies. The list goes on but I’m not going to explain all of your weapons, lets let you figure a bit of this out for yourself.

 

Vinyl is great to listen too, less great when it’s being used as a missile. Good thing you have coffee cannons ready to use when needed.

 

Just as there are a variety of weapons at your disposal the same applies for your enemy. As we all know the only ironic thing about Hipsters, (that being the irony they all crave,) is that they don’t know what Irony is. Instead of being cool and edgy they just come across as a bunch of clueless trend obsessed lemmings. Hipster Attack takes this and makes fun of it in some really wonderful ways. You have you basic rank and file Hipsters of course, these are just beardy and wanting to get at your coffee. It’s the variations you have to watch out for. You have, for instance, the record lover.

This is the guy that will only listen to vinyl and knew about every band out there before they were “mainstream.” These little know-it-alls not only carry record players but sling records at you. You have the fitness fanatic who is obviously faster than the others. Then you have my personal favorite. Mimester. This freak of nature carries a metaphorical shield which he likes hiding behind. As I’ve got an unnatural fear of mimes killing this little blighter off is something I get a special amount of joy from. As with your allies the list of enemies goes on and each need tackling slightly differently. As you find yourself facing a mix of hipsters on each level you will need to be on your toes.

 

Cash is an important resource that you will have to use sparinly.

 

I’ve spoken about mobile games porting badly to PC in the past but rarely the other way round. Hipster Attack is an IOS and Android game as well as being a PC Steam release. I haven’t played the other version but I don’t think it would translate as well on a smaller screen. This game can get really frantic and keeping up with everything is hard enough sometimes with a mouse, my stubby fingers on a phone screen wouldn’t be able to  manage as well and I think it would get really frustrating. As I’ve said, I haven’t played it so I’m not criticizing it’s just an observation.

All in all this is a really fun game to play and for those of you that don’t remember the first iteration of PVZ before EA got their hands on it I think it’s a must. It’s funny, lovably written and very well drawn in a quirky but colorful way. Even if you have played Plants Vs Zombies I think you’ll find a lot to love here. Do expect an entirely different game, it absolutely isn’t but it’s still an awful lot of fun and, so far at least, isn’t too hard. It would have been really easy to crank the difficulty level right up with massive spikes in play but everything feels fluid and I haven’t come across anything thus far that I couldn’t manage. I’m not saying this game won’t get harder in later levels but I think that everything will remain within doable parameters.

 

 

So to sum up, this game is a clone but it’s a very good clone. I can see the love and hard work that Televisor have put into their title and nothing about Hipster Attack is sloppy. The fact that I can only think of one other game similar to it means it’s not something that’s been done to death either which is a definite plus. If you want something that will make you smile as much as it wears you out, (you really need to be fast on your mouse,) this is going to be the game for you. Is it different enough for an avid PVZ fan? That’s probably debatable but it still shouldn’t put you off giving it a good college try. I mean Hipsters, who wouldn’t want to use them for stress relief right?

 

 

 

This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.

The post REVIEW / Hipster Attack (PC) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2zG29tS

PREVIEW / Daemonical (PC)

 

Daemonical is a multiplayer horror survival game from newcomers Fearem Games. Interestingly enough, I’m not a fan of horror – I can’t stomach movies or books, and videogames tend to give me vivid nightmares. But I’ve had a lot of fun on PS Plus freebie Dead by Daylight, and I assumed this would be similar, so I mean how bad could it really be?

 

 

The answer, obviously, is pretty bad. Daemonical banks on a similar core premise to Dead by Daylight – four human survivors must complete a task to win while a beastie hunts them – but the similarities end there. Daemonical is physically darker, less forgiving, and far creepier. And more to the point, there is no comfort in teamwork.

 

 

Let me explain. Daemonical has a pretty unique gameplay mechanic, one that ups the fear and paranoia factor exponentially. One player is chosen to be the demon, and will begin the round looking like one of the surviving humans; they can control when they morph into a nasty hell beast, and are not required to change until it suits their nefarious goals.

 

 

This is crucial to the entire flow of the game. Working with teammates is a necessity in an environment so dark and confusing – your goal is to find four ritual parts in the murk, so working with friends is a huge boon. Spending an entire game eyeing your non-communicative teammate with suspicion is both mentally exhausting and also distracting. And when you finally find what you’re looking for, there is every chance that your pal might shed his human flesh and rip you to shreds.

 

 

You begin the game at sunset, and skim through a brief tutorial: hold Q to raise your left hand, and you’ll see a glowing cut in your palm that acts as a homing device. Use the wound – and audio cues – to find your way to ritual parts. You’ll also be searching for additional items such as torches/headlamps and guns/knives around the woodland map.

 

 

The game informs you that the demon will be chosen at night-fall. He/she can see other players through objects at a distance, but will have to physically search for prey once he/she gets too close. The demon also responds to certain noises: drop a ritual item whilst trying to pick it up, for example, and you’ll land yourself in hot water.

 

 

So you’re wandering about a little blindly. Maybe you’ve found a teammate, maybe you’re armed. The wound on your palm is blinking frantically, and you can feel that you’re closing in on a ritual part; you’ve just spied it when your torch light flickers softly. You spin around, but it’s too late – a gaunt white face with bottomless black eyes and a grin of crooked, stake-like teeth lurches into view and disembowels you where you stand.

 

 

Fortunately for you, in Daemonical death is not the end. Your soul leaves your body as a ball of white light, and you have two choices: either accept your fate and help others by lighting their way to useful items; or frantically bug another player until he/she follows you back to your mangled corporeal form to revive you.

 

 

The demon wins when he/she kills all four survivors; the survivors win by surviving until daylight or by completing the ritual. And that’s about all there is to it. It’s simple, terrifying, co-operative fun that needs more attention – there are certainly some wrinkles to iron out, but this is the sort of multiplayer game that you and a bunch of friends can laugh or scream yourselves witless to of an evening. For more information, check out the Steam page or the Fearem Games website. Daemonical is currently in pre-release, alpha stage – you can pick it up on the Steam store for USD $14.99.

 

 

 

This preview is based on an early access copy of the game provided by the publisher.

The post PREVIEW / Daemonical (PC) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2IqYUsN

Preview / Rapture Rejects (PC)

 

“Battle Royale” games are taking over the video game industry. From PUBG’s popularity last year to the worldwide sensation that is Fortnite, battle royale-centric titles are undoubtedly the talks of the town. Rapture Rejects is another game to give battle royale a shot. Announced at E3 this year, it is currently in Alpha; developed by Explosm (makers of Cyanide and Happiness) and Galvanic Games, it is also being published by tinyBuild games, who I have recently noticed are often associated with fun little indie games.

 

 

Rapture Rejects takes place following the rapture. All of the good people have gone to heaven leaving only the scum of the earth behind. So how do we make our way to heaven? We kill every other person, so they have no one else to bring to the holy gates. It is a simple idea, and I like it for explaining why we are trying to kill everyone (even with its ridiculousness).

Often we see battle royale games as a third or first-person shooter that relies on what resources you can find to survive and your gun skills to eliminate the competition. In Rapture Rejects, you play from a top-down perspective and are randomly spawned on a map where a ring of fire slowly creeps in until the victor gets called into heaven. I like the way the map is set up, but I am not a fan of the random spawning. Being placed a few steps further away from a gun than another person could mean you have a distinct disadvantage without any input on your side. Hopefully, as the game gets further developed, we see a situation where we can pick our spawns.

 

 

I am a fan of Cyanide and Happiness comics. I enjoy scrolling through my social media feeds and coming across random comics that usually have that inappropriate humor and wacky characters that regularly get at least a chuckle out of me. Then I click on a link to go to the website, and I end up down a rabbit hole of looking at comics for an hour straight and then watch the animated shorts for an extra two hours.

While I did not notice any nods to the comics so far (give us a purple shirted eye stabber outfit already!) I enjoyed the character customization. There were plenty of choices for a game so early in its life, and I loved the animations the character gave to certain changes you make to them. For example, whether you choose a male or female body, you can have breasts or a dong. When you give either to your character, they show a confident smirk, and when you take it away, they show a genuine fear. It got a good laugh out of me.

 

 

As stated earlier, the game is currently in its Alpha stage, so not many people are playing on it yet, but supposedly it is supposed to have the normal 100 person battles. When I played, the most people I saw in a lobby at a time was about 6-8. That being said, the Alpha is only available during weekends, and when I hopped on it was near the end of the weekend time, so my bad timing might have played into the small server sizes. With my matches having so few people, the fire creeps in very fast and leaves for some quick games. I would hope with matches nearing 100 people that they take longer.

Weapon gameplay did not impress me with my time playing the game. The controls are all pretty normal for shooter games, but I was hoping for more variety with weapons. There were a couple of interesting choices, but I hope we get more comedic inspired weapons that make for some hilarious kills. Maybe I am thinking too much of a game like Saints Row that allowed me to kill people with a dildo bat, but that’s the kind of thing I want from a Cyanide and Happiness game.

 

 

So far, Rapture Rejects is another run of the mill early access battle royale game. Give it some time, and it could have a lot of fun, interesting ways to make it stand out from the competition. As of now, it is just getting its bearings. In my time playing it, I never had any server issues, just had problems finding people so I would spend a long time in the pre-game lobby. I am not a huge fan of battle royale so far, but because I enjoy the Cyanide and Happiness content, I will probably pop in now and then to see new updates for it if I have nothing else going on at the time.

 

 

 

This preview is based on an early access copy of the game provided by the publisher.

The post Preview / Rapture Rejects (PC) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2Q93azM

Chroma Prime arrives in Warframe

Warframe: Prime has a new character to play as from today with the arrival of ancient legend Chroma Prime. PC, Xbox One and PS4 players can now play as Chroma Prime, along with Rubico Prime and Gram Prime weaponry.  Tenno can earn these items through the in-game Relic hunting system or get instant access along with new, exclusive cosmetics by purchasing a Prime Access Pack.

Known as the elemental lord of ruin, Chroma Prime has mastered the formidable elements of fire, ice, electricity, and poison. Chroma is the 22nd Prime Warframe and has a variety of attacks to choose from, fitting for any combat scenario.

Chroma Prime Access Features

• Chroma Prime: The original lord of ruin. Elemental. Primal. Perfection.
• Chroma Prime Glyphs: Embody Chroma Prime with these Prime Glyphs
• Rubico Prime: For the hunter, the apex of the sniper’s art; for the hunted, a gateway to the next life
• Gram Prime: Born anew, the father of swords returns

Chroma Prime Accessories

• Imugi Prime Armor: Martial. Regal. Malevolent. A face to foster fear in all foes.
• Impetus Prime Syandana: A blade-like cut in regal red-and-gold, reminiscent of the elite honor guards of ancient Mars.
• 90-Day Credit Booster
• 90-Day Affinity Booster

The Prime Access program introduces rare versions of characters, weapons and accessories, giving you superior performance and other advantages.  Due to their rarity, Prime technology is coveted throughout the Solar System and represents technology as it was during the height of the Orokin Era.

Play as Chroma Prime now with instant access here:https://www.warframe.com/prime-access

The post Chroma Prime arrives in Warframe appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2OdDTr7

TVGB ViveStream faces downtime with Apocalypse Rider

 

The site may have been down last Thursday, but the ViveStream rolls on! This episode was on our YouTube channel on Thursday, but I wanted to make sure to post it here too. This time around, we enter the dark and gritty world of Apocalypse Rider. To be honest, though, the only apocalyptic thing here is how abrupt the crashes are. And expect to see quite a few crashes; it took me a little while to adjust to the game’s control style.

Speaking of adjustments, I’m still working on improving the recording quality for the ViveStream. As I mention fairly often on the show, my computer can barely handle the Vive, let alone recording at the same time. But smooth recordings are possible, and I promise I’ll get things to flow as well as my computer allows for the next episode. For now, check out Apocalypse Rider and let us know what games you want to see in the comments.

The post TVGB ViveStream faces downtime with Apocalypse Rider appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2O4ATxa

REVIEW / Guacamelee! 2 (PS4)

 

Guacamelee! 2, from developer DrinkBox Studios, oozes Mexican culture. It’s in the game’s towns, residents, enemies, music, and luchadores. The game is also a Metroidvania, with many areas to explore and platform around, as well as powerups to find. Whether forging ahead through the game’s various locales or backtracking to find every last item, there is a celebration of both Latino folklore and the genres of platforming/beat-em-ups felt throughout.

 

Save the Mexiverse

Guacamelee! 2 starts off with the final battle of the first game. It’s very reminiscent of Symphony of the Night‘s intro (in fact, that game is referenced in the boss battle). As Juan Aguacate, you relive your triumph over the evil Calaca, rescue El Presidente’s Daughter, and flash forward seven years.

Now, Juan is retired and married with kids. However, dark lines soon appear in the sky and Juan is called upon to deal with an inter-dimensional crisis. A luchador named Salvador is looking for the sacred guacamole, and he’s willing to tear every known dimension apart in order to do so. It’s up to the last remaining dimensional Juan to save all the realities, including his own.
 

Lucha your way around

Making your way across the Darkest Timeline, you’ll slowly relearn Juan’s luchador abilities from the previous title, as well as some new ones. Juan is a regular Swiss Army knife of a wrestler: by the end of the journey, he can uppercut, frog splash, headbutt, forward punch, dodge, double jump, soar like an eagle, and travel between the world of the living and the dead instantaneously.

Juan will also learn to transform into a chicken, who has his own moves and abilities. Throughout the game, Juan will meet a set of trainers who help him boost his moves through challenges and training. These characters will really power Juan up, making him into a one-man wrestling killing machine.
 

Fortresses of pain

Juan’s main objective is to travel to each of the Darkest Timeline’s fortresses and defeat Salvador’s henchmen, ultimately leading up to a match with the head honcho himself. These areas test Juan’s skills through an awesome mix of platforming and brawling. As you advance and become more powerful, these locations become more difficult.

It isn’t long before Juan has to jump, fly, and dimension swap his way through a single room. Of course, like the previous entry, there are special locales you can uncover that contain pieces of a hidden item that will grant you an ultimate move and special ending. These deathtraps will test your muscle memory and hand-eye coordination unlike any other game you’ve played before. Guacamelee! 2 doesn’t mess around.
 

Amigos and dificil mode

Guacamelee! 2 can be a co-op adventure if you so choose. Gamers can play with up to four characters, some of whom have different costumes you can unlock in the game (you can also choose these protagonists in single player if you want Juan to take a backseat). The multiplayer mode can be a blast with friends, though navigating the brutal platforming sections as one cohesive unit is a difficult feat.

Thankfully, players can wander around as bubbles if they die, leaving the most skilled individual to conquer an area before they are resurrected. Guacamelee! 2 also contains a Hard Mode once the Normal Mode is completed. This is quite a step up from the relatively breezy default difficulty, and moves and health do not carry over. It’s quite a challenge to take on.
 

An all-around joy

More than anything, Guacamelee! 2 is just a damn fun game to play. It controls beautifully once you learn the various buttons and their respective moves. Massacring enemies is a delight: you’ll suplex, kick, and body slam creatures into each other or deadly hazards with a smile on your face, as both a chicken and a man. The humor is off the charts: there are references to so many games and memes that you’ll laugh out loud on more than one occasion, and be genuinely shocked to see Guacamelee! 2 turn into a different genre before your very eyes.

Completionists and fans of backtracking will experience bliss as they track down every last health and special move upgrades, as well as fill out every last pixel on their map. Lastly, the celebration of Mexican traditions and customs is incredible: it’s in the game’s art style, mariachi music, character design. It permeates throughout the entire experience.
 

Finalmente

Guacamelee! 2 is a must play for fans of luchadores, Mexico, platformers, beat-em-ups…hell, just a well-designed title, in general. It’s fluid, fun, gorgeous, and wonderfully paced. Though the game is a little bit easy on the first run; besides the frustrating challenge rooms that you will die MANY times attempting; it’s still an amazing world to explore. Hell, you can suplex a skeleton as a bright blue chicken while clucking aggressively. If that doesn’t do it for you, then nothing ever will.

 

 

 

This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.

The post REVIEW / Guacamelee! 2 (PS4) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2I9NSrN

The Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle aims to be a knockout

 

Certain genres of gaming seem to have almost been lost to history. I’m not saying that the odd new thing isn’t released but as time progresses and new genres come along to tantalize us there can’t help but be a few casualties. Sadly, I think this is very much the case of the side-scrolling Beat ‘Em Up. There were so many amazing games released in this genre back in the 90s and I think I probably played most of the big console releases. I think most gamers worth their salt will have heard of Streets of Rage, Nintendo owners had Final Fight and going back to earlier systems you can’t forget games like Double Dragon. Many of the games in this genre were Arcade ports and there’s a whole ton that never hit a console. To be honest I think this was a very arcade-friendly genre and maybe that the golden age of the amusement arcade has passed now that we have systems that can do many, if not all, of the things in our homes that an arcade cabinet could. Those of you that aren’t old enough to remember any of the games I’ve just mentioned (shame on you, emulators have a place sometimes) will be able to get your beat on with The Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle, a new collection that appeared on our gaming shelves just this week.

The Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle will feature a total of seven games. What makes it really cool is that there are some titles on this list that only appeared in the arcade and have not been ported until now. It’s really nice to see good releases not being lost to history. Included in this incredible round-up is Final Fight which is a must have for any of you retracing a bit of gaming history. Also featured are The King of Dragons, Knights of the Round and Armored Warriors. This, of course, will not only give these games a new lease on life but introduce gamers to iconic characters such as Cody, Guy and Mike Haggar of the aforementioned Final Fight.

The Beat ‘Em Up genre was always fun to indulge in on your own but far better with a friend. The new collection preserves this perfectly with both drop-in local and online multi-player facilities. This means that you will always be able to find a game with someone, somewhere. In addition to this come a variety of options which allow you to tailor the game to your needs by selecting a number of lives or continues to suit your ability level and altering the difficulty accordingly.

For those of you that don’t want brutal action all of the time and like a change of pace galleries for all of the games are included in this release. These feature stunning art from each game, design sketches, development documents and more. It’s nice to be able to get a good feel for a game’s history beyond that nostalgia that comes from playing it.

If all of this sounds right up your alley, The Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle is available for Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC and is retailing at $19.99. This seems pretty reasonable really when you know you’re getting seven full titles and a bunch of extras. I definitely remember some of these games from the first time around. I’d be interested to catch up on the ones I’m a little fuzzy on as well. For those of you going for this title, I think I may very well be joining you. You never know. I might see you in the game.

The post The Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle aims to be a knockout appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2O3dQTu

REVIEW / The Inner Friend (PC)

 

The Inner Friend is a short, incredibly atmospheric, surrealist new title by PLAYMIND. Led by a mysterious Shadow, the player must dive into an eerie world of childhood memories and nightmares to help them and restore what was once a safe haven. The player must journey deep into the subconscious to unravel a rich, wordless tapestry detailing mysterious, oftentimes vague representations of key events and fears in the Shadow’s life.

 

 

When I picked up The Inner Friend, I remembered that I’d written about it prior to its release. What I didn’t remember was that it wasn’t just billed as a creepy, atmospheric walking sim – it’s a horror game. I was fooled further by the minimalist, abstract environments as I wandered around the Shadow’s nightmares and memories, waiting for the psychological horror to begin. To first touch on the design – it’s rudimentary at best, but in a good way. I think if you’re playing as an “inner friend” in someone else’s subconscious, displaying said player character as nothing more than an often-incomplete mannequin (for lack of a better term) is perfect.

 

 

While the environments are detailed and beautifully crafted, and some have truly trippy and startlingly good animation and design, the focus is truly on building the atmosphere and complementing the story. There were many times where objects in the environment moved (some key examples are the chairs and beds in the hospital level and the ground in the work site level) where I had to stop and say, “Wow, that’s really cool”. Adding to the atmosphere, the score and sound effects used in the Inner Friend perfectly build and cut the tension at a moment’s notice. Indie games are known for having stellar soundtracks, often to make up for a smaller animation and design budget or skill, and The Inner Friend was no exception. I was put perfectly on edge multiple times, and intrigued and melancholic exactly where appropriate.

 

 

Insofar as the story is concerned, you begin in a bedroom which, at first, has a naked old man with no face on the bed. I believe this is supposed to be the aforementioned “safe haven” in the Shadow’s mind as it also contains shelves, walls and floors which are later scattered with childhood objects. There is a crack in the wall of this room which you run through to progress to this weird, ultra abstract area where you are falling and big clusters of blocks with lights shining out of them appear over and over. I had absolutely no idea what to do in this area, so for ages I let myself fall towards the light at the bottom, which I never hit. Eventually I figured out that landing on any of those blocks (it doesn’t matter which) will allow you to find and access a glowing portal which will take you to the next memory.

 

 

For me, apart from a very scary (in my opinion) section later in the game, this was the worst part of The Inner Friend. I imagine I was supposed to fling myself at one of those blocks immediately, but when I tried that the first time I searched around the block for quite a while without finding a light portal, so I figured I was supposed to avoid them. If I could remove anything from the game, it would be the weird falling sections to access the levels. It would have made just as much sense to transport the player to the next one through the crack in the wall that we had just entered.

 

 

I won’t go into any true detail on the types of memories or horrors the inner friend and the Shadow face, as the interesting progression from abstract to blatant is the key part of each segment, each of which deals with a different event or fear. I will say that some of them are very obvious, like if you were to be wandering around a dentist’s office in this game you’d very easily make the assumption that the Shadow had some tooth-related trauma. Other levels are exceptionally vague and I still struggle with what part of the Shadow’s life they were supposed to represent. In each level there are artifacts that you can find and collect, which are added to the safe haven room. You can also see which you missed by the glowing outlines you can’t fill in on the shelves when you return. According to the Steam page, the artifacts are there so that you can rebuild the Shadow’s safe haven, but I was hoping that they would shed more light on the actual story or give more detail on each memory, which they don’t.

 

 

The Inner Friend is about 70% creepy, atmospheric walking sim, 20% puzzles, and 10% actual horror. The puzzles in The Inner Friend are honestly top notch. I’m the kind of person who is very easily frustrated with excessive puzzles, particularly super hard ones, and I found that the puzzles in this game made you think without making you agonizingly frustrated. My favorite puzzles were the laser light puzzles in the museum level, which added an element of stealth and tension without being too hard. Another point in The Inner Friend‘s favor is that it has automatic checkpoints at fair points throughout the game, meaning that if you get most of the way through a long puzzle and then fail, you’ll probably be dropped back only a few steps away from the next logical point in said puzzle. Likewise, the game makes sure that if you’re being pursued by an enemy that you aren’t immediately dropped back in its clutches.

 

 

Now for the 10% of actual horror. In one particular level, you are almost relentlessly pursued by an enemy. It is ridiculously fast, it sometimes jumps out of mirrors that are right in front of your current path with zero warning – which is complete bullshit – and it fucking giggles when it’s behind you. The controller rumbles as it approaches you from behind, vibrating harder and harder as it comes closer to you. It’s an absolute shit show and the worst part of the game, for me at least. Other people may not have issue with this part, but if there’s one thing I hate in a game, it’s being pursued. I had to come back to the game the next day because the indignant cries I was making during this scene were disturbing everyone else in my house. The rest of the game has manageable levels of tension and raises your heart rate without being a goddamn dick about it, PLAYMIND. I honestly don’t think I’d call this game a horror game proper without this level, and I sincerely could have done without it. Putting aside my scaredy cat nature, I think this section could have been greatly improved by turning the pursuer’s speed a few notches.

 

 

As far as actual gameplay is concerned, you only have a few commands – run, jump, and interact – the nature of which changes as the game progresses and depending on the situation. You get around at a decent clip, although I wouldn’t have minded a run command or even just a little more speed at times. Sometimes while platforming, the player character will stumble forward a little after a jump, which was annoying during one of the puzzles but otherwise not an issue. I think, given that we’re dealing with the inner child, a little more agility, less weight and less stiffness would have assisted in making the player feel more at home in the childhood nightmares. That said, nothing actually bad in this department, just suggestions for future improvement.

 

 

The Inner Friend is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 2-3 hour game, if even that, with fun puzzles and beautiful set design. The story is a bit too vague at times for my taste, but I think, generally, the concept is good. The game is available now on Steam, Playstation 4 and Xbox One for around about $15 USD, which, in my opinion, is a bit steep for the length of the game, but I wouldn’t let that discourage you from buying it all the same.

 

 

 

This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.

The post REVIEW / The Inner Friend (PC) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2PJYrV8

REVIEW / Graveyard Keeper (PC)

 

I can tell you from personal experience that being hit by moving vehicles is not a great life choice. You hear the screeching of tires, the blast of a car horn and the next thing you know, you’re looking after a run-down graveyard with little more than an alcoholic talking skull, underpaid donkey and miserable ghost for company. Okay, maybe that goes a tad beyond personal experience – in reality I just wound up with sore legs and a headache – but it’s exactly what happens to you in Graveyard Keeper, the title we’re going to be looking at today.

 

 

In Graveyard Keeper, you’re working in a pretty rundown graveyard. You’re not dead – which is a plus  – but you realize pretty quickly that the only way you’re going to be getting home is to do a successful job of turning a burial ground full of miserable spirits into a place people might actually want to be interred. To do this, you’re not only going to have to repair your environment – a task that is absolutely easier said than done – but also help out the local villagers. Making an already pretty morbid job worse, you’re also being brought bodies to bury. In addition you can’t just chuck people anywhere, you have to make them happy. It would seem that everyone is a critic, even in death.

I’d love to tell you that I know exactly where the story is going with this one and that I’m miles into the game. Sadly, I can’t, and it’s not for want of trying. In Graveyard Keeper, as in many games, you progress by completing various objectives. These mostly involve ensuring your graveyard is looking top notch, burying the dead after autopsy and completing jobs set by characters in the game. This is where things become tricky. In Graveyard Keeper you have to teach yourself to do everything.

 

Everything is a learning process. Just like in life really.

 

You need to be a smith, a carpenter, a farmer and much more and to complete the goals you are set you have to have learned various technologies. To give you an example, there’s a character in the game who will teach you a cake recipe if you bring him honey. To do this you obviously need bees, but you won’t get bees until you’ve fixed a rundown apiary. To do this you’ll need wooden planks, nails, etc. Each and every one of these elements requires you to have learned something new. Every objective is different and all of them involve a series of logical steps. This is where the problems come in.

Logical steps are only logical if you know exactly which order they need to be performed. This is not a game that will tell you what you need to do as you go about doing it. There is very much a sense of, “We’ll tell you what we want from you, then you can figure the rest out for yourself.” This is what makes this game one of the most equally fun and frustrating experiences I’ve had in some time. I know exactly what I need to do. If I’m going to make stone gravestones I need stone, so I need to be able to extract this from rock. That’s fairly easy. Then I need a stone cutting platform. This is less so because that means I need to build the bloody thing and have all of the correct tech in place before I can begin. You can buy needed materials from the local village but this is an expensive process and you don’t get a lot of money.

 

Trade is vital because money doesn’t come easy.

 

You make money by selling burial certificates which come fairly easily. The rest of your funds are made through trade. You can sell bread and other food stuffs you’ve cooked or barter fresh fruit and vegetables. To do this, however, you need to know the recipes, how to gather the ingredients and if your farming where to get seeds and how to make things grow. Literally everything you do in this game is learned and nothing is just given to you.

The basic ethos of the game makes progression exceptionally slow unless you know exactly what you need to do next. Another point that I’m going to tack on here is that because you often find yourself trying to complete a zillion jobs at once you’re inventory fills up really quickly. You get trunks dotted about your home, the graveyard and other work areas. You’ll need to use these properly and remember what’s in them. Keep your ingredients in the kitchen, for instance, your crafting materials in your yard and so on and so forth. If you start just dumping things anywhere you’ll only confuse yourself further.

 

There’s always something that needs to be done.

 

To hamper things ever more I have no idea really what order I’m supposed to be completing these tasks in. I have a list of different characters wanting different things but there isn’t anything telling me the best way round to complete these tasks. In addition you can’t just go back and talk to every character when you feel like it. You get a clock in the top corner of the screen and each day is marked with a symbol. Certain characters are only in certain places on your map on specific days. With this in mind, to complete a task you may have to wait a while until the right quest giver appears at the right time.

Time in general is an important factor in the game. You have a certain amount of energy each day with which to perform your tasks. You can grant yourself more energy with potions or by eating but the only way to get a full re-fill is to sleep. Sleeping saves your game and also moves time on. This means that if you have to get things done before a NPC vanishes for a week you’re limited to how long you have before you have to sleep and potentially lose your chance to see them.

 

If in doubt DON’T dump it in the river.

 

When you aren’t completing objectives you need to be making sure you have happy corpses. Each grave has a meter that represents the sins of the person buried in it. If this meter is low it means the spirit is restless. Each time you improve their grave and their surroundings they become happier. Happy spirits mean a nice graveyard and less of a headache for you so it’s worth planting flower beds and keeping the gravestones and fences looking smart and in tip-top condition. As you learn how best to prepare the bodies you will find that this all helps for happy ghosts.

This all sounds really confusing doesn’t it? Well it is. The thing is, it’s not the kind of confusion that makes you want to put the game down and give up. This is that fun sort of frustration that makes you keep coming back for more even though you aren’t entirely sure whether or not you’re actually getting anywhere. This is the kind of game that you’re going to be playing over a long period of time. You’d literally need a walkthrough to sit down and complete Graveyard Keeper on your first run and in a short space of time. I’m pretty sure I’m not very far into this title at all and I’ve already put a good few hours into it. The plus is I’m going to keep going back until I figure everything out. The down side, of course, is I can’t tell you a great deal more about the game at the moment and I don’t like making you lot wait. I’m sure you want to be reading this review this side of Christmas. From a gameplay perspective I’ll just say go for it, it’s loads of fun but if you don’t have a lot of patience you’re going to struggle.

 

 

The interface is something worth mentioning here. This game is actually a joy to control once you’ve figured out how to play. This is something that I have to applaud. An already difficult game could have been made torturous with bad controls. Movement is simply WASD and everything else is done with one or two other key combinations. This is definitely welcome.

Graphically we’re opting for an old-school play on things. I seem to be saying this an awful lot at the moment but retro is the in-thing so I’m not really complaining. We seem to be moving out of the obviously 8-bit into the 16-bit era now. The game is colourful and looks nice in the sort of way every RPG of the mid 90s looked nice. Think FF7 or Shining Force and you’ll get an idea what I’m on about. With respect to sound the background music is good in a sort of, you don’t really notice it, kind of way. It’s not grating or abrasive so it isn’t a problem. Don’t expect wonderful voice overs, there aren’t any. Do you guys remember the teacher from Snoopy? Every character sounds a bit like that with the dialogue running across the bottom of the screen. See what I mean about mid-90s? This is an artistic choice so no big deal there.

 

 

If you like games where you have to build a lot and/or a good RPG I think Graveyard Keeper is probably a good call for you. If you want something that isn’t complicated or doesn’t take a great deal of brain power to play, this won’t be the game for you. From my own perspective … I’m not Minecraft mad but I love a really good puzzle and I’m a fan of stories that don’t just give you everything on a plate. The simple fact that I know I’m going to carry on playing makes this game a success for me. This is actually the yardstick I use a lot when I’m talking about games but I think it’s a fair point. Take flashy graphics and clever mechanics out of the equation completely. If you want to come back to a game over and over it’s, good pure and simple. Ultimately, my opinion only goes so far. For the rest of you this is going to be a matter of taste.

 

 

 

This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.

The post REVIEW / Graveyard Keeper (PC) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2D5XB3C

REVIEW / Skyrim Soundtrack JUN/VUL Special Edition (Vinyl)

 

The JUN/VUL Special Edition pressing of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim soundtrack is finally here. First announced by iam8bit back in 2017 as the JUN/KUN edition, it has since gotten a name change to reflect the subtle differences in the dragon language. JUN/VUL means “light/dark” while the original name of JUN/KUN likely meant “light/shadow” (where VOKUN was shortened to KUN). JUN can also mean “King”, but the theme of the special edition is all about light and dark.

Skyrim superfan Aled Lewis designed the awesome art and sleeve for the special edition, playing on the light and dark aspect. The sleeve depicts the Dovahkiin riding up to Solitude, and the inner gatefold has a great die-cut effect with the Dovahkiin in the foreground when the sleeve is sitting in it. The cover evokes memories of the E3 trailer way back when Skyrim was first announced, while the sleeve reminded me my first time approaching the city of Solitude.

The soundtrack is pressed on a 180-gram forest green vinyl with side A being JUN and side B being VUL. I wouldn’t necessarily say that the track on either side emits light or dark connotations when listening to it, but wow did I want to boot up Skyrim by the time I was done listening. The track listing is a selection from Jeremy Soule’s incredible compositions (with lyrics by Emil Pagliarulo) for the Skyrim soundtrack. What makes these track so special? These were “the dev team’s favorite tracks, separated into ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ sides”, which I agree that these are all great choices, although I would have loved to have had “The Streets of Whiterun” on here. To be honest, it left me wanting more at the end of side B and wishing there was a second LP to pop on. One thing I noticed was that this pressing was a little quiet compared to other soundtracks I have reviewed. I dropped the Witcher 3 soundtrack on immediately afterwards and noticed the slight difference in amplitude.

 

Unfortunately, there were only 3K pressings made, so the album is currently sold out on iam8bit.com with no indication of repressing. I have seen a couple of these floating around Discogs, so you can still grab it (although marked up a bit). However, those looking for more may want to try and get their hands on a pressing of the full soundtrack, but the Jun/VUL special edition can definitely whet your appetite.

 

 

Images courtesy of iam8bit.com.

The post REVIEW / Skyrim Soundtrack JUN/VUL Special Edition (Vinyl) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2Nh1qrs

Fallout 4: Settlement Ambush Kit changes the game

 

Are you tired of the Commonwealth? Do you trudge wearily from settlement to settlement, answering the call to action with a shrug and a sigh? Perhaps you only come alive when staring down the barrel at an assortment of the wasteland’s nastiest scumbags? Then, believe me, the Settlement Ambush Kit is for you.

Fallout 4‘s Creation Club has been the topic of some discussion since it went online almost 2 years ago. As a host for mods created by the community and approved by Bethesda, the idea was is to give modders the credit they deserve; of course, the community itself saw ‘paid mods’ and ran a mile, yelling and hollering about the ‘traditions’ associated with modding.

Most of the content thus far has been cosmetic, though new power-armors, weapons, and player homes also make their appearances on the site. The Settlement Ambush Kit comes as a complete surprise, an unusually hefty mod that adds more new content than some of the official DLC.  And I am happy to report that, well, it’s a whole lot of fun.

Image courtesy of Bethesda.net.

The Settlement Ambush Kit breathes something resembling new life into Fallout 4. Now, your settlements and their populace have a purpose: arm the people, decorate your land with the new lookout tower and high junk walls and plonk as many turrets down as you can. There are even surveillance cameras, that you can watch remotely from any of your settlements. Any settlers that live in the area you’ve chosen to take the heat will have their morale affected by each passing wave; let morale drop too low – i.e. refuse to Stimpak fallen friends – and you’ll lose the fight.

Once you turn on the beacon – a fake distress signal for human enemies, and a rotting Brahmin for animals and other beasties – the violence begins.

Image courtesy of Bethesda.net.

The enemies arrive in waves. There are 10 waves per round, each punctuated by a named boss who will try their utmost to ruin your day on wave number 10. The difficulty level increases very gradually, and is also dependent upon which settlement you’ve decided to defend; it seems that building somewhere in the South of the Commonwealth will net you harder enemies, more Legendaries, and therefore better loot.

Image courtesy of Bethesda.net.

At first, enemies will drop ammo, Stimpaks, and weaponry for you to gleefully scavenge. Before long, though, the ammo dries up, and Stimpaks become scarce. Any turrets you’ve placed will begin to randomly shut down at higher rounds/waves, and before long the waves themselves begin to arrive with less of a pause between them. Suffice it to say that without a fortified base to call home, you’ll be limping before you know it.

Pro tip: pick a settlement where you can easily find the dead bodies.

I bring you this news because this is Bethesda’s Creation Club finally proving its worth. Monetising the modding scene was never the sole intention here, though it is a beneficial side-effect; the Settlement Ambush Kit is proof that talented modders can produce fun new content and receive compensation for doing so. Bethesda is not preventing modders from releasing their mods for free, but I’m sure the creator of this particular mod is dead chuffed at the positive response it has received.

The sun rises on carnage.

It’s crucial to find a balance, and the Settlement Ambush Kit is the best example so far of just that; a bit of fun that extends the life of Fallout 4 and is well worth the cost. If you want to know more, check out the Bethesda.net community page here. At the time of writing, this content is available on Fallout 4 for PC and console.

The post Fallout 4: Settlement Ambush Kit changes the game appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2p4ET2F

REVIEW / Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PS4)

 

As I first regained control of Kiryu Kazuma after the opening scenes of Yakuza Kiwami 2 had passed by, all I could think was, “Aaaahh, it’s good to be home.” I would probably still be considered an initiate in the Yakuza fanbase, having only stepped onto the scene when Yakuza 0 was released. However, after many hours in that prequel installment, as well as the Yakuza 1 remake, Yakuza Kiwami, the streets of Kamurocho (and Sotenbori) have become very much like a childhood hometown. Sure, things change every time you visit, but you still remember where the pharmacy is, where you can get an awesome bowl of ramen, and where all the underground gambling dens are hidden.

 

 

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a fresh remake of Yakuza 2, originally released on the Playstation 2. In addition to a very obvious graphical overhaul, Yakuza Kiwami 2 features an updated, deliciously smooth battle system, courtesy of the Dragon engine. Kiwami 2 has done away with the 3+ battle systems seen in Zero and Kiwami, and instead boasts a beautifully fluid single fighting style. As is standard procedure in any Yakuza title, Kiwami 2 boasts over 60 substories, some undoubtedly updated or created purely for the release of the remake. Minigames abound, such as karaoke, golf, and a weird new toilet-centric game.

Also new to this release is the addition of the cabaret club money-making minigame seen in Yakuza 0, although this time Kiryu is at the helm, and the brand new Majima Construction minigame and Majima Saga. In three very short chapters with little to no side content (this is a positive), the Majima Saga outlines what happened with fan favourite Goro Majima during the year between Kiwami and Kiwami 2.

 

 

The basic premise of Yakuza Kiwami 2 revolves around the struggles of the Tojo clan following the events of Yakuza Kiwami. Fifth Chairman Yukio Terada calls upon Kiryu, who has been living outside of Kamurocho with Haruka for the last year, for guidance on how to aid the struggling clan. Terada proposes a truce with the Omi Alliance, but is murdered before he can attend Omi Alliance headquarters to discuss this plan with their Chairman.

Series protagonist Kiryu is tasked with heading to Omi HQ with Terada’s dying wish, but he encounters one very large, blonde, mutton-chopped obstacle: the Omi Chairman’s rebellious son, Ryuji Goda – the dragon of Kansai. Working together with old friends such as Makoto Date and struggling to find compromise with new tentative allies such as policewoman Kaoru Sayama, Kiryu has to do everything he can to keep the Tojo clan alive, even if it means stepping back into the fray.

 

 

The story of Yakuza 2/Yakuza Kiwami 2 is exponentially better than that of Kiwami, and that’s not even to say that the latter was bad. Yakuza Kiwami 2‘s plot is simply more interesting, with more crime drama intrigue, a few twists I absolutely didn’t see coming, and a few that I figured out chapters in advance. I can’t say too much without giving away key parts of the plot, but there are a lot of moving parts that come together nicely to form a rich, interesting narrative.

However, as with Kiwami, it’s unmistakably clear that the storytelling was from the PS2 era. Multiple times throughout key points in the plot when things are really fired up, the game slaps you in the face with something irrelevant such as some extra content they needed to shoehorn in (e.g. Majima Construction and the cabaret club), or a “plot” piece that could have just as easily been a substory. It is absolutely jarring, and my overall opinion of the story lost quite a few points purely based on how the plot so often takes a backseat.

 

 

In truth, while it is better than in Kiwami, the pacing is utterly janky. It’s clear that they hit their stride with pacing later in the series (see: Yakuza 0, which had near-perfect pacing and storytelling). As an aside, the substories in Yakuza Kiwami 2 are much better than in Kiwami, and are hilarious, heartwarming, and everything in between.

As for Kiwami 2‘s shiny new battle system, it’s hard to find fault in it overall. There are a few minor, albeit pretty glaring issues like the delay associated with certain Heat Actions. Oftentimes if you enter a battle with a reasonable amount of Heat, you’ll be eligible to set off a Heat Action immediately (shown on the screen by a triangle button prompt). However, there is a definite delay in this prompt coming up, meaning that you go ahead and use a standard rush combo or other basic attack, only to see the Heat Action flash briefly across the screen before your chosen move cancels it.

 

 

Now and then you’ll happen across a short substory where an NPC on the streets or shops of Sotenbori or Kamurocho will need a bit of help. Help them out, usually by kicking the asses of some goons, and their special Heat Action will be made available on the skill catalogue for purchase with experience. These Heat Actions range from a store clerk throwing hot sauce to you mid-battle for you to splash in an enemy’s eyes, all the way to teaming up with a BDSM club girl to dish out some, er, very specifically-aimed pain. I enjoyed having the option of spicing up my battles now and then with an amusing friendly Heat Action, although I do think that once unlocked they should simply be available for use, rather than requiring actual purchase.

The new experience system in Kiwami 2 is fun, although at its most basic level it is under-explained.  There are five elements of experience that you can earn: strength (red), agility (blue), guts (yellow), technique (green), and charisma (purple). The game never actually tells you what each of the colors/symbols stands for, just that you can earn experience in each of them. Not only can you gain experience through battle (usually a fairly even amount of each experience type across the board), but the game highly encourages you to spend your time eating in the myriad restaurants available in the two cities. While some foods earn you way more experience in certain areas than others (e.g. Komian in Sotenbori offers meals which can give you 90 Guts experience), there is also the opportunity to find and earn extra experience from eating pre-set combos of food items which can be found in the Completion section of the menu.

 

 

The skill catalogue is split into four categories, and their cost-per-experience-category is listed to the right of each skill, which gradually increases with each iteration or upgrade and can involve more than one type of experience to purchase. The basic breakdown of categories is stat upgrades (health, attack, defence, and heat gauge), battle skills, heat actions, and “life skills” (passive bonuses in minigames, improving your hunger gauge and metabolism, sprinting stamina etc.).

At first, the imbalance in the types of experience you earn acts as a fair and reasonable limiting factor to stop you from charging through all of the skills in the first few chapters. However, at the end of the game I had somewhere in the vicinity of two thousand to three thousand points of strength and agility experience each, but only a few hundred in guts, technique, and charisma. Even with foods that grant 90 of a certain experience type, it’s a long slog to eat, chug an AppStim to empty your hunger gauge, then repeating the process, especially since you can only hold 10 of each item at a time. In that regard, I think the experience system was great, but could have used a bit more balance or ways to earn large amounts in later chapters.

 

 

Yakuza Kiwami 2 ‘s score was far more memorable than that of Kiwami, though nothing holds a candle to Yakuza 0‘s impressive soundtrack. I’ve had certain battle themes on repeat for the last few days since finishing the game.  The voice acting was spot on, once again, further cementing my understanding of how real yakuza simply must speak in real life. They just shout each other’s names really loudly, right?.

Anyone who’s walked down a busy city street in Japan knows the feeling of walking past shops screaming greetings and squealing about special offers in cute voices and booming shouts. That, and the way your ears are suddenly assaulted by the sounds of a pachinko parlor’s doors opening as you walk past, and the familiar sound of the beeps as you exit and enter a convenience store. As with previous iterations, Yakuza Kiwami 2 was a perfect cacophony.

 

 

Graphically speaking, the Yakuza prequel and remakes of the early games are graphical masterpieces. While some of the once-off substory NPCs have some…pretty gruesome-looking faces if they get really close up, they’re few and far between. I’ve never seen such realistic, varied facial capture and animation in a game in my entire life outside of the Yakuza series. Sotenbori and Kamurocho are beautiful, yet realistic enough to acknowledge the cluttered, often trash-filled nature of big cities. The neon lights, while tamed down from the 80s installment of the series, and other set decoration is vibrant without being overbearing.

Likewise, the map is cleanly laid out, uncluttered, and easy to read. It’s also very easy to identify objects which you can interact with in the environment, such as doors and vending machines. Also, did you know that the game features waypoints now? I’m delighted, as a person who regularly loses their way in real life, although I liked the way that the lack of waypoints in Kiwami and Zero forced me to get to know the two cities and their layout. The addition of waypoints didn’t force the memories of certain locations out of my head, but it did make me a bit more reliant on the new feature.

 

 

Touching briefly on the new money-maker minigames – Majima Construction and Cabaret Club Grand Prix. As I mentioned earlier, both of these are shoehorned into the plot hard. Their initial introductions take up an inordinate amount of time as part of the flow of the plot, and it’s abundantly clear that they’ve been shoehorned in to give either more Majima or Cabaret Club time, seeing as both are insanely popular. Majima Construction is a very long series of RTS games where you help Majima in his quest to build Kamurocho Hills where the homeless encampment used to be in the previous games.

You recruit people via substories to join your ranks, manage upgrading your people and the objects you defend, and have hilarious conversations with certain members of the minigame cast. Honestly, I’m not very good at RTS games, but my boyfriend dutifully completed Majima Construction and concluded that while fun, with great music, the storyline is just all right, you don’t earn much money from it, and it doesn’t add anything to the rest of the game. Cabaret Club, on the other hand, is damn near exactly the same as it was in Yakuza 0, with a few minor tweaks. It earns you a heap of money, it’s addictive, and adds a few substories and fun scenes. Ultimately, not much new, but if you’re a fan like I am, you’ll sink your teeth in very hard.

 

 

Finally, the Majima Saga. The Majima Saga is made up of three short chapters, allows you to play as Majima (the battle style is delicious, smooth, and agile) with no stats to increase, one small side objective that basically just gives sellable items to Kiryu in the main game. The storyline covers what happened in the year between Kiwami and Kiwami 2, which ends up mostly being a very hastily thrown together “plot” for the sake of reintroducing a fan favourite character from Zero. Was it absolutely unnecessary? Yes. Could it be considered a worthwhile plot on its own? Absolutely not. Did I like the fan-pandering? Oh yes, I felt some feelings and it was really nice.  Ultimately, if you liked Majima‘s side of the story in Zero, you’ll probably enjoy the Majima Saga. It’s quick to finish (under 2 hours if you do literally nothing but the plot) and makes you feel all nice inside.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a spectacular game that is addictive, hilarious, and extremely fun to play, which is a hallmark of the series for me (and in general, I feel). It looks great, it feels great, but it has some minor flaws in the gameplay and balance which make it a tad annoying at times. However, there are lots of small features that are just plain nice, like Kiryu and Haruka holding hands whenever they explore the city together with you at the helm. The storyline was good, but the pacing really, really needed work. I expect to see this improve as Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 are remastered (but not given the Kiwami treatment), assuming they don’t screw it up by aggressively shoehorning in new content. I think that any fan of the series would be a fool not to pick this one up, and any non-fan…should probably pick up at least Kiwami first, although Yakuza 0 is truly the best starting place for a newcomer.

 

 

 

 

The post REVIEW / Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PS4) appeared first on That VideoGame Blog.

from That VideoGame Blog https://ift.tt/2NDQ7cc