Author: Dustin Murphy

Persona 5 Headed to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in 2015

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Written by Dustin Murphy

Persona 5

As of the PlayStation Experience this past weekend, a lot of amazing news has come out from game developers and even Sony themselves. This biggest one comes from Atlus USA, Inc., which states that Persona 5 will come to both the PlayStation 3 as well as the PlayStation 4 in 2015. The game will release side-by-side with both and will allow for players to take on a new role within the Shin Megami Tensei Persona Universe. With this news we’ve also gotten a glimpse of the newest trailer, which can be seen below.

With this information, we can only become used to the news that this move will push JRPG’s onto the next generation experience and allow for gamers to enjoy an all new experience unlike before graphically, gameplay and feature wise.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer as well as a PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. Follow him on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Tripwire Interactive to Gore Out the PlayStation 4 with Killing Floor 2

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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Announced today, Tripwire Interactive is bringing it’s Cooperative Sci-Fi Horror FPS gorefest Killing Floor 2 to the PlayStation 4, which will be the games first major console debut for a Tripwire title that we have seen as of today. With the success and demand of the game, players are going to get to take on the Zed horde, which was unleashed back in 2009 on PC. The sequel will leave players to survive, hide, and go through the fallout of a corporate experiment session gone completely wrong, and well – play clean-up or rather decorate the halls with blood and viscera. The game will introduce players to its gameplay with extremely deadly weapons ranging from shotguns to even the legendary Katana. In co-cop players will be able to take to these weapons to heighten their chances for survival, but even then; only the strong will survive and those who work together will have a chance to make it out alive each of the games brutal enemies that await behind every door. When playing, players will be introduced to the M.E.A.T. system, which is what will be delivering the Killing Floor 2 experience when it launches on a PlayStation 4 near you.

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“As a fiercely independent developer we have always wanted to ensure that when we made the leap to consoles it would be on our terms,” said John Gibson, Tripwire Interactive President. “We’ve been extremely impressed with Sony’s openness and fairness when dealing with developers both large and small. We are ecstatic to announce that we’re making a Fleshpound sized leap to console gaming by bringing KILLING FLOOR 2 to the PlayStation 4.”

This reveal took place during the live keynote during the PlayStation Experience this weekend. Las Vegas crowds grew excited as the critically acclaimed title promises to deliver the same experience as its PC counterpart will. Utilizing the PlayStation 4’s hardware, the game will deliver the same experience, graphics, and even gameplay as one would hope from such a game that has taken fans by storm on PC.

We’ve learned that the game will take place just a month after the original titles conclusion and will introduce players to a setting that takes place within Europe during the height of the outbreak caused by Horzine Biotech’s failed experiment that has taken the world by storm with an unrelenting moment, and has left much of the European union crippled. With humanity in disarray and chaos, military forces have been eradicated, governments have toppled, and now European’s are fighting for survival and self-preservation have managed to stay alive by hiding. This is where players will take place as a group of civilians and mercenaries that seek to wipe out the infection and track down each of the outbreaks while exterminating the enemy threat. Unlike past Zed’s, these are fast, aggressive and do not care if you are enemy or not; they just want you dead. That will be much of this games premise as it seeks to take out groups of players one at a time, possibly focusing on the teams weakest link before moving on.

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When exploring this games world, players can expect to see visceral gore by using the games high powered blood system that keeps the blood flowing, and the body parts flying in a six player co-op element or by taking on the hordes in single player. This will be accompanied by the game having multiple playable characters to choose from and allowing for players to experience a game where the Zed A.I. has been smartened, but also works against the players. Though players are not alone as they will be using  improvised weapons, military based assault rifles, “Mad Scientist” based weapons, and even classic style historical guns, which are all accompanied by the games new perk system for players to make talent choices that will reflect their play styles.

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The game is slated to release on PlayStation 4, PC, and SteamOS in 2015. For more information regarding Killing Floor 2 and Tripwire Interactive, please head over to their website and or Facebook for more official and exclusive information. For Killing Floor 2 news head on over to www.killingfloor2.com. You can also keep track of Tripwire Interactive at any of these online channels: www.tripwireinteractive.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tripwireinteractive, Twitter at https://twitter.com/TripwireInt.

We have reached out in order to find out if the game will be receiving a physical release on the PlayStation 4 or if players will need to expect a fairly good size download. Stay tuned as we await a response.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer. He’s a PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Ultra Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter V Announced for PS4

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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As of today, developer and publisher Capcom has announced their strategic partnership with Sony Entertainment to create one of the most unique experiences for PC and PlayStation 4 players. For the first time ever, Street Fighter will be offering a unique cross-platform play between both PC and PlayStation owners. This will allow for more fans to quickly take each other on and even find themselves dueling it out for the top of the leaderboards once and for all.

“Throughout all of our discussions with Sony Computer Entertainment, it is clear that we share a mutual belief that the fighting genre has a huge opportunity for growth,” said Matt Dahlgren, Capcom’s Associate Director of Brand Marketing and eSports. “The announcement today is just the first step, of many, in creating the next generation Street Fighter experience our fans have been asking for.”

“Partnering with Capcom to deliver one of the most popular video game franchises of all time as a console exclusive to our PlayStation family is a huge undertaking and an honor we take incredibly seriously,” said Adam Boyes, VP of Publisher & Developer Relations at Sony Computer Entertainment America. “We can’t wait to show Street Fighter and PlayStation fans what we have in store for them.”

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This move makes a giant leap for many gamers, with once-and-for-all sealing the link between PC and console platforms and putting players together. Capcom has also announced the first gameplay demonstration of their newly in development Street Fighter V will take place at the Capcom Cup grand finals tournament a week from today on Saturday, December 13th. The tournament will be taking place in San Francisco, CA, and will be broadcasted live on the official Capcom Fighters Twitch stream for those to take a peek at the first look as well as the announced that Ultra Street Fighter IV is headed to the PlayStation 4 in order to seal this historic partnership and demonstrating that both companies are there to provide each other a variety of benefits, but also their fighting game fans!

One can only wonder; what characters will be back? What story is there to tell? Will we see an all new cast? Stay tuned and find out! Stay tuned for our future coverage of both of these titles as well as the reviews when they become available.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed – Dressing for the Fight

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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Pros:
-Plenty of Japanese Subculture Referencing
-Quickened load time on the PlayStation 4 Version
-PlayStation 4’s Twitch.tv integration added in unique twists and plenty of chaos

Cons:
-Minor load times still exist between each zone
-Combat enemy lock-on’s are still problematic
-PS Vita and PS3 versions both struggle with long load times
-No Cross save functionality

Ever wondered what it would be like to wander through Akihabara, Japan’s Electric District? That has been handed to us by Acquire with their imaginative, hilarious, and rather creative title; Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed. Undertaking this game some must enter with the knowledge that this game makes fun of the stereotyped Japanese social groups and even to some, stink with sexist jokes and even sexism at its finest, but this is not something that the game does in any form of intentional purpose. In the game players get to take control of Nanashi (used by default or renamed). This character is an ordinary otaku who just manages to live in Akihabara that has decided to apply for the job of being an experimental drug testing position in exchange for some rare figurines. The problem here? He was blinded by the fact of his promise for shiny plastic things, but low and behold; he was turned into a Synthister or vampire like creature that harvests life-force of enemies in order to survive. Let alone does he end up constantly beating the clothes off of enemies and stripping them down into their underwear and or bra’s in order to defeat them.

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This is where the game begins to take a bit of an amazing – yet at times unsettling twists in the world of a video game; players will find themselves exploring the idea’s of anime fandom, obsession, and even the darker twists of what underlies within the fandom world. After spending a bit of the game it was not hard to see that the story would spend time with Nanashi spending time to come to grasps with the fact he had almost been brainwashed in order to become one of the lifeless Synthister.

Finding out what had happened to him, it was no surprise that he had decided to take on the task to rid the world of Synthisters and to protect Akiba (short for Akihabara). With his mind free, choices made, and his enemies set clear, it’s time for players to meet the bigger picture; a team of rascals that hang out at the local bar called Mogra. Once learning of what happens, the team decides it’s time to set sail and protect the otaku of Akiba from the darkness growing from within.

“‘Explorations such as a Sega store ended with my character walking away”

When stepping away from the game, the story itself is very anime-like and will keep those who want an adventure such as this at bay. Unfortunately, several of my explorations such as a Sega store ended with my character walking away, and almost (not really, but we can pretend) tears running down my face in frustration at having not been able to go in. This was repeated several times due to the iconic stores being present within the game, but only to learn once more; these are just empty shells of their real-life counterparts that one could go see in real life if the money, time, and effort was taken. With that aside, players were able to visit several more places and actually enter them only to be introduced to a rather cliché storefront where the menu is simply “Buy, Sell, or Leave”. This can become frustrating as the ideology of such an open world on Platforms such as the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 would have seemed fully possible given the chance. Much like other reviewers have pointed out, there are many places within the technological paradise that are cordoned off to those who have a free-roaming spirit.

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Unfortunately; that is where the Vita version did begin to suffer a bit more than its PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 counterparts due to the load screens. They were easily timed at between 10-20 seconds per load screen (and there are tons of them), 5-10 on the PlayStation 3, and roughly 2-5 seconds on the PlayStation 4. Even with these load times having been trimmed a bit, it didn’t leave a good feeling there as players will want to explore the open areas and see what Akiba has to offer them on its rather ‘small’ map. True to what it is, Akiba’s Trip does take a few things about itself seriously; avatar population (this had bad pop in and out’s on the PS Vita version), sights, sounds, and even a lot of varied passer-by’s such as the “Gothic Lolita”, “Privileged Skank” (this one I felt was a bit overboard), Tourists, and even “Oktau Fanboy” as a few of the many names that players will come across. Spotting them on the PlayStation Vita version was a bit of a hassle due to the version having suffered rather large load times of NPC’s even after having loaded into a zone (I spent a quarter of the time loading in within the fifteen hours spent playing, free-roaming, and even starting random fights) and causing a bit of frustration when finding the proper fight or finding the proper NPC’s to speak with.

Much like one would expect, the game doesn’t leave its setting as a stereotyped JRPG with its brawler quirks. Many of the games missions are simply a matter of going somewhere, grabbing an item, and or reporting back. Players will need to note that many of these missions will disappear after completing certain points within the games main campaign. Some of them included finding an enemy and beating them up in order to strip them of their clothes and watch them vanish in a purplish shadow like appearance before reporting back, but this is where the stat system, weapon system, and progression system on the RPG front play a role. Weapon’s as one would expect determine how much damage is done to each piece of an enemies clothing before it can be removed. These weapons fortunately can be upgraded to increase their damage and usability while clothing can be found and just worn in order to provide more ‘health’ or ‘armour’ depending on the way one looks at it.

“With the plague of brief Loadscreen, I felt myself cringing each time on the PlayStation 4 itself”

Unfortunately there were things that the PlayStation 4 version had available that could have saved the game; processing power, larger discs, and the ability to add more content within it. Unfortunately, it settles for a rather familiar taste that I received when playing its counterparts on PS3 and Vita. The game was lacking, NPC’s were barely interactive, the game was hit with brief loadtimes, and even with the Twitch.TV feature the game still felt bland despite the small changes that viewers could add in. This was something that the game was deserving of in changes, the lack of load ties being necessary, the ability of seamless gameplay had been fully possible had the time been taken to fully rebuild the game itself. With the plague of brief loadscreens, I felt myself cringing each time on the PlayStation 4 itself, which made the game feel as if each area could have been one giant zone that could be explored thanks to the games anime-style graphics and the powerful machine that we know as the PlayStation 4. With this version being slightly underutilized, many players will find themselves slightly flustered at this lackluster touch since areas don’t feel like one giant one.

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Instead, this game attempts to make up for it with the games Toybox mode, which gives players access to every avatar, item, and even weapon in the game from the start. Whilst this game is fun, players will be disappointed to see that the Toybox mode does not have its own trophies and even locks trophies. Though the best part of it all for me was the experience of having broadcast viewers changing the way my gameplay. They were able to start a brawl, drop panties, and even create NPC’s of their own name, and drop them into my game. This wasn’t as outrageous as one would have hoped, but it does change the way the game is played and makes for an amusing time for those wanting to see their game get taken over by people they’ve never encountered before or their friends looking to settle old scores.

“One was the want for minor load times”

Even with these changes, there were a bit of things to actually look upon when digging deep into the games tastes. One was the want for the minor load times; while this game was fun, this had truly taken away from the game itself and actually hurt the game itself. This was something that cripples it at its highest peak. Unlike other reviews, the use of stripping enemies down to their underwear or even to nothing and being covered by glimmering light offers for a rather amusing game. Though it is not an area that will allow for players who dislike this thing to avoid. Instead it is imbedded very much-so within the games DNA (code) to be apart of the base game itself. Even with the games insanely realistic boob physics that could easily put it in competition with both Senran Kagura or even Dead or Alive in this area. This is not to say though that it is not amusing regardless of it being a possible fan service or not. Even with this being a small possible issue, there are others such as the small load screens that damage the console versions from being one of the most amusing sandbox games to take on the most famed area of Japan for tourists and locals alike. Combat is another part where this game was suffering. The combat system feels flawed in many ways due to how players will find themselves frustrated with the game being stuck in what seems to be a not-so-soft-lock mode. Unlike other games where the target lock felt more like a good idea, this time around it was not such a good idea to not let players swap targets on the fly while yanking off pants and shirts as well as hats and or glasses.

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Even with this, it’s not hard to see a rather skilled storyline behind the main game. It’s not hard to see that the skilled writers behind this game did a good job, but there is also a heavy nod that is due to the XSeed Games localization teams hard work to provide such a humorous game. Even the game being aware of its own tropes, pop culture references, and its not-so-hidden gamer showings; Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed can be considered a Japanese culture masterpiece despite its small hitches and even humour that some who will not understand outside of the games anime-filled humour. Unfortunately for those who have not played it prior to the PlayStation 4 release will find the game between 6-7 hours with only the main quest at the games primary focus. Though the question will come down to whether or not that players can enjoy the game in its default state or if they will take to the games visual editor and enjoy the game in varying appearances, which all of them make the game quite fun and easy to enjoy. Players can turn their screens all sorts of interesting colour’s in order to amuse themselves within this game.

With all of these things stacked up, it is not hard to see that Acquire targeted at a specific group of fans, and they will not be displeased. However, to those that don’t understand this type of game; it will be seen as sexist and filled with sexism that could be considered a disgrace to the gaming industry. With all that said, this game is one of the funniest, most awkward and even brilliantly composed to be a neatly weaved piece of hilarity. If players were to get any, the PlayStation 4 version is the go-to-version out of all three.

Review Score: 7 out of 10

 Review Note: Our PlayStation 4 copy was provided to us by the publisher and is based upon the final retail version downloaded through PlayStation Store. The PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3 versions are based upon the final digital versions, which launched earlier this year.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: Lords of the Fallen – Those Who Triumph Must Fall

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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Pros:
-Dark Souls fans will be familiar with combat
-Beautiful graphics and animations
-Weapon variances are majorly different
-Enemies have variances that will provide an interesting combat scenario
-New Game+ offers a varying rise in difficulty and could definitely test a players patience.

Cons:
-Difficulty that easily jumps without holding back
-Finding the path to take is hard and can lead to an ultimate demise
-Understanding weapon upgrades via runes can be extremely hard
-Inability to adjust level difficulty
-Intermittent frame rate jumps and or pop-in terrain

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When entering Lords of the Fallen; players are immediately introduced to a world that is out to kill you. When every corner filled with traps, poison, fire, curses, enemies, and even unspeakable odds, death is imminent to those who remain impatient and do not take their time. It’s not hard to see that this game has spun itself around the successful mechanics that players have come to expect in the more difficult titles that have released from Bandai Namco in the most recent years.

The one thing the game has established well for itself is what makes the Souls franchise famous; intense and tactics filled combat. Rather than struggling with this set up, it become a good thing for Lords of the Fallen. The transitions in combat and exploring is what makes this game one of the more difficult titles to have launched on the new-gen consoles; this being possible even with the few technical hiccups the game has once in a while. While some would say that this title is easily accessible for explorers, others could say it is a title that sticks out as slightly inferior to titles such as Dark Souls or even Demon’s Souls since the character for us to use is already pre-made and set-in-stone. Fortunate, it worked out quite well for the tattoo and rune marked character only known as the prisoner Harkyn. This is where we find our game focusing on when we aren’t helping out Kaslo, the one person who seeks to remove Harkyn from his imprisonment he was sentenced to for all of eternity. Why? Well your guess is good as ours, but it builds up to an interesting story when demons start invading the world and leaving players to the point of cringing as they fight their way through almost seemingly impossible hordes, and even bosses in order to unravel the events that lead up to this point.

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When players begin to try and dissect the games story, it’s easy to see that there are plenty of plot-holes and even small things that will make players beat their heads into a wall, but these are things that are minor, and not critical to our adventure with Kaslo, Harkyn, and the other characters who you will encounter. The story itself could be stated that it follows a formula that was used in Game of Thrones, but just not quite as well as the before mentioned one has. Thanks to the game filling some plot holes via some closure via journal entries and notes.

Though that is where the title began to lose some of its glimmer for some. For Dark Souls and or Demon’s Souls fan, this game will be an easy pick-up-and-play title from the get go, but for the less experienced, this game will be a difficult adventure until those whom are new to the game are used to the mechanics. Lords of the Fallen suffers from one thing that could make quite a few people slam their heads into a wall out of frustration; Harkyn is slow. Players will find a bit of frustration with his lack of speed outside of anything, but light armor. This means adjusting to this can be a bit frustrating for those players who are attempting to find some comfort zone within the title; unfortunately there are a few problems with that approach that will be discussed a little later on. Newcomers? This game will take hours to master and feel truly acquainted with due to the games constantly changing strategies based upon what enemies are quelled and well if players don’t snap their XBox One Controller or their PlayStation 4’s controller first in pure frustration.

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For those that manage to push through Lords of the Fallen will find a game that could easily find itself as a more Diablo-esque hack-and-slash title that even follows a loot style much likes its own. Finding better weapons, armor, and runes is always something that players will feel their exploration and challenge is quite worthy of. Let alone will players be able to enjoy the games massively useful gauntlet or even finding weapons such as Swords that wield fire damage or even poison elements in order to beat their enemies into a bloody pile of viscera that will find no mercy from Harkyn’s wrath. For those who prefer not to use a sword-like-playstyle will quickly find themselves brandishing a staff, scythe, dual swords, or even daggers to tarnish the well known reputation the Rhogar (the demon’s) are known for. One of the aspects that made this loot system entertaining was the random encounters players can take on through hidden challenge portals where players can find the loot, clear enemies, and claim their armor or take on a room where enemies will come in waves of three or more, and will slam down a boss among the mess. This is where the loot gets insane as players will find a chest crammed with loot, and in my case; full armor sets that could easily make someone’s jaw hit the floor.

When putting all that aside though, players will determine how to use this gear based upon the class they choose (this is where stats seem to weigh a bit more). For me I decided to pick the games variant of the cleric when I could have chosen through Warrior or rogue on my first playthrough. Here I was able to pick one of my spells that allowed me to increase Harkyn’s  health regeneration instead of having to use my healing potions where I would have normally consumed them as having been a bit rusty with such titles. Though at level 50 or so and having all my spells maxed out before trekking towards the final boss, I found myself deceiving enemies, making them return their own damage, and eating straight through the game as if there was no challenge at all. This is something where I felt a bit taken back by as it was time to prepare for New Game+ where I decided to start looking between the Warrior skill tree and the Rogue on in order to make a hybrid class, which truly gives this game another spin for a root of entertainment.

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Much like the game many will compare it too (Dark Souls), the game does attempt to increase the games challenge where players will recover their lost XP, which ticks away with time, and eventually can completely disappear. This will lead players to running through enemy hordes if they aren’t smashing through them and hope to reclaim their lost XP on top of the newly accrued XP that they’ve manage to wrack up over time. Unlike Dark Souls, however, there is one thing the game does well. Traps will be waiting if enemies had smashed them to their deaths, let alone will those enemies have respawned to once more claim their death toll marks for the day. Unlike what I would have hoped and seen in Dark Souls, Lords of the Fallen does not respawn enemies at each checkpoint; instead players will find themselves either saving and restarting the game from the menu or doing what I had and leaping to my death in order to grind more XP so that my stats had felt a bit more streamlined for the weapons and gear used.

The XP system, surprisingly, isn’t used just to make Harkyn a harder hitting, spell throwing, and enemy crunching slayer; instead XP can also be used for identifying runes at the games oddly interesting spirit-like-vendor who openly tosses them the players way. Doing this, players are able to obtain runes that increase a weapons stats (if socketable) or even add new elemental effects that may have not been there before. Many players who have played games such as Diablo will easily relate this to the armor crafting or modifying system to make their arsenal all the more lethal.

As the adventure came to a close and my controller was placed on my charger cradle, I walked away knowing that what I had played wasn’t just some new hack-and-slasher. Instead what I played was a game that had easily wanted to put itself in the line with some of the hardest to play titles. This time around, the game itself was rather impressive once said and done and with the New Game+ offering more features, it’s hard to not see that this game has countless hours that could be placed within it. Even with having only seen a third of the trophy’s and even the achievements unlocked, it’s not hard to see that this game has some life in it, but will it be enough to keep Souls fans at bay? From what I saw, the short answer is yes. This is a title that should be within anyones collection for PC or new-gen despite the few technical hiccups we found, which lead to the games framerate dropping and even terrain flashing black for a small second before returning to normal.

Review Score: 7 out of 10

Review Notice: Our review is based upon the final retail version on the PlayStation 4 and XBox One. The XBox One version was played on for a rough six hours before having returned back to PlayStation 4.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: Avenger Reflex – A Cyborg Soldier with Unusual Firepower that Lives up to Promises

/ Dustin Murphy / 1 Comment

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Review by Devon Day

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Chris “Parasite” Durate. Patrick “Aches” Price. Matt “NadeShot” Haag. Do these names sound familiar? If not, these names are some of the most storied names in competitive Call of Duty history; forever etched do to their unique styles of play. From Parasite’s deceptive movement in Search and Destroy, to NadeShot’s tenacity in Domination, these players compete to achieve one goal, win. However, as every great warrior wields their preferred weapon in combat, so do these players. No other weapon is more important than the gaming controller; gaming headsets being a close second.

While Scud Gaming’s controller forever changed the FPS landscape of Major League Gaming, one company in 2009 dared to challenge their rule. Their name was N-Control, and their Avenger Controller quietly became a revolutionary device that was underappreciated by the gaming and competitive communities. Fast forward to 2014, and both communities have taken notice in the Avenger Reflex; N-Control’s latest offering towards the current generation of consoles. This newest offering is a much more streamlined product from its predecessor; the Avenger DEFCON F4. However, Scuf Gaming has also armed themselves in the Scuf 4PS; their updated variant of their predecessor; the Scuf PS. Will the Reflex out-edge the 4PS? Or will the term “You get what you pay for” win with the 4PS beating out the Reflex being over $200 vs. $69.99? Find out today in our review!

Calling the Reflex a futuristic arachnid, preferably a spider, isn’t a bad thing. A streamlined look rocking jet black compliments the Dualshock 4 perfectly. Various appendages and dual trigger skis also further its cyborg look. In addition, not only does it look swell on the DualShock 4, it blends seamlessly with it as well. On top of that, there are small rectangular holes found in these “Trigger Skis.” What they do will be explained later on. As for the rest of the appearance, not much else. Not a bad thing, but nothing else to cover. Now, how does it fare against the Scuf 4PS?

Sadly for the Reflex, not good. While I do like the jet black decision made by N-Control, I just wish there were other color variations. For example, in the case of the Scuf 4PS, there are many options to customize the controller towards your liking. For this review, I had used the Digital Camo Green variant. In addition, custom LED lights for the PS button are also an added bonus. Also, the paddles on the back (I had tested the two paddle variation) blend well on the DualShock 4, but for the Reflex, they do not compare to their bionic arms. Even so, the overall appearance of the Reflex does not stand up towards the 4PS, so the Reflex loses this round, as style and representation are two keynotes for the competitive community. It still has a chance to come back, but not at the moment for the time being.

Using the Reflex on the DualShock is going to feel weird for newcomers. For veterans who have used the DEFCON F4, such as myself, you will feel right at home with the Reflex attached towards your controller. The bionic arm placement was a natural fit, but for newcomers, this could take some time getting used to; especially with the bionic edge placement near the X button, which requires some finesse from your right palm. Utilizing the design of the Trigger Skis also takes time. However, there is a work around. You can actually change these hair triggers into loops. Just take the rubber strip out of one of the holes and form a loop to insert it into that second hole. This does alleviate where your placement of either your index or middle fingers go; depending on your play style. This is a learning curve, and you will need to take some time to get your comfort levels in alignment with the Reflex. For the 4PS, if you own or have experience with the DualShock 4, you will nearly feel right at home.

The difference maker is those paddles on the back, and those may or may not take time: which is again, dependent on your playing preferences. Either way, the 4PS gets the nod due to its familiarity towards people who have used the DualShock 4 as opposed to utilizing said controller with a new form of grip and control, and in competitive gaming, even the slightest loss of grip can lead to a loss. At two losses already, the Reflex isn’t holding up towards its arch-enemy, and things will not get any easier for the cyborg warrior.

The Reflex’s build is much stronger than than its predecessor. The arms and triggers have a deceptive look to them; flimsy and breakable. However, these arms are much stronger; able to take greater forms of tension. In addition, the overall plastic body has also gotten a boost. Tosses on the coffee table or on the floor were no match for the Reflex, as tanking those hits were a cinch. For the 4PS, it is the same story in terms of its upgrades. However, Scuf Gaming claims these paddles are indestructible. Taking that into consideration, I decided to put the 4PS to the ultimate test; using the front end of a Philips Screwdriver. To my amazement, even after banging the front on the paddles only, the paddles had the same amount of tactile click and worked throughout testing. Other factors are mainly in part towards the DualShock 4.

Every form of build quality you would find on a normal DualShock 4 will be the same for the super charged variation Scuf Gaming provides. I can say with confidence that attempting to bang the Reflex with a Philips Screwdriver will cause some damage. Even though the gaming crowd or competitive players like F0rmal are not going to perform such a test, it is nice to see Scuf go to such lengths to ensure that your controller can survive such abuse. Therefore, mark it three rounds that N-Control’s product has lost. However, it may have found a fortunate change of events.

Those long arms, edge component, and ski attachments catapult the Reflex into a class that is yet matched. As a bonus, those small black screws on the arms can be twisted to change the sensitivity at which the buttons are pressed. However, even though the comfort will take getting used to, notice the position of your fingers. Each finger is connected towards either the arm or the ski (loops otherwise) in some form of way. After studying this myself with the help of a friend, this placement emulates the placement PC players use in the traditional WASD configuration for FPS shooters.

It is something to be commended for; an idea that borrows a concept that adjusts towards the reflexes enjoyed by PC gamers and one of the reasons why N-Control’s idea was so revolutionary back in 2009, and even to today. If this actually works will be explained later on. As for the 4PS, it applies much of what was used when the Scuf PS came out, but there are some new additions. You can adjust the trigger tensions internally via a screwdriver and a special tool, and there is a feature called EMR, or Electromagnetic Remapping. Essentially put, you place this key on the back of the 4PS, select which option or face button you want to map, and it automatically configures towards that option. Even though the paddles themselves are more ergonomically placed, and hey have added additional options, such as options via their website to increase the stick height of the controller, the Reflex goes beyond with how you can place the rubber strips on the skis, and KontrolFreek offers much better variations for your height preferences on the sticks. It is not docking the usage of electro magnetism of the controller. It is a really unique idea and one that is noteworthy in itself, but while it does change how fast you can map those buttons (how well will be explained later), it doesn’t challenge the traditional way of how you hold the controller and revolutionize it the way that the Reflex does. Something that changes a concept is a revolution, and the Reflex does just that. While players such as “Crimsix” may not consider this much of a bonus, other gamers can definitely find a benefit in it. With one round under its belt after three losses, the Reflex can still eek out another victory, but it will not be easy.

Before I get into how each performed, keep in mind that these products offer two distinct traits; reaction time and reflexes. We already went over what the differences are earlier, but now it is time to see how both performed against one another, and the Reflex will start us out. Firing up its preferred genre in FPS games in Advanced Warfare, I saw impressive results. Much like the DEFCON F4, my reaction speeds were faster than without, but with the upgraded sensitivity of the arms and the edge, my KD soared dramatically and was able to gain faster reaction times than I was with the F4. Face-Offs were won roughly 70% thanks in part towards the Reflex, which is an increase of 10% from 60%, and run and gun became more effective without; easily reloading, switching weapons, and jump shooting towards victory in gunfights. Trigger happy people like myself are also in for a rest treat, as those looped rubber strips actually benefit your index or middle fingers in conjunction with the skis, allowing for faster  or those of you new to the Avenger product line, prepare for some learning pains. My aforementioned friend had to play 3 matches before finally getting accustomed towards the overall feel of the device.

Other games such as Shadow of Mordor yielded similar results. Taleion’s moves never felt more fluid with the Reflex, and even inFAMOUS Second Son was more enjoyable with the Reflex than without, as soaring and gliding across the wide open landscape became more graceful with the usage of the Reflex. Against the 4PS, in other genres, the Reflex easily wins. Even when adjusting the trigger tension and paddles via the EMR feature In FPS? A tie. While I do like the usage of EMR and the paddles, it didn’t feel as fast or as fluid like the Reflex. However, those custom analog sticks that Scuf provides can be a difference maker. For those of you who live and die a sniper, the 4PS is your friend. An increased height in the sticks made lining up headshots that much easier, as I went on a tear with the Lynx. Burst-Fire and Semi-Auto users should also feel enlightened as well. From the IMR to the MK14, the heightened sticks will really help out.

Other than though, I did notice my gunfight winning percentage wasn’t has high as I had hoped. I did get a 65% score, up from 50% without, but down 5% frm the Reflex. The issue? Reflexes. The paddles do increase the speed of your reaction times, but not your reflexes. While I did map my paddles towards crouching and switching (I play clawgrip) and noticed better reaction speeds towards an enemy, my reflexes were no up to par, mainly due to the fact that a finger could still be on the controller itself and not being able able to transition accordingly with the paddles quickly enough; something that the Reflex does well. However, even with that said, I did see an improvement due towards accuracy and reaction time; two of three key elements in competitive gaming players need. The Reflex holds down reflexes and reaction speed while missing the mark on accuracy. That being said, it is a tie.

Before we get into the final verdict, price has to be talked about. You get more variations of colors, more additional performance tweaks, and more natural method of playing a game with a few notable differences. However, that does come at a price: $150-200 depending on your route. For someone like NadeShot, this is easy, as Optic Gaming has him covered. For many of you out there however, a steep price. For the Reflex, $70 that nabs you more performance in trade for a learning curve and looks. However you break it, your pockets will feel the burn. However, if I were to pick one, it would be the Relex. Despite its learning curve and lack of options, even though it ties performance wise with the 4PS, N-Control’s product was focused more on how the product functions. That is not to say that Scuf Gaming didn’t have that focus, but they also have to appeal towards an audience who want to represent their respective teams and doing so requires compromise, so the Reflex takes this one.

With that being said, what is B.A.T.G.R.’s final thoughts on the Reflex? At $70, you will get a product that may not have the glamour and require some learning, but if those two criticisms are not factors, this Cyborg enhanced controller add-on will help you increase your reaction speeds and reflexes; ultimately winning you more gunfights or assisting you in other genres. You can find out more about the avenger at their official website: https://www.avengercontroller.com/

Review Score: 9 out of 10

What are your thoughts on the Reflex? Do you own any products from N-Control? What changes would you like to see in the Reflex’s successor? Sound off in the comments below! As always, on behalf of all writers of B.A.T.G.R., thank you for reading. Until next time, this is Devon… Checking Out.

About the Writer:

Devon_Day_BATGRA man growing up between the gaming boundaries on the 5th generation Nintendo 64, but admiring the 3rd gen. Nintendo Entertainment System and 4th generation Sega Genesis for their contributions, Devon Day always has something on his mind regarding video games and the accessories they contain. His first was a microphone for the Nintendo 64 for the “Hey You, Pikachu!” video game, but expanded towards the next line up of gaming peripherals including the Astro A40, MadCatz MLG Pro Circiut Controller, MadCatz STRIKE 7, and many other gaming gadgets. Now loving gaming tech more than ever, he sees this generation crucial to bring the full circle of social connectivity that the 7th. generation of video game consoles started.

Dark Souls II Scholar of the First Sin Set for Next-Gen

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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It’s about time for fans to prepare for their decent as they prepare to fight the legions of the undead as the Kingdom of Drangleic suffer from an unbearable curse with DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin. For the first time ever, the souls franchise seeks to bring the experience to both the XBox One and PlayStation 4 consoles, but also PC for the first time on April 7th, 2015. This will be the first adventure for FROMSOFTWARE with the next generation consoles.

These versions are being crafted specifically so that they may be able to take advantage of the consoles full power, but also the full power of PC’s with DirectX11 so that players may take part in a rather graphically advanced version of the game. However, even with this, players will get to experience new game content, which includes the expanded story with additional in-game content such as deadlier enemies and new gameplay improvements to give players a new experience. This new version will contain the previously released three DLC chapters; Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King. This also includes the upcoming Downloadable Content; Scholar of the First Sin.

“DARK SOULS II launched in March 2014 to critical acclaim garnering a MetaCritic.com rating of 91%,” said Chris Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BANDAI NAMCO Games America Inc.  “With DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin Edition, FROMSOFTWARE is inviting players back to the kingdom of Drangleic to experience its improved gameplay mechanics, gorgeous next-gen  graphics, and uncover new unknown dangers and lore.”

For those who have decided not to upgrade the game to the new-gen or DirectX11 version, can prepare to see the already released version will get to experience the game with this free content update, but will need to purchase the DLC separately when it launches. Those who do not can prepare for the DLC release on PlayStation 3, XBox 360, and DirectX9 PCs. This version will include all three of the past DLC’s mentioned before, but will also receive a rather large update in order to bring the content forth. The update will be version 1.10, and will add new features such as an NPC to seek out through your dangerous quests through Drangleic as well as new story exploration, in-game events, improved balancing, and an improved matchmaking system. This update will be free-of-charge, but will require a bit of a download to obtain it.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

KINGDOM HEARTS 2.5 HD ReMIX Out Now on PlayStation 3

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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It’s been some time since we’ve seen an adventure with Sora, Riku, Kaira, Donald, Mikki, Goofy and friends. As of today, this is now possible as the newest release in compiled titles has released for the PlayStation®3 with the KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX. Fully remastered in HD from the original PS2 format, the game is also a released version of it called FINAL MIX when it released. KINGDOM HEARTS 2 is also accompanied by a fully new crafted version of Birth By Sleep FINAL MIX that released on the PSP in Japan exclusively. There is also a nifty little piece in there that some players haven’t gotten to experience, but can now with the full-length film that took all cut-scenes in order to make a movie out of KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded, which originally released on the Nintendo DS.

In these versions, players will get to experience content that has before now, never been seen outside of imported versions of the game. The game will be picking up where we saw 1.5 HD ReMIX leave off when it launched last year. Players once more will get to take to a new, never before seen version of the game that will include new gameplay mechanics, graphics, and even hallmark areas within the Disney Universe including Deep Space from Lilo & Stitch, 100 Acre Wood (Winnie the Pooh), Port Royal (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), Halloween Town (Nightmare Before Christmas) and many more! Lets not forget those familiar faces from each of the shows that will accompany them.

“Kingdom Hearts fans are our number one priority and their passion for the series drove us to create this unique experience ,” said Tetsuya Nomura, director. “KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX  combines three fan-favorite titles in beautiful high-definition with amazing detail and depth, making fans feel as though they’re playing their favorite games again for the first time.”

This is one of the most timeless classics that Disney Fans will ever get to experience in their lifetime!

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

The Legend of Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses Master Quest Concert Announced

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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There is no secret that The Legend of Zelda is one of the most recognized franchises in the world. It has become well known across comics, games, an animated series, books, and even clothing. It is one of the most beloved series of all times; so is the music. As of today, Nintendo has announced that their third installment of the multimedia symphony is to be toured worldwide. Fans new and old will get to experience one of the most beloved franchises music scores played upon a live stage. These fans will get to experience the music played as it was meant to be in its original compositions, but will also introduce newcomers to musical themes from the series and will let them celebrate some of their favorite moments to have ever played upon a television screen or even a handheld gaming system.

Now the big question is; where can I go to see this? Thanks to Nintendo, we have an official list of the shows that will be performed:

  • Nashville, Tennessee, Schermerhorn Symphony Center; Jan. 21, 22
  • Honolulu, Concert Hall; Jan. 30
  • Tokyo, Tokyo International Forum; Feb. 7
  • Boston, Symphony Hall; Feb. 27
  • Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, Arena Monterrey; March 6
  • Mexico City, Arena Ciudad de Mexico; March 8
  • Toronto, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts; March 20
  • Stockholm, Ericsson Globe;April 16
  • London, Wembley Arena; April 17
  • Düsseldorf, Germany, Mitsubishi Electric Halle; April 19
  • Paris, Palais des Congrès; April 23
  • Milan, Teatro degli Arcimboldi;April 24
  • Atlanta, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre; April 30
  • Edmonton, Alberta, Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium; May 20
  • Vancouver, British Columbia, Queen Elizabeth Theatre; May 22
  • Calgary, Alberta, Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium; May 23
  • Montreal, Place des Arts; May 30
  • Austin, Texas, Long Center for the Performing Arts; June 20
  • Houston, Jones Hall for the Performing Arts; Oct. 22

Those lucky audience members who do attend will get to also experience new music from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between worlds, which is the most recent of the games released for the Nintendo 3DS handheld system.Attendees will also get to experience the new and uniquely crafted songs of the fan-favorite title The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Even with that being a big portion of the concert as an all time first, players can also experience the games unique story that will take them in their exploration of The Legends of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and many more titles that will get an amazing full orchestra rendition.

“2015 will mark a banner year for Zelda fans. Not only will The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask be coming to Nintendo 3DS, a new Wii U Zelda game is also on its way,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “‘Master Quest’ will be a great opportunity for the Nintendo community to come together and celebrate the legacy of The Legend of Zelda games in a live performance setting.”

“The continued excitement around The Legend of Zelda franchise is amazing, and this special concert will deliver an unforgettable experience for fans,” notes Jason Michael Paul, President of Jason Michael Paul Productions, Inc, which is producing the concert tour. “These performances transcend culture and geography and unite people through a common love for this venerable and legendary series.”

Those attending will get to see some of their favorite scenes within the game take place upon screen side by side as the concert serenades the crowds. On top of this news, the gorgeous and specifically timed pieces that have been approved by Nintendo’s sound director and famed The Legend of Zelda composer Koji Kondo. Though that is not all. As fans are enjoying the music, they can also partake in the festivities that will take place for some who like to partake in “cosplaying” events, but also for those who wish to reminisce about their favorite moments within the series while they attend such an elegant concert.

Fans can view a complete tour schedule with ticketing information, and also sign up for a regularly updated digital newsletter, at http://zelda-symphony.com.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

SQUARE ENIX Announces HEAVENSTRIKE RIVALS for Mobile Devices

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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Players duking out in a tactical RPG sound fun? Then our friends over at SQUARE ENIX have something right up your alley. As of today on the behalf of SQUARE ENIX and developer’s MEDIATONIC LTD (Amateur Surgeon) and the Japan-based Yumriu Corporation working on this title, friends will be able to take on the game that is being kept within the SQUARE ENIX family of teams. This also includes the idea that players who are taking the strategic RPG into their experience with character designs by Ryoma Ito (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance) and music be Ryo Yamazaki (Final Fantasy XIV). It’s with talent like these that players will be drawn into the Kingdom of Lunnain in order to take on the vicious and rather nightmarish creatures that invade the lands and attack the villagers within it.

What does this mean? The people of Lunnain need the help of players to come together to repel both the Fallen and strike back at the heavens and send the creatures where they came from. This lets players engage in both simple, deep, and at times complicated combat with over two hundred characters in tow. This means they will protect, save, and reunite the Seven Sisters so that Lunnian can be freed from the invasion. This will also put players at the helm of PVP when taking on the regular pvp events and weekend Arena competitions in order to unlock unique rewards.

Are you participating in the beta? If so share your feedback for those who have been playing it in both Canada and Austrlia. Till then, the rest of us will have to wait for the global release coming this winter on both iOS and Android.

About the Writer:

Dustin_BATGRDustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.