Are You Getting Ready for the PlayStation 4 Pro? Good, Here’s a Few Things to Know

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As we get closer to the launch of the PlayStation 4 Pro, many of us are heading to forums for answers, we’re tweeting Sony for answers, or we’re simply typing away in some form or another to see what we can find out. With the launch just a few days away, I too found myself keying away at my search engines for all the things I needed to know. None of this, however, had to do with just specs, but features, requirements, and capabilities as far as hardware goes.

Let alone were those part of the searches, so were the games that would be getting the higher-end performance upgrades and graphical retouching. So lets take a look at the few things you may not know just yet.

Will the PlayStation 4 Pro Take Advantage of my AC Router?

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While I, myself, were troubled by this question I decided to revisit the official blog post by Sony’s CEO Andrew House. Unlike the PlayStation 4 that launched back in 2013 that supports wireless 802.11 B and 802.11G which don’t support modern speeds. Most gamers, myself included, are running speeds between 100-200Mbit/s, which unfortunately, 54 Mbit/s won’t ever hit between both download and upload.

However, the PlayStation 4 will be one upping this by allowing you gamers to use all current standards ranging from Wireless 802.111 B/G on the 2.47GHz band and finally joining the Xbox One crowds with 802.11 N and AC. These two will allow gamers to hit 1300 Mbit/s total, in 80 MHz channels in the 5 GHz band for their full on gaming experience.

What of my newly released PS4 games? What ones are getting the PlayStation 4 Pro treatment starting next Tuesday?

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As many of us buckle down, prepare our rooms, our consoles to trade-in to help with the costs, and even our shelves – we all have a few questions. Many of us have dove into recent releases such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special EditionTitanfall 2, the recently reviewed Battlefield 1Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, and even Dishonored 2. We all wonder what will happen to them, will they be getting the 4K and high texture treatments?

It has been confirmed that the aforementioned games will be getting upgraded starting Tuesday along with a hearty list that Sony has listed on their official PlayStation Blog. Sony has gone on to say “In addition to the titles listed above, more than 45 games will be optimised for PS4 Pro by the end of the year, including Watch Dogs 2, Killing Floor 2, The Last Guardian and Final Fantasy XV, with the likes of Nioh, Resident Evil 7 Biohazardand For Honor to follow in early 2017.

Further to that, all first party software launched in 2017 and beyond, including Gravity Rush 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone and Gran Turismo Sport, will enjoy the benefits of the world’s most powerful console.”

If that’s not enough, I don’t know what is.

What about upgrading my PlayStation 4 Pro Hard Drive?’

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Just like the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Slim, you can openly do this, and Sony has openly said they welcome it. So do not fear, if you are wanting to upgrade to a SATA-III laptop hard drive, you can now do it, and fear none about voiding out a warranty. Just like before, however, you will need to download the specified updates for your console.

So if you want to upgrade? It’s almost time with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales days/weeks just around the corner.

What will I need for PlayStation 4’s 4K Capabilities and HDR?

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First off, a 4K TV that fully utilizes HDR technology. Sadly most TV’s within the past year and a half doesn’t seem to be all that much. If you want to get your hands on a 4K experience, you’ll also want to get your hands on a Premium HDMI 2.0 cable to get the most of it. If you are wanting to get a full HDR experience, you may want to get your hands on this guide by Sony to get the most out of your console.

Will my PlayStation 4 Pro come with the new DualShock 4 Controller?

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The answer is actually yes. Both the new PlayStation 4 Pro’s and the PlayStation 4 Slim consoles as they begin to roll out here pretty quickly. The new controller will also be the fact that the DualShock 4 Controller (or as I call it 2.0) will feature a few subtle changes.

A new sliver of a lightbar and even a new USB communication that will amp up the capabilities of the controller itself. For those of you wanting to see the color of your health on the light bar, if you are taking damage in games (which you should know already) or even watch for your Destiny supercharge, this controller will allow you to do so without hesitation.

With the newly mentioned USB advantages, you will be able to do two things with your controller. One using the Bluetooth to connect and play on your console or using a USB cable if you prefer. If you want to grab another one, you can grab a second controller for $59.99 USD at your local retailer.

Closing Statement

While there is a lot more to be covered about the console. Sony has done quite a good job through their blog posts on the PlayStation Blog. With a bit of the information provided above and the information you can find on their blog, the PlayStation 4 Pro could very well evolve the way we see gaming and graphics qualities.

While I would have loved to see the PlayStation 4 adopt the AMD RX480’s, I would like to state the PlayStation 4 is a rather impressive step in the right direction for putting console gamers on par with PC.


About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin 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, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. 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. You can find him over on TwitterGoogle+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Vainglory’s Autumn Live Tournaments Kick Off Now on Twitch (Live Stream)

Are you a fan of watching some multiplayer online battle arena gameplay? Vainglory is one of those amazing ones that has hit the mainstream and is an amazing title. Today Super evil Megacorp has announced that the very first North American Vainglory live tournament is currently live on Twitch.tv to help bring the Autumn Season to a close. With it also up for grabs is a $200,000 USD prize pool for the winner. This weekend’s season finals will feature the top eight North American teams so that they may compete for prize money and the title of Autumn 2015 North American Champion.

With more than 650 teams that have applied for the Qualifiers back in September and the top 128 teams in reach region made the tournament bracket for the chase to first place. Now the top eight teams that are competing in Santa Ana are VON Menace, Liberation X, Nemesis Hydra, Nemesis Titan, Vertigo Black and Gankstars Vega. You can watch the live stream currently going on through twitch.tv/vainglory starting at 3pm on December 4 (PDT). The EU finals will take place on December 1113 at Europe’s largest eSports arena, MCK Katowice in Poland, featuring teams including G2 eSports and SK Gaming.

For more information, including a North American finals preview that introduces the teams and details the tournament schedule for the weekend, visit the Vainglory blog.


About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin 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, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. 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. You can find him over on TwitterGoogle+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Killing Floor Franchise on Sale, Killing Floor 2 Steam Trading Cards Announced

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You may remember the fact that fellow writer David Murphy and myself have both been rigorously playing Killing Floor 2 in our free time, but also as part of our press coverage we do. Today we have learned from our friends over at Tripwire Interactive who have presented us with the amazing opportunities we’ve had so far with the game.

With our most recent coverage of the Incinerate ‘n Detonate DLC, we’ve been able to announce that it’s your turn to join in on the gore, violence, and insanity of killing Zeds with us with a discounted amount of 75% of Killing Floor and 33% off Killing Floor 2. So when does the sale end? November 2nd at 10am PDT. So get on it while you can for those monster-sized discounts.

Steam Trading Cards will be introduced for Killing Floor 2 starting now. Show off your allegiance to the Killing Floor franchise and collect all of the cards!

Want to get to killing Zeds? Great check out these links for more info:

KILLING FLOOR: http://store.steampowered.com/app/1250/
KILLING FLOOR 2: http://store.steampowered.com/app/232090/


About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin 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, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. 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. You can find him over onTwitterGoogle+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition – Where Dreams Turn into Nightmares

 Join the Blast Away the Game Review Community on Facebook or Google+
Written by Dustin Murphy

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Pros:
+Unique use of a rarely scene location in games; Santiago, Chile.
+Combat difficulty can be put on par with the famed Souls Series
+Recaptures the essence of Metroidvania side-scrollers
+Beautiful art style, music, and atmospherics that will keep gamers coming back for more

Cons:
Friendly-fire multiplayer is crippling and devastating to the overall experience
Singleplayer campaign is fun, but only for a short while due to the unprecedented increase in difficulty
Major framerate drops are crippling to the game experience


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If it wasn’t for games such as The Binding of Isaac, Rogue Legacy, the upcoming Rogue Wizards and even a few of the other rogue-like titles? I wouldn’t find myself constantly going into the genre as it’s one that has left me out in the cold and at times regretting my purchases when it comes to them. Having checked the team’s inbox there was a code for a game we’ve received a little bit of information on, but not enough to really capture my interest. This title? As you know it’s called Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition, which isn’t one that doesn’t introduce itself or even give us an idea of what the story is truly about. For those familiar with the title it’d be just enough to remind them of the original when it initially launched on the PlayStation 3, but this edition lands with some new content such as a multiplayer functionality, better looking visuals, a few new move sets, but never fixing the underlying issues such as frame rate, clunky controls, and slow animations.

When entering into the world of Santiago Chili, players are introduced to a stranger by the name of Katrien who enters a cavernous hole only known as the Abyss. Her goal? To make it to the bottom, find story documents in order to piece together the plot, and take on some of the games most challenging enemies since each section does not have just a singular difficulty, but a randomized difficulty that could leave some players crippled as they attempt to make their way through the abyss. The issue here? Players aren’t given a direct path to take, instead it is up for them to traverse the 2.5D sidescrolling world in order to figure out where they need to go, how to go about it, and how they will dispatch their enemies in an orderly fashion that will not leave them to die. This is where the gameplay itself takes the reigns and presses players through the game as Katrien makers he way through the abyss in order to meet the Warlock and stop him before his dreams can rip the world to shreds. Rather than giving players a set path to traverse, as mentioned before, players will guide Katrien through the choice of descending through the levels or going through each level laterally where they will fight enemies they have a higher chance of dispatching while attempting to level their chosen character they wish to play. If players choose to go down? The difficulty rises in the sense that enemies will grow more powerful, puzzles will grow harder, and the sheer amount of enemies rises, but the rewards are even better than if players went straight on instead of falling down the map into higher difficulties.

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While this is a blessing or a curse in disguise, players will quickly find that there are some underlying mechanical issues whether they are online or offline playing this title. This mostly adheres to the games clunky combat system where players will find themselves jabbing out a few powerful hits or using projectiles instead of following the modernized hack-and-slash formula of combo hits. Much like in most hack-and-slash titles, Abyss Odyssey follows the traditional of using the directional pad in order for players to use their three special attacks. For those unfamiliar with the d-pad this means you will be using up, down or right in conjunction with triangle in order to release a massive attack that will hopefully hit your target. Due to the fact combat animations are slow, erratic, and even clunky – there is a chance that your attacks will miss by moving too close, too far, or just not close enough in order to hit enemies. Unlike other hack-and-slash titles that follow the metroidvania like style, Abyss Odyssey finds itself struggling to allow players to take on more than one enemy at a time; unfortunately this does not happen, and players are left fighting two, three or sometimes four enemies at a time whether they are playing online or solo in an offline campaign.

The difference? In the online lobbies friendly fire becomes an issue and has lead to more than one death in unfortunate circumstances. Luckily players are given a second chance if Katrien is to die by the means of becoming a Chilean soldier suited for the 1890’s period. This means he uses a sword, rifle, pistol or explosive as his secondary ability. Luckily if players are careful they will find themselves once more returning as Katrien in order to level her up through annihilating enemies.

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Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition – PS4 [Reviewed]
Developer: ACE Team
Publisher: ATLUS U.S.A.
Price: 14.99 USD
Released: Now Available

Seeing as the game does instill some basic RPG elements, fans will find themselves gaining experience through vanquishing the Warlocks forces, this allows players to level up, gain a skill point every three levels in order to upgrade one of their special attacks, and return to combat just a bit more efficient than the time before. Leveling up also includes increased health, increased mana or simply making it so that your character is harder to kill for a length of time through upgrading their block capability. Unlike most PRGs mana works a bit differently than in others. Instead of having a full bar, players will find themselves feeding their mana bar by collecting it off enemies, mana potions, or even using their special attacks. Once the mana bar is full players will find themselves casting a special attack that will capture their enemies so that players can transform into them. Doing this will allow players to switch into this enemy in order to preserve Katiren so that she can remain fully healed in the mean time. The enemies captured? They come with their own set of moves, capabilities, and even their own health bar so that both sets of player characters remain unique and strategically used during certain situations.

One of the main gimmicks of Abyss Odyssey that makes the game enjoyable is the use of camp tokens where players can set up checkpoints at shrines allowing them to respawn or even return their if they are to die off. Unfortunately in my experience? These are rare and very few in between so use them sparingly if you find one. While playing through the campaign players are also given a chance to collect gold, which allows for players to unlock new weapons, accessories, by souls so that they can transform into other playable creatures (as mentioned before with the mana spell), and even by potions so that players can recharge their mana or even refill their health bar when they get into dire situations that will surely leave them for dead if they don’t have them.

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Much like in any hack-and-slash, Abyss Odyssey does allow for players to unlock new characters through progress, as well as new portals that open up new areas in lower stages, but also the ability to open up quicker paths to the Warlock in order to finally put his dream to an end and once more ensure that the world is safe from the Warlock’s destruction. Luckily even when switching characters, players will find each of them keep their own experience, earned gold, unique weapons, and even their own level ups that are gained with progression. Luckily? Players can backtrack, level up each character, and even find new pick-ups for each of these characters to ensure they are at their maximum performance when taking on the higher difficulty areas within the abyss.

Unlike other titles though there is something particular that stands out from the rest of the game: performance issues. Much like its predecessor on the PlayStation 3, Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream suffers much of the same issues with framerate drops that leaves the game almost unplayable when too much is going on. This includes too many enemies in combat, moving across the screen rapidly during cooperative play or simply just exploring period. Unfortunately this makes the game seem as if the bonus content is what it uses to soften the blow from many of the underlying issues that were never fixed between the two editions. Even with a few bonus moves, multiplayer, and even the idea that co-op could fix a few things, the game still hurts when trying out the games competitive mode which only focuses on weak combat, and easily passes up any chance at allowing players to feel as if they were truly better than the rest. Since the competitive was so underwhelming there’s not even been a want to give it a second chance in order to play that portion of the game even more thoroughly than before.

Even with the game playing as underwhelmingly as it dues to to its underlying frame rate issues and clunky combat, Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition does attempt to make this up by luring players into leveling each of the characters up, finding all hidden secrets, and even offers up an interesting story that doesn’t offer wanderings about fear, death, life, and or even as to why the Warlock is causing havoc upon the world. Though for 14.99 USD the game is definitely a pickup that should be given a chance if players can overlook the fundamental flaws the game has and enjoy it for what it is; a game that at times is mildly underwhelming, but will leave players coming back for more as they traverse repetitive stages, but with all new challenges awaiting around each corner.


Our review is based upon a pre-release of the version that was given to us by the games publisher.  For information about our ethics policy please click here.


 Final Score: 6 out of 10


About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin 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, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. 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. You can find him over onTwitterGoogle+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Gets a new Gamescom Trailer

Join the Blast Away the Game Review Community on Facebook or Google+
Written by Dustin Murphy

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Today at Gamescom Ubisoft has revealed to us the GSG-9 Operators who will be assisting in taking out terrorist threats throughout the world in Rainbow Six Siege. For those interested, Rainbow Six Siege is inspired by the reality of counter terrorist groups from around the world, and players are invited to join in. As they do they will learn to master the art of destruction, intense close quarters combat, high lethality, tactical gameplay, and how to handle the tension of playing in a high tensity situation.

Having passed away a two years ago, Tom Clancy’s legacy lives on this October 13th, 2015 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC with Rainbow Six Siege.


About the Writer:

dustin_batgr_prof

Dustin 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, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. 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. You can find him over on TwitterGoogle+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires – Attempting to Forge an Empire (PS4)

Originally Published on the Official Blast Away the Game Review Facebook Page
Review by Dustin Murphy


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Pros:
+Tons of customizations that leaves a lot of possibilities available
+Building an empire forges new alliances and allows for leadership skills to be explored
+Smooth frame rates and beautiful graphics
+Ability to switch between offline and online between missions

Cons:
Bland colour’s allowing for very little vividness in scenery
New strategems don’t seem to offer much in the means if visible changes in a battlefield
Framerate remains still a decent problem when bouncing between
Remains limited in changes made from past installments


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Dynasty Warriors as a franchise is one that stands tall among strategy hack-and-slash titles that allow players to take on battles during the period of The Three Kingdoms, which is also known as one of the most war filled eras in Chinese history due to the infighting between the warlords of that era. With Dynasty Warriors being around, players have been able to take on roles that allow them to explore the world during the height of the Wu, Shu, and Wei dynasties. However, for fans of a series, this title announces the end of one numbered ‘series’ and prepares to usher in the next, which is just what Koei seems to be doing as they prepare for the inevitable Dynasty Warriors 9. However, this title entails our exploration into the world of the empire where players will get a chance to customize their own officers, soldiers, horses, banners, colour’s, and even their very own kingdom. Did we mention custom scenarios? Yea those exist too. Though the key elements have not returned as players will not find themselves exploring the storyline that can be found in the main series itself.

Instead, players are given a take that lets them create their own kingdom to rule, which means creating alliances, devising schemes to bring down enemies, crushing enemies, and even taxing your very own peasants. When coming to the series (if this is your first time), you will get to choose from a handful of campaigns to enjoy. This means enjoying the Yellow Turban Rebellion, The Battle of Guan Du, and or your very own scenario that can be created via the in-game editor. The best option? Create your own scenario, enjoy it, and even take on the role as a leaderless ruler who is setting out to create their own kingdom at the demise of others. Don’t forget that this also means that players will take on a role that means gaining your income, resource supplies, and even the number of troops you’ve managed to recruit. Doing this allows for several things to occur that many players may or may not be familiar with. As your kingdoms value, forces, and supplies grow, so does the chances of recruiting with other kingdoms, negotiating, or even intimidating them into joining your very own faction.

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For those unfamiliar with the series, this all is done through a very easy to use menu that is where players will find themselves primarily enjoying the title and using these menus in order to raid, invade, build resources, build a military, or simple build up your characters own levels as well as your character and officers ranks. Even with these menus being rather large, it’s not hard to navigate them once players grow used to the system that has been placed within the game itself.
So what is the allure to this game that would possibly bring back old players so that they can return the title? For those returning the main draw to the title will not be the new options or customizations, but rather the idea of leading your own personal journey with any character at your disposal. However, do you want to do this? If so you can build allies, bring warlords at your call, and even spark rivalry between other warlords. As you tailor the world of Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires around you, do remember that even as your own general, there are things to take concern of such as resources, money, military power, and even your own allegiances.

When digging through the menu’s is a done deal for you, Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires offers a rather familiar experience: beating down a thousand troops opposed to your only one. This is a mechanic that should seem all to familiar. Players will take on their mixture of regular attack combos mixed in with heavy attacks and special moves. This means players are once more cleaving through a rather large wave of enemies while causing a brontide of screams to rupture from each fallen soldier. With the new added extras, players will once more experience the EX attacks, rage attacks, and the newly implemented Strategems. New mechanics to a Dynasty Warriors game you say? Why yes I did! In Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires, publisher Koei Tecmo and Developer Omega Force have implemented a new set of tools called “Strategems”, which are represented with a small green energy bar just above the health bar. Each strategy used can require between 1-3 of these, some costing even more, which will allow players to do things such as gas clouds on the combat field, fire attacks, build giant guard towers, and even summon a fellow officer to your side to help dispatch a boss.

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Even though these options had been added into the game, it is unfortunate that they seem to mean little to nothing in combat, and do not impact the battlefield in a way that can seem noticeable. Delegating troops to attack even seems more influential than these strategems outside of healing yourself and or calling fellow officers to you. For Dynasty Warriors fans they do attempt to break up the monotony of fights that seem as if they will never end by adding quests and objectives into each mission. By doing this players can take on up to four of these (max amount) that includes taking over ‘x’ amount of enemy bases in ‘x’ amount of time, attacking a certain amount of enemy officers, and even taking out an enemy without being spotted. Fortunately, this isn’t something that sounds as easy as it comes out to be, this is something that can prove a bit troublesome for those whom are unfamiliar with the game franchise and will require a bit of practice to figure out what goals can be completed easy enough for them.

Even with these subtle changes being added in, there is one thing you can’t deny when scaling through the large battlefields and customizing soldiers; Dynasty Warriors looks beautiful on both the new consoles. While boasting a large roster, the game also does benefit from both fantasy and real life designs from character that can be created or even already exists within the title. Though at great cost to graphics, there is one thing besides the terrains that suffers a tad; frame rate. Even while the game boasts a beautiful 1080p, the game finds itself constantly staggering in frame rate during high combat scenarios. This is something that is unfortunate as the game itself is beautiful despite the fact that the games environments don’t seem to live up to the highly detailed environments that we’ve seen since Dynasty Warriors 3 Xtreme Legends. Granted the battlefields are more dynamic, it would be interesting to see the team over at Omega Force evolve the content with English Dubs, a choice between modern or classic Chinese music, and even evolving environments that could truly push the games capabilities. Even without these few things, Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires is a beautiful, enjoyable, and amazing time-burner that will offer fans plenty of to do whether they are online or off.

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So what does this mean? Our review here has ended and we are left with a game that remains rather similar to Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete minus a few new gimmick like the strategems and forging your own story. With that aside Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires leaves a lot of room for improvements that need to be made and can hopefully see some form of evolution if titles such as Warriors Orochi 3 and Samurai Warriors 4 get updated versions. Till then Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires will be leaving a bit of a sour taste in some gamers mouths as they seek something a bit more innovative.


Final Score: 5 out of 10


Final Score: 6 out of 10


Editor’s Note: This version of the game is based upon a pre-release retail version of the game. Our copy was provided to us by the games publisher. For information about our ethics policy please click here.


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.

Toukiden: Kiwami Gets DLC Pre-Order Information Outlined

Join the Blast Away the Game Review Community on Facebook or Google+
Written by Dustin Murphy

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Toukiden: Kiwami, as it’s known, is Omega Force’s take on a monster hunting experience that leads people to take on many Oni (demon) and slay them at once. With this newest entry still being currently in development, it’s not surprising that that fans are already anticipating it with high regard. With Toukiden: The Age of Demon’s having successfully launched last year on the PlayStation Vita, fans can once more prepare for this experience with new bonus content when Kiwami launches on March 31st, 2015. With this release date coming near, it’s unsurprising that fans are wanting to know about pre-order content. The wait for that content is now over since Koei Tecmo and development team Omega Force have released this information.

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As of today, it is now announced that Toukiden: Kiwami will be getting content for both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita through both GameStop, which will include armor inspired by the new slayers Reki and Soma’s outfits as well as classic armor from Toukiden’s six original slayers players have become well acquainted with through the original campaign. For those of you who prefer Amazon.com, you will get two special and exclusive pieces of armor: The tenko gloves and a Cthonian Fiend Mask, which will allow players to appear as an Oni while taking them on in combat.

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Stay tuned for our upcoming review of the original release called “Toukiden: The Age of Demon’s” with all the games DLC content as we prepare for the March release of Toukiden: Kiwami.


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 B.A.T.G.R. Weekly Roundup

Join the Blast Away the Game Review Community on Facebook or Google+
Written by Dustin Murphy

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Man, this week has been a busy one, and game companies are certainly flooding the headlines with some major announcements. These announcements pertain almost down to just Nintendo and some leaked info surrounding Bungie’s successful, but highly criticized game – Destiny. We’ve also seen an amazing announcement from Koei Tecmo that we will be mentioning in here, but also giving it an article of its own thanks to the PR teams we work with.

So first up, this week we saw Nintendo’s new Nintendo Direct, which was a big shocker in both good and bad ways. As many of you have read, watched, and probably heard about going around; Nintendo has given their New Nintendo 3DS a release date for North America, which is February 13th, or rather almost a month away. The ugly side to this? The handheld costs 199.99 USD and does not come with a charger, but is also only going to be sold as the New Nintendo 3DS XL variant. So what does this mean? You’ll have to buy a charger if you don’t already own a 3DS, which means your two handhelds? They need to play nice together. This also means those who wanted interchangeable faceplates may have to suffer and wait a bit longer since there’s no definitive release date in the foreseeable future at this point. The bright side to that is Nintendo hasn’t exactly shut down the idea of this being completely possible as of yet.

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Alongside the announcements from Nintendo we also got to see a mind boggling sale out in just a matter of an hour for the Majora’s Mask bundle, which sold out and some went straight to bidding markets at outrageous prices already. On the flipside, Capcom in turn also announced their sleek new Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate bundle, which features a beautifully crafted New Nintendo 3DS in a silver and bluish-grey paint style, but also the game pre-loaded so that fans can instantly hop into the action and go to town on some rather brutal enemies. We also got to see that Xenoblade Chronicles has gotten some nifty work done and stands out to its previous version; that being said – get one if you haven’t already. Just prepared to bite down on a few extra bucks to get that charger if you don’t have one yet.

We also got to see a few launch titles for the New Nintendo 3DS that will be taking advantage of the new amiibo collection that Nintendo has recently released and has taken the world by storm. We now know that Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. will for sure be releasing on North American New Nintendo 3DS’ and regular Nintendo 3DS, but will be taking care of the amiibo functionality. We’ve also got to see a few others such as Sega’s now announced Ace Combat Horizon Legacy+, which is the first re-imagining of that title, and will feature special jets specifically designed just for its New Nintendo 3DS launch.

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With all of Nintendo’s mind bending announcements, we’ve also gotten a bit of news going out from multiple places (you can read the original article here:) about Veteran World of Warcraft players, those playing for ten years only, are getting recognized by Blizzard. These folks (if you are one you may want to check your inbox and mailbox) are getting treated to a rather uniquely crafted statue that they can put up on their shelves and let it make their other collectibles almost shrivel in comparison; that’s unless you have a Cyborg Ninja from Metal Gear Solid of course. This is nice to see that Blizzard has taken a moment to help recognize their founding players in order to keep the game going, but also as a simple gesture or a thank you as you may call it. This also comes with news that there has been a bit of trouble with their new MOBA called Overwatch. It has seen a bit of trouble in licensing due to a company also called Innovis wanting to use the same name to trademark their tactical app for airsoft players (you can check out the Polygon article here: Blizzard’s Overwatch hits trademark problem). Hopefully this gets resolved and both parties can come to an agreement of who gets the name and who doesn’t. I’m sure they’ll both be playing nice in this matter.

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Smitti on WoW’s Official Forums posted the picture of what he received

In other news, we’ve also learned there’s been a bit of information circulating about the highly anticipated Final Fantasy XV Duscae demo that will be releasing with Final Fantasy Type-0 HD. In the demo many players were hoping to drive the bro-esque road trip title by driving the car that is seen many times within the demo. Well don’t pack those bags and plan to hit the road just yet. According to PlayStation Lifestyles Article, game director Hajime Tabata has come out and said that the team had originally planned to put the car into the demo, but at that changed as they want players to get a feel for their new seamless world they’ve built. They want players to get a feel for the game and know that when they step into the new open world that the game they crafted so carefully, is indeed a Final Fantasy world. So prepare only to get a feel for the game and prepare so that when you can’t drive, you won’t be disappointed. This is not the first time Square Enix has changed something in a demo to make it more suitable for all crowds. Hopefully this means the game will relive up to the hype that was built up almost nine years ago with the games original announcement as the name Final Fantasy XIII: Versus, which takes place in the same world as Final Fantasy XIII/XIII-2/Lightning Returns and Type-0 HD. Hopefully when they finish the Fabula Nova Crystallis Saga, players heads won’t be spinning and they’ll be able to know what takes place and where. If not, those who’ve never played the previously mentioned will not be lost around what’s going on.

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Another big announcement (at least to us) is an upcoming title that has been announced for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. The game when originally released was a niche game, it filled the spot that Monster Hunter had left wide open for fans of the series, and eventually became a rather large success and filled that bit of need players had. Since we haven’t done an article about it (yet – it’s being edited) we’ve decided in a way to announce the game for Koei Tecmo here! As of March 31st, players will once more get to go on a hunt for demon’s in the smash hit Toukiden: Kwami. The title is an expanded version of Toukiden: The Age of Demons that initially released on the PlayStation Vita last year as an exclusive. This time around, it’s getting a bit of an upgrade, which means new monsters, new story, more Mitama (helpful spirits) the original content, cross-play between the two platforms, and even cross-save functionality between the two. This means there has been a lot going on and we are only beginning to see the information come in. Till then? Stay tuned on that bit.

On top of this we’re also excited to announce that some of our former writers have moved onto cover gaming culture, but also still review games! Before we mention what and how they’ve done what they’ve done, we want to first and foremost thank them for their contributions to our team during their time here. Those guys are Jesse Olvera our co-founder and former member, Aaron Johnson, our former founding writer and reviewer Josh Turner, Johnny Walker Red, Kennard Daniel Prim, and lastly our former Editor-in-Chief – Casey Todd. They’ve moved onto continuing writing, reviewing, and working on their so far rather awesome editorials and podcast that’s currently up on SoundCloud and they are seeking to get put on iTunes as a weekly upload. You can check them out over at their Facebook Page called Beyond the Pixels (or click the name to be taken to their page). We hope you can give them a like, check out their content which varies quite a bit from our own, and give both our teams some support!

In case it was missed we also have a new review up for Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition! Head there now if you haven’t already given it a look over. We hope you stay tuned in as we have a new review coming for you Tuesday afternoon. Until then we have a few new articles that are ready to go up and we hope you have a safe and wonderful weekend! Till next time.


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.

B.A.T.G.R.s Top Ten Games of 2014

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List Provided by Blast Away the Game Review

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Games, games, and more games – this was easily the theme of 2014 as the end of the year was bombarded with some mind-blowers, some not-so mind-blowing games, and even some sleeper hits. These are all games that were carefully taken into consideration when digging through and deciding as a team whether or not we should add remakes into our top ten of 2014. Well did we? As much as we would have loved to done so with games such as Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD ReMIX and even Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD having launched, we decided to leave these out. If you are wondering why, it’s simply for the fact these remakes are just that, remakes that have been updated and even having had some bonus content added to give a more modernized feel. So what did we choose as our top ten of 2014? Take a peek at our list below.


Our Top Ten Games of 2014


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10) Wolfenstein: The New Order

Ten or so years ago, this game would not have been possible due to the lack of graphical capabilities that consoles were limited by, but thanks to PC’s, New-Gen Consoles, and a few advancements by the gaming industry; it happened. This game takes the cake when it comes to graphical advancements by the id Tech engine Bethesda has been implementing to a lot of these new First Person Shooters. Even the story takes quite an interesting turn that will pull players into their seats and along for the ride.

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9) Hyrule Warriors

This game is one of those that is extremely addictive thanks to the team up between Koei Tecmo and Nintendo bringing one of their most beloved franchises and letting it adopt a Dynasty Warriors element to it. This is where the game finds success even through its riveting storyline that pits players in adventures as Link as he scours through Hyrule in order to help save Princess Zelda from an ultimately evil force that seeks nothing except to end the world in chaos. During this adventure players will find Golden Skulltula’s hidden through each map while also hunting down hidden treasures as well as fairy fountains.

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8) The Evil Within

With the return of Shinji Mikami working side by side with Bethesda through his new home at Tango Gameworks, we have been once more dragged through a fearfest made by insanity. Not being able to tell what is real, what is fake, and what is absolutely going to make you soil yourself is what drives this game at its core. With limited ammo, healing supplies, and even resources; players will find themselves pushing as much as they can to escape the events that are folding in front of them while trying to find the source of the darkness that is hunting down Sebastian as he frantically fights for survival.

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7) Sunset Overdrive

Ever wondered what would happen if mutant zombies were caused by drinking soda? Well wonder no more. The famous team behind Ratchet and Clank have teamed up with Microsoft to bring this high paced, adrenaline filled title that encourages players to go to town in the funkiest of ways possible. Costumes, weapons that make almost no sense, and even a hysterical cast; this game is definitely one to put on the books for Xbox One owners if they haven’t pulled this game from the shelves.

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6) Destiny

With the departure from Microsoft, Bungie found a new home as they headed towards Activision in order to secure a new future within the gaming industry. This is what lead to their development of one of the best online cooperative titles to date. Destiny focuses on players taking the role as a Guardian, one that seeks to help protect, save, and even bring forth a chance for Awoken, Exo’s, and even human’s to find safety away from intergalactic threats that have caused The Traveler to fall into a slumber. Now? It’s time to wake it up and hopefully save the universe from succumbing to an enemy only known as: The Darkness.

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5) Freedom Wars

Stories and gameplay is what helps make games astonishing. This is simply one of those games that delivers both. The game will put players into a world that has been devastated. Major Earth populations have been all-but-wiped from existence. With resources, population, and even territories constantly at war; players will find themselves in a rather peculiar place. This place? Your Panopticon, which also acts as your prison, base of operations, and ultimately the place your character will sponsor. With cooperative, online versus, and even single player being at the games focal point, it’s no surprise this game made our top ten list for 2014.

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4) Far Cry 4

Ever wondered what it would be like to be in the Himalaya’s when a lunatic of a warlord has besieged the region of Kyrat? Well wonder no more. In this adventures, players will be visiting Kyrat as Ajay as he seeks to visit the place where his father once stayed and has become a bit of a hero-of-sorts. With this adventure, players will drive, hike, and even rappel through the mountains in search of treasures, safety, and hopes of ending the insanity that has ensued between The Golden Way and Pagan Min.

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3) Alien: Isolation

After the blundering mess we lived through known as Alien: Colonial Marines, there was no surprise that Sega would once more take a shot at the franchise that became well known thanks to the movies by Ridley Scott and soon became a cult classic and modern fan crazed franchise. This time around it’s a much different experience. With Ellen Ripley’s daughter seeking answers, she is finding herself in a constant struggle where guns, flashlights, and even homemade items are her best chances of survival as the games Xenomorph hunts players down while it learns based upon how they place. Escaping this nightmare will be a true challenge for anyone willing to test their luck.

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2) Super Smash Bros. (3DS/Wii U)

Wanting to send your friends into a rampage and take advantage of the new amiibo system that Nintendo has created or simply go online and hammer away at online foes? Super Smash Bros. has returned and seeks to do just that as players are challenged to test their skill against each other. This is one game that has seen drastic changes and even upgrades over time. With the launch of the amiibo’s it’s hard not to see why this title has gotten so much attention and has become a fan favorite.

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1) Dragon Age: Inquisition

With Bioware being masters of storytelling and even gameplay mechanics, there is no surprise with the fact that Dragon Age: Inquisition has earned itself as one of our top games of this year. With it being number one, players can only take a bit of advice as we suggest taking an adventure once more with an entire new team that takes place shortly after the events of what happened within Kirkwall. This time, players will be overjoyed to experience the infamous Qunari race while also taking on a new enemy or going online for the first time in the series in order to take on side-missions. With a large world that is vast, open, and almost fully explorable.


Were you able to play any of these? What games made your top ten of 2014? Let us know in the comments here or on our Twitter, Facebook Page or even our Google+.


Capcom Announces Two Devil May Cry Remakes for 2015

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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DmC Devil May Cry may have been one of the last gens biggest sleeper hits even with all its publicity it had received at first and eventually faded upon its release. As of today, Capcom has announced that they will be releasing DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition via digital download on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network and at Major Retailers for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 17th, 2015 for $39.99 / €39.99. With this news, Capcom has also announced that the very popular Devil May Cry 4 entry will also be getting a Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition when it launches for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in the Summer of 2015.

What is featured in the DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition? Players who pick up the title will get to have access to the games Vergil’s Bloody Palace Mode, the added Gods Must Die difficulty level as well as the games Must Style Mode and Hard Core Mode. All have been turned to give the game a new twist so that players can play the classic Devil May Cry series feel to the title. On top of this news, Capcom has also stated that a new Dante and Vergil set of costumes will be included that have also been included with an inspired look by the original Devil May Cry character designs. This release will also include the game’s high quality production running at 1080p and 60 fps on the next generation consoles.

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Think that’s all? Capcom isn’t quite done there as they have also stated that the title will feature new balancing and improvements based upon fan feedback from the games initial release on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Players will see modifiers during various stages within the game, this also includes the games newly developed Turbo Mode that allows players to increase the games speed to go even faster so that combat is more intense. This also means that there is more to be included such as trophies, leaderboards, and more social features to take advantage of both next-gen consoles.

Stay tuned for more information as we approach the games release date. We will keep you informed regarding Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition as we approach its launch next year.


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.