If there is anything Destiny 2 has done better than its previous entry, it would have to be the depth of story it offers, and the history behind some of the most renowned guardians in the history of the Vanguard. While the expansion was announced shortly after launch due to a leak by Microsoft’s Xbox Marketplace, we knew the expansion was coming, but when was the largest question of them all.
Pros:
+Characters are more believable and human than ever before
+Offers different approaches to combat
+Not all enemies attack the same, making combat harder, and more difficult than before
+Tons of hidden collectibles and resonances for players to go through
+Graphics, sound, and even acting is top-tier
Cons:
-Hearing Castellanos say “What the-” phrases wears thin after a few hours
When I first experienced The Evil Within 2 during my time at QuakeCon 2017, I knew I was already getting into something big. The world had changed around me, the situation was similar, but nothing remained the same. Sure, I had ended up seeing the similarities between Shinji Mikami’s previous work on Resident Evil show due to the parallel’s that had been drawn between some evil corporation, mutants in a virtual (can we call it that?) world, and even their shady doings.
When Destiny 2 launched earlier this week on PC, it served as the first release for the series on PC after Destiny bounced right over PC, and served its delicious amount of cooperative play exclusively to console players. A few players, however, have stated they’ve been banned for using Overlays like framecounters or even programs that helped with their stream’s such as X-Split or another third party program. However, Bungie has come out and said that they disagree completely.
Lets admit it. Games such as Halo, Destiny, and DOOM have had solid marketing campaigns. They’ve been strong, unique, and completely badass campaigns, but there’s one above them all that decided to come in, punch a Nazi in the face, and walk away with its strawberry milkshake. What game is that? Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.
Pros:
+One of the most authentic experiences to date
+Extremely beautiful graphics
+Gameplay is spot-on for both players using race wheels and controllers
+Extreme amounts of content for fans to enjoy
Cons:
-Minor framerate stutters on PC and console
Over the course of the past month, I’ve had a difficult decision in what games to play in my free time as of late. It’s been tough. On one hand I’ve been diligently working my way through the horrors in The Evil Within 2 while taking on my role as an investigator in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony. To be quite honest, it’s been difficult to find time for Project Cars 2.
But that’s the problem. It’s the time. Project Cars 2 is a massive game for the world of racing titles. It’s a game that easily puts titles such as Gran Turismo Sport and Forza 7 in their place without ever needing to say a word. That’s not because the game is a console exclusive, but because it’s that strong of a title. Since we received our review code, I’ve been spending a lot of getting used to the controls, but that’s not a bad thing, it’s a great thing.
Pros:
+The art style and soundtrack make the game a living graphic novel
+New mini-games are a blast to enjoy
+The Monokids are absolutely adorable (how is that possible?)
+A new cast offers in a new enjoyable approach to an already well established theme
+Would make a solid VR experience
Cons:
-Cases seem dull and repetitive after the first few trials
-Lying, while interesting during cases, doesn’t change the games overall ending
When I’m usually asked about the games I’m playing, it’s because I’m playing something with an entirely weird name, and Danganronpa as a series, just happens to be one of those franchises, which I’m not ashamed to talk about. The answer I always give pertaining to its overall premise? Murder. The fact the game is about it’s Battle Royale-style and Hunger Games styled themes.
Trials of the Nine is the icing on the cake for Destiny 2 players whom like to take on extreme competitive play in order to unlock astonishing rewards, but that is changing according to a blog post by Bungie’s community manager Chris Shannon. In the post, Shannon has stated that Bungie has disabled Trials of the Nine for the next couple of weeks. The cause? A glitch that allows players to use the Monty Python-inspired Bureaucratic Walk and go outside of a maps boundaries.
Pros:
+Extremely beautiful and atmospheric
+A generous blend of rogue-like gameplay and space themed combat
+Offers exceptionally well devised gameplay difficulty spikes
+Weapons never feel underpowered or under-utilized
Cons:
-Flight controls feel a bit dodgy for the first few hours
-Upgrading ships feels minor and almost effectively inefficient
In recent days, it seems that every science fiction title wants to make it big. We’ve seen games ranging from Elite Dangerous, Eve: Valkyrie Warzone, and even Star Citizen, show their own unique takes on what it means to make a great science fiction dogfighting title. Among them comes the newly release indie title Everspace by ROCKFISH Games GmbH. A title that seeks to join the already ever-so-populated combat simulator genre. But the biggest question of the all: Can a game that’s been in Early Access for a little over a year do so and do it well enough?
Pros:
+Elegantly crafted floor designs, puzzles, and overall theme
+Offers a unique challenge through adaptive gameplay for players to enjoy
+Easily stands out among other titles out there by combining action, adventure, and stealth gameplay
+Offers uniquely adaptive gameplay for fans to play against
Cons:
-Can grow rather frustrating when save gates are unavailable for players to utilize
If you’ve ever seen an indie movie or played an indie game, you’re already know that games do not need a huge budget to be solid titles. Games such as Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Guacamelee, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds serve as testaments to this fact. These games show the fact that even small teams with great vision, ingenuity, and passion for what they do can lead them to achieve great things.
He sits to attention, hands on mouse and keyboard, glasses dipped partially down over his nose, his cheeks tense with anticipation. His beard is now white at 59, his smile slightly more weathered than before, but his intent on besting whatever challenge is thrown up on screen has never wavered. For 31 years, I’ve shared these sorts of experiences with my father, and will cherish the time ahead now it seems so limited.