Review: Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Tightening Orions Belt

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

Pros:
+Zero-G combat brings in a new breath of fresh air for Call of Duty as a franchise
+80’s retro zombies is a hilarious adventure
+Flying missions are a blast
+Mission selection from Black Ops II is back.
+PlayStation 4 Pro enhancements are extremely noticeable in both 4k and Non-4k
+Operates at an astonishing 60FPS solid on PS4 Pro

Cons:
-Campaign at times feels as if it’s lost telling its story

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2016 has been a roller coaster ride for first-person shooters. We’ve been through the Hell of war with Battlefield 1 and through a metal-driven ride through Hell with id Softwares DOOM, which re-imagined the franchise as it should have been. With our review of Titanfall 2 in the works, it’s hard to say that this year hasn’t been busy. It’s been busier than all Hell for many of us. Even though many of the stories we’ve played didn’t touch our hearts in same way like Battlefield 1, which took us on the more human-esque approach about what war is.

Among these titles sits Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, which I’ve been outspoken about. I’ve been loud, I’ve been negative, and I’ve called it a wretched idea from the beginning. Sure a lot of it was due to the marketing strategy with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered being locked to the disc and the purchase of the legacy edition. However, the inevitable question will be: How does it live up to the franchise? Does it continue on rather well or does it drop us off in the vacuum of space in order to die in-the-end? Does it compete against the titles that are in competition of each other by capturing fans?

In recent years, Call of Duty has seen a steady decline in where the single player narratives have gone, but that has easily changed with Infinite Warfare. The game takes a familiar turn when it comes to Call of Duty. Humanity has moved away from the colonization of our own planet, we have moved past our planet to among the stars. We have risen to the challenges of finding a home among our solar system. As the expansion grew, there was distaste for the stretch of the United Nations themselves. In retaliation to this, a new group had been founded and silently working in secrecy: the Settlement Defense Front or the SDF.

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Much to our luck, the campaign takes a narrative focus on this conflict as our game opens up with the SDF attacking a group of the UN’s agents on the Jupiter moon Europa. Soon after they launch a surprise attack on the United Nation’s Fleet, leaving much of Earths forces reeling due to this, and only leaving very few of Earth’s defense forces to protect it. This is where we also enter our leading protagonist, Nick Reyes (Briam Bloom), partners Lt. Nora Salter (Jamie Gray Hyder), ETH.3n (Jeffrey Nordling) and Sgt. Omar (David Harewood) take their parts int he games overall narrative.

Due to the casualties taken in the SDF’s attack, Reyes is thrust into his new position as the commander of one of Earth’s last starships named Retribution, which sustained heavy damages during the SDFs assault. This element is a far departure from Call of Duty’s story elements that took us back to World War II starting back in 2003. Much like Advanced Warfare and Black Ops III the game once more flings us further into the sci-fi fantasy approach than ever before as players, not long after starting the game, are flung into a vast array of missions that come in highly diverse formulas from one another. While the campaign uniquely takes after that of Call of Duty: Black Ops II on how missions work, Infinite Warfare is one that offers up a even more unique twist to how this system worked.

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Much as one would expect, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare follows familiar mechanics that fans should be rather comfortable with by now. With boosters for jump being available, run sliding, and even wall running – they’re all here in their full glory. While it may be discouraging from the fans such as myself who overly enjoyed past titles using the same first name moniker followed with World at War and Black Ops. Both games offered up unique stories, revolutionary mechanics, and even the capabilities of classic CoD games while moving forward in the same fashion.

Here, we’ve got the opportunity to travel across the stars, enjoy aerial space battles, and even see advances in space travel that we would never have imagined. While we do get to see the moons of Jupiter and take to the skies across space stations that serve as a home to millions, sometimes the story feels empty, losing itself in this civil war that spans across our solar system.

While it’s a reasonably long campaign (on Veteran, I’m running 29 hours played before completion) the game provided unique benefits for the franchise to improve upon and returns to the uniqueness that made Call of Duty captivate me the way it once did back in the old days. Hopefully this is a formula they consider in future titles whether it is futuristic or not as having a voiced protagonist inside and outside of cut scenes makes the immersion even deeper than before.

How does the multiplayer benefit from all of this, however? Does it stay alive and fun as ever or does it flush itself down the drain and seal itself away from the rest of the series?

Multiplayer

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Over the years Call of Duty has been on a steady decline in how the multiplayer feels. It feels as if it has lost its idea of what direction it wants to go through. On one side where we have Call of Duty: Ghosts we got a good feel for a solid title, one that offered a true feel for the franchise by returning to its roots, and even a solid story; to Advanced Warfare, which shed all identity the series had for a futuristic turn where science has advanced technology. Where Call of Duty: Ghosts offered one of the most customizable character appeals in any titles to date in the franchise, it also gave a heavy nod towards combat pacing, which could have easily returned the series to its World at War glory.

So how does Infinite Warfare fit into all this over the years? First, the combat will seem familiar to fans of Black Ops III. It’s fast, it’s furious, and guns are as cool as ever with some able to switch modes from say SMG to Assault Rifle or even as an Assault Rifle to very powerful akimbo SMG’s that will mow anyone in their path down with the right attachments. Weapons now variate between ammo types such as ballistic and energy. It’s a welcomed changed, but it’s not enough to keep Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare in the loop as a major leap for the series.

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It fails to deliver a unique trend in a once-always-evolving multiplayer component. While modes such as “Frontline” offers some unique fun, it’s one that is troubled in the long run, and only offers up a “Team Deathmatch” like experience, but with kills helping accrue points while kills don’t mean near as much as before. However, this is the only thing new in the entire game. It re-uses much of the familiar systems from Black Ops III and fails to embrace its new futuristic route. With the chances to use zero-g to its benefit and thrusters, and even outer space maps, Infinite Warfare ignores the one thing it would have benefited from the most, and even fails to apply it deeper within the multiplayer itself.

Sure it’s fun to run across the starboard side of a starship as it’s being pulled into a black hole, the game also forgets several things that would have made this unique: creativity, uniqueness, and a sense of innovation. Sure, it would be easy to compare to Battlefield 1, which embedded the “War is Hell” persona within its very core, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare doesn’t quite make the push it needs in order to differentiate itself from the past two installments, and drops the ball on this part.

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CoD: Zombies in the Scifi 80’s Scene Anyone?

While multiplayer is fast, chaotic, and quite a bit of fun, its only real sense of depth is the customizable rigs, which feature unique traits, much like the customizable characters in Black Ops III. While you won’t see Battery, Prophet, or Seraph; FTL, Warfighter, and even Synaptic fill the empty space not having the aforementioned three leaves. They all offer up familiar abilities with Synaptic using Prophet’s rewind ability while Warfighter’s SMG could easily match that of Battery’s chaotic grenade launcher, and even FTL easily keeping up with Seraph in the essence of map control with his FTL Jump, which easily gives him map control.

While other abilities are present from the past game, Infinite Warfare‘s multiplayer feels like a heavy copy and paste job of Black Ops III and offers little innovation to the ever-growing-stagnancy that surrounds the multiplayer. If you can look past that, however, and enjoy the game – Infinite Warfare is a blast and offers up some amazing gameplay in both 4K and 1080p for PlayStation 4 Pro users. For Xbox One and PlayStation 4 standard users, the game is still a gorgeous example of next-gen graphics while also embracing the Call of Duty “photorealism” that was first introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – PC, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), and Xbox One 
Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven
Publisher: Activision
Cost: $59.99 Standard | $79.99 Legacy (feat. MW: Remastered)
Release Date: Now Available

Even with zombies (which takes place in the 80’s and features David Hasslehof), much remains unchanged even on that front, except for the card system, which offers up unique cards that benefit the player much like active perks. Even here, however, not much has changed enough to call the multiplayer unique, revolutionary, or even innovative. It’s pretty much the same-old-same-old cliche that the franchise has been on the same route of over the years.

Closing Thoughts – I’ll be Eating Crow for Dinner Now

While I’ve been on the steady path of calling the franchise horrible, attrocious, and a marketing ploy – it’s hard to say that Call of Duty isn’t fun. It carries nostalgia, enjoyment, and a unique way to bring friends back together that haven’t played together a while. Even then, however, Infinite Warfare is a tough purchase for those trying to justify the $79.99 just to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered and excusing Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare as part of the equation. Even with 150GB’s required with all DLC including the remaster, it’s hard to justify such a thing as games are ever-growing in size, and 50GB’s has become the new norm for many of us.

If this is just too much for you, it’s highly suggested to wait till the sales on it start this holiday season, or just simply stick with Black Ops III, which will offer up much-of-the-same experience that you’ve already become used to over the years. Lets just hope with a years worth the DLC in front of us that Infinite Warfare will be ready to embrace the uniqueness of outer space and this latest installment and make it as unique as ever. Besides, who doesn’t want to see zero gravity battles while floating across space while using asteroids or meteors as fighting grounds? I know I sure as heck would. We can only dream, however, we can only dream.

Our review is based upon a retail version of the game we paid for ourselves. For our review, we also used a PlayStation 4 Pro with a 7200RPM HDD for our review.  For information about our ethics policy please click here.

 Final Score: 8 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 on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

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

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

playstation4pro

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 Edition, Titanfall 2, the recently reviewed Battlefield 1, Call 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 Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

N7 Day to Feature New Info About Mass Effect: Adromeda Information

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

meandromedan7day

With the hype surrounding Mass Effect: Andromeda growing the more and more we hear about it, so is the curiosity towards what the game will be about, what we will be able to do, and what to expect from it. As of today a new N7 Day trailer promor has launched, which simply states the following: “Join the Andromeda Initiative,” which we can only hope means that they are trying to reveal their upcoming plans for the game or possibly a new coop mode.

All we know for now is that N7 Day will be a big day for all Mass Effect fans and it will bring in an idea of what we can expect.

What do you hope to see on N7 Day? Do you hope to see something about the original franchise coming to next gen consoles or do you think we’ll definitely be getting more information about Mass Effect: Andromeda.

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 Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors – Partying Like it’s 1999

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

Pros:
+Combat remains strong, fun, and enjoyable as ever
+Musical compositions keep the game fresh, fun, and “cute”.
+Interesting story that follows suit much in the same fashion of the first entry
+Each Criminal Girl has a unique personality that diversifies the cast quite well

Cons:
-Grinding seems as if it was fortuitous to the games design
-Touchscreen motivating of the girls seems… Awkward.
-A bit raunchy for some due to fan service

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Last February I was given the opportunity to get my hands on the original Criminal Girls title. Sadly, I didn’t get as far as I had wanted in the game. Whether it was the raunchiness, the sadomasochism or just the tone of the girls, it had been hard to get past since I found myself distracted by the constant “fan service” that seemed to be oozing out from every corner of the game. With a bit of hesitance, I cringed a bit, entered the review code, and waited for the half hour of downloads to proceed.

Much as expected, the game booted up and low-and-behold I was introduced to anime girls who once more welcomed in the games rather sexually crafted girls. However, what I didn’t expect, it doesn’t run through each characters bit of design. While some of the girls have a rather crude and dark tone to them, it didn’t take away from the few minutes of dialogue I came to enjoy before diving face deep into the game. One that influenced itself through a random combat generator that doesn’t just randomly generate the fight, but even the abilities each girl will use, and how they’ll be used in that turn of combat.

As one would expect, the combat is one of the mainstays of the game due to the JRPG elements and the fact it is a dungeon crawler first and foremost. Because of this approach, combat will be at the forefront a will dungeon design. While some may cringe at the idea that combat may appear like a RNG role.

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It makes the game interesting, fresh, and quite enjoyable compared to the cookie cutter JRPG’s that we’ve been getting in recent years. This bit of context makes the combat quite enjoyable, unique, and even provides a sense of relief when a major ability would come up in battle and force the player to use them as they became available.

While this can be frustrating as your fate is in the hands of the game, it doesn’t take away the fact that the difficulty of a JRPG is always present, which means the grind is there.This is something that will be a bother to some as they will find themselves constantly fighting to level. Something that also comes in with the game is the “motivation” mechanic, which forces players to “scrub” the girls with their finger on the touch screen.

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Doing this takes players in a screen where each girl is in rather provocative positions, which to some, could be a red flag if they are in public (trust me, I got caught playing this in public forgetting about this, and was embarrassed while eating my sushi). These motivations are a way to gain new abilities with each girl, while having healing abilities, and stronger attacks can be wonderful, it doesn’t make this game any more awkward than it already is until you use the motivate option.

With all that aside, Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors is just what one would expect from a dungeon crawler that takes place in Hell. The goal of your adventure is simply: get the girls to the top so they can be rehabilitated. While all this is simple, there’s a small plot twist that twists itself within the game and can make one wonder about the demon attack. The game hints that one of your own just happens to be a demon in disguise instead of a girl needing help.

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Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors – PlayStation Vita (Reviewed)
Developer: NIS
Publisher: NIS America
Cost: $39.99
Release Date: Now Available

Sadly the game doesn’t suffer from the rather enjoyable combat or story, but it suffers from something a bit more painful. It suffers from an intensive amount of grinding. enough that many could even find themselves turned off by this turn of events. While it may not bother some at first, it will grow old after a few hours while trying to reach the next save point before heading off to a boss, and beating their head in so they can reach the next check point.

Luckily, if you are accustomed to JRPG’s this won’t be a rather large issue and could lead fans to an enjoyable experience. While finding enjoyment in some of this games most awkward situations can be a bit daunting, it doesn’t take away the fact Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors is a series that is headed in the right direction, and will keep gaining fans over the years. If you can tolerate grinds, embarrassing moments, and questionable situations, Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors is a game that offers a decent challenge while pushing fans into a new PS Vita exclusive series.

Our review is based upon a copy provided to us by the games publisher.  For information about our ethics policy please click here.

 Final Score: 7 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 on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Review: Battlefield 1 – Stepping Back to Times Where Battlefields Truly Existed

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

Pros:
+Extremely well balanced classes, weapons, and vehicle systems
+Unlock progress smoothly transitions to an era set before previous games
+Vehicles are unique and authentic to their time
+Multiplayer deepens the games story through operations
+Gorgeous graphics and soundscapes (music, ambiance, etc)

Cons:
–Sound performance problems seem to pop up during extremely chaotic moments.

 

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Much like any Battlefield, Battlefield 1 is not a far cry from what makes the series unique among all the competitors out there. For the first time since Battlefield Bad Company, the series finally displays what it is to make a campaign a piece of importance to the overall title. While the series adapted to destructible environments, which is still present this day, the game also followed suit with titles such as Activision’s Call of Duty in the element of including unlockable items.

Since the release of Battlefield 3 the series has been trumped by an rather distinct since of identity conflict due to the direction the series began to take. With the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, players whom purchased Battlefield 4 on the next gen consoles (at the time) were plagued with numerous problems. Each of these problems weren’t elusive to just some players, but they plagued all. With game crashes, texture issues, and insane load times, Battlefield 4 put a black mark across the franchises name for many.

For many it would seem as if the franchise was losing its focus, that it was falling apart, and luckily that has changed as they took a bit more time with Battlefield 1. Long had been the days since I thought World War 1 or any other war would have been a viable idea. Games such as Medal of Honor, Shellshock: Vietnam, and Rising Storm 2: Vietnam had proven that wars previous to Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and even Iraq. Setting foot into even older wars, however, had seemed to set things a bit more taboo in modern years. What happened though to DICE? Were they working on anything outside of Star Wars: Battlefront? That was a question much of the gaming community had asked. No, they weren’t, they were focusing on Battlefield 1.

Battlefield 1 Feels More Like a Movie than a Game

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To succeed as a new portion of the series, Battlefield 1 had first wave farewell to the modern day military aesthetic the series has seen for almost a decade. Doing so has allowed the developers to prepare the franchise for something new, something unique, and ultimately something that would help re-define the series as we know it now. The game so precisely and carefully weaved itself into a brilliantly crafted masterpiece, one that has been so carefully crafted that even the developers shared this intensity within the game itself.

Unlike previous shooters, Battlefield 1 brilliantly bids farewell to the one-man-long campaign, and instead, it brings forth multiple stories that across multiple theaters of war with many different tones in narration. Instead of continuing on with the one-man-hero story that Call of Duty has done across multiple installments, DICE approached the game differently by creating a finely tuned anthology, each one telling three completely separate stories across the events of World War I. The game telling the stories of multiple men and women within the theaters of war that take place across Europe.

While many would question how the game offers up a movie-like experiences, it’s quite easy to discuss when it comes to how well the narrative spans across multiple sequences even outside of the campaign. DICE does this quite well by bringing in a new mode named “Operations”. The Operations mode is what one would expect. It’s multiple battles that take place across several scenarios within a single area within a single battle. Each of these ones are told through the eyes of troops or leaders that players encounter within these missions. To fill in the need for cinematics, the game offers this up across multiple occasions to carry on the movie-like experience that takes place across the game.

Battlefield 1 is as Authentic as Possible for War Games

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Much as one would expect, there’s always a question about where a game may go as it begins to unfold. Does it ignore the costs of war? Does it ignore that the terror’s that those in it will not have some mental anguish caused by it? Do they remain silent about what they go through in all tonal challenges made possible by the costs of war? No. In a unique way, Battlefield 1 provides the real-life costs of what such a war would be like.

This move sets Battlefield 1 apart from all the rest. This makes it one of the largest departures within the military genre. The first chapter of the game captures this perfectly as players take on the role of a tank driver in “Mud and Blood”. In this chapter players are forced to enjoy a rather unique trip through Europe in a tank named “Big Bess”. In this mission players are given the option to approach the enemies in two manners. One is stealth, eliminating them with brutal melee finishers, and using silenced weapons that can be found scattered across the battlefield.

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The landscape, as you can imagine, is unique as players will sneak across mortar-blasted lands covered in mud that are filled with German forces. In the second story, players will become adept in using the games flying mechanics. In the second story titled “No Man’s Land”, players fly their way throughout the battlefields of Europe before taking to the grounds where machine-guns have cut almost everything down to size, tanks that have been demolished are littered across the trenches, and even mortal created holes that decorate the ground.

Let alone does the authenticity of the stories help portray the realistic costs to each character in Battlefield 1, the weapons help this authenticity seem even more plausible due to how each weapon has been carefully crafted in order to give a realistic response to its uses. Let alone do the weapons look, sound, and “feel” real, they offer a depth of realism never seen before within their customizations. This goes for combat as well in both single-player and even multiplayer.

If Battlefield 1 Provides a Realistic Feel for the Game it’s Throughout the Entire Thing

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Unlike previous Battlefield titles, sneaking, maneuvering, and flanking didn’t feel as needed in order to progress through each multiplayer session as it does now. The newest portion of this mechanical design worked well in Battlefield Hardline where players would find themselves cautiously sneaking across each map. They also found themselves using every bit of their terrain to provide themselves a tactical advantage. Much like Hardline sneaking and careful maneuvers serve as an important role to the game. This further proves that the need to shoot at enemies sometimes isn’t quit the best idea.

Unlike previous titles, Battlefield 1 isn’t some dull experience that players will find boring as they find themselves storming across landscapes as a Bedouin horseback resistance fighter, an Italian shock trooper, an ace pilot, or even a tank pilot there wasn’t an inkling of boredom coming from me. While it does suffer from rather well known issues of any shooter franchise, y’know, idiot A.I., players crashing friendly planes into me, and the occasional tank driver who decides to drive us off a cliff. With those issues aside? The game has vastly approved upon many of the underlying issues from previous titles.

Closing Thoughts of a New Era of Shooters

Battlefield 1 – PC, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), Xbox One
Developer: DICE
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Cost: $59.99
Release Date: Now Available

Battlefield 1 is a departure from what we knew the series as. It forgoes the idea of the long ran approach to single character designs. It breathes what the title is through and through. It benefits itself from embedding the games core elements throughout the title. Whether it’s players storming across each map in combat in Rush, Domination, Team Deathmatch or even players storming across each operation that takes place in each multiplayer session. Something I can contest to after the dozens of hours I’ve already put into the game.

The game goes back to the days of what makes Battlefield 1 a classic Battlefield title. While some would assert that the game is slower in many aspects, others would carry on to say that the game is much faster paced in many ways. It serves as a reminder that the franchise has moved to grow as semi-automatic and bolt-action firearms fit perfectly with the era they came from. While the shooter genre moves forth into the distances of humanities future, Battlefield 1 will always be behind them as it remains very alive in its very unique way by departing from the competitive edge in ways the previous titles ventured into.

For now, it’s safe to say that Battlefield 1 pushes the boundaries into emotional depth and grasp. It’s a game that will push the FPS genre in a direction that it needed to go without underplaying the importance of building the single player into all aspects of the game and allowing that narrative to drive the games overall design.

Our review is based upon the release version of the game we purchased for review.  For information about our ethics policy please click here.

 Final Score: 9 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 on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Sit-Rep: Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel – A Succulent Fruit Hidden in Ashes

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

Pros:
+Revisiting The Painted World of Ariamis with Ashes of Ariandel
+New boss fights and creatures provide a worthwhile challenge
+New PvP Arena is spectacular and fulfills a PvPers desires
+Very well paced for the small download size offering between 3-4 hours of gameplay

Cons:
-Difficulty at times can be  mind boggling occasions
-Exploring can be difficult for newcomers to the series that started with DSIII.

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Dark Souls 3 has been delivering an enjoyable experience for us since the day we snuffed out the flame of the Soul of Cinder boss for our review. Ashes of Ariandel delivers a very similar experience for fans to enjoy. With a new icy landscape to enjoy, new weapons, armor, and even spells, Ashes of Ariandel isn’t shy on delivering a satisfactory experience for everyone involved. However, the hunt for all of this? It will only last depending on the want players have to fight creatures to farm for their gear or even players just wanting to wipe out the bosses for the experience.

However, this expansion isn’t all-that-difference from the lands we once explored in Dark Souls named “The Painted World of Ariamis”. However, it’s not exactly the same due to where players get to visit. In this world, players will find enemies that are rather diverse, deadly, and will deal just as much damage like any-other-enemy. Players will once more find themselves becoming familiar with enemies such as “The Followers, the Millwood Knights, and even the vicious wolves that wander around. Unlike many of the enemies we’ve met before, they are vicious, they are brutal, and these Viking like enemies that like to blow things up with their weapons.

Unlike many of the places we’ve visited in the game, Ariandel itself is just as deadly as the enemies within it. With treacherous mountain cliffs, false snowbanks that randomly fall from beneath you, Ariandel will leave you in perilous situations as enemies will openly jump you without knowing. While snowy-covered lands may be a large part of the land you explore, players will also find themselves going through buildings within the land, but also they will find themselves exploring the rather deadly path of twisted roots in order to explore the lands below. The only thing that makes this experience saddening is Ariandel itself isn’t all that large as one would hope. Compared to any other zone within the game, Ariandel is almost just a blip on the radar with it only hosting two bosses, around a dozen items to be discovered.

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The one thing that does make this zone a bit troubled isn’t the mobs, how small it is, or how few bosses there are. It’s the fact this zone is packed full of bonfires that allow fans to move through the zone a heck-of-a-lot quicker than they’d like. Unlike Dark Souls world “The Painted World of Ariamis,”fans will find themselves not concerned with moving once more through the lands. Like much of the game compared to the previous entries, Ashes of Ariandel remains tame compared to the rest of the game, and even makes itself feel less challenging than ever before.

This approach, however, doesn’t take away from what the expansion is about. The bosses, the monsters, and even the treacherous terrains are formidable foes that will leave players reeling in pain. As mentioned before, Ashes of Ariandel remains a pivotal point in the direction the next DLC could go. Despite how easy the DLC felt at points, the expansion itself offered up plenty of challenges for me to experience. Whether it was the Millwood Knights or even the wolves hiding within the forest, Ashes of Ariandel’s three hours of play time offered plenty of challenges for me to go through, and became a rather quick awareness check for me to experience. PvP arenas remain locked until players defeat the optional boss that’s hidden within the lands.

While mortality within the game is quite easily tested by players exploring the lands, you can quite easily expect this to shine through in Ashes of Ariandel with the games new arena. For players looking to PvP, Ashes of Ariandel offers up a rather large amount of this to be had. Players can choose from 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 or even blood filled free-for-alls, and the ability to choose whether or not to heal within it. Seeking avenues within each map is quite pleasing as players will find multiple approaches to each encounter, which will allow players to blast back against their enemies or even wither them down to nothing. Worried about spawn camping? There’s none of that to be had here since the game manages to negate this issue with an anti-spawn camp mechanic. This will definitely encourage PvP later in for those that tire of the games campaign.

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Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel – PC, PlayStation 4 (PlayStation 4), Xbox One
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Cost: $14.99
Release Date: Now Available

However, with all that said, Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel is an enjoyabl experience that will keep fans busy for hours to come. Fr those looking to PvP, the DLC will keep fans busy for longer than expected as they find themselves exploring the frozen wastelands or even beating other players around until their ashes scatter within the winds.

Our review is based upon the release of the DLC via the games Season Pass.  For information about our ethics policy please click here.

 Final Score: 8 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 on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

Want Some Games to Prepare for Halloween With? Here’s 5 to Get You Started

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

Halloween is just around the corner. It’s the time of year that many of us prepare for with spooks, scares, and wetting our beds with some of the scariest games to release to date. To help you prepare, we’ve decided to grab a few of our favorite options only to send you on your way with the games that’ll sate your needs.

So what do you say, shall we jump into our list? Lets do so.

#5: Outlast – PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One

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When it comes to scary corridors, limited resources (batteries in this scenario), and free-roaming lunatics, Outlast takes the cake. In Outlast players take the role of a Miles Upshur, a freelance investigative journalist, whom just happens to come across the news of an abandoned asylum.

When finally getting into the place, Miles learns very quickly that the residence have taken over, and what was once a safe place is now his living nightmare. Why? Just ask that lunatic waiting to cave your skull in around the corner. Outlast is all about being sneaky, solving puzzles, and trying not to wet yourself while playing.

#4: Amnesia: The Dark Descent – PC

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Taking place in 1839, horror found itself seeping from every edge of the enigmatic Brennenburg Castle. The protagonist Daniel finds himself exploring through the dark halls in order to find memories that he has locked away after finding the note that gives him this evidence. When going into the castle in which he once left, Daniel goes forth to kill the Baron Alexander.

His adventure will take players through the history of what had happened to him and lead him to losing all his memory. What players will learn is that Daniel was once part of an archaeological expedition to Africa where he explored a tomb named “The Tomb of Tin Hinan”. Within the tomb, he discovered an orb that was broken into pieces. Upon returning strange things began to happen, and now it’s time for him to solve the case of what’s actually going on.

Set as a first-person horror survival title, Amnesia: The Dark Descent was the first game to remove weapons as a portion of combat into a distinct rush for survival. Instead players are forced to use their surroundings to hide from enemy threats and to move stealth like from their enemies.

#3: Alien: Isolation

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15 years after the disappearance of the Nostromo spacecraft, the daughter of famed Ellen Ripley has gone on the search for her mother. In her exploration of her mother, Amanda Ripley, is approached by an android under the name of Christopher Samuels, whom is employed by the Weyland-Yutani corporation. Meeting with her, Samuels indicates that the flight recorder of the Nostromo had been located by a ship named the Anesidora. Located on the station Sevastopol, the Seegson Corporation has set orbit around the planet KG348.

Traveling to the station, Ripley, Samuels, and Nina Tailor travel to Sevastopol only to encounter a situation they weren’t prepared for. A monster has gone on the loose, with this being a problem, Axel, a survivor on the Sevastopol, is killed by the alien creature only to set forth a string of complications. Amanda’s adventure will take her racing through the Sevastopol and the Anesidora for survival. She will take on unimaginable enemies and survive unimaginable situations.

#2: SIREN – PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4

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St in the Japanese village of Hanyūda, player are set to explore the village that kept itself away from the world through isolation. Following the interruptions of a ritual near Hanyūda, a rather large earthquake happens near by, and in turn the village now finds itself lost between time and space. Surrounded by a sea of red waters, the village finds itself troubled with mysterious occurrences that take place within it.

Much of the games story takes place surrounding Hisako Yao, the leader of a local religion, and one that looks to reawaken an old God who now slumbers. With the deity awake, the shibito (corpse people_ seek to go through the village while building up the god’s corporeal form once it is summoned. Their job is to also hunt down and kill any humans left in the village in order to bring him back. The game takes place over the span of three days and in those three days, fans will experience gameplay that will seem rather similar to Silent Hill fans.

Will you have what it takes to resist the Siren’s Call?

#1: Resident Evil – What platform hasn’t this been on?

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While it sounds odd Resident Evil remains one of the creepiest game to date. It is a game that still brings the elements of horror to the forefront. Resident Evil takes place on July 24th, 1998 in the Midwestern town of Raccoon City. With news of odd and inhuman murders, the Raccoon City Policy Department sends the STARS unit into the mansion.

Upon arriving, the team is sent in to search the mansion after having been attacked by monstrous dogs with their flesh rotting off. Seeking efuge in the near by mansion, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker, and Barry Burton. Once within the mansion the team discovers something out of place and fits the description of the grizzly murders: Zombies. If you haven’t played the series, Resident Evil is a series that requires fans to scavenge for supplies and use their resources sparingly.

What games do you suggest for others to try? Let us know in the comments.

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 Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

 

 

Killing Floor 2 Gets the PlayStation 4 Pro Treatment

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

With the PlayStation 4 Pro there’s been a rather large amount of information in regards to games that will be getting the 4K treatment. Today, Tripwire Interactive has announced hat Killing Floor 2 will be getting that same treatment on the day it launches for PlayStation 4 Pro. This means newly optimized gameplay that will run at 1800p checkboard rendering on a 4K TV (3200×1800), supersampling and increased FPS on HDTV’s, but also a higher-resolution set of textures that take the game up to Ultra High resolutions.

So lets take a peak at the trailer below for you all to enjoy.

KILLING FLOOR 2 is developed by Tripwire Interactive and will be published by Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive for the PlayStation®4 Pro, PlayStation®4, and PC. The game will be available globally on November 18, 2016.

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 Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

One Tamriel Launches for The Elder Scrolls Online for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

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Updates are always something we look forward to when it comes to our games. The Elder Scrolls Online has received the one update we’ve been waiting about since QuakeCon 2016. This update drastically changes the game and allows players to once more experience the world of Tamriel in a new way as the free update is now available for all players.

The new update changes the game title to One Tamriel, which allows players to have an unforeseen freedom in this title. With the game having a rather large world to explore, fans can now find themselves once more playing together, and conversing in this new large scale world that level-scales to the player. This means that players can now go anywhere, with anyone, at any time from the moment they leave the games tutorial no matter what Alliance players serve under.

However, in retrospect, this does change when it comes to PvP, which will put players in a restricted sense once more. However, doing quests, dungeons, trials, and more does not restrict players based on faction.

Check out some of the patch notes for more information:teso_witches_festival_cauldronfinal_1476364444

  • Dueling: Players can now battle each other anywhere outside Cyrodiil to test their skills and builds and claim bragging rights as the toughest adventurer
  • Zone Overhaul: All zones have been redesigned for a mix of solo and group play with improved bosses and standardized difficulty
  • Dungeons: All dungeons can be played in normal and veteran mode, where story is separated from difficulty and players are battle-leveled to allow players of different levels to play together, and receive level-appropriate loot
  • Craglorn: The massive Craglorn zone has been redesigned to make it solo-friendly but still the go-to location for group content
  • Loot: Loot in zones has now been standardized like dungeon loot, making it possible to acquire specific sets in specific zones at whatever level you are when completing quests

New players can get the recently released The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Edition, which includes the main game as well as all four major DLC Game Packs — Imperial City, Orsinium, Thieves Guild, and Dark Brotherhood – for only $59.99 by visitinghttp://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/joinus.

ONE TAMRIEL | TRIP OF A LIFETIME GIVEAWAY

Just a reminder, the Trip of a Lifetime giveaway is currently running, celebrating the freedom of exploration in One Tamriel by awarding five once-in-a-lifetime grand prize trips to exotic locations across the world inspired by iconic in-game locations. And since One Tamriel is also all about playing together, each prize package is a trip for two, including meals, accommodations, and incredible excursions led by local guides and experts.

Grand Prize Destinations – Winners Choose One of the Five:

  • Elsweyr Package | Kenya & Tanzania: Seek out real-life Khajiit on an African safari as you visit national parks, game reserves, and conservation areas in Kenya and Tanzania.
  • Skyrim Package | Switzerland: Hunt for dragons amid the snowcapped peaks of the Swiss Alps, exploring the lands of the famed Eiger and Matterhorn.
  • Black Marsh Package | Peru: Prepare for an Argonian adventure as you explore the natural beauty of the Amazon and ancient ruins of Peru, including the former Inca capital of Cusco and an unforgettable visit to Machu Picchu.
  • Hammerfell Package | Morocco: Get lost in the deserts of Hammerfell as you discover the mysteries of Morocco, its stunning architecture and ancient mountain villages.
  • Summerset Isles Package | New Zealand: Prepare for the multisport fun in the adventure capital of the world, paddling a sea kayak on the stunning north coast and hike from glacier to rain forest or raft on a subterranean river.

In addition, 1,000 lucky Runners-Up will receive 1,000 Crowns each for use in the in-game Crown Store.

Entering is easy – simply jump online and play The Elder Scrolls Online any time between Oct 5 and Dec 16, 2016 and then head online to register to win at www.elderscrollsonline.com/tripofalifetime. Entering is available without purchase by visiting the web site and mailing in a postcard as directed.

Are you ready to explore the world of Tamriel and possibly have a chance to go across iconic locales that inspired the games?

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 Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.

This NIS America Sale is Outrageously Awesome

/ Dustin Murphy / 2 Comments

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Saving money is always a good thing. It doesn’t matter whether it’s about games, movies, books, music, or what have you. Today our pals at NIS America have announced that they are having a rather large sale that’s one that could quite likely have you setting your wallets on fire in order to obtain all the games they want. So lets take a look at a small sample of what there is to obtain.

Think that is all? They’re also doing a rather nice sale on the Phantom Brave title on PC right now for those of you wanting in on that.

What games will you be picking up from this gigantic sale?

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 Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.