Review: Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power – A Gorgeous Experience Unlike Any Other

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Written by Annie Hunt (Hiwatt)

trine3_sunset_atmosphere01

Pros:
+Beautiful environments and music create an immersive world
+Gameplay is fun, interesting and challenging
+Great for co-op adventures

Cons:
–Some technical issues (I didn’t really experience any but they are being addressed by the developer)
–Story progression is gated by collecting points. This requires you to collect all “trineangles” in the story chapters and do some of the class challenges to be able to continue the story progression.
–A little short, 4-7 hours, depending on player experience with this type of game.
–Cliff hanger ending leaves you wanting more.

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Frozenbyte is back with a new edition to the Trine series, Trine 3: Artifacts of Power for Microsoft Windows. The series tells the story of three heroes who have unique abilities and are tasked with saving the world from evil (over and over again). While the story may sound simple, its storybook charm and loveable dialogue bring each game to life.

The kingdom where the games take place is a fantastical wonderland; full of saturated and breathtaking sights. In the series you can find yourself at a shimmering beach, lush jungles, magical castles, or atop snowy mountains. The playful music is evocative and magical. The environments are truly special in these games.

Traditionally, the Trine games have been 2D, side-scrolling, action, platform, and puzzle games, but Trine 3 differs from its predecessors with a new 3D element. There is a new depth to the levels which allows you to move toward and away from the screen, and gives you more opportunities to interact with the world. While many reviews have met this change with resistance, I found it to be refreshing with limited issues. Gauging depth is the most noticeable problem with the 3D but I only found that troublesome in “Chapter Seven: The Redwood Forest”, due to the snow already limiting visibility. Speed playing the game will make depth issues more noticeable so I recommend taking your time to enjoy what the game has to offer.

Character abilities are a bit different in Trine 3. Talent trees have been removed and some of the base abilities have been replaced with new ones. At first I missed some of the advanced skills that you can obtain in Trine 2 (Monster Prison was really fun) but the new abilities work well with each other. The synergy between the new character abilities makes solving puzzles a lot more efficient and intuitive. Combat can be clunky on Zoya and Amadeus but Pontius’ new combat abilities allow you to control a large group of enemies rather easily. While most of the new skills are improvements, they are missing the flavor of the old skills.

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Trine 3: Artifacts of Power – PC
Developer: Frozenbyte
Price: $21.99 (10% off till Aug. 27)
Released: Aug. 20, 2015

A new addition to the game is the stage select map, which mimics a game board carved out of wood. It is reminiscent of the introduction to Game of Thrones or those handmade Settlers of Catan boards. I love the design of the board, unfortunately I feel returning to the select screen between levels breaks some of the immersion that you experience in the earlier games.

The board also represents the new gated story progression system which is one of the most disappointing things for me. The lack of talent trees makes collecting “trineangles” obsolete. Instead of incorporating the collection of points into a new system, the game just requires you to do it. Completionist may not complain but beginners might not realize the importance of collecting until they have to go back to previous chapters or complete class challenges to move on.

Class challenges are new modes that were added in Trine 3. Each character gets their own levels, which give a little background information on them and lets you learn what each character is capable of. Class challenges force you to think about a character’s abilities and pushes you to use them to complete puzzles.These challenges seem to be more difficult and punish mistakes.

One of the most interesting environments in the game is the “storybook” chapter. This level plays on the storybook theme from the previous games. The illustrated art style is an interesting detour from the highly saturated environments that are traditional to the Trine series. This chapter is an “exposition dump” though, and gives you a large portion of the story in this one level.

The length and ending of the game were the most disheartening though. I really enjoyed every minute while I was in the game but I was left wanting more. I know I will return to play the game with more friends but the solo adventure is lacking a resolution. In a post-launch statement, Vice President of Frozenbyte, Joel Kinnunen, offers an apology and an explanation saying “We tried to make something too ambitious, and it ended up financially impossible.” [1] He followed up with, “Regardless we will continue to fix and update Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power, as we’ve always done with our games, and I’m confident we’ll get many issues fixed shortly.”

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power. I mostly wish the game was longer but understand the issues the developers faced. I’ve played a total of 13 hours, which included a couple hours of Early Access play, completing all achievements in single player and a few hours of co-op play. I am sure that I will return to play more co-op with other friends. For all of Trine 3’s misgivings there is no doubt in my mind that you will get your money’s worth. There is something incredibly special about these games and I highly recommend the entire series.

Our review is based upon the final version of the game.  For information about our ethics policy please click here.

 Final Score: 7 out of 10

[1] https://steamcommunity.com/app/319910/discussions/0/528398719797223737/

Additional Art: https://imgur.com/a/GpLNO

About the Writer:

annie_helseth_about_writerAnnie is an avid gamer who takes her love for gaming to the written format with her thoughts, opinions, and discussions regarding games in their current state, but as well as the industry. With her insight to PC gaming, Annie is one step ahead of the team, and looks to keep it that way.

Shadowrun: Hong Kong is Now Available on Steam

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Written by Dustin Murphy

Shadowrun_Honk_Kong_Promo

If you are like me, you grew up in the age of pen, paper, and dice RPGs where you rolled your stats, you checked for everything you did, and your characters actions could mean life or death depending on your level of caution. Over the past year or so we’ve been seeing a lot of these cRPG style games coming out on PC thanks to the award-winning crowdfunded cRPG franchise created by our friends over at Harebrained Schemes. As of August 20th, 2015, Shadowrun: Hong Kong has launched and has shown us why this third standalone title once more deserves the awards it has been given as the title it is.

featuring a new crew, expanded magic and cyberware, a completely revamped Matrix, and even an upgraded release of the Shadowrun editor, and much much more – the game is well worth the 19.99 USD on GoG, Humble Store, and Steam. for those looking to get the deluxe edition of the game will be able to get the original soundtrack, and even the Art of Shadowrun: Hong Kong PDF book for 29.99 USD. If that’s not enough to get you through the awakened and prosperous Hong Kong of 2056, fans will get to take a look at the prosperous port as it is caught up in a sea of chaos, warefare, and even political turmoil. Hong Kong in Shadowrun is a land of bright lights, gleaming towers, and restless spirits where life is cheap and everything is for sale, much different from the previous backdrops.

“The team went all-out on Shadowrun: Hong Kong,” said Jordan Weisman, CEO of Harebrained Schemes and creator of the Shadowrun franchise. “This is by far the best-looking Shadowrun game Harebrained Schemes has ever made.”

With having raised over 1.2 million USD in a Kickstarter campaign to add the new features, content, and even the game earlier this year, the campaign broke new grounds as the company sought co-funding to add the bonus features that were already in development. Within time? The game passed its goal in less than two hours.

Mitch Gitelman, co-founder of Harebrained Schemes and the game’s Executive Producer noted that, “With our Backers’ help, we’ve added a ton of new gameplay and features in Hong Kong. But for us, story and character will always be the most important element. The Shadowrun setting is an unparalleled environment for creating diverse and truly unique characters and situations.”

New in Shadowrun: Hong Kong, thanks to Kickstarter Backers:

  • Revamped Matrix art and gameplay, featuring a combination of stealth and puzzles.
  • Illustrated transition animatics that play at key moments in the story.
  • Enhanced sound, and dynamic combat music that ebbs and flows.
  • Rebuilt Inventory UI and easier management of items in-mission.
  • All-new Cyberware skill-tree and new Cyberweapons to install.
  • The ability to fluently switch between “free action” and turn-based combat modes
  • Powerful new high-tech equipment and magical Foci objects for spellcasters.
  • Upgraded interface and overall look & feel

Stay tuned for our upcoming review that will be found exclusively here on our website.

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

Hastune Miku: Project Mirai DX Gets Live-Action Mikudayo Form

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Written by Dustin Murphy

Hatsune_3DS_DayOne_Edition

When reading the email from Sega they had already asked the question that came to mind, which was “wait, what the heck is a Mikudayo,” and the answer came even quicker. For those unfamiliar, Hatsune Miku is a vocaloid, a character created using octaves of a persons voice using certain sounds you may remember from music class such as the “do re mi” chords we were used to singing growing up. This time? This little vocaloid has been brought to life using her Nendoroid form. As a first time release within the United States, fans will get to see her in her cheerful demeanor, yet oddly stiff and hysterically awkward movements that she has been known for.

In a series of videos released by Sega Japan, we got to see Ms. Julia and Mikudayo in action having their fun. Ever wondered about the relevance of these videos? Well it’s part of the Miku Lifestyle that you just boarded the train! This series is fun, energetic, and will give newcomers an idea of what to expect in the upcoming games such as Project Mirai DX, which is a Nintendo 3DS exclusive title that will get a Launch Edition that will feature a collectible outer box, Hastune Miku wallet chain as well as 19 double-sided AR cards.

Check out all the Mikudayo videos here, localized into English by SEGA staff!

Stay tuned for our upcoming review and a possible (if we can afford it) unboxing of the Launch Edition.

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

Van Halen’s Panema to be Featured in Rock Band 4

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Written by Dustin Murphy

Rock_Band_4_Logo

If you’re like me, Rockband has been a game that has become a magnificent game to have around for when there’s friends about online or offline, and as of this past week? Our friends at Harmonix and Mad Catz Interactive have made an amazing announcement. For the first time ever, Van Halen will be featured on Rock Band with the upcoming Rock Band 4 title. The legendary #1 smash hit “Panama” will be on the game at launch for those looking to download the song from the ever-growing Rock Band Music Store.

“For years we’ve wanted to bring Van Halen’s music to Rock Band,” added Harmonix CEO Steve Janiak. “Not only are the songs incredible in their own right, but they’re amazingly fun to play and perform, whether you’re on guitar, bass, drums, or vocals.”

For music fans, many of you may already know that the band has recently released remastered versions of each of their six first albums, which also includes their newly recorded live album, “Tokyo Dome Live in Concert”. With them touring right and performing many of their live albums, it’ll be astonishing to see their music scrolling the screen in all the glory of Rock Bands well known graphical appeal.

Van Halen recently released remastered versions of their first six albums, as well as a newly recorded live album, Tokyo Dome Live In Concert. The band is currently on tour in multiple cities and venues throughout North America, and will be performing many of their hits from these classic albums. With more than 75 million albums sold worldwide, and more No. 1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart than any other artist, Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Rock Band 4, the next generation of the award-winning social and interactive music gaming platform launches globally on October 6, 2015 for Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.

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

Marvel: War of Heroes Gets the New Nexus Update

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Written by Dustin Murphy

Marvel War of Heroes - icon

Prepare your phones, tablets, your hands, and your eyes, today DeNA has unveiled the latest update coming to Marvel: War of Heroes. In this card battle based game, players will get to find themselves using characters such as Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and many, many more heroes in the largest superhero card game. With the newly announced updated, fans and newcomers will get to see all new gameplay mechanics, a newly revamped user interface, and even a newly implemented dynamic card evolution system so that you can update your brand new set of Nexus cards once the update is applied.

Marvel WoH - BattleFlash

Not familiar with “TCG” style games? Don’t be well fear not! For those unfamiliar with card games such as these or Marvel: War of Heroes, players will take on the challenge of going into the Marvel Universe with a card battle system. Here you will take on the task of going through the Nexus portal in order to experience various iconic locations within the Marvel Universe while taking on missions, fighting using the new Revolution Battle system, obtaining new cards, and even using a new systems that were made in order to make the game a little easier for those of you playing. This means new strategic card placements, a new skillful deck maneuvering system in order to take out enemies and collecting your rewards. With the new Nexus portal, fans will be able to gather new Materials, Gear, and even equip their cards with 60+ new items. This includes new cards from the Nexus update as well as battling Agents and even bosses for new powerful rewards.

the first zone that fans will get to enter with the release of Nexus will be Asgard, which many will know from the Thor comics, movies, and well Avengers. Here you will be tasked with helping Thor and experience the “Might of Asgard” as he seeks to show his worth to his father – Odin. As he does he will battle his friends Heimdall, Sif, and many more as he collects the cards and uses their unique abilities.

Interested in trying the game out? Visit App Store for iDevice users while fans on Android can visit Google Play. Do note that the game does contain in-app purchases and micro-transactions, but they are not required in order to play.

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

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

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

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Written by Dustin Murphy

abyss_odyssey_PS4_screen8

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

Mike “Flamesword” Chaves to Compete in PvP Exhibition for Destiny to Showcase Upcoming “Rift” Mode

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Written by Dustin Murphy

Mike "Flamesword" Chavez poses for a portrait in Seattle WA, USA, on 26 February 2015. // Ian Coble/Red Bull Content Pool // VIN: SI201503030013 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further informations. //

Mike “Flamesword” Chavez poses for a portrait in Seattle WA, USA, on 26 February 2015. Property of Ian Coble/Red Bull Content Pool

If you’ve been following Destiny you know that Destiny: The Taken King is getting extremely close to launching and will be featuring some major changes, new raid(s), and even some new PvP arenas for you to enjoy. As of today, Destiny, Bungie, and Redbull have announced that Mike “Flamesword” Chaves will compete in the first ever PvP exhibition to showcase the upcoming mode “Rift”. Flamesword will not be alone for this as he will be joined by top members of Destiny’s community. The event will be hosted by Bungie’s DeeJ and Lars Bakken.

The event known as “Red Bull Quest” for Destiny was created as an in-game experience by collaboration between Bungie, Activision, and Red Bull for their partnerships together to prepare for the upcoming launch of Destiny: The Taken King when it launches on September 15th, 2015. If you haven’t participated in the “Red Bull Quest” head over to RedBullQuest.com for more information in order to get in on this.

While you do that? You can check out  Bungie’s Community Manager, David “DeeJ” Dague, Crucible Design Lead, Lars Bakken will host the livestream. The first eSports athlete to be featured on a Red Bull can and an avid Destiny player, Mike “Flamesword” Chaves will compete alongside competitors of the Destiny Community including Holtzmann, nKuch, Datto, Mtashed, KJHovey, and Flamesword’s guests Clout, FizZoR and tripleWRECK as they take on the new content before it launches on August 22nd at 10:00am PST, 12:00pm CST, and 1:00pm EST on the Red Bull eSports Channel on Twitch. The event will be created and produced by Red Bull Media House and broadcasted live from the Red Bull eSports Studio in Santa Monica, the Destiny PVP livestream will be on Twitch at http://www.twitch.tv/redbullesports just so that those of you who aren’t there can get in on the upcoming content.

Follow Red Bull eSports @RedBullESPORTS, Flamesword @OpTicFlamesword, Bungie @Bungie and Destiny @DestinytheGame on Twitter.

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

Reign of Bullets Launches on Steam

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Written by Dustin Murphy

RoG_Combat_SC01

Are you a fan of bullet Hell games? What about a steam punk setting? Then Reign of Bullets is right up your alley. Putting players in the world of the character named Troy; him being a simple mechanic in a garage that just happens to get his home destroyed by a corporation under the name of Titan, players are put into the world where they will fight off the world. Now? It’s time for you to start his journey in an old jet that he had just laying around in his garage. As players undergo his quest for revenge, [players will explore new areas, collect scrap, and improve their ship while bringing the Titan corporation down a few pegs from where they stood. With the games modification system for the customization of your plane, it will be up to you to stop the Titan Corporation how you desire.

Game Features:

  • Fun 2D shoot ’em up gameplay with waves of enemies and screen filling bosses.
  • Lots of upgrading possibilities on each and every individual gun leading to nearly endless amount of variations to customize your weapons to suit your playstyle! Guns are based on different types ranging from simple rifles to drone launchers. A simple rifle can be created to a shotgun, minigun or sniper rifle.
  • Free weapon placement: Place weapons anywhere on your ship in any direction to adapt to different enemies and levels
  • Epic loot: Defeat bosses for rare and epic weapons that upgrade your ship to take on new areas.
  • Campaign mode: Play through the storyline that leads you through all the different areas and tells the story of Troy and his crusade against the Titan corporation.
  • Survival mode: Play each area in survival mode with randomly generated levels for nearly infinite replayability. What is the highest level you can reach?

Will this game be one for your library? Find out today for 12.99 USD through Steam.

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

SENRAN KAGURA 2: Deep Crimson Gets Dated and SENRAN KAGURA Burst Goes on Sale

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Written by Dustin Murphy

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Have you been patiently awaiting the release of SENRAN KAGURA 2: Deep Crimson? if so your wait is almost over. Our friends over at XSEED Games and Marvelous USA, Inc., have announced that SENRAN KAGURA 2: Deep Crimson has officially gone gold. This means you will get to play the latest entry in their famed SENRAN KAGURA franchise. This series is known for its naughty-yet-nice ninja girls who will once more go across the screen in 2.5D beat-’em-up combat. Are you wanting to get in on the action? If so those of you who pre-order will find it launching exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS on September 15th, 2015. Those who pre-order will find the game at 39.99 USD on the Nintendo eShop, but for those who want a physical copy will come with a 60 track two disc soundtrack for 49.99 USD. You can find more info about this version over at the official Hanzo National Academy (website for the game).

Following the well-known mechanics of the series, SENRAN KAGURA 2: Deep Crimson will follow up the events from SENRAN KAGURA Burst, which will send all 12 original cast members on another supernatural adventure where they will take their skills as martial artists through the modern world of Japan in local or online co-op mode where fan swill be able to enjoy some gaming together with these busty ninja’s.

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More Info From XSEED Games:

To celebrate this announcement, SENRAN KAGURA Burst will be on sale for $19.99 on the Nintendo eShop (down from the usual $29.99 price) starting today and lasting through September 14th. Players who have SENRAN KAGURA Burst save data on their SD card will receive Ikaruga’s brother Murasame as a playable character for free, while players without this save data can still purchase everyone’s favorite incompetent ninja for $4.99 as premium DLC. XSEED Games is also sharing a loaded package of assets, including a brand new trailer and screenshots, to time with this announcement.

Marvelous Europe will be publishing the title in Europe digitally on the Nintendo eShop, and have also unveiled an exclusive pre-order campaign. The publisher is offering various packages, including special limited edition versions, which will be sold exclusively through Marvelous Europe’s dedicated site. Please visit www.senrankagura2.com for more information on how to pre-order a physical copy for European Nintendo 3DS systems.

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

Hello, Hello, Hello to Hearthstone: Addressing the Issues New Players Face

/ Dustin Murphy / Leave a comment

Join the Blast Away the Game Review Community on Facebook or Google+
Written by Annie Hunt (Hiwatt)

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When I think of my go-to games, they usually consist of expansive worlds ready to be explored,  teeming with lore, and populated with varied enemies and interesting NPCs. Oh, and of course, lots of loot! So, why is it that lately I’m launching a strategy card game every time I sit down to play?

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a strategy card game that is developed by Blizzard Entertainment and is based on the Warcraft universe. If you’re familiar with Blizzard games then you know they are known for making hit games. Hearthstone is no different; it is entertaining and addicting. Experience with Warcraft is not required to enjoy what Hearthstone has to offer. The game takes a light-hearted and fun approach to the rich history of Warcaft. The colorful art is full of whimsy and the clever sound effects bring the characters to life.

There is no question that Blizzard has made another hit with Hearthstone. The game has reached over 30 million registered accounts and, according to Super Data Research, Hearthstone generates around 20 million dollars a month in revenue.[1] Hearthstone is currently available on PC, Mac, phones, and tablets which has significantly increased its popularity. The game is flourishing on popular streaming website Twitch.tv, where you can find hundreds of players streaming their games live for viewers at almost any time of the day. The competitive scene for the game is growing as well; the total prize pool for professional competitions now equaling more than 2 million dollars, even without a blizzard-backed professional league.[2]

As an “experienced” player I find the game to be fairly well balanced. There is an element of RNG to the game but players who know mechanics can perform well consistently. Certain classes or decks may seem overpowered, but new adventures and expansions can change that. Sometimes cards are not very strong but you are not forced to use them and they offer something else that is crucial to this game, flavor. At this point in my life, I love Hearthstone. It’s easy to play a few games on my commute (not while driving!) or to play a Tavern Brawl, a random weekly mode focused on fun themes, while watching a stream to relax. The games are quick, fun and stimulate my mind. The problems with Hearthstone will be much more apparent to those who are just starting out.

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For new players, the biggest problems with Hearthstone are the tutorial, and the ever growing gap in the quality of card collections between beginners and more seasoned players. I’ve noticed these issues as I’ve tried to spread my love of Hearthstone among my friends and family. When I introduced the game to my mother-in-law (solitaire-only gamer) I knew she might have issues grasping the concepts of the game, but I was far more surprised when my friends who are veteran gamers had issues, which made me realize how flawed the tutorial and introduction to the game are. The tutorial matches you against “bosses” designed to gradually teach you the basic mechanics by name, but the experience ultimately does a poor job explaining the overall strategy of the game. It doesn’t explain what it means to trade minions efficiently or why using a damage dealing spell card on your first turn is a bad play. It’s like being taught to cook by sampling individual ingredients, but without anyone explaining why certain ingredients might go together in different ways to make a whole dish. After noticing the issues my friends had, I turned to the internet to find out what other new players found wrong with the game.

I read hundreds of one-star reviews on Google Play and iTunes and found that, besides technical issues (the game is quite large for some phones or tablets), the majority of those reviews were negative because the players were never taught to play the game effectively. Many bad reviews placed an emphasis on needing to purchase cards (instead of unlocking them through playing) to be able to win. To test this, I decided to make a second account and completely start over to see if it was impossible to win without buying packs of cards. I completed the tutorial and played “Solo Adventures” until I unlocked all the basic cards for the Mage class. I followed up by playing ten “Casual” PVP games in “Play Mode” where I won seven. I then played ten “Ranked” games and won six of those games. This was using the original default deck with no modifications. I faced off against many players with better decks during this time but I didn’t always lose to them. The problem isn’t fully with the quality of the cards but also with the player’s knowledge of the game mechanics.

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“Pay to win. I’ve played since first release on pc and it has become painful. Would not recommend. Can’t continually win without paying money.”

This isn’t completely true. There are a lot of decks that are fun to play and can be crafted for cheap (with time, not money).[3] Arena is a game mode that lets skilled players potentially earn larger rewards than other play modes by drafting a deck from random cards from the game. With Arena you do not need to have a large collection but understanding the game is crucial to maximize the rewards. There are also players who spend money on the game but still lose because they don’t truly understand the mechanics. Learning to trade minions efficiently, when to use your hero power or what your opponent is capable of will increase your win chances. Many cards can be used in unusual ways that may not be obvious to new players. I am still not sure I fully grasp some of those plays. There is a definite advantage to buying packs, but the most beneficial thing a new player can do is learn more about the game.

“Parts of the story have to be unlocked by real money which gives cards. But here our beloved developers come and say u can pay 700 gold. 700 gold for a story part?? That is insane. And with real money its 20+ euro. This game is just a pay to win and u dont stand a chance if u dont. Dissapointed.

I’ve played this game for about 2 years now and I’ve only spent about $70 on it. I’ve bought both adventures and a few packs. I don’t think this is a crazy amount of money for a game that I play almost every day. I don’t understand the reluctance to spend money on a game you enjoy. If games were truly “free to play” then they would be collecting a ton of information about you. How could the developers continue to operate without making a revenue? Millions of people pay $60 for AAA titles that have about 20 hours of playtime, additional content sold separately.

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Adventures would be a great purchase for a new player who has unlocked all the classes and basic decks. You can unlock the wings by doing your dailies or buy them. They teach you new mechanics and guarantee a certain amount of cards. Naxxramas came out in July 2014 and many of the cards from this adventure are still viable and often used competitively (Sludge Belcher, Haunted Creeper, Mad Scientist, Unstable Ghoul, Zombie Chow, Loatheb and more).[4]

“rng garbage. no skill required.”

There is going to be some RNG in a card game. Sometimes this will benefit you, sometimes this will benefit your opponent. The majority of the time RNG will affect one or two plays but with skill (and knowledge) the better player could overcome. Occasionally you might have a game or two where every single thing is against you, but know that this is not unique to you and happens to everyone. It is also worth pointing out that if there were no skill required then there wouldn’t be professional players or a competitive scene. These are players who constantly perform well despite the deck they are using.

“Weird nerd game.”

Okay. This one is true.

Besides the cards in Adventures, all cards can be earned through grinding out dailies (another thing Blizzard is well known for). Purchasing packs can be helpful but is not required. If you enjoy the game then spending money on it should not be a concern. The problem with Hearthstone is that it doesn’t supply new players with the information they need to be successful. Most high ranked players will use the popular websites to help with building their decks, or will watch other players on a stream. There are tons of sites that could benefit players of all experience levels. Unfortunately many players may not know where to find those resources.

Here is my advice for new players! If you feel like you need better cards but can’t afford them, then look for sites that can help you maximize the free packs and free in game currency to help you avoid spending money.[5] Buy the Adventures (when you can)! Watch streamers! There are a variety of streamers that can teach you more about the game ((Here are some of my favorites: Kripparrian, Kibler, & Trump). Join the reddit community which has a large database of questions that a variety of players have asked and encountered already.There are tons of sites to help you create decks for constructed (casual/ranked games) like HearthPwn or Tempo Storm’s Meta Snapshot. If you are new to Arena you can try HearthArena to help you draft a deck.  Most importantly, remember to have fun!

Sources:
[1]https://www.superdataresearch.com/market-data/digital-card-games/
[2]http://www.esportsearnings.com/games/328-hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft
[3]http://2p.com/31728814_1/Competitive-Budget-Decks-for-All-9-Classes-by-Corey_T.htm
[4]http://hearthstone.gamepedia.com/Curse_of_Naxxramas#Pricing
[5]http://www.hearthstonetopdecks.com/hearthstone-gold-guide-maximize-free-packs-gold-dust/

About the Writer:

annie_helseth_about_writerAnnie is an avid gamer who takes her love for gaming to the written format with her thoughts, opinions, and discussions regarding games in their current state, but as well as the industry. With her insight to PC gaming, Annie is one step ahead of the team, and looks to keep it that way.