Even after its launch, Wolfenstein: Youngblood continues to get a steady stream of brand-new content including a new Treasure Hunt Mission, new maps, new abilities, new enemy types, new Pep Signals, and plenty more to enjoy. Did we mention new enemies? Well, let’s take a peek.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood is the latest in the long-run franchise and the fourth overall entry from MachineGames. With Arkane Studio working side-by-side with them, can the two studios back a worthwhile punch and propel the Wolfenstein series forward, or does this coop focused entry drop the ball while on the run? Find out in our review.
July is going to be hotter than Hell when Bethesda arrives alongside many of the studios under their massive umbrella and 2019 is already looking to be the biggest year yet.
Arkane Studios and Bethesda’s Prey account has been rather active, releasing admirable tweets since the game was released. Some of it appreciative pieces for fans that love the game, other bits of it about the game itself, while more-often-than-not, it’s just been the usual game-themed content.
[Credits: Arkane Studios]
Pros:
+Memorable graphics engine and art direction providing a unique and immersive experience
+One of the strongest stealth games on the market
+Leaves open a possibility for future Dishonored titles
Cons:
-Character building seems forced and rushed between Daud and Billie
-Level design feels lacking in comparison to Dishonored 2
I’m in a bar, the guests have been subdued by the use of my hyperbaric grenade, and a steady amount of guards have been executed as needed be. This action is something I’ve done many-a-times before without raising an alarm and once again have done without drawing attention to me. It’s something I’ve become well versed in doing since Arkane Studios introduced me to the city of Dunwall in 2012.
Pros:
+An incredibly well written story that will drive you through 40+ hours of gameplay
+Easily stands beside games such as Deus Ex: Human Revolution and System Shock
+Insanely large amounts of freedom to explore
+Typhon enemies are unique in design as well as their originality
+Zero G sequences are a fresh breath of air in the first person genre
+Strong FPS mechanics that serve well in the horror-survival elements the game offers
+Headphones are absolutely a must to enjoy the amazing depth of sound quality and music
Cons:
-Not beginner friendly at all
-Fabricator is overly relied upon
-Inventory fills up entirely too fast due to materials
-Resource management is painful to deal with and rather tedious
When first looking at the title Prey, many may relate it to the 3D Realms published game of the same title. It was a game that took us on an adventure through space as protagonist Domasi Tawodi (Tommy for short) who lived on a Cheeroke Reservation in Oklahoma. His job was simple in the original, he was a mechanic who just happened to end up on the wrong side of a bad bargain.
After the game was rallied to obtain a sequel through Bethesda Zenimax, the title seemingly fell into obscurity since it was rarely spoken of, but when it was there was always trouble behind the door. It wasn’t until last year that publisher Bethesda Softworks came out at QuakeCon 2016 with an ambitious idea: A reboot. With their announcement, fans sat bewildered by the inconceivable thought, which left fans curious to what was going on.
Within the past few weeks, we’ve been able to sit with a copy of Prey on a PlayStation 4 and a PlayStation 4 Pro in order to see the differences in performance, but that’s not where we will begin. Prey by far is one of the most ambitious titles to come out of Arkane Studios (Dishonored, Dishonored 2) and it even sought out to distance itself from those two titles with quite a bit of easy. While reviewing, you must keep in mind that games are usually pushed out quick for their reviews. Some getting only a few days gameplay time, while others merely a few hours. Luckily for us, Bethesda is a company that is patient, and prefers reviews to take time before being published, which fortunately for us, is the same case we have here with the game Prey.
Today, our friends at Bethesda has announced that Prey will be receiving a free demo coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One later this month. How can you obtain the demo? On April 27th, fans can head to the Xbox Marketplace and PlayStation Store in order to download the demo ahead of the games launch on May 5th.
The demo will take place on the Talos I within the opening hour of the game, which will give players a taste of the horrors that await them. Just like in the campaign, the “Prey Demo: Opening Hour”, players will get to take the role of Morgan Yu, the lead scientist on Talos I. The job he has leads him to make a gigantic scientific breakthrough that could change humanity forever. Unfortunately, aliens have overrun the Talos I. Now, all you can do is investigate the aliens that have taken over and figure out why.
Are you ready to fight to survive?
About the Writer:
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.
Pros:
+Revisions to the core games mechanics have been heavily improved upon
+Gameplay between both Corvo and Emily offers very different games from before
+Each level feels entirely new, refreshing, and even more exciting than before
+Excellently uses story-archs from the previous title
Cons:
-None at this point
When I first sat at QuakeCon 2015’s opening ceremony with my dad (Vice President), I sat in pure awe as I first got a glimpse of an adult Emily Kaldwin as she moved in on her target, one I would become accustomed to under the name of Jindosh. Over the next year, I began to become a nuisance to my colleagues and friends alike. My excitement for Arkane Studios’ smash-hit Dishonored was well on the way and it would easily sit among my top five most anticipated games of 2016. Soon as the email was received, our review code landed in, I already felt as if my holiday season had started, and Bethesda just happened to be my Santa Clause in disguise.
As I got to my phone, I booted up the PlayStation app, clicked the PlayStation Store Icon, and soon found myself entering my password, and redeeming the code before hitting the “Download to PlayStation 4” button. Within seconds, I easily felt the sense of nostalgia rushing through my veins and the want to get home just as high as my anticipation. Within an hour and a half, I found myself sitting down and starting up the app in order to enjoy the newly released game.
To begin, Dishonored 2 picks up many-a-years later from the original game. Much as one would expect, there’s a few things to look at before wrapping up into a discussion about the story, and the most important part of it is looking at the games core mechanics that have been improved upon. Much like the previous game, Dishonored 2 has managed to improve upon past gameplay mechanics, evolved powers (Emily is an astounding experience to play as). The game works on an almost flawless system that had been developed for the first title, and in-turn, it seems to manage doing so once more in this latest installment.
Unlike her father Corvo Attano, the Royal Bodyguard, Emily Kaldwin is a much different beast in her own rightful nature. With stealth being her emphasis, Emily is all about quick execution in order to provide players with an entirely new experience that Corvo can’t. While his powers remain much the same, his voice actor adds a new element to the title, and even the fresh new coat of paint makes him a viable part of the game itself.
Much like Corvo, Emily comes, as stated, with her own unique set of tools that make her almost, if not more lethal than her father all together. One true showing of this is the fact Emily has an ability that allows her to forgo her fathers approach to combat, allowing her to use abilities such as Domino, which links multiple targets together and causing them to share the same fate as one another. Much like Corvo’s Blink, Emily is also gifted with a similar ability named “Far Reach,” which was presented in the cinematics as Emily quickly moved in on her target. Unlike, Blink, Far Reach leaves Emily viewable while maneuvering till the correct bone charm is equipped, making her unseen as she zips from location to location.
When stepping away from core combat mechanics, which have been fine-tuned to fit both characters, the game has made an example out of what expert level design should be. Maps such as the opening area of Dunwall will serve as an idea of what Arkane Studios has been up to since their announcement of the title just a few short years ago.
If you’ve played Dishonored you’ll be familiar with the approach to the games opening. This time around we are served a delicious treat of seeing Emily and Corvo as they walk through the palace within Dunwall where Emily serves as Empress Kaldwin. Within minutes players are once more introduced to a common theme that may be a staplepoint for the series, another coup. Within a few more minutes of that, players are given the option of whom they wish to play the game as – Corvo or Emily is the choice you are offered.
For the sake of the review, I selected Emily in order to experience the games new approach. Plus, who doesn’t want to see a traumatized woman release her inner rage on her enemies? Due to the treason that has taken place, my adventure began as Emily was forced to once more flee the safety of her own home, and run for the distant lands of Karnaca, leaving only traces of hope that her now statue-esque like father is alive. Without powers, Emily is forced to evade guards, using gutters, drains, and even underpasses to houses as hiding places to evade getting caught.
Much like Dishonored, Dishonored 2 takes on a familiar turn as players find themselves trying to escape. We once more meet the outsider. Here he explains to use the order of things, explaining to Emily the path that lie ahead, and the gift he prepares to offer her. The Outsiders Mark. Accepting his offer, Emily is sealed to a familiar fate like her father, and that is to save the lands from the evil hiding within them. Once done with this, Emily is also introduced to a piece of equipment we are all used to, the heart. Just as before, the heart can be used to allow players to find bone charms and runes, which will serve Emily in many great ways during her adventure to overthrow her betrayers.
Dishonored 2 – PC, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), and Xbox One
Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Zenimax
Cost: $59.99
Release Date: Now Available
Karnaca for all intents and purposes of the game, is a splendidly designed place, from is beautiful city streets to the carefully crafted houses that players can explore – it’s a place worth visiting. It’s massive, it holds secrets, and it offers multiple paths for players to choose from. Want to go whipping from power pole to power pole? That is a viable option for those looking to get through the game while mastering stealth. For those of you who want to go on brutal rampages, the game offers vantage point, and even abilities for you to do so with.
In essence, each map is a cleverly designed area to explore. Let alone does it offer players diversity, the levels all offer unique secrets and journal logs for players to explore. Want a deeper story? You can get that with books, letters, and audiographs that have once more returned from the original game. One of the best things about the game, as stated, is each map is a puzzle. Each one comes with their unique approach and the best place to show this was Jindosh’s Clockwork Mansion. A building that is an ever-evolving puzzle of levers, moving floors, and moving rooms. While I love puzzles, the Clockwork Mansion can prove a formidable foe due to the enemies that lie in wait. Move that room to the left? Well there could be a clockwork soldier there waiting to execute Ms. Kaldwin without hesitation.
While enjoying the mansion as much as I could, the game offers up other challenges such as the Stilton Manor, where the game offers a unique approach while trying not to get discovered by the guards. This is where the largest challenge comes into play as players find themselves scurrying as quickly as possible when it comes to the lands and threats around them. Let alone do you have to worry about being spotted visually, guards will also listen for Emily’s movement, they will search those areas looking for abnormalities in the area around them.
This is what makes Dishonored 2 such a unique game compared to other stealth titles. It’s a game that shows what it’s about, it’s not scared about touting these features in any form whether it’s through promotions or core gameplay mechanics. During my exploration, the music was an entertaining peace that accented the occasions around Emily quite well. It didn’t matter if it was combat, exploration, or even a narrative piece – Dishonored 2 managed to do this quite well during the entirety of my time with the game.
While settling down for the grand finale of my first playthrough, Dishonored 2 offered up something rather unique compared to my previous experiences with the franchise. I’ve spent plenty of time between Dishonored and the eventual Definitive Edition that followed suit not long ago. The original title offered much the same delivery in the long run, it offered up political intrigue, mystical witches, and even decisions that could forever change Karnaca for the better or the worst.
Much as you would expect, the story concludes with the capability of delivering future content and even offering players a chance to explore more side-story based quests. Much as one would expect, Dishonored 2 follows closely in the sense of high-expectations and manages to succeed in filling each of those expectations quite well. Whether it was the characters talking, which was superb, or the narrative being pushed forward for us to enjoy, Dishonored 2 manages to sooth any doubts that players may have and even shows how sequels should be done.
Whether it’s the strong design in each level, the open-world exploration, or the creativity behind Emily’s abilities, Dishonored 2 stands out in many ways unforeseen by players, and shows how creative he developers were behind this game and their want to help press the game forward for players to enjoy. Due to Arkane Studios’ want for players to adapt, to modify, and present their gameplay how they wish, Dishonored 2 proves that it’s a game to be reckoned with and will influence future games quite well in the years to come.
Our review is based upon a retail version of the game given to us by the games publisher. For our review, we used a PlayStation 4 Pro with a 7200RPM HDD. For information about our ethics policy please click here.
About the Writer:
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
Alas Quakecon 2016 has come to an end – It was a great three days. When you first walked into the exhibit hall you were at a stage where you could compete in the DOOM “Unto the Evil” Death Match Tournament. The screens were set so spectators could watch the action from the front of the stage – it is a great DLC that I will have to get here soon.
Credit: David Murphy | Build Credit: Cyberpower PC/Thermaltake
Thermaltake had their booth decked as usual. We’ve been looking at expanding our reviews to do more PC gaming and at the beginning of our adventure – the Thermaltake Core P5 Case had my interest. Once our adventure ended – the Core P3 case became the case of choice. Shannon Robb was a tremendous help in closing our decision. He had a P3 set up very close to what we’d been speccing and it will work perfectly for what we know.
In the back of the exhibit hall Bethesda had a short Doom and Fallout 4 VR example you could play. One that relied on the HTC Vive. I had never tried to play a game with the Vive VR headset. Those two games are excellent normally, but the VR took it to a whole different level of intensity. It will be a must down the road when they are available.
The people of DXRacer were there again this year. I love the look of their chairs. I sat in several during the event. These gaming chairs are special – they are made in many sizes with a decent enough price range between each type. I found two, both of which I really liked and took notes. Later this fall we are going to order one and do a review on it. We will start with how hard it is to assemble and then a follow up on how it is holding up and how we feel about it.
Credit: David Murphy | Game: Dusk by New Blood | Chair: DXRacer
There were several new games there again this year. The one that caught my eye was Dusk by New Blood Interactive. It’s a fast paced first person shooter – one, in which, I loved the retro look and feel of. There isn’t much story, but there is a lot of stuff that needs killed.
There were several seminars we attended. All of them were well thought out and the panels very informative as to what went into gaming, development, and story writing. We will have articles on those in the coming days.
When you’re at QuakeCon you always have to go by Modders Inc – the builds they have on display are always top notch and the best of the best on the floor. I love going over because I can ask whatever question I have and they try to answer it. They’ve never treated me with the look of “that was a dumb question”, and I know I’ve asked several of those. Instead they are happy to share their knowledge so you can do your build and just enjoy your PC builds and gaming.
Credit: David Murphy | Booth: Modders Inc.
We did see three games coming up that will have to be on the get list. We saw trailers for Prey, Dishonored 2 and Quake Champions. All three of these looked great. Dishonored 2 will be out this year on 11/11/16 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Prey and Quake Champions is a bit further out. I can’t wait to see more on these titles.
Last, but not least, I want to thank all the people and sponsors that put this on each year. Without the companies like Alienware, Bethesda, id Software, DXracer, Nvidia and everyone I missed, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy this.
About the Writer:
David Murphy is B.A.T.G.R.’s behind the scenes man who helps get things up and going as well as keeping things in order. Don’t be surprised to know that the old man contributes rather heavily to editing, news, and information he digs up so that editorials as well as articles are done properly. He also likes Fallout… A lot. We’re not sure he’s not secretly the Vault Boy in disguise.
It’s a nice day here in Dallas, Texas, one that has brought hundreds of gamers together to move among the crowd in unison. With plenty of games to see such as Dusk by New Blood, Shadow Warrior 2 as well as Strafe by Devolver Digital, DOOM (2016) on Vulkan API, and even The Elder Scrolls Legends for fans to enjoy. Among the group of vendors, exhibitors, and showings, Bethesda has once more brought the largest LAN party in North America together again. With games such as Dishonored 2, Fallout 4 VR, DOOM VR, and even Quake Champions on the way, the lineup is huge for fans to expect.
As the event opens, we are given a warm welcome by Tim Willits, a man that brings the event to life with Pete Hines. With much of this, we’ve learned that there will be upcoming panels, giveaways, and even more as the weekend gets underway. As a kickoff, we are introduced to many of the sponsors for the event such as AMD, Nvidia, id Software, and many more as the event begins to come to life.
The focus this year isn’t just at what makes QuakeCon live outside of the fans, but it’s also the fact that fans have come across the country to make this happen – the fans that serve as volunteers. With QuakeCon remaining as big as it is, we learn that it’s not just the fans and teh volunteers, but the vendors, the companies that want to get their product out. The community itself is what helps make this event live the way it does.
As the stage lights up Pete Hines, VP of PR & Marketing steps out onto the stage. As his opening speech begins, he welcomes in the volunteers for this year in order to recognize them for their hardwork they will do. With games coming up in the VR booths such as The Elder Scrolls: Legends, which is upcoming for PC, Android, MAC, and Linux. Guess what makes this even better? The best part? It’s going Open Beta for PC as of today. Yes, that’s right. All you have to do is head over to the website in order to play the game.
As this news breaks? Pete goes on to let us know that Prey will be getting a new trailer here at QuakeCon. Doing so we are given a glimpse of a screen opening up to display the future we will see. One that is grim, dark, and troubled as our protagnist walks out, pistol in hand, our character? Morgan warns us about what is happening – a nightmare that is happening – a place where their is no room for uncertainty, there is no room for mistakes – this is the reality and humanity is lost. To fix it? Someone must die in order to save humanity. As the trailer ends, Pete once more comes to stage to inform us of the that the QuakeCon Trials are once more live. This includes Fallout Shelter on PC, Dishonored, DOOM, and even the Elder Scrolls: Legend.
With DOOM having released this year, they have announced that DOOM’s Eye on the Prize, which just reuqires attendees to wear a DOOM shirt. That’s all- it’s that easy. With DOOM also being the big game, the SnapMap Jam also gets underway starting Friday and Saturday between 12-4pm. With it being a big title, there’s prizes to win. With this news? Attendee’s will also be getting this free in order to enjoy the new content. This also comes with news of sales that include games up to 60% off for fans that don’t have them.
This news also comes with what donations people make by purchasing games through Amazon or partners will go to partners of theirs. With this news ending, Marty Stratton takes to the stage in order to talk about what’s going on with id Softwares latest work on DOOM. With DOOM being a critical acclaim by the press, the fans, and more. They recognize both forums and critics, but also the development team for the games success. As he discusses this, he also recognizes the fans love and passion for what they have worked on. He takes note the game has been getting a good size amount of new and additional content as it comes out. Some of this includes the new multiplayer DLC 01 called “Unto the Evil” releasing today and will be playable by those who have been waiting for it. The pack includes new maps Cataclysm, Offering, and itual. All Hell themed maps. One is a new weapon called the new Kinetic Mine and the AUC EMG pistol and the new Demon titled “The Harvester”, which many will remember fro the base game.
The screen dims, we get a look at Dishonored 2, giving us a look at a world much different than the one we had gotten to know. With whales in the water and a boat headed to shore titled the “Dreadful Wale”, we’ve gotten a glimpse of what has happened to the world. With the future of the city gturning grim, we once more get to learn we will be under taking the roles of Corvo for this mission view in the world set before us. His future is grim, dark, but memorable as he once more gives glimpse of his skills as an assassin using his weapons and his teleport entitled “Blink”. We’ve also gotten a glimpse at his capabilities as a figther. This includes abilities such as possession, his ability to take over the enemy, but also his ability to sneak past his foes. As his assination target comes into play, we learn that Corbo remains as a master assassin in a world that is grim, a world that is dark, and quite easily troubled. With slow time remaining possible, his chance to be as deadly as ever remains true. His enemies? Set aflame with his incendiary bolts before being taken out by Corvo.
Like before, the verticality in the world plays a major role as Corvo displays his need to continue his status in the world. To right wrongs, and to fix what has troubled the world around him. His combat prowess is deadlier than ever as he takes out his target Paolo, as he assists his new group – the Overseers, which players can side with. Dishonored 2 will be out November 11th. As the gameplay comes to an end – Pete Hines reminds us that the imgarey that people take with the cameras and phones is not allowed. As he finishes Raphael Colantonio and Ricardo Bare come to the stage to tell us about their upcoming title – Prey.
For those new to the game, it is a much different take on the title we knew before. Prey this time takes place on a Space Station titled Talis 1, one where a new project has gone underway, but as it does? Something has gone wrong: Aliens have invaded. These Aliens are hunting our main protagonist. With the game being open world, we’ve learned that the game will take the approaches we’ve never seen before, which doesn’t change much from the direction we could have imagined. The beauty of it? The world is deadly, it is alive, but it is also barren of the world where we wanted. A lockdown has occured, which leaves our protagonist fighting enemies such as weapons, but we’ve learned that weapons are rare, they aren’t as easily obtainable as one would hope.
This gives the element of ideology that the world of it exists. We’ve learned players will grab new abilities called Neuromods. This will allow players to upgrade their character to fit their playstyle as they do. The upgrades can be made by human while some can be directly learned from the aliens themselves. With weapons such as the Gloo Gun being capable of being around, we’ve learned the game will make it so that the player can freeze enemies in place, use an alien power, and even turn ourselves into things such as coffee cups with the Mimic ability. The Gluu gun itself can also be made for players to create their own path as they explore the world around them. With enemies around the corner, players will have to be readily aware for combat with weapons such as the shotgun, which can bring players down to fighting for survivability. With a weapon and ability wheel at their disposal, fans can easily get underway with what they are doing. A weapon titled the recicyling charge, players can gather ingredients to craft what they need. This also can open up paths they will need in order to explore the world around them.
Prey in this era will change heavily from the one we knew, and even become its own entity for players to enjoy. It will be a game that sets into a genre that fans of Bioshock, Dishonored, and even System Shock will enjoy quite a bit. Especially with items being fabricated for their use. Prey is a promising glimpse of open exploration of freedom as the demo takes us forth into outer space, where players can see a place to explore – an open world scifi experience that requires awareness of O2 and their supplies to keep alive. Abilities can be upgraded for players to use, making them more effective, more powerful, and even attract the attention of deadly enemies. This will be a game that will be a must have for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 owners when it launches in 2017.
About the Writer:
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.