Call of Cthulhu (Xbox One)

Note: This review contains spoilers for The Call of Cthulhu.

Regardless of one’s feelings about H.P. Lovecraft, there’s no doubt that his works are a continuing source of inspiration for other creative endeavors, including art, heavy metal songs, films and games. His perhaps best-known short story, “The Call of Cthulhu”, has alone inspired a lot of these, including a pen and paper RPG by Chaosium called Call of Cthulhu. Though I have no experience with that game, I had read enough of Lovecraft’s work that I had an interest in the 2018 video game Call of Cthulhu (aka Call of the Cthulhu: The Official Video Game), based on both the RPG and short story, to see how well it handled the source material. Though I found the experience intriguing at first, including the unique spin on Lovecraftian elements, a number of technical hiccups caused enough frustration that my opinion of the game sadly lowered the further I went on.

TY the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD (Xbox One)

Note: This review contains spoilers for TY the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue.

Sometime after the TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD Kickstarter, a survey was sent out to backers, myself included, about what rewards we might want out of a potential TY the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD Kickstarter. Sure enough, such a Kickstarter was later announced, which I backed after seeing that Krome Studios was able to deliver on what they promised for the previous game. Unlike the first time, Xbox One was an option right from the start, and so I opted for that under the idea that I would have a more consistent experience to compare with the original Xbox version that I played. After recently receiving my code and getting a chance to play it, I found that Krome was once again able to deliver on their promises, though noticed some technical issues along the way.

New Super Lucky's Tale (Xbox One) - Luckier Than Ever

The original Lucky’s Tale was originally released as a launch title for the Oculus Rift in 2016, however what prevented me from playing it, despite it catching my interest, was my disinterest in the platform itself in favor of PlayStation VR. The game did, however, receive a sequel in 2017 in the form of Super Lucky’s Tale for the Xbox One, as a launch title for the system’s Xbox One X counterpart, which I actually was able to play. While I generally liked what I played, I did have some issues with it, plus I bailed on it when the final boss proved to be too difficult for me.

Bridge Constructor Portal (Xbox One)

As someone who enjoyed Portal and Portal 2, the idea of Bridge Constructor Portal intrigued me, particularly the idea of putting Portal's unique brand of puzzle solving into a different genre. When the opportunity presented itself, I bought a physical Xbox One disc, but it wasn't until more recently that I found the time to sit down and play it. Though I enjoyed the few hours I spent with my first real crack at a bridge construction game, I did find my enthusiasm gradually tempered by the game’s idea of challenge.

Gears 5

Note: This review contains spoilers for Gears 5.

Since I’ve played the previous Gears of War console titles, including Gears of War 4 (a game I never gave a full review for), it felt inevitable to me to play Gears 5, the second installment developed by The Coalition. I even went out of my way to get the version with the Terminator: Dark Fate DLC. When I finally got around to playing this game, I was curious about where this presumed second trilogy was heading, but I left very wary of how a Gears 6 will turn out.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

While I have not formally reviewed Ori and the Blind Forest (Blind Forest) as of this writing, I wholly enjoyed the experience due to its gameplay and art direction. When a follow-up game, Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Will of the Wisps), was announced at E3 2017, I was immediately eager to play it to see where developer Moon Studios would take Ori’s story next. Overall, I found Will of the Wisps to be a worthy successor to the previous game, though not without some minor frustrations along the way.

Devil May Cry 5 - Pull My Devil Trigger

Six years after the release of DmC: Devil May Cry, an attempted reboot of the Devil May Cry continuity, Capcom released a proper fifth installment in the series, Devil May Cry 5. Boasting a return to the classic style of gameplay and featuring the return of director Hideaki Itsuno, who had been with the series since Devil May Cry 2, the game released to critical acclaim. Having played it myself, I find myself agreeing with the praise, though as I kept playing, through the Xbox One version, I noticed some minor issues that held it back from perfection.

Report from the Front: SDCC 2013 Video Game Demos

San Diego Comic-Con, when not physically and mentally exhausting, is an opportunity to discover new things or find out something more about your interests. Every year that I go I try to check out some of the games on the horizon, though this visit had the added bonus of checking out both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One before these systems reached the hands of the public. This year, I was able to play demos for four separate games, so I have decided to write up how I feel about them based on my first impressions.

Preview Note: The following write-up represents only the opinions of the writer and is based on a work in progress. Should the final version be reviewed, these opinions may change to reflect the full game.

Rayman Legends (Xbox 360)

This is a game that I wanted to play after it was revealed that it would be ported from the original Wii U version to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as well, so when I saw it at the Ubisoft Booth, I knew that would be a golden opportunity to see if I still had interest.

From what I was able to play, which was a regular gameplay level and not any of the extra modes, I think I still want to play it. I’ll admit right off the bat that to some degree it feels largely the same. The assets (graphics and music) seem as though they are recycled from Rayman Origins, though this might be because it uses the same engine and they already had certain things loaded in to work with. That said, there are still some new gameplay mechanics, as well as new music and animations, to help it feel fresh and new while still retaining some familiarity. I’ll admit that I probably would have bought this anyway, but it’s good to be able to remind myself why.

Ryse: Son of Rome (Xbox One)

Let’s be honest, if you were never going to play on an Xbox One but someone gave you the opportunity to try it out for free, you’d probably do it. That’s how I ended up playing Ryse: Son of Rome as my second game demo on the show floor. It’s also how I knew I’d never willingly pay for the privilege of this game.

To get this out of the way, the Xbox One controller is great. It felt very ergonomic in my hand and there are some changes to help it feel a little more natural than the one for the 360. I wasn’t able to try out the d-pad, but the most noticeable changes were from the sticks. The top feels a little more concave with a very slight lip to keep your thumbs in place and the sides are textured to help out the racing game crowd. Microsoft seems to have made an already good controller even better and have it work for many markets.

The hand sanitizer market, for instance.

Unfortunately, it had to be paired with what may be an early stinker for the console. To begin, the reps were unable to say what the story of this game was (story motivates the player, guys!), but they were able to explain the short scenario that the game is based on. Also, the controls weren’t posted anywhere on the screen, so the rep had to tell everyone in line how to play. When I asked another rep about this later (he’ll be brought up again), he acknowledged this blunder.

As for how the game plays, it’s a little weird. I gathered from what the line rep said, who I will henceforth call Rep One, as that they were not only trying to capture the feel of a movie, but also borrow combat elements from Assassin’s Creed and Batman: Arkham Asylum. The other rep, Rep Two, reiterated with me that what they were going for was the “multiple enemies” scenario with some differences native to Ryse. While I was playing, I noticed the 300 influence Rep One talked about, complete with slowdown and camera angles native to a movie. It’s an interesting idea, but this becomes distracting when all you’re really trying to do is run across a beachhead to Point B.

A late portion of the demo.

The controls are smooth and the camera is good at helping fixed scenarios feel more real, but it was combat which irked me quite a bit. See, you’re given a sword attack and a shield bash, which is all fine and dandy, but when I talked to Rep Two about my experience, he mentioned something that I began to notice in hindsight, which is that the system they’re going for is going to end up trying to tell you the exact order you should be using your attacks on enemies, since after a while an enemy will dodge to force you to use the shield bash. This probably isn’t too much of a complaint there, but the one thing that got to me was the Quick-Time Events. It’s not their presence, since games like God of War can integrate them smoothly, but rather their execution. You’re probably familiar with how they work, press the button onscreen to perform a certain action, but somehow Ryse occupies a certain warped space where the rules don’t matter.

To elaborate, you don’t need to press a single button to make it work. I read about this, but I wasn’t sure that it was possible until I got to try it for myself. I did everything I could, press it correctly and then purposefully press a different button or let the controller down, and the same cinematic still played out exactly with no repercussions or incentive to try and get better at the game from failing (I apologize for not having video of this). This disturbed me, since I didn’t think anyone would be crazy enough to do that, so I asked Rep Two to fill me in. When asked about it, he told me that this was an intentional feature because “you’ve basically already killed the guy” and that a later build will punish the player, but only in the animation that they see if they don’t press the right button; he also mentioned that there would be a leveling up system to unlock more executions (ie. more animations). I also said that the Arkham Asylum comparison wasn’t right with me because that game was more focused on rhythm, but, again, he explained that they wanted the scenario and not necessarily the execution.

In the end, Ryse looks like it’s a game designed to attract the 300 and Assassin’s Creed crowds. I know that two people in line, a little boy and a man who pre-ordered the Xbox One for some reason, were both sucked in by these promises, but the intense cinematic focus and lack of repercussions during an execution put me off of this game even more than I already was. But hey, at least the graphics are really good.

Knack (PlayStation 4)

A while after playing Ryse, I decided to try and play a game for PlayStation 4. The line for Knack was almost nonexistent compared to the ones for Octodad/Drive Club and Gran Turismo 6, so I decided to check that out; it’s the one my brother wanted to play anyway. Since we knew that the PS4 was something we would eventually try to get from the Eighth Generation of consoles, Knack was a pretty good game to try out anyway, but playing it pretty much solidified getting the console.

After letting a television crew finish filming there (I actually had the controller handed off to me on-camera before they left), I finally got to have a good feel for the PS4 controller. While I still don’t know how the d-pad felt, I do know that the DualShock 4 felt very natural to hold as always. However, the L2/R2 buttons are improved to allow for the fingers to stay on even when sweaty and the L1/R1 buttons seemed to have been angled in the middle, presumably so the index fingers could naturally curve around them and keep them held down better. The sticks were also greatly improved upon, adopting a sort of concave layering to keep the thumbs in place. In other words, the controller is familiar, but with some elements improved to let it feel good to a wider variety of players. Also, the “Options” button functions exactly like “Start” and the touch pad is not only smooth, but is also a button that can be pressed, which I can see opening up many gameplay options for developers.

The console, this time enclosed behind glass.

While I wasn’t told the story, a rep did tell my brother about how a robot named Knack was developed by a scientist in order to function as a line of defense against invading goblins. The premise is interesting, but from what I could tell it didn’t really matter to the demo, which was cut off halfway through for everyone playing in order to keep the line moving. That should say something, since the demo was pretty long and lasted more time than Ryse.

The level design is very good, going for a classic platforming feel, and the gameplay mechanics compliment this. Knack sort of operates like a living Katamari ball, as he can absorb elements in order to grow larger and increase his strength. Knack was also pretty easy to play, thanks to the simplified control scheme which can allow kids and adults to play by putting most of the action on the face buttons. There is definitely a stealth element present in certain levels, but it’s done in a way that works for the game and doesn’t really detract much.

Knack is both a graphical and technical marvel, mostly in what they did during development to make it so accessible. I had fun while playing and I think it’ll be one of the first games that I play when I finally get my hands on the PS4. It seems like a game that would be fun for the whole family.

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 

(Xbox 360/Nintendo 3DS)

To my surprise, the Namco booth had almost no-one trying to play Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, so while I waited for the 360 version to be free, I tried it out on the 3DS. After playing both versions, I’m not really all that excited for Pac-Man’s return.

Both versions of the game control well, with an emphasis on platforming and eating different types of ghosts while collecting power pellets, but it just couldn’t draw me in. I suppose it’s a little clever how they managed to use the different elements of the original Pac-Man in a 3D plane and it’s interesting how they introduced the ability to wear different costumes for new abilities, but again, it couldn’t hold my interest either way. Maybe I’m missing something, but what?

Maybe it’s the lack of a story to go by in the demo. I wasn’t really sure why I was doing the things I was doing, which is probably explained by the fact that it’s meant to tie into a show airing on Disney XD. Still, a little bit of plot would’ve been nice to have.

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures is a game I’m not looking forward to picking up. This disinterest is not nostalgia or anything, just a perceived lack of focus and the fact that I couldn’t stop thinking about a certain other video game character for some reason while playing. Kids will love it no doubt, but it’s just not for me.

So that’s my two cents on the four games I was able to play at SDCC this year. Hopefully I’ll be able to play more next year and see what I think of the future.

Editorial - The Face of the Eighth Generation

With the end of Sony's E3 press conference last night, and the knowledge of both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One being due for a holiday launch, it seems that the Eighth Generation of video game consoles is finally upon us. That is not to say that the next generation hasn't been there; the seeds were planted with the release of Nintendo's 3DS handheld in early 2011, the following year opening with Sony's PlayStation Vita handheld and closing with Nintendo's Wii U, the next generation's first home console. While there are plenty of video gamers, such as those on this blog, who have become comfortable with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3's services and ever improving game library, there may come a time where they will have to decide on a console to take them into the future. Quite a few have already made their choice, whether it was the purchase of a Wii U within its first year or the pre-order of an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 (or perhaps some combination of the three). With the new knowledge pouring in from both the press conferences of E3 and Microsoft's pre-show reveal in May, now is the perfect time to see where the two major players, Sony and Microsoft, have gone right and where they have gone horribly wrong.

Xbox One

Microsoft's Xbox One (from top to bottom): Kinect 2.0, Console, Controller.

Between the two companies, the Xbox One was first revealed at a press event separate to E3. The result was backlash from both gamers and professional journalists, though a number of people remained hopeful that Microsoft would change their tune come E3. In the weeks leading up to the event, the company revealed new information regarding the policies that had proved be unpopular, though they seemed to fail to sway anyone besides the hardcore to their side and the unpopularity has become rather memetic. I'm not going to focus on the reveal event or any pre-E3 information, but rather how Microsoft has managed to handle their new home console as a result of their press conference at E3; basically, what the system is about when all is said and done. First, I'd to take a look at the system specs:

When it comes down to specs, the Xbox One is pretty impressive. It has a good memory and seems like it would be able to process a lot of information at high speeds. The addition of Blu-ray would ensure that more forms of media would be playable and the HDMI would ensure very high quality playback. Taking other facets into account, this is overall a display of how well Microsoft can choose the innards of a device, which some have compared to a gaming PC. However, the shape of the console has earned criticism for resembling a VCR, to the point where Photoshop mock-ups were created depicting the system's games as VHS tapes.

Of course, at the reveal event, Microsoft put a heavy emphasis on how the Xbox One is meant to be an all-in-one entertainment center, which includes being a console and a cable box at the same time, with additional function as a social media center via Facebook, Twitter and (mainly) Skype video chat. With Xbox Live Gold service, you also have access to media such as the movie and video services Netflix and Hulu Plus, along with other such apps for sports tracking and fantasy football stats. While they should probably have talked a bit more about games, aside from the memetic Call of Duty: Ghosts reveal and subsequent all access event, it may have actually been a smart move for them to talk about all the entertainment features then so they could discuss more of the actual gaming at E3.

The memetic dog in question.

With their press conference ending yesterday, it is now a good opportunity to look back at everything Microsoft has said on the subject of their games, their plans for games and how they've handled the backlash to all the strings attached.

Games and Policies

One of the most important things for a system is the kind of entertainment it can provide through its games, and Microsoft made sure to drop some big names to associate with the Xbox One, implying stronger third-party exclusives and first-party offerings. Some of the games announced include Titanfall, Ryse: Son of Rome, Sunset Overdrive, and Dead Rising 3, along with first-party titles like a new Halo, Killer Instinct and Project Spark. Some of these games appear intriguing, as well as show off what sort of tech the Xbox One has in store, but those won't really mean much unless we know how Microsoft is planning to handle their games; we do, and the controversy is there for a reason.

For one thing, Microsoft revealed that, for authentication purposes, users will be required to connect to the company's servers once every 24 hours, so while you don't need a constant internet connection, you still need to have some kind of active connection in order to play single player games, which can be very inconvenient for people with bad internet connections or those on overseas army bases. If you fail to connect, then presumably the game ceases to function. The other big issue is how used games will work, which is another source of contention among prospective users. To summarize, it will be up to the publishers to decide how you will be able to trade in and sell used games to retailers, since these transfers can only be done through participating ones. In addition, you may only loan a game to a friend if they have been in your Friends list for at least 30 days, and even then they may only borrow a given game from you once.

A shot from the trailer for the upcoming Halo game.

Further still, there is the issue of the Kinect 2.0. Microsoft has made sure that Kinect is a big part of the system to the point where it is included with every Xbox One. However, a point of contention here is that the console will not function unless the Kinect peripheral is connected at all times. And while the company has stated that they will not be using it to record data, some still find it a little creepy that the peripheral can see you in the dark, detect your heartbeat and is always watching and waiting for you to wake the system up with the spoken phrase "Xbox On". Fortunately, they have assuaged the fears a little by saying that you can pause the Kinect functionality at any time. On the other hand, there are players who will refuse to use a Kinect to the point that they won't buy the system if it is required for it to function.

Microsoft plans to release the Xbox One in November at a price point of $500, with conversion of the European price points revealing that the console will be even more expensive for non-American users. This price point is pretty steep and only time will tell now if Microsoft's efforts will pay off despite their still somewhat vague stance on policy matters and price tag. Regardless, reactions from Japanese gamers, which include referring to the system as "X1" as a cultural joke, indicate that this may be the final nail in the coffin for the Xbox brand in Japan.

PlayStation 4

Sony's PlayStation 4 (from top to bottom): Console, Controller, PlayStation Eye.

Unlike the Xbox One, Sony revealed information on the console gradually, beginning with a reveal of the controller and a look at the specs, then teasing the look of the console with extreme closeups shortly before Microsoft's reveal event. Following this route, they decided to basically reveal everything at E3, with the reaction being nearly unanimous praise from gamers and professional journalists, as well as a good number of previous Xbox faithful saying that they are officially jumping ship to buy a PlayStation 4 as their console for the next generation. To understand why people reacted so highly to the two-hour press conference, we must first take a look at what is an important change for Sony, that being the console specs:

Table snipped from Game Informer.

Essentially what this means is that not only is the architecture similar to the Xbox One, it is also possibly a little better. I'm not an expert or anything, nor will I claim to be, but the RAM capabilities being 8GB GDDR5 as opposed to the Xbox One's 8GB DDR3 just sounds a little better, along with some of that other stuff in there. I'm not really going to talk much more about this, but it should be noted that the PlayStation 4 resembles a parallelogram, which, while not completely amazing, does seem to stand out a little more than its competitor in the living room. Sony also made a point of saying that the system architecture was based on feedback from developers regarding how they could make games easier to program for the system and the types of features they'd want to take advantage of. In other words, this is the end result of a major company collaborating with developers; a rather important bond.

During their press conference, Sony went out of their way to explain that the system is catered specifically to support gamers, as reflected in their policies (more on that later), though there will still be other entertainment options. They spent the first bit of the conference explaining what sort of apps will be available to use, most of them Sony-related like Crackle and Music/Video Unlimited alongside Sony movies in the Video section of the store and some original content created just for the system. Users will also be able to access services like Red Box, Netflix, Flickster, Hulu Plus and Neon Alley through PlayStation 4. After also discussing what they have planned in the future for PlayStation 3 and Vita, which makes sense considering that they still have an install base to provide for, they went on to blow everyone away with what they had in store for PlayStation 4.

Games and Policies

When Sony began discussing upcoming games for the platform, they made sure to hit it right out of the gate with some highly anticipated exclusive titles; they stated that they will be getting 20 exclusives within a short time after launch, 12 of which would be original IPs. While they did touch more upon upcoming PlayStation 3 titles like The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls, some of the games revealed for the PlayStation 4 were, aside from a lot of indie games, The Order: 1886, DriveClub, Knack, Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts III. While all of the games on display did a great job of showing off the technical feats capable on PlayStation 4, there is still the matter of their policies on games as compared with Microsoft, which is when precisely everyone in the crowd went wild.

For a quick understanding, here is why:

Going for the throat.

Sony basically revealed that their policies are the exact opposite of Microsoft's. There will be absolutely no restrictions on used games, so you can do anything you're currently able to do with current generation games, and there will be no authentication checks of any kind. It was also further evidence that Sony wasn't going to pull any punches against Microsoft's controversial policies. On top of this, Sony announced that, although we don't have a solid release apart from the 'Holiday 2013" window, the price they set for the PlayStation 4 is $399 dollars, a full 20% cheaper than the Xbox One. This solidified the change in support for some of the Xbox faithful and put everyone's fears about the system to rest. However, it should be noted that there is one caveat to all the good news, mainly this image from the reveal:

Specifically the last line.

While there are no restrictions on Single Player content, you will now need to pay for a PlayStation Plus account in order to access Multiplayer content. Before I continue, I should elaborate that this will not prevent you from enjoying services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus or Neon Alley; none of those will require PlayStation Plus to access. Now, there are some differences between Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus services, notably the Instant Game Collection, wherein you can get certain games for free by default, including Gravity Rush, Uncharted 3 (Single Player) and LittleBigPlanet Karting (granted these are more like rentals since the free games go away when you cancel your subscription, but it's enticing nonetheless). As a current user of PlayStation Plus myself, I can tell you that I think the service is very well worth the investment considering what you get for your money and the rotating sales and free game and Beta offers eventually help the service pay for itself, and it's only around $50 a year, curently cheaper than Xbox Live Gold. Plus, if you pay for it once, you can access it on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4. Still, it's understandable if there are those who are on the fence about the fee.

Final Thoughts

One final point of contention is that neither system will be backwards compatible with previous systems, thanks to the differences in system architecture. However, while Microsoft doesn't seem to have a solution for this, Sony will be using the Gaikai cloud company they purchased in order to eventually create access to older PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 titles possible. Personally this isn't much of a problem, considering that I'm the kind of guy who keeps games and consoles even when something new rolls around, but it's still something worth thinking about.

After Sony's E3 press conference, almost everyone declared that the system had already won not only E3, but the Eighth Generation console war itself. While I support PlayStation 4, I don't think we'll really know for sure until sales for it and the Xbox One begin tallying. I said at the beginning that this editorial would look at the good and bad of both of these systems, but I honestly don't think I see that much wrong with the PlayStation 4 compared to the Xbox One, since it's $100 cheaper and much more developer and consumer friendly. Sony may not have officially won the war just yet, but unless Microsoft changes their ways or does some major backpedaling before launch, it's clear that Sony currently maintains a distinct advantage over its competition. Barring initial sales of these new home consoles, it will be interesting indeed to see how the Eighth Generation console wars will play out.