Batman: Arkham HD Collection to be released?

Batman: Arkham Origins, created outside of Rocksteady by WB Games Montreal, will not be included. Arkham Asylum and Arkham City were originally released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as PC.

The new versions of those games included with the rumored Batman HD Collection will have "updated visuals" that have been "optimized" for PS4 and Xbox One, according to the leak.

Eurogamer reports that the Batman HD Collection will go on sale June 10, with preorders opening tomorrow, April 19. If that is indeed the case, an official announcement may be imminent.

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SENSIBLE Jon at PLAY Expo Blackpool

Replay Events are incredibly pleased to announce that PLAY Expo Blackpool will be hosting the world’s first hands on session with Tower Studios’ Sociable Soccer.

Sensible Soccer and Sensible World of Soccer have been held up as some of the greatest football games since they first appeared in the 90s. Now developer Jon Hare is ready to show the world the recent reboot; Sociable Soccer.

“We are delighted to give all of the attendees at PLAY Expo Blackpool a hands on sneak preview of Sociable Soccer. It really is the spiritual successor to Sensible Soccer…super-fast football fun.” Jon Hare.

The game will be available to play at PLAY Expo Blackpool on both days, including tournaments for everyone to take part in. Players will go head to head in 3 minute matches with over 1000 teams to choose from. The finals will be overseen on stage by Jon himself.

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Pokemon Snap Hitting Wii U Virtual Console in Japan

Pokemon spinoff Pokemon Snap, originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, is coming to the Wii U virtual console in Japan, Nintendo has announced. It will be released in the island nation on April 4, priced at ¥1,028 yen, which is roughly £6.

No date has yet to be announced when this is due for release in the UK.

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Next Xbox One Backwards-Compatible Game Arrives

The Xbox One's backwards compatibility program continues to grow. Yet again this week another title will be added to the list and that game is none other than Dead Space.

The news comes by way of Microsoft's "Major Nelson", who said on Twitter that the 2008 survival-horror game has joined the lineup.

Other games this week were also announced; Halo Wars, SoulCalibur II, and The King of Fighters '98 all became backward compatible on Xbox One, while Left 4 Dead 2 was added just yesterday. Last week also saw two separate sets of additions, headlined by Assassin's Creed and Dark Souls.

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Fallout 4 Survival Mode Details Leak

Those who were disappointed with Fallout 4’s difficulty can now rest easily as Bethesda is overhauling the Survival Mode to add many new features!

A Reddit user "ShaneD53" claims to have uncovered some interesting things in the games files, that point to at least some of the features we’ll see in the new Survival Mode. 

Saving/Resting: We’ve been absolutely spoiled with the aspect of save/load in Bethesda games. Mess up? No problem, you quick saved moments ago. Not anymore with the overhaul. No more hard saves or quick saves. Saving will be done when you sleep or rest. Beds and sleeping bags are now your best friends, but it’s unclear how auto saves will work.

Adrenaline: It’s unclear how this works completely, but here’s what we have. You’re given the adrenaline perk automatically, which increases damage in battle. However, it’s raised in rank by killing, not leveling. It also appears that resting will lower the rank.

Wellness: Wellness represents your health. If you eat, drink, sleep, etc.., you’re fine. If not, you will take stat hits to all of your SPECIAL, raise your Fatigue, become more prone to disease, and take damage.

Fatigue: As mentioned, Fatigue is raised by Wellness being lowered. The higher the Fatigue, the less action points you have for VATS and sprinting.

Disease: Probably one of the coolest additions, Disease can come from many things. Uncooked food, unpurified water, getting hit by disease-ridden enemies can all lead to infection. Cured with antibiotics from a chem station or doctors.

Crippled Limbs: Sleeping will no longer heal you or your limbs, you must use a stimpack.

Companions: No, companions will not be able to die. However, they will not get back up on their own when downed, but will crawl home if left uncared for. You monster.

Enemies: Enemies will now repopulate cleared areas over a longer period of time.

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Review - Tiny Brains

Tiny Brains is a zany 3D Puzzle on the play station network for the ps4 that revolves around being a co-op based game for you and up to three other players. You play as a choice of four colourful tiny creatures each with their own unique skill in order to figure your way through multiple puzzle levels while under the watchful eyes of a crazy scientist because the sane scientist just aren't as much fun.

Visual Style

Tiny Brains is a weird and colourful game that sees you in a scientist lab trying to figure your way through multiple puzzles in a crazy maze as a group of tiny creatures so it is pretty much a rat maze.

In this rat maze you will see some crazy looking things like scaled down miniature chairs and TVs or obstacles like match boxes, giant bouncy balls and rulers. This is a style that I am quite fond of as it reminds me a great deal of the micro machine games which I have enjoyed since the days of the Mega Drive.

Now as I mentioned Tiny Brains is a hugely colourful and bright game with a very unique and charming visual style to it with sharp edges and a bright colour pallet and what seems to be a very static looking wash over the game makes the game look quirky and fun.

Gameplay

The game play in Tiny Brains is not the most in depth of puzzle games out there bit what it lacks in depth it attempts to make up by being a faster paced puzzle game than most. As mentioned earlier the game is focused on being a multiplayer or group co-op effort rather than being a single player and that is where most of the fun lies. In the game you have the option of choosing 4 different characters each with their own skill that you will need in order to complete each puzzle and team work is main requirement of this game.

The characters you get to play as are: Dax the bat with the ability to push objects; Stew the rabbit with a vacuum ability; Minsc the hamster who can create platforms to jump on; and Pad the mouse with the curious ability to switch places with any object.

So with these character and skills you have to get through a maze of different challenges that are thrown at you by the mad scientist that range from having to push and pull a giant ball through a maze to what I can only describe as the most charming and fun horde mode I have seen in a long time where you have to save a baby chick from killer hordes of demented chickens and walking bombs and I got to be honest with you as a co-op game it is so much fun. It is really cool to see a true co-op multiplayer that can be played over network or on a couch in the same room with your friend with you this game is a great laugh and I really enjoyed playing this title.

As a single player game the levels are slightly changed to enable you to play through the game on your own and although this game is playable like that it is no were near as much fun as a Co-op game and to be honest I was not overly sold on the single player mode if you are going to play this then Co-op is the way forward.

The controls in the game feel fluid and precise and simple to pick up although there were times when I ran into some lag and slow down during certain moves and when the screen got a bit busy but this was only a minor issue.

Tiny brains is a fun game with a simple but well-paced style of game play with some great game modes that are ideal for a group of friends to just have a laugh while sinking a few beers or whatever is your choice of alcoholic beverage is.

Multiplayer

Tiny Brains is at its best as a multiplayer if did not pick that up from what I have already said. This game is light hearted and fun to play this is one of those titles that should not be played alone if it is you are missing the most entertaining part of this game. One let down of this title is I have mentioned previously is that the game has a tendency to suffer from lag every now and then while playing. This is not a huge problem but can pull you out of the enjoyment from time to time. All in all Tiny Brains is a great little enjoyable multiplayer game . 

Immersion

Tiny Brains is fun game with a funny story that is quirky and charming and to be honest who is not a fan of mad scientists and cute little animals with super powers? I am constantly reminded of the Animaniacs cartoon from a few years ago with its zany style of humour.

The group play of the game is a great way of getting you and your mates drawn into the challenge and madness of the game. Although this title may not have the grand story or depth of a triple A title it is still engaging and fun.

Life Span

Now this part depends on you and your friends obviously there is a story mode in the game but in a way one of the charming aspects of this game is it is a pick up and put down title it is ideal for if you and your mates want to just pick up and play something but do not want to get into An all-nighter or start another heavy story based game. It is great fun but in light hearted small doses.

Conclusion

Tiny Brains is a fun quirky and light hearted title that deserves a look if you are after a game you can play with your mates if you are after a laugh and want to avoid getting into some heavy serious gaming. The single player is ok but not main attraction of this title and can easily be looked over but credit still needs to be given for including a single player for those of us who don’t always want to be a social butterfly.

The game is also a well-built puzzle game that has a strong yet simple set of mechanics for you to master well worth a purchase in my opinion.

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Review - Assassins Creed IV Black Flag

Assassin’s creed four is the latest in the AC Series and the sixth major instalment of the franchise. This title takes place After the events of AC3 in the current time line but before the events of AC3 in the animus time line if that makes sense. Now with a huge amount of the story in AC4 revolving around AC3 and to a certain degree the games that revolve around AC2 I will try to avoid spoilers the best I can but I recommend if you have not played the story through to completion in AC3 and AC2 then go off and do so before playing AC4. In this story you play as a welsh swashbuckling pirate called Edward Kenway in the early18th century who finds himself involved in the on-going war between the Assassins and the Templar's by a random act of chance. Without to many spoilers as with most of the AC games Kenway is on the hunt for a magical maguffing which has untold power which Kenway believes will bring him unlimited riches and fortunes. This is the starting point of the story of Black Flag.

Visual Style
Right off the bat Assassins creed 4 is a beautiful and colourful game, being set in the Caribbean opens up potential for great vistas of tropical rain forests, ancient Mayan ruins and beautiful open oceans and AC4 does not disappoint. AC4 has to be the best looking Creed game yet. The depth and beauty of the sprawling worlds with animals running round, bustling markets and lively bars gives the major cities in the game a real “noisy” feel to it, the city’s feel full of life and colour and found it great fun just to stand back and watch the world go by. The oceans sections of the game (where I spent most of my time) are just as impressive with great weather effects and huge storms hitting you as you travel through the oceans. When the storms clear and the sun breaks through the clouds the game looks just as impressive. With ships fighting each-other survivors and loot floating all over the place and shawls of fish jumping if front of your boat as well as events like whales jumping out of the water as you sail by. The Devs behind the art and visual style of the game have done just as good of a job making the oceans feel just as alive as they did with the major cities.

Overall the Devs have done a great job with AC4 making the game a beautiful and vibrant world that feel full of life and energy.

Gameplay

Assassins creed 4 has seen a few new features added and a few removed from the previous games the resource gathering from Ac3 is still there however this time you have shipping routes which you have to travel to take part in trade missions with a fleet and keep secure buy engaging in a combat mini game where you have to engage ships you have captured with the enemy ships. To add a bit of depth to this the Devs have introduced several different classes of ships that have different combat and storage capability’s which is needed for the trading missions and the combat. The bigger the ship the more fire power and storage however that comes at a loss of speed so the trading missions take longer and the speed between reloads in the combat mini games takes longer. You also have the added burden that in order to keep your fleet repaired and functional you need to use diamonds which you earn from scrapping ships that you board which I will cover later.
The sea combat has also seen a bit of an overhaul during AC3 I have to admit that the seafaring combat was the least enjoyable part of the game for me however during Ac4 you could not keep me from sailing the seas the combat feels a lot more natural and smoother than in the previous tile. The option to upgrade your ship with the resources you collect from sinking ships and buy acquiring blueprints or by attacking ships and boarding them. Once you have damaged the ship enough you are given the option to board and capture the ship depending on the size of the ship you will be given certain criteria for the successful capture of a ship. Each type of ship will have a different set of criteria the smaller of the ships requires just the death of five crew members were as bigger ships will involve you having to take out the captain and more of the crew or destroying ammo barrels or kill snipers up in the sails. Once boarded you get the option to either repair your ship add the ship to your fleet scrap the ship for resources or use the ship to lower your wanted level which increases every time you sink a ship. Your level gets high enough you end up with a hunter ship chasing you down. 

One of the main requirements for boarding the ships is making sure you have enough crew to board the ships which you can recruit from bars or rescue pirates from cities, islands and from the ocean as stranded pirates. This you would think would add a bit more of a challenge making sure you keep your crew level high enough to board vessels but in reality you never really get to a point where it becomes a struggle to keep your crew levels maxed out. So that pretty much covers the ship combat a few of the other features added to the sea faring section are the huge amounts of collectible chests and animus fragments almost to many I my opinion.
There is also a new feature of whaling side mission which you have to hunt down different whales and sharks you kill the animal which gives you resources for special items you can craft. The ocean is also scattered with diving points were you can go hunting for treasure and more collectible while trying to avoid killer sharks, jelly fish and ugly looking eels. This can be a rather annoying feature at times and can be most frustrating trying to complete a dive section while constantly being pestered by sharks.
So that pretty much covers the gameplay aspect of the ocean now it’s time to cover the actual game play of the character.
Well there have been a few changes but nothing major the combat feels a little faster and more fluid and there is still the use of support items. You also have the ability to upgrade your health, armour and weaponry so pretty much standard affair for the AC games at this point.

AC4 still has the same mission types as the previous games you have your escort, tailing missions as well as the standard assassination mission this is the point where AC4 feel a little flat and to be honest a bit repetitive it is just more of the same which still seems to fall under the same floors that AC3 had with the annoying problem of your character suddenly forgetting how to free run when you need to rush in a hurry the combat is to easy and you very rarely feel a struggle or challenge during the entire play through. One of the things that strikes me about AC4 is the amount of collectibles you find there is so many.

You have Animus fragments in each city and in the ocean, sea shanties, treasure chests, Templar keys, viewpoints and Mayan artifacts there is so much that it feels as if the game has been stretched out way longer than it needs to be with these collectibles due to the fact there was not enough story to carry the game. I have to admit I did get all the collectibles in my playthrough (which is why this review took so long) and I was so fed up by the end of it the endless collecting just became repetitive and dull.
Another issue I had was that once you upgraded your ship and armour the game becomes even more of a cake run that you might as well be watching a movie.
So overall my opinion on the gameplay is that the sailing parts of the game were pretty awesome but the rest of the game felt drawn out too easy and overall is was pretty much more of the same. Whether or not more of the same is a good thing or a bad thing is for you to decide.

Multiplayer

This is a more interesting area of the game as I suppose that there are technically two types of multiplayer. There is a kind of social multiplayer in which friends can aid your ships in their shipping routes by either speeding their journeys up or repairing them mid journey and in return those helping will receive explosive barrels which you can use in the ship battle mini games mentioned earlier which I felt was a very nice touch and was not intrusive into your game play in the slightest. The other part is the Actual Multiplayer which I have to admit I have always been a fan of in the AC franchise due to the fact that it is a fairly unique and fun. In the multiplayer you get multiple game types: Quick match, Custom match, Game lab, Wolf pack and training mode. Within those game types you get multiple game modes.
Hunter and pray- A mode in which you play as part of a team of assassins that are either being hunted by a separate group of assassins or you are the hunter chasing them. This is a very unique multiplayer mode and it has been well thought out and refined throughout the AC series. There are multiple tricks, traps, weapons and disguises and tactics to out-smart and out-think your enemy in a great game of cat and mouse. 

Wolf Pack- A group Co-op game in which in you and a team have timed objectives in which you are given targets that you have to assassinate as a group in order to move onto the next round or sequence great fun! You also have the usual levelling up, perks and load outs that come as standard with most multiplayer modes these days.
Overall an enjoyable unique and well thought out multiplayer that stands out from the sea of ill planned rushed out multiplayers that just merge into each other.

Immersion

This is an area where AC4 falls flat one of the main issues I have with Black flag is the story with going into spoilers AC4s story feels uninspired sloppy and does not carry the same sense of gravitas and magnitude that the AC stories of previous games delivered throughout the whole of the game I was constantly getting the impression that AC4 was a game that they made not because they had a well thought out story line to continue on what should have been the closure of AC3 but that they needed something to continue the cash cow that is Assassins Creed. So this combined with the over the top collectables and the easy gameplay all take away from the great and enjoyable features that have been added to AC4 like the sea mission, combat and ship boarding. A game with great potential but with a weak story and repetitive features constantly preventing you from truly enjoying and being dragged into the whole experience of what great assassins creed game should deliver.

Life span

So Life span part of the reason that this review took so long is the fact that this game took me for ever to complete and when I say complete I mean I got all the collectables all the upgrade maps for the ships after I bought the time saver from the uplay store. I still went through all the dive spots even though I did not have to and I still went for all the Collectables for completion and got all the suite etc. The only thing I have not done is 100% the mission synchronisation and the reason behind that is because I got so fed up it was dragged out way to long and took way too much time to the point where it dull and to be honest frustrating. Now I am no stranger to spending hours and hours trying to 100% a game I have spent more time on the Fall outs and Elder Scrolls games than I dare think about and I didn’t get the feeling of boredom and frustration that I had while trying to 100% AC4. This game is just too long without enough engaging content to help support the length of completing the game.

Conclusion

Assassins Creed 4 has the potential to be a great game sadly the weak story and insistence on needlessly filling the game with empty content and easy combat deliver a disappointing and lack lustre experience that just does not live up to the great story telling and experience that games in the series like AC2 delivered.
AC4 is a good game and a vast improvement on AC3 but it still does not live up to its full potential and is still affected by some of the issues that AC3 had. This game was so close to being great but missed the mark but AC4 is still a good game or at worst it is not a bad game.

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Review - Depths of Fear: Knossos

Depths of Fear: Knossos brings Greek Mythology and in particular, the tale of the Minotaur and Theseus, into gaming. Taking the shoes of Theseus, the son of Poseidon, you are pushed, literally, into a labyrinth of monsters. Your aim is to kill the Minotaur, but standing in-between you and the half bull, half man creature is a maze housing seven other mythological beasts, such as Cerberus and a Satyr. Developed by a one man team, you must loot, hide and fight your way through the labyrinth’s eight mazes, and face the horror of the Minotaur.
Visual Style

Whilst perhaps not the strongest title in the visual department, the game does not provide great disappointment either. A largely light brown pallet is frequently splattered with other colours, but the most standout aspect of the visuals is the lighting. A dark blue darkness sets an eerie tone, one which helps make the occasionally piercing light of a torch or the exit, or even the red gaze of Minotaur, look all the better.


Environments themselves largely consist of brick or cave walls. Whilst this is fitting for the game, it means that the chambers can start to feel similar to one another, as though you’re adventuring through the same place over and over.

Gameplay
The game is spilt into eight chambers; each of which you will have to tackle before going head to horns with the Minotaur. Upon entering a chamber, you will have to proceed through three levels before facing off against its overseer. Sounds easy, until you realise that the chambers’ deadly mythical creature is wondering around each level. If it sees you, it will hunt you. To move onto the next level, you need to find a key, and dash to the exit. Thus begins a game of cat and mouse.

The mythical creatures, whilst differing in appearance, are largely similar when it comes to their means of killing you. They are all dangerous up close, and a few, such as Medusa with a bow, provide ranged attacks. Their differences lie in their unique abilities, such as the Hydra being able to submerge its body underwater, or the Centaurs charge. These are enough to provide each creature with a unique threat, yet not enough to make them feel wholly different from one another.
Mythical villains are not the only danger. They bring with them a range of smaller creatures, such as zombies and my personal favourite, giant ants. These may be less of a threat, but can prove a danger to unwary players. Many traps also litter the labyrinth, such as spiked floors and fire churning towers. These add an extra level of danger, or an annoyance if you’re not watching your step.

Often, the keys required for progress are held with trapped rooms. Things such as spiked walls closing in and ants appearing from moulds in the ground provide a welcome challenge. They make working through them and grabbing the golden key all that more rewarding.

Procedurally generated levels are an important aspect here. If you die, you will not be entering into the same level layout. Besides the occasional ladder going into lava, this works to ease the repetitiveness of the levels, and quickly offers an alternative to a death inducing layout.

Ultimately game-play comes down to either hiding or running, or perhaps a bit of both. You can put out your torch, creep through the darkness and hide away as wardrobes pop up. Or, as I quickly discovered, you can run through a level, dodging creatures to the grab the key, and dash to the exit. Once you figure out the tactic to destroying the boss creatures, the game becomes even easier, resulting in boss fights becoming nothing more than a brief encounter.

Depths of Fear: Knossos bring plenty of creatures, traps and options into its game play, but all too quickly I found myself turning to running through the chambers, easily completing them. Being able to use this tactic in itself did ruin my time in the labyrinth, the problem is that game play differs very little between levels, quickly growing repetitive.

Multiplayer

The game contains no multiplayer. One is not needed as this could detract from the horror aspects, and greatly reduce the challenge of the game. Although, a co-op mode could make for a fun addition, perhaps consisting of seeing who can survive the labyrinth the longest.

Immersion

The time spent being chased and hunted by the creatures meant that hatred formed towards them, but primarily in a good, nemesis forming way, that you want to get payback on these monsters for being on your heels. It makes the boss battle feel more personal, and satisfying upon victory. Sadly, this kind of link and immersion with the bosses is absent from the rest of the game, often feeling as though I was just jumping into a game and rushing through its world. I feel items such as books are a missed opportunity, only offering a tiny bit of text which fails to immerse you in the game. If you’re looking for a story focused, and fleshed out, world, you won’t find it here.

Life Span

Your time in the labyrinth will vary depending on how you tackle it. If you run past the creatures with the sole focus of finishing, you can be done in a few hours. If you take your time, collect the many gold pieces and books to be found, and sneak your way through, the game can be extended for many more hours. After my first play through I found myself jumping in for a few rounds in the labyrinth, a testament to the ease at which the game can be picked up and played. Once you have slain the Minotaur, there is still a challenge to be found. An endless chamber, which throws a range of creatures at you, puts to you the test of seeing how deep you can get. For those that enjoy the game, this can provide a longing extension to the labyrinth, and a real challenge. The game can be completed in a few short hours, yet plenty is there for those that enjoy it and it’s easy to jump back in for a quick adventure.

Conclusion

Depths of Fear: Knossos is not a standout game visually, and whilst it does bring a number of game play mechanics together for choice, it can often grow repetitive. Yet, if you get stuck in there’s a lot of fun is to be had. I found myself happily jumping back in, even after I finished the game for another play-through.

It’s got its faults, and it may be a bit short, but it also offers a great deal of enjoyment for those that get stuck in and it’s quite replay-able. If you’re looking for a little bit of horror mixed with Greek Mythology, and a game you can just dip into for a bit, then Depths of Fear: Knossos is a fitting choice.

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Review - 1954 Alcatraz

Alcatraz 1954 is a point and click adventure game from Daedalic Entertainment based in the mid 1950s as the title points out. You play as Joe and his wife Christine just as Joe is locked away in the famous maximum security prison Alcatraz for a heist that went wrong. Between the two characters you are entrusted with the tasks of solving a mystery behind Joe’s arrest Placing Christine in danger and getting Joe out of the inescapable prison. Now as always I will keep the spoilers down to a minimum for those of you who wish to go off and play this game so I will keep references to the main story to a minimum as much as possible.

Visual Style

I have to admit I really like the Visual style of this game. The characters are presented to you in a very interesting stylized kind of art work. And with many of the back drops to the game being hand drawn works of art I really enjoyed the way this game looked. There is a very 1950s feel to Alcatraz the way the environments are drawn and the atmosphere this creates is quite impressive. The characters and environments are colorful bit still manage to create the feeling of one of those old private eyes detective movies of the same era. The game has a very cool intro that helps set the style for the rest of the game and a lot of this game is based around that from that point on. Alcatraz has a rather interesting feature which adds to visual style of this title you are given the option of either playing it in the standard visual mode in which you start off in or at any time you can flick it to 1954 mode which places a brown tinge over the entire game and add the effect that you are playing the game in the same style as you would watch a old movie from this area.


Throughout the game the artists have clearly taken effort make the buildings, characters and surroundings feel like a genuine part of the time period this game is set in nothing feels out of place or misrepresented. You can tell that the look and style of Alcatraz 1954 was a big part in this titles development and I have to say I think the effort has paid off. Now Alcatraz might not be the best looking game in the world but in my opinion the art style and the way the game is represented is probably the strongest part of this title and it works it has the write balance of cartoon exaggeration, Stylisation and influence from that time period to just stand out and come across as something a little different.

Gameplay

As mentioned before Alcatraz 1954 is a point and click adventure and as such you can expect to see the usual traits hat you see in most point and click adventures that are in a similar vein as games like the earlier titles in the broken sword series. You have the option to mix and combine Items you find throughout the game, You have the ever present puzzles fetch quests and hidden object tasks that come with the territory of point and click games.
The basic features of Alcatraz are all pretty standard you will not find any surprises there , What is a nice change from point and click games I have played in the past is the balancing of the games difficulty, Some point and click games feel like they have been designed for a two year old could fly through it or they have been made by the Devil himself so that you will never get anywhere. This title however does not feel to easy and at the same time does not feel to difficult you will get some tasks which might leave you stumped for a bit or that you can solve pretty much straight away but overall Alcatraz if a fairly well balanced and entertaining game to play through.

Now so far Most of what I have described has been pretty straight forward stuff for a point and click adventures however one thing that this game does which is A little different from the other point and click games is this title gives you the ability to switch between Joe and Christine on the fly for the most part. This is a pretty cool feature as it means you can jump from character to character when ever you have some progress in the story and helps create the feeling that both characters are working towards the same objective together while still being in different areas.

Another cool feature I enjoyed was the fact that every now and then the game will throw choices at you, Now we have all seen morale choices thrown into countless games over the years but I think this games does it fairly well it does not constantly shove these options down your throat every five minutes and the game also does a great job of not making the presence of these choices a big deal they are just there and you make your choice and deal with what happens. So that is the basic features of the gameplay but how does the game play!! Well top be honest it plays fine I never ran into any problems, the game did not crash and the features worked fine so all is good.

Immersion

This is one area I have always had a bit of trouble with when it comes to Point and click adventures, I never really feel able to get to drawn into these games and Ninety percent of the time it is due to the lousy voice acting and stiff jittery animation and crappy story.
Alcatraz 1954 however does a pretty good job on these fronts, the game has good voice acting and a cool smooth visual style and although the story will not have you in tears it is still a decent story. The characters you meet all feel well designed and flushed out, the game does a great job of making the characters in this game feel like, well like characters really and they manage to do this without throwing a load of dialogue and info at you. Instead the give these NPC's all very unique personality's which i think is a great touch.That added with the Nice visual style of the game the dev's have done a pretty decent job of drawing you into this game.

Life span

So as you can imagine point and clicks can lose their appeal real fast so stretching a game out over a large amount of hours can be a real turn off and a never play the game again issue with these titles. Alcatraz was not to bad when it came to this I managed to get through one full playthrough in a little under eight hours while taking my time and maybe having a few vodka N orangeade....What it was a weekend!! So eight hours is not to bad I think it is just the write length to playthrough once and not to long to put you off another playthrough if you want to try out other options in another playthrough.

So overall Alcatraz 1954 is a decent point and click adventure with an interesting story great visual style, well designed characters and a entertaining story it is a nice break from all the huge heavy AAA games that are out there and is a nice pick up and play title although for £16 you might think its a tad high for a point and click but I think it is worth the money.

This game may not be the next biggest thing in gaming but it sure is a nice relaxing fun title to play if you are looking for something a bit slower paced than all that rushing around blowing stuff up, fighting demons and saving the world. Its nice to play something a little different at times.

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Mega Man Legacy Collection Jumps, Shoots onto Nintendo 3DS!

Get ready to jump, shoot, and use your Mega Man amiibo! Mega Man Legacy Collection makes its digital debut on the Nintendo 3DS eShop beginning today for £13.49/€14.99!

In addition to faithful reproductions of the original six Mega Man games, Challenge Mode, and other features found in the previous digital release, new bonus content has been added to the Nintendo 3DS version for fans. Eleven exclusive new remix challenges can be unlocked using the original Mega Man amiibo. New art and history pieces have also been added to the in-game Museum Mode, with highlights like original NES cart designs and classic game ads from the 80s and 90s.

Mega Man Legacy Collection is a celebration of the 8-bit history of Capcom's iconic Blue Bomber. The game features faithful reproductions of the original six Mega Man games (Mega Man 1-6), plus new ways to experience the classic games with Museum Mode and new Challenge Mode. Challenge Mode remixes gameplay segments from all six games, with scaling difficulty objectives for experienced players to conquer yet serving as a good starting point for new players, too. Museum Mode contains a comprehensive collection of production art and original concept sketches– a mega treat for any fan of Mega Man and video game history.

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Review - Destiny

Destiny is the first title developed by the studio behind the creation of the Halo franchise some thirteen years after Halo hit our screens on that behemoth of a console that was the original Xbox. Something I would like to point out is I played destiny on the PS4 so I cannot comment on the game on other platforms.

Destiny is what is being described as a First person MMO style hybrid shooter based in a future where Mankind is at risk from alien races bent on the destruction of the human race, So far pretty similar to another story done by the same studio. Released on all platforms Destiny has been advertised as an epic multi-player story which will constantly be evolving and expanding as constant updates and extra content is going to be regularly released enabling you to continue your fight against the darkness.

Visual Style

Destiny is a decent looking game that sticks with Bungies visual style which you would have come to expect from their previous titles. There is a great mix of colorful stages and darker creepier sections which deliver a decent contrast ensuring that Bungie does not go down the same path as other games of recent times in having just dull brownie grey levels were ever you look.

Bungie have done a great job in creating some really impressive futuristic scenery and alien looking environments with impressive vistas. From the colorful yet abandoned and desolate looking structures of Venus to the very industrial and mechanical looking dusty red planet.
One of the issues with the visual style I have noticed is Bungies instance on using knackered out cars were ever you look during the outdoor parts of a fair few missions. In the first levels of the game based in an abandoned space port in Russia there are times you would swear you were in a used car lot, even on the distant planet of Venus you will find traffic jams of used cars it appears that Bungie really got there use out of this asset.
The playable character design in Destiny is to a certain degree left up to you with a choice of three different races and limited customization options to the features of your character and the clothes your character wears have colour and shader options to provide a bit more variety to your character. The enemy design in Destiny has been well thought out with unique looking enemies and plenty of range in the amount of units you get to see.

Overall Destiny is a good looking game but I do not feel it is taking any huge steps in the visual department that Bungie have not already taken in previous games and there are certainly better looking games on the market but that does not take away from the fact that Destiny is a good looking game.

Gameplay

Straight out the gate Destiny feels very familiar with very little need for a tutorial for the basic combat as in effect the combat in destiny pretty plays exactly the same as most other modern first person shooters. You get a choice of three different character classes to choose from when you start your game all with a different speciality each although the different classes will alter the way the game plays out too drastically. There is an RPG element added to Destiny in the form of a progression tree in both your own personal progression and the ability to upgrade your weapons. On Paper this should be a great idea but in my opinion this is one of the areas that destiny falls flat. The upgrade system for your character just felt shallow and not very well committed to, rather than have a system where you can build and define your own character the way you want you are told what you are upgraded and how. You have the option when reach level fifteen to start a new special power and build it up as you use it but other than choosing what special power you want to develop there is not really a great deal of development for your own character.
The actual gameplay in Destiny is very by the numbers and can start to feel a bit repetitive very quickly but I think that is very much down to the fact that the levels can start to feel a bit to long it all seems to be a case of shoot some guys, scan an item or defend an area then go to fight a boss while being hoarded by enemies from that level in waves.

The game is split into four separate parts, you have the main story mode which can either be played as a single player campaign or which friends and random players you meet as you travel through the levels which involves you travelling to different planets in the solar system fighting the enemies of the darkness and revealing more of the story. You have the raid part of the game which is designed to be played by a team of three this involves going through a stage you have already seen through the main story campaign and facing stronger enemies and larger and more difficult bosses in an attempt to boost your characters level and get more powerful armour and weapons. This is the section that feels like it drags on way to long in my opinion. These levels could have done with being a bit shorter as the feel like they have too many over powered enemies or bosses in the levels to try and give the illusion of difficulty by making the game longer. It is entirely possible to have one of these raids last well over thirty minutes with you having to face several mini bosses before facing a final boss all of these fights take way to long and are not overly difficult but the amount of time it takes to beat these bosses and move onto the next boss creates the illusion of difficulty. In many cases it probably would have served Destiny much better if they reduced the amount of bosses and had more separate raids at a shorter time span. You also have the Crucible which is a multiplayer arena in which you face other players in what is a fairly solid Player vs Player section. The fourth section would be the patrol section of the game in which you visit each planet and have the areas unlocked for a kind of free play mode in which you can freely travel the area taking part in mini mission which is I suppose there to help you grind experience to level up maybe? This part of the game just feels unnecessary and pointless.


Overall Destiny is a fun game to play, well built with few glitches and some interesting features however sadly though these features do not feel nearly as developed or as in depth as they should which leaves Destiny feeling shallow and dull in places and with the use of extending game play to create the illusion of difficulty is a real shame as Destiny has the potential to be something truly special but just falls short the goal.

Multiplayer

So this is an area where Destiny has advertised itself as the next big thing as a Hybrid first Person shooter MMO so multi-player is a huge deal for this game. Firs off all the main story is playable in a three team CO-OP mode from start to end. The raid missions are also a multiplayer part of the game both these modes can either be played with friends or with other random players you find in the universe. The main hub for players to meet is the tower were you and everyone else habitat between mission you can team up with other players there or just wait for your friends to show up. There is also the crucible an area in which you can face other players in various mission types very similar to what you would expect from modern day shooters. This PVP mode is a very solid and entertaining part of the game.
Overall the multiplayer part of this game for the most works well is it a full MMO? I am not convinced. While there is some very interesting MMO traits in destiny such as the loot system and the colour system for your loot the mission hub and the fact that you can meet other players in game to join in on random events and mission as well as story mission. These are very MMO type troupes but the game just does not fully commit to this and does not come close to the scale required for this. Another issue is the Loss of server stability many times you will find yourself near the end of a raid or half way through a mission with your mates or some randoms when all of a sudden the screen will go blank and then with all of a sudden you are back at the menu screen after you were booted from the game and have lost all of your progress in that mission. I have had several people complain of this issue and had this same issue happen to me several times which just pulls you straight out of the enjoyment of the game.


The multiplayer aspect of destiny is the games key selling point and while it is an enjoyable experience it does not feel anywhere near as grand or as epic as it should be and the server issues is also a big issue but at the end of the day Destiny is a fun multiplayer game that you can put as little or as much effort into it you want and still enjoy the game.

Immersion

The story of the Destiny is not the strongest of story despite having great potential. There just does not seem to be a great deal of commitment to the story and it feels as if it is put there just as a time filler this makes the story feel almost non-existent when if there was just a bit more emphasis on the story and more of the background of your character called a guardian then it would make for a much more flushed out and enjoyable story.
The Music in Destiny is still of the high quality you would expect from a Bungie game and it does a great job a pulling you into the combat making the game a more exciting experience and fetching that great feeling that Bungie deliver time and time again.
One issue that I feel pulls you out of the experience of this game Is the border line lousy voice acting from the characters, it is not as it they voice acting is bad it is just that everyone in the story sounds board and dull apart from one or two exceptions will I will not delve into as with always the intention is to avoid spoilers were ever possible.
The story also seems to have a lot of parts where when the action is at a lull there is random pointless one liners coming from your partner to hide the fact that not much is going of which just feels awkward and off putting and I just wonder why these parts are here? Were the developers not confident enough in the gameplay to keep you entertained?
Now despite all the issues I have mentioned Destiny is still an enjoyable experience that will keep you entertained for quite some hours.

Life Span
So this is bit more of a tricky one as part of Destiny’s appeal is the MMO part, being a game with constant new content being released over a long period of time which means the life span of the game could reach hundreds of hours Life span if not more. The story campaign can be completed in around twenty hours or so that includes hitting the big level twenty limit which will unlock the entire game and open up legendary loot mission for you. Once you have finished main story the game at this moment the whole point of the game turns into a hunt for better weapons and loot which you gain from taking on harder mission but all the missions still play out the same as the stuff you have just been through for the previous twenty hours. So with that in consideration will extra content be enough to hold your attention if all you are doing is the same type of missions time and time again? If the answer is yes then you will probably have plenty of game play hours in this game but if you are looking for a variety of different mission to keep you entertained then maybe this game will not provide as many hours for you. Myself I cannot see myself playing this game for hours to come unless there is some more varied experiences within the game.

Conclusion

Despite its floors Destiny is still a good looking and fun game to play and will provide many hours of entertainment it may not push any barriers or produce some amazing story telling but as a game to get into you can do a lot worse and with all the re-vamps, re-makes and sequels being brought to gaming recently it is great to see a new and hopefully Successful IP hit ours choice of gaming platforms.

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Review - Deadfall Adventures

Deadfall Adventures is a first person shooter, action and adventure game taking you around the globe. Based of the novels by H. R. Haggard, play as James Lee Quatermain, the great grandson of famous adventurer Allan Quatermain, as you set out to find lost treasure and battle un-dead mummies.

Visual Style

Built using the Unreal Engine 3, the games visuals are a highlight of the game and throughout each level remain impressive. There are four environments you travel through in you globe trotting adventure, and each one provides a nice contrast to those that came before it. Although once you’re inside the temples the walls, structures, browns and greys can get a bit reused, it was never enough to make me board of the environments. Overall the visuals are put to good use for some awesome locations.

Gameplay

Deadfall does not do anything new with its gameplay, but neither does it get anything wrong.
It’s your traditional first person shooter when facing of against humans, with an extra mechanic being added when facing mummies, using a flashlight to weaken them before finishing them of with bullets. You do stubble across the occasional trap you can activate to your advantage, and I found myself using these more and more as the game progressed. Although theirs nothing to differentiate it from other shooters, combat felt solid through out the game, the only problems encounter being less than obvious solutions to some of the boss battles.
Mind you the combat only forms half the game play, the other health consisting of puzzle solving and treasure hunting. Once again the game does nothing new here, but does not disappointed either. They help break up the moments of gunplay, and for the most part provide fun challenges with a diversity of puzzles to tackle.
Whilst the puzzles never remained to difficult, they were not overly easy, and if you need a little extra help on the on them, you can always flick to Quatermain’s notebook, giving you hints, which many times I found useful without it being to obvious in just giving you the answers.
Unfortunately, whilst for the vast amount of the puzzles are great, their were a few that provided utterly frustrating, without a clear answer, or even hints as to what your supposed to do, being given.
Throughout the game, exploration is also encouraged with the rewards being treasures that can be used for upgrades, such as to increase health or reloading speed for example, faster reloading being extra useful considering how slow the revolvers, which you always carry and have infinite ammunition, reload. Finding these treasures offers a nice little diversion from the main game play, without distracting you to much from the path you should be following.

Multiplayer

Deadfall: Adventures multiplayer consists of six modes that can be played across seven maps. The modes available are all based of familiar game types, such as traditional team death match and treasure hunt mode, which involves collecting treasure of your fallen enemies. You can set traps within the maps, and I imagine the competent game play mechanics would make for a great time, sadly though I can not form a proper opinion on the multiplayer due to a lack of players when searching for games.
Survival mode is also included in the game. You have a choice of five maps to play on in an attempt to survive against waves of enemies. Although it’s not made clear how long you have till a round ends, when it does you get the chance to grab new weapons. Using the game play mechanics of the game, with traps chucked onto the maps, it makes for an enjoyable mode, but one that may get repetitive fairly quickly.
There is also a range of skins for you to choose from, if you have a particular preference towards a character from the game.

Immersion

Whilst playing the game I found it as immersive as watching an adventure film. Whilst the world and temples you visit never offer much in the way of lore to explore and to pull you into its world, the game play, both in terms of combat and puzzle solving, are such fun that I never felt of board of the world, and wanted to remain in it right up till the end.

Life Span

The campaign made for a healthy few hours of game play, and I would glad replay when in the mood for a more entertaining, laid back game. Although I have had no luck in finding players for multiplayer, I did find myself getting sucked into and enjoying survival mode.

Conclusion

It’s not got a complex plot full of depth, or revolutionary game play to bring to the first person shooter table; rather it’s just an incredibly fun game. For the hours I sat playing the single player, I felt incredibly entertained by its cheesy, cliché filled plot and mummy blasting moments. I enjoyed exploring and felt satisfied every time I got past a trap and found a treasure. It does not do anything new, but what it does do it does right, and makes for a very enjoyable game.

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