Dragon’s Heart Citadel awaits in the first major expansion for Citadel: Forged with Fire – Forsaken Crypts. Incredible boss battles await as well as new endgame content. There are three Boss Caves that have arrived, Phoenix Spirit Citadel, Dragon’s Heart Citadel, and Blood Soul Citadel. Three new sets of armor also are on the way, unique to these citadels: Dracul Armor, Pyrant Armor, and Helios Armor.
Yearly Archives: 2017
Any ‘Port’ In A Storm – Doom (Nintendo Switch) Review
by Jason Parker (Ragachak)
Welcome to Any Port In A Storm (Thanks, Cary!), where I’ll lump all of my “port” reviews into one place, so they’re easy to find! These will probably be shorter reviews since these are games we’ve already reviewed once or a game that has already come out on another platform. And what better way to start, than with one of my favorite franchises of all time? That’s right, it’s DOOM! When I heard Doom 2016 was coming to a Nintendo console, I balked. Then I laughed. We haven’t seen something like that since the SNES/N64, as far as I’m aware. And Hell, the Doom port to the SNES was actually pretty good! But this is what I’d call a true test for the Nintendo Switch in terms of what it can/can not do. Even more than Skyrim. Doom is 1: More recent and 2: Requires far more of a PC/Console to run than Skyrim. I know, I know, Skyrim is the holy of holies. But hear me out. Doom is non-stop action, a run-and-gun with intense graphics and mountains of Demons waiting to be obliterated.
I had some pretty serious issues playing Doom on PC, and none of them were graphics related. My poor GTX 960 was able to handle it fine, and my 1080 can handle it even better. But the motion-blur made me nauseous, and I could only play it for about 20-30 minutes at a time before I had to stop, take a breath, and do something else. The motion made my motion sickness act up, which reminded me a great deal of VR (Which is why I won’t be playing/reviewing Doom VFR). It is defaulted on, but I noticed almost immediately, thanks to how ill it made me feel. It’s also 22~ GB if it’s a digital title, so please be aware if you’re low on space on the ol’ Switch. Personally, I’m waiting for my Micro SD to come in so I can have that and Skyrim loaded at one time. But this isn’t going to run at 60fps and 1080p on the Switch. It runs at a solid 30fps, and while of course (every single person who has reviewed it, I’m sure has mentioned) it is not as graphically impressive as the PS4, PC, etc versions of the game, it is still gorgeous, even in hand-held mode.
That’s the big thing for me. It plays amazingly, and it even has motion-style controls you can take advantage of. I personally didn’t, that’s not really my bag. I detested them on the Wii, and the Wii-U. So I’m not going to fuss with them unless I absolutely have to. But they’re there to make your Glory Kills far more fun. But what about the story? Come on, you know the Doom story by now. Lots of demons, you need to put on the armor, grab some guns, and kill the absolute crap out of them. All of them. There are lots of lore things you can look at, and paying attention to the story is definitely worth doing. But if you just want a portable romp where you can log in, obliterate some demons, and stop for a while, this is a great pick-up-and-play title. Plus it has all of the content that the PC version had, Arcade Mode, story, et cetera. It’s got an absolute ton of content to play through, and of course, secrets to explore. I did have to tinker with the settings just a bit to make sure my shots were going where I wanted them to, and after just a tiny bit of experimentation, I was well on my way to killing Demons anywhere in my house, or wherever I happened to be. I primarily played it on the hand-held mode, because I started around Thanksgiving, so I didn’t happen to be at my desk all that often.
IDDQD: 4/5
Not to mention, it’s the absolute best shooter on the Switch right now, and probably will be the best for some time to come. Some people have asked, “Why release a game from last year on the Switch?” And I say “Why not?” after all, this is, like I said, a terrific test of just what this console can do. It’s just as difficult as it was on my PC version, it’s just as fun to play. It’s a little less sharp-looking, but the graphics aren’t by any means terrible. I almost never had any slowdown, unless there were simply too many Demons on screen at once. I’m glad to see a Mature title on the Switch. None of the gore or violence is toned down. It’s still over-the-top and insane, the action gets my blood pumping just as it did on Playstation. Though it’s pretty linear, there’s lots of stuff to find, secret crannies to explore throughout this devastated, demon-swarmed title. I cannot stress enough how fun this is, if you like ultra-violence and big guns. If you loved Doom on PC/PS4, you’ll love it right here on the Switch.
Note: A game key was provided for review purposes.
Clockwork Throne
Clockwork Throne
Popcannibal
Popcannibal
TABOT
TABOT
Pixwerk
Pixwerk
Bury me, my Love Review
By Jaime Skelton (MissyS), Editor-in-Chief
Video games are a potent story-telling medium. Prose, poetry, and song offer us words to offer introspection into our world; movies, television, art, and theatre offer us visual understandings of the narrative we may not have the imagination to perceive. Video games take this one step further, combining these arts with the additional element of interactivity. Through various methods of immersion, we find ourselves as part of a story, not just mere observers. And with the growing popularity of the medium, more artists are using the medium to reach people in new ways. Because of this, I feel it is particularly important to highlight some of these new storytellers, and encourage all of us to discover new narratives.
Bury me, my Love is one such story. Though a work of fiction, the story told is inspired by the real-world stories of Syrian refugees looking for asylum in Europe, including that of Dana, whose story was told through a journalistic piece that offered a view of her journey through WhatsApp (“Le Voyage d’une migrante Syrienne à travers son fil WhatsApp”, translated: “The Journey of a Syrian Migrant, as Told by her WhatsApp Messages”). Bury me, my Love takes a similar approach to the journalistic piece: it simulates an instant message environment in which the two main characters, Nour and Majd, may communicate through text, photographs, selfies, and recorded voice messages. Though the game does not use real photographs, it does use a lovely, flat art style with an earthy color palette that evokes the raw mood the story portrays.

In the game, the player takes the role of Majd, Nour’s husband. Due to a tragic set of circumstances in their home in Homs, Syria, the couple say their farewells, sending Majd in search of asylum in Europe while Nour remains at home to care for family who cannot make the journey. Using the simulated mobile application, Majd communicates with Nour – receiving updates on her journey, checking news for her, and assisting her with some of her difficult choices. Like a “choose your own adventure” novel, the player’s choices affect Nour’s journey and where it will end. Unlike these stories, however, there are multiple invisible factors at play, including her relationship with Majd, her morale, and her inventory and budget.
Bury me, my Love is set by default to take place in “real time” – meaning that real time will pass between conversations to simulate a more realistic experience. There is, however, also a fast speed option which eliminates these delays, continuing with the next conversation without a real time break. I highly recommend the default, real time setting – it provides more immersion and makes Nour feel more ‘real’ as a character. However, the fast mode is great for secondary play throughs, especially to get you ‘up to speed’ to a new choosing point in the story.

As a white American whose ancestors came freely to the United States hundreds of years ago, I am sorely out of touch with the struggle of being a refugee, particularly in today’s modern climate. My mental image of a refugee making their way out of their country was simplistic: small groups of people trekking miles across landscapes far from battle and crossing a border unseen before approaching a government office for asylum. So, from the start of my journey with Nour, I was constantly reminded of how little I knew. Increased taxi fare for crossing through dangerous areas; managing a budget that seems minuscule to the privileged; smugglers and gangs; beatings and prisons for those found crossing borders – these are just some of the things that stuck out to me.
I was unprepared, entirely, when my first journey with Nour ended with a weeping, terrified voice message that left me only the worst possible conclusion; so much so that I took a couple of days to process what had happened. My second attempt was far more dedicated. This time, I was determined to take the game’s message seriously, to see Nour to safety. And still, while she lived – it was not the happy ending I had aimed for. I had still made mistakes. I had still made choices that, from my life experiences, seemed the best. I was proven wrong. I was humbled. Now, each time I make a choice, I think not only in terms of a gamer trying to find the right path – I also think about the consequences of each choice, stepping into the shoes of refugees far from my own home.

As a writer, editor, and storyteller myself, I have little objection to the gameplay of Bury me, my Love. I was initially surprised by the lack of some elements found in other visual novels – the ability to fast-forward or skip through dialogue already seen, for instance – which I can see being a detractor for some on multiple playthroughs, even using fast mode. One other element I found missing was any way to quantitatively “track” your progress; there are no ways to check Nour’s inventory or budget, for instance, or gauge her relationship and morale. Yet the lack of this sort of ‘metagaming’ enhances the story. After all, in the real world, we cannot so easily quantify our journey. Life is qualitative, malleable. So, too, is this story.
For all that it has to offer, both as a piece of art and as a humanistic story to broaden horizons and understanding of the world we live in, Bury me, my Love is highly recommended. It is available on mobile, both iOS and Android, and costs only $2.99 US (the same price as many novellas). As a complete story, it does not push any microtransactions, extra purchases, or advertisements. If you’re unsure of the game, you can also demo the game’s prologue. Find this, and much more information about the game and its design, at its website.
Final Rating: 5/5
Note: A game key was provided for review purposes.
Arma 3 – Tac-Ops DLC Mission Pack Trailer
Influence the course of events in the Arma 3 Tac-Ops DLC Mission Pack. Three distinct singleplayer military operations are now live.
Post Human W.A.R Release Trailer
Post Human W.A.R, a turn-based strategy game with solo campaigns and online multiplayer, announces its upcoming launch on December 14.
Total War: ROME II – Empire Divided Out Now
Total War: ROME II – Empire Divided breathes new life into the title, with 10 different playable factions, new victory conditions, and a host of new campaign features for players to do battle with, from plagues, cults and banditry. Reunite the Empire under your rule. Deus Vult!



