Monthly Archives: May 2018

An Unfamiliar Mystic Threat Arrives in Warriors Orochi 4

Warriors Orochi 4 World

Warriors Orochi 4, arriving in Fall 2018 for North America on the Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC, to continue the one-versus-thousands genre, taking it in a new direction. A world on the brink of chaos, heroes from the Warring States era of Japan and the Three Kingdoms era of China will team up to do battle with Orochi and stop his reign once and for all. However, as they defeat Orochi, these two worlds begin to merge by an unknown entity, and it’s time to saddle up again to do battle. This time, with these new fused lands, the true threat becomes known: Zeus, the supreme god among gods. Warriors Orochi 4 will feature 170 characters (165 returning from Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, and Warriors Orochi titles), with five new characters joining the roster.

The renowned one versus thousands battle action will see all new additions, with characters being able to cast powerful magic abilities to wipe out their foes; combining weaponry and magic can lead to devastating attacks which will stop enemies in their tracks.

Nintendo Switch News – Week of 5/11/18

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Good morning, Internet! We’re doing this a day early because I’m going to be away on business this weekend. I’m going to be checking out Bless Online, which I’m incredibly excited for. I have my Switch all packed up, so I can play Dragon Quest Builders and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze while I’m flying/sitting in airports/bored in my hotel room. So let’s talk about some Nintendo Switch news because I do have some! The biggest news for me personally, is that Motion Twin confirms that their hit Metroidvania/Roguelite Dead Cells will be coming to the Nintendo Switch (and Playstation 4)! This is incredibly good news because Dead Cells is one of the best games I’ve played in recent memory. I’m looking forward to playing more of it on the go. It has sold over 700,000 copies on Steam’s early access, so it’s no shock that it’s going to move to consoles, but I ‘m so glad it’s going to be on the Switch. But since I don’t really have much more in the way of “Coming Soon” news, let’s talk about what’s coming this week!

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero: Ultimate Day One Edition (5/8/18): Shantae is a very cool platformer/Metroidvania franchise, and it fits neatly on the Switch. It’s available for the Switch at select retailers, and the Ultimate Day One Edition comes with a ton of neat stuff. It comes with a 30-song soundtrack on CD, a 100-page art book, and three DLC packs. Shantae is a 2D hand-drawn world, where you play as a spirited young half-genie, and it’s up to you to defend Scuttle Town from pirates and their leader, who is the self-proclaimed Queen of the Seven Seas. It’s attractive visually but don’t let that fool you – the Shantae games are ruthlessly difficult. (39.99)

Immortal Redneck (5/10/18): Okay, this one in a way sounds like it could be a Bubba Hotep video game. Immortal Redneck is an FPS on the Nintendo Switch that could have been released in the early 2000s, in the best way. Your goal is to enter a pyramid and get to the conquer a series of Pyramids to truly become immortal. I know it says you’re “immortal” but you will probably die a ton, because you start off pretty damn weak and increase your abilities and powers with each new playthrough. So this is a game where you die, get better, die, get better. I like the visuals of it, the guns look super awesome (Taser sword? Tesla Coils? I’m sold). It looks like it will be a really fun pick up off of the E-Shop. (19.99)

One Piece Warriors 3: Who doesn’t love the Straw Hat Pirates? Not anyone that I know! This one sticks to the One Piece canon (unlike Warriors 2), but it is a fairly abridged version of that. That’s a positive in my book because the One Piece story stretches on for absolutely ever. I am a fan of the “Warriors” franchise, obliterating hundreds and thousands of enemies, and epic bosses. However, doing it with a summarized version of the One Piece story . . . eh, not so enthused about that. Visually it’s wonderful and really captures that One Piece art-style, features really incredible team attacks, and has some of your favorite characters to team up with (Zoro, Nami, Brook, Trafalgar Law, et cetera), but I’m not really all that sold on this one. I have a feeling that hardcore One Piece fans could feel different though. This one is also a delightful “Deluxe” Edition. (39.99)

 

Death Road to Canada Switch Review

By Jaime Skelton (MissyS), Editor-in-Chief

The Oregon Trail has always held a special charm for many aged gamers (a group I reluctantly include myself in), many of whom played their first computer games in black and green. In fact, my first gaming memory is sitting around a small, monochrome, portable TV with my parents, trekking down the trail and shooting buffalo as only a toddler can. And so it is that the lure of the deadly open road has always called me in each inspired video game iteration.

Death Road to Canada is not a new game, having debuted on PC in 2016 and having sat on my Steam Wishlist for nearly as long. When I heard its announcement for console – particularly the Switch – I was thrilled for the local (and mobile) couch co-op potential. While DRTC as a whole has been extremely satisfying, the greatest hope I had for the Switch edition left me slightly disappointed.

Death Road to Canada Screenshot

I am the destroyer.

Canada, eh?

Death Road to Canada is a modern take on The Oregon Trail, similar in vein to Organ Trail. The player(s) control a party of one to four characters, who travel northward from Florida toward Canada to flee the zombie apocalypse. Along the way, the party must scavenge for and manage supplies, endure sieges, trade at markets, and improve their skills in order to cross the snowy border.

Unlike its predecessors, DRTC supports both randomly generated characters and custom characters. You can create up to 80 custom characters, each with their own appearance, perk, and trait. While these will still appear in game with some randomized attributes, their core settings will remain the same. Making custom characters is more important than simply creating your family for giggles; some perks and traits will only appear on characters if they have been custom created. The game also features rare special characters which have their own unique boosts or equipment.

Death Road to Canada Screenshot

Definitely not copyrighted. Definitely a parody.

Multiple game modes are available to play and unlock. The basic modes are a standard 15-day trip to Canada, featuring random characters, custom characters only, or rare characters only. Additional modes build on this with increased difficulty and varying trip lengths, unlocked through completing previous modes. One ultimate mode, K*E*P*A, lays for the truly hardcore challengers.

One key feature throughout gameplay is the Zombo Point, found and unlocked randomly through events and scavenging missions. These offer a level of meta progression, and can be spent through the game’s main menu on unlocking and upgrading perks, traits, and additional bonuses in future games. DRTC also offers you an easy way to erase your custom characters, your earned bonuses, or both – if you really want to reset.

Death Road to Canada Screenshot

Tryin’ to play like, Unomey.

The end result is a fun-strating (you know, frustrating while still being fun?  fun-strating) romp that’s good in short bursts or in long binges, full of memes, parodies, and creeps. With the wide variety of perks and traits, there’s no “best” character, and with the wide variety of game modes, there’s always a new challenge to try. Plus there’s nothing like the exultation felt when you cross that Mounty-line, especially as a swift Shiba Inu barreling through zombies just to win. Wow. Such snow. Much moose.

Bringing a Switch-blade to a Zed-Fight

As stated, Death Road to Canada is not a new game, but its presence on the Switch is. Small indie titles thrive on the Nintendo console which, while it has its share of new releases, truly thrives on making great titles from PC and console available on a more portable and flexible game console. So how does DRTC find its place in the virtual title amusement park?

Death Road to Canada Screenshot

Nothing like a shopping trip at Y’all Mart with Octo-Dad. I mean, Recruit.

Quite fabulously, if there was any doubt. The retro-styled graphics render beautifully on the Switch’s built in screen, but also translate well onto a connected TV. The game’s controls are simple enough to learn quickly and don’t require elaborate button presses (by default, even the shoulder buttons go unused). And, outside of one technical hitch I encountered, caused by the Switch’s sleep mode (fixed in the latest patch), DRTC runs effortlessly without a second of lag time.

There is one place where the Switch port fell short, however: co-op controls. While they are fully functional, they are a bundle of small shortcomings that make the experience less than perfect. To start with, the split Joy-Con mode (using each half of the Switch Controller as individual controllers) is simply awkward for sideways, standard-controller play. This is the console’s short comings: one player will suffer the awkwardness of their buttons being in the middle of the controller, while the other must deal with similar discomfort with the D-pad being in the center.

Death Road to Canada Screenshot

Actual couch-conversations here.

However, Ukiyo Publishing could have looked to address other issues with local co-op in DRTC. One of these is the fact that there is no “priority” player or voting system on decisions; the game will simply accept a decision from the first person to make it. Not only can this lead to some awkward moments trying to manage inventory before a siege, it also means that a player can monopolize choices and grief other players by preventing them from making decisions. The second player’s cursor selection also disappears off screen when their controller is not actively in use, which, while reducing screen clutter, also led to some confusion as to whether a second player was still “in the game.”

The last thing I must emphasis with DRTC‘s co-op mode is that it simply is unwelcoming on the Switch’s built-in screen. On a TV or large-screen, there’s plenty of room to relax. But two players crowding close around a six-inch screen, trying to find their character in a hoard of zombies, led to a lot of literal head-butting. It’s a great game on the go, but only if you’re solo.

Death Road to Canada Screenshot

I know that you wanna be Canadian…

Final Verdict: 4.5/5 (Great)

There’s no argument that Death Road to Canada is a fantastic “road trip simulator,” and its availability on the Switch has not diminished its quality. DRTC features remarkable replayability, worth sinking dozens or even hundreds of hours into. The Switch is a perfect platform for the game, and brings a new level of portability and flexibility to the experience. Only a few small flaws in the design of the multiplayer experience, most notably the unfortunate ability for anyone to hog the controls and decisions, mar this zed-smashing experience.

Note: A game key was provided for review purposes.

Death Road to Canada (Switch Version) Screenshots

Create Your Own Ambition in Nobunaga’s Ambition: Taishi

NobunagasAmbition_Taishi_Key_Art

Koei Tecmo detailed some of the new strategies available to players in the upcoming Nobunaga’s Ambition: Taishi, coming to Playstation 4 and Windows PC on June 5th – marking the 35th anniversary of the series. Players will be able to step into the shoes of their favorite historical officer or lord and increase their clan’s overall influence across Japan, and the Resolve System will be just one of the new tactical options available. Each move will have to be considered by the player, as the system introduces a set of aspirations – all of which decide how an officer will act in a given situation; Shingen Takeda, the head of the Takeda clan, has the resolve “Law of Kai” which focuses on the idea that everyone should be treated equally in every situation.

To complement this system, the Council System has been adjusted to allow each officer in attendance the option to approve new policies. This could create situations with an officer having their own set of goals and this belief will influence their decision to agree or disagree with policies. The combat system has changed to a new 2-part turn-based battle system. The Planning Phase pauses the action so that players can plan their next move, and the Execution Phase is where it shifts to a real-time battle. Planning Phase will be where formations and strategies are prepared, and Execution will see them come to life.

Civic Development systems have also changed, where players are able to improve various aspects of their domain to earn useful resources as well as in-game advantages. One of the key aspects to building a successful domain is through the use of Facilities. Farming, Irrigation, and Military facilities all provide useful resources; generating gold and supplies, raising the satisfaction levels of neighboring districts, and increasing the army size and providing them with greater weaponry and equipment.

Ragachak’s Top 5 Worst RPG Plot Twists

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

SPOILER ALERT. THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD. SPOILERS. ENDINGS OF GAMES BELOW.

Top 5 Worst Plot Twists - Good Twist 1

This was an incredible twist – Magus isn’t the villain.

A plot twist can be a blessing to make an already wonderful game into a true classic. It can take a compelling story, turn it on its head and ensure that it’s unforgettable forever in the best way. But then there are plot twists that are done for the sake of “shaking things up” and take something that’s already decent (or at worst, awful) and turn it into a laughing stock. Bad plot twists can’t ruin every game, though. Super Mario 2’s plot twist of “It was just a dream” is infuriating but doesn’t change how enjoyable the former Doki Doki Panic is. There are some truly stellar plot twists in games though. Take Chrono Trigger for example. We learn about halfway in that Magus isn’t really the evil villain he’s made out to be. He is doing something risky, dangerous and stupid to get revenge (summoning Lavos to kill him). If that wasn’t enough, the main character dies! You can go on a quest to save him from being deleted out of time, or you can just … go on without him.

Top 5 Worst Plot Twists 2 - Good Twist 2

Kefka gets away with it… mostly.

Then there was Final Fantasy VI. After the events of the floating continent, it appeared that Kefka actually won. He obliterated the landscape with magic, was being heralded as a god, and many party members (and regular people) gave up on their will to live and fight. It was over, Kefka had won. But it wasn’t, because you can go on, recruit everyone again, and resume battling the madman! He wasn’t even the main villain at that point, the Emperor was. But Kefka betrayed and murdered him, no big shock. These are excellent plot twists that make the game better because they’re there. This is unfortunately not always the case. Like in Final Fantasy IX, Necron is far superior to Kuja, and probably would make more sense as the final boss. Just because you love a franchise, doesn’t mean it’s perfect. So we’re going to look at some serious blunders, from the mundane to the bone-shatteringly rage-inducing kind.

[PC] Diablo III Patch 2.4.0 Season 5 - Killing Zoltun Kulle and Haedrig's Gift [

Of course the evil mage betrays you. Shock!

5: Diablo 3: Shock At Zoltun Kulle: Zoltun Kulle was an evil, insidious mage, but somehow, you need his help to find the Black Soulstone. He’s apparently the only one who knows where it is. When asked how we can trust him, he cackles and informs us that we can’t – you know, he’s evil. So we do it anyway, and can you guess what happens? Oh come on, a lot of you played D3 – He betrays us and we have to fight him! What. A. Goddamn. Shock. This one isn’t the worst, but it shows how gullible and stupid heroes can be. I mean, he’s not the hardest fight in the game, and after a few playthroughs, it can be an absolute push-over. What a surprise, Zoltun Kulle, the evil mage, is evil. Gasp.

Worst RPG Plot Twists - Fallout 3

OF COURSE HE IS RADIATION IMMUNE. OF GOD DAMN COURSE.

4: Fallout 3: The Whole Damn Ending: Now I love Fallout 3. I enjoyed it more than Fallout and Fallout 2, which is apparently blasphemy. But that’s what I enjoyed, so those purists can piss off. So at the end of the game, you have to sacrifice yourself to disarm the bomb, which ends the game or let your partner go and do it, and they die from radiation poisoning. Or you can also wait until it explodes, and just let it murder everyone. There’s another choice though – buy the DLC! You have an invincible, ass-kicking mutant that can go disarm it for you. He’ll live and you can just move on and play the game more. The ending of the game was critically panned so hard, that they released DLC that will let you get around the ending. Come on, really? I sort of liked the idea that you had to sacrifice yourself to save the land, or just ignore it and let everyone die. Before the “Broken Steel” DLC, Fawkes would inform you that it is your moment, only you can do this, etc. This is up there with Mass Effect 3 on the scale of dumb, disappointing endings.

Worst RPG Plot Twists - FFX2

I appreciate you being back. But like this?

3: Final Fantasy X-2: Sacrifice: One of the biggest parts of the Final Fantasy X ending was “sacrifice”. As it turns out, Tidus and the other Zanarkand residents don’t “really” exist. Despite them interacting with the world and saving it, but he was a part of the dream of the Fayth. The Final Fantasy X games are all about sacrifice. But at the end of the game, Yuna can say “Yes” to the Fayth, who asks if Yuna wants Tidus resurrected. Saying yes will have a cute scene with Tidus in the ocean. He’s back to life, Yuna, the Besaid residents, and Lulu is there to greet him. It basically undoes all of the sacrifices from the two games. While I don’t love Final Fantasy X-2 as much as Final Fantasy X, and yes, I wanted Tidus to come back . . . not like this. Not at all like this.  Not in such a manner as basically summoning the Eternal Dragon and wishing him back. There had to be a better way to write this ending.

Worst RPG Plot Twists - SO3

Vidya Games: The source of all evil.

2: Star Ocean 3: Vidya Gaemz: Remember when we were just talking about Super Mario 2’s “It’s all a dream”? This is arguably infinitely worse. In Star Ocean 3’s ending, we learn it’s all a video game! None of the characters are real! They were characters in a game within a goddamn game. It was created by an advanced civilization, and there are tiny hints that this might be the case if you pay attention to NPC dialogue. But since most people don’t, you might have entirely missed it. But yes, Star Ocean 3 is basically The Matrix. I’ve only been more disappointed by a plot twist one time that I can possibly remember. I appreciate the whole “Is anything real?” philosophical discussion, and it’s horrifying to think that none of this may be real, but at least it’s better than. . .

Worst RPG Plot Twists - FF8

A MOTHER FUCKING ORPHANAGE!

1: Final Fantasy VIII: WE. WERE. ALL. ORPHANS: All I can think of is the film Miami Connection‘s infamous line, “But I thought we were all orphans”! This made me so angry I actually threw it out of my window, into the street. I was interested vaguely in Squall’s broody character, the lone-wolf personality. I still think the “dream” characters were far more interesting. SOmewhere in Disc 3, we go to an orphanage. This is where we learn all the characters (but one lucky exception) all grew up here! Not only that, we were all friends/rivals/compatriots at this Orphanage. But that’s not all! Of course, that’s not goddamn all. Sorceress Edea? The important boss character Edea? Yeah, she was the damn headmistress! Oh, and SEED exists to kill Edea, who is his wife. The game was fine up until this point. Why does this plot twist exist? What was the thinking behind it? I need to know. A perfectly fine, unique Final Fantasy game, ruined in just a few lines of dialogue. Every so often, I get the urge to go play it again, then I remember Disc 3.

Destiny II: Warmind Brings New Gear, Endgame Content and More

Destiny 2 Warmind News

3The Destiny 2 action continues in the upcoming “Warmind” Expansion from Bungie and Vicarious Visions. The Polar Ice Caps on Mars are the next destination, for new adventures, gear, and challenges. Warmind will include a new endgame activity, “Escalation Protocol”. In it, players fight increasingly difficult waves of Hive combatants, included in the expansion and going live on Friday, May 11th will be a new Raid Lair. “Spire of Stars” will offer new areas to explore, a new boss to defeat, and unique rewards on top of that.

Season 3’s update will come with Warmind, offering updates for all players of Destiny 2. This includes powerful upgrades to Exotic weapons, the introduction of Ranked Crucible play, new Crucible maps, Private Matches, more Vault Space and more. At launch, Playstation gamers will get access to an additional timed exclusive* Strike called The Insight Terminus that will include an earnable timed exclusive* Armor set for each class until at least Fall 2018.

We are excited about the future of the Destiny franchise. Together, as partners with Bungie, we have taken various steps to create a dialogue between those who make the game, and those who play,” said Byron Beede, executive vice president and general manager for Destiny at Activision. He added, “Warmind represents another step toward bringing the Destiny 2 hobby back to our dedicated players.”

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Hits PC Today

Obsidian Entertainment’s critically acclaimed RPG sequel is now live, thanks to a partnership with Versus Evil. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire will continue to create a rich and compelling which, combined with deep progression mechanics and an enhanced companion system, should create a delightful experience. As players explore land and sea, the Deadfire peninsula will bring a brand new story to Pillars of Eternity fans worldwide.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is the first sequel we’ve made to one of our own games. Building on the incredible foundation of the first Pillars of Eternity, we’ve been able to create an even more dynamic world with systems such as our open world approach to the Deadfire,” said Obsidian Entertainment CEO, Feargus Urquhart. “What’s been even more gratifying is the incredible support our community has given us over the years. Without them we would not have been able to create this amazing RPG.

 

Behaviour Digital Launches Closed Alpha for Deathgarden Tomorrow

DEATHGARDEN – ANNOUNCEMENT TRAILER - YouTube

Behaviour Digital announced that starting tomorrow (May 9th) at 3pm EST, the asymmetrical multiplayer action game’s Closed Alpha will begin. Powerful hunters will stalk agile Runners within the garden, and only the most skilled will win. The goal of this test is to gather feedback on core gameplay and test the online infrastructure. All of the details can be found on the Kickoff Livestream on May 9th, at 2pm EST on the Deathgarden Twitch. People can also register for the PC Closed Alpha at this link. The first Closed Alpha runs from Wednesday, May 9th at 2pm EST until Sunday, May 13th (end of day).

The creative director, Ashley Pannell, wanted to create a competitive game “where controls are always responsive for both the runner and the hunter. It is about the users’ abilities and the choices they make to master the map.” For each round, on top of choosing a class, players have access to a skill tree where they need to choose which powers to upgrade.