Monthly Archives: May 2018

Laser League Review

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Never forget when I stomped the devs.

Never forget when I stomped the devs.

Laser League is touted as “the sport of the future” and nothing could be more accurate. It’s a top-down, high-octane title where you control players of a future sport where the last team standing wins. Laser patterns pop up and spin, move back and forth and rotate, and it’s up to you to either avoid the other teams or push them into your lasers. It’s very easy to see which team controls which, as the teams are color-coded. It’s a throwback to the arcade action of old, but with that online multiplayer that the modern age of gamer craves. Laser League is a title I could easily see becoming an esport, but it does not seem to be developed with that particular focus in mind. Instead, 505 and Roll7 simply focused on what was important – making a good video game. Let the competition come after that. Whether you play in 2v2 or 3v3, it’s a best-of-three, where each round consists of trying to score three points. Points are scored by all members of the opposing team being eliminated. If your teammate runs over where you expired, you’re resurrected, but you can always die again! It’ll probably happen a lot, but that’s what makes this game shine – it’s 100% skill-based.

Laser League - Playbook

There are lots of power-ups to learn the icons of. Luckily, they’re all here.

One thing I appreciate is that Laser League has a solid tutorial that gives you the ins and outs of the game. I learned by just going in and playing with the developers, before I had access to a tutorial, so by the time the game launched I was already ready to go. But it’s there and does a sound job of teaching a new player what to do. This is also a game that features controller support and were I you, I’d use it instead of a keyboard and mouse. Sure, the controls for those are fine, but this is a game built for a controller. You can also check out all of the maps in the game via Local Match if you want to formulate strategies for each of them and figure out what patterns to expect since each map is different. There’s also the “Playbook”, which details all six classes, what modifiers each offers, and what role they have on the team. The Playbook also highlights the various powerups that spawn on the map, what their icon is, and a video showing off what it will look like. It’s very thorough and handy to have in the game.

Laser League - Enemy

Even your enemies are stylish.

Laser League also features an absolute slew of customization options. Right now, there’s only one bit of DLC, and it’s some character/laser customization for your character, and it’s cheap to boot (1.99). You can customize the style of uniform for all the teams, the emojis you use, the patterns that go inside of your lasers, and your character portrait. These do not affect the gameplay, and there’s no in-game cash shop to buy them with. They are all unlocked by simply playing the game! As you play matches, each character class has goals to attend to, and hitting highlights will unlock items, as well as raising your account level and completing other goals. It’s not hard at all to do, and as this is a terribly addicting game (to me certainly), these will come with time.

Laser League - Wakka Wakka

Some of these patterns get absolutely crazy. Wakka Wakka.

Gameplay could not be easier, but it’s definitely in the “easy to play, hard to master” camp. Whether you start with 2v2 or 3v3, you start by selecting your class and their modifier and do any customization you want. When a match actually starts, there are no lasers in play, but they spawn on colorless sets of lines very quickly. It’s also important to note that you can run through the sides of the screen and show up on the other side unless the “Lockdown” power-up is in play, which means the lasers of whoever activated it surround the map. The goal is to defeat the enemy team by pushing them into your lasers, killing them with the Blade class, or hoping they accidentally run into your lasers. That happens more than you might think. The beauty of this game is that there is no wrong way to play. You can play defensive team compositions that just stun and push people around so the lasers do all the work, or you can run two or three blades and just slice-and-dice the other team down before the lasers can finish them off. It’s a one-hit-and-you’re-dead game, but thankfully you can be resurrected. Each classes ability has a recharge rating, and once you’ve used it once, you have to wait to do it again (unless you have Hunter on Blade for example, which refills when you land a hit).

Laser League OUT NOW! [ESRB] - YouTube

Mmm. Beautiful Laser Hell.

Each map has its own laser patterns to learn, and there are six arenas, each with four maps. It’s not impossible to learn, but it’s far more fun to just go in and learn them by experiencing them blind. You don’t have to play online either – it does feature Local Mode so you can play with your friends on the couch. The only problem I’ve had with Laser League is in most of my matches I’ve wound up with an AI partner. As it so happens, I won most of those matches, but I’d rather play with actual people against others, instead of me and an AI partner against real people. Perhaps if the wait is too long, it could match you against players in other regions? That could help satiate this problem. I know it’s a long-shot, but they could also consider cross-play.

Laser League - Local Match

You can definitely use Local Match to your advantage .

There isn’t much in the way of a serious story here, but ultimately, you’re in the future and seeking fame and glory in the Laser League. I do kind of wish you could only play as one team if you wanted, but that’s not a big deal. The graphics are bright and sharp, and each arena has a gorgeous, unique look that fits the nationality they represent. It’s all high speed, bright colors, and non-stop, pulse-pounding action. The soundtrack is fitting to the rest of the game, though this is the kind of game it would be neat to be able to modify the soundtrack in some way, but again, not a necessity. The developers really stuck to their futuristic style and I adore how it all came together. I didn’t expect to love this game quite as much as I do. So far there is no “Ranked/Competitive” Mode, but there is an in-game leaderboard to see exactly how you match up against the rest of competitors.

 

Laser League - Replay

Back … and to the left. Back … and to the left.

The Quick and the Dead – Great (4.5/5)

Laser League is absolutely stellar. I thought it was kind of hokey until I actually played it for the first time with the developers, and from that moment on, I was hooked. I don’t play as often as I’d like to, but every time I do, I remember why I fell in love in the first place. It’s constant action, the matches don’t take long, and it’s all skill and tactics based. There is zero chance of a player being able to buy better skills, and everything you unlock is cosmetic. However, at this moment, the PS4 version has fewer maps than the PC version so for now, despite wanting to play on the PS4 instead, I’ll stick to the Steam release. There’s plenty of replay value, and I definitely want to see this game blow up. I also really like that it shows a replay of the last hit of the match, even if sometimes it might look like you/the enemy didn’t really collide with a laser. It would be a fun party game, or for a night where you simply want to go online and challenge your skills to see who is the better Laser Leaguer. I’d also very much like to see a tournament mode for Laser League, to see streamers doing battle in a series of matches. It could be a lot of fun!

The controls are tight, the gameplay is solid, and all in all, I think Roll7 and 505 Games have a real winner on their hands here. There are definitely solid strategies to every map, but it’s not a requirement to go through all of that tactical mumbo-jumbo if that’s not your bag. No matter your skill level or experience, there’s fun to be had in Laser League.

Music Review: Thennecan – C-Busters Megaman Classic Tribute

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Materia Collective - C-Busters

I get to talk about Megaman on OnRPG finally! Megaman is such a huge part of my childhood and even adulthood, and when I was offered a Megaman album to review from Materia Collective, I immediately lept on the chance. I think I’m going to do a little something different though – I plan on talking about the music and picking my favorite tracks out, but I think I might sprinkle in some Megaman facts in here because I have a lot of them. Megaman is one of the platforming franchises I enjoy the most, possibly more than Castlevania and Metroid. The concept is simple, and despite knowing, knowing that Dr. Wily’s always going to come back, the real question is how. Some of the Robot Masters are ludicrous (Turbo Man), and some are badass (Metal Man). Most of the Robot Masters have interesting factoids about them, like Bubble Man. Bubble Man was built with a flaw that won’t let him come up for air, so he’s trapped underwater, and is basically regarded as a failed creation and the weakest of his brothers.

C-Busters was arranged by Thennecan, whom I had never heard of until this album but I’m glad I did! Their arrangement skills are top-notch, and while it’s not hard to make already incredible music sound better, he’s managed it right here. The album definitely has a metal feel, which is all-too-appropriate, and it was not easy to pick my favorites, some definitely stood out because of bias in particular games. Like the quote beneath this, Mega Man 4 is one of my favorites of all time. It was not one of my first games, but it is the only Mega Man game I owned a copy of as a kid until Mega Man X. The rest I rented/borrowed as I could. C-Busters is a loving tribute to an incredible franchise, and it’s my sincere hope that Mega Man 11 kicks more ass than any game before it.

“Mega Man 4 is one of the first games I ever played, and it is one of my favourites to
this day,” comments arranger Thennecan. “Mega Man has an extremely faithful
community of people who have kept it alive for decades, so I definitely wanted to
make my own contribution. While I had to leave some of my favourite tracks out to
represent the whole series, I loved every track on the album for different reasons. I
really hope Capcom is able to revive the franchise with Mega Man 11, there are a lot
of fans waiting!”

Skull Man (Track 11, Mega Man IV): On an album that has “Dr. Wily – Stage 2” from Mega Man 2, it’s very hard to say that one stood above it, but this one managed nicely. Skull Man’s theme has a killer guitar riff, and the pulse-pounding drum one could expect to have in combat. The stage sound effects were a nice touch (it sounded like the death pulse), and I feel like it could definitely see its way into an 80s action film with the combo of keyboard, electric guitar and drums. Skull Man is fascinating, in that he was the first Robot Master built directly to fight, that I can think of. Others were re-purposed for battle, and typically did construction and similar jobs. But Dr. Cossak built Skull Man specifically to fight, and that’s wonderful. Weakness: Dust Man’s Dust Crusher.

Air Man (Track 3, Mega Man II): Can I just say, first off, that Air Man can go to Hell? Because he absolutely goddamn can. He was the hardest boss for me to fight as a kid, and I just could not make it work. This was before I knew you went to Metal Man first, then Wood Man, then Air Man. This is also before I knew that you can spam Metal Blade through every stage and be fine. This is an incredible arrangement of Air Man’s music, and it feels urgent, almost. It starts off fast, with amazing shredding, then shifts to the piano, only to return to a steady guitar jamming away on the track. It’s fitting too, because you start off jumping quick, trying to be clever, only to realize the correct way to play (unless you’re a speed runner) is to be patient. That gets tedious, so it’s back to running and gunning with speed! Air Man is not a fan of the Fall Season, since it clogs his giant turbine fan, but his body type was so successful, it was dubbed the “Air Man Type”, and was seen again in Needle Man and other Wily creations. Plus, who didn’t jam out to Team Nekokan’s “Can’t Defeat Airman”? Weakness: Wood Man’s Leaf Shield.

Guts Man (Track 6, Mega Man I): Another boss that I absolutely hate, I’ve never actually beat Mega Man. The original Mega Man, that is. I, to this day, cannot do it. I really enjoy the slow, plodding sound of the Guts Man track, it sounds sinister and menacing, the crushing weight of Guts Man’s bricks just waiting to be hurled at you. That’s when the song picks up, tempo increasing with Mega Man’s need to avoid those gigantic, stupid, dumb bricks. Guts Man was a civil engineering robot designed by Dr. Light and was a foreman, who dealt primarily in construction and worked alongside Bomb Man. Dr. Wily used Guts Man more than once though and repurposed him a second time as the Guts Dozer, a gigantic version of Guts Man well, with a bulldozer attached. Fun fact, Guts Man is one of the two most-appearing bosses in the series, next to Cut Man. Weakness: Bomb Man’s Hyper Bomb.

Dr. Wily, Stage 2 (Track 14, Mega Man II): Come on, how could I not include this? I believe every video game band on the entire planet has done a version of Dr. Wily, Stage 2 from Mega Man 2. Brentalfloss, Duane and Brando, The Megas, you name it. It’s probably the most well-known music from Mega Man. As the first/second stage music to Dr. Wily’s castle, it has to really convey a certain message. This is the second part of your journey, but arguably the hardest. It is time for Mega Man to climb an ominous skull castle, to battle with Dr. Wily, maybe even to beat him once and for all. This is music that a climax of an action film deserves, with the hero chasing down the villain, leaping over obstacles and explosions, obliterating whatever enemies are in his way, and swearing violently at the Dragon Boss. Okay, maybe that was just me. . . Anyway, this stands up with all the other amazing Dr. Wily tracks I’ve heard (and I’ve heard a lot of them), and despite being a familiar song, the arrangement stands up on its own two feet, as it should. For everlasting peace. Weakness: Having 9 lives and a ton of patience.

Please feel free to grab this album at the following locations. If you’re a Mega Man/metal fan, I recommend it highly:

Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp

 

 

Versus World Early Access Preview

by Vincent Haoson (Ojogo)

Shooters have always been fun, frantic and enjoyable games that don’t require much thinking except for occasional critical moments where you need to decide which weapon is the best to get a kill.

However, modern shooters have become more complex. Developers have been adding one gameplay element after another. Simply being able to point the crosshairs properly on a moving target isn’t enough. As more shooters are being released, game developers are trying to find more ways to provide a richer experience for their audience.

There’s a certain group of people who want their shooter to be as simple as possible, though, and that’s the type of gamer that Versus World aims to capture.

Versus World Screenshot

Gameplay

Versus World is a Steam game from Two Zoos. It’s a shooter that throws you at the thick of things as soon as you enter the game. As you either join or host matches, you are thrust into shooting at  other players without the fanfare of an intricate or elaborate storyline to follow. You just create your avatar, host or join a game, and shoot each other to win.

Currently, Versus World has three general game modes that you can jump into: Deathmatch, Siege or Heatmatches. Each game mode has a few variations which the room host can set prior to matches.

Versus World Screenshot

Deathmatches are basically the usual deathmatch tournaments where you or a team need to eliminate other people, using the equipped weapons or the other weapons that have been littered in the five maps available. The win condition in most deathmatchs is having the most kills, or reaching the kill count set by the server creator.

Meanwhile, Siege game modes are Versus World’s fancier way of calling check point stealingYou and your team fight to acquire bases as you face against the opposing team, who has to claim the base you are trying to hold.

Versus World Screenshot

Last, the Heatmatches are matches where you need to reach the heat count set for the game. You earn heat as you successfully land kills in the arena and lose heat as opposing teams kill you. The longer you survive as you kill the other players, the faster you earn heat.

The five arenas in Versus World provide a fun thematic mix into your matches in-game. These stages, aside from having weapons littered in specific areas, have random power-up boxes similar to the power-up boxes in Mario Kart. These provide you with weapons or random game effects that make the game more interesting and fun.

Versus World Screenshot

Customization

Characters in Versus World look like a better version of the Minecraft characters with a smoother, but still blocky look. The game provides you with a plethora of customization options that can help you create the stupidest looking character you can ever imagine.

The game’s customization doesn’t affect the overall gameplay experience. However, it does allow for a more entertaining experience as you plow through weird looking clowns, or Trump look-alikes in a barn that’s filled with weapons that cause destruction and mayhem.

Versus World Screenshot

Bots

This seems to be the current trend of a lot of games these days, but Versus World provides you the option of filling rooms with bots that you can play against if you don’t have friends, or at least friends that have the game. With rooms having a max of 16 players, it’s hard to expect that you have 16 friends who can play with you (or maybe that’s just me), so I like that Two Zoo provided the option to fill in the bots for maximum player base.

I actually really like the bots in Versus World because the AI isn’t as dumb as they are in other shooters. While I don’t like that you don’t have the option to control their difficulty rating, the default setting of the bots gives you a proper challenge. Of course, these are bots, so you’ll eventually see them bugging out like running to walls or shooting erratically, but most of the time, the bots allow you a bit more challenge especially if they’re swarming around you. Aside from shooting, bots even know how to use grenades properly. Most of my interaction with bots in shooters just have them just using guns even though they had grenades to use.

Versus World Screenshot

I also liked that the bots, while challenging, are still killable enough to not have you pulling out your hair while facing them. Normally, shooters either have walking body bags as bots, or they go for the nigh impossible to kill bots. Versus World’s bots though were able to balance the difficulty level; challenging yet killable.

Conclusion: Great (4.5/5)
Solid shooter, simple and easy to get into. Needs more players though.

Overall, my experience with Versus World has been a fun, albeit personless, venture into a simple shooter. Since the game is still in early access, I never had the opportunity to play with people. While the developers are offering free codes for people to pass around and have you play with, the game’s current lack of players will hurt its future.  Yes, the current bot system fills-in the lack of people to play with, but nothing beats being able to kill other players instead of bots, especially in a shooter.

Versus World Screenshot

I like it that during the early access for the game, there’s a disclaimer that the game isn’t a complete yet and the final product may differ. At least it lets people set the expectations for Versus World from the start.

That said though, the game provides a simplistic shooter that maximizes on the fun factor without sacrificing solid core gameplay. Versus World is a refreshing shooter in world where battle royale games like PUBG and Fortnite have reigned supreme  and a lot of devs are chasing in their footsteps. I love it that Two Zoos focused on the basics, and have a gem with Versus World. I hope the final version will just refine what the game is offering now and focus on making a simple but addictingly fun shooter. Two Zoos just need to find a solution to bringing in more players and they are gold.

Note: A game key was provided for preview purposes.