Monthly Archives: October 2018

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise Review

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Mandatory Violence: The Game

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review - Cool Guys

YOU WA SHOCK! Ai de sora ga ochite kuru!!

The Yakuza franchise has captured my heart and attention over the last several years, but one of my fondest memories of my childhood is accidentally finding Fist of the North Star/Hokuto no Ken. I didn’t get to watch much of it until a little later on, because anime was hard to find back then. Watching someone’s body explode in a frenzy of gore and violence from a pressure point? I was sold immediately. Kenshiro is the star of this game as well as the anime, an impossibly tall and muscular man, chiseled out of granite and anger. It always seems like his foes are just as mighty, usually bigger than him. It’s such a weird thing to see anyone that’s bigger than Kenshiro, but that’s just how it goes. He’s a mostly silent, taciturn protagonist, and his goal here is the same as it was in the anime: Find Yuria, his beloved. So when I found that the Yakuza studio were going to get their hands on this product? Sure, the Ken’s Rage games were good, but Hokuto no Gotoku is great.

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review -Kyo Oh

Who is this mountain of a man? Raoh? Nah…couldn’t be.

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise is not the canon story of Fist of the North Star. Many of the characters from the anime/manga show up and are pivotal to the story, but it’s not the same story, which I think is a good thing. It makes the game a little more accessible to people who have not watched the anime before. Kenshiro is still out looking for Yuria, still has a deathmatch with Shin, and comes across the other Hokuto Shinken practitioners. Hokuto Shinken is the martial art that Kenshiro is the heir to, a martial art based on pressure points. Only when he touches the pressure points of someone who he feels is evil or has angered him, their joints flare up and explode in a shower of blood. He can heal the blind, fix people’s spines, or turn their face into an overripe Melon with a few touches of his fingers. It’s a power that he uses responsibly. I mean, I wouldn’t. But Kenshiro does.

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review -Classy as Fuck

This is the best line in the game and you can’t tell me otherwise.

Lost Paradise feels very much like a Yakuza game: You have a major hub city, the main story, ridiculous side missions, and tons of mini-games to undertake (like playing the Sega Master System version of Fist of the North Star, which is just dandy). After the nuclear apocalypse, the seas dried up, and civilization very nearly came to an end. There’s still somehow one major gathering of people, Eden City, the City of Miracles. Not just anyone can get in, but Kenshiro will. I mean, he’s the main character after all. There are answers to be had in Eden City, and Kenshiro’s going to get to the bottom of this, find his girl, and save the land. Well, that’s the plan anyway. He doesn’t really care to get mixed up in other people’s problems, but won’t hesitate to help the weak and punish those who use power and strength for evil purposes. Kenshiro’s frankly a fascinating character and really reminds me of Kiryu Kazama in that way. The major difference is Kenshiro has zero qualms about murdering fifty people in one fight if they are in his path.

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review -Hokuto Seven Stars of Death

Every single one of these moves is incredible.

I won’t spoil any of the story (or as little as I humanly can), but most of the time is spent in or around Eden City, as Kenshiro hunts down clues to the whereabouts of Yuria. The game does take place after the death of Shinn though, I can say that. I mean, it’s the tutorial, so it’s not a serious spoiler. The tutorial takes you through what you need to know about combat. It’s similar to Yakuza’s combat, with a basic attack, a stronger attack, and instead of Heat Actions, you have the Hokuto Shinken moves. When a circle is next to someone’s name, it’s time to destroy them. Pressing Circle will activate a cutscene with an insane move, and if you press the right button at the right time, you’ll increase the damage and skill with these Hokuto Shinken moves. There are dozens of them, each used in a different situation. I don’t really have the answer on what position does what move, but some of them will ultimately be obvious. Major fights will also have these QTE (Quick Time Events) to avoid/deal tons of damage, just like in Yakuza. You will almost always be fighting tons of enemies, and it’s important to learn dodging/blocking, even if it’s way more fun to just wade into the middle of the foes and blast them to bits with your fists and feet.

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review - Mandatory Violence

Say it with me now. “Omae wa mo. . . shindeiru.”

One of the coolest things about the fight scenes though is after you learn the Instant Kill technique. If someone has a circle by their name after a particular event in the game, you get a QTE where you time a press of the Circle Button perfectly. If you do, that enemy dies a second or two later, no matter how much health they had. Failure means you can just do a Hokuto Shinken move by pressing Circle again for tons of damage. Landing the instant kills are how you collect “Death Cries” though. Under certain conditions, the enemies will belt out some awful death cry, often with some kind of swearing in it. It’s one of the many things you can collect in this game, and occasionally when a Death Cry happens, it will physically drop on the ground. Remember when your parents said to “Use your words”? Now you can use their words. Kenshiro can pick up the Death Cry and belt his foes with literal words. It’s beautiful and ridiculous. Then there’s Rage. When his star meter fills up, you can press R2 to go into Rage Mode, increasing your damage and making it easier to hit your Hokuto Shinken moves. It seems to be easier to break through bigger enemies guard in this time period, too.

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review -Driving

This scene is fine. But when you’re actually driving, it’s maddening.

However, one of the parts of the game I really need to talk about, because it makes me physically nauseous, and after a while, I have to stop playing thanks to motion sickness. You will eventually get a jeep to drive around in the Wastelands to, jamming to music, collecting items, and fighting bad guys when they try to run you off the road. The first jeep, with the basic parts, slides and sways a lot, and the motion combined with the constant swinging of the vehicle and landscape makes me feel dizzy and uncomfortable. I’m sure when I equip better parts it won’t be so bad, but the current state of it makes my stomach turn. Another purpose of being in the wasteland are bounties and treasure hunts. Occasionally, after beating a group of enemies you can receive a Treasure Map, meaning you need to head out into the wasteland to find it. The treasure will have a grade (D, C, et cetera), a time limit, and will be marked on the map. They typically give you new parts for your jeep but can have lots of other things in them.

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review -Violence 2

I’ve got nothin’ clever for this screenshot.

Bounties are your major source of income, in my estimation. None of the other mini-games seem to have the same amount of currency. When you go to the Guard HQ, you can enlist to tackle bounties, each one giving more money than the last (alongside some minor bounties). Many of these are tied to side missions/are side missions, so it’s key to do these too for completion’s sake. At present, my bounties give nearly 1 million IDL a piece, and I also have a side mission where I need 1,000,000 IDL. On a personal level, I hate that side mission because money doesn’t come quite as easily as it does in Yakuza. If I had to get 100,000,000 yen in Yakuza, it would be easy as pie. I’m still learning how to maximize my IDL (money) though. The Bounties get stronger as you go, and since this is a level-based system, you’ll want to do some grinding on packs of enemies. They are not your only mini-game though. You can bartend, play baseball (by swinging a steel girder at dudes on motorcycles. Yes, really), run a Cabaret, and gamble. There’s never a time when there’s nothing to do in this game.

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review - Skills

Personally, I focus on Body and Skill.

When Kenshiro levels up, he gets an Orb, which can be used on certain stats and abilities. Kenshiro has four branches, each with their own Orb -Mind (Blue), Skill (Green), Body (Orange), Star (Gray, and Shining (Gold). Star and Shining Orbs appear in all four trees, Star Orbs being the generic traits, and Shining Orbs being for more potent, powerful abilities. The colored Orbs are used for traits specific to that tree. Skill Orbs are used on new Hokuto abilities, Body is for Strength/Health, Mind increases what you can do with your Rage, and Fate is tied to the Talisman System. Talismans are equipable items that you can activate with a press of the directional pad and give temporary, but powerful buffs to Kenshiro. Most characters he meets will unlock a Talisman, and most of that board is locked behind the gameplay.

Omae Wa Mo. . . Shindeiru. “NANI!?”: 4.5/5

Fist of the North Star - Lost Paradise Review -Omae wa mo shindeiru

“Hey! Since when is throwing dynamite a martial arts style?”

When I heard this was coming to the States I was a little worried that only hardcore Hokuto no Ken or Yakuza fans would pick it up, and the game would be doomed. But honestly? Any fan of open-world/action games really would find something to enjoy about the game. The story isn’t so obscure that only Hokuto no Ken fans would get it, either. I was hoping it would be based deep in the original story, but it’s better that it’s a new, alternate story. This makes it more accessible while offering a lot for the hardcore fans. Major characters, incredible moves and moments, and more than enough violence and gore, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise really brings the Hokuto no Ken characters to life in an all-new way. It’s got a bit more difficulty compared to Yakuza, and that just feels right. But it is also satisfying to lower the difficulty and just smash thugs, lowlifes, and vagrants into tiny crimson pieces of blood and flesh. It’s a loving tribute to a classic anime franchise, and I can tell that the Yakuza team did their homework. I cannot recommend this game enough to action fans, Yakuza fans, Fist of the North Star fans, and honestly, anyone that will listen. The only drawbacks I’ve had so far is the driving, and the distinct lack of “Ai o Torimodose!!” – the original theme of Hokuto no Ken. There are so many things in this game that I don’t want to spoil, but rest assured, lots of the important characters show up. Hokuto no Gotoku is easily one of my games of the year. Everything is so visceral, and so damn enjoyable.

A key was provided for review/editorial purposes.

ANNO 1800

Ubisoft welcomes you to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution with ANNO 1800. Choose your culture’s path of advancement in this time of turmoil and change.

Features:

Familiar ANNO Gameplay: Unlock new technology, play the diplomatic game, or go full metal jacket.

Story or Sandbox: Enjoy a rich narrative campaign or build to your heart’s content.

Battlerite Royale

Stunlock Studios places the heroes from their arena combat game Battlerite on Talon Island for Battlerite Royale, a game that blends MOBA and BR gameplay like never before.

Features:

Expendable Items: Potions and scrolls of meteor storm are at your disposal. Use them wisely.

Mount Up: Ride in style across a map 30x the size of any Battlerite arena.

Skillshot Action: Your aim is your cursor, git gud scrub.

Mega Man 11 Arrives Today, Marking the Return of the Blue Bomber

Mega Man 11 Launch

The long-awaited next Mega Man title arrives today for the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam – Mega Man 11. The US and Canada also have a limited physical release for the Nintendo Switch, that includes a new Mega Man amiibo and other collectible items. The side-scrolling franchise is back in a big way with a new look, and Mega Man works alongside Dr. Light and Rush to take down Dr. Wily once and for all. In Mega Man 11, players take down Dr. Wily’s latest robots, jumping, sliding and shooting their way through a series of challenging stages, acquiring new power ups, and gain access to the new Double Gear system. Dr. Wily had access to the gear system too, giving it to the Robot Masters.

Mega Man 11 Features:

  • Gear up! Take advantage of the Double Gear system – A unique new twist on the satisfying platforming action, offering options to enhance Mega Man’s speed and power on the fly.
  • For vets and first-timers – Multiple difficulty options are available for a player of any platformer skill level. Controls for an on-screen weapon wheel have been added for easy accessibility to all of Mega Man’s weapons during combat.
  • Multitude of classic and unique Challenge Modes – Tackle a wealth of classic Challenge Modes such as Time Attack or Score Attack as well as several other unique Challenge Modes like Balloon Rush, Jump Saver and more.
  • Bust to the top of the Online Leaderboards – Best your buddies’ scores or times across several Challenge Modes or simply aim for the top, challenging players around the world. A nifty auto-upload option ensures your score/time is uploaded automatically to the Online Leaderboards.
  • Get caught up on robo-lore in the Gallery – Get up close and check out the unusual and wonderful characters of Mega Man 11!

Killing Floor 2 – Halloween Horrors: Monster Masquerade Update Launches Today

The largest update for Killing Floor 2 drops today for both PC and console – Halloween Horrors: Monster Masquerade. This free update has a new map in the form of the Monster Ball, Halloween makeovers for all zeds and bosses (new models, effects, sounds). New weapons, limited-time items, improved matchmaking are all hallmarks of this update. In addition, following the recent announcement that Tripwire Interactive will expand its role as a developer to include game publishing — and its partnership with ROAD REDEMPTION developer EQ-Games to bring the critically acclaimed action racer to consoles — today’s update also connects the worlds of Killing Floor 2 and ROAD REDEMPTION for the very first time.

Players who own both Killing Floor 2 and Road Redemption in their Steam library will gain access to an exclusive in-game crossover as well. The Road Redeemer is a weapon Killing Floor 2 players can wield, which is wrapped in barbed wire and is suited for the Berserker class. This bat is a favored weapon of the road warriors of Road Redemption, and speaking of Road Redemption, two new riders are joining the game from Killing Floor 2. Hans Volter and DJ Skully are crossing over, and the crossover will be available on console when Road Redemption hits consoles later in the year.

 

Features of Halloween Horrors: Monster Masquerade Update:

  • New Map: Monster Ball
  • Test your mettle in this brand-new map with limited-time event objectives and rewards.
  • New Looks Halloween Makeover
  • Celebrate Halloween with a full makeover for all enemies and bosses with new models, visual effects, and sound effects.
  • New Tunes
  • Lend us your ears for new main menu tracks, action tracks, and trader time tracks.
  • New Weapons
  • MKB42 – Commando
  • HZ Medic Assault Rifle/Grenade Launcher – Field Medic/Commando
  • FN-Fal – Sharpshooter / Commando
  • ROAD REDEMPTION Exclusive Weapon: The Road Redeemer
  • This chained bat for the Berserker class is available exclusively on Steam for players with ROAD REDEMPTION in their Steam library.

TERA – Reach Your Apex Giveaway

We have teamed up with En Masse Entertainment to give away some items for TERA in the “Reach Your Apex” Giveaway.

TERA - Reach Your Apex Giveaway

Redeem your key to get the following items in TERA:

1 – 30-day Duskwing Mount: Use this manual to learn how to summon Duskwing, a dragon mount with a Flight and Movement Speed of 290 that restores 1% of your max HP and MP every second. Learning this flying skill also grants you the passive skill Tenebris Rex, which provides a chance to increase your Crit Power by a factor of 1.5. While mounted, you may use the skill Dark Roar, which increases the damage you deal to monsters for a short time after you dismount. Using Dark Roar starts a 24-hour cooldown which may prevent the use of other mount skills.
1 – ALL YOUR TOWER ARE BELONG TO US permanent head accessory: Somebody set us up the bonnet.
1 – On Fire Effect potion: Fire engulfs you, increasing your Attack Speed by 5%, while reducing your HP by 75% and healing you receive by 85%. Your body burns brightly!
3 – Friendly Feat consumables: A spicy repast consisting of Freeholds Flame Salad, Traditional Bleakfields BBQ, and Bleak Wings. Increases restored HP by 9% for 15 minutes, maximum HP and MP by 5%, and Crit Resistance by 20. Affects you and up to 20 people within a 20m radius.
20 – Valkyon Health Potions: Potion supplied by the Valkyon Federation. Recovers 50% of your HP.

To redeem your key, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to https://account.enmasse.com and create a new En Masse account or log into an existing one.
  2. Click the “Redeem Code” button from the “Account Overview” page.
  3. Enter your code and hit “Submit”.
  4. Launch TERA and log in. If you haven’t installed TERA, download it here.
  5. Claim your items from your in-game Item Claim.

Restrictions: Keys are only redeemable through the North American version of TERA published by En Masse Entertainment.

Note: Unfortunately ad blockers may interfere with our site. If you have any issues claiming a key, please disable them and try again.