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odanurr87 · 5 years

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My thoughts on... Life is Strange

For someone who writes reviews on every book I read, game I played, or movie I watched (sometimes to the point of ludicrousness), it is rather ironical I have yet to write anything about a game that has, perhaps inexplicably, somehow found its way to my heart. People often say it’s easier to write about what you didn’t like than about what you did, and I suppose there’s some truth to that statement. Sometimes, it has to do with writing a piece that will do the subject justice, which is why I haven’t yet written anything on Legend of the Galactic Heroes, probably the best space-opera of all time and, without a doubt, my favourite anime bar none. This is not to say Life is Strange is a perfect game, a masterpiece of the videogame industry that will be heralded for decades to come. It’s not. Indeed, there are plenty of games out there that are better than Life is Strange in many respects: NieR:Automata has a better overall soundtrack; Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey has a more beautiful world; Yakuza 0 has more believable and gripping conversations; Detroit: Become Human pushes the choice-consequence system a lot further; etc. Yet, somehow, Life is Strange combines all these elements to deliver a unique gameplay experience that resonates with players in a way most games can only dream of, regardless of whether they’re a teenage girl interested in photography or not. Let’s explore this, shall we?

When I first watched the trailer for Life is Strange, I was cautiously optimistic, but regretted that DONTNOD wouldn’t follow up on their previous game, Remember Me, which, despite its flaws, I liked quite a bit. With LiS, DONTNOD seemed to be trying their hand at replicating the success of Telltale’s formula, a rather bold move at the time. I wasn’t sure how this story of a teenage girl able to time travel would fare, but I was curious to give it a try. There was something in the first teaser trailer that spoke to me, and I wanted to find out what it was. After playing the first episode, I knew: nostalgia. Life is Strange is a game that, despite its sometimes unusual dialogue choices, or perhaps because of it, manages to tap into our memories of those “better” times when we were kids or teenagers at school, spending time with our best friend, or simply dealing with the usual stuff one had to deal with in college. A key player in making this happen is the soundtrack, an ample selection of songs expertly chosen by the developers to amplify this feeling (so when I say NieR:Automata has a better soundtrack, that doesn’t mean this one’s bad ‘cause it’s pretty amazing).

Of course, I realize if you were a teen when you played this game, more than nostalgia, this might have actually represented what you were going through at the time, and that’s a powerful connection in its own right. The game doesn’t shy away from dealing with real-world issues such as bullying, suicide, rape, or outright murder, what was surprising to find in a Western game (Japanese games deal with these on a daily basis), though its degree of success when tackling these issues is debatable. Having said that, you cannot imagine my relief when I managed to save Kate (on my own!) when my time-traveling powers failed me in Episode 2. I might’ve slightly panicked at the thought that the game had decided to strip me of my powers at such a crucial moment, but this choice made saving her life all the more important, as it put to the test how much I cared for this character. Did you take the time to explore Kate’s room and find out how much her family loves her? Did you risk angering Chloe to answer Kate’s phone call and reassure her? This was the first time in a long while of playing choice-consequence games where I was happy that my choices had had an actual, important, tangible, consequence, that allowed me to help someone I cared for.

One of the best moments of the series... if you save Kate, that is. Otherwise, it’s a punch in the gut.

However, Life is Strange would probably not have had the impact it had were it not for its main characters: Max Caulfield and Chloe Price, excellently voiced by Hannah Telle and Ashly Burch respectively, and their yin-yang relationship. Give it a try, take one of these out of the equation and you’ll see how much the game is lessened by it. Hannah Telle’s shy and introspective Max Caulfield would make for a poorer gameplay experience, if she did not have her brash and reckless counterpart in the form of Ashly Burch’s Chloe Price, and viceversa (though we saw a different pairing in Life is Strange: Before the Storm with Chloe and Rachel, but I’d argue it’s not as strong as Max and Chloe, perhaps because the former’s personalities are more alike than the latter’s). I must admit I didn’t very much like Chloe at first. She was overly aggressive and confrontative, at times taking her anger out on Max, who’s always a little unsure about herself but tries to help others when she can. Naturally, I felt very protective of Max, and yet this did not stop me from taking the heat for Chloe’s joint, or from performing more questionable deeds later in the game that certainly pushed Max out of her comfort zone. That is the essence of Chloe’s character, as her best-friend relationship with Max (and perhaps something more?) makes her uniquely suited to push our heroine to take risks she wouldn’t otherwise even consider. But there’s another element that helps out Max in this respect that I have yet to mention, and that’s the time-rewind mechanic.

With great power...

At the beginning of the game, Max witnesses Nathan (the school bully) shoot a girl in the girl’s bathroom and, reacting out of desperation, suddenly discovers she has the ability to rewind time a few minutes. This single event opens up a world of narrative possibilities for the game, at the same time distancing itself from Telltale’s formula of picking a dialogue option without having time to think it through: in Life is Strange, you have all the time in the world to choose a dialogue option. In fact, you can even rewind to see what the immediate outcome of the other choice would’ve been! In a way, Max now has the ability to say “damn the consequences,” if within a limited time frame. Like Chloe tells Max at one point, in her usual, brutally-direct, manner, “You can bang anyone with no strings attached, rewind time and boom, it’s like it never happened!” In fact, Max (and the player) can make use of this newfound power to unlock new dialogue options that allow her to forge stronger relationships with the people at Blackwell Academy and Arcadia Bay. Of course, you can also use it to screw over some of the people who make your life difficult, but that’s not Max Caulfield for me (and I’d argue it’s not even for Chloe, despite her insistence for Max to take risks and assert herself more).

With this final ingredient in place, Max is now ready to take chances, to be more self-assured, and to assist her BFF Chloe Price in solving the mystery of the disappearance of another Blackwell student (and possible rival for Chloe’s affection), Rachel Amber. Although, to be fair, the bulk of this investigation doesn’t take place until Episode 4, as the first episode introduces us to the world and characters, with the second and third episodes focusing on reconnecting and strengthening our bond with Chloe (moreso the third episode than the second one). After all, you did kind of leave her just as her father had died and had little to no contact with her afterwards (very odd of Max imho), so it’s understandable Chloe is hurt and mad at you, but also overjoyed at your return, and perhaps just as unsure as to how to deal with their relationship, but better at not letting it show. This bond is also fundamental to explain some of the choices Max makes throughout the game that are beyond your control. Indeed, Chloe’s experiences with death don’t end with Episode 1, they only begin there, and slowly start to spiral out of control, demanding increasingly tougher decisions from Max as the series progresses; a Max who wants to do right by her best friend and gradually becomes more adamant about not letting her go, no matter the cost. And thus we arrive at the conclusion.

Time to face the music.

The threat of a tornado that would destroy Arcadia Bay had been a looming presence throughout the series, but it’s in Episode 5 that this harsh reality is brought to bear on Max. As the effects of the approaching phenomenom start to show in town, Max has the chance to help a few people here and there thanks to her ability to rewind time, but a lingering question finally rears its ugly head: what if all this destruction is a direct result of Max playing with time? Furthermore, what if it’s tied to Max’s stubborness to refuse to let events run its course and let Chloe die? At first glance, these questions might seem similar but, in fact, they lead in completely opposite directions, resulting in the two endings the developers offered the players, perhaps unbeknownst to them. There is a video essay that perfectly describes this duality in the narrative, which you can find here, but I’m going to elaborate anyways.

As I said, it’s possible the developers didn’t do this strictly on purpose given how much longer and more elaborate one of the endings is as opposed to the other. Furthermore, Max’s final and most important choice is framed in terms of sacrificing A or B when, instead, I believe should’ve been phrased otherwise: after all you’ve been through, all you’ve seen, all you’ve done, and all you know, which is the question that rings truer to you, the first one or the second one? Is the tornado a direct result of you messing with time or is it a direct result of you messing with time to save Chloe? There is ample evidence to support both assertions (even if the game leans more heavily towards the second question), and it could be argued there’s even contradictory evidence in both, but I’ll let that slide. Do you choose to let go of your friend and love, time-travelling one last time to “set things right,” or do you choose to live with the consequences of your actions? The game chooses to frame your decision otherwise, in terms of sacrificing one life for the good of the many, letting Chloe die in order to save Arcadia Bay. Personally, I feel this is a less interesting question to ponder and one more than a little cliché at that, though I am reminded of this great exchange between Data and Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation:

DATA: “Would you choose one life over one thousand, sir?”

PICARD: “I refuse to let arithmetic decide questions like that.”

Still, sacrificing one life for the good of the many is really the obvious choice here, right?

I was in the 47% actually.

Or maybe not. The aptly-named final episode of Life is Strange proves the strength of Max and Chloe’s relationship, thanks in no small part to the writers, yes, but I’d argue the larger debt is owed to their voice actors, Hannah and Ashly, who were able to breathe life into these characters and make them their own, to the extent of making the player come to love them. This practically-even split was rather surprising at first, but less so when one considers that, whatever your choice, a huge portion of your playthrough will be invalidated. If you choose to “save Chloe,” then Arcadia Bay is probably done for, and all those people whose lives you just saved will likely end up dead anyway. On the other hand, if you choose to “save Arcadia Bay,” then your actions throughout the series will be erased in the blink of an eye, including any and all relationships you may have forged in the process. Worse, Chloe will have died alone, thinking her best friend had forgotten all about her. Thus, however you choose to frame this decision, it’s not a particularly easy one to make. Things have progressively gotten worse for Max and Arcadia Bay the more she time travels, but maybe one last jump will make everything right? Maybe she can repair the timeline, same as Barry Allen tried to do in the CW’s episode of Flashpoint. However, in that episode, Barry receives a stern talk-to from fellow speedster Jay Garrick, who advises him against trying to “fix” the timeline. As Jay says, “We’re not gods, we’re men. (...) The question you need to ask yourself is, what kind of hero you’re gonna be? Are you just gonna take a do-over every time you make a mistake, or will you live with them and move forward?” I’ll leave the clip for you to watch ‘cause it’s a good question to ponder, regardless of your choice.

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Sadly, Life is Strange’s longer ending makes it abundantly clear that, as opposed to Barry, Max can fix the timeline if she time travels one last time. Letting Chloe die, letting her go, is the “right” decision, as the tornado is gone in that scenario and the town is saved. It’s a shame the writers didn’t at least craft an ending open to interpretation like in the Director’s Cut of 2012′s Total Recall. In Total Recall, starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, and Jessica Biel, among others, the director plays with the idea that the events that transpire are all taking place inside Farrell’s mind. At one point, the movie seems to negate this... only to bring it back to the fore at the very end, leaving it up to the viewer and Farrell to interpret as they see fit. What if something similar had been done with Life is Strange’s "right” ending, playing out exactly as it does, but suggesting that perhaps some strange meteorological phenomenon is still headed your way, in spite of your actions, and leaving it up to the player to interpret the signs as they see fit. This would be more in line with the two questions I brought up earlier: was saving Chloe time and again what caused this, or was it your constant meddling with time? Is the answer here to let go or to live with your mistakes?

Whatever the case, it is undeniable these two have caused quite an impact, so much so that a bonus farewell episode was included in the prequel game, Life is Strange: Before the Storm, developed by Deck Nine, and a comic series is being written by Emma Vieceli (and illustrated by Claudia Leonardi) to expand on the lesser-developed ending. Even an in-universe Blackwell guide (that I may or may not own) has been released, annotated by our favourite pirates. Thus, while a game like Before the Storm was still able to find success, despite featuring only one-half of this lovable duo (but including the farewell episode), I’d question whether or not this franchise can be successful beyond these two characters, an answer that Life is Strange 2 is, at the moment, trying to provide. However, regardless of the sequel’s success or failure, Life is Strange will remain, at least for my part, one of my absolute favourite games of all time, and Max and Chloe have earned a special place in my heart. Sure, your heart will be broken and put together more times than Jay Garrick’s cup by the game’s end, and you will find yourself trying to stop the tears more often than not, but Life is Strange will also make you smile, reminisce, and maybe even fall in love with its characters.

Such is life...

... and it can be a little strange. ;-)

#life is strange #max and chloe #pricefield #max caulfield #chloe price #hannah telle #ashly burch #gaming #review

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basklin · 6 years

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A love letter to Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

or how I learned to stop worrying and love the game.

Hotline Miami 2 turned 3 yesterday, I thought I’d write something up for it!

The following contains spoilers for both Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. I'm going to put it under a read more seeing as I got carried away.

I didn't get to play the game on its release date, I was busy with real life. My sister was playing a part in her university theatre troupe and had a role as Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest, it coincided with the date of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number's release and I was going to go back to the house me and my family were staying in at the time. It was a moment of respite during a time of year where I was working on my final art presentation for my school and I had worked non stop on it. I wanted to play the game since its announcement and having finished the first Hotline Miami less than a year before, I had waited so long, I could wait a day longer, my time was my own to work with. The comics by Dayjob Studio had gotten me really excited for the game at the time as well, more than happy to see my favorite medium put to use in promoting a game I was looking forward to.

I got back to my student flat in the early afternoon and made myself lunch, downloaded the game (updates and bug fixes included) and happily started it up. I'm ashamed to say now that I was expecting most of what the first few levels had to offer, since I'd spoiled myself on a leak that came out a few months before the official release of the game. I originally wasn't going to watch it, but a friend who'd watched before me said there was a character with my name in it, seeing as that was so rare to me, I caved in really fast. (Fun fact: it was the direct inspiration for one of the first comics I did for that game)

I have to point out that I'm thankful that the game's slasher style tutorial wasn't spoiled in the leaked gameplay footage, as it was a genuine joy to see the amount of details in the level design at my own pace. There was a big buzz around that level when journalists were framing it as an unwanted shocking sexual assault scene in a game about senseless violence and cartoonish gore. The game's meta commentary about sequels and how that kind of scene is used in horror movies for upping the shock value was lost on me too, but we can't be expected to get the point of a moment in media the first time. The presentation in most cases for this is frankly overblown and lasts around 3 seconds, a pair of pixellated buttcheeks over a woman I didn't even know the name of yet wasn't going to put me in a catatonic state, but a trigger warning asking a player if they want to be spared from that kind of scene before the start of the game is always a worthy inclusion.

Even today the first 5 levels of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number are the perfect representation of the rest of the game: big sprawling detailed areas, a diversity in those locations, playstyles associated with named characters, and an actual commentary on violent video game protagonists.

As mentioned before, I was very much looking forward to the game's release and getting around to playing it. I had gone cold turkey on playing the previous installment, wishing to discover the gameplay anew and making my patience feel like a reward when I got around to playing it.

I wrote “named characters” because giving them a name makes them more real, part of the world, with motivations unique to them. Not just an avatar the player can slip into and mirror back what the little amount of pixels with a human shape might be beginning to feel when committing violent acts. That also means there are more stories that come bundled together, they're more present than ever and harder to ignore for a player who wants to skip to the next action set. The arcade game format of the first game alongside its simplicity is lost, but more story is what I wanted in the sequel, so I can't complain.

Playstyles and characters were a joy to discover and experiment with these characters comprise of:

The Fans, covered in colourful war paint with their individual animal masks and expertise, all set out to go on a vigilante murder spree, chainsaws and guns in hand.

Manny Pardo, the detective whose motives remain unclear, with a more gun oriented gameplay.

Evan Wright, the writer with the one with the most unusual playstyle of the lot, seeing as he tries to do non-lethal takedowns of people he chooses himself to be around needlessly putting him and his family in danger in pursuit of the truth behind the first game's phone calls. This unique gameplay can be made into the default one by going too far on ground executions, making him go into a blind rage and seeing red.

The Soldier, limited to a single gun of your choosing whose ammunition must be replenished through carefully placed boxes throughout the level and an army knife for close range combat.

The Mafia, comprising of the Son of the former leader of the Russian mafia and his Henchman. The former wanting to reinstate the dominance of the Russian mafia after the Colombian cartel took over and the latter wishing to break free of this cycle. The Son has the same array of skills as the Fans, exception made of the chainsaw and gun combo, making him a reckless one man army, and a cool parallel between the Russian mafia and the vigilantes in animal masks.

And the last playstyle, what feels like the default way to play the game, is the one found in the first game. Simultaneously not making you feel contrived to play a certain way, but not making you feel overpowered either. It's shared between a handful of characters in the game: the Henchman , the Rat, the Pig Butcher, and the Snake. (although the latter is able to play in a fists only way with one of his masks)

Guns only, dodge rolling, fists only, a chainsaw and gun at the same time, double MP5s, and even non-lethal gameplay help to define everybody really well, beyond words and appearances.

Getting to explore levels that are massive and open was the biggest game changer, being tunnel visioned and sticking to melee weapons became a death sentence for some levels with frustration quickly rising. I remember reading the advice that guns made too much noise in Hotline Miami, the result was sticking to a melee weapon and executing fallen enemies; which rewarded you with more immediate points than firing with the different array of guns, but rising combo counters and being wary of cover definitely became the name of the game in the sequel, for better or worse.

Gone were the collection of small colourful appartement buildings, what felt like cardboard boxes with “Miami, Florida” scrawled in felt tip pen on them; instead we have unique looking buildings, that feel inhabited, grubby at times, and more unwelcome than ever for a gunfight. More windows, and getting shot from offscreen, and enemies for which you have to use a specific kind of weapons on to progress through the level, all at the same time.

Multitasking is asked from the player, being aware of the enemies in your surroundings along with the abilities and limitations of the character you are playing. Not to mention hard mode which you unlock after finishing the game for the first time, with more reaction time and ammunition conservation playing a bigger role by then. Hotline Miami's puzzle side could expand to its full potential and the developers have truly made a better game. More thought, more gameplay, more amazing music tracks from a variety of indie musicians, and more story was put into Wrong Number, it was everything I was hoping for and I wasn't disappointed by the game at all... At first.

This isn't going to relate to a few people, but I try to finish games as fast as I can. Not speedrun them mind you, I like playing games too much for that, but finish it from beginning to end in a timely fashion. In the past, my interest dropped very fast for games that require time, knowledge of all its controls, or reflexes to beat and will get frustrated if I can't get back into the groove of it after a few months of not playing it. I tend to start over because I've either lost track of the story or of the rhythm of later chapters. On top of that, I didn't want to be spoiled accidentally or put it off too long. I remember finishing Hotline Miami's main story in one sitting only coming back the next day to finish the Biker levels, why not do it with Wrong Number?

To this day, I regret playing Hotline Miami 2 in one sitting. After 3 hours without a break, I had a slight headache, by the time I had finished the game 6 hours later, I had a migraine. By playing it the way I had, I'd successfully completed the game, but gotten a feeling of disgust by the end of it. I've had hangovers that felt better.

On a side note, that day I got a call from a classmate who wanted my opinion on the direction of his end of the year comic presentation was going. He came round when I was in the middle of Deathwish, on the level with Corey, what felt like the ultimate test of skill at the time. And I definitely gave vibes that I wanted to get back into the action, despite taking the time to answer questions and discuss his comic project (if you're reading this Jean, I'm really sorry, come round for tea sometime!). Time feels very fuzzy for this, as I seem to remember spending too much time on that stage, listening to the track Roller Mobster by Carpenter Brut over and over and slowly growing to resent it. I've gotten better since then and like the song just fine now, but I still have trouble with that level.

The assault on the Russian Mafia's headquarter by the Fans is a 4 floor action packed romp, where they all have their own floor for themselves and aim to meet each other on the roof of the building. Things don't go as planned for reasons that weren't explained immediately. Only after Deathwish do we realise that the Fans we had played as had fallen in battle one by one and died during their siege as we were playing the next floor. Now, characters whose gameplay were unique at that point got killed offscreen, with one onscreen by the police, rightfully so as they had only themselves to blame for their demise. I felt drained by the time I had come to what I thought was the end of the game. It turned out that it was the midpoint of the whole story. A pit in my stomach was slowly forming: there was going to be more after all this?

More of everything is both a blessing and a curse, more music leaves room for tracks I'll have a hard time liking, more violence means I'll slowly be apathetic to the character's struggles, and more characters is forgetting the levels that features only one of them, wondering why they were even there in the first place and if they could have been cut in favour of a smaller cast with their unique gameplay. Excitement had passed and doubt had settled in: character driven stories are what I love most of all and the cast was slowly thinning down. Those who had died weren't seen again in the story, was it going to keep my interest? I certainly expected it to.

I finally took a break to have dinner and a stretch before coming back to continue Casualties, the final level featuring the Soldier. The stages between that one and Deathwish are wonderful, great even, but they felt as thought they don't fit into the main story, I remember later trying to rearrange all the levels, keeping in mind which levels concluded each chapters and found that everything fitted really well together as it did. I was still getting over the previous levels so maybe I wasn't enjoying them as much as I should at the time.

I'm going to be honest when I say I forget the Soldier is in the game every time. An actual wartime setting, in an alien looking Hawaii none the less, with a gameplay that's really enjoyable and prepared me for hard mode's ammunition conservation gameplay very well should be memorable. It may be due to the fact that his inclusion was to give a background to the protagonist of Hotline Miami and give the origins of the secret organisation behind the phone calls of the first game, with parallels to mission euphemisms over walkie talkies, commando style hits, and sense of loss to a cycle of violence that doesn't care for its victims or its players. The character's final moments didn't bite as hard this time, even though that one felt the most undeserved out of the whole cast.

The next four levels featuring Richter the Rat are some of the best I've experienced, by that point we were focusing on a new character we'd met in the previous game and of which I didn't think much of at the time. Seeing him was an unexpected surprise for me, a really good one because of all its touching cutscenes and tight levels. Even in his last chapter, with the track Le Perv by Carpenter Brut, reminiscent of Deathwish's nauseating track, was honestly a joy to play through, despite the difficulty. It also was a nice conclusion for the Writer's story, who instigates the Rat's recollection of the events, with a final choice between continuing the book about the vigilante group and its mysterious phone calls or reconnecting with his estranged family while there is still time and discontinuing the cycle of violence, neither choice affects the outcome of the finale, but there is definitely an obvious conclusion in there, for me at least.

Nowadays, I know all the elements and numerous characters were included in Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number so that everything would be done in one game. Everything Dennaton wanted to experiment with, characters that tied different storylines together and both made sense of the first game and concluded its story for good. Hotline Miami didn't have room for flamethrowers or more storylines with other operators, it was an overarching story for the player, to be in the shoes of a hitman in an animal mask, with room to interpret the story for ourselves. The sequel doesn't stand on its own from a narrative sense: I'd be utterly confused by some of the stories of Hotline Miami 2 if I hadn't played the first game, since everything stems from the events of Hotline Miami. The result is that it all feels very heavy to take in all at once.

I really didn't care for Jacket's background, or why he did anything in the first game. He doesn't have a name, or a voice, or a personality, he's really boring in a story sense, but he's the perfect game protagonist. If he can be anything you want him to be, there's no room to dislike him, aside for his violent actions which he doesn't justify to himself in any way, he just does as he is told, like the soldier he once was. We feel what he feels during the violent missions, the sense that we get better and better at the game, the character doesn't improve, as there's no character to improve, we as the player are improving level by level.

So when the sequel explained that he was a veteran that fought in a war we never get the context for or care about, my first thought was that “he was just Rambo”. I hadn't watched Rambo at the time and only ever saw that character in old Atari games where you kill nameless soldiers. He'd always seemed like the generic action movie soldier that looks cool shooting away at his enemies. But since then, I've sat down to watch the first Rambo and saw the tale about young man coming back from war without education, aside from how to kill, back to a country that doesn't need him, and even despises him. It's an incredibly sad thing to watch a character broken by committing and being the victim of violence only to be rejected by the society they served.

The personal interpretations about Jacket is one of the best parts of Hotline Miami, as much as its gameplay, graphics, and music. Wrong Number builds upon that foundation by taking multiple interpretations of what Jacket could be and extends it to the cast of the sequel: he could be a jingoist with a burning hate for Russians (Jake the Snake) just as much as he could be scared for his life and willing to protect a person he loves (Richter the Rat). He's the now unwanted soldier of a war that is long lost (the Fans) just as much as he is the patriot in service of a minority struggling for his rightful place in a hostile environment (the Son). He's also a serial killer in an animal mask (the Pig Butcher) just as much as he is a killer with his own motives that don't have to be revealed to the player (Manny Pardo the Detective). And Biker’s search for answers is mirrored by the Writer, it was only fate that they would eventually meet up.

After the levels with Richter, we have the final 5 levels featuring another one of my favourite characters: the Son. He's the de facto leader of the Russian mafia, a scarred one man army with what feels like the strongest desire of the cast of characters: taking back Miami from the Colombian cartel, the new organised crime network in charge. His Father, the final antagonist of Hotline Miami, felt like a strong businessman with the plan of gaining power over the city through assimilation: striking a deal between the Colombians and their cocaine distribution, owning methadone clinics for the new addicts to heroin and cocaine, and gaining the favour of local politicians. The Son is nothing like that. He has a more aggressive show of power and control, separating himself from organically made drugs in favor for more potent artificial ones produced locally and actively killing his competition through violence, being in a revolution similar to the masked vigilantes in an attempt to undo the damage caused by Jacket in the first game.

As an aside, Manny Pardo has his final level in the middle, throughout the game we are teased with his personal investigation, the one of a serial killer called the Miami Mutilator, separate from the main plot of the game. It all comes to a head in his last level when it's revealed that he is the one behind the murders of the Mutilator, in an attempt to overshadow the media's attention of the masked vigilantes. The interpretation I developed over time was that his story arc was a meta commentary on sequels having their own story and an inevitable lack of interest from fans of the first game, curious instead about a continuation of the first game's narrative.

I remember originally thinking from the game's trailer that Manny Pardo was Jacket and getting really curious about how the story was going to go about, until I realised that he was in fact another character with his own motives and losing interest almost immediately in favour of the Fans revealed alongside him in the video. When it emerged that he was a detective, it seemed immediately more interesting than Jacket ever was, that it would be a character in search of answers, similar to the likes of Biker from the first game. The expectation was subverted, as it turns out that he has more current things to worry about and masked vigilantes are a thing of the past, crime doesn't stop happening and random violence is the norm in the world of Hotline Miami.

After the Detective's final level, we have what has to be one of the hardest challenges of the game: the final showdown between the Son and the Colombian cartel's Boss in his sprawling villa. Even after having been playing the game for almost 8 continuous hours, it really felt like what the game was leading us up to, from random street thugs to the drug army in Miami. And yet, even when the level was all said and done, there was yet another level after that. We are back to what felt like the finale a few hours ago: Deathwish, only this time it's the Son's side of the story, overdosing on his own artificial drugs and going on a overcoloured haze of hallucinatory violence.

Apocalypse is the name of that level, and it's a beautiful boss rush, where all the Fans are turned into monstrous animal shaped fever dreams that the Son has set himself out to destroy in his terrible drug trip, alongside his own men, turned into unrecognisable demons. It all leads to the rooftop, where a rainbow bridge invites us off into the void as the game's credits show up on the screen. The credits fade in favour of the rest of the cast, alive and unperturbed by the finale we as the player went through, only to realise that events offscreen trigger the end of the world, nuclear bombs vaporise them all and...

I didn't get it.

It took a good night's sleep and a bit of thinking to understand what Hotline Miami 2:Wrong Number was about: deconstructing Hotline Miami. The first game's conclusion had a hopeful tone to it, with mocking comments by the developer's stand-ins if we came back looking for more answers by playing Biker's additional levels, with actual answers that feel forced if you actually manage to find all the clues within the game. The sequel ends the world with nuclear clouds and if we start a new game, we get a new introduction at the start of the game essentially asking: “why are you back?”. There were no more answers the game could provide.

Violence is at the core of both of the games and it never seemed to stop. Hotline Miami left us wanting more, Hotline Miami 2 left us with the most violent thing known to humanity. I remember thinking that it was a deus ex machina ending, an answer to problems that seemed unsolvable. But inside the game there’s all this rising tension, focusing so much on the characters distracted me from the fact that it was culminating towards the end of the world. All the characters were trying to solve all their problems through violence, but the world wasn't going to get better through those methods. It was the only conclusion a game like that could have and I love it more than ever.

I cannot thank Dennaton enough for the incredible time I had and keep coming back to with Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. It has made me explore media I never would have discovered otherwise and draw things I never imagined I would come to draw. Happy 3rd anniversary to an incredible game, and I look forward to the future.

#hotline miami 2 #hotline miami #dennaton #writing

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operationrainfall · 5 years

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Title Spirit Hunter: NG Developer Experience, Ghostlight LTD Publisher Aksys Games Release Date October 10th, 2019 Genre Adventure, Horror, VN Platform PC, Nintendo Switch Age Rating Mature 17+ – Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Violence Official Website

I probably wouldn’t have become a fan of the Spirit Hunter series if it weren’t for Aksys Games. After all, they pretty much forced me into the horror adventure genre with the wonderfully twisted Zero Escape series. I’ve also played other compelling horror stories published by Aksys such as Creeping Terror. The point is, I’ve really grown to appreciate a well written horror story, despite being a gigantic wimp when it comes to survival horror series such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill. When I heard that Spirit Hunter: NG was the sequel to Death Mark, a horror adventure game I rather enjoyed when I reviewed it last year, I knew I had to be the one to tackle it.

Let me start by saying that Spirit Hunter: NG is at the same time very similar to and very different from Death Mark. To start, whereas Death Mark is pretty much a supernatural roller coaster from the very beginning, NG is a game where the supernatural is lurking in hidden corners, and slowly surrounds you in a vice. The story is a much slower burn, but once it gets going, you’ll be in a constant state of terror. Because unlike in Death Mark, in NG you never know where supernatural creatures will attack you. In the first game, you’d be pretty much safe so long as you weren’t in a haunted location, but here not even your home is a safe harbor. Having said all that, there’s still a lot of similarities between the games. They play almost identically, both feature a mysterious mark that counts down to your death and both include a diverse crew of eclectic personalities. Thankfully the gameplay, though similar, has also been overhauled here, and is much more streamlined. I can’t count the number of times some mechanic frustrated me in Death Mark, nor how often I got lost wandering about. Neither of those were an issue in Spirit Hunter: NG, which was incredibly satisfying. Which isn’t to say I was never annoyed, but it happened far less often.

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Before I get too much farther, I need to talk about the story in Spirit Hunter: NG. Whereas Death Mark started with a big question mark, with your protagonist suffering amnesia from the titular mark, here things begin much calmer. You play Akira Kijima, a rough-and-tumble third year high school student. You’re pretty much a loner, with a dead mother and no father in the picture. Thankfully, your Aunt Natsumi is a kindhearted woman who makes your life better, and her young daughter Ami views you as her big brother. Under their guidance, Akira does his best to be a better person and less of a hooligan than he was in his youth. Which doesn’t mean he’s gonna get student of the year anytime soon, but it does help soften his rough edges. That said, Akira is still a bad ass. His best friend, Seiji Amanome, is the son of a Yakuza boss, and uses his growing influence to manipulate people to his whims. Years back, he was responsible for helping Akira make a quick buck in underground matches, but Akira’s trying to clean up his act. Things are relatively calm and boring, until one day when he finds a black card on his doorstep. Ami solves the card’s riddle for him, and the hidden message reads “let’s play”. Little does Akira realize how completely his normal life is over from that moment onward.

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Soon after receiving the card, Akira is confronted by a strange talking doll named Kakuya. If you played the first game, your radar probably just started pinging off the charts, and rightfully so. Kakuya forces Akira to play the first of many dangerous games, and starts by sending a restless spirit to kill him and Ami. Barely surviving the encounter, Akira thinks things are calming down until Ami somehow disappears from his own residence. Turns out, Kakuya has employed supernatural means to kidnap Ami, and is using her as leverage to force Akira to continue playing her games. Each one will have him face off against a restless spirit, survive their attacks and eventually beat them. Along the way, Akira will discover many hidden truths about the nature of the game, the evil doll Kakuya, and perhaps even his own murky past. Though this structure is very similar to Death Mark, I was totally fine with that. Yes there are parallels, but there were more than enough ways that Spirit Hunter: NG distinguished itself from the first title.

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One way that Spirit Hunter: NG is different from the first game is that there are less characters overall. I can’t confirm that 100 percent, but going from memory it seemed there were a lot more people you interacted with in Death Mark. This would be a problem if they weren’t all distinct and well rounded people, but thankfully each member of the cast serves an important role. In fact, the members of your band of misfits serve such a distinct role that if you allow any of them to get killed, you’ll be locked out of the best ending. Though I was tempted to use a guide to get the best ending here, like I did when I reviewed Death Mark, I’m kind of glad I didn’t. For one thing, the other endings are far more terrifying and disturbing, and do a lot to contextualize the stakes while motivating players to try again. For another, puzzles in this game were far less challenging to figure out, with two large exceptions I’ll discuss later. I really grew to like the characters in NG, so every time I failed a test and someone was the victim of a supernatural hit job, I got even more invested in the story. See, whenever you face off against a spirit, you can either defeat them or purify them. While my default reaction is usually to kill the monster, and the game definitely plays off that instinct, you’ll be well rewarded for finding the harder way to victory. If you destroy the spirit, their curse will transfer to a member of your team, and then they’ll suffer an untimely demise. You’ll never know if you made the right choice til later, and then be treated to a gruesome tableau of their death. This only happened twice to me, and both times I felt utterly wretched and horrified. If you want to avoid losing anyone and don’t like guides, I strongly recommend you don’t save til after you know the result, and make sure to save before every Survival Escape scenario.

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More Horror on Page 2 ->

Like in Death Mark, in NG you have to thoroughly explore your environment, acquire objects, gather clues and escape dangerous situations. You had something called Soul Power in the first game that would count down in tense situations and which could be increased with items. Here it’s called Security, and while you can’t increase it, it does fully replenish after every Crisis Choice. Another way this game is very different is that you don’t have to “combat” the spirits. You would have to use item combinations and partner abilities to progress in Death Mark, and while that was cool in theory, it got really frustrating when I couldn’t find the right combination to proceed (which happened more and more as I played). In Spirit Hunter: NG, your choices are far more linear, and it’s up to you to either make the right choice to escape attack, or pick the right item to use at the right time. No combining things, no partner abilities (other than during exploration), far less headache. As an example, when facing the second spirit, you can either trick them into getting hit by a train using a stuffed animal or repair that teddy bear and give it to the spirit, putting them at peace. This is far less complex and I applaud the developers for keeping the tension here while avoiding the frustration. Besides the core aspects of the game, there’s a new feature called the Judgment system. You’ll occasionally be asked questions by key characters, and can choose your response from a spectrum of visual reactions. Depending on what you do, your relationship may improve with that character, unlocking a more robust biography for them in the extras. I was happy when I learned this had no bearing on which ending you got, since it can be unclear what the right choice is.

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One cool new mechanic that was absent from the first game is Bloodmetry. At one point early on, Akira learns he can get psychic impressions from bloodstains. This is put to clever use all throughout the game, and the farther you get, the more grisly and dark the environments. While you won’t truly learn the reason Akira has this skill ’til the end of the game, I can say it is worth the wait. It was also satisfying playing as a more fearless and powerful character than in Death Mark. Akira is practically an action hero, kicking and punching his way out of harm’s way. While he can’t do much against spirits with his fists, you’ll encounter lots of more mundane threats, such as patrolling security guards. My only complaint regarding Akira is that the story hints at his past, but never directly shows it to you in any meaningful way. I would have loved to see how different he was when he was fighting for money, for example. But thankfully, not seeing that didn’t ruin my immersion. Another new feature is D-Mail. You’ll receive these messages from a mysterious person called D-Man, and he gives obscure clues to find cards with supernatural lore on them. These are totally skippable, but I enjoyed going out of my way to find each and every card. Doing so I was rewarded later with a meeting with the man himself, and it was quite an experience.

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Though the band of characters is a bit smaller, they make up for it by being really quirky. One of the first characters you meet is named Kaoru Hazuki. She dresses like a Gothic lolita and acts like a damsel in distress, but is quite snarky and strange. She’s utterly obsessed with supernatural phenomenon, and she just happens to be a good friend to Ami. Then there’s Maruhashi, a Yakuza thug that gets on the wrong side of Akira early on, only to realize he’s good friends with the Yakuza boss’ son, Seiji. After that, you discover how big of a softy Maruhashi is, and his hidden fanboy tendencies. One of my favorite characters is Rose Mulan, a supposed magician that loves to drink and flirt with young men. There’s a few more I won’t mention, but all of them are integral to the story and the fabric of the game.

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Visually, Spirit Hunter: NG is equal parts scary, unsettling and beautiful. The game uses Abrupt Scares to keep things fresh and spooky, though you can dial them all the way down if you’re afraid. Character designer Fumiya Sumio did wonderful work in the original game, and continues that trend here. You can read the personalities of each person just by their face, and no character looks the same as anybody else. Take the mohawked fat boy Maruhashi, or the lanky police officer Reina Ooe. Not to be outdone, the spirit designer, kera, does a wonderful job of crafting monstrous and twisted visions of these restless ghosts. And the concept art by Kazuhiro Oya is also great. My only minor complaint is that on occasion the characters look pretty different depending on who is drawing them, but that’s a minor issue. Musically, I really enjoyed the game. At first I wasn’t sure about the old-timey noir music in the calm moments, but when contrasted with the tense piano music during dramatic moments, things flowed really well. The sound effects were especially effective for constructing the horror tenor, such as unearthly cackles, shrill screeches and much more. You’ll also grow very accustomed to the yells of pain from Akira every time you are executed just before the Game Over screen flashes. Overall, the visual presentation is a treat.

Earlier I said there were a couple instances I had issue with, and I’ll talk about those now. You get a lot of hints as you play, which are collated in something called the Spirit File. It’s a sort of shorthand account of what happens as you experience each case, and though it’s good in theory, often the information there is more vague than I would like. A good example of the limits of this happened in the second case, with spirit Kubitarou of Kintoki. You come across a padlock around a well, and have to find the right three-digit number from 0-9. Though the game gives you a hint to help solve it, it references information that’s not stored in the Spirit File, but instead is only found a couple times in visions you encounter via your Bloodmetry. I had to actually ask the developers for help on this, since there are so many numerical combinations you literally cannot find it by process of elimination. Another unfortunate example happens in a much later case. You’re told to come up with a word related to a Japanese crane myth, and to spell it only using the letters A, B, S, T and U. Not being fluent in Japanese, this was a bit of a challenge, especially since I wasn’t familiar with the crane myth in question, and the game doesn’t really recount it. Worse, when I found the answer in a guide, it was a word that was purposefully misspelled, which made things even worse. Thankfully, other than those two puzzles, I mostly got through the game’s many brain teasers without too much effort. At worse, I would use the process of elimination to get farther when stuck.

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Ultimately, I spent about 15 hours playing through Spirit Hunter: NG. Though I got the normal ending, I really enjoyed my time with this sequel. It does justice to the first game while still differentiating itself enough to keep things fresh. While it may sound like a short game for $49.99, only having five main chapters, I found myself happily immersed in the experience. I’m glad this one got localized in North America, and feel fans of horror have a lot to enjoy here. If you are hankering for a spooky mystery this October, you can’t go wrong with Spirit Hunter: NG.

[easyreview cat1title=”Overall” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4.5″]

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REVIEW: Spirit Hunter: NG Title Spirit Hunter: NG

#Aksys Games #Death Mark #Experience #Ghostlight LTD #nintendo switch #Sequel #Spirit Hunter: NG

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kyndaris · 7 years

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The Hard-Hitting Questions

So, I found this posted on a blog I was following and thought I might break it all down and answer these questions as honestly as I could.

1: Do you try to stay away from walkthroughs?

It depends on the game. Usually, I do try to play through blind but in games where it is best to max stats/ relationships/ unlock codex entries, I will often use a walkthrough so that I won’t miss out on certain scenes or events. Otherwise, the only time I would use a walkthrough is if I were stuck.

2: Company you're always loyal to?

I would say that rather than a company, I am far more loyal to a franchise. Whether that is Kingdom Hearts or Assassin’s Creed.

3: Best game you've ever played?

This is a difficult question as there are many things that make up an excellent game. For me, the best game that I’ve currently played is the Witcher 3. It has all the hallmarks that I adore: from being a role-playing game with active combat, as well as a thrilling story to tell. The runner-up would be the Uncharted franchise that drew me in even when I had yet to own a Playstation 3. The bombastic set pieces and the effective story seemed like a must play for me.

4: Worst game you've ever played?

I can’t quite say that I’ve played many ‘bad’ games. The one game that I could not invest in was Soul Sacrifice. Despite my best efforts, it simply was not the type of game that caught my eye.

5: A popular series/game you just can't get into no matter how much you try?

Oh, let me list the many popular game series in the world that I have yet to try. First and foremost would be the Monster Hunter franchise, followed by Metal Gear Solid, Dark Souls and Resident Evil.

6: A game that's changed you the most?

I doubt that there was a game that changed me the most. There have been games that have made me pause and reflect on the nature of things such as Bioshock Infinite and Prey. Though the most influential game that hooked me on a type of gaming would have been the Shadowrun revivals. I never thought crpgs (computer role playing games) with their asymmetric gameplay would have drawn me in but the mixture of strategy and role-playing statistics slowly but surely drew me in.

7: A game you'll never forget?

The game that I will never forget is Kingdom Hearts. It was one of the first games that I played and it was the one that had me salivating with anticipation. The union of Disney with these strange JRPG tropes was a match made in heaven that I could not help but crave. Most likely due to the fact that I have always been a lover of Disney films.

8: Best soundtrack?

Is it cheating if I simply say Final Fantasy? As in the entire franchise? However, if I had to choose a singular soundtrack, it would have to go to Child of Light. I adored the soundtrack found therein.

9: A game you turn your volume off every time you play it?

After a while, I tune out the music from arpgs (action role-playing games) with its endless clicking and loot drops to lure you further down the track. Some examples would include Diablo 3 and Victor Vran.

10: A game you've completely given up on?

The best example that comes to mind is Soul Sacrifice. After a while, I simply could not click with how the game played. The endless grind for better loot and items based on an ephemeral scoring of performance was more than I could bear and in the end, I traded the game in.

That and Codename STEAM. Mostly due to the fact that there was no tangible reward in the game and the enemies you faced only became more difficult.

11: Hardest game you've played?

I do not often play hard games but the two games that I have yet to complete are Jak 2 and Jak 3.

12: Shortest time you've beaten a game in?

I would say roughly eight to ten hours. It was either the first Uncharted or The Order 1866.

13: A game you were the most excited for when it wasn't released yet?

Back when I was younger and quite impressionable, the game I was most excited for was Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. I told everyone that I met how hyped I was for the game (only to later learn it was on the Gameboy Advance and I would not be able to play it until I managed to sneakily download an emulator), going into clear and crisp detail when I went to Disneyland near the end of 2004.

14: A game you think would be cool if it had voice acting?

This wouldn’t be a game per se but I thought it would be cool if Link had a proper voice instead of his usual grunts. Most games these days have voice acting so it’s hard to peg one down.

Perhaps Pokemon? We have yet to hear the voices of the characters running around.

15: Which two games do you think would make an awesome crossover?

I never much thought about it but it might be interesting to see a crossover between the Uncharted franchise and the rebooted version of Tomb Raider. Lara Croft and Nathan Drake heading on an adventure together, each trying to one-up each other when it came to their knowledge on ancient civilisations. That or perhaps even bringing in a little Assassin’s Creed.

16: Character you've hated most? From what game?

There hasn’t been a character I’ve truly hated in a game. While the Luxord battle in Kingdom Hearts 2 gave me the most grief, I did like that buttery British accent and his stylistic leanings.

Now if we were talking about novel protagonists, I have one clear answer: Quentin Coldwater from The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman. If the book series were ever adapted to game form, be sure to find that on the top of my most hated character list.

17: What game do you never tell people you play?

I don’t think there’s a game that I have played that would warrant it being a secret. Gaming itself is almost a guilty pleasure when it comes to conversation and only comes up in conversation with people I know that are fellow gamers or who I know actually dip their toe into the hobby. Otherwise, I keep quiet about my interests.

In saying that, there was a Barbie adventure game on the original Playstation that one of my friends had. We played it together but it was nothing to write home about.

18: A game you wish your friends knew about?

Most of my friends know all about the games that I play since I now post impressions and reviews on my tumblr. But I do think Child of Light and the Danganronpa games are deserving of a shameless plug every now and then.

19: Which game do you think deserves a revival?

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos.

20: What was the first video game you ever played?

I would have to say Pokemon. The first gaming ‘console’ I received was the Gameboy Colour along with Pokemon Blue. I simply had to ‘catch ‘em all.’

21: How old were you when you first played a video game?

Roughly five or six? I don’t quite remember.

22: If you could immerse yourself in any game for one day, which game would it be? What would you do?

That’s a difficult question. I never much thought about immersing myself in a game but rather living in the world of a game. It’s a debate I’ve often had with myself - whether it should be in a far-flung fantasy world or in one couched in reality.

I would say it would have to be a game either in the Mass Effect universe or perhaps the more recent titles of Final Fantasy. I would like to see myself as a mercenary or a soldier but truth be told, I would be out exploring the new world I found myself in or in a menial position out of danger.

But if I could immerse myself in any game for a day, it would have to be an MMORPG where I could focus on the social aspects of it, as well as dive into enjoying the joys of freedom found therein.

23: Biggest disappointment you've had in gaming?

Most of the time I shy away from games that would prove to be disappointing. As a gamer, I like to be informed and so I try to read as many reviews as I can. The biggest disappointment I found came through in my first time playing through Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I had high expectations after ploughing through Skyrim.

Another game that proved to be quite disappointing was Kingdom Hearts re: Coded. The worlds were almost an exact copy from the original title on Playstation 2 and even the plot felt recycled.

24: Casual, Hardcore, or in the middle?

I like to think I sit somewhere in the middle. I’m not extremely hardcore but I do like some of my games to have a little challenge (even though I much prefer story to being pounded into dirt by enemies).

25: Be honest; have you ever used cheats (like ActionReplay or Gameshark)?

Back when I first discovered real-time strategy games such as Starcraft and Warcraft, I also picked up a number of cheats to make my life easier. I was not very good at micromanaging when I was eight and the stories seemed to sparkle with an intoxicating allure.

26: Handheld or console?

Despite my numerous handheld devices, I would have to say I am a console player at heart. Most of the time, my Nintendo 3DS and Playstation Vita are played whilst plugged into the power supply. I like to go on gaming binges if there’s ample time.

27: Has there ever been a moment that has made you cry?

There have been a couple of moments. One in my immediate memory came from Tales of Berseria. I felt a strong connection to Velvet Crowe and the struggles she faced throughout the game touched a part of me I had never known.

The first moment when I had the urge to cry came in the ending moments of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. It was only ruined by the terrible line (but after much hewing and hawing over it, it actually made sense in context). Still, I would have rather it have been far more poignant and heartfelt than what it had been.

28: Which character's clothes do you wish you owned the most?

The first thought that came to mind was Roxas. But really, I like most of the clothes that can be found in the Kingdom Hearts series.

29: Which is more important, gameplay or story?

Story is the most important aspect of a game (at least in my opinion). It’s the one thing that keeps me going as I usually find my interest flagging when story is not the main hook. Tetris is good for a couple of minutes but it is not something I would be able to play for eight hours on end.

30: A game that hasn't been localized in your country that you think should be localized?

Obviously the Dai Gyakuten Saiban series. I was severely disappointed to hear that we won’t be seeing a Western release and I sincerely adore all the games that involve table slamming, finger pointing and strange twists on actual legislation.

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enterinit · 5 years

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Crash Team Racing and other games coming to Xbox One this week

Crash Team Racing and other games coming to Xbox One this week. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (June 18, 2019) Bloodstained is an exploration-focused, side-scroller action RPG packing all of the best features you've come to know and love from the Metroidvania genre into a single, content-packed game. Play as Miriam, an orphan scarred by an alchemist’s curse which slowly crystallizes her body. In order to save herself, and indeed, all of humanity, she must battle her way through a demon-infested castle summoned by Gebel, her old friend whose body and mind has become more crystal than flesh. Features: Addictingly tight and satisfying gameplay alongside a rich new story in the gothic dark fantasy style of Koji Igarashi, the celebrated godfather of "Igavania" games.A game soundtrack by genre and industry veteran Michiru Yamane, performed by a full live orchestra ensemble.Story cut scenes and NPC interactions fully voice acted by a star-studded cast, including actors like David Hayter, Ray Chase and Erica Lindbeck to name just a few.A total of three playable characters, two of which have yet to be revealed...Literally a metric ton of weapons and spells, which you can upgrade, level up and visually customize. Beautiful 2.5D graphics: 3D models crafted with a lot of love and care on a 2D game environment. That means lots of cool tricks that "regular" 2D can't do... Neverwinter: Undermountain (June 18, 2019) Team up with Durnan, the proprietor of the famed Yawning Portal, to seek the truth behind the mysterious visions and forces beckoning citizens of the Forgotten Realms to the halls of Undermountain. Neverwinter: Undermountain introduces a new level 80 cap, a complete overhaul of class powers and feats, new Adventure Zones, a new Endgame dungeon, and much more! Jurassic World Evolution: Claire’s Sanctuary (June 18, 2019) A new single-player narrative featuring “Jurassic World” character Claire Dearing, voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard herself. Rich in content with seven new story missions with rewards, two new locations, three new dinosaurs, and new game features. Another Sight (June 18, 2019) ANOTHER SIGHT is a surreal fantasy adventure with steampunk elements set in London in 1899, towards the end of the Victorian era. With an emphasis on culture and character, ANOTHER SIGHT focuses on the emotional development of the relationship between its two protagonists, Kit, a refreshingly intrepid teenager, and Hodge – a mysterious red-furred cat. They meet in the darkness of a London Underground construction site, after Kit loses her sight when the tunnel she had been exploring collapses. They team up for an adventure into the unexpected, with Hodge proving himself to be an indispensable companion, upon whom Kit will come to rely. Kit and Hodge explore a surreal fantasy world, both together and separately, each using their own unique talents to make their way through compelling environments, and to solve intriguing puzzles. Citizens of Space (June 18, 2019) Representatives of the Galactic Federation, thank you for having me here tonight to celebrate Earth's acceptance into this noble organization! It is an absolute honor to act as the Ambassador of Earth, a most honorable role, and... what's that? Earth is... missing!? And it's up to me to find the missing pieces? And I can recruit citizens of space to do battle for me? Well then, you've got the perfect human for the job! In fact, I was voted second Most-Likely-to-Solve-an-Intergalactic-Mystery in the third grade. I vow, that I will act in all of my power, as the honorable Ambassador of Earth, to put Earth back together and find out who's responsible! The citizens of Earth are depending on me! Features: A quirky RPG for all audiencesRecruit citizens of space for battleTraverse the cosmos in search of Earth's missing piecesMeet charismatic characters at every turn Antiquia Lost (June 19, 2019) Edelstein, a world inhabited by three tribes, was a site of the Great Battle in the past. Today, the world is at peace due to the three tribes' cooperation. But dark clouds are gathering over the future of the world that everyone thought would go on for ever... It's time for Bine and his friends to discover the truth of the history of the world! Antiquia Lost is a fantasy RPG featuring beautiful 2D turn-based battles. Become the master of the battlefield by using the characteristics of the three tribes, Fai, Ruta and Eeth. The half-slime heroine, Lunaria, eats gems to grow and even mimic monsters' powerful attacks. Customize the heroine as you wish to deal with strong enemies! The game offers a variety of achievements and elements, from weapon refining to harvesting items! Don't miss out the challenges that await during the quest and on the arenas! Features: An authentic RPG of a journey with a girl made of slime!Enjoy fluid 2D turn-based battles!The game offers a variety of achievements and elements, from weapon refining to harvesting items!Don't miss out the challenges that await during the quest and on the arenas! Cybarian: The Time Traveling Warrior (June 19, 2019) Cybarian The Tme Travelling Warrior is a classically inspired arcade action game, with a mixture of modern and retro gaming inspirations, an union of old-school 2D platformers and side-scrolling beat em’ ups in an animated, retro styled pixel art. Double Cross (June 19, 2019) Explore alternate dimensions, fight interdimensional criminals, and solve crimes in this thrilling action platformer! Developed by 13AM Games, the studio behind award-winning Runbow, Double Cross is an exciting action adventure game that has players take on the role of Zahra, an agent of R.I.F.T. (Regulators of Interdimensional Frontiers and Technology) whose job it is to maintain peace and order between all dimensions. A recent attack on R.I.F.T. headquarters thrusts players into a thrilling new case where they must use their R.I.F.T. developed gear to sling, swing, fight and investigate across distinct dimensions. During their travels players will gather clues to bring themselves one step closer to finding the identity of R.I.F.T.’s attacker and save every variation of the universe. Features: Players can custom tailor their play style by collecting Upgradium and using it to level up and unlock RIFT agent gear.An adventure-game style gameplay and upgrade system that allows players to choose how and in what order they play levelsA unique “Proton Slinger” mechanic that allows diversity of movement throughout levels and the ability to grab and throw objects and enemiesVaried and upgradeable attacks and combosAn intricate story engages players as they solve an interdimensional mystery with a diverse cast of interdimensional charactersSlick 2D HD art that draws upon traditional gaming and anime style Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled (June 21, 2019) Crash is back in the driver’s seat! Get ready to go fur-throttle with Crash™ Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. It’s the authentic CTR experience plus a whole lot more, now fully-remastered and revved up to the max: Start your engines with the original game modes, characters, tracks, power-ups, weapons and controlsPower slide to glory in additional karts, tracks and arenas from Crash™ Nitro KartRace online with friends and Crash the competition with online leaderboards With Crash™ Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, the stakes are high and the competition is fierce. It's the CTR you love, now kicked into the highest gear. Certain elements and functionality require internet connection and Xbox Live Gold subscription, sold separately. Storage requirements subject to change. Mandatory updates may be required to play. Activision makes no guarantee regarding the availability of online play or features and may modify or discontinue those at its discretion without notice. Using the software constitutes acceptance of the Software License & Service Agreement and Privacy Policy available at support.activision.com/license. Captain Cat (June 21, 2019) Captain Cat travels the seven seas in his boat, using his anchor as a hook to fish for the delights and treasures hiding at the bottom of the sea. But navigating the depths of unknown waters is never easy, as there are many mysterious dangers to face along the way. Can Captain Cat overcome them to catch enough fish to satisfy his hunger? Features: Simple one-button controls75 levels across 2 episodes and 2 extra game modesExtra challenge through time, knot and coin targetsAppealing cartoon charactersExotic fish with unique mechanicsSpectacular undersea graphics and design Read the full article

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geminik-blog · 7 years

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Are Clash Royale Clones Making Any type of Money?

Enter the Arena! From the makers of Clash of Clans comes a real-time multiplayer game starring the Royales. Most likely 2 of the biggest and also most popular mobile video games of recent memory are Clash of Clans and Clash Royale. A LOT OF RIDICULOUS Clash Royale Chest Opening Responses! http://clashroyalegifts.com/ There are even more than enough of documentation online about the balancing of Clash Royale. With enough advertising/promotion, I think the Chinese version of Clash Royale can likewise come to be top there. All that being starving enough elixir, the extractor could be increased to often send combos. Tanks can do a massive damages to the opponent fleet. Ways to play: Begin slow with your Witch or Archer, and feel out what cards your challenger could have to stop your Balloon (ie. The Crown Championship kicks off on Could 11th with Open Play. All of us recognize that the gems play a significant duty in most video games consisting of the clash of clans, Boom beach, Hay day, and also clash royale.

With the aid of previous leaks and also the so-called tips hidden in the current trick, a potential "Clash Royale" substantial update may soon occur. Numerous will regretfully require an update to the game, however that should be coming soon through a hot-fix. Reddit customers do not appear to be very thrilled by the Ice Golem with some saying that skilled players will certainly have the ability to use it effectively however most various other gamers won't have the ability to do much with it. Currently a lot of players would certainly ask me why I recommend using Bluestacks. The new set of difficulties that several players are encountering could stem from the truth that a great deal of top-tiered players are creeping their means to the brand-new Field 11 and essentially intended to get in an Organization. Are you curious about obtaining as a lot in the means of elixir as possible? The last means to make gold is to heat heaven card. The Poison card will be the only Spell card transformed in this balance upgrade.

This however takes time, do not expect us to launch the update within a day of its initial launch, that is an impossible task. This bar slowly replenishes in time, and also maxes out at 10 elixir. This deck has a very reduced elixir usage price so gamers can cycle promptly through cards. Timing and also handling potion is essential for winning. Lolman did an excellent work at explaining each and every single detail thing for you! One point to think about is much of these adjustments are to reduce down offending gameplay. As for Gems are being made use of for buying and upgrading cares, yet additionally getting even more gold, checks as well as conserves you alot of time due to the fact that you can avoid any type of procress in the game by paying with treasures. When you acquire treasures from the video games shops, you can obtain gems. Most likely many of you understand among the most popular mobile video games of Supercell studio.

It will take a brave workshop to bet on a power stroke of genius. According to Supercell, each of these new cards will release with an Unique Challenge. You will certainly need to win battles, upgrade soldiers, win fights, open breasts and develop a strong deck. As soon as you have actually gained chests utilize them to unlock incentives, collect brand-new as well as more powerful cards and update the existing ones. In March, Supercell has undoubtedly confirmed the hold-up of the 3 new cards. It has the ability to resist several of one of the most effective cards in the video game. Simply due to the fact that this brand-new game mode is so amazing. All you need to do is enter your username or email, choose android or apple iphone or ipad, choose risk-free mode and also turn on anti restriction protection. Clan Battle, which is a fancy name for a 2v2 mode. You will not be able to acquire it once again if you buy the Sector 9 unique offer. Essentially, you can keep playing all day long and you do not have to wait for any type of timer.

Lastly, this card could assist you deal versus Minion Horde quite quickly. Just what do you assume concerning the new card? Click the produce switch and also wait on the online Clash roylae hacks tool to add the required stuff. Clash Royale HACK makes unlocking mysteries and also tricks really easy by supplying unrestricted sources at your disposal. Our designers locate these codes Clash Royale and we kindly give them to you. Clash royale is a freemium mobile strategy game published and created by supercell. The Clash Royale gameplay is rather basic. The most recent patch supplies new battle mode, structures, troops, and also gameplay. The atmosphere around throughout gameplay was extreme and also wonderful to be around so congratulations to those coordinators. Once the Clash Royale COMPUTER is mounted relocate to the Home display of the iPadian to play it whenever you desire. Clash Royale has actually been obtaining several updates. Making use of the Tornado card, gamers could successfully relocate single soldiers or whole waves from one side of the map to the various other.

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symbianosgames · 7 years

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The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

Anew: The Distant Light is a Metroid-style open-world game currently in development and nearing feature-complete. (We also have a Kickstarter underway.) This article discusses the practical application of some design theory for deep gameplay with examples in Anew.

What does it mean for a game to have deep design or deep play? This is a personal question with different answers for different people. To me, it means that a game has a large possibility space, dense with interesting player choices. It doesn’t require an endless game world (though the world of Anew is quite large) or hundreds of redundant items. It does, however, require thoughtful planning by the designer.

Deep design can be approached from the top down. The developer can create multiple roads (literally) to get from A to B, provide different viable methods to defeat an enemy, design multiple solutions to a puzzle, or lay diverse clues about the truth behind a mystery.

Going deep with Anew: The Distant Light

It’s not just about having options though. Each way should have varied advantages and consequences so that the player’s approach, conscious or accidental, has meaning. For some players this will involve an analysis to find the path of least resistance. Curious players will want to explore multiple paths. For the most skilled players the path chosen may just be an expression of their style.

A bottom up approach to deep design can also grow a game’s possibility space and create meaningful player choices. This is all about building interactions--how the functional pieces of the game (characters, items, and environment) affect each other. The results of many of these interactions should be designed, but with enough interesting game systems emergent play will also develop.

Emergent player options can be overpowered. If they're fun, and the advantage is only circumstantial or contextually limited (or can be made so), often the right design decision is to keep them. Though, such such things shouldn't be allowed to entirely overshadow other potentially interesting ways of playing.

But, why design for gameplay depth? The short answer is that deep gameplay creates positive emotions that feel good. Here are a few examples:

Agency: Simply, it feels liberating to have options. It’s also very fulfilling to know that your decisions caused your success, or at least allowed for it.

Epiphany: One feels clever after solving a puzzle or working out a new strategy that turns out to be effective.

Surprise: As a player, it can be a very satisfying experience to receive a revelation about the story, discover a new place in the game world, or to stumble upon a new trick of game mechanics. One of my favorite ways to evoke suprise is to challenge the player's assumptions about what's possible in the game world.

Mastery: Some of the most rewarding feelings in a game come from a sense of expertise--knowing that you’re good and being able to show it off. This requires a game to have a high skill cap, meaning that there is a long path of continued rewards and advantages for a player’s improvements in game knowledge, agility, and muscle memory.

Guilty Pleasure: As a player, it’s a fun sensation to feel like you’re getting away with something that perhaps shouldn’t be allowed. A good designer creates and allows many such opportunities.

Endearment: Fostering this is a lofty goal indeed for any game developer, but at least one can aim to create good replay value, which is often a prerequisite. Reliably touch on other emotions in a game that you've convinced the player to spend time with, and with some luck you'll capture this elusive feeling.

So, designing for deep gameplay seems like a worthwhile pursuit. Revealing that gameplay depth at a consumable pace is also important. A player shouldn’t be overwhelmed with decisions when they start. Early options should be apparent, satisfying, and have intuitive outcomes. The best games entice new ways to play and allow for accidental discoveries without too much tutorial. If a game is fun and deep, but the possibility space takes a while to explore, it helps keep players engaged and improves the replay value of the game.

These abstract design concepts are touchstones for many aspects of gameplay in Anew, but for equipment in particular. Let’s take a look at our bottom up design concepts applied to a couple of our player weapons.

We want to create meaningful choices and deep interactions between game systems. So, we could say that each weapon must have at least two unique combat advantages and two utility advantages, such as mobility or environment access. Through this design approach, even a standard issue SpringSteel Shotgun can yield deep gameplay.

Here are some uses for our Shotgun:

Easy to aim in panic situations

Can hit many targets at once

High damage is good for a killing blow (the only infinite ammo weapon with this)

Extreme damage at point blank range (all pellets hit)

Shotgun kick pushes player away from the threat you’re shooting at, helping to escape melee attacks after you get close without any special player dexterity

A well-timed kick can be used to increase jump height for dodging or for sequence breaking* before the Double Jump, the Climbing Gear, or the Jetpack are acquired

Shotgun kicks can also be used to escape jet-streams or to slow a precarious descent

Enemy knockback can throw them into environmental hazards or over cliffs

As you can see, there are many diverse and circumstantial reasons to equip and use the shotgun for offense, defence, and movement. The different uses are also varied on the amount of player skill required for success.

*Sequence breaking is when a player proceeds through a progressively unlocking game world in an unobvious way, shortcutting the typical route. One advantage is that this can yield access to items earlier, creating a spike in player power or options. These may or may not be intentionally designed into the content. See also Guilty Pleasure.

In Anew, all weapons are designed to have unique roles. This helps make decisions meaningful while still growing the possibility space of gameplay.

Let’s look at a less conventional weapon, the Buzzsaw. This tool is powerful, but it spins up slowly, aims slowly, and slows your movement speed (especially once the sawblade is dug in).

Called the P-Saw by junkers, the Plasma Buzzsaw and renowned for its ability to scrap detritus in record time. It’s also surprisingly useful for humble explorers who tend to encounter hostiles with unusual frequency.

If you’ve ever held a heavy power tool or felt the unwieldy gyroscopic effect of a spinning bike wheel, those are some sensations we wanted to convey in game with the Buzzsaw. It’s not easy to make that come through the screen and controller, but we've made some good headway.

Some uses for the Buzzsaw:

Stuns most enemies while engaged

Causes a bleed effect that continues to damage after you’ve disengaged

Affects your body inertia for a variety of physics tricks

Attaches to plasma rails for rapid transit or navigating puzzles and combat sequences

Cuts through certain environmental barriers

Allows you to mine certain minerals that are otherwise inaccessible

Lets you cut access points into large mechanical enemies to defeat them from the inside

The Buzzsaw has some obvious and easy uses, some that you have to figure out, and some that require skill. When to buzzsaw a durable enemy with other threats present is a surprisingly deep tactical choice.

Back to our game design touchstones. What about maintaining interesting decisions and discoveries as the game progresses? We know that it’s good to expose the possibility space gradually. This helps to keep things fresh and also allow a more gentle learning curve. So, we put weapon upgrades behind a few locked doors.

In Anew you will have to find ways to bring different parts of your homeship online, one being your workbench. There, you can upgrade any of your weapons along a unique customization path. Each upgrade requires a rare component found in the game world. Every upgrade is a choice between two mutually-exclusive options and the decisions are permanent (as far as you know).

For the Buzzsaw, the upgrade item is Focused Plasma. There are a small number of these scattered throughout the game world, hidden or defended. With one bit of Focused Plasma and some Materiel (a resource acquired from most things in the game world), you can apply your upgrade.

Your workbench interface

Upgrade options for the Plasma Buzzsaw:

Higher damage OR Faster aim speed

Faster warm up OR Longer bleed effect

Reduce energy cost OR Bigger blade

Rail direction change OR Longer bleed effect

Higher damage OR Faster movement when using

These choices are designed to be meaningful and provoke some internal debate. The player will want to select improvements that fit their play style. Some of the upgrades exist twice and those benefits will stack, creating further tension between other enticing choices (especially those that offer new mechanics).

In Anew, the player doesn’t need to nitpick over stats--every weapon is substantially different and each upgrade has a meaningful change that you can feel. So the player only has to consider the concept of each upgrade and not pull out a calculator to make a decision.

We’ve seen similar upgrade systems in other games and found them to be deep, despite their relative simplicity. We hope that you like these ideas for deep gameplay and we think they’ll help make a fun, highly replayable game. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you liked this, you may want to read my other Gamasutra article on creating fluid gunplay, which is somewhat more oriented toward art and programming.

Steve Copeland and Jeff Spoonhower have worked on games in franchises such as Bioshock, Borderlands, Star Wars, Uncharted, Lord of the Rings, Command & Conquer, Saints Row, and others. They are co-founders of Resonator and comprise the two-person team developing Anew: The Distant Light, which currently has a Kickstarter underway.

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