World War Z Review (Playstation 4)
Nostalgia is a hell of a thing. We all have those moments when we reflect on games or experiences while gaming that makes us smile. Or make us laugh. Or makes us cry. Or even remember simpler times in our lives. I often reflect on a video of someone playing Apex Legends and reminiscing about times with Halo 3. Yes, I understand it was made for laughs. But it honestly reflects how I feel when a game reminds me of special gaming moments in my life. When the opportunity came up to review World War Z, I admittedly accepted the challenge without high expectations. Based on a wonderful book (and mediocre movie), I questioned how it would work as a video game. But about 10 minutes into the campaign, nostalgia hit me like a freight train and a smile arrived that did not go away. You see, one of my favorite series of all time is the Left 4 Dead series. And while World War Z feels very familiar to Left 4 Dead, it has just enough differences to stand out as a top-notch co-op experience. The story of World War Z plays out in a similar fashion to the book. The four mini-campaigns take place in a different part of the world and features different protagonists and storylines in each campaign. The campaigns don’t go into too much depth or character development, but they do set the stage nicely for some crazy and frantic zombie action. It makes sense to have stories in different parts of the world in order to show the scope of this zombie outbreak. Any of the campaigns will immediately remind you of Left 4 Dead, in that each stage follows a similar pattern of travel/exploration and major action set piece. While it feels familiar, the development team behind World War Z makes subtle changes that make World War Z its own unique game. You won’t find characters yelling for pills (although I yelled it out plenty of times and chuckled to myself in true dad-joke fashion). But you will find objectives in each campaign that provide unique challenges and keep each campaign from being too familiar. Like Left 4 Dead, you will find areas to restock health and ammo and a wide range of weapons that are more powerful as you progress in the game. You will need all the help you can get as the undead swarm you every step of the way. If you haven’t read or seen World War Z, then let me inform you that these zombies don’t slowly bumble their way through the streets. They are fast, vicious, and come out you in huge swarms. The iconic swarm climb is featured prominently in this game when zombies run and climb over each other trying to tear your heart out. It looks incredible on the screen and very unnerving. Part way through the first zombie campaign, you will have a section where you need to climb to a safe area as zombies fall all around you. There are moments where you sit in awe and the sheer number of zombies. Of course, the awe turns to terror as you attempt to survive. Because of the number of enemies in the game, a number of strategies are crucial for your survival, especially as you survive on higher difficulties. You earn currency for each successful completion of campaigns as well as success in PvP multiplayer. Money is used to upgrade weapons and abilities for your character class. Use that currency wisely! Weapon upgrades are crucial for defeating swarms and the special classes of zombies that make your life completely miserable. The class abilities can also help you survive, so whatever class you use, stick with it so you can continue to upgrade throughout your playthrough. Besides upgrading, you want to use common sense around these zombies. Let me tell you that using a loud shotgun will bring all the zombies to the yard and make life completely insane. Stealth is your best friend. And when you get to swarm engagements (which you will recognize when you get to an area with turrets), you must place defense items carefully and work together. Playing with randoms can be very hit or miss because of the lack of mics or unwillingness to communicate. Playing with friends is ideal in World War Z. World War Z is fast and a blast with friends. Unfortunately, there are some technical gameplay aspects that I wish the team would address. I would love a dodge or jump button to help me escape from overwhelming zombie situations. I would love the opportunity to switch between first and third person. And this request would be way too challenging, but I would love a little more cosmetic differentiation between the different zombie models. These are just personal gripes that in no way change how much fun I had with World War Z. The game is available on consoles and PC, and I think the PC has a slight edge over consoles. While playing on Playstation 4, I felt that the game was a little sluggish due to typical console framerates. Obviously, a high-end PC would give you cleaner graphics. But the game offers plenty of bloody and gory moments on the PS4. The load times on PS4 didn’t feel very long and the game features wonderful sound quality for each weapon and zombie. Please understand that when I compare World War Z to Left 4 Dead, I mean it with the utmost respect. World War Z is action-packed and features plenty of fun moments in both the campaign and PvP modes. Actually, I should be more accurate when discussing PvP – It’s actually PvPvZ with a variety of modes for up to four players. Dealing with players and swarming zombies adds an interesting wrinkle when playing your typical deathmatch and capture modes. The addition of classes and upgradable weapons and perks is a welcome addition to the zombie formula. World
Nintendo Switch Has Hit Over 34 Million Units Sold
The Nintendo Switch turned two years old this past March and has been selling like hot cakes since release. The hybrid console is already about to beat the Xbox One in sales worldwide. Nintendo has announced the the Switch sold over 34.74 million units where it was at 32 million not too long ago. These numbers are as of March 31st, 2019 so it’s possible it has gone up in sales a month later. When it comes to Nintendo’s first party games, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best selling title for the Switch at 16.6 million units sold. Zelda: Breath of the Wild is right in second at 12.77 million. Here is a look at top selling first party titles for the Nintendo Switch. pic.twitter.com/bn5VXCMzYI — Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) April 25, 2019 With Pokemon and Animal Crossing expected to launch this year it’s very easy to say that the number of Switch sales will keep going up rapidly. Source
Bend Studio Reveals Post-Launch Content For Days Gone Coming Later In June
Bend Studio’s Days Gone is just around the corner of releasing this Friday, and already knowing of the expansive world that players will be able to indulge in, the developer has shared that more content is planned to come in the coming month for no additional charge. Announcing that a new and more hard difficulty mode is planned to release later this June to push players who want more of a challenge in the open-world, post-apocalyptic game. Alongside reveal is more challenges for players to take on among the 30+ hour story campaign and activities spread throughout the game’s world. The newly announced ‘Survival’ Mode is said to toughen player’s instincts by removing the some of the more traditional features from the HUD such as maps & indicators as well as hindering the ability to fast travel and using the game’s unique Survival Vision. Game Director Jeff Ross shares about the new mode, explaining that: Every tweak and change made is designed to further immerse players and ratchet up the tension to make this the definitive survival experience. Paired with the difficulty mode’s debut in June, new challenges specialized for the Bike, Horde, and Combat tiers will be added to continue pushing player’s experience leading into the Summer. Days Gone will be out for PlayStation 4 on April 26, 2019 Source: PlayStation Blog
April Update For Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey Introduces The First Part Of The Second DLC Arc
This monthly update from Ubisoft Quebec for Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey rather than being more beefy regarding the game’s free content that continues to fish in returning players, April introduces the second DLC story arc by revealing the first detail for The Fate of Atlantis’ Fields of Elysium. Instead of the usual two Lost Tales of Greece, this month only receives one which ties to the first episode for The Fate of Atlantis: The Heir of Memories puts the player in control of the modern story’s protagonist, Layla. This quest will have you on a journey to recover the Staff of Hermes which will lead to discovering the gates of Atlantis. The lost tale will continue off the modern story from where the game left off at its conclusion and will segue into the Fields of Elysium. Obtaining the Staff of Hermes, you find yourself in Elysium and are quickly introduced to the powers the staff holds while at the same time finding your escape out of the mystical world. Along the way you seek help from Hermes, Hekate, and the more familiar Adonis as you discover the new world you’re in. And it’s not a monthly update without the monthly cosmetic packs available for players to purchase in the game’s Item Shop: Sphinx Character Pack Sphinx Naval Pack The monthly update also debuts the highly-requested custom gear loadouts. Allowing up to five varying arsenals to choose from on how you want to organize your weapons. The First Episode of The Fate of Atlantis, Fields of Elysium is available now for all platforms. Assassin’s Cred: Odyssey is available now for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Source: Ubisoft
Persona 5: The Royal Paved For 2019 Release Date In Japan, North America For 2020
Developer Atlus has been a little more touchy with how the studio revealed their next upcoming installment in the Persona series, Persona 5: The Royal today has been revealed to officially release in Japan later this October. The Phantom Thieves are back.https://t.co/PIifoSigg1 pic.twitter.com/tbVkHN8vXk — Official ATLUS West (@Atlus_West) April 24, 2019 In the new trailer, the forthcoming expansion is said to take place during the third trimester of Persona 5 and introduces new characters like Kasumi Yoshizawa, the new Phantom Thief. Also debuting the newest Confident Takuto Maruki as well as a new location named Kichioji. Other additions that will be bundled with the new story expansions features both a bar and an aquarium: the first location offering you to play both darts and pool while the second attraction is set to be a new dating locale. Following this new break of news, there is still no word as of yet for Persona 5 coming to the Nintendo Switch despite the game previously being listed for the platform on Best Buy. If you have yet to play Persona 5 these past two years, you can read up on our review for the game here. Persona 5: The Royal will be available for PlayStation 4 in Japan on October 31, 2019 and following with a lesser specific 2020 release date for the West and Asia.
Super Mario Maker 2 launching on June 28th
After months of having a tentative June release planned, it is now officially confirmed that Super Mario Maker 2 will be launching exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on June 28th. The news broke via a tweet, though no new info on the game itself was released. Let’s-a go! Let your imagination run wild as you make and play the Super Mario courses of your dreams when #SuperMarioMaker2 launches for #NintendoSwitch on 6/28! https://t.co/TnK9rQwRJi pic.twitter.com/eSJfb7JSPj — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 24, 2019 In Japan, they will be releasing a special bundle that includes the game as well as a 12 month Nintendo Switch Online membership code. All purchases will also receive a Super Mario Maker 2 stylus that works on the Switch’s 6.2 inch capacitive touch screen to help you create levels easier and more precisely. Whether or not the bundle or stylus will make their way to other regions remains unknown as of now. One of the big new additions to the game is the addition of slopes, a long requested feature for fans of the original Wii U title. While it’s not confirmed, the addition of Luigi in the key art hints at a co-op mode of some kind, and would make sense given the Switch’s Joy-Con capabilities. With the release date nearly 2 months away, we should be receiving some more info on the game very soon. Whether or not that will take place in a Nintendo Direct remains to be seen, but we’d have to assume that they will go into more detail before E3 at the very least.
Rumor: Rocksteady Studios To Reveal DC Outlaws Title This Friday
Closing in on nearly four years since Rocksteady Games has dropped a new title following the release of Batman: Arkham Knight, fans have been jumping on any grasp of what the UK-based studio might be working on next. According to a rumor that originally surfaced on 4Chan and later spreading to ResetEra and other social media sites, Rocksteady Studios is said to allegedly drop a ‘World Premiere’ for their upcoming game. For what the game actually is has yet to find a solid foundation as of yet. But left from the image that teases the possibly approaching debut reveals the game to be set in the DC universe, Batman’s specifically. The picture showcasing the title’s name ‘Outlaws’ as well as a caption that reads “World Premier” aimed for this coming Friday, April 26th. Other details dissected from the photo features the iconic Wayne Industries tower with the more familiar logo from the Arkham series resting on the front of the building. Along with the copyright for both DC Comics and Epic Games stamped on the bottom of the image. Assuming that Epic Games is on there primarily due to the game being sculpted using Unreal Engine as like preceding titles from Rocksteady Studios. User Ibuki on ResetEra speculating that the watermark could possibly be implying the game’s confirmation on PC for the Epic Games Store. Do you think this is the official Rocksteady game or just another fan-crafted hoax? Source: ResetEra
Multiple Projects In Development At Rockstar Games
The consistency of when Rockstar Games’ developed titles release or at the very least receive an announcement is highly unpredictable as the publisher doesn’t have a timeframe to be met for certain events such as E3 or Gamescom. Rather, the multiple studios under Houser Brothers tend to take their time when working on their next project. According to a developer from Rockstar India, there are multiple projects that are currently in development that have yet to reveal what exactly these games are or will be. Abhinav Raj Karanwal who is an animator at the Bangalore-based branch for Rockstar Games have detailed through his resumè to be a Senior Animator on multiple unannounced games for the developer. For what exactly Rockstar Games has in development is in the air as of now. Looking back to last year, one likeliness at what is currently in development is the long-awaited sequel to publisher’s 2006 title, Bully. Back in October, it was discovered that casting calls for the alleged follow-up was held in the United Kingdom for young-adult roles to motion capture. There has yet to be any other addition information supporting if this is legitimate or not. Other speculated titles that many fans are eager to jump on is the inevitable Grand Theft Auto VI. While many still play 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V, fans are eager for the next installment in the franchise. Some predicting that the next game will follow in IV & V’s footsteps by revisiting already know locales with this one to return to Vice City. But according to Dan Houser, it doesn’t look too bright for GTA 6 in our future seeing his previous statement regarding to release a new title in this current political climate. One game that can be confirmed not to be in development now is the decade-long shelfed title Agents. Despite the publisher holding onto the game’s domain for 10 years, Rockstar Games did not hesitate to renew the game’s trademark and dropped the rights to the name back in November. What are your thoughts on what Rockstar Games could possibly be working on next? Source: Reddit
