Review: Ni-Oh 2

Developer –Team Ninja Publisher – Koei Tecmo Platforms – PS4, PS5, PC Nioh was a great game when it was released in 2017. It’s blend of type character action and punishing difficulty created a unique action experience. Team Ninja took elements inspired by Dark Souls, and it’s own legendary series Ninja Gaiden. It had a robust loot system, a superb blend of fantasy an history. Nioh 2 opts for a style of sequel you’d expect from classic action games of the PS2 era. It was a time of many classic action games had sequels that took the existing formula, and made sure to not ruin a good thing. Nioh takes place several decades prior to the previous title. Instead of William, you play as a new protagonist of your own creation, and quickly are introduced to the concept of being a hybrid. Part human, part Yokai. This story element is also the games biggest evolution from the previous title, being part Yokai leads to the biggest gameplay departures. Gone are the living weapons from the original, in their place is the ability to transform into three distinct Yokai forms. Each one has several unique abilities and combo strings. The Yokai form also dictates the next biggest gameplay change, the Yokai counter. Each form allows you to counter Yokai’s normally unblockable attacks. These parries are all different, one acting more as an interrupt, and another more of a direct counter. Like the original game, these additions aren’t just added for excitement and flair, but they are crucial to making any real progress as Nioh 2 ramps up the difficulty quite a bit. The other significant gameplay addition, is the ability to capture Yokai souls. Every single Yokai in this game, from the adorable Kodama’s and every single boss, can be captured and used as new abilities. This new system, the Yokai forms all fold into everything from the previous game such as Guardian Spirits, Ki bursts, weapon stances and more to create an incredible layer of depth. As a returning veteran, the new gameplay mechanics help establish a new learning curve, and it was a much welcome layer of depth to a combat system I’d grown comfortable with. New players I feel might have a hard time, because the sheer amount of mechanics Nioh 2 throws at you can be a bit intimidating. Nioh 2 does feature an excellent index, and it tries in several ways to explain it’s mechanics to players, but it certainly isn’t afraid to take the training gloves off and punish you if you don’t pay attention. Outside of these changes, Nioh 2’s story is told in familiar fashion, you move around a map of Feudal Japan and advance through main and side missions told through several chapters. Your custom character does not speak, and as a mouth piece named Tochikiro. Tochikiro is an Amrita merchant who befriends you, an the pair of you roll around with historical figures such as Nobunaga, and experience the rise and fall of his empire. Although most of the story takes place 50 years before the first, Nioh 2 is not a prequel. To say anything more would give too much away, but rest assured this story is all encompassing and features plenty of callbacks to the original game in smart ways. Nioh 2 also features improved visuals, and despite reusing some gear and stages, more than makes up for it with tons of brand new stages, bosses and loot everywhere. Quality of life features are abound. The much maligned coop experience of Nioh is vastly improved. Right out of the gate playing with friends is made much easier, and the coop has even been expanded to three players. If you don’t have friend around, special graves will allow you to summon NPC’s based on other players to assist during stages. Nioh 2 also features excellent inventory management, filters and runs great on a base or Pro model. Sometimes sequel innovate in drastic measures, and sometimes they can lose sight of what made the original great. Nioh 2 may seem like an expansion upon first glance. Dig any deeper and it’s easy to see the bevy of new gameplay features, a great an expansive new campaign, and tons of quality of life updates truly help Nioh 2 stand above it’s predecessor. Editors note ** PC and PS5 versions including all DLC were released February 2021. This blurb covers those sections. Nioh 2 finally returns to PC and it’s a delight. Even on modest PC’s the game runs fantastic, and PC support has been stellar. Ultrawide support, high framerates and a ton of options let players tailor the experience. Even better, Nvidia DLSS 2.0 support is included, and it makes the image quality increase greatly while still running smooth. On PS5 Nioh 2 runs the 4K mode at a locked 60 frames or action mode at 120. All the DLC and post release content is included, and overall this collection takes a great game and truly pushes it to new heights. Nioh 2 is incredible, and no matter what platform you play on, it ‘s the best action game by a mile.

Review: Gears Tactics

Developer – Splash Damage Publisher – Xbox Game Studios Platforms – PC Halo was a first person shooter for many years. It established a set of heroes, villains, weapons, and factions. Microsoft saw fit to take that universe and make a title that appealed to a more PC player base. Halo Wars was born, and despite the move to RTS, the world of Halo was faithfully represented. Gears of War has been a third person shooter, most would say it is “THE” third person shooter. Innovating with it’s stop and pop gameplay and it’s unique brand of destroyed beauty. COG’s, Locusts, grizzled veterans and young upstarts, the Gears franchise is full of great characters, villains, and features a complicated world to play with. Once again, as Microsoft embraces PC gaming, developer Splash Damage took Gears, and embraced a decidedly PC focused genre, turn based tactics. Right away the X-Com inspiration is readily apparent. The familiar vocabulary of half and full cover, over watch, and everybody’s favorite 90% chance to hit but still missing shot. Once the initial comparisons are made, very big differences make themselves known. Gears Tactics first and foremost is telling a story not unlike one you would find in any proper Gears title. It’s set 12 years before the first game, a COG named Gabe Diaz, father to Gears 5 protagonist Kate, is relegated to motor pool. When the war against the Locust break out, he is tasked with hunting down a Locust leader named Ukkon. As supplies and manpower is limited, a veteran named Sid accompanies Gabe as he is tasked with building his own force of COGS strong enough to tackle this emerging threat. The story is told with beautifully rendered cut-scenes and various story sequences interspersed through three acts. This strong focus on a linear campaign with set heroes is a big departure from most games that follow X-Com and its well established formula. Due to the heavy story influence, the meta layer of global conquest is absent from Gears Tactics. In fact, Tactics does away with any real meta layer at all. After every mission, you can recruit regular COGS to fill out your ranks, and these foot soldiers can be customized in terms of name and appearance. In between major story missions, several side missions will be offered that offer different rewards. The gimmick being, no one character can be used for multiple side missions in one act. This small but crucial rule ensures that a full roster is maintained and balanced. Instead of relying purely on your hero units, focusing on building and getting to know your full roster will be key to victory. The lack of a meta-layer also doesn’t keep Tactics from being a deep title by any means. Each character is divided into one of multiple classes. Each class has a huge and diverse skill tree that focuses on four different disciplines. As you advance down that skill tree, you will accumulate a massive list of passive and active traits and abilities. Knowing each of these passives, and taking advantage of them in battle is the key to success or failure in many instances. For example, Mikayla, my primary sniper has many abilities that allow her to link her moves an gain action points per turn. In one turn, she can chain shot, which allows her two bonus actions if she downs a target. Then I can follow that up by a special skill that gives her a free reload if she downs another target. Then I can use those spare movement points to possibly down several more units. If I use it properly, I can take down an entire group of Locusts in one turn, therefore giving the rest of my team the advantage to set-up for the next wave of enemies or divert to explore the map and find new gear and upgrades. All of these tools are vital, because the Locust are just as varied and numerous as they can be in any Gears campaign. Emergence holes can sometimes spawn big groups, and it isn’t uncommon to fight against a dozen opponents all at once. Gears Tactics also does a great job of keeping the feel of the franchise. Drop dead gorgeous visuals and sound design bring the action to life. Executions and chainsaw lancers are just as gory and over the top as they’ve ever been. The story is well told, and despite it being much longer than a standard Gears campaign, they find interesting ways to have big set piece moments and boss fights to keep it interesting for it’s length. The only knock I really have, is that most missions can be quite long, and without a strategic phase between missions it can feel like a chore to just churn out mission after mission of relentless combat. Gears Tactics succeeds in adapting the existing formula for a new genre, and it hopefully provides an excellent foundation that they can hopefully build off for the future.

Review: One Piece Pirate Warriors 4

Developer –Koei Tecmo Games, Omega Force Publisher – Bandai Namco Platforms – PC – Reviewed, PS4, Xbox One, Switch I will admit right upfront, I have never watched a single episode of One Piece, nor have I had the opportunity to play the previous spin-offs based on the beloved anime and manga. I am however, extremely familiar with the Warriors titles. I’ve long been a fan, and it’s been great watching Omega Force develop and use licenses in great ways through the years. When I first booted this up, I honestly wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The very opening of the game, where I’m playing as Luffy and I’m going full Mr. Fantastic with my insane limbs, instantly sold me on the appeal of the franchise. As the roster grew, mission after mission, it was pretty easy to see why One Piece was such a great fit for the Warriors style of beat em up. Even the story premise is pretty straight forward. Luffy eats this strange fruit, giving him his insane assortment of powers that he wants to use to build a Pirate crew to help him become the King of all pirates. What quickly follows is an nothing short of absurd, but despite how “anime” everything gets, One Piece Warriors does a pretty good job of keeping the story concise. As a complete newcomer, each character feels very well developed, and all of their motivations are told in various sub missions and through in game cutscenes. Now obviously it’s not recreating the show one to one, but it was a sufficient motivation to continue the story, and find some new favorite characters along the way. Gameplay wise, One Piece Warriors differentiates from the traditional formula by the sheer audacity of it’s characters. Various combo strings, special moves and super abilities are all cranked to 11. It’s not uncommon for a single combo string to reach into the triple digits. air combat has always been a bit of a stickler in Warriors combat, but this is the first real attempt Omega Force has done to address that issue. Every character has varying degrees of in depth air juggles and combo opportunities. It fits perfectly, because the combat is tough to keep contained on a ground level in most instances. One Piece also features various major boss battles, sometimes they even happen one on one. These battles use a lock on feature and are home to some of the more intense set piece moments. One Piece 4 also features a variety of modes. Outside of story mode, you have side stories that tackle the roster with more depth so that every character has their chance to shine. An online coop mode features massive fights that allow up to 4 players online to battle together. All progress is then carried back into your single player campaign. Local coop and online story coop is also present, although once again the online could use some work. It’s a bit cumbersome, an although it works, staying connected from mission to mission is much tougher than it should be for a modern online game. Visually, this game is a treat. On PC, the game runs perfectly. The game’s characters shine, with tons of expressive faces, and special moves that fill the screens with stuff I certainly never expected to see before. One Piece is bizarre, amusing and absurd, but it’s also pretty fun and lighthearted. Omega Force did a great of of bringing these characters to life, and as a complete stranger to this franchise, Warriors 4 has sold me on it pretty convincingly.

How To Make Your Gaming Experience More Fun

There’s much fun to be had when it comes to gaming. Indeed, so long as you have your hardware and a game you can enjoy, then it’s pretty difficult not to have a fun time! However, with that being said, it’s also important to remember that there are always ways to push your gaming experience even further forward. From improving the internet speed and connection with cable and internet bundles, to enhancing your gaming room, there are so many things you can do. In this blog, we’ll take a look at a few tips that’ll help to take your gaming experience to the next level. Pexels – CC0 Licence Create the Space There’s a big difference between playing a game while you’re sitting in an old wooden chair at a cramped desk, and playing one with a super comfortable chair at a desk that has been designed with gaming in mind. So take a look at improving your gaming setup. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but can make a big difference! If you have money to spare, then a gaming chair can make a huge difference, because it’ll help to keep you comfortable even after you’ve been playing for many hours. You’ll also want to keep your desk area clean and spacious: it’s just so much nicer to play when you’re not surrounded by clutter. The Right Tech As well as the space, you’ll want to check that you’ve got all the right tech that’ll allow you to play your best, too. If you’re playing on a PC, then there can be a big difference in your experience depending on what’s going on under the hood. If you’ve got a slow processor or inferior graphics card, then you just won’t be able to play as well as the players who have an optimized machine. Take a read of what the best option for your budget will be, and make the investment. Also, don’t forget the power of fast internet! There’s just nothing worse than trying to play online when you have to battle against a slow or inconsistent internet connection. If your enjoyment of gaming is being interrupted by poor internet, then look at making a few changes. This could involve changing providers (there’s usually a few available) or moving to a different room, one that’s closer to the router. In some cases, that won’t be possible, at which point a wifi extender will help. From Game to Game Do you ever notice how you can be playing so well at one game, but then, when you switch to play another game, it seems like you’re awful, even if you’ve played the game before? It’s something that a lot of people have to deal with. While there’ll always be a period where you need to get up to speed with the new game, it could also be an issue with your mouse that’s causing the issue. Different games require different mouse sensitivity in order to play correctly. When you’re switching games, look at using a free mouse sensitivity converter to find the optimal settings. It’ll help to smoothen the transition between games, and will help to reduce any feelings of frustration!  Branching Out We all get into a habit of playing just one or two games. It usually happens because we found them so brilliant in the beginning, and then just can’t tear ourselves away. Eventually it just becomes the default game that we play. While there’s nothing wrong with loving one game, it’s true that they can become less than enjoyable after a while; yet we’re so close to the game that it’s virtually all we think about when it comes to gaming. It’s a bit like those people that watch Friends over and over again. However, part of the fun of gaming is challenging ourselves and seeing what else is out there. So if you feel as if you’re getting hooked on playing just one game (or type of game), then look at branching out. You might just find that there have been a bunch of new and amazing games that have come out since you last looked!  Stay On Top Of Developments As well as the latest games, also look at staying on top of all the developments that affect the gaming world. This is one of the most exciting industries in the world, and there are always new and exciting things coming out. For example, while things like virtual reality headsets might be in their infancy right now, there’s no denying that they’re improving all the time. You can keep up with the latest news and developments by reading blogs and watching YouTube channels.  Streaming Options Have you ever thought about streaming your gaming experience? It can be a lot of fun. It’s not about building a huge audience or making a career out of it (though you never know!), more about just having a good time. Even if no-one watches them, it’ll be fun to look back on later on down the line. This can be enjoyable because it kind of keeps your mind sharp, and it’s as if you’re talking to your friends, even though you might be the only one playing.  Take a Break Sometimes, the best thing that we can do is to take a little break. It doesn’t matter how much you love something; there’s rarely little lost by taking a break for a week or two. This is especially recommended for those people that have become a little tired by gaming, or if they’re just no longer reaching the same heights of happiness. This can usually be scary, since people think that they’re losing interest in something that has formed a big part of their life! But in reality, walking away for a week just builds the excitement back up. Think of it like driving: if you drove for seven days straight, you’d be ready to go for a walk, but then it wouldn’t be long before

Tim Schafer Confirms Grim Fandango, Day Of The Tentacle, And Full Throttle Remasters To Hit Xbox In 2020

When it comes to Tim Schafer’s creative mind from his time working at LucasArts prior to the founding of Double Fine Productions, most of his know projects already received respected remasters. However, these reimagings only made it as far as PC, PlayStation 4, and Apple devices. But now the same titles are expecting a new home on Xbox later this year. Speaking with IGN’s Executive Editor of previews Ryan McCaffrey, he tells that Grim Fandango Remastered, Full Trottle Remastered, and Day of the Tentacle Remastered will all be shipping to Microsoft’s platform sometime in the coming months. Prior to the livestream airing, McCaffrey shares the news in a post on Twitter. The announcement is pretty exhilarating to say the least for Xbox owners and it comes to make sense since the Schafer’s studio, Double Fine Productions, is now a part of Xbox Game Studios first-party network. What echoes to have taken so long looks to be previous marketing for the properties as the team initially partnered with Sony earlier on following the announcement of Psychonauts 2, but now that looks to have been dismantled. The announcement does also potentially ensue that the titles mentioned could perhaps hit the next-generation Xbox Series X as well. McCaffrey only stating ‘Xbox’ does leave room to suggest more than one platform. And with the team being a first-part developer, it is a possibility to think over. Regardless, that is only speculation that should not be taken as fact until properly disclosed by Double Fine productions or Microsoft. Regarding the anticipated sequel to Double Fine Productions’ 2005 release, Schafer shared previously in July that the scheduled 2019 release date had to be pushed to the coming year as the studio asks for more time to work on the game towards the final product. You can read the full report by heading here. What of the remasters are you interested in picking up first on Xbox?

Codemasters Confirms PlayStation 4 & 5 Versions For Dirt 5

Last week, we learned about the upcoming lineup of marketed properties that will be shipping for the Xbox Series X during the latest Inside Xbox presentation. During the first few announcement made, Codemasters made an appearance to share that Dirt 5 will be coming to Xbox One alongside the approaching Xbox Series X and PC. While the game was also suspected to be shipping with other versions of the game, the team finally addressed it for Sony in a recent blog post. Over on PlayStation Blog, Codemasters’ Community Manager Chris Groves shares that the next mainline entry for the series will debut for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 later on in the coming months. “Hey there! It’s Chris Groves here, the lead Social and Community Manager for Dirt 5, launching later this year on PS4 and PS5,” Groves announces at the beginning of the post. Aside from the prominent news regarding the game to ship outside of Xbox platform and PC, Groves goes on to disclose more aspects on the upcoming racer. For starters, Groves amplifies the overall feel of the game to be like no other, sharing that the coming release will offer experiences that makes Dirt 5 unique. And the substance also is told to vary from prior entries. He adds that the aesthetic style o the game ranging from the cars, locales, and music tracks will grasp player attention even more than what already roared the fanbase from the announcement trailer. Groves then reiterates on the revealed partnership with Nolan North & Troy Baker for the story-based career mode by sharing that “[Dirt 5] will set the scene for you to rise from obscurity to infamy, but not everyone you meet is willing to share the spotlight.” Unlike with Microsoft’s hardware, however, Sony nor Codemasters has yet to confirm if cross-buy support will be applied to Dirt 5 as of reporting. The game does support it for Xbox One & Xbox Series X via Smart Delivery. Developer Hardsuit Labs also acted upon disclosing information on opposing hardware previously at separate times. A day after the initial next0generation announcement at Microsoft’s show, the Seattle developer shared that PlayStation 5 can expect its own version of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 to ship later on. You can read the full report by heading here. Which system are you hitting the track with for Dirt 5? Dirt 5 is shared to release sometime in October 2020 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Source: PlayStation Blog

Former Rockstar Games & Naughty Dog Developer Makes Way To The Initiative According To LinkedIn

Although the current whereabouts for The Initiative on its upcoming project from the Santa Monica studio is nowhere to be seen, we are well aware of the talent that continues to be recruited for the Xbox Game Studios developer. The most recent report, again, is sourced by a finding through a LinkedIn profile which reveals the next addition to the studio’s growing roster of employees. The information came to surface from @BethWilder26 who shared the profile of former Rockstar Games & now Naughty Dog developer Francisco Aisa García. Taken from García’s experience listings, it shares that he worked at Rockstar Games, presumably Rockstar North, where he worked on the most recent entries from the developer. Primarily, García was positioned as an AI/Gameplay Programmer for Grand Theft Auto V and the more recent Red Dead Redemption 2. However, García left his position for Naughty Dog in early 2019. While no projects are listed for his time at the Santa Monica-based team as a Gameplay Programmer, it is suspected that García worked on the current project the team is tackling, The Last of Us Part II. Now coming close to the game’s arrival next month that Sony Interactive Entertainment announced recently, García now moves on to new and uncharted horizons at The Initiative. García shares to be taking the role as Senior Gameplay Engineer at The Initiative, his LinkedIn profile reveals. That is where the trail ends as no more details can be dissected from his account. Howbeit, we did learn from a separate employee that departed from the team with some details on what this new project is. You can read the full uncovering by heading here. What do you think about yet another good addition for The Initiative? Source: LinkedIn

Developers Can Utilize Cross-Play Technology From Fortnite With Newly Launched Epic Online Service

The discussion of players interacting in online lobbies with players from different platforms has become a primary pursuit for countless studios that offer matchmaking for their respected titles. However, this new initiative to integrate systems with cross-platform play has been an obstacle fairly difficult to achieve. Even after the fact that Sony officially opened the gates previously in October, teams still run into a wall to properly introduce the implementation to their title. Howbeit, now it looks that this hurdle might finally be able to overcome for any studios as Epic Games announced to officially be releasing its self-named Online Service today. Although the company is recognized for its top of the line Unreal Engine, Epic Games shares that the service is compatible with all engines to properly execute cross-platform play. Our mission is to enable developers to achieve the quality and depth of cross-platform experiences that we’ve built for Fortnite, and to make the services available for free for use with all engines, all stores, and all account services. Epic Games goes to elaborate that the service will be available to support the current lineup of console hardware alongside PC & Mac as well. But, Android alongside iOS is currently on the way as the platforms are told to be “coming soon.” The firm goes on to disclose that Epic Online Services is divided into two categories: Game Services and Epic Account Services. The first is presented to be able to implement conjure primitive game elements such as matchmaking, leaderboards and player data storage. The services is expected to expand with in-game voice chat and other additions in later updates. The latter Epic Account Services is told to be where other desirable features previously troubling to reach are. Elements such as friends lists, cross-play support, and “interoperable with console account systems” are what developers can now integrate into their own respected projects now thanks to the opening for Epic Online Services. In a conjoined announcement made today, Epic Games also revealed that the next iteration of Unreal Engine will be shipping in 2021. The firm shared the first look at Unreal Engine 5 with a tech demo performing on PlayStation 5; which you can view by heading here. What games do you hope to see interpret cross-platform play into their multiplayer? Source: Epic Games

Mafia II: Definitive Edition Listed On Xbox Store For May Release Next Week

Today looks to be overflowing with new information regarding the approaching full reveal for the Mafia: Trilogy that developer Hanger 13 shared earlier this morning. Although the additional details shared are accidental, that does not discount their legitimacy at the slightest. Instead, the information spared comes directly from publisher 2K who is presumed to have made the mistake. According to a listing on the Xbox Store, the website reveals that Mafia II: Definitive Edition is a standing property after being unearthed on eastern rating boards for the past month now. The listing as expected also comes with in-game rendered screenshots for the title with a reworked engine resembling the Havok engine used for the later Mafia III. A similar story occurred for 2002’s Mafia with the Mafia: Definitive Edition emerging on the same domain recently. However, while the first segment of the trilogy is listed to ship this coming August, Mafia II on the other hand looks to be arriving this approaching Tuesday, May 19. The listed release date looks to be a surprise that Hanger 13 was planning to save for the full Mafia: Trilogy reveal next week. “Remastered in stunning HD detail, live the life of a gangster during the Golden-era of organized crime. War hero Vito Scaletta becomes entangled with the mob in hopes of paying his father’s debts. Alongside his buddy Joe, Vito works to prove himself, climbing the family ladder with crimes of larger reward, status and consequence,” the synopsis shared in the listing reads. It is suspected that alike with many remastered or reimagined projects for newer hardware, Mafia II: Definitive Edition will include its slew of additional content that shipped with the game on Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3. That includes the spin-off story The Betrayal of Jimmy & Jimmy’s Vendetta alongside the side story in Joe’s Adventures taking place during Vito’s sentencing in the latter of the game’s base story. Are you planning on revisiting Empire Bay when this game drops? Mafia II: Definitive Edition is currently listed for Xbox One. Source: Microsoft Store

Listing On Xbox Store Shares Look At Mafia: Definitive Edition Ahead Of Full Reveal, Listed For August Release

Earlier this morning, Mafia developer Hanger 13 shared the teaser trailer for Mafia: Trilogy. The game shared to be a remaster bundle including Mafia II and Mafia III. Taken from the titling of the project, it was suspected that Hanger 13 purposefully left out the remaining inaugural entry for the series, Mafia. The game shipped back in 2002 and to be receiving a remaster with expected looks for the latter entries shared today. The trailer provided only held as a teaser as the studio announced to be doing a full showcase for the complete trilogy on May 19 this coming Tuesday. From that, it is expected that the first gameplay for the assumed Mafia: Definitive Edition would be taking place in that trailer next week. However, it seems the surprised was spoiled through an online listing. Heading over to the Xbox Store reveals that the Mafia: Definitive Edition is in fact legitimate and hands over some in-game screenshots for the title as well. Taken from the images, it looks that the game is presumed to be using the current Havok Engine that Hanger 13 utilized for 2016’s Mafia III. “Re-made from the ground up, rise through the ranks of the Mafia during the Prohibition era of organized crime,” the synapse for the game reads in the listing. After a run-in with the mob, cab driver Tommy Angelo is thrust into a deadly underworld. Initially uneasy about falling in with the Salieri crime family, Tommy soon finds that the rewards are too big to ignore.” The original Mafia title despite is support to birth a sequel in 2010 still happens to be one of the lesser played entries from the series. The game following the role of a taxi driver before being initiated into the cities mob and climbing the ranks of the syndicate underbelly of the 1930’s set city. The listing goes to suggest the game’s release is for August 27 later this year. Are you planning on picking up Mafia: Definitive Edition in the coming summer? Mafia: Definitive Edition is currently listed for Xbox One. Source: Microsoft Store