Vampyr Review, A Gothic mix of Lovecraft, The Crow & Blade

Vampyr (PC, PS4, Xbox One) (Rated Mature)

A lot of games seem promising, especially when their ideas are so original and refreshing. Even more so when mixed with ideas and mechanics players already love, or long for. The idea of a game set in Victorian London with a dark, brooding and gothic tone. Especially one where you're a Vampire who has to choose to embrace and become a monster, to be a savior, or simply try to survive and live as humanly as possible. Well, that is as enticing as game ideas can get. 

You start the game having been attacked by a mysterious vampire, and shortly after as your in the fog of turning from human to vampire... You drain your sister of her life. After that, you're pursued by hunters and police, and inturn learn the game's combat and basic gameplay mechanics, which will feel very familiar to anyone who has played Fable 2. In fact beyond combat, the game's structure and approach to a morality system are incredibly close to Fable 2, with a dialog system that is heavily reminiscent of a Bioware game. The game takes place in a small open world environment, however it's size is immediately forgivable due to its incredible sense of detail and brooding atmosphere. The world feels inspired by many great gothic tales set in Victorian London, as well as stories like The Crow and Blade. 

The game's tone may feature some comic moments, but it is far removed from Fable's childlike & silly sense of adventure. This is a gloomy gothic tale, one which you are free to shape in more ways than most games allow. For example, while combat is not totally avoidable, you can find non-violent creative solutions to some encounters, or simply sneak through a lot of the game using your stealth vampiric abilities. However, I would say you'd be missing out on some of the game's best aspects. Combat in Vampyr is viscerally satisfying, with accessible controls and a level of challenge that is foreboding, but never off-putting. While offering a wide range of options and abilities for the more advanced player. But no matter your skill, combat always looks and feels rewarding and intense, which is a tough feat to accomplish. Although there were rare times that it seemed like the controls were not entirely responsive, whether that is a bug, glitch or due to design, I can not determine. 

The story sadly cannot quite reach the heights that most players will be expecting, at least when compared to other heavily story driven titles. Still, it delivers many satisfying arcs, and many diverse choices that are more satisfying than disappointing. I am sure there will be those who are disappointed in the game's simplicity of the moral choices available. Still, the story is well acted, written and presented in a very refreshing manner, mainly due to the game's story, ideas, and setting. You simply do not see games like this. Those who love gothic tales maybe slightly dismissive of the stories unmet potential, as for all its originality, it does follow very familiar story beats. But it is forgivable, not because this is the only game like this, but because the game is genuinely fun. The game also does something with its evil choices few games attempt. They depict even the worst person you could make a meal of, into a human being. While they do this in an ultimately minimal fashion, it nevertheless adds weight to your vile actions, should you choose that path. Something the entire game does well on all fronts as a matter of fact, is it's attention and response to the player's choices, and my are the choices plenitful. 

No matter your actions, those choices will have some matter of consequence on the story, and a great deal of these consequences are very impactful. You are free to approach most objectives in a few ways, you could play the game like a Victorian-era Blade, slaying any monster you see becoming a powerful vigilante. Or, you could feed off the innocent people of London, embracing your true monstrous nature. You could even try to simply stay as human as possible, and just survive and live as a Dr during the Spanish Plague that is infecting Victorian London. Though this option features the least choices, and still requires combat at certain sections. It is also the slowest paced option, although it often leads you to make a choice. Be good and help others, or drain them to become as powerful as possible. No matter how you choose to play, you will be using some very cinematic abilities, that feel original while providing the types of abilities a player would expect in an Action Role Playing Game. Which at the end of this day is what Vampyr is, this is a game with a fairly heavy focus on combat. Those wondering whether or not the game's combat is on the relaxing side ala Fable, or on the more strategic and tense side of something like Bloodbourne, will find that it has a satisfying and often unseen middle ground.

Which is something that I suspect many players will be disappointed with, combat is required and while it is avoidable to a degree as mentioned, it is still an extremely large part of the game. Which for a game that advertises the choice of action, and tries to sell you on your choices as a player, it does end up limiting your actions, in that oh so familiar way. Choices are generally either good, evil, or a form of grey, I do not mind this kind of choose your own adventure storytelling. In fact, I find it has a certain kind of charm that I really enjoy, still, it does not reinvent the wheel in any way. I also think some may feel slighted at the blunt and obvious nature of most choices. Still the story is engaging due to a fascinating setting, with a very detailed and original lore, world building and the characters that populate that world, is something Vampyr nails at damn near every turn. Even if the basic plot is heavily formulaic. It is how the world feels alive due to your actions, that makes London a city you will not want to leave, few games manage to make your choices and actions feel as relevant as they do in Vampyr.

Vampyr is a game that has issues, it's base plot is merely above average, and combat can feel clunky in sporadic moments. Visually however though, the game is actually quite beautiful, it features a unique and rarely seen style, yet it does lack detail and features a good amount of lower resolution textures, character animations outside of combat are also lacking. Loading times are perhaps the game's worst fault, which is saying something, as there are no major bugs or issues to be found. The only fault which is even noticeable is that the loading screens can be fairly intrusive, and lengthy. Yet, in spite of the game's shortcomings. I found an experience that was perfectly paced, and always giving me the desire to push forward into this highly atmospheric world. 

Vampyr is the kind of game we rarely get anymore, one made with sheer passion and devotion, not to check boxes to make a game to that will sell based on statistics or data, but based on "dude wouldn't this be such a badass game?". This is a game made by people who truly love the art form, and truly love playing fun games. Every second you play Vampyr you can feel that sense of love and adoration for gaming, and that is what makes every moment an absolute treasure. These are the kinds of games that need our support, ones made by gamers like you and me, who simply want to create the kind of experiences they loved and longed for. Made on and budget and with a team that is minuscule in comparison to something like God Of War. Yet it is as enjoyable and fun for all the reasons GOW is, it may not reach those insane heights, but it shows that games do not need mega budgets or teams, to craft something that reminds gamers why they adore the medium. I loved growing my vampiric powers and seeing how the story played out for me, and I was enthralled enough to want to play again right after it was all over.

I get hesitant about a lot of games, most like this are more of a letdown than any kind of good experience. Yet, there are a few that are hidden treasures that could very well become buried by larger titles. There are only two series game that even touches on this type of subject matter, both are close to being two decades old. Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines, which had so much potential that was sadly never lived up to, and BloodRayne a fun if clunky hack and slash action game. Interestingly enough, I found that both games seemed to inspire very interesting portions of the game's lore and mechanics. Vampyr surprisingly exceeds any and all expectations, delivering an enthralling, lengthy, and highly character-driven action experience that should not be missed. These are the games that are disappearing from the market, without support we may not get original, and captivating niche titles like this.

The most underrated game of all time, Homefront The Revolution Review

Homefront The Revolution (Xbox One, PS4, PC) (Rated Mature)

(Video Review)

Never has a game's release been such grand evidence of what happens when a publisher pushes a developer to meet a deadline. Yet, in the madness that would have destroyed any other game; something downright spectacular happened to a game that launched as an unpolished mess. It was given new life by dedicated developers that knew this game only needed a bit of love and care, to bring out it's greatness. Homefront The Revolution is an open-world world first person shooter, which is a rebirth for developers Free Radical Design now known as Dambuster Studios, and the Homefront series that started with so much promise.

As the game begins you are introduced to a world in chaos, North Korea in this universe experienced the tech boom that took place in Silicon Valley in the real world; this led to North Korea creating a company known as Apex that is essentially Apple. They use their monopoly on the tech industry to install backdoors onto all their devices, which they use to launch a massive attack and seize control of the USA; a few years later your character is part of a resistance to take back control of the city of Philadelphia. The set up is excellent and provides a powerful enemy for the lowly rebellion to take on, which adds to the games guerrilla warfare atmosphere. Something that we have rarely seen, and never in the way that Homefront The Revolution presents.

After the game's cold open you will spend around two hours or so, really getting a feel for the controls and general gameplay mechanics. While movement and combat is not a far cry from most modern first person shooter's, it is how everything comes together that provides an experience that is fairly unique in the genre's landscape. While it does inevitability feel similar to the latest entries in the Far Cry series, it is the context and setting that make this game feel more like Skyrim than any other shooter on the market. The real meat of this game is exploring a dilapidated war-torn city and taking it back, you do this by scavenging for supplies and raiding military installations. Certain areas of the city are pure war zones, with the rebelling forces pushing back the opposition simply by raiding key points on the map; others still have people trying to just live their lives. In these areas, you must first inspire others to take up arms against their oppressors, before you can begin dismantling the occupying forces.

To do this you rescue civilians from the evil KPA the Korean People's Army, you sabotage their power sources, you hack their infrastructure and of course you kill the shit out of them. This all brings your hearts and minds meter up, which will allow you to broadcast a message to inspire the people to rise up once the meter is full. Which is quite impressive. I was surprised at how well the game's objectives fit into the world's narrative, every objective made me feel more immersed into this dark, gritty war-torn landscape. The game furthers its impressive sense of immersion with the visceral feeling that all in-game actions have. You feel the weight of your bolt cutters when cutting through a pesky padlock, the savage impact of your blade plunging into a guard's neck, and the kickback from your trusty M4 during frenetic gun battles.

You can lone wolf your way through the game with a stealth approach, or you could recruit some A.I resistance members to back you up for an all out assault. Not only is your approach up to you, but you can customize your weapons to your liking with a plethora of attachments, each weapon has multiple modes to switch between offering you greater flexibility. Your M4, for example, is capable of switching to a magnetic mine mode and a light machine gun variation, each weapon has it's own pros and cons which means it will be your play style that dictates your weapon preferences, as there all satisfying and functional.

You can sprint, jump and clamber over obstacles fairly well, though climbing and platforming can be a bit cumbersome, still during combat you are able to move around fluidly leading to some very exciting combat encounters. This is a game that is about staying constantly on the move, if your stationary for too long your as good as dead. As far as a game providing realistic guerrilla style combat, Homefront The Revolution is the first to really nail this kind of shooting gameplay. Which is what separates it from the set piece driven shooters that over saturate the market today, the feeling of running headfirst into an intense combat engagement guns blazing, leveling the opposition and then dashing away to hit another location is something that only a handful of other FPS's offer.

Beyond all your weapons and gadgets you also have access to motorbikes which are very useful, you can easily speed through each of the game's locales and hop off to engage in a quick act of sabotage then blaze off into the day or night, as the game has a natural day and night cycle, along with dynamic weather effects. The game's visuals are of course extremely beautiful given this is a game made on the Crytek engine, lighting effects are superb and characters animate well; yet at the game's launch, there were quite a few visual bugs and glitches, the worst offender being the sluggish frame rate. The game was playable, but it was one of the roughest games I have played this generation. Nevertheless, the game was such a diamond in the rough due to its meticulous gameplay design and a solid atmospheric foundation, that it was still worth playing bugs and all.

Thankfully as of November 2016, the game's worst issues have all been corrected for the most part. The frame rate is now consistent in most gameplay scenarios, although during the game's most hectic and bombastic onscreen actions things will still occasionally slow down, but never to the extent it had before; visual bugs were also so infrequent that I never noticed one. I have yet to even mention the game's interesting cooperative mode that has it's own missions and characters, basically, this is the campaign but made even tougher and meant to played with teamwork. Many labeled this game dead on arrival, yet they could not have been further from the truth.

It is a shame that the publishers lacked the faith that it would have taken to give this game more development time, yet in spite of all the obstacles in this game's path it has surpassed them and done something few games have ever accomplished, it rose from the ashes and is not only playable but is a masterwork of the genre.  

A game for us & our time, Watch Dogs 2 Review (Game Of The Year 2016)

Watch Dogs 2 (Xbox One, PS4, PC) (Rated Mature)

Video Review

I can not remember the last time I grinned ear to ear like an idiot while playing a game. That level of fun is something most games chase after; yet it can be hard for a game to achieve that kind of joy, especially when the stories and gameplay mechanics seem designed for something else. While all games are enjoyable in one way or another. Most games fall into the category of being enjoyable for the level of satisfaction that playing achieves, while other games are fun just due to their very nature; great games manage to mix both elements, but these are rare and it is anyone's guess how to fit all those elements neatly together. The story's context has a great deal to do with the kind of enjoyment a game can offer, the first Watch Dogs had some extremely fun elements; yet it also had a fairly depressing story, and a great deal of cumbersome and boring gameplay elements.

The first game's story appeal was very limited, it appealed less to hackers and more to crime drama enthusiasts. Don't' get me wrong, I love a good crime drama and certain elements lend itself well to the hacker subculture; still, it fit less into the hacker genre being closer to a revenge thriller than anything else. Revenge stories can be many things, but fun is usually not one of them; this was the main complaint leveled at the first game, it just wasn't very fun; it had great ideas and it was well designed from a mechanical standpoint. Yet, it lacked that flavor that would make Watch Dogs more than a great concept, it needed a spark to make this a true franchise. Watch Dogs 2 has all that and a bag of potato chips brah, seriously Ubisoft has found a magic formula and they need to stick with it.

This no longer feels like a Far Cry/Assassin's Creed mash-up, Watch Dogs 2 has it's own identity and the only game that comes close to its gameplay style would be Skyrim.  This is a game about exploration, puzzle solving, player choice and creating general mayhem. Unlike the first entry which used its hacker setting as mere window dressing, Watch Dogs 2 fully embraces the culture of hacktivists. Which as it turns out is the perfect context for an open world game. The self-aware and satirical sense of humor that permeates the culture is on fine display here, while the writing may seem a bit hammy at times; it is perfect for the subject matter. Wisely Watch Dogs 2 forgoes a more complex plot oriented story, for great characters, witty dialogue and an atmosphere of pure unadulterated fun.  The performances from the entire cast are outstanding, Marcus Holloway is a terrific protagonist that is so easy to like due to the incredible performance given by Ruffin Prentiss. Marcus and his crew are among some of the most realized characters in gaming, Wrench is hilarious, Sitara is just as charming as a character can be and Josh, Josh will be a hero to Autistic gamers everywhere thanks to Jonathan Dubsky's scene stealing performance.

Few games manage to be this funny and have characters this well developed; you really get to know them during the course of the campaign, which can last anywhere from twenty to over a hundred hours. While the game has a tone that is very much comedic down to its core, this is a game that really uses it's satirical approach to the highest level possible. These characters are larger than life, and the things they say and do will leave you laughing so hard you forget to play the game. Yet, in spite of the game's blissful sense of fun; there is a very compelling story underneath all the jokes and meta humor. The story of kids, inexperienced basement dwellers as so many of us have been called, rising to meet the threat of oppression head on using their skill sets is inspiring and courageous; it is also a very timely story and Ubisoft knows it.

The setting is a no brainer, given the story's content there is no better place to be than the San Francisco Bay Area. Home to Apple and Google; this is the birth of the tech industry and not only a beautiful place to explore and lose yourself in, but one that naturally lends itself to the game's atmosphere of fun. This is one of the most gorgeous city's in the world, and the level of authenticity in which it was recreated is simply mind blowing. You could lose countless hours searching every nook and cranny for money, hidden music tracks and items that allow you to access upgrades for Marcus; or just lose your life living in one of the most lifelike in-game city's I have experienced. There are a few of mini-games, one that is solely focused on taking selfies in the game's many famous locales, motorbike races and another called Driver San Franciso that is the best Crazy Taxi knock off I have played in years; the fact that it is a satire on the uber service is just the icing on top of the cake.

Taking a page directly out of Skyrim's playbook, side missions are scattered throughout the entire game-world and each offer their own distinct story and objectives. They are so well done, I spent four hours doing nothing but side missions before I even finished the first major story mission. The game also has cooperative missions that you can play alone or with a friend, these lack the more story orientated structure of the side missions, but the ability to play these missions with a friend really alters the play dynamic to extremely satisfying results.  There are competitive modes that are integrated seamlessly into the game world, simply pull up your phone and you can engage a bounty hunting mission, or a hack invasion styled attack. These modes offer a great deal of fun due to the vastly different experiences they offer. We are used to all out war, but the intimate game of cat and mouse that these modes evolve to; is a very refreshing change of pace. Anything you can do solo, you can do competitively, and that means the options are endless.

Driving is a huge improvement over the first; this is not realistic, simulation driving. No this is blazing through intersections at one hundred miles an hour, feeling the wind in your face and your asshole puckering up arcade style fun. Once you get used to how the different cars, bikes, and boats handle you will be speeding through one of the most beautiful in-game worlds of this generation, with ease. You will also have an RC car and Quadcopter at your disposal, which gives the player a nearly infinite number of solutions to any of the game's varied objectives. Which is where the real fun of Watch Dogs 2 comes in, you are free to play anyway you see fit.

You have a stun gun, distraction aids, a brutal improvised melee weapon and some explosive treats along with other toys that will aid you in hacking your way through the city. You can choose to be an unseen force moving through the shadows and manipulating the environment subtlety, an anarchist who takes glee in causing untold havoc or, a warrior who will use any means necessary and any tool at your disposal to take down the threat. In keeping with the game's theme, you will have access to a 3D printer to create some very unique and personalizable firearms; you can pick up any of the enemies normal guns as well, and they all pack quite a punch thanks to some terrific animations and equally astounding sound design. Gun's have never sounded this realistic before and that's thanks to dynamic sound effects that react to your environment, which is an insane detail few games ever put thought into.

While combat is avoidable, it is impeccable nonetheless thanks to the first game's sound combat design; which has been superbly dialed in and when coupled with the game's organic play flow creates some the most natural action sequences, in any open world shooter. Using all your clever hacking abilities, like for example setting shocking non-lethal traps allows you to create some very interesting combat opportunities, which allows for flexible and inventive play styles. You are able to move fluidly through the world on foot, with some very flashy and ultimately satisfying pakour abilities which come in very handy in San Francisco. This is not Assassin's Creed though, so do not expect to scale every building you see; you have to use all your abilities including your gadgets to reach certain areas.

This may seem clunky and unintuitive at times; yet, it allows for a much more satisfying exploration-based puzzle solving experience. Marcus's animations are very lifelike which really helps immerse you into this world, nothing you do is so implausible that it breaks suspension of disbelief. Even the game's outlandish mission design makes sense due to the characters personality and the context of the story. This is the first game I have played where nearly every in-game action was plausible in real life, and the story elements are also ripped right out of our world.

Immersion is a big factor for these kinds of games, the ability to lose yourself living and exploring a virtual world is the reason many of us play games to begin with. A lot of game's fail to pay detailed attention to that sense of immersion, Watch Dogs 2 is a terrific example of a game that is meant to be immersive at its very core. Everything about this game captivated me, the relatable characters and classic underdog story of heroism is the perfect combination for a sandbox you'll never want to leave. 

Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness Review

Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4, PS3) (Rated Teen)

I can not remember the last time I played a JRPG that sucked me in as much as this one, perhaps it is because what makes these kind of games for me are the characters and story. Which is something that Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness does extremely well, when it comes to engaging characters that are both memorable and captivating, SOIAF has without a doubt some of the best I have seen in a long time. Yet that is not the only area where I was taken aback by the quality and execution, Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness boldly tries to change up the standard JRPG conventions, albeit in a very subtle and nuanced manner.

Something players will either love or hate, is how the story is told. Unlike many other JRPGS that use either text or cutscene heavy storytelling devices, you will rarely have control taken away from you during the game's many story segments. You will have full control of the camera and also you will be able to move your character around as well to a certain extent during these story sections. This does mean you can not read faster than the game can speak and skip through these scenes, you have to sit and watch them; yet, because of that, you have a certain level of interaction with the world during these scenes. which made me feel more immersed into the story because control was rarely ever taken away fully; but it is worth noting if you prefer a more movie-like cinematic storytelling style, that while this game still has plenty of those, they are far less than what fans of this genre may be used to.

What really did make the game's storytelling work, were the fantastic character animations and great performances that brought these characters to life. During any story event the characters really come alive when they are conversing with others; of course, that is due to some terrific writing, I loved the wit and how they have used such well-worn story tropes to give the characters such captivating personalities. The game's beautiful musical score along with some stunning art direction, really kept me hooked into this fantastic new world. The plot may be nothing new, but it did serve it's purpose well and gave the story and actions good motivation; which kept me constantly pressing on to see where these wonderful characters would end up next.

Of course, this is a video game after all so that means we need to discuss gameplay, which surprised me even more than the story did. The base gameplay revolves around traveling from town to town, slaying evil-doers and conquering dungeons all on your quest to save the world; so your basic JRPG formula at hard work here. While the basic mechanics will be familiar to any JRPG fanatic, combat is where Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness shines. I have not seen combat this fast and rhythmic, yet with such a good degree of strategy thrown into the mix. You will have a party of seven in total on your adventure and they all will join you in combat, you will control one of them while the rest are controlled by the A.I. You have access to some pretty sweet light and heavy combo attacks, but you also have some even more impressive battle skill attacks, which can be strung into a combo with your basic attacks. You also can do tandem attacks with your party members which is immensely satisfying to witness. Magic abilities are also included and they are not only visually beautiful, but fun to use as well.

You do have to pause the action to use items or certain special abilities, but this is honestly a good thing. Combat can be so fast and hectic that you need a breather here and there; especially during the game's challenging boss fights. In my opinion no matter what kind of game your playing, there always will be a certain amount of repetition, yet this game's combat system does avoid the tedium of lesser JRPGS. Most of the time boss fights are the most challenging aspect of these kinds of game's, and that does hold true here as well; yet combat has the benefit of not only being fun in the challenging and more strategic boss battles, but also while fighting weaker cannon fodder enemies, due the sheer enjoyment from watching these extremely visceral battles unfold. Seeing your party come together and fight in battle is always epic and extremely cinematic; if you enjoy real time combat systems in your JRPG'S I could recommend this game easily based on its superb combat alone.

Sadly the game does have a few things that I am not fond of, the leveling system for one is serviceable, yet it just felt like a chore to use. I loved gaining new abilities but, it could have been done far better; you have to find books to gain certain abilities which slows down progress to a halt and hurts ownership over your characters. It is not a huge issue, character progression to me has never been a major part of what makes these games; still, that is a player preference so it may be more of an issue for you. Visually the game is hit and miss, I love the how intricate the character designs are, yet parts of the world do look quite bland. Thankfully most of the world is stunningly designed, but there are parts that look pretty poor in comparison to the game's stand-out landmarks. The graphics are a bit dated in terms of the world's visual quality, however, characters are fantastically animated and feature plenty of superb detailing. For some the game's quest variety may be lacking, it is of the basic go here get this and kill that sort, but it works for this game.   

Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness is a meticulously designed game that you can tell was lovingly crafted, it shows in the game's breathtaking combat, enduring characters, and exquisite art direction. While most gamers may see this game's shortcomings and think little of the whole package, it is clear to me that the reason for lesser graphics and some dull environments was that a larger focus was placed on sharpening the game's best assets. I would describe the game's worst aspects as mediocre, not horrible or game breaking, just not up to snuff with the rest of the game.  

If a game can suck you into its world and story then it has already succeeded on more fronts than most; but, when a game has combat that is this outstanding, it makes it easy to recommend it so highly. I have also not played a JPRG that felt like a step in the right direction like this since Final Fantasy XII; do not expect jaw dropping innovation, as the game certainly does not offer that. What it offers are subtle changes that the casual gamer may not even notice. It is all in the way the game's story is told, the way combat transitions are handled seamlessly and the games splendid animations. There is a great deal of innovation present, it just may not be in the places most look.

SOIAF feels like the perfect mix of new and old, classic game design meets new gameplay mechanics. I honestly love the fact that at this game's core it is an old school RPG down to its very design, yet it feels like a modern game in so many ways. It may not appeal to everyone, but JRPG fans would be doing themselves a disservice if they simply dismissed this extremely enjoyable adventure. 

Rise Of The Tomb Raider Review

Rise Of The Tomb Raider (Xbox One, PC, Xbox 360) (Rated Mature)

The rebooted Tomb Raider was a fun game, yet it was a fairly flawed game as well. The focus was on combat and cartoonish set pieces, not exploration and puzzle solving. Combat has always been an essential part of the Raider formula. But there needs to be a balance between the adventurous exploration and the frenetic excitement of combat. The first game did a great job of building Lara's character. Sadly, the rest of the story was fairly uninspired. It had a great start and a pretty great climax but that was about it. If anything Tomb Raider 2013 feels like a prototype; a game that was almost there but needed a good bit of work to be fleshed out. It was playable and enjoyable; but it lacked the Tomb Raider spirit. It was truly one of those games that had incredible ideas that were almost realized, but it clearly needed more time. This did lower my expectations for this entry; thankfully that was very fortuitous.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is a direct followup to the last game; yet it also can stand on its own. This game does take the tone, style and gameplay mechanics from Lara's last outing. Yet, it almost feels like a fresh start for Lara. The last game was all about seeing Lara become the hardened Tomb Raider we know. This game really is the payoff, this is about seeing Lara "truly come into her own". Lara's personal story does pick up right where it left off. But the adventure has an entirely different feel than the last. The last game was about survival. This is all about the adventure, the fun of exploring tombs and a beautifully designed world that is just begging to be raided. The game world is much larger than the last; it also feels far more realized but most of all it is a treat to explore. The number of tombs has also more than doubled and each feels very unique. They are about the same length as the last tombs were; they are also fairly easy. Yet, the design is far more intricate and creative. Each tomb is a visual marvel and exploring these mammoth locations gave me the sense of adventure I felt playing the original Tomb Raider games. 

While you are free to explore to explore the mountains of Siberia in search of a hidden city. It is not one big map; but a series of interconnected maps. Just like it's predecessor, however, unlike that game each level is more expansive with tons of hidden areas to raid. This game treads a very unique line between being linear but also giving the player a huge amount of freedom. You are always moving forward as the story progresses you through the map almost like a race to the finish line. Yet, there is so much to see that it is easy to get sidetracked even in the smallest locales. You will get tons of different equipment to open access to the games many hidden areas or to simply progress the story. These tools are not only useful, but each one is just as fun to use as the last. Though no matter how you traverse the environment as Lara whether it be running, jumping, climbing or swinging into action, it's all immensely fun. While the original TR games were more challenging. Players should remember that the challenge in the original games; came from clunky controls and design limitations of the day. Those older games were much harder, because Lara moved like a Parkinson's patient. 

While there are no player choices to affect the story; it felt like Lara and I were on the adventure together. Which gave me a greater sense of attachment for her than many other gaming heroes. The villains along with most of the plot and ideas are nothing new, and it even borrows elements of past Tomb Raider stories. Yet, what Rise of the Tomb Raider lacks in originality it more than makes up for with superb presentation. This is a game that is more than the sum of its parts. The acting, for example, is first rate; making even the weakest characters captivating. While the supporting characters may not be developed as well as Lara is. The performances coupled with a very gripping narrative made the story around Lara exhilarating. Which has a great impact on the game's rousing sense of adventure. All because Lara is such a compelling character, which gave the entire game depth and greater meaning.  

Upgrading Lara and fighting incredible odds to save the day, felt much more meaningful because I cared about Lara. Lara feels like a real person; she is not a superhero. Lara is vulnerable which creates some great tension during the game's combat sequences. And combat feels better than ever Lara moves naturally, and the controls are smooth and precise. Lara is easily one of the best playable characters of the past year. You have a choice to stealthy take out your enemies, or go in like a gorilla solider "lighting up" everything in your path. All of the games weapons are exquisitely balanced each one functions well, feels powerful and every firearm is just as useful as the other.  Yet it is the superb level of freedom and meticulously designed combat scenarios, that elevates this game's action sequences to the "highest caliber". You will have access to all kinds of fun toys including poison arrows, grenade arrows, guns, handcrafted explosives, knives and more. You will also get to upgrade your gear and Lara herself. Crafting upgrades, ammo or other items, takes resources gathered from the world. Hunting down resources whether it's an animal's pelt, or something to go boom, really helped the game's immersion factor. 

There is plenty of action throughout the game's twenty plus hour long story; yet combat is not the game's sole focus. There is an even focus on exploration, puzzle solving and of course combat. Rise provides plenty of quiet moments to explore the beautifully crafted mountains of Siberia, a long forgotten tomb in Syria and the hidden city of Kitezh. The visuals are marvelous, the gorgeous lighting effects and extremely detailed textures bring Lara's world to life. Of course, the game is not without it's hiccups. While the visuals are second to none, some of the textures can be rather jagged and the frame rate did drop a few times. It was not enough to dampen my experience with the game, but it was sadly noticeable. It is worth mentioning that the game's visual are so stunning that it makes small things like a rough texture or jagged edges stand out more. These have little to no effect on gameplay, it just makes the game appear rough in some places. Still, Rise of the Tomb Raider is about having fun, and none of the bugs hindered that.  

It takes guts to redesign such a historic character; even more so given how radical the evolution of this series is. I would say that this rebooted Lara is cut from the same cloth as Daniel Craig's James Bond. She feels and seems a bit different and things even look and seem more realistic; yet the magic is still there. I particularly loved Camilla Luddington's performance as Ms. Croft. She really breathed fresh life into this once two-dimensional character. You can relate and care about this Lara but she is also a capable badass. I really hope we get to see her in the next film adaption. I like that this Lara is different, however what I love even more about Rise of the Tomb Raider is that it captures the classic Tomb Raider spirit. This game has all the elements of the oldschool TR series. Yet, it feels like a completely new kind of game. The combat system is very different from most other shooters and the action feels far more frenetic and intense because of it. This game's platforming is also the first time in years that I had fun just traversing the environment. The story is full of cliches; yet it is also the best in the entire series. I really hope we get to see more of this Lara as this game is close to perfection. The story is grand, exciting, mysterious and emotionally involving. Rise Of The Tomb Raider is one hell of a cinematic journey, that is as fun and exciting as it is satisfying. 

Assassin's Creed Syndicate Review

Assassin's Creed Syndicate (Xbox One, PS4, PC) (Rated Mature)

Never has a series depended so much on the success of one game. Last year Ubisoft released Assassin's Creed Unity, which did have a large amount of bugs at launch, still I greatly enjoyed that game. But, I understood that because of that game's shortcomings, this game needs to be nothing short of spectacular, to impress the ever jaded gaming community.

I personally was extremely looking forward to this game's release, I love the franchise and, the setting for this game was really my kind of thing. But, I was also skeptical of how the game would play. It does look and feel fairly different, from the past games in the series. However, it still has the trademark feeling of an Assassin's Creed game.

It is easy to see how elements of Unity affected this game. From the sheer scope of the city, to the way the story is told, this game does take the best parts of last year's game. The city of Paris in Unity was exquisite, the level of density that game achieved was breathtaking. The city was not just large, it was beautifully designed, and packed with things to do. The city of London in Syndicate, not only build's on what made Unity's city of Paris so great, but it truly expanded upon everything that game got right.

The city of London is not only well designed to play in, it is a city that you want to experience. Sometimes, I think open world games forget that the best part of an open world, is getting to explore that game's environment. Sure you need lots of fun activities to do in that world, but the world itself should be compelling enough, that you get caught up in the moment of the experience. And Syndicate nails this aspect of an open world game better, than any in recent memory.

Something very interesting about the design of this game. Is how it carefully balances the ideals of current game design, and classic game design. Many games now focus on telling complex stories with the most advanced tech, and designing these extremely complex game mechanics. But classic gaming was far simpler, it just focused on creating fun gaming moments. Memorable fun experiences that make's you feel like a giddy child when playing them. 

The story sets up the atmosphere quite well, I love the new dual protagonists in the game, Jacob and Evie Frye are a lively brother and sister combo. while the game does have a fairly serious tone, it is delivered with style and an adventurous attitude. This is a game about having fun, yes you will save helpless children, and try to liberate the city of London. But the game is doing all of this with a smile. Cinematically the game is reminiscent of the film Gangs Of New York, but that film had a far more serious and melancholy tone. 

This is a game where you will scale buildings, race across rooftops, and ascend with style with the help of a rope launcher. The traversal mechanics are the smoothest and most intuitive yet. Moving through the world is exhilarating, I especially loved the addition of carriage usage. While it may not seem as cool as it is, racing a horse and buggy through the streets of London is intense and enthralling. Not only can you drive these speedy contraptions, but you can even battle atop them. I also appreciate that firearm usage feels more satisfying than previous games. When you pull out an antique appearing revolver, and fire off a few shots, it just feels right.

You can use a pistol during the games many melee engagements, but you can also draw your firearm and engage in a shoot out. They have had guns in previous Assassin's games, but they never felt like a polished option. It felt like an addition, but not a natural part of combat. In this game when you use a gun, it feels like a normal 3rd person shooter, and then melee combat feels like past Creed games, but also with a bit of the new Arkham games too. 

Melee combat feels a bit faster paced than Unity, while you can become quite powerful and proficient, you will never flow like an overpowered Batman. You well have access to three unique kinds of melee weapons. A huge combat blade, brass knuckles and an ingenious cane sword. They all look and perform satisfyingly and also feel totally different from one another. One thing that has always been true about the Assassin's Creed games, is that combat is extremely visceral and very brutal.

Past games in the series have had a slower more thoughtful pace to their combat, this game has a bit faster kind of rhythmic combat. The pace feels closer to the Arkham games than it has in the past, but it still has the style Creed is known for. I love that both Jacob and Evie feel differently, even when using the exact same weapon, they each have a slightly different feel.

Something that really impressed me, is that I found myself playing the game almost evenly as both characters. I could not pick a favorite, I loved them both almost equally. When traversing the environment, they feel and move differently. Especially when using the new rope launcher to ascend to greater heights and speed through the world gracefully. This all leads to the game having a terrific level of immersion.

I love that the game has so many diverse objectives to complete, some of them are totally optional, but they are all equally fun. I love that each gameplay mechanic or goal feels natural, yet you can tell that this is a game that was made to be fun, above all else. Does everything make perfect logical sense? No, but it shouldn't have to, this is a game made to be played for that fun lose yourself kind of experience.

The world is beautiful, and yet it is also carefully designed to be fun to play in. The visuals are crisp and crystal clear. I love the color palate which is diverse and also helped create the colorful atmosphere of London. I did notice some visual slowdown during my time with the game, but it was rare. I, however, did not encounter any other noticeable bugs or glitches in the game. 

Assassin's Creed Syndicate is one of the very best in the series. I understand that some fans may have grown tired of the yearly releases. And it was evident with Unity, that some people were exhausted with the franchise. Yet Syndicate is a breath of fresh air, this game has all the elements that made the previous games fun. Yet the developers have clearly been looking at the rating players give after each mission. As this game is nothing short of the best the series has to offer, while feeling like a completely unique and compelling experience. 

Sometimes, you can tell when people are trying to make an incredible gaming experience. Few games are as well crafted as Syndicate is. The story is fun, well written and sets up the action nicely. I love that the game gives a great purpose for every action. While this is a game made to have fun with, you can tell they tried to create a memorable and captivating story line. Are some of the game's elements simplistic? Yes, but there is nothing wrong with that. In the end, this game made for an immersive, and compelling interactive experience. 

The pace was perfect, I never got bored. It's addictive and hard to put down, cause this is a game that is fun from start to finish. There could very well be things about this game, that may not be to everyone's liking. But everything about this game, appealed to me. There is so much to do, and even once I am finished doing everything the game has to offer. I seriously doubt I'll stop playing. Anything this fun, never ceases to be entertaining.