Reviews

I only caught wind of Path of Exile on Tuesday, when I watched this trailer:

I was very skeptical of Path of Exile after watching the trailer. All I thought was “Meh, it’s free-2-play which probably means pay-2-win. But what’s the worst that could happen? It ends up being like Tribes:Ascend, Blacklight Retribution, or PlanetSide 2 in terms of money=satisfaction?.”

So, I gave it a shot. Turns out, my preconceptions were wrong. The kiwis over at Grinding Gear Games (GGG) have vehemently said that this game will always be free and that they will never shoehorn a pay-2-win system into the game. Except for buying a bank tab, everything in their store is cosmetic enhancements only.

I started up the game 25 minutes before open beta is released and I am 1816^th in line. I expected this launch to have the normal server issues every game does…

Path of Exile connected and my sessions started seamlessly. Has this ever happened, especially in Beta? Now I have to make a choice between six character classes (Duelist, Marauder, Ranger, Shadow, Templar, and Witch). Right away Path of Exile is different. Your classes only give you a small advantage in some areas. The meat and potatoes is in the talent tree.
This talent tree, I can safely say, is the best I have ever seen. I have played many games that utilize a talent tree, including WoW, Diablo3, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and numerous other titles that have released in the past ten years that had this function. It’s formally called the Passive Skill Tree. I find myself staring at it for minutes at a time just getting lost in the different possibilities of what I could create. It’s like a modern Mona Lisa that Grinding Gear Games magnificently crafted.

I snapped out of my Passive Skill Tree daydream and realized I should actually play the game. I chose to start as the hulking Marauder. I perfer big weapons and big characters (Tanks). The Marauder is basically the Barbarian from Diablo2/3 (mostly because I made him that way) which means he leaps and cleaves.

I started on the beach and killed a few things. Some gems dropped. They looked like spells. This is when I found out that spells are items that you use to augment your weapons and armor. Those individual spells level up separately from your character. The maximum character level is 100 and the maximum spell level is 20.

I kept killing things and kept meticulously placing passive skill points because a complete respec of your character is not possible. You only get single passive point respecs from six quests in the game, otherwise there are Orbs of Regret which can reset one passive skill point. To some, this seems very annoying. To me, it brought me back to my Diablo2 lanning days. Every point was a thrill.

Eventually I rolled into town and decided to empty my bag. I was expecting the same old “vendor trashing” routine that seemingly every ARPG or MMO has implemented in the last 7 years. Not in Path of Exile. Those crazy New Zealanders at Grinding Gear Games even switched that up. It’s basically a bartering system: different items you sell give you different currency.

At first I was frustrated. This seemed so unnatural. The Scrolls of Wisdom I was getting, that would identify magic items, could be used as currency? Even Portal scrolls I was chucking at vendors. This was pretty innovative and refreshing and feels less like balancing a checkbook and more like prancing around with a unique Easter basket of goodies.

And like everything else in the game it started to make perfect sense. I finally acquired just one currency I needed for a nice skull-smashing two-handed mace. It cost me 1x Blacksmith Whetstone. Now it was time for me to partner up with groups.

Group finding is fairly easy. There are bulletin boards in all the major towns that post the public groups or you can just press the “S”(social) key. I quickly found that you gain more experience in a group and you can hoard more items.

Another good thing about Path of Exile is the community. Sure, there was the passing comment on Global Chat (Highly recommend disabling this immediately) that had a pretentious “I was in the closed beta, na na nu boo boo” feel to it. But still, everyone I grouped with was supportive and fun.

Item drops in groups is also very well done. Everyone sees everything that is dropped. There is a really cool caveat to this. There is a timer on the item with your name next to it. The rarer the item, the longer the timer. I believe the intervals are 2,3,5 and 10 seconds. A lot of currency I was seeing had the two-second timer. So, even snatching up currency became fun.

To get those drops you have to fight. And I think GGG did a great job on combat. It’s not as tight of controls as Torchlight II or Diablo3, but it’s definitely more rewarding. Jumping off of a cliff onto a bunch of exploding foxes just felt like it was right. Ground smashing golems and tons of spiders was equally as rewarding.

My Marauder could leap into an entire mob of guys and destroy them in seconds. While I did this, I had to monitor my potion situation which, again, is unique. Potions aren’t expendable. Your flasks that fill up gradually with either damage or kills (not sure) also have abilities on them. You get 5 slots to mix and match mana and health.

I am only about 13 hours into the game and roughly level 24 and I can safely say that I will stick around with this game for quite a long time. I would recommend this game to really anyone. It’s free, it’s a ton of fun, and it has that addiction component to it that is fresh and not extremely played out like the rest of the competitors in the genre.

So far, Path of Exile has delivered on a higher level than any of it’s predecessors last year. That, coupled with the price allows me to give this game a 9/10.

+Expansive Passive Skill Tree

+Great community

+New take on a genre that is tried and true but has felt worn out as of late

+PvP (limited, but still present. Quite a nice surprise.)

+Easy to learn while being extremely intricate

+It’s free. I mean, c’mon. FREE.

-Turn of Global Chat when playing

-Combat could be slightly tighter

Review score: 9/10

Author: Samg

73,752 total views, 3,890 views today

Okay, so let’s assume that you’ve already played the previous Assassin’s Creed games. You were forced to go through the Crusades, then spent quite a long time in the Italian Renaissance, either throughout Italy, specifically in Rome, or basically in Constantinople - sorry, Istanbul. Now, in Assassin’s Creed III, it’s time to enter the American Revolution, and this time, the world’s going to end in December last year. Go figure - in being a completionist (at least for the games on the XBox 360), you’ve got a game that became irrelevant almost upon purchase. Hope you didn’t request it as a Christmas/Hanukkah gift, unless you don’t care about the suspense of the modern-day parts.

Despite obviously making a slight misjudgment in giving the whole series a time frame with an endpoint that was due to pass roughly seven weeks after the release of the final game, Ubisoft has made a game with a compelling story both in the distant and recent past. Although the game mechanics haven’t changed much between AC: Revelations and this game, the creators have still given a lot of thought to the way that you interact with the new environs, and have made every last one quite detailed. Historic details are also quite interestingly researched.

I’m going to have to divide this in to multiple sections because the experiences differ heavily. Of course, the main piece of interest - and the bit that was advertised to people new to the series - is set before and during the United States Revolution. You start off as an English gentleman named Haytham Kenway. Although your first few missions are basically a tutorial - somewhat annoying if you’ve played the game before, but it does allow you to learn some new mechanics. Don’t worry, it allows you plenty of opportunities to make with the killing and the hidden blades and the weaponry and the acrobatics - everything about Assassin’s Creed that you know and love. Things expand more when you get to the Colonies, specifically Boston and what’s called The Frontier, but which is basically a large portion of the rest of Massachussetts. You carry out some missions, side with the natives, run in to some familiar historic figures, and then find out a huge shocker, considering Haytham is an ancestor of Assassin Desmond Miles. (NOTE: If you want to ruin the surprise, read everything in the database. It really killed the reveal for me, which struck me as a design flaw.)

Once it becomes clear that being Haytham isn’t going anywhere, you suddenly become Ratonhnhaké:ton (but, similar to another character in the game, I’m gonna’ call him Connor, because it’s easier to say than it is to spell - intimidating, huh?), Haytham’s illegitimate kid conceived with basically a Mohawk (well, close enough) princess. You start out with him as an adolescent, but you get to grow up with him, all the way up to being trained by an elderly landed black man (which is repeatedly pointed out as a crazy concept, because hey, if we’re going to tackle a bunch of random murder, why not ugly things like racism and slavery?) to become an Assassin. Along the way, New York is added to the places that you can visit on foot, as well as a homestead that acts as your headquarters (without which none of these games would be complete, it seems). Plus, you can now move through tree branches and climb cliffs.

Eventually, Connor gets involved in the American Revolution, as well as other various activities, such as captaining a ship in which you experience high seas combat (probably the most fun new thing in the game). Connor also dabbles in tracking down frontier legends (Bigfoot, UFOs, sea monsters - just a bunch of stuff that winds up, sadly, having completely logical explanations), completing particular hunting challenges (and apparently being single-handedly responsible for the depletion of the entire wildlife population of Massachussetts), delivering letters, supplies, grabbing lost pages of different editions of Poore Richard’s Almanack (yeah, the one Ben Franklin wrote), raiding caravans, helping people that eventually wind up living on the homestead, and doing various activities to gain allegiances. You also get to access fast travel routes by a method that’s a little more entertaining than just buying them - you actually get to explore catacombs in Boston and New York to reach them. There are some side games to play, specifically checkers, variations of morris, an old game that seems like an English version of go called farona, and bocce ball (called “bowls” in the game because they’re English, not Italian). You can also use the homestead to engage in trade, similar to the property ownership of Brotherhood and Revelations in purpose.

Of course, what with the name of the title, you also go about killing people in various creative ways. This includes all of the weapons from Revelations - sword, gun, darts, hidden blade, heavy weaponry, throwing knives, smoke bombs, regular explosives - but with clubs, axes, and tomahawks taking the place of knives, and a bow and arrow taking the place of the crossbow. You also get a new weapon straight out of Mortal Kombat - the rope dart. Plus, you’ll utilize snares and bait, because you’re a hunter now, and killing animals is just one of those things that requires stuff like that. All these tools wind up being useful along your path, and some of the side quest goals actual require the use of every last one of them. Come to that, a few perfect completion goals require it as well.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Desmond Miles and his team - newly joined by his dad, who apparently came at the end of Brotherhood to help because Desmond killed would-be traitor Lucy Stillman (obvious swerves are this series’ trademark) and then went comatose throughout the events of Revelations - are out to save the world. They go to what used to be tribal land, use this special device from the Earth’s previous advanced civilization, and enter a huge cave of dead technology. You can travel around the cave, seeing visions of somebody called Juno (basically, we’re saying that the Greeks had the predecessors to humans as the gods, used the wrong names, the Romans fixed that, fun times were had by none) who is trying to stop humanity from suffering the painful end of the sun roasting the planet that her civilization suffered. It’s not much of a history, but it is fun trying to find your way around the caves, including figuring out the gymnastics required.

Unlike the other iterations of the game, you actually get more than one basic modern-day area that you get to explore (although technically, the previous game was entirely in Desmond’s head, so that’s not much of a reach). You get to do a parachute drop from one skyscraper on to another, sneak in to an MMA event in Rio de Janiero, and a particularly detailed location from a previous game (hey, they couldn’t just let all that wonderful environment rendering work that they did from previous games go entirely unused). All of this is to save the world, specifically trying to get cells to power the cave so that you can open a door that apparently holds the key to salvation. Gameplay-wise, the real-world missions themselves leave something to be desired, as you only have the hidden blades in combat situations, and you don’t get any on-screen warnings because you’re not in the Animus, but the attention to detail is rather good. They even have a match in progress when Desmond enters the arena in Rio. The NPCs in the cage are actually putting on something that may have been borrowed from EA or THQ.

The two plot lines come together to an ending that seems fitting, but it left me a little bit empty. Then again, the game series almost continuously promised, since Assassin’s Creed II, that the ending was going to be a deus ex machina, and that kind of resolution tends to leave anybody empty. On the other hand, the game is never really about the end so much as the journey, and the journey is quite the ride, even the parts where you’re basically just grinding.

The multiplayer hasn’t really changed, save for the different game options that weren’t previously present. Although I enjoyed the previous versions, this one didn’t do much to entice me beyond the first few days of play-through. The fact that you need to buy a new copy to be able to play, or get the access with Microsoft Points, might turn some people away from even trying it. The new character models for the multiplayer suite are decently rendered.

However, there were points where the game froze instead of starting from a previous point, specifically with deaths due to falling. Also, you could be trapped by NPCs that should normally let you shove your way through, or jump off of a surface in a direction that you aren’t aiming your character. New York’s underground also has a major glitch where you can’t get to the rest of the maze from a certain entrance save for using fast travel points. There are also a few errors with the trade system. Finally, the timing of combat is either far too easy or far too complicated, meaning that one of the most intricate aspects of previous games has been “dumbed” down on the player end and amped up on the enemy NPC end, leading to something that, previously fun, now is tedious. Sneaking around is far better and more entertaining, as it saves you things like the needless slaughter that just goes on and on and on without being fun.

So in conclusion Assassin’s Creed III has far more things going for it than against it, and Ubisoft did right by the fans with this series conclusion, even though the real world outside of the game obviously did not end on the 21 of December, 2012. If you have a 360, PS3, Wii U, or gaming PC, and haven’t bought it, it should be in your library.

+ A compelling story that never misses a beat (provided you just play through)
+ Side quests that aren’t mandatory, and which don’t detract from the game
+ A new naval game mechanic that really made some side quests more fun than the regular missions
+ “Real world” setups that finally feel integral to the story, instead of being add-ons through which you need to pass in order to get to the end of the events in the Animus
+ An ending that seems fitting to the series, or at the very least to the current plot

- Some glitchy movement and environmental issues
- Combat becomes tedious instead of fun in “open instance” situations
- Some side quests can’t be located using the map, and are found almost entirely by accident
- The database ruins parts of the story that are supposed to be surprises

Review Score: 8.5/10

Author: N.A.V.

73,753 total views, 3,891 views today

To the Moon was released November 2011 on Freebird Games website, then it came to Steam in September 2012, and now I’m finally playing it now in January 2013. I think it’s safe to say that I’m a bit late to the party but, better late than never right?

To the Moon is an Action RPG that puts you in the shoes of Dr. Neil Watts and Dr. Eva Rosalene who are employed by the Sigmund Corporation. Their job is to travel into the memories of dying clients and alter them so that they can achieve their dream before they die.

Dr. Watts and Rosalene’s newest client is Johnny. Johnny lives in a gorgeous house overlooking the ocean, with a stereotypical light house near it. When you arrive at the house you meet Johnny’s caretaker Lily, her children Sarah and Tommy, and Johnny’s doctor. You learn from Lily that Johnny’s last wish is to go to the moon. When you initially enter his memory he doesn’t remember why. It’s up to your sleuthing skills to piece the mystery together.

In order to travel back through Johnny’s memory you must first find mementos’ of his that link his memories together. Most mementos are trapped behind a force field. The only way to destroy the force field and access the memento is to establish five memory links. You receive memory links from items that have significant meaning in Johnny’s life. They’re typically found in the current memory you’re inhabiting. When you do break through the force field and are able to access the memento you also have to prepare it through a small mini-game.

As you go back farther and farther into Johnny’s memory you find out more about his about his wife, friends and ,believe it or not, what seems to be a hidden past. Every story element serves a specific purpose and the designer, Kan Gao, did a magnificent job making sure it did.

What kept me going to the end was the story and the secrets. I wanted answers so bad that I kept playing nonstop, and in the end when everything came together so well I was glad I finished in one continuous session. Despite the games short length the story more than makes up for it, and is worth checking out. It has won several awards and if you experience To the Moon too you will see why.

I wish I could go more in depth with the storyline but I’m afraid I can only tell you so much about this game without spoiling most of the plot twists and secrets. As I said the secrecy and finding out the truth is what makes the game.

+Great musical score

+Superb story

+Funny characters

Review Score: 9/10

Author: DoubleZ

73,754 total views, 3,892 views today

I just started playing Ten Million a few days ago and the throwback graphics, surprising customization, and addicting Platformer style game play had me coming back for more.

In Ten Million you control a man imprisoned within a castle. His only means of escape is to secure a score of…you guessed it, Ten Million points. How do you earn these ten million points you ask? Naturally the only way one can earn points while stuck in a castle. Proceed with the dungeon crawling and monster hunting!

In the beginning there are multiple rooms, but the only one available to travel through is the dungeon door. When you enter it is an immediate race against time to fend off the monsters that are dead set to kill you. Along the way you will also encounter treasure chests and doors you must unlock to progress farther.

Now here’s the twist, gameplay is puzzle based. At first it took me a little while to get used to it but once I did, I found myself in a groove. You must match tiles, of three or greater, together in order to fight monsters, unlock doors and treasure chests. Matching multiple tiles together and getting longer chains increases the effectiveness of the tiles.

There are seven different tiles you can match. First, there are the combat tiles which give one the option of sword or staff. The sword deals physical damage and the staff does magic damage. Learning what vulnerabilities the monsters have is the key to successful combat. Here’s a short list of the other tile types:

- The stone and wood tiles are materials you collect to fix and upgrade rooms.

- The key tiles are used to unlock treasure chests and doors while dungeon running.

- The chest tiles are used to gain gold. Gold is used to upgrade weapons and armor.

- The shield tiles are for protecting yourself from monster attacks.

- Last but not least is the star tile. The star tile is the wild card which can be used with any other tile to make matches.

As you progress farther and travel through more trying dungeons you might find it hard to advance, but fear not as there is a solution to your problems. Enter our aforementioned rooms that weren’t available to you earlier. All the materials you have collected during your runs aren’t just for display. Materials you’ve amassed are used for rebuilding said rooms. All six rooms in total contain something to upgrade your gear or train your skills.

Now I haven’t quite made it to ten million points so I don’t know what’s going to happen when the task is complete. But if you want to find out you’ll just have to earn your own Ten Million.

+Interesting game concept.

+Old school graphics and music.

+Fast and addicting gameplay.

Review Score: 8/10

Author: DoubleZ

73,755 total views, 3,893 views today

I just finished tromping across the galaxy in Space Pirates and Zombies (SPAZ for short), and I have to say I am thoroughly impressed. I typically enjoy games about space and exploration so Space Pirates and Zombies was a no brainer.

In SPAZ you and the quirky crew of the pirate ship “The Clockwork” are in search of the galactic core. The core which is located at the center of the galaxy holds a fortune in “rez” (the games currency). You’ll need this in order to bring the crews ship back to its former glory.

Your role in all of this is to pilot a fleet, small at first, of spaceships into the great unknown in search of the galactic core. Along the way you meet odd and unique characters that ask for your help and vice versa.

Some people say size doesn’t matter but when it comes to the size of the galaxy the bigger the better. This game takes place in a galaxy where you decide how big it is. You can choose from a minimum of 150 stars all the way up to the maximum of 300. Each star has multiple planets for you to explore and take on quests from different factions to gain experience, money, and loot.

The galaxy generator is not the only thing that’s great about SPAZ. The ship customization is great and is easy to negotiate. Each ship has its own class, size, and weapon slots. Acquiring new ships a long the way is also tons of fun. Instead of grinding quests and mining ore for rez to purchase new ships, you have to recover black boxes from ships you destroy, and reverse engineer them to make them your own. You may also refit your ships at anytime even during combat.

Space Pirates and Zombies is a top down shooter but it also has an RTS and RPG aspect to it. Normally I’m really bad at RTS but in SPAZ combat doesn’t solely rely on it, so if your like me don’t shy away based on being weaksauce at RTS.

 

In order to use certain gear you buy and earn through quests, you have to have enough points in the corresponding skill. Skills range from the offensive beams and cannons, to the defensive shields and hull upgrades along with other passive skills.

Last but not least I have to mention the quality. This game was made by only two people. TWO PEOPLE. I can only imagine the time and effort they must have put into it and shows. Don’t shy away from this title because of the RTS elements. It’s an enjoyable and off beat experience.

+ Vast universe to explore

+ Lots of customization

+ Funny dialogue

+ Easy controls and UI

Review score 8/10

Author: DoubleZ

73,756 total views, 3,894 views today