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5 Great Strategy RPGs (that aren’t Fire Emblem)

August 7, 2016 Kennedy Blog

I’ve been getting really into Fire Emblem this past year–and although (most of) the Fire Emblem games I’ve played so far have been fantastic, it’s got me looking back on many of the other wonderful strategy RPGs I’ve played. The genre is a bit niche in the sense that in the last few years, there simply haven’t been very many strategy RPGs released in the West–let alone great ones. The mobile market, however, seems to have been getting a steady release of strategy RPG games in the last few years–and I’ll talk about that more in this list. When people who don’t play many strategy RPGs think of strategy RPGs, however, Fire Emblem is the obvious choice. After all, it’s a Nintendo title that’s enjoying a Smash Bro’s (and Awakening) induced burst of popularity, and like I said–in the last few years, we haven’t got many big strategy RPG releases outside of Fire Emblem Awakening and Fates. It’s a shame, too, because (as I’m about to show you) there are plenty of great ones to play! Without further ado, here’s a list of some of the best strategy RPGs you can play that aren’t Fire Emblem.

 

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2

via moarpowah.com

Yes, there’s a first Devil Survivor game that’s also good. No, you don’t need to play Devil Survivor 1 to play Devil Survivor 2. Yes, there’s an enhanced port called Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker on the 3DS that’s also great. Yes, this game has an anime adaptation but it didn’t go so well and doesn’t serve even remotely as a summary of the game. Anyways, Devil Survivor 2 is one of my favorite games on the DS. It takes all the familiar themes from the first Devil Survivor game (You, your friends, and a VERY large amount of the Japanese population have been put on lock-down. Figure out why you’ve been put on lock down, make choices that could lead to a myriad of different endings, and ultimately, free everyone.) but, in the typical Shin Megami Tensei fashion, the sequel gets the gameplay and story better. The first game, although great, suffered a lot of balance and grinding issues–all of which are gone in Devil Survivor 2, leaving you more able to actually enjoy the battles in this game, not to mention the incredibly unique (and ultimately, very dark) story. The choices are more heavily emphasized in this game than the first one as well, and it really tests the player’s morals more than most other games. It’s an incredible, thought-provoking game that shouldn’t be looked over.

 

GrimGrimoire

via escapistmagazine.com

Funny story: I saw ads for this game in Newtype USA years ago, when it was about to be a new release, and I thought the game’s art looked gorgeous (after all: This is the first game that Vanillaware made as Vanillaware) and therefore, I wanted it. It came out shortly before my birthday, so I asked for it for my birthday, and lo and behold, I got it. The ads didn’t mention what kind of a game it was–it just had the image on the cover and a short blurb about the story, so going into the game, I had no idea what to expect. I hadn’t played a strategy RPG before then, so it took me a really long time to get the hang of this game. That never stopped it from being a fun ride, though. Usually very overshadowed by the outstanding success of other Vanillaware games like Odin Sphere and Dragon’s Crown, GrimGrimoire is absolutely a hidden gem. You play as Lillet Blan–a new student in a Hogwarts-esque wizarding school. However, strange things are going on, and in a Groundhog Day fashion, her first week keeps resetting and she has no idea why–and she’s the only one who realizes it, too. So the whole story is you trying to find out what’s going on. Using different kinds of magic (EX: Glamor, necromancy, alchemy, etc.) you’ll summon different familiars to stop your enemies. Needless to say, if you’re into mythology, this game is a must play solely because of how much mythology is present in the game.

 

Valkyria Chronicles

via gamespot.com

There’s an unspoken law in gaming that you can’t talk about great strategy RPGs and not bring up Valkyria Chronicles. War has erupted between the Gallians and the Imperial Alliance. You play as Welkin, the son of a very successful General, who is thrown right into it. He commands a militia squad, Squad 7, and through this, he tries to end the war one battle at a time so he can return to his peaceful life of studying nature. Admittedly, the story in this game is nothing too memorable. It’s the gameplay that makes this game so great. Valkyria Chronicles is a grade-A example of what difficulty should be in a game: Yes, this game is hard–but it’s nothing the player can’t handle. The gameplay is so simple and tight in this game that any mistakes made are 100% on the player. If you die, it’s because you messed up. Grinding, although it can’t hurt, will never be the reason you win or lose a battle. How the game play works is that you decide what troops you want to bring into battle (fun fact: 3 of the troops are characters from Skies of Arcadia) based on their classes and what kind of a strategy you want to use and who, therefore, will be the most useful. For example, if you’re in a battle with several tanks, you’ll bring extra lancers. If it’s a battle with a huge area, you’ll need extra scouts to survey the land. From there, you engage the enemy troops and fulfill your goal–which is usually something along the lines of taking over an enemy camp or defeating an enemy in a specific way. This game is on the PS3 and can usually be found at a really good price–there’s no reason not to give it a try. It’s incredibly addicting from start to finish.

 

Banner Saga

via bannersaga.gamepedia.com

The most recent game on this list, Banner Saga is a critically-acclaimed gem of a strategy RPG. Set in the Viking Age, you play as both Vognir and Rook–two heroes whose stories will, based on your decisions, eventually collide. Decisions are something heavily emphasized in this game, as there are many to make that can heavily change your game based on your choices. One of the best parts about the game play are the many classes and races you can have at your control–some of which come from Viking mythology such as the Varl and the Dredge. This game is available on just about any platform you can imagine–Steam, X-Box One, PS4, PSVita, iOs, and Android. As I mentioned in the intro, the mobile market seems to be a rapidly growing place for strategy RPGs, and Banner Saga is one of the reasons why–with its many features, engaging story, gorgeous art, and wonderful game play, it’s not hard to see why this game is so loved.

 

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions

via Square-Enix.com

Another reason that the mobile strategy RPG market is doing so well right now, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is a gem on the PSP, and now that it’s available on mobile devices, is enjoying a new wave of fans who simply didn’t have a PSP when it came out. (Or were like me and were too busy playing the same 2 games on their PSP to care about many of the others.) This game is, at its core, an updated version of the original Final Fantasy Tactics which was released on the PS1 in 1997. You play as Ramza, a mercenary who finds himself caught in the midst of a civil war that could affect the fate of the world. Like Banner Saga, this game is very well loved by critics and receives consistently good scores. And of course, it’s not a Final Fantasy Tactics game without a few cameos: Including Cloud Strife (FF7), Luso Clemens (FFT A2), and Balthier (FF12.) This is a game I’d recommend not just to fans of strategy RPGs, but Final Fantasy fans looking to get into strategy RPGs as well.

 

 

Honorable Mentions: Ogre Battle 64, Jeanne d’Arc, and the Disgaea series

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Starhawk

August 5, 2016 colin Articles
Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Starhawk is one of the better games on the PlayStation 3
Starhawk is a 2012 pulse pounding action game released on the PlayStation 3. The game is a spiritual successor to the PS3 launch title Warhawk.

When it was released, Starhawk received average reviews and had very little to no marketing campaign. For a first party Sony game, this is strange. It also came out a week within Max Payne 3 and Diablo III. A minor burden, but not something in Starhawk’s favor. The game has sold less than 300,000 copies worldwide when it was released. To make matters worse, Starhawk’s only major sales came at the beginning of May of 2012. Starhawk was regulated to the bargain bin in all too quick fashion.

Starhawk is a game worth checking out just once. In short, the game is a blast to play. LightBox Interactive managed to make an action/RTS game that’s simplistic, yet still fun. Starhawk even manages to have a fun story mode as well. On top of those features, the soundtrack is a sublime mix of western and space opera.

Starhawk is light on story, incredibly heavy on action
The shockingly good story of Starhawk is told through well done motion comics. Starhawk’s space western universe focuses on the Rifts. Rifts are sources of powerful energy. When a person comes in contact with a Rift, they become a monster composed of pure energy called an Outcast. Emmett Graves is a bounty hunter who has been called on various jobs throughout the galaxy to get rid of the Outcasts and secure energy. However, lately the galaxy has had an outbreak of Outcasts. The leader of these Outcasts may have a personal connection to Emmett.

An example of the stylized cut scenes. Image courtesy of 3D Juegos.

An example of the stylized cut scenes. Image courtesy of 3D Juegos.

The action of Starhawk  uses the typical third person shooter aesthetic. The PS3 controller was made for these kinds of games. The tight controls keep the game flowing with set pieces. With a wide variety of guns, vehicles and explosives, Emmett can take out Outcasts in a simplistic, but fun, way. However, where the RTS elements come in are with building support units and garages for vehicles.

Building a base! Image courtesy of Impulse Gamer.

Building a base! Image courtesy of Impulse Gamer.

Emmett’s friend Cutter shoots down all kinds of helpful items and vehicles. A highlight is the glider, which Emmett can use for ground fighting and aerial combat. As long as Emmett and Cutter have enough funds, the player can summon as much as they want. This keeps Starhawk fun, as the player will always have some sort of item to have gameplay fresh every time

Starhawk 4

Gun play is a lot of fun, but not as fun as riding some vehicles. Image courtesy of 3D Juegos.

It also helps that each mission is on a unique planet of the galaxy or on a space station. Each chapter of the game will have its own unique mission. Rather than having a variation of the same task, like securing Rift or eliminating all the enemies, Starhawk requires players to be a little experimental with what they create.

For a game focusing on its multiplayer aspect, Starhawk has a consistently solid single player mode.

Image courtesy of Impulse Gamer.

Image courtesy of Impulse Gamer.

Multiplayer is one of the many bright moments
Starhawk has one of the most entertaining multiplayer modes in any game on the PS3. Utilizing the same chaotic energy the single player missions have, Starhawk is fun with friends. There are your standard deathmatch and capture the flag modes. However, Starhawk has so much freedom with its gameplay, it allows for some creative multiplayer experiences. Even after finishing the story mode, players will keep going back to Starhawk’s multiplayer. Granted if the servers are still up.

Multiplayer on Starhawk is a good times for all. Image courtesy of Impulse Gamer.

Multiplayer on Starhawk is a good times for all. Image courtesy of Impulse Gamer.

During Starhawk‘s development, the multiplayer component was highly anticipated. Unfortunately, a very little amount of gamers were online playing it. Which is a shame, as the easy-to-learn gameplay is perfect for a big game night with friends.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Starhawk is one of Sony’s more interesting first party games. Pity the company did not promote it better. Emmett Graves could be going on more adventures.

The space western design of the characters and story will certainly bring in people in. It’s the extremely enjoyable and overall inventiveness of the gameplay that will keep players on their PS3s. Starhawk may look like a generic third person shooter, but it’s a far better game than that assumption. It also won’t clean out any wallets with those prices on Amazon.

Abzû: Fluidity in Control and Design

August 4, 2016 Deanna Reviews

Hey, it’s another review! I got the chance to play Abzû recently. Being a fan of Journey and Flower, I was incredibly excited for Abzû. The creative mind behind the game is Matt Nava, former art director for thatgamecompany’s previously mentioned games. Instead of working with thatgamecompany this time around, he’s founded his own studio, Giant Squid, the developers of Abzû. While in the same sort of low-poly style as the other two games, Abzû aims to be something entirely different. Let’s take a look, then, shall we?

Needless to say, there are Abzû spoilers ahead! If you care about them, play the game and come back.

 

Premise & Story

You start out as an unnamed scuba diver exploring wildlife among floating patches of seaweed in the ocean. From there, while giving players a short tutorial of the controls, the game progresses in a largely linear track. While there are areas that allow for exploration and interaction between routes of linear travel, you’re more of an accessory for the story to show itself through the world around you.

Personally, I liked this form of storytelling quite a bit. There are some things left to interpretation, and even some lore flavor as you explore deeper into the game. The whole world seemed rich and well-researched with each species of fish that swim around in schools in open areas. There’s not much else to say here aside from the fact that this provided a very laid-back experience while playing the game. There was no real pressure to get to the next area, and players were almost encouraged to take their time and poke around. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and its approach in how it was told.

After passing through a section of the game, the player swims to a brightly colored whirlpool amongst an otherwise gray, kelp-covered cavern. Presumably, this transports the player into a different, more ethereal realm, where they awaken the cavern. Upon returning, it’s now teeming with all sorts of plant and fish life. The theme of awakening becomes a large part of the game; players are able to awaken small nests of different species of fish that will swim around certain areas as well as some small robots that follow the player through each chapter.

Plot Summary

There are seven chapters in the game: the first four end after their counterpart in the ethereal realm has been awakened. In chapters two and three, players can see some imagery of an ancient civilization in mosaics on the walls of caverns, along with shark statues that players can meditate on. As the game progresses, more imagery starts appearing, implying that players are moving towards the epicenter of whatever had existed there before.

In the fourth chapter, players explore the last segment before the last trip to the ether. Here the game introduces pyramids  that will give the player an electric shock if they stray too close for too long. In chapter five, players enter the factory that’s been churning out the small robots that have been following them, and at the end must swim through a minefield of the pyramids to witness a shark get electrocuted by a pyramid that’s a lot bigger than the ones you’ve been seeing around.

Continuing on the game’s path, players explore what I assume to be the center of the ancient civilization. After opening a set of doors and swimming through to the center of the center, the final chapter begins.

Players are granted invulnerability and incredible speed as you rush past sections of pyramids and destroy them, once and for all awakening the areas you had in the ether. Finally, players happen upon the source of the disruptions that they’ve been encountering. In turn, it, too, is destroyed and players secure the reefs they’ve been swimming through from the beginning.

Features & Controls

One thing I have to mention is that Abzû takes place largely underwater. Video games are notorious for having pretty crappy underwater controls, and Abzû is not one of these games. Everything about it is fluid, and that includes the underwater controls. Its quirks mainly come from the fact that instead of adjusting the angle of the pitch, I’m very much used to having the controls reset to a zero point instead of staying where they’ve been directed to. Other than that, the controls are solid, if a little loose, but I get the feeling that it’s supposed to be that way. There’s a boost mechanic to help you get past obstacles, like those pyramids, a bit faster.

There are a couple of features that stand out among the game. First is the meditation feature that doubles as a collectible and a fast-travel system. Littered throughout the game, once or twice per section, there are shark statues that players can sit on top of and “meditate”, watching the fish swim by for an indefinite period of time. It makes a nice screen saver, and the attention to detail in the fish is a bit stunning.

Interactions with the little robots, schools of fish, and the environment are satisfying and very fun.

Aesthetics

My favorite part of the game is how good it looks. The 71 screenshots on my Steam profile should at least say that much. Bright colors adorn schools of fish and plants alike, and even in the dull, un-awakened sections look like they have some life in them. Flora and fauna are fun to swim through, and the game feels polished. I’m talking about a Nintendo-polish level of polish, here. It looks great. Even the meditation sections would make a nice idle display for when you’re not using your computer, as I’ve said before.

The music is composed by the wonderful Austin Wintory, as was Journey’s soundtrack. It’s not something I’d really listen to outside of the game but it fits nicely with the overall atmosphere.

Overall Impressions & Final Words

Abzû is great, and I really love it. It’s a nice, calming change from other games I’ve been playing recently and it’s worth its price tag of $20. It’s a little short at just about two hours, and is on sale on Steam right now for $16. If you want my recommendation, pick it up! Even if it’s just for that meditation feature.

 

All images used in this post come from my own Steam screenshot library. View them all here!

[wp-review id=”1309″]

Games in Development Hell: Do We Love the Chase?

August 4, 2016 Ricky Articles

There’s something to be said about games that keep getting pushed back and back that keep us strangely interested. Oftentimes we’re amazed a game is taking so long to come out. Many times we become frustrated with it. But there’s no denying that when a new trailer or rumor about it surfaces, you can bet people flock to forums and get hyped all over again.

The game lives up to its name: it will be horrible forever. Image Source:Giantbomb.com

Take for instance Duke Nukem Forever. This is a game that cemented in people’s minds what it meant for a game to be in development hell. Having been announced in 1996, it took fifteen years for it to come out on the Playstation 3. It traded hands so much people were sure it was never going to come out. But when a release date was announced after so long in 2011, people became hyped as hell. However what they got was a very bland and boring shooter with a notably dated misogynist hero. But that’s not what the game is remembered for. It’s remembered for the constant hope and disappointment roller coaster which was the past 15 years.

Take a more recent example, Final Fantasy 15. Originally marketed as “Final Fantasy Versus 13” in 2006, the game has taken ten years to finally hit shelves, being released this year. What may have been a cool concept for some people in the beginning became an obsession for many. Itching and clawing at any shred of information or rumor they could find.

Coming in the next four years we swear. Image Source: Dual Shockers.com

I have no doubt that this game will sell well when it comes out, but I’m also skeptical to say it will be everything the die-hard optimists have been hoping for.

So why do we keep following these games? Why do we find it so interesting to hear something new that’s been on uncertain ground for so long. My theory: its the uncertainty that is pulling us towards it. It’s the mystery. Wondering if THIS might be the release date trailer or THIS rumor may be true only serves to fuel our obsession with it. Having certainty is great for a lot of people, but it lacks the inherit excitement of what we don’t know and if this hunt is going anywhere.

We as people naturally find some joy in the journey, and sometimes a lot more in it than the destination. So the next time you see people fawning over the next Kingdom Hearts trailer or Half Life 3 rumor and analyzing it to death, remember that for a lot of people, this is the journey, and it may be a bumpy ride, but its one they can’t help but stay on.

Rare Games That Don’t Suck: GBA Edition

August 2, 2016 dan Articles, Blog

Two months ago, I wrote an article about rare games that are actually worth their asking price on the Gamecube. I did this because like many collectors, I’ve noticed that there’s a glut of rare games out there that are so outrageously expensive not because they’re outrageously good games, but more often than not it’s because of things like limited quantities of a game, exclusivity, a certain version or cover or edition of a game, etc. Sure, there are plenty of rare games out there that are so rare because they’re such excellent games and everyone wants a copy–games like Chrono Trigger, Suikoden II, and .hack//G.U.–but then there are your Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, Cheetahmen II, and Spud’s Adventure sort of games that are only rare and expensive because of the aforementioned reasons: The games themselves aren’t very good, they’re just elusive. I wrote my first Rare Games that Don’t Suck on the Gamecube because it’s arguably my favorite console of all time. Now, I’d like to tell you about rare games that don’t suck on what is by far my favorite handheld console of all-time, the Game Boy Advance.

Final Fantasy VI Advance

Image Courtesy of GameFAQs

Image Courtesy of GameFAQs

The first game I’m going to talk about is one that doesn’t really need much of an introduction. As the title suggests, it’s an enhanced port of Final Fantasy VI on the SNES. Final Fantasy VI Advance has been subject to critical acclaim, just like its SNES counterpart, with an 8.9/10 from GameSpot, a 9/10 from IGN, 9/10 from Eurogamer, a 31/40 from Famitsu and many more. On average, a complete used copy of Final Fantasy VI Advance is $59.48, with a brand new copy costing you about $80.

Final Fantasy VI is the story of a girl named Terra, who is captured by the empire and forced to fight against her will. She was eventually broken free and rescued by The Returners, who also want to use Terra for their own purposes in war, but they ultimately respect her freedom, and let her make her own decision. I’ll stop there because after that is when it gets really good. It has a fantastically told story, a truly unique world to explore, incredibly memorable characters, solid and consistent combat, and stunning visuals for what it has to work with. The limitations of the GBA caused a musical downgrade, but that’s really it. It’s still a faithful version of one of the greatest games of all-time.

Car Battler Joe

Image courtesy of GameFAQs

Image courtesy of GameFAQs

Car Battler Joe is one of the many, many hidden gems on the GBA. As a matter of fact a lot of the games on here are expensive because they’re hidden gems. Car Battler Joe is about this guy named Joe who is basically the standard kind of protagonist you’d see from a show like Beyblade or something, and that goes double for the game. It’s received relatively high acclaim from reviews (8.1/10 from GameSpot, 7.7/10 from IGN), and is one of my personal favorite GBA games. A used complete copy of Car Battler Joe will run you roughly $85. New copies for this game are incredibly hard to find, so getting an estimate on the overall price of a new copy is hard, but recently there was a copy sold on Ebay for $440.

You go around the world doing missions in your car, from fighting off bandits, to delivering packages, all the while collecting parts to either build new cars or upgrade your current one. These cars are equipped with various weapons that you can adjust and customize to your liking for combat. Basically think this weird version of that movie Death Race but if it were super anime, intended for children, and actually good. Mechanically speaking, it’s essentially a third person shooter/cart racer, but without the racing. In terms of sheer control, Car Battler Joe is fantastic. Each car controls differently and each weapon has different physics, and combining this with the tight controls means you’ll get consistently great gameplay. Customization is also complex, especially for a GBA game. The combinations of cars and weapons are incredibly varied, and just trying out different combinations will take up a lot of time in the game. It’s a truly fun experience.

Super Robot Taisen: The Original Generation 2

Image courtesy of GameFAQs

Image courtesy of GameFAQs

Alright, let me get this out of the way right now: I love me some mecha anime. Mechs are like the best things ever. Giant robots fighting other giant robots with high-adrenaline pilots and stupidly overpowered weapons? What’s NOT to love? Being a huge mecha fan, when I found out that there was a strategy RPG series about anime mechs fighting each other, I was all in. What I ended up getting was one of the best strategy games I’ve ever played, along with being loved by the others who have played it (8.5/10 from GameSpot, 85% from RPGfan). Good news, though! This is the cheapest game on the list. A complete used copy is worth about $45 – $60, and a new copy goes between $65 – $90. What a steal!

Super Robot Taisen: The Original Generation 2 (hereon referred to as SRT2) picks up right after the first game left off. I would explain the full story, but it’s so long and complicated that it’s not worth it. All you have to know is that in the first game, there was a war between our protagonists and a faction called the Divine Crusaders, along with an alien race called the Aerogators. What’s happening now is that the world is fixing up its mechs in case something like that happens again, and low and behold, something like that happens again. Only they’re much stronger than the Aerogators or the Divine Crusaders. The gameplay is just complex enough to encourage good decision-making and strategy, and it also has a really good difficulty curve; never getting too hard, but never being a total cakewalk either. The roster of mechs is diverse, and it offers many ways for you to build a personal team (mix and match pilots and mechs, upgrading mechs and weapons, etc.). It’s also absolutely gorgeous for a GBA game and has a fantastic OST.

CastleVania: Aria of Sorrow

Image courtest of GameFAQs

Image courtesy of GameFAQs

Ho boy this game. This was back when CastleVania knew what it was doing. It’s no Symphony of the Night, but it gets pretty damn close, as shown in its ratings. 9/10s across the board from all sources. Everyone pretty much agrees that Aria of Sorrow is one of the best CastleVania games. A used complete copy of Aria of Sorrow will cost you around $70, where as a brand new copy will cost you more around $90. You play as Soma Cruz, who is basically the second coming of Dracula except not really, and you’re sucked into Dracula’s moon castle and are trying to get out while also stopping someone else who is also basically the second coming of Dracula except not really.

You’ve got your standard MetroidVania style gameplay, except much better in terms of controls. The previous CastleVania games, Harmony of Dissonance and Circle of Moon, didn’t control nearly as well as Aria of Sorrow. Soma has the perfect weight to him, feeling just floaty enough for the environment while still feeling like you have to move him around well to succeed. It’s got a soul-absorption system which basically gives Soma the powers of enemies he defeats, and then standard RPG stuff like armor and weapons. The game looks and sounds fantastic, though the story is fairly weak. Combat is incredibly satisfying, and the enemies and environments are very well-designed. My only real complaint is that it’s pretty short, but other than that, it’s fantastic.

Ninja Five-O

Image courtesy of GameFAQs

Image courtesy of GameFAQs

There’s a chance you’ve heard of this one. It’s not incredibly popular, but those who have played it will say that it’s one of the best games on any handheld system ever. It’s received tons of ratings generally around an 8.5 – 9/10 from almost everywhere. But it’s also probably the single most expensive game in the GBA library, and by far the most expensive game on this list. A complete used copy of this game is worth an astonishing $356. What about a brand new copy, you ask? $515. Five hundred and fifteen dollars. And that’s not all. Even if you want just the cartridge, it’s still going to cost you over $100. This game is incredibly rare.

The game itself is a 2D stealth platformer where you play as a ninja, who can slash his sword and fling his projectiles. As you progress through the levels, you have to kill bad guys, rescue civilians, find keys to progress. You can use a grappling hook to traverse high ground, and also find power ups to make your attacks stronger and give you different projectiles. You really do feel like a ninja while playing this game; hopping up and stealth attacking opponents, catching them from behind to go for a kill, and sometimes even just running in guns blazing. The level design is top-notch, really lending itself to a slower-paced, more stealth and timing-focused style of game. Combine that with nice-looking graphics and a pretty nice soundtrack, and you’ve got a recipe for a fantastic game.

As I said last time, when you’ve got some spare cash, don’t be responsible and save it, go spend it on pointless video games!

TLC’s D&D 5e Homebrew: Dark Souls Weapons

August 1, 2016 Greg Articles, Tabletop

The Lifecast’s Dungeon Master Greg Fernandes shares some of his D&D 5e homebrew ideas. This edition attempts to transcribe mechanics from the Dark Souls franchise.

5 Japanese Games that would make Excellent Anime

July 31, 2016 Kennedy Blog

Ask anyone what some of their favorite 2016 anime have been so far and I promise that almost everyone who’s watching it will include the Ace Attorney anime on their list. Whether they’re new fans who used the anime as a gateway into the franchise or longtime fans who want to relive the fun of the first two Ace Attorney games, several people–including myself–can’t get enough of the Ace Attorney anime. This really shouldn’t be a surprise not just because they’re excellent games, but because they’re so dialogue-based, it’s natural that they would transition well into an anime. Last week I wrote a list of Japanese games that likely wouldn’t make good anime–this week, I bring you a list of 5 Japanese games that I think would have good anime adaptations. Like the previous list, however, there are rules:

  • This is NOT a list of my favorite Japanese games. If you’re really dying to know my favorite games, look at the author description at the bottom. I have them listed.

  • All the games on this list are Japanese, but they’re not all JRPGs
  • All these are games have not received an anime adaption of any kind
  • I’m not saying that these would 100% definitely make great anime–nor am I implying that they ever will get anime. I have no way of knowing if any of these will ever get an anime, nor would I have any way of knowing if they were good unless I’ve watched them. These are just educated guesses–games that I think would have a significantly higher chance at having a good anime regardless of circumstances.
  • When I say “anime” I mean anime–not an OVA, not a movie, not a special. I mean a full-blown anime with at least 12 episodes, though almost certainly more. The fact that most anime from the last decade are 12, 24-26, or 52 episodes should be kept in mind, though.
  • I’m assuming the anime would be an adaptation of the games (EX: Persona 4, Ace Attorney) NOT a continuation, re-imagining, or separate story of any kind (EX: any of the .hack// anime, Advent Children)

On that note…

 

No More Heroes

via newgamernation.com

There are very few games that are practically begging to become an anime as badly as No More Heroes. First of all, this action-adventure, hack-and-slash is home of some incredibly unique characters–most well-known being the over-the-top, nerdy protagonist, Travis Touchdown. These characters alongside the already anime plot (Travis wants to be the top ranked assassin in the world) would let the episodes practically write themselves: Just animate some explosive fights and adapt the writing from there. It could be a fantastic action/comedy that would help new fans fall in love with the incredible world of this underappreciated gem, and would allow older fans to relive this incredible game.

 

The World Ends With You

via TechnoBuffalo.com

Confusing writing aside, The World Ends with You could make a wonderful anime. First of all, there’s the art style of the game–who wouldn’t love to see a TV anime (I say TV anime specifically because of the Redline movie) done in this style? Second, this game is home to a fantastic soundtrack that could be reused in an anime adaptation. Most importantly, I think that the writing in this game would be well-suited for an anime. It’s very easy to see in the game which conversations are important and which are more unnecessary, so it would be pretty easy to trim the fat from this game if it were to be adapted. There’s a large enough cast of characters to make an anime version of it hold the interest of the viewer through the characters in addition to the plot, but without overwhelming them since each character is so unique. Finally, because all the excessiveness of the writing in the game would be gone, it would be much easier to appreciate the character development in this game, alongside understanding the story which, admittedly, gets incredibly confusing at the end. This game will be 10 years old next year, and though we’ve seen some of the main characters appear in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, we’ve never had a sequel to this game. Tetsuya Nomura has gone on the record saying that a sequel is still a possibility, and what better way to get people excited and jog their memories of this game than with an anime adaptation?

 

Final Fantasy VI

via DualShockers

My main reasons for wanting a Final Fantasy 6 anime are the same reasons that I would also love a remake of this game, as I explained in my list of very unlikely games that I’d like to see announced at E3 that I posted in June. To quote the article, “I want to see Kefka’s face twist and writhe as he laughs maniacally, I want to see a more animated transformation for Terra, I want to see the opera scene as cinematically as possible—and I know I’m not the only one, as Final Fantasy VI is generally considered to be arguably the best 2D Final Fantasy game.” Final Fantasy 6 is a fantastic game, which is why I’d like to relive the whole thing, but more visually this time. The graphics were good for their time, but I think it’s time for an upgrade–be it a 3D remake or an anime. The writing for Final Fantasy 6 is incredible, and it contains arguably the best villain in Final Fantasy as well as some of the most memorable characters overall in Final Fantasy history. My only worry for a Final Fantasy 6 anime is condensing it, because it’s a pretty long game, so picking it apart and condensing it could potentially cause trouble, but I’m sure it’s still doable.

 

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

via forbes

Seeing this game on the list probably won’t come as a surprise to most people who read the previous list of Japanese games that I think wouldn’t make good anime. For anyone who didn’t read it, suffice to say, I mentioned that Ocarina of Time wouldn’t make a good anime because it focuses more on the freedom of an open world and game play than it does the story–and in an anime, because you lose the game play and the freedom, it would rely heavily on the story–something Ocarina of Time simply doesn’t have as much of as other Zelda titles. Perhaps no Legend of Zelda game embodies great storytelling as well as Majora’s Mask, which is why I think it would make an excellent anime. It would also be really interesting to see what the production company would do to show the 3-day mechanic, but again, this is a wonderful tool for storytelling. Like Final Fantasy 6, the only foreseeable issue that could arrive is condensing it down, but due to the length of this game versus Final Fantasy 6, I’m sure it would be an easier feat for Majora’s Mask.

 

Any Fire Emblem Game

via Nintendo.co.uk

I think Awakening in particular would make the best Fire Emblem anime, but any given Fire Emblem game would likely be at least a good anime. First of all, there’s the linearity constant throughout the entire franchise: Each game is pretty straightforward in its story and what it wants you to do. This would translate well into an anime because it gives the whole thing an overarching plot–a goal to obtain–and thus helps the viewer stay focused in the writing. Secondly, Fire Emblem games are generally well-known for having very memorable characters–particularly Awakening, which is the first of 3 reasons I have for thinking it would make the best anime of any Fire Emblem game. Having good characters are a staple for having a good anime because they make the viewer care more because they care about the characters and they want to see what they do next. The only major problem with that and Fire Emblem is that, due to the perma-death these games are so famous for, there are dozens of  important characters in each game. It would definitely become a task trying to figure out who’s more important that who, and thus, who warrants more screen time, if any characters should be cut out entirely, etc. Although it would definitely be the biggest obstacle in making a good Fire Emblem anime, I think that would be the only notable one because once you figure out who’s important enough for screen-time, the writing would be easily adapted by the in-game dialogue, and could likely be used word-for-word because of the aforementioned linearity. The other major reasons I think Awakening in particular would make the best Fire Emblem anime is 1. It’s generally called the best entry point into the series. Granted those are for game play reasons, I think it would still hold true in an anime since the characters of Awakening have proved their importance in the future of the franchise as we can see from Fates. 2. Frankly, Awakening has the best story of any of the Fire Emblem games I’ve played. Combo that with the most memorable characters and it’ll be a great experience for the viewer.

 

Like I said in the previous article, I’d like to encourage leaving comments with your thoughts: What are some games you like that you think would make good anime? Why? Do you disagree with any of the games on this list? Did I leave anything out? Again, in the pursuit of knowledge, I’d like to heavily encourage feedback.

We Happy Few: Early Access Impressions

July 30, 2016 Adam Articles, Reviews

For a long time now we’ve been hearing about We Happy Few and during that time people managed to create their own expectations for it. These expectations basically boiled down to a Bioshock-like experience. Basically what we’ve been told is that it will be a story driven experience with some forms of procedural generation. Now before I get into this discussion I’d like to make a few disclaimers. This is an EARLY ACCESS PRODUCT meaning the game is nowhere near being finished and any judgements being made are for in its current state, not what it will be. Therefore, there will be no review score at the bottom. I should also mention that I’ve been playing the Xbox One version, so any performance issues I’ll be talking about don’t represent the PC version. Ok, let’s get into it.

When you first start up We Happy Few, it takes you to the section that was shown at E3 this year during the Microsoft press conference. This E3 gameplay trailer ended right as the game actually opens up. You get knocked out by the guard and you end up in your underground residence. The game doesn’t really tell you how you got here, you just have to keep moving forward. That’s all they have for the story parts so far. They even mention it in their disclaimer before you start playing the game.

 

WeHappyFew1

*said disclaimer* (source: Google Images)

 

So there’s not a hell of a lot to judge on that front other than its immediately interesting, this opening section is immediately interesting and I would like to know more. Unfortunately we won’t know any extra story bits until 1.0 comes along, and judging by its current state that’s going to be a long time away. After this opening segment you’re introduced to an open world where you can wander wherever you’d like, until you either die or run into a bridge that is.

Much to my surprise, this game is actually a roguelike with survival elements. When I say survival elements, I mean it’s got them all. It has a crafting system, survival meters (hunger, thirst, sleep and health), and you even search through abandoned houses and such to find these scraps. There’s also other elements of the survival aspect that aren’t immediately apparent. Some examples being, if you eat rotten food you’ll get sick and if you take your Joy pills you’ll go through withdrawal symptoms when it’s over and your other meters will drain faster. This wouldn’t be all that bad if it wasn’t so damn overbearing. The meters are draining at an almost constant basis and after a little while it just becomes a massive burden. Rather than surviving while playing the game, you’re just spending all of your time surviving.

When getting into the other roguelike elements, like restarting after your character dies just seems unnecessary. Now, I’m a massive fan of roguelikes Spelunky is one of my favorite games ever made, so I’m not necessarily a stranger games resetting your progress upon death. However, in We Happy Few, it does something that I’ve never really encountered in any roguelikes and it really rubbed me the wrong way. When you die and restart, the quests seem to stay the same. So every time I had to restart I found myself doing the same quests over and over again. It became very repetitive and almost completely unnecessary. They way that Compulsion has set this game up is basically an open world adventure style game, only when you die you have to repeat the same quests. When you have a roguelike set up like this it massively takes away from the fun. I found myself doing the same quests over and over again. It inevitably started to feel like a chore. It got to the point where I just decided to turn the permadeath off completely and it ended up providing a much better experience. This game misses the core of what makes a roguelikes so damn fun, learning from your mistakes. Instead of attempting to change how you approach each run, it felt like I didn’t have any options and it was just trial and error. The way you play this game doesn’t lend itself well to traditional roguelike tropes.

Now, it isn’t all necessarily negative because this game doesn’t really have to change a hell of a lot for it to drastically improve. This game has a fantastic art style and mood. In the first few minutes it really managed to make me feel weirded out and very interested to find out more about what happened to the world. There’s something to this game and I can’t exactly put my finger on it. Basically, it’s just trying to accomplish too many things at once, it almost feels like somewhere along through development it lost its destination and now it’s just going wherever the hell it wants.

In its current state, We Happy few also has some massive technical issues on the Xbox One version, but that’s to be expected in an early access game. Frequent frame drops, excessively long loading screens, a lot of texture problems and sometimes signs even turn up in the middle of the street. In addition to these technical problems, the A.I is also incredibly wonky. A lot of the time there’s no given reason as to why some of them will attack you, they just do. I’m not sure if that’s something that was intended or not because of how little they actually tell you about the game, but regardless when it happens it seems to have no rhyme or reason to it.

 

IMG_7634

A happy little sign (source: a screenshot I took)

 

For an example on how buggy this game currently is, there are bridges in this game that serve as checkpoints. You need to have a few things accomplished in order to enter them. I tried entering one of them with none of the criteria met. The gate opened and it let me through which was already surprising. However, after it let me through I got stuck in a wall and beaten to death by the guards that let me through. This wasn’t a thing that was supposed to happen either, other times I had tried to enter the guards tell you that you can’t get through and then proceed to beat you to a pulp. But the game saw it that I had met all of the criteria in order to enter, then realized it fucked up and murdered me.

 

We Happy Few in its current state does not leave good impressions with me. It’s currently a mess and it has no clear focus. I’m not entirely sure if releasing this game in early access was a good idea for them, especially because Compulsion Games has been getting such a massive pass with its aesthetics alone. If you’re considering buying into We Happy Few now, I’d suggest maybe waiting a little bit until they have some things figured out.

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Kirby’s Dream Land 3

July 29, 2016 colin Articles
Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user hmmisee.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user hmmisee.

 

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 is one Kirby’s most fun and creative adventures
Kirby’s Dream Land 3 is one of the better entries in the long running series, but also one of the SNES’ most unique platformers.

Released in late fall of 1997, Kirby’s Dream Land 3 has the distinction of being Nintendo’s last published title on the SNES. The game was also overshadowed by the release of the Nintendo 64 and its ever growing library. Gamers were more interested in Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64 and GoldenEye 007 rather than what the little pink guy was copying.

The game was also unfavorably compared to the smash hit Kirby Super Star. While Super Star is a great game in its own right, Kirby’s Dream Land 3 gets the series back to its roots of straightforward platforming, while doing something new as well.

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 showcases the power of the SNES, not with cutting-edge effects, with the impressive color palate the system had. Gameplay is also as fun as ever, but introduces a good amount of elements to keep it fresh each level.

Colors, colors everywhere in Dream Land! Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Colors, colors everywhere in Dream Land! Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Consistently solid gameplay keeps Kirby’s Dream Land 3 interesting
Kirby’s Dream Land 3 uses the typical Kirby format. Jumping, flying around and getting opponents abilities. However, the addition of Kirby’s animal friends make things more interesting. Instead of three, there is now six. Rick, Coo and Kine all return from Kirby’s Dream Land 2. Nago the double jumping cat, Pitch the green bird and Chuchu the octopus wearing a bow all join the ranks of Kirby’s friends. The blue ball Gooey is along for the ride and can be used by player two.

Kirby and Gooey's Excellent Adventure. Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Kirby and Gooey’s Excellent Adventure. Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 does not have the gimmick of being “six games in one” like Super Star, but has the same amount of variety. Not in game types, but in gameplay. It is also more streamlined to focus. It does not break down barriers, but keeps gameplay steady.

The amount of animal friends in Kirby’s Dream Land 3 for one is a great addition. Each of them will be helpful in finding secret passages in stages.

The sort of “missions” in each stage will allow for replayability. Kirby’s Dream Land 3 contains a side character in each stage. Some times its an original character. Other times its another Nintendo character. The character will ask Kirby break down a wall, bring back children or find a certain item. It is not the main goal of each stage, but it adds to Kirby’s Dream Land 3’s platforming. It’s a nice addition to make the game feel longer.

Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

It’s random cameo time! Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 has the typical copy abilities such as cutter, spark and stone, among others. They aren’t particularly different, but it’s not an overwhelming selection. Each copy ability in Kirby’s Dream Land 3 is useful in its own right, and the player won’t ever feel like they got the short end of the stick. This is somewhat a rare feature, since every Kirby game has its selection of useless copy abilities and this one does not.

The franchise has always had fun, but simplistic, gameplay that keeps players coming back. Kirby’s Dream Land 3 will certainly delight longtime fans and even new comers.

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 boasts a great art style
Kirby’s Dream Land 3’s stylized sprites and backgrounds are absolute eye candy. Similar to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, Kirby’s Dream Land 3 has a distinct hand drawn style. Outlines of characters will have scribbly lines and the game looks like it was drawn with pencil crayons. The Kirby series has been all about cute visuals, the graphics of Kirby’s Dream Land 3 exemplify this aspect perfectly. It does not display bright colors like Super Star did, but it at least has its own style.

The art style alone is great to look at. Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

The art style alone is great to look at. Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Kirby’s Dream Land 3 came out at one of the worst times. A (then) second-tier Nintendo series being released at the very end of a last generation console, and  having to live up to an instant classic stacked the cards against the game.

If any Kirby fan or even someone looking for an addictive and clever platformer, than Kirby’s Dream Land 3 will be what the doctor ordered. The visuals alone make the game worth playing at least once, but the addition of several gameplay elements will keep gamers glued to the game. In some ways, it is just as good, if not better, than Super Star.

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 isn’t expensive to find on the SNES and it is available to download on the Virtual Console.

Deanna’s Shadowrun House Rules & GM Tips

July 28, 2016 Deanna Articles, Tabletop

Much like our very own Greg, I GM for our little group over here; however I run a tabletop RPG called Shadowrun. A brief backstory is that sometime in the next few years, orks, trolls, and elves are born to human parents. This marks the beginning of the Sixth World: the return of magic to society and a highly advanced technical era. Corporations run pretty much everything and tax the ever-loving crap out of the poor while skirting around taxes themselves and reaping the rewards. Meanwhile, shadowrunners are those who are fed up with the system, so they made their own. Dealing almost exclusively in black-market, back-alley deals, shadowrunners make a living off-the-grid and on the run.

All this and more lies at your fingertips. (via Save/Continue)

The Main Difference

While D&D may focus more on the story of the world the players are in and exploring that to its fullest, Shadowrun is easier to run a one-off campaign with. Most runs start with a fixer, lovingly known as “Mr. Johnson”, giving one or a group of shadowrunners a job. This could be any number of things: information extraction, assassination, smuggling, you name it. There are plenty of pregenerated worlds for you to set up shop in as the GM. Catalyst Labs, the makers of the game, go to some pretty impressive lengths to make sure that the game is immersive despite this, though.

For instance, Shadowrun not only offers general base stats, but skill sets to go on top of that. At character creation, you get a certain amount of points to put into each section. Dice pools (which I’ll cover later) are calculated depending on how many points you have per skill and how many points you have per attribute. Even on top of that, there are pages’ worth of gear for your players to choose from to make their character exactly how it should be. Since we’re playing in the future, also, there’s another pile of cyberware and bioware enhancements that players can buy. You wanna have glowing tattoos that change color with your emotions? How about hair? Well, you can. No magic needed.

Game Mods

I should start off by saying that Shadowrun, in its fifth edition, is incredibly number-heavy. It’s dense. Character creation, with an uninitiated player, takes a solid hour and a half if you’re fine-tuning your gear list. It’s run entirely through d6 rolls instead of the various dice that D&D uses. For each point you have in a specific skill plus the base attribute associated with that skill, you roll one d6. When characters start getting good, dice pools can easily reach 40 or more.

Combat in and of itself is another beast. If you’re familiar with tabletop RPG combat at all, generally you have an initiative roll which determines the order of operations once per combat engagement. Shadowrun has one every combat turn– and if you roll high enough, you can move more than once per turn.

Complications aside, I have a set of modifications that I implement in games that I run. More than once I’ve considered having gear and weapon cards available for players to look at when they’re offered the opportunity to upgrade. I now know that Catalyst offers such as a printable PDF. I feel as though especially with Shadowrun, the more you can prep your players during the campaign, the better they’ll roleplay.

GMs come prepared. AliExpress celebrates. (via /u/pizzatuesdays on Reddit)

Custom Mechanics

To keep gameplay moving with a regular group of six or more, I’ve modified the way things are supposed to be. Just a touch, though. GMing is a fairly new experience so I’m keeping it pretty vanilla for now.

One thing I completely threw out the window in the current campaign is turn-based astral and matrix combat. It’s a free action, it just happens. My attention capacity isn’t enough to have up to three separate initiative counts running. Shadowrun 5e has rules for hackers and mages performing combat in their respective planes, but it’s complicated, slows down physical plane combat, and isn’t really fun unless you have a party of all deckers and technomancers or astral-projecting magicians respectively.

I also run simplified rigger actions. This is a bit of a homebrew solution, as either it’s not discussed in the core rulebook or I keep overlooking it. {Double-check the rules on this.} Since there’s only one rigger in the group, I don’t want to slow them down in combat. Plus, if you’ve spent 100,000 nuyen on a Roomba, you should at least know how to use it.

Another mechanic of combat in Shadowrun is the fact that guns fire different counts of ammunition per pull of the trigger. This creates interesting layers for advanced players like reloading and being careful with what they shoot. Once again, I threw these out the window along with things like carry limits and guns being unconcealed by default. There are a lot of little things like this that I choose to overlook because they can slow down the roleplay.

House Rules

My first house rule is that if anyone has a legitimate concern with something happening in the session, voice it. Things like extensive torture, mutilation, and the like can be stuff that does happen in the underworld. Just because it exists, it doesn’t mean it has to be in the session to move the story along. This is a public topic in the group, but I encourage players to tell me privately if something makes their stomach turn a bit too much. Likewise, I have some limitations with what I do and don’t let players do in accordance with those concerns.

Another, more lighthearted house rule I have is that if you know you’re going to miss a session and want your character to still be active in the background, you write their story. For instance, one player’s character is incredibly mundane, so he went to the dentist during one session. This is mainly to keep people engaged whether they’re there or not. It also usually gets a good laugh.

One other, more whimsical rule I have is something called a point of the D. Players are rewarded for doing cool dumb shit by getting a point. One point is equivalent to one reroll of the appropriate dice pool.

Lastly, it goes without saying, but I run a lot of free sessions since the group is so large and (at least I think) the story I’m trying to tell is important. Not every session has combat because even small battles take close to an hour. There are times where I’ll make decisions for the group to set up key plot points. I’m not sure if this is standard practice, but I don’t do it too often and sometimes a shove in the right direction won’t cut it.

When your crew pulls through that insanely hard battle with one box of damage before down, you end up feeling pretty damn cool. (via Fandible)

Other Encouragements

The only thing that really distracts me when GMing is players who aren’t paying attention to the game. Again, due to the large party it’s alright to check Twitter for a few seconds while you’re not in combat. But don’t watch TV while we’re playing. Or I’ll come for your ass when you least expect it.

I do recommend that everyone be the GM at least once in their own campaigns, just so they’re aware of the work that goes into it. It took me two months to start running one Shadowrun campaign because I was learning its ins and outs and developing the world. Show your GM some respect. Give them the few hours they’re asking for.

Also, help out your GM by reading up on your character a bit. Know what their gear does, know what your cybernetics do, and know what your abilities do. If your character has qualities that affect your rolls, know that, too. Keep up with combat when it happens, and ask questions.
Be engaged in the session. There’s little more that makes me, personally, happier as a GM than when I feel my players are enjoying interacting with the world around them.

Now go out and play some tabletop RPGs. There’s nothing like a bunch of people getting together and telling a story together. That’s really where the magic is.

Cover image is from Shadowrun Universe.

Games Gone By: The Force Unleashed

July 27, 2016 Ricky Articles

A smaller series this time around but by no means that does that make it bad. Well…not terrible, but it definitely deserved more than what it got. These two games I always see as two of the best Star Wars games that not only has a great original story, but also helps expand what we already know from the original trilogy.

The story is a definite highlight of the first game, exploring a lot of what led to events in the A New Hope. Image Source: entreegeeks.wordpress.com

Star Wars The Force Unleashed came out in 2008 on the Playstation 3, Playstation 2, Xbox 360, and the Wii. In it you play as Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice who has been training to help him overthrow the emperor. You are tasked usually with hunting Jedi with your pilot Juno Eclipse and polite yet blood-hungry droid proxy. The game takes you amazing places such as the jungles of Kashyyyk to the junk world of Raxus Prime and many other locations I won’t spoil.  Along the way, you grow to love Starkiller as he questions what he is doing and if you really wants to become a Sith.

The gameplay is a classic hack and slash that lets you really use the force in new and exciting ways. You can force-push, grip, dash, and even use force lightning on your enemies. The combat system even rewards you for mixing multiple kinds of attacks together. Certain enemies are avoidant to certain force powers, so you can’t rely on one power.

However, at the same time a lot of the enemies can be considered cheap, often hitting you right as you get up or attacking long-range from off-screen. This especially true for the Purge troopers.

There’s something to be said about being able to take down a Rancor with relative ease. Image Source: videogamesnet.com

You can also have influence on where the story goes (either being canon are longer applicable after it was placed in the LEGENDS canon). You can even pick the final boss! The darker ending even has a dlc that shows a darker way A New Hope and Empire could have gone.

Also the soundtrack is phenomenal. Take a listen for yourself, it perfectly captures  John Williams’s style and feeling, heightening  the game exponentially.

 

All things considered, I think that this game offers a lot, especially for Star Wars fans. While the cutscenes have some creepy facial animations, the story is still one that pulls you in and makes you feel for what’s going on. It also gives an ironic twist as to the origins of the rebellion. Sadly, the charm and heart was not present in the second game.

More polish than substance unfortunately. Image Source:game-debate.com

The Force Unleashed 2 came out for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PC in 2010. The game generated immense hype by showing that Starkiller now using TWO lightsabers, as well as having Boba Fett and Yoda in the story. However, the excitement for the game quickly diminished for most players when they realized they were more than halfway through the game after roughly an hour.

If you like Boba Fett, then you’ll love all 30 seconds of his screentime. Image Source: engadget.com

The story is pitiful. Vader is trying to clone Starkiller, and you play as on of those clones who is still attached to Starkiller’s past. From there, you escape Kamino, try to find your friends, and get revenge on Vader. Unlike the last game, where you go to many exciting locations, in this game you really go to one. You fly to Cato Neimoidia and then you’re on your way back to Kamino. But don’t worry, there is a  good five minutes of Dagobah in-between, and playing on the ship to Kamino. The game also ends with many questions that are never answered, and after Lucasarts was shut down, I don’t think they ever will be.

While the story is abysmal, the gameplay at least seems improved, as well as the graphics. However it feels as though you’re far to powerful in the beginning of the game, and no enemeie seem like a threat. You barely have to strategize to beat them unlike the last game. Its either saber slash or force. That’s it. And large enemies are repeated so often they just feel like a chore to get through.

Oh and the Soundtrack is painfully generic compared to the last, doing reorchestrated (worse) versions of the previous games best tracks.

You stop these missls at least thirty times in the span of two hours of gameplay. And each time its more tiresome than the last. Image Source: gameratedgames.com

This series did have promise, and had the ability to fill in holes fans never expected to see filled. However, with a very mediocre sequel and the shutting down of Lucasarts, it seems like this section of a galaxy far far away will forever be just that. Far away.

TLC’s D&D 5e Homebrew: Level 20 Bard Features

July 25, 2016 Greg Articles, Blog, Tabletop

The Lifecast’s Dungeon Master Greg Fernandes shares some of his D&D 5e homebrew ideas. This edition attempts to improve the Bard’s Level 20 Class Feature.