Tag: PS4

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour: Still the best PS4 Golf Game – The Gamer in me GL-28

As great today as it was at release

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

That could be taken many different ways depending on your preferences.  If a feature packed game filled with multiple game modes, lots of unlockables, and a simulation feel is what you want.  Well then Rory McIlroy PGA tour won’t impress you much.  Since it’s initial release back in the summer of 2015 EA sports hasn’t added anything new to the mix either.  Now if an impressive looking golf game, that feels quite like the difficult challenge of the real thing appeals to you.  Well then you are probably very happy with Rory McIlroy PGA tour.  What it lacks in features, it gains in actual gameplay.  What i enjoy in a Sports Sim falls a little between the two so Rory McIlroy PGA tour is a little hit and miss for me.  Of course this being Masters week I couldn’t resist revisiting this game.

Career Mode

This is generally the mode I’m most interested in when playing Sports Sims.   Designing your golfer is a little disappointing.  Character customization is extremely limited so don’t expect to create a digital version of yourself unless you are the most generic looking person ever.  Instead of working your way up through the ranks on the amateur circuit.  You begin the game by playing in the amateur championship.  Finish high enough and voila!  You’ve earned your tour card.  Obviously you won’t become to attached to your avatar early on.  Fortunately every hole of golf you play earns you experience.  After a few Rounds you will be able to begin to shape your Golfer into the type of Player that you would like to be.   As your career advances you will unlock Player boosts that can dramatically alter your characters skills.  I found this to be one of the most interesting aspects of the game.  Would you like to bomb it like Dustin Johnson, putt like Jordan Spieth, or hit your Irons like Rickie Fowler?  Well select the right combination of boosts and you can mimic the play style of your favourite professional Golfer.  Just don’t expect to break into the Top 10 overnight.  It takes a lot of Rounds to develop into a top contender.  Although playing the tour is a blast.  Quite a few of the most famous courses are missing, and EA wasn’t able to secure the rights to the Masters so that’s left off the schedule as well.  Still I didn’t miss it nearly as much as I thought that I might.

The thrill of the game

What Rory McIlroy PGA tour does best is re-create the excitement of making the cut on Friday, and fighting for the win on Sunday.  Realizing that you are in contention gets your heart pumping.  Every shot becomes your path to victory, or reason for defeat.  You pay extra close attention to the leaderboard.  Recognizable names like Scott, Rose, and Kuchar are right there challenging you for the victory.  You suddenly realize that your two stroke lead might not be enough, and then just as quickly you remember that it’s only a game.  It’s at that moment that I realized that despite it’s shortcomings, Rory McIlroy PGA tour is a fantastic game.  It does the one thing that Sports Sims and all games are meant to do.  Allow you for the short time you spend playing it to feel like the character, not the person controlling it.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
http://twitter.com/cobeness

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM
http://instagram.com/cobesports

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – The Gamer in me GL-26

Act fast 

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

This is the final day for PS Plus members to download Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.  Every month that passes with uninspiring releases has me looking to see what’s available for free through my PS Plus membership.  For February of 2018 the marquee title for download was Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.  If you are like me, and very selective about the games you purchase.  Then there’s a very good chance that you took a pass on Deus Ex: Mankind Divided when it first released in 2016.  Unless of course you were a dedicated fan of the Deus Ex franchise.  I played the original Deus Ex on PC many many years ago, and loved it.  Unfortunately the first Deus Ex release on Consoles flopped.  Poor reviews due to frame rate issues, confusing controls, and average graphic capabilities had me decide against giving it a try.  A few follow up releases came out over the years, and by the time Mankind Divided dropped in 2016 the reviews were glowing.  Everyone seemed impressed by Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.  Still I wasn’t invested in the franchise, and there were titles releasing around the same time that really had my interest.

Time to take a second look

Thanks to my PS Plus membership I’ve finally taken the opportunity to give Deus Ex: Mankind Divided a chance.  I’m so happy i did.  Keep in mind that I have played only about three hours of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.  In those three hours I’ve realized that for a story driven game designed to lead you from mission to mission.  Deus Ex: Mankind Divided doesn’t feel linear at all.  The freedom you are given to decide how you intend to reach each objective.  The number of side missions that aren’t just mild distractions, and can actually effect your chances of success in story missions.  How each cybernetic upgrade can lead to an increase in what’s possible with the surrounding environment.  You can’t help but feel like you are always in total control of your fate.  Something that’s sorely lacking in most mission based “open world” games.

Prague never looked so cool

The version of Prague that’s been successfully created by Square Enix can best be described as a Cyberpunk Gothic supercity.  It looks fantastic on a big screen TV.  It would be a great injustice to play Deus Ex: Mankind Divided on a small monitor.  Special attention has obviously been placed on surround sound quality as well.  I felt truly immersed in everything happening around me because of the attention to detail.  Although it could become a little overwhelming to the more obsessively compulsive gamers.  The Prague that Square Enix has created has an endless number of places that can be explored.  Every sewer grate that can be lifted. Every window that can be unlocked.  Every pole or drainage pipe that can be climbed.  Moving from street, to balconies, to rooftops where additional areas can be found to explore.  If you are the type of Gamer that needs to find absolutely everything?  Well it’s going to be a long tedious process.  Play Resident Evil if that’s your thing.  A game that actually rewards you for doing it all.  Deus Ex: Mankind Divided doesn’t care what you do, or how you do it.  All of those aforementioned options are there to provide you with choices for how you would like to accomplish a particular objective.  See them as such, and you will enjoy the game that much more.

Quiet Chaos

One of the primary reasons that I am enjoying Deus Ex: Mankind Divided so much is of course the gameplay.  I’ve never been the type of Gamer that enjoys high intensity shooters.  Running from cover to cover while strafing, and performing super jumps is definitely not my thing.  Tom Clancy’s The Division with small unit coordinated attacks? YES. Halo in jumpsuits in close quarters maps? NO.  Deus Ex: Mankind Divided where stealth and misdirection are as important as the occasional gunfight?  HELL YEAH!  Now I’m not saying that you can’t succeed by shooting first, and asking questions later.  You can do that, if that’s your thing, and that’s the beauty of it.  Deus Ex: Mankind Divided allows you to play the game however you like to play it.  I wish more games were designed the same way.

Do yourself a favour and take the opportunity to download this game.  Trust me you won’t be disappointed!

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
http://twitter.com/cobeness

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM
http://instagram.com/cobesports

Categories
GAMING

What’s next? The Gamer in me GL-25

Been there, done that.

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

I’ve been a Gamer for what feels like forever now.  Video Games have managed to take up a significant amount of my free time.  From the first generation of home game systems to PS4 and Xbox One, I’ve played them all.  From a competitive stand point Sony leads the way outselling Microsoft by akmoal 2 to 1.  Nintendo has put themselves back on the map with the Nintendo Switch.  The fastest selling handheld game system ever.  Although it’s the newest system on the market there’s nothing particularly ground breaking about the technology that’s in it.  Actually none of the big three manufacturers have really pushed the limits with their current systems.  Probably the most advanced of the three is the addition of PlaystaPlay VR to the PS4.  Of course you can now play virtual reality games on some cellphones.  It’s not as though the Game systems are lagging behind current technology.  They are actually taking full advantage of what’s available.

Therein lies the problem

With sales of current generation Gaming Systems apparently flatlining.  The question that’s being asked more and more often is when the next generation of Games Systems will be released?  In the past when next generation systems were being proposed people got excited.  I remember the feeling of anticipation well because I have been an early adopter of new Systems for quite some time.  The thing is that people had good reason to be excited because the current systems used to be far behind the capabilities of the current technology.  The problem Game system manufacturers face now is that there’s nothing new to offer.  Best possible picture quality available today is 4K/HDR.  Can a current game system reproduce that?  The answer is yes.  Virtual Reality gaming? Check.  Local multiplayer and online multiplayer capabilities? Yep got that too.  Massive storage space to make your game library portable?  Absolutely no problem.  About the only thing a Game system manufacturer could offer the consumer to entice them to buy a new system is access to the newest games.  Limit New releases to being available for the newest system only.  Thus forcing the consumer to having to buy the newest system.  Even though the capabilities of the newer system aren’t actually superior to the previous generation.  That’s a scary thought.  To pull it off they would have to offer marquee titles exclusively through their own development house, or get the independent software developers on board.  Not an easy thing to accomplish, but not impossible.

On the horizon

So what should we really expect to happen?  Well what you should expect is that as newer Audio/Video technology becomes available.  Game System manufacturers will look to release their latest system along with it.  As someone who has worked in the Audio/Video field for many years i can confidently inform you that there isn’t any breakthrough technology on the way.  As far as Video resolution is concerned, 4K is about as good as it gets.  I don’t doubt that 6K, and possibly even 8K screens are on the way.  The problem with that is our eyesight can’t reasonably discern the difference between 4K and 8K.  The pixel density is already so high at 4K that anything more looks the same.  Actually the greatest step forward in Video quality occurred when HDR was introduced.  The thing about HDR is that it really only requires a high quality screen that can reproduce the Contrast and Colours.  As long as the source (digital download or Blu-ray) contains an HDR game.  All the Game system requires is the necessary software, and processing power.  Current generation systems either already have it, or could easily add it through a software update.

Need not Greed

The best we as consumers can hope for is that the Game systems manufacturers continue to invest in their current hardware.  Offering add-ons like Playstation VR, or high quality gaming controllers to increase their revenue.  Maybe even offering major software upgrades as an option for a cost.  The only thing I don’t want is a PS5, or Xbox Two that does exactly what my PS4, or Xbox One does now.

Categories
FANTASY FISHING GAMING GOLF

In case you didn’t know – Winter Sucks!!!

I’m Canadian so I know

For those of you that don’t really experience winter as the cold, dark, snow and ice filled hell that Canadians know it to be.  Well lucky you.  You really don’t have a winter Season.  What you experience is more of an extended fall, or if you are truly blessed, a cool summer.  The Winters that I’ve experienced in my lifetime range from mild (below zero with light snow) to severe (an entire city frozen in ice without power).  It’s during this abhorrent time that I go from an active sports enthusiast to an out of shape couch commando.  I’ve wondered what kind of shape I would be in if I could just keep doing the things I love (golfing, fishing, walking the city) year round.  Of course there are the many winter sports that so many find enjoyable.  Obviously something terrible has had to have happened to each of them at some point in their lives.  Why else would they subject themselves to such torturous endeavours. Strapping two thin planks to your feet and sliding down a snowy hill.  Fast enough to make the -10 degree temps feel like-20. If you prefer one wide plank that’s available.  Maybe you prefer strapping blades to your feet so you can slide across ice instead.  Desperately working on keeping your balance well enough to keep your ankles from breaking.  You could always head far enough up North to mount a tobaggan equipped with a high powered engine and really freeze your ass solid.  As appealing as some of those activities may sound to some of you.  They sure as shit aren’t for me.

Indoor Sport

So what’s an athletic guy to do?  I’ve considered joining the red and white GoodLife Fitness gym bag carrying crowd.  Unfortunately I can’t enjoy working out.  Especially when I know that playing a sport achieves similar results.  I have a collapsed arch in my left foot so simply joining an indoor soccer, or basketball team is out of the question.  I could take up swimming, but I’d trust the toxicity levels in Lake Ontario more than a public pool.  I’ve considered many potential activities, but not one fit the bill.  Winter has got me totally euchred.  I spend most of my days  in an area not much larger than a squash court.  I still Golf. Got a quick 18 holes in after Morning Drive yesterday.  Of course that’s 18 Rounds on my single hole putting mat in my living room.  There are times during the year that I look at my PS4 and think what a waste of money.  Well my opinion changes rather quickly as soon as the first snowfall hits.  Hardly a day passes without one of my PS4 controllers requiring a recharge.  I had the unfortunate situation where a label came off one of my blu-rays inside my PS4.  I played digital downloads for a couple days, but missed playing Tom Clancy’s The Division way too much.  So after about a week I broke down, and proceeded to take my PS4 apart to clear the drive.  It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I expected it to be.  Less than an hour later I was back to playing The Division.  Winter can do that.  It can motivate you to try things, or buy things you wouldn’t normally.  This is the weekend before the Superbowl so my favourite spectator sport isn’t available either.  I find myself watching movies galore.  Now I love film so that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The problem is that I know I’m going to be spending so much time watching movies that I specifically select Trilogies or ongoing series.  I’ve watched the Bourne trilogy, the Millennium trilogy, the first six Star Wars films, the Hobbit trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, all of the Die Hard films, and I’m four films in to the Harry Potter series.  Can you see how this might be a problem.  Some of those movies I’ve seen so many times that I can quote every key line.  Not a single moment in any of those films surprises me anymore.  I find myself watching what’s going on in the background more.  Hoping to see something I might have missed the first 30 times I watched the movie.  Did you know that Michelle Monaghan was in the Bourne Supremacy?  I didn’t either until I noticed her as an FBI analyst at one of the terminals in the background.  That was the highlight of the film for me.

I’m in the dark here

Yes that was a Scent of a Woman quote, but it’s very relevant during Canadian winters.  If you leave for work before 8:00am, and return home after 5:00pm.  Then there’s a very good chance that you never experienced the light of day.  It was dark when you left, and dark when you returned.  I found myself yawning at 6:48pm last Thursday.  By accident last week my wife and I had dinner twice.  It got dark so early that we mistakenly had dinner at a little before 4:00pm.  By the time 8:00pm came we were hungry again, and realized that sleep might be impossible unless we ate again.

A sudden reprieve

Suddenly without any warning the temperature has been rising the last two days.  It actually got up to +8 degrees today.  Opportunity is knocking, and provided the temperature holds for one more day.  I am going to grab my clubs and make my way out to the Range to do what winter denies me.  Get outside, get some enjoyable exercise, and see the light of day.  If it doesn’t hold, and the winter weather forces me back indoors.  Well I only have to wait a couple more months before the sun begins to shine again.  Until then I have every Marvel movie to watch in chronological order.

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

Tom Clancy’s The Division revisited – The Gamer in me GL-24

A blessing to be bored

I keep waiting for a new PS4 game to grab my attention and really wow me. For the last few months nothing really has. So today I found myself reaching into the Blu-ray cabinet for an old favourite, Tom Clancy’s The Division. Tell you what, I am damn glad I did. If you haven’t read some of my earlier posts. You might be unaware of the primary reason I waited in line one very early morning to purchase my PS4 on release day. I pre-ordered my PS4 from Futureshop, and although I was practically guaranteed my console provided I arrived before noon. The two games I would get to take home with me weren’t guaranteed. Each game was subject to availability, and the sole reason I wanted a PS4 on day one was to play Tom Clancy’s The Division. Well what I would soon find out is that without any prior warning a number of the day one releases had been delayed. Sony was worried that the significant number of games that had been promised on day one were reduced enough to scare people away from making a purchase. If you ask me they were probably right. I for one wouldn’t have pre-ordered a PS4 if I knew that my first two games would be Need for Speed Rivals and Injustice Gods among us. A couple of truly shitty games in my opinion. I spent the next three months after playing my favourite PS3 games. What made matters worse was the game I truly wanted got delayed multiple times over a couple years.

Would my wish be answered?

When I finally got to play Tom Clancy’s The Division my initial interest and expectations were thankfully met. It remains to this day one of the best designed games I’ve ever played. Even the Dark zone which has had it’s fair share of issues, and balance problems couldn’t ruin it for me because the primary campaign is totally playable and fantastic without it. It has the perfect balance of Story, realism, and arcade elements to make it feel challenging, but remain fun. Graphically it’s stunning. Many open world campaign shooters tend to feel monochromatic. Although the colours are subtle in The Division, they are still very present. The game rewards Players of a high arcade style skill level, but is equally playable by Players that take a more realistic tactical approach. Generally I’m not a big fan of first person or third person shooters. I find them too unrealistic, or chaotic in most cases. Successful franchises like Halo, or Battlefield are probably why so many game designers have chosen to go that way. Tom Clancy’s The Division has moments of intense action which can feel a little chaotic at times, but in doing so never feels unrealistic. The intense, and occasionally over the top sequences fit the story, and serve as a reminder that not all in this world is totally familiar.

If it isn’t obviously apparent to you by now, I’ll just say that I was hooked. I played it as much as I could for a couple months and completed the campaign. Then like most games I’ve truly enjoyed it found it’s way into my Blu-ray cabinet. Expansions were released, but I was already on to something else. Quite a few of my online friends I played The Division with, had already moved on to playing Destiny. Although a marquee game in it’s own right. Destiny was a game that I made a conscious decision to avoid because it seemed to require too much of a time commitment. I prefer solitary games or games that I can enjoy online with 1-3 friends for a few hours every now and then. Destiny just doesn’t fit what I’m looking for out of a game. Although the Division does require groups to complete some of the missions. The majority of the game can be played by yourself, and with a couple friends or strangers online when need be.

HOW IT FEELS TO REVISIT THE GAME.

There have been a number of updates since the game was originally released.  They have managed to improve an already excellent game.  Additional gameplay modes, new equipment to be found, and additional areas to explore.  Honestly they didn’t have to change a thing for me, but the additions are totally welcome.  I had already started a second campaign months ago so I started out a little buffed already.  What I wasn’t ready for was how realistic the recoil system was, and how engaging and smart the AI can be.  In other words I was rusty and ready to have my ass handed to me.  Oh and I definitely did.  Should have changed my name to respawn.  A few deaths later, and I was back to kicking gang banger ass.  It feels good to be back.

If you haven’t played Tom Clancy’s The Division, well now is a great time to give it a try.  If you own it like me but haven’t tried it since the most recent updates.  I suggest you load it up, and give it a go.  I promise you that you won’t be disappointed.

 

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

Promising PS4 games of 2018 – The Gamer in me GL-18

Picky picky

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

Those of you that follow my Gaming posts know that I’ve become increasingly picky about which PS4 games I choose to purchase.  There wasn’t much in 2017 that really had me overly excited.  I was impressed with the Playlink games that we’re released though.  Of course those games don’t have anywhere near the amount of depth a major release does.

Fortunately 2018 looks to have a few major game releases that will have me waiting for the Video game store to open on release day.

A Way Out

Unlike a couple of the other games to come on this list.  A Way Out only began picking up interest at E3 this year.  Billed as a Co-op only split screen game.  Memories of playing couch co-op games as a kid have me interested to experience what a modern version will look like. From what I’ve seen, A Way Out is going to essentially be a video game version of the TV show Prison break.  A show that I was a fan of for two seasons.  It began to get just a little too unbelievable after that.  This game has me excited because 1- I love couch Co-op. 2- the ability to have both Players in completely different parts of the jail, but be able to see what each of you is up to is awesome. 3- unlike a lot of online games, it only requires one available friend to play with.

Detroit: Become Human

If you haven’t already heard about Detroit: Become Human then obviously keeping up on current events isn’t your thing.  Judging by the trailers and gameplay Videos I’ve seen. Detroit: Become Human is going to be a gorgeous looking game.  In the game you play three key characters that all have an important part to play in the story.  The primary subject matter is a popular subject these days.  If artificial intelligence reaches the point of becoming self aware. Should it be allowed to govern itself, and share an equal place in society?  I’ve always loved Android characters in films.  In Detroit: Become Human you get to decide the path they would take.  Awesome right!  I definitely think so.  I can’t wait for this game to be released because 1- it’s a game by Quantic Dream.  Easily one of my favourite software development companies. 2- the story is of particular interest to me.  Especially since you have a part in deciding where it goes.  3- the graphics look absolutely incredible.  Just watch a trailer or two, you will be impressed.

Skull and Bones

Something that I feel has been missing from the Video game world for quite some time is Pirates.  Sure there have been games that incorporated a few scenes or levels on the high seas.  A dedicated game about living the life of a pirate hasn’t been available.  Although it’s really just an Assassin’s Creed game.  Assassin’s Creed Black Flag has had a hand in revitalizing the Pirate genre.  It definitely has the feel, and look of a Pirate game, but that’s where it ends.  At no time during that game do I feel like a Pirate.  You always know that you are an Assassin first and foremost.  Although it remains to be seen, Skull and Bones is supposed to be a much more realistic adaptation of Pirate life.  I truly hope that’s the case.  I’m totally stoked for Skull and Bones because 1- who doesn’t want to play the role of a Pirate Captain sailing the Seas. 2- online multiplayer ship to ship combat could be amazing if done right. 3- the solo Campaign sounds both challenging, and exciting. Let’s just hope it isn’t only 8 hours long like some recent letdowns.

There will be more

Those are the big three for me currently, but as Developers continue to push the PS4 limits.  You can be sure that the number of quality games will increase.  There’s been recent speculation about when the PS5 might be released.  All I can say is that I hope it isn’t anytime soon.  It’s been my experience that it takes most Developers close to three years to really understand a new console.  Now that they are getting the most out of the PS4.  Lets allow them to run wild with it.

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

Hidden Agenda PS4 Review – The Gamer in me GL-15

First impressions

Finally!  I’ve been waiting for this game.  I absolutely loved Until Dawn.  I couldn’t wait for the next release from Supermassive Games.  I’m also a fan of the Playlink system so Hidden Agenda sounded like the perfect fit for me.  The accompanying cellphone Application is well designed.  Very simple to use, and I found it to be very responsive during game play.  I’ve read some reviews that claimed to have connection issues with the application, but I personally experienced none of that.  The actual game is a bit of a mixed bag for me.  Having played Until Dawn too many times, I was expecting a more action packed story.  That was not the case.  Fortunately what the story lacks in action, it more than makes up for it in mood and suspense.

Game play

The story in Hidden Agenda progresses smoothly.  It seems like every decision you make can have serious consequences later.  This is where the Playlink system really shines.  The majority of the decisions your group of Players make have to be unanimous.  This can lead to some serious debates among the Players.  That’s actually where the real action takes place.  Especially if you elected to play the competitive version of the game instead of the cooperative.  Hidden Agenda can be played as a group collectively trying to reach the same goal, or with a competitive twist where each Player is trying to steer the group along a specific path.  Whichever mode you choose, expect a fair amount of debate between Players about which choice is the right one.  Don’t expect the game to help steer you in the right direction either.  On my first play through I obviously failed miserably.  At least the failure wasn’t all mine.  The other Players got to share in the blame.  Unlike other Playlink games that I’ve played, there’s a lot of interaction going on in Hidden Agenda.  Your cellphone becomes a touch pad  at many points in the game.  You might have to use it to aim up a shot, move an item out of the way during a high speed chase, or search a room for clues.  The important thing to note here is that you aren’t just watching everything happening.  You are at times in control of it.  Miss an important clue, and someone could die.  I’m not even kidding!  Although the game can seem to be a little slow paced.  It manages to create the sensation that time is working against you, and speed is of the essence.  This can lead to you making decisions quicker than you necessarily have to.  This makes poor choices feel like the result of added pressure created by the situation.  Affectively immersing you right into the story as that particular character.  Absolutely amazing in my opinion.  Too often we feel like God’s moving characters around in the games we play.  It’s extremely rare to actually feel like what’s happening to a character in a game is happening to you.  Then having to debate with others what you believe to be the correct course of action for that character only increases your connection to the end result.  Just a brilliant bit of Game Design by the team at Supermassive Games.

Satisfaction

The whole thing takes between roughly two or three hours to complete.  For me that’s a bit short.  I was hoping for a four hour experience to be honest.  My first play through took just over two hours.  Thankfully my group totally shit the bed.  If we had beat it with our first play through in under three hours I would have been pissed!  Thankfully the correct choices that lead you to victory aren’t obvious.  Who knows, maybe it will take me a full four hours to actually win the game.  I won’t know for sure until that happens.  The good news is that I will thoroughly enjoy every time I try.  Hidden Agenda is a pleasure to play with a few friends.  It even has intermissions of sorts.  In case you need another beer, a smoke break, bathroom break, or refill of the snack bowl.  The pace of the game for a play group is pretty much perfect.

If you enjoy the odd get together with a few friends, and would like to try something a little different.  Then I would strongly suggest that you give Hidden Agenda a try.  For less than half the price of a typical PS4 game you really can’t go wrong.

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

Amnesia The Dark Descent – The Gamer in me GL-13

Another great addition from PS Plus

If you like horror genre video games then The Dark Descent is definitely for you.  Currently Free to Playstation Plus Subscribers as part of the Amnesia Collection.  This game is unlike any other horror survival game I’ve ever played.  You are unsure of what your goal is at the beginning.  This is in keeping with the Amnesiac theme.  You are unarmed, although you can pick up a bottle or chair in a pinch and hope that helps.  Helpful hint here, it won’t!  You’re wondering around a dilapidated mansion without any sort of detailed map.  You’re even unsure of how much health your character has because it only tells you things like you are currently bruised.  The beauty of it is that the less you know, the scarier it is.

A surround sound system masterpiece

The game actually suggests that you should play it while wearing headphones for the greatest affect.  When you have a surround sound system like mine though, headphones aren’t necessary.  Just the sound effects are enough to freak most people out.  The Designers have done an excellent job of setting the mood through sound and lighting.  I should say the lack of lighting because like the title implies, The Dark Descent is definitely dark.  Thankfully you can light the occasional candle, or carry a lantern around with you to light the way.  Of course the brighter things get in the Mansion.  The more likely something undescribably horrible might find you, and viciously rip you a new one.

Defeating the Demons

In the event that you come across something menacing, or horrific.  Don’t immediately despair.  Play it right, and you can still make it out alive.

Option 1- find a dark place like in a closet or under some stairs, curl up into a little ball, and pray that whatever that thing was doesn’t find you.

Option 2- turn away from the freakish thing that you just saw, and run like your life depended on it, cause it does.  Keep running until you think you have escaped.  Then proceed to use Option 1.

Will you be frightened?

Yes you will.  Some people will try to argue with me about this.  There’s always that one person who claims to be totally unafraid.  What The Dark Descent succeeds in doing to everyone that plays it is make you incredibly nervous.  It achieves this in a number of ways.  I’m not going to tell you about each way because that would ruin the surprise.  What I will tell you is that it makes you doubt your characters sanity.  This isn’t a spoiler because one of your characters key stats is Sanity.  Of course like your character’s Health it isn’t represented by a quantifiable score.  There are times during the game where you may begin to wonder if what you are seeing is real or imagined.  That alone can be very disconcerting.  Then there’s the constant creaks, footsteps, opening and closing doors, and everything else that doesn’t feel right about the Mansion.  As soon as you think you have a feel for how the game operates.  That’s when things will suddenly get very different.

The more the merrier

Although you would think that The Dark Descent is probably best played on your own.  Like one of my other favourite games Until Dawn, it’s actually a blast to play with a few friends.  How each one of you is affected by the gameplay can actually increase the tension in the room.  Also the game can be so mentally, and psychologically taxing for some people.  That way somebody else can take over playing while they give themselves a rest.  I would definitely suggest that any fans of the horror genre download the Amnesia Collection.  Even people who don’t normally play horror games, but can appreciate a very well designed exploration game will like it.  Also if you have invested in a serious surround sound system like myself.  Then you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t own this game.

 

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

A sad reality. The Gamer in me GL-12

I didn’t want to believe it

For the last two months I’ve used my free time at home to play XCOM2 on the PS4.  The game is a year old now, but I never got around to finishing it when it was first released.  I’ve always loved the XCOM games, and this one is no exception.  What brought me back to it was the lack of interesting games that have been released this year.  I’m a bit picky with the games I choose to purchase.  I usually find something of interest every couple of months, but not this year.  Actually the next game I’m interested in purchasing is Hidden Agenda by the makers of Until Dawn.   Hopefully it doesn’t run into some last minute issues and get pushed back.  Not having anything new of interest for so long has had me feeling disappointed with my PS4.  I haven’t bothered discussing it because I felt like it was just me that felt this way.  Keep in mind that there have been some big game releases this year.  They’ve just been games that felt too much like games I’ve played before.  Injustice 2 and Tekken 7 we’re welcomed by fight game fans.  The Witcher 3 set the modern Open World Fantasy game standard.  Horizon: Zero Dawn, Nioh, and Resident Evil 7 are just a few others that made quite a few gamers happy.  Still none of these titles had me waiting for the game store to open on release day.  So obviously it had to be me right?

Not so fast

Last night I had a few friends over to my place for a birthday get together.  Ironically part of what made this party a success was playing That’s You on my PS4.  Even though I haven’t rushed out to the video game store that often this year.  I have taken advantage of the monthly releases PS Plus offers.  That’s You was one such release that has been worth downloading.  While playing the game one of my friends asked me if I use my PS4 very much anymore?  The question surprised me, but I answered quickly.  “Not really” I said.  “The only game I’ve been playing lately is XCOM2” I told him.  He wasn’t surprised at all.  He hadn’t played a game on his PS4 for months.  Another one of my friends decided to join the conversation, and he felt the same way.  The last game he bought on release day was Resident Evil 7.

He absolutely loved the game, but unfortunately beat the game in a single weekend.  All of us agreed that the majority of games that have been released this year are pretty generic.  They felt the same way as me.  Keep in mind that all of us are casual gamers.  We don’t play video games every day.  We will binge play a game we really like until it’s completed.  That just doesn’t happen all that often anymore.

What does it all mean?

Now that I know that it isn’t just me.  I have to wonder how this has negatively affected the video game market.  If more and more people are disinterested about the types of games being released these days.  Then the number of games sold must be decreasing.  If you have read my previous gaming posts.  Then you’ll know that I believe that the large video game production companies are releasing too many games each year.  A reduced interest could actually be the reason why.  If you don’t expect to sell a huge number of copies of a single game.  Then why not just attempt to sell an average number of copies of many games.  As long as you divide your development budget between all the games.  That way your expected profits will remain same.  All you really require is for the hardcore Gamers to blindly buy whatever you release.  Trust me,  more people buy every hyped game that comes out than you think.

All the recent talk about PS5 development.  The Ultra HD upgrade consoles that are already on the market.  The introduction of Playlink to allow more people to play in a party atmosphere.  All of this is beginning to feel like an industry that’s getting desperate for our attention.

The problem with peaking

What really caused all of this to happen?  I’ll tell you what did it.  Technology has peaked.  It wasn’t all that long ago that a major Game release meant that the quality of video games was about to take a step forward.  We couldn’t wait to see the improved graphics, or amazing attention to detail.  Even if the game wasn’t great.  Experiencing the newest technology at work for the first time made it worthwhile.

I just hope that Hidden Agenda doesn’t disappoint.  It’s the follow up to Until Dawn, which was the last game I purchased that really impressed me.  It is taking advantage of the Playlink system which adds to my interest.  Sony does deserve some credit for looking ahead to where video games are going.  Playlink and Playstation VR could be what keeps them on top for the foreseeable future.

Categories
GAMING Uncategorized

The Gamer in me GL-8 That’s You

A Happy alternative

So I celebrated my birthday a week ago.  Unfortunately the actual day landed on a Tuesday so I waited until the following weekend to party.  Now usually my birthday celebrations involve a bunch of friends, a bar, too many drinks to count, and a lot of very bad choices.

Well this year I decided to do something different.  I wanted to avoid the embarrassing moments, and subsequent hangover.  Instead of going out, I invited a select group of friends over to my place.  In place of a dance floor and bar.  We had a living room and kitchen.  Instead of a DJ we had my PS4.  Sure there was still plenty of beer and wine in the fridge.  The drinks were going to happen no matter what I decided.  What really made this birthday special was the addition of a specific game.

That’s You

If you have a PS4 and haven’t played this yet?  Then you are doing yourself a serious disservice.  If you are a PS Plus member?  Log into the PlayStation Store and download it now for free.  Go ahead and do it now, I’ll wait….

Once you have the game loaded on your PS4. You will also need to download the companion App on your smartphone to play.  The way the game is played is simple. The game asks the group of Players a question.  Then each Player decides which one of them is the most appropriate answer.  The game might ask you which one of you is always late?  Then through the Application on your phone you select your answer.  The more Players that agree with you.  The more points you will receive.  The Player with the most points at the end wins.  There are also a few mini-games  that include sketching with your fingers, or taking a selfie.  They add additional elements to the game, but the real enjoyment is in the questions.

It might surprise you what some of your friends think about you.  Of course it’s all in good fun.  You won’t lose any friendships because of That’s You.  Well at least I hope you wouldn’t.  I’d be surprised if you aren’t laughing out loud by the third question.  Up to six people can play at once.  It makes for a very competitive game.  Keep the number of Players in mind though if you plan on having a That’s You party.

The game had me so enthralled that even though my fridge was full of beer.  I woke up the next day, and for the first time in about as long as I can remember.  I wasn’t severely hungover the day after my birthday.  I was so focused on the game that I forgot to drink.  That’s all the proof you need to know that it’s a great game.