The Hyperdimension Neptunia series isn’t your run of the mill role-playing franchise, even by J-RPG standards. It features a quirky plot and off-beat characters but even despite their oddness turn out to be surprisingly like-able. The first entry in the series suitably named Hyperdimension Neptunia had its fair share of problems and generally regarded as mediocre at best. View the full article »
First, let me say that I am a closet Trekkie to a certain degree. I’ve enjoyed the voyages of the Star Trek enterprise from The Next Generation through to the ill-fated Enterprise series. I may not know all the quotes or own a Starfleet uniform but I’ve watched plenty to appreciate the non-deadly approach with phasers and have an understanding of the hostile nature of the Klingon empire. View the full article »
Welcome to the tropical island of Palanai – its welcoming green and yellow tones surrounded by clear, rippling water. It’s exactly the kind of place you’d want to visit for a trip away, serving as the perfect escape from the stresses of everyday life. And yet this tropical landscape holds a twisted secret of its very own; you’ll marvel at how mad you get as you’re incessantly knocked down by the respawning zombie horde, be amazed at how you flail your weapon in frustration as groups charge from every direction, and stare in disbelief at just how very bored you become at the prospect of crossing the landscape to reach yet another painful fetch quest.
This is Dead Island: Riptide, the non-sequel that takes the open world formula in hand before violently abusing it with an array of ill-conceived ideas and shoddy implementation. View the full article »
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 could be considered a niche title, despite being a part of the first-person shooter genre. To be frank, not everyone loves a good sniper, particularly when on the receiving end of a well-placed headshot which I’m sure most can attest to. Yet, there’s a certain craft and skill involved in delivering a kill shot with precision and its that allure and deep sense of satisfaction developer City Interactive are banking on with a second release in the Sniper series. View the full article »
If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to roam the city streets as a souped-up assassin then wonder no more, as Arkane Studios has your back with The Knife of Dunwall. It’s a download that offers a fresh perspective – and even some new abilities – by having you step into the well-worn boots of Master Assassin, Daud… a character fans should remember as being one of the main instigators of the city’s problems. Dunwall City Trials provided a set of tough challenges for Dishonored at a suitably low cost, but is this the story-based DLC we’ve spent months waiting for? View the full article »
Defiance is an interesting premise, being one of the few MMO (Massive-Multiplayer Online) titles to transcend to console (also available on PC) but more importantly, Defiance is a transmedia gaming experience closely knit in with its sci-fi series counterpart. Trion Worlds have converted the SyFy series to a third-person shooter RPG with all the depth of story-telling sci-fi fans have enjoyed for so long, but also the dynamic versatility to incorporate key storylines into the video game. The concept seems brilliant but does it work in practice? View the full article »
The Tomb Raider series has been looting the hearts of gamers since 1993 when busty English archaeologist Lara Croft stepped onto the artefact hunting scene in her figure hugging tank top and all too revealing short shorts. It was a different time back then as her adolescent male fans rallied behind her overly sexualized appearance. Although her cup size grew in subsequent titles, her fan base diminished as Tomb Raider became less about its namesake of raiding tombs and more about fan service. View the full article »
The Atelier series has been churning out titles for the better part of sixteen years and during that time, not only has it amassed a huge range of JRPGs to enjoy but a cult-like following in the process. The latest title to adorn the Atelier name is Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk. Unlike previous Atelier games, Ayesha is an all-new Atelier outing with new characters and an alchemy hook this time around. Despite the heart-felt efforts, Ayesha falls short due to a lack of refinement and questionable design elements.
He’s torn through rival armies as a Spartan general, spilled the blood of his own family whilst under the influence of Ares, formed and broken allegiances with the gods of Olympus before bringing his own legend to a dramatic close in the seminal God of War 3. Now Kratos takes us back to the beginning to experience his first big adventure as he faces the brutality of the Furies – a trio of sisters known for their skewed sense of morality and torturous methods. We’ve come to understand his ambitions pretty well over the years with a heavy helping of main games, handheld outings and high-def re-releases, but is God of War: Ascension an adventure too much for this surly anti-hero? View the full article »
For me, 2013 has been a rather dull year in video gaming, as there has yet to be enough games that pique my interest. While there are certainly some franchises that focus on capitalizing on popular demand more than the gamers’ experience, Bioshock, in its two previous games, seems more intent to captivate the player’s attention and imagination with more than just gimmicks. With a rocky road to release for Bioshock: Infinite, one begins to wonder if it will affect the overall quality of the product.
