Been ages since I spoke about video games and I've played some beauts, so here goes...
Rise of the Tomb Raider
The previous game in the series had come in for some stick when, in a trailer, people were worried Lara might be on the end of a sexual assault. This, of course, turned out to be absolute bollocks. Nothing of the sort took place and Lara spent most of her time kicking ass! It was gritty effort by TR standards though and that template continues here.
This latest effort is a slight improvement over the previous game. It's more sure footed and our heroine, as the title suggests, finds out more about her past while raiding tombs and murdering the scum of the earth. It's never too taxing (this is not a complaint) but if you're the kind of person who absolutely must collect every single item and complete every combat challenge then you will be tested. I had planned on getting 100% trophies but the game wore me down. I enjoyed the story, the side quests, the levelling up and I think I enjoyed it a little bit more than Uncharted 4 which is high fucking priase indeed. But I just couldn't be arsed getting all of the combat challenges. But that's just me. Plenty of people love this stuff.
One of the side quests involves hunting a witch, which was absolutely riveting and it is in the side quests that the game shines. The main plot is the usual nonsense. It's a race between Lara and a bunch of over funded assholes called "the Trinity" to find a maguffin of immortality but you pretty much know that going in. It looks great and there's a comforting familiarity to proceedings. I just wish they'd taken a little bit of a risk with some facets of the game. Alas, it's all perfectly safe. But then, if it ain't broke... and Tomb Raider certainly ain't broke. Trophy count: 70% Score: 8.5/10.
Valkyria Chronicles
By the time I'd finished Tomb Raider, this remastered piece of PS3 brilliance had dropped in price on the PS4 and I jumped on it. It is a turn based, role playing game with an emphasis on strategy. Now, that would usually be enough to make me avoid this game but the reviews were too strong and the graphics too gorgeous to ignore. I remember picking it up on PS3 because I wanted to try something a bit different and having loved it on that console, I felt like playing it again on PS4.
The first thing that strikes you about Valkyria Chronicles is just how beautiful the whole thing looks. The in game beauty is matched by the appeal of the main characters. They're all lovable. The music is also great adding to the excellent production value of this memorable game.
So what is the story? You're in an alternate earth fighting and alternate WW2. Simple. The main difference though is there is magic afoot in this world and it plays a big part in the latter part of this magnificent game. As mentioned before you get to know and care for your crew. This is crucial to the story and the game even deals with racism on the way to its conclusion. It doesn't get too bogged down in this but it is to the game's credit that it's in there at all...
For the most part, gameplay consists of you picking your team to get the mission done. Pick wisely, snipers (if needed) at the back. Tank at the front.... you get the drift. Your movement is turn based in a capture the flag type of scenario and it can be excruciating standing there hoping the enemy misses you from close range. After each mission you are given a score for your efficiency and you use the spoils of war to improve your equipment. The better the score, the more spoils at your disposal. It is satisfying and not a chore like some strategy games.
Valkyria Chronicles is a terrific game. It looks great. It gets harder as you go along but if you've been upgrading and completing training missions you will enjoy the challenge. As for trophies: You won't get near 100% on your first playthrough. But it is a game you'll probably go back to. I know I will.
Trophy count: 17% Score: 9/10.
The Last Guardian
Originally planned as a PS3 game, the Last Guardian entered its 10th year in production before finally being released last year. Was it worth the wait? Yes, but that is a qualified yes. From the team that brought you Ico and Shadow the Colossus, The Last Guardian tries to use elements of both to bring you a unique gaming experience. So what's the what? A boy wakes up in a seemingly abandoned castle. Beside him is a huge creature which looks like a cross between a cat, a rat and a bat lays trapped and wounded by spears beside him.
Named Trico, the creature wakes up and is immediately hostile. However the boy (you) removes the spears from Trico's body and from there the creature warms to you. A bond quickly grows between the two. This is the most important part of the game and it is handled beautifully. Trico sort of does his own thing but does follow instructions as you get to know him.
There is a combat element to the game and when your enemies attack Trico with spears it is upsetting. Trico handles these assholes with minimum fuss but they do injure him and it is up to you to remove spears and clean the wounds. This again builds the bond between boy and beast.
I don't want to get too into the plot, to do so will ruin the whole experience, but as with Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, it is an emotional journey with a twist or two before the end.
Problems? Well, yes. Sort of. As mentioned before, Trico does tend to sniff walls and explore the surroundings which is all well and good but when you've worked out a route or puzzle and you want to get it done Trico doesn't always co-operate right away. This adds a bit of realism to the proceedings but it can be a bit frustrating too. The other issue isn't with the game but with the previous games this developer has made. They are two of the very best games ever and The Last Guardian, while thoroughly engaging and absolutely beautiful, doesn't quite meet that standard. It does come close but you will be reminded of those two superior games...
Trophy wise, you won't get near maximum of your first play through. Will I go back again? Probably not.
Trophy Count: 16% Score: 7.5/10
GTA San Andreas
Picked this up for €6 or something on the PS Store. I had such great memories of playing this on PS2 and I wanted to relive those days. Did it deliver? Yes. GTA's best not-so-secret weapon is the music. As you drive around the city and the music kicks in, nostalgia does its thing and boom, it's 2004 again! And bear in mind, the music is already retro so you end up with nostalgia on top of nostalgia.
GTA turned 3D on the PS2 and everything changed. Sandbox games took over and GTA were the best of the lot. San Andreas was the third 3D GTA game and after the brilliance of GTA: Vice City it needed to be bigger, crazier and more violent. It managed all these things but whether its a better game than its predecessor is a subject of much debate.
So how does it hold up on PS4? Pretty fucking well actually. Graphical limitations aren't really an issue when playing as the game is so enjoyable. GTA has always been a little bit awkward to control but you do get used to it and blowing shit up becomes second nature after a little patience.
Plot wise, you play a guy called CJ and you've just come back from the east coast to find your 'hood is in shit. Its been taken over by rival gangs, drugs are everywhere and crooked cops own both you and your family. Samuel L Jackson voices the worst of these cops and he does a superb job. Later in the game you end up running errands for "an organisation". The guy you work for is voiced by James woods and he's fucking hilarious! Peter Fonda also turns up playing a hippy who grows weed and hates the government. Also hilarious.
Missions vary brilliantly. There are plenty of standard "go in here and kill everyone" missions as well as drive bys and the usual GTA blow shit up fare. But where the game truly excels is in the more bonkers levels. Jet packs feature. YES! There's a level where you have to burn a weed field and another one where you've to speed onto a plane via motorcycle (see pic), plant a bomb, grab a parachute, dive off it and push a detonation button out of range. It's incredible!
You will start in the city, go to the countryside and "Vegas" features largely too. There's an Area 51 setting which has a huge army presence. So if you're looking for a quick 5 star chase that's the place to go. As you gain money and power you soon turn your attention to saving your 'hood. Brilliantly, the "LA" riots are worked into the plot and GTA ends triumphantly as a reminder of how fucked up things are in the world as well as being a fantastically violent video game.
Shortcomings? Well it is 14 years old and given the graphical leaps in that amount of time, you'll either be impressed by how good it still looks or you'll find it all a bit quaint. I'm firmly in the former camp. The usual GTA combat gripes are present but they never got a handle on that in later games either.
Trophy count: 100% Platinum. Score: 8/10
Wolfenstein The New Order
Like
Doom, the word Wolfenstein is legendary in the gaming world. In fact,
one could argue without Wolfenstein there would be no Doom. But that's
for another day. Both franchises have released current generation
games and while Doom was a spectacular triumph I was less sure about
this one. So I put it on the long finger and sort of forgot about it.
Then Donald Trump refused to speak out against a Neo Nazi march (he
actually endorsed it) and suddenly my, "kill Nazi" gland was twitching
again. Incredibly, I bought this game on the PS store for €5!!! A fiver!
Reviews were strong but I was still sceptical. I needn't have
worried...Once again we are in an alternate earth where the Nazi's have won WW2. Set in the 1960's you have your work cut out for you as hordes of Nazi's have the world by the throat. And they haven't been resting on their laurels either. They've built all manner of mech beasts, robot dogs and weapons of such destruction you can't help but be impressed by their ingenuity. They've even been to the moon! Don't worry, you get to go too! Of course the aforementioned weapons, in the right hands (yours) can do immeasurable damage. And the good thing about having loads of Nazis about is that there are loads of Nazis to kill (see pic above). And kill them you will. As first person shooters go this one is a fucking doozie! Endlessly entertaining and a decent challenge for most gamers, the game also looks great.
Gripes? Well once again there's not much originality but it delivers on its promise. You may even end up caring about some of the characters within.
Trophy count: 65% Score: 8/10.
Horizon Zero Dawn and The Frozen Wilds
I
honestly do not know where to start with this fucking masterpiece. HZD
is a futuristic game in which humanity has been all but wiped out. As
usual it was all self inflicted and "the machines" are the enemy. Of
course there's an intelligence behind it all with a few twists and turns
along the way. Our main character, Aloy, is raised by a guy called Rost. He's a hardy soul and has been banished from his clan. He is an "Outlander" so Aloy is an "Outlander". This all seems rather petty given where the game ends up but it sets Aloy up as someone who must overcome all manner of prejudice before she can even begin to help save the fucking world. She is a hero you see and her obvious physical attributes are nothing compared to her mental strength.
Graphically,
the game is an utter triumph. It leaves the likes of Uncharted 4 in the
dust (high praise indeed) and the size of the game is, at first,
intimidating. But then you realise you can play it in such a way that it
doesn't overwhelm you. You do have the option to just play the storyline and complete the game, this however was simply not an option for me. I
had to do it all.
Gameplay is a joy too. Aloy is a huntress and hunting is a huge part of the game. You have a vast array of weapons to master and develop. Finding which weapon works best for each creature isn't essential until the latter part of the game but I would recommend getting a head start and experimenting. Again you don't have to master every weapon, but getting proficient with a few will be a big help. This is easier in practice than is sounds and also very enjoyable.
Horizon Zero Dawn came in for some stick from Dia Lacina (a Native American writer) wrote that using terms like "braves" or "tribes" while not disrespecful was "not afforded due consideration given their historical connotations for Native Americans." Lacina's point was even tempered and made for an interesting read. However, you must never underestimate the misplaced guilt of your average social justice keyboard warrior and by jaysus did they pile on. The game's director was forced to respond: "with the kind of culture of the internet that we have right now, it's impossible to predict what it is that may offend. Certainly we were not intentionally being insensitive, or trying to offend in any manner." Lacina's article and the full response are readily available online. Both make for good reading.
Despite this minor incident, HZD was an enormous and deserved success. It has won countless awards and it is the epitome of current gen gaming. It was only a matter of time before the DLC landed and when it did, I jumped on it. By the time I'd finished HZD, the Forzen Wilds DLC was on sale. Yoink. As you'd expect, you'll spend your time in navigating through deep blizzards helping the Banuk tribe (some of whom don't want your help) overcome a dangerous AI that has infected machines and driven them mad. It has even managed to create new machines. I won't spoil the surprise here but the toughest of these do not fuck around and you'd better be ready when the fight comes, which it fucking does. There are side quests and challenges as you'd expect and it's all terrific fun.
Gripes? None. Come on G, there must be something? Nope. Seriously? Yes.
Trophy Count: HZD: Platinumed. Frozen Wilds: 100% Score: 10/10.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Variety is indeed the spice of life. And having played the absolute masterpiece of current gen gaming that is Horizon Zero Dawn, it was only fitting that my wife decreed that we should make Friday night, game night (ahem) in our house and our first game would be the old Sega Master System classic Alex Kidd in Miracle World. Thankfully I kept my PS3 where it was available for under a fiver.
For those of us of a certain vintage the nostalgia factor this game brings with it cannot really be quantified. Back in 1986 Alex was Sega's answer to Nintendo's Mario. And while he never quite managed to reach the heights of success our little Italian busy body managed, his game was for many of us vastly superior. As you'd expect it's a 2D side scrolling platformer, filled with colour and levels ranging from hugely enjoyable to extremely challenging. While mostly on foot, Alex will occasionally have to swim (see pic), take a motor bike, a helicopter or even a boat through levels. How good you are will depend on how good your hand eye co-ordination is. Back in the early 90's when I was playing it, I was pretty good. Today, it took a bit of getting used to and it seems to run a little faster. Or maybe I'm slower...
The plot is the usual bollocks. Evil guy (Janken the Great) has beaten up the King, kidnapped the Prince and Princess and taken them to his castles. Alex must free the kidnapped couple and face Janken in , yes, a Janken mattch to the death in order to restore the kingdom to its former glory.
Alex Kidd was released to rave reviews back in the mid 80's and every time it gets released on later consoles, notably the Wii and PS3 the reviews remain strong. It's an absolute belter of a platform adventure and comes highly recommended.
Trophy Count: We got all but one. We missed the letter in Janken's second Castle... Guess we'll have to play it again :) Score: 8/10.
Happy gaming!
Cheers,
G.
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