It's finally here. Grand Theft Auto V launched on next generation consoles November 18th. I own both the Playstation 3 version and now the Playstation 4 masterpiece. Did I say masterpiece? Let's back up slightly. I've heard some people state that they will not be grabbing themselves a copy of GTA V on next gen consoles. I find myself asking "Why? Have you seen the new features we are privy too?" So what are these new additions exactly and is it really worth the hype? I'm planning on doing a review for my Youtube channel this weekend but here's what's great so far. Rockstar blew me away when I heard about the introduction of first person mode. We know that this covers in-vehicle and on-foot gameplay. The sensitivity of steering in first person was too much and when I turned it right down I still found vehicles difficult to manoeuvre. Despite this, I loved seeing the interior of the car, even down to the name of the song and artist on the radio display. It's little touches of finesse like that that made first person driving bearable. Other than that I chose to drive back in third person. On-foot is a different experience. Seeing Los Santos through the eyes of Franklin (or respective characters) felt absolutely stunning. Whether I was firing my pistol, throwing a punch or staring back at the neighbours cat, I felt completely amazed at the new GTA V experience. It doesn't end there. Note that I said 'cat'. Yes, I saw plenty of stray cats and dogs on my early travels around Los Santos which made for a more immersive experience. It truly is epic. There are some seriously sexy graphics in the next gen port of Grand Theft Auto V. Running at a crisp 1080p 30fps on the Playstation 4, it made for some serious jaw dropping moments. Catch lights, shimmers, reflections, colour saturation and detail are vastly improved. Foliage, water and draw distance look, feel and function as I expected; it's unbelievable. The whole world feels alive and real. In addition, I've read that there are an additional 3000 animations too. For me, I absolutely love the full 3D phone as opposed to the on-screen interface along with quirky features such as a screen tint when wearing sunglasses (ahem one of my favourite little features). Music has always been an integral part of Grand Theft Auto game and in the Playstation 4 and Xbox One port, there is no exception. We have a massive 162 extra songs to sing, bop and cringe to. There are absorbed across the 17 radio stations we had on last generation consoles. Pretty sweet. I found myself saying "is this a new song?" as it's way too difficult to actually know. Nonetheless, I liked that the game made me guess those details because it's all part of the new experience right? What would Grand Theft Auto be without cars? Err... probably completely shit! New vehicles are a definite and welcome new feature to Grand Theft Auto V. Again, I found myself asking "this is new right?" This shows just how much we are dealing with in this new port. My persistent wondering of which vehicles are new compared to old left me dumbfounded...in a good way. It removed the monotony. One final cool feature that blew me away in this beautiful port was the changing of the light bar on the Playstation 4 controller. Early in the game, I was being chased by the police and noticed the light flashing the same colours as the sirens! A smile erupted across my cheeks! The light bar also changes colour depending on which character is selected; green for Franklin, blue for Michael and orange when playing as Trevor. Pretty cool. I'm certain that there are more features and easter eggs to find in Los Santos. So far, I'd say that GTA V next gen is definitely worth picking up. See you in Los Santos! Make sure that you catch my review on my Youtube channel this weekend. Please subscribe. Let me know about your experiences of playing Grand Theft Auto in the comments below. Here are some awesome game shops, console modders and gaming merchandise. Support them by clicking 'like' on their Facebook pages. Juicy Game Reviews
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Yes a sound start indeed as I had never used a Turtle Beach product until I spent two days at Eurogamer this year. There was no way that I was going to leave that expo without a pair. I got hooked on how much of a difference a game felt to me once I started to play. I felt more immersed in a game and less concerned with what lay around me. I purposely chose the Turtle Beach Ear Force P12 as my first personal pair (for the Playstation 4, mobile devices and PS Vita only). The P12 is a fantastic starter piece of kit if you're in the market for your first headset, like I was. Expect to pay within the region of £35-£45 ($45-$60) which was an affordable price range for a product that I was not familiar with.
The Turtle Beach P12 has some great specs. Once strapped to your head, the P12 feels surprisingly comfortable. I had lower hopes as I had chosen one of the lower priced products but my perception was wrong. The P12 are "supported by breathable, around-the-ear breathable mesh cushions for hours of comfort and noise isolation" as listed in the Turtle Beach official specification. I can honestly report that I support this statement. I can play for 8 hours at a time with no discomfort. Result!
The Turtle Beach Ear Force P12 exceeded my expectations on how the hardware projected the sound. Recently, I was playing The Evil Within and as I my character did a 360 spin, the sound followed by transferring from the left to the right ear. More importantly for me was the transition of that transfer. Imagine the volume slowly decreasing in your left ear as it smoothly picks up in the right. Pretty neat for a product that is in the lower end of the range. This is a crucial point. If I'm as impressed with this product as I am, I can't imagine how, say, the Turtle Beach Call of Duty Ear Force Spectre performs, a device that costs over £100 more ($150).
The Turtle Beach P12 packs a real punch in performance but lacks in aesthetics. I feel that the device looks cheaper than it should. Nevertheless, a gaming headset is not about aesthetics. Let's face it, I won't be going out shopping in a set will I? Or carrying them about in my handbag? No! This is my only gripe about the P12. The mic is attached to the left ear piece but I have not used it. I do not use chat settings in games as it's not a feature that excites me. Overall, I am confident in saying that the P12 is a solid headset on the market within its price range. Remember, the Turtle Beach P12 is a gaming headset for the PS4 and cannot be used on the PS3. Amplified stereo sound, comfort and smooth transitions make for a sound first experience of using a Turtle Beach product. My next headset will be the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P.....Oh I can hear the surround sound now! Want more from me? Subscribe to my Youtube channel and check out my Facebook page. Let me know your experiences using Turtle Beach headsets. Read my review of the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P here.
Photo credit: JP Professional Photography
By Gemma ~@Juicygamereviews
It's dark, I have been bitten and I have just narrowly escaped a twisted, screaming being. All I can hear is the splattering of thick, heavy blood as it hits the floor. Squelch, squelch, squelch. My heart is pumping and my torch is weak. Where the fuck do I go next?
Yes, for the past few weeks I have been playing my way though The Evil Within. I must state that I played this game at Eurogamer and I hated it. It was buggy, patchy (areas were not completed) and totally confusing. When I bought the game, I wondered if I had made a mistake?
Photo Credit: JP Professional Photography
Right off the bat, I am not regretting it. I felt an instant connection with the game. Waking up, dazed and confused Sebastian, our main protagonist is caught in the middle of some twisted paranormal episode. From there, the journey unfolded. Graphically, The Evil Within is not the best and the frame rate is a tasteful 30fps on the PS4 and XBox One. I didn't notice any frame rate glitches, fortunately although some reviewers have stated different.
If I said to you "Resident Evil 4", would you know what I meant? I felt ripples of nostalgia burst through me as I played The Evil Within. The dark towns, barns, dilapidated stone houses and the undead carrying torches, were all packed in to the early stages of The Evil Within just as they were in Resident Evil 4. Crucially, this was the difference in me playing the final game compared to my shoddy experience at Eurogamer. I felt so content with the reminder of Resident Evil 4 that I fell in love with The Evil Within. I was hooked. Naturally, those connections seemed inevitable as Shinji Mikami developed both games (amidst other classics), one of my favourite game developers.
The level of gore and horror in The Evil Within reached a frightening peak. I liked the way the game made me feel as though I had to escape. Heart pounding and barely any ammo I found myself searching for a way to escape and fast! At times, I found this to be a disadvantage also. Sebastian moved very slow and lacked agility. No matter what I did, I lacked the pace needed for a successful escape. Be prepared to die lots when you play through The Evil Within. Along with this and the average graphics, it was clear the game lacked polish.
Recently, I've been relishing how sound effects and music can amplify a gaming experience, especially as I play with a Turtle Beach Headset. The Evil Within is pretty solid when it comes to sound. It didn't reach heights like I heard in Alien Isolation but I was happy with the overall score, in particular the distant sound effects of the dripping liquid from a ceiling or the sound of steel slicing through bone during a torture in the next room. It was all in there and I felt content with it. Again, the lacking came within the voice acting. The annoyance of a mental patient, Leslie, and his seemingly pre-pubescent little squeak drove me insane! Sebastian's voice was also questionable at times! Did his voice fit the character or not? That is still unanswered. What are your feelings. Let me know in the comments guys.
Survival was at the heart of my campaign during The Evil Within. Not just for me but for my fellow NPC's. Joseph and Juli joined my quest and proved to be quite an asset more than a burden. I had to rescue and preserve their lives as much as my own. Usually I am skeptical of such tasks but I really enjoyed this aspect of the game. There were more characters to learn about in The Evil Within but I found myself transfixed on Tatiana, the nurse who was located in a locked ward of a mental hospital. I found this place to be of solace and respite as I came here to level up and save my progress. No surprise then that Tatiana's words were "This place is necessary for you. You're always welcome here".
The Evil Within is a solid introduction from Shinki Mikami on next Generation consoles (although available on last gen). Gore, suspense, nostalgia and twisted story line are traits that are packed in to the rewarding experience. I give The Evil Within a bone cracking 7.9 out of 10.
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