Resident Evil has been a firm part in my gaming credentials and one of my most respected series to date. When I heard that Resident Evil was being re-hashed for next and last generation consoles I felt happy. However, a part of me thought "oh no" this could also be a disaster.
Having sank a solid ten hours in to this remake (of a remake) I can report that I am as hooked as I've ever been. To my horror I'd never played the Game Cube version of which I'm ashamed to admit being such an passionate gamer. On the flip side, it will make this review a lot more interesting as most of my memories will stem from the 1996 classic.
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Santa was good to me this year as he included a new Turtle Beach Headset in my haul of gaming gifts! Previously I had used the Turtle Beach P12 headset and had been pretty happy with it. That aside, I've been getting to grips with the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P for the last 3 weeks. I've been wondering if it was worth the upgrade?
Firstly, I'm happy that the Ear Force Stealth 500P suits my gaming needs on both the Playstation 3 and Playstation 4. If I'm honest, this was a major pull towards me asking for a pair for Christmas as I own both consoles. Secondly, I wanted a wireless headset. My previous Turtle Beach P12's were exclusive to the Playstation 4 and utilise the use of a wire that plugs in to the controller which is not always ideal for a player that is as animated as I can be. The general look and feel of the Ear Force Stealth 500P is satisfying. The bulk of the headset is matt black finish covering around 85% of the headset coupled with blue trimming. To finish of the look each outer speaker dons a Turtle Beach logo that flashes blue when the headset is switched on. Personally, I like this function, particularly as they flash erratically if the headset is left switched on after your console is off. This is a great battery conserving feature. The Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P comes with a USB charging cable should you always leave the headset on like me!
Each speaker is wrapped in a foam cushion covered in synthetic leather. The Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P definitely feel more comfortable that the P12's. I'd give the comfort level a seven out of ten. This could be improved if the speakers didn't fall so heavily below my ear on my jaw. After a few hours, the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P become uncomfortable.
Naturally, I use a gaming headset to amplify my experience through sound. Duh! The Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P has DTS Headphone: X 7.1 Surround Sound. Okay so what does this mean? Let's just say that the 3D sound quality is great but I expected more. Peoples' experiences are going to differ but I found the surround sound to be marginally more noticeable compared to the Turtle Beach P12. Yes the surround sound was not as immersive as I wanted. Even when I changed the volume settings of the speakers I struggled to find a happy medium. Please note I am comparing the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P to the Turtle Beach P12. Had the 500P been my first headset, I would have been a lot happier.
A welcome addition to the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P is having the option to adjust mic volume as well as in game volume. I've used these quite a lot whilst active in a game. I found the position of the mic volume wheel a little too low. Consequentially, I would turn up the speaker volume instead. They go loud, very loud.
Overall, the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P is a great mid-priced headset, compatible with the Playstation 3, Playstation 4 and mobile gaming. If you're on a budget then I would recommend buying the Turtle Beach P12 headset. If you want to spend more cash then grab yourself the Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500P headset. I'd rate this beast an eight out of ten overall. My next headset will be the Turtle Beach Ear Force PX51! Watch this space. For more from me subscribe to my Youtube Channel for awesome playlists like Games We Never Knew or join me on Facebook. Be sure to check out my recommended gaming retailers ranging from games, consoles, cables, custom cabs, merchandise and more. Let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments below. Juicy Game Reviews Pick up your ASM-1 assault weapon and lace up your boots. We're about to run in to the jungle to slaughter our foes, no mercy! I've been thoroughly enjoying working my way through the Call of Duty Multiplayer modes, perks, exos and thrills live on Twitch. On my first ever play at Eurogamer, I was disappointed with Call of Duty Advanced Warfare but my attitude has now changed. Here's why. The general playlist of modes contain 12 different types of matches, namely, Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed, Ground War, Uplink, Momentum, Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, Search and Rescue, Capture the Flag and Free-for-all. The twelfth is on a Bonus playlist and is called Infected. Now call me crazy but I go with 'what works' for me. Amidst these twelve modes my two personal favourites are Team Deathmatch and Kill Confirmed. I've had the most fluidity on these maps. Check out my video below from my Youtube channel of me tackling some Kill Confirmed. One of the new and exciting features of Advanced Warfare are the introduction of Exo abilities that can be added as a perk, to the Exoskeleton of armour. As I found my way through the maps in Team Deathmatch, I initially found the Exo Shield to be of great use especially whilst taking a stealthier approach around corners or towards an enemy. Next up was the Exo Cloak, a nifty little way to conceal yourself from enemy sight even if for a short time. Personally, this has been my favourite this far in. The downside is that you are not entirely invisible as mild outlines of characters can be seen when players move too quickly. As a 'run and gunner' kind of player, I try to use the cloak when I'm not firing all over the map but rather when needing that additional camouflage in stealth attacks. The double jump feature does not feel as polished as it does in Destiny but has proven incredibly useful. For me, it changed the way I approached the game. Aerial kills, leaping over walls, through windows and gliding through doors all felt devastatingly rewarding. It had been a long time since I had felt that level of satisfaction from a Call of Duty Multiplayer experience. Sledgehammer did a great job. Check out my video for some Kill Confirmed action on Ascend below. We were given access to thirteen maps (which includes one bonus map) prior to the DLC release in February 2015. As always, I found there to be an even balance between open spaced maps versus more claustrophobic maps. I'm genuinely content with the menu of maps in Advanced Warfare and my personal favourite being Instinct. This is a small map. Coated with trees and foliage to make up the tasty jungle style that I prefer, Instinct is perfect for players that like to camp, stealth and snipe. Me? I break those rules. Running and gunning is my style and it works great. I'll definitely be getting the DLC as I'm eager to see if Sledgehammer continue the consistency.
If you guys want to know more about my journey in to Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Multiplayer then you can follow to me on Twitch and Subscribe to my Youtube channel for additional game play videos. I'll be doing a full review of Call of Duty Advanced Warfare on my Youtube channel soon. Feel free to comment and let me know about your experiences.
I'm crouched in the foliage with my eyes on the enemy. Dressed in red, he is walking behind a hostage as if guiding him to one of their stinking outposts. Sweat is trickling down from my hairline as I crouch towards the target. "Ughhahhahghhh" is the only sound that pumps out of his lungs as I drive my knife through his back. Lifeless, his body flops to the ground. I untie the hostage and we escape.
Yes, Far Cry 4 has been out since Nov 18th! I have been playing my way through the campaign mode both on and off of Twitch and so far, I'm deeply satisfied by this fourth instalment to the Far Cry franchise. There was a part of me that got bored with the previous game, Far Cry 3, as I felt that the monotony killed it pretty quickly. Whilst Far Cry 4 ramps up the anti and definitely fills the cracks, will it just become another game on the shelf?
We play as Ajay, who is returning to his native land of Kyrat, A seemingly tranquil part of Himalayas. Early in the game, the tranquility is spoilt by a raging (arsehole) terrorist, Pagan Min who is intent on spreading his propaganda throughout the land. Ajay is soon united with the rebel faction, The Golden Path, a faction his father founded, and from there the story unfolds. It seems like a predictable template for an action, shooter game but it works really well. I often say "why change what isn't broken?" Right?
Graphically, I found Far Cry 4 to look absolutely stunning on the Playstation 4. What stood out most for me was the texture and detail on characters faces and inanimate objects (such as wooden hand rails). I enjoyed getting up close to objects as I could appreciate the finery that Far Cry 4 had to offer. In comparison, objects looked just as stunning from a distance. I did, however, come across some glitches when flying the Gyrocopter in that pools of water seemed to appear and disappear on hills as I flew over. Fortunately, this wasn't a frequent occurrence. Colour saturation also seemed to add to the beauty of Far Cry 4. So much so that I wanted to grab my passport and get on the next plane to South East Asia, it looks that good. The missions in Far Cry 4 reminded me of Far Cry 3. Outposts needed liberating, bell towers needed to be disabled and there were plenty of wildlife threats along the way. Fortresses appear on the huge map about three hours in to the game. They are difficult to infiltrate but liberating outposts weakens a fortress. Despite the familiarity of it all, I felt a sense of uniqueness when playing Far Cry 4. Even more so when I discovered the Gyrocopter. Fortunately I was live streaming on Twitch at this time so my enthusiasm was captured. Now I could view Kyrat and all it's beauty from the sky and oh wow what a sight! Additionally, I found this to be of great use when travelling to outposts and bell towers. Naturally, the Himalayas is littered with mountains and dangerous terrain so I found the gyrocopter to be the perfect ally to slice through this.
The opposing sides of the fight in Far Cry 4 are made up of The Golden Path and Pagan Mins Royal Army. I felt that there was an imbalance between the two sides in that the characters of The Golden Path appeared to have more depth (better script) whereas Mins Minions (if one may say) present as more shallow. Maybe this was done on purpose? Either way, I prefer to connect more with a character(s) so The Golden Path's cast won for me, Amita in particular.
Stealth or guns blazing? Personally, I opted for a stealthier approach in Far Cry 4. Needless to say that weapons are a crucial aspect to both approaches. Far Cry 4 offers a solid collection of weapons ranging from knives, crossbows, the AK47 to Molotov's. The environment and wildlife also play a crucial role in Far Cry 4. Throwing bait (usually collected meat from a slain animal) towards an enemy will attract wild beasts to that location. I found this to be incredibly useful in distracting enemies before I could move in for the kill. Result! Additionally, there are the usual weapon mods along with crafting abilities for syringes, weapon holsters and much more. Far Cry 4 is a pleasing addition to an established franchise. If you enjoyed Far Cry 3 then you will love Far Cry 4; an explosive experience. For me, I'd give the game an 8.7 out of 10. Beautiful surroundings, solid story, new features and more. Note, I have not played a co-op game on Far Cry. If you have then let me know how you found it in the comments below. Want more from me? Please subscribe to my Youtube channel and check out my affiliates page for cracking deals on retro and current generation games. Check me in Twitch for current gen live streams. 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
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.
Juicy Game Reviews Let's get one thing straight. This is not my review of Murdered: Soul Suspect as I am only two hours in to the game. To write a review at that point would be ridiculous. Instead, I had to put down my Playstation 4 controller and contemplate some of the issues that went through my mind in those initial hours. "Screw it, I'll write a blog piece instead" as I need to iron some issues out with you guys. Having heard other reviewers score Murdered: Soul Suspect, dreadful ratings like 4/10, 5.5/10 and so forth, I went in to the game with low expectations. Within the first ten minutes, I was waiting for the disaster moment. What I was greeted with was very different: "Here is a damn fine concept" with me playing as Ronan O'Connor, a seemingly troubled Salem Police Detective. No spoilers here, as usual but my perception of Ronan was that he appeared determined from the start. I liked that about him which was not what I was expecting. Graphically, Murdered clearly lacked polish but as I've gotten older (yes at age 31) I have become less concerned with graphics and more concerned with feeling the story of a game. Within my two hours here, I am definitely feeling the story of this dark detective thriller and oddly, I am still left wondering why other reviewers slammed this game to hell? If you guys have played this then I'd really like to hear your thoughts in the comments box or on my Facebook group. My current play time rewarded with some cool, ghostly abilities, such as drifting through walls and transporting and hiding amongst ghostly residue. Definitely a fun factor for me. In the early parts of the game and utilising some of these abilities, there were two missions that required Ronan's detective skills to hone in by collecting evidence. Once collected the evidence would add the next piece to the story. Piecing together the puzzle pieces is a pretty basic premise but one in which I felt compelled by. What Murdered did well was to play on my emotions. Death is the final part of life, a part that I am uncomfortable with, sad about and uneasy and made even more horrific by being murdered. Airtight Games, the developers of Murdered: Soul Suspect set that emotional scene very well in the early parts of the game. I am ready to play more and so far I am not agreeing with the shameful 5.5/10 (ahem IGN) score amongst other unfavourable scores. Airtight Games, an independent game developer unfortunately died one month after their final release; Murdered Soul Suspect. There's a twist of irony in there somewhere but it does not seem fitting that Murdered was apparently the catalyst for the closure of the studio. I simply cannot see why? Clearly, not so Airtight after all. Nevertheless, I hope that I do not find that disaster moment as I play through the remainder of my campaign. I hope that I can continue to enjoy it. Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments box below. Now back to my Playstation 4 controller.
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Gemma ~ @juicygamereview
Over the last few weeks I've been sat on my sofa with my Turtle Beach P12 headset strapped on playing the shit out of Alien Isolation. I sat in on the developer session at Eurogamer back in September and I made a point of asking the following question afterwards "We all know that Colonial Marines was a failure. With that failure, what pressures did you feel in delivering the Alien we have all been waiting for?" I learned that Alien Isolation was being developed by Creative Assembly long before the release of Colonial Marines and the dev team had their own drive to deliver. But it is worth the hype and did they deliver?
I've heard complaints about the game being too linear. Here's my take on this. Overall, I did not find the campaign linear at all. Whilst the game requires certain tasks to be completed in order to progress, I found myself with a lot of choices to make. There were numerous corridors to choose which route I should go and choices between combat style, namely, to run and gun or stealth? If you add the varying levels of tensity to the campaign, I found this to overrule the more linear aspects. Have you ever played a game that doesn't hold your concentration because it's boring and linear? Playing Alien Isolation is not like that. I felt very alert and engrossed which helped me to maintain my focus the quieter areas of the game.
Graphically, this game packed some serious taste. Cut scenes in particular showcased the refined details on the faces of Amanda and her team. Skin pores, stubble (no, not on Amanda), wrinkle lines and blemishes were all present, adding to reality of the experience. During the live game play, I felt insanely happy with the smoothness of the frame rate alongside the glorious graphics. Oooohhhh could it get any better?
We know that our main protagonist is Amanda Ripley, the daughter of Ellen Ripley and the story is set 15 years after the events of Alien and 42 years before Aliens. I thought that this was the perfect recipe for Alien Isolation as we are not given much information about Amanda Ripley in the films.
I purchased the Ripley Edition of Alien Isolation which came bundled with the Crew Expendable and Lone Survivor Ripley DLC. I dived straight in to the main campaign before anything. Instantly, I felt a buzz when I heard the amazing sound effects and iconic music. Creative Assembly were given access to the actual sound files from the original film so I knew that I was hearing some first class Alien nostalgia. I found the sound effects and music score to an absolute impeccable aspect to the game. Those sounds of falling water droplets hitting metallic surfaces, the loading of a new canister in to the flame thrower and the intermittent beeps of the motion tracker all added to the tense atmosphere of Alien Isolation. I would highly recommend that you play Alien Isolation using a headset as I found a truer immersion. Writing this without any spoilers is difficult but let's just say that the introduction of the Alien was timely! I felt that it was introduced at the right point in the game which was not too early and not too late. At this point, the game dynamic changed for me. Be warned that you'll need to change your tactics in order to progress through the dark, labyrinth of Sevastopol. Creative Design did a good job a mimicking the fright brought on by the Xenomorph. Here's a small gripe, I felt that the Alien seemed too agile at times. I remember it as a stealthier creature in the original film and I would have hoped that this would have been captured more. Nonetheless, the Alien still packs a bloody punch. If I made the slightest sound or came in to its view, I was toast. It looked great, sounded the part and showed no mercy at all.
The Sevastopol felt like a dangerous place when the lights went down. Creative Design were granted access to stills and footage from the original set design so the environments seemed absolutely spot on. From medical decks to locker rooms, hyper sleep chambers, kitchen areas and the 70's style computer terminals, Alien Isolation had it all. I was so pleased with the like for like nature from Alien. Practically, my navigation skills seemed to fail me at times. I felt overburdened with too many corridors and passage ways. I used the map a lot which helped me to plan my way but the constant switching to the map made me lose my tempo at times.
Overall, Alien Isolation definitely lived up up to the hype. Aside from a few of my own picky issues, I was absolutely hooked on the atmosphere of this game. The beauty lies within blending of the sound on top of the game play. The final product is fantastic! Alien Isolation deserves a 9 out of 10 from Juicy Game Reviews.
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When I saw the Deku Tree it reminded me of the first time I saw this mammoth tree in Ocarina Of Time. Oh what a quality moment of my gaming history. The Deku Tree looked just as gorgeous as it did back in Ocarina; mystical, grand and peaceful. The developers did a great job in conveying the nostalgia. Hyrule Warriors currently has 13 playable characters with a further three confirmed as playable in future free DLC. This breaks down as 10 characters from the Hero category and 3 from the enemies. Naturally, my favourite was Link. I found Link to be posses a better range of weapons and abilities. The magic Fire Rod in particular felt powerful. Other hero characters were active on the battlefield alongside me. I'm usually skeptical of a team approach but I felt indifferent about it in Hyrule Warriors. I was annoyed to learn that if one of your characters died then the game ended and I had to start form the last save. That's a definite pain in the backside aspect of the game that forced me to change my tactics. My team seemed to do the exact same thing if I had to repeat a part of a mission. As soon as I changed my tactic (for example back tracked to an area to help other characters) I was able to proceed. That made me question the point of being part of a team? On the plus side, the other characters proved to be an asset at times. You guys may hold a different view. Battle mechanics. Oh battle mechanics! I used the game pad to play Hyrule Warriors which is never my preferred choice. I think I would have preferred the standard controller (must purchase one). As soon as I learnt each move I felt more confident. Battles were not as simple as button mashing at first but I felt as though I'd evolved to this after the second mission. Having returned to the game over and over, I found myself having to relearn the controls each time. This may seem trivial to you and I suppose it varies from person to person. However, I'm nit usually as forgetful. I would have preferred a button mashing approach of that in Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls. This was a minor hiccup from my Hyrule experience which has left me wanting to try it with a standard controller. Other cool aspects of Hyrule Warriors can be found in the mini quests of collecting the gold Skulltula's. Skultula's popped up randomly during play. Again, I liked this slice of nostalgia. The developers did a great job in delivering this. Hyrule Warriors was a satisfying journey through familiar ground. The best parts are the cross overs to previous Zelda games. Despite this, I am looking forward to dragging my Master Sword back through the dungeons when The Legend of Zelda is released in 2015. I'd rate Hyrule Warriors an 8 out of 10. Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel and check out some awesome affiliates for all of your gaming and Zelda merchandise essentials. I am not here to tell you what you should already know about Destiny. It has been over one week since the global release of Destiny and the gaming world has been littered with information on Bungie's latest release. Instead, I want to guide you through tales of my own personal and planetary massacres of Dregs, goblins and large god damn purple floating orbs of solid stubbornness! Having played the Destiny Beta I was instantly familiarised with atmospheric music score in the final game. The enchanting orchestral sounds that radiate through the menu systems, loading screens and key battle moments; never before have I felt so impressed with how a musical score can enhance my experience of a game. For me, my perception and anticipation were heightened, particularly in darker closed corridors. I felt satisfied with this but ultimately it became easier to predict a situation. The darker and scarier the score became usually meant that a Knight or a wizard were lurking in the shadows. I've read forums and other bloggers note this point also. Destiny's mission range is made up of 'Story, Patrol and Strike' missions with a choice to fly back to the Tower to collect messages, bounties and purchase weapon and armor load outs. I naturally gravitated to the story missions over the side quests. Why? I felt that they offered slightly more variation over the Patrol missions. Nonetheless, choosing what type of mission I could tackle gave me the choice I like. I have always said that 'player choice' is something that I find imperative to amplify my experience! I soon learnt that my choice became stifled by repetition. This was because most of the learning about Destiny happens very quickly thus limiting your choices later in the game. The ability to 'choose' becomes stale. Depending on which planet I was in orbit of, I found my trusty Warlock thrusted upon the exact same plains in most of the Story missions starting in the exact same place. There were slight differences in the lighting and overall ambiance however, this did not negate from my head saying "here again!, Really?" Despite this, small detail, I could not help but to dive back in to the beautiful and majestic world of Destiny. Destiny holds a certain luring charm that kept me coming back like a boomerang! I wrote a blog about 'my first 60 minutes with Destiny Beta' and logged how well Bungie made fantastic use of the lighting, shadows and transitions from dark to light. All of this contributes to the 'luring charm' of Destiny. Returning to the Tower felt like taking a 'day off' to soicalise and shop. In Destiny terminology, however, the Tower was a place to maximise your arsenal before launching back in to orbit. The weapons and armor range seemed comprehensive enough for me to feel spoilt at times. My star picking from the weapon range fell under the 'Special Weapons' category of which was 'The Sniper Rifle'. The Tarjan-C to be specific! I found the Tarjan-C to be the most easy to maneuver and whilst the impact was lower, the stability of the weapon allowed me to be more accurate. I can honestly state that there was nothing more satisfying than slicing through the head of a Dreg from long range. Adding to the advantages, Destiny allowed me to fluctuate between the stealthier modes with snipers and 'running and gunning' approaches with a selection of fully and semi automatic weapons. Result! What would a blog about Destiny be without a mention to the most important piece of AI, The Ghost? The Ghost provides support for guardians in the form of hacking, lighting darkened areas, illuminating the way/objective and providing data about the current mission. I found the Ghost to be a credible source of help especially when I was forced in to a shadowy area. I'd whip out my Ghost in order to provide a soft, yet pixelated blanket of light that illuminated the path. The Ghost reminded me of Navi from Zelda, Ocarina of time but not as annoying. Slotting this in further, the world of Destiny was littered with dead Ghosts that I was able to revive in exchange for a small amount of XP. I was not motivated to find the locations of these as it felt like a mundane task. Instead, I found myself accidentally stumbling upon them. There is a trophy available for reviving 50 of the 62 dead Ghosts so maybe I'll go back through and find these at at a later date. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Destiny. There was a luring charm that made me continue to play. I don't usually give a quantifiable rating to a game but with Destiny I am going to. For its comprehensive loadouts, stunning environments, flawless music score I'd rate Destiny a 7.9 out of 10. This would have been higher if Bungie had avoided the repetition of missions. I'll do a separate review on the multiplayer aspect of Destiny soon. Destiny is available on Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Xbox One and Xbox 360. For more from me, you can check out my Youtube channel for videos about retro and current generation gaming. Juicy Game Reviews |
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