Start your engines folk’s because Grid 2 is back and ready to smoke tyres and tear up the track thanks to Codemasters.  Following in the footsteps of its predecessor Race Driver: Grid, the sequel aims to improve on the original in many ways.  Grid 2 takes a handful of the worlds most recognised cars and puts them on the track for some ultimate racing.  So, the question that’s on the tip of everyone’s turbo charger is whether Grid 2 exceeds its predecessor or not?  Read on and find out.

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Gameplay

Grid 2 begins with a fictional story centred on the global racing league called “World Series Racing (WSR)”.  You are the star, the new gun, the new driver in this World Series and it’s up to you to dominate this level of motorsport which will see you racing against a variety of clubs in various counties.  Is a story mode even needed?  Well, not really, but it’s done quite well and you feel as if you’re really moving up the ranks.  Codemasters have even created an ESPN branded TV show that reports on your progress and the WSR series after each season.  It adds another element which I liked and personally found this far more entertaining that a SMS message on screen saying congratulations on finishing a season, so kudos for thinking outside the square.

Grid 2 and the WSR championship will see you competing in various racing disciplines.  First there is the traditional track racing which hosts some of the best purpose built racing circuits.  Also, next on the agenda is Point to point racing, which involves you shooting across a predetermined race track within a certain time limit.  Next, there is Touge and drifting modes, which I refer more to as hill climbs.  Finally there are Live Routes which essentially feel like track races in the city, except the actual race track changes  as you race around the circuit.  Very clever and always keeps you on your toes as it makes learning a tracks layout near impossible.

In addition to the above race modes, there are other events that pop up within each season.  What I really like also is the season layout which presents all available events on one screen in a tiled fashion, allowing you freedom to undertake each challenge when you want, and not in a fixed order.  In addition, there are endurance challenges, overtaking challenges, test drives, timed laps and more.  It’s a great way to earn new vehicles and boost your fan count and popularity.

Next is the cars.  Grid 2 has a healthy selection of vehicles, ranging from a 3 series BMW to a beastly Nissan GTR, or perhaps something a little more exotic such as a Ferrari.  The cars in Grid 2 represent cars that contributed to motor racing history.  Don’t expect to see a Mercedes Smart Car or Focus here, it’s all about racing pedigree which you only get from cars such as Mustangs, Corvettes and Camaro’s.

With all racing games there is a fine line between a realistic simulation racer such as Forza 4 versus and all out arcade racer such as Ridge Racer series.  However there are many racers that have elements of both genres and can sit more closely to one side that the other.  Games like Project Gotham Racing is an example of a game that is in the middle.  However Grid 2 for me personally feels like its leaning more towards the arcade style of racer rather than the simulation side.  The lack of upgrades, vehicles and customisation of things such as your handling, set up, suspension etc. are just not there.  Sure there is a generic upgrade system that’s part of multiplayer, but its more of a stage 1, 2 & 3 style of upgrading rather than I’ll just upgrade my ECU, exhaust and intake for starters before I go all  out on some new injectors, fuel pump and rail plus Turbocharger.  In that respect, Grid 2 is an arcade racer.

Next there is the car’s physical handling.  Grid 2 feels somewhat solid yet somewhat loose.  After 2 laps of racing my mind was made up.  Grid 2 handles like an arcade racer.  Approach a corner, hang out the tail with a massive power slide and pull her back.  This is fun when playing modes such as drift or touge, but not when circuit or track racing.  The cars felt unbalanced to me, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not approach a corner with any form of speed and expect to hug the racing line with full grip.  No, instead every time the car would insist on braking sideways into a drift.  This I found really annoying as the car’s handling lacked the realism I was searching for.  However, is this a problem?  For me yes, but for those after a great arcade style racer, it fits the bill perfectly.  I need to mention this point in particular as many fans of the racing genre put an entire games reputation down to one thing, handling.  So for simulation fans, be aware this game handles like an arcade racer.

On your mission to tame the car’s handling characteristics you’ll be pleased to note that the developers have brought back the flashback mode which allows you to rewind time and repeat a section of track you may have just messed up.  In the early stages, I was very heavily reliant on this feature till you get used to your ride so to speak.

Grid 2 is full of vibrant tracks and exotic locations which help break up the scenery which by the way is gorgeous. You certainly have a great sense of speed also with Grid 2 as you really feel you’re doing 200 MPH rather than it appear as if you’re doing 50 MPH, so Codemasters have captured the essence of speed.  Finally, Codemasters have removed the cabin view from its vehicles as it was a mode that was rarely used.  Personally I never liked cabin view, however to some racing fans, this change may have been an issue.

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Multiplayer

Multiplayer is back with Grid 2 and certainly will keep you entertained for hours on end.  However, the difficulty can be a little hard to get used to so I advise you become familiar with the single player campaign first before embarking on the online modes.  The issue I also have with Online is other drivers can be in faster and more modified cars that you, leaving you in a unfair position, so my advice is to limit your races to fixed classes where all cars and modifications are the same, otherwise you will struggle.

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Graphics & Sound

Visually Codemasters have delivered a gorgeous racing title filled with high definition graphics, detailed environments all running at a solid 60 frames per second.  The way the sun reflects off your bonnet and blinds you for a split second as you race up or down a beautiful hilly mountain side, you really appreciate the details Codemasters have put in here.  Heck, I even had a squirrel burn across the track while I was drifting sideways.

Finally, Codemasters has done an exceptional job with the audio.   From the sounds of the engine revving, to tyres squealing, Codemasters have put a great amount of effort in recreating a true racing environment.  Definitely a game that you would want to crank up the sound system in full Dolby Digital to appreciate the below of a V8 or the winding up of a Turbocharger.

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Overall

Grid 2 was a game that I have very high expectations for after the original title hit the Xbox 360 near 5 years ago.  Grid 2 delivered more of the action you loved from the original, however it lost something in the process.  The cars handling for me was something I just could not come to grips with and it’s an issue for me as the original Grid actually felt better than Grid 2.  However, Grid 2 was designed more as an arcade racer than a full simulation racer so I must forgive it in that respect.  However, as a reviewer I must caution hard-core racers looking for a fix before Forza 5 and Gran Turismo 6 are released that Grid 2 is not the answer.  For all other keen racers and gamers who just want to have fun racing, burning rubber and sliding your car all sorts of ways around a circuit, mountain or track, the Grid 2 is the game for you.  A solid title that’s definitely worth the pickup.

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7.5 / 10

This week on the Daily Joystick Podcast we look back and reflect on E3 2013.  A lot was said and done, and the fans have gone wild, but after the dust has settled, is it really doom and gloom for Microsoft?  Join us as we discuss our thoughts on E3, discuss the website news, reviews, upcoming games, reader mail and more.  Tune in, its good for your health.

The DJ Team

Armed with a branch of wood and a clear conscience, State of Decay puts you in the shoes of an assortment of characters, all with various backgrounds and abilities, that share the common goal of survival. Whether it’s searching abandoned homes for much needed supplies or hoping that the car will start before the horde reaches you, all the tension that you’d expect from a zombie apocalypse is here.

Story

You start the game as an average everyday guy out and about enjoying themselves in the woods when suddenly you hear a cry for help. Rushing to the scene, you find a fellow camper, desperately trying to survive a very primal attack by fellow human beings. Gnashing teeth and zombie spittle are the least of your worries as more and more zombies come shambling in from the surrounding woods. It takes mere seconds to play out, but by the time you’re finished with your first encounter, you’re keenly aware that something has gone horribly wrong.

The story isn’t so much about the individual characters that you can switch between freely, but rather, it’s about the combined experience. They each play differently in the sense that some may be more athletic, thus giving you greater stamina, or they may be really good with firearms, causing you to not waste so much of your ammunition.

Gameplay

For the most part, combat is fun and satisfying. There are a few glitches here and there but nothing that detracts from the game. Namely zombies stuck in walls and things of that nature. What I was surprised about was the attention to little details. For example, let’s say you’re in a car and as you’re driving along you come across a group of zombies. My first reaction is to hit the gas and smash as many of them as I can–and that works to a degree. Often times you’ll find zombies hanging on to your vehicle, bashing on the hood or trying to rip you from the drivers seat as they hang on to your door. Pressing the X button allows you to shake them off. It’s a really subtle, but appreciated touch. Be careful as you progress though because it’s perma-death for your character should you fall in combat.

As you’re running around fighting the undead, you’ll need to keep an eye on your stamina and health. Every time you engage in melee combat, your stamina bar goes down and ultimately, you end up performing weaker and weaker strikes. Snacks can help build it up quickly, as does running for dear life. In missions where you’re with another person, it can get dicey quick and on more than one occasion I had to flee, leaving my AI teammate behind.

Zombies can hear you and are attracted to sound and light, something that game allows you to do. Everything you do makes noise and you have to keep that in mind when you’re going through the game. Gunshots are especially loud and good at drawing attention. Even the type of car you come across and drive plays a role. American muscle cars may be faster than that beat up station wagon you passed by but you’ll attract less attention because of engine noise. It’s things like that that help bring this world to life.

Sound & Music

For the most part, the sound effects aren’t anything special. The satisfying crunch of smashing a zombies head can be invigorating, but everything else sounds so-so. Don’t expect a bevy of beefy sound effects.

The soundtrack is nicely done on the other hand. It’s appropriately moody and is good at matching the on screen drama. Most of the time you’re treated to ambient sound, which I like. It’s nice to have a game where music isn’t going the whole time, only when it’s needed. You won’t be searching for the soundtrack on iTunes but what’s there works very well.

Graphics

Aside from a few technical hiccups, State of Decay is not a bad looking game. The huge open world was a surprise as a downloadable title, as were the little details that Undead Labs, the games developer, put into the game. It isn’t a visual tour de force by any means. The textures and overall art style aren’t AAA level but it’s far from an ugly game, just don’t expect block buster production level.

Overall

I’ve sunk hours into this game and in many ways, I feel like I just scratched the surface. There is plenty to do here between exploring, fighting and leveling up. You have to pay attention to what is going on around you or you’ll find yourself alone with no characters to switch to because they all died. Boarding up before night fall, making sure you have medical supplies, food and shelter–this all falls on your lap. The rest of the survivors are counting on you to pull them through and sometimes, it can feel like a daunting task.

State of Decay is a great game at a great price. If you’re looking for something to pick up between big releases, this may be a game for you. For zombie fans, this game is almost a given. It’s all about survival and State of Decay does a darn good job of making you realize just that.

8.0/10

Retro Joystick Prize Giveaway

That’s right folks, Retro Joystick is having a prize giveaway thanks to the staff here at Retro Joystick who have each kindly donated a prize each.

There are five prizes to give away over a five week period.  That’s one prize per week.

The prizes are:

Week 1 Prize: Donkey Kong Junior Mini classics game. (WON BY BEN QUALBERT SCHUSTER)

Week 2 Prize: Faxanadu Cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

Week 3 Prize: Street Fighter Kid Robot Ken and Ryu Figures

Week 4 Prize: The Lost Vikings Cartridge for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)

Week 5 Prize: $30 Oz Gameshop Voucher

How To Enter

Each week, we will post a question on the Retro Joystick Wall and all you have to do is simply answer t he question and submit your answers via email to boostking@bigpond.com to be in the draw to win.

Easy as that!

Terms and Conditions

Full competition details are available at www.dailyjoystick.podbean.com

You must also be a fan of the Retro Joystick Page in order to be eligible to enter the competition.

You must also share the competition post to your friends, to help spread the word.

Competition is open to residents in Australia only.

Winners will be announced on a weekly basis.

Winners must come forth and claim their prizes, failure to do so will result in prizes being allocated to the next best answer.

Entries or responses posted on the wall or via PM will be deleted and not eligible.  Please submit all entries via Email provided.

Retro Joystick has the right to make any changes to the competition or revoke any prizes if we feel that the user has abused the system.

Thankyou and good luck.

The Retro Joystick Team

A lot of Xbox gamers are walking around with their heads down wondering what they’re going to do come this holiday season. As an Xbox owner, I have no problems saying that I’m looking forward to a day one purchase of the Xbox One and a Playstation 4 later on down the line.

A few weeks back Microsoft got hammered at the their console unveiling for talking too much about services and tv and not enough about games. It was then said that we should wait for E3 because that’s where you would see all the games. Gamers waited for several weeks, some patiently, some not so, but ultimately when MS took the stage at E3 this week, it was a non-stop barrage of games. They showed exclusives and multiplats and lots of them, putting to rest any thought that they wouldn’t have games to show.

As far as I’m concerned, they delivered on the games front and I already know they have me covered overall, entertainment wise. What it really boils down to are some of the policy changes regarding Xbox One. Used games, online check in, always on Kinect-these are things that are pushing some players away, not to mention the price.

I see two sides to this coin. On one hand are my personal gaming needs/wants. I want an Xbox One. I like their franchises and I love the quality of Xbox Live. None of the issues that concern many gamers apply to me or, they just don’t bother me. I have a great connection that rarely if ever drops out and I live in the United States where admittedly, having XBL is an advantage over other places simply based on the content that is available. I don’t lone out games and trading them in is a rip off anyway so you might as well keep them. I remember the days of having to trade in games to get something else, I sympathize. However going forward, I’m not willing to take such a beating on trade in prices.

On the other hand are Sony and my fellow gamers. Many Playstation fans see this E3 as a rallying call for all gamers against what they perceive is the corruption and destruction of the gaming industry by Microsoft. Although the issues don’t affect me personally, I cannot deny that they affect my fellow gamer. A case can and has been made that MS is being anti consumer and have rallied to Sony’s side as they are catering to those who feel disenchanted. I support Sony’s dedication to the gamer and that is why, when the time is right, I will buy a PS4. Sony’s price point and their relentless focus on games makes it irresistible. In time, the PS4 will have a hardcore library of exclusive titles that will simply beg to be played. And I fully expect the same of MS. If anything this E3 was the opening salvo for what will surely become a battle of for the ages. Both companies are going to be competing in the business equivalent of hand-to-hand combat for our buying dollars. And we the gamers stand to benefit.

Gamers, it’s E3 and next in line is Nintendo with their Nintendo Direct presentation.  Daily Joystick has you covered with our full roundup of the Nintendo Direct event right here.  So tune in, as we cover all things E3.

The DJ Team

Gamers, today marks the start of E3 and next in line is Sony and their E3 conference.  Daily Joystick has you covered with our full roundup of the presentation right here.  So tune in, as we cover all things E3.

The DJ Team

Gamers, today marks the start of E3 and kicking off is Microsoft and their E3 conference.  Daily Joystick has you covered with our full roundup of the podcast right here.  So tune in, as we cover all things E3.

The DJ Team

‘Neo’ Paris – 2084. After a couple of civil wars the world has progressed from Twitter and Facebook and is now directly connected via its memories; jacking splicing and remixing them, dividing culture, creating monopoly and the subtlest way to kill someone. Rising out of the ashes is hero Nilin the star of Dontnods first title published by Capcom. Long after the lights of Neo Paris have faded though, will you still remember me?

Story

Curiously, some cursory reading on this new dev team Dontnod reveals that Remember Me has been in development since 2008, in theory- however back then it was a game based around global warming where the main character jet skied from coast to coast in a game called “Adrift”.

With their first crack at the big leagues this title, does not resemble something that has gone through development revisions and with a tighter focus and a more liner approach set in their home town of Paris, Dontnod have made a much more accessible game.

The story is the heart and soul of Remember Me and follows the adventure of heroin Nilin as she awakes in a memory penal colony, escapes and tries to re find her lost thoughts. Ultimately it is revealed that she works as a ‘memory assassin’ for hire as part of a  global terror organisation aptly named “Errorists”.

The world is brought to life with so many small touches, and as the game ramps up slowly there is ample time to just walk around and stare at the lovingly created environment, the skylines and the people and robots that work for them and just general details. The pacing of the story, whilst wholly linear is not unlike other platforming adventure games like Lost Odyssey, Mirrors Edge or even this years Devil May Cry.

Nilin talks a lot, and often to herself and there are long cut scenes between chapters of her thinking out loud “inside her head” that not so surprisingly looks like the animus from Assassins Creed. The year 2084 is not so far away that Paris looks unrecognisable but this is definitely a pseudo futuristic title that treads the line somewhere between the new Total Recall and Blade Runner. It is not really punk, but then again it is not really post punk either. Remember Me is a game that tells a competent story, very well but through a visual medium of graffiti, paintings, warn buildings and the ever diminishing skyline above Paris.

News bulletins dot the slums and the high rise as you pick your way across town, literally  taunting Nilin and calling out her most recent interactions for the player as well as providing some humours commentary on the events. 2013 has been one of the best years for strong female lead characters in video game and Nilin is no exception. Her development throughout the story, motion captured as it is, is almost on par with Tomb Raider from earlier in the year and is one of the main reasons to play this game.

In the end though, you have to really love being handed the story on a platter, either through the un-lockable memories of Neo Paris in the menus or cut-scenes. Remember Me is not a role playing game and where Dontnod could have expanded the adventure is through more interaction and dynamic events. Nilin can walk up to people but never really talk to them. For most of the game she can nary interact with the environment. The story very much happens around you, as you run through it and whilst not wholly boring at times the player can be left wanting more to do than just look.

Gameplay

Dontnod have in one regard been very ambitious with the gameplay, defying current conventions for a more traditional approach, and yet for their first title it could be said have experimented with some ideas too much without consideration or testing of how it would work for the player.

The game is no more and no less than a reasonable length puzzle platformer/ fighter. There are aspects of adventure and even some action but the gameplay almost entirely consists of climbing, manipulating locks and brawling.

Every puzzle or stealth convention is thrown at the player over the course of 8-10hrs of gameplay. Avoiding detection by drones as they follow a set path, finding the right path around the electrified field and thankfully, only a few quick time events.

Where the gameplay branches out and really treads new ground is in the memory remix scenarios and the fighting. Combat is surprisingly simple consisting of an X & Y attack with bumpers for shooting and targeting later on. Neither the X or Y button are heavy/light attacks though and this is where the game gets a little lost in itself.

It sounds excellent on paper that you can create your own combos, and socket within each X & Y variable which one will be the power attack, which one will heal; but then Dontnod again, probably for accessibility give you a set number of different combos with no choice to change the order of X & Y at all!

It makes sense for new players that it would be too confusing as well as for development- however there are literally only 6 different combos of varying length and the only options are to attach and socket different modifiers such as power, health and cool down.

Again, in theory this means that a standard XXX combo can now read as power, health, cool down and every time you land that X attack you are rewarded with that effect.

It is also, the only way to regain health during battle as it does not regenerate.

In practise constantly mashing X and Y can get a little tedious. Nilin can not block instead she dodges, flips and generally runs away from combat. A block button would have been highly welcome as timing a dodge is supposed to continue a combo but enemies mob the player so tightly is can be almost impossible to land the perfect 8 hit combo.

Making it so that you gain health through landing combinations is inspired however on the higher difficulty you will die quicker than you can get your health back.

Thankfully to balance this out Nilin is given a “gun” later on called a spammer that is a neat way to attack long range as well a set of Errorist super powers. Towards the end of the game it becomes less a chore of spamming X and Y and more about making smaller timed hits so that you can cool down the powers and unleash memory hell in one big move.

To top things off Dontnod have added to the gameplay a very curious mechanic called Memory Remixing. Despite all the hype though, there are only a handful of these events in the game and again it is a shame there are not more, because they drive the story literally mixing gameplay interaction and story together as Nilin enters somebodies mind and the game turns into essentially a point and click scenario of touching the right object at the right time to change events.

This is how Nilin assassinates and this is how the world of 2084 can make someone kill themselves over the thought of something that never actually happened or make prisoners never remember why they would want to leave jail in the first place. Memory remixing plays like an interactive cutscene using the thumb sticks to wind it backwards and forward and then play it out differently after changing the environment.

Graphics and Audio

Throughout the rest of 2013 there are sure to be other games that are called out as ‘borderline next-gen’ especially in regards to graphics, however hopefully Remember Me is, remembered.

This is the second comparison to Tomb Raider because this is the second best looking game this year so far.

From the moment you step out of the sewers and slums and gaze up at the Parisian skyline, the pigeons flying off in the distance you have a sense of the world that Nilin lives in. Using a heavily modified Unreal 3 engine Dontnod have proven that there is still life left in it yet. So much so that the sheer amount of minor details, like junk and boxes in every corner, the way the camera angles approach the action and capture things hanging from the roof, every single piece of graffiti and rubbish…it puts other sci fi games like Mass Effect to shame, and shows up a simple cleanliness and lack of effort to really push the engine as far as it can go. Textures on the characters are especially nice with different skin tones, blemishes, freckles and wrinkles that border the uncanny valley.

Lighting as well is excellent and balances between the lower level of the cities and the brighter higher suburbs or Paris. It also crucially plays into combat later on, as there are areas that are not lit and need to be, so that the player can reveal hidden enemies. Stand in front of any light and Nilins shadows are artfully splashed across the walls like a canvas.

Dontnod are so confident in their graphics that they have put paintings all around the game that point to hidden collectables and using only your sense of sight you need to need to find the area in the painting and claim your reward.

Similarly a lot of effort has been put into motion capture, textures and sound. Arguably these three things are enough to keep players, playing as long as you like puzzles and a lot of climbing. The motion captured fight moves have been toned down somewhat so that they don’t exactly flow, but rely on timed presses of the exact button rather than quick mashing. It is designed to be artful but all the flipping and rolling can be distracting especially compared to the enemy AI.

Enemies generally have one mode, come straight at you like a magnet, mob you and repeat. A number of the bosses have cheap moves and one hit kills and it can become frustrating. That said, enemies have a variety of actions from crawling on walls, ducking and weaving ground pounding and strafing in mid air.

Music lifts the action and falls into a refreshing mix of classically remixed electro pop, with haunting melodies that underscores the desperate situation in Neo Paris. The sounds of the underground as it were, are even better once it starts raining and the ambiance kicks in of the water and the puddles. There is  a lot of nice ambiance in the game of people, and birds and general background noise that is, frankly missing from so many games backed up with some highly emotive voice acting from Nilin.

Overall

Much like the puzzle platformer Darksiders II last year, Remember Me is one of the greatest games you will never play in 2013. It pushes art design whilst sacrificing some gameplay and player choice and interaction.

Linear and reasonably short it can be unforgiving on the hardest difficulty and a little boring on anything less.

And yet, it is the inspired memory remix scenarios, the idea that you can actually customise your own combos for fighting and the sheer scope of the world that they wanted to create that makes Remember Me a must play title.

If Dontnod had released it as an arcade or indi title, it would have suffered more and Remember Me deserves to be a fully funded title with all the attention next to similarly great action platformers. It exists as a dying breed of game that is not trying to be anything more than it wants to be; to tell a good, emotive story and be fun.

9/10

Welcome to the All Age Gaming Podcast Episode 13.  This week, we cover all the news, well that is all the Xbox One news thanks to the internet frenzy that has shared nothing but Xbox One love and hate.  We go over the official press release from Microsoft that aims to answer all of the issues concerning the Xbox One.  Plus, this week on reviews, Tyler takes a look at Remember Me and Carmall checks out Hyperdimension Neptunia.  Also, we take your reader mail and shout out to those that matter, right here on the All Age Gaming podcast.

Gamers, as we all know E3 is just days away and aside from all the new hardware talk the focus is also turned to the software front, ie games.  Games sell systems folks and I can promise you a poor line up of games could indeed spell disaster for any of the big 3, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.

Today, the team here at Daily Joystick have put pen to paper and have come up with a list of the games were excited for at this years E3.  Some may be announced, others may not be but either way, were going to share our hopes for E3 2013.

Lets get into it right now.

Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty Land

As a huge and longtime fan of Rare games such as the Banjo-Kazooie series and Conkers Bad Fur Day, I am super excited that E3 may bring some more Rare goodness.  It was revealed that the Rare team were reassembling for another remake of one of their franchises.  For me, another Banjo-Kazooie game will fill that void very nicely.  Banjo-Kazooie was an awesome platforming adventure game, with great graphics and awesome gameplay.  Rare were a studio that made games to the highest standard and gamers should certainly hope that their latest outing makes it to your console of choice. - Paul

The Legend of Zelda

As a lifelong Nintendo fan, the Legend of Zelda has been a series that has been close to my heart.  Over the last 25 years the Legend of Zelda has appeared on every Nintendo system ever made and has always been a stand out game.  However, old school gamers are getting tired of the same Nintendo formula when it comes to Zelda and have yearned for a fresh Zelda experience.  Nintendo has gone on record to say that their next Zelda title will be built from the ground up and will be completely revamped with new ideas.  So don’t expect yet another fire, ice and water temple, oh no, it’s going to be different.  I applaud Nintendo for taking a different approach and I cannot wait till E3 to see more about the next Legend of Zelda as its definitely one of the best series on the the Nintendo system for me ever. - Paul

Alan Wake 2

The original Alan Wake in my opinion was a sleeper hit.  Remedy had certainly produced a masterpiece that had me on the edge of my seat during the whole experience.  Fans have longed for a sequel to the original game and almost thought they were getting one when the Remedy logo appeared on screen at the Pre E3 Reveal by Microsoft.  No it wasn’t Alan Wake 2, but it was Quantum Break.  Either way, lets hope Alan Wake 2 gets itself a sorely overdue sequel on some next gen hardware, as personally I don’t think there has been as good of a survival horror game on the Xbox 360 as Alan Wake was. - Paul

Deadrising 3

We are in need of another great zombie game, being a fan of zombie games and playing Deadrising 2, I really think if Deadrising 3 was announced and released it would have some real potential. I just hope CAPCOM has listened to their fan’s and dropped the whole time limit based missions which gave you less time for exploring and side missions! - Damon

Killer Instinct

I really hope Killer Instinct is this secret project we keep hearing about from Rare, not only did I grow up with this classic fighting game, but to play this game with today’s visuals would just be amazing so I’m pretty sure all you Killer Instinct fans are with me when I say announce this D-D-D-D DEAL BREAKER! - Damon

Half-Life 3

It has been around 6 years since we have seen a Half-Life title and I really hope at this year’s E3 Valve steps up by announcing this awesome title! I just love this series for it’s amazing storyline and hope that all these rumors of a 3rd game come true at E3 2013! Give us Half-Life 3 God Damnit! - Damon

Forza 5

While I think that cars are cool, I’m not really into them. That is unless you’re talking about the Forza series. Ever since Paul recommended the game too me, I’ve been hooked. I also find car games to be a good show piece for hardware. The Forza series has the depth for hardcore gear heads and novices like myself. So much so that anyone can enjoy playing it. - Larry

Phantom Dust 2

I want this announced so bad I can’t stand it. I would really appreciate this being announced, and I know that there are many of you out there that agree with me. Microsoft is sitting on a bunch of licenses that are long over due for a sequel. This is one of them. Another would be Mech Assault, what happened to that series? - Larry

8 new intellectual properties

More than anything else out of E3, I want to know about the eight new intellectual properties that Microsoft has. We know that they have a total of 15 exclusives within the first year, eight of which are new. I just hope they’re not just shooters. I want to see Microsoft take some risks and bring us something worth remembering. Not to say that they don’t have good franchises, they do. I just want to be blown away by something fresh, innovative and can stand the test of time. - Larry

Witcher 3 The hunt

A lot of about this game is either predictable or already known but that in itself is enough to ignite the senses. So many trilogies have already wrapped this generation that the final chapter in the Witcher saga is all the more wanted. At E3 I just want to see how far they have pushed the graphics, the world and which new characters will appear. Loss, Love and Lust the way only the Witcher knows how! - Ian

Dragon Age 3 Inquisition

Another trilogy pushed to next generation (this was my pick last year). I want to see SOMETHING of this game, that isn’t a book, or an iphone game or a facebook game Bioware. I want confirmation of what changes have been made to the gameplay and at E3 they should show off the main character and explain just how big this game is going to be compared to the contrived sandboxes of Dragon Age 2. - Ian

To hear that another Dragon Age has been made has me so excited. The first two were great and now there is a third in their series, they just keep getting better and better. Personally I hope there are more Dragons as it was very limited in the previous ones.  - Charlotte

???

E3 2013, let’s just leave this blank. Rockstar are not going to be at the show so GTA V is out. Watchdogs is good, but we already know a lot, Assassins Creed IV is predictable but tasty and Thief, Thief looks good but is also an expected and a known thing being 4^th in the series. I mean what I would LOVE is a real proper, new HD next gen Deus Ex game, not this spin off recycled port to iPad with a new character that no one wants based on a non-canonical book… Can I ask for the obligatory Half-Life 3 game from the Gabe Newell camp, maybe 2013 will be the year it is announced. - Ian

Diablo 3

Diablo 3 is only of the only games on PC that I spend hours on end playing and to hear that It is coming to console has just made me fall in love even more. The previous versions of Diablo had always eventually been released onto console so it was only a matter of time. I want to hear more about it and how it will run as it is a very large game. When it is released I’ll be surprised if I ever see the light of day again. - Charlotte

Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends was meant to be released onto the Wii U a few months ago and they brought out a demo which had me hooked. Later they announced that the release had been pushed back so it could be released on the other consoles. I am curious to see how they pull this off when the demo used the Wii U game pad a lot, and it will be a shame to sacrifice that extra game play and the first release to just bring it out on the other consoles if it’s not going to be the same. - Charlotte

Well folks, that rounds up our E3 Game expectations for E3 2013.  Let us know what games you are excited for by leaving a comment below or on Facebook.

The DJ Team

This week on the Retro Joystick Podcast Episode 2, we discuss the Holy Grail of gaming.  Thats right, we all share our thoughts on our own personal holy grails as well as the fans too.  Also, we cover the latest virtual releases of retro games, discuss our pick ups and of course take your reader mail questions.  We also discuss our latest Retro Joystick Giveaway here on the show as well, so you don’t want to miss that.  So sit back, dust of those old carts and get into the latest RJ Podcast!  Cheers.

The RJ Team.

This week on the Daily Joystick Podcast we reflect on the recent Xbox One reveal and discuss all the rumors that have been circulating around the web as we try and rationalise the issues facing the Xbox One.  What does Microsoft need to do this E3 to comfort the fans?  Also, we check out a host of reviews on the site, take your reader mail questions and look at what new games are on the horizon and more.  So sit back, grab a beer (or cordial if your under 18) and enjoy.  The DJ Team

From the 3DS to the big screen, the seminal adventure horror title from Capcom has seen it all. In 2012 the Resident Evil series seemingly took a few missteps with a spin off title and a less than stellar performance from the canonical ‘6^th‘ game in the series. At the same time an original title was being released “exclusively” on the 3DS that some wished should have come to all platforms to start with. The question remains with nearly a dozen different titles is this anniversary edition port a revelation for the series?

Story

Forgetting about Resident Evil 6 for a second, Revelations fits neatly between the Eastern European 4^th game and the 5^th one set in Africa. In fact it is such a return to form for the ageing series that it could be considered a direct sequel to Resident Evil 3 happening at the same time that Leon Kennedy is trying to save the President’s daughter from a megalomaniac dwarf in an old soviet castle.

Jill Valentine flies out to an abandoned luxury cruise ship to find her missing partner and sometimes boyfriend Chris Redfield, accompanied by her new partner Parker Luciani and then the game is on. There is a bio terrorist organisation on their tail led by the aptly named ‘Hunk’ and every second chapter is a flashback with Chris and his new partner (and not-girlfriend) Jessica. Even secondary character Parker gets a partner at one point as Capcom throw more new faces at you quicker than you can say Umbrella. In fact in so many ways, Revelations is a swan song for the series; it gives fans everything they like and love and for those dedicated in the lore and story it is the missing link between “what happened to the evil Umbrella Corporation?” and ‘Why are all the zombies’ now fleshy bio mutants?”

Keeping in line with the format of the 3DS, the story is tight, streamlined and whilst sometimes linear it is presented very, very well much better than the most recent titles. It follows a now familiar formula of chapters and sub chapters, but each time much like a TV series, reintroduces what is going on with a “previously on Resident Evil Revelations” clip.  It works a treat and heads straight back into the slower scare tactics of the classic Resident Evil- over run and gun antics.  Each of the story chapters are named and presented in a dark and watery way and in general there is a distinct ambiance of water, wetness and dank. Playing Revelations for the first time, Capcom have managed to capture something that hasn’t been seen since maybe Alan Wake, Silent Hill or even the first Bioshock.

The middle of the 12 or so chapters does get a little lost in itself, as the scenario in the cruise ship opens up and becomes a mission of backtracking and remembering which door leads where, but this leads into the heart of what makes Resident Evil great and is reminiscent of the Castle in Resident Evil 4. Furthermore, playing it after Resident Evil 6, washes away the confused looseness that Capcom chose to go with and highlights an important point: Keeping it simple really does work. Rather than trying to present the story from 3 different angles, whilst also playing 6 different characters all at the same time; flashbacks still allow the player to experience different stories, outside of the Cruise Ship as well as different personalities.

The personalities are, personally what makes Resident Evil so much fun and well, personable. Anyone can play it and instantly relate to at least one of the characters whilst the game tows the line between soap opera melodrama and horror/action. The banter and conversations between the characters is priceless weather it’s Chris speaking for the player and clearly pointing out that his partner is not wearing much clothes in the snow or Jill and bla talking about relationships whilst being chased by mutants, the sharp dialogue keeps player immersed as they uncover exactly what happened to the lost city of Terragrigia. There are parallels to 9/11 as well as modern themes of the danger of an environmentally friendly and sustainable city.

Gameplay

If you have already played and completed on the 3DS then this review is not or you, however even on the current generation of consoles the port has been done with care and is more than an unscaled HD remake. In fact, it is almost unbelievable that this game was on the 3DS as it looks as good as any current gen Resident Evil has and the mapping of controls is slick and stripped back.

There is a lot of automation in the controls: Characters always run automatically, flash lights will pop on by themselves as needed and throwing grenades is as simple as hitting the right bumper.  However again, for those disappointed with the over complicated mess of controls in Resident Evil 6 or the “always walking” of Resident Evil 5 it’s almost as if Capcom has heard your cries and fixed everything.

The core gameplay is nothing new, but is much more accessible, comfortable and fun. ‘Always running’ is not an issue in this case as it helps with later puzzle missions.  12 chapters are broken up into a neat variety of adventure shooting and puzzles that harken back to the original series; and whilst it might be shock to still have to: “Find the right key for the right door, whilst searching for the card for that lock to open the chest and collect the gold coin”- It is executed well and is more than just another arcade title.

Resident Evil 4 took a side step with zombie villages that were infected but otherwise humans. Resident Evil 5 was the first game that started to show the evolution from zombie to Bio mutant and in Revelations you finally see how and why they came about. There is a neat variety of different squishy water based mutants- from reptiles and fish to slug like creatures with suckers and tentacles and aside from one or two they generally all fall into the category of slowly walking towards you waving their hands. However, Capcom have always been masters of slowing ramping up the difficulty without the player realizing and introducing new enemies and as you move around the ship enemies slide out of the ducts, come up through the floor or flop out behind you when you least suspect it. Killing them is wonderful as they all melt leaving a pile of blood and goo to scan later.

Bio Scanning is probably the newest feature of the single player Campaign and is something sorely missing from every single other Resident Evil title (and something I hope they bring back).  By tapping the left bumper, players can bring up the Bio scanner that much like Batman’s detective mode allows you to scan every room, creature and hidden item into a database.  This is a really excellent feature that switches up the pace and slows the game, because you can’t shoot whilst scanning but at the same time you want to scan the enemy before they die as they come at you. Scanning enemies give you a % towards 100 that also gives you a reward at each 100% completion. This adds value in going into each room, scanning it, getting all the collectibles and hidden hand prints and then cleaning it out. It never becomes tedious and provides a neat “Monster Hunter” challenge as well to try and capture all the different mutants on camera.

Perhaps one of the few criticisms of the 3DS ported Revelations is that the AI has been lost in translation. Despite up-scaled graphics it is clear that some things have been simplified for the hand held and generally it is a much easier game to play. There is an insane difficulty mode that ups the number of enemy vs ammunition but over all there is a distinct lack of boss battles or big set pieces and it becomes quite easy to duck and strafe character for that perfect Special ranking at the end of the game.

Once again, performance in Resident evil is ranked and a standard player should have no issues getting an A or an S on most levels. To mix it up though Capcom have included an online coop mode called “Raid Mode” which is possibly the most fun you could have with 2 people.  Whilst not as intense or unique as the classic ‘Mercenaries Mode” 2 players can play over 20 levels, based on the campaign where they are ranked in time and accuracy to clear them out. There are 3 tiers of difficulty essentially equally 20 X 3 levels of gameplay!  It is reminiscent of the multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 and further to this finally adds some much needed Role Playing elements to the series.

There are over 10 different characters to play as, each with multiple skins and enemy now have health bars and stats for each part of their body, as you aim for the most accuracy. On top of all this weapons are customisable and there is a full shop of randomly generated weapons to buy and swap and sell, including ammo, spare parts and health upgrades.  At the end of each round you can enter the shop and buy bigger and better guns, add modifications and seek out elusive rare and ultra-rare guns. Depending how you performed you are suitably rewarded and levels now have different modifiers on them that effect the enemies speed, strength and health.

Graphics & Audio

The key word is polish, as Capcom have ported the game from perfection. This may in fact be the first game ported from the 3Ds for the XBOX and PlayStation and has only stayed exclusive for about a year.

Characters are well realised detailed and generally the game has all the bells and whistles of more recent titles including good use of weather effects, lighting, water and those great death animations where the mutants melt into the ground.

The Atmosphere which is built, using a range of shadows and areas that are only lit by the cone of the torch are especially good and bring to light the problems with using too many explosions, and action based destruction over slower scare tactics.

Similarly audio is top notch, with the aforementioned dialogue and different character voice acting being a highlight. There is familiar music throughout but again, it all adds to the ‘under water’ feel and never really ramps up to intrude on the action. Each mutant makes unique sounds and when they die they let out one last soggy breath before finally dying. Sound is also highly important in injecting fear and thrills into the series again at the right timing and when the player least suspects it.

Overall

Revelations will make you want to play Resident Evil again. It seems surprisingly fresh and captures an old school mentality of gameplay wrapped up in a dark water based adventure with new and current themes. On top of that it actually manages to still do something new with the series and pushes it in a few different directions.  The lack of the fun and addictive Mercenaries Mode is noticeable however Raid coop mode is just as addictive for speed running through levels, levelling up and modifying unceasingly better guns. Revelations feels like you are playing a miniseries on TV or reading a Resident Evil graphic novel, the story is engaging and at a reduced price due to porting from the 3DS there is absolutely no reason not to get back into the bio terror war and kick butt. Speaking of butts, staring at the back of Jill Valentine in a wetsuit for most of the 10hrs of game play is an added bonus that has been missing for quite some time…

8.5/10

This week is the Aussie Gaming Independent Networks (AGIN) first podcast and we kick off with a bang.  This week, we talk all about the Microsoft Xbox One console reveal.  Our thoughts, our opinion and more are shared in today’s show.  Were joined by our member sites including All Age Gaming, Daily Joystick Podcasts, Aussie Game Geek, The Geek Next Door and OzBoxLive in a massive Australian video game web site round table discussion.

So sit back, grab a beer and tune in to all things Xbox One.

Metro Last Light is the latest sequel to the original Metro 2033 released by 4A Games and is based on the universe created by author Dmitry Glukhovsky.  Set in a post-apocalyptic world some decades after a nuclear attack on Russia, you are packed into the subway tunnels with many other survivors where you have lived almost your entire life, underground and safe from the radiation on the surface.  You are a ranger named Artyom and are about to embark on yet another adventure.

Gameplay

The world of Metro is a dangerous place and the tunnels and surface are not safe.  The metro is filled with various factions and groups that tend to fight each other for any resources they can get their hands on.  The surface is no better with radiation that still can boil water, and mutants and other creatures that roam the surface.  Surviving on the surface is near impossible with such vast amounts of radiation however you must venture to the top in order to explore the land for any resources.

Metro Last Light is once again a pretty linear affair in that you don’t have a massive open post-apocalyptic world to explore say as in Fallout 3.  You guided along a set path with small areas to explore but it’s essentially linear.  You’ll make your way through various outposts and settlements and you will encounter other groups and factions that either will help you or try to kill you.

Metro Last light also builds an environment that’s truly worth exploring.  From the various tunnels, to the outposts where you can just sit and listen to other peoples conversations which give you an insight into what has happened and what has been going on.  You can spend a great deal of time listening to these conversations, building context for and understanding of the plight of the metro’s survivors, holding on to life by a mere string. You can even see things from Artyom’s point of view in the form of journal entries strewn around the tale’s various chapters. In a clever twist, these weren’t written by others; when found, Artyom will write notes to himself in his journal, working around his silent posture and providing players with one of two ways you get insight from the protagonist himself. The only time you ever actually hear him speak is during load screens when he verbally explains what’s coming up next.

Resources in Metro Last light are extremely precious, from clean water, to electricity, the air you breathe and the bullets you use, all need to be carefully thought out.  Even Gas Masks are your only lifeline between life and death on the surface, so scrounging around and collecting filters is an absolute must if you expect to survive.

Metro Last Light can be played as either a guns blazing experience, or more as a stealthy experience.  I tried going out guns blazing but found that I ran out of ammunition very quickly and it wasn’t readily available to refill my guns with.  So a combination of stealthy takedowns is certainly recommended if you plan or surviving.   You can knock your enemy unconscious or stab them in the throat for an instant kill, the choice is yours.  Then you can collect their ammunition once they are dead and save this for a later battle.

In relation to your ammunition, bullets still act like currency.  That is, pre-war bullets are worth far more than post war bullets, so use these wisely as they can be used to buy and trade back at the various outposts.  Personally I found that I hardly ever visited any merchants nor spent my pre-war ammunition.  Most of my weapons and ammunition were scavenged from others who lay dead before me.

Metro Last Light also had a few little bugs such sad the occasional screen tearing and texture pop in which is all too common on most games this generation.  I have not been bitten by the game freezing bug, so I’ll count myself lucky in that respect, however it has been reported as an issue.

Graphics & Sound

Metro Last Light certainly has made some very strong improvements over its predecessor Metro 2033.  Subtle details from the frost, ice and sweat on your gas mask, to the lighting in the underground tunnels, you can’t deny that 4A Studios have really tried to recreate a post-apocalyptic setting.  There are some fantastic details on facial animations during the cut scenes which is clearly noticeable along with some awesome cut scenes throughout the game.    Sound wise, you’ll hear water dripping in the tunnels or creatures scurrying towards you.  I felt the Russian accents were fine however some true Russian gamers may disagree on that point.

Overall

Metro Last Light is a great game despite its linearity of its campaign.  There is a great amount of value here and gameplay to keep you entertained for hours.  4A Studios have done a fantastic job in terms of making you believe your settings and depicting a post-apocalyptic setting so well.  It’s a great title and one that you will enjoy playing for the months ahead.

8 / 10

Gamers, the Daily Joystick Team is here with their latest podcast all focused on the Xbox One which was just announced mere hours ago.  We talk about what was shown at the Microsoft event, and give our thoughts and opinions on Microsoft’s newest edition to the family.  So sit back, tune in and help melt the internet today!

French developers Spider Studios, have only created a handful of games the last of which was the underwhelming “Of Orcs and Men” in 2012. However while these indi developers continue to refine their ideas and create unique experience Mars War Logs is perhaps the single best game of their portfolio to date. Spiders openly stated that War Logs was “The game they always wanted to make from the start” and it shows, as it combines all the elements and ideas they have previously tried wrapped up in adult dialogue and a wicked sense of humour.

Before the game releases on console in the next two weeks, Daily Joystick brings you the full PC review to get you ready, to escape Mars again.

Story

Let’s just get something out of the way first: Whilst it is great, that Spiders Studio have created an entirely new universe and back-story to Earth set in the future with a penal colony on Mars, traditionally a lot of the games they made have been fantasy based or fairy-tale. Which might go some way to explaining why every main character has the worst, most cringe worthy names possible; like Innocence, Chastity or Providence. There is something charming about it until the first five minutes…

Mars War Logs is told through the eyes of Innocence (no really) however you play as the protector of Innocence, a character named Ray (previously Temperance). Ray is introduced right at the point that Innocence, is about to get raped.  Now it might be funny and clearly Spiders Studios is openly having fun with their sense of humour in the raping of innocence but this also sets the tone and level of language for the rest of the game. Someone only known as Fatso is trying to rape the young boy Innocence in prison and then the player steps in to stop it.

This allows a neat tutorial in the mechanics and fighting of the game, before Ray and Innocence take flight to try and escape the Martian penal colony they find themselves in.  The language and adult themes come thick and fast in the first of four or so chapters of gameplay. Ray plays as a smug smarmy “bard” that borders between a smart-ass and a complete dick. It’s the same level of straight talking language that was in The Witcher 2 and because it is an arcade game, it gets away with it.

Prisoners in the colony are kept in check by guards who oppose the Mars colony war between camp Abundance and the city of Aurora. War that has been going on most of their lives and above it all is the watchful eye of the Lord Technomancer and his concubine who have been put in charge by the government. Technomancers are basically 80s inspired Jedi with electricity and other force powers at their disposal. Simpler citizen revere them as gods, whilst in the poorer areas dust mutants reside who have been exposed to the Mars sun for too long, their history and heritage hold a dark secret that any normal human would be ashamed of.

Eventually the daring duo can escape and the remaining chapters of the War logs are told through various parts of the planet including smaller settlements, towns and caves.  Unfortunately the story is the highlight of the game, as is the case with many arcade games as Mars War Logs feels very much like an interactive combat game crossed with a point and click adventure: There is a lot of talking, a lot of running around back and forth finding things, and the action doesn’t really kick in until after Chapter One.  Whilst you can have relationships (however they stop at you taking advantage of Innocence) this won’t be possible till maybe half way through the 15-20 hours of gameplay.

Mars is a harsh and unyielding place and it is both refreshing and a little disturbing at times that Spiders have created something that so flagrantly flouts F bombs with such classic lines like: “What did you expect me to do, stand by and watch whilst they softly penetrated him”. The story does even itself out and gets substantially better if you can slog through the first chapter of 5 or so hours, details emerge, enemy get harder and the story of Innocence is deepened.

Gameplay

The tone of the story is not the only thing in common with the The Witcher as Spiders have crafted a fighting mechanic that mirrors The Witcher’s unique combination of evade and defend over attack and destroy.

Primarily, humans can’t be out rightly killed in the game  anyway, and it leads to Rays “dark side” path so to justify this characters are equipped with a primary melee weapon that can be fully upgraded and customised and then a combination of heavy and light attacks. Whilst there is a gun it is included as a ‘power’ that uses energy, ammo and a cool down and needs to be ‘cast’ by the player to shoot anyone. Later on humans can be killed or harvested for precious water after combat or simply looted and left lying on the ground in pain.

Water is the currency on Mars, along with scrap metals and again for anyone that has played the Witcher this style of gameplay, whereby everything is crafted from scrap, and during combat gameplay can be paused to issue commands and cast spells- will feel instantly familiar.

Unlike their previous effort at creating a full retail released title, that didn’t quite work; Spider Studio have been smart by borrowing from other games.  Fighting and the number of fights increase as the game goes  on, there are a number of boss battles and a variety of creatures including rabid alien “dogs” Martian dust moles, mutants, junkies and of course Technomancers. Needless to say the player eventually gets some Technomancer powers including lightning, force push and shields. Fighting for the most part is with a companion and whilst you can’t directly tell them what to do, you can assign commands to them like “attack the nearest ranged enemy”.

It is a reasonably simple stripped back combat system that works well enough. Expect to do a LOT of rolling and flanking as it is the best for critical and counter attacks. It takes some time to get used to an evasive, defensive style of player over just spamming light/heavy attacks but the character animations are smooth enough, even if enemy AI is dumb and involves either mobbing you in a corner or running around in circles.

The rest of the Mars War Logs is played out through a combination of talking, fetch quests, looting scrap and staring out over the Martian wastelands.

Graphics & Sound

Depending on which platform you play and how you perceive arcade games, War Logs will either be one of the better looking arcade game out there or a middle of the road indie title from Steam. The game is not ugly per say, however areas are highly linear, small square towns with a lot of corridors and tunnels that all blend together.  Mars is, obviously very orange and there is little variance in the areas between orange, brown and red. The graphics are not so good that you really tell the difference between say, a penal colony and the slums or a bar and a house but at least for what feels like little more than a point and click adventure it is fully realised in 3D with reasonable decent lighting and textures.  Character models again, are unique enough for the main characters with everyone else looking like they are related  to each other, lip syncing is so so but dialogue is quite well recorded.

The nature of the European development team means some of the accents and voice work is hit and miss, and there is a distinct lack of music or any ambiance noise at times.  Also for some reason on the PC even at the highest possible volume settings, all the sounds were quite low and muted however this could be fixed in a patch.

Like a lot of indi games, there are some good looking cut scenes between the story and the menus are filled with nice art work and drawings of the Mars landscape.  If you are a fan of games like Fallout or RAGE then the lack of greens and blues won’t phase too much.

Playing through Steam as well, the game loads quickly and runs smoothly, there is nary a bug or a glitch and it can be run in a window if necessary. Considering how heavily they have mimicked the Witcher it doesn’t quite stack up in comparison but is good enough to encourage the player to keep going.

Overall

Mars War Logs promises a lot: It says that your actions will affect the outcomes of other characters and whether or not they like you. It promises romances and relationships. It wants you to have a unique combat experience and a fully upgradeable character in an action adventure role playing game set on Mars.

Spider Studios delivers to a degree, but not one high enough to justify a full retail release beyond the arcade. Relationships are limited to one or two and only happen much later in the story and are set up as part of the story.

There is choice to harvest humans, but there appears to have little consequence in weather people like you or not. That said, early on there are clear choices in the story as to moral decisions, that might mean one character will help you and another will not. Ultimately the outcome though is the same:

Mars War Logs is one of the most underrated games this year that deserves the time of players and has Spiders Studios trademark look all over it. Yes, parts of it blatantly rip off other game but it is the sort of title that you want to love, and explore more. If you haven’t already bought it on Steam for $20, this is one to watch on the arcade. A solid game with enough unique quirks

8/10

The All Age Gaming team are back with Episode 12 of their podcast. This week, we discuss the news from around the world including news that EA is no longer supporting the Big N, plus we talk about the latest Nintendo Direct conference plus a whole lot more.   We also take a look at the latest reviews up on the site including Injustice Gods Among Us, Metro Last Light and Army of Two the Devils Cartel, plus we take a look also at whats coming out, take your reader mail questions and a whole lot more. So tune in!

Welcome to the first Retro Joystick podcast featuring Paul, Martin, Adrian and Chloe.  We get straight into it with the Nintendo Entertainment system and talk everything that’s NES related.  We also delve into the upcoming retro releases on virtual console, take your reader mail and discuss the teams latest games they recommend you should play, plus our awesome gaming pick ups plus a whole lot more.  Now, sit back, grab that NES controller, switch on ROB the robot, pop on that power glove and turn back the clock to one of the best times to be a gamer.  The RJ Team.

On this week’s podcast Episode 109, we discuss the news stories from the video gaming industry.  We discuss rumors of the next Xbox indeed being called “Infinity” and we also discuss the leaked memo that shuts down the Always Online rumors plus a whole lot more.   Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.  So sit back, and remember “to Infinity, and Beyond!  The DJ Team.

On this week’s podcast Episode 108, we discuss the news stories from the video gaming industry.  We discuss rumours of the next Xbox indeed being called “Fusion” plus we talk about the rumoured news that the Next Xbox will be available via a subscription based payment.  Also, we discuss why Nintendo hasn’t been bringing the games and what Nintendo’s answer for that is.  On the game reviews this week, we take a look at Star Trek, Dead Island Riptide & Injustice Gods Among Us and more.  Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.  So sit back, and enjoy the ramblings and gaming goodness from the team.  The DJ Team.

Zombies, a tropical Island, mediocre cast, loads of loot and crazy Aussie accents to boot!  No, I’m not referring to Dead Island here which manages to tick all of the above boxes; I am referring to its sequel Dead Island Riptide, which also manages to tick the exact same boxes.

Gameplay

Dead Island Riptide begins with a cut scene that brings you up to speed with the story and events from Dead Island, which pretty much wraps up the events of a party gone bad on a tropical island, a zombie outbreak, fight for survival etc.  You know the drill by now.  You finally make it to a chopper and the game begins with you landing that chopper aboard a military ship.  Rather than a warm mug of hot chocolate and some warm clothes, you’re virtually arrested and quarantined on the spot.  You soon awake to find that all hell broke loose on board the ship, and without going into any more detail your ship runs aground and you wake up on…wait for it….another Tropical Island and the locals aren’t friendly.

Dead Island Riptide is on the outset very similar to that of the first Dead Island title which is not a bad thing and more of the same can actually be a good thing.  The story in Dead Island Riptide is really quite subpar and you wonder why more effort wasn’t put into the story telling.  The cut scenes lack any real emotion and you never really feel like you’re trying to survive nor engaging with the characters on any deep and meaningful level.  You’ll find yourself running around island with the ability to drive or walk, transverse water and explore many abandoned huts or holiday shacks so to speak.  There is a wealth of suitcases, barrels, boxes and trays where you can loot till your heats content, even dead corpses are a useful source of cash.  You can use your cash to upgrade your weapons and more than likely, you’ll be constantly paying to repair those weapons.  Most of this is basically exactly what you could do in the first Dead Island title.

If you’ve played the original Dead Island you’ll notice that four player co-op is back again, plus you can also import your character from a previous game save which was a neat idea I thought.  Hence I never really bothered to consider any of the other characters given I already had my own from the first Dead Island game.  You’ll also have the ability to share items with other players, whether its money or weapons, it can be handy if you’re running low on something nevertheless.  During co-op play the enemies will scale up depending on how many of you there are, so it’s still no walk in the park so to speak.  One thing I did find annoying is the constant respawning of enemies.  There’s nothing worse than clearing out a section, hut, campsite, whatever but the second you walk away and return, the place is over run again, making it almost pointless to kill zombies and before long I was just running past zombies rather than trying to kill them and clear out an area.

Dead Island Riptide is gory, and you’ll have no shortage of Zombie encounters where limbs and body parts are severed and blood fills your screen.  Many zombies look familiar from the first Dead Island with only a few new enemies to meet such as the screamer (who yells and causes you to freeze) and the drowner (who likes to hide in the water).  But aside from a few new characters, the cast of zombies really didn’t inspire me greatly.

One major downfall for completionists is that once you complete the campaign you can no longer run around the island to complete any side quests which is a shame as there are many side quests to complete.  Also, the map system is a complicated mess of icons, indicators and well, darn it just about everything.  It definitely felt way too crowded and half the time we didn’t even know which way our objective was due to the numerous objective icons that kept clouding our way forward.  Perhaps a less complicated map set up could have alleviated this issue.

Dead Island is certainly more fun with friends and I encourage you to play it with a group of mates if you can.  Otherwise, you may find yourself bored after a short while, or even overrun by zombies, one or the other.

Graphics & Sound

Visually Dead Island Riptide is a wealth of colour from the huts of the tropical island, to the sands and shimmering water and the deep greens of the jungle and of course the red blood that gets spilt everywhere you go.  The environment is pretty, however, it seems as if assets are reused all of the island and you almost lose your bearings as every single hut, house and jetty so to speak are the same, everywhere you go.   There were only a few occasions where the game suffered some horrible slowdown but this was more prevalent when playing co-op as opposed to single player.  In terms of audio, the sounds of a screaming zombie still send shivers down your spine along with the sounds of decapitations and blood splattering across the walls.

Overall

I had low expectations for Dead Island Riptide after playing the original title.  Not in the sense that I didn’t enjoy the first game, as it had some good strong points to it and it was more of a solid title, however Dead Island Riptide is simply ‘more of the same’.  Dead Island Riptide had a chance to expand its story, take us to a new location, the big city perhaps, or the country side and develop the story as to how the outbreak occurred and all those sort of questions, introduce new characters, weapons and enemies.  Instead, were thrown back onto what almost looks like the same island and were fighting the same zombies all over again with very little variation at all.  Dead Island Riptide doesn’t feel new in any regard, despite my hopes that it would.  I can only recommend Dead Island Riptide to those who loved the first, and even then, would you just want more of the same cause I know I don’t?

6 / 10

Before 2009, JJ Abrams had the insurmountable task of rebooting a series, that some thought- untouchable. The brain child of the late, great Gene Roddenberry Star Trek as a series and franchise had over 40 years, 10 movies and 5 series already under its belt- but it was a gamble that for the most part paid off.

Star Trek video games though have fared less well over the years with a mixed bag of everything: from flight sims to RTS and most notably two first person shooters called Elite Force. The most recent entry from Namco Bandai is a far from perfect game but harkens back to the classic action games from 15 years ago, with a very mixed bag of all of the above; platforming, flying sim and 3^rd person always online co-op shooting in the one single game.

Story

It may be good timing to release the game one month before the second new Star Trek movie, however weather it was released after 2009’s reboot or before this one, the smell of cash cows is never far away. This is a grab for cash movie tie in no matter how much Namco claim they spent “3 years making it”.

The premise, for those in the know is quite good the Vulcans have rebuilt what is left of their civilisation, and the video game does something even the movies wouldn’t dare by re introducing one of the most over rated alien races in the franchise: The Gorn. Think Halos Covenant crossed with velocaraptors in a lot less armour and you have a fair approximation. Zombie Vulcans and new and improved “female Gorn!” round out the mix as you shoot, dive, sneak and fly through a dozen or so missions.  Whilst the newly designed Gorn, are actually quite detailed (yes even more than the Covenant), it is clear that without any idea on ship design, weapons, or basically any back story the developers made a whole bunch of stuff up.

Therein lies the rub. Love it or hate the choice was made, that for all intents and purposes this game is cannon. Now how that impacts the movies, future books or other titles remains to be seen but for fans who want the complete package they will have to wade through a rather boring set of coop mini missions and for those who don’t know the difference between a Vulcan and their half-brother Romulans then a lot of the side stories, banter between Spock an Kirk and all the audio files will mean nothing.

For a budget produced game that looks rushed and lacks polish, the main enemy and the whole reason for the game: The Gorn, don’t even appear for about an hour or so which might see some players beaming up before it even gets good.

Gameplay

Infamously, one of the most scathing reviews this writer had the pleasure of playing was a little game called Star Wars the Force Unleashed II. Star Trek fairs only slightly better. It’s almost as if the developers wanted to make all games for all people, as one minute the Kirk/Spock duo will be doing platforming mini missions, then hacking, then flying all whilst trying to shoot lizards from crude destructible cover.  In theory, the parts of the game work, tied together by a Batman-esque “scanning mode” that uses the ubiquitous tricorder to stop and scan environments. You can lock onto to targets to gain XP and new information, scan new weapons into your database, even target your partner and boost their shields. Unfortunately you can’t do any of it whilst running, shooting or taking cover. On top of which the secrets and audio files are about 3 per level which makes it an annoying eater egg hunt of slowly walking around scanning things to no effect.

Always online co-op is a real feature and whilst you can opt for an “offline” mode it works the same as Resident Evil 6 with the ability for anyone to join at any time.  It also means that if you lose the connection you  have to start the level over. Apparently Star Trek was designed with co-op in mind with puzzles supposed to work in each other’s favour or require “the power of two”. In a perfect world Spock would be the healing/medic/hacker who buffs Kirk the heavy/tank/stealth melee expert.

Instead the reality is that each door can be opened by either person and Spock can mind meld for key codes that he then sends to both players to use anyway. Kirk just generally acts either annoyed or really snarky. Short of slapping each other on the b…ack the dynamic between the two characters might be the only reason to play this game.

Character animations are quite good, whilst facial animations are wooden and out of synch. Sometimes you can talk to the crew on board the Enterprise, but don’t expect to walk around it freely as advertised and explore it at will. The last game to do this: Star Trek Elite Force in 2002 was brilliant in having relationships on board, visiting people’s rooms and going to the armoury. Mass Effect, this game is not.

Graphics & Audio

For a game that flies through so many different conventions of gameplay at warp speed you might except a bit more bang for your buck. Why the game took so long to complete and be released is amazing as it resembles something closer to the beginning of this console generation, with over simplified menus, lazily created text and button icons that don’t match and phoned in dialogue. To their credit the makers of Star Trek seemed to have the  entire ensemble of actors back including Christopher Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Salanda as well as Simon Pegg, but again you can never be quite sure as the audio pitches at differential levels, some louder than others and is out of  synch.

Flying the Enterprise in 3^rd person should be an exciting and epic affair, or at least be fun like the old X-Wing arcade games of old. Unfortunately blurry textures and less than dynamic shadows and special effects lack polish and make it hard to pick out ships and finer details in the soup of space. Even scanning objects is annoying in that your scanner can’t detect an item unless you lock onto the exact point or pixel- usually and oddly at the top edge of an item (not the middle)

Definably one of the brightest stars of this game is the music and soundtrack. Wether remixed from the 2009 movie or not the swelling orchestral rhythms make the sloppy gameplay and repetitive shooting just bearable enough whilst the new “main theme tune” is as compelling as some of the classic video game themes

It should also be noted that the actors likeness have been reasonably well preserved if not animated well and the variety of different Gorn are enough to kick start a whole new alien race in Star Trek lore.

Overall

If the idea of seeing a fully fleshed out alien race, that literally only ever appeared in two episodes over 40 years excites you, then by all means add another point to the final score. Take one point off if that idea disgusts you and the generic ships, weapons and made up back story make you want to cry into a bottle of Romulan Ale.  For fans and story enthusiasts there is enough meat here to tide over till the next movie. It seems unlikely at this point that you need to play it to enjoy the next movie, however unless you are under the age of  10 and you don’t like Star Trek then there are much better games to be playing whilst you wait for JJs Star Wars Episode VII.  Not worth the full price of admission to Starfleet academy, do yourself a favour and re-watch the epic 2009 movie instead, live long and prosper.

5/10

If you were born in the 80s or ever loved Duke Nukem, you’ll want to get your hands on this! While it’s got Far Cry 3 within the title, Blood Dragon feels like it is its own game. Straight away you’ll notice the feel of the 80s with its loading screens that look like you’re tuning in your tv, to those 16bit electric colour schemes during cut scenes as  and some killer 80s type soundtrack.  I even felt the need to put on a bandana and wanted to Rambo it up! And yes if you haven’t noticed it’s full of everything that was 80s, hell yeah!

You start the game as action hero Sargent Rex Colt, part human-part cyborg.  He sure does look like a cheap looking terminator!  After the games intro, you are  thrown straight into the action which begins aboard a chopper and you’ll need to use the turret to kill as many bad guys as possible, while looking for the environmental hazards to create further damage!  Along with that, the sounds of Little Richard - Long Tall Sally, makes the game start to feel like Predator all over again!

After you’ve finished murdering those evil scums, it’s back to terra firma for Rex.  Like most games, you’ll have a quick tutorial on manoeuvring yourself. The voiceovers and overlays do a great job in feeling the part while listening to Rex’s corny lines and remarks just make it a modern day Duke Nukem.  It’s also a reminder that you get the free world environment that Far Cry is renowned for offering so there’s going to be plenty of time to explore.

Levelling up is still available in the game but you won’t have a choice on what you receive.  From health bar upgrades, to improved takedowns, it’s certainly keeping a linear feel to levelling as obviously this wasn’t a big focus of the game.  Throughout the game you upgrade your weapons, for example how does a four barrelled shotgun sound?

Throughout the game, the writers attempt to keep a very cliché style to which they wanted but not all of the jokes and cut scenes are particularly funny.  That in fact brings me to the only negative of the game, which are the cut scenes.  At times it felt like it had too much pausing between dialogue and something that could have been done in 15-20 seconds felt like minutes.  At times I wanted to pause and skip the scene all together.  Besides this downfall, everything that was designed for the game did hit the spot.

Overall

If you were expecting a mind-blowing storyline, ground breaking CGI then this isn’t the game for you. The basis of this game is to go back to the roots of all things from the 80’s, from movies to tv shows and action heroes.  A lot of killing, terrible catch phrases, amusing character names and even a crutch adjust!  It’s a title for those who want to reflect from a time that has passed or you just love a good shoot ‘em up. Remember that while this is labelled as DLC, this game is actually a worthy stand-alone game.  So if you’re looking for a blast from the past, or even just a good laugh blowing *%^* up and pretending to be a badass action hero, then this will be your best $21.95($17.56 for Playstation Plus) or 1,200 Microsoft points you’ll ever spend.

8 / 10

Disclaimer: Daily Joystick encourages the participation of its readers to submit their own “Reader Reviews” and we appreciate the efforts of our community.  However, these reviews do not reflect the opinions of Daily Joystick and or its staff and owners.  Happy reading and be sure to give the author a big thumbs up. - The DJ Team

The All Age Gaming team are back with Episode 11 of their podcast. This week, we discuss the news from around the world including Nintendo’s supposed “no show for E3″, plus Microsoft sets a date for their next Xbox unveiling which we discuss. We also take a look at the latest reviews up on the site, take a look also at whats coming out, take your reader mail questions and a whole lot more. So tune in!

On this week’s podcast Episode 106, we discuss the news stories from the video gaming industry.  Two very large stories this week have their own dedicated roundtable talk, the first focuses on Microsoft’s upcoming reveal for the future of Xbox.  The second, covers Nintendo’s no show at E3, we discuss if this is a good or bad thing and why. Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.  So sit back, ponder what will be on May 22nd and tune in to the biggest and best Aussie podcast in town.  The DJ Team.

On this weeks podcast we discuss all the news, reviews and upcoming games, take your reader mail and give you a shoutout.  However, we also have a major roundtable discussion on the future of Nintendo’s Wii U console.  So if you want to know where the Wii U is headed, be sure to tune in as we discuss it all right here.  The DJ Team

Defiance is the latest title from Trion Worlds and is essentially a MMO for console gamers.  Traditionally MMO’s have failed on the console due to many reasons, but will Defiance have you throwing away your keyboard and mouse?  It’s highly unlikely.

Gameplay

Defiance begins with an introductory cut scene that places you on-board essentially a space craft where you witness an ultimatum between what appears to be a military leader of some sort and a diplomat (i.e. a guy who feels he is quite important).  There is a heated exchange of words and then some rough turbulence strikes and you’re all encouraged to take your seat.  Within moments, the cabin fills with flames and your ejected from the ship and awake to find yourself on the planet, dazed and confused and it’s here your journey begins.

You play as an Ark hunter, whose role is simple: scavenge the earth for Votan debris.  Moments after you wake, you’re introduced to EGO which is like a hologram except she resides within you and only you can see and hear her, kind of like Al from Quantum Leap.  She is a great help in the early parts of the game as she directs you to your waypoint and goal, plus explains things like shooting a weapon, arming a weapon, choosing a load out and more.  It’s essentially a flashy tutorial but it works well and you’re not overloaded too early on which can be off-putting for many gamers.  You’re not given much in terms of weaponry when you commence the game and are merely armed with a pistol, shield and shotgun.  Of course more weapons will become available in the not too distant future.

The planet you’re spacecraft has crash landed on is certainly hostile toward you and your team and your objective is to stay alive and find out what on earth is going on.  You’ll be sent on many missions involving kill and destroy, to collect this and find this person etc.    Defiance’s story missions are too few and far between with some mindless missions that have you wandering the earth for hours on end, however this is a MMO so expect that of course.    The story in all honesty is quite thin, with little information as to whom you are, why you’re on a space craft, who the races are, why they want you dead etc. So many questions, it feels like a block of Swiss cheese, and that’s not good for any game especially a new IP.

As with all MMO’s the key is to levelling up your character, and you do this by collecting EGO.  EGO is Defiance’s substitute for the traditional levelling system.   In addition you can also level up your weapon perks and choose new and exciting load outs for your character.  There are also four powers that you can have active at one time as well.  Load outs are important especially when each load out can affect your character.  Given I like to play as an all our shooter, run and gun all the way home, I focused more on selecting shotguns and heavy machineguns.  However, you can also change your load out to that of say a healer and equip a beam weapon to heal your teammates.  So be sure to assess your play style and equip your character accordingly.

Another important point that I must mention was in regards to the amount of patches required.  I had to install four patches while sitting on the game welcome screen for over two hours.  This is not something Xbox 360 gamers have ever had to endure, nor should they.  This is a console game, not a PC title and all updates should be contained to the start-up of the game and be short or at least an optional download.  There is nothing worse than having a new game and being forced to wait hours before it will allow you to play.  Not cool.

Graphics & Visuals

Graphically Defiance is fine, however cut scenes seemed like they could have used a few more polygons as the facial animations and voice synching were all over the place.  Also, there were many occurrences during the game where I encountered big drops in the games frame rate.  There were also noticeable levels of lag as well, and was particularly noticeable when shooting an enemy.  You’d shoot them at point blank range, wait half a second and then watch your enemy fly backwards as he is shot.  I felt like I was playing Gears of War 1 on a laggy international connection.

The Verdict

Personally MMO’s are not my favourite genre of game to play, however that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy some World Of Warcraft from time to time.  However, Defiance failed to capture me from a story perspective which is disappointing as I never felt anything towards the characters nor even the world I was thrust into.  Building a solid story is key to engaging a gamer, and in all honesty without a solid draw card, Defiance had failed to draw me in and keep me engaged.  Defiance is a fun title that will provide you with some entertainment, but for veteran MMO fans, this is one you’ll certainly want to give a miss.

5/10

The All Age Gaming team are back with Episode 10 of their podcast.  This week, we discuss the news from around the world, plus we have a great roundtable talk that focus on game prequels.  We take a look at the latest reviews up on the site, take a look also at whats coming out and a whole lot more. So tune in!

From the underwater city of Rapture to the clouds in the city of Columbia, Bioshock Infinite takes the series to a brand new setting. With the multiple delays and the extra changes made to Infinite, was the wait worth it?

Gameplay:

In Bioshock Infinite you play as Booker DeWitt who racked up a huge debt from his gambling addiction. In exchange to paying off his debt he has been given a mission to travel to the sky city of Columbia and find Elizabeth who has gone missing. Elizabeth is guarded by her Songbird, a giant monster like creature who Elizabeth began to hate growing up. The year is 1912 and a lot had changed, Zachary Comstock is the leader of the city and he isn’t happy when Booker arrives. Booker becomes a target and must be eliminated immediately.

The city has been split into two factions, one side led by the religious Prophet Zachary Comstock who believes Elizabeth is the sole heir to the prophet. The other side is led by the revolutionist Daisy Fitzroy. At the start of the game you are faced with a few decisions that may alter the game and you may suffer consequences. However the decision making doesn’t last long before you are faced with defending yourself with an onslaught of enemies. The city is very open world and tempts you to explore every crack and corner to find every last collectable that you can but this doesn’t last long before enemies or Elizabeth urges you to move making you feel as though you must rush.

Throughout the story Elizabeth and yourself discover many unexpected twists to the storyline keeping the gameplay interesting and the player wanting more, however it’s difficult to concentrate on every last bit of the story when the gameplay itself feels like it’s been set on repeat throughout the entire game. The layout of the city changes a lot and keeps you interested in all its new designs, buildings and structures however apart from exploring for collectables your only other option is to shoot the waves of robotic like enemies that come your way. The enemies don’t seem to change much and tend to soak up your ammo like sponges. Sure there are twists to the story line and it can keep you interested but let’s face it, who wants to shoot sponges and just keep plodding along with the same gameplay but different cinematic’s.

Throughout Bioshock you find new weapons and powers allowing you to make your way through the city whether it’s by foot or simply flying through the sky on the city rail lines with your skyhook. The Skyhook also allows you to plummet from the sky off the rail lines onto the enemies waiting down below. The bad thing is you tend to find all of the upgrades with in the first short few hours of playing leaving you with not many “new toys” to play with and not much else to look forward to.

Booker unlocks powers as he progresses; they become very helpful when fighting the enemies and it’s a sure way to mix up the combat. You must find salts to refill your “magic bar” in order to keep using your powers.  When running around with Elizabeth helps Booker by finding certain things that he may need, whether it’s more salts, health or money. Leaving you with not much of a challenge to find your own at time of need.  For example you may be about to die in combat and she will throwck some health to you, although this is handy it doesn’t leave you with a chance to find your own and she always seems to despatch the right item at the right time. When dying in Bioshock Elizabeth revives you on the spot allowing you to continue the fight against the onslaught of enemies. Although this is much less frustrating and convenient it doesn’t leave you with much of a challenge to stay alive even when there is a price to pay.

Elizabeth can open tears throughout the story, warping reality allowing her to bring in ammo, health or other useful items or parts of the game. Elizabeth can bring in cover for you to hide behind or turrets to help fight against the enemies, even throughout the story she allows you to go from one dimension to another. With Bioshock having multiple realities it may become confusing but in the end it all becomes understandable even for a playing who has never played a previous version.

Graphic and Visuals:

Although Bioshock has a story line that may be difficult to some to hang onto the graphics almost make up for it. The world layout is amazing and keeps you wanting to search every crack or corner to find every last collectable there is, maybe even just to look around at everything. However the NPC’s have almost no life in them. They just tend to stand around without even noticing you, barley moving it’s almost like they are statues. There are so many effects and detail put into the world, with each weapon and ability you use. Although it’s very animated and cartoonish almost like an evil Disneyland it keeps your face lit up wanting to see more. As you progress the world around you seems to change and each place is not like the one before, but in the end the combat and fight system doesn’t seem to change.

Overall:

The first few hours of Bioshock are all you need to play. You unlock your powers and see the world and from then on not much else changes, the layout and design of the world changes as you progress and looks amazing but the gameplay itself does not. The storyline is fairly interesting and the ending is amazing so it will keep a player wanting to play till the very end because it may just be worth it. Bioshock is perfect for every hardcore Bioshock fan out there and defiantly one that you must try, but it won’t be long before it just sits there collecting dust. It may be one you will want to push through fast but still a worthy title worth playing and giving it a chance.

7/10

On this week’s podcast Episode 103, we discuss the latest rumors surrounding the Xbox 720’s release date, pricing structure and SKU models.  We also follow up on last weeks story involving the “Deal With it” issues by a now Ex-Microsoft Employee Adam Orth.  Batman Origins is announced but will it be good without Rocksteady at the helm?  In disappointing news, EA lays off more staff as it prepares for “next gen”, plus a whole lot more.  This week on reviews, we take a look at LEGO City Undercover for the Wii U and a whole lot more. Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.  So sit back, assemble your gaming collections and tune in to the biggest and best Aussie podcast in town.  The DJ Team.

LEGO City Undercover is by far one of the best LEGO games that I’ve played to date.  That’s a tall order especially when titles such as LEGO Harry Potter and LEGO Lord of the Rings are backed by massive movie franchises.  LEGO City Undercover is the first LEGO title that’s not emulating a movie and is entirely fresh, and works darn well.  Nintendo fans rejoice, as you now have a system exclusive that’s truly worth bragging about.

Gameplay

The story begins with your character known as Chase McCain who is essentially a cop that’s returning to town.  There’s of course a new badass in town known as Rex Fury and your job is to investigate his recent escape and bring Rex to justice.  If there is one thing that you’ll love with LEGO City it’s the character’s design.  They are all so funny and resemble characters such as Axel Foley from Beverly Hills cop the movie.  Even the bad guys resemble the mobsters from the Donnie Brasco.  It’s truly humorous and I loved the characters introduced in the game.  LEGO City undercover is a fun experience that’s not too serious and always keeps a healthy level of tongue-in-cheek humour.

As with other LEGO titles, the basic formula remains unchanged which in my opinion is critical.  Get ready for a wealth of brick smashing and assembling, stud collecting and more.  What’s different this time with LEGO City is you essentially have an entire city to explore, which remarkably looks like Grand Theft Auto 4, except vehicles, characters, parts of buildings are constructed with LEGO bricks.  The game begins by sending you on a short mission say from point A to point B with an objective at hand.  You don’t simply begin to wander around at will, you must take your time with a few story missions first before the city begins to open up.  As with previous LEGO titles which introduced a hub world, such as Hogwarts for example where you would buy clothing, red bricks and assemble gold bricks and more you can expect the same in LEGO city, and it’s all housed within the central Police Station.

As with previous LEGO titles the city is covered with secrets and areas that are only accessible if you have certain characters, for example, you need the robber who can open areas that require a crow bar for example.  You can expect there to be hundreds of secret red bricks and characters to find across the massive and expansive city.

The main story line or quests will consume around 10 or so hours for the novice gamer.  However, the fun really begins once you open up free roam and have the ability to explore the entire city at your own leisure.  You’ll be able to spend a wealth of time exploring and trying to get your hands on every single collectable, which is something I’ve been guilty of with every other LEGO title, so this will be no exception.  There are over 20 different districts/areas to explore in LEGO city which are inspired by real cities such as San Francisco, New York City and the United states capital and more.  And getting around the city can be done on foot, via automobile, boats, trains and even helicopters!

LEGO City does have some drawbacks, in particular are the loading times when you commence the game or when you enter or exit the police station, it takes a solid 30 seconds to load which by today’s game standards is totally unacceptable and I am not sure if it’s a hardware limitation or developer laziness, however its annoying and can be frustrating at times.  The other drawback is the lack of multiplayer.  How fun would it be to share an open world experience with a friend?  Imagine having your friend image appear on your gamepad and vice versa as you video chat with each other and complete the game as a team.  This could have been a ground-breaking bit of technology that could have been a first for the Wii U, yet it was something that was missed all together and instead your limited to a single player adventure only.

The Wii U Game Pad

One of the biggest changes with the Wii U version is of course the integration of the Gamepad into the experience.  Unlike other titles, LEGO City doesn’t require you to spend 95% of your time staring at your game pad like Scribble naughts for example.  LEGO City actually utilises the game pad extremely well.  For the most part, the Wii U pad acts as a map of the city, allowing you to touch points of interest, zoom in and out and set your waypoints and objectives.  Whenever there is an announcement say from head office regarding your next mission, you can touch the game pad to pick up on that transmission.  It’s quite clever and not overpowering at all.  You can even still carry on doing what you’re doing while the message/call is playing on the game pad.

Other handy features introduced in LEGO city include a canning mode that allows you to hold the Wii U pad up and you can seek out objects hidden around the city.  It’s fun, but thankfully it’s used minimally throughout the game.

Graphics and Sound

LEGO City undercover is bright, colourful and gorgeous.  The draw distance of the city is large and the game ran at a great speed and never suffered from slow down or frame rate issues.  Building such an open and expansive city is always a challenge, yet the Wii U handles it flawlessly showing off its power that it has under the hood.  In terms of sound, the game’s biggest strength is its voice acting and characters personality that’s a true hoot.  You’ll be laughing out loud at the characters as you meet them and it’s certainly evident that Travellers’ Tales have put some serious time and effort into the characters design.

Overall

As a Wii U owner, you can’t help but smile as you enjoy for once a LEGO title that’s exclusive to your system.  LEGO City Undercover is a true breath of fresh air that doesn’t follow the traditional movie based scripts of its predecessors.  LEGO City’s world is truly large and expansive, and the way the game has been structured will see you explore all parts and towns in due course.  Once you complete the game, you have even more to explore thank’s to the sheer size of LEGO City.  There is a tremendous amount of value here, that’s backed by a huge city and an entertaining line up of characters that are funny and charming to boot.  LEGO City is a must buy for Wii U owners and absolutely mandatory for anyone who even remotely enjoyed any previous LEGO titles in the past.  Well done Travellers’ tales, you’ve done it again!

9 / 10

On this week’s podcast Episode 102, we discuss the recent comments made by a Microsoft employee and the Xbox 720’s always on proposition.  We also talk about Mark Rein and his ridiculous comments surrounding Unreal Engine 4 and the Wii U.  SEGA Australia closes its doors this year and Lucas Arts is no more.  Also, on this week’s show, the Roundtable Talk is back and was all about Bioshock Infinite.  We discuss our thoughts on the game and why we don’t feel its anywhere near a 10/10.   This week on reviews, we take a look at God of War Ascension, Gears of War Judgment and the latest DLC packs for Assassin’s Creed 3 and a whole lot more. Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.  So sit back, grab a beer and tune in to the biggest and best Aussie podcast in town.  The DJ Team.

The following editorial contains spoilers about the end of Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite has been out for just over a week now and for all intents and purpose 2K Games have created a fitting end to their underwater Opus, or have they? Around the same time last year the third Mass Effect game was dividing gamers with its euphoric (anti) climax and deeper meaning and yet Infinite is receiving glowing reviews critical acclaim and generally a whole lot of love.

Considering the middling graphics, lack luster shooting mechanics and in your face themes of race and religion Infinite could be mistaken for the casual man’s Bioshock, simplified and a whole lot less subtle. However, those crying foul that “you never get to go to Rapture” are instantly called out as obviously not finishing the game, because it is the ending of the game, the final revelations that have gamers gob smacked. 2K has seemingly handled this open ended existential ending far better than Bioware ever did.

This type of end to a series that leaves it just as open to reboots and sequels is not new, especially in video games and especially when a series reaches its third and the developers suddenly have to figure out how to tie up all the loose threads.

In lay man terms, the simplest example is ‘the player wakes up and it was all a dream’ however more conventional methods include ‘the player was actually dead all along’ or more recently ‘the player enters or is assimilated by technology or a machine and kills himself to either join the universe or reboot it all over again’

April this year seems to be rife with these life metaphors across all genre. Morning Glories is a graphic novel that this month wrapped up its first season of 25 comics, written and created by none other than the producers of LOST. LOST in and of itself came full circle with religious and existential metaphors about life and a seemingly contrived paradox where the main character had to die to live and was never alive to begin with. Doctor Who also returned to screens in April and is no stranger to the paradox equation whereby the ending triggers the beginning which in turns is the reason for things ending in the first place.

Bioshock could have taken this route, nay the floating city of Columbia could have existed in the same world and space as Rapture, however 2K took a decidedly unique and fresh approach that is one of the oldest staples in science fiction: The multi universe; one point, one choice, one decision creating an infinite number of different worlds all slightly unique stretching out among the stars.

The difference between an alternate or parallel world is that they exist independent of each other and do not rely or are affected by one very critical thing- choice. Choices are the epitome of video gameplay and what Bioshock does so well is create strong linear narrative but at the same time seemingly explores the consequence of choice.

Booker DeWitt is sent to recue Elizabeth from a tower and yet this lady is in fact his daughter from another life where he chose to sell her to a couple of time jumping twins. He doesn’t remember because as he travels through the different worlds his memories are re written and replaced or re remembered. The very worlds he travels to were in fact created by himself and the very enemies he fights are his own fault. Rapture is the same place as Columbia except because of a few key choices, turned out very different at different points in time and space. Elizabeth and the little sisters might as well be based on the same archetype of Bookers daughter Anna DeWitt and yes, in amongst it all is still the Deus Ex machina of the man trapped in the machine both literally ( The Big Daddy and the Song bird) and metaphorically. In this way the key choice or “point of no return” is at the lighthouse, the same one in each game that Elizabeth shows in the end as 100,000 light houses stretching out amongst the stars blinking in the night sky.

So let’s flip a coin and consider some of the more popular existential crisis that Bioshock Infinites ending explores

DEUS EX MACHINA

Assassins Creed is probably the most obvious and literal example in recent video game history of the “mans end (as God) inside the machine” not unlike the Matrix itself the Animus allows access to all of histories memories however the plot can become stuck with nowhere to go except, deeper and deeper inside the mind.

This comes full circle with games like Mass Effect or Deus Ex where man riles against the impending threat of technology either as alien entities or the assimilation of future technology. The ultimate ending is either the man accepting his fate and going to sleep inside the machine to resolve or create a paradox, or in Deus Ex history continuing but becoming ‘more and more machine’ as humanity loses itself to the computer mind.

Bioshock actually handles this idea in a fresh perspective wrapped up in a steam punk industrial, turn of the century vibe pitching America as both the savior of mankind and also the root of all evil at the same time. In each case one man is fully succumb to the future and in Bioshock 2 you literally play as the metal man in the big Daddy machine.

In all these cases a sacrifice is always demanded and for Booker DeWitts life this results in a new set of choices and variables where by a lot of bad things that could have happened – didn’t.

PARADOXES

As far as human existence goes paradoxes start and generally end with a death. Until something fundamentally changes in the universe death has become the ‘deepest’ way for video game developers to express or end a story, either tying up all the loose ends- or ignoring them.

In Bioshock the paradox is that The very big bad boss that Booker fights- is in fact HIMSELF that grew old and in time created the very universes of Rapture and Columbia and ‘the real world’ that he now resides in. Paradoxes are sometimes never resolved, like in Assassins Creed and usually get stuck in loops, repeating until something stops or ends the cycle. The best paradoxes are self substantiating and support themselves with all consequences such as memory loss- explained.

The multi universe theory avoids this by creating an ‘infinite’ set of individual worlds but that do not loop rather creating a new world at every decision point

MULTIPLE OR PARRALEL ALTENRATE UNIVERSES

Once the main character has died or interceded something still has to be left behind. In more recent times the idea of re birth is quite popular however worse still is the notion that the inside of the machine escapes out, or somehow becomes sentient. Multiple or alternate universe need to hinge on a single idea or usually a person; that only exists once. This “one” person may or may not be the savior or destroyer of all the worlds, but is a common link that each world spills out from.

In Bioshock Infinite it is not Booker but actually the Twins that pop up in the game; epitomizing choice to the player. They are the reason the worlds are tearing open and the answer to how and why Elizabeth can “access them”. Where alternate universe usually exist due to the destruction of another, multiple universe stack up against each other and are usually accessible at the same time through tears or breaks in reality.

THE NEXT BIOSHOCK

Bioshock Infinite is not an excellent game. It shouldn’t be Game of the Year and it was delayed enough times that both the graphics and game play feel somewhat dated. What was once fresh is now tried and true but where 2K takes the next game, only the players’ imagination could believe.

The game builds a credible fiction of alternate history, propaganda, religion and cult status, the little details in the world are dropped like clues for fans and thanks to their existential ending 2K are free to take both Columbia and Rapture wherever they wish; Bioshock in Space?

The sky’s the limit.

The following may contain spoilers pertaining to the end of Assassins Creed III

Ubisoft had a big task, creating a third entry in the Assassins Creed game on the back of two games and two full expansions. Kicking off in early 2013 The Tyranny of King Washington provides a competent replay of the entire game in three neat parts. It’s also a sneaky ploy for Ubisoft to make the casual punter pay for the entire thing again, justified only in that the entire DLC is too large to offer in one large file.

Is the promise of Animus super powers, an alternate universe and a European grab for power enough though- until the black flags fly later in the year?

Gameplay & Story

In the 3^rd Matrix movie, a fictional character named “Agent Smith” manages to escape into the ‘real world’ by essentially reverse engineering the fake history he was created in and using a human body as a vessel to ‘exist’ inside of on the other side. It’s a trippy thing playing the Assassins Creed games, or more specifically playing a video game of a fictional real world history that never happened.

Within this non-real world at the end of Assassins Creed III Desmond Miles was left lying in a cave at the end of 2012 facing two different scenarios at the end of all things: either history will continue as is, but destroyed beyond reason by a precursor civilisation; or said alien creators reboot the universe, destroying the current one and starting known history all over but slightly differently.

It should be noted that The Tyranny of King Washington does little to nothing to address these issues. The game does not start in 2012, you do not play as Desmond and there is no Animus machine.

Unless of course you subscribe to the theory that the universe WAS rebooted and that in this alternate reality George Washington has decided to assume Kingship over Presidency rewriting history, at least as far as the Revolution is concerned.

Whilst it would be cool to maybe see one of “history’s greatest monsters” (or heroes) escape into the real world or possess Desmond to save it {and in a perfect world Ubisoft would read this and actually fully realise the Deus Ex Machina they have created} it is simply speculation and wishful thinking.

The above points probably highlight one of the weakest aspects of the DLC: despite numerous cut scenes, and cinematics the reasons and motives for what is going on, why and how are much more left up to the minds of the player; an open ended “what if” scenario as much as it drives some finer plot points forward.

Curiously it is no spoiler that in the first 5 minutes it is revealed that Washington found the much coveted alien artefact “Apple of Eden” that each game ultimately revolves around, stuck it in a staff and bestowed unto himself both corruption and some kickass new powers like shields, the power of the sun and laser beams.

Ratonhnhaké otherwise known as Conner in another life: climbs a magical tree drinks some wacky tea and hey presto has access to the inside of the Animus from, well INSIDE the Animus. After a brief spirit walk super powers (and war paints) are granted including full invisibility, super speed and strength and instead of summoning assassin backup, packs of spirit wolves are called upon to savage unaware victims.

These new conventions create an assassin that is this time around much more of a predator and depending on your feeling towards Creed III may or may not be a good thing.  Ratonhnhaké has another new outfit of wolf skins and for the first time his mother is still alive.

As previously the game starts off linear and long winded, as tutorials are handed by your once dead mother. However most surprising is that each piece of DLC is still fully fleshed out Assassins Creed with all the open world, free running and collectable chests that gamers have come to expect. New collectibles include memory shards that allow Ratonhnhaké access to scenes and memories from Assassins Creed III.

The game is not so deep that you’re Assassin memories are re written when you find them, but certainly upon waking in this new world, more is remembered of this alternate reality than what could have been from before.

Ubisoft have also made the decision to counter these new abilities with a “harder difficulty”; unfortunately the developers have taken the lazy option of ‘more bad guys make it harder’. Whilst the frontier has 2 to 3 times more bad guys now, the AI is as poor as it ever was and some laughable glitches see models spinning on the spot, bugging out and even without powers Ratonhnhaké  can basically run rings around them stabbing as he goes.

The general overall tone is of a more action packed, fully fleshed out massacre and war and yet softened by bizarre ’super powers’ special effects and boss battles.

On the one hand Ubisoft have packed a ton of new content into the game including updated visuals, better and more streamlined running animations and context sensitive movement and a much larger emphasis on direct combat. Cutting corners though, rehashing models and areas and a made up story that doesn’t quite fit with the lore and established cannon smack of a rushed episodic release

Graphics & Audio

Graphically, as with audio not a whole lot has changed. The areas are the same, as are models and it is frustrating whilst there are new models: Ratonhnhakés  new outfit, his mother, new powers and special effects- glitches and bugs on existing enemies take away from the immersion.

Chapter One: The Infamy is the strongest of the two chapters with a much better realised battle field, piles of dead bodies and corpses lying and frozen in the snow. The once calm frontier has become a completely shelled war-zone and the new snow effects are brilliant.

Weather now plays an important part of the game and forces would be assassins to actually get off the ground. Deep snow, means slow movement; Ratonhnhaké will literally struggle to move or run in the deep troughs. Add to this dynamic wind, smoke, fog and it is well worth getting as high as possible to see where to go.

Chapter Two: The Betrayal is shorter, simpler and set inside Boston with little to no differences.

With a new animus ability that allows you to LITERALLY turn into an eagle and “fly” from rooftop to flagpole, that would have to be the ‘highlight’ of graphical fidelity for this instalment.

It is unusual for DLC to be so packed with new features, especially graphically as well as refined animations and so much more recorded excellent dialogue by the original actors.  It is also unfortunate that Ubisoft could not add these features for the initial release of Assassin Creed III to start with.

Overall

With the final instalment “The Redemption” due out at the end of April, Ubisoft are milking the franchise for all that they can. These two episodes are surely setting something up for a big reveal in the final episode however it remains to be seen if this will tie in with Assassins Creed IV, the overall cannon or be left alone as a made up or alternate reality.  The scope for Assassins Creed has finally been widened to include and allow for fun things that did not fit in the “seriousness” of historical retelling.  Superpowers and an over exaggerated bad guy King Washington may have finally tipped the balance of credibility for the series. Fans will eat it up like an episode in the final season of LOST but it may also mean alienating (literally) anyone else that dares touch this overcomplicated franchise.

6/10

Wow, Choker Films are back with another awesome trailer for another upcoming short film called “Resurrection“.  Hit the image to check it out.

The DJ Team

Hey gamers, be sure to check out Larry Ragland as he talks about Choker Films upcoming sci-fi short film called Attriton

Check it out right here.

Gameplay:

God of War Ascension is a prequel to where Kratos has broken his blood oath that had him bound to Ares. To spend eternity chained in a prison and to suffer torture and slowly become insane.  Kratos breaks free from the torment from the furies who have imprisoned him.

Kratos slashes his way through trying to piece together his life. Throughout the story you jump back and forth between the past and the present trying to piece together your life puzzle. Kratos wants to figure out the truth and venture forward to find out what has happened to his wife and daughter. In God of War Ascension, Kratos is more his human self trying to figure out his past rather than focused on rage.

God of War has you fighting anything from a little bug to giant mutated creatures that barley fits onto your TV screen. The entire story line is filled with a few mini games to take out your enemies and quick time events to take them down in the most efficient way that has you struggling to tell the difference between gameplay and a cinematic. The story is also filled with puzzles to unlock secret areas or to venture further into the story; these become difficult and frustrating at the best of times.

Kratos has his Blades of Chaos that has chains tied to the blades and around your wrists which you get when you escape your imprisonment. As you venture forward you unlock abilities to make your blades stronger and more dangerous. You first unlock the Fire of Ares, exploding and setting your enemies on fire. Then there is Ice of Poseidon which allows you to freeze and shatter your enemies at will. Also the Lightening of Zeus allows you to shock and electrocute your enemies. Last is the Soul of Hades which gives you the ability to call upon the dead to aid you in your fight.  Also, each weapon specialization has a reward for example, the Soul of Hades rewards you with green health orbs or Lightening of Zeus rewards you with magic orbs.

They are only four of the specializations and later you are able to unlock more abilities. You are also able to upgrade each of your blade abilities unlocking more combos and magic abilities to help you in your fight as well as finding side weapons that can be thrown at enemies to knock them back. You are able to find a club, Javelin or shield allowing you to rein down spikes from the sky or smash your enemies away from you.

Multiplayer:

God of War Ascension if the first in its series to bring in multiplayer, and they have outshone themselves in this aspect. Allowing you to choose your god rewarding you with their element which each in turn has their own effects. Throughout the map you are able to set traps, find buffs and mini weapons to help you kill the enemy team. Fighting each other becomes a big massacre of blood and gore. Jump through portals to escape or await your enemy till they come through the portal.  You are also able to customise your character like his skin tone or armor to adjust your God to how it suits you.

Graphic and Visuals:

The Graphics for God of War are amazing and gruesome. There has been a lot of time and effort put into making God of War look amazing, the way you kill your enemies letting blood and guts pour out even makes your cringe at times. Most of the time it is difficult to tell whether you’re looking at gameplay or cinematics. God of War Ascension has seemed to put more effort into the design and looks rather than the story itself.

Overall God of War Ascension is certainly an amazing game to look at, however one cannot be sold on visuals alone.  However, the games story does let the game down in many ways.   Before Kratos became one to seek revenge and pour the blood from anything that moved.  God of War Ascension however can become boring and the story feels as though it’s dragging on.  It’s a shame really, however if you can get past the poor story, there is enough action, blood and guts to keep you motivated to play.

7.5/10

Rev up that chainsaw and start gnashing some grubs! That’s right People Can Fly’s new game Gears of War: Judgment which is a prequel to the original Gears of War series.  Gears of War: Judgment still stays true to its roots by maintaining its third-person shooter perspective and of course remains an exclusive to the Xbox 360.

Gameplay

It seems that Damon Baird and his team, Augustus Cole, Sofia Hendrik and Garron Paduk (also known as ‘Kilo Squad’) have been causing some mischief and were arrested by the COG Military. They are now being trialed by Colonel Ezra Loomis and are each asked to explain or recount the incident from each of their perspectives.

Gears of War: Judgment has had many changes put into play with new modes and new campaign ranking systems. One of the first big changes to the Campaign that has really affected me is the new layout of Grenade throwing which is now Left Bumper and not to mention the all new weapon swapping, that’s right say goodbye to D-Pad weapon changing and hello to pressing ‘Y’. This change takes a lot to get used to and veteran Gears players will instantly agree that the weapon change feels cumbersome and out of place.  Heck the amount of times I wound up dying because I was cornered and kept trying to select a weapon via the d-pad.  They should of really put in the settings a classic control setup mode or something to cater to the veteran Gears players or for the other people who still aren’t used to this change.

Gears of War Judgment also has new Optional Mission base set up in each Section of the campaign where it sets you with a specific requirement on how to survive the section, such as Lancers only, low visibility due to smoke and the biggest kick in the butt is to finish in less than 3 minutes and 30 seconds which pretty makes each level a real challenge to complete.  The reason to actually partake in these side missions is that Gears of War Judgment now has ranking where you are required to get 3 stars in each section of the campaign to unlock Skins, Aftermath Campaign and of course some achievements.  Its certainly worth your while to accept these challenges, but if you like to explore the environment, perhaps is best to leave these to a second play through.

Multiplayer

Classic modes are back such as free for all, team death match and domination.  There are also some new modes which have been introduced into Gears of War Judgment such as Overun and Survival. Overun is a new mode which can only be played on new 4 different maps; Island, Skyline, Junkyard and Estate. The aim of the game is one team are the COG whose responsibility is to protect E-Hole covers and Generators while the opposition (i.e. the locust) must try to destroy those very E-Hole Covers and Generators that the COG must protect.  Survival mode is pretty much the exact thing as Overrun with a slight tweak in that its more Horde based where there are 10 rounds of locust who are bots you must kill until none remain and your generator still intact.

Gears of War 3 introduced a new online feature which allowed you to either buy or earn weapon skins.  Well Gears of War Judgment spiced it up a bit by further by adding more awesome weapon skins and even actual body armor skins which changed your actual Multiplayers characters armor with such skins such as Zombie, Rainbow Skin, Fire skin and lots more.  Another way of earning these cool weapon/body skins is a new feature called Prize Boxes which consists with you doing certain things to earn better boxes, for example the three boxes are Normal Prize Box, Rare Prize box and Epic Prize box.  To earn each of them you must do different things such as for the Normal Prize Box get a certain amount of kills, Rare Prize Box earn a certain amount of ribbons and the Epic Prize Box is from simply leveling up.

Sound and Graphics

I’m not going to lie here but Gears of War Judgments scenery is just another spectacular scenery from the Gears Universe of the beautiful Planet Sera which you may now witnessed only half destroyed and not made into ruins like other previous Gears of War games.  Epics use of the unreal engine certainly shows that the game is pushing the utmost highest limits of the console and it shows.  Perfect animation, no screen tearing and never any slowdown no matter how chaotic the action becomes.  The sounds are still great with classic locust voices, intense music that fits the mood for whatever situation you are in on Gears of War Judgment.

Overall

All up Gears of War Judgment was a good game but felt like it was missing something and so far the campaign for me just feels like a case of repetition as you recount the same story from four different perspectives.  I am not saying I did not enjoy this game and sure it has its ups and downs, but it felt like something was missing.  With each version of Gears of War there has been a noticeable step change and or improvement.  Yet Gears Judgment feels like it is more of a side story rather than a true installment in the franchise and well, just more of the same really.  Gears Judgment is a good game and is no slouch; however it’s not the evolutionary step many gamers, especially the fans were expecting it to be.

7/10

On this week’s podcast Episode 101, we discuss recent rumours around Durango and the requirement for always online and always connected as it resurfaces again.  We also unveil and discuss new details on Battlefield 4 and the next Call of Duty titled “Ghosts”. Also in news, Tomb Raider DLC will be Multiplayer only focused and we also discuss news that EA’s CEO has stepped down and why we think that may be.  Also, the Roundtable talk is back and this week its all about Gears of War Judgment.  Also, thanks to our sponsors All Age Gaming, were delighted to tell you all about our latest competition where you can win a copy of God of War Ascension or Devil May Cry for the PS3.  Plus were also giving away 1500 Microsoft Points to boot.  So if you want to know how to win and be eligible, you must tune in to the show to find out.   This week on reviews, we take a look at Darkstalkers Resurrection, The Walking Dead and Spelunky. Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.  So sit back, grab a beer and tune in to the biggest and best Aussie podcast in town.  The DJ Team.

On this week’s podcast Episode 100, we kick back and celebrate on our achievements together and we unite the entire team today to discuss all things gaming, our personal interests, and favorite gaming machines and of course lot more.  We also discuss the Zombie apocalypse and take a trip to the NEOGAF forums to hear what Michael Pachter has to say about Next Gen.  Also, thanks to our sponsors All Age Gaming, were delighted to tell you all about our latest competition where you can win a copy of God of War Ascension or Devil May Cry for the PS3.  Plus were also giving away 1500 Microsoft Points to boot.  So if you want to know how to win and be eligible, you must tune in to the show to find out.    Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.

Finally a big thank you to all of you who have given your support to Daily Joystick over the last four years.

So sit back, and think about how you might survive a real Zombie Apocalypse.  The DJ Team.

With the release of Darkstalkers Resurrection gamers get to relive a blast from the past, a taste of pure nostalgia. DR is a two in one re-release of Darkstalkers 3 and Darkstalkers Revenge that harkens back to a time when character tiers didn’t matter and combos were yours to discover. Seemingly simple to play, true mastery comes from understanding that even weaker characters can win as long as you know their combos and the game has proven not only to be a blast from the past a true reminder of the fun that can be had in fighting games.

Between the two titles there are 18 characters all of which are based off of some fantasy or horror mainstay. You have everything from Sasquatch who is just that to Morrigan who is a vampire and everything in between. In fact the characters are one of the main reasons I like this game, it’s totally over the top and just plain fun to play. As I mentioned earlier, your characters aren’t tiered like they are in Streetfighter so the better you know your character and their combos the better your chances for success. Combinations are a mix of light/medium/hard attacks and once a round starts you don’t regain your health. What you have is what you have and that adds a certain amount of urgency to the matches. There are EX and ES moves that add more power to your attacks but it isn’t as complicated as newer 2D fighters like Blaze Blue or even SFIV. When you first start playing the game will feel a little dated and in many ways it is. But there is an underlying complexity there for anyone that puts in the work to understand its nuances.

Visually speaking the game isn’t a complete HD make over. There are filters such as smooth and crisp and even scan lines that you can add as well as several viewpoints that you can choose including an over the shoulder quarter on the arcade cabinet view that’s pretty cool. It still looks good overall but it’s really the art style that carries the game. All of the characters look and animate in a way that gives the game its own style. One of my favorite things about DR is the actual music. It’s energetic and catchy and once you’re in the heat of battle it really helps to spur you on. There are loads of laughs to be had and the music is equally as fun, not lending itself to a do or die mentality but rather taking a lighthearted approach.

My original excitement over DR was purely based on nostalgia but as I started playing more and more I remembered the very reason I appreciated this series when it first appeared back in the 90’s. It’s pure and simple fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and offers just enough challenge to push you into understanding it’s quirky gameplay mechanics. If you’ve never played the series before you can’t go wrong by purchasing this great two for one combo deal. If you’re like me and it’s been a while since you took a trip into the world of DR you owe it too yourself to take a trip down memory lane. DR is a fighting game that can stand it’s own against newer more complex fighters by offering a different take on the 2D fighting formula that’s all but been forgotten. It may not be as flashy as other games but there is fun to be had by all who take the plunge.

7.5/10

As an Aussie gamer it can be frustrating at times to miss out on certain games hitting our shores.  2012 was the year that The Walking Dead was released and never saw daylight here in Australia.  Well, fast forward to 2013 and the experience can now be had, thanks’ to its release on Xbox Live.  All five episodes were at my fingertips with no waiting between episodes and no pondering what will happen, it was time to experience one of the best games of 2012, The Walking Dead.

Developed by Telltale games, The Walking Dead is essentially an action adventure style of game with a very large component of “choosing your own adventure” so to speak.  Telltale games have been known for other awesome episodic games such as the Back to the Future series which sold incredibly well and is one of my personal favourites.  The Walking Dead begins with you, Lee Everett who is on his way to jail in the back of a police car that’s driving along a big open highway.  Shortly after the squad car crashes and when you awake, the officer has been killed and you’re left wondering what has happened and what to do next.

As the story begins to unfold you learn that something has caused a zombie apocalypse and your intent on surviving it any way you can.  It’s here that you stumble across a lonely little girl named Clementine who is in need of help to find her parents.  The two of you team up on what is going to be one epic and emotional adventure, and nothing will come between you and Clementine as you strive to protect her at all costs.

As you play through The Walking Dead you’re presented with choices that impact the game.  For example, you can choose to help a civilian in need or perhaps walk away, the choice is yours.  At first I didn’t contemplate the importance of these choices; however these decisions soon become quite serious and affect the way the game plays.  Your thrust into many of these decision based moments that require you to make a quick and fast decision; say perhaps on whom to save?  It’s certainly something that’s intense when you’re faced with an immediate threat and have only 3 or so seconds to make a call on someone’s life.  This makes The Walking Dead one of the most intense games that I’ve played in a long time, that is not simply a follow the story type of game.  Your choices influence outcomes and it’s amazing how it comes together.  The choices also appear as simple commands on the screen such as press ‘x’ to save a certain person or press ‘b’ to run as fast as you can.

The gameplay also requires a certain amount of exploration as well.  As you reach each area for example, you may need to find a key, or a way to escape a sealed room.  It’s important to look at your surroundings and select items of interest.  If there is an item of interest, say a key, then by using the right thumbstick which controls an on screen reticule,  you can hover over to the key and a selection of options will appear, from a simple ‘observe’ icon to perhaps a ‘pick up key’ command.  It’s extremely intuitive and works well.  Before long, you’re clicking and pointing at everything as you try and solve the various puzzles throughout the game.

What makes The Walking Dead so special in my opinion is the ability to make choices.  Each choice you make will affect your relationships with different people that you meet who are part of your group.  These decisions will affect you throughout the game which really makes you stop and think about each decision you make.  This dynamic personally is what makes The Walking Dead a truly engaging experience.

At the end of each episode you’re also shown a summary of your choices at key points in the game, and how your choices compared to everyone else’s choices that have played The Walking Dead.  No matter what you choose, the ending is ultimately the same, but the way you go about your adventure can be carried out in many different ways.  Hence why there is an extreme amount of replayability and you can always experiment with decisions and their impacts by perhaps choosing a different path.

Graphics & Sound

Visually The Walking Dead has a unique art style akin to that of a comic book.  Some may refer to it as animated cell shaded graphics, which can also describe its presentation. The game did suffer from a few noticeable pauses and or freezes at key decision points of the game which tended to slow things down for a brief moment, however these were not detrimental to the overall experience.  In terms of audio and sound, the musical score is fantastic and the sounds of the walking dead send shivers down your spine.  The characters voice acting is also fantastic and you can really appreciate a sense of desperation and fear in the characters voices.

Overall

Apart from the occasional game freeze and scene pauses, The Walking Dead managed to exceed my expectations in every way possible.  The story was well thought out, and your battle for survival was believable.  Throughout the entire game I felt like I was Lee trying to do everything I could to survive.  Lee’s decisions were my decisions and the consequences of those decisions were also mine to feel.  The Walking Dead is an emotional game that puts you on the spot to make some tough decisions which stay with you throughout the game.  I must say that overall The Walking Dead was a pleasure to experience and a title that I cannot stop recommending to every single person I meet.  It’s truly a masterpiece and one that Telltale games should be proud of making.  Zombie fans rejoice, there’s a new survival horror franchise in town.

9.5 / 10

Spelunky is a 2D platformer game where you make your way through each level by collecting as much treasure as you can without getting caught in any traps. You start at the top and must venture to the bottom of the cave, collecting as much as you can.

Collect items to help you blast or climb your way around traps and obstacles, or even rescue the lady and carry her to safety.  Sometimes you come across a shop to buy items to help you progress further, however don’t steal or you will find yourself getting chased down by the shop keeper and hilariously annihilated. Each level is randomised so if you die you not only have to start at the very beginning again, each level is different. Think fast to survive and continue further.

Multiplayer

When playing with friends it can become frustrating as you find yourself accidently killing each other far too often. If you die in the multiplayer mode the level doesn’t save so you have to start from the beginning and make your way back through the randomly generated levels. Even though each level is different and you must start over when dyeing, it keeps Spelunky different each time and you’re not stuck in a repetitive level

Overall

Spelunky is a great game if you’re up for a real tough challenge that has you thinking on your feet. Nobody likes having so much effort put into your progression and having to start again. However Spelunky keeps it fresh and different and pushing you towards venturing as far as you can with many more surprises the further you travel.

7/10

On this week’s podcast Episode 99, Paul and Larry bring you all the latest gaming news from around the globe, including news that Sim City is indeed “Broken” and unplayable.  Also, Mike Capps is the latest casualty to leave EPIC games and Gears of War Judgement launches a new trailer.  The Last of Us gets itself a release date and Tomb Raider DLC comes to Xbox Live first in another exclusive deal.  In other news, Minecraft won’t see a Wii U release and we talk about Dishonored taking out the BAFTA awards.  This week in game reviews, Boosty takes a look at Tomb Raider 3 and some Need for Speed DLC while Ian reviews Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Larry takes care of Virgil’s Downfall with his review.  We also take a look at the recent releases and chat about the new and upcoming titles that you’ll want to get your hands on.  Also, in true podcast style we take your reader mail questions and give a shout out to the fans.  So sit back, and ponder the idea of DRM on the next wave of consoles (insert rage here!).

Time to start those engines with the latest Downloadable content for EA’s Need for Speed: Most Wanted.  There are three content packs available for download each offering something different depending on your preferences.  Let’s check them out.

First up is the “Terminal Velocity” pack which weighs in at 1200 MS points.  Certainly this pack is by far the biggest in terms of value and areas to explore such as the Hughes International Airport, which is essentially under construction so it features loads of jumps and construction ramps.   The Airport essentially runs off a stretch of highway which will take you straight there.  It feels as if it’s part of the map and not as a bolt on so to speak which is essential.  There is certainly plenty to do here at the Airport including 5 brand new rides for starters.  There is the Porsche 918 Spider, the Alfa Romeo MiTo QV, the Ford Fiesta ST, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe and the Audi RS3 Sport back.

You’ll take to the Airport strip in any of the awesome rides above and you’ll have access to new speed list events and other various challenges such as finding radars, security gates and posters to find and destroy.  Also, there is a new mod for your ride called “onslaught chassis” which lowers the damage to your car in frontal impacts, plus there are many more modifications to explore.

Next is the “Movie Legends” pack which gives you a chance to drive like a movie star so to speak.  The movie legends pack gives you access to five new rides, fresh out of Hollywood.  The first and my favourite is the 1967 Shelby GT500 from the movie “Gone in 60 seconds”.  Next, for the Bond fans there is of course the legendary Aston Martin DB5 and the Aston Martin DBS.  Or perhaps, you’re more of a fast and furious fan, then if so, the 1970 Dodge Charger R/T is for you.  Finally there is the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am Special Edition which kind of reminds me of Knight Rider minus the red light.

The heroes pack also adds a few new events for single player as well as online modes.  Personally I found this pack a little thin on the value and it’s more for those who simply want a particular car rather than a host of new areas and unlockables.

Finally there is the “Heroes” pack which essential provides you with five of the most iconic cars from the Need for Speed series, with custom tuning and looks designed to turn heads.  First up is the BMW M3 GTR which was the cover car for the Need for Speed Most wanted 2005 game.  Next, the Porsche 911 GT2 was from Need for Speed Undercover 2008.  Next up, the 350Z one of Nissans finest which was featured in Need for Speed Underground 2 back in 2004.  Then of course there is the Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) which was available in Need for Speed Underground 2003.  Finally the Lamborghini Diablo SV featured in Need for Speed 3, Hot Pursuit back in 1998.  Depending on how Nostalgic you are, then this pack may or may not be for you.  Sure there is a host of Multiplayer races to engage in, but personally I didn’t see a whole lot of value in this particular pack unless you’re happy to play online quite heavily.

Overall

Certainly if all of these packs tick your selection criteria, then your certainly better off buying the “Deluxe Bundle” which costs 2,000 MS Points and provides overall better value.  If you’re just after a single player experience chasing signs, collectables and competing in races, then my advice is to stick with the Terminal Velocity pack as it certainly provides the most value of the three packs.  Need for Speed fans will most certainly pick all three packs up, however, if you’re on the fence in terms of what to pick my advice is to take the Terminal Velocity pack and tear the Airport a new strip, its loads of fun.

7.5 / 10

This week’s the team is here to bring you a special episode dedicated to the latest release, Tomb Raider.  In today’s show, we discuss the history of the Tomb Raider franchise, Lara Croft and where we are today.  We go in depth with the game and discuss the good and the bad, our expectations and opinions on the title.  So if Tomb Raider is your thing, then sit back, tune in and enjoy.  The DJ Team.

Note there may be “spoilers” so if your unsure, finish the game first and then tune in.

I’m a sucker for good downloadable content, especially if it adds to an already spectacular single player. With Virgil’s Downfall that’s exactly what you get. From the time you first meet Virgil you can’t but help wanting to play as him. It seems that Ninja Theory agreed and they saw fit to craft a quality single player add on that any Devil May Cry fan would love to have.

Virgil’s downfall picks up right where the main campaign for Devil May Cry leaves off. You play as Virgil and it’s up to you to navigate through limbo as well as deal with some serious personal issues he’s having. Where most downloadable content tends to be of the multi-player variety, this is a single player extension and while playing as Virgil can be fun it’s not as visceral as playing as Dante.

Virgil’s story is told via cut scenes that are in a comic book like setting and the missions themselves take place in the alternate reality that is limbo. Button combinations and controls are basically the same as when you play as Dante except he animates (plays) differently. You can level up just as before and there are some new enemy types that you run across. What surprised me was just how much content you get; it’ll take you a few hours to get through it all. Many times single player DLC isn’t worth the price of admission but in this case I would argue that it is. There are plenty of upgrades to get and enough time to get them. The story is compelling enough to keep pushing you along and once you get him to a certain point combat can be very satisfying. It’s slow going at first and a bit awkward but if you stick it out you won’t be disappointed.

More of a good thing is a good thing and in the case of Virgils’ Downfall it’s just that. While the going is slow at first over time you’ll get the hang of the flow of combat and it’s rewarding. The length is just right and there are some really interesting angles in the form of Virgil’s personal story that you get to play through. Limbo itself is a star as the environment is creative and challenging. If you’re a DMC fan I would suggest getting this DLC to help extend your gameplay. Virgil plays different enough from Dante that you don’t feel like it’s tacked on. It’s obvious that a nice effort was made to do more than milk the gamer and I applaud Ninja Theory for that.

8/10