Ratchet & Clank, unlike the eponymous movie, is wonderful. In terms of combat, the game does this extremely well. The zany arsenal of over-the-top weapons that all feel distinct and memorable couple well with the enemies across the galaxy. Everything from turning your opponents into sheep, to burning them alive, to making them a few pixels feels satisfying as all hell. Story-wise, and unlike a typical PlayStation-exclusive, this game is nothing too much, although it doesn't try to be. The story is easy to digest by everyone, and is pretty boring. The writing is really a hit-or-miss situation. Sometimes, the game will squeeze a decent smile out of you, and other times will result in boring, childish gags, that don't understand who to cater to. Graphically, this game is undeniably gorgeous, looking like you're playing through an animated movie, while the characters do look like stiff cardboard boxes during cut scenes. In terms of music, there's a lot to be desired. No tracks stuck with me, except one, but that was just because it sounded way too similar to a track of 1993's Doom. After listening to the original's music, this is a whole step down. Most of the levels are also very well-made, with useful items lurking most of them, while a few levels fall into routine tedium. All in all, this game, while marred by clear issues is still an enjoyable experience.
Reviews
18 Reviews
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
(2011 Video Game)
Setpieces and setbacks.
5 January 2019
Naughty Dog was split into two after Uncharted 2, one half working on The Last of Us, and the other one focusing on this game. And the lack of polish does show a bit. The game introduced even more weapons than its predecessor, and adding necessary features such as throwing back grenades well. But the problem I have with this game is that the enemies deal way too much damage. Completing this game on Normal, I found that snipers locked onto your head quicker than usual, and more enemies possessed more powerful weapons. Now this wouldn't have been a problem, if the cover system was so useful. The problem of the first game, and one of the biggest achievements in the second is the reliance on covering. And this game joins, the former, unfortunately. The game's story is... alright. The implementation of Nate's younger years are meticulously added throughout dialogue and whole chapters. But the game is lacking in a worthy story, leaving too much time for impressive setpieces, which I'll get to in a second. The villains aren't built up too well, even though having an interesting implementation in the earlier chapters. The game killed it in terms of music. It scratches the itch of needing a good soundtrack in an Uncharted game, and every track works with where it plays. Also, it looks extremely impressive, with the visual imagery in some of the chapters leading to them being the greatest in all of the series. And, in terms of setpieces, not even Uncharted 2 can hold a candle to this game. I won't spoil any of them, but they're absolutely insane, and lovable. But, a problem I face with the game is that the controls don't feel precise, and meticulous. Your rolls and jumps feel weightless, and Drake moves too much with each move. The puzzles, though, are some of the best in the series. Overall, this game is a game you'll enjoy deeply if you're an Uncharted fan, but it has its flaws, and doesn't live up to its predecessor. Still, a great game.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(2009 Video Game)
How to do a sequel.
30 December 2018
It's 2008 and you're Naughty Dog. After the success of your first game, which did have its flaws, but was still a very enjoyable experience. So what do you do? Set everything to 11 was the answer. And I'm not even kidding. Firstly, the combat is so much more fluid. The number of weapons in the game feel like they were doubled, and combat is much more refined. Cover-shooting feels a choice you can have, but the game also allows for a more aggressive play-style, something I absolutely love. The game's main problem is the frequency of enemies that just eat up your bullets. For anyone who has played the game, the word 'train boss' will ring true to that statement. In terms of narrative, its much more sporadic than the first game, but overall it still holds itself well. The writing is some of the best in a video game, all of the characters, recurring or new, are distinct, memorable and everything else you want a character to be. The voice acting is also just as good as the previous game. It looks substantially better than the first game, and it uses this to great use in its unforgettable set-pieces, beginning from the first time you press 'Start', and it also uses tension a whole lot. Musically, the game is a ramp-up from its predecessor's mediocre music, but still isn't something I'd listen to after the credits rolled. The climbing is extremely fluid, the puzzles are good and this is the only game in the Uncharted trilogy to master the precise controls required of a game. All-in-all, this game cements itself as an absolute must-play. Few games can get you as pumped as this game.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
(2007 Video Game)
The Beginning of Something Big
30 December 2018
One of the first experiences I had with my PlayStation 4, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune still holds up nicely. Combat-wise, this game has its flaws. The amount of weapons is laughably low, the cover system is unfavourable, and its melee combat feels and looks like something out of a cheesy 80's movie. But on the topic on movies, this game's narrative is great enough to rival one. It tells the most grounded story of any Uncharted game, and while it does have a laughably anticlimactic resolution, all-in-all, it's pretty good. It establishes the main cast of the game well, featuring the great dialogue and wonder voice acting that the series is praised for. The game, for something made in 2007, looks pretty good. A few wow moments do exist, but, even with the remaster, this won't hold up to any AAA game this generation. The music is decent, although it did include the iconic Nate's Theme, a song re-used in every ensuing game in the series. The climbing is pretty smooth, although the controls feel slightly clunky and rigid. Overall, this game is worth a shot for the story and unforgettable characters, but also worth a shot for the far superior sequels that followed.
The Last of Us
(2013 Video Game)
A harsh world.
21 December 2018
I had extremely high expectations for this game, more than many other critically-acclaimed games. But this game did something completely different. It massively surpassed them. The story revolves around Joel and Ellie, two extremely contrasting individuals on a life-altering quest. And their tale is certainly not a happy one. Along the way, you meet unforgettable characters, and witness some unforgettable moments. Combat is up first, and this was one of the aspects that nagged me before playing the game. But Naughty Dog did this really well. In every combat scenario, you can either do some cover shooting, or sneak past the enemies. There is a multitude of weapons to do this with, which are all found at a relatively good pace. But sneaking is by far the best option. Not only just food, drink, shelter and joy are in low quality here. Ammo is hard to come by, compared to other games, so Joel's motto of 'make them count' is absolutely true. You can interact with items around the world, and they will make your life easier. Bottles and bricks highlight the biggest flaw in the game, though. The AI. The AI is more broken than the world where the game is set. It is absolutely horrendous sometimes, and does take away from the realism, especially when people turn away from you, the person who they're meant to kill, to focus on a bottle. The zombie variants are small, but each one is extremely different, and are tackled very differently. Listen Mode is a handy tool available in the lower difficulties, that, for the lack of a better term, lets you see what you hear, and is useful whenever you find yourself in the same room as a couple infected, and need a plan. It also helps that the game also looks quite stellar, and the use of lighting is extremely notable. The game uses music rarely, and only for key moments. While I like the music, and it fits the game perfectly, there is a sheer lack of tracks. It just sounds like one track is used, although with its pace slowed or sped-up. I won't state anything about the story, because its something best experienced by the game itself, but the confusion, sorrow and shock displayed by the first chapter keeps rolling till the last. A masterpiece, and a worthy game to end a generation.
Terraria
(2011 Video Game)
A 2D Game with Actual Depth
21 December 2018
A massively fun game. You have no main goal, but killing all of the bosses seems like the most realistic one. And, oh my, does this game have a lot of memorable ones. For the sake of not spoiling anything, I won't say any of them, but most of them are completely unique, and even those that aren't, still have at least something new and fresh to bring. But one of the major gripes I have with the game, is how much the progression gets tied to the bosses, especially in Hardmode. A few other activities would've been greatly appreciated. Terraria does something I haven't seen a game do, and that is the prospect of characters and worlds being two different things. What I mean by that, is that when you create a world, any of your characters can visit it. Yes, this does mean your high-levelled character can give your three-minute-old one an absolutely over-powered sword, but seeming as the player has already acquired the item, it does little to no harm. The items are all incredibly unique, and I was acquiring them by the bushel, items such as the Umbrella, or the Money Through. There is usually a wacky event happening for you to partake in. Another major part of the game is house-building. While making a house early-game is quite a fun task, later it becomes laborious work, and houses that fit the criteria always have a chance to not work at all. Graphically, the game looks great. Every locale, NPC and block is well-made, and I enjoy the simplistic style. The music in the game is also a high note, no pun intended. From the main theme, to the ominous one of the Corruption, each track fits where you are well, and they transition oh-so perfectly. Mods are another giant factor of Terraria and there's no shortage of them. Small, yet almost compulsory ones, such as the Boss Checklist are just as great as massive, content-rich expansions that mods like Thorium give you. Co-op is just as you'd think it'd be, and it is quite enjoyable. Overall, Terraria is a very enjoyable game. Except for the second half not being as enjoyable as the first, and a couple other redundant features that I dislike, the game is a flawless 2D action-adventure game, with heavy RPG elements.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(2011 Video Game)
Ash and snow.
16 December 2018
Well, what starts well, will probably end well, no matter what happens in the middle. Horrible logic, I know, but it perfectly describes Skyrim's DLCs. Dragonborn is the largest out of the three, introducing a brand-new island to explore, filled full of quests, lore and weird locations to visit.
The ash-filled waste of Solstheim is, like the province of Skyrim itself, teeming with things to do. It is split into the southern half, the iconic, Dunmer-infested area, most of which dream of going back to Morrowind, while the north half is a frigid hell with Nords named the Skaal finding the place home. The realms of a Daedric Prince also are common in this world, although to avoid spoilers, I'm not going to mention who.
The locations in this game, while feeling quite boring sometimes, but there are many things to take your breath away, especially to me, who has never played Morrowind, such as a Stilt Strider, or Tel Mithryn. Other than that, there are the normal caves, and even some Dwemer ruins.
The main quest-line is great, although it doesn't match Dawnguard, or a guild quest-line like The Dark Brotherhood. The end boss is certainly the best in the game, including the other DLC, as it actually feels like you're fighting something equivalent to you. The brand new enemies, characters and side-quests are all quite good. New shouts, spells and even a new enchantment are included within the DLC.
Overall, if you liked Skyrim, there is not even a chance you'll dislike this DLC. It includes a brand new, densely-packed island for you to explore, teeming with new landscapes, enemies and quests to get lost in for hours. While lacking sometimes in things that exceed your expectations, this DLC contains so much good, the cons are almost negligible. Almost.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(2011 Video Game)
Immensely boring.
16 December 2018
The ugly, unneeded middle child of the DLC, Hearthfire is really something so small, I bet you could achieve the same thing on a console mod. And, yes, I understand that this DLC isn't meant to be a full expansion, and priced adequately too, but they came up with this?
The main addition of this DLC is the fact that you can build a house, prepping it full of design choices you tailor, to an extent. But house-building is fun once, then always tedious. The process is merely fast travelling, crafting, bartering, fast travelling, and so on. Adopting the reskinned children from all around the towns of Skyrim is also an option, something that really doesn't do anything. Smaller things such as personal bards or carriage drivers are niche, but the latter is useless apart from visiting new locations, otherwise, just fast travel. Other than these, sadly, nothing else of worth remains. Bethesda, why didn't you just spend your time making Dragonborn just the slight bit better? A shame.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(2011 Video Game)
Kill vampires, or be consumed by them?
16 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The premise of the DLC is a full-on war with vampires, in which you can divert the quests by your important choice in the first quest, to choose the citizen-protecting, honourable Dawnguard, or lose your humanity and submit to the vampires, acquiring the need for blood, and incredibly useful tools. There is no wrong choice here, excluding morality, and each provide extremely useful things. They handle the same quests differently, and have completely different quests altogether. Quests such as Touching the Sky and Beyond Death extenuate the campaign so well, and while being a hell of a lot shorter, I would dare to say the main campaign is better than Skyrim's, as no quest felt boring, and each had its own special flare. The end boss battle was pretty good, a major improvement over base Skyrim. The new locations, enemies and characters are all memorable and there are other things to see and do, too, such as the new shouts, the perk tree for both creatures you can become and the exceptional crossbows. All-in-all a must-need for anyone who enjoyed th e base game.
Overwatch
(2016 Video Game)
If Team Fortress 2 and League of Legends were to have a baby.
16 December 2018
I came from Team Fortress 2, expecting the exact same fun as in the game, and, for the most part, I certainly found it. Overwatch has three main roles, Tanks, who protect their teammates, Damage, the only role 70% of the player-base uses and Support, who I mainly play. I just want to say that playing as every hero feels unique, and extremely fun. But one of the core flaws I found with the game was how much the tanks slowed down the combat. If the other team has three tanks, it's absolutely painstaking to break through their defenses sometimes. Its combat is fast, which I really enjoy about it. Then, there are the Ultimate abilities, and most of them are pretty good. But I find that the ultimate economy destroys the main part of Overwatch, which is being able to switch quickly to a different hero to counter another one, as you lose all your Ult. Charge, and so are at a massive disadvantage. I heard a statement that I really related to, 'When it's fun, it's extremely fun. When it's bad, it is terrible.' I play this game only casually, and I hate having to have a coin flip if I'll like the match or not. I only really have fun with Control and Payload maps, which are much faster and give every Hero a decent opportunity. But you can't choose what maps you want to play, resulting in another coin-flip. Then there are the heroes, and while I think it's slightly important to make each one of your characters have distinct personalities, Blizzard took it to the next level. For a game with no campaign, it certainly tries to make you love every character, and get invested in the incredibly stereotypical Sci-Fi story. The game looks very nice, I won't lie about that at all, everything well-textured and very smooth. The soundtrack is pretty enjoyable, every map having its own special style of music, but nothing, except the excellent, uplifting main theme, really sticks out as amazing. So overall, as a world, Overwatch is pretty solid. But this is a game, and when the gameplay isn't all too enjoyable, the world means nothing. I don't hate Overwatch, in fact, I think it's pretty likeable, but it has key flaws like the Ult. economy, broken hero launches, the reliance on people switching, even though no-one wants to and the lack of a campaign. Buy only during a sale, honestly.
Journey
(2012 Video Game)
A peaceful adventure.
12 December 2018
A game that I thought would be OK at best truly blew me away. This game is the personification of calmness, and I could play this game hundreds of times, and still enjoy it. It has a beautiful art-style, any screenshot of the game worthy to be placed in an art museum. The game, when you think about it, is a puzzle game, but serves so much than that. The prospect of travelling with someone that you'll most likely never meet again is a bittersweet situation, and it keeps you dedicated till the end. The soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal, and I see why it was nominated a Grammy. The music adds so much vibrance, and, sometimes, tension. It might be a dull, lifeless walking simulator to some, but to me, it's an absolutely immersive game.
Portal
(2007 Video Game)
Ingenious.
12 December 2018
I wasn't a person who enjoyed puzzle games much, due to there not being enough innovation in any of them. Then I played Portal and I was truly blown away. Yes, the game's length is something that should be considered, even being completable in one or two sittings, taking only three hours. But its what it does in that time that really seals the deal. The portal gun is an incredibly well-designed and very interesting concept, and you'll be hard-pressed to not muck around it at least once in the campaign. Throughout the game, new concepts such as turrets are added in to make more a challenge. The humour is great, with GLADoS' dialogue being written nice, but the game also knows where to stop itself, a large reason why the game is so hilarious. The game looks pretty good for a 2007 game. It's not bad looking by any stretch of the imagination, and you shouldn't be playing this game for its visuals. To rap things up, Portal is a must-play due to its unique take on the first-person shooter genre, and while you might be scared of its short length, picking it up in the Orange Box is a brilliant idea.
Doom
(2016 Video Game)
Devil Will Cry
12 December 2018
No shooter can give you the same rush as the 2016 reboot of DOOM does, at least for me. In an age in where first-person shooter are almost only about the multiplayer, it's a relief to know that when single-player ones are created, they still kick ass. After development hell, a fitting title to a game centred around hell. The combat in the game is fast, and absolutely bloody. Every weapon, excepting the basic Pistol, is powerful enough to be viable in any situation, but are more useful some times than others. Each one of the dozens of demons is unique in its own way, and some, like the Possessed Engineer can be a life-saver in some situations, while others are annoying pests, such as the Summoner, who teleports around the place, spawning enemies to overwhelm you. Other factors heavily, and positively, improve the combat for me, such as the removal of reloading, which saves you from slowing down or glory kills, which is one of the only ways to last on higher difficulties. The soundtrack is one of the most unforgettable in a video game, containing incredibly heavy guitars, strange pedals, in-your-face synths and even a choir when need be. Just to think what the music for this game would've been if Bethesda's idea of no metal in the DOOM soundtrack had gone through. Another thing that the DOOM franchise has been pushing since the first game is graphics, and my god does this game look gorgeous. The locales are all wonderfully textured, and you'd be hard pressed to find anything that looks horrendous in this game. Secrets are littered across the world; and in every level weapons that are introduced in the next level can be found, and also Classic maps, which let you explore older maps from the first two DOOM games, and the jarring difference between the pixelated background and the beautifully rendered demons is almost comedic. The story is nothing much to worry about. It's a normal Science-Fiction story, with humans finding a new type of energy, trying to extract it, not noticing the massive repercussions that are bound to ensue. If you still crave some more out of the game, there are a couple options, although this game's campaign is quite a good-deal long, and extremely re-playable, especially for its miniscule price. SnapMap is a handy feature which allows you to create your very own map, and also explore other player's creations. The game does a good job teaching you, and you can probably read every tutorial in the seven years it takes to load SnapMap. There is also multiplayer, which died quicker than a honeybee. And at least the honeybee was useful. Whereas DOOM's multiplayer wasn't. And if you don't want either, well, kiddo, you're outta options. To recap, DOOM is certainly my favourite shooter to ever be released, with its high-octane combat, unforgettable demons and even less forgettable soundtrack. I'm certainly excited for DOOM Eternal.
Team Fortress 2
(2007 Video Game)
Hats.
9 December 2018
Some of my greatest hours online in a video game have been in this game. No it's not dead, 11 years after its initial release, and it has been changed with hundred of updates over those years. Team Fortress 2 is a class-oriented, team-based, first-person shooter, and the key to the magic of the game is that it ticks all three criteria perfectly. There are nine distinct classes, all of which with different personalities, although the game (thankfully) doesn't use this too much, except in the well-written banter, playstyles and weapons. I'm a Medic main myself, and even within the confines of a class, there is so much variety to choose from. I might want to change my melee weapon for the specific type of game-mode or switch my medi-gun to one catered to my team. Every one of the nine classes is a blast to play, although I do definitely have my favourites. The second aspect of Team Fortress 2, is how team-based the game is. It's usually a harsh 12v12 (in Casual) fight out there, and so relying on your team is vital, especially for a Medic main. This doesn't mean one extremely skilled player can't dominate an entire team, with enough luck. But the massive player count also lets you ease out a bit, and play whatever you want, adding to the casual atmosphere. And then comes the first-person shooter, and, damn are weapons. A pivotal part of the game is how much damage everything does. It heavily encourages dodging instead of taking the hit, even as a slower class like the Heavy. But when you're not avoiding, you're shooting, and there is an amazing amount of variety of weapons. A weapon slot that is one of the best is the knives for Spy. From the iconic stock one to the Kunai and the Big Earner, both of which reward Spies that take the risk of having severely lowered health, for a massive payoff on a backstab, to the Spy-cicle, which mitigates the Spy's arch enemy, the Pyro, to the Your Eternal Reward, which morphs you into who you backstab, the best for a multiple stab-streak. And all this for one selection of weapons, and every class has at least three of these selections. But a fundamental problem is that except in scenarios such as that, there's almost always a clear winner in the best weapon for the category. And while the argument that the game is free is valid, you only start off with stock. But this could be countered by the fact that very quickly, you will find a whole lot of weapons, and with services like Scrap.tf, you can gain any weapon you want. There is a soundtrack to this game, but mostly, all you'll hear of it is in the main menu. Most of them are actually from the Meet the Team series, something almost any whose heard TF2 has seen. The story is even less included but is explained the over-the-top comics that can be accessed on the game's official website. There are hundreds of maps, and some are incredibly bad, such as Mountain Lab, most let each class serve its true potential. The game's casual nature is also another true key nature, and while you will come across an occasional crybaby, no-one is ever that bad. A key memory was when we were losing, and then eight, including me, of us switched to Scouts, and we demolished the opposition. Moments like that aren't rare, though, and even in a balanced team, you'll have a boatload of fun. Overall, Team Fortress 2 is the pinnacle of what it strives to be, and inspiration for basically every class-based shooter after it. Oh, yeah, and hats.
God of War
(2018 Video Game)
An adventure of a lifetime.
9 December 2018
A beautiful story has never been intertwined with such amazing gameplay, and jaw-dropping graphics before, in the way it has been blended in this game. Your main objective is to lay the ashes of Atreus' mother on the highest peak of all the realms, and the entire story intertwines from there. The story is brilliant in many ways, throwing setbacks every step of the way. One of the brilliant aspects of this game's story is how its paced, and each new adventure doesn't feel placed at the last moment. The conflict between Kratos, a man who still struggles to get a grasp on his bloody, god-slaying past, and Atreus, his son, who he constantly refers to as 'boy', constantly getting the tiniest flaws pointed out by his father is extremely well-written, and feels real. Along the way, you fight all that Norse mythology can throw at you and the combat, unlike other games that put their story front-and-centre, is extremely well made. The game moved away from the previous iteration's combat, which was merely focused on mindless 700-hit-combos, to a third-person one, a truly important decision. The Leviathan Axe is a powerful tool, with runes and skill trees also adding depth to the combat. Atreus, in terms of combat, was utilised much better than I thought he would be. Unlike other games in which your companion just loves jumping to the nearest enemy and then shouting for help, Atreus constantly assists you. Even one arrow from him, just by pressing Square, can double the length of a combo, as it staggers enemies for just the right amount of time, and he can be your saviour against certain enemies. The game also looks incredible. I'm still questioning how hardware from 2013 could run this. There is never a bad texture in sight, and while there are a couple clipping issues with the snow sometimes, almost all of it is fine. I've never been wowed so many times due to the sheer beauty of a location, as I have in God of War. The soundtrack is, while slightly forgettable compared to what's elsewhere, well incorporated into the game itself, and the masculine main theme, goes down as one of the best video-game scores of 2018. The freedom is also something I didn't expect. Especially on the boat, you have a lot to explore. Atreus even nags about this when you're on a boat. There are so many tasks to do, that it extents the playtime of the already-lengthy campaign. A masterpiece that entertains, saddens and shocks from beginning to end. A must-play even for someone who doesn't enjoy a story in a video game. And a must-play for everyone else. One of the pinnacles of this slightly uninspired generation, and my favourite game of all time.
Dark Souls III
(2016 Video Game)
Immensely difficult, immensely rewarding.
3 December 2018
Well, if there was a best first impression award to any game, I wouldn't even need to think about which game deserved it. From the get-go this game tells you that it's going to be fair to you, but also make you want to destroy everything you can in a ten metre radius. But just writing this game off as hard would be doing the genius work a massive disservice. For this game is difficult, punishing and unrelenting for all the right reasons. The bosses all have fast, but predictable move-sets, and the true art of the game is recognising this and using an enemy's weakness to your advantage. Secrets are also littered all throughout the depressing world that Dark Souls III takes place in, some rewarding you with unique weapons, others with terrifying beasts that are true pains to defeat, and even entire levels ripe with enemies and unique bosses are held as secrets.. I love that they incorporated some of the speed from Bloodborne into the game, although not as much. It shows in the enemies, some of which are incredibly fast, requiring you to dodge, parry and fat-roll to even stand a chance. The sheer number of weapons also never fails to astound me, as even in very specific groups such as Great-Hammers, there are still plenty of weapons there. Every build, from a swift person who wears rags and jumps around with a dagger, to a fat tank that takes very little damage from anything, but dishes out a giant amount, is viable, although some might be better suited other situations. But, alas, in a game that puts such and emphasis on bosses, just one boss fight can drag the game down quickly. And I found this out with the penultimate boss, who was an absolute annoyance to fight. But one thing that this game does miles better than anything else on the market, is the music. The melancholy soundtrack is based around a choir and stringed instruments, while some scores experiment with brass and bells. Even from the main screen, you understand very clearly that the game is going to posses an amazing soundtrack, and Dark Souls III doesn't disappoint in this front at all. In fact, I'd go as far to say this is the greatest soundtrack to emerge out of gaming. Yes, I said it, and it's not meant to be exaggeration. I mean it. The graphics are up next, and I can't help but say this game looks quite nice. The backdrops of some locations can just look drop-dead gorgeous, while some things are just not pleasant to the eyes whatsoever. The colour scheme is also sadly limited to, for eighty percent of the game's length, grey, brown, black, red and yellow. And, yes, I acknowledge the fact that this is meant to symbolise the atmosphere of gloom and dread, and it does make other locations stand out, but the abstinence of another less other than its pallet can drag down the experience. The lore in this game, and really in any modern From Software RPG, is cryptic at best, and hard to understand, but the main premise that you, the Ashen One, must kill all Lords of Cinder to keep a fire alight, prolonging the Age of Fire, and keeping the world from becoming darker than it already is. As with bugs, I've encountered none, except one extremely frustrating crash, in one of the most loathed areas in the entire series, that deleted not only the character I was playing as, but also every single other character. Aside from these gripes, Dark Souls III will not be forgotten by me for years to come. Its fast paced combat, that includes hundreds of various weapons and shields, its unforgettable bosses that made me run around the house like a madman and its incredible approach to level design. This is the end of the Souls series, and what better way to end a series than making a masterpiece?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(2011 Video Game)
A world that will suck you in till the end.
3 December 2018
When has an open world ever felt so open-ended, packed with content and also so fun? Skyrim is a beautiful amalgamation of these things. The open world is one of the main aspects of the game. As soon as your first mission ends, you can just roam around at your leisure. And what damn fun it is to explore the world. From the snowy peaks of a mountain, to the icky, spider-infested swamps, to an ancient, underground city built by a race thought to be extinct. There is nothing to complain about the world of Skyrim, apart from the reliance of fast travel, which is a problem faced by almost every open-world game, but it's extentuated by the fact that, unless enemies are nearby, you're falling or inside a building, you can always fast travel, with nothing stopping you. Back to positives, every location and side-quest has a backstory, that can be accessed by one of the hundreds of books. On the topic of quests, they're another thing Skyrim nails on the head. The sheer quantity of quests is mind-boggling, and, yes, you do find rand, miscellaneous fetch quests. But everything not listed under the Misc. tab is extremely solid. The main questline is about you, the sacred Dragonborn, a brother to dragons, bringing down the harbinger of the end times, the world eater, Alduin. And I'm just going to say, the final boss fight is extremely disappointing. It's just a normal, re-skinned enemy, but this time you have three people assisting you. There are also guild questlines, which conclude much smoother than the main campaign, but it faces a problem this game has; it tries to make you feel like a chosen one. This does detract from the experience as a victory feels more given than earnt. The game also has slightly sloppy combat, with swordplay feeling weightless most of the time. Also the necessity of a bow to stand a chance against a dragon, before Dragonrend, is slightly annoying, although Archery was one of my favourite methods of combat. Magic was also varied, and I fondly remember looking up how to find new spells, and the journeys that I took the find them. While I found schools such Illusion to be useless to me personally, I can see the true appeal in it. Shouts are a new concept that are well-implemented, and bring brand new things to do, and Fus-Ro-Dahing a poor goat off the Throat of the World will never be boring. The game also looks quite nice for a seventh-generation open-world game, and I still have an extremely fond memory of exploring the outside of Winterhold, Masser and Secunda high in the sky, an aurora floating in the sky, and me fighting off a frost troll. Those gaming memories never leave you. The music, composed by Jeremey Soule is a fine example of how a calm soundtrack is made, with a bombastic main theme, which a masterful rendition of Morrowind's. Oh, and it's by Bethesda. Which means that this game contains more bugs than the Amazon. From horses that manage to climb 90 degree, vertical slopes to characters not showing up until you wait an in-game hour, this game has it all. And while Sony didn't really like the idea of large mods, smaller ones that greatly tweak the game are there. And now we get to the end. This game is one that will be remembered for decades, or until the next Elder Scrolls game releases, and everyone disses Skyrim as trash. Either way, it will still always remain on my list for its beautiful world, its memorable characters and quests and elegant soundtrack.
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