We’re still celebrating May The 4th over at GHG. Or, are we? No– it’s Revenge of the Fifth! With that, here are the Top 3 Best Star Wars Games from our respective Gaming-Sith.
Felipe “Deacon” Crespo @F7ovrdrv
1.) Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicSeries (2003, 2004, 2008 – BioWare/EA/Obsidian – Xbox/PC/Mobile) – Thank you, BioWare. So much. Even if you didn’t care about Star Wars, these two games were so great that they more than warranted multiple play-throughs. Furthermore, it’s basicallyMass Effect‘s grandpappy. Fingers crossed we get a part 3 some day. – 5/5
Neil Nessa Smith
1.) Knights of the Old Republic (2003) – BioWare at its finest, the RPG elements and character choices that people grew so fond of from the Mass Effect trilogy were on full display in KotOR. The storytelling was excellent (that twist!) and featured several memorable characters with HK-47 the assassin droid being a personal favorite. And yes, he’d kick IG-88’s ass any day. If there is one game that really deserves the remake treatment it would be this. KotOR is not just the best Star Wars game but undoubtedly deserves a spot somewhere in the Greatest games of all-time list. – 5/5
Travis Moody @travmoody
1.) Star Wars – Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (2001 – Lucasarts/Activision – Gamecube) – Confession time: I’ve never played KoTOR! I’ve never played any of the games in the series. I never game on PC and didn’t own them when I had the O.G. Xbox. Since I’ve grown to love Revan based on the ominous, yet sleek appearance alone (I own two Black Series Darth Revan figs), a remake would be John Williams music to my ears.
(Cont.) But I did play the GameCube a bit, and Rogue Leader was one of the best titles on that oft-forgotten console. And no matter how frustrating these games could be — you had to be painstakingly precise with every shot — the legendary score and atmosphere made Rogue Squadron II an addiction I’ll never forget. Despite some excellent air combat in the newer Battlefronts, roaring through and reenacting our cherished moments from Endor, Bespin, Hoth and the Death Star in an X-Wing = priceless! – 4.5/5
FELIPE: 2.) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Series (2008, 2010 – PS2/PS3/X360/Wii/Portable) – It wasn’t the first game that let us choose between the light and dark side. And it sure as hell wasn’t the first one that let us use fun force powers. What it did do.. was deliver everything in a great cinematic package that hadn’t quite been achieved before (since the console power just wasn’t available). Flinging Stormtroopers into walls or lava in the middle of “Devil May Cry-like” combos was so damn satisfying. – 4.75/5
NEIL: 2.) Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (2004) – While a good sequel to the first one, TSL never did reach the same high praise. The story was still solid, and they tackled new themes and territory previously not done in the Star Wars saga with some thought provoking subjects. P.S. These two games haven’t aged well graphically — at all — but are still amazing in its conception and execution. – 4.5/5
TRAVIS: 2.) Star Wars – Jedi: Fallen Order (2019 – Respawn/EA – X1/PS4/PC) – While, traditionally, Star Wars games haven’t been so high on my list, thank the Obi Wan that Respawn delivered arguably the best console SW game in forever last year with Jedi: Fallen Order. While I have my minor complaints, there aren’t too many more things more satisfying than having Cal deflect Stormtrooper blasts right back at their sorry asses. If you want more of my thoughts, read my review. – 4.25/5
FELIPE: 3.) Jedi: Fallen Order – The game that took everyone by surprise. Because EA. Seriously, who the hell would’ve thought this stellar single player experience would come from a real world evil empire? In all regards, it feels like a natural evolution/sequel to The Force Awakens. Satisfying combat, great performances by the cast, and a satisfying story that has you exploring a good variety of locations in the SW universe. I’m glad the sequel is happening. – 4.5/5
NEIL: 3.) Star Wars: The Old Republic (2008 – BioWare/EA – PC) – One of the most expensive games ever developed, SWTOR was a brave attempt at forging a Star Wars MMO. What made the game unique in comparison to a lot of other MMO’s was the fact that every class had its own story arc as well as all the dialogue being voiced which kept the players immersed through several playthroughs.
I managed to get a couple of hundred hours out of the game back when it launched, so I have had my fair share of fun with it. To this day TOR is still getting new content and expansion packs which is impressive in itself. – 4/5
TRAVIS: 3.) Star Wars – Battlefront II (2005 – Pandemic/Savage/Lucasarts – Xbox/PS2/PC) *TIE*Battlefront II (2017 – EA DICE – X1/PS4/PC) – ‘Cause I just thought it would be funny TIE-fighting these two games with the same name from the same company. Both have their faults, although the O.G. BFII is perhaps more cherished for being so special at a time when the best PC games were on PC, and for introducing a campaign. And whattya know? The modern BF suffered the same fate and delivered a campaign to its sequel, too. While short, the stories were much appreciated.
When E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo) is over; we’re not. Gamescom may take place in Cologne, Germany, but GHG is all over the event like AJ Lee on a tatted-up, straight edge guy from Chicago. Though second in overall popularity, Gamescom IS second to only the Asia Game Show in terms of total attendance– so you just know game publishers and devs were doing their best to bring their A-games.
I’d even argue that even more important announcements were made this month than in June. The coming together of Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima, Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro, and The Walking Dead‘s Norman Reedus — for Silent Hill, bitches! — was indeed one of the many big splashes that took place last week. And, Gamescom is even lengthier than San Diego Comic-Con: 5 Days.
Take note, E3.
“Reverend” Ryan Ford @nayrdrof
FAR CRY 4 (PlayStation 4/3, Xbox One/360, PC) – If this video game was subtitled “Terms of Endangerment”, I would not be surprised. Set in the Himalayas, perils abound as your character makes their way through some tough terrain, eventually landing in Shangri-La where the drug induced voodoo begins. Based on the many flying sequences featured in the trailer, I’m assuming the hang glider will be around again along with what looks like a “Lil’ Nelly” type helicopter or perhaps a jet pack. Then there’s the wildlife. Always a big part of the series, Far Cry 4 shows us tigers, snow leopards, rhinos, honey badgers and even ride-able elephants. Did someone say rampage? Also, look out for yetis.
Available November 18th from Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal.
“Cardinal” Brooks FB @Gary Brooks
UNTIL DAWN (PlayStation 4) – Nothing like announcing a game, then giving us TWENTY-FOUR DAMN MINUTES of it! The first impression for Supermassive’s new survival horror was all that and then some. Until Dawn follows a group of 8 teenagers as they spend the night in a log cabin on the anniversary of the death of one of their friends, unaware that they are being hunted by a crazed serial killer. I’ve always been a fan of all things scary — with the exception of the “Macho Moody” Monsignor — and I love the B-movie slasher film idea for a video game. Why did it take so long for someone to fully realize this? Seems like a gimme with survival horror (i.e. Resident Evil, The Evil Within) being as popular as they are. The game runs on a modified version of the Killzone: Shadow Fall engine and includes a “Butterfly Effect” mechanic: Yup– literally 100s of gameplay endings. Dawn also seems to follow that old tried-and-true slasher film formula. Prepare to scream, fellow parishioners.
No set date just yet from Sony/Supermassive.
“Bishop” Zom @eyebzombie
ASSASSIN’S CREED UNITY (Xbox One, PS4, PC) – Assassin’s Creed has come along way over the years, and Ubisoft has not done much to let us down with the franchise. From E3 to Comic-Con to the newest footage from Gamescom, Unity looks to be the finest hour for the development team. The amazing open world of France shall only further immerse players, as we now have several more choices over how we play and strategize. Perhaps most impressive is the new stealth ability, which allows us to finally hone enough QUIET skill to become an Assassin worthy of the Guild. The newly integrated parkour climbing and walking integration makes the game so fluid that you’ll finally visualize off que wall runs or corner grabs when chasing down a thug. The 4-player co-op gameplay makes for awesome times ahead, breaking up the monotony of AC’s traditional multiplayer. In a French Revo-world so divided, are you ready for Unity?
Available October 28th from Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal.
“Papa Justified” Spencer @Whizbang813
BLOODBORNE (PS4) – The latest From Software Game Formerly Known As Project Beast is quickly becoming the best reason to pick up a PlayStation 4 next year. Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki’s next game is as imaginative and as oppressive as his previous games. A transforming weapons system -– wherein a smaller butcher blade can extend into a longer but slower sword — evolves the combat from his previous titles. There is still a clear comparison one could make between Bloodborne and the Souls series, which still makes this a must-own PS4 exclusive.
No set date just yet from Sony/From Software.
“Minister” Gabe @Gooberade
LEGO BATMAN 3: BEYOND GOTHAM (P4/3, X1/360, PC, Wii U) – Even with my love of all things Batman and DC, the LEGO Batman series never really caught my attention. I like my Batsy how I like my coffee: Dark, bitter, and arguably not for kids (unless you take out the whiskey). So, Gamescom decided to roll out some more Bat-caffeine…even if its just a mere sample of Cyborg, Flash, and We-ran-out-of-costume-ideas-Batman dicking-around in the Batcave for 6-minutes, trying on different outfits like it’s Brucie’s Dreamhouse. And (spoiler-alert!) Cyborg turns into the washing machine, shooting out lasers just like the Maytag Ma’ and Pa’ used to own. From what I’ve seen, the pull for this game is the vast amount of recognizable DC characters, each with their own fully developed character flavor, and showing off just how expansive the Lego DCU has become. It looks like a lot of fun, and if your favorite DC character is less obscure than Stargirl, chances are you’ll finally get to play as them. (One day, Kyle Rayner… one day…)
No set date just yet from WB/Traveller’s Tales.
“Brother” Matt McGrath @bendsteelnhands
CIVILIZATION: BEYOND EARTH (PC) – Games like Civilization are not everyone’s cup of tea. His Holiness, Monsignor Moody’s, reaction to the latest installment in the Civ franchise was: “Like watching grass grow — but OK.” I’m not a gamer, but I loved Civ 4. I could spend hours into the early morning playing “just one more round.” Civ 5, I thought too a game at peak complexity and drilled down too far. Maybe my time playing into the night had passed. I ignored it and moved on. Nostalgia brought me back here, and I was prepared to hate it. I have to say, I don’t think that this would be like watching grass grow. There’s new challenges and there’s new complexity, but it doesn’t seem to drill down and become myopic. This might be the first game I buy in a decade.
Available October 24th from 2K/Firaxis.
“Brother” Myke @onemyke
DESTINY (X1/360, PS4/3) – As a PC gamer who hasn’t been able to play any Bungie since the first two crappy Halo ports, it’s hard not to get excited by any type of coverage on Destiny — even if a PC version is still only rumored. Stil, this Gamescom trailer teases with the type of epic, sci-fi action I just can’t get enough of– whether its the footage of flying around the world on those hoverbikes, or massive encounters like the brief glimpse of that assault on a ship battle with that huge wave of baddies. My left hand is already on the W,A,S,D keys. That being said, this is really just the video game equivalent of those thirty-second TV spots for movies. We’ve already heard from the countless people who play the beta and Activision knows we’re going to buy the game; this trailer is just letting us know when.
Available September 9th from Activision/Bungie.
“Apostle” Lance Paul @Lance_Paul
DEAD ISLAND 2 (X1, PS4, PC) – Who doesn’t love some carefree zombie-bashing? Allow your favorite “Traveling Nerd” to scoop you in: I was a huge fan of the first Dead “Not so Lonely” Island. And, it was not for pure gameplay brilliance or faultless graphics; but rather for the sheer creative island zom-mauling (sorry, Bishop!). DI had that touch of originality in an undead world. Though I stomached through a pseudo sequel that was more of a DLC package, this Marvel Apostle Zombie can tell right off the bat that this fresh development team, Yager (Spec Ops: The Line), is refreshing the “undead island” slaughterfest with the not-so-islandic sunny coast of Cal. After a very meak E3 conference, the charge led by Max and his boy wonder — Rick the furry cat — appears far more promising after this footage. You can now go multiplayer campaign through the hills of Hollywood, the San Fran Pier, and the beachy LA wesside. If nothing else, this Californian nerd is just biting at the bit for one sun-baked Grand Theft MacGyver electric-shotgun blasting adventure!
No set date just yet from Deep Silver/Yager.
“The Christian” Seufert @chrisseufert91
THE ORDER: 1886 (PlayStation 4) – Here’s the thing I like about The Order: 1886: It’s cool. Plain and simple, hearing Nikola Tesla monologue about a “secret order of knights who answer only to history” is just fucking cool. No denying that. I mean, this trailer gave me everything I wanted: Tesla, the beginning of the industrial revolution, monsters (werewolves?), and just enough mystery to keep me wanting — no, begging — for more. The trailer promises a strong mix of COD style gunplay and dark, twisted pseudo-science. In addition to an ominous score and dooming message. With its Underworld feel, I also have a soft spot for games that play around with history in their own twisted way (see: Assassin’s Creed) and I feel like not enough is done in this vain. The Order looks like it’s gonna satisfy this “history” need that permeates my gaming appetite, and the footage from Gamescom did nothing but amplify that anticipation.
Available February 20th from Sony/Ready At Dawn.
“Sister” Jenn @JenniferFlatebo
THE SIMS 4 (PC) – I’m sure some of you are thinking, “Really?” Yes!! I’ve been in love with The Sims franchise since it launched in 2000. Sure, it’s basically an adult dollhouse; but with each launch a world of possibilities opens up. For the fourth, the creators not only made sure to pour on the realm of emotion, but also gave builders the ability to mold your Sim with a quick move of the mouse and a flick of the wrist. This makes me feel like a wizard! I’ve already downloaded the Create-A-Sim demo and tried these sweet features myself. Creating and moving houses is also much easier; no need to completely demolish what you did and start over. I’m now locked, armed and ready to create weirder sims and plop them into a house and watch the show. September cannot get here fast enough.
Available September 2nd from Electronic Arts.
“Pastor” Bill FB @Bill Ammon
NHL 15 (X1/360, PS4/3) – I didn’t think I could get anymore excited for this game than I already was. Thanks, Gamescom. NHL 15’s graphics look unbelievable, with next-gen player detail better than ever. Hell– even if you’re not a hockey fan, I’m willing to bet this trailer will get you interested. The shooting, fighting, trash talk, and fan display all have you pumped up for one of the greatest sports games in EA franchise history. My highlight? Of course, being a Beantown homer, watching Marchand tossle with another player into the penalty box is a highlight. Better yet, the finish of this footage stomps the famed “Zombie Nation”…just in time for coverboy Patrice Bergeron to take a penalty shot. Of course, he buries the wrister to win the game. After watching this trailer, I feel like us EA NHL “die-hahds” have finally won, too.
Available September 9th from EA Sports/EA Canada.
“Monsignor” Moody @travmoody
QUANTUM BREAK (Xbox One) – Fooled ya, didn’t I? Yeah, it was a basic toss-up between this time-shattering Microsoft exclusive and the next Skyrim, Dragon Age: Inquisition, but since I already picked that deliciousness back in our PrE3 piece, why not go with Jack Joyce? This game is sorta what would happen if Max Payne was caught in The Matrix— except a whole lot more physically dangerous, as too many Star Trek and X-Men movie plotholes cause Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Cruise to Live, Die, Loop all in the most fucked-up time-crash ever once fathomed. So, as witnessed in the kick-ass gameplay demo, our not-so-quiet detective does his best Mick Jagger (OH YES IT IS!) to steer those Monarch foes half-past-noon to 1pm to half-past-noon again. Full of explosions, almost-explosion time stutters, and plenty of gameplay, Break‘s technical quandary — with plenty of leeway — is a next-gen advancement that this Monsignor bo-lieves fans will embrace. #bulletimeonacidkid
No set date just yet from Microsoft/Remedy for the game and its live-action accompaniment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4ony2r0QFs
“Templar” Mark TBD
THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT (PS4, X1, PC) – Now this footage looks downright amazing. From the Downwarren — and now downDEATHen villagers — to The Lady of the Woods, the combination of chilling atmosphere (that blends just enough shadow and light to the massively realistic countryside), well-timed battle tunes (willowing violin strings, umtempo drums, and soaring village vocals), and eerie swamp witches and were-monsters Geralt must slay makes this my most anticipated game of 2015. Dark magic was certainly in the air in Cologne.
Available February 24th from WB/CD Projekt RED.
“Deacon E” Esko @EskoBTS
THE EVIL WITHIN (X1/360, PS4/3, PC) – Ever since Fallout 3, I’ve been ready, willing and able to support anything Bethesda releases. The Evil Within has not only impressed me, but the trailer alone has filled my pants with fearful feces. In other words, it’s so scary, I shat my pants. Despite the release of several survival horror games over the years, it has been quite sometime since I’ve seen or played a game that felt legitimately frightening. I cannot wait to play this game in the dark and be frozen with fear until the sun comes up. The graphics, the realism, the enemies. All of them contribute to the horrific environment that sucks you into the creepy, suspenseful, and murderous world. I got so lost in watching the gameplay — that even ran an hour-and-twenty! — that I forgot, at times, that I was watching a video game and not a blockbuster horror film. Expect this to be Deacon E’s favorite game of 2014.
Available October 14th from Konami/Tango.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb5RWjZiW8o
Ryan “Salvation” Scott @radio_adventure
HALO 5: GUARDIANS (Xbox One) – Even the most casual of gamers owes a lot to the Halo franchise, if for no other reason than it probably took you shit-talking skills to the next level. For long time fans, Halo 5: Guardians will be a spartan flavored cocktail of both new and old. Bungie isn’t involved, which may have caused some doubt, but this footage is encouraging. Sure, every Halo campaign has provided a night or two of fun between friends but let’s be honest: It’s always been about the multiplayer. From the footage we can discern that if you’re a fan of the classic Halo multiplayer, you’re in luck. This is plain and simple 4-on-4 carnage in seemingly well-designed maps with the proper customization available. Old school Halo style with updated graphics and a few bells and whistles = exactly what we want.
Beta available November 11th with Microsoft/343’s Halo: Master Chief Collection.
“The Dutchess” Darling @taffetadarlin
CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE (X1/360, P3/4, PC) – Sticking to originality, I’m going with the game I picked earlier for GHG’s PrE3. So, yeah, there’s no secret that your Dutchess adores this franchise; and with every new leak and teaser, this hungry war dog was left salivating. A few things of note: The return of the custom score streak, which allows this soldier to load up– rather than being forced to use something pre-set. Teammmates can now join you for this mode. Another something new to COD is the Exoskeleton, which — from watching this multiplayer demo — allows players to run faster, jump higher and have cloaking ability! Even if it DOES remind a certain someone of some game without HALF the title, I can’t wait to test this out. And although it’s hard to tell at this point, let’s just assume these upgrades will play out along the lines of juggernaut. To finish, it appears the game’s art and concepts have improved and the maps will have far more to explore and explode.
Available November 4th from Activision/Sledgehammer.
“Heirophant” Luke IG @lukepoisoner
SUNSET OVERDRIVE (Xbox One) – From the studio that brought you the Resistance and Ratchet & Clank series comes Sunset Overdrive; a brightly-colored madcap third person shooter that looks like the bastard child of Jetset Radio and Saints Row 3, with mutant enemies straight out of House of the Dead. Overdosed on Red Bull, of course. Armed with a blaster gun, your character blasts, leaps, and rollerblades his way through the end of the world as we know it; carving and rail-sliding around the level like an old Tony Hawk clone while shooting his ray gun at the plethora of swarming enemies. Keeping on the move seems to the name of the game, separating it from the more militaristic shooters. This is all a guess. Sunset Overdrive looks crazy, and I really have no idea what I just watched. Should be fun.
Available October 28th from Microsoft/Insomniac.
“Dynast” Dana Keels IG @hatandwand
MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR (X1/360, PS4/3, PC) – I’ve had my eye on this game for a minute now for a few reasons. Huge Tolkien fan, but mainly the Nemesis system– a supposed game mechanic that molds each individual enemy according to your encounters with them. This means a low level orc you may have fought with early in your adventure can resurface later on, having adapted to your battles in the past. The system sounds incredible, but we’ll see for sure if its as intricate as they’re touting. The footage shown at Gamescom looks gorgeous and the atmosphere is beautiful. It really conveys a sense of depth and scope that this Dynast hope is executed beautifully in the full game. And with Troy Baker lending his voice and motion capture skills to the main character, Tailon, it’d be crazy for me NOT to pick this game up.
Available September 30th from Warnber Bros./Monolith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8AMw5Asct4
Danny “Dangerous Disciple” IG @danielw_w
METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN (PS4/3, X1/360, PC) – A lighter side of this year’s Gamescom showcased what very different and new things can be done with the formerly one-dimensional cardboard box Snake has used to hide in for decades. If the player feels like confusing the enemy, a cardboard cutout of one of the opposing soldiers can be placed on the box, thus possibly making your enemies shrug it off as an ally (cheeky, classic Metal Gear). If you feel the need to arouse your foes, a pin up model can be placed on the box as well, causing enemies to stop and stare longingly at the buxom beauty. Another new addition is being able to shoot from inside the box aswell as exploding out and laying a serious smackdown on anyone foolish enough to approach you. Looks amazing, and can’t wait to see more from Kojima and MGS 5.
No set date just yet from Konami/Kojima.
“Christ”-ine Manzione – @christinedoes3d
SILENT HILL (X1, PS4, TBD) – Known for the game just above, Kojima has partnered with master storyteller Guillermo del Toro to bring us not “P.T.” — a clever ruse of a name a.k.a. the abbreviation of “playable teaser — but a new Silent Hill game! If you’ve played that friggen’ demo, you know these two aren’t screwing around. The playthrough (which could take hours if you’re too scared to explore) runs the gamut of scare tactics. We’ve got pop-out creatures, progressively darker corridors, fetid bathrooms, unintelligible moans; but the fact that everything feels so effortlessly scary is what sets Silent Hills apart from others in the genre. You’ll become very familiar with the looping hallway, with discoverable intricacies hidden throughout, hoping whatever you find will unlock the door to the next part of the loop. If you ever wanted to see me actually afraid to pick up a controller, now’s the time. I have far too much respect for the power couple that Kojima and del Toro could be and will brave god damn son of a bitch Pyramid Head just for them. Fun fact: beat the shit out of the demo and you’re treated to the cutscene that tells you the title, and… Oh yeah. The protagonist! Whose likeness happens to be that of The Walking Dead‘s Norman Reedus. Sign me the hell up to get some Silence up in these Hills.
As we near the middle mark of the year 20-14, GHG takes a look back at the games we’ve all enjoyed thus far. What are your Best Games of 2014? Did you think Nintendo would be “killing it” like THIS? Did any particular game disappoint you? What do we have missing?
—Games We Never Got Around To (B/c we review other shit, too!)—
No review!??!! Not so precious, are we!?
–Murdered: Soul Suspect (X1/360/PS3/4/PC) –BioShock Infinite 2 “Burial at Sea” DLC (360/PS3/PC) –Castlevania: Lord of Shadows 2 (360/PS3) –MLB: The Show (PS3/4) –Child of Light (All Systems) –The Last of Us “Left Behind” DLC (PS3) –Trials Fusion (X1/PS4) –Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (X1/360/PS3/4/PC) –LEGO The Hobbit (All systems) -The Wolf Among Us: Ep’s 2-4 (360/PS3/PC/Mac) –The Walking Dead: Season 2, Ep 2, 3 (360/PS3/PC/iOS) –Yaibi: Ninja Gaiden Z (360/PS3) –Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (X1/360/PS3/4)
—Release Dates for the rest of 2014—
With any Luck, the game will actually improve.
JUNE: –Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (All systems, 24)
JULY: –Sniper Elite 3 (X1/360/PS3/4, 1) –The Last of Us: Remastered (PS4, 29)
Bishop Zom here, bringing you the joy-is-word on Beyond: Two Souls, a wonderfully constructed Sony PS3 exclusive under Quantic Dream, the development team behind Heavy Rain. Released just over a week ago, the action adventure/psychological thriller/interactive drama (whew) spotlights a young telepath, Jodie Holes, through a series of nonlinear events. Beyond is also Ellen Page‘s bitch-slap-to-the-face of her critics who shunned the Inception actress for believing “Ellie” from The Last of Us was all too similar to the now older, former Juno. “They pirated my face for their gaming success! My likeness was torrented by those SOB’s over at Naughty Dog!”
OK, so maybe Miss Page didn’t quite put it that directly; yet, nevertheless, her likeness is all over Beyond, and the game is all the better for it. End: feminine war cry.
Stealing coloring books just isn’t in my character, sir.
Beyond: Two Souls possesses as much depth as an award-winner from Tribeca, while Jodie possesses psychokinetic abilities that mature during the stages of her childhood growth (a younger Jodie is voiced by Caroline Wolfson), eventually linked with an unknown entity named Aiden. The initial source of her abilities, Aiden is of the Infaworld, a portal of both the world of the living and the dead. Through this supernatural link, Jodie is granted Emma Frost-level powers: mind control, strangling a threat through hosting of the mind (sort of like watching Brown Bunny), channeling spirits from physical touch (no Chianti required) and manipulation of certain objects (keep your mind out the gutter, son).
The control layout is very retro PC point-and-click-command style, with timed button pressing for various action commands. The core of the game is strictly driven by judgment and choice, as your answers affect the direction of the storyline. Tomb Raider, this is not.
This story kicks off with Jodie as a child living with her military based foster parents Philip and Susan, whom become alarmed and quite afraid of the early manifestation of her abilities. During a friendly play with fellow kids of her neighborhood she has an uncontrolled relapse of her abilities, causing unwanted harm to a fellow child. Her foster parents seek out psychiatric help for her, which leads them to the Department of Paranormal Activity. Enter: Doctors Nathan Dawkins (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man) and Cole Freeman (Kadeem Hardison, “A Different World”), specialists in the field of psychokinetic and Infaworld research. Due to the circumstances of her developing powers she is left in the care of these doctors indefinitely. Through this, Nathan becomes Jodie’s surrogate father and Cole an uncle to Jodie (but, why the black guy always gotta be the uncle, yo?).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzZpbbVSI38
Quantic’s David Cage is the mastermind behind Beyond‘s in-depth storyline, which only progresses as Jodie grows, learning how to hewn her abilities and work with entity Aiden. During this time the storyline bounces around, showing you various points in Jodie’s life, and the effects of the Infaworld (and later how the government wishes to use it as a form of world dominating power through her gift of being the link between the two).
Yes, this is all so very.. “X-Files”:
Jodie goes from being a child with powers, to a young woman trying to find her identity in her chaotic tale of a life. Her riveting story unfolds chapter to chapter from: being bullied by her fellow peers as a young adult at a party (she wasn’t good at Mario Kart); aggravated as a teenager cooped up in a laboratory-style study of a room (the smell of month old coffee and dried-up licorice will do that to you); going head-to-head with Nathan “Osborn” in a father/daughter fight of adolescence (the Gob needs a daughter); being forced to join the military through the CIA for government work (cute desk clerks needed!); learning to enjoy the skill earned through her term of service, only to further have anger and regret (she didn’t like the food); going nomad from a “by any means necessary” government agency on her backside (again, easy, folks); feeling betrayal throughout her whole complex relationship with Nathan and other supporting characters (a love interest — oh, you didn’t think there was one?), like Ryan Clayton (Eric Winter), the initial CIA agent who recruited her.
The stuff I put myself through to get SPIDER-MAN!!!
Hope you love lots of plot, congregation.
If story’s your thing, and you don’t mind a more passive ride through sci-fi horrorland, enjoy smart dialogue via cutscene, and prefer a more contextual, interactive experience over the typical heavy button-mashed QTE’s (quick-time events, that still do appear every so often), then it’s highly recommended you pray yourself of copy of Beyond. You might just catch yourself wondering what Blu-Ray you’re watching from all of the game’s blessed realism and heavenly graphics. And, yet while there might not be a whole ton of action — at least at your own expense — the intimate detail and incredible voice talent may just be enough to swoon you over. I found the quieter the moments of Two Souls, the better.
With that, I leave you all fine people with an AMEN for Beyond: Two Souls.. for the Bishop hath spoken.
Unfortunately for Madden NFL 25, everything that has been brought back in the game hasn’t exactly made it better. Electronic Arts was wise enough to fix all of the blips and bloopers of last season’s Madden 13 (no, we haven’t turned the NFL clocks forward into Bill Lambeer Combat territory just yet; 25 is for the legendary franchise’s 25th anniversary), but those fixes perform more like a patch than a reason to shell out another 60 bones.
I loved last year’s edition despite having two major gripes: the lack of a Fantasy Football Draft for the Connected Careers (now Connected Franchises), and the option of controlling more than one team (well, more than one player, coach, and now owner, since Owner Mode is back). Thankfully, in Madden 25, you now have the option of drafting all your college favs on one team, as well as having the opportunity to allow 32 local user-controlled teams play in your season. It was a little tricky to pick up some of those coveted players on my team — since there’s no option to override trades — but at least there’s an option to turn off the salary cap.
That’s the good news.
The rest of the story is unfortunate. With the new consoles arriving in a little over 2 months, it may have been an easy choice for EA to blow the lid off the joint and dial the current gen in. It’s true, the running game has improved tremendously. Hold down the LT/L2 and you can now use a seemless array of running attacks…that actually work. Thanks to this Precision Modifier, stiff-arming/trucking/juking has never looked better (that’s why Marshawn Lynch was an easy draft pick for me), and you can finally, realistically explode between those gaps with Purple Jesus (a.k.a. All Day a.k.a. A.P.)! Passing once again is great, also. Want to lead Anquan Boldin with precise sideline rockets, or flare up a few softballs to the overpowering Dez Bryant-types? No problem. You can even reflect last season’s “new shit” with Russell Wil or Kaepernick Pistol read-optioning all the way to the Super Bowl, without a sweat.
I also had a good time making none other than “Prime Time” Deion Sanders my owner, with the intent of shipping those Jags out to Hollywood (California; not Hollywood, Florida). Even cooler, I was actually able to draft real Michigan players from NCAA 14 with the return of the Importing Draft Class option (in addition to my Tom Brady-led fantasy squad with fellow alum, Jake Long, Charles Woodson, Lamarr Woodley, etc.). Drafted college players now get re-rated, and will have no problem meshing in with the rest of the league from a graphical engine standpoint, unlike before. The only issue I had with my franchise was having to wait a full season before relocating my Jags to Sunset Boulevard.
Come on, man.
Off to the City of Angels and ain’t never comin’ back…
Luckily, there’s some humor to keep those central Florida woes down. The Twitter comments on the menu feed about “the biggest sports moment ESPN has ever had to cover” a.k.a. the “real” Fantasy Draft are downright hilarious. @AdamSchefterEA (notice how EA uses none of their real twitter handles): “The crazy thing about this entire re-draft is how secretive it was kept. Nobody even saw this coming.” It’s a little too much of a shame then that players have only about 20-seconds to decide on a stud or dud before the CPU auto-picks for them. Oh, the choices of a 3rd string clipboard holder!
Even more Floridian craziness took place during my first Jax preseason game against the Dolphins, when a fumble was reversed during instant replay in favor of the Jaguars…to the sound of boo’s. Did EA screw this one up, or is there just more Miami faithful in attendance? Since it looks as if more than half the stadium is empty – obviously based on the pre-Fantasy Draft Jags a.k.a. the year BB a.k.a. Before Brady – there’s no question there’d be more Phins in attendance. There were plenty of orange shirts, and even Jags fans jaded over the proposed LA move were clapping for the opposition.
Though I’m sure it was just a technical mistake.
To obtain a pre-order code for Coach John Madden, please visit the True Value Hardware location nearest you.
Some even stranger things proceeded. The same player was shown receiving a drink of Gatorade from a coach three times in a row during three consecutive time-outs. Was he that dehydrated that we needed to show him over and over? There are nice touches sprinkled throughout Madden NFL 25, such as loadscreens that spotlight historic moments from the franchise’s 25-years — even if they are just trying to mask just how damn long the loading takes. Next-gen, where are you? Instant replays have also improved, but somehow the “EA Network” (whatever happened to that illustrious ESPN contract?) can’t quite get the camera angles right on those damn sideline feet. Did he make the catch?
We’ll never know.
The game still doesn’t tell you who is injured on the field either, nor does the presentation show the actual training staff running out to take a look at the guy. In fact, the screen may even bug out on you with the clock running until you mysteriously call a timeout with the A button. Hmph. As far as the presentation is concerned, it’s more or less the same glitzy CBS-inspired jazz as Madden 13, with bigger and brighter menu layouts. And, yet while playing the game resembles the NFL as a whole, it’s still missing plenty of pertinent info. Like, where’s a scoreboard layout of games happening around the league during your Franchise? What about Fantasy Football information? And, I’m not referring to the real life scores the EA tracker provides; but the Connected Franchise stuff to make you feel like your games mean something and aren’t merely replicas of exhibitions.
What a beautiful game! Oh… wrong system? My bad!
The graphics are nearly identical, despite many of the close-up shots packing more acute detail than years past, and the movements are far more fluid. The crowd still lacks any type of personality, still looking like a swarm of repetitive robots hopping up and down to no avail. An overhead shot of MetLife stadium looks like polygonal cheese in comparison to, say, the photorealism of the Staples Center in NBA 2K. Stadium turf does reflect more lifelike though, as the painted team logos and markings on the field showed decay from naughty weather and the game’s physical grind.
Game physics have also improved tremendously (there’s no more linemen clumsily crumpling over each other in spades after a blown whistle), and most of the players look solid and life-like, while coaches resemble either extraterrestrial beings or Elmer Fudd. There’s still no Player of the Game, although there is a nice GMC “Never Say Never” Moment of the Game, which showcases the — you guessed it(!) — moment of the game. I still have no idea why EA refuses to incorporate a pre, half-time or post game show into their presentation; now it’s getting to the point where I’ve fully accepted they never will, and I’ll merely have to resort to review score deduction every season in its absence.
(Yes, EA, you are being penalized for NEVER listening to fans on the message forums… Well, at least never listening to Moody… EVER!)
At least someone was excited about this year’s game!
That brings me to the commentary. Phil Simms and Jim Nantz return and do an admirable job, if you consider rehashes from last year’s game OK. 2K Sports’s NBA series has had the most stellar commentary for 3 straight years coming, because their game sounds like an actual broadcast, not just a few words to keep the show going. A lot of times a nice open catch will still be called “a terrible ball thrown into double coverage” by Simms, and Nantz feverishly followed up a call of a clear first down catch with, “now that’s going to bring up a 4th down!” Frustrating. Where are the references to past games in the season? The team’s performance from last year? A player’s sudden development? His career downward spiral? Perhaps something that was said by the owner since the announced “Escape to L.A.”? What does the NFL have to say in the matter? How are the fans reacting (besides the Twitter comments on the menu)? What of this insane “real life” Fantasy Draft? How is the league impacted by this situation?
What, you couldn’t pay these guys another few thousand dollars to relay an eighth of what those great TNT studs annually perform for 2K?
Oh, and, by the way, during the end of my Connected Franchise, concerned fan @Gabe4Jags4Life tweeted: “I just started following the Jaguars and now they’re leaving?”
Until the Xbox One Madden comes out, so am I, Minister Gabe.
So am I.
3 (out of 5) Pigskins. A solid football game, but perhaps only worth buying if you don’t have Madden 13, or have no intent on buying a next-gen console.
Although Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Origin (??), Target, and Wal*Mart pre-order codes are needed to use on beginning a player career with Pro Football Hall of Famers (or Fame hopefuls), Franco Harris, Fred Biletnikoff, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Kurt Warner, Rod Woodson, Steve Young, and Warren Moon, why do you need them for the use of Art Rooney Sr. and Eddie DeBartolo Jr. in Legendary Owner mode? Seriously?
In my review last year, I begged for “Thunder Struck” to open up all my home games at Gillette Stadium. Be careful what you wish for. Now that the stadium PA music is finally the real thing (AC/DC’s “Thunder Struck” / G&R’s “Welcome to the Jungle” / Blur’s “Song #1” / White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” / The Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow”), you’ll hear the same songs recycled over and over to the point where you’re going to play your own music out of your surround sound. Of course, there’s still no custom stadium music (NHL 13, NBA 2K13).
You can’t change positions of players. So good luck trying to get Denard at RB, Tebow at TE, and Aaron Hern… wait. Don’t. Ever. Create. That dood. Ever.
Don’t even THINK of putting Jesus at Cornerback.
Do players really want to spend that much time setting prices for potato chips and reading Tweets from fans bitching about it? Players asking for trades after setting team records on a winning team? Call it: Owner Mode woes. Or, how about Madden Ultimate Team? Where you use trading cards or even more pre-order codes to acquire legendary players and create some wildly bizarre scenarios? If you’re into those types of metagames and bought the game early from the right place…then the Chemistry addition might suit you fine. This time, it’s all about shuffling the deck just right and placing players together who will get it done.. together. You can even run a little 10-game season in this mode this year. Since I’m not too fond of the Connected stuff, this may actually now be my go-to…
The biggest question mark concerning Madden NFL 25 this year actually has nothing to do with the game, but rather, about the concern of current-gen sales plummeting with the November releases of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Does EA Sports actually expect people to buy games twice? I know there are several programs only charging players an additional $10 to upgrade games like Madden 25 or Assassin’s Creed IV from PS3 to PS4. I know we have the choice of being “Gone ’til November,” but some of us don’t really want to wait. And, of course, some of us don’t really want to write 2 reviews of FIFA 14, either. Thanks.
And, in case you were wondering, my future endeavored LA Jags fell to South Beach in the preseason opener 49-10, with 4 INT’s from real life Jags QB Chad Henne. Maybe it’s time I use that All-Madden 25 Team with –the most dominating Madden player ever — starting QB, Madden 04‘s own Michael Vick. Woof.
EA Sports’ Madden 25 in stores tomorrow (Tuesday, August 27), for the Xbox 360 and PS3. November 15 for the PS4, and the yet announced launch day for the Xbox One.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist is one of the year’s nicest surprises…although it shouldn’t be, and for several reasons.
The obvious reason being that this 6th console Splinter Cell — the 3rd and perhaps last of the current gen — is once again put out by Ubisoft, the company that sets the standard in video game development. The next reason is that Blacklist is a return to nonlethal stealth, following a few scary years of artillery-heavy gameplay and several delays following E3 2-years ago (perhaps concerning Splinter Cell‘s latest direction). Thankfully, the latest edition performs like a greatest hits in terms of hide-and-seek destroying. Sure, there are less environmental kills (you won’t see any more of those cool hanging-from-the-chandelier attacks), but the oil drums and fire extinguishers are still there to blow (just loved cat-calling a “heavy” right into a shot-up damper).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLlzsyR_kMI
Sam Fisher is also more athletic and nimble this time around, breathlessly gliding from metal grate to air vent, to even cliffs, with ease. That’s not to say Blacklist isn’t realistic. Sam coughs up plenty of heavy breaths once caught in one of many freakish firestorms, if you’re not exactly smart enough at being incognito throughout the game, of course. And lest we remind you, this isn’t Call of Duty (despite the game switching to 1st person during the Briggs non-optional missions). Most times, even with the heaviest Kevlar suits, Fisher can’t be hit with more than one bullet — or even take more than one or two melee strikes — especially if played on the harder difficulties, Realist and Perfectionist.
Thankfully, Blacklist offers some pretty intense customization across the board. You upgrade guns, gadgets and armor (the choice of infra-color is cool, which also light up when in darkness, as is the healthy choice of both Sonar and NVG goggles) towards any game mode with doe earned from several ShadowNet challenges, such as putting 3 or more guards to sleep with gas (not the type your favorite Monsignor has after a mean steak-and-cheese, either), or stunning 50+ soldiers with your crossbow. It’s good the rewards are very high, as you garner points for going Ghost (nonlethal stealth), walking with a Panther (a mix of stealth and action), and full-out Assault (exactly as it sounds), because everything seems expensive; especially, when you realize you can also custom up the plane to give you more ammo during mission drop-offs, or offer more intense weapon choices, such as laser-pointer Subs from the black market.
Last time I let these guys into my restaurant.
There were several frustrating parts/checkpoints during the campaign, and some were even my fault, like running around a metal grated stairway to hell for nearly an hour until I realized I could toss one of the guards through the door. You know, since he had the security pass on him. It was pretty hilarious, and gave me a moment to smile in a game full of terror and Tom Clancy-heavy techno-dump.
As a political thriller, you’ve read, watched or played this all before. Blacklist offers no origin tales, or getting-to-know-you stories. Even the villain doesn’t come off as appealing as, say, Raul Menendez in COD: BO2. No, the game is primarily about the special forces business and the worldwide terrorism at hand. Although the acting during the cutscenes is cool, they primarily take place in an aircraft command center with a bunch of folks bickering (which is also where the “menu” takes place, which is rather tight). But, hey, at least running through glass and quickly fast-roping away from a horde of enemies is exhilarating and most of the locations are appealing (“Go” to Denver!), if not exactly wondrous (Splinter Cell: Blacklist requires 2 discs, with multiplayer and an additional HD textures upgrade on the second disc).
How romantic…
This side of an adrenaline-gushing escape from Guantanamo Bay — a first for gaming, in fact — the game offers much your typical spy-gaming situations. Sure, there are beautiful moon skylights by the coast, and cool railroad tracks you can plunder enemies into; but you’ll undoubtedly shout “of course” when there are folks to be saved on yet another damn video game subway line, and have to play “shotgun supervisor” to a gazillion enemies through numerous Goldeneyesque cubicle offices.
Less fun, is the fact Ubisoft didn’t strike a deal with the legendary Michael Ironside, the classic voice of Sam Fisher. Things don’t take long for Eric Johnson‘s new role to feel awkward, either, when an early level grants Fisher a call from his twentysomethings daughter — and both sound around the same age. Yikes. By now, our favorite spy this side of James Bond and Solid Snake is supposed to sound almost halfway to the century mark, but at least in the case of Blacklist, that just ain’t happening. And, since Blacklist is no Convinction, Johnson gets away with merely doing an admirable job. A lot of the script is spread among his crew, except when you’re able to brilliantly whisper and harass guards with the select button. Players can lure dudes into a room by flicking the lights or shooting up computers; toss sticky cameras (that will make either weird alien noises, or even purr like a kitten for surrounding attack dogs); pilot air-drones that can both detonate and send electric shock; stealth neck-slice or snap-mare foes to sleep; and even light up guards with their own explosive remote drones.
Being stealthy is very healthy!
I only peeked into the woman’s shower once, ALL RIGHT?!?
Finally, Splinter Cell just wouldn’t be Blacklist without playing the same cat-and-mouse games with enemies — with your split-screen buddy, online girlfriend, or vengeful grandma. The campaign offers four option 4E Briggs Missions (running and rocketeering), which can be be played either open-sandbox style or actual co-op. There’s more from the Four Echelon crew, with the hacker Charlie’s enemy wave mission, or ops-manager Grim’s ghosting requests. Better yet, is the return of Spies vs. Mercs, where players can go 2 vs. 2 via original Xbox and PS2’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow or 4 vs. 4, which is new to the series. Basically, you go and hack the terminals and your friends or online enemies try to mow you down. Seeing how I suck at multiplayer COD and enjoy being very stealthy (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry 3 and Dishonored are just a few of my favorites), there’s going to be plenty of hours spent on this mode…even after I pick up an Xbox One.
Speaking of next-gen, it’s not hard to see why Spies vs. Mercs was the most popular news concerning SC: Blacklist coming out of this past June’s E3. With Ubisoft doing their damnedest to show off their higher resolution tyrants, Watch_Dogs, AC4, The Division, and The Crew at the conference, the new-and-somewhat-improved Splinter Cell just had to take a backseat. But, if you’re like me and miss a good ol’ game of cat n’ mouse, or just the original stealthiness of Splinter Cell (2002) and Chaos Theaory (2005), the Blacklist package may be worthy of not only the attention of the company line, but yours, too.
Surprise.
Splinter Cell:Blacklist, released on the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and Wii-U platforms, is in stores now.
3.5 (out of 5) Bibles = Worth a buy, if you’re a spy!
