Looking back to 2010 and the Buggy Good Times of Fallout: New Vegas

October 19, 2020

Ah, Obsidian Entertainment, how you have provided me with many and varied memorable gaming moments – not always in a good way. Team Obsidian up with Bethesda Softworks, and the rate of memorable moments increases exponentially, it seems. At least, this was certainly the case with Fallout: New Vegas, which, I think it’s safe to say, was a complete mess upon launch. I remember seeing videos of some truly horrifying looking glitches, including the doctor who wakes you up spinning his head around like an extra from the Exorcist. Of course, my first foray into Fallout games, number 3, had its fair share of glitches too, including an interesting one where my character sank into the floor and couldn’t get back out. After a fruitless time trying to get back into the world, I had to reload from my last save. Goodbye 45 minutes of exploring!

The setting for Fallout: New Vegas, it should come as no surprise to learn, is the region of America that used to be Arizona, Nevada and California, with Las Vegas (now renamed New Vegas) the main city in the region. The game is set in the year 2281 – 204 years after the nuclear war that ended the world as we know it – and about four years after the events of Fallout 3. Lots of the mechanics from Fallout 3 return, including the V.A.T S. system, perks and levelling up in general, a vast area to explore and find new locations in, and a plethora of unfriendly people and beasties to defeat. But as well as that, there were the usual characters that can be helped out and potentially recruited as companions.

The danger was balanced out by having more weapons and a wider range of categories available, as well as perks being rebalanced. As an example, having “Big Guns” and “Small Guns” combined into a single perk, called, surprisingly enough, “Guns!”. A new perk, Survival, impacted how much health was replenished by food and drink items, and especially when playing in Hardcore mode the difference between life and death could be a single sip of water. Hardcore mode also meant that if a companion died, they were dead, not unconscious, and as such this was the ultimate challenge in the Wasteland.

So, aside from the inevitable bugs, what else stuck in the mind about New Vegas? Well, the first thing was the opening, as there are not many games where you “die” within the first five minutes. And done in by Chandler Bing, nonetheless. It turns out that we were (previously to being viciously retired, anyway) a courier working for the Mojave Express, tasked to deliver something called a Platinum Chip to New Vegas. Obviously, Benny, our murderer, takes the chip, and as such a revenge tale is unleashed. As we travel the world, meeting and killing various fauna and bad people – along with helping the nice ones – there are a number of missions to get involved in.

Basically, the story of the game, apart from finding the man who killed us, is based around Hoover Dam, which still provides electricity to New Vegas. What’s Vegas without a bit of neon, after all? Now, three factions are interested in the dam, and taking certain actions can affect your standing with one or all of these factions. The first – Caesar’s Legion – are a nasty bunch of slavers who have based themselves around the old Roman empire. The New California Republic are the kind of default good guys, if only by shades, but as the only democratic faction I threw my lot in with them first. The last faction is run by the mysterious Mr House, a guy who is in charge of New Vegas and maintains his position with an army of Securitrons to do his bidding. It transpires that the Platinum Chip is actually a data storage device that can upgrade the Securitrons to greater levels of combat effectiveness, and was stolen as part of a plot to take Mr House’s army away from him.

So the scene is set for an epic battle, and by running missions for the factions, our reputation can be enhanced or degraded with other factions. For instance, I pretty much sided with the NCR all the way through Fallout: New Vegas, and as a result Caesar’s Legion would attack on sight, whereas Mr House’s forces were more ambivalent. It’s the way that this balancing act is performed throughout the game that makes it so interesting; a single decision taken the other way can take you down a different path, leading to a different run through the game and even a different outcome, with four different ways to finish New Vegas depending on who you side with. What I enjoyed about these different paths is that it was sometimes possible to negotiate a ceasefire rather than just blowing everyone away. Of course, sometimes some gratuitous violence would be just what the doctor ordered.

Now, let’s talk about the bugs again, briefly. While researching this article, I discovered that patches were rolled out very quickly indeed, with the first one hitting all platforms within a week of release. It was needed too, as the bugs were pretty bad, with corrupted game saves, games freezes, crashes and players getting stuck in the landscape – sounds familiar. All in all, five patches were released over the subsequent nine months, fixing more and more issues, and by the time that Bethesda and Obsidian were done, the game had become a brilliant experience. With such a wide range of activities to take part in, New Vegas kept me hooked for weeks, as I tried my best to ensure that everyone liked me before I decided which way to go with my playthrough.

After the base game was fixed up, Bethesda didn’t sit on its laurels but set about expanding the experience with DLC. Dead Money was the first addition and featured our character being captured and forced to try and find the treasure in the Sierra Madre Casino – something which isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. The second pack, Honest Hearts, sees us join the Happy Trails Caravan as we attempt to go to Utah, and instead end up involved in a fight between a New Canaanite missionary and the Burned Man – one of Caesar’s former Legates who was covered in pitch, set alight, and thrown into the Grand Canyon.

Old World Blues, the third installment, sees us becoming a lab rat in a science experiment, that against all the laws of probability goes wrong. In this pack we get an insight into how some of the mutants wandering around in the wild may have come about, and again have to face a choice about our actions at the end. The fourth pack, Lonesome Road, saw us contacted by Ulysses, another courier who refused to deliver the Chip that caused all our woes…

The last two packs, Gun Runners’ Arsenal and Courier’s Stash, just added various new weapons and types of ammo throughout the world, including things like the katana and chainsaw.

So, Fallout: New Vegas then. A brilliant game, eventually, and one that still stands the test of time today, even more so now that it has recently hit Game Pass. If you haven’t played it, now is the time. Trust me, stop reading this and go and download it from the Xbox Store. For the veterans though, what do you remember about New Vegas? What are the highlights of the game for you? Let us know in the comments!

Looking Back to 1985 and Duck Hunt

Dave Ozzy

October 18, 2020

Whenever I’m in a conversation that turns towards Duck Hunt, it tends to come back to the dog. The way he snuffles down the track and then flings himself into the bushes; that closed-eye chuckle; the bouncing ears; the urban myth that you could hit him, taking a couple of potshots at the mocking scumbag.

You can see why there’s a lot of love. He’s a great design – a Tex Avery-like mastiff – and, for the time, the animation was brimful of character. There’s a reason he made it into Smash Bros.: if you rip him out of Duck Hunt then the personality is ripped out with him. People often forget that there was a clay pigeon mode in Duck Hunt, and a major reason is the dog – he doesn’t show up, so why bother?

I’ve also got a theory that the dog’s a social icebreaker. Duck Hunt was a launch title for a system that not many people had, so it encouraged larger groups of people to watch. The mocking dog became a kind of enabler: he made it okay for everyone else to laugh when someone was rubbish, because he was so in-your-face about doing it himself.

If you’re not aware of Duck Hunt, the above won’t make a whole deal of sense. Duck Hunt has a special place in a lot of people’s hearts because it was a launch title for one of the first, pivotal consoles on the market: the Nintendo Entertainment System. In North America it launched in October 1985, and came to our UK shores in 1987. It was often packaged with Super Mario Bros., Gyromite or World Class Track Meet, but it was always bundled with the NES Zapper gun – a chunky, grey peripheral that laid the path for Time Crisis, House of the Dead and so many others (ah, Sega Menacer). You could play Duck Hunt without it, but you’d never want to admit to doing something so terrible. Duck Hunt and the NES Zapper were synonymous.

It’s often easy to forget how vanilla Duck Hunt was. Ten ducks, released in pairs, with increasing speeds and an increasing bar to clear, all over 100 rounds. That’s it. Sure, there was a ‘Game B’ with a different background, and a clay shoot, but – for a game that has entered the canon of classics – it’s barely more complicated than a Game & Watch. There was a VS. arcade machine, but who remembers that?

My memories of Duck Hunt are very specific. I got my NES a little after launch – just long enough for someone to be selling it second-hand, probably around 1988. It was the Deluxe Edition NES, which meant the hulking great R.O.B. and Gyromite game, as well as Duck Hunt and the NES Zapper, came bundled in. I could get in the box for the whole thing, it was that big.

It’s hard to put into words what it was like getting this whole setup: a robot, gun and console, all with miles of cable and impenetrable manuals. There aren’t many things to compare it to nowadays: I imagine that kids getting Nintendo Labo might have a similar feeling – that sense that they’re in over their head, that a little slice of future has landed in their bedroom, and that enjoyment is probably a couple of days away from them. There was just so much hardware, and at a time when Wargames was on VHS and Flight of the Navigator had just come out – and when computers were as big as cupboards – the size and plasticity of the technology just felt awesomely futuristic.

While Gyromite went in first, it was Duck Hunt that stayed in the slot. I was the only house in the neighbourhood that had one, so we’d have a revolving door of snotty pre-teens all having a go, trying to notch the best score. I remember that scores would reset when the console was turned off, so we’d do our damnedest to keep it on overnight. It probably explains why my NES lasted a few years before fizzling.

I remember a mate fiddling with a pad, and realising that he had influence over the ducks. This rocked our world – we’d been playing several weekends without realising. My mate said he had to input a code to make it work, so we would invite him over whenever we played to make it ‘two player’. Little did we know that there was no code, and he’d made it up to ensure he always got to come over. He even said he was going to submit the code to Mean Machines magazine, the filthy liar. He tried to pull that trick again when it came to Tails in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but we were wise to it.

Looking back on Duck Hunt, you can see the ripples of its launch spreading to later generations of consoles, even to the point that they’re still visible today. Nintendo have often launched their consoles with a toy – or the console as a toy itself – offering something tactile that no one has ever held in their hands before. It makes their consoles an event and a unique proposition – something you have to at least try, and gather crowds around you as you do it. They then partner the launch with software that excels at showcasing that toy: a Wii Sports, a Nintendo Land, a 1-2-Switch. Duck Hunt was the precursor to all of these, the software that launched the toy, and it’s no surprise that there are Duck Hunt-esque levels in each of the games I’ve just mentioned.

Culturally, a characterful dog hasn’t been enough to put Duck Hunt in the same league as the big boys, like Zelda, Mario and Mega Man (although it does feature in the mighty Boyz in the Hood, so who am I to say?). Indeed, Super Mario Bros. would go on to ensure that the NES was seen as a timeless console and a success. But it was Duck Hunt – and the NES Zapper – that was really the starting pistol for everything that would follow afterwards.

Orangeblood Review: Getting orange blood from a stone

James Bentley

October 18, 2020

Orangeblood is an old-school RPG with pretty visuals and decent music. If this convinces you to have a gander at it, I’d probably look a bit further. On its surface, Orangeblood offers something interesting, but delving a little deeper shows some of the fundamental problems at its core.

In Orangeblood, you play as Vanilla – a world-famous criminal who can earn her own freedom in return for investigating a crime city and the secrets underneath it. You are dropped into New Koza, a bustling futuristic city with flying cars and rowdy people, before being set on your way. The majority of your progression through Orangeblood is oddly telegraphed. You meet a new character after getting beat, and move to a defined place. You defeat a boss in that place, you go back. You never really feel that attached to the story and you simply let it take you along with it.

Usually, in games where the story takes something of a backseat, the characters are placed at the forefront. Orangeblood is not like this. Characters never manage to feel all that human, and dialogue often feels strange, complete with random lingo thrown in for an even more confusing appearance. At its best, it is unnoticeable. At its worst, it feels very “How do you do, fellow kids?”. Describing a town as “skanky” or a car as a “hoopy-ass lowrider”, is all very off-putting and fundamentally makes things feel a little insincere.

This insincerity starts to infect the other functions of Orangeblood. Its old-school RPG combat systems are fine but a little limited in scope. You and your team are placed on the right of the screen and enemies on the left. Your individual speed dictates the order of each attack and which characters fight first. This means your action must be planned based on who will fight first. It sets this up like some tactical battle of wits where gear and stats matter, but they never really feel like they do. Gear is randomised and very common, and characters have an auto-equip function that puts the best gear on them. If you regularly click that and loot around areas, you feel consistently overpowered. This is only furthered through more party members, skill types and gear. As you defeat enemies, your characters level up and earn money and keys useful for getting even better gear.

The entire nature of Orangeblood is rather cyclical. The areas feel similar, combat doesn’t change and the story moves at a very slow pace. Even the main facility that you work through for huge chunks of the game are split up with meaningless meanders, artificially inflating playtime. This only really works when you don’t notice it happening, and the second you do, that illusion breaks. It starts to feel very video-gamey, and not in a way that feels particularly fun. Levelling starts to lose its meaning and so does upgrading your gear. This illusion breaks down even further when one lucky gun drop can carry you through huge percentages of the entire game.

Luckily, Orangeblood is a pretty good-looking illusion. Its pixel art style is reminiscent of old-school Final Fantasy or Pokemon, and whilst most of its mechanics try the same, they don’t feel nearly as full or charming. The art looks much better outside in the crisp air of New Koza too, as some indoor areas have strange filters and weird cut-off points. You see, battles inside seem to have 30% of the screen cut off by darkness, ensuring it feels oddly claustrophobic – this could be intentional but doesn’t add enough to feel justified. The music itself feels like a nice mix of ‘90s hip hop and an orchestra. Sometimes, those synths and vinyl scratches are interjected with a piano or horns to a pretty good effect. This is let down by some very annoying audio effects played throughout all battles. A special chest enemy can be found at random to provide you gear, and killing them fills the air with an annoying air horn. Enemy and character guns feel awfully tinny and most activities are accompanied by distracting sounds.

Orangeblood on Xbox One is a game I wanted to adore. It looks stylish, feels nostalgic, and I’m in serious need of a great RPG to sink my teeth into. Unfortunately, its mediocre combat, slow-feeling story and cringe-inducing writing leaves me wishing I had spent my time on something with a little more substance.

FIFA 21 Review

James Birks

October 17, 2020

In these uncertain times, you can always rely on the two football behemoths of the gaming world, FIFA and PES, to go head-to-head each year. We’ve already seen what Konami’s eFootball PES 2021 Season Update has to offer – nothing overly fresh – but now it’s time for EA to play their hand. Will FIFA 21 on Xbox One merely be a carbon copy of the previous title, albeit with some team updates just like its rival, or can it deliver an improved experience and score a hit in the process?

It’s fair to say EA have stepped up to the plate with FIFA 21 boasting numerous gameplay improvements and a few much needed additions to certain modes. While there’s a lot to admire, it does suffer from an assortment of strange issues affecting various aspects, which really takes the shine off.

Let’s face facts, FIFA 21 isn’t going to reinvent the wheel here, it’s still a football game; a football game that creeps ever-closer to being more of a simulation experience than an arcade-y one. There is however a whole host of gameplay altering features, ensuring the freshest offering in years. In fact, the overall feeling is that there’s a more considered approach to proceedings now, as many elements are less assisted and likely to go wayward if rushed.

Passing is where you’ll notice the difference, with the success of a pass reaching its target reliant on a number of player attributes as well as the strength of your input. This is never more true than when crossing takes place, which sees the assisted setting offer less help. There’s also a great selection of cross types, enabling whipped efforts at multiple heights and floaty balls, depending what the situation calls for. Given that everything crossing-oriented was essentially pointless in FIFA 20, it’s great to see it being given an overhaul. To complement the new crossing techniques, headers have gone through a bit of a transformation and are completely manual to execute.

On top of that, initiating fancy overhead kicks is easier than ever, but just because you can perform the movement doesn’t mean it’ll go in without plenty of space and good aim. And for those who love to show off, the dribbling system puts extra options at your disposal to allow the most agile attacking players to send defenders in a spin. Shifting the ball from side to side has seldom been easier and could be the difference maker in trying to outwit the opposition. When you’re on the receiving end of such direct dribbles, it can really test your focus on timing that tackle for fear of overcommitting and conceding unnecessary fouls.

The changes have come into play in relation to off-the-ball antics too, such as new ways to influence your teammates’ movements. Player runs can not only be triggered by you, but also directed via a simple flick of the analog stick. As someone who uses the pass and move feature a lot, it’s great to be able to send the passer on a run trajectory that suits the next stage of your plan as well. But that’s not all, with the new ‘player lock’ meaning it’s possible to keep control of the passer, before calling to the AI to return the ball. While they may take a bit of getting used to, all of these new features, alongside the best aspects retained from the previous game, ensure FIFA 21 offers a never-before-seen level of control over the play.

So, EA have more or less cracked it on the gameplay front, especially in regards to the fresh ideas. There are some peculiar goings on though, the worst of which could do with being fixed pretty sharpish. Although not a regular occurrence, the ball occasionally magnetises towards a player it’s never meant to reach, seeing it abnormally change direction mid-flow. What’s more costly in the midst of a match however – yet not overly frequent – is when goalies do the stupidest and most inappropriate dive to stop a goal, failing as a result and looking like a buffoon that wouldn’t get in the Dog & Duck pub team. They also have a tentative outlook on picking up a ball close to them in order to diffuse an attack, which isn’t ideal. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the usually reliable Jan Oblak or often criticised Adrian between the sticks, both could succumb to these anomalies.

Moving onto more positive things, and there are various game modes that have received improvements, starting with the Career mode, which is full of depth these days thanks to the multi-faceted development and player growth systems. Players can be retrained in new positions, learn specific roles and have fluctuating attributes that are dependent on getting game-time and performance in training drills. There’s a real onus on making sure players aren’t left unused, otherwise they’ll begin to deteriorate and become rubbish – just like real-life really.

Sometimes, as a manager, you just want to send the lads out to play and take a more hands-off attitude by simulating matches. I have done that regularly over the years, but always get frustrated when my highly rated squad struggles against Fulham or Southampton. That’s why I adore the new ability to jump-in at any point of a simulated match and finish them off myself. Literally at any minute, in the middle of a counter, during a set piece or when on the back-foot, FIFA 21 gladly lets you smoothly enter the fray. As such, the managerial side of Career mode has arguably peaked.

For years, Pro Clubs has fallen by the wayside while EA conjured up ideas to help the 11vs11 mode evolve and get better. Finally then it appears that Clubs has received a fair amount of improvement with the re-introduction of custom tactics and the opportunity to customise the AI members of your team. Yet while the tactical additions are welcome, the customisation is quite limiting by only allowing name changes and visual alterations. Things like height, weight and anything attribute affecting are off-limits, meaning you can’t tailor the squad to suit your play style.

On the contrary, the FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) inclusions see some of its most enjoyable game types playable in co-op. The likes of Squad Battles against the AI, Division Rivals versus humans, and Friendlies are available to play with a friend online. You can use either person’s team and both of you will earn ranking points as well as progress towards weekly and season-long objectives. Aside from that, there are community objectives to fulfill, with people contributing collectively towards a grander target.

Additionally, a shed load of customisation is available for your stadium, including seat colours, pyrotechnics, goal music and even pitchside areas to display trophies. There was already a ton of choice in terms of what to play and how to make your club stand out in FUT, but now the fantasy team building exercise is on another level. The only negatives surrounding Ultimate Team are in regards to unintuitive UI, which over-complicates the navigation to your squad, and the fact success can practically be bought. The latter is annoying for folks who work hard in-game to earn rewards, but alas EA garners lots of money through this method, so you either live with it or leave it.

Should offerings outlined above not be enough for you, there’s always Volta, the street football style mode that’s down with the kids and proper sick. Only it isn’t ‘sick’ in the slightest. Credit where it’s due though, Volta has had a revamp and the narrative on offer is much more streamlined. Titled ‘The Debut’, you’ll be tasked with travelling the globe, to places like Sao Paulo and Milan, hoping to win enough matches and reach a prestigious competition in Dubai. Lasting just a couple of hours, it’s a decent way to get to grips with the fast-paced matches, ranging from 3v3 to 5v5, where the first to five goals wins. The cutscenes are still cringeworthy sadly, but at least there’s less of them.

The longevity of Volta is definitely in growing your team outside of the story, completing Squad Battles akin to those in FUT, and allowing you to recruit superstars like Kaka. That’s fine, however the gameplay against the AI is incredibly dull and matches are done swiftly, either because of the AI difficulty being too high that they annihilate you or too low that they’re lifeless. Since its inception, Volta came across as one of those modes that’s geared up to be fun alongside a couple of mates. Now, you can squad-up with people you know, or randoms, and rise through the rankings in Divisions. On paper, it’s a great addition, but in reality, it all falls apart with matchmaking issues.

Volta isn’t the only mode affected though, as Pro Clubs and FUT Co-op has its moments too. During many hours on FIFA 21, I’ve failed almost every time to connect to anyone in Volta and on the rare occasion it finds someone, there’s an immediate connection problem. While Pro Clubs and FUT Co-op aren’t quite as bad, there are spells where you’ll have to put up with failed search after failed search. If it solely affected Volta, then the blame could be placed on a lack of player base, but there’s more to it than that and, hopefully, the developers are working on it.

Keeping on the subject of drawbacks, there is also currently a bug in Pro Clubs which ends up with you controlling someone else’s player and they get yours. Another persistent problem is actually an issue first noticed in FIFA 20; the atmospheric stadium noise cutting in and out at random intervals. Despite a fair few patches since launch, none of the outstanding issues have been fixed as of the time of writing.

Nevertheless, one thing EA have kept on top of so far is the updating of teams by ensuring the latest transfers are reflected in-game. Given the sheer amount of leagues in FIFA 21, with the popular English leagues, La Liga and Serie A featuring alongside the J-League, MLS and the K-League, it’s great to see up-to-date teams for fans around the world. The only criticism is that there still aren’t any women’s club teams included, which makes the yearly offering of International teams to use in pointless Kick-Off matches, for example, a mere token gesture.

At the end of the day though, FIFA 21 on Xbox One provides the freshest gameplay of recent times and really gives you more control on the pitch to play it your way. The FIFA series has already collated a good selection of game modes, but now the Career and FUT modes especially have benefited from improvements. Volta is still one of those things you’ll either love or hate though. There’s no doubt FIFA 21 is a great game, but a few issues, including matchmaking, curtail its ambitions of being a top, top football experience.

It’s testament to the newly implemented features that FIFA 21 is worthy of your cash and, if certain aspects are patched, then this will be the best FIFA instalment in years.

Looking Back to 2005 with Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Value for Money

Darren Edwards

October 17, 2020

There are few franchises that have reached the stratospheric heights of success as Grand Theft Auto, whether this is in terms of sales, critical reception or just in in the incredible reach across the world. Pretty much everyone is familiar with the series.

Of course, this rise to fame has not come without controversy, with many citing it as an example of how video games contribute to real life violence. As you might expect, I firmly believe that is a load of tosh.

What Grand Theft Auto is, in fact, is an open world, city-wide playground in which you find your way (violently) to the top of the criminal tree. Of course it’s aimed at an adult audience, but in terms of a franchise it’s an excellent, well-designed and groundbreaking series of games.

So imagine then us humble Xbox gamers being treated to a bundle that included three excellent titles in the series which were all given a polish, making them the definitive versions (at the time), looking and sounding better than on the PlayStation 2. Three for the price of one? Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy was a bargain.

I actually never owned the trilogy myself; I had purchased the double pack and then Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (famous for its Hot Coffee mod) afterwards. To confirm, the trilogy consists of this game as well as Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Grand Theft Auto III was set in the classic location for the series, Liberty City. This was the first full 3D, open world entry in the franchise and it marked a massive departure from previous entries. It was a huge leap forward, and really showed just what was possible for video games in the new millennium.

The second game in the trilogy, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, is my absolute favourite. It’s still the best Grand Theft Auto game. Ever. It’s set in the ‘80s, and you play as Tommy Vercetti who, whilst seeking revenge, starts his mission to take over the city’s criminal enterprises. The game oozes style, and the soundtrack is famous in itself for boasting an excellent collection of songs, as well as genuinely hilarious talk radio.

It’s down to features such as the radio stations, although they are a small part of the game, being given the same amount of love and attention as everything else, meaning they are more than a mere afterthought. The story is fantastic, and takes inspiration from classic films such as Scarface and Carlito’s Way, ending up as a ‘greatest hits’ of gangster films. There have long been rumours of an official remaster, and despite not ever being confirmed, it remains right at the top of my wish list. Please Rockstar, make it happen.

The final title included is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game had a huge open world to explore, being much bigger than the two games before it. Quickly it became a fan favourite, and also provided a greater focus on the personal aspects of your playable character – this time around CJ – such as his fitness. The impact on your character directly linked to lifestyle choices provided further realism to the game, and again felt like a jump forward for a franchise that always seems to innovate.

The GTA Trilogy is something of a collector’s item these days, despite not being worth anything hugely significant. Saying that, at the time it represented amazing value for money and, something which is rare for a trilogy, three incredibly strong games. If you want to pick up a copy for yourself, we’d hazard a guess and say Amazon is your best bet.

If we flash forward to the present day, Grand Theft Auto V is poised to be the first game ever to be released across three generations. That is an incredible achievement and shows just how huge the series now is. However, it’s worth hunting down and playing each of the games released in the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, as the quality of the Grand Theft Auto games is consistent, each offering something different. And honestly, if you haven’t played Grand Theft Auto: Vice City yet, what on earth have you been doing?

Rogue Company Review – Free to Spray and Pray!

Paul Renshaw

October 17, 2020

As I covered in my preview piece a little while ago, Rogue Company is a free-to-play title appearing on the Xbox One, in addition to the PS4, Switch and PC. Featuring competitive 4v4 multiplayer action, as well as cross platform play that is enabled as a default, the game seemed to have a lot of potential to be fun. Now that it is out of its preview status and available as a general release, it seems only fair to go back to it and review the heck out of it. So come with me to a realm of rogues, rounds and riveting firefights.

So, as I mentioned at the top, Rogue Company is, at its heart, a 4v4 shooting game. There are a plethora of options to choose from, with 13 different Rogues, nine different maps and three game modes; it’s possible to have a different experience every time. Of course, the one certainty when playing with other members of the gaming world is uncertainty, and it’s safe to say that no two games of Rogue Company ever work out the same way.

The 13 Rogues, to explain these guys first, are the characters that you can select to be. There are six basic types of Rogue: Defenders – Anvil and Trench – have abilities that are helpful when defending an objective, like a barricade or barbed wire to slow the other team down. Breachers are almost exactly the opposite to Defenders, and Dima and Gl1tch, the two characters in this class, are designed to push forward and take the fight to the enemy, pushing through enemy lines. Duelists are the main damage dealing class in Rogue Company, and Scorch’s fire abilities and Chaac’s stim pack giving him health can be vital in the middle of a hot firefight. Ronin and Lancer are the other two Duelists, and in particular, Lancer’s starting secondary weapon is very good indeed!

Intel Rogues use their abilities to feed info to the rest of the team, and Talon’s radar dart can ping multiple enemies, but only once a round, while Dallas’s ability can only reveal a single enemy player per use, but he can recharge his ability by downing enemy combatants. The Sniper class meanwhile has only a single member, Phantom, and she plays as a cross between a Breacher and an Intel class almost, doing damage and revealing enemies with her abilities. The Support class is made up of Saint and Dahlia, a brand new Rogue, and these are the only guys able to revive teammates at range. Saint can use his drone to revive any team mate, whereas Dahlia must select who she is going to revive by linking with an ally at the start of each round.

These are the Rogues, then, and playing as the same Rogue time and time again will allow you to unlock Mastery ranks for each one. These reward you with unique sprays or emotes for each character, and while the grind to get up the ranks is very real indeed, it’s nice to be rewarded for playing as your favourite Rogue. There are ten ranks to reach too, so it should help keep you playing for a while.

Further maps have also been added to the game since the early preview days, with a further two added to the rotation to take it up to a grand total of nine. These are Vice – a level that is seemingly set in a rave in Miami – and Lockdown, which is a high security prison set in the Venezuelan prison. These two new maps join High Castle, set in, wait for it, a castle, Skyfell, which throws us towards Dubai, Favelas, which as the name suggests is set in a Brazilian slum town, and Windward, set in a tourist trap featuring an old church. Further to that, we have Canals from Panama, Icarus – which is a really pretty map in the countryside – and finally Factory, which is set in an industrial zone. Whichever you play, the arenas deliver a good mix of twisty corners, long sight lines and close-quarter battles, which help make every game feel tense as you try to stay alive and complete the objective.

Dropping in to each map sees the game start the same way: skydiving in from an orbiting aircraft, before everything degenerates into a massive scrap near the middle of the map. Learning the arena is definitely an advantage, as quite often there are flanking routes that can be used to get behind the enemies, and opening up on them from close range and from behind is always a valid tactic. There are a variety of team commands to utilise too, allowing you to give instructions to your team if they don’t have their headsets on. Seriously, and this is a bit of a pet hate – put your headset on if you’re playing a game of this type. The difference in Rogue Company, in particular between the team that communicates and the one that doesn’t, is often the difference between success and failure, as being able to dictate plays and strategic calls is a ton better than just dying in a heap and watching the rest of the squad go down like skittles.

Game modes have again been expanded on, specifically with the new Extraction mode. In Extraction, there is a point that has to be captured and defended, or recaptured. Equally you can eliminate the other team to win. Each character has a single life, so if you die you’re out for the rest of the round, and this means it can get pretty tense when you are the last one left, trying to keep an eye on the point and not get shot in the backside. Eyes in the back of the head would be a very useful perk here. The other modes – Strikeout and Demolition – are the same as they were in the preview, and remain as much fun as before. Demolition sees you trying to either plant a bomb on one of two points, or prevent the planting of said bomb, while Strikeout is an odd combination of Conquest from the Battlefield series of games, and a straight up Deathmatch. Capturing a point will start a counter, and if you can defend until the counter runs down, the enemy team loses a life. The first to run out of respawns loses, basically. It’s more complicated than that, but that’s the gist, and it is surprisingly tactical to play.

There may be only three modes to go at, but the majority of those that play Rogue Company seem to think that the only worthwhile way to find success is to play a glorified deathmatch. Oh, and it seems that reviving their comrades is for the weak. The number of times I’ve been downed while trying to capture a point, and crawled back to friendly lines only to be ignored, absolutely baffles me. Surely having another gun by your side would be an advantage; why let anyone die at your feet without trying to revive them?

Rogue Company is packed with action, but how does it play? Well, pretty well is the answer. The gunplay is good, aiming and shooting doesn’t always win against spraying and praying, but all in all the weaponry in hand all have different feels and work well. The visuals are pretty too, and even if you are watching another player on your team and they kneel down they slide about the stage, but that’s no real biggie to be honest. The guns sound good, the Rogues all have various quips to make, and it all just works. The third-person perspective is a nice one to have as well, with the ability to aim over either shoulder being a cool little touch, meaning you don’t have to hang your bottom out of cover in order to get a shot off.

All in all, for a free-to-play title, Rogue Company on Xbox One is worth every penny. As you’d expect, there are various options for buying cosmetic items, but as these have no effect on gameplay I’m okay with the opportunity if others want to spend real money to make their Rogue look a bit different. I haven’t felt the need, and as all the Rogues can be earned using in-game currency, it’s all good. Rogue Company is certainly better if you can get a good squad around you, as playing with randoms is a bit like banging your head against a brick wall, but a team that talks is a team that wins. In conclusion though Rogue Company most certainly stands up as a wicked game in its own right. For free, you may as well give it a try. What have you got to lose?

Re:Turn – One Way Trip Review

Gareth Brierley

October 17, 2020

You know there is going to be trouble when you find a group of teenagers heading off to camp. Whether it be in film, written work, or games, terrible trouble will always lay ahead; usually involving blood, ghosts, secret revelations and hidden crushes. But that is where Re:Turn – One Way Trip starts – a group of teenagers camping in the woods. And yep, very soon things start to go extremely wrong as the kids find themselves getting lost, with scary results. Are you ready to take a one way trip… to hell?!

Re:Turn – One Way Trip is, in essence, a 2D side-scrolling puzzle adventure horror game. It’s reminded me of games from the past, stuff that I would have played long ago on the PS1. I’m not saying that in a bad way though, because the more you play, the more Re:Turn sinks its horror claws into you.

The game’s story is a good one, playing out like an old-fashioned ghost story or something you might find while channel surfing late at night. The aforementioned teenagers have just graduated, and for fun start to tell each other some home truths about their relationships. But soon they are separated and, slap bang in the middle of the night, Saki (who you control) ends up on her own in an abandoned train wreck, consisting of a dining car, some cabins, and a viewing area. As she explores the area looking for her friends, mysterious earthquakes shake the ground, and she falls fainting into darkness.

When she wakes, she is on the train, but this time in the past. No one can see or hear her and you fast realise that she is a ghost. It’s up to Saki to solve the riddles of this ancient train, working between the past and the present to find her friends. You don’t get to choose what time period to go in; the game just puts you there as part of the linear narrative. The story is the main strength of Re:Turn and it tells a good yarn, something that will fully immerse you from the beginning to the end. The characters you meet along the way are well-developed, engaging with their backstories and relationships. You’ll want to listen to them. The ghostly sections are good as well with some quite unexpected shocks and twists popping up along the way. The time shifts are effective and compelling with some unusual integrations between the two eras, especially in regards to objects and puzzles being found and solved in the past that affect the present.

Gameplay-wise it’s very old-fashioned in regards to what you have to do. The main elements see it working along exploration lines, with a very basic point and click dynamic; you will get to an area where you might need to collect an item to use with a person or object to progress. There are no pointers or quest icons to help though, and instead you are left to pick up hints from the characters around you, as that teases what you might need to do next. This works well, and through my time with Re:Turn I was never left stumped. However, there is a lot of tracking back and forth, and that in itself can become annoying. Strangely, the development team make a decision to introduce a run button later on down the line, allowing you to deal with an added chase section two-thirds of the way in. Having that option earlier in play would have helped my patience from being on the verge of boiling over in the first half of the game.

Re:Turn – One Way Trip also deals with multiple puzzle elements – little mini-games and mind teasers. One example which stands out is the need to open a locked container by utilising a “ball maze” game as you direct a ball through a twisty path to the exit. In another section, you need to play notes on a piano in the correct order to unlock a clue inside, having to search the train carriage prior to this for the melody and hidden notes. There are many innovative and entertaining puzzles to solve through Re:Turn and it is something that will possibly ensure your brain is worked out to the max. Thankfully it is enjoyable throughout, delivered like a weird mix of a LucasArts game from the ’90s and an Artifex Mundi experience of more recent times.

Visually and it must be said that Re:Turn – One Way Trip harks back to the PS1 or even the Gameboy Color era, and whether you like that style or not will determine your enjoyment of the game. I was surprised to how enjoyable it was to look at though, and found the art style relaxing to play with. And that’s coming from someone who is not a huge fan of retro visuals. I especially like the way the characters are drawn in the comic book-esque still cutscenes that happen often. However, it’s hard to be truly scared through these visuals, and ghosts appearing in pixel form don’t really send the shivers down my spine.

The audio is good though and encourages you to play Re:Turn with headphones on. It has some nicely creepy effects, like footsteps or screams, and it is all well set up by some atmospheric music. That in itself goes beautifully with the tension and the action on the screen.

I wasn’t sure whether Re:Turn – One Way Trip on Xbox One was going to be for me, but as the tale progresses, it begins to get you hooked. The story is a good one, the twists and turns are surprising, and the change between the past and present is very effective in its concept. The gameplay is very old-school though, and the tracking back is irritating at times, while a chase section in the latter moments is not really needed. Overall though, taking into account the price and the 4 to 5-hour running time, it delivers a decent piece of old-style adventure gaming. If you take one thing from it though – just don’t go camping in the woods. Ever.

2 new cute pieces of DLC drop for Monster Hunter: World

Neil Watton

October 16, 2020

monster hunter world Cute Demoness Costume

It’s crazy to think that a game which originally released on Xbox One nearly three years ago could still be relevant enough to warrant constant downloadable content additions. But Monster Hunter: World is not just any old game – it’s one of the biggest, most rounded, highly loved affairs out there. And so when two new pieces of DLC arrive for the game, we’re not shocked.

Available to purchase and add into your Monster Hunter: World experience right this minute are a couple of brand new DLC drops; both of which are seriously cheap, and undoubtably cute.

Priced at a mere £0.79, the first of these two is the Pendant: Velkhana Snow Talisman. One of the cheapest additions that you are ever likely to see across the Monster Hunter: World universe this can be attached to your favourite weapon, letting you show off its beauty to your friends. Fashioned after Velkhana, if you’re looking for some new bling in your life, this is a cheap and easy way to get it.

Sitting alongside that Pendant is the slightly more expensive The Handler’s Cute Demoness Costume. Running with a huge £2.39 price tag – yeah, still cheap, eh! – this latest costume for Monster Hunter: World will allow the demonic side to flourish in-game, with a new bit of kit for the Handler. Accessible from your Housekeeper menu found in Your Room, as we head into the Halloween season, Monster Hunter: World has got you covered.

You’ll find each of this items available right now as individual purchases, however there is word that from the beginning of November each will be included in a set. Whether you wish to hold off, or jump straight in, is totally up to you. Just hit the links above and you’ll find yourself whisked away to the Xbox Store.

As always, you’ll need Monster Hunter: World in your library in order to use these pieces. If you haven’t yet played the base game, or got involved in the Iceborne expansion, let our reviews tempt you in.

9 Monkeys of Shaolin brings the martial arts epic to Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC

Dave Ozzy

October 16, 2020

Listening to the developers of 9 Monkeys of Shaolin talk about their inspirations, it’s clear that they live and breathe martial arts movies. Frustrated at a lack of games that captured the atmosphere of a Bruce Lee, Sonny Chiba or Jackie Chan flick, they decided to make their own. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin launches today on Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC via Steam.

These are the brains responsible for Redeemer, a brutal and bloody beat’em up that tickled our adrenal glands, so Sobaka Studios know how to crunch a fist into a face. Going by the trailer, they also know how to make violence look beautiful, as this cel-shaded romp is pretty darn stonking on the eyes. The animations are slick, and each hit seems to ripple seismically outwards, making you feel like a badass.

Intriguingly, this doesn’t seem like a raid on Chinese culture – this is a Chinese production that authentically presents the martial art weapons, fighting styles and period. You’re a fisherman in Medieval China, avenging the deaths of your family and friends at the hands of pirates. You train under the watchful eyes of the Shaolin monks, and use your learnings – including the titular 9 Monkeys style – to rain down revenge.

The game can be played entirely in co-op, and there are plenty of jaws, arms and joints to break across 25 varied levels. As you would hope for from a modern beat ‘em up, there’s an expansive progression track to finetune your character, so it won’t just be mindless mayhem.

“We’re extremely happy that this day has finally arrived! Gamers across the globe can dive into the legend of Shaolin monks starting now!” Said Dmitry Kachkov, Founder of Sobaka Studio. “It’s been a long and exciting three-year journey and we used all the experience we had earned to create a unique game full of adventures, challenges and that distinct warm atmosphere of good old-fashioned kung fu action movies.”

KEY FEATURES:

3 unique fighting styles: fight on earth, in the air or use mysterious magic seals. Combine these elements to defeat every enemy on your way.
Captivating narrative: discover the fascinating story of Wei Cheng and follow him as he rises from a simple fisherman to the master of Shaolin martial arts.
Stunning visual style: unlikely combination of historical and mystical elements gives you an exciting experience from every scene appears on screen.
Extensive character development system: you learn a great deal of ways to victory as you discover various unlockable perks, items and fighting styles.
More than 25 different levels: Chinese villages, pirate ship, Buddhist monasteries, Japanese mansions, ancient ruins and many more.
10 types of Chinese and Japanese polearms, each with its unique traits. Discover the landscapes to find new items!
Co-op play: invite your friend to help you fight through growing waves of enemies and complete the game together.

This one has all the signs of being a success, and we can’t wait to wrap our wrists and get bloody. Expect a review for this one very soon.

9 Monkeys of Shaolin is out now on Xbox One and will cost you £24.99. It’s also out on PS4, Switch and PC via Steam. It’s also out physically, should you want it proudly on your shelf.

Game Description:

MASTER YOUR ART, MASTER YOUR DESTINY. In this beat ’em up game you’ll play as the Chinese fisherman Wei Cheng who wants to avenge the death of his friends and family. Get your battle staff ready for a challenging adventure in Medieval China and for merciless fights with hordes of various enemies. Action-packed battles, user friendly controls and incredible atmosphere of great kung-fu movies of 70s – all this makes 9 Monkeys of Shaolin a perfect choice for every true fan of really hardcore brawlers.

Shadow Gangs Review

Dave Ozzy

October 16, 2020

It was hard to see the point in 2019’s near shot-for-shot remake of the Lion King. More than anything, it seemed like an exercise in nostalgia, or a ‘spot the difference’ with the original. Obviously the answer was ‘money’, but at no point did we find ourselves actually enjoying it on its own merits.

Shadow Gangs is the equivalent of 2019’s Lion King. It looks like Shinobi, sounds like Shinobi, and plays like Shinobi. It has the same opening-style crawl and character poses in the concepts. Levels play out in almost exactly the same pattern, and you’ll be able to anticipate enemies based on the original. Enemies are drafted in wholesale, and bosses reference their 1980’s selves too (although, inexplicably, the big-bad is modelled on Freddie Mercury, which makes it the second time this month that we’ve been defeated by Freddie Mercury on our Xbox One). It’s even got the same shooting range-like bonus game, just with a pistol rather than shurikens.

We had to dig out our Sega Megadrive Mini to check, and yep, the similarities are ‘noticeable’, if we’re being kind. Our next thought was ‘why?’. It would have been perfectly valid to produce a spiritual sequel to the Shinobi series, but instead we get a half-remake that never lets you enjoy the experience on its own merits. We kept getting dragged out of the game and any immersion it might have had, as we spent more time spotting the homages. We didn’t feel right using the ‘plagiarism’ word, but it got dangerously close.

Credit where it’s due, though, as when seen through the lens of a remake there’s a lot to appreciate here. It’s graphically on point, clearly evoking the 16-bit graphics of the era. The chunky, late 80’s action-movie vibe reminded of some old favourites like Two Crude Dudes, Final Fight and, yep, Shinobi. The music has the non-stop midi-rawk that you’d expect from a Streets of Rage. Shadow Gangs is some cracking cosplay of games of that period.

It plays pretty well too. There are no collision or timing issues – this is a straight-up side-scrolling brawler that gets the basics bang to rights. For those who haven’t played Shinobi, you have a single attack that is a shuriken at long distance, and a katana at close range. A few power-ups litter your path, allowing you to change – Altered Beast-style – into a bulkier costumed ninja, partner up with a drone or rain down landmines, among others. If you remember Shinobi, you can also jump up into the background elements of the game screen.

The story is best ignored (the crawl is a weird mistranslation – it’s a formulaic ‘save your family life’ plot), while the levels are a bizarre mish-mash of robot factories, ganglands, and lizardmen swamps. Nothing is coherent in the world that’s built here, but we suspect that few will care. It’s more a question of whether you will actually see these levels, however. Shadow Gangs is – in modern terms – ridiculously and obstinately difficult. On default difficulty, a single hit will kill you, and you’ll be sent packing to the start of the level. Lose all your lives and you will be sent back to the start of the world (each world has three levels). Even on easier difficulties, you will get three strikes before you’re sent to the start, and there are no health packs to replenish those strikes.

It might have been okay if the rest of the game felt fair, but Shadow Gangs will spawn enemies on top of you, drop them behind you, and generally ambush you constantly and at speed. Enemies will have bizarre rulesets that you won’t understand until you’ve died at least once to them: a prone sniper needs you to jump on his back; some enemies can’t be shurikened. You will die, and making progress means you will just die even more.

It’s a game that expects you to memorise its enemy placement and timings, then. There’s a wee joy in mastering a level in this way, making it all muscle-memory. We can probably draw the first few levels for you on the back of a napkin. It won’t be for everyone though: only you will know whether you have the patience to get there. If you have experience of playing games like Shinobi on launch, you’ll be prepared and battle-worn. If you’re used to modern design principles like lives, continues and saved progress, well, this might not be for you.

On a similar topic, it should be noted that the levels are reasonably substantial; longer than you might expect. It only makes the punishments for death even more stark: if you run out of health, you’ve got a long way to go to get back. For this reviewer, it pushed hard on the edges of my patience, and I’d likely have given up early on if it wasn’t for the review. Again, each to their own, and there are likely Shinobi fans out there who have been crying into their ninja masks, waiting for something like Shadow Gangs to come out.

As a love letter to Shinobi, Shadow Gangs on Xbox One gets a lot right. It’s more of a remake than a spiritual sequel, but it looks the part and plays sweetly too. But as niches go, the one that Shadow Gangs wants to fill is incredibly small: we suspect that modern beat ‘em up fans will find it too wilfully unfair, while old-school brawler fans will have to overlook the complete lack of innovation and the £19.99 price tag. That’s not a big demographic to aim a shuriken at, but if you’re in it, then Shadow Gangs might have what you’re after.

Take in a whole new adventure with the latest Race With Ryan Track Pack and Road Trip Deluxe Edition

Neil Watton

October 16, 2020

For the last couple of years or so the karting scene has flourished with multiple new options being delivered to the digital game stores. Sitting pretty underneath the really big names of Crash, Sonic and Nickelodeon though is that of Ryan, with Race With Ryan providing fans of Ryan’s World another option. Today that experience grows again with the arrival of a new track pack and Deluxe Edition.

Race With Ryan released at the back end of 2019 to provide a solid kart racer that was full of easy achievements and a decent range of vehicles. Now though that roster expands with the arrival of the Adventure Track Pack for £5.99.

Available as a separate purchase and allowing you to add a little more into your base game, the Race With Ryan: Adventure Track Pack drops in two new tracks and no less then seven additional characters. Promising hours of fun and the chance to head to New York and Redmond, if you have the base game of Race With Ryan in hand and are looking for a reason to hit the starting grid again, a purchase of the Adventure Track Pack should be considered.

If you haven’t previously played the game, then you have another option – the Race With Ryan Road Trip Deluxe Edition. This brings forth the original base game with the new Adventure Track Pack, but also adds in the previously available Surprise Track Pack. Costing £34.99 the Road Trip Deluxe Edition is probably the way to go if you’ve not yet found time to bear witness to Ryan’s kart racer.

Just head on over to your favoured digital store and take home the goodies. Our next port of call will be the Xbox Store. Will you join us?

DLC Description:

This is a Road Trip your little ones will never forget, without even having to leave the house they can race around 2 iconic USA tracks and see the sights of New York, New York and Redwood. Alongside the base game, Race With Ryan, this expansion pack unlocks more hours of fun with 1-4 players in the colourful world of YouTube sensation, Ryan!

TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 53 – Indie Spotlight: Foregone, but not forgotten

James Birks

October 16, 2020

While it may have been a relatively quieter week in the grand scheme of things, there’s still plenty of gaming focused discussion to be had. In TheXboxHub Official Podcast Episode 53 we shine a spotlight on indie action-platformer, Foregone, and share our opinions on what makes it stand out. There are also other recently released games on the agenda as well as news relating to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, including the latest user interfaces.

The team for this week’s episode is made up of Gareth, James and Richard, who delve straight into what they’ve been up to in general. Someone had the misfortune of watching the Bloodshot film, but the other two spoke of better viewing options like Twin Peaks The Return and Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor. Then the subject matter gets a tad more serious as we come to the realisation that we’re going to need a lot of money to enjoy even a handful of the upcoming games.

In regards to news, both of the latest UIs for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 got our attention, especially the latter as it incorporates a feature that used to be popular on the Xbox One. There are fresh thoughts on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Yakuza Like a Dragon now that the previews are out in the wild. We also managed to squeeze in a couple of other bits and bobs, including the new ability to record voice chats on PS5.

And finally, the big segment about the games we’ve played in the last seven days closes out the episode. All three members of the team were able to indulge in the 2D action-platformer, Foregone – thanks to the generous folks at Big Blue Bubble – and can therefore explain what makes it an impressive addition to the genre. Discover which aspects of the game are most enjoyable, what we think of the overall aesthetic and more.

That’s not the end though, as there’s just enough time remaining to mention our thoughts on Monster Truck Championship and Nexomon: Extinction!

As always, full show notes are available over at https://www.thexboxhub.com/podcast

If you’ve never heard of this podcast, then let us change that for you. What you need to know is that the TheXboxHub Official Podcast is a weekly podcast in which the team behind the written word get together to chat about all things Xbox, gaming, and life in general.

You can find this latest episode of our podcast on all the usual podcasting apps and options. That means it is available by searching for TheXboxHub on…

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5R1HikNQ6jcmiZvbFizmRt
iTunes – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1476044398
Google Podcasts
Podbean – https://thexboxhub.podbean.com/
Podcast Addict
Stitcher – https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/thexboxhub-official-podcast
… and many more.

Further links…

Main site with news and reviews – www.thexboxhub.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/thexboxhub
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/XboxHub
Instagram – https://instagram.com/thexboxhub
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/TXHVideo
Gareth Brierley on Twitter – https://twitter.com/gbbrierley
James Birks on Twitter – https://twitter.com/oKidUKo
Richard Dobson on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Dobo1912

Area 86 Review – The Sweet Escape

Jacob Stokes

October 16, 2020

If you’ve never done an escape room before, let me fill you in. You’re locked in a room with a few other people, and have a set amount of time to decipher various clues that are hidden in your surroundings. Take in all around you and you’ll eventually find the codeword, key, or combination needed to escape. It’s a pretty simple concept with the potential to be incredibly fun. And so it seems strange that we haven’t really seen it incorporated into video game form. Area 86 changes that, billing itself as a physics-based escape room puzzle game.

It has a few noticeable differences to your typical escape room though. There’s no time limit to contend with, nor is there one set solution for each room. Area 86 is also not big on having any form of story. In fact, the only piece of narrative we get is that the space station AI has gone rogue and we have to stop it. These are marked differences for sure, but ones that I found to be directly beneficial as they serve to make the game much more enjoyable.

Chiefly, that lack of story means that the focus is placed solely on the puzzles. A great thing in this case, because Area 86 has some brilliant ones. They’re fiendishly difficult and will require all the lateral thinking you can muster. Luckily, there’s a freedom afforded to you in that you aren’t bound to a set order of puzzles and each room can be tackled however you like.

Area 86 rewards out-of-the-box thinking in the same way a traditional escape room would. Almost everything is interactable, and you may discover some hidden secrets, or even a different solution by using things in unexpected ways. And because there is no time limit, there really is no downside to trying out new things.

The way Area 86 handles hints deserves special recognition too. They’re often placed subtly around you as random daubings on the walls and floors. What initially looks like complete nonsense can provide important information or even the solution for those who take the time to seek them out. It’s a creative approach, and one that I appreciated. It’s certainly much better than having the game just spell out the solution for you.

It’s disappointing that there are only six levels in the game, especially considering that Area 86 will cost you just over £8. But what is there is great and will keep you entertained for a fair few hours. The puzzles are challenging enough to keep you occupied for a long time by themselves, without factoring in all the other content packed into each level. There’s a literal checklist of extra challenges to tick off as well as collectibles and hidden secrets to find. There’s even a mini basketball court in level four if the puzzle gets too much and you need to shoot some hoops to clear your mind.

Aside from that, perhaps the only real criticism I can level at Area 86 concerns the controls. They aren’t very good, feeling floaty and sluggish at times. It becomes especially apparent whenever jumping or building is involved in a solution, because there is no real consistency with those mechanics. As a result, building towers out of boxes to reach high places and partaking in ‘don’t touch the floor’ challenges are unnecessarily difficult. In any puzzle game, you should be spending more time thinking about what you’re going to do than actually doing it, and that’s often not the case in Area 86.

Luckily, these deficiencies only show up in spots and don’t detract from the experience. Just as well, because, to put it plainly, Area 86 on Xbox One is a brilliant game. The fact that this is SimDevs’ first outing perhaps makes that conclusion even more remarkable. It’s a laid-back experience that gives players the freedom to think outside of the box, and indeed rewards them for it. Meanwhile, the extra challenges, collectibles, and hidden secrets ensure that each level is worth playing through again. At present, there are six levels, which isn’t a great deal for £8, but the developers have indicated that more are coming. For any puzzler fans reading this, take note: Area 86 is well worth your attention.

EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 602 Headset Review

Neil Watton

October 16, 2020

I wouldn’t class myself as an audiophile but I do like good looking, good fitting, good sounding headphones. In fact, back in the day, one of my very first wage packets was blown on a pair of Sennheiser’s finest, leading to a love affair with the brand that has lasted decades; since that time I’ve gone through multiple products – on-ear, in-ear, over-ear, wired and wireless. And the vast majority of those have come from the German geniuses at Sennheiser. So given the opportunity to check out a Sennheiser product that works brilliantly with Xbox One was always going to be something that would get my juices flowing, and after the demerging of Sennheiser and their gaming arm into what would become EPOS, comes the EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 602 headset. For a wired headset, it’s utterly glorious.

epos sennhesier gsp 602 headset review 1

The EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 602 headset is just one specific product from the EPOS | SENNHEISER 600 range, with the range opener – the 600 itself – coming with a stylish red and black design, whilst the 601 mixes and matches the black with white. In my eyes though it is the GSP 602 which stands out from the rest, going old-school to deliver a deep dark blue that is well complemented by some gorgeously cushioned tan cups. It’s this colourway that really shows the 600 range off to the best of its ability, building on the chunky, almost mechanical looking design, in a superb way.

Running at a price point of £199, the EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 602 headset is not cheap, but that is pretty much to be expected from a brand that has sewn themselves into the fabric of the audio scene. But thankfully, it looks, feels and sounds good enough to warrant that price tag.

It must be said though that the GSP 602 is fairly limited on the features front. In fact, this is a headset that has done away with any fancy gimmicks to just deliver a solid sounding, well-rounded, audio experience to the user – pretty much as you would expect from Sennheiser. There are no fiddly buttons to accidentally hit whilst you’re in the middle of an intense game of Apex Legends, and there are no dodgy end-of-cable nodules that need to be precisely placed when hooning it about in Forza Horizon 4. This is a simple headset, that not only provides the basics that you require of a gaming headset, but also allows you to take that gaming cross-platform and over to the mobile scene.

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In fact, this is probably the simplest gaming headset that I’ve used in a while, and once you’ve plugged the 3.5mm jack end into the headset – and this is a super-tight fit so it won’t be coming out again in a hurry – and the other end into your device of choice – Xbox One controller, laptop or mobile device for the most part here – you are left with Sennheiser’s finest sounds piling towards your ears. It’s brilliant sound too; not too deep in bass and full of just the right mids and highs. No matter what game I’ve been playing and no matter which style of music I’ve been listening to, this has delivered what is asked with not a hint of crackle, distortion or muffle.

Volume control is dictated by a twirl of an external dial on the right ear cup and, should you wish it to, the GSP 602 can get seriously loud. Perhaps too loud for my liking, but if you wish to go beyond what is probably suitable for your ears, this’ll let you do it and then some. Further to that, party and in-game chat is provided by the astonishingly robust, over-sized, flip-to-mute mic – and, seriously, this solid affair puts other manufacturers’ efforts into the dust. Again it all sounds great there as well with friends and colleagues more than happy with the communication aspect. It’s just all so easy to use too – this is a headset that really does define the whole plug-and-play ideology without the need for any real fanciness.

Although, I tell a very small lie, because the EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 602 headset does come with one rather clever, although entirely unnecessary, feature – and that centres around the fitting of the headband. Fully adjustable across both earcups, expanding and contracting to fit any size of head, much of the audio magic that the GSP 602 delivers is found via the tight fit it brings. And that fit can be dialled in nicely due to a couple of weird little sliders on the top of the headband. I’m not really sure how these work, and I’m pretty certain that I could do without them, but moving them left and right defines an additional tweak of fit, tightening over your head as you wear them. This, when combined with the already excellent sound quality and closed backs of the GSP 602, ensures that sound leakage is kept at an absolute minimum. Yes, turn things up to as far as the volume dial will go and a bit will creep out, but in return the power it sends into your ears will ensure you’ll not hear a single external sound. But keep it rolling at a reasonable volume, and for the most part those around you won’t have to put up with even the tiniest bit of leakage. Kudos to EPOS | SENNHEISER for creating a product that really does immerse you in the task at hand.

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Props have to be given for the comfort of this headset too. The headband – with its fancy sliders – is well-padded, and the leatherette and cloth cups create a seal that will mean you can wear these for hours at a time with absolutely no discomfort coming to the fore. Granted, that seal may not be for all – I’ve had others complain that the fit is too pressured – but I love the fact that wearing the GSP 602 will let me zone out from the real-world, powering along with either games, or music, in my own little bubble.

That whole wired route that the GSP 602 takes may not be for some either, but I’m too long in the tooth to let a single 3.5mm jack ruin my day. Yes, there isn’t quite the flexibility of a wireless headset for when you are gaming, but the braided cable is a good one, and the fit both into the headset itself and into the device of your choosing is on point. If you can’t be bothered with charging headsets, or just want the flexibility to take one product to all of your devices, the EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 602 headset is the one to consider. And that consideration becomes altogether higher if sound quality and fit are a prime component of your headset choosing life.

Whilst it may seem a high price to pay for a headset that on the face of it does without any clever gimmicks, the build quality, sound quality and fitting ensure that EPOS | SENNHEISER have brought a top-notch wired headset to market with the GSP 602. If you’re a fan of the brand and don’t fancy cutting the cable just yet, this is a gaming headset to seriously consider purchasing.

Massive thanks go out to EPOS | SENNHEISER for providing the GSP 602 headset for unboxing and review. If you wish to pick the headset up for yourself, hit them up direct.

Related: EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 602 Headset – Unboxing and First Look

Smart Moves Review – Choose Your Path Wisely

Darren Edwards

October 16, 2020

I must admit, I didn’t think much of Smart Moves when I first started playing it. In fact, I pretty much hated it, taking a while for things to “click” – before that everything was confusing and frustrating. However, once I wrapped my head around it I realised what we have here is a fun, if limited, little puzzle game.

Firstly, Smart Moves is simple, and it is that simplicity which is part of what makes it work. Each level, or puzzle, plays out on a themed grid made up of several squares. Each move you take needs to be thought out carefully – this is usually the case when enemies notice you and begin to approach, albeit one square at a time, matching your pace. You’ll notice when this happens as a little exclamation mark will appear above their head, very reminiscent of Solid Snake.

The aim of each puzzle is to open all the chests. You do this by simply moving up to them, and pressing the D-Pad, or moving the thumbstick in the correct direction to open them. In fact, you only need to control your character’s movement in the game, all the “actions” happen automatically. It’s worth noting the thumbstick does however feel overly sensitive and ensures you’ll pick up some deaths; I reverted to the D-Pad pretty sharpish.

This is also the case with attacking enemies. When they notice you, they will start to move in sequence with you, mirroring your speed. You’ll need to move into the square next to them and push in their direction to attack, however if you both go to occupy the same square, you’ll be instantly killed. Luckily you have no life limit, so you’ll just restart the puzzle. That is unless you have collected a scroll, which acts as a checkpoint, saving you some legwork. You can restart the level at any time by hitting “Y”, but you must hit “X” to restart from your checkpoint. I hit the wrong button way too much in the initial throes, as checkpoints only come along a little further into the game. An auto checkpoint system, with a restart option from the pause menu, would have worked better.

In terms of enemies, there are a few different types including snakes, spiders, gladiators and totems that you will encounter. Each has their own features, such as spiders taking two hits to kill; they’ll only be flipped onto their back after the first strike. This, however, is more important than it may seem.

As I mentioned earlier, enemies will move at your pace, so you might, no matter where you move, not be able to approach an enemy to strike without getting killed first. This is where you need to change the sequence without moving, and where the real puzzle element comes in. This can happen when you take an action such as opening a chest, or defeating an enemy. Others will still move, but you remain on the same square, therefore changing the sequence. Once this penny drops, Smart Moves all starts to make a lot more sense.

A great idea, that reveals itself a fair way into the game, is exploding fire bombs to open chests. Basically, when you attack these enemies you shoot them across the stage in order to open chests that you cannot reach yourself. It’s a great little idea, and lots of fun. It’s just a shame there aren’t a few more thrown in to mix the gameplay up further.

All in all, there are a decent amount of puzzles to solve, split into worlds with eight in each. Each world has a slightly different theme, such as forest and tower, but the game doesn’t really stick to them too closely. As you complete each puzzle you will unlock a key, and once you collect the required amount you can proceed to the next world.

What’s welcome is that there’s no expectation to complete every level to progress, so if you get stuck (and there are a few tricky ones in Smart Moves that will have you stumped) you can leave it and move on. A further nice touch is that each level has a brief description that also doubles as a hint, in an effort to steer the player in the right direction. The difficulty of the puzzles is a real mixed bag, and should offer some degree of challenge for most players.

Visually, Smart Moves looks… okay. It’s retro-inspired visuals are exactly what you’d expect from a low cost game and there’s nothing that really stands out here. It’s soundtrack is pretty chirpy though, and holds some variety that is fairly pleasant to listen to.

Overall, Smart Moves on Xbox One is a straight-forward, fun little game once you discover how it all works. At £4.19 it’s great value for money and there are most certainly worse ways to spend a few hours.

Enlisted announced as Xbox Series X|S launch line-up timed console exclusive

Neil Watton

October 15, 2020

Carefully recreated with weaponry, military vehicles and atmosphere of the era, Enlisted is a squad-based first person MMO shooter covering key battles from World War II. And today it has been confirmed as an Xbox Series X|S launch title, with timed console exclusivity.

Coming from those at Gaijin Entertainment and Darkflow Software studio, Enlisted will be part of the Xbox Series X|S launch line-up, initially rolling out as a Game Preview title. A timed console exclusive, the purchase of a Founders Pack will be required for you to get in on the action, with the Battle for Moscow kicking things off as the first campaign available, with the Normandy Invasion to follow further down the line.

Battles in Enlisted will take place both on the ground and in the air, while players assume the roles of an infantry squad, a tank crew commander or an aircraft pilot. Each squad consists of several soldiers that can be trained, equipped with new gear and weapons and taken into battle. With Enlisted though it’s entirely possible to freely switch between them, ensuring that when things go quiet in one part of the battlefield, you can stay in the most interesting point of the battle even when some of the soldiers in the squad have already fallen.

Enlisted will be split down into campaigns, each of them covering a specific key battle of World War II. Available factions, squads, weapons, gear, ground vehicles and aircraft depend on the gear that was really present in the specific theater of operations, leading to a unique experience provided by each campaign. At first, players will be able to fight in the “Battle for Moscow” that recreates the heavy clashes between German and Soviet troops in the outskirts of the Russian capital during the winter of 1941-1942. The next campaign to arrive in the Game Preview will be the “Normandy Invasion” covering D-Day landing and following battles. Further to that though and Darkflow and Gaijin are already working on additional options, with the Battle for Berlin and others in development.

Utilising a new version of Dagor engine – the one that War Thunder and brutal online shooter Cuisine Royale roll with – a Proprietary Ray Traced Global Illumination system will ensure that the in-game lighting is natural in appearance, reacts to game events like explosions and object destruction and will work better on the Xbox Series X|S thanks to ray tracing hardware support on the platform. The Xbox Series X version will run at 4K resolution, and Xbox Series S at 1440p, while in both cases, a stable 60 frames per second are achieved.

Xbox Series X|S Game Preview players will be among the first to try the Enlisted beta version that follows a couple of time-limited playtests and closed alpha testing.

Will you be getting involved with Enlisted upon launch of Xbox Series X|S? Let us know in the comments.

Indian folklore comes to life in Raji: An Ancient Epic on Xbox One, PS4 and PC

Dave Ozzy

October 15, 2020

Call us jaded game reviewers, but we get tired of the same game worlds, over and over. When you’ve seen an apocalyptic wasteland, you’ve seen them all. So, when a game brings you something genuinely new, telling stories that you’ve never encountered before – well, you tend to take notice and get a little excited. So it goes with Raji: An Ancient Epic, which brings the world of ancient Indian folklore to life. Raji: An Ancient Epic launches today on Xbox One, PS4 and PC via Steam. The Nintendo Switch has had the pleasure of Raji’s company for a month now.

This isn’t just an original-sounding game – it’s a beautiful one. Check the trailer if you don’t believe us. The sun-kissed, traditional Pahari art style is sensational, and reminds us – just a little – of Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris game in terms of perspective and gameplay. Undoubtedly it’s its own thing, however, as the creatures of Hindu and Balinese mythology jump from the page and swing a sword at you.

This is very much a platform and combat one-two, with a variety of weapons on hand, including the Trishul and Sharanga bows, both gifts of the gods. You’ll need them, as it seems you’ll be playing as a brother and sister caught in the midst of a battle between gods and demons. The gods favour you, and choose you as their champion, but that means locking horns with an army full of demons. Sometimes you just wish the gods would leave you alone.

Features of Raji: An Ancient Epic include:

Rich Storytelling: Experience a story of siblings. Brother and sister, Raji and Golu, separated by the attacking demonic hordes, now find themselves in the middle of a great war. Raji has taken it upon herself to find her brother and put an end to this reckless conflict.
Stunning Artwork: Inspired by ancient Indian mythology and medieval architecture, the game brings a refreshing new style to the genre. Every corner of the game’s environment is drawn in the Pahari art style and combines hand-painted textures, rendered in 3D.
Exciting and Challenging Combat: Choose from a variety of powerful weapons, including the traditional Trishul and Sharanga bow, all gifted to Raji by the Gods
Explore a Memorable Universe: For the very first time, experience a game set in ancient India and infused with Hindu and Balinese mythology.

Reviews have been encouraging on this one, praising the art and design, if not the length of the game, sitting merrily at 69 on Metacritic for the Switch release. But what do other publications know? If you want the real lowdown, expect a review of the Xbox One version of Raji: An Ancient Epic on TheXboxHub soon. After all, a short game is perfectly fine sometimes.

Raji: An Ancient Epic is out now on Xbox One and will cost you £20.99. It’s also out on PS4, Switch and PC via Steam.

Game Description:

In Raji: an Ancient Epic, developer Nodding Heads Games utilizes a traditional Pahari art style to bring the world of ancient Indian folklore to life. This beautifully crafted action-adventure thrusts players into a deadly war between gods and demons, with two siblings caught in the middle. The human race is in peril but just when hope seems lost, the gods choose Raji — a young girl — to be their champion. The gods may be on your side, but players must rely on their wits to traverse and survive this stunning, yet deadly, world!

Ubisoft detail and date Family Feud for Xbox One, PS4, Switch and Stadia

Neil Watton

October 15, 2020

Ubisoft have a long and storied history, with some of the biggest gaming franchises in the world coming our of their development offices: Far Cry, Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs. But even though they know how to deal with the serious triple A games that the community adore, every now and then they come up with some leftfield options. Family Feud on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia looks to be one of those.

Announced today for release on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia come November 12th 2020, Family Feud will bring one of America’s favourite game shows to the video gaming scene. Complete with more than 1500 official Family Feud surveys, and capable of hosting up to ten players across two teams, if you wish to try and get one up on your friends and family, this is likely to see you sorted.

Featuring a live show that will allow game streamers the chance to play with their viewers, and both online and local multiplayer options in the house, Family Feud will deliver a classic mode, a Party Battle mode, a Couch v Couch mode and plenty of character customisation to boot.

In fact, features will include:

Classic mode: Players can participate in Classic mode with up to five players against an AI for the authentic Family Feud experience.
Party Battle mode: This mode will pit group versus group to battle in local multiplayer.
Couch vs. Couch mode: Players can feud with players across the world in online multiplayer.
Live Show feature: In this dedicated mode for streamers, Twitch or YouTube Live streamers can broadcast their games and play with their viewers.
Character customisation: Players can create characters and unlock customisation items, experience points and special titles by playing more games.

We’ll be sure to remind you as and when that November 12th date rolls around. But in the meantime let us know in the comments whether or not you’ll be gathering up some family members in order to compete in a Family Feud.

Rocket Panda Games reveals Phantom Breaker: Omnia for Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC 2021 release

Neil Watton

October 15, 2020

Back in 2013 the 1v1 2D anime fighter Phantom Breaker: Extra originally released. In 2021 however we’ll see the long-lost fighter return with launch on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PC as Phantom Breaker: Omnia.

Running as a massive update to the original game, Phantom Breaker: Omnia will drop onto Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam in 2021, with Rocket Panda Games the ones behind it.

“We are thrilled to bring to the world the definitive version of the Phantom Breaker fighting game, ‘Phantom Breaker: Omnia,’ a game that was nearly lost to the annals of gaming history,” said M. Panda, Executive Panda and Co-Founder of Rocket Panda Games. “As fans of the franchise and video games at large, our mission was not only to port the game to modern consoles but enhance the experience beyond its original scope—a philosophy we plan to extend to every title that Rocket Panda Games releases in the future.”

Phantom Breaker: Omnia will be the first fighting game title in the franchise to release in the West, after initially seeing the launch of the 2D side-scrolling beat ’em up spin-off Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds which sold over 400,000 copies.

Omnia will tell of a mysterious man, known only as ‘Phantom’ who has appeared in Tokyo, manipulating vulnerable adolescents into fighting each other, bestowing upon them mystical weapons of great strength known as ‘Fu-mension Artifacts.’ In exchange, he promises to grant their wish if they survive. Unbeknownst to the combatants though, it is these fierce clashes between Fu-mension Artifacts that have caused distortions in space-time, which compromised the boundaries between parallel universes. The collapse of these parallel universes would ultimately break the seal, unleashing Phantom’s destructive powers.

Phantom Breaker: Omnia Features Include:

20 Character Roster! – Includes all the characters and guest characters from Phantom Breaker: Extra like Kurisu Makise from Steins;Gate and two brand new characters created specifically for Phantom Breaker: Omnia.
Choose from 3 different fighting styles: Quick, Hard, and Omnia! – The 3 different styles in the game can drastically change your characters’ speed, power, and mechanics.
Retuned and Rebalanced! – The ability to pull off amazing combos and special attacks has never been easier as Phantom Breaker: Omnia’s fighting system has been overhauled and rebalanced.
Dual Language Audio and more! – A Phantom Breaker series first, all the characters will have English voice acting. The game’s text will be also translated into English, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese.
Modern, Remixed Soundtrack! – The background music for each character has been redone and remixed with the option to play the original background music.
The Complete Experience! – Players can immerse themselves with the stories from both the original Phantom Breaker and Phantom Breaker: Extra.

With both local and online multiplayer alongside a solo experience, and a digital launch on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC in 2021, with a partnership with Limited Run Games also seeing the arrival of physical versions for PS4 and Nintendo Switch, the bases are pretty much covered for Phantom Breaker: Omnia. Give the trailer below a little watch and then come back here to tell us all about it. The comments are below.

This is the Zodiac Speaking is a Serial Killer ‘Howdunnit?’ on the Xbox One, PS4, PC and Switch

Dave Ozzy

October 15, 2020

There are few more notorious serial murderers than the Zodiac Killer. Active in North America in the late ‘60s to early ‘70s, the Zodiac was never identified, having killed 37 people (going by The Zodiac’s own tally), or five known deaths according to official records. You might recognise the signature symbol and cryptograms he would write and send to law enforcement, journalists or even leave at crime scenes. This brazenness has made the Zodiac Killer a darkly attractive figure for movies, with the Mindhunter TV series and Zodiac – the 2007 David Fincher movie – all being recent examples. So, we come to This is the Zodiac Speaking, which is looking to bring the Zodiac cases to gaming. It launches today on Microsoft Xbox One, PS4, PC and Switch.

If the Zodiac Killer was never found, the game is in a fascinating place: how do you make a murder mystery interesting when the killer can’t be caught? What can the game tell us that can’t be found in umpteen crime novels? And how do you stay on the right side of taste when you’re making a game that tells the story of survivors who, in some cases, are still alive today? Real-life crime games are incredibly uncommon, so this tentative toe in the water sounds riveting.

Developers Punch Punk are at least collaborating with the #1 crime channel in North America, Investigation Discovery, so the experience in telling this tale is definitely there. And from the trailer and materials we have been given, it looks like This is the Zodiac Speaking will be more of a howdunnit than whodunnit, showing how the Zodiac went about their terrible killing spree (and how the journalists who followed the story were affected by it).

The game itself is a first-person adventure with two different modes: a more hardcore mode that adds the Zodiac into the proceedings and requires a touch of stealth, and a story mode, which focuses on the experience without a chance of death. Expect searching for items, jotting in journals, and crime scene investigation – just without any quips and the removal of sunglasses.

Play This is the Zodiac Speaking and:

Discover the facts and evidence-based story of the America’s most famous never caught serial killer.
Experience the story from the perspective of a person who survived the attack of the serial killer, face your trauma and run investigation that will lead you to truth about Zodiac.
Unravel the details of the murders, visit crime of Zodiac’s murders, experience a real psychological sessions that will help you to manage your traumas.
Reveal the 3 alternative endings, all based upon your investigation decisions.
Enjoy the atmospheric, film music and original stylized visual style
Travel to the vintage 70’s and feel the atmosphere of the past in real California locations

But how does it play out? Well, our full review of This is the Zodiac Speaking on Xbox One should sort you out. Please note, the developers state that a major update/fix will come soon after launch.

This is the Zodiac Speaking launches today on Xbox One for £16.74. It also creeps onto Playstation 4, PC and Switch.

Game Description:

This is the Zodiac Speaking is a noir, fact-based single-player psychological thriller. Game offers two different gameplay modes. One blends storytelling with stealth and action gameplay elements while second (Detective mode) put emphasis on storytelling to let you fully immerse in Zodiac investigation. In-game visuals stylishly refer to vintage 70’s and unique atmosphere of California at the time. Game plot is based on the story of Zodiac, one of the most famous never-caught serial killers. Play as Robert Hartnell, a San Francisco journalist, who one day receives a phone call from the mysterious Zodiac, greeting him with the memorable ‘Hello, this is the Zodiac speaking’.

Cloudpunk (no, not Cyberpunk), launches on Xbox One, PS4, Switch

Dave Ozzy

October 15, 2020

Easily mistaken for that other cyberpunk adventure launching in the tail-end of 2020, Cloudpunk actually shares more of its DNA with a AAA title from 2019. This is a story that explores what it’s like to be a postwoman of the future, so the premise hews closer to Death Stranding – although, without the foetal lifesacks. Cloudpunk launches today on Xbox One, PS4 and Switch.

Cloudpunk has already seen the light of day on PC, where reviews have been rather great. 94% of players have liked the game on Steam, which bodes well, and we’re eager to get our hands on it for a future review of the Xbox One edition.

For anyone who’s read Neuromancer, watched Blade Runner or played Deus Ex, there will be a lot to recognise in ION LANDS’ world. This is a rain-drenched cyberpunk dystopia. For anyone who’s watched Postman Pat, there will be a lot to recognise in the plot: it’s your first day on the job at a courier service, and – Transporter-like – you’ll be required to make your delivery without checking what’s in the package.

What fascinates is that this isn’t a far-future take on Paperboy or Crazy Taxi; rather than turn this into an arcade game against the clock, it’s a story-based exploration game. This means that everything is a little bit more authored, and there’s plenty of opportunities for the plot to spin wildly out of control. No doubt we will be eyeing the AI, robot and cyborg punters with suspicion as we take their entirely illegal packages on the road.

My my, it all looks gorgeous too. Sure, it’s derivative of all the games and films we’ve already mentioned (minus Postman Pat), but it’s rarely looked this good, with the rain, neon and monolithic structures combining to create some truly screenshottable environments. Premature congratulations go to the artists working on this title: it looks gorgeous.

Features include:

Explore an immense vertical cyberpunk city with your hover car and on foot
Unravel mysteries in a world of corporate conspiracy, hackers and rogue AI through the eyes of Rania
Meet a diverse range of characters and immerse yourself in their everyday lives
Your decisions will have a lasting impact on the inhabitants of Nivalis
Discover hidden places and items unlocking additional stories

We’re planning to be first in line when this gets handed out for review. If you’re interested, Cloudpunk is out now on Xbox One and will set you back £15.99 (rising to £19.99 after the launch sale period has ended). It’s also out on PS4, Switch and PC via Steam.

Game Description:

A neon-noir story in a rain-drenched cyberpunk metropolis. It’s your first night on the job working for the Cloudpunk delivery service. Two rules: Don’t miss a delivery and don’t ask what’s in the package. Your name is Rania. This is your first night working for Cloudpunk, the semi-legal delivery company based in the sprawling city of Nivalis. You go everywhere, from the Marrow below to the spires that pierce the grey clouds high above before scraping the edge of the troposphere. No delivery job is too dangerous, and no one is faster than a Cloudpunk driver. In this story-based exploration game, you will meet a diverse range of characters including androids, AI and unscrupulous humans at every level of society. Everyone has a story, and in the course of one night in Nivalis, everything will change.

Games With Gold ushers in Halloween with two new free additions: Maid of Sker and Costume Quest

Dave Ozzy

October 15, 2020

Another two games are spooping up the Xbox One Games with Gold scheme, well in time for Halloween. The freshly released Maid of Sker and the Double Fine classic Costume Quest are now both available for free to anyone with Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass subscriptions.

They join the under-rated puzzler Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut, which is still available, running from the 1st – 31st October. Making way is retro adventure game Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, which seems like a decent trade. Get installing: these games won’t be there forever, and Halloween is the perfect time to give them a runaround.

What did we think of Maid of Sker? Our reviewer Gareth Brierley said that it was “a very good horror experience; one that manages to create an extremely creepy atmosphere and delivers a good story throughout. It borrows quite heavily from Resident Evil in the terms of its layout, puzzles, and maps, but that’s not a bad thing”, awarding it a 3.5/5. If you’re hankering for a Resident Evil-style survival horror game, then, it sounds like this is well worth shambling through.

As for Costume Quest, it’s an oldie but a goody. So old, in fact, that it precedes TheXboxHub by quite a few years, so there’s no review to call on. You can be reassured that it’s well worth a play, and hasn’t aged too badly. It’s a lightweight RPG from the peeps over at Double Fine, and it manages to make an endearing, family friendly adventure out of trick-or-treating gone wrong. Pretty much just like the sequel – Costume Quest 2 – does.

It all gets interesting next month, with the release of the Xbox Series X. All eyes are on Games with Gold to see what it will offer into the next console generation. As for October, try to enjoy your more housebound Halloween with some classic horror games on Games with Gold.

Full details of the free games delivered throughout October 2020 via the Xbox Games With Gold scheme:

Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut: Available October 1 to 31 (Xbox One)
Maid of Sker: Available October 16 to November 15 (Xbox One)
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy: Available October 1 to 15 (Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Costume Quest: Available October 16 to 31 (Xbox One, Xbox 360)

Looking Back to 1990 and The Secret of Monkey Island, When Point-and-Clicks Clicked

Dave Ozzy

October 15, 2020

“You fight like a dairy farmer.”

“How appropriate. You fight like a cow.”

Holy-moley, the insult-fighting in The Secret of Monkey Island deserves the praise it gets. Anyone who’s played it can probably recite an insult from memory. The Dairy Farmer line would be in danger of being worn out, but, like most of the lines in Monty Python’s Holy Grail, the purity of its genius will always be there.

What I didn’t know, and what makes writing these articles so joyous (because you do research and find out miraculous things), is that this line, and so many of the other insults in Secret of Monkey Island, was written by Orson Scott Card, the writer of Ender’s Game. Ron Gilbert asked him to consult, as there were just too many insults to write, and he duly obliged.

“I got this scar on my face during a mighty struggle!”

“I hope you’ve learned to stop picking your nose.”

For me, Secret of Monkey Island was like the opening of a dam. I’d been playing graphic adventures, point-and-clicks, adventure games – whatever you want to call them – for three years, and liked them. The King’s Quest series was my first, but I was a fresh-faced seven-year old, and it felt incredibly difficult. While it was graphical, the actions were typed in, and finding the right verb for the right actions was baffling. It was brutal too, killing you with every opportunity it had.

So I moved onto Maniac Mansion, which was the first to really use the visualised verb system, clicking ‘Look at’ and then choosing the object. I wasn’t old enough to get the kitsch references, and it still dabbled in obscurity, but it was a definite step up. Then it was Zak McKraken, which felt like a true adventure, and just a touch less obscure. But it was 1989, and the graphic adventure anvil hadn’t fallen on me yet.

“You have the manners of a beggar.”

“I wanted to make sure you’d feel comfortable with me.”

Having enjoyed Zak and Maniac Mansion, two LucasArts joints, I put Secret of Monkey Island on my Christmas list. It duly came, and it was just a hell of an artefact. I forget how many discs there were for my lowly Atari ST, but there were lots. Then there was the Dial-a-Pirate copy protection wheel, which was my first indication that I was getting something special. You just don’t get crazy crap like that in a game box nowadays, and you could argue that’s a very good thing.

But it’s when the game booted that everything changed. The game was undeniably beautiful, with a wonderful, twinkling map of Melee Island that a tiny Guybrush would skit around, and lovingly created areas that felt like they were discrete spaces, rather than just lazily copy-and-pasted to save a bit of budget. The characters all had their own jokes and wacky uniqueness, and Meathook, Stan the Used Boat Salesman, Guybrush and LeChuck would all stay with me.

It was the writing, more than anything, that made Secret of Monkey Island so special. It didn’t occur to me that games could be funny, let alone consistently funny, and with such peaks as the insult-slinging.

“You make me want to puke.”

“You make me think that someone already did.”

Actually, at the time, it wasn’t the insult slinging that got me racing into the playground to tell everyone – it was the root beer. Monkey Island gets you jumping through hoops to make a voodoo root. This root is what you need to actually do damage to Ghost Pirate LeChuck, who, being a ghost, can’t be killed without it. You gatecrash LeChuck’s wedding and misplace the root. You’re doomed. But then you fight, tumble out by a vending machine, and pull out a root beer. It works instead of the voodoo root, and LeChuck explodes. Of course the root beer works.

I loved that the game got you jumping through so many hoops to make something, removed it from you, and then tossed the root beer solution into your lap. It was so playful, and that was thrilling for someone who was writing rubbish, mopey fantasy fiction at the time.

“Have you stopped wearing diapers yet?”

“Why, did you want to borrow one?”

The Secret of Monkey Island was the game that made we want to make video games, in particular write for them. Monkey Island 2 only underlined the motivation. While the other Monkey Islands never hit the same highs, there were so many games that followed in its wake, learning from it, and combining to make me such a graphic adventure fan. Sam & Max, Grim Fandango, Lure of the Temptress, Discworld, Simon the Sorceror, Gobliiins – they all wouldn’t be here without the success of The Secret of Monkey Island. My favourite game of all time, Day of the Tentacle, basically just stood on the shoulders of Guybrush and chucked in some time-travelling toilets.

You can see The Secret of Monkey Island’s influence here and there, from the quips of Lair of the Clockwork God, to the bawdy seafaring of Sea of Thieves, to the enduring Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. I’d argue that we wouldn’t have a Jack Sparrow without Mr Threepwood, or a Barbosa without LeChuck. The irony is that Secret of Monkey Island was trying to capture the feel of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Strange how it all comes full circle.

“I once owned a dog that was smarter than you.”

“He must have taught you everything you know.”

Do you have fond memories of Secret of Monkey Island? Pop them in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you. If you haven’t played it, get over to the Xbox Store and grab The Secret of Monkey Island SE.

Planet Coaster: Console Edition gets confirmed Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5 launch date as pre-orders go live

Neil Watton

October 15, 2020

We’re massively hyped for the release of Planet Coaster: Console Edition on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, not just because it’ll finally give us the chance to see our theme park dreams coming true, but with Frontier Development’s past history, it’s pretty nailed on to be a stunning game. Today though, as pre-orders become available, the full launch dates for the cross-gen release are known, with Xbox One and PS4 drops complemented nicely by Day One launches on Xbox Series X|S and PS5.

Yep, come November 10th 2020 Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S players will be able to start creating the theme parks of their dreams, with just their imagination being the limit to what is created. That same day PS4 players will be able to get in on the action too, with PS5 players needing to wait until the console launches on November 12th in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea and November 19th for the UK, Europe and Rest of the world.

After knocking it out of the park with the likes of the stunning Jurassic World: Evolution, Frontier’s first ever next-gen title promises to bring all the fun and thrills of the critically acclaimed PC original to console, with full cross-gen options available. Built from the ground up, Planet Coaster: Console Edition features redesigned interfaces, a brand new radial menu and a completely new control system that should mean console players are more than sorted.

In fact, Frontier reckon that anyone can create the coaster park of their dreams by taking advantage of accessible and powerful tools, including detailed piece-by-piece construction and simple-to-use blueprints. And with the Frontier Workshop, we’ll be able to find an endless source of incredible content, enabling full personalisation of every aspect of the park. Further to that, we’ll be able to upload our own creations for people around the world to enjoy. This global community of content creators offers unlimited inspiration for those looking to take their parks to the next level or share their own latest creations to inspire others.

For your parks in Planet Coaster to really stand out though you’ll have to dedicate time to the minute details. Not only will you have free reign to decide what goes in the park, but precisely how it runs too, making meaningful choices in its day-to-day operations. From hiring staff to setting drinks prices, expanding borders to researching and purchasing attractions, players of all skill levels will get to preside over the coaster park of a lifetime.

There will be a variety of modes too – sandbox where money is not an issue, putting park building and money-making skills to the test, or by immersing yourself in the development of a thriving coaster park in the richly rewarding career mode.

It won’t just be the standard edition of Planet Coaster that rolls out either. Available as a digital exclusive, Planet Coaster: Deluxe Edition expands upon the rich assortment of rides and coasters available to not just bring the base game, but also opportunity to access both the Magnificent Rides Collection and the Classic Rides Collection. These will offer up a total of 18 new rides and coasters, inspired by some of the most iconic attractions from fairgrounds and theme parks from around the world.

You’ll find Planet Coaster: Console Edition retailing at a suggested retail price of £39.99/$49.99/€44.99 for the standard version, and £49.99/$59.99/€54.99 for the Deluxe Edition, however with the cross-gen launch in place – and standard upgrade support in place for those moving between generations – more players than ever can enjoy the thrill and excitement of running their own coaster park no matter what console they choose to play on.

That’s not all though. If you’re sold on what Frontier will be sending out way with Planet Coaster: Console Edition or Planet Coaster: Deluxe Edition then pre-ordering the game at participating retailers will see you receive Oswald’s Magnificent Machine. This remarkable, one-of-a-kind ride designed by Planet Coaster impresario Oswald B. Thompson, was his first coaster creation and embodies all the fun and excitement Oswald strives to achieve in his parks.

For now, get a watch of the latest trailer below. And let us know how you’ll be expressing your creative desires with Planet Coaster: Console Edition for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4 and PS5.

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