Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Review

Shadow of the Erdtree takes place in the Land of Shadow, a world trapped in an eternal war that will never happen. When you arrive, you first notice hundreds of ghost gravestones, the resting place of those taken during the battle with Messmer’s Flame.

This DLC is brutal, and if you aren’t at least level 150, you might as well make your way back home. The first “world boss” you run into is the Wicker Man—a giant humanoid with the body of a burning hot brazier. I ran past and swung to test the waters, and it picked me up and dropped me into the inferno resting on top of its head. I respawned and promptly headed in another direction.

Despite the rough start, I quickly found myself falling in love with the game all over again. A whole new land of brutal enemies and hidden secrets awaited as I set out to explore every nook and cranny.

For those of you – like me – who grinded to level 200, you will walk through some of the game’s easier bosses, but there are still plenty of challenges to be had. I even found some new weapons worth trying, which I didn’t expect.

Shadow of the Erdtree’s exploration is just as good as Elden Ring’s. The map is layered on multiple levels, with twisting caverns and broken structures leading to different areas. Even as I am writing this, there are a couple of places that I am trying to figure out how to get to.

That’s what makes games like this special: it’s stumbling upon something you weren’t expecting and feeling like you discovered something new. Every new key or secret door opened provides another chance to get that hit of dopamine we all seek.

Enemy-wise, there are many new ones, but nothing seemed unfamiliar, if that makes sense. I spoke of the Wickermen, but average Joe enemies are still soldiers, dogs, annoying jumping enemies, and flying bug creatures.

My biggest complaint, gameplay-wise, is just how much HP some of these enemies have. I’m not expecting to kill things in a shot, but I came in with a max-level Blasphemous Blade; the normal enemies shouldn’t be taking three hits simply because it has over 5K HP.

If these dudes had that much HP, they would have won the war easily. Boss HP actually seemed to be in that sweet spot. I’d do big damage, but it still took a couple of minutes to bring them down – assuming they didn’t kill me first.

When it comes to new gear, I honestly didn’t replace much. The downside to being so powerful in Elden Ring is that you won’t see the need for change here. Respecing takes a Larval Tear, which isn’t always easy to come by, making it harder to experiment with new builds.

I did try out some of the new fist weapons and Ashes of War, both of which are really fun. Sadly, fun doesn’t win fights in Elden Ring, so I went back to my two-handed sword that sets enemies on fire and steals their HP.

I’m sure plenty of people will find insane builds with the kung fu fists, but it wasn’t meant to be for me. There are also “light” greatswords that swing quicker at the cost of damage.

It’s difficult to say much else without spoiling things, so I’ll just say this: There is a pilgrimage going on when you arrive, one that you take part in. This journey feels revitalizing, like you are bringing some light to this dark, dreary world.

Every step of the way, you are greeted by fellow pilgrims as they journey to follow in Miquella’s footsteps. Sometimes, they aid you in battle; other times, they simply guide you to your next destination.

We were kindred spirits in this land, and that helped me get through to the end game. No spoilers, but buckle up buttercup: The end-game bosses are savage.

Now for the tech issues. I didn’t have any crashes and only ran into a couple of glitches. The bug was funny, because I got stuck in the air, spinning in circles until the game decided it was time for me to die.

The game is gorgeous, especially the Cerulean Coast, but man, is it frame-y. I don’t know numbers or anything, but you will notice it during your advantage.

Shadow of the Erdtree is the perfect swan song to Elden Ring. It gives you all the challenge, the loot, and the lore of the base game in a smaller chunk. Prepare to lose yourself to its siren call yet again.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Review

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is well worth a play for those looking for sheer charm and puzzling adventures in equal measure; just don’t expect too many new twists and turns as you bust ghosts in the moonlight.

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Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Review

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble sticks to its roots a little too closely, with its multiplayer mode coming off as more of a bonus than the main attraction.

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SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories Review

Anya Forger’s adventures in SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories are well worth the time of any secret agent.

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Still Wakes the Deep Review

Still Wakes the Deep is a truly immersive tale, but its linearity ultimately prevents it from reaching new heights.

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Nightmare Kart Review

Nightmare Kart is positively dreamy, channeling the best kart racers to create something truly divine. While the emphasis on combat might lead to some unnecessary chaos, its addictive blend of speed and offense makes it worthy of all Hunters.

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Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Review

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a classic example of the old mantra: get past the start, and you’ll love it. If you have Xbox Game Pass, you have no reason not to try this game.

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Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Review

Eiyuden Chonricle: Hundred Heroes kicks off with a young man named Nowa, who eagerly joins the local town watch. The Watch, always open to new recruits, welcomes him with open arms and assigns his first mission.

Nowa, along with a few other Watch members, embarks on an expedition to investigate some ruins, accompanied by Imperial officers from a neighboring region. Seign, the commanding officer of the imperial presence, and Nowa quickly form a strong bond.

They fight side by side, clearing the ruins and retrieving the Magic Lens Seign was seeking. As the mission concludes, they part ways, but their camaraderie remains strong. We then fast-forward six months.

Things have gotten tense with the empire and the region Nowa lives in. War is on the horizon, but for now, the Watch focuses on recruiting and defeating bandits. Eventually, you discover that these “bandits” are imperial agents, causing chaos and giving the empire a reason to invade.

At this point, Nowa is in charge of the Watch as an intern leader. When war strikes, you do your best to protect your city but are ultimately pushed back. You retreat to an old castle and start to rebuild and form an army to fight back.

Calling this castle a base is a huge stretch, but you have some walls and a few buildings to start with. It doesn’t take long for your allies to give you missions to get more allies, build up certain buildings, or get more materials.

Honestly, it’s a rough start since you don’t have any of the shops, the blacksmith, or even a way to switch skills at first. On top of that, you don’t just need materials for upgrades; you need the correct characters as well.

I love the system, but since certain characters are missable, you might miss out on some key upgrades for your base. Again, it’s not an issue for me, but it might turn some people off to the game.

Since Hundred Heroes is an old-school JPRG, the combat is turn-based. However, unlike most games in the genre, you have six characters in your party at once. The front line is three deep, and the back line is also three deep.

Certain characters can only hit at short distances, like right in front of them, while others can sit in the back and drop magic or arrows from afar. There are basic attacks, skills, and magic attacks, and each hero has a defense move.

Most of the defense moves are dodge or block, but some get power-ups or even a counterattack. You also have to factor in damage types and resistances of the enemies you face for the most damage.

Being a JRPG, grinding is a thing, and oh boy, can you get overpowered. In a game where you search every nook and cranny for allies, you inevitably get into a ton of trash fights.

Thankfully, 100 Heroes does have an auto-battle feature, and it works very well, almost too well. I’ve got about 50 hours in the game and can auto-battle nearly every encounter, even the bosses sometimes. I like it, it means easy money and extra gear for me.

Those who don’t want to take out the trash can let the enemies flee, but you still have to load into the fight, so I don’t see the point in doing it. I enjoy the grind, though, so these features were nice to me.

Bosses are a little different from the main enemies. You get some basic mini-bosses that are just tank and spank. Some of the bosses have a bonus feature during the fight.

For instance, when recruiting Mellore, you face a giant beast in the desert. Mellore uses her magic to spawn two huge hammers that can club the beast.

During combat, you can use the hammer, but the beast is hidden until you pick your hammer. So you have a 50/50 shot to do enormous damage or nothing at all.

Others include hiding to avoid lasers, crane games, stopping enemy regeneration, and many others. Ultimately, though, since I was so highly leveled, I only had any real challenge with the first few bosses.

There is one other combat mode you enter from time to time: tactical combat. Here, you don’t have direct control over the troops; you just have to decide which direction they go in.

Think of it more like Fire Emblem or even the recent Unicorn Overlord. You usually have to defend a certain spot to defeat the enemy’s command to clear it.

The more units you have recruited, the better your army will be, but it is only for skills and abilities. Tactical combat is more about positioning and using your skills correctly to win.

I come from the Total War series, so flanking and hammer and anvil tactics come naturally to me. You will be fine if you can avoid running face-first into the enemy.

Outside of all the exploring and recruiting, there are also side quests and mini-games to do. Side quests are generally related to recruiting characters or building up more of your base.

As for mini-games, there are quite a few. Fishing is the first on you get, which lets you cook up some fish and bring back supplies to town. Eventually, you can go on a cooking battle and help your chef become one of the best in the world.

The big mini-game is called Beigoma, and I didn’t spend much time with it. You and an opponent toss a spinning top into a ring and have to bash each other until one falls out or falls over. I’m sure it’s more complex than that, but I only did a handful of matches.

I ran into a few bugs and texture glitches. One was really bad, though. A certain area of land is near an ocean, and the land and water do not play well together.

If you move your camera angle a certain way, the screen becomes unusable, meaning you can see nothing but torn textures. Move the camera again, and you will see fine.

It sticks out like a sore thumb. I also read about an issue with a bug regarding a character you can recruit. If you miss the char, that’s it; you have to restart it to get them.

Not to be that guy, but when the crux of your game is recruiting characters, you best get that part right.

Eiyuden Chonricle: Hundred Heroes is exactly what Suikoden fans have been asking for. Fans of old-school JRPGs or games about recruiting characters shouldn’t hesitate to check it out.

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That being said, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is not going to have the widespread appeal of a typical RPG game. Modern day RPG’s often forgo the hardships of the arduous journey, instead constantly enticing players to focus on the destination, rush through to the objective, get the job done and move on to the next.

It took me a couple of days to break away from those expectations. Traveling from coast to coast in seconds, objective markers highlighting every single area of interest, side quests rarely delivering more than the promise of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The all too comfortable and instantly gratifying nature of the gaming product today. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is none of those things, and it’s all the better for it.

When I reviewed Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, an incredible game as that is, I was left with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was yet another in a long line of great RPG games that left me wanting, craving for the RPG experiences of yesteryear. If my favorite game of all time, remade to near perfect execution, was unable to satiate my RPG desires what hope did Dragon’s Dogma 2 have?

Watching the credits roll, I realized, it was not my love for RPG’s that has waned in recent years, it’s just that these new titles don’t embody everything I love about the genre. I don’t want to climb towers to reveal locations. I don’t want to simply follow a string of objectives to complete a side quest. I don’t want to know that I am always only a few seconds away from quickly teleporting to a safe haven where I can regroup and resupply. I want challenge, I want to experience failure, I want things to go wrong.

Everything in the game feels earned, fought for, prized. Yes, you can fast travel between specific locations, but it requires an expensive consumable to do so, or you can ride an Oxcart and either enjoy the sights or skip the journey – only for a rampaging minotaur to impale the driver and leave you walking anyway.

Strips of convenience have been torn away to finetune an experience that tells a story of the how, what, and why, and not so much the where . The Oxcart only runs at certain times and you can only fast travel to certain locations. Many of the side quests require actual thought and problem solving. Sometimes, you’re just going to get stuck.

It’s not a constant flood of positive reinforcement. You will fail, you will struggle, things don’t always go your way and that is why I love this game so much. It makes the world feel alive, with purpose, more so than simply existing to facilitate the needs and desires of the player character.

It’s on these long journey’s where the real storytelling takes place and not simply through cut-scenes and scripted events, but through the interaction with the world and those that walk its dangerous roads.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is best played with friends which is probably the strangest thing I’ve ever said about a single-player RPG.

I’d just finished wiping out a camp of bandits when, at the end, the leader of the bandits betrayed one of his crew who was then promptly arrested by the palace guard. Quest complete. Got my reward, time to move on – or so I thought. I then begun following clues from conversations. No quest, no promise of reward, just the excitement of a hidden story.

This one single event, in a game of hundreds, captivated me for hours. I broke someone out of prison, I travelled huge distances across two regions, I spoke to witnesses and acquaintances, and eventually I stood atop a misty mountain contemplating what in the hell just happened. What had I done?

These stories are present throughout. The main story arc is a slow burn but the ending is arguably the most satisfying I’ve ever experienced and much like my journey with the bandits, the best stories are those you discover for yourself.

a socially connected experience unlike any you will find in the genre.

The Pawn system is one that is as thematically fantastic as it is mechanically sound. Having stalwart allies to aid you on your quest has its clear benefits, utilizing similar classes and abilities to the Arisen in combat, but its their function outside of combat that takes the spotlight.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is best enjoyed with friends, which is probably the strangest thing I’ve ever said about a single-player RPG. The Pawns you encounter on the roads or recruit from the Rift have often spent countless hours travelling the roads with other players, experiencing events, completing quests, tracking down treasures.

They bring that experience into your party and when you know of the Arisen to which these Pawn’s serve, it’s even more gratifying. I completed a side quest, one of many in the game with various endings and choices, and one of my Pawn’s spoke to me.

She told me of an Arisen that did not aid a man in the way I did and the outcome, well, it was bad. Catastrophically bad. That particular Pawn belonged to another of our editor’s, Johnny. I lost count of the back and forth messages we sent discussing various events and activities our Pawn’s had experienced. Sharing our successes, our failures, and our surprise to hear of alternative outcomes. It’s an innovative system that is both a pillar of the games world narrative and a socially connected experience unlike any you will find in the genre.

Even as I write this review, listing all of the things I loved, many will make that same list about the things they hate. Frustration is a real problem in the game and for some the challenge of overcoming that frustration may very well be a burden too heavy to bear.

Every great story has a struggling hero whether that medium be books, movies, or video-games. In games, we often experience that struggle from a detached perspective, watching emotional cut-scenes or dialog as our chosen hero fights to reach their destination.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 tells that same story but you will suffer alongside your hero. You will feel every step on that long road to the next town, you will feel every bit of frustration when something doesn’t go your way. Thankfully though, even frustration is no match for mounting the face of an angry cyclops as you repeatably stab it in the eye.

The combat is such a vital component of the game and one that excels in every aspect. The vast majority of world challenges and events you encounter will be combat focused. Whether you’re getting ambushed by a group of goblins on the way to town or saving a single Pawn beset by wolves, most problems will be solved with an axe, or a sword, or daggers, maybe a magical staff? There’s a lot of choice

The Vocation system, basically character classes, is as versatile as it is creative. For as long as I can remember my go-to in games of this nature is the biggest guy with the biggest two-handed weapon possible. So I took on the mantle of the Warrior Vocation.

Every Vocation feels unique and rewarding enough to be a singular main class in any mainstream RPG game

Slicing through groups of enemies with a slow but broad swing of my massive sword. Cutting down goblins in but a single swing. If it wasn’t for writing this review, I probably would have settled for that the entire game, but boy that would have been a mistake.

Darting around the battlefield as a thief, countering blows and mounting beasts. Striking from afar with explosives arrows or magical bolts as the Magick Archer or Sorcerer. Every Vocation feels unique and rewarding enough to be a singular main class in any mainstream RPG game but to have each available and so free to explore? It’s incredible.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 feels like the first proper RPG I’ve played in years. Its world is captivating, filled with stories both told and waiting to be found. This is a must-play for RPG fans who’ve grown tired of the hand-holding nature of modern games and just want to get lost somewhere magical and quite frankly, brutal as hell.

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Despite a rocky beginning to the decade, developer Visual Concepts managed to completely revitalize the experience, making WWE 2K22 the most enjoyable wrestling game I’d played in years. New game modes, improvements to existing modes, the best in-ring action for a very long time, I was eager to see the improvements put in place in 2K24, and especially the new Showcase.

Where do I even begin with the game modes? WWE Showcase, MyFaction, MyRise, MyGM, Universe Mode, Online Mode, a creation suite that’s quite simply the best the genre has ever seen. It’s the epitome of throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks, except all of it sticks.

WWE Showcase

WWE Showcase, despite telling stories we’ve heard for decades, reliving moments we’ve all lived before, feels so fresh and engaging. It puts players into the heart of these iconic stories in a way only possible in a video-game. 2K’s Slingshot Tech is such an incredible storytelling tool, offering near seamless switches between gameplay and WWE’s impressive archival footage. I’ve seen Hogan’s Andre slam more times than I can count. I’ve watched the first ever Wrestlemania ladder match between HBK and Razor Ramon a dozen times, but the Slingshot Tech combines playing through those moments as a player and then instantly reliving them as a fan, with all the heart and emotion that comes with it.

The Showcase mode begins its journey at the 1987 Wrestlemania III encounter featuring the Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat, culminating in the epic clash at Wrestlemania 39, featuring a total of 22 matches. It may well be a path well travelled but the greatest stories never die and there has never been a better way to experience these stories than the showcase of the immortals. It’s also the only place in the game that let’s you play as Brock Lesnar, which immediately killed a lot of my interest in MyFaction.

MyFaction

In previous games, I haven’t dedicated much time to MyFaction mode, largely because I dislike card-based microtransaction-driven modes found in yearly sports game releases, thanks FIFA. However, I was determined to give it a proper shot this year.

I’d chosen my faction before I’d even installed the game. Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, Triple H, and Batista. I was intent on grinding through every challenge, every match, every grueling card pack opening, and then I learned both Goldberg and Brock are not featured in this years WWE game. Goldberg, assuming is some Legend Contract issue and Brock, well, I would guess it’s due to recent controversies but he’s playable in other modes? It’s confusing.

So, initial disappointment aside, I laced up my boots and got stuck in. You create a male and female version of your faction with two teams of four superstars. You assign a manager, choose your faction name, customize a few visual components, and the start the grind.

That’s very much what MyFaction is, it’s a pure combat grind of earning currencies to buy and unlock new cards whilst upgrading existing cards with new abilities (badges) and buffs (sideplates). You can jump into Faction Wars, a series of escalating conflicts against various AI controlled factions, complete Weekly Tower challenges, enter the Proving Grounds, complete Live Events, played both Ranked and Quick Play against other players, it’s never-ending grind and constant injection dopamine-infused rewards promise endless hours of entertainment and one that I very much look forward to exploring more post-release.

MyRise

MyRise is probably my favorite of all the game modes WWE 2K24 has to offer, but it’s not without its problems. Offering two distinct storylines, WWE Unleashed and WWE Undisputed, following the journey of an up-and-coming male or female WWE Superstar, it puts players into the heart of their own WWE story.

It’s a narrative driven adventure with WWE’s typically over-the-top storytelling and explosive twists and turns. Swapping brands, Forging factions, getting betrayed, scheming and plotting, dealing with Miz and his trademark douchebaggery, branching decisions that lead your wrestler down a different path, it really is the ultimate story mode. Most of the problem with MyRise occurs outside the ring with an unnecessary focus on a clunky social media UI that has you checking post after post between matches, and loading and entrance sequences that can sometimes be longer than the actual match. Its this frustration that makes it unlikely I’d struggle through multiple story attempts, exploring each of the diverging paths, but the initial playthrough is well worth the time.

MyGM

Last year, when I reviewed WWE 2K22, the MyGM mode stood out as the highlight for me, reminiscent of the a favorite game mode from the peak Smackdown Vs. Raw era. Excited to delve into the newest version, I embarked on the journey once more to elevate WCW as the premier brand on WWE TV. Although I would have preferred ECW, the absence of a women’s title was a killer. What’s a wrestling show without The Queen? Similar to last year’s experience, I relished in constructing and executing rivalries, nurturing tag teams, and sabotaging my competitors’ efforts. There have been some fantastic improvements but the rivalry system, the core of the entire thing, still feels a little behind.

Rivalries often feel constrained, failing to capture the grandeur of the WWE universe’s most iconic and long-lasting narratives. They have added the ability to contest singles titles in more than just one-on-one matches, and matches involving multiple wrestlers can elevate individual rivalries, but the rivalry system still remains too simplistic to really capture the flavor of WWE.

Additional Championships keep rivalries fresh and engaging, trading options between brands allows for important shakeups for tired or over utilized superstars, trading scouts can help track down the next big thing and, probably my favorite addition, the Superstar Journey feature. Superstars in MyGM mode can now progress and advance through an XP system, unlocking new benefits and perks such as increased ratings during certain match types.

One of my biggest complaints with last years MyGM mode was the lack of incentive to continue playing past the first year. With the addition of the new leveling system, upgrading the production levels, I was well into my 4th year and loving it.

I did struggle with some of the GM intervention methods. Almost every PVE event I had Eric Bischoff forcing three of my most popular champions to take the week off, and despite winning all the awards at the end of the season, all of the other GM’s and Triple H chastised my performance.

Overall, the improvements to MyGM mode add a lot of much needed depth and sets a really exciting foundation for future releases.

Universe Mode

The Universe mode features two styles of play. You can either control a single superstar or the entire brand, choosing who wins and who loses, scheduling title matches, resolving rivalries. For me, this mode scratched a very similar itch to MyGM but for those wanting to dive a little deeper, it’s a robust set of tools that really puts you in control of your very own WWE universe.

Want to take The Hart Foundation to new heights? Revive the Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection? Create entirely new stables and dominate the PPV’s. It’s a high-effort game mode, requiring a lot of micromanagement and navigating of menus, but this is the kind of game mode we dreamt of as kids.

Creation Suite

Whenever I’m discussing the greatest wrestling games of all time, I will always throw back to the wrestling games of yesteryear. No Mercy, Smackdown Vs. Raw, even Backyard Wrestling gets a mention, games were the gameplay was the core of the entire experience. I still feel those games provide a certain magic missing from today’s much grander visions but if there’s one area where the modern game completely dominates nostalgic competition, it’s 2K’s creation tools

Building a wrestler from their boots to their hair dye. Tweaking entrances to pull off that perfect persona. Customizing move sets to be both competitive and thematic. Messing around with arenas, match types, belts, it’s an incredible suite of tools that only gets better once the community gets involved and begins sharing creations. As soon as this goes live, I’m downloading Vince McMahon as a manager for MyGM and getting me a Brock to cause total carnage in the ring.

Gameplay

WWE 2K24 continues Visual Concepts efforts to create in-ring action as close to the real thing as possible. It’s a fast, fluid, and responsive combat system that works nearly flawlessly. The reversal system is fantastic, a far cry from that old stamina/tick based rubbish we suffered with for a while. A complete skill-based, timing reversal system that creates for a dynamic combat environment in every battle.

In one-on-one matches, it’s the best in-ring action of any wrestling game, ever. Once you start adding some chaos to the ring, be it additional wrestlers or one of the many toys WWE Superstars love to deploy, it does start to struggle.

The inability to switch targets during certain animations makes addressing threats and dealing with multiple targets a chore, and something that really falls flat when playing ladder matches and the likes. Interactions with the referee don’t feel very natural, and trying to figure out the controls for tag partners in the heat of the moment is a complete gamble.

It’s a fantastic core and one wrestling fans are sure to love but with so much of the game based around larger matches, a better targeting system is needed.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, WWE 2K24 is the single best wrestling game on the market today, and the best one in decades. Building on the already solid foundations of WWE 2K23, the in-ring action is smooth and rewarding, the flurry of game modes offers a little something for everyone, and the Wrestlemania Showcase retells some of WWE’s most iconic stories in new and exciting ways.

The post WWE 2K24 Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Well, apart from that one time when I was on camera as a VIP at the launch event for the PlayStation 4, I panicked and said Digimon. Idiot.

Anyway, my love for Final Fantasy VII is no secret. Cloud has been my avatar on Twitter for years. My window sill is adorned with Cloud sitting atop the Fenrir and Barret striking a fearsome pose.

I have custom art of Cloud, Nanaki, Tifa, and Barret on my wall. I have an unopened deck of Cloud’s Final Fantasy TCG sitting on my desk because my friends all play Magic and think I’m sad.

I’m a fan, a fan stuck in his ways, but if any game can sway me to the modern direction Final Fantasy is taking, it’s Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Well, somewhat at least.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Review

The story events that unfold in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth stands as a once in a lifetime event, a convergence of elements made possible only through the meticulous planning of a trilogy of games interwoven with a beloved source material.

It’s unlikely we’ll ever see an event like this again. The narrative events that take place, both new and old, bring together events from Final Fantasy VII Remake and the original Final Fantasy VII in ways that are simply not possible for any other modern video-game release.

Seldom does a developer get to release a game all but guaranteed to have a trilogy of titles in which to weave a complex and immersive story. Square Enix took full advantage of this opportunity and left it nearly impossible to wait several more years for its conclusion.

Despite much of the story being a path well-travelled, Rebirth provides so much more depth to the characters and the world.

Like Remake before it, the modernizing of Final Fantasy VII’s story continues in epic fashion. The characters feel authentic, the voice acting fantastic and, ignoring some of the anime-style cringe moments, it’s simply the best telling of the story so far and one that is sure to resonate with fans of the original game.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s Story Is A Once In A Lifetime Event

I wanted to scream from the rooftops. At every unexpected turn I urged for someone to share it with. Theories of what’s next swirling in my head at the breakfast table.

I’m not a fan of change and I really struggle when things come to a conclusion – it took me over a decade to finally finish Final Fantasy VII, despite reaching the end a dozen times.

I didn’t think it possible for me to walk away from a reimagining of the story with a positive outlook on what’s to come, but I cannot wait.

If you’re at all familiar with my Twitter feed, you’ve probably noticed my frequent appreciation for the golden era of turn-based RPGs. From the early Final Fantasy titles to gems like Shadow Hearts and Legends of Legaia, I’m always advocating for the inclusion of classic combat systems in modern video games.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is one of the greatest turn-based games of all time, and I’ll die on that hill. This sentiment holds particularly true for remakes of games that played a foundational role in shaping today’s turn-based systems.

That said, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth achieves a remarkable balance between turn-based and real-time combat, arguably approaching complete perfection in their synergy.

Never once did I avoid an enemy hoping to skip combat, never once was did I grow weary of repetitive hack-and-slash mechanics so often associated with real-time combat experiences.

From start to finish, I enjoyed every battle and the scaling difficulty options strike a perfect balance for all players.

Regardless of your skill level, your affinity for turn-based or real-time combat systems, fans of both approaches have all the tools they need to strike a balance between challenge and accessibility that is as welcoming to new players as it is challenging to experts of real-time combat systems – and I’m definitely not the latter.

As someone who would have told you, just weeks ago, that Final Fantasy turn-based will never be trumped by a real-time combat system, today I am happy to admit, I was wrong.

Experimenting with the different difficulty settings throughout much of the game is something I typically do in most games I review, but rarely do I spike up the difficulty at certain points on purpose.

Battling against the iconic summons from the franchise, taking one of the games many bosses down, pushing these fights to the peak of your personal ability level is as rewarding as it is challenging and I definitely recommend players experiment with these settings to truly appreciate the depth of the combat system.

On the battlefield, every single playable character is a main character in their own right. Each with an arsenal of different skills and abilities, each suited to different tasks, and each as vital as the next.

Getting to grips in the early hours of the game, I relied on singular characters, experimenting with different combinations of attacks to maximize damage. As the game unfolds and more characters joined the fray, I’d switch and learn more about my new allies.

Towards the latter stages, I was switching between abilities to capitalize on the synergy between multiple characters, stringing together attacks in seconds.

As someone who would have told you, just weeks ago, that Final Fantasy turn-based will never be trumped by a real-time combat system, today I am happy to admit that I was wrong.

If Final Fantasy VII Rebirth were to be judged solely on its combat and story, I’d argue that you’d be hard-pressed to find a more compelling narrative-driven RPG.

However, the game’s excellence in these aspects unfortunately isn’t mirrored across other areas of the game. While each of the regions within the game offer expansive, pseudo open-world environments teeming with quests, mini-games, and treasures, this is precisely where Rebirth falls short.

It recycles outdated and unimaginative open-world mechanics that were stale back in 2013, when the sixth Assassin’s Creed game had us climbing yet more towers.

Each region welcomes you with open arms, offering a warm embrace for fans of yesteryear. The visuals are stunning, and the accompanying soundtrack delivers a wave of nostalgia like no other.

The excitement of what you know is to come, the anticipation of what could be, every region filled with untapped potential – and that’s just 15 seconds after you’ve arrived.

However, before long, that warming embrace turns cold as the cursed repetition of the “open-world” experience sets in.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth marks the very best in class across practically every element of game design for the Final Fantasy franchise, but I still couldn’t help but feel I was bidding farewell to an old friend.

Although each area is unique, and a visual splendor to enjoy, the path of discovery and exploration is well worn, walked just moments before in the previous region you visited.

You explore the area looking for towers to climb, which in turn reveals nearby points of interest, you interact with near identical points of interest to the last region, and you repeat.

Lifesprings, locations where Mako energy has condensed into beautiful crystalized form, offer meaningful insight into the history and events of each region, providing a charming way to connect the player to the world they are trying to save, the first few times.

Receiving a call from Chadley, annoyingly stopping you in your tracks, as he informs you of a mutated species nearby that needs “taking care of,” is interesting the first few times. Digging around for treasure with a Chocobo is fun, maybe the first time.

You repeat these same objectives for each of the games regions but the thrill of adventure and exploration dwindles with each repeated objective.

Final Fantasy VII is the game that taught me the golden rule of RPG exploration: You always go the wrong way first.

That game is nearly 30 years old, and it still remains unrivalled in how much reward there was to the exploration.

In today’s industry you would be utterly insane to expect a AAA developer to hide something as important as a character voiced by Matt Mercer in a place players could actually miss, but it was that love of exploration, that philosophy of reward that I feel lacks most in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Everything feels easy, almost spoon fed through fear of players missing out.

I never once had to buy a weapon, I found every single upgrade for every character with minimal effort. Whilst exploring the Grasslands I discovered this huge factory, sitting atop a cliff overlooking the rocky beach below.

In Cosmo Canyon, I studied strange Cactuar rocks and structures. In the Nibel Region I was stumped by these bizarre doors embedded into a rockface. What happened at all of these locations? Nothing, well, until I had collected the appropriate quest from a conveniently placed job board.

The environments of these open-world style areas feels fabricated, each location designed to serve a single purpose, a purpose chosen to be executed at a specific time and in a specific manner.

The game all too often controls when and where you can explore, when and where you can sprint or walk. Rebirth was never sold or described as a true open-world game but even in its more linear design, and as beautiful as the game world is, it’s left to feel like nothing more than a backdrop to the story.

It’s important for me to quickly follow up on that last bit as Rebirth’s other side content is actually incredible, ignoring the repetitive and unrewarding nature of exploration.

The side quest design in Rebirth sets a standard for modern RPGs. Each side quest presents players with a chance to delve deeper into the game’s world and the characters it brings to life.

These quests aren’t just mundane fetch tasks meant to boost character levels; rather, they offer invaluable insights into the rich universe of Final Fantasy VII and provide the chance to forge stronger connections with Cloud’s closest companions.

It very quickly offsets the disappointing nature of the open-area design with opportunities to explore the motives and emotions of the characters that the original Final Fantasy VII game just didn’t have the chance to do. And that’s without talking about the mini-games; oh boy.

I don’t even know where to begin. I honestly intended to count the individual mini-games as I progressed through the story but I lost count at 10.

Some, mere feeling moments offering fun and excitement, but others stand at the forefront of the experience, deeply engrained into the main story and it side content.

Queen’s Blood, a turn-based card game that sees both players attempting to win battles across three lanes, would easily be the single best mini-game a Final Fantasy game has ever produced – if it wasn’t for Blitzball.

Queen’s Blood is one of the greatest mini-games in modern gaming history

I’m an avid fan of Tetra Master, I’ve dedicated countless hours to the mastering of Triple Triad. However, both pale in comparison to the depth of Queen’s Blood.

It resembles more closely the complexity of games like Magic: The Gathering or Yugioh. It offers near endless opportunities for deck construction, experimenting with different tactics, strategies, and cards.

Undoubtedly, it stands out as one of the highlights of the entire Rebirth experience for me, and the accompanying narrative offers a captivating story into the life of its creator.

Chocobo Racing is another mini-game that plays a pivotal role in the main story, and some of the side content to boot.

The Mario Kart style drift and race mechanics are immediately familiar and while a bit more challenge and depth would have been welcomed (we miss Chocobo breeding), it’s just another one of many things that is the best in class for the Final Fantasy franchise.

It would be negligent of me to discuss the mini-games of Rebirth and not mention the Gold Saucer. I won’t get into specific details, you need to experience this for yourself, but it took a fan-favorite location from the original game and turned that dial up to 11, reimagined and revitalized to offer one of the most exciting areas of the entire game.

I could talk about this game forever. No other game has taken me on an emotional journey of this magnitude, the good and the bad.

The soundtrack is one of the best this industry has ever produced. Each character and their relationships given infinitely more time to shine and develop than the original game. Everything about this game is fantastic, but I still can’t shake a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Final Fantasy VII is the game that taught me the golden rule of RPG exploration, you always go the wrong way first.

My time through Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was profound. In one moment I was relishing in the opportunity to learn more about a world and characters I have loved for nearly 30 years. In the next, I was mourning the passing of principles and ideas that represent the very foundation of my love for the RPG genre and the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth marks the very best in class across practically every element of game design for the Final Fantasy franchise, but I still couldn’t help but feel I was bidding farewell to an old friend.

The post Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Review – Saying Goodbye To An Old Friend appeared first on GamersHeroes.

So, does Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League stand out in a crowd of games struggling to survive, or is this, as some feared, the downfall of Rocksteady?

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Review

Kill The Justice League’s story follows the traditional superhero trope: There’s an impending world-ending event of biblical proportions that only Earth’s greatest heroes could hope to overcome. Well, that was if the entire Justice League hadn’t been turned into Brainiac’s mind slaves.

Instead of the usual spandex-wearing goody-two-shoes, players take the mantle of the Suicide Squad, a ragtag group of Arkham convicts set loose on Metropolis. This was pulled off by Amanda Waller, who, quite honestly, may just be the greatest villain in the entire DC Multiverse. She’s more terrifying than any of the Suicide Squad; I’d rather go toe-to-toe with Brainiac.

The story follows Harley Quinn, Deadshot, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang, the latter of which has quickly become one of my all-time favorite characters. They all set out to take down the Justice League and destroy the evil Brainiac before he enslaves what’s left of the human population.

It’s a rewarding narrative, one that toes a careful line between routing for the antihero and just flat-out destroying our childhood dreams before our very eyes. Its most impressive feat is the ability to create a bond between the player and members of the Suicide Squad that’s strong enough to endure some of the heinous events of the latter stages of the story, events that could sour the experience for some.

Unlike the humor, which is smashed out of the park in the first 30 minutes. The writing is fantastic, effortlessly blending a rather doomsday-like scenario with quick one-liners and banter between allies, all timed and delivered to near perfection. Some of the game’s funniest moments don’t even require words; the facial animations are some of the very best this industry has to offer. An entire joke can be delivered with the raising of an eyebrow or the rolling of the eyes. Supported by fantastic performances throughout, it left me feeling both fulfilled and empty. As a live-service title, the story was so much better than I was expecting. Despite this, it left me lovesick, wondering how much more we could have had in a more traditional single-player setting.

Running in at about 10-12 hours, the story felt short. It does flow through the games-as-a-service end-game style grind in fantastic fashion, arguably the most thematic we’ve seen in the genre to-date, but if that GaaS style end-game grind isn’t your thing, the experience may not feel deserving of the price tag.

Each of the four main characters – Deadshot, King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Harley Quinn – each boast their own arsenal of weapons, abilities, and traversal powers. I typically struggle with games that require diverting of attention between too many skill trees and loadouts. While Suicide Squad’s user-interface makes it a seamless and effortless process, I still found myself drawn to Deadshot – a character I played throughout much of the game.

Once the story is over, when the GaaS grind begins, these games live and die by the quality of the combat. Thankfully, Kill the Justice League’s combat system is one of the most exciting I’ve played in a long time. Hulking brutes, long distance snipers, armored melee units, fortified tanks…the game throws a bevy of different enemies at you, each requiring different tactics and solutions. The satisfaction of stringing together the perfect counters, launching to the next group of enemies with combined traversal abilities, and hitting special attack to clear an entire platform never grows old or feels stale.

After every cutscene and story segment, I was eager to get back to the skies of Metropolis and just kill stuff for the fun of it. Both fitting of the genre and the theme, I suppose. However, that enthusiasm did dwindle somewhat when it came to the boss battles. While none of them were bad – you battle against the majority of the Justice League at one point or another – none of them really stood out either. Not really a crime, but when you are battling against characters as iconic as those seen in the Justice League, I expected combat on far grander scales.

As with all the GaaS launches of recent years, much of the pre-launch discussion was sharing the woes and concerns of the genre. I get it, they are not for everyone. Grind and repetition are often seen as negative elements of the gaming experience, but there’s still a large audience that thrives on the challenge and lives to log in each and every day. Is this that game? I’m not sure, but it has a hell of a lot more chance than I thought it would have.

The live-service elements, while limited in variety, do boast an impressive array of character customization and loadout options. Every aspect of the characters can be enhanced and improved. Personal stats, weapon rarity, weapon traits and perks, special abilities, there’s a huge list of min-maxing opportunities that offers the perfect playground for fans dedicated enough to withstand the limited mission choices of the post-game scenario.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a great game for a certain type of player, having all the hallmarks of a fantastic single-player cinematic experience. It features a great story, excellent voice acting, beautiful environments, and captivating characters, but it all feels cut short to service this live-service model. I had a lot of fun playing through, and I’ll likely dive more into the end-game grind. Still, I still can’t help but ask: What if?

Posted Jul 10, 2024 by captaincamper
in Game Reviews

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Review

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is well worth a play for those looking for sheer charm and puzzling adventures in equal measure; just don’t expect too many new twists and turns as you bust ghosts in the moonlight.

Posted Jul 7, 2024 by captaincamper
in Game Reviews

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Review

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble sticks to its roots a little too closely, with its multiplayer mode coming off as more of a bonus than the main attraction.

Posted Jul 2, 2024 by captaincamper
in Game Reviews

SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories Review

Anya Forger’s adventures in SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories are well worth the time of any secret agent.

Posted Jun 24, 2024 by captaincamper
in Game Reviews

Still Wakes the Deep Review

Still Wakes the Deep is a truly immersive tale, but its linearity ultimately prevents it from reaching new heights.

The post Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Review: Running on GaaS? appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink Review

Granblue Fantasy: Relink follows an airship captain (your character) and their crew as they search for the Promised Land. There’s just one thing: The skies on the way to the island they are searching for aren’t safe. Your tutorial fight is with some Wyverns, and eventually a Bahamut summoned by your ally Lyria. For some reason, this summon briefly turns on the team, but Lyria eventually gets him back under control. With the ship in rough condition, Lyria slips and falls overboard, with your character trying to catch her. You both fall to the land below and somehow manage to survive. You find Lyria, save her from monsters, and reunite with your crew.

Your ship in shambles, players will then head to a local village to find some new transportation. A captain named Rolan agrees to take you all on his ship if you help him out. Naturally, the first island you go to is under attack by goblins, putting you to work. As it turns out, it is also being affected by strong, unnatural winds that make it hard for ships to leave. The goblins aren’t a big threat, but the Primal Beast rampaging concerns your character. You set out to calm the beast, and hopefully secure the island. The story is very quick, clocking in at about 15 hours for me. That being said, the story is a tiny portion of Relink.

During the game, you can take on quests at a quest board. Think of it like Monster Hunter World. You pick a quest, and you can set out with your party to do the objective. If you play online, you can have three other allies or do them offline with your NPC party. After you beat the game, these quests open up a lot more. You get the more difficult missions, bosses, and other modes you didn’t have during the main story. I might have beef with the boss fights in the main story, but online quests immediately put players in action. And with Quick Quest, you can join a team in seconds. The main story is a slow burn, but the post-game is quick and snappy.

Relink is a character-action RPG, and the combat is excellent. First, there are over a dozen characters, and they all play differently. As overwhelming as that sounds, it also helps ensure you find a character you like. Everyone has the same button layout with basic attacks and strong attacks, but some have stances or other mechanics that help power them up. Where things get tricky is your special skills. You can only bring four of them with you, meaning you need to be picky. Do you want more damage, an AoE spell, heals, buffs? Whatever you choose, choose wisely; you can’t change mid-fight, and only having three good moves really hurts your chances of being the highest scorer online.

The other way you power up your characters is by weapons and sigils. You can craft new weapons with various elements and upgrade them for more damage and effects. I play Yodarha, a fisherman who uses katanas as his weapon. I stacked my blades with crit chance and ripped enemies up with him. My Percival, on the other hand, hits like a truck, so I just stacked damage on him. Sigils are similar to accessories, buffing you in various ways. The most common sigils will give you more damage, more HP, and things like that. Other, more rare sigils might give you a skill buff, earn you more cash, or provide you with life steal. My point is that you can make the type of character you want if you are willing to put in the effort.

During your downtime, you can visit the towns and do side quests or trade with Siero, a traveling merchant who likes to trade in treasure and sigils. The side quests always involve killing or retrieving something, but the rewards are worth it. You can go to him for crafting parts and new characters. The prices can be a bit steep on certain materials, so be sure to save your coins. As for the characters, the game isn’t a Gacha, so you can pick who you want and spend a voucher to hire them. You can only test them after you get them, which is a bummer. You can recruit them all eventually, so you don’t need to worry about missing anyone.

Just be warned: Granblue Fantasy: Relink was in development for a long time, and it shows. The areas and zones are very small, but there is no map. It isn’t needed online because most of the fights are arenas, but the towns should have them present. The boss fights during the main story can also be annoying; players can have a boss on the ropes, only for them to suddenly stop losing HP. When this happens, you’ll have to sit there for a move or cutscene to go off. These story boss fights disrupt the rhythm of a game with such quick-paced combat. You have to wait to leave lobbies between online matches until everyone agrees, or the timer runs out. I hope they can at least fix the online issue.

While it takes a while to get going, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is well worth the wait. Fans of quick-paced co-op action RPGs shouldn’t hesitate to check it out.

Posted Jul 10, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Review

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is well worth a play for those looking for sheer charm and puzzling adventures in equal measure; just don’t expect too many new twists and turns as you bust ghosts in the moonlight.

Posted Jul 7, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Review

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble sticks to its roots a little too closely, with its multiplayer mode coming off as more of a bonus than the main attraction.

Posted Jul 2, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories Review

Anya Forger’s adventures in SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories are well worth the time of any secret agent.

Posted Jun 24, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Still Wakes the Deep Review

Still Wakes the Deep is a truly immersive tale, but its linearity ultimately prevents it from reaching new heights.

The post Granblue Fantasy: Relink Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Review

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown follows the story of Sargon, one of the seven Immortals that are the strongest fighters in the kingdom. Sargon and his allies stop the invading forces of Kushan to protect Persia and its ruler. For Sargon’s part in defeating the enemy general, he is awarded a Royal Sash, which are only the best of the best warriors. After the ceremony, you meet up with your friends and celebrate into the evening. At some point, there is a ruckus, and the prince is kidnapped, leaving you and the Immortals to try to rescue him.

Before you get a chance to save the prince, he is slain, and you are blamed for his death. You soon realize there is some sort of time distortion issues in this place as you face off with another version of yourself. Once you beat him, you are told you can still save the prince if you learn to master time. To do that, you’ll have to collect all the relics and powers that are scattered throughout the game world. In all, you’ll probably spend 15-20 hours getting through the game.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a 2D metroidvania, which means a lot of backtracking, a lot of death, and a lot of platforming. At first, this isn’t a problem because it’s simple jumps and dashes, but it gets tricky fast. One of the more annoying platforming obstacles is these platforms that switch depending on which way you are looking. For example, one platform might be out for you to jump on if you look right, but it goes back into the wall when you look left. It forces you to fight that instinct to correct yourself midair and instead rely on faith that you won’t fall off. It threw me for a loop quite a few times, but players looking for platforming challenges will find them here.

Combat in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is fast-paced and simple, bringing with it a solid counter and dodge system. Similar to the platforming section, you’ll have to fight smart to survive. With trash mobs, you can spam your combo attacks and get through, but bosses and mini-bosses will put you in the dirt if you try that strategy. Watching the enemy tells and correctly reacting makes the game much more manageable. Deflecting the enemies and landing a huge attack only to then dodge them and land another slash on their back feels great. You also get a bow and a chakram for ranged weapons, which help add to the variety. It also means they can add flying enemies, which are always annoying.

All this fighting and platforming exudes cool, but you need upgrades to avoid dying often and losing A LOT of progress. There is only one currency in the game and it is used for weapon and skill upgrades, new amulets, hints, and general buffs. Weapon upgrades make you hit harder but you can also get more arrows or get extra amulet slots. These upgrades come at a high price, making the economy very balanced. Amulets are stat boosts and other buffs, like revealing hidden treasures or adding extra temporary HP. Hints are also nice because you don’t have directions, just markers on where to go. I always had something to work towards to get myself slightly stronger or more durable.

Speaking of secrets, the game is flooded with them. Breakable walls, invisible chests, hidden areas – you’ll find them all. If you pre-ordered, you get a bird that helps you find the secrets; otherwise, you’ll have to smack every wall to test them. These areas are necessary for you to find the crafting materials needed to upgrade your gear to higher levels. Lore items and side quests can also be found hidden throughout the game world. These are typically basic fetch quests or smash-and-grabs that help give you more reasons to explore. Just note that some of the hidden areas and side quests have some of the most challenging platforming sections in the game.

There are a couple of things I don’t like about the game. The fast travel system is very inconvenient. You need to find a statue and then warp from there to another warp point statue. The problem is there aren’t very many in the game, and you can’t warp to them from the map. This means you are doing a lot of needless backtracking. I also think the check points could have been more generous. You lose a lot of time dying to one-hit death spikes and pits.

Tech-wise, I didn’t have any bugs or run into any crashes.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a beacon of hope for a franchise that’s been gone for far too long. Fans of the series will be happy with this series’ new direction.

Posted Jul 10, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Review

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is well worth a play for those looking for sheer charm and puzzling adventures in equal measure; just don’t expect too many new twists and turns as you bust ghosts in the moonlight.

Posted Jul 7, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Review

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble sticks to its roots a little too closely, with its multiplayer mode coming off as more of a bonus than the main attraction.

Posted Jul 2, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories Review

Anya Forger’s adventures in SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories are well worth the time of any secret agent.

Posted Jun 24, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Still Wakes the Deep Review

Still Wakes the Deep is a truly immersive tale, but its linearity ultimately prevents it from reaching new heights.

The post Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader Review

My knowledge of the Warhammer 40k universe is limited, but Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader taught me a lot.

Things kick off with you making your character, picking your class, and becoming a Rogue Trader. In the Warhammer Universe, Rogue Traders act as explorers, conquerors, and even merchants under the authority of the God Emperor. Put simply, you are a VERY big deal in the game. Still, you are meant to be taught the basics before being sent out into the universe. It ultimartely becomes a trial by fire, and you need to figure it out as you go.

The ship you start on is attacked, your Rogue Trader teacher is slain almost immediately, and you need to rally the troops and reclaim the ship. After you take back the ship, the crew looks to you for the next command. Your first job is to rebuild the ship, get a new navigator, and contact the nearby imperial settlement. Things quickly erode as the enemy of humanity (the Xenos) steals the system’s sun, and you are forced to flee to another sector of the universe. I’m not sure how long the main story is, but I have over 100 hours and still haven’t done all the side content I want to do.

As the Rogue Trader, you do get to lay claim to settlements and planets throughout the galaxy. However, doing so then has them falling under your protection. If they fall, you will then look weak to the other Rogue Trader houses – and weaklings do not last in the Warhammer 40K universe. Still, the benefits of having multiple settlements add up quickly. You get to make buildings, claim resources, get new weapons and armor, and sometimes even get permanent stat boosts. The best part is that you can do it all from the start menu, so you rarely need to go back to planets. You just hit the settlement manager, pick your project, then play as it completes – EZPZ.

One downside to landing on these colonized planets is that you are almost always ambushed when you land or meet the governor. The game mentions a couple of times how we expect to be attacked when we land for the first time. It wouldn’t be so bad, but you are always outnumbered, and the AI allies are pretty bad – even when it comes to shooting you. I get that the universe is chaotic and dangerous, but I have heavy flamethrowers, a Psyker who can call lightning down, and a dude in heavy armor with a huge sword. I have a feeling the dagger-wielding bandits might stand down after seeing us.

Since Rogue Trader is a tactical RPG, the combat is from the top-down perspective and is turn-based. If you’ve played that series, you can think of it like X-Com because the 95% to hit shots still miss. What starts off as a simple game of finding cover and taking potshots quickly evolves into a profoundly satisfying combat system that sometimes takes too long to finish. You level up so fast that you constantly get new abilities and tools to use for battle. It can get overwhelming, but if you focus on key traits and skills, you can wreck the dozens of enemies the game will sometimes throw your way.

Ship combat is another part of the game, but overall it isn’t that complicated. Once you learn how the cannons and torpedoes work, you can easily take on five or more ships yourself. The most difficult part of the whole process is figuring out where to park your ship each turn so you don’t get hit with missiles, and the bad guys don’t run away. Thankfully, your ship also levels up and can get new moves, such as a 180 flip, which makes the enemies behind you less annoying. Along with leveling, you get new parts, cannons, shields, and engines for your ship. If you can’t tell by now, there is a ton to upgrade and do in the game.

Naturally, as a Rogue Trader, you will also be doing some trading. The economy is unique in the game, and it grew on me very quickly. Instead of gold or credits, you get Profit Factor. Your Profit Factor is your total wealth as a Rogue Trader and only goes down if you pick choices that make it go down. So if you have 12 Profit Factor and the merchant has five items for 12 or under, you can buy everything and your Profit Factor will remain the same. Instead, you donate loot to certain factions, and they give you Rep. The higher your Rep, the more gear you gain access to. It was nice not needing to make choices on what items to buy because I could get them all.

Exploring the universe itself was similar to Mass Effect. You scan planets, see if there are any resources or outposts, and then land or head to the next system. The only downside to jumping from system to system is the fact that the Warp is unstable. The further you jump, the more you risk your ship being damaged or, even worse, Chaos Forces invading the ship. You can calm down the Warp with Navigator powers, but sometimes you just need to risk the jump.

One last thing I want to hit on is the class customization. The base classes are pretty easy: melee fighter, gun user, support officer, or a debuffing operative. While each class has its skill list, you can easily make an officer into a melee guy if you want. However, at level 16, you unlock the more advanced classes. My sniper character was pretty dangerous until I made him into an assassin, and he became downright lethal. My critical hits keep doing insane damage, and the chance to get them increases. If you like a particular play style, this game will let you buff it up as much as you want.

Now for the bad; this game is very buggy at the moment. Crashes, frame drops, no text during conversations, T-poses, items under the floor, and me under the floor – among other minor annoyances – plague the game. I could fight through most of it if not for the crashes and lockups. They have done a ton of work in the couple of weeks I’ve had it, but I still crash occasionally. I don’t know how bad it is on PC, but the PlayStation 5 version could have used a few more months to cook.

Even with the bugs, Warhammer 40K fans will enjoy Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader immensely. If you are a tactics RPG fan looking for your next fix, this is your game.

Posted Jul 10, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Review

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is well worth a play for those looking for sheer charm and puzzling adventures in equal measure; just don’t expect too many new twists and turns as you bust ghosts in the moonlight.

Posted Jul 7, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble Review

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble sticks to its roots a little too closely, with its multiplayer mode coming off as more of a bonus than the main attraction.

Posted Jul 2, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories Review

Anya Forger’s adventures in SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories are well worth the time of any secret agent.

Posted Jun 24, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
in Game Reviews

Still Wakes the Deep Review

Still Wakes the Deep is a truly immersive tale, but its linearity ultimately prevents it from reaching new heights.

The post Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Like a Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name Review

Like a Dragon Gaiden has you playing as Kiryu after he has “escaped” his former life. Hoping to protect his foster children, he joins up with a group called Daidoji and becomes one of their secret agents. Still, being this close to home can only end one way, as someone figures out who Kiryu is and forces him back into the Yakuza line of work. Maybe a name change to something other than Joryu and a disguise better than a pair of glasses would have helped him stay hidden.

Now that he is back in the Yakuza, he finds out the boss of the Omi Alliance was looking into Kiryu’s death anyway because he didn’t believe it. With that info, Kiryu is put back to work and tasked with finding a woman named Akame; a jack-of-all-traders fixer, as they put it. She gives you missions, helps you stay hidden, and is your way into the Coliseum, where you can prove your strength. If Kiryu does as he is asked, he will be reunited with his foster kids again. You’ll be done in around 10-15 hours if you rush the story.

Since this is a Kiryu Yakuza game, you will be doing real-time combat with thugs on the streets. One thing the series never gets wrong is how satisfying the impact of fighting is. You truly feel as powerful as Kiryu, and when you take out ten thugs in under a minute, you feel like you can take on the world. With the new easy mode, you can spam attack buttons and look like an expert, which is an excellent addition. The reality is, though, because the game is so short, they force fight after fight after fight on you. It’s fun, but getting a breather would also be nice.

While Like a Dragon Gaiden is the smallest Yakuza game, it still brings some new tools for you to use. Being a secret agent, Kiryu gets access to some new weapons and gear. You have the spider shot, a string that can bind enemies up or grab weapons from a distance—the hornet, and a drone that crashes into targets. The firefly is a cigarette you can use as an explosive, and finally, the serpent shoes that make your shoes into jet shoes for ramming over enemies. Each of these adds to your combat skills and combos, helping you find an opening for your heat attacks.

The main reason I play Yakuza games these days is for the big minigame, and sadly, Like a Dragon Gaiden is kind of a stinker on that front. You do have the Coliseum, which is fun, but like I said earlier, you get more than enough fights in the streets. You do get to build up a team that can fight alongside you as well for specific battles, but I felt I did most of the work in those. Pocket Circuit makes a return for the masochists who enjoy going through that time and time again. Akame gives you plenty of side quests, from beating thugs to delivering food. And, of course, you have the arcade, cabaret clubs, gambling, and other minor minigames. It is fine, but you can easily get all that and more in another Yakuza game.

Let’s talk about the economy real quick. By now, Kiryu has been a multi-millionaire multiple times over multiple games. Like a Dragon Gaiden is very similar; you get rich quickly. The difference is they learned to make the skills for upgrades cost more, so the cash has more value. You also need Akane points to get specific skills, meaning you must grind. They tied to two currencies to each other, so most of the time, completing a side quest will reward both. So now you can get a skill, complete a quest, get a new skill, and satisfy your dopamine need.

As for bugs and crashes, I had none. The dub is horrible, but I’m sure everyone knows that by now, so just play in Japanese with subs.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is the quickest Yakuza game ever, and in 2023, that is exactly what is needed. Fans of the series can pick it up and breeze through in a weekend.

Posted Jul 10, 2024 by johnny-hurricane
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