The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 3 Review

Picking up immediately after the events of Episode 2, the third episode of The Walking Dead: Michonne lays the tension on thick. After fighting off a band of thugs, Michonne’s group has found itself fighting of waves of enemies of both the human and the zombie variety. This is made worse when paired with Michonne’s twisted visions of her two kids, which haunt her at all hours of the day. The setup is solid – these plot points would be right at home at an episode of the television show or an arc of the comic book. Unfortunately, the delivery is all off.

For starters, the character development is virtually nonexistant. The game halfheartedly tries to give you a chance to know the characters during one 10 minute interactive segment where you wander around a house, but most of their quips are downright cliche. Hearing a little kid you’ve never met before say he’s scared doesn’t really tell you much about his background. The same goes for her original crew. When they appear midway through the episode, there is little to no emotion attached to it, simply because we don’t know exactly who these people are. For what it’s worth, they may as well be strangers.

A huge part of the episode also revolves around Michonne’s flashbacks. Players are forced to piece together what happened in her life long ago. Things start to make sense by the end of the episode, but these moments serve more as a chance to show Michonne’s fragile psyche than move the plot forward. They just come off as disjointed though – action sequences are brought to a halt so the game can dish out backstory.

The rest of the plot seems a little off too. Protagonists and antagonists are downright bipolar, changing their attitudes in a matter of minutes. Gameplay doesn’t fare much better – much like the previous episodes, there is little to explore here. Puzzles are nonexistant, and most of the game is on a QTE-filled race to the end. There is one chance to explore your surroundings, but even this is sanctioned off from the rest of the action, like it’s a sandbox away from the rest of the game. It seems somewhat pandering, and the tips that tell you what to do next in the top left corner do not help things one bit.

The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 3 doesn’t quite deliver the punch players are used to. Between the lack of control and uneven plot, this is one adventure that fails to live up to its source material.

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Just Dance 2016 Review

Rhythm games live and die by their track list and Just Dance 2016 completely shines in this regard. Tracks run the gamut from top 40 hits (Meghan Taylor’s “All About that Bass”) to Disney classics (The Little Mermaid’s “Under the Sea”) to even classic songs (“Hit the Road Jack”). Select dance remixes also exist, giving players the chance to try out wildly different routines. There is something for everybody in its 45-song tracklist, one which offers a good amount of replayability. The Mojo coins (synced up with the Uplay system) accumulated from each performance also give the game some legs, allowing players to unlock avatars and other goodies.

As one of the best features from last year’s iteration, Just Dance World makes its return to Just Dance 2016. Proving that dancing is more fun with others, Just Dance World shares others’ highlights (called “Autodances”), routines, and more. There are also weekly tournaments, Community Remixes crafted by Ubisoft, and “Just Dance TV”. Everything is connected to your ID, allowing you to network with a universe of dancers. This may not be anything new, but it gives players a reason to keep coming back…at least until the next iteration comes out.

It’s just a shame that the game does not change up other aspects of its formula. Features like difficulty settings for songs or dance tutorials that break down routines (a la Dance Central) are still noticeably absent. While not a deal breaker, its one-size-fits-all approach to songs makes new routines an exercise in trial-and-error rather than a chance to be taught by a mentor. Other features, like the Smartphone-enabled dancing, are also limited to the PS4, Xbox One and Wii U versions.

This also ties into Just Dance 2016’s dance routines. Much like previous entries, the moves here will most certainly test your abilities – Dance Dance Revolution this is not. These skills, when done correctly, will greatly benefit your dancing game. Spins, hand and leg motions and more translate into a serious workout, one that looks excellent once you pull it off. Its choreography makes sense, and the time-tested gameplay works swimmingly with the Kinect – any mistake rests squarely on your shoulders. The same goes for its karaoke capabilities – while not as robust as Rock Band’s offerings, it is still a welcome addition that works as it should.

Just Dance 2016 has got its dancing game down to a science. It may not revolutionize the world of dancing as we know it, but it is the best iteration of the series thus far. Here’s to another year of hits.

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Transformers: Devastation Review

Those familiar with Platinum’s vast library of action-based titles will be right at home in Transformers: Devastation. If anything, the game closely mirrors their Bayonetta series. Players mash their way through tons of robots, switching up light and heavy attacks while dodging and parrying their way to victory. The big twist comes with their dodge system – much like Bayonetta’s “Witch Time” mechanic, Transformers: Devastation rewards well-timed dodges with a few seconds of time slowed down. It’s an addicting risk-reward mechanic that encourages you to read your opponent and get up close and personal with your enemies. While a deeper combo system would be nice, the mechanics in place here are structurally sound.

And it’s a good thing those mechanics are solid – Transformers: Devastation packs a punch. Although it has an easy “Scout” mode, even the normal “Commander” mode will have you fighting multiple bosses at once, protecting enemies, and circumventing punches, kicks, lasers, and more. The game itself is pretty short (a playthrough clocks in at around four hours), but the true joy of the game comes from stylishly conquering your opponent in record time, all while taking no damage. Each battle is ranked from D-S, with better battles bringing netting players better gear. This grind for the perfect rank might be repetitive for those looking for a 60-hour epic, but this system of self-improvement harkens back to the joy of getting a high score at the arcade.

Transformers: Devastation manages to pack a few interesting little wrinkles to Platinum’s tried-and-true formula to make something unique. Five playable characters let players choose what type of playstyle they want to go after (ranged, speedy, powerful, etc.), which can all be leveled up in battle. Weapons can also be fused together and leveled up to make greater gear, each with their own unique properties. Finally TECH skills gained from a development minigame allow players to give buffs to their favorite characters. It’s nothing revolutionary, but these are welcome additions that add some replayability to those who’ve got a thing for leveling.

Of course, a Transformers game is nothing without the Transformers themselves. Based around the G1 animated series, Transformers: Devastation packs all of the cheesy dialog, transforming robots, and over-the-top action the series is known for. The plot often gets bogged down with terminology that will make your head spin, but it makes for an interesting romp nonetheless. It’s just a shame that the environments did not benefit from the level of detail as the characters themselves. Most of the game is spent traversing either a city with identical buildings or a spaceship with countless hallways.

Transformers: Devastation isn’t just a good Transformers game, it’s a good game period. More depth and environments would benefit the game tremendously, but as it stands right now, it’s one title for both Transformers and Platinum fans alike.

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The Legend of Korra Review

Based off of the Nickelodeon show of the same name, The Legend of Korra places you in the gentle yet firm hands of Korra. A master of air, water, earth, and fire bending, she has the power of these four elements at her fingertips, ready to fight against an ancient evil that has awoken.

So the story isn’t all that hot. Despite its years of source material, the plot of The Legend of Korra takes a backseat to its throngs of mooks, robots, and otherworldly creatures.

But surely it plays well, right? After all, The Legend of Korra was made by the same people behind the well-received hack-n-slash titles Bayonetta, MadWorld, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Combos do consist of their standard light and heavy strikes, with four elemental styles of bending spicing things up. However, it is counter-intuitive to switch between styles on the fly, as combos lose any sense of fluidity once a different element is in play. In addition, some of the elements are simply too overpowered. Once air bending is unlocked, players can simply mash the attack buttons to victory. This system is a valiant attempt at trying something new, but it comes across as broken and unbalanced in the end.

Unfortunately, this brokenness extends to other elements of the game. The Legend of Korra can be manipulated quite easily with the right combination of items and farming spots. The moment you equip a rechargeable energy comb or a 2X currency item is the moment you can mash away at an endless stream of enemies to unlock everything in an hour.

It’s not like you need many of these items though, as The Legend of Korra can be finished in three hours flat. Despite this, however, you will fight the same handful of enemies multiple times in your journey. One boss in particular, a mechanized robot, is fought three separate times in one 20 minute level. It reeks of laziness, poor programming, and a lack of the creative spirit its source material is known for.

Not all is doom and gloom in the world of The Legend of Korra, however. The over-the-top nature of PlatinumGames can be seen at times, with button-mashing quick-time-events and an intuitive counter system that rewards offensive play. They are much needed injections, but they also feel like they were added post-production.

The Legend of Korra game simply does not reach the pedigree of its protege. There are some redeeming features to be found, but the game still has a number of issues that keep it from greatness.

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Those wondering what SoulCalibur II HD Online has over I, III, IV, and V need not look farther than its cavalcade of menus. Arcade and Versus modes are a given, but there are also Team Battles, Survival modes, Galleries and Leaderboards. Many of these are self-explanatory to all fighting game aficionados, but the series-exclusive Weapons Master mode easily steals the show. Battles are still the name of the game, but custom weapons, conditions, and even dungeons spice things up. Fighting a cage-match battle against an invisible warrior forces you to reassess your tactics and improve your game.

It’s just a shame that none of this variety carries over to the games’ Online mode, especially since “online” has been slapped to the title. That’s not to say that the netcode in SoulCalibur II HD Online is bad — matches start in mere seconds and there is little to no lag. Rather, there are next to no options to play around with. Ranked and Player Matches are a given, but there is little else here. None of the team battles, custom weapons, or custom stages from Weapons Master mode are available online, making for a vanilla experience. This is especially odd when one considers how these options are readily available in the offline versus modes.

But enough about the options: does SoulCalibur II HD Online hold up in the gameplay department? It most certainly does. Utilizing a horizontal and vertical slashing system, most matches play around spatial awareness and what weapon your enemy is carrying. A tiny rapier can barely block against a massive ax, while a long pole can easily keep nunchucks at bay. It makes for some interesting matchups, with each character packing a distinct advantage and disadvantage over another. The balance isn’t completely perfect (just check online), but the system is fair enough to encourage variety and experimentation.

It’s safe to say that SoulCalibur II HD Online is the definitive version of the game. Not only does it include all of the previous modes of the previous console releases, it has also polished what is here to a smooth HD shine. While more content would be appreciated, what is here will keep any would-be warriors battling for another 10 years.

SoulCalibur II HD Online is a competent port of an excellent game.

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Rather than base the game around chips and chip-based accessories, the premise of Doritos Crash Course 2 is more akin to the stunt-filled antics of Wipeout, American Ninja Challenge, and MXC. Xbox Avatars run from one part of the stage to another, engaging in platforming antics and running like hell to reach the goal before their rivals. It’s a simple premise, but the fact that so many shows and games already cover this territory is both a boon and a bust. It’s a time-tested formula, sure, but its also a well-tread ground others have done much better.

One would say that Doritos Crash Course 2 should get a free pass due to it being free, but the devil lies in the details. The game proper is free, but those hoping to make the most of the game will be sorely disappointed in its free-to-play nature. Taking a page from countless cell phone and Facebook games, unlocking new stages is a tedious task that requires hours of repetition…or a wallet full of Microsoft Points. This also applies to the power-ups (or “Jinxes”) in the game, which give those with a fat wallet a distinct advantage over more frugal gamers. Perhaps the worst paygate comes in the form of “Rewinds,” which offer a temporary amount of do-overs that you always need to buy more of. In this sense, those with the biggest bank account win.

This could all be excused if the core gameplay in Doritos Crash Course 2 was solid, but its wonky physics and simple mechanics damper each race. For a game based on speed, trying to utilize floaty controls while dodging obstacles makes for a tiring practice. There was one stage element in particular that I kept dying at a good five times, only to realize that the best way around was through a pay gate — another bad sign. Despite only using half the buttons on the gamepad, the jumping, sliding, and running mechanics don’t work as they should, resulting in many accidental deaths.

Should Doritos Crash Course 2 get a free pass since it’s on the house? No matter the cost, a mediocre game is still a mediocre game. To make matters worse, the original Doritos Crash Course (which does not have F2P features) has since been removed from the XBLA marketplace. Much like Doritos themselves, Doritos Crash Course 2 will leave you empty, regretful, and ultimately unsatisfied.

Doritos Crash Course 2 is the junk food of games — cheap, easy to consume, and ultimately unsatisfying.

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The big thing that is touted about during development was the idea of an intertwined story between all of the different campaigns. However what this really means is that they can use similar assets for story beats throughout the way and make you fight the same bosses in chapters where they cross. The story itself, as in most Resident Evil games, is retconed and convoluted. They even go as far as just to call the main evil empire Neo-Umbrella pulling on past ideas and being unimaginative. All of that being said the cut scenes are done well and the voice acting is actually pretty good. The whole story just feels like it was put together with a few ideas from a lot of people and never really connects together all to well.

Similarly, the general mechanics of the game never really connect either. I guess the shooting mechanics are supposed to make the game more suspenseful, like the movement in Resident Evil 4 did, but it just comes across as dated and aggravating. The sway of the gun and the kick back from the game some times gets ridiculous for no reason. Even with the upgrades that are available shooting strait with a small pistol at enemies in front of you can become a chore. If Capcom wanted to make Resident Evil an action shooter, like they have tried to do with this title, they need to get the shooting part down pat or else it will just feel wrong.

Staying on the mechanics, the QTE(quick time events) are just ridiculous. First the button prompts are not very clear in some cases. This results in you not doing the QTE as effectively as you could and dying. The worst part about this type of miss-communication is that players will often die without learning anything. Dying over and over again in a section is maddening and resulted in me screaming at the TV “why would this be a part of a game!” Secondly there is just to many of them. Almost every enemy that gets close to you will have some sort of QTE to break their hold. In the harder difficulty levels this makes the game almost unplayable. Thirdly, QTE’s are just not put in suspenseful places. They are often put in during periods that you would least expect it. Again this makes it so the player will die without any warning. Dying for no reason left me exhausted and was not fun.

The last mechanic that can sometimes be frustrating is the melee system. There is no rhyme or reason sometimes for when a special melee will pop up. Even when you do get a kill melee pop up it won’t always hit all of the time. Especially with such a small stamina bar missing a kill melee can set you up for a very bad situation. Also the ammo is limited in survival horror fashion and the melee becomes very important which is not good for a system that is hard to figure out and hard to execute. The limitation of ammo is less of a suspense point and more a shining spotlight on a poor mechanic.

Ok, through all of these negative points, there are some positive things to highlight in the game. One thing you should probably notice pretty quickly is that the game looks fantastic. If this game does anything well, the graphics and the lighting are a couple of them. The frame rate and smoothness of events, cut scenes and gameplay is something that is not accomplished by all games. The cut scenes look very nice and convey the story, no matter how convoluted it is, effectively enough to make the player kind of understand what is going on. The lighting is also very good. If the mechanics were a little bit nicer, the graphics and the lighting could really make for an immersive experience in the suspense/horror game genre.

The sound was very immersive as well. When fighting a giant invisible snake with surround sound headphones I could really hear it slithering around and what direction it was coming from. The music and ambient noise where effective and would start to pull me into the Resident Evil world. They added to the suspense, it’s just to bad the gameplay and game design would pull me right back out as quickly as the sound and lighting pulled me in. Overall the things that were put in place to build the Resident Evil world like the graphics and the sound where, in my own opinion, really good. The gameplay is really what kept this game from really becoming something special.

The Resident Evil franchise is still looking for another break out game that will bring the feelings of Resident Evil 1,2 and 4 back. This game is unfortunately not that game. Stay clear unless you are a hardcore Resident Evil fan. If you don’t, you will probably have a bad time.

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Taking liberal cues from the shoot-‘em-ups (or shmups) of yore, Sine Mora hopes to add some new wrinkles to a time-tested formula. The concept still involves an intense jaunt through waves of enemies and multi-colored bullets, but keeping your biplane afloat involves a change in strategy. Unlike so many other titles in the genre that force you to take the defensive, destroying everything in sight is crucial for survival.

Many of the best shmups out there have a hook, and Sine Mora’s hook revolves around time. A constantly ticking countdown clock takes center stage, serving as both your lifeblood and a score counter. In lieu of a life bar, each consecutive hit to your ship takes time away from the counter, while each ship you destroy adds precious seconds to your total. It’s a clever mechanic, one that rewards gamers for jumping into the fray rather than avoiding it.

Of course, it would not be a shmup without a steep difficulty curve, and Sine Mora delivers in that regard. The normal difficulty setting is far more forgiving, but even this mode is home to insta-kills, multipart bosses, and a ranking system that chides you for not being good enough. Those hoping to see the staff roll can credit-feed their way through in about two hours through the game’s heavy-handed story mode (with anthropomorphic animals!), but the game shows its true colors in its post-game challenges.

Shmups are often breeding grounds for artificial challenges created by diehard fans (such as clearing a title without being hit), but Sine Mora decides to make an official checklist for gamers to conquer. Want to be number one? You’ll need to rise through the ranks and play the game in a whole new way. These challenges can vary from the dedicated (get an A on every level) to the absurd (beat the game with alternative narration), but all are welcome additions, and allow you to see the care that went into each stage. It is these challenges that give Sine Mora its legs, and keep you playing to mastery. Your mileage may vary, but those who are invested in the game will find no shortage of things to do.

Sine Mora might not be able to rack up as many hours as this holiday’s AAA blockbusters, but it doesn’t have to be. It delivers the spirit of yesteryear in a succinct package, staying only as long as it needs to. Arcades might be dead, but shooting things never gets old.

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Much like the recent Burnout Paradise (another Criterion title), Most Wanted gives all would-be racers an open world full of fast cars, ramps leading to nowhere, and advertisements you are encouraged to destroy. Set in the diverse city of Fairhaven, reaching the endgame is as simple as becoming the number one racer in town. But the greatest thrill in the game does not come from reaching the credits, but rather from dinking around in the world.

In the world of Most Wanted, everything revolves around Speed Points. Serving as the scoring system for your shenanigans, they mark your progress as you rise through the ranks and become the top racer. Completing races (conveniently marked in a GPS system by difficulty, distance, and reward amount) net valuable points, but so does everything else in this world gone wild. Blasting through a speed camera, making a killer jump, or simply driving on the wrong side of the road all add to your SP tally. As a result, it never feels like a rigid checklist of things to do, but rather a playground to have fun in.

As a longtime Need for Speed staple, police pursuits play a major role in Most Wanted. While supernatural weapons from previous entries like the EMP blast are (thankfully) MIA, Most Wanted still manages to up the goofiness ante with some of these endeavors. Of course, each chase nets you SP as well, so one could theoretically unlock most of the game by messing with the cops until the cows come home.

However, for all of its absurd elements, Most Wanted tends to play it safe when compared to other titles on the market. The speed Criterion is known for is definitely alive and well, but the destruction has been turned down a considerable amount. Taking down fellow rivals is much tougher than before, and crashes don’t have a satisfying crunch to them. While this could be due to the licensed cars available, seeing nothing but the windows and some scuffs on a post-crash vehicle just feels forced. The end result is something that feels a little safe, something akin to watching a censored version of a slasher film.

The sprawling freedom in Most Wanted’s open world also comes at a price. While it is nice to have a sprawling world at your fingertips, forcing players to hunt down individual cars feels limiting. For all the freedom the city of Fairhaven has to offer, having to unlock each car (and its respectable missions) one by one comes off as an artificial way to extend the game’s length. There’s drip-feeding, and then there’s starvation.

At the end of the day though, it’s all about the races, and in that regard, Most Wanted delivers. Driving dangerously is as fun as ever, and Fairhaven is a nice place to go about re-enacting our wildest, most illegal driving fantasies.

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Mark of the Ninja might have a cliché story, but its execution is anything but. Paired with the task of taking down a shady corporation, the brief cut scenes merely serve as window dressing for the stellar action and atmosphere. With an animation style reminiscent of the hit Cartoon Network show Samurai Jack, our unnamed hero would be right at home fighting alongside everybody’s favorite samurai. The only difference is that this ninja desires a little more bloodshed in his life.

Or not – the choice is yours. One of the joys of Mark of the Ninja comes in the variety of methods available to tackle your mission. Most levels can be summed up as sneaking from point A to point B, but finding a way to get there is a completely different story. There are bonuses for being a pacifist and not harming a single soul, as there are bonuses for slaughtering every last guard in sight. Each notable action adds to a visible point tally, giving the proceedings an arcade-style feel that gets its hooks into you early and demands absolute perfection.

This level of perfection, this way of the ninja, ties into every facet of the game. There are penalties for being caught or performing an imperfect kill, but a number of rewards for going above and beyond the call of duty stand out that much more. The usual garden variety collectibles can be found hidden away in each level, but an additional set of objectives in certain areas will net you a nice bonus. Not only will your score skyrocket for such diligence, the best upgrades in the game are only available to those who mastered their training. If you want the best toys, you’ll have to work for them. The less motivated will have to settle for an inventory full of smoke bombs.

But how easy is it to fill the shoes of a 2D ninja? It’s not as difficult as you think. Button cues help to ease any confusion in the heat of the moment, and a simple lock-on system helps your grapple hook find its target every time. For those looking to plan out their method of attack, a convenient freeze-time ability allows you scope out the area for the best way to terrorize your targets.

Mark of the Ninja has proven its stealth stripes, and has graduated with flying colors. Its approach might be a little bit different, but that does not make it any less worthy than its peers. Here’s hoping this unnamed hero will return.

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