Bioshock: Infinite – Review

Having played both previous Bioshock games, it is fair to see my experience has been a mixed bag. However, Bioshock: Infinite has always been the one game of the three that has piqued my interest the most. This is due to the conversations surrounding it of people either adoring or hating it. As well as this, the massive stray in atmospheric tone was something that I was very keen to experience. So, here is what I thought of Bioshock: Infinite.

Story –

Bioshock: Infinite managed to do the impossible and not only matched the incredible story of the original game but also bettered it. Like the first game, Bioshock: Infinite creates characters that feel they have a genuine impact on the situations of the game. As well as this, it’s full of twists and turns around every single corner.

I didn’t think any video game twist could match that of the ‘would you kindly?’ moment of the first game. That said, Bioshock: Infinite’s ending, revealing that you are the father of Elizabeth, and also explaining the premise of never-ending worlds and scenarios, left me speechless. It left me with the feeling that only the best games leave me with, that being the feeling of emptiness. Upon finishing Infinite, I took a break from gaming, as I knew nothing could match what I’d experienced for a while. I needed time to take it all in. It was a phenomenal experience was capped off perfectly.

Characters –

Bioshock has always managed to create iconic characters. Yet, especially in the second game, characters are often left in the background. This leads to them playing little physical role throughout the story. This was far from the case in Infinite.

For once, your character is audibly present. You play as Booker DeWitt, voiced by the iconic Troy Baker. Booker is fleshed out as a person. His morals and reasoning are always being questioned throughout large portions of the game, only for it all to make sense in the end. Although generic in appearance, he is far from generic in his characteristics. Other characters that supplement the protagonist are also huge plays on the way the story pans out. Elizabeth is ever-present. She is constantly offering an opposing viewpoint to Booker’s morals and feelings. There are also side characters that physically have a presence but do not play a consistent role, such as the Lutece Twins or Songbird.

Lastly, there is the main villain. The main villain in Bioshock games is always the character on which the world and story build their foundations upon. Comstock for me regains the iconic status of villains like Atlas (Ryan). This is despite not being visually present for the majority of the game. This is due to the world Comstock has created constantly reminding you of his presence, even when he is not physically there.

Columbia –

The world of Columbia is a vast change in atmosphere and visual representation from that of Rapture. This was something I had been calling out for after the second game. I felt Bioshock 2 had hit a point where the game no longer felt as impactful due to the repeated world of Rapture Bioshock: Infinite addresses this perfectly by straying from what the series had become known for, whilst still including dark moments that remind us of Bioshock’s roots.

Infinite gives birth to a completely bold and new world. Columbia offers a new experience and message. Every single aspect of its scenery and messaging lands perfectly. For me it wasn’t just the best world of the Bioshock series, it was one of the most immersive video game worlds I have ever experienced.

Visuals –

Despite not being visually incredible, Bioshock: Infinite is still easily the best looking game in the series. This is due to the change in tone of the game, once again. The brightness and lighting allow for a more colourful and vivid world to look at. I suppose being a come from early 2013, it is impressive for its time, although there was definitely better-looking games at the time too.

Game-Play –

In many ways, Bioshock’s general game-play has never felt smoother. Gun-play is as precise as it has ever been in a Bioshock game. But, I felt that this could be somewhat of a complaint as Infinite feels more like a generic shooter than the first two games did.

In other areas of game-play such as navigation and customisation, navigation was handled poorly. The navigation arrow is no longer a permanent fixation. Instead, needs to be pressed every few seconds to display the correct path again. Infinite tries to be seen as a game that promotes arranging some sort of class set-up system, but really, I never customised any of my gear whatsoever. It felt as if it had zero bearings on how easy or difficult the game was. As a side note, I found the audio of the game to be odd on many occasions. This was particularly evident with voices being so much quieter than any other auditory aspect of the game.

Generally though Bioshock’s game-play is smoother than ever. Although there are many areas in which could be seen as a double-ended dagger, straying too far from what Bioshock was originally.

Music –

There are songs in Bioshock: Infinite that set the tone perfectly. One of the most memorable moments in the game is arriving at Shantytown and walking past two homeless, poverty-stricken children. The girl is singing Shake Sugaree, and for about five minutes I did nothing but stand there and listen to her sing.

As well as this, one of my favourite tracks used in a game of all time has to be Will the Circle be Unbroken. This song is used at the start of the game in some ways, and the minute I heard it, I knew this game was going to be something else. Every time it’s used, it invokes something inside me as the player. It is as if it adds meaning to anything around you.

Binding a Story Together Through an Ending –

An ending to a story-driven narrative is so vital. It is the foundation that can cap off or destroy an experience. There have been so many occasions for me in which I adored something, only for the narrative to be spoiled due to a disappointing ending. Bioshock: Infinite avoids this completely. It caps off with a heart-stopping and exciting ending, with twists at every corner. It was captivating, enthralling, and come the end, left me speechless. So much so that I booked a tattoo to commemorate my experience almost immediately after finishing the story.

Conclusion –

Bioshock: Infinite is the game I have been looking for. After getting sick of the repeated surrounding of Rapture, Infinite takes a bold step in a new direction. It tries something completely different whilst still retaining many elements of the original game. Bioshock: Infinite is a rollercoaster, and a story-telling masterpiece, and truly one of the best and most exciting games I have ever had the joy of finishing.

Final Score – 9/10

Bioshock 2 – Review

After the incredible experience that was my delayed time with Bioshock 1, I decided that moving onto its sequel, Bioshock 2 was an order. Sequels are notorious for not living up to their predecessor, and given how revolutionary Bioshock 1 was for me, I was excited to see if its sequel managed to better it somehow. Nonetheless, here is what I thought about Bioshock 2.

Story –

Although captivating, I thought Bioshock 2’s story was a lot less… enthralling than that of the first game. Bioshock 2 follows similar story-bases as Bioshock 1, with a cast of characters that are rarely seen yet play vital roles throughout. Personally I thought that one of the main reasons I could not really get into the story of Bioshock 2 was for large portions, I never really understood what was happening. Still, I do not know why I was a Big Daddy, or why I was supposed to actually care about Sofia or Eleanor in the end? It lacked the real ‘wow’ moment that came from the first game when you find out you’ve been tricked throughout your entire journey by Atlas.

(Source: Shadow of Theta)

That all being said, it was still interesting, and I never really thought of it as a slog to get through, making it to the end regardless. It is just, when I finished the experience, I was kind of left with no real impact or satisfaction from what I had experienced.

World Premise & Characters –

Bioshock 2 follows a lot of the similar patterns of the first game, however it lacks the first time impressions left from your first visit to Rapture. It also lacks that kick that the cast of characters from the first game left upon you as the player, with Eleanor Lamb not really having the same footprint as Atlas. The setting and characters are still okay, but as is the case with most sequels in gaming, they do not feel like they leave the same impact as the original title. I really cannot understate how a nearly identical world and atmosphere impacts this.

Game-Play –

Bioshock 2 is the same as Bioshock 1 in terms of game-play. It has everything you’d come to expect, such as plasmid and gun-play in a horror/dystopian setting. However, there is one major difference, that being that you are now a Big Daddy.

Being a Big Daddy in Bioshock 2 was a unique play in comparison to the first game, however, I never really understood it? It made the game-play feel slow paced and generally I never really *felt* like I was a Big Daddy, especially when compared to how intimidating they seemed in the first game. I never felt like I was suddenly the character to be feared.

(Source: Adam Powerhouse)

That being said, being a Big Daddy opened a space up for a new main enemy, that being the Big Sisters. These enemies are a lot more terrifying than Big Daddies in the first game. Their sudden arrival, combined with the announcements of their incoming created a sudden adrenaline rush that the first game couldn’t match. As well as this, they were the first enemy to actually kill me between the two games. I thought they were a great addition and allowed for a lot of tense and difficult moments.

(Source: WIRED)

Unfortunately though there were a few glitches throughout my play-through. There were times where enemies would become lodged in walls or floors, or more importantly, where my left hand would just vanish, and it would take spamming of all the shoulder buttons to randomly bring it back.

The game felt incredibly rushed playing through it, not in terms of development, but in terms of actual length. Once again comparing it to Bioshock 1, Bioshock 2 felt very fast to finish. This may have contributed to how unsatisfied I was with the ending, due to how quickly I got there.

Visuals –

I am not sure whether it is just a me-thing but Bioshock 2 had some absolutely awful visual experiences. This was especially the case during cut-scenes, where they would look as though they were displaying at 240p resolution, despite playing on a PS5 and a 4K TV. This was particularly the case in the final CGI/cut-scene moment of the game, I barely could see what was going on visually.

As for the actual game-play visually, I found no real issues, it looks the same as the first game.

Music –

Something Bioshock always gets right is the music. Bioshock 2 had more impactful music in my opinion, particularly in the loading screens. Songs like ‘You Always Hurt the One You Love’ and especially ‘Hush, Hush, Hush, Here Comes the Bogeyman’ left such a brilliant impression. Bogeyman sets more of an atmospheric tone that most of the actual game-play, especially with you being the bogeyman per se this time around.

Conclusion –

Generally, Bioshock 2 was a good enough experience to finish, however it really failed to leave the lasting impression that the first game left upon me. This is largely down to the repeated visuals from the first game, with similar scenery and world. Characters are not as memorable as the first game, and the story feels somewhat pointless come the end. It is a traditional Bioshock experience, but that is its downfall, it fails to really innovate in any way from where the first game was so great.

Final Score – 6/10

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy – Retrospective

I always admired Jak and Daxter from afar, even as a child. However, as a child, my options of games were limited throughout the year, and when I did get the chance it was usually Crash Bandicoot or Spyro that I turned to rather than Jak and Daxter. Since maturing though, I obviously have had a chance to revisit some games from the past, and one of them was Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. So, what did I think all these years later?

Story –

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy follows Jak and Daxter. They were caught in the midst of stalking on Mirage Island and ended up in an accident in which Jak accidentally pushes Daxter into a pot of dark eco, turning him into a ferret-type-thing. As you can probably imagine, Daxter wants to be turned back to his old human self. This is where the duo set out on a mission to collect power-cells and travel across the world in an attempt to try and manage to convert Daxter back to his old self before Daxter realising he would have to sacrifices his chances to ever become his old self again for the sake of the world.

(Source: JakvsRatchetFanPage)

The story of Jak and Daxter is nothing special, but then again, nor was many games in the Playstation 2 era. However, it does suffice. The story is mainly brought alive by the expressive characters and voice acting performances that give off that butterfly feeling of being a child and loading up a new game for the first time.

Game-Play –

Jak and Daxter follows similar feedback game-play loops to a lot of 3D platformers like Spyro and Super Mario 64 in the late 90s and early 2000s. The game has a lot of counters, for the player to keep track of what power cells they haven’t gotten yet, as well as what precursor orbs they haven’t got. The game is nothing deep or complex, and missions and collectables are pretty easy to figure out. Despite this, it is incredibly satisfying every time you get a new power cell, giving off that same feeling you’d get when getting stars in Super Mario 64 all those years ago. However, just like Mario 64, there is plenty of levels and power-cells that grind the gears, with some of the checkpoints being nothing short of completely ridiculous.

(Source: Basement Rejects)

The world feels alive, and large. There is very few loading screens and transition from area to area feels very natural. A big part of the game-play in this game for me was actually becoming immersed in what I was doing at a given point in time. This lack of loading and breaking the immersion is something that helped me in going through large spaces of time of continuous play. It is genuinely quite impressive how fluid and connected the world is for this era of gaming.

Visuals and Graphics –

Visually Jak and Daxter is obviously quite aged. Admittedly I should have played the HD version of the games on PS4, but I wanted that authentic PS2 experience. Despite ageing, these games have such a vibrant and atmospheric charm to them that it is hard to not feel impressed. Even with the aged resolution, there is a lot to be in awe by.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Once again, the world is impressively connected, and the characters are impressively animated. This can be seen especially in Daxter, whose face and mouth movements bring him to life, and his dancing whenever you get a power cell makes it feel like these aren’t just hollow bodies, and are actual characters that you could get to know.

(Source: Game(r)-Views)

The game has aged, but the charm is still all there for you to take in, and that is what is a big draw in for a lot of people returning to these old and classic games from this era.

Conclusion –

Jak and Daxter is really one of the best games on the PS2. It takes a lot for an old game to maintain my interest, or any game really, yet Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy manages to do that. It is a game with a lot of charm, world-building and simple, yet addictive game-play loops that feel similar to that of the stars in Super Mario 64.

Final Score – 7.5/10

Bioshock – Review

So, after all this time, I have decided to actually give Bioshock a try. I played this game through the Bioshock Collection on PS4. I’ve sat back and heard the praise for this series of games, in particular the first game, for years. Despite hearing the constant praise, I never seemed to be interested in giving it a go, due to its ‘fallout’ style of game-play visually. However, this didn’t prove to be a stumbling block, and actually enhanced my experience.

Story –

To come out in 2007, Bioshock really is a landmark in gaming storytelling. Although I am usually turned away from dark stories or games, Bioshock drew me in. This game is dark, filled with interestingly psychotic characters and twists. This captivating story is obviously helped by the interesting and unique world in which Bioshock takes place in. It takes a lot to get me to play a game to the end, and having a captivating story is one of the key factors in enabling me to do that. Bioshock had the captivating story ten-fold. There has been few moments in my gaming-life that havve made my heart drop as swiftly and heavily as the ‘would you kindly reveal’, it was truly an iconic gaming moment.

(Source: VICE)

In terms of negatives my only complaint is that it does seem to end rather quickly, although that can be looked past as it prioritises quality over quantity.

Game-Play –

Bioshock’s game-play was what initially turned me off of it for so many years. I had played first-person perspective games with similarly styled game-play, such as Fallout, and was never really captivated. This translated over into my perceptions of Bioshock, however, I was pleasantly surprised.

Bioshock offers a very unique way of playing. A variety of weapons, ammunition, gene modifications and upgrades allow for the player to move their character toward the direction that they want to play. Although the gun-play and movement isn’t perfect, it isn’t awful for the time, especially for what a game like Bioshock is.

(Source: Port Forward)

World-Premise –

As I said in the summary of my feelings on the story, the main captivating motive for me is the world-premise. Even almost two decades later, Bioshock still has one of the most unique and interesting concepts for a world in a game. The idea of building an entire psychopathic and modified city underwater, is brilliant. Rapture is a place with so much detail put into it, with every being, visual and area fully fleshed out to its max potential.

(Source: PopOptic)

Rapture allows for the player’s own interpretations. It is whatever you want it to be for a large portion of the game. It plays into the game-play elements that I discussed through allowing and feeding into unique pathways for the player, such as choosing whether to harvest or purify the little girls for example. As a concept, and as an executed idea, there are few games even in the modern-era of consoles that have achieved the level of world-realisation that Bioshock did, and it is the main reason this game was so great.

Visuals –

For 2007, Bioshock has visuals of its time. The game looks like a good PS3 game, and that is fine. Obviously there was better games visually at the time, but Bioshock still holds up, especially to visually accomplish what it does in such an interactive world. It could look better, it could look a whole lot worse. Little details, phrases, posters and other depth-bringers are key to adding depth to the surroundings. These are ways in which graphical limitations of the time are brilliantly glossed over.

(Source: ScholarBlogs)

Conclusion –

I truly cannot believe it took me almost 15 years to give Bioshock a try. This game obviously has limitations of its time, but in other ways it excels and sets a new standard for games from the mid-2000s. The story and world-premise showed that video games could be a lot more than fun, and could also provide captivating and meaningful story-experiences. I certainly will be doing reviews on the sequel and Infinite in the near future. However, if you were like me and thought Bioshock ‘wasn’t for you’ then would you kindly reconsider and try it now. You will not be disappointed.

Final Rating – 8.5/10

Ratchet and Clank (PS4) – A Soulless Re-Telling – Review

Growing up probably my most beloved game franchise outside of Pokemon was Ratchet & Clank. I have not played many of the PS3 titles, but I played all the PS2 titles and have since played the PS4 game that coincided with the failed Ratchet & Clank movie. In this review I’ll go over what I thought of this game that is now a few years old in anticipation of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on the PS5.

Story & Cut-Scenes –

The story of this Ratchet & Clank has to be the poorest I can remember, and that’s saying something as the stories in these games are never the strong points. It is incredibly disappointing to see that the story is so lazily ripped from the movie, with the cut-scenes being rehashed from the movie completely.

As well as this, I know this game is a reboot, but the whole redoing of how Ratchet & Clank specifically met was something that didn’t sit right with me. The way they met in the first game was something iconic as time went on, and to completely write that off in this game feels like a defamation to the legacy that the original Ratchet & Clank created.

Along with this, the change of character from the original games when it comes to Ratchet is glaringly disappointing, with Ratchet now being a hopeful and friendly yet apprehensive in character, which is completely different from the cocky, selfish and often rash character that we had came to know. This character change has hindered the relationship between Ratchet and Clank specifically, with their personalities clashing less and them feeling less like strangers who come to love each-other, and more like two agreeable nobodies who have no qualms with each-other whatsoever.

Game-Play & Weapons –

In terms of game-play there cannot be any complaints, it is Ratchet & Clank. The movement feels smooth and fluid with the gun-play as Ratchet and even the few sections where you play as Clank feel like an enjoyable rare change of pace.

The weapons are really what makes these games for me. The upgrade system and general variety in how each weapon works is really something that makes this game so satisfying despite the lacklustre story. Weapons such as the Pixelizer offer a unique idea, turning enemies into pixelated versions of themselves on-demand, or the Groovitron making enemies unable to resist the urge to break it down, regardless of how big or small they may be.

(Source: Pinterest)

Visuals –

Visually, as of now, this is obviously by far the best Ratchet & Clank has ever looked, however, and I know this may seem completely negative for the sake of being negative, but, I cannot be the only one who prefers the look of the old games more? I am not sure what it is, but the charm of Ratchet and the general atmosphere of the planets doesn’t hold the same weight in this modern graphics-style. It also is made all the more evident through the cut-scenes that aren’t movie clips. Character are as lifeless, awkward and as dead behind the eyes as games like Skyrim or Horizon: Zero Dawn.

(Source: Medium)

I just personally didn’t get the same feel from the planets and characters in this style that I do from the older games despite the shiny new graphics.

(Source: Insomniac Games)

Music –

The music of this game isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, but once again, it just feels bland in comparison to the older games, with many of the tracks being completely forgettable and almost identical. The idea of a remake is to create remixes or remasters of old tracks, however this game does not do that. So many iconic tracks from the original game are replaced by out-of-place or identical and annoying tracks. I could not name a single track right now whilst attaching it to the section of the game that it plays in even if I tried.

Conclusion –

Ratchet & Clank (PS4) is a game that does a good job in the game-play sections and general loop, however, it feels soulless in almost every other way in comparison to the original games. There is enough here to satisfy the average player, with the weapons and general combat system being enjoyable and satisfying, but as a person who loved the older games, this game doesn’t even compare when it comes to the universe, characters and general atmosphere that those games created and quite frankly defecates upon the original legacy of Ratchet & Clank. I am excited for Rift Apart, but if this is the Ratchet & Clank personalities they are going for in those games, with this level of character enthusiasm and development, then I can only really see that game being as lacklustre as this one.

Final Score – 6/10

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception – Retrospective

In the final of the three PS3 Uncharted games, I’ll be reviewing the third instalment of the series, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. You most likely get the idea so far if you’ve read my look back at the previous two games in the Uncharted series, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, so nonetheless let’s just jump right into it.

Story –

In terms of story, Uncharted 3 is one of the poorer ones. Despite the game taking you to a variety of locations, it starts off slow and is hindered by the sluggish pace that this game insists on maintaining for large portions of the story. The story takes incredibly long to become satisfying, with nothing outside of the final three chapters being of note. However, that being said, it does end on a good note with the three main characters walking off together.

By the point the story had become worth taking an interest in however, I had already played through hours of tedious boredom and was just waiting for it to end.

Game-Play –

Along with the story, the game-play is arguably worse than previous entries too, with there being seemingly more climbing sections than ever, along with more shuffling along ledges and other time-wasting activities than the previous two games combined.

However, the movement and gun-play is arguably as tight as it has ever been on the flip-side, that still isn’t saying much, but it isn’t as clunky and loose feeling as the original game for example.

Visuals and Graphics –

The improvements in this department is clearer than ever. The characters have brilliant facial details for 2011 and the environments can be large, sprawling and at times can provide a real sense of adventure and awe, specifically the section where you are hanging out of the back of a plane, which brought me back to my favourite section of the second game, the train-section. This is where the third game shines generally, with the sense of adventure in the second-half of the game rising and the visuals really shining as a result.

Conclusion –

Although shorter than my previous two reviews, that is mainly down to my lack of ability to really form any sort of impression regarding Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. This game, despite being the most visually impressive, is the most empty experience of the first three Uncharted games in my opinion, and falls far from the experience I had with the sequel.

Final Rating – 6.5/10

Persona 5 – Smashing JRPG Tropes – Review

As someone who both hates anime and RPGs that aren’t Pokemon, the chances of me liking a game like Persona 5 was almost zero. However, against all the odds, Persona 5 has come out on top as one of my favourite games of the last generation of the last ten years. In this review I’ll be going over what I thought of the game and why it best exemplifies how to make a JRPG compelling.

Characters and Story –

One of the biggest pulls that Persona 5 has going for it is the characters and story it offers. Of course, it is very typically ‘anime’ in a sense, however, despite this, I still found myself enthralled, excited for each passing day.

The characters were great. I think the concept that your team continuously grows and provides more options to use is something that is a great strength of Persona. The good character building and development, that takes its time to build the characters, combined with the consistent sense of urgency pressing the player forward is something that really incentivises the player to continue pressing on throughout what is a very long game. Although as a side-note, it is kind of weird how the game condemns a male teacher using a student as their play-thing throughout the story, but then promotes the player getting into the relationship with a female teacher if he so pleases, but as I said, that’s just an off-point.

(Source: WallpaperAccess)

Despite the story being good, I assume the ending I got was one of the worser ones? I essentially died suddenly having been shot by Akechi, and seeing Joker brutally pass away, only to realise he will spend eternity rethinking over his actions and the outcomes of his friends in the Velvet Room. In some ways, it is a good ending for contemplation, but a bad ending when you consider I spent 90 hours of my life to see how it all ends, just for it to end with a sudden gunshot to the head.

(Source: Video Game Source)

Gameplay –

The gameplay is immersive and often tense. I especially found this to be the case within the palaces and throughout battles, where a lack of understanding for the surroundings and enemies you are going to face can leave you floored. However, as mentioned, the battles and palaces are the most interesting and captivating parts of the game, unfortunately these can be lost in a sea of dialogue and cut-scenes. This often left me longing for the brilliance of the battling within Persona 5.

(Source: Gamespot)

Persona 5 flips the traditional preferences of RPGs. It eliminates the tedious nature of grinding and leaves the player longing for more battles, which is quite the opposite to some of the other more popular RPGs nowadays.

(Source: Gamasutra)

Uniqueness of Approach –

Persona despite following a clear story and path, allows for so much room for the player to create a unique experience in-between. Whether you choose to pursue relationships with other characters, improve your traits by doing a number of extra-curricular activities, or even just taking different approaches to mementos or main-missions, there is bound to be some variety in every person’s play-through of the game.

(Source: Fairy Fantasy)

For me, this ability to switch things up when needed, and that ability being at my own finger-tips rather than the game’s is something that ensures that a game of this length never gets stale throughout the whole play-through. If you get tired of the palace you’re going through, take a break and go out for dinner, take a bath or study at school. It makes often mundane activities feel fun and progressive.

Music –

Persona 5 has some of the best music I have ever heard in a game, ever. Of course I could name the cliche ‘Last Surprise’ song, however, to be a bit more unique, songs like ‘Life Will Change’, ‘Blooming Villain’ and ‘Wake Up, Get Up and Get Out There’ are all just as good as the often overplayed ‘Last Surprise’.

Persona 5 has music to fit every mood, every situation and they are all perfect. I suggest listening to this video of some of the best songs from Persona 5 to fully realise how incredible the OST from this game can be – Best of Persona 5 OST.

Visuals and Aesthetic –

Of course obviously Persona isn’t renowned for stellar animations and graphics, however it does have a unique charm and style that is on another level when it comes to aesthetic. Cartoon-y designs, along with battle animations that are nothing spectacular, but for a JRPG, juggernauts like Pokemon could learn a thing or two from Persona. There is also the general design of lettering, that has become famous and known all over the world, even amongst people who are not familiar with Persona 5. It really looks great in so many areas and the areas in which it falls short appear as part of the charm rather than limitations.

(Source: Ridwan Khan)

Issues –

Obviously no game is without its issues, and Persona 5 is no different. Woeful dialogue is often something that can leave me looking like I have just swallowed a lemon whole for example, however I suppose this is just a fault with anime in general that I may be overly picky about.

The lack of battling in comparison with the cut-scenes and dialogue is also an issue for me, I often found myself just getting spammed with dialogue whilst daydreaming at the thought of entering another palace to have an abundance of enemies and battles to take-on.

Lastly, the length of this game is a little obscene. It took me over 90hours just to finish the main story, and even at that, it ended with a rather sudden and unsatisfying ending in many ways. If you wanted to do absolutely everything in the game I can only imagine you’d be going in the 100s of hours worth of game-play. If you like a game with a lot of filler dialogue and hours, then this is definitely a game you’ll enjoy. I never felt tired of it despite its length, but it is fair to say that it doesn’t need to be as long as it is.

Conclusion –

Persona 5 is another game in the same vein of Final Fantasy VII Remake that broke my usual opinions when it came to extremely long JRPGs. It is fun, addictive and extremely unique in almost every aspect. In terms of JRPGs that break the mould, this game is on another level despite some annoying side-complaints.

Final Rating – 8.5/10

Top 5 Best Games of the Last Generation

Since 2013 when the PS4 and Xbox One released, there has been plenty of stellar titles that have released, and with the next generation of consoles seeming to be on the horizon, now is a more appropriate time than ever to go through what I felt the top ten best games of the last generation of games has been. Many of these games I have already reviewed in detail, so this will be a general listing, with a brief description on each title.

5 – Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo Switch)

When it comes to games that have had the perfect release time, there are few that had it more strategically perfect that Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Releasing during a pandemic when the world is in tatters, Animal Crossing was one of the gaming highlights of not just 2020, but for my general life.

With it being my first Animal Crossing game, I can say confidently that few games will ever replicate that feeling I had in my first few days playing New Horizons. It is a delightful game that is just fun to exist in, it can take you away for hours on-end from the harsh reality of the real world.

4 – Spider-Man (PS4)

One of my most anticipated games, being a huge Spider-Man fan, was his release on PS4. This game was one of the few games that I went to the effort of 100% completing. With a brilliant storyline and one of the best iterations of Peter Parker, Spider-Man was a game that was just the encapsulation of what fun and excitement is supposed to feel like.

3 – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch)

Few games define a genre completely, but Breath of the Wild did it. Despite not being the biggest Zelda fan, Breath of the Wild was one of the games in my lifetime which has genuinely blown me away with the level of detail and wonder surrounding it.

The open-world genre can never be the same after the standard that Breath of the Wild set. The world genuinely felt alive and without offering any incentive or push, made the player feel keen to want to explore every inch of Hyrule.

2 – The Last of Us Part II (PS4)

Rather controversially, the sequel to The Last of Us lands at number two in my list. I have written a lengthy review of this game on my blog, but in short, the story, combined with the new standards set in immersion and detail, broke my ability to play other games for several weeks. I was left feeling completely empty and lost when I finished this game, and that is something that is a rare feeling.

1 – God of War (PS4)

Coming in at the number one spot is an emphatic top place winner. God of War was one of the most high-effort and ambitious games I have ever witnessed. The whole background surrounding the title, as well as the levels of change that were implemented, such as going for the one-shot approach for the entire game with no loading screens, and the complete reinvention of Kratos and the usually expected formula of God of War was something which seemed a big risk, however, it paid off in spades producing one of the greatest works of art ever made.

Conclusion –

So there you have it, as I said, I have in-depth reviews for almost all of the games mentioned in this list, which is why I do not go into incredible detail for each game. For games that lack a review from myself, I will be working on reviews for them down the line.

An honourable mention needs to be given to some other games that I felt were incredible, but sadly didn’t make it into my top five, these include games like: Undertale, Stardew Valley, Persona 5, Celeste and Super Mario Odyssey, which all very well could have made it into this list on another day.

This has been an incredible generation of games, with standards bursting through the roof in so many areas and genres, and it will be interesting to see how the next generation can improve upon already such high standards.

Ghost of Tsushima – Review

There was a lot of hype around Ghost of Tsushima prior to release. It had a lot of sceptics too, however. In the build-up to the game, many were unsure regarding the combat especially. This was combined with the query whether the game would create a unique and innovative experience or whether it would be another clone of already established open-world franchises. I for one fell into this mindset of curiosity too. Prior to the game’s release, I had not yet been fully convinced.  However, despite this, I decided to play the game and in this review, I’ll be going over everything I thought.

Story –

The introduction to Ghost of Tsushima initially left me unconvinced. I felt it could have been much more impactful of the atrocities that the Mongols were committing. Jin’s progress as a protagonist along with the relationship he has to others throughout the story is something that is well-paced and progressive.  Especially when it comes to Jin’s respect for his uncle and the samurai code that he stands by.

A lot of the introduction does remind me of Assassin’s Creed, specifically Ezio. The likeliness of how Ezio also had a family code.  As well as this, he had unjustly murdered loved ones and was set on seeking revenge all whilst maintaining a code is something that is similar at the beginning of Ghost of Tsushima. However, I am aware that the comparisons to Assassin’s Creed are overdone and far from accurate.

(Image Source: @NateFreelance)

The story progresses slowly, as does Jin’s relationship with others. It is something that begins to linger the more you put off the main story. However, when act II arrives especially, stories and motives begin to heat up and become a lot more interesting. Especially when compared to those of the first act.

Overall, the premise of Jin being an honourable samurai who struggles to respect himself whilst defying his code of honour in order to do what he has to ensure the safety of himself and those on the island is something that is very well implemented. The use of flashbacks and impact that is shown on specific situations throughout the story is something that allows the player’s mind to linger on the impact that moving even slightly away from his honourable origins has on Jin’s mind and self-respect.

(Image Source: @NateFreelance)

Side Quests & Exploration –

The side-quests in open-world games are usually seen as filler for me. Very rarely will side-quests be something that I openly enjoy just as much as the main story. Ghost of Tsushima shifts this concept on its head though. The side-quests are filled with tiny details, captivating stories and often are just as interesting as the mainline story. Along with the side-events that occur randomly as you traverse through the land, you’ll often find yourself having played for hours on end chasing foxes, birds and composing haiku without having even progressed a single second in the main story. Ghost of Tsushima’s side-quests are probably the most captivating side-quests I have witnessed in any open-world game ever made.

(Image Source: @NateFreelance)

Usually, I am not one for open-world titles. However, the uniqueness of the world of Tsushima in ancient Japan is something that I could not help but be pulled into. The excitement of exploring the landscape. The visuals and general aesthetic of the world are incredible. It is something that allows for this game to have a similar feel to Breath of the Wild. Breath of the Wild being the only other open-world game I have enjoyed. It says a lot for Ghost of Tsushima to bring in that same sense of wonder that Zelda managed to create. I recommend that this game be played in a similar way to Breath of the Wild. Designate time to really sit back and calmly take in the world around you. This game has to be played at a slow pace to really enjoy the experience of the open-world it offers.

(Image Source: @NateFreelance)

Graphics and Scenery –

As you’ve probably noticed on social media and throughout this article, Ghost of Tsushima is beautiful. Despite not being on the scale of a game like The Last of Us it easily breezes into second place for this generation. The game lets you know the beauty of what you are in for right from the title screen. This title screen of which is one of the best of any video game ever.

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(Image Source: @NateFreelance)

The graphics and level of detail in the game are only amplified by the in-depth photo-mode. If you’ve been anywhere on social media recently you’ll surely have seen hundreds of photos from players sharing the breathtaking view of everything around the island of Tsushima.

Gameplay –

The gameplay was one of my most sceptical aspects of the game prior to release. I was mainly worried about the combat feeling stagnant and slow, however, that is far from the case. Fighting can be a bit random at times due to the lack of a lock-on feature in battles, however, it does not interfere much. Despite the lack of a lock-on system, the combat feels smooth, impactful and generally satisfying.  Along the vein of combat, the standoff feature can also be a bit gimmicky. However, it can be incredibly satisfying and awesome feeling to slice multiple enemies in half one by one.

The mass amount of tools and techniques that are at your disposal is something that assists. Each player can approach fights and other areas of the game how they want through these arrays of options that are available.

The movement of Jin is something that can be off too sometimes. When climbing, he can often overshoot jumps and fall to his death. Also, he can often feel very floating when jumping and when moving around the axis whilst sprinting. However, once again, this is not a major problem. Traversal itself via the horse is swift and unlike games like Red Dead Redemption 2, never feels a drag. This is also easily avoided through the vast amount of fast travel points and the load times are something that makes them almost instantaneous.

The Two Genre Defining Innovations of Ghost of Tsushima –

In many ways, Ghost of Tsushima is innovative, yes. However, to me, there would two evidently clear innovations that made the quality of life that much more improved when compared to other open-world titles.

The first of these two innovations is the wind tracking system. The movement towards more immersive open-world experiences has often been clouded by the clunky UI’s that are enforced all over the screen. However, Ghost of Tsushima is one of the first open-world games of its kind to scrap the traditional compass or mini-map and leave almost the entire screen to the disposal of the player’s eyesight.

(Image Source: @NateFreelance)

Secondly, the loading times. If you’ve ever played titles such as Horizon: Zero Dawn, you will know how painful modern loading screens can be. Despite being one of the largest and most ambitious open-world games of its time, Ghost of Tsushima has incomprehensibly quick load times. I have become so accustomed to checking my phone in between loading screens. However, Ghost of Tsushima’s are so fast that you barely have time to unlock your phone before you’ve arrived on the other side of the map. This was not something I expected but was rather blown away by. It is especially impressive on the current-gen hardware. It almost seems impossible.

Nit-Picks of the Game and Where it Could Have Improved –

I have struggled to find any faults whatsoever with Ghost of Tsushima. However, this is not to say the game is perfect, as no game ever can be. These select few things mentioned are more nit-picks than anything. Along with this, I have one or two suggestions as to ways the game could have improved. As previously mentioned, the lack of a lock-on system in combat is something that is not needed but would be a significant quality of life improvement when it comes to making the combat more precise and fluid than it already is. A little thing I noticed is the screen fading to black in some scenarios. This is rather than showing the events that take place, such as that of some missions early on with Ryuzo.

As well as these slight complaints, there is also an idea that I feel would have made the game a lot more of a specific-to-the-player experience. The addition of a system like in the Fable games where depending on how you approach the game and the style you choose to play in, your character will change. For example, your decisions in your actions will make you more of a samurai or a ghost as the game progresses. I feel this would have gone a long way in making each playthrough more unique between each individual. Along with this, some slight changes to movement when climbing and accuracy and I think this game would have been the most perfect experience it could have been.

Conclusion –

Finally, Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most ambitious and captivating open-world experiences a gamer can have. As a self-proclaimed disliker of the open-world genre, I can say that Ghost of Tsushima was a rare occasion that I am completely drawn into the world of an open-world game. Despite a few quality of life improvements, the game is almost flawless in everything it tries to do. It is a visual and technical marvel that everyone should experience as the PS4 draws its final breath.

Score – 8/10

 

Spider-Man (PS4) – Review

Here we have another game review from myself, although admittedly I am behind on this masterpiece. Spider-Man PS4 (Don’t forget the hyphen between “Spider” and “Man”) is an illustrious masterpiece and it’s no wonder it is up for Game of the Year at the game awards. Here I’ll be discussing the abundance of pros and some few negatives within the game. So let’s jump right into it!

Game-play –

Spider-man games in the past haven’t exactly been applauded for their use of the swinging technique or the excitement of actually playing as Spider-man(Don’t worry, I won’t be using THAT cliche sentence that every critic uses regarding every super-hero game in existence, you’re safe with me). However, Spider-man PS4 masters this perfectly, which I don’t think was ever in doubt even before the game coming out, you could see the evidently crisp, smooth and downright amazing swinging in action in trailers for the game. But, it’s only once you actually get your hands on the game for yourself that you realise how fun and exciting swinging around New York City as the hero himself is. Smooth and exhilarating swinging has been something every Spider-man game has struggled with, but Insomniac is the first developers to truly master this area of the game, it is perfect.

The fighting in the game is alright, it gives you somewhat something to think about rather than just mindlessly mashing the square button, with the ability to dodge in different fashions or choose what your ability is going to be, however, it is extremely similar to the fighting from the Arkham series of games, all the way down to the noise it makes when you knock a guy out. This isn’t really a negative in the fighting of the game, but rather an observation. The fighting is pretty good but can get repetitive overall, I’d say.

Now, the game-play away from Spider-man himself is painful. To go from swinging through the City at high speeds and beating the living hell out of bad guys to trying to avoid cardboard boxes at half a mile an hour and balancing on steel beams as slow as a snail is downtime to the extreme. The MJ and Miles Morales game-play are some of the worst parts of the game, which is disappointing considering MJ and Miles are some brilliant characters and seeing their story and personalities play out throughout the game is interesting, I just wish I could say the same about playing as them. Boring.

Graphics –

The next gradual step from game-play, has to be the graphics, how the game rivals up visually, and for me, it’s up there with the best. Maybe, it isn’t on the level as God of War and Red Dead Redemption, but it is definitely the third-best game of this year that I’ve seen graphically, from the lighting between the gaps in the buildings to the tiny details in character’s emotions to the visuals in the game’s photo mode, which is especially breathtaking, I really can’t find any faults. It’s as good as one could imagine for a super-hero game. Unbelievable.

The Main Story –

Now to the bread and butter of any top single-player game, the story. The story of Spider-man PS4 is the best reiteration of Spider-man that I have ever come across. The variant of villains gives us as a player so much to focus on, the many different personalities you meet throughout the game such as with MJ, Aunt May or Miles Morales is amazingly done and this version of Peter Parker is the best version I think I have ever witnessed from any form of Spider-man media. Aunt May is one of the main characters for the first time, and I actually care about her in this game, which is how you know this game is good, because I never care about Aunt May in any way, shape or form.

The plot of the story is brilliant because just as you think it’s over, it brings in several other villains and reels you back in for many, many more hours of story to play through. It is enthralling, exciting and the characters are captivating, what more could you ask for in a story.

Post-Game/Collectathon-

Admittedly some of these things aren’t really post-game, you can do them whenever, but after I finished the main story is when I took it upon myself personally to complete all these tasks. The “post-game” is somewhat of a collectathon, which can be viewed as both a good thing, or a bad thing depending on what you like in a game. Me personally, I enjoy collecting things and doing little tasks to build up that game completion percentage, so I rather enjoyed the activities such as collecting the backpacks, finding BlackCat’s dolls or activating the radio towers. The enemy controlled bases were especially fun for me, I don’t think there was enough of them, however. So, the post-game can be somewhat of a collectathon, but as I said, it really is 50/50 depending on what you enjoy in a video game as to whether you’ll enjoy this side of the game, so I wouldn’t put a label on it as to whether it is good or bad.

Customisation and the Skill Tree –

Let me make this clear, I dislike skill trees. I think they are the most overused, tacky excuse of customisation in gaming and feel it’s a shame that it’s become such an overused feature within most games nowadays. However, I enjoy it in Spider-man. I feel something a superhero game has missed for a long time is the ability to make the hero your own. To dress him up, to decide what your abilities are going to be, to decide how YOU want to play as Spider-man. I thought admittedly this was going to be a terrible addition, but upon trying it out, I was proven wrong and I am not afraid to admit that. It was a crucial addition within this game.

Negatives –

This isn’t going to be long because I have had to try hard to find negatives in this game. But, here they are.

I feel the game can be slightly repetitive, especially when it comes to the crime events, collecting things and the fighting, more so when you don’t have main story missions to break these things apart, so there’s that. I also mentioned the missions as MJ and Miles, which were monotonous to say the least in comparison to playing as Spider-man.

The quips at times are painful, such as one of the classics, “What is it, National Rocket Day or something?”. But, sometimes they can be funny, and by funny and I mean smirk worthy, such as some references in it like “I better get this suit repaired before someone can see all of my three chest hairs” only for there to be a call back to that later in the game where it can be seen that Peter Parker does indeed have only three chest hairs, now that’s attention to detail. So yes, I do think these quips and references can be both great and painful.

The lab puzzles. Jesus Christ, why did they add this into the game. They found them so amazing that they even added the option to skip them. They are just more monotonous downtime in between playing as Spider-man himself. Not a great addition but luckily, they are scattered throughout the game and don’t occur TOO often.

Conclusion –

Is this the best Spider-man game? Yes. Is this the best superhero game? Yes. Is this one of the best PS4 releases? Yes. And is this one of the best and most enjoyable games I have ever played? Yes. There isn’t much wrong with the game, It’s fun, long and just simply enjoyable with an enthralling story which a group of deep characters.

RATING – 8.5/10