Fun ensues along with an epic comeback during the 3rd game.

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Metro Last Light is more of the same rather than the revelation I had hoped it would be. Which is a real disappointment because there is a lot of potential in this series. The problems from the first game, while mostly taken care of, still hinder the overall quality of the game. It’s not a bad game, but it’s not a revelation either.

The game picks up after the events of Metro 2033 when the player commits an act of major genocide. Riddled with guilt you go on a mission that will hopefully redeem yourself but things don’t go as planned. In the Metro systems there are numerous factions, among them the Nazis and the Communists, two factions that played a minor role in Metro 2033. Now they have come to the forefront and take part in what is essentially a war within the Metro tunnels for the newly acquired D6 station. A station that houses everyone you know, including the recently joined “Order” which is comprised of Rangers. The Order is almost blinded by the hate for Dark Ones as Robert Baratheon was blinded by his hate for the Targaryens.

The combat, which was an element of Metro 2033 that people either liked or disliked, has thankfully  been fixed by 4A Games. Rather than emptying clip after clip or mag after mag, you can pretty much take out an enemy with a few shots when using the “homemade” ammo. This is a huge improvement over the last game with some people having resorted to using the money bullets. It is also much easier when it comes to money. As a result of the numerous dead bodies I came across combined with the power of my weapons, I rarely used the money bullets.

Perhaps the worst part of Metro Last Light are the monsters. Sure, this was a problem with the first game but the fact that it wasn’t fixed for the sequel is a mystery. Like Metro 2033 they will swarm you and bash you since that is apparently all they know how to do as a mutant species. For example, the “watchmen” which have replaced the nosalis as the most common enemy, will all gang attack you and it is utterly infuriating. Or the Demon, which is a flying mutant that swoops down and picks you up as an eagle swoops down and catches its prey. That would be fine if it was a simple one hit kill as it flies off with you but in drops you across the map and you lose your current place. The one thing I would have appreciated in this game would have been a proper save system. When you decide you want to take a break and stop playing you are sent back to the most recent checkpoint and a save system would have really come in handy.

The one part I did enjoy, however, was the human combat. In Metro 2033 you or at least I, felt some sort of morality when killing other humans in the Metro systems. In Metro 2033 the fire fights felt very contained and made you feel as if you were actually committing murder. In Metro Last Light the closest thing you have to any sense of an emotional response is someone saying “that was a good man!” Not only is that something that falls completely flat, but it’s extremely laughable. In the middle of your “vengeance hunt” you may come across some dark situations and it feels great to essentially be Batman. If Batman was a gun-toting Russian. Fan Fiction!

Although there aren’t as many of them around anymore, The Dark Ones’ presence is still felt in the Metro systems. Not only by Khan but by Artyom. Over the course of the story you see not only the true nature of the Dark Ones but their special connection to Artyom. Not only are their intentions not what was expected but in fact pure. Exactly as things were when you completed the non-canon ending of the game. Not only that, but within the first half-hour to an hour of the game just shows the atrocities committed when you thought you were doing the right thing.

Like Metro 2033 the game has two endings and it falls in line thematically with the first game. There’s the normal ending and the alternate ending. The normal ending is extremely dark and the alternate ending: a redemption for Artyom. But as with the Metro series, things are just going to get worse.

Metro Last Light is not the game of the year by a long shot and not even the game of the month. If it weren’t for the underwhelming story, annoying mutants, and lack of a save system this game would have been much better than its predecessor. Like I said at the beginning of this review, the game isn’t bad, but it’s not a revelation either.

The post Metro Last Light Review appeared first on VGU.TV Video Games.

The Hardware

The Ouya comes in a really small package built on mobile chipsets. Right off the bat it can display some great graphics however in the next few years it will quickly become outdated. The Ouya doesn’t feel like a cheap product, it has a solid casing lined with engraved metal. The console is also really quiet, unlike our current consoles that sound like jet engines. The controller however has some big issues.

Right out of the box it feels flimsy and cheap. The buttons feel great however the triggers are a little odd. I can’t help but feel like the touch pad is completely unnecessary and a waste of resources. The controller also takes double A batteries which seems antiquated in an age of rechargeable controllers. If you don’t have a HD TV you’re out of luck because the Ouya only has an HDMI port, no component output at all. The controllers are also easily confused and take a long time to tie to the system, that and every time you turn off the Ouya you must reconnect the controller to the system all over again.

The WiFi card is terrible, every time I boot up the console I have problems. My internet gets about 25 megs and on WiFi I can download about 1 – 2 MB a second, however on the Ouya it takes me close to 30 minutes to download a game that is 35 MB total. The Ouya does have an ethernet port, except for the fact that it doesn’t work. I’m not sure if other people have had issues but my Ouya simply refuses to pick up any connection via the ethernet port. I’ve tried disabling WiFi altogether but it just flips back on automatically. On top of that, right out of the box I had tons of problems connecting to my wireless internet. The system practically requires you to be online at all times. During the system setup it refused to let me connect to my WiFi hotspot and wouldn’t let me progress any further or even use the system until I had done so. On top of that I couldn’t progress without updating which took almost two hours. Some people mentioned to me on Twitter that it shouldn’t take that long to do, but it still weighs heavily on my opinion of the system.

The Operating System

The OS doesn’t look like this anymore

Ouya runs its own heavily modified version of Android which is good since it is a robust and powerful operating system. However, the Ouya’s custom operating system doesn’t allow for much exploration in the context of homebrew. Some of the features in the system settings don’t even have to do with the Ouya itself which makes it look slightly strange. There are call setting options like you’d see on a phone when you go deep into the system settings, why would I ever need these? There is also no overlay which makes it difficult to exit games and go back to the main menu. Some games require you to back out through various menus to finally get back to the main menu.

The Software

The Ouya is supposed to be the indie gamers console however it seems that most of these games would be more suited on a mobile platform. As of now there isn’t anything robust to sink your teeth into. Sure some of the games are a lot of fun, but they don’t feel like the kind of titles I would sit on my couch and play, they feel like something I would pick up on the go. It would have been nice for the Ouya to launch with something like Minecraft or another deep exclusive title.

The Void

When I launch the Ouya I see my screen name in the top left corner. Unfortunately, this name means almost nothing. I have no achievements, no friends, no way to track games I’ve played, no way to change my profile, no anything. The online interface is non existent, it’s about as relevant to adding screen names to a Super Nintendo. Ouya claims that it will be adding the online features at the end of the year, but to be honest it feels like half of the product I ordered is missing. There seems to be no point in even having the screen names if the online features are nowhere to be found.

Most of the games are also free which is great, but they also don’t really give you an incentive to buy any of them. On top of that commercial stats for the games are terrible so far.

I Want To Believe

When you first open the Ouya box a card comes out that says “thanks for believing.” However, like Fox Mulder of the X-Files, I want to believe. I wanted to believe that the Ouya was the great emulator, homebrew console I always wanted, with a sweet online interface, and an open distribution platform, however it feels incomplete. Playing the Ouya feels like playing the Dreamcast in the present; sure there are some great games on it, but the online interface is nonexistent and the product feels largely unfinished. Despite my negative review and score I’m still glad that the Ouya exists, I’m glad I helped it become a reality, but in truth the little console that could has a long way to go.

Grade: D

The post Ouya Review: I Want to Believe appeared first on VGU.TV Video Games.

If you haven’t heard the news, we here at VGU have launched a Kickstarter towards an online magazine in the vein of Nintendo Power, Game Informer, and so many others. You can find the KickStarter page here, and please support this as it is a very interesting concept.

You can find the Dual Shock Show on Facebook here, our Twitter account is simply DualShockShow, and you can find us on iTunes here. Please rate and review the show!

The post Dual Shock Show Episode 14: Tom’s Rage appeared first on VGU.TV Video Games.

James Pungello

Editor in Chief

The May 21^st reveal of the next Xbox console from Microsoft is sure to be an exciting event that will answer tons of questions that gamers have had for months and will hopefully dispel some rumors that are less than favorable with most gamers. Here is what I believe Microsoft will do at the press conference.

-Show the Box

The PlayStation 4 reveal lacked one component, the actual box itself. While the importance of seeing what the box is going to look like is basically nil, many gamers wanted to see it anyway. When marketing a retail product it helps to show the product itself so people can see that is physically exists. Yes I know, no one questions that the PlayStation 4 exists but this is more psychological than anything else and it is an easy way for Microsoft to say “got you” to Sony.

-Dispel Rumors

Microsoft has a long standing policy that is does not respond to rumors or speculation from different sources and this can be frustrating when some of these rumors seem to be substantiated by your own employee (ex-employee now). The always online stipulation is one that most people seem to have a strong aversion to and hopefully Microsoft can now just reveal how the system will work without breaking the “we don’t respond to rumor” policy.

-Show Some Games

What kind of a console reveal would it be if Microsoft didn’t show any games? Obviously the next Xbox will need have a solid library to compete with the PlayStation 4 and Sony did show a good amount of games at its conference so the gauntlet was thrown down. Microsoft will probably end up focusing on showing third party games (like perhaps Call of Duty: Ghosts) but I am hoping to see some first party titles.

-Other Features

It’s no secret that gaming consoles have been pushing to become the “one stop shop” for entertainment in the living room and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 seems to be pushing more than the PlayStation. While Sony definitely announced features that will make the PlayStation 4 viable in this regard, I expect Microsoft to work even harder to make the next Xbox even more of an entertainment hub. Hopefully not at the expense of games but we’ll have to see.

-The Name

The final thing that I think will definitely be involved in the Xbox presentation is going to be the actual name of the console. Rumors around the net are that it will be called the Xbox Infinity. We will have to see if those rumors turn out to be true but I can’t think of a scenario where the name isn’t given.

Josh Mobley

Media Director

When the Xbox 360 was first launched I was really excited for all the possibilities. An open console with a robust network that could be personalized and where players could create content for other players, sell that content, watch TV, invite their friends, and pretty much become the center of the living rooms. It was a tantalizing proposition I couldn’t refuse. Unfortunately, the Xbox 360 didn’t live up to these expectations and it became a closed down system with a network that required you to pay to use most of the features. Eventually I switched to the PlayStation 3 and never looked back. If the next Xbox is anything like the 360 I can’t see myself getting excited to play it, or buy it, at all.

The idea of the next Xbox possibly being always online is also a turnoff even though Microsoft squashed those rumors a few weeks back. However, Microsoft is going to have to impress me with their next piece of hardware to make me care. Unless the next Xbox is some kind of Steam Box, or has the ability to play PC games, I really don’t see a purpose in buying it. If not it’s just going to be like the Xbox 360, a system with a bunch of features I don’t use, that I have to pay a subscription for on top of the other costs, that doesn’t have many first party games to play, then what’s the point? Granted there are third party titles but when it comes to big events Microsoft, only has about 1 – 2 titles if we’re lucky on any given year. There are only so many Gears of War and Halo games I can play before I start getting really bored of the whole thing.

If Microsoft wants me to buy the next Xbox, it better be revolutionary.

Nate Gamer

Executive Editor

Microsoft has a lot to prove going into its Xbox reveal event on May 21^st. Sony seems to have a huge chunk of the gamer mindshare right now, and for good reason. The Playstation 4 is an ambitious project that promises to bring gamers together through its dedicated share button on top of improved horsepower and streaming games through Gaikai.

Followers of the game industry will know about the recent controversy surrounding tweets from former Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth, wherein Mr. Orth urged gamers to simply “deal with it” should the next Xbox require an online connection. Microsoft’s first order of business ought to be dispelling the rumors of an always-online console. The trick will be to deliver this message without drawing attention to the controversy behind it, so expect a simple one-liner after a game demo along the lines of, “…and players can enjoy this great game both on AND offline this holiday season!”

Speaking of this holiday season, the most important bit of information Microsoft could give us is a solid release date and price for the  console. We still don’t know what Sony’s plans are in this regard, and giving gamers a specific date to look forward instead of a nebulous release window could do wonders for the hype train. People like countdowns, and Microsoft would be wise to give gamers something to count down to.

I also hope Microsoft details how we’ll interface with the next Xbox. It seems like a given that every console will ship with an updated version of Kinect, but what about buttons and sticks? My hope is that the next Xbox retains compatibility with current 360 controllers. Beyond its godawful D-pad, the 360 controller is damn near perfect and it would be nice if I didn’t have to drop over $50 on an extra controller for local multiplayer.

In terms of backwards compatibility, I think it would be a smart move for Microsoft to find a way to let gamers transfer their XBLA library to their new console. It would give current 360 owners some incentive to stick with Microsoft, and gamers new to Xbox Live will finally have the chance to pick up modern classics like Fez, Trials HD, and Splosion Man.

But more important than all of the above will be new games. While I expect Microsoft to hold back on software announcements until E3, the May 21^st event will need to at least have a sizzle reel of what kind of games we can expect within the release window when the console finally launches. Halo 5 is a shoe-in, but what of new IP? What is Rare working on? The 360 has seen a dearth of exclusives over the last year or so, and I suspect the reason is that Microsoft’s first-party studios have been hard at work developing software for the next Xbox.

Christopher Erb

Executive Editor

Between the delays in its conference, Sony’s respectable PS4 showing, and the whirlwind of less-than-savory rumors surrounding the next Xbox, Microsoft’s got a lot of ‘splainin’ to do come the end of May. Here’s what I think we can look forward to at the presentation/conference/whatever.

First off, I can almost guarantee a lot of Kinect material, or whatever Microsoft is calling its successor. Microsoft’s desperate clinging to its half-baked motion control technology is depressingly admirable. There’s some chance the next iteration of Kinect will be more accurate and see better implementation, so I expect some shock and awe if it has been improved, but there’s still concern there that interest will drop off much as it did the first time around. Either way, Microsoft’s bound to be cramming it down our throats.

Game-wise, I don’t expect much of a showing. There’ll be some big in-house stuff, like a tease for the next Halo and probably something Forza-related, and maybe a couple of third-party surprises, but other than that? I expect more of an all-media focus, as has been the 360′s current drift. Apps, secondary implementations, and whatnot are going to be even further stressed this time around, much to the chagrin of people who actually expect the system to play games. Oh, and sports. There’s always sports.

One thing to definitely look forward too is a revelation of what the hardware actually looks like, as a shot over Sony’s bow for only having the PS4 controller to show. It wouldn’t be surprising to see multiple SKUs with different price points as well regardless of if the prices are shown.

All in all, I don’t see things being much different from the PS4 reveal. Some neat stuff, a bit of potential, but lukewarm overall. There’s a chance things will be a bit more fulfilling than Sony’s showing, which left a lot of people interested but wanting a bit more, but the need to conduct some damage control has a good chance of sabotaging Microsoft’s show.

That’s what our staff had to say about the impending Microsoft Xbox event but what do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Roundtable: Xbox Event Predictions appeared first on VGU.TV Video Games.

2013 has already shown the potential to be a great year for gaming. We’ve already experienced the releases of Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider but there are a whole host of games still waiting for release which will tempt any gamer’s pallet. Not all of the games listed are contenders for ‘Game of the Year’ but that doesn’t mean they aren’t exceptional games to watch out for and play. E3 is almost here, along with it showcasing the latest games on the floor to be expected in 2013/14. However, which are the 5 games that you should look forward to in 2013? I will explore the games I believe are the “day one” buys for 2013!

1) Grand Theft Auto V (Release date: 17th September 2013) (Platform: PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)

This is a title that was undoubtedly going to be on this list as soon as it was announced. One of the most anticipated games of 2013, Rockstar is back with the next installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. It was only a few days ago that we were given our first taste of the GTA V trailers featuring our main protagonist(s) for the games: Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. With an incredible story and gameplay in the wait, this is one of the games that everyone needs to experience on the first day of release  (no doubt that this will be the case). This is going to be the biggest Grand Theft Auto yet, quite literally, with the map size being the combination of both Grand Theft Auto San Andreas and Red Dead Redemption maps. I was never really a fan of Grand Theft Auto IV (probably because I never liked the character, Niko Bellic) but this game looks absolutely stunning and is definitely going to be one of the games fighting for the ‘Game of the Year’ award.  Rockstar is known for the quality of games that it produces and GTA V looks to be as big and may I dare say, even better. Mark your calendars and get the pre-order under way for this game.

2) Watch Dogs (Release date: 22nd November 2013) (Platform: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and PC)

Personally, this is the game that caught my attention the most this year. I can only presume that many people are very excited for this. It definitely has the potential to be a strong candidate for ‘Game of the Year’ as well. Ubisoft has Assassins Creed IV ready for release as well this year, but more attention is on its new tittle, Watch Dogs.  It was only a few months ago back at the Sony Conference where we first saw Watch Dogs in action. I was not only impressed by the details in graphics but especially in the gameplay. It showed the potential of this game and the incredible experience that it could deliver to us. One thing which will make Watch Dogs interesting is that it’s the only game on this list to feature on the next generation of consoles. We will be able to witness the true potential of the game and see what its capabilities are, whilst running next generation software. Ubisoft has a very good investment in this game, and with the potential that it has, Watch Dogs is one to look out for.

3) The Last of Us (Release date: June 14 2013) (Platform: PlayStation 3)

The Last of Us is one of the two exclusive titles on this list. From developer Naughty Dogs (The Uncharted Series) The Last of Us is a third-person shooter which has been dubbed as an “action survival horror” game. It is an interesting concept and has caught the eye of PlayStation gamers since its announcement. In the game you take control of the protagonist Joel with your A.I ally Ellie supporting. This is similar to Bioshock Infinite’s Booker and Elizabeth combo, which I really enjoyed the most out of the game. Hopefully, The Last of Us is equally as good and doesn’t have poor A.I. The concept of the game sounds like a Hollywood mash-up of films, following ideas from I Am Legend and 28 Days Later. I am really interested by this game and the genre of the game will be interesting to see if it can reach out to a wider audience.  This is an exclusive,of course, so hopefully PlayStation 3 users enjoy the experience they get and it is definitely a game which should be looked into. Joining a range of PlayStation exclusives, hopefully this one is as great as others that have been before it.

4) Batman Arkham Origins (Release date: October 25th 2013) (Platform: PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita  and PC)

We’ve played Batman Arkham Asylum and Arkham City which were both excellent games (both receiving ‘Game of the Year’ editions). We can now look forward to the third installment in the franchise in the form of Arkham Origins. The title was announced earlier in April and as a fan of the two previous games, I can only hope this delivers more of the same gaming experience.  I have my reservations about the game and I decided to place it on the list rather than Assassins Creed IV as it still has the potential to be a great game. The introduction of multiplayer in the game is worrying as I believe that these games should be made for the single player experience. Hopefully it doesn’t replicate the disappointment of  games like Tomb Raider and Bioshock 2 in the multiplayer department. Personally if they were to add any kind of multiplayer experience, it should be a  co-op mode, which could fit perfectly into a game like this. The other thing which has my reservations is the departure of Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (The Joker), whose voice acting was incredible in the previous installments. Hopefully this doesn’t cause problems and suitable voice actors are found to replace them (much like what I hope with the Metal Gear Series following David Hayter’s departure). The question here is, will the game replicate the success of the previous installments and be a challenger for ‘Game of the Year’?

5) Pokemon X and Y (Release date October 2013) (Platform: Nintendo 3DS)

The final game has to be on my list and is possibly one of the most dearest childhood memories for many individuals. This is one that everyone must try this year! Pokemon is back once again, featuring in the new versions X and Y. What makes it better is that this is the first time the main franchise will be released on the Nintendo 3DS. (Yes, 3D Pokemon are here!).  The sixth generation will add a hundred new Pokemon I assume, to an already incredible roster available. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 were fine additions to the DS and an excellent way to send the franchise off from the system. Hopefully it will be  an even better game on the Nintendo 3DS. We’ve all been used to seeing our Pokemon come to life in 2D but after years of wait the 3D experience will be finally here. Pokemon won’t challenge for ‘Game of the Year’ but everyone who is a gamer has a place in their heart for the franchise and this is a game which any person must try.

The post Top 5 Games for the Rest of 2013 appeared first on VGU.TV Video Games.

Back in 2009, we saw the reboot of id Software’s hit shooter Wolfenstein with an added sci-fi emphasis.  id Software’s highly acclaimed World War II series first saw the light of gaming days way back in 1992.  The pseudo-3D environments were a breakaway from traditional two-dimensional gaming and id soon followed up with shooter classic Doom a year later.  However, id’s first title that launched it into the gaming spotlight was not a visceral shooter but a humble (and more family-friendly) platformer back in 1991, dubbed Commander Keen.

The eponymous young hero of the series is an eight-year old genius who built his own spaceship, the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket, using parts around his house.  Keen flies around the galaxy to save Earth from multiple alien races that threaten to destroy it.  I fondly remember bouncing around the levels on Keen’s pogo stick (a treasure he found on Mars in the first game) and even escaping a few giant green Dopefish.  The complexity of the levels as well as the diverse traps and monsters to avoid made Commander Keen a worthwhile game to play again and again.

Watch the gameplay here, from Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle.

Sadly, Keen’s story was never finished.  id decided to move on to other projects, such as launching the story of Keen’s grandfather, B.J. Blazkowicz, in Wolfenstein, and discontinued the series despite teasing a new story arc, titled The Universe is Toast!  Keen discovered that his long-time school rival and nemesis, Mortimer McMire, was behind every single alien attack as the overall mastermind.  Keen was ready to face off against Mortimer over the fate of not just our galaxy but the entire universe.  Along with the announcement, id planned to shift the series from 2D to 3D, but by setting the series aside, they left a giant cliffhanger at the end of the sixth episode, Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!  The unfinished story left a lot of gamers to wonder how exactly Billy would defeat Mortimer and save the universe once and for all.  The Universe is Toast! would have been the final trilogy in the series to an otherwise excellent platforming series with an ongoing narrative.

Fortunately, that’s exactly what an independent development team did.  Using the source code from the Goodbye, Galaxy! trilogy, they created their own mods to pick up where id left off and completed the story.  After seeing how everything turned out, I was a bit dissatisfied with the ending.  In a nutshell, it was a cliché superhero ending: the villain is on a ledge, the hero tries to help, the villain tries to shoot the hero by letting go of the ledge, and the villain disappears down the chasm to his apparent death.  Talk about a big yawn-fest right there.  At least the indies tried to write a decent story, but ultimately they fell flat at the end without bringing the same level of humor as the rest of the series.

Recently, the Keen games were added on Steam in all their pixellated glory.  It’s great to give lifelong fans those moments of nostalgia, but there needs to be more than just a Steam re-release.

It would seem fair for id Software to reignite this beloved series with updated graphics and possibly giving voices to the characters, the same treatment that was given to The Secret of Monkey Island.  Leaving the game in familiar two-dimensional territory would pay homage to the original format and allow gamers to feel nostalgic about replaying their favorite games once again.  And please, finish the story this time instead of letting the fans write it.  I’ve played a number of platformers in my lifetime, but none left quite a lasting impression on me than Commander Keen did.

Billy Blaze needs a comeback run.

The post Reboot: Commander Keen appeared first on VGU.TV Video Games.

Story

Blood Dragon begins with some cut scenes explaining that, at the end of the 20^th century, nuclear war ravaged planet Earth. From the radioactive ashes came a new breed of super soldiers called Cyber Commandos. You play as a Mark IV Commando named Rex Powercolt. Powercolt is voiced by Michael Biehn, whom you may know as Kyle Reese from Terminator.

Powercolt is sent to investigate his former commanding officer Colonel Sloane under the suspicion that he has gone rogue. The game moves along at a decent clip as there are only seven main missions in total and each one is not terribly long. The story is relatively straightforward but complexity is definitely not what this game was going for.

In fact, the story in this game is designed to basically be an amalgam of ’80s action movie plots littered with pop culture references and some great one liners. The story pays homage to movies like The Empire Strikes Back, Predator, Bloodsport, and many more. While these references are all over the place, they never feel intrusive and serve as fun reminders of the silly nature of the game. Not everything in Blood Dragon is directly torn out of something else, but even its original ideas manage to capture the hip, neon vibe of the ’80s.

That originality keeps the story from being boring for someone who may not be a huge fan of ’80s action movies but there is a definite advantage to being on the inside of the jokes. One slight flaw with the story is its dependence upon the player understanding and appreciating ’80s action movies. Younger kids or people who were never into the genre may be a bit out of the loop. Then again, you should know what you are getting yourself into when you download this game. It might not have universal appeal, but that doesn’t take much away from it.

Gameplay

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon can be called that mainly because the gameplay is the same format as Far Cry 3. While the story may have literally nothing to do with the main title, the gameplay is identical in many ways. The chained takedowns, the map screen, the base captures, and the gunplay are all identical to Far Cry 3, but they have enough of their own flair to work as a separate, standalone experience.

Because Blood Dragon is so dependent on the ’80s theme, the weaponry needed to be re-tooled to fit that bill. While the bow makes an appearance, the other weapons are all action movie versions of old favorites. The Terror 4000 is basically Blaine’s minigun from Predator, the Fazertron is the midrange assault rifle, and so on. There are also grenades, C400 (“It’s C4 but with two zeroes at the end”), and Molotoxes to add some explosive options to Powercolt’s arsenal.

The gunplay is extremely fluid and just as much fun as Far Cry 3’s, so that is one area that, thankfully, did not change at all. Climbing to the top of radio towers is not a part of this game but capturing garrisons and completing side quests are. There are several straightforward side quests that are made available via capturing garrisons and they involve saving a scientist from enemy forces or hunting down one particular enemy.

The side quests don’t offer a ton of variety but they are a lot of fun. One hilarious mission is themed around the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and had me cracking up as I realized just how far the homages would actually go. Other simple quests like saving a scientist from enemies are made more fun by how entertaining the quest names and descriptions are. This is one way in which the presentation makes otherwise formulaic gameplay more fun.

The side quests unlock attachments for different weapons that can make them more powerful and easier to use. These attachments can be purchased at any of the vending machines that are accessible in the garrisons that you have taken over.

There are a healthy amount of pickups in the game including Doctor’s notes, television sets, and VHS tapes (each with a description of the movie contained on the “rental”). Finding these pickups can be so much fun to find that it is truly worth scouring the environment to grab them up. Many games with tons of collectibles struggle with collectibles that are only really there for the sake of having something to collect, but this game justifies their inclusion through an immediate sense of satisfaction when you find one.

The gameplay in Blood Dragon is the best of Far Cry 3 with some new ideas and fun thrown in that elevate it to a much higher level. Otherwise boring tasks like taking over forts, hunting down animals, and the collectibles are done in such an entertaining way that it can be hard to turn away from the game.

Presentation

From the first loading screen of the game to the Ubisoft logo and the title screen it is apparent that this game gets it. The ’80s theme that so many people have taken advantage of in recent years is perfectly executed with the load screens mimicing the static before or after VHS tape playback (complete with a “tracking” bar) and the cut scenes are styled after old 8-bit cut scenes.

While the cut scenes make you feel like you are watching an 8-bit game play out, the actual gameplay treads the line between that ’80s feel and more modern graphics. This is one of the best blends of modern graphics into an old atmosphere that I have seen and it just seems right. The scan lines on the screen, the neon colors, and the general feel of the graphics all perfectly complement the experience.

Not only does the look of the game get it right, the music is phenomenal. While there are some licensed songs that are ripped right out of ’80s classics (music from Predator and Rocky IV found their way in!) most of the score fits with the general theme of the game.

But the ’80s theme and the multiple pop culture references are not the only presentation elements that make this game a joy to experience. Ubisoft used the presentation as a great way to throw in some humor and make the game even more fun. Far Cry 3’s healing system is back but now Rex will recharge by taking a blowtorch to his robotic arm or squeezing a hand grip.

Other gags like Rex frequently flicking off enemies he has killed with his robotic arm and Rex’s corny one-liners fit so well and make you wonder if there is anything they don’t spoof. These small pieces of the presentation puzzle can make you overlook some slightly pixelated environments and other minor imperfections in the overall game.

There were a few glitches that I encountered in my playthrough, namely a vehicle disappearing into thin air, but these glitches were so few and far between that they barely had any effect on the experience. Overall, the presentation in Blood Dragon is top notch and will make a 80s action movie fan like me go crazy.

Final Thoughts

Blood Dragon is not a game that everyone is going to like, just like the ’80s action movies that it spoofs. There are people who won’t understand why it is funny or won’t appreciate why people enjoy watching such corny and over-the-top characters and plot lines. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a great game.

Sure, it might be reliant on the player being a fan of the genre it is spoofing and sure it may be a bit short and one-dimensional in some ways (the side quests lack much variety, for example), but these things are easily overlooked thanks to the quality of the experience and presentation. When the parodies, references, humor, and gameplay are this much fun, who cares about small flaws? If you are a fan of the ’80s, action movies, corny one liners, silly fun, and/or great gameplay, then this game is for you.

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The latest in many Kinect-enabled apps for the 360, the Pizza Hut app adds functionality that no one could have imagined or really wanted to your Xbox 360 system. A rather small download, the app is not unlike other basic implementations of Kinect technology, in that it features a boxy, Windows-8-style menu system with some relevant graphics and logos thrown in and little else in regards to window dressing.

Upon launch, the app asks if you are ordering for delivery or for pickup, delivery being available for both cash and credit card customers. Once you’ve entered your delivery information or used the app’s search function to find the nearest Pizza Hut, you can proceed to rifle through all of the chain’s standard offerings, from customizable pizza options to wings, other sides, and desserts. A sub-heading lists the most current active deals for quick access, and those with existing accounts on the Pizza Hut website can link their accounts to the app for quicker checkout and repeats of prior orders.

The account linking is where the disadvantages of the Pizza Hut app begin to show. While it’s a relief of sorts that pizza cannot be acquired with the Bison Dollars known as MS Points, those wishing to pay for their dinner with a credit card are instructed they must list that card on their account on the website, rather than being able to enter it on their 360. This is a wise security precaution, to be sure, but also makes the app an unnecessary extra step since you can order from the website anyway. The Kinect functionality is clumsy and undercooked, providing little more than a new way to look like an ass as you flail about trying to select your toppings. Using a controller eases things a bit, but typing information such as your address can be irritatingly time-consuming for those without the Chatpad add-on. Another issue comes with the entry of coupon codes, as entering a coupon will add your discounted product as a new item in the order, rather than applying the discount to qualifying goods you’ve already chosen and customized. This forces you to remove the original item and retrace your ordering steps should you go in unaware.

Perhaps the only advantage ordering pizza from your 360 offers is a lengthier space for special instructions regarding your pizza, such as delivery weirdness or requests for messages inside the box. When ordering from the website, such requests are limited to 40 characters or less. Additionally, you can set a Beacon stating that you want to play Pizza Hut, which is kind of funny the first two or three times you see it pop up from a friend. If you have absolutely no shame, you can also post to Facebook from the app when you’ve finished ordering.

While ordering works just fine with the Pizza Hut app, and your order will be ready and on its way just as quickly as other forms of ordering, the cumbersome nature of the app makes it a completely unnecessary step when anyone with an Xbox Live account will already have some form of telephone and access to the web to use a more convenient ordering method. New users of the app get a 15% discount on their first order, so it may be worth investigating just for the savings. After that, however, there’s no reason to leave this waste of storage space on your system’s hard drive.

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