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UHQBot

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    The Basics Of Gun-Fu

    in Game Previews

    Posted

    Publisher: Lionsgate
    Developer: Good Shepherd Entertainment, Mike Bithell Games
    Release: 2019
    Platform: PC

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    John Wick keeps getting pulled back into a life he once left behind and now you are personally empowered to do that to him through the magic of video games. While John Wick Hex, a new game made by Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell, was announced a few months back, it has been sticking in our minds since its E3 showing. 

    Even at the time, though, people questioned how a strategy-style game can properly convey the former assassin's fighting style of combining gunfire and kung fu, appropriately dubbed Gun Fu. In this video, Mike Bithell sits with the stunt coordinator for the game to explain how they translate John Wick into this game.

    Click here to watch embedded media

    The idea behind closely matching John Wick's fighting style isn't just accuracy. Bithell Games seems eager to want to match the way John's combat is risky and full of consequence. Occasionally John messes up because he went for something that didn't quite work out and the game is meant to reflect that.

    John Wick Hex tells an original story in the John Wick universe when it is scheduled to release later this year.

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    The Power Of The Force

    in Game Previews

    Posted

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    Publisher: Oculus Studios
    Developer: ILMxLAB
    Release: May 21, 2019
    Rating: Not rated
    Platform: Rift

    Star Wars.com has posted new details and artwork for Vader Immortal: Episode II from its San Diego Comic-Con panel, granting players the power of the Force.

    Spoiler warning for Episodes I and II.

    If Episode I introduced players to Vader, Mustafar, and wielding a lightsaber in VR, Episode II goes a step further via the Force as well as revealing the backstory of the mysterious Black Bishop.

    For more on the events of Episode 1, click here to check out Reiner's review.

    [Source: Star Wars.com]

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    Death And Inevitability

    in Game Previews

    Posted

    Publisher: Square Enix
    Developer: Tokyo RPG Factory
    Release: August 22, 2019
    Platform: PlayStation 4, Switch, PC

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    Tokyo RPG Factory was founded with the specific mission of making old school RPGs that are a bit more budget-conscious than Square Enix's usual fare. The studio's previous two games, I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphear, didn't really light the world on fire but both titles still had their fans. After getting hands-on with their third game, I am not sure Oninaki is going to be any less divisive in terms of gameplay, the premise of the game is so interesting that some gameplay deficiencies might be forgiven.

    Oninaki begins with the protagonist, Kagachi, standing at the foot of his parents' deathbed. The pair have, without explanation given to the player, passed away, and the young Kagachi is having a hard time dealing with it. A friend's father, a Watcher, explains that Kagachi is not to grieve or else his parents will not be able to reincarnate. It turns out that this is not dramatic flourish to comfort a child; the world of Oninaki knows that death is an impermanent state and structures its society around that knowledge.

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    It's the kind of story that isn't surprising from Takashi Tokita, who has a director credit for Parasite Eve and Chrono Trigger and the writer behind the latter game's side quests. In Oninaki, Kagachi grows up to become a Watcher himself, which are essentially ghost detectives. They find people who are unable to lift themselves out of the veil and reincarnate into the next life because of unfinished business. By solving that business, the spirits can move on, though of course there are monsters and other things that exist on the other side to stymie them.

    In the introductory dungeon, Kagachi and his childhood friend and Watcher partner Mayura meet a young child who died under unexplained circumstances, though the why is not really important. The child fears being alone more than anything else and, until he can see his parents, refuses to cross over. Kagachi and Mayura agree to take him to his home, where they use their abilities to allow him to see the living world and see his parents. The child breaks down and his fear of being alone overrides all other concerns, which Kagachi explains to the couple, breaking protocol. Fearing their son might not cross over because he's too scared, the parents ask Kagachi to kill them, as well. They wish to join their son in the afterlife.

    The scene ends with him executing the parents with his sword, flashing the game's title as the weapon hits their necks.

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    In a later scene, Kagachi is made aware of a cult called the Ark of Life. As a Watcher is required to guide people to reincarnation, the bureaucracy of it all means that no one is guaranteed to stay with their loved ones. The Ark of Life believes they can promise that families can stay together if they all commit suicide together. A guard alerts Kagachi that the cult has, in a nearby area of ruins, staged a mass suicide event without the proper clearance. This requires the Watchers to show up and guide any lost souls, which includes children, to their next lives.

    It's a genuinely fascinating concept that leaves me extremely interested in playing more. The premise is only half the equation, so it remains to be seen how the game actually executes on it and whether they can build an interesting story around a good idea, but I am more interested in Oninaki than I have been in any previous Tokyo RPG Factory game. 

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    Overwatch's Newest Hero Sigma Gets An Origin Video

    in Game Previews

    Posted

    Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
    Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
    Release: May 24, 2016
    Rating: Teen
    Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

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    Blizzard has been teasing a new hero for Overwatch for the last few days, but hasn't given many details on the new character. As the studio recently announced that they'll be enforcing role queues for matchmaking from now on, fans are eager to see how that flows down to the hero development. While we might not have a gameplay answer yet, we do have an origin story for the latest hero in the game, Sigma.

    You can check out his animated reveal trailer below.

    Click here to watch embedded media

    Hero might be a big of a misleading misnomer for Sigma, as he definitely seems the villainous type, and has some pretty grand ideas about controlling forces of the universe. Also he's, like, standing with the villains at the end. That seems pretty indicative of where Sigma lands.

    It's likely these experiments that made him this way will be key to his powers in the game as well. It's going to be pretty funny to see this old man who claims to control God-like powers get hit in the face by a hamster. He also looks way too close to a human version of Sigma from Mega Man X to be coincidence.

    Judging from Blizzard's previous hero releases, Sigma should be on the playable test realm soon. Overwatch is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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    Changing Things Up

    in Game Previews

    Posted

    Publisher: Team 17
    Developer: Playtonic Games
    Release: 2019
    Rating: Rating Pending
    Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

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    The original Yooka-Laylee scratched a platforming itch for fans of Banjo Kazooie and Crash Bandicoot back in 2017, and its sequel The Impossible Lair looks to do the same (but from a different perspective). Today, Playtonic Games showcased a look at alternate level states in the game, which players can unlock by solving puzzles and finding secrets.

    Click here to watch embedded media

    For more on Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, check out impressions from E3 here.

    View the full article

    New Gameplay Today – Gears 5's Multiplayer Technical Test

    in Game Previews

    Posted

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    Click here to watch embedded media

    Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
    Developer: The Coalition
    Release: September 10, 2019
    Rating: Mature
    Platform: Xbox One, PC

    Xbox Game Pass owners can check out some Gears 5 multiplayer this weekend on Xbox One and PC. We'd be remiss if we didn't show off some of the action, and Leo was happy to jump into a few matches for me and Kyle.

    The test just started when we recorded this, and we weren't able to get into a King of the Hill or Escalation matches. We did play through several Arcade matches, though, and we've got proof! Video proof that you can watch! For real! For an in-depth preview on what multiplayer has to offer, be sure to read Brian Shea's preview.

    The Gears 5 technical test is live now through July 22 at 10 a.m. Pacific. If you can't make it, a second one is scheduled between July 26-29. Gears 5 is coming to Xbox One and PC on September 10.

    View the full article

    Cyberpunk 2077's Hardcore Mode Will Allow You To Turn Off The UI

    in Game Previews

    Posted

    Publisher: CD Projekt Red
    Developer: CD Projekt Red
    Release: April 16, 2020
    Rating: Rating Pending
    Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

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    CDPR is no stranger to variable difficulties in their games. You could play The Witcher 3 with a number of difficulty modes, including one that would erase your save file if you died. With Cyberpunk 2077 being a first-person title, you might not always want UI information on your screen taking you out of the gameplay. CDPR is happy to support you with the game's Hardcore mode.

    In an interview with Wccftech, CDPR's UI coordinator Alvin Liu talked a bit about the option for their upcoming first-person game.

    "The most fun [difficulty setting] I think will be the Hardcore setting where we turn off the UI you live as well," Liu said. "And that will be a real challenge for a lot of players. Also, at the same time, if you want to play more casually for the story and maybe you’re not experienced with shooters, which was a real big concern for us. We want to tell a story and maybe you’re a big fan of The Witcher and you’re not comfortable playing a shooter, we have settings available for that. We even have weapons for that. If you recall from last year’s demo, we had a weapon called the smart gun, which helps you aim. The bullets were much slower and usually a bit weaker. But if your aiming isn’t your forte, you can always pick up the smart gun."

    Other games have had this option too, whether it be for immersion or screenshot reasons. It is nice that Cyberpunk will afford it to you as well, especially if the information it shows you is not strictly necessary. For a lot of players, UI is helpful and necessary, but removing it for others can enhance the experience. I preferred minimal UI in Breath of the Wild, for example, and just using the game's environment and context clues to figure out the information a fuller UI would have given me.

    Cyberpunk 2077 releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16.

    [Source: Wfcctech]

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    Rainbow Six Quarantine Will Release Before April

    in Game Previews

    Posted

    Publisher: Ubisoft
    Developer: Ubisoft
    Release: 2020
    Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

    rainbowsixquarantine.jpg

    At E3 this year, Ubisoft revealed a different take on the Rainbow Six universe with a new game. After the wild success of Siege, the French publisher likely felt comfortable with experimentation, which lead to the different path they're taking with Quarantine. Players will seemingly get a chance to find out for themselves how they'll feel with it before April of next year.

    This information comes from Ubisoft's financial call, where CEO Yves Guillemot stated that they plan to release Rainbow Six Quarantine before the end of the financial year, which goes through March 31. That means there's not that long to wait for the game.

    Guillemot noted that the game would feature "the proven gameplay of Rainbow Six Siege Outbreak," a time-limited PvE event in the multiplayer team-based shooter. In that event, operators fought against an alien menace, which have seemingly worked hard to turn themselves into zombie-mutants in Quarantine.

    As Ubisoft usually has a January or February release, Quarantine seems like a prime candidate for that.

    View the full article

    Round About

    in Game Previews

    Posted

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    Click here to watch embedded media

    Publisher: Activision
    Developer: Infinity Ward
    Release: October 25, 2019
    Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

    A few weeks ago, Activision and Infinity Ward revealed the newest Call of Duty multiplayer mode, titled Gunfight. This 2v2 close-quarters mode pits two teams against each other in a quick series of rounds. I myself tried the mode a few months ago and it is probably the most fun I have had in Call of Duty multiplayer during that short play session.

    But it's hard to explain just what the mode is like with a description, so Infinity Ward has posted a video today showing more. The fighting game-like pacing and back-and-forth feels fairly unique to shooters in general. You can check five minutes of the Gunfight mode out above.

    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on October 25.

    View the full article

    Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Review – Power At A Cost

    in Game Reviews

    Posted

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    Publisher: Nintendo
    Developer: Team Ninja
    Release: July 19, 2019
    Rating: Teen
    Reviewed on: Switch

    Thanos snapping his fingers to wipe out half of all life in the universe isn’t the only threat the Avengers face in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. As they race to stop the mad titan from gathering all of the Infinity Gems, their journey is periodically upended by laborious and uneventful level designs, technical issues, odd balancing, and a story that sacrifices heart and soul to continually introduce new characters and locations. Even though the heroes get pummeled by the game’s shortcomings, they still stand tall and deliver plenty of fun when combat intensifies.

    Players begin by controlling the Guardians of the Galaxy. This rag-tag group does a nice job of illustrating the diversity in character powers and approaches. Star-Lord can fly around and rain down laser fire from high, while Gamora uses her sword to slice foes at close range. All of the characters control admirably, with the mobility you would expect from them. Whether you are playing single player or four-player co-op, the combat in these early moments is enjoyable and dynamic, pushing you to look for openings, communicate with other players to line up tag-team synergy attacks, and use evasive maneuvers to avoid area blasts and charge attacks. Since enemies often approach in great numbers, with grunts swarming the heroes and shielded adversaries hunkering down to deliver damage from the periphery, figuring out when to use the big "extreme" attacks is another aspect that is implemented well and ends up being quite rewarding given just how much one blast can change the flow of battle.

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    Combat is similar to the previous Ultimate Alliance games – you do a lot of jamming on the same attack buttons to keep waves of enemies at bay and use special powers strategically to thin their numbers. This simplicity works well, but just don't expect to see much destruction in the environments other than flying bodies. Whether you are in Avengers Tower or Wakanda’s wilderness, most of the environments are sterile, repetitive in architectural design, and hardly anything in them can be destroyed.

    The lack of a connection developed to the world, both through gameplay and visually, hurts the experience more than I thought it would. Levels get repetitive fast, and the periodic puzzles that are thrown in to change up the pace are easy to solve and end up being annoying speed bumps that just halt progress. You mostly slog through bland areas until you reach a room that looks important and likely holds a new hero or villain.

    Click here to watch embedded media

    If you thought Avengers: Endgame's hero roster was awesome in size, Ultimate Alliance 3's is even bigger, and thoroughly explores several sectors from Marvel's sprawling universe. The playable characters consist of over 30 well-known faces, and not just from the Avengers portfolio. The X-Men, Spider-Verse, Marvel Knights, and Midnight Sons are represented in big ways. Characters with no defined affiliation are also here and embraced fully. While Thanos and his Black Order fill the role of end-game bosses, other villains who line up with the hero reveals or worlds they traverse are also in great abundance. The best part of the game is seeing who will pop up next, even if it is for a brief cameo. The reveals are strong from start to finish.

    Most of the characters are handled well, giving you a range of powers that fit their personas. The Hulk is the rampaging mess you would expect, Deadpool is a powerful goofball, and Nightcrawler is constantly “bamfing” all over the place. Some characters are a little phoned in, however. Doctor Strange basically has the same flame attack as Ghost Rider. Most of the hero abilities are brought to life with an array of particle effects and graphics – often too many. Just keeping track of where the characters are onscreen can be difficult, especially when the camera switches to distant perspectives (which makes handheld play a little rough at times). The camera can be a serious pain.

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    As joyous as the character reveals are, adding yet another face to your roster can be somewhat maddening given how difficulty is balanced. Within one level you may unlock a handful of characters to use. These new recruits are balanced to the particular environment, meaning Ghost Rider will be level 25 when you get him. You can immediately play as him, and he feels appropriately powerful. He also gains experience and continues leveling up. The hero you swapped out won’t gain anything, and the longer that character sits on the bench, the less likely they are to hold their own in the next battle. Considering the large number of playable characters that you have at your disposal, you just have to give up on some of them, since most of the roster ends up being under-leveled. You can't just say "I want to play Spider-Man" and expect that experience to be fun if he's level 8 in a level 30 zone. The alternative is to grind experience points for hours just to bring him back up to a viable power level.

    Given how powerful bosses are, you're going to need four high-level characters as you progress through the uneventful story. These villains give you a good run for your money, and end up being the most enjoyable (and lengthy) battles in the game. Some of these bouts are damn fun. They push you to sync up attacks and be as evasive as you can.

    Though you can replay levels, the fastest way to level up heroes is to give your character an immediate shot of XP from a cube, which you can find hidden in levels or earn by completing specific tasks like the Infinity Trials. Even though you stumble upon the trials as you work your way through the story, they kick you out to the title screen whenever you engage them. I don’t understand why my characters aren’t dropped back into the level, but it makes the game more hassle than it needs to be. The Trials don’t offer new content, and instead take you through previously completed boss battles and challenges with slightly different parameters and difficulties, such as only being able to use Captain America or every foe giving you a few seconds more on a clock that is counting down to zero. The challenges are also level-gated so you won't be able to play as low-level characters in most of them. The higher level trials reward you with new playable characters and a few costumes.

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    As oddly put together as the character leveling is, I applaud how ability progression, items, and alliance enhancement are handled. Equipping infinity shards (which can be powered up) is mighty slick, as is the sprawling alliance enhancement grid, which gives stat increases and bumps to the entire team – just not enough to help low-level characters.

    My time with Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 was filled with peaks and valleys. It has great moments where everything is clicking, followed by lulls where it all falls apart. The story never really gets going, however, but is a fun exploration of all things Marvel. For that, it delivers a little bit of fun, but this experience is all about the character reveals and getting to test them out, even if the worlds they explore and challenges within them often lack excitement.

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    Score: 7

    Summary: The massive roster isn't enough to overcome repetitive level designs and progression issues.

    Concept: A super-powered brawl that delivers an impressive number of characters, but stumbles with story, progression, and level designs

    Graphics: The heroes and villains look like they were yanked right out of a comic book, and that’s a good thing. The environments are light on details and destructible objects

    Sound: The score and character voices are all over the place. Some melodies are appropriately heroic, others sound like generic rock riffs. Some character voices are perfect, others sound forced

    Playability: The controls work well and make characters feel powerful and true to who they are (with some exceptions)

    Entertainment: The bland level designs and baffling character progression hold the action back and make it somewhat of a slog

    Replay: Moderately High

    Click to Purchase

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    Avengers Releasing Polished Demo Footage Just After Gamescom

    in Game Previews

    Posted

    Publisher: Square Enix
    Developer: Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal
    Release: May 15, 2020
    Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

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    A lot has been made about Square Enix's showing of Avengers at E3 this year. The initial press conference reveal wasn't, really, as it had little gameplay and confusing messaging. The behind-closed-doors demo on the show floor failed to impress many and leaked footage shot on a cellphone did it no favors. Now Square Enix and Marvel say they're polishing up the gameplay demo to reveal it online just after Gamescom.

    The news comes from the Marvel Games panel at San Diego Comic-Con, as well as made official by a tweet from the game's official account.

    https://twitter.com/PlayAvengers/status/1151972059632717824

    According to attendees, the gameplay demo is similar to the E3 floor showing, but more polished and expanded. In the SDCC video, a girl wearing a Captain Marvel shirt inhales Terrigen mists, likely confirming Ms. Marvel. That also likely confirms leaks from a few months ago that put Ms. Marvel at the center of the beginning of the story.

    We'll know for sure a week after Gamescom, which runs from August 20 - 24. Marvel's Avengers releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC on May 15.

    View the full article

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