UHQBot
-
Posts
39,331 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
25
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Downloads
Posts posted by UHQBot
-
-
Hello Sezar,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Sezar joined on the 07/14/2019.
-
Hello Prince,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Prince joined on the 07/15/2019.
-
Hello nordheim,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
nordheim joined on the 07/14/2019.
-
Hello sven36,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
sven36 joined on the 07/13/2019.
-
Every once in a while, Apex Legends players notice that two of the game’s characters, Wraith and Bloodhound, both have a very familiar emblem hidden on their costumes. The emblem appears in Respawn’s previous Titanfall games, which might suggest the characters formerly piloted those games’ giant Titan mechs. It’s not…
-
Publisher: Square EnixDeveloper: Square EnixRelease: July 12, 2019Rating: Rating PendingReviewed on: PlayStation 4Also on: SwitchThe original Dragon Quest Builders took Minecraft to the workbench and bolted on some much-appreciated structure to the building experience. Despite a repetitive formula, it was an enjoyable playground for those of us who enjoy freeform Lego construction but keep the instructions off to the side just in case. Now Omega Force and Square Enix are back with a hefty sequel that improves virtually every aspect of that original blueprint.
You’re a helpful hero with a rare capacity to build. You and your new A.I. companion, Malroth, travel the world and leave things better off than when you first arrived. Unlike the last game, you’re traveling on a ship instead of resurrecting in new places. Consequently, you have a port to call home. This island begins as a barren, desolate place that you won’t be able to leave quickly enough. Over time, you can make it flourish however you see fit, but you need some extra hands to make that happen, and for that you have to go for a quick sail.
Click here to watch embedded mediaThe three main islands showcase different biomes and gameplay systems. For instance, one of the first places you visit, Furrowfield, is where you learn about farming. Thanks to an engaging story about an anti-builder cult and poisoned land, it doesn’t feel like you’re running through a tutorial sequence. I had a great time rebuilding the land and the raising the spirits of the various NPCs. It’s silly, but it’s hard not to smile when a group of villagers rushes over and applauds when you build them a swingset – and they absolutely lose their minds when you complete one of their larger requests. As you improve villages, your efforts attract more recruits who move in and help with some of the less demanding tasks like cooking and tending the fields. That gives you more time to explore and solve puzzles out in the world or engage in the simple combat against wandering monsters.
Other places teach you about mining and building defenses, and give you access to new blocks and items that you can take back to your home island. Online co-op allows you to enlist your friends to help you during free-play on your home island, but they can’t contribute to your story progress. There’s a fairly significant catch, though: Co-op doesn’t unlock until you complete the first story island and a few missions back at home base – a process that can easily take more than a dozen hours. Building with a friend is fine, but the single-player campaign is clearly the thrust of the experience; if you’re looking for a quick co-op game, this isn’t it.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
If you’re looking for a quick game overall, this isn’t it, either. I adore Dragon Quest Builders 2, but be prepared to settle in for a long journey. Even after spending about 50 hours with it, I was still unlocking new items and equipment, some of which are significant, like a pencil that allows you to create your own blueprints. The rollout of new building options is generous, but players who are looking to dive right into freeform building will find they’re working with a fairly limited palette unless they make more progress into the story.
Fortunately, the campaign is peppy and fun, and filled with characters that have their own little personalities. The overall cheer and goodwill make the darker moments, such as a character’s slide toward evil, feel all the more unsettling. Similarly, it’s kind of weird to see these fallen cutie-pies muttering “Damn” after they’ve been vanquished in battle. I’m not a Dragon Quest fan by any stretch, but that didn’t dampen my enjoyment. Longtime fans might get excited to see familiar enemies, but you don’t need any experience with previous games to have a great time.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
Dragon Quest Builders 2 has remarkable improvements, both large and small. Boss battle are now actually kind of fun. NPCs help you build some of the more ambitious projects, which lets you focus on doing your own thing. Malroth helps fight and gather resources, so you aren’t on your own. Other players’ creations are highlighted in loading screens and in-game bulletin boards, and you can easily visit (but not destroy) their worlds. This is one of those rare sequels that delivers on just about every front, so long as you’re able to put in the time it asks of you. This definitely isn’t a weekend project, but it’s one that’s absolutely worth the effort.
Score: 9
Summary: Omega Force and Square Enix are back with a hefty sequel that improves virtually every aspect of that original blueprint.
Concept: Restore a broken world (or build to your heart’s content) using your hero’s mysterious builder powers
Graphics: Blocks may be the dominant sights in this world, but wonderful character designs and an impressive array of other props keep it from being bland
Sound: Every location has an appropriate theme, and actions are accompanied by simple, appropriate effects
Playability: Everything from combat to construction is simple and intuitive. Inventory management is a breeze, which is great considering it’s a huge part of the experience
Entertainment: Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a fantastic sequel that expands on the original in almost every imaginable way
Replay: High
-
Hello Lycra,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Lycra joined on the 07/12/2019.
-
Click here to watch embedded media
Publisher: Focus Home InteractiveDeveloper: Spiders StudiosRelease: 2019Rating: Rating PendingPlatform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Developer Spiders has released a new trailer showing off their newest game, Greedfall, and it won't be too long until we get to chart the mysterious island of Teer Fradee ourselves.
Greedfall's focus seems to be designing a completely player-driven experience, including character customization, romance options, and faction alliances, while also delivering a solid single-player campaign. The takes place on an uncharted island in the 17th century, where magic and mystical beasts are everywhere.
"Player freedom and choice are core to GreedFall, as your decisions will build friendships, break alliances, diffuse conflicts and shape the future of the island," according to Spiders. "Exploring a brave new frontier, your search for lost secrets will rely on more than just skill in combat. Everything, whether a dialogue option, choosing a stealthy approach, or even your choice of companion in a given situation may alter the outcome."
We were impressed with the game when we saw it at E3 2018, and we won't have to wait too much longer until it's in our hands. Greedfall launches on September 20 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
-
Click here to watch embedded mediaPublisher: Deep SilverDeveloper: inXile EntertainmentRelease: August 27, 2019Rating: TeenPlatform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
When The Bard's Tale IV, a successor to the original 80s RPG trilogy, was released in 2018, it stood as a love letter to the old RPG classics of earlier days. In a few short months, you can play that love letter in its expanded and improved form.
The Director's Cut is coming fully stocked with more enemies, weapons, and character customization options, a new end-game chapter to the story, additional difficulty settings, and a whole host of improvements to the game's balance and interface.
While The Bard's Tale IV originally only released on PC, The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut will release digitally on Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation 4, and PC on August 27. Physical copies of the game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will release on September 6. If you already on the base game on PC, you will receive the Director's Cut as a free update.
For more on Bard's Tale IV, check out our review of the original version of the game here.
-
Publisher: ActivisionDeveloper: Infinity WardRelease: October 25, 2019Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Details about Infinity Ward's new take on its popular Modern Warfare subseries are still scant, especially when it comes to the multiplayer. Today, Infinity Ward pulled back the curtain just a hair to show off a snippet of one of its new modes, Gunfight.
Gunfight is a 2v2 mode where each team has 40 seconds to kill the other. After 40 seconds pass, a flag will spawn on the map and teams will need to capture and defend it for three seconds to score a point. If nobody scores a point within the time limit, the team with the most health wins that round. The first team to six points wins the match.
For more on Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare, check out our thoughts about the reveal here.
-
Hello Thompsonmetal,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Thompsonmetal joined on the 07/11/2019.
-
Click here to watch embedded media
Publisher: CapcomDeveloper: CapcomRelease: September 6, 2019Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
The Monster Hunter World: Iceborne expansion gives fans a new region to explore in which variants of known monsters and all-new beasts test the upmost of your abilities. The game's new trailer features two such variants: Fulgur Anjanath and Ebony Odogaron, as well as a look at the Seliana home base.
Fulgur Anajanath uses lightning instead of fire, and Ebony Odogaron has a wider attack range as well as a dragon-elemental attack. The new trailer also shows off Glavenus, with its sweeping tail attack.
Before you go out and tackle these fearsome beasts, you can recharge and stock up at the Seliana base in Hoarfrost Reach, complete with a streamlined gathering hub, gear-crafting smithy, resource center, gardens, and more. Players can also customize their My Room in Seliana, and after the game's launch Capcom says players will be able to visit each other's rooms.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne comes out September 6 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (the PC version is planned for the winter). For more on the expansion, be sure to check out the exclusive stories in our cover-story hub (click below).
-
Publisher: Bandai NamcoDeveloper: Supermassive GamesRelease: August 30, 2019Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
When Man of Medan was revealed a year ago, fans of Supermassive’s Until Dawn on the PlayStation 4 naturally expected a successor to that game’s mechanics and narrative. Everything that has been shown from the title until today reinforced the belief that the Dark Pictures Anthology, beginning with Man of Medan, was going to be a standard narrative adventure within the horror genre based mostly on choice. During a demo event, Supermassive revealed that there was still one more feature about the game they had kept hidden since the game’s reveal: online multiplayer.
It probably sounds a little strange and, in a way, it very much is. The game still has its single-player portion that allows a branching narrative that fans of Supermassive have come to expect, with quick-time events and decision-making driving the story. Man of Medan, and all further games in the Dark Pictures Anthology, can also be played in a new “Shared Story” mode online with one other player. Together, you and a friend participate in the story by controlling different characters as the story dictates.
In the demo I played, I was paired up with another player from a different outlet and started the game from the beginning. While we weren’t able to use voice chat, players who play online will be able to, which is going to be fairly important to the dynamic the game wants. Throughout the narrative, the two players take control of different characters at once, sometimes interacting and sometimes splitting up, and make their own decisions.
In the setup for the game, two soldiers wake up from a drunken stupor on a battleship, allowing the players controlling them to either split up or stay together, as you do in a horror movie. The pair discover that the entire ship has been either killed or is slowly dying, and there’s a lot of creepy imagery that players might see differently depending on which character they’re playing.
After a time skip, players take control of a group of friends looking to do some deep sea diving looking for a World War II airplane that has gone undiscovered for years. Two brothers, Alex and Brad, are preparing for the dive by having a conversation about their upcoming venture, with one player taking each side of the conversation and choosing the dialogue options from a radial menu. Brad can choose to be nervous, prompting the way Alex responds, and maybe telling you a little bit about how the players would view this situation outside of the game.
There are also times where players will split from each other entirely. When Alex’s girlfriend, Julia, joins in alongside her brother Conrad, portrayed by Shawn Ashmore, players can have entirely separate scenes. When Julia and Alex dive underneath the water’s surface, Conrad and the ship’s captain, Fliss, stay on the boat. Conrad attempts to flirt with the young captain, who can either be receptive to it or shut him down, while Alex proposes to Julia down below. As the possibly-engaged pair come back up to the boat, they see a small explosion of fire coming from the surface, and have to decide whether to risk decompression sickness to go help. From the other perspective, Conrad overzealously gases up the grill, and it fires back into his face.
Does the player on the boat tell the other player not to worry? Is it even worth mentioning while they have their own fires to put out? Would someone want to save their own character above the other player’s favorite? There’s a lot of different considerations that make the narrative adventure more than just competitive or cooperative.
The game also has a local mode called Movie Night, which allows up to five players to get assigned a character in the story and play through it together with one controller. Supermassive says that Movie Night is inspired by the feedback they got from Until Dawn, which told them people tended to play the game together by passing the controller around and sticking to characters for specific players. Movie Night goes through the single-player path of the game, so you’ll see a bit of different scenes, like some of Fliss and Conrad on the boat and some of Julia and Alex diving below.
Overall, the path Supermassive chosen to bring multiplayer to what is essentially an interactive movie is a promising one. It may not be everyone’s preferred way to play through the game, but there’s different options for however someone wants to go through the narrative. You can be spooked alone, spooked online, or spooked with friends.
-
Hello Sirius,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Sirius joined on the 07/11/2019.
-
Publisher: Double Fine ProductionsDeveloper: Double Fine ProductionsRelease: 2020Rating: Rating PendingPlatform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
At E3 this year, Psychonauts made its first big splash in some time by coming out with a gameplay demo and trailer at Microsoft's press conference. Developer Double Fine also announced that the studio is joining Microsoft's umbrella as one of their first party developers. While this doesn't affect where Psychonauts 2 is releasing, when Psychonauts 2 is releasing has seemingly changed, as Double Fine has announced a delay to next year.
The news comes in the form of a backer update through Fig, which Psychonauts 2 was crowdfunded and Double Fine head Tim Schafer is part-owner. After mentioning that the game is confirmed to still come to every platform it was promised for, the post mentions a delay for Rasputin's next adventure.
"There really shouldn’t be too many other noticeable changes for you at all, at least not for a while...with one notable exception: We’re now targeting next year for release," the post reads. "We know it’s always disappointing when you have to wait a bit longer, but we also know that you are an amazing, supportive bunch, who - just like us - want the game to be as good as possible. So we’re hopeful you’ll understand! <3"
It's likely this has nothing to do with the Microsoft's acquisition and more just the realities of making a bigger game at a smaller studio, but hopefully the title hits more toward the beginning of the year than the end of it. When it does release, Psychonauts 2 will come to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
-
Hello MrJambalaya,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
MrJambalaya joined on the 07/11/2019.
-
Publisher: The Game BakersDeveloper: The Game BakersRelease: 2020Platform: PC
Haven was announced earlier this year with a few simple screenshots and a short description of what to expect from the game. "You play as two lovers who escaped to a lost planet. The only thing that matters to them is to stay together."
As an RPG from the developers of Furi, this description and the gorgeous screenshots were enough to intrigue. Now, a gameplay trailer has been released to give players a firm grasp on what the game will be like.
Click here to watch embedded mediaFrom an update to the game's Steam page, the full description now reads, "Haven is a story-rich adventure, with touching characters with whom you fall in love as you follow them through their challenges and everyday life. But it’s also a (J)RPG with an innovative combat system that lets you play the two characters at the same time, and chain actions using tactics and timing."
Fans of the art style and killer soundtrack of Furi will be pleased to discover that Haven will follow closely in its footsteps. The narrative driven adventure is described as a primarily solo experience, but can be played in local co-op. Haven will be launching on at least PlayStation 4 and PC with a planned release window of 2020.
-
Hello Avedare,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Avedare joined on the 07/10/2019.
-
Hello Bud19,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Bud19 joined on the 07/10/2019.
-
Hello Portaiz,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Portaiz joined on the 07/09/2019.
-
Hello lolman,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
lolman joined on the 07/09/2019.
-
Hello EBrenters,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
EBrenters joined on the 07/09/2019.
-
Publisher: SEGADeveloper: Ace TeamRelease: July 10, 2019Rating: EveryoneReviewed on: PlayStation 4Also on: Xbox One, Switch, PC
In SolSeraph, you are a god. You build cities from nothing, command the elements, and fight off invaders. When the time comes to strike at an evil lair directly, you inhabit a corporeal champion who jumps and slashes through monsters until the threat is eliminated. Then you move on to the next area, taking a new nascent civilization under your divine wing.
If that premise sounds familiar, then you were probably playing SNES back in 1991. That’s when publisher Enix released ActRaiser, a pioneering action/strategy hybrid with 2D side-scrolling levels mixed with top-down city-building. Though it bears no official connection to ActRaiser, SolSeraph uses similar gameplay in an attempt to continue its legacy. However, this modern take on a decades-old formula is so boring and repetitive that it crumbles under the weight of the torch it’s trying to carry.
Click here to watch embedded mediaDespite its obvious influence, you don’t need any familiarity with ActRaiser to understand SolSeraph. It alternates between traditional arcade action and simple tower defense, and both are easy to pick up. When you start a new zone, you need to clear a side-scrolling stage full of enemies like goblins, dragons, and bugs. These stages aren’t much to look at. Apart from a couple bosses, the enemies look like generic fantasy beasts, and the dull environments span an unsurprising collection of swamps, ice worlds, and deserts.
The action is painfully simple. Even though you acquire a few different magical abilities (like healing and lightning), your main repertoire is jumping, slashing, and dodging. That isn’t necessarily bad, but your limited options means the complexity doesn’t evolve, so most of SolSeraph’s difficulty comes in frustrating forms that feel artificial. For example, most levels have no checkpoints, so failure means starting from scratch every run. Another problem is how enemies can approach from the background and foreground. While this adds some visual dimension, it also blurs your perception of when these foes are vulnerable versus when they are on an inactive plane. Getting hit and restarting a level because you swung at an ambiguously nearby goblin is not fun.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
The civilization phase doesn’t fare any better. You increase populations by building farms and houses, then put those people to work in defensive buildings like barracks and archery towers. That way, they can intercept the waves of monsters pouring out of their lairs and following the roads to your village center. The more of these waves you finish, the more temples you can build, which open the lairs to attack via the 2D action levels. This routine gets old fast. It’s a bare-bones tower defense experience, and you only unlock a few other buildings to expand your defense options. Without a sense of growth and progression, each of the fives zones follows an identical development pattern with only minor variations. In the desert area, you need to a build a well before you can build farms, but that one wrinkle doesn’t change your strategy in any interesting or significant way.
Living up to a legend is practically impossible, but instead of providing an entertaining experience on its own terms, SolSeraph adheres to an ancient blueprint. It seems content to imitate rather than innovate, but its tedious gameplay can’t even accomplish that. I love ActRaiser, and I can’t blame SolSeraph for failing to recapture the magic of a 16-bit classic. At the same time, SolSeraph doesn’t have much value apart from how it reminds you of a better game you may have played about 30 years ago.
Score: 5.5
Summary: SolSeraph's modern take on ActRaiser's decades-old formula is so boring and repetitive that it crumbles under the weight of the torch it’s trying to carry.
Concept: By combining arcade action and basic city-building, SolSeraph tries to tap into the nostalgia surrounding the SNES title ActRaiser
Graphics: Plain environments and unremarkable enemy designs result in an off-putting art style
Sound: Sometimes the music successfully conjures a satisfying ‘90s vibe, but not often
Playability: Navigating the action and strategy layers is uncomplicated. The controls are straightforward and your attacks and dodges feel responsive
Entertainment: Building and defending your settlements doesn’t have enough variety, and the challenging parts are more frustrating than fun
Replay: Moderately Low
-
Hello maliagante,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
maliagante joined on the 07/09/2019.
Welcome Xabri
in Welcome Center!
Posted
Hello Xabri,
Welcome to UnityHQ Nolfseries Community. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Xabri joined on the 07/15/2019.
View Member