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Publisher: Mad Dog, Focus Home InteractiveDeveloper: Saber InteractiveRelease: April 16, 2019Rating: MatureReviewed on: PCAlso on: PlayStation 4, Xbox OneRegardless of how you feel about the movie World War Z, you can’t deny that the way zombies moved in its world was impressive. They didn’t look too different from typical zombies individually, and they ambled and groaned in familiar ways, but when they amass, they climb on top of one another to create giant hills of the undead in order to overcome barriers. It was horrifying to look at and scary to imagine how you would react in that situation. The World War Z video game takes that key element of the film and uses it to create a visually interesting gameplay mechanic that is horrifying to witness but fun to dismantle, creating one of the best Left 4 Dead-inspired games in years.
World War Z is made up of four disconnected cooperative narrative campaigns that take place in different parts of the world. Each has four distinct playable characters, structurally placing it a little closer to the book than the film. You must make your way through linear locations like Japan and New York, fighting for survival while achieving a series of goals together, like opening a door so a train can get through, or getting on a boat before being overtaken by zombies. The story is light, but it provides some interesting context for what you’re doing. Sometimes you’re just trying to get out alive, sometimes you’re helping to protect a mobile caravan of survivors, and sometimes you’re escorting an important scientist. The narrative touches are quick, but I appreciated that they qualified everything just enough so I was doing a little more than just moving point to point.
Click here to watch embedded mediaYou can also find coloring for the narrative outside of the missions and unlock short animated backstories for the characters after playing with them at least once. I like how the story is presented because it lets you absorb only what you’re interested in. If you want to just shoot zombies, you can easily bypass everything, but if you want to know why that one character’s hat and bulletproof vest have the word “PRESS” written on them in big white letters, you can learn more about him and his history with the New York Times between rounds.
The third-person shooting feels good, and I didn’t encounter slowdown or connectivity issues playing online, which is an impressive feat at launch. And it’s all the more impressive when you see how many zombies appear on screen. Seeing thousands of the undead descend on you from the distance is a common occurrence, and you must often hold down the fort while they scramble and climb on top of one another to get to you. Seeing the undead hills is scary, and firing at the base with explosives or even just plain old bullets is always satisfying as they topple to the ground and scramble to regroup.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
In these situations, when you know the horde is preparing to descend, you have more than just the weapons you scavenged on the way there. You are typically afforded time to set up defenses like barbed wire, electric floor panels, or turrets for some light tower defense. Collaborating with a team (especially on the higher difficulties) to set up defenses and then execute them to hold back the zombies is awesome, and makes replaying the campaigns consistently exciting.
Any character can be any of the six classes, which is good when you find a character you like, or are trying to unlock everyone’s backstory. The classes don’t feel radically distinct, since everyone scavenges the same weapons. Instead, the class dictates your special item, like a grenade, taser, or a special syringe you can use to boost everyone’s health. You level up your class as you play unlocking assorted boosts and equippable passive abilities. It encourages you to find a favorite early and stick with it, which made trying new classes unsatisfying. Alternatively, I like how guns level up individually, because the weapons you use are different every match, so your favorites (like the explosive crossbow) get more powerful over time.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
Along with the cooperative campaigns, which is the premiere mode, a competitive mode for groups of eight to fight each other is present. This mode offers a change of pace and has some depth with its five sub-modes and 10 classes that can be leveled similarly to the classes in the campaign, but it plays like a mode from a past era. The shooting feels good and pausing a firefight so everyone can take on a sudden horde of zombies is a cool idea, but running around with your team on a small map adapted from the campaign trying to get 50 kills as fast as possible just feels too familiar in the modern age of online shooters.
World War Z is a technically proficient, visually impressive cooperative shooter that surprised me. Licensed games can be hit-or-miss, and the film version of World War Z is not the most exciting fictional world, but it supports the experience here well. The core of the story (human reactions to a fully thought-out zombie plague) and the best part of the movie (crazy zombie hills) elevate an engaging cooperative shooting experience into some of the most fun I’ve had shooting zombies in a while.
Score: 8.25
Summary: World War Z takes arguably the best part of the film and uses it to create a visually interesting gameplay mechanic that is horrifying to witness but fun to dismantle.
Concept: Take arguably the best element of the film World War Z – the zombies – and adapt them into a cooperative shooter inspired by games like Left 4 Dead
Graphics: The non-infected player characters are full of detail. Watching the zombie horde descend, even when you’re replaying a scenario, is impressive
Sound: The soundtrack doesn’t inspire the intensity it aims for, and the character barks are obnoxious. The performances in the animated short stories are better
Playability: Moving and shooting feel great, but some quality-of-life elements for non-verbal communication with other players are missing
Entertainment: World War Z hews closely to the core tenants of the genre, but its zombies make the familiar monster feel unique. The story is interesting, but light enough that it knows when to stay out of the way
Replay: Moderately high
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Hello ihatethissite2,
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Hello dad2,
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Hello Farhad,
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Hello 1q2w3e,
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Hello HCD,
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Click here to watch embedded media
Publisher: Bandai NamcoDeveloper: GanbarionRelease: March 15, 2019Rating: Rating PendingPlatform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Bandai Namco announced ambiguous DLC and free update plans for One Piece: World Seeker late last month, but today it has provided some more concrete details for the first piece of paid DLC.
The Void Mirror Prototype will make Zoro a playable character and you will be able to, "engage in intense battles using his Santoryu battle style as he works to uncover the secrets behind a mysterious robotics factory." It will be available early summer and is part of the game's season pass, but can also be purchased standalone for $9.99.
For our review of One Piece: World Seeker, head here.
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Hello NOLFans,
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.
NOLFans joined on the 04/18/2019.
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Hello JaysnHood,
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.
JaysnHood joined on the 04/18/2019.
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Today on Highlight Reel we have big dudes with bells, complex claymore kills in Rainbow Six Siege, Sekiro stealth, Blade & Sorcery chokeslams, and much more!
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Publisher: InkleDeveloper: InkleRelease: April 16, 2019Rating: TeenReviewed on: PCAlso on: PlayStation 4
Building a fictional language from scratch is an ambitious feat. While a handful of games (like Far Cry Primal and Skyrim) twist made-up tongues into their narratives, you don’t have to learn them yourself. Heaven’s Vault, a new adventure game from the makers of the mobile title 80 Days, centers entirely on teaching you a hieroglyphic language and successfully packages it into a fascinating world.
Heaven’s Vault tells the story of young archeologist Aliya and her companion robot Six. After a roboticist goes missing somewhere in the Nebula, you must travel to distant moons searching for him. Each clue you unearth on these moons, whether it’s an artifact or an inscription, leads you closer to answers not just about the roboticist, but also about Aliya, the world she lives in, and its rich lore. With every new piece of history I found, I was eager to see where it would lead me next.
The most significant discoveries during an excavation are inscriptions marked onto monuments, statues, weapons, and more. When you find one, Aliya opens her notebook and attempts to translate it. At first, the only way to decipher these hieroglyphs is with the help of context clues around you or with blind guesses. Aliya suggests a handful of meanings, and you can select some to ascribe to specific glyphs in the phrase. For example, you may choose “fire” if you notice the inscription is written atop a fireplace.
As you progress, you start learning the language yourself. I was able to identify parts of phrases as recognizable glyphs for words like “goddess” and “death” that I had translated before, which was a satisfying feeling. The language puzzle recurs often, but it never feels all that repetitive since each new glyph is a learning experience.
Click here to watch embedded mediaEven wrong translations aren’t a lost cause, since you can always change your mind later and modify it. Errors can even help narrow down your options. For example, inserting several wrong guesses into a long phrase leads Aliya to cross them out and switch them for new guesses instead. You don’t always know if you’re right or wrong immediately, bringing ambiguity to your research. I thought this was a neat touch that adds realism to the experience.
The moons you frequent are beautiful, with varying biomes like deserts and forests. Some are civilized, like Aliya’s old home filled with bustling marketplaces. Others are long-abandoned, with many secrets hidden inside crumbling infrastructures and temples. Despite no one living there now, it gives the incredible feeling that you’re treading over the land of ancient civilizations. The constant chatter between Aliya and Six also brings entertainment to exploration, since their strained relationship involves a lot of snide comments and sarcasm.
Visiting these moons is enjoyable, but small technical issues surface to break the immersion. During certain cutscenes, the camera fixed on a wall instead of someone’s face. Another time, Six’s body disappeared when he spoke. Moving around can also be tiresome, since Aliya moves so slowly. Heaven’s Vault is meditative in tone and pace, but even with that in mind, my patience wore thin. These issues are unfortunate, but they never got severe enough to kill my curiosity for Aliya’s adventure.
You use your ship to travel between moons, but poor controls make it cumbersome to maneuver, especially over long journeys. First, you plot a course on a map, and then you steer it through rivers in the skies (which are literally paths made of water) to head to your next destination – a long process that grows tiresome. You can fast-travel to some civilized moons, but since most of your time is spent on abandoned ones, this shortcut feature is limited.
Between exploring ruins, you meet a cast of vibrant characters who help guide you towards your next destination, like a sleazy artifacts trader and a friendly scholar. However, watch what you say around others; some may cut off business with you if you’re rude. While this made them feel like real people, it irked me when it would happen with no warning.
Heaven’s Vault is both ambitious and beautiful. It conjures a world rich with life; I enjoyed learning about the different cultures and religions of those dead and alive. Despite the long travel segments and a handful of bugs, I don’t hesitate to recommend Heaven’s Vault. The impressive language-learning mechanic largely succeeds, and with a world brimming with detail, it makes this adventure an exciting one.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
Score: 8
Summary: This adventure game centers around teaching you a hieroglyphic language and packages it into a fascinating world.
Concept: Learn a hieroglyphic language as you discover mysteries of ancient civilizations
Graphics: Areas like deserts and forests look gorgeous, and the contrast between 2D characters and 3D environments is striking
Sound: Beautiful violin and piano music play as you explore different moons
Playability: Despite some poor controls when maneuvering your ship and slow movement in general, the game plays smoothly in all other areas
Entertainment: Heaven’s Vault features great characters, exciting places to discover, and a thrilling mystery to piece together
Replay: Moderately High
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Publisher: Devolver DigitalDeveloper: AskiisoftRelease: April 18, 2019Rating: MatureReviewed on: SwitchAlso on: PC
What’s the most terrifying thing about a samurai assassin squaring off against a room full of gun-toting goons? The sword. Out of all possible deadly weapons, the samurai chooses a blade that requires unerring precision and close range, even when facing a hail of bullets. That choice conveys a lot about the efficiency and confidence of the assassin; we all know who is walking out of that room alive. In Katana Zero, that’s you.
Despite a focus on frantic swordplay, this side-scrolling action game isn’t as chaotic as it first appears. Using just a blade (and a little help from time manipulation), players have the speed and power to clear out entire enemy strongholds unscathed. Each screen presents a puzzle-like arrangement of enemies, requiring calculated movements and careful attacks. Katana Zero is not about improvisation and reaction; if you try playing it like Hotline Miami, you won’t survive.
Click here to watch embedded mediaMaking plans and refining them through trial and error is the most entertaining part of Katana Zero. You open a door, but a guard immediately shoots you, so time rewinds and the screen resets. On your next attempt, you use your limited time-slowing power as you kick the door open, allowing you to slash the bullet and deflect it back at the guard. Except now you’re facing an enemy with a shotgun, and you can’t deflect that blast with your sword. Can you quickly roll past and slash him without alerting another guard? Or knock him into some lasers? Or lure him to a more vulnerable position? You die often as you find the answers to these questions, but respawning is rapid, so the deaths don’t feel punitive. When you finally clear a tough screen, Katana Zero makes you feel like a genius assassination architect, overcoming harrowing odds and emerging as the lone survivor.
The thrill of those moments propels you through the levels, but frustrating design can make it difficult to reach those peaks of joy. For example, executing your plans depends on repetition and precision, but guards don’t always go back to the same default positions after a screen reset. This randomness occasionally prevents you from mastering familiar sections quickly to get to the tricky bits, which feels like a pointless hurdle that only eats up time.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
Jumping around, slowing time, and deflecting bullets is fun, but your options never expand (apart from one exception that I won’t spoil). That static moveset isn’t a problem by itself, but after exhausting its repertoire, Katana Zero struggles to present you with interesting ways to use your powers. Enemy configurations get harder and the stages get more elaborate, but using the same strategies to progress gets old. A motorcycle chase, a memory-based enemy gauntlet, and a handful of boss fights are attempts to vary the formula, but they fall flat just as often as they succeed.
The other main disappointment is the story. It has fascinating hooks involving a mysterious drug, your dumpy apartment complex, and your shady psychiatrist. The first couple hours had me thinking, “I can’t wait to see how all of these cool concepts come together.” Unfortunately, most of them just cryptically meander without reaching any crescendo. The game also lays the foundations for big moments that never come, like a foreshadowed choice that feels completely meaningless, and an abrupt “to be continued” ending that left me with a sour impression as the credits rolled.
When Katana Zero is in top form, it is a satisfying and stylish action/puzzle hybrid that rewards your patience and persistence. But the longer you play, the more the effect diminishes. The assassination scenarios start blending together, and the cutscenes stop inspiring curiosity. That tipping point is what stops Katana Zero from reaching its full potential, but it doesn’t negate the pride that comes from a well-planned and perfectly executed sword-slashing rampage.
Score: 7.75
Summary: Katana Zero can be a satisfying and stylish action/puzzle hybrid, but the effect diminishes the longer you play.
Concept: Strategically slash your way through an army of bad guys, with a little help from time-altering powers
Graphics: Retro-styled visuals and a VHS aesthetic make the side-scrolling action look great
Sound: The music fits the game’s tone, serving as an effective background soundtrack whether the scene is brutal or quiet
Playability: Controls feel precise and responsive, though hit detection is sometimes inconsistent (which can work for or against you)
Entertainment: Katana Zero starts strong on all fronts, but it doesn’t evolve or cohere in ways that sustain the excitement of its early stages
Replay: Moderate
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Publisher: Warner Bros. InteractiveDeveloper: NetherRealm StudiosRelease: April 23, 2019Rating: Rating PendingPlatform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Nintendo released a new trailer for Mortal Kombat 11 today, ahead of its release in just a week's time.
The video shows off some never-before-seen story scenes, and it's also interesting that the backgrounds in fatal blows look noticeably different than they did in past entries.
Watch the entire teaser below.
Click here to watch embedded mediaMortal Kombat 11 arrives on April 23 for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
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Hello miller47,
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miller47 joined on the 04/17/2019.
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Publisher: NintendoDeveloper: Sora, LtdRelease: December 7, 2018Platform: Switch
A Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct dropped today out of nowhere, showing off Joker and the Super Smash Bros 3.0 Update.
Joker arrives tomorrow on April 17 and includes Persona 3/4/5 music and themes for the Mementos stage. In his basic form, Joker has a gun, a grappling hook, and uses his knife for most of his attacks. As he takes damage, however, Joker builds up the ability to summon Arsene, the Persona he summoned in Kamoshida's castle in Persona 5. Arsene either powers up or completely changes Joker's moves.
Joker's Final Smash is the All Out Attack, which mimics Persona 5 completely. He also has the Shujin Academy uniform as his alternate costume. The pack of Joker, Mementos, and the 11 music tracks are part of the fighters pass, but can be bought for $5.99.
You can watch the Smash Direct below.
Click here to watch embedded mediaThe Direct also detailed some new content for the 3.0 update like the Stage Builder, which has been in previous Smash Bros. games. The Stage Builder supports both a controller and the touchscreen. Players can add different layers to stages when creating them, as well. The update adds video editing, which can be shared in the game. The Smash World, the social service announced last November, also supports video sharing and level sharing.
In addition, the 3.0 update includes new Mii costumes like Morgana, Persona 4's protagonist, Persona 3's protagonist, Tails, and Knuckles.
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Publisher: Hörberg ProductionsDeveloper: Hörberg ProductionsRelease: April 3, 2019Rating: Everyone 10+Reviewed on: Switch
I already know what I need to do to beat the massive mech towering over me. First, I must destroy its vulnerable plate armor while dodging the lasers, energy balls, and rockets it throws my way. Then, when it hurls a punch at me, I need to jump on its fist and run up its arm to bash in the power core. I know its pattern, so I just need to survive until I can put my plan into action. The platforming is loose, but after several attempts, I finally destroy the power core on its head. However, my celebration soon turns to dismay; that was only its first form, and now the real test of my mettle begins.
Encounters like these are common in Mechstermination Force, an intense 2D shooter that harkens back to classics like Contra and Metal Slug. However, instead of blowing through waves of enemies, each stage is a drawn-out boss fight against a giant mechanical monster. While the controls are sometimes annoying, the loop is satisfying: You chip away at your foe’s armor from a distance, then get up close to whack an exposed power core. These battles are grueling, with the robots often taking multiple forms and adopting various patterns for you to learn over the course of repeated tries. You’re going to die several times on each boss, but Mechstermination Force makes sure that you learn from your mistakes, and pushing through challenges that initially seem insurmountable makes your eventual victory even sweeter.
Click here to watch embedded mediaThe bosses are enormous, requiring you to climb on top of and, sometimes, through their bodies. My favorite battle was against a towering two-headed beast, which had me blasting through its insides, section by section, on the way to its two long, climbable necks. Once there, I dodged lasers and electric waves to reach the power cores. Fighting all the way to the top and taking out the two heads to kill the mech felt like a true triumph, and sticks out as the most memorable sequence of the campaign.
These encounters are fun, but much like the mechs, the action has some weak points. The shooting is smooth and exact, but the platforming is another story. Jumping can feel slippery, and once you unlock the ability to climb, latching onto surfaces is inconsistent. Watching your character fall all the way to the bottom of a building-tall mech because of a missed wall-grab is infuriating. Some bosses intentionally send you flying when you attack their power cores, resetting your position to scale them once more. Unfortunately, you’re sometimes thrown directly into harm’s way or down a pit, which is maddening. This experience is hard enough without extra layers of difficulty due to poor controls and random chance.
This becomes an even bigger barrier during the final battle, as the skills and strategies you’ve learned are nullified. The patient 2D platforming and careful planning give way to a frantic bullet-hell space level. While I don’t mind that style, this final mech fight felt like I was playing a completely different game. This is further accentuated by the fact that the new controls (used only for this battle) are imprecise, making the most difficult encounter feel downright unfair.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
Over the course of the adventure, you earn thousands of coins, which can be used to purchase additional health and weapons. While the spread shot and grenade launcher are powerful in the right situations, I leaned toward the versatile laser, since it ricochets off surfaces and clears some enemy projectiles away like a windshield wiper. Unfortunately, experimentation is rarely satisfying, as the weapons all pack similar punch, and it really comes down to the firing patterns you prefer. The close-range flamethrower seems useless, and the final unlock isn’t nearly worth the price. Once I had all the weapons, I regretted buying anything beyond the laser; I should have just poured those coins into my character’s health.
If a section is too difficult, you can bring a friend along through local cooperative play. Having an extra gun is awesome, and co-op partners inherit all your unlocked weapons and health upgrades. However, once a character dies, they can’t rejoin the fight. Less experienced players who die fast are left putting their controller on the table and watching the remaining player beat the boss alone. However, since the game doesn’t scale difficulty for an extra player, it is undoubtedly the easiest path to victory, providing a good way to mitigate the challenge if you get stuck.
Even through my multiple gritted-teeth attempts at the battles, I loved figuring out the puzzle of how to take down each monstrous foe. Finally executing on your plan to defeat a boss you’ve been stuck on is beyond rewarding. Mechstermination Force is action packed and exciting, but hit-or-miss controls and a disappointing final boss prevent it from reaching its best form.
Score: 7.5
Summary: Mechstermination Force is an intense 2D boss-rush shooter that delivers excitement, triumph, and frustration.
Concept: Blast and bash massive mechs in a challenging 2D boss-rush shooter
Graphics: Bright colors and inventive mech designs don’t make up for the otherwise bland design
Sound: An upbeat score matches the intense action, but generic sound effects annoy after the first few bosses
Playability: Smooth shooting mechanics and useful upgrades help compensate for slippery platforming and inconsistent climbing, but falling during your ascent of a boss is still frustrating
Entertainment: Climbing and destroying a massive robot is exciting, but the basic gameplay falters too often for a game that requires such precision
Replay: Moderate
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Hello KHEBEL,
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.
KHEBEL joined on the 04/16/2019.
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Before we get to the notes, we know there are some ongoing issues that have been frustrating you folks that didn’t make it into this patch. We are actively working on many improvements and we’re aware of the reports around audio issues, slow mo servers, hit registration, and more. I’ll provide more info when I can but know that we hear you folks and working hard to address this stuff. For 1.1.1 we’re introducing some balance adjustments for Legends and weapons, check out designer notes and info below:
Hey All,
Leeeeeee-RSPN here with RespawnSean, Jayfresh_Respawn & Scriptacus to give a quick update on live balance for Legends and weapons.
LEGEND BALANCING
At the start of Season 1, we previously talked about how our beloved Thicc Bois (Pathfinder, Gibraltar and Caustic) were getting crushed due to their hitbox size compared to other Legends. We first wanted to try adjusting hitboxes to better fit the model. For Pathfinder, this change worked very well. (Note: separately, we are actively investigating and working on fixing unrelated hit registration issues sometimes affecting all characters). However, after looking at the data and player feedback, Gibraltar and Caustic only improved slightly with the hitbox adjustments.
We don’t believe that hit box and character kit tuning is sufficient to bring Gibraltar and Caustic in line with their smaller competitors. Starting with Patch 1.1.1, Gibraltar and Caustic will get a new perk added to their passive - Fortified**, which reduces damage taken by 10%.** Over the week or two following this change, we will be watching how they perform with this additional protection and aggressively tune it if they are still underpowered relative to their size. Our goal is to ensure both Legends are viable picks by the end of this process.
Additionally, we’re also making a few quality of life kit adjustments to ensure their marquee abilities are a more impactful part of their individual playstyles.
CAUSTIC:
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Fortified Passive Perk added: reduces damage taken by 10%
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Gas Damage per tick increased: 1 -> 4
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Ultimate Throw distance increased: 28 meters -> 33 meters
GIBRALTAR:
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Fortified Passive Perk added: reduces damage taken by 10%
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Gun Shield health increased: 50 -> 75
WEAPON BALANCING
On the weapons side of the equation, we’ve made a number of changes to try to improve the power of long range gameplay. We’re reducing leg shot damage reductions on sniper category weapons, so you’re not punished for landing inaccurate shots at long distances. Given the semi-auto and low damage nature of our current sniper suite, coupled with the general speed and evasiveness of many Legend kits, it already takes several challenging shots to down someone at range. Because of this difficult sniper environment, we’re also reducing general sniper weapon sway and hitting the DMR with a few targeted buffs to make it more viable to engage Legends at range.
Separately from the sniper category, we are nerfing the Spitfire a bit, but our goal is to still keep it strong, as it’s a rarer spawning weapon. The Wingman is receiving a few magazine size nerfs, so that it doesn’t dominate the stock gun vs. stock gun battle early on due to its super high damage per bullet. Lastly, the Havoc is getting some general ammo and charge beam buffs to bring it in line as a viable energy ammo AR that competes with the R-301 and Flatine/Hemlok. The end goal is that the Havoc pressures a player’s ability to find Energy ammo, but is less dependent on finding attachments, whereas the R-301 and Flatline/Hemlok have less ammo pressure, but a higher reliance on finding more attachments to achieve power.
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G7 SCOUT / TRIPLE TAKE / LONGBOW DMR
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Lowered leg shot damage reduction: 25% -> 10%
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Reduced base weapon sway by about 33%
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Reduced base sway speed by about 25%
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LONGBOW DMR
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Increased fire rate 1.2 -> 1.6
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Increased magazine size
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Base mag increased: 5 -> 6 rounds
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Common mag extender increased: 6 -> 8 rounds
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Rare mag extender increased: 8 -> 10 rounds
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Epic mag extender increased: 10 -> 12 rounds
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HAVOC
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Increased base magazine size: 25 -> 32 rounds
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Charge Beam
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Reduced cost per shot: 5 -> 4
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Increased close range damage: 55 -> 60
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Increased damage at range: 45 -> 50
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Close range damage falloff increased: 35m -> 75m
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Ranged damage falloff increased: 75m -> 125m
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WINGMAN
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Reduced magazine size
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Base mag reduced: 6 -> 4 rounds
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Common mag extender reduced: 8 -> 6 rounds
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Rare mag extender reduced: 9 -> 8 rounds
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Epic mag extender reduced: 12 -> 10 rounds
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SPITFIRE
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Reduced base damage: 20 -> 18
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Magazine extender attachments reduced
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Common mag extender reduced: 45 -> 40 rounds
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Rare mag extender reduced: 55 -> 45 rounds
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Eprc mag extender reduced: 60 -> 55 rounds
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ADJUSTMENTS TO GOLD WEAPON ATTACHMENTS:
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Gold Havoc
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Now has Turbocharger
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Now has 1x-2x variable holo site
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Gold R301
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Now has 1x-2x variable holo site
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Gold Wingman
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Now has digital threat
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BATTLE PASS XP BONUS EVENT:
In honor of Thicc-boi buffs, we’re going to be running a bonus Battle Pass XP event. From approximately 10AM PST 4/16 through approximately 10AM PST 4/18, your first Top 5 of the day (your squad places 5th or better in a match) will grant you 1 full bonus Battle Pass Level (29,500 BPP), up to a max of level 110. You can earn this once per day.
We’ll also be finding other moments during the season to add Battle Pass XP bonuses, so stay tuned!
ADDITIONAL CHANGES
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JUMP SHIP SPEED
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Increased the speed of the ship by about 50%
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We felt that the ship was moving a bit too slow after watching player behavior so we’re speeding it up so players that like to drop later in the flight path don’t have to wait so long.
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BUG FIXES
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Fixed UI bug where the wrong percentage would be displayed for all boost badges.
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(Source)
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Publisher: SEGADeveloper: SEGARelease: SummerPlatform: PlayStation 4
One interesting thing about video games is how much of a product is made up of different moving parts and gears that could, theoretically, be swapped out without everything else falling apart. In practice, a lot of things are a lot more interdependent than you'd like, but in the case of Sega's Yakuza semi-spinoff Judgment and the drug scandal with one of its actors, replacing the character was both doable and a seeming priority for the team. Just weeks after Judgment actor Pierre Taki has been arrested for cocaine use, Sega has already replaced the actor and we have the first look at the new Hamura.
You can check out a short video of the character below with Judgment's English dub.
Click here to watch embedded mediaHere's also a few new screenshots of the actor replacing Taki as Hamura.
Click image thumbnails to view larger version
In English, this effectively makes zero difference, as the west has never had Pierre Taki as Hamura and the voice acting has not been changed. In Japan, however, Sega is likely eager to get the game back on sale as quickly as possible, so it seems that placing the new actor in is happening at a lightning pace.
The western release of Judgment has reportedly not been affected at all by this change. The game still releases on June 21 on PlayStation 4 for digital pre-orders and June 25 for the physical release.
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Publisher: Team17Developer: Pathea GamesRelease: April 16, 2019Rating: Everyone 10+Reviewed on: SwitchAlso on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
My Time at Portia strives to emulate the charm of a simple life, similar to games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. At first, the experience seems to line up closely with expectations set by those other simulations; as a newcomer in the community, you do chores, socialize with townsfolk, and customize your living space to make it feel more like home. But as the days go by, My Time at Portia fails to coalesce into a world you want to inhabit. Instead, it gradually grows duller under the burden of repetitive busywork and underwhelming incentives to keep the grind going.
Your created character arrives in the quaint city-state of Portia and inherits a workshop, then completes various construction contracts for the town and its residents. As you meet your neighbors and learn the ropes, your jobs are small and simple, requiring materials you can easily gather or refine to make tools, tables, and water buckets. The complexity ramps up quickly, requiring you to build different stations to transmute ingredients into other objects. For example, if bronze sheets are an ingredient in a blueprint, first you must go mining in the ruins to get copper and tin ore. Then you use a furnace to smelt them into a bronze brick, and put those bricks into a cutter to shape them into bronze sheets. And those sheets are probably just one of several necessary components that have multi-step production chains.
Click here to watch embedded mediaThis escalating process may be familiar, but where other games in the genre give you cool rewards and satisfying progress, the loop feels joyless here. Even when you build multiple furnaces (or cutters, grinders, etc.), producing your materials takes too long and feels like a slog. And when you finally complete a blueprint, you rarely enjoy any interesting benefits as a result. You just pick up the next quest, which has a more complicated blueprint waiting for you – and “more complicated” usually just means it requires even more items and upgrades to finish. Each step forward feels like the exact same kind of busywork, all stretched over dozens of hours.
Sometimes you need to venture into dungeons for missions and material-gathering, which is where the simplistic combat mechanics become necessary. The basic attacking and dodging is functional as you mow down generic creatures and bosses, but it isn’t varied enough to be compelling or entertaining. Your success is more determined by your stats than your skill, and I was bummed those stats are so largely influenced by what you’re wearing. I occasionally had to choose between surviving and not looking like a clown, and that can make the cosmetic customization frustrating.
Filling in the spaces between the building and the fighting is an array of optional quests and half-baked activities. For instance, farming is present, but it feels like an obligatory afterthought since your attention is better spent on construction. You can also increase your standing with villagers and eventually get married. However, the characters don’t have much for personalities or interesting traits, which makes it hard to care about getting to know them.
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Any time you spend in Portia is also marred by technical problems, including long loading screens, animation hiccups, and cumbersome menus. These issues are especially amplified on the Switch version, making it unquestionably the worst way to play. While the technical shortcomings don’t render the game broken or unplayable, they create a pervasive sense of unpolished sloppiness that eventually forced me to ask, “Why am I playing this? What does this game provide to make this worth the hassle?” The answer? Nothing.
Something hard to define is missing from My Time at Portia. It mechanically ticks many boxes that simple-life fantasies are supposed to, but it lacks the charm and satisfaction that springs from its peers in the genre. It demands your time without enticing you, and places you in a world that feels hollow. Games like this are supposed to make chores fun and rewarding, but playing My Time at Portia feels more like actual work.
Score: 5.75
Summary: Games like this are supposed to make chores fun and rewarding, but playing My Time at Portia feels more like actual work.
Concept: Build a life for yourself in a quaint (but boring) fantasy world
Graphics: The visuals are colorful but mediocre, though an occasional character or environment stands out
Sound: Like the graphics, the soundtrack is appropriate and unexceptional
Playability: Technical issues and a lack of direction make the early hours rough. Even once everything clicks, the interface remains awkward
Entertainment: Long periods of waiting and repetitive tasks make this simulation hard to recommend, especially since your efforts only rarely pay off
Replay: Moderately low
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Hello chunkeymonkey,
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.
chunkeymonkey joined on the 04/15/2019.
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Publisher: ChucklefishDeveloper: Cardboard SwordRelease: TBARating: Rating PendingPlatform: PC
The Siege and the Sandfox is quietly sliding into the crowded 2D Metroidvania genre with a sneaky twist. We’ve seen plenty of Metroid-style games that focus on action, such as Shadow Complex, or on exploration and platforming, like Ori and the Blind Forest. However, we haven’t seen a Metroidvania that puts a big focus on stealth. In fact, 2D stealth games are few and far between; Mark of the Ninja proved that it could be done well, and now The Siege and the Sandfox aims to do it in a beautiful, interconnected world. We came away from the first hour impressed and hopeful for this so-called “Stealthvania.”
The game is a treat to look at; its ancient Arabian aesthetic with dusty caverns and gorgeous desert vistas peeking through ornate palace exteriors are drawn in meticulously detailed pixel art. The atmosphere is rich thanks to the Sandfox’s blending of pixelated environments and modern graphical flourishes. Light creeps through open windows revealing dust hanging in the air, guards hold torches that light the surrounding area and leave a trail of embers, and phosphorescent mushrooms give off a neon glow. It all comes together with the game’s smooth character animations to feel more cohesive than you might expect from a pixelated world.
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The Siege and the Sandfox is developer Cardboard Sword’s debut game. Its first attempt certainly leaves a strong impression, putting a stealthy twist on a well-worn genre. Instead of strapping a gun to your arm, you attempt to escape a cavernous prison with nothing but your wits to guide you – fortunately you are an experienced assassin, so your only immediate disadvantage is that you’ve been stripped of your tools. I quickly found helpful upgrades like lockpicks or a club to knock out nosy guards, which made me a dangerous, shadowy force. In my time with the game I didn’t get to see much variety in the enemies; most were simple, patrolling jailers who were easily dispatched.
I came across several upgrades while playing, all appropriately significant. Finding the club meant I no longer needed to be as timid in my approach and could incapacitate foes. The climbing boots let me run up sheer walls, and the lockpick immediately had me excited to scour previously explored areas for all the doors I’d passed by. My time between upgrades was brief, but with no sense of the game’s length or how many upgrades are in the final version, it’s hard to say if that pace can continue. I enjoyed that momentum in my time at least.
Crucially, the controls felt as smooth as the animation. Aside from figuring out some particular platforming nuances, the game never got in my way when I was exploring. Running around and up walls was satisfying and whacking unsuspecting guards has a nice, tactile feel. Everything from the combat to the navigation animated nicely adding to the layered world. I can’t wait to make a quiet escape when the game comes out.
One of the more interesting aspects of The Siege and the Sandfox is its storytelling. You’re an assassin who has been falsely accused of murdering the king and are left to rot in the palace’s excessively large prison – and the story is narrated by a woman describing events as you play (similar to Supergiant’s Bastion). The narration adds gravitas to your actions, and lays the groundwork for an interesting and complex world full of larger-than-life characters that feel straight out of One Thousand and One Nights. I came away from my time intrigued by the setting and the player character and even more interested in learning about the woman narrating my escape.
Since I wasn’t formidable in a fight, I needed to stick to the shadows to get by unscathed. This could be as simple as avoiding torchlights or enemy sightlines. You can hide in certain environmental objects like a large pot or empty crate to avoid enemies as they stroll past. Stealth was handled well in the game’s 2D environments; running with the right trigger will send out a visual pulse that lets you see how much noise you’re making. Enemies spotted me several times as I ran through an area, and when they did, it was game over.
Unfortunately, The Siege and the Sandfox’s stealth loop is more generous than I prefer. Your character has nothing to defend himself in the opening minutes of the game, so you are forced to sneak and hide early on. Once you find the club – which unlocks a melee attack – the enemies became less threatening. Being able to easily knock out the enemies meant I only needed to hide long enough for them to turn around. Even then, there were a few times where an enemy was standing on a platform and when I would clamber up there, I would get spotted, but they would do nothing for several seconds. It removed the element of danger that was more present in the opening section. It often felt more like an action game where the enemies just let you attack them rather than a tactical stealth game. The Siege and the Sandfox is still in alpha, so much of this is subject to change. For how smooth the presentation is overall, though, it felt like I didn’t need to engage with the stealth as thoroughly as I would have liked. This could be attributable to either its early stage of development or perhaps the game gets more demanding further in. We’ll have to wait to find out.
Click here to watch embedded mediaThe Siege and the Sandfox does not have a specific release window and is currently only slated for release on PC. We looked at the game at GDC; here are our thoughts on the best indie games from the show. While we wait for more information, you can read our thoughts on another upcoming Metroidvania, Ori and the Will of the Wisp.
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Hello unverzagt,
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.
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Publisher: Blizzard EntertainmentDeveloper: Blizzard EntertainmentRelease: May 24, 2016Rating: TeenPlatform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Blizzard gave us our first teases of this year's Overwatch Archives event, titled Storm Rising, last week with a mission description from a newly-named character in the lore. Blizzard has now given us out first trailer of said mission, showing us what Overwatch players will be doing in the event taking place in the past.
The event, as described by Sojourn last week, was for Tracer, Genji, Mercy, and Winston to team up and take down Doomfist's accountant. You can watch the trailer below.
Click here to watch embedded mediaMuch like the previous events, the mission looks like a four-player co-cop player vs. enemy mission pitting a designated team of you and your friends against a designed level. In this case, it is to take down the robot accountant of supervillain Doomfist as a way to get to Doomfist himself. You know it takes place in the past because people are going to jail for white collar crime.
The Overwatch Archives Storm Rising event starts tomorrow April 16 and runs through May 6 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Mad Mad World
in Game Previews
Posted
With Days Gone only days away from release, there are still a lot of questions about how the world functions. The open-world zombie game is meant to be freely traversed on a bike, but there's always danger around every corner, and behind every tree.
The newest Days Gone video is meant to convey that world and how it was created straight from the developers.
Click here to watch embedded mediaYou get a good look at all the various things that will kill you, including the various types of Freakers out there, but also humans who worship the Freakers and try to act like them. The video also explains how something as simple as the current weather might make or break your entire escape strategy, so having contingency plans will be important for Deacon St. John.
Days Gone releases on PlayStation 4 on April 26.
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