Tethered | PSVR26/10/2016 Tethered is a real wolf in sheep’s clothing, perilously cute and harbouring a diabolical secret. The aesthetically friendly, PlayStation VR exclusive strategy game is quick to pile on complex mechanics, soon leaving players tasking tasks on top of multitasks in a frantic struggle to heal the land. Incredibly moreish, as the best strategy games are, Tethered is a fully-featured entry into the genre first and foremost. Luckily, Secret Sorcery do afford the player some concessions that mean playing Tethered isn’t entirely like wrestling an octopus with your hands bound. Weather effects offer a wide range of boons depending on how they’re employed, for example: snowy clouds alone can be tethered to a body of water in order to freeze it and open new paths, to a depleted rock formation to allow further quarrying, to a peep to give them added damage absorption, to an enemy to hold them in place, and to other clouds to create combined weather phenomenon. A range of clouds with a similar multitude of uses spawn and despawn frequently, so using them routinely and efficiently is key to your success. There are also a suite of buildables to erect on designated foundations that’ll help you on your way, provided enough resources have been gathered. A field should take priority and provides a consistent food supply, whilst a moot hall and barracks allow peeps to be trained in vocations that boost their productivity, the workshop increases work speed, and a temple offers additional ways to procure Spirit Energy. Building multiples of these base structures proportionally increases their benefits, whilst they can each individually be upgraded once to serve a number of additional uses. With an absolute swathe of options there are a great many paths through any given level, though across the thirteen present in Tethered we were never really challenged to diversify. Each floating island sports a more complex layout and devious upgrade path than the last, but we were nonetheless able to utilise the same tactics from start to finish relatively unchallenged. As a result, the later levels are perhaps the weakest of the bunch due to repetition somewhat setting in as they unfurl in much the same way you’re accustomed to, just on a larger scale. The latter stages also demand busy head movements to juggle the increasing number of tasks, leaving you no time to take in their gorgeous vistas, and - more damningly - the PlayStation Camera can struggle to keep track of the action, resulting in the need for semi-frequent adjustments. You're afforded concessions that mean playing Tethered isn’t entirely like wrestling an octopus with your hands bound. In addition to this issue, some menus can appear at awkward angles and uncomfortably close to your face, making them difficult to read, but the virtual reality implementation is, for the most part, stellar regardless. You look down on the world as if it were a living diorama suspended in the sky, which stretches, vast and blue, far into the distance to offer a real sense of depth and scale. Importantly, the elevated perspective and the peeps’ direct reactions to the player further the game’s themes; they help to realise the fantasy of embodying an omnipotent and omnipresent deity, rather than simply occupying ‘gimmick’ territory.
Thanks to this, the world of Tethered isn’t one you’ll want to leave anytime soon. Despite becoming a tad repetitive, we’re still drawn back to improve our rankings (not that you can get any higher than first on the global leaderboard /smug), polish our strategies, and even develop some new ones. Incredibly moreish, as the best strategy games are, Tethered is a fully-featured entry into the genre first and foremost, but one that leverages virtual reality to convey its empowering, godly themes with clout. It definitely has its issues, but they’re easily overcome when contrasted with the game’s mechanical depth and visual charm. Pros
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Score 8/10 Mount & Blade: Warband | Xbox One16/9/2016 Mount & Blade: Warband sets off on the wrong foot. A direct port of the 2010 PC release, it boasts appalling visuals and an initial lack of direction that will likely have you ready to throw in the towel before you’ve even gotten started. Fighting past that urge, however, allows the game’s deep and tactical systems to blossom into something quite compelling. Unfortunately, some weapons shatter balancing to the point a single unconsidered blow will lay out almost any competition. When combined with poor artificial intelligence, combat becomes exploitatively easy. Given the right setting - say, a narrow pathway that forces enemies to approach in single file - you can just about take on entire armies single handedly. Similarly, most units become superfluous when you realise cavalry possess a huge advantage; the horses essentially double each unit’s health, meaning they can simply charge in headfirst and win most any fight. The difficulty can be bumped up to somewhat remedy the problems, though it won’t eradicate them. By now you’ll have earned the renown not just to converse with nobles, but to be sworn into the service of royalty. Choosing to do so grants a weekly wage, as well as a village to rule and the associated income from its rents. It should be a pivotal moment to breathe a sigh of relief with more coming into your purse than going out, but thanks to the aforementioned exploits they were dealing in small change. When you’re powerful enough to ransack enemy villages without needing to fear the repercussions, money is an almost endless commodity. It’s recommended you remain in a king’s service until you’re recognised as having a sufficient right to rule, only then making strides of your own, lest everybody unite to come down on your little uprising like a ton of horse cakes. Accruing that right by finding a fitting spouse and schmoozing with bigwigs just felt like obligatory busywork that hampered the pacing when, militarily, we could have realistically conquered their castles and taken them prisoner. The gravitational pull of Warband dragged us through the dark hours regardless, defying we put it down like the best strategy games do, before finally rewarding us with the juicy bits we signed up for. Now a law unto ourselves, we set about inditing large-scale siege warfare to claim swathes of land. It certainly makes you feel like a badass, storming strongholds tapping into a love nurtured by some of the most iconic scenes in cinema, despite in this instance looking like two bags of potatoes being poured into a toy castle.
If you manage to claim and hold everything as your own, which will take some considerable time and dedication, you’ll have done what many thought impossible in uniting the fragmented land in an era of peace. See, you can justify all the bloodshed in the name of prosperity. Should your cup begin to runneth dry, there are additional wars to be waged in the custom battle and multiplayer modes. Naturally there’s no politicking here, just a range of deathmatch and objective-based game modes that run smoothly on dedicated servers. Through offering an unprecedented - even intimidating - level of freedom to the player and populating the world of Calradia with abundant emergent gameplay events, TaleWorlds Entertainment bottled an addictive formula that will enthrall for countless long play sessions should you give it the chance. At a budget price, Mount & Blade: Warband provides immense value for money that goes a long way to excusing the archaic AI and presentation, as well as the balance and pacing issues. Pros
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Score 7/10 Slime Rancher | Xbox Game Preview5/9/2016 We never thought the day we’d spend hours harvesting the feces of a gelatinous species would come, but thanks to Slime Rancher, that fantasy has become a reality. Currently available via Xbox Game Preview, we’ve wiggled our way through build version 0.3.5c to let you know if it’s currently worth investing in.
In Slime Rancher, you harvest the feces of a gelatinous species for profit... Once you’ve successfully captured a few different breeds of slime, it’s a good idea to grow some crops and rear some chickens in order to bypass the need to forage. With a self sufficient set-up established, it’s possible to devote more time to venturing further out into the world and discovering its nuances. If you hadn’t already, you’ll quickly discover largos, the doubly-sized result of one slime eating another variety’s plort (nice...) to produce a hybrid of the two. Whilst these bulks are difficult to manage as they can’t be sucked up with the vacpack, they do provide twice the messy reward for each feed. They also carry a significant risk, however, in that getting their chops around a third strain of plort will turn them into the evil Tarr - black, jack o'lantern-faced slimes that will infect healthy slimes in the vicinity, whilst also attacking the player. An outbreak on the ranch can be devastating, so you’ll need to be exceedingly careful when handling largos. Segregation is key… just don’t take that quote out of context. If the unruly Tarr, or another of the game’s threats, happen to get the better of you, you’ll simply sleep it off whilst losing the items on your person. You should never be carrying large amounts of plort, other than to take them directly to the market, so you won’t much mourn the loss as wild slimes and foodstuffs will have repopulated during your nap, ripe for recollection. As you continue to explore further from the ranch’s safe perimeter, you’ll uncover huge stationary slimes that can be fed, and fed, and fed, until they explode. You’re rewarded for doing so with the rarest of items; teleporter pads that open up shortcuts, and keys to open doors that expand the play area. Unfortunately, it’s as you reach these peripheral expanses that the value proposition of Slime Rancher's preview build is brought into question. It took us but a day’s play to get through everything, which would be fine if it were a linear experience with a defined endpoint, but it isn’t. We’ve bought all of the upgrades and have nothing to use them on; earnt buckets of money and have nothing to spend it on; captured all of the available slimes and now have no reason to own them. What was an incredibly enjoyable and moreish gameplay cycle came to an all too abrupt end - we want to play more, but there just isn’t anything here for us, even with an additional challenge mode. New areas are being worked on, so fingers crossed they’ll help combat the issue. When you couple the lack of content with technical issues that see frame rates plummet and fail to recover, as well as chugging to a complete stop on occasion, we just can’t recommend purchasing Slime Rancher in preview.
With these significant kinks being worked out as you read this, we would, however, heartily recommend checking up on the final product when it releases later this year. If developer Monomi Park are successful in expunging them, they’ll have something special on their hands. Pros
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Pick it up in preview Wait for final release Avoid it either way Fortified | Xbox One2/8/2016 Bust out that theremin - or musical saw - and put on your wiseguy hat, because we’re taking a trip to 1950’s America. Martians are invading, and Uncle Sam needs you (and any chums you can muster) to help fight against the alien menace. Clapfoot Games’ Fortified is a mash-up of tower defence and third-person shooting, and for the most part, it really works. The game also boasts a lovely art style and sense of humour; the character models appear basic, whilst possessive of lovely warm edges that perfectly fit the tone. Steam rising up from the undergrounds, brick buildings and streetlights all give off the appearance of 50s America. The menu screens are adorned with graphic novel-style stills that showcase the main characters; The Captain, The Rocket Scientist, The Agent & The Spaceman. Each character has a unique visual style and an amusing array of one-liners and quips, giving the game real charm. A sticking point for some could be the difficulty curve, which can reach high peaks, even with co-op partners along for the ride, as you tackle an array of enemies from an increasing number of directions. Some of these enemies are simple on-foot robots, some are annoying crab-like swines, but it’s the pesky buggers that fly or quickly roll through the map before launching a tirade of terror upon your rocket that’ll trouble you the most. This high-level of challenge can grate at times, but when you eventually nail your strategy and see your rocket blast off into orbit, you’ll feel darn proud. Fans of XCOM should definitely check it out - assuming they enjoy tower defence, of course.
Fortified offers plenty of bang for your £11.99, a very fair price for the hours of fun you’ll get out of it. Fans of XCOM should definitely check it out - assuming they enjoy tower defence, of course. Pros
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Score 7/10 Be sure to check out our play-through video underneath too! The Banner Saga 2 | Xbox One1/7/2016 Sequel to Stoic’s Kickstarted predecessor, The Banner Saga 2 picks up exactly where the original left off. Whilst that means those up to snuff on their lore will settle back in nicely, newcomers - of which there will be many, as the game’s gratis for Xbox Live Gold members this month - will likely feel lost at the hands of the epic Scandinavian fantasy. As was the case last time, chapters alternate between protagonists to tell one intertwined story from multiple perspectives. Whilst it’s clear the mercenary offshoot are the ‘secondary’ group, their narrative arc is handled superbly. Characters are lovable - in that roguish way, of course - there’s a tangible sense of mystery, and it’s refreshingly fun to make uncouth decisions. More games should offer this freedom to justifiably play at both ends of the spectrum, turning play styles on their head periodically. Whichever side of the coin you fall on, turn-based combat is integral (though naturally for different reasons). The grid-based system returns, largely unaltered to that which we’ve previously covered in depth. New additions include battlefield obstacles that can be used as cover, or destroyed to prevent opponents from taking advantage, whilst the new centaur-like Horseborn race and a range of new classes provide additional abilities that open further avenues of strategy. Switching out party members is a more attractive prospect this time around, as they’re recruited at a more appropriate level, which accommodates accruing a body count in order to be eligible to level up. You’ll need to spend Renown in order to actually claim a level, which can now be earnt by partaking in entertaining and educational training challenges that’ll help you develop advanced tactics. The Banner Saga 2, much like the first, is an enthralling story full of difficult decisions you’ll take great pause to consider. These tweaks, in addition to seamlessly integrating the previously somewhat tedious War mechanic, refine what was already a strong foundation, whilst taking no bold new steps. A sentiment that really applies to all aspects of the game as a whole. Austin Wintory reprises his composing role on the soundtrack, which is stellar, as his work tends to be, also complementing the gorgeous, hand-drawn visuals. Most interactions remain text-based, whilst select voiced and animated segments punctuate significant moments with clout. It does beg for that final injection of production value in order to have voice over and full cutscenes persist throughout, dragging the nostalgic Choose Your Own Adventure into this century like never before. It’s in the human struggles that The Banner Saga 2 becomes a digital page-turner. A few technical areas could’ve done with seeing more of the budget, too. We suffered a good number of crashes, got stuck in menus, and spotted typos. Furthermore, we were able to kill an enemy that we shouldn't have been; the ensuing scene made no sense with them lay dead on the floor, the next even less so when they were alive and well. These issues did little to dispel our desire to plough on, which unfortunately brought us to an unsatisfactory conclusion. It’ll undoubtedly bring us back for the sequel, but until then, the cliffhanger leaves a little too much unanswered. There’s at least plenty of replayability to keep you caravanning in the meantime.
The Banner Saga 2, much like the first, is an enthralling story full of difficult decisions you’ll take great pause to consider. Beyond its central narrative, the combat is of rewarding tactical depth, whilst the package is a visual and aural treat. It’s just a shame a few select issues hold the game back from being all it could be - here’s hoping the saga’s continuation can capitalise. Pros
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8/10 SUPERHOT | Xbox One10/5/2016 SUPERHOT is a rare, one-of-a-kind game that’s executed to near perfection. It’s built around the simple premise that time only moves when the player does, a mechanic that makes every action thoroughly considered and every victory bloody ravishable. I must not reveal too much, for you are not yet ready to know the nature of the system. Who am I to disobey? It’s incredibly satisfying to pull these feats off. In simpler terms - the game's fucking badass! Just be aware that you’re in for a trippy treat. Whilst the story will continue to hold untold mysteries, the gameplay is placed front and centre and that’s an area we’re more than happy to delve further into. Equal parts puzzler, first person shooter, addictive arcade perfectionism and condensed awesome, SUPERHOT plays slowly and tactically moment-to-moment. Despite a methodical pace, movement - and with it the progression of time - is a necessity that makes decision making akin to spinning plates. You need to move to have your projectiles travel, to reload your gun, and obviously to position yourself; meanwhile, enemies are progressing in the same way. This means that if you aren't acutely aware of your surroundings - you elect to fire a shot instead of dodging the bullet encroaching from a blind spot, for example - you will suffer consequence in death and have to restart a short way back. Lost progress is never significant enough to frustrate, and you’re instantly back into the action, making for that moreish “one more go” mentality. With progression, the difficulty is ramped-up as more Red Dudes, less cover and a range of new weapons are introduced. Each weapon behaves differently, requiring a specific tactic to be employed both in eliminating those pointing the business end at you and in wielding it yourself. Ammunition is quick to run dry and most melee weapons break, meaning it pays to diversify and be able to switch on a whim. A body swapping mechanic is also introduced relatively late into the game, which helps with escaping a pinch and erecting creative kill opportunities. Now the reason we adore SUPERHOT quite so much, is that when these elements come together, they provide an ultimate power fantasy. When you play SUPERHOT, you are Neo from the Matrix. In what other game can you routinely throw your empty pistol at an enemy’s face, catch the airborne firearm they lost in the scuffle and use it to finish them off? That isn’t enough to convince you? How about slicing a bullet out of the air with a katana? Realising a bullet’s about to hit you and switching to the offending sender so that they end up killing themselves? Jumping over a moving car to effortlessly land and punch a guy’s head off? We thought so. It’s incredibly satisfying to pull these feats off. In simpler terms - the game’s fucking badass! Every enemy shatters as though made of glass, the impressive particle effects viewable at a speed of your choosing as they crumble to the ground. Whilst this rewards each and every kill, a regular-speed replay of your handiwork awaits as reward for clearing a level. They serve to further trumpet the inhuman badassery you just pulled off, and you’ll watch them every time. SUPERHOT Team have produced an instant indie classic. Whilst the main story is quite short at around 2 - 3 hours from start to finish, the bulk of the game is unlocked thereafter with challenges, endless survival mode and speedruns becoming available. Add to this another playthrough to uncover all of the hidden secrets, as well as tons of micro-features for you to fiddle with on the main menu, and there’s a lot of content here. For those that lament the campaign’s length regardless, know that this structure is contextualised, but when the gameplay loop is the main hook, we see no problem at all. The added modes do unfortunately make use of the same levels, which can lead to them feeling somewhat repetitive, whilst online leaderboard functionality would have encouraged replayability through competition. We may be committing a cardinal sin by all but revealing the score early, but in the absence of these small foibles, for us, SUPERHOT would be a faultless 10/10 game.
Through a simple aesthetic that’s clean, bright and beautiful, along with truly unique and superlative gameplay, SUPERHOT Team have produced an instant indie classic. If the game sounds remotely interesting to you - which it should if you like fun - do the industry a favour and pick it up. We need to support this kind of creativity. Pros
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9/10 Hitman - episode 2 | Xbox One9/5/2016 Read part one of our review here. Episode Two continues the game’s trend of being placed in a huge map with an overwhelming number of options available to carry out a few tasks. The biggest tip for any HITMAN game is to spend your first playthrough messing about and exploring, seeing the patterns of the targets and the best escape routes, where disguises are left lying about, etc. Proceeding with this mindset, the mission score would have resulted in minus points if possible, thanks to around 80,000 being taken off for knocking out and killing near enough twenty 'non-targets', as the game calls them. They're all working for a chemical weapons manufacturer, they're all culpable! “I can kill this target in so many ways, which shall I choose?” HITMAN's episodic approach so far has been rather light, the monthly release schedule has been barely adhered to with the second episode releasing over seven weeks after the initial content. The only updates have been a few Escalation Contracts that see you doing the same hit over and over in more difficult ways. As such, Contracts mode remains the big draw, with challenges in story mode making replaying levels more palatable, a bit more inventive, and appealing to go through again and again. It's a shame that the Elusive Targets haven't arrived yet, as these would go a long way towards bringing everyone back into a game that most can get enough fun out of after a few play sessions. More regular updates are needed in an otherwise consistently brilliant return to form with Episode Two. Now to go back and see if that woodchipper works... Pros
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Score TBD, check back when the game is content complete Joe Dever's Lone Wolf | Xbox One28/3/2016 If you read our review of The Banner Saga, you’ll know that we appreciated its charming reminiscence of a classic Choose Your Own Adventure book, and lamented its initial attempt to seemingly deny that fact. Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf doesn’t suffer the same deception; it’s an interactive Choose Your Own Adventure through and through, which is all the more endearing as a result. It’s nothing particularly innovative, but there is meat on the system's bones, and experimenting unearths tactics that can prove satisfactory when you resultantly slay Giaks with efficiency. Detailed and evocative writing conjures a story that is consistently engaging, though it's a while before you can really invest in any of its characters. A wealth of branching possibilities encourage active narrative engagement; you’ll inevitably wonder whether you reached the ‘right’ conclusions, what might have been if you’d made a different decision, or whether you perhaps could have travelled a completely different path afforded by differing character abilities. Players must manage Lone Wolf’s vitality, endurance and Kai power (mana) carefully, which can lead to some uncharacteristic decisions, made only to preserve these resources. They can each be restored through the consumption of potions, or by resting, either at a camp or by paying for accommodation. The former opens you up to attack, which brings us to the game’s turn-based combat system. Resource preservation is so important as they’re each integral to your success - you’ll require endurance to perform both offensive and defensive manoeuvres, Kai power to cast spells and employ use of the Sommerswerd sword, vitality to stay alive. A timing-based system keeps you on your toes, as if you delay for too long you’ll plain miss your turn, but you’ll often want to delay for as long as possible to regenerate endurance and buy time for ability cooldowns, before launching a multi-move assault in a tempting risk/reward proposition. Landing manoeuvres requires the completion of a quick time event, so you’ll need to remain vigilant at all times. It’s nothing particularly innovative, but there is meat on the system's bones, and experimenting unearths tactics that can prove satisfactory when you resultantly slay Giaks with efficiency. Satisfactory whilst somewhat lacking is a comment that extends to the game’s presentation, which is mundane, whilst getting the job done. Combat sections could’ve been pulled from an early Xbox 360 release and the tome and neatly integrated menus are inescapably unexciting visually. By the same token, there’s nothing wrong with soundtrack, though nothing sets it apart either, you’ll have heard similar many times before.
The transition from touch and mouse control on their respective platforms to a console game-pad also presents issue, as cumbersome menu navigation clearly results from their initial design. We also question how at home this sort of experience is on a static console - you don't generally hit the couch, controller in-hand, to read a book on the telly. You do, however, pull out your touch device for a blast from an e-book - and this is a badass e-book! Despite its drawbacks, if Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf sounds to be of interest to you, don’t hesitate to pick it up. When it's available cheaper and more accessibly elsewhere, we’d just recommend thinking twice before purchasing the Console Edition. Pros
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7/10 Dungeon of the Endless | Xbox One9/3/2016 Speaking from personal experience, Rogue-like games are scary. They’re difficult, they’re punishing, they pull no punches. When you die, you’re dead, back to the beginning you go. It can be deflating, irritating, downright infuriating - but when you succeed - when you succeed, the feeling of elation holds few equals in gaming. Every door opened grants industry, science and food, all of which are carried to new floors. Dust is never a guaranteed pick-up and resets between floors, making it the most valuable of the bunch. Rooms not powered by Dust have a chance to spawn enemies with every door you open, meaning you'll need to think carefully about what rooms you do and don’t power in order to not leave your crystal open to attack, and thus invite game over. You’ll rarely, if ever, be able to power every room on a floor, and this is where the tower defence aspect comes into play. Your heroes can’t be everywhere - though you can recruit up to two additional companions to help you on your way - so defence modules are a must to protect the crystal and avoid ruin in your absence. It’s fairly standard and entirely functional tower defence fare; you’ll want to combine a considered range of modules in appropriately placed and sized rooms to ensure maximum monster-slaying efficiency. It should probably come with a health warning, as you’ll undoubtedly forego exercise and sustenance in favour of clearing just one more floor… and then another… and then another. Gameplay as a whole is a constant balancing act - do you splurge on defences to ensure your safety and subsequently head down to the next floor at an industry disadvantage? Scrimp and risk defeat at the hands of greed? When you find the exit, do you explore the remainder of the rooms for potential equippable loot and guaranteed resources, or avoid the risk and get out? These bouts of self questioning remain constant thanks to the unpredictable nature of the randomised dungeons. You can’t just settle into a routine and employ it for every run, because it won’t always be applicable, you’re kept on your toes and will need to improvise. Having previously released on PC and touch devices, the controls have been reworked to be compatible with a gamepad. They’ll take a little getting used to, but given time things click and become perfectly comfortable. If you do struggle in the absence of a mouse or touchscreen, it's possible to pause the game and issue commands in your own time, which should negate any potential lingering issues. You’ll want to take advantage of the pause function, not just for added efficiency, but because one tiny mistake can spell your demise. We once pressed X instead of A, which picked up the power crystal and launched an all out enemy assault instead of defending the room whilst leaving the crystal be. It was disastrous, three hours went down the drain. Failure can also fall in part to random chance, or RNG, which will definitely be deflating enough to put some people off - runs are not short and a lot of your time is placed at risk. The lovely ambient soundtrack helps suppress any anger when the former occurs, encouraging you to persevere. For those who do, each failure is a learning experience. You step back into the dungeon with a better idea of how to overcome whatever’s thrown at you, how to manipulate the odds to your favour. Gaining this sense of control is more satisfying than defeating any boss. As good Rogue-likes tend to be, Dungeon of the Endless is incredibly addictive. It should probably come with a health warning, as you’ll undoubtedly forego exercise and sustenance in favour of clearing just one more floor… and then another… and then another. Winning whilst meeting certain criteria also unlocks new escape pods, which serve as modifiers to alter the manner in which you play, and ensure longevity through added challenge and variety. We can easily see people sinking hundreds of hours into the game. Amplitude Studios’ first Xbox One outing is a triumph. They’ve managed to take numerous quite complex systems and package them in such a way that it's accessible, whilst still very challenging and hard to master. It’s risk/reward gameplay condensed to a pure form - whatever the outcome of the risk taken, whether or not you receive a reward, it helps you to grow as a player. Most importantly, despite the frustrations of failure, you’ll have fun either way.
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Score 8/10 Note: The Xbox One version of Dungeon of the Endless features added co-operative multiplayer for 2-4 players via Xbox Live. Due to the review being conducted ahead of the game’s 16 March launch, we were unable to try and therefore rate this feature. Rest assured, it can only add value to the package. The Banner Saga | PS41/2/2016 It’s an observation already made, but it bares repeating that The Banner Saga shares a lot in common with George R. R. Martin's wildly popular A Song of Ice and Fire, or Game of Thrones, series. An ever vulnerable cast, no character deemed too integral to be given the chop, political intrigue and shades of grey abound. The Banner Saga is a true road story, its landscapes a character of their own and journeying across them a primary action. It’s unfathomable today, technology as advanced as it is, to undertake gruelling travel for days or more only to reach your destination and find that what you seek no longer resides there. Nobody likes to have their time and resources wasted, so it’s easy to sympathise with the characters’ ye olde plight. Managing your caravan’s travel is a constant balancing act, every choice having a knock-on effect as well as balanced positive and negative outcomes - it’s never easy. Do you stop and set-up camp when morale is low and rest is needed? Of course, right? Well it’ll come at the cost of supplies, and running out before you reach your destination will result in fatalities at the hands of starvation. Keep going then, you say? Best of luck to your tired, injured and depressed combatants when it comes to baring arms. It's a real task to keep people fed and morale high whilst still winning battles and making good progress. Something has to give and that isn't always easy to accept when many video games have conditioned you to believe otherwise. It can be truly demoralising when you buy food to supply your caravan for a trek, only to be robbed, or befall some other misfortune and lose it. It was disappointing when a clansman given numerous chances to change his ways proceeded unmoved to drag morale down. Infuriating when a traveller given sanctuary offered only betrayal as thanks. Crushing to see those close to you die, or a child lose their innocence to this harsh world. The Banner Saga is well versed in coaxing actual emotion from the player, and should be applauded for that; it’s impossible to simply allow it to wash over you. The lasting impression is one of an outright compelling journey across a magnificent world... Just as you can’t ignore the emergent narrative, tactical combat commands your full attention. The challenging turn-based affairs play out on a square checkered board, each unit upon it possessing different movement and attack traits, along with an exclusive special ability. These key unit differences make proper team composition a must; choosing which of the cast of companions accompany you into battle, and the turn order they take, can predetermine victory or defeat. Further systems in armour and willpower management culminate in tactically layered and in-depth combat, which is simultaneously easy to grasp thanks to clear and concise tutorials. Just as when caravanning, these numerous systems make combat a juggle, and again, it’s unlikely you’ll escape unscathed from the act. Recovering from acquired injuries will require rest, rest will consume resources, running out of resources results in widespread misery and death. Avoiding combat where possible means you might find yourself underleveled when it comes to later battles. There is no right and wrong, everything is a struggle. Levelling is uniquely based on kills gained by a specific character, rather than a conventional shared experience pool. Unfortunately, this somewhat discourages utilising a wide range of characters - they’ll be underleveled upon acquisition, and unlikely to secure a kill as a result. It seems the developer was aware of this and aimed to encourage making use of your hindered myriad with the inclusion of Achievements/Trophies in relation to getting a kill with each character.
Further niggles somewhat hamper the experience: the lack of a true pause function, notification messages getting stuck on-screen, quality assurance slip-ups in the occasional missing word or punctuation. These give way to bigger issues in that foreign place and character names, as well as a similar looking cast, make things hard to follow at times, and the ending serves only to lead into the confirmed sequel, rather than offering any satisfying conclusion of its own. The Banner Saga easily overcomes these foibles when it comes to viewing the package as a whole, however. The lasting impression is one of an outright compelling journey across a magnificent world, which leaves the player content in the knowledge that despite constant adversity, they made it as best they could. It’s impressive what Stoic achieved with a relatively small budget (despite being almost eight times that proposed) and development team, but it's undeniably rough around the edges. Here's hoping the sequel can smooth them over. Pros
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8/10 |
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