As the spooky season starts to get into high gear we decided a trilogy of terrifying Team Talks was the only way to go. So, as we begin foolishly burn through ideas for the next few Halloweens, this week we’re talking about the games that had us hiding behind the sofa or under the covers at the mere prospect of playing them. With so many releases, it’s easy to make excuses for things you just haven’t got around to, but we’re looking for the games that really make the hair stand on end from a trailer alone. What’s yours? Let us know in our Discord. State of Decay 2 | Chris BrandSince giving up the sauce over five years ago in favour of a life of (semi) sobriety, I've not had the fortitude for horror games. As such, I could have picked any horror game, or all of them, for this week's topic but State of Decay 2 is one of the bigger titles that I'm too afraid to play. Solo, at least, as my cowardice all but disappears when I've got company, I've just had no luck finding someone to hold my hand. Back when the first State of Decay released, I had no fear and, even though Undead Labs didn't add co-op as they were hoping to, I enjoyed my time with it (despite the technical issues that carried over into the remaster). The zombies, whilst definitely a nuisance, aren't as much of a threat to your survival as you might think. Yes, they can (and almost certainly will) chow down on your companions, but you can just as easily run into trouble if you find yourself short of food, medicine or ammo. Then there's the rest of your survivors, each with their own traits and quirks, adding further uncertainty as, much like real life, some people are just dicks. If two members of your community are butting heads, you might need to "remove" one of them, lest things get heated and you lose two pairs of hands a little later down the line. I almost feel robbed of an experience, partly due to being too afraid to play the sequel, and partly due to the myriad bugs I faced with the original. Though none of them were game-breaking, they did halt progress and ultimately turned me away. I know my little ragtag crew were only trying to help, but using our precious building materials to make sure my vehicle was on fire whenever I logged in just made things more difficult. Resident Evil | Liam AndrewsMy aversion to horror games is well established by this point, but recently I’ve been dabbling in what I suppose could be called a quasi-scary game in the form of DayZ. While it’s not your traditional horror experience, it does have zombies in it, and, despite jumping into a server with a friend, you spend most of the game alone (which is a little bit unnerving) as there’s no waypoints lighting the way to your buddy.
DayZ is more survival game then horror, if I’m being honest, and the shuffling dead that occupy built up areas quickly become more of a nuisance rather than any meaningful threat, especially in the countryside where they’re pretty much non-existent. But there’s another zombie-based game I cannot bring myself to play: Resident Evil. I remember watching someone else play the game in the late 90s as a youngster and seeing that first encounter with a zombie as it slowly turns to look at the player after taking a bite out of your mate was enough to scare me off the franchise. Despite many years going by, and some partial success with other Resi games (there was a copy of Resident Evil 0 that arrived too soon and was swiftly returned, while I played, completed, and actually enjoyed Resident Evil 4), I still haven’t been able to muster up the courage to go back to the original game. Perhaps this Halloween? They said it would never happen, it couldn't happen, but after almost three years, Google has called time on its Stadia gaming platform, adding to the ever-mounting list of products the tech giant has killed. The good news for those who did jump in and buy games on the platform is that there will be refunds, and Ubisoft is even talking about migrating purchases to PC. We pondered Google's great experiment when it was first announced and so now we're back to pick through the bones and see what we learned. Were you using Stadia? Chat about your experience in our Discord.
A Silver Lining | Liam AndrewsI never got around to trying Stadia, and though I still don’t feel much desire to, it might have been nice to give it a go, if only for the chance to participate in a (fleeting) bit of gaming history. However, I’m not entirely sure I would have enjoyed it. My cloud gaming experience extends to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and only then because it came bundled with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The results were mixed, with passable performance with smaller games and not so great performance with more complex titles. Sometimes games just refused to load at all. I have to agree with Chris’ Lurpak theory: the tech isn’t ready yet. I have middling internet these days, which is a marked improvement of my rubbish internet I had previously, and while I’m happy with it for online multiplayer, I don’t really want to rely on it for streaming the games unless it works 100%. I will say it’s pretty decent of Google to refund those who did invest in Stadia, as I expect they could have quite easily walked away without giving anything back. A Missed Opportunity | James ParryAs a YouTube Premium subscriber, Google decided to try to tempt me into the Stadia ecosystem early by sending me a pro controller box for free, and so, naturally, I gave it a go.
Honestly, it was fine, but the controller lag at the time, and with my internet connection, which was more than quick enough for minimum requirements, was still noticeable. Unfortunately with something like Destiny 2, which I spent the most time with, you need that immediacy and precision. What was fairly clear as the service continued to mature is that it wasn't aimed at me – since all it offered was the games I already have access to on other platforms, but worse. Increasingly though it became clear that it didn't seem to know what its audience was. If it was a "pro gamer" type persona, then it would need more exclusives to make it attractive, and if it was a "casual gamer" then the experience of FIFA or Call of Duty would have to be better than dedicated local hardware, and, even with the best connection possible, you can really only get a performance which is "as good as". In the end, the experience in practice didn't meet the vision and so – it deserved to fail. Hopefully future newcomers into the industry, no matter their size, will learn from this mistake and focus on supporting people who really know what they're talking about. While the Tokyo Games Show only kicks off today in person, both Sony and Nintendo brought us a flurry of announcements this week, with their State of Play and Direct presentations respectively, so it’s time for us to pick through the exciting nuggets to bring you the things we’re most excited about. Microsoft will have their own showcase from 6pm BST on Thursday 15 September, so keep an eye out for more reactions and hot takes on Twitter. Has anything caught your eye? Comment below, or come and chat about it with us in our Discord. The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Pokémon Stadium and Like a Dragon: Ishin | Liam AndrewsI’ll be honest, I came away from the Nintendo Direct a little disappointed. After hearing rumours that this was for sure the show where we’d get a The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD announcement (yet again), I couldn’t help but think this might finally be the time. Alas, the best Zelda game remains absent from the Switch, and I’m starting to think that might be just how it’s going to be. There was still plenty that piqued my interest. It was definitely cool to see a solid release date and name for Tears of the Kingdom, and also Pokémon Stadium and Goldeneye 007 coming to the Switch. The N64 collection is looking more robust these days, and it’s made me consider renewing my lapsed Online subscription and shelling out for the expansion pack. Although I’m still not a PS5 owner, I do enjoy the State of Plays and adding games to a backlog of a console that isn’t yet in my possession. Rise of the Ronin certainly goes on the list. Elsewhere I was intrigued by the concept of Like a Dragon: Ishin. I’m still working my way through Yakuza Kiwami but the idea of a similar game set in 1860s Japan certainly sounds interesting. Fortunately this is also turning up on Xbox, so it’ll be going in the backlog of a console that is in my possession. Tekken 8 and Pacific Drive | Chris BrandThe latest Nintendo Direct didn't do it for me, but Sony's State of Play kicked off with a strong opener and kept up the standard. There wasn't a great deal shown of Tekken 8, though we already know what to expect. Many of the same fighters will return with updated move sets, new characters will be introduced, there'll be wacky outfits aplenty and the Mishimas will never die. Tekken has long been a solid series and it gets better with every instalment. It's one of those that's easy to pick up and play but difficult to master. The feeling of pulling off a 10-hit combo is surpassed only by pulling off a 10-hit combo with one hand while a handful of people watch. Pacific Drive had me hooked right away, with the visuals giving me classic horror vibes. It's a first-person driving, survival, rogue-like (or "road-like" as the developers refer to it) which already sounds unique. I usually shy away from horror games these days, what with being an abject coward and all, but this looks like something I could handle without too much stress. You'll be making your way across a reimagining of the Pacific Northwest, heading for the heart of the Olympic Exclusion Zone. Your car is not only customisable but it will develop its own quirks and personality, leaving me wanting a much darker, supernatural, Knight Rider-esque experience. In my mind, all of these details would add up to a narrative-driven, interactive story, rather than a rogue-like, so I'm interested in seeing how it pans out. We won't have a Team Talk next week, as James will be heading to EGX London to get us all sorts of details on upcoming games and as many developer interviews as he can bribe with chocolate Hobnobs.
Keep an eye out for our coverage, also you can subscribe to us on YouTube to catch our wrap up video and any fun interviews we do. Speculation is mounting this week, following the official confirmation of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the next game in the long-running stab-em-up franchise, following a leak reported by Eurogamer. Ubisoft announced the game with a reassuringly assassin-y and stylish piece of artwork, and promised more details at a special Ubisoft Forward event on Saturday 10 September. The question is, what will the game be about? What elements from previous games will continue and what will have been changed up to keep things fresh? What do we hope to find in Assassin’s Creed Mirage? Leave your own ponderings in our Discord.
Fewer distractions | Liam AndrewsI’ve only played a handful of AC titles, the latest of which was Odyssey, though I didn’t finish it. It wasn’t because it was a bad game, I enjoyed the hours I put in, but there was simply too much of it and my interest fizzled out long before I got anywhere near the ending. I don’t usually have a problem with Ubisoft’s icon-littered open worlds, but Odyssey just felt too big, too cluttered, which I don’t think helped its cause. With Odyssey, it was quite easy for the main missions to get buried by all the distractions, so I’m hoping Mirage cuts back a bit by reducing the number of collectables, events and side quests in favour of a clear main quest. Perhaps even the in-game map itself could also be scaled down, though given the success and size of Valhalla, I’m not totally convinced this’ll be the case. The concept art used for the reveal could suggest a return to the series’ roots, however. The protagonist pictured is wearing an outfit like those seen in the original AC titles, and the crowded streets and buildings are also reminiscent of the early settings. More modern-day gameplay | Chris Brand When I played the very first Assassin's Creed, I thought the real world would be quite a significant part of the game and fully expected to utilise our new skills in the modern day. However, as the series evolved, it seemed to be less and less of a focus.
Even though the present day has been featured more, it felt like it was merely there to hold all the various story threads together (and then it went a little weird with Assassin's Creed 3). With this outing, I'm wanting to spend more time putting those assassin skills to good use outside of the animus. With so many rumours and leaks it's impossible to know which ones are accurate, but from what I can tell, Mirage sounds like a return to Assassin's Creed's roots, with fewer of the RPG-style elements from the more recent titles. I did enjoy the mini-revival with Origins, though not enough to play either of the games that have followed since. The world was bigger and busier, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but after playing other Ubisoft titles it just felt like more of the same. The setting itself is of little importance to me; there's tall buildings to scale, foliage to hide in and all the other sneaky/stabby things we've come to expect. The combat has always been adequate, though far from perfect, and I'm sure that whichever direction Ubisoft take, it will be passable. These gameplay aspects are important, sure, but AC tells a story. A strange story, that oftentimes makes no sense, but one that I still find captivating, and a lot of that comes from the modern day setting and wondering how (if?) it will all come together. The gaming show of the year is back. Thousands have flocked to Cologne in Germany and millions more around the world have been waiting with baited breath for an unbelievable reveal (Half-Life 3 at last?), we pass judgement on the announcements and pick a few of our favourites to give the official PTC seal of approval. With no E3 to get in the way, Gamescom is soaking up a year’s-worth of anticipation from the gaming community, which comes with a lot of unrealistic expectations... What was your personal highlight? Was there something that disappointed you? Sound off in the comments or jump into our Discord for a chin-wag on the subject. Gotham Knights | Liam AndrewsAs expected, a lot of what was on show last night didn’t involve much actual gameplay, but there were still a few trailers and reveals that stood out. I most enjoyed the Gotham Knights villains trailer, which was, at least, created with in-game footage, if not full gameplay. This was already on my radar, and the more I see the more I am convinced it’ll be good. I like the shift away from Batman, and baddies look like a good mix of supernatural and supervillain. I’m particularly excited to tussle with the Court of Owls and their Talon assassins, as they are a faction I have previously read about in comics but haven’t seen crop up in a game yet, as far as I’m aware. Elsewhere, The Lords of the Fallen trailer looked very cool, and reminded me I probably need to try the first game again. Under the Waves seemed interesting, and I’m hoping it’ll be a narrative driven affair rather than a crafting/resource management sim. Hardspace: Shipbreaker also caught my attention. It’s already been well received on PC and its launch on Xbox Game Pass means I’ll definitely be giving it a try. It was also nice to see some more High on Life gameplay, and while I wasn’t totally sold on the humour, it does look like enjoyable, silly fun. Monkey Island | Chris BrandThe authentic pirate Guybrush Threepwood was a hero of mine growing up (and let's not forget he also moonlighted as a Jedi, Guybrush Threepkiller, in The Force Unleashed 2). Though Return to Monkey Island is only slated for release on PC and Switch (boo!) I'm hoping for an Xbox version at some point in the future, maybe even a compendium of all games to date. I can't be the only one champing at the bit for a Guybrush Threepwood collection.
The writing is crucial in any point-and-click title and Monkey Island always nailed the humour, not only with the wacky characters and interactions but also the, often ridiculous, puzzles and the unforgettable insult sword fighting. I'm a huge fan of the series and feel that sweet nostalgia whenever there's a new entry. Monkey Island has survived for decades without the need for endless sequels and that's possibly why I'm so interested. Something about absence and hearts and fondue, I don't know. Everywhere also caught my eye, in a way that's uncomfortably reminiscent of Fable. On the surface, it seems to promise a lot but we've all been burned before. I'm dubious of any game touted as a "GTA killer" because, so far, that particular franchise has no legitimate rival (sorry, Saints Row). Still, I'll be paying close attention whilst trying to avoid being splattered by the hype train. Much of what was on show seemed like little more than teasers but each and every trailer was a welcome break from Geoff Keighley's stupid face, which we've already been subjected to far too many times this year. With hot weather relentlessly overheating PS5s across the land, we decided it's time to cool down a bit, and what better way than thinking about the best ice, winter and otherwise chilly levels to lose ourselves in? The ideal ice and snow experience should transport you into a wintery wonderland, perhaps there's a snowman, or some snow-covered trees? There's plenty to choose from, so which would you choose? Let us know in the comments, or chip in on our Discord. Sherbet Land – Mario Kart 64 | Liam AndrewsI always enjoy a good snow level, usually because they’re a departure from a game’s regular environ/setting and so have something a little extra special about them. I almost went with Cliffhanger from Modern Warfare 2 because of this. Up until that point, the series had taken place in a desert or woodland setting, so a mission set in an arctic tundra was a nice change of pace. It was the same in the original Metroid Prime. The first few hours are spent exploring temple ruins and then volcanic underground caverns, so emerging from these comparatively dark settings into the open skies and snow-covered rocks of the Phendrana Drifts was a memorable moment. But I’ve decided to go with Sherbet Land from Mario Kart 64, because, like most Mario games, it encapsulates the magic of snow/winter. It also happens to be a very good track, with a nice mix of enclosed and open areas and cheery music. I always particularly enjoyed trying to jump the water inlets at the edge of the lake, which was great for shaving off seconds from your time if you could pull it off. The only annoyance were the penguins, which, while cute, could also be right bastards by getting in your way just at the wrong moment. Winter – Bully | Chris BrandIt was a pleasant surprise when winter rolled around and I saw Bullworth Academy covered in snow. I imagine it was close to the feeling of someone seeing snow for the first time, blissfully unaware that the rather pretty white blanket which covers everything means that traffic is a bitch, certain places are inaccessible and some of the steeper streets are now one way unless you own climbing gear. Thankfully, video games rarely focus on that aspect.
In Bully, there's none of that Game of Thrones bullshit, winter simply means snowball fights. Just throwing a single snowball is enough to draw in everyone in the immediate area, similar to how you can start a food fight. These kids need very little encouragement to get up to mischief. It's a minor addition that lends a greater touch of immersion as, just like in our world, it's impossible for a snowball to be thrown unanswered. Aside from having one more way to cause chaos, the winter season also stands out as it's the most visually distinct and that, small but unexpected, change is just enough to make everything feel new. An honorary mention goes to GTA V. There's nothing quite like seeing a bunch of folks dressed as Santa Claus, beating the ever-loving Christmas out of each other with baseball bats in a frost-coated car park. After getting excited about tiny fighting monsters earlier this year at the last Pokémon Presents, now we’ve got another update, it’s time to get hyped all over again. This show brought us updates on upcoming in-person events, including the Pokémon World Championships in London, as well as a look at both new Pokémon and gaming mechanics from November’s Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. What are you most looking forward to in the pokéverse? Let us know in the comments, or join our Discord and chit chat there. Tackle Gyms in any order | Liam Andrews The ability to take on any gym you please at any time is quite an appealing idea. Pokémon Legends: Arceus gave us an open world to run around in, but the main missions happened in a set order, which is fine, as I don’t think linearity in games is necessarily a bad thing but being able to choose what to do next makes much more sense in an open world scenario. It also just seems a bit more fun, and really helps solidify the trainer taking on the world vibe. Not only that, but without the need to follow a set path to the top it should help create a bit of variety between people’s playthroughs. I’m intrigued to see if there will be any sort of difficulty spike with the gyms, or whether they’ll scale to match your current team’s abilities. While many players will certainly enjoy the challenge if the former scenario turns out to be true, it’s hard to see Game Freak promoting freedom of choice only for your ‘mon to be one-hit by much higher levelled opponents, so I think the latter is the more likely. Pokémon Go Fest 2022 | Chris BrandThe urge to finally pull the trigger and jump into Pokémon Go has been gestating in me for some time now and it only grows stronger with each bit of news we receive. Pokémon Go Fest 2022 could very well be what pushes me to make the leap.
As I lack the means to travel the world collecting adorable animals, I may never be able to complete my Pokédex (for the uninitiated, this is a catalogue of all the creatures you've abducted. We both learned a new word today), but Pokémon Go Fest 2022 offers something I wouldn't usually be able to acquire, in Ultra Beasts. An Ultra Beast has appeared at every live event this year, for those lucky enough to attend in person. During the finale at the back end of August, all four of these Ultra Beasts will be available to all players worldwide. Aside from the, magnificently-named, Ultra Beasts there's also Daily Adventure Incense which has tipped the scales further. This can be used once a day, lasts fifteen minutes and attracts Pokémon (even legendary ones) that don't typically frequent your 'hood. This could enable me to actually complete my Pokédex. Possibly. Although I know absolutely nothing about Pokémon Go, or any other Pokémon title for that matter, I'm armed with the knowledge that Grookey is definitely the best starter, so here's hoping I catch him first. With Stray capturing the hearts of cat lovers everywhere this week, we've been thinking about other games where animals take the lead. All the way back to arcade classics like Frogger, we've had many chances to inhabit the animal kingdom, and the 90s featured a slew of animal-based titles, particularly with Disney tie-ins, not to mention console-era mascots like Sonic and Crash Bandicoot. These days you can be a goat, a goddess in the form of a white wolf or attack people as a shark. What's your favourite?
Star Fox 64 / Lylat Wars | Liam AndrewsAs much as I love cats, it wouldn’t do to pick them seeing as they have Stray repping them this week, so I went digging around my game collection to see which four legged creatures have taken centre stage in past played games. That’s where I stumbled across my copy of Star Fox 64 3D, the 3DS port of the excellent N64 game, Lylat Wars. While there’s all sorts of animals knocking about in this series, I’m going with the main man (beast?) himself, Fox, as my selection. Like James’ pick, there’s not actually much in the way of animal-specific stuff happening in this game, although we can’t be sure of what Fox McCLoud likes to do when not saving the galaxy – perhaps he does enjoy scattering the contents of bin bags across a street, or is partial to a bit of night-time pooping on people’s garden lawns? We’ll never know. What he and his anthropomorphic allies do bring to the game, however, is a bit of whimsy that would simply be lacking with a regular human protagonist. I mean he’s a fox, called Fox, and it somehow works. I doubt a human, named Human, starring in a game called Star Human, would have been quite so popular. Bubsy | Chris BrandI've always thought Bubsy (not Busby, I did check - Ed) was a likeable character who deserved better. Though I can picture a few different levels from various games, it's Bubsy himself that is the most memorable aspect. He's got an almost Crash Bandicoot-like charm which, I believe, is solely responsible for the repeated sequels. Once again, the series would be functionally the same with a human protagonist (granted, the story would need rewriting), but having a cheeky animal mascot was all the rage at the time.
Nostalgia has no doubt coloured my memories but I can recall genuinely enjoying Bubsy's first outing, Clawed Encounters of the Furred Kind, even though my younger self found some sections of it to be painfully frustrating due to the one-hit-kill mechanic and my own impatience. Anyone who has played a 2D platformer starring a blue hedgehog or a moustachioed plumber will understand the gameplay and be immediately familiar with the controls. It was a fully competent Sonic/Mario clone that was just different enough to justify its existence. Maybe Sonic is a little more charismatic, and he certainly has a better back-catalogue, but Bubsy has somehow managed to survive in the minds of many, despite almost every sequel being a huge disappointment. Every now and then they'll try to resurrect the loveable bobcat but the games never live up to their potential. The Bubsy series mirrors the classic horror, Halloween; each new entry is worse than the previous, but the focal character just won't die. While games can be great for a touch of escapism now and again, sometimes you long for something real, just a little different to your day-to-day. Look no further than this week's Team Talk, where we're pondering what might make the best simulator, inspired by the release of PowerWash Simulator this week. It might be a lightning bolt of inspiration which exists only in your overly-active imagination, or perhaps it's something that already exists or is it an established classic like Microsoft Flight Simulator, one of the first and most enduring in the genre. What would you choose? What makes you excited to play it? Let us know in the comments. Garden Bird Simulator | Liam Andrews A quick internet search tells me there’s a few bird simulator games knocking about, including a Pigeon Simulator, but I’m interested in playing as the smaller garden birds that I often see frequenting my garden feeder. I’d call the game Garden Bird Simulator, not just because that’s where the gameplay would take place (and it’s where the birds live), but also because I don’t think Tit Simulator would get past any diligent marketing department. You’d play as either a Blue, Coal, or Great tit in a sandbox environment, flitting from garden to garden, hopping between the branches of bushes and trees in the search for nutritious insects or places to nest. Rarer birds, such as Long-Tailed, Crested, Marsh, or Willow tit could be unlockable characters. Some gardens could contain easily accessible bird feeders, but these come with hazards, such as neighbourhood cats or circling predator birds that are waiting to pounce, adding a risk/reward element to gameplay. The end goal would be to find or build a nest and successfully raise a set number of fledglings, protecting/caring for them both in the nest and after they have fledged, but I’d also include a no-objective, dive right in mode so players can just relax and enjoy the roleplaying. Guitar Maintenance Simulator | Chris Brand When it comes to mundane activities that are oddly cathartic, PowerWash Simulator is going to be hard to top. But, top it I have, with this concept for Guitar Maintenance Simulator, the side of Guitar Hero that you don't see.
I've spent many a lazy Sunday afternoon sedately, yet thoroughly, cleaning and restringing my guitar. It's one of the few pursuits in which I get that feeling of satisfaction from a job well done and I think it would transition excellently to video game format. At first, you'd start with simply cleaning, restringing and tuning, before moving on to more intensive work, like repairing and replacing parts. I envision scores of different makes and models, each with their own distinct (and authentic) sound, which could be modified as you unlock and install new parts. Amps and effects pedals could be added for further depth, giving players a huge range of true-to-life sounds that could be created. A "free play" type of mode would allow me to build the sort of digital collection that I'll never be able to acquire in stupid real life and could potentially teach me the skills needed to finally fix up the fixer-upper I received from a friend some months ago. Much like my colleagues' ideas, you wouldn't need to be an enthusiast in order to enjoy it, but you'd get more out of it if you were at least somewhat interested in the subject matter. On that note (ahem), a basic understanding of music theory could be picked up in a casual way, if anyone has dreams of becoming a rock star, like I am. With the holidays just around the corner, the summer gaming drought is almost upon us, which means it's time to dust off our favourite games to play while hiding from the sun. Whether you're getting your friends together for 1, 2 Switch on the roof from that Switch launch trailer, or losing yourself in a sprawling single player adventure from dawn till dusk, we all have gaming moments which remind of us the summer time, when the weather is occasionally fine. What's your favourite? Let us know in the comments. Arkham City | Chris BrandAh, summer. It's a time for beer gardens, frosty pints, BBQs and good friends. Or it would be, if I still drank alcohol or had any friends. For me, summer is all about sitting on my comfy old couch with a large fan blasting cool air straight at my chops, a controller in my hand and my eyes working overtime, acutely aware of any movement in my peripheral vision that could signify the presence of the spiders that are just waiting to ruin my day. If weather absolutely has to exist, I'd much prefer dull, overcast, autumn evenings to this horrible, bright warmth that we're subjected to for a few days every year. As such, I'm choosing to hide away with The Dark Knight, his brooding countenance matching my own miserable face. Arkham City is the best of the bunch, serving up a superb storyline and expanding upon the original whilst still keeping all of the elements that made it one of the best superhero games around. Just like Arkham Asylum, the opening cinematic sets up the plot right before the punching starts. The brief tutorial/refresher on how combat works has stuck with me, as there's a very believable reason for why our protagonist has been stripped of the fancy Bat-gadgets that we spent so much time procuring in the previous title. The game is well-paced, with memorable boss fights and a fairly gentle difficulty curve that gives players plenty of time to get to grips with new mechanics and tools as they are introduced. Whilst the combat may not be quite as crisp as it is in Arkham Knight, it's still a noticeable improvement over Asylum and holds up well to this day. Firewatch | Sam SantI enjoy venturing outdoors during the hot summer weather (shocking, I know) and often feel guilty about staying inside; one of the best ways I’ve found to combat this is taking vicarious trips in games.
Firewatch is set in the gorgeous, sun-drenched Wyoming wilderness. Players wander around scenic landscapes while chatting to Delilah, protagonist Henry’s supervisor, over a radio. Great weather, scenery and company (the pair can grow quite close together) are largely what define the archetypal “perfect” summer. Not everything goes exactly to plan, however. As strange events begin to occur, Henry and Delilah are drawn to investigate a potential shady conspiracy. Without ever becoming downright unnerving, this imbues the game with a sense of adventure familiar to summer ramblers taking the time to explore unknown places. Crucially, Firewatch is also simple to drop in and out of and doesn’t take more than a few hours to complete. It’s easy to accommodate amongst a busy summer schedule without the risk of eating into real-world plans, should that be of concern. |
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