Game reviews – Page 47 – Savior Gaming

Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition (PS4)

Two things to get out of the way before we get started, first and foremost a huge thank you to Skybound Games and Beamdog. They hooked me up with a review copy of this one at release and it is always an honor and appreciated. Second, I do have to apologize for how late this review is getting out. Over the holidays there was a family emergency and a death in the family and things got a bit hectic and I couldn’t give things the time they deserved and I wasn’t going to unfairly judge things that way.

With that out of the way, let us get to what the enhanced edition of what Neverwinter Nights is, and what it probably isn’t. What it is, is almost the complete version of the game spanning its entire existence. It is, however, missing the Infinite Dragons portion. I doubt this is a deal-breaker for anyone but if this was the part you wanted, you will be a bit upset. The graphics and sound have also been updated as have the controls, UI and even boast online play there promises to be plenty of hours of fun for the truly dedicated. ( the DLC alone will clock in at around 100 for most people)

The story itself is pretty amazing but as with all my reviews, I won’t spoil anything, just know it is a true dungeons and dragons story of growth, betrayal death and far more. We do have to touch on what the game is not tho. While a lot has been upgraded, it still looks like a product of when it was made. Fans of the original will see these graphics and know it is an upgrade, people playing for the first time, however, won’t really see the big deal honestly. The controls also take some getting used to, tho you will get used to them. Truth is fans of the original will love it, and that is who it is made for. Hardcore RPG fans or people that love that older style will also think it is great. Newer fans that like flashy things, however, are better off skipping this one. It is a solid 7/10 game and the story is phenomenal, but I just think many fans of modern games won’t see the same joy as I did. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Star Wars Episode 1:The Phantom Menace

menace

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away there was a legendary movie called Star Wars that captivated audiences and inspired generations with one of cinemas greatest trilogies. Well almost two decades later, we got the first of a prequel trilogy, aiming to reignite our love of Star Wars. Well, did it succeed?

The Trade Federation is leaning heavy on the newly elected Queen Amidala so Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi go to delegate. The viceroys try in vain to kill the Jedi who escape and sneak aboard an invasion ship of battle droids to warn the Queen war is likely coming. On the way they meet a goofy creature named Jar Jar who aids them get to her. The Jedi, the Queen with her security head as well as a few handmaidens and the goofball, manage to escape the Trade Federation getting stuck on the desert planet of Tatonine where Qui-Gon finds a helpful yet curious boy named Anakin Skywalker, who is seriously strong with the force. Qui-Gon is determined to have this boy trained as a Jedi despite the Jedi council’s hesitation while a new threat looms in the background. Enter Darth Maul.

Okay, there is a lot to say for this movie. There are some great things about it: I love Qui-Gon and Obi-wan; the final lightsaber duel against Maul is iconic, and Maul is a badass with the also iconic double bladed lightsaber. The score is amazing and the cinematography at times is breathtaking. On the opposite side of the spectrum are some hard negatives.: wooden characters, lame dialogue, overuse of CGI that hasn’t aged well in certain parts, Jar Jar is annoying as hell and Anakin has moments of surpassing Jar Jar and I hate the inserted “Chosen One” thing. Phantom Menace is overall a fair first entry to set the series up but damn their is a huge room for improvement. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Star Wars Episode 3: The Game

sith game

I’ve been holding off talking about the Star wars prequels, there is so much to say and so little time. I will say this though, of all the movie tie in games I’ve played over my life, I honestly think this game is actually superior to the movie it’s based off of. Revenge of the Sith is the story Star Wars fans had been craving for ages, the story of Anakin Skywalker’s turn to the dark side and becoming Darth Vader. Without getting into the movie too much, this game does a lot with early Vader I wanted to see in the movie. As a new Sith lord, you fight hordes of Jedi and as an assassin you get to fight through some heavy resistance. Certain scenes were elongated and gave some nice character moments the movie was missing, like a final battle with Mace Windau, paused moments between Obi-Wan and Anakin, and Anakin fighting two legendary Jedi swordsmen.

The gameplay is pretty fun, switching between Anakin and Obi-Wan’s point of view, but the best part are the boss fights which were the challenging as hell but feel like a real lightsaber duel. The combos are easy enough to execute and the powers are well done. Upgrading throughout the game noticeably increases your power and feels earned. There is a multiplayer vs mode which is a blast with friends and a few bonus stages including an alternate ending, a stage dedicated to replaying Obi-wan and Vader’s rematch, and some horde maps. The music is a nice touch and the cut-scenes are mainly from the movie which I liked a lot. The graphics are fine but the voice acting is mostly flat. The game isn’t too long but there’s fun to be had after but overall it’s rather short. I recommend it for Star Wars fans and it’s a pretty solid game. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie

classic power rangers movie

I’m 28 years old, almost 29, and I still love the old school Power Rangers, I’m not ashamed to admit it; I even enjoyed Power Rangers while Savior sure as hell didn’t ( Power Rangers 2017 (2nd opinion) ). I love the kick ass music, the cheesy acting, and strangely awesome fights. So let’s jump into there very own movie.

We join the Power Rangers as they live there normal lives and the lives of there superhero alter-egos keeping Angel Grove safe from the diabolical clutches of Lord Zed and Rita Repulsa . Tommy, Kimberly, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Billy are about to face there greatest threat yet when Zed and Rita revive the ancient Ivan Ooze who Zordon imprisoned centuries before. Ivan destroys the ranger’s command center and leaves them powerless and Zordon dying. The Powers are sent off planet to search for a great power to Combat Ooze but he is mind controlling the adults of Angel Grove to uncover his Zords. Can the rangers stop this ancient monster in time?

Is this movie good in the traditional sense? Hell no. The effects are pretty cheap looking and there is a lot of fake looking wire work, the acting is cheesy and over the top, and there’s a of things to date it. But, all that being said, it’s awesome because for most of it, it’s what we love Power Rangers for. The ranger scenes in full costume are pretty awesome and I do like the costumes aren’t spandex this time and while all the fights are corny, they do hype you up. The second act slows the pacing down quite a bit and admittedly, I wish we had more rangers in costume. In the end, it’s a fun piece of nostalgia for the 90’s kids and I still have fun with it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

classic power rangers movie 2

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

hellblade

I’m usually not the the one to follow the hype train; in fact I usually try to avoid the son of a bitch whenever I can. If you happened to be near me during the The Force Awakens hype or the hype that followed Skyrim , I was pretty abrasive towards them; truthfully I loved them in both cases. Hellblade, is a pretty similar scenario.

Senua is a woman who lost it all and is on a quest that maybe hopeless. Plagued by a horde of omnipresent voices that won’t let her be and a rot that threatens to overtake her if the demonic forces or her agonizing visions don’t kill her first. Surrounded by death, loss, madness, and the clashing of voices as she fights to save her love and slay the darkness inside herself and the forces that stand in her way…

I sincerely have to say this is one of my favorite games of the PS4 generation and possibly all time. While the combat and puzzle solving are both simple and solid, they take a backseat to a phenomenal story and a frightening tension filled experience that pretty damn accurately portrays mental illness. Senua isn’t a super stoic heroine with a tragic background (she’s not female Kratos from GOW as I initially thought she’d be); Senua is a very tragic, tortured soul that feels the fear and pain of what the game throws at her but struggles on. The atmosphere and enemy designs are amazing and I can’t give enough credit to the voice work in this game; this game mind-fucks and fills you with tension even just exploring. The game isn’t perfect, there are times the puzzles can be picky and essentially they are all the same kind and the nature of the game itself is repetitive in hindsight but I can overlook that for the experience and storytelling most games ignore. I highly recommend it, especially for a good single player story. May the game bring you glory.

Resident Evil 2 ( classic)

re2 classic

One of the best games we got in 2019 was the Resident Evil 2 Remake which I have to say, is one of the best done horror games of this console generation. As a kid, my friends and I used to plug away at the classic RE2 on the original PlayStation and pray we didn’t die because we didn’t have a memory card. The question is, how does the old Resident Evil 2 hold up over 2 decades later?

Months after the destruction of the mansion in the Arklay Mountains, a massive outbreak of zombies has befallen Raccoon City. It’s here that we’re introduced to series legends, Claire Redfield and Leon Kennedy. Claire is looking for her brother Chris after he went M.I.A after investing the mansion in the original; Leon is a rookie cop on his first day on the RCPD who meets Claire as she’s about to be zombie food. They try finding refuge in the police station, only to get split up and set to face the secrets of station and the influence of the relentless Umbrella Corporation and the horrors they’ve unleashed, as well as the creator of the new G virus, the monstrous William Birkin…

So while regardless of it’s age, the game is a horror classic that definitely surpasses the original. The atmosphere and music are still eerie and the monsters still hold up, especially during some impressive cut-scenes for the time. I still remember wanting to crap myself when they introduce the Licker and Birkin’s massacre post transformation. While I admit, I don’t have much experience with Leon, I do appreciate the differences between the campaigns more than there was with Chris and Jill in the first game. What seriously kills the game are the damn tank controls which are clunky as hell and make some puzzles that aren’t hard on there own way more of a bitch than they need to be ( the best example is the library bookcase puzzle). There is a good amount of content including Hunk and Tofu’s campaigns. The graphics are muddy for most of the main game and the writing and voices haven’t held up that great unfortunately. In the end, the game is well worth a play for vintage gamers, but if you can’t stand the controls and gameplay style, move onto the remake. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Naughty Bear

naughty bear

Dude, when I first heard about this game in Fangoria magazine (man that seriously brings me back) my brain truly had no idea how to comprehend this game. Essentially what we have is a Grindhouse- exploitation revenge tale in a kid’s program. Naughty Bear is a outcast on a island of happy, friendly Teddy Bears. One day, he snaps when one of the most popular bears doesn’t invite him to a birthday party and the madness ensues. Naughty goes on a violent stuffing filled rampage, facing off against the police, military and even freaking ninjas as he gets his revenge.

The opening level, in a rare feat, actually shocked me. Naughty has a huge range of possibilities to kill the other bears, whether you are going to traditionally melee or blast your enemies away or take more creative, sadistic measures like drowning them in a toilet, burning them alive in a campfire, or bashing there heads in off a DJ mix table. The aesthetic and music pretty legitimately feel like a children’s TV show, including a really creepy, sinister narrator that sounds way too cheery to be telling the story of a teddy bear who went postal. Despite the insane premise and horrific possibilities, the gameplay sadly rather sucks. Everything feels clunky and the levels feel repetitive and small. The base game is really short, so I seriously recommend if you try it, to get your hands on the special edition with the bonus levels to extend the length but even then it’s a short ass game. I recommend checking it out if you play a truly batshit game, but I don’t think it’ll make any top 10 lists. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Monster Energy Supercross

monster supercross

This review is going to be pretty straight forward because of all the games I’ve played this year, this game honestly sucks the worst and I gave up pretty quickly for some pretty huge reasons.

First reason I gave this game the finger was my first impression. It installed and was ready to use so I gave it a try. Immediately I saw the Monster energy drink logos and a start screen that stalled for almost five minutes. After that, without further menus I was taken into a game I had no choice in. I wasn’t given options for character, map, or even game mode; I thought perhaps it was a tutorial until the final disastrous look at the scoreboard at the end of a match I didn’t choose to be in. There was prompts telling me controls and hints, but yet it wasn’t a tutorial because I leveled up, not even knowing I had a level to begin with. The controls are easy enough to learn but the bikes handle like shit. Talking with Savior, he agreed and it wasn’t just me. Trying to make simple turns was harder than hell and most times I just flung myself out of the ring.

Weeks later, I tried again. My second time around, there were menus and customization options but I found it dumb there were no stats on the bikers and the tracks look mostly the same. Strangely there was muddied look to the faces of the drivers too which was weird. The driving is still shit and I still don’t understand why you need a different control ground and air when I can’t do a trick in mid air. After another match that did nothing but raise my blood pressure, I quit and deleted it.

In the end, I hated this damn game and even free, I still say you’re paying too much for this obvious cash grab. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Star Wars Trilogy Arcade

With Rise of the Skywalker debuting close to Christmas this year, I want to look at one of my favorite childhood Star Wars games. Me and my dad, Duke, spent many a hours at the local arcades as a kid. Besides the awesomeness of Air Hockey, the Star Wars game was my favorite. It is simplicity itself, a joystick and a big red button but what was done with it was pretty impressive. The opening three stages come from Star Wars , The Empire Strikes Back , and Return of the Jedi . The Death Star run is exceptionally done and feels epic as hell. Hoth and Endor are done really good. My favorite parts are the special stage boss battles where you follow the prompts and battle Boba Fett and Darth Vader; while they warped my anxiety as a kid,they were also one of the biggest victories I faced as a kid. I could never beat the last stage, the second Death Star run because it was frankly insane. The graphics and music are damn good and overall, it’s some of the closest I felt to feeling like being in Star Wars. If you ever find it in a arcade, I urge you to give the game a try. May the gaming gods bring you glory and may the force be with you.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odssey

As always I would like to start this out with a huge thank you to Private Division, Take Two Interactive and Panache Digital Games. Getting a review copy of a game is always an honor and appreciated and this is no exception.

I have to say I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this one. A survival game about the evolution of humans from our earlier ancestors seemed interesting yet silly. Where is the fun in playing as a sort of half monkey half human thing that can’t talk and has to figure out how to use tools? Turns out that is basically all of the fun.

As the game starts you instantly notice the jungle is a beautiful and dangerous place and you play as a small child, scared and trying to find a place to hide. Once you do this you will swap to an adult tasked with finding this child and leading it back to your tribe. A tribe you can switch between any member of by simply walking up to and selecting the appropriate option.

It is important to know outside of telling you what you need to do, such as building a sleeping spot, this game will not hold your hand. It explains the basics and it is left up to you to guide this tribe among its journey, from a group that walks like apes on all fours but can stand and swing sticks to standing upright and hunting with make shift spears and everything in between.

The game can be repetitive however, but this is all survival games. It seems worse in this one tho because rather than chopping down trees you are finding new things to eat or smell and examine. You can’t even drink water until you examine and smell it. This adds to the experience tho, as like the tribe you are also learning about this world that has been beautifully crafted for you.

The strongets part of this game to me is also its weakest part. If you enjoy the survival genre and want it to be as realistic as possible and just leave you to it, this game does an amazing job. If this however is your first survival game or you aren’t familiar with how they work this might be really frustrating for you. I do have to give this game a solid 8/10 and recommend it to anyone that likes this sort of game. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.