Game reviews – Page 49 – Savior Gaming

Anthem

Anthem, the game that collapsed whatever reputation EA had after the failure of Mass Effect Andromeda and Star Wars Battlefront 2 (EA) . I’m going to do this review a bit differently than my usually format because frankly, I didn’t finish this game but holy crap was it a struggle to get as far as I did. Another thing to keep in mind is I’m reviewing this game in 2021, well after it’s release because I’m sure we all heard about the lackluster shape it was released in but I was curious to see if EA and Bioware reworked it.

Well, for one, the game is stable in my experience which I was grateful because this is a always online game. I experienced some minor frame rate drops but nothing that killed my game. During about 6 hours, I had 2 crashes but I can’t be entirely sure if it was necessarily the game’s fault.

The first few hours, the experience is pretty mind-blowing. Flight and exploration is spectacular; the first time diving into the water and jetting back up into the sky was pretty nuts. The Storm Javelin, which focuses on elemental damage, is pretty awesome and by far my favorite as the stand out of the 4 available Javelins. With good/ great class attacks with solid gunplay, combat feels pretty good.

I bet you are waiting for me to say Anthem is a great game you should try? Well, no. The first few hours you basically get a pretty good picture of what the game has to offer and it ain’t much. Essentially I felt like I was playing Destiny 2’s most repetitive missions. Having to load into the Javelin between missions gets really annoying, especially when an average mission is about 2-3 minutes but you’re going to spend an equal amount of time in loading screens and walking around getting missions. takes more time than actually playing. The enemies are bland and I couldn’t give an eighth of a shit about the story because I wasn’t convinced the game did either. The guns are pretty standard and don’t really look different so it’s pretty clearly a numbers game when it comes to loot. The raids aren’t special and don’t offer much epic loot. I waited and kept playing, getting about 10 hours in before coming to the conclusion nothing was changing and I couldn’t really bring myself to finish the game.

In the end, I’m sad to say skipping Anthem isn’t a bad idea. It looks, sounds, and plays great but it’s painfully shallow and undercooked. There are way better sci fi looter shooters out there. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Mass Effect Legendary trailer

Savior and I finally got what we’ve wanted for ages, and we’re glad to say the classic Mass Effect trilogy is getting it’s remaster. It’s stunning. I’m not ashamed to say I shed a tear when I saw this trailer and I’m sure I speak for thousands of fans when I say I can’t wait. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Rage 2

Full Disclaimer: I never played the first game but I’ve known many that played the first and really enjoyed it. Many have said the first was Bethesda’s attempt at a Borderlands clone. I can’t say they are totally wrong. Also, I can tell you the plot and the characters are lost on me. It’s the standard gear punk apocalypse and you acquire the armor of a fallen Ranger, one of the last traces of law and order, and you have to help save the wastes. As you can tell, I can checked out really early on the plot.

When Rage 2 excels is it’s combat and it’s weapons. This game is also a product of ID, makers of Doom and Wolfenstein, and the weapons kick major ass. They all handle great and have genuine omph to them, my favorites being the shotgun and rocket launcher; nothing ever beats a well done classic after all. Combat is a blast, having to utilize your weapons and your Ranger armor’s abilities. Finding a new Ark in the wastes, which grants you a new weapon or ability becomes your highest priority really quick. There is a good amount of different enemies to slay including raiders, mutants, and these cyber ninja guys from the DLC that provide their own challenges. Upgrading feels odd and is a pain but adds to the need to explore and to get the most out of this game, it pays to explore. The worst thing about this game is the driving; Rage 2 may have the worst motorcycle driving I’ve ever experienced in a game before. Unlocking the Icarus, the hover bike, is key to perfect exploration; going by regular means is tedious and the steering is unpleasantly clunky. In the end, Rage 2 is a fun brainless shooter I recommend to just have fun with. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Turrican Flashback Review (PS4)

Turrican Flashback, what can I besides thank you to my friends over at ININ games for tossing me another beautiful retro remake. I always love getting the chance to play these and they are quickly becoming one of my favorite companies to work with.

As always, if you aren’t a fan of retro games this isn’t going to be the collection that changes your mind. If you enjoyed the original releases though or even just like retro games and games like the old school Contra, this one is for you.

Graphically this is a massive update from the original but nothing is lost from those things we love. The explosions and such still look like they are from the SNES era but they are simply far more clean and crisp.

The sound that many remember the original for even decades later sounds better than ever and will still have you feeling nostalgic while being grateful for the improvements.

There are also a host of new things added such as the ability to rewind when you inevitably die making a badly timed jump or because like an idiot you stand in top of an enemy. I assume someone has done that. Not me, I totally didn’t do it. I am sure someone did tho. There are also different shaders and wallpapers to use but besides a quick look through I didn’t much bother with them since as you guys know they aren’t my thing.

The game play is fun yet challenging,but it’s that old school challenging. Only so many lives to go around. The rewind button was helpful to get better, but if you want trophies you have to play without that option. This bothered me however because it felt like I was being punished for an option you gave to me to use. It didn’t ruin the fun or anything it just seemed a bit odd.

The game functioned perfectly, I didnt notice any kind of graphical or sound issues and it never froze on me which is important. I enjoyed my time with it and it was a fun history lesson that many people will love. One thing it isn’t tho is a game you will want to sink hundreds of hours into. It is best played here and there when you want to kill some time. A solid 7/10. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Star Wars Episode 1 Racer

Star Wars Episode 1:The Phantom Menace may have started the decline of Star Wars in the eyes of many but some good did come: one of which being one of my favorite racing games. Racing through a host of different maps across different worlds, you have to beat the competition while trying to survive the intense speeds.

For a N64 game, this game does one hell of a job immersing you in the dangerous thrill of pod racing. Averaging speeds of around 400 mph and having to worry about the integrity of your racer. Repairing your racer requires you slowing down while boosting drastically increases your chances of death. There are a good array of maps, each with there series of dangers you either find annoying or in some cases, epic for passing through. The controls flow nicely and are easy to pick up. The graphics, well not outstanding, hold up fair enough for such a console gap. The only honest issue I have is how easily you die and the quirks to boost. Pro tip: don’t boost useless you really have to. While the I like the danger of boosting, it caused most of my deaths. In the end, I enjoy this game more than most other racing games and I highly recommend it for racing fans as well as Star Wars fans. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Kathy Rain Directors cut Coming to Steam

Set in the 90s, Kathy Rain tells the story of a strong-willed journalism major who must come to terms with her troubled past as she investigates the mysterious death of her recently departed grandfather. Armed with her motorcycle, a pack of cigs, and a notepad, Kathy delves into a local mystery surrounding her hometown that will take her on a harrowing journey of emotional and personal turmoil.

As she follows the trail of clues left by her grandfather, questions emerge: What was Joseph Rain really looking for that night all those years ago? What turned him into a mere shell of a man, confined to a wheelchair? What secret did a suicidal young artist take with her to the grave, and why are so many people in Conwell Springs going mad? The truth is dark, sinister, and yours to uncover…

New to Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut:

Expanded narrative, additional plotlines, and an extended ending giving new dimension to beloved characters.
Remixed soundtrack with fresh tunes for the new chapters.
Several unlockable motorcycle paint jobs to personalize your beloved Katmobile.
Enlarged game environments to fill up the entire screen without black bars on the sides.
Controller support.
DEATH SEQUENCES (no spoilers)!
Plus much more!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Here’s a weird fact very few people know about me: I have a heart for musicals. Not all of them and no you won’t see me standing in line for Momma Mia on Broadway, but I love the weird ones. And let’s face it, how many movies are as strange as the Rocky Horror Picture Show?

Brad and Janet are two wholesome young people are newly engaged. After Brad pops the question at the wedding of a mutual friend, they decide to ride off to tell the good news to there mentor and friend, Dr. Everett Scott. As fate would have it though, their car breaks down during a bad storm and the couple wanders to a nearby mansion for assistance. What they find is madness, depravity, sexual awakening, desire, aliens, and the perfect lover. Welcome to the home of Dr. Frank N Furter.

This movie is something everyone should experience at least once, musical fan or not. This movie is fun, absolute batshit but I love it. Tim Curry is a legend if not for anything else, it’s his portrayal of Frank N. Furter. The cast is memorable and the music and dances are infectious. The movie is unexpectedly hilarious and heart felt at times. The only real issue I have is the pacing is off and there are a few parts where the movie feels longer than it should and there is some dragging parts. In the end, while this movie sure as hell ain’t for everybody, I highly recommend and may the gaming gods do the time warp.

Marvel Spider-man: Miles Morales

Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales (PS4): Amazon.co.uk: PC & Video Games

Six months after the events of Marvel’s Spider-man (PS4) , Peter Parker has taken young Miles Morales as his protégé in web-slinging after demonstrating his new powers. When Peter and MJ go on a job overseas, Miles is left alone as Spiderman, developing new abilities unlike Peter’s, bio-electricity and camouflage. The young hero is quickly drawn into a conflict between the diabolical Roxxon Corporation led by corrupt hipster Simon Krieger and the extremist high tech group The Underground led by the Tinkerer. Can this young hero handle the forces looming against him as well as his new powers as well as trying to be a good friend and son?

I was excited for this game mainly just to learn about Miles Morales. I don’t really know much about him. This game is well written and Miles is a cool character to follow. Gameplay, while similar to the first game, is addictive as hell with Mile’s new powers and gadgets. Honestly, I appreciated the old/new ratio when it came to the gameplay and it stands solid on its own. While the villain roster is way smaller than the first game, the last 2 boss battles are intense both personally and game wise. While the game isn’t overly long and surely I don’t recommend buying it at full price, it’s a lot more satisfying experience than Resident Evil 3 (2020) was. The only huge drawback I had was the glitches- people would randomly appear on the street and rooftops, guys would get stuck in car doors, the textures would get muddy and once my web zip went nuts. While nothing game breaking, these issues do subtract from the experience. In the end, it was a damn good follow up with some small bugs but well worth playing. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 Remastered

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 - Official Reveal Trailer - YouTube

With achievements, controversary, microtransactions and toxic player bases, sometimes it’s easy to forget that video games are supposed to be fun. The classic Tony Hawk Pro Skater was one of the greatest chill games of all time. Picking from a list of legendary, classic skaters you can either free skate a series of classic parks, tour each park while trying to complete a series of tasks, or beat your friends high score, all while listening to some awesome old school tunes.

In terms of what came before, this joins Crash Bandicoot remastered in the host of amazing remasters. The game runs silky smooth and looks fantastic, complete with a great playlist of 90’s and early 2000’s music you can control without pausing the game. New additions including being able to share XP amongst skaters between games and creating your own crazy ass parks are fun additions that add hours to the game. I found myself having hours and hours of fun without frustration, reliving my youth. The only real complainant I have is that it’s a game I have to be I the mood for. In the end, this is a damn good remaster that’s a blast for the fans, well worth checking out. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Empire of Sin Review (PS4)

As always with these things, a huge shout out to Paradox Interactive for hooking us up with a review copy of Empire of Sin. I have been a long time fan of the company and their games, so getting to review one was nothing short of amazing.

The game itself has a simple premise,you pick a member of the mafia and create an empire. I felt obligated to pick Al Capone first.

Each mob boss has their own special talents or buffs, some will make brothels cheaper to maintain or alcohol easier to make, things like that.

As you build your empire you will obviously need to recruit more and new allies to help run and protect your empire. Each new person will want a cut of the money tho, and will even have people they prefer to work with or simply don’t like and have their own loyalty levels to worry about. One particular guy liked me more when we were in a battle and I viciously executed a man for example.

Building your empire will take patience, a willingness to commit random violence and the ability to know when to play nice with the other bosses and when you should probably just kill them and take over their stuff.

The game itself is quite good looking, though as you could imagine isn’t the best looking game on the console. The sound however is exactly what the doctor ordered. The cars and streets sounds sound like they came straight from a movie and while I’ve never believed people talked that way, every character sounds like they stepped right out of Hollywood stereotypes from the classics.

Aa much as I can say I love the game, there were some things I didn’t like. For example at times the camera angles drove me nuts or I’d run into lengths of downtime that just seemed to drag forever. The worst was on occasion I wasn’t quite sure what an option was going to do when I picked it during dialogues.

What really stopped this game from truly being great for me however was the combat. The basics of what it should be are there, weapons to upgrade, a cover system that matters and works. But the maps are pretty redundant and with the camera angles what they are at times I couldn’t truly enjoy what never left being very basic or feeling like it was just an added on mini game in a way. Added to this the other bosses always seem to want to be your friends until randomly they didn’t, usually when it made no sense.

Over all though, the game is a 7/10 for me. I enjoyed it, and I can see where some people would fall in love with this game. I will definitely be revisiting this one from time to time. Best wishes and may the gaming gods being you glory.