The Eternal Cylinder (PS4 Review)

As always I like to get the honesty part out of the way first, and my friends over at sandbox strategies,ACE Team and Good Shepherd Entertainment hooked me up with a review copy of this one.

The game starts out with the hatching, and you controlling a single Trebhum. These little guys are basically the bottom of the food chain, but there are a bunch of mutations you can eventually find to turn your little creatures from food to basically gods if you want to feed them all to a couple of creatures. I don’t recommend this because they can die,but I’m not going to tell you how to live your life.

This is of course a survival game, and what is a survival game without something trying to kill you? The name of the game says it all, and it truly is a huge cylinder trying to murder you and your entire species. Really everything that gets in it’s way when it comes down to it. First thing I did was lay in front of it, and yes it does kill you. And if all your little herd die it’s game over.

Don’t stand by that

This game is beautiful, the only issue some of you may have is that it is absolutely a linier experience with the cylinder stopping at set points where you can explore and discover the main story (which honestly I won’t mention more than that because truthfully it is the best part of the game in my opinion) and then it is off to the races as you try not to get crushed again.

The sound and visuals are amazing tho, and there are other random creatures roaming the world, some friendly, many not so much and some of them are huge. Seriously, stay away from the ocean.

My time with the game was enjoyable and I never ran across anything game breaking or even annoying. It is however a niche game and I can see many people just not being interested in it. However those people that like to do this sort of thing, the game is a blast and a solid 7/10. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Outlast

Outlast - Wikipedia

Where do I begin with Outlast? Miles Upshur, an investigative reporter gets a anonymous tip to look into the Mount Massive Asylum where things have gone horrifically wrong; Miles finds himself trapped alone with the violent, deformed inmates running amok, terrified of a mystical entity called the “Wallrider”.

So Outlast is a horror gaming classic, highly rated with the likes of Resident Evil, Silent Hill, FNAF, and Alien: Isolation . To it’s credit, the dev team did a damn good job establishing a disturbing, memorable atmosphere. The music and sound is really good and I appreciate the attention to detail with the freaky dialogue. While I think Chris Walker is a decent antagonist, I actually liked Richard Traeger a more interesting foe. So while I have a few positives, what I hated about this game I absolutely couldn’t stand. I hate the fact its 100% a running simulator. The fact Miles brought no kind of self defense item with him at all- knowing damn well he’s going to a dangerous environment- makes me question his intelligence; why doesn’t Miles at least try to fight back? This game is full of infuriating bullshit deaths, though not as bad as Outlast 2 in that regard. This game really started pissing me off when you are outside the asylum being hunted by Walker and I lost my shit a few times. The graphics are meh and if you are immune to jump scares, a lot of the fear factor is wasted if you are. Honestly, Outlast would be a pretty good horror movie, but as a game, I didn’t really like it. In the end, it’s a admirable game in a few ways but there are better stealth horror games out there. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Batman: Hush (animated)

Amazon.com: Batman: Hush [DVD] [2019] : Movies & TV

Batman’s foes are some of the most legendary of all time: Joker, Bane, Scarecrow, Riddler, and Mr. Freeze to name a few. Bruce has been the Bat for a while but despite Alfred, Gordon, and his sidekicks, it’s a lonely life. He finds himself falling for Selina Kyle, allegedly reformed Catwoman, and well as vowing to reconnect with his childhood friend and now famous surgeon Thomas Elliot. But things are escalating in Gotham as Batman is lead through a gauntlet of villains interwoven in a unknown plan by a mysterious, bandaged figure named Hush, determined to bring a end to the Dark Knight once and for all.

So I have to this classic was handled really damn well, just about perfect but for a raging flaw. The voice acting is really good and the animation is great. The story features a lot of friends and foes, including a pretty badass fight against a possessed Superman. I love the relationship between Batman and Catwoman and I like the friction Nightwing and Batgirl have towards her; Catwoman’s story arc is one of my favorite parts of the movie. So the flaw I mentioned, what kills the story dead? The twist on Hush’s identity. The book had a great twist, revealing Hush’s identity which screws with Batman on a mental level, which is what I really enjoy about Hush as a villain- he attacks on a intellectual and mental level rather than brute force. The twist is the movie sucks and hurts the value of the story overall. In the end, its a damn good watch but definitely read the book. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Hereditary

Hereditary (2018) - IMDb

Let’s talk hype for a second shall we? In 2018, my friends in the horror community hyped the hell out of this movie. I was really stunned when my Lil sis and her husband told me they thought it was stupid and waste of time. I was even more curious what I would get, especially not just any trailers but just a few vague reviews. So what did I find?

Annie is a artist from a troubled family background of mental illness; when her mother passes away, Annie is at odds. Sad but almost relieved, determined to be a better mom to her two kids and wife to her stressed out husband. When one of her children dies in a accident, Annie begins to break and the family starts to suffer as Annie desperately clings to hope her child isn’t gone. But at point does hope become madness and how long before history repeats itself?

So I’m going to say this now, if you are sensitive to things involving mental illness or heavy family drama, don’t watch this. This movie is an uncomfortable look at some pretty real stuff and in that aspect it’s pretty damn terrifying and well executed. Toni Colette steals the show as Annie. The movie is also a really slow burn and admittedly how ambiguous it is at times made me laugh my ass off at times where I shouldn’t have. The movie on a whole does keep you on your toes and by the end, I wasn’t sure what the hell I watched. Overall, I really liked it but I completely understand why anyone wouldn’t and I can even see why it would trigger people. In the end, if you want a great dark drama/ psychological thriller, I’d highly recommend it but it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Suspiria

Suspiria (1977) - IMDb

Susie Bannon is a young, aspiring ballerina just accepted to study abroad in a prestigious dance academy in Germany. The day she arrives is dark and stormy as she notices a young woman flee the academy; the next day she finds out the girl was murdered. Strange things at the school and others begin to die at which time Susie finds out the school has a dark history and sinister things maybe at play, but can she survive long enough to discover what?

Suspiria has a special place in my heart as my intro, as much as going for many others, to Dario Argento and Italian horror. Suspiria is one of the most beautiful movies I’ve ever seen visually; every scene looks like a painting in motion and the colors are striking to the eye, making it impossible to look away. The score by the Goblins is just as memorable as the visuals, a interesting blend of Disney fairytale music and obscure punk sounds. The story isn’t bad and is pretty damn suspenseful at times. I will say the movie isn’t very fast paced and feels a bit slow at times; if you want a kill a minute movie, this sure as hell ain’t for you. I can’t say it’s a movie I’d want to watch every day, but it’s incredible to watch those times where it hits the spot. In the end, while not for everyone, its a fantastic sight to see and learn from from. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Xuan Yuan Sword 7 (Xbox Series X/S review)

Ok guys let’s get my traditional thank you to the guys and gals over at Plan of Attack and Softstar for hooking me up with a review copy of this one. I had never even heard of this series until recently as this is the first one to come west, and now that I have played it, I can understand why.

I don’t mean that last sentence as an insult, this game is beautiful with a capital B. The game takes place about 2000 years ago in China, and the attention to detail is fantastic. There are huts with little shrines outside and bamboo writings and such on walls and the clothes people wear just match what you think the time would have.

The sound and music also do not disappoint, each song in the game is put there specifically to make you feel like you are in danger, or in a mythical holy place. I loved the atmosphere of the places I visited.

The combat? Honestly I can not praise the combat enough, it is fluid and delightful to play. You are blocking and stabbing and there are executions, it is just top notch. You can level up your character and the weapons and armor by collecting items that are strewn about the beautiful map that has a good amount of fast travel places on it. Nothing feels forced, even the mini game which I played for hours (I won’t spoil how it works) but you are set the task to find people worthy to play against.

Now you may be wondering why I said I understood why it never came west after I said such great things about it. Honestly as a stand alone title and the 7th in the series, the story leaves very heavily on Chinese culture and lore and right from the very beginning after an intro you will start out as a hunter taking jobs to take care of your sister, and things will go from there as you and and family member fight side by side many times. There was a time when western audiences probably would not have taken the time to play this series, or at the very least companies wouldn’t want to risk that happening.

All that being said, any fan of action RPGs owe it to themselves to give this game a go. I won’t beat around the bush here, it is one of the better games I have played in 2021. 9/10, must play game this year. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Stranger Things, season 4 trailer

I’ve never been one for the Stranger Things craze, but this season looks alright from the trailer. A group of kids and a haunted house- what’s more American horror than that? The atmosphere looks nice and I know a lot of people that have been waiting for this, so I hope its worth the wait. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Last Night in Soho trailer 2

I love Anya Taylor Joy, and this looks like a fun horror thriller. I really like the vintage style with a Argento twist. While I’m not really familiar with Edgar Wright’s work, I always wanted to check it out for myself. I’m hoping this will be a cool film to start out with. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

UnMetal (PS4 Review)

As always I like to start off thanking my friends at Plan of Attack for tossing me a review copy of this one. It is always appreciated.

UnMetal is a throw back to the old days of stealth games. That classic metal gear top down look. In fact this game is almost a parody of Metal Gear. The game starts out with your character, Jesse Fox being arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. Literally, what the soldiers in the game actually will tell him he is being arrested for.

The what the heck is going on from there never changes, I once alerted a guard to my presence because he sneezed and I was standing to close so Jesse told him bless you. The guard said thanks then attacked me.

Small comedic things like this are what the game is about, but it doesn’t sacrifice game play to do it. The stealth works pretty great in my opinion and I never felt like it was anything aside from me being an idiot when I got caught. When you get injured you actually can bleed out and there are different ways to heal, some that just stop the bleeding and some that actually stop it and regain health.

Graphically the game looks nice and sounds just as good. Whether you are being shot at or trouncing through a sewer system you really get a feel for what is going on. The game isn’t a AAA title, but you never feel like the game is suffering.

I have to appreciate any game that manages to tell a real story while not taking itself seriously, UnMetal won’t be for everyone but it is without a doubt a fun game. 8/10, would definitely recommend picking this on up when it releases today,September 28th. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Yes this is the first bosses name.