Over a 16 minute playthrough within Dishonored 2’s Clockwork Mansion revealed!

Earlier today we received an exciting Gamplay trailer of Dishonored 2 that not only showcased us Emily Kaldwin, (our empress that makes up a protagonist duo along with father-bodyguard Corvo Attano) , and her venture into the Clockwork Mansion to rescue Anton Sokolv but also the Low Chaos and High Chaos approaches to the game as well.

Screenshot (62).pngGiven not only a rescue mission, but also to destroy the Clockwork Mansion along with it’s owner Kirin Jindosh, we follow Emily as a Arkane Studios Developer takes us through a playthrough, utilizing her supernatural powers and various tools  to infiltrate the Mansion and take out the Clockwork Soldiers. See more on how the Developers goes about rescuing Anton Sokolv from the clutches of our Antagonist,  Dlilah Copperspoon who you may remember from the first Dishonored.

 


 

Arkane Studio’s Dishonored 2 will be available on Playstation 4, Xboxone and PC November 11th!

20-minute prologue from Gear of War 4 released today!

Earlier on Twitter today the Official Twitter account for the Gears of War Franchise (Operated by Developers Coalition)  confirmed that the pre-load for the 54.6 GB size digital preorders were  to begin allowing downloads for Xbox One users around 5PT Central Time. PC pre-loading unfortunately is still unannounced but will be launching in the future soon as promised.

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Also revealed today was 20 minutes of footage from the upcoming newest game hitting the Gears series.

 

Covering the prologue, we are introduced to a new character that will play an important part throughout the game. Rod Fergusson (Coalition’s Studio head) felt it was a great way to introduce the game to Players, while Matt Seacry was quoted saying this about this addition to the game’s campaign.

“One of the things we wanted to do was drop you right into the action. With a game like Gears, it’s really important that we get you in there and the way our story went, it was a good idea for us to use it also as a history lesson. So, we are going to take the player back in time to some key battle from the past of the Gears of War franchise.

“One of the other things we wanted to do was make sure to have a mission that was well-structured for a tutorial so we could teach some core mechanics to anybody that was returning or coming new to the Gears franchise.”

 


Gears of War 4 is scheduled to release on October for Xbox One and Pc. If you get the $100 Ultimate edition you can get an Early Access pass and begin playing as soon as October 7th!

Wallet Crusaders: Far Cry 4

In this open world action-adventure FPS (First-Person Shooter), we follow our protagonist Ajay Ghale deep into the daunting mountains and expansive forests of Kyrat. Caught between Pagan Min’s tyrannical control and Royal Army while trying to save the Golden Path (the rebel movement) during the civil war that has corrupted Kyrat, we follow Ajay as he ventures deep into his journey and the decisions he makes to save a nation.

 

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Far Cry 4

System(s): Pc, PS3/PS4, Xbox 360/XboxOne

Developer(s): Ubisoft Montreal

Publish Date: November 18, 2014

Price: $20 (PS4, XboxOne), $25 (PS3, Xbox360), $20 (PC)


 

The Gameplay:

 

far-cry-4-1
There’s something about the view that makes utter death and destruction seem…peaceful?

Following the story of Ajay Ghale, a young Kyrati-American, we are on our way home to Kyrat to fulfill Ajay’s late Mother’s last wish to spread her ashes in Lakshmana. Along the way Ajay is intercepted by Pagan Min’s Royal Army, our tyrant and antagonist of the game, and after a bloody misunderstanding we are “transported” to one of Kyrat’s Governor’s compounds for the special “party” that awaits him. Thus our destiny to save Kyrat unfolds with several morally decisive choices that will shape the future. Traveling between the divided nation of North and South Kyrat and the various Cities and outposts, random events can occur, such as saving hostages from armed Guards, saving random Kyrat citizens from animals attacks or even taking part in the skirmishes that happen frequently with the Golden Path. While breaking up potential monotony, it also helps earn you Karma along with other events such as: Collecting the four Thangkas, Masks of Yalung, spinning Mani Wheels and even hunting wild animals with a bow or throwing knife. Working through a 8 level pyramid scheme, rewards  such as discounts, Signature weapons and even negation of Karma loss with killing members of the Golden Path and the sacred Elephants.

Running ripe in the open world with combat and exploration and coupled with an outstanding OST, Far Cry 4 not only pits you against enemy soldiers during a third world civil war but also throws various wild life into the mix as well. Taking heavy influence from the villages that surround the Himalayan Mountains, we are literally thrown to the wolves and other various animals inhabiting the forests, mountains and waterways filling in the areas in between villages and several other points of interests. From driving vehicles to hang gliding, shooting and driving to using a grappling hook to climb up mountains, the adrenaline provided in this game is primed to keep you on your toes. utilizing (use your camera to your advantage!) a vast array of weapons with attachments to fit your play style, it’s ultimately up to you on how you approach completing the game whether it’s stealthy or guns blazing. Completing the dense amounts of the different types of side missions will unlock useful items in the fight against Pagan Min. From defusing bombs to hunting animals that terrorize villages, each missions earns you items of interest, Karma and experience.

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Will you follow the way of The Tiger or The Elephant?

 

Outside of the Karma Leveling system there are elements of RPG intertwined within Far Cry 4 that only push your experience to the fullest. Two different skill trees are available, The Tiger and The Elephant that upgrade your offensive and defensive abilities respectfully, offering different options to help you throughout the game.

Starting in the Southern part of Kyrat, we are able to progress to the Northern parts by progressing through the entirety of the story. To open the map we must liberate Bell Towers, allowing the rebels to move forward and unlock the various points of interest around that particular around. Liberation of the 4 fortresses (stronger fortified bases that are weakened by defeating the Commander of each fort) and the several outposts covering the map results in fast travel points for the player, additional side missions and quests, as well as safe havens for the player to rest and buy ammunitions, weapons and other items. If at anytime the player feels overwhelmed they can use a Guns for Hire token and a member of the Golden Path will come to your aid but beware, they easily trigger alarms or enemy presence!

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Missions range from taking down Pagan Min’s various forces to rescuing Hostages. Really putting the Player in some grim situations

In addition to our travels across Kyrat, we are subjected to Shangri-La, an ancient world (mainly with a color scheme of gold, red, orange, white and blue), not directly related to Kyrat but still an important  selection of Far Cry 4‘s narrative and story.

 

Multiplayer:

Far Cry 4 offers a Multiplayer/Co-op experience. Though main missions are not available, the side missions are and you are able to share inventory. You can turn off friendly fire but what fun is that? We are also able to play a mode called Map Editor where you can create a map for online play or try out one that has been created by another player. The replay value is considerable with this option though I would imagine continuous play would grow repetitious after a while


 

Final Judgment: 87%

Originally destined to be a sequel to Far Cry 3, instead Ubisoft Montreal decided to create a game modeled after the Maoist insurgency that happened in Nepal, a small South Asian nation, that lasted 10 years. The story felt partial but left the player to make some moral choices which put you in a “rock and a hard place”. With some of your choices affected the population directly it does bear some weight on your conscience and makes you really question how some of these World Leaders made the choices they did. The action was nonstop which could be overbearing for some, but for experienced players Hard really provided a decent play through value. From rampages in firefight and then randomly running into a pack of wild wolves or other wild animals, having to pull last resorts here and there it really was able to fulfill my blood thirst you gain with the ability to lay waste to everything around you. The ambient sound effects from distant fire fights to the brilliant OST, it’s easy to lose sense of time as your exploring and climbing your way through this game..unless you fast travel you can walk to any part of the map without buffering or a loading screen. A very explosive action packed game, with minor issues such as dumbed down A.I. support, bugs/glitches with character models and textures in the landscape and how lackluster the driving experience was. With the ability to Co-op and play other created maps, Far Cry 4 really packs a punch for its price.

 

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Pros-

  • Introduction of the Grappling Hook and Buzzer
  • The ability to hide the bodies of dead enemies
  • A semi decent story but nails it with the Antagonist

 

Cons-

  • The driving took second seat to everything (typical Far Cry)
  • Random Events though intended to break the monotonous of the game up may cause enemies to be Alerted during your stealthier moments
  • The radio station can be very annoying at times
  •  Glitches in Character/Weapon models

Smash and Grab comes out on Early Access on Steam!

Smash + Grab the new MOBA game in the works released on the 27th for early access on sandg_screen_1Steam. Right now its $17 dollars and will stay on sale at this price till the 3rd of October. For those that don’t know Smash+Grab is a MOBA, less focused on fighting and killing the other team, but using your crew to craft the best weapons and break into stores and steal the most stuff. It is already promoting full controller support and Steam trading cards and achievements. As for right now it is a Steam exclusive which means unless you have PC or MAC, you can’t check it out. Go out there and check it out!
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Smash & Grab will be available on Steam for $17 until October 3rd! Below are some trailers for your viewing pleasure.

 

1 Hour with- God Eater Resurrection

Do you like killing monsters with giant chainsaw swords? What if I told you that your ge-rchainsaw sword also turns into a gun as well as a shield? That’s what your weapon in God
Eater Resurrection 
can do. The weapons in this game also known as God Arcs have multiple forms. (Even turn into wolf looking things that bite the monsters you’re fighting.)

 

 

I picked this one up after watching the anime series a while back and I must say, it doesn’t do the anime justice. I really enjoyed the anime, but the game is kind of let down in the way of repetitive levels and monsters that are about the same in difficulty all around. There are some positives to this game though, a lot of customization and I mean A LOT! ge-r2You can customize from your weapon to your outfit to the hair color and face of your character. Another positive for me is the use of the same voice actors from the anime in the game, I was actually impressed. Overall I have to say that the game was kind of a let down, from the lack of lock on methods with your weapon, down to just how repetitive the game is, the only real saving grace this game has going for it is the Story driven
cut scenes and the customization level. It’s definitely fun at first.

 

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Overall: I wouldn’t say don’t pick it up, but I wouldn’t pay full price for it, wait till it’s on sale.

 

 


For gameplay of God Eater: Resurrection, check out this video giving us a clearer look at the battling system!

Indie Game Spotlight: 1979 Revolution: Black Friday

chapo_1979_1Prepare yourself for a history lesson. 1979 Revolution: Black Friday brings you to the streets of late 1970’s Iran through the eyes of photographer Reza Shirazi as he returns to find his hometown consumed in a fervent political uprising. The player is given the choice to take sides or attempt to remain neutral during the revolt, although the latter will prove to be much easier said than done. Prepare to experience a historical moment that may be fairly unfamiliar, yet very insightful to how current events in the region have come to pass. I feel that I learned quite a bit about Iranian culture during my playthrough, which tends to be a feeling I rarely encounter after completing a video game. After an extremely abrupt ending, I’m craving a conclusion to my journey and expect to see some excellent follow-up content in the future.

1979 Revolution: Black Friday

System:
PC, OSX, iOS

Developer:
iNK Stories

Released:
PC, OSX
(April 5, 2016)
iOS
(June 10, 2016)

Price:
$11.99

1979_revolution_black_friday_27

Gameplay:

Although my time with 1979 Revolution: Black Friday was very enjoyable and entertaining, I can’t necessarily describe experience as being fun. Don’t take that as a bad thing, however, because I was extremely immersed in the story and captivated by the characters from start to finish. Most of the actual gameplay involves Quick Time Events (or QTEs), taking photographs when prompted, and choosing lines of dialog. These dialog choices enable you to dictate the course of certain events and influence they way NPCs view the protagonist. If you’ve played any of Telltale Games’ titles such as The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us, you will find that the similarities in gameplay are obvious. The only unique features I noticed were the photography aspects and the reportedly historical accuracy of the overall conflict. If you enjoy those types of games then you almost certainly won’t regret purchasing 1979 Revolution: Black Friday.1979_revolution_black_friday_04

I was very excited to learn more about Iranian culture and the revolution due to the fact that it hadn’t been covered in any of my world history classes in high school. I think this is the first time I’ve sat down to play a game with the intention to learn anything other than fantasy lore or how to efficiently kill any enemies I might encounter. Even with high expectations from the beginning, I was still extremely impressed by the storytelling. Despite the lackluster gameplay, I was constantly on the edge of my seat during the more stressful situations I kept finding myself participating in. The speed required to react on time can be extremely stressful and some players may have a hard time making decisions in such a short time span, but even though it felt rushed it was often appropriate for the situation. The relationships between characters seems very realistic. There we many times I found myself conflicted due to the fact that most choices had no clear right or wrong answers. 1979_revolution_black_friday_29

 

Final Judgment: 79%

If I were to judge this game based solely on storytelling, I would give it a near perfect score. The controls were a bit wonky and unintuitive at times, but if you’ve played any Telltale games you should feel right at home. I didn’t experience any glitches during the roughly 3-4 hours it took me to complete the game. The voice acting was wonderful and still managed to be completely immersive even with most of the conversations being spoken in English. You will meet different factions, each with their own unique reasons to rebel. You have the opportunity to form your own opinions, engage in violent or nonviolent methods of protest, or just try your best to avoid it all.

Pros:

  • Excellent storytelling
  • Believable characters & relationships
  • Tough decisions
  • Replay value
  • Great voice acting

Cons:

  • Choices have minor impact on ending
  • Unoriginal gameplay
  • Felt rushed in dialogue
  • Very short
  • Reused and sometimes low quality character models

 

AFK Discussions: Creating a video game

For today’s Away From the Keyboard segment, we sit down with Indie Developer Tim Murosky while he offers us a deeper insight on the ins and outs of creating a video game. Often while playing video games we rarely take time to think about how much work and effort went into making them so we thank you for sitting down with us and talking about your experience Tim!


SGR- What are the beginning steps to creating a game? Beyond coming up with a name and creating a logo or image for the product, what are the tiny grains of work most video game enthusiast really don’t see?

Tim- The planning stage. One way or another, the game is planned. This requires a lot thought on the developer’s part. What game engine will you use, what are its capabilities? Considering its capabilities, what kind of game could we make?

14429399_1490028431012477_482454711_n.jpgThis usually happens over the course of a few weeks or more, with a team bouncing ideas off each other. In the event you have a solo developer they have to brainstorm alone. This is a difficult task itself, because you only have one point of view to work with (your own).

This leaves you a little bias on the project as a whole, since you have the whole project to develop from the ground up. An extra point of view is a very good thing.

 

SGR- While passion is most certainly a driven trait to creating games let’s face it, money is important as well. I know this a broad question to ask but ideally what is a typical budget to creating a game..what are some of the expenses that range during production?

Tim- That is actually a great question. Minus the software cost which can easily be calculated, the biggest cost is that of the human factor. For indie developers, as a whole, we have a tough pill to swallow. Maybe once in a while someone with money comes along and can hire you for a fee on some segments of a larger project. But more frequently, you will be working on a revenue share basis… meaning you don’t get paid until there are profits to pay with.

14398103_1490028357679151_1371541352_nWhile generally, yes, these offers could net you a big payday on a percentage basis, the game actually has to do very well before it is a significant enough income to live on without a day job. Until that day comes a day job must be worked in addition to the development process you do in your own time.

So the budget will fluctuate greatly depending on whether or not you can get people to work for revenue share.

 

SGR- What are the “meat and bones” of developing a game from start to finish? From actual development to promotions and getting your game exposure?

Tim- This yet another good question. Building a game is not a small undertaking even for the smallest of games. But there is basically a pipeline from concept to completion. The first part is the concept phase. What kind of game do you or your team want to make? Once you decide that, what is your target market? (Who do you think would play this?) This 14397863_1490029581012362_881374339_nquestion is important not only in the marketing phase but right at the beginning of development. If you are building for kids, you might not want to include gore, or excessive violence. Once you have your target market you can make some design and art style choices. The next major step is deciding on the engine and what type of game you will build. There are multiple engines to use, and based on the direction of the project you pick one. Then you decide on the art style, and if it would be compatible with the game engine you are using. If you choose to build a 2D game for example,you are going to need sprite sheets (single animation frames which are cycled through in the game engine to produce he illusion of movement). If you are making a 3D game you will need to build and texture 3D models and rigged characters  for the game engine to produce a 3D world.

 

Once you have decided all these things, you have to begin the development phase. This is the part where are the asset production occurs. So if you are going 2D you start drawing pictures, or blocking out the level (this is a collision layer which is generally hidden behind other imagery which the character is programmed to not fall through). After you have all of your assets built, you program the game conditions, and all the mechanics that make the game interactive. You build your game worlds, consider sound (music and special effects noises) and so on. After you have fleshed out your game world, and game mechanics and built everything the way you want it, you get to the 14409090_1490029347679052_205727954_n.pngtesting phase. This can be difficult. If you are a solo developer, you must trust your own instincts one what should be added and removed, changed or kept. But since you are a lone developer, you might be biased on the project as a whole. Even if you are testing with a small team you might not see the flaws that an outside opinion from a tester might provide.

As you begin the testing phase, generally speaking that is when the marketing begins. This has a whole different set of problems involved than the actual game development.

 

SGR- What are some of the biggest problems you face developing a game by yourself compared to with a team? I know you mentioned being biased would be a concern but other areas get a bit more challenging without help from others?

Tim- Well the first major thing is the number of tasks involved. As a single developer you have to do it all. Concept art, buy art, make art, choose the game engine, the style, do the music or buy the music, put it all together, than code it, and then market it. With a team, you have the opportunity, to spread the responsibilities across a few people. Having specialists that can do other things is more advantageous. For example having someone who is good with 2D art, and concept art is a good thing, alternately maybe someone is good with music, marketing, and 3D modeling. Maybe you have someone who can code, and do some texture work. Anytime you can give a few multiple tasks, and they can accomplish it, the faster things will develop. But sometimes the team has different ideas on the direction and things don’t go together quite as planned.

 

 

Destiny: Rise of Iron – First Impressions

This article will be discussing the latest entry in Destiny, Rise of Iron. It may contain spoilers. If you wish to experience this new chapter blind, we highly suggest that you play the game first, then come back and give us a read 🙂

 

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The Iron Lords have fallen, now only Saladin remains.

 

For a couple of months now, I have eagerly waited for the latest chapter in the Destiny saga. As an avid Destiny player I found myself becoming bored with the game due to the lack of fresh content. My excitement was seemingly matched by the gaming world, because as I was unable log in as soon as the game became unlocked. Destiny servers were overloaded for the first time in a long time. The wait proved to be worth it however, as this new story was every bit as exciting as Taken King. With a Light Level cap increase (385), a new raid, campaign, and Crucible maps and modes, this new update adds a plethora of fresh content.

 

Destiny: Rise of Ironcover

System: Playstation 4, Xbox One

 

Developer: Bungie

Release Date: September 20, 2016

Price: $29.99 USD (All Platforms)

 

 

updates
New content galore!

 

Campaign mode:

Your new journey begins with a flashback to a year after the collapse, a time when there were no Guardians. It was during this time that the Iron Lords were the defenders of humanity. We’re given a glimpse into what appears to be the end of the final battle, with a female Iron Lord (Bretomart, maybe? Considering she’s wielding a machine gun.) sealing the door of a complex and activating a detonator as the door closes. Back to the present. You learn that the House of Devils has returned, and is feverishly after something in the Cosmodrome. Not only that, but Saladin has left his post at the Iron Banner to stop the fallen personally. The mission then starts in a new area on Earth, Felwinter Peak. It is here that we find out what the Devils are after, the SIVA.  The SIVA is a remnant of the Golden Age, a nanotechnology that can “hack” life forms. These new enemies seem to be just reskinned Fallen, as they use the same tactics. Using SIVA technology the House of Devils have managed to resurrect Sepiks Prime into an ascended form, Sepiks Perfected. You are then tasked with stopping the Devils and destroying the SIVA at the source. The battle takes you through the Plaguelands, a frozen wasteland on Earth, and even takes you back to Mars, to the archives of Clovis bay. You eventually find yourself in a familiar area, the  bunker where the Iron Lords made their last stand. It is here where you must defeat the ghosts of the past, and end the SIVA threat once and for all. The story is an action-packed ride that won’t leave you disappointed.

 

Crucible & Vendors:

One of the biggest additions to the Crucible is the new game type, Supremacy. In this new game mode, Guardians must collect must collect  their opponents’ sigil after each kill. This adds an interesting new mechanic to the classic deathmatch. This new game-type prevents suicide victories, but allows players to sit back and wait for other players to do the work, and then snake their rewards from them. This new game type may not be my favorite, but at least it’s something new.

The vendors have been updated also. Each vendor now sells gear leveled at 350 light. There has also been a complete overhaul on the cosmetics of the faction armors. These new armor designs look great. Some vendors also now sell ghosts, eliminating the headache of farming for high-level ghosts. Faction packages now drop with up to 385 light, eliminating the frustration of getting all 330 “junk” gear for maxed out guardians.

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The vendors have been updated as well

 

Strikes:

In addition to the new strike, The Wretched Eye, Bungie has also decided to bring two legacy strikes into Year Three, The Devil’s Lair and The Summoning Pits. In The Wretched Eye, you fight through a Hive base that has succumbed to the SIVA outbreak. Making you way through, you must destroy SIVA nodes while fighting both Splicers and Hive enemies. The most interesting thing about the strike boss is that fact that he has an invincible pet running around attacking guardians as they face him. A new dynamic has been introduced to the Devil’s Lair strike. Sepiks Prime has been replaced with his splicer form, and raises an elemental shield that can only be lowered by special weapons dropped from the appropriate splicer captains. This adds a bit of strategy to the strike instead of the classic “run and gun” play-style used in most strikes.

 

Raid:

As of right now, the raid isn’t available. It will be released on Friday, September 23rd at 10am PDT (Which is 1pm for the eastern US). The SIVA-themed raid gear will cap out at LL 385. The date for the Hard Mode version of the raid has not been released yet. I’m definitely looking forward to see what the raid has to offer.

 

Final Score: ??

Since some content hasn’t been made available yet, I am reluctant to give a final grade to Rise of Iron. I will say that what I have experienced so far is enough to rekindle my excitement for the game. Once I have completed the raid, I will update this post, including scoring.


 

 

 

Indie Game Spotlight: UnderRail

Underrail (formerly Timelapse Vertigo) is a dark isometric RPG that I’d been craving to sink my fangs into since I first encountered it a few years back. Although it was still in early development,  I could already imagine it held great potential. Drawing inspiration from the first two titles of the Fallout series (Fallout 1 & 2), Underrail manages to distinguish itself with a unique style and obscure lore. As a new recruit at South Gate Station, the player is sent forth to scour underground caverns, abandoned outposts, and neighboring settlements in search of vital resources while exploring a mysterious subterranean world.

 

UnderRailBoxShot.jpg

System:
PC

Developer:
Stygian
Software

Released:
Dec. 18, 2015

Price:
$14.99

 

Gameplay:

Underrail has a retro vibe reminiscent of classic isometric RPGs yet still manages to feel like a brand new experience. The gameplay mainly focuses on turn-based combat and exploration. The player is offered two distinct leveling systems to choose from. Whether you prefer the traditional grinding of enemies for experience or a more111111 exploration based playthrough, Underrail’s classic and oddity leveling systems will each give you a unique experience.

Character creation provides a blank slate to create any type of character you desire. There are several player portraits to choose from but unfortunately the character model doesn’t change to reflect the portrait you select. This was merely a cosmetic issue and only a minor annoyance. The character stats are similar to Fallout’s S.P.E.C.I.A.L system and you are similarly awarded with perks every few levels. Investing points into stats like strength or perception grants you the freedom to create and customize a character that suits your preferred playstyle. Ever dream of being a sledgehammer wielding brute? Done! How about sneaking around as stealthy sniper or backstabbing ninja? No problem! You can even create a cyberpunk-esque hacker, a mind-bending psychic monk, or a deadly mix of both.

After distributing stat points, you must allocate points to specific skills. Weapon skills include melee, guns, throwing weapons, and crossbows. There are also various crafting skills to help you create top-of-the-line armors, weapons, electronics, and consumable items. Other skills such as hacking and lockpicking are extremely useful during exploration. Persuasion and intimidation skills can be used to discover lore, alternate solutions to quests, or even to avoid certain battles. Most skills have a synergy 12222with related skills. Increasing one skill may also raise another skill. I was so pleased with the freedom of choice available that I replayed the beginning at least 10 times just testing different builds before making any significant progress. Experimenting with different playstyles was very entertaining and soon I realized that having at least one combat skill is absolutely necessary to complete specific areas of the game (even if you’ve invested every point into stealth and persuasion/intimidation skills.)

Exploration in Underrail mainly consists of following word of mouth directions while navigating various maps in a completely open world environment. Some areas only become accessible after specific story events are completed, but exploration is nearly unlimited after finishing just the first few quests. Other than brief notes in your quest journal, the only directions you’ll receive are through dialogue with various NPCs or an occasional road sign (which are so rare that they’re hardly worth mentioning.) There is no mini-map, HUD, or map screen to reference during your travels within the caves and tunnels of Underrail. The player should be wary of skipping through conversations to avoid wandering aimlessly or getting lost. The oddity experience system provides various oddities to collect and will serve as the main source of experience points for your character. Some oddities are found in locked boxes or lockers that require the lockpicking or hacking skills to open, some are found on the remains of defeated creatures and enemies, and others are strewn throughout hidden nooks and crannies, so remember to search everywhere!10.jpg

As a fan of turn-based combat, I really loved picking fights in this game. I played a willpower and constitution based character who specialized in all areas of psychic phenomena. One skill focuses on mind control, the second involves manipulating temperature, and the third skill deals with projecting force and causing electrical damage. Combat as a psi-user was a blast! Bombing mutants with giant fireballs and exploding ice orbs felt amazing. Cornering a fleeing enemy by blocking a doorway with a force field before finishing them off with telekinetic force punch was equally satisfying. Enraging a group of enemies causing them to go berserk and attack their allies was also an effective strategy when dealing with larger groups.

If you love to loot and pillage, look no further! You may be pleased to find that nearly every enemy you encounter can be looted for most of their possessions. Beasts and creatures can be harvested for various skins and organs. Those materials, along with scavenged metals and components, are combined using a rather extensive crafting system. You have the ability to create consumables, stimulants, weapons, armor, energy shields, and even psionic amplifiers. Investing in crafting skills can mean the difference between life and death in the heat of battle. Some crafted items are imbued with passive bonuses that increase stats, skills, and damage resistance while equipped. Players who don’t enjoy crafting can ignore this feature without completely gimping their characters, but the best gear is reserved to those who craft.133131444

My favorite aspects of Underrail are the and shady characters. Although the game takes place completely underground, the range of different environments you will traverse are surprisingly diverse . Junkyards controlled by gangsters, A “dominating” gladiator arena, secluded taverns, repurposed metro stations, insect-infested tunnels, abandoned bases with patrolling robotic guardians, and even a massive multi-storied city are all places you may discover during your journey. Each location holds unique enemies and NPCs for you to battle or converse with. Every major base or settlement contains a handful of merchants you may visit to restock on supplies or purchase new equipment. Many NPCs belong to factions which may eventually offer you the opportunity to join their ranks. Be warned, however, that joining a gang or faction will likely turn rival faction members hostile. Depending on which factions you assist, the future and power structure of Underrail may be dramatically altered…for better or worse.

 

Final Judgment: 88%

If you’re a fan of Fallout 1 & 2, Underrail should be a familiar and enjoyable experience.  My biggest gripes with the gameplay were minor, but a few issues made the overall playthrough slightly less enjoyable. The biggest issue for me was that unoptimized character builds will have an extremely hard time finishing the game if unprepared (even on easy), but the same can be said about most RPGs so more experienced RPG players may not find that surprising. As long as you don’t spread your points too thin it won’t be a problem. I would’ve appreciated an option to adjust skin tone to match my portrait. Other than that, I was extremely impressed and entertained by Underrail.

Pros:

  • Excellent storyline & setting
  • Obscure and interesting lore to discover
  • Great character creation
  • Unique weapons, armor, and items
  • Choices matter
  • Oddity system is original and fun
  • Numerous side quests, mini-bosses, and secrets

Cons:

  • Directions can be unclear or confusing at times
  • Non-lethal playthroughs are impossible
  • No color options or appearance customization

Indie Game Spotlight: Town of Salem

Have you ever played the party game Mafia? Have you ever wanted to play when your friends aren’t around to invite over to game? Town of Salem might just be the game for you! In this game you get to play the party game, with fun roles that make it absolutely interesting!

 

Town of Salem

System(s): PC, MAC, IOS, Android. Town_of_Salem_logo.png

Developer(s): BlankMediaGames

Publish Date: December 15, 2014

Price: $5 on Steam, Free in Browser, Free Google Play Store/ Apple store.


 

The Gameplay:

After loading and logging into the game you can just go straight into playing. The game will match you with up to 14 other people you have never met before, or you can bring a trialparty of friends along! After the game gets going you get to pick your character’s name for the game, just type whatever you want into the box (except for profanities and such), and then you go to role roulette.

 

 

There are multiple roles you can land on, from Mafia Godfather, to the town jailer, all the way to being a witch! Then that’s when the fun starts everyone will load into the town with their roles chosen and that’s when the manipulation, the late night murder, and the lynching in town square begins! There are scrolls and things you can get with the coins you earn in-game that help you land on a certain role, and for the steam version there is achievements to earn and trading cards if that interests you!


 

Final Grade: 90%

I’ve personally poured hours into this game, upwards of 50 to be exact and I still love playing it. There are just so many different play-styles and ways to get yourself to the final goal. It doesn’t have a story mode or anything like that but it does have normal, ranked practice, and ranked modes, as well as, create your own game.

 

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Pros: 

  • The game no matter how many times I play it, never plays the exact same way
  • Every match and round are different
  • Sooooo many roles to play with and each one has a different ability or goal.
  • There is surprisingly such a huge community on it for being 2 years old
  •  You can have different sprites, pets, houses, and ways to die when you get lynched.
  • It’s FREE! or $5 on Steam

Cons:

  • You can pay money for more coins in the game if you really want to.
  • Sometimes people throw games or just quit for no real reason.
  • The connection for the Browser edition is kinda hit and miss.