Category: Written


EGM Review: Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z

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March 2, 2014

A not-so-Super Saiyan

I was never really big into anime, but like most every other guy back in my day, there was about a two-to-three year period where Dragon Ball Z was near the top of my list of must-see TV shows. Unlike some other obsessions in my life, my Dragon Ball Z love affair was short-lived,  mostly because there really hasn’t been anything new with the series since those days.

Even the DBZ videogames that have been released over the years simply rehashed the same story over and over again. It’s gotten to a point where it’s hard for me to get excited anymore because I know that nothing content-wise has changed. All we’ll see is maybe better graphics or some new gameplay mechanics as we take on Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu for the billionth time.

But Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z was supposed to be different. It was coming after last year’s release of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, a film that Battle of Z was supposed to incorporate elements from, and the first new DBZ movie in years. Battle of Z also channels the look and gameplay of Dragon Ball: Zenkai Battle Royale, a DBZ arcade game, so this could surely breathe some freshness in the series for those who only play on consoles.

I’m afraid, however, that my high hopes didn’t pan out. As is normally the case, not enough has changed, and some of the new mechanics do more harm than good.

The new customization features are a perfect example. Not only can you change the color of your favorite DBZ characters’ outfits, but as you beat missions in the story mode, you earn points and special boost cards. These cards can increase your melee strength, HP, Ki blast power, speed, and more. The points can also be spent to also buy more cards if needed.

It starts off as an intriguing way to see whether you can truly make Goku “over 9,000” in terms of power level as you see the direct benefits of what a “+35 melee” card or the like, but by the time you get halfway through the Cell Saga, you’re trying to grind for new cards or points to buy better ones than what you’re given to overcome some really brutal battles.

The worst part about the card system, though, is that it’s random. You may want a melee boost, but you might only collect Speed and HP boosts. Plus, each character can only equip so many cards at a time, so you could have a flood of cards you don’t need as you slowly try to collect the point to buy the card you want or hope you get lucky. It’s an interesting take on leveling up characters and implementing new RPG-like elements into a fighter, but the randomness becomes a grind that gives little to no reward.

Besides this abominable leveling system, the game also fails to deliver enough content revolving around Battle of Gods. The first new movie in over a decade for DBZ gets a single mission in the game. With 60 missions in the single-player mode overall, that’s a pathetically small offering, especially when you make players grind through multiple missions based around the same handful of storylines we’ve been playing through for decades now. At the very least, beating it does unlock Goku’s Saiyan God form as well as two new characters from the movie, Whis and Beerus. But it’s not enough.

Not everything is a disaster, though. From a gameplay perspective, Battle of Z does a fine job of representing its arcade brethren—and the anime itself—on consoles with over a dozen huge arenas and battles that usually are massive in scope. You can also take up to three AI allies into every battle, even if they’re clones of the player character. This leads to some epic re-creations, since the Z Fighters (Goku and his friends) can take on the entire Ginyu Force in one mission. It also opens up some interesting “What If?”-style missions in the single-player mode, like having a bunch of Super Saiyans taking on all four forms of Frieza at the same time. The friendly AI could use some work, and the camera can go a bit wonky when the action gets particularly hectic, but otherwise, the combat’s definitely not the weakest part of this fighter.

When you boil everything down, this still isn’t the Dragon Ball Z game fans want. The single-player mode offers almost nothing we haven’t seen before, and it can’t even be bothered to give us any cutscenes from the anime to tie all the missions—or at least the Sagas—together. A few interesting co-op and team-battle modes on top of the story can make for some online havoc, but it’s still not enough to warrant a Battle of Z purchase by anyone but the most obsessive of DBZ fans.

Developer: Artdink • Publisher: Namco Bandai • ESRB: T – Teen • Release Date: 01.28.14
6.0
Battle of Z had a lot of potential, but like so many DBZ games before it, it fails to capture the opportunity. The unnecessary amount of grinding required to progress through a story we’ve seen a dozen times before overshadows the decent combat.
The Good First DBZ game outside Japan with Goku’s God form, Beerus, and Whis.
The Bad Horrendous camera; customization system makes grinding more bothersome than normal.
The Ugly Remembering why I stopped caring about Dragon Ball Z in the first place.
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z is available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PS Vita. Primary version reviewed was a retail copy provided by Namco Bandai for the Xbox 360. .
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Punch-Out!!’s Little Mac joins Smash Bros. roster

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Little Mac is the latest addition to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and for 3DS’ ever growing roster, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct presentation.

Little Mac, of course, is best known as the main protagonist in all three Punch-Out!! games, first debuting in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!  for NES in October 1987 (originally just called Punch-Out!! in Japan).

The diminutive fighter is portrayed as the stereotypical underdog, overcoming all the odds caused by his smaller stature to become champion of the world. His reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros., which is embedded below, pokes fun at this, also showing that a lot of fight can come in even the tiniest of packages.

Not surprisingly, his powers revolve mostly around him being able to perform a flurry of fast punches. He also has a charge meter that, after absorbing enough damage, allows him to unleash a devastating uppercut to his opponents. The trailer also shows off his Final Smash ability, which sees Little Mac become anything but little, as well as a new stage based around a boxing ring, (obviously tailored to Mac).

The only disappointing thing probably about this latest Smash Bros. announcement is that Nintendo still hasn’t provided a solid release date for the series’ fourth full entry.

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GDC Awards to honor Feminist Frequency creator and Riot Games founders

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The 14th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards have announced who will be receiving this year’s Ambassador and Pioneer Awards at the awards show in March.

The Ambassador Award is given to someone who has helped videogames advance through advocacy or action. This year’s recipient is media critic Anita Sarkeesian, the creator of Feminist Frequency, a video series that explores representations of women in pop culture, with a particular focus on gaming.

The Pioneer Award is given to those who brought about breakthrough tech or gameplay design milestones. This year’s recipients are Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill, the co-founders of Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends. With more than 67 million players a month and a driving force behind the growth of eSports, League of Legends has become a phenomenon like few others in the gaming industry.

The Game Developers Choice Awards, hosted this year by Respawn Entertainment’s Abbie Heppe, are a part of the Game Developers Conference held each year in San Francisco. This year’s show will take place March 19, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. PT at the San Francisco Moscone Center. The awards are open to all GDC attendees. Immediately preceding the show is the Independent Games Festival Awards, hosted this year by Nathan Vella, president and co-founder of Capybara Games.

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EGM Review: Fable Anniversary

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February 10, 2014

Chasing the chicken, for old time’s sake

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the first Fable. Like many who played it the first time around, Lionhead’s fantasy RPG has always held a special place in my heart. I loved the idea that your interactions with the world around you could affect your character’s quests and their physical appearance (good characters received a “holy glow,” while bad players would sprout demonic horns) gave the sensation that your choices actually carried some weight—a rarity back then.

The combat was deeply satisfying, and finding the balance between Strength (melee), Skill (ranged), and Will (magic) to fit your playstyle delivered an instant gratification you rarely see in RPGs even today. Plus, the game featured a charming story that may not have been all that original (boy’s parents are murdered, boy becomes hero, boy enacts vengeance on those who wronged him…kind of like Batman), but it was still entertaining, especially since it was garnished with some classic British humor.

So, even though it didn’t redefine the genre (no matter what Peter Molyneux may say) and has been surpassed many times over at this point, Fable still remained a personal favorite of mine. It didn’t do anything spectacularly, but everything it did back in 2004, it did well. But I must admit after all this time that my memory may have been looking at things through Briar Rose–colored glasses.

Fable Anniversary builds off the content of the expanded 2005 re-release, Fable: The Lost Chapters on the original Xbox, providing a much-needed facelift by updating every asset with Xbox 360-caliber graphics. Along with this, Achievements have been added, and a brand-new user interface has been integrated into the game, one that not only allows players to save wherever they want, but also makes navigating store and inventory menus far easier. There’s even some interesting loading screens depicting an ever-growing map of Albion as you explore.

Besides the look, however, Fable Anniversary fails to offer anything new to the game. That’s not to say the game doesn’t benefit from the graphical update, but seeing Fable’s roots—especially with Legends on the horizon and Fable II, III, and Journey all in the rear-view mirror—makes Anniversary reek of a cash-in on the admitted nostalgia gamers like myself feel toward older franchises.

I’m here to warn you that time hasn’t been kind to this one. Compared to everything that’s come since then—even within the Fable series itself, let alone other RPGs—these roots seem shockingly bare. The stark realization that things aren’t as good as you may remember could leave a decidedly sour taste in your mouth. It left me quite sad, actually.

In one way, it’s an interesting exercise in seeing how far the industry has come. Now, you can choose to be a female protagonist in many RPGs. You still can’t make that choice in this Fable, nor can you customize your character to any reasonable extent. If the developers were going to take the time to update the entire look of the game, couldn’t they have afforded a few more in-depth customization options?

And would it have killed Lionhead to add a couple of extra missions and lengthen the game a little bit? Couldn’t they offer players an experience a little different from the one we had back in 2005? My Xbox 360 still plays Fable: The Lost Chapters (remember when systems had backward compatibility?), so there’s really very little incentive for me to go out and buy a whole new game—even with a $39.99 budget price—unless I’m an Achievement hunter or an OCD collector.

Anniversary lacks many of the features we’ve come to expect in modern RPGs, and the passage of time has dulled the punch of those few that the game did tout. The only value now lies in showing players who came to the franchise late the beginnings of this ongoing tale. It still works from a technical point of view, but only the combat remains rewarding—the one element not ravaged by time over these past 10 years.

What hurts Anniversary most of all, though, is coming to the realization that when Fable first came out, it was very good, even if it really didn’t break new ground. Now, it’s borderline irrelevant, since so little work has been done on this re-release to make the experience stand with contemporary RPGs. It was depressing to trudge through an Albion that looked so very different to me, not only due to the new graphics, but because of my sweet memories being shattered and replaced by a harsher reality. The tagline for Fable used to be “For every choice, a consequence.” Well, the consequence of Fable Anniversary is one disappointed reviewer—and the newfound understanding that, sometimes, it’s better to just leave your memories in the past.

Developer: Lionhead Studios • Publisher: Microsoft Studios • ESRB: M – Mature • Release Date: 02.04.14
6.0
Fable still has some charming elements that have stood the test of time and survive in Fable Anniversary. But most of the game shows its age, so if you played Fable or Fable: The Lost Chapters the first time around, there’s little here to bring you back for more.
The Good Friendlier user interface and a graphical facelift; combat system holds up.
The Bad Everything else is starting to show its age.
The Ugly How entertaining I thought the fart feature once was.
Fable Anniversary is a Xbox 360 exclusive. 
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Tim Schafer says he’d love to make a Brütal Legend 2

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January 25, 2014

Tim Schafer hopes to return to his metal-inspired IP Brütal Legend one day, Double Fine Productions’ head said yesterday during a Gamespot live stream.

“I love that world, and I would love to go back there,” Schafer said during a Let’s Play of his latest title, Broken Age. He also mentioned Jack Black might be interested in returning to the franchise as well.

Black lent his voice (and likeness) as Brütal Legend’s main protagonist, Eddie Riggs, a legendary roadie who is transported to a world built on the tenets of metal (the music genre, not the solid material that is typically hard, opaque, shiny, and features good electrical and thermal conductivity). Along with Black, the game starred some of metal’s biggest names, including Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, and Ozzy Osbourne.

While the game sold more than a million copies and had good critical reception, it was not considered a commercial success, costing $25 million to make. Because of this, raising that much money for a sequel “might be tricky,” according to Schafer.

Even though a true sequel may be out of the question for the moment, Schafer went on to talk about how he’d like to do a DLC pack centered around General Lionwhyte, a demented character that looked like David Bowie, and who used his massive hair to fly. He was also one of the characters voiced by Rob Halford.

Lionwhyte’s Hair Metal Militia had always been an AI-controlled faction, so DLC where you could play as them in multiplayer could work (and would be welcome).

Brütal Legend was originally released on Xbox 360 and PS3 back in October 2009, and was ported to PC early last year.

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New exclusives and release dates likely to be revealed at Microsoft E3 2014 briefing

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Release dates for Quantum Break, Sunset Overdrive, and the new Halo title may be revealed alongside unannounced exclusives during this year’s E3 briefing, according to tweets from Microsoft’s Phil Spencer.

“We will have announces [sic] in 2014, already working on the plan,” Spencer said in response to fan queries over Twitter yesterday concerning Xbox One exclusives, spotted by OXM. “I want to have a great E3 this year.”

A more definitive statement came, however, after another fan then asked about release dates for the already announced exclusives Quantum Break, Sunset Overdrive, and the next chapter in the Halo series.

“Most of those will be clear to fans by the end of our E3 briefing,” Spencer replied.

So what could Microsoft have up its sleeve to wow gamers this year? Safe bets might include Crackdown 3 and a new project from Epic Games, but that’s just speculation on my part as of this point.

As for release dates, I think most will be shocked and disappointed if all three of those games (Halo 5, Quantum Break, Sunset Overdrive) don’t drop by the 2014 holiday season.

E3 2014 is being held once again this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 10 through June12. Microsoft’s E3 briefing is traditionally the day before the show officially starts, which would be June 9 this year.

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EGM Review: Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD

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The lost Assassin

Looking back on my original review for Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, now well over a year ago, I realize that I made a lot of excuses for the game because it was on the Vita. Expecting less of a game on a handheld system is understandable—especially when it’s a spin-off of a successful console series like Assassin’s Creed—since obvious technical shortcomings are par for the course.

Trying to cram an entire Assassin’s Creed game onto a portable is no small feat. But when a game developer ports a handheld experience and tries to make it a full-fledged console title, they’d better go all-out, or there are going to be problems. And, unfortunately for Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD, let’s just say that Aveline doesn’t look nearly as good in high-def.

In Liberation, you play the role of a consumer who’s decided to purchase the first-ever product from Abstergo Entertainment. This new device allows you to relive the life of Aveline de Grandpré, the daughter of a wealthy Frenchman and an African slave woman in 18th-century New Orleans. On the surface, Aveline looks to lead the pampered life her father’s wealth would afford her, but the soul of a warrior burns within.

To the untrained eye, this looks like the beginning of a solid Assassin’s Creed tale, but the story’s still too short, and nothing’s added to lengthen it in the HD version. Aveline is still a poorly developed character, even though she has the makings of one of the most interesting Assassins yet. All we get are a handful of extra side missions that focus on her slave/high-society disguises, which are really quite throwaway. Despite the lack of additional content, though, players will still likely enjoy Aveline’s tale, even if it pales in comparison to the rest of the series’ protagonists.

The combat and movement remains largely the same as the other games in the series, with pickpocketing and the “chain kill” system (both of which were tied to the Vita’s touchscreen previously) mercifully assigned back to traditional buttons. Countless glitches and stiffness also remain, however, making this one of the worst-handling Assassin’s Creed titles.

The visuals don’t make a smooth transition, either. While the graphics have definitely been improved in this HD version, they’re nowhere near what we expect from a console game (these screens are not representative of the experience I had). And the contrast is only more vibrant if you’ve played Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag recently. It looks just like what it is: a handheld game cheaply upscaled to consoles.

Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD feels like a game that Ubisoft is trying to redeem so that Aveline’s story isn’t wasted. They’re clearly trying to get it into the hands of as many people as possible now because of the Vita’s limited install base. And her story is one worth telling, but it would’ve been so much better in a fully realized, fully fleshed-out Assassin’s Creed entry. Instead, we got this port of a portable. Because of the budget price of $19.99, I could see some misguided Assassin’s Creed diehards falling in love with Aveline’s story and not being terribly heartbroken after shelling out the cash, but to everyone else—especially if you already did play it on the Vita—you can steer clear.

Developer: Ubisoft Sofia • Publisher: Ubisoft • ESRB: M – Mature • Release Date: 01.14.14
5.0
Easily the most disappointing Assassin’s Creed title ever. Aveline had the potential to be one of the best Assassins yet, but poor character development, simple mission design, and a far-too-short adventure left me wanting more in all the worst ways.
The Good Pickpocketing no longer has to be done via a touchscreen.
The Bad The main story’s lack of depth is only amplified on consoles.
The Ugly Instead of making everything prettier, HD only reveals all of Liberation’s blemishes.
Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD is available on Xbox 360 (XBLA), PS3 (PSN), and PC. Primary version reviewed was for PS3 (PSN).
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EGM Review: Ridge Racer Slipstream

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January 16, 2014

Slip slidin’ away

When it comes to arcade-style racing games, few have proven as everlasting as Ridge Racer. Over three decades of existence, the series has permeated nearly every gaming platform imaginable, including mobile. With the franchise returning to a casual platform for the first time since 2010, however, Namco Bandai knew they’d need a lot more than brand recognition to overcome the stigma usually associated with app-based racers.

Ridge Racer Slipstream tries to overcome this by doing its best to deliver everything we’ve come to expect from the series—simply pared down in order to fit phone and tablet parameters. From the second the game starts and franchise mascot Reiko Nagase’s introduction video plays, Slipstream looks and sounds like so many other Ridge Racer games before it, even if it looks like a slightly older game in the series due to the technical limitations.

Slipstream also features a lot of typical arcade-racer motifs, such as made-up cars that require drifting to fill up a nitro bar that can help you speed through the game’s fictional tracks. The titular “Slipstream” feature adds some semblance of strategy: You can gain speed by drafting behind cars, and a special symbol on the HUD appears to let you know just how well you’re staying on your opponent’s tail. In the end, though, it’s all about getting first place after three laps in order to advance through the various tournaments in Career mode.

The game offers a ton of options, not only in how you customize your cars’ look and performance, but in how you handle them as well. Four different control schemes are available—two with the touchscreen, and two by tilting your device. I found using the iPad itself and tilting it all over the place reminded me of the good old days in the arcade when I’d sit in a padded chair in a pod and grab an actual steering wheel. I just wish I’d had a stand I could’ve rested the iPad on, since I got tired of holding it up after a while and had to change the control scheme. I found all the options responsive and accurate when it came to how I wanted my car to handle, though, so it’s all a matter of personal preference, really.

Unfortunately, while Slipstream may offer a lot of options to drive with, there’s not a lot here for you to actually drive. Only a dozen cars and 10 tracks (20 if you count mirror options) are available through the single-player mode’s 108 races. And while the game’s $2.99 price tag doesn’t warrant the numbers you’d get from true console or arcade racers, it’s a bit too measly a number to leave me satisfied.

Besides cars and tracks, there’s also not much to the game beyond single-player. Sure, you can check out time trials and use social features to share with your friends and let them know how you’re doing, but that’s it. The lack of a true versus mode really puts a crimp on the replayabilty.

The worst part about the game, though, is the microtransactions. To be fair, Namco Bandai has designed Slipstream so that players can beat the entire game without spending a single cent more than the initial download price, which is uncommon in racing apps. It just becomes a bit of a chore after only a few races, since the game encourages players to spend money to unlock more cars, more parts, more tracks, or consumables like nitro boosts to help win races. And there is, of course, a two-currency system that locks several of the better cars behind the “premium” (harder to acquire) option. I appreciate the fact that the microtransactions aren’t necessary, but Slipstream sure does try to make it tempting.

Ridge Racer Slipstream is probably one of the better racing apps out there, but that’s not necessarily saying much. The actual act of racing is fun, and the control options are a nice touch—almost everyone should find one they’re comfortable with. The game also pays homage to previous Ridge Racers by maintaining the series’ look and feel. But, like so many other mobile racers, microtransactions can muddle the fun. And with so few car, track, and mode options, it’s easy to tire of the experience quickly. If you’re just looking for something to kill a few minutes a day and don’t mind the grind, though, Ridge Racer Slipstream is a decent value for its purchase price.

Developer: Namco Bandai • Publisher: Namco Bandai • ESRB: N/A • Release Date: 12.19.13
7.0
This app stays true to Ridge Racer’s arcade roots, but the lack of content coupled with the grind of unlocking everything—which is only conveniently alleviated by microtransacations—is a major speed bump in this otherwise smooth ride.
The Good Multiple control schemes appeal to wide range of players.
The Bad Grinding through races to avoid microtransactions. No versus modes.
The Ugly Definitely not race queen Reiko Nagase. Nice seeing you again foxy lady.
Ridge Racer Slipstream is available on iOS and coming later to Android devices. Primary version reviewed was for iOS devices (iPad 2).
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Major League Baseball announces first new R.B.I. Baseball game in 20 years

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R.B.I. Baseball 14, the first new R.B.I. Baseball game in 20 years, is coming to current- and next-gen consoles as well as mobile devices this spring, MLB announced yesterday.

Last seen on the NES two decades ago, R.B.I. Baseball was the first baseball franchise to actually obtain the MLB license and have actual player names appear in the game.

R.B.I. Baseball 14 will fall under MLB’s Advanced Media branch, best known for providing the web streaming services many baseball fans rely on. Last week, WWE announced a partnership with MLB Advanced Media to help launch the recently revealed WWE Network.

This news follows 2K Games’ announcement last week that they were done making MLB games, leaving many wondering what would happen to the state of baseball videogames, since only Sony’s MLB: The Show series remained. With R.B.I., those who chose something other than a Sony console can still get their baseball fix.

Still, many questions remain surrounding R.B.I. Baseball 14. Will it be an arcade-style baseball game or a simulation experience? What modes will it provide? How long has MLB been working on the game? How much will it cost? Is MLB working with any other, more experienced game studios?

I guess we’ll find out soon enough when R.B.I. Baseball 14 hits home consoles and mobile devices sometime in spring 2014.

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EGM Review: Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior

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Who says Chivalry is dead?

Sometimes, when you’re having a rough day, you don’t want a deep, emotional experience from your videogames. You don’t want character development or shades of gray in the storytelling. Heck, sometimes you don’t want storytelling at all. All you want—all you need—is to run someone through with a broadsword. And Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior may be just the raw experience to satisfy that need.

This expansion pack marries Chivalry: Medieval Warfare’s gameplay with six classes (Knight, Ninja, Viking, Samurai, Spartan, and Pirate) based off Spike’s historical “What If?” TV show, allowing players to strike each other down and make a direct case for their warrior being the deadliest. In an extra nod to the show, Deadliest Warrior also keeps statistics on each class, both on individual player and worldwide scales.

Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior includes one-on-one duels and a capture-the-flag-type mode where players simply have to keep killing the flag carrier. This expansion also offers massive 64-player deathmatch and team deathmatch; to help keep the carnage fresh, the game includes multi-team modes that allow up to six groups (limited to 10 players each) of mixed characters, or matches where each squad represents one of the game’s classes.

Like most online multiplayer–only experiences, Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior becomes more fun and rewarding the more time you put into it. From a technical standpoint, the game isn’t mind-blowing. It has its fare share of clipping and lag issues depending on the server, and the arenas look a bit bland with many barren, wide-open areas and some muddy textures. But there’s no denying how much enjoyment you can have from dismembering opponents with well-timed slashes or impaling them on your spear.

The controls are also a bit difficult to get used to, since you’ll have a lot more to do than you may be accustomed to with a mouse and keyboard. You can swing your weapon different ways by pressing different buttons, giving each character multiple attacks per killing tool. A tutorial mode helps you adjust to all these extra attacks, and it’s pretty damn boring, but you’ll be happy you took the time to commit them all to memory when surrounded by Spartan shields or Samurai bowmen (in the heat of battle, you’ll need to remember how to block and not swing your sword in an uppercut motion).

Once you leave the tutorial and get a few matches under your belt, you’ll really start to see that most of the focus—and rightly so—falls squarely on the combat. Each class has multiple loadouts with different weapons that make sense to their character, and they’ve all been featured on the Deadliest Warrior TV show. For example, Pirates have cutlasses and flintlock pistols, while Vikings have a variety of dual-wieldable swords or two-handed axes depending on your style of play.

As you level up each class, you see the nuance of each character really start to emerge as more refined weapons become available. The fine-tuned balance of the classes is also a pleasant surprise and becomes more evident after some time. If you know how to use each class properly, playing to their strengths and trying to avoid their weaknesses, you can come out on top in almost any situation.

Because of its armor, a Knight will lay waste to a Ninja who foolishly attempts a full-frontal assault. But if the Ninja takes advantage of its speed and stealth to approach from behind, it can overcome the armor disadvantage. At the same time, the Knight can carry a crossbow to make up for its speed handicap should the full-frontal ninja decide to retreat and recover. Mind you, projectile weapons usually have major drawbacks like reload time, so it’s not wise to rely on them, either.

Beyond all the class-balancing and loadout-building, though, it simply feels great when you parry a slash at just the right time and counter with a move that sends your opponent’s head flying. Then you can taunt them with some hysterically cheesy one-liners worthy of a game made by guys who work for Comedy Central (“I’d cut you in half…but then there’d be two of you!” or my personal favorite, “Yaaaaargh!”). There’s just something visceral about playing a 10-minute match and having bodies strewn throughout the battlefield, every remaining character drenched in their enemies’ blood. And I like it.

The game may lack the objective-based modes featured in Medieval Warfare, but Deadliest Warrior’s six wholly unique classes are something Medieval Warfare can’t claim. There’s also the fact that you have to buy Medieval Warfare if you want Deadliest Warrior, turning a fitting $15 price tag into $40 if you don’t already have Chivalry.

If you do, though, Deadliest Warrior is a fine expansion, and it’s a fun, well-balanced change of pace from the main game. Plus, even two months after launching, the game still has a thriving community; I almost always found myself in a full room while playing over holiday break. If you already got Chivalry: Medieval Warfare and prefer some senseless slaughter over strategic shenanigans, then Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior is definitely worth a look.

Developer: 345 Games • Publisher: Torn Banner Studios • ESRB: N/A • Release Date: 11.14.13
8.0
Plenty of diverse classes and tight combat makes up for a lack of game modes. If you already have Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, Deadliest Warrior is a fun expansion pack that offers a welcome change of pace from the main game if deathmatch-oriented matches are in your wheelhouse.
The Good Variety of classes—and solid balance between them all.
The Bad Lack of game modes compared to Medieval Warfare.
The Ugly Soiling yourself after hearing a chorus of guttural taunts and chants marching your way.
Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior is a PC exclusive. 
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