Tag Archive: video games


EGM Review: Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — Leave a comment
March 2, 2014

A less perplexing puzzler than expected

With its bounty of conundrums complemented well by a cast of charming characters—all wrapped in narratives that have players guessing until the very end—the Professor Layton series has established itself as one of gaming’s premier puzzle franchises. But it seems that even the brainy Layton couldn’t figure out one last riddle: how to end a prequel.

That’s not to say that Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is a bad game. In fact, it still hits many of those aforementioned franchise staples. Azran Legacy features more puzzles than any previous game in the series, and while some definitely require a lower barrier for entry than others, a few challenges will likely have even the most experienced puzzle fiend cashing in hint coins.

The game also offers a bevy of enjoyable minigames that unlock as you progress through the story, including a fashion-themed one wherein you try to put together the best-looking outfits for eight different ladies. I almost felt like Eric (our executive editor), with his love of Style Savvy! I had a lot more fun than I ever would’ve expected playing dress-up. There’s easily more content here than in any previous Layton game, and even if you do the bare minimum, you’re still looking at a solid 15-hour experience.

The cast is also just as lovable as ever. Whether it’s innocent Luke trying his best to impress his mentor or new characters like Aurora, who you’ll meet early on in the adventure, it’ll be hard for gamers of any age not to fall head over heels with the Professor and his crew. A big reason? There’s just as much effort put into the dialogue and rapport between characters as the puzzles themselves.

Azran Legacy falters in two key areas for me, though. The first is a technical issue. I’m among the few who actually likes using the 3D feature on Nintendo’s current handheld. Typically, I use it on just about every 3DS game I play. Using it during Azran Legacy, however, gave me a horrendous headache within five minutes. It might have something to do with the anime-style backgrounds and cutscenes, but I couldn’t find a slider setting or a position for the 3DS itself that didn’t make my head start pounding or cause most of the scenes come across a little fuzzy. Turning off the 3D is a small sacrifice, and an easy solution to a minor problem. Plus, the game still looks great in 2D (and this option nullified the pain!).

But something I couldn’t fix with the flick of a slider was the actual story. The plot of this particular Layton adventure is the weakest in the series. Part of this comes from the fact that it’s a prequel forced to tie up particular storylines in order to maintain the continuity established in The Curious Village. This corner that Level-5 painted themselves into—a pitfall in pretty much all prequels—left the adventure absurdly predictable. Even the first two entries weren’t as unsurprising as this one; there, the writers still had room to maneuver narratively. Here, certain things had to happen, and I knew 20 minutes in how everything would unravel. The twist that usually comes at the end of every Layton game, therefore, was nonexistent here. Sure, the story shoehorns in some soap-opera-quality drama, but it’s so forced and so unnecessary that I could only shake my head in disappointment and power through the last dozen or so puzzles.

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is a valiant effort to show that there’s hope to be had for prequels, but in the end, it succumbs to all the same traps as many franchises before it, leaving it a bit bland and predictable—especially when compared to the rest of the series. This shouldn’t deter Professor Layton fans from the game, though. If you can look past the low points of the story, it’s still an exceptionally well-designed puzzler. If you’re looking for a game to simply promote more critical thinking, Professor Layton still reigns supreme.

Developer: Level-5 • Publisher: Nintendo • ESRB: E10+ – Everyone 10 and up • Release Date: 02.28.14
7.0
With the most puzzles in series history, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy will force players to rack their brains, and the Professor and his crew are as lovable as ever. Unfortunately, the prequel limitations really put a crimp on the overall narrative.
The Good Puzzle-solving is still a lot of fun.
The Bad The story’s even more predictable than expected from this series.
The Ugly Not even Professor Layton can escape underwhelming prequels.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is a Nintendo 3DS exclusive that was reviewed using a retail code from Nintendo.
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Comment

EGM Review: Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — 1 Comment

Sowing the seeds of fun

Whenever someone decides to do a spin-off—whether in movies, TV, or videogames—it’s a huge risk, since it’s rare to end up with a good one, and even rarer for it to actually be successful. So, when PopCap revealed that they had a small band of developers at the studio working on a title called Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, most of us were intrigued, but we worried if this tower-defense franchise could survive the sudden transition into the world of third-person shooters.

Taking elements from both Battlefield and Call of Duty, Garden Warfare mixes in some strategy gameplay and PopCap’s own brand of offbeat humor to create a wholly unique experience that’s wildly fun to play. Eight total classes (four plants, four zombies) playable across seven different modes provided me probably as much, if not more, enjoyment as I get from the shooters this game takes its inspiration from.

The element that grabbed me right from the get-go? Garden Warfare has the most interesting customizable classes I’ve seen in quite some time. Though you only start with four on each side, each class also has six unlockabale options that do more than just provide a new skin. This means there’s over 50 playable characters, each with their own degrees of originality. For example, the Peashooter has a Commando alternative that does less damage per shot but has a higher rate of fire.

Their use on the battlefield isn’t where this uniqueness ends, though, as each gradation is fully customizable. Garden Warfare offers hundreds of different items to unlock to give your plants and zombies their own distinct look and style. Whether it’s sunflowers with top hats, Chompers with zebra stripes, or All-Star Zombies with 3D glasses, there’s no reason everyone’s characters should look the same.

And, thankfully—for once—you don’t have to worry about microtransations when it comes to getting items. Instead, you unlock them via a free, in-game card system. You get cards from packs you buy with silver coins, the traditional Plants vs. Zombies currency. You can earn coins by completing matches and doing well, or you can perform certain challenges in a match (revive three allies, kill two Sunflowers with one shot, and so on). It may be a bit of a grind, but it won’t cost you anything extra on top of the money you’re already paying, a welcome change away from the policy of most EA games.

The combination and balance of characters is also intriguing and requires a lot more to master than you might expect. The Zombie Scientist is both the healer and shotgunner class for the zombies, while the Cactus is both the sniper and the explosives expert for the plants. Having a balanced team when you go into battle is critical and requires pinpoint communication between everyone on your team, especially in more tactics-driven modes like Gardens & Gravestones (think Capture the Point). A nice touch is being able to change classes mid-battle, in case strategies need to change on the fly.

Not everything about Garden Warfare is sunshine and rainbows, however. Even though the game has the lowered price tag of $40 ($30 on Xbox 360) to make up for the absence of any single-player, I still found it lacking the content you’d expect from a multiplayer-exclusive experience at launch. While the game lists seven modes, there’s really only Garden Warfare’s take on three: Team Deathmatch, Capture the Point, and Horde Mode.

Team Deathmatch serves as the basis for three modes by itself with Team Vanquish (straight-up Team Deathmatch), Classic Team Vanquish (any customization features are wiped away), and Welcome Mat (beginner’s mode). Capture the Point is seen in Gardens & Gravestones, which also has a Classic variant. In Gardens & Gravestones, the zombies must try to capture six to seven different points in succession. If the plants stop the zombies just once, the match ends. Finally, there’s Garden Ops—which, obviously, is Call of Duty’s Spec Ops, which originally was their take on Horde Mode. This is the only mode to feature a local and online option (exclusive to the Xbox One version) and sees up to four players taking on the role of plants and facing off against 10 waves of increasingly difficult zombies.

Besides the lack of modes, the game also has a paltry list of maps to fight on. Some modes only have one map, while others have a maximum of five (some of these being day/night variants of a map), and although it’s great to see them all done in the same bright and cheery art style of the main series, it gets repetitive when you’re cycling through the same areas again and again. At the very least, though, the maps fit the modes. Team Vanquish only supports smaller maps to up the encounter rates, while Gardens & Gravestones has large, expanded maps to allow for more strategic maneuvering when looking to capture points.

Now, don’t get me wrong—even though there’s not really a lot here, the game is still tremendously fun, especially when you’ve got a full room playing 12-on-12. The gameplay’s fast and frantic, and each mode brings nuance to the tried-and-true formulas. Garden Ops allows you to grow friendly plants that were all featured in Plants vs. Zombies 2 to provide extra defenses, while Gardens & Gravestones actually makes you feel like you’re accomplishing something when you capture different areas and push the front lines forward. I just wish there were more modes to try, and while content packs are coming down the line, I can’t judge what doesn’t yet exist.

Even though there’s a bit of a bare-bones quality, content-wise, to Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, it’s definitely one of the good spin-offs. No matter what genre they tackle, the developers at PopCap really care about this franchise, and they clearly put forth a great effort. From the deep class system to the solid controls to the tiny details like zombie-movie references in the graffiti scattered around the levels (my personal favorite was “You’ve got red on you” from Shaun of the Dead), there sure is a lot here to love.

Developer: PopCap Games • Publisher: EA • ESRB: E10+ – Everyone 10 and up • Release Date: 02.25.14
8.0

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a polished, tremendously fun time even without all the options or content of its multiplayer contemporaries.
The Good A surprising amount of depth and customization in the character classes.
The Bad A lack of maps and modes at launch.
The Ugly Here’s hoping the port-a-potty with a zombie inside was clean before the Chomper swallowed it whole.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, and is coming to PC at a later date. Primary version reviewed was an Xbox One retail copy provided by EA.
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

EGM Review: Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — 1 Comment

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. .
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Ray Carsillo Hosting Reel

Filed under: Video — Leave a comment
February 1, 2014

Los Angeles based Ray Carsillo is your go-to-guy when it comes to sports, games, comics, and more. From local red carpets to gaming conventions in Germany, Ray has traveled the world to give you his unique perspective. Having worked formerly for ESPN and ABC, Ray is currently the Reviews Editor for Electronic Gaming Monthly and Walmart Game Center.

For bookings, contact me at raycarsillo@gmail.com
http://www.raycarsillo.com
http://www.twitter.com/raycarsillo
http://www.facebook.com/raycarsillo

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

EGM Review: Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — Leave a comment
January 25, 2014

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).
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comment

EGM Game Over Podcast 061: The “T” in Baseball Stands for Mr. T

Filed under: Audio, EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly) — Leave a comment
January 18, 2014

EGM Game Over Podcast 061: The “T” in Baseball Stands for Mr. T

The EGM crew brings you the Game Over Podcast, our end-of-the-week conversation where we discuss some of the biggest recent events in gaming.

[Hosts] Andrew Fitch, Ray Carsillo, Josh Harmon, Chris Holzworth, and Eric L. Patterson
[Date] January 17th, 2014

[The Conversation] We talk about Shuhei Yoshida smacking our hands for wanting to turn off the light on the DualShock 4, some ex-EGM folks starting a Kickstarter, the difficulty of marketing Titanfall, RBI Baseball stepping up to the plate once again, Nintendo’s fiscal year estimates just SLIGHTLY missing their mark, your letters, and much more on our second-longest show ever!

Want to send feedback to the show? Drop us a line via email (letters@egmnow.net) or on Twitter (@EGMNOW), and check out the Game Over Podcast’s Facebook page.

[Subscribe via iTunes] http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/egm-radio/id538629924
[Subscribe via Feedburner] http://feeds.feedburner.com/EGMRadio
[Connect on Facebook] https://www.facebook.com/groups/egmgop

Tags: , , , , , ,
Comment

EGM Review: Ridge Racer Slipstream

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — Leave a comment
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).
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Major League Baseball announces first new R.B.I. Baseball game in 20 years

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — Leave a comment

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.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comment

EGM Review: Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Freedom Cry

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — Leave a comment

Let freedom ring

Editor’s Note: Due to Freedom Cry taking place after the events of the main game, this review contains spoilers for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Consider yourself warned.

It’s unusual for Assassin’s Creed story DLC to feature someone who wasn’t the lead character of the main game. Since Assassin’s Creed IV’s story led Edward back to England, though, in order to maintain the Caribbean setting (and not drive the developers mad in trying to create entirely new assets), Freedom Cry tells a tale of Edward’s charismatic quartermaster, Adéwalé, instead.

It’s been over a decade since Edward, Adéwalé, and the rest of the Caribbean Order of Assassins sealed up the Observatory. Adéwalé is captain of his own ship now, and he’s a high-ranking member of the Brotherhood as he continues to fight the war against the Templars. Freedom Cry begins with Adéwalé out sailing with his crew, tasked with the relatively simple mission of stealing some Templar documents before they reach Port-au-Prince in Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti). Things quickly go awry when Adéwalé’s ship is ambushed, and the only way for him to escape is to head straight into the heart of a storm. Although our hero escapes the enemy ships, the storm destroys his vessel, sending him overboard and into the angry sea below.

When he comes to, Adéwalé finds himself washed up on Port-au-Prince’s shores. He’s now stranded and must find a way to make some allies and procure a new ship. Easier said than done, though, for a black man now wandering in the Caribbean’s largest slave colony.

Freedom Cry is, quite honestly, the most powerful tale the franchise has told. The Assassin-Templar war is nothing but set dressing that’s promptly shoved into the background to make way for a story about human perseverance, all while cleverly tying the Assassin’s Creed universe into the start of a movement that led to the largest slave revolt in history.

The evils of racism and slavery are prevalent throughout and handled far better here than they were in Liberation or their all-too-brief mention in Assassin’s Creed III (mind you, that’s not what that game was about, but it was still a bit shocking that the subject was limited to just a couple of lines of dialogue between Achilles and Connor). Nearly everyone who isn’t a slave sees Adéwalé as an enemy, making even a casual walk through Port-au-Prince a nightmare—and quickly forcing him into combat should he attempt anything suspicious.

This makes Freedom Cry surprisingly difficult at times, since almost the entire city is against you. It makes sense, however, because while Adéwalé has all the training he should ever need from the Assassins, he’s constantly at a disadvantage. This is what would really happen if a black man of Adéwalé’s size and stature were to walk around that breeding ground of suffering. The game subtly makes you aware that you’re having a harder time of things simply because of the color of your skin, and it feels wrong on so many levels. It’s a risky venture for the developers, but I think the message is clear without being ham-handed—and, for that, Freedom Cry should be commended.

Besides the stellar storytelling, the game features the same great action for which the series is known, as well as twists on some Black Flag side missions that now revolve around the slavery theme. Instead of recruiting pirates for your crew, you free runaways, liberate slaves from the auction block, or break others out of prison cages. And instead of pillaging warehouses or capturing other ships at sea, you now unshackle slaves from plantations and board slave ships in the hopes of saving your brothers before they even have to suffer a single lash on Port-au-Prince’s shores.

Freedom Cry does have some limitations that put a crimp on its value, though. The exploration and sheer scope of the world seen in the main game are completely gone, leaving you to race through the nine story missions with little incentive to wander from the predetermined path. Because of this, the DLC is also very short. It would surprise me if this took anyone more than five hours to complete.

And, sure, you can still go out to sea, but there’s really no point beyond a couple of mission parameters, since 90 percent of the action takes place within Port-au-Prince. While this is a location completely unique from any of the other islands you saw in Black Flag, it’s also small and repetitive, lacking the intricacy of Havana, Kingston, or Nassau. Plus, with many of Adéwalé’s upgrades being tied to how many slaves he frees and not other resources, there’s no reason to take part in any of the side activities like hunting or wreck diving should you decide to sail out of Port-au-Prince’s harbor.

Freedom Cry clearly takes a technical step backward from the accomplishment that was the world of Black Flag. Adéwalé steps brilliantly into the lead role, though. His story, short as it is, helps make up for the smaller world, and it’s enough for Assassin’s Creed fans to check out Freedom Cry if they’re even remotely interested.

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal • Publisher: Ubisoft • ESRB: M – Mature • Release Date: 12.17.2013
8.0

In terms of size and scope, Freedom Cry is paltry compared to the main adventure of Black Flag. But its story is easily the most powerful, poignant tale we’ve seen from the Assassin’s Creed universe, and that alone makes this story DLC worth checking out.
The Good Adéwalé steps into the lead-character role well while the great Assassin’s Creed gameplay remains intact.
The Bad The scale of this adventure is far smaller than the main game.
The Ugly The uneasiness that comes with feeling constantly persecuted.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Freedom Cry is available for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Primary version reviewed was for Xbox 360.
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

3DS game sales up 45 percent in 2013

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — Leave a comment

More than 16 million Nintendo 3DS games were sold in 2013, marking a 45-percent increase in sales over 2012, Nintendo announced today.

Nintendo also revealed that the 3DS, 3DS XL, and 2DS had a combined 11.5 million unit sales in the United States alone.

“Nintendo 3DS is a powerhouse with games and experiences that appeal to all kinds of players,” Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America executive vice president of sales and marketing, said in the press release. “We’re not slowing down in 2014. With more games featuring fan-favorite franchises on the way, the best days of Nintendo 3DS are still to come.”

Earlier today, Nintendo announced that Yoshi’s New Island—the sixth installment in the Yoshi‘s platformer series—will arrive at retailers and the 3DS eShop on March 14. Bravely Default, the first 3DS release for 2014, launches February 7. A free demo is currently available for download on the 3DS eShop.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Comment