The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset Isle Review

[Updated with Summerset Isle Review - 03/08/18]

I have played the Elder Scrolls Online quite extensively since its launch, not so much recently but when Summerset Isle was announced, it peaked my interest a little bit. From what we were shown the upcoming addition looked absolutely stunning and I knew that it would be something to get my teeth into.

Having played through the quests, after having to get reacquainted with my character, I felt that the Summerset Isle story was good, it kind of reminded me of Queen Ayren’s storyline a bit, it had that similar type of quest to it.



One thing that did annoy me was the too-ing and fro-ing with the quests. You were constantly having to head back to Artaeum to get the next quest, which if I’m honest became a bit annoying. There didn’t seem to be any flow to the story and it felt a little stop start for me, I understand that the story allows you to travel and get to see more of the new island to unlock new areas and way shrines etc, but when it’s going to one place, and back, to another place and back, it gets a little annoying. I had hoped that the story would have been freer flowing and allowed me to go to other locations more fluidly than having to return to Artaeum after every quest.

Another thing that slightly bothered me was that when I entered one of the cities (I can't remember it's name) the graphics for the buildings and other items wouldn't pop in. Some of the design wouldn't show properly (as seen in the below screenshot) and it left what would have been a beautiful location looking washed out. This also hindered us in one of the quests where you have to find Raz um Dar by the etchings on the wall, well, because the layers hadn't popped in, the graphic for the etchings didn't so we couldn't tell where we were going. After much looking, we did manage to find him. Hopefully this was just a server issue as I haven't been back to the location since it happened.



Summerset isle is an absolutely gorgeous place, its style reminded me of Auridon with all the greenery and trees, and it kind of had a similar sort of landscape. I found that I was taking quite a few screenshots of some wonderful views while I was playing. Sometimes stopping in my tracks while heading to a quest just so I can get the perfect shot.

There is loads for you to do in Summerset Isle, along with the main quest line which took me around 8-10 hours to complete there are plenty of side quests available for you to find within the area. I haven’t managed to do many of them, but there are enough there to keep you busy. Also, if you’re willing to test yourself out, there are delves and groups dungeons available for you to attempt, and I have to admit that I haven’t attempted the group dungeon yet, mainly because there is only me and my wife playing together and it is definitely something that you’re going to need a full 4 people for.



We’ve completed the delves within the world, a lot of the time doing them in passing while on the way to a quest. This is kind of a theme of things with this game, there seems to be a lot of things that you sort of get side tracked by, or go after while on the way to the quest… Well me and my wife did anyway as we had the idea of ‘Well, were here now, we might as well go for it.’
Summerset Isle is a perfect addition to the game, the new area is massive in size and a lot bigger than the Morrowind update that we received last year. There is plenty for you to do and see in what is an absolutely gorgeous world. I can’t wait to see what Bethesda has in store next for Elder Scrolls online and whether any other new areas will be coming to the game.

If you’re a fan of Elder Scrolls Online then I can’t recommend this highly enough to enhance your ESO experience.

The Elder Scrolls Online has recently become available on Xbox Games Pass, so if you haven't played the game before, now is a good time to check it out if you have a subscription.

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This is a game that has been on my radar since it was released, however when it was announced I had no intention of buying it due to the subscription that was required. Don't get me wrong it wasn't because of the subscription, but mainly because I couldn't afford to pay that amount of money out each month, and I don't think that I was the only one. However, I was drawn back to the game when they announced that they were no longer going to be doing the subscriptions and it would be a simple 'Buy the Disk and play the game' model... With your standard Micro transactions. Again, I don't think I was the only one who changed their mind when this was announced.

One of the many things I love about this game, is after doing the initial prologue etc you are free to go where ever you want, you can roam the lands to your hearts content, although if you're just starting out I suggest doing missions and levelling your character up, stick to a region and do the missions there first before venturing to other areas. Because there is a very good chance you will cross the border into another area and find yourself as a level 10-15 facing a horde of level 35-40 monsters... As Joon did... Didn't end too well... Brave Sir Robin moment was needed.... Saying that though, if you are in a Guild with Friends, and you're all out adventuring together, there can be safety in numbers against certain higher level beasts... However, some higher level beasts will destroy you all....



This games open world is vast... and I mean HUGE! I have only tickled the surface of the world in Auridon and Grahtwood and a little bit in Cyrodill for the PvP... Which i'll get onto a bit later in the review.

I think I must have played this game for at least 30+ hours and have only just done most of Auridon (the stuff that's showing on the map anyway) so the content and missions are there to play, and another thing I love about this game is that everything can be done with your Friends. Each of the missions (other than the solo quests) in the game are playable with Friends or anyone else for that matter who is at the same stage, or at least mission as you. You can see other players in the world which gives the settings a nice sense of atmosphere. The towns are beautifully designed and the houses/buildings have that wonderful medieval feel to them. They kind of remind me of the houses from Bowerstone in Fable 2.

There is good variety when it comes to missions within the game, some are short and easy and it's just speaking to people, others can be more demanding with clearing out caves/mines, so there is a good variety within the game meaning that there is always going to be something different to do... Unless you speak to 2 people who have the same type of mission one after another :P

The dark anchors within the game are a very good way to get some good new gear for your character as well as some XP along the way. Each anchor within the game is a different level and will give you items for that level. However, I will advise to never try and take on an anchor around or above your level when there is only 2 or 3 of you. Evils come thick and fast and you will quickly find yourself over ran. The basic idea behind the Anchors are that you take on wave after wave of bad guys and earn some good stuff, normally when these start if you are in a surrounding vicinity you will hear the sounds of the horns going off and you will see the main frame of the anchor in the sky so they are not hard to miss.



Along with Anchors there are Group Dungeons and Group Bosses for you and your Guild to take part in. Dungeons usually contain 3 stages each of which has a boss at the end which does require teamwork and coordination as these bosses are hard... When you complete them though it is very satisfying and there is a sense of achievement.

Another thing I like with this game although it can be annoying is that when you have a marker set and its showing in your compass, 9 times out of 10 an as the bird flies route wont suffice... mainly because you will have a big mountain in front of you which you can't climb and have to walk around. So you have to plan your journeys to make sure you know where you're going and how to get to the marker. Or if you are like me, just wing it and see if you can get there on blind luck... Might take you a lot longer, but who cares? Just enjoy the scenery... Also, I would highly recommend getting a horse... If you haven't unlocked Wayshrines in different areas it can make for a very long journey and horses can help with this!

I have found the PvP in the game to be quite annoying. This is an element that I want to enjoy and play regularly but I have come across problems with it that I find when getting into combat make it unplayable and quickly find myself going back to do missions in another area. What I have found when getting into combat is that people have been able to hit me from a distance they shouldn't be. I will be several metres away from an opponent and they have been able to swing their sword and hit me even though they are no way near me and it gets frustrating. I think I'm going to have to level up a bit more and get some better armour and I'll review the PvP side of things properly.



There have been other issues that I have come across with the game as well, such as he constant message of 'This maybe an unusually long load time' and being booted from the servers, this I'm hoping will get better as things stabilise with the servers, but it is kind of annoying, especially when you're trying to respawn and you're sat there for up to 5 minutes waiting to load back in... (Yup, I have waited 5 minutes before... Maybe even longer at times...)

There have been people who I have seen compare this game to Destiny, and I think that there have been some comments that have been quite right, and I feel that there are elements of the game which you can compare. Such as the Anchors being similar to the public events....The one thing I will say in regards to this game to Destiny, is this is far better planned out. Specially when it comes to the Anchors, each time an anchor starts off it will have different enemies spawning so it makes it different each time.

I have found that the looting system within the game is brilliant as well and not like the aforementioned game above. Everything is always different when it comes to the weapons and is useful. There is always things that are the same such as health, magicka and stamina, however these are useful and I find there isn't much of this type of item that I am destroying or selling.



The emotes in the game are absolutely fantastic. There is such variety with the different things that you can do, from the different dances from the races, to doing push ups and playing the lute... Makes for such enjoyment in an already enjoyable game.

In conclusion I find this to be a brilliant game, however there are some glaring issues within the game from NPCs not showing and you being unable to speak to them or they start attacking you and you fight back. There are also problems as stated above with being hit when you shouldnt, but other than that the game is brilliant and there is plenty for you to do in such a vast open world.

Joon is going to give Elder Scrolls Online an 8.5. Brilliant game, but there are some issues.

[yasr_overall_rating]

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom - Review

Every once in a while there is a game that comes along that you start, get dragged into and then can’t stop thinking about or playing it.

This is what has happened with Ni No Kuni 2 for me. Ever since starting the game up and doing that first part in Ding Dong Dell with Evan and Roland, the game has gripped me and kept me going.



The story starts with a coup of young King Evan... Well, I don't think he was King just yet, it was going to be his coronation when things went pear-shaped. Roland, who comes out of nowhere and quickly becomes a strong ally to Evan.

Evan now without a kingdom goes out into the world and creates a new kingdom, and as part of the game you have to build a kingdom, recruit people for the different areas and build it up to be the best it can be.

From the charming art style to the delightful combat system that the game has, Evans story of building a new kingdom for all will have you running around doing quests and intrigued as to what is to come next for the young King.



The first thing that I am going to talk about is the art style of the game. I found the cell shading style that is being used very similar to that of Breath of the Wild, especially in the use of colours. Which isn’t a bad thing, in fact, I love the art style from Breath of the Wild and this only builds on that charm.

As you play through the game and past the first part, you end up in the main world, and the style changes again and becomes a more top-down shot with what I can only describe the characters being designed as Dorbz characters.

I think the change was done like this due to the sheer size of the world and it makes it easier to get around, although I will say getting from the sky pirates base to Goldpaw of the docks in the south does still take a good walk, and there are beasts set all around in which will either attack you or leave you alone, depends on how they feel. I think if they left it as a third person perspective it might have been too overwhelming, but then again, would that have been a bad thing? There could have been plenty to put about in terms of side missions, people to help and recruit for your kingdom etc.

But take nothing away from how it has been accomplished, the world looks stunning and full of life regardless of which view you’re in.

The combat system within the game as well is very different from the first Ni No Kuni game. This time the turn-based element has gone and it’s a more real-time battle system. You’re stuck within a certain area, which if things are getting too hairy and you need to get away for the sake of your sanity you can run to the edge of the area and you can then escape.



I did find with the combat that it is a little two-fold. When you’re up against enemies at your level or lower it can be very easy to get past, and I found it a good way to grind and level up your characters easily. You then have the beasts which are way above your level that you can come across, and these tend to be a bigger fight, more complex and need a better strategy to beat, sometimes though it can be a hard fought battle if you don’t have the right elements and plan for it. Such as going up against a fire element beast, the best course of action would be to counteract with water attacks. However, if you don’t have any water attacks, then it doesn’t matter, you can still take the beast on, but it’s going to be a little harder to fight and take down.

Then we come onto the Skirmishes. These are basically getting your army together and taking on other armies to either get something back for a quest or to show your kingdoms might, which if you’ve been through the story becomes kind of contradictory to what they’re trying to do….

You have different regiments to the command in battle, from archers, ground soldiers, heavy weapon soldiers etc. Each has a weakness and a strength and it’s yours (Evans) job to command and put each regiment against their weakest opponents for a quick battle win. Sometimes though, if you don’t have the right regiments there, it might be all 4 of them could be up against a stronger opponent, which can prove problematic as the stronger opponents may just smash through your armies. Which isn’t a good thing!

I absolutely love the music from this game, it fits so well to each area, my personal favourite being the music from Goldpaw. It's such a delight to listen too and makes the game that all more enjoyable to come back to.



 

One of the most enjoyable elements of the game that I found and touched on above was the creating and looking after your kingdom. The first level of this is quite simple, the shops and everything are quite cheap and can be fully done quite quickly. Then once you have 25 people in your Kingdom and you have the required 5000KG (Kingdom Guilds) you can move onto level 2 which takes a lot more time to effort to get through. There are a lot more spaces now available, and some which have requirements such as having another building or in this case entire area unlocked before you can go ahead.

There is a lot of strategy to this because you have to think of what is important to the town, what do you personally need more of ? This is what is so brilliant about this, everyone is probably going to build their Kingdom up differently, at the end they will all be the same, but the strategy for doing it, what your needs are etc will be different.



The only downside I will put to this game is that it can get bogged down with the different systems it has, the tactic tweaker I have found a little confusing as some enemies can be borderline when it comes to deciding which sections to put it against. However when you get this right and especially when going up against one of the bigger beasts with an aura around them, you can see the difference that the tactic tweaker makes.

I have to admit that this is a game that has taken over my life, I was a bit reserved about it when starting as I hadn’t played the first one (albeit, really wanted too) so was unsure what to expect, but this game does what I love games to do and that is draw you in from the start, make you sit back and take notice and want to keep on going.

9/10

 

Tesla vs Lovecraft - Review

We’re reviewing another game brought to you by 10Tons, and this time it’s Tesla vs Lovecraft.

Tesla vs Lovecraft is a twin-stick shooter which on closer inspection after playing the game for a bit it is just like Crimsonland, you collect weapons and power-ups to defeat hordes of enemies.



The game starts off by introducing you to the story which is Lovecraft not approving on Tesla and the introduction of electricity, saying that Tesla doesn’t know what he’s messing with.

When you start the first levels, the game takes you through the very basics, letting you know which buttons do what basically, and then when new elements get added to the worlds, it will pop up to let you know what these do or how to use them. The tutorial is basic, but it does the job and helps you get to grips with the game and get into the action.



The game has lovely graphics and each area is well designed and thought out, giving you options at every turn, helping you strategise your next moves. The controls of the game feel nice, the movements are smooth and responsive and the game feels brilliant when playing and making your moves.

When playing the game, areas can get overwhelming at times, especially if you’re unable to get to the spawners to destroy them, this is where the strategising comes into play and using one of the features which is teleporting over short distances. However you can only use this a few times, then you have to wait for it to charge back up. There are times when you die within the game and it does start to feel like a very cheap death, and you question how it was possible, however, what I liked about the game was that the deaths weren't frustrating, you can sort of feel a reward for going back and trying again and I know on the times I died, I went back and did it the next go, I was able to change the strategy that I was using and learn from the first attempt.



During each level you will find a lot of useful items being dropped in, different weapons will start to appear and you will shortly learn which is your favourite, from a pistol to automatic rifle and the trusty shotgun. Sometimes it is best to try and mix it up a bit, different enemies are taken down quicker by certain guns, or when it starts to get a bit too much, getting the auto rifle out and mowing down enemy after enemy. Satisfaction.

Another feature which you get after a short while in the game is the mech armor, and I had so much fun playing as the mech. During each round you have to pick up 6 pieces of mech to get the armor, you then activate it and go to town on the horde in front of you. It’s so much fun and I couldn’t wait to get another go, sometimes extending plays in each round just to keep getting the mech.



The modes available within the game are enough to keep you entertained and there is also a co-op mode within the game where you can get up to 3 friends to join you on your quest.

Overall the game is a pleasant little shooter to play, I know there are plenty available on the PS4/Xbox One, but the satisfaction and reward this game gives you is worth a few hours of your time.

8/10

 

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Bridge Constructor Portal - Review

I enjoyed the previous Bridge Constructor games, and this portal version of the game was something different to try with the franchise. I have always liked these type of games for getting the brain going, getting me thinking about what my next step is or how am I going to tackle this next obstacle.

The basic idea for the game is that you have to try and build a sturdy enough structure to allow a forklift over it without it collapsing. There are 60 levels to complete with levels getting progressively harder the further you get into the game with more and more items coming into play as obstacles for you to build over or around.



You will find that when playing this game that there are going to be a lot of failings, and when I say a lot, I mean it. I lost count of how many times I managed to fail levels, but the idea behind it is to make tweaks to your design and try again. If it shall fall once more, back to the drawing board. This was the same on the previous Bridge Constructor and I liked the fact that they’ve stuck with the core gameplay here.

There is a tutorial to the game and this guides you through nicely, teaching you the essentials and getting you ready for what lies ahead. Things aren’t thrown at you quickly, and new introductions are done quite timely in a way to not overwhelm. Which I have to admit was a kind of blessing, especially after mentioning above about the failings you’re going to suffer, the game allows you to get used to things, while still not making it stupidly easy, it keeps you at a level before bumping it up slightly and introducing something new for you to play with.



The latter stages can be tedious and get a bit repetitive. The further you get into the latter stages you will start to find that levels start to take a little bit more time to complete, sometimes taking up to 50 minutes to an hour to complete. This is all down to failings and having to tweak your design to make sure that your forklift can get across.

Button and touch controls are good, they are well thought out and do the job, however the zooming of the camera isn’t the best and you can tell that it would be better suited to using a mouse for it as it does need precision, and there is a lot of clicking what has to be done when it comes to placing the items you want, which isn’t the best for using a controller and again can become tedious.



I found that the use of the Portal license has fallen a bit flat. Jokes don’t really hit the spot and it seems that they’ve decided to thrown this onto it after. Suddenly deciding when the levels are designed that they need to add a little more to it, it doesn’t hurt the game and the game is still fun, it just feels like something is missing and it could have been used a lot better than it has been.

Bridge Constructor Portal is a good game, just like its predecessors it hits the spot in terms of an enjoyable puzzler, it plays well on the Switch both docked and handheld and if you like your puzzlers and haven’t played any of the other games in the series, that won’t matter. This is a good of a starting point as any and if you enjoy this, I would recommend the other games in the series.

7/10

Toki Tori 2+ - Review

Toki Tori 2 was originally released on the Wii U back in 2013 and has followed the latest trend for the Switch which is to port over as many Wii U games as possible, well, you have to be honest, not many people played the games that came out on the Wii U and with the growing boom that the Nintendo Switch is seeing, why not get those games on there and give people a chance to try them, and give the games a second breath of life.

Toki Tori 2 is a 2d side scrolling puzzler where the main aim of the game is to interact with creatures that are on the screen, doing so will allow you to progress and progress until finally, you reach the end of the level and you can move onto the next one. The controls for the game are very simplistic and easy to use, it's a 2 button control with the A button providing a whistle to attract creatures or other things, with the B button doing a stomp kind of movement which can break floors, cause creatures to move away into other positions, helping you get up to higher levels etc.



The game starts off easy enough simply taking you through the levels giving you easy puzzles to solve, but the further you go the harder it gets and soon after playing it isn't long before the game starts to test you, and with a 2 button control I did wonder whether they would keep the pace or just throw you under the bus. The bus came faster than anticipated, which if I'm honest was good, I don't think with games and controls like this there is too much need to be messing around, if you've got the content to challenge regularly then don't hold back, go for it and Two Tribes certainly have gone for the 'balls deep' approach, which I approve of.

So don't let the look of the game lure you into a false sense of security, it may be a cute little chick that's on the screen with other nicely designed and coloured animals, but this game will screw you over faster than a Barcelona train ride. Some puzzles require you to get several creatures into position and make sure that they're where you need them to be when they have to be... Otherwise, it's all going to go south and that was one thing I loved, the timing and concentration needed



One thing that did appeal to me with the game was the beautiful use of colours and how the game was designed, it was bright, lively and felt like a game that (if I had one) I could get my child to play quite happily. The game is sharp looking as well, which I approved of, there was detail there in the level design and coupled with the wonderful use of colours made it a magical masterpiece of colours and entertainment.

The beautiful vistas that you can view throughout the game come in the form of Grasslands, Waterfalls and a Volcano, and they all play at 60fps on Handheld and TV Mode.

One niggling frustration that I had with the game though is that should you get stuck on a puzzle that's it, you're there until you figure it out and I will admit that there were a few occasions I was stuck on puzzles for about 10 minutes trying to figure it out by trial and error before I eventually gave in and looked for help online. God bless the internet.



One brilliant little change that has been introduced to the game since the Wii U version is the ability to call in a checkpoint where ever you wish. I know it can't help you complete the task at hand, but it gives you a very easy way to reset the level should things go a little pear-shaped.

The Switch version of this game is the best version that is going currently, mainly due to the portability aspect of it, and if you're not bothered about the level editor which is available on Steam, I would highly recommend this version for you to play.

8/10

 

Kingdom Come Deliverance - Review

Kingdom Come Deliverance is a game that I have been following since the beginning when its original Kickstarter was announced. I’ve followed the progress of this game and have been looking forward to its release. I have to admit, I couldn’t be more excited, and the whole premise that’s been shown from the game looked brilliant.

Kingdom Come Deliverance is a nice open world medieval game, with its own combat system to bring authenticity to the times. When you first start it up you can see that it's a good looking game, the finer details of the world have been carved out and the years that the game has been in development have been well spent making the world look wonderful. One issue that I did have in terms of how it looked, was how the scenery appears in the distance, they looked a bit like cardboard and washed out. On a beautiful clear day you would have thought that things you could see in the distance would have a little bit of crispness to them, but take nothing away from the game, what you have in front of you is something that has been shown a lot of love.

In the world, there are traders of all varieties from blacksmiths, clothes, grocers etc to call upon your every need. There are taverns that you can frequent, and this brings me to an important part of the game, food. You have to make sure that you’re fully fed and your character isn’t hungry/starving if they are this can have an adverse effect and cause issues when in combat amongst other things. You can make your own food, pick up stuff that’s lying around. Different bits of foods will have differing effects on how much they fill you up. Having just an apple won’t do much for your hunger, so to get well fed you will have to find a nice meal somewhere.



One thing that I like about the game but find it frustrating at the same time, is that your actions affect the game. If you’re constantly seen pickpocketing or starting fights in public then the locals will not take to you very well and have a low opinion, if you’re seen helping people with side quests etc then you will have a better standing in the community. Also, this will help you in terms of speech when it comes to having to persuade people in your favour as your standing will be an important factor. After all, people won’t do just anything for anyone.

I did mention above that I found something frustrating about this and I can hear you now “Jon, what is frustrating about this”… Well, at the start of the game I accidentally pickpocketed the guy you’re meant to buy charcoal from, mainly because I couldn’t get him to sell me any, the option wouldn’t come up, just kept saying “Rob”, so I clicked on the command, took the charcoal, happy days. As I had taken too long with the quest, the beer the old man had asked for was as ‘Warm as piss’ – So he sent me out for another cool one. I went back into town and a guard stopped me, said I had stolen and would have to pay the fine…. Guess what, I had no money and no amount of silver tonguery would get me out of this mess, so I was sent to jail, however being sent to jail at this point in the game leads to you dying…. A cutscene occurs showing your character burning to death in jail while there is some kind of ruckus going on outside (ruckus which you discover the reasoning behind shortly after). So, my issue was, when I spoke to the old man and he sent me back down to get the beer, the game had autosaved… and let the loop continue… Thrown in jail, die. Again, it happens, think of it like a good old game of Call of Duty, Spawn, Die, Spawn, Die.

So my only option at this point was to start the game again and go through what I had just done again and try not to steal anything. I did try and fight my way out of the situation like a true legend, however, it wasn’t meant to be, my arse was royally handed to me and a new game was my only option.



When it comes to NPCs and animations, I’m afraid this has let the game down a lot, most of the character models are reused within the game and different areas. There are a fair few different ones, but there have been numerous times where I have seen the same model being used several times, and those who have read a lot of my reviews, know that this is one of my pet peeves when it comes to games, I hate the same models being used time and time again. I understand that it sometimes has to be done to save time and also save on the budget, but try and make it not so obvious.

The animations with the characters when they’re I've found a little off, body and head movements weren’t what they should have been or were completely random. The movement of the mouths was a little off and sometimes the character would be talking, the body moving but the mouth was still, which I was a little put off by.

I’m going to move onto the Combat now, as this was my biggest let down for the game, I understand and can see what the developers were trying to go for when they did the combat system, that realism of clashing swords and having to use tactics and not just slash, slash, slash at your opponent is a nice idea, but I think in terms of the game it causes it to fall flat on its face in some respect. From fist fights to sword fights I couldn’t grasp the concept of what I was having to do to hit the character opposite me.



The training element at the start was no help, as taking that into a real combat situation it felt completely different. When training, the guy didn’t fight back at you, you had free reign to do whatever you wanted and what he was asking you to do. This becomes a completely different kettle of fish when there’s a guard in front of you with a sword slashing away at you which then only takes 3 hits and you’re dead. (This is based on wearing no armour, this obviously changes slightly with differing armour) Even when trying to block shots, because of stamina, when someone is going full on at you, that depletes and you’re unable to block which means you’re pretty much dead.

I did enjoy the Bow and Arrow more than the sword, getting that perfect shot in the eye was rather satisfactory and did become my weapon of choice, mainly because as mentioned above, the hand to hand combat does let this game down.

The game overall is a very good one and I have to admit that I was right to be excited about it, the worlds are brilliant and reflect the times well as well as being beautifully designed. The story is told magnificently and I always love it when it the story keeps you coming back for more.

The only downside for me is the animations within the game and the combat system, the latter of which may be enough to put people off the game. I really hope it doesn’t, and if you’re getting frustrated with it, power through, it’s worth it, plus when you get the bow and arrow, that makes things even better.

Aperion Cyberstorm - Review

Aperion Cyberstorm is a twin-stick space-based shooter which has 3 available modes for it. Campaign, which is basically as it says on the tin, it's the story mode for the game, there is a versus mode which is a game mode for you play against your friends or against AI opponents and includes 8 different game modes within it, and finally there is an onslaught mode where you have to survive as long as you can.

The campaign mode for me was the bulk of expedition for this game, and within this mode, it is your task to try and find members of your team who disappeared 2 years earlier. Lovely. There are 6... count them, 6 difficulty settings for this game, 3 of which are unlockable. What kind of got me about this was, do you need 6 difficulty settings? Surely with 6, there isn't going to be much difference between them? I have to say though, saying that I can see the good and the bad with it. The good being that if you wanted to tickle your way up the difficulty settings it is a good way to do so instead of going from 0-60 in the click of your fingers. The bad being, could you really play this game 6 times over just for slight boosts to the difficulty? After playing it, I would have to say no, for me, the campaign was only there to be played once. I'll explain why further in the review.



Throughout the campaign, you can collect different abilities and ships, each of which will give new or enhanced perks to take through each level. I did have some issues with the game, particularly the campaign and this was down to the atmosphere that was created with the story. There wasn't any, it was lacklustre at best, I'm meant to be getting pounded left, right and centre by enemies and the music is as calm as anything, nothing to heighten the tension and what was going on, big enemies would appear and you would think that something was about to kick off, but nope, nothing untoward here, just going about my day as normal killing things.... The game needs that tension for space battle, it's meant to be a rescue mission, not a toddlers lullaby.

Speaking of enemies, nothing really posed a challenge to me, I had it on the middle setting, which I think is the average difficulty, but I didn't really have any issues, enemies didn't really cause a problem as long as I was moving about while shooting, they seemed to die quite easily. Which was nice.

The overall story I found quite dull, it was meant to be this epic rescue mission which I think because of the lacklustre atmosphere created meant I didn't really care whether I saved the members of the team or not. Which if I'm honest shouldn't be the case, it should be there to grab you, drag you in and want to make you find the team, but as the game didn't really give any self-importance to the mission, I didn't care about what I was doing, just flying around these levels shooting stuff up. Which in the grand scheme of things, got a little boring.



Level designs and the lighting used is an interesting one, there is only a certain amount of area around the ship that is shown the rest of it is dark, so sometimes you can't see whats about to come up around the next corner, which did make things interesting as sometimes you might have to make quick manoeuvres to get out of enemies way.

Onslaught was a mode that I enjoyed, just playing against wave after wave of enemies and trying to get as high as I can each time. You can earn stars with the mode and this helps to unlock more maps for you to play in, the longer that you stay alive the more stars you will get! It's a simple mode, but for me with the type of game this is, it works quite well.



Overall, within the campaign there is a lot of room for improvement, the tension and atmosphere created for the story just aren't there and a shaking screen to represent an explosion just isn't going to cut it. The game does have a saving grace within its Onslaught mode, which is entertaining and a time guzzler.

Middle Earth: Shadow of War - Review

Ever since I played Shadow of Mordor, I’ve always wanted another game in the series, I love the middle earth lore and setting, I think of it as one of those games that I can sit and play for hours and it can take me away, I’m not in our world anymore with all my troubles of work and life, I’m slaying orcs and Uruks with my Wraith sidekick.

That’s something that I don’t see from my office window, it’s something that I can’t relate too in real life…. ‘Oooh, bobs annoyed the Uruks across the street again, the caragors on the loose’… It doesn’t happen, that’s why I love these type of games. Don’t get me wrong, something like GTA, Watchdogs etc that I have the potential to see from my office window, are excellent, no denying it, but drifting to a fantasy world and forgetting all those problems is just bliss.

Shadow of War continues where Mordor finished off, Talion and Celebrimbor are creating a new ring to help them take on Sauron, however, Shelob comes in at the start and takes the Wraith hostage… She wants the ring, Talion agrees to give it to her for Celebrimbors release. Which all goes well here, Celebrimbor is released but not happy that the ring they just created has now been given away.



This is where the game starts. As with the first game you have to take on Uruk captains dotted throughout the world to try and bring down Sauron’s Army. From the start when you get into the world you can see how impressive this game is, the setting, the area, the detail that has gone into it is simply stunning. Especially the lighting when you’re in Minis Ithil, that skyline is jaw-droppingly beautiful and the detail that have gone into the entire area, from the mountainous backdrop to the town itself is brilliant and the world is alive and well with plenty to do. What makes this better is that using photo mode you can capture all these beautiful backdrops and use them for your background on Xbox or Playstation.

There are lots of Uruks/Orcs that populate the world and when you fall into a stronghold you can find yourself in a spot of bother, as they just keep spawning and piling out of nowhere. I’ve found myself numerous times being surrounded by 100’s or Orcs/Uruks, and when you think you’re making a dent in the numbers, more will pour out, does seem like a losing battle at times, so I usually find myself running away and waiting for it all to die down (with a pint at the Winchester – Shawn of the Dead reference for those who didn’t know ;)). I will usually go back there after a while, especially if I had been looking for something such as an Ithildin Door or Shelob memory.



These are part of what you can collect within the world. Ithildin doors are located in the barrows and are sealed by a poem. You have to collect the missing words from around the world and then put the words in the correct order to the poem. The door will then open to give you a legendary piece of armour.

Shelob’s memories are as they say on the tin, once put back together they show you an image of…. Shelob's memories… I don’t really know how else to say that….

There are also little quests within the worlds that you can complete once you have opened up certain skills. These are more of a trainer for when you unlock the skill through a skill point and need to learn how to use it effectively. I will say my life in the game completely changed when I unlocked Elven Rage…. I love it when it’s fully charged and I can go full on at enemies, although I save this more for captains etc as they are harder to beat, so it makes it a little easier to get through them.

Skill points can be earned when doing quests or when Talion levels up. You can use these on whatever skills you have unlocked, and some of these skills will be unlocked automatically by completing story missions, others by ranking up Talion by doing in world missions/quests.



One thing I liked about this game is that it didn’t throw everything at you within the first world. It allowed you to go at your own pace and learn the game in your way, then when you moved on to other locations more was to be thrown at you, which again was the same, it allowed you to learn and master this section before adding more when moving on.

Mechanically, the game plays very well, fighting waves and waves of Orcs/Uruks can be immensely satisfying, especially when you get a string of hits and blocks together, it just feels and flows so smoothly, a trait that I loved about the first game as well. It does have its moments where I’m trying to run away and want to jump up onto a building and Talion decides he’s going to roll instead, but other than that, it’s an irritant that I can live with.

I love being able to get new weapons and armour, upgrade the ones I have if I get a legendary and want to keep hold of it. It adds a bit more depth to the game, giving weapons and armour a purpose, knowing that the further I get into the game that I’m going to have to get higher ranked weapons if I want to compete effectively. Also, being able to add gems and forge them into the weapons and get extra benefits such as 15% better damage or loot is a good little addition.

Just like the first one though, the game can get a bit repetitive especially after doing the main missions within an area, you're left on clean up missions of memories and ithildin door words. Like I said earlier, new things are added which kind of helps, but they do also just add to the grind, which can put people off from fully exploring a world and just doing the main missions.

Shadow of War is a very good game and is a step up from Shadow of Mordor, it’s beautiful and plays very well. There are repetitious elements to the game, but I think a lot of open world games like this have that element to them. If you’re into your Middle Earth and loved Shadow of Mordor, I would highly recommend this. Even if you weren’t and wanted to try something different, give this game a go.

9/10

Forza 7 - Review

One exclusive we can seem to rely on for Xbox One is the Forza series, now swapping each year with a different iteration from the track based to the Horizon open world game. As I have stated previously I do enjoy racing games a lot, they are a go-between for me when I want to get away from other games and play something different and have a race around tracks, or in Horizon’s case the world it’s set in.

This year we were brought the track based Forza 7, which if I am honest, I do prefer the track based style, rather than the open world. Take nothing from the Horizon series, they add some depth and bring something different to the table, it’s just the ruggedness of the tracks suits me better.

Now, where to start with Forza 7? I'm playing this on my Xbox One S with 4K upscaling and I can't fault how it looks. The lighting that has been used on the tracks with the sunlight poking through the clouds and the sunbeams hitting the tarmac is amazing. I’m actually flabbergasted how I managed to drive and pay attention to the world, but there is something about it that will draw your eye line away from driving, you just can’t help it. The tracks have been superbly done and look amazing.

Add into the above the dynamic weather feature that is present in the game and again, the experience goes to a whole new level. Racing on Brands Hatch on a cloudy day and then 2 laps into a 5 lap race it suddenly starts to pour down, the wipers are going mental to keep the windscreen clear,
puddles are now appearing on the floor and this can cause aquaplaning which will cause the grip on the car to sometimes go when flying along at high speeds and cause the car to spin out, which can as you can imagine, ruin your race.

This is one reason why I love the Forza franchise, the detail that goes into the game is done with a fine tooth comb, right down to the little details of the puddles and the effects that they have on the races. The addition of the dynamic weather is fantastic and it is one thing that I wished GT Sport on PS4 had shipped with.



How does the game play? Very well, I love how smooth it plays, which I have to admit is a set thing with Forza games, I have never had an issue with any Forza game in terms of how it has played. Which to me again shows how well polished the game can be. As we see with patches, there are
tweaks that need to be done with certain aspects such as Drivatars, but overall, the build and release quality is spot on.

Speaking of Drivatars, I love the system and what it does for the game, and I can’t really have any gripe over them in terms of how they drive as this is based on how people drive in their own game, so that is down to them. But I have noticed a lot of time when people have been included in my races, that it’s people who haven’t played the game. Not sure if this was just me or others, but I found at times that people who had been included in races and not played the game, or had one race on their friends copy to try the game are a quite erratic in terms of driving, which can be a bit
offputting, especially when I’m in the middle of the pack and I’m wanting to try and push my way forward, I just never know how they are going to react, as one false move and I could be off the track or spinning out, and there is nothing worse when going past someone and they just follow along the line, clip your back end and you’re gone, out of the race. Frustrating.

There is plenty to do within the game as well, you have your normal free play mode, where you can set up a race to your own needs, the tracks, weather, laps, and type of cars to be driven etc. There is a Forza cup mode, which is basically playing through different cups. You earn points with each race you play and once you have enough points you can move to the next cup. Each cup brings with it new challenges and trying out new cars.



There is a multiplayer element to the game where you can race against others and put your skills to the test. There is also an auction house where you can sell and buy your cars, which is really easy to set up and go through. I do have one quite big gripe with the game and that is the loading times when loading a track, and the way the menus work with it. The loading times for me are terrible, absolutely terrible and it takes far too long to go between races. Once the track is loaded it then shows a preview screen of the track but then takes you back to the menu you were on to click ‘Start race’. Why isn’t that start race button on the track preview screen instead of taking you back? This part we’re only talking a
couple of seconds, but that makes a lot of difference to the overall experience.

Overall, my experience with Forza 7 has been very good, and I look forward to putting a lot more hours into the game. The game is well polished and plays brilliantly, the only downside really for me is the loading screens take far too long to load the next track.

9/10

Horipad Wired Controller for Nintendo Switch - Review

I wanted to look for a cheaper alternative to the pro controller for Nintendo Switch and while out shopping noticed this controller on the shelves, and with it being an officially licensed product thought that I would give it a whirl.

The only hesitation that I had about the controller was that it was wired and I was dubious about how long the wire would be, because who wants to be tethered and face planting the TV while using it?



When I got home and unboxed it, I plugged the USB in and was quite surprised at its length, the cable does stretch around a metre and a half to 2 metres (I haven’t measured it exactly), which for where my gaming chair is, that is a comfortable distance for me to sit and play.
One thing that I was very nicely surprised with was the removable D-Pad, and it isn’t because it’s removable, which yes is brilliant, but because the disk pivots on a central area, it makes the movement smoother. Being able to remove this and go to a directional button does help with games such as Puyo Puyo Tetris, having that precision really does help.

The controller does feel good, it’s lightweight and robust and the buttons and triggers have that premium feel and use to them, pretty much what I would expect the pro controller to feel like while playing. In the hands the controller is comfortable to use and those who are well versed with the Xbox One controller would feel right at home with this controller as the design and finger/thumb position for the sticks are positioned the same, and personally, I do prefer that positioning when using a controller as it feels more comfortable to me.



One disappointment that came from the controller was that there was no motion control, no HD Rumble and no NFC, which isn’t a deal breaker as these missing features have meant that we get a pro controller that is much cheaper than the official but plays just as well.

All in all, I would have to say that this is a very good controller and if you are put off by the price of a pro controller, this would be your next best bet as it is reasonably priced as well. Yes, the missing features are disappointing, however, the Hori Wired Controller does make up for it in other ways with its premium feel and build.

Highly recommended by us!

Tennis in the Face - Switch Review

We have another review of a 10tons game, this time we bring you Tennis in the Face on Nintendo Switch.

With Tennis in the Face you might be thinking you're going to be getting a nice little sports fix, when you think of games like Virtua Tennis, and the rather disappointing Mario iteration on the Wii U, the name might sway you that way. Tennis in the Face is a 2D puzzler where you have to take out the other people on each level to progress further. As you might have guessed it, but the way of Tennis Racket and Ball. You play disgraced Tennis player Pete Pagassi who got hooked on Explodz (an energy drink) and ruined his career. After rehab, he aims to clean up the city from Explodz, and this is where the game kicks in.



The puzzles start off relatively easy, and are no cause for concern, as you would have thought, just nice enough to ease you into the game. As you get through more and more levels, the action does ramp up a bit as more elements are added to the puzzles. This can be in the form of different people, such as police holding shields, or lab technicians in full suits, both of which require 2 hits unless with the police you get a shot in from behind or an explosion with the technicians. As you get further and further into the game, new elements are added to each level, this can be in the form of glass walls, thicker more durable walls, explosives which are there to help, and can also help you plan how you're going to get the level finished. Sometimes it's a lot easier to see how to get the level finished, even as you get further along into different and more difficult areas, the patterns are there and you can see what you can use and where you're going to bounce the ball to get the perfect shot in.

You have a certain number of balls in which to do each level, most of which are targeted in a straight line, so bouncing them off walls and platforms does help, however when granted the power a little way into the game, you can start to bend shots which come in the form of exploding cans. Meaning some people you wouldn't normally be able to hit in a straight line, might be accessible... Via a bounce or two.

As you play through the levels there are bonuses which unlock challenges for you to try and get, such as getting so many headshots with a single serve, which depending on the level can be quite tricky and more down to luck.



One thing I can say about the game is, with the design of the levels being enclosed it can make for some satisfactory shots, some which you might not have been expecting to make as the ball bounces around the level. There were times I thought I wasn't going to clear a level as I had just hit my last shot, and was about the press the Y button to restart when BAM! The ball took an unexpected bounce and it was done. Relief!

The game does get pretty repetitive after a while, and even with the new elements being added every now and then, it just isn't enough to keep the game fresh, there are certain patterns to the levels which you can see and learn and after spending some time looking at a level, you can see where you need to hit. Also, for those who have played King Oddball by 10tons, it does feel like a reskin of that, or King Oddball is a reskin of this, I'm not sure which one came out first. The whole style of the metro system and blocks etc that you have to move through are pretty similar, as well as puzzler style.



One disappointment I had with Tennis in the Face was that it lacked any depth or longevity. The only mode that was available was the one to play the 'story' mode and get through each section, there was an Extras section which gave you statistics, options etc but that was it. After a few hours and completing the game that was it, I could look at my stats to see how awesome I was, but what then? Create a new profile in game and start all over again? Nope. Nope the Nope. So much nope. I have done it once and that was enough for me. The game could really do with other modes, maybe time trial?

I do really like the artwork for the game, that combined with the synth music attached to it makes me kind of feel I'm sitting down to watch some of my Sunday morning cartoons again like when I was younger. Hey Arnold or Catdog anyone!?

The game overall is enjoyable to play, its levels are well designed and the enclosed nature can help to get through them, the music and style is brilliant, it's just the game can get a bit repetitive, especially as it only has the one mode to work through.

7/10

Crimsonland - Switch Review

Crimsonland is a top down twin stick shooter which pays homage to Old School Doom through the promotional image for the game.

When you start the game you have 2 options, A Survival Mode and Quest Mode. Survival mode is as you would expect, going through level after level trying to survive wave and wave of enemies. However, to get the most out of the survival mode you will have to trawl through the campaign, which I have to admit did get a little repetitive and stale after so many levels.



Crimsonland does try and hold onto you to go ‘Just one more game’ but unfortunately as the levels become more of the same it gets harder to want to keep going in a single sitting. The main objective of the game is to kill whatever is on the screen at the time until the progress bar at the top of the page is full, at which point the level will end and you can move on. There are a fair amount of weapons to try out throughout the game which unlocks as you go through.

From the not so trusty pistol to the all-out full auto rifles and shotguns there are plenty of weapons to choose from and as you’re in each level you can swap and change if an enemy is going to drop one for you. It’s not just guns that are dropped, there are other items as well, such as nuclear blasts, which causes a massive explosion and any close enemies will be instantly killed. There are others as well that can give health, freeze time/enemies etc. All aimed at helping the greater good, and if used correctly and timed right can be a great help if you’re getting overwhelmed. However, I will say that the enemies didn’t really cause me any problems and they were more of a nuisance than anything. The enemies do vary but not by much, you’re either looking at zombies, spiders or lizards. As you get further along, you do start getting spawn/portal points which enemies start to spawn out of, and these do need to be dealt with rather swiftly.



Also throughout the levels, perks will crop up once the blue bar has been filled which does add a little strategy to the game, as you have to think about the best course of action for yourself at that point, so whether you need to freeze, have more accuracy, health etc. If the world is getting busier for you and it’s going to be harder to clear it, then you may go for health or maybe freeze your enemies to help rid of a few of them.

When in a level, as mentioned above the only objective is to kill what’s there and fill the progress bar, that is it, there is nothing else to do within the level. There aren’t any altering aesthetics such as buildings, anything to navigate, just a big square with different backgrounds to show the environment, which was pretty disappointing.



Despite some of the visual and aesthetic disappointments, when the action picks up, it can get tense with waves and waves coming at you and the further you progress the more it ramps up the action and making use of the weapons, perks and drops becomes more important.

You can see what Crimsonland is trying to do, and I have to admit it is the type of game that was designed for the Switch, to sit in handheld mode on the sofa, but doesn’t take anything away from the game as it plays well in both handheld and TV mode.

5/10

It's Quiz Time - Review

Do you remember Buzz on the Playstation ? Well most of the team behind that hit series are part of 'Snap Finger Click' and their debut Xbox One game 'It's Quiz Time' is shaping up to be just as popular as Buzz.

It's essentially a gameshow with a computer generated host called Salli and up to 8 people can take part locally and if you want to you can host your own Live Show on Twitch or Mixer. Live Show game mode is built from the ground up for live streamers on Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer to interact with and play alongside their audience. Up to 10,000 viewers can take part in the quiz with you using the chat function! This makes it the first natively Twitch enabled video game, offering you an entirely unique way to play and engage with your community.

Whilst playing for review the most contestants I had was 7 and it was huge fun for everyone involved.

You do need to download an app for your Android or IoS device, if you have Windows Phone however........unlucky, there is no app for you. What your device does is act as a portal to the game, using the app you set your screen name and, should you wish a picture of yourself. Each instance of the game generates a room code that is entered on your device, this can be seen by the people in the same room as you or, if you're streaming, by the viewers.



There are set quizzes to tackle but you also have the option to customise your experience which is a nice feature and there is an option for a season pass which is currently blanked out but points towards the prospect of more questions being added to the 25,000+ that are already in the game.

The host of the game 'Salli' is an excellent feature and she uses the data that you input such as your sex and age to personalise the whole experience. She will refer to each contestant by their name and, depending on their performance, encourage or playfully scold you. I found her to be particularly sarcastic at times and funny.



Each contestant has the option to choose a specialist subject and will score bonus points for that subject if the answers given are correct, also they will lose more points if they get it wrong. I found the questions range from stupidly easy to massively difficult and in the time I've played so far I have yet to have a question repeated, I'm sure it will happen the more I play but with over 25,000 questions it should be a while.

Disconnects did happen at times but there is the option to wait for the person to reconnect and continue. We did have an occasion where we tried to start a game but Salli just sat there on the screen twiddling her fingers and looking special and the game wouldn't start but we found a workaround where 3 people could start and then the remaining contestants would join as the first round was commencing.



The 'show' generally consists of 6 rounds and each player in turn gets to choose the category. The rounds include straight questions sometimes with multiple choice answers but there are also rounds where you have to match things together and others where you have to guesstimate. There is also a round which requires one person to describe a given subject in 90 seconds and the other contestants have a series of keywords on their device that they have to tap each time the desciber says one of the words. On one of these rounds the subject I was given was Patrick Stewart and my mind went blank, this consisted of me saying 'He's bald and English' for at least 40 seconds. Now this particular category only works if you're all in the same room whilst playing or are in an Xbox Live party that everyone can hear.



I found the whole experience to be huge fun. It's Quiz Time isn't something that people will play daily but if you're having a party or get together with friends then this game is a must have. As stated earlier there is a Season Pass that I assume will add more questions and possibly different rounds and categories so the longevity of the game will be extended.



The whole gameshow feel is brilliantly pulled off and the personalisation provided by smarthost Salli is genuinely refreshing and adds to the experience. The graphics are done well, neon blue and shiny touches everywhere.

8/10

 

Venom Nintendo Switch Racing Wheels Review

When playing Mario 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch, there might be times when you want to play with someone else, however, you only have the standard joy cons available to use.

Now, from playing with just the joy cons between 2 of us in split screen, I can say how uncomfortable they were to play with, it didn't take long for my hands to start to cramp up and the ZL and ZR buttons to become awkward to use. I think this is partially down to the size of a person's hands, I have rather large hands, whereas my wife has tiny mouse hands and she found the joy cons quite comfortable to use, but awkward after a while.

This is where the racing wheels come into play for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. I was out having a little perusal of the gaming section in my local supermarket, looking at Nintendo section I noticed these Vemon racing wheels, and my family being keen Mario Kart players, I thought £12 for 2 wheels, you can't go wrong. Hopefully, they will make the experience a lot more enjoyable.



I had a pro controller with me, so the 2 joy cons could slip into the wheels and this allowed for my mum, myself and my wife to enjoy an evening of Mario Kart. First impressions of the wheels when I took them out of the box was that they were a nice size and lightweight, which was good as I didn't want anything that was going to be too heavy while I was holding this for the races. Especially as we ended up playing every track available (I think my mum was getting a bit competitive as she kept asking for the next lot lol!)

I will be honest though, I didn't expect much from the wheels, especially something that was going to be as simple as this, but I was quite surprised by them, the bumpers on the back were an added bonus, they were a good size as well as very responsive. This for me is an excellent design choice and has been well utilised.



The joy cons were also very easy to fit into the wheels, slot the back part down first, push on the front and bobs your uncle. Ready to go. The joy cons aren't going to fall out either, there nicely placed in the wheels but not to snug that it becomes a crystal maze quest to get them out again.

Another box that was ticked for me was the comfort factor. The wheels made the joy cons feel a lot larger and for my big ham hands, it was a joy to play with and I will be using them a lot while playing Mario Kart 8.



The wheels although lightweight feel sturdy and quite reinforced, and I can imagine these being good with little kids playing around with them and getting a little rough. I don't think these would break too easy, although I'm not one to try and find out.

Overall, a very good set of wheels, especially for playing Mario Kart 8 on Switch, they're sturdy, comfortable to use and all round a good buy to get those multiplayer races going.