Uncharted 4 A Thief's End Review

I want to start off this review by saying I've been a huge fan of this series since it first launched on the Playstation 3.  The Uncharted games encompass fun action gameplay, witty humor, memorable characters, and the occasional touching moment.  I won't say the games are perfect, but they are pretty amazing in my eyes.  That being said, I'm going to try to make this review as unbiased as possible, but if a little favoritism leaks through you'll have to forgive me.  To start off, this game has been touted as the final installment for long time franchise hero Nathan Drake.  Hence the title, A Thief's End.  The story is one of the places where the Uncharted series shines, so let's dive right in.

Uncharted 4 starts with a bit of foreshadowing.  We see our familiar hero with a yet unknown accomplice, driving through a dark ocean and trying to make their way to an island while being assaulted by military types.  Typical fare for the Nathan Drake.  After our heroes get placed in a perilous situation, the story cuts to the present.

We get to see Nathan and long time heroine of the series Elena Fisher have settled down in marital bliss and left the life of adventure behind them.  Nathan works a typical 9 to 5 job at a salvage company while Elena has continued her journalism career.  They seem to have a perfect life.  However, sometimes Elena will catch Nathan with that far off look in his eyes, dreaming of the adventures and life he left behind.

One day, Nathan's estranged and thought to be dead brother Sam shows up asking for Nathan's help with a treasure they were hunting before Sam's "death".  Sam tells Nathan that he was freed from prison by a drug lord who now demands a lot of money or else he will kill him.  Nathan decided to get back into the game for one last adventure in order to help save his brother.  The journey is filled with twists, turns, and the occasional familiar face.

The story is pretty standard for an Uncharted game.  There's a treasure that needs finding and Nathan Drake is the only man for the job.  What makes these tales so exceptional is the wit, humor, and personality of the characters.  Each character feels like their own unique person, which is a hard feat to pull off in a video game.  The only exception to this might be the main villains.  We've already had three games to become familiar with Nathan Drake (four if you count The Golden Abyss) so this game focuses on the relationship between him and his brother.  Sometimes we will jump into the past and see them together as children or adolescents.

The gameplay sticks to the philosophy of, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  There is a lot of puzzle solving involving climbing and using devices that are hundreds of years old and have no business functioning anymore.  The combat is your typical cover based shooting but instead of being locked to the ground, you can take advantage of your vertical movement and try to gain the advantage over your opponents.  The only real addition to this game over previous titles is the addition of a grappling hook, multiple puzzles that involve sliding around obstacles, and using tall grass for hiding from enemies.  Overall, the gameplay is very fun and never really feels overly complicated.

People who have read a number of my reviews might be wondering why I'm using more screenshots than usual.  It's because this game is pretty!

Here, look some more!

Once more for good measure.

This is the first Uncharted game on the Playstation 4 (not counting the Nathan Drake Collection) and Naughty Dog really took advantage of the new hardware.  Besides just stunning gameplay, the enemies seem to employ a little more intelligence when taking you on.  I found myself being flanked or even surrounded by enemies on multiple occasions.  This ensured that I constantly had to stay on the move and think on my feet.

Overall, Uncharted 4 is a satisfying send of for its leading protagonist.  The gameplay is similar to other Uncharted games but considering they refined it in previous titles, this isn't a bad thing.  Fans of the series will quickly find themselves following the same old routines.  The story is intriguing and will constantly leave you on the edge of your seat.

I would consider this one of the first must-play Playstation 4 titles.  Newcomers may feel a little lost so if you've never dabbled in the series, pick up the Nathan Drake Collection which has the first three titles for the PS4.  You will not be disappointed.

-Big O

Reviving the 3D Platformer

Reviving the 3D Platformer

12/4/2015 

"IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!"

With the announcement of Psychonauts 2, the long dormant genre of 3D mascot platformers has a pulse. Trail-blazed by Mario 64, the 3D platformer dominated the very late 90s and the early 2000s. Spearheaded by the likes of Banjo-Kazooie, Jak and Daxter, Rachet and Clank, Sly Cooper, and of course Psychonauts, the powerhouse genre eventually collapsed due to poor gameplay decisions and over-saturation. Developers began hastily shipping these games packed with too many collectibles that lead to nothing, and watered down their brands with too many sequels and bad spinoffs (see Jak X). 

Look how edgy we are, we put "X" in the title!

But hope has returned. At the Video Game Awards last night, Psychonauts creator Tim Schafer announced plans for Psychonauts 2 to be released in 2018. The game has gone to crowdfunding site Fig for investors to get the game made. In 14 hours it has already made 1.1 million of it's 3.3 million dollar goal, so it's looking like a safe bet to reach it's funding. This is good news for gamers. The old team who made Banjo-Kazooie also crowdfunded a spiritual successor to their series earlier this year, called Yooka-Laylee (see what they did there?!). Clearly there is a large group of people who still want these games and will pay to see them returned to our lives.

3D platformers bring back fond memories to those of us who grew up during this genre's renaissance. Their colorful worlds and cartoon protagonists would be a welcomed palate cleanser in a world of hyper realism and violence in most mainstream games. But please, lets go a little easier on the collectibles this time (I'm looking at you, Donkey Kong 64), and not flood the market with trash that is hastily scrapped together for a quick buck. Lately the first person shooter has seemingly been falling into this trap, with Call of Duty sales down overall, and mixed reception for Halo 5. 

Also maybe less of your terrible family... thanks

But Psychonauts 2 and Yooka-Laylee don't have to pull the weight on their own. The Sly Cooper collection was released last year to critical acclaim. The Jak and Daxter HD collection dropped a few years ago and was met with great reviews. And a Rachet and Clank movie and game remake are on the horizon in 2016, so the future is getting even brighter for this long dimly lit sector of the gaming world. I don't know about you guys, but a future where I'm jumping around with these guys again, is a future I want to live in.

-Rory

WCNC GAME OF THE YEAR: 2015 Edition

WCNC Game of the Year: 2015 Edition

12/2/2015

The nominees are dressed for the occasion

Hello game fans, the end of the year is upon us which means it's time for the first annual WCNC game awards! It's been a fantastic year for games so the competition is very close, but we have a few caveats to get out of the way before we dive in. First, my decisions here don't represent the opinions of all the members at WCNC. Unfortunately due to time constraints I wasn't able to get a full discussion with everybody, but I'll try to represent their views as best I can. Secondly, there's a few huge game of the year candidates I haven't played including Mario Maker, MGSV, and The Witcher 3 so if they fall short of where you would like them, sorry but that's just the way it is. Without further ado, let the games begin...

Honorable Mentions:

Batman Arkham Knight- I really liked this game, but it just hasn't stuck with me the way Asylum or City did.

Destiny: The Taken King- I know it's technically DLC but the Taken King is what finally got me to cave on Destiny.

Evolve- This game gets so many points for creativity. It oozes atmosphere and is full of intense moments. But in the end, it's multiplayer only style just left it without much staying power.

Super Mario Maker- Boy, Big O and Beef are going to string me up for this one....

Now onto our winners:

#3. Metal Gear Solid: V

"Okay everyone, look cool"

This game boasts a huge open world, with endless ways to play its many missions. I personally haven't had a chance to play this one yet, but with the way Big O talks about it, I can't wait to sink my teeth (and time) into this world. 

#2. Fallout 4

Vault Boy is crying behind those lenses

Not giving game of the year to Fallout 4 was easily the hardest decision of this list for me. This is the game that has taken the most time from me this year (about 120 hours and counting) and I've loved every second of it. This is the most hyped up I've been for a game in a long while, and it has delivered in spades. From the improved combat, to the power armor system, to building the perfect bastion for society out of trash picked up around the world, everything is firing on all cylinders here except maybe the frame rate at times. Any other year Fallout 4 would have walked right to the front of my game of the year list, but this year it was stopped in it's tracks by this BLOODY masterpiece...

#1. Bloodborne

"Hello, is it me you're looking for?"

Yes, the fromsoftware hit is taking home the gold this year! I've adored every entry into the "souls" series, but they hit on something special with Bloodborne. It attracted people that have never been into this punishing world of games and turned them into badass hunters capable of battling anything in their path. The macabre streets are Yarnham set a grim tone that seeps throughout all of the bosses and foes. Slaying each hideously malformed beast is a challenge, but man does it feel good when they finally fall. So from all of us, thank you Bloodborne, you big, beautiful, blood soaked bastard.  

-Rory 

A Walk in My Irradiated Shoes: Chapter 2

A Walk in my Irradiated Shoes: Chapter 2
12/02/2287

Goodneighbor. A suburb of Diamond City filled with ghouls and chem addicts with a serious attitude problem. That's where I find myself on this particularly dark day in the ruins of Boston. After a run-in with a thug at the main gate I find myself conversing with the mayor of Goodneighbor, Hancock. He's a ghoul wearing old colonial attire, and to be fair he is the biggest badass I've had the pleasure to meet since leaving Vault 111. After the pleasantries are out of the way (which involved him stabbing the aforementioned thug to death in the middle of the town), I ask him if he has any extra work for me. He tells me of a place called Pickman Gallery that he needs a status report on, so I gear up and head out.

Hell yes I added him as my companion at first chance!

Art is in the eye of the beholder...I guess.

I arrive at the Gallery to be greeted by a small band of raiders at the door. I switch out my sniper for my silenced 10mm pistol and clear them out quickly and quietly. I enter the building to more raiders who are arguing about finding the aforementioned Pickman. After picking off the raider scum, I start to realize just how freaky this house really is. Creepy paintings cover the walls. People are beheaded and impaled on spikes. Bodies are chained to tables. All the corpses have calling cards on them with the words "Find Me- Pickman" signed in blood. I see a hole in the wall and follow it under the house.

"I love what you've done with the place!"

How many raiders does it take to change a lightbulb?

The tunnels are filled with radiation and raiders. It's tight quarters down here so it's time for my trusty combat shotgun. After blowing through several bands of raiders, and navigating many twists and turns, I come upon a scene of three raiders surrounding a man in a classy suit. They tell him this is the end of the line, but the man doesn't seem concerned. The raiders open fire. In a split second I decide to help the man in the classy suit. Two of the raiders go down with easy headshots, but the leader is a tough S.O.B. After a few shotgun blasts to his ugly mug, the raider is on his last legs. Out of the corner of my eye I see the man in the suit run behind the raider and finish him off with a clean stab to the back.

As the smoke cleared, the man in the suit turns to me. He thanks me for the help although he's kind of a creep. Looking over at his name it all becomes clear, I just helped the serial killer Pickman get a fresh kill. He explains that although his methods are brutal, he only kills raiders. Since the only good raider is a dead raider, I decide to let him leave to continue his bloody streak across the wasteland. I find a lockpicking bobblehead on the floor of the room and head for the door. But something on the table catches my eye...

"Ohhhh comic!"

"IN SOVIET RUSS... Oh nevermind."

-Rory

A Walk in My Irradiated Shoes

A Walk in my Irradiated Shoes

11/27/2287

I wake up in my house in Sanctuary Hills, ready to greet the wasteland. Well rested bonus in hand, I head outside to see what’s in store for me next. I trade a few things with Trashcan Carla, then head over to Preston Garvey to see who needs help from the Minutemen today. He tells me of a settlement named Greygarden that is requesting assistance as soon as possible. I scrap a few things, mod my sniper rife for more damage, then I’m on my way.

What do robots need with all this fruit?

Having not been to Greygarden before, I fast travel to the Corvega Assembly Plant just a few minutes away. It’s a pretty smooth walk there, other than some Mole Rats that I quickly dispose of. Cresting over a hill, Greygarden comes into full view and I’m taken aback by what I see. The whole place is run by Mr. Handy’s, under the watchful mechanical eye of Supervisor White. The robot leader tells me that the facility was finished being built mere days before the bombs dropped 200 years ago. But it isn’t all idol chitchat, White gets down to business and tells me of a water treatment plant down the hill that is needed to keep the garden alive. Only one problem, the place is crawling with super mutants. Of course it is.

"I have ALL of my eyes on you."

It looks so innocent from here

After climbing down the hill to the plant, I post up a good distance away to figure out my plan of attack. Through my sniper scope I count around ten mutants, with a mirelurk a safe distance away from them. I line up my first shot on a super mutant brute’s cranium. Bang. Watching their leader go down in one shot clearly pissed them off, because they all start charging and shooting my direction. My explosive indicator pops up pointing to my left. I narrowly avoid becoming charred bits flying around the wasteland, then enter V.A.T.S. to find the culprit. The targeting system lands on a super mutant wearing a tire on his head, who is aiming a missile launcher in my direction. I think we have our guy. So I line up a shot with a 54% chance of hitting. I use my critical strike to change that to a 100% chance. Better save than sorry. Bang.

After thinning a few more out of the herd of monsters, there are just a couple of stragglers left. I get charged by a mutant using a 2x4 as a weapon. It’s too close for the sniper, so I switch to the shotgun. Bang. He SPLINTERS into a million pieces thanks to the Bloody Mess perk. A horrible sound cuts through the chaos, and I quickly change to my sniper. It’s the beeping sound from a mini-nuke being held by a super mutant suicider. He begins his death charge at me. I pull up V.A.T.S to aim for his explosive, but the mirelurk has decided that now is a good time to come attack me. Not cool. I can’t aim at the bomb through the mirelurk, so I use V.A.T.S. to quickly drop him. Bang. Having no AP left, I realize I’m going to have to shoot this bomb unassisted. I look down my scope as the beast closes in. Take aim at the mini-nuke. BOOM. He’s gone in a dark mushroom cloud. That was too close.

They won't be needing this stuff anymore.

Now that the mutant problem is dealt with, time to steal all their stuff. Desk fans, guns, armor, ammo, it’s all up for grabs. I spot a tool case in a shack across the yard. As I cross the threshold of the building, I hear the sound of a wire snap. My explosive indicator points straight down.

Bang.

-Rory

Crawl Out Through the Fallout!

Crawl Out Through the Fallout!

11/11/2015

            I’ve spend the past two days picking the corpses of raiders, eating canned dog food, and fishing boxes of Dandy Boy Apples out of dirty toilets. Safe to say, I’m already in love with Fallout 4. Everything I like about Bethesda games has been refined and polished to the point of damn near perfection here. Sure weird clipping still happens, textures pop in, frame rates can stumble in large battles, and I couldn’t care less. 

            Trekking through the ruins of Boston is as fun as it is dangerous. Radiation storms roll through with yellow fog and thunder. Raiders place traps around unsuspecting corners. Mirelurks wait in the water for you to stumble into their territory. And cars become ticking time bombs that will send your charred corpse flying across the wastes. It’s dangerous, but you don’t have to go it alone. At the first landmark you’re likely to pass, a Red Rocket fueling station, you’ll find a trusty dog to aid you. He can help you in a fight, or be sent to gather supplies. He’s a welcome addition to your lonely journey.

            I’m about 15 hours in, but I haven’t even touched the main story. I’ve been so wrapped up in a side quest involving recruiting settlements for a faction you meet early on that I just haven’t had the time. I’ve ventured into Boston once or twice but just recently found the crown jewel, Diamond City. I won’t spoil anything about it but it’s a really special location to be sure. The new DJ for the radio station is not nearly as special unfortunately. Following up Three-Dog and Mr. New Vegas is difficult, but they really screwed the pooch with the new guy. He has no personality and is so boring that I haven’t even bothered to listen for his name. At least he’s slinging good music. With a great blend of Fallout 3 jams and some new songs, blasting away raiders has never sounded so classy.

            My time in the Commonwelth is just beginning, and I can already tell you that I’m in for the long haul. So it’s time to strap on my power armor, pop a Rad-X, and head back into the irradiated ruins of Boston to put my new Bloody Mess perk to good use, painting the town red. See you in the wasteland, vault dwellers!

-Rory