Great Old Games 360

Console Monster

2019-03-17T01:35:00.000+07:00

Behind these walls, you never know who you can trust. The deeper you go, the more you’ll see what Agents are truly capable of. Welcome to The Division 2’s Dark Zones. Experience the Dark Zone...

Itchy, Tasty: How The Resident Evil 2 Remake Simultaneously Irritated & Slightly Satisfied Me

2019-03-16T09:28:00.000+07:00

We live in a time of seemingly endless video game remakes, remasters, and rehashes. And while the “remaster” category has been plagued with some of the most horribly disrespectful ruination known to creative media, surprisingly the “remake” category has been mostly wonderful releases. We could debate for hours about whether or not remakes should even be a thing in gaming, but that won’t change the fact that they exist. No, I’d much rather complain about their flaws while implying I could do a much better job despite having zero experience in video game development. So without further ado, here is how the Resident Evil 2 Remake both deeply irritated and slightly satisfied me simultaneously.

Unlike every other Resident Evil fan on the planet, I never considered the second entry to be anywhere near my favourite instalment. That’s not to say it’s bad, it just never grabbed me like the original release or the genre-shift of RE4. I only recall playing the game once around the original release while taking turns with a childhood friend of mine on a very high-quality 17-inch tube television. So it goes without saying that my gripes and dislikes of this remake aren’t rooted in comparison to the original. I will, however, be comparing it to other releases in the series, both classic and modern, but that’s fair wouldn’t you say?

I’ve never been a fan of the “it’s scary because you are forced to run away” genre of horror games. Personally, I don’t find the idea of being utterly incapable of doing anything to stop my pursuer to be scary or fun. Sure, it can enhance stress or fear when done properly and in controlled doses, but to create an entire game around it will only breed frustration and ultimately feels lazy to me. The Resident Evil series never based itself solely on the idea of having to run away. It was a legitimate tactic of course, but it was up to the player’s choice and even skill level. They had injected certain ‘unbeatable’ elements in the series, such as Mr. X and of course Nemesis, but it was always in certain points during the game. While I personally didn’t care for those moments, it never really bothered me enough to complain, until now.

Mr. X himself isn’t overwhelmingly annoying. Once you learn his, somewhat underwhelming, AI logic and entry boundaries for the sake of the game, you can easily manage the lumbering man with poor fashion taste. The real problem lies with the changes made to the zombies. For some reason, they seem to have an almost magnetic attractiveness when they enter their grab animations. While they are slow and shambling 99.9% of the time, if you walk anywhere near them, they instantly spin on their heels and dash towards you like an unmarried woman during the bouquet toss. If this happens in a group of zombies, you might as well set your controller down and grab a drink because you’ll be watching animations for the next twenty minutes since, unless you have a “rescue item”, there will be no way of interrupting the incoming sequence of annoyance. Throw Mr. X into the mix and an aneurysm is all but certain. This changes the game from planning your movements and resource usage into “use no ammo or end up with no ammo”. Either way, you’re going to be defenceless and running for the majority of the game, especially on harder difficulties. This is only compounded by the total lack of the classic knife.

Nothing could be done to avoid this endless hell.

“Aim for the head”. This phrase has been uttered since the inception of zombies. Not only does it fit into the twisted logic of “destroy the brain to stop the unstoppable dead thing”, but it also fits in the usual gameplay mechanic and challenge of having good aim. You can eventually stop a reanimated corpse by shooting its limbs or torso, but if you wanna end it quickly, you aim for the brain, much like with humans…or basically any other carbon-based multi-celled organism. This is still true for the RE2 remake, but the problem lies in how many shots it takes. I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve shot a normal, random zombie while playing on the Hardcore difficulty a staggering sixteen times in the head before it was fully dead. On average I’d say it takes around 7-9 headshots per zombie on Hardcore. This is unacceptable. You can disagree, but you’d be wrong. There is nothing satisfying, challenging, or fun about having to shoot an enemy in the head ten times, nothing.

I’m sure someone will say you’re not supposed to fully kill each one when you encounter them, and that the zombies were designed to not die until you re-encounter them later on, thus why they take so many bullets. That is basically the idea behind the Crimson Head mechanic in the first remake. Zombies would “die”, only to come back later in the game but much faster and deadlier, unless the player used the limited amount of fuel found around the mansion to burn the corpses. So I guess RE2 decided to replace that mechanic with a bunch of bullet sponges? How creative and interesting.

The game does feature the basically unexplained mechanic of standing still to steady your aim until your crosshair “snaps” resulting in the shot dealing slightly more damage, but this only makes matters worse. This means the player who can quickly swing their aim in various directions to pull off headshots on multiple moving targets is essentially penalized for being good at aiming. But you say, “Resident Evil 2 wasn’t an action game. It was about making each shot count!” Well, you’re right, it wasn’t an action game. The camera, controls, amount of enemies and their design, and everything else in the game was designed to not be action-oriented. That’s why it worked so well. The problem with the remake is that it fancies itself an action game when it comes to aiming, perspective, damage outputs, and enemies, but then attempts to retain the survival horror of the original when it comes to ammo and movements.

Nice shot Leon! Only 235 more to go!

This is a game that isn’t sure what it wants to be. It wants that classic, stressful, survival horror it once had, but it knows that most players expect a more modern game. One with smoother movements, dynamic aiming, and a more orthodox camera in today’s market. Thus we get a game where I feel like I should be able to dodge attacks, but I can’t. Some enemies even feel like their attack patterns were designed for gameplay more similar to Resident Evil 6. I feel like someone screwed with my control scheme and I’m missing a few buttons. You need a clear idea of what type of game you want to make when it comes to controls and flow. Trying to play both styles is a dangerous idea.

In every other main entry in the Resident Evil series, the knife was always a constant. You always had that trusty little blade just waiting for a desperate situation. Especially in the first game’s remake, RE4, and RE5, the knife was a massive tactic for defeating zombies and conserving ammo. I mean I’m fairly certain that the entire idea of a “Knife Run” spawned from the original game. In the RE2 remake, it’s been demoted to the same level as a frag grenade or flashbang. You can use it as a traditional knife, but surprise, it degrades and can break after about fifteen or so uses, which is what happens when a developer mistakes overwhelming frustration with fear.

Sure these knives are all over the place, sure you can unlock an “unlimited knife” by shooting collectables, but that isn’t the point. While attempting to enhance and remake a classic survival horror game beloved by fans, they thought to remove one of the staples of the entire series, for essentially no reason at all, was a good move. The original remake featured both a survival knife and rescue knife, and it worked perfectly. I cannot for the life of me see why they changed that formula. It honestly kind of gives me a headache when I think about it.

Yes, you too can own a knife that is a worthless piece of junk!

Another problem that most people seem to agree with is the new sounds and score. While the menu sounds and intro voice isn’t really something that affects the core gameplay, the musical score certainly is. The new soundtrack isn’t bad per-se, it’s more non-existent. Most of the game you’ll be hearing no music at all, even in the iconic police dept. main hall. This does a lot to effect and potentially spoil the atmosphere and mood of the game. After my first playthrough, I honestly didn’t remember a single note of soundtrack, other than the horrible credits song. When I replayed I decided to turn on the classic sound option, and I’m glad I did. I am so glad in fact, that if there was some way to edit the console version and delete the new soundtrack from the game, I would, as I will never in my entire life want it enabled again.

The original score is so much better and mood-setting. I’m not speaking from nostalgia here; I don’t even remember the original music. It’s just better, plain and simple. I’m extremely happy Capcom includes this option, as it really improves the overall experience. What I’m downright angry about is that they only include it in the overpriced edition of the release, or for the small price of three US dollars. Really? This is what gaming has become? In order to hear original sounds and music in a remake, fans of the series (who also probably bought the original release as well) now have to pay an extra three bucks to simply enable already created noise? Absurd.

It doesn’t matter that it’s different from the original, these problems would apply to any video game. Don’t get me wrong, the Resident Evil 2 remake is a decent game; when compared to most modern AAA titles, it’s even pretty good. The atmosphere is wonderful, the visuals are great, and I am glad they did some things a bit different rather than just rehashing the exact same experience. It did scratch my itch of a classic RE title. I even think the idea of a Nemesis remake could be great, but only if they don’t fall into the same traps that they did this time around. And that’s my problem with this remake. They managed to mess up things that the series had already perfected. In a sense, they took more steps back than forward. Let’s hope they try to improve with the next release, especially if it’s going to be another remake.

5 Games We’d Like To Have Seen From Telltale

2019-03-15T17:22:00.000+07:00

It was a weird, fascinating, and ultimately disappointing ride. The story of Telltale Games’ shutdown is now known to most dedicated console gamers, and in case you missed it, the company basically stopped keeping up. Its games became repetitive and formulaic, the graphics became outdated and the games buggy, and eventually waning interest and mass layoffs led to a shutdown announced this year. The experiment with high-end, narrative-centric, episodic gaming, to the extent that Telltale tried it, is over for now. And after a run of well over a decade, there’s surprisingly little to show for it.

With that said, it’s also oddly difficult to believe that Telltale is really done for good. So in the event that the company is resurrected somehow and brought back with a renewed commitment to quality – or if someone else decides to try to do the same style more effectively – we gave some thought to the games we’d have like to see that Telltale never got around to. (Quick note: we’re leaving out the Stranger Things game because there are some conflicting reports as to whether Netflix is forging ahead with it or it’s simply canceled.)

1. Westworld

Westworld has become a very popular show on HBO and is the natural successor to Game Of Thrones, even if Thrones is getting its own spinoffs. The interesting thing though is that while Westworld is almost about a sort of futuristic substitute for virtual reality gaming, it doesn’t lend itself very well to a traditional, modern game. The show is driven by plot twists, character decisions, mystery and scenery more than it is by action (even if there’s plenty of violence). Now, don’t those all sound like things Telltale excelled with in its heyday? A revamped version fo the company could produce an outstanding game based on Westworld with beautiful graphics, a clear narrative core, and plenty of decision-making opportunities for players, with minimal but suitable action. Frankly, it could be stunning.

2. The Fast & The Furious

Despite becoming a film franchise that at this point can literally rival Marvel Studios from one release to another (The Fate Of The Furious grossed $1.24 billion worldwide), the Fast & Furious films just haven’t spawned a great game. That’s probably in part because most traditional gaming styles can’t naturally blend car racing with narrative. Telltale could do it however, and it would be a nice new look for the company. Interspersing the stories we’ve come to know and love about the characters in this series with exciting street racing elements would make for a bold but fascinating game.

3. Jekyll & Hyde

Most everyone knows the story of Jekyll & Hyde at least in a very basic way, yet it’s not the kind of story we commonly associate with gaming. There is in fact a modern game based on the tale, though it takes the form of a slot arcade online. As that game points out, there’s no getting around the fact that the original tale is somewhat dark in nature, and to its credit, the game embraces a darker aesthetic than most of its slot gaming counterparts. But can you imagine a similar aesthetic in a Telltale format? A dark, haunting game revolving around one of the most famous gothic horror tales of all time would also be a bold look for Telltale. And with this being another bit of source material that revolves more around story than action, it’s a nice fit.

4. Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes just never goes away. There’s always a new video game, a new film, a new television show, or in some cases a whole fresh adaptation on the concept. So, why not try it in this kind of a format? In a way, a detective story is better suited to Telltale’s particular style than just about any other genre of fiction. Done properly, with a heavy focus on environment and gradual story reveals, it could be the kind of game that catches on with a very enthusiastic fan base.

5. Harry Potter

Think about the last great Harry Potter game you played. There’s a good bet nothing comes to mind. This is incredible given the sheer magnitude of the Harry Potter franchise, and it’s something that’s clearly going to be remedied at one point or another. There has actually been leaked footage of a Harry Potter RPG that is apparently a very real thing. The game will be called “Magic Awakened,” and will come out in the next year or two. However, given the history of games relating to Harry Potter, we’ll withhold judgement until we see it. And in the meantime, an expansive and extensive Telltale series based on J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world could legitimately be the next big thing in console gaming, with the right creative team behind it.

Investigating A Lead: Gameplay Trailer

2019-03-15T11:37:00.000+07:00

The Occupation is a first-person, fixed-time, investigative thriller set in North West England on October 24th, 1987.

You play as a journalist in a detailed, systems-driven world where people react to your actions and time is your biggest enemy. It’s 1987 in North West England; A time of 80’s British pop, grand architecture and political unrest. An explosion has triggered a controversial act which threatens to erode civil liberties of the population to be rushed into place. You are tasked with investigating and questioning people on their actions from a tumultuous night which resulted in the loss of many lives. Each person has a different account of the night’s event and you must use the tools at your disposal to get the results you need for your investigation.

Beat Cop Console Edition • Gameplay Trailer

2019-03-14T16:20:00.000+07:00

Explore its darkest corners and uncover its secrets as Jack Kelly, a former detective who has been framed for a murder. Degraded and forgotten by old pals, it’s your last chance to find the truth behind this whole terrible mess.

The thing is, your new boss treats you like shit, your wife is a money sucking spawn from hell and the local mafia wants your head on a plate. I guess you could say, that things are complicated down here, in the middle of Brooklyn.

Beat Cop hits consoles this month!

Catherine: Full Body

2019-03-13T23:04:00.000+07:00

Introduced to video games when he was only five, after dying somewhere around four thousand times while playing Star Tropics, he never looked back. Some of his favorites range from titles like Shenmue and Metal Gear Solid 3 to Half-Life 2, Manhunt, and the Dark Souls series. Justin has a passion for vinyl records, and loves to collect video game memorabilia. If he had one wish, it would be to travel back to 1984 Miami.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

2019-03-13T01:04:00.000+07:00

A Plague Tale: Innocence

2019-03-12T10:37:00.000+07:00

Devil May Cry 5

2019-03-11T18:09:00.000+07:00

NieR:Automata: Game of the YoRHa Edition

2019-03-11T02:59:00.000+07:00

Season 8 Trailer

2019-03-10T17:21:00.000+07:00

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Enter the Dark Zone Trailer

2019-03-10T00:49:00.000+07:00

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove

2019-03-09T19:16:00.000+07:00

Get the Inside Scoop

2019-03-09T09:22:00.000+07:00

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E Win Racing Calling Series Gaming Chair Review

2019-03-08T14:55:00.000+07:00

The E Win Racing “Calling Series” Ergonomic Gaming Chair is their second series of chair to arrive at Console Monster HQ. My overall outlook of their Champion Series gaming chair was very positive, and their suite of chairs have introduced me to the many advantages you get by spending a little bit extra for an office/gaming chair, of which you spend a vast amount of your working/gaming time in. So could the Calling Series gaming chair be just as good? Let’s find out…

The E Win Racing Calling Series gaming chair costs a little less than the Champion Series, whilst also offering less variety of colour options. The Calling Series retails at a RRP of €359 EU / £319 UK / $431 US, although it is currently on sale for €229 EU / £204 UK / $275 US, and you can knock off an extra 15% off with our voucher code ‘consolemonster’. I’ve seen chairs costing much more than this and still have less features and quality. So on paper, the E Win Racing gaming chairs seems a bit of a bargain!

Setting up the Calling Series chair was very simple. The two hex/allen keys included are all that’s required to assemble the chair. The helpful photo guide lists all the necessary steps needed to assemble it, and with most of the chair being mostly pre-assembled you just need to unscrew a few pre-fitted screws, attach the back rest to the seat portion, screw the base plate onto the seat, attached the wheels and insert the rising piston, then finally place everything onto the wheel base, and after just 25 minutes, voila, you’re done!

Just like the Champion Series, the Calling Series uses some good quality parts and materials, with the only let down being the plastic arms. There are many buttons, leavers and switches to help achieve maximum sitting comfort here, however there are slightly less features than the closely-priced Champion Series.

It’s important that the seat has a good amount of padding to it. There is nothing worse then having a thinly padded seat that last barely a year before you begin to feel the framework inside. Thanks to its fairly thick padding of 8 cm, the Calling Series will be supporting your derrière for a long time. The seat’s width is slightly narrower and the side padding is less diagonal than the Championship Series, so if you have a habit of sitting on your crossed-leg, the Calling Series makes this a little more restrictive and uncomfortable to do.

Like the seat, the back support is just as important, and thankfully the Calling Series caters very well in this department too. Although this Calling Series has a slightly smaller frame, just like the Champion Series, the back rest dominates this chair’s overall form factor. I was hoping for a slightly more low profile chair than the Champion Series, but sadly when comparing the two, I saw very little difference in both models.

Adjusting the back position is simply done by pulling on the right side leaver, that is located where the backrest meets the seat. The seat hinges have some fairly strong springs, so the backrest can jump forward fairly rapid if you’re not leaning back on it. Adding a little more pressure whilst leaning back moves the back of the seat backwards very easy, and as you keep leaning back you soon start to notice one of the chair’s key features – the ability to move the back almost fully horizontal! Great for that power nap or brief rest.

Very popular with gaming chairs these days are the lumber and head cushions. These are held on by a pair of elasticated straps and plastic buckle clips. The straps come pre-fitted, wrapped around holes located in the bottom and neck area of the back seat. The lumber cushion alone made a huge difference to my sitting experience; the neck cushion however, probably not so much. Whilst the chair is more reclined, I can see the neck cushion having more of a purpose. Like the Champion Series, the straps could be a little tighter too, or at least hold the cushions in their adjusted position, because I found the bottom lumber support always required adjustment every time I sat back into the chair.

On either side of the seat you’ll find the plastic arm rests. Just like most chairs, each arm-rest can be raised and lowered to your own preference. For me, I wish they could go a little more lower than these currently allow. Unlike the Champion Series, this is where the armrest features end for the Calling Series. So if you require many armrest adjustments, you should maybe consider the Champion Series instead. Each arm comes pre-bolted to the seat, however if you prefer, these can be unscrewed and remove them entirely.

After two weeks using the Calling Series, I found the general build quality maintained the same very sturdy and solid impression that I got when I first sat in the chair, so much so that I can imagine this chair would serve me well for many years. The pleather material used in the seating appears to be of a high quality, and it doesn’t look like it will flake-off for some time. The cushions and the firm seat padding feels like they contain a good quality and density of foam that should take the weight and reshape themselves after use for many sittings.

Once again though, I my only gripe mirrors the same issue I had with the Champion Series, and that’s with its general style. In a small office environment, the back of the chair can look almost monolithic. It was commented to me the other day that someone couldn’t tell if I was in the chair when viewing from the back. For me, the size of the back seat could be much smaller. Any portion of the seat from my neck upwards do not touch, so it feels all this area could all be trimmed down. At 5’8” I also found that my feet would leave the floor when I adjusted the seat to the correct height for my desk height (a standard 72 cm high), and this meant that I had to use a foot rest underneath in order to maintain a decent circulation to my feet and legs.

If E Win Racing took these same materials and build quality, and created a more smaller backed gaming chair, that would make THE perfect chair for me. Perhaps their Flash Series could indeed tick that box, and I hope I can sample that chair also soon. There is very little price difference separating both the Champion and Calling series of gaming chairs, so if you can live without the additional armrest features, you can save a little on the Calling Series. But because there is very little difference in size, the extra colour options and extra armrest features make the Champion Series a slightly better option for your money.

Recommended!

For an additional 15% discount off the final sale price of an EwinRacing gaming chair, please use our discount voucher code ‘consolemonster’ at check out.

Play PlayStation 4 on iPhone or iPad With R-Play

2019-03-08T03:56:00.000+07:00

Download R-Play from the Apple App Store

Remote Play has been a welcome feature to Sony’s PlayStation 4 console. With Sony’s official Remote Play app downloaded onto your desktop PC/Mac, you can stream your favourite PS4 games to your computer. I find this feature very handy when at work, for a little lunchtime gaming session. It can also come in handy when away at friends or family and I just want to access my PS4 back at home. The sad thing about all this is not everyone has access to a desktop away from home, where as a mobile or tablet is more likely to be on your person whilst away from your PS4.

Remote Play on mobile devices isn’t anything new, Sony’s own PlayStation Vita has been doing this for years, but you may not be carrying your Vita as regularly as your mobile or tablet however. More recently, Sony’s own Xperia Android mobile devices came readily available with Remote Play support, allowing gamers to pair up with their PS4 controller via Bluetooth and game on the move; but Apple’s own iOS devices hasn’t received as much love in this department.

This is when R-Play – Remote Play for the PS4 app comes in to save the day. This little gem of an app has been tucked away on the Apple App Store since April 2017, and has seen a number of updates over the past few months that has addressed various bugs and improved the app’s connection and streaming quality.

The unofficial app has recently had a price increase this July, going from $9.99 to $11.99, and if you don’t want to jailbreak your iOS device, this is your only way to play your PS4 games via Remote Play on an iPhone or iPad device.

So how does it all work, and the all important question, is it any good? Let’s find out…

Simple setup and guides

Firing up the app greets you to a number of help slides to get your PS4 ready for Remote Play. There is also an extensive FAQ page in the app that should solve any issues you come across whilst setting up, however if you’ve already used Remote Play before with the official Sony desktop app, then you’re already halfway there.

Once your PS4 has registered your iOS device running R-Play, you’ll soon see your PS4’s home screen magically appear on your iOS device. You’ll first sit back in amazement of this sorcery, thinking of all the possible things you can do with this app whilst on the move. But, it isn’t too long until you realise the app’s limitations – on-screen controls.

The bane of on-screen touch controls

There has never been much success when overcoming the negative experience of playing mobile games with virtual on-screen controls, and this issue becomes ever present when you start to play specific games via the R-Play app and its on-screen controls. Things do improve when using a hardware controller though, and I’ll come back to that in a bit.

Navigating the PS4’s menus using the on-screen controls isn’t bad, and as long as your connection to and from your PS4 is solid, it’s quite responsive. The four face and four shoulder buttons are nicely displayed on screen, along with a large thumb-friendly virtual D-Pad. Simply tapping on either the left or right side of the screen, outside of these buttons, will popup the a virtual analogue stick. It is very intuitive to game with these virtual sticks, but for games that require more precise, fast reactions, you’ll soon be longing for a physical analogue stick and shoulder buttons.

Unless you’re gaming on a 5.5” iPhone 6/7 Plus, using R-Play on a 4.7” device can feel a little cluttered, with most of your display used up for the on-screen controls. I dread to think how much worse it is on a 4” iPhone 5 display. Luckily these can be toggled to auto hide when you’re not interacting with the screen, but they’ll mostly be visible, as you’ll be touching the screen most of the time whilst gaming.

This issue improves slightly on iPad, thanks to the extra screen real-estate that allows for a more ‘spread out’ interface. But still, with the thick bezels of the iPad whilst being held in landscape, you’ll have to have thumbs the size of ET’s fingers to be able to reach comfortably into an empty area to trigger the use of the on-screen analogue sticks.

Luckily, you can customise the location and size of each interface button (shown above), but the biggest downfall of on-screen controls is that the shoulder buttons require the same thumbs as the ones also using the on-screen analogue sticks. This makes playing games such as first-person shooters almost a turn-based experience – as you have to lift off the virtual-sticks and use your thumbs to press the R2 button to fire, which results in your character stoping from turning and/or moving. This regularly makes tracking and firing at your enemies at the same time almost impossible!

The desire to use a controller becomes almost immediate once you start to use the app more seriously, and with a controller connected, things do go from okay, to pretty great!

Night and day improvements with an MFI controller!

So we’ve already learned that on-screen virtual stick controls in gaming has never really been a success. Unfortunately, Apple is rather selective on what Bluetooth accessory it allows to pair with its iOS devices, so we’re out of luck pairing up a DualShock4 controller. R-Play does have a work-around for this, however it is rather complex and involves using two PSN accounts and being close to your PS4 – making this method kind of pointless when using your PS4 remotely.

The last breath of hope for the R-Play app comes with the support of Made for iPhone (MFI) hardware, such as our recently reviewed Nimbus controller from SteelSeries. With a wireless Bluetooth MFI controller connected to an iPad, the enjoyment of PS4 gaming on iOS improves greatly. The difference in enjoyment is night and day. No longer does the burden of on-screen controls become an issue, and playing without the clutter of fingers and on-screen controls all over the screen is fantastic! Going through the app’s settings you can set the output stream to run at 1080p at 30fps – 60fps is there too if your bandwidth can cope – but at 1080p/30fps over Wi-Fi, gaming looks and runs pretty sweat on my iPad Pro’s 9.7” display.

The one downside you’ll encounter is that the Nimbus doesn’t have L3 and R3 controls, and it is very likely that there are no MFI controllers out there that will support this either. R-Play also has this covered, with the ability to map at least two buttons together to trigger the L3 and R3 command in the game. I tried to bind L1 and L2 triggers together to activate L3, and the same with R1 and R2 for R3, but this took some getting use to after playing games with a DualShock, but at least there is support in the app for this.

PS4 gaming on iOS

I never did think I’d see the day, but it has eventually taken a third-party app such as R-Play to allow iOS owners a way to connect to their PS4 via Remote Play, all without the need of jailbreaking your device. It is a surprise Sony hasn’t done an official app for iOS, with the likely reason being the inability to connect a DualShock controller to an iOS device. But with that said, R-Play has filled this void very well.

The execution of this app is pretty stellar and at times, for me, it has proven to be worth its relatively small upfront cost. If you’re thinking of gaming regularly via this R-Play app, just make sure you’re prepared to pay a little extra for an MFI controller. The on-screen controls do nothing but frustrate the experience; to a point that it puts you off using the app regularly at all. But on the flip-side, pairing up with an MFI controller makes Remote Play on iOS an acceptable solution if you do not have a laptop or desktop around.

Your own experience with R-Play will vary. Wi-Fi is recommended, and 3G/4G is certainly possible, but as stable as mobile networks can be, it may create a loss in visual quality at times. It also helps to have your PS4 connected to ethernet, along with a decent broadband speed. The game that’s being played will also effect your enjoyment somewhat. If a game requires regular use of shoulder buttons, or the use of L3/R3 buttons, you might as well not bother, or get hold of an MFI controller and get use to the work around. R-Play can suffer with fast-paced FPS games, however games that have more of a slow-pace might work really well, even with on-screen controls.

For a quick game session away from home, or simply browsing PSN whilst on the move, until Sony offers an official solution with DualShock4 support (which seems very unlikely at the moment) you really can’t do much better than downloading the R-Play app.

Download R-Play from the Apple App Store

Three Slots We’d Like to See as Video Games

2019-03-07T19:29:00.000+07:00

To create a truly great video game, you need a strong and compelling story, charismatic characters, and exceptional graphics – not to mention exhilarating gameplay. Interestingly enough, this same formula very much applies to slot machines, which is why we’d be interested in seeing certain crossovers between the two.

It’s already been done one way around, with a number of video games having provided inspiration for their slots counterparts – Tomb Raider, for instance – and with a real degree of success at that. But if we were to switch the components and try it the opposite way, which slot machines would provide the best material?

Here are three slot-inspired video games we’d like to see made.

Rise of the Pharaohs

Source: Pixabay

There are dozens of impressive Ancient Egyptian themed video games out there, from Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris all the way through to The Scorpion King: Rise of the Akkadian, but there’s always room for more – and we think Rise of the Pharaohs would perfectly fit the bill. Drawing on ancient mythology and lore, famous figures like Cleopatra, and even the odd bit of grave robbing for ideas, it would provide plenty of material for an amazingly fun game – think a quest to retrieve the lost treasure of Ramses the Great, perhaps? You can find one of the reviews and a link to where you can play it at Bonus.ca if want to take a look and see for yourself.

Pirates Millions

Source: Pixabay

If ancient civilizations are not really your thing, how about a little adventure on the high seas instead? Slot game Pirates Millions delivers this in abundance, so what’s it all about? Set in the middle of the ocean, under a bright blue sky surrounded by clear, still waters, it begins with a shipwreck, and one lone seafarer floating on a single piece of wood. The iconic black pirate flag can be seen close at hand; a pelican complete with eyepatch also in sight. We’re thinking that properly adapted – with riches galore to find – it would make a pretty diverting video game of its own.

Monopoly

Source: Pixabay

Did you know Monopoly is one of the best loved and most played slots of all time? Given the popularity of its board game counterpart and its cash-centric focus, it’s unsurprising it would translate so well into a casino entertainment – or that it would work as a video game too. Now hear us out: we know it’s been done before, but we still think there’s a lot of room for improvement. The dozen or so adaptations currently out there are largely lacklustre, but adding some of the slot-inspired elements into a new version could really help to ramp up the fun. One thing we can say for certain is this: we’d definitely play it.

Although these may be two entirely separate mediums, it’s fair to say that slot machines and video games rely on many of the same elements to keep them interesting. Draw on successful ideas from one, and you surely have the potential for a pretty great incarnation of the other!

Why We Can Look to Online Casinos for Future Video Game Trends

2019-03-06T20:15:00.000+07:00

The gaming industry is moving at such a rapid pace. It’s crazy to think that less than thirty years have passed since the Super Nintendo Entertainment System hit shelves and brought console gaming to the mainstream. The primitive games and consoles of old have now evolved into open world epics on machines with exceptional processing power, and there is no telling where they could go from here. When trying to predict what’s next for console trends it’s always a good idea to look towards the online casino industry, as this is perhaps the fastest-evolving sector of all.

Casino Games Have Come a Long Way

Gambling is one of the oldest industries in the world, and the betting games have been around for much longer than console offerings. Blackjack has been in existence for over one century in one form or another, and slot games aren’t too far behind.

Slots are a prime example of a game genre that has been developed and refined over a long period of time, which has resulted in the highly advanced and popular machines we know of today. After beginning as clunky metal objects which were lever-operated, they have gone through various incarnations in their long history. First they became electric and things like flashing lights and sounds were introduced, then they moved to an online setting where themes, side games, and additional reels became the norm. Whenever there has been a change or development in technology, slot machines have always been at the forefront. Card games like blackjack, poker, and baccarat have also been improved in the internet era, and there are now loads of new ways of playing the casino classics.

Because the online casino is so fiercely competitive, sites are always looking to steal a march on their rivals. They either do this by offering better bonuses or by getting to technological innovations first. For example, the Planet 7 bonuses include welcome deposits for new players. The site also has some of the most up to date slots on the market. With the way casino games have quickly sprung on new developments over the years, it would be wise for creators from other sectors of the gaming industry to keep an eye on online casinos for emerging trends. Whatever the next big thing is, it seems likely that online casinos will adopt it first.

Virtual Reality Could Hit Casinos First

Many different game developers have been trying to incorporate virtual reality for some time now, but as yet the new technology has failed to reach the dizzying heights that some predicted. This VR Casino Guide explains all the present state of VR casinos. Looking at projections, though, it seems that VR will be huge in the years to come. According to Statista, the annual revenue of virtual and augmented reality combined will be $209.2 billion in 2022. At the same time, the online casino revenue is also expected to skyrocket. These things will doubtlessly be interlinked.

Online casino software developers are already making major steps with the introduction of VR. The biggest news in recent years is Microgaming’s VR Roulette, which enables players to actually stand at a virtual roulette table in the same way they would in a land-based casino. The invention was met with a strong critical response, and if ideas like this hit the mainstream there is no telling where the online casino industry could go. It would almost certainly lead to full scale virtual casinos appearing online and creating a whole new experience.

There are plenty of other trends in the online casino industry that other game developers have replicated in the past. For instance, online casinos were at the forefront of using live streaming when it came into existence. Online casino games are the trends of tomorrow, and by looking to the industry it is easy to see what will be popular in the future.

Trials of The Blood Dragon 2LP Vinyl Impressions

2019-03-06T05:37:00.000+07:00

We’ve seen a huge influx in vinyl releases of video game scores over the past few years and with good reason. Games have some of the most moving and creative musical tracks of any medium. But setting the mood, matching the gameplay, and enhancing every aspect of the overall game is no easy task for composers.

As with any sort of product though, some are higher quality than others. Sadly this seems to especially prominent with the vinyl market. Some releases are insanely overpriced and lack the fidelity customers should expect with these expensive pressings, taking advantage of gamer’s passion in exchange for obscenely priced releases. Luckily, today’s release is easily one of the nicest and fairly priced records I’ve ever had the pleasure of spinning.

If you’re familiar with the Blood Dragon series you’ll no doubt expect a neon-soaked, synth-filled 1980s action soundtrack and Power Glove does not disappoint. The Australian sythnwave duo are back with a vengeance with this follow-up from the highly acclaimed soundtrack to the original Far Cry: Blood Dragon release.

Each track conjures up visuals of fire-fights with cyborgs and ninjas in a Miami night club. The beats are fast, the bass heavy, and the nostalgia as abundant as the amount of yayo on the bathroom floor. If you’re a fan of the highly regarded Hotline Miami soundtrack, you’ll feel right at home blasting this record as well.

Featuring thirty-one all new tracks from the artist, each track is brimming with extreme arpeggios, hard-hitting synths, and even dabbles in the occasional touch of house style music. It was a pleasant surprise to see the album even included a fantastic remix of Carpenter Brut’s ‘Roller Mobster‘. It’s a great ride of thumping tones, bass, and 80’s aesthetic that any fan of the genre is sure to appreciate.

The vinyl itself is a neon pink retrowave dream. It’s easily the brightest pink record I’ve ever seen; more vibrant than even the Drive soundtrack release, and that’s saying something. The 180g LP gives off a fantastic glow especially when spinning on a clear acrylic platter. Adding to the themes and nostalgia, the flip side of each record features a label that resembles the classic clear center of a compact disc. I found this to be a nice little touch that is not only unique but also somewhat ironic.

The sleeve is a thick, high-quality print with a glossy finish. While I would have preferred a matte finish and a fold gate, it’s still presented in a wonderfully printed package. The release includes an insert sheet with all the fictitious movie poster featured in the game. A great touch as I was a huge fan of this art and I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t love these in a larger form. Each record in housed in a high-end protective sleeve with plastic coating around the label areas. This is a definite plus, as with cheaper releases you’re left with only a paper sleeve and an unprotected hole.

Overall Invada Records has produced a wonderfully high quality release with a very affordable £22.99/$29.00 price tag. While their current video game soundtrack library isn’t the largest, I really hope they expand their releases in the future as I found it to be one of the best pressings I’ve experienced. If you’re a fan of the 80’s, or of course Trials of The Blood Dragon itself, you should give this release a go. You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks again to Invada Records for sending me what is now one of my favorite records. If you’d like to get your own, head over to the Invada store!

If you’d like to see more video game vinyl reviews, please let us know!

NOTE: This 33 ⅓ RPM, 180g, 12″ colored vinyl was played on a U-Turn Orbit Custom turntable with an acrylic platter, built-in preamp, Audio-Technica CN5625AL cartridge with conical diamond stylus, and anti-skate counterweight.

The Importance of Shenmue, 19 Years Later

2019-03-06T00:38:00.000+07:00

Ever since I was a small child, I’ve enjoyed video games. They were a fun little distraction to help pass the time whenever my neighborhood friends weren’t home, it was a rainy day, I was home from school sick, or just when I felt like spending the afternoon indoors. I remember devoting what felt like hundreds of hours to games like GoldenEye 64 and Tomb Raider, when in reality I don’t think I actually beat these titles until years later. For the most part gaming was a pastime, not a passion. This all changed in November of 2000.

One night while watching TechTV’s “Extended Play”, a young Adam Sessler presented viewers with a game that demonstrated a “living world”. A world where characters lived their own lives even when you aren’t looking; where you can shop for chips, cassette tapes, milk, and cat food; where visiting arcades, helping near-sighted ladies find their homes, and fighting random drunks was a daily activity. I was instantly interested. It sounded like nothing I, or anyone else for that matter, had ever experienced in gaming. While many open world games boast “living worlds” these days, back in ’00 this was a completely new claim. So of course being the Dreamcast lover that I was, I purchased the game that week.

Fighting thugs in playgrounds was commonplace in 1980 Japan.

Within a few minutes I knew this was something special; something new. I remember pulling my mother into my room to watch the gripping introduction. Seeing the amazingly life-like characters move and speak as if we were watching a film, she seemed even more amazed than I did. The story instantly grabbed me from start to finish. I was engrossed in the plot, the characters…everything. I had never felt such a huge connection to a video game before in my life. This wasn’t like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, a game I absolutely adored…this was something more. I found myself exploring every nook and cranny of the game’s world. This being my first real exposure to Japanese culture, I was keen on slowly understanding this interesting new way of life. I realized for the first time in my life, I didn’t just like video games, I loved them.

Fast forward to today and I’ve never been more passionate about the medium. I consume as many games as I can. Good or bad, it doesn’t matter to me; I want to try them all. While many, many games have become some of my favorites over the years, nothing has ever reached me in quite the same way that Shenmue did. And it’s not just me.

The past couple of years has been a whirlwind for any Shenmue fan. With the announcement and success of the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter, more and more interest has grown in the series so many of us hold dear. Now with the imminent release of Shenmue 1 and 2 remastered for current gen systems, it feels almost like a dream for any Shenmue fan out there.

With interest at an all-time high, and the original two releases being available on nearly every platform next week, Shenmue is going to reach more players than ever before. I’m interested in seeing how people who have never experienced the title feel about playing this twenty-year-old game in a sea of modern titles.

The now infamous forklift racing is a staple of Shenmue.

The game revolves around Ryo Hazuki, a teenager whose life in thrown into uncertainty when he witnesses his father’s murder by a mysterious man named Lan Di. Vowing revenge, you’ll uncover more and more secrets from your father’s youth, travel to distant lands, and meet a plethora of friendly, shady, and even near-mystical characters along the way. It’s a simple, passionate, and intriguing story told in an intimate and moving way unlike any game before it.

Shenmue set out to do something no other game had even attempted at the time; to create a fully immersive world for the player to lose themselves in. Of course whether or not they were successful is purely subjective. However, I’m just going to say it: Yes. They were very successful and I know about 69,320 other people that would agree.

Both take place in real life cities and are recreated in painstaking detail. Obviously they aren’t to full-scale, but landmarks, roads, and even stores are based off of actual locations. Many Shenmue fans have made a pilgrimage to Yokosuka, Japan in order to visit these familiar places that they had only visited digitally before.

The first game is designed in such a way that you find yourself becoming accustomed to the town, the people and the setting. Finding shortcuts naturally and running into familiar faces becomes commonplace and you start to gain a real sense of belonging. You feel at home, while slowly unveiling a shadowy underworld that Ryo never knew about. The second game does the exact opposite. You feel lost, overwhelmed, and alone for a good portion of the game. Meeting new friends and getting help from strangers is your only lifeline in this new and dangerous place. The games are absolutely incredible at creating an atmosphere in line with the story, it’s truly a masterpiece of artistic design.

The amount of stores, people, and complex back alleys are staggering.

While NPCs that live their own, scheduled lives may not sound like much, in 1999 is was so groundbreaking it was considered to be a blatant lie pre-release. Hundreds of characters with individual voices, personalities, and dialog? Impossible. In-game weather system that can be both dynamic or set to real weather reports of the area during that time period? Unheard of. Nearly every building in the town can be entered with nearly every item able to examine or interact with? Ridiculous. This is what most people thought when hearing these statements for the first time. But Yu Suzuki and his team did just that, and more. Think this sounds kind of amazing today? Imagine how it was in 1999.

While the world isn’t anywhere near the size of games like Skyrim or GTA V, at the time no game came close to having such a large, rich, and detailed 3D game world like Shenmue did. It was the first to create an open world that felt alive. It came before GTA III, it came before Morrowind, and in many ways it still feels more real and alive than even the most recent entries in those fantastic series’.

Visually the game was incredible for the time it’s hard to properly illustrate it. It was so vastly above anything video games had seen it instantly caught the eye of anyone who stumbled over a screenshot or video. When you compare it to other games released in the same time-frame, it’s no contest. While it certainly can’t compete with the polygon count or the texture resolution of today’s games, the artistry and craftsmanship still make for an extremely immersive experience and personally I find the visual design to still be attractive even now.

Shenmue released on Dreamcast compared to CounterStrike released the following year on PC.

Along with high-end visuals, the amount of detail in the game is another mainstay for the Shenmue series. Included with the previously mentioned characters, living world, and weather system, there are countless buildings, stores, and rooms that are fully rendered, furnished, and come with their own custom musical ‘theme’ and unique character that dwells or works there. What make this all the more incredible is you aren’t required to, and more than likely won’t set foot in the vast majority of these spaces. I’ve played the second game more than I’d care to admit over the past decade and a half and I still have yet to see every building, let alone store, in the game.

The small details are what make the world itself feel alive. This is what sets Shenmue apart from other games that followed suit. Stores have set hours just like in real life, so if you find yourself there before they open you’ll have to kill some time until the owner arrives. Luckily there are arcades where you can play other real Sega video games accurate to the time period. You can even collect capsule toys of your favorite Sega characters. Why? Because it’s just fun. That’s right, there’s no real mechanic to it other than being something to do for amusement. Crazy right? Buses also run on set time slots. You may have to wait a bit to catch the next one. It’s understandable how some may find these details annoying at times, but that’s what makes the game all the more engrossing. Sometimes things working more like real life other than how you expect it should in a video game is what pushes the player deeper into this digital world.

Just a normal day for the residents of Yokosuka, Japan.

It’s obvious I’m a huge fan of this series, so I’m gonna say it’s perfect right? While in my heart I may feel that way, I know it’s not the truth. The English voice acting can be a bit awkward at times, especially when compared to today’s standards, but from what I’ve gathered from Japanese fans, the Japanese voices are pretty great. Pacing is a huge issue in the first game. Having to kill thirty real-time minutes until characters show up or a store opens can be a tad tedious, especially on repeat play throughs, but they added a “Wait” option in the follow-up to fix this problem. Everyone knows about the forklift job. The way some people talk you’d think it was the worst thing in video game history. While I personally found it fitting to the story and actually enhancing to the narrative, I understand people’s dislike for it. Luckily if you do a decent job working the old docks, you only really work about five times before the story moves on. Another thing some may consider to be a negative is the inclusion of cutscene button prompts, or ‘Quick Time Events‘. While yes, I agree that way too many games use these actions and almost always do a poor job of implementing them, Shenmue is the exception. No only did it invent the idea of QTEs, it includes the mechanic in arguably the best and most enjoyable way of any game to date. Don’t judge them until you play this title.

I guess the point of this article, other than to praise and share my love for Shenmue, is to help give new players an idea of why the game is so important. While I’m sure a lot of newcomers will find the game dated and maybe even “boring” when compared to modern releases, I hope you’ll at least understand just how many groundbreaking things Shenmue accomplished. Odds are, one of your favorite games walked a path forged by Shenmue, adding to it and creating new paths for future creative teams. So all I ask is that you go into these games with an open mind, patience, and wanderlust. The world of Shenmue is there, it’s up to you to explore it.

Desert Child Interview

2019-03-05T05:06:00.000+07:00

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with the creator of the upcoming RPG racer ‘Desert Child‘. From eating ramen and live fish, to taking a long, long holiday; we talk about it all.

Console Monster: Let’s start off with some of the basics; Who are you and what do you do?

Oscar Brittain: My Name’s Oscar Brittain and I’m an independent game developer.

CM: You’re based in Los Angeles, correct? How would you describe the company, and has your location influenced your games in any way?

OB: I’m actually in Fremantle in Western Australia at the moment. I think it’s had a big influence on my game. I tried to put as many locations and bits of culture and music from where I live as I could.

CM: Your upcoming release, ‘Desert Child‘, is a racing RPG, that’s a new one for me. Can you tell us a little more about the title?

OB: Desert Child is a game where you explore a pixel art city, upgrade your hoverbike, talk to people, take jobs, and of course, race. There’s also a multiplayer mode where players can go head-to-head with their friends. It’s all about starting with nothing and working your way to the top (also, eating ramen).

CM: You chose Kickstarter to help fund the game; can you tell me a bit about your experience with the platform?

OB: It was pretty good. I wasn’t sure I was going to get funded, but a bunch of great people rallied around in the last 48 hours and it was a success.

CM: The game seems to be inspired by Cowboy Bebop and Akira, it also takes place in a sci-fi setting; why did you choose that setting and what would some highlights of these inspirations be?

OB: I just like Cowboy bebop and Akira. I like the multicultural and lived-in feeling that those two anime have in their cities. There’s also so much more to world that’s only ever hinted at; that was a big inspiration too.

CM: If you had to choose one single feature of the game to highlight, what would it be?

OB: You can buy a raw fish and eat it while it’s still alive.

CM: Has the team drawn inspirations from any other sources? Film, books, etc.

OB: The team’s just me, and I think I’ve taken influence from basically everything I love. One big thing was internet lofi hiphop streams. In this age of Spotify algorithms telling people what to listen to, YouTube streams are a blessing, especially when you’re coding a game.

CM: I’m loving the visuals of the game! Other than aesthetic, why did you choose this style?

OB: I’m not very good at drawing, so pixel art seemed easy haha. I was always bad at drawing faces, so thats why none of the characters have them. It kinda reminded me of EC from Lift-Off, so I kept it.

CM: In terms of RPG or racing titles in general, which would be the overall team favorite and why?

OB: Racing would be Driver San Francisco, RPG would be Digimon World. Both do something really weird with the genre. I can’t think of a racing RPG that’s really done with a story mode and stuff.

CM: Looks like the Kickstarter was a success, and the game will be hitting nearly every platform, correct? What are some of the difficulties and/or benefits of working with different hardware?

OB: Difficulties are having to pass three rounds of certification! Benefits are more people get to play the game (and I finally have an excuse to splash out and buy a Nintendo Switch!) Also, the Switch version will have single joycon support, so that’s great for multiplayer.

CM: What does the future hold for yourself and your team?

OB: Mostly support for Desert Child on all platforms. There’s some cool Kickstarter rewards that I’m working on right now, too. Then I’m going to take a long, long holiday and hope to god an idea for a new game comes to me.

CM: What are some of the current favorites of the you and team?

OB: I finally got around to playing No Man’s Sky. Rough around the edges, but I don’t think there’s anything quite like it. Also, Getting Over It With Bennet Foddy is like my Milo before bed right now. It’s great.

CM: Thanks for taking to time to answer some questions, Desert Child looks to be right up my alley in terms of style and themes, can’t wait to play it!

OB: Awesome! Thanks for the questions!

Desert Child releases this September. If you’d like learn more about the title, check out the official website.

We Need To Talk About No Man’s Sky

2019-03-04T16:54:00.000+07:00

Every now and again a game appears that sparks instantaneous hype and expectations. No Man’s Sky arguably had the most explosive reveal in video game history. A short but striking premier at E3 2014 had players worldwide hailing No Man’s Sky as “Winning E3 forever” and being an “everything game”. Touting procedurally generated planets and landscapes where there would be “infinite” planets, I was immediately skeptical of No Man’s Sky. Not only of the literal impossibility of infinite planets, but in my experience, procedurally generated games almost always mean unpolished, uninteresting, and unstable. While I’m not saying I knew it would turn out the way it did, I just don’t see why everyone just assumed it would be this amazing, deep, incomparable game. Was it carefully planned hype? The right amount of advertising? Or as I believe it to be, blatant lies.

A new IP from a relatively small indie developer with no previous release of the like under their belts, I knew the title ran the risk of disaster. I wasn’t interested in the game regardless of how I imagined it would turn out; it just didn’t interest me that much. However, because I try my best to play every game I can, I did rent the title. Of course I had heard the horror stories of crashing, freezing, lost saves, and the massive deception that was the mulitplayer aspect, but I still wanted to give the game a go. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed parts of the game. The first few planets were somewhat exciting to explore. Meeting the first few aliens was a gripping experience. Upgrading started off actually feeling rewarding. It was at about the tenth planet where I started to realize I was in a loop. A sort of Westworld robot host, living man-made hell. I did the same things over and over, with only slight differences, but always the same outcome. Due to boredom and lack of good modern cinema, I actually achieved the Platinum on the PS4 version of the game. I walked away tired of the repetitive gameplay, but happy with the bits I actually found enjoyable.

The rest of the world seemed to fall into two extremes; Blind devotion to the title, and ones that wanted development lead Sean Murray dead. Both of these options are pretty ridiculous, and I couldn’t seem to understand why people jumped to these radical stances. Why did gamers feel so strongly about this game in particular? After a bit of research I discovered the source of the anger from those let down by the release. It seems, at least in my opinion, Sean Murray and other members of the Hello Games team made endless promises of features and game mechanics that simply didn’t appear in the final product. Now I’m sure they wanted to include all the ideas and promises they told us pre-release, but the fact of the matter is they were no where to be found. I personally know a handful of people who pre-ordered the title purely for the multiplayer experience that was very much absent in the final product, which wasn’t addressed until after release.

Were they lying to us? I know this is debatable, but I have to say I think they were. They were aware that a major selling point was the multiplayer factor. They knew it wasn’t going to be included in the final release. But instead of making that clear, and potentiality losing loads of sales, they said it would be “nearly impossible” to find another player due to the so-called infinite universe the game featured. They thought, “Hey, this is safe. They can’t really prove we’re lying. Let’s go with that!” Well it backfired hard when two streamers proved this false on release day. Oh, awkward. But Sean Murray being the charmer that he is just brushed it off turning it into an incredible feat rather than proof of a lie. But enough about the original release, let’s talk about No Man’s Sky today.

The No Man’s Sky NEXT update is a complete overhaul to the original release that coincides with the Xbox ONE release. The update will finally be adding online multiplayer for up to four players, third-person mode, actual story missions, enhanced graphics, and a bunch of other stuff I don’t care to list. From what I have read, and the small amount I’ve played, the update is very impressive. I wholeheartedly commend them for releasing this free to all current owners. Well it’s still fifty USD for Xbox owners, since it was previously PS4 and PC exclusive. Oh, and if you bought via GOG.com you’re probably never getting the update, but other than that, 100% free. Is it possible this update was designed to help sales of the Xbox version? I mean no one in their right mind would buy the original version of the game after seeing the disastrous PS4 release. Hmm…nah, they did this for the fans, they love the fans!

But here’s the real question: Should we really applaud this? An update released two years later that add features originally promised for the core game, free or not, doesn’t really sit right with me. While I am truly glad people seem to be enjoying this update, I can’t say I think these practices should be supported. Is it better than nothing? Sure. But I can’t help but be bothered that Hello Games never properly addressed the misleading information involved with No Man’s Sky. A massive amount of fans were unbelievably let down with the initial release. The lack of communication from the developers was unforgivable. And upon looking back at pre-release interviews, it’s clear we were flat-out lied to about what the game would offer. Thanking game companies and creators for taking us out to dinner after they rob us doesn’t fix the problem, it’s still our stolen money they bought us dinner with.

I only played a few minutes of the updated version myself. I know it’s just my opinion, but it’s still boring, it’s still lifeless, and I still just don’t care to explore anything. Don’t get me wrong, I’m positive it’s an improvement, but that wouldn’t exactly be hard. So here’s what I’m asking: Do you think we should be thankful for this update? If so, in what way? I can’t help but see people who have always defended No Man’s Sky, still defending No Man’s Sky. This game invokes a very vicious response to criticism, and I don’t think that’s healthy to the industry.

Lab Zero Developer Interview

2019-03-04T08:23:00.000+07:00

I recently had the pleasure of having a short chat with Lab Zero Games, the team behind the lovely Skullgirls and the highly anticipated Indivisible. Here’s what they had to say.

Console Monster: You’re based in Los Angeles, correct? How would you describe the company, and has your location influenced your games in any way?

Lab Zero: Lab Zero is an indie studio started by the core team behind Skullgirls. We employ nineteen people full time, and have a strong art focus because of our 2D animation expertise.

Just being around Los Angeles’ creative industries has definitely influenced the game. For example, Titmouse, one of our animation partners on Indivisible’s animated opening, is practically down the street from us.

That, and the wide variety of food.

CM: Your upcoming release, ‘Indivisible‘, is a platformer RPG, quite the change from your previous release ‘Skullgirls‘. Can you tell us a little more about the title?

LZ: Indivisible began as a pitch for another publisher, who asked for something “like Child of Light.” We looked at that game and realized it was essentially a platformer with an RPG battle system, which reminded us of one of our favorite PSone games, Valkyrie Profile.

Valkyrie Profile had a fighting-game-like combat system and, having just finished making Skullgirls, we felt that battle style was a good fit for the team.

And the game kind of grew from there. As we started thinking about the story and its themes, the game developed from a platformer into more of a Metroidvania.

CM: The game seems to be heavily inspired by Southeast Asian mythology; why did you choose that setting and what would some highlights of these inspirations be?

LZ: Alex Ahad, our lead concept artist, is Southeast Asian and led the push in that direction. He loved seeing the various mythological depictions in his travels to Myanmar and the Philippines, and wanted to do something like that in a game because there’s a lot of awesome monsters and lore that have mostly been ignored in today’s media.

So not only did it provide fertile ground for new ideas, but we also felt it would help the game stand out.

CM: Has the team drawn inspirations from any other sources? Film, books, etc.

LZ: Aside from the travel inspirations I mentioned before, as any Skullgirls player knows, video games and anime are probably our biggest inspirations, and that’s reflected in our work. In Skullgirls there were a lot of visual references to certain characters, poses and attacks.

That’s true for Indivisible, too. A lot of Ajna’s abilities are inspired by classics like the Megaman X series, Ducktales and Super Metroid.

We’re also big fans of the work of Studio TRIGGER, who we had the honor of collaborating with on our animated opening.

CM: One of the major appeals of Skullgirls, to me at least, was the fantastic animation and hand-drawn artwork. Can we expect the same level of detail with Indivisible?

LZ: Absolutely.

While Lab Zero is of course known for its 2D animation, ultimately we’re about characters, and getting that character to come out in the animations is something we put a lot of effort into.

CM: With the huge crowdfunding success, the game will be hitting nearly every platform, correct? What are some of the difficulties and/or benefits of working with different hardware?

LZ: When we initially funded the game, it was for PS4, Xbox One and Steam Windows, Mac, and Linux. But 505 Games greenlit a port for the Nintendo Switch in 2017, so we’re working on that as well. So, yeah, pretty much everything at this point.

As for difficulties, the real challenge for us is that we have our own internally developed engine, and that means we have to spend time porting and testing everything on each platform. It’s a big investment for a small studio like ours, but we think it’s worth it because we want our fans to be able to play our games on the platform of their choice.

CM: What are some of the current favorite games of you and the team?

LZ: We’ve got a pretty wide range of games being played right now!

Most recently I’ve been playing Hollow Knight and Octopath Traveler on the Switch.

Mike has been checking out Amanita Designs’ Chuchel and Botanicula, along with Wario Ware Twisted.

Mariel and Chris have been playing Nier: Automata.

Alex has been playing Monster Hunter World and Splatoon 2.

Jon’s been playing SOLDAM and Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight.

Earl’s been playing Far Cry 5, A Way Out, Rocket League, and Overcooked.

Brian’s currently working through the Yakuza series and getting good at Beat Saber.

In the office, some members of the team have also been playing Dragon Ball Fighter Z, while others are getting ready for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with the Wii U version.

CM: In terms of RPG and platformer titles in general, which would be the overall team favorite and why?

LZ: As you can see, our team has really diverse gaming tastes, so it’s pretty much impossible to narrow this down to a select few titles.

I realize that’s probably not the most satisfying answer, but it’s actually great for development because it means that the game is constantly being evaluated from a wide variety of different perspectives.

CM: What does the future hold for yourself and your team?

LZ: More games! My job is to keep this awesome and talented team employed, so we’ve already started looking for our next project.

I’d like to thank Lab Zero for taking the time to chat with me and give us a bit more insight into the development of Indivisible. It looks to be something special! You can find out more about the upcoming title over on the official website.

Life’s a Beach with Lara Croft

2019-03-03T23:18:00.000+07:00

The beach opening was held in conjunction with Miss Muretto, a beauty contest held yearly and similar to the Miss Italy contest but for younger girls. The new ‘Pink Beach’ is an exclusive area on the beachfront which will now be completely off-limits to men, allowing ladies to relax and tan themselves without having to fend off any unwanted attention. The beach opening was broadcast across Italy to 10 million people on the national news.

Let us know if you’ll be moving to Italy by leaving your comments below.

Ubisoft: DLC for Assassin’s Creed 2

2019-03-03T06:42:00.000+07:00

What an E3 2009 we are having we’ve been treated to a flurry of Assassin’s Creed 2 content from Cinematic Trailers to Live Stage Demos to Interviews with 2nd in command Jade Raymond. Now, before the games release on November 17th Ubisoft have confirmed that their upcoming title will include Downloadable Content to help Ezio Auditore Di Firenze on his quest.

Assassin’s Creed takes pleace during the Itilian Renaissance in 1486 Venice. ConsoleMonster.com will shortly have a First-Look at Assassin’s Creed 2, so keep tuned. Let us know what your thoughts of DLC by leaving your comments below.