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Sanctum 2 Review

2013-05-20T03:08:00.000-07:00

Platform(s): PC, Xbox 360, PS3

Review Platform: Xbox 360

Release Date: May 15, 2013

The tower defense genre has grown more popular over the last several years, as digital distribution platforms like Steam and Xbox Live Arcade have made it easier for development studios to get their games out there. But, somewhere along the way, the sense of tedium grew as the market was inundated with tower defense titles that did little to innovate within the genre. Last week saw the release of two games that provide something a little different and mix up the traditional tower defense formula. One of those games was Sanctum 2. As a first-person shooter/tower defense hybrid, it immediately presents itself as an interesting prospect.

Sanctum 2 is a game that some may struggle to come to terms with. It doesn’t fit comfortably into the preexisting molds from which it was cast. But, the resulting mélange is an exciting new toy. Half tower defense and half first-person shooter, Sanctum 2 takes a while to get used to. It mixes the two aspects of each genre nicely, but not necessarily in a way that presents itself as immediately comprehensible for the player. But more on that later.

In Sanctum 2 aliens are attacking various outposts that contain oxygen-producing cores. Your job is to fend off the advancing waves of enemies, all the while building a labyrinth of walls and turrets for the aliens to stroll through on their way to the core. You choose from one of four distinct classes, each with their own weapon and a character-specific trait. For instance, the standard assault class is given a trait that causes bullets to gain more damage with each successful hit on an enemy target; and the anti-air class uses ammo that sets enemies on fire, doing damage over time. Each class feels distinctive enough from the other. A universal leveling system gives players the chance to choose from various secondary weapons, perks, and unlocks numerous towers as you level up.

At the beginning of the match, the map you are playing on is void of any structures whatsoever. At the start of each successive wave, a resource and barrel pickup drops on the map. Resources allow players to purchase towers to attach to barrels. Barrels are what players place on the map to create a system of walls that act as a maze, funneling the enemies in as many directions as possible so that they take as much time as they possibly can in getting to the core. Each barrel pickup only drops a set number of barrels and resources, so the building of the maze system is incremental and happens as you complete each successive wave. Throughout the course of a match it is essential to engage in some resource management.

Sanctum 2 is designed to be played as a cooperative experience. Up to 4 players can take to the various maps created for Sanctum 2. There is a story mode—which can be played privately or in public lobbies—that has players completing maps to unlock comic-style storyboards explaining why it is that aliens are trying to destroy the cores. But, the story backdrop ultimately proves to be unnecessary. You don’t have to justify a tower defense hybrid with a storyline. That’s kind of one of the nice things about making games in the genre. You can also engage in a survival mode that can be played in private lobbies with friends, by yourself, or in public matches.

Ultimately, the cooperative experience requires a lot from the player. Playing Sanctum 2 in public lobbies is one of the most exhaustive multiplayer experiences I’ve had in a while. Allow me to explain: Tower defense games, by their very nature, have a strategic element. The strategic element in Sanctum 2 is experienced in the placing of barrels and towers in such a way as to make the enemy much less efficient in accomplishing its goals. Add to that certain enemy types with certain weaknesses and specialized towers that do everything from slow enemies within a certain radius of the tower, to towers that only affect ground forces without armor, and you’ve got the makings of a solid tower defense experience. But, an experience that begins to fall apart when the cooperative aspect of the game is introduced.

The game has a terrible tutorial that explains next to nothing about how things work in Sanctum 2. This creates a situation where players are having to experiment on their own to find out what the rules are. It creates an uninformed player-base creating problems when playing in public lobbies. People clearly didn’t understand several key aspects of the game, because the tutorial failed to introduce certain pillars in the mechanics of the game. The frustration is compounded by the decision to make resource and barrel pickups shared among players. I can’t tell you how many times people just stopped playing near the end of the wave so that they could be waiting in the spot where the pickups drop at the beginning of the next wave. Once a player picks up the resources and barrels they’re gone for good, no longer available for anyone else to pick up.

The developer tried to design around this by making any tower or barrel already placed on the map reclaimable by anyone. For instance, I dropped in to a public match with only one other person in it. He and I were playing on-mic and talking to each other to develop a strategy for barrel and tower placement. Everything was going along fine, until halfway through the match when someone else dropped in. He didn’t like the way we had our barrels positioned and so he went around reclaiming barrels from certain parts of the maze structure, leaving huge, gaping holes where there weren’t towers to defend. He then went around the map reclaiming the towers we had placed so that he could get himself some resources. Once he had the resources he wanted, he placed low-level towers at points in the maze structure that didn’t need additional tower structures. If it sounds like a troller’s paradise, it’s because it is. I can’t tell you how many times I played in public matches where someone dropped in halfway through a match and went on a reclaiming-spree that ultimately led to our losing the match.

The cooperative experience is designed in such a way that it requires you to play with people you know, people you get along with and people that you trust. As it stands currently, the public-lobby cooperative experience is a troll-fest, a frustrating experience full of players sabotaging those who they don’t agree with and backstabbing their teammates if things don’t go the way they want them to.

Don’t get me wrong, if played with a group of good people, Sanctum 2 definitely stands out as a very solid first-person shooter/tower defense hybrid—the only of its kind. It’s worth experiencing for its uniqueness alone. The universal leveling system was a smart choice, and the unlock progression is excellent. The gameplay itself is extremely enjoyable, feeling like an odd but ultimately satisfying combination of Minecraft and the multiplayer of Mass Effect 3. Sanctum 2 also gives players a chance to engage in some fairly high-level strategy for the genre. But, again, all of this is dependent on you playing with well-informed people that you know.

Final Score	“Unique, But With Problems”	7.0
Graphics	Sanctum 2 is stuck somewhere between the last generation and the current generation. It doesn’t look horrible, but it ain’t pretty either. The muzzle flash on guns is a joke, and the way aliens dismember when you blow them up looks like something from the PS1 days. Visually, the game is uninspiring. Aside from the use of some interesting colors, it has little going for it.	6.0
Gameplay	The gameplay is exciting and unique and deserves to be experienced. But, without a group of friends to play with, it can sour really fast. Some of the cooperative design choices lead to player behavior that can be frustrating at best.	7.0
Value	Here’s the deal. Sanctum 2 really is a blast to play, especially for a $15 title. It gives you the opportunity to have a good deal of fun, and chances are you have a friends who you can bring along for the ride anyway.	8.0
Sound	Nothing notable to say here. The music is interesting, but in a campy, genre-specific way. Gun sounds and alien noises ultimately prove dull and generic.	6.0

Review by Jon Hamlin

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Jon Hamlin is a freelance game journalist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He plays too much Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and enjoys a good glass of wine. Occasionally, he can be found commanding his legion of doom on Xbox Live as GeniusPantsPhD. Follow him on Twitter @WordsmithJon, or email him at jonshamlin@gmail.com All Articles by Jon.

E3 Drinking Game

2013-05-19T02:40:00.000-07:00

We are less than a month away from E3. To some, it’s the best time of the year; to others, the worst. Either way, it can be a boring, painful, and cringe worthy event. Every year there is more than a fair share of stinkers. We here at The GameScouts are here to help. Here is the official drinking game for this year’s E3. Feel free to use Microsoft’s options at their reveal on Wednesday, because we’re all going to need some help to get through it. And, Nintendo’s is designed with their E3-Directs in mind since there is no on stage presentation this year.

Enjoy, and drink responsibly. Or, not, it doesn’t affect me.

Article by Chris Lohr

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Chris Lohr is a freelance writer currently in film school. If you’re looking for him to write for your website, manifesto, or Russian bride catalogue, send an email to puddinginasock@gmail.com. Put today’s date as the subject line and include a picture of yourself. Must be DDD free and willing to host. All Articles by Chris.

Metro: Last Light Review

2013-05-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): 4A Games

Publisher(s): Deep Silver

Platform(s): PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Review Platform: Xbox 360

Release Date: May 14, 2013

When Metro 2033 released in 2010, it portrayed a stunning illustration of Russia’s post apocalyptic underworld and its hefty system requirements became the benchmark for PC enthusiasts. The atmosphere and narrative were exemplary, but the sluggish gameplay hampered the otherwise immersive experience and offered very little replay value. Even though I enjoyed the original, the overabundance of post apocalyptic titles this generation makes it hard to care for another desaturated end-of-the-world extravaganza. And although earlier gameplay trailers showcased quite a bit of gameplay diversity, particularly in the stealth department, the sequel returns with the same strengths and weaknesses of the original for an adventure that feels more like a re-make than a fleshed out successor.

Set in the same post-apocalyptic Moscow underworld of the predecessor, Metro: Last Light continues the story of Artyom who sets out to discover the meaning behind the “dark ones.” The dark and detailed environments of Metro 2033 return, but they lack the same atmospheric impact of the original. Aside from the conservative addition of color in a few places, Metro: Last Light carries an unwelcoming sense of Déjà vu. The various underground camps feel like revamped versions of old levels and the few areas of polish only accentuate the lack of diversity in the design. While the PC version provides significantly richer aesthetics, an NVIDIA TITAN (or an Radeon 7970) is needed to fully appreciate the game as intended. Basically…very few gamers will get the most out it. Unfortunately, the Xbox 360 version is a considerable step down. Textures are low quality, the lighting lacks proper contrast in a lot of places, and there’s even quite a bit of pop-up (which is unacceptable seeing that most areas are narrow closed-off spaces).

This isn’t to say that the graphics are bad per se; they just haven’t been properly optimized for consoles. Despite the derivative levels, there are still a few sights worth seeing. The surface levels are now vast open areas that are tricky to traverse and provide a nice visual break from the grim underworld. The dense crumbling exteriors of Moscow are a nice touch, but it’s a shame that the gameplay hasn’t seen much improvement. The sluggish, imprecise shooting of Metro 2033 has changed very little. When hectic shootouts occur, they feel like you’re throwing bullets into the dark and there’s little satisfaction behind landing kills. Making matters worse are the drawn out escort/follow sections…you know the ones that NOBODY likes. One minute you find yourself fighting for your life…the next you’re following an AI companion for what feels like an eternity.

On a brighter note, the stealth mechanics finally feel functional (unlike the embarrassing mess in Metro 2033) and are probably the most enjoyable aspects of the game. There are plenty of opportunities to ninja your way through large sections of the game… and honestly, I wish the entire venture allowed for a stealthier approach. The world of Metro begs for a stealth-oriented experience but is constantly interrupted by poor action sequences and unnecessary handholding.

Upgrading weapons plays a larger part this time around, but you only need a few parts to get by. Get a scope and silencer for the stealth sections, get clip extension and precision scopes for the heavier artillery…and voila, you’re done. I customized my guns only once or twice during my playthrough and never revisited the upgrade kiosks again. The sound doesn’t fare any better. While the guns and environmental effects sound fantastic, the awful stereotypical fake Russian accents are absolutely unbearable. Even the presence of Nolan North and Patton Oswalt can’t remedy the atrocious dialogue.

Metro: Last Light is a strange sequel because for all the things it does right, it makes the same mistakes as its predecessor. The improved and exciting stealth sections are completely ruined by awful shootouts and the game oftentimes forgets that you even exist. You find yourself walking down corridors listening to annoying AI banter for way too long before anything exciting happens. It feels like you’re in control maybe 40% of the time while the rest consists of pressing the analog stick forward until you’re “guided” to the next area. And while Metro has always been a more story driven experience, its narrative is derivative and unexciting making it hard to become immersed in Russia’s crumbling underworld. And how about that 5$ difficulty mode that you need to "pay" for (unless you pre-ordered the game) in order to get a little extra replayability....please…now they’re just messing with us.

Final Score	“Would've Been Great A Decade Ago”	6.5
Graphics	It looks great on a PC, but you need a monster system to run it as intended. The console downgrade is pretty poor. Low resolution textures, pop-ups, lackluster lighting…brown…brown…brown…oh, wait there's some color, no never mind, it's just brown with glowing green mushrooms.	7.0
Gameplay	The stealth sections are a massive improvement…however the rest of the game is as sluggish as before…and a complete bore.	6.0
Value	10-12 hours is pretty solid…too bad most of it consists of walking down corridors listening to annoying AI banter. And now you have to "pay" for a difficulty mode???….pffft…pleeeease!	6.5
Sound	The guns and environmental effects sound superb…but the awful fake English-Russian accents are TERRIBLE! Just listen to the native Russian audio instead.	6.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Tin Salamunic is the founder of The Game Scouts. He is a Video Game Journalist during the day and illustrator by night. He's been obsessed with video games since the early NES days, collecting every major system and game on the market. Video games are the reason he pursued the illustration career and he hopes to be creative director for a video game company one day. All Articles by Tin

Mars: War Logs Review

2013-05-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): Spiders

Publisher(s): Focus HomeInteractive

Platform(s): PSN, PC, Xbox Live Arcade

Review Platform: PC

Release Date: April 26, 2013

Prior to the sales banner debuting on Steam, I knew nothing about Spider’s cyberpunk role-playing game Mars: War Logs. There were no ads, barely any game coverage, almost nothing to promote the game before launch…and it’s a shame because this little diamond in the rough shouldn’t go unnoticed, especially if you’re a science fiction fan. Mars: War Logs can be best described as a Mass Effect and Dragon Age hybrid with a Red Faction overtone. Bioware’s dialogue mechanics are an apparent inspiration with the combat being very reminiscent of Dragon Age, but with a heavier emphasis on melee. It’s a budget title, but its praiseworthy ambition provides a surprisingly immersive adventure with beautiful environments and challenging (albeit sometimes frustrating) gameplay.

Set on Mars a century after a great uprising, Mars: War Logs puts you in the shoes of escaped prisoner Roy Temperance who finds himself in the midst of a battle for water between various factions. The first third of the game revolves around planning your prison escape with Innocence Smith, a young army recruit who also serves as the narrator and your partner AI. During its early hours the game feels much like Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. You run around the refugee camp gathering supplies and recruiting help for the escape while familiarizing yourself with the combat and the game’s lore. The story itself won’t win any awards for originality, but the setting and characters are intriguing enough to carry the narrative throughout.

I decided to use my Xbox 360 gamepad instead of the keyboard as I find third person games functioning better with analog sticks. On the surface, Mars: War Logs is an RPG brawler, but simple button mashing won’t get you anywhere. Observing your enemy’s body language is key to figuring out how to react properly. You have your basic attacks, dodge/parry maneuvers, and a command wheel that pauses the action and lets you assign further skills to the shoulder buttons. Guns and necromancy can be used for ranged attacks, but most battles encourage the use of modified clubs and batons.

The game is tough…excruciatingly tough at times. Regardless of your upgrades, you always feel underpowered when approaching a group of enemies and most encounters take several tries before you can come out victorious. Enemies can beat you down with just a few swings yet it takes a dozen strikes to take out a single opponent. Furthermore, you always find yourself surrounded with distant enemies using ranged attacks to deal damage. It wouldn’t be so bad if your partner AI were actually useful. He’s taken out within seconds and does almost nothing to help out during combat. He’s merely a temporary distraction. However, my biggest gripe is the broken stealth mechanic. You can sneak up on enemies, but you can’t really take them out silently. This approach only serves as a preemptive attack that deals additional damage, but nothing more. It’s a real shame because the level design begs for proper stealth gameplay. Ultimately, you find yourself rolling around the environment avoiding the vicious attacks while practically petting your opponents to death. It sounds worse than it actually is…and I’m only being critical because underneath the frustration lays a blueprint for superb gameplay that’s being bogged down by questionable design decisions. Nevertheless, I still had fun beating down baddies with modded clubs and special powers and honestly, the balancing can easily be patched and I really hope the developers provide some future updates.

Where the game stumbles in the gameplay department, it makes up in its art direction. The sepia covered environments are crammed with detail and each block radiates with personality. For a budget title, the visuals are quite impressive and it’s nice to see so much effort went into crafting a believable world rich in aesthetic extravagance. Roy and the supporting cast are equality well presented, but the same can’t be said for the rest of the characters. Many are derivative models with small permutations in their attire and hairstyles. Making matters worse are the uneven animations, some of which look outright wooden. The result is a beautiful world populated by inconsistent character models and jerky animations.

I called the game a “diamond in the rough” for a reason. Its rough edges aren’t detrimental to the experience…in some instances they actually add to the immersion. The script and dialogue are a prime example. The writing is filled with grammar mistakes and the dialogue oftentimes mismatches the captions. Some words are even mispronounced and I couldn’t figure out whether it’s intentional or not. Strangely enough it ads a bizarre otherworldliness to the conversations and I enjoyed myself more because of it.

Mars: War Logs has plenty of problems, but it’s still a worthwhile, at times even excellent, science fiction venture. It may not have the polish, finesse, or narrative complexity of Bioware’s Mass Effect series, but the developer’s ambition is undeniable and commendable. For only twenty bucks, you’re getting nearly twenty hours of solid gameplay…and last time I checked, that’s more than what most AAA titles offer these days.

Final Score	“A Great Deal for Sci-Fi Fans”	7.5
Graphics	For a budget title, Mars: War Logs looks great. The environments are dense and detailed and the lead characters look spot on. The rest of the characters (including the animations) are a different story.	7.5
Gameplay	I'm confident that with a few updates and tweaks, the gameplay can be improved significantly. As it stands, it's a fun RPG brawler with unforgiving difficulty and a completely useless stealth mechanic.	6.5
Value	Twenty hours for Twenty dollars? Yea, you're definitely getting plenty of value here. The game is incredibly charming and immersive, despite its problems…and if you're a science fiction fan you should definitely check it out.	8.5
Sound	The voice acting is solid…but it's the script oddities and random mispronunciations that make most conversations so hilariously interesting. The music is catchy and fitting…but not particularly memorable.	7.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut Giveaway

2013-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the recently released Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut, we decided to host a little giveaway contest. It's about sandwiches, sins, and strawberry jam. At one point in the game, our hero agent Francis York Morgan tries a Sinner's Sandwich, a delicacy containing turkey, strawberry jam, and cereal. It's supposedly eaten as self-inflicted punishment to atone for past sins.

Soooo...for our little giveaway, we want to see a photo of your best Sinner's Sandwich. We'll select TWO of the most delicious looking pieces and will reward the winners with a free copy of the Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut game for the PSN. Don't forget, the ingredients are: turkey, strawberry jam, and cereal!

Please send your submissions to Tin Salamunic at: tin@thegamescouts.com
The deadline is: May 15, 2013!

We're looking forward to your entries!

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Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut Review

2013-05-06T07:14:00.001-07:00

Developer(s): Access Games

Publisher(s): Rising Star Games

Platform(s): PS3

Release Date: April 30, 2013

Deadly Premonition is ugly, broken, confusing, demented…and also one of the most extraordinary experiences of the decade. It disregards all conventional quality standards and plays by its own rules. It’s juvenile and careless, yet provoking and immersive. It fails as a traditional video game, but succeeds as a work of fiction. How much of its absurdity is intentional remains unclear, but this exceptionally orchestrated disaster has to be judged on its own merits. As one of those rare cases where the failures emphasize the strengths, Deadly Premonition achieves its individuality by being the Ed Wood of gaming – it’s so bad (well, more like odd) that it’s brilliant. Originally released as an Xbox 360 exclusive, Deadly Premonition has garnered a cult following and the reviews have been amusingly split amongst critics. While many despised the near broken gameplay and nauseating visuals, others praised its unique ruggedness as the holy grail of this generation. The Director’s Cut hopes to iron out some of the rough edges and reach the PS3 audience, but are the improvements enough to stretch beyond the game’s fan base or do they compromise the integrity of the original?

In a nutshell, Deadly Premonition is Twin Peaks, the game. Its narrative, characters, setting, and tone, are directly inspired by David Lynch’s spectacular TV series. But even the Lynchian eccentricity doesn’t compare to the absurdness of Deadly Premonition. Playing through the game is equivalent to a tennis match with ping-pong balls. The unpredictability and WTF moments can either be enraging or delightful, depending on how you perceive the bizarre venture.

You play as FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan. York tends to talk to himself…Zach specifically, who represents you the player. He also likes to solve cases with the help of coffee and enjoys discussing B-movie classics while cruising around town. He’s a nut job…and he may be the most unique and interesting character you’ll ever experience in a video game. York is sent to the town of Greenvale to investigate the mysterious murder of a young woman. The seemingly ritualistic nature of the killing is reminiscent of York’s past cases and as he uncovers clues around town, he finds further evidence linking to the killings around the country. Deadly Premonition is an open world horror mystery that plays much like Capcom’s Resident Evil 4. Aside from the raw RE4 DNA, the gameplay is sluggish, slow, and imprecise. It’s far more playable than its Xbox 360 predecessor, but still feels like the basic third person shooter mechanics were shoved down a meat grinder. At the same time, it “compliments” the broken world that it’s in. It manages to reach that perfect balance of being unplayable and a complete joy. It’s indescribable.

Every character in Greenvale is unusual and memorable. Conversations often steer towards absurdity and you’ll often wonder how the script was even put together. Let’s just say that the first inner dialogue with “Zach” is an in depth conversation about Tom and Jerry…yes, the cartoon. Deadly Premonition is filled with varied quests and even sim-like elements. Keeping track of York’s hunger, tiredness, and even cleanliness is a big part of the experience. Shaving, doing laundry, and changing your clothes intertwines beautifully with the rest of the game, especially as York grows on you over time. Missions consist of investigating crime scenes by collecting evidence while putting together clues with York’s “profiling” ability and fighting zombies (or ghosts?) in what seems like a Silent Hill inspired netherworld. Deadly Premonition can be legitimately scary at times…but its creepiness is oftentimes accidental. It’s the combination of repugnant aesthetics and broken sound effects that accentuate the feeling of angst. It’s an uncanny feat, but it works.

The visuals have been supposedly enhanced for the Director’s Cut, but you couldn’t tell the difference unless you had both versions side by side. The increased resolution appears slightly sharper, but the already sluggish framerate is now even choppier. At times Deadly Premonition moves like a slide show but it’s luckily never unplayable. The character models look decent enough (and I’m using “decent” very loosely here), but the environments are an abomination. Textures look like month old vomit and exteriors can be so blurry (especially when driving), it’s hard to tell things apart. Deadly Premonition looks god awful even for a first-generation PS2 title and there are no words to describe it. Ironically, the ugly graphics are a big part of the game’s personality and anything better than this would simply make it into a bad game…instead of a “unique” one. Fans who were concerned that the Director’s Cut would compromise the weirdness of the original need not worry. If anything, this enhanced edition allows players to focus more on the game’s narrative by providing slightly improved controls, but believe me…it’s just as odd as it was back in 2010.

Deadly Premonition: Director’s Cut is nearly impossible to score. It fails in almost every aspect, but is also one of the most memorable and immersive games I’ve ever played. All the broken elements somehow merge into an experience that can’t be summed up by a few paragraphs. I could easily give Deadly Premonition a “1” for the sluggish controls, nonsensical plot, and headache inducing visuals…but why is it then that I enjoyed myself so much? Ultimately, I play games to be entertained; to be sucked into a fictional world inhabited by interesting characters…and Deadly Premonition has them in abundance. Deadly Premonition is an exception…an anomaly that deserves praise for achieving the impossible: It’s the best worst game ever made…and for that, it is flawless.

Final Score	“There's Nothing Quite Like It”	10
Graphics	The worst looking game of this generation. A complete disaster…Ironically, it's what makes it so unique…so depending how you look at it, it could be a 10.	1.0
Gameplay	It's barely functional and just slightly better than the original. But believe me…you won't be playing this gem for its shooting mechanics.	2.0
Value	It's the most bizarre and demented game I ever played. If you give it a chance, you're in for one of the most twisted adventures in gaming history.	10
Sound	The sound effects are so bad and broken, I thought my speakers were failing...It's fantastic. The music, however, is superb and the voice acting/dialogue is unlike anything you've ever heard.	10

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Review

2013-05-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Publisher(s): UbisoftMontreal, Ubisoft Shanghai

Developer(s): Ubisoft

Platform(s): PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Review Platform: PC

Release Date: April 30, 2013

What happens when you give developers free rein to indulge in their fantasies? Blood Dragon happens - a bizarre, delirious, sarcastic, oversaturated and utterly parodistic nod to everything eighties…in short, an absolute delight. Blood Dragon is a standalone title that’s relevant to last year’s Far Cry 3 only in name and gameplay, but nothing else. What started out as Ubisoft’s April fool’s joke somehow made its way into an actual game…and for that, I applaud them wholeheartedly. There are no words to describe Blood Dragon, nor is there anything to compare it to. It’s the video game equivalent to a Mel Brooks film and gamers who grew up with classics like Terminator and Robocop will appreciate its nostalgic humor the most.

Blood Dragon celebrates its absurdity with neon vistas, zebra striped tigers, radioactive alligators, and a protagonist who rips out hearts for money…ehm, credits. The ludicrous premise and overwhelming aesthetics are consistently eccentric without disregarding the superb gameplay of last year’s Far Cry. Blood Dragon is stupid and arrogant in the best way possible and never shies away from obscenity. The narrative unfolds through a series of NES-era 2-d slides with a thick overtone of foul language. There’s a plot there somewhere…about saving the world or something…and of course a madman that you need to nix…but it’s really about taking a bath in neon vomit; beautiful, radiating, 80’s disco neon vomit.

The game doesn’t take itself seriously for a second, but never looses sight of its core mechanics. In a way, Blood Dragon highlights the best parts of Far Cry 3 with a greater focus on stealth. Every mission can be played stealthily (with the exception of a few necessary shootouts) and there are plenty of garrison liberation side missions scattered throughout the new island. These fortified posts are exceptionally challenging with boats, jeeps, and even helicopters circling the premises. Trying to sneak through them completely undetected can be tricky…and incredibly satisfying.

Weapons are upgradable by completing additional objectives, like rescuing scientists and hunting rare animals, and leveling up still plays a role but it’s been streamlined. As you rank up, you gain abilities and bonuses associated with that level instead of distributing skill points. It works well considering the smaller size of the game and you still get a sense of growth as you acquire deadlier skills.

The biggest addition to Blood Dragon are…well, the blood dragons. These massive dinosaur-like creatures are deadly and a pain in the ass to kill. They change color depending on their alert level and once they turn red, it’s best to stay out of their way. Since they are blind and only react to sound, you’re best off crouching when they’re nearby. A freshly plucked heart can be tossed to lure them towards enemies, which is extremely beneficial when infiltrating military outposts.

Visually, the game is like having an acid trip on an exploding roller-coaster The environment feels like an outdoor disco with mutated zoo animals on the loose…it’s spectacular. It captures the eighties aesthetic beautifully and is a refreshing contrast to last year’s exotic vistas. The nighttime does get a little monotonous at times and the entire island tends to lack diversity. Nevertheless, considering you’re getting an entirely new sandbox for a mere fifteen bucks, there’s not much to complain about.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is the most delightful franchise oddity of this generation. It’s a fantastic homage to eighties' science fiction flicks and preserves the superb gameplay that made last year’s Far Cry 3 such a masterful experience. Even if you don’t get a single joke, Blood Dragon offers a solid six hours of gameplay on a brand new island that feels like a non-stop disco party. It’s crazy, it’s demented…it’s brilliant.

Final Score	“Deliriously Spectacular”	9.0
Graphics	Beautiful neon coated vistas with fantastic lighting and twisted looking blood dragons. However, the scenery lacks diversity throughout and makes the island feel smaller than it actually is.	8.0
Gameplay	As brilliant as last year's Far Cry 3. The greater emphasis on stealth means you have more flexibility with each mission and the liberation side missions are as fun as ever.	9.0
Value	For only fifteen bucks, you're getting six hours of pure bliss. There's really nothing like Blood Dragon out there and it's worth every penny.	9.0
Sound	Music by Power Glove? Yes please! Absolutely spectacular, inducing the ridiculous voice acting.	9.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Stinky Footboard is Fully Funded

2013-05-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

A little while ago, we reviewed the revolutionary Stinky Footboard controller and I'm happy to report that their Kickstarter campaign has been fully funded. Their goal of $75,000 has been surpassed with a total pledge of $79, 562. The board will be available for sale in June for $119 and you can check out the developer's site for purchasing details. The Stinky Footboard takes gaming to an entirely new level by allowing you to map up to four keys/commands to its four sectors for additional gameplay support. For more details about the functionality and our final verdict, check out our full review.

Last Month in Gaming: April 2013

2013-05-02T07:24:00.002-07:00

My apologies readers! I’ll promise that I’ll try hard to make this the only Last Month in Gaming you see this year. Last week was a busy one for me, and a few of my writing responsibilities slipped my mind. With that out of the way, we can finally start last month’s This Month in Gaming for April 2013!

LucasArts Closes

Early in April, gamers were given the news that longtime game developer and publisher LucasArts was closing its doors for good. While heartbreaking in its own right, it didn’t necessarily come as a surprise to those of us who have followed LucasArts over the past several years. The publisher had a knack for starting projects that would never come to see the light of day. Couple that with a lack of vision and direction for the company because of so many changes in upper-management and it’s easy to see how the financial instability that had plagued the company for the past several years, eventually became its downfall. It wasn’t a good start to the month.

Microsoft Prepares to Unveil Next Console

Until recently, Microsoft had been pretty mum regarding a possible reveal date for its next home console. Mark your calendars for May 21, ladies and gentle-toads, because that is the day that Microsoft is going to try and convince you that it has more to offer than Nintendo and Sony. While the reveal of the Microsoft console is interesting enough in and of itself, the thing I’ll be watching for is how Microsoft addresses the controversies it has been mired in for the last couple of months. Rumors about an always-online Microsoft console have been circulating for some time, but the rhetoric around that rumor ramped up when, now former, Microsoft Creative Director Adam Orth had an outburst on Twitter, essentially telling people worried about the possibility of an always-online Nextbox to piss off. Microsoft can’t afford to have a bad E3. In order to have a good E3, they need to polish off their public image, and that means using the reveal on May 21 to directly address some of the more unsavory rumors that have been going around. They can’t afford to spend their E3 press conference talking about things like always-online.

Nintendo Continues to Confuse

Nintendo hasn’t been doing very well since the tail-end of last year. The Wii U hasn’t sold well at all. In fact, in February and March, the Wii outsold the Wii U in the United States. Nintendo hasn’t been hitting monthly sale projections and their quarterlies are looking even more dismal. It has a lot of people worried, myself included, who would like nothing more than to see a second Golden Age for Nintendo. At the end of April, Nintendo pulled a fast one on those of working in the game press when it announced that it wouldn’t be holding an E3 press conference. Nintendo wanted to be clear: They would be at E3, but they would be hosting two smaller events in lieu of a large press conference. One event would be an invitation-only affair for the press, and the other event a small pavilion where they would—presumably—showcase some games. This announcement dumbfounded many people in the industry, who saw E3 as Nintendo’s only shot to reinvigorate what little consumer-base it had by showcasing some of the games planned to release later this year, games that the console desperately needs. Say what you want about the relevance of E3. It remains the single most popular and widely covered event dedicated solely to videogames that the industry has. It’s where consumer-bases are built and maintained, which is why it is important for Nintendo to really come out in force… or why it was important.

There it is! Last month’s This Month in Gaming! May should prove to be an interesting month as publishers, developers, and console manufacturers all prepare to put the final touches on their E3 projects. Hopefully, Nintendo’s sales will bump a little in anticipation of the announcements of the next Super Smash Bros. game, as well as the yet unrevealed Mario Kart and Zelda games, respectively. Either way, they have a rough road to travel to June.

Article by Jon Hamlin

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Jon Hamlin is a freelance game journalist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He plays too much Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and enjoys a good glass of wine. Occasionally, he can be found commanding his legion of doom on Xbox Live as GeniusPantsPhD. Follow him on Twitter @WordsmithJon, or email him at jonshamlin@gmail.com. All Articles by Jon.

Knife of Dunwall Review

2013-04-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): Arkane Studios

Publisher(s): BethesdaSoftworks

Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Review Platform: Xbox 360

Release Date: April 16, 2013

How long did it take you to complete the original Dishonored? Five hours? Eight hours? Twenty hours? I personally spent an embarrassing amount of time sneaking through the campaign without killing a single soul. You see, Dishonored rewarded the stealthy approach with a rich and complex experience while pretty much giving the middle finger to those solely relying on guns and grenades. Dishonored redefined everyone’s expectations of the genre and gave players the necessary tools to shape their own path to victory without the kind of handholding that’s plagued this generation for years. Knife of Dunwall continues this trend by introducing new environments, new gameplay mechanics, and a new protagonist with a rich and rewarding narrative at a mere ten bucks.

Meet Daud, the murderer of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin. The story begins with a flashback to the day the empress was assassinated. As he makes the kill, Daud is pulled into the Void where the mysterious Outsider confronts him. The Outsider tells him that “his story will soon end”…but how entirely depends on whether he finds Delilah. But who or what is Delilah? Six months later Daud learns of a whaling ship named Delilah docking at the Rothwild Slaughterhouse and he sets out to search for clues with his protégé Billie Lurk. Playing from Daud’s perspective feels familiar, but there are enough changes separating the experience from Corvo’s adventure. Unlike the quiet Corvo, Daud speaks and serves as the narrator between each chapter. Michael Madsen does a spectacular job voicing Daud and his internal dialogue ads a whole new layer of depth to the narrative.

It wouldn’t be Dishonored without the spectacular magic skills and Knife of Dunwall ads enough gameplay tweaks to spice up the already stellar stealth mechanics. The Blink ability has been modified to temporary freeze time and can be activated at will for quick directional changes. For example, you can jump, then hold Blink in mid air while rotating the camera, and quickly change directions to easily confuse alerted enemies. It may be a small change, but it allows for more strategic traversal through the environment. Daud can also summon an assassin to either distract guards or assist in battle. It’s an effective ability, but not very stealthy. Even if summoned behind an enemy, the assassin attacks head on and it would have been nice if you could command a stealthier approach.

While the rest of the gameplay remains unchanged, the new levels offer plenty of opportunities for experimenting. The slaughterhouse in particular is the most diverse in its design. Not only is the area expansive, you also meet new enemy types, like the butchers, who are particularly tricky to eliminate. If you thought the later levels of the original Dishonored were tricky, then make sure you’re ready for Knife of Dunwall. Each block is swarming with patrolling guards and getting through unseen is much more difficult than before. Completing the DLC can take anywhere between two to five hours, depending on your playing style. Much like before, you would be missing out if you were to play with guns blazing. If you’re a fan of Dishonored, Knife of Dunwall is a no-brainer, especially considering its affordable price tag. Playing from Daud’s perspective feels refreshing, especially considering the small gameplay tweaks, and some of the new levels rival the best sections of the original Dishonored.

Final Score	“A Real Treat for Fans”	8.0
Graphics	The engine is certainly showing its age, but no one can deny the spectacular art style. While the last two levels feel very "familiar", the Slaughterhouse feels fresh and unique.	8.0
Gameplay	Knife of Dunwall expands upon the superb stealth mechanics of the original Dishonored by adding/modifying the magic skill abilities for more strategic tactics. An absolute blast.	9.0
Value	It's only ten bucks and offers a solid five hours of gameplay if you explore everything. However, the first half is significantly stronger in design than the last section of the game.	8.0
Sound	Michael Madsen does a spectacular job voicing Daud and the rest of the cast is just as admirable.	8.5

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Top 10 Mortal Kombat Characters

2013-04-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Mortal Kombat is one of those timeless videogame franchises. Since 1992 it has been causing controversy and delighting gamers the world over. Scouring the Internet, you’ll notice that there are plenty of Top Ten lists naming off the best Mortal Kombat characters. Being a fan of the series, I wanted to take a crack at it myself. There are a couple of ground rules I want to establish first: 1.) Glitch characters will not be included. 2.) The characters have to have been playable at some point in the series. 3.) I totally expect this list to piss Mortal Kombat fans off, but please don’t be obnoxious about it. Now, I’m not just going to throw a list at you without explaining the criteria I’m taking into consideration. When drawing up the list, I was looking at the overall aesthetic of the character. How do their costumes look? Do they have any particularly memorable moves? How badass are they? But, I also looked at more abstract things, like a particular character’s popularity among fans, and perhaps most importantly, the character’s legacy within the Mortal Kombat universe. Have they done anything particularly important? What is their role within the stories interwoven into the games? Now that that’s out of the way, let’s begin!

No. 10

Smoke

First playable in Mortal Kombat 3 via the use of an unlock code, Smoke is one of the franchise’s many ninja characters. In MK 3, Smoke was playable in his cyborg form. Of the three (later four) cyborgs, Smoke is the only one to manage to regain his soul after cyborg automation. When he was announced for 2011’s Mortal Kombat, fans were excited, and his popularity has only grown since the game’s release two years ago. He’s extremely agile and arguably the most difficult ninja to defend against in relation to the speed of his attacks. He’s also the only ninja that can teleport, in the truest sense of the word. While Smoke hasn’t necessarily contributed much to the franchise as far as story is concerned, his popularity among fans cannot be denied.

No. 9

Johnny Cage

I just want to go on record as saying that I can’t stand Johnny Cage. I think most people can’t stand him. I really didn’t want to include him on the list, but I also didn’t want my hatred to cloud my judgment. He is one of the franchise’s original characters and has managed to be playable in almost every single Mortal Kombat since the very first game in 1992. Aside from being the character who has died and been resurrected the most in the Mortal Kombat universe—thank you Raiden!—Johnny Cage somehow always manages to make himself useful. He’s been with Liu Kang and Kung Lao at many of their most intense and important fights, and has landed the killing blow on Goro a couple times, allowing Liu Kang to continue on and find Shao Khan. Also, he’s the only character you can use to punch other players in the nuts, and that’s got to count for something.

No. 8

Kitana

Let me just go ahead and save some of you a little bit of time: Mileena will not be on this list. I’ve chosen to include her half-sister instead. Kitana uses one of the few iconic weapons in the Mortal Kombat franchise: her Steel Fans. She’s very fast and has always been one of the more difficult characters to fight against because she plays a great keep-away game, but also has the ability to be devastating up close. Aside from being a pretty badass combatant, I find her role within the Mortal Kombat universe to be one of the more interesting ones. An Edenian Princess, Kitana’s parents were murdered by Shao Khan in his attempt to take over all realms. Kitana was raised assuming that Shao Khan was her father. Of course, the ruse was only kept up for so long before she learned the truth. The transformation her character goes through is one of the more poignant ones in the franchise, going from loyal “daughter” of the man who killed her real parents to vengeful Edenian Princess. When you stop to think about it, she had a pretty f*#ked up childhood filled with the kind of revelations that would completely break most people.

No. 7

Sindel

Oh, my… the plot thickens. As if Kitana having to deal with all that stuff I mentioned above wasn’t enough, Shao Khan decides to resurrect this Queen of Edenia, Kitana’s mother, and have her fight for him against the heroes of Earthrealm. Despite not being playable in many of the Mortal Kombat games, Sindel has played a major role in Mortal Kombat universe. She is queen to a realm that is one of Shao Khan’s central battlegrounds in his effort to rule all realms. She’s been there every step of the way. After serving as a brain-washed minion under Shao Khan’s spell, Kitana is eventually able to convince Sindel that what she is doing is wrong. Sindel soon switches sides, becoming one of only two evil characters to ever fall in with Raiden and the “Earthrealmers.” As a combatant, she is one of only two characters that can fly, and I think that by now any of the special moves involving hair are instantly recognizable by fans as those belonging to Sindel.

No. 6

Shang Tsung

Shang Tsung is an asshole. That’s pretty much all there is to it. But, as Shao Khan’s right hand man there really isn’t any way I couldn’t include him on this list. He’s the only character with the ability to mimic his opponent’s move set, and his fireballs give him one hell of a keep-away game. He is one of only two sorcerers in the Mortal Kombat universe and is an all-around brutal and badass enemy. Whereas Shao Khan mostly barks orders, it’s Shang Tsung that players see doing the dirty work. Unlike Quan Chi, he doesn’t hold much influence over Shao Khan. He’s there at almost every turn to thwart Earthrealm’s plans. He’s devious, and often sets special handicaps for Earthrealm fighters during the Mortal Kombat tournaments. Shao Khan relies on him to advancement his plans, making Shang Tsung one of the most important characters in the entire Mortal Kombat universe.

No. 5

Liu Kang

Arguably the single most important character fighting for Earthrealm, Liu Kang has been with the franchise since day one. One of the most popular characters, his claim to fame is defeating Shao Khan multiple times in the Mortal Kombat tournament and saving Earthrealm. His popularity probably has to do partly with the fact that he is one of the more accessible characters. Aside from being incredibly important to the Mortal Kombat universe, the voice-over work done for his character in the original Mortal Kombat has become canon for Mortal Kombat players and non-players alike.

Nos. 4 & 3

(4)Sub-Zero and (3)Scorpion

Oh, yes. It’s that time in the list where I start bringing out the big guns. I can feel your rage and anticipation building! Sub-Zero and his doppelganger ninja Scorpion, are two of the most iconic fighting game characters of all time. Never mind the incredibly interesting stories of why these two are always trying to kill each other, never mind the iconic costumes, nope. The thing that makes these two so special is that they embody the brutality and over-the-top violence the franchise is known for. It even transcends that and delves into the very essence of the idea of revenge and conflict by opposing two completely opposite elements with one another: ice and fire. Each element carries with it its own associations and characteristics, and it’s just as much the choice between ice and fire that draws players to these two characters as it is the undeniable icons that they are. No Mortal Kombat game is complete without them.

No. 2

Raiden

I’m sure the fact that I didn’t put Sub-Zero at No. 2 and Scorpion at No. 1 is going to rub many of you the wrong way, but I don’t really care. Everyone knows the God of Thunder. Raiden, just as much as Sub-Zero and Scorpion, is an iconic character in the franchise. I mean, for f#%k sake, he’s a GOD! He’s considered to be one of the most, if not the most powerful character in the franchise and has the ability to teleport, fly, and control lighting. How cool is that? You couldn’t imagine Sub-Zero without his ice, or Scorpion without his fire. The same is true for Raiden. Take his lighting away and he is nothing to fans. It’s how we identify him. He’s also one of the most varied characters in the story to Mortal Kombat. Earthrealm would not even exist if it were not for Raiden and Liu Kang. Yeah… so, there’s that… kind of important. But, later on in Mortal Kombat: Deception and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon his role shifts to that of vengeful God. His only wish is to see Earthrealm kept safe, and he will go to any length to ensure its peace. He is a central character in the Mortal Kombat universe and has more than earned his spot on this list.

No. 1

Quan Chi

Alright, get it out of your system. Scream, kick, throw stuff… whatever you have to do. Done? Okay. Quan Chi is scary as hell. He’s the most powerful sorcerer in the Netherrealm (which he rules, by the way). In addition to controlling the souls of those unfortunate enough to be sent to Netherrealm, he also manages to put a leash on Scorpion at some point! Now that is no easy task, my friends. He’s always been weird to fight against, as he contains an annoying drop-down move and plenty of low attacks as part of combos that can easily catch an opponent off-guard. His versatility has made him relatively popular among tournament players. But, it isn’t just his prowess in combat that has earned him the No. 1 spot. It’s also the fact that he is the guy—along with Shinnok—who is really controlling what’s going on in the Mortal Kombat storyline. Even most of what Shao Khan plans is, at some point, raised as a suggestion by Quan Chi. Unlike Shang Tsung, Quan Chi holds influence over Shao Khan, he knows how to manipulate him. He’s opportunistic, making him an unreliable ally at best. This is the guy who tricked Shao Khan, Onaga, and Shang Tsung into teaming up in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon so that he and Shinnok could do away with anyone who may compete with them for control of the realms. He’s had a hand in the plots and plans of every villain in the Mortal Kombat universe, either directly or more subtly. He is the evilest of the evil and one of the more intriguing characters in the roster.

Article by Jon Hamlin
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Jon Hamlin is a freelance game journalist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He plays too much Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and enjoys a good glass of wine. Occasionally, he can be found commanding his legion of doom on Xbox Live as GeniusPantsPhD. Follow him on Twitter @WordsmithJon, or email him at jonshamlin@gmail.com. All Articles by Jon.

Am I Getting Too Old For This?

2013-04-24T11:42:00.001-07:00

Don’t take anything you are about to read too seriously, folks.

Let’s be clear about one thing: I’m 24 years old. But if you think I’m actually 24 years old, you’re wrong. If I am 24 in Earth years, that means I’m 37 in Gaming years. 37! Let’s face it, gamers follow the same development trajectory tennis players do. We learn we like to game at an early age, and we do it lot, but we aren’t particularly good at it. Then we become teens, where technique and reflexes are honed and perfected. Then the 20s come. For some gamers it’s when they hit their prime. But for others, it’s when reality, life, and age catch up with us. And by the time we’re in our early to mid-30s, the best of our years are nothing more than a distant memory.

Recently, I was playing Injustice: Gods Among Us for review, more specifically I was playing some S.T.A.R. Labs missions. Very early on in one of the Superman missions, I got stuck. For those of you wondering, it was mission 6… or maybe it was 7… see, old age. It catches up with you fast. What was I talking about again? Oh, right. So, I played this mission 46 times before I finally beat it. 46 godforsaken, fucking-bloody-puss, hissing-snakes-and-slimy-eels times! After I beat it I sat there, stunned into silence and near paralysis by a sudden feeling of inadequacy. Then I went into the online multiplayer lobbies and tried my hand at a few online matches.

My first match I was pummeled by someone playing as Harley Quinn. Oh, how my ego was not-at-all massaged. I narrowly escaped—notice I said escaped—defeat in my second match. I would then go on to lose the next four matches in embarrassing form. And I’ve always considered fighting games to be sort of my genre. I’ve always been good at them. Hell, I’ve even played them competitively before. What the hell is going on, I thought. Then I asked myself a question: Am I getting to old to be good at games?

Like I said, I’m 37 years old. I thought back to all the online multiplayer games I’ve played over the last several years. Battlefield 3? Hmm… got my ass kicked at that one. Call of Duty? Which one? All of them… got my ass kicked at all them. Crysis 2? Ha! I could barely compete and Crysis 3 doesn’t even give me a chance. Assassin’s Creed III multiplayer? Eh… it could be worse, I suppose. Starcraft II? Those matches are done before they even begin.

And I thought more, and as I thought more terrible truths made themselves known to me. I realized that the only games I tend to be “good at” anymore are ones with a single-player focus. Racing games, RPGs, Action/Adventure and turned-based strategy games… I can run gangbusters in those types of games. No! No! This can’t be! How is this possible? Am I done?! Is this my life now?! And then the world went dark.

24-year-old me didn’t want to believe what 37-year-old me has discovered. He fought it hard and very long for about 3 minutes and 27 seconds. Somewhere between getting up and walking to the fridge to make a sandwich and sitting back down again, I had made my peace. I was done for… I was now the gaming equivalent of Sylvester Stallone. My avatar is probably wondering around Xbox Live as we speak, mumbling incoherently and pooping in his adult diaper. The best of my multiplayer days are behind me, and with all the multiplayer features being worked into traditionally single-player games, well… let’s just say that I sucked at SimCity too. The simple fact of the matter is that I’m going to be a noob at everything I play for the rest of my life.

Article by Jon Hamlin

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Jon Hamlin is a freelance game journalist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He plays too much Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and enjoys a good glass of wine. Occasionally, he can be found commanding his legion of doom on Xbox Live as GeniusPantsPhD. Follow him on Twitter @WordsmithJon, or email him at jonshamlin@gmail.com. All Articles by Jon.

Stinky Footboard Review

2013-04-24T04:29:00.000-07:00

It seems strange to imagine playing video games with the aid of your feet. After all, most of us have grown up with gamepads in our hands and even the transition to motion controls didn’t go too well with some gamers. At the end of the day, the classic gamepad and keyboard/mouse combo continue to be the preferred tool for gaming. Now picture a device that doesn’t replace your current control setup, but instead enhances it by providing more accessibility and flexibility. This is where the whimsically named Stinky Footboard comes into place. It’s a slickly designed foot pedal that can be used to replace up to four buttons/commands to complement the conventional gaming experience.

It’s a somewhat ridiculous premise that works surprisingly well. But gaming with your feet can’t feel right, can it? Think of it this way, most of us drive on a daily basis and we use our feet instinctively without even thinking about it. In one way or another, everyone exercises their foot reflexes every day. There’s a slight learning curve, or rather an adjustment period, but using your feet for additional gameplay support feels surprisingly natural. If you’re a hardcore gamer and want to expand your gameplay possibilities, the Stinky foot controller is a truly unique invention that deserves your attention.

Slick, Sturdy Design

The Stinky Footboard is quite small. It’s slightly larger than your average sneaker and only uses one USB cable to plug into the computer. A thick, matte, black base slickly frames its silvery metal plate and looks really great next to a gaming setup. It feels light, but has enough weight to stay in place during intense gaming sessions. The USB chord plugs into a slot at the bottom of the pad and even has a narrow crevice for the cable so the base can sit flat on the floor. The design is quite impressive and takes up very little space, especially since you can easily slide it to the side when not in use.

Super Easy Setup

Installing the Stinky Footboard is as easy as plugging in a gamepad. Your PC automatically detects the hardware and all you need to do is download the software from the official site. It takes mere seconds before you’re ready to jump into action. As you can see in the screenshot below, each numbered sector of the board can be programmed to match the desired keys on a keyboard. You can also select various actions for each quadrant based on your gameplay preferences. Normal refers to a typical keyboard press, Key Down acts as a single down/up press, Pulse performs rapid keystrokes, and Unbound leaves the area unused. I found myself going back to the Normal setting, as it was the most useful for regular gaming.

Once you have a satisfactory set-up you can create a profile that makes switching between various titles a breeze. Keep in mind that programming the key presses works for both the keyboard and gamepad. Whatever gamepad actions are equivalent to the keyboard keys, you use those keys to program the Stinky Footboard.

Stinky in Action

The Stinky Footboard can be used with one or both feet and rotates vertically and horizontally to suit your comfort level. It takes some time to adjust using both feet and I found myself switching back to my left foot as it felt more natural. Additionally, you can adjust the screws on the bottom of the base to tighten or loosen the pressure sensitivity and Stinky even comes with additional springs to accommodate different tensions.

Dozens of games from each genre were used for testing and the results were quite pleasing. Our first round consisted of several FPS titles, like Metro 2033, Dead Island, Bioshock Infinite, Crysis, Portal 2, and several others. Pushing forward was mapped for running, back/down for crouching, left for throwing grenades/secondary weapons, and right for switching weapons.

The running and crouching commands felt extremely responsive and provided unprecedented aid during fast paced gaming. However, tapping left and right for weapon switching and grenade throwing was a little more challenging. I found myself instinctively using my hands for the secondary commands and couldn’t help but pause for a second when trying to tap left/right with my feet. Ultimately, the forward and backward actions proved to be more efficient and I ended up disabling the other two quadrants. Everything ran flawlessly except Dead Island. I couldn’t use the Stinky Footboard in combination with my Xbox 360 gamepad, although it worked just fine when using the keyboard. But this isn’t really a major issue as hiccups like these are easily fixed with future driver updates.

The second round of tests focused on driving games. Grid, Dirt, Need For Speed, you name it. We tried mapping a combination of functions, forward for gas, back for break/reverse, and left and right for either switching camera angles or looking back. Driving was much harder to control as the accelerator/break combo couldn’t provide the same pressure precision as a gamepad or steering wheel. However, using the secondary commands for switching camera angles and looking behind the car worked beautifully.

The ultimate test was with RPG and Strategy games. This is where the Stinky Footboard dominated. Games that rely on complex key-layouts benefited extraordinarily from the foot controls. A few rounds with Xcom: Enemy Unknown while using the Stinky Footboard and I couldn’t imagine going back to my regular method of gaming. Being able to switch characters on the fly while tapping my feet felt absolutely amazing. Playing Dragon Age with the Footboard felt like playing an entirely different game. Mapping potion and magic actions to various quadrants was exhilarating and provided a much more immersive gameplay experience. Any title that relied on inventory management worked flawlessly with the Stinky Footboard and veteran MMO players will immediately fall in love with the extra support it provides.

The Verdict

The Stinky Footboard is a revolutionary product. Don’t be fooled by its silly name and odd premise, this could very well define the future of hardcore PC gaming. While the 120$ price tag seems like a hefty investment, it’s as essential to a true gameplay experience as a keyboard or gamepad. If you pledge 89$ on the Developers’ Kickstarter page, they’ll reward you with a complete Stinky package, so check out their page for more details. After spending a week with the Stinky foot controller and testing it on a plethora of different titles, it’s hard to imagine going back to just using my hands for gaming. A truly unique invention!

Final Score	“Revolutionary”	9.0
Design	The Stinky Footboard is slick, stylish, and looks excellent next to a gaming set-up. However, as humorous as the name is, I feel it might turn away some gamers. Let's hope that's not the case.	8.5
Installation	A piece of cake. Installing the Stinky Footboard is as easy as plugging in a gemepad. Mapping the keys takes only seconds and it's a breeze to switch between various game profiles.	9.0
Usability	You might not think you need this until you try it. It will change the way you game forever. Strategy and MMO gamers will get the most out of the Stinky and FPS veterans will embrace the edge it provides during competitive gaming. Superb!	9.0
Price	It may seem pricey…but then again, so are quality keyboards and this is just as essential to a full gaming experience. However, the Kickstarter deal makes this much, much more appealing.	8.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Tin Salamunic is the founder of The Game Scouts. He is a Video Game Journalist during the day and illustrator by night. He's been obsessed with video games since the early NES days, collecting every major system and game on the market. Video games are the reason he pursued the illustration career and he hopes to be creative director for a video game company one day. All Articles by Tin

God Mode Review

2013-04-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): Saber Interactive, Old School Games
Publisher(s): Atlus
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Review Platform: PC
Release Date: April 19, 2013

Gone are the days when horde modes were an enjoyable part of your favorite shooters. With God Mode, developer Old School Games is looking to convince you that a horde mode is worth an entire game in and of itself. But does this new kid on the block hold its own against all the other playground bullies? Let’s find out with our review of God Mode!

God Mode sounds just crazy enough to work. You play as someone who recently experienced a less than savory death, and are sent to Hell. For some reason or another, you don’t particularly like it there, and you and a few other of your eternally damned besties are looking to bust out. Thus is the premise of God Mode. Upon booting up the game you’ll be greeted by your “Spirit Guide”—think of a more twisted Disney villain—who explains to you that you are in Hades, or, “Hell with a toga”. Matches are designed around four-player co-op and are carried out over five different maps with three difficulty settings. Each map has five or six different Tests of Faith, different areas of the map that, upon completion, open up the next area and so on. Each Test of Faith sets certain stipulations for that area. Some may be helpful, like infinite ammo; and some may be extremely unhelpful, like an ammo drain. Tests of Faith are also littered with ammo, health and armor pickups that can be had at any point during the match. At the beginning of the match players may also set Oaths, which act almost exactly the same as Skulls in the Halo campaigns, making it more difficult for you to complete your mission by throwing a few wrenches into the system. The end goal is to make progress through the map’s Tests of Faith and break out of Hades.

Anchoring the gameplay is a progression system. During a match you’ll gain experience and gold. As you level up, new weapons and cosmetic gear are unlocked, which you may then purchase using gold. Mind you, leveling up doesn’t take place within a match. You have a profile that you level up by playing matches. There are a number of problems with the progression system in God Mode. First off, it simply takes too long to level up. Playing and completing one match barely fills up your experience meter. This means that you have to do a lot of grinding in order to make any headway, and with most of the interesting and crazy weapons requiring high levels to unlock, you’ll be stuck with the starting weapons—a horrendous SMG and incredibly boring double-barrel shotgun—for quite some time. And, yes, you heard right: They managed to make a double-barrel shotgun boring. Also, things cost too much gold. You should never make the player chose between a cosmetic piece of gear and something that will actually help in-game, like an upgrade to a weapon; but, with the cost of everything so high, you’ll find yourself having to pinch pennies in order to get what you want.

Unfortunately, all the grinding and the fact that you’re locked into the same weapons for an unreasonably long time make playing through waves and waves of the same enemies across five maps extremely boring. You spend too much time doing the same thing for so little reward that even the good parts of combat manage to become monotonous. The game could have benefited from a leveling system that took place during a match, much like the horde modes included in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warhammer 40k: Space Marine. Also unfortunate is the fact that game just doesn’t work properly some of the time. About 35% of the twenty or so matches I played experienced significant lag or just outright stopped working, which is bad enough in and of itself; but, the game doesn’t disconnect you when things start to go awry, which just feels like adding insult to injury. For a game specifically designed for co-op play, the frequency of connection issues is unforgivable and ultimately means that I can’t recommend you pay money for this game.

After playing God Mode for an entire day and only managing to level up one and a half times, a feeling of frustration took hold. The first handful of matches were good fun, but after a while it just felt like the game was having fun at my expense. I’m sorry Old School Games, but I’m not going to play your game for an entire work day and end up having nothing to show for it. Not a new weapon, not new cosmetic gear, not even a new ability. I wanted to like God Mode, I really did. It’s a concept that, on paper, sounds absolutely ridiculous in the best ways possible. At the root of most of the game’s problems is the progression system. The amount of time it takes to unlock new weapons and have the gold to purchase them ensures that you’ll be spending a lot of time in Hades, and it’s just as awful as Dante made it out to be.

Final Score	“God Awful”	4.5
Graphics	God Mode actually looks pretty damn good. The art style has a lot going for it, and parts of a few of the maps look pretty epic.	7.0
Gameplay	It takes too long to get access to the things that you actually want. Why for the love of Satan they only let you carry two weapons throughout the entire match I’ll never know. It’s monotonous, boring and extremely repetitive with a relatively low payoff.	3.0
Value	Yes, I know that the game is a fraction of the cost you’d pay for other titles—it’s $10 USD. But, any game designed for co-op play that is plagued by the connected issues God Mode is plagued by is not worth $10 USD.	3.0
Sound	Some people have complained about the Spirit Guide, but I happen to like him. I actually find him pretty funny. Other than that, there isn’t anything special about the sound at all. Much like the gameplay, you’ll spend a lot of time listening to the same things.	5.0

Review by Jon Hamlin

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Dead Island: Riptide Review

2013-04-22T03:57:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): Techland
Publisher(s): Deep Silver
Platform(s): PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Review Platform: Xbox 360
Release Date: April 23, 2013

No one can deny the ambition behind the original Dead Island. Its majestic environments and RPG elements fused beautifully with the zombie theme and unique first-person melee combat. Despite its technical hiccups at launch, Dead Island was an immersive adventure with a vast explorable sandbox and superb co-op action. Riptide is the latest entry in Deep Silver’s Zombie slaughter fest but it’s not exactly a sequel, it’s more of a companion piece, a spin off so to speak. The developers themselves compare it to Fallout: New Vegas in terms of its place in the franchise and it’s clear why. Although the game takes place in the same universe and even continues the narrative directly after the predecessor, it stands on its own as an independent title. Nearly all fan feedback has been addressed to make Riptide the ultimate Dead Island experience and I’m happy to report that the result is spectacular. Dead Island Riptide is the most fun I’ve had with a video game this year so far…heck, it’s the most fun I’ve had in years.

The narrative has never been Dead Island’s selling point, regardless of what the overdramatic trailers have you believe. Riptide takes place a week after the survivors of the original Dead Island escaped the fictional tourist resort Banoi. After being captured on a military vessel for their immunity to the virus, the crew finds itself back with the infested after a massive shipwreck. Despite the trite story, you find yourself immediately immersed as soon as you awaken on the breathtaking beach of the Banoi archipelago.

To be frank, I didn’t expect the visuals to be this gorgeous. The original Dead Island was pretty, but suffered from an overused bloom effect and overall choppiness. Riptide is stunning. Think Far Cry 3 with more detail and environmental diversity. Once you get past the horrendous cut-scenes, you’re treated to one of the most exotic sandbox playgrounds since Just Cause 2. The bloom effect is still there but it’s used sparingly only to accentuate the atmosphere as everything looks crisper and more vivid. The vegetation is dense and the level design has a greater emphasis on verticality, making exploration more exciting and mysterious.

Weather effects are now a big part of the experience and the onset of rain changes the scenic tone within seconds. The game takes place during monsoon season and large portions of the island are completely flooded. These sections add a new layer of depth to both combat and traversal. Boats soon become your most treasured finds as you scout these swamped regions since going on foot can be suicidal. New types of zombies lurk in the waters and the mere thought of getting your feet wet arouses fear. Once you’re neck deep in the flood, floating bodies can jump at you unexpectedly from any direction. While boats offer a safer means of travel, zombies can still climb onboard to try and knock you down. This is where having a partner really pays off. As you speed through the jungle your partner is your best defensive asset, especially when you’re dealing with multiple creatures at once. If you’re knocked down playing solo, it’s difficult to climb back onboard as you find yourself quickly overwhelmed and underpowered.

If you already completed the original Dead Island, Riptide allows you to import your stats so you don’t have to level up all over again. During my playthrough, however, I decided to start from scratch with the brand new character John Morgan. A former sailor in the United States Navy, John specializes in hand to hand combat and is the most fun to play with out of the bunch. Once you acquire a set of claws, you feel like wolverine as you effortlessly rip through the zombie hordes.

The unique melee combat of the original remains largely the same but it’s been polished for greater accuracy. Chaining combos feels more responsive and the addition of special moves keeps the fighting diverse between the characters. The three skill trees return and new abilities have been added to provide more customizability for your playing style. Your experience points accumulate faster now, speeding up the sense of progression and the addition of new weapon mods means more experimentation. Characters can now acquire special moves and it’s hard to believe they haven’t been implemented before. Morgan has a vicious running kick that catapults zombies into the air and it’s a blast seeing limbs ricochet around the environment. Also when on higher ground, he can perform a powerful drop kick for additional damage and the greater the drop, the more powerful the attack.

New to Dead Island Riptide are ‘defense hub missions.’ Similar to the Zombie mode in Black Ops, you find yourself barricading forts and fending off against massive hordes of the undead. These are the most challenging and fun sections in the game, particularly when playing co-op. A mild swarm of slow moving walkers quickly turns into a warzone as each new wave brings more dangerous enemies to fight against. By the end of each wave, you find yourself facing against dozens of different zombie types and having teammates who can revive you when downed is crucial to survival. What’s even better is that these sections are interwoven into the narrative so they feel like a big part of the core gameplay and not just a tacked on gimmick. After the first few fort missions, you gain access to massive gun turrets and positioning them strategically can mean the difference between life and death.

Riptide is an incredible extension to the original Dead Island but a few small issues remain. The re-spawning is still randomized, placing you either far behind or hundreds of meters ahead of where you died. It’s not as sporadic as in the original, but it’s annoying nevertheless. Voice acting is just as horrendous as before and I don’t understand why the cinematics are so poorly handled, especially when the in-game graphics are this beautiful. But my major gripe is the fact that the game takes itself too seriously. It’s nearly impossible to care for any of the character and a more lighthearted and humorous approach would have done wonders for the narrative. But these are just minor nuances to what is an otherwise excellent package.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I absolutely adore Dead Island Riptide. It’s 10$ cheaper than your regular release and offers more value than most AAA titles these days. It’s a fantastic experience whether you play solo or with buddies. The visuals are superb, the gameplay is an absolute blast, and it can take 100+ hours to complete if you take on every single side mission. If you’re looking for a Borderlands-style experience but with zombies and tropical vistas, Riptide is a no brainer.

Final Score	“An Absolute Blast”	9.0
Graphics	Once you get past the horrendous cutscenes, you're treated to one of the most beautiful exotic locations since Just Cause 2 and Far Cry3. The world is massive, dense, and filled with detail.	9.0
Gameplay	Enough has been polished and tweaked to make Riptide the definitive Dead Island experience. This is the most co-op fun I've had since Borderlands.	8.5
Value	It's ten dollars cheaper than your standard release and offers an insane amount of gameplay. If you decide to take on all the mission and uncover all the island's secrets, it can take well over a hundred hours to complete.	9.0
Sound	While the music is suitable, the voice acting is pretty painful to listen to. If it wasn't for the awesome zombie growls, I'd turn the volume all the way down.	7.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Papo & Yo Review (PC)

2013-04-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): Minority
Publisher(s): Vander Caballero
Platform(s): PS3, PC (Steam)
Review Platform: PC
Release Date: April 18, 2013

At first glance Papo & Yo appears like a colorful and cheerful puzzle platformer with a giant pink monster that eats frogs and coconuts. Some might even play though the entire game without truly understandings its darker implications. This is why Papo & Yo is so spectacular and special. Its metaphorical tale that explores fear, abuse, and poverty is portrayed in such a creative manner that each player might take away something different from the experience. Some might simply enjoy its beautiful scenery and interesting environmental puzzles, while others will shiver at the allegory of a child raised by an abusive, alcoholic father. Much like the legendary Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, Papo & Yo steps beyond the conventional implications of how a narrative is treated in video games and follows a more delicate path to convey its message. Papo & Yo is one of the most impactful indie titles this generation and goes to show just how powerful the medium can be.

It’s all in the details. Papo & Yo’s poetic narrative serves as a correlation to a discomforting reality. This autobiographical tale of creator Vander Caballero tells the story of Quico, a young Brazilian kid who escapes into his imagination to get away from his abusive father. Its dark opening scene is quickly overlaid with the beautiful, albeit poverty stricken Brazilian favela. Before long Quico meets Monster, a giant pink creature that craves coconuts and likes to sleep. Soon the boy discovers Monster’s dark side. By eating frogs, Monster turns into a fiery, enraged lunatic that runs around destroying everything in his path. Quico becomes determined to find a cure for Monster’s aggressiveness and it’s terrifying to picture their relationship as a personification of Caballero’s real life childhood struggles.

Papo & Yo should be approached as a story first and a game second. It’s a modern day fable that asks for your hand to guide you through its mysterious world. It’s an experience that relies on your curiosities to fill in the blanks and oftentimes leaves you with more questions than answers. Its disobedience to standard gaming trends lends itself to a more experimental gameplay approach that keeps the journey fresh and exciting throughout. At its core, Papo & Yo is a third person platformer comprised of environmental puzzles. Quico can manipulate objects and buildings by interacting with chalk drawings around the environment. Most objectives consist of solving puzzles to open new areas and collaborating with Monster to overcome various obstacles. Oftentimes you have to deal with Monster’s outbursts, which are equivalent to mini-boss fights, but he can be quickly subdued when fed a giant blueberry.

The puzzles themselves aren’t too complicated but it’s the level design that makes solving each stage a rewarding experience. Seeing the architecture transform as you morph buildings into transportation devices is startling. To get across greater gaps, Quico uses a little robot sidekick to hover from building to building. If you get stuck on a particular puzzle, drawings inside cardboard boxes tucked away in each level reveal clues to your objectives. It’s a brilliant idea but it definitely makes things easier, so it’s better to just figure out the solution on your own. The core mechanics are quite simple and I wouldn’t recommend playing this if you’re having itchy trigger fingers. It’s meant to be enjoyed like a good storybook and those thirsting for something different will get the most out of its sublime experience.

Papo & Yo is visually beautiful. Colorful environments are dissected with massive contrasting white shapes of chalk as you peel away layers of architecture and the creature design is both charming and grim. The dark tone that underlies this magical world is exquisitely balanced and the subtle rhythmical soundtrack serves as a superb companion while you hop across the rooftops. Technically, however, the game is a little unstable. Odd framerate hiccups and occasional clipping can interrupt the immersion, but it’s still a significant improvement over the console counterpart.

The PC version of Papo & Yo is undoubtedly the definitive experience. It beautifully balances a touchy subject matter with lighthearted puzzle solving and provides a noteworthy narrative that’s worth replaying over and over. It’s the Ico of our generation and I can only cross my fingers that Vander Caballero has more adventures in store for us as the new generation rolls around. I absolutely adored every second with Papo & Yo and recommend it to anyone craving something unique and memorable.

Final Score	“A Breathtaking Experience”	9.0
Graphics	Absolutely beautiful environments and a truly unique art style. Papo & Yo is gorgeous, but suffers from small technical hiccups that occasionally interrupt the immersion.	8.5
Gameplay	It's core mechanics are very simple and it's definitely not recommended if you're in the mood for fast paced action. But its unique puzzles and tight controls are flawlessly executed…although I wish it was a bit more challenging.	8.0
Value	It may be short (just under four hours), but it's a memorable experience that lasts a lifetime. Much like Ico before it, Papo & Yo is a niche title that needs to be approached as a story first and a game second to be fully appreciated.	9.0
Sound	It's subtle, it's rhythmical, it carries the narrative beautifully. The music elevates the experience to a near trance like state... and I highly recommend picking up the incredible soundtrack by Brian D'Oliveira.	9.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Injustice: Gods Among Us Review

2013-04-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): NetherRealm Studios

Publisher(s): Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Platform(s): PS3, Xbox 360, iOS, Wii U

Review Platform: Xbox 360

Release Date: April 16, 2013

While Injustice: Gods Among Us is still firmly planted within the fighting genre, it does mark developer NetherRealm Studios first trip outside of the Mortal Kombat universe since 2011’s Mortal Kombat, the first fighting game post-Street Fighter IV to enjoy such widespread popularity with gamers. So, did NetherRealm do it again? Can they win the hearts and minds of their core fan-base and please your everyday gamer? Let’s find out with our Injustice: Gods Among Us review.

There’s been a lot of stink made about the relative position Injustice occupies on the “reality” spectrum. Some reviewers have found it difficult to stomach the manner in which this particular interpretation of the DC Universe is presented, while others have found it more than serviceable. Let me be frank with you: If you are approaching anything comic book related without a willing suspension of disbelief, you’re doing it wrong. So, if you couldn’t possibly be okay with a pill engineered to increase bone and muscle density by a couple thousand percent; if you couldn’t possibly find it within yourself to be pleased with the idea of Wonder Woman fighting the likes of a mere mortal like Harley Quinn; if you just simply don’t like anything that doesn’t align with the reality that you perceive to be the truth within the DC universe, than stay far, far, far away from Injustice.

This game is crazy, absurd and absolutely bonkers in the best ways possible. Most of this comes through in the game’s story mode. I’m not going to ruin anything for you, but let’s just say that, aside from being predictable, it manages to be coherent despite the amount of ridiculousness that it contains. We’re talking alternate-dimension levels of ridiculousness here people. It’s cinematic and the presentation of the story is superb, as one would expect from NetherRealm. Much like Mortal Kombat, it’s broken down into 12 chapters with the player switching characters each chapter. In between some fights players can expect to play a few button-pressing events, standard “press X, then press Y, then press X,X,A” stuff. These events don’t feel out of place, they’re just simply bad. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m pretty done with the whole “press X to blow this car up” way of game design. I’d much rather you let me blow the car up some other way. Like, I don’t know, let me punch the shit out of it, or use my laser eyes to cut it into pieces, and don’t simply make me press a button to do it. These types of events have no place in fighting games.

Fleshing out the single-player experience are several other modes. You have Single Fight mode, which is exactly what it sounds like. There is also a mode called Battles which is your Mortal Kombat fight ladder experience. New to this type of mode, however, is the ability to set certain conditions for the fight ladder experience. For example there are rules you can activate that only allow you to do damage with special attacks, rules that require you to defeat all of your opponents in 30 seconds or less each match and there’s even a rule that requires you to defeat everyone in the ladder collectively in under three minutes. There is also Star Labs, akin to Mortal Kombat’s Challenge Tower mode. In Star Labs, players with play through a series of 10 missions per character. Some missions are button-pressing affairs like the one mentioned earlier. Others are full on fights with certain stipulations or environmental hazards. As a mode, Star Labs works, it makes sense and significantly lengthens the singe-player experience. You’re going to want to play these modes too, because this is where a good portion of the game’s ridiculous number of unlockables can be had.

The multiplayer components of Injustice are found in the game’s same-screen versus mode and online multiplayer. Players can square off in a standard 1v1 match or join a King of the Hill room where a lobby of players fight. If you lose you are sent back to the lobby; but, if you win, you stay and fight the next challenger, and you continue to do this until someone usurps you as “King of the Hill.”

Most reviewers were playing prior to launch, so their experiences may not necessarily be representative of how well the multiplayer works. Since we didn’t get a review copy, I’ve spent the better part of the last day online with the masses, trying to iron out how well the game performs when you throw an Internet connection into the mix. Fighting games are awful things to have to play online. Every move of the joystick, every timing of a button press, everything hinges on there being no latency between when you push a button and when something happens on the screen. It’s been the bane of fighting games for a while now, and it was a particular issue with NetherRealm’s last outing with online multiplayer in Mortal Kombat. The online play in Injustice is pretty hit and miss. If you are paired with someone who has a three or four bar connection than matches usually play out with relatively low latency; but, in matches where connections are less than three—and, boy, are there ever quite a few of them—there is significant latency. Luckily, the servers will almost always decide to disconnect the match and throw you back into the queue. I expect these sort of things to become less of an issue as time goes on and NetherRealm has released a few updates or maybe even a patch to optimize online play.

There are a few new systems in Injustice that anyone who is coming to the game from Mortal Kombat is going to have to get used to. This time around players will have the option of starting a Clash during a fight. A Clash has players place bets with their super meter, anywhere from 0% to 100% of it with the measurements being broken down into quarters. Depending on who initiates a clash and who wins or loses you either lose or gain health from the exchange. I found the clash system to be a nice little addition at first, but eventually—and especially after I started playing on hard difficulty—I found the clash system to be cheap. I felt cheated and slighted when the 17-hit combo I landed on Superman suddenly disappeared because he started a clash with a full meter whereas I had no meter. He won. The result meant that he gained back all the health he lost in the 17-hit combo and then some. I commend NetherRealm for throwing something new into the formula, but this particular mechanic felt more like a check on my skill as a player than it did a mechanic that adds a layer of tactical depth to fights.

Destructible environments are also featured as a new mechanic. There are certain odds and ends that the big guys can grab and throw at you, but smaller more gadget oriented characters simply jump off of them. The ability to use the environment is a cool addition, but it doesn’t take long for everything to disappear. And Cthulhu help you if you happen to be one of those gadget oriented players fighting one of the big guys, because odds are you’ll spend the first 10 to 15 seconds of a match dodging everything your bigger opponent can grab and throw at you. Not only does it seem a bit unfair, but it also takes away one of the gadget character’s main draws, the fact that he or she can circumvent their opponent with superior acrobatics. Well, when Solomon Grundy picks up a gigantic glass fish bowl and hurls it across the room, your gadget character-specific ability disappears entirely at the expense of an advantage to your opponent. You do have the option of turning the objects off during a fight, so purists can have a more traditional experience. The destructible environments are very cool, don’t me wrong. I just wish a little more thought had gone into how those destructible environments played across the roster.

Each character also has access to a character-specific character power that is activated by pressing the B or circle button, respectively. With a press of a button Wonder Woman can switch between her lasso and sword and shield, Superman can add extra damage to his attacks for a short time, or Killer Frost can coat her hands in ice, freezing and therefore slowing the attacks of her opponent. Some characters rely on their characters power less than others, like Harley Quinn for example. For the likes of Green Arrow and Batman, they are essential. The super moves, however, are preposterous, ridiculous and entirely nonsensical, and I absolutely love them. My hat is off to NetherRealm for giving the finger to realism and saying, “Yeah, that’s just too cool not to do. We’re doing that.”

The combat itself is the same rigid, twitchy style of play that players may be familiar with from Mortal Kombat. Some who initially approach Injustice’s combat may be inclined to label it as shallow and that oft-used phrase “dumbed down.” But, this isn’t the case at all. Yes, it’s true that there was clearly an effort made by NetherRealm to make the game more accessible in a “pick up and play” kind of way; but, the ease with which one can initially pick up the combat belies the depth and complexity that players will find if they stick with it. Initial mechanics soon give way EX moves, juggling combos, bounce cancels that alter the properties of special moves, and overhead bounce moves that can bounce players in certain directions to set up the use of a particular special move or series of combos. It really isn’t as simple as it may first appear, and the game can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. You can determine the level at which you wish to engage the game’s combat mechanics.

The biggest thing that Injustice has going for it though isn’t any of the stuff I mentioned above. It isn’t the fantastic single-player modes, or the well-designed combat. Nope. Its x-factor lies in its ability to let people who have ever wondered what would happen if Batman squared off against Raven, if Wonder Woman took Superman to task on Themyscira, or if The Joker and Harley Quinn ever decided to have it out, act out and actually experience their fantasy through an interactive medium. It’s an undeniable “cool” factor that not too many games can claim to have. With Injustice: Gods Among Us, NetherRealm Studios has created a game that’s simply a blast to play. It makes me excited about games, and there aren’t too many games coming out these days that do that to me.

Final Score	“A Great Fighter”	8.0
Graphics	The game used the same engine that was used in Mortal Kombat, so it look pretty damn good. Character models display ridiculous detail when the camera is close up, and the environments are vibrant.	8.0
Gameplay	I don’t think Injustice is or should be a competitive fighter, but that doesn’t mean that the combat system that is in place is any less because of it. The combat system is solid. You feel the power when you hit with the big guys like Superman or Bane, and you experience a sense of speed when playing a combo heavy agility fighter like Nightwing or Catwoman. Move sets are also well-thought out.	8.0
Value	With a ridiculous amount of unlockable content and an extensive single-player mode, you should be occupied for some time with Injustice. When compared to what $60 gets you in most games designed entirely around a story mode, Injustice comes off looking like the grandmother who spoils her grandchildren with candy every opportunity she gets. It really is a game that keeps on giving.	9.0
Sound	This is one of those crank-up-your-sound-system games. The sound effects that accompany super moves and special moves are veritable ear-candy, and portions of the soundtrack really standout, even in the heat of battle.	8.0

Review by Jon Hamlin

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Dead Island Art Contest

2013-04-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

We're hosting a little art contest for fans of Dead Island. The winner will receive a Dead Island Game of the Year PC game (Steam). The rules are simple: Zombies + Exotic/Tropical Locations. Anything goes! You can submit sketches, digital paintings/doodles, cartoons...whatever you can come up with. The dimension are: 8.5X 11 in and the final files should be submitted in RGB format at 300 dpi (resolution) to Tin at: tin@thegamescouts.com The Deadline for the contest is April 23 and the winner will be selected via poll by the reader community! If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section below!

We're looking forward to your entries!

Age of Empires II: HD Edition Review

2013-04-16T05:06:00.001-07:00

Developer(s): Hidden Path Entertainment, Ensemble Studios
Publisher(s): Microsoft Studios
Platform(s): PC
Release Date: April 9, 2013

In 1999, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings was released and changed forever the way real-time strategy games were made. It was an important game for the genre. One year later, an expansion for the game was released under the title Age of Empires II: The Conquerors, and it proved to be just as successful as the The Age of Kings. Someone at Microsoft Studios decided it was time for one of the most beloved RTS games of all time to get a face lift, which brings us to Age of Empires II: HD Edition.

For those of you not familiar with Age of Empires II, it is a real-time strategy game that centers around resource gathering and military conquest. It’s a classic 4X strategy game that focuses on expansion, exploitation, extermination, and exploration. You’ll start with a small number of villagers and a town center and use those villagers to start gathering one of four resources: food, wood, gold, or stone. As you acquire more resources you will be able to advance in “age”, essentially Age of Empires version of a tech-tree from Civilization. As you advance in ages you’ll have access to more buildings and units, and you’ll be able to research different technologies that provide anything from more hitpoints to your walls to +10 movement speed for your infantry. While you’re managing your resources you’ll need to build an army to defend your villagers from enemies and another army to form the offensive part of your strategy.

There isn’t a thing about the game mechanics that have been changed and all your favorite civilizations from the Goths to the Aztecs return in HD glory. Age of Empires II: HD Edition includes both The Age of Kings and The Conquerors expansion. Maps, multiplayer options, and both campaigns are included. Images are noticeably sharper, and the game looks much better and crisper displayed in HD. Environments contain more texturing and color, and unit animations are less jumbled. It’s also significantly easier to make out what’s what in the heat of a battle because units are more discernable.

New to Age of Empires II: HD Edition is Steam Workshop. The game was released exclusively on Steam on April 9 of this year, and the multiplayer is now run through Steam’s servers. Let’s face it, most of us played Age of Empires II for the multiplayer, and I’m glad to report that the game runs like a charm while connected to Steam’s excellent servers. There are actually a good number of people still playing it, too. At any given time there are 20 to 30 matches you can join, and that number spikes a bit on the weekends. The ability to add user-created content to the game via Steam Workshop is also a nice addition. I haven’t noticed anything yet that has caught my eye on the game’s Workshop page, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before the game’s faithful legion of fans produce some excellent content.

I thought my time with Age of Empires II was done many years ago; but, Age of Empires II: HD Edition has given me a second wind, and I’m am very much enjoying another love affair with a game that has provided so many great times with friends. If you’re a fan of the original Age of Empires II, you probably shouldn’t miss out on this one.

Final Score	“The Revolutionary Classic Returns”	8.0
Graphics	The game doesn’t look dated. The graphics still manage to work, and they look even better in HD. Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t Crysis 3 levels of beautiful, but they still retain their own charming qualities. Colors pop and textures look much better than they did in standard definition.	8.0
Gameplay	This game set many standards of game design in the RTS genre, and you can see why by playing it even today.	9.0
Value	I’m not sure that $20 USD is a fair asking price. It certainly tops out what I’d be willing to pay for the product; but, even with the inclusion of The Conquerors expansion, I would like to see that number come down to $15 UDS. I mean, the game is almost 15 years old.	6.0
Sound	All the little interesting things about the sound are still there. Every civilization still has villagers and units that speak their native language and the music is just as awesome as you remember it to be.	8.0

Review by Jon Hamlin

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Defiance Review

2013-04-13T03:41:00.001-07:00

Developer(s): Trion Worlds

Publisher(s): Trion Worlds

Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360

Review Platform: PC

Release Date: April 2, 2013

When I was asked to play through Trion Worlds’s MMORPG...TPS, Defiance, I was admittedly skeptical. The game was developed side-by-side with a SyFy original series of the same name. I have never been a fan of the misspelled channel or anything that it has put out and am not afraid to admit that I went into my playthrough of Defiance with a negative bias and a desire to scoff at everything the game did wrong. Perhaps not so surprisingly for some of you, the game is actually loads of fun and forced me to swallow my sci-fi elitism more times than I care to admit.

The following is just a taste of some of the fun I had in Defiance’s Bay Area. We’ll take a look at the giant Grand Theft Auto-esque world map, the missions and random events you will experience there, give a brief rundown of PvP, and wrap up with some closing comments. Sound good to you? I hope so, because it’s happening regardless.

The EGO-tistical Ark Hunter

You begin Defiance and your life as an Ark Hunter by choosing one of two races: Human or Irathient. One of those races is a very well known species that you will likely be familiar with, while the other looks like that very same species, but with a weirder nose and some crazy hair color options. Once you’ve decided on your race, your next option is to choose an “origin”, which boils down to your starting gun and outfit. From there you’re just a plane crash and a tutorial away from running and gunning all over the Bay.

As an Ark Hunter, you work for megacorporation Von Bach Industries hunting down pieces of alien technology that periodically rain down upon the Earth. The profession is something of a cross between a storm chaser and a bounty hunter with a little bit of treasure seeker thrown in to give everything a rich Harrison Ford glaize. One of the major perks of being an Ark Hunter is that you are outfitted with all manner of technological wonders, the most important of which is your EGO power.

Defiance keeps things simple by offering you only four active abilities (or EGO powers) to choose from: Overpower makes you do more damage for a time while also automatically reloading your gun. Blur increases your movement speed and melee damage. Activating Cloak turns you momentarily invisible (great for PvP) while Decoy creates a hologram of your character to distract your enemies (also great for PvP). Experience points earn your Ark Hunter an EGO point to pump into your EGO power or other passive abilities with the possibility of unlocking the other EGO powers over time.

In addition to the four active abilities, you have a slew of passive abilities to unlock and improve as you progress from fledgling ark enthusiast to ark obsessed superpower. All of your abilities are located on a grid, with powers being accessed through the unlocking of other abilities surrounding them. This means that if you start with Overpower as your active, like I did, you have access to all of the passive abilities surrounding Overpower. From there, you can continue to unlock abilities on the grid until you have carved a path to another active ability and unlock that. However, I found that one ability was enough for me, given the variety of guns available.

Co-Op At Large

Once you’re done with the character creation and the following tutorial you are introduced to the world and your role as one of many Ark Hunters. Similar to open-world titles like Grand Theft Auto and Assassin’s Creed you’ll find that there is a primary story thread to follow, a copse of side missions, challenges galore, and tons of random encounters awaiting you in the Bay and they’re all marked on your map. Unlike those other games, however, you will find hundreds of other players to keep you company, as well as a string of missions that runs alongside the SyFy show and its cast. You also get a quad to ride around on almost immediately and that’s not too shabby.

Missions and side missions are your standard questing fair and there isn’t much to say about them that would surprise you. You’ll be given various destinations to drive to and once there you will fight some baddies and click some things. Many of these encounters end in mini-boss fights that are pretty fun, but really nothing jaw-droppingly original. When the mission is complete you’ll be rewarded with some in-game cash, experience points, and gear.

You’ll also find varying challenges, such as races and weapon challenges, all of which reward you with goodies based on how well you do. There is even a leaderboard for each challenge, giving players that chance to stake their claim to fame as the Bay’s best. What really kept me doing missions and challenges, however, is the fact that both feed into what the game calls “Pursuits” which are basically achievements earned for doing all the missions or challenges in an area. Or exploring the entire area. Or running dungeons to completion. You get the idea. Some Pursuits even reward you with in-game titles, outfits, and hats. I’m a sucker for hats.

All of this is pretty standard MMO-fare, but what really sets Defiance apart is the arkfalls - giant boss fights that can occur at any time, anywhere on the map, regardless of what quest you might be in the middle of.

“Shoot the Hellion’s Hideous Maws!”

Arkfalls are marked on your map, meaning that once one starts, players everywhere will be racing to that location. Unfortunately, with the arkfalls come the hellbugs - nasty creatures ranging in size from housecats to skyscrapers.

In the event of a giant “major arkfall” players will be tasked with destroying crystals which have crashed onto the map. These crystals are surrounded by hordes of hellbugs which you will have to fight off as you try to destroy each crystal. Once all the crystals are destroyed you’ll be treated to a world boss called a “hellion”. You’ll begin by shooting all of the hellion’s glowing mouths until it finally stops spewing plasma at you. From there a flying creature will eject from the top of the hellion and start attacking players. Once this enraged bug takes enough damage it will return to the hellion and spawn a different type of big bug called a “monarch”. Kill the monarch and the flying “symbiote” returns. Do this one more time and eventually the hellion will explode and take all of the hellbugs with it. The whole event is a lesson in madness.

Players who take part in arkfalls are rewarded with gear, experience, and credits, as well as “keycodes”. These keycodes, which can be earned in missions and dungeons as well, can be traded in to vendors for lockboxes containing powerful gear. That same gear can be broken down to a unique currency and used to purchase even more keycodes, making for a very “Circle of Life” feel. It was in one of these lockboxes that I found a pretty sweet sniper rifle that shot lightning bolts. Because if there’s one thing that Defiance offers its players, it’s a wide variety of guns.

In my time with Defiance I swapped from an assault rifle, to a sniper rifle, to a shotgun, to a light machine gun, to a submachine gun, to an semi-auto sniper rifle that shot lightning, to a shield-restoring laser-emitter-thing, to a revolver the size of my forearm, to a- you see where I’m going here. The game has a lot of guns and that’s one of the biggest lures of adventuring in the Bay: what gun am I going to find next?

Players Versus Other Players

Whatever amazing guns you may find will come with you over to Defiance’s PvP, be it the instanced team deathmatch or the opt-in open world “Shadow War”. I expected that nixing PvP-specific gear would create an unbalanced competitive environment, but I was pleasantly surprised with how easily new players were able to go toe-to-toe with the more serious Ark Hunters, regardless of gear.

The instanced PvP matches are pretty straight forward. You have a 6 v 6 map and an 8 v 8 map, both of which stick to team deathmatch rules, with the first team to 50 kills claiming victory. Win or lose, all players walk away with experience points and some pocket change. I don’t know that PvP is a viable means to player progression at present, but it’s a nice break when exploring the Bay gets a little tiresome. Hell, in Shadow War you can fight other players and explore the Bay. Gotta love a two-fer.

Similar to the instanced matches, players have to queue for Shadow War matches. This prevents an Age of Conan level of nonsense ensuing with players butchering each other at all times and nothing ever getting done. Once a Shadow War match begins, players are warped to a spawn point somewhere on the world map and tasked with taking and holding different beacons. Of course, being out in the world means that while you’re busily trying to capture a point you may be welcomed to an arkfall dropping directly on your face and your life being swamped with an unimaginable amount of chaos. The ducking and dodging of enemy bullets in tandem with the struggle to not be overrun by nightmarish hellspawn is simply glorious.

Can You Hear Me Now?

While overall I found that my experience with Defiance was made better through teaming up with other players to run dungeons, chase arkfalls, and explore the world, I found actually communicating with said other players to be something of a nightmare. Contrary to popular belief the PC version of the game does have a chat client. A horrible...horrible chat client, but one that is there and available for use if you’re willing to put in the effort. More often than not I would type a message into the chat log, hit “Enter” and nothing would happen. Which would have been peachy, if the message didn’t usually read “Dear God! The hellbugs! Save m-...”

The borked chat program is not the only prominent bug I ran into, either. At one point I logged into the game only to find my player standing in a blaring white purgatory and several times I was dropped from the servers upon completing PvP matches. Not to mention that the UI is akin to a folk story other UI’s tell their children to scare them into having proper menus, but when you get down to the running, gunning, and stomping of scary space creatures, Defiance is sitting on good foundations.

With so much to do in the Bay, no subscription fees to speak of, and the show airing on April 15th on SyFy, I think that this is one to keep an eye on. As is the case with all freshmen MMOs, these next few weeks will be trying and while only time will tell, I think that if Trion can work the kinks out, Defiance is going to have a solid shelf life.

Good luck out there, Ark Hunters!

EDIT: As I was opening my e-mail to submit this article, I received a mass e-mail from Trion Worlds letting players know that they have been awarded a unique title and some free boosts for anyone playing the game at present. A nice gesture to say that they understand the current client is a little hellacious. Looks like someone over there is paying attention.

Final Score	“You better skruggin' believe it.”	7.0
Graphics	Defiance isn't ugly per se, but it's suffers from a devastating lack of originality. There are a few environments and characters I really liked the look of, but for the most part, you are playing a game that is intentionally made to look like a sci-fi show with a budget. Because that's exactly what it is.	7.0
Gameplay	The gameplay is where Defiance gets it right. The guns are all fun, but balanced. The quests, while rudimentary, are fulfilling in a very simple way. Not to mention the breadth of content available from the get go.	7.5
Value	While the game is presently riddled with an uncomfortable amount of bugs and oddities, I was really pleased to discover that Trion World's passed on a subscription model without relying entirely on micro-transactions. There is an in-game shop to buy boosts and the like, but for just the retail price you are getting an incredible amount of game.	7.0
Sound	Nothing about the sound really stuck out to me. There was some dubstep at times, so according to trends today everything person on the planet besides myself may be super stoked on that, but I found myself muting the music at level one and never turning it back on. As for the SFX, I was pleased with the distinct thud that bullets made when successfully scoring a headshot as opposed to other shots.	6.0

Review by Jeff Ellis
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I'm a freelance writer and game reviewer with a year's experience working in the game industry. I've been playing games longer than I've been able to read. In fact, I learned how to read by watching my brother play JRPGs on our Nintendo. I also learned geography from Uncharted Waters: New Horizons. Facts that I probably shouldn't be proud of, but I am. You can read more of my writing over at First Word Problems and keep updated on the site and me via Twitter @1stwordproblems. All Articles by Jeff Ellis.

Slender: The Arrival Review

2013-04-12T13:07:00.001-07:00

Developer(s): Blue Isle Studios, Parsec Productions
Publisher(s): Blue Isle Studios
Platform(s): PC, Mas OS X
Review Platform: PC
Release Date: March 26, 2013

Slender is a wonderful reminder that the classic horror genre still has its place in gaming. Completely dependent on atmosphere and sound, Slender embraces its simplicity much like the original Blair Witch Project. There’s nothing more dreadful than the fear of the unknown and the game relies on mystery and lore to carry its narrative and gameplay. The horrifying, albeit brief, journey through the original Slender beautifully orchestrated the sense of isolation and panic that insinuated hopelessness and vulnerability by giving you a single tool as means of survival, a flashlight. Can the sequel (or rather the re-imagining) expand upon the predecessor’s success, or does it stretch itself too thin by playing it safe?

You’re visiting your friend Kate who recently lost her mother and is trying to sell her house. Upon arrival, you find the house in disarray and Kate missing. Soon you discover mysterious notes hinting at an eerie figure and you begin tracking down clues to uncover the mystery behind your friend’s disappearance. The game’s visual overhaul is immediately apparent and I applaud the developers for going the extra mile and fleshing out the environments beyond the simplistic forest scene of the original. The gritty tone overlaying the more colorful surroundings amplifies the feeling of angst, particularly in the opening chapter that begins during daytime.

On the flip-side the game is very poorly optimized. Our beefy rig that can run nearly every major title on ultimate settings barely pushed a steady 30 fps. Turning off Vsync and running D3D Overrider helps tremendously, but I hope the developers patch up the inconsistencies. Considering the slow pacing, the constant fps drops break the immersion and unless you have a powerful gaming PC, you’re forced to run the game on low settings just to make it playable.

The Slender experience is reminiscent of a haunted house ride. You’re more of an observer than an active participant, but don’t be fooled by the simple premise. Most of the levels (chapters) are simple fetch quests, but when you fear for your life with every step you take, the simple act of turning around evokes panic. The second chapter is practically a direct re-imagining of the first game as you walk around the woods collecting 8 mysterious pages. Fortunately, the environments are more distinct and you don’t find yourself running in circles as much.

Further tasks have you collecting parts to activate various devices and so forth, but it’s ultimately the same thing over and over. This is my biggest gripe with the sequel. More of the same is not necessarily better in the case of Slender, especially when such a large portion of content feels like filler material. You could beat the predecessor in less than twenty minutes, which was a suitable length for the type of gameplay, but now it feels unnecessarily long – even though it only takes an hour to beat. Making things worse are the unbelievably cheap deaths that only serve as an illusion of challenge. Once you reach a certain point, a new antagonist is introduced who oftentimes teleports right in front of you killing you in an instant. It feels lazy and takes away from an otherwise extraordinary experience.

Where Slender truly deserves the utmost praise is in the audio department. To genuinely experience the terror of being stalked in the middle of nowhere, you must play this game with headphones on (or a solid surround system). The echoing of your own footsteps conjures up paranoia as you frantically react to every crackle and whistle. One moment you’re listening to the grass crunching underneath your feet, the next you’re sprinting away from the onset of static as Slender inches closer. If you want to get scared, Slender certainly delivers.

Slender: The Arrival succeeds in delivering a terrorizing and frightful journey but stumbles in providing a polished gaming experience. As a one-time playthrough, I’d recommend it over most of today’s horror films, but if you’re expecting immersive gameplay mechanics you might be disappointed. Once all the tricks are out on the table there’s little to warrant a second look. To some, an increased difficulty mode and the random spawning of items might justify the incentive for replayability, but the repetitiveness and occasional unfairness prevent the sequel from reaching the original’s cult status. Nevertheless, considering that every “survival-horror” game these days hands us a gun and unlimited ammo, Slender strips the player of any sense of security, throws them into the woods, and turns off the lights…and for that…it deserves your attention.

Final Score	“Lights Off, Headphones On”	8.0
Graphics	A monumental improvement over the original. Unfortunately, the game is poorly optimized so you're not likely to get the intended experience unless you have a super gaming rig.	7.0
Gameplay	None. You walk, you look around, and you pick things up. You also run for your life whenever you hear a suspicious sound. It works beautifully. But I also wish it was less repetitive and didn't rely on cheap deaths as much.	8.0
Value	It costs as much as a movie ticket and is scarier than most horror films in recent memory. It might not have great replay value, but it's so worth playing through even once.	8.5
Sound	Masterful silence and terrifying sound effects. This is how you handle audio in a horror game. Bravo.	9.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Tin Salamunic is the founder of The Game Scouts. He is a Video Game Journalist during the day and illustrator by night. He's been obsessed with video games since the early NES days, collecting every major system and game on the market. Video games are the reason he pursued the illustration career and he hopes to be creative director for a video game company one day. All Artciles by Tin

Why EA is the Worst Company in America

2013-04-12T03:54:00.002-07:00

I won’t bother recapping this past week; it’s a story you should know by now. If you don’t know that EA won The Consumerist’s poll in a landslide victory (loss?) then I don’t know why you’re on a video game website right now. Now that the poll is over, The Golden Poo has been awarded, and the Twittersphere has calmed down from the shit storm of butthurt, it’s time to reflect on the reasons this past week came to be.

EA didn’t win because of the countless developers they have pillaged; EA didn’t win because they continue to ship games that need a day one patch; EA didn’t even win because they think that DLC and microtransactions are they way of the future. EA won because we, the angry consumer collective as a whole, keep falling for it, and we are pissed. EA isn’t the worst company in America, let’s be real here. EA is the fall guy. We voted them to the top because we want retribution for the mistakes we made and the mistakes we will continue to make. (Also, banks and oil are necessities for life, so they can do what they want and never worry about losing our business.)

After Sim City failed to launch, what did the internet look like? Reddit was flooded with angry posts, Neogaf was was pissed, and Twitter bombarded EA with complaints. The ideal response would have been: silence. In an ideal world no one would have bought it, and there would have been no need for these posts. How many times have you heard the phrase “I’m never buying an EA product again?” I heard it after Mass Effect 3, I heard it after Battlefield 3, I heard it after SWTOR, and I heard it again after Sim City. Those are just the ones coming to mind right now, there are plenty more examples. If we, the consumers, had any sort of backbone we wouldn’t have continued to give them our money, but we did and will keep doing so. Go ahead, sound off in the comments about how Sim City was the last straw, I’ll laugh.

EA is the worst company in America because we’re idiots. Now we’re angry idiots that can’t believe they tricked us again. EA is the way they are because we told them to be. We kept buying day one DLC, so they kept putting it out. That’s not EA being evil; that’s a company giving consumers a product that they will buy. People out there payed money for the Battlefield 3 premium pack to skip the leveling up process. The microtransaction weapons put in Dead Space 3 were there because people would buy them.

“You’re showing just how greedy EA is if they wouldn’t ship that stuff with the game.” Good point, EA is insanely greedy. They run companies into the ground to make a quick buck. But how did they become greedy? Because we were offered items like map packs for much more than they were worth and gladly bought them. A selling point for the 360 is that it gets COD DLC early. EA did what they do best: copy others. Others were selling horse armor and skins, and they were profiting; of course they did it too. Any retail centered company will follow the market, the market follows the consumer, and the market bought fucking horse armor.

Here’s a prophecy of mine: Battlefield 4 will sell pretty well, but not as well as Battlefield 3. After that, people will go online and complain about the idea of paying to rent servers to host their own game (which happens now in Battlefield 3 and we gladly accept it), there will be tears about the day one map pack, and someone will ironically complain that the online multiplayer requires an internet connection. After that, Cliff Blezinski, Phil Fish, and the other video game “celebrities” will tweet about how the consumer is entitled for complaining about the game. I’m willing to put this out there and hope I don’t have to eat these words later with confidence because of what happened last year.

Last year, EA won the golden poo award, spun some quick damage control, increased their marketing budget, and gave us Sim City to a consumer base willing to buy it. This year, EA has already won the golden poo award and spun some quick damage control. Somehow, after a few paragraphs of obvious bullshit, we are willing to buy more of their games. Believe me, the damage control is obvious bullshit. No one voted for them because of gay rights or the cover of Madden, we voted because we’re projecting our past mistakes onto them. And forget the comment from Greg Zeschuk, it’s an obvious PR spin and not legitimate.

So, what’s the point of this article? I’m not telling you to hate yourself for buying an EA product; I’ve done it too, though not since a used copy of Dead Space last year. I’m also not defending EA; they’re one of the worst publishers in the industry right now with hilariously bad business practices. The point is for you, the angry consumerist collective as a whole, to stop giving them money. If you’re sick of EA’s bullshit, stop giving in to EA’s bullshit. If you don’t like cosmetic DLC or underwhelming map packs, stop buying them. We don’t vote in an online poll; we vote with our wallets.

Article by Chris Lohr
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Euro Truck Simulator 2 Review

2013-04-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): SCS Software

Publisher(s): Varies by Country

Platform(s): PC

Release Date: October 9, 2012

There were a dozen instances while playing Euro Truck Simulator 2 when I paused to ask myself whether the universe was playing a joke on me. On paper, I shouldn’t really like this game. I don’t typically see the appeal in delivering ice cream or lumber in a giant truck, yet I found myself completely captivated by the game’s immersive world. There’s an incomparable sense of real-life progression as you grow your business and become a more skilled driver. As a simulation, ETS 2 earns its place as one of the best titles in the genre and deserves a look whether you’re a truck enthusiast or you’re just looking for a deep and complex gaming experience.

Euro Truck Simulator 2 does a fantastic job of easing you into the gameplay. Your first task consists of driving a few blocks and parking your trailer. The moment you try to nudge your way into the parking space you realize that this game is no laughing matter. I insisted on perfecting my first session and it took me nearly 20 minutes to get it right. Yes, the learning curve is steep but the controls never feel unfair. This is no racing game and the physics accurately translate the weight and size of these massive machines. Using the keyboard and Xbox 360 game-pad feels natural, but a steering wheel is a must if you want a more realistic experience.

Most of your time is spend on highways. This might sound boring, but there’s something very meditative about cruising through the beautiful European landscape. The driving feels smooth and precise but it’s easy to feel overconfident and take turns at high speeds. If you don’t downshift your gears on time, your truck can easily swerve out of control causing an accident. You’re panelized for every mishap, such as running red lights or bumping other cars, so it’s important to stay sharp at all times.

ETS2 is not just about driving but also managing and growing your business. You begin your freelancing career by driving rental trucks to various locations around Germany in order to save up enough for your own vehicle. Purchasing your own truck grants you access to bigger paying gigs and more opportunities open up as you acquire new licenses. Your first garage is practically a dump but it doesn’t take long before you can upgrade to a more luxurious and spacious facility. As more slots open up, you can hire recruits who acquire gigs automatically based on their expertise.

The game’s progression borrows heavily from traditional RPGs and it works beautifully. Leveling up and completing certain tasks earns you skill points and each improvement reflects heavily on your performance. Skill points are also used to redeem new licenses that let you transport more valuable cargo. Despite the slow pacing, there’s plenty to keep you busy. As the manager of your business you’re solely responsible for your finances and keeping track of your bank loans and expenses becomes harder as your company grows. ETS2 manages to make every task imperative to your progress, so you never feel like you’re slugging through menial chores.

At only 500MB in size, the game’s massive world is quite remarkable. The level of polish might not be comparable to most of today’s AAA titles, but it’s the aesthetics as a whole that are striking. The cities and their surroundings are authentically presented and although everything is scaled down so you’re not spending hours on the highway, the breadth of the map is monumental.

One of my favorite aspects of driving long shifts is the choice of real-life radio stations. You’re able to stream dozens of European channels that range from hip-hop, rock, metal, dubstep, techno, and even country. There’s a tune for absolutely everyone and it ads a great sense of realism to the driving. My only gripe is with the rest of the sound effects. The menu music is bleak and the truck engines sound shallow and muffled. It’s a shame because the rest of the game is treated with such great care.

Although gamers with an affinity for trucks will get the most out of Euro Truck Simulator 2 (particularly when it comes to the customization options), this is a rare niche title that manages to reach a broader audience. It grows on you quickly and it’s easy to loose days, if not weeks, perfecting your garage and trucks while building the ultimate delivery dream team. Give this game a try if you’re looking for something different, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Final Score	“An Extraordinary Sim”	8.5
Graphics	At first glance, the textures look a bit bland, but once you experience the scope of the entire world you will easily overlook some of the rough edges.	7.5
Gameplay	It's tough to master, particularly the parking, but it's incredibly rewarding and it's the finest example of how a simulator game should be made.	8.5
Value	You will loose weeks before you know it. The career is incredibly deep and the amount of objectives is almost overwhelming. So much to do…so much to do.	9.0
Sound	The radio stations are absolutely superb and there's a channel for every taste, but the rest of the sound effects feel too much like an afterthought.	8.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Tin Salamunic is the founder of The Game Scouts. He is a Video Game Journalist during the day and illustrator by night. He's been obsessed with video games since the early NES days, collecting every major system and game on the market. Video games are the reason he pursued the illustration career and he hopes to be creative director for a video game company one day. All Artciles by Tin

Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory Review

2013-04-07T04:31:00.000-07:00

Developer(s): Compile Heart, Idea Factory

Publisher(s): NIS America, Compile Heart

Platform(s): Playstation3

Release Date: March 21, 2013

I want to preface this review by saying that if you like old-school RPG's, anime, and giant boobs, then Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory is for you. Niche games are niche, but I have to admit that this game speaks to the fourteen-year-old in all of us that felt that guilty tingle in their pants every time they watched Sailor Moon. This game is full of self-aware video game references and is very Japanese. Have I sparked your interested yet? If so, let's take a trip to Gameindustri and log into the third installment of this JRPG franchise.

Victory is definitely far from a perfect game, but what it lacks in original gameplay and gorgeous graphics, it makes up for with charm. The story for this third installment revolves around a CPU named Neptune non-nonchalantly falling into different dimensions a.k.a. points of time in gaming history. As a gamer since birth, I can appreciate the consciousness that this game embraces to itself and to video games in general. That spirit seems starkly contrasted by the way the characters interact though. The fact that these characters are teenage girls and, at times, pre-pubescent teenage girls makes their behavior seem even weirder. I'm not sure who the target audience for this game is, but, hey, it's a game people. I'll play along.

The graphics are bland and some environments lazily recycle dungeon areas. Victory provides crisp and detailed anime character models during its portrait cutscenes, but everywhere else, all you see is the same muddy, PS2-era graphics. On the opposite end of the spectrum, composer Nobuo Uematso and his band Earthbound Papas provide the soundtrack to Victory, which is catchy, fun, and befitting of the themes within the game.

Hands down, the most stand-out aspect of Victory is its gameplay. Its battle system doesn't reinvent the wheel at all, but it still delivers tried-and-true, turned-based RPG mechanics. You position your characters one at a time against your enemies, which range in obscureness from mustachioed coins to lance-toting robots. You will then be able to chain together combos between your characters by using power, break, and rush attacks against your foes. To deliver an even more brutal beat down, you can use SP skills for more devastating results.

Victory starts off with the best of intentions, but never really commits to a direction or innovates on what it is succeeding at. You will simply grab a quest, complete said quest by collecting the loot of your enemies, and occasionally fight a boss. Rince, repeat. I was also disappointed by the game's imbalance of the portrait story sequences versus the actual amount of time you spent enjoying Victory's gameplay. While I stated that the story was intriguing, its execution was questionable at best. But, hey, if you like JRPG's are your thing I'm not going to question that. I just wanted to point out that I would rather not listen to annoying, middle-school-aged girls talk about playing MMO's on their computer even though their technically in a computer (your PS3). So meta Japan. So meta.

What could have saved Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory from mediocrity? Innovation. Being a classic-style RPG with a bit of flash nowadays isn't going to hold anybody's interest. With vastly superior games like the Persona series on the market, Victory needed a tad more of everything in most of the areas it was trying to shine. While the saying goes that third time's the charm, Victory fails to impress in this iteration.

Final Score	“Charming, But Lacking Innovation”	6.5
Graphics	TVictory's graphics are bland, muddy, and PS2-like. The 2D portraits during the game's cutscenes are the prettiest the game looks.	5.0
Gameplay	The game has a solid, turn-based battle system. Everything else Victory offers is an RPG staple. Leveling up. Creating items from enemy loot. Unlocking new skills. It's all here. You've seen it before.	7.0
Value	Would I play through HNV again? There isn't much incentive to. Completing quest after quest after quest is simply redundant.	5.0
Sound	HNV has a superb soundtrack. Catchy and fun tracks that will get stuck in your head. Two words. One man. Nobuo Uematsu.	8.0

Review by Michael Engle

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Raised on punk rock and video games, Michael Engle remembers a time when Mario was on his second birthday cake and when game reviews weren't biased and contrived. Engle hopes to bring his love of nostalgia and gaming honesty to you. He co-hosts his own video game news podcast, All Your News are Belong to Us. He loves games, writing, music, and not sleeping. All Articles by Michael.

Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army Review

2013-04-05T07:03:00.001-07:00

Developer(s): Rebellion

Publisher(s): Rebellion

Platform(s): PC (Steam)

Release Date: February 28, 2013

Last year’s Sniper Elite V2 was a gem in a genre overflowing with derivative and uninspired titles. It steered away from convoluted shooter tropes like button prompts and handholding and strictly focused on its superb gameplay. While it didn’t have the aesthetic pizzazz of COD or Battlefield, it carried its own weight with the blissfully brutal X-Ray cam. It was simple, sometimes even silly, but undeniably fun. If you’re like me and are still eagerly anticipating an announcement for the next installment, the guys at Rebellion have the perfect fix: Nazi Zombie Army. Before you sigh at the though of just another zombie-inspired DLC slapped onto a franchise, take a look at the screenshot below. Yea, that’s right…the acclaimed X-Ray cam in combination with zombies is a match made in heaven.

Nazi Zombie Army is a standalone expansion and doesn’t require the original Sniper Elite V2. However, you’d be really missing out on the true sniping experience if you were to skip V2. Take a look at my original review to understand why. Zombie Army can be played either single-player or via 4-player co-op. I tried going solo on my first playthrough and the difficulty was nightmarish. Even on casual, you feel overwhelmed and underpowered. There was a heavier emphasis on stealth in V2, but Zombie Army takes a Left 4 Dead approach and amps up the challenge to the nth degree. The difficulty is a bit oddly balanced and forces cooperative gameplay. There’s no one to revive you when mauled down playing solo, so replaying massive sections over and over becomes frustrating. Having a partner by your side is imperative to overcoming some of the later challenges and it's in the teamwork that the gameplay really shines. There's also a greater sense of urgency this time around. You can still maintain a distance (for the most part) when sniping, but the pacing is hastier as you spend less time crouching and more time running.

The game revolves around sniper Karl Fairburne who’s trying to take out a legion of undead super soldiers unleashed by Hitler in a desperate attempt to reclaim Europe. The narrative is as nonexistent as in previous titles and merely serves to catapult you straight into the action. The levels are long, linear, and packed with hordes of the undead. The first few minutes feel like a breeze as you kick back 100+ meters away landing effortless headshots. A few blocks later and shit hits the fan. Zombies burst out of the ground right in front of and flank you from every angle. Although sniping is still at the game’s core, there’s a heavier reliance on side arms for close quarter combat. The third person shooting was my major gripe with V2 as it felt loose and imprecise. The good news is that it feels slightly tighter now, although the lack of precision is still an issue. But considering that you’re spiting bullets at dense groups of zombies, it’s not much cause for concern.

The real hero is once again the X-Ray cam. Seeing zombie testicles explode in matrix-like slow motion just never gets old. The death animations are stupendously varied and give the levels nearly unlimited replayability. There might not be much gameplay diversity per se and some might call it repetitive…but then again, so is Tetris. This is the type of game that’s easy to pick up and get lost in for hours.

I can’t recommend Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army enough. It’s a fantastic expansion that offers a ton of gameplay and at fifteen dollars it’s a steal. This is a must have for fans of V2 and even for players that never got a chance to experience this superb franchise. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going snipe some zombie skulls.

Final Score	“An Absolute Must Have"	8.5
Graphics	The environments haven't changed much since Sniper Elite V2, but they still look authentic and atmospheric. The lighting is superb and the X-Ray cam is real eye candy.	8.0
Gameplay	Rebellion continues to offer the best sniping experience on the market. The addition of zombies makes the kills a million times more enjoyable. The third person shooting is still a bit wonky, but luckily you'll be using your sniper rifle for the most part.	8.5
Value	It's only 15$ and it has that Left 4 Dead kind of replayability. I've already played through the campaign several times and I'm looking forward to doing it again.	9.0
Sound	It's quiet and atmospheric, but when the bullets whizz and bones shatter, you'll get shivers down your spine.	8.0

Review by Tin Salamunic

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Tin Salamunic is the founder of The Game Scouts. He is a Video Game Journalist during the day and illustrator by night. He's been obsessed with video games since the early NES days, collecting every major system and game on the market. Video games are the reason he pursued the illustration career and he hopes to be creative director for a video game company one day. All Artciles by Tin.