Showing posts with label Xbox Live Arcade. Show all posts
6/1/14 1:00PM |
Lifeline is the second downloadable piece of content for State of Decay and features some great new ways to enjoy the core SoD gameplay. First up is 'Rucks in Trucks', a much requested feature that allows you to add rucksacks to the back of vehicles allowing more items to be obtained in the world with less trips required to the dangerous zombie infested world from your home base shelter.
The second is a brand new map to explore alongside a new cast of survivors, including the soldiers which you're able to control, who can be leveled up like the original group of people.
Just like with main game, things start off rather quickly, although you begin Lifeline with some serious firepower. The new content comes with an array of new weapons to use against the undead and you're able to be a bit less stingy with your weapons as ammo is not as scarce as usual. Simply put, you're able to fire at will and deal some real damage as you set out to complete the core Lifeline missions.
I'll have more to say on the content with my written review, so look out for that soon!
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Lifeline is the second downloadable piece of content for State of Decay and features some great new ways to enjoy the core SoD gameplay. First up is 'Rucks in Trucks', a much requested feature that allows you to add rucksacks to the back of vehicles allowing more items to be obtained in the world with less trips required to the dangerous zombie infested world from your home base shelter.
The second is a brand new map to explore alongside a new cast of survivors, including the soldiers which you're able to control, who can be leveled up like the original group of people.
Just like with main game, things start off rather quickly, although you begin Lifeline with some serious firepower. The new content comes with an array of new weapons to use against the undead and you're able to be a bit less stingy with your weapons as ammo is not as scarce as usual. Simply put, you're able to fire at will and deal some real damage as you set out to complete the core Lifeline missions.
I'll have more to say on the content with my written review, so look out for that soon!
| 4/13/14 1:30PM |
Wolf on the trail
A Crooked Mile features Bigby and Snow White searching for the suspected killer after Bigby discovers some daunting evidence. The episode's pacing starts out fairly high and kept increasing until the end, making it feel like a finale rather than the third act of this series. It's incredibly jam-packed for only lasting a few hours, and one that I may go through once again before the fourth episode arrives.
Between this and The Walking Dead, Telltale have given adventure gamers high quality experiences on a fairly frequent level and appears to have no intention of slowing down.
What I enjoyed about this episode of the Wolf Among Us is how quickly it moves, although it never feels rushed in any way. Key choices that you'll get to make appear often in the episode, which really encourages re-playability more than the previous two episodes did in my opinion.
I'd often make a choice and instantly become curious as to what would happen if I'd chosen another option, which you could say for most of the episodes of Telltale games, but it happened more for me during a Crooked Mile.
During the ending parts of the episode, new characters are introduced that only add to the great roster and each of them offers up new questions as players attempt to solve the crimes that have occurred so far.
It's always a bit difficult for me to review episodes of Telltale games as the story is the main component for each of them, and something that I definitely don't want to ruin for new players. What I can say though is that the story and narrative are very strong in this episode, with new conflicts arising just as old ones get solved.
Once you've reached the end of A Crooked Mile, you'll definitely see this pattern unfold as things are set-up for the penultimate episode.
Once you've reached the end of A Crooked Mile, you'll definitely see this pattern unfold as things are set-up for the penultimate episode.
Presentation for the episode is essentially the same as the first two episodes, and includes several new locations to explore as well. Even when you have to visit older locations, there are new parts to most of them, so there's always something new to view.
The season pass issue from episode two has been resolved, so if you're a pass holder all you've got to do is download episode three from the menu.
Recent Reviews
There's only two episodes left, but I hope more Wolf Among Us content will be made afterward because what we've been given so far is incredible. From the atmosphere, characters, choices and pace, this episode shows why adventures games are back in a big way.
+ Incredible episode with lots to absorb
+ Great actions moments when they occur
+ New characters to interact with
- Technical issues with the game and Season Pass
Reviews on the thebuttonpresser.com are based out of a '1-5 controller' Scoring system. Purchased games by the reviewer contain no annotation, but review copies are always known to the reader via a review disclaimer.
Publishers- Telltale Games
Release Date- April 9th, 2014
Price- $4.99 MSRP
Review Platform- Xbox Live Arcade
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| 2/15/13 12:30PM |
Dangerous Reflections
Smoke and Mirrors continues where episode one left off from the Wolf Among Us, which if you've finished the first episode, was the discovery of another fable affected by the mysterious killer. The bulk of this second episode centers around that situation, as well as introducing new characters who bring with them new conflicts to solve during the two hour episode which has Bigby chasing down new and surprising leads in the hunt for a Fable killer.
Generally speaking, Smoke and Mirrors is a nice followup to Faith, although the 360 version still suffers from constant gameplay lags which hinders the overall experience a bit when playing on Microsoft's last-gen console.
This episode features more investigative gameplay than combat segments in comparison to the first episode, which gives you more sequences that put choice and consequences solely in your hands. The methods that you choose to utilize regarding getting characters to talk will either make things easier or more difficult for Bigby, who must also deal with the fallout from those who frown upon his actions from the first episode.
It all plays out quite nicely, and I was interested in going through it again just to see how different things would turn out if I made different choices, but you can generally say that about each episode of a Telltale game in all honesty.
Most Telltale titles usually give you two distinct ways to accomplish a goal, so re-playability at least one more time is recommended in Smoke and Mirrors, and since The Wolf Among Us has collectible journals, a third play-through may be required if you want the extra achievements the game offers up for finding them all.
While there is a set of new characters to interact with, you'll also have to speak with Fables that you dealt with in episode one. Based on how things ended last time will reflect on these encounters, which was nice to see with some segments and a bit awkward with others.
No matter what happened though, these scenes really show that your past decisions really do affect what happens next and how characters take note of the moves you made when you first met up.
The presentation for the episode is very similar to episode one, which is of course great and attractive. New locations to visit such as the Witching Well, Dancing club, and Shady hotel fit right in with the past locations, while also showing off a bit more detail although there are less points of interest to investigate.
Unfortunately the same gamplay issues that show up in episode one and the Walking Dead appear in Smoke and Mirrors as well, so at least on 360, this will always be a bit of a drag when playing Telltale titles.
Season Pass holders may also be frustrated as well, since the second episode must be purchased even if you dropped $15 for the pass, although Microsoft has temporary remedied this situation by giving pass holders a code for episode two. Let's hope that this issue is fixed by the time episode three is ready for release.
Recent Reviews
The wait for episode two was quite long in comparison to the Walking Dead, but it still shows that Telltale is among the best with supplying interactive segments for their games that keep you entertained while you await the next piece in the story.
I only hope next time the wait will be much shorter!
I only hope next time the wait will be much shorter!
+ Another great addition to The Wolf Among Us
+ Great job of reflecting on past choices from Episode One
+ New characters to interact with
- Technical issues with the game and Season Pass
Reviews on the thebuttonpresser.com are based out of a '1-5 controller' Scoring system. Purchased games by the reviewer contain no annotation, but review copies are always known to the reader via a review disclaimer.
Publishers- Telltale Games
Release Date- February 5th, 2014
Price- $4.99 MSRP
Review Platform- Xbox Live Arcade
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| 11/12/13 3:30PM |
-Review Disclaimer-
Copies of the game were provided for reviewing purposes
-Review Disclaimer-
Copies of the game were provided for reviewing purposes
Killer Homework
Originally meant to be a new title in the Obscure series of horror games, Final Exam makes its way to 360, PS3, and PC as a downloadable 2.5D co-op game with colorful visuals and fun combat. The title features four characters who must work together to fend off various mutated foes as you progress through the eight levels of the game and seek to end the monster threat.
Clocking in at about 30 minutes per level, Final Exam is a nice game for $10 with added replay value due to its combat, unlockable items and skills, and the main factor of playing with friends via the online co-op that will give you hours of entertainment.
Clocking in at about 30 minutes per level, Final Exam is a nice game for $10 with added replay value due to its combat, unlockable items and skills, and the main factor of playing with friends via the online co-op that will give you hours of entertainment.
Each mission in Final Exam gives you a few main objectives to accomplish, with each usually having sub-objectives of their own to accomplish. In order to open a door, you may have to find a few items to get this done, so everything you do will directly involve the main objectives of the levels. Most of these are fairly straight-forward to complete, and contain frequent stops in order to deal with the the various mutated foes in the game as you increase your score while pulling off various combinations.
The 2.5D element of Final Exam is put to great use, as every level will require you to hop forward or backward in the environment to reach different areas in the game. Most of the time you'll be front and center in the foreground, but there are additional areas to explore that require you to move into the background. Switching between areas when needed is done quite easily with the press of a button, and after a few times, it'll feel natural moving between the planes as you look to complete the game's main goals and look for extras items hidden throughout as well.
The 2.5D element of Final Exam is put to great use, as every level will require you to hop forward or backward in the environment to reach different areas in the game. Most of the time you'll be front and center in the foreground, but there are additional areas to explore that require you to move into the background. Switching between areas when needed is done quite easily with the press of a button, and after a few times, it'll feel natural moving between the planes as you look to complete the game's main goals and look for extras items hidden throughout as well.
Most arcade titles seem to have a scoring system, and Final Exam is no different. There are the standard leaderboards that we are used to, but the game also has the ability to save certain scores based on how well you've done with combo attacks. Variety is key, and switching things up from shooting, throwing, and special attacks will do great things for your score in the long run. Once you've reached a certain level, you can use the the D-pad to add a combo to your overall score, which should help give you a nice boost on the leaderboards as you compete with friends and other Final Exam players.
Aside from the co-op gameplay and scoring system, combat in Final Exam may be its best feature in my opinion. With it, you're able to knock enemies up in the air and shoot them reminiscent of Capcom's Devil May Cry, pick them up and throw them into objects and other enemies, dodge and deliver strong counter-attacks, and learn new skills with the game's experience tree. Each of the four character's have unique abilities too, so mixing things up and switching between them will offer up new ways to take out the enemies and view all that Final Exam offers in terms of the game's combat mechanics.
I only came across a handful of areas that were troubling difficultly-wise, but I didn't mind them once I learned new skills and took advantage of the fun combat system in the game as I went along with other players.
Aside from the co-op gameplay and scoring system, combat in Final Exam may be its best feature in my opinion. With it, you're able to knock enemies up in the air and shoot them reminiscent of Capcom's Devil May Cry, pick them up and throw them into objects and other enemies, dodge and deliver strong counter-attacks, and learn new skills with the game's experience tree. Each of the four character's have unique abilities too, so mixing things up and switching between them will offer up new ways to take out the enemies and view all that Final Exam offers in terms of the game's combat mechanics.
I only came across a handful of areas that were troubling difficultly-wise, but I didn't mind them once I learned new skills and took advantage of the fun combat system in the game as I went along with other players.
The game's levels can be played both locally and online, and are the best ways to enjoy the game. Most of the objectives are scattered in separate areas of each level, so splitting up and completing them is very recommended. Playing by yourself is an option as well, but you may think that the game is a bit more tedious, as you have to bring several objects to an area that were meant for others to pick up.
Visually, Final Exam looks quite nice with its cartoony and colorful visuals -- From the green of the mutants to the red of the blood and visuals of the special effects, you'll have a nice looking game to accompany the fun combat throughout the experience.
Visually, Final Exam looks quite nice with its cartoony and colorful visuals -- From the green of the mutants to the red of the blood and visuals of the special effects, you'll have a nice looking game to accompany the fun combat throughout the experience.
Recent Reviews
Final Exam is another great downloadable title that held my attention even after I completed the main campaign. It's fairly easy to go back to as well, since I can use my experienced character and play with friends on a tougher difficultly level, or better my score in the Time Attack mode which unlocks after completing the game.
I don't mean to sound like a broken record from my recent reviews, but this is another great downloadable title you can get for the fair price of $10.
I don't mean to sound like a broken record from my recent reviews, but this is another great downloadable title you can get for the fair price of $10.
+ Fun combat and co-op gameplay
+ Scoring system and colorful visuals
+ 2.5D aspect of the game
- No main incentive to upgrade weapons, the starting ones do just fine!
Reviews on the thebuttonpresser.com are based out of a '1-5 controller' Scoring system. Purchased games by the reviewer contain no annotation, but review copies are always known to the reader via a review disclaimer.
Publishers- Focus Home Interactive
Release Date- November 8th, 2013
Price- $9.99 MSRP
Review Platform- Xbox Live Arcade
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| 11/4/13 4:30PM |
-Review Disclaimer-
A copy of the game was provided for reviewing purposes
-Review Disclaimer-
A copy of the game was provided for reviewing purposes
Attract & Repel
Magrunner: Dark Pulse begins as a puzzle game with magnetic gameplay that is presented in a simple way. As the game progresses though, you'll find yourself using these mechanics to fight against an unknown threat as Dax Ward, one the younger Magrunner participants who volunteered to test new magnetic technology for the Magtech Corporation.
Magrunner is a fun, challenging, and fairly interesting title that may look like Portal at first glance, but is its own game entirely and one that is actually based off of the Cthulhu Mythos by H.P. Lovecraft.
The principles of real-life Magnets serve as the key feature of the game in terms of its mechanics in the beginning of Magrunner. Your Mag Glove can make specific objects either green or red, which make them magnetize to the same color, or repel from each other if they are different. Using this feature, you'll have to solve puzzles that require combining objects and their magnetic range to gather other objects, or reach areas that need power from additional magnetic powers.
While there are some areas in the beginning of the game that you'll quickly breeze through, later areas may have you scratching your head before moments of 'Ah-hah' pop up once you figure out key puzzles. I found that as I got further and further into the game, the difficulty began rising as any game should, but it felt too hard at certain areas.
This isn't enough to take away from the fun of Magrunner, but it just made certain areas take longer than I wanted. If you love challenging games, Magrunner is certainly one.
While there are some areas in the beginning of the game that you'll quickly breeze through, later areas may have you scratching your head before moments of 'Ah-hah' pop up once you figure out key puzzles. I found that as I got further and further into the game, the difficulty began rising as any game should, but it felt too hard at certain areas.
This isn't enough to take away from the fun of Magrunner, but it just made certain areas take longer than I wanted. If you love challenging games, Magrunner is certainly one.
Visuals in Magrunner are very nice and compliment the overall presentation of the game. Indoor environments are clean and futuristic, while also complementing the specific colors used for the levels. While the game is in first person, you'll be interacting with certain characters who communicate to Dax via his Mag Glove, and while their models are nice, they appear a bit out of place in comparison the environments in the game.
The main person you'll see throughout the game is Gamaji, Dax's mentor and care-taker who is also a mutant scientist that gives Dax advice as he progresses through the tests. Gamaji is very interesting as both a character and visual standpoint due to his mutation, and it's presented in Magrunner differently than what you would think of a mutant's physical features in a game.
The audio is great as well, and features some nice tracks that compliment the action of the game, and the slower paced times where you're just figuring out how to complete the puzzle at hand. Voice work is also well done, and there are even a few comedic moments that happen even though the game maintains a serious tone throughout the experience.
While there isn't any multiplayer features, you'll still be plenty busy with the game. The $10 asking price gets you 40+ levels of challenging gameplay to accompany the campaign as well as a interesting storyline to follow.
It's nice to see toward the end of this current generation of gaming that downloadable titles have become more than just simple titles with simple arcade mechanics and have moved more into just another way to get great games like Magrunner.
It's nice to see toward the end of this current generation of gaming that downloadable titles have become more than just simple titles with simple arcade mechanics and have moved more into just another way to get great games like Magrunner.
Recent Reviews
Overall, Magrunner: Dark Pulse may not appeal to everyone, but those who love challenging games and interesting stories will have a fun title that gives you a sense of accomplishment when overcoming the tougher areas of the game.
$10 is a great price to ask for a game that will require some extra thinking, but gives back with the reward of knowing you used your own wits to get through.
$10 is a great price to ask for a game that will require some extra thinking, but gives back with the reward of knowing you used your own wits to get through.
+ Interesting story and characters
+ Magnet gameplay with unique features
+ Clean visuals and soundtrack
- Tougher areas later in the game that slowed down the pace
Reviews on the thebuttonpresser.com are based out of a '1-5 controller' Scoring system. Purchased games by the reviewer contain no annotation, but review copies are always known to the reader via a review disclaimer.
Publishers- Focus Home Interactive
Release Date- October 25th, 2013
Price- $9.99 MSRP
Review Platform- Xbox Live Arcade
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