Kraven

I’m also playing, finally, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. It’s brilliant, challenging, features precise platforming and engaging combat, but it doesn’t rush you to the next transition screen. You can take your time if you want, but you also feel like a badass if you rush in and mow down enemies without being hit. There is a deep level of satisfaction due to the degree of difficulty Ninja Gaiden is as a whole. With Blasphemous and now this, I can’t wait to see what TGK cooks up next. Castlevania, perhaps? Please.

I want to start by saying I’m very easy to please when it comes to video games and thank goodness for that. Throughout my 35-years I have seen many game reviews that are either mediocre, average, or my favorite, 7/10, and oftentimes I end up adoring them. I reflect on the pre-internet days in the 90s when my parents would take me to the movie/game rental store and I’d pick out NES games based on the box art; sometimes they were great games, sometimes they weren’t, but I discovered a lot of games that I love that I later found out weren’t reviewed well once the internet became prominent.

That brings me to Blades of Fire. It has a respectable user score of 8.2 on Metacritic, while (some) critics weren’t that high on the game. Nonetheless, it clearly made a positive impression on the players, and I am one of them. I’m glad I took a chance on it despite its generic box-art because it’s the definition of “don’t judge a book by its cover”, and I’m enthralled by it.

First and foremost, it’s a 3D action adventure whilst simultaneously being a Metroidvania. This should come to no surprise considering their most recent game was a new 2D Metroid (Dread). Some people have touted it as a Souls-like, which I think is an inaccurate comparison. It may feel that way in terms of its difficulty, and believe me, it’s not even close to being that hard in terms of defining it as an entire genre built on that punishment.

The game shines in its combat, offering a wide array of weapons and combat techniques. Each weapon has its unique move-set and the way to attack enemies is based on directional hits. It’s a distinctive combat system that really requires you to experiment. And the way to acquire new weapon types is by defeating enemies a certain number of times, making you feel like you’re always progressing. However, you have to forge these weapons in order to obtain them. It’s an addictive mini-game that plays a drastic role in your success or failure in future combat encounters.

The game world itself is charming—it really does feel like that old school PS3/Xbox 360-era of action adventure games where the characters are over the top, the story is bombastic but fun, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It evokes feelings of when I played the original original God of War for the first time, and that’s probably the most accurate description for the entire game because it plays like it in terms of progression, exploration, and combat.

I have only one real complaint, and if it was handled a little bit more eloquently this game would be top tier for me; that is the level design and map. While exploration is rewarding, it’s very easy to get lost despite the game being touted as linear. There are so many interweaving paths in dense sections and it can become confusing, and the overworld map does little to help with navigation. I think it would benefit greatly with a mini map. With that said, it has Metroidvania DNA so it’s meant to be obtuse. Additionally, I’m playing on the hardest difficulty where it doesn’t show you where your next objective is, so exploring your surroundings and paying attention to dialogue is key to advancing the story.

Do they still do lay-away? Lol.

@DeadSpace Yeah, I’ve lost my way a few times now, but thankfully when I go the wrong way on accident it leads me to something rewarding, so I wasn’t getting too frustrated. My only real complaint right now is the dodging. I wish it wasn’t the left bumper and could be changed to the O button. With that said, I understand why it’s not and I’m slowly adapting.

This week I’ve played, beaten, and got the platinum trophy in RoboCop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business. I think it’s exceptionally better than its predecessor, which says a lot because I think highly of the base package.

I like how the game is set in one location - a tower where your goal is to reach the pinnacle. This allows the game to set its own pace. For the most part it succeeds, though it does falter from time to time. Throughout its 10-hour runtime, the game switches its perspective by allowing you to play as other characters for a brief moment. They are short and sweet, but add context to its totally 80s-90s story.

When you get to play as Alex Murphy the game feels different to play in a positive way. The developer clearly has a knack for the first person shooter genre and it shows by how smooth the gunplay feels as a regular Joe instead of RoboCop.

I do have a few issues with the game. First, I wish there was more weapon variety. While there is large arsenal to choose from, there is only one weapon that is new compared to the first entry. To be fair, it’s a linear expansion that takes place immediately after the events of the main game, so it’s only a minor, almost irrelevant complaint. Plus, your quintessential Auto-9 feels amazing to use throughout the entire experience.

My second problem is the RPG-lite mechanics. You gain experience points and can level up various abilities, but I think the options could have been trimmed significantly. You can dump all your acquired points in the engineering tree so you can eventually unlock the ability to open all safes in the game without a combination. This is an essentially useless considering I only discovered one safe throughout the game and there wasn’t any meaningful reward. It’s not an issue that takes away any form of fun factor, but it is noticeable.

Lastly, and more importantly, the bugs. This game could desperately use a patch or two. Everything was in tip-top shape until midway through the campaign, when I started noticing dialogue issues where the NPC would go silent while speaking, or the cutscene ends abruptly when it shouldn’t have. In the same suit, I had issues where the overall sound was static, as if the speakers on my PlayStation Portal were going bad. I decided to see if it was a game issue or a hardware issue, and my television was also experiencing the same problem. To be on the safe side I booted up a few other games on both devices and it sounded perfect, so I know it was simply the game itself. Other than that, there weren’t any gameplay bugs or mission hindrances.

This might raise some eyebrows, but RoboCop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business will be in the conversation for my GOTY. It’s not perfect by any means, but in an age where every game feels like it has to be open world, having a linear experience was a breath of fresh air. I’ve yet to be disappointed by any Teyon developed games, and they know how to tick all the right boxes that I look for in the medium.

A quick side note: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is my clear GOTY choice and it’s not even close.

I’m now biding my time until Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound releases. In the meantime, I did buy Blades of Fire since it is on sale. I have read tons of reviews and it sounds like it could be a cult classic down the line.

@BattleMonkey I primarily play on PlayStation, but I have a Switch as well. I like all three consoles and like to stay in the loop. The last time I actively played my Series X - I usually use it as a media device - was when Stalker 2 and Indiana Jones released. They were fantastic experiences. I’m very interested in this new Xbox Rog Ally X, and depending on the price that could be where I do a lot of my gaming in the future.

And more and more reason why I don’t bother turning on my Xbox much these days. It’s a shame. Oh well; I’m curious as to what the next ports will be. My guess is Starfield, Avowed, and South of Midnight. I don’t think Halo will be announced until after Gears, but who knows?

Glad to see the game is still being supported with patches and updates. Let’s hope the DLC turns out great and brings this game back on the map in a positive way.

@Ernie Moon Studios is well known, and they’ve been known to make some of the best Metroidvania’s in recent years. They also, at the time, made these games exclusive to the Xbox and really brought people into the ecosystem. So, I’m not sure if you’re being sarcastic with your reply, but they are an established studio.

@Fiendish-Beaver I think your comment is the correct answer. It’s hard to rationalize the cost of resources making the game for the Xbox when it more than likely won’t sell enough to reap a profit. It’s a shame, but this is the current reality of the ecosystem.

Sifu is great, but they don’t need a sequel to it. I’m under the impression they want to have a diverse portfolio of games. I’ll be honest, when I saw that their next game was Rematch I was disappointed because it’s not my type of game and I was unrealistically expecting something more along the lines of Sifu (combat oriented). However, Rematch has turned into a huge hit and fans love it, so I think this will be added motivation to develop a wide array of genres and I respect that. I’ll be looking forward to their next game.

I hope whatever their next game is will be Wolfenstein related. The New Order and Colossus are a fantastic couple of games. I also wouldn’t mind more Indiana Jones. They have a solid blueprint with The Great Circle, and if they can hone down some of the rough edges then they will be in a great position. I’ll be looking forward to whatever project they are working on.

I’m excited for Wuchang. It looks interesting, and is attempting to bring something fresh to the table.

@theduckofdeath I sometimes like having a goal to strive for in my games. Not all the time, but sometimes I do. It also gives me an incentive to see 100% of a game that I may not have otherwise. When I was a kid in the 90s there were some games that I would play, particularly RPGs, where there were a lot of secrets that I never uncovered because I didn’t know about them, but now trophies/achievements show me I may be missing something like that, so it’s gives me motivation to get the most out of the games I play. That’s just a personal preference; I know I’m in the minority.

I’m an odd duck because I like to buy third party games, but it depends on what it is. I like the trophy system more than I do the achievement system, so if it’s a game I know I won’t get all the trophies for via PS, I’ll pick it up on Xbox. I prefer the Batman Arkham Collection on the Xbox and Far Cry, and even Metal Gear Solid.

Even though the games are on Game Pass, I’ll be picking up the Batman Arkham Collection. They are an excellent trio of games. I’m also going to buy Mad Max — it’s been on my radar for a while. I wish some of the achievements were unobtainable, but it is what it is.

I’m still playing Death Stranding 2. I’ve reached chapter 12 113hours and I feel as if I’ve hardly accomplished anything. Don’t ask me what I’ve been doing this entire time—I won’t have an answer. But gosh dang, am I having a blast. The entire gameplay loop is addicting, from the dopamine rush of collecting packages, to the sound it makes when picking up items, it ticks that satisfaction part of your brain.

I’d like to also mention that Episode 11, “Quake”, might be one of the best things I’ve ever experienced in a video game, from the gameplay, environmental exposition, and answers in its story—everything is intertwined so perfectly. It impacted me emotionally in an unexpected way, and it’s one of those rare gaming moments I’ll never forget.

I have also played a couple of hours of RoboCop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business. As a big fan of Treyon, particularly Terminator and the thoroughly enjoyable Rogue City—I got the platinum for it—this is more of the same in the best of ways. I’ve had a blast shooting criminal scum in the crotch. I would buy this game for a dollar, but I felt like it deserved $30.00.

There are also several games on my Xbox Series X I’d like to get to soon: South of Midnight; Atomfall; Avowed; and My Friendly Neighborhood. And in a couple of weeks Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is releasing. That is anime immediate day one purchase, and whatever I’m playing at that moment will get put on the back-burner.

I’ll probably pick up Final Fantasy XVI—it’s a great game worth playing.

It’s a solid 7/10 to 8/10 type of game. It doesn’t do anything special, but what it tries to accomplish—making you feel the essence of RoboCop—it succeeds in every way. It has a lot of jank, but it’s part of its charm. I had fun 100%’ing the game.

I have the game downloading as we speak — thanks for the heads up!

This looks awesome. I particularly love the art-style. I hope it comes to console at some point.

It sounds like it’s more of the same from Rogue City and that is perfect for me. I’ll be playing it today.

@Coletrain That’s a bummer about the performance mode. I am with you — XV was too much of a bromance (though I did like it a little bit) — but XVI hits different. The only real negative I could criticize the game for would be its side quests; however, if you finish them to completion the payoff(s) are incredibly rewarding at the end of the game, and you can appreciate how great the writing is. Unfortunately, some of the side quests leading up to the crescendo can be somewhat dull.

@Coletrain I’m not sure how it runs or plays on the Series X, but it’s one of my favorite Final Fantasy games in the entire franchise. I hope those interested in the game will purchase it because it deserves support.

@Wizzle8899 Id say “alright” and “solid” are the same.

Yeah, I feel like we won’t reach the Series X and PS5’s true potential until 2026-2027. Death Stranding 2 feels like the real starting point for this current generation. Hellblade 2 was a great stepping stone for cinematic quality graphics, but it was missing everything else. However, we are on the cusp of what these machines are capable of. I can’t wait for the future of both consoles.

Can we just sit back and appreciate how incredible the turnaround for this game has been? As of right now, I think it’s one of the best RPGs you can play. I’m looking forward to this new update.

I’ve yet to play this but it’s installed and ready to go for whenever I make the leap. It looks really solid, and I may wait for its bigger update before jumping in. I’m glad Obsidian is still actively working on the game and improving it as best they can.

My Friendly Neighborhood looks awesome — I’ll definitely check it out. I hope the puzzles aren’t too difficult to figure out because I’m bad at those types of games. It seems more Resident Evil coded which is perfectly manageable. This might be what I play in-between Death Stranding 2.

@Friendly I agree. This is the type of news I like to hear about, and makes me glad I’m part of the ecosystem. If only it could be a consistent thing.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is my most anticipated game this year in general. It looks sublime in every facet. I’m also looking forward to The Outer Worlds 2. I found the first game to be excellent, and had just the right amount of exploration without feeling overwhelming. Everything I’ve seen from the sequel seems to be a massive improvement.

Shoutout to RoboCop: Rogue City! That game rules. I hope more people will play this gem since it’s on Game Pass. I’m also looking forward to its next game, Unfinished Business. I already have it pre-installed and ready to go.

I never beat it the first time around but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I think I’ll give the game another go!

@Questionable_Duck I’m not saying I want them to leave the console space - I’m saying that it’s clear going third party is working well for them, and Microsoft doesn’t have a clear vision for what they want, or if they do they are not marketing it well. They need a change in management because their strategy has changed drastically in just a one-year period. That is my biggest gripe with the ecosystem; they make bad decisions that don’t benefit their brand in terms of drawing people in.

Do you know what would be awesome - if Microsoft acknowledged publicly how well Forza Horizon 5 is selling on PlayStation. Unfortunately, they don’t want to celebrate its success despite it being a positive reflection on Microsoft. They need to start promoting themselves positively because everything that releases via media is negative. This is not because the media is making up information to paint them in that light, but they are creating it themselves. They are the definition of “one step forward, two steps back”.

We can debate about Sony going third party, but it will be very unlikely to be in the same vein as Xbox because they are actually selling their games. TLOU 1&2 has sold close to 30 million copies, Spider-Man 1&2 over 10 million, God of War above 10 million, and the list continues. There is no reason to release their games on their competitors platform because they are recouping the money spent on the games as it is.

In terms of traditional consoles, if you are new to gaming and are considering buying an Xbox or PlayStation, which one do you think people will decide if they do their research, and maybe have a basic understanding of what’s happening in the game industry? The answer is more than likely PS because of its AAA output and strong second party output. What incentive is there to join the Xbox ecosystem?

We — the Royal you — are in the minority. What I mean is that we keep up to date with the news going around every day. The majority of people will buy a console simply for sports games and Call of Duty. That will be Xbox’s main focus more than likely - having a CoD machine. However, you can also play it on other platforms. If I was an outsider looking in, I would see the Xbox games I want to play are migrating to PlayStation. Subsequently, there are plenty of exclusives (I’m not talking about PC) that are on that platform that gets critically and commercially praised. People discuss them via word of mouth and the sales show that. Which console would I choose? For me, the answer is simple.

And you’ve mentioned in other comments that the next console will be fully backwards compatible. I’m a big supporter of BC, but there comes a point where old is old and people want new. How many times are we going to replay Halo or Gears because of BC? How about we get new IPs? BC only takes you so far - I don’t need to constantly replay games I’ve already beat over and over again. And not every game is BC, either. Singularity should be (and it’s an Activision product), Chronicles of Riddick (an Xbox exclusive), and more. Again, I have no incentive to jump to the Xbox brand when they don’t have anything fresh to offer other than backwards compatibility.

I’m not here to talk poorly about the Xbox brand because I do love them as a whole. I grew up with the original Xbox and have fond memories, but I can criticize a corporation and see how badly they are losing their audience.

I’ve never heard of this game but it looks really cool. I’ll definitely add it to my wishlist.

@Fiendish-Beaver I agree. I think they really need to officially become a third-party publisher and stop developing consoles. In fact, them releasing their high profile games on PlayStation is one of the best decisions they’ve made this entire generation. I wish that wasn’t the case because I think there needs to be competition, but aside from that, Microsoft is making so much money right now off of Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation that it’s not even funny.

If they were still partaking in traditional consoles and doing these ports, the question you’d have to ask is: Are we driving people to our brand or driving them to PS? The answer is simple, and it’s been that way for a while. If they would have stuck to their strategy of releasing exclusives solely on their console they may have had a killer year in the traditional sense.

I understand optimism and pessimism, but there are some things you simply can’t turn into a positive. Unfortunately, this equates to about 95% of what the Xbox brand has been and currently still is.

On a side note, I just feel ripped off. I had the decision (six months into COVID) at GameStop to order either an Xbox Series S|X or a PS5. I chose an Xbox because I liked what they were doing, particularly with the Bethesda acquisition. It seemed as if they were going back to their roots as an Xbox brand. And then nothing happened. Once again, there were hardly any new AAA games of any consequence, and they just weren’t producing any meaningful gaming content.

Thankfully, I do own a PS5 and Switch because I feel burned by Xbox and their constant flip flopping on their strategy, the layoffs, a lack of focus on first party titles, and now the usage of AI. It truly has been a roller coaster of emotions. And honestly, November of last year when STALKER2 released, followed by Indiana Jones, I was finally happy with the brand. Xbox started releasing a steady cadence of games - Avowed, South of Midnight, Ninja Gaiden 2, and subsequently NG4 later this year. It looked like they finally found their footing, and what did the do? Change their strategy once again and had very poor marketing, with a handful of studios shutting down and games being canceled. The truth of the matter is, Xbox doesn’t know how to stop releasing negative information, and that is from upper management, meaning it needs a drastic change in leadership. Until that moment happens - perhaps from an outsider instead of internally - this ecosystem is one foot away from being six feet under.

@Vipor007 I think Wuchang Fallen Feathers releases next week. I’m drawing a blank on other notable releases, but I feel like there are.

@FarmDog08 Are you playing the first or second one? I couldn’t get into the first entry - it literally put me to sleep every time I played it - but OT2 is one of my favorite RPGs.

I’ve had an incredibly busy week(end) and therefore haven’t had the chance to play many games. Let me correct that - game, singular, because my obsession is solely on Death Stranding 2. And since I haven’t managed to get much further, I simply want to rant on certain aspects that I feel make this game shine.

I just reached Episode 8 after 60-hours of playtime. It certainly doesn’t feel like I’ve played that long which is a testament to the game itself. What I mean is, DS2 is a game that is always evolving its gameplay mechanics. The amount of options the game gives you is mind blowing, and reaching a new star ranks with facilities rewards you with something fresh. That’s the key to success, and where a lot of games falter.

As the two sayings go, Variety is the spice of life, and Things are better in moderation. This leads me to an odd comparison between this game and NiOh (along with other various souls-likes), but I find it apt. They may be two different genres, but in terms of offering new ways for combat in an ample amount of ways, you can see how the two coincide.

In Souls-likes, you are presented an overwhelming amount of weapons and armor - so much so you’re spending more time managing your inventory than playing the game - but with NiOh, all your obtaining is the same weapon and armor types, but with insignificant attributes attached. I suspect that, like myself, most players will find the weapon and (fashion) armor that suits them and stick to it for the rest of the game. The gameplay itself doesn’t actually evolve in any meaningful way.

With Death Stranding 2, the case is completely different. Every new piece of gear and weapon you receive can drastically change your play-style. The combat and gunplay is sublime. As I mentioned earlier, there are many weapons at your disposal, with each one having their own unique properties and secret mechanics - thank you, pizza (IFYKYK) - and the game encourages you to use them often. Furthermore, how you acquire them is fantastic, not only from a surprised standpoint, but how it’s interspersed within the pacing of the plot.

And then you have traversal - a basic mechanic that has a lot of depth that can be modified in unique ways. There is the option of trekking on foot, but also a plethora of vehicles that will surprise you. In addition to that, there are secret mechanics to uncover. To do my best to avoid spoilers, I’ll simply say three words: hot spring buckets. What’s even more impressive is how the world itself manages to allow all of these variations as if it transforms to cater to you. Everything just works.

There are so many more things I want to discuss about this game, but I’m already exceeding my word count. I’ve barely scratched the surface on what makes this game great. Only Kojima can make a game that has emotional depth to its story and characters, and yet be bat-***** crazy, funny, and outright weird. He somehow masterfully balances solemnity and eccentric, and I don’t creatively understand how. Nonetheless, he is a genius, and I think this is his best game yet.

@NotoriousWhiz Yep, especially when, particularly this generation, games cost well over 50million to make. It’s hard to see profits in that light.

@wildcat_kickz Exactly this. And the same goes with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. If these games don’t sell well on the Xbox console then you will see the very simple answer as to why things are the way they are with the brand. I’m very curious to see how it plays out.

I’ll buy that for a dollar.

For real though, I got the platinum in the first game. I’ll be picking this one up too — it looks awesome.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s not entirely a lot of money - 50k to 50m - especially when games these days costs a lot more than that number to make. Supposedly, it cost around 40-80 million to make Hellblade 2 (that could be inaccurate), and with poor reception wouldn’t that be a negative?

I could absolutely be wrong and out of left field here, so apologies in advance.

This looks trippy as hell, but also really fun. I’ll definitely keep this on my radar.

@Kaloudz I think my issue with the third game is how dense it was. It felt like there was a new village to discover, or a cave to explore, every 20 steps. It’s a cool concept considering you’re in the jungle and you never know what’s around the corner, but it was too much for me. With that said, I think the game is great. I haven’t played it since its launch so my feelings might change for the better if I replay it. I will say, the entire reboot trilogy is an awesome set of games.

@Kaloudz Interesting. Rise is my favorite out of all three, with the third being my least favorite.

This looks great. I’m glad Hangar 13 is going back to Mafia’s more linear nature. August is going to be a stacked month for games.

@Millionski It seems you and I have shared almost the exact same experience. You are 100% right too - at the end of the day, it’s about the games. Game Pass is great, but if we are looking at an overall library of games from this generation to last, it’s quite easy to see which console has what people go to the platform for. It’s such a simple thing to see, in my opinion.

@themightyant Bingo. When many people are trying to put a positive spin on recent layoffs, and whether Game Pass is sustainable or not, all you have to do is Occam’s Razor. It’s pretty simple why things have turned sour once again in the Xbox ecosystem.

It’s unfortunate - I like my Series X, and if I was a gamer that ignored all of the drama surrounding it and was a relatively casual gamer that didn’t visit media sites, I would probably be very satisfied with my product. I don’t turn on my Xbox much over months at a time, but when I do I discover that there are handful of new titles out on Game Pass that I would like to play.

The problem is that I am not that casual gamer. I know what Xbox has messed up on; their cancellations, mismanagement of studios, indecisive approach to hardware and games, and broken promises have really soured my taste in the brand. I wish that wasn’t the case, and that I could be the former in what I outlined above, but alas, here we are.