Category: Features

Stephen’s Diary: The Retro Round-up

by Stephen Carter, posted in Features

I’ve never been much of a collector. I’ve always been one to trade games in once I’ve finished with them, the same can be said with consoles. The PS3 and 360 both went the journey when the current gen launched and I thought that would be me, future-proofed for the foreseeable.

Not for one moment did I expect to find myself buying a new console. And when I say new, I mean old. That’s right; I’m turning retro, I’m going back to the past (not the future).

By chance, I stumbled upon a Facebook advert for an upcoming retro fair (shout out to the Retro Fair in Doncaster) close to home. Out of interest, I thought I’d go along just to see what it was like, not knowing what to expect. Instantly… I was hooked. There were NES’ here, PS2’s there and all sorts of memorabilia in-between. I was like a kid in a sweet shop and could have spent a small fortune.

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To clarify, retro to me is anything from my childhood. Being relatively youthful at that age of 25, my childhood gaming memories started with the Mega Drive, Master System and PS1. Until now, I’d always been of the opinion that memories were best left in the past, but how wrong I was.

It all started quite recently when I found myself at a loss between my One, PS4 and Switch. Between them, I couldn’t find anything to play which sounds silly, but I was bored. I had an itch that couldn’t be scratched when I thought ‘I could really play Pokemon right now’. That’s where it all began; I bought a Game Boy Advance SP. Or I should say my partner did and I’ll be opening it for my birthday.

With a selection of games bundled with it, including Pokemon Red, I can’t wait to open it. But with me not doing things by half, I’ve bought a GameCube in the meantime. These might not be ‘retro’ by true definition but they are consoles of my childhood and I feel that looking back may be the future. Very minimal research shows how many games there are for both systems and how little you can pick them up for.

My future plans are to buy an original Xbox next and take things from there. In the meantime, though I’ll be penning my thoughts on all things retro from my purchases, shops I visit, games I play and my general thoughts.

I hope you join me on my journey and see where it takes me…

Phantom Trigger Review – A Hack ‘n’ Slash, Dungeon Crawler with Smooth Retro Style Action (PC)

by Chris Wheatley, posted in Reviews

Retro arcade experiences have been remodelled and re-imagined since the dawn of modern indie games. Each title inherits old gameplay styles while lending new and creative ideas to the experimental games releasing under independent developers. Phantom Trigger is exactly that, bringing old school dungeon crawling elements, while the strategically smooth hack ‘n’ slash playstyle brings a much-needed breath of fresh air to the mildly stagnant, and highly saturated genre.

Starting the game as Stan, you’ve abruptly collapsed in the midst of what seems to be an ordinary morning with your wife. Awakening in a strange, dreamlike world, you venture into the unknown, meeting with the strange creatures and mysterious people who inhabit the phantom realm. Dungeon crawling takes place in a semi-isometric 2D perspective, with beautiful neon coloured pixellated graphics and detailed pixel shading. The further you advance in the game, the more you find out about Stan’s illness, and the mysterious tale begins to unfold.

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Equipped with a few various weapons and abilities – such as the defensive manoeuvre to instantly dash a few paces forward, swing your trusty whip, slash your blue sword or swipe your mighty ‘phantom’ hands upon enemies, each tactic proves its own worth given the appropriate time. The dash move is self-explanatory, offering a quick “in-n-out” fighting style, keeping plenty of movement to and from the enemy. Also, this skill becomes valuable when traversing through walls and areas throughout the game.

The combat moves start off with the faithful green whip, which offensively reels in monsters, right into the hands, or blade, of the aggressive protagonist. Once found early on from the mystical talking tree, the blue blade swipes and slashes through waves of various types of enemies. Once passed the subtle difficulty curve in combat, the use of the blink dash ability and the whip’s ability to bring enemies to you sees fast-paced action that is found in few other titles to date. The one-two punch from the whip/sword combo proves a viable go-to skill for much of the modestly difficult game. The red phantom hands are found just a little further into the game, offering a mid-range ability to advance the technical abilities of Stan.

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Each move carries its own combo set, increasing the action and strategy gameplay mechanics that’ll help you progress further in the game. As you gather experience points in each weapon category through fighting and defeating enemies, more combo abilities will unlock for the designated weapon, being the icy blue sword, the vine-like green whip or your flaming phantom hands. Each weapon is colour coded in green, blue and red, matching various items and enemies spread across dungeons, as well as providing elemental damage to help you place opportune strikes in the thick of combat.

Though most of the game plays the same and repeats various monsters across similar dungeons, Phantom Trigger plays comfortably and tells an eerie tale of an ordinary man trapped in a dangerous world. At the end of every dungeon lies a powerful boss, each with its own unique method of defeat, further increasing the challenge. The addictive gameplay may get a little tiresome after long sessions of gaming, but it’s moderately short story and engaging action keeps things just interesting enough to pull you through satisfied.

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The Escapists 2 Preview

by Tanya Laolapha Pettersen, posted in Previews

Time to break out of jail again! The release of the popular rule-breaking game, The Escapists 2, is right around the corner, so here’s our sneak peek of what to expect.

Two years ago, Team 17 released a prison simulator game that would become popular amongst anybody who loves strategy games. The deal is to – as the title of the game would indicate – escape prison. As an inmate, you are challenged with different prisons with various difficulties and you have to be creative as you desperately make your way to freedom.

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The first thing you notice about the game is the change in its art style; I am thoroughly surprised by the visuals. The new style looks amazing and is a definite improvement from the first. The graphics make the characters’ movement seem really smooth, with nice attention to detail in there – from the way the characters walk, to the way the hair bounces on their head. The style makes the game feel a bit more immersive, and it’s very enjoyable. I also want to make note of the soundtrack, which is very satisfying to my ears!

In the preview version of the game, the tutorial is called “Precinct 17”, where we play a short story about an escaped convict telling a man about his great escape. We learn the gameplay as we go along with the story and are given access to two of the game’s prisons: Centre Perks 2.0, a prison which is constructed in a very simple manner, leaving several loopholes for the prisoners. And Rattlesnake Springs which is a high-security prison that is built upon an unstable mine. So, uh, yeah. Good luck with that. 

You are able to craft the items you need in a new and improved crafting system, escaping the multi-level prisons in more inventive ways. The game also offers multiplayer modes in split-screen, online co-op and versus. (That’s pretty neat!) They should make for some hilarious moments in the game…

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What else is different? Well, you can now choose between a male or female inmate and changes to the combat system allow you to knock down fellow inmates and rob them of their stuff for your own convenience – however, beware! Unconscious inmates quickly get carried away to the hospital wing, so be quick about looting them. And whether you choose to enter the new hobby-system, which includes joining a band, learning to paint, all of which contributes to your great escape – is entirely up to you.

So, folks, this all seems very promising indeed. Look out for the release on the 20th August, and be ready to… erm… escape!

The Escapists 2 will be available on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam for PC.

Top 5 Best Food-Based Game Levels… Ever!

by Sally Mettson, posted in Viewpoints

Over here at D-pad Joy, we love two things. Firstly and foremost, we love gaming. Secondly, we adore food. And what’s better than enjoying these two things separately? Enjoying them together.

And when food and gaming mix, it is a glorious thing. So in light of this, here are our absolute 5 best food-based game levels… ever!

5) Toasty Buns – Parappa The Rapper 2 (PS2)

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The original Parappa The Rapper game had some of the most inventive and creative music ever seen in a video game. It was catchy, well-produced and fit the game perfectly. So there was a lot of pressure for the sequel to live up to its predecessor.

Needless to say, all fears were alleviated as soon as this level started up. The graphics were massively improved, the sound quality was fantastic and the game was much, much more polished than anyone had expected.

Also, did anybody else finish this level with a mad craving for burgers? McDonald’s, here we come.

4) 1.1 – Zool (Amiga)

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To be honest, I could pick any level from the Zool franchise. It seemed wherever you turned, whatever level you were on, Zool was choc-a-block full of candy canes, jelly bean and of course, the infamous Chupa Chup lollipops!

Playing this game with a big bag of M&M’s beside you has never felt so satisfying and oddly enough, I always find myself returning to the Zool franchise every Easter…

3) Sweet Sweet Galaxy – Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

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What’s not to love about this level? As soon as you fly in you’re met with a luxurious view of creamy chocolaty ledges, sweet sponge cubes and a delicious cake at the end of the level. I’ve got a feeling this level was deliberately designed to make the user salivate.

The level itself, although one of the smaller levels within the game, is deceptively tricky. It’s very easy to make a wrong move here, but then who cares? One more play through means one more time gazing longingly at the creamy goodness…. *drools*

2) Chocolate Factory – Castle of Illusion (Master System)

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The third level from the Master System version of Castle of Illusion is surprisingly quite varied in its level design. You start off with a moving screen, trying desperately not to be caught out. There are narrow parts, wide open parts, swimming parts and good old fashioned platforming. You travel left, you travel right all whilst surrounded by chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate.

I have a lot of time for this level. It is as fun to look at as it is to play. The only thing that keeps it off the top spot is the rather easy final boss battle, unfortunately.

1) Jelly Jitters – Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament (Mega Drive)

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Micro Machines 2 is the undisputed don of frantic, race spoiling fun! With the ability for 8 players to play simultaneously, all jousting for position, deliberately knocking one another off and racing for glory, how could you not have fun whilst playing this masterpiece?

Now there were a lot of great tracks in MM2 but some of the trickier ones took place on a breakfast table. Jelly Jitters always seemed to be a track that was oddly difficult. You had to race big digger trucks which took ages to reach top speed. The challenge lay in avoiding hitting anything as if you did, you would lose a lot of time. Stupidly good fun though.

What would you pick, reader?

Game Quote of the Month: Alan Wake

by Sally Mettson, posted in Tunes & Quotes

It’s that time folks. Yes, that’s right, our Game Quote of the Month. And it goes something like this for August:

“Stephen King once wrote that nightmares exist outside of logic, and there’s little fun to be had in explanations. They’re antithetical to the poetry of fear. In a horror story, the victim keeps asking “Why” but there can be no explanation and there shouldn’t be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest and it’s what we will remember in the end. My name is Alan Wake. I’m a writer.”

What’s it from? Alan Wake

Year: 2010

Platform: Xbox 360, PC

Gaming context: It’s the first thing you hear upon starting the campaign in Alan Wake.

The game is by far one of my favourite games, not only because it takes place in my home state of Washington but because of its fantastic story that keeps drawing you in until its sudden twist ending…

Although a direct sequel never came to be, Alan Wake: American Horror Story kept fans (mostly) happy. Still, can we have that sequel guys? Please.

You can hear the quote below:

Danmaku Unlimited 3 Review – An Exciting Addition to Bullet Hell Shooters (iOS)

by Chris Wheatley, posted in Reviews

Intense bullet hell shooters bring a much-needed adrenaline rush to the category of casual games. Doragon Entertainment has pushed the limit of how mobile style games generate addictive and thrilling experiences, by providing an arcade style shooter that leaves your heart pounding in an awe of gorgeous colours and visuals in, Danmaku Unlimited 3.

Piloting an agile spaceship, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a storm of bullets and projectiles fired from a fleet of opponents and enemy ships. High octane rock music fuels the adrenaline filled levels as you’ll desperately guide your ship back and forth through hordes of darting bullets laid out in spectacular designs, while delivering every ounce of destruction capable in your various streams of gunfire.

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Through five different stages, the player uses a wave of bullets stretched across the game screen, as well as the option to switch to a sizable beam delivering an accurate source of damage on whoever sits in your way. Also found throughout the levels are bombs, where once obtained, you’ll be able to detonate a powerful explosion surrounding the area around the player’s spaceship. The bomb is a sure way to make quick work of the enemy ships zeroing in too close.

With the unique Spirit/Graze system, you’re able to counter attack your opponents by using the enemy projectiles to charge up your Trance Gauge. Flying too close to bullets, or grazing them, the Trance meter will start to fill. Once filled and engaged, your ship is charged with enhanced firepower, also destroying all ships in sight and turning them into valuable gems and points, to further increase your score.

Waiting at the end of each level are multi-phased boss ships capable of dealing mesmerizing bullet patterns, sometimes filling the screen with colourful explosions and fire-power. Quick lasers, a volley of torrential bullets and heavy-duty explosions are common in Danmaku Unlimited 3, so you’ll have to make good use of strategy and keen reflexes as you dip and dodge appropriately through the maze of bullets and projectiles.

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A range of difficulty comes provided with Danmaku Unlimited 3, making sure players of all skill levels may adapt to the high-energy arcade title. Spirit Mode and Graze Mode separates the casual from the hardcore, creating an excellent balance of challenges for the long-time fans, or the newcomers who are getting acquainted with the unique style of play. Also included is a healthy dose of weapon combinations, changing the spread layout of your primary guns, the beam intensity or perhaps the number of beams fired from your ship. Unlocked in various ways throughout the game, these weapon combos give players enhanced action and battle tactics when pushing further into more challenging areas of the game.

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In a flurry of bullets comes Doragon Entertainment‘s next arcade shooter in the acclaimed bullet hell series. With a scorching soundtrack, high-energy gameplay, tight controls and gorgeous visuals to back it all up, Danmaku Unlimited 3 delivers a fierce experience not typically found in the world of mobile gaming; one any dedicated mobile gamer can’t miss.

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Past Blast: Mass Effect 2

by Tom Buxton, posted in Past Blasts

With Mass Effect 2, in 2010, gamers were taken aback by the sheer immersion that this once glitch-infested universe now held, incorporating seedy alien organisations, planets filled with wonder and corruption and a storyline that matched all the greatest icons of the sci-fi genre both in this industry and in others (Star Wars? Meh. George Lucas didn’t have an army of Reapers preparing to converge on our planet.).

Certainly, there’s one thing that’s impossible to deny upon booting up the disc again for the first time in a while – the production values are astounding. From the layered and deep menus to the beautifully animated cut scenes and battles, there really is not a single moment in Mass Effect 2 where you’ll lose the sense of being fully integrated into its twisting and breath-taking plot threads. That BioWare had the sheer audacity to seemingly kill Commander Shepherd – the man who many of us had spent us hours upon hours levelling up in preparation for the sequel – off in the opening moments of the game, sending him hurtling into the lonely void of space with no oxygen remaining in his tanks, still resonates deeply, while also highlighting the developer’s justified confidence in the entire project.

Things don’t get any less ambitious from there, either, as we’re then thrown into the revelation that alleged terrorists Cerberus have resurrected Shepherd for a suicide mission (as if one literal near-death experience wasn’t enough), whereby he must gather a team to face terrible odds in order to stop the menacing Collector army building a new Reaper out of stolen human tissue. The countless red herrings and ground-breaking narrative shifts that are thrown your way throughout genuinely make for some of the most emotional and stomach-churning moments in modern video gaming, sure to push you to your absolute limits in terms of character empathy as they have with me a good while after my first playthrough.

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Perhaps it’s easy to forget, but Mass Effect 2 in itself was incredibly focused on its third-person shooter action, such to the point that you would barely go five or ten minutes of the main campaign without being engaged in some kind of firefight, be it against renegade human forces like the Black Suns or indeed the overwhelming Collector threat. The frequency of these dangerous interludes cannot be ignored, and yet it is all the more unexpected to me that all of the battles still feel integral to the overall storyline, really serving as the crux of the reason why even now Mass Effect 2 remains such a compelling, nay, gripping experience to relive.

The final moments on the Collector base only serve to heighten the tension and emotive drama that build steadily and convincingly throughout the game – if you can name one other title that provides such an impactful climax, whereby team members can be gunned down at random regardless of their loyalty or indeed their romantic status with Shepherd, then I’ll be amazed. I can assure you now that seeing my weathered and worn incarnation of the N7 Commander (who apparently has quite a few favourite shops in the Citadel, or so I’m informed) grimace over the graves of Tali and Mordin – both of whom failed to survive due to a reckless decision I made earlier regarding Tali’s father – was just as heartbreaking as when the majority of my team were gunned down back in 2010.

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For a video game to still provide just as many surprises, tears and thrills as it did two years before is one thing, but it’s that Mass Effect 2 retains the same heart, overwhelmingly engaging set pieces and true-to-life cast of human and alien characters that to me makes it one of the best releases of all time.

What did you think of Mass Effect 2 when you originally played it? Have you tried it again recently?

Sunny Tam, developer of Danmaku Unlimited 3, on dev tools, VR and more

by Nitchigamer, posted in Interviews

We were lucky enough to sit down and speak to game developer Sunny Tam from Doragon Entertainment, the creator of the Danmaku Unlimited series. Just don’t mention loot boxes to him…

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Gamer Credentials

A one man indie game development studio based in Vancouver, Canada, with a passion for old school shooters and Japanese robot animations. Or anything with a combination of jets, rock music, missiles, and explosions, lots of explosions.

What inspired you to get into game development?

Greed! But greed in terms of wanting to live and experience many different lives, like to be a fighter pilot or to be a spy and so on. Game development lets me satisfy that desire by crafting many different interactive worlds and adventures.

What games have you created and which is your favourite?

I’ve created the Danmaku Unlimited series on PC and mobile plus various small mobile games. Is it cheating if I say Danmaku Unlimited 3 is my favourite? I feel like it is a culmination of the skills and experience I’ve gained from previous projects.

What advice would you offer for those just starting out?

Keep a realistic scope and design something around your strength while minimizing your weakness. Being indie often means working with limited resources so it is important to concentrate them to create a focused, high-quality project instead of trying to do too much and ending up with a diluted game.

What do you think is going to be a key trend in the games industry this year?

Loot boxes, loot boxes everywhere…!

What’s your favourite platform to sell games on?

Logistically iOS as it has a limited amount of hardware configuration one needs to keep track of and support.

What are your favourite tools for game development?

I use a custom in-house engine for all of my games but recently I’ve been looking into Unity3D. It is fast becoming my favourite for how quickly you can throw something playable together!

How do you stay motivated to achieve your goals?

I’d say it comes down to making a list of smaller manageable goals each week, that way you don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of the project and you’ll feel like you are making tangible progress as you check off items as the week goes on.

Which events do you recommend indie developers showcase their game at?

I don’t think I’m a good person to make this recommendation as I have not showcased my games at events before, but more exposure for your game is always good. Even small local events/meetups can be beneficial as getting real life feedback is a good way to gain perspective on where your project is at.

What do you think about VR?

It’s getting there! Price and ease of use is a limiting factor now, but I think once prices come down and developers figure out how to optimally control movements in VR space, it’ll really take off. Why? Because it offers a leap in immersion that we have not seen before.

Games console of choice?

PS4 right now, but once I get my hands on a Switch I think that will become my go-to choice!

Thanks for your time Sunny

Thank you very much, guys!

Danmaku Unlimited 3 launches on iOS and Android on August 10th. It’s also available now on Steam with the Nintendo Switch version arriving later this year. Our full review of Danmaku Unlimited 3 will be posted on the site this week.

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series would make for a great video game

by Trevor Cripe, posted in Viewpoints

“The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” This is the very first line from book one (The Gunslinger) of the epic Dark Tower series from Stephen King. This one line leaves you with great anticipation of the adventure you’re about to experience. This one line could easily be a pitch for, let’s say, a video game (or a sh** movie…) based off this series of books.

The Dark Tower is an epic tale, that mixes western, sci-fi, good vs evil, and fantasy in one very special package that is begging to be put in the hands of a good developer. You could take this potential game in so many directions. The two I would recommend is either an open world adventure like Red Dead Redemption or a choose your own adventure like Telltale – by going through the book’s story over multiple seasons, just like they have done with their other series of games.

For an open world game, there is limitless potential in the Dark Tower series, because there are quite a few different worlds, and each one can be radically different or similar to the others. But, if I were in charge of developing the game, I wouldn’t get crazy and go off the rails like the books get later on. I would keep it grounded, and would base it off the first book. The opening line sums up the first book to a tee, and that’s what the game could resemble. Exploring the universe of the Dark Tower series, meeting the iconic characters, doing quests, learning more about the lore, and ultimately chasing down the Man in Black.

The Telltale route would be an interesting endeavour because in those games you make the choices for the character, so you would have to spin-off the source material to make it work. If this were to happen, Telltale studios should have no problem pulling this off. They’ve done it with their other games The Walking Dead, Batman, Game of Thrones, etc. It would be awesome to experience what their version of a Stephen King world would be like.

The Dark Tower series really does have it all, from sorcerers to demons, to talking animals, to gunfights, to deep and intriguing characters, an expansive story and lore with connections to Stephen King’s other works. This series would do wonders in an experienced studio’s hand like Rockstar, Telltale or even better would be CD Projekt Red. If you can adapt the books without completely tarnishing what made the book series special, cough *the movie* cough, then it would be an absolute blast to be able to control Roland the gunslinger and hunt down the Man in Black.

If you guys have no idea what the Dark Tower is, I will include the movie trailer below, but I HIGHLY recommend reading the books, or even the graphic novels instead of watching the movie.

To those fans of The Dark Tower series, what do you think? Is The Dark Tower series primed for a video game adaption? Or should nobody touch it again after the recently released movie? Let me know in the comments below!

The Tavern Review – A Visual Novel/RPG Hybrid (PC)

by Chris Wheatley, posted in Reviews

Selective dialogue and story driven games have been gaining ground since the rise of the indie game market. It’s no surprise to learn that game developers Moral Anxiety Studios continue this trend with The Tavern. What we see here is a thrilling tale solely based around your actions and responses in dialogue. Clinging to the slim hope of survival, The Tavern delivers an eerie story where the threat of defeat lurks around every corner.

Starting the game, you’re placed in control of a lone mercenary by the name of Nalia. Determined to support your family, you venture off for work in the dangerous lands around you. Adopting the retro semi-isometric style of early RPGs, The Tavern plays and explores just as any adventure title would, but where it differs is the action portion of the game.

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There’s lots to discover.

No button mashing, gun-toting or spell wielding action awaits you in this story driven title. The visual novel style is similar to the popular Telltale games: you’ll be given a list of dialogue options for each major interaction, where every response or action could have minor, or major consequences, sometimes even ending the game. Luckily, you can save when you want, making easy work of dishing out the appropriate solutions with dialogue options. Multiple endings are available throughout the game too, leaving the decision to either continue further into the dark journey or, for whatever reason, to end it early. That’s up to you…

Interaction is a key feature of the game. Focusing on its RPG side, Nalia can interact and explore her surroundings, revealing sometimes important notes and additions to her journal. Other times useful items or friendly lore may be found, adding to the depth of exploration displayed in the grim adventure title.

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A tough choice?

The Tavern is relatively short in terms of today’s modern gaming era though, clocking in at around an hour for my first playthrough, and the second in just over 2 hours, after what was deemed an “appropriate” ending. The deep characters and story give you plenty of reason to make multiple playthroughs and encounter new scenarios and endings each time you play. Tough choices make up most of the game’s difficult moments, so taking the time to re-live gripping moments and discovering different outcomes proves to be a rather satisfying feature.

A lone tavern shrouded in mystery, filled with enigmatic characters in the depths of a dark land amidst a war, The Tavern places itself among few others in the adventure category of video games. Thrill and excitement surface from rich text and story, deep and personal relationships, as well as the fear of losing it all before every decisive action. A truly unique experience as an average mercenary looking to save her family, The Tavern is filled with enough grit for story enthusiasts to indulge in. Familiar and easy ‘selective dialogue’ gameplay, a fantastically grim soundtrack echoing throughout your journey and intriguing decisions along every step of the way make for a welcome break from the everyday norm we see in mainstream games today.

The Resurrection of the Retro Element In Video Games

by Tanya Laolapha Pettersen, posted in Viewpoints

It’s safe to say, the terms “retro” and “nostalgia” have walked hand-in-hand for quite a while. But when we think of “retro” in games today, we think of a certain graphical style, gameplay and music.

Like the demanding bunch of gamers that we are, we always want something new in the gaming scene, even though we miss certain aspects of old games. This desire from us has certainly made for an interesting challenge for game developers. Exploring how nostalgia has become a relevant factor in many modern games, implementing the retro element has shown that games are indeed developing – but why do we choose to look back, rather than forward?

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Thimbleweed Park is an excellent example of a game with retro gameplay, but with modern dialogue and story.

As the generations for said games grow up, so do our preferences for what type of games we play. Games such as Thimbleweed Park, Owlboy and Stories Untold have emerged from the indie-scene as very popular games, and have so far done a great job to fulfil some of these needs. In terms of retro-style gameplay, Thimbleweed Park provides a classic form of a point-and-click adventure, with an interesting touch on the dialogue. It is funny, weird, and intriguing, and definitely something worth looking into.

I’m not just mentioning Owlboy just because Norwegian developers made it – something that I am totally unbiased with, of course – but because it is also a good example of how a contemporary made retro game works perfectly, both in form and function. Sprinkled with well-written dialogue and lovable characters, Owlboy offers a really nice retro experience for both older and younger generations of gamers.

So why is this resurrection so fascinating, and why do we need it? The answer is fairly simple: the first gamer generation has grown up, and the gaming scene today is not what it once was; simple and straightforward. The desire for that element has become substantial, and game developers, especially, are taking this into careful consideration.

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Stories Untold offers frightening, yet compelling storytelling in an interesting way.

Stories Untold is a game that should be praised for the way that the developers have chosen to implement the retro element and is a fairly unique example of how they have tried to immerse the gamer into a world that blends retro and modern together. Stories Untold offers a fascinating gaming experience, where you play through different chapters, following a story that includes several forms of gameplay. The story is unique and is definitely recommended if you are looking for a game that is a tad different from what you may have experienced before.

The games mentioned show us that the resurrection of the retro element in games is highly effective and successful. We have come to a time where people start to discuss how “games have changed since we were kids,” and start to desire certain aspects of how gaming used to be – how they looked, how they sounded, and how they felt. Well, one of the awesome things about game development is that we can basically do whatever we want. A lot of games have been travelling in time lately, to a point where a certain generation of gamers feel like they have been before. This genre – I will dare to categorize it as such – is one that will always be relevant, because there will always be a time and place for looking back.

Will there be a time when gamers do not fully comprehend the meaning of “retro”? Yes, definitely. I have watched several movies in black and white, and that does not mean that I automatically experienced the time when televisions went from black and white to coloured. It will be interesting to see how the term develops, and what game developers choose to do with it as generations pass.

Past Blast: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

by Nathan Franklin, posted in Past Blasts

Everyone’s talking about Skyrim nowadays – and for good reason, since it seems to be getting ported to every system under the sun. But before the fifth instalment of the Elder Scrolls chronology wasted hours of everyone’s life, there was its predecessor, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Morrowind was already popular, but its sequel was truly the game that rocketed TES into mainstream gaming popularity with a stunning 9.5 million copies worldwide (as of 2015). It was many gamers’ gateway into TES‘s rich universe, including my own, and is worth remembering today for its contributions to the sandbox RPG genre in general.

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Whereas the relatively darker Skyrim gave us a Roman Empire-inspired Tamriel, Oblivion gave players a bright, colourful medieval fantasy world. The province of Cyrodill was a sight to behold, with reams of golden fields, a rich, sprawling Great Forest and a wide array of different castle towns filled with interesting characters and locales. As a matter of scale, Oblivion‘s world map is a little larger than that of its successor, albeit lacking in some of the finer details offered by said successor. But this doesn’t make it any less of a pleasure to stroll through, when Cyrodill’s golden sun shines upon you in the hills, with Jeremy Soule’s epic orchestral soundtrack sweeping you through the experience. That same sense of wonder is instilled in the player as they find new locations such as abandoned forts, bandit camps and caves within the wilderness. A favourite memory of mine is coming across the huge lake that rests before the Imperial City and watching the surreal White-Gold Tower standing proudly in the distance. It makes you feel so humble and small in this vast, detailed fantasy world.

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Having crafted such a large, detailed world, it was up to developers Bethesda to make it feel alive. And make it feel alive, they certainly did, using the ‘Radiant AI’ system to give each NPC a routine through the day and night. Then there was the inclusion of multiple operating factions throughout Cyrodill. As with the game’s predecessor, Morrowind, players could join a number of factions in the game including the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood, each with their own benefits and exclusive quest-line. As with the other games in the series, it was so easy to get caught up in these quests and forget the main plotline altogether, but it also highlights one thing Oblivion did better than Skyrim – the quality of the quests. The quests were far more involving and fun than the game’s successor. Mention the Dark Brotherhood questline to a seasoned Elder Scrolls gamer and they will likely let out a nostalgic sigh. It was successful in that it made you feel like a badass assassin in a lawful world and set up many unique situations, including having to fake someone’s death. Similarly, the other questlines were generally well-written with a great deal of suspense and mystery, often pulling the player in hook, line and sinker.

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As far as the gameplay went, it was similar to Skyrim. Of course, being ‘the game before’, it’s naturally a little less refined. The ability to select seven major skills at the beginning of the game has its fans and foes. On the one hand, it helps keep your character unique since constant use and upgrading of said skills is the only way to level up your character and, therefore, encourages players to keep to those skills. On the other hand, it can trap new players who are unused to the Elder Scrolls games and doesn’t offer much in the way of skill experimentation. This was later altered in Skyrim where players could level up with whatever skills they wished to use. Many players, however, missed Oblivion‘s levelling system which concentrated on unique character growth as opposed to Skyrim’s, which allows players to potentially upgrade and master every skill in the game if they wanted. Personally, I wouldn’t label Oblivion‘s levelling system as better or worse. It’s just a little different.

Overall, I would recommend Oblivion to any gamer who loves Western role-playing games or even RPGs in general. It offers an immersive, fantastically colourful fantasy world with great characters, voice acting and an epic soundtrack. Even if you’ve played Skyrim, but never played this, it’s well worth it for all the additional hours of great content at your disposal. Given that Skyrim is basically being re-released over and over for all of time, it would be a shame to forget Oblivion and sweep it under the rug. Let us remember it for what it was: a great adventure that laid the foundation for what was to come and a ‘how-to’ on creating a gripping, immersive fantasy game.