Tag: extra

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?

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 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.

Top 5 Open Worlds of Last Generation

by Tom Buxton, posted in Viewpoints

Ah, the open world. Perhaps the most tricky element of modern video gaming for developers to master, the idea of creating a huge gameplay area for players to roam at their own pace and explore to their heart’s content is certainly not unique.

But which open-worlds stood out the most in the last generation and can serve as a guiding light for this one? Where can you go to be completely immersed into the storyline experience of a particular game? Here are my Top 5 picks of the best open-worlds we saw on Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 and the other, now, last generation consoles…

5. ROME (Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood)

From the moment that fans got a glimpse of the legendary city of Rome in the Renaissance era of Assassin’s Creed II, Ubisoft must have known they were destined to fulfil expectations and head there next. In doing so, they gave us a beautiful portrayal of the ancient landmark, showing us vast rural landscapes juxtaposed with the iconic Colosseum and its neighbouring developing urban areas.

The Montreal studio didn’t just make their depiction of Rome realistic, though – they filled it with countless tasks and highlights. From the dangerous Borgia Towers to the plenitudes of Brotherhood recruits and side missions, there wasn’t a moment when something couldn’t be found to do in Brotherhood‘s rich world. It’s not often that an environment is one of the title’s main selling points, yet that was most definitely the case in this sublime continuation of the ACII trilogy.

4. GOTHAM CITY (LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes)

In the past, Rocksteady have created some amazing locations for us to discover (and I’ll get back to them later), but there’s one iconic place in Batman lore to which they’ve never truly allowed us access. Any self-respecting Dark Knight fan out there will know I’m talking about Gotham City itself.

That didn’t have to mean that we wouldn’t get to see a version of Bruce Wayne’s hometown this generation, though. In fact, the city’s on-screen salvation came at the hands of the fantastic second LEGO Batman game. I could go on about the countless ways in which developer TT Games succeeded in portraying the classic fictitious crime central perfectly, but I need only refer you to the breathtaking experience of flying amongst the skyscrapers and stars of Gotham as Superman to sum it all up.

Soaring around the city using the digital map as the Man Of Steel is a video game event that few other licensed titles have hoped to match this generation. TT’s attention to detail is incredible, with references to the DC universe scattered throughout the world. Perhaps the actual interactivity of the city is a little lacking, but that can’t possibly lay a notable scratch on such a beautiful blocky creation.

3. PARADISE CITY (Burnout Paradise)

Criterion never needed to prove themselves in the racing genre. The Burnout franchise had always been a consistent cult success long before the release of their 2008 entry Paradise. All the same, their divisive choice to enter the open-world fray with the aforementioned current-gen debut was to prove a major hit, as their fictitious Paradise City was a groundbreaking work of innovation.

Anyone who has played Burnout Paradise will no doubt recall that you can barely cruise a mile in your vehicle before stumbling upon a new race or trick event, allowing for a level of engagement and constant addiction that isn’t found in many other racing titles. That the game world looks so impressive for its time is of no detriment either, nor that there’s a brilliant backing soundtrack of hundreds of rock classics to blaze along to as you go.

2. ARKHAM CITY (Batman: Arkham City)

Remember when I said I’d get back to Rocksteady? Well, here we are. It is rather uncommon for me to choose two instalments in the same licensed franchise to appear in a Top 5 feature, but for the Caped Crusader’s current generation run, I just had to make an exception.

For all the good TT Games’ great, somewhat cartoony take on Gotham City could do for Batman fans, there was one key element which it lacked to make it higher on the list – realistic immersion. In this respect, the titular Arkham City soars – to make a believable game depiction of a historical or modern real-world location is one thing, yet to adapt a fictitious comic world in a way that it makes it seem completely real is another challenge altogether.

What Arkham City lacks in sheer size and breadth, it makes up for in subtle scale. The intricate layers of detail the team’s artists and programmers have integrated into their world reach their peak in a moment that some players may have missed, yet to me stands as one of the most emotional sequences in video gaming ever.

Having entered this cordoned-off district of Gotham, Batman can choose to fly to the rear of Monarch Theatre to the back streets of Crime Alley. This dark and dingy alleyway holds the drawn silhouettes of Martha and Thomas Wayne (who were killed there in Bruce Wayne’s childhood) along with a bouquet of flowers. As the Dark Knight examines this tragic monument of his inception, the player has the option to have the protagonist bend down and pay tribute to his folks. At this point, a melancholic melody slowly begins to seep into the game’s gothic soundtrack, until the latter has all but faded away and the player is left only with the haunting vision of a man forced into darkness by the seeds of crime.

If ever fans wanted proof that Rocksteady truly understands their fanbase and indeed the universe their games inhabit, this touching moment is it. That this sequence is but a fragment of what Arkham City has to offer as an open-world stands testament to its quality and legacy.

1. LIBERTY CITY (Grand Theft Auto IV)

It would be impossible to even contemplate the development of the open-world genre in the current generation without referring to GTA IV‘s breathtaking Liberty City. As such, this stunning benchmark for video game environments stands tall at the top of this prestigious and tightly-fought list of rankings.

I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve simply just lived in the world of Liberty City. What do I mean by this, exactly? In all of video gaming, I can’t name another time where I can truly just walk, drive or fly through an environment and remain totally immersed by its random events and characters. This even carries through to Chinatown Wars to some extent, the pixelated top-down world being the only thing that breaks the immersion in the DS spin-off.

Liberty City has its own radios, television stations, internet cafes, dating services and so many other elements that place it high above its competitors, simply because they can almost lure you into forgetting that you’re playing a video game. Play Super Mario Galaxy 2, Portal 2 or The Force Unleashed and you’ll be left in no doubt as to what entertainment format you’re taking ahold of, yet head back into GTA IV at any time and you may become so dazzled by the lights and heights, (bar the dated graphics) the lines between digitalisation and reality may start to blur.

Diary of a Cynical Gamer: The PS Plus Price Rise Isn’t Justified

by Stephen Carter, posted in Features

July 30th, 2017

The price isn’t right…

I can be a miserable sod sometimes, I’m the first to admit it. But, my argument is, people shouldn’t give me things to be miserable about. If practices in the industry were favourable then I wouldn’t need to be so cynical or even write these entries. Alas, I think I might have enough to keep me going for some time just yet. Batten down the hatches, Sony, you’re next.

Twitter is predominantly my main source of news and developments these days. I can have a quick scroll through my feed on my lunch break and see what’s happening in the world. I had to stop and double-take when I saw the shocking announcement that Sony were increasing the price of their Plus subscription service though.

I couldn’t be seeing this right surely? A price increase for a service that’s about as stable as a house of cards built on jelly? Surely not. And even if this was right, there must be some benefit and persuasive argument to justify this? Oh, how wrong I was…

Before we wade any deeper, let’s get one thing straight; I love my PS4 and Sony. The PS1 was my first console and I didn’t wholeheartedly adopt the Xbox One until way into its tenure. So no, I’m not biased or a Microsoft ‘Fan Boy’ (I hate that term), I just love games and the industry I’m part of. So when I see something I don’t like, I won’t let my opinion go unheard.

Anyhow, I digress somewhat, and come back to my point; where’s the value for money here? A charge of some variety is acceptable and to be expected to cover running costs but surely this would be best kept in line with Xbox Live? From what I can see, pre-increase, both Microsoft and Sony offer a decent deal with free games and discounts on a monthly basis. A £10 increase just seems unnecessary, even greedy to me, given Sony’s recent history with the PSN and how often it goes offline.

If this extra money goes towards better servers and improved stability then maybe this is worth it, but an added incentive wouldn’t go amiss. Truth be told, the Xbox is my go-to platform for online gaming as most of my friends game there already. I have less reason to change that now when it’s cheaper and more reliable. I just hope that Microsoft stick to their guns and keep their pricing as it is…

As for Nintendo, the less said about their latest foray into the world of online gaming the better. I hope this is something which they work upon as the Switch has so much potential. Using a companion app to enable party chat? Who on Earth thought that was a good idea is beyond me.

For now, I’m keeping my money in my wallet.

The Cynical Gamer

Arcade shoot ’em up Danmaku Unlimited 3 available on Steam, releasing on mobile and Switch in August

by Chris Wheatley, posted in Previews

One man indie studio, Doragon Entertainment, is set to release its third instalment of the bullet hell shooter series, Danmaku Unlimited 3, on mobile devices this August, as well as the Switch later in the year. The all new action shoot em’ up title will bring yet another high-intensity experience, packed with plenty of new and satisfying features to the App Store and Google Play.

Battling through the skies, risking it all to save the future of humanity against staggering odds, Danmaku Unlimited 3 looks to deliver a classic taste of retro arcade shooters combined with a bold and modern Japanese style edge to the bullet hell genre. Blast your way through 5 hand-crafted stages, equipped with up to 25 different furious weapon combinations to shred through your enemies. Along with a rocking Japanese indie soundtrack set to the high-paced action, DU3 will give players a true sense of immersion.

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Along with the variety of weapon combinations, you’ll be using the unique Spirit/Graze battle system, granting you the ability to use enemy attacks to your advantage throughout the game. This skill looks to come in handy throughout the action-packed levels. Capping off levels with high adrenaline boss battles, each shifting through multiple phases, will add even more to this exciting combative shoot ’em up experience.

You can find Danmaku Unlimited 3 via Steam for PC available now for $9.99, and on Google Play and the App Store on August 10th – at a limited sale price of $4.99. A Nintendo Switch version will also arrive later this year.

Bayonetta Games with Gold

August Xbox Games with Gold deliver trials, factions and slime

by Tom Buxton, posted in Posts

While its programming wizards and marketing mojos are hard at work preparing the Xbox One X for its November 7th global launch, not to mention the bevvy of ‘enhanced’ AAA projects following in its wake, that doesn’t mean Microsoft has any plans of slacking on their monthly Games with Gold range during the interim.

True to form, the publishers are bringing another quartet of once-hallowed 360 and One titles back into the limelight in August, providing Gold subscribers with the opportunity to repeatedly slaughter hopelessly fragile motorcyclists, engage in guerrilla warfare aplenty or wade through countless foes as a femme fatale like no other…

Takeaways:

  • First up Xbox One owners can dive into a goo-laden open-world on August 1st via Steam Rancher, a first-person quasi-reimagining of Giants Software’s Farming Simulator series tasking players with breeding and caring for a remarkably intelligent bunch of slime life forms on an extra-terrestrial ranch quite unlike Old McDonald’s.
  • But come August 16th, Monomi Park’s quirky sci-fi sim steps aside, leaving the door wide open for the arrival of a cult classic. Enter Trials Fusion, the RedLynx-helmed fifth entry in the long-running vehicular puzzle saga, which packs 8-player online modes and countless means by which sadists can send hapless motorists to their demise.
  • Meanwhile loyal 360 devotees – and Xbox One owners thanks to backwards-compatibility – get two commercial underperformers but critical hits free of charge. Bayonetta leads the pack on August 1st-15th, introducing newcomers to Platinum’s visceral yet gorgeous slasher while also leaving them bemoaning the sequel’s Wii U exclusivity.
  • Then lands Red Faction: Armageddon, bringing up the rear on August 16th – September 3rd. Although Voalition’s grim sci-fi franchise has faded in recognition since the emergence of their Saint’s Row IP, any shooter reaping 72% on Metacritic nowadays certainly warrants a look, especially at a painless £0.00 price-tag.

As always, accessing these titles simply requires an Xbox Live Gold subscription on either console, after which members need only select the GWG icon on their dashboard to download each of these third-party efforts on the above dates. If you’re still undecided though, then we’ve included Microsoft’s showcase of their four August freebies below.

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the latest Games with Gold line-up in the comments section, and keep it D-pad Joy in the months to come for regular updates on what’s to come for Xbox Live Gold and Silver members alike.

Motion controls: Separating the ‘Virtual’ from the ‘Reality’

by Sally Mettson, posted in Viewpoints

Since the move from 2D to 3D dimensions, games have become increasingly more successful at replicating reality, and not just from a visual perspective. In the ’90s, games like Samba de Amigo and the Dance Dance series have required more from the gamer than simply pressing buttons.

Nintendo evolved this idea to a philosophy with the release of the Wii in 2006. The thinking is by mapping your physical actions in a game, you’re removing the barriers between virtual reality, and real life.

The question has to be asked, however, what implications has this had, and what will it mean for the future of gaming?

Well, interestingly not as much as first thought. Although Nintendo very much accelerated a trend that was adopted by Microsoft and Sony, they backtracked somewhat with the Wii U, a console that largely abandoned motion control gaming. The Switch continues that trend.

Buttons are here to stay.

It’s hard to establish the importance of being able to control a video game by swinging one’s arms around. Nobody can deny the Wii’s global popularity and its intimidating record sales. But on the other hand, it encouraged a lot of cash cow products to the market.

Playing Zumba Fitness, I knew this wasn’t going to be something I could relax with after a hard day. Having been raised on Sonic and Mario, I’m a gamer that firmly enjoys the minimal movement required from a normal control pad.

I also chase deep and unique gaming experiences. So in some respect, I really enjoyed the Wii for what it was: something different. The problem is (as many have found out) there were too many Zumba Fitness-esq games and not enough actual ‘game’ games. If I buy a video games console, it’s to play video games, not to play glorified fitness videos.

And herein lies the problem. While motion controls in gaming did blur the boundaries between reality and virtual reality, it was not necessarily best suited to the games industry. It is a practical application to an impractical medium.

A video game is about escapism, not replication and this why I foresee that joystick junkies and the button bandits are here to stay.