Showing posts with label Focus Home Interactive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Focus Home Interactive. Show all posts

Monday, December 21, 2015

Blood Bowl 2 (PS4)

When it comes to football I know pretty much nothing about the sport. I do know of European futbol (aka, Soccer), and have participated in that activity in high school, but I've never really been an American football fan. I couldn't tell you any of the rules, or regulations if my life depended on it. Even with having watched football related movies like "Jerry McGuire" I couldn't tell you which end is up. That's why I proceeded to request this game with the hopes that it wouldn't be entirely football related, or at the very least that I would finally be able learn about the sport in a more fun filled atmosphere. Thankfully the game is a hybrid of sorts that combines both tabletop RPG mechanics, and basic football rules. By that I simply mean it is a combat dice game played on a playing field that is governed by tiled squares which houses game changing statistic modifiers. The teams which are controlled by the player/s, and CPU opponents each move as they would in an American football game, but do so square by square in a more SRPG (Strategy Role-Playing Game) fashion. While the formation changes, turnovers, half time events, rules regarding scoring, and time associated with said sport remain intact for the most part the combat centered mechanics that come with the characters'/teammates' blocking dice rolls changes the gameplay significantly. In doing so it becomes more brutal in nature, and actually gives the players a different way to win outside of the traditional scoring opportunities. Death, and blood are but two of the many things that are a part of the 'Blood Bowl' franchise. You can imagine my excitement at finding this out, especially with me being into the more violent side of video games.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition (Xbox One)

Going into this review I'm going to approach it as a new game as I have no clue as to what the new additions are about. Bare with me, please ...

When I first began playing Larian Studios' "Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Ed." I was truly overwhelmed by the attention to detail. So much so that I had to spend a little more time with it than normal to give it a fair chance. It had gorgeous landscapes, impressive character design, and tons of menu management options to boot. What you have to understand is that at first the immense amount of text based dialogue, accompanying voice-overs, and multi-layered menus had sort of left me lost without a proper grasp, or understanding. I thought all of it was too overbearing, and that it took away from the actual gameplay portion of the game.

Upon spending some quality time with it though the game grew on me. I became thankful that I didn't just quickly brush it off as some game not worth buying, and that I actually got to a point where I enjoyed it so much that I took to Twitter to boast about the find. I told my followers that it was a gem, and that it was very much worth the asking price. Both of which things I wholeheartedly believe. I also mentioned that it reminded me of a combination of other RPGs including Fable, Diablo, and D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) due to the implementation of things like a moral Q&A system, and Diablo-like perspectives/looting. It truly took me by surprise, and actually brightened the miserable week I was having through it's embedded sense of humor. The game definitely has an irresistible charm about it, and one that is so alluring it reminded me of so many wonderful fantasy films, and fantasy book adventures I partook of in my younger days. The movie, "The Neverending Story" comes to mind.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Blue Estate (PS4)

Video game comic book adaptations usually don't capture the core material like they should. Whether it be poor game design, or bad graphic representation of the characters involved something usually does not jive with these types of games. Often times such games fail significantly, and never gain the attention that the developer, or comic book artist had hoped for as a result of the lackluster craftsmanship. In the case of "Blue Estate" however I feel we have been gifted one of the PS4's finest console gaming experiences to date, and one that will likely draw attention to Viktor Kalvachev's comic book series. The game itself takes in account the wacky misadventures of the Luciano mob family, an off kilter private eye named Roy, and some sticky situations that two of the game's main characters wind up getting into. Both Tony Luciano, and Clarence (a hitman for hire) blast their way through gangs, rival mobs, and mob bosses who would each like to rid the Luciano family of it's most prized possessions. Blood feuds, kidnappings, horse hijackings, and even pot plant stealing are some of the strange things that you'll encounter as one of the Luciano family's contributing members.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Contrast (PSN)

Compulsion Games, and Focus Home interactive take us on a video game journey so deeply involved that it's many layers reflect the Einstein theory that the gameplay is based upon. Like Einstein's theory of the multiverse the heart of the story at hand which involves a little girl, and her parents' dwindling relationship is explored in many different yet similar ways. Didi, the game's main protagonist, and her shadow traveling circus friend named Dawn traverse the worlds between light, and shadow in order to make sense of their broken reality, and ultimately make peace within Didi's broken psyche. In a way Didi's story borders both on psychological interpretation similar to the offerings in American McGee's "Alice: Madness Returns" as well as the metaphyiscal theories of other dimensions past our own, like an eerie episode of "The Twilight Zone". As you travel with Didi, and Dawn you'll unlock the secrets behind Didi, and her family as well as gain a peek into their world behind this fantasy of sorts. Through Didi's shared dialogue, and her interactions with the shadowy figures found within her fractured fairytale will ultimately become fully merged in a way that all can understand, if they only take the time to look beyond it's facade.