Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PS4)

By now you have likely heard the two different opinions of Sekiro. That some players think it's harder than the Souls games, and that others think it's easier. In accordance to opinions I have personally found Sekiro to be something of it's own. Something doable. While the base level design, and enemy layout harbor similarities to the Souls games it is functionally more diverse than said experiences. It is faster, more fluid, and offers different ways to progress and dispatch the foes in front of you. The new stealth mechanics, and the shinobi prosthetic gives the players multiple tools in dealing with the threats they face. Additionally there are skills with a skill tree that come into play later on that will add a sort of variation to the more traditional stance based parry and punish system that you are introduced to at the earlier stages of the game.

The gameplay itself is fairly straightforward though, in all due respect. You play as an aged shinobi named Wolf who was rescued at a younger age, and taught the ways of the shinobi in order to protect his master's young lord. As Wolf you will keep to that task as you forward your mission, and backtrack to unlock portions of the game previously hidden behind key items, and key NPC interactions. Your base of operations is a dilapidated Buddhist temple kept in order by a monk whose prosthetic arm you now don. As your savior early on he guides you with wisdom along with a shrine maiden or rather doctor's assistant, and helps tune-up your prosthetic with new shinobi tools when you find them, and bring them back to him.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | Making the Mile

SNK 40th Anniversary Collection (PS4)

I think a lot of us gamers take the current strides in gaming tech for granted. We don't stop to realize that modern gaming as we know it wouldn't be what it was if the early pioneers of the industry didn't stick with game development through trial and error. SNK, or Shin Nihon Kikaku (as it was once known), is one such pioneer. In their quest to make a name for themselves they not only created competitive alternative options to the hottest genres for the time, but also innovated, and paved the way for other developers to follow in their footsteps as well. In this particular 40th anniversary tribute those feats, and near defeats are made all the more evident. Through the game collection's museum, and it's compendium of ads, manuals, arcade labels, guides, and in-game assets we get to see what exactly makes SNK so special. From the span of 1978 to 1990, and through 70+ game releases SNK's many development decisions earned them a proper place in gaming history among the greats. While there was some struggle with reception, and perception they still managed to survive, and create some of gaming's most memorable moments. Whether it be shmups, early fighting games, RPG platformers, or unique genres all their own SNK's efforts have paid off as they still continue to do what they do to this very day.

Popularity & The Pursuit Of Happiness