GTA Trilogy Remaster

There was news back in the summer about the PlayStation 2 Grand Theft Auto games getting a remaster. While III, Vice City, and San Andreas are still excellent games, some aspects could have been finely tuned to be better. The news is confirmed that they are getting a re-release this year. Downside is that the original versions are getting delisted on PS3, PS4, and Xbox 360. The same is going to happen for the HD San Andreas game on 360. At the time of this blog on a Monday night, they probably have be taken off the digital stores already. If not, this week. 

These are coming out on everything. Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, PC, iOS, Android, and the Switch. The fact that Nintendo is getting these is a huge surprise. Only their handhelds had GTA games with ports of the first two and two original releases. Rockstar has shown some support with Manhunt 2, Table Tennis and Bully on the Wii and L.A. Noire on Switch. Having GTA is a benchmark for the developer. From all assumptions, these will play roughly the same, but have better visuals. I have a feeling it will get cleaned up quite a bit to retain their looks but utilize the hardware of everything.

As far as delisting goes, I'm not sure if this is going to be permanent or not. I wouldn't think so, but weird things do happen in gaming. With the PC, you can find copies of them. You can also find copies for the PS2 and original Xbox. These were mega sellers. Millions upon millions, especially on PS2. Very common and going for 10 to 25 dollars. Maybe more if people are trying to popularize theme even more. There is that talk of game preservation, but the discs are not inaccessible. GTA is in a strange spot and I don't have an easy answer on how to solve the issue of digital stuff being taken away.

These should do decently and the price will hover around 40 to 60 dollars. You're getting 200 plus hours worth of content with these three games. I'll have to wait and see how it fares and see some gameplay to see if it's worth getting. For now, it's a decent way of celebrating 20 years since GTA III released and changed how games could be played.

No More PlayStation Movies

This is more of a take on why I think this happened. Yesterday was the last day you could buy movies, TV shows, and specials on PlayStation 4 and 5. With PS3 and Vita, I'm not sure. I can assume yes, but will have to look into it deeper. Sony announced the disbanding back in the spring. I'm not sure there is an honest answer you can find in why this occurred. Digital is a big thing now these days. This was in service for a long time. If there was a big guess, probably competition.

With PlayStation and Xbox, you have access to many services. Those services have gotten bigger and bigger within the last decade. Hulu is a great example. Small potatoes ten years ago and now are one of the biggest names for streaming with acquired content and new stuff coming in. Obviously Netflix is still one of the kings of it, though its lost some steam. The major prime time networks and conglomerates have their hand in the pie. Disney, NBC, Viacom. You're getting more meatier content and much more access compared to PlayStation.

I don't know how digital renting worked for it. If I had to assume, a couple days and that was it. I'm not sure many people liked that idea. Even with digital, you want to have a film or show and keep it and re-download whenever. And probably the selection was not a strong point despite having big name properties. Why buy Fast and Furious when I can see all of them on Peacock?  Probably back in the late 2000s, it was serviceable and there wasn't much to worry about. Now these days, Sony saw the writing on the wall.

Does that mean Sony has given up on the concept? Maybe. If nothing new materializes in a year, I would say yes. That's not to say they won't return to this, but they'd probably would choose the right time to do a video store again. The PS4, I can kind of understand, but not PS5. For now, Xbox kind of has a slight advantage despite having other streaming services on that console. This however will not dictate a console war that some people obsess about. 

The Walking Dead Telltale Season Two Review (PS4)

You have a hit, you should expect a sequel. The Walking Dead got its second season throughout 2013 and 14 and continued to do what the first one did. A continuation of the story is here. Some better graphics. Audio and gameplay that continued to provide what was needed. It finds its own ways to stand out without trying to repeat itself.

This time, it's not an adult you play as. You are Clementine, the seven year old from the first season. A few years older now in this one, she wants to find a place that she would call home in Wellington. However, it's not how things go plan in this apocalyptic world. With a group of survivors, she has to make those decisions that affect how the group does and if any of them live. They don't mess around with the plot and the writers don't care it's a little girl. That's what makes it intense and you want to hope for a good outcome, but with twists all around.

While there are some puzzle elements, Season Two is more linear. You get more a cinematic flavor to it. The decision making is back as is the dreaded time limit that was used for those decisions. There is some exploration, but not as much. Clem controls just like Lee Everett. Running, interacting, performing her share of tasks. There is a lot of quick time events and the style it is executed in is what would later be used in future Telltale games moving forward at the time.

It's not a huge leap in graphics, but you can see some of the improvements. Better use of the comic book style and still having that gritty style in it. Improved character modeling, but not too much. Some parts might make you a little queasy. The audio direction still creates those moments when things are cool or prepping for action. Add in another strong effort in the voice acting and it will feel like a full fledged production.

Load times are better. Maybe because it's on a newer system, I'm not sure. The difficulty is a little more easier. The only negative parts I have are the decision time limit and a couple spots where the quick time events weren't responsive. Season Two of The Walking Dead is another must buy. It doesn't stray from its ideals, but keeps it unique enough.

Score: 9 out of 10

Hardest PlayStation Trophy I've Gotten

Kind of like a sister topic. There are a few trophies I've gotten on PlayStation that I've considered very difficult. Some of the veteran difficulty moments in Call of Duty spring to mind. A couple other games like GTA have some monotonous ones. But the hardest one I've gotten is for a game called Roundabout. This came out in 2015 for PS4 and a year later on the Vita. Not a bad game, but a few design choices could have been better. And the fact that No Goblin hasn't bothered to fix a glitch that makes 100 percent impossible is sad.

After you beat the game, you get a game within it called Desert Limo. It is similar to an unreleased Sega CD game that had Penn and Teller. One of its games is Desert Bus You had to drive for eight straight hours, making sure not to crash. That's Desert Limo. Same concept. Similar to my Dead Rising achievements, it takes a very long time. You have to keep your car going straight and know when you're turning the opposite way. That's where they get you.

I've tried this a couple of times for a year until getting it in March this year. Thankfully, you can turn the system off into rest mode quickly, but you better know where your car is when you return. Requires a lot of patience. I wouldn't mind recommending, but it's indie design makes it hard to make it a top choice. If you do, happy trophy hunting, but be aware of the 100 percent glitch.

Crash Bandicoot 4 Thoughts

Crash Bandicoot was one of the very first games I ever played on PlayStation. The N. Sane Trilogy was why I bought a PS4 back in June 2017. But will people bite for a brand new game? I think so. Many have wanted a new release for a long time. Ignoring mobile phone games, there hasn't been a new game in 12 years. Enter Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. Playful words for multiple reasons. Time will come at the start of October for PS4 and Xbox One.

There was a leak not too long ago about the game and today, June 22, Activision put out a trailer. This is a sequel, but it's a follow up to Warped. If you got the true ending to Warped, you might have an idea on what they are doing. From the trailer, Cortex has had time to make plans to defeat his nemesis. Crash and Coco are ready and set to foil whatever bad deeds the scientist has. The designs are a little different on the characters, but not completely altered like a Crash of the Titans or Mind Over Mutant.

Looking at gameplay, it looks like it would be a bit more fast paced. Stuff from the original trilogy like riding on a vehicle in the water. Futuristic levels. Creative boss fights against bad guys like Dr. N Gin. It's taking what made the 90s games great and going with notion of not needing to tweak it for specific reasons. If I'm guessing, it's going to at least 30 levels. Secret ones. Time trials. Variety of worlds to go through. I do have some concern. I'm curious as to whether it will be like Twinsanity (I don't think it will) in being a bit open world or be like the original trilogy. The length I'm wondering, but that's more of a nitpick. Ultimately, I would like to see how much original stuff is brought into this release.

All that in mind, I am very interested. It will be the first time where I can experience an original new release as an adult for this series. We do need to see more of these. Hopefully, the release date is not bad considering the potential releases of PS5 and Xbox Series X around mid-late November. Hell, I could see this coming to those systems. Kind of surprised no Switch version, but I do think there will be one. Maybe release a month or two later around Christmas. Toys for Bob has done ports to the system. But this should be an exciting time to fully revive the bandicoot, especially as he reaches 25 years old next year.

Console Buyer's Guide 2019

Black Friday and the holiday season begins very soon, so there is the look of what game systems are out on the market. For 2019, it may mark one of the last big years for the current ones out there.

Starting with the dead systems, it's safe to say you can't find many PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, and Vita games on store shelves. Your best bet is going to be the used local stores or having to use online to get the games. Everything but the Vita can still be found easily at a GameStop, but how much longer they will have these games, I'm not sure. Until PS3 and 360 stop using servers for good would be my guess or when the new systems come out in November.

I'm surprised to still see the 3DS on store shelves. Nintendo stated that it will still be supported heading into 2020, but I don't buy into it fully. Not any big releases and being eight years old is not healthy. I guess milk it until the cows come home. For what it was able to do, it stabilized and did very well following a disastrous launch due to the high price. You can find 2DS XL's and some games, but the selection is not the greatest at most stores. Used local stores and online may be the ultimate way to get the titles you may want that aren't the usual suspects.

This year will be the last very huge year for PS4 and Xbox One. I don't think there's one advantage over the other except in exclusives. It comes down to what you like more. Do you like Halo, Gears of War, and a couple others? Uncharted, MLB, Ratchet and Clank? I still think the edge goes to PlayStation, but I don't think either one is a bad choice. They're cheap and you can get games at good prices everywhere. Not much else to say.

Last is the Switch. The Lite model should entice some for the holiday season, but will they like that it's portable only? That I'd ask because it being a hybrid prior to the release may be the only incentive. I think there should be a price cut for the original model. Beyond the first party games, there is relatively good support still and plenty of releases from older games and new ones. It's a way to make up for some of Nintendo's blunders. How well this does beyond this year and 2020 is a question in itself and if the novelty sticks or fades away.

Shop safe. Shop smart. And shop carefully for these systems and games.

Life is Strange (PS4) Review

For a game to tackle a lot of things, I'm amazed Life is Strange didn't catch my attention. With five episodes released throughout 2015, it took the concept of the point and click and brought in a time travel element to it. Nothing original, but it is given a strong execution. Add in good production and it is a very good game.

The plot is in line with The Butterfly Effect (haven't seen it), with a small mix of Back to the Future and The Twilight Zone. Arcadia Bay, Oregon is a shithole, but home to Blackwell Academy. Eighteen year old Max Caulfield, back from a five year move to Seattle, studies there to be a photographer. A girl winds up shot and killed and somehow, she gains the ability to rewind time. With that new ability come a big adventure filled with many great and tragic moments.

Nailing down the school elements, it is a bit cliched. It's like most high school movies. However, they don't let their foot down on tons of serious issues and they make the characters seem more fleshed out with distinct personalities and traits. Graphically, it's not strong in its character modeling, but the colors and environments around Arcadia Bay is beautiful. Even basic things like pictures are done with effort. And the audio fits Life is Strange very well. An emphasis on guitar led stuff, moody style melodies, and a few sappy songs that would make it onto prime time television.

As far as gameplay goes, it's a bit deeper compared to most point and click games. It's more in line with classic LucasArts games in that you need to look, search, and interact everywhere before leaving. Max controls very well There are rarely any hiccups to the movement. The rewinding of time can yield multiple results, giving it a little extra replay value. There is the decision making, altering certain areas, and fixing certain moments. Be sure you are final on what you do because once a scene or area is finished, you won't have a chance to redo that part.

An added touch is taking photos throughout the episodes. You can view stuff via a journal/diary, looking at recollections of the events that happened during the game. Not too many options are present, and it is mostly for the presentation. A couple spots do drag a little bit, but it's not a huge deal breaker. The only other small negative thing is some lip sync issues, but that came very late into playing it. Overall, this is a game to check out and one that the developers knew what they were doing and nailed it for the franchise debut.

Score: 9 out of 10

Geeks and Jocks: Episode 12

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled

I wish this game would come out now, but alas,we'll have to wait. There was a rumor floating around this week of a Crash Team Racing game. Of course, speculation comes into play and it became true. A remaster of the game is slated for late June on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

The original was the last Naughty Dog game for the original PlayStation way back in the fall of 1999. To a number of people, this is better than Mario Kart. The single player feels well done. There's nothing cheap about it. It's fair. No bullshit weapons that bombard you at the last second. An adventure mode similar to Diddy Kong Racing. Tournaments and split screen racing. It did everything right. Only thing that it doesn't have over Mario Kart is multiplayer, but the single player is more than satisfying.

I think it's a bit of a shocker that CTR is coming back. How it will handle 90s designs for the modern day will be a question in itself. With N. Sane Trilogy, outside of some controls for the first game, it played rather well. But this isn't a platformer. If it can perform good speeds on your own, the multiplayer and the new online mode, I'll be pleased. Until then, get hyped. When June comes, I'm definitely getting a copy.

Friday the 13th: The Game Review

There are plenty of horror games on a number of game systems that do stuff their own way or in a tribute. Titles like Spltterhouse, Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, the list goes on. But how about Friday the 13th? The franchise has been around for almost 40 years and the only game it has prior to this May 2017 release is the NES game from 1988. You play this one, and you are hooked.

You can either be the good guys or the bad guy. As camp counselors, you must survive for 20 minutes, but there are ways of escaping Jason Voorhees. You have to find parts for cars and boats. Once you got them and for the cars, the keys, you can get out of harm's way. Be aware, though. Jason is one tough cookie and will stop you in those vehicles. There's always calling the cops... if you can find a phone box fuse. If they are called, you got a five minute waiting time before they show up and you go to them to successfully escape. There's also just going through those 20 minutes.

There's an assortment of counselors, some of which you will unlock over time as you play more of Friday the 13th. Each one has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some might have good stamina and repair skills with horrible composure and stealth and vice versa. It's a matter of who picks who when playing online. You will want to team up and escape, but scattering is not always a bad thing. Be aware of those skills. They will either help or hurt you. You can also set up distractions and use an assortment of weapons to stop the killer. There is health, which can be healed with first aid spray.

People can also play as Jason. There are various versions of him, each with pros and cons. Some versions may have better weapon damage or kills, and other ones might have better physical stats. Either way you must kill all the counselors Both sides will have traps that they can set. Jason has knives. He can use certain moves that are time based and need to fill up every time they are used. Either way, get rid of all seven, maybe eight if a counselor called for Tommy Jarvis. There aren't too many locations. After all, it's about being alone and fearing Jason.

It's not too bad graphically for being a Kickstarter game. There are some goofy looking models of some of the characters, but it captures the horror of being at a camp quite well. It's dark, there's only some lights in the area. The deaths are quite brutal. Add in the soundtrack and the theme of Jason, and this is the kind of game for some that will want you turning the lights off and cranking the sound up. The voice actors are believable enough to be scared and ready to wet their pants. Overall, those two facets cover strongly what should be done for something horror related.

When you play online, you get experience points and CP. The CP is currency. You can choose to upgrade the counselors and Jason. They have various perks, kills, the whole nine yards. Unfortunately, it's only a few slots, but that's perks of a horror game. You can't always carry everything. As far as other goes, there is offline play. You can customize the characters via the upgrades. Options can be tweaked for audio and gamma capabilities. Progress can be checked a little bit.

I don't have a lot of complaints about this game so far. The lack of jumping and even vaulting from fences is a bit annoying. There isn't much to say about the counselors, but with Jason, sometimes, tapping the button very quickly tires out your finger. That being said, you can still play well and get at least few counselors. Anyway, you should check out Friday the 13th. It's on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. You will be having some fun in a game that is campy, cheesy, and knows when to throw the punches.

Score: 8 out of 10

Beyond: Two Souls Review

Although they have been around since 1997, Quantic Dream has only made a handful of titles, the latest being this year's Detroit: Become Human. They have been around in Sony's corner the last eight years with the first being Heavy Rain. The second of the group, Beyond: Two Souls, came around in the fall of 2013 as a late release on PlayStation 3 and a few years later on PlayStation 4, which is what I am playing it on. As far as this release was, it stayed in that David Cage style of being a cinematic movie while having it still be a video game.

You are Jodie Holmes and you experience a lot of her life from when she was a kid up to her 20s. She's no ordinary person as she has an entity beside her. This entity, Aiden, causes a lot of stuff for her that sets off a lot of events and a lot of analysis. Without getting too much into explaining the story, it's an interesting sci-fi plot and you make the choice of doing right and wrong. It's up to you how things go and they also pull in some good surprises and twists.

Two Souls has you playing as both Jodie and Aiden. This is a single player game, but can be a two player one, which was not tried at the time of this review. As Jodie, you can perform various actions when prompted. There is some freedom with her, but a lot of what you do comes from pressing certain buttons, quick time events, and a few other knick knacks. Switching to Aiden is simple. This entity can do a few things to people and even Jodie herself. They vary a little bit and they do a good job of not going overboard with what can be done during the game.

Graphically, it's surprisingly excellent. Whatever Quantic Dream did, they did a great job capturing the characters and areas. It seems very real and authentic. One of the selling points was in its audio, mainly voice acting. I'm not huge on Ellen Page and think she's overrated, but she held her own as Jodie. Add in Willem Dafoe as Professor Nathan Dawkins and a few others portraying other characters, and the voicing is not half bad. Given what the developers intentions are, it's a Hollywood type production, but in video game form.

There's not much else really to say. It's a little over 20 chapters. You can replay them any way you want it and there are options to play either chronologically or what they intended through specific parts of Jodie's life first. As I said, you make the choice of doing right and wrong. A lot of the trophies are earned in a specific way and then you can come back for the other option. There are a lot of endings. Overall, it's a decent balance between being a video game and being an interactive film. My only complaint is some of the quick time events. Some of the moments come off a little rushed and almost require you to have your decision half a second before you press what you think should work. It's trial and error, but still.

With that aside, Beyond: Two Souls is pretty good. An interesting story with above average audio and stunning graphics, it plays fine without any huge bugs or glitches. Out of the two at the time, I would play this over Heavy Rain, though that one isn't that bad.

Score: 8 out of 10.

.Wolfenstein: The Old Blood Review

WARNING: To anyone that is reading this in Germany, this might be censored.

What was originally going to be an expansion DLC to The New Order, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood got built up as a stand alone game. It's result in May of 2015 was one that had a bit of praise. Once again with MachineGames developing, it's more of the same single player action. It's still good, but not as strong as its predecessor.

Set before The New Order, Old Blood is set in early 1946. The Allies are losing the war and Helga Von Schabbs has a folder containing the location of General Wilhelm Strasse at Castle Wolfenstein. B.J. Blazkowicz and Agent One must get it to plan an assault and stop the war from getting worse. More or less, it's their own version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but with their own timeline. Things don't go as planned and B.J. must survive to get the Allies a much needed victory. Obviously, it doesn't come close to what the previous game did, but not every game needs a story. Still, there is some development and a decent cast of characters that B.J. surrounds himself around.

Nothing changed in terms of gameplay. It's still that same love letter to the 90s and 2000s. Just like before, there is exploration and a number of secrets similar to Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. It also retains the one man army and objective based ideas of Goldeneye and Medal of Honor along with some new school ideas from Wolfenstein 2009 and Bioshock. There are eight levels, but very expansive and complex as you go through parts of Germany. The focus on single player is still MachineGames' bread and butter, so no multiplayer.

I didn't notice much of a change in the graphics, but it's still nice for an early release. It's more the little details and with the focus on newer hardware and no older tech (was not on PS3 and 360), you can notice finer details on the characters and areas. Just some of the outdoor areas are breathtaking and nice to get a look at. The audio is more or less the same. It's music is part orchestra and part rock depending on your scenarios.  Voice acting is top notch and the accents are very real. Doesn't seem fake. Both facets are still given a lot of care.

Like New Order, Old Blood doesn't have a huge variety of weapons, but each one has its use. It's more old school like Medal of Honor as you don't have any laser type weaponry. Dual wielding is still a part of the fun. The knife still has its use along with the grenades. Unlike most games, it has a good balance between stealth and action, and they give you an equal amount of both aspects. The focus there is bigger. As before, there perks to what you can do during the game, as well as trophy and achievement support.

Brought back is the health system where there are plenty of health pickups, regeneration, and armor. Overcharge returns, but unfortunately, there is no small upgrades. They offer one upgrade perk, but that's it. As with the series, an emphasis on treasure is present. The same can be said with concept art and letters. No enigma stuff, but there are challenges to get medals, adding to a bit of replay value. More or less, the level design has the same ideas. It's linear, but there is a bit of freedom to explore in the areas combined with having strategies for different kinds of Nazis.

There wasn't a huge spike in difficulty, but it had a few more cheap moments compared to New Order. Outside of the story, (which that can be forgiven) the only major complaints I have is trying to fight off a handful of enemies at once and their constant throwing of grenades. The armor still has some problems, but it's not as bad. Anyway, this is still a fun game. Old Blood may not be like The New Order, but it still has some good satisfaction in gameplay and still retaining what made the Wolfenstein games excellent.

Score: 7 out of 10

Pac-Man 256 (PS4) Review

One of the most infamous levels of any video game is level 256 of Pac-Man. It is a garbled up stage where half of the level is messed up. Take that concept and rework the classic formula and you get Pac-Man 256. It's gameplay manages to stay refreshing to a tired concept and plays unique despite only coming out in the last two to three years on phones, PC, and consoles.

The idea of the game is to get a high score, just like the 1980 classic. It is an endless loop with a huge catch. Keep moving, because the glitched up screen is coming to get you as well as the usual ghosts that want you dead. Have no fear, as you have an assortment of powerups and some screen clearing moments to move further away from the huge glitch.

It's graphics are very basic considering this was originally on phones. There's nothing fancy here. Being simple is not a bad thing. The audio is in that same boat. It's music is a remix take of the intro before starting the game along with the classic sound effects. This game offers on consoles and the PC multiplayer. Up to four can play together.

If you're looking for something different to the Pac-Man formula but still plays like the classics, this is a game to try. It's that kind of game that will have trying one more time to do better. Best to not play it every day unless you don't get bored quickly.

Score: 8 out of 10

King Oddball (PS4) Review

I've played my share of Internet based games, whether they were flash games or Internet type games on consoles. King Oddball is no different from the latter. In ways, it reminds me of Crush the Castle, only with a weird premise. There's a good idea in this, but it's physics and one or two other things keep this from being something you will keep playing after you finish it.

You're a round ball king who throws rocks at tanks, helicopters, and people. That's it. You are hell bent on destroying the world with over 100 levels of destruction. Some of them are basic and easy. Other times, you need to strategize, especially getting into the later half of the game. Three rocks is all you are given, but you can get extras by hitting three enemies with one rock or hitting yourself A few challenge modes are seen throughout the game. One example is a grenade one where it's destroying enemies with only grenades.

The game is no different than Internet games with the graphics. It's not a bad thing because it is simple. It looks nice and distinctive. Not a lot of animations but that's a given. There isn't much with music, but it's basic and gets the job done. Sound effects comes down to mostly explosions and stuff like walls getting hit.

If I were to put a complaint, it's the physics. My biggest knock is that even when you know what to do, it may not always do what you hope happens. Having only three rocks every time to begin a level is a bummer, especially considering how Crush the Castle did it better with giving rocks. King Oddball isn't something I would put on a recommendation list, but if you're bored and find it for cheap on PSN, give it a shot.

Score: 6 out of 10

Knack Review (PS4)

In November, PlayStation 4 will have been around for five years. For now, let's talk Knack. It was one of the very first games for the system, releasing at launch. This was one of the few exclusives for Sony and while it had some cool ideas, it was bogged down by cheap difficulty.

At its core, it's a combination of a beat em up and a platformer. As the title character you go through 13 chapters, trying to restore peace and make sure the world isn't overtaken by goblins or who knows what else. He is easy to control with a jump and double jump, a dodge, and as expected, attack. Knack is made of relics and a key part of the game is watching him grow into various sizes. Being small means attacking with more hits needed to put on an enemy with the opposite when large.

This is a tech demo in graphics, but good. It just screams cleaner and better detailed visuals along with the use of various colors and lighting. A CGI cartoon for kids in video game form. The audio could have been better. Music is nice but not anything memorable. Voice acting was the best part, but overall, it's not bad, but not great.

It's a very linear game. Straight forward and to the point. There are quite a bit of secrets where you can find gadgets and crystal relics which help out a lot more as you get further or go through the game a second time. Not a lot of variety in enemies, but many ways to get rid of them. There are a few special moves that require use of sunstones, sort of in a way like X-Men and Sonic Blast Man. This does have two player and a few difficulty modes.

This is nice to see, but the difficulty. It is torture, even if you know enemy patterns. You take too much damage from one hit and the higher difficulties don't let up on that idea either. Add in an abysmal health system that depends on your size, a checkpoint system that is mediocre, and a few other issues, and this is something that could have been decent or good, but the fatal flaw is its way of handling difficulty.

A lot of replayability is in Knack, but it's not a game I would recommend. Maybe as a rental or very cheap to buy. It plays decent, looks great, and has some cool mechanics. If it just had a better difficulty curve, it would be looked at a lot more fondly.

Score: 5 out of 10

Wolfenstein: The New Order Review

WARNING: To anyone that is reading this in Germany, this might be censored.

If you've read a few of my blogs, I am big into Id Software. Mainly through Doom and Wolfenstein. The Wolfenstein reviews are some that I have thoroughly enjoyed writing. It has had several revivals in the new millennium with the recent one beginning back in May 2014 with The New Order. To say it's a refreshing game is an understatement. This was a shot in the arm that first person shooters needed.

Let's pretend that World War II still continued. MachineGames gives audiences an alternative history. Once again, B.J. Blazkowicz  is leading a group to kill General Deathshead in 1946. Things go awry and shrapnel hits his head. This leads to a coma that lasts for 14 years. In that time, Nazis have taken over the entire world. Not even its Italian allies were supported. Determined to do whatever it takes, B.J. tries to assemble resistance members in hope of eradicating the Nazis and bring the world back to normal. Normally, Wolfenstein games are pretty weak in story, but this is developed very well. It gives you a range of characters with their strengths and weaknesses. You feel for the resistance group and it gives B.J. a personality beyond killing Nazis. Retconning his life to this is not a bad thing. It may not be the strongest story of this generation, but they do good with what they have.

Why is this game refreshing? Because it doesn't cater to the way Call of Duty and Halo are played. You got 16 levels. Each one has you completing various objectives. These are pretty lengthy. You're going to spend quite a bit of time exploring each area. It's a love letter to both old school and new school games. Obviously, it's a love for the Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. Levels with tons of exploration, secrets with valuable items. It's also a tribute to late 90s and early 2000s games like Goldeneye and Medal of Honor. Games that had you as a one man army, but doing objectives, finding tons of ammo at your disposal. New school wise, it's more in line with 2009 Wolfenstein and a bit of BioShock. Locations take you through parts of Europe and even one special level that you have to experience yourself.

There is a lack of a muiltiplayer. That isn't a bad thing. While it might hurt its value, MachineGames had one goal in mind. Deliver a single player experience that has been sorely missing following the first Modern Warfare game. To be able to have a game that is like the early Medal of Honor games, and Goldeneye along with Id's early shooters is why this gets a lot of praise.

It's a very early title for this generation's set of systems, but it looks nice. This feels optimized and developed with PS4 and Xbox One in mind. The areas and character modeling is nice. How the Nazis built parts of Europe are crafted beautifully (ironic, isn't it) and showcase what the hardware is capable of. It's audio reminds of Medal of Honor and Doom. They have parts with orchestra for certain parts, but with gun play, it's rock music that gives you a rush to go after the Nazis. Overall, they got both facets done well.

New Order's set of weapons is not huge in variety, but it gets the job done. What really helps is each one has good use and you have to rely on them, with MachineGames making sure that each one is not forgotten. You can dual wield guns. The knife aspect going back to 3D is still here. Grenades can still be carried. Some of them have certain upgrades like rockets and silencers. The idea is not always to run and gun your way through an area. Taking the stealth approach is more rewarding than most other games. There is perks that can be unlocked if you perform certain kill tasks and add to your trophies/achievements.

The health system is a combo of regenerating and a health bar. Once again, the love letter to 3D and Doom are there. You have armor pickups as well as health. Even dog food is a pickup. You can overcharge your health, but it will drop to whatever the maximum you can have. There are upgrades to both, increasing by 10 each time. Treasure is still a trademark to the series, so there are plenty of gold to find. Quite a bit more is added to the mix like enigma code pieces, letters, and concept art of levels, all of which can be accessed at any time in the main menu. It adds to the phenomenal level design. To be fair, it is linear, but it still gives you the freedom at times to take a look before heading on to the next area. You have to figure out how to deal with Nazis, since each kind is not the same.

For the difficulty, it's pretty good. They give you different difficulty modes, and the combat against the Nazis is mostly fair. There are some cheap moments at points during the game. My biggest complaint is the armor. At times, you can get hit with little damage from gunfire or too much. It's hard to explain, but I feel at times it is useless, especially when trying to hold off certain enemies on your own. Some levels do have certain parts that are questionable, but not anything to where you give up very quickly. But overall, Wolfenstein: The New Order is a great game that needs to be played. Worthy of the praise it has had the last four years.

Score: 8 out of 10

Sega Genesis Compilation for a New Generation

In a world where selling older games individually is common thing, only a couple companies are willing to continue selling compilations. One of them is Sega. It goes all the way back to the Genesis around the mid 90s beginning with 6-Pak and Sonic Classics. As the 2000s started, they became more interested in bringing their older game lineup to modern systems. At the end of May, Sega Genesis Classics will make its way to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Over the years, consoles have seen a set of games from Sega. The PlayStation 2 saw an arcade set and a Genesis set, the latter going for 20 dollars with over 30 games and also appearing on PSP. Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection had just about 50 when it made it to the PS3 and Xbox 360. This new one will have just over 50. For people on computers, this isn't exactly new. Steam has a version of this, but in different volumes when it came out back in 2010, though it's all together as one package.

Some notable inclusions are Gunstar Heroes, ToeJam and Earl, and Landstalker. The same usual suspects are here like Streets of Rage, Phantasy Star, Sonic the Hedgehog. One of the most notable omissions as some websites have mentioned is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic and Knuckles. Why, I don't know. Unless there is something regarding the music or some other nonsense, there isn't a reason why it shouldn't be included. Doing the lock-on feature shouldn't be this complicated. It's not like it's on a disc that holds a few gigabytes.

Articles have gone on about Sega planning the use of online multiplayer for some of the games. That will help a bit if you don't have someone to sit with you and play. As with other compilations, it will have filters for the games. One interesting aspect is a mirror mode where it is played but flipped horizontally. That would be something to see if speedrunners try to play in that style.

People will bitch about it not being on the Switch, but these compilations are usually not on Nintendo systems. If they are, it's a very small set on a handheld. Not to mention the eShop and Virtual Console, though for the latter, it's over on the Wii. Some stores are putting up prices for 30 dollars. That's a huge bargain, but I wouldn't count on it yet for the official price.

Overall, it's seems like an easy choice. This is a must buy for anyone that likes compilations and Sega's output on the Genesis.

Spyro Reignited: More 32-bit Interest?

The last 24 to 48 hours has been an interesting one if you are into gaming. If you grew up in the 90s, odds are you are familiar with Spyro the Dragon. It was one of the reasons to get an original PlayStation back in late 1998. Much like Crash Bandicoot, the original trilogy is about as beloved as most other games from that era. Some have wondered if it seemed inevitable that there would be a remastered set following N. Sane Trilogy last year. That's put to rest with Reignited coming out in September for PS4 and Xbox One.

Whether you want to call it a leak or not, this will excite a lot of people. Judging by the trailer for this, Spyro is getting the same kind of makeover like Crash. I'd like to say it looks a lot better, but it's a matter of what will be seen when it comes out. Activision is at the helm of this with development by Toys for Bob, who have made Skylanders. If it's anything like N. Sane Trilogy, that will mean a few things. One is that it will be the same games you remembered playing in the late 90s and early 2000s. Two might be additional content, meaning some cut levels that never made it into the game if there is any. Three could the possibility of seeing if new interest in the franchise will spark a demand for new games.

At the moment, there is no plan for a Switch or PC release. N. Sane Trilogy is set for Nintendo's hybrid in July along with the PC and Xbox One, with Toys for Bob developing the former. It would be nice to see beyond Mario and Sonic other platformers onto the system, but depends on what the sales expectations Activision wants from Crash. This should be a no brainer to bring it over, but the stigma associated with Nintendo home systems since 1996 will leave companies with a bit of concern.

Could this make companies really interested in the 32/64-bit era? Maybe. There is a bit of games that will make you want a remaster or remake of. It could bring back certain franchises, but that's just an idea that seems more of a fantasy. Either way, Spyro should be another huge hit for this generation. If it's anywhere like N. Sane Trilogy, it will score well critically and commercially.

Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy (PS4) Review

The first time I played Crash Bandicoot was the first two games around late 1997, early 1998. They were also some of the very first titles I played on the original PlayStation. Last month, I bought a PlayStation 4 and the main reason was to get Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy, which has been out for a little over three weeks at the time of this blog. If you love the original trilogy, this is one to pick up. You're going to get a lot of bang for your buck with what Vicarious Visions and Activision were able to do.

Playing as the title character, Crash must outwit the sinister Dr. Neo Cortex in order to save a female bandicoot in the first.  He must help save the world with the scientist in the second game... or so he thinks. Then, he must keep the space time continuum from falling apart because of Cortex in the third game.

Vicarious Visions rebuilt this game from the ground up. When you look at the graphics, it is beyond amazing of what they were able to do. While I do think it's not pushing PS4 hardware to its limits, there is more than enough power to show off the various lands and jungles compared to the 32-bit originals. (which were great looking for their time period) There's better lighting, smoother animations. It's the little things that help this game out.

On the other hand, N-Sane Trilogy's audio, while decent, doesn't feel the same. Like the graphics, the music is all re-done. They capture the level themes well, but the ambiance is not like it was on the original PlayStation. Sound effects are cleaner and clearer. The voice acting is not its strongest suit on either version, but there is more emotion on this one than the original. Your mileage will vary on this part.

As far as playing the games go, Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy is the exact same games as what was seen from 1996 though 98. There are a few minor changes, but it's still what you remember them as. You break boxes and once you get all of them, you collect a gem at the end of a level. Crystals would become the main requirement starting with the second, but both are equally important. These are not small games, as they each contain over 30 levels. None of the boxes have changed so there are still good ones like Aku-Aku masks, and the bad ones like TNT crates. Wumpa fruit is still there for Crash to get and collect extra lives.

With the first two games, there are a few additional things added in. The first one now requires you to complete the bonus levels, which can be done at anytime and not just a one time thing. Saving is easy as it is like the other two where you save at any time when you are on the level map screen. Time trials are now given in the first and second one and the goal is the same. Get through a level quickly to get a time relic. For the second game on its own, boss fights now have their own entry in a warp room rather than going up another warp room, giving it a similarity to what the third game did. All three games allow the choice of playing as the sister, Coco. She doesn't have anything unique, but you're not forced into using her.

Are these games perfect, though? No. Each has their own issues, but let's begin with the first game, which has the biggest problem out of any of the trilogy. As mentioned earlier, Vicarious Visions did the game from scratch, but the difficulty feels a lot higher than even the original. While it fixed the save mechanic and the way of collecting most gems (some levels require beating them without dying to earn a colored gem), the jumping is nerve racking. You either slip off an edge or barely make it onto a platform. This has a lot of precise platforming and it gets very uncomfortable after losing many lives in certain levels. It's not impossible, but with practice, it shouldn't be a huge issue. You'll still lose lives, but not as much.

The second game feels a lot more fluid in jumping. There are a few times where timing jumps are a problem, but it's not a big headache compared to the first. It's still a difficult game in certain levels. My only complaints are some backtracking and the time trials feeling a little cheap in a few of the levels as if the time requirements are too strict. For the third game, there's not much to complain. Some small nitpicks are a few levels feeling more difficult than the PlayStation original and some of the backtracking. With that in mind, this is still a very solid remastering of games that most people grew up and loved in the mid to late 90s.

You're going to sink some time into this. This can be from 20 to 40 hours, especially if you want to go after those platinum times in time trial mode. Trophy support is for all three games. If you're looking for a fun game, definitely get Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy. Hopefully it brings a new audience to the marsupial and the franchise continues on with new entries.

Score 8 out of 10