Disgaea 2 PC Review

Disgaea 2 PC
Developed and Published by Nippon Ichi Software
Date of Release: January 30, 2017
Price: $19.99

Well, here we are once again, ready to take the plunge into the netherworld. It's been a year since the amazingly polished port of the original Disgaea: Hour of Darkness made it's way to PC under the apt title of Disgaea PC. It was a slightly rocky launch, but things got ironed out quickly enough and all the major bugs have been squashed. With lovely sprites, upgraded texture work, and some modern touches like normal mapping and ambient occlusion, it really ended up being the definitive version of the 2003 classic. Sadly, now that the follow-up Disgaea 2 PC has hit the scene, the exact same cannot be said for it.



Don't get the wrong idea though, Disgaea 2 PC is every bit as great a game as the original, but this port is lacking a lot of the polish that made Disgaea PC great. There's no HD textures, and the sprites are a bit blurry this time around, with the terrain having weird texture tiling issues. Honestly though, those are just a few visual flubs that can easily be patched out later, and barely detract from the real spectacle here, with is the intense SRPG action. Disgaea 2 PC is, like its predecessor, a simply amazing turn-based strategy RPG. A lot of that comes from the flawless execution of its battle system, which has a staggering amount of depth. If you like grinding, this series is for you, as you can level up your characters to 9999, and then enter dungeons based on their very equipment, and level their items and weapons up as well by beating massively powerful bosses in the item worlds.



There's countless hours of superb gaming to be had here, and the well-done interface helps a lot with that. The interface elements have been redrawn painstakingly in HD, and the new character portraits are crisp and clean. The soundtrack by Tenpei Sato is there in all it's glory, and the voice acting is a real treat. Also impressive is the new mouse driven interface for the PC version, though if you want to use a gamepad that works just like in the PS2 days. All in all Disgaea 2 PC is a slightly flawed but impressive addition to the series new home on PC. If grindy-ass SRPG goodness is your bag, go get it!

Ys Origin PS4 Review

Ys Origin
Developed By: Nihon Falcom
Ported & Published By: DOTEMU
Date of Release: February 21, 2017
Price: $20


It has been a long time since Playstation fans last got a taste of Ys, way back when Memories of Celceta hit the Vita in November of 2013. However rather than come out with a new sequel in this long running franchise, Falcom has chosen to take us back to the beginning with Ys Origin. This entry in the series is a prequel, taking place 700 years before the events of the first Ys games. This of course means that the veteran series protagonist Adol Christin has to sit this round out, however do not despair! This time around we have THREE individual protagonists to fill out the roster, and each of them brings their own story and unique gameplay style to the table.



If you have played a Ys game before (and I'm sure you have) then you should feel right at home with Yunica Tovah, our first playable character. She's a tough but compassionate young girl who has dedicated her life to protecting the goddesses. Do not underestimate her abilities because although she cannot use magic, she can swing around a massive battle axe as if it were a feather duster. Players new to the series should start with Yunica, as she is very easy to handle in combat. Once players feel comfortable they can tackle Hugo Fact, a magic user who plays out more like a bullet hell shooter than a typical RPG hero. The third (and secret) character will unlock once you finish the game as either Yunica or Hugo, and suffice it to say he's only for experienced players.



Of course it would not be an Ys game if it didn't have big badass setpiece boss fights, and Ys Origin delivers in spades! As usual each boss has it's weak point and a pattern that you can exploit, and half the fun is figuring out how! Unlike other games that have impossibly punishing bosses, in Ys Origin if you're dying frequently you can simply level up and try again. Also be sure to check out the upgrade menu at save points, though they may seem minor, the right enhancement can save your life. Be on the lookout for rare cleria ore as well, as it is vital for tempering your weapons.



The production values of Ys Origin are amazing, using the engine last seen in Ys: The Oath in Felghana. The music and graphics are of course as stunning as you would expect from a series of such a high caliber as Ys. From the stirring violin strains of the opening theme which give way to choral chants and guitar riffs, you can guess from just that track alone that the soundtrack is something special. And it truly is, with a wildly diverse soundscape of orchestral music inlaid with the finest hair metal that Falcom Sound Team J.D.K. has to offer. Just as rich are the gorgeously rendered 3D backgrounds and lush sprites that make up the visuals. For a port of a 2006 PC game, this is an impressive feat, and it helps that all the interface assets have been reworked in HD. Even though it's not quite as detailed as a new entry such as Celceta, Ys Origin has a charm of it's own.



After you survive the main quest three times over (needed to unlock the canon ending!) in Ys Origin there's still plenty to do. A host of unlockables including Time Attack, Boss Rush, and Arena modes round out the package, offering hours of gameplay beyond the main story. If you yearn for an epic story with brutal bosses, complex character development, and a truly hardcore soundtrack, look no further than Ys Origin. Newcomers will find an engaging start to a new series, and Ys veterans will find plenty of references to their beloved series, and even answers to some burning questions that they may have. At a solid asking price of $20, Ys Origin is an unbeatable value. Not to mention it's cross buy, so once it hits the PS Vita you'll get that version for free.

Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- Review

Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- (Steam)
Developed/Published By: Arc System Works
Date of Release: December 14, 2016
Price: $49.99

"HEAVEN OR HELL, LET'S ROCK!"
Since the beginning of the series back on the original Playstation, the announcer in Guilty Gear has been calling out that same line at the beginning of every fight, and it never gets old. The rich heavy metal stylings of Guilty Gear have evolved constantly since the series inception, from the hard hitting sequel Guilty Gear X on the Dreamcast, the much celebrated Guilty Gear XX: The Midnight Carnival on the Playstation 2 (I'd like to pretend that Guilty Gear Isuka never happened), all the way up to Guilty Gear XX Accent Core on modern systems. And now everything has culminated in the release of the latest chapter, Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator-.



If you've played any game in the Guilty Gear series you know what you're in for with -Revelator-, from the massive combos that the series is know for to the signature all or nothing instant-kill moves that can end a match instantly if you pull them off, but if you miss, you're toast. The controls are tight, the animations smooth, and the Unreal engine provides a perfect canvas for the series creator Daisuke Ishiwatari to strut his stuff. Instead of hand-drawn animated sprites that the earlier games used, the characters are all 3d models now, and are animated in such a way that they still appear to be hand animated, which is important as timing most moves and combos require you to watch for certain frames in the animation cycle. It's the perfect blend of modern technology and oldschool aesthetic.



So you have the usual Guilty Gear awesomeness in this package, plus a massive sit-back-and-watch cinematic story mode that will take hours to go through, nearly flawless lag-free online fighting, the requisite Master of Medals mode, and then on top of all that, it's got minigames out the wazoo. You also get a figure mode that lets you collect posable action figures of the main cast, and a bigass gallery of art, music and videos. Everything in the gallery has to be unlocked wither through fight money (world dollars) or fishing them up in the minigame mode. The entire game soundtrack is in there, plus alternate songs from other games in the series. All in all, it's pretty robust.



When it comes down to it, Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- is a shining example of how to bring a fighting game to the PC. There's plenty of graphical options, and the engine is superbly optimized (I can get over 200fps on my GTX 970, and my Alienware Steam machine r1 plays the game at 90+ maxed out). The only thing that let me down is the superb english dub that was present in the previous game, Xrd -Sign-, is missing here due to time constraints. Even so, -Revelator- is pretty much the perfect package, and there's enough content here to keep fighting fans entertained for a long time. I completely and wholeheartedly recommend it.

DoDonPachi Resurrection Review

DoDonPachi Resurrection
Developed By: Cave
Published By: Degica
Date of Release: October 13, 2016
Price: $29.99

Ahhh Cave. They are the masters of bullet hell. And this game... DoDonPachi Resurrection, or DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu as it's known overseas, is pretty much their magnum opus. As per the norm for the genre, as soon as you start the game you'll be wading through bullets as you fight your way to the end of the stage to the final showdown with each stage's main boss, which always comes in the form of a transforming giant robot girl.



If that sounds weird, then you've obviously not experienced the signature weirdness of Cave's games (which I for one find quite charming TBH). Cave consistently makes great games with bizarre settings that definitely are not cliche by any standard, and that just adds to the appeal in my opinion. Add to that the high production values and replayability of the experience and you have a damn sweet package. As always the artwork is amazing with massive sprites that fill the screen (the giant robot boss girls are pretty cool too!), and the soundtrack is nice all around.



On top of all that is a deep scoring system that will take quite a long time to master the intricacies of, as well as the fact that EVERY revision of DodDonPachi Resurrection is included in the package, from the original all the way up to Black label Arrange for a total of 8 versions. Each one has multiple ships and multiple playstyles per ship, so there's enough variation here that you won't get bored of blowing the clothes off giant robot babes. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, and kick some metal ass!

Ittle Dew 2 Review

Ittle Dew 2
Developed and Published by: Ludosity
Date of Release: November 15, 2016
Platforms: Steam, PS4(reviewed), Xbox One
Price: $19.99


If there is one dungeon crawling RPG series that has stood the test of time amazingly, it is The Legend of Zelda. From it's original NES release to the awesome Link to The Past on the SNES, the games often follow the same pattern: 8 or so dungeons, need items from one to get through the next, etc. Ittle Dew 2 takes that approach and turns it on it's head, offering you the option to forge ahead with no upgrades whatsoever and just use your wits to get through the devious puzzles that lie ahead. I definitely had some head-scratching moments during my playthrough, but there's nothing unfair or illogical here. In fact there are hints scattered about for the puzzles that are actually quite witty.



The combat in Ittle Dew 2 is satisfyingly meaty and quite challenging, with a good variety of enemies, all of which are heartwarmingly bizarre. There is great array of weapons are at your disposal for dispatching them as well, from flaming swords to good old TNT. As usual the enemies often drop their still-beating hearts for Ittle to devour for healing purposes. The fights are tough but never overwhelming or unfair, and the bosses are the traditional pattern-based affairs, save for the final boss which is a wonderful surprise. Health upgrades are hidden far and wide, and always apply immediately in quarter-heart allotments.



All in all, Ittle Dew 2 is an amazing experience and offers a massively epic challenge if you're willing to dig deep, as there are several punishingly difficult hidden dungeons. The visuals are as charming as ever, despite moving from hand-drawn artwork to 3d models. The animated aesthetic is still there in full force however. The sound effects and voice acting are wonderful, and the soundtrack is great. Above all the quality of the writing and humor stand out, and stays true to the series roots (as well as the general feel of Ludosity's games). If you were a fan of the original Ittle Dew, or even Zelda-esque adventures in general, there's no reason not to go for Ittle Dew 2. Just don't get too plastered on health potions.

10/10

Gears of War 4 Review

Gears of War 4
Developed By: The Coalition
Published By: Microsoft Studios
Date of Release: October 11, 2016
Price: $59.99 USD



And there you have it, the magnificent Error, see details. Such gripping content.

I managed to play about 40 mins of the campaign until I was interrupted by a windows update reboot mid-session, which seemed to corrupt the game beyond repair. I've put hours into trying to get the game to re-download at this point, it hits 99% and gives the error, which has NO details. Whatsoever. Perhaps it's time for MS to pout their limping storefront out of it's misery and go to Steam like any intelligent publisher would?

Carmageddon Max Damage

Carmageddon Max Damage
PS4 (reviewed)/Xbox One
Developed By: Stainless Games
Published By: Sold Out
Date of Release: July 8, 2016

In the year 1997, the feces hit the radiator fan. A racing game so vulgar, crass and violent was released that even the pope* lost his shit. Carmageddon had arrived in full force, and the gaming world would never be the same. Contestants would strap themselves into motorized death machines, and try to smash the crap out of their opponents while flattening as many pedestrians as possible along the way. Reaching the finish line was optional. Back in the day all this gratuitous gore was shocking and memorable, but this day and age it doesn't carry quite so much in the shock factor department, though it's still a decent way to spend an afternoon.



Thankfully the newest reincarnation of the franchise, Carmageddon Max Damage, has brought things forward into modern times. From the shiny chrome-plated graphics to the bone-crunching sound effects, they've provided the full package here. Also much improved is the game's control system, which quite frankly was an utter shitshow on the older PC games in the series. Everything that made the franchise fan-f**king-tastic has returned full force, and then some. The classic Carmageddon gameplay mode is here, where you can take the checkpoints, smash all your foes, or tediously hunt down each and every pedestrian to win (blah!).



That's not to say everything is popping up smelling like roses. The load times in particular reek like bullshit, sometimes taking several minutes to load up the carnage. The framerate tanked a few times on me as well, but with that much highly-detail gut-spewing destruction onscreen at once it's to be expected that the game engine might shit it's pants occasionally. But despite a couple of dingleberries in the mix, this hot mess still comes out on top. It's saving grace is the fact that on the market right now there's just nothing like it at all, and that fact makes it a gleaming polished turd bobbing in a sea of boring cookie-cutter sequelitis diarrhea. So go for it, blow your load (of cash) all over Carmageddon: Max Damage. Just make sure to wash your hands when you're done.


*Greg Pope, MP