2D action platformers have become increasingly common within the gaming landscape, especially with regard to indie titles. Fortunately, most of these titles are done really well. They often have distinctive features and/or characteristics that help them differentiate themselves from the rest. In the case of Pepper Grinder, you have a drill that acts as a weapon. It’s also your primary means of traversal across a number of different obstacles.

Grist for the Mill

The game puts you in the role of Pepper, a pirate looking to reclaim her treasure from the Narlings who had taken it upon her shipwreck. The other half of the title, Grinder, refers to Pepper’s super-powered drilling device. While the game puts an ultimate objective on the line to push Pepper forward, the narrative here isn’t what makes Pepper Grinder stand out, its gameplay does.

As a 2D action-platformer, Pepper Grinder’s gameplay focuses primarily on the use of Grinder to maneuver through the environment, allowing Pepper to drill through sand, ice, water, food, and more. While the drill may be the primary method, cannons, grappling, water skimming, and more play vital roles in the platforming aspect of the game.

MIA Combat

Aside from the platforming, Pepper Grinder’s combat portions are relatively non-existent outside of boss battles. Where Pepper Grinder surprised me was through an atypical puzzle element. While some were straightforward in the sense of needing to understand which ways to travel first to unlock the correct pathway, the use of momentum and other factors was also an interesting dynamic within the game. Before we get to the boss battles, I also wanted to mention the collectibles. Each stage contains five Skull Coins hidden throughout, which allows players to purchase items as well as unlock hidden levels. While these are pretty common to see in platformers, it’s always a nice touch regardless.

Pepper Grinder is relatively easy to get through, providing players with a generous amount of checkpoints that allow players to get to the ends of stages pretty quickly. If any portions do get challenging, it didn’t take many additional attempts to get past them. Where the game’s difficulty does spike in challenge are the boss battles. The game’s boss battles represent a spike in difficulty when compared to the stages leading up to them. Despite this, the bosses themselves are pretty straightforward in that the weaknesses are obvious. Once you get the strategy down, it is a matter of not getting greedy, or even purchasing a temporary armor boost to get you through the battle.

Pathfinding Goodness

Visually, while Pepper Grinder does not do anything to quite stand out from other titles, it is still a vibrant, detailed undertaking. The game makes it easy to determine enemies, pathways, and even boss weak points. This is done with a mixture of simplistic wayfinding such as with trails of jewels and even some common sense. For example, the aforementioned weak points of bosses were determined by utilizing some thinking rather than a giant glowing orange spot. Where some wayfinding could have been improved was with material that did not appear to be drillable. Specifically, I did not expect hanging meat to be among the drillable materials as that section had another primary material used for traversal. Despite that, Pepper Grinder does a good job of leveraging its visuals to positively affect gameplay.

Overall, Pepper Grinder is a solid action platformer. It has a unique feature that helps set it apart from the rest, despite some points that still feel quite generic. Aside from some difficulty spikes, Pepper Grinder is relatively easy and short to get through. While sometimes games can feel a bit too short or too long, the game feels like it hits the right spot in terms of length. Sure, we’re starting to reach a point of saturation with indie 2D action platformers, but there is always room for innovative, fun experiences and Pepper Grinder fits that mould perfectly.

*** A review code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Pepper Grinder Review – A Short and Sweet Adventure appeared first on COGconnected.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is the latest title from developer Don’t Nod, best known for their work on titles such as Life is Strange, Jusant, and the spiritual predecessor of this game, Vampyr. Ghosts of New Eden is a narrative-driven action RPG with a heavy decision-making element. With Don’t Nod’s past experiences, it is hard not to feel that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has taken on some of the best parts of their previous games and put it all together here.

Ghosts of New Eden is a story of two Banishers, Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith, who have travelled to a town in the New World, New Eden, in 1695. They’re there to assist the region plagued by a curse at the urge of an old friend. Banishers are spirit hunters who can dispel curses with rituals and otherwise protect the living from the dead. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden isn’t just a story about ghost hunting, as Antea and Red are also lovers.

After an early investigation, Antea and Red are faced with a dubious situation in which Antea is killed and turned into a spirit. In addition to dealing with the curse on New Eden, Red and Antea will also have to navigate the decision between ascending Antea’s soul or attempting to resurrect her by sacrificing the living. Aside from the actual story, the atmosphere of Banishers exudes the feel that the game is looking for. It provides an air of mystery alongside some minor creepy elements as well.

Choices Matter

Overall, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has an intriguing narrative with heartfelt moments, difficult decisions, and engaging side stories. While I made the decision to pursue a specific path throughout the game, I continually found it difficult to stay on that path, questioning myself at different intervals. While the decisions may not feel as impactful in the grand scheme of things to some, they play a major part not only within the story and multiple endings but in the player experience as well.

At its core, Banisher is an action RPG. Red and Antea journey to rid the region of the curse. The two of them must fight off spirits, undead, and more. The combat of the game is solid There are the pretty typical third-person combat style of attacks both light and heavy, ranged attacks, special attacks, and parrying. To supplement your abilities, both Red and Antea have a number of skills to unlock as well as equipment to upgrade. Overall, the combat of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is pretty fun. I did experience some framerate slowdowns at times.

Outside of combat are two main gameplay loops of traversal and investigations. Traversal is limited to a single button. Pathfinding, backtracking, and opening shortcuts play a significant role in travelling the world. A very thoughtful feature is the automatic marking of maps. The marks point players back to points of interest that were not accessible upon first visit. Overall gameplay is well done. It does start to get a bit repetitive over time as you start to see the overall flow more as a series of game mechanics.

Multi-character Sleuthing

Investigations help to push the story forward and play a massive role in the side stories. Players can investigate as both Red and Antea, with Antea being able to see things that Red cannot. By finding and identifying clues, players are able to determine what has happened in the situation. They can use that information in making decisions. This portion of the game is highly engaging, being able to determine what is truly occurring and being able to form opinions in real-time while hearing Red and Antea’s thoughts to potentially validate yours.

For the scope of the game, Banishers was visually impressive. Having stayed away from most trailers, I came into the experience without expectations. I was pleasantly surprised after the prologue section in finding that the game was not as ambiently dark going forward. The injection of light into the game helped to demonstrate the level of detail. It also contrasted greatly with the nighttime visuals. On the user experience side, enemies, waypoints, and other indicators made it easy to determine pathways and where to find things.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a splendid experience crafted intricately by Don’t Nod. The game starts off strong, but a bit of the allure wears off over time as you peek behind the curtains of the various systems within the game. That said, the game’s intriguing narrative, relatively tough decisions, and overall solid gameplay elements make Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden one of the strongest gaming experiences of early 2024.

*** Game provided by publishers for review ***

The post Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Review – A Memorable Journey appeared first on COGconnected.

Penny’s Big Breakaway is the next big title from the team behind 2017’s hit title, Sonic Mania. Developed by Evening Star and published by Private Division, Penny’s Big Breakaway is Evening Star’s breaking in point into the 3D platforming space. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go hands-on with the upcoming title. We checked out a number of the game’s early levels in both the Story and Time Attack modes.

It should be noted that updates, improvements, and any changes may occur between this build and the final game. Overall, my experience with the early portions of Penny’s Big Breakaway left me feeling optimistic about the game. I appreciate its low barrier of entry in addition to its addicting gameplay and push for player perfection. Put simply, the title personifies the term “easy to learn, hard to master.” Specifically, I found myself being able to navigate through levels pretty well. Still, I recognized in watching gameplay footage that the flow between various actions and moves can be combined much more seamlessly and efficiently than I could at the time.

Breaking the Loop

The narrative of Penny’s Big Breakaway is pretty simple: Penny is a street performer with a yo-yo named Yo-Yo who becomes a living creature. After some mishaps involving Eddie the Emperor, Penny embarks on an adventure to fix the situation and learn more about her Yo-Yo.

The primary gameplay loop of Penny’s Big Breakaway is that the game is separated into a variety of overarching levels that feature several stages. In each stage, players must traverse the environment while staying alive against environmental hazards, Eddie the Emperor’s penguins, and other such creatures. In each level are three collectibles and three sidequests. Completing these sorts of side quests results in a larger audience at the end of the level, which when reached, allows Penny to complete a Busker Bonus minigame to increase your score. As you would expect, the side quests and therefore audience members influence the Busker Bonus’s effects.

Show Me Your Moves

Penny and, by extension, Yo-Yo, have a lot of moves at their disposal to assist in traversal. Players will be able to use Yo-Yo to dash in different directions, swing in mid-air, ride over dangerous surfaces, and much more. While each level does vary in terms of length, I would put my runtimes to about 10 minutes per level, which includes time trying to explore every corner. In these same levels in Time Attack which I did not explore at all, I could get through them in roughly 2 minutes. As mentioned before, being able to piece together combinations and fluid movement should result in even faster times for those inclined. At the end of each major chapter, a unique boss encounter is available, testing different components of Penny and Yo-Yo’s moves.

In what I consider a sign of a strong 3D platformer, Penny’s Big Breakaway features a beautiful, vibrant aesthetic with unique designs and perhaps most importantly, level design that is intuitive with easy-to-identify landmarks and wayfinding. Likewise, the title sports an upbeat, energetic soundtrack that matches the pace of the game. The songs were also catchy enough that I found myself playing them in my head over and over throughout some days.

Currently slated to release in early 2024 as of the time of writing, Penny’s Big Breakaway will be released on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows to PC via Steam, and Xbox Series X/S. Having enjoyed my time with the tile thus far, I am personally looking forward to completing the rest of the story in the future.

*** A preview code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Penny’s Big Breakaway May Take Your Breath Away appeared first on COGconnected.

At first glance, Blood West harkens back to classic first-person shooters with its self-described low-res, low-poly 3D aesthetic. However, the game’s emphasis on stealth aligns it best with some classic first-person stealth titles. Blood West takes contemporary mechanics, pairs them with the spirit of classic stealth titles, and paints it with a brush of eldritch horror.

Blood West sets players in the role of the Undead Gunslinger after an initial cutscene depicting an Indigenous shaman dragging a corpse to a cliffside, preparing the body, and appearing to conduct a ritual. Now brought back to life in the barren lands, players are tasked with purging their curse and freeing their soul. While the narrative is generally enjoyable and generally pushes the gameplay forward, it still lets the gameplay do most of the talking.

A Focus On Stealth

As one might expect with any stealth game, the core gameplay loop is a familiar one. You find a new area, scout said area, and clear the area of enemies without being caught. It is an old formula that still works well here, though ditching the stealth aspect is a bit more viable down the line. Add in NPCs, side quests, non-linear maps, resource management, perks, skills, and the ability to approach situations however you like, and you have a contemporary first-person stealth title in Blood West. At its core, the gameplay loop is a lot of fun, and progressing through the game’s three areas/scenarios only gets more and more enjoyable.

While the game is rewarding, stealth gameplay often requires a lot of patience. With Blood West, this patience is also required simply in terms of starting the game. The difficulty curve with Blood West is relatively high, with minimal supplies, experience, and skills available at the start. However, once you begin to understand the systems in place, that’s when Blood West gets rolling. As a PC title, it should also be noted that a mouse and keyboard is the best way to play this game. As a gamer typically with a preference for using a controller, I found the overall responsiveness and speed of the mouse and keyboard combination to be unmatched for this game.

Put simply, Blood West is a game that gets better over time as players get used to the gameplay, mechanics, and various systems the game has in place. As an indie stealth FPS title, Blood West sets out to do exactly what it intended by providing a challenging but rewarding title that pushes players to explore more of the interesting world set out in front of them.

Low-Res, High-Quality

While the world is indeed its self-described low-res, low-poly self, it works extremely well with the atmosphere and genre of the game. While the itemization within the game could be improved in terms of identifying items that can be picked up, the rest of the visuals work well to determine differences between enemies, environments, and other visual cues. That said, my favorite aspect of the game’s visuals was just seeing all the different weapons through a bit of a nostalgic lens.

If you are a fan of classic stealth FPS games, classic FPS games, or even Western games in general, Blood West will be right up your alley. And if you’re not, Blood West may still be worth your time if you have any interest in it based on some of its other factors such as the eldritch horror, resource management, or even challenging gameplay. As someone who hasn’t had as much experience with stealth FPS games, it did take a bit of time to get accustomed to its workings, but once I hit my stride, I found it hard to put the game down.

** A review code was provided by the publisher **

The post Blood West Review – A Bloody Good Time appeared first on COGconnected.

While sequels, spinoffs, and remakes can be great, there is always something a bit magical when new IPs are being introduced to the gaming community. 2024 brought a bunch of new IPs to gamers around the world. Based on the results of a vote by the COGconnected staff, here are our 10 Best New IPs of 2023.

10. Synapse

Rounding out our list as the tenth Best New IP of 2023 is Synapse. An essential PSVR2 title, Synapse is a rogue-lite with stylish art and slick combat. While VR games can be hit or miss, Synapse easily makes our list due in part to its addictive loop.

9. Humanity

Maybe also in the running for the strangest or most unique game of the year, Humanity captured the hearts of many as a new IP. A puzzle platformer with strategy elements, Humanity allows players to control a Shibu Inu to guide crowds to a goal to solve puzzles. While certain genres reign supreme in this day and age, we surely appreciate games that go against the grain.

8. Cassette Beasts

Inspired by the Pokemon series, Cassette Beasts is one of our favorite new IPs of 2023. It is a monster-taming game that involves transforming into monsters by using a cassette player. While the concept isn’t exactly the same, Cassette Beasts still features a decent amount of complexity that helps to differentiate it from its inspiration.

7. Planet of Lana

Planet of Lana may be a relatively short title, but its overall impact is nothing to scoff at. As a narrative title with platforming and puzzle elements, its gameplay loop and formula have been done before. However, Planet of Luna puts it all together with an incredible art design and beautiful music that help it secure its spot on our list.

6. The Last Faith

Rounding out the back half of COGconnected’s Best New IPs of 2023 is The Last Faith. The Last Faith is a 2D side-scrolling soulslike title that finds a great balance between exploration and punishing combat. This balance, along with its excellent art direction and rewarding gameplay, pushes The Last Faith up against the top half of the list.

The Top 5 on the next page!

The post The 10 Best New Video Game IPs of 2023 appeared first on COGconnected.

For as long as my memory serves me, fighting games have held a special place in my heart. Whether engaging in spirited battles against family members during gatherings, challenging friends in dark arcades, or facing off against the CPU in an offline mode, the exhilarating intensity of competition in fighting games has been a constant source of joy. Throughout the years, various fighting games spanning different sub-genres have managed to capture my attention, and the latest addition to that esteemed list is none other than Tekken 8.

Having participated in a prior preview event and the Closed Beta Test, I recently had the opportunity to experience the evolution of Tekken 8 over the past year during a preview event held in early December. In addition to Versus Mode, I also had the chance to play Story Mode, Arcade Quest, Super Ghost Battle, and Tekken Ball, now with the privilege of exploring the full character roster. My focus, however, was primarily on the new characters introduced for Tekken 8: Azucena, Reina, and Victor.

A consistent thought lingers with each session I spend playing Tekken 8 — the gameplay is simply enjoyable. Irrespective of the match outcome, I find myself having a blast every time. At the heart of all games, especially in the realm of fighting games, the emphasis should be on fun, and it is evident that Bandai Namco Studios has successfully achieved this delicate balance. As a gamer who revels in fighting games but grapples with the time commitment required for mastery, the Special Style of controls provided me with a seamless entry point, making it easy to dive in with any character and understand their playstyle before committing more time.

Something Special

Essentially, the Special Style of controls assigns each button to a recommended move or combo that adapts based on a character’s state. For those who prefer traditional controls and seek more freedom, the Arcade Style remains available. What’s noteworthy is the seamless switch between the two styles with a single button, offering players the flexibility to choose their preferred approach in any given scenario. In a discussion with Kohei Ikeda, the game director, and Michael Murray, the producer, it was noted that the feedback from closed tests prompted an expansion of the Special Style controls to include more actions. This enhancement provides greater flexibility to players using this style, ensuring that both control styles function adequately.

While the Special Style facilitates easy entry and success, it’s impossible to ignore the inherently rewarding nature of Tekken 8’s gameplay and its feedback loop. Initially grappling with the challenges posed by the Normal difficulty, by the end of my session, I found myself achieving success even on the highest difficulty level in Versus Mode. The satisfaction of ascending ranks after triumphant matches further reinforces the sense of improvement. Although I don’t consider myself to even be “good” at fighting games, the palpable progress I felt match after match was undeniable.

Exploring the various game modes, several thoughts crossed my mind. The Story Mode, with only a glimpse of the early chapters, proved to be highly engaging. As someone with limited Tekken narrative knowledge, I found it remarkably easy to immerse myself in the Tekken 8 story. Arcade Quest, a single-player experience with a meta, arcade-style narrative, provides newer players with additional offline content without thrusting them into competitive play immediately.

Intriguing Super Ghost Battle

Super Ghost Battle emerged as perhaps the most intriguing mode, as the game learns from your tendencies to create a Ghost that you and others can face. This Ghost evolves using AI learning from your fights, allowing you to track your improvement over time. Finally, Tekken Ball makes a triumphant return, requiring players to attack a ball that releases accumulated damage if not properly blocked or returned. Initially conceived as a mini-game for aerial juggle practice, Tekken Ball serves as both a valuable training tool and a welcome break from intense battles.

With the Closed Network Test and Closed Beta Tests now completed, Tekken 8 looms on the horizon. If you remain undecided, I strongly recommend checking out the Tekken 8 demo before the official launch in January 2024. Personally, I eagerly anticipate the final build of the game, marking it as one of my most-awaited titles for the coming year.

The post Tekken 8 Preview – Demonstrating High-Fidelity Fun appeared first on COGconnected.

Christmas is just around the corner so make sure you get your gifts early to avoid any holiday rush. If you are looking to get a gift for the Xbox gamer in your life, look no further! We have a gift guide just for you.

Starfield

One of the biggest new IPs to launch in recent years, Starfield has finally come out to much fanfare. This Bethesda-made space RPG allows players to be whoever they want to be in an expansive universe. Starfield is the perfect game for players to get lost in over the winter months.

Diablo IV

It has been years since the last Diablo game was released, and Diablo IV picks up where that one left off. If slaying hordes of monsters, undead, and demons is a hobby of your Xbox gamer, look no further. Diablo IV is all about getting deep into character building, watching numbers go up, and clearing multitudes of enemies either solo or with friends.

Forza Motorsport

The Forza Motorsport line has returned after six years, bringing back its signature incredible graphics and variety of tracks. While the Forza Horizon line of games has a bit more mainstream appeal due to its open-world nature, the Motorsport line is true to the series’ roots and features some of the best pure racing in video games.

Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush was a surprise release on the Xbox this year and quickly became a fan-favorite title. While you won’t be able to find physical copies of the game, you are still able to gift Hi-Fi Rush digitally to your favorite Xbox gamer(s). With its vibrant aesthetic and catchy beats, Hi-Fi Rush is a great experience for anyone.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

While Cyberpunk 2077 was originally released in 2020, 2023 brought the Phantom Liberty expansion and its 2.0 update. This update substantially reworks multiple elements of the title, bridging the gap between expectations and reality when the title was first released. Now, Cyberpunk 2077 has an Ultimate Edition, making it easy for the uninitiated to make that jump into Night City.

Resident Evil 4

When Resident Evil 4 was first released, it was one of the best games of the franchise, year, generation, and some might even say of all time. This monumental title has been remade for the masses in 2023. With the recent resurgence of the Resident Evil franchise, there’s no better time to play Resident Evil 4.

Mortal Kombat 1

Is your Xbox gamer is a fighting game or Mortal Kombat fan? There is no better time to jump into the franchise than with Mortal Kombat 1, which takes place in a soft-rebooted universe. The Mortal Kombat games have always had a strong narrative component, but its smart DLC collaborations and simply fun gameplay make it a must-play fighting game.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy is the perfect video game to gift to the Xbox gamer in your life who may have been a Harry Potter fan for years. That being said, the magical world of Hogwarts Legacy is open to all gamers to enjoy. The game has a lot of charm, and getting lost in a castle has never been so enjoyable.

Street Fighter 6

The last game on this list is Street Fighter 6, another fighting game that exudes style and excellent gameplay. Street Fighter has been at it for years and brings a solid campaign with a great roster, fighting mechanics, and graphics. This iteration is another game in which it is a great entry point for newbies to dive in. For the Xbox gamer who likes fighting games, Street Fighter 6 will be their jam.

Xbox Series S – 1 TB (Black)

The Xbox Series S has often been mentioned as a great entry point into the current generation of gaming. Plus, that new black coating on the console makes it even nicer. If your giftee is an Xbox gamer stuck in the previous generation or is an aspiring gamer, look no further than the new Xbox Series S colorway.

Xbox Controller

You can’t play games without a controller, and we have a couple of different recommendations in this category this year. We have the Xbox Adaptive Controller, a controller designed to meet the needs of gamers with limited mobility. This controller allows for a customized experience so that all gamers can play their way. We would also recommend the Xbox Design Lab controllers which allow you to customize a controller specifically for your Xbox gamer.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is often lauded as the best deal in gaming. Giving this to your favorite gamers gives them access to Xbox Live and a slew of games, including a number of those listed above. If you aren’t sure what to gift, Game Pass Ultimate is the safest bet to put a smile on the face of your gamer giftee.

Xbox Storage Expansion Card

With so many great games coming out year after year, Xbox gamers are sure to be running out of storage space consistently. Make that a thing of the past with an Xbox Storage Expansion Card. This device gives gamers more options to download and play games as they see fit.

Xbox Series X Replica Mini Fridge

What should you get an Xbox gamer who has all the games they want? Well how about a mini fridge shaped like their favorite console? Although a very niche product, the Xbox Series X Replica Mini Fridge is both a novelty and a handy appliance to keep cool drinks nearby.

The post The Best Gifts for Xbox Gamers This Christmas appeared first on COGconnected.

Roughly two years after the release of Tales of Arise, a new narrative chapter unfolds in the form of a story DLC titled “Beyond the Dawn.” My initial encounter with Tales of Arise was enjoyable. The prospect of more content left me uncertain, questioning whether I truly needed or desired an extension of the original experience. The fundamental features and gameplay loop persist. They mirror the base game closely—interested readers are encouraged to explore our initial review of Tales of Arise. Nevertheless, Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn commences at a measured pace. It gradually gains momentum and evolves into an experience that, while not revolutionary, manages to justify its existence.

Set one year after the events in Tales of Arise, Beyond the Dawn aptly delves into the post-game lives of the main cast and several side characters. The introduction of Nazamil, a new character holding significance in the DLC’s narrative, contributes a different dynamic to the established ensemble. The primary narrative succeeds in updating players on the trajectories of their favorite characters. But the DLC feels simultaneously rushed, clocking in at 10-15 hours, and also artificially lengthened as well. Reconnecting with the original characters proved satisfying. Sadly, the newly introduced storyline failed to resonate with me on a profound level.

Start at the Beginning

Accessible through the main menu, Beyond the Dawn can be started regardless of the player’s progression in the base game. Character levels start at 65, irrespective of whether you have beaten the main game or not. It is recommended to have beaten the game. For returning players, the DLC offers the convenience of additional rewards based on their accumulated time with Tales of Arise.

In tandem with the new narrative, Beyond the Dawn introduces a number of fresh skills and abilities for all characters. While the overall gameplay remains intact from the original Tales of Arise release, I mostly forgot how to play the game. Jumping into the fray at level 65, contending with resilient adversaries, required a few hours to reacquaint myself with the combat mechanics and fight as efficiently as I once did.

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn serves as a nostalgic reunion with beloved characters from years past. However, the necessity of additional closure remains a subjective matter, especially considering the already satisfying conclusion offered in the base game. It’s worth noting that Tales of Arise significantly contributed to elevating the long-running series into mainstream recognition. Beyond the Dawn seems more akin to a modest project. It’s a subtle reminder of the Tales franchise as it bridges toward an eventual next release. While not a groundbreaking expansion, Beyond the Dawn manages to carve out its space, offering both familiarity and a subtle nod to the franchise’s enduring legacy.

*** A review code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn DLC Review – Unsolicited Nostalgia appeared first on COGconnected.

DON’T NOD takes a bit of a departure from their typical style with their latest title, Jusant. While the game might not evoke the same emotions as some of their previous works, it doesn’t fall short in delivering a unique and meditative gaming experience. Jusant is an action-puzzle climbing game that invites players to embark on a tranquil journey, allowing them to savour every step of their ascent. The game’s captivating aesthetics and serene ambiance immediately set the tone for an exceptional adventure. As you ascend into the mysterious tower, you’ll be accompanied by a watery companion and an array of climbing tools, all while gradually uncovering the tower’s history.

Jusant’s narrative is subtle yet engaging. You assume the role of a character who starts their journey at the tower’s base. From there, your objective is to climb. However, as you ascend, you may begin to form assumptions about the tower, its history, and the reasons behind its current state of existence. Along the way, you’ll discover letters, set pieces, and other subtle details. They gradually weave together the intriguing history of the tower. While it’s not mandatory to uncover every secret, the game is rewarding to those who choose to dive deeper into its narrative.

At the heart of Jusant lies the mastery of climbing tools and the careful management of your stamina. Scaling this ever-shifting tower demands skill, patience, and strategic thinking. As you ascend higher, the complexity of challenges increases, forcing you to think critically about how to best utilize your tools. While the early stages of the game are relatively straightforward, the later parts of the ascent require astute problem-solving and an exploration of alternative paths that may unveil the tower’s well-guarded secrets.

At Your Own Pace

The gameplay in Jusant predominantly revolves around climbing and puzzle-solving, with an element of memory retention required for managing your expanding arsenal of skills. Of course, the puzzle elements are key to the game, but its relatively intuitive and responsive controls do a great job of keeping players engaged. As your abilities grow, it becomes increasingly important to remember the basics. Fortunately, your watery companion proves invaluable, offering guidance and assistance when you may find yourself stumped. The gameplay maintains its appeal throughout the journey, evolving from a simple climbing experience to encompassing actions you wouldn’t have thought possible when you initially started.

One of Jusant’s standout features is its commitment to allowing players to set their own pace. The game imposes no rush, no pressure to complete objectives hastily, and certainly no need to hurry. The journey itself holds as much significance as reaching the summit, and you’re encouraged to take your time and relish the awe-inspiring biomes that unfold before you. Each environment is richly adorned with lush flora, fauna, and intriguing remnants of a bygone civilization, cultivating a profound sense of tranquillity as you traverse the tower’s ever-changing landscape. Accessibility features are also planned, which will also allow the game to be enjoyed by all gamers.

Feel the Vibe

Upon launching the game, the title screen elegantly showcases your character’s current location. This creates a seamless transition from the menu to the gameplay. Furthermore, the game’s soundtrack contributes to the overall serene experience, providing a soothing, atmospheric backdrop to your climb. It enhances the game’s meditative qualities, ensuring that players are wholly immersed in this contemplative journey.

In a gaming landscape often dominated by frantic and intense titles, Jusant serves as a serene beacon of tranquillity and introspection. It reminds us that not every gaming experience needs to be an adrenaline rush. Instead, it offers an opportunity to escape the chaos of the outside world and immerse yourself in a beautifully crafted environment. With Jusant, you’ll master the art of climbing, explore diverse biomes, and uncover the mysteries of the tower, all while enjoying a captivating and peaceful atmosphere. In a world filled with high-octane games, Jusant stands as a soothing journey to new heights, where the destination is only half the adventure.

*** A review code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Jusant Review – Tranquil Tower Traversal appeared first on COGconnected.

Upon first glance, Moonstone Island may strike you as a charming, cozy life-simulation game, and you wouldn’t be entirely mistaken. However, this offering from Studio Supersoft goes beyond the surface. It offers players a delightful gaming experience that matches its appealing visuals. In Moonstone Island, the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” holds true – it plays as wonderfully as it looks.

In this game, you step into the shoes of an aspiring alchemist who embarks on a journey to complete their training on a floating sky island. Armed with your trusty broom and starter Spirit, your adventure begins with a less-than-graceful landing on your future sky island home. Despite the initial rough start, you swiftly settle into your new surroundings. From this point onward, the game leaves players largely to their own devices, offering a handful of quests to help you get started.

As mentioned earlier, Moonstone Island is indeed a life-simulation game, but it also incorporates social and relationship elements, farming, alchemy, creature collecting, deck-building, and exploration. Picture a blend of your favorite cozy indie games, all rolled into one delightful package, and you have Moonstone Island. Often, when games attempt to encompass such a wide array of features, they risk diluting the overall experience. However, Moonstone Island manages to strike a balance, allowing players to dive deep into the aspects that interest them most.

Focus, Focus, Focus

For me, the most enjoyable facets of Moonstone Island were exploration and creature collecting/battling. These became the primary focus of my gameplay. However, one aspect that initially presented a challenge was identifying which NPC or building corresponded to which shop. This became less confusing as I spent more time in the game. Still, it did pose a minor frustration, particularly given the time-sensitive nature of some in-game activities.

Another aspect that left something to be desired was the inventory system. While it mirrors the systems of some similar titles, it has always been a point of contention for me, especially as a controller-first player. Nevertheless, despite this personal preference, the crafting system overall functions effectively.

Throughout my time with Moonstone Island, one consistent element was the game’s beautiful aesthetic. While many indie titles excel in visuals, they often struggle to maintain consistency. Moonstone Island, however, maintains its visual excellence throughout, from the meticulously designed creatures to the captivating character portraits and the enchanting environments. This visual consistency not only pleases the eyes but also enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.

A Sum of Excellent Parts

Moonstone Island excels as a life-simulation game, creature collector, and deck builder. both individually. While it does a commendable job of integrating these elements, it still falls into the trap of being “wide as an ocean, deep as a puddle,” although not to an extreme extent. Offering players freedom and agency over their in-game experiences is certainly a plus. However, a bit more focus on certain aspects could elevate the game even further. Nevertheless, if any of the game’s elements pique your interest, I wholeheartedly recommend giving Moonstone Island a try.

Moonstone Island transcends its initial appearance as a cozy life-simulation game and offers a rich and diverse gaming experience. Its harmonious blend of gameplay elements, stunning visuals, and a touch of freedom for players make it a worthwhile addition to the world of indie gaming. While it may not delve as deeply as some might hope into every aspect it offers, the overall package is undeniably enjoyable. So, if you’re drawn to alchemy, creature collecting, or simply enjoy life-simulation games with a twist, don’t hesitate to dive into the enchanting world of Moonstone Island.

** A PC review code was provided by the publisher **

The post Moonstone Island Review – A Charming Good Time appeared first on COGconnected.

With its 25th anniversary, NBA 2K24 is back for another year of hoops with cover athletes Kobe Bryant and Sabrina Ionescu. Having played the 2K series for roughly 15 of those years, I’ve watched as the series grew and changed over the course of three console generations. While much has changed, one thing has remained constant. NBA 2K is still the king of the court when it comes to basketball video games.

Undeniably, NBA 2K24 (and the 2K series in general) has strong gameplay, cultural relevance, and high engagement with active NBA players. Elements of the gameplay continue to improve year over year. However, these enhancements are admittedly hard to notice when you play the game each year. This doesn’t mean that the game is the same each year, but it certainly can feel like it at times. This isn’t a knock on the 2K series though. Most sports games deal with the same cycle of improvements vs. live content updates. What 2K does have going for it though is that though the gameplay is similar on an annual basis, the gameplay is still good.

No matter what mode you play, you’ll find that NBA 2K24 sports a strong gameplay element. At its core, it is very easy to play the game, whether it be passing, shooting, or playing defence. Where things get a bit more nuanced is when it comes to variables that one would expect it real life. For example, it is easier to score an open shot as opposed to one being defended closely. Therefore, despite a perfect release on a shot, other variables such as player attributes, defenders, and even how hot or cold a player is play a part in whether the shot is made or missed. Unfortunately for NBA 2K24, most of its shine within the game stays on the court.

The Gang is Back

If you’ve played an NBA 2K game in the past few years, you will likely be familiar with the modes of the game. The main courses include MyCAREER, NBA 2K’s career mode, MyTEAM, NBA 2K’s ultimate team mode, and MyNBA, NBA 2K’s franchise mode. As someone who plays 2K’s career mode on a mostly yearly basis, it is hard to ignore that the mode has seen better days. Each year sees an increase in the career mode’s integration with the City feature. This allows players to take their players to a streetball mode. However, this correlates to a decrease in the career mode’s features, which is a sore spot among some fans.

Furthermore, the increased incorporation of virtual currency, or VC, into most of the game modes decreases enjoyment for offline gamers. I can respect the need for VC to make purchases in MyTEAM. However, it is a bit frustrating that VC is also needed to upgrade my player in MyCAREER because of the interaction of the City.  Everyone plays the game differently. I enjoy playing MyCAREER for the game mode itself, not to build a character for the City. In doing so, I now have to spend VC in order to build up my character. This which takes away funds from making purchases for MyTEAM. This also slows building up a character unless you shell out cash for VC.

Gameplay and features aside, NBA 2K24 remains the best-looking iteration of the series to date. While descriptions of improvements might sound like a stretch, you cannot deny that the game continues to look great each year.

NBA 2K24 continues to dominate the paint when it comes to mainstream success. It also looks to dominate the wallets of fans each year. The game is undoubtedly fun to play along with its great gameplay and graphics, but the gutting of MyCAREER and increased incorporation of virtual currency does leave a bad taste at times.

** A review code was provided by the publisher **

The post NBA 2K24 Review – Shining Bright on the Court appeared first on COGconnected.

Self-described as a bullet hell action-RPG adventure, Touhou: New World is not as new as it might sound. Rather, the Touhou series has had a long history as a one-man independent game series dating back to 1997. With that going for it, the series has developed a dedicated fanbase as it has grown from its Japanese-only roots to its current status as a more niche, but readily available title. The series is also known for its fan-made derivative works encouraged by the series creator. This is where Touhou: New World comes into play as a Touhou Project fan-made game.

Touhou: New World features the land of Gensokyo, a place with magic entities that live hidden away from the real world thanks to a mystical barrier. The game provides two scenarios, one in which you play as shrine maiden Reimu Hakurei and one in which you play as magician Marisa Kirisame. When transported outside of their land and into the outside world, the player meets Sumireko, a human girl interested in Gensokyo. From there, the story unravels behind the disruption of the barrier and more.

As a narrative, Touhou: New World does a decent job of setting up the background and history of the series. Where it falls a bit short is at times bringing up references that rely too much on player knowledge rather than passing references to existing fans. This breaks the immersion a bit, as it causes the player to try to recollect a moment that they never experienced. Overall, the story was interesting enough and varied between the two scenarios to drive the game forward.

Heaven or Hell?

In terms of gameplay, Touhou: New World is not a traditional bullet hell game you might be familiar with. Rather, the RPG and adventure elements help to set it apart. The game does follow a pretty similar mission structure throughout. It requires players to navigate certain levels, at times with platforming, defeating enemies and opening pathways. Ultimately, confronting a boss before pushes the story forward.

The game’s mechanics also vary. The combat gameplay is pretty fun, with a variety of weapons, abilities, and enemies that keep it refreshing. The combat does suffer a bit in the beginning, where the game is a bit too easy, though additional difficulty levels and a difficulty curve later on help to alleviate it. Lastly, the platforming elements of the game were likely the most frustrating, with certain elements being harder to gauge due to camera angles.

Much like the rest of the game, the visuals of Touhou: New World vary depending on the area. Some areas look great relative to the rest of the game, but some areas contain elements that don’t show the same level of attention to detail. For example, an area with waterfalls contained elements that were “copied and pasted”, resulting in water elements clipping through over the edge of cliffs. That said, the visuals related to combat including visual cues, attacks, and enemies were well done.

Touhou: New World was indeed a new experience of the franchise for me. Having played games in all the genres it touches on, this game provided an interesting new experience for me. The game started a bit slow due to its low difficulty. It eventually started to catch on and provide a more enjoyable challenge. Despite this, the overall inconsistency with the game in various aspects does detract from the overall experience at times. If the game interests you in the slightest, I would recommend giving Touhou: New World a try.

** Review code provided by the publisher **

The post Touhou: New World Review – Breaking Barriers appeared first on COGconnected.

Developed by doinksoft and published by Devolver Digital, Gunbrella is self-labeled as a gritty noir-punk action-adventure title. The opening cutscene sets the game’s overall tone quite well. You can immediately tell that the game will likely live up to its descriptor. We were able to go hands-on to preview Gunbrella, and the game is still being developed. But before we dive too deeply into this title, we need to address the umbrella in the room.

The player character is equipped with the titular Gunbrella. Half gun, half umbrella. While this combination is unlike any you may have seen before, it functions exactly as one might expect. It is a gun that can shoot bullets. But it also works as an umbrella – one that allows you to deflect projectiles, float like Mary Poppins, or even use ziplines. While the game itself is shaping up to be a fun action-platformer, the Gunbrella does a decent amount of the heavy lifting.

Double Edge Umbrella

Combat with the Gunbrella is interesting given its two-sided nature. While the Gunbrella, which essentially is a shotgun, is most effective at close range, that is also where danger is most present. Therefore, players will have to manage their spacing against enemies to ensure maximum damage while also being able to dodge or block attacks. That said, the game’s difficulty does not ramp up too quickly. Over time, movement with the Gunbrella becomes almost second nature, though the jumps always felt a bit floaty for me.

In addition to the game’s darker tones and fun usage of the Gunbrella, the title does a great job of establishing the side characters. Perhaps the most memorable character for me thus far has been a man in a trash can who gives you a quest to get him 3 rats. While the game is undoubtedly darker in nature (what gritty noir-punk game isn’t?), it also does not take itself overly seriously and has a lighter side as well.

So far, Gunbrella is putting all the pieces together. Gun, umbrella, platforming, combat, memorable characters, and solid art. While we’ll need to wait until the full release to get a better picture of the overall package, this hands-on preview allowed the game to shine on its own merits.

While only published by Devolver Digital, that is still a fact that is important for Gunbrella’s development. The industry has a high set of expectations when it comes to Devolver Digital-published games. Gunbrella is shaping up to meet those expectations as yet another quality title under the publisher. While there are some slight areas for adjustment, Gunbrella is well on its way to being one of the best indie titles of the year.

*** A preview code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Gunbrella is as Sweet as it Sounds appeared first on COGconnected.

Super Mega Baseball 4 is the latest iteration of the Super Mega Baseball series, now featuring over 200 baseball Legends and a slew of upgrades. For those who have never played a Super Mega Baseball title, the series is an arcade-inspired take on baseball. Though it has a decent grasp of the simulation aspect as well. Over time, Super Mega Baseball has become the best non-MLB licensed baseball game out there.

Super Mega Baseball 4 plays exceptionally well on a game-to-game basis, as sports games should. If players are coming in from other baseball games, there are some differences with regard to controls. But overall the learning curve is quite smooth. Changing settings can improve your own tailored experience, but this review will cover the standard settings.

For batting, the game requires you to track pitches with a reticle of sorts. Depending on your difficulty settings, the game does help to some degree. But on higher settings, players will need to move the reticle more. Overall, the batting in the game is pretty simple but gets deeper, especially if you are looking to utilize power swings. It was relatively easy for me to get base hits on the more standard difficulty levels. Hitting home runs required more manual tracking and attempting to get a bit under the ball.

As for pitching and defense, this portion may be simpler than other baseball games. Once you select your pitch and location, you have to move a cursor close to your intended location to determine where your pitches end up. For me, this was a pretty easy process. And pitching came naturally to me. For defense, the game once again moves your players for you in order to field the balls. One noticeable difference between some other baseball games is that Super Mega Baseball 4 seemingly operates on an “if the ball beats the runner” basis. This means that slides and avoiding tags are not necessarily a part of the game.

Having played at least 2 of the first 3 Super Mega Baseball games, it is safe to say that Super Mega Baseball 4 has the best visuals thus far. All while keeping the distinct look and feel of the series. One aspect of the game I am not a huge fan of was the presentation of various information on the screen. Simply put, there is a lot going on which detracts from the action of the game. While some portions such as the high score section play into the arcadey feel, others are simply sensory overload.

Legendary

The Legends added to the game include, as advertised, David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero, Johnny Damond, Ozzie Smith, Jason Giambi, and more. This was a nice addition to the game, but completely unnecessary. All of the players on the game’s teams are not real, and players can simply create any real-life players they want. Overall, it’s a nice selling point for the game, but long-time fans might not be as affected by this.

The game also includes teams with baseball-related creators. Which is another nice touch that wasn’t necessarily asked for. In addition to an Exhibition mode, there are online games and leagues, Franchise mode, Season mode, and more. While these are typical modes in a sports game, the Shuffle Draft mode allows players to create a league by drafting players into new and unique rosters. No matter how you want to play, Super Mega Baseball 4 lets you play your own way.

Overall, Super Mega Baseball 4 is the best arcade-inspired baseball game on the market. It also does a great job with its simulation aspects while keeping the Super Mega Baseball form. My favorite part of the game, aside from its strong gameplay, is the amount of customization there is. Whether you want to customize players, teams, leagues, or difficulty levels, there is something you can change. Overall, Super Mega Baseball 4 is a great baseball videogame experience, especially if you want a departure from the MLB.

*** A PS5 review code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Super Mega Baseball 4 Review – A Super Experience appeared first on COGconnected.

Undoubtedly inspired by some legendary franchises, Troublemaker is an action-adventure-beat-’em-up title developed by Gamecom Team. Personally, I have always enjoyed beat-’em-up games, and Troublemaker follows that trend for the most part. Developed by a team based in Indonesia, Troublemaker is unapologetically Indonesian, which is the biggest part of the game’s charm.

Players take control of Budi, a new transfer to one of the finest high schools in Indonesia. Although Budi promises not to fight, his new school has an annual student fighting tournament known as Raise Your Gang. As mentioned, Troublemaker is unapologetically Indonesian, and that is my personal favorite part of the game. I have never been to Indonesia, but if you told me that it was pretty much like it is depicted in Troublemaker (aside from an annual student fighting tournament), I would be inclined to believe you. That said, the story itself is somewhat over-the-top but fits in well with the overall feel of the game.

Though the game has various aspects not focused on fighting, the fighting itself is the primary gameplay portion. Combat is what you would expect in a beat-’em-up style game, with the ability to use light, heavy, advanced, and sick moves. Combat typically occurs in a sectioned-off arena, with some environment objects that you can utilize in your fights. While the combat is fun, it is definitely janky with some issues. The one that bothered me the most was that actions or blocks were at times unresponsive, leading to unintended actions occurring.

In terms of graphics and aesthetics, Troublemaker is stylish if nothing else. The menus, presentation, and character art are all extremely stylish and vibrant. Unfortunately, the in-game portions do lack in comparison. Many characters do not look that similar to their artwork, having a relatively bland character model instead. While this was a bit of a bummer, it is understandable for a smaller team. Despite that, the character models do look different enough to distinguish between characters, the only issue is that a character like Boby’s hair color in his artwork does not match that of his character model.

Talking in Class

Troublemaker’s audio is somewhat surprisingly decent. There is an abundance of voice acting in Indonesian which I personally enjoyed. It brought a feeling of authenticity that having text-only would not have. While the background music was a bit generic, it was oddly atmospheric for the title.

Overall, Troublemaker is a charming, yet somewhat flawed beat-’em-up title. While the atmosphere, presentation, setting, and ideas were executed well, there were some glaring issues that affected the overall package. Despite these issues, gamers even remotely interested in a beat-’em-up title set in an Indonesian High School should take a closer look at the game. Troublemaker is a great example of the unique perspective and style that a small development team can bring to a game. I would recommend Troublemaker to anyone looking for a fun and unique beat-’em-up experience with a distinctly Indonesian twist.

*** A review code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Troublemaker Review – Making the Most of It appeared first on COGconnected.

Trinity Fusion is a rogue-lite action platformer from developer Angry Mob Games. If “rogue-lite action platformer” sounds familiar, it should, seeing as the genre has gained massive popularity in recent years. Trinity Fusion does a few things differently that sets itself apart from the rest of the pack. Having just come out in Early Access, I do recognize that the title will continue to iterate and improve over time.

True to the title of the game, Trinity Fusion features three characters with unique abilities and weapons to choose from. The three characters are actually parallel versions of the main character looking to save the multiverse. Long story short, the world was split into three, all of which have warped to the worst versions of themselves. As expected for a game in Early Access, the story remains incomplete. To be fair, the game does not rely on its story to push the action forward.

The gameplay loop of Trinity Fusion is where the game shines, featuring well-paced combat and interesting weapons. Rather than going from room to room, the platforming aspects of the game shine with a bit more exploration than usual. Add in some hidden rooms and multiple teleporters, it was hard not to explore for longer than you would like. That said, the combat is still the bread and butter of the game. With interesting weapons and abilities, Trinity Fusion’s combat is fast and enjoyable. There are some tricky elements, particularly when trying to target enemies on the ceiling or in the air. I expect that those issues will be resolved over time.

Jump and Stumble

Where Trinity Fusion might stumble a bit is in the early goings. While there isn’t much of a learning curve in terms of understanding the game, the beginning is relatively slow for a game focused on action. At the start, enemies were sparse, the levels felt linear, and I was itching for cool new weapons. Over time, progressing through some portions unlocked story beats and a jump into the regular gameplay loop portion of Trinity Fusion

The visuals of Trinity Fusion are what one might expect from a sci-fi-based game, which works well for the game. The different environments across the multiverse are unique and easily identifiable, though perhaps lacking the color saturation that some may prefer. Lastly, the game runs smoothly with great action visuals across the player character, enemies, weapons, and environment. I can only imagine that the game will continue to improve these elements over time as the game heads out of Early Access.

Despite having just been released into Early Access, Trinity Fusion is a relatively polished package. While there is plenty to improve upon over time, it is safe to say that there is not a glaring issue or weakness of the title at this time. Despite a slower start and the potential for players to not enjoy the neutral tones of the game’s color, Trinity Fusion has a lot going for it. We look forward to seeing the game continue to grow over time towards its eventual “1.0” release.

*** An Early Access code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Trinity Fusion is a Fun Take on a Familiar Formula appeared first on COGconnected.

With the 2023 baseball season just around the corner, you may be in the mood for a new baseball video game this year. Are you interested in simulating seasons, making trades, and generally managing your team? Then Out of the Park Baseball 24 will be right up your alley. While other games may have more of a focus on the actual baseball gameplay aspects of the sport, Out of the Park Baseball 24 focuses only on the management aspects of the game, leading to a more robust and focused experience.

Personally, this was my first foray into the Out of the Park series, with most of my baseball video game experiences coming in the form of gameplay-first games in a variety of different franchises. It’s safe to say that I have purchased at least one baseball video game every year for more than the past 20 years. Despite this, Out of the Park Baseball 24 has been the most intricate and detailed when it comes to the various management aspects of the sport.

Playing The Numbers Game

That being said, it isn’t for the faint of heart when it comes to learning the systems and even understanding the various real-life management portions of the game. As someone who doesn’t just play baseball video games but follows baseball closely and partakes in yearly and dynasty fantasy baseball leagues, there was still a lot of information to take in, process, and understand. While the learning curve was steep for me, and likely steeper for others, it is worthwhile to learn and helps spark a greater appreciation for the numbers and people behind the players on the team.

Players are provided with a few different game modes: Standard Game, Historical Game, Custom Game, and Perfect Team. While those are the main modes, there is also Quickstart Game and Historical Exhibition. That second mode is essentially a tournament between historical teams. Standard Game is the “main” mode, which utilizes current rosters while Historical Game allows players to begin a game in any year. A Custom Game is just that, with players able to create a completely fictional league with custom divisions, teams, and more. Lastly, the Perfect Team mode is an online competitive mode akin to being Out of the Park Baseball 24’s Ultimate Team mode.

History in the Making

Most of my time (so far) has been spent on the Standard Game and Historical Game modes. The Standard Game is what you would expect, with various goals set by the owner of the team, such as winning a championship or making a marked improvement at a specific position. Acting as the General Manager of the New York Yankees? You can bet that you’ll have loftier expectations than if you were the General Manager of a non-competitive team.

For the Historical Game mode, an interesting aspect of that is the ability to start a season in any year while randomizing when players join the league. Pair this up with an initial draft and you’ll get to be introduced to a bevy of players you’ve likely never heard of before. Draft a shortstop who rakes non-stop that you’ve never heard of? He was likely a real-life player at some point in time, batting .300 before it was cool. If you don’t care to manage a roster that may have Ichiro leading off in front of Babe Ruth, you don’t need to enable this feature. You can simply start a game in any year as any team from that year and try to change the future.

Endless Depth

There is a lot to go over for Out of the Park Baseball 24, and there simply isn’t any way to cover every single aspect. If you’ve been picking up what we’ve been laying down, give Out of the Park Baseball 24 a try. Despite being a heavy simulation-style game, there is also a graphical portion that displays on-field events. It may not be the greatest but it does the job of showing the on-field action for those who prefer to “watch” the teams they put on the field. As I have not played previous iterations of the game, I cannot speak to the year-over-year improvements and changes.

While the game may be overwhelming for some at the start, Out of the Park Baseball 24 does have several tutorials available to help get players started. Learning curve aside, Out of the Park Baseball 24 has been the most in-depth baseball simulation I have ever played in my life. While I enjoy both gameplay-based and simulation-based baseball games, Out of the Park Baseball 24 will be my exclusive simulation baseball experience of the year.

*** A review code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Out of the Park Baseball 24 Review – Simulation Stimulation appeared first on COGconnected.

The Xbox gaming console has long been a favorite among gamers and these gamers are eagerly waiting for the next big titles to arrive. With a host of upcoming games set to be released in the coming months, it’s an exciting time for Xbox fans. From fast-paced first-person shooters to epic role-playing games, there’s something for every type of gamer. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the top upcoming Xbox games that are sure to keep players entertained for hours on end.

Minecraft Legends – Apr 18

Minecraft’s legend continues to grow with Minecraft Legends. Building upon the ultra-popular base game of Minecraft, much like Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Legends puts a different spin on the franchise as an action-strategy game. With a quick look at the gameplay, gamers should expect a charming, hopefully surprisingly deep strategy game. With an extremely large fanbase in the Minecraft ecosystem, we hope that Legends hits the nail on the head much like Minecraft Dungeons had.

Redfall – May 2

Redfall is Arkane Studios’ take on the Far Cry formula, dropping players onto the island town of Redfall which is isolated from the world and currently swarming with vampires. An open-world FPS with vampires? Count us in. With four playable characters and cooperative play, Redfall should provide players with hours of vampire-slaying fun.

Diablo IV – Jun 6

Much like Final Fantasy titles, Diablo games come even less frequently as major gaming events. While Diablo III was released over 10 years ago, re-releases and new content has kept the game feeling a lot newer than that. That being said, it is about time we all moved on, and Diablo IV is waiting for us with open arms. For those who have never played a Diablo game, it is the quintessential looter game with great gameplay to boot. With the recent beta tests, Diablo IV sure is shaping up nicely.

The post Top Upcoming Games for Xbox As of March 2023 appeared first on COGconnected.

Fighting games have always been around, but you could make a case that they are as popular as ever. The Tekken series, originating back in 1994, is an immovable force in the fighting game space. It holds the Guinness World Records for Longest-Running Videogame Storyline and Longest-Running 3D Fighting Videogame Franchise. You could also argue that the franchise’s contemporary popularity exploded with the recent Tekken 7. Now Bandai Namco looks to push the envelope even more with Tekken 8.

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go hands-on with Tekken 8 at a recent event. Boy, is it shaping up to be a banger. As the first major fighting game to utilize Unreal Engine 5, the game looked spectacular off the bat and performed very well in its current build. At a high-level, Tekken 8 looks and plays like an extremely entertaining action movie. We went hands-on with every single character, including the just-announced return of Ling Xiaoyu. With the new Special Mode of controller style, it is easier than ever to try each character competently.

The Special Mode of controller style builds on Tekken 7’s Assist Button feature, allowing players to toggle the function to enable a set of moves depending on the current situation, such as whether the player is in the air or on the ground. This made it easy to play relatively competitive matches with players at a somewhat higher skill level while making the matches more visually striking as well. While there is always a discussion about a feature like the Special Mode, it made uneven matches more enjoyable but should be a relatively non-factor at high levels of competition as players will know what to expect, and playing without the Special Mode allows for greater control and precision.

Feeling Special

That said, I started off my gameplay session with the Special Mode toggled on while trying out each character. Over time, I began trying characters without the Special Mode, and the matches were still enjoyable. I found that some characters were much easier to use than others, which required the Special Mode to effectively utilize. Personally, I enjoyed using Ling Xiaoyu and Jun Kazama the most given my ability to chain together combinations smoothly. Whether I had the Special Mode toggled on or off, matches were incredibly enjoyable and remained close. Though my opponent and I traded win streaks, each match was relatively close, and most rounds were as well.

Coming into my hands-on session with Tekken 8, I would have considered myself a relatively casual fighting game player, having played many fighting games over the years from a variety of series, but never diving in too deeply. Tekken 8 made me feel right at home with the genre, making it extremely easy to hop in and play fun matches. Though I probably lost more than I won, I could feel the improvement in my abilities as each match went on. I would say that the game is extremely enjoyable to watch, and more importantly, simply fun to play.

New Features

One of the new features of Tekken 8 is the Recovery Gauge. It allows players to attack their opponents in order to recover health back to a certain point. This was interesting to me because it encourages aggressiveness from players, going back to Tekken 8’s main theme. This also made fights a lot more interesting as it allows for some bigger swings in momentum either way. Likewise, the new Heat System also allows for greater strategy and potential swings in battle. With the ability to turn on a 10-second burst of the Heat System with either a button press or a specific move, players can utilize yet another meter to achieve victory.

While Tekken 8 does not yet have an official release date, the game is sure shaping up to be another exciting entry not only to the Tekken franchise but to the entire fighting game community. In a brief conversation with Katsuhiro Harada, he mentioned his desire to be known as the world’s biggest fighting game fan. We feel that that desire has helped to put Tekken 8 in a great position to advance the genre to the masses.

The post Tekken 8 Makes an Aggressive Push Forward appeared first on COGconnected.

PlayStation has been a staple in the world of gaming for decades, delivering some of the most memorable gaming experiences to players. The coming months and years are full of exciting new games for fans of all genres, from fast-paced first-person shooters to sprawling open-world adventures. We’ll be taking a look at the top upcoming PlayStation games, coming in the next few months and beyond.

The Final Fantasy Franchise Continues

Final Fantasy XVI – June 22

It has been a few years since the last mainline Final Fantasy game has released (not counting remakes and the like), and Final Fantasy XVI looks to take things back towards a more fantasy setting than recent titles. Whenever a Final Fantasy game releases, it is a major event in the gaming landscape, and this feels no different. The game has not yet been released, but we are already excited by the prospects of a New Game+ mode being announced.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – April 28

Despite a lot of skepticism early on, Respawn Entertainment worked its magic on the Star Wars franchise with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order back in 2019. Four years later, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor looks to continue that trend, and if recent gameplay videos are any indication, it will do so with ease. Being exclusive to current-gen consoles (and PC) will also lead to better optimization and hopefully an overall better experience.

Street Fighter 6 – June 2

Street Fighter is back with its sixth mainline title, bringing the storied fighting game franchise to the latest generation of consoles. As a fighting game casual, I am looking forward to World Tour, a single-player story mode with a customizable character and world exploration. In addition to updated gameplay and graphics, Street Fighter 6 will also have a real-time commentary system which will bring a new feel to the overall experience.

The post Top Upcoming Games for PlayStation – February 2023 appeared first on COGconnected.

In a market increasingly saturated with games that try to add a few too many hours of game, it can be hard to stand out. But Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition manages to do just that with a very streamlined approach to its gameplay. As I delved into the game’s unique world and fast-paced action, I found a breath of fresh air in a game that is fun in a bite-sized kind of way.

Rebooting back in 2013, the Shadow Warrior franchise has seen a bit of a resurgence. The story continues on from Shadow Warrior 2. Protagonist Lo Wang and nemesis Orochi Zilla team up to take on an ancient dragon last seen at the end of the previous game. Overall, the story is a bit out there. But is unique compared to other games in its ability not to take itself too seriously. Likewise, the characters and dialogue are all there in good fun, but they do a good enough job of moving the plot forward. Think summer blockbuster movie-type of narrative quality, but a bit more whacky. The setting of Shadow Warrior 3 is perhaps the most interesting aspect It takes place in an ancient Asian land with magic, technology, and demonic yokai.

For our original review of Shadow Warrior 3, you can click here. The Definite Edition brings a few new features along with it to the current console generation. Among them are “New Game Plus”, “Survival Mode”, “Chapter Select”, “Hardcore Difficulty”, and “Hero Mode”. Most of these are self-explanatory, but Hero Mode is a game modifier that adds a greater challenge. These new features help to provide longevity and replayability to the relatively short game.

Rinse and Repeat

The primary gameplay loop of Shadow Warrior 3 involves some platforming from one arena to another, battling waves of enemies. Then, rinse and repeat, along with some narrative points sprinkled in along the way. While the various weapons and tools were fun to experiment with early on, the gameplay quickly became repetitive. Surprising, given that the game is as short as it is. Though the game can be beaten fairly quickly, it does seem to drag on a bit at times which was interesting. Overall, the gameplay is well done, but it gets repetitive and certain fights take way too long.

While Shadow Warrior 3 isn’t going to win any awards for Best Graphics, it doesn’t look horrible. In addition, the various demonic yokai and mythical settings do great in stylizing the game to a specific tone. That said, at times there is a lot going on on the screen, especially with so many different highlighted portions among the waves of bullets and enemies flying everywhere. It’s a bit of sensory overload if you ask me. As for the audio, it is serviceable, though the among of chatter dialogue could be lessened. While Lo Wang loves to crack jokes, it gets a bit much when he has the same lines of dialogue from arena to arena.

Fan Service

Overall, Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition brings more Shadow Warrior 3 to its fans. You know exactly what you get with Shadow Warrior 3: fast-paced combat, wise-cracking jokes, and a pretty streamlined experience. The Definitive Edition gives players more to do and allows them to go back to their favorite parts of the game. In addition, it brings a higher quality of the game to current-gen consoles. As far as Definite Editions go, Shadow Warrior 3 does a solid job in implementation.

*** A review code was provided by the publisher ***

The post Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition Review – More of the Same appeared first on COGconnected.

Team Ninja is at it again with Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. Wo Long is an action RPG in the vein of prior Team Ninja titles such as Nioh and Nioh 2. You can expect fast-paced combat along with fairly difficult gameplay. We were fortunate enough to go hands-on with the title, getting a glimpse at some early levels. With the release just a couple of months away, Wo Long is looking like a hit title for early 2023.

Like the Nioh titles, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty takes place during real-life historical events, though with fictional fantasy elements sprinkled in. The game takes place during the 14th-century Romance of the Three Kingdoms.  Players of games that take place in a similar time period will definitely recognize some aspects. Though it was hard to gather a strong grasp of the overall quality of the narrative over the span of the first couple of chapters, there was enough within the cutscenes and written aspects to put together an interesting and coherent story.

Gameplay is King

However, a game like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty doesn’t push onward with its story, but rather its gameplay. Wo Long’s gameplay iterates on a very familiar formula in a great way. Instead of operating within a large interconnected world, Wo Long utilizes a stages formula in which players can select which stage they want to tackle next. While we may love the intricacies of interconnected worlds, this actually makes Wo Long more digestible in that players get access to various vertical slices rather than trying to remember multiple pathways to different areas. This also allows players to see whether they’ve activated all the flags in a given area or to return to tackle optional mini-boss enemies.

But let’s forget all of the technicals and the terminology for a bit here. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is fast-paced, smooth, and action-packed fun. The combat is satisfying but also relatively forgiving in the early portions. However, this changes when facing elite enemies or bosses, as the difficulty does spike. Like a tried-and-true game of the genre, practice does make perfect, and if not, there are some cheesy methods that you can employ. While reinforcements help make the game a little easier, most of the levels themselves are manageable if you have experience within the genre.

Stick to the Sword

Personally, I forgot I even had a guard button, opting more for deflecting and dodging attacks rather than brute forcing them. While there was a wide variety of weapons early on, I stuck with a sword for its speed rather than going with a bigger, more damage-dealing alternative. Likewise, spirit attacks related to your weapon and elemental spells allow for a greater variety of attacks. There are at least 10 different types of attacks available to you at any given time depending on your weapon/spell loadout and button combinations. Lastly, the morale system is an interesting aspect of the game. The higher morale an enemy has will result in a more challenging encounter. However, by taking out enemy leaders, you can negatively affect their allies’ morale as well for example.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is big enough to talk for ages about various mechanics and systems that take place within the game. However, this is not an introductory guide to Wo Long, but a preview of the game. In short, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty has the makings of a huge new IP if Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo choose to make it so. The combat, though challenging, is accessible for both newcomers and veterans of the genre. It is also fast-paced without being unfair, though there are some hurdles in place that may slow down progress. Overall, we are very much looking forward to the final release of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. It is definitely worth the wait.

*** A preview build was provided by the publisher ***

The post Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is Ready to Rise Up appeared first on COGconnected.

Let’s not beat around the bush. While we often hear the term “Gameplay is King”, the first thing most people notice about a video game is its graphics. 2022 was a year to remember in the graphics category, with a variety of graphical styles and aesthetics present in many of the top games. Let’s take a look at what the crew at COGconnected decided were this year’s Best Looking Games.

10. Gotham Knights

The Batman games take a turn from its Arkham series, instead focusing on some other characters within the universe. While its art direction is similar to the Arkham games, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing with Gotham City looking as good as ever, landing Gotham Knights at #10 on COGconnected’s Best Looking Games of the Year.

9. Tunic

Tunic makes an appearance here not for photorealistic graphics or groundbreaking technicals, but rather for its charming art style and aesthetics. Think of Tunic as an isometric, minimalistic, Zelda-like game with an art direction that matches that description.

8. Scorn 

With Gotham Knights and Tunic both making the list for vastly different reasons, Scorn follows suit for yet another reason. Put simply, Scorn’s art direction is dark and atmospherically heavy, and some may even describe it as gross (in a complimentary way of course).

7. Gran Turismo 7 

Technically speaking, racing games typically have gorgeous visuals, and Gran Turismo is no exception. Having only to focus on tracks and cars is a boon to a game’s aesthetics, with Gran Turismo taking advantage of that fact. In addition to these, our review mentions that “the dynamic weather effects are stunning” as well.

6. A Plague Tale: Requiem 

A Plague Tale: Requiem is an action-adventure title that ties in a few other elements from a range of genres. Where its graphics stand out is a product of the game’s linearity, which allowed developers to focus on making details, design, and lighting as top-notch as possible, bringing A Plague Tale: Requiem just outside of our top 5 for this year’s Best Looking Game.

The post COGconnected 2022 GOTY Awards – Best Looking Game appeared first on COGconnected.

For one reason or another, Necromancers seem to be all the rage right now. Because of that, I’ve actually gravitated more toward the class as of late, and The Unliving gave me the perfect opportunity to harness my undead prowess. While The Unliving played into my inner desires to lead an undead army, the game still has some work to do while in Early Access.

Picture Perfect Pixels

Although I like to focus on gameplay, the first thing I noticed in The Unliving was the quality of the game’s pixel art. Sure, the character portraits feel a bit out of place compared to the remaining aesthetics of the game, but the pixel art quickly caught my eye and never lost my attention. While the game looks great in images, it also performs well in action.

At its core, The Unliving is a rogue-lite action RPG in which you play a Necromancer. There are also aspects related to strategy, especially as you lead your army against the living. The core gameplay loop does revolve a bit around killing enemies and destroying structures, turning their corpses into your minions, repeating until death, all the while upgrading your skills as you go on

While the primary gameplay loop is fun, the game still faces its issues. Keep in mind that The Unliving is currently in Early Access. Problems that may be present at the time of writing may no longer be an issue as the game continues to be patched and updated. My biggest issue was that I had minions that would get stuck on various parts of the environment. I actually never notice this in real-time. But as I backtracked through some levels, I found some minions waiting for me behind a wall. Additionally, although the game does have partial controller support, it doesn’t work too well. I would recommend sticking with a mouse and keyboard.

As a whole, The Unliving gives us a glimpse of a very solid Necromancer-based game. While some minor glitches and “janky-ness” did plague us, this game will remain on our watch list as it goes through Early Access. For anyone into the Necromancer wave at this time, I would definitely give The Unliving a try.

*** Early Access Preview code provided by the publisher ***

The post The Unliving Has the Potential to be an Undeadly Good Time appeared first on COGconnected.

Self-described as an “interplanetary action RPG adventure with a rich, choice-driven story,” Batora: Lost Haven definitely checks the boxes that it sets out for itself. With the style of gameplay that it employs (isometric fast-paced action), Batora was right up my alley in terms of what my gaming appetite had been craving, especially as it was a single-player experience. What I consumed was a title that was fun, though perhaps had a bit of an identity crisis at times.

Players take on the role of Avril, living on a devastated Earth. Due to a series of events that occur early in the game, she soon takes on the role of a hero journeying throughout the galaxy in order to save her home planet. As generic as the story starts out, there are some interesting lore aspects to it that get uncovered down the line. Where the narrative missed the mark, however, was the dialogue throughout the game. Think “cheesy B-movie lines” or “children’s television shows” and you pretty much understand the way Avril speaks. What was appreciated though was the branching story with multiple endings, a feature that seems to have waned in recent years.

Multiple Endings To Explore

At the core of Batora is its gameplay, and namely its combat. The primary gameplay mechanic is a polarity-switching skill that allows Avril to switch between the powers of Sun and Moon. This affects her ability to deal more damage to specific enemies or to solve environmental challenges. Overall, the gameplay was as advertised, fast-paced and multi-layered. 

Unfortunately, I found the controls to be a bit conflicting. Attacks were spread between button presses as well as the right thumbstick. I thought it would make sense to have Sun powers mapped to buttons, while the Moon powers would be mapped to the right thumbstick. as a ranged style. You know, like a twin-stick shooter. Instead, the game decided to have different abilities mapped to both buttons and sticks. In terms of the RPG portion of “action RPG”, Batora features a statistics-heavy character menu and rune system with which to enhance Avril’s strengths.

This brings me to my next point regarding my earlier comment about Batora’s identity crisis. With the dialogue and the art style (which we will get to later), Batora seems perfect for a younger audience. However, the relatively complex controls and statistics-heavy screens appear to point in the opposite direction. While the game leans on its gameplay heavily, skewing towards a more specific audience likely would have been better for both the game and the gamers playing it.

A Comfortable Familiarity

While the art style of the characters feels familiar, it falls towards a comfortable familiarity rather than being generic. The graphics work well for the game, as the characters are typically not too close up aside from conversations and the focus is on the action. Where the game’s style does shine, however, is in the variety of alien landscapes. Though some areas are blander than others, there is a wide enough variety of biomes to keep things interesting.

Overall, Batora: Lost Haven is a fun game, albeit with a few shortcomings. The dialogue and the cartoonish visuals appeal to a younger audience. Meanwhile, the detailed statistics and complex controls make it feel more mature. Are you a fan of sci-fi action games or isometric action RPGs in general? Then Batora: Lost Haven could be a worthwhile game to sink your teeth into.

** A PC code was provided by the publisher **

The post Batora: Lost Haven Review – Lost But Somewhat Found appeared first on COGconnected.