It’s been just over twenty years since the adventure game Beyond Good & Evil first graced our screens. It originally launched in 2003, so technically, they could have called this the 21st Anniversary Edition – but for marketing purposes, 20th just sounds better.

I first played Beyond Good & Evil not long after it was released on Nintendo GameCube. While some of my memories of that experience have been lost to time, the feeling I had when playing it has never left. Beyond Good & Evil was, and still is, a brilliant game, and well deserving of it’s cult classic status.

An evil group called the DomZ are threatening the world of Hillys. You play as Jade, a photojournalist who has been caring for children orphaned by the DomZ with your uncle Pey’j. The world is protected by the Alpha Sections, but this doesn’t stop the DomZ from launching attacks. During one of these attacks, Jade is thrust into the fight. Along her adventure, she is recruited by Iris, an underground group who believe there is something more sinister happening. You’ll need to uncover the dark secrets, photograph key conspiracies, and shine a light on the truth.

Combat and More

Beyond Good & Evil has a nice variety of gameplay styles spread throughout the game. When you first start of the game, you’ll be introduced to combat, with Jade utilizing her Daï-Jo – a staff-like weapon. Soon after, other elements come into play, such as photography and platforming. You’ll be able to pilot a vehicle in the game, giving you access to the various levels spread throughout the open-world. Of course, you won’t be able to access every area immediately – you’ll need to follow the mission structure pretty closely, but there are a few opportunities to explore.

Within missions, you’ll spend a good chunk of time utilizing stealth to complete objectives. You can attack enemies head-on, but, even with a companion, you’ll find they’re just too overpowered – so navigating by means of stealth is usually the best option. Stealth works quite well – crouching from point-to-point, staying out of the line-of-sight of the Alpha Section guards. Each section feels a bit like a puzzle to be completed, which makes completing each section so satisfying.

While the game does an okay job at providing players with in-game instructions, there were a few tidbits that weren’t immediately obvious to me until far later into my adventure. For example, pressing down on the D-Pad brings up the character screen. Within that screen, I had no idea I could actually select each characters in-game “backpack”, allowing me to share items between them. Turns out, I was hogging the power-ups that increase character health.

Treats for Returning Fans

The 20th Anniversary Edition brings a wealth of improvements that should make most fans happy. Visually, the game is relatively unchanged, just higher resolutions and everything looks smooth & sharp. The soundtrack received a huge upgrade, with over 15 pieces of music re-recorded with a live orchestra. Another huge improvement is the inclusion of autosaves. No longer will you need to use an in-game MDisk to save at specific points – the game will autosave quite frequently.

But wait, there’s more! For those looking for a challenge, a new Speedrun Mode has been included that will keep track of just how long it takes for you to complete the game in one sitting. This mode does not allow for saves, so you better have snacks readily available.

And another addition worth mentioning is the incredible collection of images and videos from the Ubisoft vault showing the development of Beyond Good & Evil. This includes everything from conceptual work to cut content. It’s an absolute treasure trove of information.

Please Wait

Despite how amazing Beyond Good & Evil is – both the original, and this 20th Anniversary Edition – it’s not without it’s issues. The first thing you’ll notice when loading the game for the first time is the excessively long load time between the health & safety warning and the game’s title screen. It’s damn near close to a minute wait! Fortunately, with Quick Resume, you might not experience this too often. This new edition still has load times between areas – but they’re pretty quick and barely impact flow too much.

Like most games of the era, you’ll often have to fight with unruly camera angles – and these don’t seem to have been improved much with this edition. And probably the most bizarre issue was when the game would completely freeze for anywhere between 5 and 10 seconds. This happened a few times and caused me to wonder if I would need to quit to the dashboard and restart the game – only for the game to start chugging along again.

Stupid AI

In terms of the actual game, there were only a handful of moments that made me shake my head in disbelieve, particularly during the last hour of the game. The companion AI is often quite dumb and will block your path or get in the way of your attacks. During one sequence, my companions and I had to run past an active cannon firing lasers. One companion just stopped and stood in one place. I had to run back past the shooting lasers, bump into him, just to trigger his running sequence again.

The final boss of the game is also as frustrating as ever – I must have blocked out memories of it from my previous playthrough 20 years ago. Once you figure out how to beat the final boss, you should be good, but there is zero indication on how to actually do this correctly. It just makes the final bit of the game more of an annoyance than a satisfying conclusion.

Could We See A Sequel Finally?

It’s been 20 years since Beyond Good & Evil was originally released. Of course, that means that it’s been 20 very long years without the much anticipated sequel. Despite a number of announcements over the past decade or so, we’re still in the dark as to when Beyond Good & Evil 2 will even be released. Fortunately, it does appear that Ubisoft is still plugging away at the sequel and it will see the light of day at some point. Included in Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition is a brand new quest that ties this game to the eventual sequel, which will actually be a prequel. The new quest isn’t much more than another fetch quest – but it’s still a worthwhile scavenger hunt just to get a taste of what to expect in the new game, and I’m grateful Ubisoft took the effort to include it.

Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition is the absolute best way to replay a cult classic of a game. It still retains the look and feel of the original, while providing some much needed improvements like resolution, frame rate, controls and more. Hopefully this edition will create a new generation of fans. It truly is a must-play game.

Finish that sequel, Ubisoft!

***Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition Xbox Series X key provided by the publisher.***

The post Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition Review – Required Gaming for All appeared first on COGconnected.

Developer ChaoticBrain Studio and publisher Meridiem have announced that Neon Blood is now available for pre-order and wishlist on all digital platforms. Players, eager to get their hands on the neo-noir action adventure can now wishlist it on Nintendo eShop, Xbox Store, Steam, and PlayStation Store.

Meridiem also announced that a boxed edition of the game will be available in specialist stores in the fourth quarter of 2024. This Limited Edition will be coming out on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. It includes a metallic-textured cover, an art book, a city guide, and a downloadable soundtrack.

Neon Blood is a 2.5D cyberpunk action-adventure game that takes in the year 2053, at Viridis. At this point, the world has come to an end due to a war lost in time. Now inequality is everywhere in Viridis, the great city encompasses the dangerous Blind City and the luxurious Bright City.

You will step inside the shoes of Axel McCoin, a detective from Blind City. Driven by your ideals, you must rebel against the injustices stemming from the social divide between the two cities and societal inequalities, and become a symbol of revolution. Along your journey, you will encounter powerful allies who aid him in his quest. As well as formidable enemies who oppose him, such as Ruby Emerald, determined to thwart his plans at any cost.

Key features:

– Elaborate and deep story with a cyberpunk theme combined with a turn-based combat style like old RPGs with a strong strategy factor
– Two different realities of the two cities with complete 2.5D aesthetic, merging cyberpunk and sci-fi
– A big macropolis full of secrets to be solved with a complete dialogue-based detective system
– A lot of neons

SOURCE

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Get ready for the ultimate horror experience! JanduSoft has officially released the console edition of their latest first-person horror game, Scholar’s Mate today. It is now available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Take a look at the official launch trailer below to catch a glimpse of the terrifying instances ahead.

Scholar’s Mate is a first-person horror escape room game. It takes place in a terrifying psychiatric hospital. Players will get a harrowing experience where their survival hinges solely on their wits. You will step inside the shoes of Judith, a victim trapped by Eddie, a deranged individual, in a chilling, abandoned psychiatric hospital.

You must solve a series of intricate puzzles to escape the dire situation. This task would be much simpler if the captor weren’t constantly lurking in every corner and corridor of this dismal place. Eddie, your captor can both see and hear you wherever you are. If you run, he’ll know your location. If you shine your torch, he’ll spot you and track you down. He is a relentless enemy with a single objective: to end your life.

Here are some key features:

– A first-person horror escape room.

– Explore and solve the hidden secrets of the hospital to escape.

– Relentless pursuit by Eddie.

– Experience the tension with an original soundtrack and immersive sound effects designed to create an eerie atmosphere.

SOURCE

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We’re so happy to once again bring you the weekly COGconnected cosplay feature. In previous iterations, we’ve showcased the brilliant Raisor Cosplay, the beautiful Sailor Virgo, and some incredible holiday-themed recreations. We’ve even posted coverage on the best cosplay couples! This week, we turn our attention to Lady Kayleen.

Without further ado, here’s the work of this wonderful cosplayer!

Continue on to page 2 for more from Lady Kayleen.

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Street Fighter 6 Year 2 has been announced, with a new Ultimate Pass to purchase. It includes 4 new fighters, their additional outfits and colors, 2 new stages, and 7700 drive tickets. With all these additions on the horizon, COGconnected thought it would be a good idea to look back on the triumph that has been Street Fighter 6 Year 1, and discuss the few ways Capcom can improve the game.

Maybe the important aspect of Street Fighter 6 is that it’s made Street Fighter really cool again. The Battle Hub is an online play space that has the feel of a high profile arcade. Player avatars can wader around and walk up to arcade machines to challenge opponents. It creates the feel of the Street Fighter II boom in the early 90s, where players would line up at arcade machines, to watch top players compete, or attempt to take a crack at them. Them whole game is dripping with a Japanese street style that’s very appealing in a post-Persona video game world.

The Pinnacle of 2D Fighting

The gameplay is still phenomenal. A new Modern combat system was introduced. It makes playing more accessible to newcomers, but the system is so effective that series veterans are enjoying using it. I still play with Classic Street Fighter controls in the Fighting Ground, which has the Arcade and Versus modes. But I use the new Modern style when playing in World Tour.

World Tour is my favorite new addition Street Fighter 6 has brought to the franchise. It’s basically like Street Fighter RPG, where players create an avatar, and play through a story that takes place in Metro City, and other smaller locations around the world. Every fighter in the game becomes a mentor in World Tour. The player gets experience points and levels up overall, but every mentor has their own set of levels for players to gain. As a player levels up with a mentor, they unlock that mentor’s move set. Every new character added to Street Fighter 6 is a mentor in World Tour, in addition to a playable fighter one would expect. New mentors also add additional quests and story content to World Tour, so every new fighter is a big deal.

4 DLC Fighters

The 4 fighters added over the course of Year 1 were Rashid, A.K.I., Ed, and Akuma. When Rashid dropped it was really interesting to play through World Tour and find out I had to play through some new quests in order to find him and begin his mentorship. All 4 fighters were thoughtful, quality additions. But story-wise, the only one fans were clamoring for was Akuma. Street Fighter 6’s core 18 fighters struck a great balance between classic fighters and new ones. The DLC fighters seem to be 3 deep cut past characters, mixed with one classic character.

The fighters coming to Street Fighter 6 in Year 2 are M. Bison, Terry Bogard, Mai Shiranui, and Elena. These are interesting choices. Bison was an inevitable addition, which would be obvious for anyone who’s played through the story in World Tour. I’m a little surprised he’s arriving so early, but very excited to play as him. He’s an essential franchise villain, and a classic charge fighter. He’s available right now, and his new design screams wanting to know what happened to create the change in appearance. When he was announced I was very curious to see how his presence affected Nayshall and JD. And after only a few days, Bison is already one of my favorite characters to use in the whole game.

Fatal Fury in Street Fighter?

Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui are both from the Fatal Fury franchise. It sounds like Street Fighter 6 will have a Fatal Fury/ King of Fighters crossover storyline, which is fun. But I don’t think it was the right choice this early in the game’s existence. Elena is a deeper cut character. She’s traditionally been very fun to play, with her capoeira fighting style. But she’s not super essential to the ongoing central storyline. All of these new characters could be implemented well, but 3 out of 4 are strange choices when there are so few classic fighters absent.

There are still some changes Capcom could implement to turn Street Fighter 6 from a great game, into a perfect game. The biggest problem is that its DLC is way too overpriced. The Year 2 Ultimate Pass is $50 USD. That’s almost the price of a full game! There are also Character Passes that are slightly cheaper than the Ultimate Pass. They just have the characters, and not the new levels. But right now there’s no way to upgrade from a Character Pass to an Ultimate Pass, without paying the full price of the Ultimate Pass. Hopefully this is a change Capcom makes soon.

Fight Money is Too Expensive

There are also lots of options peppered throughout the game to get players to buy Fight Money with real money, to get cosmetic avatar items. I don’t mind this in theory, but the cost of the items is outrageous. Earlier in the year, there were skins of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which I would have loved to have gotten. When I went to buy them it turned out that these avatar skins were close to $20 each, which is absolutely outrageous. $5 per turtle would have been begrudgingly acceptable, but at the $20 price point a lot of people won’t ever consider cosmetic Fight Money purchases.

Avatar creation could be much more robust. The tattoo options are especially slim. Over the course of World Tour, lots of clothing items are unlocked, but it’s still not enough to make a fighter conjured from your imagination. The WWE 2K games have a phenomenal character creation system that I wish the Street Fighter devs would look at. The game is flawless when it comes to creating move builds, but some obvious work needs to be done in the appearance department.

And finally, I’d like to add that by the end of this year there will still be only 26 fighters. The game launched with 18, and 4 fighters per year seems like Capcom’s releasing the bare minimum amount. 6 fighters a year would make a much bigger difference, and would make the $50 price tag hurt less. They do require more effort to implement than in past games, because of the way they’re incorporated into World Tour, but right now, the price still isn’t right.

In Conclusion

Street Fighter 6 is a phenomenal 2D fighting game. Maybe the best ever. But Capcom is taking an approach that makes it feel like a premium product that puts quality over quantity. Everything they’ve done is great, but if they could make the few changes outlined in this article, they’d maybe have something to top Street Fighter II as the greatest fighting game of all time. Year 2 is offering some great content, even if Capcom keeps things more of the same. Mortal Kombat 1 and Tekken 8 were also phenomenal fighting game releases in the past year, but Street Fighter 6 really is the best of the best. See you in the Battle Hub!

What were your favorite parts of Street Fighter 6 Year 1? What are you most looking forward to in Year 2? Let us know in the comments.

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

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DLCs are a bit like a second slice of pie. If the first slice was good, do you really need more? And if the first slice was mid, will the second make it better? Especially with a well-received game, fans have come to expect DLC. But often it disappoints, either by being too short or feeling superfluous. Then there’s the difficult choice of how players will access the new content. Make it available to everyone and veteran players will complain, but make it dependent on finishing some major portion of the base game, and you lock out potential new fans (and income). FromSoftware has always been masters of DLC. With Shadow of the Erdtree, they have released what is likely the best DLC for any game, ever. Hyperbole? Maybe, maybe not.

Shadow of the Erdtree is the first — and certainly only — expansion for 2022’s Elden Ring. Playing a FromSoft game has always been like solving a Rubik’s cube covered in thorns. Beating it becomes an obsession, but at the cost of bloody hands. In many ways, Elden Ring gave the player optional padded gloves to wear, and it opened the door to millions of players. It could be said that Shadow of the Erdtree takes those gloves completely off. While it makes hefty demands, however, it pays equally hefty rewards. The challenge is back, baby.

The Question of Difficulty

When it was revealed that the DLC was gated behind a pair of late-game — though optional — bosses, some casual players were resigned to never playing it (only 62% of Elden Ring players had reached the required boss). Others scrambled to complete the basic requirements. But FromSoft knew its core audience. After over two years, the developer assumed that most dedicated players had beaten the game, often several timers over. The core fans were more than ready for new and heftier challenges. 

And challenge it delivered. To the point where the chorus of “it’s too difficult” became hard for FromSoftware to ignore. So, the developer did something rare in its history. Miyazaki and company tweaked the balance post-launch. They made the DLC-only upgrade system even more helpful to players in the early hours of the game.

FromSoft games have never just been about skill or gear, however. Lack one, and you can rely on the other to see you through. Shadow of the Erdtree’s enemies — especially bosses — are often immensely challenging. As always, players with a mastery of mechanics will have the easiest — though not easy — time. But anyone with high-level gear and a smart combination of weapons, armor, and enhancements can muscle through. Shadow of the Erdtree drops some amazing new weapons, too. They’ll change things up in the base game’s PvP community for sure. 

Smart Quality of Life Improvements

Shadow of the Erdtree gives fans both long-requested improvements to the game as well as QOL changes they didn’t even know they wanted. Most of these transfer to the base game as well. First and foremost is the ability to quickly identify new loot. After two years, a player’s inventory is a bulging treasure chest of stuff that can take a long time to scroll through. Shadow of Erdtree tags new acquisitions, making it easy to find that shiny new weapon or talisman. It’s a small thing but much appreciated.

Difficulty scaling in the DLC is handled in a way that rewards high-level players without punishing those with minimum stats. Rather than change the stats on enemies, the game generously doles out two optional items that increase both offensive and defensive player stats. Use the items and the game gets a little easier. But players can opt to not use them and keep the challenge dialed to max. This system doesn’t carry back into the base game. As noted, since release the developer has made the upgrade system even more useful to struggling players.

Lore and narrative are often ignored, but in FromSoftware games, they are nearly always guides to where to go next and what to do. Players of Elden Ring complained that the story signposting was a bit too obtuse. That’s a shame, because the mythic, multi-layered story in Elden Ring is haunting and tragic. 

The story and progression in Shadow of the Erdtree are more clearly designated by a series of crosses, each with a bit of lore and NPCs with helpful maps. Of course, players who couldn’t care less about why they’re there and the backstory of the bosses can still have plenty of hack-and-slash fun. As always, there is a world of hidden content for players to stumble upon. 

Matter of Size and Scope

A lot of DLCs are small chapters of added content that can be completed in a couple of hours. They offer up a new area, a handful of new enemies or weapons, and call it good.

As befits FromSoftware’s sprawling masterpiece of Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree is longer than the majority of action games, clocking in at a minimum of 30-40 hours. What’s not apparent from the map is that most zones have several vertical layers, underground dungeons, and hidden areas, so that the explorable map is much bigger than it already appears. Of course, just like the main game, Shadow of the Erdtree is filled with a huge amount of visual and artistic variety and environmental contrast.

While the DLC naturally recycles some enemy types from Elden Ring, it also includes well over 100 new bosses, dozens of new weapons, spells, incantations, and armor. It’s a great way to refresh the experience of the main game, as all of the new gear can be brought back into the base game to mix up familiar PvP play and make new game + runs more interesting. Generous is a serious understatement.

Nothing’s perfect, of course. Shadow of the Erdtree has a few performance problems and graphical quirks. The difficulty curve is a bit binary: either pretty easy or very difficult, with less middle ground than the base game. 

But small issues aside, Shadow of the Erdtree is everything FromSoftware fans were hoping for. Huge, complex, and challenging, Shadow of the Erdtree does what few DLCs accomplish. It gives the player a rewarding new experience by itself and enriches and even improves the base game. Yes, the wait was agony, but the reward is sweet. Like every FromSoft game, it raises the bar for other developers daring to release sub-par DLC.

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

• For amazing videos, head over to our YouTube page HERE.
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June 2024 was a unique month for video game reviews. Almost all of the games covered in The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024 are releases mentioned in the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in June 2024. All three of the games from The Good section of this article were hotly anticipated. And one of the games from The Bad section of this article might be remembered a little too fondly by franchise fans. Without further ado, here are The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024:

The Good

Destiny 2: The Final Shape DLC

***click here for our review***

Bungie nailed it with Destiny 2: The Final Shape! It’s the narrative conclusion to all the events of all the expansions. The story is much more linear and focused than past expansions. But it’s a conclusion that ties up everything, and packs an epic emotional punch. With some of Destiny 2’s expansions being less than stellar, Destiny 2: The Final Shape greatly exceeded our reviewer’s expectations. They wrote “it’s perhaps the closest Destiny has come to feeling like vintage, Halo-era Bungie”, which is the highest praise an FPS can get.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

***click here for our review***

There wasn’t any doubt in anyone’s mind that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was going to be excellent, and an obvious entry on The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024. It continues the quality of Elden Ring, but adds a new endgame area the size of two areas. The only critiques our reviewer had were that a few bosses were repeated, and to access the DLC, you basically have to have beaten the main game. They mentioned “to see everything plan in 60+ hours of playtime”. This is DLC the size of a full game, and a must play for all Souls fans.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

***click here for our review***

Shin Megami Tensei V is an excellent monster collecting JRPG. It brought open world exploration elements to the dark monster collecting franchise. On first glance, it seems almost perfect, but after beating the game, a lot of players found the story felt a little hollow. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance corrects this by adding a new plotline that adds fullness to the narrative that compliments the base game’s gameplay. Our reviewer wrote the new plotline protagonist “Yoko is a very engaging heroine in all her bitter glory”, so people who have beaten the original version for the Switch have a great reason to play this upgraded version. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance easily deserves to be on The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024.

The post The Three Best (and Worst) Video Games from June 2024 appeared first on COGconnected.

July 2024 is such a cool month for video game releases. It seems like there’s something for everyone. There’s a few massive releases, several of which are new IPs. Similar to June 2024, our top spot is a major DLC drop. Our runner up this month is the long-awaited Earth Defense Force 6! For those who haven’t played an EDF game before, they’re dopey Japanese 3^rd person shooters that have more to do with spectacle than polish. Check out the trailer below. And without further ado, the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in July 2024 are:

5. Nintendo World Championships – July 18

The Nintendo World Championships took place in 1990. They were a series of events where players got a combined score in the NES games Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Rad Racer. Finalists were given NES cartridges that had the games and scoring used in the competition. There are an estimated 350 of those cartridges in existence, and they are usually listed on eBay for around $25,000 USD. In honor of this most expensive and ridiculous NES game, Nintendo is releasing an official Nintendo World Championships game for the Switch! It will feature at least 13 different NES games, as opposed to the original 3. Expect lots of modern features, and an experience similar to the Wii U’s NES Remix games. Nintendo World Championships is kind of a goofy entry to the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in July 2024, but how could we not include it!?

4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak – July 5

The Trails series is almost caught up in North America! We’re only one game behind Japan now! The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is the first game in the new Daybreak series. It’s the start of a new story arc that takes place in the Calvard Republic. This JRPG has been out in Japan for 3 years! Trails fans have been waiting for its release in North America for a long time, which makes it an obvious entry in the Top 5 Video Games Arriving in July 2024. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak will be available for everything expect Xbox.

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Prepare yourself to immerse in the amazing world of SPYxFAMILY. Bandai Namco has officially released its latest title, SPYxANYA: Operation Memories today. It is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. So, dive right into it to create and cherish joyful memories with the Forger family.

SPYxANYA: Operation Memories is a casual daily life simulator game. You will control Anya and create a photo diary of memories for her homework. Go to school on weekdays and once the class is over, head out to all sorts of exciting places to take photographs of treasured memories.

There are 10 outing places to explore, including parks, beaches, art museums, aquariums, and more. You can even enjoy 15 different minigames as well, all inspired by the series and originally designed for the game. The exciting part you can play 10 of these minigames offline with two players.

Along the way, you will have a chance to meet not only with the family members, Loid and Yor, but also Anya’s friends, Damian and Becky. Even Yuri and Fiona make an appearance in the game. Not only that, there are tons of customizations to explore for Anya, Loid, Yor, and Bond.

Check out the official launch trailer below to get a glimpse of the wholesome adventure ahead.

SOURCE

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JanduSoft has announced that the console edition of Scholar’s Mate is coming out on July 4th, 2024. It will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Furthermore, the pre-orders on the Xbox are already open as well. So, make sure to check it if you are eager to get your hands on it.

Scholar’s Mate is a new first-person escape room game that takes place in a terrifying psychiatric hospital. Players will get a harrowing experience where their survival hinges solely on their wits. You will become Judith, a victim trapped by Eddie, a deranged individual, in a chilling, abandoned psychiatric hospital.

Along the way, you must solve a series of intricate puzzles to escape the dire situation. This task would be much simpler if the captor weren’t constantly lurking in every corner and corridor of this dismal place. Yes, Eddie can both see and hear you. If you run, he’ll know your location. If you shine your torch, he’ll spot you and track you down. He is a relentless enemy with a single objective: to end Judith’s life.

Key features:

– A first-person horror escape room.

– Explore and solve the hidden secrets of the hospital to escape.

– Relentless pursuit by Eddie.

– Experience the tension with an original soundtrack and immersive sound effects designed to create an eerie atmosphere.

Scholar’s Mate is already available on PC for those eager to try it out. Take a look at the official trailer below to get a glimpse of it.

SOURCE

The post Scholar’s Mate Is Arriving on Consoles Next Month appeared first on COGconnected.

There are a lot of ways to make money in Grand Theft Auto Online. Most of these forms of currency acquisition are less than legal. Yet, that’s about to change. That’s right, it’s time to make a hero’s compensation. Today, Rockstar Games and Rockstar North are happy to announce the latest update coming to Grand Theft Auto Online this Summer, Bottom Dollar Bounties. Interestingly, the update allows players to join the law as a bounty hunter, tracking down notorious criminals around Lost Santos. Of course, the update will provide players with a whole new host of content. For instance, players can look forward to a new customizable bounty office, vehicles, missions, and more. A trailer teases what’s to come.

Bottom Dollar Bounties introduce players to the daughter of legendary Los Santos bounty hunter Maude Eccles. Helping her to clean up the streets of this crime ridden town, players will be able to set up their very own customizable bounty hunting office. Of course, to start making some money, there are going to need to be bounties. Have no fear, players can chase down low level crime scum as much as they want and once a day can take on a “most wanted” target. Importantly, to chase down these scumbags, players will have access to a trio of new law enforcement vehicles. In fact, these vehicles are available now if you complete  the Slush Fund mission in The Cluckin’ Bell Farm Raid. 

Of course, there is even more for Grand Theft Auto players to look forward to from vehicles, to cosmetics for their character, and more. Interestingly, the trailer shows off a small glimpse of what players can expect. Check it out below. 

Grand Theft Auto Online: Bottom Dollar Bounties is out now. Check out Rockstar Newswire for more information.

SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE

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Although I’m several decades out of my teens, I can remember at least a little of what it was like. While the slang and tech have changed, navigating the treacherous waters of interpersonal relationships is still fraught with confusion and heartache. Joy, sorrow, and dashed hopes exchange places moment by moment. Then there’s the whole matter of finding meaning and direction. That formative and perplexing time forms the backdrop for Until Then, an interactive visual novel. But there are bigger themes and deeper mysteries than who is dating whom, and I’ll do my best not to spoil them.

B-Ball, Book Reports, and Crushes

Set in a fictionalized version of the present-day Philippines, Until Then’s main protagonist is Mark, a high school kid with more talent than ambition. Mark is the kind of kid who puts off school work until the last minute, risking the failure of his group’s presentation and the ire of Louise, a brainy, high-achieving classmate on whom he has a crush. Mark and Louise’s immediate friend group includes Cathy, a close friend of Mark who also has set her sights on Louise. In one series of scenes, we meet Louise’s secret best friend, the impetuous Sophia. We also learn that Louise has a secret boyfriend, an older student, and a budding rock star. For a moment, everyone’s romantic longings are dashed.

That all sounds pretty banal. Honestly, it takes some time for Until Then to pick up a little steam. However, by the end of the game’s first chapter, I was solidly invested in the characters. It was around this time that there were hints that things were not quite right. One character’s memories didn’t square with others, that kind of thing. As the narrative mysteries evolved, so did the characters, backgrounds, and their relationships.

Obviously, teens can be cruel, heartless, and unsympathetic. By and large, the kids at the center of Until Then are appealing, open-hearted, and aware that actions have consequences. I wish I could say more about the plot, but surprise and discovery are at the heart of the game. For a title in this genre, Until Then is a substantial game, clocking in at well over a dozen hours.

Point-and-Text Adventure

As engaging as its characters and story are, Until Then also plays with the visual novel format in a memorable way. A great deal of the dialogue is presented through real-time text chats that feel authentic and contemporary. While the text exchanges contain all the slang, erasures, and edits we’re used to, the teens in Until Then are considerably more literate, witty, and grammatically correct than their real-life counterparts. I suspect the Philippine education system might be to thank. As an aside, the game allows the player to “input” the pre-written texts in a way that’s a bit more immersive. Like any dialogue-based game, there are choices to be made, though I’m not sure how they impact the overall narrative. 

Aside from the texts, the story is mostly delivered through unvoiced dialogue, which means over a dozen hours of reading. Recognizing this can end up feeling repetitive, Until Then takes the format of a 2.5D action game, action being a very relative term for walking from place to place. There are also some simple mini-games, like a timed slider game to pick up fish balls from a street food cart. From buying a subway ticket to waking Mark with his alarm clock, these mundane tasks help bring the player into the character’s world. This becomes important later when the story begins to develop in more surprising ways. Still, don’t expect a lot of rewarding platforming or combat. Until Then is a visual novel, after all. For the player with a lot of time, there are a ton of optional interactions with NPCs and the environment. 

Move It Along

I have a couple of minor gripes about Until Then’s narrative mechanics. First, the game is too long by a couple of hours. I think this excess mostly comes from dialogue and texts that simply drag on a bit past their points of interest. There were a few times in the opening hours when I really wanted to move the story along. But then a new character or story development hooked me back in. 

Until Then has a retro, pixel art style that’s colorful and inviting. It took me a while to warm up to it, to be honest. I’m just a little tired of the aesthetic. However, the art is much more expressive and sophisticated than I originally gave it credit for, and the use of depth and detail kept the visuals interesting. There’s just enough visual information to portray emotion, and in this case, the reference to games fits the story naturally. The cities and countryside of the Philippines form a visually and culturally unique backdrop that integrates into the story without ever feeling artificial. 

Sound On

Any game without spoken dialogue depends that much more on sound design and music. Mark is a budding — if inconsistent — pianist, and his attitudes towards practice and music reflect larger emotional moments. Both Until Then’s musical score and diegetic music are well done and varied with the shifting moods of the story. The sounds of the environment, city noises, and nature are carefully crafted.

My feelings about Until Then evolved the longer I played. What at first seemed like a slow-paced visual novel with retro graphics gradually began to reveal itself as something much more sophisticated. Excellent character development and a surprising, emotionally varied narrative are at the heart of Until Then, but its storytelling mechanics are fresh and contemporary, too. Mark and his gang have interesting stories to tell, and so does Until Then.

***PC code provided by the publisher for review***

The post Until Then Review – Teen Angst and Deep Mysteries appeared first on COGconnected.

Boris, the solo developer of Flocons Studio and publisher JanduSoft has announced the release date for their upcoming title, Prune & Milo. It will be available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on 11 July. Furthermore, Xbox users can pre-order the game a week before the official launch, so keep an eye out as well.

Prune & Milo is a charming 2D turn-based puzzle game. Players will join this awesome brother and sister duo on an enchanting journey during their vacation. Their adventure began when Milo accidentally fell into a mysterious cave. Soon after, Prune joins in and together they must navigate the puzzles in the cave, unravel its secrets, and prevent the end of the world as Christopher the Wise Owl forewarned.

The game offers an unforgettable experience with over 70 levels of turn-based puzzles with unique mechanics. You will travel across three different worlds, and encounter quirky characters while solving complex puzzles on the way.

Key features:

– Turn-based puzzle game: Strategically plan your moves and solve puzzles at your own pace.
– Three unique worlds: Explore diverse environments, each with its own challenges.
– 70+ levels: Engage in various puzzles with different mechanics in every world.
– Two playable characters: Switch between Prune and Milo to utilize their unique abilities.

Are you ready to immerse yourself in a vibrant pixel-art adventure, brimming with secrets, dangers, and unusual characters?

SOURCE

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The Dutch indie game developers Ewoud and Nils have finally announced the release date for their award-winning platformer, SCHiM. This awesome game will be coming out on 18 July on Steam Steam, Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5, and Nintendo Switch. The standard price will be $24.99, but it will vary according to the region.

The game enjoyed huge success in the Steam Next Fest, surpassing 200k Wishlists and with over 50k players trying the demo out. Rock Paper Shotgun praised the demo, calling it “pretty froggin’ delightful!”. Even IGN Benelux highlighted it, stating, “After playing SCHiM for only half an hour, I already realised it’s a very special game.”

SCHiM is a charming indie platformer about helping a lost shadow find its way back to its human by jumping from shadow to shadow. The game takes elements of light, shadow, and animation, and then adds them to the awesome 3D platformer gameplay, offering a unique take on the genre.

Here are some key features:

– Unique 3D platforming through shadows.
– Animated shadow platforms and environments.
– Each level has its scenery with small stories.
– A story of a person losing their shadow.
– A beautiful abstract world.

The free demo version is still available on Steam for everyone to get a first-hand experience. Nintendo Switch users can already pre-order the game on the Nintendo eShop.

SOURCE

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The Brazilian indie studio Wired Games has announced that Frogue is coming out on consoles on 27 June 2024. It will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. For those eager to try this stylish turn-based action platformer, the game is already out on PC, so make sure to check it out.

Frogue is a stylish 2D turn-base action platformer with roguelike, bullet hell, and time manipulation elements. It is the fifth game from developer Thiago Oliveira, the independent solo developer behind Wired Dreams Studio. It is the fourth game published for consoles in partnership with QUByte Interactive.

In the game, you will step inside the shoes of a brave frog and dash through your enemies. You can even freeze time and throw your sword to solve every obstacle in your way. Every stage demands agility and precision in every move. The character can stick to walls and use special powers as well, giving the game a three-dimensional feel. It also opens up many possibilities for coming up with a solution to any challenge.

Take a look at the official release date announcement trailer below to get a glimpse of the gameplay.

SOURCE

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Get ready for an epic adventure across the universe! Developer ImaginationOverflow has officially released their space rogue-like title, Stellar Interface on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The game is also available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC as well. So, make sure to check it out.

Stellar Interface is a 2D rogue-like space shooter where you ride and spacecraft and take down your enemies. Traverse through a randomly generated galaxy, discover new perks, shop in merchants, unlock more spacecraft, and more. You can also collect StellarNetES Cartridges, and checkmark your kills of the various galactic overlords while dying hundreds of times.

Here are some key features:

– Rogue-like Elements: With a randomly generated universe and randomized perks, no journey will ever be the same.

– Synergistic Perk System: Over 100 perks and consumables! Look out for the synergistic nature of the perks

– Galactic Bounties: ​​Complete over 100 missions to participate in the StellarNET Entertainment System lottery.

– Customize Your Start: Choose your spacecraft: there is one for every playstyle, as they have unique starting perks.

– Unlock Spacecrafts, View Your Progress: Check out your accomplishments in our in-game encyclopedia StellarNET. Unlock the spacecraft, and kill all the bosses to progress in StellarNET’s kill table.

– Explore the Universe: Some levels are more special than others: Merchants, Bosses, Spacecraft Factories.

– Controller Support: Plug-and-play with any controller!

SOURCE

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We have exciting news for everyone! Ukiyo studio has unveiled a short teaser of their first project titled Transhumance on transhumance.site. So, get ready for an epic adventure as you guide a flock of ewes and discover many magnificent landscapes. The game will be coming out on all the major platforms, so stay tuned for more updates. In the meantime, check out the teaser below to take a sneak peek of the game.

Transhumance is a narrative, poetic, and contemplative game in which you have to lead a herd of ewes during transhumance. It is the periodic migrations between winter pastures on the plains and summer pastures in the mountains. The route is purely fictional, though it draws inspiration from paths taken by shepherds in southern France, between Provence and the Alps.

You will be accompanied by one or more dogs to guide the sheep and direct them. These dogs can evolve and improve as well. The more experience the dogs get, the easier it will become to lead the flock. This is the main gameplay element: Controlling the dogs efficiently to guide the herd to its destination on time and in health.

Here are some key features:

– A poetic and original theme: the transhumance, listed as a world cultural heritage.
– Unique gameplay: lead dogs, with different characters, to move the herd with the constraints of a transhumance.
– Discover the mountain ecosystem with realistic and changing weather.
– Raising awareness of several related ecological issues: global warming, reintroduction of wolves and bears, human impact, etc.
– A strong narrative linked to grief, solitude, freedom, the mountains, their inhabitants, and their mysteries…
– It’s also a game that lets you contemplate nature, stroke your dog, talk to your sheep, and photograph marmots!

SOURCE

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School is out! Which makes it a perfect time to go to Hogwart’s Legacy. It is COGconnected’s duty, and and joy, to gather the hottest game deals into this one article to help you out. Here is a potpourri of games to play.  Here’s a mix of games you may be interested in – Hogwart’s Legacy leads the charge for Potterheads. But fear not for the rest of the you. There are some other great franchises to choose from – Miles Morales, God of War and an old standby – The Master Chief himself!  Hopefully, there will be a game or two that will pique your interest. 

Unicorn Overlord – $49.96 (Save 38%)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) – $70.00 (Save 12%)

Hogwarts Legacy – Nintendo Switch – $49.96 (Save 23%)

Just Dance 2024 Edition – Nintendo Switch – $39.99 (Save 50%)

Hogwarts Legacy: Digital Deluxe Edition – PlayStation 5 – $44.99 (Save 55%)

Dead Space PlayStation 5 – $39.96 (Save 11%)

God of War (PC) – $32.57 (Save 50%)

Cyberpunk 2077 (PC) – $17.49 (Save 65%)

HALO: THE MASTER CHIEF COLLECTION (PC) – $12.49 (Save 75%)

Did you grab some sales this weekend? Let us know in the comments below. If you’re looking for some hardware deals we’ve found some great steals available too right here!

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

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School is out and with it comes some monitor madness! So it’s time for some weekend hardware deals that will set you up for sizzling summer gaming. COGconnected has scoured the internet looking for any deals. This time, Samsung leads the charge with great monitor deals. You’ll find budget and medium tier deals below but if you want something more high end, they are having deals on those as well. In addition, there are some solid deals on gamepads and headphones too.

SAMSUNG 32″ Odyssey G55A QHD 165Hz 1ms FreeSync Curved Gaming Monitor with HDR 10 – $298.00 (Save 40%)

Samsung 24″ Odyssey G30A FHD 144 Hz Gaming Monitor – $148.00 (Save 41%)

KOORUI Computer Monitor 27 Inch, 100Hz FHD Gaming Monitor – $129.99 (Save 28%)

8Bitdo Pro 2 Bluetooth Gamepad for Switch/Switch OLED, PC, macOS, Android, Steam & Raspberry Pi with Storage Case (Black Edition) – (Save 30%)

8Bitdo Pro 2 Bluetooth Gamepad for Windows PC, Android, Steam Deck & Raspberry Pi –  $25.89 (Save 30%)

Xbox Core Wireless Gaming Controller – $58.88 (Save 21%)

Controller for Nintendo Switch, Switch Controllers Left and Right Support Vibration/6-Axis Gyroscope and Wake-up Function – $30.19 (Save 25%)

Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX Wireless Multiplatform Amplified Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac with 48+ Hour Battery – Pink – 600 SERIES MAX Edition – $119.99 (Save 25%)

Corsair HS55 Surround Gaming Headset (Leatherette Memory Foam Ear Pads, Dolby Audio 7.1 Surround Sound on PC and Mac, Lightweight, Omni-Directional Microphone, Multi-Platform Compatibility) Carbon – $72.24 (Save 24%)

Did you grab some summer sales? Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to check in again as we have frequent weekend deals!

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

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A little over a year ago, I reviewed Warhammer 40K: Boltgun. Although built in a recent iteration of the Unreal engine, Boltgun hid its technical chops under a retro, classic Doom-style veneer. That wasn’t the only reference to old-school shooters. Everything from the flow of combat to the weapon effects felt like an homage. You could even adjust the level of pixelation from relatively smooth to super chunky. I had a great time. So I had high expectations for Forges of Corruption.

Forges of Corruption is the first DLC for Warhammer 40K: Boltgun, and if you enjoyed the base game, you’re in luck with the add-on. It bolts on (pun intended) a hefty new chapter and a handful of levels. Although it isn’t exactly standalone, Forges of Corruption is available after players have spent a fairly small amount of time in the main game.

Story Lite

No one comes to a Warhammer 40K shooter for the deep and nuanced narrative. There’s a little more to it, but the basics are: you’re a Space Marine named Malum Caedo, and your job is to stop Chaos from destroying the planet Graia. The DLC adds to the story but the objectives remain the same. Kill everything that moves.

To that straightforward end, most of the weapons from the main game reappear and there are two, beefy additions. The Missile Launcher’s name proves to be reliably accurate, with an impressive explosion when it hits the target. The Multi-Melta hits groups of enemies with a fiery, face-melting area-of-effect blast. Both weapons could be inheritors of Doom’s infamous BFG.

Enemies from the base game return in often overwhelming numbers. There are three new elite foes: the Terminator, the Helbrute, and the Havoc. As before, what Boltgun lacks in nuance it makes up for in crazy, chaotic battles that can — at the higher difficulties — be brutal. One of the base game’s minor flaws was its repetitive reliance on enemy counts to bolster the challenge. Unfortunately, Forges of Corruption hasn’t fixed this problem. The final battle is ridiculously long and borderline unfair.

Buttery

Forges of Corruption retains the same, smooth performance and fluid controls of the original. Once again it feels like classic shooters as we remember them, not as they actually ran. The soundtrack, weapon effects, and voice work are pure metal Warhammer 40K.

By popular demand, the developers have included a new Horde mode. It’s just the player against waves of beloved Warhammer 40K enemies, with each wave highlighting a new weapon. It’s a lot of fun for a while, but keeping the action in a confined space — no matter how well designed — and bound to a gameplay loop works against long-term enjoyment.

Everything that made Warhammer 40K: Boltgun a refreshing return to Doom-era shooter vibes is there in Forces of Corruption as well. The new weapons, enemies, and environments are seamless additions to the base game. A year later, a bit of the novelty has disappeared but like the base game, Forces of Corruption reminds us of simpler times when games had modest ambitions and a focus on fun above all.

***PC code provided by the publisher for review***

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On gamers’ radar for several years, Drova: Forsaken Kin is soon to be officially released. Fans of classic action RPGs are excited to get their hands on the final product. For the unfamiliar, Drova is a pixel art, isometric RPG with Souslike action mechanics and a fantasy setting that’s pure sword and sorcery. I had the opportunity to spend some time with a section of the game pre-release and came away intrigued.

Could It Be Magic

In the game’s opening cinematic, we learn that the Druids in our generally peace-loving land have found a magic crystal. It may or may not open a portal to another dimension, which goes by many names familiar to mythology, like Elysium. Your character follows a pair of Druids into the forest, where one of them is attacked by monsters and killed. After being attacked yourself, you find yourself in a mysterious new landscape.

What follows are the staples of ARPGs: exploration, combat, and crafting. While the slice I played didn’t contain the complete narrative, it’s clear that your goals are to help broker peace and understanding between different factions and even different dimensions. Along the way, you meet a very large cast of NPCs. Some want to help you, others need assistance, and more than a few are outright hostile.

Drova takes some inspiration from classic RPGs and games like Gothic, which brought together mysticism and sword-and-board combat. Drova doesn’t entirely escape Soulslike influences, either. Light and heavy attacks, blocking, parrying, and dodging are all in the mix. Ranged combat and magic are part of the formula, too.

Fog of War

Drova’s mechanics generally work as expected. You gather healing plants and crafting materials, pocket coins for later, and snag weapons from out in the wild. To learn spells and upgrade weapons, you need to find teachers and other NPCs, many of whom are not entirely neutral to the narrative. There’s a skill tree to unlock. In other words, players with even a passing familiarity with fantasy RPGs will feel comfortable and at home.

At least in the demo I played, the cinematic was still voiced in German (which actually perfectly fit the tone of the visuals), and there is no spoken dialogue in the game. There is, however, quite a bit of written dialogue and text. Most of it is pretty expository in the way games tend to be. That said, there’s a bit of profanity and a little color and personality here and there.

For many players, Drova’s pixel art will be a draw. For me, it was a slightly mixed bag. On one hand, the monster design and combat were both surprisingly effective, given their self-imposed graphical limitations. The world is by turn inviting, colorful and moody. On the other hand, the player character and NPCs were so blobby that real personalities couldn’t come through.

My last and biggest issue was the way the pixel art limitations impacted moving through the environment. It was often difficult to discern elevation changes or critical paths. While the game might be an “open world,” nearly every area is a maze of walls or other impediments. It creates a — perhaps intentional — feeling of claustrophobia.

On the Horizon

Despite a few negatives common to in-development games from smaller developers, Drova: Forsaken Kin manages to check several important boxes. As RPGs go, it’s appropriately deep and allows for a lot of variety in combat and character builds. Combat is fun and often very challenging. The intersection of ancient magic, bits of world mythology, and familiar fantasy adds texture to the narrative.

It’s clear that the developers have a clear vision for their game and have spent the last few years focused on refining the experience. I look forward to seeing what the complete game has to offer when it releases this year on PC, Switch, and consoles.

Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.

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The post Combat, Magic and Pixels Come Together in Drova: Forsaken Kin appeared first on COGconnected.

Destiny 2 is a complicated topic. People who love the game – raiding, doing daily bounties, and min-maxing armour mods – are also its biggest haters. Bungie can hardly breathe without getting Nova Bombed by the community. So the challenge in releasing an expansion like The Final Shape, and tying up 10 years of history, is stouter than a Titan’s Bubble Shield.

I’ve been playing Destiny on and off since the start. With the highs of Forsaken and The Witch Queen, and lows like last year’s Lightfall, I was very invested in seeing the story through. Where hopes were high, my expectations were low given their past … turbulence. But they did it. Not only is The Final Shape jam-packed with outstanding content, it’s perhaps the closest Destiny has come to feeling like vintage, Halo-era Bungie. Put another way: The Final Shape is Bungie at their finest.

The Last 10 Years

Unsurprisingly, countless expansions mean enough lore to fill 4-hour-long explainer videos on YouTube. So, here’s where The Final Shape kicks off from. The Traveler, the mysterious paracausal sphere responsible for Ghosts and the Light, has been infiltrated by The Witness, an even more mysterious entity using Traveler’s power to twist reality into its image.

Without spoiling anything, The Final Shape brings major characters from every chapter of the story back into play. From Ikora to Cayde 6, Empress Caitl to Savathun, the gang’s all here with a part to play. Miraculously, brilliantly, it all works.

That applies to Commander Zavala too, whose brilliant voice actor Lance Reddick passed away last year. Now voiced by the equally awesome Keith David, he takes Zavala in his own direction. In fleeting moments, his cadence and delivery are reminiscent of Reddick’s performance. But creative license is liberally taken, and this Zavala shows quite a range. Zavala’s backstory and relationships were an unexpected focus during the campaign, and it made the cosmic scale conflict feel immensely personal.

By the end, David and Zavala were one and the same. Though I’ll forever cherish being able to visit Reddick’s Zavala and hear his legendary “Hello, Guardian” in the Tower, I and (I’m sure) the Destiny community salute both versions of Zavala, especially Keith David’s excellent performance under such challenging circumstances.

Zavala’s arc is one of many that hit home in a deeply personal way. Crow, Ghost, and most especially Cayde 6 are treated with remarkable care and obvious love. One particularly beautiful and touching moment will have even the most battle-hardened Guardian feeling misty-eyed. Even though I saw it coming a mile away, it was absolutely perfect.

Mission Mastery

The Final Shape is built differently than the other Destiny adventures, and narratively it’s a huge upgrade. The Final Shape’s campaign is meant to be played linearly, as a single experience. Contrasted with the usual live service narrative, it jettisons all the filler. There’s no traveling to five other locations to pick up macguffins or shoot 1000 bad guys before heading to the next major plot beat.

Missions flow freely from one to the next, letting the phenomenal level and art design shine. The Pale Heart – The Final Shape’s new environment inside The Traveler – is more logical to explore, and also more interesting than what’s come before. The Witness is twisting The Traveler to its will, meaning the art department went wild. Rocky hand-shaped outcrops dot the landscape, and every imaginable biome is represented along the way. It’s gorgeous. I’ve long believed that Bungie has the best designers and artists in the industry, and The Final Shape is their masterpiece.

The missions themselves are far more elaborate than those featured in Lightfall. More importantly, they expose the more casual fanbase to some tasty morsels usually reserved for raids and dungeons. Interesting puzzles and mechanics requiring strategy are common, and on many occasions, NPC characters join the fray. I’ve long wanted to fight alongside the Vanguard, and friends, it feels fantastic.

The highest compliment I can possibly give is that The Final Shape reminds me a lot of Bungie’s entries in the Halo franchise. That perfect balance of interesting encounter design, fantastic level construction, and general badassery is alive and well. Bungie still knows how to get it done, folks.

Structural Considerations

Careful attention was paid to mission rollout too, and I feel closer to the Destiny community now than ever before. The Salvation’s Edge raid was released during the expansion’s first week, and I feared the campaign’s conclusion would be gatekept by it. Instead, the raid served as a gateway to that final assault on The Witness, unlocking the final mission “Excision” once the Raid had been completed.

That final mission, as a singular moment, is one of the best I’ve experienced in any game. I kid you not, I was jumping around like an 8-year-old hopped up on Red Bull at the end. It’s so f**king cool. If you’ve ever played or even slightly cared about Destiny, The Final Shape is a must-play.

Production quality is phenomenal in all areas. Attention to detail from the soundtrack to the cutscenes is in perfect celestial alignment. The extremely high-quality pre-rendered cutscenes don’t feature the guardian for obvious reasons, but bring much more gravitas to the events. 10 years of musical motifs are expertly woven into a harmonious tapestry. Destiny’s music has always been outstanding, but this is a magnum opus.

Become Prismatic

The Final Shape introduces a new subclass: Prismatic. And it changes everything. The Prismatic class takes the already engaging build crafting qualities of Destiny and breaks everything wide open. Becoming Prismatic means choosing your favorite pieces of the existing classes – Solar, Arc, Void, Stasis, and Strand – and becoming an absolute Demi-god.

With the right combination of perks, your Guardian can be nigh un-killable. Abilities recharge in seconds, enemies melt, and even the most devastating incoming attacks barely tickle. It’s incredibly fun to play with in the PvE setting. Slinging Arcane Needles before dropping a healing grenade and then becoming Emperor Palpatine is peak power fantasy. Being a pink god is fantastic, though It remains to be seen how relevant the other subclasses will remain over time.

There are new supers and aspects for each Class as well, highlighted by the Hunter super that both teleports and creates a giant whirlwind of death, and the Warlock aspect that launches flaming mortars.

Thankfully, collecting all the pieces of the subclass is more fun than pain, unlike the brutal grind for the Stasis subclass in Beyond Light. I’m not bitter though, really.

The Episodic Grind

But, the grind is a key part of Destiny 2 and all live service games. Where that can, and has, fallen apart is when there’s no variety. Holster your hand cannons, Guardians, The Final Shape has a lot going on. The most interesting, for my money, are the various Exotic item quests. Each class has 3 exotic armor pieces, and there are 5 exotic weapons. Not all of these have quests of course, but one in particular brings raid-style mechanics to the mainstream, much like the campaign did. In “Dual Destiny” a duo of players are treated to some of the best mechanics Bungie has ever cooked up. It’s challenging, fun, and satisfying. Bungie, if you’re reading this: more. please.

Immediately upon clearing the Final Shape campaign, there’s more episodic content to do over on Nessus. The seasonal activity “Breach Executable” is frantic and fun, and the return of the Failsafe AI from the Forsaken expansion is more than welcome. Of particular comedic value: Failsafe catching up on everything that’s happened since Forsaken.

There have been overhauls to other Destiny mainstays like Xur and Rahool too, though I’ll avoid getting into those here. Just know that there’s ample reason to seek out even classic activities like Vanguard Strikes and the Crucible, even if those modes haven’t seen much change.

Another new and welcome piece is the Pathfinder system, which replaces bounties (in a way). Like it sounds, Pathfinder has you navigating a path akin to Star Fox levels by completing mundane challenges. At the end of each path lies powerful rewards like gear and engrams. I’d like to see the pathfinder be more obvious in the UI though, perhaps as a tab next to quests. With all the, well, everything that’s going on in the UI, it would be easy to completely gloss over the Pathfinder challenges.

Eyes Up, Guardian

What Bungie has accomplished with The Final Shape in the face of tremendous hurdles and unreasonable expectations is nothing short of remarkable. It’s a powerful and satisfying story, with the mechanics, art, design, and polish to back it up. This is Bungie’s best work in the Destiny era, and sets a lofty new bar for live service expansions. In a challenging market, Bungie have proven they’re still among the best in the business. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

The post Destiny 2: The Final Shape Review – Bungie Sticks the Landing appeared first on COGconnected.

The Rocket Knight games totally missed me when I was a child. So I approached this collection with an open mind and a blank slate. To my surprise, they’re pretty good! If you can push past the old-school difficulty and the frantic rocket controls, you might really enjoy yourself with the Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked collection. You’ll probably have to lean on that rewind feature pretty hard, though.

As always, my PC game reviews are being done on a Stealth 16 Studio A13V laptop. Although in truth, you could play these games on a toaster with a touchscreen and be just fine. Even the recommended specs are pretty generous.

Old-School Tough

I know it’s in poor taste to whine about the difficulty, but it feels necessary here. These are decidedly old-school games, and they’re not shy about killing you repeatedly. Which is fine! It’s assumed that you’ll be playing each stage until you’ve memorized it before moving on. That blessed rewind function helps you circumvent this. Between that and the ability to save pretty much anywhere, you can definitely finish this collection with a little patience. Okay, so it’s more like a lot of patience. But any old-school game fan has that in reserve, right?

Each game in the Rocket Knight collection looks excellent in its own way. The pixel art is bright, bold, and properly crisp. The enemies look like cartoon characters in motion, and the levels are well-designed. I’m not as sold on the music, but I’ve never liked Sega’s soundscapes that much. There are some exceptions, of course. A boss fight here and there with a catchy theme. But most of the music is pretty forgettable. The mechanics are a different story.

Fly Me To The Moon

The ‘rocket’ in Rocket Knight is a brilliant bit of game design. You can blast through most enemies, rise above any obstacle, and sail over hazards. It’s only during boss fights that you have to slow down. Even then, half the bosses are just as weak to rocket strikes as everything else. The only serious roadblock is controlling yourself as you careen through the games.

To be fair, it’s not impossible or anything. You’re just likely to miss, hit the wrong directional input, or smash into a hazard at first. And it takes quite a while before you get the hang of it. Again, the rewind function is a literal lifesaver here. I was frustrated with the hair-trigger controls, but it’s the price you pay for such high-speed gameplay. On the other hand, if you can master the rocket system, you can pull off some incredible platforming feats. You just need more of that old-school patience.

I refer to the games as a single unit throughout this review for a reason. The three titles are pretty interchangeable. You see some shifts in visual style, but the music and the controls are all more or less the same. It’s convenient in that you can swap between games easily. But there is a slight lack of variety in this collection. Your mileage depends heavily on your fondness for the franchise in general. The image gallery and the music player also require a tangible nostalgic connection to the games. Although it is cool to see what the old ads and box art looked like back in the day.

For fans of the franchise, this is an easy sale. You’ve got three games to play and tons of art to sift through. New players might be more cautious. The core gameplay is well-crafted for sure. And you can’t go wrong with that high-quality sprite work. But these are still punishing offerings from a bygone era. You’ll need a lot of patience and perseverance if you want to get through this collection. The rewind function is a serious advantage, but even that system requires some practice and fine-tuning to use. Retro gaming fans new and old will appreciate the Rocket Knight Adventures collection, though maybe you’ll wanna wait for a sale.

***A Steam Key was provided by the publisher***

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Attention vault-dwellers and soldiers of all kinds. It’s time to lock, load, and grab a crisp Nuka-Cola as you take the wasteland to the battlefield. Today, Call of Duty is happy to announce the release date for their upcoming Fallout crossover. Releasing on June 20th, for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, the Call of Duty X Fallout crossover is introducing a host of new content. For instance, players can look forward to Fallout operator skins, weapon skins, loading screens, and more. Additionally, more is coming with the crossover to look forward to.

The Call of Duty X Fallout Crossover will allow players to live out their vault dwelling dreams in style. Of course, the crossover will feature a multitude of new cosmetics for players to explore. For instance, two Fallout themed weapon skins, four operator skins, six loading screens, and more. Additionally, players can look forward to an entire event centered around Fallout. The event will feature bonus XP, cosmetics like the Nuka-Cola Quantum weapon skin and New California Republic decal.

Importantly, a new trailer shows off the Call of Duty X Fallout crossover in all of its glory. Get a good look at what’s coming below. Check it out.

Call of Duty X Fallout will begin on June 20th. The event will continue until June 26th. Additionally, players will be able to use any of the vault-dweller skins while the event is active. For more info check out the Call of Duty blog post about the crossover.

SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE

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Two and a half years after the release of Elden Ring in 2022, the long-awaited expansion titled “Shadow of the Erdtree” is finally upon us. In order to start the DLC, players will need to have beaten the boss “Mohg, Lord of Blood” (aka  Shardbearer Mohg). This is a hidden endgame boss, so it requires having put significant work into the game already. If you are new to the game you won’t be able to start the DLC immediately. Behind the Mohg boss players can interact with the “Withered Arm” to be transported to the Realm of Shadow, which is the new area. This is a completely separate island away from the main game map. The recommended level is 150+.

While you will stand a chance at lower levels, some story bosses can be quite challenging. On the other hand, at level 200+ some bosses will feel too easy. To not make it trivial for high-level players, the DLC implements a secondary “leveling” system in the form of Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes. These are frequently found at Sites of Grace, which makes exploration worthwhile, and they grant permanent damage negation. The more of these items you gather, the easier it will get. Leveling your regular player stats is still important but how much damage you suffer from enemy attacks is partially impacted by the amount of Fragments and Ashes you found. If you are too overleveled you can opt not to redeem these items to make it harder, likewise if you are too underleveled you can spend time exploring for these items to make it easier. Leveling up your player stats is no issue in the expansion, as some single bosses give 400,000 runes and standard enemies also give a lot.

An Epic Adventure with Secrets and Bosses everywhere

While at first glance the map looks ‘only’ as big as Limgrave, it is actually much larger. The map has multiple layers, the total explorable area is about the size of Limgrave and Caelid together. There are the elevated “Plains” where you start and then there is a second layer consisting of valleys below you, effectively doubling the playable game size.

FromSoftware has outdone itself with the world design here. The world looks amazing, seeing giants walking around from halfway across the map instantly creates a sense of adventure and wanting to explore these far-flung regions. Each new area brings with it an epic journey filled to the brim with secrets and bosses everywhere. I’d go so far as to say this is the best DLC I have ever played, and is even better than the main game areas. There’s a bit of everything: from meadows to dargon-infested mountains, to spooky forests, coastlines, castles and labyrinth ruins.

Fully exploring the entire map and figuring out all secrets and side questlines took me over 60 hours. FromSoft pulls out all its tricks: expect hidden walls, making gestures to open hidden paths, and taking some leaps of faith. I can’t remember how many times I thought to myself “no way they did this, how do they come up with these ideas?”. After finishing the story I was sure I had Shadow Keep fully explored, only to find out there was another entrance that led to new sections. This is exactly how games should be designed, leaving you to make discoveries on your own. Instead of handholding you from one waypoint to the next, the attraction is figuring out the next step by process of elimination. You just get dropped off in the new play area with no hint what to do. The sense of adventure is unlike anything I’ve played since… well, since Elden Ring the main game. What they do super well visually is the use of color effects and sparks/particles distinct to each region, many hidden paths, weather effects, the long draw distance that lets you see unexplored areas across the map, the multi-layer map design, the enemy design in general, and the Scadutree looming over you from the distance.

The DLC also features two of the hardest bosses in the entire game, one atop the Jagged Peak and another in the final story area. You will know them when you reach them. Speaking of bosses, there are more than 30 unique bosses total (plus some duplicates). The vast majority of them are optional side bosses, with almost every dungeon featuring one. Some characters mentioned in the main game also make an appearance, expect some surprises hidden away in the furthest corners of the DLC.

Story plotholes revisited

The story revolves around Miquella and his followers. On your journey you will encounter other NPCs who are also on Miquella’s tracks. The NPCs have their own optional questlines which in usual FromSoftware fashion involve plenty of puzzles and out-of-the-box thinking.

A bunch of plot holes that were left unanswered in the main game are being explored in the Realm of Shadow, too. Overall, how much they managed to pack into this is phenomenal. Each time I thought I had fully explored the map, I kept finding more stuff. The expansion runs flawlessly on PS5 with no bugs or crashes encountered in my 60+ hours playtime.

Lots of new items

There are new items of all types: new weapons, armor, spells, incantations, talismans and so on. Regardless of what class you play there will be something new for you to try. Although most players will likely stick with their tried-and-tested main game weapons.

For the trophy and achievement hunters it deserves special mention that this expansion features neither trophies nor achievements. Most of FromSoftware’s DLCs have not featured these so it’s not a huge surprise.

For $40 you get an open world RPG that is bigger and better than almost any full-priced game. The only barrier to entry is that you must have made significant progress in the main game. To see everything plan in 60+ hours of playtime. If you loved the main game, you will love this too. It’s a continuation of what made the Elden Ring fantastic in the first place. An epic adventure!

***PS5 code provided by the publisher for review***

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