After being on steam early access for the better part of the
last few months.The Blackout Club
finally makes its way to consoles with a full fledged released.For those who haven’t heard of it before, The
Blackout Club is a first-person co-op horror game centered around a group of
teenage friends investigating a monstrous secret beneath the surface of their
small town.1-4 players explore
procedurally-generated missions against a fearsome enemy you can only see with
your eyes closed.
I went into this game with little knowledge other than the
few promotional material floating around online.From the start you will be drawn in by how
deep and compelling the story actually is.It is a true mystery that is well crafted and intriguing enough that
players will get sucked into the lore of the world, taking on the motivation of
the characters.
The graphical aesthetic is well done and in some cases better
than expected.Details weren’t
overlooked and the neighborhood actually looks and feels like it could possible
exist in real life. The gameplay structure is mission based.The main structure of the game is co-op but
single player is also possible.The
player is rewarded for fluid movement and stealth. The tensest moments come when you are back up
against a wall and must try your best to formulate an escape.It is at these times that game really
shines.
An interesting enemy in the game is “the shape”.This enemy can only be seen when your eyes
are closed which makes for some heart pounding encounters. One of the biggest draw backs is that is It's
easy to be a bit underwhelmed by the multiplayer aspect of the game because of
how good the tutorial actually is.After
playing the tutorial you think you're about to embark on this horror/stealth
adventure with friends in co-op, which is true in some regards but unlike the
horror atmosphere of the tutorial.Actually, multiplayer is a faster pace and more of a thrill than a
scare.
All in all, The blackout club is a very fun and addicting
game that you can easily sinking many hours into. If a horror co-op adventure
sounds like fun for you, then consider giving this one a try.
Anime fans rejoice as the hyped release of Kill la
Kill the Game is here. Kill La Kill -IF- is an arena-based
combat game set in the world of the popular animated series of the same name. This
licensed fighter follows the lore of the series it is based on, but tells a
parallel story that fans of show will find surprisingly enjoyable. The game is an almost perfect re-creation of
the anime series, managing to capture all of the style and energy of the show. It uses a flat toned 3D model system that
almost looks like it’s cell shade but not entirely. The colours are vivid, bright and the overall
look feels just like you are playing an episode of the show.
The game has a story, versus
and practice mode – as well as a gallery.
The story mode as mentioned before, tells a new scenario of events separate
from anime. Versus mode is where you get a chance to test your skills in the
arena against AI or human opponents. Multiplayer options allow for competitive
battle amongst friends or linking up with challengers from around the world for
head to head battles.
The game surprisingly
includes both the original Japanese voices and the English dub. This is rare inclusion that many other
anime-based games have neglected adding in the past. Having the option to choose is a very
welcomed addition here. That being said,
fans of the either the dubbed or subbed version of the anime will instantly be pleased
by which ever vocals they pick, as both are equally as good and accurately
match their respective characters.
What about the fan
service? What would a Kill la Kill game be without its most iconic element? The developer of the game Arc Studio Works
were quick dispel fan concerns, that the game would be censored on
consoles. They assured fans that game
was going to release uncensored, the way it was meant to be experienced. Based on the pre-released version of the game
and the demo it seems that they were true to their promise.
As an anime inspired
game, Kill la Kill IF has everything a fan of the series would want. An engaging story, compelling visuals,
multiple audio options and an enjoyable solid combat system. All in all, whether you are an ultrafan of
the anime or just someone looking for a visually stylized fighter to pick up
and play, Kill la Kill IF is a solid game and worth your time.
Focus Home Interactive in collaboration with Asobo Studio crafted
a story of struggle and suffering in its latest game A Plague Tale: Innocence. In it, you follow the journey of the two main
protagonists Amicia and her little brother Hugo, both orphans on the run from
the terrifying Inquisition. The game is
set in medieval times and drops the player in a world of danger and rampant
disease, as a plague slowly decimates all life across cities and the
countryside.
The swarms of supernatural rats are a constant and every
present threat that the player hopes to avoid.
In this case, the rats represent the physical manifestation of the
plague itself. The terror they create is
tense and makes for intense situations where you need to use planning and
strategy to avoid coming into contact with them.
Amicia is a 15 year old, forced to mature quickly due to the
circumstances of her life. Her character
strengths shine through in the mastery of her stealth and hunting skills. This is in stark contrast to her brother
Hugo, who is frail and is suffering from an unknown illness. The game is set in a fictionalized version of
sometime in 14th century France, during the heights of the
Inquisition. The main focus in gameplay
is not head to head combat, as the siblings are obviously outmatched and
outnumbered by the enemies in the game.
Instead, the game focuses on more subtle tactics to progression. Amicia is armed with a slingshot that she
uses for distracting enemies, allowing her to escape. The player must often use strategy in order
to avoid falling into the line of sight of various enemies. As failing to do so results in enemies being
alerted to your presence and frantic chase sequences where the player has a
limited chance to escape.
Strategy is also key in puzzle solving in the game. There
are a few puzzles that offer some challenge that you must complete so that you
can get past certain obstacles. For the
most part, the puzzles are not too difficult but offer just enough complexity
to make you really think about it, in order to solve them.
The graphics are impressive.
From the early preview footage and trailers, the level of graphical
detail looked incredible. Character
models were highly detailed, with impressive lighting and shaders and ambient
effects. In the final release, there is
a slight difference in the visual aesthetic but the overall muted tones and
feelings of being in a world of dread and despair is fully realized. It manages to achieve, pulling off a
compelling story with moments of emotional heights and heartbreaking lows. The sound design is equally as good and helps
complete the overall package. Dramatic
musical scores suddenly resonate at the right moments, adding tension and
urgency – whilst the slower paced orchestral pieces offer a subdue ambiance to
the more intimate moments.
A Plague Tale is a game that tells story with all the glory
of a true cinematic experience. The grim
tale, takes players on a memorable and emotionally engaging adventure. The graphics are stunningly beautiful and
detailed despite of the bleak and dismal environment the events of the game
take place in. The entire experience is
one that is very rewarding to play though.
A Fisherman's Tale is a unique take on the VR puzzle
adventure formula.In the game, you
inhabit the body of a living puppet – as you experience key moments of the
fisherman’s life, through the eyes of the pupper inside of a model
lighthouse.From seeing the initial
trailers, you would be intrigued to find out more about story of this title, as
not much actual gameplay was shown prior to release.And being honest, this would cause many to
not have high expectations for this game or even dismiss it altogether – but
that is where A Fisherman's Tale would be able to shine and be an unexpected
surprise once you dive below the surface.
The story’s premise is simple, a Fisherman stranded by a
storm in a lighthouse, when he has a twist of reality experience with a tiny
puppet.In the lighthouse, you
experience an inception level event that only could brought to life using the
power of VR.As you look up you see
multiple levels of reality, putting the sense of scale into perspective.
Interaction is achieved through the use of 2 PS move
controllers which represent the players left and right hands respectively.In true VR fashion, you have a pair of
disembodied floating gloved hands to complete the experience.There is no full locomotion here, as all
movements are done through teleportation by using the move button and selecting
the desired warp location.There is 45
degree snapped turning mapped to the X and O buttons and the triggers are used
for picking up objects and clenching fists and option selection.There is no Dual Shock 4 support at all.
Now that the controls have been covered, let’s move on the
graphics.The graphics are crisp and
clear for the most part with objects having high resolution textures and sharp
edges.Unfortunately, there are some
times when anti-aliasing is noticeable.The world is vibrant and colorful in some places and dark and dreary in
others, with each level feeling unique and distinct to each other.
Being a puzzle adventure game, there are a variety of
puzzles that must complete in order to progress the story.The puzzle here are actually well thought out
and fun to complete. They make full use of VR medium, sometimes in very
interesting ways – interweaving in the overall narrative. However, don’t expect too much of a challenge,
as they are simple to solve and hints can be enabled for additional help if
needed.In most cases, you can see the
solution steps ahead of time, and simple trial and error can be enough to
figure things out.
Voice acting and sound design is nicely done.With the both English and French voice dub
being done by the same actor.The
overall mode and tone portrayed by the narration helped sell the overall
experience and having voice acting that is actually good, which is a rare find VR
games, is a nice addition indeed.
Despite of all its positives however, the one disappointment
with A Fisherman's Tale is that it wasn’t longer.The entire game can be completed in under 2
hours.Maybe 3 or more for achievement
hunters seeking to get all trophies and the platinum.Whilst the story is self-contained and
reaches a satisfying conclusion, at the end you do feel yourself wanting more
time in this world and stories that could be told.
A Fisherman's Tale (Lighthouse Entrance)
All in all, A Fisherman's Tale is an exceptional experience
that can only be fully appreciated in VR.It’s a definite much play for fans of point and click style puzzle games
and alternative method story telling experiences.
AFFECTED: The Manor is a passive horror gaming experience,
released by Fallen Planet Studios. In VR
you navigate a creepy mansion at night, referred to – ominously as “The Manor”.
The experience is roughly 30 minutes
long and would require you atleast 2 playthoughs in order to see both of the
branching pathways and a third one if you want to 100% get all trophies as
well. AFFECTED: The Manor is a passive horror gaming experience,
released by Fallen Planet Studios.
In VR
you navigate a creepy mansion at night, referred to ominously as “The Manor”.
The experience is roughly 30 minutes
long and would require you atleast 2 playthoughs in order to see both of the
branching pathways and a third one if you want to 100% get all trophies as
well.
The experience begins with the player outside of the manor,
allowing for the full size and scale of the structure to be fully observed before
entering.Once inside, doors will sequentially
shut forcing the player forward along the route.
This experience is definitely for fans of horror or for
persons looking to be genuinely terrified in VR.This hands down, was my most terrifying
experience to date in VR.You are warned
at the start of the experience to expect jumpscares but this is little comfort
for how well they are implemented to great effect.
The graphics are clear and textures are high resolution
adding to realism of the experience.You
can play with either the dual shock 4 or with the PS Move controllers.While playing with the Dual Shock 4, the
light of your torch, corresponds with viewing direction.Whereas, when playing with the Move
controller, light from the torch is directed from the controller.
For those interested, there are 5 trophies to be collected.2 of which are story related and the other 3
are time based. Due to lack of free
exploration, in order to achieve the time based trophies you will have to either
loiter around “the manor” until the specified amount of time passes.Unfortunately, gameplay time is not cumulative
and if you want to get the 2 hour long explorer trophy, it has to be done in
one sitting.
AFFECTED is an example of what it would look like if you
were to combine the best part of Layers of Fear with the VR mode from Resident
Evil 7.The best way to describe AFFECTED:
The Manor is as a premium haunted house experience in VR.
The game is available right now on the North
American PS store for $7.99.It’s the
perfect price for what you get and is a definite ‘must buy’ for anyone interested
in the horror genre.
Based on the preview trailers, In Death may come across as
yet another VR shooter with a medieval skin on top. This is where you would be wrong. I myself went into the experience with
tempered expectations, but an open mind. Needless to say, the game more than proved
itself. So should you give it a try?
Let’s take a closer look in our review of “In Death” for the PlayStation VR (PSVR).
In Death is a VR first person shooter that puts you in a procedurally
generated medieval world of floating ruins, in which you must defeat various
enemies on your journey progressing forward.From the start, you aren’t given any context or story points at
all.You are literally dropped at a
starting point, given a bow and left on your own.My first time playing, I was caught off guard,
as there is no hand holding or objectives to guide you at all.This strategy definitely did pay off on the
part of the developers, in forcing players to hit the ground running and start
figuring out the mechanics of the world for themselves.That being said, this is means that story
telling is non-existent, so those looking for any meaning narrative will be
sadly disappointed.What you can
discover however, is the context of the world as you journey forward.With each play session in game being referred
to as the “afterlife” – This is because, as the title suggests, from this point
you are journeying forward ‘in death’.
The game features various types of enemies that require
varying amounts of hits to take them down, with head-shots being the most encouraged
way of quickly dispatch enemies.From
the undead looking, zombie-like creatures called the abominations being easily
dispatched with one hit – to flying enemies like the cupids that require a
constant barrage of hits to be defeated.
‘In Death’ is an unforgiving, and extremely challenging
first-person shooter. Each play session
is treated as one complete journey through the “afterlife” – the point at which
you die is the end of that journey, there is no continuing afterwards.You then restart, back at the starting place
called “Sanctuary”. This is most
frustrating for boss encounters, as death means you must play your way back to
the boss fight, entirely from the beginning.
Floating Ruins (In Death PSVR)
Three Abominations about to attack (In Death PSVR)
The game allows for use of either the Dual Shock 4 or PS
Move controllers – it also allows for full movement locomotion, with snap
turning at various angles of rotation.The dual shock 4 allows for greater efficiency and simplicity while
playing – whilst the PS Move are more immersive.Using the Dual Shock 4, you reload and fire
your arrows with the right trigger, whilst changing your arrow types with the
right shoulder button.The left Trigger
is used for teleportation and left shoulder button activates the shield for
blocking incoming enemy attacks.The
left and right analog sticks are used for locomotion and rotation respectively,
with the D-pad being used for directional dashing.Despite having PS Move support, my preference
in this case was the Dual Shock 4.If
this was a stationary shooter, the PS Move controllers would be perfect, but
the added complexity of full locomotion, shooting and dodging was beyond the
design capabilities of the Move controllers and was more of a disadvantage
while playing.In which case I opted for the Dual Shock 4. In this case, I suggest trying both control
methods – then deciding which method works best for you.
Unfortunately for all its good points, the game’s biggest
stumbling point is in the sound design.It starts on a high point with low toned, religious themed music –
setting the atmosphere.Fitting well
into the narrative of being in a Christian inspired interpretation of purgatory
and the afterlife.But after this, it
sadly falls flat.There is no background
music in game, which is not a negative for me as I prefer not having background
in most cases – however, some may find the silence not to their liking. The real issue is the lack of proper sound
effects for the enemies.Enemies
approach silently with no audio cues, which prevents the player from being able
to listen for enemy footsteps or noises.This allows enemies to sneak up from behind unnoticed until they attack.In fact, the only sound effects you will be
hearing constantly is the clanking of weapons before and during attacks and the
death cries of enemies when they are defeated.
Anakim the Abomination - Boss Fight (In Death on PSVR)
Holding crossbow (In Death PSVR)
All in all, after spending many hours roaming the medieval floating
cathedrals, secret dungeons and tortured infernos of “In Death”, it has without
a doubt earned a spot of being one of the best PSVR titles I have played to
date.Its premise is not for everyone,
and it does have a few minor issues, but for those who are interested - it is a
definite buy.We give In Death on the
PSVR a 4.5 out of 5
Heavy Fire: Red Shadow is 360 degree wave shooter with you
in the command seat. Its operations are
simple – fight off waves of enemies approaching from all directions. The goal of each stage is to defend your
position from the oncoming attackers. Depending
on the type of enemy, the force required to take them out will vary. Some enemies approach on foot, making it easy
to take them out with simple gunfire, while others come in various vehicles
such as jeeps, trucks and ships requires more fire power.
The game graphics are not the best. In the VR mode is clear enough to see what is
going on but the general world is a jagged mess. The best approach to playing Heavy Fire would
be for short intervals, because anything beyond that point and the game becomes
a repetition of doing the same thing over and over once you master it.
There are a variety of stages to battle on, each with a
daytime and nighttime version. There are
no boss battles at the end of the stages, which is a disappointment. The game itself is not very challenging but
you can feel overwhelmed when there are many enemies approaching at all sides. There is a demo available on the PSN store if
need to decide if this title is something you might enjoy or not.
Heavy Fire: Red Shadow’s biggest problem is its price. The game sells for $19.99 for the standalone basic game and $9.99 for the VR mode. That makes the complete package a total of $30.00. For that price, it can be hard to justify purchases the game when you compare it to other games of similar prices that offer greater value.
Home Sweet Home is a
heart stopping journey down the halls of a twisted nightmare. But the question is, is it worth your time?
Let’s find out in our review of Home Sweet Home for the PSVR.
Home Sweet Home is a game that tells a story of a wife that has gone missing, and a husband’s journey to find her. One night, Tim wakes up in a seemingly abandoned building instead of his home. While trying to escape, he’s hunted by a hostile female spirit. Her approach is made even more terrifying by her constant wailing and the disturbing clicking sounds she makes with her box cutter. The player not only has to focus on stealth, but also solve puzzles and investigate their surroundings to unlock the mystery of what exactly is going on.
The events of the story take place in Thailand, and feature many interesting cultural beliefs and mythology. The game explains its backstory along the way by use of ‘collectibles’ such as logs, diary entries, and newspaper clippings - that give details of past events in the story.
Graphics are crisp and clear, and the world is highly well detailed. My main complaint is with some of the character models, specifically of the humans in the game. While the demonic creatures and monsters look fearful and as realistic as could possibly be, the human characters seem to just miss the mark. Often looking odd and sometimes unnatural in the greater context of the world.
The game can be played in TV-Only or VR mode, but to get the most immersive experience – obviously the VR mode should be played. For the most part, the majority of Home Sweet Home is extremely straight forward. The most frustrating part is getting stuck on some of the puzzles. Some puzzles give no context and can become rage causing-ly difficult. Requiring the player to search the environment for hints and then using trial and error to hopefully find the solutions. If not give up all together and seek a walkthrough online.
"Box cutter" dead girl from Home Sweet Home (VR Game)
The game does its best to keep you the player always on edge. The environments often shift and change as you turn around. Sometimes moving through a doorway can take you to a different world than the one you entered. Avoiding enemies feels like playing hide and seek. Waiting for the enemy to move out of sight before rushing onto the next progression point. I have learned first-hand that attempting to sprint your walk through to the end of a level doesn’t work. At times it can feel like an extreme test of patience to sit wait and wait- as your heart pounds out of your chest to be sure it is safe before progressing forward.
The sound design in Home Sweet home is amazing. The music changes and sound effects give clues for when danger is approaching. As mentioned before, you are alert to danger when the ghost girl is nearby auto cues as well as the sounds of her haunting cries and footsteps. The only major stumble is the voice acting, as some parts can be laughable funny with how bad it is.
Home Sweet Home is fairly short, and can be completed in approximately 5 hours. This time can be longer if you try to get all collectables hidden throughout each level. All in all, the game is an enjoyable horror experience. The Thai mythology and setting is very interesting and there are truly scary moments to enjoy. The game is available right now on the PSN store for $29.99. Be aware however, that this is only episode 1 – the story is set to continue in futures episodes but no release date or additional is available at this time.
Paper Dolls seeks to tell a story by combining traditional
Chinese cultural with western style horror elements. From the minute you start playing the game
you are alone, but you never truly feel alone.
There is always the feeling that something or someone can jump out at
you. While jump scares are kept to a
minimum throughout the experience, strange noises and the eerie environment
does an amazing job at keeping you fully immersed. The game does very little hand holding, you
are expected to find your way around the temple – solving various puzzles and
progressing the story-line.
Movement in the game is achieved either using the Dualshock
4 or the PS Move Controllers. The
developers have created what they call an “anti-motion sickness system”. It attempts to allow full player locomotion and
movement, without causing much discomfort.
Forward movements are done by pulling and releasing the triggers in a
sequential fashion, almost like imitating walking using your fingers. Left and right turning is done by double
tapping the corresponding trigger for the direction you want to turn.
This method of movement will take some getting used, and
even then it will never feel like second nature. I had some problem adapting to it at first,
but after a couple of minutes I was able get the hang of it. I must admit however, for someone like me
that is prone to motion sickness from full locomotion in VR games - this
movement system gave some improvement in preventing motion sickness. But it’s not perfect and can be very annoying
to use at times.
Throughout the course of the game you will come across
several ghosts, of which you are reminded to not fight them but instead run
away with a chance to seal them away later on.
The story is very shallow and is lacking much depth.
All in all, if you are interested in Horror games with a
focus on Chinese culture and traditions, then this is worth a try. However, be warned that with equal amounts of
enjoyment from Paper Dolls, you also get equal amounts of frustrations.
Downward Spiral: Horus Station is the debut title from
developer 3RD Eye Studios described
as a “mysterious and atmospheric zero gravity thriller.”
From the start you are put aboard the Horus Space Station,
weightlessly floating with all systems in emergency mode. There are no introductory cutscenes, no
opening musical scores or narrative exposition from the start. You are forced to get accustomed to the
navigation mechanics hands on. Using the
dual shock 4, each analog stick represents an arm. Movement is achieved by pushing the analog
stick in a specific direction then pulling back to create movement
momentum. Whilst movement for move controllers
allows you to use each hand while floating in zero gravity and propel yourself
around. The feeling of being able to
propel yourself is one of the best parts of the game as it is enjoyable, if not
a bit scary when you pull yourself forward with too much force go off hurdling
out of control.
Downward Spiral can be played both in VR and Non-VR, with a
normal campaign mode and an exploration mode.
The exploration mode allows you to wonder and explore around the Horus
Station with having to worry about being attacked by enemies. There is very minimal on story to almost
none at all. This is not a problem as
the eerie atmosphere and haunting silence drive you to want to find out more
about what happened to result in things being the way that they are.
Gameplay graphics are clean and visually pleasing in VR but
nothing exceptional, but it does achieve the goal of making you feel like you
are aboard a drifting space station. Sound
design is on point as the often lack of musical score at points in time allow
for the monotonous hum and beeping of the machines to set the stage of
believability that you are actually alone, drifting in outer space.
The greatest downside of the game is the sometimes
overwhelming monotony that sets in at the half way point. Rooms start to blur together as the feeling
of “been there, done that” starts to set in.
Downward Spiral is not for persons looking for high action, space
adventure with an intriguing narrative.
Instead, it should be viewed as a slower pace, “experience” aboard a
space station in the midst of distress.
We give Downward Spiral: Horus Station on the PSVR a 6 out
of 10. For the point of view of being a Dead Space inspired walking simulator,
there is fun to be had with tempered expectations.
Blind is the latest game from Tiny Bell Studios. In it you navigate through the darkness of a
mysterious mansion, trying to get to your brother who you believe is also being
held captive there as well. The game
begins with a cutscene of the main character and her younger brother driving
along a road at night in the pouring rain before a sudden flash of lightning
strikes and you get to see the image of a man standing in the middle of the
roadway.
After you take control of the main character named Jane, she
is told by a disembodied voice that she was involved in a car crash and has
lost her vision. It is from this point
you are set free to roam the creepy mansion on your own.
The world you explore in Blind is high contrasted with most
objects and figures only appearing as visible outlines. The premise of blindness is used to great
effect here in its presentation. Sight
is mainly achieved through echo location so sound is an important part in being
able to reveal your surroundings for navigation. Despite the well implemented visual aesthetic
of the world, the navigation leaves a lot to be desired. The game works best with the motion
controllers for navigation. With forward
and back movements mapped to the left controller and rotational turning mapped
to the right. This unfortunately is not perfect, due to the
fact that the button layout on the move controllers not being designed for such
purposes. In most cases you end up
pausing the game unexpectedly by hitting the wrong button.
As you progress you are explore the mansion guided by the
mystery man, you literally stumbled through the darkness slowly unraveling
pieces of the story by completing various puzzles. Despite the puzzles themselves not being very
difficult, frustration can occur from a combination of trying to find the
solution in the dark, and trying to make enough noise to trigger echos to see
what you are doing at the same time.
The biggest shortfall of Blind however, lies in its lack of
substance below the surface. Once you
get a hang of the basic mechanics of the game and begin to progress deep into
the narrative you realize there is not much depth. This becomes clearly obvious the more you
progress beyond reaching the final conclusion.
All in all, Blind on the PSVR was implemented well, but with
a few minor issues. The visual style
works well and it offers something we haven’t seen before in VR.
