Gaming

PataPon2
GamingByte Size ReviewPS4

Byte Size – Patapon 2: Remastered (PS4 Review)

Guy 2895 Views ,  ,  , 

You know those songs that just get stuck in your head? A tune or song that you will catch yourself humming along too, when having a shower or hanging out the washing. Well, prepare to have a new song bury itself into your subconscious! “Pata-Pata-Pata-Pon”. Patapon 2: Remastered is exactly that…a remastered version of the 2009 PSP title Patapon 2.

It has been up-rezzed to 1080p/4K for the PS4 and had its music refreshed, but that’s about it. The core of the game is unchanged, in fact it fells like bit of a blast from the past in a way. As music rhythm games don’t tend to be as big as they used to be.

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Dreams, PS4
GamingGame ReviewsPS4PSNetworkPSVR

Dreams, PS4

Richard Armitt 2630 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

How do you review something like Dreams? You can’t, not in the traditional sense anyway.

Dreams is an ever morphing mass, a creative community always shifting and growing and being unique. Each and every user will connect to the Dreamiverse (Media Molecule’s big concept) in different ways, wanting different things and walking away with a different take.

I have suffered with a condition most of my creative life. From school to now I always want to ‘do’ something. That something always escapes me, either the painting in my head is nothing like the art I produce or worse still life goals just never get it into the box. That was a soccer euphemism.

My condition is the age old struggle of Ambition vs Ability.

Dreams is bringing out the worst of that in me.

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Stranger's Wrath HD
GamingByte Size ReviewNintendoSwitch ConsoleXBLA

Stranger’s Wrath HD. An old Oddworld favourite with a new lick of paint

Gerard Campbell 1248 Views ,  , 

When the esteemed editor of this fine online publication asked if I was keen to look at Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD on Nintendo’s Switch, I didn’t hesitate saying yes.

You see, dear readers. I had just finished watching a fascinating documentary from Ars Technica on the Oddworld series creator Lorne Lanning. Who regaled viewers about his journey from poor kid in New England (near New York) to concept artists in a US military company to co-founder of development studio Oddworld Inhabitants. (The documentary is well worth a watch (there is also a two-hour plus extended interview with Lanning), as are the remainder of Ars’ War Stories documentaries.)

Released on the original Xbox 15 years ago. Stranger’s Wrath HD is a mix of third-person and first-person action that doesn’t feature downtrodden Abe. The hero of previous Oddworld games. In his stead, a mysterious brooding stranger who must bounty hunt his way through the game world to earn enough Moolah (the in-game currency) to pay for a life-saving operation.

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Zombie Army 4 Dead War
GamingGame ReviewsPC / MacPS4PSNetworkXBLAXbox One

Zombie Army 4: Dead War, PS4 Review

Richard Armitt 1773 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

The Zombie Army franchise is one I’ve not picked up before, which is strange to me as Zombie Army 4 ticks so many boxes. The zombie genre is evergreen and whether you are a hardcore horror zombie fan, or kitsch, tongue through cheek zombie fan there is always something to sate your appetite.

From the Sniper stalwart slow-motion x-ray camera that crops up and shows your nut busting shot in all its glory. To the environmental hazards, topped only by the zombified Great White, that you wake and watch as it munches happily on the braindead.

Zombie Army 4 has everything I want in a great title, there is no overwrought narrative that pushes me away, it has drive to be completed and replayed. I’m sure there will be plenty of like minded Nazi Zombie killers online to team up with for a long time. It might be the setting, it’s more likely the gameplay. 

It’s a game and fun one at that, if you want to play something alone or in a crowd with a big dumb grin on your chops. This is for you.

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2019 Retrospective
Game PassFeature ArticleNintendoPC / MacPS4PSVRSwitch ConsoleXbox One

Happy New 2020 and putting a pin in 2019

Richard Armitt 1105 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

The rest of the team have had their turn. It is interesting to see that we have all been touched by different games over the last 12 months.

The standout for Guy being Control, although we do agree on Blood and Truth being a landmark title for PSVR. Whereas Barrie loved Outer Worlds, I tried it, but wasn’t in the right space. Maybe I need to give it another spin now the fuss has died down. Gerard plumped for Plague Tale, which is title I have seen often recommended, but never looked close enough.

The great thing is, it looks like my Pile of Shame is about to get at least 3 games bigger.

Right now, looking back at 2019 we had some great titles to play and it really is hard to pull out a shortlist of favourites. That said, here’s my take.

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The Barrie's Highlights Edition
GamingFeature ArticleNintendoPC / MacPS4Xbox One

2019 – How Did It Stack Up? (The Barrie’s Highlights Edition)

Barrie Clarke 1479 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

This years highlights for me are a bit tough. Basically because of all the older games I have been playing.

Thanks to Game Pass on the Xbox I have been enjoying a absolute plethora of classic titles and games I would otherwise not have looked at. And on the flip side many of the great releases in 2019 for me were actually remasters or re-releases.

So I will try and rattle off a few highlights, and of course a disappointment or two.

All these titles were played on the Xbox One X.

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Shenmue 3
GamingByte Size ReviewPS4Xbox One

Shenmue 3, Review

Gerard Campbell 1570 Views ,  , 

I never played the original Shenmue, released 18 years ago on the Dreamcast, nor did I play Shenmue 2, so I went into Syu Suzuki’s (crowd funded) third Shenmue game (Shenmue 3) without rose-tinted glasses on or a feeling of nostalgia.

I’ve decided Shenmue 3 is a strange mix of old gaming mechanics wrapped up in a modern, shiny new skin – and I’m not sure it works entirely well in today’s modern gaming landscape.

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3dRudder - RUN THE GAME
GamingFeature ArticleHardwarePS4PSVRVideo Content

3dRudder for PSVR : Q/A with Stanislas Chesnais

Richard Armitt 1932 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

We are no strangers to PSVR here at the site and its fair to say we are constantly surprised by the improvements being made in PSVR games. Something exciting on the horizon with future Australasian distribution is the 3dRudder.

As a feet-on experience it makes the difference and fills a gap. Anybody that has tried been challenged by movement in PSVR versions of Skyrim or DoomVFR  (already on PC) would agree, if they were integrated 3dRudder would change the game.

Our thanks go to Stanislas Chesnais, CEO, for taking the time to answer our questions and hopefully pique some interest in the 3dRudder. Knowing The Wizards and wishing No Man’s Sky integration was on the horizon can’t wait to give it a spin. Literally.

Now, DoomVFR – time to lift your PSVR game.

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