Freedom Planet
(Sub headings at request of Rory Smith (urgh, him again!). So here's something you don't see very much of these days, 16-bit style platformers. Granted we've had better technology than that since the early 90's, but for someone who grew up on them (Sega not Nintendo for me (Sonic FTW)) this is pretty damn exciting. Freedom planet takes the form of the likes of Sonic, Ristar, Bubsy, Rocket Knight and many others (no, I'm not unable to list the others due to lack of knowledge, it's just that it'll take up half a page and people don't really care) and adds to the list of great 16 bit speedy action platformers, where reflex is king. Sure, I've heard people spout how great Mario was and how Sonic sucked, but people don't get it, just because they're both platformers doesn't mean they have to be the same game judged by the same standards, they are 2 different types of game (this is all personal opinion btw) and Freedom planet is of the Sonic variety.
Just like the games listed above the characters are colourful animals (actually, Bubsy wasn't colourful, nor is a star an animal, hmm...) which makes it feel more retro rather than try and make it more gritty and the story is nuts, with terribly captured voice work (which I assume was intentional) that sounds like it was recorded in a bin, cut scenes that take way too long, plot twists that are never mentioned again and bickering world leaders. I love all this about it though, it makes it seem so cheesy and that's all part of the fun (for me anyway).
On to the important bit now, the gameplay. I'm not sure I'd liken it to Sonic so much as many people have (or had by now I guess as this is about a year old), but more of a mix of the games I already listed. It's got the fun variety of levels that you expect, a massive array of enemies that you never know what they're gonna do when you first meet them (and hence nearly always get hit the first time) and lots of spikes, moving platforms, ledges and crushing pillars for you to land on/miss/fall down/ get squashed under. Naturally it gets harder as the game goes on, but as you start to figure out what all your powers do and where to use them, things get easier at the same time.
One major advantage this has over older games (and something not has no doubt fuelled the 'games are too easy now' arguments that fill the dark corners of the internet) is that there's infinite continues, so no game over (good job too as I died about 30 times on the last boss). Obviously this brings up my dislike of bosses again as there is one at the end of every level, but the levels are so long (mostly around 15+ minutes) that it feels more like the end of 'zone' boss to steal a Sonic term.
Another bonus is there is 3 different characters you can play the game through, and, by the way their stories mix it would seem like they each have different levels (though I haven't looked that up) and you can opt to play through the game without the story so if you wanted to replay it with all the characters you can save yourself some time (I chose Lilac BTW, because the other first option rode a bike, which seemed lame). There's a time attack mode too if you're in to that sort of thing, but the best part, for me anyway, are the uinlockables throughout the game. These come in the form of cards hidden around the levels, and much like you used to get, most of these are music from the game. I miss sitting there listening to the theme tunes for all the bosses on Sonic 3 or whatever (I don't really miss it, but it is something I did) and although I'm not going to be spending my time listening to it now, it's nice to see it in there for nostalgic reasons
It must be said that the game was quite easy for me, as this is the sort of game I've invested months of my childhood in to, so if you're of the same generation of me you'll probably find the same thing (apart from that final boss, blimey). Nevertheless, it's a great look in to the past at what I grew up on, and it feels like I've just bought a new Megadrive game. It's available on Steam right now and coming to Wii U soon (which everyone owns of course) and hell, just pick it up on the next Steam sale, even if you don't try it for 5 years, and then just for 10 minutes, it's worth it if you give it a chance. (added note, the water level is much like Sonic 3's Hydrocity zone where there isn't much water (thank god).
DLC Quest
This is a simple little game (£2 on Steam) that makes fun of a lot of today's games, with having to pay to get a lot of things that should be in a game at the start, e.g, you can't walk left at the start of the game. It also pokes fun at fetch quests as it's often sending you back and forth across the map in order to advance, whilst hiding the ability to advance through a game behind having to upgrade your character. I can't forget it also adds 'dlc' (though you don't really pay for any of this it's noted (apart from the original £2)) that just changes the game aesthetically and has no real impact on the game, like making everyone wear bathing suits, putting a load of zombies in the game (that do nothing) and of course a horse armour pack. It's also packed full of little jokes referencing specific games and just gaming in general
I have just found it difficult to sum up what I just said in 1 picture, so I just picked this one at random. Anyway, the game is between about 1 1/2-2 hours long and for £2 is totally worth it, If I had to describe it in 2 words it would be 'simply (because it's really basic) brilliant (because for the tools available to them they've made a witty game with a handful of genuinely tough platforming moments)'. That's 2 words right?
Infamous: Second Son
Wow, how did I play all these when I was at work so much? Well, it's because I only started Infamous today and only for a couple of hours. It must be said though that it was a good couple of hours, I had really enjoyed the first 2 infamous games on PS3, so I knew when I got a PS4 eventually I'd be playing this and I got that PS4 sooner than expected and have been getting around to playing this game for months, and today just decided to go with it. It's really good is what I'm saying.
I'm not far in enough to have unlocked any of the other powers yet, so for now, just like The Mask, I'm Smokin'... hahaha, a classic. Point is it's not all that different from the other infamous games thus far, although the story is more grounded in the real world than before, but the gameplay is basically the same at this moment, which I don't have a problem with, yet, because I knew going in you unlock a variety of other powers like Neon, and whatever the others are.
This one may well take longer than the week ahead (well, 6 days in fact now) as it's open world, and there are powerful rewards for doing everything in the map (y'know, better powers and stuff) so next weeks post will cover a lot more ground on this game, though probably on nothing else.
Especially not on Dying Light, Which I've all but given up on, unless a certain person ever actually wants to play co op in it, which was the main reason I bough the game in the first damn place.
Completed games
Transistor
Worms Battlegrounds
Saints Row 4: Gat out of Hell
Wolfenstein the new order
The Swapper
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die
Apotheon
Sonic Adventure 2
The Order: 1886
Shovel Knight
CounterSpy
Ori and the blind forest
Freedom Planet
DLC Quest
Underway
Infamous: Second SonDying Light
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