Level Down Games
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Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is an amazing game and after playing it I understand why it got so much praise over seas. It was funny, exciting, charming, and so much more. I cannot wait for the second part to come here. If you are looking for a game that has a great sense of humor and amazing gameplay all throughout this is the one I would recommend. It is also one of those games that I had a hard time even trying to find a flaw with. It was great being able to have a refreshing experience that you were able to just sit back and really enjoy everything it offered without being overwhelmed or feel like there's just so much to do and so little time. By far one of the better games I have played so far this year.
Without question, this is Drinkbox Studios best outing to date, and will propel them even further in the industry. With a writing style that is absolutely insane and a plethora of nods to pop culture and other video game franchises, a colorful art palette and beautiful graphics, to a soundtrack that is one of the best we’ve heard this year so far, you really owe it to yourself to play through Guacamelee 2.
Capcom is back with a vengeance, ready to reclaim portions of the gaming industry for themselves. If their recent games are anything to go off of, my excitement levels are through the roof for whatever new project they’re cooking up next.
Without question, Capcom has shown the gaming world how to do a remake correctly in 2019. Resident Evil 2 is a much more refined experience than it was 21 years ago, and seeing it run on modern hardware is a visual treat to the eyes.
My mother always told me that forgiveness is a virtue. EA, publisher of Apex Legends, has made it difficult to embody this attribute because over the course of many sunken dollars, they have disappointed me with undelivered promises, pricey in-game transactions, and abandoned developments. However, like a beaten dog, I’ve come whimpering back to their wide open, well-polished arms. Apex Legends is fun, it’s addicting, and the urge to play JUST ONE MORE is ever present. It’s difficult to say after not even a week since its launch, but if you’re looking for the next big competitive game, Apex Legends might just be it. I, for one, will be happy if it is.
Heaven’s Vault is a flawed experience, with the flaws jumping out early and persisting until the end of the story. But there’s way too many other things bundled into this package to simply ignore them on that premise alone. I wasn’t expecting to like Heaven’s Vault as much as I did, but it’s honestly one of the more enjoyable games I’ve had the pleasure of going through so far this year.
I can’t think of any other single player game that has offered such a wide breadth and endless stream of content without having to pay for every new level. Whether you are a creative and inspiring designer, a swift fingered speedrunner, or a casual weekend Mario newbie, there will forever be another flagpole to grab, castle to conquer, and princess to save in the incomparable Super Mario Maker 2. The team at Level Down Games can not put it down, and if you decide to make the purchase, we’re certain you won’t be able to either.
I like Control. No. I really like Control. The fact that the game doesn’t explicitly hold your hand and guide you on where to go and instead relies on your innate nature to want to explore was a perfect design choice. Backtracking to find secret rooms, hidden items, and unexplored areas was rewarding 90% of the time and oftentimes even added additional layers and craziness onto the already action-packed story that was being presented. For the most part, it all felt right and satisfying. If Remedy can clean up some of the issues with the frames dropping from time to time, I really think this is going to be the one for them that is received universally well by critics and fans alike.
River City Girls really did impress me but how polished of an experience it ended up being while staying faithful to the Kunio-kun world. The minor annoyances we had throughout the game and headaches from moving to areas during combat were quickly forgotten about anytime combat initiated because the gameplay was just so much fun. And when it all boils down, that’s truly what matters in a side scrolling beat-em-up, is it not? Fans of the genre, purchase this game.
Yet, somewhere along the way, I and many other gamers felt lost. The deeply rich and vibrant lands we once ventured across no longer held any allure, only temporary distractions and shadows of the glory we once strove for. Leveling became easy. Professions became bothersome. Travel was insignificant. Money lost value. High fantasy was sacrificed for a fantasy/sci-fi hybrid, complete with motorcycles, rocket ships, and aliens. Even the war between factions held little intrigue, as too often had the conflict been sacrificed in the name of some greater evil. The flavor from World of Warcraft faded, and subscriber numbers slowly dwindled to a fraction of their peak. We didn’t want to play the seventh expansion of World of Warcraft anymore, we wanted to play the original. We wanted vanilla. We wanted classic. At least, we think we did…
Anyone looking for the biggest roguelike of 2019 should probably look no further than Children of Morta. This is an excellent release that just works on so many different levels, with very few minor annoyances in the end. There’s practically something for everyone to enjoy with the many different gameplay styles and ways you can tackle a problem in the dungeons. I didn’t want the game to end when it did, and I’m truly holding out hope that Dead Mage will expand upon the story with some DLC releases in the future, as I feel like my time with the Bergson family just hasn’t fully concluded yet.
I was thoroughly impressed with what The Sojourn had to offer and so happy that the game was moved from 2020 to a September 20, 2019 release. The world needed you Sojourn, and through the darkness shone your light. I truly hope anyone and everyone out there who loves puzzle games picks this game up and tells a friend.
Does Gears 5 revolutionize the series and take third person shooters into a new stratosphere? Absolutely not. But it continues to build upon everything Epic Games did right in the original trilogy, and what The Coalition has been expertly refining since taking the helm with Gears of War 4. Anyone that’s been invested in the lives and personal stories of these characters since the beginning owes it to themselves to play through this latest entry. But even if you’re jumping in to the franchise for the very first time, there’s an amazing game to be experienced here that will most likely compel you to go back and play through everything that came before it when you’re done.
Overall, I really have enjoyed my time with this game. The campaign was very enjoyable and definitely worth a playthrough. The voice acting was spot on and the visuals were amazing. Obviously, the multiplayer is the bread and butter of this franchise, and I have really lost track of time during my gaming sessions playing this. While it does have its flaws, I find the positives outweighing the negatives and with all the updates that Activision has been pumping out, the negatives will soon be an afterthought.
The vast wilderness laid out in front of you, with a simple objective to deliver a package. It sounds boring, but it’s far from it. It sounds simplistic, yet it’s anything but. It’s a beautiful capture of the way games are meant to be. The best ones not only provide hours upon hours of entertainment and fun gameplay, but they make you ponder the important questions. They get you to fall for their characters and become so invested that you have to see what happens next as quickly as possible. They deliver upon the premise of being game-changing. That’s exactly what Death Stranding has done. Is it perfect? No. But it isn’t supposed to be. Writing this game off as so many people did initially is one of the biggest tragedies to happen in the industry in quite some time. You owe it to yourself to play and experience everything Death Stranding has to offer. Get lost in the moments that matter, and feel for these characters as we did.
Journey to the Savage Planet lets you embrace the unknown of an environment while providing the tools and utilities needed to allow for a sense of freedom many games can only attempt to achieve.
Allow me to be candid for a moment. I work in healthcare and have small children at home. With the fear in the world of CoViD-19 and the surrounding hysteria and panic, these last few weeks have been nothing short of stressful. I’ve had travel plans cancelled, work schedules have been all over the place, and we’ve had some difficulty getting supplies for our home, including fresh food. My family is still in a good place, but the thoughts and worries have been constant clouds in my mind. Ori and the Will of the Wisps has been a welcome escape from these concerns. For a few short bursts of time, I was able to escape the crowded grocery lines and travel through Niwen, full of friendly faces and frightening foes alike, all placed in one of the most beautiful video game worlds to date. The credits rolled for me at just over 10 hours of play, but I expect to get a few more hours reaching towards the 100% marker in the first playthrough alone. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is available on PC and Xbox One via Xbox Game Pass, which runs at such a cheap price that this game should be a no-brainer for most people to play. For me, this is the first high profile release of 2020, and is a near-perfect Chapter One to what looks to be a very promising year.
ony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remastered is a return to the past, a small gift for all those players who enjoyed the phenomenon that occurred with the saga at the end of the 90s. There’s nothing new here, but that isn’t what this is about. It’s about appreciating the foundation that would spawn so many games after it and a whole new genre, before ultimately meeting that brick-wall which the quality just wasn’t able to escape. These games feel like their in the right hands now with the crew over at Vicarious Visions. Let’s hope they get a chance to show the world what they can do with a brand new outing. I’m almost afraid to wish for a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 6… but maybe it’s time. Maybe.
All of that being said, Spider-Man: Miles Morales doesn’t wield the weighty price tag of $69.99 that other first party titles do and will. The $49.99 price seems to be of accurate value, and since I’m not a fan of Souls-like games and the universally-acclaimed Demon’s Souls does not appeal to me, this is so far, and will likely remain, my favorite of the PS5 launch titles. Like Miles stepping into the heroic role once occupied by Peter, Spider-Man: Miles Morales had the huge shoes of Marvel’s Spider-Man to fill, with all of the expectations that comes along with the title. It’s a little less than what you once got, and isn’t quite the masterpiece of its predecessor, but is still more than worthy of your time and attention. Hopefully, the universe continues onwards with a larger adventure, because Insomniac has created one of my favorite currently-running video game franchises.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV builds off of the previous three entries and finally brings a conclusion to the long-running Erebonian Arc.