Key

Redout

In an era of gaming where fast paced blood pulsing racing games have taken a bit of a backseat, Redout is the "man in shining armor" to bring back the concept full force. Along the lines of F-Zero, Wipeout 64, and others, Redout brings a fast paced blood pulsing experience that is cleverly mixed together with a heart racing soundtrack to keep you wanting more. While other games in this genre are somewhat easy to get a hang of if you play it long enough, Redout seems to be rather unforgiving in that regard.

I remember seeing one of my favorite Youtubers talk about this game, and I was instantly hooked just by the sheer amount of polish the game seemed to have upon its release, and boy...the polish surely translates to your own experience. I picked up the game for about 40$ if I remember, so don't think you're going to only shell out like 10 bucks. The price tag is probably the only part that may keep people from getting it. But, for 40$, you get not only a rehash of a golden gaming genre that took a pause, but you also get a fantastically made career mode that get tougher as you go on.

As of right now, I've put about 7 hours into the game, and that's just with the career mode alone. I've nearly already made my moneys worth since I consider at least 10 hours to be worth it for the price tag, though I know cheaper games allow for more play time. But seeing as this is just a concept being put into play, it's not entirely surprising to expect no more than 20 or 30 hours from this game. Which honestly, that's more than enough for me.

One of the main draws of the game, at least for me would have to be the potential for online multiplayer. I've done a few matches and I've been successful in finding a match, but it's very few when you get into a match. Which is rather unfortunate because I feel this game could do really well just with its multiplayer alone. Unfortunately that's the curse of releasing a game that didn't get a lot of drive from the get go. Hopefully at some point it picks up.

And although the online play can be a bit hectic sometimes, everything else about the game is perfect. I play the game in 1920x1080 resolution and I have my PC setup with a surround sound logitech speaker system with a subwoofer, and by god it sounds amazing. If you have all the right specs, you really start to feel like you're actually in the game. Did I mention there is a VR mode? Yes. There is a VR mode. And from what I've heard, it's really good.

If you're looking for that game to take the place of your urge to race at fast pacing heart pounding speeds, Redout is the game for you. I'd strongly recommend checking it out.

Key

GoldenEye: Source

So, believe it or not, GoldenEye or as some would call it "007" has made it's way back into the wave of gaming that we know and love today. Basically what was done is that somebody took on the role of taking Valve's Source engine and creating a complete conversion that fits the needs of those that hold GoldenEye near and dear to our hearts. The best part about it? It's free. Yes! It's free.

I'm one of those gamers that holds Nintendo 64 games very close to my heart, because that is to my knowledge some of the best gaming I ever did as a kid. And of course, that is what boosted my way into enjoying video games today. Goldeneye, Turok II, Wipeout 64, Super Mario, all those games are some of the best parts of my childhood, and to see some of them come back into the world today and be completely accessible to those with the right setup is pretty amazing.

Looking at it from someone that used to play multiplayer GoldenEye with friends, I can safely say that this conversion mod did everything it was meant to do and more. It keeps the old school graphics that you love about the game, and allows for so much more. Instead of only needing a duel screen multiplayer, the people behind this setup dedicated servers, and of course...those servers tend to fill up pretty quick. The first time I played it, I spent a good 3 hours just really enjoying the feeling of being back in the saddle of GoldenEye.

Perhaps one of the coolest additions with this mod would have to be the soundtrack that the developers made for this game. It's very much similar to the original, but has a unique twist to it that gets your blood pumping and gets your ready to get into the game and shoot down your enemies. Of course, one of my personal favorites would have to be:



If you guys want to play some GoldenEye: Source, I'm more than open to opening up a server and getting some games going.

The Batlord

The people on those servers are terrifying though. I have no idea how you can get an instant headshot on command with Goldeneye's aiming system. Bastards.

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Key

Yeah, I think my only gripe with the game would be that the aiming system and the overall playability does feel like it'd be better with a USB N64 controller. Other than that, it's pretty solid.

Key

Runescape

Back in 2004, I stumbled upon a game pretty much by accident and little did I know, everybody in my middle school had already latched onto this game. Yes, I'm talking of course about Runescape. We've all heard about it, and we've all showed some sort of admiration for the game whether it's the original music or the hopeless addiction you find yourself in.

Although recently, or throughout the past couple years, the Runescape that I used to know seized to exist, I still have a special place in my heart for this game for many reasons. One of course being one of the greatest MMO's I have ever played. Keep in mind, this was back in the day where Runescape and World of Warcraft were THE games to play, and since I didn't really have the money to cater to a World of Warcraft addiction, I stuck to Runescape. Funny enough, it wasn't even the paid version. I played the free to play version for years before I convinced my mom to put her credit card on file in order for me to play the members game. And man...my world opened up.

Runescape has many flaws, from the salty community to the now grind grind grind mentality, but back in its hey day, it was a place to escape from the real world and enjoy hours upon hours of fun. I met so many online friends through Runescape and some I had managed to keep for years, up until they as well decided to quit. With the company putting in updates that weren't overly favorable, they basically killed their own game.

Now, don't get me wrong, up until a few months ago, I was still playing this game off and on. I've been on an uphill and downhill battle with this game where I'll quit for long periods of time, but then I'll get right back into it as if nothing had happened. It was a game that I knew I could always turn to when I didn't have anything else to play. It even got to a point back when I started in 2004 where I was neglecting my homework for school, and I basically thank Runescape for making me have to take two summer school classes in order to pass high school. But you know what? I have no regrets. The memories I made with the game will stick with me for the rest of my life.

I know there are a lot of people that still play the new Runescape and a lot of Youtubers play the old school version, which I watch regularly. More specifically, A Friend:



I strongly believe and somewhat hope that the game does pick up again and continue to flourish, because even if you look at the comment sections of the old music that played in the game, you can see hundreds of people reliving their childhoods through the music alone. That's how captivating the game was.

Whether you played the game or not, the company behind this game have managed to keep themselves afloat and I can't even imagine how much the company is worth now. But when it really boils down to it, I think the draw behind it all will be that people will always have fond memories of this game, and the company will be the reason for that. Although they may not know where they want to go now, nothing will ever replace the memories that this game brought.

Truly a magnificent game and one that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Tristan_Geoff

All my brother plays is CS:GO and 2007scape. I'd look into the latter since that seems to be what you would wanna play.

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YW Fam: All MB Music Projects Under One Roof

Emo/Pop Punk Journal

Techno Journal

Key

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition

I've been constantly going back and forth with Ori and the Blind Forest in regards to me liking it or me not liking it, and I can safely say that after putting a good couple hours into the new and improved definitive edition, I can conclude that the game is amazing and meets the expectations I set up for it when it was previously released.

Before the definitive version, I owned the original release of the game, and man...it was filled with bugs and some game breaking glitches that somehow made me erase my file that I was about 25% into. It was my first play through so I was very disappointed. I had the urge to play the game again a few months later, and I had found that there was a definitive version that apparently fixed all the game breaking bugs and made the game way more fun, and let me tell you, it delivers.

It's unfortunate when a game like this doesn't do well in its original state, and I feel for the developers when they have to re-release a game in a different namesake in order to meet peoples expectations. Luckily, for people that originally owned the original version, the developers went ahead and sent those people a very generous discount for the definitive version, so I felt obligated to buy it.

Ori and the Blind Forest is still to this day, one of the best experiences in regards to playformers and graphics style, but what it really does well is the atmosphere and soundtrack. I've heard some negative things about the end game and the story altogether, but I can't deny that they set this game up to be one of the most beautiful experiences you'll ever...er...experience. I'm nearly halfway through the game, so of course the game does feel a bit short. But there are many secrets to be found, and a whole world to explore.

Definitely do check this game out if you did previously give it a chance.

Key

Okhlos

This game would have already made its way onto my "Ki's Picks" month even before I played it, solely based on the concept and how cool the game is. Luckily, the game just went on sale and I've already put enough time into it to conclude that this game is ****ing fantastic.

In the most basic of terms, Okhlos is a hybrid of rogue like gameplay reminiscent of the Binding of Isaac mixed with side scrolling beat em up mixed with random generation and upgrades. It does go on a "floor by floor" basis much like Isaac, but with Okhlos, it sets you into greek mythology. The way it works is much the same as Pikmin, where your main source of attack is by a "mob". And you grow your mob as you play through the level and you have to be careful not to lose too many members of your mob before the boss fight on each level. I've done one run already and I have to say, the gameplay and everything mixed together makes for a very VERY fluid and nice experience.

The way I've been playing it is with my PS4 controller, but you can play on keyboard and mouse. I switched to the controller because it felt way more natural, and it's almost as if they built the game around people who prefer controllers.

I may have not been able to put this game in this months theme had it not been for the sale, but I can safely say that even if the game wasn't on sale, it's still worth checking out. If you're a fan of Pikmin style combat mixed with rogue like floor by floor random generation set in greek mythology, this game is for you.

Key

Papers, Please

This game, with its simple concept performed through a heavily captivating environment and story, has definitely deserved the high scores and hype it has gotten around the internet. Youtubers that I frequently follow have had nothing but good things to say about this game, and I agree with all of them.

Papers, Please is a sort of simulation story where you take the role of a border control guard to keep people from leaving the country, or to allow them in. The depth of the game comes from the fact that you really need to be sure you're not letting terrorists into the country, or letting people in illegally. Of course, this can have repercussions where if you do let a terrorist in, he'll go on a killing rampage in the border crossing area. It's very interesting because this can also effect your home life. Some days you won't make enough money to buy your family some food, and then of course they get sick and die if you can't help them. So, the incentive is that you really want to be paying attention to who you deny or allow access. It can have its positives and its heavy negatives.

You really start to feel for some of the characters that show up in the border crossing because they tell you that they either don't have enough money to afford a passport, or they've been waiting for several years to be able to get through. Emotionally you can't let yourself get to you because it'll only mean that you accidentally let an illegal immigrant into the country. And that once again can have its negative outcomes.

I'm actually shocked at how much I enjoyed my first couple play throughs, but it is really very something special.

Key

Rocket League

Yes, I'm talking about Rocket League again in this journal. How could I not? Not only has it been racking up hours through Steam, it's still as playable and enjoyable and community filled as it was the first day it was released. When I talk about games that I find to be near perfection or even perfection, I tend to fall more towards talking about the developers of the game as opposed to talking about the game itself. However in this case, the credit goes to both the developers and the game simultaneously.

Psyonix is a developer that should not only be respected, but one that will more than likely continue to impress the masses with their ability to create something truly spectacular and unique. If you weren't aware, Psyonix are known for making Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle Cars, which Rocket League is the spiritual successor. Now, little did I know that SAR-PBC is still popular to this day, it's not entirely surprising. Though I imagine the people that heavily enjoyed that game have shifted to Rocket League by now.

I've talked about the game in this journal so I really don't need to try to convince you as to why I believe this game is perfection. If you're curious, just think soccer ball with cars. And boosts. And competition. And customization. It has everything. Not only that, but the developers are heavily comfortable with the community behind their game, so much to the fact that they release a lot of big updates for free, or at the very least, dirt cheap. They care more about the experience over money, and that's a really nice change of pace. I'm looking at you EA Games.

The reason I bring this game up again is not only to showcase it in Ki's Picks, but to also heavily throw the idea out there that we should really have an MB wide Rocket League tournament. I know I've put this idea on the table before, and I know there are some people here that play the game. I think it'd be fun and a good way to bring this dead community back together.

Anyway, play Rocket League.