Key

Middle Earth: Shadow of War

It probably took me longer than it should have to get into this game, but man, I'm sure happy I did. Let's talk about Lord of the Rings as a whole for a second before we get into this. The common theme with Lord of the Rings games seems to be the quality. I could probably go on record of saying that it's very minimal the amount of times I've played a Lord of the Rings game and had it disappoint me. And yeah, that's including the original Xbox games and even The Third Age. There's something about witnessing the lore of Lord of the Rings in a video game. However, if you want the quintessential Lord of the Rings game, the Middle Earth series is certainly one to behold.

Before Middle Earth: Shadow of War was even out, we were still given the blessing of Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, which for its time is certainly one of the best games in the series. You've got the Arkham style combat that works extraordinarily well in this game setting as well as the new-coming Nemesis system amongst you and the orc captains and such. However while I was playing through Shadow of Mordor for the first time a few years back, the game started to wear a little thin, only because there wasn't a whole lot of access to launching yourself from building to building to truly make you feel like a badass. Even with the few faults that I did find the game, I still managed to put a bit of time into it because it became a tad repetitive.

Now, we're in the age of Middle Earth: Shadow of War, and let's be honest...it improves on everything that Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor tried to do and still did well. You've got new abilities, new ways to jump from building to building, and this time, instead of being in a sort of desolate flat area for the most part, you're instead put into some enormous cities that not only allows you to jump around like a badass, but top that with the new double jump ability, you can pretty much scale and jump across any platform you find yourself on. I do have to say that even the combat and the simple running around and jumping feels much more polished than it's predecessor. Though that's not entirely surprising. I would also like to go on record as to saying that this is probably the definitive Middle Earth game as well as being personally my favorite Lord of the Rings game I've ever played.

Everything from the combat to the world building and even to the story is top quality gaming at its best. Evidently, the story is told between The Return of The King and the Hobbit trilogy. So yes, if you're expecting to see characters and plots from the movies, you'll be one happy camper. So far I've already seen multiple connections to the movies, which on its own makes the game worth playing.

Unfortunately the only thing that could potentially catch people off guard is the graphics. By no means do I think the game looks bad, hell I think the game looks amazing. Especially on a nice PC. However, I can certainly understand peoples gripes about the graphics as they do look slightly dated. However I'm not one to gripe too much at graphics, especially when everything else in the game makes up for it.

You can expect not only stealth missions as you go along, but just throwing yourself into combat with 10 or even 15 other enemies while trying to fight 2 or 3 captains at a time is the most fun I've had with a combat based system in a long time. I'd even go as far as saying that i do think it improves on what Arkham Asylum was trying to do, even though I do think Arkham Asylum adds a little more variety. But, that's basically comparing two completely different games, and I feel like both games are great on their own merits.

So yeah, Shadow of War is every bit as amazing as you've probably heard. I'd definitely recommend not even listening to the negative reviews about the game, because that's originally kept me away from it. Instead, let your own experience do the talking. I also highly recommend playing with a controller and keyboard and mouse doesn't allow for as much freedom in your combat. Plus, a controller just feels more natural for this kind of game.

With 10 hours put into this game already and being barely into the main storyline due to getting sidetracked time and time and time again, I'd say this game gets my full recommendation.

Now I totally know what you're thinking: "Ki, what if I don't really like LOTR that much". Well, honestly, I'd say still give this game a shot. If you're a fan of what Assassin's Creed did with their scale and the freedom to jump and hang from whatever you want, you'll certainly find something to love with Shadow of War. Countless times I've caught myself saying "nah there's no way I can climb that". Of course, I had to try. 9 times out of 10 i'm proven wrong.

Get it.

Key

There's something in the air this year for gaming. If you were to tell me the amount of games I would be playing in 2018, back in 2017, I probably wouldn't have even believed you. However, it seems like 2018 is actually potentially turning out to be a better year in gaming than 2017, and man did we have a lot of great releases last year. So I basically just want to touch on some of the games that I've already had a good time with this year.


Dungreed

Dungreed is an interesting one for me. While I haven't put nearly as much time into the game as I would have hoped or liked, I still find myself doing a run or two every now and again, and I think that's enough to put it on this list. While that may be the case, don't let that scare you away from the potential quality that is in this game. In the near hour that I've played this game so far though, I can say that I will be finding myself having more fun with this game even if it won't take that long to finish completely. The graphics style is really cool, and the gameplay is certainly one to remember. It just doesn't seem like there is a lot more there than what you see at this point. Fortunately it was cheap, but it may take me a bit longer to 100% it than it might with most people.


Radical Heights

Don't let people's opinions keep you from playing this game.Yes, Radical Heights is yet another Battle Royale game, but god damn this game does enough things different to warrant this positive review from yours truly. Radical Heights is as I said a Battle Royale game, but they mixed that together with some 80's style overlay that sits atop the entire game, and it truly makes the game a much better experience. Gunplay is also very very fun, and feels responsive every time you hit someone. In the 4 hours that I've played, I've probably come close to winning at least 10 times. I go on killing sprees because I'm quick to finding weapons. By the way, weapons are very scarce, so sometimes you'll have to take risks. Usually the risk pays off though but don't find yourself in a corner with no weapon. That's the worst.


Wizard of Legend

I think it's been since Enter The Gungeon that I've played a game as truly difficult and frustrating as that one. Wizard of Legend certainly fills that void now. While Enter The Gungeon did a lot of things perfectly, the difference in weapon style between the two games is really refreshing. As opposed to wielding guns and getting upgrades throughout your run, you instead can buy upgrades at the beginning of the run, and go through the run with a certain build. Did I also mention that instead of guns, you're basically a wizard with magical powers? I know that sounds cheesy but it really works in this game. You basically control a wizard character and you progressively fight harder and harder bosses. The combat is very twin stick shootery but it works for the game, especially when you can rack up some killer combos with your moves. I'd strongly recommend using a controller though because the buttons require you to be able to press them constantly and comfortably. I've not put a lot of time into the game, but that's more due to the fact that I haven't even been able to get past the first level, let alone the first boss. It's a tough game. If you're looking for something like Enter The Gungeon that will straight up kick your ass with no mercy? Well, then check out Wizard of Legend.

Key

As I mentioned previously, there is truly something in the air this year when it comes to gaming, and the announcement of Fallout 76 is certainly not only refreshing, but exciting. As much as we know right now, it's tough to say whether we're going to get exactly what we want from a Fallout game, or it's going to be at least pretty good and it'll still be enjoyable. So far, rumors have stated that we're going to be looking at a potentially PvP multiplayer style Fallout game, and while that sounds like Bethesda are trying to cash in on the Battle Royale genre, I like to be optimistic and think they may put their own magic into it. It's tough to say really.

Let's think about it for a second. When Fallout 4 was released, there was obviously a lot of hype surrounding it, and in some cases, it fell short. But I genuinely still enjoyed the game and I have still continued to enjoy it even after my first full playthrough. The game is a lot of fun, and graphically it looks nice. However, mods tend to make them shine even more. In some ways, I feel like Fallout 4 was sort of a pre-test, and then the behemoth of Far Harbor was released for it, and man...that sucked me right back in. As a DLC, it's fantastic, but I really feel like Far Harbor could have easily been its own game with how much content they put into it. But that's enough about that.

The reason I'm really excited to see Fallout 76 is not only for the promise of something different, but it's also a way for Bethesda to one up themselves from their prior release. Sure people may have been looking for a Fallout 3 remaster or something along the lines of a Fallout: New Vegas 2, but hey, we really don't know much right now so it's still a possibility. We all know how Bethesda likes to tease their fanbase. I mean...with this one, they had a 24 hour livestream with the same image showing for 24 straight hours. Now, if I've ever seen anyone create hype about a game, that's certainly the way to do it.

If we are looking at a multiplayer Fallout game, again, I'm all for it. And I'm sure we all would love to get put into the same overlaying server so that we can all experience the game together.

With as little as we know obviously, I would say it's still worth being excited for, especially since it's Bethesda of all people. If this were some other game developer that I love but didn't have the background like Bethesda had, I don't think the hype would be strong. All I (and we) can really hope for is something fun to play, and something true to Fallout.

We'll see.

Key

I can't be held responsible for finding "yet another game" on Steam that I need to play right away. It's happened so far with Hand of Fate, Radical Heights, Arkham Asylum, and even Shadow of War to an extent. It just keeps happening too, and the list of games to buy tends to grow longer and longer as time goes on. Thanks to Twitch and Youtube obviously for always keeping me in the know of the current games going right now. It's nice. Anyway, here's a small list of games that are on my "to buy" list at this very moment. Keep in mind I may do another part to this post in a couple months to see where things went and how things are going. Anyway:


Kingdom Come: Deliverance

I can't really decide what it is but Kingdom Come: Deliverance seems to be something right up my alley. Seeing as I like open worlds, engaging combat, and a rich story. The thing is, something about this game turns people off and I don't want to spend the time in a game like this to come to find out that I wouldn't appreciate it. Still, I hear the game is heavily story based which is exciting to me because as I said, I love a good story. I loved Divinity Original Sin 2's story. I love Fallout 3's story. A good story in a game truly makes the game that much more engaging so it's ultimately impressive to make a game that not only looks and plays really good, but also tells a rich story that you feel involved in. From what I gathered that's what Kingdom Come: Deliverance has to offer. So it's patiently waiting on my "to buy" list until I muster up the courage to take it on.


Monster Hunter World

Apparently they have scheduled a release date for a PC port of Monster Hunter World and god damn does that have me excited. I've loved watching everything about Monster Hunter World since it came out. I binge watched many many hours of streams and videos of the game, and I just wanted to get in there and get involved in the action packed gameplay that I was watching. Luckily, I will be able to play on my console of choice which is of course, PC. And I'm excited to see how far I get until I start throwing my controller around the room. Only joking obviously, but Monster Hunter World is honestly one of the first games I will be buying that I'll probably spend most to 300 hours on it, if I'm honest. Can't wait!


Pillars of Eternity I & II

Let's be completely honest, I need to play these games. If I'm a lover of games like Divinity where the gameplay is almost identical to what I prefer, and if I'm looking for a rich story to put a lot of time into, Pillary of Eternity I & II are both games that are very high on my "to buy" list. So much so that they may be the next pair of games I buy, honestly. I've heard nothing but fantastic things about this series, and I really want to experience it for myself. From what I've seen, the gameplay, combat, all of it is something I will love. Again, with my love of Divinity so much, this game feels so natural of me to have in my library. And so it will happen very soon. Expect a review on these two games in the future.


For Honor

For Honor is a tricky one for me because I know all about the controversies revolving this game that caused it to die very quickly upon release. However, I have heard that it recently got a lot of work done to it and it's slowly but surely getting revived again. Thus, that puts For Honor right back on my "to buy" list. I've always been interested to see how I would do in that type of combat style, and it seems like yet another game I could potentially put hundreds of hours into. The only thing I fear with this game is that if I buy the PC version, are the servers going to be tough to fill? That's something I'll have to learn the hard way, unless I just simply research it. At the same time, I don't necessarily blame people for not wanting to play the game right now since it did have a pretty rough start. But, there is always hope. I mean, look at Rainbow Six: Siege. That game died, revived, died, and now it's popular yet again. For good reason too because the game is great. So yeah, For Honor will be a game I sink some time into, but not at this current moment.

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard

monster hunter was fun for like a day

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Key

I think I'll like it tho. Seems my kind of style. Probably will also be a time sink when I have nothing else to play or depending on my mood.

Key

My Quick Thoughts on Battle Royale Games

It's pretty bizarre honestly to see a genre like this do so well for so long. I mean, I still remember when people were just finding out about Surviving DayZ and that caught nearly everybody's attention. The funny thing is, that game wasn't even really Battle Royale at all. It was more of a sandbox survival military simulator. But then we got mods like Arma 3 that changed that. Then of course after DayZ we had the arrival of H1Z1 which broke a lot of barriers in terms of what Battle Royale actually was. We got to experience first hand what it was like to battle against each other on a large map. However, the game quickly vanished and lost popularity once the devs decided to straight up ruin the game. It's not nearly the same as it used to be.

Moving onto PUBG, we now have the definitive version of what Battle Royale stands for. Long stressful matches against one another and the only way to win is the be patient and calm throughout the whole thing. Lemme tell ya, sometimes that isn't easy. As great of a game as this is, the only fault I found with it personally was that the matches go on for way too long. You could easily spend close to an hour and a half on one single match because some other guy is hiding and won't come out. Somewhat frustrating, but it made me realize that I don't like long drawn out matches.

So then we move onto the release of Fortnite, no the original Fortnite. The tower defense game. Remember that? Fortnite was never intended to be a Battle Royale game, but Epic Games saw to it that they wanted to make their own version of PUBG, and so they did. And on top of that, they've continuously put in a lot of work to make the game not only perform better, but look better as well. Also...SKINS.

Anyway, Fortnite has managed to keep its popularity at #1 pretty consistently. And honestly, I'm not entirely surprised. PUBG started falling backwards into obscurity once people realized that the devs really don't care that much for making the game actually better. Fortnite is just a fresh take on the genre with some added benefits thrown in here and there. Personally, I would honestly say that I prefer playing Fortnite over PUBG any day. I'm just in it for the fun of it and the quick matches. It's great.

I don't really know where Battle Royale can go from here, but I know every single developer is throwing in their take on it, and honestly, it's pretty fun to watch. Some of them do do things so differently that it makes it worth the purchase. Darwin Project is a perfect example of this. Instead of fighting each other, you also have a "God" player that can do whatever he wants to the players on the field. It's good stuff. And sometimes developers just straight up copy PUBG and the predecessors, but again...not entirely surprising given that developers obviously want to cash in when something is popular. It will be interesting to see how this genre either evolves or moves more into the obscurity scene.

The Batlord

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Ol’ Qwerty Bastard

i don’t see BR games maintaining their popularity for as long as stuff like MOBAs, military FPS’, and MMORPGs. but that’s just me.

they seem to be pushing Fortnite very hard in an esport direction but i have a hard time taking BR games seriously in that enviroment as so much of the game is total RNG luck.

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debaserr

Why would the BR community suddenly disappear? Seems pointed in the opposite direction my man.

Can't wait until I can stop playing PUBG, game is pretty garbage in terms of hit registration / optimization / bugs.

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