First off, I must apologise for the timing of these reviews. They've arrived far too late. I completed them early summer, I just haven't got around to reviewing them before now!
Released: 2014
Be noted, I have no prior experience with the Dragon Age series. I've only watched, briefly, other people playing the earlier titles. I've played many hours of the Mass Effect trilogy, from the same developer BioWare, if that counts for anything?!
Levelling up allows you to unlock more abilities, though I ended up levelling the ones that didn't require button input. The ones that did, I often forget to use. Especially the ones that required me to navigate the ability menus to engage them. Perhaps, I played it too simplistic, but I never really used the tactical overview as much as I perhaps should have.
This is, after all, a full-on action shooter, that depicts cliché WW2 movie tropes with overdone Nazi experiments, but it's about entertaining the player. Not being grounded in reality or losing itself into new types of genres. For more causal gamers, this tongue in cheek humour and cheesy dialogue may not come over as funny, easily misunderstood for being a b-movie style story. The thing is though, it's deliberate, and thus makes it humorous, even though the story is quite gruesome.
Although you actually can play this game stealthy, WTNO really shines in it's "back to basics" old-school gameplay. With large enemies, insane guns and just super quick, brutal shooting. Requiring you to be more fast with your movement than simply the trigger.
Review
Played on: PlayStation 4Released: 2014
Be noted, I have no prior experience with the Dragon Age series. I've only watched, briefly, other people playing the earlier titles. I've played many hours of the Mass Effect trilogy, from the same developer BioWare, if that counts for anything?!
With that in mind, here's my view of the third Dragon Age game.
While I only found a few dragons, I did find an excellent story, presented in a cinematic and well voiced fashion. From being released as a prisoner and a nobody, mysteriously possessing an ability to close huge rifts opening in the skies, all the way to requiring power and becoming the grand inquisitor, Dragon Age Inquisition is an incredible journey, through a beautiful fantasy world!
While I only found a few dragons, I did find an excellent story, presented in a cinematic and well voiced fashion. From being released as a prisoner and a nobody, mysteriously possessing an ability to close huge rifts opening in the skies, all the way to requiring power and becoming the grand inquisitor, Dragon Age Inquisition is an incredible journey, through a beautiful fantasy world!
Let's level up and take a look!
Much like it's sci-fi counterpart, Mass Effect, Inquisition not only looks incredible, but also boasts an impressive diversity in locations. There are open farmlands, lush woodlands, snowy mountains and boiling deserts to roam. While not directly connected in one, single, open world, like Skyrim, the size of each map is impressive!
Take the first large map you encounter, The Hinterlands, for instance. This map alone is the size of many whole games, with a tons of side-missions and tasks to complete. I literally couldn't wait to see what the next location was, so I could go off exploring again!
"While not directly connected in one, single,
open world...the size of each map is impressive!"
open world...the size of each map is impressive!"
The description "great diversity" doesn't just cover the large maps though, there's great variation in classes, including numerous specialisations within weapons and visual appearance for you character. Just like in the Mass Effect series, you're surrounded by a gang of teammates.
What I like about Inquisition is that you can just switch to play any of these other three teammates, at any time. Which means that, if you fancy trying yourself out as a mage or perhaps a rogue, simply switch to a character with this class! Giving you a chance to test out other classes without restarting the game entirely. Brilliant!
Speaking gameplay though, my impression is mixed. While I appreciated the large roster of enemies to combat and the numerous techniques in combat for defeating them, the actual fighting quickly felt stale. It's mainly about holding R2 to engage your character into combat. I played the game on normal and always made sure I levelled up properly before progressing.
Perhaps, I should've played the game more tactical, using the paused overhead combat cam. The actual controls for walking around, riding a horse or exploring are absolutely fine though!
To elaborate more on the overhead tactical camera control: it pauses combat when initiated, giving you a birds eye view of the battlefield. Here you can assign your four characters to attack certain enemies, then simply hold a button for the game to start rolling again and watch the fight.
Or, you can get down and dirty and fight with your main character from third person. I ended up mainly doing this, utilising only a few of the special abilities that are assigned to various buttons. The tactical view, however, I mainly used for the large enemies, like dragons. This gives you more control and overview to attack one single part of the enemy, like a leg for instance.
Levelling up allows you to unlock more abilities, though I ended up levelling the ones that didn't require button input. The ones that did, I often forget to use. Especially the ones that required me to navigate the ability menus to engage them. Perhaps, I played it too simplistic, but I never really used the tactical overview as much as I perhaps should have.
Nevertheless, the gameplay is addictive and I thoroughly enjoyed making my character more powerful through levelling and equipping superior armour and weapons. Crafting them is also quite easy, opening up for more customised weaponry.
I must admit, with no previous expectations or experience in this franchise, I enjoyed my playthrough immensely. It's stunning environments and exciting exploration pulls you into a beautiful fantasy world.
I must admit, with no previous expectations or experience in this franchise, I enjoyed my playthrough immensely. It's stunning environments and exciting exploration pulls you into a beautiful fantasy world.
I spent hours exploring every corner of each location, upgrading weapons and armour and interacting with the diverse cast. The story progresses and builds up perfectly throughout, with some truly spectacular moments. RPG fans, and those interested in the genre, really should play this!
Released: 2014
The Wolfenstein franchise has been around for years and while the two, 2D based, original titles by Muse Software are largely forgotten, Wolfenstein 3D by id Software basically invented the first person shooter genre and grew the series to large fame. The 3D sequels have had various degrees of success and quality through the years since. Wolfenstein 3D has, in retrospect, been overshadowed by Doom's massive success and popularity.
Review
Played on: PlayStation 4Released: 2014
The Wolfenstein franchise has been around for years and while the two, 2D based, original titles by Muse Software are largely forgotten, Wolfenstein 3D by id Software basically invented the first person shooter genre and grew the series to large fame. The 3D sequels have had various degrees of success and quality through the years since. Wolfenstein 3D has, in retrospect, been overshadowed by Doom's massive success and popularity.
Nevertheless, I've always felt the franchise carries weight in the industry as a famous brand name and cult status in the gaming community. The series has been kept alive by titles in between but the last effort, in 2009, failed to create an impact in sales and popularity. Will this new entry prove it's welcome to stay?
Wolfenstein: The New Order is built on the same engine as Rage, review here, John Carmack's last id Software engine, with it's huge mega texture system and variable resolution to keep a solid 60fps. Although this engine looks a little dated, New Order makes up for what it lacks in pure detailed graphics with it's smooth framerate, large open areas and fast paced gameplay.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is built on the same engine as Rage, review here, John Carmack's last id Software engine, with it's huge mega texture system and variable resolution to keep a solid 60fps. Although this engine looks a little dated, New Order makes up for what it lacks in pure detailed graphics with it's smooth framerate, large open areas and fast paced gameplay.
Don't get me wrong though, in a lot of areas it looks great, I especially enjoyed the more futuristic settings visually.
The Swedish developers, MachineGames, have opted to make a Wolfenstein with a stronger focus on the story. Especially, considering this is a typical old-school shooter, with lots of hip firing and movement, rather than relying on quick scope aiming, as newer shooters do.
While I won't spoil some of the surprising, and rather amazing, plot twists and locations it offers, I can safely say: if you think this is just another WW2 shooter, set in a Nazi castle, then you're in for a huge surprise! Quite a few in fact.
What further strengthens the quality is that MachineGames have opted to give players a choice gameplay approach by allowing, and rewarding, the player to play the game with a stealthy approach or a run-and-gun action style. Both work well, especially when combined! Although i mostly fell into the latter.
What further strengthens the quality is that MachineGames have opted to give players a choice gameplay approach by allowing, and rewarding, the player to play the game with a stealthy approach or a run-and-gun action style. Both work well, especially when combined! Although i mostly fell into the latter.
Each playstyle is catered for through the level designs and work well. Levels are typically fairly large and offer open areas and various routes to traverse through them.
Enemy A.I. gives an aggressive challenge, quite tricky in fact, but you always find a better way to take them down. Killing enemies in certain ways, using certain weapons for a set amount of kills and headshots will all count towards unlocking skill progression.
Skills will in turn unlock abilities and strengthen your character. I ended up unlocking quite a few by just playing normally, although on some occasions I went after certain ones by looking at the skill tree to see what was needed to unlock them.
What brings the experience down a little, is that on one side it does a lot of new and interesting ideas, but on the other, it never really digs down into them. At the end of the day it's just about shooting the hell out of Nazis, and while the characters personalities offer great variety and over the top, they come can off just as easily as cheesy for other players. You need to play the game with this in mind, it's typical 90's, stereotype, tough guy you play.
This is, after all, a full-on action shooter, that depicts cliché WW2 movie tropes with overdone Nazi experiments, but it's about entertaining the player. Not being grounded in reality or losing itself into new types of genres. For more causal gamers, this tongue in cheek humour and cheesy dialogue may not come over as funny, easily misunderstood for being a b-movie style story. The thing is though, it's deliberate, and thus makes it humorous, even though the story is quite gruesome.
"New Order will likely end up as sleeper hit...but it truly deserves more attention."
While it in no way reinvents the wheel, it does prove there's room for it to continue with a lot of uniqueness and originality in an otherwise crowded genre. New Order will likely end up as sleeper hit, in the shadow of chart toppers like Call of Duty and Halo, but it truly deserves more attention.
If you like the Wolfenstein premise and madness, or simply want a different type of shooter, or even perhaps you dig an alternate reality of WW2 with overdone technology, then The New Order is perfect for you. Prior to playing, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I ended up doing!
If you like the Wolfenstein premise and madness, or simply want a different type of shooter, or even perhaps you dig an alternate reality of WW2 with overdone technology, then The New Order is perfect for you. Prior to playing, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I ended up doing!
