A vivid platformer, “Hue” uses color as both a puzzle-solving technique and a factor of storytelling.
I knew nothing more of “Hue” than the fact that it looked like some sort of platformer; I got it for free with PlayStation Plus and gave it a whirl. To my utmost pleasure, this game kept me playing and engaged thanks to a delightful story and interesting gameplay. With both calming music and clever level design from beginning to end, this puzzle platformer was a joy to play through and ultimately made me wish there was more color-altering puzzles to partake in.
Story “Hue’s” story is simple but beautiful in execution. You’re playing a young boy named Hue. The titular character is on a quest to find his mother. She speaks to Hue through voice-overs you will stumble upon at pivotal moments in the game, often through letters. The game’s clever use of colors in its puzzles complements the story and frequently uses that to progress ideas Hue’s mother gives him. It is all subtle and very sweet.
Gameplay “Hue” takes colors and uses them to change the world around you. You can, on the fly, switch between multiple colors in which you unlock access to as you progress. For example, switching to blue will make the blue crate in front of you disappear but the pink crate will suddenly be visible. That is just a mere sample of the concepts “Hue” tackles. The game gets more and more challenging with time. Eventually, you will find yourself running from a boulder and having to change colors on the fly or standing in a room full of multi-colored obstacles leaving you more than a little confused. Nailing the right color in situations like such are exhilarating and timing matters. “Hue” has plenty of varied puzzles for you to conquer, many of which will undoubtedly test your mind. I ultimately adore the challenging and thought-provoking puzzles the game includes with the incredibly clever use of color.
Graphics The graphics in “Hue” are by no means revolutionary, but the simple artwork and color implementation are nothing short of special in their own way. The games’ first grayscale background gets filled with colors as they are unlocked, making a vivid and unique appearance overall, one that is always changing. With every instant color change and dynamic nature of it all, “Hue” is surprisingly delightful to look at.
Sound A generally soothing and mellow tone complements the gameplay and story of “Hue.” At times however, a hyper and peppy track will be used, which is usually incorporated into the levels that call for speed. Overall, the soundtrack works perfectly for the tone of “Hue.”
There are also mellow voiceovers from Hue’s mother; these sooth you and evoke plentiful emotion to the story of “Hue.”
Content Unfortunately, “Hue” doesn’t give you any incentive to come back once the credits roll. There are 28 beakers to find but these hidden collectibles are by no means interesting. With such clever puzzles and level design, I would have loved for some reason to play more.
Conclusion
By the end of “Hue,” I ultimately wanted more. Thanks to intuitive level design and intelligent puzzles that challenged my thinking process, “Hue” is a wonderful puzzle platformer. The game comes with such a unique concept to work with and executes it delightfully. “Hue” left me feeling relaxed many times but also gave me a feeling of being on top of the world when conquering even the most challenging puzzles. I truly think any platforming fan or those with appreciation of clever puzzle design, “Hue” is more than worth your time.
Have you played “Hue?” Did you enjoy the use of color for puzzle solving? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
A polished and content-heavy fighting game for veterans and newcomers alike.
By: Ryan Ramakrishnan Reviewed on PlayStation 4
Injustice 2 provides game modes to keep players coming back for more all day long, simultaneously boasting a beloved roster and fast, polished gameplay.
I was drawn to Injustice 2 for the exciting roster of DC Comics characters and the ability to alter gear but I never thought it would take up so much of my time. The gear system is deep and personable. There is so much to customize to your liking and Injustice 2 boasts dynamic game modes to assist that. Thanks to all this and the cinematic beauty it is during fights and in its campaign, Injustice 2 is one of the best fighting games in recent years and impossible to put down. Story The campaign in Injustice 2 actually tells an interesting story and proves that fighting games can and frankly should have more than a simple arcade mode for a core single player experience. The plot sees Batman allied up with other characters like Green Arrow and newcomer Black Canary working at rebuilding the society broken by Superman’s regime. That regime and the evil side of Superman return from the previous iteration, Injustice: Gods Among Us. This time around, the threat is still there and the deep rivalries exist during it all but new evil comes into play. I found the story to be interesting for the most part, mainly because of its inclusion of so many recognizable characters I love, brought to life. I enjoyed it but the pleasure comes from the presentation more than the actual plot.
Some of the characters depictions through cutscenes and storytelling are hard to enjoy like the oddly dark (but not in the way you want him to be) Joker. As for the rest, they are generally fully realized and feel at home. The bleak world of Injustice 2’s story mode provides fan service with some character interactions like the aforementioned Green Arrow and Black Canary being together or Superman’s relationship with his cousin, Supergirl. It's hard to deny the attention to character motives and relationships in the story. There is a lot of dynamic to it all amidst the grim story.
Gameplay As a one-on-one fighting game, Injustice 2 delivers on all ends. It improves the fighting from its predecessor, being a faster and more varied game. Injustice: Gods Among Us sends over a handful of fighters to its sequel but Injustice 2 comes packed with many new characters to choose from. Each of the expansive roster has their own style with a great deal of skills to learn. Every character has their simple combos and special attacks, easy to learn; however, they all have a variety of longer combos to string together, each with their own statistics and and pros and cons.
The special meter has important functionality in Injustice 2. You have the ability to keep building it up and use your super move or enhance special attacks. It can also allow for a roll to dodge an attack. The game also has a clash which allows for players to gamble their special meter points to heal or deal damage. Injustice 2’s gear system provides the opportunity to customize movesets for characters, sometimes altering their play styles more than you’d expect. Nothing drastically changes them but there is a decent amount of variety in gameplay thanks to the system. The gear system does also allow statistics to be increased and of course lower some others in exchange. It makes for a personalized experience when figuring out how you wish to fight.
Game modes like the ever-changing multiverse and online matches leave the player with a lot to do to learn how use each character and act as their own tutorials in a sense but way more fun to play and teach through experience.
All in all, Injustice 2 does an exceptional job at giving you the feeling that you are that superhero or villain thanks to the love that went into the combos and special attacks alike. Graphics Cutscenes in the story mode are stunning to watch. The whole presentation of the campaign is what made it most enjoyable, more so than the plot itself. I was in awe when looking at character models and details in costumes and faces, as well as the environments in the story. The presentation is well-directed and a marvel to see in a fighting game.
Injustice 2 fortunately carries all of this over to its fights as well, as it should. The gameplay looks great, even when the fights get chaotic. Character customization through the gear system, a huge part of the metagame, comes with some satisfying visuals in its interface. It’s exciting scrolling through tens of hundreds of gear options and seeing how they look, in the game’s gorgeous engine, on your favorite characters. Injustice 2 is ultimately a very pretty game that oftentimes boasts photo-realism in its dynamic characters and arenas’ environments alike.
Sound Injustice 2’s voice acting is both well-done and accurately representative of the characters. I loved the small interactions the fights begin with. It is a nice touch to see characters speak to one another and even better when they reference their source material. That delivers on the fan service that this game lovingly crafts for DC fans. Injustice 2’s characters all come with multiple introductions and brief dialogues. And of course, that dialogue is expanded upon in an interesting way in the story mode. Like the admirable presentation the campaign has to offer in the visuals department, the voice acting and delivery of lines and dialogue is all generally superb.
Sound effects within fights like the many projectiles and landed hits and combos, as well as the environmental interactions like explosions or stage transitions all sound spot on and fitting for the fighting game.
The music here is oftentimes epic in a sense, as much of a cliche as it sounds. The feeling of being a superhero or a villain in a fight gets that epic nature thanks to the music. It doesn’t always remain that way however, which is fitting. When it isn’t epic, the music in the background will be more somber. I found it to be appropriate for the bleak world and storyline in Injustice 2. The music when going through menus isn’t anything particularly special but it fits.
Content Between the multiverse and the gear system, Injustice 2 was the only game I was playing for hours on end on a daily basis at one point. I genuinely couldn’t stop coming back to these addictive systems. I never imagined it to be so deep and I didn’t even get into it at first. In the beginning, it was about playing with friends and finishing the campaign.
I did soon find out that the multiverse is one of the most accessible and enjoyable grinds I have personally came across. There are different fights with unique scenarios and modifiers to complete for gear. They range from very easy and quick runs to long chains of fights with the hardest of the AI. The best is how the multiverse is always updating. Even months after the game’s release, Injustice 2 continues to refresh these times events and give more incentive to keep playing. It is beyond addictive to fight your way through all of the events to not only get gear but also to level up and learn to be better.
The gear system is seemingly limitless. I loved it for the cosmetic and the technical perks alike. There is a great pleasure in making your favorite hero or villain look the way you like them to and showing it to the world. I found myself using up all of the loadout slots for each character, even the ones I wasn’t super keen on. It became a collection of cool looking characters and statistically varied characters alike. Each day, I’d mess around until it looked perfect. That is the wonderful thing about this system: it replaces simple skins with fully customizable appearances that even change the gameplay.
Even if you aren’t tinkering with the extremely open gear system, Injustice 2 still has reason to play for hours on end. The campaign has several alternative fights to complete and even boasts a different ending, providing more to do once the credits roll.
And then there is online play which comes with different directions, whether you wish to play with someone of your skill and level or just anyone in the world.
Injustice 2’s massive roster also allows the player to level each up to level 20, which is no small task. This is ultimately a meaty package for fans of fighting games and is by no means limited to just playing with others. It is impressive to look at the amount of content existing in Injustice 2.
Conclusion NetherRealm Studios hit it out of the park with Injustice 2, making it easily the most polished and diverse game in their library yet. It succeeds its 2013 predecessor in seemingly every way. The story mode is a fine follow-up, perhaps not as good plot wise; however, its presentation both visually and in performances is unprecedented. Injustice 2’s graphics beautifully translate to every other aspect of the game’s interface and fights. The characters all look and feel as incredible as comic book fans would hope and they are extremely customizable thanks to the fully fleshed out but not intimidating gear system. With improved fighting and some of the most exhilarating combos to execute and unadulterated love for the source material, Injustice 2 is an easy to access but satisfyingly challenging to master fighting game filled with hours of content.
Who was your favorite character in Injustice 2? Did you get into the gear system? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
A compelling narrative unfolded through a curious home
By: Ryan Ramakrishnan
Reviewed on Xbox One
“Gone Home” uses simple exploration-based gameplay to lead up to an an ultimately interesting story with a lot of heart and authenticity.
Despite only taking a couple of hours to stumble upon everything that it had to say, the story “Gone Home” offers is one grounded in realism, one that never lost my attention. The game’s exceptional writing and wondrous attention to detail makes for a sweet, unforgettable adventure and a particularly special one for the medium.Story “Gone Home” puts you in the shoes of someone coming home to their family, quickly realizing their notable absence. I entered the pitch black home, quickly searching for a light switch, while a thunderstorm shook the infrastructure and my fear alike. Unbeknownst to me at first glance, and likely to many others unaware of the true essence of “Gone Home,” this is no horror game. I actually appreciate the horror vibes you subconsciously get right off the bat. It draws in curiosity. Soon enough, you’re reading notes and listening to audio logs, each evoking truly warm and intimate emotions.
The only frightening thing about “Gone Home” is the realistic nature. Maybe it’s just my taste in gaming but I have never experienced a video game with such a raw, genuine story. The home you explore depicts family life better than some films and novels could dream of yet there aren’t even people inhabiting it. By the time I completed “Gone Home,” I felt like I knew this family, there past, their interests, their stories, and this is all thanks to The Fullbright Company’s impressive way of delivering an engaging plot. “Gone Home” succeeds in its writing and how it allows you to get behind the lives of these characters without even seeing them, and that is no small feat.
Gameplay Gameplay is limited to the likes of walking from room to room and interacting with anything from household items to hidden doors. “Gone Home” sees the player read several notes, posters and documents, as well as listen to audio recordings and voice overs, all of which collaborate to give you the compelling story.
The game’s focus on exploration as a plot execution is simple and calm. It is sometimes nice to take a break from today’s frantic action games and sit back and consume a beautiful story.
“Gone Home’s” lack of exciting or fresh gameplay is cherishable because of how it plays into the grand scheme of things; I never wished for it to be any more than a walking simulator or point and click game because anything outside of this realm would ultimately detract from what is a special experience. Graphics Visually, “Gone Home” captures it all. The attention to detail in the home you explore is amazing. Thanks to a simple art direction, “Gone Home” doesn’t have to put great detail in every object but the general layout of every room, the home’s structure and the home overall has many things to look at. The developers clearly put a lot of time creating a living, breathing home and rightfully so, as it is the only setting. I saw so many aspects of the character’s home in each room and the art direction works to its advantage, allowing for the home to be created in all its glory. Sound Exceptional voice-acting allows for random voice-overs, thoughts and plentiful audio logs to tell the story in a compassionate manner. The already astonishing writing is complemented perfectly by the voice actors who evoke emotions of humor, heartbreak and anything in between.
“Gone Home” comes with a soundtrack that feels right at home with its atmospheric story. The teenage-driven plot-points are told with the utmost fitting music, switching to a more mysterious sound when the game has you asking more questions. It is an overall ambient score, beautifully executed. The music had me calm and engaged, fitting for my exploration of a lonely yet ever-so-alive home.
Content “Gone Home’s” cheap price-point justifies its lack of content.
In your exploration, there are a handful of collectibles to find to piece together the overall puzzle that is the story of the absent family.
Trophies and achievements for those interested offer a few neat opportunities for your playthroughs, particularly for speed-running fanatics.
Regardless of the short playtime for the main story, I don’t see an experience like such to call for more than what it already provides in a tightly focused, interesting story. I was more than satisfied with calling it a day after seeing all the home had to tell me about.
Conclusion Ultimately, what “Gone Home” does with its story is beautiful. Simple first person exploration of a home allows you to watch a story of the past unfold, one that is nothing short of genuine. Even when nothing is pieced together, there is an ever-present sense of authenticity. With brilliant writing and voice acting, “Gone Home” makes for an engrossing, sweet and unforgettable time, one that strives for realism and succeeds in every way.
Did you like the way “Gone Home’s” story was told? Did you try the speedrunning challenges for trophies or achievements? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Gorgeous visuals and plentiful content make up the premiere kart-racing experience
By: Ryan Ramakrishnan
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch
“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” comes packed with fun game modes, vehicle parts to unlock, scores to beat and an overall delightful experience, given a new breath of life on the Switch.
Having missed out on the Wii-U altogether, I knew I wanted “Mario Kart 8’s” updated version for my new Switch and fortunately this purchase was entirely justified. “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” includes a bevy of courses to choose from, an online mode, the ability to play with friends in a split second and more, all making it the complete package.
Story Simply put, “Mario Kart” has never had a story to tell. “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” is no exception.
Gameplay Kart racing in “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” is the same it has always been for the series; the gameplay is however excellently polished and refined. There is simply no better way to play “Mario Kart” or any kart-racer for that matter.
With a roster of 40 characters to use in addition to the opportunity to pick which vehicle, wheels and glider you wish to use, “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” has no shortage of personalization. Each vehicles and its customization comes with their own statistics, viewable before beginning a race. This leads to a multi-layered experience; maybe you wish to focus on handling but are willing to sacrifice speed or vice versa.
Each course comes with its own gimmicks and plenty of items to grab, features any “Mario Kart” fan is already more than a little familiar with. A new feature for this Switch version of the game allows the use of two items, similar to that of “Mario Kart Double Dash” from the GameCube.
“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” can be played docked and on the TV, in handheld mode or in tabletop mode. As easy as handing a Joy-Con to one friend and using one for yourself, a local multiplayer game can be played instantly, making for convenient fun with friends. This proves the Switch to be the perfect home for “Mario Kart 8.” Graphics From the gecko, “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” impressed me, both with its vivid graphics and smooth frame rate. The welcoming 60 frames per second and a 1080p resolution make it quite the beautiful game to behold. “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” will hold the frame rate when docked and while in handheld mode for one to two players; however, playing handheld will go down to 720p, which is still not bad by any means.
Character, vehicle and course design each come filled to the brim with classic Nintendo charm. Gorgeous backgrounds and iconic character models and delightful animations complement the overall charm of “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.”
Sound The soundtrack is an instant sell. I can happily tell you that there is an innumerable amount of catchy tracks akin to the likes of Nintendo’s charming style, each able to keep you humming them from morning to night.
Content Whether you are competitive with your friends and family or online players, “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” has more than a few reasons to put the cartridge back on a daily basis. Fortunately, if you are competitive with yourself, the game has you covered as well.
There is, for starters, 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, Mirror Mode and 200cc. Getting harder with each subsequent cc, the difficulty modes in “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” quickly go from simple fun to a true challenge.. There are a staggering 48 courses, each worth shooting for three stars in. The same challenge can be redone over and over again with each cc with the ultimate goal of three stars across all cups on each of the difficulties.
It was nice to see the DLC cups and characters all included in this game, making it an even more complete package than the already content-heavy Wii-U version.
If that alone doesn’t keep you playing for hours on end, there is also Time Trials. Here, you can do individual runs on each course and try beat online scores, as well as your own.
A new and improved battle mode can be played as well when you wish to take a break from the traditional race.
To top it all off, “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” comes with an online mode, allowing you to compete with anybody in any mode you like. Conclusion I ultimately had a blast with “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.” It brought out my competitive side, both with my friends and players worldwide but also myself; I, at the time of writing, still have yet to get three stars in all of the cups across all five cc’s. Whether it is fulfilling that goal or getting the most wins online, this is a joyous game that keeps you coming back. With a wide array of characters, especially new faces like Link from “The Legend of Zelda,” there is always reason to go back and play with someone. The same can be said even more so for the large amount of vehicle customization. With a crisp 60 fps and visually charming graphics, “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” is truly the pinnacle of its genre and the perfect game to spark a competition anytime, anywhere.
Do you think “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” is the best in the series? What’s your favorite vehicle loadout? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
A challenging and rewarding platformer with heart and an important message
By: Ryan Ramakrishnan
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch
“Celeste” is truly one of a kind thanks to tight and responsive, challenging gameplay and a surprisingly heartfelt story.
After everybody in the gaming industry’s praise for “Celeste” caught on to me, I eventually spread the good word to others. “Celeste” is a fantastic platformer with impressively challenging but rewarding gameplay. More importantly however is the plot that brings together deep themes like anxiety and inner demons, brilliantly crafting an unforgettable narrative to complement the wondrous level design.
Story 2D platformers rarely prioritize their stories in the same vein as their gameplay mechanics. “Celeste” is a game that takes the stereotype of the genre and flips it on its head, particularly for indie games of the modern day. The plot is realistic, approachable and incredibly heartfelt.
You take the role of Madeline with one objective: climb Celeste Mountain. The journey’s goal is to get Madeline away from life’s everyday struggles and moreover to come to peace with the physical manifestation of her inner self. The themes of “Celeste” range from poetic to surreal, delightful to downright depressing. Ideas like depression, anxiety and self-consciousness are approached and appropriately implemented in a beautiful manner. “Celeste” tells one of the most delightful and emotional stories I have ever come across in a game of this genre and nature. It kept me hooked for the entirety of the journey and left with an emotional bang, one that will not soon be forgotten.
Gameplay
Similar to the likes of “Super Meat Boy,” “Celeste” is a purposefully difficult 2D platformer, one that will put your skills to the test from the beginning.
The abilities to jump, dash or cling to walls and surfaces are your movements, each simple on paper but used to full effect in the cleverly designed levels. I had a great time weighing out my options of traversal in each level, trying to map out how I could possibly make it from point A to B and so fourth. The incredibly challenging platforming makes “Celeste” a puzzle game in many ways, each level acting as its own test of both thought and might.
Like “Super Meat Boy,” you will die a whole lot in “Celeste.” The challenge cannot be questioned with progressively difficult obstacles everywhere, moving platforms, gimmicks and more, making each level its own triumph. There is an undeniable sense of accomplishment I felt with each successful dash, jump and level transition. Games that are difficult but fair and make you feel pride in completion are a special beast and “Celeste” is a prime example of how do this right.
Welcoming to players either afraid of the instant difficulty spike or simply looking to enjoy the gameplay without losing their minds is an assist mode.
Graphics “Celeste” doesn’t try to look overly stylish; the game’s art direction is a simple 2D pixelated one. “Celeste” does however look quite good with what the developers went for. The graphics and style fit the game perfectly. Characters have charming animations when shown during dialogue, despite being limited to facial expressions and minor motion. These simple visuals add to the overall charm.
One thing that is very appealing to the eye is the lack of a HUD. You simple watch Madeline’s hair color change to indicate whether or not you still have a jump or dash in you. I think that this complements the overall sleek appearance of “Celeste.” Sound “Celeste’s” soundtrack fits every moment in the game. Whether things are moving rapidly or the story is unfolding in an emotional manner, the music always complements the action on screen.
Jumping, dashing and falling to your death all sound brilliantly nostalgic.
“Celeste” features a cute, gibberish-like sound for the characters when they speak. Each character has their own and the decision to do something fresh like this rather than true voice acting fits the game’s overall style and tone perfectly and is quite charming.
Content Over 100 strawberries can be found in “Celeste,” each creating their own challenge. These optional collectibles are the benefit of exploring the road less taken in the many levels of “Celeste.” This can easily provide players with incentive to consume the wonderful precision platforming once they beat the game.
B-side levels are another reason to keep “Celeste” installed. Existing as even harder levels to the already challenging game you just beat, the B-side levels opens the door to even more fun for those who are up to the test. They can be unlocked through finding hidden cassette tapes, yet another collectible spread out in “Celeste.”
Perfect for speed-runners, “Celeste” is a game practically built for the community to challenge themselves with beating this tough-as-nails platformer the fastest.
Thanks to the wide array of collectibles and plentiful bonus missions, “Celeste” is a surprisingly content-heavy experience for an indie game of this nature. It is fortunately very worth your time. Conclusion Exciting execution of challenging but rewarding platforming levels couples with a beautiful story to make “Celeste” an instant classic. It would already be every bit worth your time with the clever level design and addictive precision platforming but Matt Thorson took it a step further to immerse you with emotion. Anxiety, inner demons and self-growth come together to tell you a heartfelt and genuine story like no other. “Celeste” is ultimately a special game with something to say and is every bit worth your time.
How did you feel about “Celeste’s” approach to real, emotional themes? How many deaths did you have by the end of the game? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Cartoons of the 30’s are revived in a gorgeous test of patience, skill and charm.
By: Ryan Ramakrishnan
Reviewed on Xbox One
“Cuphead” is a visual masterpiece with some of the most challenging gameplay its genre has to offer, coupled with utmost charm.
This indie game proves to be a an incredibly worthwhile experience thanks to its unique art direction alone. A series of increasingly difficult boss fights make the shoot em' up an exhilarating time. This is all backed up by a feeling of pure satisfaction upon each level completion. Mastering the difficult challenges and admiring the visuals and music all complement each other’s addition to the overall joy that is “Cuphead.”
Story The titular Cuphead and his brother, Mugman, are big-time gamblers. After becoming so obsessed, Cuphead takes a huge risk. Should they win, the entirety of the casino’s money would be theirs’. However losing would result in them giving up their souls to the Devil himself. From there, Cuphead and Mugman must gather soul contracts for the Devil to get out of this deadly deal.
The plot “Cuphead” presents is delightfully charming. This story is however rarely focused on what with a lack of actual story moments save for the soul contracts resulting from boss completions. This doesn’t matter much though thanks to the simplicity of it all and the gameplay, sound and visuals taking significant priority.
Gameplay “Cuphead” has a control system with the abilities to move backwards and forward, jump, shoot nonstop, dash and shoot a charged up blast. Gameplay sees fast movement with the fire button being held down at all times, spraying unlimited ammo at the grand foes.
The main draw of “Cuphead” is its consistently challenging and fresh boss fights. “Cuphead” is more or less a boss rush but what makes it so good is that each boss fight comes with many special abilities, quirks and more.
Each of the boss fights offer significant challenges. “Cuphead” is the kind of game made with an intentional difficulty in mind. I admittedly failed dozens of times, even in the earlier boss fights. These failures do ultimately lead to a feeling of true satisfaction once conquered. I cannot deny the fairness in most of the fights either; “Cuphead” may be absurdly challenging but the game is designed well, so well that failing a boss fight is rarely the game’s fault for cheapness. I eventually discovered the patterns and the reasons I continuously failed and then finally succeeded to get the aforementioned feeling of satisfaction. However, the failures lead to extremely satisfying successes. This is a genuinely addictive gameplay loop, though definitely not so welcoming to casual players afraid of high difficulty spikes.
Besides the core boss fights of “Cuphead,” there are also some run and gun levels. These are a fun change of pace at times but never as exciting as the main levels. With no special bosses or any other particularly intriguing aspects of these levels, they rarely stuck with me or even gave me an incentive to complete them, especially knowing there are truly exhilarating challenges right around the corner.
During the game’s boss fights, there is no sign of progression until you fail. Of course, with the difficulty of “Cuphead,” there are no checkpoints during the boss fights; however, after dying, you will see how far you got.
Multiplayer in “Cuphead” is limited to local co-op. A second player can hop in, playing as Mugman. Unfortunately, I found this cooperative gameplay to be a bit overwhelming with the extra player and significantly higher amount of bullets on screen. Positively, it was a fun time collaborating and joking about the many failures. Local co-op isn’t necessarily easier, contrary to the idea that double the fire would take the bosses out in half the time.
Studio MDHR nails boss design in the visual department as much as with the gameplay. “Cuphead” is filled with so many unique, charming designs for each of the bosses in everything from their projectiles and attack patterns to their multiple forms and transitions. There is a great deal of heart put into all of them.
Cuphead and Mugman both have unforgettable designs as well. The two of them are both perfect adorable video game mascots, as well as easily suitable for a cartoon of yesteryear.
The artistically gorgeous visuals and atstyle of “Cuphead” prove it to be a wondrous work of art.
Sound In the same vein of the graphics, the music of “Cuphead” is immensely satisfying to listen to. The music sticks with you thanks to the incredibly catchy tunes, perfect for the time period it represents.
In the audio department, I also found myself satisfied with the voices, despite them being few and far between. The opening phrases from the announcer such as “this match will get redhot,” and "a brawl is surely brewing," were executed in a charming manner and were fun additions to the tone of the game overall, despite being such a miniscule aspect of it.
Content After completion, “Cuphead” doesn’t offer a whole lot to do. This is quite unfortunate due to the addictive nature and pure charm of the entire game; I couldn’t help but want more. Of course, with the extreme difficulty, I can’t imagine “Cuphead” will be completed too quickly by many, so I suppose you’ll get a bang for your buck. Here’s to the hopes of DLC in the future.
Conclusion Ultimately, the new indie developers of Studio MDHR have executed a passion project with an equal amount of heart and charm. Once I got into the action, even after the countless failures, it was hard to put the controller down thanks to the addictive challenging yet satisfying loop of “Cuphead.” A love letter to 1930s-era cartoons, artists of that time and the gaming industry as a whole, “Cuphead” looks and sounds simply delightful. Coupled with the exhilarating boss fights and shoot em up gameplay. “Cuphead” is a testament to the amount of heart and dedication developers can put into their games to make a worthwhile and entertaining experience like no other.
Do you think “Cuphead” does well balancing style and substance? Did you find its difficulty to be fair or unforgiving? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
“Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” is a glorified sequel, upping the ante with an intriguing and absurdly powerful character-driven story in addition to fine-tuned, high octane gunplay.
Picking up just months after the events of 2014’s “Wolfenstein: The New Order,” the sequel comes packed with memorable characters and brutal moments alike. Thanks to intense gunplay and an enthralling story with realistic themes, “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” is a fantastic shooter and follow up to to an already great predecessor.
Story Taking place in alternate history of America, “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” sees the Nazis to be the winners of World War 2. William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz teams up with many new faces, as well as returning characters from the last game, all to spark a new American Revolution, finally overthrowing the technologically advanced Third Reich.
Blazkowicz is a brave, bold American hero with plentiful determination. As the main protagonist, I quite enjoy him for his admirable traits and actions but also his realism. Even the macho hero he is, Blazkowicz struggles both mentally and physically, always fearing his death to be around every corner.
Anya, the love interest of Blazkowicz returns and this time she is pregnant with twins. Even Anya has her moments of valor as well, despite being both pregnant and in the shadows of her husband.
Reminiscent of “Wolfenstein: The New Order,” the choice of Wyatt or Fergus is asked, leading to alternate story moments. Other characters like Max Hass and Bombate return; however, they ultimately fail to bring much to the table.
The sequel’s newcomers like the ridiculous conspiracy theorist Super Spesh and Grace, an incredibly driven rebel leader help shape both the dynamic plot and character interactions and relationships of “Wolfenstein 2: The New Order.”
Antagonists in “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” fortunately standout for all their evil glory and won’t soon be forgotten. Rip Blazkowicz, the father of B.J. was both violent and racist in the most extreme manners towards his family, justifying him as a frightening and effective side antagonist. The main threat is the returning Frau Engel. She is truly bone-chilling. Every unnerving laugh at all of the pain she caused to others made Engel blatantly sadistic. The Aryan leader is evil in every sense of the world and the performance and writing of Engel make her an unforgettable villain.
Gameplay
“Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” has rapid, violent gunplay with plenty of Nazis to put those weapons to full effect. Gunplay is fantastic in both how it feels to aim down the sights and pull the trigger, as well as the execution and impact of your bullets. I never found the shooting to be anything less than exhilarating.
The gun variety isn’t overwhelming but it is still packed with enough unique styles to keep things interesting.
There is a welcoming and oftentimes efficient new ability to dual wield any weapons. Running around with two shotguns is truly an unmatched feeling of superiority. Unfortunately, switching or even selecting my left-handed or second gun can be quite the hassle. It felt shaky trying to switch during combat. The select screen not pausing or even slowing down made things harder as well, leaving me better off with just one gun in the end.
Health, armor and ammo are spread out in the levels of “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus,” frequently available for pickup before and after larger encounters. Seeing my health hit 20 and my favorite guns’ ammo run low made these pickups very important.
“Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” does slow the pace down at times to allow stealth. Optional it may be, I found these moments to be exciting and a fresh change of pace, yet still ever-so nerve-wrecking. Throwing hatchets, stabbing from behind or picking enemies off with silence headshots all come with equal satisfaction to that of unloading bullets.
The sheer difficulty cannot go unmentioned. I played “Bring em’ on” which was about two difficulties above the easiest yet still died a whole lot. I don’t wish to put this game down for its intense challenge because it is quite fun to conquer the madness but this may not be welcoming to many. The action does however happen so quickly that you may not even know what hit you and without a killcam, it is oftentimes near impossible to know where you went wrong.
Beneficially, “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” comes with the option to manually save. Whether I was looking for new strategies or just no trying to start from an awfully distant automatic checkpoint, this manual save option helped me a great deal.
Graphics
Visually, “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” is a true marvel. With realistic facial expressions and actions in general, the game looks really good, only further pushing the impact of the story at hand.
The locations vary in both intentionally beautiful and dark and bleak, each feeling raw and telling their own stories.
Sound Like the graphics, the production value is quite good in “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” in the sound department. The characters are all voice acted exceptionally well. Blazkowicz and Engel especially stood out and rightfully so as they are the main protagonist and antagonist respectively.
The action scenes included some adrenaline-fueled music, perfect for the overall tone. Of course, the mundane, emotional and less wild moments in “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” have their own fitting music as well, equally of good quality.
What I found to be out of place was the credits’ music. The song choice was way too over the top, even too hardcore of a metal song for “Doom.”
ContentOnce the credits roll in a linear single player game, the fear is always the lack of incentive to play more. I was pleased with the post-game content available in “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus,” making it worth playing after the credits concluded. It isn’t overly complex or content-heavy but it is nice to see more to do besides the main story.
The wide array of collectibles could easily provide for some time wasting for the collector and trophy/achievement hunter in us all.
Of course Fergus and Wyatt are interchangeable, leading to another playthrough inviting you to see things differently.
I am happy to say my save file is only completed 35 percent, after clocking in just over 20 hours, assuring me at least a few more hours to happily kill Nazis.
Conclusion After killing hundreds of Nazis and marking my territory as both an American hero and killing machine, I can confidently say I had a blast with “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus.” The characters, especially B.J. Blazkowicz and Frau Irene Engel, are unforgettable and complement a compelling and dynamic story, one that appropriately tackles everything from hate groups, freedom fighting and heroism to alternate history, mechanized warfare and more. The intense challenge and glorious, brutal gunplay of “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” make for an extremely exciting time
Was “Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus” better than “Wolfenstein: The New Order?” Did you find it to be too difficult? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
