The Diablo 4 developers just did an update livestream and it wasn’t too informative. The biggest takeaway from the stream is that we got dates for the Beta later this month. If you have preordered the game at any level, you will be able to play during the early access beta on March 17 from 7 am pst to March 20 at noon pst. Players will only get to play the barbarian, rogue, and sorcerer classes. For everyone who wishes to try the game before buying the game, the open beta is on the following weekend, March 24, 7 am pst – March 27, 12 pm pst. The open beta will give players access to all playable characters. The beta will be on PC and console with preloads available closer to launch. If you have a friend, Diablo 4 has couch co-op so long as both players have a Battlenet account.
It is important to note that while your progress in the early access beta carries over to the open beta, your progress will not carry over to full release. This restriction is because the first season will start shortly after the launch, and the developers wanted everyone to have the same advantages. There will be a few achievements that will carry over to full release. You can earn a couple of titles by playing through the game, which will also be available at launch, and a cute cosmetic you can only get from maxing out a character during the beta.
The max level for the beta is 25, and you will be allowed to create ten characters. Make sure you take as much time as you need with the character creation because your character will be featured in the cinematics. The beta will also have four world boss events. Make sure you check the schedule and location on the game’s socials or blog so you can participate. World bosses are 12-player events that do not need a party to enjoy. You should be able to participate so long as you are at the appropriate level. I like that Diablo 4 will have more of an MMO feel than 3. As you unlock more towns and strongholds, you will start seeing people running around the map like in Diablo Immortal, but hopefully with fewer predatory microtransactions.
There wasn’t too much else to the stream. The rest of the stream focuses on how to play Diablo 4. Unless you’ve never played an RPG, the livestream isn’t worth your time.
I will be playing the open beta because I love Diablo, but $70 to preorder isn’t in my budget at the moment. I am a bit upset that a game this expensive also has a $10 season pass. While the season passes won’t affect gameplay, I don’t want to pay $70+ to play a game and an additional $40 a year to look cool. Season passes seem to be the norm now. What can be done?
Game Review: Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
So I got Theatrhythm Final Bar Line because I wanted something that would tide me over while I waited for Digimon World: New Order to release. It looked like a cute rhythm game, and the gameplay didn’t seem too involved. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a Final Fantasy-themed rhythm game that you can play on the PlayStation or Nintendo Switch. If you are a fan of the series, you will probably enjoy this game more than I do. It isn’t a bad game, I just didn’t appreciate it as much as I could if I had that nostalgic connection this is aimed towards.
For the most part, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a solid rhythmic game. The mechanics are easy to grasp, the animations are cute, and there is a lot of content to unlock. My issue with this game is the music choice. I haven’t played any Final Fantasy games except for a bit of the MMOs. While I didn’t hate the music, it isn’t what I want in a rhythm game. I wish I could use my music like I can with Melody’s Escape because I loved watching my little party fight monsters. I needed something more upbeat and catchy for my enjoyment. I didn’t hate the game. I had fun playing through the songs, but it isn’t something I could play for too long without losing interest.
If you want a cute and chill rhythm game and love Final Fantasy, this is a great title to pick up. Otherwise, I would wait for a sale. You can get your copy for the Nintendo Switch of PlayStation today. If you want to try it before you buy, go check out the demo!
Sea of Stars Demo
The Sea of Stars demo is out on the eShop, so I decided to give it a try. I love the pixel art, and I am always in the market for a new RPG. The demo is only available on the Nintendo Switch, but the game will also release on Steam and PlayStation on August 29, 2023. If you are interested in the game and have a Switch, I recommend downloading the demo.
The demo does a fantastic job of giving players a sense of the combat mechanics and dungeons featured in Sea of Stars. The demo lets you control the three featured characters as you make your way through an abandoned wizard’s tower. It was such a beautiful setting, and I am curious to see what they do with the rest of the world.
One thing to note right off the bat, this game does not waste time on a tutorial level. You will be thrown into the story and left to figure things out. I highly recommend you read the help guide included in the main menu because there are mechanics introduced in this game that aren’t intuitive. I hate having to sit through tutorials, and I am happy with this choice. The guide is pretty comprehensive and easy to follow.
The puzzles in the demo were very manageable. I found the experience quite relaxing. The game might be more difficult at release, but I will be here for it either way. Combat is where this game truly shines. I have never played an RPG where the combat was this engaging. Instead of waiting for your turn, you can press buttons to either buff your attacks or defense. If you get the timing right, the small boost you get from this mechanic makes a nice difference. You can play this game like every other RPG, but I recommend you do the extra work to keep things interesting.
My favorite part of Sea of Stars is the way in which they handle magic. Each spell has an extra step that determines how much damage you do. For example, there is a spell where you cast a boomerang that you can keep bouncing between enemies by pressing the A button. Timing is crucial for this spell. Missing the timing on the return means the boomerang doesn’t bounce, and you do less damage. Any mana you expend casting spells you can earn back performing basic attacks. I loved that I didn’t have to horde potions in spells for the end of the dungeon.
The demo ends with a fun boss battle. It didn’t feel like the usual slog against a damage sponge because I was so focused on the buff/debuff mechanics. The fight was difficult enough to keep me engaged without feeling like a slog fest. Please make sure you save at the save points! When you die, you restart at your last save. I lost a lot of progress.
I’ll reserve my judgment for the story because there wasn’t much of it in the demo. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, but it is too early to know for sure. There is also no voice acting, and I didn’t really care for the music. That said, I am looking forward to this game’s release! Make sure you mark your calendars for August! In the meantime, go check out the demo.
Game Review: Risen (2023)
I was sent Risen as a review code. I am very grateful to have gotten this opportunity, but I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game.
Risen is an action role-playing game from 2009 that has now been ported over to all the major consoles. I got to play it on the Xbox One. This isn’t a remaster of the original. It is the same game. If you are a fan of the original or want to play it for the first time on your modern console, now is the time.
You find yourself shipwrecked on the island of Faranga with only the clothes on your back. Forge your path through the island as you survive its many dangers and claim its treasures. This island is cruel and full of warring factions, dangerous beasts, earthquakes, and storms. How you conquer this island is in your hands. Will you do it with a sword in hand or magic? What secrets will you uncover along the way?
The game does look and feels old, but it hasn’t aged terribly. While it may feel clunky compared to modern standards, it isn’t a terrible experience. Once you get used to the feel, everything else falls into place. The game looks fine for how old it is, but I did find it a bit too dark for my liking. The voice acting is fantastic, and the story hooks are interesting enough to get you going.
I liked the freedom this game gives you. The maps are pretty open, and there is enough choice from the quests you accept to the way you play to keep the game fresh. I however found this freedom limited by its difficulty. You will die a lot in this game, so save frequently. The combat is smooth but hard to master. This is also a game that doesn’t hold your hand, you have to figure everything out on your own. I suggest you keep a guide handy. I found the one published in Mike’s RPG Center to be very helpful, but there are many other great ones to choose from.
If you like these kinds of difficult games, you will have a lot better time with them than I did. I don’t have the time or patience for these kinds of games. I kept having to start over, and I don’t have the time for that It certainly has its niche with those who like Souls-like games. If you are looking for a chill game to play but are limited in the time you can budget for gaming, I suggest you look elsewhere. Otherwise, the game has aged well enough for those interested.
You can grab your copy of the rerelease for Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation.
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Game Review: Fashion Police Squad
I was sent Fashion Police Squad as a review code. While I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to review this game, I am not letting this sway my opinion. This will be my honest review of the game.
Fashion Police Squad is a retro FPS Doom clone with a silly quirk. It is available on all major platforms and PC. This review will be on the PC version. You play as Sargent Des who suddenly finds himself in a city with an abnormal boom in fashion crimes. It is up to you to fight these crimes and get to the bottom of what is behind this sudden wave.
The writing in this game is fine. It is full of fashion-related puns, and at least some will make you laugh. I got a good chuckle out of this game and appreciate the developers’ commitment to the bit. The plot has a predictable mystery, but you aren’t playing this game for its deep storytelling.
This game is a mostly more polished retro fps full of inventive weapons and hilarious enemies. Each enemy comes with a specific weakness that requires you to constantly switch between your equipment. This mechanic gives the game a welcomed level of difficulty. I played on the normal difficulty and thought the game was challenging enough, but you can always raise it if you find it too easy. I found that even on normal difficulty, I had to plan out my moves and be aware of enemy positioning or else be overwhelmed.
That said, the game isn’t perfect yet. I found instances where I could confuse the NPCs and get them stuck in loops that made them easy to kill. There were also a few performance issues, especially in instances with many enemies, where the game would stutter; or frames would drop after each kill. The performance issues never made the game unplayable, but they are noticeable when it happens.
I had a lot of fun with this game. I love retro FPS games and found this to be a delightful little take on the genre. The humor was a vibe that I was all about, although I will admit some of the slang did go over my head. The art is really cool, and their attention to detail is admirable. Most importantly, this game is fun. It is definitely worth the $20. The game is on sale for $17 until February 16 on the Xbox, PC, and Switch.
You can grab your copy of Fashion Police Squad on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox, and Steam.
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For whatever reason, WordPress isn’t letting me post my gameplay video so here is a great one by ContraNetwork
No Man’s Sky
The other day I booted up No Man’s Sky on PC because I didn’t know I had the copy. To my surprise, not only did I have a copy, but I also had access to their new VR update. If you don’t remember, No Man’s Sky had a rough start at release. By all accounts, this game was terrible, and people were demanding refunds. Hello Games came out and made a statement assuring its players that it will continue to work on this game and make it better. Seven years later, this game is still going strong, and Hello Games has made good on many of its promises.
I got this game after its first update. I saw the bad news, but when the game went on sale, the sale price justified my curiosity. I loved this game and played way too much of it. For those who don’t know, No Man’s Sky is a space-themed survival game. You must use the resources of the planets you land on to build your bases, explore ancient cavillations, and travel the universe. If you like survival games, you probably already own this title. If you are considering buying this game, it doesn’t hurt to jump in now. The art is phenomenal, the gameplay is relaxing, and the developers behind this game are amazing. Do not be intimidated if you aren’t familiar with survival games. There are many resources and guides out there to guide you on your journey, and there are several modes and settings to help make your playthrough a catered experience.
I got this game on the Xbox when I first got my copy. Not only did this copy grant me access to the PC version, but I can also play it in VR. I love the fact that I can switch between consoles without having to start over and buy another copy of the game. I hate having to purchase multiple versions of the game when I dare desire the convenience of playing on the couch. I wish more games came with the option of not just cross-platform, but cross-saves as well. I know that there is that belief that PC gaming is the panicle of the experience, but sometimes I want to not be at my desk. It shouldn’t be too much to ask for, especially in online games, to be able to play on whatever is most convenient without having to spend so much money.
The VR experience has revitalized my love for this game. Not only does it give me a reason to use my Meta Quest 2, but it is a phenomenal experience. This isn’t a cheap gimmick to trick people into buying the game again. There was a lot of effort put into this port. This game is so pretty and immersive that I have spent more time looking at the strange alien life than trying to finish any questing. I am the type of person who is easily distracted. The game runs pretty well on the Quest 2, although there are some stuttering and bugs that could be ironed out. It is not enough to ruin the experience, but it is noticeable enough to be distracting.
Chilly MKA posted a pretty good game play video that you should check out if you need to see what this game looks like in VR:
One thing to note about this version is that the default movement settings are designed to mitigate VR sickness. You teleport to move it blinks to turn. Teleporting to move felt clunky, and it took away from the emersion. Turning feels too sudden and jarring. I changed the settings so that I could get a more immersive experience, but that will take some getting used to for most. While I didn’t get as sick with this title as others I have played, the sickness will eventually creep up on me, and I will need to take my break or risk losing my lunch. I do recommend you not wear the headset until the game is loaded to your instance because the loading animation will make you sick. My only complaint is that I wish I could use a flight stick for flying the spaceship, but I can live without using one.
You should buy this game if you don’t have it. It is sure to provide you with many hours of relaxing gameplay as you travel through the universe exploring strange and wonderful worlds. Check it out on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, xbox, Steam, and GOG. For those of you who like physical copies, consider getting cheaper copies on Amazon with my affiliate links:
Image Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50630511
The Pathless
I just watched the trailer for The Pathless, and I thought I would share it with you. The Pathless is an action-adventure game available on all major consoles, PC, and IOS devices. Take control of a hunter and her eagle as you travel through a magical land, riding it of darkness with the help of your archery and acrobatic skills. This game might be worth looking into if you are in the market for a faster-paced platformer. I don’t think I will be picking it up because I have a few games lined up for review, but the art looks interesting, and the gameplay seems solid. It doesn’t seem too bad for $40.
You can get your copy for Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Steam, and IOS. This game is included in your apple arcade subscription if you have one. It is mostly available in digital format, but I was able to find a physical copy for the PS5 that is a bit cheaper at $21.95 through my affiliate link.
NintendoGalaxy put out a nice video showcasing the gameplay on the Nintendo Switch that is worth checking out if you are interested in the the game.
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless was just announced, and I am interested in keeping up with my newfound interest in strategy games. I haven’t played any of the games in this series either, but I have always heard good things. The game looks adorable and the little gameplay I saw looks manageable for my skill level. This SRPG is promising a bunch of new features like a Hell Mode, an auto-battle feature, and online ranked play for those competitive folks out there. I will be watching for more news and gameplay.
The game is set to release in the fall of 2023 on the Nintendo Switch, Steam, and PlayStation. As of writing this, you can only preorder the different collection bundles and plushies directly from the NIS store, and the swag looks pretty neat if you are a fan of the series.
Limited Edition with Plush Set
Nintendo Switch Bundle $158.99 USD
PlayStation 4 Bundle $158.99 USD
PlayStation 5 Bundle $158.99 USD
Limited Edition Without the Plush Set
Nintendo Switch Bundle $99.99 USD
PlayStation 4 Bundle $99.99 USD
PlayStation 5 Bundle $99.99 USD
Just The Plushies
“Netherworld Warriors” Acrylic Print $299.99
Persona 3 Portable & Persona 4 Golden Bundle
This year is looking pretty good for the Nintendo Switch and console gaming in general. I am definitely going to struggle to keep up with my ever-growing backlog of games. I just saw the ad for the Persona 3 Portable & Persona 4 Golden Bundle and I am very excited. I am still busy with Fire Emblem Engage. but I will try to finish it up quickly to attempt to squeeze it in. If you are a fan of these classic titles, you can now get them on each modern console. It looks like they have upgraded the graphics and it looks pretty sick. I haven’t had a chance to play any of the persona games, but this looks like it’s a nice place to start. Grab your copy for the Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch today!
Game Review: Samurai Maiden
I got Samurai Maiden as an impulse. I wanted something to do while I waited for Fire Emblem Engage. I liked the art, and I needed something to do. Unfortunately, my interest faded quickly the deeper I got into this series.
You play as a high school girl who finds herself in the past. It has prophesied that she would come to save the world from a great evil. With the help of a group of sexy ninjas, you must now fight against the forces of evil and fulfill your prophecy.
I don’t believe I need to be any more specific because the narrative is as generic as it gets. There is an audience for this game, but it wasn’t me. The writing for this game is bad. This might be due to a poor translation, but I just couldn’t get past it. The voice acting is okay, but it bothers me that they constantly pause after each line of dialogue. I couldn’t get invested in a story that was poorly executed. The only aspect of this game that I liked was the art. Samurai Maiden is a beautiful game, but it remains a shallow experience.
The main gameplay exists within this very stiff hack-and-slash game. As the main character, you fight your way through small dungeons and call on your friends for support. There are some dating sim elements to this game. You gain friendship with your support characters as you use them. You can also form romantic relationships with the other ninjas. You unlock more combos and back story as you develop relationships with the other characters. I liked this mechanic and thought it was an interesting way to handle support characters and worldbuilding. It wasn’t good worldbuilding, and I didn’t care for the dating sim bits, but it was an interesting mechanic.
If you like these kinds of games, you might have a better time. There is enough fan service and cute moments, but the gameplay just isn’t there. For everyone else, it isn’t worth the trouble, especially for the price of $59.99. It looks great, but the game isn’t. But for those interested, you can get it on Steam, PlayStation, and the Nintendo Switch.
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