This ‘time’ on Games and Gear we take our ‘time’ talking about Quantum break, it’s about… wait for it… TIME!
Gameroween 2015: Video Game Characters that make good costumes (Titan from Titanfall)
Robots are awesome, period, exclamation point. If they didn’t want to kill us so many times in fiction I would be an advocate for not the fast tracking of robots being made but having two in every house hold. Oh well I guess I can settle for anime mecha, robot movies, and Halloween. However with so many choices in the cybernetic costume arena which does one pick? Well people if I could make a suggestion, how about the Titans from Titanfall. Sure they’re not shape changing aliens from a mechanized planet, or time traveling killers from a post-apocalyptic age; but they are giant, bipedal, combat ready, tanks that can tip the scales in any militaristic engagement. They come in three flavors: the well balanced Atlas, the lithe Stryder, and (my personal favorite) the unstoppable Ogre. They have their strengths and weaknesses but once you see one, and you don’t have one, it’s over. Creating an accurate Titan costume is next to impossible; however if you put in the effort and love big, giant, robots, then your Titan will be glorious. Just don’t try arriving to your Halloween function via orbit, Titanfall technology sadly doesn’t exist yet.
Armada’s E3 picks: Gigantic (2015)
MOBAs, or Multiplayer online battle arena (or ARTS – action real-time strategy) are a genre of game that has gotten popular in recent times. From Defense of the Ancients & League of Legends to Infinite Crisis & Smite they all have garnered hardcore fans and even tournaments (with cash prizes no less) devoted to the playstyle. That being said, it’s a flawed genre. Not because of the RPG elements of the games or the use of items, armors, and weapons players can choose from within the field of battle (overwhelming at times but you get used to it). It’s flawed because MOBA’s are (generally) unbalanced: range characters can decimate melee types; some characters have superior abilities while others are just liabilities; and my favorite – when the going gets tough just run away to safety or just back off until more of your teammates show up and then rush like reckless jobbers. MOBAs have potential, no doubt, but I’m just waiting for the one game that can break the cycle and actually have MOBA gameplay that’s (majority) skill and not stat based. Gigantic may be that game, we’ll see later this year.
Games & Gear of 2015: Gigantic (2015)
Gigantic is not just big or huge, it’s… GIGANTIC! Sorry I couldn’t help myself. Anyway Gigantic is another character class game that pits players against each other in team based blood sport. However what separates this from others of its type is that you have a giant beast behind you (literally), a Guardian. Every time your team does well your Guardian will become more powerful, if your team eats dirt your Guardian will get weaker. Once a Guardian gets too weak it will be vulnerable to enemy attack – if it dies game over for that team. However if the Guardian becomes in empowered then it will launch onto the field of battle and wreak it (along with the enemy players and their Guardian). Gigantic will be free-to-play which is a plus, however it will also be playable on the Xbox One console in addition to PC so like I said Gigantic is not just big or huge, it’s… GIGANTIC – savings on your pocket book.
Gift guide for great gamers: Titanfall
The intro to Megas XLR said it best: chicks dig giant robots! Actually everyone digs giant robots because robots are awesome and making them giant is the most logical choice. Since Mech Assault went the way of the dodo there was a huge lack of giant fighting robo games out there, it took a while but there coming back thanks to Titanfall. A game that’s very Call of Duty-ish (with some Brink thrown in for taste) but instead of getting kill-streaks for doing a good job you get to summon a war machine from the heavens to lay waste to your enemies. Add to the fact of the game’s multiple modes and the ability to unlock other powerful advantages as you play and you come to find Titanfall does Advanced Warfare better than Advanced Warfare. Sadly the game’s only for Xbox One owners & online is required but like life, gaming can be unfair.
Armada Let’s Play: Sunset Overdrive
Will this Xbox One exclusive game, an Insomniac Game by the by, bring the pain and super sexy style, or will it be all fizzle and no Overcharge. Now I’m not a robotic focus group, but I did have fun playing in this surprisingly tough title.
Armada’s Gamescom picks: Quantum Break
Guess who’s back? Quantum Break, the game/show that died but lives again. Made by the same fokes who done Max Payne and Alan Wake comes a game that is both parts deep drama and 3rd person action shooter. The player is Jack Joyce, one of three people who survived a time traveling experiment gone a rye; so now he can stop time. Unfortunately the main villain of the game, Paul Serene – another survivor, can now control time as well and now using it to cause chaos for an unknown reason. You are the only one who can stop him, as well as fix time from coming undone. People I always love the concept of time travel / manipulation and from the Gamescom demo it looks like they do it very well in the combative areas and to set the mood so yay for that. Also I liked Alan Wake and more than a few of you out there like Max Payne so do yourselves a favor and keep an eye out for Quantum Break next year; it’s only a matter of time.
Let’s Watch – Mircosoft’s E3 Press Conference 2014
Next up is the Microsoft E3 Press Conference, well the good news is the video looks great but the bad news is the sound quality is so good that it overrides most of our commentary. Fortunately you do get to here our thoughts of their Conference at the very end; it’s still sad out little quips will be missed, oh well we’re still on the ‘close enough’ principal here so enjoy.
Mini Game Review: Titanfall
Never mind the 75+ awards it won last year, never mind the other critics saying that it’s more than what I’m about to say, never mind the hype and listen to your good old friend the One, True, Omnigamer: Titanfall is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare with MechAssault with a hint of Brink added in – and that’s it.
Not that’s a bad thing mind you, like CoD games; Titanfall is incredible amount of fun. The combat is well-balanced as players control the agile, adaptable pilots and imposing, game changing Titans. The battlefields are large and varied (they had to be for mech fighting action) so smart pilots can create ambushes or quick escapes when things don’t go your way and Titan can use buildings for cover against enemy Titans or pilots with anti-mech weapons. They even done new things like streamlined the story into the multiplayer (due to the fact that Titanfall doesn’t have a single player) so while you’re fighting they play through the story. Sadly though people with something like this, I expected more. This is a flagship title for the new Xbox One; a physical reason why players (despite the controversies) choose this system over the PS4. Everything said and done, through the standard multiplayer match types, the uninventive weapons, the cookie cutter class customization, and not even a graphical update – Titanfall doesn’t measure up as next gen.
Rating
Fun’s fun but now is the time to step it up, and today this title fails. Fortunately its pluses out weight’s its minuses so it doesn’t fail outright and the game could become next gen thanks to future DLC (or at least expand the story), but for right now this game ain’t worth the $60 plus tax (thankfully for me I got the Xbox One Titanfall bundle, so basically I got the game for free). Rent it, have fun for a weekend, then return it; the future is now – but not here. Yet.
Game and Gear of 2014 – Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (2/25/2014)
Now people I’m the first to admit I never got into the Plants vs. Zombies craze. I mean it’s cartoon vegetables vs. Invader Zim looking zombies with hold the line style gameplay – what’s to get? However when I saw this trailer of their new spinoff, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, I said to myself: “I get it now, this will be fun!” It features customizable characters, co-op horde modes, massive multiplayer maps, and even some modes for smart glass. I’m proud to say it looks like this game series has evolved passed its touch screen beginning and now ready to take its first steps as a complex title. We’ll find out this February.
Video Game Armada 