E3 2018: EA Play Impressions From All Games Radio (AGR)
To open E3 the All Games Radio Network combines Fred (B-Team, GH101), Andy (42 Level One), Sworen (The B-Team Podcast), Beardy McWhiskey (Future Monkeys), and Jamalais (GH101) to discuss the EA Play press conference. With conversations from Battlefield V to Anthem, there’s no lack of impressions on EA’s great introduction to E3 2018.
GHX Episode 29: PrE3 2018
In a massive episode of Giant Bombcast proportions Fred is joined by Jam and Chase to discuss what we expect from E3. It’s more of a discussion of the state of video games, consoles, and publishers than your traditional predictions episode. There’s lots to hear and discuss in this more than 3 hour episode. Enjoy!
Vampyr Review
Being a vampire isn’t at all what I imagined. After falling victim to the embrace I awoke with all knowledge of who I had been in my past life. In my previous life I was Dr. Jonathan Reid and my area of medical study was both in hematology (the study of blood) and trauma surgery. I was a risk taker and had achieved renown and contempt for my tactics in transfusion. This all assisted me in getting a job at the Pembroke Hospital, a London-based institution that has a reputation similar to my own, and attempt to help the people there. That’s right, I’m helping humans get medical attention and curing what ails them. It is the year 1918 and the city is plagued by the aftermath of the Great War, which still wages on, and the Spanish Flu is taking more lives every day with increased effectiveness. On top of all of this monsters roam about the streets at night, and not just vampires either. In these times the relationships you establish are key, the politics of both the human and vampire world are always a consideration, and it’s fair to say something apocalyptic may be afoot. This is Vampyr.
The newest game from studio Dontnod, known previously for Remember Me and Life is Strange, is going all in on the skills it has developed for in the past and combining them into an open world action RPG that leverages story to propel things forward. Whereas quest givers and NPCs can be seen as somewhat throwaway or in the least dismissed after their vignettes, no one in Vampyr is forgotten after you meet them unless you will it so. The beginning of the game will introduce you to nearly a dozen characters, each with their own story, background, thoughts, opinions, and connections to other characters. Getting to know everyone is an arduous task that will surely make up the first two to three hours of your game, but fortunately all of the pertinent details you receive are kept organized and available to you in your notebook. Unlike other vampire tales, every person you meet is key to the continuation of your story and will assist you at getting to your next goals, just not necessarily the way you might expect. Along the way you will open up more districts to the point that your cast is roughly 40 characters that you should consistently manage the health, relationships, and well being should you need them in the future. And trust me, you may need them in the future.
Podcast: A New Challenger Appears (Street Fighter)
For this week’s episode Jam and Fred are celebrating 30 years of Capcom’s Street Fighter series. Specifically focusing on the titles in the recently released Anniversary Collection, they talk about the pop culture influences of the main three titles, all of the updates to each, and the three Alpha titles. Plenty of stories in this one.
Closing Song by Smooth McGroove (youtube.com/smoothmcgroove)
Co-Operative Episode 2: A Way Out
For our second episode Jamalais is teaming up with his wife Me10dy and they are discussing A Way Out. Developed by Hazelight Studios (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons), you are forced to play with two people at all times. Our duo discuss development, their feelings, the campaign, the ending, and final thoughts.
Warning: Spoilers are sprinkled in between 18:03 and 54:15. 43:50 begins a heavy spoiler dicussion about the ending.
Opening Song: No Sugar in my Coffee by Caught a Ghost (E3 2017 trailer song)
Closing Song: Farewell (Uncredited)
Both songs can be found on the A Way Out official soundtrack.
GHX Episode 28: Shot Behind the Sandbags
This week Fred and Trees kick it off with a bunch of movie talk followed by just about any other subject not pertaining to video games like drinking and budgets. Eventually they get to video games and it’s mostly all Trees and Fred’s odd version of a gaming rut. Then the whole show wraps up with a topical discussion on cloud gaming thanks to the recently announced Resident Evil 7 Cloud Edition on Switch.
The Soulsborne Diaries, Part 3: Quitting Demon’s Souls
Renouncement
After more than two months since my last entry, I admit I’m in a bit of a rut. I don’t want to go back and play Demon’s Souls and I also don’t feel I’m getting any better. As it stands I’m trapped in area 1-4 about 15 or so hours into the game and I have no desire to play it. Yes, as my previous entries have stated, I’ve found the right items, I’ve discovered how to outwit (and even kill) the red dragon, and I have upgraded my equipment. I think my biggest problem is leveling, which is a grind of the grandest degree, and no matter how many times I run 1-1 to kill the red knight for my 2,000 souls it just doesn’t feel rewarding. I’m at level 18 or so and none of the stats seem to have a large effect, especially compared to the gap from levels 1 to 5 or even 5 to 10. This game’s jank is also starting to get to me. Whether it’s the stuttering at the top of the stairs in 1-1 or the framerate hitches in the back halls of 1-3, I now get annoyed with the glitches. I’ve heard all of the decries as well. Play as a mage, do this thing here to cheat, do that thing there to by pass some of this, “git gud.” Yeah, I’ve heard it all before and I don’t like any of it.
Storytelling Episode 2: Friends (Part 1)
This episode Fred talks about his early friendships. During his formative years of a younger child and into a pre-teen, there were always significant close friends. He shares his stories of many of these friends and then gets into when everyone starts grouping up.
Podcast: Legend of David Cage (Quantic Dream)
This week Fred and Jam are gearing up for Detroit: Become Human by going over the history of Quantic Dream. From the eccentric head of the studio David Cage to the unique combination of story and tech, there’s no denying this developer is distinct, if nothing else.
The Council Episode 2: Hide and Seek Review
If you have not read our review of Episode 1, it’s highly recommended as it’s not only referenced, but we do not discuss many of the mechanics present in both episodes. This was to prevent redundant comments and move directly into the changes in Episode 2. This review contains no spoilers from either episode.
It has been nearly two months since the premiere of The Council, which has now returned in its second episode Hide and Seek. In my previous review I said that I was optimistic about the future of this new interactive fiction, but sadly I have to report that this sophomoric effort has me wavering. The initial episode bombarded you with plot, characters, and mechanics that both fascinated and daunted. This is to be expected, it’s an introduction, but sadly this episode doesn’t even make good on some of the concepts introduced in the first. That’s not to say the core design is absent, just that it feels like a padded experience relying far too much on the ebb and flow of your build and points than with an intriguing plot or well thought out puzzles. I also didn’t like that this chapter leans heavily on classic adventure game mechanics, a genre I personally despise due to your need to basically read the developers mind, and was mostly absent from The Mad Ones (episode 1). Probably my biggest concern coming into Hide and Seek is that almost none of my decisions from The Mad Ones seemed to have much of an effect.
