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NCG Reviews – Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 ( Playstation 4, PC/Steam)

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Lets Rock

Being one of the main fighting games at EVO 2017 this year and coming almost a years after Guilty Gear Revelator, an updated version titled Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 joins the franchise. Adding 2 more characters, new moves, and new balancing to the gmame, along with an extra chapter to the story from the last game, Revelator 2 will keep players learning more ways to punish their opponents.REV2_Baiken_3

Visual

REV2_Baiken_12Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 is still the best looking fighting game to date, with its 2D feel and 3D rendered characters. During gameplay you can instantly see the difference from the previous Revelator. With the newly added dramatic angle drops before each battle, new stages which are lit up and gorgeous , Rev 2 visually looks stunning.

REV2_Answer_15Stepping away from the gameplay, Rev 2’s menus had a color swap as well as some touch ups. One of the main touch ups is the online menu . Players can now easily queue up in ranked matches as well as player matches from the easy to navigate main menu. This is a big update from the previous entry, as it is no longer needed for players to go into a lobby to wait for matches.

 

 

Sound/Audio

REV2_Answer_21Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 added a few new tracks to the fast, heavy and adrenaline pumping J-rock music soundtrack that will have you ready to challenge other players. With a track list consisting of character themes, from previous entries, you will understand why the game says “Let’s Rock” before ever match. There will be times when you find yourself staying on one track just to pump yourself up during a matchup. For anyone who loved any of the older titles this is hands down one OST to add to your music collection.

 

Gameplay

REV2_Baiken_10The fast pace gameplay that the Guilty Gear Series is known for is still here with new balancing and new move sets. Adding 2 more characters to the roster, one being Baiken, a fan favorite from older entries, and the other named Answer, a newcomer to Rev 2, this update will have you playing, and learner new combos for hours.

As I mentioned before, the online menu has been updated, so now when players play ranked matches they can take part of a best to 3 set of matches. Something that was taken from Street Fighter V, and I recommend any other fighting game title should add as well. This is one of the best parts from Rev 2, as it helps keep the online match flow consistent and competitive. For players not looking for online play but more to the single player experience, Rev 2 has also brought back a new chapter for the “Cinematic Story Mode”, which I am not going to spoil but is well worth your time.

Verdict

With the fantastic visuals still here, new characters entering the roster and new moves in Rev 2, this is a must have to anyone who is a fan of the Guilty Gear franchise or wants to keep up with the fighting game community. As for new players who missed out on the previous title, I highly recommend picking this title up, as it is one of the best looking, and best technical fighting games out there. As for a score for Rev 2,  I have to give Guilty Gear Revelator 2 a 9 out of 10.ScoreREV2_Baiken_1

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Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 will launch May 26 in North America

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Publisher Aksys Games has announced that Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 will launch for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 in North America on May 26.

The game will be available as a $39.99 as standalone physical and digital release on PlayStation 4, and also as a $19.99 digital upgrade for Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3.

Here’s a brief overview of the game of what to expect:

About

Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 features new fighters, moves, story chapters and more! It’s never been a better time to be a 2.5D brawler in the post apocalypse! Hone your skills with an eclectic cast of 25 insane fighters and prove your mettle as the ultimate fighting master

Key Features

  • Upgrades, Lots of Upgrades – Two new characters, Baiken and Answer enter the battle! New stages, moves and motions are just the beginning of new content to explore!
  • Legends of Rock – Expanded story and arcade modes shed new light on Jam, Kum, Raven, Dizzy, Answer and Baiken!
  • Balance is the Key – A complete re-balancing of each fighter means that everything old is new again! Explore different fighting techniques with your favorite characters or start fresh with new brawlers!
Gaming News

Period: Cube – Shackles of Amadeus will be coming west Spring 2017

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Aksys Games has announced that the visual novel Period: Cube – Shackles of Amadeus will be heading to western shores Spring 2017. The visual novel will launch for the Playstation Vita, here is a quick overview on the game.

About

In search of your older brother’s whereabouts, you join the online RPG, ‘Arcadia’ in hope of discovering clues. Having lost consciousness after being drawn into a mysterious light, you wake up within the game’s fantasy world! Confused and shaken by your strange yet familiar surroundings, you learn that the only way to escape this world of life-or-death is to clear the game. As the game world begins to crumble and fall apart, you’ll have to rely on your expanding powers for survival!

Key Features

  • Many Roads to Victory – A branching narrative and multiple endings ensure each player will be leading their own unique story! Choose carefully, as each decision changes the path before you.
  • The Danger is Real – Prepare to be sucked into a virtual world like no other! Fraught with peril, every move could be your last. As the lone hope for Arcadia, only you can defeat the powerful forces of darkness!
  • Gripping Narrative with 30+ Hours of Gameplay – Period: Cube ~Shackles of Amadeus~ offers stylized characters, beautiful visuals and an intriguing story that will challenge your very perception of reality!
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NCG Review: Chase: Cold Case Investigations – Distant Memories

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Aksys Games brings a new detective story to the Nintendo 3Ds.  Released October 13th in North America, Chase: Cold Case Investigations – Distant Memories, lets player step into the role of two detectives, Shounosuke Nanase and Koto Amekuru, to unravel a mystery of the past.

Story
Tipped off by an anonymous phone call, detectives Shounosuke Nanase and Koto Amekura must re-investigate an explosion that happened five years in the past. The detectives must uncover whether or not the explosion was an accident or a crime scene by re-examining the evidence and interviewing their suspects.

Game Play
Chase: Cold Case Investigations – Distant Memories is a visual novel adventure.  As you play through story, you must pay close attention to the dialogue to uncover the facts and find the clues that will lead to the perpetrator.   Most prompts have no more than four choices.  If you guess wrong, your meter will deplete.  Aside from the prompts, you must identify clues hidden within photos of the crime scene.

Verdict
Pros: The game has a strong enough story to keep players interest.  Through re-examining the clues and speaking with the suspects you uncover the truth and learn to stop working based on assumptions.  The story is very fitting for those who like the detective genre and there are just enough layers to the story to keep players in the game until the end.

Cons: While the story is intriguing, you don’t get enough of it.  Gameplay is about two hours, more or less, and the ending is so open ended you feel like you missed something. I wouldn’t call this a complete game since it felt like it was a prologue to a bigger, longer game. Shounosuke Nanase feels like a complex character with secrets of his own, but they are never revealed and cannot be revealed because of the length of the game.

Unlike other detective titles that challenge your skills of deduction, Chase walks you through the mystery.  If you were reading the dialogue, choosing the right answer when prompted and uncovering the right clues is extremely simple. The meter, which depletes when you make the wrong selection, feels like it’s just for show so the game feels like a “game”;  there’s really no way you can actually get a “Game Over” unless you weren’t paying attention to the dialogue.

If you want great, in-depth characters, this is the wrong place to look.  The characters are flat, and while they are driven by their emotions because of what has happened in the past, they’re pretty straight forward and fall into basic archetypes. Shounosuke Nanase is your basic, apathetic senior detective, and Koto Amekura is your basic up-and-coming detective ready to prove herself.

For the price of $5.99, you get what you pay for.  I recommend the game for those who enjoy the detective genre, and are fans of director Taisuke Kanasaki, but not for anyone who is looking for a detective title that can sit beside Pheonix Wright.  Do you like mystery games? Which is your favorite title? Let us know in the comments!

 

 

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Review: BlazBlue Central Fiction (PS3, PS4)

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I have always been a fan of Aksys Games fighting games, the Guilty Gear series, Under-night in Birth, Chaos Code, the Blazblue series, plus many more. So when I heard that the last installment of Blazblue will be out this year I was totally on board for learning the mechanics, although, the Blazblue series has mostly been the same for the last few games. That being said, I wondered what this title had to offer me and players alike.

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Visuals

BlazBlue has always had an art style of its own with the anime look of newer Guilty Gear titles but in a more 2D aspect. The game is flashy and the effects look awesome; it’s enough to keep battles intense and players on their toes. The menus even got a ramp up from the originals; they are much easier to navigate with less sub menus, and makes the game look better as a whole. The story mode also approaches the visual novel mode aspect in a more unique way compared to previous titles since cut-scenes are now fully animated. All in all the game is terrific with not many flaws in the visual aspect.

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Audio

Aksys Games titles always have a great soundtrack with the rock style music and the piano scores that really captivates players and brings them into the world of BlazBlue. Central Fiction brings in some remastered orchestrated music from past titles and new tracks for this one as well. Players will enjoy listening to the intense soundtrack while taking on other players across the globe. This is definitely a soundtrack to add to your playlist.

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Gameplay

The game has some new features players can except to see such as the re-balancing of old characters, the addition of new characters, new single player modes, the return of the “Crush Trigger” mechanic, and the addition of the “Exceed Accel” mechanic; a powerful attack that can be used only while Overdrive is activated. The single player modes will have you immersed in completing them for offline play, and the online modes will have you wanting to rank up and take down anyone in your way. The “Exceed Accel” mechanic will be the main part of this title that will draw veteran players and new players in, because it adds a new touch to the game and makes it feel more original. The addition of seven new characters, Hibiki, Nine, Naoto, Izanami, Susano’o, Es, and Mai complete the title, making Central Fiction feel new and fresh. The addition of new characters definitely adds to the story mode as well, bringing out the climax of BlazBlue Central Fiction.

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Verdict

This is the Blazblue title players have been waiting for, with its story ending flawlessly, new mechanic to learn and keep you engaged, and the outstanding soundtrack. I would say this is a must-buy for any fan of the fighting genre.