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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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Akiba’s Beat Review

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The Deets

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Title: Akiba’s Beat
Console: PlayStation 4
Genre: Single-player Action role-playing
Price: $49.99
Publishers: Xseed Games; PQube
Release Dates: May 16 2017 (NA); May 19 2017 (EU)

Story

You play as Asahi, a NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) who lives in Akiba.  On Asahi’s way to meet his friend, whom he is often late to meet with, he’s dragged into a Delusionscape.  He meets Saki and her side-kick Pinkun, and together they fight to take down the Delsionscape by defeating the Grand Phantasm (the big boss of the Delusionscape).   Even stranger than the Delusionscape is the repeating Sunday; after his first encounter with the Delusionscape, Asahi re-lives the same Sunday in Akiba. Along with Saki, Pinkun, and other companions you pick up along the way, you try to solve the mystery of the delusions, take down all Grand Phantasms, and put an end to the repeating Sunday.

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Game Play

In order to solve the mysteries behind the delusions, you need to investigate every corner of Akiba.  Every. Single. Corner.  The game mostly consists of running back and forth across the map to event spots.  And I literally mean back and forth.  Events will pop up on opposite ends of the map so once you reach a destination you get to turn right back around.

Aside from the main events, you have a fair amount of side missions.  But the side missions also consist of running back and forth across the map. The real benefit to completing the side missions is learning more about the side characters.  The more side missions you complete, the more you reveal about your companions. Of course, there is also the item bonus, too.

Dungeons are fairly easy.  Monsters can detect you, but it is also possible to run past them and avoid them entirely. Similar to all RPG’s, monsters pace around the map and initiate combat if you attack them or if they are close enough to attack you.

In battle you have a meter that limits the amount of actions you can do at a time.  This disables you from just bashing buttons to defeat a monster.  It’s a little clever in that you have to time your hits and dodge attacks, however, the controls are frustrating.  Your character automatically locks onto a target and it is difficult to switch between monsters and free motion feels non-existent.  Basically, all you can do is dodge and fight.  To switch it up, you can change fighters by using the direction pad. That’s a plus?  Customizing your special moves also feels clunky.  I’ve customized mine to every direction, however, only one special move is ever activated despite which direction I’m pushing. Could also be user error.

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Graphics

For those who have played Akiba’s Trip, the map will feel very familiar. In fact, Akiba’s Beat has taken the old map and pretty much left it the same except for one or two changes.  The main differences are navigation -most roads aren’t open for free travel so you have to take certain routes to reach your destination- and pedestrians have been re skinned into generic bystanders with no characteristics or features -just blue, pink, and green silhouettes.

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Characters are simple anime style who have some lip flap, blink now and then, and wobble from side to side during dialogue.  I’ve witnessed one cut scene, so far, and still feel entirely unimpressed.   You’re basically listening to the dialogue with no action. Of course, the true highlight of Akiba’s Beat is getting back into Akiba and solving the mystery behind the Delusions.

Verdict

Pros: If you have played Akiba’s Trip then you’ll be happy to return to the same streets of Akiba.  Although the battle system has changed from it’s predecessor, you are required to think before you attack.  The mystery of the story is intriguing.  I often found myself running through the dungeon, avoiding all monsters, just to get to the next part.

Cons: The battle system, while unique, is limiting and clunky.  There’s a loophole to avoiding the limited move gauge (activating Imagine mode) and you can just smash and bash away.  Lack of free motion, the ability to select targets, and clunky move controls limits the game play experience.  Running from one end of the map to the other to unlock event scenes can also feel extremely tedious.

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I have one major gripe about the game: I absolutely hate how the culture of fandom is being satirized.  Asahi is quite often put down by Saki and her familiar Pinkun.  They constantly insult his intelligence (Pinkun’s favorite insult is for Asahi is “dingus”) and hobbies.  I’m not saying being a lazy slacker should be glorified, but aside from him being a NEET, nothing else about him is revealed which makes it easy to poke and jab at his lifestyle.  While many can argue that Saki is the typical tsundere archetype, she is often insensitive to the fandom passions of the people in Akiba.  Her character shows disgust or discomfort when dealing with mega fans and this action is supposed to be portrayed as… funny? I am not amused.   What I enjoyed about Akiba’s Trip, at least the animated series, is that it embraces the passions that arise from the fandom.  Akiba’s Beat is the opposite.  I feel like this issue comes up because the characters are all shallow archetypes lacking in any real depth.  Having unlikable characters, and even portraying them as unlikable, is a serious flaw to the game. In addition, Pinkun is a very obnoxious mascot.

If I had to rank this game I would give it a 6 out of 10.

Score

Have you been looking forward to this game? Will you pick up this title? Are you a fan of Akiba’s Trip? Additional comments? Let us know!

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Review: A Rose in the Twlight (Playstation Vita)

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A Rose in the Twilight, originally known as “Roze to Tasogare no Kojou” in Japan, is a puzzle platform game, filled with challenges.  And trust me, you will die. Many sad, tragic deaths.

Story

Rose awakes in a world without color or time.  The only obvious color is red; the color that restores time to the objects around her.  Furthermore, where did the thorn and rose on her back come from? Why does she have the power to absorb time from the objects?

A Rose in the Twilight SS (17).pngWhat makes this title unique is that the story telling isn’t done through dialogue, but through cut scenes demonstrated in crimson backdrops and black cut-outs.  To delve further into the story, you must read the scrolls in your collection.  Reading the scrolls gives you a better insight as to what Rose is thinking and feeling as you pass through each dungeon.

This is perhaps one of the darkest stories I have played through so far.  Rose dies numerous times, in some of the darkest ways (hanging, guillotine, and much more), in order to move to the next level.  I almost couldn’t believe something so dark could be published in the United States.  However, each time Rose sacrifices herself, you learn more about what is happening to her and watch the story unravel.

Visuals

A Rose in the Twilight SS (21).pngA Rose in the Twilight takes on a gothic hand drawn art style, with monochromatic level designs and blood-red colored objects. The visuals place you in a tragic fairy tale and the paper-cut out cut scenes create a story book theme. The overall art style is a main staple to the game play mechanics. You will need to observe everything in order to solve the puzzles and move on to the next dungeon.

Rose and her Giant are both very endearing characters.  Whenever Rose trips or is carried around by the Giant, she is portrayed as a clumsy, fragile, and delicate young girl; much like the rose she carries on her back. The giant is bulky and sturdy and the perfect guardian for the young girl.

Audio

A Rose in the Twilight SS (4)A creepy but yet childish music tone is one of the best parts of A Rose in the Twilight. The soundtrack doesn’t overpower what is visually happening, but yet enhances the feel of the game. As I said before, it is a dark story, so of course the game would have a dark, gothic tone of music.  Much like the art style, the music places you into the morbid fairy tale. Audio is subtle throughout the game, but it’s a great soundtrack and fits the title completely.

Gameplay

If you’re like me, you are TERRIBLE at puzzle games.  A Rose in the Twilight was almost infuriating! But not impossible.  The goal of the game is to get Rose and the Giant to the end of each level.  You must control each character since there are some obstacles Rose cannot get through and obstacles the Giant cannot overcome.   Rose has a limited jumping range and is very delicate so she can be crushed by pretty much anything; even falling from distance that feels somewhat short.  The giant is sturdy, but unable to reach some places that Rose can.  Rose must absorb red and transfer it to the proper objects and the Giant must carry it and place it where it needs to be.  You definitely have to pay attention to the level and take advantage of the objects you can interact with while utilizing the skills each character posses.A Rose in the Twilight SS (16)

Of course, as the game progresses each puzzle becomes more difficult to solve. While I found some puzzles so frustrating I wanted to hurl my Vita across the room, it was rewarding when I completed a dungeon. Not only to get more in-depth to Rose’s tragic story, but to show that a darn game can’t beat me!A Rose in the Twilight SS (19)

Verdict

A Rose in the Twilight was a beautiful game.  I am a sucker for dark, gothic, and fairy tales so of course I was immediately drawn to the title.  However, this is a puzzle game through and through.  As a novice puzzle game player, I found the title frustrating.  However, I think more seasoned puzzle game players will appreciate the challenge each level provides.

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Review: Touhou Genso Wanderer (PS4)

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NIS has brought us another game from over seas, this time its Touhou Genso Wanderer by AQUA STYLE. It is a rouge-like RPG game which if ,that means anything to you, you know you’re in for a hard game.

GW_ss02.pngStory:

Story wise this game is kinda simple. You play as Reimu Hakurei who is hanging out with her friend Rinnosuke. He gets possessed by an evil entity and beats up Reimu so now she’s out to investigate what truly happened and to stop Rinnosuke. So as not to spoil the story, suffice it to say that if you’re a Touhou fan you are sure to enjoy it there are references to their other games along with new things to experience.

GW_ss01.pngGame play:

As I mentioned this game is a rogue like RPG which means it’s very hard but fair, if you die you go back to level 1 with only personal experience and some items. I’ll be honest, I’ve never really been a huge fan of rouge likes because of how easily you can lose all your progress. I, personally, want to have my progress saved and see the ending. In this particular game its turn based; you move a space and the enemies move a space as well. You attack, then the enemy attacks. I have played games like this before but the style is not something I’m used to. I prefer turn based like Disgaea turn based.

As I mentioned the game is hard but fair. It is fair in that it gives you all the tools to succeed; if you lose then it’s pretty much your own fault and this is evident right from the get-go in the tutorial. Small spoiler for the tutorial, they give you an item to protect your other items from harm and shortly after acquiring this item you step on a mine that spoils your food (SERIOUSLY! COME ON!!!!) that was my own fault for not paying attention to the item I picked up. Later, I picked up a float potion. They go on to tell you that sometimes there’s hidden rooms that are only reachable by using certain items, and lo and behold I use it and get to a treasure room -Woo, free coins! Then another warning, “Hey if you touch this thingy it will lock you in this room” I pay attention and avoid the thing. Like I said, hard but fair, you have your fair warning and your tools, use em!

GW_ss03.pngGraphics:

So maybe I’m just being critical but, well, this is a PS4 game so why are the graphics so PS1/PS2 like? Not that it’s a bad thing, but it would be way cooler, in my opinion, if the fighting was a little more animated. Overall, the graphics are nothing to write home about. Some may be turned off the game because of them but honestly this is a fun enough game to look past this.

Overall, if you are a glutton for punishment I definitely recommend this one. It has its perks. I’ve been enjoying the game in smaller sessions; I can only take so much punishment, after all (damn you traps!). Give it a shot if you’re a fan of Touhou and/or Rouge-like games, this one is worth it!

You can find Touhou Genso Wanderer in stores March 21, 2017 for the PS4/PS Vita. Let us know if you try it out!GW_ss04

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Review: Double Dragon IV (PS4, Steam)

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Double Dragon IV (PS4,Steam)
$6.99

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Double Dragon‘s main franchise originally had only three titles and were beloved by many gamers of the beat’em up genre. The first three games were released on the NES and in the Arcades back in the late 80’s and early 90’s and later had a spin-off entry in 2012, titled Double Dragon Neon, which reminisced on the franchise with its 80’s theme. Now, in 2017, we finally get a new entry to the series for Playstation 4 and PC, published by Arc System Works, who aren’t the original publisher, but bought the rights to the franchise last year.

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Visuals

Double Dragon IV could not look any better, mainly because key team members involved in the 1987 arcade version have teamed up to recreate the next chapter in the Double Dragon saga. This helped the title to not bring in any new visuals and stays true to series we grew to love. Bringing back the original sprites from Double Dragon II for enemies , as well as bringing a few new enemies with the same 8bit style, players will feel right at home. Especially with the menus old-school layout and players energy hub layout. This will have veteran gamers back into the series, but also can be a turn off for newcomers.

Sure, the same old enemies are back with some new friends, but you will only see twelve of them throughout the game. Yes twelve, re-skinned/colored variants of the same enemies, along with 5 different bosses. For new players, this can get visually repetitive and boring fighting the same guy with his friend that looks exactly like him but green. I would have loved to see more new enemies since it is a new title to the original series.

Double Dragon IV‘s visuals may not be for everyone and it would of been great to just add a little more enemies, but players who love the retro style looks and  grew up on Double Dragon will love this blast from the past visuals.

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Audio

Arc System Works has done well for Double Dragon IV’s soundtrack. The music will have players ready to jump in and kick ass, whether if its alone or with a friend. The soundtrack has brought the past and present together. They have also done players a favor, by giving players a choice of a normal new soundtrack for a new feel to the game or a retro soundtrack for players who want to head back to the early day’s of gaming. This is great because players will enjoy the choices, but the soundtrack isn’t perfect, there are a few problems.

The modern soundtrack is made up of a mix of retro sounds and new instruments, which sounds great. Same goes for the retro soundtrack but they fall flat after you make your way to the end. Players will hear instantly that some stages have tracks that were recycled from old titles and reused from this title and this takes from the new game experience. I would have loved to hear a brand new full official soundtrack to jam to.

The soundtrack from Double Dragon IV has some great new tunes, but it just doesn’t feel like the developers added enough tracks to enjoy and have play in your head, over and over again.dd4screenshot1

Gameplay 

The core gameplay for Double Dragon IV will bring you back to the beginning of the series which isn’t bad at all, and will have you completing stages with friends by making your way past obstacles and teaming up against boss battles. Arc Sytem Works has also brought back the dual mode in which you can play against friends and even a tower mode. Both are great fun and have great replay value.

If you have ever played any of Double Dragon games, you will remember the frustration you will encounter while jumping past obstacles, dodging spike drops, and constantly getting knocked down by your foes, and this is all still here in the latest entry. The only difference is that its doesn’t seem as balanced. Player will find themselves surrounded by enemies constantly knocking them down and taking their lives as well as tightly timed obstacles that will have you wanting to break your controller.

The gameplay is fun but does has it flaws. For instance, levels do not feel like they have been filled like they should and the levels seem easy until you make it halfway through the game where the difficulty jumps up and doesn’t take mercy. This is when players will struggle and have to waste their credits, but then you also can reselect the previous level you have completed and continue on.

 

Verdict

Double Dragon IV is worth the pick up for the price, but don’t expect anything new, or ground breaking. It is the Double Dragon player grew to love, but not much for new players looking for something more.

I would rate this game on a scale 1-10 a 6 out of 10 for the effort to bring us back to that nostalgic age of the beat’em up series, but nothing else but that.

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