Last Game You Finished and Your Thoughts MKII

I've always thought the comparison between those games to be odd if I'm honest TR (the old games at least) always had a big puzzle element to them whereas Uncharted does not so the only similarities are that both characters seek out ancient treasures/artefacts.

So I've always seen them as very different games also.

I'm talking the classic Raiders which I would agree are very different but the second reboot ones are IMO.

But from your opening lines Jas you have clearly heard of these compressions before.

There's a difference between comparing a game and saying it takes the formula of though...

Yes I've heard of them but I can't say if they are correct or not because I haven't played any of the newer TR games.

I've played a bit of Uncharted and Tomb Raider, and whilst they're similar thematically - treasure hunters, tombs, you name it - in terms of gameplay they feel like different beasts altogether. Uncharted focused more on its combat and set pieces whereas Tomb Raider put more emphasis on platforming and exploration. There's no "formula" - they're different games that share the same story features, which they both ripped off from Indiana Jones anyway.

Ahh the Indiana Jones formula.

I just told you, there's no formula! Now, the Indiana Jones recipe...

Take one living person's still beating heart, mix with monkey brains, serve chilled.

Make sure to put it in the fridge.

Jay nails it more then me really as Indiana Jones is the bases of both series , but I do feel both Raiders in the last Act goes totally 3rd person shooter.

Just looking on game-rankings for instance the 15 most recent reviews of Tomb Raider & Rise of the Tomb Raider, Uncharted is mentioned 14 times. I'm not saying there right or wrong to bring it up or because they are I agree, I''m just saying I'm not the first to do so.

I've even brought up this before with my RotTR review here and I think even on the Podcast which Andy was on and when talking Uncharted in it's thread, and none of you said anything then or when Mr Phill Spencer even compared the two games as well.

JayMoyles wrote:

I just told you, there's no formula! Now, the Indiana Jones recipe...

Balladeer wrote:

Take one living person's still beating heart, mix with monkey brains, serve chilled.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Make sure to put it in the fridge.

Sorry to interrupt but

METROID FUSION SUPER-REVIEW

It's like a mini Super Metroid. Good. [8].

Dark souls 3

Absolutely superb game & the game that DaS 2 should have been though I'll need more play through's before deciding if it tops Bloodborne or not.

Dark Souls III

It is done. Beautiful. Sad. Wondeful. Excellent. I can't decide if I'm sad there's no more Dark Souls, or glad I'm free of it. I'll no doubt replay this one and the first one many times over, and of course I have Guesstus Flasks to record and the forum thread to chat on and podcasts to listen to and Youtube videos to watch and books to read, so I'll be kindling this bonfire for a long time.

But in the truest sense, Dark Souls is finally over. Maybe I'll have more thoughts. Maybe I'll even do a proper review. For now, I just want to close my eyes and go to sleep, for the first time in weeks, peacefully.

Would like to see a full-on Gintendo review from you Drunka on DSIII also there likely be DLC and you could still go back to Demon's & Bloodborne at some point, that I don' think you're done with Souls games.

Yeah, I might well do a Gintendo review. I know there's more, but that was the last time I'll play through a while new Dark Souls.

Aye the first dlc is due in Autumn & the second in 2017, but it's pretty much been confirmed by Mr Miayazaki that 3 is the last one.

Starfox Zero



Alright, obvious disclaimer out the way first: I've only played through one run of the campaign. Obviously, this is designed for multiple goes, taking altternate routes and trying high scores and generally enjoying arcade action.

That said, I'm more than ready to make the following assessment: It was bloody excellent!

Obviously, it isn't perfect. There are a couple of sticking points which might people off, and I totally understand if they do. The first one, and the only thing a lot of people seem to be discussing, has to be the controls. The controls are different, and take some getting used to. Flying traditional Starfox Arwing controls on the TV, looking down at the gamepad to line up a shot when an enemy is where you want him, is fiddly at first but ultimately satisfying. Learning new control schemes for each vehicle is kind of a fuss, but they're thankfully used only minimally after the opening couple of levels.

Once I had the two screens and the inputs down, controlling the Arwing felt amazing. When I somersaulted behind an enemy who was bringing up my rear, or picked off targets in a split second as I zoomed past, I really felt like a flying ace in a way I hadn't in the earlier games.

The other big sticking point for me was the lives system. This really doesn't belong in a game made in this day and age, and finally beating a frustrating boss only to use your last life on a chase sequence you didn't know was coming is supremely frustrating.

Overall, this is a smashing game. It looks great, it feels great and I recommend everyone at least give it a go.

Also, just for this:

genuine spoilers for a lovely touch at the end.:

it gets 10/10

So there you go! Two major games I absolutely loved in one month! I guess there wasn't only one worth talking about

Big Gintendo review for this coming soon: something a bit special by a team of us, to cover the controversial range of opinion.

Properly cannot wait for the Star Fox Zero review to come together. In the meantime...

Pokken Tournament



A surprisingly good translation of the handheld games into a one-on-one fighter, purely because it's easy to pick up but has more depth than all get out. Becoming a true master of more than one 'mon will take months - the randomly selected Chandelure was my main, and it served me well. The switching between the 3D and 2D planes is disorienting at first but evolves (yes) into an integral and unique (?) aspect of the game. However, some of the voice acting is of a low standard and occasionally inputs weren't as precise as I needed. That said, it's a little smasher of a game.

17/20

Bit of a late review given I beat this over a month ago and beat another game in the mean time, better late than never I say!


So, Bravely Second, the direct sequel to decent yet highly flawed turn based rpg Bravely Default.  I suppose the biggest question on the lips of those who played the first game would be: does the game pull any of that horrible game ruining chapter 5 nonesense?  To which I'm going to answer straight up: no, it does not suffer a chapter 5 flaw.

That, of course, isn't to say the game doesn't have big plot twists like its predcessor, it most assuredly does, just nothing horrible this time round!

Easily one of the best turn based rpgs of the modern age, for those not in the know Bravely Second has one of the single best class systems in the genre, each job (of which there are close to 30!) has its own unique abilities for use in battle as well as a little something called skills, that absolutely blow customization out of the water!

That's of course not mentioning the battle system, a unique take of the traditional rpg turn based battle system where, for those not in hte know from Default, allows each character in battle to not just play the game like a normal game, but take anywhere up to four turns in advance, or pass on a turn to store it up for later use in the battle!  With this mechanic battles require the player to take approrpiate note of when to go on the offensive or hold back!


The big area of improvement though, and the reason this game is, easily, the single best RPG in the last couple of years, is the story.  Yes, that's right, the story!  Where most RPG's of both west and east varieties (and, indeed, the first game itself) want the player to take them uber seriously Second is a breath of fresh air!  The game is completely aware of how ludicrous it and the genre in general is, and often simply takes the piss, without destroying the players sense of disbelief!  From the little things like a recurring antagonist theme tune being a over the top rock anthem all the way to the airship being. . . Without spoiling it lets just say the airship is like no other, and the party never has to do battle dirty ever again!

From beginning to end the game is a charming, amusing, and enjoyable experience, and that's why the game gets a whopping 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.  Even if you've missed the first game, if you have a 3DS and have ever even just once enjoyed a turn based RPG in your life, do yourself a favour and pick this one up! The gameplay is turn based perfection, and the story is a joy from start to end

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (Wii U)



The credits just rolled on this, the Year of Luigi the third Shantae game. I wish they'd done a bit more to optimise the game for the Wii U - it's a great little game but it does not look good on the big screen. It didn't put me off but it might turn other people away. Anyway, it's the same as the 3DS game that I enjoyed a couple of years ago now. Roll on 1/2 Genie Hero!

16/20

I finally finished this masterpiece last night after a week of trying to fit it in as much as possible. Hopefully going to talk about it on Pod of War on Wednesday but at the moment, I'll just say Uncharted 4 does everything right, that it's going to go in my Top 10 games of All-Time.

9.8/10

I've been watching an LP of Uncharted 4 & while it looks like a very good game (not just from a visual standpoint) I can't help but feel that everyone as going overboard with how good it actually is.....it just seems very by the numbers to me.

I really can't agree with you there, the story is a pretty brilliant end to 3 games of character building, the combat is brilliantly fluid and theset pieces are as exciting as they've ever been. I really think it's an amazing game and I don't think watching an LP would do it justice.

As you said I'm likely missing something from not playing it but when a lot of folk are claiming it to be a masterpiece of a game then I feel that should still come through when watching a sizable chunk of footage.

Maybe "by the numbers" was harsh on my part as it's clearly a well made action/adventure game but when a good portion of the gameplay is obviously sign posted platforming I honestly can't see how folk consider it to be at the pinnacle of game design.