Developer  Space Dust Studios Publisher Deck13 Interactive

Genre Party Racer Platform Played PlayStation 4

When we talk about multiplayer racing games, Mario Kart has held its “King Of The Hill” status for as long as I have held a controller. While Obliteracers may not be strong enough to kill the king, it stands as one of the better party racing games available on the market.

Concentration is key in a game that allows for up to 16 players at the same time on the same race track. Grab your smartphone. Grab your laptop. Fire up your gaming console, and join your friends in what is sure to be a night of screaming and smack talk. Obliteracers is chaotic, frustrating, and gratifying all at the same time. The varied characters and modifications make it easy to draw you in.

A good game is determined by asking one simple question; Is it fun? Hell yes, this game is fun. And it’s challenging. Obliteracers is not a split screen, stay-in-your-lane game. Obliteracers is an orgy of sound, color, and chaos. Just because you’re a good driver, doesn’t mean an oil slick won’t send you right off the cliff. Having a machine gun turret on the top of your vehicle won’t save you from having a guided missile shoved right up your tail pipe. In a world of competitive first person shooters, it’s a breath of fresh air to have a fun and lighthearted game.

With several tracks in “career” mode to choose fun, the biggest surprise for me was that when you die in a race, you’re not necessarily finished. A set of cross hairs pop up on the screen for you to cover any racer you’re not particularly fond of. This could just be a fun gimmick, but it also gives you total control on the outcome. Various game modes will have a point leading scale, and you’ll race multiple times before it’s over. So if you notice another racer is climbing a little to high on the point scale, and the guy/girl next to them is in last place, you aim you blow the person in 2nd the hell back to 5th place where they belong. It opens up a new strategic way to race, and sometimes makes losing on purpose fun. Turning your racer game into a shooter.

The chaos can also be a little frustrating. It can get exhausting to have a game where you have no leeway at all. There’s just so much going on at the screen at one time it’s easy to lose your character in the fold. More than a few times I had trouble really tracking down my race car after re-spawning and ended up driving off the road because I didn’t know where I was. But really that’s my main complaint. Every game could stand to have more racers and tracks, but the modifications and lighthearted tone more than made up for it.

Finding great couch co-op and party games are hard to do these days. We have been  groomed to go online and play in massive online arenas. Thankfully, there still exist games that are trying to get back to light and fun gaming, without sacrificing excellent control and gameplay. Obliteracers is absolutely a game you should try out with your friends and family.

The Good

• Excellent Party Game
  
• Tight coding
  
• Tone is lighthearted
• Modifiers and co-op modes keep you on your toes.
• Multiple platforms can play together
• Death is just the beginning

The Bad

• Chaos can be too much at times
  
• Could benefit from more customization of characters
• Somewhat restricted tracks
• Online Multiplayer can be wonky

The Score: 8.0

Developer  Niantic Publisher The Pokémon Company

Genre Augmented Reality Platform Played Android LG G2

Pokémon Go exploded in a way no one saw coming. Normally, the launch of a game with server issues is a death sentence. However, a rocky launch and reported world wide server issues aside, it would seem that the more this app didn’t work, the more people needed it. Like a parent trying desperately to find a sold out toy at Christmas time. Server issues or not, the app is here in force. So let’s get started.

Pokémon Go is rooted in the concept that it augments your world. Leveraging Google Maps on your phone, you are inserted into a digital plane of existence, populated with Pokémon just waiting to be caught. While good in theory, this poses as many problems as it does successes. I cannot count the number of times Pokémon Go has frozen while I attempted to catch a Pokémon. So often did this occur, that I eventually turned off the Augmented Reality function all together in place of an animated background. I quickly found that the App responds far better to its animated background as opposed to placing a Pokémon on your street or on your desk at work. (Which I’m sure you’ve neeever done.)

When you do attempt to catch a Pokémon using the Augmented function, the quality of your camera drops exponentially. My smartphone has a 13 Mega Pixel camera. But for some odd reason, the second Pokémon Go uses my camera, the quality drops so much that I don’t even bother taking them anymore.

The GPS tracking system is another planned upgrade from the Niantic team because, to speak frankly, it’s a hot mess. Fire up the app and you’ll notice a bar in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. Several guides will suggest you to spin until it flashes green, and then follow a pattern of movements. I’ve backtracked, retraced my steps, and worked in a full grid system to attempt to catch a character, only for it to disappear altogether. At other times I am almost flooded with low level Pokémon.

The quest to “catch em’ all” has been a staple in the Pokémon franchise since its inception from Satoshi Tajiri in 1995. That methodology is clear, present, and one of the most gratifying, albeit frustrating, elements of Pokémon GO. Currently, the original 150 Pokémon characters are yours to track down. While hunting and tracking all of these Pokémon seems daunting, the hunt is the biggest thing that keeps drawing people back into the game as much as making them want to throw their phone in the trash and never take another selfie.

While the duplicate characters may be frustrating at first, they are a necessity to evolving your Pokémon. Lower level Pokémon will be transferred back to the professor for Candies needed to evolve your higher level Pokémon. It is those evolved and high level CP characters you will take to the Gym’s for battle.

Until you reach level 5, your goal is to catch, train, and evolve your Pokémon. Once you hit level 5, you’ll be asked to pick one of the three times. Red (Valor), Blue (Mystic) or Yellow (Instinct). For the most part, the team dynamic does nothing more than signify what team you’ll fight for or against. For now, the gym serves a pretty basic purpose. Control.

Your local Gym will signify a color, with the top CP Pokémon resting at its peak. If your team controls the gym, you can add your Pokémon to the roster with the intent of defending it. If already full, you can “train” your Pokémon by battling against theirs to raise the prestige and level. Higher level, higher amount of Pokémon that can be assigned by that team. In the Item Shop, you will see a Shield in the top right hand corner. The number will raise depending on how many Pokémon you’ve assigned to a gym. Each Pokémon assigned will be removed from your roster until they are defeated, and then returned to you.

If you decide to take on a gym that isn’t assigned to you, then you’ll have a few different options. Some gyms allow for multiple Pokémon to be selected. Some gyms even allow for team combat. The combat system is a series of Taps, Swipes, and Holds to attack, dodge, or use your special abilities.  You’ll essentially run a gauntlet of Pokémon until you defeat them all. Much like other Pokémon games, the types of Pokémon are important to success. Fire vs. Grass. Lightening vs. Air..etc.

As you can see in the picture we made, items cost coins, and coins cost money. You can earn coins by placing a Pokémon at a Gym, but the yield is low and hard to do if you live away from a downtown area. All items can be earned or found through PokéStops, especially ones with Lure’s attached. However, for higher level Pokémon, you’ll burn Pokéball’s quickly, and the majority of people I have spoken with have spent money on it already.

Pokémon GO is an unfinished, poorly executed game. I can’t even recommend you download and see for yourself because I’m not sure the servers will be active when you get it installed. Or stay up long enough for you to try it. While the social and fitness component to Pokémon GO is unrivaled, and the potential for long journeys and fun with friends is prominent. The inadequate tutorial, God awful server support, and clunky operating system makes this a game that causes more frustration than fun.

The Good

• Excellent Social Activity
  
• Fun to hunt with friends
  
• Encourages fitness
• Vast variety of Pokémon

The Bad

• Horrible Server Support
  
• Constant bugs and glitches
  
• Terrible explanation system
  
• Bad GPS tracking system
• Advertised game not even available yet
• No Win/Loss Ratio for Gym battles

The Score: 5.0

ClockWork is currently the 13th most voted for game on Steam Greenlight, which includes more than 2000 different games. ClockWork reached this incredible feat in just one week, amassing thousands of up-votes and hundreds of notes of support as ClockWork’s second week on Steam Greenlight begins.

“A big thank-you to the fans who’ve voted for ClockWork so far – particularly those who found us through Jim Sterling’s YouTube video,” said Gamesoft CEO Vishal Gumber. “It’s very rewarding to see ClockWork being so well received and earning fresh fans worldwide. The team at Gamesoft have poured thousands and thousands of hours of hard work over two years into creating a compelling narrative and puzzle-platforming experience. This level of excitement is really pushing us to put the finishing touches on the world of Watchtower as we approach full release on Steam.”

ClockWork is a 2D platform adventure, where players control a young boy named Atto. Thanks to Atto’s friend and clockwork companion Milli, Atto is able to make duplicates of himself in order to solve time-based puzzles.

ClockWork is aiming for launch on PC and Mac in Q3 2016, but fans can continue showing their support for ClockWork on Steam Greenlight.

The Analog Addiction staff is not impervious to the desire to be the very best while trying to catch em’ all. As such, our Round table session pools the staff to discuss their concerns, highlights, and the possibilities of Pokémon Go.

Devon McCarty – Team Valor

Concerns:

I worry right now about the ability to train and fight my Pokémon against others. Will I just be wandering the world and fighting characters that are there, or like the advertisements suggested, will I be able to meet another trainer in the park, and have our characters go PokeToe-to-Toe? I’ve been evolving and powering up a few of my characters, and Charmander (Now named Fireballs) and Pidgeotto (Cap’n Flap’n) could easily destroy any of the regular Pokémon in my region, but so far I can only catch them. I can’t fight any of them. There is just a huge component of the game I am missing. And if it’s not polished, this game is sure to fail.

Highlights:

So far my favorite moments have been the Item Pickup locations. They’re not just random places throughout your world, it seems Niantic has used the Google Earth mapping system to pick key landmarks to turn into Item pickups and Gyms. I’ve found a few Church’s, a post office, and most excitingly, a place called Wargear that holds trading card tournaments on a regular basis, all locations for item-pickups. The gym was the founders monument downtown. Which was an awesome moment because I wonder how much longer before the square is slowly filling with trainers ready for battle.

Possibilities:

I know we are in the early phases of the App, and we can fully expect several updated versions in the weeks to come, but the thing I am the most hopeful for are the community events. I live pretty close to the Football Hall of Fame. This is obviously years away, but I think it would be incredible if they held a giant event at that stadium. Where trainers from all over could show up to battle their Pokémon, and work on team boss battles like we saw in the Times Square segment of the promotional trailer. Again, we are years away from that point, but how could would that be?!

Jamie Briggs – Team Valor

Concerns

My main concern with Pokémon GO would be the same issue I had with Miitomo – there just simply isn’t too much to do once you get over the initial introduction. Despite the fact I’m still having a lot of fun with Pokémon GO there is basically nothing to do if I am not traveling, which means the app becomes almost pointless when simply in the comfort of your own home.

In order to combat this, perhaps new features to interact and train your Pokémon to improve their skills could be introduced. But as it stands, that lack of content could be an issue going forward.

Fortunately the Pokémon name will certainly keep players interested longer than Miitomo, which lost player interest in a short space of time.

Highlights

Pokémon GO allows Pokémon to appear in the real world, despite only appearing in augmented reality the awesomeness of seeing the characters I grew up with strolling down my street is amazing. Pokémon GO also has several strong elements that have impressed me throughout the last few days. Despite Australia currently going through the middle of winter, I have found myself wanting to leave the warmth of my house in order to explore my local areas in search of Pokémon. This is an excellent accomplishment because it will encourage people of all ages to partake in physical activities with the incentive of finding more Pokémon.

Another interesting aspect of Pokémon GO is the Pokestops, which are assigned to notable and iconic locations throughout the world. These Pokestops not only reward players with hatchable Pokémon eggs, Pokeballs and items, but they also do an excellent job of showcasing the interesting location around your local area that you may have never known existed.

Physical activity and interesting knowledge of your surrounding locations are two aspects I never expected would ever be included in a Pokémon experience, but Pokémon GO have been able to do it with a subtle excellence that has truly impressed me. Oh, and catching a Kangaskhan sitting on my bed was also quite impressive.

Possibilities

As Pokémon GO has only just been released, the possibilities of what the application could eventually produce is endless. Despite this fact developer Niantic must first ensure the base content is smooth, this improving the current server support – which is struggling to say the least. I am fine without player vs player battles (for now) as long as the initial structure can be perfected to ensure a steady experience.

One of my main issues with Pokémon GO currently is the fact the application will not notify you when Pokémon are nearby or count your steps towards hatching Pokémon if the application is not open; which is a backwards idea for a mobile application. I hope that this is an issue that can be quickly fixed in the near future, as the idea that players must have the application open at all times in order to be notified of the application is absurd. If Niantic can introduce superior servers, quick fixes on simple problems and hopefully produce more options for players who are not traveling, Pokémon GO’s initial experience could be greatly improved.

Nathan Manning – Team Mystic

Concerns:

Like Jamie, my biggest concern is the lack of content at the moment. You catch Pokémon, visit Pokestops to replenish your pokeballs, and then visit gyms to capture them or fight against the Pokémon that are stationed there. There’s no PvP element to it, which is a strange exclusion considering how social the game is becoming. What’s going to happen a few weeks from now when people have had enough walking around finding the same pokemon? If the game really wants to survive in the long-run, then it needs more content. My other concern is people not looking up from their phones while walking, be aware of your surroundings people!

Highlights:

For me it’s more been about the crazy that has swept the internet than the game itself. People who I know are not hardcore gamer’s have memories of Pokémon from their childhood, whether that was playing the earlier games or watching the TV show. It’s great to see so many people talking about it and connecting over the idea of Pokémon roaming the streets. Catching my first Pokémon (Balbasaur in case you were wondering) was also a great realization that the game actually existed and wasn’t a gimmick as I originally thought it could be.

Possibilities:

There are plenty of possibilities for Pokémon GO. Big community events initiated by the developers would be a first. We saw a gathering in Sydney over the weekend with quite a big turnout, but it was organized by the community. I’d love to see the developers create some kind of timed events that encourage active users to flock to one spot for some reason. Perhaps something as simple as fighting a legendary Pokémon like the MewTwo in Times Square in the trailer. I honestly have no idea what’s going to happen with Pokemon GO, and the developers themselves have been very quiet on that end, but at least it’s out in the wild now and whetting our appetites for augmented reality Pokémon (even though the AR does not work properly with my phone).

Kosta Canatselis – No Allegiance

Concerns:

My biggest concern with Pokémon Go is the lack of a social presence in-game. Even though the game currently allows for the ability to catch Pokémon, go to poke-stops and even battle gyms we don’t have any grasp on the interaction between people in-game. The lack of knowing what friends are doing, who they are (in-game), where they’ve been and what Pokémon they have caught really detracts from the massive multiplayer online feeling. Pokémon Go should try to focus on social interaction, first and foremost, if it is to succeed in the long run.

Highlights:

What I love in the game is the real-locations we are led to by the map. These locations really allow people to experience and discover small urban locations and monuments in a neat way that would otherwise be hidden away. While catching Pokémon we’re able to almost uncover a wide array of unknown locations. The idea of gyms in real-life is also very interesting, and I love having to visit a particular place to overthrow the current champion, it really ties into the immersive nature of Pokémon Go.

Possibilities:

There is definitely a lot of improvement needed for this game to survive among the other mobile giant games. Some possibilities would be to create large community events for people to gather and all fight for a common goal. I think there should definitely be improvements to making the app simpler to use, perhaps a 2D mode to cut down on battery usage and linking accounts to Facebook to help propagate friends. More needs to be done in the friends area to help develop a more polished game and better social experience.

Robert Key – Team Instinct

Concerns:

My main concern is the lack of explanation on things in general. I understand the app wants you to explore, but it could certainly come with tutorials to explain a thing or two. I’ve been playing Pokémon since it debuted in the U.S. and video games for 20 years, and even I, along with fellow Pokémon masters, had a hard time understanding what certain things mean or do in the game. It might be difficult for anyone playing Pokémon or getting involved in the series for the first time.
And for God’s sake people: pay attention to where you’re going. It’s sad that anyone has to say this, but don’t be reckless to catch a virtual creature.

Highlights:

I talk about this more on my blog , but while it’s really rewarding walking around to PokeStops and catch Pokémon, it’s been indescribably wonderful running into other players in the real world. I live in a small town, and people have actually been getting out and seeing what the place has to offer because of it. I’ve also had some great conversations with people about which Pokémon they caught and where, random interactions with people they met and how the game has helped them to socialize more. I really hope Pokémon GO doesn’t die down any time soon because of these things.

Possibilities:

Hopefully more tutorials will be added in later updates to bring even more people to this sensation. I am also anticipating them adding, at the very least, the second generation of Pokémon too since Gold/Silver are my favorite games in the series. I can also see the battle system being more refined than simply having a boring tap-tap-dodge formula. Lastly, I would also like a way for Niantic to integrate ways for you to add friends so you can add them and see them on your map.

Since the early inception of this project, I have always equated it to Geocaching; a mobile application that lets you find items hidden all over the world, using your phone or GPS system. When Pokémon Go was announced, I was excited to see them take that same style and apply it to the Pokémon universe. Interviews early on stated, “You’ll always be within 5 minutes walk of a Pokémon.” I can confirm that is an accurate representation.

After a slew of server issues, I was able to login to the App at my house, and instantly catch Charmander, who was apparently hiding in my bedroom with my wife and I totally unaware. At the base of your screen, you’ll see a Pokéball, that will need to be swiped toward the Pokémon you want to catch.The first Pokémon may be free, the rest will require you to explore the world around you. And so with my wife and daughter in tow, I fired up my app with 51% battery, and struck on a walk to find what Pokémon lived around our neighborhood.

It took maybe two minutes for my GPS to filter into Pokémon GO to realize I was walking, and about another two minutes before I ran across my first Pokémon. My first two throws were off on either side of the Pidgey, but the 3rd one caught him. Each Pokémon you collect have their own set of stats you should (If you’re a Pokémon gamer) recognize. The key components to these are their Combat Points, Hit Points, Type, Weight, Height, and the ability to Power Up and/or Evolve them.

Evolution is based on the amount of candy you have to feed your Pokémon. Thus, the importance of duplicates arises. The more duplicates you have, the faster you can evolve your character by using the candy you get from sending your duplicate Pokémon back to the professor, or using the Stardust you collect on your journey (like I did below with Charmander, renamed as Fire Balls because you can do that.)

The longer we walked, the more Pokémon, item-stops and gyms I found. As I said in the beginning, the game doesn’t do a great job of explaining what to do, so I spent a lot of time tapping different features on the landmark I was standing at before I found out you had to swipe it to unlock it. Which gave me three Pokéballs and an egg (which you have to incubate by walking).

When it comes to Pokémon Gyms, you’ve got to become a level 5 trainer before you do. I hadn’t reached that part as of this article, but my friend, Ryan, had and shared the value of unlocking a gym.

“You will be asked to pick a team (red, blue, or yellow) then put a single Pokémon up to guard it,” Ryan said. “Others can come attack it and lower your control over the gym until it can be taken for their team. Honestly taking a gym without a fight isn’t satisfying. I need some challengers up in hurr.”

He finished by saying that the item-stops have a 5 minute cool down. So if you’ve got a good lap and some time to kill, chances are you can level up and gain items pretty quickly.

All in, this app is off to a solid start. Until more people start playing and obviously we all spend more time, we can’t really give Pokémon Go a fair shake. But it is worth noting that the App encourages you to get off your rear end and go explore your neighborhoods. And while my wife could care less about Pokémon, she enjoyed walking with my daughter and I, which builds the possibility for this becoming not only an individual pursuit of greatness, but a game that families can play together. They might not all care for the content, but spending time together is never a bad thing.

I’m looking forward to catching, training, and fighting more Pokémon in the weeks to come. A lot of my friends have downloaded the App and only time will tell when we start facing off against one another. Is this App great? No, not yet There is a lot of work to be done to speed up the interfacing. But it has a lot of potential, and the Pokémon Company and Niantic have the resources to listen to feedback, tweak, patch, and turn this into an augmented reality game loved by a new generation of mobile gamer’s. If this is a developers way of testing the waters of augmented reality, it’s a pretty solid test.

LEGO® STAR WARS™: The Force Awakens, PlayStation 4

If you got the chance to play the Demo for TFA, you would have experienced a small sampling of melee combat, the multi-build system, cover-based shooting and flight mechanics all set in Episode VII. It was a pleasant surprise for me to find that in the Prologue, which places you at the very end of Episode VI Return of the Jedi, to finish the fight against the Emperor, take out the generator on Endor, and blow up the Death Star.

It is these moments specifically that shine brightest in this universe. Fighting alongside Darth Vader as Luke Skywalker, against the Emperor, brought back so many nostalgic nerd feels that I think I spent more time smiling at the cut scenes, and taking a few moments to reminisce, than actually playing. But where the Lego series does a great job of taking real audio, blended with new audio, to craft a new and fun story to fill in the gaps of the movie property in question, it also fails to nail down a lot of the necessary mechanics for it to be the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.

The Power of Flight

Arguably, the best feature in the game is the flight mechanic. So far I’ve piloted both the Millennium Falcon and the black Tie Fighter, and those are some of my favorite moments. They’re fast, responsive, intuitive, chaotic, and everything I want from a dog fight both in a planets atmosphere or in deep space. If anything, I haven’t had enough time to spend in the air and patiently await my next opportunity to take flight.

If you build it…

The multi-build mechanic also serves well for some fun puzzle solving. Rarely have I built the correct Lego set on the first go. But fortunately all I need to do is break it a part,and try one of the other versions to figure out which one works best or needs to be built first. I’ve encountered several of these on various plants and have yet to feel irritated by it.

Fist to Face Style

Melee combat is back and pretty straight forward. Lego has introduced this special “finisher” style move for the characters that have the option to use it. The combat overall is pretty repetitive, but the switching to different characters and using different finishers feels pretty satisfying throughout.

Gun Control

My main concern after playing the Demo, was how wonky I felt the controls were. Since the game was just a vertical slice, I knew there wouldn’t be any time to retool the mechanics, so the same issues in the demo are present in the full game. The aim seems sluggish and off, and I was hoping after spending a lot of time behind the barrel of a blaster, it would get better. It hasn’t. Figuring out how to use the controls doesn’t mean the controls are good, it just means you’re making the most of them so you don’t die .

The other issue is you can only use the cover-base shooter system when the game wants you too. Granted, the game is light and quick and doesn’t necessarily warrant you taking cover fire, as jumping in and mixing things up works easily enough. It just seemed strange to me to only allow certain styles of game play whenever the game wanted you to use it, as opposed to just building the cover system throughout the entire game.

The Journey Ahead

As I said in the beginning, I am only 10 hours into the game. Game mechanics are pretty consistent, so what you experience in the beginning, generally echos throughout the remainder of the game. There is definitely a lot of room for improvement to make this game become one of the best games in the galaxy, but I’m looking forward to the fun journey centered around some of my favorite intellectual property to prove me wrong. Yes, this is a Lego game. But it’s also built around one of the biggest franchises in pop culture, and warrants a certain amount of polish.

Analog Addiction’s full review of Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be up as soon as possible.

Platform Played PlayStation 4

Developer Free Lives Publisher Devolver Digital

BROFORCE recaptures some of that classic platformer magic long lost by the current generation of software development. Where realistic graphics, massive installs and an internet connection are commonplace, BROFORCE hearkens back to a simpler time of campy 80’s action movies and 2D platforming.

At first glance, the art style is sure to cause hesitation for a lot of new PlayStation 4 owners. Some might think that buying a next gen console means the best graphic rendering possible, but they would be mistaken. The lack of HD realistic graphics are a big part of its charm and why it works so well.

Throughout my time playing BROFORCE I kept laughing at all of the fan service to action movies of the 80’s and 90’s. The concept is straight out of a Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger movie; America needs to assemble the finest fighting force the world has ever seen, to fight terrorism world wide!

Easily, the greatest thing about BROFORCE is that the majority of action movies that have influenced the game are represented in characters you can unlock and play as once you save a Prisoner Of War.  The team over at Free Lives don’t skimp on the “Bro’s” you unlock throughout the game. Since the worlds are fully destructible, how you save that POW is totally up to you. You can kill everyone and unlock their cage directly. Or you can shoot your way through the wall without anyone knowing you were there. The second you touch the cage, you instantly turn into whomever the game decides and If you’re wanting to find for yourselves, skip the next paragraph and try to not look at the picture below so I don’t ruin any of the surprises for you.

*MILD IN-GAME CHARACTER SPOILER’S below*

While I was playing, and just going off of memory and in no particular order, I unlocked characters inspired by; Ash (from the Evil Dead) Blade, Indiana Jones, Judge Dredd, Robo Cop, the Terminator, Rambo, Neo (The Matrix), Agent J (Will Smith, MIB), Chuck Norris (Like…every movie), and those are just off the top of my head.

*RESUME READING SPOILER FREE*

The most interesting thing about the characters is that each one of them have different abilities and gravity adjustments. One of your characters may jump higher than another. Some may have a beneficial special move in certain situations. Some will have weapons and grenades while others have melee weapons and throwing knives. It is really a mixed bag because all POW’s look the same, so it isn’t until they’re set free that you find out who you’re playing as. The only issue with that mechanic is that you don’t have any control over keeping a character you want to play as. A few searches online landed me in multiple forums with a lot of the same complaints. Most people have been saying that small caveat is all that keeps this game from becoming perfect, and while I don’t necessarily agree with that sentiment,  it was a frustrating aspect of the campaign that would benefit from readjustment.

I will definitely give the BROFORCE team a lot of respect for nailing many aspects of a game style I love. But, there are a handful of issues that keep this game from being as great as it could have been. Which, is not surprising for an indie game but important for us to address all the same.

The first issue I kept having repeatedly, is the failure to jump. I can’t count the times my character just ran off a cliff, or didn’t jump over a bomb or bullet like he (This is a bro game) was supposed too, and I died several times because of it. Initially, I thought I may be hitting the action key too late, so I tried to better time my presses when I began to notice a pattern. There are so many things going on screen at the same time during different parts of the game, where certain key actions would forbid my character from jumping, like the two coding elements clashed with one another. On the fourth or fifth mission for example, a truck backs up, lets a lot of characters out of the back, and a suicide bomber jumps at you, but falls into the pit. If you try to jump during that sequence, you can’t, and there’s a quick screen flash as if the game is even trying to handle all of it at once. Now this definitely didn’t happen all the time, but enough times where I took notice and was able to notice a pattern in it.

The second and main issue I kept having was the online component. I have yet to successfully join an online match without being riddled with rendering issues. There were moments where I could watch the three other characters play together, but no matter what button I pressed (Even trying the share button) it was like I wasn’t there. Other times the display was off centered, leaving me to stare at the bottom left corner of a screen where I can only assume the other two or three players were doing their normal thing, only I couldn’t see them, just their names represented. One of the most interesting issues I took a screenshot of, was joining a match with nothing but the background on it. No name, no character, no enemy, no option to press anything. I had to close and relaunch the application just to get back into the game because my options button didn’t let me bring up the pause menu to back out. BROFORCE is fun on its own, but spread out over the course of the weekend and again Monday evening, I still can’t find a successful online match to enjoy the full experience.

So while reading this review, take note that 98% of this is based on single player offline playtime. Not that I didn’t want to go online and destroy everything with my friends, I just wasn’t able to do so.

The totally destructible landscape, ridiculously gory deaths, campy 80’s fan service and old school feel make it easier to forgive some of the bigger issue you’ll most likely experience playing BROFORCE. Depending on your gaming historical knowledge, this is a game that will bring nostalgia to a lot of older gamer’s and movie buffs but hold enough fun for a newer audience.

The Good

• So many Bro’s to kill with
  
• Campy 80’s throwback references
  
• Old school platformer feel
  
• Destructible Landscapes

The Bad

• No Bro Control (Brotrol?)
  
• Coding issues preventing jump action
  
• Online server issues
  

The Score: 8.0

Sheltered follows a frightened family struggling to survive a global post-apocalyptic world. Players must find their way to a deserted shelter and make choices in order to keep the family alive and well. How you handle these moral choices in difficult situations will mean the difference between survival, and death; and in Sheltered death is permanent.

Family members must be sent out of the shelter in order to scavenge for supplies amongst the desolate wasteland, but roaming factions and feral beasts occupy this baron land and won’t hesitate to kill for their own survival.

Sheltered is developer Unicube’s first venture into games development, with the small team of 2 (Sonny Meek and Dean Foster) based in Shrewsbury. Unicube took their idea to Kickstarter, where it was then spotted by Team17’s CEO Debbie Bestwick. Working together with a full experienced development, both Unicube and Team17 have been able to complete the co-development of Sheltered.

Sheltered will release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac and Linux and will cost £9.99 / $14.99 /12,99  €.

Platform Played PS4 Genre Action Adventure

Developer Vicarious Visions Publisher Activision

Skylanders SuperChargers introduces vehicles to the series for the first time, and the entire package feels like it has been built around implementing them as much as possible. The focus is made absolutely clear when you first start the game, with the Portal of Power wanting your vehicle to be placed on the Portal before anything else. Fortunately all three vehicle types (sea, air, land) handle well, but the Starter Pack only contains a land-based vehicle. Racing gameplay feels like a solid mixture of Sonic All-Stars and a tame version of Mario Kart. Even on the highest difficulty races never posses that break neck speed that either aforementioned series produce, but it’s competent, responsive and entertaining.

Last year Skylanders Trap Team focused on the introduction of traps, but I never felt like a large amount of content was hidden behind an extra purchase; Skylanders SuperChargers feels like the polar opposite. Players will only have access to two racing tracks for their land-based vehicle, with other tracks locked behind vehicular types and extra packs. Racing either solo or with a cooperative friend is certainly fun, with Mario Kart-like items scattered throughout tracks to use in your venture to the front of the pack. But ultimately the lack of track quantity is a huge hindrance. It’s easy to become bored of the two tracks on offer, especially as the fastest speeds available don’t offer much challenge. Fortunately, cooperative and competitive racing with a friend is still available despite the Starter Pack lacking multiple vehicles. Players can simply use the same vehicle within the same track, which is certainly appreciated.

Players can also venture online to test their racing skills against other players, with voice chat options available for online friends. Connection during these online races were smooth, but finding a match took quite a while. Players can also only join the online competition on their own, with no option to bring a local second player to the online component.

The toys included in the Starter Pack themselves offers a diverse range manoeuvres. Though I did find both characters included to be less sturdy than Disney Infinity 3.0 and Trap Team‘s latest offerings, which is worth noting if your child is known for being a little rough on their Skylander figures. Stealth Elf delivers both a long range and an up close gameplay option, depending on what upgrades you choose. While Spitfire delivers a strong mixture of both play styles. The vehicle included in the pack is called Hot Streak and it actually doubles for an actual real-life playable toy, with moving wheels that make the vehicle come to live on and off the Portal.

The story in Skylanders SuperChargers is as well produced as ever, with picturesque cut scenes, beautiful levels and some charming dialogue. The latest adventure has our heroes trying to stop an ancient entity known as The Darkness, as Kaos plans to utilise this new power to take over Skylands. Though this predictable story is aimed at children, Skylanders SuperChargers delivers a charming adventure that can be enjoyed by all ages. My main issue with the campaign itself is the constant focus on delivering exposition, which takes the control away from the player too frequently and for too long. There will be times when control is taken away every few seconds, with cut scenes that then can last a few minutes before control returns. Sure, maybe children will find these scenes entertaining enough, but those wanting to enjoy the creative levels will find the constant removal of control to be a nuisance. SuperChargers also allows players to enter the challenging Nightmare difficulty from the start, which is bonus for players looking to test their skills right off the bat.

Levels within the campaign also have a strong focus towards the newly introduced vehicles, with levels typically containing a handful of short platforming sections tied together with linear driving parts.

Dealing with enemies is still basic, with each Starter Pack character only having a handful of attack moves. Though defeating enemies is simple, it’s very enjoyable. SuperChargers is constantly rewarding your efforts, from different hats to wear, experience to level up your character, coins to purchase upgrades and leveling your overall Portal Master abilities; with each new level offering your choice of bonus. Skylanders SuperChargers is also constantly adding new tools and puzzle elements to platforming sections, which keep these fresh and entertaining; something Trap Team lacked. One level players will be the size of ants, the next towering above tall buildings, and another utilising magnetism to solve puzzles. The variety kept me on my toes I loved the fact these variations continued up until the final credits.

Driving segments on the other hand are lacklustre, with most sections built into the campaign simply forcing players to drive through a linear stretch of road to their goal. Fortunately vehicle side quests offer some interesting variations, which can introduce some entertaining vehicular boss battles and much more. The problem is due to the fact only a land-based vehicle is included in the Starter Pack, all the air and sea missions are locked out.

Unlike Trap Team where additional purchase side missions felt small in the grand scheme of the campaign, these side quests in SuperChargers offer a large amount of some of the best gameplay in the game. It’s certainly unfortunate that so much content is locked behind vehicle type constraints, but those who were looking for incentive to purchase more vehicles will definitely find bang for their buck. It’s a double edged sword as Skylanders SuperChargers struggles to manage the value of consumers simply purchasing the Starter Pack and those purchasing additional content. The incentive to buy more is certainly prevalent, but I can’t help feeling that those purchasing the Starter Pack alone are missing a great deal of the overall package. For those experiencing the campaign cooperatively, players can share the driving and shooting features of vehicles between one another with no extra vehicle purchase required.

Vehicles in Skylanders SuperChargers can also be upgraded with a variety of modifications that are found throughout the campaign. These are mostly cosmetic differences with only slight attribute variations on each mod. Aside from the campaign players can also visit the Academy, which is the main hub world connecting every facet of Skylanders SuperChargers together.

Characters at the Academy will also offer bonus missions, but these missions are strangely hidden behind a timed system. These characters only offer three new missions each day and if a mission requires a vehicle type you don’t have, you cannot play any of these missions until the next day. The timed system is obtrusive and the fact some of these challenges require content that isn’t in the Starter Pack is quite shocking. The challenges themselves can be something as simple as winning a race, or replaying sections of levels to kill a number of enemies. The addition of bonus missions for those who finish the campaign is appreciated, but the timed nature and the fact if a mission contains an item you don’t own you cannot play, is an unfortunate aspect. There is also no feature to simply skip a mission that requires an additional item you may not possess in real life.

One of my favourite features in Skylanders Trap Team was the simplified card game known as Skystones, unfortunately SuperChargers has made these matches a broken mess. I have experienced over a dozen instances where a match of Skystones has resulted in the game freezing, halting progression, or simply requiring my PlayStation 4 system to be reset. This is a real shame because collecting Skystones and battling AI opponents is a lot of fun when it works, with new features included that utilise the vehicle placed on your Portal. But due to the incessant technical problems experienced, I was forced to avoid these matches.

This isn’t the only area where Skylanders SuperChargers featured technical issues, even in general gameplay I was forced to experience the same problems. Moving from Trap Team which provided a flawless technical experience, to the problem riddled offering of SuperChargers is a big step back in the series.

Skylanders SuperChargers has some great new features, which include the addition of vehicles. These new inclusions don’t just feel like a simple gimmick, instead the solid racing gameplay on offer is a lot of fun. I just wish there were more options to enjoy it within the Starter Pack, with additional tracks and dozens of vehicular side missions requiring additional purchases to experience.

Skylanders SuperChargers does offer a superior campaign in comparison to Trap Team, which includes a large variety of interesting tools and features, keeping the entire campaign fresh throughout. Unfortunately the incessant technical issues and obsession with taking control away from the player, instead make SuperChargers feel like one step forward and two steps back.

Overall, Skylanders SuperChargers introduces a lot of interesting and well delivered features, but unfortunately a lack of technical polish and an obscene amount of content locked behind additional purchases, hampers the overall package.

The Good

• Solid racing gameplay.
• Campaign variety.

The Bad

• Small amount of racing tracks.
• Technical issues.
• Takes control away from the player too frequently.
• Lots of quality content locked behind additional purchases

The Score: 6.8

Developer Naughty Dog/Bluepoint Games  Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is easily one of the most flawless remastered collections I have played in a long time. The Nathan Drake Collection brings all three of the console entries in the Uncharted series to PlayStation 4, with sublime quality.

Playing through The Nathan Drake Collection from start to finish was an absolute pleasure, reminding me why Uncharted is one of my most beloved franchises. Better yet, this collection helped emphasise how much the series has evolved from that first moment we meet Nathan Drake. Which makes this collection an excellent preparation for Uncharted 4’s release in 2016.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is the game that benefits most from the remastered treatment, with all technical issues from the original release removed. Drake’s Fortune also looks fantastic due to the improved lighting and textures, but it is obvious that the game doesn’t look as detailed as its Nathan Drake Collection counterparts. Drake’s Fortune might be the weakest in the series, but it’s still a great game in its own right, laying the groundwork for future entries in the series. Uncharted 1’s overall package does lack the epic cinematic moments of its series counterparts, simply because essentially the entire story takes place within one (extremely large) location, with jungle areas taking up a majority of the locations.

Impressively the new 60fps gameplay has a great impact on shooting scenarios, which is noticeable throughout all three games. This is one of the few remastered releases where the 60fps gameplay actually makes a big difference. Traversing and climbing through areas is more fluid than the original releases, but Uncharted veterans will certainly love how the new improved frame rate effects shooting. The Uncharted series has always felt slow when encountering enemy gunfire, but the doubled frame rate makes a big difference. I felt more in control of Drake while taking down dozens of enemies and the added fluidity encouraged me to make risky moves to cover that I wouldn’t normally make. The improvements certainly haven’t make Uncharted any easier, but the frame rate improvements do a great job at creating a more impressive experience.

Arguably the best in the series, Uncharted 2: Thieves Among Us feels ahead of its time. Juggling amazing cinematic set pieces, one of the best adventure narratives around (one that would make Indiana Jones jealous), and an extended cast of characters that deliver witty banter better than any gaming series. Uncharted 2 is able to deliver so many memorable moments, from simple instances like playing Marco Polo in a pool, unforgettable moments like the opening scene, or action packed battles across a moving train; Uncharted 2 always delivers something entertaining.

Thieves Among Us also looks incredible, the added lighting and the improved textures look fantastic. Uncharted 2 is also benefited by an array of simple, yet effective animations; such as Drake sliding into a table, only to push it over and use it for cover. As I mentioned Uncharted 2 feels ahead of its time and the fact Naughty Dog was able to create such a cohesive narrative, while globetrotting across the entire globe is a testament to the studios talents. Uncharted 2 isn’t without some problems. Which includes some insane difficulty spikes at times (but certainly not to the extent of Uncharted 3) and a final boss that feels as out of place as the Joker battle in Arkham Asylum. But overall Thieves Among Us is one of the most memorable adventures available on any platform, and it’s even better on the PlayStation 4.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is without a doubt the most cinematically ambitious entry in the series. Unlike the past two entries where the narrative has mainly revolved around ancient treasure, Drake’s Deception explores the back story of one of gaming’s most beloved bromance’s – Drake and Sully. The narrative itself is strong and certainly left some questions for the overall series to address (hopefully in Uncharted 4), but the main take away is the impressive graphical display on the PlayStation 4. Like The Last of Us on PlayStation 3, Uncharted 3 originally pushed Sony’s last generation console to its graphical limit. But somehow Uncharted 3 has been made to look even better, the detailed textures on every character, the breathtaking desert scene, and the beauty of the flaming chateau. The PlayStation 4 visual improvements look immaculate.

Drake’s Deception also has the best gameplay of the series, period. Shooting feels smooth, hand-to-hand combat is refined, and every gun delivers a powerful audible sound. This improvement to the sound of weaponry in Drake’s Deception is exceptional, with my ears sent to audio heaven when I finally got the chance to fire my first shot. Unfortunately Uncharted 3 does suffer from insane difficulty spikes. There will be times when enemies appear out of nowhere, cover is almost completely absent, and when you are completely outgunned these moments are borderline unfair. So I wish you the best of luck trying to finish them on the new Brutal difficulty mode.

Uncharted veterans will remember Crushing difficulty, a mode that already pushed players to the brink of their talents; well now meet Brutal. Instead of be locked from the start, players can now hop straight into Crushing in order to unlock Brutal difficulty. This mode is for the masochistic gamer with an iron temper, as one bullet can send Drake to death’s door. Fortunately Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection doesn’t making completing Brutal mode compulsory to earn the three platinum trophies included in the collection. The same selection of trophies from each release are still included to earn each platinum trophy, but extra trophies have been added to give players even more challenge. And yes, this includes beating Brutal mode.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection also adds Explorer Mode and Speed Run features. In Explorer difficulty is set even lower than easy, with one or two shots taking down most enemies. The bad side to Explorer Mode is that all statistics, collectibles and trophies are turned off during this mode. On the other hand Speed Run times your game time through the campaign, and that’s about it. Both modes feel like throwaway extras, as Explorer (surprisingly) removes the exploration elements, while Speed Run features a non-stop timer that cannot be removed from the screen. Players can also use with the newly added Photo Mode in order to capture images, which includes the common features of changing filters, borders and the location of the camera to take some beautiful images.

The Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection does lack a lot of extras that have been included in other remastered collections; worse it actually removes the original multiplayer features from Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3 from their remastered counterparts. The lack of additional content and the actual removal of multiplayer features is disheartening. That’s not to say the compilation of all three Uncharted console campaigns isn’t enough, but I would have loved some additional extras to sweeten the deal and truly celebrate the franchise.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is a brilliant purchase for anyone who hasn’t experienced the franchise before, or a veteran wanting to re-experience the series in its best form possible. Even without an abundance of extras and the unfortunate removal of multiplayer content, The Nathan Drake Collection still offers dozens of hours of thrilling adventure action.

Unlike most remastered collections the improved frame rate actually makes a positive difference to gameplay, alongside the improved visuals that look even better on the PlayStation 4. Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is the perfect way to prepare for the upcoming release of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and even includes access to the upcoming multiplayer beta – no too shabby.

In the wise words of Victor Sullivan, “Greatness is what you do with the hand you’re dealt”, and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is by far one of the best hands you can receive.

The Good

• Frame rate enhancements improve gameplay.
• Three amazing adventures.
• Gorgeous visuals.

The Bad

• Slim extras compared to other collections.

The Score: 9.5