Did you get a chance to play the demo? What did you think?

This week on Watch. Chat. Play!, we’re talking about Hype. How it is used, how it effects gaming,  and what in our own lives we have experienced as it pertains to hype.

Have you made any purchases or watched any movies recently because there was so much marketing that it made you need to go see it? How did that work out? Did the quality meet the hype built around it?

Niantic’s free App has taken the world by storm. People are coming together in local parks and downtown locations like never before. The Pokémon themed, augmented reality game has become a driving force for local clean-up projects, exercise events, and an overall sense of unity among its player base. Which sounds like a great thing! And it would be. If they weren’t constantly having obscenities screamed at them, eggs thrown at them, and getting harassed by drunk people. I know all of this, because I interviewed some of the community last night, and was yelled at 10 seconds into the first interview. See for yourself.

Sometimes I forget what year it is, because I feel like in 2016, we should have evolved beyond racism, hate, or derogatory slurs against a peaceful group of people. Except none of that is true. Which was made perfectly clear when myself and two friends, were screamed at while we had literally just started playing ‘Pokémon GO’. And reminded again when I was only 10 seconds into my first interview and heard someone scream, “F**k ‘Pokémon!” while driving past.

So I began reaching out to local Pokémon GO trainers via their various Facebook pages, asking what kinds of things they had experienced and whether or not they felt safe. Jordan Jeffries, a local trainer out of Ohio, told me about his concerns for the game.

“I really don’t feel safe alone,” said Jeffries. “Also there [was a] situation where a biker was offering drugs and trying to ask for drugs at the same time. Not in any case do I feel safe when drugs are by.”

Jeffries went on to say that whenever he heads out, he makes sure to have one or more people go with him, just for the sake of safety. But he wasn’t the only one, by far. You might have heard of the group of robbers using Lures to draw Pokémon GO players to a stop, and then attack them. But several local police department have issued safety tips for players. A couple stand outs were:

-Slow moving vehicles paralleling a person on foot (Following you as you walk), might be a sign it is a get-away car. If you get the sense you are being followed or set-up for a robbery, head to a lighted area with people around.

-Know where your kids are going when playing with the app, and set limits on where they can go.

-Do not try sneaking around police stations, fire stations or public safety vehicles. Your attempts to capture a Pokémon could be considered suspicious activity.

The main thing is to obviously stay safe. It isn’t worth risking your safety over a free game. Or any game for that matter. Safety or not, it just seems that most Pokémon trainers are just frustrated and disappointed in the people yelling at them.

“We were downtown and a guy stopped at a red light yelled ‘get a f**king life.’” said, Kellee Carbaugh, a local trainer.

“I’ve only ever had someone cussing at the group,” Landon Cooper told me. “And hey, if that’s what makes these people feel complete, then I feel sorry for them.”

While it is disappointing to say the very least, I am please to say that the community seems unified in protecting one another, and not giving up on having a good time.

Have you had any of these issue while playing Pokémon GO? Would any of this keep you from playing? Let us know!

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment Developer Insomniac Games

Ratchet & Clank on PlayStation 4 utilises both the newly released animated film and the original origin story to bring forth a fresh new take on the heroic Lombax Ratchet, and the loyal robot Clank. This is no simple remaster, as this is a complete overhaul of the original adventure utilising all the finer points the franchise has been able to fine-tune over the lengthy series. Ratchet & Clank is an impressive, heartfelt and most importantly, fun adventure that sits as one of my personal favourite gaming experiences of 2016.

Ratchet & Clank begins by introducing Ratchet, a trusty mechanic that has dreams of joining the defenders of the universe, known as the Galactic Rangers. Before long Ratchet meets Clank, a reliable robot that has escaped the hands of the villainous Chairman Drek. Clank has in his possession information on Drek’s plan to destroy the Galactic Rangers and countless planets in the process; which in-turn pushes Ratchet & Clank to work together to save the galaxy. Ratchet & Clank’s plot isn’t ground breaking, but it is an enjoyable and fun story that kept me entertained until the closing credits. Surprisingly Ratchet & Clank also tackles deep themes relating to friendship, loyalty, and selfishness. No character is simply one dimensional, which is something few mascot platformers in this day and age have the strength and courage to tackle. No matter what age, Ratchet and Clank has themes that players will be able to relate and appreciate.

The entire story is narrated by none other than Captain Qwark, leader of the Galactic Rangers. Qwark’s commentary over the 12 hour story is fantastic, which range from small quips as Ratchet is close to running out of air under water to his delivery of vital plot information. Qwark’s narration adds another layer of genuinely funny dialogue to what already is a hilariously written tale. Impressively almost every comedic line is successfully delivered, with comedy that has enough range to entertain younger audiences and adults alike. Ratchet & Clank is also not afraid to poke fun at itself and the ridiculous nature of being a game based on a movie based on the origin story of a past game; breaking the fourth wall in order to make comedic cracks at itself.

Ratchet & Clank has some of the most impressive cut scenes I have ever seen in a game of this nature. While releases such as Uncharted 4 may produce some incredibly realistic cut scenes, Ratchet & Clank delivers Pixar-esque quality scenes that made me forget I was playing a video game time and time again. The one issue I had with these scenes is their jarring and abrupt transitions from cut scene to gameplay. The issue being that scenes usually end abruptly and these scenes refuse to explore certain conflicts or important moments in the story, instead merely brushing them to the side. It’s unfortunate that these scenes don’t focus on the complexities or relationships of the characters as much as they should, instead producing impressive visual cut scenes with little substance.

Following the conclusion of the main story Ratchet & Clank gives players the option to either continue their game before the point of no return, or bring their save over to Challenge Mode. Challenge Mode feels more extensive than other New Game Plus modes. Instead of simply being able to continue levelling up your weapons Challenge Mode allows you to purchase new powerful variations of these weapons to add even more longevity to the process. Challenge Mode also increases the difficulty and introduces a Bolt Multiplier which will continue to produce more bolts as more enemies are slain. If like me, when you finish Ratchet & Clank you will want to jump right back in and Challenge Mode offers a great reason to continue this adventure. The addictive nature of the weapon levelling system and the multitude of upgrades tied to each weapon made it hard to rip myself away from Ratchet & Clank’s brilliant ride.

Insomniac Games are known for creating iconic and unique weaponry and Ratchet & Clank’s return is no different. Weapons do range from your standard pistol and rocket launcher architypes, but Ratchet & Clank’s combat is made that much better due to the iconic and enjoyable weapons on offer. These weapons range from the Sheepinator, a weapon that turns enemies into sheep; the Pixeliser, which will turn enemies into 8-bit pixel variations; or the Groovinator, which will produce a disco ball onto the battlefield that makes enemies irresistible to its dancing charm. My personal favourite is Mr. Zurkon, a robotic enemy that can be summoned to tag along during battles and help take out enemies. Zurkon is no simple additional turret; Zurkon delivers some hilarious one-liners along the way which help add to the personality of combat. This personality can be said for each and every weapon. Each piece of weaponry in this large collection is extremely fun to use, as well as the fact each weapon has unique complexities and behaviours that keep combat constantly refreshing.

Ratchet & Clank encourages experimentation with each piece of its arsenal and addicting levelling system. Weapons will increase in levels as they are used, which made me experiment with many weapons I may have simply ignored; and I’m glad I did. Each time a weapon levels up new upgrades can be unlocked, such as increased ammo reserves, unique abilities and producing more collectables from enemies they destroy. Utilising each weapon in tandem is when combat truly evolves into a uniquely complex feature. Due to the ease of weapon switching I found myself constantly switching between my entire library of weapons to utilise the unique abilities of each weapon. For instance, perhaps I initiate Mr. Zurkon before throwing out a Groovinator allowing for twice the amount of firepower on a group of incapacitated enemies; or better yet turn my enemies into sheep with the Sheepinator while my Doom Glove robots hunt down the remaining targets. That is a mere thin slice of the unique combinations that Ratchet & Clank’s arsenal of iconic weapons allow. Coupled with the fact combat is smooth, responsive and varied throughout the campaign, Ratchet & Clank’s combat produced some of the most enjoyable battles I have experienced in recent memory.

Ratchet & Clank is a gorgeous visual exhibition. Ratchet himself looks incredibly detailed, with each of the individual hairs on his Lombax head able to be seen. The same attention to detail has to be said about the environments themselves. Each planet Ratchet and Clank visit throughout their adventure feels inhabited; this is mainly due to the amount of background activity within each location. One of the main culprits of producing an inhabited world is Aleero City, one of the first locations Ratchet and Clank visit. This bustling metropolis feels lived in, from the range of flying cars scattered throughout the sky. Ratchet & Clank also puts players behind the wheel of Ratchet’s space ship to experience some in-air battles, ranging from the skies above to the void of space itself. These galactic scenes looks stunning, with an abundance of gorgeous colours and unique planets scattered throughout the edges of space.

The chaotic nature of combat is also visually impressive due to the insane amount of activity on screen. As previously stated weapons can be easily switched which means there can be half a dozen different weapon activities happening at once, coupled with unique enemies shooting from all angles, and all the while dozens of bolts flying through the air into Ratchet’s pocket. Throughout these crazy scenarios of chaotic action Ratchet & Clank never skips a beat, providing a powerhouse of visual prowess that runs without a single flaw even during the most action-packed scenarios.

Like any mascot platformer before it, Ratchet & Clank also has its own selection of collectables. Ratchet & Clank veterans will already be aware of the Gold Bolts hidden in each level, but finding these illusive items will also unlock a variety of extras, which include original image galleries, special cheats and different skins. Ratchet & Clank also introduces Holo Cards, a series of collectable cards with a variety of sets to complete. Upon completing each set players will gain bonuses such as increased rate of bolts and Holo Cards earned from enemies, alongside unlocking the upgraded version of each weapon for purchase in Challenge Mode.

Ratchet & Clank on PlayStation 4 is an incredibly fun adventure that will charm old and new fans of the series alike. It combines some gorgeous Pixar-esque visuals, hilarious dialogue and a large selection of memorable weapons.

Despite the kid-like exterior there is an amazing experience that can be enjoyed by all ages, with characters that avoid the one dimensional stereotypes most mascot platforms seem to settle at delivering. Ratchet & Clank also delivers a complex weapon system that keeps combat refreshing throughout the entire adventure and beyond.

Ratchet & Clank is a must own game for any PlayStation 4 owner and it is easily one of my favourite games of 2016. What Ratchet & Clank delivers above all else is a genuinely fun gaming experience, which is a vital reason why this dynamic duo became household names originally; here’s hoping they can reach those heights once more.

The Good

• Genuinely funny.
• Enjoyable story for all ages.
• Gorgeous attention to detail visuals.
• Excellent combat due to iconic and unique weapons.

The Bad

• Abrupt transition from gameplay to cut scene.

The Score: 9.0

For me, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End marks the end of a journey I have been on for the better part of a decade, which is why the title may have more of an impact for me than anyone else. It also stands as the reason I didn’t second guess buying the Collector’s Edition of the game. If this be my last ride with Nathan Drake, may no stone go unturned, treasure left unfound, bad guy left unshot, and witty pun uncracked.

I definitely look forward to the journey that lay ahead, and I genuinely plan to Platinum this game to ensure I’ve experienced every part available to me. Good luck out there, and I hope to see you in the multiplayer!

Warhammer 40,000: Regicide has spent months in Early Access form, allowing players to help improve the experience, and now players get the see the fruits of their labour in the full release. The game will include new factions for Space Marines, Orks, as well as Acts II and III of the campaign: The Angels of Death, written by author Ross Watson.

Warhammer 40,000: Regicide contains 50 campaign missions, while allowing players to customise their army and unlock new tiers of armour, all the while comparing their scores on the online leaderboards.

Warhammer 40,000: Regicide will also feature German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, French, Norwegian, Hungarian and Polish localisations.

Developer Rocksteady Studios   Publisher Warner Bros. Games

Genre Action   Platform Played On PlayStation 4

It’s Halloween night more than one year after the devastating events of Arkham City. Gotham is safer than ever mostly thanks to The Joker’s death, which players horridly take part in at the genesis. As things finally simmer down, everything goes to hell when Scarecrow reveals his plans to cloak Gotham in his fear toxin, making the majority of the city’s 6.3 million citizens evacuate. It’s here in the conclusion to developer Rocksteady Studio’s trilogy of games where the Batman sets out on what is undoubtedly his darkest journey in the series.

Arkham Knight seeps with so much plot to the point where it’s difficult to discuss without spoilers, especially when something unfolds within the first couple of hours that lays the foundation for the duration of story dealing with Batman’s internal struggles. Events and people from his past haunt him throughout this grim tale with taunts and the constant question of why he doesn’t kill. Again, it’s difficult to talk about without ruining it, but it’s easily the best part of Arkham Knight because of the emotional weight it puts on Batman’s already large payload of tasks.

The two main threats in the story are Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight, a cryptic new character created specifically for this game and leader of the military forces against Batman. Much of the anticipation leading up to Arkham Knight is who in the world could be under the mask. Unfortunately, if you have some knowledge on Batman comics or animated features, it becomes obvious. Even if your insight on Batman comes solely from the Arkham games, it’s still possible to deduce their identity, especially during one part where it’s heavily hinted. It adds darkness to the plot, but the reveal is ultimately disappointing.

Helping trim the villainous fat off Batman’s grueling night is the Batmobile, marking the first time players are able to drive in the renowned vehicle in the Arkham series. The Batmobile is used for many tasks throughout the game, from combating unmanned drone tanks in Battle Mode to helping Batman escape tight spots at gunpoint and, of course, a faster means of travel around Gotham.

It certainly takes some time getting adjusted to the tank-like car, especially when the PlayStation 4’s square button/Xbox One’s X button are used to brake/drift/reverse in place of the traditional left trigger, which is instead used to active Battle Mode. Once players adapt to the controls and feel of the Batmobile, it becomes incredibly fun to drive.

Oh, and don’t worry about breaking Batman’s cardinal rule by accidentally splattering innocents while driving. Not only are criminals exclusively roaming the streets after Scarecrow warned the city of his attack, but anyone who touches the Batmobile gets a shocking sensation and instantly knocked out.

Rocksteady has emphasized how the Batmobile is a big part of Arkham Knight over the past year, but the final result went overboard. There are an overabundance of tank battles that become repetitive after a while, and its use is often mandatory to get through different obstacles. It manages to make players feel even more like Batman than before while simultaneously taking away from the immersion because of how frequently it’s forced on the player. The Batmobile has always been a cool part of Batman lore, but it doesn’t define him.

There’s no problem with using the Batmobile as transportation, but if being in it too much starts taking away from your experience, gliding around is a great option because of the upgrades that boost the speed on Batman’s grapnel. Gliding isn’t a bad option either way when you consider the size and beauty of the Gotham City Rocksteady crafted.

There’s a ridiculous amount of detail in Arkham Knight, from the way the street shines in the pouring rain to the particle effects when drones blow up and realistic character models. Everything looks fantastic while managing to rarely hiccup, which is astonishing because of the game’s scope. Fan service is around every corner of the game’s three main islands as well. You can easily tell how much love and care Rocksteady put into making a fully realized world, making Arkham Knight a fine example of what can be accomplished with the power of Unreal Engine 4 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

This tech also allows the huge city to be filled with dangers for Batman outside the 10 to 12 hour story. Side missions include events such as players tracking down returning Riddler trophies – with 243 to find and solve – making Azrael from Arkham City a playable character, stopping Two-Face and his thugs from robbing banks and much more. Some missions finish a little briskly, but they are all well done. One of the side missions even introduced me to someone I now consider as Batman’s creepiest adversary. I’ll put it this way: This character is probably the main reason Arkham Knight is the first M-rated Batman game, even more so when you read their profile once it’s unlocked.

Things are easier to find this time with the help of the Gotham Police. If you find yourself stumbling on finding something, intel from Gotham’s finest will be periodically provided when they spot different things. Even with the police’s help, completing everything outside the story will add at least 20 extra hours of play.

This is also the first Arkham game to have three endings, but instead of choice-based endings, it all depends on how much the player completes. Simply completing the story gets the first ending; the second ending includes finishing the story plus most side missions; and lastly, the third ending requires completing the story, every side missions and snagging everything The Riddler has placed in Gotham. All endings are great, but the final true ending is the one people will really talk about, as it can be interpreted in multiple ways and will surely spark many theories.

Much of the time completing these tasks will of course be spent taking out foes by combat or stealth – predator as it’s known in Arkham games segments. Arkham Knight not only has the most fine-tuned gameplay in the series, but it’s a little fresher thanks to new enemy types and combos.

Medics are the biggest standout among the several new enemy types, as they add challenge in both combat and predator sequences by reviving enemies you knock out. On the other hand, Brutes – the big guys – can now carry weapons such as blades and shock sticks. Brutes also carry mini guns during predator segments. They can’t be taken out like normal bad guys, so they have to be knocked out last from all the noise they cause, adding a layer of stealthy strategic approaches.

Combos are made fresher with new moves requiring a bit of a charge. Holding L2/LT and pressing square/X for example makes Batman shoot a large amount of explosive gel to blow up in a wide blast radius to stun or knockout enemies. Catwoman, Robin and Nightwing also join Batman in combat at times, making them playable characters and adding dual team takedowns, which are pretty fun to watch. I’m glad Robin and Nightwing in particular have a much stronger presence in Arkham Knight than previous games. I sometimes forget Robin was in Arkham City because of the little screen time he had.

With Batman having more backup this time, I wish there would have been more boss fights. A majority of the few bouts against bosses involved the already overused Batmobile, and most were dull when they didn’t. Arkham games have always had enthralling fights against Batman’s main villains, so it’s a bummer to see Rocksteady’s supposedly last game featuring the Dark Knight to be lacking in the boss battle department.

You can’t mention these characters without commending the voice cast as well. To name a few, Kevin Conroy does a stellar job voicing Batman as always, Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut from Breaking Bad) provides a great voice for Commissioner Gordon and hearing the iconic Steve Blum (Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop and the guy who perhaps has IMDB’s biggest resume of voice roles) as a number of different baddies is just swell.

The Batmobile’s saturated presence, the title character’s predictable identity and the few, boring boss battles hinder Arkham Knight from being the best of Rocksteady’s trilogy. Despite these shortcomings, anyone who appreciates anything Batman should still get Arkham Knight. It has the darkest story in the series largely because of Batman’s battles within himself, which make the best parts in the game, and the spectacular voice cast. Even though the Batmobile is overused, it’s still great to control once players get adjusted to it, especially with how fantastic and beautiful Gotham looks. Even though the combat didn’t need improvement from Arkham City, it’s made even better here.

The Good

• Batman’s internal struggles
• Combat is better than ever
• Beautiful and huge open world with much to offer
• Fantastic voice work
• Batmobile feels great and fun to drive…

The Bad

• … but often overused
• Arkham Knight’s identity becomes obvious, especially to fans
• Few and mediocre boss fights

The Score: 8.7

A beta for Ultimate Edition was announced as well. Some Xbox Live members received invitations to the beta by message on their Xbox One, while other have been able to register for codes here.

Below is some footage we captured from the beta, which can be turned up to 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second to get a better idea of how it runs.

I admittedly never bothered with the original Gears of War’s multiplayer mainly because I didn’t have Xbox Live at the time, and by the time I got my first gold membership I moved on to other things. Good luck trying to find a match in the original as well.

However, I have played the campaign numerous time, and Ultimate Edition feels just like its original counterpart’s gameplay. It hasn’t aged badly at all, but it’s noticeably more heavy compared to its successors. They even the kept small touches such as the chainsaw revving immediately unlike later games where there is a slight startup to get it going. I also couldn’t stick grenades to the walls for traps, or wiggle around when I was downed.

Ultimate Edition does adopt a couple of its successor’s elements though. The targeting reticle moves for shot spread like most modern shooters, players can use the spotter and level up with experience points. Gears of War 3’s Team Deathmatch, where players share a pool of lives, is the only mode in the beta. These were welcoming additions without compromising the feel of the original too much.

Like the final product, the beta runs at 1080p resolutions and 60 frames per second. While the upgraded visuals of the soon-to-be nine-year-old game look sleek, it doesn’t really scream current generation visuals. I mainly bring this up because of how fantastic Halo 2 Anniversary looked. It’s a fine example of developers going the extra mile in production value despite being a remake.

Keep in mind the game is a work in progress. I certainly won’t complain either way since the visuals are far from the most important thing in any game, and it still doesn’t look bad by any means, but I’m hoping it will look a little better by the time it releases.

My only major problem in the beta was executions. It only worked about half the time no matter how hard or how many times I pressed the X button. This isn’t the first time this has happened in my general Gears experience, whether it was in multiplayer or working with teammates in Horde. Hopefully this will be the first game to relinquish this consistent problem.

I’m certainly looking forward to playing Gears of War: Ultimate Edition when it releases Aug. 25, 2015, especially the extra 90 minutes of campaign chapters that were only in the PC version.

Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy will now release June 12, 2015 in Australia and New Zealand, in both physical form and digital release, exclusively for the PlayStation Vita; which is a slight delay from the originally announced June 4 release date.

Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy tasks players to battle Variants, genetically engineered monsters, and the emergence of portals leading to a mysterious location known as the Abyss. As part of the Code Physics Agency, players will control a group of teenagers modified by the CPA’s Code technology in order to evade traps, take down monsters and solve the mystery of the Abyss.

Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy will also release in Europe on June 5 and North America on June 9.

The short trailer mostly contains an ominously moving camera, which is slowly rising around a large structure. When the camera finally reaches the top we are shown a man who has hung himself, or perhaps been hung by someone else, hanging from the top of the towering structure. In the original game reveal Prologue Games stated that “three playable characters investigating an actor’s unlikely suicide”, which perhaps is the one featured in this trailer.

Knee Deep has been inspired by live theater, which is shown strongly in the final scenes of the trailer, as the curtain closes on the traumatic scene inside.

Knee Deep is currently part of Steam Greenlight and is in production for a June, 2015 release for PC, Mac and Linux. For more on Knee Deep check out the official website.