Sniper Elite III Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Welcome back to another one of our video game reviews here on In the Mind Of my Mind. Been mad busy in real life running tournaments and trying to get eSports established somewhat in Jamaica so that's why you haven't really gotten your usual stream of content. So in keeping with our new model  of doing game reviews once every two weeks lets get right into it...

Sniper Elite III is a tactical shooter video game developed by Rebellion Developments and published by 505 Games for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. The game is a prequel to Rebellion's 2012 game Sniper Elite V2, and is the third installment in the Sniper Elite series. Sniper Elite III is set several years prior to the events of Sniper Elite V2, following the exploits of Office of Strategic Services officer Karl Fairburne as he participates in the North African conflict during World War II, in which he learns of a secret wonder weapon programme by the Nazi forces. You can seek to change the course of history with a single bullet in Sniper Elite III.

What’s Good:

Replay value: Decent replay value is present as there are bonus objectives that tend to get overlooked on the first play-through. As well as the co-op mode included which is sure to give a whole new perspective on the campaigns as you team up. Compound that with the fact that you have various weapons and tactics at your disposal to complete the missions as they arise.

Graphics: Graphics as is the norm on PC are ridiculous. I managed to max everything and still run it smoothly at 28-30 FPS and the game is truly a sight to behold. The dark night campaigns to the expansive desert daytime missions. Top that off with the detailed X-Ray camera view that happens whenever you get a special kill confirm and its easy to see this game is a visual masterpiece.

Story-line: Unless you are a fan of the series of war time stories you wont get as pulled in or invested in the story as it progress but there is a vast wealth of information strewn across this game that ties in with Sniper Elite V2. Lots of hidden information and back-story to be found in this game.

Game Mechanics: The game retains and improves on the mechanics of Sniper Elite V2. Stealth mechanics have been fine-tuned to damn near perfection even though the A.I. seems to have gotten dumber. An eye icon squints or opens to denote the player's level of detection by the enemy. X-Ray kill cam system is too much fun to see in action and adds further incentive to make epic kill-shots.

What’s Bad:

Graphics: Slight complaint here in regards to the character model and its animations in regards to entering a sniper nest and when activating the X-Ray kill cam. You can clearly glimpse one of two things; when entering the sniper next the character is supposed to enter a specific animation but instead remains standing, and when you see the bullet being shot out of the rifle in X-Ray view the model holds the gun in a weird manner that does not match the expected positioning or animation of the character model.

What Should Have Been Added:

I really wish for two things to be added and that's the ability to jump wherever the hell I please and have an onscreen listing for the campaigns bonus objectives. These are the two things that frustrated me greatly, a lot of kills I could have easily gotten if I had the ability to fully jump on and explore certain ledges or portions of the environments to get a better vantage points.

Final Thoughts:

Its been a while since I had this much fun playing a third person shooter to be honest so this was a pleasant surprise to review this game. Barring some lack of knowledge from the first two installments of this series I thoroughly enjoyed my playtime with this  game. I was also very pleased with how well my machine handled all this game had to throw at it to the point that even with graphics settings maxed I still loaded the load screens speedily and could not get to read the tips and tricks they typically have on the loading screens.

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Child Of Light Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Oh my freaking freak. Whats up gamers? Your friendly neighborhood gamer Zalgo Cometh here to bring you another video game review. Last week we checked out the free to play FPS game; Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Phantoms, this week we look at Child Of Light. Another game from Ubisoft which had garnered much attention recently at PAX East 2014. So lets go see what all that attention was about...

Child of Light is a platforming role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. The game puts players in the shoes of Aurora, a child stolen from her home, who, in her quest to return, must bring back the sun, the moon and the stars held captive by the mysterious Queen of the Night. Helped by her playable companion Igniculus the firefly and several unlikely allies, Aurora will face her darkest fears in this modern take on a coming-of-age story. Child Of Light was released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One in April 2014.

What’s Good:

Replay value: This is a classic RPG with turn-based combat, 200+ skills to unlock, and 600+ crafting combinations for Oculi. There is no doubt that there is replay value abound in this game not to mention the various party members and attack strategies to utilize in battle.

Soundtrack: This is well executed and heartfelt as the overall tone and pace of the game is dictated or should I say indicated by the various sound track elements that help to submerge the player into the world of Lumeria.

Graphics: The game itself is powered by UbiArt Framework, an in-house engine by Ubisoft previously used for Rayman Origins and its sequel, Rayman Legends. So it has a cartoon but very artistic and detailed design, which is very vibrant and engaging providing the player with remarkable environments to transverse.

Story-line: The story at times can seem cliche but even so everyone enjoys a heartfelt adventure filled with danger and challenges to overcome. As Aurora travels and grows you discover more and more about the land and its inhabitants so your focus expands from just the central theme of rescuing Aurora and completing the primary objective of making it back home.

Game Mechanics: Well executed turn based system that has appeal to both the casual player and the more adept. By including attributes of a side-scroller with RPG elements such as leveling-up to increase stats over time, the game gives you varying aspects of the overall game-play to master. Combat and Non-Combat features of the game are smooth and easy to utilize which further promotes an enjoyable gaming experience.

What Should Have Been Added:

I would have liked to been able to fully use all the party members I gained instead of having to randomly switch out or not use some at all. I ended up playing this through mostly with just Norma and Aurora cause they had a good synergy for AOE attacks and Status effects. Possibly they could have either had bigger party limits to allow full use of a more diverse party strategy. Only other thing I can think of is maybe voice acting for the cut-scene parts of the game like the below picture.

Final Thoughts:

This game is very well done and the game industry definitely could use more games this well executed. Games that place a strong focus on the art of storytelling and creating a connection between player and character that lingers even after the game has been beaten. Being a gamer that thoroughly enjoys platformer games and RPGS (my two favorite game genres followed by fighting games) I am very thankful I got to experience this game. I'm happy it did not pass me by due to lack of hype or major advertising like we typically see for franchise titles. Feel free to check out the below gameplay with commentary we did for Child of Light...

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The Wolf Among Us Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Well as we inch closer  and closer towards summer we start trying to clear out our backlog of games for review. I had high hopes from this game as its from a studio I came to know and love for their epic work on their The Walking Dead game. This time around we will see if the people over at Telltale Games can recreate the same success they found with Clementine and The Walking Dead. So lets go find out all about The Wolf Among Us...

The Wolf Among Us is an ongoing episodic graphic adventure video game based on Bill Willingham's Fables comic book series. The Wolf Among Us is a point-and-click adventure game, where the player, in control of the protagonist Bigby Wolf, can move about the environment and examine and interact with other characters or objects. It is similar to Telltale's previous game, The Walking Dead, in that the player may make choices in their actions or through conversation trees that will influence future events in the story, including events in future episodes. These include major decisions, such as deciding which of two culprits to chase after while allowing the other to go free. Some scenes are more action-oriented, requiring the player to respond to a series of quick time events. Failure to do these correctly may end the scene with the death of Bigby or another character, but the game will restart at a checkpoint just before that scene to allow the player to try again.

What’s Good:

Replay value: Many variables to examine and paths to take and potential relationships to form so one or even two breakthroughs wont be enough to explore all possible avenues.

Soundtrack: Wonderful ambiance, voice acting and overall sound quality. All characters are represented and depicted well and translate well into their modern gritty roles.

Graphics: The game itself seems to have a more refined and crisp look to it than The Walking Dead. I definitely like the art style utilized in this as it feels more real and less cartoon-like.

Story-line: Very interesting story-line; started out a bit confusing but slowly started making more and more sense as time went on. Considering the game is based on a comic book series that is already well fleshed out i have high hopes for the progression of this series.

What Should Have Been Added:

Only thing I can think of is a better save/level system so the player can readily reload key-points in the story to choose different options and see how they play out.

Final Thoughts:

Even though it felt a bit shorter than anticipated a enjoyable and worthwhile experience that I have grown to look forward to. I am very much looking forward to playing through this series from start to finish just as we did with The Walking Dead.

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Strider Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Give It A Shot 

Well not much to say for this week's game review, This game has been sitting on my back burner for a while now but we finally found some time to jump into it. A classic franchise is reborn with improved graphics and an all new story-line to appeal to a new generation of gamers as well as placate the die-hard fans. So without further adieu lets start on our path as ninjas....

Strider is a side-scrolling platform game developed by Double Helix Games and Capcom's Osaka studio. It was released in February 2014 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Windows. The player control the series' main character, Strider Hiryu. The environment is freely explorable in search for weapons and items. Strider Hiryu's main weapon is his Cypher, a plasma weapon that can take several properties. Upgrades for the Cypher can be obtained by exploring the various levels throughout the game. In 2009, a Strider reboot was in development by Grin. However, due to financial difficulties that bankrupted the company, the game was cancelled. Development of the 2014 game was made possible thanks to the series' popularity especially in thanks to Capcom's surveys and forums.

What’s Good:

Story-line: The game is considered a retelling of the first arcade Strider game with elements from the NES console game. So its nice to see the attention to nostalgia.

Graphics: Double Helix has done a phenomenal job in bringing the futuristic ninja into the modern day by upgrading the visuals while maintaining the two-dimension plane.

Game Mechanics: Robust game design with a wide variety of attacks, powerups and level interaction.

Replay value: Just enough replay value can be found in the various hidden areas of levels and added concept art rewards hidden through out levels for the die hard fans.

Soundtrack: The game's soundtrack features multiple homages to classic Strider themes but with several modifications. The sound quality is also meant to resemble the music from the original games.

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: They have utilized what I like to refer as the A.I. reload mechanic where if you go off screen the enemies you already cleared are reloaded and you have to fight them again. This deters you from actively wanting to explore a level for fear of dying.

What Should Have Been Added:

Pretty good for a standard 2-D side scrolling game but I feel the combo system was a bit lacking in depth.

Final Thoughts:

Solid reboot of the series no doubt; long time Strider fans will appreciate the nostalgia. The game certainly retains much of the appeal of the original games. From the reloading enemies, to the random A.I. difficulty spikes; the game is sure to bring a tear to your eye. Feel free to check out our game-play with commentary videos...

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The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 2 Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Alrighty then, ladies and gentlemen we back back all up in this bitch. Full recovered from our near death experience we are back to business as usual. Taking it slow and getting back into the swing of things this week we get our grubby little hands on episode two of Telltale Games wonderful game The Walking Dead. Episode one really hit things off with a bang last time and left us on the edge of our seat. Will episode 2 follow suit and deliver on the high level quality we have come to expect from The Walking Dead Series?

The Walking Dead: Season Two is an ongoing episodic graphic adventure based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series and developed by Telltale Games. It is the sequel to The Walking Dead, with the first episode released digitally in December 2013, and a retail collector's DVD edition planned at the conclusion of the season. The game employs the same narrative structure as the first season, where player choice in one episode will have a permanent impact on future story elements. The player choices recorded in save files from the first season and the additional episode 400 Days carry over into the second season. Clementine, who was the player's companion during the first season, is the player-character in Season Two. If you haven't already feel free to check out our game-play videos of Season 1, 400 Days DLC, and the start of Season 2 on our YouTube channel.

What’s Good:

Replay value: So many options but so little time.

Soundtrack: Wonderful ambiance, voice acting and overall sound quality.

Graphics: The game itself seems to have less graphical options to tweak so I take that to mean there were default improvements made behind the scenes.

Story-line: Oh my god!! I don't want to spoil it but a character from Season 1 makes an appearance in this episode. I nearly lost it when I discovered it, you definitely gotta play the game or watch my play through to see who the mystery character is.

What Should Have Been Added:

Maybe a flashback portion of the episode to help give some explanation as to how that character from Season 1 survived and what they experienced to get to where they are now. 

Final Thoughts:

Even though it felt a bit shorter than anticipated a enjoyable and worthwhile experience as always. I'm starting to wonder if I even need to review this series anymore since honestly I cant see Telltale Games messing up this excellent franchise they have created.

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South Park: The Stick Of Truth Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

The long await day of salvation has arrived. After many a setbacks and delays we finally have the game of prophesy. Today is truly a special day here on In The Mind Of My Mind as there is much mirth and rejoicing in the land of gaming. South Park: The Stick Of Truth is finally a reality and I could be none the happier as it has fulfilled my hopes and dreams. In an age where licensed franchise video games usually suck, South Park: The Stick Of Truth has answered the call to greatness. If you are a fan of the cartoon you will go crazy for the gaming experience it has to offer; if not you can very much still enjoy the game at its core values of story-line, game mechanics and content. Come on down to South Park and meet some friends of mine...

South Park: The Stick of Truth is a role-playing video game, based on the American animated television series South Park. The game was developed by Obsidian Entertainment in collaboration with South Park Digital Studios and published by Ubisoft. The game was expected to be released sometime in 2013, for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, and Microsoft Windows, but was postponed to 2014, due to the shutdown of original publisher THQ and numerous delays. The player takes control of "The New Kid", who moves to South Park with his parents after a mysterious event forced the family to move. Similar to their duties on the TV show, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone wrote the script for the game, oversaw the project, and provided the voices of the characters. This is without a doubt the definitive South Park game and goes the extra mile to deliver and authentic South Park experience first hand for the player. This sadly also works against the game because due to the authenticity of the South Park content the game received unfavorable reviews in Australia and Europe from the Electronics Rating Standards Bureau (ERSB). This led to it being censored as you can see an example of below:

What’s Good:

Soundtrack: Soundtrack is superbly executed. From the occasional ominous medieval music to the voice acting even hinting to the illustrious career work of Trey Parker and Matt Stones with the long list of songs on the radio. Another noteworthy bit of praise is for the audio cue that plays whenever your weapon flashes before an attack so you get the timing right for a perfect attack. This single feature has been the saving grace for me while playing as trying to watch for the visual cue for the attack at times is a bit tedious.

Graphics: Not the most cutting edge graphics one might expect from current gen consoles but it is pixel for pixel an accurate representation of the South Park universe. This helps to solidify the immersion factor of the game as it makes you feel like you are literally immersed in the South Park world. Not only does it feel like an episode of the iconic TV show but also it makes you the central focus and star of it all.

Story-line: The characters' costumes and classes appear to be based on the South Park episode "The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers". The costumes and class names also appear in the three-episode story arc formed by "Black Friday", "A Song of Ass and Fire", and "Titties and Dragons". These all tie into the story-line development of the game and gives the fans a "sneak peek" for the game, and at the very least, was "good marketing/PR" in light of the numerous delays to the release of the game.

Game Mechanics: The very well executed game-play design of this game will appeal to many die-hard RPG fans as it favors turn based combat. The game has also managed to incorporate and represent most tell tale aspects of a good RPG game such as varied classes, deep combat system mechanics and character customization to suit all players. The game also has a well layered tutorial system; this helps the player learn the inner workings of the game, and as a bonus features a help menu for future reference.

Replay value: A fair amount of replay value exists as there are 4 classes to choose from which offer varied combat experiences. There are also key points within the story progression that offer multiple choices and outcomes for the player to explore.

What’s Bad:

Story-line: For a Role-Playing Game (RPG) title gamers are used to 20+ hours of gaming not to mention higher level caps one character classes. Sadly South Park falls a wee bit down in that regard as the campaign will run you about 10-15 hours worth of time overall. Add to that the low level cap of 15 and you know somebody somewhere is going to complain about it.

Game Mechanics: Not much to say here aside from this one off instance where I was playing a mini game for a quest where you are dancing for the Goth kids. For some reason it only recognizes the directional arrows on the keyboard instead of the movement keys assigned at W, A, S, D. Not really a big deal as this only occurs on PC but had to make mention. 

What Should Have Been Added:

I would have liked to see more variety in the classes offered, granted they have subtle differences but I felt like there was no clear cut distinction between the moves, weapons, and equipment for the respective classes. I found myself not caring much about sticking with a particular weapon type as one would when playing an RPG; certain class limitations would have been nice to emphasize more the choice of character the player decides to go with.

Final Thoughts:

As a die-hard fan of the series I must say this game is not for the easily offended or weak willed. This game serves up a big helping of fan service and gone above and beyond the expectations of its followers. If I had a hat I would be tipping it to Trey Parker and Matt Stone, as I sip some lemon tea on a warm afternoon. I imagine somewhere out there on a patio somewhere with legs crossed like gentlemen they marvel at how well this game is bound to do. I very rarely find myself singing the praises of a game but this game deserves it and has my stamp of approval as a game of the year candidate for 2014. I have pre-ordered a copy of the Grand Wizard Edition of the game for my personal collection and if you are a fan of the TV show you probably should too. Feel free to check out some of our game-play with commentary below...

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Thief Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Give It A Shot 

Well 2014's first reboot is out and boy is it a doozy. It is a revival of the cult classic Thief series of stealth games, of which it is the fourth game. Thief was initially announced in 2009 under the working title Thief 4(also known as Thi4f or Thief), after rumors of its development. Well you came here for a game review so that's what you're going to get. Small heads up about the usual game-play with commentary videos that accompany my reviews. We were trying something different this week where we took the video from our stream that we did but the quality was very disappointing in comparison to the usual so we apologize profusely. Will return to normal for our next review but feel free to check out the hilarious commentary as always. Lets slink into the dark depths of Thief...

Thief is a stealth video game developed by Eidos Montreal and published by Square Enix. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One platforms. Players control Garrett, a master thief, as he intends to steal from the rich. Similar to previous games in the series, players must use stealth in order to overcome challenges, while violence is left as a minimally effective last resort. Gameplay is choice-driven, with players having a number of possible paths and approaches in a given level. Players may use the environment to their advantage, as well as pickpocket characters. As Garrett attempts to steal in levels, guards and other non-player characters (if they are aware of his presence) will try to flush him out and kill him. Different NPCs may use different means to find him, and the game's artificial intelligence will be aware of the level design, and therefore, know of potential hiding spots. Players may enter a "Focus" mode, which provides several advantages. It enhances Garrett's vision, highlighting pipes that can be climbed, or candles that can be put out to make the area darker. Focus can also slow down time, so that Garrett is able to steal more effectively while pick-pocketing. Garrett can also use Focus to push enemies or perform debilitating attacks. It can be further upgraded over the course of the game.

What’s Good:

Story-line: Pretty solid story-line and interesting characters in the game. The way the story unfolds and progresses is also noteworthy as it keeps the pace of the game steady. 

Graphics: Stellar graphics all around, the textures, environments and lighting truly go above and beyond what expected. The game is visually well crafted on all platforms but it truly shines on the XBOX One and PC.

Game Mechanics: Definitely an originator of modern day stealth, the Thief franchise employs a very robust and expansive world to traverse. With multiple paths  to achieve objectives the game offers much needed  variety and liberalness to not restrict the user and confine them to a totally linear path. Also the freedom of movement that is offered to the player is interconnected with the flow and play-style of the game being heavily stealth based and is executed very well. Guard A.I. is hit or miss at times as they sometimes look right at you but seemingly have bad eyesight and cant see in the dark but other times will very skillfully hunt you down and drive you out of hiding. 

Replay value: With all the aforementioned freedom in paths and approaches to dealing with situations one could only imagine that there exists a fair amount of replay value. Couple that with all the various challenges and large number of items available for theft present in game and you have yourself hours of entertainment at the ready. Another noteworthy claim to fame for this reboot title is the custom difficulty setting, honestly cant recall seeing this in any games I have played. I was quite surprised and intrigued by this however it seems primarily directed at making the game more challenging more-so than easy.

What’s Bad:

Soundtrack: Not much of significant mention as well as the voice acting for the game seemingly fell short. This makes the character (Garrett) not as convincing and you don't feel as attached overall to him unless you were already a long standing fan of the series.

What Should Have Been Added:

I would like to have potentially seen a co-op mode especially since they game starts you off as a part of a team. The idea of running a thief tag team against unsuspecting guard could have added such depth and varied game-play tactics.

Final Thoughts:

Solid reboot of the series no doubt; long time Thief fans will appreciate the well executed nod to a long lost franchise. While new comers to the lore of Thief may find it quite the adventure to embark on. Definitely a little rough around the edges since its been out of the gaming world for a while but it made good on it return. Feel free to check out our game-play with commentary videos...

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Titanfall Beta Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

So one of 2014's most anticipated games finally graced the public eye in the form of a Beta. Toted as one of the major competitors to the Call Of Duty FPS throne, its debut at E3 was heralded with much praise and admiration. A fresh new outlook on the FPS genre and its potential for growth and breaking the mold; fast forward months later to the first accessible public build of the game. Does it live up to the hype? Has it met expectations and more? Join us as we take a look at the Titanfall Beta...

Titanfall is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts as an exclusive for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. The game was officially announced as Respawn's debut game at Microsoft's E3 2013 press conference, and is scheduled for release on March 11, 2014. In Titanfall, players fight in online multi-player-only matches set on a war-torn planet as mech-style Titans and their pilots. Its action is fast-paced, including abilities to run on walls and hijack mechs, and extended periods between player deaths. Respawn describes the game as bringing "scale, verticality, and story" to first-person shooter multi-player gaming, incorporating elements traditionally used in single-player campaigns. The game uses Microsoft's cloud computing services to offload non-player activity to servers and optimize the home computer for graphical performance. The game won over 60 awards at its E3 2013 reveal, including a record-breaking six E3 Critics Awards, and Best of Show from several media outlets. It also won official awards at Gamescom and the Tokyo Game Show. Many reviewers predicted Titanfall to be the next step for the first-person shooter genre.

What’s Good:

Soundtrack: As a multi-player game, Titanfall has a large number of tracks to avoid repetition. The sound ranges from your typical dubstep heavy bass line type music to to your more melodious fast paced action sequences. Each side has its own identity and its own musical sound world, this helps keep the pace new and varied no matter what team you end up playing on.

Graphics: Respawn chose to build Titanfall on the Source game engine early in their production cycle due to their developers' familiarity and its ability to maintain 60 frames per second on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. This is a very versatile and well known engine that is known for its use across multiple platforms and yields good results. The game looks especially great on PC's that can fully take advantage of the 60 FPS and hi-res textures.

Game Mechanics: The very well executed game-play design of Titanfall revolves around 3 main aspects:  "player mobility, survivability, and the merging of cinematic design with fast-paced action". All the aforementioned are seamlessly executed and integrated into the natural progression of the game.

Replay value: A fair amount of replay value exists as there are three main game-play modes: Attrition, Hardpoint, and Last Titan Standing. Essentially your typical FPS multi-player modes of Deathmatch, King Of The Hill and Last Man Standing respectively. Throw in a wide assortment of maps and you got yourself  some fun times ahead.

What’s Bad:

Story-line: There is no single player campaign. Still undecided if this is good or bad but leaning towards bad for the sake of feeling like getting an incomplete game.

Game Mechanics: Computer controlled A.I. is horrendous and most times just stands around waiting to get shot. Lack of Anti-Titan weaponry and ways for pilots to effectively fight Titans on the ground.

What Should Have Been Added:

I know the developmental team at Respawn Entertainment has their reasons for not adding a story mode to the game whether it be to focus on multi-player directly or due to the lack of man power but I feel a lot of back-story into the Titanfall universe could have been covered in an adequate story mode campaign. Also I feel like there should be a wider weapon set allowed than just a primary, a secondary, and a Titan specific weapon. Improved A.I. is also on the list of things to include as currently the computer controlled players offer little to no impact on the round proceedings except to act as cannon fodder and offset balance issues on teams.

Final Thoughts:

All in all a great game seeking to shake things up and give us a new way to play FPS games. I can definitely see the mass market appeal that will garner new comers as well as the classic Call Of Duty (CoD) play-style that may very well coax a lot of CoD players away from their copy of Ghost or whatever iteration of the franchise they are playing. Personally I had my own personal gripe with the game and how Titans feel a bit overpowered but all in all its a solid and enjoyable experience. Most times playing matches were fun and balanced until Titans came into play and that's when all hell breaks loose and Titan superiority plays a major role. For something that can be summoned every two minutes or so I really feel they should not have made the Titans so hard to fight when you are not in one. Granted you can rodeo kill a Titan but its a simple matter for someone to eject from their Titan and shoot you off the back of it before you can do any real damage. Also pro-tip side note; the Smart Pistol and Shotgun are the two most over powered weapons in the game. You're welcome...

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Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Let me just start by saying this game is definitely something unexpected and different from what one would expect from an adventure game. Its branded as an adventure game but I see it partially as a puzzle game of sorts as well. I will admit I overlooked this title last year due to lack of a PC and all the hype that came with games released in the same time frame like Ducktales, Saints Row IV, Lost Planet 3, etc. So here I am clearing out my backlog and hearing good things pop up from media and the D.I.C.E. awards coverage about this game and I remember not having reviewed it. Well I aim to rectify that right about now as we look at Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a downloadable story-driven adventure video game developed by Starbreeze Studios and published by 505 Games released on 7 August 2013 for the Xbox Live Arcade and on 3 September 2013. for Steam and PlayStation Network. The game has been since released as of January 21st for free to PSN+ users so everyone can get to experience this wonderful game. The game-play revolves around the interaction between the two brothers with each other and the world. They must overcome obstacles and solve puzzles by working together. The player controls each brother with one of the analog sticks, allowing each character to move freely and individually. There are also individual action buttons for each brother using the left and right trigger accordingly. Controlling the two brothers of the story with one analog stick each can take some getting used to, but you’ll find your rhythm as you solve puzzles as you traverse lush and visually appealing world they live in.

What’s Good:

Soundtrack: I kind of get this old school Nordic vibe to the music, that or Xena warrior princess. All in all it gives off the feel of the rustic countryside that the games visuals portray.

Graphics: The visual aspect of the game is ridiculously immersive. Granted they skimmed a bit on the character design but they hit it out of the park with the environments. Every time you stumble unto a bench  you interact with it an dare treated to a simple spectacular view of your surroundings.

Story-line: Even though the game has no subtitles or English speaking voice acting the story is conveyed wonderfully through interaction and gesticulation. Another aspect of depth to the game is that they have varying responses and interactions based on which of the brothers initiates the action.

Game Mechanics: Simple yet effective is all I can say. Never in my years of playing video games can I recall something of this nature. It gives a refreshing look at video games and the possibilities that have yet to be explored for future titles.

What’s Bad:

Replay value: The game I feel lacks in replay value since the path and pace of the game and puzzles center around the brothers and their interactivity.

What Should Have Been Added:

I feel the game may have benefited from a few additional characters or multiple family members that you could choose from. That way puzzles would have variable solutions and potential for added synergy and depth as well as variation in game progression and story telling. 

Final Thoughts:

The game is short but immensely satisfying. It is truly one cinematic, story-driven experience that will not disappoint you and is worth both our time and money if you have to buy it. I applaud the developers  in their attempts at stepping outside the typical comfort zone of games in this day and age. Granted not everyone was a fan but I feel the unique controller design and implementation is definitely a feather in the hat and complements the game nicely.

more.