Dying Light Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Worth Checking Out

Wow it feels like ages since I done a game review for you guys. Been through a lot of real life drama alongside running the blog and trying to stream more often so do forgive me. This without a doubt has been the main game of 2015 that I have bee waiting for release. I am very happy to say it did not disappoint but saddened as well that it suffers from a primary fault I had hoped it would have bypassed. Zombies is one idea that will never get old in games but it is good to see developers still trying to rejuvenate the concept and implement 'new' concepts to keep things interesting. Which is how we end up with this wonderful zombie apocalypse survival game completely in first person view with the added twist of parkour based elements. So lets visit the world of Harran and try to stay alive...

Dying Light is a 2015 survival horror video game developed by Polish video game developer Techland and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Dying Light is a zombie apocalypse-themed game set in an open world. Players traverse an expansive urban environment overrun by a vicious epidemic, scavenging the world for supplies and crafting weapons to defend against the growing infected population with a heavy focus on free-running mechanics. The game revolves around an undercover operative sent to infiltrate a quarantine zone in a city called Harran called Kyle Crane. The game is mostly melee-based with the majority of fighting using melee weapons. There are more than 100 weapons that can be used and more when players begin crafting new weapons. The game features a vertically scaling open-world metropolis with a dynamic day and night cycle that provides an interesting dynamic to the game for increased difficulty.

What’s Good:

Graphics: This game is no joke in the graphical requirements area. If you do not have a beefy rig don't think about playing this in its best graphic fidelity. The game really is demanding and it it expected with the immense and expansive world Techland has given the player to explore. The attention to detail shines through especially when you get up close and personal with zombies or the environment.

Game Mechanics: From the skill tree system to the overall vertical approach of the world most if not all game mechanics work will to immerse the player as well as give a viable and steady show of progression so the player feels growth and development as they play. Granted towards the latter parts of the game things might seem a bit easy but given the high difficulty curve of this game its well deserved by then.

Replayability: The game has co-op mode so that's a plus, added to that the variety of skills to choose from and progress with add some versatility and diverseness. Some more hardcore players have expressed dissatisfaction with the game difficulty. As such this has lead to modders/gamers coming up with fun little ways to enhance the overall survival experience. 

What’s Bad:

Story-line: A bit lackluster in its delivery and overall progress. A lot of back story missing and character relationship development missing. Its a bit sad that more fun is extracted from just free roaming and side quests seeing what the world has to offer.

What Should Have Been Added:

I only wish for one thing and that would be fast travel between safe houses. I get that it helps the overall feeling of the game and post zombie apocalypse but it gets real old real fast having to navigate the same areas all over again.

Final Thoughts:

I had a blast playing this game even with the difficult learning curve. I was very engrossed and entertained playing this game, I would only recommend this game to seasoned veteran gamers however due to the difficulty level. The story could have used some fleshing out to make the campaign beefier and potentially more substantial with the integration of the co-op mode. You can see my initial reactions to the game in my stream below...

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We're Going Straight To The Wild Wild West

Game Mechanics - 1.5/2

Story-line - 2/2

Graphics - 1.5/2

Soundtrack - 2/2

Replay Value - 2/2

 Total Score - 9/10

It's video game time again folks. As we trudge along through this the annual summer drought of gaming we try to clear up our backlog of games in anticipation of the early fall AAA releases. Thankfully it is almost over and balance and order will be restored to the force as this should be the last week of the gaming summer drought. I had heard about this game a while back and more or less forgotten about it cause I personally had not seen much hype or advertisements for it. Somehow it has found its way back into my life and this week we review "Call of Juarez: Gunslinger"...

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a Western-themed first-person shooter video game, the fourth in the Call of Juarez series. Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a linear first-person shooter game. Like the previous Call of Juarez games, the game consists of completing objectives to progress through the game. Call of Juarez: Gunslinger returns to the traditional Old West setting and features three unique game modes (story, arcade and duel) while the setting is the life story of a bounty hunter named Silas Greaves. The story levels are flashbacks of the life Silas Greaves, who is an unreliable narrator. As his audience challenges the lies and inconsistencies in his tales, Silas revises his story, which results in abrupt changes to game environment. This mechanic allows the game to recycle sections of the game with minor alterations. Staple gameplay elements of the series such as bullet-time and gunslinger duels make a return.

What’s Good:

Replay value: The game allows the player to carry their accumulated skills over to replays, so they can eventually fully master all categories thus giving the player added incentive to revisit the game upon completion. Scattered throughout the game are collectible secret items called "Nuggets of Truth", which recount the historical truths behind Silas' tales. These also help to level up your character and contain real world history about famous happenings and figures of the Wild West.

Story-line: The story and recounting of the adventures of Silas are engaging and rewarding as you both play and listen to Silas explain his past adventures. 

Soundtrack: Soundtrack is definitely solid and immerses you fully into the game and the Wild West ambiance of the game as a whole. Guns sound authentic as do the accents and vernacular of the characters you come in contact with.

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: Granted most if not all the things about the game mechanics are positive I just wanted to exclusively make mention of something I found highly frustrating. The dueling system; it starts off pretty intuitively and straight forward but then somehow becomes confusing and complicated. The addition of speeding up your draw time via the 'A' and 'D' buttons is not explained or demonstrated clearly, this in turn does not give the player the chance to adapt and utilize the mechanic effectively.

What Should Have Been Added:

I feel that maybe they could have given you a choice in customizing your character, maybe even let you decide the gender. Another possible idea could have been to add a co-op mode where you play through the game as a dynamic duo. 

Final Thoughts:

Honestly a refreshing change of pace considering the typical military oriented first person shooters we have grown accustomed to. Throwing in a leveling and RPG (Roleplaying Game) element to it with the varying skill sets was also a nice touch. My only gripes with the game overall was the ridiculous fall damage in the game and the hard to figure out dueling aspect that I made mention of earlier on. Aside from that I most certainly enjoyed my time with this game and will be looking out for others in the series. Until then you can check out my game-play with commentary...

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