Recent reviews by ViperZz

SMITE carries out a new perspective on familiar game design which makes everything feel fresh again. For example, the way SMITE has the camera behind your character instead of viewing from a birds eye view drastically transforms familiar MOBA mechanics, creating an interesting and challenging take on a genre that rarely strays from common guidelines. Beyond the new angle, SMITE has a range of features to help ease new players in, along with its entertaining different game modes that all present special rewards for those who stick around.

Smite can often end up feeling more like a third-person action RPG than a MOBA, and that’s the greatest change in gameplay. Using W, A, S, and D to move feels natural, and it’s engaging and very tense to get up close and personal in an enemy’s face. Combat is much more complex in a different way than in other MOBAs – your position and the direction you’re looking feels so important when playing as a melee character, and every ranged ability in Smite is an aimed skill shot, INCLUDING YOUR AUTO ATTACKS.

Minions in Smite act a little different to other MOBAs, as they still defend their Gods with very hard-hitting attacks early on, but what is different is when they're killed everyone in the area earns experience and gold – not just the person who scored the last hit. While last-hitting is a test of skill in other MOBAs, not having to worry about it in Smite encourages more team fights against Gods rather than constant item farming. That being said a slight gold increase is rewarded for players who last hit minions among the minion wave.

The god selection and lore is what really attracted me to SMITE as they are all borrowed from seven different ancient religions. Personally I feel the developers at Hi-Rez did a wonderful job incorporating their familiar mythological backgrounds straight into tactical MOBA roles – the Greek demigod Hercules is a burly, boxing style melee character, while Zeus hurls lightning at his enemies. I was pleased with the huge variety between the now 69 available Gods(at the time of writing this), and their impressively detailed models. Some flashier abilities, like Norse god Thor’s Ultimate, Anvil of Dawn, work especially well with the third-person camera because they launch you up into the sky. They’re thrilling to execute, and it’s neat to see the map from another perspective.

The developers also go into great detail when designing skins, wether it will be a funny skin or a serious/bad-ass skin. The developers really do make a lot of effort with them. You'll find the more expensive skins have some very cool effects which can change the way you use the ability. Although the gems can seem at little pricey if you get attached to the game its a worthy investment.

In my experience the game is one of the more fun and enjoyable MOBAs with the ability to certainly outplay your oponent. I feel the ranked or even pro scene never kicked off as competetively as they intended, but its a great way to spend a few hours with your friends.

8.5/10

Set in 1920's Paris; the City of Lights is an ideal location for a shadow based puzzle platformer. Consistantly testing your perspective of lighting and which dimension you should be within. The game adds an interesting 3D world aswell as a constant 2D platformer which you have to vary between in order to complete puzzles. Having the power to slip between the open 3D world to hopping from shadow to shadow in 2D at your own will opens up some very clever puzzling possibilities.

Throughout the game there's a gripping emotional story line in which follows the main little girl, Didi. As she is always trying to help out her close-to-useless father, having to deal with various mobsters, aswell as an illusionist puzzle master. As Didi’s imaginary friend, you can only see the shadows and hear the voices of the real people within the 3D world, in which Didi interacts with. But again within the 2D world there is great interaction of the real people's shadows and a fulfilling sense of achievment once you complete a puzzle.

As with all medium to low budget puzzle games there are a few bugs/glitches but nothing you can't turn your head at. Some of the puzzels can be very cliche: move a box over a button = door opens. But there was a few interesting ones you'll have to think twice about.

Overall gameplay was enjoyable and certainly made you want to finish the game, yet only being 3-5 hours long depending on collectables and the narrations. It’s hard to say whether Contrast looks better while playing as one of the minimalist silhouettes or running around in full 3D. The graphics are a key aspect of the game, being set in such a hearty destination the overly cartoon design looks great and is consistant throughout.

8/10