Последние обзоры Semaphia

Wahhey, Trails is back! And isn't that the truth - Trails is BACK. The atmosphere hasn't changed much from the first game, and honestly, that's a great thing to see. The characters are very lighthearted & happy go lucky, despite their being a lot of bad stuff going on. It's a refreshing break from other RPGs, where cracking so much as a smile is a rarity. Trails' approach to storytelling, combined with the quality of writing and attention to detail, put it above most JRPG franchises out there.

The Bracer quests are also back, and while the ol' familiar "X Monster needs to be eliminated" request, there's also plenty of new & unique sidequests to go on. It's pretty amazing how varied the dozens upon dozens of quests are, but if you see one you don't like, you needn't worry about missing out on the rewards because the game is generous enough to give you what's required to get by well with just picking the ones you fancy (personally, I try to do them all).

A lot of music from the original game has popped back up without so much as an alternate mix, which is somewhat disappointing, honestly. I do like the soundtrack to the original game, and while I do like the new additions made in SC, I feel the original pieces could've done with a bit of oomph to help them stand out, y'know?

One thing I will say though is that you definitely want to play FC before jumping into SC. Not only will EVERYTHING make a lot more sense, but you can effortlessly carry over some of your choices & interactions from the first game into SC, which will make the experience both more personal & enjoyable.

Just like FC before it, I recommend Trails in the Sky SC 110%. SC is probably the stronger entry, but the entire series deserves playing through from start to... Well, SC and beyond.

Thanks to XSEED for bringing this over!

If I were to sum up Trails in the Sky in just one word, it would probably be "refreshing." In a time of hyperrealistic art direction, dreary narratives, and miserable characters, Trails sticks out like a sore thumb. With its colourful art style, playful yet deep storytelling, and a cast of memorable & well developed characters, it's pretty easy to fall in love with this modern classic.

The combat is equally as refreshing, with a pretty unique take on the turn based RPG system that's been in place for decades. It feels both new & familiar, with plenty of room for unique playstyles & character customization through it's rather clever combination of skill systems.

The soundtrack is very good for what it is, although I'd really have liked a few more tracks here and there. A very minor complaint, but definitely worth mentioning. There's nothing in the OST that I got sick of hearing (some RPGs suffer badly from this), but there was nothing that I was looking forward to, either.

Would I recommend? Damn right I would! With plenty of side content, and replayability thanks to a customizable NG+ mode, Trails in the Sky has the potential to entertain you for well over 50 hours... And guess what? It's only the first game in the trilogy!

Definitely a game worth checking out. Why? Read on.

The aesthetics of the game are borderline peerless, with every tank, character & class looking visually distinct from one another in what must be one of the most consistent pieces of art in the gaming space. It perfectly fits the motif of the games pretty unique setting, which is loosely based on the events of World War II, with its own fictional supernatural sprinkle on top. It's an interesting mix that thankfully treats the events of the War with the utmost respect, while also inviting us into it's wonderful & scary world in a relaxed manner.

The characters are mostly great, with Welkin & Alicia's relationship surely going down as one of the greatest & most believable in the history of video games. A few of the villains are a tad predictable, and a lot of the minor characters are done to extremes (Jann & Leon being good examples of this), but they're for the most part ignorable, and do not detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the game. Sadly, the voice acting is nothing special, but the audio design as a whole really is top notch, and ties in perfectly with the games beautiful, unique style.

Regarding the gameplay, combat is a bit hit and miss. It's overly simple & easily exploited, with a ranking system that makes little sense but still remains important, and minor issues like the odd invisible wall that bullets cannot penetrate, and tiny lips and dips that can foil the movement of a ten tonne battle tank. There are a couple of high quality combat mods that are supposed to be worth checking out, and while I can't comment on those personally, I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you have the time.

Overall, as a lovingly crafted tactical JRPG, Valkyria Chronicles has a lot going for it, but there's also quite a lot to overcome if you're wanting to see it through to the very end. Very much worth your time, though!

It's rare for me to come across a game where I can't cite at least one major flaw, but Ori and the Blind Forest is something even rarer. Not only can't I name a major flaw, but I'm struggling to find any flaw at all, and while that may sound ridiculous, please keep in mind that I'm not saying the game is perfect... Although it pretty much is. As far as Metroidvania games go, Ori is the benchmark that all previous & subsequent titles should be measured against. It achieves everything it sets out to do with flying colours, surpassing its contemporaries in ways I previously deemed unimaginable.

Very few works of fiction can transmit a real emotional impact in such a short period of time, but Ori manages to do so within the first ten minutes of the game starting. Not only does it manage to hit such a high note very early on, but somehow continues to carry it throughout the game, without it ever feeling shoved in your face through pages of dialog or lengthy cinematic cutscenes. There's some highs, lows, and bittersweet moments all expertly told through exciting gameplay, incredible art, and perfectly matching music.

I'm not new to Metroidvania style games, nor am I new to platformers, so while I can appreciate that the game doesn't do a whole lot new in terms of gameplay, I still found myself smiling with glee as I unlocked new abilities. Controlling Ori is an absolute dream, with the movement being some of the best in any game out there, accompanied by some charming abilities, perfectly balanced to give a challenging but fair experience. It's never not enjoyable, and regardless of game length, that's something worth applauding.

And the art... The art! There's obviously games out there with more technical gizmos going on behind the image, but I can't point to a single more beautiful game than Ori and the Blind Forest. A simply unforgettable, beautifully designed world with a variety of locales and an insatiable attention to detail left an impression on me like few games could ever dream of. What's even more amazing is that the OST, while stunning in its own right, matches up with the art perfectly to create something truly special.

When breaking Ori down into its core components, nothing sticks out as the weakest link. It's a combination of excellence, united together to form one of the greatests gaming moments.

It's challenging to discuss my experiences with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt without going into detail regarding my history with the series. I never completed the original title, but have bested Witcher 2 on three seperate occasions. This resulted in me buying & reading all of Sapkowski's translated works set in the Witcher universe.

It's also difficult, despite completing the main quest, to decide where exactly I sit regarding the title as a whole; Is Wild Hunt an amazing game with some pretty noticeable shortcomings, or is it a very good game which excels in certain areas? The answer will always be subjective, and my opinion is no doubt going to change back and forth as time goes by, so lets just jump in, starting firstly with what the game does best.

Wild Hunt outdoes all recent competition in regards to the world. For the first time in an open world RPG, I feel like I'm actually walking through country villiages & lively cities, both beautifully realised and reactive to the choices made by Geralt and those around him. The attention to detail throughout the world is mostly spectacular, with only a few minor visual blemishes here and there, which are quite easily ignored if you don't go out of your way to be offended by them. Exploration is a-plenty with a plethora of varied, meaningful side content to enage in at your own pace. The ability to turn off HUD elements is also a very welcome addition, and enhances the sense of exploration immeasurably.

Quests, both main & secondary, are never as menial as the pseudo-MMO offerings of Wild Hunt's contemporaries, but are instead fleshed out, unique experiences with real risks (and rewards) surrounding them. Doing a task for one person might upset another, and if that person has allies, then watch your back! Oh, you need to collect something? Don't expect it to be simple, as there's almost always a catch; and the game won't shy away from punishing you if you let your guard down.

The main quest, the meat of the game, is where Witcher 3 is at its best. Your classic Witcher mash up of politics, personal relationships, betrayal and intrique is the order of the day, with the story being just as enthralling (once it gets going) as the conclusion itself. Choices are a-plenty, with a lot of potential to roleplay relationships with some of the universes most revered and reviled characters. Fans of the books & earlier games will not feel let down by the numerous nods to experiences past, but newcomers to the series shouldn't feel too intimidated by the little details, as everything is well explained through ingame conversations, readable texts, journals, and so forth.

Overall, it's amazing just how tight & consistent the experience remains given the scope of the project, and is only further enhanced by the fact you can travel across entire continents without encountering a single loading screen. Accompanied by a perfectly matching OST, CD Projekt Red have managed to craft one of the most memorable, fleshed out, and technically impressive video game worlds to date.

However, the game still has some rather unmistakeable shortcomings. Minor flaws, which could easily be ironed out in a patch, are focused primarily around the UI. Switching between different elements of the games overstyled menus (Alchemy, Crafting, Inventory, Quests, etc) is a lot more sluggish than it should be, and simple convenience features, like the ability to organise your inventory by weight, use, value, etc, are inexplicably absent. Switching between tabs and having your cursor reset to the top is another annoyance which will hopefully be fixed in due course. It's also not too rare to hear Geralt's dialog overlap itself, especially if you're solving problems a little faster than perhaps the developers intended.

Onto more sizeable complaints. Witcher Senses, while an interesting way to approach quests at first, quickly outstayed their welcome, and became something I avoided at all costs soon after. Not only does it get tired awfully fast from a gameplay perspective, but also hinders my enjoyment of the game from a physical point of view. The already low FOV collapses to a barely tolerable amount, with some gut-wrenching wobbly nonsense thrown in for good measure, resulting in me feeling uncomfortable & sometimes nauseous. Unfortunately, a ridiculous amount of content relies on this forgettable ability, and it led me to actively ignore several side quests the further I progressed.

Movement is just weird, regardless of input device. Navigating through close quarters can be a nightmare, and things only get worse when the game takes you underwater. The inability to look away from the direction you're moving towards is a major shortcoming, and the jolty, laggy results of minor keystrokes can result in some frustrating, unintentional moments.

Combat has never been a strong point of the Witcher franchise, and here is no exception. Early game swordplay abilities are so short in number that you'd never believe Witcher's were master swordsmen. This is somewhat remedied later on in the game by advancing through the sprawling talent trees, but it's at least 25 hours overdue by that point. Even then, sword fighting is overly simple, exploitable, and tedious. Rolling back and forth between melee swings so the opponent resets isn't entertaining, and neither is getting attacked through walls by opponents you can do zero damage to - Hopefully the latter is a bug CD Projekt Red will resolve ASAP.

In summary, anyone with a passing interest in RPGs should grab themselves a copy of The Witcher 3 (although not for £49.99 - don't support such pricing on PC), but approach with cautious optimism. While the game does mostly deliver on its promises in extraordinary fashion, it's far from perfect, and should be treated as a flawed gem that, in time, will hopefully be polished to mirror shine from top to bottom.

Every now and then, a game comes along and fills a gap in the market that I didn't really know needed to be filled - Door Kickers is one such game. Inspired in no small part by the planning phases of late 1990s Tom Clancy games, Door Kickers is a thought provoking adrenaline rush of anti-terrorism action-puzzles.

There's two ways you can play Door Kickers. You can either take advantage of the ability to pause & issue commands in real time, edging your way through a level one command at a time, carefully assessing your options before pushing onwards... Then there's the right way - You plan everything from the get go. One continuous stream of commands that'll see your trooper(s) go from room to room, checking their corners and, hopefully, never leaving themselves open to an ambush. The sense of accomplishment from laying down a perfect plan that requires no tweaking after the mission starts is pretty special, and adds so much challenge to the game that you'll be entertained for hours and hours.

Levels vary wildly from simple elimination jobs, to bomb defusal, hostage rescue, and evidence gathering. No two levels are the same, and thanks to the numerous ways to approach each, there's potentially no limit to replayability. Replayability is also helped by a multi-tier challenge system & a pretty strong community modding scene. The in-game custom level generator makes designing & sharing levels with others really simple, and it's fun to see how challenging a level can actually be when designed by someone other than a sensible developer.

Character variety is a-plenty as the game has a generous amount of specialized classes & customization, along with veterancy rewards and dedicated fighting styles. Completing campaign levels in the best possible way will require a well rounded squad of multiple talents, but be warned - Death is permanent in campaign modes, and it's possible to lose a talented officer in just one poor move.

It's not all great, though. Music & voice acting is less than mediocre, while the graphics are pretty much just fit for purpose. There could also be very slight improvements to mission planning, but the developers have proven their intent to better the game, and it's by no means bad right now - It just could be a little better, that's all.

Overall, Door Kickers is a resounding recommendation. A collection of standalone tactical puzzles, campaigns & UGC, all wrapped in an attractive enough package with amazing character customization & challenges galore. If you're in any way intrigued, then jump in without hesitation.

An instant classic, but not without its flaws.

Kickstarter as a history when it comes to nostalgia-bait titles aimed to fans of certain genres, but sadly, the majority of crowdfunded to live up to the expecations they set themselves by appealing to those fans in the first place. For every Shovel Knight, you have dozens of other offerings ranging from mediocre to just flat out bad.

Thankfully, Pillars of Eternity is to CRPG's what Shovel Knight is to Platformers - It doesn't just evoke memories of it's influences, but instead draws up a chair to sit amongst them. Pillars does too much right for me to accurately sum up its brilliance (and shortcomings) in a few paragraphs, but regardless, I'll try my best.

Gameplay is highly customizatable, with multiple tweaks available for all aspects of the game. If you want no help/tooltips while in conversation, but you don't really want the combat to be too hard, then you can do that easily enough. If the reverse is true, and you fancy your chats brief, and your combat nearly impossible, then that's just as easy to set up! It's a very elegant system that, instead of tying multiple values to the same difficulty, allows you to play the game as you wish to play it. And after that, you get to spend an hour (at least) making your perfect hero in Character Select - Woo! Character creation is top notch, with so many variables for each & every class that your character will almost certainly be unique. Each class has it's own pros and cons, and the spell diversity available is nothing short of amazing... Oh, and don't listen to anyone who says Wizards aren't that good - Wizards are awesome!

The story isn't easy - It's anything but. Expect to be VERY confused for the first few hours while every NPC around you references various places & people you've never heard of before as if you're one with the world. But, as time goes by, and it all comes together, you'll be thankful for the early rounds you suffered at the hands of Obsidian's literary boxers. The fascinating world is enhanced by a selection of very varied companions, but I can't overlook the limited number of them available. This could be one of the few cases where a somewhat limited (yet very generous KS) budget might not have allowed them the time to do so, but I really would've hoped for at least one NPC per class. As it is, there's a couple of classes that you can only experience when you make them yourself, which means you're going to endure a lot of silence unless you find yourself writing up a character backstory yourself - Try it!

The art is some of the best I've seen in any videogame. While it may look a tad dated from the compressed screenshots you've seen online, it all makes sense once you boot the game up and admire the beautifully handcrafted environment and real time lighting effects. The sound design is, for the most part, just as solid, however there's a noticeable lack of variety in music. Every combat encounter, regardless of it's importance, is accompanied by the same instrumental piece. It really would've added to the effect of the larger boss encounters if they'd had a new tune like the Curst Battle in PS:T, but hey, it's a minor complaint.

Okay, so what's wrong with the game? Other than the minor gripes listed above, the game does currently have a few bugs that, thankfully, Obsidian should be patching this week. Keybindings could also be handled a lot better. When in combat, if you hover over a spell and press a key, the game will automatically bind that ability to that key - Great, right? But you're never told which keys you can and can't use, and simple things like unbinding the M (map) key while in combat to allow it to be used as an ability should be pretty obvious, but sadly isn't catered for. And damn, aiming wall abilities with just a mouse can be a pain in the backside, but it's manageable.

Minor gripes that, for the most part, don't detract from the overall experience. It's a stunning game that's best experienced blind, so do yourself a favour and give the game a chance before jumping onto YouTube to check out a few videos.

It's amazing how many things in this game shouldn't actually work... A game in develoment hell over at Konami, handed over to Platinum with a strict time schedule - Something they've never been able to stick to before. Take Raiden, one of the most disappointing video game characters I've ever encountered, and create a game around him. Find some D-tier metal musicians to sing some terribly cheesy songs over boss battles.

But it all works flawlessly, but why? I think I know... Hideo Kojima? Totally crazy. Platinum games? Flat out insane. Put them both together, and what do you have? A bloody good time, that's what!

There's no company on the planet more suited to projects like this than Platinum, and the further you get into the game, the more you begin to appreciate the nuances of the combat system. The parry system, while woefully explained, is a satisfying mechanic to pull off in a combination, and Blade Mode results in some of the most pleasing kills in any action game to date. While the combat system doesn't have the depth of other P* games, for example, Bayonetta 2, it still gives you plenty to learn, and believe me, you will have to learn. The combat is fast & furious, and a small lapse in concentraction can cause major issues for even the most experienced player, but there's nothing in the game that can't be avoided, so it's all about learning your toolset, and adapting to each situation as it comes along. As far as character action games go, Metal Gear Rising is up there with the best of them, while not competing with any of them. It's doing its own thing, and doing it brilliantly, and that definitely has to be respected.

The game itself is very similar to other P* games. Basically, the plot is ignorable, but it's often funny to see the characters interact with each other. The characters & cutscenes are incredibly cheesy, but the Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies kinda cheesy. If you're coming from a MGS game, and expect a more serious tone from a title carrying the MG name, then you might be disappointed, but if you can adjust your narritive expectations, then I'm sure you'll love the charming, crazy nature of it all. The boss fights are some of the most insane I've ever seen, and really do have to be experienced to appreciate. It's pretty amazing to see a little 6ft fella cut up metal war machines the size of skyscrapers - All to the tune of perfectly fitting (albeit still crap) shred metal!

It's also quite a short game, and you shouldn't expect your first playthrough to last you more than 5-8 hours (difficulty dependant). However, the more you play the game, the more you keep wanting to play, and thankfully, the missions are very replayable. With unlocks that drastically alter playstyles, and encounter & mission based rankings (S, A, B, C, D), there's plenty to keep you coming back.

It's a definite recommendation from me, and here's another one... Go out, grab yourself a Wii U, and buy Bayonetta 2.

South Park has been a favourite of mine since I was a child, and it's something I've grown up with over the last 18 or so years. Previous SP games I've played, especially during the PS1/N64 era, have been lackluster to say the least, so I approached TSoT with a ton of cautious optimism.

It turns out that I shouldn't have worried at all, because The Stick of Truth is the best use of a film/TV IP since KOTOR2.

When drawing on almost two decades of a classic cartoon, it'd be pretty easy & understandable for a third party to miss out on the essence of the source material, even if they're fans of the series. Thankfully, Obsidian are masters of their craft, and with the help of series creators Matt & Trey, TSoT perfectly captures all the best bits of one of TVs longest enduring cartoons, and condenses it all into 10 hours of hallmark insanity.

The combat is a little basic, and the gameplay is pretty simple to solve (gross out & fire beats all, basically), but the environments, questing, weapons, and armour, are all varied enough to keep the game more than interesting.

Perhaps not a title for everyone, but for South Park fans? It's an absolute no brainer. One of the most enjoyable games of 2014, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, memorable scenes, and flat out insane scenarios. The perfect South Park game.

After deciding I should spend some time tackling an insurmountable backlog, I headed back into Tomb Raider, after having given up about two hours in during my first play session. I managed to tackle the remainder of the campaign in about seven hours, playing on Hard, and this is what I found...

QTE QTE Cutscene QTE Scripted Combat Sequence Cutscene Cutscene Cutscene.

I could moan about the horrid QTE sequences forever, but instead, I'll talk about the other elements of gameplay - Yes, surprisingly, there are some other ways to beat someone than to bash X when prompted.

Let's start with the AI. The AI is either very sporting, or someone Bill & Ted collected from the 15th century. Give them a bow & arrow, and they'll hit an apple off your head from 50 yards... Give them a gun, and stand up with just your waist below cover (which happens quite frequently, as the cover system can be a tad hit or miss), and just watch them try to figure out how the gun works. They can also land a stick of dynamite on your head from 30 yards, which is quite a feat for someone unable to operate a trigger.

The stealth system is also hit & miss. Either that, or enemies are deaf, dumb, & blind. Every time involves little more than a 5 second wait - As soon as person A turns around, shoot his buddy in the back of the head with an arrow, because the sound of a man yelping as his skull is pierced by a homemade arrow, bringing 200lbs to the ground with a thump, isn't enough to alert his buddy less than 3 yards away.

But why bother with stealth? Even on hard, the AI is dumb, you can shoot arrows like a machine gun, and there's no downside to doing so. Arrows are littered around the island in such a way that there's no real sense of needing to conserve to stay alive - The element of survival isn't told through conventional gameplay, but instead through scripted sequences & story driven cutscenes. Sigh...

Invisible walls - Bah! I can clearly see this guys head poking out from behind his cover, but apparently he's not sticking it out enough for the game to notice. I tried switching to a gun, just to make sure I wasn't a victim of gravity taking effect on the arrow... Nope. There was also a scene towards the end of the game where an enemy was on a heavy turret with multiple body parts exposed - I do what any sensible person would do, and try to shoot them... Nope, invisible wall again. Why? So after the "dramatic" run to his position, I could do some amazing thin... Never mind, it was just a cutscene and some QTE.

It's not all bad, though. The visuals are fantastic, and the weapons sound pretty darn good... That's all I have, really.

Would I recommend it at £14.99? Nah... 75% off in a sale (like I did)? Probably.