Digibytes July 2013 issue by Chandler Tate

digibytes

ISSUE 1 / $.99 | www.digibytes.me

PS3 | Xbox 360 | PC | PS4 | Xbox One | 3DS | Vita | Mobile

Activision Supports the Wii U Five new games are en-route for Nintendo's struggling console

The Walking Dead: 400 Days Is it worth your money?

Star Wars: Death Troopers Could the hit novel thrive as a game? HIGHLIGHTS:

World of Warcraft loses more subscribers / / 5 Map Remakes we'd like to see in Battlefront 3 / / Xbox One fans petition for always-online

Contents >> 10 PRESCREEN

20 REVIEWS

GAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN THE COMING MONTHS

Walking Dead 400 Days

New Super Luigi U

Dust 514

Devil May Cry

Quarantine London

Deadpool

06 News 06

WoW Losing Subscribers

Fan Petition Xbox One

New Star Wars Game?

Activision Supporting the Wii U

digibytes | Issue 1 | July 2013

16 CULTURE

16 The Last of Us vs. BioShock Infinite

BioShock Infinite DLC Inbound 18 Kinect for Xbox One

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Console Wars

12 Star Wars: Death Troopers... The Video Game?

14 Top 5 Map Remakes for Battlefield III

22 The Walking Dead: 400 Days Review digibytes | 3

NEWS

>> INDUSTRY GOSSIP >> OPINION & RUMORS

World of Warcraft Loses more players

>> Blizzard hopes to combat their lost profits with in-game microtransactions

future of the game, no one can be sure. At the game’s current rate of losses, it can still afloat for quite a long time. In an effort to make back their lost profit,, Blizzard recently revealed that they’re looking into the possibility of introducing in-game microtransactions to their popular MMO World of Warcraft. “We are currently exploring the possibility of adding a way for players in certain regions to make purchases directly within the game. As part of this process, elements related to this will be appearing on the PTR. We’ll provide additional updates on our plans as development progresses,” said Jonathon Brown, senior community representative on the Battle.net forums. World of Warcraft already has a shop for players to purchase various pets and mounts using real-world money, it will be interesting to see how the community responds to this extra push in an attempt to make more money off of its players since in-game cash shops are usually only found in MMOs that are freeto-play and without a mandatory $15 a month subscription fee. By: Chandler Tate Activision Blizzard has revealed that World of Warcraft has lost 600,000 more subscribers in the last quarter, dropping it’s grand total of subscribed players to 7.7 million. Before, World of Warcraft had as many as 10 million subscribers when Mists of Pandaria launched launched last September and had more than 12 million at its peak in 2010. It seems as if the company’s recent step to integrate things such as an in-game store may be an attempt to make up some of their recent losses. But what this means for the

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Xbox One Petition 6,373 fans want Microsoft to bring back their original One policies

NEWS FEED Far Cry 4 is on the way Ubisoft's tony Key has confirmed that a sequel to Far Cry 3 going to be developed beginning sometime in the near future. “It’s a great brand, and now it’s got the recognition

A petition has started circulating around the Internet all thanks to one passionate Xbox One fan asking Microsoft to give gamers what Microsoft promised them at E3. The petition is located at Change. org and it reads as followed: “This was to be the future of entertainment. A new wave of gaming where you could buy games digitally, then trade, share or sell those digital licenses. Essentially, it was Steam for Xbox. But consumers were uninformed, and railed against it,

and it was taken away because Sony took advantage of consumers uncertainty.” Xbox One originally required a constant Internet connection as well as a mandatory check-in every 24 hours. There was also a family share plan which allowed gamers to share their library of games with 10 other people. When Microsoft changed their policies, they also ditched the family share plan which was actually well received by fans. There’s no telling what will happen with this petition and for most of the people getting the Xbox One now, this petition is just for laughs,. By: Andrew Gonzalez

Guild Wars 2 Update Schedule ArenaNet's MMO will now get an update every 2 weeks If you’re not already a fan of ArenaNet’s hit MMO Guild Wars 2, I think today’s news should be enough to get you to at least try the game out. ArenaNet has revealed that they have plans to release new content for the game every 14 days. The cycle kicks off next week on July 9th with Bazaar of the Four Winds, an update where “the mystical flying Zephyr Sanctum has landed, bringing magical crystals and amazing movement skills to traders and adventurers alike.” Is this enough to get you try out this free-to-play MMO?

Xbox 360/One Headsets

Xbox 360 owners who were disappointed about not being able to use their expensive headsets on the Xbox One will no longer have to worry. There is an accessory being made that will allow these headsets to become compatible with the Xbox One. News of the adapter comes from Albert Penello's Twitter account.

Phil Fish cancels Fez II Fez II, the sequel to the hit XBLA game Fez, has been cancelled indefinitely.

Torchlight Sells Millions Runic Games has revealed that Torchlight 2 has now sold over two million copies following Steam''s annual summer sale. “We are overwhelmed by the reception for Torchlight 2,” said Runic Games’

By: Chandler Tate

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NEWS

Last week, Lucasfilm, under Disney’s ownership, registered a number of domain names all hinting towards an unannounced project – Star Wars: Attack Squadrons. While Disney has made no official statement regarding the project, and we have no details so far, it’s not unreasonable to assume it has something to do with space combat within the Star Wars universe. \This stems from the famous Renegade Squadron within said universe, and perhaps Attack Squadron follows a similar division. That being said, this is pure speculation, and it may well have nothing to do with space combat or flight squadrons. We also have no idea if this project is a TV series, a book, a game, or just a general part of the extended universe. What’s more, we know that EA registered AttackSquadron.com (WHOIS) and AttackSquadron.net (WHOIS) way back in 2000 (with said registry expiring next year). Keeping in mind the agreement between EA and Disney, solidified earlier

>> INDUSTRY GOSSIP >> OPINION & RUMORS

Star Wars: Attack Squadrons >> Disney has registered dozens of new domains revolving around the term "Star Wars: Attack Squadrons" this year, this means that Attack Squadron may in fact be an upcoming game. This is, again, speculation, but a Star Wars game centered around space combat – more specifically a Rebel Attack Squadron – sounds pretty fun, and a good way to revive the standalone flight-combat games within the Star Wars universe.

name, and they may just be covering all bases. However, considering the promised slew of Star Wars games on the horizon from EA and Disney, both casual and non, it seems likely that Star Wars: Attack Squadron is an unannounced game. And that wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. By: Alex Connellan

Again, neither EA nor Disney have made an official statement in regards to the

Halo: Spartan Assualt

Arkham Origins Villain

In conjunction with Vanguard Games, 343 Industries released their first mobile game this month. Stay tuned for our review of the game in next month's issue.

At Comic-Con in San Diego this month, Warner Bros. revealed a new villain, Copperhead, for Arkham Origins. She is one of the eight assassins that will be present in the game.

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>>for gaming news as it happens visit www.digibytes.me // 24 hours a day

Activision Supports Wii U

BioShock Infinite

Six new games are on the way

New DLC content inbound

Activision has confirmed that their upcoming blockbuster shooter Call of Duty: Ghosts will indeed be launching for Nintendo’s Wii U this fall on November 5th, and will include support for the Wii Remote and GamePad.

Get ready to return to Rapture! Irrational Games has revealed information on the two story based DLC chapters for Bioshock Infinite.

They also revealed that five other games will be headed to Nintendo's console as well, ncluding Skylanders Swap Force, Angry Birds Trilogy, Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge, and Wipeout Create & Crash. By: Chandler Tate

INSIDEINDUSTRY

Burial at Sea Part 1 and 2 will involve Booker and Elizabeth in Rapture the day before its fall. We’ve always seen Rapture as a beautiful, yet devastated place, but it will be interesting to see it before the fall. In addition to this, Elizabeth is rocking an entirely new intriguing look and attitude. By: Steve Wright

what the experts say...

"Our vision is that every person can be a creator. That every Xbox One can be used for development. That every game and experience can take advantage of all of the features of Xbox One and Xbox LIVE. This means self-publishing."

“All of the cloud and online features make the game far, far better. In fact I’d even say revolutionary. The things we’re doing with opponents and Drivatar are not something that anyone can envision unless you’ve played it.

“This was to be the future of entertainment. A new wave of gaming where you could buy games digitally, then trade, share or sell those digital licenses. "

Marc Whitten // Xbox's CPO

Dan Greenawalt // Turn 10 Studios

Xbox One Fans // Via a Petition

Xbox One Indie Devs

EVE's Battle Record

Microsoft has reversed yet another one of their controversial policies for their upcoming console, Xbox One. They've announced that all independent developers will now be able to self-publish their own games.

EVE broke a battle record this month which featured over 4000 players from all around the world and lasted for a whole 5 hours between two of the largest alliances in the game CFC and TEST.

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PRESCREEN>> GAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN THE COMING MONTHS

01 // DISNEY INFINITY For the first time, players will place realworld interactive figures - characters, power discs and Play Set pieces - on the Disney Infinity Base to activate original, story-driven adventures in the game worlds, also known as Play Sets. 02 // SKULGIRLS SkullGirls is a fast-paced 2-D fighting game that puts players in control of fierce warriors in an extraordinary Dark Deco world.

04 03 // SPLINTERCELL: BLACKLIST Sam Fisher is the leader of the newly formed 4th Echelon unit: a clandestine unit that answers solely to the President of the United States. 04 // SAINTS ROW 4

The Leader of the Saints has gone from the crack house, to the penthouse, to the White House. What could go wrong if they're in control of the country? 05 // XCOM As special agent William Carter, call the shots, pull the trigger and lead your squad in a gripping third-person tactical shooter set within a high-stakes, covert war to protect humanity. 06 // THE WONDERFUL 101 Strength in Numbers Earth is under attack from an invasion of enormous aliens, and the only thing that can protect the planet is a group of unlikely, yet mighty, heroes with special abilities.

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MOST WANTED 07 // TOTAL WAR: ROME 2 Become the world's first superpower and command the most incredible and vast war machine of the Ancient world. 08 // KILLZONE MERCENARY Killzone: Mercenary is shaping up to be the perfect shooter to play on the go. Come September, we'll find out if that's true.

09 // CASTLEVANIA: LORDS OF SHADOW 2 In this shocking conclusion to the Lords of Shadow saga, Dracula returns once again, weakened and yearning for release from his immortal bonds. 10 // FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBRON A Realm Reborn is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that invites you to explore the realm of Eorzea with friends from around the world. 11 // LOST PLANET 3 Lost Planet 3 introduces Jim Peyton, a Utility Rig pilot who leaves Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III.

12 // RAYMAN LEGENDS The Glade of Dreams is in trouble once again! During a 100-year nap, the nightmares multiplied and spread, creating new monsters even more terrifying than before! These creatures are the stuff of legend... Dragons, giant toads, sea monsters, and even evil luchadores. 13 // MADDEN NFL 25 Celebrating 25 years of innovation, Madden NFL 25 unlocks the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball-carrier. 14 // DIABLO 3 Twenty years have passed since the Prime Evils were defeated and banished from the world of Sanctuary. Now, you must return to where it all began - the town of Tristram and investigate rumors of a fallen star, for this is an omen that the End Times have begun. digibytes | 9

>> COVER STORY

Star Wars: Death Troopers...The Video Game? We think it could be an amazing game if it were to ever see the light of day >> Since the success of the original Star Wars trilogy back in the 70s and 80s, there have been an incredible number of video games based in the same universe. These games spanned genres from first/third person shooters, RTSs, and slashers, all the way to fighters, action-adventures (LEGO games), and RPGs. Even from that small peek at an incredibly large list, it’s evident that Star Wars games have varying levels of success in most genres – but the point is that they’re in all those genres in the first place. So why is the Star Wars profile lacking a survival/horror game? Star Wars is the perfect universe in which to host a survival/horror game. For starters, there are the vast number of planets – explored or otherwise – and the deep vacuum of space in between for locations, not to

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mention the dozens of threatening life forms that inhabit them. Star Wars: Republic Commando managed incredibly suspenseful and atmospheric gameplay during opening of the mission aboard the abandoned Republic Assault Ship Prosecutor, and that wasn’t even a horror game. Taking these potential locations and scenarios into consideration, let’s take a look at Star Wars: Death Troopers. Before I go on, I’d like to point out that Star Wars: Death Troopers has a Facebook campaign page titled “Who Else Wants Star Wars Death Troopers: The Game ?” I highly recommend you head over there right now and like the page to show your support: https://www.facebook.com/ Joe Schreiber’s 2009 novel, Death Troopers, takes place about a year before Episode VI: A New Hope.

The internal flap of the paperback edition features this blurb: “When the Imperial prison barge Purge—temporary home to five hundred of the galaxy’s most ruthless killers, rebels, scoundrels and thieves—breaks down in a distant, uninhabited part of space, its only hope seems to lie with a Star Destroyer found drifting, derelict, and seemingly abandoned. But when a boarding party is sent to scavenge for parts, only half of them come back—bringing with them a horrific disease so lethal that within hours, nearly all aboard the Purge will die in ways too hideous to imagine. The Purge’s half-dozen survivors— two teenage brothers, a sadistic captain of the guards, a couple of rogue smugglers and the chief medical officer, the lone woman on board—will do whatever it takes to stay alive. But nothing can

COVER STORY <<

prepare them for what lies waiting onboard the Star Destroyer amid its vast creaking emptiness that isn’t really empty at all. The dead are rising, soulless, unstoppable, and unspeakably hungry.” The book is well written, gripping, incredibly atmospheric, and it slots horror into an otherwise fantasy/ sci-fi setting with ease. Considering that the protagonists are, more often than not, on the run, it makes for a terrifying read; a must have for horror fans, and I’d even recommend it to Star Wars fans looking to expand – just avoid if you aren’t into horror themes, because this book isn’t for the faint-hearted. So how would Death Troopers do as a game? Incredibly well, I believe. The horror in Death Troopers takes on many different forms, ranging from ‘the unseen horrors’, to psychological horror, to jump scares, to descriptive horror. By blending these different types of horror into one novel, Schreiber has successfully set up Death Troopers as the perfect candidate for a survival/horror game. Many recent horror titles saw

game, and Death Troopers is bursting with it. Combining zombies with space is an insane pairing: from the tight corridors of the Purge to the dark and silent hangars of the Star Destroyer, Death Troopers has the prime locations for the setting of a horror/survival game. Gameplay itself could focus on survival aspects and even more running than gunning – if you take away the weapons, players will feel all the more vulnerable. The fact that you have no weapons, witness an attack on your team mates, and then have to run away from the Necromorphs, unable to defend yourself – while only catching fleeting glimpses of them – makes for a terrifying first encounter. This type of focus on survival can work incredibly well in a Death Troopers game, especially considering the sheer number of ‘walking dead’ that the player must encounter. From gameplay to setting, and even soundtrack, the novel Death Troopers has all the right elements to be blended into a game. I can’t reveal much more without spoiling the plot, so if you’d like to learn more, go and read it. Just take my word

"...And death is only the beginning." mediocre reception because they either focused on one type of horror, or they didn’t include the right type for the feel they were trying to create. Death Troopers has the potential to encompass all these types of horrific atmosphere, and as such will make for a fantastic gaming experience. Players of Silent Hill (the classic Silent Hill’s, at least) know that atmosphere is everything in a horror

that if the book is this immersive, then a game will be far more so. What’s more is that Visceral is on EA’s team to develop Star Wars games, and – while popular opinion suggests they may develop the previously cancelled Star Wars 1313 – they are the perfect team to develop Star Wars: Death Troopers. Imagine taking gameplay and survival elements from Dead Space and

adding crafting, a Star Wars setting, a personal characterdriven story, and terrifying set pieces. Such a game would be a perfect blend of action, survival, and horror, with a tense atmosphere blanketing the whole package. So, should Star Wars: Death Troopers be a game? I believe yes. Death Troopers is the perfect candidate for the Star Wars franchise’s foray into horror. I’m going to leave you with a fan-made trailer that shows the potential the setting of Death Troopers has for a full budget title. You can make up your own mind about whether Death Troopers should be a game or not. By: Alex Connellan

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>> FEATURE

Star Wars: Battlefront III Our top five map remakes we'd love to see >> With Star Wars fans all over the world torn between fear and delight over DICE’s green light to develop a new Battlefront title, gamers can do nothing but speculate as to what the next installment in the famous series will yield. There’s the questions of gameplay, mechanics, aesthetic, even graphics, but one aspect that stole my attention was the maps. Will the maps be good enough?

Here is a list of the top 5 maps that belong in Battlefront 3.

5. Death Star (Battlefront II) The Death Star interior, as seen in Battlefront 2, narrowly won this spot, just scraping past Utapau and its varying levels (literally) of gameplay and elevation. The fact is, the Death Star is one of the most iconic weapons in Star Wars history, and the map itself was great fun to play on.

From the open engagements of the hanger to the claustrophobic firefights through the corridors, To keep the next Battlefront maps up to scratch, DICE has the incredibly the Death Star had it all. And daunting task of recreating levels from don’t even get me started on the the Star Wars films, extended universe, AI destroying that bridge from the laser control center to the and even the first two games. catwalk (pictured above). The one Not only must they get the locations right, but they also need to scale them appropriately with the different game modes and keep it somewhat believable. With these maps they need to make them feel Frankly, I hope so.

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thing that DICE could improve is the scale – and the location. By location, I of course mean include space combat. Picture it: you’re flying around the space outside the Death Star in an X-Wing, dodging turbolaser shots and dog-fighting TIE fighters, when you take a critical hit to the engines. You fly towards the Death Star itself and manage to land in one of a few – slightly

4. Rhen Var: Harbour (Battlefront) Rhen Var Harbour deserves this spot in the top 5 because of how enormous it is, the multitude of gameplay options it offers, and because it manages to have long, medium, and close-range

itself. None of these additions would detract from the map, and making it slightly bigger couldn’t hurt.

3. Coruscant: Jedi Temple (Battlefront II) The Jedi Temple interior was a map that – much like the premise of the original game – owes its success to the films; specifically the fall of the Jedi. There was even a campaign mission dedicated to carrying out Order 66, and the fact that the map was fantastically laid out helped soften the blow that you were turning on the Jedi. The open space pictured above allows for plenty of cover among the ruins in an otherwise long-range engagement. The fact that all rooms branching off the main hall circle back around is clever design that creates medium-to-close range combat which flows seamlessly into the long-range.

combat all in one. The snow setting just makes it that much prettier – and somewhat less forgiving. Taking the form of a siege, players who spawned on the Republic/Rebel side of the mountain were able to pilot tanks or an AT-TE around the mountain into the waiting jaws of the CIS/Empire, they could go around on foot and into one of the structures that dominates the harbour proper, or they could take a shortcut through the ice caves in the mountain. All these options create wildly different scenarios, each with its own unique benefit for either team, such as mobile-spawning from (or destroying) the AT-TE, or the incredibly tight and dangerous shortcut the ice caves offer. A remake of this map would be fantastic just the way it is, but if DICE were to improve on it, they could add air vehicles to the fray, a couple more buildings/ outposts, or maybe even expand on the harbour

If DICE remade this map in their Battlefront, imagine the possibilities with the engine alone: what if Frostbite 3 allowed for the pillars to completely collapse, bringing part of the roof down on players’ heads? What if players could pilot fighters – and capital ships – flying outside the Temple and in-atmosphere? This type of gameplay tweak could open new avenues for another siege-type game mode (as mentioned with the Death Star) and allow for a larger map. This map will not only play differently, but it will feel like the players are part of something bigger than a multiplayer battle. Especially when they’re laying siege to the Jedi Temple from the air and the ground.

2. Bespin: Platforms (Battlefront) Bespin Platforms is, to this day, probably my favorite Battlefront map in existence. The opening layout, where each team holds 3 bases and fights for a neutral point in the middle of a completely symmetrical map, created some of the most intense and focused gameplay I’ve seen from any AI-driven multiplayer game. And the aerial setting makes it absolutely perfect for a heavy emphasis on shipto-ship combat, with manned AA guns bringing balance to the skies. The fact that, at any time, players can fly around to the back platform of the enemy base – without being shot down – and take that control point to turn the tide of battle is brilliant, especially when both teams do it simultaneously.

FEATURE << If DICE remade this map they could keep the focus on the aircraft, with almost a ‘Air Superiority’-like flair, while expanding the size of the platforms themselves to create slightly more open infantry gameplay. Not too much though, or else it might detract from the atmosphere that made the original so intense: constantly fighting with your back against the wall, or within spitting distance of a fatal drop. And what if some parts of those bridges, or maybe even entire platforms, succumbed to aircraft fire eventually and collapsed? Frostbite 3 can make it happen.

1. Tatooine: Dune Sea (Battlefront) Finally, the top map for DICE to remake in Battlefront 3: Tatooine: Dune Sea. This map saw more playtime on my Xbox than any other map in Battlefront and Battlefront II. The gameplay options are virtually endless. Do you want to be a regular soldier and charge the front lines? Fine. Do you want to jump in a tank and back up your buddies? No problem. Do you want to lay down sniper fire from the top of that ridge on the left? Done. Do you want to take to the skies and dogfight enemy fighters? Do it. Do you want to get eaten by the Sarlacc? Nope, me neither. But it can still happen. Dune Sea showcases the core of the Battlefront experience in its open environment, long-range combat (between infantry, vehicles, and aircraft), and strategically placed command posts. If DICE remade Dune Sea, they could emphasize the distance and the desolation that made this map so memorable. For example: by creating an extension on the house down the bottom of the picture (like the hole that Luke lived in), a couple more mesas and rock formations, and even making the Sarlacc pit slightly bigger, they could get away with re-sizing the map in proportion to the new player count. Further, more aircraft – and even frigates or Star Destroyers – could play a huge role in this one too, especially in the context of the Empire first invading the Dune Sea. Either way, this map has huge potential to be an even bigger, better, and more open battle, the likes of which Battlefront has never seen.

By: Alex Connellan

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>> CULTURE

Right: Joel and Ellie from Naughty Dog's The Last of Us can be seen to the right.

Two of the year’s most critically acclaimed games are no doubt Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us. There is currently a debate among many gamers as to which title is more worthy to be deemed “Game of the Year.” Many people say it should be Bioshock, others will say it could only be The Last of Us. Fans of the two games claim that one is better than the other, but in reality, that can’t be said about either games. They are no doubt two of the greatest stories ever to be put into a video game, and both should be praised for that. But which one deserves to be game of the year? When you compare the two games, you will see that they are very different from each other. Bioshock Infinite is a FPS role playing game, whereas The Last of Us is a third person survival based game. The level of depth is around the same in each title. In Bioshock, the only things to do other than progress through the story is collect various items or do certain tasks. There are no side quests, such as in The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, and there is no multiplayer. In The Last of Us, it is very

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The Last of Us vs. Bioshock Infinite similar. The only thing outside the story is collecting artifacts, reading notes, etc. Finding stuff, basically. However, The Last of Us does indeed have multiplayer, which does give it a lead over Bioshock. But what about the story of each game? Which is better? Well, I would say that depends on the player. The Last of Us gives you an extremely emotional story line where you actually feel the character’s pain at times. It affects you because you’ve been there throughout every experience, playing a part in it. It is like an intense movie that you are playing through. And it’s a masterpiece. However, Bioshock Infinite’s story is much more complex and takes a lot of thinking to actually understand. It takes a bit of intelligence, I’d say. You are fed riddles and vague sentences throughout the entire game and you’re left thinking “What does that mean?” for most of the game. Until the end, that is. Bioshock’s

Above: You don't want to mess with Ellie when she has her game face on...

CULTURE <<

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ending was the cherry on top that made the entire game worthwhile, and it was something that story lovers will adore for years to come. Still, though. Both games present amazing stories, but ones that draw upon different feelings. The Last of Us most likely gathered far more tears probably because death and tragedy plays more of a role. It shows players a world where families have been destroyed, loved ones have been lost, and hope for a better time is nearly gone. The entire theme of the game is at times scary, but mostly very melancholy and depressing. And that’s a very good thing. It’s a great thing for a game to be able to move you in a way that makes you feel real sorrow for a fictional video game character. Bioshock Infinite, however, gave gamers an idea of how complex and complicated reality can be, and in fact, distorted many peoples’ ideas of reality. The game used the “Multiverse Theory” to create a compelling story that will have you thinking for days after you finish the game. You’ll want answers that Irrational Games simply can’t answer, and that is because it should be answered for yourself. What do you think happened? What do you take from the ending? How does it make you feel? All of this can only be answered by the person playing the game, and that’s an interesting route for a game developer to take. Clearly, it worked in Irrational Games’ favor. When I am asked the question “What is better? Bioshock Infinite or The Last of Us?”, I can never answer, because I am so in love with both titles. They are both masterpieces that deserve to go in some hall of fame for video games. Which one do I feel will get game of the year? Honestly, I feel that The Last of Us will, simply because it aims for players’ emotions more than Bioshock did. Also, it doesn’t take as much intelligence to understand, because it is a really sad story that appeals to nearly everyone. Bioshock…. doesn’t necessarily have to be understood, but people must recognize the fact that it is an ingenious story that truly works with itself. And I just think there are a whole lot of gamers out there who don’t take the time to see that. In my opinion, both games are matched. Both games have incredible stories that personally left me amazed, and I couldn’t give you my vote on which should be game of the year. I think that many people feel this way, but there are always going to be people who side with either one of the games. In the end, it just depends on the gamer. By: Lane Harper

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>> CULTURE

Kinect for the Xbox One THREE REASONS WHY IT WILL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE CONSOLE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Better Motion Controls This one seems obvious, but it’s the most important improvement to me. With the original Kinect, we spent a lot of time moving the sensor, calibrating it over and over and we spent a lot of time trying to find the right position to have the Kinect so it could read multiple people. While it took a lot of time for the Kinect to get going, when it did, the games were usually fun. The worse part would always be when someone who wasn’t playing would walk in front of the players and completely screw up the game. Even if people didn’t walk in front of the players, the Kinect always seemed to lag and not be able to read us. With the new Kinect, all of this is supposedly set to change. The camera and motion sensor on the Kinect is a lot better than the Kinect on the Xbox 360. The resolution is better and it tracks motions with more precision. One of the most anticipating features will be Kinect functioning how it’s meant to function. When people play games like Kinect Sports or Fantasia: Music Evolved, they will be able to play the games with

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fluid speed and not have any of the lag and disruption that the Kinect is infamous for.

You Can Play In The Dark The original Kinect suffered from the fact that you couldn’t play any Kinect game in the dark. Not many Kinect games enabled the player to play a game sitting down, but there were a few really fun exceptions. the AMAZING The Gunstringer, Child of Eden and Fable: The Journey all could be played sitting down. While Kinect is tough to play when people are sleeping in the next room over because of all the running and jumping, These games could be played without disrupting anyone. Some people like to play with the lights off and with the original Kinect, that’s impossible because Kinect requires light in order to read the player. With the Kinect for Xbox One, you can play in the dark. Even if you aren’t playing a Kinect game, there are plenty of controller based games that will have motion controls. It will be fun to play Crimson Dragon with the Kinect because it’ll play like Child of Eden. Hopefully developers make games that can be played with the Kinect while sitting

down. Even if you aren’t playing a game, you can navigate the dashboard and multitask with the Kinect and that will be pretty cool.

Kinect Can Read Your Heart Rate Developers can take this feature and use it in amazing ways. Imagine single player horror games that take advantage of a person’s heart rate? If Kinect can read someone’s heart rate during a horror game, there are so many possibilities that can alter our game experience. I’d love to see a game where I’m already scared and because my heart rate is going crazy already, the game will intensify the scares. It’s an interesting concept. The reason why I think a developer may use this in the future is because Kinect is required to be connected. With the original Kinect, most developers were cautious to use it because not as many gamers had it. Now that all Xbox One owners will have a Kinect, this will allow developers to get a little more creative with the hardware. By: Andrew Gonzalez

CULTURE <<

The Console Wars CUT THE XBOX ONE SOME SLACK

I’ll be the first to admit it – Microsoft’s PR hasn’t done them any favors over the past few months. From their backpedaling to their too-late clarifications (of things like their used game policies and so on), it’s understandable why the PlayStation 4 got the fantastic reception it did; however, the Xbox One has done some things right. But the majority of gamers don’t seem to agree. This is not a biased article, nor is it born from ‘fanboyism’, but instead I’m writing this to discuss how the Xbox One hasn’t done everything wrong, and people are unfairly bias against it. I defended the PlayStation 3′s right to their console direction back in 2006, and now I’m defending the Xbox One’s. Case in point: earlier I was exploring IGN and stumbled across their article on PS4 game pricing. Having already read the Xbox One game pricing article, I was happy to see that there isn’t a jump in pricing across either console, meaning everyone wins. However, if you scroll down to the comments, you’ll think you’re reading a different story altogether. The comments underneath the PlayStation 4 article read “Sony keeps hitting all the right notes”, followed by various Microsoftbashing memes. If you head on over to the comments under the Xbox One article, they vary from complaining about the price in Australia (I live there and, as ridiculous as it is, it’s still the same as the PlayStation 4′s game pricing), to hating Microsoft because they supposedly accessed their games from PCs at E3. Regardless of whether the latter is true or not the article isn’t about that, it’s about the price of Xbox One games being the same as Xbox 360 games – something a lot of people doubted would happen. So why is it that gamers praise Sony for doing the same thing they ridicule Microsoft for? I could go on about how the Xbox One article appears as better news than its PlayStation 4 counterpart, because Microsoft announced it will sell all “first-party games on Xbox One for $59.99“. While this means that third-party games could be lower or higher, all first-party games will be $59.99. In Sony’s announcement, they stated that “All four [launch/ launch window] titles, Killzone: Shadow Fall, DriveClub, Knack, and Infamous: Second Son are all $59.99“. This could also mean a lower or higher price for subsequent releases, but that also means only those four titles will sell for $59.99, an announcement that would absolutely cripple Microsoft, but one that everyone seems to have glossed over for Sony. Then there’s the games themselves. Gamers want games out of their consoles, this is a fact I don’t need to state. So when Microsoft spent about half of (maybe more, I could be wrong) their console reveal talking about the console and not its games (which they said they’d do anyway), they understandably felt

consumer-backlash from their focus on accessories. To be fair, this was a console reveal, not a games reveal, so many gamers decided to reserve their judgement for E3 and how many exclusives each company would present. This decision was apparently forgotten after Microsoft’s E3 event – which mentioned the console itself, and Xbox Live, a very limited amount of times, instead focusing on presenting game after game – and many gamers still decided to ‘jump ship’. So if we base which console ‘won’ E3 (even though no console truly ‘wins’ anything) off the exclusives they showed, then Xbox One isn’t doing as bad as everyone says. Frankly it has more announced exclusives than the PlayStation 4 does, and if ‘games are all that matter’, as a lot of gamers attest, then it’s shaping up as quite a formidable console. Both companies still have plenty of time and various conventions to announce more games and policies, but the point is the Xbox One isn’t “the end of gaming”. While both consoles will be fantastic, and both have plenty of social features and extras, the Xbox One still is – and always will be – a gaming console, no matter how it’s marketed. Let us know on the website which console you'll be getting via the comments section!' By: Alex Connellan

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GAME Reviews

Review 22

The Walking Dead: 400 Days 18 | digibytes

The Walkind Dead: 400 Days

New Super Luigi U

Dust 514

Devil May Cry

Quarantine London

Deadpool

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REVIEW TWD: 400 days

All

The Walking Dead: 400 Days IS THE DLC PACK WORTH THE DOWNLOAD? Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, iOS'

Telltale Games decided to do something very risky with The Walking Dead: 400 Days. Instead of continuing where we left off with Season 1 of The Walking Dead: The Game, Telltale chose to make a DLC episode in which the player controls five brand new characters.

Rating: M After spending five amazing episodes with Lee and Clementine, it seems hard to get attached to new characters. What’s surprising is the fact that each character’s story only lasts for about 20-25 minutes. The thing that’s even more surprising is the connection that the player will make with these characters in such a short time period. From a billboard, we choose which character we’ll be playing as. We have a convict named Vince, a former addict named Bonnie, a stoner traveling with his friend named Wyatt, a young hitchhiker named Russell and a girl who just wants to make a better life for her sister named Shel. Each character has a story that sucks the

players into the world Telltale has established. Some start with conversation and others start with action. Not all players will start with the same characters. For instance, I started with Bonnie. It was littered with dialogue choices. Suddenly, I was on the run. I was running and hiding. It was so tense and I had just met Bonnie. The shocking thing was that by this point, I already cared about Bonnie and wanted to see her succeed. This wasn’t like another game where I felt like it was a routine to get my character to safety. Bonnie and I had connected. Each character has a moment where you feel the tension and seriously care about their outcome. Just like in Season 1, 400 Days has some heartbreaking and very difficult time based decisions. All five chapters of this episode have their own sets of trials. What is very interesting about each chapter is the fact that they all feel different. While the gameplay is essentially the same, Telltale Games made each episode feel unique and not just a simple rehash of the previous chapter. The awesome thing is seeing the connections between chapters. As I said, I started the game with Bonnie. There

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THE VERDICT

While the experience with 400 Days was a short one, it was VERY memorable. I have no idea how long it will be before Season 2 is released, but I know that when it comes, I can’t wait to see the consequences of my actions. The Walking Dead series is always satisfying and makes people crave more and more. 400 Days is no exception. This is a DLC episode that must be played by fans of the series! let go of. Telltale is excellent when it comes to making a powerful and emotional experience. I experienced feelings that I didn’t expect to feel in a DLC episode especially since I didn’t know the characters. Unfortunately, The Walking Dead: 400 Days suffers from the same fate as The Walking Dead: The Game Season 1. It can be pretty buggy at times and there are moments where syncing issues occur. Lastly, there are also moments that the action/drama ends abruptly into a loading screen and that takes away from the immersion. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s very annoying. Besides these issues, The Walking Dead: 400 Days is a near perfect experience.

are no confusing moments at all when it comes to the actions of the characters. I saw an object in Bonnie’s chapter that was referenced in another chapter. Moments like that made me go WHAT!?!? You must pay a lot of attention because it’s easy to miss some small, but very interesting connections. What The Walking Dead: 400 Days does that’s so great is the fact that it makes Shel, Bonnie, Wyatt, Russell and Vince not seem like characters. In fact, all of these characters have a little piece of the player with them. They feel like extensions of ourselves at times. While we watch these characters interact and try to

survive in this world, the choices can feel all too real. It makes the player think about what they would do in a situation like that. Telltale fills the game with the same quick decision-making that made Season 1 such a nail-biter. It’s something that I can appreciate. Sometimes, I felt like a bad person, but a lot of times, the decisions I made felt like something I would do in real life. Even writing this article, I’m drawn back to Bonnie. No matter who you start out with, I’m sure you’ll establish a huge connection. You’ll have a “what did I just witness” feeling. It’s a feeling that’s hard to

While The Walking Dead: 400 Days reads your save file from Season 1, there aren’t that many actions that transfer over. There are a few, but it can be hard to miss if you’re not paying attention. The cool thing will be the transition from 400 Days over to Season 2. The wrap around story isn’t amazing, but it’s not horrible. I liked how all my actions started to piece together and Telltale Games nailed it. They gave the players something to look forward to. By: Andrew Gonzalez if you like this The Walkinf Dead Episode 1-5

RATING

85% digibytes | 21

REVIEW super luigi u

Wii U

New Super Luigi U

Step aside Mario, you’ve had your time in the spotlight and now it’s Luigi’s turn to shine! Luigi has always been in the background for years, but thanks to Nintendo, we have “The Year of Luigi.” New Super Luigi U is basically an expansion of New Super Mario Bros. U, but while the game may look the same, it’s entirely different. While you could play as Luigi in New Super Mario Bros. U, his gameplay style is completely revamped in New Super Luigi U. He’s more nimble and he can jump really high. The downside to his new movement style is the fact that you have to be more careful. Since he’s fast, you can easily fall off of the ledge and die. It may not be a problem early on, but late in the game, Luigi’s new movements can cause players to throw their Wiimote, Gamepad or Classic Controller. It’s not easy to just jump into the later levels because of Luigi’s learning

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curve so it’s best to practice on easier levels to get the feel him.

New Super Luigi U, but once it’s downloaded, you can choose which game you want to play from the menu.

Even though I loved NSMBU, all of the new features in New Super Luigi U made me forget about the base game. One of the most notable differences is the steep difficulty curve. When you start the first level, you’ll hear the sound that time is running out. Every level (except boss levels) gives players 100 seconds (compared to NSMBU’s 400 second time limit) to complete that particular level. This makes all of the missions ever more hectic than they already are. A lot of times, you’ll completely miss some of the hidden Star Coins because you’re rushing through the level.

These fast paced levels are an absolute blast. It makes everybody basically play a speedrun. Can you imagine trying to beat your time on a level that already gives you barely any time to complete it?

Fans of NSMBU will feel right at home with New Super Luigi U. People that are unfamiliar with the game should play it before jumping into New Super Luigi U because of the difficulty curve. This expansion will definitely put people off if they are inexperienced. You need the base game to play

Another thing that New Super Luigi U does that’s pretty awesome is the fact that all of the levels are extremely difficult. We’re going to all of the same locations from NSMBU, but EVERY level is remixed in some way. If you have played NSMBU, New Super Luigi U will still be a fresh experience. This tied into what I just said about the extreme difficulty. The obstacles are very frustrating and strategically placed. There are levels where you basically must run without error or you’ll lose. Nintendo did a very good job at not just making the same game with a different character. Between Luigi’s new moves and the new level designs, New Super Luigi U feels like a brand new game. There are unfortunately a few negatives with New Super Luigi U. While the level design and gameplay are different, the story is identical. With the exception of a few dialogue differences, (basically the names that are said) the story hasn’t changed. Since this is Luigi’s game, I wish that Nintendo gave him the story he deserved.

Boss battles are all to familiar as well. Nintendo should’ve let Luigi fight in some unique battles. Another issue that I had with New Super Luigi U came in the form of its multiplayer. The multiplayer is the same as you would expect, but the main difference is the inclusion of Nabbit. Nabbit is basically invincible in multiplayer. The only way Nabbit can die is if he falls in a pit and in the lava. It gives the player who controls Nabbit an unfair and boring experience. Nintendo could have easily included a different character for multiplayer instead of Nabbit, but they didn’t. Nabbit can’t use any of the amazing power-ups that Luigi and friends can use, but the benefit of Nabbit is that he can transform these power-ups into 1-ups! That’s a huge plus, but it doesn’t make up for the other flaws of being Nabbit. New Super Luigi U is basically a steal. While NSMBU is a full priced game with about 80 levels, New Super Luigi U is only $19.99 and features the same amount of levels. It’s labeled as an expansion, but it feels

like a full game. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! I own and loved New Super Mario Bros U, but it never felt like a new experience for me. New Super Luigi U feels more like a game for the hardcore Super Mario fans out there. It’s a game that EVERY Wii U owner should go out and buy. Whether you download it now or you buy it on a disc in August, do yourself a favor and buy this game. Luigi finally got his moment in the spotlight and I can only hope that Nintendo continues to give him the attention he deserves. Next time, let’s just hope that he gets a unique story instead of a simple rehash of his brother’s adventures! By: Andrew Gonzalez

RATING

90% digibytes | 23

REVIEW DUST 514

PS3

Dust 514 Review Sony has finally launched their exclusive, long awaited online tactical free to play first person shooter, DUST 514. Developed by the team at CCP games, DUST was designed as a connection with the massively multiplayer online roleplaying game EVE Online, which is also developed by the team at CCP. Dust allows players to affect the planets found in EVE Online directly by giving the players the first person perspective to change the political and economic status’s in the EVE universe. Simply by taking over a planet’s gun turret, or blowing up a clone station, or capturing a weapons or armor factory. Everything a player does in Dust is going to affect the players that are trying to rule a planet in the EVE universe. The gameplay is very standard for an FPS, however that doesn’t mean players should treat this as a Call Of Duty game that is set in space. This game is in no way a run and gun, or go lone wolf shoot everything in sight type of game. This game has no in game AI, this game is solely MP! Every player you kill or get killed by is real, if you run into their direct line of fire, you will be shot at by all your opponents. But if you take a tactical approach to it, by using your teammates, conserving ammo, and trying pop shots instead of unloading all your ammo into one player, you can serve as a formidable target to your enemies. You can still go lone wolf, but by doing so you might give your enemies an easy way to capture your base, or kill you constantly. The story to Dust is simple, your a hired gun, you are asked by EVE players to conquer a planet. Your not fighting a war, your fighting to make cash, their is no saving the world

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scenario, you are working for no one but yourself or for a company that hired you. Now this game is not perfect it has a lot of flaws, one of the biggest gripes that I have in mind is the lack of training or single player mode. I know that this is suppose to be multiplayer only, but the guys at CCP throw too many tutorials at the player way too quickly, and once you’ve read them all. You are expected to be an expert, by the time the last readable tutorial is shown, CCP expects players should be able to operate the central game hub once they are given total control, but that where the problem is, the central game hub is your entire solider station, some of the tutorials don’t mention how to join in a game, your expected to figure that out on your own. The tutorials show you how to modify your solider, or how to equip your armor, weapons, and skills. But it doesn’t show you how to join in a game, let alone what the different

types of game modes that are available . The game just throws you into this universe and simply says “Have fun!” For any beginner FPS player this game should be passed on until players feel confident enough to play with the big kids. Once you have chosen your game to join, you are then transported into a waiting hub with other players, where you can walk around and see other players class units, and do some last minute changes to your solider, but you can’t really converse with your teammates, at least not from what I saw when playing it. Once the timer reaches 0, you are then presented with a control layout with the smallest text ever. Now to be honest here, if I still haven’t figured out how to play this game before going into battle, then this layout isn’t going to help any and just will probably piss the player off even more. (It sort of did it for me!)\ Once the game has finally loaded you can choose a spawn point, once you have spawned you are introduced to your HUD, this is where you should learn the controls and adjust them to your liking. Once you have done this, then just play the game simple as that, or is it? Well no, you see every time you join a new game you are presented with a new control layout at the loading screen, these layouts are for different

things, such as flying, driving, and turrets. These layouts are once again presented with the smallest text ever!

I couldn’t. Personal stupidity on my part, but the point is all the buildings look the same from defensive objects.

Again this subject of the small barely visible text is another problem, because the player won’t know what the layout is for.

Overall the negatives blend in with the positives, and that’s a shame because the game could be so much more, if CCP keeps at this with patches, updates, new planets to conquer, and loads of inventive dlc, then it could be the big hit game that Sony claimed it to be back during Game developers conference 2009.

If you ever get in a vehicle let someone with experience drive or fly, either man a turret. Or sit in the passenger side, if want the experience take some time out of your regular gameplay day and just go and learn how to operate vehicles on your own. But when your in a team make yourself useful by providing support fire on the turret, or just sit in the passenger seat of the vehicle and do nothing… (I’m not joking about that either!) as for the battlefields I’m going to be honest and say that not much thought went into them, just generic lands, generic mountains, and generic red skies.

After 2 weeks of playing it myself, I would say it’s not a miss, but it’s not a must play… This game has time to develop into a worthy competitor to big name FPS titles such as Call of duty, and Battlefield, but that solely lies on CCP and if they listen to the fans. By: CHRISTOPER PASCARELLI

The buildings look cold and unpleasant and sort of confusing, I actually thought that the clone bank building was rocket turret (again not joking!) I spent about 15 minutes trying to enter the clone bank, when I realized that

RATING

80% digibytes | 25

REVIEW VIDEO GAME TITLE PLATFORM

Devil May Cry When it comes to reboots you need to see it with fresh eyes. Think of it as the beginning of something new and exciting. We did this with the Nolan Batman movies after all. Unfortunately we will always compare the reboot to the original. Sometimes it is better and sometimes it is worse. So when I came into the Devil May Cry reboot “DMC: Devil May Cry” I did just that. Plus considering that I had only played Devil May Cry 4 I was the perfect man for the job to tackle the reboot. The game has fantastic visuals to begin with. The contrast between the dreary real world and vibrant Limbo was something I grew to love. Even the character designs was enjoyable like Lilth and Virgil. However characters like Kat and Dante look drab and uninteresting. Color scheme has some importance of the game like when Dante activates his Devil Trigger making everything go practically black and white with very little of anything else changes the mood. The cut scenes could have used a bit more animation work

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as a particular moment didn’t really convey and ultimately undercut an otherwise fantastic voice acting performance. Louis Herthum as Mundus did a great job conveying the emotions of the villain and deserved more to work with. The rest of the vocal cast could range from lackluster with individuals like Kat actress to stellar performances for Bob Baras. For a musical stand point you are in a must like the Metal genre for the game to really work. I very well could be wrong about it the genre, but if you don’t like that you’ll find yourself wanting to turn it down after the first hour or choosing to ignore it entirely. The game play is just like the other games in the series. You are typically running around any given mission cutting or gunning down any demon in the level with not much else to do. The boss battles are are a bit of a puzzle, but once discovering the trick is achieve is a cake walk. The controls are overall very steadfast and responsive. Unfortunately they can get a bit complicated as you are given a total of seven different weapons to utilize as direction pad and the triggers come into play. You will feel a burden between switching weapons and leveling the skills that go with them. Either between or during missions you’ll find yourself

removing skills from one of the eight categories to upgrade the newer item. The story for DMC is very straight forward when you look into it. Dante being the child of an angel and a demon starts off being hunted by the minions of Mundus. During an attack of his home and being transported into Limbo and meets a human medium called Kat. She leads him to the secret HQ of a group known as The Order who are out to decimate the control the demons have on the human world. This leads Dante to his twin brother Virgil. After making that discovery and remembering the events that lead him here he begins dismantling Mundus’ operation. During this a counter attack is performed and Kat is captured. After a successful albeit botched rescue attempt Virgil and Dante strike. Of course fans of the knows what will happen next. By: Alex Connellan

RATING

80%

REVIEW quarantine lon. ios

Quarantine London We have taken a 2D topology mathematical theorem and turned it into an immersive gaming experience. We’ve set the theorem in a wonderfully drawn, zombie infested, modern-day London in a time pressured situation. – Mefuru Studios‘ website. Quarantine London provides good entertainment… for about 10 minutes. The game consists of three difficulties: Suburb, Industrial and Central. Although they certainly take “mathematical theorem” and turn it into a game (which might I add that many other games have done as well for puzzles), the puzzles repeat themselves with different starting points highlighted. The game itself appears to have some semblance of… plot? The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has asked you to help control towers from the air in stopping the zombie infection. But you never see any actual ones, besides a brief screenshot in the beginning. The gameplay is shown in the screenshot above, with puzzles varying only slightly. The difficulty is so low in this game that I watched two episodes of Friday Night Lights while pushing random buttons, and didn’t seem to fail the levels all that often. I’m going to assume the game has some sort of ending, should you score ‘gold’ on each level. However, after spending 40 minutes with the game to beat it (and a snack break at one point), I felt no desire to go back and obtain ‘gold’ on all the levels. Again, the game was mostly beaten with some pressing of the screen; I paid almost no attention to it. By: Alana Fearnall

RATING

30% digibytes | 27

REVIEW deadpool

ps3 | 360

Deadpool Deadpool has been around the video game industry for a while, but he’s never starred in his own game. The time has finally come for Deadpool to get the spotlight, but while it is fun to see him run around and kill enemies, one wonders if Deadpool should just make cameos in other games instead. Deadpool (the game) shines when it comes to the title character and the humor, but the gameplay brings down the overall experience. Deadpool doesn’t waste any time getting into the mind of our favorite anti-hero. His first order of business is to get High Moon Studios to start making his game. He even enlists Nolan North to voice his character which is funny because Nolan North already plays Deadpool. Other discussions include budget and the fact that the villains in the game are lesser known characters. Walking around Deadpool’s apartment is funny because he

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totally realizes that he’s in a game. Jokes about crappy props and not following the script fill the game. Nothing is off-limits when it comes to Deadpool. References to Zelda, side-scrollers, JRPGs and Street Fighter are discussed, but Deadpool’s favorite topics involve penis jokes and checking out women. Deadpool is so obsessed with women that he will instantly go to save a heroine from X-Men if it means that she’ll show him some “Skin on Skin contact.” Deadpool is a character that is so demented that it should be hard to like him, but despite all of his problems, he is instantly likeable. One of the joys of Deadpool is seeing how other characters in the Marvel universe perceive him. Deadpool thinks he’s all that when actually he isn’t. The lineup of characters is alright. Besides the heroes/heroines from X-Men which are pretty cool, the villains are instantly

forgettable. The X-Men series has a roster of many villains, but why they chose the villains that they did puzzles me. With all the positives that Deadpool has regarding the humor and the story (not that much of a story, but it’s fun), it’s disappointing to have very boring gameplay. If you’ve played games like God of War and Devil May Cry, then you’ve experienced what High Moon Studios tried to do with Deadpool. Deadpool has similar combat to those games, but it doesn’t flow as well. Deadpool can slash or shoot his way through waves of enemies. While the game could have benefited from a diverse group of enemies, High Moon Studios just changed the appearance of enemies in every

level, but they’re all essentially the same. To make matters worse, you’ll never really use Deadpool’s guns. The enemies are so easy that a few slices from your sword can end their life in a really bloody way. The only time Deadpool will use his guns are when you fight these floating enemies that appear halfway into the game. Other than that, all enemies can be effortlessly taken out with melee weapons. Deadpool can also teleport. This is good when you are bombarded by enemies and need to make a quick escape. You can use this a few times before it needs recharging. The downside to the teleport mechanic is that it shares the same button as the counter move. Sometimes you want to counter an attack and you teleport accidentally. It’s all about the timing, but the frame rate will cause many players frustration when it comes to executing counters perfectly. The biggest enemy in Deadpool is the camera. It’s absolutely terrible and will cause you to back up into a corner and die many times. The camera is especially bad

when it deals with the platforming aspects of Deadpool. There are times when I fell because the camera shifted mid-jump. The controls to Deadpool’s combat skills are essentially two buttons that don’t bring any depth into his fighting. For a character that’s violent and great at combat, the game doesn’t do Deadpool any justice. Actually one of the highlights in terms of combat in Deadpool comes in the form of upgrades. While the attacks just look a little bit flashier, they deal massive damage to the enemies. Some enemies will actually run at you with blood pouring out of their bodies because of Deadpool’s attacks. He also has these moves called momentum attacks that make him invincible for as long as the attack goes on. By upgrading Deadpool, you can get new momentum attacks including the best attack in the entire game… A BREAKDANCE ATTACK! The most disappointing aspect of Deadpool to me definitely had to be the boss battles. None of them were hard or creative. They all consisted of finding the pattern and then attacking. If Deadpool takes any damage, all you really need to do is run away and let his health regenerate. There’s no challenge when it comes to the boss battles. Boss battles are where developers

can get creative, but High Moon Studios totally missed their mark. The levels are uninspired as well. All of the cliché levels are here and worse than ever. Despite the bland levels, some moments in the game which feature throwbacks to other genres are extremely fun to look at. There are moments of pure genius littered throughout Deadpool, but unfortunately there aren’t enough of them. The difficulty of the game increases significantly near the end, but it’s not because the enemies are stronger. The game gets harder because the developers assumes that sending waves of enemies at you makes the game tough. It just gets annoying because you die due to cheap moments usually caused by glitches and not the enemies themselves. I really wish that there was a challenge in Deadpool. The game is way too easy even on the hardest difficulty. After you’re done playing through the story mode, you can play a challenge mode that consists of 3 waves of enemies. The only real function this mode has is to give players a chance to upload their score on the leader board. It’s a short and forgettable mode that has no place in the game By: Andrew Gonzalez.

RATING

65% digibytes | 29