MAJOR SPOILERS IN THE VIDEO MINOR SPOILERS IN DESCRIPTION You have been warned.
Hell of a headline. You know, usually in video games that give you romance options, you have a pretty good idea at who you want to go for. I frequently play as a female and go after men or women equally, but as a man, a bit less so. YET, here I am playing the third episode of this hit series and I found myself thinking. Making my character gay is DEFINITELY the better option. The character you meet who you can express interest in actually makes more sense to the plot. And I liked him better than the woman you can express interest in. Just in time for pride month!
Also mad props to the game for throwing in D.A.N.C.E. by Justice, that completely blindsided me. Like I thought Spotify accidentally opened or something but nope, it was the game.
Legacy of the first blood has concluded with the final chapter, Bloodlines. In our last video on this, Chet went through a series of questions as to what was in store for us on this episode. Turns out, some of those guesses were true. Have a look and see what Chet totally called back in January.
Chet supports AC: Odyssey’s Season Pass. 3 episode DLC, a $40 game, and then another 3-episode DLC, it’s absolutely worth it.
What would it look like if your favorite video game characters all had dating profiles?
Video game protagonists have it rough. They usually have to take care of everyone, single-handedly, all by themselves. Many of them are far too busy to give dating a shot, since they never have any free time. But now that some of them have finished the game, they can relax and mingle. And what better way to seek out some company than joining Tinder? Here’s just a few profiles we could see. Let us know in the comments who you’d swipe left or right for.
The catacomb climber strikes again.
He improvises, that’s spontaneous, right?
He’s definitely looking to take things slow with you.
Free is free.
Guess you really can’t buy love, can you?
Bae before Bay. Always.
He’s not afraid of commitments.
There’s more in store if you want. Comment and share, we will make more.
The latest rendition of the Forza series, Forza Horizon 4 has everything. It welcomes you, no matter what. It rewards you for everything. Whether it be exploring, painting, buying, racing, tuning, photos, ANYTHING. In an era where racing games are vastly underappreciated and highly niche, this is a game that welcomes everyone. Forza plays however you want it to play, whether you want it to be a fun arcade racer or a hardcore simulator. This game also covers you with 8 different difficulty levels. And it has several assist options for control of the car. If you even partially like racing, this is an absolute must-see.
And a fun video on Winter Season.
Corrections:
Horizon seasons change every week.
Forza Horizon 4 contains more cars than the previous one.
You should really buy a game CDKeys using our affiliate link @
http://www.cdkeys.com/?mw_aref=HardModeGamers
The long awaited fourth installment in a fan favorite series has finally arrived. Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Sega. And Sega has been on quite a roll this year releasing the games fans want. Released on September 2018 on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC, Valkyria Chronicles 4 delivers on the promise of continuing a war story. It’s been a long time coming, so the question is does Valkyria Chronicles 4 meet the expectations of the people? Or has the ship of greatness it was long sailed?
GRAPHICS: 1/2
Cartoon graphics are no excuse for characters breaking. In fact, cartoon graphics should theoretically bring this issue to a major minimum. Regardless Valkyria Chronicles 4 suffers pretty often from this issue. The vibrancy of the playing field and landscaping quickly become muddied by mixing of terrains. In some areas the distinction between grass and dirt is beautiful in other areas it’s awful. Characters cut into environments so often that it wouldn’t be hard to believe that was an intentional thing. With all that said Valkyria Chronicles cartoon style is absolutely fun to look at. It’s hard not to enjoy the way the development team at Sega brings the 2D manga look to a 3D realm. It’s a constant battle between love and hate which more often falls in the love category. Unless you hate manga/anime.
STORY: 2/2
Although the presentation can be quite annoying, the story is worth the trouble. Valkyria Chronicles 4 continues the story of the Imperials vs the Federation in a war started over the ownership of Ragnite. On the surface it is a very basic premise. The thing that drives the story is the way it is told through the experiences of childhood friends, separated for various reasons, coming together as adults in the military. The intensity grows as the stories of what separated them as children continue to unfold. Each interaction between the four lead protagonist gives another insight into falling outs and reconciliations. These little moments make every painful bit of broken up cinematic worth while. Seriously, most of these cutscenes should have been bundled together way better.
AUDIO: 2/2
Once again, a rock solid audio performance. Every member of the cast present realistic tones that truly represent the emotions in the words. It is very easy to fall in love with the personalities of each character, to the point where watching them die in battle really hurts. The cell-shaded manga art style is coupled together excellently with the Saturday morning cartoon sound effects. Gunfire, explosions, footsteps, and motion all feel perfectly in place to feel threatening yet humorous. The only time the audio isn’t a good time is when the progression system shows what’s been unlocked or traversing the menus. These are probably the most annoying sounds of this console generation. Small criticism against what the rest of the audio delivers, but a criticism none the less.
GAMEPLAY: 1/2
Tried and true mechanics of tactical RPG’s are hard to change, but in no way is that bad. Valkyria Chronicles does manage to do a few things differently from it’s predecessors however. The first major change comes in the ‘let’s up the challenge” style. This is the first installment that allows units, on both friendly and enemy, to attack when it’s not their turn. This mean positioning characters after an offensive and navigating the field are even more critical then ever. Simply put, if the unit is within range it will be attacked by other units out of turn. This brings the level of strategy necessary to an even higher level. The second major update is the addition of the new Grenadier class. The Grenadier can launch grenades significantly far and do a significant amount of damage at the same time.
Fans of tactical RPG’s will find these new inclusions incredibly fun, challenging, and strategy altering for sure. However, the lack of an autosave feature is still a major downfall. Very few things exist as infuriating as completing an hour and a half long mission just to have to repeat it. Part user error, part design flaw, but completely annoying.
FUN: 2/2
There is something undeniably satisfying about playing games where the task is to outwit the enemy. This innate desire to be more intelligent than everyone else becomes even more apparent while navigating the battlefield. Valkyria Chronicles 4 does an excellent job of pacing the challenge, so every battle remains fun. Things get progressively harder, but Squad E gets equally better. By never forcing the player to feel unmatched in power, the focus remains on being more strategic. The humorous banter between characters and the graphic novel visuals further the entertainment. Seriously, how could anyone not hate to love Raz’s personality? Even with his frequent bone head decisions.
The game that long time fans of the series patiently waited for has arrived. Valkyria Chronicles 4 delivers exactly what the fans wanted. Could it use a little more to make things a tad bit more exciting? Possibly, regardless the game delivers. It does everything right that Valkyria Revolution did wrong without losing the few things Revolution did well. Fans of strategic RPG’s can comfortably place this amazing game alongside XCOM and Fire Emblem. As well as past games in the series. Valkyria Chronicles 4 tells a great story with fun gameplay nestled beside it.
Sony has heard the cries and complaints and have decided it’s time to let your PSN mature with you. The overly requested PSN Online ID Change feature is currently in the Playstation Review Program. That means it’s pretty much official and just awaiting a launch date.
As of now, it’s available to PlayStation users that have registered as testers for previous PS4 system software betas. Anyone who does get access will be able to do their first change for free. All changes after that will cost $10. For PlayStation Plus members, it will cost $5 after the first change.
In standard typical Sony fashion (yes as a fanboy i can admit they hardly get it all the way right) there are some weird rules. First the new feature won’t be compatible with all games. It will be compatible with PS4 games released after April 1, 2018, and “the majority of the most-played PS4 games” released before this date. That’s right not all PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games are guaranteed to support the feature. Users might see issues or errors in certain games. If you run into any issues with the change, PlayStation will let you revert back to your old ID free of charge.
Makes sense? Yea not really, but hey it’s a start. Enjoy.
Hey there, Chet here. Splatoon continues to be the game that I will return to one time every month just to partake in the Splatfest. I have an absolute massive mountain of work to do. This goes between playing games for review, editing videos, doing audio, and attending IRL events. Yet, I make sure I can clear at least a few hours to play Splatfest. I do it the very moment it gets announced. The challenge of FORK vs SPOON yet another link in their genius X vs Y schemes. To be honest, the TMNT one was just okay.
This time I joined team SPOON because I think the the Spoon is more versatily. You can technically cut things with it if you try hard. But it’s good for soup, and that’s the most important thing. Anyway, if you want to join me and my Inkroller shenanigans, you can check out the footage I recorded right here.
As time moves forward people are moved on. This week we honor a man who was at the forefront of the gaming industry. Rest in peace Mr. Ted Dabney, co-founder of Atari, who passed away after a battle with cancer at age 86. We must also express ou feelings for John Bain, aka TotalBiscuit, whom also died from cancer at age 33. The HardModeGamers, the Lucky Gamer Recap, and so much would potentially not exist without your contributions. Now this week’s Lucky Gamer Recap:
1. PGA touring with… not EA
It seems those eager for more golfing games may be in a bad place. EA has lost the license to PGA Tour. The news came as Canadian developer, HB Studios, announced the addition of the tour to its upcoming title The Golf Club 2019. Rory McIlroy took the helm of EA’s PGA Tour series after they ended their partnership with Tiger Woods. And that game didn’t do well critically or commercially. Now, EA has lost the license completely but both sides claim the split was amicable. Meanwhile HB Studios is boasting that this validates they have the number one golf game on the market. Cool brag guys.
2. Remember the Garbage Pail Kids?
Well, they’re getting a video game. That’s right the Garbage Pail Kids game was officially announced. Do you want to know more? Word, so it’s going to be a free-to-play card-battle RPG. There will be original characters as well as newer cards thrown in the mix. Developed by Jago Studios in collaboration with The Topps Company, the game is currently in Private beta. There is no official launch date but it is planned to be release on both iOS and Android markets. It seems like things from the 80’s really are making the strongest comeback ever. Shout out to Stranger Things and Hipsters for that one.
3. Japan Exclusive: Dock-less Switch!
In a surprising turn of events, Nintendo has announced a dock-less Switch bundle coming exclusively to Japan. As most of us know, Japan is super heavy on mobile gaming. This move makes perfect sense in the idea of providing what the consumer wants. On the flip side it is definitely pretty self destructive considering they own the #1 portable console on the market. However, as far as I’m concerned this is confirmation of a Pokemon Switch game coming out this fall. Why else would they be so willing to ditch a core component of their hybrid console? No dock means it’s just a portable game console.
4. And there may be a new challenger… maybe.
During a recent interview with Bloomberg John Kodera, the new Playstation bossman, said he wants the company to continue thinking about portable gaming. He stated very clearly they are not discussing hardware specifics yet but they were carrying out experiments in the department. Could the next Playstation console be a hybrid like the Nintendo Switch? Quite possibly because this is also the same interview that sent the internet into a frenzy. A statement about the PS4 nearing the end of it’s lifecycle made everyone panic. Until they realized he was speaking from a sales of product perspective. The Vita is already dead, with physical game support and free Playstation Plus games already seeing an end.
5. Resident Evil Switch is cloudy with a chance of bad.
The good news: Resident Evil 7 is coming to Nintendo Switch. The bad news: Resident Evil 7: Cloud Version is coming to Nintendo Switch. The game that originally released on all the platforms isn’t getting a port. Instead Capcom is releasing something called, Resident Evil 7: Cloud Version, here’s the explanation. This is going to be a streamed game, much like PlayStation Now. Its a small download at only 45MB but obviously needs a constant internet connection to work. As of right now this is only coming to Japan (update: released in Japan May 24th 2018) which makes sense. They have the internet capability to support this, much like they did before with Phantasy Star Online 2. It’ll be really tough for this to ever work in America, but one can dream.
6. Madden NFL 19.
I know the NFL is in really hot water lately because of all the racism protest and stuff but that doesn’t stop the money train from running. EA officially, to no one’s surprise, announced Madden NFL 19 releasing August 10, 2018. The cover athlete honor has blessed, or cursed depending who you ask, incredible Wide Receiver Terrell Owens. There will also be a Hall of Fame edition of the game available for $80. The special edition comes with three days of early access, 12 gold team fantasy packs, an elite legends player, and more. This will definitely have some presence at E3 so if interested for sure tune in.
7. School Shooting Game? Very Bad Idea.
It never make sense to me when people claim that real violence is a product of fictional violence. The reference material for fiction is real life. Such is the case with Active Shooter, a game released on STEAM earlier this week. The game has been under fire for literally being a game about mass shootings. You can play as a civilian, a SWAT officer, or the active shooter. Tons of people were triggered over this. I can absolutely see why, but I still feel like the timing was wrong, the concept not so much. If it’s not for you, it’s not for you. It’s kind of silly for people to feel like if they don’t like something it has to disappear completely. Don’t get me wrong I think it was dumb as hell for this game to release with the school shooter being a playable character. I think it’s worst that the civilian is a character. Either way, I’m hoping to get an interview with the Dev team so we can discuss it in detail.
Donkey Kong is the Dark Souls of Blippity Bloopity Boop.
Just because a game is hard doesn’t make it Dark Souls. Also, top 5 advice on how to “GIT GUD” at Donkey Koing will feature in a sequel video! Go ahead, leave a comment!
What happens when a JRPG development studio works with a legendary animation studio? A game like Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is born. What happens when a game like Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is received extremely well? Obviously the gaming community demands a sequel. Enter Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom. Although developed by Level 5 and published by Namco-Bandai, the same team behind the first entry, the absence of Studio Ghibli is a major point of concern for fans. Released on PS4 and PC on March 23rd, 2018, the action RPG, Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom, is up against the terrifying crowd of passionate gamers waiting to see how well the game fairs without everyones favorite anime studio.
Graphics 1/2
Arguably one of 2018’s most charmingly beautiful games to date, Ni No Kuni 2 never sets out to be a grand graphically powered adventure. Understandably the art style, lacking the touch of Studio Ghibli, isn’t as beautiful but it remains adorable in its own way. Colorful kingdoms serve as home to animal human hybrid species. The grimalkin are cat like while the citizens under the rule of pugnacious are more canine looking. Its a very interesting and fun design choice especially as the plot continues to introduce the player to new kingdoms and concepts. The best part of the world is it never feels bland. Even when taking on the cute chibi form when traveling the world map everything is so vibrant and colorful exploration feels great. Again not a graphical powerhouse or an animation style that raises the bar, but Ni No Kuni 2 is definitely a beautiful game.
Story 2/2
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom opens up right out the gate with tremendous action. The player begins watching a cutscene in what appears to be a modern or futuristic city being exploded by a nuclear weapon. The first protagonist of the story, Roland (voiced extremely well by Jared Zeus), is on a train into this city as the explosion happens. Then bam just like that the whole game is transported elsewhere. The action doesn’t stop there though, it literally only gets more intense as a Roland lands in the middle of a plot to over throw a kingdom. This part of this dual story introduces Evan, the young king who just lost his kingdom. From there it becomes a story of redemption and growth. Something only an anime inspired game can pull off and yet the plot is completely original. Everything the characters learn along the way just further intensifies the heartwarming tale. The plot is to intense there are two of them happening simultaneously and yet it always feels like more.
Audio 1/2
Most JRPG’s suffer from poor audio when translated to the land of english speaking consumers. Not just in dialogue but also in sound effects that are culturally interesting. Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom however does not struggle with this at all. The voice cast does a great job of bringing the dialogue to life. Owain Arthur steals the show with his incredible portrayal of Lofty, the severely unimpressive Kingmaker. It was one thing to expect something like a, at first glance, a mediocre demigod to join the battle against enormous god looking demigods. Sorry, Kingmakers are essentially demigods. Anyway, the booming attitude Owain provided was perfect. On top of that the soundtrack is very comforting and not entirely annoying after a few hours of play like a lot of other games. The whole voice cast did an amazing job, composition was stellar, and the menu sounds weren’t atrocious. The major issue that takes away from the audio; there are way to many areas of dialogue that would be more impactful with fun voice acting.
Gameplay 2/2
At it’s core Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is a JRPG. However, the extended gameplay mechanics found throughout its mini games, side quests, and kingdom building missions say otherwise. This constantly rotating control over gameplay just adds to the fluidity of the story and its overwhelming hold on the player. To appreciate the full extent of this, there has to be an understanding one the various systems. Outside of the obvious open world free roaming and the world map, First up is the Battle system. Pretty standard active battle system with control of one party member at a time. From there the game opens up the skirmish system which plays a lot like the Overlord series, There are minion soldiers with varying archetypes in clusters and they battle against clusters of soldiers from the opposing army. Then enters the kingdom building sim type system. This one involves meeting people throughout the world and convincing them to leave where they are to join the new kingdom. And then, well the rest of them fall into spoiler territory but know that it gets even more in depth. Most amazing? The different systems all work towards the same goal in game. The systems never trip each other up or steal time from each other. Amazing.
Fun 2/2
Part anime, part adventure story, part motivational speech everything about this game is fun and exciting. The world is vast enough to get lost in for hours on end without any question. Every fight feels rewarding, although gamers who are used to grinding may find that this game is easy to play through beginning to end. Of course there are various challenges that swing all the way to the other end of the spectrum but this game is mostly easy and fun. With a healthy balance of unique mini-games, gameplay styles, and side missions very rarely do activities feel repetitive. The opening ten hours of the game are amongst the most enjoyable moments of any game I’ve played. Unfortunately there would be to much that is spoiler filled so very little can be said.
It may lack the abstract one of a kind charm that only Studio Ghibli can bring to the table but Ni No Kuni 2 still delivers. With the sequel the team at Level5 has proven once again that they know what they are doing. Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom was put in a position where it could not just benefit from the results of its predecessor and still shines. Incredible gameplay, a compelling story paired with great voice acting, and a vibrant world make for a great time. Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is not the sequel that was expected but it still manages to fill those great shoes.
