April 5th, 2018 by Vega Montanez
You’re gonna want one of these bad boys.
Sony recently announced one of the most amazing looking Limited Edition PS4 consoles. The new God of War PS4 Pro bundle will be released alongside the game on April 20th. The metallic silver and gray custom system is also covered in God of War decals. For $400 you get the fully customized PS4 Pro, a Leviathan Gray Dualshock 4 with the God of War logo, a physical copy of the game, and some exclusive digital content.
This recent announcement prompted me to go into full fanboy mode and debate (with myself of course) which of the limited edition PS4’s is the best. Since I couldn’t come to which is the best, here are my top 10 in no particular order:
Taco Bell Edition/ Golden Dubai
When Taco Bell ran the contest to win an exclusive gold PS4, it was the first time I had ever taken part in the craziness that is winning a sweepstake. Unless of course you count McDonald’s Monopoly, which no one should because everyone plays it. Anyway the arrogant gold with black accents look is amazing. I cant help but feel super jealous of anyone who actually won one of these beauties. Quick honorable mention goes to the Dubai Edition PS4 that was made of actual 24k gold and retailed for like $16,000 or something ridiculous.
Destiny Taken King Edition
I’ve always been a mega fan of white colored consoles and electronics. something about that white glistening amongst the rest of your electronics is super satisfying in a weird way. The Destiny Taken King PS4 managed to take things a step further in terms of beauty with the incredibly well detailed sketched in decal. The final icing on the cake though? The gold emblem on top. Absolute beauty.
MGSV Edition
Full disclosure: I am a ridiculous Metal Gear fan boy. Kojima can literally do no wrong and it’s still f*ck Konami till I die. Except for Yu-Gi-Oh, I love that sh*t. Anyway the Metal Gear Solid V PS4 could very well be my absolute favorite console of all time. My god, the two tone burgundy and black with the slight hint of gold. Just stunning. The moment I saw the console I knew the type of romantic trouble I was getting myself into. And here we are.
20th Anniversary
This one is no brainer. If you didn’t think this was going to make the list you are 100% crazy. No questions asked. The 20th anniversary PS4 is one of the most sought after collectible consoles of all time. Making a PS4 that looks like the console that put most of us on this crazy life long adventure was an absolutely genius business decision. More so, its a decision that spawned what is undeniably one of the most nostalgia inducing console designs of all time. It’s beautiful, meaningful, and irreplaceable. Than you Sony for changing gaming forever.
Final Fantasy Type 0
When the Final Fantasy Type 0 PS4 was announced I realized how much I actually appreciate the burgundy/blood red color scheme. This console added the two tone concept by make the HDD plate black with gold accents. It came out incredible stunning and there isn’t much more hat can be said. Honorable mention in this field is the Final Fantasy 15 console which opted for a standard black finish with a laser etched image of the world of FF15.
Uncharted 4
The Uncharted 4 makes the list without concern for being the first PS4 to sport my favorite color. Something about the classy feeling of the steel blue/cool grey just pulls a flame of confidence out of me. Coupled with the etched in drawing of Nathan Drake himself on top, it really give the console a pristine look.
Bruce Lee Edition
When EA received the rights to use Bruce Lee’s likeness in UFC 3, they wasted no time trying to capitalize on his name. Not only was he one of the best fighters in the game, but he also got a whole console themed after him. The extremely bright yellow PS4 with the black accents was designed to resemble Mr. Lee’s iconic sparring pants. A little too bright for me but definitely one of the most uniquely designed consoles on the list. This was also one of those that had to be won rather than simply purchased.
Monster Hunter World
Sleek and powerful. The glossy black with a massive beast on the top seemingly covered in something else’s blood. Thats the Monster Hunter World PS4. It looks like a Monster Hunter game and that in itself is incredible. Definitely one of the most aggressive looking PS4 consoles to ever be made. Just bask in its glory. Oh and of course the control would have the beautiful burgundy, black, and gold combination I love. And that color scheme seems to be really popular amongst Japanese developers.
Yakuza 0
Available in either black or white the Dragon of Dojima arrived in style. No matter which you chose you were treated to an astoundingly detailed dragon etched into the hard drive cover. The dragon art style resembles the authentic Yakuza tattoo styles that have become iconic throughout the world. The only disappointing part was that there was nothing special about the control. Just got a base black or white Dualshock 4.
God of War
And of course the God of War PS4. I already described it up above so here’s some pictures.
Honorable Mention
Hitman
“Enter the World of Assassination in style as you play Hitman using this one of a kind PlayStation 4 console. Custom fashioned as a replica of Agent 47’s suitcase, this ultimate collector’s item for any Hitman fan” That’s the direct line from the product page on Square Enix official website. It’s still up. The item isn’t available but it’s still up. This insanely detailed console was available to any member of the Square Enix rewards program. Look at it. What a way to please the long time series fans.
Posted in Articles Tagged with: 20th anniversary, briefcase, bruce lee, destiny, dubai, ea games, ff15, final fantasy, hitman, metal gear solid, MGSV, monster hunter, monster hunter world, playstation, playstation 4, ps4, Sony, taco bell, taken king, type 0, ufc, uncharted 4, video, video games, videogames, yakuza 0
September 14th, 2017 by Vega Montanez
Ya-kuza, He-Kuza, She-Kuza
Yakuza.
The name brings fear into the hearts of many. This historical hallmark of crime syndicates is the centerpiece of this game. Yakuza Kiwami is the latest title in the popular franchise, but also serves as a remake of the original PS2 game. Released worldwide on August 29, 2017, the remake not only sports updated visuals but also updated gaming mechanics. Developed and published by Sega, Yakuza Kiwami tells the story of a mafia member trying to change the entire system in which the Yakuza work.
GRAPHICS: 2/2
One of the most powerful components of Yakuza was its graphical fidelity. Even moreso even on PS2, it looked more stunning than 90% of the games on the market. Yakuza Kiwami keesp the long running series’ history of incredible graphics alive and well. As an official remake it is great to see that no time was wasted and no corners were cut when it came to making sure Tokyo was depicted excellently. Shops in the background pop with just enough vibrancy to coexist with the forefront objects. Emotions can truly be seen in the faces of every character including the useless NPCs on the streets. Cutscenes transition to gameplay incredibly smoothly. Once again Yakuza steps into the market ring and comes out in the top 10%.
STORY: 2/2
Loyalty is one of the most elusive human traits of all time. The Yakuza plot explores this concept at the most extreme levels. The protagonist of the story Kazuma Kiryu takes blame for a murder committed by a close friend. After being curiously expelled from the family and spending 10 years in prison (released on parole for good behavior), Kazuma returns to an all new family that sees him as a threat. One of the strongest selling points of this story is the way that all the side characters feel just as important as the leads. Every conversation held between any set of characters is complimentary to the character development and plot advancement. Very few objectives in the game can be completed without having conversations with multiple side characters and NPCs. The missions that can be completed have bonus rewards or story details that can be found in unnecessary dialogue. A story about what it means to be a loyal member of one of the most deadly organized criminal organizations of all time, this games sits very high on a pedestal of great storytelling.
AUDIO: 1/2
As an American gamer with interest in Japanese storytelling, the lack of American voiceovers is off-putting for some and perfect for others. The subtitle translation is nearly flawless however. The sound of the city is slightly lacking and in many points can feel lacking and hollow. When the ambience gets it right though, it gets it perfect. The chatting of people on the street corners about the fight that just took place really fills in the liveliness of the world. Overall the sound is nothing to be blown away by but also nothing to shake a finger at in shame.
GAMEPLAY: 2/2
One thing that has to be addressed is that most Japanese game developers have an obsession with trying to fit in every possible gameplay mechanic in one. Yakuza as a series is no exception. Yakuza Kiwami has taken the original and packed it with all the flavor from the newer games. Mini games are abundant throughout the city, with some even being major components of the narrative. And of course not mentioning the fighting game mechanics would be completely foolish. 4 fighting styles that can be upgraded, and maximized individually, adds a flair to gameplay that is lacking in most other modern day RPGs. Along side the fighting style, ways to go about traveling the city have to be acknowledged as well. One particular mechanic is the inclusion of the follow button. During missions where the player has to blindly follow some other character in the game, holding the R2 button will take care of all the work. There isn’t anything completely out of the ordinary, which can partly be attributed to it being a remake, but Yakuza Kiwami excels excellently at executing the normal exceptionally.
FUN: 1/2
An overwhelming level of RPG elements take the Yakuza games very far from being the Japanese version go Grand Theft Auto. With a slew of different gameplay styles, the complexity of the game may be discouraging to many. Those who find themselves deeply ingrained in the story will enjoy exploring everything it has to offer. The fun factor in this particular series comes from the amount of depth to the Japanese culture that can be explored. as a pick up and play for a few minutes probably not the best option as it is hard to really get anything out of that. However, the game is fun enough to make the 3-4 hours of gameplay required per sitting to get anything done more than worth it.
Yakuza Kiwami has set the standard extremely high for the remake world. Updated visuals put a brand new spark into the entry of an amazing series. Well balanced gameplay and outrageous unique elements keep the game exciting and fun during every session. The most powerful element of the game however is absolutely the story it tells. Loyalty, conviction, self development, and growth are all just a few of the topics that the narrative covers. If Yakuza Kiwami is the beginning of a strong gaming season, it opened the gate with a strong forward kick.
[SCORE: 8/10]
Posted in Reviews Tagged with: hd, historic, kiwami, playstation, ps3, ps4, remake, sega, Sony, yakuza, yakuza 0, yakuza kiwami, yakuza zero