Let's Talk About Far Cry 5, Part 2: That Ending

Okay, let's get into the nitty gritty with Far Cry 5 here. There's been enough time since the game's release that I feel safe discussing story particulars here. If you still aren't interested in spoilers, this is the only warning you'll get. There is something that I think bears discussion beyond the simple "was it good or bad" argument that everyone seems to focus on. I want to talk about what the game's tone, structure and message do for the ending, what the ending does for those elements and whether or not the effect of the game's narrative arch was intentional and, if so, was it effective?

Let's Talk About Far Cry 5 Part 1

Okay folks, I'm going to break a one of my usual rules here. We will be talking about Far Cry 5 and I don't feel like I can get in depth with it without discussing at some length, the ending. If you are still playing or have yet to play, I invite you to return after you have. If you aren't concerned about spoilers then by all means, read on.

Destiny 2: Steve's Review Part 2, The Grind

Unlike some players, it takes me some time to work through most of the content available in a game like Destiny 2. I try to take things at a slower pace so that I can really get the most mileage out of the game and my time in it. When I finished Destiny, I was disappointed that there wasn't more of just about every part of the game. I still have some of the same pains with the sequel, but the fact is that there is a great deal more to do and keep my interest in Destiny 2.

Call of Duty WWII PC Beta Impressions

I took some time to hop into a few matches of the open PC Beta for the latest Call of Duty title. Promising to go back to World War II, there was a strange optimism from some writers in the industry that I just didn't understand. The idea that we somehow need to re-explore this very well trodden area of World War II is preposterous given the actual scope of the war and how much of its numerous stories have yet to be told through the medium of games. But I digress. I'm here to talk about the multiplayer experience on PC, and I can sum it up in three words: do not bother.

Call of Duty WWII Disappointingly Back in the European Theater

The latest in the banal and simultaneously ludicrous Call of Duty franchise will return the World War II, the first entry since World at War in 2008. I cannot think of a time that I have been more disappointed in a reveal trailer for a game I probably wasn't ever going to buy. Snark aside however, I feel that the franchise has missed a tremendous opportunity to finally expand beyond the European theater.

Ghost Recon Wildlands: Just Cause With Friends

Last week, a good friend of mine picked up a copy of the latest in the long running Ghost Recon series, Wildlands. Since the first game in the series hit store shelves in 2001, the franchise has ventured into almost every possible genre, be it a third person action game, a Facebook game, even a free to play mmo (offline since December of last year. If in that time, Ubisoft was trying to find the perfect fit, I think they've finally found it in the enormous open world and emergent gameplay of Wildlands.

Destiny 2 is Announced

The official trailer for Destiny 2 dropped today. It seems to confirm what most of the active community had suspected for a while. The Cabal have destroyed the tower and the last city (first hinted at through a MEGABlox set description a few months ago), leaving the guardians and other survivors on the run with few supplies. Players will be starting over with all new gear and powers, essentially only keeping the appearance of their character as established in the first game. Perhaps most interesting of all though is the news that Destiny 2 will be released for PC. This presents me with a bit of a conundrum.

Mass Effect Andromeda: Finding the Good Amongst the Rushed

We picked up a copy of Mass Effect Andromeda the other day for our PS4. We've heard all the talk about the facial animations and some of the weird movement and I can confirm that these issues do indeed exist and are prevalent enough that they detract from the overall experience. I'm just as disappointed as many of the players out there, but instead of ranting and raving about how ridiculous and unacceptable the situation is, I've been trying to understand how the game came to look like it does now and focusing on the things the game has done well.

Some Thoughts on the Current State of Battleborn

Image courtesy of Gearbox

It has been a very long time since I played Battleborn. My last few sessions with the game a few months ago were undeniably bad experiences, but I booted it up again recently to see how much things have changed. I played a couple of the new missions (Attikus and the Thrall Rebellion and Toby's Friendship Raid) and a few rounds of multiplayer and while there certainly have been some additions, I wouldn't say that the overall makeup of the game has changed and I don't think I'll be going back again any time soon.

REDUX: The Role of the Dungeon Master

A tabletop game like Pathfinder is a constantly evolving story. The boundaries of that story are limited by only by the party and the DM. The former is an occupant in the observatory, shining a bit of light into the darkness this direction and that. The latter, in this case, becomes the universe, the big bang that brought into being everything the party observes and interacts with. It's flowery and overblown, but the DM's role is too often misconstrued. Let's shed some light on the subject.

That Dragon, Cancer: A Documentary of Love and Tragedy

That Dragon, Cancer is game about Joel Green, son of programmer and game developer Ryan Green and his wife Amy, and their struggle with Joel's terminal cancer over his 5 short years of life.  It is an intimate exploration of these parents' love for their child in the face of sickness and death. A gallery of meditation on complicated emotions that leads you to explore your own rather that simply witness the Greens'. Without a triumphant winning result or absolute answers, you find yourself being remarkably present with the Greens as they love, grieve, pray, and share with you the player. It is heart-breaking and beautiful.

Far Cry Primal And My Anthropological Anxiety

Far Cry Primal, the latest in one of my favorite series' takes players back to the stone age. It's an era of history I've always wanted to play in. When I first came across news of the game, I devoured any media relating to it. I've seen every developer diary and all the trailers. The crafting system, collaborative hunting and the plethora of prehistoric wildlife are a big draw, but I've got a few qualms to deal with before I can really commit to the world they've created.

So You Bought Pro Skater 5; What Now?

Let's face it folks; Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5 is a mess. It's just a terrible game in almost every respect. While the news and numerous reviews have saved numerous would be consumers from buying this piece of garbage, there are still tons of you out there who were roped into pre-ordering it, or were given it as a gift by a well meaning friend or relative. It's hard to believe that something this bad could have carried a $60 price tag, and to help alleviate some of the hurt, we've come up with a few ways to get your money's worth out of it.

Humble Monthly; Is it Worth it?

Image Source: or-politics.com

Earlier today, Humble Bundle announced their latest in a number of additional services. In addition to offering multiple bundles (weekly bundles, book bundles, dedicated mobile bundles, etc) and their storefront, now you can give $12 a month to receive a hand picked bundle from the online purveyor of indie games and charitable donations. It's an interesting idea, and many people have likened it to a digital Loot Crate, but do the numbers really add up?

ESL Discussing Anti-Doping Measures

In a recent video interview, Kory "Semphis" Friesen , formerly of Cloud9 talked about using Adderall during a CS: GO tournament in March. Adderall is a prescription amphetamine abused by many competitive gamers to heighten focus and remain alert. Friesen claimed the entire team was using the drug at the time of the ESL Katowice One event last March. In response, the ESL has announced that it is taking measures to counteract doping during its events. The extent of these measures are yet to be determined, but it is an important step for professional gaming.

The Guardian's See-Saw: Up and Down with Destiny

My time with Bungie's latest game has been tumultuous. The Dark Below was a nasty blow to many players, making most of their higher level gear unimportant and forcing them through a largely uninteresting story and a raid based more on just killing things than working as a team. The House of Wolves has brought a number of those scorned players (myself included) back into the fold by adding some new and varied content as well as offering players a simpler way to up their equipment without invalidating it. For a while it seemed that Bungie had learned some lessons about running the game, but it didn't take long for the other shoe to drop.

Mastery in Modern Games

My wife and I played Towerfall for about two hours today, an hour and a half yesterday and two hours the day before that. In all that time, we only played one level in Quest mode. We've been trying to beat Ascension on Hardcore for at least two or three months. Today we topped off our 200th attempt. We've improved so much, but the last stage still gets the better of us. We're determined though. However long it takes us, we'll soldier on through our bloody bicentennial. It isn't about just beating the game. It's about mastery.

My Gaming Resolution

The new year is upon us. I'm not much for new year's resolutions but I'm making an exception this time. With the large number of disappointing or just plain broken releases this year I think it's time I spoke up a bit. I'm not the first to tread these waters but I think it is important for everyone to voice their disappointment and outrage over the unacceptable behavior of some of the biggest parts of our industry. I have only one resolution this year, but I hope it's one that catches on.

My History With MMOs

I have often said that I don't play MMOs. Broad statements like that one have the awful tendency to be untrue. I have played many MMOs in my time. In fact my on again, off again history with them reaches way back. Allow me to take you on a journey through my sad and torrid history with several games; some I loved, some I hated and a couple that I forced myself to enjoy more than I should have.

REDUX: Online Multiplayer ...Meh

One of the many online games that currently occupy my steam library.

In the coming weeks, I plan to talk about a number of online title. My steam library is filling with more and more games typified by their online play, including one or two MMOs. In days long past, I often eschewed online multiplayer in favor of lengthy single player titles. While I can still say that I prefer a good campaign to the average deathmatch arena, my disdain for online play has died a slow and tormented death. To help offer contrast to the matter, I've dug up this old post from 2009 in which I enumerated my feelings towards online games.