Pirate Gameplay Walkthrough Video: Naval Exploration | Assassin's Creed ...

After very own images unveiled, Ubisoft unveils quietly commented thirteen minutes of gameplay for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

Lulled by the sweet voice of the game director Ashraf Ismail, so you can learn a little more about this new episode of the series, very focused on the filibuster and the first to be developed on both existing consoles and new generation machines . This long trailer shows the main protagonist of the title, Edward Kenway, in action in various fields: our pirate chef and demonstrated his talents assassin, explorer and navigator, all without ever losing its hood.

Helped by an obedient crew, ship defying physical and athletic as always, Kenway executes people, loots a cargo of rum and unearth buried treasure before our very eyes, a little history to detail the possibilities allowed by exotic open world game if the interface visible in the video clearly correspond to the keys of Sony consoles, remember that awaited Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag released October 31 on PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Wii U, and a little later in the year on PS4 and Xbox One.

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CALL OF JUAREZ : GUNSLINGER : Review

Relive the hunt for the biggest bandits Western anyone? If so, that's good because that's what Techland offers through a nervous title with a tasty atmosphere and a unique narrative quality. It embodies Silas Greaves, bounty hunter in his spare time, telling her in a saloon feats to a captivated audience. The homecoming of the series is it successful, and most importantly, the quality is it to go with such a small price?

"A bad episode, that you can plant a series! "Said one day an old farmer in Arizona about the saga of Call of Juarez. After a third episode missed frankly, things have, it seems, evolved. Determined to make their mea culpa, Polish developers have now understood that a game on the Wild West has to happen at the time of the Wild West. The result today is a nice arcade FPS's claims formed, leaving only in dematerialized and an introductory price attractive. It is clear that the title, despite some flaws, is fulfilling its objectives and will keep you entertained for 6-7 hours, or even a little more if you are focused on scoring.

When "budget" rhymes with "limited ambitions"

Let's start with the realization since we always learn the bad news first. First, know that its graphic aspect, the game features a cel shading rather economical, allowing a Chrome Engine 5, a little older, a breather. The motor home, used since "The Cartel" episode starts to show its limits (who said "Riptide"?) And we feel that Techland has wanted to give a second life to this album. The transition to such a report, inevitably recalling the Borderlands is a success for a first try, even if one could blame him some imperfections. Some textures are a bit limited and the clipping is a little too far. Everything remains fluid at all times and relatively pleasing to the eye.

However, we quickly get used to the technical choices that allow for a consistent style while avoiding the developer to squander the budget as where it could clearly not excel. Remember that this is probably the "result of the last chance" for the saga. The artistic touch is relatively well controlled and it is with great pleasure that we visit typical of a good western atmospheres: abandoned mine, ghost town, saloons and other populated expanses of wild Indian in short, the works! The cut-scenes We note in passing very "cartoon" bringing a little more fun in a way not missing lightness.

The soundtrack on the other hand is generally a success. The music is pleasant without being masterful and well accompany the fight sequences. In terms of voice, again the work is quality. The voice acting of the main stakeholders, VOST, perfectly punctuate your missions, dialogues are well written and often bring a touch of humor. Special course to doubling the hero who leads his boat a deep, pleasant voice mention contributing to the quality of the narrative. This is a point to which we return later because the speech Silas holds a crucial place in the game

On the menu tonight: arcade gameplay effective and advanced variety

Do not see Gunslinger as a title that showcases the subtlety. It is actually a nice big arcade défouloir said that giving the player more tools to manage its gunfights. Besides the QTE multiple executions and dodging bullets fatal, include among others the now classic bullet time, which will save your life more than once. Next up, the skill system allowing you to specialize your hero through three trees used to build character bounty hunter will be appreciated. So you can spend your points earned in battle and become a master of guns, a sniper made a castagneur or a mixture of all three. All of which allow you to vary the pleasures in effective but too little diversity action sequences.

AI enemies to perfectible and level design dirigiste

If we dig a little deeper into the critical, one could say that the fighting regulate mostly taking cover to eliminate one by one each enemy themselves are often stashed. And since the gunfights are almost all playable stages, we would have liked a wider "bestiary" to avoid some redundancy over hours. There are many Indians, sometimes favoring the body-to-body, the sturdiest enemies that you must slay, or the boss, but the limits of AI and scripts are quickly felt. On the enemies of Completion for example, we must admit that they leave us wanting more, and while some out of the ordinary (including one thinks of hide and seek in the sawmill), their sequences are set globally all in the same way: take cover with the right timing and buggers blows dynamite and bastos in the face.

That said, make no mistake, although improved, AI is rather good job when it comes to follow the predefined route, to hide and take us to view as a rabbit. The real concerns are hardly visible, even if the scenes on trains you will see a typical behavior of FPS AI unsophisticated: the enemies you aim and shoot, even when you're not in the room . The "fault" is due to the level design, which at these levels, is intended to be very narrow and not necessarily adapted to the scripts of your opponents. Reassure us immediately, these sequences are few problems. Speaking of level design, it is good to define Gunslinger as a FPS deliberately very interventionist in order to trigger the appropriate narrative. Remember that you are playing in the memories of an old man telling, years later, it happened at precise moments of his life. So do not expect out of predefined rails during your part: you have a well marked path and very few alternatives.

A narrator in the heart of the plot and game design

Too few games where the story takes a major place, and that's a pity. Gunslinger is one of those games that, like a "Bastion" or "Alan Wake" put the narrator at the heart of the adventure. Here, the interest is based on the status of the latter, and the evolution of his story. Silas, decidedly focused on whiskey, will tell his story sometimes rough way, changing some details in the evening or returning to historical facts, which directly affects the part of the player. An example of a stalking bounty hunter takes him to the door of an abandoned mine. The narrator explains that he had, at that time, the opportunity to borrow a difficult path and populated with enemies. The player, who is obviously not a choice, enters a gallery infested with bandits, who also eventually collapses on itself. Is then expected to have the game over screen when suddenly the narrator speaks again and evokes this dangerous path, saying that it was obviously a bad idea to borrow and he finally chose to stay a safe level. Rewind the action, you're back near the entrance of the mine and a ladder appears before you magic! This is obviously an example and it is best that you discover these "stories tainted" by yourself in order to maintain the element of surprise which adorns most chapters.

The narration altered: we want more pleasure!

We note nevertheless a certain inequality levels vis-à-vis the concept of narrative altered. If chapters such as marshes are an opportunity to observe an impressive range of processes such as changes in climate or environments building before our eyes, it regrets that some sequences just confined to the appearance of scales or opening passages. Nothing serious about 6-7 hours of play, of course. Let's just say that the concept is so valuable that we would have liked to see much more often exploited, and especially more equitably distributed between each level.

Between revenge and redemption ...

Always about the content, we welcome the presence of a New Game Plus Mode to test different levels of difficulty while keeping its objects and improvements. If you wish, you can also play without HUD, which will enhance the immersion to repeat the adventure as a real cowboy and discover the two epilogues proposed. Besides the story mode, there is an Arcade mode you will face hordes of enemies, and that showcases the scoring and online rankings. Similarly, if the many duels the story mode you liked, remember that you can relive them through a dedicated mode, giving the opportunity to chain millimiters clashes where reflexes count as much as placing your hand over your six-shooter.

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METRO : LAST LIGHT : Review

Released in 2010, Metro 2033 had managed to get a place in the crowded world of FPS with a narrative as beautiful as poorly optimized engine and an original and compelling post-apocalyptic world. A game in hand, which relied strongly on player immersion with some effectiveness, making some forget the shortcomings of gameplay yet very present.

Three years and the fall of THQ later Ukrainians 4A Games rely cover with Metro Last Light led by Deep Silver for another snorkeling in the bowels of the Moscow metro.

THE GENERAL LINE

The game now takes place in 2034 in Moscow and still in the subway but does not mean the adaptation of the book Metro 2034 Dmitry Gloukhovski. In fact, Metro Last Light develops an original story that takes the direct sequel to the first game and in which there are Artyom in pursuit of the last dark, humanoid creature with psychic powers, having escaped the destruction of the nest in 2033. Dark corridors, stations crowded dormitories or dive into the nuclear winter surface Artyom will again see a lot of countries throughout his adventure. A journey that will still mostly underground but not redundant, however. Every place has a meticulous care and has a special atmosphere and its own, some designs are so breathtaking. It welcomes back the heavy and dirty atmosphere that gave the game its first interest.

The feeling of being isolated in a hostile environment, or conversely prey, being smothered by the overcrowding of the last bastions of humanity is fully restored by staging effective and graphics rendering particularly flattering on PC. If some details are a little spot (rare vegetation for example, or certain textures), the title is based on the effects of light and superb art direction mastered, rough as the climate of the Urals. Despair literally oozes through the screen, but also in every little detail of background. NPC dialogues between micro individual tragedies through the many allusions to the historical context of Russia (Stalinist Communism, thrust of fascism, corruption), each element of Metro Last Light seems to naturally articulate with each other to give us a especially rich and coherent universe. The power of immersion as is undeniable, especially when moving the dialogue in Russian, and can live a real trip full-fledged company Artyom.


GOOD FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

All this takes the form of a particularly interventionist and contemplative game with sometimes startling times (like splitting a crowd of fanatics in a neo-Nazi rally) but, unfortunately, some less inspired. Blame it on a somewhat disjointed scenario that it is difficult to identify the issues and that the succession of "capture / escape" (sometimes cleverly replaced by "left for dead / escape") for inspiration. Fault as a particularly violent cutting levels with a lot of very narrow maps, some loadings will be separated by 10 minutes of chitchat and some walking in a corridor. Loads between each map are fortunately very fast PC, but hard not to be frustrated by this aspect of the ground running.

Gameplay side, the title remains close to its origins with tense confrontations against fierce monsters, the increase in tension in dark areas and crossing enemy lines. This latter aspect can be done in two ways: either the old bourrinant or by sneaking in and getting rid discreetly permanently or showing mercy, sentinel. The human enemies are rather violent and our character is a bit clumsy, contemplative will require the direct approach is not particularly recommended. It is even less than the game retains the principle of alignment points masked and kill too many people instead of saving prevents us from having access to the "good" ending.

It will therefore be inclined to favor the stealthy approach. Infiltration levels offer a number of ways to move forward, Artyom can start small knives for silent assassinations and the ability to debunk all the lights to cover us is a real plus. Indeed, the villains are mainly for our presence in the light, a small light on our shows telling us about our situation is good and black, blue you can see us. A simple system that urges us to really use infiltration.


CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Unfortunately, this is in these situations that artificial intelligence shows most limitations. You can literally get close to 10 cm from the front, a target to knock him quietly, and without it we can see without his friend, yet looking in our direction, noticing. You can also get several meters high next to a guard without it no one is interested or explode some lamps silent without it many people do not care, even if that light is in their field vision. Small bugs or real programming defects, hard to tell but the examples are too frequent to be harmless. Catastrophic IA literally ruin passages infiltration.

On paper, the system was expanded and seems full of promise, but these mistakes lead to absurd situations completions, which often ruin the immersion. In combat, it is not much better since opponents will be bypassed without worry or anticipate them. And they are generous trigger when it is in their line of sight, but as soon as we lost the initiative to get around and wait as the slaughterhouse. We now understand that the clashes in narrow hallways trying to hide the really annoying problems.

Nevertheless, the gunfights are pleasant cobbled look through weapons (that we can improve in-store) and nice sound work even if the whole is a little too static. Confront the monsters is not very subtle, but proves quite stressful so gratifying. They attack in packs and are resistant to bullets, which sometimes will result in frantic races in Moscow rubble to find a way to recharge or run. In the open air, although radiating from the destruction of our gas masks in combat there is still a good source of panic when we will start searching every nook and cranny looking for a new mask. These semi-open outer passages are really successful and help break pleasantly succession corridors-cutscenes. Certainly aware of the rigidity of the progression, the developers have managed to vary enough situations to avoid the monotony to settle permanently.


WAR AND PEACE

Metro Last Light is all about the immersion, its ability to make credible path cross Artyom in a chilling post-apocalyptic world. We are surprised to find themselves suddenly faced with a game too easy: the bullets found in large numbers, like for other explosives and Molotov, filters for the gas mask and never miss Artyom seems to have a titanium skin . Normal is only 8 hours to finish the game with a few people and even fewer difficulties fashion - at most a few concerns readability goals. The game features a system medikit for critical situations, but they will almost never be useful, especially with generous checkpoints. Hard Mode will force us to be more cautious, but that does not ultimately change much. Most players then take the direction of Ranger mode.

Everything is more rare, the HUD disappears and the balls are much worse. It does not solve the problems I. A. or gameplay, but it makes the most dynamic shooting (any stray bullet that can be fatal) while enhancing the appearance pleasantly survival sticks so well to the world of the game Unfortunately, PC, the famous Ranger mode a preorder bonus and will be accessible to others by passing again to the body via a paid DLC. While the console versions feature classic online pass and have access to the full game, PC gamers who bought their full pot game will not have access to this mode gives access yet to experience the most authentic Thurs A simply unacceptable and unjustifiable practice.

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MONACO : Review

Tax havens attract capital, and in turn the capital attract thieves. So that takes us to Monaco this congenial game. Developed by Pocketwatch Games, the title won the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the Game Developers Conference 2010, which is still the heir of Crayon Physics Deluxe, but also the price of design excellence - no less . Nice course for a title that arrives so that three years later, PC and XLA.

LIKE A HURRICANE

It is in the old pots that the best soups. This proverb not only delight all the grandmothers of the world as it applies perfectly to the video game. Thus, one could say that the developers of Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine Revisited recipe Pac-Man, as we found in all the emotional markers: it is fun, it's clever. To summarize the concept, it plays a thug who must perform various missions without being spotted by the guards. Levels are seen from above, but it is possible to see that our own character can see. At most, some noises are suggested by patterns in the gray areas, such as steps, for example. This limitation of the field of vision is clearly one of the highlights of the game, since you can never totally control the environment, where the excitement every time you open a single door. The danger is everywhere, and as some guards around, the parts that were thought safe the first time that the cross can become real wasp nests when it returns. Again, this is clever.

To further spice up the game, it is possible to embody different types of criminals. At the beginning of the adventure, there are four jobs: the expert locksmith locks the lookout for sharp vision, the perfect pickpocket to pick up the loot and cleaner which can easily get rid of enemies that have not spotted . Four additional classes to unlock throughout the missions. If the goals do not change depending on the character, the means to achieve it are very numerous and the approach is therefore more or less depending on the selected job, although the game does not really put us as a barrier for our pleasure. One can either play the nag, even alert everyone and quickly being overtaken, or while acting in the dark, or sneak in with a disguise, or break down the walls. But better still play it fine to try to collect all the bonus story then unlock more missions.

TOP THIEF

But what is better than a thief? A group of thieves, of course. Clearly, mechanical Monaco make sense in multiplayer, where the excitement is tenfold and cooperation strongly suggested. Four players can join forces to rob all principality, either locally or online. Although it is possible to raise to infinity as a player is still alive and coordinated actions are performed faster, the multiplayer mode is more difficult, since it is easier to detection. There is even a very nice unlockable PVP mode, but you'll have to earn it. In Monaco, the action should be fast and accurate, and fortunately, the grip is ultra-sharp thanks to the simplicity of the actions. It suffices to stick a few seconds to an object to interact with. If one opts for infiltration and one uses no weapon, so it is quite possible to draw in levels simply by using the left stick. Malin, you're told.

However, what is less malignant, are the guards. The AI ​​of these gentlemen is very low because they will stop racing thieves quickly and seem rather blind. Worse still, to escape them, they only need to change floors, even after stirred up a crowd. It is a shame and it breaks immersion and stress, but it does not prevent them from finding sometimes cornered and clubbed. And even if you kill them, sometimes through an NPC there to raise them too. I must say that the poor have only one life point, when the thieves running around with them all a busy bar. There are chances for the scum, as they say. In the list of blackheads, we can also mention the scenario that develops only through written English dialogues before each mission. This unfortunately is not very exciting, and we will quickly zap directly from an angry finger on the button.

COLOR BLOCK

Finally, Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine, it is also a matter of style. Minimalist and colorful graphics are really nice, even if it takes a little time to adapt, the title is perfectly readable, thanks to the simplicity of the designs. Everything is done anyway so that we fully understand what is happening on the screen, even add large arrows here and there to indicate the right direction. The noise level is also good at all, with catchy melodies and sounds reminiscent Winterbottom. So actually, we regret a little bit that the title was not translated into French, but we will still have the pleasure of hearing our beautiful language of Molière from time to time in the levels, since the characters speak French (with voice ... unexpected). Yes, we are in Monaco!

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FEZ : Review

The first time we heard of FEZ, it was almost five years ago on a forum of independent developers. Since then, the game Polytron Corporation has received two awards at the IGF and another at IndieCade, has been delayed several times for tweaking and ended up in a highly anticipated documentary, ruining the way the health and life name of its inventor, Phil Fish.

The Canadian game designer has also made many players back because of his statements on the current Japanese productions and many other reactions sometimes childhood on social networks. But as games and their creators are not tested, see what lies beneath its FEZ pixels put into perspective.

PC version: Exclusive Microsoft is over, Fez comes a year later on PC, with the promise of bugs and other technical issues corrected. In fact, there are still issues to be resolved as evidenced by the SAV Polytron, but the game still appears much smoother in transitions between rooms and especially stable. No sudden crash or corrupted save point in our party, it is better than nothing. However, with the exception of display options (choice of resolution, full screen / windowed) and management of backup files, no significant improvement has been made in this version. Fortunately, the game is still as exciting, even during a second visit to the world of cubic Gomez.


There is a mixture of carefree FEZ discovery and obsessive research that we meet more often in a video game. In the manner of some of the 80 major titles, the player is practically abandoned to itself in a vast world filled with codes, inhabited by a handful of beings concise and often enigmatic word. There are really only two places inhabited in the fragmented world of the game, the first being the village where the adventure begins in the bedroom of the hero Gomez history to recreate the illusion of a role-playing or adventure Japanese old. Visit the village for tutorial, basic dialogues and events from disrupting the original quiet are applied to the letter, the disturbing element is the bursting of a golden cube which is expressed using glyphs and Gomez offering a headgear Arabic - the fez title - opening the doors of perception. Wearing the mystical artifact, the hero actually becomes capable of detecting the third dimension of the world, until completely flat.

ATTENTION TO EDGES

This spatial awareness will give him the means to leave his village in order to accomplish a mission imposed arbitrarily: find all 32 pieces of giant cube or dislocated to prevent the world from suffering the same fate. The challenge is great, but the challenge proves ultimately not so high. If it looks like an action / 2D platform game open in the manner of a Metroid or Castlevania, Simon's Quest line, the concept of death is totally absent from FEZ. No enemies, no life bar and a character who returns to the last place sprained foot in a fall "fatal" or suction in the anti-matter areas that appear randomly throughout the exploration . A wise choice, given the somewhat peculiar Applied Physics travel and breaks Gomez. Not to mention the errors of judgment during rotations of view, a central game mechanic that gives volume to the pixels with remarkable ease.

With a simple press RT / LT or RB / LB, perspective pivots right to one side or the other of the set angle, which allows you to see all four sides of the same place to reveal a door, fragments cube or continuation of an ivy snaking around the block. Playing with perspective also allows the meeting separated scales, moving platforms or reading generally obscure symbols inscribed on a wall. Once the basic interactions stored (with the indices of the small block rainbow sky as a guide knowing how to be discreet), progress quite easily and without pressure by collecting cubes or pieces of cubes, but also key and treasure maps stored in chests. The influence of Zelda is clearly claimed, with a formula that combines the advantages of 2D and 3D, while maintaining the almost absolute freedom to explore the very first episode of the saga. Tables aerial view were simply converted into rooms for several sides, connected by doors and a handful of teleports.


I CRACKED THE CODE, I CRACKED THE CODE

Map, not necessarily obvious at first reading with all its connections, in fact perfectly transcribed arrangement of rooms, tables and their I / O space. Icons legend and gold banding indicating the levels fully "cleaned" are also very useful for those who want to find all the secrets of FEZ, without stopping at the first end almost served on a plate, if only one has a dash of common sense. In the manner of Mario 3D is not inherently difficult to find enough open sesame to the ultimate holder of the game and find out what it conceals. By cons, it will take a lot of patience and understanding to get their hands on anti-cubes, artifacts and other objects by deciphering the clues and ubiquitous in the decorations codes. Without this second quest made possible in part by a new game + as smart as teasing, playing Phil Fish as it is a shadow of itself, such a limited aspect that sets the initial 2D village before Gomez opens his eyes.

It would be criminal to spoil the real surprises of the adventure, as efforts to discover and solve additional puzzles embedded in the DNA of FEZ masquerade as the status game nice gimmick (like Super Paper Mario, Echochrome or Crush ) than the benchmark for overall design. Construction levels already deserves respect for having managed to make navigation a kind of evidence despite the many translations to be made, but any cryptography and information with the ability to be discreet before jumping in the eyes (among other ) also show a great degree. Developers know as well bring the player into the world of Gomez that make out to appeal to as simple as a pen and paper outside help. Followers of tricks to break the fourth wall will certainly appreciate all the fans of deciphering symbols. A game that relies on the intelligence and logic of the user without a face challenges unfairly twisted and silly conventions, we do not cross that often.


FEZ TAGADA

Especially since FEZ is also interesting in its construction and in its aesthetics, without varying complex tones, moods and graphic effects. The pixel art can be considered a vulgar decoy nostalgic by Grumpy, but it is totally justified in relation to the inspirations and about Polytron, in addition to being executed with great care. Each table vibrates through its delightful animations and varying colors, thanks in part to the day / night cycle not having a cosmetic concern. The game allows several tributes to the generation 8/16 bit, as well as pure hypnotic sequences carried by a synthetic soundtrack sometimes casual and airy, sometimes dark and heavy. Listenable largely on the site of the composer Disasterpeace (aka Rich Vreeland), it is very much in the mood of joyful mystery of the title. Certain assumptions even want the full version contains a clue to solve the final puzzle (?) Black monolith, defeated only by the gross manner or confidence Phil Fish at the time of writing these lines.

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Far Cry 3 : Blood Dragon : Review

Probably inspired by the ubiquitous wave of retrogaming tinged with irrepressible passion for old pixels, Ubisoft Montreal is offering a big regressive delirium pasting the spirit of the 80s on the engine and gameplay of Far Cry 3. A bold idea, but we can not be all hands will do.

Overall, we can see Blood Dragon as a way total conversion mod Far Cry 3 (which is not required to play), taking architecture and gameplay of the original game, but with a complete cosmetic facelift. The original game, most of the strings we will find him, starting with the open environment and split your time between the main quest of 7 chapters, quests and a little hunting collectibles. Here again the principle of garrisons from the yoke of the oppressor, areas once democratized will serve as shelters but also starting points consisting of quests to hunt a specific animal or release prisoners scientists. Animals and vehicles Far Cry 3 are also present, just retextured to stick to the new spirit of the game voluntarily ringardos

Far Cry Light

To go faster, it is probably easier to focus on what has changed, namely the disappearance of the craft and the player progression system that leaves the choice of skills in a tree in favor of a automatic gain levels at each passage. An idea a little off-color sometimes also since discovered afterwards the acquisition of new capacity. The skills in question are also inherited from the original game and cover all of your talents, elimination stealth reload faster, through the usual increases the life bar. In short, you have here a somewhat simplified version of Far Cry 3 gameplay, always ready to let you choose between the path of nag or more stealthy approach, even if the construction of certain areas heavily favors the former. Because it must be acknowledged that Blood Dragon would sooner be loose, a logical orientation with respect to the real novelty of the title: 80. However, few new piggyback the original sauce, such as the presence of dragons blood, fluorescent creatures that can draw using cyber hearts torn from our enemies. Handy to clear a garrison of its occupants cheaply. Another small feature of the new hero: his tendency to jump mentally ill that allow him to simply jump against an enemy to fall to him on the face and make a run.

Cyber ​​Forbans dogs and robots

In the 80s, when we looked to the future, we often had in mind the neon cyber guys, mutants Communists and especially, especially full neon eyes. This is the menu that features Blood Dragon, plunging the player directly into the atmosphere with its "cinematic" fixed with flashy colors and nonexistent animation. , You are Colt Power Rex, a soldier half-man, "half machine but 100%" American in the words of the intro, fighting against the communist threat but dropped on an infested island soldiers Omega Force serving your former supervisor. Knucklehead, manly and clumsy replicas assumed, winks supported the action movies of the 80s, his patriotism and his tinsel great truths about the duty and the philosophy of the headbutt, not hesitating to intervene Terminator , Commando, Rambo or even Rocky. Blood Dragon is an anthology of the best of the worst decline not in parody, but rather quote the original material already being pure quadratic, Ubisoft does not try to add a layer and "happy" to copy what was at the time and the picture could be the future. Moreover, for the record, the game takes place ... in 2007. Do not bother to take seriously, especially as the game also gives into self-parody, mocking tutorials or super-relevant advice loading screens highly referenced humor but this certainly does not affect all world and it is good to know what we sailed, the least sensitive to this kind of exercise players will therefore better advised to look away. The only real regret is that it is only at the very end of the main adventure that real madness starts, during an end might be called a very weak end to be left alone to discover alike.

The power of fluorescent technostache

The aesthetics of the game is of course to match his tone. Which again greatly divide the crowds. To know which way you store, just take a look at the images on this page. The game is generally very dark, permanent night is simply lit by fluorescent lights from consoles or enemies themselves. All aesthetic considerations aside, the artistic choices Blood Dragon have a fairly painful flaw: they significantly disrupt the readability of places and action. In more mundane terms: between the black and the lights fart eyes, we see no serious shit sometimes. In addition, all sorely lacking in variety. The landscapes of the island are all alike, as well as inland areas, everything is a dark blue-gray tinged with purple and takes more or less the same architecture. An assembly monotonous strand found in some repetitive aspect of side quests, even if they manage to hold and extend the retro ride, completing a rather short about 4:00 to 5:00 main campaign.

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MARS : WAR LOGS : Review

After their collaboration with Cyanide on Of Orcs and Men, the French studio Spiders of regaining independence to give birth to a project held dormant for several years. And obviously, ambition not scared at all. March: War Logs is a role-playing game in the third person to mature scenario, non-linear, with a complex system of mixing fighting melee, magic and utensils to handle real-time. Add to that a bunch of companions with whom to interact and discuss ... On paper, the title is very similar to a conversion of The Witcher on the red planet. But when the biggest draws, it is expected to support the comparison.

NO LIFE ON March

From a purely technical point of view, the parallel is unflattering. While the title of CDProjekt is still very pleasing to the eye, Mars: War Logs really does not shine by its realization. The decorations are all very similar, low detailed textures and NPCs crossed the streets are more reminiscent of an army of automatons mass produced as real citizens of the red planet. So again, the Silk engine already used in the odyssey of pelts lags several years behind the competition. The audio portion is not really in a better state. The music is relatively any and dubbing in English only, rather bad. Strangely enough, however, these defects tend to disappear in combat. On the one hand because the enemies are more difficult to talk with a wrench across the mouth, but also because these Daft Punk power find their flexibility magically. The bar moves to mine and lightning jets are overly dramatic but also very detailed, which gives a pep bastons absent and life stages of exploration and dialogue.

The crazy part is unfortunately not the mere graphics a bit outdated. The art direction is not the most original and gives the impression of being in any cartoon science fiction. March forces, everything is red and dull, the first chapter to the last without the interiors are offering any variety. Sheet metal, dust and basta. Even outside, the sky is always invisible, the fault spidery scaffolding covering all cities and countryside.

The characters finally, even major, also make the effort, as they follow on shots. Roy Temperance, the hero, wall eyes, a cut of punk, a leather jacket and sports a stubble: he is a rebel, an atypical. The first real villain is great, wears a black jacket, long and curved, a blond and slicked back hair piercing blue eyes. The hangdog look of Innocence screams weakness in his first appearance, one of our associates ends half naked during a major part of the adventure as a pretext completely absurd ... As the Crusaders inhabitants, they just sit in the hands of the head or lying on the floor in the middle of the streets, without being able to talk to them, with one or two exceptions. Throughout the game, it seems to evolve in a world filled with artificial plastic mannequins.


SOLID AND FEATHER IN BERNE EPÉE

Or a role play in which one can not speak to holders quest hand with a serious handicap, although action-oriented, as is the case here. Strictly speaking, one could forgive the lack of interaction if the primary and secondary tasks were performed perfectly. Unfortunately, the staging is not the strong point of the studio. The dialogues are often superficial and clumsy replicas then contrasts strangely with the intelligence of topics. Thus do we have the pleasure of seeing an enemy ready to grill us on the spot to side with us in a wink because it ensures that the ideal is wrong.

This lack of care given to writing night unfortunately greatly to the immersion. Everywhere we meet with mutant human distorted by the sun's radiation. Herded into pens, they serve as free labor to large companies operating in the construction and maintenance. We would have liked a remake, even light, Amistad, where "dust" would demand their freedom and foment plots to bring down the oppression of their masters. But again, the representatives of this class are idiots like shovels and starved of the necessary depth to build a credible drama.

The story, or rather stories, are quite disappointing, the fault of poor texts. The mess is exacerbated by the overall quality of the world we guess in the background. Contrary to what he reveals, Mars: War Logs offers a rich and solid background. As in many novels K.Dick for example, the world is divided between factions taking over the private company and government. Many times we hear about unsavory military experiences, and defeated soldiers were sent to labor camps more or less self-managed, where the guards are also captives as prisoners they oversee. Betrayal, corrupt politicians, lack of water ... It is obvious that the developers have worked with love to create a coherent and believable world, and the events we are witnessing their origins in the tortured history of the planet. Too bad they were not able to fully do justice to him in.


HAZARDOUS FRIENDS

So far, the situation is not exhilarating, but things work out a little later, especially with the arrival of the fighting. As the universe searched, the cynical hero and choices affecting the evolution of history, the French studio has greatly inspired great deeds of the friend Geralt of Rivia. We can also fun to see the two titles share the same initial before the magic and progression in the talent trees makes our task difficult. At first, we simply correct the evil meaning prisoners through pipes in the donut. Roy can hit like a deaf man, swinging a handful of sand in the eyes of the opponent or dodge attacks. Parrying the last time he will even Klitschko passing a small defensive stopper, which destabilize the miscreant for a second time to get out of an awkward position. Is that the enemies do not hesitate to put a number to molest us. It is impossible to make any movement during an animation. If our beautiful brown flexes under a sudden, he was sentenced to receive the following if it is too close. Therefore, it will think twice before running into the pile as remained.

Theoretically, the companions are there to help with the housework. In reality, they distract the enemy a few minutes in the best case, and help us to kill the remaining time. Innocence is the ultimate example of the futility. Ask him to attack an enemy, it is sent to the brain-pipe in less than thirty seconds. Better to let the green plant and used as a target for shooting gunmen. Mary on the other hand wants to integrity. It does not matter when casting a spell that we are made in the area of ​​effect. If we must go to the body to complete a drunk bum armed with a toothpick, she did not hesitate a moment.

So, learn the art of technomancy allow us to take revenge. Lightning and surge are formidable once improved, but will be used primarily responsible, to electrify our weapons for a short time. At high levels, you can even unlock a spell completing our bar "fluid" continuously, the local mana to make it rain a torrent of discontinuous pain on our opponents. The growing sense of power is present, but Roy remains relatively strong, even with good armor, and no fight is a foregone conclusion. In difficult or extreme fashion, it becomes essential to equip themselves before going to war if you do not want to end up in a coffin.


THE GOOD, THE STEEP AND THE UGLY

Therefore, it is strongly advised to explore the maze of scrap metal to recover and improve jackets and clubs in our possession. Once equipped with a reinforced with metal plates and a conducting baton decorated with a razor blade armor, hardware can still be used to make grenades, traps or ammunition for our nail gun. Fighting therefore offer a good variety of styles and allow very different Thurs Unfortunately, the problem mentioned above is not so much to the artificial intelligence of enemies that the faulty camera that accompanies us throughout history. Positioned three inches of skull our avatar, it leaves completely blind to everything that happens in his back and sides.
BR> In the mouse, this defect is exacerbated by management against acceleration-intuitive: quick wrist movements cause slow rotations and vice versa. What cause nausea even stronger. The joystick is better managed, but the limited number of buttons makes it even more complicated, despite the ability to slow time choosing our attacks via a wheel fighting skills. Everyone must sacrifice in his conscience effectiveness or lunch, either.

Once the strengths and weaknesses of the title clearly identified, we advance still quietly and complete quests by multiplying trips without asking too many questions. It then assesses the ability to manage his karma and see the people around us react differently depending on our alignment. It may also choose to preserve our little protected from ordinary cruelty or put him in for the nose to force him to build a shell. And at the end of the second chapter, a crucial choice is presented to us, leaving a whole section of the story not revealed at the end of the big ten hours between the introduction of credits.

If we add the tree completely impossible to fulfill in a single game, Mars skills: War Logs displays a very large potential for replayability. Even following a similar narrative, a second crossing does not necessarily give the same result if it abandons its lights to take those of a ruthless mercenary. The first RPG developed solo Spiders comes out with a verdict lackluster, with good ideas, and because of a realization unpolished. Who knows, with a little luck, the funds will not miss next time and the Gauls may correct the defects of their young license if the chance is given them to us concoct a suite.

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DEAD ISLAND RIPTIDE : Review

If Dead Island was surprised mixing genres of RPG, FPS and survival of his result here would benefit more than the element of surprise. No big deal since developers Techland seem to have released this Dead Island Riptide to satisfy the fans before a probable third episode. But beyond its appearance Dead Island 1.5, Riptide is it really worth some attention?

Dead Island Riptide is what might be called a transitional episode. Certainly, no new segment has not yet been formalized but no doubt that Techland is already working on the issue, especially as the end of this album sounds in some ways like 28 Weeks Later. So, your feelings will vary depending on your knowledge of the previous game with the Riptide is ultimately a lazy clone making some additions here and there. However, and as paradoxical as it may seem, Riptide is for fans of the first Dead Island, which is a direct result, while the gringue all other players by offering a vast game than its predecessor, enhanced with new creatures, weapons and whatnot. In this case, difficult to give a clear and determined about the value of this title as the balance is finally balanced between frustration and joy of plunging back into this heavenly hell judgment.

artificial paradise

For those who take the boat running, know that Dead Island is a little video game that Planet Terror is the cinema: a product scenario completely crazy kitsch but damn enjoyable. Thus, the first part of the saga of Techland we recounted the woes of several characters stranded on an island infested with zombies. So the big bis spot with all that that implies caricatures and scenario pretext for a heap of guts. Seen in this light, all might seem suicidal except dads Call of Juarez had the good sense to maximize the atmosphere B-Movie to offer an adventure briskly borrowing moult genres of video games while developing a system deeper game than one might imagine at first. The result is surprising in more ways than one, opted for an increase based EXP and skills to unlock while the obligation to recover everything behind to create makeshift weapons offered the fights hand-to-gross appearance of a body stripping. Unsurprisingly, Dead Island Riptide uses the formula and do not forget to sprinkle some all original ingredients.

A copy

Opening on the direct purpose of Dead Island Riptide gives us quickly into the bath. Thus, after importing the character of Dead Island or chose one of the five available packings (one adventurer is unpublished) starting directly to Level 15, we are again facing the nightmare. Hardly time to smile to face more shots situations and characters that have never been to escape from a military ship from running aground. Back to the starting point, and it is left for a trip through the jungle to try to learn a little more about the origins of the virus, how to get rid of it and eventually find a way to take the powder 'escampette. So quickly, exploration premium on the scenario whose interest is just as important as how Final Season Derrick, a sense of déjà vu is invited swiftly. And because the construction of Riptide is a decal that of its big brother. Progression through a jungle, a huge village serving hub, Japanese tunnels (replacing at short notice sewers Dead Island), a new city, a military base, everything, absolutely everything, is modeled on the first episode. So know that if you're looking for originality, you're not in the right place. By cons, if this aspect does not bother you any more than that, you should once again take a huge foot.

A gore and cry

So if Riptide draws its strength from the ideas of its predecessor, it is undeniable that despite the total lack of ambition of the project, the title comes out through well-oiled mechanisms. The zombies run, hit, spit, some newcomers screaming in our ears to destabilize us and in this infernal chaos, the focus is always on creating weapons although you can quickly find a sling to firearms. So yes, it is regrettable lack of unreleased mods, ok, our characters have the same capabilities but strangely, if one is aware of all these defects, it is delightful to browse the new adventure. Of course, impossible to put blinders on when we consider the news which can be summarized in a few extra weapons (mines, a missile or various knives), a new vehicle (boat) and the famous tower defense phase . Regarding the latter, as saying that Techland could do without. Indeed, these passages ask you to barricade a makeshift headquarters by placing barbed wire and Gatling at strategic points and watering during the VERY long minutes of zombies until such time that the Horde is completely destroyed. The name is not trivial since these sequences are neither more nor less than Horde in the adventure solo or co-op as it is of course possible to play with three friends. In short, all is unnecessary seen between two phases of tower defense, it smashes the zombie every five minutes.

Sea, sex and gun

Finally, it is difficult to Riptide strongly advise those who made the previous installment as we are served by the same game set in different drowned in bright sunshine environments. But on the other hand, if you liked the first episode, you should logically you laugh with the Riptide, although Techland has not even bothered to address shortcomings of its predecessor. In sum, there are always small amount of annoying things (some jumps that go wrong, being able to get in the car one side Single Player ...) and the fragility of our characters (even high-level) results still many premature deaths. Certainly, this aspect led to a respawn system linked to our savings we would have liked a little better managed in the sense that these deaths are more bulky than penalizing since we quickly get a bunch of money is if that difficulty we search everywhere. Also include the overflow quests Fedex or obligation to roam whenever in long, wide and across the map to reach our goals. Again, we feel that everything has been designed to force us to visit, to use vehicles and trudge in scrubs strength of stiff but it got tired ... While at regular intervals, the machine restarts on a bang with a lot of excessive situations allowing us to take advantage of new, more lethal toys. Dead Island Riptide is it an indispensable? No, but if you know what you are buying, it's a safe bet that you will enjoy once again.

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RIDDICK : A NEW GAME IN PREPARATION

When not busy blowing up big cars on the big screen, Vin Diesel is also a fan of video games that reveals its future plans on the use of Riddick franchise.

Interviewed by IGN during ComicCon held last weekend in San Diego in the United States, the actor unveiled a new game project based on the world of intergalactic killer was in preparation. The concrete details of the thing are rather chick right now, just know that it will be a game approach massively multiplayer where you will be visibly invited to play as a mercenary of the space. It is known that against the development team will be at least partially formed of some of the creators of the previous (and quite successful) Riddick games.

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GAMES WORKSHOP : CHAINSAW WARRIOR

Games Workshop continues its frenetic series of ads with the evocation of a game adaptation Chainsaw Warrior.

Probably not the best known today in the catalog publisher produces, this game solo set out in the 80s will indeed return in the form of a PC and mobile game (s) in development in Auroch Digital. No real details about the title has been released at this time, except that obviously there slay tons of techno-mutant zombies with a chainsaw in the streets of New York City. What you ask for.

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STARDRIVE : Review

This is the story of a violent and stupid wolf, a stupid but honest also bear and a clever but devious man. Except that it is neither a fable by La Fontaine or a Disney cartoon and even less of Reynard the Fox, but Stardrive.

Times change and with them the object of desire. Rather than send dross in order to recover any sheep before roasting on a spit, our three friends spent the next level and is now struggling to blow laser cannons for the supremacy of their race on the Way Milky, no less. Within the confines of space, they meet other previously unknown species moult which they will have to be wary. Welcome to the wonderful world of Stardrive, funded on Kickstarter a peccadillo space 4X, programmed by one man and sold thirty euros on Steam, a substantial amount that will have to justify.

THE SMELL OF NAPALM

Rome was not built in a day and yet it is only a city. Then an interstellar empire ... Like any self-respecting 4X, Stardrive based on the promise of long and complex parts in which the main objective is to ensure our supremacy over the rest of the universe. Accordance with the standards of the genre, it begins around our home planet with the only possessions a shuttle colonization, a scout, and just good to be reduced to ashes at the first touch hostile fighter. If we are lucky, our world orbiting in a dense solar system and provided immediately habitable planets. Otherwise, it will go on an adventure in the icy depths of the ether and pray that the stars cross the road are more welcoming than the pile of rocks nearby. For humans, the exploits of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong mingle with prehistory and the small planet Earth has become too narrow to satisfy the runaway ambitions of its dominant race. Meanwhile, in another corner of the galaxy, seven unknown species feed on the same desires for expansion.

Each new section begins with the selection of people to lead and define the rules of the game size is selected to conquer the land, the number of antagonists, the density of solar systems, the difficulty ... The parameters which influence and many are already used to create relatively diverse scenarios. The player will have the same opportunity to change the features specific to its species to draw in three categories. These bonuses and penalties determine industrial efficiency, diplomatic or needs of our elected officials. The Opteris example offend the smell of other species and suffer from a relational disadvantage result. In return, their body is fully synthetic and provides organic matter to survive. Instead, the population can be maintained by the fruit mineral extractions. Need to watch for fertile land to implement. While other darkspawn must ensure the viability of the soil before colonizing a planet, cyber insects can be established everywhere and really play like insatiable parasites. In very little time, their empire extends far beyond their original borders and a glimmer of fear turns into the eyes of their enemies. A first step towards victory.


HARDLY THICK

In Stardrive, diplomacy is at least as important as military power, which it also depends greatly. Terrorize his opponents, but also ensure that they will not try anything stupid against us, except perhaps Vulfar and Humans. The first, belligerent and devoid of common sense wolves, do not learn their lesson that blow on the nose. The latter are driven by an imperialist desire and, as their commander repeat itself regularly, xenophobic possible. Very often, however, the mere fact of having a more developed than its competitors is enough to put them in the pocket arsenal. The Pollops and Cordrazines are too poor to refuse warlike openings borders or free commercial exchange. Pasting them enough livers, while being magnanimous course, they will soon come begging an alliance. A few laps later, they accept without flinching the annexation of their empire ours in a super conglomerate headed by our apple. Kulrathi the other hand, are very sensitive to bullying and ask for pledges of good faith before agreeing to any agreement. Each race has its own little character, and it is always interesting to try a peaceful victory playing with confidence bars, animosity and fear present in the diplomatic game interface

Unfortunately, when the exchange of knowledge and other touches are not enough to make allies, there's only one solution to consolidate its position as ruler of the universe. Those who do not realize that perish in a total war doomed to destroy any form of resistance. Unlike the modern nuclear arsenal to look pretty in a display case, our strike force also has a practical interest. Daniel DiCicco, the lawyer who developed the title, this also fighting and customization of vessels as the heart of the game and we must admit that seeing grow its fleet and lead them into battle is rather nice at first . Unfortunately, after two or three hours to marner our scientists on military projects or send spies steal adverse findings, the battles are no longer a means of artificially delaying victory or defeat. Let our empire is militarily superior and exterminate any fleet, or it is in a rush and there will be powerless to lower its borders to its pure and simple disappearance. The fault in skirmishes that have strategic the name.


KILLER EARLY

As the player fights with frigates, not enough space on the hull to use multiple types of weapons effectively. The choice of technology is so important because it will affect the outcome of the fighting. Attacking a pirate fleet with simple machine guns reports of suicide, even if the enemy is three times less likely than us. But at the onset of cruisers, and even more so after the release of the titans, any constraint disappears and we are flying monsters can unleash the fires of hell in all their variations. Altercations consist subsequently send the largest packet units in the same place and wait for the enemies explode over their home planet before bombing it to turn into a radioactive desert. It is still possible to send ground troops to take charge of the infrastructure already present win without bloodshed, but attacks in turn are so tedious that it is easier to demolish and rebuild everything from zero, if the heart tells us.

This is just the biggest flaw Stardrive: where competitors offer a long and exciting experience, it offers only a beginning and middle part of intense and pleasant before collapsing in the final kilometer. The military side is affected, as well as research, economy and design sowers of death. If a general survives until the final confrontation, the latest scientific advances it will probably be of no use to win. Similarly, if it has sufficient capital, it may well see his bank account melt like snow in the sun when he manages to defeat his nemesis before being discovered. And to do that, he must fill out all of his Titans hand, piece by piece, in a kind of simulation of mechanical daunting and unintuitive. Besides that, once out of the hangar, the invincible armada creates delays in execrable slightest movement. On the achievements of six hours, we must be prepared to take the first five before bored during the last.


URBI ET ORBIT

This, however, after a period spent learning to experiment with actually quite effective interface, but completely devoid of indication. Useful buttons are at the top of the screen, at the bottom right next to the minimap, after a right-click on a camera ... It's a bit generalized brothel and the lack of a tutorial or scripted campaign for beginners does not invite frankly to keep calm. Therefore, the only way to get out in the long term is to let the opponent roll over us in our first steps while we experimented with different menus. Soon, some good ideas emerge, such as the ability to increase the speed of the game by thirty or more, or otherwise divide by two, or even switch to active break, a blessing in a game of real-time management. After some experimentation, we also learn to delegate the development of some planets AI and freight management or space highways. We can then focus on the search tree rather provided and basic but efficient economy by varying the tab taxes and the allocation of settlers to the production, or food science.

difficult beginnings make the game rather pushing for a neophyte and simplistic endgame will not rejoice and regulars. The target audience is rather vague, and it is better to play as a little tidbit able to enjoy the old pros a good thirty hours rather than as a new reference type. For now, multiplayer announced the Kickstarter page is also still present, which would have lengthened a little life. Similarly, the promise of a customizable envy game is not quite met, the manager mods are far from being as simple as Skyrim and rather cranky when it comes to activate several additions simultaneously. At the current price of thirty euros, the pill can be a little hard to swallow, unless a fan of the genre or lacking on the lookout for a way able to relax until a new, more complex license. Balances in hand, and even more so once the fighting Integrated line should be no harm to any amateur Emperor wishing to spend a good time to palaver with bears and ninjas stab Ancient Ones in the back.

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SLENDER : THE ARRIVAL : Review

While Capcom was struggling to jump in with the horrific atmosphere that made the success of the first Resident Evil feet, a handful of independent developers have made up his mind to seize their chance and terrorize the public. In all likelihood, 2013 should be the year of the heart attack.

If all goes well, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Outlast or Daylight should have finished hoist manufacturers pacemaker among the top global fortunes before December. These must already begin to rub their hands: a few weeks ago it came out of Slender: the Arrival, following the official free prototype with the delight of many youtubers. Is it already time to place his ball on the stock exchange in the medical field?

URBAN LEGENDS

The first interest as Parsec Productions and Blue Isle Studios is not just sticking livers but to do so using the Slenderman. Contrary to what a translation might suggest, it is not a beautiful and svelte Adonis but a person in costume, high of nearly three meters and potentially equipped with tentacles he hides behind his back . According to legend, it is the cause of various unexplained disappearances around the world, like the bogeyman of vampires and werewolves. However, unlike these ancestral beings, the man with outlandish proportions was born just four years ago on the net, before seeing its popularity grow exponentially. It is now a meme, a few prolific English bloggers to contribute into myth by building codes. Success is apparently appointment because the stories and photos of Slenderman implicitly rigged abound today on the canvas. Some non-Internet savvy even see hoaxes and therefore assume that others truly believe in the beast, or try to convince their readers and viewers of its existence.

Chances are slim that future generations integrate beanpole in bestiary used by parents to scare their children before bedtime. Nevertheless, there is something fascinating to see live creation escape its author to be gradually integrated into the popular culture. It all started with an idea launched on a forum: publish retouched images of paranormal phenomena. June 10, 2009, responding to a member pseudonym Victor Surge was posting two photos that the monster could be distinguished in the middle of children with closed faces, accompanied by four lines of text murky just right. Having grown, the phenomenon has been dedicating a free game 2012: Slender: The Eight Pages. Presented by its developer as a concept, it was so successful that followed was started, and it is to her that we are interested today. It also found a direct reference to the first episode with the second level called "The eight pages," in which the player must collect at night eight-page spread in a forest, chased by Slenderman.


Deep in THE WOODS

To be exact, it is not really allowed us to embody the character. Instead of a conventional subjective view, it is through a camera that we see the path traveled by Lauren. Very inspired by the independent horror films like The Blair Witch Project, [Rec] and Paranormal Activity, the use of a camera is not quite as innocent as film reflects the inevitability of events told. In this case, our amateur librarian goes to his childhood sweetheart, Kate, to take from him.

Obviously, the latter lives in a charming clueless middle of nowhere residential house, surrounded by a desert forest, caves and abandoned industrial complex. Also consistent with the clichés of the genre, we arrive at night without torch, and the mayor of hometown has not seen fit to install streetlights along the dirt roads. After exploring the empty house, we enter the room of Kate, whose walls are covered with writing frightened and frantic. The texts speak of course of Slenderman, its pervasiveness and possible means of escape. Then a shrill cry echoed through the night, the single broken window in the room.

It is time for our adventurer out to find his old friend in the woods behind the garden, armed with a simple flashlight found in the house. On her way, she discovers pages left on my office, cars, tents ... As soon as the first clue in hand, the video camera starts messing. Sizzling artifact, distorted display, all these effects will intensify until you thing. These indicators of its presence increase the pressure and make visibility almost zero just before it appears and we glue a good fright. The method used is not the most sought after, but it is very effective.

You have to imagine a monster coming out of the closet would have freed the latter furniture for his office. Slenderman can occur anytime, anywhere, often off-camera, or in front of us in a flash. The tension comes from the fact that there is no place to hide, and the environments are saturated with visual and physical barriers. The only way to stay alive is to escape the monster and never look especially its lack of face. In the panic and black, it will tend to eat a significant number of barriers in full pear, and any other objects located directly in our path.


BETWEEN SOI

With the eighth page, the ordeal ends and Lauren wakes up in broad daylight in the middle of a hill reddened by autumn trees. After a minute of walking, we go into a kind of underground base plunged into darkness. And no different. This time, eight generators must be enabled to supply a lift and rise to the surface. And the game loses all of a sudden a lot of interest. History vary a little terrors, a second antagonist chasing us to lacerate we face, but a good shot of the light in the eyes is in compliance long enough for us to put some distance between him and us. Unfortunately, its predictable monomaniacal ultra coupled to the repetition of actions already requested in the previous chapter defuses any effect of fear in revealing the artificiality. Came out, it was entitled to a new phase of day and darkness, day and then ... And then the game ends after two and a half hours a cul de sac and a final scene as enigmatic. Here, here ...

Slender: The Arrival is completely dispensable player in lambda. Its brevity is probably a way to compensate for the extreme poverty of the gameplay, and especially the maximum time that the omnipotent and unpredictable monster we can really stick the miquettes. Beyond addiction transform fear into mere surprise and specifications would not be met. But as said above, the interest of the game is to stage the Slenderman and his myth, or rather to participate in its development: it does not really sufficient in itself, but takes on a whole new dimension to an amateur legend maturing. The narrative is smart enough to never say anything openly and give free room for interpretation. Some characters do not have such a name, just initials at the bottom of a letter. Kate never met, nor the boy whose disappearance on a poster nailed to a utility pole on learning. And obviously, the "proxies" that painful character encountered in the underground, was a human before. But which one, and why is it in the service of the demonic entity? The game is sent directly to those who follow the evolution of the monster by other means. Perhaps too little world.

It would be cruel to conclude without mentioning the production and artistic direction. If all the textures are not bluffing, landscapes and environments are often beautiful. At night, the forest and the buildings take on the appearance of mazes. Day, we spent several minutes looking at the wooded valleys separating us from the radio antenna to which we take our journey. Human settlements leave an impression of decay and desolation which contrasts perfectly with the beauty of the wild and hostile elements. The sound is also very well used, and plays with reverb and echo intelligently, to make us more footsteps whose origins remain unknown forever hear. It is unfortunate that the game mechanics are not up to this lovingly crafted atmosphere. Too bad that the Unity Engine used lack of optimization: too often we spend 70 frames per second at least 25 following a corner a little abrupt. That is to say, throughout the game, each appearance of our continuing.

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DEFIANCE : Review

Before development studios logically expected distribution of TV before gratify the unwary fan a mostly lousy adaptation if we take the example of Prison Break: The Conspiracy, Lost: The Missing, or more recently , the calamitous Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. Defiance but goes further. Not only the eponymous series that will be released in a few days, but it's more a massively multiplayer TPS we deliver here developers Trion Worlds. Enough to break the law of series?

THIS IS A CHALLENGE PARADE

Original in its willingness to mix both MMO shooter in the third person and interactions with the TV series, Defiance is unfortunately a little less in the scenario. The action title from Trion Worlds takes place on Earth, after a long and terrible war between Humans and Votans, aliens from the base to squat peace a piece of land after their planet was destroyed . But here it is: probably annoyed by the burden of our administration and court resources, Votans finally went on the attack, sparking a conflict that has radically changed the face of the earth, between terraforming and risky genetic mutations. No grudges for two in some humans finally agreed somehow these new turbulent neighbors and unite with them to build a new civilization singing Koumbaya. As pillarche, recovery expert minerals and other extraterrestrial charms, so we will play one of these idealists under the orders of a certain Karl Von Bach, a famous industrialist in possession of a mysterious artifact. Breathless suspense.

Once mouthing illustrated by a short cutscene, it will of course go through the essential character creation. Far from the opulence of a Champions Online or Aion, it will first choose the gender and race, between humans devoid of charisma and Votans properly hideous and a career among the four proposed : Veteran, Survivor, Paria or engineer. No early triumphalism as long as these four professions will not act as a class - just not there some in Defiance - but simply to determine its holding his gun out and equip the player's avatar of a semblance of background.

Then come the purely cosmetic considerations with a rather narrow range of skin tones, eye colors and hair, face shapes and nose, tattoos and scars of all kinds and a variety of set of fold more commonplace. In short, those who hoped to give a distinctive look to their character will be for expenses. After all, World of Warcraft has been successful despite a tool for creating equally hungry, but it was eight years ago and strength is found in 2013 Defiance is rather pale in this area.

To give a bit of uniqueness to his hero, so it's to the EGO system - the name of the chip powering its character - it will turn, again with only four very specific branches. With specialization Lure, the player can project a holographic dual able to draw enemy fire and teleport in place of said decoy while Flash will drastically increase its running speed and attack power in hand-to- body for a short period. Camouflage will logically become invisible and overload to increase the damage of firearms while reducing recoil. Hmm. At each level up, you will have the opportunity to invest a talent point in a model associated with its business, increasing the duration of the effects of his power, for example, or giving other liabilities far from windfall bonus and whose efficiency in game, do not necessarily jump to the eyes.


FEARS OF GUNS!

Yet despite this began at least mitigated, Defiance know quickly snap the player with the skill of a professional dating sites. For a young MMO title from Trion Worlds is rather stable with only an inadvertent disconnection deplore the first day. No queue or lag, even with thirty furious that unleashed hell on the screen, a few minor bugs (which is for the PC version) and a satisfactory detection of impacts is essential for a shooter line. Blaster in hand, we then start to lost on the plains of California devastated body after a short tutorial explaining the functions of the EGO chip and the various equipment options.

In line with a Borderlands 2, Defiance will therefore players to pick up and equip various skins and head held in a gaggle of all genres, a mod for grenades and one for the shield. Another location allows them equip their vehicles - that is obtained quickly enough elsewhere - to the futuristic quad muscle car tuned through the buggy, and we call on all the time field would only to gloat blow the horn that sounds ridiculous in that time. Finally, it is possible to equip two weapons between switcher which can be broadcast at any time.

Guns, in fact, is one of the highlights of Defiance. In addition to providing the usual handguns, submachine guns, light machine guns, bazookas, grenade launchers, assault rifles, accuracy or pump, as Trion Worlds gratifies player blunderbusses more exotic weapons such as biomagnetic slowly suck the life of enemies after being undermined their shield but, used on allies, trace the life bar. Less philanthropists, contaminants will send its ad patres enemies by sending them voracious pests in Fig. In addition, it will be possible to upgrade its arsenal through various elements as a new stock, a more generous charger or last gun cry, increasing efficiency is bousin.

Prolific on the subject, Defiance is also an opportunity to get their hands on some special weapons that you pick up on the ground during some missions in which hordes of enemies are more pressing and where to send the large . These include, in the head bionic knuckles with integrated energy shield to put cleats from space, the mortars to trigger at will or the missile homing: a classic that has been evidence. Finally, if most guns traditionally Lootera on the corpses of enemies or quest reward, it will be possible to buy, against real money, chests containing alétoires items (most expensive logically contain more objects) with sometimes a pleasant surprise to come across an epic or legendary weapon. That those who are refractory to such disreputable process can rest assured these boxes can also be obtained against cash and gleaned during our travels even if resources, to enlarge a little more her wardrobe or enjoy a temporary bonus XP for example, it will unsheathe the credit card.


FAILS OF HANS!

Side content to watch First Defiance generous bonus on offer because besides the main quest and side quests scripted as in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the title of Trion Worlds offers us a shovelful of parallel tasks, Proof of shooting and racing to achieve in a short time with reward key, missions related to the different factions to purchase unique equipment, high-facts at hand or random mini-events like saving poor fellows struggling with wildlife or local thugs at a bend. Directly inherited from the Rift fault system - the same studio - the benefits of arches occur occasionally in various parts of the map drawing in their wake all adventurers eager to XP and bastons scale.

So many activities, which unfortunately does not prevent the player to walk around all the way to offer both the main frame shipped in twenty hours. MMO requires, Defiance still offers some instances - not very difficult it is true - that you unlock as and when it progresses, and the inevitable skirmishes PvP battlefields dedicated. Once equipped to kill, it's light-hearted and full magazine we will launch an assault on quests that we are offered. A quad shot here, a few well-placed headshots thus, the different missions keep coming quickly and dynamically, we are only too happy to escape the usual "spam click and" the majority of MMO.

Unfortunately, a strange and insidious feeling is soon to appear in a few hours of play: that of always doing the same thing. And this is normal since it is exactly what we do. Indeed, episodic quests and main quests have to be worn by beautiful cinematic - which is invariably remains silent and docile - and multiply the protagonists (the side missions when trying to change the objectives and places), most of our activity will always be to go to the place indicated, annihilate the forces and pick up the requested item / save the NPC imprudent / hold the position for a few minutes then get the reward again and again, ad nauseum.

Certainly, it could be criticized that the vast majority of titles in this segment, but they at least try to hide this propensity monotony behind some variety in environments and situations a little more rich and consistent universe that average, one thing that the title of Trion Worlds is struggling to do. Far reaching heights in terms of area, the world will watch Defiance very dull and lifeless addition. Okay, the player evolve in a post-apocalyptic world in the aftermath of a war that has profoundly changed the face of the earth, but it was not against a little more variety, or at least identity in places and scenery. In the state, regardless of location or you are, it will mostly be satisfied with empty stretches, ruins, craters and alien terraforming of sight. Sausalito, dreary plain.


SYSTEM FAILURE

To make matters worse, Defiance must also contend with a technical part far from encouraging. If the title is graphically shows still acceptable on PC - although it is still not known, at present, if they are the models that are rude or if it's the art direction is to review - hard to not wince on steep animations such as justice and IA coasting with enemies unpredictable behavior that sometimes planquent - and sometimes not - or darken it before we change direction abruptly and then return to the office or get stuck in a decorative element. Confusing. As well as animations, gameplay Defiance would have earned a little more flexibility and originality, or at least, a cover system worthy of the name, a bare minimum for a GST in 2013, it was massively multiplayer.

This massively multiplayer part, precisely, is the last but not the least disappointment as Trion Worlds as she finally anecdotal. In case, an interface that can be qualified as "thinking for consoles" to be polite. Damn bad, it makes difficult the more mundane actions like comparing the stats of his arms, pick unnecessary items in its inventory for sale from the merchant and even offline. Special mention to the chat system so discreet and unreadable that hardly anyone uses it. Moreover, Defiance could be a solo game so the arguments between players hold the exceptional. It's simple: even a two-hour session, four on Borderlands 2 is a talkative day on Defiance. A peak.

At the same time, we must admit that nothing is done to encourage and support communication, except perhaps at public quests, like a Guild Wars 2, where everyone contributes to the objectives each without really wanting to. By eliminating the sacrosanct model Tank-Heal-DPS, we can not say that Defiance is therefore a way that showcases the complementarity, play as a team or developing strategy since everything eventually turns " strafant "and nonchalantly emptying his magazine, whether pending or benefits during the famous arches, which are similar to a gathering of mostly door-guns that shoot up a crystal or an alien matriarch in free for all.

Same story PvP side, with among other Team Deathmatch up to eight players everything from classic. And it is still too early to talk balance, there was still a significant overuse of power Camouflage matched again, communication close to zero. In the end, only the Shadow War drew fashion somewhat out of the game with its parts up to 64 players and strategic points to take and keep the way of the Conquest mode of Battlefield 3. Unfortunately, nothing completely restore the prestige of a promising and ambitious title, which is too often a free-to-play finery sold at high prices. Too bad, all started so well.

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