Tag: Gaming

Posted in Recent Games

Red Dead Redemption 2

Posted on by Hobbit Of Hyrule

Well, firstly I should confess that I never played the first Red Dead Redemption, but I did carry some basic knowledge of the game from what I’ve seen on the odd YouTube video here and there.

I decided to give this one a go, and that was a decision I certainly did not regret.

The story is so deep, I think there are lots of small details which could easily go unnoticed for anyone not paying proper attention (slightly guilty of this on my first playthrough) and the characters are the same really – if you interact with the camp and do all side missions, then you will get a feel for each character and quickly decide who you like and dislike – and doing this makes the story much more impactful for you as a player!

You’re also able to make decisions on how the protagonist, Arthur, proceeds with different story and side missions. The “Honour” bar keeps track of how good or bad a person your Arthur is. I feel that this is another thing which will greatly impact how you react to the story, I know for a fact that I found myself getting very emotional at certain pivotal points.

There’s plenty to be getting on with as well, very little chance of you getting bored! Besides the story and the side missions, there’s hunting for legendary animals, bounties to collect, gangs and their hideouts to wipe out, lots of secrets concealed throughout the world, and of course collectables!

You will also be able to dress up your protagonist with a wide variety of options, which is always a good thing for me! My first Arthur was a clean, well-dressed gentleman, whereas my second was a rugged, scruffy cowboy. There are so many options, made even better by the fact you have the ability to keep multiple outfits in your loadout.

Weapons are another customisable factor in the game, there are a fair few to choose from, and different materials that you can use to give them your own personal look. (As well as actual attachments that offer practical boosts)

The world itself is stunning, a beautiful open world which you will most likely be marveling at as you ride through it on horseback – it’s truly a credit to the design team.

This is definitely a game I recommend for anyone who enjoys open world story-driven games!

  • Platform: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC
  • Release Date: 26/10/18 (Console), 05/11/19 (PC)
  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Shooter

Posted in Recent Games

Persona 5

Posted on by Hobbit Of Hyrule

I had never actually heard of the Persona series until a friend mentioned it shortly before the game released. After a small amount of digging around on the internet, I quickly decided this would be a game to add to my collection. It was definitely the right choice!

This is certainly one of the most unique, story-driven RPGs I have ever played. The story was simply phenomenal, I could barely put this game down as I was so desperate to see what was going to happen next. It takes a long time to get through, but I feel that there is more than enough variety in the activities and options that are available to you to stop you from losing interest.

The game almost plays like it’s actually a Japanese anime, and this is reinforced by the story cutscenes which actually are in the format of an anime.

I find the battle system very interesting, the standard expectations for a turn-by-turn system are in place, but the Persona system is what I enjoy the most – a feature which could be compared to Pokémon. The main bulk of enemies you fight will be Personas which you can in fact collect. There is a large variety of Personas that are available to the main character, and I particularly enjoyed the mythical theme around each of them – you will spot many legendary creatures, and even Gods. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses for you to discover, so most of them can be useful in some way.

A large part of the game is forming bonds with your teammates and other potential allies, and as your bonds deepen, various benefits will be given to you. This could be some form of service in the world, or it could be a maneuver/tactic in battle. It definitely pays to try to deepen your bonds as much as possible.

The soundtrack to this game is like nothing I have heard before – a unique sound without a doubt! Catchy tunes can be found just about wherever you go, in particular the standard battle music – I have found myself pulling tracks up on YouTube to listen to!

I think the social commentary in play here is particularly interesting, the story tackles an array of issues, mainly regarding “higher up” figures, and really makes you think about people’s perception of others, deep-running corruption, the reaction of the public to the media, and I can’t think of another game that so effectively makes you think about such modern day issues.

There are so many more things I could talk about, but I wouldn’t want to give too much away for anyone who might not have played the game yet! I would definitely give Persona 5 my full recommendation, easily something that you can sink hours and hours into!

  • Platform: Playstation 3, Playstation 4
  • Release Date: 15/09/16 (Japan), 04/04/17 (Worldwide)
  • Genre: Fantasy RPG,

Posted in Recent Games

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Posted on by Hobbit Of Hyrule

Well, where to even start here …

I can easily say that this is potentially my favourite game of all time. It already had a head start simply by being one of my favourite franchises, as Zelda games have been with me since I was old enough to start playing video games (Ocarina of Time was one of the first games that I owned).

This was certainly the most adventurous game in the series, as it couldn’t be much further from the standard formula of the series. Typically The Legend of Zelda follows a linear format, where you tackle a number of dungeons and bosses, increasing your arsenal of items and weapons as you go, allowing you to access new areas and solve different puzzles. Well, you can forget about all that!

The very first thing you’ll notice as you start a new game is the lack of a green tunic – well, for the first time Link is going to have a whole wardrobe of options! As you adventure, you will find different items of clothing with varying buffs and effects. They can be bought, rewarded, and found!

The next big change is the weapons and items! Link is now much more versatile with his weaponry, as you will see him handling swords, spears, axes, hammers, broadswords.. but not for long – they all break! You will find weapons all round the world (mainly on the floor after you have felled an enemy) and part of the challenge of the game is maintaining a good inventory of weapons to deal with whatever Hyrule throws at you. The same rule applies for shields, and also for bows, which will be available right from the beginning.

Instead of the classic gadgets and items that we all know and love, Link will be given a few runes in the tutorial area which will help him interact with the world and the various puzzles found.

Breath of The Wild features an absolutely stunning open world, where you can go wherever you like right from the beginning (after you complete the brief tutorial area). Some areas are more difficult to venture to than others, as there are environmental hazards to bear in mind (a volcano, the desert, mountains).

The new temperature gauge is something you’ll be keeping your eye on, as Link will start to lose health if he gets too hot or too cold! This can be dealt with by either wearing clothing to keep Link warm/cool, or by consuming certain meals or elixirs which will give Link a temporary buff.

One change which I didn’t enjoy so much was the low number of dungeons. This was supposed to be supplemented by the 120 puzzle shrines found throughout the world. While I did enjoy the shrines, I didn’t feel it was a good enough substitute for the large number of dungeons we are used to. For example, both Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess feature 9 main dungeons, whereas Breath of The Wild features 5.

The tone of the game is also like nothing the Zelda franchise has seen before. Typically the worlds we experience are teeming with life, with a bold soundtrack to compliment this. But in this age, Hyrule has been devastated, and only a number of settlements far away from Hyrule Castle have actually survived. You will also encounter plenty of ruins as you journey through the world. The soundtrack has been carefully composed to reflect this empty land, quiet, mostly consisting of gentle piano melodies.

This is by far my favourite open world that I have experienced in gaming, so many spectacular sights to discover, beautiful and striking locations to visit, I actually enjoy just wandering through Hyrule on horseback without any particular destination in mind. Without a doubt this game gets my full recommendation for anyone who has yet to get their hands on it.

I personally can’t wait to see how this world will be adapted and tweaked for the sequel!

  • Platform: Wii U, Nintendo Switch
  • Release Date: 03/03/2017
  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy RPG
Posted in New Games

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Posted on by Hobbit Of Hyrule

The first game I want to talk about is the one which has held most of my attention since it’s release; Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

This is actually the first Fire Emblem game I have owned – as is the case with most Westerners, my first introduction to Fire Emblem was in fact through the Super Smash Bros. series. The sword-wielding characters have always intrigued me, so I was eager to get the new game on release after having read into it and seeing what the game is about.

The premise appeals to me in several ways. I love fantasy RPGs, and I’ve always been a fan of the job/class system, particularly where it is possible to change character’s jobs.

You will also be given the choice between Classic or Casual mode when you start the game. I have opted for casual for my first playthrough as a newcomer to the series, simply because the classic mode features “permadeath” for characters that fall in battle – you will not be able to choose them again. I already find myself wanting to start a second file to test out this classic system, and test myself to see if I can actually avoid such a fate for my characters.

I have so far racked up 40+ hours playtime, and most of that is simply through the battling portions of the game. I would say that the battles are highly enjoyable, the different battlefields offer various tactical challenges (reduced movement in desert/forests, reduced visibility in fog, trap/enhancement tiles etc.).

Possibly the most intriguing mechanic for me is the fact that you are a professor in an academy, and your fighters will be your students (as well as yourself). Each week you will lecture and instruct them to increase their skills, which then in turns allows them to learn new abilities and move on to new classes. It is certainly as aspect I have been enjoying, it’s just something different that you don’t see a lot of, and it’s also quite reminiscent of Final Fantasy VIII’s Balamb Garden and their SeeDs.

The characters themselves all have plenty of personality – I have no doubt that you will quickly decide who you like and who you dislike. However there are plenty of opportunities for your opinions to change – there is a support system where the relationships between all characters develops and provides benefits in battle. Once their support levels are ready to increase, this can be triggered through a cutscene between the characters in question. I have actually found myself starting to come around to some of the characters that I was not that fond of, simply through seeing their personal growth in these cutscenes.

All in all, this is absolutely a game I can recommend for any Nintendo Switch owners, I have been having a great time with it and I really look forward to completing it and having another go in classic mode!

  • Platform: Nintendo Switch
  • Release Date: 26/07/19
  • Genre: Tactical RPG, Fantasy