2014.22: A New Beginning - Final Cut

Completed in 9hours - Times walkthrough used: ~9

This game has a nice story of a world gone to shit due to global warming and people from the future must travel back in time to warn mankind and ultimately stop the downfall.

You play as both a member of the team from the future gone back in to the past and as Doctor Bent Svensson who holds to key to the future of the mankind as he has produced a power source from natural resources that everyone can host and grow in their own terrace.

Dr Svensson is an interesting character as he has spent his whole life time working on perfecting that technology and through his unhealthy dedication to his work, he has lost everything. He gets into a bad condition medically working himself silly and is forced to retire. This leaves him a cynical and broken man who can't help but think he has wasted his whole life by giving his life, his family, to a project that at the end turned out to be fruitless.

Until the team from the future knock on his door and tell him his technology is the only real hope for the future.

That is the set up of the game and of course Dr isn't convinced straight away and there are more characters and motivations that come to light over the course of the game. Most of these are well realised and the story and characters stay solid until the very end.

The gameplay was mostly good. Of the 9 or so times I have used a walkthrough, only 3 or so I would say were because of the game being just frustrating. One was a straight out bug. After spending 30mins or so on it, I gave in and Googled to find out it was literally impossible for me to solve that puzzle. And the other two "bullshit moments" though not really, were I forgot you can further interact with things in your inventory. This is used rarely enough that it slips your mind it's a possibility.

Overall design usually consists of a 5-6 room area with a goal and most of it is logical, though there are the usual "why not just do this?" moments PnC games can easily fall into (which is where some of my other walkthrough usage came from). And couple of times I remember thinking "um so what am I trying to do?" so there is a bit of unclear objectives going on here as well. But not too bad by any means.

So I think it was a good effort far as the design of the game. I like that you play as different characters, as Fay from the future and as the Dr from 'now' and the overall topic is handled sensibly.

I would give the story and the writing a great (8) score, the design of the game a good (6) score and mix those two up to say this was a VERY GOOD adventure that is worth playing;

7/10.

2014.21: Wolfenstein: The New Order

Completed in about 20 hours (guesstimate) on UBER (very hard) difficulty

This game was a blast from the start. What it does is give you a nice map (filled with secrets and collectibles usually) and lets you get on with it. It directs and gives you ideas, or suggestions rather through the addictive 'perks' system. Where different styles of play (stealth, assault, tactical, explosive) are rewarded with perks (faster crouch movement, endurance, faster reload, less explosive damage etc). You unlock many perks in each category by doing set challenges ranging from throwing knife kills to killing enemies by shooting or making them drop their grenade. 

Combine that system with the freedom of play in majority of the levels, and you are free to switch up your style of play when ever you feel like it. Freedom of play with the added incentive of unlocking those perks. Very addictive stuff. So the map design and the perk system merges perfectly to give you a sense of accomplishment and freedom.

With that solid foundation, the game sprinkles on what must be the most fun to use weapons ranging from shotguns that have bouncing shells to some great energy weapons. Only thing these variety of weapons have in common is it will leave your enemies in pieces. The gore system is super fantastic and greatly satisfying. It is realistic enough to be convincing, yet exaggerated enough to not disgust. A masterful balance they hit with the gore system.

The story is yet another thing the game gets right. The tone and the delivery of the story is fully aware of the overall arc it is delivering and is under no illusion with itself. This makes for a confident, satisfying and well paced story that is actually backed by a pretty well darn written script. Characters are believable through their motives, the events come together well and I was with these guys through to the very end.

The end is worth mentioning because it was very satisfying  both gameplay and story wise. I strongly recommend any shooter fan to play on Uber as it really added a great satisfaction to most sections including the end.

So as the review suggests, this is an EXCELLENT package that gives great attention to everything it does and in return it truly does pay off.

9/10.