Two Point Madness

The Steam holiday sale has been in full swing for well over a week and despite the fact that my wishlist has expanded, I'm happy to report that I've managed to quell any impulse buys.  The one and only purchase I have made has been the "Close Encounters" DLC for Two Point Hospital.  It had been quite awhile since I had last played TPH and I excitedly downloaded it onto my new(ish) PC.  I figured that once it downloaded I could hop right into the alien-infested madness of the new DLC, but there's where I was wrong.  Periodically I get irritated at the fact that the cloud save feature on Steam can be slow and so I've occasionally turned it off (before I decided the new PC was going to be a reality).  Welp--long-story-short...I had disabled those saves about midway through my initial completion of the game (I three starred every hospital because I am obsessive).  Since TPH is one of my favorite games, I wasn't too upset about having to re-play much of it and I've been putting my improved hospital administration skills to the test.

ALIENS!

I've read some very mixed things about TPH, but there's just something about it that manages to always pull me in.  I love micromanaging the details of my staff and hospital and trying to keep things running smoothly.  There's always a better way to do something and it's my goal to figure that out for every hospital.

Besides managing hospitals, I've been keeping my eyes on the 12 days of free giveaways on the Epic Store.  In various Epic giveaways I've snagged some interesting titles that I fully intend to check out at some point.  The 12 days games haven't been bargain bin rejects by any means--I grabbed Superhot and Hyperlight Drifter--a couple of quality games that I have wanted to play, but haven't necessarily wanted to buy.  The giveaway has also featured some awesome titles like Ape Out, Celeste, and FTL.

I've also found myself bouncing around into various games for brief stints.  I did some more lawyering in Phoenix Wright:  Ace Attorney, but I can only handle its goofiness for so long (I still have one last part of the trilogy to play).  I also found myself venturing back into Borderlands 3--a game that I felt has seen improved gameplay, but is still just more of the same--and starting up a new playthrough with a different character.  This time around I decided to go with FL4K and despite being underwhelmed at first, I'm starting to enjoy the playstyle.  FL4K can summon a variety of beasts to accompany it and, since I'm playing solo, it's really nice to have a critter that can tank and soak up bullets while I stand back and fire away.

And, on an almost completely un-gaming related note, I've been enjoying Netflix's The Witcher series.  I had very low hopes for it and have been pleasantly surprised.  I've seen some people commenting on social media that "it's the best video game adaptation I've seen!"  I would hesitate to call it an adaptation of the games as the series has largely followed the storylines in the books.  The first episode started off a bit slow, but I've enjoyed the very obvious nods to the books and some of the backstory that has been built into the show.  I've particularly enjoyed Yennefer's backstory and can see how it is also somewhat linked to concepts in the books--it's mentioned that sorceresses use glamours to alter their appearances (and make them all very beautiful) and there is a moment in the books when Geralt jokes to Yen about how all sorceresses probably look under those glamours (hunchbacked, traditionally hideous and witchy)--and then the show went there and gave Yen those very traits.  I'm a little sad that they changed Dandelion's name though :(

Objection! The Goofy Fun of Being a Video Game Lawyer

The Steam Winter sale has officially begun and it's the perfect time to be snatching up those hot deals!  As usual, I've grabbed a few (very different) titles that have been parked on my wishlist for awhile.  I've been looking for some light, fun games that I can hop into when I feel like it and I've been bouncing between three different games:  Prison Architect, Celeste, and Phoenix Wright:  Ace Attorney Trilogy.

I've spent the most time lawyering about in Phoenix Wright:  Ace Attorney.  In Phoenix Wright you play as Phoenix Wright, a fresh-out-of-law-school lawyer who is trying to earn his stripes in the court of law.  The story plays out in a series of chapters that start with a random crime and then Phoenix choosing to defend the accused criminal(s).  The gameplay involves point-and-click investigating and plays out in a visual novel format.  The entire goal is to find clues, interrogate witnesses to get them to cough up the truth, and to use your powers of attention and deduction to help get your clients exonerated.

Since Phoenix Wright:  Ace Attorney is a trilogy, there's plenty of crime to investigate and trials to be won.  The crimes and stories can be very far-fetched and mostly are pretty silly, but it's still fun to feel like a Sherlock Holmes/Clarence Darrow level genius.  If you're looking for a light, fun, and silly game to play, look no further than Phoenix Wright:  Ace Attorney.

Pretend lawyering is fun and all, but I've also spent a bit of time managing my long-forgotten lady prison #2 in Prison Architect.  Since the game was bought up by Paradox Interactive a series of updates and a new DLC have been rolled out.  I decided to check out the new(ish) changes to the game.

The biggest changes that I noted was the fact that there are a ton of new items--namely a crap ton of new floor types, wall types, and objects.  Many of the new items are much-needed additions--there's a shower pillar that lets you build shower heads on all sides (yesssssssss!)--but others are merely cosmetic add-ons to give your prison its own unique look.  If you haven't played in awhile, check it out.

The biggest Prison Architect news is that a new DLC, Psych Ward, was recently released.  Psych Ward presents a new form of prison to manage--a psych prison that manages the criminally insane.  These special prisons require a different management style and introduce even more unique items.  I briefly considered purchasing this DLC, but after reading numerous complaints of bugs and issues I decided to give it a pass (for now).

Another game that I've spent a bit of time tinkering with is Celeste.  I have read many great things about it, but find that I have to be in just the right mood to want to play platformers.  At first I wasn't sure that I would be able to get into it, but after clearing the first and second levels (with an insane number of deaths) I found that I was enjoying it and am curious about the story.  Over my holiday break I hope to spend some more time scaling the mountain (and dying a jillion times).

Happy holidays everyone!  May your gaming days be bright!

Button Gymnastics--Devil May Cry 5

I've spent a decent chunk of time enjoying some light hack n' slash in Devil May Cry 5.  The series was completely new to me and in the end I'm glad that I bought it (*on sale...I'm glad that I bought it on sale.  I would be hesitant to pay full price.).  I'm at the point now where I feel I can coherently give my review, so here goes.

If you're wondering what exactly the series is about, let me try to sum it up.  It's about being a hot, demon slaying, demon hunter who is also a demon (confused yet?).  Essentially you play as one of three different characters who have supernatural abilities and who wield an arsenal of slick looking guns and giant swords.  Other demons are trying to attack earth and you are trying to get rid of those demons.  Honestly, it's one of those games where you don't care much about the story because the gameplay takes center stage.  Shoot, slash, and punch your way past an army of baddies with a diverse set of stylish moves.  That is the game in a nutshell.

Pros:
+ It looks great and the main characters all look very slick and stylish.  Each has their own signature look which includes some very nice looking, beautifully waving hair.  Video game hair has become so important.  The environments in the game vary between hellish, demon infested zones in the Qlipoth (a giant, treelike demonic structure) and varying ruined city landscapes.

V and his demonic companion Griffon.

+ Story alternates between three different main characters.  Each character has their own fighting style and weapon sets.  Part of what makes the gameplay so enjoyable is learning the unique abilities of each character.  Nero has the ability to pull enemies toward him with a spectral whip which makes it easy to keep the action rolling; V offers an odd, but highly enjoyable style of play where he doesn't directly attack enemies but instead can deploy three demonic companions who can perform ranged and melee attacks; and Dante who offers a challenging array of moves and styles and an extremely powerful attack mode. 

+ Style ratings offer up additional challenge.  Each time you enter combat you are awarded a style ranking that seems to be based on multiple factors--how many different attack combos you can pull off, how well you avoid taking damage, and how well you can keep the action rolling.  The better you are able to do those things, the higher your rating will be and the more bonus orbs (currency) you are rewarded.  The ratings range from D for "dismal" up to the coveted SSS for "smokin' sick style."  At the end of each level all your combat ratings are added together for a final level rating.

+ Tons of combos and special attacks to master.  Throughout the game you find (and are rewarded) red orbs which serve as the currency.  Using those orbs you can purchase new combos and abilities for each character.  Each ability requires learning a new control sequence.

+ Devil triggers offer extremely powerful, special attacks.  Each character has their own devil triggers which allow you to perform ultra-moves.  The devil trigger gauge builds as you slay regular enemies and find special white orbs.  Part of the challenge of gameplay is figuring out how and when to utilize your devil triggers.

+ While not open world, there is an aspect of exploration.  There are hidden nooks and crannies sprinkled throughout each level which can potentially contain secret missions (challenge levels) or special blue orbs (which increase your vitality when you find four) or purple orbs (which increase your Devil Trigger gauge).  It is worthwhile to stray from the main path to find these hidden objects.

+ Practice mode.  There is a special practice mode called "the void" where you can test out new abilities and practice your combos.  It's nice because there are a ton of abilities to learn.  You can also alter the settings to include specific types of enemies or whether or not the enemies should attack you (which is good for practicing dodge moves).

+ Challenge mode.  After you complete the main storyline a new wave-based challenge mode called the "Bloody Palace" becomes available.  You can choose from the three main characters and the goal is to survive for as long as you can.  Each wave summons up a new grouping of enemies and every tenth wave includes a boss (or boss-like) enemy that you must defeat.  You receive a style ranking on each wave and are rewarded for completing the waves quickly.  The mode is timed and it is important to build up as much additional time as you can so that you can have enough time for the more difficult boss levels.  Bloody Palace is also a good place to earn red orbs.

+ Replayability.  Even though the main storyline is short, there is a huge replayability aspect to the game.  There are tons of abilities to purchase (and, for three different characters) so farming orbs to unlock abilities could be your goal.  You might want to increase your style rankings on certain levels.  There are secret missions and items to find.  One particularly handy feature is the ability to select which mission you want to replay.  There are also many difficulty levels and it's worthwhile to up the difficulty as you unlock more special abilities.

+Secret missions provide extra challenge for special rewards.  There are 10 secret challenges hidden throughout the game.  They provide character-based challenges (like using Nero's spectral whip ability to avoid touching the ground) and are both frustrating and satisfying (I had to do mission 5 about 987 times until I finally got it).

+ Performance is great.  I had no problems and it ran like a charm.

Cons:
- Main storyline is fairly short-- ~9-10 hours of play.  If you're the type of person who plays things once and then shelves it...it's probably not worth it at full price.

+- Challenging to master.  Trying to remember all the combos and buttons is difficult.  This is definitely a game that requires repetition and practice to truly "git gud" at.  Depending on how you feel about that, the difficulty of mastering the combo system could be a turn off for some players.  I've played it for close to 20 hours and I've gotten some decent stylish ratings (which isn't too hard with V), but I can't consistently pull off the highest ratings with all the characters.  It's hard.

- The void is nice for practice, but I wish it was more like the practice mode in Bayonetta--I really liked the fact that it would tell you when you were correctly performing a move.  It's sometimes difficult to tell if you're correctly performing a combo.

- Dodging feels weird.  I think Bayonetta has forever ruined the way I feel about dodging.  It's so rewarding in Bayonetta and requires some good timing.  In DMC5 that timing window is much tighter and sometimes it is frustratingly difficult to dodge (especially on larger bosses).  I don't know that I've come even remotely close to figuring out dodging.

Final verdict:
DMC5 is a fast, furious, and very stylish hack n' slash that is a ton of fun.  It's difficult to master, but learning new moves feels very good.  Due to the short length of its storyline I would recommend picking it up on sale if you're only intending to play around with it a little bit (you can get it for $19 on Steam.  It seems to go on sale fairly frequently.). 

Hack n' Slash With Some Hotties

The holiday season is not only a time to celebrate with friends and family, but a great time for hot gaming deals.  The Steam autumn sale (just call it what it is Steam!  It's Black Friday!) offered an opportunity to grab a couple of my wishlisted titles at a nice discount.  I decided to grab two very different games--Devil May Cry 5 and Phoenix Wright:  Ace Attorney Trilogy.  I completed one story playthrough in DMC5 and have been puttering around with Phoenix Wright.

V, Nero, and Dante ready to kick some demon ass.

I am new to the Devil May Cry franchise, but I had read many good things about the newest game.  After checking out Bayonetta several years ago, I've discovered a soft spot for goofy, but challenging, hack n' slash games.  Devil May Cry 5 takes a more serious tone than Bayonetta, but still manages to remain a mostly light, yet very satisfactorily slashy, romp through a hellish landscape and story.  One of the more interesting aspects of the game is the fact that you often switch between protagonists and each has their own set of abilities and powerful "devil triggers."  There's Nero, the broody, angry youngster of the group who seems to be focused on proving himself; then there's V, the tattooed, poetry-reading (again, with the poetry-reading--this is like the gaming default way to indicate that a character has a softer, gentler side) weakling who lets his demonic pets do the fighting; and Dante, the ultra-powerful, OG demon slayer who cockily takes on the role of leader.  One thing that's worth mentioning is that the graphics in DMC5 are great and the three protagonists look like the lineup for a sexy boy band.

The gameplay in DMC5 is highly enjoyable and very challenging.  Each character has his own set of abilities that take time to master (there's no way I'm even close to mastering them).  There are tons of attack variations and combos and I am hoping to get more efficient at utilizing those abilities and not just blindly mashing buttons.  One fun part of the gameplay is receiving a rating for each conflict--the lowest rating is a D (for dismal) and the highest is the coveted SSS (I got an SS maybe once...it's hard).  The combat rating is based on the number of different attacks and combos that you use and keeping the fighting rolling.

I decided to start off on the lowest difficulty level due to my lack of knowledge about the series (which is something that I rarely do--I usually opt to start off on normal) and I was glad that I did.  On the easiest setting there's a chance to learn the basic mechanics of utilizing different attacks without worrying too much about dying.  As a newbie, it was a good place to start and I would recommend it to others who are new to the series.

One part of the game that I have really struggled with is dodging.  I am very used to the timing mechanic in Bayonetta and the fact that you are rewarded for your well-timed attacks.  The dodging in DMC5 is much less fluid and requires a tighter timing window which is going to take more practice for me.

There's tons to enjoy in DMC5 and I am looking forward to starting another playthrough on the next highest difficulty setting.  There are lots of orbs to collect to keep unlocking special abilities for the three protagonists, not to mention all the secret missions that I didn't find (these missions are comparable to the Alfheim portals in Bayonetta).  If you're looking for a fun, yet challenging hack n' slash give DMC5 a whirl.