Killzone Shadow Fall-on-its-face.

Well last time I promised a video review of the PS4 which is coming I just don't have time to film it this week. Which is why I figured I'd post another text review. So without further ado lets move on to the review.

While I've actually enjoyed some of the previous Killzone titles. This entry into the franchise however, just falls flat in comparison. Sure there's some improvements here and there, but by in large, not enjoying their latest entry into the series.

Killzone whether we want to admit it or not has long been about the story mode. They've always delivered a fairly riveting story wrapped up with tight combat and good visuals. However, this entry just seems to be more about the visuals than anything else. Even sacrificing the visceral combat of past games to push the envelope of the pretty rendered environments.

Graphics: Compared to other FPS titles out right now namely COD/ Battlefield. I'd have to say Killzone's rendered graphics look the best. If not the best. Sure some might argue that battlefield has established itself with pre-rendered cutscenes and nonsense of the like but in terms of raw Graphical ingenuity and presentation I'd definitely say Killzone takes the cake. My jaw dropped several times visiting each new backdrop. From the bustling metropolis to the deep lush forests. Killzone's visual acuity hits it right out of the ballpark. Normally you're too wrapped up in the combat to care. However, the one thing that Killzone does right is inadvertently present jaw dropping visuals in the most casual way. The nice thing is that you're able to enjoy all of this nice scenery even when in combat. So definitive props to Guerrilla Games to for making it's game so beautiful. 10/10 for Graphically impressing the shit out of me.

Gameplay: Here's where the game suffers. Unfortunately, I think Guerrilla got so wrapped up in graphical work that their gameplay drastically suffered. I came into the game with expectations of sneaking around. Perhaps that's my fault, having played all other titles in the series. But, you know with the title Shadow Fall-> I expected to spend more time in the "shadows." Sadly this isn't the case, the game is mired in pretty up front combat. Of course none of it is in the good polished sense of last-gen's Killzone 3 either. The AI are either brutal or dumb as rocks in this title. I can't be sure which is better, but mixing them together didn't endear themselves to me either. There were segments of the game where I'd be doing fine only to get flanked  and nailed in the face. Other times the enemy would just stand around and take shots to the face like a good little boy. It's like Guerrilla brought the AI to a candy store and the AI didn't know what to pick Dum Dums or Pop Rocks. Gunplay is slow like previous titles. Well not slow in the sense of controls but slow in the sense of enemies. there just weren't enough in my opinion. I could easily just hide behind cover and let the NPC's kill each other there were so few enemies.

 It's rare that I review the multiplayer section with the gameplay. But, because Killzone's entry is more about story less about person vs person I'll just stick it with this. Multiplayer is just like past entries that tried to do it, it's a tacked on slog. Literally they took whatever was fun about playing with other people and just made it un-fun. I had a better experience playing Blacklight Retribution than I did this multiplayer entry.

Everything taken into account I have to give Shadow Fall's gameplay a crippling 5/10. It just wasn't there. :(

Sound: Really pretty self explanatory, All your general FPS sort of sounds mixed in with some techno punk remixed robot beeping. For the most part its pretty well done and it adds to the immersion of the environment when you're standing next to a waterfall and it the imagery and audio just makes you want to go pee. If there's any sort of flavor to the sound that I've missed it was probably pretty negligible. Voice acting was sub-par and soundtrack left a lot to be desired, but like I said, they probably devoted most of their budget toward graphics. There's a pretty good example of a game that takes audio to the extreme. Check out Resogun if you guys get the chance I highly recommend this techno themed remix of Ikaruga. Sound gets an 7/10.


Story: Well whats left of it anyways. Like its other predecessors Shadow Fall seeks to reminds us of the horrors and grotesque political nature of war. It seeks to render out all the portions of what's horrible about society as a whole but deliver it in a way that ties into the combat. However, Killzone:Shadow Fall's script is so poorly written that I'd have an easier time finding waldo than the point of the script. There are lengths of the script that are mired in plot holes and missing dialogue that would have otherwise made it a complete experience. The sections that do come through feel, mired in poor acting and just overall overbearing presence of the writers desire to tell the story. You get all of the modern military, broken household, daddy issue tropes you could possibly find in one story. Unfortunately this doesn't make it an easier to relate to the character and by the end of the game you're like whatever. Who the fuck even cares anymore. We've had like 6 games to explore the whole Vektan/Helgan conflict and Shadow Fall delivered an experience that sadly just fell flat on its face. Story gets a 5/10.

Overall Shadow Fall gets a 6.75/10.  Sony/Guerilla definitely could have done better with this. It's a pretty sub-par launch titles that gets drastically overshadowed in re-playability by the other free-to-play entries on the PS4.


Yeah and I'm not going to recommend you pick this title up guys. Just not worth it. If you get a PS4 get BF4,  get KNACK, hell even get FIFA. I just don't recommend this to anyone who isn't already invested in the series and for those that are. I'd suggest you rent it from gamefly or if you can borrow a copy from a friend, do it.

My First Video Unboxing- I feel like a Virgin.

Ok, So this video un-boxing is pretty standard. I open up the package you guys get to see what's inside. As well as some extra peripherals. It's all pretty standard. Unfortunately I have no proper camera or camera stand. I was basically forced to use the most ghetto method I could think of and use my phone's camera to record this.

Holy shit! I actually own the rights to this clip. Actually I'm sure Sony owns a portion of the rights too.

Anyways I hope you guys enjoy I'll try doing more of these as we move along with the progress of this website. I'll also have a video review regarding the performance of the PS4.

Late Sailing into Port, an AC4 Review (PS3)

Yeah this has been in my gaming queue for a while now. I finally got around to it. Granted I still haven't finished it. But, seriously how can you finish a game that leaves you pillaging the high seas. I feel like Blackbeard cept without being dead and what not.

Warning minor spoilers ahead. If you haven't played the game and want to avoid any spoilers what so ever I'd stop reading ahead. If you're ok with some minor spoilers here and there then come, join the Devil's Galleon.

If you were in any way dissapointed in AC3. For example how it held your hand for the first 2 hours of the game, how you didn't even play as Connor until quite a lot of time had passed, how unsatisfyingly Dues Ex Machina the game's story ended. Then you're in for a real treat with this game. I can't say it's as deep story wise I mean you're a pirate pillaging the high seas. There isn't much depth you can wrap into that. However, the bits of data such as the subject 17 files help to flesh out not only your role in this whole grand scheme; but, the bits of Desmond's story that were left rather on a cliffhanger from AC3.

Anyways onwards, to victory lads.

I do not own this image in any way shape or form.

Graphics: After 10 years the last-gen consoles graphics are pushing up daisies. They're trying as best as possible to keep up and sadly it really doesn't deliver. In terms of optimization I think the team ended up trying their best, but the hardware-> sadly very lacking. So while running through towns or running in general in any place with dense foliage, or high amounts of structures, the game gets really choppy. Framerates dip below the acceptable 23 FPS mark, constantly. I've been told it performs much better on the PS4/Xbox One/PC, but I can't validate that for myself. In terms of textures and environments. They're lush and well designed. Again working from last-gen console specs it kinda still needs help. It is what it is. The graphics still get a promising 8/10. The game's ability to visually put you into the driver's seat of being a pirate is still very, very much there.

Gameplay: Perhaps one of the best iterations of gameplay since the Ezio storyline. Granted gameplay hasn't particularly changed all that much from game to game in the Assassin's Creed franchise. But, remember how you felt like an invincible bionic man with Connor. Remember the really Overpowered sword sets you could get just by pre-odering AC3? That's been done away with. You feel quite powerful but its nowhere near as crazy as it was with the last title. Edward still combos quite nicely but, if you're surrounded by 10 people expect to take some damage. You're not getting out unscathed. AI feel dumb as ever, and from time to time I've been known to facepalm at just how dumb they can get. I'd say the AI is much worse this time around. I assassinated people in plain visual sight of other enemies and half the time they don't even take notice. This happens in every one of the games in the franchise but I'd say this has probably been one of the worst offenders in a long time. Moving on, The items are spread out quite evenly across the board. The issue of pacing found in the last game seems pretty non-existent in this version. Despite the flaws in gameplay it still gets a solid 8/10.

I do not own this video but rather use it for demonstrative purposes.

Sound: Never really disappointing in the series. However, sound across the board does feel a little monochrome, when a gun fires it sounds the same as every other gun. I own the pistol set, cannon barrel pistol, you all know that really good set of pistols before you get the legendary one from completing all the naval contracts.  Yeah it doesn't in the least feel or sound like I'm firing a cannon. I was expecting better and more varied sound bits. The timing and coordination of sounds is all well and good but when a broadsword cutlas sounds the same as a French rapier you know they dun gone and fucked up. Sound gets a 7/10 its good across the board but the monochrome really takes away from the experience.

Story: Perhaps the strongest and the weakest portion of the game. I really love how they tried to tie up all the loose ends of Desmond's story with an unknown protagonist, namely you. You're the "new protagonist" that commands Edward Kenway. While this really doesn't help to establish the main storyline it does give a sense of interaction with the story. However, it removes any possibility of great narrative outside of what is available in Kenway's stories. Abstergo is still trying to fuck the world over, there's 1 magical hero that can do it all, that sort of hackneyed plot style. Getting away from that there are also some serious plotholes. I'll give you one example. Early on in the game Edward meets up with Assassin Duncan Walpole, you attack his ship and you end up stranded alone together on an island. Yet, when push comes to shove and you have to chase him down. You're apparently already versed in the skills of parkour, and have the martial skills to take down a fully fledged assassin. Not to mention once you put on the costume. It's like you have full knowledge of exactly how to use all the assassin's gadgets. I'd just like to point that massive plot hole out. In light of all the the story while I haven't finished it has been a delightful romp thus far. I'd say it gets a 7/10.

The game's overall score comes out to a solid 7.5/10. It has its flaws and most of them are caused more or less by the PS3's hardware. It's still vastly enjoyable and much needed return to what made the franchise great. If you haven't picked up a copy of the game yet I'd suggest getting one here

Notice of Importance!

It's getting harder and harder to keep up with reviewing games. Less time in the day and less available titles. Especially since the PS4/Xbox One have come out and I've been unable to locate one. To continue writing fresh stuff. I'll start defaulting to free-to-plays pretty soon guys. I might even divert attention to writing stuff strictly about League of Legends as that's the game I have the most contact with. As well as the most integration with.

I'm also looking for a job and money has been tight lately. I've submitted my resume to several companies looking for a position in QA, Riot Games being one of them. Morello, whoever, I'm looking at you.


I might even put the website on temporary hiatus while I sort through this mess ( Highly unlikely since I really love doing this. However, if I run out of funds and am unable to continue doing this I will give this idea its proper burial place.