Fallout New Vegas Ultimate Edition Game Review (PC)

Fallout 3 brought the post-apocalyptic role-playing series back with a bang in 2008 and in doing so marked a fantastic departure from the first two entries in the series. Two years later and ‘’Fallout New Vegas’’ continues what its predecessor started with another gripping adventure through the Mojave Wasteland.

Taking place a few years after Fallout 3, New Vegas revolves around the story of the Courier who is transporting a valuable item to the Vegas Strip when he or she is ambushed and left for dead by a shady group of assailants. After being found and patched up (and character creation of course!), the Courier sets out to find the men who attacked him or her, only to be caught in a complex power struggle for control of the Mojave Wasteland. There are numerous factions all vying for control including the diplomatic and domineering NCR (North Carolina Republic), the cruel and ruthless Caesar’s Legion and the mysterious Mr House, all of whom have a role to play in the battles to come. You’ll still run into a heap of memorable characters that are all well voiced and have their own agendas in the conflict and the Wild West aesthetic sets a more light-hearted tone for the game. As reflected by the numerous story quests throughout FNV the plot is a web of political intrigue and this, combined with player choice as to which faction to support, gives the player a feeling of empowerment that wasn’t seen in Fallout 3. With that said the courier’s quest for vengeance doesn’t have the emotional punch or the dark edge of its predecessor, making it significantly less memorable overall.

Fallout New Vegas will be familiar to anyone who played Fallout 3; after making your character you’re placed into a game world which can be explored at your own pace but in New Vegas this works to the game’s detriment. The game allows you to go anywhere but at the same time, the enemies don’t level along with the player character which can make the game feel like a beginner’s trap quite often early on. For example in the first few story missions the game needs you to follow a safer route to the Vegas Strip but if you don’t follow what it recommends then you’ll likely end up dying repeatedly at the hands of Deathclaws or other creatures that are too strong for your character to handle. Keeping multiple save files helps but New Vegas will undoubtedly be very frustrating for newcomers to begin with. Thankfully once you’ve gotten past the early story quests and powered up your character the game’s depth shows in full bloom. Everything has been upped from Fallout 3 including more quests, more weapons, more customisation, and more things to do. The quests can be particularly clever in that they often intertwine with each other and are tied to the all-new ‘’Factions’’ system; with each faction throughout the wasteland the Courier has a reputation which can be raised by completing errands for them or lowered by killing faction members. Helping out one faction can affect your relationship with another and this has positive and negative effects. Gaining favour with the NCR grants an emergency radio to call for back-up while displeasing Caesar’s Legion will see assassins sent after the player character. In a similar way to Dragon Age and The Walking Dead, it’s a really dynamic feature that takes your actions into account very well. The weapon system has also been overhauled, allowing for weapon mods and different ammo types to be purchased and applied to numerous guns which offer incentive to save up bottle caps for the most expensive implement of death. When not on quests New Vegas offers plenty of things to do; (most likely down to the fact that the Mojave Wasteland wasn’t as badly affected as the Capital by nuclear destruction) several characters and companies have continuous jobs that need doing, there are legendary monsters to hunt and kill and if all else fails you can always break out a deck of caravan cards or try your luck at the casinos on the Vegas Strip. The Ultimate Edition also comes with all the DLC which, like Fallout 3 is varied in terms of quality; ‘’Lonesome Road’’ and ‘’Dead Money’’ aren’t so great while ‘’Old World Blues’’ makes the best impression overall. Fallout New Vegas a gargantuan piece of software, offering immense replay value with different character builds, quest lines and a new hard-core mode which will push any long-term Fallout fan to the limit.

Like Fallout 3 before it, New Vegas is a role-playing game that can be played from a third or preferably first person perspective that offers a wide range of gameplay choices. The gunplay has been cleaned up slightly with the new-found ability to aim down the sights but it can still be quite fiddly to run and gun; VATS (Vault-Tec-Assisted-Targeting-System) which serves in targeting specific body parts is still the way to go when it comes to engaging enemies who are often very deadly. Giant poisonous insects, advanced robots, hulking mutants and vicious Deathclaws are all out to hunt the Courier at every turn and you’d best be prepared to face every one of them as they relentlessly attack and pursue you. The newest skill to the role-playing roster, survival, can help even these odds a bit; throughout the world are ingredients which can be used to craft healing items, making survival a viable option for wasteland trekkers. The notion of character traits has also been introduced offering a dual sided aspect to the player character; for instance ‘’early bird’’ boosts your stats during the day but decreases them at night. Other skills remain predominantly the same with a few tweaks; repair now offers the ability to recycle and manufacture ammunition, melee weapons and unarmed now offer numerous special attacks and speech offers multiple options which can result in different quest endings. Playing Fallout New Vegas is a familiar experience overall; Fallout 3 players will feel right at home and while New Vegas does bring in some new gameplay features, most of it is the same as before; both satisfying and often very difficult.

The presentation of Fallout New Vegas is again, much like Fallout 3, maintaining the same visual standards. Things haven’t really moved forward too much in the graphics and little about the look of the game has changed outside of the setting. The green hills of Washington are replaced with the sandy orange hills of the Nevada desert with a few visual touches such as grass blowing in the wind. NPCs are a lot less static now, moving around a lot more and interacting with each-other but on the whole the presentation is acceptable but won’t blow anyone away with its visuals. On the other hand the animations are still brilliant, especially the kill shots in VATS, which look as brutal and bloody as ever; Obsidian has also added much more music that plays both in and out of combat, delivering handy sound cues that let the player know which faction they are in the presence of and whether or not they are under attack. Even better, the technical issues and bugs have finally been ironed out for the Ultimate Edition. Outside of some game crashes Fallout New Vegas runs very well and the game is now far less susceptible to broken quests and other glitches, making it the perfect time to pick up and play. Hopefully the next Fallout will ensure a major jump in technical fidelity.

Any concerns I had about Fallout New Vegas being a lacklustre side-note on the way to Fallout 4 have been shelved; this is a well thought out successor to Fallout 3 and despite not being as ground-breaking as that game, New Vegas nonetheless progresses the series forward in deep and meaningful ways.

Rating: 8/10

12 Years a Slave Movie Review

The historical drama is a genre which has heaps of potential to evoke deep emotion and impact in addition to painting an often shockingly realistic picture of life in the past. With ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ Director Steve McQueen (the British director, not American actor mind!) has created one of the finest examples of this and it’s kicked off the 2014 year of movies superbly.

‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is based on the book of the same name and begins in 1841; a time when the slave trade in America was still very widespread and follows a man named Solomon Northup, a free negro living in Saratoga Springs New York. On a seemingly normal job offer as a musician he is kidnapped, stripped of his name and sold into slavery; from here it’s a bitter struggle for ‘’Platt’’ as he, along with other slaves, endures the varying torment and racism of white folk across East America. ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is arguably the most realistic and sincere portrayal of the slave trade ever put to cinema; acts of immense cruelty are scattered throughout the narrative, emphasising that a slave’s struggle is never over, whether they are being stripped to be put on display or being whipped at the stake, moments like these will undoubtedly remain etched in your mind. In addition the film’s pacing truly does highlight the enormity of Solomon’s struggle; it’s an incredibly slow film, often placing emphasis on Solomon’s attempts to fit in and avoid provoking the anger of his masters. It’s an impossible situation to be in and in keeping the pace slow, the prospect of Solomon being stuck like this for so long really starts to hit home. The plotline of ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ can be summed up in one word, emotional; the slaves are never safe and the masters are always one step away from unleashing their rage. This persists through the entire film and the final scenes are appropriately throbbing with relief.

With such a tumultuous time period comes the need for a greater level of emotion from its characters and ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ passes this area with flying colours, making the audience feel the suffering of the slaves while also making them hate their oppressive and often despicable masters. Chiwetel Ejiofor does a great job of channelling the immense sadness and frustration that fills Solomon throughout his ordeal but the action isn’t always entirely focused around him; Patesy (Lupita Nyong’O), introduced later in the film, endures twice the abuse and suffering as any of the other slaves and is easily the emotional heart of the film, despite not being the main protagonist. On the other hand we have Michael Fassbender playing Edwin Epps; a nasty piece of work who believes his dominance over black people to be a God given right. Whether he’s threatening Solomon or punishing his slaves, Fassbender once again delivers a brilliant performance, creating a fundamentally evil antagonist that the audience dislikes enormously. The other side characters are also well done with Benedict Cumberbatch and Brad Pitt lending their talents to more sympathetic roles in this grim setting; we learn plenty about them but they never overstay their welcome or distract from the main cast throughout the film.

The way ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is presented also makes a big impression. The biggest draw comes from the cinematography; often times the camera will focus on the face of a slave as they are brutally beaten both physically and mentally, or it will just sit there and let the audience stare at a particular moment for a while. These angles generate immense impact, emphasising the no-holds-barred portrayal of slavery and can also imply passage of time. Just as the plot proceeds at a slow pace, the camerawork does the same; when Solomon is hung from a tree, barely holding onto his life, you can tell that he has been left to hang for hours. When Patsey is whipped at the stake, you feel her pain with every lash. In terms of absorption and artistic quality ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is one of the best, but the positives don’t end there. Using just three notes from a violin, the main theme of ‘’12 Years a Slave’’, composed by Hans Zimmer is just as emotive as the rest of the film while other tracks relate to the time period and setting perfectly. Overall despite all the horrible events that occur, ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is a technically stunning movie from beginning to end.

‘’12 Years a Slave’’ achieves what it sets out to accomplish in a way few movies can; it draws you in, makes you feel the struggles of the characters, while offering an unrelenting look into the past at a country that was once plagued with unspeakable discrimination.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

The Walking Dead Game Review (PC)

Licensed products often mark cursed ground for gaming adaptions; time after time they either suffer from a lazy production or are too underwhelming and uninspired to make a lasting impression. The Walking Dead from TellTale however is an exception to this common trend, delivering accessible gameplay and brilliant visuals laced with one of the greatest stories ever told in the medium.

The Walking Dead just like the TV series and the comic is set in a zombie apocalypse where the world has fallen into chaos and the living fight to survive against hordes of flesh-eating zombies. The game falls more in line with the comic and centres on Lee Everett, a convicted murderer who gets a second chance at life as the zombie outbreak begins; he takes a young girl named Clementine under his wing and together they search for safety across the United States, coming across many survivors along the way. The story has everything you’d want from ‘’The Walking Dead’’; there’s tension, drama and some heartfelt moments that may have you in tears. What holds it all together is the characters, who are all well-rounded, varied and relatable; and some you will end up caring for more than others. As they banter, bicker and endure terrible events, Lee will have to make many tough choices which have long lasting ramifications in later episodes and will even transfer into the upcoming season 2; who will you support the most? Who will stay and who will be left behind? How will you look after others, especially Clementine? In terms of storytelling; ‘’The Walking Dead’’ is right up there with ‘’The Last of Us’’ as a fine example of how video gaming stories can and should be able to transcend those seen in movies and even novels.

The Walking Dead takes place across five episodes which follow Lee, Clementine and various other survivors through a journey of survival. Each episode takes them to a new area, introducing new characters and putting them in increasingly desperate situations. The game is broken up into action sequences, light puzzle solving and instances where Lee can wander and interact with other characters. The overall direction of the narrative cannot be changed but the game works in many variables afforded by moral choices; in later episodes your actions may cause your fellow survivors to refuse or even desert Lee. Altogether the five episodes make up about twelve hours of gameplay and you’ll have to play through them all to transfer over into season 2. Yet just like the TV series and the comic, the game makes a real effort to build you up for the next episode and that’s what the game does better than any others of its kind. You’ll come to care for the story so much that you’ll want to press on, salivating over what will happen next. Taken as a full package with the complete story; The Walking Dead is great value and will undoubtedly draw players into its world and story. It’s also worth playing again to see alternative decisions play out.

Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy were two of the first games to create a unique cinematic experience that focused much more on story than gameplay and players who experienced those titles will be able to grasp the game’s controls instantly. They remain consistent throughout the three areas of the game; action sequences utilise quick-time events using both the keys and the mouse, puzzle sections have you seeking out items and using them on certain objects and conversations are handled via the number keys. These mechanics have been done before but The Walking Dead makes marked improvements on the genre. The action sequences are more than just ‘’press this key’’ or ‘’move the mouse this direction’’; Lee will sometimes have to look around the environment for a weak spot to exploit or item to use and this has its risks as well as peeking out or delaying for too long is often fatal. It goes a long way towards keeping control in the player’s hands. The conversation system also has plenty of depth; you may have to choose what to say quickly or not say anything at all, depending on the situation. There isn’t any morality system either; your decisions contribute to how Lee deals with situations and how he is perceived by others; in a similar way to Dragon Age Origins, this is a much more realistic and fluid system as different characters will have their own opinions and perspectives on what Lee does throughout the game. The gameplay of The Walking Dead is simple enough to get into for casual players via the standard option, which spells out choices and gives hints and tips. Hard-core players can go for the minimal option which removes the heads-up-display and keeps them in the dark about decisions and consequences. If there’s one gripe with the gameplay it’s that the difficulty isn’t too challenging; checkpoints fall like the rain and the gameplay doesn’t change all too much. But when the story is this engaging and the controls so responsive, you won’t mind too much.

In addition to its excellent story and easy-to-grasp gameplay, The Walking Dead sports a striking visual look that perfectly complements and ties in with the comic it is based on. The characters, the environments, the gore effects; it looks great running on the graphic novel style look. The soundtrack is suitably creepy, highlighting the tense nature of the game. But by far the best aspect of the presentation is the voice acting; there is not one character in the roster that isn’t well acted. They all show so much emotion, so much pain, and so much anger that you really will care about their struggles in a world gone wrong. In particular the relationship between Lee and Clementine is very strong, building very naturally over the course of the game. As in many games, there will be some graphical glitches where a character appears invisible and the game will pause for a brief moment to load the next story scene but otherwise The Walking Dead is an impressive looking game that does the comic justice.

If you were expecting a big, loud action packed romp from TellTale’s The Walking Dead then you’d be missing the point completely; this is a sombre, emotional and heartfelt adventure which is more than deserving of your attention.

Rating: 9/10

Left 4 Dead 2 Game Review (PC)

With the original Left 4 Dead, Valve moved away from their beloved Half Life series to craft a zombie shooter with a heavy emphasis on teamwork. The 2009 sequel set its sights on refining the concept; with new enemies, weapons and items.

As with the first game, there is no concrete story to speak of here; Left 4 Dead 2 once again follows four survivors consisting of Coach, Nick, Ellis and Rochelle as they make their way to safety following a zombie outbreak. Five separate campaigns make up the bulk of the game which can be played either alone or with four players; the latter is the best way to play but the teammate AI in single-player is competent enough to make offline play a viable option. In Left 4 Dead 2 you’ll be making your way from one safe-house to the next, dispatching the various undead types and finding ways to get ways to get past obstacles such as a crashed plane or carnival ride. It all culminates in a final showdown as the four survivors must wait for rescue or rush to it as the infected close in. The five campaigns offer several methods of replayability, including realism which makes the game substantially more difficult and most notably the AI director; the director, just like the original will adjust the nature of the levels based on how the players are doing and the difficulty settings. Skilled players will find less health packs in the levels while those who are less confident will have fewer special infected to contend with. These modifications carry over to the game’s other modes which include survival; a basic ‘’last as long as possible mode’’, and scavenge where the survivors must find petrol cans to power a generator. The best of these is verses which plays like a standard campaign only with four players assigned to infected classes who aim to kill the survivors as quickly as possible.  Left 4 Dead 2 offers a huge amount of content, bolstered even further by the original game’s maps being added to the roster, not to mention the thousands of user generated mods available through Steam Workshop. 

The first person shooting gameplay when playing as the survivors in Left 4 Dead 2 is as simple as it comes and the game is immediately accessible for it; left clicking fires the equipped weapon while right clicking knocks the infected back for easier kills; holding right-clicking makes use of items such as health packs which are also easy to use on both teammates and yourself. New additions to the arsenal include melee weapons which can be used sparingly but put the player at risk in close quarters and boomer bile which can be used to distract the undead. The new weapons are matched by several enemies who make their blood-soaked debut including the charger who pounds survivors into the ground, the jockey who clings to survivors and finally the spitter who chucks pools of acid. While the survivor gameplay is easy to get into, mastering the different abilities of the undead is a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating experience; expect to be put down many times by survivors of both human and AI kind in online matches. The same applies to players who are willing to work together; teammates who support each other as survivors or coordinate their attacks as the infected can easily dominate proceedings. These additions make Left 4 Dead 2 a marked update from the first, but even with the AI director switching up enemy and item placement, the core gameplay itself doesn’t provide much variation. It’s always going to be about mowing down the undead along with resource collecting and final stands only in different environments for each scenario. L4D2’s gameplay remains fun and highly enjoyable but at the same time you can’t help but wish there was more variety in how the game plays out.

The visuals in Left 4 Dead 2 set themselves apart from the original by adding a much brighter colour pallet to the environments; from the shopping malls of Savannah to the streets of Louisiana the campaigns also pack more variety than the gloomy streets and farms from the first game. The gore as ever looks suitably grotesque as the infected get decapitated and butchered in all sorts of nasty ways. The weapons at the survivor’s disposal look and sound suitably viscous; in fact the audio is easily the game’s greatest strength where technical presentation is concerned. The groans of the infected create a tense mood and certain cues can also alert you to incoming danger. The music is appropriately filled with much more Southern Rock and the character voice-overs are once again great, bringing good dimensions to their personalities. Left 4 Dead 2’s presentation is solid, and once again makes good use of the Source engine across the board.

Despite remaining mostly the same and becoming a little repetitive after a while, Left 4 Dead 2 is another great game under Valve’s belt and stands out as one of the best cooperative shooters around.

Rating: 8/10