Re: Recently completed game(s)

by aaroncupboard Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:48 am

Tales From the Borderlands

I started off reluctant with this series as I wasnt sure the Borderlands genre would fit with the TellTale style of game. Oh boy was I wrong. After the emotionally draining Walking Dead and downright depressing Game of Thrones, Borderlands is funny, highly enjoyable, clever and contains the best action sequences Telltale have ever done. Gameplay is exactly what you would expect but the characters in this are all excellent and the plot is just fantastic. Choices are just as difficult as usual and when it did go for emotional scenes it nailed them...whilst still being very funny. I loved every second.

And it even has Patrick Warburton in it too. Brilliant.

9 sporks I will never look at in the same way again out of 10

by **cal_el** Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:29 am

Updates in bold.

January
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor [PS4] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 08/02
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood [Xbox One]
Valiant Hearts: The Great War [PS4]
Final Fantasy X: HD Remaster [PS Vita]

February
Game of Thrones Episode 2: The Lost Lords [PS4]
Super Mario 3D World [Wii U]
The Order: 1886 [PS4]

March
Hyrule Warriors [Wii U]
Tales from the Borderlands Episode 2: Atlas Mugged [PS4]

April
- Work, life and games without ends got in the way! -

May
- Work, life and games without ends got in the way! -

June
Halo 2: Anniversary [Xbox One]

July
Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition [PS4] - Hardcore Mode
Journey [PS4]

August
Batman: Arkham Knight [PS4] - Story Complete
Curse of Naxxramas - A Hearthstone Adventure [Mac/iOS]
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots [PS3]
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes [PS4]

September
- Work, life and games without ends got in the way! -

October
The Beginner's Guide [Steam]
Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves [PS4]
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Remastered [PS4]
Blood Bowl II [PS4] - Campaign
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Remastered [PS4]

November
80 Days [iOS]
Game of Thrones Episode 3: The Sword in the Darkness [PS4]
Game of Thrones Episode 4: Sons of Winter [PS4]

I found some time between Fallout 4 sessions to sit down and play episodes 3 and 4 of Telltale's Game of Thrones. The more I play of this series the more I like it! Telltale have done a good job of replicating the feel of the show within the limits of their engine. I am also really enjoying the side-story nature of the game. The main players we know make plenty of appearances but the focus on House Forrester allows for a unique view of the Westeros setting. It helps give a sense that there is so much more going on in the world and that the TV Show/Books only focus on a couple of key families.

During my time with this I have also gradually cast aside my usual, "always be good" approach to these sorts of games. Finding the results to be very rewarding because in the world of GoT sometimes you need to be a bastard to beat a bastard. Story wise each episode has had a nice buildup of tension that either leaves things on a cliff hanger or partially resolved ready to be picked up in the next episode. It also helps that it feels like things can and will go terribly wrong at any moment because this is Game of Thrones and characters you come to love tend to meet horrible ends. It has been oddly freeing, making me take riskier choices because at a couple of key points I've said "screw it, they're probably going to die anyway"

by Wolvieware Sat Nov 28, 2015 9:43 am

I've now had enough of the buggy but humourous mess that is Goat Simulator. For the cheap £3 I got it for as a curio, it's not exactly been a waste of money, and did provide some amusing entertainment. The bizarre situations and map exploration make this game standout. You are a goat. It's just such a bizarre concept that its worth just trying out. The graphics and everything else about this game is shoddy, but it doesn't really detract from the experience, even enhances it as the Z-list game it really is. There isn't really anything to complete, but I've explored both maps, done as many of the hidden secrets and situations I can find (like Goat in Space) and now deleted it from my hard drive.

I'm quite intrigued by the I Am Bread game for similar oddball reasons...

by Wolvieware Sun Dec 06, 2015 11:53 am

Just completed The Walking Dead Season 2. I think it dips as it goes on. It's still a very good game, and tells its story and relationships well, but Episode 4 and 5 were just a bit dull. I think it started so strong, and has some good scenarios in the first three episodes. But towards the end, those scenarios dried up a little, and it was just about watching people argue and it got a bit repetitive. I think 4 episodes would have been fine. I also think the actual ending and last scene was very poor, and didn't leave you with a good finale, it just sort of stopped. But overall it was a good game. The Wolf Among Us is better, so I don't understand why that game hasn't had as much love as this. And as I say in another thread - looking forward to Batman!

by Wolvieware Sun Dec 13, 2015 1:05 pm

Just completed Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Remastered. I thoroughly enjoyed it, more than I think I did when I played it originally. The combination of character, set pieces and action is well choreographed by the masters of Naughty Dog. I think for three quarters the game is stunning. However towards the end of the game is when things start to droop a little - it's a bit too boring, running down corridors into enemies and gets a bit dull and also quite difficult. It really does leave an otherwise fantastic game with a bad feeling. But this aside its brilliant and I enjoyed it more than Drakes Fortune Remastered which was unexpected. I'm looking forward to playing the third game now.

by Wolvieware Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:36 pm

Just finished LittleBigPlanet 3 in coop with Marky. Not so great a game, and the worst of the three by some way. It's heart was in the right place but the game just wasn't that great or work properly. The good thing was the introduction of the new characters which offer up different and amusing control schemes, and innovative levels to use that new control in as well. Some of the levels really were fun or funny to play. There were also lots of gadgets too, but many of these new elements get one level to shine in and then don't appear again.

The worst thing about the game was the hub elements. A totally pointless addition that were just a chore to navigate and explore. We would get lost trying to find the next level! It was meant to inspire exploration and add length to a short game by going back with new abilities but we just couldn't be bothered. Also by the end the game swapped fun creativity with frustrating difficulty. With some unresponsive controls and a hyperactive camera the last few levels were overly harsh and put a real dampener on the end of the game. Overall it was ok but only worth it if you really love LBP.

by **cal_el** Tue Jan 12, 2016 1:10 pm

New Year, new list!

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]

Recently completed game(s) - Page 9 103077_25APECJCQL_267664_untitled_2

The Banner Saga is a game I have deep affection for. The game play, design, animation style, setting, everything about this game has had a great amount of love poured into it. The narrative starts off simple enough but soon it grows into a much bigger and grander thing, something that has me waiting impatiently for the sequel.

Great tactical combat and an interesting story were your choices actually have a big consequences. If you have the opportunity to play it and you like RPGs I highly recommend it. (I'm even toying with the idea of re-playing it on PS4!)

Beautiful stuff!

by **cal_el** Fri Feb 05, 2016 1:42 pm

Updates in bold.

Forgot to add another game I finished at the end of January

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

Recently completed game(s) - Page 9 Lifeline1

My most recent push to give games on iOS "another go" has lead me to Lifeline. A simple choose your own adventure style game about helping a stranded astronaut (well, science team intern) survive after his ship crashes on a strange alien planet. There are a couple of interesting things that I really enjoyed about the game:

I could play it on my Apple Watch and it was actually fun to do so.
It plays out in semi-real time with sometimes long gaps between interacting with the game.
The writing and story being told really do keep you coming back and also change past mistakes to reach the ultimate "good ending."

There is just something about the game that kept me engaged enough to keep coming back over the week or so it took to play out. The writing is nice and relaxed and full of points of reference that make sense rather than pointless technobable. There is an element of weirdness to it all that pays off really well towards the end of the game. Also I couldn't help but get attached to the main character Taylor. I needed him to survive and his constant (but entertaining) complaining wasn't going to stop me!

So yeah I had a lot of fun with it and I have the two sequels read to go on my phone/watch when I want to play a narrative heavy game again.

by Wolvieware Sun Feb 07, 2016 12:19 pm

Just finished God of War III Remastered. What a fantastic game. I thoroughly enjoyed replaying this on PS4. It looked lovely I honestly couldn't tell it apart from current titles. Plus it's epic conclusion to the storyline is brilliant. Having replayed it it may even edge up to my favourite in the story. This title is worth replaying if you are a GoW fan or have not played it, but perhaps not worth it if you do not fit that criteria. I would now love a PS4 release of Ascension - the only entry I have not played.

by **cal_el** Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:26 am

Wolvieware wrote:Just finished God of War III Remastered. What a fantastic game. I thoroughly enjoyed replaying this on PS4. It looked lovely I honestly couldn't tell it apart from current titles. Plus it's epic conclusion to the storyline is brilliant. Having replayed it it may even edge up to my favourite in the story. This title is worth replaying if you are a GoW fan or have not played it, but perhaps not worth it if you do not fit that criteria. I would now love a PS4 release of Ascension - the only entry I have not played.

I remember really enjoying GoW III on PS3 and the Remaster is currently sat in my pile o' shame. I felt it wrapped up Kratos' story well while staying true to the core of the game. It make me wonder what they will do with the story if they are working on a sequel. He's killed everyone!

As for Ascension, I got around 1/2 way through that and gave up mainly due to boredom. It does some interesting things with the gameplay but it doesn't seem to have the same magic as the other games.

by **cal_el** Fri Feb 12, 2016 1:52 pm

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]

It may have taken me over two years but I finished the main story of Pokemon X! I still don't quite understand why it has taken me so long to achieve this. Whenever I play, I go really deep into the game's systems and become obsessed with min/maxing stats and seeing/doing everything. So you would think that would keep me glued to the game non-stop. Instead it has been periods of manic playing with intervals lasting many months between the peak times.

As for the game overall the jump to 3D graphics has immensely improved things. This is the sort of Pokemon game I imagined playing on the N64 when I was deep into Red/Blue/Yellow games almost 20 years ago. A fully realised game world full of interesting characters and locations. With the added bonus this time of having an interesting story that runs along side the usual get eight Gym Badges and beat the Elite Four thread. The whole thing feels like the first step into a bright future for the franchise and I am excited to see what happens in Gen 7. (Possibly, hopefully, maybe coming to the NX!)

I decided as usual to make things harder for myself because of my schoolyard logic of playing Pokemon which is a hold over from when the franchise was all the rage when I was 12. So even though I know they don't have any real detrimental effects to my monsters I avoid using things like Exp Share and letting the Pokemon faint during battle at all costs. (Along with the usual: HOLD DOWN + B CATCH POKEMON! NEVER FEED POKEMON RARE CANDY!! WALK EVERYWHERE TO RAISE FRIENDSHIP!!! weirdness) I also took the time to care and nurture for them via the game's new Pokemon-Amie and Super Training mini-games and systems because happy monsters are the best monsters! Finally I decided to regularly cycle my team meaning I had some lengthy training periods as I brought 12-20 Pokemon up to self-imposed level caps. The end result meant that I truly got to experience what the France inspired region of Kalos had to offer and I have fallen in love with it more than I have any other Pokemon Universe location.

I'm tinkering around with the post game stuff at the moment so I've still got quite a bit left to do before I transfer my Pokemon to the cloud based Pokemon Bank and make a start on Pokemon Omega Ruby, Black/Black 2, Heart Gold/Soul Silver all of which are currently sat unplayed in my pile of shame. Then there is doing the unthinkable and playing to fully complete the National Pokedex, something I haven't done since I played the original Pokemon Gold and Silver. Do I go for it? Or just enjoy the monsters and adventures I have?

by kerr9000 Mon Feb 15, 2016 6:24 pm

So haven't been keeping track of what I have finished, the last thing was Mortal Kombat X, but then again I haven't been playing much at all, in fact last thing I played was a bunch of wii games with a friends kid.

by **cal_el** Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:17 am

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]
Firewatch [PS4]

Recently completed game(s) - Page 9 Tumblr_ndikg91kkE1sikueao1_1280

I played and finished Firewatch over the weekend but wanted some time to mull things over before writing about it. I won't go into too much detail out of fear of spoilers but I will say that if you enjoy narrative driven video games, you need to play Firewatch. It is short and to the point but there is room to explore the game's world within its well paced story. Which is well worth doing because this is an awesomely well realised setting. The art style makes the game standout and also look gorgeous and it knows it. You get given a camera in-game to take pictures with and you'll find yourself just stopping occasionally to look at the environment.

The narrative is multilayered and decides to deal in things like themes and subtext rather than the usual video game story of a tortured man saving his loved one from danger style plotting. It builds up nicely and ends in a satisfying way, for me at least. Many people don't like or get the ending but the journey to it makes the game worth playing.

It felt like I was playing through an interactive novel and that's probably the best way to sum it up. There is depth to this game's story that will stand up to multiple playthroughs and deep analysis which is great to see. It has something to say about the human experience and it does it in a very personal way that treads the line of what the player expects from a video game. For such a small production many things in it are top tier quality, the voice acting being a major standout for me. The actors have great chemistry and convey so much with just their voice work that it puts many of the big names in video game v/o to shame.

Play it!

Oh also a little tip that really worked for me:

Turn off showing your location on the map in the options menu! You'll learn the environment better and the compass will become your best friend!

by Wolvieware Fri Feb 19, 2016 12:08 pm

Very much looking forward to trying it but will wait for sale.

by Wolvieware Sun Feb 21, 2016 3:56 pm

Became world champion in Moto GP 15 today so consider the game done. Especially as it's not very good. Yes the game is pretty good but I'm not exaggerating when I say it is identical to Moto GP 14. EXACTLY the same. I really don't think they added any work to it over the last year, just packages the old game with a new logo. If it hadn't of been a present I think I would have honestly felt cheated. Although it's actually worse than last years because the online this time round is broken and doesn't update your progress if you even manage to get into a game. One of the worst games I've played in a while.

by kerr9000 Sun Feb 21, 2016 6:05 pm

I just finished Xcom Enemy Within on the pc.. This means I have now finished enemy unknown on the xbox 360, ps3 and pc, and enemy within on the xbox 360 ps3 and pc.. I really want Xcom 2 but its right on the edge of what my pc will or will not play so I am kind of scared to buy it wish it had a console release.

by dste01 Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:24 pm

Finally finished Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.

I started it in 2012 but got hammered by the last boss. Could not be bothered to grind at the time but picked it up to play again recently where I did some quests, bought some armour/weapons and levelled up a lot and defeated him first time.

Really pleased that I went back to it.

by Wolvieware Thu Feb 25, 2016 9:55 pm

Completed Deadpool tonight. Yes, its not a particularly good game, but it is enjoyable, and I've had a lot of fun from it. The basics of the game are pretty shoddy, with far from PS4 era graphics, fiddly jumping, crap aiming, and a dull button bashing combat gameplay. But it does make up for that with B-movie style charm. It's got a lot of variety - from playing a mini 8-bit style level, too choosing dialogue options, to playing mini games, it generally introduces something silly into every level. It's also got lots of characters and cameos, plus there's Deadpool's incessant talking and mugging to camera, a lot of which is actually very funny, and all of this elevates the game to more than the sum of its parts. For the £21 I got (plus now trade in value), I really enjoyed it.

by **cal_el** Thu Mar 10, 2016 8:17 am

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]
Firewatch [PS4]

March
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Remastered [PS4]

My latest playthrough of Uncharted 3 impressed me as usual, this time edging it just past Uncharted 2, mainly down to the overall better pacing that 3 has. It firmly plants itself in Indiana Jones territory and has a lot of fun playing with it and your expectations. The PS4 Remaster also irons out a lot of the rough edges of the PS3 release. A lot of the bugs I encountered the first time around are either gone or more well hidden. The controls are also more refined and match the other two games by default if you remember that whole mess when the game first came out! Also out the three re-releases 3 certainly looks the best mainly due to Naughty Dog's engine being so much more polished than it was for the first and second games.

The key to the third game is taking the concept of big set-pieces from the second Uncharted and making them more dynamic. Wether it is having a shootout while a ship is filling with water or Drake contextually touching everything he get near too. The world feels more alive and varied than before.

I'm really looking forward to Uncharted 4 now....

by **cal_el** Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:18 pm

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]
Firewatch [PS4]

March
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Remastered [PS4]
Hitman Go: Definitive Edtion [PS4/PS Vita]
Hitman: Prologue Episode [PS4]
Hitman: Paris Episode [PS4]

That's a lot of Hitman! Gonna keep things short due to baby stuff but I would highly recommend both Hitman Go and the Hitman Intro Pack!

Hitman Go is a beautiful puzzle game that has a great "just one more level" feel to it. I'm currently working my way towards the Platinum trophy for it too! It looks and plays really well on both the PS4 and Vita. Well worth checking out!

As for the new Hitman game, I was apprehensive at first but now I am totally on board with what they are trying to do with it. I played a bit of the Beta and found it mixed but with the first full part of the game I have really gotten into it. I've never been a Hitman fan but I am enjoying the freedom offered in the game and the vast variety of options given to the player. The episodic structure is also keeping me in the game replaying the missions I have access to, trying out different approaches and techniques. Which I would have passed over if this was a full release. It also helps that the game's Contracts modes keep feeding you with a steady stream of things to do once you've finished the story missions. For the price I'd say it is worth giving it a go.

by **cal_el** Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:26 pm

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]
Firewatch [PS4]

March
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Remastered [PS4]
Hitman Go: Definitive Edtion [PS4/PS Vita]
Hitman: Prologue Episode [PS4]
Hitman: Paris Episode [PS4]
Deadly Tower of Monsters [PS4] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 24/3/16

Well this was a surprisingly fun game! Part parody of retro sci-fi B-movies and part Hack'n'Slash game with some platforming thrown in for good measure. It is far from a perfect game but I had a lot of fun with it.

The setup and presentation for it is perhaps the most interesting thing. The idea is that the game is a DVD re-release of a movie called The Deadly Tower of Monsters and the Director is recording their audio commentary for the film. So you get this weird commentary for a film that never happened full of references and jokes about film making.

The other cool thing is the game's approach to the monsters you face. They are all designed to look and behave like creatures in old B-Movies. So you have guys in ape suits attacking you. The flying monsters have visible strings attached to them. The the more fantastical creatures have stop motion like movements to them which is really cool. The game doesn't take itself too seriously and I found myself wanting to keep playing to see the next gag or creature design.

The only real disappointment is was the ending. Which is abrupt and feels like the developers really didn't know how to end the game. So it attempts to make a statement but it just ends up falling flat. Which is a shame.

Combat and character wise there is a nice range of weapons which are all upgradable to some extent and each of the game's three playable characters have their own unique abilities which you'll need to overcome some of the obstacles on your way to the top of the tower. There is also a really nice touch that the whole tower is loaded in when you play and you'll find yourself regularly jumping off it and plummeting to the bottom to reach hidden areas and platforms.

The game itself isn't incredibly deep. You just have to reach the top of the tower, fighting whatever gets in your way. It is how it is all presented to you which is the fun part. I went in expecting a sub-par game but found myself pleasantly surprised. If your a fan of old school sci-fi movies and serials I would recommend giving it a go.

by **cal_el** Sun Mar 27, 2016 12:31 pm

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]
Firewatch [PS4]

March
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Remastered [PS4]
Hitman Go: Definitive Edition [PS4/PS Vita] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 26/3/16
Hitman: Prologue Episode [PS4]
Hitman: Paris Episode [PS4]
Deadly Tower of Monsters [PS4] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 24/3/16
Tom Clancy's The Division [PS4]

I've finished the main thread of The Division, completing all of the missions and have had a lot of fun in the process. I've still got loads to do in the form of Side Missions, Encounters, Collectables and exploring the Darkzone and other End Game content. The story for the game is pretty...well...pants and is really just there to facilitate shooting things which is thankfully a lot of fun in this game! The gameplay is a good mix of Mass Effect 2/3's combat and Diablo style loot centric drip feeding of newer, better gear and tougher challenges.

The game's matchmaking works really well and I found it easy to go from exploring the game world on my own to jumping into groups to complete the missions. The difficulty of which slowly ramps up as the game goes on with the last couple being a good test of your skills and requiring you to work as a team with the rest of your group. It is a strong action RPG with surprisingly deep systems for your gear and skills. The game's different classes also feel unique and you have the freedom to mix and match abilities from them to make your character fit your play style.

It is the first Ubisoft game I have enjoyed in a long while and I think I will be playing it for a long time to come.

by Wolvieware Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:48 pm

I finally finished the main tour mode of Drive Club today. Could have finished it months ago but keep getting distracted by DLC! As a final championship it wasn't anything special - just normal races, but now all main events are completed and I got nearly every star too. Still got lots of Dlc and Bikes to play too.

And what can I add to this fans that I haven't already said? Best racer on ps4. Enjoyable, great graphics, lots of content - it's been a phenomenal work in progress and I'm very sad that there won't be any more content. The game is now finite and I will get to the end eventually but wI'll really enjoy it while it lasts.

by **cal_el** Fri Apr 01, 2016 8:04 am

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]
Firewatch [PS4]

March
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Remastered [PS4]
Hitman Go: Definitive Edition [PS4/PS Vita] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 26/3/16
Hitman: Prologue Episode [PS4]
Hitman: Paris Episode [PS4]
Deadly Tower of Monsters [PS4] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 24/3/16
Tom Clancy's The Division [PS4]
Platinum Demo - Final Fantasy XV [PS4]

I managed to squeeze in one last game (of sorts) before the end of the month, Platinum Demo - Final Fantasy XV. The latest stand alone demo for FFXV. Unlike Episode Duscae which was a proof of concept slice of the game, Platinum Demo works as more of a glorified tech showcase for the engine Square are using for FFXV. Story and character are minimal here, instead you get this weird mini adventure that rewards exploration by showing you more robust things that can happen within the engine. You have fast changes of time and weather, physics being applied to objects while exploring and in combat, driving vehicles, taking on the forms of monsters and particle effects! So many particle effects! The demo also highlights how good looking the final game is going to be.

I'm not sure what the intention behind the demo is on Square's part but it is nice to get something to help mitigate the wait for 30th September. But if you are wanting a better idea of what the actual game will be it is worth trying to get a hold of the Episode Duscae demo if you can.

by **cal_el** Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:05 am

Updates in bold.

January
The Banner Saga [Steam]
Lifeline [iOS]

February
Pokemon X [3DS]
Firewatch [PS4]

March
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Remastered [PS4]
Hitman Go: Definitive Edition [PS4/PS Vita] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 26/3/16
Hitman: Prologue Episode [PS4]
Hitman: Paris Episode [PS4]
Deadly Tower of Monsters [PS4] - Platinum Trophy Unlocked 24/3/16
Tom Clancy's The Division [PS4]
Platinum Demo - Final Fantasy XV [PS4]

April
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters [PS4]
Bloodborne [PS4]
Game of Thrones Episode 5: A Nest of Vipers [PS4]

After playing the game on and off for the better part of a year I have finally finished Bloodborne and its DLC, The Old Hunters! I'm glad I stuck with it and kept making myself go back after some of my longer breaks from the game. I've had a long strange trip with Bloodborne but it has been worth it.

I think more than anything I just really like the visual design of the game. The dark gothic/victorian aesthetic with a Cthulhu twist fits the gameplay and narrative perfectly. It is so unlike the Souls games' depressing dark fantasy setting that part of me wanted to keep going to see the next area, monster or weird thing around the corner. I loved slowly uncovering the depths of the game's world and the story behind it. Each area has its own distinct look and feel along with usually introducing a new enemy or two in the process. The faster paced and offence orientated combat is also welcome meaning that you are constantly on your toes and have to really learn how the various monsters behave. You can't just hide behind a shield and wait for an opening you have to dive in and often (for me anyway) hope for the best. I could happily spend forever looking in every nook and cranny of the game world fighting the monsters I encounter along the way.

It is a great game and it really is worth playing but it is not perfect. This "perfect game" does have many flaws. Some are things that are firmly entrenched in the Souls games. Stuff like how they are all terrible at explaining anything to the player clearly. Basically I shouldn't have to be scrolling through wikis to understand the basics of a game's systems but a few of the more obtuse stats, items and abilities forced me to do so. Also for the most part, the boss battles annoyed the crap out of me. Some are great, tense affairs that push your skills to the limit or make you have to change your tactics in order to succeed. Most sadly, are just games of luck or intentional blockers that force you to backtrack and grind your character up several levels before you can beat them. Then you have how healing potions are handled. You have a limited supply that does not refill when you die and more are either costly to buy or hard to come by depending on which area of the game you are in. I guarantee I would have finished the game a lot sooner if whenever I died I respawned with a full set of potions. Some would say these frustrations are part of the experience and that they are what helps make the game special but they are really not. They are flaws in an otherwise brilliant game.

Another downside is how the weapons are handled. There is some truly fascinating design to the game's many weapons. All are unique and all have their strengths and weaknesses. The trick/dual nature approach to them has resulted in some really cool movesets and abilities that the player can use. Sadly at around the halfway mark of the game I realised that I needed to pick one weapon and stick with it. This is because you need upgrade the weapons which is normally not a bad thing in a game. However in Bloodborne the resources needed to upgrade weapons become harder and harder to find with the top level ones only appearing twice in the game if you have the DLC or to buy for a ludicrously high amount of one of the game's currencies. So yeah there were loads of great weapons that I wanted to play around with but it just got to the point were it would be making things so much harder for myself which is a shame.

On the better side of things The Old Hunters DLC is a really good addition to the game. It is tough but you never really get the huge spikes in difficulty you encounter in the main game. There is a steady build up to it and because it is so tightly packed with content there is a constant stream of new things coming at you.

Will I be buying Dark Souls III? Probably not, like I said the setting for Bloodborne is large part of what kept me invested in the game. There is something unique to it that makes it stand apart from the Souls games. It has a much tighter design and feel. Also I don't think I could handle another game like Bloodborne so soon...

As for Game of Thrones Episode 5, it was just more of the same as the last episode but with a lot more action than usual. However you are given a few really tough choices at the end of the episode. The fallout of which I am looking forward to seeing play out in the last episode.

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