I have said this in previous weeks and then went on to write more than I expected, but this is likely to be a very short Games-Log this week. Between migrating the website onto it’s own server, my boys fourth birthday, WrestleMania 34, UFC 223 and the fact that the game I played most this week (Far Cry 5) is getting it’s own review, there isn’t that much left for me to discuss. That said I like the format of this ‘my week in gaming’ article and even on weeks where it may be a single game I am discussing I would still like to put it out there.
I’d like to start this week with a game that hits the PSN store today; Masters of Anima. It’s a new strategic adventure title by the guys over at Passtech Games. I haven’t been able to play enough yet to stick a review score on it but I did manage to live stream the first hour (video embedded below) and the first thing that jumped out to me was the excellent art style. A lot of care and attention to detail has gone into this game and it shows.
The gameplay is easy on the surface but then escalates quickly. Combat works with a single button press and you can dodge incoming attacks as well, but the bulk of your game play will involve using spawned allies to fight for you. This is where it becomes a little more complicated. You have to learn when to send the Guardians into battle and when to retreat. As soon as you get to grips with this you get access to sentinels. These allies coming packing a bow and arrow and are used for ranged attacks.
From what I have played so far it looks like a really interesting strategy game that has been well thought out. I am not one for fantasy stories, so I can’t really speak to that. I did listen to the cutscenes and attempt to take it in, but they may as well have been speaking another language. That’s not to say it’s bad, it’s just that it’s not a story type I look for in my games. The fact I am willing to look past the narrative and am genuinely excited to play more though should be an indication that Passtech Games is on to something with Masters of Anima.
My plan is to try and stream a second part of the let’s play later in the week, but this will all depend on what live throws at me. Until then though, check out part one and see if you think it’s something that would interest you.
Just a quick note on Fortnite, because I’m really surprised that I am still playing it. As I have stated before I usually hate online gaming, especially shooters, but this one is keeping my interest a little. Saturday night I spent a few hours with two of my friends playing teams mode. We are far from elite online FPS players, but we had fun and are looking to do it again soon. I now have four kills to my name as well.
Mad Max is a game I have been meaning to play since back when it first released in September 2015. At the time I had so much to play that I decided to hold off for a price drop. I eventually picked it up on disk about a year ago for £5 and it has sat in a drawer ever since. Then, when it got announced as a PS+ game this month it got me thinking about how I hadn’t ever gotten around to it, so after I finished Far Cry 5 I stuck it on.
I am currently only about an hour in but it seems like a really interesting game. The first thing that struck me was the controls. L2 to jump? R2 to sprint? L1 to aim and CIRCLE to shoot? These are very strange controls for a current generation game. But they work. The car combat seems a little basic. No drift or slide mechanic seems like a real oversight, especially given the terrain you find yourself in.
So far though I am really enjoying myself. I could see it perhaps getting old if the world isn’t very interesting, but everything I have seen so far is positive and it’s definitely something I am looking to continue with, at least until God of War drops a week on Friday.
Aside from what I have stated above, the only other games I have dabbled in are Crash N Sane Trilogy, Rayman Legends and Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition with my son. He is very interested in gaming at the minute but is still too young to fully grasp the controls and react in time. Having said that he has completed the first level in Crash Bandicoot Warped all by himself. Which for a child that was three at the time of completion is an impressive feat.
It is an extremely baron week ahead for new releases. I would recommend checking out Masters of Anima if what you’ve heard and seen of it from me interests you. Aside from that though the only things I am considering checking out is the Rick and Morty VR game (I don’t like the show but it looks like a super easy platinum) and possibly Time Carnage, but I haven’t properly looked into that to see if it is worthwhile.
Over the next week I plan to play more Mad Max, Fortnite, PES 2018, Masters of Anima, Yakuza 0 and if possible stream a let’s play of Little Nightmares, which I actually streamed back on the day it first came out, but haven’t ever finished. It was unfortunate that it released on the same day as The Sexy Brutale, one of the best games of last year.
Until next week hit me up in the comments or on Twitter @VizualDze with what you have been playing and are looking forward to!
VdZe
