You are Cryptosporidium 137, or as your known on the mothership, ‘Crypto’ a clone of many versions of yourself.

Wide eyed and ready to kick some human ass in a super cliched 1950’s America, during the time of the U.F.O. craze and hysteria.

You are lead by your leader POX who gives out the missions and orders from the safety of the mothership.

You see, along time ago this very alien race infused their own DNA in to primordial humans which saw the prehistoric man evolve at a rapid rate. But now Crypto’s own kind has a DNA problem and they need to harvest it from Earth’s population.

A 100% pure and uncorrupted strand in each and every person.

Destroy All Humans! has been lovingly and hilariously recreated from the original game that released in 2005 by Black Forest Games.

A fully open world from farmlands to small towns and beach side resorts, this remaster from THQ Nordic not only jetpacks Crypto 15 years in to the gaming future that is the present with Missions and Challenges as new additions.

As you get to grips with Crypto’s psychokinetic powers (including disguising as humans with HoloBob) and some of the most original weaponry in a game, a Zapper, Anal Probe, De-Constructor and more.

Even though you are obviously of a higher intellect than the silly humans – you are totally outnumbered. Earth also has a blundering mysterious agency called the Majestic, who investigate any extra-terrestrial activities on the planet. they tend to shoot and ask questions never.

From a downed U.F.O. (think Roswell in New Mexico, 1947) the Majestic do have some tech of their own that they reverse engineered. But it’s nothing compared to what you have.

Some Levels require you to command your ship – these are hell fun as you can go nuts blowing stuff up (just avoid the military’s missile arsenal).

Your ship has a fiery Death Ray and a Pulse Burst that if you time it right can deflect enemy firepower.

Both you and your ship have shields – both can be regenerated, but remember that you are still a biological being and death means that you’ll need to be re-cloned and start over.

Your weapons, abilities and spaceship can all be upgraded. At the end of each Level you will automatically visit POX’s Lab and depending on how many human brains you have extracted (and any in-game bonuses that you may have completed) are cashed in for tech and psychokinetic power enhancements.

There’s also different outfits for Crypto to be unlocked as you play through.

Tongue in cheek humour, alot of cliches and stereotyping Destroy All Humans! is a game I recommend playing through. And play through more than once, as each Level has a plethora of side objectives and challenges alongside the main Mission.

Destroy All Humans! is a completists dream as the developers have also added in bonus Challenge only Levels, that weren’t in the original.

Destroy All Humans! was a huge hit with me when it first released so when I first heard that it was being remade I was hopeful that it kept to the original. It did and it’s way better than I could have hoped for.

The post Destroy All Humans! (Xbox One) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Before I start, I’d like to point a few things out. Sekiro will likely already have a feverishly loyal user base, and they will love the game, just as they loved From Software’s Dark Souls games and Bloodborne. This review is not for those guys, who should go out right now and pick up Sekiro. This review is for the rest of us.

Ninjas and samurai are cool. And it’s to feudal Japan that From Software take us to for this punishing stealth/combat game. As the one-armed Wolf, or Sekiro, players must utilise the abilities of a special artificial arm, the shinobi prosthetic, to free the Divine Heir, Kuro from the clutches of Genichiro. Genichiro wants to use Kuro’s Dragon Heritage, the same power that kept his mortally wounded bodyguard, the shinobi (ninja) Wolf after losing his arm, to create an immortal army.

The plot is esoteric and either natively mad or lost in translation. But it is Japan, with ninjas and samurais. The perfect setting for a sword-fighting action game with a sprinkling of the supernatural about it.

The game uses that awful, dated 90s-style user interface favoured by the likes of Capcom. Why Japanese developers can’t send their people on decent UI design courses is a mystery to me. To be honest, it’s not a nice-looking game. It looks better than Dark Souls I-III, but probably not as good as Bloodborne or 99% of other recently released supposedly AAA titles.

The general gameplay visuals are acceptable, but offer little of note, as with the UI, the animations, and general polish all feel very dated. If From Software just don’t seem to offer the same level of finesse of their peers.

Sekiro is all about the combat or avoiding it. I never worked out when I should be taking which approach. Nine times out of ten I got the same result…death. The combat is OK, better than I found that of Dark Souls et al, probably only because it is easier. Likely alienating those players. The stealth makes no real sense, the game offering literally no explanation.

You die a lot, sometimes it seems as if you are supposed to die, like your death propels the story. It’s not clear, what is clear is that every time you die the world, especially those that you have come into contact with start to succumb to a sickness. This adds some narrative guilt to your already bruised sense of gaming prowess.

The grapple is fun, like a feudal Japanese Batman, you can swing into, and out of, combat and climb onto rooftops to traverse the huge open world. It is an extra control that adds to a very unintuitive control scheme.

There is a glimmer, and I say a glimmer, of genius in the game. As you fight, die, rinse, repeat, the game starts to grant players a small insight as to how it is supposed to be played. The poorly communicated on-screen prompts start to make a bit more sense. All I could think, though, was what a wasted opportunity to make a break out game, rather than just another niche effort.

I want to like Sekiro. I like it more that Dark Souls and it is much better than Bloodborne. But it’s still a chore to play. Sekiro’s chaotic player immersion system, whilst better than the usual From Software game, is at the opposite end of the careful, skilful-to-the-point-of-clinical way Ubisoft eases player into the gameplay. It’s basically bad game design masked as a difficult game mechanic for a more discerning player. Elite gaming snobs will, no doubt take issue with this. Well, I don’t care.

If you seek the challenge missing from your general hum-drum existence, and enjoy using video-games to give your life meaning, you are propably going to like Seiko: Shadows Die Twice. But you’d be better off seeking real life challenges that improve you as a person.

For the rest of use that cherish our time playing games, but don’t have the twenty-odd hours required just to “git gud” on Sekiro, forget it. There are plenty of other games out there far more deserving of your time.

The post Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PlayStation 4) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The day of reckoning has come to Switch.

With Darksiders now being a trilogy – the most recent game in the series seeing Fury, a bad-ass, fiery red-head, taking on the Apocalypse aftermath, we see War return in the Warmastered Edition, now released on Nintendo Switch.

The mighty portable, which knows no boundaries when it comes to its gaming prowess and capabilities sees Darksiders explode with playability and visuals matched by it’s larger console and PC versions.

If you have recently picked up a Darksiders game, most likely it is the third one, Darksiders III. So, let’s go back to the beginning.

The day that the Apocalypse started. The day that War, the first of the Horsemen answered the call.

Right from the onset it is alluded to players that there is more to the story than just a lone horsemen wreaking havoc on a now destroyed Earth.

The battle of Demons vs. Angels is rife on the surface and skies of the now seemingly dehumanised planet. But something isn’t right.

War’s seal was not broken. So who called him, and why?

The Charred Council summon War back to face punishment for starting the Apocalypse early. War protests his innocence and makes a bargain with the Council. Allow him to go free, unpunished and he will go back to Earth and find out who was responsible for calling war in the first place and starting the end of times.

The Council agrees – but with conditions. Bound to War is a Watcher. A demon that the Charred Council use to keep tabs on War and make sure he is doing what he should.

In-game the Watcher will offer up advice on next objectives and highlights to the main story.

The Darksiders games have always been a third person action RPG.

As you progress through and find collectibles, including souls which are used for currency with the Demon Merchant; Vulgrim, you will be able to acquire shards and powerful combos and level upgrades.

The very first Darksiders title was a game that I had been eagerly awaiting for back in 2010 and did not disappoint at the time. 9 years on (omg… 9 years!!!) the game still holds up by today’s gameplay standards.

The Warmastered Edition which originally released in 2016 saw a graphical overhaul including 4K support. While the Switch currently does not have titles released for it in 4K, there is a rumour that this may change real soon.

Having played across the entire franchise (Darksiders III being my absolute favourite) it was refreshingly satisfying to re-take on the story’s beginning all over again, some aspects of it I had totally forgotten about and they retain relevance to the two predecessor titles; Darksiders II (featuring Death) and Darksiders III (featuring Fury).

As there are four Horsemen I am very much looking forward to the fourth title which should wrap it all up.

Darksiders, one of my favourite action game franchises next to Legacy of Kain / Blood Omen and Devil May Cry.

Now, you can wage War wherever you are.

The post Darksiders: Warmastered Edition (Switch) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

There is a saying that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

This is totally fitting for Darksiders third installment and it makes sense that Fury is a kick-ass female.

The more rebellious and less caring of the Four Horsemen, Fury doesn’t care too much for the human race. And she makes that known.

With War in chains, imprisoned by the Charred Council after being blamed for bringing about the Apocalypse. To top it off Death is missing so Fury is called upon to sort out the end of times mess. In this third chapter of the third person action title you take on the role of Fury. The Seven Deadly Sins have gone rogue and Fury is tasked with reigning them in.

But, beware of false prophets… Fury has an encounter with The Hollow Lord, an entity of immense power that can release both Demons and Angels from life to death. He warns Fury that she is being mislead by the Charred Council and is a pawn in a much larger plan.

This warning and theme is ever present throughout the narrative of the game.

It’s not too long in to the game where you encounter the first Boss; Envy. Don’t expect to be ushered in gently with Darksiders III. Envy was a challenge for sure. But, once defeated you gain Envy’s Talisman which you will need to trap the remaining Sins within it.

THQNordic and Gunfire Games have done a fantastic job of remaining true to the original series.

Game mechanics, while jazzed up for the new consoles graphically, follow the tried and true melee and platformer tropes.

The RPG and leveling up element has also been retained in this Darksiders chapter. Fury has a spiked whip and this can be upgraded, as can the basics, strength, resilience against damage and health across a skill tree, accessible when you encounter Vulgrim, a demon merchant.

Vulgrim spots also act as gateways and checkpoints, called Serpent Holes between varying areas of your current Level.

An agreement that Fury makes with Ulthane (the Blacksmith) you will be finding stray humans throughout the burned and destroyed lands and using a device called the Bridge, you will rescue them. Yep – you may not like them, but you want those weapon upgrades from Ulthane.

Enemies that Fury takes down and some environmental objects that can be destroyed release souls – these are exchanged with Vulgrim for the said upgrades. Aswell as souls there are Shards which offer up life, defense and might when in combat. Fury also has a power up ability whereby two shoulder buttons correspondingly pressed will activate a brief Fury mode, providing that the Fury meter is full. Extremely handy against bosses and bigger foes.

The ferocity of her ‘Fury’ is also dependent on your current character level.

Darksiders III is pure pleasure to play through. Gorgeous visuals and a rewarding and satisfying play. So much detail and creativity has gone in to this edition of the Darksiders Trilogy and is most noticed on the Sins, as you encounter them in Boss Fights.

For those new to the series, they aren’t going to feel lost by unleashing Fury on to their consoles, if they have not played the first two Darksiders titles. The backstory is laid out at the very start and is referenced throughout the entire game.

With a decent length of game time – Darksiders III is the absolute best in the series so far.

If you are the ULTIMATE Darksiders fan check out the Apocalypse Edition, which not only comes with in-game extras, but aslo an Artbook, Soundtrack, and the best of all – four hard plastic models of Fury, War, Vulgrim and Death. Check out our video of the unboxing above.

The post Darksiders III (Xbox One) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Volition are back with a brand new IP in their latest open-world epic Agents of Mayhem, coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC in 2017.

The developers of the highly acclaimed and hugely successful Saints Row series have taken it to the next level with the creation of a new comic hero universe.

Meet the Agents of M.A.Y.H.E.M. (the Multinational Agency for Hunting Evil Masterminds) – a motley outfit of unique and diverse Super Agents recruited from around the world to thwart the destructive schemes of the evil supervillain organization L.E.G.I.O.N. (the League of Evil Gentlemen Intent on Obliterating Nations).

In a simultaneous global assault, LEGION has taken control over the nations of the world and the only force left to stop them is MAYHEM. Led by the mysterious and no-nonsense Persephone Brimstone, MAYHEM’s elite Super Agents are called to the city of Seoul, South Korea. Led by LEGION Minister Doctor Babylon and his diabolical lieutenants, a nefarious plot is set in motion to build a world-altering device that will grant unrivaled power to the supervillain organization.

In order to stop LEGION and take back the world, the Agents of Mayhem will traverse a sprawling urban battlefield from the ground to the rooftops and team up as a super-agent collective to stop LEGION at any cost.

Success is far from guaranteed and collateral damage will be substantial, but it’s all in a day’s work for the Agents.

Featuring an original storyline, trademark over-the-top open-world gameplay, and the look-and-feel of a distinctive superhero cosmos, Agents of Mayhem is a true Volition game. This new IP is a part of the Saints Row universe, sharing certain story elements, symbolism, and design inspiration with the multi-million selling franchise. Building on the unique skill of the AAA studio to continuously surprise, endear, and engage players, Agents of Mayhem represents the culmination of over a decade of open world experience and creativity.

The post Agents of Mayhem from the Creators of Saints Row! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition is the natural progression of what is already a superbly tight platformer. Definitive Edition is not a remaster or a remake, but the final polishing of game to realise the true vision of its designers. It stands as what the developers want you to know the game as, and it has something for both those who fell in love with Ori the first time and for newcomers alike.

I played the original game on the Xbox One last year, so what do I think of this new version? Is it truly definitive, or was the original a sufficient declaration of a vision?

In 2015 Moon Studios demonstrated that Nintendo now has some serious competition in platformers from indie developers. While major publishers have largely left the platformer genre to Nintendo, indie developers have created a number of unique, challenging and quirky platformers. Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the latest in this series of platformers, taking significant history from the Metroid and Castlevania games.

In essence, Ori is a metroidvania that combines twitch platforming with exploration, combat and action sequences. On top of that it has a stunning art direction which has been extremely well executed. If that’s the sort of game that sounds attractive to you, and you haven’t played Ori at all, then there’s almost no need to read the rest of this review. Go out and download this game now, safe in the knowledge that what awaits you will be a challenging adventure. If you’re still not convinced, then I hope what follows will take you over the line.

Ori begins with a very Up-like beginning that will leave you emotional as anything. Though the actual content amounts tired trope, it is performed so excellently with such great character animations that it can’t help but be affecting. Over the course of the game the omnipresent narrator fleshes out what has happened to the forest and Ori’s unique role in bringing it back from the brink of destruction. While the story begins strongly I never felt compelled by it after that. It reeks of melodrama and generally takes itself rather too seriously. That said, it never really gets in the way too much and does nicely link into the environment at times.

All this the new Definitive Edition retains from the original. There are a couple of extra areas that flesh out some more of the background details of the narrative. Some other welcome additions are cross-save between the Xbox One and Windows 10 devices and support for 4K and ultra-wide displays. There has also been some quality of life improvements such as the addition of teleporting between regions at wells. Teleportation in particular greatly incentives more exploration than the original, where it was tedious (and difficult!) to backtrack to old areas.

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition retains the game’s trademark gorgeous environments that slowly unlock as you gain new abilities to smash walls and unlock new areas.

But don’t let those looks fool you. Ori is an incredibly complex game, mechanically speaking. Almost from the earliest stages you will be tasked with fairly advanced platforming mechanics that are most definitely not welcoming to new players. At times this felt a bit unfair, with points of failure impossible to see beforehand or even to predict. Too many times I dropped or climbed up to a new area only to be quickly dispatched by an unknown environmental obstacle or enemy.

Fortunately, the game resets quickly, allowing you to try again (and again) without lengthy loading screens. The feeling of accomplishment after completing a particularly gnarly section is immense, though particular areas point much more to frustration than adulation. These environmental challenges are somewhat softened by the ability to save almost anywhere in the game.

The self-selecting save point ability remains as one of the more innovative and welcome design decisions. That said, if you play on anything but easy expect to be frustrated at many points in your journey. Speaking of, the Definitive Edition allows you to cut down the difficulty even further through the addition of an Easy mode. But be careful, changing it down to easy resets your leaderboards. This won’t be an issue for most who will play Ori as a single-player game, but for those looking to compete it’s worth noting.

I recommend playing Ori on the largest screen with the lowest refresh rate. If you’re on a TV make sure that it’s on the “Game” mode – where most TV post-processing is turned off. Input lag can be extremely detrimental so eliminating it as much as possible is essential.

You’re also mad if you play Ori with a mouse and keyboard – I recommend either a PS4 (through enabling software such as DS4Windows) or an Xbox One controller. The disappointing D-Pad on the Xbox 360 controller makes it less suitable, though still workable.

Finally, Ori in its definitive edition is now available on the Windows Store, but using that version led to a number of headaches for me – all avoidable if playing the game sourced from other storefronts. It had a hard time downloading in the first place, going full screen and hiding the Windows taskbar, and in detecting my controller.

Ori’s Definitive Edition is a strangely-priced $6.65 (AUD) upgrade for existing game owners and $26.95 (AUD) for new owners. So is it worth the upgrade?

If you’re a completionist and want to spend as much time in the Ori’s forest home, then the new edition will be a boon to you. Alternatively, if the immense difficulty of the game has put you off ever trying it, the new easy mode should help you along. Despite important issues and frustrations with the core platforming, the whole package of Ori continues to be a stunning display of what a modern platformer can be. It’s a fine contribution and heir of masterful game design, and something that’s well worth experiencing on your own.