Curve Digital - Games of DAYNE

Just Die Already Review

Games of DAYNE — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 06:56:06 +0000

(Reviewed on Xbox Series X by Games of DAYNE)

The first I ever heard or saw of Just Die Already was its description in an article and I instantly realised I needed no further information to purchase. Check it out below as it appears on the Microsoft Store:

“Just Die Already is an old people mayhem sandbox game created by the designers of Goat Simulator. You are old and angry and you’ve just been kicked out of your retirement home. How will you survive in a world that wants you to Just Die Already?”

Influence from the team behind Goat Simulator + playing as the elderly in an “old people mayhem sandbox” = day one purchase. It’s crazy, ridiculous and absolutely pointless. None of those comments are negatives in Just Die Already, the absurdity keeps things silly, entertaining and fun.

As I begin writing this review I don’t really know where to start as my mind constantly wanders to one of my earliest moments with Just Die Already. Mere minutes into my first session I walked over to a garbage truck and for no reason at all I was grabbed by a worker, one of my arms and legs in each hand, and launched into the air to land on some power lines, be electrocuted, and fall into the path of a speeding car that removed all of my limbs except for my hips. I think Shakira almost said it best with “my hips don’t lie” though a more accurate quote would be “my hips don’t die”.

This was my introduction to losing limbs, nonsensical and over the top physics and the world of Just Die Already doing its best to dismember and end your life at every opportunity. The game opens with character selection in a retirement home, offering four equally old and angry “Boomers” to choose from, a choice affording no advantage over the other and merely a cosmetic decision.

On-screen prompts regularly remind you how to play, using each bumper to grab an item with the corresponding hand, some items can be dual wielded while others will require both hands. It isn’t just objects that can be grabbed, and it’s worth noting that everything that can be interacted with can be used as a weapon, but people, whether they are waking around or having a nap on a bench can be grabbed and dragged into oncoming traffic, thrown onto conveyors or strategically placed in front of trains or into fire for example.

Just Die Already truly is a sandbox of mayhem, presenting a handful of unique locations throughout the city that is densely populated with everyday objects and tools to use as weapons against the world that doesn’t care about you. Anyone can be attacked and eventually killed but so too can the player. The inhabitants aren’t going to take any nonsense from the player and will not hesitate to slap you, throw you or chase you down and hack you into pieces with machetes. How do you take the fight to this kind of aggressor? Easy. You purchase katanas, guns concealed in bananas and so much more from vending machines littered throughout the world by using tokens earned by completing challenges.

Challenges comprise the equivalent of a story in Just Die Already. With no real narrative as such the player is given someone else’s bucket list at the beginning of the game that is full of diverse tasks for the player to complete. Doing specific things X amount of times, decapitating yourself or dying in specific ways are just a few examples of the ludicrous list. Cleverly, this adds a little bit of structure to the otherwise non-linear carnage and encourages experimentation with particular objects and hazards within the environment.

As the player receives damage to certain parts of their body their limbs will break and eventually be severed. Getting hit by a car might break your back, having your character’s torso and head fall backwards and trail behind your feet as you run and jump around. Lose an arm? Not a problem, you’ve still got one left and the one you’ve just lost is as good a weapon as any right? Getting around with no legs is amusing, losing both arms and your head also isn’t a dealbreaker as you’re still able to bounce around the environment. Without arms nothing can be interacted with however so in most cases you’ll either want to hit the respawn button, which will respawn you in the nearby skip bin of course, or find a way to get yourself killed. There is no consequence for death and you have unlimited lives.

There is no actual purpose in Just Die Already outside of the Bucket List but there’s nothing wrong with just running amock and laying waste to passers by for no reason either. The crazy physics and limb dismemberment systems are fun and silly enough to keep a goal-less session enjoyably bloody and oddly satisfying. Playing with up to three other people in online co-op is where it becomes something else entirely. Four players working together within the confines of the ridiculous gameplay provides some genuine laugh out loud moments for like-minded players who enjoy switching the brain off for a guilty pleasure such as this.

Cartoony visuals keep the tone playful and light despite the blood soaked carnage and chaos of decapitation and un-necessary violence against the elderly. The animations are often hilarious, especially as limbs are lost and interaction with environmental hazards such as power lines and fire come into play. The sound design is appropriately silly and over the top. Just Die Already is the definition of a game that doesn’t take itself seriously, a point not possibly clearer than the complete lack of you having to actually do anything. Do whatever you want, however you want to whoever you want. It’s a simple concept backed by absurd premise that is weirdly addicting.

I enjoyed my time with Just Die Already. There’s something to be said for the freedom it offers, the satisfying yet rare feeling of being able to kick back and relax without any pressure of pushing the story forward. Exploration uncovers new areas of the map which brings with it new tools and new ways to senselessly kill or be killed. Just Die Already can make you smile, laugh and find yourself bewildered by the absence of the actual laws of physics as your limbs litter the pavement around you. It’s plain dumb fun and that’s something we don’t see enough of nowadays.

+ Ridiculous physics

+ Entertaining character and environmental interactions

+ Ways to kill or be killed

+ Fun and diverse challenges

+ Doesn’t take itself seriously in any way, shape or form

+ Co-op can be very amusing

– Would be nice to dismember others as they can do to you

– A little more purpose would be nice

Developed by: DoubleMoose Games

Published by: Curve Digital

Release Date: May 20 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch and PC

– Additional Links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

To see this review and other multi-platform content from my associates at BG4G, click HERE.

For this and additional reviews, latest news, trailers and more from the rest of the team at Xbox Gamer Dad and One More Game, click HERE.

To see all the latest news and reviews from the team at Game News Aus, including this review, click HERE.

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All digital photography was captured in-game on Xbox Series X by Games of DAYNE

The post Just Die Already Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind Review

Games of DAYNE — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 02:00:04 +0000

(Reviewed on Xbox One by Games of DAYNE)

An adaptation that confusingly introduces stealth and strategy, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is an interesting take on the powerful drama TV series.

Based on the hit TV series Peaky Blinders, a run which currently has five seasons comprised of 30 episodes of the gritty and violent 1919 Birmingham rife with crime, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind attempts to translate the exploits of criminal gang The Shelby Family into an authentic video game experience. The charismatic charm of series lead Tommy Shelby, brilliantly portrayed by Cillian Murphy, as well as that of the rest of the supporting cast should theoretically lend itself well to a video game adaptation, however the first stumbling block is the lack of spoken dialogue. Mastermind instead opts for a text based dialogue system that immediately eliminates one of the TV series strongest assets. Presented in the form of a Stealth/Strategy experience, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind struggles to find a faithful balance with the source material as the core gameplay mechanics couldn’t feel more foreign.

While a number of the characters from the series are playable including Tommy, Arthur, John, Ada, Polly and Finn, the lack of voice overs unfortunately restrict their on-screen personalities to be conveyed by text. This simply fails to provide a connection with fans but also prevents newcomers from establishing any attachment to the characters or their motivations. Cinematics have been replaced by static images though they are admittedly stylish and striking, almost resemblant of paintings.

The gameplay itself is actually quite innovative and interesting, despite the disconnect with the source material. The player has full control over the movement of whichever combination of characters are available for each of the 10 missions. Some situations require one or two characters to activate a lever, opening a door for a third character to move through for example. Only one character can be controlled at a time however and this is where the most interesting gameplay mechanic comes in. Manipulation of time, known in-game as the “Soldier’s Minute”. By setting a character in place to perform an act, the player can then rewind time, switch to another character with the D-Pad and align their actions with that of the other character who is now automatically recreating the actions made my the player prior to the rewind.

It sounds complicated but it is actually very simple, largely due to excellent tutorials in the early missions. Some missions may have four or five different characters to use and as each are required for progression to be made through the mission, understanding of these mechanics are essential. Outside of the time play, the actual gameplay is safe and unexciting. Fetching items, finding keys to use on doors, holding doors, pulling levers, rinse and repeat. It’s a shame the gameplay is not as inspiring as the excellent use of time.

The concept is to navigate each character through a series of light puzzles without being detected. If a player is detected they simply need to rewind to moments before and avoid it the next time around. Enemies have vision cones that are visually represented in orange within their field of view. Avoiding these is a must for all characters with the exception of Ada and Polly, these two women are able to pass through them without issue.

There’s no combat as such, though Arthur and John have the Brawl skill which sees them fist fight an enemy automatically. Every character has unique skills, for instance Tommy can persuade certain characters, allowing him to take control of them to activate switches or retrieve keys for example while Ada can distract enemies, temporarily reducing their vision cones while Polly can bribe guards to disable them permanently. Familiarity with each characters skills will ease any frustration and coloured circles are associated to specific characters that correlated with their place on the timeline at the bottom centre of the screen which allows players to see which characters are doing what at a specific point in time.

Missions are timed and utilise a Gold, Silver and Bronze rating system. Littered throughout each mission are collectible pocket watches that serve no purpose outside of completionists seeking Achievements or Trophies and missions can be replayed from the main menu at any time.

The art design is stylish and the score appropriately reflects the dark, grungy tone of both the TV series and the game itself. The presentation is consistent and outside of the Soldiers Minute time mechanics, it stands out more than the gameplay itself. Explicit language populates the text boxes though this is as violent as the game gets with the exception of very few instances of slightly graphic imagery.

A relatively short 4-5 hours of gameplay is all on that’s on offer and considering the lack of meaningful gameplay this is the perfect length. There’s simply not enough to do to justify a longer play time. While the innovate time gameplay is interesting and engaging, the core mechanics become repetitive very early and lack a sense of fulfilment. It was always going to be a tall order to translate source material as excellent as the TV series but unfortunately Peaky Blinders: Mastermind just doesn’t feel like Peaky Blinders. This title, without the Peak Blinders logo, would stand on its own just fine. It feels as though the weight of the source material brings the overall experience down by failing to establish meaningful ties. This one will likely appeal to fans of the Stealth and Puzzle genres as it is quite enjoyable but may alienate fans of the series expecting more from the world they know.

Curve Digital - Games of DAYNE

Just Die Already Review

+ Ridiculous physics

+ Entertaining character and environmental interactions

+ Ways to kill or be killed

+ Fun and diverse challenges

+ Doesn’t take itself seriously in any way, shape or form

+ Co-op can be very amusing

– Would be nice to dismember others as they can do to you

– A little more purpose would be nice

– Additional Links –

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind Review

Final Verdict:

+ Innovative time manipulation/Soldiers Minute concept and execution

+ Some clever puzzles

+ Stylish art design

– Text based dialogue

– Lack of connection with source material

– Doesn’t feel like Peaky Blinders

Games of DAYNE Rating