Taking place in the 1890’s, over one hundred years before Harry first picked up a wand, Hogwarts Legacy casts the player in the role of an unnamed student commencing their studies in their fifth year. The adventure that unfolds is rife with exploration, well developed supporting characters, an interesting narrative and exciting spellcasting combat. Mastering new spells inside and outside of the classroom, forging friendships and the freedom to explore the Hogwarts castle itself and iconic locations such as Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest allow players to leave a legacy of their own design.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I want to preface my review by saying I do not share, nor support, the views of JK Rowling. Her opinions are undoubtedly harmful, hurtful and unacceptable. My decision to purchase, play and share my thoughts of Hogwarts Legacy don’t come from a place of similar views.

As soon as the game begins the player is tasked with creating their witch or wizard from an impressive suite of customisation options before launching the player into the prologue which wastes little time in introducing them to their role and forging a bond with Professor Fig who goes on to guide the player throughout the fifteen hour plus adventure. Upon learning of a pending Goblin uprising, the pair must unravel the sinister plot around the scholastic schedule of the player, balancing student responsibilities such as classes and assignments while also undertaking excursions into the broader Overland region that surrounds the castle.

Fellow students, professors, characters and creatures from all walks of life are interwoven throughout the story that inform not only the narrative but the gameplay elements that are discovered upon the way. What the player learns from them and the tools at their disposal can be put to use to carve a direct line through the story or to take in the wonders of the world around them and complete optional side quests and extra curricular assignments outside of the main quest path.

My full playthrough of the prologue can be found below.

Developer Avalanche Studios have crafted a satisfyingly cinematic story full of twists and turns and populated it with interesting characters and ideas. Diving into the past and experiences of key supporting characters, including the main antagonists – the Goblin Ranrok and dark wizard Victor Rockwood, explores and reveals each of their motivations and intentions in the looming power struggle. By the time the dust settles on the finale it ultimately feels as though the stakes were exaggerated and the big showdown to determine whether the might of the Goblins can overthrow the magic dwelling residents of Hogwarts fails to feel as epic or as high staked as the adventure suggested.

While the story might wrap up in underwhelming fashion the character development excels when it comes to the students, professors and other supporting characters. The personality injected into each of them in terms of depth and performance keeps them incredibly interesting and unique, with each character feeling authentic and full of unbridled purpose. What they say and do matters, whether it’s towards the story or their relationship with the player, the cast of characters that guide, help and educate them feel essential and would leave a genuine void were they not a part of it. I can’t recall the last time I personally experienced a video game that justified its entire supporting cast the way that Hogwarts Legacy has managed to accomplish.

Since the player’s character is starting their Hogwarts journey five years later than the other students, a rare exception that has only been seen a handful of times in Hogwarts’ esteemed history, a Wizard’s Field Guide has been provided by the Ministry of Magic to assist in the player getting up to speed. Full of challenges to complete, information to store and plenty of rewards to unlocks, this Field Guide is also home to the player’s inventory, gear customisation suite and more.

Gear can be obtained by looting, as quest and challenge rewards or by purchasing from vendors located throughout the world. Players can equip handwear, facewear, headwear, neckwear, cloaks and robes and outfits. As with most RPGs gear comes in varying rarities that increases in strength depending on its grade and higher tier gear can have Traits crafted and slotted to provide additional passive perks such as increased spell damage or decreased damage taken from specific elements for example.

Offence is the primary stat attributed to gear that provides an increase to attack damage but Defence can also be increased on gear items via crafting too. A wide variety of styles are available and luckily Transmog is a feature, allowing players to select gear with better stats but if they are unhappy with its appearance they can change it to look like any gear they have previously discovered. There is no need to wear a wheat sack as a head piece and wear a trash bag for trousers in Hogwarts Legacy, players can dress for stats and alter their appearance so as not to big down the experience by having a depressingly mismatched attire.

Wand handles can be found and equipped, offering the only form of customisation for your wand outside of choosing which wand to start with early in the story. As mounts become available in the story, they too can have their appearances altered in the Gear menu too.

Talents are the equivalent of skill points that are obtained by reaching a certain point in the story and are awarded when reaching a new level of progression by gaining XP. These can be spent in five categories, each packed with options to enhance various aspects of combat, exploration and crafting.

Collections documents every new thing encountered, whether it’s a beast, an enemy type and collectibles, this is reserved mostly for completionists seeking to uncover absolutely everything that Hogwarts Legacy has to offer.

Challenges are an excellent way to unlock exciting new cosmetics and perks by completing various tasks X amount of times. These encourage exploration and contributed to a steady XP flow to help players level up, essential for progression in the story as unfortunately, main quests are gated by level requirements, meaning players can’t simply power through the story but are forced to explore and complete other activities in order to continue the story.

The map is also located in the Field Guide and allows players to switch between a map of Hogwarts, Hogsmeade and the broader World map. All points of interest are visible, such as undiscovered side quests, fast travel points and activities. The number of fast travel points is very generous and since it shows the locations of ones not yet discovered it certainly makes open world traversal more accessible and clear in terms of where the player should go to trigger new fast travel points to ease the burden of backtracking. A very small portion of the map can be seen below.

Initially players must explore on foot and via fast travel points. With story progression players will be able to purchase a broomstick which can be used anywhere with the exception of a very few locations, a Hippogriff mount is also unlocked late in the game which can also be used as well as an additional secret mount which I won’t mention to avoid spoilers. These mounts are all very fun to play with and make traversal more enjoyable and unique. The broomstick can be upgraded with speed and acceleration boosts by completing a certain chain of side quests which is well worth doing.

Classes are just a small part of the Hogwarts Legacy experience, more so as a means of introducing the professors and students that will go on to become key parts of your adventure. Herbology, Charms, Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts classes for example all teach the player some essential spells but also how to grow different types of plants for varying purposes, brew potions for temporary buffs or other effects, all of which can be done inside their respective classrooms or later in the game in the Room of Requirements.

This room becomes somewhat of a customisable hideout that players can decorate with art, construct potions stations and herbology tables for instance. Eventually beasts can be rescued from the wild and stored in a Vivarium and can be fed and groomed to provided unique materials required for crafting Traits for gear. It’s a great way to further personalise the experience by affording players the freedom to have their own little place to call home all while being extremely functional and beneficial to maximise the ways the room can be used.

Outside of classes, Assignments are a special type of side quests that are available where teachers lay out a handful of tasks to accomplish before teaching a new spell when they have done so. Most of these are completely optional and typically only enhance exploration and environmental puzzle solving but some are tied to story progression, which is a little odd as they are supposed to be optional. Regardless, the tasks are very simple to complete and don’t take more than a few minutes, I highly encourage players to get these done as they become available to make exploration more accessible early on.

Before getting into the excellent spellcasting gameplay I want to first share a piece of advice I wish I had known earlier in my time with the game. Sebastian Sallow is a Slytherin student with whom the player becomes acquainted with early on, progressing his side quest chain is the path to unlocking all three of the Unforgivable curses available. Crucio, Imperio and the killing curse known as Avada Kadavra are only obtainable by completing Sebastian’s quests. These are easily the most powerful spells in the game and are a lot of fun to experiment with, so for all those players wanting to fight dirty… you’re welcome.

The crux of Hogwarts Legacy, pun intended for fellow franchise fans, is the spellcasting gameplay. Once spells are learned they can be equipped to what is essentially a set of four hot keys, using Talent points and reaching certain levels allows players to assign four sets of spells that can be switched between with ease. Spells can be assigned at any moment, even when in combat, and understanding their use and strengths is essential to late game success in particular. Spells fall into seven categories and have a variety of functions from damage, freezing, levitation and other throwing for example, each having strengths and weaknesses against different types of enemies.

Executing spells is a simple as holding RT on Xbox (R2 on PlayStation) and pressing one of the four face buttons, switching between sets of spells if the ability to do so has been unlocked via Talent points. Attacking is simple and luckily so is defence, with a button prompt appearing on screen for when to defend or dashing out of harms way.

The combat is so simple on the surface as far as actually casting attacks but the depth of the combat is wonderfully developed, especially when it comes to combining spells for maximum damage or crowd control when dealing with multiple enemies at once. Enemy targeting is available but the game does an excellent job at auto-targeting any available enemy, making combat accessible for players of all skill levels with regards to combat. Experimenting with different combinations of spells and unlocking new ones along the way keeps the combat feeling satisfying and refreshing while introducing new enemy types and alternate combat tactics throughout.

Hogwarts itself is full of secret passages, chests to find and loot, students to help with side quests and countless collectibles and other secrets to discover. The fact there is a larger world outside of the castle that is just as packed with things to do, enemies to fight and puzzles to solve goes a significant way to maximise player retention and keep the world exciting and dense with opportunity. There are dozens of hours worth of side quests, exploration activities and collectibles to find to keep Hogwarts Legacy at the top of player playlists.

Hogwarts has been brought to life with such meticulous detail and depth that is genuinely awe inspiring. The jaw dropping environmental art design is stellar and the variety of landscapes that players can explore each have a distinct look and feel to them that prevent visual repetition from setting in and dampening  the wonder of exploration.

The way the castle itself has been animated to be so lively and fluid, especially considering the likes of the rotating staircase and magically appearing passages for example, it’s all so faithfully adapted from the books and films we’ve come to adore throughout our lives, and childhood even in my case.

When it comes to character models Hogwarts Legacy looks as though all attention has been giving to the supporting characters, with background characters lacking the detail of their narratively relevant associates. Even the players character looks out of place, due in part I suspect to the customisation aspects that mean we could look a million different ways. It’s a shame to see our character not quite fit in when surrounded by key characters but the general immersion does not suffer as the world is so beautifully realised and the smooth animations maintain the authenticity of the experience.

Sound design and the score is such an integral part of this experience and both have been so flawlessly implemented. Beautiful, magical melodies accompany moments of enchantment when necessary and dramatic, ominous overtures that preclude tense encounters and secretive happenings. Each spell has a satisfying kick to their execution in their sound design and it’s fun to pay attention and listen for them in combat when they are being cast against you, making them identifiable even if they are coming from an enemy out of your direct line of sight.

I did stumble across a few technical issues throughout my experience such as doors not opening when I approached them and having to wait for a loading icon to spin in front of me until it was ready, sound effects disappearing and only being fixed by closing the game and restarting it and few occasions of the voiceovers getting a tinny and echo-like sound that would come and go on its own. Aside from that, my journey as a fifth year was considerably smooth.

The sheer scope and ambition of all that Hogwarts Legacy had to offer is genuinely breathtaking. Stunning visuals, excellent gameplay, meaningful exploration and incredible character development have all come together to deliver a unique and unforgettable showcase of the magic of video games.

Hogwarts Legacy is an enchanting triumph, offering an unparalleled experience of the wizarding world that has captured the imagination of Harry Potter fans for over two decades. Set over 100 years before the source material, the emotionally charged original story teeming with layered characters, satisfying magically infused combat and rewarding exploration, this is an adventure not to be missed.

+ Excellent spellcasting combat

+ Stunning audio-visual presentation

+ An open world full of fun activities

+ Depth of character development

+ Solid customisation

– Underwhelming conclusion to the story

– A few technical issues

Developed by: Avalanche Studios

The post REVIEW – Hogwarts Legacy first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Gotham has descended into chaos following the death of Batman in an incredibly epic cinematic opening that establishes the passing of the torch to his quartet of titular Gotham Knights. Red Hood, Batgirl, Nightwing and Robin must step up to fill the boots of their fallen mentor and protect the city that he gave his life for.

The beautifully detailed and gritty sandbox of Gotham City offers a surprisingly brief main story, a variety of side missions and activities as well as collectibles and secrets to discover that don’t quite maximise the explorative potential of the crime ridden metropolis.

Taking to the streets as any of the four playable heroes alone or with one other player in seamless co-op allows for a more personalised experience due to the unique move sets and play styles that each hero offers, as well as the unique input and interaction they have in each cutscene.

Administering justice to the bottom-feeders of Gotham’s twisted underworld is a pretty personalised affair with fun cosmetic customisation, a somewhat randomised crafting suite and simplified combat system. With the ability to switch between the four heroes at any time between missions, Gotham Knights leaves the city in the players hands to protect in their preferred play style, a gesture that opens up this world to be accessible in a genuinely unique fashion.

It is impossible to talk about Gotham Knights in any capacity without first addressing the Gotham sized elephant in the room. This is not a continuation of the critically acclaimed Arkham franchise that first began with 2009’s Arkham Asylum which, along with its two sequels, was developed by Rocksteady Studios. The only similarity between Gotham Knights and Rocksteady’s trilogy is the world that the game takes place in.

The characters and events from the Arkham series are not the same in Gotham Knights, the events any characters that appear in both franchises has been through are not connected. The Batman of Arkham Asylum is not the same Batman that loses his life to establish the conflict rooted in the foundations of Gotham Knights. To compare the gameplay in particular is not fair, Gotham Knights has adopted a more simplified style than the combo heavy, rhythmic flow of the Arkham series. For better or worse, Gotham Knights is not “another Arkham game”.

The tragic loss of Batman pails in comparison to the loss of Bruce Wayne to Gotham’s new protectors. Bruce gave each of these characters a new lease on life, mentorship and family. The bond he shared as Bruce has left a mark different to that which he left as Batman to these young adults. Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon and Tim Drake are just as central to the story as the masked counterparts Red Hood, Nightwing, Batgirl and Robin respectively. The relationships these characters had with Bruce and each other is interwoven with the main story cleverly to inject a touch of personalisation to each of them without overshadowing their vigilante personas.

With the publicised death of Bruce Wayne, only a handful of Gotham’s citizens are aware of the fact that this means Batman is dead but unfortunately, Gotham’s dirtiest players are quick to notice that Batman is absent, opening a unique window for an archaic wave of crime to populate every corner of the city. Led by Bruce’s trusty butler Alfred, the Knights look to restore justice to their city and overcome the pending conflict with the League of Shadows and the secret society that has infiltrated Gotham for centuries, the recently revealed Court of Owls.

The Court of Owls are positioned as the primary antagonistic force throughout the incredibly brief main story arc but fail to feel like a meaningful threat at almost every turn. Having infiltrated Gotham at such a deep level in secret for centuries presents a genuinely interesting storytelling opportunity that just isn’t capitalised on. Despite appearances from a host of characters from Batman’s rogues gallery and the big picture conflict that is laid out early on, the story feels as though it’s more interested in highlighting the rise of the Knights as a team and their struggles with this responsibility and death of Bruce. That’s not to say this isn’t interesting, it’s easily the highlight of the story but the broader physical conflict the Knights need to overcome is full of predictable moments, missed opportunities and non-threatening “big bad”.

A giant clock tower referred to as the Belfry serves as the base of operations for the Knights, equipped with crime monitoring and lab tech, a home twisting facility and of course, an impressive display for the suits of the heroes. The heroes that remain at the Belfry communicate with the player remotely to provide updates on their mission, acting as an eye in the sky and general overseer of their activities. The Belfry is perhaps best described as the launching pad for the players exploits in Gotham, referred to as Nights or Patrols.

Every time the player leaves the Belfry, a new night begins, and whenever they return, the night ends. Everything that happens in between, is happening in the Patrol. Without Batman to keep the streets under control, it’s up to the Knights to clean up the crime that’s ravaged the city for decades. It’s worth noting that Gotham is fully explorable from the get go, no regions are blocked off or accessible only with story progression. There are small Opportunistic Crimes which can be thwarted, larger Premeditated Crimes to prevent and a variety of other optional mission chains that become available as certain characters are met throughout the progression of the story.

Every crime stopped, every enemy defeated and a host of stats related to damage are tracked and presented at the end of a Patrol. Think of a Patrol like a gameplay session, everything you do in that one outing is tracked from the moment you leave the Belfry to the moment you return to it. These stats are presented on screen at the end of each Patrol.

While exploring Gotham and unleashing beat downs on the criminal masses, players can interrogate members of the three factions – the Freaks, the Regulators and the Mob – to uncover clues for crimes that will happen on the next Patrol in the form of Premeditated Crimes. The more clues uncovered in one Patrol will introduce even more Premeditated Crimes to track and prevent in the next. This completely optional mechanic is a fun way to introduce more to do for players looking for a deeper experience while also giving the more casual player just enough to do when taking a break from the main story without forcing them into lengthy play sessions unnecessarily.

These Premeditated Crimes however will only be available in the next Patrol after their clues are uncovered, ending the Patrol will abandon any that haven’t been completed and more clues will need to be uncovered to reveal more. There is not a fixed number of these crimes though so just because some have been abandoned doesn’t mean there will be less to do overall, it just means that enemies will need to be interrogated to uncover more clues to increase the amount of available crimes in the next Patrol.

All activities can be tracked by a rather cumbersome menu that divides them into Case Files for the main story chain, optional mission chains and individual crimes. The map is definitely easier to use to follow missions by simply looking at the icons and travelling accordingly.

Traversal in Gotham Knights is initially by foot or grapple gun, the latter of which can attach to almost any surface, and the Batcycle. While near any road the Batcycle can be summoned with a simple button press which makes covering ground a lot quicker and stylishly. The Batcycle can simply accelerate and drift, with no boost mechanics, and can perform wheelies to ride over small obstructions such as barriers. Ejecting from the Batcycle is a great way to get some additional elevation to reach higher surfaces with the grapple gun too, making for a solid combination of quick traversal where verticality is concerned.

There is a unique Heroic Travel ability for each hero that can be unlocked by completing a very brief mission chain called Knighthood. There are three steps that are identical for each hero, completing a specific training exercise at the Belfry, defeating five of a specific enemy variant of the Freaks faction and for completing ten Premeditated Crimes. Despite the mission chain being identical, it must all be completed for each individual. Doing so will provide access to the ability in a style that suits that hero.

For example, Red Hood has access to the Mystical Leap, which taps into powers from the Lazarus Pit which brought him back to life, and allows him to spring forward with a burst of that energy, and Batgirl is able to glide with her cape. As these traversals act like gliders, there is no way to go higher, rather they slowly descend and will need to jump from something high to re-trigger it as it can’t be initiated from the ground. Leaping from buildings or bridges for example will allow the ability to be used.

Additionally, there are a handful of Fast Travel points scattered around the city that can only be accessed by meeting Lucius Fox in the story. Once he has been met he tasks the player with travelling to locations and scanning drones in the area, and once this has been done, that area become accessible by a small Batwing style glider to Fast Travel to. All of the Fast Travel points can be unlocked in about twenty minutes total, which I highly recommend due to the frequent need to backtrack and move from one part of the city to the next throughout the story.

The combat. As I mentioned earlier, players comparing Gotham Knights to the Arkham series are setting this title up for failure before even picking up the controller. The highly fluid, free-flowing combo driven and rhythmic combat system from Arkham is nowhere to be seen. Gotham Knights has opted for a more simplistic combat offering that in many ways is more accessible, to casual players especially, though this does lead to combat encounters being as simple as button mashing for those that like to play in this fashion.

There are light and chargeable heavy melee and ranged attacks at your disposal to use in unison with a total of eight Momentum Abilities, all of which are uniquely tailored to the combat style of each of the four playable heroes. It is impossible not to acknowledge and appreciate just how unique these heroes feel, all distinctly different to each other and this isn’t just limited to their physical combat skills, but their movement, how they evade, slide and jump around is all unique. It genuinely feels like these four heroes have been built from the ground up in such a way that you could look at it as four games rolled into one, it’s very impressive.

Red Hood’s powerful range and hard hitting brawling prowess feels completely different to Nightwing’s ally buff focus, which in turn plays nothing like Robin’s stealth or Batgirl’s tech based play styles. This assortment of characters represents a broad host of play styles that are fun to experiment with.

The complete absence of any kind of block or counter system is certainly a head scratcher as players can only dive roll out of the way of incoming attacks or, if they’re lucky, possibly get their attack in first. This singular omission shifts the flow of combat from being dynamic to simply being a case of staying mobile and getting attacks in when there’s an opening.

Crouching and approaching enemies silently from behind, or sometimes from above, can allow for Silent Takedowns to dispose of enemies without others noticing or with Ambush Takedowns, unapologetically brutal and loud that let the enemies know you’re here and ready to throw hands. The dynamic of elemental damage keeps combat encounters tense, with fire, ice, shock and poison damage for instance being something to actively avoid while, with the right build, being able to distribute it effectively and turn the tides in a more explosive manner.

Adopting a variety of light RPG systems is perhaps most evident when it comes to building a load out. Each hero has three pieces of gear to experiment with; Suit, Melee and Ranged, and each of these gear pieces have a variety of stats to play around with such as Rarity, Level, Power, Defense, Health and elemental damage and other stat buffs.

Each hero has 15 suits, unlocked by crafting. These 15 suits each have a distinct look and draw from all sorts of the source material such as the Teen Titans and Batman Beyond. There are a variety of colour combinations, referred to as colourways, to unlock and there are three, readily available variants of the cowl, symbol on their chest, gloves and boots for each suit. This level of customisation is a lot of fun to play with and allows players to further play Gotham Knights their way, how they want to look and with their play style.

Cosmetics aside, the player is able to find and craft new weapons. New blueprints are unlocked as mission rewards and drops from enemy encounters, varying in rarity, level and stats. There are a wide array of crafting materials used to craft gear and where they can be found is viable by highlighting them in the gear menu, showing which enemy Faction can possibly drop them.

Mods can also be found and equipped to all gear types though different gear allows different amounts to be equipped. Some allow none while others can have up to three mods applied. Unwanted mods can also be fused by selecting four and creating a new, stronger mod that is influenced by all of the stats of those dedicated for consumption.

Gaining XP during combat and missions contributes to a player level that is shared across all four heroes, including the Ability Points that are awarded for doing so. For example, increasing in level by playing as Red Hood will award an Ability Point for him to use while also still being available for Batgirl, Nightwing and Robin. This is an excellent decision by developer Warner Bros. Montréal to allow players to have a more seamless experience when switching characters to prevent each hero having to be levelled up individually.

Each hero has a number of abilities to unlock that is specific to their play style. The initial level cap is 30 for the first playthrough but is increased to 40 if starting New Game + after completing the story for the first time. XP is given fairly generously and I had reached level 30 by the time I had completed the story and most of the optional side missions.

It’s great news that the four heroes share level progression as the grind would otherwise become very repetitive, very quickly, as the variety of crimes to fight in the seedy streets of Gotham seem grander at the beginning than they actually are. A handful of crimes soon become familiar and Gotham Knights’ mission pool is soon exposed to be as shallow as the length of its story. The fact that a lot of these random crime missions are needlessly tied to story progression, often serving little to no purpose or relevance hurts the pacing immensely, especially when tied to finding a specific enemy type that only has a chance of spawning during certain crime types at certain locations.

It’s a shame to not have a more dynamic offering of things to do, things such as car chases randomly breaking out and needing to be stopped or maybe bounty hunters randomly appearing are just two random ideas that could introduce an element of variety and surprise to the mission pool.

Much like their fallen mentor, the Knights all use detective elements to solve crimes and complete their missions. An Augmented Reality (AR) scanner is heavily incorporated into the structure of both main and optional side missions. Scanning objects to find clues, hidden switches and connecting clues to solve a puzzle become second nature, there were no instances where the solution was not apparent when the AR scanner had to be used.

The interactions between the supporting cast of characters and the four playable heroes is slightly different depending on which combination of characters are present. The overall narrative remains unchanged however, there are no alternate endings that are derived from particular characters being played but instead, it’s the smaller human interactions that feel varied enough to allow each hero to feel like they are the star of the scene and story instead of supporting characters reacting and conversing with them in a more generic manner that would cover the team safely.

Personal tidbits from their backgrounds are referred to by themselves and others that transform these interactions into something more meaningful. Instead of juggling the narrative to have each of the four heroes referenced within every interaction, this approach allows Gotham Knights to feel as though the story is played out from a singular, more personalised perspective that, given the brevity of the main story mission chain, allows for exploration in subsequent playthroughs.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the story is its length. To play through the story mission chain only, ignoring any optional missions or exploration, took just over eight hours on the Normal difficulty, entirely solo. No grinding levels or better gear, no co-op partner, no exploration. While I understand and appreciate that most people will mix their exploration and side missions with the main story in their playthroughs, this is alarmingly short for a title that has such a wonderfully realised world as this Gotham City.

By the fourteen hour mark I had completed the three side mission chains that feature iconic villains and found most of the collectibles, still solo. There are still races for me to do, optional mission chains to earn some more XP and gear rewards but overall, a short story and equally shallow variety of things to do will make it difficult to encourage people to return in the long run, at least without friends.

Co-operative play goes a long way in managing to expand the fun factor in Gotham Knights. With the entire city explorable for both players, and no distance restrictions to keep players tethered to a certain proximity of each other, Gotham becomes a different kind of playground to explore. Each player can go off and do their own thing or can work together as intended and complete missions and optional crimes twice as fast.

Though not instantly accessible, co-op becomes available after completing just a few missions. Oddly, despite starring four butt-kicking heroes, only two players can take to the streets of Gotham. A four player game mode has been announced prior to launch, set for a November release, though this is waves based combat encounters and not the free-roaming exploration of Gotham that is currently present in-game.

Gotham Knights is a great looking game. Gotham itself has been brought to life with a wonderfully contrasting vivid, gritty and dark style that make it a believable sandbox for Gotham’s grim underworld societies. The Knights all look excellent and the attention to detail in their suits is truly amazing. For as good as Gotham Knights looks it doesn’t quite live up to the standards set by the current generation of consoles. Performance wise I personally ran into no issues with the singular exception of a crash during multiplayer.

The sound design is excellent, with top notch voice acting from all of the main and supporting characters, a tense and atmospheric score that shifts its focus to match the mood of a scene in an instant, satisfying sound effects during combat and in particular when the various gadgets of the heroes and their criminal opponents come into play.

Gotham Knights sets itself apart from the Arkham series it undeniably fails to escape comparison of in a number of ways but it’s also unable to achieve the greatness that latter achieved on a number of levels.

The customisation of the four heroes is easily a stand out highlight. From cosmetic to functional, switching between the four heroes and having them feel and look so unique is a genuine joy and the city of Gotham is genuinely jaw dropping. Everything on the surface is excellent, it’s not until the bones of the open world and gameplay are exposed as rather shallow that Gotham Knights succumbs to the shadow of its admittedly unaffiliated predecessors.

Gotham Knights is a good game, especially in co-op, that unfortunately just can’t reach the high bars set by Rocksteady’s Arkham series. The brevity of the main story, simplistic combat and repetitive crime variety keep the experience feeling safe rather than taking some bold risks to even try to compete. If the Arkham titles didn’t exist, Gotham Knights would stand a little taller and shine a little brighter but shallow mission variety and a combat system that lacks depth and fluidity leave a different kind of mark that, like Bruce Wayne, can’t escape its fate.

+ Epic opening

+ Excellent customisation

+ Distinct play styles of the four heroes

+ Solid writing and personalisation of the Knights

+ A lot fun in co-op

– Extremely short story

– Most story missions are very brief

– Repetitive crimes and mission variety

– Only two player co-op

– Simplistic combat

Developed by: Warner Bros. Games Montréal

Published by: Warner Bros. Games

Release Date: October 21 2022

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC

* A digital code was kindly provided for the purpose of this review *

– Additional Links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

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

The post REVIEW – Gotham Knights first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

To coincide with the cinematic release of PAW Patrol the Movie, a tie-in title has been developed by Drakhar Studio and published by licenced title powerhouse Outright Games. PAW Patrol the Movie: Adventure City Calls features locations from the big screen adventure as Ryder and the PAW Patrol team discover that Mayor Humdinger is up to no good and only their mighty efforts can save the day.

Featuring eight story missions and over forty mini-game missions that span four different game modes, PAW Patrol the Movie: Adventure City Calls offers hours of entertainment for players of all ages to enjoy solo or in local couch co-op. It’s a PAWfect family experience!

The 3D platforming adventure plays like a combination of a side-scroller and light platformer, offering an assortment of mini-games that utilise the unique abilities of each of the eight playable pups of the PAW Patrol. Two pre-determined pups take the stage of each of the eight missions and can be switched between at will if playing solo or controlled by a player each in local couch co-op.

Each of the eight missions have been carefully designed to be accessible to younger players. Aside from movement the only other control for most of the gameplay is the ability to jump. At a handful of sections in each mission there is a PAW Interaction which requires a specific pup to activate and use their unique ability to play a very brief mini game. For instance, Rubble can drill through rocks or swing a wrecking ball, Marshall can put out fires with his fire truck and Chase can use a grappling hook or zip line to reach new areas.

These are very simple sequences that have a brief tutorial before every instance to remind younger players how to complete them. Some missions have driving, flying, or swimming sequences which offer fun variety and keep the simplistic experience diverse enough to remain engaging and capture the interest of young players. Hundreds of pup treats litter the screen of each mission, as well as three badges to collect, to give players something to focus on as they push forward. Collecting these awards character cards and other things that can be checked out in the Extras section of the main menu, further providing a fun distraction for fans of the PAW Patrol gang.

Completing all eight story missions can take as little as two hours, approximately 10-15 minutes each if attempting to collect all of the treats and badges. As that is from the perspective of a 30-year-old father somewhat experienced in video games, it is easy to understand that each mission could take twice as long for the youngest of PAWsome players. Considering the wealth of mini games available outside of the main story, an experienced player can have everything completed in around four hours but again, young players have countless hours of replayable fun ahead of them.

There are four types of mini games to enjoy;

• Time Trials – Three vehicle challenges are available for each of the seven pups. These task the player with simply completing the trial while collecting as many pup treats as possible. Only three Time Trials are played as the pups themselves and follow the same structure

• Collect them All – These challenges can only be completed by collecting all of the pup treats in the level

• Obstacle Course – A number of checkpoints are scattered around each of the nine obstacle courses that players will need to run and jump around to collect, returning to the finish line before time expires

• Pup Boogie – Following a simplified rhythm game structure players need to press the corresponding button as it reaches the green zone, increasing their score and multiplier with successive hits in these three challenges

There are some fun and thoughtful, yet subtle inclusions that make the experience even more suitable for a younger audience. Considerations such as pups only being able to cross a road at marked pedestrian crossings and any cars coming from either side stopping for them to do so is a great way to remind young players of road safety while enjoying a video game. This may seem like a no-brainer to older players as they play through but there is no such thing as bringing too much attention to the importance of these observations to children.

Some features that may be easier to overlook for younger players such as in-game tracking for collectibles in the main missions and side-missions would be nice to have for older players but as the experience is geared towards a younger audience, it would be unfair to use these as criticisms against the title though to ignore mentioning them would be a disservice to the mature audience that read this review or play the game.

Visually, the experience is a faithful 3D adaptation of the beloved kids TV series, and the character design and environments are playful and charming, bright, and colourful and are wonderfully complimented by a very fun, energetic, and upbeat soundtrack. Drakhar Studio have absolutely nailed the presentation and feel of the PAW Patrol world. The only thing missing is any voiceovers for the pups, Ryder has the only speaking role in the game before, during and after missions.

PAW Patrol the Movie: Adventure City Calls is a great experience for young players. By offering story missions full of playful adventure, fun and accessible mini games, and a wealth of additional mini games to enjoy outside of the story and full local co-op support, the experience can be enjoyed by children with their friends, siblings, and parents. The brief runtime of each game mode or mission makes it very friendly for brief game sessions.

As a father to three and four-year-old sons I can comfortably say we had a great time playing this together and I would be lying if I said the PAW Patrol titles aren’t a guilty pleasure of mine. By providing an experience that can be enjoyed by players of all ages, PAW Patrol the Movie: Adventure City Calls is a great addition to the family friendly space dominated by publisher Outright Games.

+ Fun, simple and accessible experience

+ Variety of game modes and mini games

+ Local couch co-op support

+ PAWfect length of missions and mini games

+ Charming audio-visual presentation

– Lack of any voiceovers for the pups

– A little too easy, perhaps even for younger players

Developed by: Drakhar Studio

Published by: Outright Games

Release Date: August 13 2021 (US/UK) | September 2 2021 (AU/NZ)

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

* A digital code was kindly provided by the Publisher for the purpose of this review *

– Additional Links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

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

The post PAW Patrol the Movie: Adventure City Calls Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Developed by Counterplay Games Godfall originally released as a launch title for the PlayStation 5 back in November 2020. Nine months later in a rare move Godfall has found its way to the PlayStation 4.

A third-person action RPG looter set in a mythological world of God-like warriors in striking armour, Godfall tells a tale of betrayal between two brothers with the player’s character Orin set to stop his brother Macros.

Combo-driven combat utilising a fun variety of melee weapons and a shield make for an enjoyable near-ten-hour adventure. Play time can be exponentially blown out by exploration, side-missions and grinding for better gear drops and customisation by farming resources.

Betrayed by his brother Macros, Orin must stop his brother from collecting a powerful energy known as Aetherium to become a god and destroy Earth. Upon discovering an AI-like entity known as the Seventh Sanctum, Orin is given guidance and tasked with bringing down Macros’ lieutenants to claim their Aetherium before Macros can. Each conquest empowers him with the Aetherium instead and only when all have fallen will Orin finally be powerful enough to confront his brother.

The story is simplistic in the sense it pits the player on a rather linear journey to gain strength and defeat the villain. Where Godfall takes a step above the generic path is its interesting lore and deep world building. The scope is so grand, mythological and fantastical, with new ideas frequently introduced that continue to evolve the story and world it takes place in.

The world of Godfall is divided into realm named after the elements of Earth, Air, Water, Spirit and Fire. Each of these realms have unique enemy variants and elemental resources required for crafting upgrades and new Valorplates, epic armour sets worn by legendary Archon warriors of the past.

There are 12 Valorplates to craft, each inspired by signs of the Zodiac, and each offers a unique passive trait, Archon Fury ability and augment constellation.

Archon Fury abilities are essentially special attacks that can be unleashed when a meter has been filled during combat, these temporarily empower Orin and allow for massive damage to be dealt while active. The duration of Archon Fury can be extended via skill tree upgrades. Augments can be assigned to the Valorplate’s unique augment constellation that improves Might, Vitality or Spirit – weapon damage, max health or life stone recovery and ability damage.

There are five weapon classes in the form of longswords, greatswords, dual blades, polearms and warhammers. Variants can be found through exploration, as enemy loot drops, mission rewards, opening chests or from the vendor in the Sanctum hub-world accessible between missions. A primary and secondary weapon can be equipped as can an assortment of gear pieces such as charms, amulets and rings that all afford passive traits and in most cases stat boosts.

All gear in Godfall comes in tiers ranging from common through legendary and can be Enchanted in the Forge at the Sanctum to have its rarity increased. Finding and upgrading gear is essential to become more powerful and tackle the end-game content which is largely centered around tower challenges, essentially wave-based combat that gets extremely difficult and requires high level gear to survive. Completing these awards alternate skins for Valorplates and valuable crafting resources as well as higher tier loot drops.

Each mission is fairly linear with a waypoint guiding the player towards the primary objective while also offering optional objectives that provide bonus rewards. As the game progresses new areas of the map become accessible. As each of the five realms only has one map the missions can feel visually repetitive, taking place in the same sections of the map until new areas are opened later. This unfortunately means majority of the game has the player passing through the exact same sections mission after mission. While each of the five realms are visually distinct it’s a shame the missions weren’t confined to unique parts of the map instead of being open.

Low ledges can be climbed and large gaps can be crossed by aiming at a floating blue phase node and holding circle to perform a fast, flight-like leap. Combat is less restrictive and actually quite enjoyable. Equipped with a shield that can be thrown like Captain America, it can also be used to block, parry or deflect projectiles. Mastery of this defensive asset can have major offensive implications that can turn the tide of battle, especially when outnumbered. The shield can also be used to destroy objects during the numerous environmental puzzles.

Regardless of weapon class, all weapons have a light and chargeable heavy attack. Using evade to constantly move around the battlefield and avoiding enemy attacks while stringing together combos of light and heavy attacks is highly recommended. Staying still is almost certainly a death sentence due to the poor lock-on mechanics and unavoidable enemy attacks when they are glowing red. These attacks deal significant damage and can’t be blocked or parried. The player is also unable to block mid-attack which requires more care and consideration for timing their next offensive or defensive move.

Health can be replenished by picking up vitality orbs dropped from defeated enemies, opening chests or using the recovery stone. When vitality orbs are picked up and the player is already at max health, they are turned into recovery stones which can be used by pressing square to restore health. These come in very handy especially against the higher-ranking enemy types and boss battles.

Special attacks can be unlocked via the skill tree to aid in combat. Aside from new combat abilities the skill tree contains stat increases to vitality, might and spirit. Skill points are earned by leveling up Orin, with a single point awarded with each level gained. Experience is gained from combat, completing objectives and missions.

The world is striking, visually beautiful in its varying levels of decay. Broken ruins, grand palaces, barren volcanic wastelands and water worlds are glorious to take in. Each realm feels grand in its own way and allows Godfall to feel as mythological and fantastic as its premise establishes. Character designs are cool and unique, with each enemy variant feeling different. The weapons and Valorplates are equally impressive and embrace the larger-than-life themes of the title overall.

The score is a blend of ominous, godly and tribal-like war music that really only makes its presence felt in combat. Stakes feel high and combat has an added layer of dramatic tension as a result. The overall presentation is competently grand and mythological, epic and world-ending. Godfall genuinely looks, sounds and feels like a realm of the gods.

Godfall is an enjoyable experience despite the repetitious exploration of the same environments in the earlier stages of the game. With progression each realm opens up a little more but not enough to make each realm feel less fresh and new. A poor lock-on system during combat and the inability to block mid-attack keep the combat from feeling more free-flowing but overall these issues are outweighed by the fun customisation and godly scope of the world that has been built.

With a story that takes less than 10 hours and dozens of hours worth of end-game challenges and better loot-grinding Godfall has enough to satisfy those with a narrative focus, those that enjoy the thrill of the grind and quest to being unstoppable and players that like a bit of both. Godfall is very impressive on the PS4 and despite the obvious improvements it’s PS5 undoubtedly presents, it’s great for players who haven’t yet made the console leap to be able to experience it nearly a year later.

+ Valorplates and customisation

+ Enjoyable combat

+ Enemy variants and environmentally unique Realms

+ Epic scope

+ Interesting lore

– Poor combat lock-on

– Inability to block mid-attack

– Missions take place is essentially same location in each Realm

Developed by: Counterplay Games

Published by: Gearbox Publishing

Release Date: August 10 2021

Platforms: PlayStation 4/5 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.

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All digital photography was captured in-game on PlayStation 4 by Games of DAYNE

The post Godfall (PS4) Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Cosmic Top Secret is many things. For one, it is the name of the video game this review focuses on but that itself is not even as simple as it seems. This game is an autobiographical adventure somewhat inspired by director Trine Laier’s actual investigation into the past of her parents, specifically her father’s past in Danish Intelligence during the Cold War. Portrayed in game simply as “T”, the player’s journey is largely educational and surprisingly thought provoking on a personal level.

Quirky art design playfully disarms the player on this journey of self-discovery for “T”. The hybrid paper cut-out/3D world design makes for a striking and enjoyable feast for the eyes that somehow manages not to undermine the seriousness of the autobiographical adventure.

A little bit of Google education informed me that the term Cosmic Top Secret is actually a real-world term, used to represent the highest level of security classification within NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation). See? Video games and of course my reviews, can be considered educational assets.

On the educational front the player is given a glimpse into the handling and protection of confidential information throughout the Cold War. There’s not going to be any groundbreaking revelations or, if you’ll excuse the pun, Cosmic Top Secret information revealed in this video game but the fascinating insight into how people acted with this information is genuinely interesting. The perspective of “T” growing up with parents devoted to this highly secretive line of work is genuinely well-realised and has translated to this interactive format in a way that brings levity to the situation, despite the highly political nature of the work.

Cosmic Top Secret is absolutely riddled with real photographs, interviews and video clips that are cleverly integrated into the game world, presenting what feels more like an interactive autobiography rather than an actual video game, and that by no means downplays the cleverness of its execution. The game world is interesting to describe as it feels like a blend of platforming within 3D environments with some light puzzle solving and collectibles to find while also offering some cool gameplay segments such as throwing grenades, putting your body back together and even flying a paper plane. Plenty of secrets and things to find are present in the open-ended level design and the facts, as well as the format they are presented, are interesting and worth going out of the way for.

Traversal in Cosmic Top Secret, like everything else, is unique. “T” scrunches into a ball of paper to roll around the map, able to jump and interact with various things within the environment.  The platforming can be a little hit or miss due to the somewhat fidgety controls and aiming but these scenarios are certainly fewer and further between than the core gameplay itself. Puzzles are fun and rightfully challenging in some cases such as tasking the player with going through intel to determine sequences. Luckily the hints provided eliminate frustration and keep the puzzles accessible for casual players, a welcome addition to keep the educational adventure interesting and flowing smoothly.

Each chapter has the player gathering nine pieces of intel and having to decipher a nine digit number. Most of the numbers are obvious but some hidden behind simple puzzles that are essentially handed to the player with a little observation or listening in some instances. The map of each level is laid out like co-ordinates, broken into letters and numbers. For example, grid B2 might be the home to a clue and the player can see their current whereabouts on screen at all times or can access the map for further clarity. As the next objective is extremely visible thanks to visual cues it is pretty obvious in most cases where to go, rarely it may be hidden behind something obstructing the cue.

Cosmic Top Secret challenges the statement of video games as art. Despite this story being perfectly suitable as an actual autobiography or a documentary perhaps the innovative approach to its adaptation as a video game cleverly blurs the lines between historical lecture and interactive adventure. This deep dive behind the scenes of Intelligence agents during the Cold War could easily have felt heavy and perhaps too political but the fun art design and clever gameplay do a lot of the heavy lifting, lightening the tone and balancing fun with education. Quirky art design, intelligent content and simplistic gameplay come together effectively in this undeniably unique experience that offers insight into one of the world’s most challenging historical periods from the perspective of a family caught right in the middle of it.

+ Unique visual presentation

+ Clever premise and execution of story

+ Interesting subject matter and historical context

+ Accessible puzzles and hints/visual cues

– Platforming is fidgety

– Minimal replay value

Developed by: Klassefilm, Those Eyes

Published by: Nakana.io

Release Date: May 21 2021

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

 * A digital code was kindly provided by the Publisher for the purpose of this review *

– 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.

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

The post Cosmic Top Secret Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

There’s something very satisfying and relaxing about being presented a train station in complete disarray and tasked with cleaning, repairing and restoring it. Train Station Renovation is exactly as described. From removing all litter, tearing down broken benches and clearing cob webs, there is no shortage of tasks to keep players busy as they attempt to restore the stations to newfound glory.

With an array of tools at your disposal, accessible via an inventory wheel, the job is simple. Renovate the train station. On top of the chores mentioned earlier there’s graffiti clean, broken walls to fix, floors to clean and so much more. Each tool has a specific purpose, for example, the sponge is used to wash graffiti, the crowbar is required to dismantle broken benches and windows and the broom to sweep or remove the cob webs from the corners of rooms. Understanding the tools and the types of cleaning tasks becomes second nature before long and the cleaning aspect of each train station, which act as level equivalents, becomes simple.

There are several different types of cleaning that is required and this carries over through each of the train stations. Repetition certainly sets in but the zen-like quality of the exercise keeps it from becoming overwhelming, especially with the relaxing score playing in the background. A scan function can be used at any time to highlight objects within the environment that need cleaned. Some can be somewhat obscured but there’s little need to actually use this feature if care is taken when exploring each station.

Restoring a broken station requires more than cleaning. An instantly accessible in-game digital store front is available that allows players to buy waiting benches, interior decorations, computers, chairs and outdoor accessories for instance. Money is earned by cleaning previous stations and accumulated with progression. It’s oddly satisfying getting to showcase your potentially hidden flare for interior design and restoring these stations in a manner that’s appealing to you, the player.

Aside from actually cleaning and restoring the train stations each one has a small but unique objective chain that can be as simple as restoring power or draining a flooded area. The instructions keep it simple and the tasks can be completed pretty quickly. It’s nice to have a little structure to each level but cleaning and placing new items comprise the bulk of the experience, more of those little objective chains would certainly have helped break it up a little more.

While renovating each station there are various visual indicators that represent different types of cleaning such as general rubbish, graffiti and debris. As the specific types of cleaning is carried out these gradually increase and contribute to an overall level completion bar that awards one to three stars. Each star awards more money when choosing to complete the level, which can only be done when at least one star has been attained, and new special tools.

The visuals are very basic and simplistic, a little rough around the edges both environmentally and in regards to the objects that inhabit the stations. The simplicity works with the basic gameplay elements however and fail to distract. A relaxing, almost meditative score is a welcome addition to a game that focuses on cleaning. It works well and contributes to an overall relaxing presentation and experience.

Train Station Renovation may not appeal to everyone as the core gameplay experience is simply cleaning and decorating. I personally found satisfaction in clearing out the messes and enjoyed it more than I expected, pleasantly surprised by the casual and calming vibe the game presents. For those who enjoy taking pride in their labour and visual gratification of their work, Train Station Renovation is a pleasant cleaning simulator while players looking for a little more structure and variation will likely not find the appeal.

+ Oddly satisfying gameplay

+ Variety of tools and tasks to apply them to

+ Relaxing score

– Very repetitive

– Level design is very similar

– Unique tasks are too easy, more would have been welcome

Developed by: Live Motion Games

Published by: Ultimate Games

Release Date: June 2 2021

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

 * A digital code was kindly provided by the Publisher for the purpose of this review *

– 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.

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The post Train Station Renovation Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

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

On November 20 2007 Mass Effect launched exclusively on Xbox 360. At the time it was a fresh science fiction space opera take on the RPG genre. Five years and two sequels later the trilogy was available on Xbox, PlayStation and PC and would become one of the most beloved series of the genre by millions.

Developed by BioWare, the series has managed to maintain relevance for nearly a decade and a half and while 2017’s Mass Effect: Andromeda didn’t quite have the same impact as the original trilogy, the franchise name and value has never been more important. With the launch of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition new and returning players alike can enjoy the adventure and exploits of Commander Shepard, YOUR Commander Shepard, and take their custom character through all three games with the choices and consequences carrying across the intergalactic space odyssey.

With significant visual, technical and performance enhancements, particularly for the first Mass Effect, the trilogy has never looked or played better and with the inclusion of all but one of the over 40 DLC packs that would go on to be released, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is not only the definite way to play the series, it is the definitive example of remaster excellence.

The original Mass Effect introduces an interesting and wonderfully fleshed out mythology and lore but most importantly it introduces players to Commander Shepard. Players can customise the gender, appearance and backstory of their Shepard as well as select from a handful of classes, each with unique abilities and proficiencies. From there Commander Shepard is lead on a journey laden with choices and of course the consequences of this choices. From branching dialogue, character relationships and key decisions that shape the narrative, players embark on a quest that is as personal to them as they are willing to make it by investing in the world and exploring all aspects of it physically and from a conversational, character engagement standpoint.

To briefly surmise the plot, Commander Shepard must lead an elite team to thwart the plans of Saren, a traitor from an alien race known as Turians, and his plans to facilitate the return of ancient mechanical race of beings known as Reapers. Responsible for the extermination of all sentient organic life in years gone by, the return of a Reaper fleet would see history repeat itself yet again and Commander Shepard will stop at nothing to prevent this.

A handful of characters can be recruited and customised, with two at a time able to be selected to accompany Shepard on story missions as well as the wealth of optional side missions. The relationships with these characters and decisions at key moments can influence their allegiance and loyalty to Shepard as well as their fate in some cases.

The gameplay in Mass Effect upon its original release was notably clunky and stiff, particularly the driving sequences featuring the Mako. Through cybernetic technology various abilities are accessible to the inhabits of the Mass Effect universe that include psionic abilities that could launch enemies into the air and dependent on which class the player chose various abilities are available to unlock and enhance. Blending these abilities with the decent gunplay which included elemental ammo types kept combat fun and engaging, diverse enough to encourage future replays in order to experiment all of the different combinations on offer.

Countless enhancements were made to the gameplay, visuals and overall performance of the original title in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, bringing it more in line with the quality and fluidity of the pair of instalments that followed. Seemingly receiving more and honestly much needed attention, the original Mass Effect is easily the standout of the trilogy in terms of its evolution in this remastered collection.

Set shortly after the events of the first game, Mass Effect 2 wastes little time in setting the stage for a sequel more grand in scope as it dives deeper into the looming galactic conquest of the Reapers. Mass Effect 2 wonderfully incorporated the ability to import a save file from the previous title, allowing players to bring their Shepard and all of the choices, relationships and consequences forward and to the sequel. The option to start fresh with a newly created Shepard exists but it it would be a severely missed opportunity not to continue the saga with the same character.

Shepard’s ship, the Normandy SSV is attacked by an unknown vessel and the crew is forced to abandon ship, losing it in the process. Two years later, Shepard wakes, brought back from the brink of death by Cerberus. Mass Effect 2 largely sees Shepard building a larger team of new and familiar teammates to take the fight to the newly emerged threat known as the Collectors while also uncovering more about the Reapers, their history and potential re-emergence.

The closing mission of Mass Effect 2 is thrilling and more so than the previous entry has potentially tragic consequences based on a large number of critical decisions. The fate of the entire squad is up in the air, who lives and who dies is entirely dictated by the players actions, completion of particular missions and specific upgrades prior.

With clearly improved gameplay elements compared to the original, Mass Effect 2 introduced new ability types, modified the gear and loot system and generally improved in every way over its predecessor. In Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, as with the other two titles, various technical and performance improvements were made to recapture the magic of an experience that originally launched in 2010 and manages to make it look and feel much more modern. Arguably the greatest entry in the franchise to date, Mass Effect 2 is one of the most enjoyable and player driven RPGs of all time and understandably beloved by many.

Rounding out the original trilogy in 2012, Mass Effect 3 had to follow two excellent entires and wrap up the story of Commander Shepard and the war against the returning Reapers in an effort to prevent them from once again exterminating all sentient organic life. To much controversy the ending was poorly received by players and critics alike, so much so that an “Extended Cut” pack was added by Bioware to not replace the original ending but rather to expand upon it. Personally, the ending didn’t bother me, it managed to wrap up the story in my opinion, concluding a trilogy of dire conflict with monumental consequences likely to affect the franchise forever.

The stakes have never been higher in the series than in Mass Effect 3. A full-scale galactic Reaper invasion is underway with the reapers wiping out planets left, right and centre. Shepard is once again drawn into the conflict with new and recurring team mates to take the fight to the Reapers and save the universe from extermination. The opening mission instils a sense of hopelessness, insurmountable odds that have an emotional impact on the journey that follows to prevent the seemingly inevitable Reaper victory.

Some of the biggest decisions of the franchise exist in Mass Effect 3, on a character level and in regards to how the actual ending unfolds. The stakes have never felt higher, the cause have never felt more lost and the thought of triumph is squashed at nearly every turn. The story is tightly focused, interesting and depending on your interpretation of whether or not the trilogy is satisfyingly concluded, a rewarding culmination of five years and three entries of one of the greatest franchises to grace the genre.

Additional tweaks, improvements and substitutions to various gameplay elements are again present since Mass Effect 2 and the gameplay overall has never felt or played smoother. Concluding the journey with the same imported Commander Shepard is such a unique experience, carrying the weight of three titles worth of consequences and tackling near impossible odds to single handedly defeat the Reapers and put an end to their reign of terror once and for all.

What Mass Effect: Legendary Edition does above all is bring the quality and performance of three great titles that span nearly a decade and a half up to speed to more closely resemble more recent titles. For the most part it succeeds. While the visuals and animations are obviously not quite as slick as a new title released in 2021 it still manages to look amazing. The inclusion of a photo mode allows for some truly stunning captures that franchise veterans are likely to find themselves lost in.

It’s fun to witness the gradual evolution of the series from 2007’s Mass Effect through to 2012’s Mass Effect 3. The gameplay, loot, gear, squad and driving in particular change greatly with each release. Having over 40 pieces of DLC content thrown in as well that spans all three titles turns the trilogy into an experience that could keep players immersed in the incredibly interesting world for dozens of hours, and that’s not even taking into consideration additional playthroughs making alternate choices along the way or playing on harder difficulties. Content is certainly the one aspect this experience is not lacking.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is more than a remastered collection of a beloved trilogy of RPG’s, it’s a gateway for new players to enter a franchise they may have left behind due to fear of getting into their dated looks and mechanics. For returning players it’s the opportunity to relive the epic saga in a close-to-current gen state. Mass Effect has never been more accessible, more enjoyable and more exciting to think about in terms of it’s future prospects than in 2021 with Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.

+ Incredible branching narratives

+ Commander Shepard import from previous games

+ Choice and customisation

+ Sharp and stunning visuals

+ Amount of overall content

+ Replay value

– Gameplay and animations still feel dated

– Driving still isn’t fun

– Exclusion of Multiplayer component of Mass Effect 3

– Some plot points aren’t followed through in follow-up entries

Developed by: BioWare

Published by: EA

Release Date: May 14 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5 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.

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

The post Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a multiplayer-only PvPvE (Players vs Players vs Environment) action-stealth experience, pitting two teams of four players against each other as well as the AI enemy State Guards that patrol and defend the area. The objective is simple. Find the Sheriff and pickpocket his key, locate and open the vault, transport and extract the chest from the vault.

At any moment the player and team in possession of the key, carrying the chest or extracting it can be killed by the opposing player team or AI enemies, allowing the enemy team an opportunity to capitalise on the work of the other team. Combining stealth and action to complete the match, referred to as a Heist, requires teamwork and co-ordination as well as mastery of the four available characters and their respective classes to succeed. All are outlaws but some will become legends.

First and foremost it is important to reiterate that Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a multiplayer-exclusive experience, meaning it can only be played with a full team consisting of three other players and a full enemy team of four players. With this noted, at the time of writing (17 days after the official launch, intentionally held off for a few weeks to allow for updates) the matchmaking has improved since launch though the system itself is still with its flaws. Lengthy wait times still persist despite cross-play support which should in theory increase the pool of players to draw from to populate a Heist.

Unfortunately the waiting times can still be several minutes, in my experience waiting upwards of five minutes is a regular occurrence. When a full lobby finally eventuates there are further matchmaking issues in the form of level matching. There is no separation of high level players from lower level or new players, immediately creating uneven Heists where players who have been present since launch have a greater advantage due to their higher level characters, upgrades and perks. The absence of some sort of level grouping makes Heists difficult for new players.

Also absent is an AI squad-fill type system that allows for bots to comprise teams when matchmaking is proving difficult or even as an alternative for players who wish to experience Hood without the difficulty and pressures of multiplayer Heists. The inclusion of bot Heists would allow players to better familiarise themselves with each of the four characters and their abilities as well as offering a training ground to gain experience and be able to more competently hold their own in the unbalanced matchmaking system.

With the matchmaking and lack of bot support addressed, those issues alone comprise my only negative comments on Hood as the gameplay is genuinely fun, engaging and challenging, the latter is welcome with the exception of high level experienced players making life difficult for new players.

The Sheriff roams around the map, typically in an isolated area with AI guards nearby. Employing stealth tactics such as crouching and using the environment for cover, such as hiding behind objects or in the grass, to sneak up and pickpocket the key while avoiding detection from him, surrounding AI and the enemy team. Detection from the Sheriff will trigger him to pursue the player, which results in instantaneous death should he get his hands on a player, as well as alerting the nearby guards which will put the area into High Alert and into lockdown, closing any portcullises in the process and drawing the attention of other guards. The closure of portcullises will require the players to scale ladders, climb stairs or ropes or simply outrun their pursuers and break line of sight to escape being chased.

While in possession of the key a vault must then be found, opened, entered and the chest within it claimed. With the chest in hand a number of extraction points appear on screen, indicating how far away each of them are. The player carrying the chest moves extremely slowly and must be well guarded by their team in order to reach extraction safely all while keeping an eye on AI soldiers, the Sheriff and of course the opposing team.

The chest can be dropped in order to attack enemies at any time but doing so is risky as it makes it even easier for the enemy team to steal it without having to kill another player in order to do so. Reaching the extraction and placing the chest onto a winch system will initiate the endgame of a Heist.

A crank can be interacted with by one or two players to trigger the winch and begin to lift the chest, with two players doing so faster and the Melee class of characters bringing additional speed to the process. This brings up a notch display at the top of the screen, with all 7 notches having to be reached one at a time by staying at the wheel. At any moment players can be interrupted and killed by their enemies, allowing the opposing team to swoop in, continue the extraction from the most recent notch and potentially steal the win. This sequence is tense, thrilling, dramatic and incredibly rewarding when successful while devastating to lose control in the final moments and subsequently lose the Heist.

There are three capture points spread across the map, capturing these will turn them into respawn locations upon death. These are never more critical than when the chest comes into play when either team has extracted it from the vault. Paying attention to which capture points are in your team’s possession is essential to being able to control the battlefield during the chest extraction phase, reducing the travel distance upon death to return to the extraction point and interrupt or fend off the opposing team.

Completing Heists will award experience towards the player’s overall Player level as well as the individual character used for the Heist. There are four characters to choose from that each have their own unique weapons and abilities:

• Robin/The Ranger is an archer lethal at a distance but also effective up close by using his longbow as a melee weapon. Robin’s arrows can often be recollected after use and can be replenished by finding ammo boxes.
  • Trait – Scout, allowing him to survey the environment and tag targets for a prolonged duration
  • Ability – Farsight, channeling the forest’s power to draw an ethereal arrow that explodes on impact
  • Gear – Flash, blinding targets for a short duration within a small area using a volatile gunpowder mixture

• Marianne/The Hunter is an assassin that is extremely dangerous up-close and is effective at range with her burst fire crossbow.
  • Trait – Shadow, can perform an assassination on State Guards from any direct whilst concealed as opposed to directly from behind as with the other characters
  • Ability – Shroud, blending into surroundings and becoming undetectable to guards and almost invisible to players
  • Gear – Smoke, covering the target area in a cloud of darkness, obscuring vision and preventing tagging from other players

• Tooke/The Mystic is a melee fighter, armed with a flail to devastate up-close while also acting as a support to the team.
  • Trait – Respire, stamina is regenerated at a faster rate following consumption
  • Ability – Instinct, highlight obscured enemies for teammates and healing those within close range
  • Gear – Poison, dispersing enemies with a long lasting elixir which drains stamina and impairs the vision of those affected

• John/The Brawler uses his mighty sledgehammer to decimate at close range making him an essential asset during the chest extraction phase.
  • Trait – Resolute, can raise closed portcullis gates, providing an opening for teammates during lockdowns when an area is in High Alert due to detection
  • Ability – Wrath, unleashing additional strength while being able to take more damage
  • Gear – Explosive, kills all targets within proximity of the blast radius following a delayed fuse

Understanding the Traits, Ability and Gear of each character is essential to survival and success during Heists. Each character brings a lot to the table which is fun to experiment with and to alternate the play styles each are suited to. John/The Brawler is definitely the most powerful and easily the greatest threat and as there is no character limit in teams it is possible for a full team of four John’s to lay waste to everyone in sight, a disturbingly regular occurrence in my experience which all but eliminates any hope of success for the opposing team.

Any player enemy or State Guard can be assassinated if approached from behind and pressing the displayed button prompt. The only exception to this is the Sheriff, he is immune to assassination and even death, instead he can be beaten until his health bar depletes and will entered a stunned state for what appears to be a random length of time. I have seen him down for mere seconds and other times for well over a minute. Stealth is heavily recommended and encouraged in Hood but there is nothing wrong with going in loud, hammers and bows blazing and facing the consequences of such a noisy approach. It’s riskier but it’s also a lot of fun.

As enemies are defeated, players and State Guards alike, the ability meter will charge and when full the player is able to use their special ability before having to replenish the meter for further use. The meter however does not progress while the area is in lockdown/High Alert after detection until that area is cleared or escaped. State Guards will investigate sounds and can be distracted by throwing stones in a particular direction or whistling to garner their attention.

The combat is simple yet fun and engaging. Melee characters John and Tooke have light and heavy attacks while Robin and Marianne have light and ranged attacks. Throwing the gear, abilities and assassinations into the equation results in a small but effective pool of offensive capabilities. Enemy attacks can be blocked, which consumes stamina – as does sprinting and attacking, but can also be parried, opening a brief window for a follow-up attack to be unleashed.

Completion of Heists, as well as loot collected throughout and from completing objectives, awards each player Gold. This Gold is distributed by the player at the end of each game on Scales of Justice. One side goes to the player’s pocket while the other goes to the Hideout with distribution being up to the discretion of the player.

By pocketing the Gold it becomes available to spend in the Hideout which acts as the hub-world between Heists. It can be spent on unique character perks that offer stat increases or buffs, skins and alternate weapon cosmetics for each character, all of which are hidden behind characters reaching specific levels, the Hideout being a specific level or the completion challenges. Distributing Gold to the Hideout allows more resources to flow in which in turn increases the player’s Hideout Level. A higher Hideout level opens up additional unlocks for skins as mentioned. Challenges can be initiated within the Hideout that task the player with getting X amount of kills or stealing the key for example and awards them experience.

Visually Hood: Outlaws & Legends looks amazing. The environmental detail is stunning and the character models are impressive. Crisp sound design and an epic score keep the tensions as high as the stakes and pressure of completing a Heist while combatting both enemy forces who seek to oppose and stop you.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends is an incredibly enjoyable stealth-action experience bogged down only by poor matchmaking times and the inability to play with bots. As this title was always intended and discussed as a multiplayer only experience it may be considered unfair to discuss the lack of solo play or bot support but these features would broaden the appeal to players and allow for a more casual and balanced alternative to the frantic, inconsistent and unfair matchmaking that is exclusively on offer.

Each character feels genuinely unique and fun to play as with the simple but accessible and engaging gameplay and combat. It feels reminiscent of the latest iterations of Assassin’s Creed, blending stealth and outright violence in the tug of war between the two teams and the State Guards that don’t discriminate against their targets. Heists are tense, thrilling and full of drama, especially in the final moments and for this reason alone it is possible to overlook the “nice to haves” in regards to better matchmaking and enjoy the game in its current state.

+ Distinct character/class gameplay and combat

+ Thrilling tension and drama

+ Stunning environmental art and sound design

 – Lack of solo play or bot support

 – Poor matchmaking times

 – Unfair matchmaking grouping

Developed by: Sumo Digital

Published by: Focus Home Interactive

Release Date: May 10 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5 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.

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

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It’s been six months since the launch of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and after a handful of community events and smaller scale content the first story expansion has finally arrived in the form of Wrath of the Druids.

Eivor is requested by the King of Dublin to visit Ireland, home to new main and optional mission chains, more political drama and as per recent trends in the series, mystical and supernatural beings and happenings. With a beautiful new location to explore, secrets to discover, puzzles to solve and things to collect, Valhalla’s first story expansion is meaningful in terms of depth and also introduces some of the coolest enemies in the franchise to date.

My full review of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla can be found HERE.

The story itself, much like the base game, is mired in political drama and power struggles. Forging alliances, defeating the enemy forces of those who oppose the King and securing trade routes bog down majority of the approximately six hour main story. Lack of mission variety holds the expansion back, treading familiar waters as opposed to introducing new and exciting mission types.

The introduction of the Royal Demands, quests that can be acquired from pigeon coops, are a step back if anything by tasking the player with the likes of clearing outposts, defeating designated targets and stealing items. For players who have already conquered all of Valhalla’s base game this will likely feel too simple and uninspired.

Additional elements to the Royal Demands include providing bonuses for avoiding detection or taking no damage for instance though these aren’t particularly meaningful and in the case of veteran franchise players, little to no actual challenge. Completing these missions helps with the influential gain over Ireland’s four regions which also opens up additional side missions and awards building resources, the latter an incentive that isn’t particularly enjoyable or worthwhile to pursue for players that aren’t completionists. Establishing trade posts that generate resources such as food or clothing that can be used to trade for gear is another new concept that isn’t particularly enjoyable or worthwhile.

Playtime can be increased substantially with the wealth of optional missions, areas to complete and tracking down the interesting radicalised cult of druids known as the Children of Danu. The druids themselves are easily the most visually interesting enemy types to date with their ragged attire, menacing skeletal headwear and supernatural abilities that strike fear into the folks of Ireland.

Their narrative arc, which intertwines with the Children of Danu and the advanced technology tied to the Isu, is by far the most interesting. Exploring their origins and purpose throughout the main story is fascinating and the combat encounters are approximately engaging due to their fearsome appearance and abilities. Their use of hallucinogenic gas affects Eivor’s perception of reality and in turn it appears as though they have magical abilities and can transform in surprising ways, a clever way to incorporate a supernatural element while maintaining a more grounded overall world.

New abilities have been introduced which can be unlocked and upgraded by finding the Tomes of Knowledge books. The new abilities include allowing Eivor to summon an Irish wolfhound, utilise smoke bomb arrows and unleash a powerful headbutt, all of which are fun to experiment with, especially when upgraded.

Ireland is beautifully realised visually, offering rolling hills, lush green plains and ominous forests that feel distinctly different to what England and Norway offer in the base game. With such a stunning backdrop to embark on this extended adventure Wrath of the Druids relies on the visual marvel of its environment and maniacal druids as the most meaningful new content. Unfortunately this expansion is merely more of the same in terms of gameplay and mission variety though Ireland and the druids do a damn good job of making it feel more interesting.

Wrath of the Druids main quest line doesn’t feel interesting outside of the pursuit of the Children of Danu and the newly introduced supporting characters do little to encourage an emotional investment from the player. For fans of Valhalla and Assassin’s Creed overall it’s a worthy voyage though casual players looking for new ideas, mechanics or simply variety will be disappointed.

+ New enemy types and designs

+ Ireland is stunning

+ Children of Danu and druid storylines

– Lack of new mission variety

– Royal Demands and trade posts aren’t enjoyable or challenging

– Overall “more of the same” gameplay

Developed by: Ubisoft

Published by: Ubisoft

Release Date: May 13 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5 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.

Don’t forget to also follow Games of DAYNE on: Twitter, Facebook and YouTube!

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

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