The first two BioShock games have been held in incredibly high esteem. The creepy underwater dystopia of Rapture was home to one of the most powerful and engaging stories ever to grace the next generation console. With BioShock Infinite, 2K Games, Irrational Games and Human Head Studios decided to leave the deep lagoon of Rapture behind and focus on the pearly white sky city, Columbia. There was a real threat that this third instalment could step away from more than just the setting. The creepily dank and twisted city of Rapture was all part of a wider theme of the insanity of the masses that made the first two BioShocks such popular games. Stepping into this idyllic cloud city could well have removed all that players loved about the BioShock series in one fell swoop. There’s no room for insanity in paradise, you would assume. Well, BioShock Infinite seems to hit the nail perfectly on the head. This is a city built on the insanity of one man, with danger, shock, as well as twists and turns, all awaiting you around every corner.

There is so much that could be said for BioShock Infinite, but it feels as though no words could ever be enough to convey the brilliance that is this game. It’s worth a try though, I guess. The best feature about this game is the story. Video games have an incredibly hard job to do when it comes to building a story. Like a movie it has to be a continuous arc, with as few breaks as possible, otherwise it could become confusing or lack depth. Unlike a movie it has to be experienced in sections, as few gamers will sit and play a game solidly from start to finish like they would watch a film. Thus, the story has to be engaging enough to come back to but not so engaging that it would be difficult to find a natural break. BioShock Infinite executes its story to perfection. Detailed bits of narrative are seamlessly broken up by chunks of combat and map exploration. In the quiet periods, Infinite throws various segments of back story at you, from audio logs in the form of Voxophones and miniature cine reels in the form of Kinetoscopes. These help give depth to the game, as well as fill in small gaps to the main story and connect up those quiet periods of exploration to the main quest.

Yet, it never feels like you are being diverted from the job at hand, saving the girl. The girl, in this case, being Elizabeth (movingly voiced by Courtnee Draper) – a Rapunzel like damsel in distress, locked in her tower with just her books, music and giant mechanised guardian bird for company. The player will become Booker DeWitt (brilliantly voiced by Troy Baker), a reluctant hero, whose only goal is to ‘retrieve the girl and wipe away the debt’. Booker isn’t your classic ‘knight in shining armour’; in fact his armour is anything but shiny. As the game develops you will uncover segments of his past that shape your view of him as a man. He’s no hero, at least not at first, anyway. Initially, Elizabeth is merely a means to an end for Booker, a way of clearing his debt. His actions are, at first, malicious – hiding his intentions from the slightly naïve, newly released, Elizabeth. Eventually, once the truth is out, the pair will build a partnership on mutual gain. Elizabeth wants to leave and Booker wants to wipe his debt. But this is just the bottom of the gigantic iceberg that is BioShock Infinite. There is no predictability to this story, even though the premise is so beautifully simple.

The setting is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive sights to be found in a game. In the opening twenty minutes, Columbia had the feel of a quaint little American town. A family friendly carnival had been set up for the residents to enjoy, bands played on stands and a Barbershop Quartet sang a rendition of “God Only Knows” on a floating blimp. The townsfolk were clad in turn of the century clothing and every citizen greeted you with a smile and a cheery hello. But, look a little closer and you can spot signs that something isn’t quite right with Columbia. Children smoked cigarettes in a dark corner of the carnival (shocking by today’s standards, but not so much back then) and racist slurs flowed from the mouth of Father Comstock – the religious zealot come self proclaimed prophet. Tensions bubble under the surface of Columbia’s society, with a harsh, racial and rich / poor divide. A secretive organisation in the form of the Vox Populi, threaten to overturn the tyrannical prophet and return Columbia to the people. All of this wonderful back story helps bring Columbia to life. It feels like an American city, it feels alive. Not only this but it looks beautiful too. The city literally floats among the clouds but at no point will you find yourself doubting the reality of this floating paradise. Not that it’s a paradise for long, however – things will quickly turn awry in true BioShock style.

The gameplay itself has changed very little from the original titles. The weapons are pretty much the same and the combat system remains relatively unchanged. The Vigors (powers gained through Booker digesting various coloured liquids, much like the plasmids and tonics of the BioShock of old) have had an overhaul, however. They give Booker the ability to force enemies into the air and slam them to the ground, encase them in a whirlpool of water or burn them in an explosive fireball. It’s even possible to place these powers on the floor like mines, waiting to trap unsuspecting enemies. These powers can even be combined together for ultimate destruction.

The two biggest changes to gameplay can be found, firstly in the way in which the player navigates around the map. As Columbia is a floating city, it’s necessary for the player to jump from one platform to the other. This experience has been made all the more enjoyable by the introduction of Skylines. These are basically zip-lines that allow players to zip from one platform to another, as well as traverse different levels with ease. Trust me when I say that this is no ugly way to travel.

The final change can be found in the involvement of Elizabeth in combat. Elizabeth plays a huge part in how Booker shoots his way through Columbia. During combat she will throw you ammo and health as well as salts (to restore your Vigors). She will also use her ability to ‘open tears’ to bring in allies from parallel dimensions, cover that wouldn’t usually be there and weapons that would otherwise not exist in your world. Agreed, it’s confusing, and you’d be right in wondering why she would have to go to such lengths to help out when she could just as easily pick up a rifle and get her hands dirty. But Elizabeth’s role as Booker’s Guardian Angel is one that the player cannot do without. It’s very noticeable when Elizabeth is removed from the game, ammo is difficult to come by and health seems to be but a distant memory of times gone by. I often found myself relying heavily on her guidance, and even in the quiet parts of the game she will throw you coins that she finds as well as point out hidden loot and lock picks. She truly is an asset to the player, as well as a brilliantly developed character, possibly one of the best female characters in the gaming world.

To be perfectly honest, I have barely scraped the surface of the game with this review. There is just so much to love about it. The general atmosphere around Columbia is incredible, the sights and sounds are beautifully rendered and wonderfully chosen, the voice acting is second to none, the combat is engaging and enjoyable and the story drags you deep into this perfect little world that 2K have created. All I can say is, 2K Games, Irrational Games, Human Head Studios and Darkside Game Studios – please, take a bow.

Written by

Alec Ward

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

The original Army of Two brought a well needed injection of comedy and action to the shooter genre. Before its arrival games such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honor ruled the roost with their stuffy take on first person shooters. Sure, they were realistic and well made with gripping stories, but they weren’t ‘fun’. Not in the sense of what Army of Two brought to the table, anyway. Both Army of Two and Army of Two: The 40th Day focused on the idea of camaraderie in battle. This is why their co-op campaign element was hard to beat, near impossible in fact.

When it was first announced that EA were moving away from the original duo of Rios and Salem and opting for new characters, Alpha and Bravo, fans of the game series were slightly concerned. The partnership of Rios and Salem had ran through the first two games, it was a coupling that fans were comfortable and happy with – their off the wall antics and tongue in cheek humour gave a different edge to what could otherwise have been a boring shooter. After all, Army of Two is one of our favorite co-op games here at iMG. The new paring seems lacklustre when compared to the original duo. Rios and Salem were charmingly stupid and well, pretty awesome, Alpha and Bravo seem rigid, undeveloped and, in truth, they lack personality. It’s understandable that these characters could seem undeveloped; they’ve been given a starring role in a trilogy of which they’d never before played a part. The original guys do make a return in a number of the missions to lend an experienced helping hand but, sadly, they are NPCs – still, their appearance was a pleasant break from the unnatural and disappointing relationship that had been formed between Alpha and Bravo.

However, the story itself was well crafted. Numerous cameo appearances from various different characters kept it feeling fresh and helped break up the awful one liners between Alpha and Bravo that plagued the general gameplay. It was full of action and more than enough excitement for one game, with a few surprising twists and turns that made the storyline one of the best aspects of this title. Shooting your way through the slums of Mexico, crumbling hotel rooms and desert villages was enjoyable, if a little bland. The locations felt as if they were missing a certain depth that games such as Battlefield 3 seem to nail pretty well. It’s not that the game graphics were poor, just that there was a certain lack of attention to detail that its competitors manage so well.

The gameplay was slightly less impressive with combat seemingly unchanged from the earlier games. In all fairness, it’s notoriously difficult to make combat effective and engaging in third person shooters. If you want to see a game do it well, check the Gears of War series. The combat system really needed an update to bring it in line with today’s shooters, but sadly EA opted out. They have recycled old features from the original game and, rather than adding something new to the mixer, they instead dropped a few elements from the originals that made them so charmingly quirky. Most noticeable of all is the choice to loose the ability to interact with your co-op partner. In the games of old, Rios and Salem would fist bump, play rock paper scissors and rock out with air guitars in the quiet periods of the game. Alpha and Bravo seem to be under much stricter orders, with ‘fun’ being severely out of the question.

Furthermore, quiet periods of game play have been replaced with waves and waves of enemies who seem to run single file into the muzzle of your gun. Yet, combat is still enjoyable, especially when it comes to co-op tactics. Flanking, drawing fire, and dummying are all simple to do and add a ‘we’re in this together’, sense to the game. The co-op campaign is the most important part of this game; it’s what it has been developed for. If you were to play this on your own you would be missing out on a lot of the game’s best features. To be honest, playing this game as a single player shooter will leave you bitterly disappointed. If you’re looking for a single player shooter, try Call of Duty or Battlefield; Army of Two just won’t be for you. It is called Army of Two, after all.

EA have added a lot of customisation options, really building on the previous two titles. Players can now create their own masks for Alpha or Bravo leading to some cool creation possibilities. This really lets your creative side shine with endless possibilities for mask designs just waiting to be made. Not only this but it’s possible to customise their kits, guns and tattoos, allowing you to truly make Alpha or Bravo your own – if only they had as much personality as they do outfits.

Online multiplayer was first added to the series in Army of Two: The 40th Day, and it was met relatively well. However, online multiplayer has been dropped from this title. EA decided to focus on the campaign rather than spend their time adding a, presumably, unnecessary multiplayer option. Usually this wouldn’t be a bad move. Recently, games have had an unneeded multiplayer element added (such as Tomb Raider and Mass Effect 3) where the campaign was more than enough to keep your attention. However, this title could have used a good multiplayer element to help support the slightly disappointing campaign mode. It could easily have tipped the scales from a mediocre title to something slightly more special.

If you can play Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel with a friend then you’ll probably have a good game on your hands. If your friends seem reluctant to buy the game then it’s probably best to avoid it altogether. This game has had some bad press of late, receiving mixed reviews from critics. It’s not that it’s a bad game; it’s just not a game that you should play by yourself, which was probably EA’s intention.

Written by

Alec Ward

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Warning: Ending spoilers for DmC: Devil May Cry below

Vergil’s Downfall wastes no time in picking things up from the end of DmC’s main campaign. In fact, the DLC begins right as Devil May Cry’s final moments are taking place. Dante has just ran his dear brother through and Vergil, spared only by Kat’s merciful pleas, teleported away. Then Dante and Kat share a brief moment, and DmC comes to a close. The world is temporarily safe and Vergil’s status is unknown.

That is, unknown until now. DmC: Vergil’s Downfall sheds light on Vergil’s whereabouts and goings-on after the end of Devil May Cry. In that sense, this add-on is unlike those found in other games. It is not an optional sidequest that bears no weight on the ultimate outcome of the story, such as Mass Effect 3’s Leviathan or Skyrim’s Dawnguard. Vergil’s Downfall is quintessential to the continuation of the DmC series, and bridges the gap between the reboot itself and any sequels that may come.

Vergil’s Downfall tells the story of how the character transitions from radical extremist to pure evil villain. After fleeing the scene at the end of DmC, Vergil finds himself at his mother’s grave. He collapses, and begins to die. As he descends into hell, Vergil wakes up at the ruins of his family’s former home. It is here in a purgatory-esque dimension that Vergil begins his journey into true darkness.

The first thing you will notice about Vergil’s Downfall is the drastic shift in artistic direction. Over half of the DLC’s cinematic scenes are 2D animations. While the art is gorgeous and the animation brings the drawings to graphic life, the sudden shift in style is a bit jarring. This is especially distracting if the add-on is played directly after finishing DmC. It should be noted that key scenes in Vergil’s Downfall are rendered in the same manner as the rest of DmC. Sadly, these two cinematic styles don’t really lend themselves well to each other.

What makes Vergil’s Downfall its own entity, rather than just a mere plot extension, is how Vergil handles in relation to Dante. Ninja Theory did an incredible job of maintaining DmC’s control scheme while making Vergil feel totally different than his twin brother. While Dante is quick, aerial, and utilizes multiple weapons simultaneously, Vergil acts as a hard foil—he is more stationary, slower, and only ever uses his sword. This shouldn’t imply that he plays poorly, bear in mind. Though he begins fairly weak, Vergil quickly becomes incredibly powerful. He has access to angel and demon modes for his weapon—just like Dante—but instead of transforming his sword into a new arm, Vergil’s Yamato alters how it strikes. In essence, it’s the same property as in Dante’s controls; angel mode speeds him up and allows him to combo multiple enemies at once, while demon mode sacrifices agility for raw power.

Most of the enemies you encounter throughout the DLC are largely the same as those found in DmC’s main game, with two exceptions. There is the ethereal Wisp, which fades in and out of the physical plane, and the Imprisoner—a gigantic beast that feels more like a mini-boss than a regular enemy. The environments through which you’ll crash and create chaos are all very same-y; much of them are recycled from DmC. This is justified, however, given the nature of the add-on’s plot. They do seem a lot less dynamic than their maingame counterparts, however.

It should be noted that the DLC only contains six missions. Some of them are rather short; the add-on only adds a couple of hours on to Devil May Cry. That is a bit disappointing. However, just like the main game, Vergil’s Downfall includes its own set of achievements/trophies, and Vergil himself has his own ability tree to upgrade. That could have easily been left out of the final product, and I’m really glad Ninja Theory made Vergil his own true character rather than a re-skinned version of Dante.

Despite some inconsistent cutscenes and a relatively short lifespan, Vergil’s Downfall provides a fresh play style and spot-on voice acting. It is ultimately a satisfying epilogue to DmC.

Written by

Christopher A. Carlson

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Let’s face it; Lara Croft is every gamer’s favourite heroine. If she isn’t, it’s probably because you’ve never played a Tomb Raider game before. If you haven’t played a Tomb Raider game before then where have you been for the past seventeen years? When I was a child my parents allowed me to play two games on our old Windows 95 PC. Those two games were Worms and Tomb Raider. I can remember countless evenings where my brother, my dad and I would play Tomb Raider together – trying to guide Lara through the various ruins and temples like a female Indiana Jones. So, when I heard that Square Enix were planning on rebooting the franchise I was, understandably, a little skeptical.  I had felt for a long time that the Tomb Raider series had fallen from grace. Tomb Raider Legend, Anniversary and Underworld were much of the same. Sure, they were good games, but they weren’t offering anything new. Square Enix promised to do just that, to reboot and re-brand the Tomb Raider game series. Well, reboot and re-brand they did.

Tomb Raider is technically a prequel to the original series. The player will control a young Lara on one of her first adventures. It’s here, on an isolated island in the Dragon’s Triangle, that you will experience the transformation of a vulnerable Croft into the heroin that we all know and love. Admittedly, the game starts slowly. It feels much more like a blockbuster movie than it does an interactive playing experience – there are a lot of button mash sequences. Though I must say, it’s done with style. But it’s once the first half an hour of the game is complete that Square Enix really picks up the pace. The opening half an hour really sets the tone for the game. Lara’s first adventure is a battle for survival – and she’s really not having a good time of it.

Combat was always a problem for Tomb Raider games. There was no real cover system, the weapons were simple and, in most cases, unrealistic. This title has been heralded as an overhaul – well, combat has well and truly been overhauled. Lara will now automatically seek cover when near it, crouching behind logs, walls and boxes is simple and effective. The firearms themselves are easy to use but their simplicity doesn’t take away from the fun of armed combat. Lara won’t actually touch a gun for a good chunk of the game, favouring the bow in the early stages of the story. Even towards the end I still found myself edging towards the bow in combat. It was simple to use but gave a huge amount of satisfaction, especially when getting a clean headshot from a fair few feet away. Lara starts the game with little to her name, by the end of it the player will have a full arsenal at their fingertips, from shotguns to assault rifles – have no fear, even Lara’s patented double pistols will rear their silver heads at some point in the game.

This is no normal action-adventure game. It will take over an hour of game play before Lara will get the chance to take on a baddie. Her first kill is a moving experience, the mild button bashing fades into the background as you watch Lara fight to out muscle her attacker and then struggle to come to terms with her actions. The whole sequence is brilliantly voiced by Camilla Luddington (aka Lara Croft) though, I must admit, she does a fantastic job throughout the entire playing experience. Her portrayal of Lara is so diverse that you truly feel like the Lara at the beginning of the game is not the same person by its conclusion. This was clearly Square Enix’s objective and Camilla performed it to perfection. The heavy focus on Lara’s character development does draw something away from her supporting cast. Her friends and enemies seem just that, supporting characters in the Lara Croft show – but that was to be expected. At no point does Lara seem incapable of rescuing her friends and uncovering the truth. This was the real triumph of the game. I felt myself sympathizing with Lara on her grueling challenge, my heart bled when I couldn’t push Y quick enough and she ended up speared on a lump of metal or crushed by a falling boulder. Lara never seemed weak; she just seemed incredibly real – a welcome change from the somewhat robotic Lara of old.

Lara’s transformation is relatively hands on. The player will earn experience whilst completing challenges, missions and killing enemies – this XP can then be redeemed to upgrade Lara with various different skills. These skills will enable her to become a hardened survivor, but the path she takes is up to you. If you play a quiet game, stalking around in the shadows and picking off enemies from afar, then the skills will cater for this. If you prefer running in, guns blazing and pick axe waving, then the skill tree will make those dreams a reality.

These skills can all be utilized by Lara’s ‘survival instincts’. With the push of a button Lara will scan the surrounding area, highlighting any areas of interest – rock faces that can be climbed and boxes to loot. Her survival instincts can be upgraded so as to highlight objects further away, animals to hunt and tombs to explore. This is an incredibly useful addition to the game, especially when there are multiple methods of reaching your objective.

Just like any good Tomb Raider game, there’re plenty of opportunities to – you guessed it – raid tombs. I mean, it’s not called Tomb Raider for nothing, right? These incredibly detailed areas of the game are both easy and difficult to find, depending on the tomb. They range from ancient burial tombs to grand temples and world war two bunkers. Each has its own challenge, often with a puzzle or two to be solved. This is where Square Enix drew on Tomb Raider’s rich heritage. Exploring these caves and ruins reminded me of my childhood – though they’ve done a fantastic job of making them much more interactive and beautifully presented.

The game itself looks and sounds incredible. Vast, magnificent mountain ranges are broken up by dark dank caves and thick, spanning jungle. The occasional drip of water echoing through caverns or the howl of a wolf in the wilderness adds an eerie realism to this already realistic game. It’s difficult, near impossible, to highlight a place that this game stumbles.

However, it’s not completely impossible to find faults. The online multiplayer is, well, unnecessary. It’s not that it’s bad, far from it, it’s relatively enjoyable. The reason that it’s unnecessary is because it isn’t anything new. The multiplayer experience feels like that of most games that have an online aspect thrown in on the side. It doesn’t make the game any better, though it doesn’t make the game any worse. The game mode ‘Rescue’ is rather enjoyable. It’s a different take on the ‘capture the flag’ game mode that most titles seem to sport these days. One team must grab med-packs to save their injured friends whilst the baddies must, well, kill them. It’s simple, but effective. The other game modes – ‘Team Death match’ and ‘Free-for-all’, are samey. Online multiplayer offers a wide range of characters to play as, lots of new weapons to use and some fun maps full of traps and snares to trip you up. It also includes a level-up system for player progression and online ranking. There’s nothing new or innovative here, much unlike the campaign – but it’s understandable.

Tomb Raider is, without a doubt, a fantastic game. To be honest, the word ‘fantastic’ doesn’t quite cover it. The story is enticing and immersive. The game play is exciting and incredibly well developed and the looks and sounds are, at times, breathtaking. This is a beautifully polished game with an enjoyable, if slightly unnecessary, slice of multiplayer cake thrown in on the side. Tomb Raider fans will not be disappointed with this title and gamers in general will find a lot to love about Lara’s most recent adventure. Raiding tombs has never been so much fun.

Written by

Alec Ward

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Update: Vergil’s Downfall, an epilogue of sorts to DmC, has been released! Check out our review of Vergil’s Downfall.

A reboot can be a tricky thing to pull off well. In one hand, you have the factors or debilitations that necessitate the re-establishment of a known franchise. In the other, you have the pillars of the franchise, factors that make the franchise what it is. A successful reboot ushers in needed new ideas while respectfully leaving the old ones intact. Change too much, and you have a new product entirely—it forces fans to adopt an entirely foreign concept into canon. Conversely, change too little, and well, what’s the point of declaring it a reboot? In the case of Devil May Cry, one of Capcom’s most beloved franchises, a reboot was not only a good idea—it was the right idea, and a very successful one to boot.

A re-imagining of the Devil May Cry series really has been a long time coming. It’s important to truly understand the series’ accidental roots, and observe the direction it was headed before it was reborn. The original Devil May Cry began its life as what was originally going to become Resident Evil 4. When RE4’s directors decided to move in a different direction, what was left over was a project all its own—Devil May Cry.

Because it started as a survival-horror game, the original DMC plays a lot differently than any other title in the series it sparked. Devil May Cry was an instant classic because it faithfully maintained the constant dread and building terror often found in survival horror titles, while allowing players to bring all manners of pain to foes via the game’s stylized and action-heavy combat system. The gothic and demonic environment and enemies were counterbalanced by the player character, Dante. In addition to wielding an enormous sword and an iconic pair of pistols, Dante was armed to the teeth with sarcasm and oft-hilarious one-liners, including the infamous “flock off, featherface!”

The original Dante, circa 2001

The insta-success of the original DMC churned dollar signs in the eyes of Capcom’s leadership, and a tragically-rushed follow up title was released soon after. Devil May Cry 2 saw Dante adopt a much darker tone, and removed all the survival horror elements that made the original so unique. What was left was a standard hack-n-slash affair and a tragically subpar one at that—the game’s difficulty was significantly lessened and the combat system was far less refined.

Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening partially returned the series to its roots; Dante was yet again entertaining, the environments were more confined, and of course, the game was hard. It also focuses on Dante’s twin brother, Vergil. The game was a prequel to the original Devil May Cry, and was executed very well.

The final game in the original DMC arc, Devil May Cry 4, shifted the focus from Dante to a new protagonist—Nero. This young hero’s claim to originality was a demonic-looking arm and a more brash personality than even Dante could muster. DMC4 was by no means a bad game, but by this time in the series, the usual DMC formula had gotten rather stale.

Enter DmC: Devil May Cry. For this reimagining, Capcom outsourced development of the game to a Western game studio—Ninja Theory. In doing so, many elements that Devil May Cry had incorporated—concerning both gameplay and story—were drastically altered. And to tell the truth, it is exactly what the series needed.

For one, Ninja Theory has come to say outright that this is not the same continuation as DMC 1 through 4. At best, it is an alternate storyline. To cement that, they changed Dante’s and Vergil’s origin story. You see, in the original canon, the twins were half-human, half-Demon—their father was an ultra-powerful Demon called Sparda, who rebelled against his kin out of pity for humankind. In DmC, Dante and Vergil are ‘Nephilim,’ or half-Demon and half-Angel.

Another major change, and one blatantly fought against by dedicated fans, was that of Dante’s appearance. He had traditionally been given white hair with a long, red coat—a combination that had become something of an icon. In DmC, not only is Dante notably younger, he is black-haired and wears a wifebeater/white long coat combo. What’s more is that while the original Dante was a balance of collected-yet-semi-antagonistic, the new Dante is much more rash and possessive of the qualities of a youthful renegade. He does, however, maintain the wit and sense of humor that made his original incarnation so identifiable. Vergil has also been redesigned, and is a much more prominent figure than before. Although he again has silver hair, Vergil is now the leader of an underground rebellion called The Order, fighting demon kind at every turn. While Dante is a man of the streets, frequently seen with booze and loose women, Vergil is a technological genius, and a reserved-yet-extremely idealistic person.

The new main character introduced in DmC, Kat, fulfills a tradition started by the first Devil May Cry of having a female supporting character. While previous gals in this role—Trish and Lady especially—have been quite over the top, Kat is constantly vulnerable and is in very real danger helping Dante and Vergil throughout the game. She is a very likeable character, and one I hope to see in future installments, should there be any.

DmC: Devil May Cry retells the story of Dante’s war against Mundus, the Demon-King, which was the primary plot line of the first Devil May Cry. However, instead of being set in a long-forsaken castle, it is set in a demonic urban city called Limbo. Mundus himself has been reimagined—he has a human façade, in the form of a very high-powered businessman, whose funds have him secretly controlling the city of Limbo. Recognizing this threat and igniting the time of action, Vergil sends Kat—his top agent–to recruit Dante to his cause.

From the opening lines, it is apparent how much thought and care Ninja Theory has put in to ensure the reboot isn’t so much a reboot, as it is an ‘evolution.’ Yes, it is a ‘parallel universe,’ and yes, this isn’t the same Dante we used to know—but that’s a good thing. At its core, this is still Devil May Cry.

Gameplay in DmC is very tight, and very cool. This new installment borrows bits from the best aspects of the previous games’ combat engines. Fighting in DmC is fast, frequent, flashy, and very fun. DmC continues the style points concept found in the series’ previous titles, with a ranking system ranging from D through S. The control scheme feels natural and is somewhat easy to master. As Dante progresses through his journey, he will unlock more weapons and styles of combat. ‘Devil Arms’ have been a series mainstay, and they continue to be featured here. In fact, Ninja Theory has done a wonderful job incorporating them into the flow of combat. In previous games, the game would have to be paused to change weapons. Not so in the reboot. Thanks to Dante’s infamous sword Rebellion being reimagined as well, he now can change weapons on the fly. Holding down the L or R trigger will transform Rebellion to either an Angel or a Demon weapon, respectively. There are multiple weapons for each type (including firearms), which can be flawlessly cycled through by using the D-pad. This means in one single combo, Dante can attack an enemy or group of enemies with several different weapons, one right after the other. This takes some skill, but is immensely satisfying to pull off.

Another big change Ninja Theory brought in is the focusing on platforming elements. Previous games in the DMC series had bits and pieces of platforming, but NT’s vision has platform-jumping as a central concept to the game. Each mission has at least one dedicated platforming sequence, and it works quite well. Several of Dante’s combat abilities double as tools needed to traverse these sequences, such as using his Demon/Angel powers to transform his firearm into a whip, which is used to navigate hard-to-reach platforms. There are some times in the game’s platforming segments where the camera will betray you. Since there is no lock-on feature (none in combat or exploration), your view can be skewed at times, creating some jumps that shouldn’t be as difficult as they are.

One series staple that Ninja Theory allowed to say was the Devil Trigger feature. Dating back to the original DMC, this is a powerful mode Dante can invoke once he reaches a certain point in each game’s story. When under the influence of Devil Trigger, Dante’s appearance becomes more demonic and he gains immense attack power, moves much faster and recovers health. Though the mode itself is left largely intact, it is very interesting to note that when the new Dante Devil Triggers, he morphs into a figure not unlike his previous incarnation—his hair turns silver and grows longer, and his coat becomes a deep blood red, just like his predecessor.

The game’s pace is well thought out, although the main campaign does run a bit short. It is not the longest Devil May Cry title, though it is by far the most polished and aesthetically pleasing. The new art direction for the main characters is vibrantly brought to life by well-done graphics and spot-on music. The visuals are the best the series has ever seen, though they aren’t anything special when compared to other games out right now. The replay value is considerably high. Even though there’s only a certain amount of missions, completing them on higher difficulty levels will unlock more challenging modes. These are near-impossible to complete, and are only there for the truly hardcore. Case in point, ‘Hell or Hell’ mode, in which enemies are supercharged and Dante dies in only one hit!

DmC’s music, however, is something you might find in any of the other Devil May Cry titles. The game’s soundtrack is heavy metal driven, which is in no way a bad thing. Demonic death metal suits DmC’s action-oriented gameplay like a glove, and only serves to deepen the game’s atmosphere.

One aspect I did love is how the city of Limbo is out to kill Dante. Half of the aforementioned platforming sequences are initiated by the environment tearing itself apart to try and trick Dante into falling into a bottomless pit. That, or openly antagonize our hero. There is one part where, after just slaughtering a squad of demons, Dante faces a wall and giant ghastly letters begin to spell out, “F*** YOU, DANTE!” Gotta love demon-ragewalls. There’s also a supporting villain by the name of Bob Barbas—an obvious jab at real-life Bill O’Reilly. Whether you take offense to Bill-bashing or not, you’d be hard pressed to admit that Barbas’ encounter mid-game is easily one of the coolest boss fights in recent video game history.

It is that kind of in-your-face attitude that succinctly sums up the new incarnation of Devil May Cry. Ninja Theory has taken a classic-yet-overdone game series, and evolved it into a wickedly delicious gem of a video game that a new generation of gamers can sink their teeth into. It is a bit jarring to see the old canon of DMC suddenly end—especially for some of us that have been around since the series began in the early 2000’s—but rest assured, Devil May Cry is in good hands. This is rebooting done right, and the future of this dark series is very, very bright.

Written by

Christopher A. Carlson

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Back in 2001 game developer Bungie released a game titled Halo: Combat Evolved as an Xbox exclusive. It was met with praise from gamers and critics alike, and thus one of the most popular first-person shooter series was born, and the rest is video game history. In their legendary run with Halo, Bungie made 3 billion dollars off the games alone. The ever-growing popularity bled into other forms of media including, graphic novels, animated features, and action figures. Then, to the dismay of fans everywhere, Bungie decided to bow out and start a new project. They left Halo in the hands of 343 Industries; a studio created for the sole purpose of carrying the series forward. And they did just that.

Since Halo 3, Bungie danced around making their fourth entry into the main storyline and filled in some gaps with Halo 3 ODST and Halo Reach. After they handed the series over to 343, the latter decided to pick up where we left off. Halo 4 is the first in what’s being called the Reclaimer Trilogy by 343. We finally pick back up with Master Chief and Cortana, stranded in a derelict ship in the middle of empty space. This second trilogy will put the Chief and Cortana on a new planet (or planets), with new enemies, and weapons, old and new, to play with. The big thing going in to such a popular series and changing so much is to find a nice balance between the old, and the new. Keep what fans love about the series intact, while introducing new concepts that will meld with that of the old. The question is; did 343 Industries find that balance and maintain it?

The Story

I can’t reveal too much of the story for those who are eager to play it. I will say that it does a beautiful job setting up the rest of the trilogy. The Master Chief you know and love is still the no-nonsense soldier who gets the job done, but he’s only human nonetheless. Halo 4 addresses that in a very subtle way. You can feel what’s happening behind the more important events, but it’s never overdone; it never takes over the story, nor does it water down the epic storyline. Enjoy the campaign for sure, because 343 did a fantastic job introducing new weapons and enemies that challenge the player, while making the old concepts feel like an old friend; making you feel empowered and comfortable in the strange new setting.

The Gameplay

What would Halo be without its core gameplay? Halo Wars, that’s what, and we know how that little venture went. Never fear, because this is Halo at its best. In the campaign, it’s pretty much what you would expect; get from point A, to point B, and kill everything in your way with extreme prejudice. That’s nothing too out of the ordinary. However, the new weapons, enemies, and beautifully designed areas are more than enough to inspire you for at least one playthrough. The new enemies are known as the Prometheans, which are Forerunner constructs.

The Prometheans were clearly designed to change up the Halo formula, which has grown a bit stale. Their abilities to teleport, stick to walls, and resurrect allies make them challenging and very unique to the Covenant. However I found that dealing with them was easy enough by using the same method I always have with the Covenant; shooting them. All that’s needed to deal with the new threat is a change of priorities. That’s not much different than fighting the Covenant. Still, I enjoyed fighting something besides the Covenant and Flood for a change.

The best thing about the Prometheans is the weapons they drop upon death. A pistol that can be charged and fired like a shotgun, a super-charged sniper rifle, and a shotgun with ricocheting bullets are just a couple of the new weapons they bring to the table. There are also some new weapons that the Covenant and UNSC brought that are worth your attention, as well as some classics that longtime fans will be very happy with. This is by far that best arsenal to be in a Halo game yet.

The Graphics

Halo 4 is definitely the best looking entry in the series to grace the Xbox 360. Explosions look fantastic and rumble your screen, and enemy animations are top-notch as always; the Prometheans were especially impressive. I have to say the environments are the crowning achievement when it comes to graphics. The backdrops are beautifully done and up close everything looks equally as impressive, and there’s no better way to take in the sights than through the Chief’s visor. Master Chief also has an updated model of his armor that looks much better, and the armor to be unlocked in matchmaking has some of the coolest designs I’ve ever seen. You should also take some time to appreciate the menu layout when you’re in the lobby of matchmaking. The whole design of it is just gorgeous.

The Sound

The sounds of a game can be tricky to get just right. They have to accentuate each action and event perfectly to fully immerse the player. Halo 4 does just that, and I mean to say near perfect if not completely. Weapons being fired off, the engines of vehicles flying by, even your own footsteps fully immerse into the Halo experience. This game is meant to be played loudly with surround sound, or a pair of really nice headphones. The soundtrack, recorded by Neil Davidge, is beautiful and intense at just the right moments. I highly recommend the song Green and Blue.

Online

Matchmaking has been an important part of Halo since Halo 2, which means it’s slowly been being perfected over time as Bungie has learned from its mistakes. 343 perfected it. No longer does everyone start a match of slayer with the same weapons, you can create your own class with weapons you’ve unlocked. You unlock weapons by leveling up, and spending the credit you get for each level gained. You’ll quickly unlock most of the weapons you’ll want, or use, but that’s what unlocking armor is for. Pieces of armor become unlocked to you as you progress through the ranks. Much like in Halo Reach, you can customize yourself with different colors and insignia. Once you reach a certain level and unlock all the armor pieces for the Spartan IV series, you can then select another series with a whole different style to start unlocking pieces for. There are six or seven different series to unlock, so it will take plenty of play time to unlock them all.

Besides the armor and weapon unlocks, you also get medals for achievements like getting one-hundred headshots, or a certain amount of kills with a certain weapon. These get you bonus experience to boost your level progression. All this may seem daunting, but there’s plenty of fun to be had besides the unlockables. The game modes themselves are a blast. Classics like Swat, Team Slayer, and Grif Ball make a return, while new game modes like Flood are put into the mix. To this date there are still new game modes being added to matchmaking. There’s something for everyone to play.

Aside from matchmaking, a new game mode has been introduced called Spartan Ops. These are episodes released weekly that have you and a team of other players playing through a level fulfilling an objective. These give another boost to your level progression, as well as continue the story of Halo 4.

The Verdict

Halo has a strong and fiercely loyal community backing it. If there is going to be a problem with the game, they’re going to let you know. After playing a significant amount of Halo 4, I’ve no doubt that 343 listened intently to the fans. This is a fantastic game for newcomers to the series, but a near perfect one for longtime fans. The hype built up around the Prometheans was a bit of a letdown when they didn’t prove to be very challenging for those who are experienced, and the gameplay in the campaign and Spartan Ops is borderline stale when the excitement over the new weapons is lost. Otherwise, this is the perfect Halo game.

Written by

Jonathan Gipson

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

The second instalment of Gearbox’s Borderlands series has hit the shelves. Borderlands 2 offers guns galore as well as killing bandits, alien monsters and even more bandits to your heart’s content. When the original Borderlands was released over three years ago it offered something new to gamers. Its unique cell-shaded graphics and quirky murderous charm all helped to make it a brilliant game. Not only does Borderlands 2 have to stand up to the shadow of its predecessor, it has to prove itself against its competitors for this quarter (the FIFA’s, the Call of Duty’s and the Assassins Creed’s) for its rightful place in your game collection. I think it’s done just that.

Nothing major has changed between Borderlands and Borderlands 2. The general idea of the game has remained the same–find loot and Vaults, killing all in your path. Pandora looks and sounds no different. The real changes have been small but noticeable when racked up together. Most importantly the voice acting is of a much higher quality. The citizens of Pandora have much more depth to them and even the bandits and killer robots have something to say to you on your travels. A few beloved characters have made a return, including everyone’s favourite overly-optimistic robot, Claptrap. There are even some new additions to the cast. The four playable characters Axton, Zero, Maya and Salvador all have some interesting one-liners as the players traverse through Pandora. Even the charmingly narcissistic bad guy that is Handsome Jack has some interesting and humorous things to say. His character is so brilliant that he’s easily one of my favourite villains of 2012. It takes a lot for a game developer to make me love the bad guy just as much as my own character, but Gearbox have somehow pulled it of. The brilliant writing and excellent voice acting help deliver laugh out loud moments coupled with a few tense arguments and rare heart-felt gestures. They’ll have you belly laughing in one scene and pulling on your heart strings in the other, broken up nicely with tonnes of shooting and explosions of course.

If communicating with your fellow man isn’t your thing then don’t be alarmed, Pandora is plenty big enough to lose yourself and those annoying companions. Sure, the main quest offers hours of entertainment but the various side quests can keep you interested for long enough if all you want to do is kill bandits. This combined with the planned DLC that is going to be released over the next year, Borderlands 2 is shaping up to be a game worth playing and re-playing. I spent much of the original Borderlands having little clue of what I was actually supposed to be doing, yet I still enjoyed every second. The introduction of a clear and well formed story line is a welcome addition, even though it’s not necessarily important. If you’d rather explore and loot to your heart’s content then that’s fine too. The game is still enjoyable with or without a coherent plot. Pandora is pretty enough to hold your attention and the various towns coupled with bandit hideouts help break up the vast expanses of seemingly never ending wasteland.

Now we have to talk about the guns. Not all 87 bazillion of them thankfully, I don’t think I have the time. In a game heralded for its loot the gun collection reins king amongst the waste lands of Pandora; Sniper rifles, assault rifles, handguns, shotguns, rocket launchers and rocket launching shotguns. You name it, Borderlands 2 has it. Now with this many guns it would be understandable if your inventory became a little crowded. Understandable yes, but not a problem. The interface is user friendly and easily navigated, and you’ll be spending more time deciding which gun to get rid of than you will trying to decipher which guns you have. You may not think that this is a problem, but it is. With so many guns it’s difficult to decide which ones are your favourite. You can’t grow attached to anything in Borderlands 2 as there’s always something better waiting for you around the corner.

Playing Borderlands 2 on your own is a great way to spend your valuable down time. But why play it on your own when you can play it with a friend? Gearbox has given you every opportunity to get a friend involved in the looting fun. Players can join your game over XBOX live or the PSN, over a LAN connection or even split screen in the comfort of your own living room. Players won’t be penalized for joining a friend’s game of a higher level. The enemies match the rating of the lowest level player so you don’t have to worry about constantly dying against waves of unbeatable enemies. Money is shared evenly alongside XP so there will be no point stealing cash or kills. However loot is shared on a first come first grab basis. So you had better trust your partner in crime. No one likes a loot hoarder.

Yet, for all its polish, witty characters and gazillions of guns, Borderlands 2 still falls short in the customization department. Gearbox really missed a trick here. You can customize your character, changing heads and skins as you unlock new upgrades on your journeys, but it still feels a little basic. A greater level of character customization would fit well in Pandora. But this is just a minor complaint. You can still customize your character to adapt to your playing style. For example utilizing the skill tree allows you to swap between a sneaky sniper or a deadly assassin whilst playing as Zero. Players can even spend ‘Badass Tokens’, gained through completing challenges such as number of kills or headshots, to increase their character’s gun accuracy or damage and shield strength. Sure, this level of customization helps give you a certain edge over your enemies. But it doesn’t make your character look any cooler, which is a real shame in my opinion.

In these tough economic times gamers have to be picky as to which titles they splash their hard earned cash on. Upcoming releases such as Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Assassins Creed III and Hitman: Absolution may be taking precedence in your planned purchases for the moment. But spare a second to consider Borderlands 2. Gearbox have pulled out all the stops to make this sequel even better than the original title. They’ve taken into account the complaints and criticisms of the first game and greatly improved on what made Borderlands a unique gaming experience. Plus Borderlands 2 offers lots of guns and everyone loves guns right?

If you’ve already had the opportunity to play Borderlands 2, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game in the comments below.

Review by

Alec Ward

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

EA Sports have released another FIFA Soccer title, its twentieth FIFA Soccer title to be precise. You would have thought that the series might be on its last legs. There aren’t many other game series that could boast twenty titles as well as promise to keep it fresh every year. Well, somehow, EA Sports have done it again. They’ve improved on some minor snagging flaws from last year’s FIFA 12, they’ve bought back some fan favourites and they’ve even added some new and innovative game modes.

One of the most impressive aspects of the FIFA series has been its realism. It always tries to seem as realistic as possible and FIFA 13 is the most realistic football game yet. So realistic in fact that a friend spotted me in front of the telly and asked if I was playing FIFA 13. I replied, “No, I’m just watching football”. How can a game seem so realistic you might ask? Well it’s all thanks to some of the big changes to this years FIFA title.

FIFA 12 was a brilliant game but the players always seemed to be a little too good. They could cut the balls out of the air with the slightest of touches and create acres of space with a mere step-over. True it was fun to play, but it wasn’t realistic football. FIFA 13 feels like real football. Players now take heavy touches, make poor dribbles and passes and smash the ball over the bar from five yards out. These are the most human computer generated players I’ve ever controlled. Everyone makes mistakes and thanks to EA’s new first touch mechanics, so can simulated people. Their first touch mechanic gives the game more depth. Players now have to pay close attention to their positioning, how heavy they’re holding the analogue sticks and how close the opposition defenders are before the ball even reaches them. A good touch is now the difference between silky one-touch Barcelona-style football and a lad’s kick about over their local park.

But it’s not just the first touch that has made this FIFA so realistic. There are other small changes that seem minor by themselves, but together create something very special. For instance your computer controlled team mates now act like actual football players. The new attacking intelligence allows them to make inspiring runs creating space for you or a pass to channel the ball through. They pay attention to offside traps and the positioning of other defenders or attackers. It’s one of the first times that I’ve played a FIFA game and the computer has actually guessed my next move before I’ve even made it. Your team mates now enable you to play beautiful football rather than disable you from attacking creatively.

When you’re actually on the ball the new Complete Dribbling tool means that you’ll now have full control over play. They are able to move the ball around in a 360 degree as well as switch between feet. This allows for a more creative playing style as well as a greater level of control for holding up play and making space for yourself and others. Creativity is a real theme running through FIFA 13. For the first time players are able to customize their free kicks like the pros. You have the ability to pick one or two other players to make dummy runs or short passes for the ultimate stylish free kick.

It’s not just attacking that’s had a face-lift. Defending has also become more realistic, though less simple. Your defenders now track the runs of the opposing attackers as well as make their own runs into space when you have regained possession. We’ve even been given the opportunity to cheat whilst playing FIFA. When defending a free kick, players are able to edge the wall forward–but don’t get caught because you might get booked.

Mistimed challenges are a real threat, especially with the improved player impact engine. Referees seem to make some really strange calls still. Even a brilliant clean tackle may be flagged up as a two footed shin breaker causing unfair red cards galore. Virtual refs still haven’t quite got the hang of the offside rule or the concept of the advantage. Perhaps this was intentional. Football is well known for its controversial refereeing decisions. Though I’d rather it wasn’t, so perhaps that’s something to sort out in FIFA ‘14.

The biggest new addition to FIFA ’13 can be found with the introduction of Skill Games. These short, score-based games help players get to grips with the improved player impact engine, attacking intelligence and first touch mechanics in a fun and rewarding way. The challenges range from bronze to gold with the opportunity to test all that you have learnt in a final grand skill game (which is not for the faint of heart). This is a really exciting new addition as it’s not only a great way of honing your FIFA skills but a brilliant time killer when waiting for your game to start.

Other game modes have had some slight changes. Career Mode now has two options; Player or Manager Mode. This means that players can no longer be a Player Manager, which is a shame but an understandable change. In the modern game player managers don’t really exist and for FIFA ’13 to complete its final transition into realism these sorts of options had to bite the bullet. Online modes such as Pro-Clubs and FIFA Ultimate Team have made a return and look better than ever. In Pro-Clubs, EA have ensured that online pros and offline pros remain separate to stop any foul play when it comes to hacking the stats of your player. They have also introduced FIFA Seasons to both Pro-Clubs and FIFA Ultimate Team making it more competitive but, in the long run, more rewarding.

All of these game modes bring the potential for players to earn FIFA Points. These can be exchanged at the online store in return for classic kits, improvements to your pro, new boots, new celebrations; the list goes on. Overall these additions and tweaks have made FIFA 13 by far the best instalment of the series and the best football simulation game this year.

There are so many little changes to this game since the last instalment that it’s hard to keep track of them all, or even notice. But I believe that’s the mark of a brilliant game and a lasting franchise. EA manage to maintain the values that fans love whilst at the same time keeping the game fresh and exciting. I’m sure that in a year’s time I’ll be just as excited to play FIFA 14 but still slightly disappointed that my ride with FIFA 13 will be drawing to an end.

Written by

Alec Ward

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Let us take a moment and recall some of the greatest stories ever told through the medium of video games. Recall the daring rescues of princesses, and the recoveries of mythical blades. Tales of friends, ever true, and of villains most cruel. Stories of ancient and enraged gods and entities, whose wrath threatens to end the world like the hangman’s noose. Think of pure adventure, and expeditions into the dark unknown. And reconsider how true love paved the way for every single hero, from the darkest depths of Hell to the light of day.

Few video games—let alone any other sort of media—get as many storytelling elements right as Mistwalker’s The Last Story. The game represents the long-awaited collaboration between two of the greatest figures in video game design, period; director (and head of Mistwalker) Hironobu Sakaguchi, and beloved composer Nobuo Uematsu. Both luminaries are directly responsible for the advancement of the RPG genre, famously creating the first several Final Fantasies together. That being said, the expectations for The Last Story’s design and music are exceptionally high—especially since Sakaguchi has been reported as saying that he worked on the game like it was his last video game, ever (thus the title, The Last Story).

Thankfully, The Last Story delivers on both these fronts and more. The game’s plot is somewhat cliched, but in the sub-genre of JRPGs, it’s hard to avoid that. It is The Last Story’s characters that really drive the plot. And boy do they drive it. Each character is remarkably likeable, and when the main cast is together it creates for some of the most heartwarming and engaging scenes in recent video game history. This is because of how dynamic the main cast’s personalities are.

The Last Story follows the exploits of a band of mercenaries, who come to the beautiful Lazulis Island in employment of the nation’s ruler, Count Arganan. The main character, Zael, is often reserved and lost in daydreams. Dagran is the mercenaries’ leader, and is Zael’s older brother figure. He always does what is best for his group, even to a fault. Then there’s Yurick, cold and taciturn, who doesn’t see his little family as more than workmates. Counterbalancing him is Syrenne, a loud-mouthed, often drunk woman who is never afraid to ‘tell it like it is.’ Rounding out the group is Lowell, who constantly flirts with anything that moves (including Syrenne), and Mirania, the group’s quiet-yet-insightful healer. A slim number of video games are able to pull off so much character development with so many characters. The Last Story achieves this, and it’s why each character is so identifiable.

The Last Story is, at its heart, a love story. Early on in the game, Zael meets a girl who calls herself Lisa, and the two quickly fall in love. This chance encounter spurs The Last Story’s plot onward. Throughout the game we see their relationship grow, and then fall apart, and then blossom once more. This story element has been done a thousand times, yet thanks to Sakaguchi’s incredible storytelling talents, it feels fresh. As the plot thickens, you want the two of them to be alright, and keep their relationship intact as their lives fall apart.

Of course, The Last Story’s best moments, be them tender, bittersweet or blood-boiling, would not be brought to life in the way they are if they didn’t have Uematsu writing the score. The pieces of music found in The Last Story are some of Nobuo’s absolute best. The swelling violins that convey the ‘love-at-first-sight’ emotions of Zael and Lisa. The adrenaline-pumping low brass melodies that make an already very memorable final boss fight even more remarkable. Even during the game’s regular fights, listen closely and you’ll hear the music change from somewhat suspenseful to reassuringly heroic as you turn the tides of battle in your favor.

Speaking of battles and fights, The Last Story’s battle system is one of the best in any Japanese role playing game, ever. Think of it as a ‘lite’ version of Final Fantasy XII’s Active Dimension Battle system. You control Zael, and your teammates are all AI-controlled. During combat, lines will appear from enemies to your characters, signifying where they will attack. Attacking is simply done by running up to an enemy; Zael will automatically strike. Battles are also very enthralling. During some skirmishes, the characters’ emotions (and in turn, mine) ran high, and I found myself swinging my Wiimote along with Zael’s sword, despite it being completely unnecessary.

What makes The Last Story’s fights so unique and engaging are how they borrow the best of different genres. Elements of real-time strategy games (specifically tower defense) are present; before most of the battles in the game, the party will assess the opposing formation, and give you (the player) tips as to how to go about winning. Amidst a fight, Zael can issue commands to his teammates. This is done in a manner that blends RTS with traditional menu-based RPG fighting. Remarkably for a JRPG, elements of stealth are invoked as well. At some points in The Last Story, Zael will have to sneak around a group of enemies to get to a vantage point. Using the Gathering ability he stumbles upon early in the game, Zael is able to draw enemy fire to himself, while his teammates flank from the side or begin casting spells.

Gameplay in The Last Story also employs elements found in first-and-third person shooters. Zael is equipped with a crossbow that he can use to snipe enemies with. Certain scenes in the game make use of a first-person viewpoint, where the player must guide Zael’s line of sight to a specific object or anomaly. Highly unusual for a game of this type, yet intuitive given the nature of combat, is the ability to hide behind objects and take cover. This makes for added survivability against some of the more intelligent enemies you’ll come across, and is reminiscent of the cover mechanics in games such as Gears of War and Mass Effect 3.

Another wonderful feature found in The Last Story is the ability to customize each of the main characters. Each piece of armor looks different from another. Unfortunately, some of them can look quite ridiculous as they are improved, as each new upgrade adds a piece of armor or covering. However, individual pieces can be removed. Players can also change the color of each character’s clothing, down to each little component of the armor they’re wearing.

The Last Story’s graphics are among the Wii’s best, although they’re a far cry from what the Xbox 360 and PS3 can do. Character models are fully-realized, and their facial expressions usually sell the emotion they’re going for. However, there are times when a character’s mouth movement isn’t synced with the dialogue they’re speaking. Worse, sometimes their mouth won’t move at all. This can be a little disengaging.

However, the world in which they interact is intricately detailed and very much explorable. The art direction found in The Last Story is absolutely fantastic, and is decidedly high-fantasy. Hironobu Sakaguchi has stated that he didn’t want to include any science-fiction elements to the game’s design, and sure enough, he kept his word. Every building, piece of furniture, merchant stand in Lazulis City—it’s all inclusive with the high-fantasy theme The Last Story presents.

Also to the game’s credit is the quality of the characters’ voice acting. JRPGs have a bad reputation for having abysmal English voice actors—something which The Last Story avoids at all costs. I was blown away at how well the characters were voiced. The entire cast is British, from Zael and Lisa and Dagran to the NPCs you run across in the streets. Perhaps that’s why the voice acting in The Last Story is wonderful.

The Last Story also features a multiplayer mode. That in itself is a rarity in RPGS, especially ones of Japanese design. Multiplayer is split into two styles, called Fray and Suppression. Fray is an all-out deathmatch between up to six players, while Suppression is coop, and has players working together to take down tougher versions of the storyline’s bosses. That a JRPG even has a multiplayer mode is a huge testament to the quality and ingenuity of its battle system.

Unfortunately, every game has its flaws. In a JRPG as ambitious as The Last Story, flaws are unavoidable. Given the multi-genre nature of the game’s combat system, your party’s AI can be rather useless at certain points. I realize this may simply be the game encouraging the player to use Zael’s Command Mode, but some parts just felt lazy. For instance, during one fight, Lowell (who attacks with ice magic) identifies an enemy as being ‘highly resistant to ice spells.’ He then proceeds to blast them with ice. While taking cover is a huge ingenuity for a JRPG, doing so can be a tad clumsy. Speaking of controls, motion control is mysteriously absent from The Last Story. It would have been a nice plus to be able to move the crosshair during the first/third person segments with your Wiimote, not the control stick on the Nunchuck.

The Last Story is a remarkable game. It represents the best of not only the RPG genre, but borrows the best of strategy and shooter games. Sure, it may have its flaws, but none of them are game-breaking.  As for the game’s length, expect to put in a good 20-25 hours. The Last Story will go down as one of the greatest stories ever told through the video game medium, and I urge everyone to experience its unique brand of storytelling. Play The Last Story like it was designed—be the hero, save your love, and play it like it’s the last story you’ll ever read.

Review by

Christopher A. Carlson

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

I Am Alive is the dark tale of a loving husband and father searching for his missing wife and daughter in the fictional post-apocalyptic city of Haventon. I Am Alive hits hard with a scary setting making the player think of Silent Hill while walking through the thick fog. Between the fog and creepy music the game makes you feel as if a monster will jump out, sadly though one never does. Instead you will be faced with saving or destroying the lives of refugees and groups of bandits who want nothing more than your life.

You play as an unnamed character searching for his missing family in the wake of a catastrophe known simply as The Event. The Event has destroyed most major cities through earthquakes, leaving only destruction and rubble behind for those left to live in. Supplies are scarce and most survivors fight for their lives to get them, or in a lot of cases lay on the street and beg the player for help. You have the option to help these people if you wish, rewarding you with an extra retry. If you aren’t feeling very helpful you can leave them to die alone, or steal what little supplies they do have on them. And then there are some that will take your supplies from you through any means necessary, utilizing found guns and machetes to stop you.

One of the best things about I Am Alive is the setting and mood of the game. You really feel like you’re trying to survive in an apocalyptic event, supplies become your gold and when they are used unwisely it is upsetting. Ammo will become the greatest thing in the world, wasting any of it will hurt the player emotionally, as well as your character physically. The game is by no means graphically advanced, but the city you find yourself in is still beautiful in its own way. The world looks right for an apocalypse, people are surviving anyway they can, skyscrapers have fallen against their neighbors, and the streets are littered with debris and forgotten barricades. Colors alter between gray and a darker gray for the most part while you are on the street, things get a little brighter the higher you go though. The color palette doesn’t change drastically but it is a welcome change from the drab experience down below.

While wandering through the torn up city you will get access to a variety of useful tools and weapons. A pistol and machete are the first to make their way into your hands. A lot of the time you will need to bluff your way through a situation with the pistol as you will not have any ammo. The machete however is an always-useful tool, serving as a weapon and a door opener. Another amazing find comes from the top of a skyscraper in the form of a grappling hook and rope. These can be used to latch onto set points in the world and swing your way to new areas.

New areas are something you will see a lot of, most of your time spent in I Am Alive will be climbing some sort of object. This aspect feels extremely Tomb Raider like, jumping from ledge to ledge, swinging across gaps and sliding down the sides of downed skyscrapers. The world is a great jungle gym for you to let your inner child out in, just beware of the dying parts. Some sort of free roaming game-mode would have been a welcome addition, but sadly was not delivered, cross our fingers for DLC add-on.

The music is another amazing aspect brought on by I Am Alive, it really sets up the feeling of no hope being left in the city. Walking through the fog with the scary music playing in the background gives the feeling of playing a horror game. The closest monster to be found however is an easter egg on an unreachable ledge in the form of a mutant running around in circles. Sadly you can never get a real good look at this creature, but it does make you dream of more of them running out of the fog at you. The soundtrack was chosen perfectly and is enough to make you forget about the terrible story playing in front of your eyes.

Speaking of the terrible story, I Am Alive has an incredibly boring and forgettable tale thrown in with this beautiful apocalypse. You never feel emotionally tied to why your character is in this city or to the people that you come across. At one point you will come across a little girl named Mei, she does not make a big impact on your feelings. She seems more like an animal along for a car ride instead of the big plot point that she is.

For the most part the story is told through the lens of a video camera that an unnamed girl is watching in a dark room. Your character takes this camera with him everywhere; it is never seen while you are playing however, only when there is a cutscene to be watched. These do a poor job of setting up the next piece of your story as they are boring to watch and seem like more of a task to get through.

I Am Alive is a pretty good game for its low price tag, just don’t bother getting real into the story and instead enjoy your surroundings. If at all possible however I would recommend waiting for a price drop to come to this game. My final time count was around four hours of game time. This is sad even for fifteen dollars and leaves something to be desired, besides a cliff-hanger ending.

Review by

Brandon Morgan

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMG, and get our articles and reviews directly to your inbox or RSS reader.