Jump Force has recently revealed Yoruichi Shihouin, from Bleach, as the newest DLC character to be added. Originally released by Bandai Namco in February of 2019, Jump Force is a crazy idea for a video game. It takes almost 60 characters (with the DLC) across all the most popular Shonen Jump mangas and has them battle it out in a fighting game. The game also features a unique story story mode. You create your own character that can blend elements from your favorite characters across different series. This game can answer the age old question amongst anime fans. “Who would win, Goku or Naruto?”
Jump Force also offers a range of fun maps.
Anime Overload
This game somehow feels like it has a ton to offer, yet not enough. The best part of the game would have to be the extensive roster of playable characters. The game features characters from Naruto, Yu-Gi-Oh, Bleach, DragonBall Z, One Piece, My Hero Academia, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, and multiple other franchises. Plus, Jump Force continues to add new characters to the roster through DLC to this day. This is possible because all these titles are published under the Shonen Jump name. Creating your own character can also be quite fun. When you consider that you can pull together apparel and abilities from different series at the same time, you can make some very entertaining and unique combinations. Jump Force does have a real issue though, and that’s what to do with this great roster.
You can make a pretty wacky character when you combine elements from two really different franchises.
To Go Even Further Beyond
While it’s fun to see each character perform their moves and occasionally transform into a more powerful form, this will get old without riveting gameplay or an entertaining narrative. Unfortunately, the story mode is bizarre and the plot is very hard to follow. It’s unlikely that the game’s story will deeply connect you to your own character. Beyond that, the actual fighting in the game tends to get old after playing for a while. Considering the $90 retail price of the deluxe edition, the game isn’t usually worth the price. The deluxe edition doesn’t even include the second character pack. However, the game is currently 75% off on Steam and is often included in steep sales on all platforms. This price is far more reasonable. For anime fans and fighting game lovers, Jump Force might be a great addition to your collection… if it’s on sale.
Yesterday, Bandai Namco revealed the newest DLC character to be added to Shinobi Strikers. Naruto Uzumaki in the Sage of Six Paths mode from his fight against Kaguya will be available to players in 2021. Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Strikers was originally released on August 31st 2018 and is still the most recent video game title from the Naruto universe. It is also the first in a long line of video games to allow you to create your own unique Naruto universe character. One of the primary draws of the DLC is that each new added character provides your unique character with new apparel to wear, weapons to wield , and moves to learn. This lets the player combine the abilities and attributes of all their favorite characters into one powerful ninja of their own. This new feature combined with the team-battle gameplay sets Shinobi Strikers apart from past Naruto titles.
Shinobi Strikers continues to pump out DLC characters over 2 years after its release.
Believe It
Shinobi Strikers is very unlike previous Naruto games. Not only are the game’s new features unique to this title, there are unfortunately some classic features that are stripped. For example, Shinobi Strikers has no narrative or story mode. There isn’t a scripted adventure for your character to go on. Rather than developing an elaborate single-player experience, Shinobi Strikers focuses on multiplayer. Players are expected to individualize themselves by fleshing out their playstyle. Whether you want to use a unique character or a character from the anime is up to you. Gameplay consists of 4 vs. 4 team matches where players go head to head against each other on a relatively large map. Each character in the game is given a special role. There are Attack, Ranged, Healing, and Defense characters. A well-balanced team would develop a strategy to make proper use of all these roles. Players can also enjoy different game modes. These include flag battles, base battles, and combat battles.
A unique character in Shinobi Strikers can use almost any major weapon or ability that makes an appearance in the anime.
The Ninja Way
Much like the DragonBall Xenoverse series and Jump Force (both produced by Bandai Namco) Shinobi Strikers wants to generate excitement for its players by letting them create their own character that utilizes elements from characters in an existing universe. This lets the player live out the fantasy of what their own original character would be like. However, unlike Xenoverse and Jump Force, there’s no story arc that comes with the character creator. So if you don’t really enjoy the gameplay, you probably won’t feel like you got your money’s worth after purchasing this game. The DLC does add great content. There are plenty of new characters and loads of new customization options for your character. But these can get pricey at $30, $30, and $15 for each season pass on top of the $50 base game. If you’re a fan of Naruto and you enjoy co-op fighting games, you might really like Shinobi Strikers. But if you’re looking for a fighting game that has a narrative, look elsewhere.
Despite its original release being all the way back on March 20th, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still one of the best-selling games this holiday season. This is Nintendo’s fifth Animal Crossing release in the main series. New Horizons is the best selling Animal Crossing game by far and the second-best selling game on the Nintendo Switch console as a whole. In this iteration of Animal Crossing, the player purchases a deserted island from Tom Nook and slowly makes it their own. Over the course of 2020, Nintendo has also provided multiple free updates that have expanded the game’s content.
As the player collects more items, they can personalize their island through crafting recipes.
Your Own Island
What’s the goal of Animal Crossing? Well… to have fun. You can collect various items throughout the island and use them to customize your space. You can also build structures and furniture. The core gameplay revolves around doing tasks, interacting with the characters, and customizing your island and yourself. The game doesn’t explicitly spell out how to play in a linear fashion. The player is expected to make the island unique to themself. As the game progresses, them will meet more animals and find more opportunities to grow the community that they’re building on the island. There are plenty of ways to interact with the island, too. Players collect items in different ways, from fishing off the island’s coast to gathering fruit from the island’s trees. The game is meant to be low-stress and relaxing.
The game motivates players to check in during special times of the year, like Halloween.
Dedicated Community
Considering how long Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been towards the top of the charts for the Nintendo Switch, it’s no surprise that the developers are still working on free updates for the game. There were numerous additions to the game based on calendar events. These events added new places to visit, new events to participate in, and new items to acquire. There were events centered around Nature Day, May Day, International Museum Day, Wedding Season, Halloween, and more. These updates keep the game fresh and encourage players to keep checking in on Animal Crossing after they’ve put it down for a few days. Free updates are a great way for developers to show that they care about the game’s community. We’ll have to wait and see what Nintendo does with Animal Crossing in 2021.
Star: Knights of the Old Republic II was released yesterday for IOS and Android devices on the App Store and Google Play. Originally released for PC in 2004, this game is the sequel to the original Knights of the Old Republic game that also inspired the widely enjoyed Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG. KOTOR II is an RPG that was, in many ways, ahead of its time. You can control if your character goes to the dark side or the light side. You also control which This game takes place about 4,000 years prior to the events of the original Star Wars film. This means that, despite the vast changes that have occured in the Star Wars universe’s canon since the game’s release, it can still fit into the greater Star Wars story.
There are several companions to pick from on your adventure.
Fulfill your Destiny
The original KOTOR games are filled with choices that help to shape the game’s story. As a former Jedi who’s been exiled from the Jedi order, your ship is attacked by Sith assassins. Your journey starts there and takes you all across the galaxy. You can choose your gender, what you look like, what you wear, what weapons you utilize, what force abilities you focus on, and even which companions you want to develop the closest bonds with. This game is loaded with the potential for the player to choose how they want to experience the story. Plus, that story is excellent. It’s especially excellent for a Star Wars fan. Even though none of the characters from any film make an appearance, the allure of a lightsaber, the force, and the battle against good and evil is as thrilling as ever. The writing is terrific and the voice actors are passionate about the story that they’re a part of. Like its predecessor, KOTOR II does an excellent job at sucking you into the game’s world.
The force can be a powerful weapon.
May the Force Be With You
The combat system in KOTOR II is the same as it was in the original game. It’s a third-person RPG with a Dungeons & Dragons styled dice roll system. Every attack that the player, a companion, or enemy makes has a dice roll behind it. This roll might determine critical hits or misses. You can shoot enemies with blasters, slice them with a lightsaber, or even use one of the game’s many force abilities. You use strategy to come up with the best way to take down your enemies as you level up. There are many different types of enemies that you could expect to find in Star Wars. KOTOR II will pit you up against killer droids, alien monsters, dangerous thugs, and even Sith lords. There is so much content in the game that it usually takes about 50 hours to play through the game. All in all, the App Store’s $14.99 price tag is well worth it. If you liked the original KOTOR, make sure you play the sequel. If you haven’t played the original, pick that game up too! It’s only $9.99 on the App Store. Both games are classic RPGs that go down as some of the best in the genre.
Elliot is a 2D platformer developed by the Spanish studio, Plain and Game. It is currently out for PC and will be released on Xbox and Playstation on December 24th. The game features a relaxing original soundtrack and vibrant colors in the levels. But the gameplay itself is actually quite difficult. Sometimes presenting extremely challenging levels, this precision platformer can be very frustrating to gamers with minimal platforming experience. With over 60 levels, the amount of time that it will take to get through the game can vary greatly between players. It’s really dependant on how often you’ll die.
Elliot’s artwork and sound design doesn’t indicate how unforgiving the gameplay can be.
World of the Mombas
Elliot’s story revolves around uncovering the mysteries in his world. You play as the game’s namesake. He’s a bright little blue ball who lives in the woods. He has a bigger green friend, Manuel, and they both live in a forest with the other Mombas. But the rest of the game’s story will have to be uncovered by the player when they go on their adventure. There are in-game collectible that will provide insight into the story. There’s not much to this $7.99 game’s story though, the real draw for Elliot is the challenging gameplay and interesting design.
When playing Elliot, you can expect to die very often.
Colorful Hell
Elliot is presented as an exceedingly difficult platformer with relaxing art and music to accompany the gameplay. There is a movement to nominate the game for the “Best Game You Suck At” at the 2020 Steam Awards. Many of the game’s mechanics are what can be found in a traditional platformer. You run, jump, and dash through the levels. But the game is somewhat unique in the fact that the original soundtrack and art have a cute and whimsical implication while the gameplay itself is unforgiving and brutally difficult. If you have a knack for difficult platformers, you might get some real fun out of this love letter to the genre from an Indie developer.
Cyber Shadow is a platformer that will be published by Yacht Club Games for Switch, PC, and last-gen consoles. Yacht Club is the studio that produced the Shovel Knight series, a critically acclaimed platformer that received immense praise across the industry. Like Shovel Knight, Cyber Shadow will have an 8-bit art-style and feature similar side-scrolling gameplay. The soundtrack for the game will be deeply appreciated by fans of retro games. The game’s developer, Aarne Hunziker, considers Yacht Club to be the perfect partner for his style of game development. With cut-scenes, boss fights, and even an unlockable set of abilities, Cyber Shadow is earning the hype that it’s getting from the gaming community.
Cyber Shadow’s boss fights will likely make up some of its most memorable gameplay.
Ruins of Mekacity
You play as Shadow, a ninja who lives in a world that’s been taken over by synthetic lifeforms. You need to discover the secrets of your ninja clan and find out what sent Mekacity into ruin. There are over a dozen boss fights that include synthetic clan rivals and giant war machines alike. The game’s story is told through the action-packed gameplay and the retro-styled cut-scenes. As you progress through the game’s story, you will unlock new skills, abilities, and upgrades. These unlockables pair with how Shadow learns more about himself, his clan, and the secrets of Mekacity’s ruins.
Cyber Shadow’s artstyle is reminiscent to video games from the late 80’s.
8-bit Adventure
Cyber Shadow takes the player back to when games didn’t even take up 1 MB of storage space. (although Shovel Knight took up almost 300 MB) It looks and feels like an NES game but it won’t have the tedious problems that video games had 35 years ago. What will be carried over is the authentic art style, nostalgic gameplay, and memorable soundtracks that many games had from that era. The game intends to seamlessly blend hand-crafted sprites and simplicity with the modern game design that gamers have become accustomed to. If you’re a fan of retro-styled games, keep up with Cyber Shadow in 2021.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister is a turn-based RPG in early access, available on Steam for 20% off until December 22nd. The team behind the game, Tactical Adventures, are longtime fans of traditional tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. It’s their goal to bring that traditional RPG feel to a PC in the smoothest way possible. Dice rolls and character creation are a huge part of the game, just like old pen-and-paper games. Despite the game being single player, you create an entire team of heroes. Even though you play by yourself and the game is still being fleshed out, its community is already growing.
Solasta features turn-based combat where damage and hit chance are based on dice rolls
Saving Solasta
Playing as a team of four, the player must embark on a journey to save the would of Solasta. The player will traverse through varied areas, from ruins and forts to deserts and forests. The game features a dynamic environment where much of the game can be interacted with. For example, bridges or walls can collapse and crush both your team and your enemies. Solasta: Crown of the Magister features a few other special mechanics that are callbacks to certain tabletop games. The management of light sources is an important mechanic. If you emanate a lot of light, you’ll become a target for enemies. But if there’s not enough light, you won’t be able to see your enemies. And just like D&D, every attack in the game has a dice roll behind it.
With dynamic environments, enemies can get wiped out if they’re standing in the wrong place. But the same can be said for your team.
A Perilous Journey
The player will find enemies in many forms. There will be an assortment of monsters in their way, including giant spiders, orcs, and the undead. Without being tied to a board on a table, the game is also in three dimensions. This gives players the ability to climb, crawl, fall, or fly around the game. Like any good mythical RPG, there are many options when it comes to creating your characters. You can customize their race, class, background, looks, and stats. Whether you want to be a sneaky archer, a loud warrior, or a behind-the-lines healer, Solasta gives you the chance to pursue whatever you like. If you’re a fan of traditional RPGs like D&D, keep following this game as development continues.
Released on November 12th for PS4 and PS5, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the second installment from Insomniac Games in the Marvel’s Spider-Man series. A release title for the Playstation 5, the game takes full advantage of the new DualSense controller’s haptic feedback features. The core gameplay and setting of the new title remains the same as the first game, but there a few legitimate improvements. It’s a beat-em-up with all the classic Spider-Man abilities at the player’s disposal. The plot is vastly different from the previous game, there are excellent graphic improvements, and Miles has a few new tricks up his sleeve in the form of cloaking and venom abilities.
Miles has his own flair and personality as Spider-Man.
With Great Power
While the controls are still the same, Miles has his own distinct feel compared to Peter Parker when swinging around New York City. Because he’s younger and inexperienced, he’s flashier and looks like he’s having more fun than Peter did in the original game. There are also plenty of new suits for Miles to try on. The plot of the story is also very different. Miles has his own unique issues and journey as Spider-Man. He has the power to fight his enemies with a bio-electric ability called “venom”. He uses it often and there are multiple ways that he builds up this power. Miles can also camouflage himself, although this ability doesn’t come into play as often. Of course, he still has all the web-slinging, web-shooting, wall crawling, super-strength, and spidey-senses that Peter does too. But Miles does give the role of Spider-Man his own personal flair.
The game features a new gang for Spider-Man to clean up off the streets of New York.
Comes Great Responsibility
Despite the various improvements that are made with this new installment, most of the game remains the same as the original. Although the original Spider-Man game’s map of New York City is excellent, this game features the same map. It will also take you about half of the time to complete the main story in this game. There are new villains and a new gang to fight against, but the combat is identical except for a few additions. The original Spider-Man was an excellent game, but don’t expect Miles Morales to deviate much from what was already presented. This game serves as a stand-alone continuation of the last game. If you enjoyed the original, you can expect to enjoy this game.
This long-awaited game out of CD Projekt Red finally arrived on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on December 10th. First announced all the way back in 2012 and delayed from the previously announced release date in November, this has been among the most highly anticipated video game releases of all time. The game sold over 8 million copies through digital pre-orders alone. This game features a wide array of game mechanics that inspired an incredible amount of hype for the game. All in the first person, Cyberpunk features drivable cars, gunplay, melee combat, stealth elements, expansive skill progression, choice over the story’s direction, character customization, and the list goes on. With so much to potentially accomplish, some of these mechanics might be hit or miss for certain gamers with high standards. But what most can agree with is that the rich and unique story is among the highest quality that you can find in a game.
Residents of Night City often augment their body with cybernetic implants.
Night City
Taking place in an alternate future, the setting for Cyberpunk 2077 is beautifully crafted. The graphics are among the highest quality that you can find on these systems today. You’ll need a high-end PC if you want to see the real potential of this game. You play as a named character named V, but the player has a great deal of control over who V really is. The player controls everything from what they look like to where they came from. The game starts with three paths that will influence the direction that your character takes in the story throughout the game. With Keanu Reeves casted as one of the main characters, the game’s focus is largely geared towards its storytelling. There are multiple endings that will be shown based on your decisions throughout the game. There are also various side quests that will directly influence your character and sometimes the city as a whole. Cd Projekt Red really wanted the player to feel like they control V’s destiny.
V can come from 3 different backgrounds: Nomad, Street Kid, or Corpo
Wake up Samurai
Cyberpunk 2077 has so many gameplay features that it’s hard to compare it to other games. It wouldn’t be fair to expect driving to be at the quality of a racing game or for gunplay to be at the quality of an FPS game. Cyberpunk is really about giving the player the opportunity to choose how they want their character to go about completing the game’s quests. There are currently a wide range of bugs and issues that players have been running into, but these are very likely to be patched out in the near future. It’s possible that some of the specific mechanics might also be adjusted to improve the game even more. CD Projekt Red worked on Witcher 3 after its release and made very real improvements to the game. You can nearly guarantee that they will do the same for Cyberpunk.
For Playstation fans that didn’t manage to secure a PS5 by now, it might not be until 2021 that we get another opportunity to pick up a next-gen console. If you’re like me and you’re going to be stuck with the PS4 for a few more months, then consider playing through Ghost of Tsushima. This game was one of the very few blessings of 2020. It’s an open-world adventure game that revolves around extensive stealth and combat gameplay. It features an incredibly well-told story, gorgeous graphics, a complex combat system, rewarding progression, and so much more. The game goes back to the basics of the genre, while simultaneously pushing it to new heights that the genre has never seen. The game feels like real passion was put into its development. It’s a must-play for PS4 owners.
The bushido honor code of samurai is explored in depth through the story.
The Ghost
One of the most powerful elements of the game is its story. Set in 13th century Japan, you play as Jin Sakai. You are a samurai on a mission to drive back the Mongolian invasion of his home island of Tsushima. You must hunt down the villainous Khotan Khan and restore peace to your home. But at what cost? The main story explores Jin’s incredible journey towards becoming the hero of his island. As the world changes around him, so does he. As he meets new people, his perspectives change. The game does an excellent job at motivating you to continue playing because you sympathize with him. You feel the same pressures and motivations that force this character to adapt and change so radically. Jin is one of the most well-written dynamic protagonists that I’ve ever seen in a video game. The game even weaves new skills and weapons into the game as Jin goes through character development. This is exactly how a game nails its story and keeps the audience enthralled. Many of the random side quests can be somewhat dull, but even some of these have an interesting plot to them. Still, the main story is a superb example of how a game can pair a developing character with a progression system.
Jin Sakai is a complicated man with a tragic past.
From Katana to Kunai
Ghost of Tsushima has tons of different ways for you to go about killing your enemies. But it all boils down to two approaches, direct combat or stealth. As you progress, you can build your character in such a way that prioritizes one or the other. For example, you can work on spending your materials on a heavy suit of armor and spending your experience points on new sword attacks. This would be a good way to go if you want to charge in and fight your opponents head on. If you want to take more of a stealthy approach, you can invest in a powerful bow and upgrade your stealth weapons. Then, you can try to silently pick off your opponents one by one. It’s really the player’s choice on how they want to handle most of their combat. But boss fights are where the real challenge comes in. Jin will find himself in plenty of duels against skilled enemies. Having finished the entire game on the hardest difficulty, this is where the game can get terribly frustrating. Some bosses are lightning fast and can kill you instantly. To beat them, you need to sustain perfect dodges and parries for an extended period of time. If you’re not looking for a serious challenge, then definitely avoid the hardest difficulty. But nothing feels sweeter than finally taking down a boss after a long fight.
As you get stronger, so do the Mongols. They’ll come at you with everything from fire and blades to poison and beasts.
The Blade of the Samurai
Most of the combat in the game revolves around Jin’s katana. As you progress through the game, you unlock different stances for holding the sword. Each stance’s attacks are different and each one specializes in fighting against a different type of enemy. Combat focuses on light attacks, heavy attacks, parrying, and dodging. But the game also features bows, blowguns, bombs, kunai knives, smoke grenades, and more. The island of Tsushima is split into three geographic sections and the enemies get tougher as you go further north. Just when you think you’ve mastered the combat and strengthened your character enough, you move onto a new level of difficulty. The game also features interesting side quests where you investigate a legend such as a “cursed” bow or an “immortal” samurai with a huge payoff of a special new item or special new skill. Thanks to the loads of player options and the diverse range of enemies, combat never gets old.
The game features various points of interest in the form of mini-games or puzzles. You can write haiku, visit shrines, bathe in hot springs, and more.
The Beauty of Japan
When you aren’t liberating Japan from the Mongols, the island of Tsushima can be quite beautiful. As you progress through the game, the island’s geography will change as well. There’s a diverse range of environments that the player finds themself in. The games features multiple different forests that have their own type of tree, all of which are visually stunning. Tsushima has flower fields, mountains, and lakes. All of them are breathtaking. Even the swamps, tundras, and burned wastelands look incredible. Clearly, incredible attention to detail was put into making this game look beautiful. There isn’t even a minimap on the screen. You swipe the controller’s touchpad and wind will blow in the direction of your objective. Plus, the game is packed with customization options for your character. Unlike Assassin’s Creed, which much of the gameplay seems to be inspired by, this game is micro-transaction free. Other than one suit of armor available in the deluxe edition, every single item in the game can be acquired through the one-time purchase of the standard edition. It was refreshing to experience a well-crafted game in this genre without a currency system backed by real money. Ghost of Tsushima gives you a wide range of customization options for your character without constantly dangling micro-transactions in front of you.
The war with the Mongols takes a toll on the island… and on Jin.
The Conclusion
Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world adventure game that goes back to the basics while simultaneously adding so much new content. The rich progression system, unlockable customization options, beautiful scenery, and thrilling story motivates you to keep on playing. Sucker Punch hit this game out of the park, ending the PS4’s exclusive list on a high note. Although many of the side quests are rather dull, the core gameplay is so invigorating that I found myself enjoying them just because it was an opportunity to show off the skills that I was picking up through my adventures. I’m truly excited to see what Sucker Punch has planned for the PS5.
