A review of Killing Floor 2

Disclaimer: Blood and gore ahead

Great Way to pass the time

This game is relatively simple. It is a wave based shooter that kind of reminds you of COD Zombies. The idea is pretty simple, you choose a class, kill zeds to get money, upgrade your guns, and beat the game. The game ends after you completed a set amount of waves, and you beat a final boss on the final wave. You can also set the number of waves and the difficulty.

Let’s start with the classes

There are 10 classes or perks. Berserker, commando, support, field medic, demolitionist, firebug, gunslinger, sharpshooter, survivalist, and swat. These perks are pretty straight forward. Berserker uses melee, sharpshooter uses a sniper, firebug gets a flamethrower etc. These classes also level up the more you use them, making their special abilities better. Now this does not limit you to a certain weapons loadout, because you still have access to the entire arsenal. The only thing that changes is your weapon effectiveness.

Now the buy system

You start off with a standard pistol. And as you get kills, you earn money. At the end of every round, a trader pod opens up in a random location and you can spend that money you earned on new guns, ammo, grenades, and armor. The shop is set up in different tabs too, and they are separated based on class. This allows you to pick the right guns for your class.

Whats the gameplay like

Well, what do you get when you mix 6 people, a hundred zeds, guns, explosions, and rock music? The answer is intense gameplay. Oh boy can this game get intense. You can have 1 to 6 players, along with offline play. From running around trying not to die, to using a welder to keep doors shut, there are a few options for figuring out how to survive. There are even awesome slow motion moments for when you get a headshot and spatter the enemies brains.

A fleshpound about to destroy some players

What are the enemies like

There are 20 different specimen types, but I am not going to list them all here. These 20 ZEDs are sorted into 5 classes, they are weak, medium, big, elite, and boss. And each specimen has their own special attack style. From invisible hunters, to large vomiting chefs, there is no lack of enemy types here.

So is the game worth it

Yes, depending on your interests. This game is a wave based shooter with tons of blood, gore, and mass amounts of bodily fluids. So if that sounds fun to you then go for it.

Graphics: 8/10 (The enemy models are great, but can freeze at the end of rounds)

Gameplay: 9/10 (The gameplay is fun, hectic, and immersive)

Fun: 9/10 (Great to play with friends, do stupid challenges, and just to waste time in general)

Overall: 8/10 (Is fun, but pretty repetative)

My first experience with Arma 3

(Disclaimer: I only played this game for an hour. This is not a review, but my first glance at the game)

Lets start this off the controls

The controls are hell. No seriously, it is like they looked at a keyboard and thought ” I am just gonna start assigning random keys to actions.” Nearly every key has a different action, and some require you to hit shift too. Its insanity. If you are good at memorizing, by all means this game is fun, but holy hell its hard to get the hang of.

The Key Layout, a cutout by Bohemia Interactive

Now onto the combat

Teamwork teamwork teamwork. This game REALLY relies on teamwork. The combat is “realistic” as in using cover to hide and healing your wounds. The guns have drop etc. One issue with this game though, is that damage is unrealistic. There is very little bullet impact and when you take damage, your health goes down. I wish specific parts of your body got hurt. Also, you can die so quick against other players its crazy. After you die you have to take a 2 km hike back to the battlegrounds.

Next, the vehicles

Again, this is where the game tries to implement realism, but the amount of controls makes it difficult. However, the vehicles are a necessity. In order to get to the battlefield, you HAVE to have a car, jeep, plane, or helicopter. The size of the map is huge. But again, the handling on the vehicles is definitely not great.

How is the multiplayer aspect

This is again, complicated yet interesting. This game heavily relies on team callouts. And I mean heavily. This game is also only multiplayer. Yet when teamates are toxic, they can easily kill you and destroy your vehicles, fun. Also, many people are VERY competative about this game.

So is this game worth it

Maybe. It is very complicated, but it is fun-ish. With the toxicity and the serious players it can be hard to play casually. Also, after you buy the game many servers require the DLC to play. So be prepared to drop more money than expected.

Gameplay: 6/10 (Interesting implementation, but too complicated)

Graphics: 8/10 ( Pretty good, but can require a beefy computer on high settings)

Fun: 7/10 (Fun but too complicated and serious)

Overall: 6/10 (Complicated controls ruin it, and not good for casual players)

A Review Of The Forest

Disclaimer: Blood and Gore Ahead

What an adventure

Metaphorically, this game is an adventure. You start off on a plane with your son, who we have nicknamed Billy. The plane crashes, and you are met with the inside of the plane, half destroyed, with items scattered around. You are tasked with finding Billy. As you exit the plane you see that you are in a forest, in the middle of nowhere. This game is beautiful, in a terrifying sort of way. You are completely alone, or so it seems.

Where do you start

As mentioned earlier, you start in a half destroyed plane. As you exit you are given an item called the Plane Axe, which happens to be buried in the stomach of the flights stewardess. This is your friend through most of the game. You have no map or compass yet, so you must wander until you get lucky. You can explore caves, camps, the ocean, and the forest. Each of these places give you materials to survive.

The tank abominable. A.K.A the octopus mutant

Other than hunger and thirst, there are other killers in this game. Cannibals and abominables (these were the names we gave them). The cannibals are terrifying. They can run and jump at super-human speeds and distances…and are “naked”. They are humanoid and will randomly screech and groan demonically at you, fun. Then there are the abominables. These guys will really mess you up. They are mutant versions of the cannibals and they are insanely strong. There are three types of mutants. The spiders, the tanks, and the spitters. They are abnormally strong and fast and can kill you in seconds. These, along with the cannibals, will spawn randomly in your world so you better watch out.

The Caves

Though this game is called The Forest, the caves are the “best” part. Yes the ocean, forest, and camps are cool; but the caves are way better. They are where you get the best weapons and items. From chainsaws to katanas there are many interesting things you can find down there. Of course there is a downside though, because they are scary. Like very scary. There are cannibals and abominables, along with dead humans and other things. It is nearly pitch black and the caves wind and twist so getting lost is fairly easy. While dangerous and scary, these places are worth the risk.

The standard gameplay

By standard gameplay, I mean what you can do while not: looking for your son, fighting enemies, exploring the depths of the world, or repeatedly dying. The game is a horror/survival game. This means you have to watch stats like health, food, and water, as well as any sicknesses you get. You can build bases and craft traps or items. From chopping trees to spearing fish there is quite a few things to do.

The inventory, building, and defense

The inventory and the building in this game is pretty unique. The inventory is a clutter of items that you gather that can be combined in the middle mat. This means that crafting is as fast as you can go. As for the building, you cant just auto-build walls or traps. You put down a ghost-like blueprint and take the materials, then physically put the items on the ghost blueprint. It is very interesting to say the least. Lastly there are the traps. These are used to catch the cannibals as they enter your base. You can use snared, dead fall traps, and even burning leaves to stop them.

Now onto the multiplayer/save system

This is where this game takes a turn. The multiplayer is basic, a normal join and leave the host world, but the save system is hell. Not only can you only save a max of 5 worlds, you must create the save point yourself. Also, the game often glitches, and when the game does not auto save this can lead to problems.

Overall

Graphics: 8/10 (The enemy models are great, but the game can sometimes glitch and cause unrendered chunks to appear plastic-like)

Gameplay: 9/10 (The mechanics are unique and work relatively well)

Story: 9/10 (Even though you are a man of little words, the story does have deep and intriguing lore that makes me want more. There are even alternate endings)

Fun: 9/10 (Great game to mess around and have fun with)

Overall: 9/10 (Somewhat lacking after you finish the story, but overall great fun)

Reminder

This game is a horror survival, it IS scary and it IS repetitive at times

A Review of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands

Great game by goofy publishers…

Ok, so the title is a little bit misleading. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is an open world game published by Ubisoft. Ubisoft is a big company that gets a lot of hate for their: misleading trailers, over hyped games, generic games, season passes, micro transactions, and glitches. Now this may seem terrible, but despite this we still have some gems like, “Assassins Creed 2” or “Farcry 3”. This game has good parts and bad parts, but I believe it should be one of those gems.

What is this game about?

Here is the fun part, what is this game actually about? Well to give you the basics. You are member of The Ghosts, a U.S. Elite Special Operations team that is considered one of the most dangerous groups alive. They are led by Karen Bowman, a CIA officer that has been stationed in Bolivia for years. Alright, now that we have gone over who they are, let’s go over what they do. You are tasked with clearing Santa Blanca, a world wide drug cartel, out of Bolivia. Also, you must fight Unidad, which are the special forces of the Bolivian government.

What about the gameplay?

This game is relatively straight forward. It is an open world tactical shooter, with RPG elements. You have missions, side missions, and bonus operations that all let you progress through the game and level up. As you run, parachute, or drive around the various terrain you can find new weapons and attachments that give you the upper hand against Santa Blanca and Unidad. You gain skill points as you progress and these can be used towards upgrading your character and your teams abilities.

There are 88 guns total in the game, although a few of them are locked behind micro transactions, thanks Ubisoft. These guns have a variety of different attachments that you can use like scopes, laser dots, grenade launchers, grips, and more. Each gun has unique characteristics and you should find one that fits your playing style. You also have a set of equipment that you can use. This includes, but is not limited to: Mines, flares, grenades, parachutes, wing suits, night vision goggles, binoculars, and an upgradable drone. You also can’t forget about the many vehicles in the game. There are boats, cars, trucks, planes, and helicopters that are always available for your disposal. So yes, there are a lot of items in this game.

And with all of these items and options there are many ways to go about this game. You can be as stealthy as you want, or as loud as you want, the choice is yours. The stealth mechanics are relatively well done other than the random alarms, but who cares when you have a tank at your disposal?

What about customization?

Well, there is some customization, but in reality it is more like playing dress up. You can choose basic facial structures and hair/skin color, but there is no specific facial detailing like eye width or jaw shape. There are quite a few clothing options though. You can choose hats, glasses, shirts, pants, boots, masks, vests, and even patches or tattoos. From cowboy costumes to gillie suits, there are quite a few options when it comes to clothing.

So this is great, but what about multiplayer?

Oh boy, the the age old question, “Is there multiplayer?”. The answer is YES! The multiplayer aspect of this game is great. You can join or leave without reloading your game, you can do your own thing and not be held down by the host, and you can work on any missions you want. From completing the story to liberating towns, multiplayer can be whatever you want it to be. There is also a squad vs squad mode almost like Call of Duty’s demolition mode, but that is for another time…

Finally, the end!

There you have it, the basics of this game. Go ahead and form your own opinion on it, but first let’s give you ours. This game is very fun and can be stressful at times. It has a wide range of options from stealth to rushing and enough equipment to do it all. The story is well thought out, but seems to baby you and tell you EXACTLY what is happening. Here is a chart to wrap things up.

Graphics: 8/10 (Looks great, but requires good computer specs to run at high settings) Gameplay: 9/10 (A bit of a learning curve due to the strange, but customizeable keys) Story: 8/10 (Well implemented, but slightly TOO straight forward) Items: 9/10 (Many items, vehicles, and gadgets. Some locked behind microtransactions) Fun: 9/10 (So many options, but can be glitchy at times) Overall: 9/10 (Great game, but there is always room to improve)

Remember, this game is an OPEN WORLD SHOOTER, if you do not like shooters this game is NOT for you. If shooters are your thing, go for it. You will have a blast!