Phil Villarreal's Blog, page 128
September 17, 2017
"NBA 2K18" Review
Year in and year out, Visual Concepts slays with its NBA 2K series. "NBA 2K18" continues to rise to the incredibly high bar. Refining earlier slipshod attempts at acing the story mode aspect of the package, this year's entry sticks closer to the previous template, ignoring the unfortunate Spike Lee-directed detour.
After you design your player, you hit a prospect camp and start attempting to play, scheme and talk your way into a high draft slot. Your choices, especially the headway you make in the RPG-style aspects of your character build, determine your skills, status in the league, contract and star power. More than a standard be-a-player mode while stopping short of forcing your player into a predetermined, overly dramatic narrative arc, the mode provides a strong basis for your avatar in the game's various other arenas.
Whether your penchant is for streetball, career simulation, franchise or online team play, your character will be there to help you go up against the greats.
Player movement and animations have been considerably upgraded, adding to the ever-shrinking proximity to Uncanny Valley and inevitable vault into the beyond. As expected, live updates to rosters, injuries and skill developments continue to match real-life developments.
"NBA 2K18" is as brilliant in execution as a Steve Kerr-coached championship squad, and also every bit as fun to watch as Kerr's Dubs. This game is a beacon for what can be accomplished in basketball sims, as well as sports games in general.
Publisher provided review code.
After you design your player, you hit a prospect camp and start attempting to play, scheme and talk your way into a high draft slot. Your choices, especially the headway you make in the RPG-style aspects of your character build, determine your skills, status in the league, contract and star power. More than a standard be-a-player mode while stopping short of forcing your player into a predetermined, overly dramatic narrative arc, the mode provides a strong basis for your avatar in the game's various other arenas.
Whether your penchant is for streetball, career simulation, franchise or online team play, your character will be there to help you go up against the greats.
Player movement and animations have been considerably upgraded, adding to the ever-shrinking proximity to Uncanny Valley and inevitable vault into the beyond. As expected, live updates to rosters, injuries and skill developments continue to match real-life developments.
"NBA 2K18" is as brilliant in execution as a Steve Kerr-coached championship squad, and also every bit as fun to watch as Kerr's Dubs. This game is a beacon for what can be accomplished in basketball sims, as well as sports games in general.
Publisher provided review code.
September 15, 2017
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Review
After the disaster that was the 2016 release of the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung rebounded in a major way earlier this year with the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. As fantastic as that handset was, though, it served a larger strategic purpose for the company as something of a table-setter.
The Galaxy Note 8, packing its larger screen and S-Pen, is the definitive, full-circle success story for the company that gives its devotees a reason to crow to their Apple-toting rivals. Packing a 6.3-inch screen that stretches across nearly the entire face of the handset, the new design is barely distinguishable from the svelte, sexy S8 models. No longer is the Note a workmanlike, bulky phablet for those who prize screen size above all else. It's now a demure, sleek unit that is deceptively large rather than overtly colossal.
The devices's look also belies its toughness. Water resistant enough to survive an inevitable dunk into a toilet and shatter-resistant enough to survive a hard faceplant on tile, the device largely negates the need for a case. Its glass back makes it easier to hold onto the phone in the first place.
The interface and guts of the Note 8 more than back up the streamlined design. The 12-megapixel dual camera setup is a game-changer that ups the ante for Apple, as well as HTC's line of competitors. Expandable Micro SD storage is back, combining with USB-C charging that lets you quickly charge up the impressive battery. If you're into wireless charging, you can eschew the USB-C in favor of inductive charging via Micro USB.
The 1080p AMOLED screen, which you can adjust to peak visuals by tinkering with the settings, blasts your video and games loudly and proudly, and the packed-in AKG earbuds help enhance the already-superb native sound that pumps out from the speakers.
Although the interface still lags behind Apple in terms of simplicity, multitasking capabilities continue to far surpass those of its rival. You can play a video in one screen and check your email in the other half, toggling one of your split screen spaces for social media updates. It's the perfect phone to live tweet while streaming.
A dynamic and almost absurdly impressive package, the Note 8 is a head-turner packed with smart upgrades geared to aid your productivity and its durability at every turn. With nagging ghosts of the past finally exorcised. Somehow, 2016 seems so far away -- just a lingering flicker in the Note 8's rear-facing camera, which is turned boldly toward the future as it slides gracefully into your pocket. Don't call it a comeback.
Manufacturer provided review unit.
The Galaxy Note 8, packing its larger screen and S-Pen, is the definitive, full-circle success story for the company that gives its devotees a reason to crow to their Apple-toting rivals. Packing a 6.3-inch screen that stretches across nearly the entire face of the handset, the new design is barely distinguishable from the svelte, sexy S8 models. No longer is the Note a workmanlike, bulky phablet for those who prize screen size above all else. It's now a demure, sleek unit that is deceptively large rather than overtly colossal.
The devices's look also belies its toughness. Water resistant enough to survive an inevitable dunk into a toilet and shatter-resistant enough to survive a hard faceplant on tile, the device largely negates the need for a case. Its glass back makes it easier to hold onto the phone in the first place.
The interface and guts of the Note 8 more than back up the streamlined design. The 12-megapixel dual camera setup is a game-changer that ups the ante for Apple, as well as HTC's line of competitors. Expandable Micro SD storage is back, combining with USB-C charging that lets you quickly charge up the impressive battery. If you're into wireless charging, you can eschew the USB-C in favor of inductive charging via Micro USB.
The 1080p AMOLED screen, which you can adjust to peak visuals by tinkering with the settings, blasts your video and games loudly and proudly, and the packed-in AKG earbuds help enhance the already-superb native sound that pumps out from the speakers.
Although the interface still lags behind Apple in terms of simplicity, multitasking capabilities continue to far surpass those of its rival. You can play a video in one screen and check your email in the other half, toggling one of your split screen spaces for social media updates. It's the perfect phone to live tweet while streaming.
A dynamic and almost absurdly impressive package, the Note 8 is a head-turner packed with smart upgrades geared to aid your productivity and its durability at every turn. With nagging ghosts of the past finally exorcised. Somehow, 2016 seems so far away -- just a lingering flicker in the Note 8's rear-facing camera, which is turned boldly toward the future as it slides gracefully into your pocket. Don't call it a comeback.
Manufacturer provided review unit.
September 12, 2017
"Planet of the Eyes" Review
Starting with the "Limbo" and "Inside" formula and adding in a dash of color and geometric pizzazz, "Planet of the Eyes" is a brutal side-scrolling puzzle platformer that murders you in gruesome ways time after time.
The name of the game is trial and error, as you leap blindly into one seemingly impassable death trap after another, only to restart, not your mistakes and ace the next go-round. Or the one after that. Or the fifth one after that.
Canadian developer Cococumber wears its Playdead influences proudly, but also shakes up the established formula with some environmental and lore enhancements, taking a less baffling route than its role model. Your robotic protagonist stumbles upon audio logs that solve some mysteries while opening up some others, and the haunting, melodic soundtrack paves your way into metaphysical oblivion.
Those hungering for a challenging platformer with branching paths and scores of unlockables to unearth will find treasure troves of what they're after in "Planet of the Eyes." An under-the-radar indie delight, it's a solid impulse pickup that could easily become an instant obsession.
Publisher provided review code.
"Metroid: Samus Returns" Review
Side-scrolling Samus is finally back, and looking not a day older than her prime.
Nintendo's 3DS gets its most impressive sequel in months in the form of long-demanded fan service.
Although it's based on the 1991 Game Boy title "Metroid II: Return of Samus," the original only provides the skeletal framework of this wholesale reimagining. The basic maps, item placements and bosses remain, everything else is new.
Wholly revamped graphics, enhanced gameplay options with new ways to traverse the labyrinthine corridors, new hidden areas, weapons and abilities abound. If you're a fan of old-school "Metroid" games, you will find much to love. The 2D entries offer a certain precision and demanding rigidity that the excellent-in-their-own-way 3D Prime spinoffs can't equal. "Samus Returns" excels in just about every imaginable way.
Here's hoping the subtitle signifies a symbolic return for the side-scrolling Samus to Nintendo's handheld arsenal. This revamped classic could serve as a launching pad for more of the iconic heroine's interplanetary exploration to come.
Publisher provided review code.
September 8, 2017
"It" Review
For my written review, click here.
September 7, 2017
"Destiny 2" Review
"Destiny 2" marks the latest summit in a long climb that started three years ago with the release of its predecessor. After more than a year of hype, the ambitious MMORPG/FPS hybrid missed some of its lofty goals. With its reputation hanging in the balance, Bungie doubled down to not only correct its shortcomings, but overcome them in significant ways with a series of game-changing updates that not only advanced what was there, but reinvented the game, streamlining rough spots and adding new characters and lore.
In many ways, the sequel is just the continuation of that momentum. Rather than a hard break between releases, the follow-up is the latest reinvention in a long, winding path to heights unseen.
New classes, weaponry and realms to conquer are the main aspects that separate "Destiny 2" from its predecessor. Not only does the sequel match the promise that fans have long expected from the franchise, it surpasses them in every significant way. Silk-smooth interfaces -- including the welcome addition of a map system -- facilitate loadout swapping, multiplayer sessions and loot collection and upgrade application. Nagging legacy issues, such as clunky travel, have been fixed up with the elimination of orbiting animations and the addition of fast travel.
Fans who decried the original release's lack of accessible lore will be pleased with the countless channels through which Bungie fills out the backstory. Character and world development is at the forefront of the Destiny journey in its current state. Heroes are still largely blank slates, to allow players to infuse their own personality and motivations into the design and attitudes of the avatars. You end up joining the writing team in a way, as you carve out a place for your hero in the ever-expanding universe and the winding paths it leads you through.
For those who own both the Xbox One and PS4, "Destiny 2" is a smarter pickup on the latter, better-selling system, thanks to timed exclusive content that will pump through the system, as well as slightly (at least until the Xbox One X releases) sharper and smoother visuals. PC gamers will have to wait until Oct. 24. Switch devotees, sadly, will be left out in the cold entirely.
No matter the system you choose to continue your "Destiny" journey, you're in for a treat. This is not only one of the most polished and content-rich shooters at release, but it promises to continue along the upward trajectory Bungie has mapped out for the series. It's a game that is already amazing and promises to get better year by year.
Publisher provided review code.
September 4, 2017
"Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth" Review
Scantily clad, vulnerable girls, domineering father figures and a realm-hopping quest to dethrone nefarious forces are all facets of the raucous, naughty package that makes up "Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth" -- a wacky, sexy manga come to life.
A Simulation RPG, much of the narrative in "Utawerumono: Mask of Truth" is a visual novel that you can tap through at your own pace, or flip on the mercifully included auto mode that plays the scenes with the speed of an electronic comic book.
With a gameplay experience that stretches well over 80 hours, there is enough material to sift through and digest. You hop among exotic backdrops, taking on sinister foes that stretch the outer reaches of absurdist satire.
Rather than fumble at an Americanized dub, developer Aquaplus sticks to a subtitled version of the original Japanese voice acting track. You may find yourself inadvertently picking up some of the language as you become entranced in the tale.
Veterans of the series can transfer over their saves from the previous game, "Mask of Deception," enriching the overall experience as it comes to a head with the developments that simmer and emerge in the new game.
A beefy experience that justifies the $50 asking price with its sizable amount of content and lavish artistry, "Mask of Truth" is more of an obsession than a pastime.
Publisher provided review code.
September 1, 2017
"Life is Strange: Before the Storm" Review
"Life is Strange: Before the Storm" is gamedom's answer to "13 Reasons Why."
Although not fixated on suicide like the Netflix series is, the episodic game takes a brutally honest look at adolescence. Avoiding the usual idealization or dismissal of the tumultuous life crossroads, the game takes a hard look at life-defining choices that emerge in your teen years.
Focusing on heroine Chloe Price, whose metaphysical powers from the original "Life is Strange" aren't yet present in this prequel, "Before the Storm" puts Chloe's relationship with Rachel Amber in the crosshairs. The friendship feels deep, resonant and decidedly lived-in. Through dialogue and action choices that come up during gameplay, you wrestle with the conflicting demands and ambiguity so often heaped upon teens.
By scaling back the stakes and telling a tighter, more realistic tale, "Before the Storm" hits homes in ways the predecessor couldn't quite touch. The first episode aptly sets the stage for the coming storm.
Publisher provided review code.
Although not fixated on suicide like the Netflix series is, the episodic game takes a brutally honest look at adolescence. Avoiding the usual idealization or dismissal of the tumultuous life crossroads, the game takes a hard look at life-defining choices that emerge in your teen years.
Focusing on heroine Chloe Price, whose metaphysical powers from the original "Life is Strange" aren't yet present in this prequel, "Before the Storm" puts Chloe's relationship with Rachel Amber in the crosshairs. The friendship feels deep, resonant and decidedly lived-in. Through dialogue and action choices that come up during gameplay, you wrestle with the conflicting demands and ambiguity so often heaped upon teens.
By scaling back the stakes and telling a tighter, more realistic tale, "Before the Storm" hits homes in ways the predecessor couldn't quite touch. The first episode aptly sets the stage for the coming storm.
Publisher provided review code.
August 31, 2017
Book Report: "Dust and Shadow"
Lindsay Faye proves to be a better Sherlock Holmes writer than Arthur Conan Doyle. Seamlessly blending the iconic detective's mannerisms and eccentricities with real-life scholarly theories about the Jack the Ripper investigation, she creates a historical fiction hybrid that gives those obsessed by both the all-too-real unidentified serial killer and imaginary detective.
With fevered dialogue peppered with colloquialisms of the day, Faye establishes 1888 London with vigor, inserting a Holmes on the verge of retirement. She makes lovingly subtle references to Doyle's novels by way of casually referencing a trophy Holmes picked up in previous sleuthing, or bringing up the history between the pompous genius detective and his loyal, ever-baffled assistant in casual conversation between them. Far from a slave to convention, she projects Holmes as something of a pain killer addict and self-destructive nightcrawler.
Most exhilaratingly, she pushes Holmes to his breaking point and beyond. The serial killer is his match in drive and intellect to the point where he admires his craft, fears for his own life and doubts his capabilities. This is a spectacular work that would make an excellent movie or miniseries.
August 30, 2017
"Songbringer" Review
"Songbringer" does everything possible to declare its unbridled love for the original "The Legend of Zelda." From the opening gameplay screen, which plops your unarmed hero in front of a cave beckoning you with a sword, the game replicates the NES rainmaker both stylistically and visually.
A labor of love created by the one-man development team Wizard Fu, the project adds a few crucial new twists to differentiate it from the classic it so obsessively apes. A decisive sci-fi bent separates the lore from the high fantasy trappings of Link's quests, and an emphasis on procedural generation -- each new world created by a player seeds a distinct environment based on a set of basic rules -- making each journey truly unique.
The method seems geared to be far more than a gimmick. It replicates the feel of taking on a challenging RPG in the pre-Internet era, leaving you isolated and scrambling to patch together maps and strategies based on your own wits and experiences rather than slavishly adhering to walk-throughs.
The seed generation, though, also has the potential to make for some fascinating streams, giving players to peek into "Minecraft"-style parallel words created by other players.
The adherence to old-school graphics adds rather than takes away from the visual flair, with close-ups, magical effects and the sounds of battle emerging with charmingly creative flair.
A bold and beautiful download for nostalgic gamers, "Songbringer" plays some sweet music that lulls you into its hypnotic realm.
Publisher provided review code.
A labor of love created by the one-man development team Wizard Fu, the project adds a few crucial new twists to differentiate it from the classic it so obsessively apes. A decisive sci-fi bent separates the lore from the high fantasy trappings of Link's quests, and an emphasis on procedural generation -- each new world created by a player seeds a distinct environment based on a set of basic rules -- making each journey truly unique.
The method seems geared to be far more than a gimmick. It replicates the feel of taking on a challenging RPG in the pre-Internet era, leaving you isolated and scrambling to patch together maps and strategies based on your own wits and experiences rather than slavishly adhering to walk-throughs.
The seed generation, though, also has the potential to make for some fascinating streams, giving players to peek into "Minecraft"-style parallel words created by other players.
The adherence to old-school graphics adds rather than takes away from the visual flair, with close-ups, magical effects and the sounds of battle emerging with charmingly creative flair.
A bold and beautiful download for nostalgic gamers, "Songbringer" plays some sweet music that lulls you into its hypnotic realm.
Publisher provided review code.
