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Resident Evil Village: Werewolves, Witches, and Winters’ Vengeance

FPS Survival Horror

Title: Resident Evil Village
Type of Game: Survival Horror, First-Person Shooter
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: May 7, 2021
Platforms Available: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Mac, iOS
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5
Maturity: Mature 17+
Reading Time: 13 minutes

A New Nightmare Unfolds

The latest Resident Evil 8 (from the main numbered series), subtitled Village, is pretty simple this time around. It’s a story-driven action-adventure that takes what worked best from its famous predecessors. Still, it simultaneously tries to wrap it all up with brand-new ideas that, at first glance, seem like they don’t really belong in the franchise at all. The Louisiana home of the Baker family from episode seven has been replaced by a half-empty village somewhere in Europe. In its immediate vicinity, you’ll also find the Dimitrescu family castle, which in more ways than one evokes, for example, the Spencer mansion from the first episode. However, there are also other places, including mines, a factory, or a small area with a water dam. It’s definitely a unique setting for the series, although its originality won’t wow you. Instead, what strikes you is the atmosphere that each location exudes and the overall high quality of the workmanship instead of originality.

The Haunting European Landscape

In the half-empty village, you are not chased by hordes of undead but by werewolves, witches, and other monsters. There are, at best, a few dozen of them, but moments of silence will occur frequently, and you will never know when the subsequent shootout and fight for life will begin. It makes you feel like you’re being watched the whole time, and you often feel the urge to look behind you. Add to that the fact that the main story revolves primarily around the protagonist’s family, so on paper, it’s something that previous installments never really tried to do, and you’re either in for a total bummer that will put off regular fans… Or something that will take Resident Evil as we know it one step further. The developers have taken an ambitious project on their shoulders that could be described as a considerable risk. But in this case, one thing is true – risk is profit.

Ethan’s Quest: More Than Just Family

I’ll mention at the outset that I won’t talk much about the story here. Not because it’s bad or not in the game, but on the contrary. There are a lot of cutscenes, as well as dialogue and story moments where you find out what’s going on, why the inhabitants are becoming werewolves, why your missing daughter is of such interest, and who Mother Miranda and her children are that the locals so blindly worship. But these are all things that are good to know as little about as possible. Likewise, the role played in the game by the fan-familiar Chris Redfield, one of the series’ consistently positive characters, is put in a villainous role from the start of the game. Or how the entire eighth installment actually fits into the more expansive Resident Evil universe. Because yes, it does fit, if only a little. Without proper context, there’s simply no point in explaining anything at all, so you’ll have to make do with the fact that the protagonist, Ethan Winters, is trying to find his daughter. It was the search for his daughter that I found the least interesting part of the story. While it was the main driver for Ethan, I was much more interested in figuring out what actually happened here, why everything is so disturbing, and why Chris Redfield went through yet another redesign.

One particular thing I’ll dwell on, though, is the aforementioned Ethan Winters. Personally, I found him to be a really uninteresting protagonist in the previous episode. Although he mostly appears to have some emotion in the case of the Village, it’s still a relatively weak aspect of the story, unfortunately. It often felt like the developers just didn’t know whether to make him a fully-fledged character or leave him empty enough for anyone to take to. At times, he simply baffles you with his planked reactions, while at other times, you feel that if the writers had gone a little further, he could have been a really interesting character. This way, though, you mostly hear an emotional monologue about his daughter, which is soon replaced with a bad and indifferently delivered line after some major personal injury.

Blending the Best of Resident Evil

What I can easily and mostly positively talk about, however, is the gameplay itself. After a couple of hours, it left me with one main thought, which I kept repeating to myself while playing… It’s as if the developers found the perfect way to combine the first episode and blend the fourth and fifth with the seventh. What does that mean in practice? You’ll spend one part of it in Dimitrescu Castle, which, as mentioned, is reminiscent of Spencer’s mansion from the first episode. From the fourth installment, the game again takes relatively fast-paced locations linked together by some uniform characteristics, with a greater emphasis on just the occult and unknown mutations. From the seventh volume, you will, of course, find the first-person view and somewhat of a story-telling style, while it is from the fifth volume that the overall pace and momentum is most apparent, where you often don’t feel like you can or rather want to, stop. The pacing, in particular, is really well done. You won’t spend so much time in the slower parts that you get bored, and at the same time, the action passages never suck all the energy out of you once you start to feel like one option or another is taking too long, the game comes back with something completely new.

This, including combining elements from the older installments, is something Capcom has managed to balance really well, and I think all fans of the series, no matter what their favorite installment, will be happy, just as I’m sure complete newcomers will be delighted.

Action-Packed Survival Horror

In any case, if we focus purely on the differences between this and the seventh episode, as they are directly related, there are several. Especially the fact that the eighth episode is much more action-packed. Rather than a survival game where you have to choose well when to attack and when not to, there are directly designed action sections where a pack of enemies or a stronger opponent can charge at you. Often, you’ll have the choice to simply run on through or fight them.
Given that you’ll have a slightly more expanded arsenal of weapons on hand than in the last installment and just enough ammo, you’ll feel like the choice to deal with each opponent isn’t a bad one either. Ammo-making materials are mostly plentiful but not overly so, and if you happen to “manage” to be out of ammo, there are other options. For example, Duke the Merchant will gladly sell you some ammo for some cash. You can also find first aid kits, manufacturing recipes, weapon accessories, or the possibility to directly upgrade a weapon for more power, faster shooting, or magazine capacity. You can also sell him a number of rare items that can be found hidden in the world, be it gems or special skulls, as well as cook a meal with him later in the game using specific ingredients to permanently upgrade some of your character’s stats. Yes, there’s even some form of animal hunting. So it’s worth exploring the various locations you get to thoroughly. But if you don’t want to, you don’t really have to. The most important treasures, such as new weapons or costly rare items, are marked on the map after a while, and even then, you don’t have to take them into account to finish the game.

Resident Evil Village really tries hard to make sure that just about any gameplay style you choose is a good one. You can use brute force, aim for the enemy’s head with your skills, or try to think a bit. Maybe you can use a good shot to expose a weak spot or shoot the enemy’s weapon out of their hand. You can try to cleverly herd them into one place and throw a grenade at them, shoot them down from a distance, or guide them to where you’ve laid a landmine. All of these options are at your fingertips, and it’s really up to you what you reach for at any given moment.

The Art of Exploration and Puzzles

But, of course, this game isn’t just about shooting. The exploration of the environment that I mentioned and also the puzzles are another vital part. In the case of exploration, there are very few things to complain about. The whole map will surprise you with its size and openness, and you’ll often find yourself returning to places you’ve visited as you unlock another path or search for another abandoned house. Sometimes, you may find a completely off-the-beaten-track area that may hold some interesting treasure, but it may be just as dangerous that you may prefer to walk away from again. And sometimes, as you progress through the main story and explore the site content, you’ll encounter just the puzzles. Like the rest of the game, I’d describe these as a bit of a mix of the previous few episodes. Sure, they’re there, varied, unique, and often so utterly nonsensical that you wonder why someone thought up and built it in the first place, but at the same time, they’re not difficult or significantly profound. In other words, you’re unlikely to get stuck on any of them. Still, I appreciate their variety. There are even some environmental ones.

Audiovisual Mastery in Terror

So Resident Evil Village does a lot very well, and I believe veterans of the series will recognize most of these elements very well. However, the audiovisual design also plays a big part in their enjoyment. The sounds, in particular, are something I’d like to single out. I’m not entirely sure if it’s just me. Still, throughout the entire playthrough, I felt like the developers weren’t at all afraid to “attack” us with deafening sounds out of nowhere. Which only added to the atmosphere and instant adrenaline rush. Still, there were several moments when just dull background noises, some screeching behind you, or a noise in the distance were enough to draw you into the game nonstop. It’s hard to describe, but the fact that I was able to perceive and enjoy the sounds like that is quite a feat.

Graphically, the game has nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, there are some things that bring it down a bit. The occasional places where you’ll run into edges a lot, the occasional worse textures, or the odd vegetation here and there are probably the most obvious, but it’s still hard not to enjoy watching this title. The lightwork is excellent, and the color palette is pretty much perfect. More than once, I was downright amazed by the sight of new environments.

Balancing Nostalgia and Innovation

It’s tough to find fault with Resident Evil Village. It’s a sequel that has combined the best of the previous installments with new ideas that simply work. Some may be bothered by the fact that the game isn’t all that scary or horror-y in the finale, primarily relying on the adrenaline sections, the parts where you don’t know what to expect, and the visuals rather than how well you can navigate the space and manage your inventory. But you’ll often be on your guard anyway. I personally didn’t mind this at all, though, and happily played through the average eight-hour campaign in one go.

Beyond the Campaign: Mercenaries Mode

And if eight hours doesn’t seem like enough, you can certainly take advantage of unlocking the harder difficulty, the special arcade mode Mercenaries, after you’ve finished the game, in which you try to shoot waves of enemies or complete a series of challenging trophies. Can you finish the game in under three hours or using just four or fewer healing items? You can find out for yourself…

Leaving Excellent RE Village

For the verdict, it’s enough to say that this one was really good. The game earns a high rating and recommendation thanks to a lot of good decisions, even for players who have no experience with the series. They may miss some of the smaller connections, but otherwise, this is a title that can easily be enjoyed on its own. And you don’t have to worry about this volume straying too far from the series’ themes as a whole. There’s more to the werewolves and witches than meets the eye.

Where to Buy Resident Evil Village

Steam (PC): Available for $59.99. You can purchase it directly from Steam.

Xbox Store (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S): Available for $59.99. Check it out on the Xbox Store.

PlayStation Store (PS4, PS5): Available for $39.99 (currently on discount for $15.99). You can find it on the PlayStation Store.

Nintendo Shop (Cloud Version): Available for $39.99. Purchase it from the Nintendo Shop.

App Store (iOS): Available for free with in-app purchases. Download it from the App Store.

Official Page: Visit the official Resident Evil Village page for more information.

Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Resident Evil Subreddit.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – A Terrifying Return to Survival Horror Roots

Horror Adventure

Petko

Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Feature Picture — Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Title: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Type of Game: Survival Horror, First-Person Shooter
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: January 24, 2017
Platforms Available: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch (Cloud Version), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, iOS
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4
Maturity: Mature 17+
Reading Time: 11 minutes

The Rebirth of Fear

All gamers are very familiar with Resident Evil, so there’s no need to bring up the fact that the seventh installment is the first in the main series to use a first-person camera view. Some fans may not buy it, but I think most will come to their senses once they get a taste of the game. We’ve complained for years that Resident Evil 5 and 6, as well as both installments of Revelations, are no horror. Now we have one right out of the textbook
Despite the change in perspective, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a true return to the series’ roots. Rotten roots that have been hit by an infection in the ground and turned into something terrifying.
The name of the game was not chosen by accident. Resident Evil refers to evil taking up residence in a remote mansion, as it did in the first installment. Biohazard, as the series is called in Japan, refers to mutations linked to the leakage of a dangerous substance. Both of these are encountered in abundance in the seventh installment.

Welcome to the Baker Family

The story is set in the American South in Louisiana. The protagonist, Ethan Winters, arrives in the fictional town of Dulvey, where he hopes to find his wife, Mia. She disappeared three years ago and has been declared dead. But now Ethan has heard from her. So the desperate husband sets out on a journey to find answers about what happened to his wife and whether she is really still alive.
In the opening scene, the player finds themselves on their way to a remote mansion that, while it doesn’t look or feel like the one from the first Resident Evil, houses the same level of fear. Except that the dilapidated house, from whose surroundings strange disappearances have been reported, is not uninhabited. It’s inhabited by the oddball Baker family, who are no match for the cannibalistic Sawyer family from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The game clearly takes inspiration from the latter. Know that the Bakers are true perverts who will give you the creeps. Jack is the head of the family, in charge of everything. He doesn’t like it when someone makes a circus out of his home, and he can take care of the order in his house. He’s not worried about losing his head. His wife Marguerite doesn’t have all five together either. Plus, she’s been infected with insects, so she harbors a nest full of annoying little friends. Their son Lucas is the family’s black sheep, which is saying something by her standards. He uses his wits to kill. He likes to play, so he sets his victims up with traps, pitfalls and puzzles that, if solved incorrectly, can end in death.

Monsters and Mayhem

As enemies go, the Bakers are great. Plus, they’re shrouded in mystery. It’s clear they’ve been infected with a virus, but why and how, you don’t know. And you want to find out at any cost. Know that you’ll have a lot of fun with the Bakers, who, for reasons as yet unknown, care so much about strong family values. I mean, horror… But it wouldn’t be Resident Evil if it didn’t have rank monsters grinding their teeth, claws or tentacles at you. Here, the Bakers act as adversaries that you must first avoid in sneaky passages before confronting them as bosses. Dale’s monsters, which will charge at you for execution, are called Molded here. In the Resident Evil series, we first had zombies, then ungodly creatures called Ganado controlled by Plague parasites, and other variations on bio-threats. Now we’ve got an infected family of madmen that aren’t so much to be scared of, but you’ll definitely still have your fun with them. You’ll face a basic version that will want to tear you apart and eat you at the same time. You’ll also have Molded at your throat with a giant spike on his hand, kind of like a baby Tyrant.
The slimy monsters moving on all fours are nimble, fast, dangerous, but they’ll quickly go back to hell after two bullets to the head. The heaviest of the heavies are the fatties, who are very slow, but again, damn tough and attack by vomiting. Not to mention the basement, where such atrocities will be lurking around every corner…

Survival Horror Reborn

The main character doesn’t have much room to express himself compared to the other characters. But he’s a civilian like everyone else. He is not a member of a special combat team or a police officer, as in the earlier episodes. He’s a scared guy in the middle of a nightmare. But he’s not defenseless.
He’s given an axe, a chainsaw, a pistol, a shotgun, a machine gun and a homemade flamethrower. But this is not doom. The Seventh Resident seriously returns to horror, and while it offers combat, the battles play more of a secondary role. The game is survival-based, a true survival horror with all the trimmings. You’ll collect old familiar green herbs and mix them with chemicals to get the cures. You’ll take pills that will grant you enhanced vision, allowing you to see hidden objects for a limited amount of time. There are traditional crates where you store unneeded items, only to find that you just need them and have to return. Storage is also stylish. Now you don’t need a typewriter, now you just need an old MC player. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard does an excellent job of showing off what we know from the earliest installments.

A New Perspective on Terror

This year, by the way, it’s slowly but surely 30 years since the first installment of the Resident Evil horror saga came out on PlayStation. The world of video games has changed because of it, and the franchise itself has changed over the years. The most obvious change with this installment is, as previously mentioned, the first-person camera view, which has undoubtedly had its consequences. The game is even more terrifying from the point of view of your own eyes. One looks around and waits for something to jump out at them again. And when you least expect it, it happens, and that’s when the shocks happen. The game is incredibly scary in its own right. It has an atmosphere thicker than the smog over Asian cities, and the jumpscares are absolutely heart-pounding. Playing the game at night is about health. Unfortunately for you, the atmosphere will get even thicker as you progress through the game, the tension and fear will take on extra dimensions by the end of the game. That’s where the seventh Resident Evil is going a little overboard. While the action in the mansion and adjacent houses is terrifying, once the game moves to the wrecked ship the game turns into your living nightmare, but I won’t reveal more.

Puzzles and VHS Tapes

The game takes a lot from the original episodes, thankfully it’s also about puzzles. You’ll actually be puzzling over those the entire time you’re playing. They are absolutely typical of the series. You’ll be piecing together relics, collecting keys, looking at them from all sides. Puzzles are an integral part of the entire game and you’ll come across them at every turn. And while they’re not too challenging and we didn’t encounter any hitches, they’ll still give you a hard time. That’s something everyone should appreciate. The change of perspective is not the only new gameplay element, by the way. The seventh Resident Evil brings a very original element in the form of videotapes. You can play the found VHS in any cassette player to unravel the mystery of the past. In an instant, you’ll find yourself in the shoes of another character who has encountered the Bakers or another horror. You’ll discover how to solve puzzles. In fact, you will eventually be confronted with the pitfalls of other undead yourself. So you’ll know how to deal with them. At the same time, you will witness what triggers which mechanism, so you can avoid traps or outright death. The VHS playback is a very original and imaginative element that draws you into the plot. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, by the way, stays caught up in terms of storytelling, revealing everything gradually until the very end and the big surprise. The game’s lifespan is not very long, but at the same time it doesn’t offend. I finished it in 8 to 9 hours on my first attempt, which is a decent time for the series.

Visual and Audio Experience

Now a little bit shorter on the visuals of the game, which in my opinion are a bit contradictory. The fact that the game looks relatively bad on PS VR which the game also came out on I understand. But why the textures are exaggerated and many objects are extremely jagged when played on a classic TV in a dark environment, I really don’t understand. The character models are good, but the environments don’t have much going for them. The graphics don’t offend, but they’re not very good either. We have to admit that, although I really like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard as a game.

The sounds, on the other hand, are properly dark and immersive. It’s a real return to the horror and the roots of the saga. I really appreciate Capcom for not standing still within the main series and bringing new and fresh ideas. At the same time, they’re not afraid to take risks, even though they know that a lot of fans will complain about the change in gameplay style. 7 years ago, he succeeded again. Resident Evil changed its face again and is as scary as it has been in a long time for the franchise which later took Resident Evil one step further: Village which you can also look forward to a review from us soon.

The Mobile Gaming Dilemma

Regarding the mobile gaming landscape, Resident Evil 7 presents an interesting case. While the franchise has had success with mobile ports and spin-offs in the past, bringing a full-fledged mainline entry to smartphones is a challenging endeavor. The game’s intense graphics, immersive atmosphere, and complex controls don’t naturally lend themselves to mobile play. Despite this, Capcom attempted to bring Resident Evil 7 to iOS devices. However, recent reports on RE7 suggest that this venture has not been successful, with sales figures reportedly falling well below expectations – fewer than 2,000 units sold. This underwhelming performance raises questions about the viability of porting such graphically intensive and mechanically complex games to mobile platforms, even for established franchises like Resident Evil. While mobile gaming continues to grow, it seems that some experiences are still best suited for consoles and PCs, where they can be enjoyed as originally intended.

Last Words on RE7

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard may seem at first glance to have little in common with the original installments, but the opposite is true. It’s all about the conceptual approach to horror and gameplay in general. However, you’ll also come across moments created specifically for fans. For example, you’ll discover an image referencing a well-known location, nostalgic sounds will be heard when entering the code to a door, and you’ll even be faced with an identical puzzle to the one you solved in the first Resident Evil. And maybe even a familiar character will appear. This is, in short, a game for fans of the franchise as it should be, though not for all of them. After the sixth installment of the main series and a pair of games with the subtitle Revelations, the seventh installment is a clear shot in the dark.

Where to Buy Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Steam (PC): Available for $19.99. You can purchase it directly from Steam.

Xbox Store (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S): Available for $19.99 (now on discount for $7.99). Check it out on the Xbox Store.

PlayStation Store (PS4, PS5): Available for $19.99(now on discount for $7.99). You can find it on the PlayStation Store.

Nintendo Shop (Switch Cloud Version): Available for $39.99.purchase it from the Nintendo Shop.

App Store (iOS, Mac): Available for free with in-app purchases. Download it from the App Store.

Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Resident Evil Subreddit.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Molded monsters around every corner

The Order: 1886 – Visual Masterpiece or Gameplay Letdown?

Petko

The Order 1886 Feature Picture — The Order 1886

Title: The Order: 1886
Type of Game: Action-Adventure, Third-Person Shooter
Developer: Ready at Dawn
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released: February 20, 2015
Platforms Available: PlayStation 4
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4
Maturity: Mature 17+
Reading Time: 10 minutes

A Visual Marvel with Gameplay Shortcomings

The Order: 1886 was first introduced with the Playstation 4, and for many gamers, it was a symbol of how good games could look on the console. The game’s graphics are undeniably stunning, setting a new standard for visual fidelity in gaming. However, with more snippets and previews of the game, nervousness grew in the gaming community, and sadly rightly so.

An Intriguing Premise

What’s appealing about The Order: 1886 isn’t just the graphics, but the subject matter. The game is set in London in 1886 in an alternate reality, in which you take on the role of the knight Galahad. He is a member of the ancient Order of the Protectors of the British Kingdom, which is currently facing two troubles. The first is rebels unhappy with the government and social and political conditions in the British Empire, the second is attacks by werewolves. To make matters worse, a certain Jack the Ripper is on the streets of London. The knights have their hands full, but fortunately, they each have a vial of living water from which, if they suffer serious injuries, they can just drink a little and continue the fight. The same substance also prolongs the lives of the warriors of this Order, which last for centuries.

Plot and Characterization

The game’s story develops a conspiracy theme, and all the time, you are searching for who is actually pulling the strings behind the scenes and who is the traitor. The overall design, setting, and craftsmanship are of such a high standard that you can almost forgive the plot for logical flaws and places where everything doesn’t quite fit together. However, there is one major hitch. The characters are easy to remember and are instead one of the game’s strengths, the exception being the protagonist, unfortunately. Sir Galahad is a perpetually grumpy sociopath without a shred of character who has no problem with “chivalrously” murdering even those he’s not even sure are his enemies. Perhaps never before in an action game have I felt so bad that maybe I shouldn’t kill everything that moves.

World-Building Through Articles and Audio Tapes

As for the world, the game also illustrates everything around you through the newspaper articles you come across while playing. For some reason, however, the articles you find aren’t saved anywhere, and you have to read them in-game at any given moment. Plus, to show how detailed their game’s graphics are, the developers only show them in ant-like writing on newsprint. I’d like to know more about the world, but I’m not going to ruin my eyesight for it. The other source of information is the audio tapes, which you can thankfully listen to later.

An Unresolved Ending

While I’m on the subject of the problems with the story, I mustn’t forget the absolutely crucial problem, and that is the ending. The game ends in a “sequel next time” style, with the vast majority of the plot completely unresolved. So, after eight hours of play and a very unsatisfying final battle, the game waves goodbye hints at the next installment, and the disc can go back into the box.

Lack of Multiplayer and Replayability

The Order: 1886 also contains no multiplayer. If you think you’re going to create your own knight and then work your way up to it by fighting in tournaments or taking down werewolves in co-op, you need more time. There is no such thing in the game. Also, forget about any Game Plus. The game doesn’t have a character, weapon, or ability upgrade system where you can start your next playthrough with your Galahad 2.0. I’ve already talked about the collectibles issues, plus The Order: 1886 certainly doesn’t encourage any exploration of alternate or hidden paths, thanks to its corridor tuning. There are only three difficulty levels to choose from. How to make a linear, action-oriented single-player campaign game was demonstrated, for example, by Wolfenstein, which also came out in the early PlayStation 4 era.

Linear and Constrained Gameplay

Fans of action games know that the term “corridor” or “tunnel” for contemporary linear action isn’t exactly accurate. There is a clear tendency here to stretch maps wide. More expansiveness and more possible paths, or corridors if you will, not only make for more tactical firefights with exploitative environments but also encourage further exploration and replayability. The Order: 1886 is not like that. The movement options here are very limited indeed. Levels are limited to bridges, alleys, corridors, and more corridors. I still remember to this day when one of the last shootouts in the game at the time shoved me into such a tight space that I couldn’t even use the cover-for-obstacles system.

I felt like the developers were perhaps kidding themselves. At least with shootouts, you can appreciate the rich arsenal, which includes some interesting bits. The best of these is a weapon that first fills an area with thermite, which you can then blast away with a single shot. Unfortunately, I only got to this weapon once during my playthrough, but maybe I was just looking for it wrong. Again, only two weapons can be carried at a time, and again, you must hold the assigned button to collect any ammo or grenades. Galahad can also activate a time slowdown during an action, but this didn’t help me much in practice as it’s handled rather clumsily.

A number of things are missing from the game. You can only do rolls if an enemy throws a grenade at you. You can’t throw it back, by the way, and you have to select it as your primary weapon when actually using it – it doesn’t have its own button. It’s also not possible to switch the camera view over your left or right shoulder when aiming. Of course, you can’t miss the exploding barrels, though.

Incompetent AI and Partner System

As for your fellow soldiers, it’s perhaps even more terrifying than usual. We’ve already gotten used to having an incompetent partner by your side during action games. It makes sense; if he was doing a lot of the work for you, you’d get bored. However, Bioshock: Infinite and The Last of Us have shown that it can be done in other ways. The solution is special, supportive abilities for your teammates. The Order: 1886’s squadmates, on the other hand, possess unprecedented incompetence, and during firefights in which you slaughter endless mobs of your supposed enemies, you’re virtually unaware of your squadmates. Wait, I have yet to mention quick-time events.

The Annoyance of Quick-Time Events

For the lucky uninitiated, first, an explanation. Quick time events (QTEs) are the parts of games where the game signals you to press a given button that appears on the screen within a specific short period of time. I don’t like QTEs much in action games in general; perhaps the only exception is the God of War series of games.

Repetitive Boss Fights

The boss fights in The Order: 1886 look spectacular, but they’re primitive. It’s brands like God of War with episodes like Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta that were obviously the biggest inspiration, but the big problem here is that with God of War, it was done and felt, which can’t be said for The Order: 1886. The developers had the foolish idea that it could work here. And preferably often. A lot. QTEs are elevated to a new level of annoyance in The Order. I could still bite through the moments during sequences where QTEs jump out at you, but even something as routine as silent attacks from behind work in a QTE-based game.

Fights with werewolves are another example. Everything plays out according to the same script over and over again. Galahad stands in a warehouse-type room and has to defend himself against two or three charging creatures. Machine gun, QTE, machine gun, QTE. The two boss fights in the game (including the last one) are based on a combination of quick-time events and primitive controls. Both arcades are precisely the same. Indeed, the final fight is a de facto copy of the one you encounter halfway through the game.

Innovative but Underused Gameplay Mechanics

At the same time, The Order: 1886 has some interesting ideas regarding gameplay mechanics for its time and using the then-new controller. Mating locks, for example, take advantage of the intensity of the vibrations in the controller. Other times, you give Morse code air support via a touchpad press. When hacking, it’s time to play with the analog sticks. But after that, it’s back to the classic scheme of a movie, QTE, corridor shootout, and so on. What’s missing are the genuinely memorable sequences and levels with the excellent design we know from the Uncharted and God of War series.

The Power of Graphics and Narrative

It probably looks like I must have suffered a lot while playing, but it’s not like that. In fact, The Order: 1886 reminded me of the power graphics and narrative can have on the overall impression of a game. The game looks better than anything else on the PlayStation 4 of the time and for several years afterward. The environments are incredibly detailed, and the game’s levels and locations are filled with individual items that are a joy to behold. I have to single out the reflections and flares of light from individual objects and puddles or the detailed character models. Their animations are mostly realistic and wonderfully fluid.

Before launching the game, I was a bit suspicious that it would suffer from an unstable framerate, but this was not confirmed. It runs at a steady 30 frames per second without any twitching or slowdown. I just didn’t like the unnecessary black bars above and below the image. I welcomed this element in Evil Within, as it helped to add to the nervousness of the horror with a limited view, but here it is an annoying uselessness. Also, the destruction of the environment could have been greater – for example, you can shoot through some of the wood in the game but not others. Certain parts of the game, where the wildest firefights occurred, shouldn’t be recognizable after shooting enemies. Still, only some objects are interactive, and the memory of the fights remains mostly holes in the walls.

Audio Landscape

It’s a bit sad that the creators didn’t play more with the sound. The soundtrack lacks a distinctive central melody or an enjoyable, memorable accompaniment. Even more disappointing is the sound effects mix, which lacks depth as it usually lacks, for example, echo or decay where you would expect it.

Conclusion

Despite all the negatives, I must admit that The Order: 1886 held me pretty well throughout my time playing it. The game looks so amazing that you just can’t help but want to see what other locations the game has to offer. Despite the problems mentioned above, the story also keeps your curiosity, but primarily due to the technical aspect and the appealing setting. It does not, however, completely turn a blind eye to the negatives.

Where to Buy The Order: 1886

PlayStation Store (PlayStation 4): Available for $19.99. You can find it on the PlayStation Store.

Police Simulator: Patrol Officers – Realistic Fun or Just Ticket Duty?

Petko

Title: Police Simulator: Patrol Officers
Type of Game: Simulation, Open World, Strategy
Developer: Aesir Interactive
Publisher: Astragon Entertainment
Released: June 17, 2021
Platforms Available: PC, Xbox, PlayStation
Platform Reviewed: PC
Level of Maturity: Teen
Reading Time: 8 minutes

Being a Police Patrol Officer

Simulators are generally great because they allow us to try out jobs that we wanted to do when we were little but didn’t end up getting to do for some reason. Plus, in Germany, which is kind of the mecca of simulators, they still seem to be running out of ideas on what else to “simulate.” Unfortunately, these games quite often lack quality and are more like silly things for a while. This was also true of police simulators, which presented highway chases in a not-quite-hilarious guise. Catching thieves and giving fines doesn’t sound bad at all, does it? That’s why I was looking at the PC version on the internet, where Police Simulator: Patrol Officers came out less than two years ago, and judging by the reviews, it looked like a solid effort. The original version also came out on consoles two years ago. Still, I only got my hands on the game now via the PlayStation Plus Extra game catalog. So, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check it out. Let’s find out what all of the police work we get to try out, how it all works, and if it’s even fun to play.

Shift Work

We’ll be transported to the fictional city of Brighton, where we’ll encounter misdemeanors or crimes at every turn. Otherwise, we wouldn’t really have anything to do here. Before we head out into the dangerous streets, we choose what our officer or constable will look like from several pre-made looks. Honestly, there’s not much choice, and one is more unsympathetic than the other. It’s a shame the options aren’t a little more refined, but the look is ultimately just a cosmetic issue, so I picked someone. And finally, I could go on my first shift. These can be set between 10 and 90 minutes of real-time, so it just depends on how long we want to roam the streets and keep an eye on things. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it at first, as the job was to check parking and hand out tickets, which is not the most exciting police work I want to do. Anyway, I set about checking to see if everyone had paid at the machines or if anyone was standing where they shouldn’t be. The seemingly easy thing wasn’t so easy after all. Yes, it’s easy to check a parking meter, just like parking at a bus stop. But there are also places where you’re allowed to stand at certain times or days, which you need to watch for just as much as you need to check if someone happens to have an inconspicuous sign outside their window indicating a handicap or a special parking permit for employees.

Progression and Activities

The extra activities we can do are gradually increasing as our policing improves. As a result, we get something new with each level, either in equipment or available activities. The desire to progress further is preserved. Gradually, the territory we’ll be moving around increases, so it’s good that pretty soon, our policeman will get a car, which will expand the gameplay and significantly improve our action radius.

Dynamic Gameplay

What I admire about the town here is the fact that everything is pretty dynamic, and no shift, day or night, is the same. You’re kind of given what our job should be, but nobody says we have to do it that way. There are thieves on every corner, and someone parking stupidly. Handheld radar means we can measure speeds whenever we want or go out to document traffic accidents, muggings, or search for wanted persons. I was driving my car like this once and noticed someone drinking on the street, which, of course, is not allowed. So I turned on my beacons and got out of the car to go talk to him when another guy with a truck rear-ended me. So I started to solve the accident, took pictures of everything, and of course, there was a drug and alcohol check. In the end, it turned out that Mr. Driver was definitely not driving sober, so he went to the police cell. This incident caused a minor traffic jam, which I then solved by directing traffic. Please, this was all the content of one shift; it all happened by complete accident.

Police Simulator Foot Street accident with injury

Challenges and Mistakes

Of course, even a police officer is not infallible, so every now and then, I’ve given a ticket to someone who didn’t quite deserve it or arrested someone who tested positive for drugs, but I chose alcohol. I’ve also had cars towed illegally or given tickets for bad parking that the game judged to be wrong, even though I still stand by them. And then there’s the pile of accidents caused by the occasional person in a hurry while zigzagging through the city. Anyway, just so the player doesn’t make a mess, in addition to positive points, he can also get negative points just for mistakes in his decisions. We are given a certain number of points for errors for each inning, and if we use them up, our inning ends prematurely. Moreover, whoever would find the game kind of easy can make it more challenging by switching from casual difficulty to simulation. The main thing I noticed is that the game doesn’t suggest at all in simulation mode, so you hatve to rely more on your instincts and skills. But honestly, what annoyed me a lot was that, as a result, I had to learn some things myself or look online. Although our police officer has a manual with all the procedures and what to do, but the developers somehow forgot that it would be good to also write there what button is used to perform this or that action. They forgot to do that for pretty basic things like stopping the car or asking the driver to get out. So they should have done a lot better in that respect.

Technical Issues

Now, to the technical side, because it doesn’t deserve that much praise, unlike the gameplay itself. It seems to me that cars do not appear at quite the same distance. This is annoying not only when measuring speed but also when hiding behind a car. We can miss a vehicle, or the registration plate may not be visible. Texture bouncing and other stuff is actually a daily occurrence here. What’s worse are the character movements. Walking is fine; they can get in/out of the car and somehow interact with us, but they like to get stuck somewhere or even bypass a given situation with too much of a detour. And then there’s driving, which is just a very big arcade. The cars don’t have any weight; they are basically just boxes on wheels that can corner very well and brake mediocrely. This also makes it very easy to cause an accident despite other drivers trying to swerve while driving with their beacons on. Anyway, the steering takes some getting used to because the first few kilometers are not too easy with the local driving model. Also great is the collision model, which, at higher speeds, behaves as if it was programmed by Semir from Cobra 11.

Conclusion Ticket

However, despite the shortcomings mentioned above of a rather technical nature, Police Simulator won me over. There are tons of things to do, control, or save in an ever-increasing territory. The game shows very well not only the complexity but also the care with which police officers have to approach their work. Moreover, we don’t have to fine everyone, which also brings a certain amount of humanity to the game. And these are things that I really wouldn’t expect here. It’s a shame that, technically, the game is not better handled and has its flaws, but I still recommend the game.

Police Simulator Foot patrol in the streets

Where to Buy Police Simulator: Patrol Officers

Steam (PC): Available for $24.99. You can purchase it directly from Steam.

Xbox Store (Xbox): Available for $24.99. Check it out on the Xbox Store.

PlayStation Store (PlayStation): Available for $29.99 or included in Plus Extra . You can find it on the PlayStation Store.

Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Police Simulator: Patrol Officers Subreddit.

Game of Thrones: The Telltale Series – A Stark Descent into Westeros

TV Series Adventure

Petko

Game of Thrones Telltale Series Feature Picture — Game of Thrones Telltale Series

Title: Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series
Type of Game: Adventure
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Released: December 2, 2014
Platforms Available: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC Game
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 3
Maturity: Mature 17+
Reading Time: 6 minutes

Introduction

Almost a decade ago, Telltale Games came out with a game based on the famous Game of Thrones series. They even recruited some of the leading actors from the popular TV series. The game has a catchy story with some intense moments. Still, the final impression is somewhat spoiled by choices with not always convincingly strong consequences or classically minimal gameplay, which is, of course, known for Telltale Games after all… this is, after all, a very tightly edited storyline.

Gameplay Mechanics

As a fan of the series, I was naturally drawn to a game set in the world of Game of Thrones. The game’s story, which spans just over ten hours, begins at an unnamed wedding gathering directed by Walder Frey and concludes after the first two episodes of the fourth season of the series, during the events following Joffrey’s wedding. While the game only lightly references the books and the series, it delves into the individual struggles of the Forrester family as they navigate the treacherous political landscape of Westeros.

In the game, you take turns controlling several main characters, each trying to help the Forresters from their own position. Prepare for classically bleak, depressing situations, injustice, shameful humiliation, as well as momentary glimpses of hope and blind defiance. The centerpiece is, of course, your mansion and the individual family members you must defend from the sadistic appetites of your fief lords. These are the Boltons, represented in the play by the creepy Ramsey. Another enemy is the rival Whitehill family, who are trying to deprive the Forresters of their land. The parts of the game in which you take on the role of Mira Forrester take place in the intrigue-ridden King’s Landing, where you take on the role of the mercenary Asher, and of course, the Wall and the Northlands, where the unjustly convicted squire Gared has been sent.

Story and Characters

The game’s story is not just engaging, but it also delves into some highly emotional moments that will resonate with any fan. Unlike the series, I found it easy to develop a liking for each of the individual main characters. However, the same cannot be said for the characters of your allies and friends. Most of them shower you with bad advice, can’t be trusted, and only help you when it suits them. This emotional depth of the story is what makes the game truly engaging.

Voice Acting

In Game of Thrones, you will also come across several characters who have been given form and voice by actors from the show. You can look forward to Ramsey, Jon, Cersei, Tyrion, Margaery and Daenerys. In Telltale games, the dubbing is usually of a very high standard and this is also true here. The actors mentioned above are the icing on the cake and deserve a lot of praise for their performances. Their voice acting brings the characters to life and adds a layer of immersion to the game that is hard to match.

Gameplay Critique

Now, I’m moving more to the negatives. At the time of release, Telltale Games remained completely immune to any criticism of their games up to that point. As such, actual gameplay remains absolutely minimal, and ninety percent of your time is spent listening to conversations and pressing buttons for your chosen answer. Only occasionally does this allow you to walk around the room and explore by clicking on an object or bloodstain on the floor? The pace of the game is occasionally increased by action passages in which you have to press a certain button at the right time. For some people, it’s just dull; for others, it’s relaxing in front of the TV and focusing purely on the movies and the story, so it’s hard to say whether this can actually be considered a negative aspect of the game or vice versa. But I can say for myself that as a gaming “veteran” of Telltale games, I don’t mind it at all, and I’ve kind of grown to like these video game ventures. Furthermore, for example, such animations of faces and movement are somewhat clunky, and the details are relatively minimal, even for Telltale games.

Graphics

The game tries to mask this with a graphical style reminiscent of watercolor painting as we know it from these games, but in this case it exceptionally doesn’t help much.

Choices and Consequences

Unfortunately, the game doesn’t excel in the area it prides itself, either. We are talking about choices and their consequences. The vast majority of the game’s time is spent talking and choosing one of the possible answers. The authors often try to convince you that you’re making a very crucial decision that will dramatically affect the next turn of events. However, this is usually not true… Yes, there were quite a few moments where I was surprised, but again, by Telltale standards, I expected more. While choices abound, the consequences are slim half the time. The really major and divergent consequences come only during a series of decisions in the last two episodes of the game. As for the rest of the game, it was nothing dazzling in that particular regard.

Conclusion

Despite all of the flaws mentioned above, I would happily recommend Game of Thrones to at least fans, but even newcomers won’t be offended by this game. The story and the main characters will definitely be worth some 10-15 euros to them if the game is on sale, for example. But at the same time, I feel these types of movie games has much more to offer. Just look at Until Dawn, which was released in the same year, for example.

Where to Buy Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series

Xbox Store (Xbox 360, Xbox One): Available for free download

Buy a physical copy of Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series on Amazon for your specific device

Steam (PC, Mac): Unfortunately not available anymore

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