Kirby Yablonski
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COGConnectedLatest Reviews
Xbox and Halo, Halo and Xbox, the two are synonymous with each other. When the original Xbox debuted in 2001, so did the original Halo, and since then we’ve seen quite a few Halo games (11 and counting), and the Xbox console is now in its third generation with the Xbox One. So of course it was only a matter of time before fans of both finally got a chance to play a new Halo on Microsoft’s latest console. Halo 5 is Master Chief’s latest adventure, and it is 343 Industries second game (not including the Master Chief Collection) since taking over from Bungie. There is no doubt that expectations are high as it continues the story from Halo 4 and continues what 343 Industries has called the “Reclaimer Saga”.
Destiny has not been without its critics. From the day the game first launched many people have voiced their opinion as they have either hated it or really loved it. There have been two expansion packs since the game launched in September 2014 and, as with the original core game, there have been critics and lovers of this content. Well, it’s been a year since Destiny was released and Bungie has dropped its’ biggest content update yet, and that content is of course The Taken King. We visited Bungie almost a month ago for an in-depth early look, and we’ve also played the DLC for a couple of weeks ago since its actual release. Well now it’s time to put our thoughts into words and give you our final score
One of the first things that struck me was the solid and somewhat heart-wrenching story. In a nutshell, and without ruining anything, Ori is cast away from his home and raised by his “adopted” mother Naru when suddenly their home is stuck by disaster and Ori must venture out to save his world. As you make your way through the game’s levels, healing various areas and vanquishing various creatures, you’ll find yourself very attached to Ori and what he represents.
I’ll admit that when I first saw Sunset Overdrive unveiled at E3 2013 I had my doubts. An open world like experience that combined energy drinks, mutants, and over-the-top weapons was a formula I’d yet to see in a game. Since that time we’ve seen trailers and early gameplay showing a game that seems to be original, crazy, and pretty much everything that developer Insomniac Games (Ratchet & Clank) is known for. Over the past week or so we here at COG have been bouncing, traversing and running amok in the world of Sunset Overdrive and we think that most who take on this adventure, a description which doesn’t do this game justice, will be happy that they did.
The story in Forza Horizon is thin, but that’s ok, as the game shines where it should, on the virtual road. You are a random driver who has been invited to participate in a series of races held during the Forza Horizon Festival in southern Europe. As you progress you earn coloured wristbands that will eventually give you access to the Horizon Finale. Yep, it’s that simple. There are a lot of in-game cinematics that pop up after each championship or road trip to help keep you involved in what is going on. I found the story, if you can call it that, as well as the cinematics, to be a side dish so to speak as they are just a small morsel of what is offered.
There is no sense in going over what the recently released Titanfall means to the Xbox One as a whole, as it’s well known that Microsoft has put a lot of stock into this Xbox One (as well as 360 and PC) exclusive EA published first person shooter. What is evident from the industry insiders, as well as the many online forums and publications out there, is that people have high expectations for this game. Well, we here at COG have been anticipating the game’s release since it’s unveiling at E3 last year and after having played it at PAX Prime 2013. Although we didn’t get to attend the review event prior to the retail release we have had the game for a few days and have managed to play a lot of matches. With this in mind, we are finally ready to give you our impressions.
I bought the first version of Halo: Spartan Assault for my Surface RT earlier this year. As I played I found that my enjoyment of the virtual twin-stick shooter was hampered by the touchscreen controls offered, as I am truly a fan analog sticks, not presses on a touchscreen that emulate a true joystick of any kind. I really yearned for controller support, which was patched in later, but I don’t have a wired Xbox 360 controller and I had lost interest by then. Well, Microsoft has seen fit to release Spartan Assault as a downloadable title for the Xbox One. It was released just before Christmas and during the holidays I got a chance to check it out.
Forza Motorsport is Microsoft’s racing jewel as it has provided Xbox gamers with a great simulation experience that is accessible to all levels of racing fans. The series was first released on the original Xbox and this fifth release, sixth if you add Forza Horizon, is a launch title for the Xbox One. Many people have been awaiting the arrival of what has been expected to be the first next-gen racer. Personally I have played every Forza to hit an Xbox branded console, from the first one on the original Xbox all the way to the last one, Forza Horizon, which was a departure from the usual circuit track racing. To say that I was pretty excited for the Xbox One launch title was an understatement. So, did Turn 10 hit a homerun, or did the ball fall short before making it over the wall?
One of the first things gamers will notice is that Forza Horizon actually has a story. Yep, Forza brings a narrative to the game. In a nutshell, you enter the Horizon Festival event, which is a combination of music, parties, and of course racing. During your pursuit to win this yearly event key moments of the story are played out through cutscenes as you climb through the ranks, and in this case earn different coloured wristbands for later events. I found that although the story is not “academy award’ material, the addition of it takes away from monotony of just racing. There is a reason for doing what you are doing and I enjoyed what was offered in this realm as it added to why you were at the Horizon Festival and what it takes to win.