It’s Mother’s Day – not everywhere, so don’t go panicking before you’ve checked a calendar.
Back? Good. It’s Mother’s Day, and we here at Green Man Gaming love our mums. Well, most of us do. Probably.
Love ’em or loathe ’em, you can’t deny that without mothers the human race wouldn’t exist. So let’s take a look at the mums in video games, and call out some of the best.
Jenova – Final Fantasy VII
Jenova is a kind, loving mother. Looking out for her son Sephiroth with care, attention, and all the alien mind games a young boy needs.
Yeah Jenova isn’t a fun lady to be around, especially later in Final Fantasy VII when she sort of becomes her son in an effort to destroy all life on the planet. Grim.
Elena Fisher – Uncharted 4
It’s late in Uncharted 4 when Elena becomes a mother, but it’s clear that her, Nate, and Cassie make a loving family unit. All the peril and ‘will they, won’t they’ from the previous games goes away as we realise that they’ve made it work.
It’s a genuine relief to see, at the end of the game, that Elena and Nate have settled down together. Elena, more than almost any other character in the series, deserves it.
Lara – Chrono Trigger
When you first meat Lara, Lucca’s mother, she’s a kind but sad lady. After a tragic accident, her mobility has been reduced. She loves her daughter fiercely however, and that comes through in everything she says.
Then later in the game, you go back in time and see it happen. It’s a terrifying, terrible, but also potentially hopeful moment. You get to save Lucca’s mother from the accident that befell her. Returning to your time, she’s full of joy and life again. A beautiful end to a side story well told.
Ana Amari – Overwatch
Mother of fellow Overwatch hero Pharah, Ana stays in the background, supporting and helping her daughter and her pals.
She’s had a hard time of things, but that doesn’t stop her offering the support her daughter needs to survive a battle. And like all good mums, she’s armed with a powerful sniper rifle and a cup of tea emote.
Dr. Bridgette Tenenbaum – Bioshock series
The ‘mother’ to the Little Sisters, Dr. Tenenbaum nonetheless cares deeply for them. Despite a chequered past, in Bioshock and Bioshock 2 it’s clear that she’s trying to make up for her past sins.
Especially since her metaphorical children don’t deserve their fate. She’s condemned them to a strange life deep under the sea, and her attempts to undo it are one of the few wholesome threads in the dark.
Ness’s Mother – Earthbound
If Earthbound gives you one clear message, it’s that you should call your mum. Well, most of us probably should. Don’t if your mum’s horrible.
There’s lots of support that comes from Ness’s mum in this game, from curing homesickness to healing your health through the blessed medium of steak. She really looks after Ness, and that’s admirable.
Rachni Queen – Mass Effect series
Some mothers have one child to look after, or two. The Rachni Queen has countless millions, teeming hordes. And she’s doing a remarkable job.
OK you can choose a rough fate for the poor Rachni Queen, and even if you don’t she has a bad time of things. But that doesn’t make her any less of a caring mum. She loves her little alien ant family. And we love them too.
Have we missed your favourite mother in a video game? Let us know in the comments below. Also: Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there!
Earth Hour is a yearly event where people and businesses are asked to turn off non-essential electrical items, for an hour.
You can do that right, a symbol of commitment to the planet. It’s only an hour and only once a year.
But what to do during that hour, you can’t play video games because they need electricity.
Fear not, we’ve got your back. Here’s five games you can play, all without electricity.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
By now you’ve probably played enough Skyrim to be able to recreate the whole game in your head if you wanted. So why not do that? During your hour off, try plotting out your adventure.
Maybe you’ll be heading down to Riften for a bit of thievery, maybe you’ll join the Companions, or maybe you’ll just wander the arctic wastes reliving the time a horker ate your leg. Whatever you want to do, you can do it in your brain for the low low cost of ‘many hundreds of hours in Skyrim’.
A half remembered level of Sonic
You played Sonic so much as a kid that it’s ingrained in your muscle memory. You know when to jump, when to duck, when to roll, and how to end Green Hill Zone act 1 with over 200 rings.
But can you remember what it looks like? You roll…up the…and there’s a fly thing? You jump at that? I think?
Remembering the exact layout of each Sonic level will take so much brain power Earth Hour will have passed in no time. Win-win.
Half-Life’s 2’s welcome to City 17 speech
Welcome. Welcome to City 17.
You have chosen, or been chosen, to relocate to one of our finest remaining urban centres. I thought so much of City 17 that I elected to establish my Administration here, in the Citadel so thoughtfully provided by Our Benefactors. I have been proud to call City 17 my home. And so, whether you are here to stay, or passing through on your way to parts unknown, welcome to City 17. It’s safer here.
Aw yeah, that’s the good stuff.
XCOM 2
If you’ve played XCOM 2 – especially in ironman mode – you’ll have had a mission that’s gone bad.
Why not do some wargames during Earth Hour. Replay that mission over and over in your head. Obsess over where you went wrong, and how you could fix it. Where did you go wrong? Was it when you sent the heavy on a run, or was it when you forgot to put your sniper in overwatch?
You buffoon, lives have been lost because of you. Dedicate Earth Hour to feeling bad about how you messed up.
Drawing an original XBOX from memory
The original XBOX came out in 2001 and it’s probably been a little while since you’ve seen one.
With your computer and consoles turned off, it’s time to see if you can draw one from memory. Was it in the shape of a giant X? What exactly did the original controller look like? All these riddles – and more, await you in this exciting game.
So there you go, five video games you can play without electricity when you’re participating in Earth Hour. Are there any other games you can play without the magic lightning? Let us know in the comments below.
Everyone loves a dictator. No wait, everyone loathes a dictator. That’s better.
Dictatorships are present in many games. Often as antagonists, and rightly so. Gotta punch them totalitarians, right?
Other games lets you be the dictator, sometimes humorously, sometimes meticulously modelled. Either way, there’s lots of dictators in video games and on the cusp of the release of the latest in the Tropico series, we thought it would be the perfect time to take a look back at some dictators in video games.
Taking place amongst natural beauty, the Tropico series sees you make the decision between being a benevolent statesman or a brutal dictator. Running a small nation takes a lot of work, and sometimes those greedy and lazy peasants need a bit of oppression to make them realise how good they have it.
Paradise can be what you make of it, and that’s the joy of the Tropico series. With Tropico 6 coming out shortly you’ll even be able to expand to new island types and archipelagos. Your paradise is your paradise, and no-one can take that away from you. Especially not if you have a thousand grim-faced guards.
In the Civilization series, you play as the strangely immortal ruler of, well, a civilisation. Through many periods of time you can and will choose different methods of enforcing your rule, and one of those is as a despot.
In Civilization, as well as many other 4X games, the game doesn’t judge your actions in the same way. Despotism is just seen as an alternative governing model, one that has up – and down – sides. Your people will probably not be the happiest in a dictatorship, but will you care when that’s offset by other benefits? You monster.
Ah Pagan Min. The face of Kyrat. The provider of crab rangoon. The pink-clad ruler of a mountainous kingdom.
He’s a colossal dick, but he’s a brilliant character. Right from the moment you meet him you know he’s going to absolutely be a highlight of your time in the clouds. He’s a charismatic but unhinged despot who rules Kyrat with a beautifully shod heel. You’ll never forget your time with Pagan Min. Why would you want to?
Dungeon Keeper
It’s Twenty Frankenstein-Teen: Become the Monster, so why not remember a time when you were a literal monster, in charge of a dungeon filled with monsters?
Dungeon Keeper sees you taking absolute power over a group of disparate monster groups as you seek to despoil the world above you. Rewards and punishments are yours to dispense, and if your minions aren’t abiding by your evil will you can even take direct control of them. Despotism has never been so direct as this.
Hitler. He was a baddie. Just making that clear before we go on to say anything else.
Appearing in several Sniper Elite games, you’re able to plop a bullet right into that fascist brain if you so choose. Or in some games you can fire your rifle of justice right into his groin. The Sniper Elite series is famous for meticulously modelling the interior of human bodies, and upon shooting a testicle you can find that the song is true, Hitler is running solo. Imagine having the job of modelling Hitler’s sole testicle. Video games.
Dictators are rife in video games, these are just a few examples out there. What’s your favourite or rather more accurately, least favourite examples. Let us know in the comments below.
EGX Rezzed is fast approaching. If you’re attending you might be wondering, what to see there. What games could there be out there that you want to go see?
Green Man Gaming Publishing have partnered with Stainless Games to release ShockRods, a bombastic, explosive, vehicular multiplayer game. It’s not out just yet, but we’re ready to show it off.
You can play it if you’re attending Rezzed. For the first time the general public will be able to get their hands on the game and engage in brutal, fast paced vehicular battles. The sleepy atmosphere of Tobacco Docks here in London will be rent asunder with the sound of revving engines, devastating weapons, and the cries of victory.
We’ll have our very own stand in the upper floor in the room next to the indies, and if you need more specific information it’ll be in the guide book. Come see us, say hi, and try to beat us at ShockRods. If you can…
What’s Rezzed?
EGX Rezzed is a yearly celebration of everything indie. Taking place in the beautiful Tobacco Docks venue in East London, it’s an open, welcoming, wonderful event full of absolutely brilliant games.
Between the 4th and 6th of April, you’ll be able to wander the halls and open air atriums of the event, seeing just the very best that gaming has to offer.
Not able to make it yourself? We’ll be covering it on the blog and newsroom, so if there’s cool games or breaking news, check with us. We’ll have all the scoops you need to get knowledge’d up about the best in indie games.
So there you go – ShockRods will be playable at Rezzed, and we’ll be there showing it off. Buy us a chicken burger. We’ll be grateful.
For more information on ShockRods, don’t forget you can check out the ShockRods website for all the details you can shake a rocket launcher at.
There’s a particular sound that even now, 17 years later, feels like coming home.
The haunting wail of the silt strider is a mournful herald of safety. They stand on chitinous legs near settlements and towns, howling into the air the message that refuge awaits nearby.
When you’ve been trudging for hours through the Ashlands, fending off rabid beasts and winged nightmares, that sound echoing through your computer’s speakers plays like a fanfare from heaven.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind comes from a time before fast travel. Before quest markers. Before invisible dice rolls were replaced with physical combat. It was a harsh time, but one that was utterly rewarding in a way that few games or worlds have managed.
Let me tell you why Morrowind is important and worth playing today.
Born on a certain day.
Morrowind is a hard sell. It’s beset by issues that can impede the ability to enjoy the game, issues that sequels in the series have largely resolved. Combat, a core part of the Elder Scrolls experience, is pretty crap in Morrowind. Whether you hit or not is decided by invisible dice rolls, taking into account your enemy’s stats and your weapon skill. This means that the game itself is an abstraction. You might look like you’re hitting something, but unless the game says you are, you’re not.
The journal only gives vague directions for your quests, animations and character models are stiff and awkward, and if you don’t choose your skills carefully you’ll find the whole game almost impossible.
But none of that matters, not really. Because nothing compares to just the feeling of living in Morrowind, of existing in the world of Vvardenfell.
I heard them say we’ve reached Morrowind.
Players in 2002 were greeted by a beautiful world – with water with actual reflections – but an alien world, a world unlike other fantasy worlds.
Most fantasy worlds are inspired directly by Lord of the Rings and Western. Most of Tamriel, the continent The Elder Scrolls is set on, is the same. Except for parts, areas where the weird shines through.
One of these is Vvardenfell, up in the North East, part of the Dark Elf lands of Morrowind. A volcanic island of rich earth and brutal ashlands. It’s a land of history, of deep divides that go back generations. It’s a place where you, no matter who you play, are an outsider. One who’s often unwanted.
Giant mushrooms tower over the foetid Bitter Coasts and the lush Ascadian Isles regions. Majestic bull netch and poisonous betty netch playfully float over the scenery. Alit, Kagouti, Nix-Hounds, and the ever-present Cliff Racers make every step out of doors a risk.
And over it all, from the Red Mountain volcano hunkering at the centre of Vvardenfell, comes the Blight. A disease ridden wind that blows dust and worse across the island.
It’s a world unlike any you’ve set foot in, and if you play Morrowind, it’s one that’ll forever be your home. It’s a hard land, a land where heroes are forged.
Nerevar, Moon and Star.
But who are you? The game starts with you as a prisoner, held deep within the bowels of a ship that’s docked at Seyda Neen on the South coast of Vvardenfell.
Who you are doesn’t matter in Morrowind. What matters is who you can be.
You’re very much a blank slate in Morrowind. Whilst you’re there ostensibly to fulfil prophecy, those who sent you there don’t believe in that prophecy. You’re there for political aims, to keep the grumbling Dunmer in their place. To appear to be the Nerevarine of legend but one under the thumb of the Empire. As such, a large part of the main quest asks the question; are you fulfilling prophecy, or just appearing to?
No-one can doubt that you achieve momentous things as the Nerevarine, but do you do them because of prophecy, fate, or your own will?
Obviously it’s a video game so caveats apply, if you want to complete the main quest your choices will narrow. But does that make the main quest’s questioning of prophecy a meta question? Is it prophecy, or the designer’s will that drives your actions? Would you kindly take that, Bioshock.
Regardless of the main quest, there’s just so much to do in Morrowind. Unlike later Elder Scrolls games it’s often exclusive, and difficult. You don’t join a guild and then find yourself at the head within a week, you have to earn it. And each of those guilds has enemies and allies, meaning your reputation will go up and down appropriately.
Joined the Fighters Guild? You’ll find the Thieves Guild more difficult. Joined House Redoran? That’s you locked out of the other two.
More than that, you can only choose a certain amount of abilities to focus on. You can’t be a jack of all trades. All this means that you’re actually playing a role. You’re not god, you can’t do everything. Care and attention needs to be paid about who you want to be.
Greetings, serjo.
Morrowind made a huge difference to my life, and continues to do so. As I get older I find the world of Vvardenfell increasingly comforting to return to, like a pair of old well worn shoes. It’s a harsh landscape and a tough place to live, but with practice and knowledge it can be a place to survive and indeed, thrive in.
Despite all its difficulties, despite it being seventeen years old, despite it creaking around the edges, Morrowind is important and still a vast treasure trove of adventure, opportunity, and roleplay.
If you’ve cut your teeth on the later games, or just skipped over the clunky cousin to Skyrim, I implore you to give Morrowind a try. You might bounce off it a few times, but persist and the richness of the world will surround you and last with you for the rest of your life.
Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls Series is 25 years old today. That’s older than I am… which means it’s high time to run through the major flashpoints in the history of this utterly formative RPG series. With more than 50 million copies sold, we’re looking back at some of the moments in its lineage that have made this series a household name.
Testing the waters – The Elders Scrolls: Arena
In 1994, a plucky little developer called Bethesda with previous credits on Wayne Gretzky’s Hockey and Home Alone for the NES broke the wheel by introducing the world to Tamriel. The Elder Scrolls: Arena was the primitive forerunner of the series we know and love today, and, as per the name, was supposed to be an arena combat game before the developers became far more interested in side quests and dungeons.
Players adored the pen-and-paper inspired first-person world, which was gargantuan by 1994’s standards. This became the game’s standout feature, and despite at first being criticised for its lack of depth, after patches and word of mouth, this would go on to become the thing that the Elder Scrolls is known for in the legion of games that followed it.
Daedric experimentation – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Flash forward 12 years to 2006, and nearly 10 games later (including some N-Gage spin-offs) we land on Oblivion, a defining moment for the series and the entry point of many gamers. Where 2002’s Morrowind set the tone and provided a hardcore experience that many fans latched onto, Oblivion’s enhanced physics engine, stunning graphics and experimental, deeply fascinating world invaded the dreams of many.
From The Shivering Isles to Arkved’s Bizzare Tower, the world was hiding mythological secrets and in-depth interaction around every corner. Personally, I could never get enough of that world, the most potent and interesting Bethesda has developed yet. Jeremy Soule’s spellbinding fantasy soundtrack was the bow that wrapped up this now-iconic title, one of the first truly ‘next-gen’ titles of the 360/PS3 era that received global praise from critics, selling close to 10 million copies and receiving multiple game of the year re-releases.
Mainstream mastery – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
A game that needs no introduction, with over 30 million copies sold, Skyrim marked Bethesda’s mainstream mastery. Any gamer worth their salt has heard of it, or at the very least, one of its many incarnations. From Amazon Alexa to the Nintendo Switch, the game is available on almost every platform under the sun. It’s the panacea of gaming, an accessible open-world enjoyed by almost every demographic.
With an inspired story framed in a snowy Nordic setting, the game refined everything fans loved about the series whilst sanding down some of the hard edges that kept the series from smashing records and getting into the hands of the wider population. With a still-thriving mod scene and a constant retainer of players on Steam, Its ambition and scope are still a thrill to behold, even if the horse physics are fairly wacky…
A developing future – Legends, Online and TESVI
The Elder Scrolls series has so far proven itself as a brand rather than just a game series. From merchandise to fan events and dedicated communities, Bethesda’s RPG experiment is now a household name in the industry, and the company seems determined to funnel its success into other avenues. The Elder Scrolls Legends is still one of the stand-out CCG offerings available right now, which is mostly thanks to its lore-laden backdrop and story-driven angle. The Elder Scrolls Online is also one of the more successful MMORPGs in recent years and is still receiving regular content updates.
Bethesda is committed to the brand, and with the announcement of The Elder Scrolls VI at E2 2018 last year, excitement is building for the next iteration. Fan theories list High Rock and the sunken continent of Yokuda as possible settings for the game. Regardless of where or when it’s going to land, it’s sure to expand the possibilities of the RPG genre much like the original title did 25 years ago. As we know, there’s always an emperor in need and a continent in peril. Long live The Elder Scrolls!
No Man’s Sky probably wins the award for ‘most changed game after release’. After a mixed launch, the team at Hello Games have pumped update after update out – all for free – and it’s transformed the game.
No Man’s Sky: Beyond will be the next chapter in the saga of No Man’s Sky, in part bringing about a change to how multiplayer is handled in the open world space game.
Hello Games have announced that No Man’s Sky: Beyond will combine three major updates into one larger release. The first one that’s been partially revealed is No Man’s Sky: Online. This update will overhaul the multiplayer and social experience into something that Hello Games deny makes the game an MMO, but definitely sounds like it shares some MMO-y elements. “No Man’s Sky Online includes a radical new social and multiplayer experience which empowers players everywhere in the universe to meet and play together” says Hello Games, which definitely sounds like it’s bringing the multi into multiplayer.
A brief teaser trailer has been released, which definitely falls into the ‘tease’ category.
Speaking of the update, the developers state that player feedback and habits when playing No Man’s Sky have been critical in defining the update path. In their announcement Hello Games go on to say that “These changes are an answer to how we have seen people playing since the release of NEXT, and is something we’ve dreamed of for a long time.”
We’re looking forward to more information from Hello Games over the coming days and weeks. As soon as we get more info we’ll be updating this article. Make sure you check back often as we’ll make sure this is your first place to come for No Man’s Sky: Beyond news.
Update 26/03: Developers Hello Games have announced the second strand of the three separate facets of the upcoming Beyond update. Adding virtual reality support for both PlayStation VR and Steam VR, No Man’s Sky: Beyond – Virtual Reality will be a free update for the game.
A trailer has been unveiled showing off some of the new features:
As soon as we get more info about the No Man’s Sky: Beyond update, we’ll share it here so keep checking back.
Update: The Elder Scrolls is 25 today, so to celebrate here’s a look back at all the Elder Scrolls games in order of goodness. Enjoy!
The Elder Scrolls: Arena came out in 1994 and since then we’ve seen a lot of sequels, spin offs, expansions, horse armour, and even an MMO. BUT you ask, what’s the best Elder Scrolls game?
Well sit down and buckle yourself into your Silt Strider, cos you’re in for a bumpy ride as we rate every single Elder Scrolls game from worst to best.
WARNING: Some spoilers below!
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Shadowkey
It is hard to get high resolution pics of this game
It came out on the NGage, who cares.
The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar + Stormhold
It’s hard to get decent resolution images of these games too
These mobile entries are most notable for being advertised to you when you installed Oblivion from disc. Past that, they’re largely forgettable mobile stabs at being RPGs. They were pretty impressive for mobile games in the pre-smartphone era, but still they’re not up to much even by early Elder Scrolls standards. If you haven’t played them then you’re not missing much.
An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire
The first entry on this list to come out for anything other than a mobile phone! Battlespire takes place on the titular Battlespire, a sort of interdimensional mage training fortress that’s been attacked by Mehrunes Dagon, the daedra of destruction. It’s up to YOU to save the Battlespire, wrest it from the evil daedra’s control, and survive!
Why’s this so low down? Simply because it’s a weird mishmash between some of Daggerfall’s systems and a closed adventure that simply isn’t that good. It’s damn hard, with resources being far and few between, and the place just absolutely being riddled with a variety of daedra. Combine that with some ill-judged platforming and you’re not looking at the best in Elder Scrollsery.
The Elder Scrolls: Arena
The game that started it all! Arena was originally meant to be a series of fighting pits, like Gladiator but with dragons, until this game was expanded to encompass the entirety of Tamriel.
It’s remarkable, going back to it, how much of the Elder Scrolls formula is in place right from the get go. It’s an open world with cities you can visit, different classes that play different ways, and it lays out the continent of Tamriel which has lain largely unchanged since then. It’s obviously not as advanced as any of the future installments, but it’s a damn good RPG.
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
The poster child for ‘ambition’, Daggerfall on one hand rolls the scale back from the entire continent shown in the previous entry, and instead focuses on the surrounding areas of the Iliac Bay.
On the other hand, it features individual cities, temples, houses, dungeons, settlements, witch covens, castles, tombs, spanning across the area in their thousands. You zoom in on a region and you see places sprout up across the entire area, it’s overwhelming really.
And that’s why this is so low down. Whilst it refined a lot of what made Arena so good and added the skill system and much more, it’s a fairly bland world that it’s set in. Every town in every region looks largely the same, and it’s only the towns of Alik’r that have a different feel to them. The dungeons themselves are made up of a series of small often-repeating sections, and the game can even generate dungeons that are impossible to complete or escape from (at least, without resorting to The Void).
An Elder Scrolls Legend: Redguard
The only other spinoff from the Elder Scrolls series, Redguard is set on the small island of Stros M’Kai where you, Cyrus, is trying to locate your sister. A third person adventure/action game similar to the early Tomb Raider games, it’s a really quite under-rated romp through an area of Tamriel that we don’t get to see very often.
It’s also notable because it features the only Sload seen in the series, outside of soap that is.
It’s a good game but it’s not an excellent game, and it’s this low down in the list mainly because of the wasted potential. We could’ve seen all sorts of adventures across Tamriel, showing us all sorts of different sides to the world. Alas this was the last Elder Scrolls Legend, and the end of spinoffs. For now, at least.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends
A card game for the Elder Scrolls! And it’s actually quite good, I know you’re probably up to your neck in card games right now, but Legends genuinely is one of the better ones out there, changing up the dueling card game system to add things like lanes so card placement suddenly becomes a thing to pay attention to.
It means that Legends has a surprising amount of depth, and it’s different enough from games like Hearthstone to draw you in and keep you playing. Even with basic cards there’s a lot of variables to manage, and it means that each game has the chance to be different. Also, in combination with that, the game actually has a bit of story, meaning it’s got something to appeal to those of you (like me) who sub to r/teslore
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Online is a magnificent achievement, a high point of MMO design and one that successfully incorporates Skyrim-style levelling/combat with MMO design. It’s also brilliant for Elder Scrolls fans because you get to go back to all the places you might’ve seen in previous games, and look at them in glorious modern-o-vision.
Also the soundtrack is immense.
BUT! There’s a few issues, mainly due to some narrative issues. Mainly you spend your time wandering about doing quests, so much so MMO, but it seems sometimes that every quest you get is from a ghost, dealing with other ghosts, or going back in time to hit things before they became ghosts.
Thankfully the Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, and Morrowind add-ons have helped sort this out, but there’s still a lot of ghost-chatting.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Ah now, this is where I’ll probably start annoying some of you.
Look, I love Oblivion, I think it’s a good game, and a great game in some places. I love, for the most part, the quest design. Almost every quest has some inversion of your expectations, and the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood questlines are a series highpoint.
Why’s it so low?
The combat isn’t great. After Morrowind the combat system was changed so that if you hit a thing, you actually hit a thing. The problem there is that since every enemy is levelled to be the same as you, you never feel like you’re doing much damage or even engaging in a fair fight. Right up to the end of the game, going up against some enemies is just you wailing on their shins like you’re an annoying ant, whilst bandits and beggars trying to rob you are dressed head to toe in full daedric armour and are armed with weapons handed to them by the gods themselves.
It means that while there’s a lot of good in Oblivion, it’s spaced out with combat that just doesn’t quite scratch that combat itch.
The game that exists on every system, it turns out it’s for good reason. Skyrim is astounding, it’s such a wonderful achievement and it’s a highlight of the series. Yes, it’s streamlined, and yes some quest chains are awfully truncated, but there’s so much good in this game.
For one it’s an absolutely stunning world, from the mist filled forest of the South to the creaking, uneasy ice floes in the North, it’s beautiful and just a great place to exist in. The combat’s also massively improved from Oblivion, even though it follows the same formula. Because the levelling of enemies has been altered, you do get to feel powerful when dealing with scrub bandits, and things that are a bit too tough for you can be avoided, you can level up and get some new gear, then come back and make them sorry. It makes combat feel fun and exciting, in a way that previous entries didn’t always do.
See the thing that Skyrim gets right, even if there’s some pacing and narrative issues, is make your basic interactions with the world fun and exciting, so even if you’re not caring so much about the Graybeards or the Civil War, you’ll be enjoying just existing in Skyrim.
Also dragons are cool and seeing one plunge from the sky to try and eat you is never, ever boring.
There’s a lot to not like about Morrowind. The combat is fiddly, because at low levels you’re missing more than you’re hitting. It’s got a very hard start to the game where you’re moving as fast as molten treacle and your armour is paper. You’re not given proper directions for your quest, and quest givers can lie to you or remember directions incorrectly. The world is too big and there’s horrible beasts out there and it’s confusing and why does everyone say this game is great?
Then you slow down, you start seeing the world, you learn about the politics and history of Vvardenfell, you level up a bit, you learn some skills, you learn what works for you. And suddenly the whole thing clicks.
See Morrowind is set on an island that’s unlike anywhere else in Tamriel, or almost any other RPG. The island of Vvardenfell has vastly different geography to almost anywhere you’ll have been, with giant mushrooms skulking over the more lush areas, to the barren and terrifyingly sparse Ashlands surrounding the Red Mountain volcano that lurks at the centre of the island. The fauna is also unlike anything else, Silt Striders stand outside major settlements, their mournful cries letting you know that you’re almost home, giant jellyfish float above the land, and nix hounds patrol the badlands, ready to bite your ankles off.
Not only is it beautiful and varied, the world of Morrowind is more complex, more interesting, more political than in any other Elder Scrolls game. The game is set during a time where the Empire which spans Tamriel is struggling to work out whether or not it should impose its values and laws on a nation of xenophobic slaveholders, or if cultural relativism and a live and let live approach is better. You’re the fulcrum in all this, you can help decide if the island moves on from its past, or if it decides to embrace its unique culture and become more isolated from the larger world.
It also posits, uniquely amongst latter Elder Scrolls games, that your player character might genuinely not be anyone special. It’s left up to the player to decide whether or not you really are the Neveranine reborn, or if you just appear to fulfill the criteria.
It’s a game made of grey areas, and of beautiful scenery, and to immerse yourself in its world is to begin a lifelong love of the third Elder Scrolls game.
So that’s what I think! Do you have any thoughts or disagreements? Let me know in the comments below!
The latest game from the all-powerful FromSoftware is out this week. Following on from the dizzying heights of Bloodborne and the end of the Dark Souls trilogy they’ve decided to go in yet another new direction with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Where Dark Souls was fantasy and Bloodborne was Gothic, Sekiro is focussed on the ninja way. Dattebayo.
Alright, not that kind of ninja. You won’t be running around with your arms behind you or talking about how your friends give you power. Actually, you won’t even really have friends. Whilst the previous games have had multiplayer Sekiro has none. This means if you find yourself stuck against a boss then your only option is to keep trying. Well, you could throw the game out of the window, but don’t do that.
Sekiro really doubles down on the parry systems that have been present throughout FromSoftware games. However, in Sekiro it is intrinsically linked into a new system called Posture. Rather than being the reason for all of your back pain, if you let your Posture become bad in game you are ripe for a killing blow. Likewise, you can trash your opponent’s Posture making them be open for a deadly strike. This affects bosses as well, though more often than not you will need to land a couple of these in order to take them down.
There are two other notable additions too. You can jump at will now. I know this may not seem like a big deal if you aren’t familiar with FromSoftware, but trust me, as a fan, it is revolutionary. This isn’t all, you also have a grappling hook inside your prosthetic arm. This allows for a greater degree of verticality than ever before. It even comes in handy during certain fights, allowing you to fall back and wait for an opening to grapple to larger enemies before scurrying off again.
It also feeds into the other major change: stealth. If you can get the jump on an enemy – literally in some cases – then you can take them out in a single stealthy strike. This is especially useful as your basic foes become increasingly tricky to deal with. You can even sneak around in the grass and assassinate people a-la some other series about creeds.
Rather than create your own character Sekiro has you take control of the one-armed wolf. A man who is loyal to one master, even to the point of death. Which is fine, because it turns out he can come back to life. This in itself has some dire consequences though – who knew coming back from the dead wouldn’t all be good. If you resurrect too many times it can adversely affect those around you, potentially permanently.
When you take the classic Soulsborne formula and add in all of these intriguing little changes, you get Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. An exciting new game that is out this week, will last you forever (because you’re going to die a lot), and looks damn good all the while. It is a brave new world for fans and newcomers alike, and it is going to be one of the toughest challenges yet. So, you know, bring a stress ball or something.
Codenamed Maverick, Microsoft’s digital-only Xbox One S has been rumoured for a while now, but thanks to today’s fresh leak from WindowsCentral, we now know the release date.
Stealth releases are a rare strategy for publishers, though they are increasingly on the rise. Typically, we are inundated with years of teases and trailers before getting our hands on the real thing. February 4th 2019 was looking like any other day in the gaming catalogue but Respawn Entertainment had other ideas. From nowhere Apex Legends was dropped globally and quickly established itself as a top contender in the genre. One month on and Apex has accumulated over 50 million players worldwide.
For years, players shouted to the heavens about Titanfall 2’s stellar campaign, with many naming it the best shooter of the decade. However, due to a badly timed-release window – sandwiched in between EA’s own Battlefield 1 and Activison’s Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – the odds were stacked against the sequel from the start.
Now nearly three years on, Apex Legends has taken all of the proven mechanics and spun the concept of battle royale on its head. Why though? Yes, the inner-workings are solid but there’s something else that has made Apex reach the mass public. Like Overwatch’s robust clan of characters, Apex boasts a rambunctious rogues gallery brimming with personality.
With little backstory given for each character, it’s been up to players’ imaginations to fill in the blind spots. This is something that is quite refreshing, considering we live in a world that demands lore detailing every stone on every unkept planet.
Praise must be given to how diverse the roster truly is. As of the time of writing we have four characters of colour, two Caucasians (although Wraith’s heritage can be disputed, which we’ll come onto), one non-binary and a robot. A good step forward that has been rewarded for its efforts. Regardless of this, each feels a hero in their own distinctive right. Some may be downright mad but that only adds to their Persona.
Wraith, named after a ghost or ghostlike image of someone that one sees shortly after their death is a great representative for the band of outlaws. Waking up in an IMC detention facility possessing no memory of who she is or where she came from, Wraith fled with only the ‘voices’ to guide her.
Then we have technological tracker Bloodhound. Known as one of the best game hunters in the Outlands, he calls upon the Norse Gods to power his thirst for blood. These may be minor details in the long-run but these stories are exactly how myths and legends are born. Ajay Che – or as she’s better known, Lifeline – is a child of wealthy war profits. Most players would not know any of these titbits, nevertheless it’s there for the taking if wanted.
Finding the right balance of lore is essential. Too much and it can feel like it’s being shoved down users’ throats. As previously stated, every triple-A title in 2019 is bursting with mythology and we can only take so much. Out of the gates Apex has nailed what a brand-new selection of characters should entail: intrigue, diversification and identity. All of which has significantly contributed to make the game being the phenomenon it is. It’s now up to Respawn to keep interest in these key characters, because with the incredible start these figures have received the sky is truly the limit.
The Division 2 is fully launching in a few hours, and there’s a load of new features, places to visit, and systems.
We’ve been busy working on some videos that’ll show off some of what’s new in The Division 2. If you, like us, can’t wait for the full launch, here’s some sweet stuff to whet your appetite.
Specialisations
With three specialisations in The Division 2, you’ll have more flexibility and customisation for your operator than ever before. Play the game your way.
Environments
The action has moved from wintery New York to the sunnier climes of Washington D.C. With a huge area to explore, you’ll be making your mark on the capitol of the US.
The Division 2 is launching in a few hours, and if you’re quick you can pre-purchase it here.
Warhammer’s back, baby. Everyone’s talking about Space Marines, Orks, Skaven, and the glorious power of Khorne. You can’t turn on the news without Theresa May addressing parliament about the fall of Cadia or Nagash’s cruel reign.
Warhammer’s everywhere, but for some reason despite there being a lot of Warhammer video games being produced, we still have itches that need scratched.
Here’s our ideas for five video games based on Warhammer that we’d really like to see.
Inquisitor the Adventure Game
There are uncounted billions of humans in the Imperium of Man, each at risk of corruption by ruinous powers, xenos, or worse.
Enter the Inquisitor. It is their duty to root out corruption wherever they find it, and to take appropriate measures. An adventure game where you play as an Inquisitor would be perfect, allowing you to gather clues, explore locations, and build a picture of guilt before declaring your verdict.
Think the Blade Runner game vs Discworld Noir with a bit of the marvellous autopsy quest from The Witcher thrown in. With added Chaos for good measure.
Realm Wars
Age of Sigmar’s setting takes place in a series of vast magical realms. The Realm of Metal, The Realm of Beasts, The Realm of Death and so on.
Perfect for wars between them. Linked by the Realmgates, Realm Wars could see you take control of a realm with the goal of taking over the others. With each realm having a theme, it means it should be possible for each to have unique means of play.
Shadespire the Roguelike
Something’s wrong in the city of Shadespire. People just aren’t dying.
That’s where you come in. Shadespire is already the setting for the first season of Warhammer Underworlds, but it’d also make a perfect setting for a roguelike. What’s one of the main tenets of roguelike games? You die, you start again, but you’ve learned.
That’s just what happens in Shadespire, your character can die but they’ll come back. Sounds like it’s roguelike time to me.
Space Marine 2
The original Space Marine isn’t the best game on the planet, but it’s an absolutely solid experience. More than anything, it nails the feeling of being a seven foot tall ceramite-clad Space Marine as you crush and destroy the foes of man. It also had surprisingly robust multiplayer and co-op modes, during a time when every game was cramming them in.
The first ends on a cliffhanger, so let’s pick up the action again. Maybe Titus has joined the Grey Knights or Deathwatch after the events of the first game.
Whatever the reason for a sequel, it’d just be nice to spend time as a Space Marine again. Especially one voiced by Mark Strong.
Titan
We’ve had mech games before, but we’ve never had a mech game where you can feel like a Titan.
Standing astride the battlefield, seeing your foes as ants beneath your iron clad legs. Who wouldn’t want that?
Titans are slow, ponderous, every movement has to be planned. So many mech games feel like metallic humans, but a Titan game should make you feel like a colossus.
Do you have any ideas for Warhammer video games? Let us know in the comments.
Halo: The Master Chief collection is coming to PC, both on the Microsoft Store and on Steam. This is pretty big news, as you can imagine. For the first time, PC gamers can get to play one of the most important FPS series.
The series is full of thrilling moments, but it’s one in particular from the first game that I want to talk about today. Because it’s a powerful moment, and one that absolutely holds up today in 2019.
First though, we need a bit of background.
Behind The Flood
The original Halo: Combat Evolved takes place on a Halo Array, a colossal megastructure similar to a Ringworld. The player, Master Chief, lands on one in the midst of a pitched battle between human forces and The Covenant, who have been at war with humanity for years.
For the first section of the game the Halo Array, mysterious as it is, is just scenery. It’s there to be an exciting and fascinating place to battle The Covenant on, but it’s little more.
This changes when it’s discovered that the Halo Array might be a weapon, one that The Covenant may be planning on using. Suddenly those beautiful mountains, scenery, and terrain become a threat to you and every human out there.
Master Chief and Cortana race to the Array’s control room to stop the weapon from firing. It’s there, in the rosy glow of success, that it starts to happen.
The Flood rises
News begins to filter in of soldiers being killed, something lurking deep within the Array has been loosed.
It’s called The Flood, a hive-mind parasite race that infects hosts, and it’s become unleashed on the universe.
This holds up because of how the introduction of The Flood is handled. The entire tone of the game changes, at least for a while. Taking its cues from horror games and films rather than the bombastic action that’s preceded it, the story unfolds via transmissions and uniquely, silence.
Tracing the steps of the soldiers you’re tracking, you find…nothing. Signs of a struggle abound but of the soldiers themselves there’s nothing. This ellipsis in the action, this break, serves to build the tension. At the time, and even now if you’re new to the series, you’re left asking questions.
What happened? Who did this? Where have they gone? What’s going on?
Then it all comes crashing down, like the cresting of a wave. Those questions receive answers. And the answers are not pleasant. The Flood bursts out to attack you, and what has previously been a war between (almost) equals becomes a frantic fight for survival. Those soldiers that you fought alongside, whose voices were crying for help, are now twisted and turned into nightmares who want nothing more than to breed and infect their way across the galaxy.
Of course Master Chief prevails, but it’s that tension, that changing of the rules, that makes The Flood’s reveal in Halo: Combat Evolved just so noteworthy.
Halo is coming back to PC, with the others in the series, and it’s moments like the introduction of The Flood that mean it’ll remain an important and necessary series for anyone interested in FPS games.
The Division 2 is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC this week. A sequel to 2016’s bestselling Division, it features a huge amount of upgrades, improvements, and hours of gameplay for you to get your teeth into.
With a staggered release, multiple editions, and much more, here’s your guide to getting ready.
The Division 2 release date
The game will be fully launching on the 15th of March, 2019. It will be launching around the globe at several different times, please see the below image for a guide for when the game launches in your region:
For your particular location, here’s when you can start playing the standard edition on Uplay.
As a bonus, owners of the Gold and Ultimate editions of the game are already able to play, launching early on the 12th of March.
The Division 2 trailers
The Launch trailer has been released, showing off some of the action and world features players will be able to experience as they play.
In addition, a story trailer has also dropped, showing players a little of the kinds of story elements they’ll be interacting with in their post-apocalyptic adventure.
The Division 2 gameplay and setting
The game departs from the original’s location of a Wintery New York, instead taking to the ruined streets of Washington D.C. As an agent of the titular Division, the action picks up seven months after the setting of the first game.
Some features such as Dark Zones and the third person combat system will return, but tweaked and updated with feedback from the first game. In addition, new gameplay features such as base building, new Skirmish PvP modes, and character specialisations will be making their appearances in this game.
The Division 2 editions
Three different editions exist for the game, standard, gold, and ultimate. Here’s the key differences:
The Battleworn Secret Service Pack including the Secret service outfit, a rare quality emote, and exotic quality M4A1 Skin
The First Responder Pack, including a special outfit and weapon skin
The Elite Agent Pack, including an exotic Assault Rifle, an exclusive skill effect, and additional stash space
The Division 2 system requirements
Ubisoft have released an image with guidelines regarding what players can expect on the PC version of the game with different hardware. You can check this out here:
Now you’ve checked out the info, you should be ready to start your adventure in the crumbling ruins of post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. The Division 2 will be launched worldwide on the 15th of March, and will be removed from Green Man Gaming on the same day. You can pre-purchase the game here.
Devil May Cry 5 comes out on the 8th of March, the reviews are out, and by all accounts it’s an absolute smash. Combining the series’ trademark precision combat with over the top action, Devil May Cry 5 is a worthy successor to the long running series.
That got me thinking about combat in games. It’s unfortunate that a lot of games which rely on combat are a little loose, a little flabby around the edges.
It’s time to end that. Here’s five game series that could really use the combat from Devil May Cry.
The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls games are masterpieces of world building, freedom, and adventure. What they don’t have though is incredibly tight combat.
Maybe it’s time to change that. Mix in a little Dragon May Cry, let me combo a draugr or get an S rank on mudcrabs.
Halo
Halo’s weapons all feel individual, distinct, and all have their own uses. But let’s face it, there’s only one weapon from Halo we all crave. The Energy Sword.
So why not combo that with the Devil May Cry combat system? The Covenant and the Flood are well prepared for your ranged weapon assault, but they might be less prepared for you windmill-kicking grunts into the sky.
Skate
Speaking of windmilling, the Skate series excels in this. Admittedly if you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong. But that’s half the fun of the Skate series isn’t it?
So why not go a step further. On your skateboard you’re poised, elegant. Off it you’re a deadly whirlwind, reaping havoc on those evil skaters. You know the ones I mean. Those ones.
The Sims
Everyone loves the Sims. You lovingly craft your idealised person, or yourself, plonk them down into a small house, and begin your journey of teaching them to live in this microcosm of reality.
Then you kill them by drowning them in a pool.
Maybe your Sim would stay alive a bit longer if they could punt other Sims into the Moon. Devil May Cry combat, that’s all I’m saying.
Sonic
Honestly at this point it’s worth trying anything to fix the 3rd person Sonic games.
Devil May Cry 5 is out on the 8th of March and you can purchase it here. Do you have any other ideas about games that could use Devil May Cry combat? Let us know in the comments below.
This is an SEO article about video game. Video game will release onto platform on date. Video game is a brand new FPS/RPG/Battle Royale set in World War II/Space/land of the talking cats and takes its inspiration from Dark Souls, with added survival elements.
What exactly is video game? We’ve got all the information you need to know about the upcoming release.
Video game release date
Video game was initially announced at E3 20XX for consoles and PC. After a lengthy/short development period, it was announced earlier this year that it will launch on date.
Video game trailers
The latest trailers for video game show off some of the new features and gameplay in this, the latest in the series/first in this new series.
This trailer follows after the teaser trailer, which shows off some of the story elements you’ll be experiencing along with your robot sidekick/son/cat/scantily clad lady friend.
Video game gameplay and setting
Video game promises to bring brutality/nuance to its combat, combining the best of Dark Souls and Apex Legends in an exciting and frenetic mashup.
Players will take on the role of John Whiteman, this new cover shooter RPG will see you take on the forces of the evil Allegorical Empire in a high stakes race to defend the universe.
Choice is an essential part of this open world cover shooter RPG will see you decide the fate of the universe, as well as the fates of your companions. Will you recruit the vicious Klingon-a-like, or the sexy lady with few clothes? It’s all up to you in video game.
Video game system requirements
Will your rig be beefy enough to run video game? Check below for the stats.
Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows
Hard Drive: Yes
Internet: Always Online
CPU: Please
Graphics Card: A crap one
DirectX 9.0c
Recommended Requirements:
OS: Windows
Hard Drive: Yes
Internet: Always Online
CPU: Bigger
Graphics Card: One more powerful than the Sun
DirectX 9.0c
We’ve reached over 300 words now, so that’s the end of this SEO video game article. Please remember you can pre-purchase video game from Green Man Gaming here.
