Month: April 2023

As if it were some irony of history, Nintendo’s much-denied to the West Wars franchise was finally released in America one day before the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York. real war is not a game, but the Game Boy Advance game was not to blame either and there are more FPS franchises that have exploited this theme. Japan preferred to postpone the release for three more years and only received it together with its sequel in the Game Boy Wars Advance 1+2 compilation, which has received the ‘remake’ Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp for Nintendo Switch.

Game Boy Wars –from Hudson Soft– was the portable version of Famicom Wars, developed by Intelligent Systems, the same as Fire Emblem. In both Japan and the West, Fire Emblem came after Wars. Game Boy Advance had in Advance Wars one of the strongest bases possible in the first months of the portable. The design and gameplay evolved from its predecessors. It made it more attractive, with flawless pixel art and animations for Nintendo’s 32-bit console.

Its two installments do it simply one of the best gameboy advance games. Nintendo could well have re-released them in their original format for the GBA thanks to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Instead, a few years ago WayForward was commissioned to work on some very faithful ‘remakes’ for the hybrid machine. Shantae’s parent company needs no introduction in the platform world. In Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, we immediately noticed some pretty similar 2D character animations to those in River City Girls.

For our review of Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp on Switch we got immediate access to the sequel Black Hole Rising.

These, however, stray from the battlefield graphics, which are 3D instead. This main difference from the original games leaves a mixed result. The detailed pixels have an innate charm that makes them immortal exponents. Franchises like Pokémon have shown that 2D art has great strengths even if 3D ends up replacing it. Despite the fact that a bit of the GBA personality goes away with the jump to 3D of the combats, the gameplay of Advance Wars remains intact and adds the modernized character designs.

Meanwhile, on Switch the teaching times have fortunately been reduced. The original game put players through a series of tutorials and 14 training battles to explain the basic mechanics. Every Advance Wars unit, building and special commander powers requires its necessary explanation for new players. Advanced warfare veterans wouldn’t want to repeat such concepts, so everyone gets a cursory refresher and the option to dig deeper into the remaining elements.

Once the new 3D combat animations are assimilated, quality of life improvements are deployed in Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp. The clean illustrations of characters like Nell, Andy, Max, Sami and the rival commanders, are accompanied by a few voices in the dialogues. The iconic musical themes of each protagonist and commander are new versions. In the battle maps we find additions such as the approach of them with the right ‘stick’. While the rotation is still not possible.

Neotanks are another advanced level.

While animations could also be turned off on the Game Boy Advance, Advance Wars loses a lot of its charm without them. On Switch, we can leave them but speed up our own and opponent’s turns by holding ZR down, a practical solution. The game saves automatically and if we exit a campaign map we can resume it later. For its part, the classic difficulty has been the standard and unique to GBA, while players can choose a more relaxed one and switch between the two whenever they want.

Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising on Switch make it easy for players to crossed by Cosmo Land and Macro Land. Now, this is not to say that they are a walk in the park of Wars World. The early battles of the campaign do not pose much of a threat to the Orange Star army. As you advance through the nations of Blue Moon, Green Earth, and Gold Comet (formerly called Yellow Comet), commanders and their units reveal more aggressive strategies and not less bellicose.

In our review of Advance Wars for Switch we loved the new character art.

Powers that boost ranged attacks, nullify half the damage taken or allow a second move, work very hard against when the opponents control air and naval units. The fog of war that hides the visibility of the terrain is another essential part of a lethal mix. Of course, it is not possible to manually save the game at a combat point to restart the game and try another strategy on the same map.

In dead-end cases with many losses, starting a mission over is the only solution. When we access the bases and we must take care of the budget, capture more cities and build units, it is mandatory to think with a cool head. Some maps can be thematic, which they use, to say the least, planes and by default the counterattack is with anti-aircraft units. For their part, other larger maps suffocate due to the number and variety of infantry, artillery, tanks, missile launchers, rocket launchers, bombers, submarines, and others.

While capturing enemy headquarters or eliminating all units are the main victory conditions, not on all maps this is lightly achievable. Knowledge is power, so trial and defeat may be the only strategy to unleash them all. Similar to the GBA, there is a wide variety of maps available for multiplayer against the CPU or other players.. It is possible to play up to four on the same console or locally each one with his own, also the same as in GBA.

A Link to the War

As for the online multiplayer, it is frustrating that it is not used outside the friends list. Only with users on the friends list on Switch who own the game is it possible to compete 1v1 and trade designed maps. Otherwise, there’s no way to share your designs on a server with the rest of the globe, a la Super Mario Maker 2. There’s also no way to battle against three other players via a lobby on Nintendo Switch Online. So the company’s service somewhat loses its meaning in terms of online gaming.

As a point in favor, we can immediately access the Black Hole Rising campaign without having to finish the first Advance Wars. The second game is identical in mechanics aside from the introduction of Neotanks and new commanders. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a fair 2×1 that doesn’t care about altering the traditional formula but embellishing it. It is as addictive to play as ever and we hope – more than a ‘remake’ of Dual Strike and Days of Ruin – a completely new edition as a successor on Switch.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp In Summary

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp didn’t need to change everything that makes great games to the award-winning GBA versions. But it does maximize your native potential. Beneath its lively cape and vibrant artwork, WayForward continues to exist as an addictive and no less challenging tactical strategy game. Sometimes its difficulty can spike and requires players to go over the plan like good commanders. Animations, voices, music, all those seemingly superficial improvements are on Switch as a dessert for a main course that does not disappoint in general terms despite the absence of Intelligent Systems.

Review made using a digital copy of Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp for Nintendo Switch provided by Nintendo of America. Also Visit kingbacol.com  kingbacol.pro ewepedia.vip yadisini.com

It’s a real shame PS4 players can’t enjoy this expansion because it has some of the most impressive moments we’ve enjoyed in the Aloy saga. I loved Horizon Forbidden West even though I didn’t like it as much as its predecessor, so I’m happy to tell you in this review that the Burning Shores DLC fixes several of that title’s flaws.

This adventure begins right after the end of Forbidden West. In fact, it is not possible to visit the new region if we do not first defeat the final boss of the base game. Once this is done, Sylens meets us at Tilda’s old mansion to give us very bad news. One of the Zenith is still alive and is planning something in the region known as “the burning shores.”

At first glance, the fiery shores can be a bit disappointing. They are an archipelago that visually reminds too much of the Isla de las Agujas (San Francisco). Lava flows and landmarks like the Chinese Theater and the iconic Hollywood sign give it a bit of character, but it still feels very familiar. It’s also somewhat annoying that we can’t immediately explore the entire map using the flying mounts, but at least this is justified in the plot.

Aloy’s goal in this place is to find another of the Zenith: a man named Walter Londra who a thousand years ago was an aerospace magnate. Arriving there he discovers part of the Quen fleet that split off from the one he found in San Francisco. One of them is a sailor named Seyka, who will accompany us during almost the entire adventure.

A quieter and… romantic Aloy?

In the Burning Shores DLC they fixed two of the main criticisms I had against Horizon Forbidden West in my base game review. I didn’t find ‘bugs’ that affected the gameplay and Aloy doesn’t talk so much anymore.

If you remember correctly, Aloy was not silent. He loved to comment at all times about what he saw, where we should go and even tell us the solution to the riddles. He still does some of this, but much less frequently. He only gives us clues about the puzzles if we are really taking too long to solve them. That helps make Aloy that much more likable, as you’ll agree that she was a bit of a nuisance in Forbidden West..

It is important that Aloy is more charismatic due to her unusual development in this adventure. Her story arc doesn’t progress much, but her story focuses almost exclusively on her relationship with Seyka. She’s basically Aloy’s equal: a highly skilled warrior who doesn’t have the love or support of her tribe, so she has to do everything herself and ends up a hero. As the story progresses we see how they go from respect to admiration, trust and finally something else.

Oh yeah. on burning shore we finally have the option to pursue a romance for Aloy. Don’t expect Bioware-style dialogue trees and loyalty quests, as everything is limited to a single decision at the end of the DLC. But it is very nice to see a side of the protagonist that had been hidden from us for so long.

An “elonmuskian” villain

On the opposite side of this story we have Walter Londra, the villain of Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores. In our review of the base game, we felt that the Zenith had a lot of storytelling potential, but it’s sorely wasted. Londra is much better implemented in the plot. Although he is still a fairly two-dimensional character, he represents the excesses of capitalism much better.. He presents himself to a group of Quen as a god and creates a cult of himself. He fills the heads of his followers with his lies as he dehumanizes them and turns them into free labor.

I’ve already seen articles popping up online comparing Walter Londra to Elon Musk. In fact, it’s fashionable to compare any asshole billionaire in any story to the owner of Tesla and Twitter. But the truth is that this character is not directly inspired by him, but by the culture that has allowed the rich to believe they have authority to do whatever they want. Londra is a man who needs constant admiration and homage, which is why he is making sure to create a world where that is never lacking.

This villain also allows us to enjoy one of the most impressive fights against a final boss that we have seen in recent video games. It’s a shame that the promotional material for the DLC has already more or less revealed what it’s about, because it would have been amazing to take this mechanical devil by surprise. It’s a real spectacle with so many stages that it would make the final boss of a JRPG envy.. He agrees with the developers who explained Why wouldn’t this game show off its full potential if it came out for PS4?.

Speaking of that, I take this opportunity to remind you that Here’s how to copy your Horizon Forbidden West game from PS4 to PS5 via USB. So you can enjoy the Burning Shores DLC on the new console without having to finish the game again.

Aloy has new tricks up her sleeve

Horizon Forbidden West already had a wealth of mechanics, combat options, and exploration, but the DLC adds even more. We already met the Hydrofoil, a version of the Alasol that, in addition to flying, allows us to dive and move at high speed underwater. We also have a new way to attack stunned enemies, a powerful Zenith weapon that can upgrade to become a railgun, and a skiff for sailing.

All these novelties are interesting and fun, but they are somewhat wasted. Some of them are unlocked near the end of the DLC or even in its post-game and there are no more scenarios that allow them to be exploited. Still, they are welcome.

We also have a new frog-inspired machine that lays “eggs” from which other machines hatch. It’s a lot of fun fighting her. There are new collectibles and activities like dinosaur figures, the search for hidden treasure and flight pathswhich offer nice rewards.

waiting for nemesis

The main story of Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC can be finished in around eight hours, but doing this review I found that everything this new setting offers can entertain us for 14 hours or more.. It’s an excellent addition to Aloy’s world that doesn’t necessarily advance the main story, but it does allow us to see an unknown side of the protagonist and have fun alongside her.

Guerrilla Games has already announced that the saga will continue with a third game. It was obvious that this was going to happen. Surely a new title will be many years away, but in the meantime we have downloadable content like this to be with Aloy and the machines for at least one more weekend.

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores In Summary

As good as the base game Horizon Forbidden West is, the flaws of its story and traditional open world left me with a bad taste in my mouth, but the Burning Shore DLC reminded me why I love Aloy and her world. The new mechanics are very nice, this more compact open world is fun to explore and I loved that they showed the softer side of the protagonist. The story isn’t great and Walter Londra is nothing more than the typical capitalist villain, but it ends in a battle against a final boss that has a very high level of spectacularity. Hopefully the wait for Horizon 3 won’t be too long.

Review made with a digital copy of the DLC Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores for PS5 provided by PlayStation Latin America. Also Visit kingbacol.com  kingbacol.pro ewepedia.vip yadisini.com

Bayonetta is currently a widely recognized PlatinumGames property, of which as a franchise we have very little. His graceful rescue by Nintendo allowed him to distribute a second and even a third title. Bayonetta 3 was one of the most anticipated games for Switch and although he tries, the limits of the console compromise him. We never suspected that they had a surprise for the witch from Umbra a few months after the last installment of her (where she is hidden in the form of a short demo). But this time focused on Cereza and the origin of Bayonetta.

Thankfully, the Bayonetta saga takes a breather from the wacky multiversal combat to offer a simpler story. We say fortunately, because Bayonetta Origins: Cherry and the Lost Demon doesn’t have the same ambitions as the first three games. Having a teenage Bayonetta as the protagonist allows you to play with the aesthetics and the development of her mechanics. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Cereza is not Bayonetta yet.. That is, not the adult and brash Bayonetta that we all know.

A fairytale

In Bayonetta Origins, Cereza is the young daughter of an Umbra witch and a Lumen sage, exiled by her kind and in the care of the hermit witch Morgana. This powerful witch lives next to the forbidden forest of Avalon and trains Cherry in the arts of Umbra. Although Morgana is strict and sees enormous potential in Cereza, the little girl only wants the power necessary to rescue her captive mother Rosa from her. She makes a stuffed animal as a gift for Cherry, which she names Cheshire and clings to for comfort.

Guided by the figure of a mysterious boy in her dreams and nightmares, Cereza enters the Avalon forest, ruled by evil fairies. When she is chased by a group of them, through her inexperience she tries to summon a demon and it takes possession of the Cheshire stuffed animal. Cherry doesn’t know how to fight, so she depends on the lost demon to survive in the Avalon forest. The game narrates the story as if it were a fairy tale in digital book format. Likewise, its nice artistic touch of watercolors and paint gives it an original visual break from the main Bayonetta games.

In our review of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon we highlight the power of the four elements of the Avalon forest.

Like all classic tales, it enjoys a mandatory linearity to unfold the story. Just because it’s a fairy tale, however, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s for children. Bayonetta Origins is a dark fantasy that readapts the bases on the witches of Umbra but makes it sufficiently accessible to all audiences. While traditional Bayonetta games require skill with control and use of combos, in Cherry’s shoes we take a slower pace and leave the fighting to Cheshire with the double use of ‘sticks’.

how to train your demon

In the same way that Bayonetta 3 allows temporary control of hellish demons within the battlefield and the execution of combos, Bayonetta Origins puts all the weight on Cheshire. At first the unconventional relationship between Cherry and Cheshire causes problems. Cereza is no longer a shy girl, but she is rebellious, brave and determined to face adversity. Cheshire is a demon, and as such Cherry cannot treat him as a pet. Morgana well warns her that they are only tools for the witches of Umbra.

Still, they depend on each other to get out of the Avalon forest. Cherry to achieve her long-awaited power and Cheshire to get her freedom from the fledgling girl. We could walk alone with Cherry carrying Cheshire’s stuffed animal but we wouldn’t get very far. For this reason, we must control Cheshire with the right ‘stick’ while we move Cherry with the left ‘stick’. Sometimes it feels like a title designed for two players in a cooperative format and in fact we would have loved that option. During the exploration sections there is not much inconvenience and the environment puzzles are more of a light difficulty.

Sometimes we will have to return with new abilities to previously visited places.

In battles, on the other hand, we tend to focus on attacking with Cheshire (ZR) and with Cherry the main thing we can do is imprison enemies with Witch Pulse (ZL). Later on, a skill tree for each one allows you to expand the options for combos, magic recovery, slowdown, attack power and more. In the case of Cheshire it is more striking, since in the Avalon forest we have to collect four elemental nuclei with the powers of wood, stone, water and fire.

cooperative exploration

As Cherry is not Bayonetta yet, the one who shines is Cheshire with the transformations and powers of these four elements. It doesn’t take long for them to learn to trust each other despite Morgana’s advice. Without being her adult version, Cereza keeps that irreverent spark of her counterpart and a refined voice acting by Angeli Wall, reprising her role from Bayonetta 3.. She is a teenager according to her character and it’s nice that she respected herself.

Single-player puzzle-solving and cooperative exploration games are not new. Some decide to downplay the secondary character’s playable importance or make him part of annoying ‘escort missions’. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon gives Cereza and Cheshire equal value on the exploratory world map, since we require both equally. Only Cherry can use stairs, boost with Cheshire as a spring, or cross sectors that demons can’t. But Cheshire can jump slopes and knock down natural obstacles, both complement each other.

Cherry in Bayonetta Origins is a self-sufficient young lady, but Cheshire is indispensable, as we say in our review.

Sometimes a certain parallelism with games like The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is inevitable. We know the comparison to a Zelda game can be lazy because it’s an action/adventure mainstay with ambient puzzles. Cheshire acting as Zelda’s spirit in Phantom armor and Cherry as Link makes a lot of sense. Said that, even Bayonetta Origins features space-time “mini dungeons” with mid-level enemies and bosseswith crystal rewards for skill trees or increased health.

While graphically placid, Bayonetta Origins’ Avalon Forest has an overall design with vague representational elements. When the map expands it is easy to confuse the roads, due to the few signs that exist between the sectors that compose it. Various layers and foreground vegetation give the impression that this would have been a perfect title for the Nintendo 3DS stereoscopic 3D. It has all the elements to be the portable version of Bayonetta that we didn’t think we needed but knows how to become independent from its older sisters..

Bayonetta Origins: Cherry and the Lost Demon In Summary

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon has the luxury of experimenting with the franchise as the work of a group of young developers at PlatinumGames. An action-adventure game where the inexperienced Cherry is as charismatic as Bayonetta and her forceful partner Cheshire a mighty beast of war. Moving away from the flashy combos of the Bayonetta series, we instead get an illustrated fairy forest with lights and colors in all its magical corners. A much more accessible entry point into the Umbra witch franchise and perhaps the mainstay of whatever potential spin-off games are. Simple puzzles, inquisitive exploration, and engaging storytelling.

Review made using a digital copy of Bayonetta Origins: Cherry and the Lost Demon for Nintendo Switch provided by Nintendo of America. Also Visit kingbacol.com  kingbacol.pro ewepedia.vip yadisini.com