Lichdom: Battlemage (PS4) Review

Wasted potential is one of the most damaging things for a game.  Worse than mediocrity.  At least being average and forgettable doesn't leave you with regret.  Having a great idea on paper does not automatically transfer into a great game on the screen.  It still requires execution, know-how, and time.  Unfortunately for it, Lichdom: Battlemage is full of potential that it squanders.

Picture this: a power-mad ruler and his arrogant general flaunt their power over the commoners by doing as they please. Maybe they kill your family, or kidnap your sister.  After your despair, an old wizard approaches, offering you the power to take your revenge.  He gifts you two magic bracers that allow you to conjure magic.  Several elements are at your control, allowing you to destroy any in your path on your quest to make bad men pay for their crimes.

Sounds great, right?  It's a solid concept that, coupled with decent gameplay, would make an interesting title.  Sadly, Lichdom does not have that gameplay.  The building blocks are there, but the execution is not.  The game is first person.  Movement and aiming is what you would expect from a first person shooter, so the left stick moves the character while the right stick aims.  R2 fires off your offensive spell, L2 is a defensive shield, and both together uses your area of effect (AoE) spell.  There's also a short dash to move out of the way of enemies.

There are different trajectories and distances to launch your attacks, some more useful than others.  Both the attack and AoE can be charged to do more damage or hit a larger area.  That idea actually works fairly well.  The biggest problem is dealing with multiple enemies coming from random directions.  There are no constant threats, just rooms that spawn foes.  Unfortunately, there's no real way to tell how many are spawning and where, unless you see them appearing. Many times I would be fighting, only to get blindsided by some skeleton that popped out of the ground behind me or something similar. Then you have the scramble to get away, only to remember you don't move as fast as they can, nor have the generous attack range they do.  That's not the most conducive to charging an attack, which is usually a better and faster way to dispatch them.

So why not use the shield?  I do.  Well, I try.  To actually be effective with the shield, you need to time your block just as the enemy attacks.  This triggers a "nova" burst to damage everything around you.  Well, with some of the shield types anyway.  This is useful and powerful, but really hard (for me) to time correctly.  So, I try the dodge maneuver.  Sadly, it isn't much better.  For some shield types, you can only do a few "blinks", and they just don't go far enough to be useful.  I found it better to just do the tried and true "running around the room backwards while firing", and using the dash to stay out of harm's reach longer.

While you eventually discover several elements to command, only three can be taken with you at a time.  They can be swapped at some checkpoints.  These checkpoints also serve as your respawn point if and when you die.  It's not a new mechanic at all, but I appreciate that they work your character's "immortality" into the story.  The health system does have some unique features however. You have three health bars.  A bar can refill over time unless it was fully drained.  Fixing that can only be done by finding special orbs laying around the environment.  There is a burst from your shield when a bar is depleted, but all three going empty means a trip back to the last checkpoint, and doing whatever you started all over again.

Occasionally you will get points to strengthen some of your spells if you use them enough.  However, sometimes the point doesn't seem to increase a stat, so why use it on them?  Crafting new spells is a slightly more reliable way to make them better.  Enemies can drop different parts of spells of different rarities that you can use to make your own magic.  You are still limited by the types, but you can change trajectory, damage, and more.  While I do like some RPG elements in games, it feels a bit half baked in Lichdom.  The drops are plentiful, but still random, so you may not get what you want, or even something you can use.  You get a lot of drops, but it's still not easy to figure out what goes where if you are trying it for yourself.  That leads to the last few disappointing things about the game.

Capping the unhappy experience is the bad user interface.  While not always a make-or-break element, it does affect the experience.  In this case, it makes a bad situation worse.  The menu has both a normal and streamlined version.  One is good for making spells and seeing your drop components, but you need the other to upgrade them.  It's a baffling decision.  Plus, moving around the different menus is also a pain.  From wonky selections to having to use the menu button to exit (as opposed to hitting the cancel button), it just further mars the experience. 

Overall, Lichdom is not a good game.  I had heard that going in, but morbid curiosity got the better of me.  At least it was only a rental.  Multiple elements and spells is a great idea, as is the attack/defense/AoE control scheme.  Spell crafting is nice for customizing spells.  Unfortunately, the game doesn't run well, doesn't play well, and has bad user interfaces.  The game is only four years old, but looks and feels ten.  It would take a lot of effort and know-how to get this game to live up to its potential, and since it still hasn't happened after its numerous patches, it doesn't look like it ever will.

The Good:
Several spell types to play around with, and able to be customized to the player and situation.

The Bad:
Enemy hit detection, the UI, the big lack of polish.

The SaHD:
The game moves pretty smooth when you are just wandering.  The second enemies or effects appear, the frame rate takes a noticeable dive.

(Lichdom: Battlemage was rented from Gamefly's service.)

Space Hulk: Deathwing - Enhanced Edition (PS4) Review

When I first started playing Space Hulk: Deathwing - Enhanced Edition, I was excited.  I've been a fan of Warhammer 40k for years now, and always hope that an amazing game capable of capturing that universe comes along.  While the real time strategy ones are very good and accurate, I know there’s a great action or RPG game just waiting to be made (preferably featuring the wonderful Eldar).

The game starts off with the tutorial, even if you already did it from the main menu (like me).  Afterwards, you are put into the space hulk with your mission.  The scenery looks really nice, and appropriate.   It's also pretty dark.  I didn't find any enemies for the first few minutes, so I figured the game was going for a more atmospheric approach, rather than an action oriented one.  This could work, since you are in heavy Terminator armor.  You are big and bulky, so going for the scare factor would play off the resistance and fire power you should have.

Once closer to the first major objective, there was a group of enemies that ran in.  Since it was from a more enclosed location, they were fairly easily dispatched.  So, maybe they weren’t going with a fewer-but-scarier enemy layout, but instead some small waves of them.   I pressed on, and reached the first objective.  It was time for my third assessment.

There were a lot of enemies.  Not like Left 4 Dead horde amounts, but a steady stream.  I stayed with my two squadmates, fighting them off.  I figured there would be an end to them, and I could move on.  There wasn't.  They just kept coming.  Eventually, I realized this, and had to run back to the beginning area of the level, with occasional stops to shoot a few foes in my way.  I eventually got toward the end, and received a brief reprieve.

Then, I had to defend my position.  I figured it wouldn’t be too bad, since I’m on easy, and my squadmates are fairly helpful.  I was wrong.  After a few minutes of valiant fighting, I went down.  It was a bit of a shock, since I’m not terrible at FPS games.   I’m not great, but should be able to beat the first level of one on the easy setting.  So, I reloaded and tried again.  This time, I hit up the warp portal to fully heal everyone, and tried again.

Another failure.  I slightly revise my strategy and tried again.  Yet another failure.  Revise, die, repeat.  I started to question myself, my abilities, reality, and the existentialism of the universe.  I eventually hid in a nearby tube with my squad, which limited where the enemies could come from.  I lost one member (thanks suicide exploder enemies!), but managed to get through.  Great, only several more levels to go.

Besides the story mode, there are Special Missions and Multiplayer.  Sadly, these both just recycle the story mode maps.  Special Missions are just playing the same maps with random objectives each time you load in.  It’s not the most interesting idea, but it gives you some decent replayability.  Multiplayer is either a story mode or special mission map that you play with other people.  It’s more enjoyable than playing with the AI, and probably a lot more fun with actual friends.  I really would have preferred some kind of horde mode too, as I really like those, and it would fit with the theme.  The game still has the same problems, but with four people, it’s a little easier.  Plus, when not in story mode, you can pick your class.

Since you are stuck as a terminator, the class selection isn’t near as varied as it could be for a 40K game.  Each class gets a melee weapon on one hand, while the other has a ranged or another melee weapon.  There are only so many weapons, so there is plenty of overlap between the classes.  Skills, on the other hand, are unique.  Once you find the skills you like (if you can navigate through the terrible menus to actually see what they are), you stand a decent chance of also finding weapons you like on that class.  Killing enemies and completing objectives will give your multiplayer classes experience.  When you level up, you get a random unlock and some in-game currency to buy upgrades and skins.  Pretty basic stuff.

Death in Space Hulk feels off.  Your final hit just kind of kills you.  I rarely saw where it came from, you just…fall over.  It's very lackluster and made me feel like I wasn't even hit, but that my guy just gave up.   It also likes to happen very suddenly.  I’ve been killed in one hit by some enemies, and even died immediately upon loading into a map.  If you fail a map, you get some experience, but don’t seem to get any currency.  With how much you money you need to unlock stuff, the game somehow makes a long grind even longer and more grind-y.  Plus, you have to sit through several long load times, making it even worse.

It would be easier to not die if the visuals were tweaked.  Scenery, while detailed and appropriate, shares the pallet with the enemies.  It is much harder than it should be to pick up the off-white and grey enemies from the grey and dark grey backgrounds.  To make matters worse, your HUD and weapon effects take up a ton of screen real estate.  The information on the HUD can be useful, but it could also be presented in a better way.  Plus, sometimes your character will put his shoulder up into the frame which blocks more of the screen than anyone should be okay with.  The flamer and plasma cannons are useful weapons, but also disguise what is going on behind their fancy effects.   Is the enemy dead?  Should I stop shooting?  Are they more enemies behind them?  Having all of these things interfere with your sense of sight is not good design.

Choosing a class and playing with other people is a better experience than single player, which sadly, isn’t really saying much.  I was looking forward to playing Space Hulk: Deathwing - Enhanced Edition, but was left feeling disappointed.  Muddled visuals, repeating stages, cheesy enemies, cumbersome menus, and long load times really bring the game down.  Looks like I'm not the only one to bring shame to my chapter.

The Good:
Player models look really good.  Classes are a nice touch, and you can always have a varied experience in the special missions.

The Bad:
It's way too hard to see anything, since it is very dark, there are lots of effects everywhere, and the enemies are the same colors as the scenery.  Back in my day, Tyrannids were blue and purple!

The SaHD:
How does the power fist not kill the genestealers in 1 hit?  It's a strength of 8!  If it hits them, they die.  Have they not played 40K or read the codex?

(Review code for Space Hulk: Deathwing -EE was received from the publisher)

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 (PS4) Review

I wasn't sure what to expect when starting up Sniper Ghost Warrior 3, other than you probably play as a sniper.  I figured it would kind of be like Sniper Elite, but what I got was something....better.

The campaign starts off where most do: a video showing back story, then a quick tutorial mission.  The prologue was actually more difficult that I would have thought.  I failed the first time when trying to tag all the targets with the drone.  I took too long to find everyone, and one guy saw the drone.  Oops.  Second time, I guess I took too long to shoot the target, but the game said "you missed the shot" even though I didn't pull the trigger.  Ooookay, another reload.  Then they told me the target was X distance away, so I shot that guy.  Turns out he was the wrong one, and somebody saw him die.  Oops again, and another reload.  That was my last mistake in that chapter, but I was still worried, failing so much during the tutorial.

Part of that stems from trying to learn the controls and part from learning how to adjust for wind.  It's not something in most game I play, and it's always a bit different in the few that have it.  At first, I didn't even know where the measurement was on the HUD, since my attention was elsewhere in the brief time I could hit the touch pad and read the tutorial page on it.  Basically your scope can be adjusted close to the target's altitude, which can make your aiming more precise.

After some more story, the game properly picks up.  I was surprised to see that it takes place on a large, open map with many unknown places of interest and other things to explore and gather.  Kind of like a sniper-focused Far Cry 3 or even the more recent Ghost Recon Wildlands.  I was happy to see that, since I do like that style of game, and was eager to try out one with a sniper bias.  The only trouble is, when presented with such a world, it takes me forever to actually do the story.  I like to wander around and do the side activities.  The 23 main missions and 16 side missions are spread over 3 big maps.  That's a lot of points of discovery.

Besides the scope mentioned previously, there are other things to learn while playing.  Silencers are very helpful, but must be repaired to function.  You have three different healing items, which you use by holding triangle.  This is also used to loot weapons (breaking them down), so it's easy to accidentally use a medkit while trying to break down a weapon.  It's not a deal breaker, but it is annoying.  Like the actual sniping, after a few hours I was able to sort it out.  Shooting was also easier and I had a good grasp of where to aim to accurately hit my target.  Practice makes perfect...or at least something close.

To round out the game, there are three skill trees.  Certain actions grant experience in one of the three trees, and every 1000 will grant you a skill point.  Each skill takes multiple to purchase, and I'm fairly sure you can end up with all of them if you play enough.  You also get a multitude of equipable things, like gadgets, gun parts and drone abilities.  You can also unlock new weapons, and switch between what you have purchased at your home bases.

If you stuck to the main missions, the game would probably run 20-30 hours (especially if you are patient at sniping), but much more if you do all the extra stuff, like I do.  The game's not too hard, as there are a few checkpoints during missions, and you can reload/retry pretty freely.  As for problems, sometimes the stealth kills are glitchy, resulting in a body disappearing, or moving somewhere else nearby as you do it.  There's also the load times.  Reloading a mission takes a bit of time, but the initial load of your save file takes a ridiculous amount of time.  Putting the game in sleep mode instead of closing it out helps with that.

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 was surprisingly fun.  I wasn't expecting such detailed sniping mechanics, nor the open world with many points to explore and loot to find.  The intricacy of the sniper rifle and the sometimes odd controls might chase some people away, but I'd recommend trying the game out.  As long as you are patient, you will be rewarded.


The Good:
Open world with fun sniping action.

The Bad:
Super long initial load, and the control configuration feels a bit weird.

The SaHD:
Why does a sniper shot through two heads not get old?

(Review code for Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 was provided by the publisher)

Hard Reset: Redux (Xbox One) Review

Hard Reset Redux is a first person shooter set in a futuristic world where humans and robots are at war.  The city has a strong cyber punk and dystopian future vibe to it, and many places are run down.  All story scenes are told through motion comics between the stages, and they look pretty cool.

In some ways, the game plays like what one would expect of a first-person shooter.  Your crosshairs move with the right stick, your character with the left.  A Button is jumping, although you don't jump that high or far.  What sets Hard Reset apart is how the game handles the guns.  You have two basic guns, each with their own ammo count.  The first is the CLN gun, which uses physical projectiles.  The second gun is the NRG gun, which obviously uses some kind of energy as ammunition.  The guns have all of their ammo loaded, so while you will need to pick up refills, you don't have clips and don't reload the guns.  It still took me a bit to get used to this, as I am a habitual reloader, and would hit a button to reload, even though there isn't one.  Thanks, muscle memory!

By getting enough kills and/or picking up yellow credit pick-ups during stages, you will fill your Nano meter.  Each time it is filled, you gain one point to upgrade your guns or yourself.  The CLN gun starts as a machine gun/assault rifle, but with upgrades it can change into a shotgun, RPG, grenade launcher and mine thrower (strangely no sniper rifle, though).  The NRG gun gains a very useful short-range blaster mode, plasma mortar, rail gun and smart gun.  The smart gun is really cool, since it tracks and shoots through objects.  Each shot of the different types of guns takes a different amount of ammo, so even with the upgrades you only have two types of ammo to keep track of.

There is definitely some overlap with the upgradeable funcitons, as the initial modes and the close range modes behave similarly.  They also both have a kind of explosive launcher.  The last two of each differ, though.  Besides that and the different ammo counts, there isn't much difference between the two weapons that I could see.  Enemies didn't seem to be more resistant to one than the other, so I think it mostly comes down to situations and personal preference.

Each weapon also has an alternate fire you can purchase as an upgrade, but I rarely used any of them.  At one point in the game you also get an energy katana, likely as a nod to one of the developer's other games, Shadow Warrior.  It isn't very useful, sadly.  The third upgrade section is for your character, and is mostly for upgrading health and shields.  There is some useful stuff in there for sure, but it's not a very flashy tree, just utilitarian.

Hard Reset is very much a run and gun type fps, since only one weapon can aim down the sights (and it is really weird about it).  Enemies come quickly and tend to travel in groups.  Small ones will rush you and jump around, making them not only harder to hit, but more annoying.  Some bigger enemies will rush you too, notably the big, strong and tough gorilla-like ones.  You have a short dash that can help move you out of trouble, but it seems to get me stuck on the environment when it is least convenient.  There are also lots of things in the environment that can explode or shoot electricity to take out enemies (or yourself if you aren't careful), giving the game an arcade-like feel.

When not in a battle for your life, you walk and occasionally jump around the various locales that you character will travel to.  There are several switches to push to unlock doors so you can proceed.  Several enemy ambushes will also open the way forward.  Poking around in nooks and crannies can reveal secrets to get more credits to fuel your upgrades.  There's sadly no map, so you have to keep track of where you came from and where you need to go.  Even so, I rarely got lost or confused as to how to proceed, since the game is pretty linear.  Some stages even end in a boss fight that can make you scramble around trying to stay alive.  There were several times I had sweaty palms while taking on the harder foes.

I played the game on the Normal setting (I would have copped out and played Easy, but several of the achievements want you to at least play on Normal...bleh) and it was an appropriate level of difficulty.  There were a few more difficult parts, but they still felt like the right difficulty for a 'Normal' setting.  Health and ammo power-ups are fairly plentiful in each area.  Ammo/energy itself will even refill up to a certain point if you get low, so the game is really nice about keeping you alive and full of bullets between fights.   A majority of my deaths were not from fights, but the environment (traps, pits, etc.)

There are a few unlockable things, too.  My favorite is the artbook of concept drawings that gets filled out as you play the game.  Upon completion, you get an EX Mode, which is basically new game+, but lets you change the difficulty.  I would assume this makes the harder difficulties much more manageable.  Last is Heroic Mode.  This mode is harder than the Insane difficulty, and only saves at the beginning of the level, so you have to do each one in one shot.  While that's fine for others, it is definitely not something I would ever do.

Since the game is all single player, the meat of the game is story mode, and runs about 10-15 hours depending on how much you poke around for secrets.  However, there is also a survival mode thrown in.  There are four arenas to pick from, and power-ups around the area.  At the end of each wave, you get an upgrade point that you have to quickly put into a skill.  The mode is fairly fun, but I would of course love it if there were multiplayer (even though I don't have any friends with the game yet).  Because it is single player, I'm not sure why you have so little time to allocate your upgrade point.  You would have to already know what each point does, and what you would want to buy, since you don't have the luxury to look.  It just seems unnecessary since it's just you and not online.

All in all, Hard Reset Redux is actually pretty fun.  It is a very action oriented first person shooter with many enemies rushing you and not giving you a moment to rest or a safe place to hide.  The two guns and upgrade system is cool, giving the game a very unique quality.  It's not too hard on the Normal setting, and the length is just about right for its price.  There is even a survival mode added to give you something else to do after completing the story.  I'd recommend cyber punk fans and fps single player fans definitely try Hard Reset Redux.

The Good:
Cool upgrades that give your two guns different uses while keeping ammo and inventory management simple.

The Bad:
It can be really hard to hit the little enemies as they jump around and behind you.  Dodging enemies works pretty well until you get caught on the environment at a crucial time and take unnecessary damage.

The SaHD:
That main character really sounds like Steve Blum, but it's not him.  It also took me embarrassingly long to find the option to invert the aim.  Why wasn't it closer to the top!?

(Review code for Hard Reset Redux was provided by the publisher)