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How Friday the 13th: The Game Is Simultaneously Toxic & Fun

11/25/2017

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Written by DicloniusGames
Horror games have stepped things up over the last few years. First there was the success of Alien Isolation, proving that a good Alien game exists, and now another horror franchise is given the nod of success. Friday the 13th is the series in question, and the game remains popular amongst the streaming community of both Twitch and YouTube.
 
Even with its’ successes, Friday the 13th still has a major flaw…an extremely (situational) toxic community. There’s no doubt the game is fun on either side of play, as it’s exciting to be both the hockey-masked psycho and one of the 12 possible camp counselors doing anything to escape and survive Jason Voorhees’ terror. There are plenty of things that make the game special. At the same time, there are a few things that hold the game back from being an awesome multiplayer-only experience one never forgets. ​

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The Difficulties Of Being A Twitch Streamer

11/25/2017

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Written by DicloniusGames
After over a two-year hiatus, I decided to give livestreaming video games another shot. When I began streaming over two years ago, I did it as “test streams” to determine if I could do it consistently. With no real schedule, popular games to stream, or notoriety, I quickly gave up and swore to myself I wouldn’t do it again.
 
Fast forward to present day. I decided to give it another try, this time with the notion that if I had fun and set my expectations low, I could keep myself motivated to do it as a casual hobby. While I have indeed had fun over the last month since I started up again, it’s been a hard road to travel with no lights in sight, and the feeling of everyone passing me up with no knowledge of how or why.
 
It’s difficult being a Twitch streamer, and in my case, it’s doubly difficult for multiple reasons.​

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Top 5 Gaming Duos

11/24/2017

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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112
While many games focus on only one protagonist, there are some that split players' attention between two key characters. Whether it's an AI partner that tosses you items or a guiding voice that helps along the way, the games in question make a pair the focus of their story as opposed to one character. These are my five favorite video game duos.

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Batman The Enemy Within - Episode 3 Review

11/22/2017

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Developer: Telltale
Release Date: 11/21/17
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (played on PS4)
ESRB/PEGI: M/PEGI 18
MSRP: $4.99 USD (episode)/$24.99 (season pass)
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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112
Fractured Mask picks up right where the previous episode left off. This time, though, Telltale focuses on one-on-one moments with the deep cast instead of action. Doing so opens up choices I've been waiting to make for a long time now, but is that enough to make a more character-focused approach work?

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Top 5 Photo Modes

11/17/2017

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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112
This certainly isn't a common list to find on the internet, but I feel like it's one worth doing. Photo modes are still relatively new to gaming, but since being introduced they've gone from a small distraction to a full-blown feature in games. This week I wanted to look at the ones that paved the way or went above and beyond. As always, feel free to share your favorite in the comments below. ​

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Opinion: The war against microtransactions is misguided

11/16/2017

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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112
Today, the war against microtransactions delivered its biggest victory yet. After days of harsh criticism from gamers, EA removed the in-game purchases from Star Wars Battlefront 2. Were the microtransactions in this game an issue? Absolutely. When systems like this cause enough damage to hinder an experience, they deserve to be called out and consumers have the right to demand change. However, gamers need to be very careful about who they aim that anger at, and they need to understand what it is that they're being angry about in the first place.

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Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Review

11/14/2017

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Developer: Monolith Productions
Release Date: 9/28/17
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, PC
ESRB/PEGI: M/PEGI 18
MSRP (USD): $59.99
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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor was a game that came out of nowhere. While the story was just serviceable, and the game became repetitive over time, Shadow of Mordor still succeeded due to its extremely smooth combat and its defining feature: the Nemesis System. With Shadow of War, players are given a far deeper version of it. More abilities are available as well, and the open world is divided into five big sections. Shadow of War is clearly a larger game than its predecessor due to these deeper mechanics, yet from beginning to end, it simply feels like more Shadow of Mordor.

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Spiral Knights Review

11/14/2017

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Developer: Grey Havens
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Platforms: Steam
ESRB: Mature (but not exactly 18+)
MSRP: Free

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Written by ALFA_OverloRd

​Welcome to Cradle, a cartoonish-planet that holds the secret to saving mankind at its core. The Spiral Knights are the brave soldiers that delve into the planet using elevators and battle the monsters and beings inside; whether they be slimes, zombies, ghosts, machines, or the main antagonist race: The Gremlins.
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All right, you might ask "Why is the game rated mature?" Well, that's just the rating OOO adopted for the game, since it is an MMORPG, and they can't accurately rate the online interactions the players will have. However, in the Terms and Conditions, it says you must be 13 or older to play, so the game isn't 18+, but it is rated mature, due to it being hard to rate the online interactions. It is not 18+ due to gore, language, sexual content, or any other attributes associated with mature games.

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Opinion: Sony should try making a handheld again

11/13/2017

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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112
The PlayStation Vita was a failure. As tough as that is to admit, it's an undeniable fact when you look at what's coming out (or what isn't) for the device in the future. Undertale appears to be the last gasp of life from the ill-fated portable system, and as an early adopter of the Vita, this is a shame to see. Despite this, I actually do want Sony to try making a handheld again. Sure, maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, but I truly believe that if they learn from their mistakes they can deliver. ​​

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My Top 5 Video Game Soundtracks

11/10/2017

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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112
​I've grown to appreciate video game soundtracks more than ever over the past few years. Initially, during my early years of gaming, I mostly ignored the music that played in the background because I simply didn't understand its importance. Nowadays, video game soundtracks are almost all that I listen to when it comes to music. A great score can add so much to a big moment (or the entirety) of a game, and it can make memories that stick with you for years. This week, I'll be looking at my 5 favorite soundtracks of all time. Since there are so many great ones, though, I'll be sharing a list of honorable mentions in the comments section as well. Feel free to leave your favorites while you're there, and without further ado, let's get started!

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The 10 Hardest (But Most Worthwhile) Trophies I've Earned Since Owning A PlayStation 4

11/9/2017

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Written by DicloniusGames​

Since March 2014, I’ve been the happily (mostly happily) owner of a PlayStation 4. Before that, I owned a PlayStation 3 for a little while but mostly played on XBOX 360 for the last generation of gaming.

While I wouldn’t consider myself a hardcore trophy hunter like some are, I would think that 4,000 trophies in over 3 ½ years is quite the accomplishment, even if I’ve played a lot of PS4 games in that amount of time along with some games from the PlayStation Now service that incorporates the PS3.

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Cuphead Review

11/9/2017

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Developer: StudioMDHR Entertainment Inc.       
Release Date: Sep 29, 2017
Platforms: XBox One - Windows 10 - Steam - GOG.com
ESRB: E-10+
MSRP: $19.99

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Written by ALFA_Overlord

​Welcome to Cuphead, the wonderful bullet-hell platformer themed around the era of rubber-tube animation; complete with minor screen corruption and jazz music.

Right off the bat of loading up Cuphead, I fell into the atmosphere it provided. The music was spot on, and the art-style lined up perfectly with the era it was representing. I hit "START" and loaded up file A, and was met with a cutscene in the form of a short comic. Already, I enjoyed this, because it allowed me to go at my own pace throughout the cutscene, instead of having to sit through the slow transitions.

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Call of Duty WW2 Review

11/6/2017

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Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Release Date: 11/3/17
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, PC
ESRB/PEGI: M/PEGI 18
MSRP (USD): $59.99
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By Rick Warren / Gfn2112
Another year, another Call of Duty. After mixed success with the futuristic setting, Sledgehammer has delivered the first COD of this generation that takes place during the second world war. Covering these events means the return of the boots on the ground gameplay the series became known for. This hyped-up return raises a major question, though: does that system actually remain satisfying today, or has it become outdated? Read below to find out.

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Top 5 Video Game Endings

11/3/2017

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By Rick Warren / Gfn2112
Endings are often the difference between a good story and a great story. While it doesn't erase the great adventure that came before, a bad ending can leave a sour taste in the mouth of the player (Halo 2 is an example of this for me). On the other hand, a great ending can tie together the entire journey or deliver a huge twist that leaves a lasting impact. This week, I'll be sharing five great endings that left a lasting impact on me. As you'd expect, there are huge spoilers below, so if you haven't finished one of these games skip over the entry!

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Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Review

11/3/2017

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Developer: Spike Chunsoft
Release Date: 9/26/17 (NA), 9/29/17 (EU)
Platforms: PS4, (reviewed) PSVita, PC
ESRB/PEGI: M/PEGI 16
MSRP (USD): $59.99 (PS4), $39.99 (PSVita)
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By Adam Advocaat / Moofey
The Danganronpa series is one that quickly became a cult classic following the western release of its first game in 2014. Its status was more than confirmed when Guinness revealed that a character from this series is the most cosplayed video game character in the world. Now, on the heels of its worldwide popularity, series writer Kazutaka Kodaka has released his swan song for his collection of murder mystery visual novels in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony.
 
Danganronpa V3 is the first new mothership game in the series since the original Japan-only launch of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair in 2012 on the PSP, and the first to be developed with consoles in mind. With these two factors, it leaves a lot of room for this to be the best game in the series to date, but does it fill its audience with hope, or does it sink them into the depths of despair?

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Life Is Strange Before The Storm Episode 2: Brave New World Review

11/3/2017

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​Developer: Deck Nine
Release Date: 10/19/17
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Windows PC 

ESRB/PEGI: M/PEGI 16
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MSRP: $16.99 USD (season pass)
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By Jose Gonzalez / DicloniusGames​
As the bond between Chloe and Rachel deepens, the plot thickens and reveals more towards Rachel’s backstory and what may lead her down the path of no return.
 
Life Is Strange Episode 2 starts off after the events of episode one and the fire that both Chloe and Rachel caused, thus causing a chain reaction of events that starts Chloe’s path of rebellion with her eventual stepfather David and her continued isolation towards her mother, along with her association with Frank. ​

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Opinion: The Problems with Assassin's Creed

11/2/2017

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By Rick Warren / Gfn2112
Assassin's Creed Origins recently released, and with a slew of positive reviews, it appears that it's the return fans were hoping for. The game supposedly improves on the repetitive open world activities and innovates on the gameplay that has remained the same for years. The wildlife is more interesting, the skill trees are deeper, and the world is larger. The new loot system seems to add a deeper layer of motivation to the optional activities of Assassin's Creed, making previously boring tasks exciting. In many ways, this looks like a huge step forward. Yet, what should be the best Assassin's Creed ever may fail to do so due to two huge issues the series has had for years: poor storytelling and under-developed main characters. I'll be looking at these two problems below with attention to the older games, so if you want to avoid spoilers for any Creed games prior to Origins, look away now. ​

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