3. Journey
Since the PlayStation 4 does not seem to decide to stop hosting the catalog of its older editions in doing justice to the new Sony machine, as long as it is dedicated to select the best. After the recent (and successful) remastered verison of God of War 3, goodbye violence and contemplation and hello Journey with this new generation.
What Does This New Version Compared to the Old One?
As you can imagine, Journey on PS4 does not differ in any way from the PlayStation 3 version. In terms of form, no big surprises: 1080p passage helped make the end game, even more beautiful than it was already, while 60 fps logically offer him more fluidity. The opportunity is so great to experience the game if it was not already, even since the title rediscovers the benefits of cross-buy functionality and will be free on PS4 if you already own on PS3.
The Visuals are From the PS4 Release
After the discovery of abyssal depths with FlOw and tribulations of many petals in the flower, this is a journey that suits you. Journey indeed offers an original initiatory adventure that will leave in any case a player happy.
We remember the two previous titles presented by the studio already offering gaming experiences to the simple and accessible gameplay for all, especially attempts to stir emotion in the player, which sometimes has a heart of stone.
Journey ends the contract between Sony and Thatgamecompany (thus concerned three games), and developers rely much keep the same recipe for this final, always available for download on the PSN. For the player does not drown in a flood of information that would deprive him probably any immersion printing, there interface is again very refined. The main menu offers just launched a new journey, then it’s your turn.
A Feast for any Instant Eye
The images published before the release of the game has been widely demonstrated: one begins the adventure in the middle of a desert environment, with sand in the eye. Your character, covered from head to feet with a kind of dark red burqa, not like here than a frail figure, facing the immensity of this hostile universe, but splendid.
Because that is what captures the player from the start: Visually, the app is gorgeous, and this impression will constantly be renewed throughout the adventure, over the environments varied, the backgrounds breathtaking and light effects to cry. Just for this artistic success, Journey must be discovered. But operate a small return at the beginning of our adventure. We quickly explained to you, you can control the camera with the Sixaxis, or with the right stick.
This will no doubt quickly be favored by the player, who will then try to move on and explore its environment by moving to dunes are ruins. Indeed, since no indication is given to us, intuition takes over, and it is therefore always leads to the decorative elements that stand out more than others.
“ Visually, the app is gorgeous ”
We quickly meet some bright glyphs that dot most environments of Journey. These allow to expand a kind of fabric scarf worn by our character, which gives it the ability to perform jumps or even to fly for a few moments. This flight time is precisely determined by the length of the scarf, which must also be illuminated to be of any use. In short, it discharges when used and must be recharged, which happens automatically when you approach “flying tissue gathering“, too scattered in the sets.
This aspect of the gameplay is important, since it allows to facilitate travel and access to some less accessible platforms than others. Later, when our journey is well underway, it will hover sometimes automatically, by using giant banners flying in the wind, and that will allow us to reach impressive heights. Yes, but to where? The desert is particularly inhospitable, our focus will be to a distant mountain, before measuring our progress.
Travel Alone or Accompanied …
Between levels, is still engaged in a separate environment (various parts of the desert, mountains and its very perilous ascent …), brief cinematic approach the background of the title, which is still somewhat mysterious yet. Regardless, it really does not take first place, this is the journey that is of importance, not its purpose. And since solitude could weigh up quickly, Journey allows you to meet a companion on your way.
It automatically appears in a specific location of your progress, as long as your console is connected to the Internet. Feel free to ignore this second figure that you are completely identical, and continue the journey alone, but then you would deprive you of some of the emotions that developers want to convey with Journey.
For if, when attempting the journey in two, the possibilities are not provided tenfold, it still brings another dimension to the experience that we are going through, and now share. Facing a hostile universe, it will tend to be closer to our friend, and to communicate with him.
Not by a voice chat – absent from the game because it would break the dear immersion course – but more simply by a series of sounds, sometimes triggering a small wave to attract the attention of our sidekick. By getting closer to each other, we “recharge” also our famous scarf, so you can still soar a little.
The feeling of solidarity is at its peak when approaching the summit of this famous mountain, and that weather conditions deteriorate again, plunging us into the heart of an impressive snowstorm, chilling … Both say clearly, the latest of Thatgamecompany succeeds in turn to amaze or move the player during the two to three hours of play conducted at a frantic pace.
We are there offers a poetic experience worthy of the name, which however does not try to reach the heights by delivering a complex and deep narrative gameplay. No, rather Journey manages to touch your football heart distilling universal and primitive emotions, carried by a visually stunning universe and enchanting music. A trip not to be missed.
2. Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V is one of the most exciting games including of the seventh generation consoles that was ever born. More than five years of development and a record budget of over $ 200 million were needed for the design of this blockbuster potential. Powerful enough to generate much expectation that the output of the next-gen, the title of Rockstar arrives full of promise. Return to San Andreas!
Nine years after we have told the story of CJ in neighborhoods seedy Los Santos, Rockstar wakes his Los Angeles virtual, as it did with Liberty City in GTA IV. Invited back, redesigned the city of angels has become immense. Symbol of the ambition of the studio, the map covers a scary area incommensurate with the open worlds of previous signed Scottish team.
The whole Hollywood (Vinewood in the game) is here, and if only the urban area lives about 20% of the card, the remaining 80% have nothing of an abandoned flora. Each pixel is likely to host an activity, whether human or animal, desert Grand Senora, a real third world populated by coyotes in Blaine County, popular with climbing enthusiasts and other tourists cable subscribers.
And the heart of Los Santos is not left out, many rich entertainment and reproducing sauce well-known places such as Venice Beach or Downtown. Complete history and GTA V will live to the rhythm of its thousands of NPCs, swarming like bees in a monumental swarm discovered gradually, fog of war.
If You Wish, GTA V Becomes a FPS!
For the first time in the history of the series, the player controls three characters. A novelty that brings in a lot of other influences and quite logically on the progress and the scenario. Michael to command, we discover the life of a quarantine, bank robber repented, who owes his quiet retreat at an agreement with the equivalent of the FBI.
Father of a poor family, Michael is in perpetual conflict with humanity. Unable to assume his actions, the owner of a small villa north of Los Santos is able to string together headshots in the manner of John Marston in Red Dead Redemption. Franklin is already more withdrawn. Children of the ghetto, he earns his living selling cars then … in the steering wheel to his boss.
Experienced pilot, skill allows him to slow time to zigzag through traffic at top speed. Finally, Trevor is by far the most colorful character. Psychopath by trade, bloodthirsty killer, he lives in a caravan and shoot with gasoline.
Uncontrollable, self-destructive and threat to the whole world, he was a pilot in the army before being downgraded. Logically, permanent hatred allows it to enter a trance that doubles the damage it causes and mitigates those he cash. A real machine to make room on the blue planet.
The Scene Intro of the Game is a Joy
In addition to these special abilities, which I believe also largely under-exploited throughout the adventure, each hero sees its characteristics evolve with practice. Run and you will become more enduring, and your apnea dive will develop, drive to control air transport … In fact, the architecture of the game is more complex than previous GTA.
Although they are required to cross again and again and to work together, each character has its own life, its own customs, its own hideout. And for the sake of consistency, Rockstar has ensured that each retains its look, despite extensive customization possibilities. If Michael is subscribed to suits and ties, Franklin was more a gangsta look and Trevor one of a kind that has no washing machine nor taste for fashion.
Enter a clothing store and you can remedy all that. Same goes for hair salons, back, and that tailor their offerings to the type that you embody. Edit your avatar is possible, but farting coherence of the universe is not. And that’s just fine. But really, how does one go from one to another? Simply pressing the directional pad is used to display a switch and select the bandit to embody.
Out mission, the operation is possible at any time but takes a good 20 seconds for a unzoom and ReZoom operates on the map. Classier than that, you die. It happened for example to switch in when Trevor was about to swing a kind from a bridge over the freeway or hangovers in his underwear on an island lost in the middle of nowhere.
The Cockpits of the Planes Were Modeled, Guaranteed Immersion!
Mission, the switch is automatic because sometimes scripted, sometimes strongly suggested by the staging, or completely manual. And if the guys are close to each other, the transition is immediate, no-frills effect. Thus, even if the branches are not so numerous that this mission can be lived more or less differently depending on the choice of switch.
In fact, this particular feature offers the ability to cover more ground or moderate whereabouts during gunfights that left to last. Anyway, the tasks that use the same three heroes are rare and so defined the position of the switches that guys are not so much the desire of the player to that of developers.
And for proof, the switch may not be possible. Dirigiste enough, the function remains devilishly effective and frankly enjoyable. Especially since Rockstar has planned everything and that if one of the characters that you do not play as is in trouble, color code and audible indication you point out, the time for you to possess it and settle his problem (coverage fails, a wave of enemies too massive, etc.).
Technically, the Game is Particularly Successful
If the game has 70 main missions of rare quality, the most significant are those concerning Michael, Trevor and Franklin. And the rich and cared for are obviously robberies that require preparation, tactical choices and recruiting reinforcements. I would have liked there to be more, but may request a hold three or four upstream assignments before being achievable.
Thus, before being ready to rob a jewelry store or attack an armored car, you will potentially provide ammunition, vehicles (from classic to most improbable, like a submarine), masks or suits, even taking pictures of surveillance cameras or location of the alarm.
Every detail counts and as long as you do not have everything planned, the mission can’t begin. Once the gear together, Lester, the brain of the band, presents a table riddled pictures, data, diverse and varied plans.
After his explanation to you to choose one of two approaches proposed, for example buggers or stealth. A tough choice that has nothing frustrating because all of the game’s missions can be replayed both to score and to succeed by adopting a different method.
FPS View, the Gunfights are Much More Dynamic
The gameplay of GTA V remains fairly close to GTA IV. It is actually an evolution on the latter, not bad correcting defects, improving the entertainment, travel and thinning clashes. Thus, the characters are obviously lighter, although moving in a narrow space always leads to comical situations, to ridiculous falls or involuntary well walls of hugs.
The developers have however made sure that, inside the whereabouts should always attended more. But this flexibility, they benefit especially during gunfights as more able to adapt to the surrounding configuration. And it is a necessity to the extent that some walls have become destructible and therefore, only the temporary covers.
Helped by a semi-automatic aiming, however, the player has no trouble getting rid of an AI certainly superior in number, but not very fine. It must simply seek to multiply headshots to prevent a wounded man continued to shoot once on land.
The weapons are available which, additional customizable (silencers, suppressors, torches, etc.), ample enough anyway to the task: Beretta, Uzi, AK47, hunting or precision rifle but also rocket launchers, grenades paralyzing or sticky bombs are scheduled. And master complementarity of all these toys can make easy gunfights frankly, although still very intense.
Face Modeling Our Heroes has been Refined
Driving four wheel has suffered the same fate, namely that it takes the basics of GTA IV and gaining flexibility. Some will find it too arch, but the templates are fairly well respected. We simply lost the surreal suspensions and latency of management in favor of a more nervous and more precise steering, and traction tenfold, allowing some difficulties to climb more easily at the expense of realism though.
But wander into jalopy almost became has-been in GTA V as air transport is put forward. Size of the map oblige, you will often be tempted to steal or order a helicopter to get you from point A to point B if you want to avoid taxis, more practical but necessarily less fendarts
. The models are more numerous than ever but especially, it is possible to drive airliners in making do well, a real fantasy for any fan of GTA, who tried to hijack a Boeing on the trail of Francis International Airport’s fourth episode ! And when you’ve mastered the skill, following some strong missions adrenaline you can skydive at any time from your horse and enjoy the time while Los Santos a long fall. Ballad of Gay Tony’s base-jumping can get dressed.
Attention Phone While It Is 3 Points Less on the License
As in GTA IV, our heroes each have a smartphone, allowing them to receive SMS messages and contacts, call a cab, take pictures and even surf the Net. A virtual web larger than life, which gives access to a whole lot of services. Spy on your friends Facebook imitation, order cars and air transport over the Internet, get it delivered at home, speculating on the stock market to make money (needed to buy certain properties completely overpriced), etc.
Clearly, Rockstar has used this unlikely canvas to make its platform and its sauce parody, the many sites and services that pollute the Web today. Facebook and Apple in particular, take full teeth and these are not the only ones. The tool remains completely delusional, but also functional.
Trevor Shoot in Full Session on the Wing of an Airplane. Normal
I defy anyone to be bored between two main missions. Besides the side quests, some random events occur before your eyes (in Red Dead Redemption) and sometimes require interaction from you. Some are downright scripted and can open new missions to our three thugs. If you see two scoundrels skinning a tourist, come to his aid, even keep the money for you.
An illuminated package, located here and there will have to submit requests you, as the seller in real estate that asks you to snatch sales 15 panels of his competitor just around Los Santos. But that’s not all, because the animations are more numerous than ever: Roundabouts, clothes shops, tattoo parlor, tuning garage, cable car, flight school, cinema, strip club, Darts, hairdresser, boat races or all terrain, parachuting, tennis, triathlon, golf … In short, the map is full of possibilities and final GTA is more like an MMO as an action game. What should not displease the fans of the series …
Venice Beach is Credible and Very Pleasant to Visit
Obviously porting GTA V on the new generation of consoles is accompanied by a clear graphical facelift. Now in 1080p 30 fps, the title of R * is enhanced by the capabilities of current machines. The viewing distance is considerably increased, which allows a significant reduction in the clipping on the most solid elements on the buildings, mountains, without removing it completely.
Aliasing has also dropped frankly, work on textures is quite daunting, especially on faces. Traits, clothing, accessories, tattoos, everything is much finer, worked. The game is more fluid than on PS3 and 360, the framerate being tossed in rushing at top speed with a race car in the middle of the traffic from the center of Los Santos.
I also noted that pedestrians were more numerous and better textured. And, more generally, all animations have been improved, whether facial expressions or flora.
All Content Produced Since Launch is Implemented Here
Despite new worries servers and connection during its first weeks of operation, GTA Online actually proposes to continue the experience of the solo, multiplayer with friends and competitors through a lengthy progression, tasty and addictive.
Add to that the system Crew believed to provide true clan wars, voice or written communication between players via mobile phone in-game, a lot of good ideas, the FPS view that lets here increased immersion and introduced views imposed, everyone plays in the same way and you get the GTA MMO that you dreamed of.
A very good year, which tolerates and cross-platform backups (can import a 360 character to a PS4 version, and vice versa). A great new version for Online just waiting for the implementation of robberies and new missions scripted to be really must!
1. The Last of Us
You had quietly prepared for the end of the world by building a fallout shelter and making an inventory of iodine tablets? No luck, you bet on the wrong horse. Against all odds, this is not the anarchic exploitation of nuclear energy that will cause the loss of humanity, but a not very appetizing disease. You do not escape, this epidemic has hit hard film, comics, TV series and video games.
They usually offer us knock infected bloodthirsty and, with rare exceptions, pay little attention to the plight of survivors. The Last of Us takes the foot against this habit and speaks directly to the players through a particularly poignant adventure that lands on PlayStation 4 Remastered version a little more than a year after its initial arrival.
Naughty Dog became known with series such as Crash Bandicoot or Jak and Daxter, but today it is especially the Uncharted license which is the pride of the studio. It is indeed through the adventures of Nathan Drake that developers could eyeful. In short, as saying that the latest studio was a total success on PlayStation 3 at all levels.
If you do not know the title, as well tell you right away: The Last of Us is anything but a version of Uncharted in Zombies mode. Officially introduced as a survival action, the title takes its time to plunge us into an oppressive atmosphere. It is ultimately closer to the Walking Dead universe than that of Resident Evil …
Replay TLOU Prologue in 1080p / 60fps’s an Absolute Pleasure
It will not have escaped you that The Last of Us is not presented as a horror game, this positioning is largely due to the way its universe is presented to us. Here there is no question of staging zombies have fallen from the sky overnight, the scenario is based on an infection that likely means a scientific perspective.
Cordyceps is indeed a kind of fungus that in reality has a nasty habit of growing in the body of insects: it starts with changing the behavior of its host before killing him by taking the trouble to cover strange growths that will enable it to spread its spores.
The writers of The Last of Us were content to imagine that this infection was transmitted to humans through bites or inhaled spores. In this context, the unfortunate who contracted Cordyceps will go through several stages that will match as many different types of enemies.
The Adventure Looks Like a Real Road Movie Across the United States
They begin to be drunk with rage and violently attack anything that moves. At this level, they are called “runners”, they are relatively fragile, but often trimbalent in groups and as their name suggests, they have a nasty habit of chasing you… Gradually, infected become “stalkers” and the “clickers”, they are increasingly disfigured by the fungus, even to the point that their head ends up looking like a huge cauliflower.
In this state, they are much tougher, you better be sure of his shot and chain them to get rid of headshots. They, by cons, do not let you respite: they just catch you to sign your death warrant. Fortunately, the fungus has made them completely blind, they are very sensitive against noise and better not move to quick when approaching.
They spot indeed by emitting small rattling which will eventually bloodcurdling. You can well imagine that some infected pushed a little further mutation, but we will let you discover for yourself the result …
The Adventure is Still as Exotic and Immersive
A violent epidemic has inevitably turned the world upside down. Quarantine areas have been established in major US cities. These are controlled with an iron hand by the army. Most of the population languishes in poverty and discontent is rising.
The resistance is organized somehow around a mysterious group, the fireflies, but military repression does not lace. In short, 20 years have passed since the beginning of the infection but things do not really seem to work out. It was in this murky and violent universe that you play as Joel, a trafficker of early youth to whom we entrust a mission for the least surprising.
It must indeed make out a package of Boston safe area and take it to a group belonging to Fireflies. Until then nothing unusual, except that the parcel in question is none other than a 14 year old girl named Ellie. Things will obviously not quite happen as planned and adventure finally looks like a post-apocalyptic road movie across the United States.
It is a journey that takes its time and gives us the opportunity to experience smooth and length, these two characters and relationships they will build.
Small Graphical Improvements Have Their Effect
Infected have a knack for landing when you expect them least. When there is only one or two, the situation is still manageable, things get tough when they arrive seriously with friends. Do not necessarily try to face them: in front of a horde, the leak is sometimes preferable to an act of suicidal bravery.
However, you quickly realize that those infected are not as dangerous as it seems. Certainly, you will not make old bones if you fall between their legs, but we must recognize that they are not very smart and can finally easily anticipate their reactions.
Note in passing that you can also come across very few AI bugs that reduce the effort. In short, you play infiltration, taking care to rub out one by one the mushrooms on legs with your bow or surinant them in the back, you should get out. It is another matter when you are faced with the humans.
They have the annoying habit of communicating with each other and will do anything to you. The most seasoned opponents will even push the vice until tender ambushes you and avoid making any noise that you cannot spot them. Finally, although the action sequences promise us pretty mounted stress, to hope to get out, keep a cool head and play smart infiltration mechanisms.
The Anti-Aliasing and Sharpness of the Textures are a Considerable Luxury
You are excited and trigger you imagine already running furiously in front of you shooting at anything that moves? You are evil fallen. For starters, the levels are not really open environments, but they are labyrinthine enough to compel you to explore the area. Also be aware that your resources are far from inexhaustible: each account ammunition and weapons of body-to-body limited durability.
You will need to learn to save your bullets and consumables, and thoroughly searched every corner. Your curiosity will be rewarded because you will also discover a wealth of details that enrich the universe of the game. It will be above all an opportunity to get their hands on different base materials that will serve you when crafting care kits, Molotov cocktails or other roadside bombs handy.
You also have the possibility to upgrade your weapons when you come across a workbench or unlock skills. Make the right choice, it will be impossible to optimize everything on your first game.
Is Fun to Get Back Into the Breathless, Stressful Ride Wish
If the craft and exploring take a leading role in the appearance survival adventure, it is ultimately the infiltration which is the cornerstone of this building. We have already told you, it is completely suicidal to rush headlong, you must find ways around your opponents or take them discreetly from the rear. Prepare to spend a lot of your time and squatting well hidden behind the hedges.
Fortunately, Joel rather has a good ear, he is able to locate his enemies with attention to sounds they make. Specifically, you go mode “listens” by pressing a trigger. The world around you becomes black and white, and especially the silhouette noisy adversaries clear.
This trick works well when you’re dealing with infected, but it’s a bit more complicated when you have facing you humans trained to fight you looking to tender an ambush. You will understand, always be on guard!
The Different Kinematics are Also Gaining Sharpness
After just over a year and a critical and commercial cardboard, The Last of Us is back in full-HD version. Proposes that this port? Simply a compilation of all content released since (including the excellent single player DLC Left Behind and all multiplayer packs), all turning on PlayStation 4 and therefore enjoying a most successful technical support.
We forget in passing the small gaps of the PlayStation 3 which had a 30 FPS at 720p with slowdowns that can sometimes push the console to 22 frames per second.
“ Everything is more pleasing to the eye ”
Naughty Dog offers us a title running at 60 fps constant on the 1080p, which is additional comfort for the immersion of the sensational title. On top of that, the textures have gained in finesse and console manages a much higher antialiasing than its big sister. Everything is more pleasing to the eye, starting with the constant blurring of the character movement, which here has almost disappeared.
The lens flare is more generous, visible splashes make better, like particle effects. By cons, loads, when a new game or loading, excruciatingly long on PlayStation 3, here are shortcuts but remains a delicate point. Similarly, some may rail against the slight clipping still present and a liquid behavior rather “old gen”. Note still the possibility of “caper” the game in 30 fps to benefit from an enhanced rendering of PlayStation 3 with no slowdown, which is in the end not necessarily useful.
The Hide and Seek With the Infected, a Routine to Quickly Adopt!
From the perspective of the tools that the PlayStation 4 has to offer and especially the joystick, here we are facing a relatively efficient port … The touchpad is only used to access the craft tool, and the top loudspeaker Dual Shock 4 shall make useful when using your torch or when listening to an audio diary (although we cannot let the newspaper turn while playing, which is a pity).
Regarding the Share it makes sense with a nice feature called Photo mode, which allows you to capture a plan of your party, retouching or not, to share it immediately with your friends. Remember that this is primarily a full-HD port lined with a compilation and not a redesigned version of The Last of Us, was he for improvement, apart from correcting some small technical imperfections mentioned above?
It is a question worth asking. As it stands, Naughty Dog makes sure a new platform for its excellent title, which therefore falls in its most complete version, and affordable straight out. Something to appeal to players who could not play The Last of Us on PlayStation 3.