10. Crackdown 2
The first Crackdown, some may recall that the privileged access to the multiplayer beta of Halo 3 available on the cake. Others, however, were still given a chance under Realtime Worlds and had emerged Pacific City with a big smile of satisfaction on their face. Because whatever they say, Crackdown was not lacking in quality and offered a simple gameplay, but incredibly addictive.
Also, we hardly been surprised that the guy would feature a suite, a suite entrusted to the care of Ruffian Games and we’ll tell you if it has retained the essence of its big brother generous.
Nothing goes to Pacific City! The Agency, the agency “police” that ensured the safety of citizens blows of rockets, has completely lost control of the city. For if there was a time issue of dismantling (in every sense) of multiple gangs of thugs, the time has come to rub greater peril!
The best example of the decline of Pacific City, it is the invasion of Freaks, kinds of mutants that as soon as the night advances, to extirpate in great sucking noises from the bowels of the city to attack the grandmothers, raping poodles, to steal garden gnomes, peeing in elevators and tongs to rob stores. But that’s not all!
As soon as the sun rises and darting its rays purifiers asphalt covered with greenish blood and lapping water from local rivers, members of the Cell, a terrorist group with mysterious goals, to the streets and seek to turn to add more chaos! Only way to restore order in this joyful mess: send one or more genetically modified agents on the ground to clean this up by fire.
Scenario
You have already understood Crackdown 2 is not in lace and resumes, a few small details, the principle of this muscular senior. Dropped in Pacific City shabby, but almost identical to that of the first game in terms of layout, your goal will therefore be to kill anything that looks vaguely hostile following overall objectives in different appearance, but ultimately very repetitive: activation in several stages.
Relay supposed to stop the invasion of Freaks, location and destruction of breaches used by them to flow into the city, capturing strongholds of cell to make refuelling points and respawn … All Partners also conveyed a few races, agility course during which you will have to jump from rooftop to rooftop as a cyber kid and the continual search for secrets: Audio and hidden orbs reports to help you boost your character.
Side Activities
Because like its predecessor, the charm of Crackdown 2 does not lie strictly speaking in the fulfilment of objectives, but rather in the application that will move our character. This can change depending of 5 skills: agility, control of firearms, force, explosives and driving.
For some, the experience comes from practice, as for shooting, use of explosives or physical force. For others, including agility is collecting orbs (500 in all) perched on all the buildings in the city or participation in obstacle courses that will make you a real rubber ball. Driving in turn will increase with acrobatics or races you make.
Note in passing – and this is new – some of these orbs are classified as unstable and mobile, so it will require seriously move loaves to reach to seize it. But again, everyone is free to decide which skills you want to develop, even if in the end, there is a good chance that you will end up with a big tuna can jump 20 meters high while speeding truck in the face of vile scoundrels and chaining headshots.
At the end of the campaign, your efforts will not only allowed you to create a real killing machine, but also unlock new vehicles of the Agency, a helicopter and even a combination that hover above the buildings. And that is still fun.
Beware of the Freaks
But before we get there, between each mission, care should be taken to improve the character to be up at the next big scuffle. For that, simply off the streets and explode the villain. Spend time browsing this way in all groups of enemies that may seem tedious, yet completely unbridled side of Crackdown 2, with leaps of 20 meters and its plethora explosions (although frankly very ugly) tends to avoid that one.
Especially since as we mentioned a little earlier, the level design is very faithful to that of the first Crackdown and thus offers its share of tortuous scenery and buildings to climb. In short, the whole remains as fun as in the previous game.
That said, the fact is that Crackdown 2 quickly confront a very strong opposition and you will understand that to achieve your goals, you must imperatively associate yourself with others players on Xbox Live. Crackdown 2 is actually able to accommodate up to four participants in the same game.
They then benefit from moments of pure happiness, like in the first game; all while cursing on an antediluvian semi-automatic lock system. Because everything is not rosy in the realm of Freaks. So if the game is fun to make regular competition Dead Rising displaying sometimes more than a hundred enemies on the screen, you will have all the difficulty in accurately targeting a particular target or an explosive canister by using the lock.
This may seem trivial like that but that’s not the case in some specific missions where you must kill enemies. Another concern comes under the operation of vehicles, rather clumsy. Even if you eventually get used to drive the wheels soaps in Crackdown 2, we can never really say that pilotage is really rewarding, particularly because of a strange physics.
On another note, it also notes that the management body to body, yet essential to draw tides Freaks, proves more basic. It will indeed be content to hammer the B button too haphazardly, without any possibility to achieve combo so slightly evolved. In fact, the result also appears confused.
And hold, while we are aligning defects, so take the opportunity to say that Crackdown 2 is still very ugly. We feel that the developers have sacrificed many things to allow the title to remain fluid and display thrashing of enemies in large sets, but the fact remains that all often seems very cheap.
Hard to Get Excited About the Achievement
That said we do not doubt for a second that a good amount of players will ignore these flaws to focus on the strengths of the game, and in particular unbridled side. For these, clean the city will take between 10 and 12 to a player (in coop least obviously) but it will still be possible to continue to hunt down all orbs for many overtime.
To complete it all, Crackdown 2 has three competitive multiplayer modes that can accommodate up to 16 participants. So we rely on generous and prosecution carried on classic Deathmatch or team. There is not enough here to cry genius, but I must admit that these little bonus round honourably experience Crackdown 2.
9. Dead or Alive 4
Expected as a messiah to the strong chest, Dead or Alive 4 finally arrives in our cold regions crowned its bad reputation. Taking some simple excuse for a parade of girls in disproportionate assets, title Tecmo has always remained a little behind behemoths such as Tekken, Soul Calibur or Virtua Fighter.
Yet this small fragile being is not devoid of positives, far from it. Catapulted directly to the level of cult game before its release, he will succeed enough to beef up the shoulders to bear this weight videogame? The answer is words and images.
Those who doubted rest assured Kasumi has not abandoned loosely to a plight, facing a much less exotic reality. Vector of a social phenomenon, the Japanese lovely DOA 4 is sort of the leader of the revival of the series that was born. For failing to provide a truly playful revolution, the app takes the bet for innovation within what is its strength, namely its unusual gameplay.
For the uninitiated, the saga of Tecmo has always managed to stand out in a rather special fighting approach, building on its momentum and cons dazzling combo system leaving no part in a failing concentration. So here we find this special thrust into a corner, obviously proud to inaugurate the new generation. Indeed, the first aspect that surprises during brawls remains the furious pace and uncompromising as we cannot normally see that in the world of 2D fighting games.
After episodes 2 and 3 rather sluggish despite detonating sequences, Dead or Alive 4 out of his drowsiness on the player to shake him and shout loud and clear that contemplation now is happening in the background. So surprised by the change of bite direction we penetrate deeper into the intricacies of software in order to discover the subtleties.
A particularly rewarding journey, in regards to the cleverly concealed changes in the system. Intuitive and highly available in previous games, it retains its ease of apprehension while nevertheless becoming more “wild”.
Responding strict and highly rigidly to an ultra-precise timing, cons prove now easy to just go out, asking attention at all times and an almost immediate response to any assault sketch. In fact, even if for once the choreography prove less chopped it seriously hard to achieve a fully functioning consistent with the cons. Thereby becoming more austere and even more technical, the game loses a tad of Tecmo’s overtly festive look for a spectacular and surly side.
Battle, Visuals and Graphics
Yet, apart from this evolution cons to questionable scope, as religiously follows the line of conduct of its famous elders. Certainly more nervous and impulsive superbly, it remains questionable at managing combinations of blows, sort of fatality falling on innocent player.
To summarize the situation, if you happen to suffer a series of 7 or 8 strikes, it will be virtually impossible to eradicate before you see the end and bite the ground without conviction. A rather disturbing habit that grows to an extremely aggressive AI from the normal difficulty level, only offering little alternative to fighting.
It is truly a shame not to have breaks offering an extra dimension and especially to break an incipient frustration at the discretion of the clashes. However, following this path paved fistfights with great pleasure, progressing with envy duel, eager for this hair-raising feeling adrenalin. But is it enough to make a fighting game a reference?
It would seem not. Indeed, even if that pleasure is encrusted in us, it vanishes relatively quickly to the faults listed above and leaves a mixed impression. We are obviously at a saving evolution of the series, but it still awaits the real news that will allow it to have a bearing. Fortunately, we nimbly console with singularly impressive gallery of attacks associated with each character, offering a variety in the movements and a “plastic” combative fascinating action.
Environment and Music
An adjective that could also be applied correctly to the graphic quality of the game, even to be bluffing deep in some environments.
Happily enjoying the capabilities of the Xbox 360, Dead or Alive 4 offers us a technological opening raising awareness of the arrival of the next generation gaming in the same way as did Kameo or Project Ghotam Racing 3.
If you still notice some tangles of polygons at certain outlets and a few medium quality textures in a small number of tables, the entire app deserves respect as it offers a match between the photo-realism of the scenery, the representation of Contents textiles, and especially animation. Rarely combatants moved so fluid, sublimated by decomposition purely amazing movements.
Astonishment that merely extends the vision levels that take place in a valley watered a wonderful waterfall or in a Kyoto bathed in white cherry blossom petals. A real wonder that however tend to rub shoulders with some expressive faces and some less convincing destinations, as stated above.
Nevertheless it is caught without difficulty this dreamlike journey and it runs through the soft smile, hoping to discover unknown lands. Indeed, this album keeps the exciting combat system areas on several levels, allowing you to switch from one to another in different ways.
It will therefore come to project your enemy or yourself to be thrown through a window leading you to land violently in a previously unseen side room. Playing in the spectacular appearance clearly conveyed by the court DOA 4, this operation also brings outstanding dynamics and a significant cinematic playback.
Did It Please Everybody!?
Again provided a recording system in your physical performance, the app Tecmo gives you the opportunity to review your finest fighting to maintain a narcissistic side easily concealable. You can please you in slow motion, of stills, big plans and other assembly spins it is your responsibility to take charge.
One sure way to correct its mistakes or simply admire the choreography and postures. Besides that, the old ways of active resistance, seeming to ignore the desire for change from the players. Suddenly found the famous Time Trial, Survival Story, fortunately accompanied by an online mode rather rich and interesting despite its lack of originality.
If classicism is definitely waiting for you, you still will manage to find in Dead or Alive 4 of which you occupy some days that is if you’re looking to find unpublished costumes and especially to control not even a character, which is already a heavy task.
So in the end, despite achieving a high-flying, swirling and taking deep gameplay, DOA 4 suffers from its lack of significant change and its few shortcomings inherited from his ancestors. Variant pleasures, finally offering decors to highly advanced interactivity; it could easily create a wave of contentment. But this is unfortunately not the case, placing “only” in the class of very good games. Kasumi It is wrong to be happy.
8. Forza Horizon 2
About two and a half years after Forza Horizon, now the game created by Playground Games in association with the studio Turn 10 (Forza Motorsport) returns. With Forza Horizon 2, the motto of the developers is very simple: fly beautiful automobiles, travel, discover, and above all, have fun. And for once, the buggers have done quite well their shot.
The first Forza Horizon, released in October 2012, was unfortunately a bit remained in the shadow of its big brother prestigious, on Microsoft consoles role was to compete with Gran Turismo various Sony PlayStation. Horizon took yet another direction, adopting a more arcade driving and sensations, an atmosphere more “djeunes” and especially an open world inspired by the landscapes of Colorado, USA.
Mountains, desert, small villages of altitude, autumn forests, and dozens and dozens of vehicles to cross at full speed: the game was ultimately very successful day, and he was able to find an audience. Forza Horizon 2, announced a few days before E3 2014, thus aims to do better, always with the desire of developers to offer more freedom to players for more fun. This time, head for the southeast of France and northern Italy! There’s like a holiday atmosphere in there …
The Game Can Be Very Nice at Times
Before attacking the serious things, it is necessary to deal first with the visual aspect of the game, to answer the question that currently burns your lips: Forza Horizon 2 is it beautiful? As the subtitle suggests, it is quite difficult to answer this question. Forza Horizon 2 is an open world game, with a very important practical surface, the developers have obviously been somewhat limited.
Frankly, the game never really dazzles, and may prove quite dull, or even soulless at times. At the same time, it offers a very significant viewing distance, sumptuously modeled vehicles, and sometimes downright seductive landscapes.
The nice thing is probably the effects of light, since through the day / night cycle and dynamic weather, you can enjoy a range of lights that will shine (or not) your body and give the sets often paces quite different. The Tuscan countryside is not the same shape an afternoon thunderstorm, sunrise or during a hot afternoon! And that’s really significant because it adds only more interest in our walks, we take a pleasure to roll right and left, more than in the first game for me.
Depending on the camera angle, the stickers may appear runny. Some may find cities and some empty roads without pedestrian or even a lot of traffic. At this time I still wonder if this is a real problem in Horizon 2, whose stated aim is to make feel the players the simple pleasure of a ride in a luxury car.
However what bothers me a little more, it is the vinyl and stickers that you can apply to your car and have a tendency to appear very crude way, according to the camera position. A problem that will probably be resolved quickly through a small update, at least I would hope.
Why Bother to Waste Time on the Road When You Can Cut Through Fields?
The will to Playground Games, as I said earlier, is to give players a sense of maximum freedom. Despite its open world of fairly consistent size, the first player Horizon confined to roads and paths which streaked the map. This is the first thing that changes with Horizon 2, since now the player is free to go everywhere. The game map is not necessarily larger, but since the player is free to ride where it sees fit (or so), it is not really a problem.
There is even something quite enjoyable in the act of sliding down hills framed over 180 km / h, crossing and devastating vines or wheat fields. To join an event, it is no longer necessary to respect stupidly GPS, since we can cut passing through fields and forests, without it being too much of a problem.
The Road-Trips are the Heart of the Game
Also in the idea of not imposing constraints to the players, the developers have revised the running system. In the first Horizon, you were running in different races to get a bracelet, and move to the upper band. It was an opportunity, at every change, to work on his car, to make it more powerful and to upgrade to future opponents.
In addition, several races you imposed the use of a particular vehicle, you were often forced to buy. What could be annoying, since it was not master of his expenses eventually. Playground Games is is probably realized and corrected the shooting with this new album.
Now it’s your car that determines the races that you can participate, and that’s good! Your solo part is actually made up of several road-trips, you will spot by spot (Nice, Sisteron Castelleto, Montellino, San Martin, San Giovanni) and once happened to one of these places, you choose a championship. Y
ou can choose one that fits your car, but also another, in which case you will have to pay a new car. To reach the Grand Final Horizon, so you’ll have to win a couple of championships. It is quite long, especially that there will be around you many other hardships and challenges that should take good care! This procedure is very intelligent because even if one must in any case follow a certain line of advance, we never really feel compelled to anything.
The Cars are Staged and Extremely Well Modeled
The star of the game, not the great drivers, but their vehicles. One senses in this capacity a deep love for beautiful cars, from the oldest to most recent. And there are many in the game, since there are basic 200 and 210 if you download a free pack proposed the launch of Horizon 2.
And there is everything from the old pony car, the German , flamboyant Italian, Japanese ultra-muscled … impossible not to find his account in the auto market. The vehicles are all extremely well modeled, outside and inside. The game embarks different cameras, a true inner camera, very valuable in the race, thanks to its functional mirrors.
The New Paintings are Also Significant and Original!
And as in the first Horizon, all cars are customizable: paintings, stickers, vinyl, wheels, underbody, wings … Depending on the cars, some options are not available, but this is normal. Who would want to change the shield-front of a Ferrari Enzo, honestly?
As for paints and stickers, the customization tool is still as flexible and comprehensive, and lets you create very nice looks. Some innovations, especially at the paintings, are welcome, such as wood finishes, aluminum, brushed steel, carbon fiber … I am a fan of customization, I found my happiness!
The Online Races are Really Intense
The large piece remains probably road-trips Online, which should take good care. They take the model of your road-trips solo: you’ll spot by spot, and according to the chosen places, you will different types of tests to perform. The more you earn, the more you earn money and XP.
This is an opportunity to challenge many players who will also join and leave the road trip at any time. We appreciate being able to vote at each end of the championship, for the next destination, but the new tests provided by the online mode.
If the team races are now fairly standard, there is a King Infected mode and a particularly fun way and prove how the search game before all the fun, even create completely crazy situations. These road-trips work perfectly, and given the XP and the money it brings in no doubt that very many players will spend their time. As is accessed easily, and that is also easy to leave, they are never binding. In short, a nice success.
José Bové has Found a New Way to Fight Against GMOs
Unable to complete this test without addressing this aspect of the game. If in terms of sound, the developers have done a fantastic job, especially on the engine noises, there is one detail in particular that I loved and that changed everything for me. As in the first Horizon, you have the beginning of the set of three radio stations, and this number will soon increase as you progress to.
At the time of this writing, I have unlocked in September is found Pule Horizon, Horizon Bass Arena and XS (which replaces the rock radio of the first game), but then arrive radios drum’n’bass , electro … But my favorite, the one that changed everything is Radio Levante, a Tuscan radio station broadcasting classical music.
We find all the big names: Mozart, Schubert, Vivaldi, Bizet, Wagner … it is a joy for the ears. But mostly, this radio Horizon 2 takes another dimension. It’s a pretty indescribable feeling of fullness. Try to imagine driving on a small road of Italian countryside, the starry sky above your head … you drive a Ferrari Stradale Challenge, its engine purring at each shift, you walk quickly but smoothly cornering this small road, while you listen to this.
I had rarely enjoyed as a racing game at this time. In another genre, you can well imagine you hit the slopes of a vineyard, destroying everything what looks like grapes around you, driving a Mustang GT with the Ride of the Valkyries in the ears. It’s … masterful! This is perhaps something quite personal, but the music broadcast by radio that brings a real plus to the game, giving it a special flavor.
7. Sunset Overdrive
With each generation of consoles, the little guys of Insomniac Games have managed to renew their catalogue to offer a new series. Spyro, Ratchet & Clank and Resistance, respectively, thus the delight of the PS1, PS2 and PS3, but the whole series has a purpose and it is now the latest addition to Microsoft as the California studio has dug its hole. A crazy shooter open world called Sunset Overdrive.
Total turnaround for Insomniac Games, therefore, who leaves Sony consoles to enter the fold of the Microsoft giant, eager to provide its exclusive console still enjoying the expertise of a revered studio for the quality of its Ratchet & Clank series. The situation is yet more surprising as it seems with this title which certainly presents some typical elements of the studio, but mostly adventure in the lands of many other already confirmed and approved by the players.
The basic pitch makes you quickly understand that here is an absurd creed: after a brief stint with the character creation tool, and you find yourself in a situation where almost apocalyptic monsters pustular seek to deprive your life.
A situation which is not fun, until you understand that the source of this Apocalypse is nothing but a new soft drink unapproved by the government mode. Obviously your character has had the good sense not to try this dangerous brew and will now get down to survive in the Sunset City, quarantined and governed by different factions also barred the universe which they belong.
Humor and Jokes
Sunset Overdrive was at first false airs an episode inFamous crossed with Dead Rising. Yet it would be simplistic to reduce it to the universe as it manages to stand out by focusing on its supported valves and visual style in mind very “comics”.
These first are abundant, coarse and sometimes awkward but we finally immerse themselves in this devastated world with pleasure and accept the heap of nonsense that surrounds us without really asking questions.
If you are tight on the absurd humour and implausible sequence of scenes, you will remain unmoved at the Grand Guignol in most situations, otherwise it is not unlikely that you pay a few slices of laughter. Special mention for the sequences with lovers of scale role-playing and the bard, so improbable and packed with clichés that it becomes extremely effective and fun.
Comics With Effect
Visually and technically, the title also derives its game by offering a dazzling universe that seems straight out of the imagination of a fan of theme parks. Sunset City is indeed littered with statues art design of stuffed panels geek referencess (but not only) and colourful places that flatter the retina.
An already attractive and pleasant to travel together which is accompanied by compelling light effects, a model of successful fire and a clean technical mastery and without smudges marred only by a few slowdowns and clipping inherent in the genre. While the title does not turn 60 fps but his frenetic action is never marred by technical issues, and that’s the point.
The soundtrack to punk rock sounds very Californian also perfect accompaniment to your adventures on the screen, but would have benefited from more in quantity supplied. There is nothing more enjoyable than hearing a good bass line while we blew overdoses, but hearing two or three would have had more mouths, right?
Main interest of the title, the movement system takes advantage of the open world and many buildings and cables allowing your character to move around with ease. You soon learn to grind electric cables and edges, walk on walls, bounce off cars or relaxed canvases …
The range of movement of the character is varied and must be controlled by the player: it is pointless to seek to confront the monsters on the ground as the risk of ending up a sausage meat is great. Leveraging the environment while kicking opponents is essential and will require some dexterity in the most delicate passages. Especially in varying travel systems, you can also raise your combo gauge to unlock rushes that may improve the power of your character.
Guns Galore
Getting rid of a force-fed army of soda mutants sheer force of his fists is not easy. Your hero happily will not just use his mimines but will rely on an arsenal as varied as crazy, from the flare gun at Bazoorska (sic) through the disc launcher. The weapons available to recover after major tasks or can be purchased, cans are the currency of the game.
Coupled Displacement system and supported by a soundtrack dynamics, gunfights prove nervous and very pleasant despite a flat of size on the aiming system. This proves indeed too imprecise, which can be a problem particularly in a sequence where you must destroy an item and enemies located closer are automatically covered without you want. We also note the possibility to set traps in sequences where you must protect the overcharge of tanks invasion of overdoses …
Rushing
To improve everything, your avatar has specific objects named rushes which are precisely manufactured in the tower defence sequences mentioned above. These can also be purchased rushes against the elements to be collected in the city (balloons, toilet rolls and smelly shoes) and provide a bonus to your weapon damage from explosives to the ability to freeze your enemies.
The only way to trigger your gauge is up combos by chaining jumps and grinds with the Jet Set Radio Future, another ancient reference passed by the Microsoft consoles. The character can also benefit from Overdrive, passive bonuses improving your stats and recover that by completing challenges. All this beautiful little paraphernalia do not really disrupts the gameplay but brings a semblance of significant customization.
Like any good open world that respects itself, Sunset Overdrive also offers many missions and has a length of honest life: expect a good fifteen hours to complete the story and more to recover the objects on the map, complete all the challenges and scripted quests that unlock as and measure your progress in the adventure or to play cooperatively with friends.
This last part also proves to be very fun because it transforms a complete mess into a huge soda chaos, blood and explosions. Enjoyable and certainly need to be tested to break the monotony of a long sequence solo. It will remain more mixed revenge on the nature of the missions, which consists often coming Castagner monsters to retrieve and restore an object.
Some tasks are trying to stand out well and provide some variety, but especially with its cheeky side and uninhibited as the title manages to never tire the player, a strong point which should ensure him a place in the heart of frantic shoot lovers.