The Golf Club for PS4
“On Par with Tiger”
By: Dave Reed
@CaptBenLWillard
Released in late August, The Golf Club is a realistic golfing title by HB Studios and features an extensive course design tool. I was given the opportunity to take control of the first realistic golfing game to hit Playstation 4 and as an avid golfer, I was beyond excited to take my first swing. Thankfully, The Golf Club features a “Play Now” option so you can get out on the course and tee off within seconds. This choice is great for the casual gamers out there who might only take a half hour to play games or perfect for killing time before you need to go to work. Loading times both on startup and between holes are fast and the entire round can be completed in less than 20 minutes without feeling “rushed.” These are my first observations when I began the game and nothing brings you back faster to a sports title than ease of play.
There aren’t any licensed golfers to choose from but you can customize players through clothing and accessories before you take your first shot. There aren’t faces to mold, sizes to change, and there aren’t any designer labels, so fans of customization for their players are in for a letdown. As far as the design of the golfers, I found them to be boring but this will only be bothersome to about 1% of gamers who prefer to look like their game character rather than concentrate on the gameplay itself. Furthermore, nobody yells, “Get in the hole” or “Yabba Dabba Do” when I hit from the tees, so crowd noise is pleasantly absent. I’ve read other reviewers’ takes on The Golf Club’s in-game commentary and quite frankly, I like it. It has a certain humor and laissez-faire attitude that goes along well with what I believe HB Studios felt was the correct attitude and seriousness on their courses. Let’s move onto the gameplay and the meat of the issues and shining points of The Golf Club.
Direct. There isn’t another word for the gameplay. Pull back on the right thumbstick on your DS4 and push straight up. Congratulations, you’ve just hit your first tee shot. When you look to the bottom-right of your screen, an icon tells you where your thumbstick movement went (straight back, off to the side, etc) and with what sort of power you struck the ball with (100%, 85%, etc.). Other than wind and things like distance from the cup, this is how you play every hole. I didn’t mind the absence of all the garbage other golf games try to put on their screens that detract from the actual meaning of playing the game in the first place; to have fun! There are hole elevations and striking points on the ball to focus on as well but the only problem I found was the need to have Greg Norman’s logo on the bottom left, and quite large, too. I don’t need to be reminded of how much influence he had or has on the game during every shot, I get it. I read how amazing his input was and what great ways The Golf Club is helping in the area of real course design, but let’s put a useful tool or anything other than the logo, large and to the left.
Then there’s the putting…I must have an entire paragraph to type about the woes and heartache that we must all have considering how many times HB Studios is asked about the lack of player’s skills on the greens right? Wrong. I love it. I absolutely enjoy the supposed difficulty in The Golf Club’s putting and quite frankly, it isn’t that hard to do after all. There’s lines actively showing you where to put and you just have to decide how much force is necessary to get that ball in its home. Sounds a lot like golf, doesn’t it? This is a major check mark in the positive column and offsets the game’s biggest problem, albeit a small one…difficulty. It’s easy folks and for some, this game might be too easy. For the casual fan, The Golf Club’s lack of real difficulty in basic up and down the course might be right at home. I just find it intriguing that for such a realistic golf simulation, the difficulty in hitting the perfect shot is extremely low.
I have to find things to nit-pick about the game because overall, I loved it. From the first tee to the last, I had a blast. Getting par on a course is quite simple, but like all skills and games, it gets harder to actually master and defeat your old scores. There are options to check other scores from people all around the world and even go toe to toe with them online. The courses are beautiful and you can play through the games premade destinations or through others made by gamers like you! I thought the options for creativity and replay was endless when I searched out this gem of a feature. Then, I found the Course Creator design tool and was amazed by its sheer size and customization.
I made my first course and took a long time perfecting the first hole. I looked up and an hour had gone by. I had hardly put the brush to the canvas and I was already down 60 minutes! Trees, hazards, shaping fairways, and even terrain styles are all part of this awesome tool that allows you to literally create any course imaginable. I don’t want to give away too much because just going into the menu and seeing the sheer number of options is astonishing. On hole #2, I took 10 minutes deciding how dense I would make my fall leaves on the courses outlining trees and how difficult the hole should be. I never ended up publishing the “Harvest Apple” course I designed because I was too busy playing it. That’s right…as soon as you plant a tree or move a bush, you can jump right in and play the hole to see your changes. This is extremely helpful and such a rewarding experience. Be careful of the time you have to play before entering this vast array of categories and selections because before you know it, 4 hours just passed and you’re still deciding if the hill should be a dogleg left or straight forward.
Overall, the game plays smoothly and the creating options for course design are too big to miss. At $35, I think The Golf Club is priced perfectly for serious golfers, casual fans, and any gamer who just wants to pick up the PS4 controller and swing away for a few minutes to a few hours at a time. HB Studios has created a platform that is on par with EA’s Tiger Woods games in fun but has the ability to surpass them in the very near future. I give The Golf Club a score of 8/10.
A Deeper Look Into Chasm
An Interview with Founder/Lead Designer James Petruzzi
By: Dave Reed (@CaptBenLWillard)
Coming soon to Playstation 4 and PC, Discord Games’ 3rd game entitled “Chasm” is putting Metroidvania fans in a state of awe and wonder. In the 2D action-RPG platformer, you will be able to explore diverse areas that are procedurally assembled from hand-crafted rooms while basking in the glow of beautiful pixel art. You can find out more on the details of the game and Discord Games itself at their website, www.discordgames.com.
I had backed this project when it first was shown only for PC, but when I found out it was coming to the next-gen console PS4, it quickly took a seat next to Assassin’s Creed Unity as one of my most anticipated upcoming titles. Chasm had me from the moment I saw the first pieces of pixel art and it’s honestly the only project I’ve ever backed on Kickstarter. I have both of their previous titles, 48 Chambers and Take Arms, and they are very fun to play alone or with friends and have very high replay values. Not only does Discord Games produce really interesting and inventive titles, their founder/ lead game designer James Petruzzi is such an amiable guy.
With all the work James has to do and deadlines to reach, he still has live-streaming events for Chasm and its development, answers fan tweets and messages, and most importantly (I’m partial, I know) even agreed to answer some questions for this article. Below is the Q&A with James Petruzzi, founder of Discord Games and “Chasm”. If you would like to pre-order the game, visit www.chasmgame.com!
How did you start designing games?
I started back around 2005/2006 with a little program called Torque 2D. It was basically a GameMaker style program that let you build simple games quickly. We eventually decided to move onto XNA around 2008 with the hopes of having a game on Xbox 360 and have been using it since.
You created Take Arms in 2011 and 48 Chambers in 2012. These games are extremely different from Chasm, so where did the idea come from?
I originally wanted to make a mining-style game similar to Terraria, but with more Zelda influence added. I eventually decided the mining part was tedious, and decided to focus instead on combat. From there, the rest came pretty naturally.
When you made and uploaded the games to Xbox Live Indie Games, were there any problems with their system for the indie game community? There seemed to be a mutual developer hatred for the way Microsoft treated and promoted indie games (i.e. not being able to find them, updating, etc.)…
Yea, I’d say XBLIG definitely had its fair share of problems. A lot of them were frustratingly simple things to fix on Microsoft’s end, which made the community feel like no one was listening. Overall though, I think it was both a great program and opportunity for us. I honestly don’t think we’d be where we are without it.
Do you still look at the numbers for who still plays your XBLIG games and how many people purchase them?
No, I stopped renewing my AppHub membership a year or two ago, and then the website kind of stopped working. I think we still get a couple hundred dollars from them every once in a while, but sales definitely dropped off a cliff about a year ago.
What are some weird facts about Chasms development when you first started?
It went through a LOT of iterations before I found the formula we have today. It first started as a sci-fi mining game, then turned to fantasy, and then the mining was removed completely. It was definitely a crazy summer back in 2012 when I started working on it!
How important was Kickstarter to Chasm? Would the game have still been made if it didn't get funded, maybe at a slower pace?
We would have most likely turned to a publisher for help, but if that didn’t work out I highly doubt the game would have been made. It’s just far too costly and time consuming to make a large game part-time. We learned that lesson the hard way with Take Arms, and part of the goal was to get funding for full-time development.
Three interesting things about Chasm we don't know already?
It’s influenced by Super Metroid maybe as much as Castlevania! I’d also say a lot of people have no clue that there’s MUCH more to the game than the Mines area. We’re really bad at advertising apparently!
How did PlayStation contact you about Chasm interest? What was that process like and how did that all come about?
We were showing the game off in a two hour Show and Tell slot at Indiecade back in February, and I ran into a few of the Sony guys there. They loved the game and were gung ho in getting us a devkit to get started. The next thing I knew, a month later it was sitting on my doorstep!
Tell us a little more about the people behind Chasm (artists, designers, etc.)?
Tim and I are kind of the core of Discord, with him focusing on programming and myself on design. We then have Jimi Stevulak working on music and sound effects, Glauber Kotaki on sprite animations, and Dan Fessler doing background art.
How do you feel about Chasm’s success thus far with Kickstarter, other orders and the t-shirt shop (with the awesome throw pillows of course!)...what would define success for you personally and for Discord after its release?
Overall, I’m pretty pleased. It’s kind of tough because you always want more press, and kind of lose perspective on how much you’ve actually gotten. Our only benchmark for success with Chasm is that we make enough to continue working full-time for the next game, and be able to pay ourselves normal salaries.
Has this adventure of turning Chasm onto reality been more stressful or fun?
It feels 50/50 a lot of the time. When deadlines start mounting up the fun tends to disappear as you just want to get through the work as quickly as possible. I’ve found that working with others in the team is probably the most rewarding aspect of it.
What features did you especially like about Chasm and were there any really good ones that just didn't make it to the final drawing boards?
Yea, we really wanted to add grappling hooks and some other cool stuff, but like they say “you can’t have it all!” Game design is kind of like a jigsaw puzzle that has a bunch of extra pieces in the box. You may really like some of them, but if they don’t fit with the rest then you are basically forced to scrap them.
What was your wife’s reaction when you first told her about the Kickstarter idea?
She thought it was a great idea. She’s always pushed me to pursue my dreams, and I can’t thank her enough for that support. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have taken the leap without her pushing me!
I hear she bakes?
Yep, she’s been doing a local farmer’s market this year with her own fresh baked goods. She’s pretty amazing at it, and it takes much restraint for me to stay away from the kitchen!
What other hobbies do you have other than creating games?
None anymore unfortunately! I try to play a game or watch a movie every once in a while, but you basically have to give everything up if you want to pursue a huge goal like this.
I talk a lot about my shirt and how much I enjoy your games, but do you have some really crazy fans out there, for Chasm or your other games?
There are quite a few that are more “hardcore” than the rest We love them though for it, it really helps to have people out there constantly supporting you.
Do you have a favorite Chasm character other than Daltyn?
Yea, but I don’t know if we’ve revealed too much about him just yet. On the box art, he’s the creepy guy with the skull mask with horns.
Chasm releases on how many platforms at the time of this writing?
We’re shooting for PC (Win, Mac, Linux) and PS4 on release, and then possibly add some more platforms later.
Will the other platforms be delayed or release at the same time as PC?
The PS4 is looking likely for launch, but we are considering some other platforms as well. It’s really tough with limited resources trying to hit multiple platforms, which seems to be why most indies wait until after release on PC to hit consoles.
Chasm seems to have a lot of live streaming ...do you think it plays a pivotal role in getting your game noticed more?
Not particularly, but I think it helps us build good relationships with our fans. They can see us working, and interact with us as we’re doing the work. It’s definitely an interesting experience.
What has been the biggest influence in your life for creating games?
I think it’s all the games I love more than anything. There’s a drive somewhere inside that pushes me to try and reach the heights those games did, perhaps so I can share the experience with others.
Do you personally fund other projects on Kickstarter and how do you feel about the program/website?
Yep, probably way too many! I think it’s an amazing concept, and we’re very proud to have used it. It’s still in its infancy, but I can see it becoming more and more important as things continue.
How huge is Chasms following in your estimation? Exceeds your expectations or right where you think you should be?
It’s really hard to say, I seem to have lost perspective on it somewhere along the way. To me, no one has heard of Chasm, but many people tell me EVERYONE has heard of it (which I really doubt is true ). I’m sure the truth is somewhere in between.
How much fan art/ projects have you seen or received relating to Chasm?
Not too much really, but that’s something I think we should be facilitating more with contests and such. If there were only more hours in the day!
If you could sum up chasm in one sentence, what would you say about it to someone who hasn't heard of it?
It’s the most amazing procedurally-generated RPG platformer out there!
Will Chasm have a lot of replay value?
That’s what we’re shooting for! I think we’ve got the framework built perfectly for it now, so it’s really just coming up with all the variations of content to fill it with.
Do you have ideas popping up as you go along and how do you handle it when you feel that it needs to be added into the final cut of the game?
Yea, we get ideas all the time. We have a master list of stuff we like but we’re not sure about, so we try to review that every once in a while and see if anything has more purpose or fits even better since when we originally came up with it.
Do you get tired of people asking when the game is coming out or does it keep you motivated?
We really don’t get too many people bothering us about release, but it’s not really something that is motivating. It feels more like they’re disappointed it’s not ready yet, but if they only knew what we were going through to get it done!
Lastly, what makes Chasm different than other Metroidvania games?
The most obvious thing is the procedural generation, but we’ve tried incorporating more modern ideas like single currency systems, potion crafting, and more to kind of spice things up a bit.
Jimmy Plays P.T. (Silent Hills Demo) on PS4
Sacred 3
Developed by: Keen Games
Reviewed by: Jimmy Bailey (@JimmyBaileyy)
There’s something special to be said about frantically mashing buttons and completing a devastating combo to destroy horde after horde of enemies that never seems lose its appeal. This is a good thing too, because in Keen Game’s newest addition to the “Sacred” universe, “Sacred 3”, you’ll be smirking while "hacking 'n' slashing" your way through an insurmountable amount of enemies and then watch as the bodies of your fallen foes “rag-doll” after you perform a special “execution”.
Although “Sacred 3” is a bit more linear than I had hoped for, the title finds many ways to inject just enough challenge and variety to keep the action engrossing as well as slightly addictive. As one of four insanely powerful heroes - Vajra, who casts ice spells as well as a constant stream of arrows from her powerful bow; Marak, a massively-muscled warrior who wildly swings a giant hammer as well as wields fire magic; Alithea, an intensely fast female warrior with a spear as well as earth-based abilities; and Claire, a paladin with the gift of flight can cause a devastating blow with her large sword. – your job is to defeat the evil warlord named Zane, who's goal is to conquer the land of Ancaria.
As you may have come to expect, the fun in “Sacred 3” is in the relentless massacre you unleash upon wave after wave of adversaries. This games does a great job at varying the enemy types that you come into combat with. The combat will be mixed with massive onslaughts of easily dispatched thugs, to giant enforcers wielding shields that you first have to break with a combo before being able to finish off with a “special” skill. Although at points in the game some enemy's attacks become slightly predictable, the magical skills give you plenty of options to change up the action.
The devastating magical attacks are what give the "Sacred 3" it’s addictive qualities as well as its replayability. Each character is given their own set of magical attacks easily assigned to 2 buttons. The attacks are easily mastered and become a vital part of each protagonist's arsenal. While slicing through a mass of gremlins and orcs, you can choose to unleash a magical attack, wiping out nearly half of your evil advisories. Attacks like this truly give the player the sense of “Power” as well as accomplishment.
Although only taking 12-14 hours to complete the story, “Sacred 3” has an enormous amount of replayability. You’ll “hack ‘n’ slash” your way through 38 stages in total that the player may complete in any desired order. 15 of the stages are story missions that push the campaign forward. Each having set objectives that vary from "fetch quests" to "extermination missions". While the rest are smaller, bite-sized, side-missions that usually turn-out valuable loot that can help you progress further, faster. You’ll quickly get “in-tune” with your character and quickly become an unstoppable power-house ready to take on whatever Zane can throw your way.
The most fun came from this title’s inclusion of online multiplayer. Instead of blindly fighting Zane and his massive army by yourself, you can invite a few friends or join random players in fighting through as many levels as you’d like. Going at it alone is not nearly as rewarding or as entertaining as cooperatively smashing through a legion of foes though.
“Sacred 3” is a fun and addictive addition to the dwindling selection of "Hack ‘n’ Slash" titles. If you’re a fan of “Gauntlet”, “Diablo”, or “Champions of Norrath”, this title will hold your interest as well as keep you entertained for many long nights of smashing your way through dungeon after dungeon of enemies. .
Table Top Racing
Developed by: Playrise Digital Ltd.
Reviewed by: Lori Graham
First impressions:
Graphics: vibrant, colorful miniature cars and detailed table tops make you feel like a tiny race car driver in "Honey I Shrunk The Kids."
Music: Seems kinda generic and repetitive. Could be more upbeat since this is combat racing after all.
Gameplay: easy controls, I found it easier to use the R1 for power ups than to release the X for gas (resulting in loss of acceleration) and tap the right side of the touchscreen.
AI drivers are pretty darn good. They offer enough of a challenge to keep you on your toes but not overly tough that you wanna throw your vita (which is always not recommended).
Replay value: B+ the coins take time to accumulate but you can purchase them through the PSN store {varying from 125,000= $1.49 to 1 million= $4.49 ($3.59 +discount)}
Online multiplayer: finding a sturdy game session in "find a match" was kinda hard, hosting a match took a little time but once other racers joined, Let the fun begin! I really wasn't expecting a lot but what I found was surprising. Playing online was fun
Overall, I wish there were more courses but the "forward and reverse" feature, kept them somewhat fresh. I like the increase in laps with each level of difficulty. The power ups are standard and I would have liked to see a few whacky ones.
Rating: (3.5 out of 5/ 7.5 out of 10)
Final impression: If your looking for a pint size racer this is it. But be warned it packs a mighty punch.
Playstation Plus or Minus?
By: Dave Reed (@CaptBenLWillard)
Since 2010, Playstation Plus members have been receiving games free with direct download. It started around the titles Wipeout HD for PS3, Jet Set Radio for Vita in 2012, and most recently, Fez for PS4 this year. Personally, I owned an Xbox 360 and I’ve not been accustomed to this free game extravaganza but I still paid full price for Xbox Live at $59.99 a year. Xbox Live didn’t release free downloads of their titles until 2013, a whopping 3 years later than Playstation Plus, but still managed to maintain and accumulate new subscribers. Microsoft started with Fable 3 in 2013 and recently released Crimson Dragon for free this month. These are free games that are included in a universal “online membership” and what has now become the norm as console ownership continues worldwide. There has been one part of the free game spectrum that has astonished me, however, and I want to know what everyone’s issues are specifically.
I’d like to focus on Sony Playstation consoles and their precise issues going forward in this article. What has always bothered me was why people insisted on calling each group of free games “loads of crap” and asking why they didn’t receive better games. I have seen a handful of positive comments on Playstation’s websites and twitter feeds, but being a relatively new PS4 owner (March 2014) and receiving games like Outlast and Strider, I want to know what people’s expectations are for Sony. What games would you like to see for free? There are currently a handful of PS4 games available and the gaming masses are calling for better games to go along with their subscription to play online and use the services offered like Netflix, etc. Since the Playstation 4 has been on store’s shelves since 2013, there have been free games, yet no one is praising Sony for their devotion to making online service subscriptions better. As mentioned previously, Sony has been offering free games since 2010, a full 3 YEARS before its major competitor Microsoft, yet it doesn’t seem like they get enough recognition.
I have been trying to catch Carmen Sandiego since 1989 on the Nintendo Entertainment System and if you told me at that time that people would receive games for free just for subscribing to a company’s online system, I’d have told you you’re crazy. Full games? More complete than Battlefield 4 was when it released (or now) and free? I would have jumped at the chance and still do when I get to re-up my subscription to Playstation Plus. These are free games people, not demos. I understand most of the games are indies or not EXACTLY what people wanted. They aren’t full downloads of Destiny in September or Mad Max, whenever that decides it wants to be more than a pipe dream. These aren’t your knockout #1 titles, but you didn’t pay $60 to get AAA titles all year, twice a month, for free.
You paid for a service that costs money to run and a service that is giving you free games to add. Besides the small size of the Playstation 4 hard drive, there isn’t much to complain about on the “next-generation” console front. Enjoy your games and enjoy the 5 minutes or 5 weeks you spend playing them. Meanwhile, some of these indie titles have had their heart and soul poured into them, so next time you say, “We only get (insert indie PS4 title here)? What a bunch of $%&#@,” think of the people who made these titles and spent hours staring at code so your character wouldn’t trip over rocks and die, only for you to say how crummy the elevator looked in level 4-5. Am I being a little ridiculous with my argument, yes. But then again, so are you. We spend $60 of our hard-earned money on some games we don’t even enjoy playing, and with Playstation Plus, you get 2 games a month for that price. Enjoy the freedom of gaming.
"Secret Ponchos" Preview
Developed by: Switchblade Monkeys
Previewed by: Jimmy Bailey (@JimmyBaileyy)
At E3 this year I was granted the privilege as well as the honor to experience indie developer, Switchblade Monkey’s new title, “Secret Ponchos”. “Secret Ponchos” is a “Spaghetti Western” top-down shooter that takes its inspiration, surprisingly enough, from fighting games rather than MOBAs [multiplayer online battle arenas]. The concept of the game is simple: Kill the other team more than they kill yours to win. By using the left stick to move and the right stick to aim, it plays somewhat like a twin-stick shooter. Players can duck behind cover to disappear from their enemies’ screen, making stealth and sneak attacks viable options. Each gun has two fire modes, and with secondary weapons and special abilities on top of that, Secret Ponchos matches quickly turn into chaotic and hilariously fun bouts.
This title does a tremendous job at making the player feel in control of the character that they are playing. By the end of the demo, I felt like Clint Eastwood back when he had all of his hair, as well as charm.There’s also a real Italian western feeling to it, with beloved tropes locked in. Character archetypes span from Eastwood to Kinski, hitting the right marks. Each character also finds their own stage and mechanics play into that, with abilities to take cover and set cover aflame. There’s more nuance than is readily apparent and it’s simply fun to pick up and play. Whether you’re engaged in a one-on-one duel or a chaotic eight person free for all, Secret Ponchos is all about competition. Players earn reputation by surviving encounters; if you manage to take down one of the highest ranked gunslingers, you’ll be rewarded with a cascade of reputation. But the major way that Secret Ponchos differentiates itself from most competitive shooters is in the way the camera becomes unhinged and floats high above the combatants. By having full view of the arena, Secret Ponchos becomes a more nuanced, tactical experience that forces players to recognize and respect the nuances of each map.
“Secret Ponchos” is the quintessential “couch multiplayer” game. Of course, players can always take the fight over the internet, but the accessible controls and mechanics, married with the high-risk tactical nature of the game, begs for pelting friends across the couch when they land a perfectly-timed bayonet lunge. The time that I had with the title, though short, left me itching for more. More grenade kills, more shooting my friends in the back, and most of all, more childish screaming into my buddies ear about how much better I am at the game then he is!
If you and your group of buddies get the opportunity to play one game together this year, make it “Secret Ponchos”. You will have exponentially more fun than you would with this years annual addition of the critically acclaimed “BroShooter 2014” that hasn't made a change to their game in 5 years.