Heroes of the Storm: Will it break through a crowded genre?

The Alpha of Heroes of the Storm has taken my weekend. The MOBA(Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) scene is already crowded with the likes of League of Legends and Dota 2 and I was wondering if there was a place for Blizzard's take on the genre. After playing game after game close to 3AM for three days, its changes to the 5v5 formula got me excited for a MOBA once again.

Now, before I say anything about this game - IT'S CURRENTLY ON ALPHA DEVELOPMENT. This game is not yet close to complete and the final product might come out different in the future.

Okay, with that out-of-the-way, let's begin. How is Blizzard's MOBA? For starters, it's a breath of fresh air. In its core, it's just like any other MOBA; five players control one hero and attempt to destroy the other players base before they lose their own. But that's where the comparison ends. Blizzard didn't just change one or two things to make it stand out, they took out most of the features that we consider as a standard in this genre.

Items? What items?

Let's start with the biggest change --  There are no items to gear up your hero. Yes, the grind to get the best item in order to be a force to be reckoned with is not present at Heroes of the Storm. There isn't even any gold to earn while killing those mindless creeps set to charge into the enemy's base. That change alone makes this MOBA interesting. At first it comes out as a turn off because the deep customization comes from the item management system, but I came to love this change after playing a few matches. For one, grinding is less in this game considering there's nothing to earn except experience. All you are given is hero clash after hero clash with it never stopping.

You can still create builds though with heroes. That's were the talent system comes in. Every two levels, you are given the choice of up to 4 talents that can either give your hero a new ability or alter existing ones. Diversity for each hero is still hard to gauge since Heroes of the Storm is still under development, but the potential of having different variations of a hero and coming out viable is there. Basic skills will unlock right off the gate and you get to choose one of the two special skills when you hit level 10. The 'ultimate' skill of the hero, that's what some call it.

Play together, level together

You guys still with me? I hope so because we have another big change. In Heroes of the Storm, heroes don't have a level, the team does. All the experience earned during a match goes to the overall experience bar of the team, once the team goes up a level, all heroes levels up at the same time, increase their base stats and damage of their skills. Again, another move to support the idea of "team play". The traditional stick to your lane is hardly present in Heroes of the Storm. During a course of a match, you see clash after clash in just minutes after the gates open. People heading over to the map's main objective, joining your team in taking down mercenary camps is what I mostly see in every game. Going alone is never a good idea.

The only drawback is the big gap you'll feel once a team is down a few levels against the opponent. Once your down a few levels, your whole team will feel it once a clash happens. Thankfully, the game is so fast paced, getting back those levels by killing 'creeps' and taking down a few heroes can close the gap easily. So there's still a reason to cover lanes, but it's not a priority anymore. Objectives are now the priority.

Objectives matter

The overall goal is still to destroy that big structure in the enemy's base, but there's now a map-specific objective that would greatly support your overall goal. Currently, there are four maps to play on, each with a mechanic that can give you a quick lose if left ignored. After a few minutes, the objective kicks in and it requires you to do  specific tasks to get an advantage in laying siege to your opponent's base. For example - in the Blackheart's Bay map, players must collect coins found in chests and in mercenaries, and turn them in to Blackheart found in the middle of the map. Once the team collects the right amount of coins, Blackheart will use his ship to bombard your enemy's towers with a few rounds. Once he's done, teams will have to collect the coins again to get support from him. I've learned this the hard way, or rather my team did. These bombardment's from Blackheart is a huge push for your team. When we've realized that, once the chests have appeared for looting, everybody drops what they were doing and raced for the coins. This results in constant clashes because the opposing team is also aware of how important the objective are to get the win.

These objectives are a great addition, which again supports "team play". I say that a lot I know, but every new change supports that idea. It's difficult being the lone wolf here simply because all the action happen around the objectives anyway, resulting in hero synergy to take into effect, as well as those clutch skill use to give your team the upper hand during a clash. The map size is also a big plus in Heroes of the Storm. You find yourself dead, but once you revive, it only takes a few seconds to get back into the action thanks to your trusty mount(Pretty awkward seeing Diablo ride a horse though). Maps are small, but it helps Heroes of the Storm become a game that's all action most of the match. The tedious forest farming or creep farming, and only engaging when you have the proper gear is out the window. Even at level 1, clashes will happen, making it an exciting game even at the start.

Profile progression is a thing

There maybe no currency during matches, but outside matches, you need gold to obtain your preferred hero. After a match, you are given experience for your profile, that when you level up, you unlock new features like daily quests, hero rotation slots, hero quests, and gold. With that gold, you can use it to unlock a hero permanently. Every week, there's a set of heroes available for every player(Similar to League of Legend's hero rotation), if you have that favorite hero that you'd like to have access to, you can spend some gold for it...or real money($9.99 per character as of the Alpha build). Heroes of the Storm will have a similar business model to the likes of Dota 2 and League of Legends, but it's funny that you can spend real money already even though it's currently in the Alpha stages. Blizzard has warned players beforehand that account wipes will occur as development moves forward, so players that spent a good amount of real money to acquire heroes gets a refund in full. Only problem is, that amount is placed into your Battle.net account's wallet. No withdraw feature? Ah well.

What? A MOBA that's easy to learn?

Thanks to the item management and individual leveling, the learning curve is quite steep for MOBA's. It takes a couple of games to get a grip of the gameplay in order to contribute for your team. The fact that Heroes of the Storm has no items, and everybody levels at the same time, it's easier to grasp how the game and heroes work. The fact most games reach around 30 minutes per match, the time it takes to learn is smaller than other games. This makes it very open to casual gamers not familiar with the genre. Mechanics are simpler, and you won't find those scenarios of players being completely useless because they don't know what item to get or they're 3-4 levels behind other heroes. With its simplicity, Heroes of the Storm has a very comfortable space for an already crowded scene. It being a competent competitive game, that's hard to say at this point since ranked play and other features supporting professional players is still not available.

I've dumped a hefty amount of hours on Heroes of the Storm and I wasn't expecting this one to be promising. At first glance, it looked like a horrible MOBA clone that just wants part of the pie. In the end, it's a game that has the right idea to separate itself from the pack. Changing a lot of the expected features really makes it stand out, and the heavy emphasis on team play really makes it a MOBA worth keeping an eye on. I was sick of MOBA games at this point, but here comes Heroes of the Storm somehow pulling me back in.

Blizzard released the first wave of beta invites to players outside of the US, so those that haven't got the invite, head over to your battle.net account and opt to join for alpha testing. If you've already done that, check your email, you might be one of the lucky few.

No release date has been given for Heroes of the Storm. As of July 7, 2014, the game currently has 4 maps, with 27 playable heroes. It will be Free-To-Play once it's officially released.

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Written By: Carlos Hernandez

Will and Migoy Play Magus

This is probably a game that none of you guys have even heard about. Here's the story. Will looks at the monthly release list for the podcast and came across a game that he had no knowledge about and didn't know even existed up until he saw it on the list. He then goes to the nearest Datablitz branch and asks about this game called "Magus" and surprisingly enough, they had it in stock. Will asks the clerk if he was the first person to ask about and buy the game which the clerk replied "Yes". So here's our let's play of Magus! A game published by Aksys Games.

Highlights from our first hour of Magus.

Here's the full first hour of the game.

Review: Strider [PC]

It took awhile, but Strider was brought back to the spotlight thanks to studio Double Helix (Killer Instinct) and oh, did they do a great job at staying true to the original content. A fast-paced download only game that keeps you hooked with non-stop action and level design that we think should be used more often in future platformers. Flailing a sword around at blazing speeds never felt this satisfying.

Quick - that is the best way to describe this action-adventure platformer. You play as the famous Strider Hiryu, a ninja with one simple task -- take down the evil Grandmaster Meio in the heavily fortified metropolis of Kazakh City. Right off the bat, with not much of an introduction about anything, you find Hiryu gliding into the city along with the first wave of enemies ready to warm your blade. There’s never a dull moment in Strider. Every room is filled with enemies to engage, and based on the level of your performance, you may clear even the most challenging areas in just seconds. The better you understand your enemies, the faster the game gets. Strider is all about the action; it doesn’t bother giving much explanation or character progression at all. No backstory of Strider Hiryu’s past or why he wants to take down Grandmaster Meio. That’s just how it is, and this game works well that way. The cheesy lines are already bad enough, but once the short dialogue in between boss fights and new locations end, the fun continues.

The most appealing part of the game is its level design. It greatly reminded me of the old Metroid games on SNES, as well as the best Castlevania game in history – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (well, that’s my opinion). It’s played as an open world side-scroller with upgrades and unlockables tucked away around this huge map waiting to be explored. Every locale in Kazakh City has its own unique visual and technical appeal. From the sewers to the military compound, each area you come across has its own personality, providing different ways to tackle the area. Some might be heavier on enemies, while some require you to watch where you jump. From combat to platforming, this game keeps on changing gears, preventing any repetitive tension.

Objectives are given to move forward in the game, but thanks to its Metroid style of level design, you get that feeling of wanting to just explore. As you progress, new weapons and skills are unlocked, which also serve as keys to certain locations in the city. You will find doors requiring a specific upgrade, and once you get it, you can’t help but backtrack to see what’s behind that door you couldn’t access. Controls are easy to grasp from the get-go, but they soon evolve as you get more abilities to use. There are some enemies that can only be defeated with specific abilities, but this doesn’t hinder the freedom of play, only adding to the fun and creative methods with which you can dispose of Grandmaster Meio’s henchmen.

You will eventually come across different flavors for Strider Hiryu’s preferred weapon – the plasma sword Cypher – which provide different properties depending which one you equip. One gives you the ability to deflect incoming projectiles, while another freezes enemies with a single touch. These are color-coded and can be switched anytime during play via the directional pad. This gives more depth to the combat, and at the end you’ll find yourself constantly switching Cyphers based on the current situation. From summoning mechanical animals to throwing kunai to extra movements like the addicting dash, gameplay evolves constantly throughout this 4-6 hour experience, keeping the combat from ever going dull.

Sadly, the game isn’t so difficult. So don’t come in expecting a challenge, even on its hardest difficulty.  Every enemy has a pattern and once you learn how to exploit these patterns, you find yourself going through them, no sweat. This also applies to the bosses in the game, which have great mechanics I haven’t seen in a long time. Every boss I’ve experienced in Strider is memorable, especially that last fight which doesn’t make any sense at all (you’ll understand once you get there). You’re always left at the edge of your seat after every fight. Yes, it’s easy, but the combat is so satisfying that the lack of challenge didn’t rear itself as a problem for me. I find enjoyment in disposing of enemies in the fastest possible ways. Oh, and let’s not forget the soundtrack, which not only gives you a bit of nostalgia, but supports the gameplay very well in keeping you invested.

In between all the slashing, this is also a platforming game, with Strider Hiryu jumping, dashing, and climbing walls and roofs to reach the next area. Hiryu still moves just like he did back in the classic games. I consider it a big plus that Double Helix kept our hero true to the original. The classic cartwheel jump returns, as well as the upward slash you might see in previous games as well as in Marvel VS Capcom 2 or 3. Animations aside, the platforming elements aren’t a tedious feat thanks to the solid controls. You won’t find yourself fighting against how Strider moves, making the platforming aspect of the game a fun break from all the combat. You are always in control, so when things go the wrong way, it’s hard to fault the game’s design.

I’ve already mentioned that exploration is greatly encouraged, but the rewards you receive once you find new areas are very underwhelming. Some do give you upgrades like increased kunai range or increased life, but don’t quite give a good boost in the overall gameplay, making them something that can be ignored. You can also find a variety of concept art (which I believe should not be a reward for exploring), challenge maps, and trial maps that you can access in the main menu. Don’t be surprised with these maps though, since they provide little meat to the game. It’s a decent 5-minute experience of you either taking down waves of enemies or you reaching a certain spot in the world map the fastest way possible. You can also find new costumes for Strider Hiryu, which isn’t much of a plus, since they’re just different colors of the same outfit.

These additions may add to the replay value, but there’s no option to explore further once you enter the last part of the game. Once you finish it, you can’t reload and revisit places you haven’t explored. Instead, you lose your save, and you’ll have to replay the whole experience again. So, before entering the last part, make sure you’ve explored everything that interests you.

For a $15 download-only title, it’s definitely worth diving into a series we haven’t seen in years. The combat is satisfying, even if it tends to hurt the fingers with the constant need to swing your sword for hours. The visuals are colorful and look amazing in 60 FPS. Specific design touches like Strider Hiryu’s scarf and the returning bosses from previous games are well appreciated, making Strider a nice benchmark for developers looking to reboot a franchise. It stays true to the original content and exports it to a more modern look and feel. Whether you’re a fan of the series or have never tried Strider, you’ll be surprised how much fun you’ll have as Strider Hiryu.

SCORE: 9/10

Reviewer: Carlos Hernandez Strider was reviewed on the Windows PC platform Game completion was at 64% Recorded game time was at 6:25:00

PROS

-       Quick combat

-       Vast world map to explore

-       Stays true to original content

-       Memorable boss fights

CONS

-       No option to revisit your playthrough after the last part of the game

Review: Gone Home

Indies have been getting a lot of buzz in 2013, with many games bringing a good amount of fresh experiences you hardly see in big titles priced at $60. Gone Home is one example of such freshness. It's a game that tells a story from your character simply interacting with objects found in this eerie mansion. That may not sound exciting for some players, but believe me when I say I had the same reaction. But once the game was over, I was at the edge of my seat; I've never experienced a game like this. I'm glad I took the risk of purchasing this rare gem and hopefully by the end of this review, you will understand why Gone Home is one of the best games to come out in 2013.

Let's get this out of the way - it's not horror alongside the likes of Amnesia. The amazing sounds and lighting just creates a scary atmosphere. It's the feeling of the unknown, and in this case, the feeling of having no idea what to expect within this empty mansion. You play as Katie, the older sibling that just returned from a long vacation trip. You arrive home to find your house completely empty. The weather is horrible. What happened? Where's the rest of the family? Those are questions that will be raised inside your head, and you are given the freedom to find the answers by simply interacting with the objects found in the house.

That's the gameplay: exploring the house, reading notes, uncovering what happened, and getting a sense of the people that lived in this abandoned dwelling. Putting it this bluntly does sound dull to some, but how it was presented made me curious and constantly looking for more things to help solve the mystery of what happened to this family. As you go through various closets, notes, bills, and diary logs of your little sister (which are presented as a commentary), you get to uncover the state of each family member. It's an interactive story done so well that it made me appreciate the simple gameplay Gone Home has. You can pick up objects, examine them, crouch, and zoom in, and even that's enough to keep you hooked from start to finish.

This is a title that I found hard to explain to people that have not a single clue about it. The best way to understand the game is by simply giving it a chance, but it's hard to do with its surprisingly high price point of $20. But once you find the courage (and the money!) to give Gone Home a try, the overall experience will linger in your head for days, and only great stories can do that. That strong after effect of satisfaction once the credits roll is a rare feat, hardly even seen in acclaimed movies.

With a game that's all about exploration and discovery, visual detail is key. What's amazing is that every bit of the house is detailed. Almost everything in the house can be picked up, and objects like bars of soap or tissue boxes have a product name - some even have tags, making me think that they could be information that might support the overall story. This resulted in me checking every crack or corner in each room. They intentionally hide specific notes or objects that, if found, help the player to understand more about the residents of the house and their relationships with one another.

There's no real difficulty. How curious you are determines how much you get out of this experience. You could focus on the main path that leads to the end of the game, but doing so ruins the point of Gone Home. Everything gets answered: all you have to do is find the trail of breadcrumbs. Once I finished the game, there was one unanswered question I had about a specific character. My curiosity pushed me to backtrack. I went through a couple of rooms, and finally found it. It was hidden nicely and I was thrilled to have my question answered. I could have lived without that knowledge, but the story was so engaging that I had to find out. Everything was still fresh and I wanted the complete experience. The fact that I missed a part of it and made myself go back for the reveal helped me realize how effective this approach is in video game storytelling.

It's an experiment. A  different game on how to present a story to the player. During the start of the game I was curious of what happened. By the last few minutes of the game, I rushed to the last room hoping I had a run button to get there faster. I was anxious about how it will all end, and when it ended, I was satisfied.

If you aren't looking for a great story, then this game isn't for you. The story is the whole meat of this game. But if you are open and interested in trying something completely different with regards to the way a game can tell a story, then I urge you to try this amazing independent title. I understand the praise the game was getting during 2013 and it deserves every bit. Bravo.

Score: 9/10

Pros:

- A unique way to present a story. -  Each interactable object is well-detailed . - Great atmosphere. - Story hooks you in, keeping you interested and curious.

Cons

- A very short experience. Left wanting more.

Impressions: Assassin's Creed 3

A few weeks ago, I walked up to a Datablitz store and bought a game I never thought I'd ever pick up. Assassin's Creed 2 was my last creed game and was satisfied with what the game had to offer. The next two games? Not so much. But Assassin's Creed 3 was a different beast. A new setting, a new ancestor, they even have a new game engine under the hood. With the PC version priced at P995, I convinced myself this would be a good buy. Boy, I didn't think I'd feel regret after spending 15 hours on the game.

Note: This is based on 50% game completion on Sequence 9 and is playing the PC version. I'm not finished with the game and all opinions and impressions of the game are only up to that point. This is not a full review.

Don't get me wrong. The game has some very good points. The problem is, there's an issue in almost every corner of the game. Be it a bug, gameplay flaw, or even a design layout,  there's always something that takes me away from the experience. There's always something that bothered me. It's one of the buggiest game's I've played in years. And to think this is considered a triple A title, whatever that's worth nowadays.

Bugs. There are so many it's a challenge to avoid them. Every now and then, you will come across NPC's leaning on a wall when there's no wall to begin with. Or whenever you loot, the camera controls lock up, forcing you to wait a few seconds in order to move again. Even during the start of the game, the young Conner fights and acts as if he has his hidden blades already equipped, but in reality, he hasn't acquired his assassin gear yet. The point is, the game keeps reminding you that it's not well polished, which is a shame because I most probably would have enjoyed the world more if I didn't see myself occasionally stopping to see something very bizarre.

Bugs aside, the problems with this game doesn't stop there. The gameplay has been completely simplified to the point that any sort of challenge is gone. Stealth is considered the optimal choice to approach most situations, but the fact that it's so easy to dispatch any enemy you come across, regardless of the equipment you have, I don't see any point in sneaking around. The simple gameplay make each encounter repetitive and down right easy. If ever you do find yourself in a bind with very low health, run away, wait for your life to go back Call of Duty style and just run back in. I feel too overpowered even at the start of the game, and as much as I'd like to be a badass, I would appreciate a challenge every now and then.

But Assassin's Creed 3 isn't all negatives and bugs. The best thing to come out of the third title is the naval battles, which looks amazing, and satisfying to engage in. This is one of the best parts of the game and every mission that involved me commanding my ship was worth my time. Thanks to the naval battles seen here, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is now on my watch list. Another great thing about this game is how the animation looks on the move. Conner looks fluid as ever and it's actually a treat to watch. Moving from tree to tree, building to building, it all feels natural...until you accidentally jump into a bag of hay just because it was in your path. Again, it keeps reminding you of that it has problems.

It was really hard for me to continue playing Assassin's Creed 3. I just lost any means of interest at the 15 hour mark. Story is not pulling me in, and bugs are everywhere to greet you. It may be a big segmented open world game with many tasks to keep you busy, but I now feel it's a waste of time, having no strong incentive to do them. When I play now, I just want to move forward with the main story and get it over with.

I'll finish this game eventually for the sake of giving my full opinion of this game, but it's disappointing to see this world get dumbed down and feel rushed. Is it because of the yearly release? I would like to think so. I was never a fan of Ubisoft's choice to release a new title every year. I'm still eyeing on Black Flag though, not because of it being an Assassin's Creed game, but for the fact that I get to roam around as a pirate pillaging other ships freely.

We need more pirate games.