Metro Exodus Review

By: Logan Manfredi on PC

Overview
       From the outside looking in Metro Exodus may seem like just another triple-A game, hidden within it though maybe some of the best character design I've seen this generation. The game world isn't exactly what I would call open, but it allows for an ample amount of exploration. The lack of size of the world makes every stop between main quests completely worth it. Each location on the map offers insight into the lore of Metro, and there's a massive number of NPCs each with unique motivations and shockingly detailed design. The main cast of characters are voiced excellently, and I found myself almost caring for them like my own family. All these hyper-detailed characters make it possible for some intense moments that I did not see coming. Going in, I assumed shooting things would be the focus of the big-budget shooter, and man was I wrong. The beauty of Metros design is that it creates incredibly human moments, moments that often invoked the post-apocalyptic debate of survival VS retaining one's humanity. Artoyms' (the players' character) decisions have lasting effects on the newly developing post-war world. I often found myself reloading checkpoints so that I could handle a conflict nonviolently. Such efforts were rewarded in new cutscenes or chunks of dialogue that would offer insight into how your actions affected different groups in the world. The gunplay is on par with most modern shooters, but with a haunting level of realism that made me question using lethal levels of force. 

Minimal HUD

        Health bars and other HUD elements are non-existent and instead replaced with a compass and hyper-realistic bullet damage. If an enemy spots you in the open, you will rarely survive. Most guns are a one shit kill, and all are with the proper aim. Another notable mechanic is the enemy A.I. In Metro, enemies don't just try and shoot you from cover or rush at you as soon as they spawn. Instead, the enemies react to how you form your attack. Some even have unique voice lines that tell were they or looking or what they think is happening. Their intelligence goes as far as to show self-preservation in enemies. From giant cat monsters to the many different bandit tribes, specific shared characteristics are present. Killing multiple enemies causes a direct reaction that can range from surrendering to charging in to attack in a rage, or even just panicking and running out of fear. These many nuanced details mesh together perfectly to deliver an experience that feels like a step forward in terms of storytelling in games.

The details
        The level of immersion present makes it easy to forget you're playing a video game. Almost every location and character are fully fleshed out. All NPC's have a purpose, something they are working towards. Each is entirely free of such video-gamey tropes as repeating voice lines or standing aimlessly doing nothing waiting for the player to progress. The environments themselves have as much to do with the worldbuilding as the NPCs living in it. Each zone is drastically different from the prior and offers new and unique looks as to how that region has adjusted to life after the war.

The Caspian Sea

 From the frozen wastelands of Moscow to the scorching deserts of the Caspian Sea. Each location has its own unique population, climate and day/night cycles that all interact simultaneously to immerse the player further in the game. From the second level, the player has the option to continue at night or during the day. Each option offers a different experience in the same local, and individual objectives are easier or harder to tackle depending on the time of day. The differences of day versus night can vary wildly. During the day, other humans in the world are awake and going about their daily tasks; this leads to more interactions with NPC's, violent or not. The night is a different beast in that there are far fewer humans to deal with and sneaking into locations is much easier, but the mutated beasts of the wasteland are everywhere. This freedom in decision making doesn't have significant effects on the story of the game but offers variances in gameplay that feels refreshing. These decisions helped make me feel more connected to the main character as a player.

Caspian Sea Night 

My favorite thing

        The thing that made me fall in love with this game was the world itself and the characters in it.  For the first time in my long gaming career, I wanted to complete every side quest. I found my self doing quests not just to "level up" but because I cared for the characters and wanted to spend as much time with the game world as I could. Side quests differ from other games in that they are not just icons on the map, but instead, they're personal requests made by your companions. The rewards for these quests in place of items are cut scenes or optional dialogue with the character you helped. What blew me away was the gargantuan amount of detail that's present in these scenes that only a small percentage of players might see.  Often, I found myself waiting for the dialogue to end and the NPC to stand there and wait, but that moment never came. Every chance I had, I would listen, sometimes for fifteen minutes or more, and there would still be new non-repeating voice lines. Each extra scene I experienced not only added another layer to the story but also made me feel that much more connected to my companions. I was and still, am shocked at the sheer amount of time the dev team and voice actors must have spent in the studio. Smaller details like the way you pass items to other characters or the fact that your radio can be heard by enemies when sneaking around may seem insignificant. Truthfully though there are so many of them that work together perfectly that they give the game a level of polish I've rarely seen. Often, I found myself trying wild things like shooting lanterns to set enemies on fire and being surprised by it working. 

In the end
        Saying Metro shocked me would be putting it mildly; in the end, the game was beyond a pleasant surprise to play. The level of detail and polish present is near impossible to capture in a trailer. Although I was skeptical if I would finish the game before starting it, 5 minutes in and I knew I was hooked. The lack of HUD elements and incredibly real-feeling characters make it one of the most immersive games I've played this year. Vibrant and passionate performances from the voice cast make every scene a joy to watch. The numerous optional dialogues offer as much insight into the game world as any player could ask for and, graphically speaking Metro looks as good as any game this generation. The addition of Metro to Xbox Gamepass is massive and if you have and Xbox or pc capable of playing it, there is no reason to skip this game. I would consider it a hidden gem of this generation and recommend it to anyone. I give Metro Exodus 4.5 out of 5 Snails.

Here's a bonus montage video I made of some of my favorite moments from the game with a song from a side quest. 

Danger Crew Review

 By Logan Manfredi on PC

Overview
        Danger Crew is precisely the type of game I had in mind when I started this website. A passionate work of art that clearly encapsulates the developers love for games. Every moment in the game has a tremendous amount of care put into it, and it shows. I wanted more of it as soon as I was done. Danger Crew is a turn-based RPG set in the fast-paced world of computer programming. The developers have no problem poking fun at themselves and other devs, and the result is a hilarious experience full of witty one-liners and a vibrant environment worth exploring. 

As far as RPG elements go the story and combat stood out the most to me.  Combat feels great and is extremely polished. There is a multitude of attacks and abilities that take the form of "Scripts" each with their own name and effect that relate back to the "development" theme. The story, while somewhat short, is jam-packed with content. Side quests flow effortlessly into the main narrative and offer a more in-depth look into the characters and game world. Every NPC has something to say, and most provide helpful information for completing quests. The map is full of places to explore and items that can significantly change the course of combat. The level design has a flow to it that encourages the player to see what happens next. I could easily see players tackling Danger Crew in one or a few long gaming sessions.

The details
        Players will create their own character at the start of the game and have eight different appearances to choose from. Each is quite different from the rest and allows for players to pick an avatar that feels like them.

As the new guy at the job, it's your goal to prove yourself to your coworkers by completing tasks around the office. These tasks can range from finding items scattered in the building, to participating in hack battles. Hack battles are how Danger Crew handles combat. When two developers in the game decide to do battle, they will whip out their laptops and get to coding. Attacks and abilities take the form of "Scripts" and items such as Battery packs, and Password resets replace the standard potions or antidotes found in most RPGs. These small changes work together with the theme of the game to create a level of immersion I wasn't expecting in a 2d game. The art style reminded me of a Pokémon game crossed with Funko pop, and I loved it. While Danger Crew is more retro graphically speaking the animations and level design are clean and as modern as can be. The music, complete with accompanying battle sounds reminded me of the golden days of Gameboy Advanced. The sounds are simple enough to convey what's going on without being so basic they drive you insane like some other retro-styled games. By the 4th or 5th battle, I started humming the victory music every time it was played, and I really want it as my ringtone now.   

That good music.

My favorite thing
        My favorite thing about the game is the depth of combat. Numerous different Scripts, upgrades, and items flow together and add levels to the gameplay. At first, I was able to dispatch of enemies quickly, but as my character grew more powerful, so did the NPC's. The pacing is perfect, the rate at which difficulty increases allows the player to learn as much as possible before they meet a challenge. This creates a super rewarding feeling later in the game and a level of difficulty that I enjoyed. After some time, players will be joined by companions they can also create and customize. The addition of teammates in combat busts the game wide open. Battles go from 1v1 to 3v3, and the enemies take a significant step up in terms of difficulty. There is a wide range of status effects in the game, such as "Lagged out," "Deadline," or "Hacked" each with the ability to drastically change the course of a battle. My favorite being Deadline because it gives the affected player an extra turn in combat. I would use the ability on a player who could also use Deadline and be able to have my whole team taking two turns by the second round of combat.

 I'll admit when I first figured this out, I felt unstoppable. That was until I ran into an enemy with the ability "Scope Stab," a Script that does critical damage to players affected by Deadline. That's when I saw just how detailed the combat is. To complete the game, I needed more than just that one combination of abilities. Boss fights pushed the combat even further and showed just how in-depth battles could be. With each new boss came the exciting challenge of finding a new build of abilities that will succeed. 

Puzzle elements help to fill out the game world

In the end
        Danger crew is fun, the combat feels great, and the story and characters are as charming as can be. The campaign will probably take you less than 10 hours to complete, and honestly, the only thing I'd change with the game is the length. The combat is designed with such depth and care that I could easily see it having more endgame content in the future. In fact, Danger Crew has already been updated with more battles. These updates feature such bosses as the Hacker King and even a showdown with the developers themselves. The passion of the developers is present everywhere in the game, and I know I'll be coming back to play Danger Crew again with each new update. If you have ever studied web development, the game will make you laugh out loud, and for me personally, I found the game incredibly inspiring. On sale on Steam until the 5th of August, there is no reason to skip this game. Any fan of classic RPG's will love it, and Danger Crew is the perfect weekend game to finish in a couple longer gaming sessions.

 I give Danger Crew 4.5 out of 5 Snails!

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Preview Video

By Logan Manfredi on PS4 Pro

Please enjoy our first ever video!

My Friend Pedro Preview

By: Logan Manfredi on Nintendo Switch

Overview

        My friend Pedro is a new game out today published by the always reliable Devolver Digital and developed by solo dev Dead Toast Entertainment. Using a Genre to label this game would be reductive. Stylistically it's that of a dark comedy you'd find on Adult Swim. From a gameplay perspective, Pedro feels more like a highly polished bullet hell or arcade classic. The controls are easy to grasp but offer a level of mastery that I can see being all over Twitch and social media. Mission ranks at the end of each level provide an easy way to challenge friends and leader boards for high scores. 

Aiming two guns simultaneously while flipping through the air has never felt this precise. Every time you start to feel comfortable with the controls, a new unique mechanic is added. Items such as kick-able balls or gas cans add yet another layer to the intricate dance that is gameplay. Something that Pedro does excellently is keeping the player on their toes. What I mean by that is, every time a new mechanic gets added, there's a certain level of uncertainty and adrenaline the player feels as they try to complete the level as fluidly as possible. The stages are shorter than I imagined but work perfectly with the design of the game. Each level focuses on typically one new mechanic to learn and then master over a few obstacles. The subsequent levels then add to those concepts in a delicately beautiful snowballing fashion. After each significant chunk of levels, there are gorgeous set pieces that feel like an entirely new game. Things like motorcycles or sky diving replace the normal side-scrolling action and propel the eccentric story forward with each one. The story itself, which I won't spoil is worth experiencing and is consistently surprising me with new and exciting ideas. 

The first few levels
        The beginning of the game will see you the player learn all the basic mechanics of the game such as Focus, Split shooting, and dodging. Focus is the game's version of a bullet time effect in which time slows down so the player can plan and score higher combos.  Personally, I've been using this to clear certain jumps or if I know there a specific path I need to follow to get an impressive looking kill sequence. Split shooting is the act of dual wielding guns and aiming them at two different targets. This is handled the best I've seen in any game in Pedro and feels incredibly natural. Using Focus to slow time and aim your split shot, you can score some crazy combos and pull off some real John Wick style moves. Dodging is simple in design but combined with the other core mechanics adds a sense of flair to the gameplay. In order to dodge the player holds a button and spins. This is interesting because the player can still shoot when spinning or even reload and the animation itself makes everything you do look that much cooler. The start of the game is a great time to explore combining each of these mechanics and find precisely how you like to play without being punished by some of the more advanced features like intense platforming sections later on. 

**Mild Spoiler alert**

Sizzle reel

Mechanics to watch out for
        I'm enjoying My Friend Pedro just as much as I thought I would and will probably finish it tonight or tomorrow. That being said, it's not without some hiccups. There were a few small things that I found not necessarily bad, but they didn't fit the way they should with the rest of the game and some caused pauses in an otherwise action-packed game.  The skateboard functions like all the other kick-able objects except for the fact that you can ride and jump with it. 

The problem is that the jump with skateboard mechanic always seems to lose the skateboard and cause me to lose my momentum. The level design where skateboards are present clearly show paths for the entire level to be done in a swift kickflipping combo of death, but the skateboard itself is just too slippery to clear most obstacles. Instead, I found myself walking around them intentionally, so I could do more badass ninja flips, and 360 wall jumps in slow motion. I worry that the rest of the game feels so incredibly good to play that skateboards may be ignored so you can continue with your bullet ninja flow. I found a few other little things that were not game breaking but kept consistently killing me until I figured out exactly what was happening. Typically, the gameplay is quite fast-paced, and bodies are flying everywhere. I kept dying and not knowing why that was until I saw that enemies would sometimes get stuck behind other dead enemies and bullets in Pedro do not pass through bodies. This would result in me pouring clips into enemies never actually hitting them. This was easy enough to address by slowing down and using Focus to get a new angle on the corpse shield using jerks. 

Overall it took nothing away from my gameplay experience, but it seemed unintentional in design. The only other thing I found to be a nuisance was that the button control for Focus is to push down the left stick and that causes my heavy fingers to unintentionally trigger Focus more often than I would like to admit.

Tips and tricks

• You can kick enemies for a melee attack that helps extend combos when reloading.
• The larger the combo, the bigger your score. You can extend combos by killing enemies.
• Switch guns often, certain situations are much more suited for a specific weapon.
• You can dodge bullets and reload at the same time.
• Levels are short if you're playing for a high score restart the whole level when you die to get the no death bonus.
• Pay attention to your score screen at the end for ways that you can increase your high score. 

If you like it
        My Friend Pedro is a blast to play, and for the current discounted price of $16.99 until July 9th on Steam, it's completely worth picking up. There are hours of intense adrenaline filled gunplay to be had, and the Banana named Pedro is simply the man. The wacky story filled with comedy lends perfectly to the hectic yet rewarding gameplay, and I can see perfectionists getting tons of replay value from competing for high scores on individual levels. Frequent new mechanics and wildly varying level design pull the player in and make it an incredibly hard game to put down. As far as fun is concerned the game is an 11/10 and I can't think of any game quite like it. I highly recommend giving it a try and look forward to anything more from the developer.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/557340/My_Friend_Pedro/

Fallout 76 Nuclear Winter Preview

By Logan Manfredi on PS4 Pro

Overview
        Nuclear Winter is a new update for Fallout 76 that brings along with it a new and exciting battle royal mode or BR. Unlike the rest of the game, this mode focuses on PVP and has a separate progression system more akin to Call of Duty than Fallout. Nuclear Winter or NW for short revolves around the citizens of Vault 51 and the mystery of what happened to them. One of the more unique things being that this story is told entirely through the new game mode. Before each match, there is about a two-and-a-half-minute period where players can explore and interact with many things inside of vault 51. As players level up, they will unlock access to different parts of the Vault and be able to piece together what exactly happened to its citizens or jam out on what we call the Chuckie Cheese stage.

Gameplay in NW is like that of most Battle Royal games, but with some signature Fallout twists. Focusing more on scavenging and preparation than direct gunplay, it adds a refreshing new take on the genre. Players start with nothing, but with Fallouts massive RPG stock of items that quickly changes. There are countless variations of load outs, all with their own pros and cons to explore. There are not as many cosmetic items available as in the free BR games, but in the first week, there have already been numerous free and paid cosmetic items added to the Atomic shop. Experience is not shared between the game modes, but both caps and experience points can be earned by doing well in NW. When the match ends, there will be a screen displayed that shows everything you did that round and what rewards your performance has earned you. There's no punishment for dying in this game mode so for new players it's great to get the feel of the games core mechanics and see some items that may remain hidden till later in the regular game.

The first five minutes
        Before the round begins, a small bit of planning is needed. Unlike other battle royal games, you don't "drop" onto the map. Instead in Nuclear Winter players pick their spawn point on a map overview before the round starts.

My favorite part of this being that after you choose your spawn area, the game shows you the spawn locations of all 50 other players. Which leads to some intense starting minutes.  At the beginning of a round, you and your teammates will be invisible for approximately 27 secs. (we timed it, patch notes say "some time"). That invisibility will end the second you interact with or pick up an item, and everyone can see you. Our best advice would be to find some sort of armor before engaging in a fight. There are three tiers of armor present in NW wood, scout, and Marine. (Pictures below) Each is stronger than the last. Just having Wood armor puts you at a steep advantage over a player with none. Beyond finding armor, your first step should be determining where you are headed. Wondering aimlessly looking for loot might work in some battle royals, but in NW where movement is more limited getting caught in a firefight without cover is a death sentence. Instead, pick a point on the map be it a small town or outpost and do your best to fortify that location to attack. This is also a great time to kill any NPC's present as they hold valuable loot such as Nuclear launch codes. The crossbow is best for taking out NPC's because it is silent and doesn't reveal your location to enemies. VATS doesn't work on enemy players but is still the ideal way to deal with an NPC. As you get to the mid-game focus on stocking Chems and Stimpacks for the inevitable massive battle at the end of the round.

Wood armor

Scout armor

Marine armor (The Best one)

Mechanics to Watch out for
        Power armor is excellent in Fallout 99% of the time. The one time it's not great is in Nuclear Winter. The problem is that the ratio of armor value to the volume of footsteps is severely disproportionate. For example, if two players with the same gun were the final two but one had power armor, and one had marine armor. The player with power armor would be heard long before he was seen giving the advantage to the player with the Marine armor. Also, in the current state, there is a bug where players in power armor may become stuck in the armor unable to attack or take damage making the player just waste time until they are killed by the storm. My advice is to avoid power armor for now.
        Sniper rifles and scoped weapons have zero bullet drop, rather all guns have a pre-determined range at which they can hit. So, if you're aiming at an enemy and wondering why you're not hitting, it's most likely the range, not your aim. This leads to another mechanic to watch out for which is weapon stats. This is the first time in a Fallout game that we have had true PVP, so the weapons we know and have used for years might not have the same effect as we are used too. For example, the hunting rifle is one of my favorite weapons in all Fallouts, but in NW its range combined with damage output is far less effective than say the Lever rifle or any of the scoped laser weapons. An excellent way to see what weapons to prioritize is to check in your Pip-boy when you have cover. Just like in any Fallout all the weapons stats will be listed there so you can see exactly which items you prefer. 

Click to zoom weapon stats.

Tips and tricks

• Zooming in when deploying will allow for much more precise spawns and even spawning inside buildings.
• ADS (aim down sights) can be used to show hard to spot or not yet rendered enemies. When your cursor is over a target even if obstructed their health and name will be displayed.
• Use the foliage to your advantage. You won't be completely invisible in a bush, buts its much harder to see than out in the open.
• If your opponent is using the bush technique, you can use ADS, and his health bar will display when you aim where he is hiding. 
• Marine Armor > Power armor
• Watch out for cars, they blow up very quickly and are a one-shot KO if you're next to it.
• The time you have to revive a downed teammate is less than 10 seconds. Hopefully, this will get patched soon because it's nearly impossible to do unless you're touching each other. 
• Use those Chems! Chems have zero negative impact in NW.
• Rad X and Buffout are essential for surviving if you get caught in the firestorm and make a massive difference in any fight. 

If you like it
        The Nuclear Winter update has done an excellent job a revitalizing a game that has not had the best beginnings. Along with the battle royal game mode, the patch has fixed several bugs that honestly made me stop playing about six months ago. New items and quests fill the already vast game world, and soon raids will allow for an entirely new type of endgame content. That combined with the developers' plans for free regular updates makes for many more enjoyable hours of Fallout ahead. Adventure mode has tons of lore and is one of the most fun and immersive co-op experiences on this generation of consoles. Nuclear Winter is looking very promising in its first week and offers a much less demanding way to play Fallout 76 that doesn't require any of the time-consuming mechanics such as thirst and hunger. Overall Nuclear Winter has been great for 76, and I would recommend it to any fan of the franchise or anyone who's bored with their current battle royal. 

Here are some bonus pics of our Fallout shenanigans.