Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Review)

THE CYCLE IS COMPLETE

I remember in 2009, when I went into Best Buy with 60 bucks in hand, looking for a game that I could have fun with over the summer. The pickings were rather slim, with nothing that I felt was interesting. Then, I stumbled upon the last copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I thought to myself “Hmm, well there really isn’t anything else I like here, might as well just get this.” Little did I know that this decision would spark a passionate love for a saga that was established well before my birth. I have become engrossed with the lore and saga of Metal Gear. From Guns of the Patriot, my first Metal Gear game (and by far my favorite), to the emotional roller coaster of the saga’s prequel Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, to the 8-bit Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, and even the non-canon Snake’s Revenge, Acid, and Portable Ops, my friends can attest to my passion and love of this Saga. That is why I am more than honored, after finally completing this game 100%, to be giving a full review of the final entry into the Metal Gear Saga, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

News Update: Fallout 4 Confirmed

It started as a whisper in the wind. A leaked document here and there, and a fake website that was debunked. Now, seven years after the critically acclaimed Fallout 3, Bethesda Game Studio has officially announced one of the most anticipated game in recent years; Fallout 4. Today at 10:00 a.m. E.S.T, Bethesda released a teaser trailer, along with some new information! Fallout 4 will supposedly be set in Boston, home to the Institute, an important organization within the Fallout universe (primarily Fallout 3). Throughout the trailer, we were able to get a glimpse of the game world, from the beautiful city itself to the desolate wasteland inhabited by strange monsters. We were also able to catch a glimpse of what happened in Boston before the nuclear disaster. Bethesda promised to reveal more during their first ever e3 press conference. Fallout 4 will be coming to all next generation consoles (PS4, Xbox1, PC).

Dishonored Review (Xbox 360)

Dishonored Review (Xbox 360)

Developer: Arkane Studios

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

Dishonored is a stealth action adventure game where you play as Corvo Attono, the bodyguard for the Empress of the the Isles. You are framed for her death and are out for revenge against those who have tortured and plotted against you. These same people have also kidnapped the princess and you are set to find and save her so she can become the new empress.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review (Xbox 360)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review (Xbox 360)

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a medieval RPG set in the world of Tamriel. In this game, Skyrim is being attacked by dragons and you are the Dragonborn, you have the body of a man and the soul of a dragon. As the Dragonborn, it is your job to protect Skyrim from these dragons.

Skyrim is a lot more streamlined then the previous Elder Scroll games. Your weapons and armor do not degrade with use anymore, your health automatically regenerates at a very slow pace, the leveling system has been completely redone, you can now duel-wield magic, and your race is not as necessary for a certain type of play style. Because of these changes, Skyrim is attractive to people who might have never played an RPG before.

My Top 8 Games of the Next 6 Months (Part Two)

For this series, I will talk about games I am excited for.  All of the games on this list are either pre-ordered, or will be pre-ordered once an official release date is confirmed.  I will be playing all of the following games on PlayStation 4 (with the exception of two).  Everything I say about these games is based solely on my opinion.  I am not saying that any game on this list is better or will be better than any of the others.  They are ordered based on my personal interest and excitement.  I will continue with number seven and work up, the last game being the one which I am most excited for.  This one will be a little different from the others on the list because I was able to play both the Alpha and Beta, meaning that I have experienced the game and have a more solid idea of what to expect.  Here we go!

7. Destiny

Developer: Bungie

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360

Release Date: September 9, 2014

(Note: Be sure to check out the bottom where I have included Bungie’s infographic on the results of their most successful beta yet!)

Destiny is a first-person shooter with MMO influences.  I have to admit when I first saw this game, I was not impressed.  The gameplay looked underwhelming, and I could not see this game becoming the next big thing.  As I have said before, I do not gravitate towards first-person shooters.  A huge draw of those games is the competitive multiplayer, and I have never been very interested.  That being said, my impressions of Destiny and the alpha/beta will not include many thoughts about multiplayer modes, collectively called The Crucible.  I only played a few games and while I liked it better than Call of Duty and some other forms I have tried, I do not see it holding my interest beyond a few more attempts.  With that out of the way, let’s move on to my impressions on the other aspects of the game!