VIDEO GAME REVIEW: FINAL FANTASY TYPE 0

Final Fantasy Type 0 was a game from the very early days of the PS4/X-Box One. In fact, it came in a package with the excellent Bloodborne with the PS4 console. Set in the Final Fantasy world, it follows a class of magic users (class 0) as they defend their nation from a mechanical nation that invades them.

This is the very definition of an early game in the consoles life, being more a tech demo. Many of the ideas presented here were refined and done better in Final Fantasy 15. From the real-time map-based combat to the overworld movement that lacks details or a map to tell you locations, all these elements have been refined down the line.

Add to this is the long wait times between areas. Rather than seamlessly moving between areas or minimising your transitions, there is an annoying number of loading screens as you move room to room or area to area. This makes the gameplay feel exceptionally slow and ponderous, which isn't helped by the random encounters and repetitive combat encounters.

When you also consider that the story is over-convoluted and not very engaging, this game unfortunately should be a pass. If you want a game done similar, Final Fantasy 15 is the obvious candidate for a replacement. It feels a little harsh as it is a bit of a product of the time, but that didn't stop Bloodborne being excellent.

1.5 out of 5 final stars. 

PS4 GAME REVIEW: NIER AUTOMATA (2016)

Nier Automata follows the story of some android soldiers. These androids have been tasked by the human race to take back the earth following an alien invasion (where humanity was forced to retreat). Here, you follow the story of a couple of these androids as they traverse the world and take the fight to the alien machines.

Nier is not a game you can talk much about the story. However, it is important to note that the story is very good. You are running around the world in a 3D action-hack n' slash gameplay. During this time, you meet an assortment of characters and interact with them in a variety of ways. The only downside is that some of the story-beats seem predictable at different stages throughout the game.

The combat is also very good. There is the standard combo-based combat, which shares more with bullet-hell type gameplay than Dark Souls and the like. There are also flying missions (old-school top-down style shooter) and a hacking mini-game (similar to the flying missions). However, if you just want the story, they have also included an auto-combat mode.

The world you are exploring is also very good. There are some weird invisible-wall style areas, however, where suddenly getting through or jumping over a small fence is impossible. Some of these areas would have done to have slightly more organic boundaries. The missions you do in the world are slightly fetch-quest like, but then you can just ignore them and go through the main missions.

All up, this game is very good. It definitely deserves to stand as one of the better games of 2017. My one desire for the sequel is if they could include local multiplayer somehow.

5 out of 5 glorious waffles.

PS4 GAME REVIEW: DOOM (2016)

Doom is a reboot/relaunch of the popular first-person shooter series by Bethesda. It is a game where you are a death-machine, running and gunning your way through hordes of demons, collecting weapons and power-ups in your quest to, well, kill allot of things.

Doom eschews many of the more modern trappings of first-person shooters. Gone are things such as regenerating health and taking cover for reloading, replaced by health pick-ups and highly mobile enemies. It is not a mistake that the player character is faster than most demons, with the speed being intended to be used both for defense and offense.

The Doom story is also there, but it is definitely not at the front. Much like other games (such as Dark Souls) the story is just in the background. There are item descriptions and environmental clues about the backstory, but you can just as easily ignore it and blast your way through hordes of Demons.

All this comes together in a very good package. The single-player experience is a nice rush of circle strafing and shotgun-blasting people. There is also a glory kill system where you can finish off staggered demons for more ammo. The iconic chainsaw is also used to help replenish your stocks and the BFG is great for boss fights or in a tight spot.

The only criticisms are that the level design occasionally calls for some precision platforming. Although not too unforgiving, trying to judge your jumping or position in first-person is never easy. Similarly, although the levels are well designed for the most part, a couple of the levels can get quite confusing. And finally, some of the glory kills are a bit slow (considering they are mini-cutscenes) and stop the pace of a high-paced gunfight.

At the end of the day, these are quite small critiques as the platforming is mostly quite forgiving, the levels are mostly well designed and clear, and the glory kills are an overall positive mechanism. This is definitely a game worth checking out.

5 out of 5 gore-stained waffles.