Control is the latest game from Remedy Entertainment, the fine folks behind Alan Wake and Quantum Break. It's... pretty good.
Yeah, it's pretty good with a number of caveats. Terrific combat and a ground bed of fun ideas, marred by some poor writing and level design. Still, you get to throw a LOT of stuff around!
2019-08-28 14:43:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Political intrigue is baked into the lore of Dark Souls. Class struggle, propaganda, a ruling elite manipulating those of lower status into serving their needs. There's more going on than just hitting monsters with swords.
Let's look at the political agenda of Dark Souls, the politics of its storyline, and the perpetuated cycles that keep its world of Lordran running. Also, let's ta...
2019-08-26 15:30:48 +0000 UTC View Post
Norman Weedus does a wee-wee.
Elsewhere, we discuss videogames and mosquitos with guest star CaseyExplosion!
You can listen/download directly here and get the RSS feed here 2019-08-23 16:05:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Oninaki is a depressingly written game with a creepy story, but the actual gameplay is quite compelling, even if it won't be for everyone.
Talking to ghosts, picking up dead souls and using them as weapons, riding on the back of a wolf spirit, there's a lot of fun to be had, even if the protagonist is having no fun whatsoever.
2019-08-23 14:13:11 +0000 UTC View Post
This is what people have praising? This mediocre shooter with broken co-op and the most unimaginative boss design I've seen in years? Well... okay, then.
Remnant: From The Ashes is a game I do not understand the love for. At best it's pedestrian, drab, and repetitive. At worst it's a pissin' nightmare.
2019-08-22 13:21:34 +0000 UTC View Post
Grandia HD Collection is a hefty reminder of what a clever, heartfelt, unique JRPG experience looks like. Square Enix could stand to take notes.
I have a history of starting Grandia and never finishing it, so I'm appreciating the chance to finally get through it. It's still really good. Holds up terrifically, with a famous battle system that feels as fresh as it ever did.
<... 2019-08-20 14:21:21 +0000 UTC View Post
The conversation surrounding the Epic Games Store has officially gotten effing nasty. People are mad at Epic's behavior, but that anger is spilling into areas it really shouldn't, and legit criticism of Epic is getting lost in the noise.
Ultimately, the problem with Epic Games is Epic Games. Well... that and the economics supporting Epic's business tactics. This is especially true k...
2019-08-19 13:24:19 +0000 UTC View Post
It's just Jim and Gav in the house today, but we find plenty to chat about. Horror movies, social media, and sometimes even videogames!
2019-08-15 21:44:29 +0000 UTC View Post
Success is relative. Except when it's objectively defined. These games did not, objectively, succeed.
They should have done, though. They deserved better than they got. Truly great games that underperformed, got forgotten, and just didn't sell very well.
Just... just find and play Gitaroo Man!
2019-08-14 19:14:41 +0000 UTC View Post
The game industry is currently making a performance of tackling the loot box debacle, and a performance is what it is.
The ESA announced that console makers will require the odds for in-game gambling purchases to be disclosed. They only did this after the FTC got involved, and they're only doing it to make a show for the government.
While the ESA and game publishers pretend to...
2019-08-12 13:59:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Phew! Time to round up the last set of questions for Asking Sterling. Sorry it took so long. We discuss everything from monetizing Deadly Premonition to pageviews to weird backlash. Fun times!
2019-08-10 17:48:39 +0000 UTC View Post
The goofs never start when Grandma's Boy is in the house! How will the Boy cope when Grandma does her Grandma things? Let it end. Let it all end.
2019-08-09 18:34:58 +0000 UTC View Post
We're joined by Mike Bithell, developer of Thomas War Alone, Subsurface Circular, Volume, and the upcoming John Wick Hex!
We discuss the videogame blame game, the ESA's almighty screwup, and playing Flappy Bird with a vagina. At least the last one's lighthearted.
You can listen/download directly ...
2019-08-08 13:08:05 +0000 UTC View Post
In the wake of multiple mass shootings over a single weekend, politicians with vested interests in shifting the blame pulled their easiest, laziest trick - they blamed videogames.
Donald Trump accused games of glorifying violence in a way that encourages domestic terrorists to go out and commit mass murder. The game industry was rightly offended.
But it's all stupid nonsense, ...
2019-08-07 13:40:57 +0000 UTC View Post
When a publisher adds microtransactions weeks, sometimes months, after a game is released, it always feels inherently sneaky. This is especially true when it's blatantly obvious they were always going to be there.
Crash Team Racing Nitro Re-Fueled is the latest game to smuggle microtransactions in after launch, as has been Activision's modus operandi lately.
So why do it...
2019-08-05 15:22:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Bethesda has been crapping the bed more than usual, between accidental Doom DRM and a whole confusing mess over Wolfenstein's microtransactions.
Elsewhere, games were played and stuff happened!
2019-08-01 22:01:52 +0000 UTC View Post
Grand Theft Auto Online's Diamond Casino and Resort does away with any ounce of subtlety to bring literal gambling games to GTA.
As loot boxes come under intense scrutiny after years of abuses, Rockstar's timing on this carries quite a lot of nerve. It also brings the whole in-game gambling debacle into sharp focus.
If this is where games are headed next, I'm not sure I ...
2019-07-29 15:26:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Wolfenstein: Youngblood has some charm to it, but it starts to feel repetitive after a while. This can be traced to its positioning as yet another "live service" in a market saturated by them.
While there's fun to be had in Nazi blasting, the microtransactions are in place and the busywork is there, topped off with bullet sponge enemies.
It's a shame, because the protago...
2019-07-28 14:17:24 +0000 UTC View Post
A little later than planned, here's the first round of this month's questions answered! We discuss horror moves for the nervous, the awful PS2 game Gift, and the usual round of microtransaction discussions. Fun times!
2019-07-26 16:57:50 +0000 UTC View Post
Mysterio gets out his dark, dark berries and we all watch on in dismay. We also talk about Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Dragon Quest Builders 2, casinos in GTA V... and Bloody Boris.
2019-07-25 12:09:36 +0000 UTC View Post
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order just doesn't feel particularly ultimate. It feels rushed, incomplete, and woefully imbalanced.
With more time to develop, this could have been something cool, but instead it requires a lot of legwork before it becomes slightly fun, and the effort's just not worth it.
2019-07-24 14:50:14 +0000 UTC View Post
The mainstream games industry is pushing harder and harder for social features to be an expected part of any major entertainment software release.
According to EA CEO Andrew Wilson, social networking is just as important to games as it is to Facebook or Twitter. A bold claim, but one that's part of a concerted effort to normalize the push.
Ultimately, however, it's a lon...
2019-07-22 13:52:52 +0000 UTC View Post
The gang are all a bit sleepy, but that won't stop them talking about The Crow. Or that dead NCR guy. Or how sleepy they are!
2019-07-18 14:03:31 +0000 UTC View Post
SolSeraph got some attention before its swift release by claiming to be the spiritual successor to ActRaiser. If that were so, ActRaiser would be turning in its grave.
A dreadful action-platformer bolted onto a pitiful tower defense, SolSeraph is embarrassingly cheap, tacky, and boring. It looks and plays like a mobile game, and is way overpriced.
Just play Bloodstained....
2019-07-17 14:27:20 +0000 UTC View Post
G2A has been humiliating itself recently. After years of ducking criticism, the grey market key reseller is finally unable to dismiss accusations, and its response has been hilariously sad.
Let Sterling, the Super Heavyweight Supervillain, take you through G2A's shady practices and ridiculous deflections. Oh my... let the Star Eater show you.
2019-07-15 14:31:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Spider-Man: Far From Home happened, some gum problems got solved, a rusty nail sparks a legend, and Man of Medan gets previewed. Also, the first rumblings of the Superheavyweight Supervillain.
2019-07-11 16:33:44 +0000 UTC View Post
Sea of Solitude is the latest critical darling indie game about mental health. Throw it in with the others!
But seriously, it's pretty good. Y'know, it's fine. I like the big fish monster!
2019-07-10 13:45:52 +0000 UTC View Post
A recent article shared the woes and tragedies of Electric Arts' great struggle - the "perception" that the company is a villain.
The problem is, it's not so much a perception as it is a matter of historical record.
While media articles publish unquestioning propaganda from EA's executives, we juxtapose the one good thing it does - EA Originals - against the negative imp...
2019-07-08 14:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostWhew, it's been such a busy week I almost forgot to get this in! Anyway, it's (near) the beginning of the month, so let's round up some questions for a new set of Asking Sterling Patreodcasts, shall we? Yes, we shall.
As always, feel free to poke and prod with your probing polling. Send 'em in, and I'll get 'em answered!
Mick Foley is a pretty cool dude! Also, we chat about The Sinking City's bizarre charm, Gav gets into Bloodstained, and Crash Team Racing is put through its paces.
2019-07-05 01:09:32 +0000 UTC View Post