Game Review: Concrete Genie

Hello Enthusiasts,

As much as I love nonsensical violence in my video games, I can appreciate quieter, more atmospheric titles as well. Today's topic is one such game, a PS4 exclusive, Concrete Genie. As always, you can expect some Mild Spoilers Below. 

You play as Ash, a young artist that enjoys hanging out in a desolate town called Denska. The place has been abandoned for a while now because of a dark mold that has overrun many parts of the city. Ash's mother warns Ash not to go there, but he seems to draw inspiration from the place. However, within the game's first cutscene, bullies harass Ash and destroy his notebook for drawings before sending him up to a creepy old lighthouse where a ghost supposedly lives. Ash meets this spirit in the lighthouse, which takes the form of one of his drawings. The "ghost," called Luna, guides Ash to find a magic paintbrush that can bring his art to life. With the brush, Ash can paint living portraits on buildings and walls that bring life back to the town. He's also able to create "genies," playful little monsters that live in the walls as Ash's art and interact with the environment in various ways. Ash decides to use this power to clear out the dark mold, bring life and people back to the town, find his pages of art that the bullies scattered around town. Along the way, maybe he'll even help those bullies overcome some of their own trauma. 

The story is ultimately a heartwarming, feel-good tale about forgiveness and kindness winning the day. It's not groundbreaking in its message, but it's still something you'll feel good about as you go through it and finally finish it. 

The gameplay does take a little getting used to. The game was designed to be used with the Dualshock 4 or with PS VR, so there is heavy emphasis on motion controls. Still, after a while, it does start to feel natural. In fact, using the motion controls made the process of painting these giant pieces of art feel more natural, and I ended up happily swinging and tilting my controller around. The art is beautiful, almost giving the appearance of being stop-motion, though it is just a little off from that. As you go through the game, you gain access to different art that you can paint with the brush (it's all based on your notebook pages that you find). If you're like me, you end up having some favorite pieces that you throw onto every mural you paint. Interacting with the genies is fun, whether you're playing a game of peek-a-boo or creating a scene for them in the walls.

For all of the beautiful things about this game, there is one major drawback for me. This game is incredibly easy. It was beyond easy; I didn't lose or get caught by the bullies at all throughout my entire game. I know it's not meant to be an intense experience, but the puzzles are all laughably simple. The most challenging part of the game was getting used to the motion controls, and even with that, I ended up beating the game after maybe five or six hours of playing it, which included time just drawing randomly on the walls (because, again, that is satisfying). The game also doesn't have a whole lot of replay value. It has a great story, but not one I feel like I need to experience more than once. 

At the end of the day, this was a fun game. I absolutely enjoyed lighting up the streets of that town with my beautiful neon graffiti and playing around with my artistic creations. It won't be for everyone because, again, it's not too intense or action-packed. Still, for anyone who wants a pleasant gameplay experience (or anyone with a kid that loves games), this is a definite recommendation. 

I give Concrete Genie an 8 out of 10. 

Sincerely, 

The Bored Enthusiast

Best City-Building Games

 

Hello Enthusiasts, 

I don't know how anyone could actually dislike city building games. Granted, they may not be as action-packed as a FPS and you don't really connect with individual characters like you do in other games, but there's so much to them. Taking charge of a whole population, managing resources, planning out and building; these games have always felt so engaging to me. 

So, naturally, I decided to hunt around for some of the best ones. Not only that, I wanted to find a variety, some with RTS elements, some that take place in outer space, and even some that could be played on a phone. After all of my research, I came up with this list of the best 15 city building games that are available to play right now. 

So go ahead and take charge. Build what you want, and tear down what you don't want. It's your city, country, or world to shape as you see fit. 

Sincerely, 

The Bored Enthusiast 

Best Comics for 10-Year-Olds

 

Hello Enthusiasts, 

Do you remember being ten years old? Maybe not ten exactly, but at that age where you were done with "kid stuff" and wanted to do and watch and play things that were meant for grownups? 

God, weren't we dumb. 

But nonetheless, it's something that pretty much everyone goes through. You want to grow up, you don't want people to think you're a kid anymore. At the same time, though, you didn't know all the gross and graphic stuff like you do as an adult, and it's probably better that nobody gave you anything too adult when you were that age, right?

Find things that are appropriate, but not too childish, can be a difficult line to walk, and I have done what I can to do so. I have put together the best comics I could find for 10-year-olds, which you can find here. Read it, I hope you enjoy it, and remember to be in bed by 9:00 sharp!

Sincerely, 

The Bored Enthusiast

Best DC Comics for Beginners

 

Hello Enthusiasts, 

I've been reading comics since I was just a small child (maybe I was looking at the pictures more than reading, but you get the idea), and because of this, I tend to take certain bits of knowledge for granted. I know Superman gets his powers from the sun, I know that the green lantern corps are the space police, I know that the Flash somehow gets his powers from the Speed Force and somehow created that same Speed Force with his powers, etc. 

However, as superhero moves and media continue to dominate markets, it's dawned on me that this knowledge isn't exactly common. I spoke with a friend about how there should be a Nightwing movie, and they weren't sure who Nightwing was (blew their mind that he's an adult Robin, by the way). So, for people that want to get into this world post-childhood, where could you even start. 

It's a difficult question with a lot of answers, but in an attempt to try and help, I've put together a short list of the best DC comics for beginners. You can find it here. 

Good reading, and don't worry if that picture at the top seems overwhelming, some things in DC will never really make sense. 

Sincerely, 

The Bored Enthusiast

Best Comics for Improving English

 

Hello Enthusiasts, 

As I earned my master's degree in writing, there was one lesson that stood above all of the rest, one thing that stuck out so far that I had no choice but to learn it; English is hard. 

Yeah, I know, not exactly a revelation, but it's true. I'm not just talking about grammar, either. I'm talking about spelling, storytelling, pronunciation, everything. There are a lot of hard and fast rules, as well as suggestions. Sometimes breaking those rules makes you an idiot, while other times it makes you a genius. 

Well, for anyone else out there who may need some assistance with the English language, comics have you covered. I did some research and found the ten best comics to improve your english skills, which I've posted here. 

Read, enjoy, and write good. 

Sincerely, 

The Bored Enthusiast

The Best Comics for Kids

 

Hello Enthusiasts,

It's probably obvious, but I have an affinity for comic books. I enjoy them immensely, but I recognize that they aren't always the most appropriate things for kids. With comic books out there like Sex Criminals, East of West, and Crossed, it can be difficult to find something that I, or probably most people, would find okay for kids. 

However,  with that being said, there are a ton of great comic books and graphic novels for kids. In an effort to help facilitate the search, I've put together a short list of the best titles for kids here. 

Enjoy. 

Sincerely, 

The Bored Enthusiast

Book Review: The Ables

Hello Enthusiasts,

Between comics, movies, television, and books, pop culture is full of super-hero stories right now. I'm not complaining, I love super-hero stories, but we do have a saturated market. The potential issue with these various narratives is that a good number of them are pretty similar, especially in origin stories. Person discovers they have a power, they figure out how to use it, they save the day, tease for the next one. Because of this, I welcome anything that can really shake up the formula, which was one of the reasons that I fell in love with Peter Clines' Ex-Heroes series. Today though, I'll be looking at another book that adds some variety to the tried and true formula, a book by author Jeremy Scott, The Ables. Be advised that, as always, there will be some Mild Spoilers Below. 

The book follows a young man named Phillip who is told by his father that their family has powers. They moved to a new town because it's secretly a town for superheroes to live in, and for the powered youth to gain a hold on their new abilities. Phillip learns that he has the same power as his father, telekinesis, but there's a wrinkle. This ability requires the user to have some idea of the size and weight of what they're moving, and Phillip is blind. When he goes to the new hero school, he's thrown into a class for the powered youth with disabilities, and they're not held in high regard by the rest of the students at the school. That would be tough enough for any kid, but the stakes get raised, of course, by a villain who plans to find a hero with all of the powers to help him take over the world.

Essentially, it's a coming-of-age superhero story with the twist of having the main characters work through their disabilities.

The story is great; it's a familiar feeling plot with more than enough original content to keep a reader engaged. The characters and villains all feel well developed, and the rules of the world are consistent and logical. The powers for the main characters are fairly traditional, but are used in new and interesting ways. For example, one of the main characters, Henry, is psychic. Using his abilities, he's able to give Phillip something akin to "sight" by mentally sending him images from Henry's perspective. It's ideas like this that showcase the amount of thought and care that must have gone into the creation of this story. There are also a few very emotional moments in the book that are done very well, though I won't give those away here.

While the story is fun and interesting, there are a few things that hold it back. The book could have done with a stronger editor, as there are a few mistakes in the book (Phillip "looking" back at an audience before Henry helps him with visuals, one of the chapters still including a note to start the new chapter, etc). I don't really blame Scott for this, as every author is going to leave stuff like this in, but it's the job of a good editor to find these mistakes. There is also a noteworthy lack of female characters in the main group. There were a few moments where it looked like one of the female students would be involved with everything that the main group was doing, but they were put aside before too long. On one hand, I get this, as high schools students can sometimes form their groups that are all within one gender without any malice involved. However, on the other hand, there seemed to be a few missed opportunities to include a female character in the group to add a different perspective to what they were doing.

Overall though, I really liked this book. It was fun, compelling, and moved fast enough to keep me engaged. I do have some small issues with it,  but I am also excited to see a potential sequel to this story and know where the characters will go from here. It was honestly one of the best books I've read in several months, and I love being able to say that I've read something as good as this. Jeremy Scott's work here goes a long way to show that he has so much more to offer an audience than just being "The voice of Cinemasins". If you like superhero stories and don't mind them being set in a more young-adult setting, I think this is a solid read.

I give The Ables an 8.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

TV Review: Bojack Horseman

Hello Enthusiasts,

Back in 2014, I was scrolling through Netflix and saw this weird looking cartoon where an anthropomorphized horse was the main character. I watched a few episodes and thought it was funny and witty enough, but it seemed like there was another layer underneath the humor. As I watched, I discovered that this show was just as much about a character who has both everything and nothing as much as it was about the jokes. It was a cartoon that had some dark turns, and one that didn't seem to be afraid to tackle...well, everything. On January 31st, 2020, this series had its last episodes uploaded, and I can now say that I have the ability to do a series review of the Netflix cartoon, Bojack Horseman. Please note that there will be Spoilers Below, and you should probably avoid those.

The titular character, Bojack, is an over the hill 90's sitcom actor. He's angry, he abuses any kind of substances that you can think of, and he is terribly depressed. Stay with it though, this is a comedy...I think. Bojack has more money than he can seem to spend due to the royalties from his show, and he ends up spending a fair amount of that money on drugs and alcohol. As the show progresses, Bojack's emotional and psychological issues grow deeper and impact his life in more dramatic ways. Fortunately, the show's tone is kept somewhat lighthearted by its supporting characters, such as Todd, Mr. Peanutbutter, and Princess Carolyn.

I have nothing bad to say about this show. It's funny when it needs to be funny, it's serious when it needs to be serious, and it sticks the landing with every emotional beat that it makes an attempt on. The show is a deep dive into human nature (despite most of the main characters being animals) that doesn't pull any punches as it addresses mental health and the issues that people face. For all of the jokes and wittiness, it shows an incredible reverence to certain topics, like addiction. It's a show that will tell you that redemption is possible, but will also hold characters to their previous actions, which ties into its incredibly accurate continuity. For example, early on in the show, Bojack steals the big "D" from the Hollywood sign, and from that point forward everyone refers to the city as "Hollywoo".

The show's greatest strength though is the character growth that the audience gets to see with all of the characters involved. The characters that we see in the last episode are so radically different than the ones we see at the beginning, and none of that change happens quickly, or painlessly. It's a rough road for everyone involved, and they all feel like real, fleshed-out characters by the end.

I know I'm going on and on about the deeper meanings within this cartoon, but I honestly cannot think of a show that addresses these issues as well as this show did, and this was a cartoon where the main character was a talking horse that also happened to be an actor that's seemingly past his prime.

Also, special shout-out to my favorite side character in the show, Vincent Adultman, who was written out of the show pretty early on. I was desperately hoping for a cameo in the last episode, but no such luck.

Overall, I want to praise about this show all day, but if I tell you too much more about it, I might spoil something too big. Just watch it, I recommend it for everyone. It can be stressful and maybe too pretentious for some viewers, but I personally consider this to be one of my favorite shows of all time.

I give Bojack Horseman a 10 out of 10,  and I thank everyone involved for a truly remarkable show.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Pokemon Shield/Sword

Hello Enthusiasts,

Pokemon is one of the most recognizable brands in gaming. While the games aren't for everyone, we all know what Pokemon is on some level. Until recently though, all of the main line games in this franchise have been limited to the GameBoy systems rather than Nintendo's primary consoles (again, main line. We all loved Pokemon Stadium, but that were outside of the main games). Now, however, we can finally say that is no longer the case, because we now have Pokemon Shield/Sword. The question I intend to explore is, do these console versions hold up to the rest of these games? Keep in mind that, while these games don't have stories that are too deep, there may still be some Spoilers Below.

So, as most of these games go, you are a young new trainer that has just gotten their first Pokemon, though this time you are in the new Galar region (which is essentially this universe's version of the UK). In this region, Pokemon in certain areas can grow incredibly large and powerful, an ability called Dynamaxing. This feature is used heavily in Pokemon gyms and tournaments. As your character goes through the region's gym challenge, you begin to uncover information about some heroes of legend that saved the region - and potentially the world - from an event called "The Darkest Day". These heroes are, of course, a set of trainers and their legendary Pokemon. You end up calling upon one of these Pokemon later in the game to help fight the monster that caused that event all of those years ago and stop it.

Again, these stories aren't too deep, as this feels 75-80% like the overarching stories from the last several Pokemon games.

The gameplay itself is fun, with several improvements on the older style of Pokemon games. As has been done in the last few games, experience is shared with every Pokemon in your party, meaning that you can level up those weak Pokemon quickly by just keeping them in the 6th spot of your party and battling in stronger areas. Story-wise, I do like what was done with the gyms. Rather than your character just happening to go through the gyms in an order of increasing difficulty, this game set up the gyms as an annual challenge, where each gym is taken on in a different order. It still doesn't make sense that the first gym leader is battling with only 3 Pokemon that are on in their teens level, but at least there's some additional level of believability. As always, the gym puzzles are cleverly designed, though they are fairly easy to beat. I also liked the addition of the camping mechanic, which allows you to set up a tent and chill with your Pokemon. You can play with them, cook for them, and have a chat with them in. They'll also get a chance to play with each other, and the whole thing gives them all experience based on what you did during the campout. There's also been an update to running into Pokemon in the wild, where random encounters are less frequent. Instead, players can see the Pokemon in the grass or environment and either select which ones to fight, or avoid them completely if you're in a rush.

Honestly though, the biggest and flashiest addition to the game is also one of the best, the Dynamax feature. In gym battles, you can only use this ability once, and it will only last for three turns, plus the gym leaders follow that same rule. So while it may be tempting to use it straight away and have your Pokemon obliterate the first few opponents, there is a level of strategy is waiting until near the end to use this ability (or use on one of the leader's Pokemon that you're finding particularly difficult).

However, I can speak all day about the added strategy needed and having the ability to train Pokemon in different ways, but at the end of the day this game's biggest weakness is how mind-numbingly easy it is to beat. With minimal grinding to level up your Pokemon, you can beat this game in just a few days if you want to. I played through the whole game without losing a single battle, and I'm pretty sure I had to use a grand total of 4 revives throughout the entire game. There's no elite four gauntlet like pervious games had (you do have to fight through a few of the gym leader's again, but you get a free rest and heal between each one), and even the team rocket (Team Yell) of this game is a joke of an enemy.

Now don't get me wrong, I did enjoy playing this game and I do not think it would be a bad buy for any fans of the series, but it was also a bit of a disappointment. This is the first time we've gotten a main-stream game in this franchise with the power of an actual console, and I guess I just expected that there would be more to it. Imagine how amazing it would have been if they had started to combine a new region with the old regions like they did a bit with Pokemon Gold/Silver, and those games came out on the GameBoy Color. There are cool new features in this game and I do see the effort that must have gone into it, so maybe I was just getting my hopes up too high. But with a game franchise that has been as enjoyable as Pokemon, I just imagined that the team would have pushed this game to be more than anything we've seen before.

I give Pokemon Sword/Shield a 7.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

TV Review: The Mandalorian

Hello Enthusiasts,

Disney+ launched late in 2019 with an impressive library of older Disney - and some Fox - properties, but a definite lack of new content. One of the only pieces of new content on the streaming service was also the reason most people ended up signing up for it right away: a new Star Wars series called The Mandalorian (though I originally jumped in for The Simpsons). Today, I will be looking at this series that cemented this new streaming service as a contender. I will avoid any big plot points, but be warned that there will be some Spoilers Below (Including a casting Spoiler). 

This series takes place after the events of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and follows a Mandalorian bounty hunter called Mando. Mando's clever, methodical, and armed to the teeth to deal with whatever comes his way. While he isn't completely ruthless at the start of the show, he isn't too far off. That is, however, until he comes across a job that challenges his moral compass, despite how much he fights himself to just get the job done. This particular job has Mando turning over a character that he feels deserves to be free from the hands of his client, whose intentions are unclear.

You know what? You've seen the memes. It's Baby Yoda.

Spoilers I guess.

Mando elects to not hand over baby Yoda and is, therefore, on the run, as basically every other bounty hunter is hired to hunt the two of them down. This is, by the way, a very short series. There are only eight episodes, with each one coming in at under an hour. Also, despite this being a Star Wars property, it feels very much like a modern space-western.

Also, it's a great series.

The characters all feel fleshed out, even Mando, who doesn't say too much throughout the show. The show isn't afraid to pull punches despite it being on a streaming service that houses a lot of content that is meant for children. Characters die, there are mentions of slavery, and a few creepy characters show up throughout the series (mostly in just one episode). This series also has some legitimately funny moments in it as well though, especially the first five minutes of the last episode. All of these things together made me really care about what happened with the characters; I was truly invested in the outcome of the series. The effects were outstanding as well, especially for a streaming TV show, though there are moments that look worse than others. It was also great to have each episode be so short and digestible, though I was left wanting a bit more.

My only complaint with the show is an underutilization of some elements and characters. We get to see a whole squadron of Mandalorian warriors fight early on in the show, only to never see them again. The actual big antagonist for the series only shows up for one full episode (and the last 30 seconds of the episode prior), and they got Giancarlo Esposito (Gus from Breaking Bad) for that character!

Overall though, this series was enjoyable from start to finish. Yes, I was left feeling like there could have been more content, but I guess it's not a bad thing to leave your audience wanting more. Star Wars fans will likely love this series, and fans of westerns that can keep an open mind about the space aspect may enjoy it too.

I give the Disney+ series The Mandalorian a 9.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: The Outer Worlds

Hello Enthusiasts,

I remember when Fallout: New Vegas came out and got subpar reviews because it was being compared to the game it was building off of, Fallout 3. While it certainly wasn't as large of a game as the main entry into the series, I loved New Vegas and, honestly, it was the game that got me really into the series. So when its developer, Obsidian, announced that they were releasing a brand-new IP, I was excited to give it a try. Would it be another gripping experience to remember for years to come? Below is my review of Outer Worlds, though keep in mind that there will be some Spoilers Below.

The game starts with a scientist freeing your created character from a transport ship full of cryogenically frozen people from Earth, which was headed to the Halcyon colonies. There were some issues and the board in charge of these colonies decided to just leave these people frozen and drifting off into space. As you're rescued by this scientist, Phineas Wells, he tells you to find him some chemicals to wake up the rest of the ship, because the board of corporations is full of a bunch of selfish and short-sighted jerks (paraphrasing there). You're dropped onto a planet, killing your mercenary escort upon landing, whose ship you end up claiming on as your own, and thus begins your journey.

I'm leaving a lot out of my story overview because this is very much a story-driven game and I don't want to give too much away. However, I will say that my favorite story element involves the way the corporations have handled the management of these colonies, as the story writers have thought of every conceivable way that the corporations would try to get more money out of these people. These's even a point in the game where you learn that the "Spacer's Choice" company considers worker suicide as vandalism of company property, which means that they take a fee out of the rest of the worker's paychecks to cover the damages. 

Anyway, outside of the story, what are the other best parts of this game? Well, for fans of the older Fallout games, the dialogue options in this game are great and versatile. Focusing on upgrading your character's speech abilities is an easy way to avoid a whole lot of combat and uncomfortable situations in this story. However, even focusing on other elements of your character can help with dialogue, as there will sometimes be options that are based off of your characters other traits, such as knowledge in medicine, engineering, handguns, etc. The companions in this game are done well, though I found myself sticking with the same two for most of the missions. It's easy to get attached to their specific personalities (as well as enjoy the specific perks they grant your character by being in your party). Also, while it does take some getting used to, the inventory management system in this game isn't bad at all. Without raising your skills too much, you're able to break down weapons and armor for parts from your inventory rather than traveling to a workbench. Plus, there are a ton of vending machines around these colonies that allow you to sell your junk or other items for credits.

It's not all praise though, because there are some elements of this game that don't work quite as well. Unfortunately, one of my biggest knocks against the game involves one of my favorite elements, the dialogue. As varied as it is and as much as I love it, what you say often doesn't matter. There are several instances where you can tell that the NPC you're speaking to would give you the same information or response regardless. There are times when your companion will chime into the conversation as well, which is cool, but the character you're speaking with won't even acknowledge that someone else said something. I would have also appreciate some more variety in the available weapons and modifications. I ended up finding dozens upon dozens of the exact same pistol, which was great for getting additional weapon parts, but did make that part of the game a bit less exciting. Finally, last gripe here, but there should be some post-game content. The Fallout series has adjusted itself to allow players to continue their journey after they beat the main story, and it's disappointing that this game doesn't allow that. The player should be able to continue to roam the galaxy after the end of the story, but that's not the case.

Despite my grievances, this is actually a fun game. While there is room for improvement, I enjoyed my time and the worlds that the designers built into this game. If you're not into really into action RPG's, this might not be your kind of game, but I think it's worth a purchase for anyone who has a soft spot for this style.

I give The Outer Worlds a 7 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Luigi's Mansion 3

Hello Enthusiasts,

I am a huge fan of the Nintendo character, Luigi. So I was understandably excited to get the new entry in Luigi's solo series, Luigi's Mansion. Does it hold up to the previous games? Below, you will find my review to Luigi's Mansion 3. 

While this isn't a heavily story-based game, still know that there are some mild Spoilers Below.

The game starts with the Mario gang arriving to a fancy hotel that they were exclusively invited to. Everything seems fine at first, but things quickly turn south as it's revealed that the whole hotel is a trap. Luigi learns that King Boo has escaped from the painting that he was trapped in and has started to get his revenge by trapping the rest of the Mario gang in paintings. Luigi escapes and now it's up to him to use the newest version of the Poltergust and save everyone. To do this, he'll need to go through the hotel floor-by-floor, defeat the ghosts, and retrieve the stolen elevator buttons to ascend further through the hotel.

I love the diversity of this game above everything else. Each floor of the hotel is unique to one another, with some floors being set aside as a gym or a mall, while others are more outlandish, like pirate themed floor that has an entire beach inside the hotel. It keeps the game feeling fresh throughout the duration of the play time, which was an issue with the previous titles. The game also benefits from its newest key feature, Gooigi. Gooigi is a goo copy of Luigi that can be used to solve puzzles in interesting and creative ways. I found some of these puzzles to be fairly difficult, especially before I got used to utilizing Gooigi effectively. There were also some difficult bosses, through more in regard to figuring out how to defeat them instead of actually pulling it off. The game also looks great, though in a more cartoony way than some of the other big titles on the Nintendo Switch.

Also, a big "thank you" to Nintendo for continuing to include local multiplayer in their games. The multiplayer mode of this game is a fun and welcomed addition to this game, though I haven't put nearly as many hours into it as I did the single player.

While the game does have a lot going for it, there are a few areas in need of improvement. One of the biggest areas for me is the control layout. It can be difficult to use some of the features on the Poltergust effectively because of where they are placed on the controller, since both joysticks are needed to aim when a feature is being used. I also wanted more items to spend the in-game money on, as I have over $30,000 in game right now with nothing left to buy. These are small issues, but they are apparent enough to get annoying.

Overall, I think this is an outstanding game. It not only continues the great things about this series, but does well in furthering the series overall. It's a definite recommend for anyone that has a Switch, though I wouldn't call it a system seller like Breath of the Wild or Mario Odyssey. 

I give Luigi's Mansion 3 an 8.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Comic Book Review: Civil War II

Hello Enthusiasts,

Marvel's comic book event Civil War was a wonderful, accessible story for readers. It brought up a point that, at the time, hadn't been explored too heavily in any major Marvel or DC events, where the government decides to force all super-powered beings to work as agents. It was creative but so obvious, because of course the government would do something like that. The event went over so well that it became the plot behind the third Captain America movie in the MCU (kind of) and Marvel decided to put together a sequel. Today, I will review Civil War II and there will be some Spoilers Below, though I will try to keep them at a minimum.

This event follows two teams of heroes, with their figureheads being Iron Man and Captain Marvel. The point of contention between these groups is a new Inhuman that has the power to see events that have yet to occur. This Inhuman, Ulysses, was actually just a regular student that ended up being exposed to Terrigen Mist, which changed him. Ulysses sees a horrific future in his first vision, an apocalyptic type of future, and eventually approaches the heroes about it. Some of his smaller, more short term visions end up coming true, and Captain Marvel's team is able to prevent some tragedies because of that. However, not everyone is on board with following this new early-warning system that the heroes have. Iron Man in particular is opposed to this idea, because the future isn't set and the predictions could end up causing more harm than good. The two sides fight it out, there are losses on each side, and there's a pretty clean wrap-up of the whole event right within the pages of this story.

There are some things that do work very well in this story. For starters, the art is clean and enjoyable. I really enjoy the work of David Marquez, and he has a history of working with Brian Michael Bendis and conveying these stories well through his illustration. I also love when these events include a lot of different heroes and series that I enjoy, since some of the other Marvel events end up having a smaller scope of heroes (Original Sin, Siege, Secret War). This event also made an effort to lay some groundwork for major changes in the Marvel universe moving forward, even though not all of them stuck. I also enjoyed a bit of the character building in this story, especially Captain Marvel. It can seem like she's being hard-headed about this whole thing and not willing to listen to any opposition on the topic, but she's taking a similar stance to Iron Man's in the first Civil War. She knows that there's some moral ambiguity with what she's doing, and she doesn't enjoy arresting the heroes that have done so much good in the past, but she feels that she is doing what's best for the world. She sees these visions coming true and takes a risk based on their previous accuracy. There are other characters who have deeper plots like this one, but I can't really go into them without spoiling major plots of the story.

While there are some positives for this limited series, there are some drawbacks that I need to rant about a bit. First of all, this was not nearly as fresh of an idea as the first Civil War. Acting on predictions from the future, arresting people that haven't committed any crimes yet, having a group that is adamantly opposed to the actions, these are ideas and plots that have been explored numerous times in the past. All Marvel adds to the worn plot is superheroes, and it's still not as strong of a story a the film Minority Report. Don't get me wrong, the writing is strong, as all of Bendis' work is, but Marvel just didn't have enough to add to this kind of story to make it feel worthwhile. It's also frustrating that some many of the threads from this book end up going nowhere in the larger universe. Sure, some of them play out for a bit, like Iron Man being put out of commission near the end of the book, which set up for Iron Heart's short series, but he's back in the game before long.

I also have a significant gripe about Iron Man's side in this. I know that a character can grow and change over time, and there are events early in this book that are impactful to Iron Man and his perception of using Ulysses power. However, Tony Stark was arresting heroes who were out risking their lives for people because they wouldn't sign up to work for the government in the first Civil War series. He locked up friends, allies that he had for years, and said that it was all worth it. Even after Captain America was killed while in custody after the events of that series, Tony still moved forward with the Avengers Initiative and spearheaded the team of government heroes. To say that he would be opposed to something preventing major tragedies because there's some grey area around whether or not the visions can be trusted feels like a bit of a stretch. He mentions that he has an understanding of time, that it is always changing and that there's an ebb and flow to it, which helps swallow the pill of his opposition a bit, but it really feels like his stance is just so we can have a powerful figurehead to oppose Captain Marvel.

Overall, this comic isn't bad, but I wouldn't call it a priority read. Yes the art is excellent and the writing is solid, but the story that Bendis was told to write for isn't as strong as it could have been. It feels less like this was an event that we were building to and more as a set up for future lines of comics. Feel free to pick it up, it's certainly not the worst book in my collection, but I can certainly recommend others before this one.

I give Marvel's Civil War II a 5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: The Walking Dead (Seasons 3 and 4)

Hello Enthusiasts,

A while back I reviewed seasons 1 and 2 of the Telltale Games series The Walking Dead, which you can find here. Telltale Games has closed down since then, but the series was finished with two final seasons. Today I will be reviewing the final two seasons of the series, and know that you are in for Some Spoilers, though I will keep them at a minimum.

The third game, titled A New Frontier, switches away from being a completely Clementine focused story. The main character in this game is Javi, a former baseball player that is traveling around with a few select members of his family. He meets up with Clementine pretty early on, they find a large settlement of survivors to join, and drama ensues. It's not too long before everything goes south, and Javi must work with Clementine to survive and save those that they care about. The plot does feel pretty similar to other Walking Dead stories that can be found in the TV shows, comics, and other games, but the it's the characters that make this game enjoyable. Clementine is aggressive and understandably damaged by the world that she has grown up in. She's protecting an infant, AJ, and she could not care less about anyone else at the start of the game. She's not necessarily mean, but she is very wary of others. Javi has a deep history with his family as well, though he didn't live a perfect life before the rise of the walkers. Together they work through a difficult situation and really make the player want the best for the both of them.

The forth season, simply titled The Final Season, ran into some issues while in production. The first two episodes were released like normal, and then Telltale Games shut down with little-to-no warning for those working on the game. It looked as though it would end there, but several members of the team that had worked at Telltale Games decided to push forward with the last two episodes. These folks, who had moved on to Skybound Games, worked with their new employer to finish the final season and get it out to the fans. With all of this drama, it would make sense that the last season would be sub-par to the rest, but the final season of this series is potentially the best one in the series. It's deep, emotional, and compelling all the way through. The season follows Clementine as she raises a young AJ with the intention to help him grow into the best possible version of himself. This is wildly difficult in this kind of world that has seen so much death and destruction. It puts Clementine into a role similar to that which Lee had in the first season. They do find another compound, which is run entirely by children, and it seems like a better place for them than anything else they've found so far. Again, drama ensues, but I won't spoil anything else for the story as this is the end of the entire run.

It is difficult to convey how well these stories are told. It's gotten to the point where it feels like I have a direct connection with Clementine through these games, and that cannot happen without the wonderfully gripping storytelling that happens in this series, these two games especially. I know that I've already gone over it a bit, but these games are nothing without an interesting story, so much of their success is built on getting the player invested in the situations and having them care about the characters, and this game gets it so right. I also don't want to discount how good of a character Javi is, because it can get easy to just focus on Clementine, but Javi was great. His story was deep, a past riddled with a bit of betrayal and blame for the deaths of loved ones. I only had one game with this character, but I would have pushed for him to live above others even if I was playing as someone else. Outside of the stories and characters though, the game still has a lot of positive stuff to stand on. I didn't run into any technical issues with these two entries, though I would still die from time to time as some of the quick time events require...well...very quick timing. The final game also introduced an additional combat element where you can stun a walker by kicking out its leg. This is faster than going for the kill right away, which is needed when facing down an entire horde. I also enjoyed the added element in the final season of collectables, which made exploring the areas seem worthwhile, even if the objective in the area was obvious.

My only complaint with these two entries into the series is the same as I had previously; some of the  events and outcomes are completely locked in regardless of your choices. This isn't apparent unless you play through the game more than once or watch videos online, but it can take away some of the tension in a situation when you know that. Now some choices do greatly impact the game, so still treat all of them in such a way, but I would have appreciated some radically different outcomes based on choices.

At the end of the day, these games aren't for everyone. I know there are a lot of people who prefer the high-octane thrill of a first-person shooter like Call of Duty or the frustrating grind of a game like Dark Souls, and that's completely fine. For anyone looking to play a great story that doesn't offer as much in regards to fast-paced action, this is an absolute recommend. This whole series has been fantastic, and these final two games bring it to the next level. They're emotional, engaging, and entertaining for anyone that enjoys these types of games.

I give seasons 3 and 4 of The Walking Dead a 9.5 out of 10.

Overall, I give the entire series a 9 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Jurassic World Evolution

Hello Enthusiasts,

My favorite computer game when I was younger was Sim Theme Park. I would spend hours building a park, managing the budget, making sure the guests were satisfied, reading their comments on what could be better, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I've been trying to find an up-to-date version of that game that is just as satisfying, but nothing seems to live up to that. The Roller Coaster Tycoon games are fun, but they seemed to be missing something, some missing ingredient that brought Sim Theme Park to the next level . So when I heard that there was a new theme park builder available with a Jurassic Park theme to it (but not the mobile game), I decided to give it a go. Today, I will be reviewing Jurassic World Evolution. 

The game has you traveling to the same grouping of islands that we've seen in the movies, which are called the Muertes Archipelago in game. You go from one island to another to either build a park from scratch or expand the few existing facilities to create a successful Jurassic Park. You're in charge of security, you'll pay for teams to dig up fossils that can be used to rebuild the genomes of more dinosaurs, you have to ensure the welfare of the dinos, as well as a ton of other tasks. To guide you through these tasks, you have a team of advisors that will chime in and offer you objectives that will help lead you in the right direction to build your park. Some of these people are new faces, while others are recurring characters from the films, including Dr. Ian Malcom who is voiced in-game by Jeff Goldblum. As you build one park up and increase its overall rating, the other islands will slowly open up to you, all of which come with their own obstacles to overcome. When you do unlock the original island, Isla Nublar, you will be treated to a sandbox experience where you can use any research from your other islands, and you have unlimited funds to build with. It's only with getting parks to a full five star rating and completing tasks for the various teams that you unlock all of the content in this game, so it does incentives the player to keep going after all five islands have been opened up.

I found that a lot worked with the game. It does allow you to do a lot on your own without directly following the missions, but the missions are mostly helpful in advancing the park. I loved keeping track of everything and building my own paddocks for the dinosaurs, as well as ensuring that I was keeping certain dinosaurs separate unless I was looking for them to fight. The management system for the stores and restaurants in the park is more than I expected, allowing me to control what food is served and what price to charge, keeping in mind that guests won't pay ridiculous prices. The game also has you place viewing areas for the dinosaurs, and a paddock with a poorly planning viewing area won't bring in as many guests as one where they can see most of the area where the creatures roam. The game also incorporates a decent bit of detail in regard to caring for the dinosaurs. They all have specific needs in regard to what food they eat, having access to water, and how much space and foliage they require to be comfortable. If the dinosaurs aren't kept comfortable, they will become aggressive and break through their fences. If this happens, your guests will being in danger and you'll need to have a team tranquilize the creature. The dinosaurs can also get sick and need to have a ranger team medicate them in order for them to survive. It's all of this extra detail that keeps the game interesting as you build your parks and increase your revenue, because there are always possible issues that can arise.

While I don't have a lot to complain about here, there are some things that bug me with this game. One of my biggest problems is not being able to transfer funds from one park to another. At one point I had a park that was making over $800,000 a minute, but I couldn't send any of that over to my park that kept getting hit with storms and needed the cash to make repairs. I also feel like the terrain adjustment tool could use a bit more detail. An easy fix would be something that lets me know the actual elevation of an area so I can try to match it with other nearby areas for building purposes instead of having me try to eyeball it. That has been a bit of a recurring frustration as I've been playing through these islands. Also, a small complaint, but there's no way to change the color of the buildings in the game. There's an entire system of researching different DNA sequences so you can have different colored dinosaurs of the same species, yet I don't have the option to paint any of my buildings a different color. I know it's petty, but it feels like a simple mechanic that could have been included and would have added another layer of enjoyment for me.

With all of that being said, this is a great theme park builder. It incorporates some of my favorite elements from other builders, plus it has the added fun of maintaining dinosaurs. It does have some issues, but it is overall a solid recommend from me if you enjoy these types of games at all.

I give Jurassic World: Evolution an 8.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: The Witness

Hello Enthusiasts,

Today, I will be reviewing a game that I would not have played at all if it wasn't free on PS Plus this month. Today, I will be reviewing the puzzle game The Witness. I'm not sure if anything I will say will qualify for this, but note that there may be some very mild Spoilers Below.

The game follows your unnamed character as they walk around and solve a plethora of puzzles. You'll travel from location to location, with each one offering slightly different types of puzzle and/or puzzles of varying difficulty. Once you solve all of the puzzles in a location, a laser will rise from the area and fire a beam at a fixed location on top of the mountain. Once all of the locations have been completed, the final area at the top of the mountain opens up to be solved. It's a short synopsis, but the game really doesn't offer much in terms of a story.

I will say that some of the puzzles in this game do offer a challenge. There were times where I would roam around for 10 or 15 minutes trying to figure out how to solve a single one. Some of them are pretty straightforward, while other require a bit more creativity to solve, such as the puzzles that require that the player view them from behind a tree to see the solution. I also have to compliment the art in the game, which is wonderful. Everything is bright, colorful, and somewhat stylized. There's a lot of attention to detail, from the trees to the dilapidated buildings and even the weird states that you'll find around the island. I also appreciated the soundtrack, which was fitting for each environment and seemed to change seamlessly.

My biggest issue with the game is the assumption that everything can be intuitive. There are absolutely no instructions in the game, nothing to let you know what your doing. It doesn't even prompt you that this is a puzzle game when you start, you're just standing there and walk over to a puzzle. The game tries to introduce you to new types of puzzles by having easier areas, but without a map being available and not being given much in terms of a sense of direction, it's very easy to breeze right past those areas. I am all for treating your players with some respect and not hand-holding them through everything, but this game takes it a bit too far. In that same vein, I also think the game could have benefitted from a hint system for the more difficult areas. Nothing that gives too much away, I still enjoyed figured the puzzles out on my own, but something that can at least point the player in the right direction.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this game. It does have its flaws, primarily its stance that it doesn't need to offer the player any information, but it was satisfying to complete the puzzles in here. If you're not one . who enjoys difficult puzzles that may take a while to finish, this isn't the game for you. However, if you do like that kind of thing, this game offers a challenge that may just scratch that itch.

I give The Witness a 6.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Retro Game Review: Star Wars - The Force Unleashed

Hello Enthusiasts,

Star Wars games don't have the best history. Most of these games are either debatably good or downright terrible. There are a few exceptions to this, and today I look at one that is often put into this category, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. As always, there may be some Spoilers Below. 

The game starts off strong, as the prologue has the player learn basic controls by playing as Darth Vader. After slaughtering endless waves of Wookiees, Vader finds the Jedi he was looking for (to murder), as well as a force-sensitive child. Vader takes on this child as his apprentice, and he becomes our protagonist for the duration of the game. Known only as Starkiller, Vader's apprentice trains to the point of being able to hunt down the few Jedi left in the galaxy since the Clone Wars. We find out that Vader's ultimate goal is to use Starkiller to kill Emperor Palpatine. Is that all there is to it though? The game throws some low-levels twists into the story that, while apparent from a mile away, do add enough variety to justify the story's end.

More than any other Star Wars game I've played, this game uses force powers very well. As the story progresses Starkiller gains access to more and more powers. He can use a force push, a force grip, force lighting, create a lighting shield, a shockwave called force repulse, and throw his lightsaber using the force. All of these attacks would drain Starkiller's force energy, though it refills relatively quickly. Having multiple ways to defeat enemies without ever engaging them in combat grants a feeling of real force mastery. The block button also allows Starkiller to deflect most laser fire, and after upgrading the ability he can block one or two blasts at a time without even having to press block. The levels take place on a variety of different worlds, which are all pretty well built out, and the game is rich with Star Wars lore. I also enjoyed some of the different collectable pieces in the game. There are a variety of different colors for the lightsaber, as well as compressed and unstable versions of each color. On top of that, there are different power crystals for the lightsaber as well, which allow the saber some different abilities (added damage, electrical damage, force powers costing less force energy, etc). Having such variety for the lightsaber and having to only pick one made for some difficult decisions on what to sacrifice, though the game allows the player to change them freely. Each level also has Starkiller in a different costume, which can be changed to any of the ones that he had worn previously (though changing the costume causes the player to start the entire level over, so it's better to make that decision earlier on on).

Not everything for this game is fantastic though. The graphics are certainly dated, especially in the cutscenes. The melee combat is also frustrating, as a number of the enemies won't have any slowdown when hit with the lightsaber and can just hit you as you're slashing them. This is especially frustrating when you're trying to fight three or four of these enemies simultaneously.  Some of the platforming in the game is also irritating, as the movement controls aren't perfectly designed and some of the sections require precision. There are some other small issues, such as a few bugs with the enemies and some lag, but my biggest complaint lies with the loading times. Levels will take a while to load, and levels are broken up into two or three sections. I had to wait for over a minute for some of levels to load just their second section, and it gets annoying after a while. This could be overlooked, but even the pause screen and the upgrade screen have extended wait times. It could take fifteen or twenty seconds just to get to the upgrade screen, which is only two button clicks away from playing the game. It's bad enough that I was completely aware of the wait times throughout the duration of the game, I never got used to it. Little things like that, just a few added seconds for everything, can take away a great deal of the immersion that the game often does so well.

Despite any of my complaints, this is a good Star Wars game at the end of the day. There was certainly room for improvement, but it's not hard to see why this game is remembered so fondly. If you're a fan of the series and have a compatible system to play on, this game is certainly a good buy. You may get frustrated with some things, but you'll likely enjoy the experience overall.

I give Star Wars: The Force Unleashed a 7.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review - Stardew Valley

Hello Enthusiasts,

Sometimes we all feel like we need to get away from the hustle of the 9 - 5 job. Some of us play games, others watch TV, some will jump into a book, and others will quit their job and move to their old family farm to grow crops and have an adventure. Today's game is all about that last one, as I will be reviewing Stardew Valley. Keep in mind, as always, that there may be some Spoilers Below. 

The game begins with your character receiving a letter from their grandfather, who says not to open it until the time is right to make a change. Cut to years later, your character is a desk jockey that seems miserable, like they've just had enough. It's at this point that they reach into the drawer and pull out the letter, which allows them to move to the old plot of land that their family owns in Stardew Valley. From here, you control the character as they start a farm/fish/get to know the towns people/explore dungeons and kill monsters. The goal of the game is to get rich, run the farm, maybe get married and have children, whatever you want really.

This game is surprisingly fun. Everything is fairly intuitive and I ended up enjoying a lot of it. From the farming to the fighting, everything so far has felt perfectly put together. The graphics are simple but enjoyable, and the different music is wonderfully suited to the different scenarios that trigger it. Every accomplishment feels like it carries a real sense of achievement, making it one of those "just five more minutes" types of games. The more I would learn and discover within the game, the more I wanted to play. I was also impressed with the depth of the stories in the game. Everything feels pretty shallow near the start, with one-dimensional characters that speak to you one sentence at a time. However, the more you get to know the townspeople, the more complex they seem. Shane, who works at the gigantic supermarket that recently moved into town, is an alcoholic that is fighting depression. Kent, a character that comes back from the military in the second in-game year, struggles with PTSD and just returning to civilian life in general. You get closer to these characters by speaking with them often and giving them gifts. You can even romance any of the single characters in the game, which can blossom into marriage with children. There's so much to this game that I have to work to keep myself from rambling about everything that I love.

With all of those great things to say, surely there must be some rough parts to the game, right? Well, outside of some frustration that comes with missing opportunities within the game and some slight monotony with crops near the beginning. Also, while most of the aspects of the game are pretty intuitive, there are a few hard lessons to learn, like all of your spring crops dying right on the first day of summer. These are small complaints compared to the overall positives though, and I don't think it takes away much from my ability to recommend this game. If you haven't seen or played it before, you should jump in, even if it isn't normally your type of game.

I give Stardew Valley a 9 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

First Impressions Game Review: The Surge

Hello Enthusiasts,

Some people enjoy easy games that they can stroll through mostly for the story and some breezy gameplay. Others enjoy games that pose a challenge, but eventually see the player become an insane force to be reckoned with. There's also a group that laves a game that will beat them down and make them scream at their screen. Today I will be reviewing one such game, a game that is in the same vein as Dark Souls and Bloodborne in that regard. Today, I give my first impressions review The Surge. I'm not going to wait to beat the game and give a full review of the game just yet, as it is likely going  to be some time before I'll be finishing this one up. Of course, be ready for some Spoilers Below. 

The game takes place in the not-to-distant future and follows our main character, Warren. He's a wheelchair bound man on his way to CREO, a gigantic tech conglomerate that augments their employees so they can keep up with their mechanical co-workers. From the start, the player is able to choose a smaller, weaker, and faster build or a larger, stronger, slower build. From here, Warren is put into an automated surgery, which neglects to give him any anesthetic for the procedure, leading to a scene of him being in extreme agony. He wakes up to find that nearly all of the other augmented workers have become insane killers and most of the technology in the facility is out to kill him. He is guided by one executive, Sally, as he fights through the enemies and tries to uncover what exactly happened.

While not the greatest tale ever told, it's a decent enough story that has enough mystery to keep your attention.

As I mentioned up top, this is not a game for those looking for an easy time. None of the enemies in the game are very easy to read, and even one slip-up against a random enemy could mean losing a chunk of health. It's a game that keeps you on your toes and demands your focus. For every enemy that is defeated, you collect some scrap metal and random parts that can be used to upgrade your rig and craft new parts. I enjoyed this element, because it caused me some debate when I would head out on whether I should risk damage by fighting every enemy to get some scrap, or if I should try to surpass some of them and save my health. I enjoyed the combat, which allows you target specific parts of enemies to increase your chances of getting a certain part. The different weapons all have slightly different feels, with some being slow and powerful, while others are very quick and land weaker hits. I personally found that I did best with one of the more middle-of-the-road weapons that I spent my time and resources upgrading. Which, by the way, I really appreciated the upgrade system. Upgrading the weapons and armor that you craft is a great way to get an edge, but upgrading your rig improves your overall stats, and when you reach milestones in the upgrade process you can add additional abilities.

I also wanted to point out two specific features that I consider improvements over other games like this one. First of all, there is a pause screen in this game, which is a life-saver. As much I understand that other games really wanted to push the difficulty of the game by not having a pause screen available, it was something I always hated, because it meant that I couldn't grab a drink, use the restroom, or do anything else when playing the game. The added pause screen is a huge plus. The other solid addition come in the form of more paths back to a safe point. In other games, it could be a very long time before you found another way back to the point where you could save and store what had been collected. This game only has one safe point per map, but they offer a new way to get there and to skip ahead in the level far more frequently. With this one, I can be more understanding of people saying that it takes away from the difficulty, because it does mean that the player can heal up more frequently. However, the stress of the game is still there, and for someone like me this system puts the game just within the realm of not being too discouraging.

So I've ranted a bit about what works in this game, but where does it fall short? Well, some of the things I mentioned earlier do get annoying. While the game does add difficulty by making enemies harder to read, it does go too far sometimes with having little-to-no signs to let you know an attack is coming. Add on top that the dodging can be a little slow and uses the same energy as attacking does, and it can lead to some frustrating damage being received. The heavy weapons are also pretty useless. The smaller/faster weapons and the more balanced weapons are really the only viable options, because most of your enemies will not take their time in attacking you, so a slow swing is wildly inefficient. Even though other games have including a similar weapon range of fast and weak vs. slow and powerful, there were ways to effectively use each weapon against the enemies based on your play style. Also, while I am still playing through the game, it seems like more could have been done with having a mech suit. The scope of possibilities seems limited to just a few things, which I hope would be improved in a potential sequel.

Overall, I really enjoy this game. It's stressful, it has heard some choice words from me, but it is also satisfying. It certainly isn't everyone's thing, and it isn't a must-have game, but I found it enjoyable. If you feel like you want a bit of a challenge in your next game, I recommend adding this one to your queue of games to play.

While I have not yet finished the game, I currently give The Surge a 6 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Retro Game Review: The Godfather II

Hello Enthusiasts,

I'm a big fan of the first two Godfather movies, they're some of the best movies of all time in regards to story and character development. I am, of course, not alone in this thought, as these movies are loved by the majority of filmgoers. So with all of this excitement behind a decades-old series of movies, Paramount Pictures and EA Games decided to cash in and create some games. Now I reviewed the first game already, which you can find here, so today I'm going to take a look at the second entry into the series, The Godfather II. Does it follow the footsteps of the movie and live up to, perhaps even surpass, its predecessor? Let's take a look.

So this game doesn't follow the story of the movie as closely as the first game did. In this game, you play Dominic, a made man for the Corleone family who has just been given his own sub-family to run. From here you take over the businesses of the rival families while managing your own. There are some beats from the movie, like Michael Corleone going to court because of his ties to organized crime and the revolution in Cuba. There are also familiar characters here in the form of Fredo, Hyman Roth, Frank Pentangeli, and others, but the game is mostly a focus on your character. Your goal is to take over all of the available businesses in New York and Florida, as well as do some additional work in Cuba. As you take over businesses and eliminate other families, your own family begins to grow, and you have more resources at your disposal.

This game has a decent amount going for it. The controls all work well, and the gunplay is mostly solid. I enjoyed managing my family, as each member will has one or a few skills that they can use to infiltrate business and compounds, as well as during combat. However, not every member of your family could go around with you, so you end up having to decide who you want to travel with and who can help you defend what you already own. The game also gives bonuses for holding all of a type of business, such as extended ammo clips, kevlar vests, faster rebuild time if one of your businesses gets bombed, etc. The upgrade system for you and your family is basic, but I appreciate that they did put one in there. One of the biggest improvements I felt from the previous game was the driving, which was pretty weak in the last entry. This game's driving isn't perfect, but I could drift around corners at high speed more efficiently than in the last game.

Despite all of the positive, this game is far from perfect. The character models are certainly flawed, even with the main characters. If I saw Michael Corleone on the street in this game without any indication that it was him, I would think it's just another random citizen. The world also seems a lot less populated than the last game. I walked around New York for a solid five minutes and saw only six cars drive by me, whereas the last game had a much more dense population. Also, not only is it less populated, but the game feels smaller. Yes, there are three separate maps in this game, but each one feels as large as one of the five burrows from the last game. Plus, by making them separate like this, you have to get on a plane and wait through a loading screen. There are far fewer business to take over, and it feels like they tried to make up for that by having each one be vulnerable to being taken over again by other families. Ultimately, it just feels like less effort was put into this game than the last title.

So while I certainly wouldn't call this a bad game, there is certainly something left to be desired. It could have been a natural progression from the first game, improving on shortcomings and keeping up with the ever-advancing technology, but it instead feels like a cash-grab. Play it if you have the appropriate system and find it cheap somewhere, but otherwise you can likely find a better game of this type.

I give The Godfather II a 5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast