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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Paradox of Morality in Tabletop Games
Dec 17, 2020
Paradox of Morality. That’s a super cool name for a game. What do you think of when you read it? I immediately thought of questionable choices that could mean life or death, or having to choose between two ugly outcomes, or questioning one’s own value systems. This is a great premise for a game. Does this one deliver on its namesake and give the players these excruciating choices?
Paradox of Morality is a moderated scenario game between players (or teams of players) where one player will be the judge and the others will be convincing the judge to award them points based on their responses to scenario prompts.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. You are invited to back the game through the Kickstarter campaign or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setup is very easy: choose a judge, split up the remaining players into teams and choose the first scenario from the stack of large cards. The game may now begin!
Playing a round is similar to playing a company-mandated icebreaker activity where each team is given the same prompt by the judge to be discussed in their groups. Once the judge has called time for the scenario each team will need one or more spokespeople to deliver their arguments for what they have discussed. The judge then listens to all teams’ spokespeople and awards points based on responses given. The first team to reach 200 points is the winner.
Components. Again, this is a prototype and I do not know if the components will be any different once the game is officially produced. That said, this game is just a large stack of large prompt cards. The rules are printed on the inside of the box cover. There is minimal art in the game and it only resides on the box and on the card backs. I can describe the art as photos of trippy scantily-clad quasi-Egyptian masquerade attendees with the females wearing what appears to be only body paint. It certainly does not connect to the gameplay in any fashion, and I question its usage. Additionally, the verbiage throughout the game (and maybe it’s just for the prototype) uses abbreviated text-speech. So a prompt could read similar to, “u c a man walking down the street n he has 2 call out 2 u 2 ask a question.” I must be getting old because that is not at all endearing to me.
Similarly, the game as a whole just does not speak to me. The prompts are strange and almost railroad players and teams down paths of just grossness or straight up ridiculousness. I will admit, there are a few good scenarios in the box, but it is really hard to get past the delivery style and presentation of the game (at least in this format). Perhaps cleaning up the verbiage would help, and paring down the number of scenarios given to truly enhance the game’s offerings would be better. I don’t know, I’m not a designer.
All in all, if you are someone who lusts for those staff meetings like this, then Paradox of Morality is for you. If you dread those activities, I would stay away this time. Perhaps the game will change by the time it reaches Kickstarter or full production, and if so I would like to take another look at it. However, as it is presented now, I would be passing on this. Perhaps it is not targeting 41-year-old married men, but for me it has missed my bullseye.
Paradox of Morality is a moderated scenario game between players (or teams of players) where one player will be the judge and the others will be convincing the judge to award them points based on their responses to scenario prompts.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. You are invited to back the game through the Kickstarter campaign or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setup is very easy: choose a judge, split up the remaining players into teams and choose the first scenario from the stack of large cards. The game may now begin!
Playing a round is similar to playing a company-mandated icebreaker activity where each team is given the same prompt by the judge to be discussed in their groups. Once the judge has called time for the scenario each team will need one or more spokespeople to deliver their arguments for what they have discussed. The judge then listens to all teams’ spokespeople and awards points based on responses given. The first team to reach 200 points is the winner.
Components. Again, this is a prototype and I do not know if the components will be any different once the game is officially produced. That said, this game is just a large stack of large prompt cards. The rules are printed on the inside of the box cover. There is minimal art in the game and it only resides on the box and on the card backs. I can describe the art as photos of trippy scantily-clad quasi-Egyptian masquerade attendees with the females wearing what appears to be only body paint. It certainly does not connect to the gameplay in any fashion, and I question its usage. Additionally, the verbiage throughout the game (and maybe it’s just for the prototype) uses abbreviated text-speech. So a prompt could read similar to, “u c a man walking down the street n he has 2 call out 2 u 2 ask a question.” I must be getting old because that is not at all endearing to me.
Similarly, the game as a whole just does not speak to me. The prompts are strange and almost railroad players and teams down paths of just grossness or straight up ridiculousness. I will admit, there are a few good scenarios in the box, but it is really hard to get past the delivery style and presentation of the game (at least in this format). Perhaps cleaning up the verbiage would help, and paring down the number of scenarios given to truly enhance the game’s offerings would be better. I don’t know, I’m not a designer.
All in all, if you are someone who lusts for those staff meetings like this, then Paradox of Morality is for you. If you dread those activities, I would stay away this time. Perhaps the game will change by the time it reaches Kickstarter or full production, and if so I would like to take another look at it. However, as it is presented now, I would be passing on this. Perhaps it is not targeting 41-year-old married men, but for me it has missed my bullseye.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Dark Souls Remastered in Video Games
Aug 14, 2019
I admit it, I never was able to beat the original Dark Souls when it was released on Xbox 360 and PS3 back in 2011. A PC port of the game was also released but had limited 30FPS and clearly hadn’t taken mouse and keyboard controls into account. The game was difficult, but I’m the type of player who’s happy to replay an area on a level multiple times, however if I get to a point where I don’t feel like I’m making progress, it’s usually on to the next game for me. That being said, I do love the Dark Souls games, regardless of how difficult they are and how horrible I am at them. I love the atmosphere, I love the weight of your armor and weapons, I love the scenery, and at times I even love the challenge. This isn’t a review specifically about Dark Souls however, as the gameplay hasn’t changed at all from the original (DLC’s included of course), but rather a review of whether the remastered version is the definitive version that folks should play.
For those of you who have led a sheltered life, Dark Souls is a third-person action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware. It was the successor to their previous game Demon Souls (which was a PS3 exclusive) and carried over much of the game mechanics. The game takes place in what I call a semi-open world environment connected to a central area. You are free to travel to and from areas at will, although some areas will be inaccessible until you complete specific tasks. Bonfires act as checkpoints for each level, and at a bonfire the player can heal, refill their healing flasks, and level up if they have collected enough souls to do so. The downside to resting at a bonfire is that it resets the enemies, so areas that you worked hard to clear out must be cleared out again. The game is lauded for its difficulty, and for players to learn from previous mistakes to overcome obstacles, present company excluded of course.
The release of Dark Souls Remastered was an effort to address many of the shortcomings of the original from a purely control and aesthetic point of view. I was lucky enough to review the game on my Xbox One X and the new 4K visuals and lighting effects are truly a site to behold. The world while still dark and dreary, now boasted cleaner lines. While it’s difficult to describe how good it looks (there are plenty of websites dedicated to comparing pictures between the original HD version and the new 4K version) it is absolutely noticeable. The textures no longer look muddy, and the creatures almost pop off the screen. This IS the definitive version if you are looking for the absolute best console version of the original Dark Souls game out there.
While folks may balk at the need for 60FPS on a game that was clearly playable at 30FPS, it does make a noticeable difference. Your character responds more fluidly and there is never any perceivable stutter. When a game’s FPS drops below 30FPS as it did in various areas of the original, it can have a horrible affect on the player and lead to some unnecessary deaths. While many will argue about the ability to distinguish between 60FPS and 30FPS, there is no denying that consistent frame rates in this game can literally mean the difference between life and death. This is not an issue with the remastered version as there were not discernable drops in FPS in even the most crowded of areas.
This leads to what you are probably reading this review for…is it worth the price of admission? If you have never played Dark Souls before, then this is absolutely the version you should purchase. Not only are the FPS and visuals greatly improved, but it includes all the DLC from the previous version as well. If you have played it before but are interested in going through it again, then I certainly would play through this version as the graphics and frame rates make it well worth your time. If you have no desire to replay the game, or if it didn’t appeal to you the first time around, then there is little reason to pick it up. While there are notable visual improvements, there is no additional content (outside the DLC) or any changes to the game mechanics themselves to warrant a replay.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this review the original version came out in 2011 and I’ve had seven years of playing numerous other games under my belt to go back and best the enemies that lie within. So, with the much-improved graphics and smoother gameplay was I able to beat Dark Souls this time??? Well sadly no, apparently I still haven’t improved enough over the years to beat this game (and while I have Dark Souls II and Dark Souls III, I haven’t beaten those game either). I was able to play through most of the levels to see how the visuals had improved, but the same bosses still took no pity on me. Maybe another seven years of practice will make all the difference, until then maybe I’ll go back for one more try.
Pros: Smooth 60FPS, Incredible 4K visuals, Smoother game control
Cons: Still too tough for me, Lacking additional content
For those of you who have led a sheltered life, Dark Souls is a third-person action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware. It was the successor to their previous game Demon Souls (which was a PS3 exclusive) and carried over much of the game mechanics. The game takes place in what I call a semi-open world environment connected to a central area. You are free to travel to and from areas at will, although some areas will be inaccessible until you complete specific tasks. Bonfires act as checkpoints for each level, and at a bonfire the player can heal, refill their healing flasks, and level up if they have collected enough souls to do so. The downside to resting at a bonfire is that it resets the enemies, so areas that you worked hard to clear out must be cleared out again. The game is lauded for its difficulty, and for players to learn from previous mistakes to overcome obstacles, present company excluded of course.
The release of Dark Souls Remastered was an effort to address many of the shortcomings of the original from a purely control and aesthetic point of view. I was lucky enough to review the game on my Xbox One X and the new 4K visuals and lighting effects are truly a site to behold. The world while still dark and dreary, now boasted cleaner lines. While it’s difficult to describe how good it looks (there are plenty of websites dedicated to comparing pictures between the original HD version and the new 4K version) it is absolutely noticeable. The textures no longer look muddy, and the creatures almost pop off the screen. This IS the definitive version if you are looking for the absolute best console version of the original Dark Souls game out there.
While folks may balk at the need for 60FPS on a game that was clearly playable at 30FPS, it does make a noticeable difference. Your character responds more fluidly and there is never any perceivable stutter. When a game’s FPS drops below 30FPS as it did in various areas of the original, it can have a horrible affect on the player and lead to some unnecessary deaths. While many will argue about the ability to distinguish between 60FPS and 30FPS, there is no denying that consistent frame rates in this game can literally mean the difference between life and death. This is not an issue with the remastered version as there were not discernable drops in FPS in even the most crowded of areas.
This leads to what you are probably reading this review for…is it worth the price of admission? If you have never played Dark Souls before, then this is absolutely the version you should purchase. Not only are the FPS and visuals greatly improved, but it includes all the DLC from the previous version as well. If you have played it before but are interested in going through it again, then I certainly would play through this version as the graphics and frame rates make it well worth your time. If you have no desire to replay the game, or if it didn’t appeal to you the first time around, then there is little reason to pick it up. While there are notable visual improvements, there is no additional content (outside the DLC) or any changes to the game mechanics themselves to warrant a replay.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this review the original version came out in 2011 and I’ve had seven years of playing numerous other games under my belt to go back and best the enemies that lie within. So, with the much-improved graphics and smoother gameplay was I able to beat Dark Souls this time??? Well sadly no, apparently I still haven’t improved enough over the years to beat this game (and while I have Dark Souls II and Dark Souls III, I haven’t beaten those game either). I was able to play through most of the levels to see how the visuals had improved, but the same bosses still took no pity on me. Maybe another seven years of practice will make all the difference, until then maybe I’ll go back for one more try.
Pros: Smooth 60FPS, Incredible 4K visuals, Smoother game control
Cons: Still too tough for me, Lacking additional content
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PlayStation 3 version of Star Trek in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Director JJ Abrams him breathes life into a stagnating Star Trek franchise with his daring reimagining of the franchise as currently gearing up to release the much anticipated “Star Trek: Into Darkness”, later this summer. With franchise awareness and popularity at a level not seen in over a decade, Digital Extremes has released Star Trek: The Video Game to the delight of Trek fans everywhere. Not only is the game the first one said JJ Abrams universe, but it is also the first game to allow players to play as either Kirk or Spock in both solo or co-op play. The game features Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as Kirk and Spock and also features other voices from the film. During our preview for the game at the 2012 E3 convention in Los Angeles, it was revealed to me that the filmmakers were consulted during the development of the game as it was designed to be a bridge between the first and the second of the JJ Abrams films.
Answering a distress signal, the Enterprise crew finds himself set the center of a crisis with galactic repercussions. An evil reptilian race known as the Gorn have stolen the device of immense power and also have unleashed attacks on a Federation station as well as the new Vulcan colony. Not only is the attacking race deadly but they also are employing a technology that allows them to infect and control Federation citizens and officers which doubles the threat posed to the Federation. When the Gorn escape with an extremely powerful device and Vulcan scientists in tow, Kirk and Spock are tasked with saving the day.
The gameplay is similar to that of the Mass Effect series in that it is done from a third person perspective. Players have the ability to use a Tricorder to scan enemies and objects, pathways, and electronic devices such as doors and security systems which often have to be hacked or manipulated to allow gameplay to progress. Players are allowed to primary weapons into grenade types and have to recharge at various centers throughout the game or swap a spent weapon for weapons they find laying about. This is at a nice new wrinkle to the game is not only are Federation and Gorn weapons available players, but having things ranging from sniper rifles to arc guns makes a nice mix from the standard Phaser weapons. There are also various grenades it can be used by the players.
One of the more frustrating aspects of a game for me for the numerous puzzle sequences where systems had to be hacked or otherwise manipulated. While some could be done by ordering Spock or Kirk depending on which player you were controlling to handle it themselves, some had to be done in conjunction with another player. While this was a nice touch to the game, during the final parts they were too frequent and for me undercut the drama and the urgency of the story.
There were also numerous jumping puzzles where players had to hang from ledges and you carefully timed jumps from one obstacle to another. This became frustrating on the PC version as the control system often was very temperamental and allowed access only at certain points of the map. During one co-op session, both live-action players were unable to complete a puzzle, and it required one of us dropping out of the game so that they could rejoin once the remaining player completed the obstacle course.
I appreciate the deviation from standard run and gun and how the developers were attempting to incorporate a true sense of co-op play by requiring the other player to be little more than backup firepower. However, it does get a bit frustrating when somebody is unable to complete a jump and you are forced to repeat a segment over and over until it is done correctly thanks to the games checkpoint save system.
I really enjoyed the detail levels of the game especially being able to explore the Enterprise and other environments in great detail. One segment required us to use limited range portable transporters to tag and transport one another to various spots on a damage space station. This this was lots of fun and in my opinion really captured the essence of Star Trek as did the brash and bold gameplay style of Kirk compared to the methodical and efficient gameplay style of Spock.
While there were some frustrating moments the game was very enjoyable and with over 10 hours of gameplay did offer a very rewarding experience for Star Trek fans. I do think that gamers who are more casual fans of the series may not be as forgiving with some of the issues I noted in the game but as franchise games go this was a very enjoyable effort.
Graphically the facial animation and lip-synch of the characters was a bit off and dated but elements of the ship and locales were extremely detailed and very enjoyable to look at and interact with. There are some fantastic lines in the game especially some of the clips by Scotty and Dr. McCoy which really showed the effort the game designers talk to capture the essence of the game and its characters and to do their best to put players inside a true Star Trek adventure.
While it is not a perfect game and does have some flaws from the technical and gameplay side of things, it is one of the better Star Trek games ever released and does offer a very enjoyable experience for Star Trek fans as long as they are willing to temper their expectations going in.
http://sknr.net/2013/04/29/star-trek-the-video-game/
Answering a distress signal, the Enterprise crew finds himself set the center of a crisis with galactic repercussions. An evil reptilian race known as the Gorn have stolen the device of immense power and also have unleashed attacks on a Federation station as well as the new Vulcan colony. Not only is the attacking race deadly but they also are employing a technology that allows them to infect and control Federation citizens and officers which doubles the threat posed to the Federation. When the Gorn escape with an extremely powerful device and Vulcan scientists in tow, Kirk and Spock are tasked with saving the day.
The gameplay is similar to that of the Mass Effect series in that it is done from a third person perspective. Players have the ability to use a Tricorder to scan enemies and objects, pathways, and electronic devices such as doors and security systems which often have to be hacked or manipulated to allow gameplay to progress. Players are allowed to primary weapons into grenade types and have to recharge at various centers throughout the game or swap a spent weapon for weapons they find laying about. This is at a nice new wrinkle to the game is not only are Federation and Gorn weapons available players, but having things ranging from sniper rifles to arc guns makes a nice mix from the standard Phaser weapons. There are also various grenades it can be used by the players.
One of the more frustrating aspects of a game for me for the numerous puzzle sequences where systems had to be hacked or otherwise manipulated. While some could be done by ordering Spock or Kirk depending on which player you were controlling to handle it themselves, some had to be done in conjunction with another player. While this was a nice touch to the game, during the final parts they were too frequent and for me undercut the drama and the urgency of the story.
There were also numerous jumping puzzles where players had to hang from ledges and you carefully timed jumps from one obstacle to another. This became frustrating on the PC version as the control system often was very temperamental and allowed access only at certain points of the map. During one co-op session, both live-action players were unable to complete a puzzle, and it required one of us dropping out of the game so that they could rejoin once the remaining player completed the obstacle course.
I appreciate the deviation from standard run and gun and how the developers were attempting to incorporate a true sense of co-op play by requiring the other player to be little more than backup firepower. However, it does get a bit frustrating when somebody is unable to complete a jump and you are forced to repeat a segment over and over until it is done correctly thanks to the games checkpoint save system.
I really enjoyed the detail levels of the game especially being able to explore the Enterprise and other environments in great detail. One segment required us to use limited range portable transporters to tag and transport one another to various spots on a damage space station. This this was lots of fun and in my opinion really captured the essence of Star Trek as did the brash and bold gameplay style of Kirk compared to the methodical and efficient gameplay style of Spock.
While there were some frustrating moments the game was very enjoyable and with over 10 hours of gameplay did offer a very rewarding experience for Star Trek fans. I do think that gamers who are more casual fans of the series may not be as forgiving with some of the issues I noted in the game but as franchise games go this was a very enjoyable effort.
Graphically the facial animation and lip-synch of the characters was a bit off and dated but elements of the ship and locales were extremely detailed and very enjoyable to look at and interact with. There are some fantastic lines in the game especially some of the clips by Scotty and Dr. McCoy which really showed the effort the game designers talk to capture the essence of the game and its characters and to do their best to put players inside a true Star Trek adventure.
While it is not a perfect game and does have some flaws from the technical and gameplay side of things, it is one of the better Star Trek games ever released and does offer a very enjoyable experience for Star Trek fans as long as they are willing to temper their expectations going in.
http://sknr.net/2013/04/29/star-trek-the-video-game/
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Ashley Cresswell (8 KP) rated the PC version of The Sims 4 in Video Games
Jun 3, 2019
Building houses and different walls and floor heights (1 more)
More detailed surroundings
Loading screens when exploring the neighborhood (5 more)
No cars
Cartooney graphics
Not much character customizing
Limited events
Tiny neighborhoods
After being such a Sims fan most of my life, i was really looking forward to the sims 4... Until i downloaded it.
I found out very fast that there wasn't much content to go with the £50 price tag. No toddlers when it was first released, no pools, no cars. Cars still arent even in this game even to this day.
There isnt much in character creation either. Something which the sims is known for is its character creation but in this game its almost non existent. There is no colour wheel and a limited list of facial structures.
The game i think is practically just the sims 1 with updated graphics. There are loading screens while travelling from your street. Cars aren't even available at all. The only saving grace of this game is the building aspect. With curved walls and floor height adjustment it brings a whole new level to building the perfect house.
I found out very fast that there wasn't much content to go with the £50 price tag. No toddlers when it was first released, no pools, no cars. Cars still arent even in this game even to this day.
There isnt much in character creation either. Something which the sims is known for is its character creation but in this game its almost non existent. There is no colour wheel and a limited list of facial structures.
The game i think is practically just the sims 1 with updated graphics. There are loading screens while travelling from your street. Cars aren't even available at all. The only saving grace of this game is the building aspect. With curved walls and floor height adjustment it brings a whole new level to building the perfect house.
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