Juz Finished: Dragon Age Inquisition

I made a blog post last year about Dragon Age Inqusition. It was one of my anticipated game for holiday 2014. This week, I finally finished the game (my first playthrough as a male human mage)

What is it:
Action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts, a sequel to Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age II, making it the third major game in the Dragon Age franchise

Why I'm hyped:
Bioware; Mass Effect in a fantasy-like setting
Large worlds to explore;before Witcher 3 comes out ;)

Why I might be worried:
Buggy game because of EA game rush
Life-less characters with poor animations
Copy-paste boring fetch quests

So how was the game?
What I liked:
On the whole the game met my lofty expectations, the dialogues, the RPG-elements with a rich weapon and armour crafting system. This game is certainly stamped with Bioware's signature rich story-telling set in a large open-world fantasy world for you to explore.

The story is well developed and as to progress you do get a sense of each character, some more fun than others to have around. The amount in-game dialogue is amazing. After 100 game play hours I do get know each character more and develop

What I disliked:
Buggy:
My worry that the game might be buggy was true, and there were several instances where the quest became stuck or when the characters start walking funny about in the game world. Fortunately I did not experience any game breaking bug that warranted a reload from a previous game save.

Stiff:
The character animation is serviceable, especially during general dialogue, but they were well animated during story cutscenes. Some of the quests were definitely 'fetch-quests' though maybe some might argue it was designed to immerse us into the world,

Others:
Anyway, I reckon the game might be more fun I was able to tame a wyvern and fly around in one. Riding around is better than walking but after experiencing the freedom of movement in Far Cry 4...walking or horse riding feels a bit of a letdown.

Another thing that bothered me a little is the battle system. Personally, as a newcomer to RPG, I find the tactical system quite confusing. My AI companions also requires a lot of micromanagement.

Overall:
I enjoyed my time with the game...I might have second replay with another character. For now...I am ready to move on to other games...come September....Metal Gear Solid 5 ? Just Cause 3? I will keep Witcher 3 for later.

Dare to Dream

E3, is just around the corner. As the current-gen (PS4/Xone) starts hitting its full stride, I sit and dream about the possibilities of rebooting some of my favourite games/franchises of my video-gaming past, since the original Playstation, Playstation 2 and Xbox.

Here are some of the games that I would like to be re-imagined for the new generation.

Metal Gear Solid : 20th Anniversary Edition
3rd person stealth action game using MGS 5:TPP design/engine due for release to celebrate the game's historical landmark

Ridge Racer
A fun arcade-style racer with career-mode and customization options

Tenchu
The original assassins game, re-booted with open-world design similar to MGS:GZ. Weapon looting, crafting and customizations

Onimusha
Fast-paced 3rd person action adventure with RPG-elements rebooted by the masters, Platinum Games

Jade Empire
Either a sequel or reboot of Jade Empire, a collaborative work between Bioware and EA Shanghai

Anyway...back to current timeline...E3 is less than a month away...what do I hope to hear from E3 apart from the above?

Confirmed Release Window

• RiME
• No Man's Sky
• The Witness
• WiLD

New Game in Development

• Crash Bandicoot 2.5D Rayman-like adventures PS4 
• New IP from Ubisoft using UbiArt framework 
• Hearthstone PS4 / PSVita
• Ori and The Blind Forest PS4
• This War of Mine PS4 / PS Vita
• New IP from Guerilla Games
• New IP from Media Molecule
• The Last Guardian :P

E3 2015...I am ready....

Juz Bought: The Wolf Among Us

Sony US store had a flash sale last weekend...several games of PS4, PS3 and PSVita can be had for under US$5 each. Top of the value list for me were:
PS4: The Wolf Among Us
PS3: Ni No Kuni, Mass Effect Trilogy
PSVita: Freedom Wars

So I gotten myself The Wolf Among Us on PS4 at US$4.75 (about MYR16)

From the makers of the 2012 Game of the Year: The Walking Dead, comes a gritty, violent and mature thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books (DC Comics/Vertigo). As Bigby Wolf - THE big bad wolf - you will discover that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come in a game series where your every decision can have enormous consequences.

An evolution of Telltale's ground-breaking choice and consequence game mechanics will ensure the player learns that even as Bigby Wolf, Sheriff of Fabletown, life in the big bad city is bloody, terrifying and dangerous.

So look forward to my review of this well-received game by Tell Tale.

E3 is coming - Time to Mark Your Calendars

E3 is less than a month away. Time for some exciting game announcements for 2015/2016 and beyond. Best of all these days, you don't have to travel. You can sit in the comfort of your home and watch the juggernauts make their big reveals.

The full press conference schedule below. Time to mark your calendars and remember to stock up on coffee. Probably catching those in bold LIVE.

JUNE 14TH

• Bethesda – 7 p.m. PST/ 10 p.m. EST (Monday 15/6 1000 MYT)

JUNE 15TH

• Microsoft – 9:30 a.m. PST/ 12:30 p.m. EST (Tues 16/6 0030 MYT)
• EA – 1 p.m. PST/ 4 p.m. EST (Tues 16/6 0400 MYT)
• Ubisoft – 3 p.m. PST/ 6 p.m. EST (Tues 16/6 0600 MYT)
• Sony – 6 p.m. PST/ 9 p.m. EST (Tues 16/6 0900 MYT)

JUNE 16TH

• Nintendo (Live-stream) – 9 a.m. PST/ 12 p.m. EST 
• Square Enix – 10 a.m. PST/ 1 p.m. EST
• PC Gaming Show – 5 p.m. PST/ 8 p.m. EST

Playstation Plus: May 2015

Playstation Plus May 2015 (North America)

My Top Picks for the month are:

Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (PS4™)

Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition is a Metroidvania-style action-platformer set in a magical world inspired by traditional Mexican culture and folklore. Get ready for..

Hohokum™ (PS4™/PS3™/PS Vita)

Take on the role of a curious flying kite-like being and travel to colorful, curious worlds waiting to be discovered. Interact with characters and environments to uncover secrets or simply roam at your own pace and be amused at the surprises that unfold. While there are goals and activities, at its heart, Hohokum™ is a playground - a place to wander about and get lost in.

Murasaki Baby™ (PS Vita)

When a scared little girl awakes lost and alone in a strange land full of terrifying nightmares, she desperately needs you to help find her mummy.

Use your wits to guide the girl through paths full of dangers and teach her the difference between right and wrong in a bid to keep her smiling… and alive.

Ether One  (PS4™)

A first person adventure puzzle game, released on Windows platform in 2014, developed by a 6-person team at White Paper Games...solve puzzles as you explore the fragility of the human mind.