Shortchangegames

I have tried to get my World of Warcraft fix with games like Guild Wars 2, SWTOR, and Elder Scrolls Online, but unfortunately, the leveling experience in these MMORPGs are plagued by the same issues.

I was engrossed by Telltale's depiction of the Walking Dead in their first season. Season 2 I take a look at the game's story/narrative to dissect what the company did well and if the story had the same emotional impact as its predecessor.

I discuss whether the slow pacing of the Banner Saga's gameplay hinders the excellent writing and story of this game. The narrative was gorgeously crafted but I felt like the combat was missing something special.

Unravel is a lovingly crafted game that wants to tell a personal story about memories, how memories progress through life and growing up around nature. Platforming and physics drive gameplay. The unique yarn mechanic is both thematic and refreshing.

Having played Lara Croft Go, I decided to try out its thematic predecessor, Hitman Go. The themes introduced actually adhere to the source material compared to the Tomb Raider counterpart.

I try my hand at a racing sim, specifically Project Cars, and realize I hate it. I switch over to Burnout Paradise and realize I miss the older Burnouts. Car combat is fantasy but at least it is a fun experience compared to simulations.

Cook Serve Delicious is a mobile game that simulates the work of a restaurant owner/employee. I discuss how accurate this video game is with portraying the industry and the difficulties of the restaurant business.

We all know Mass Effect Andromeda has some awful animations, but the gaming community is quick to judge. There are glitches and questionable writing, but the game is still an amazing sci-fi experience. The voice acting is also the best it can be with some questionable writing.

Plug and Play is a game that has been covered by big YouTubers but rarely does anyone discuss the meaning behind the imagery in this interactive film. I discuss whether this game is pretentious or if it has meaning for its audience.

Having played Outlast, I decided horror in video games is awful. Layers of Fear helped to change my perception. While the game has faults, this title also presents serious subject matter with mental illness. Because the game is more of an interactive fiction piece and less of a game, it is consumed easier and is experienced at a deeper level.

I tried the Ghost Recon: Wildlands beta recently and was shocked at some awful glitches, but the dialogue stood out as extremely terrible. Part of the problem was the mission intel that was given through exposition.

Dark Heritage is a mobile video game by Artifex Mundi. This is a hidden object puzzle game with an amazing atmosphere that is held down by some repetitive mechanics and a cringe level that is absurdly high.

Politics influence the video game industry and is worth discussing. When gaming is used as a platform to discuss unrelated political issues I take offense. It becomes a waste of time even if the stance on the issue is something I can agree with. Deus Vult: http://www.polygon.com/2017/2/10/14560050/for-honor-deus-vult Punching Nazis: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-01-28-punching-nazis

I applaud Asteroid Base. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is an amazing experience that actually focuses on the art of couch co-op. This is a dying trend in video games. This is a fun Valentines Day activity for the couple who wants to stay inside.

Battleborn Tap is a mobile game that wasted precious development time for Gearbox. This waste of a video game has the player tapping mindlessly causing lifeless gameplay. I won't get back those ten minutes of my life.

Lara Croft Go is a puzzle game that is on mobile devices. The puzzle mechanics were engaging and just challenging enough. The Tomb Raider theme, however, was a pointless money grab by Square Enix.

The Nintendo Switch has the gaming community obsessing over it. The only way I want this video game console is if it delivers Indie games. Playing mobile games with analog sticks is a must for these smaller indie titles.

Gigantic is a Game Preview title on the Xbox Store. This video game should not be confused with MOBA's like Smite. This game is its own unique blend of mechanics that stress rapid style gameplay. While League of Legends is slow, this battle arena forces players to make quick decisions.