Empire of Ember

See this new video from Kage848 on the game "Empire of Ember".

Cannot wait to try this one out for myself! 

Superhot

By: Robert Murphy

What if I told you that the world you are experiencing isn't real. That your mind is trap inside of a prison that you can feel, taste or touch and that the world is holding you back. Okay, it's not as crazy as all that but with each mind bending level of Superhot it felt as though you were stumbling further down the rabbit hole of some grand conspiracy involving a hidden game with a simple premise. Time moves when you move. 

Each level of the game plays out like some sort of action movie where players must perform insane actions in order to take out massive amounts of enemies in what appears to be mere minutes for them but it could be an eternity for you. You aren't sure why these faceless red men are continuously trying to harm you, you are only told that you should not be in this game in the first place. Also you're super hot apparently, as the end of each level rejoices in telling you. Anyways, the one thing that you do have in common with your red faced enemies is that one hit equals in your unfortunate end and the level resetting back to where you began. This means whatever method you use or they use to kill are extremely effective and it ranges from hitting, kicking, slashing and shooting until they shatter into little red triangles all over the place.

It's a rush to say the least as certain levels feature massive amounts of room and venues for players to take out their enemies, where others require quick thinking and careful maneuvering in order to succeed. While your character is not moving the screen is basically in a state of pure frozen silence as you assess the situation at hand. Bullets will inch their way closer and enemies will come in ready to do battle but just like Neo in The Matrix, you can see it all coming. Skillfully making it through levels in this manner makes it feel all the more satisfying as well and even more so with the variety of different ways the enemies can be played around with or the fun little additions the game has going for it as well.

Punching enemies backward into an oncoming train, throwing a katana and shish kabobing two enemies together or slicing bullets in half as they manage to get too close. It's crazy but it makes you think of the many different ways a given situation can be handled with the tools at your disposal. Superhot itself wouldn't give you this impression at first though as the game gives off a very minimalistic presence to it. Not much is devoted to super detailed graphics or insanely lifelike environments and there doesn't need to be for this simple idea presented here. Bad guys are red, weapons are black and everything else is an off white color. It's basic and it works as each level truly only boils down to moment to moment encounters and replayed over again at the end like a highlight real of your awesomeness.

Later levels keep things interesting by adding in more items to the equation. Better armaments like assault rifles make blazing away bullets a bit of a challenge as the burst fire will send three jutting out at a time and so with one quick side step you can be taking out multiple enemies instantly. But the biggest among these changes is the ability to body snatch enemies later on in the game. As you learn to free your mind from it's perceptions of your body you can begin to take over others and make former enemies your friends. It's a clever mechanic and plays into the games mind bending story quite well.

Underneath all the slow motion antics there is a meta-layered story taking place between each level that tries to shake players perceptions on reality. Is this really a game? Is this reality? Is my body holding me back? Is my mind in a prison waiting to be released? All this fourth wall stuff comes to mind as the story progresses, hitting myself in the head was one of the highlights as the computer system attempting to free me berated and reveled at the sheer stupidity. The home menu screen is a mind warping experience in itself too, appearing as an old school DOS system it features layers after layers of hidden software and engines to find for yourself. It also gives players the allusion of control in the game, taking away your ability to write a response in the chat or call for help, even making you dance around like a caged rat even at one point. It may be an idea that has been done before but in many ways Superhot makes it it's own. 

While it is an incredible thrill to play, Superhot does suffer from some replay factors as I beat the games main storymode within a few hours and short of a few other challenge modes there wasn't a real drive to relive the experience over again. That being said, I did revel in the experience as it happened bit by bit, flashing before my eyes in a haze of gun shots and flying fists. It was like a drug I couldn't get enough of and that drug had me shouting "SUPER HOT" from the top of my lungs, not giving a crap about who heard me. 

Good:

- Very unique idea for the games main drive, time moving as you do

- Challenging situations

- Blowing away enemies into tiny bits is a blast

Bad:

- Story is interesting but has been done already

- Lack of replay value

Scully Rating: 7.5 out of 10

FIST OF AWESOME

By: Robert Murphy

Yes, the caps are required for the title. Originally released for IPad and tablet devices but has now made it's way onto our Steam playlists, FIST OF AWESOME takes players back to good old fashioned side scrolling progression and beat'em format that I have so many fond memories of. And where most games that try to change platforms tend to fail, this game manages to stand strong for the simple fact that these types of games were meant for a joystick and buttons, not a touch screen, we've played these games in arcades for years. The game follows a simple lumberjack named Tim Burr who is happily enjoying a simple life with his family when a temporal shift alters your timeline and the dominant species on Earth becomes bears. Angered by the loss of your family you set out to fight these now intelligent beasts and other animals such as elk, deer and more with the power of the Fist of Awesome, who has possessed your hand and given you powerful abilities to fight with. 

Combat is central to the game and straight forward, the game introduces you to your abilities with a short in game tutorial and then sets you loose to unleash your new found powers and restore the timeline to the natural order. Players can punch, kick, grapple, stomp and preform jump attacks for basic moves and also preform more powerful punches and uppercuts with the Fist of Awesome powers too. Your health is regained by preforming attacks on enemies and not getting hit in that amount of time, which is fairly easy to accomplish. Stringing together combos is the major key to things as it unlocks bonuses and more points that you need to level up your character more and more which gains you skill points to be earned and used on speed, health, fist ability strength and regular strength. Bonuses will also carry over from game to game as you play it and can also be used in FIST OF AWESOME'S arena mode where you are given various challenges to complete in a certain amount of time, this adds a bit of variety from the straightforwardness of the main story. 

Frankly speaking, that is how you can describe the main story, it's a very straightforward affair where you must walk through levels punching out enemies and then beating a goofy boss that fits in with the theme of whatever level you're on. It doesn't leave you with the urge for continuous replay value but it's pretty fun when you're playing through it. Levels are filled with plenty of pun work, which you could guess was coming judging by your name being Tim Burr. But there's also plenty of pop culture humor thrown into levels as well, one point you're set in the middle ages fighting bears in tights and at the end I'm fighting a bear king in a room that curiously looks like the thrown room in Game of Thrones. The game is filled with these little gems and is the kind of thing that always makes me chuckle to see inside of a video game. Then of course we have the pixelated charm that the game already brings along with it that completes the package.

In the end, FIST OF AWESOME is a fun and enjoyable game to play through and brought back some enjoyable memories from early side scrolling gaming. My biggest complaint about the game is there really is no replay value to be had with a game like this, enemies are the same and follow the same pattern each time through. Arena mode does break up some of the monotony but not a whole lot and makes FIST OF AWESOME a game you'd probably play in short bursts. That being said, I got plenty of enjoyment out of the game as I plucked along knocking out the variety of bears and listening to the pleasant upbeat tempo for the games soundtrack. 

Good:

- Good old fashioned beat them up style game 

- Humor and pop culture references hidden throughout the main story

- Arena mode adds more replay value 

Bad:

- The main story doesn't leave you craving more 

- Repetitive enemy types and playthroughs

Scully Rating: 6.5 out of 10 

In the News: The Universe has been Hacked

Zach Goodier

The universe has officially been hacked.  Hans Lemurson has created a version of Minecraft that is playable on the new Minecraft game system.  Ok, so it won't be running Crysis 3 or anything, but perhaps a Mario-styled game isn't too far on the horizon.  The system is still in development, but expect Skyrim quality games with the next game patch... Or, you know, probably never.  Still, this looks cool, considering people have already started building working calculators, hard drives, and now simple game systems.  Our technology is getting so intense we can now develop technology inside of it... This is getting too Matrix for my liking.

BattleBlock Theater

By: Robert Murphy

It seems like I was the guy who had always heard about the game, BattleBlock Theater, a fun platformer that feature ridiculous characters, abilities and would have you laughing all the way through. For whatever reason I never bought the game but now I have and I'm kicking myself for not buying it a whole lot sooner. We enter this delightfully charming world as you and your friends set out on a ship destined for good times and happy sunshine filled thoughts when disaster strikes you and your crew. Now you're trapped on a strange island dominated by your new cat overlords who want you to go through various obstacle courses for their amusement. In order to save your friends you must survive the obscene challenges on every level then get on your ship and get as far away from the island as fast as that ship will sail.  

Seemingly ripped from the imagination of a child, BattleBlock Theater revolves around your tiny paper drawn character who can come in a variety of different appearances to suit your preference. Your tiny character as I said has now been kidnapped by a strange cat society who have been torturing all who come to their shores by making them compete in events of their own design. In each level you must strive to reach the exit placed somewhere in any given level but also making sure that when you get their you have obtained three gems to activate it. There are usually more than enough gems to do so as each level has at most seven of the shiny delights cleverly placed and hidden throughout the chaotic levels you'll be playing through. Besides the level, you also must face the challenge of the various creatures that add for more pandemonium for your poor unfortunate character such as robots that shoot homing missiles at you as well as weird raccoon/beaver/deer monsters that will swallow you whole and more. You however can fight back against these enemies with melee attacks and various gadgets and abilities that can be obtained by collecting balls of yarn hidden in levels and selling them to some of the kitty cat wardens in the games level selection area. 

Perhaps the thing that most people know most about BattleBlock Theater is the fact that you can play with your friends and effectively ruin said friendship in the process. I recently had the chance to play multiplayer with Dibble on the game and my rage level peaked to all new levels while we were playing. The game of course is meant for two players to work together and is quite enjoyable even if you decide to screw each other over time and time again. Levels cleverly add challenges that will be overcome by helping one another out by doing things like hurling your partner across a water way or getting one friend up to a high ledge and then aiding the other up with a friendly helping hand. Then of course you can have some fun by not aiding one another or using abilities on each other, I deeply enjoyed blowing Dibble up with grenades and setting him on fire with a fire ball, he for some reason didn't like it so much. BattleBlock also features some deliberately competitive multiplayer modes where you and your friends can fight against each other in different game modes like a capture the flag game type along with other modes for you and your friends.

Now as many of you may or may not know, I don't usually point out a games soundtrack or audio features but with BattleBlock it is something you cannot help but bring up. The game features an insanely catchy array of songs such as dub step beats and songs that literally will chant about the secret area you had found. The whole thing fits the feel and environments for what you are experiencing and to add to the fun of it all there is also narrations and audience interaction that goes along with what you're doing. A frankly hilarious narrator will talk and react to many of the things you experience throughout the game for things like when you burn alive or drown horribly in water. Alongside this an audience in the background, which I presume is the legion of cats who have enslaved you, will applaud at your success in levels and cheer you on as you play, it's nice to be appreciated. 

Finally, BattleBlock Theater also features it's own level editor for players to use which let's you create your own torturous maps for you and others to play on. The feature is very easy to use and will allow you to create levels in less than a few minutes so you can play them or share it with others to try out. All the blocks, creatures and features are at your disposal to use in your attempts to make your own evil levels to watch people suffer at and can get addictive if you get into it. You can also obviously put others creations to the test as well and see the variety of game types that people have come up with, which is a lot since the game is a few years old at this point.

In conclusion, I have no idea why it took me so long to pick up such an amazing game but I am so happy that I got my chance to play it now. BattleBlock Theater features an insanely addictive platforming experience with many unique ideas and levels the likes of which I haven't enjoyed this much since my old Mario days. The whole experience was a charming affair right down to the music that was playing in the background of each level that I played to the crazy narrator. It is a game that I truly have enjoyed playing and if you haven't played it like me, I suggest you get on it ASAP. 

Good:

- Crazily designed and fun levels

- Artistically charming

- The soundtrack is catchy and adds to the appeal of every level

- Great level editor feature

Bad:

- I can't say anything bad about my experience with the game, maybe don't buy it if you don't like the kiddy styling but that's all I've got

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10 

  

Tropico 5

Sean Dibble

Ah the tropics, a place full of wonder and beauty to behold for anyone who comes to visit. The crown controls one of these islands and needs a governor to run it and it for whatever reason you're the person for the job. Are you up to the task? If you are then get ready for your family to take over and bend this island to your will through money, power or force if necessary. 

Tropico 5 is the latest in a line of city builder/strategy games that is set in the late 1800's and spans from there all the way to the modern day. To begin the game you will create your character who will play as the head of your dynasties family. Then you can choose to do what you would like from here by either doing missions for the crown or the rebels but always be sure to keep an eye on the time you're given for your mandate because if it rums out that means game over. The only way to fix this issue is to get over 50% approval overall and then either fight for independence from the crown or buy it, that is your choice. 

This game is fun and addictive, every island that you can play on is different so no play through is the same as the last. In order to succeed in the game you must create jobs, homes and trading for your people. All the while you're also completing missions, exploring and fending off invaders. Everything is done for the benefit of your people in the game whether it's finding ore deposits or looking to make the crop that would earn your domain the most money. One weird thing that I did find in my playthroughs was the timeline itself, if you get to the missions you're doing quickly you can get to the Cold War before 1945. While this makes no sense it all it is always fun to change history a little.

Graphically the game is top notch as well, your surroundings are beautiful and the islands really come to life while you play. The soundtrack is maybe the best I have heard in a game like this before, its quick paced and fun to listen to as your plucking along across the seas or across your island nation. The whole thing will have you dancing and just make you feel happy and isn't that why we play games? The game does have a steep learning curve and will take awhile to master at first but if you spend time with it, it will be a game you will truly love. 

Although the game may be hard at time and because it is a city builder with not much more to offer, it is still a game to look into. The graphics throughout the game a delightful and beautiful plus the soundtrack is top notch to listen to as you play along ruling over your island. The timeline can get a little screwy at time though depending on how well you govern things and how fast you progress yourself but all in all it is a game I am always coming back to play. 

Good:

- Graphics are solid

- A pleasant soundtrack to listen to while you rule your island nation

- A fun city builder that is set apart from the rest

Bad:

- Hard to pick up right away

- The timeline of events can get messed up now and again

Scully Rating: 8.0 out of 10  

Sixty Second Shooter Prime

By: Robert Murphy

Anyone who has spent their time searching through the Xbox arcade before will have undoubtedly come across a game called Geometry Wars which pits a tiny ship against waves of increasingly difficult enemy ships and challenging events. The game style is not something new and while searching through the Xbox One arcade recently I discovered a game that struck me to be in similar fashion, Sixty Second Shooter Prime. In this adaptation of this twin stick style of game you play as a small ship that also progresses through waves of enemies that include enemy ships, spiral like objects, giant three dimensional cubes and much more. Your goal is to hopefully progress further and further to higher levels trying to survive and reach a larger score than the last time with your missiles and guns by your side.

Besides Geometry Wars, I have played a number of this style of game before and it truly can be a hit or miss type of thing to play especially with how limited it can be for those making the game. When it comes to Sixty Second Shooter Prime we see examples of just how limited things can be but can still see the fun to be had. Much of the games graphics are basic and feature simple shapes for your ship and your enemies as well, it feels like many of them could be drawn on a napkin by someone trying to make cool three dimensional shapes. The backgrounds are not any better, lumpy clouds, dizzying arrays of random colors and stark lines that cut randomly through the playable field make things not only confusing but very unimpressive to play on. These and other features such as different songs can be selected in the main menu for the game but this doesn't make the game any more impressive to play through if you're hoping for more appeal in a different background. Other visual effects that will come as you fight to survive through the waves of enemies include the large explosions that come with so many other games like it. This can be caused by hitting a very high combo which explodes everything in the nearby area in a chain reaction, while this is great to accomplish it the joy can be immediately taken away by the confusion of the explosion leading you to hit an enemy you didn't see. 

Getting into the gameplay, Sixty Second Shooter Prime plays like a game that wants to rush through it because you either die instantly or you have to hurry up and make a large score before the time runs down. It isn't to exciting when a game puts a time limit over your head especially when the time frame is sixty seconds, it causes a panic almost with a player and I believe that's why many games have done away with it entirely. Never the less you must try and climb through the levels with your odd space ship destroying everything using bombs, missiles and guns hoping for a higher score each time. You can also collect a variety of power ups such as time slow down, invincibility, multipliers and additional missiles, this was one thing I really thought was stellar about the game and helped make me feel the addiction that the game meant to give off. Another addition that helps the game is the Infinity Mode that takes you away from the panic and the short lived momentum of the 60 second mode and lets you add more time through power ups the longer you survive. 

In conclusion, Sixty Second Shooter Prime is a let down of a game especially when you look at some of the competitors it has and the other games that have been around with twin stick format. The game isn't at all that expensive though and can provide you with some amusement for a short time but that is about all you get with the amount of content the game has in store for anyone who purchases it. Maybe if the game gets a little more work put into it it could have some potential but outside of what you have right now I can't see anyone playing for too long. 

Good:

- Can be enjoyable when you get going like any twin stick shooter

- Power ups are fun and add to the minor addiction 

- Infinity Mode helps break up the short gameplay

Bad:

- You will feel rushed while playing through most of the game

- Visuals and graphics are very unimpressive

- Lack a lot of content, you will unlock everything in an hour of playing

Scully Rating: 4.0 out of 10 

Guacamelee! Super Turbo Champion Edition

By: Robert Murphy

It would seem that all my time lately is being taken up by Indie games, not that this is a bad thing though because I have always enjoyed them for their often arcade like nature and that was the feel I got from Guacamelee! Super Turbo Champion Edition. Yes, it is just as ridiculous as the name would lead you to believe that it is but I'm no stranger to the fact that ridiculous can lead to greatness. The story follows Juan, a man who once dreamed of being a Luchadore but who now sells tequila and lives in a somewhat depressed state most of the time. This all changes though when Carlos Calaca comes with his army of skeletons and kidnaps his childhood friend and the Presidents daughter, Calaca kills Juan but this is not the end for him as he becomes resurrected by an ancient Luchadore mask he finds in the other world. The now resurrected Juan is a super charged Luchadore with legendary strength and abilities, which he will need in order to beat Calaca and his army to save his childhood friend and the world.  

Players will find that progressing through the game is quite fun and simple, Juan must conquer the various skeletal enemies of Calaca's army and his interesting associates such as Flame Face, not really original when you meet him but it still worked. You will meet friends of your own along the way though and learn new skills that will help you access areas that you couldn't before. It's the classic tale of wanting so badly to go through an area to find hidden secrets but you can't until you learn the skill that will help you get there first. You're guided by Tostada, a female Luchadore who was guarding the mask that granted you your powers and wants to see an end to Calaca as much as you do (she also is the co-op character when playing with friends). Juan himself is a fun to control as his whole attitude changes when he dawns the mask, he sprints, jumps and combo punches his way through the army of skeletons with thick Mexican bravado. The platforming you will see is just as good, there are no missteps in the design and the unique way that they can change when traveling between the world of the living and world of the dead make for some great puzzles for you to figure out. 

Ascetically too, Guacamelee! gives off a very unique feel to it. We see a large amount of Mexican culture unfold in the story such as the Day of the Dead festival and the reverence people have for the dead in Mexico. Also you see how much respect a professional Luchadore garnishes is Mexican culture through what the game shows, perhaps not as much in today's world but they're incredibly popular figures, go figure why Juan wanted to be one. Everything in the game is fun to look at and is well put together and carries a little bit of humor to it such a "MeGusta" signs or "Bust it up Ralph" references to pop culture and internet humor are not hard to find. It is a funny game and it knows it and that is something that you love when it comes to games like this. As I said before you'll find yourself wanting to get into certain areas for secrets, well these can come up by taking alternate paths early on too. Players can collect heart pieces for health boosts, skeleton head pieces for a stamina boost and regular golden chest for some extra gold pieces to spend on further upgrading Juan's skills. Gold pieces can be used on improving health, stamina, damage and all sorts of things and you can get it by finding certain chests or defeating enemies, you also get silver coins for defeating larger groups of enemies which can be used on costumes.

The game is also obviously a new addition and an add on to the first Guacamelee! featuring new bosses, areas and abilities, the biggest being the introduction of Intenso mode. Once you reach a certain point in the game you will be introduced to the Intenso ability which unlocks an enhanced state and cool Mayan looking Juan. You reach this mode by filling up the meter in the upper left corner and you do that by beating on enemies until you can activate it. The mode allows for more damage and a quicker Juan, you will stay in this state even longer if you keep a combo of hits coming in on Calcada's men. This can be tricky later on as some of the enemies are blacked out meaning they're in the opposite world than you and the interesting shielded enemies. Yes, later on enemies can have certain colored shields around them and require one of Juan's unique moves to get ride of them or unlock an Intenso ability to deal with them easier as well. This was an interesting choice, I didn't think it really fit in with the style of the game but then again the style of Guacamelee! is pretty unique to begin with.

In conclusion, I enjoy Guacamelee! Super Turbo Champion Edition and welcome it as a great addition to the list of solid Indie games I've played recently and will probably play for awhile. Not much changed from it's original outline and that was certainly a wise choice but the additions that have been made are very welcome especially the Intenso mode which I thoroughly enjoy using. The story and the theme are all very unique and it is something that I don't think many have played before and will really enjoy it now if you decide to play it. 

Good:

- Keeps all that was great about the game in it's original release

- New stages, bosses and abilities

- Funny and ridiculous game with a unique story and look

- Thee already added in DLC with purchase

Bad:

- Didn't really understand the shielded enemies but this may just be me and is all around minor

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10 

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition

By: Robert Murphy

While looking through the recent additions to the Xbox One game selection, I saw this game and it spoke to me and made me think of an old style of gaming, not so far back as the first Mario but more of my first computer game styling. Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition is a side scrolling platforming game that first debut back in 1991 and has now received an HD touch up to hit gamers of this generation. The cinematic nature of the game was hailed as quite a popular idea as the game tells it's story of a scientist named Lester who ends up in a whole new dimension after an experiment goes wrong. 

 Not a whole lot is spoken from characters in the game and that's the main challenge to Another World. There are no tutorials, no instructions, you figure out the controls as you go and figure out how to survive as you go as well. Just about everything can cause you harm or causes your death on this alien world, including the aliens who immediately imprison you once you meet them. It's a game that is very unforgiving and you know what, I kind of liked that about it. Figuring out your way through the different levels of the game is no easy task and I've never wanted to rage quite something more but I was still spurned on to keep playing. In a lot of ways you have to work things out for yourself, solving the puzzles of each area and figuring out what is significant around you to progress further, which its usually everything. 

What's also great about the Another World is how much of a story it tells with so little dialogue going on, most of the characters you meet will gesture to something or sometimes aliens will shout at you in their language which won't help you any.  Right from the get go you can tell that this game is a major storyteller as we start out simply enough in a hidden laboratory and running experiments when a lightning strike effects what looks like a supercollider and transports us to this new world. What breaks up the gameplay are short cut scenes that play somewhat like a brief film or gif that will give you some more insight into what you're doing but not much. Graphically the game has improved from what it use to be but former players can relive the past by switching from old graphics to new with the push of the Y button. The new graphics introduced though are nothing to really be wowed at but at the same time fit the style and the animation well for all the character in the game.

What I did not find endearing to endearing about Another World though started when an area became increasingly harder to traverse. Alien creatures that were basically mini sarlaccs were hanging on the top and the bottom of the screen on which I was suppose to get through. This shouldn't be any big thing, if they weren't there there wouldn't be any challenge to the game but what became the issue were the controls. All the controls are very simple to master once you lock them down but your character will often snatched by a creature or slip down a nearby hole when you clearly weren't even close to it. This brings me to what I feel will be the overall downfall for Another World's attempt to find some new customers, people who never played the game before like myself will most likely find the game to be an exercise in futility. The game is short but harsh and in many ways repetitive as you will undoubtedly preform the same sequence over and over until you get it right and the reward doesn't really give you the satisfaction you might be looking for once you're done. I myself enjoyed the game but in many ways I can see it hitting home with too many others who never knew about this game before.

In conclusion, Another World told me a pretty great story for a game with virtually no dialogue and being a game that had already been released a few odd years ago. The ability to switch between HD and the old look is definitely a plus for new and old players of the game as the new stuff makes it just as inviting as the classic feel will for those who played before. Another World is though one of those unforgiving games that will make you want to pull your hair out and even with the short playthrough, it may not hit the way it did back when it was first released. 

Good:

- The ability for the game to tell a great story with no dialogue was fantastic

- No tutorial and no prompts made this game difficult but that was part of the fun

- Colorful worlds with great animations and the ability to switch back to the classic style of the game

Bad:

- Easy to get lost, angry and annoyed with the game

- A lot of repetition that will set off your controller throwing emotions

- Controls could have done with an upgrade as well 

Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10  

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

By: Robert Murphy

There have always been a vast amount of video games that tell the stories of past wars and it has been awhile since I have seen one about World War I but that isn't even the most significant aspect to Valiant Hearts: The Great War.  The story is represented in a charming cartoon like manor although it definitely has it's darker tone to it. War has brought for individuals and a dog together in a story of love, loss and conflict the likes of which the world had never before seen up until this point in 1914. The game however doesn't revolve any sort of gun play and instead features a puzzle solving adventure that you will embark on as your four main characters or five really, try to survive this harsh time in world history. 

At the beginning of the war, German citizens living in France were asked to leave their nation and return home as the conflict began to break out. This is where Karl, a German born man comes into our story as he is forced to leave his wife and newborn son to return to his home country. From here we meet Emile, who is the grandfather to Karl's young son and is called into service for the French army quickly moving through boot camp and sent out to fight when we meet another man character Freddie. Freddie is an american solider who befriends Emile early in the game and is a man who has volunteered to fight for the French as the Germans have taken away what he holds most dear to him and seeks revenge against them. Even though this is all taken into a 2D and relatively simpler narrative to what happened during this time, it is no less powerful in it's story telling. It was a heart jerking moment to almost immediately see Karl taken away from his wife and son and then being sent along with Emile to fight in the war where artillery fire, gas attacks and mounted machine gun fire would kill thousands of men on the field. The imagery is exceedingly well done and brought to life here with all that occurs and will make you forget any notion of the game being childish for it's initial representation. 

The games 2D platforming style works very well as it uses both a foreground and background affect that comes into play with enemies as well as the other character you may have along with in certain parts of the story. Where it often comes into play is when you must hide from enemy AI in the game as you won't spend a lot of time fighting as I said earlier. Bushes, bookshelves and other items can be hidden behind while you wait for a patrolling French policemen to move out of the way or distract him with something you're holding. Perhaps my favorite fleeing moment came later in the game while playing as Karl escaping from a prison camp, moving a scarecrow across the field while waiting for patrolling soldiers in the foreground to move along their path. While most of the time the game is fairly simple with it's puzzles, I still very much enjoyed them. There are a variety of puzzles to face in Valiant Hearts many of which involve doing a series of events to get to your underline goal of the level where you help one person get something to get what you want in the end. Also though in the unlikely event you do get stuck on a puzzle or array the game provides hints, a carrier pigeon in the corner will appear after you spend to long in an area and it will have an envelope with a clue for you which I thought was a fun addition to the game.

Each character also has their own unique sort of skill and little attributes that will contribute as you play as either one of them. Freddie carries with him a handy set of wire cutters to cut through fencing on the battlefield while Emile carries with him a shovel to move dirt and maneuver to areas you can't get with others. Ana, who will come a bit later to the first chapter of the game is looking for her father who she hasn't heard from and is believed to be forcibly helping the Germans. Ana is a young girl who knows quite a bit about medicine will patch up soldiers in the game with a medical mini game and also plays feature to a few taxi mini games as she drives her handy vehicle all across the front lines and must dodge enemy bombs, gun fire and just about everything else. Our last character is a furry little hero named Walt who helps all of the characters at one point or another in the game whether it's flicking a switch or distracting an enemy so you can sneak by, he is one handy pup to have around. 

In conclusion, I really loved Valiant Hearts, it was a game that I had heard nothing about but is something that I am glad to have played through once I had bought it. Despite it's appearance, it gives a very hardening tale of not only World War I but also the characters who were all around favorites for me, each with their own story to tell and each very enjoyable to play through. The puzzles may not be too much of a challenge for most but each was unique and entertaining for me as they all worked together in some way, one thing led you to get another and reach your goal. They were not tedious tasks for me to complete, they were fun and quirky and fit the story. 

Good:

- Very powerful story telling

- Incredible design and artwork

- Enjoyable characters all around to play as 

- Solid puzzle solving and adventure side scroller

Bad:

- The somewhat demeaning moments for the German soldiers which occurred time to time especially with the games central enemy 

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10 

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood

By: Robert Murphy

It has been awhile since I have taken up an adventure style puzzle game like this but with Max: The Curse of Brotherhood it makes me wish there were so many more of this style of game. Not since Limbo have I played something like this although this is far less bleak and dark and more something you'd want your kids to play for something fun to do. You play the role of Max, a young red headed boy who comes home from school one day to his annoying little brother (been there) who is playing with his toys and Max wishes for nothing more than to be alone. Going to the internet for a solution as we all do in today's world, he finds a spell that in turn opens a portal and gets his brother kidnapped. Immediately regretting his decision he jumps after his brother and now must travel through this new world he finds himself in to save his brother. 

Now you are not much of the hero type when the game first starts out, you're a young kid who doesn't want to risk getting in trouble for getting your brother sucked into another dimension. You appear quite small in this world and the first couple of platforming challenges you face are really easy but things get more difficult as you go on. After jumping your way through the first few platforms, you meet a mysterious elderly woman who tells you the tale of this land you find yourself in and she in turn will help you defeat the evil lord Mustacho who wants to use your brothers youth to become young again and continue ruling the land. This elderly woman possess the soul of your mighty weapon....a marker, this marker allows you to control various elements in the game such as creating earth pillars, creating vines to swing on, creating solid branches, controlling a gush of water, basically you become the Avatar when you have this thing. But all these abilities come gradually over time as you progress through the treacherous environments that you have to find your way through with your wits. 

All the puzzles in the game are fairly easy even when you get to the later levels, it involves a bit of trial an error though when you get to angling things like the water and end up falling to your death. The main drawback to the whole thing though isn't performing the puzzle over again or figuring it out, it comes from our main character Max. Since you don't possess many jaw dropping abilities as the young kid you are, you suffer from limitations like the inability to double jump or make it that tinniest fraction closer to grabbing that edge you missed. Things also get a little more challenging when Max will appear to glide and slide across a surface making you panic jump to your death, it's an issue with the game itself and when you're playing a puzzle game where any mistake can cost you, it can get a little irritating. 

The fun really kicked in more for me later on when I gained control of all my markers abilities, like I said before I felt like a real life Avatar with my ability to control all these elements. Solving puzzles was just so much more fun when I had all these abilities under my belt, water spouts are particularly fun as you create your own water slide in a sense and send Max on a ride through the air to a jungle vine. This also comes up when you have to do the puzzle you are presented with in a certain way to get to a hidden goodie, the game comes with amulet pieces to collect and eye stalks to sever that are used by Mustacho to spy on you. Often you'll have to take the puzzle in another direction to reach these hidden gems and then remember the correct way you set up your path before. This brings up the other issue I had with the game and that's the timing and quick time events you will encounter along the way when it really becomes a challenge to take your marker out in time to preform the action the game wants you to do. It happens every once and awhile but when you have to sit through a whole cut scene time and time again it got on my nerves. 

In closing, I enjoyed what Max: The Curse of Brotherhood had to offer with it's bright and colorful puzzle solving game play. It made me think back to playing Limbo as I said before and I'm glad to see this type of game make it's way to the Xbox One early on. Issues do arise though that can make the game play a little bit of a challenge when you involuntarily slide across a platform that cause you to freak out and fall to your death. Quick time events and timing issue are also a bit of a problem for the game and when you're trying to solve a puzzle over and over again do to you missing that split second time constraint, you'll be frustrated. 

Good:

- Cute and fun environments that fit the story

- Controlling all these elements with the flick of your marker was really quite fun

Bad:

- Timing and quick time event issues

- Some control issues with your character Max

- Max himself can bring fault onto himself by not being all he should be, whimply missing jumps and ledges

Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10