Gaming on the Cheap – Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2

Recently, GameStop held a sale on pre-owned games and I picked up a few titles I missed out on during the last console generation. And with that comes the next installment of “Gaming on the Cheap” featuring “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2.”

Released in 2010, Force Unleashed 2, players again take control of Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice in events leading up to the original Star Wars trilogy. A third person action/adventure game, Force Unleashed 2 expands on the story of Starkiller, revealing early  in the game that this Starkiller is actually a clone of the original game’s protagonist.

I played the first Force Unleashed game briefly and when I booted up the sequel, I immediately noticed that the visuals of this second title are light years better than the original. The character design and lighting add lots of depth and visual flair to the action. The sound design is pitch-perfect Star Wars as well. Starkiller’s Force powers are also incredibly powerful and the game’s engine is capable of some really fun destruction in the environments. But all the areas of the game’s engine have been upgraded, making Starkiller’s lightsaber combos look devastating and watching Stormtroopers get flung about like ragdolls never gets old.

Force Unleashed 2 plays really well too. Character movement is smooth and transitioning between fighting numerous enemies is very fluid – though the in-game lock-on feature doesn’t work very well. Starkiller has tons of Force powers to take advantage of and it’s great that he isn’t forced to relearn all his powers as the game progresses – you can Force grip a TIE fighter out of the sky pretty much from the get-go. While there are only a handful of different enemy types, each require a different strategy to defeat. There are also some cool boss fights along the way but none really stand out.

While Force Unleashed 2 is a fun beat-em-up, it’s very short and the overall story is typical Star Wars fodder. The story of Starkiller’s clone turning on Vader and returning to his former allies pretty boring and would’ve been much cooler if it focused more on Starkiller’s internal drama of whether or not he was actually a clone (Vader tells him he’s a clone, but General Kota doesn’t believe it). The voice acting also is nothing special. Starkiller isn’t bad but General Kota will get on your nerves quickly.

Overall, Force Unleashed 2 is a fun game to pass the time – especially if you’re a Star Wars fan. There are a few big boss battles and fun set pieces but there isn’t anything that really makes it stand out. Since this game came out several years ago, you should be able to pick up it pretty cheap from most anywhere. But with little on the horizon in terms of next gen games, now is a great time to catch up on older games, like Force Unleashed 2.

Xbox 360 version of Titanfall delivers a quality experience

 

Though I ended up getting a PlayStation 4 recently, there was one game that made me wonder if I made the right choice – the Xbox One exclusive title “Titanfall.” The first-person-shooter from Respawn Entertainment melds fast-paced, parkour-based on-foot combat with the heavy firepower of enormous, lumbering mechanical monsters called Titans. Titanfall is also interesting in that it’s the first game from Respawn Entertainment. The studio was formed after several members broke off from Infinity Ward, the studio responsible for the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” titles.

Admittedly, Titanfall mainly drew my interest because I’ve always been a sucker for giant robots smashing each other with bullets, missiles and massive, metal fists. I was a big fan of the Mechwarrior games in the 90s and when I heard about Titanfall’s merging of traditional on-foot combat with giant robots, I couldn’t help but recall all the Battletech books I read or the hours I spent playing “Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries.” But because I decided to back Sony’s console instead of Microsoft’s, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to play Titanfall myself.

Luckily Bluepoint Games, in cooperation with Respawn Entertainment, brought a port of the PC and Xbox One title to the Xbox 360.

It wasn’t long ago that I read this story which noted that initially, Respawn Entertainment only planned on bringing Titanfall to the PC. This news made me wary of the quality of a 360 version of Titanfall – if the game wasn’t even meant for the Xbox One, how good could it be on the 360? Luckily the answer to that question is “surprisingly good.”

There are several types of Titans - the nimble Stryder (left), the sturdy Atlas (center) or the massive Orge (right).

Titanfall is interesting in that it is solely focused on multiplayer, though it uses elements of a single-player narrative to tell the story of the confrontation between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation  and the Frontier Militia. Advances in space travel allowed humanity to spread beyond the stars but when the IMC tries to expand its operations to the colonies of the Frontier, the colonists form the Militia to fight back, using the massive Titans as battle platforms to wage war on their opposition.

While many these days are quick to dismiss FPS games because of how saturated the market is with shooters, Titanfall makes quite a few changes to the usual formula – the least of which is the inclusion of gigantic, walking tanks.

In Titanfall, players take the role of Pilots, who are the equivalent of special ops soldiers in this conflict. Each game type in Titanfall is 6-on-6 and in addition to human players, games are also populated with computer controlled bots in the form of human Grunts or robotic Spectres. These units are basically just cannon-fodder but their inclusion creates a more hectic atmosphere and makes conflicts feel more alive.

Pilots are much smaller than Titans but incredibly agile and capable of holding their own.

Human pilots are superior to grunts in almost every way. Pilots have better weaponry as well as the ability to call down and pilot Titans. But their biggest advantage is their mobility. Pilots are equipped with booster jetpacks that allow for extra mobility in the air as well as the ability to quickly navigate environments with parkour-esque free running skills that include wall-hanging and wall-running. Like most FPS games, as you play you earn XP to gain levels which unlock new gear and weaponry for your Pilot and your Titan.

There are over 15 maps included in Titanfall with the usual compliment of game modes like Team Deathmatch (Attrition), Capture The Flag and Domination (Hardpoint) as well as variations like Pilot Hunt, where only Pilot kills go toward the team score, and Last Titan Standing, where players start in a Titan with no respawns.

You might think that Pilots would not be able to contend with the massive Titans but their agility and firepower make them just as formidable as the walking tanks. Using their jetpacks and free running abilities, Pilots can easily ascend the structures on each level to gain height on their towering foes. From there, Pilots can unload on them with anti-Titan weaponry or even hitch a ride on the back of one where they can do massive damage to a weak spot. Pilots also have a cloaking ability that will hide them from Titans as well as making it harder for other Pilots to spot you. As long a Pilot keeps moving, they are just as formidable as a Titan – if not more so.

Each player has a countdown timer until a Titan can be dropped in that can be shortened by earning kills or completing objectives. Pilots can also make use of Burn Cards, which are boosts players can select before a game begins and use one time during the match. Burn Cards can reduce your Titan timer, give you more powerful weaponry or other abilities. Burn Cards are easily gained so make sure to bring as many into battle as you can.

Overall, Titanfall is an incredibly fun game. I was worried about the quality of the Xbox 360 version of the game but haven’t had a single issue with it. The visuals look are as high a quality as any other 360 shooter and thanks to a mandatory install the first time you play, I’ve never experienced any slow down or seen any visual hiccups. The fact that it’s only multiplayer may drive some away but those who enjoy shooters will easily find something to love about Titanfall.

Megalodon found in Battlefield 4

This just in – there’s a megalodon in Battlefield 4. That is all.

There were rumors that there was a prehistoric seabeast living in the waters of some Battlefield 4 map for months. Many thought there was a leviathan hiding in the waters of Parcel Storm but nothing was ever found. However, the recent release of the “Naval Strike” DLC finally brought the undersea monster into the light.

Quick hits – PlayStation Now, Mercenary Kings and GTA Online heists

Stream your games with PlayStation Now

During the last console generation, I sided with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 over Sony’s PlayStation 3. Don’t get me wrong, I would’ve had both if I could, but I didn’t have the time or money for two consoles. While I was more than happy with the 360’s exclusives, I kept hearing great things about Sony’s PS3 exclusive lineup – specifically games like “The Last of Us” and the “Uncharted” series.

Now that I’ve switched sides and own a PlayStation 4 instead of Xbox One, I’m stoked to find out about PlayStation Now, a streaming service set to launchthis summer that will allow gamers to stream popular PS3 games on PS3 and PS4 consoles as well as the PS Vita. The article also mentions that Sony BRAVIA TVs will also eventually support PS Now.

You’ll be able to fully stream games through Sony’s cloud-based technology, allowing you to play your games across devices, meaning you won’t need to lug your console around if you travel a lot, for instance. No word on how much this service will cost, though, or if it will be packaged with the PlayStation Network in some way. Cause I would love to play “The Last of Us” but I’m not too keen on having to sign up for another service just to do so. Though, this option is definitely still cheaper than purchasing a PS3.

Mercenary Kings now free on PlayStation Network

PlayStation Network subscribers will be able to download “Mercenary Kings” for free this month, a four player, online, cooperative, side-scrolling, 8-bit inspired shooter. Mercenary Kings is an interesting title as it melds an old school, 8-bit theme onto modern ideas like weapon crafting and item collection.

I’ve only played 15-20 minutes of Mercenary Kings and so far, I’m intrigued enough to want to continue though I am a bit wary of its presentation. I like the visuals and the chip-tune style music sets the tone perfectly, but things like limited range of motion, time limits and randomness of collectibles might throw off those too entrenched in modern shooting titles. But on the lookout for a full review coming soon.

Heists coming to GTA Online

Spring is (allegedly) here and with it comes another round of updates for Rockstar Games’ premiere title, Grand Theft Auto V. The updates, which will be rollingout sporadically over the next few months, features several additions to Grand Theft Auto Online in the form of new weapons, vehicles and clothing options, the ability to create customized games of “Capture” and perhaps the most highly anticipated feature of GTA Online – heists.

The High Life update will allow you to “expand your foothold in Los Santos” by offering new, high-end apartment options, new weaponry (like the Bullpup Rifle), new wardrobe options and new vehicles like the Dinka Thrust motorcycle and the Pegassi Zentorno super car. This update will also let you “own two distinct properties (with garages) simultaneously.” Along with those in-game additions, this update will also unveil the new player “Mental State” statistic so you can see right away who is a regular player and who is a psychopath in your game. And, like all updates before, there will be new Jobs available with this update.

Additionally, the Capture Creator will be available “next week” according to Rockstar.

And though the addition of heists to GTA Online has been hotly anticipated, Rockstar didn’t elaborate at all how they will work online. I haven’t played GTA Online in a long time but I would definitely be tempted back if the heist options are interesting enough – as well as lucrative. The article ends by saying there will be many more additions to GTA V and GTA Online in the form of holiday-themed updates and story mode DLC.