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Hello fellow gamers! I couldn't decide on one dedicated topic this month, so I decided to write something that is more like a blog post in the traditional sense. This is just what I've been up to lately. I hope everyone is doing well. Settle in for a nice, breezy read and say, "Hi" in the comments below.
Xbox One S
I decided to add an Xbox One S to my console repertoire, so I bought a brand new
Minecraft edition console and so far I love it. I wanted something new for the cheap projector I have previously written about, and having just acquired a PS4 Pro a few months back for my new 4K television, I saw no need to spend extra money on the soon to be released Xbox One X. Having a more affordable model that will play Xbox One, Xbox 360, Blu-Rays, and very soon, original Xbox games all in one is a dream come true for the projector set-up which I have in my gameroom. I even renewed my Gold subscription to play online and take advantage of the free games each month. I thought the next console I would buy would be a Switch, but I'm going to wait a little longer on that one and see what games come out for it.
Sacred 3 (Xbox 360)
I couldn't believe how much fun I had with this game, knowing the critical reception it has. To put it simply, it is a perfectly competent
Diablo clone with no looting and a horribly unfunny script. It is a short game, clocking in at about eight to ten hours, and can be played online with parties of up to four. How does it work with no looting? New weapons are unlocked at certain character levels and can be quipped between missions. Each weapon has its own attributes and a unique skill tree, which is unlocked with gold (while there is no loot in game, there is still the constant satisfying jingle of coins as there is gold everywhere). I honestly
loved this system as a change of pace from the constant inventory management present in some other games like this. Just set everything up in between missions, and hack away! This game can be found easily for under ten bucks and is definitely worth that. If you're one of the internet citizens with disdain for this title, let me know why in the comments.
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Image courtesy of Gameinformer
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die (Xbox One)
I was a huge fan of
Deadly Premonition, the wacky, love it or hate open world survival horror game from SWERY and Access Games. Way back when the Xbox One was announced, a little game by SWERY called
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die was quietly released and quickly forgotten. It was even forgotten by me, because now that I have an Xbox One I was shocked to see it in my download queue. It must have been a "Games with Gold" game years ago. I remember thinking how badly I wanted to play the game all the way back at its release and I am very excited to be experiencing it now.
[img width=700 height=393]https://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2662385-2014091812492451.jpg[/img]
Image courtesy of Gamespot
The game is a pretty surreal experience, and not just because it is a SWERY game. The game was designed with the Kinect in mind, and not having one, I am playing with a controller. The results are very similar to my experience with Playstation VR. Your character's movement is relegated to certain hot spots that you can click on to make him move to them. Interacting with the environment is point and click style, and action is done via quick time events. I don't hate quick time events if they make sense, and here they not only make sense, but are some of the more inventive QTEs I've ever experienced. If you want to experience something unique, check out
D4, but bear in mind that the game ends abruptly on a cliffhanger and will likely never be continued. This seems like a huge caveat, and it certainly caught me by surprise, but I can't stress enough that this game is a masterpiece that deserves a playthrough by anyone with an Xbox One.
Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy (Nintendo 3DS)
Speaking of Access Games, I should mention that I recently played through
Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy on the 3DS. The game was developed by Access but not directed by SWERY. It is not related to the console title
Ace Combat Assault Horizon but rather is a remake of
Ace Combat 2 from the PS1. I had a hell of a good time with this one, even though I don't remember
Ace Combat 2 at all. I'm one of those crazy people who loves 3D and plays every game with the 3D slider fully cranked. The graphics in this game are awesome and the 3D is great. The older version of the game, which is the one I played, can be found for only a couple of dollars. There is an updated version of the game with Amiibo support, but I am not familiar with that version.
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That's it for this month. Thank you for reading!