QCF: Bloodborne

ow that the skill and challenge of video games has caught a second wind, the waves of difficult games have been coming out of the woodwork from both the western, and eastern hemispheres of the world. The thrill of ever stacking odds working against your favor is slowly growing into insatiable sensation that’s winning over the free time and attention of those who fall victim to it’s addictive, yet punishing taste.

A relatively new property to have come out of the last generation of video games by FROM Software is credited with pioneering the resurgence of mercilessly challenging gameplay design we’ve seen on the modern scene with their “Souls” franchise.

While still relatively niche on the whole, Sony’s involvement with the developer may have changed the game with the latest title from the mold, Bloodborne; a celebration of everything that makes the cult-style of action game so intimidating, and so appealing all at once.

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QCF: Puppeteer

t’s no secret that indie developers have reclaimed the renaissance of the side-scrolling platformer has been led by the indie development front, and ironically have tooled the remnants of Japanese game design and the charm it instilled from the 90’s into the modern conventions in their present titles.  A certain development team however has blipped on the radar as exception to the trend and has demonstrated the magic that the land of the rising sun is capable of—Japan Studio. With surprising hits like Gravity Rush and Tokyo Jungle under the belt, they’ve proven to be a worthy to the PlayStation brand, and aimed to do it again with their latest release Puppeteer.

While the aim was earnest however, this whimsical run ‘n jump venture could have used some more time behind the current before appearing on stage; Puppeteer is an endearing but ultimately rough act to sit through.

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QCF: Tokyo jungle

In the seemingly desolate urban ruins of the once established city of Tokyo, a creature emerges. A tiny Pomeranian dog reveals himself out in the open, casting aside his thin veil of secrecy the tall grass in streets of Dogenzaka provided. Grazing in the distance in front of a department store, a lone rabbit is quietly stalked by the Pomeranian, completely unaware of impending doom that lurks upon it. As the Pomeranian readies its strike, a giant lion bursts through the window of the department store and mauls them both into submission. The lion is pleased with his newly acquired meal…until he’s interrupted with a challenge from a pack of chimpanzees and its cleat-wearing leader.

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