QCF: Bayonetta 2

here are certain games that are fully aware of the audience they’re intended for—the original Bayonetta was such a title.  The impression of vivacious action and the great deal of spectacle its sultry violence spurs on is the kind of experience that indulges in the very unique spirit of expressionism that can only be realized by video games.

And yet ironically, despite the many eccentric nuances exclusive to the culture of gaming that it did celebrate, it’s appeal and accessibility was arguably a bit niche-sized at best, finding a home within the hearts of only the most hardcore of action fans.

Bayonetta 2 rectifies a great deal of that with Nintendo’s influence, and much to the delight of everyone involved or interested for that matter, it doesn’t compromise any of the distinctive dynamics or personality of the Umbra Witch—quite the opposite actually.

The trifecta of Nintendo, Sega, and Platinum collaboration has not only produced title made of everything that a sequel should be, but Bayonetta 2’s subtle improvements help propel the approachability of it adrenaline-soaked quest into a significantly wider spectrum of player skill and interest that’s good enough to land the Wii U on some wish lists for this holiday season.

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QCF: Alien: Isolation

hen done right, playing a scary video game that manages to be legitimately unsettling, can trigger an entirely different dimension of fear that other forms of media will never be able to emulate, and that even goes for film. Agency is no longer a power struggle, but now a will to survive, and every action has an entirely different weight behind it’s consequence than a mere failure—the test of nerve under these settings can be maddening for some; if the impact is there of course, but in more recent years, it’s been lacking.

In a twist of strange coincidence, Ridley Scott’s Alien license within the realm of games have also been lacking, so it was only a matter of time before we would see the iconic Xenomorph return to its roots, and Sega’s efforts have never been so determined like they have with Alien: Isolation.

As far as scares and anxiety go, Alien Isolation gets the job done, and does it with gusto; but while it's certainly effective with the space frights, this isn't a sensation that can carry an entire game into an experience that's worth playing, and much is the case with the latest endeavor of the Sci-Fi monster show.

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PAX PRIME 2014: Exploring the world of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric

ever before have I witnessed something struggle so hard to remain relevant like I have with Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog, and his laundry list of gimmicks and reinventions over the years. The spiny celebrity has done anything from hosting interspecies relations with a human woman to a werewolf, and so many other endeavors, that it’s no wonder that his appeal has gradually dwindled into disenchantment.

This new direction of the hog going “boom” admittedly comes off like a superficial one at first glance, but after giving it a go, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric could possibly be the proficient palate cleanser to all the failed expectations.

Ironically, Sonic Boom’s potential to be a good Sonic game is that it doesn’t try to play like a “Sonic” game at all.

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PAX PRIME 2014: Hands-On With Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F 2nd

ega surprised everyone last year with the announcement and subsequent release of Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F for the PlayStation 3 and as a downloadable title on the Vita. The Project Diva games should have been about as obscure as it came in the west, since the whole game revolves around the personification of a music creation suite called Vocaloid. Created by Crypton, Vocaloid allows its users to generate lyrics which are sung with the voice of the specific version you buy, and Hatsune Miku, though not the first, is far and away the most popular of the entire line, worldwide.

If you thought a quirky rhythm-music game based on a group of virtual singers with dress-up elements and theatre modes wouldn't fly, two things should be remembered; firstly, Hatsune Miku has wild, live freaking concerts in Japan (seriously!) and secondly, Project Diva F was a mad, runaway hit in North America, selling out in many, many places at retail, especially in the part of the world where I live.

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PAX PRIME 2014: Surviving the creep show of Alien Isolation

hether it was on the show, editorial, video, social media, or whatever—I’ve gone on record ad nauseam about how the horror genre is dead in the water when it comes to modern game design. Over the last couple of weeks, titles like PT and Five Nights at Freddy’s have rightfully earned my foot an invite straight into my mouth, but one game in particular, managed to send chills down my spine.

Sega decided to dish out the scares several weeks before Halloween with Alien Isolation, an experience that was so effective at startling me, that it got the point across in an a show-floor environment, surrounded by a bunch of other people playing the very same game. People who were also relatively feeling some sort of anxiety of their own from the demo as well.

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PPR Presents Limelight: Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection

t some point in our lives, we have to admit the cold hard truth that every one of us face (some sooner than others) and it’s simply that we’re old as shit. Not to fear though, reaching a certain age, allows us to relive some of the sweeter moments from our childhood with a reverence that holds the same vibrant jubilation we felt in our child hood; take the Sega Genesis for example—that wonderful dumb box of 16-bit joy, it just hit 25 years of age yesterday.

That’s right; twenty, five, years….

So of course, what better way to celebrate the milestone then to stream the biggest assortment of Genesis titles ever compiled into one collective game for all you beautiful people in Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection—there’s way more to show off than Sonic here folks.

Join George as he plays through a random order of the games available, at the mercy of his whim, or yours, depending on how loud y’all can get in the Twitch chat, we’ll be starting off tonight on August 15, at 8:30 PM, Pacific standard time.

Mail us at our new email Mailbag@presspauseradio.com, leave a voicemail at 469-PPR-TALK, and be sure to stop by at our Forums if you haven’t already registered and post your thoughts about the show. Finally, make sure to rate and subscribe to us on iTunes and YouTube, follow us on Twitch page and Twitter, and finally take part in our Facebook and Steam group!

Sonic: The Marathon - Interview with Tyler Smart

ll too often, uninformed pundits and the general populace believe almost too entirely that nothing good can come of video games. Although there are several studies to the contrary, there seems to be a general consensus among the ignorant; video games invariably lead to brain rot, obesity and violent behaviour. However, over the weekend one man proved without a doubt that there is all kinds of good to come out of gaming as well.

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QCF: Sonic Lost World

ega has struggled to not only adapt their star hedgehog into the modern generation of gaming, a title that can properly reclaim the fame the blue dude held in the gaming community; these days, the spiky-haired dude with attitude is lucky to be relevant outside of the younger demographic or die-hard fans. A number of things have always held him back like lack of proper game physics, stage design, or mechanics to deliver that trademark speed or some overtly gimmicky mechanic that tarnishes everything.

Despite Lost World fitting that infamous aforementioned profile on first impression, it defies expectations by successfully delivering that authentic Sonic experience; one that actually transitions the blue blur into a 3D environment that’s more playable than any of the previous efforts within the last decade.

Granted, while a certain galactic inspired approach in Sonic Team’s latest avant-garde for the hedgehog plays a large role in making Lost World genuinely fun to play for a Sonic title, it’s still littered with flaws that hold it back from being a must-play, let alone the best.

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