The Walking Dead: A New Frontier... reviewed!

This installment is... one heck of a love & sorrow experience... for me.

The Walking Dead show is tough for some of its fans to watch... and when it comes to the TellTale series... it's just as tough (to play). Totally not in the sense of it being a hard game as far as difficulty settings go (they've never taken that approach to these games), which makes it an experience that all gamers (that meet the age requirements... and the ones who don't give a crap about the ESRB) can get into if they can handle it. Controls are incredibly simple so that you can focus on the real challenge... but on-screen commands will keep you on your toes when its time. They aren't just used just to be used either, it's a good balance... like for dodging, moving things, trying to force doors close to keep zombies out, tussling with enemies, etc.

The Walking Dead video game series as a whole... take you a different route when it comes to difficulty. Decisions... decisions... it's something about those decisions that can save the day or just really screw up a situation in traumatic fashion. Some of it... you can't avoid even if you've prolonged the inevitable (dying that is)... so it is what it is. That said... you should check it out regardless because the experience is memorable. The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, brings even more action than the first two seasons (for me)... but don't get me wrong, the first two are far from less than. They have their own charms, characters... and they're part of the storyline and experience that has built up to what we have in A New Frontier. The story is progressive (even down to your decisions/game saves) and definitely shows the growth from where things began with the shock of zombies emerging... to zombies just being a part of life now.

The Walking Dead: A New Frontier places you in the role of a new character in the series by the name of Javier Garcia... a former baseball star who has to deal with family drama, love triangles, foes that are still among the living... and of course zombies. You get plenty of back story in this one which I really appreciate because It sheds light on the Garcia family and other character relationships. This breaks things up so that you aren't always in tense action (some of the time) and really gives your offline audience more to enjoy as far as the overall story is concerned. The way they lined up some of the scenes made it more difficult to make decisions (because I knew or eventually found out who a character was)... but I managed.

You spend a portion of time dealing with zombies in this game, but most of it consists of dealing with the New Frontier. The zombies are still there, but they're kind of the threat you know is around... and avoid while dealing with a more skilled enemy (which can actually end up being yourself at times if you make the wrong decision). Twists and turns had me at “Hell No” because some decisions make you wish you can take them back, some... more than others. Percentage wise... after each episode you get to see what decisions other gamers made, and this season... fewer people chose the decisions I made. The decisions recorded further add to the interest I have regarding Crowd Play... that gets the audience in on the action via mobile devices... and I think it was a genius idea to dial up crowd participation instead of having them get mad at the decision you've made. I'm curious to know how things would play out with family and friends joining in on the action.

I try not to give spoilers... so I will keep it as vague as possible, but (dammit, TellTale) there is someone who died in horrible fashion... much too soon and I have to point it out. I would've thought this particular person would go out in a blaze of glory, but it was just crappy for me... and felt like the person was just... killed off after all they've been through. I can't even count this as a con, wouldn't be fair... although the story is what these games should mainly be judged on beyond bugs, other than that... the story is fantastic. I guess there was just no place to fit this person except for the backstory. I will go back to see if I can change fate... but it really didn't seem like it. (Sigh)

Some of you may look at a game like this and wonder where the replay value could come from... but based on the decisions made, it's easily packed with replay value by way of different decision making. Until you've exhausted all decisions to see what may happen differently, there will always be the chance of something happening differently... and that's the beautiful thing about this game. I went ahead and play through to completion, but after making certain decisions... there are various choices that justify me thinking “I'm going back to do that differently”.

I haven't mentioned this before... and I actually just realized it myself: I think one of the biggest reasons why I enjoy this series... is that there are movies that I would watch, and no matter how many times I'd watch the movie, I'd wish something different would happen at certain points. This sort of gives me that opportunity via this series.

Visually the art style has always appealed to me in this series, and season 3 is no different... it holds up well, which is a benefit for games like this that aren't relying on the latest graphics enhancements to wow the audience.

Overall, you get twists, turns, action, choices and consequences in one heck of a worthwhile experience that has proved to be worth the money yet again. Based on it being an experience... I recommend playing with an audience. Don't forget a nice sized TV, popcorn, drinks and a nice sound system to really take it in. The $5/per episode that gives you a movie-like experience... gets two thumbs up from me, and it was always priced just right in my opinion.

Fun factor: 5
Visually: 5
Replay value: 5
Price: 5

“5 / 5 Cool Points”

Brought to you by the... Baby Fu Clothing Co.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20th Anniversary… reviewed!

Lara sets out on a new adventure… after one heck of a new first impression.

I say it like that, not only because this isn’t Lara’s first rodeo, but it is the first time I’ve made more of an emotional connection with the Tomb Raider. The initial games (PS1 days)… were colder, but I took it for what it was, making moves to get where I needed to be in the level in order to progress to the next location. The way the character was set up to move, really frustrated me… and although it got better from the 1^st Title to games like Tomb Raider Legend… the latest installments are more my cup of tea.

The new Tomb Raider ushered me into a story that I looked forward to experiencing, not just something they get through. I’m really glad the decision was made to take Lara back to the beginning where we joined her in the growth process of what’s to come. There are very valid reasons now… to continue the franchise forward adventure after adventure. We can literally experience her growth process as the Tomb Raider… and after playing Rise of the Tomb Raider, I’m ready for the next installment.

This is the 20^th Anniversary, so I wanted to look back and share my experience whether frustrating or not… because today’s Tomb Raider may have never existed without those initial building blocks.

In this installment, you’re already on the ground running and the sting of being forced to proceed is gone. Now it’s adventure time… and if you’re new to Tomb Raider… I do recommend starting off with the 1^st installment to get up to speed.

In Rise of the Tomb Raider... you embark on an expedition in... Siberia, and believe me when I say there is plenty of chilling action to enjoy as you dive into the adventure, kicking butt and uncovering secrets while in a rat race against an organization known as the... Trinity.

From A to Z the story is well written... and there's nothing I'd change about it (including the playable backstory). Although it's fictional action adventure... I appreciate the fact that the game's story still has that element that makes sense. It's not over the top, even with a certain secret as a factor in the story. So strap up with Lara's bow & arrows and jump in. (The more you adjust to using the bow and arrow types, the better. Poison arrows are by far my fave, but the incendiaries really come in handy.)

Holy ****!

Visually the environments are stunning... and sometimes creepy at times (especially when a bear is near... or is after you). I enjoyed sitting back and just checking out the lay of the land that the developers brought to life... in addition to the great work done on the characters (not only visually but personality wise).

Audio is almost as equally satisfying for me. You get those little additions like the sound of walking through snow, reloading guns, the sound of bushes while sneaking through them to get the drop on enemies, etc... and it just amps up the experience (as intended).

Beyond the main adventure... which is very good, you have optional tombs that will challenge you to think. Just like in the previous game, these tombs increase the enjoyment of the adventure because you get a break from the action to do something different... while still being a part of the adventure. That's also one of the reasons why I really enjoy them, I can take in the visuals while also thinking of how to solve a tomb's puzzle without the worry of someone trying to take my head off. This is just one part of the hefty replay value this game has to offer.

The replay value you get from this game is huge... all games aside (outside of the video game itself), expect to get a lot of playtime out of this title. In the 20 Year Celebration, you also get:

Blood Ties – This is a single player story giving you a taste of Lara Croft's life at home. I can't exactly say that this specific story shows the best aspect of that life, but it gives you more to enjoy. This story places you in a situation with Lara's uncle challenging her ownership of Croft Manor in the wake of her father's death. This hour long addition can be played in third person or even VR mode.

Co-op play for endurance mode, extreme survivor (difficulty setting) for the main campaign, a special outfit and gun, 5 classic Lara skins and... all the previously released DLC. There are a lot of games that have plenty of content, but... this one made me say “Damn”.

Previously released DLC includes... Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch... that challenges you to a new tomb that houses an... ancient terror, and Cold Darkness Awakened... where you combat waves of infected enemies. Going back to the co-op... I think it will be appreciated more so after the adventure is done because you will take the skills you've sharpened to go full bad ass online to see how you can hold up... and it delivers that survival aspect that has proven to be of interest to quite a few gamers (add a person you can vibe with on the other end and... that's hours of fun). So yeah... the replay value in Rise of the Tomb Raider is huge.

Price wise, no arguments here, you're getting value on value that you're able to come back to and not just replay... but you have many factors that give you something new to enjoy after the main adventure is done, all tombs have been raided, all side missions completed, etc.

Overall, this is a beautiful game... chock full of content that takes you for one heck of a ride... that I highly recommend.

Fun factor: 5
Visually: 5
Replay value: 5
Price: 5

“5 / 5 Cool Points”

Brought to you by the... Baby Fu Clothing Co.