From the developers of Action Henk, Descendersis a fast-paced extreme downhill biking game that's easy to pick up, but difficult to master.
A Modern Take on an Extreme Sport
Procedurally generated worlds : Take on different jumps, slopes and hillbombs every time you play
Freestyle bike controls : Control every subtle movement of your rider, with an in-depth physics system made for slick whips and scrubs
Rogue-Bike : Earn special mutators each time you play, and work out which abilities work best for your riding style
Build your Rep : A fully-featured online Rep system lets you show off your worth, and earn new bikes and threads
Fully licensed soundtrack : We've partnered up with drum & bass label Liquicity to bring you the perfect soundtrack for hitting the mountains
Become the next Descender : Can you survive the game in a single run, and reach the ranks of the legendary Descenders?
Pick a Team, Become a Legend In Descenders, your team is your life. When you pick a side -- Enemy, Arboreal or Kinetic -- you'll be bound together with other players who choose the same side as you.
Grab your bike, pick your team, and attempt to live up to the legend of your Descender. Will you join the die-hard, trick-frenzy ranks of Team Enemy, the proficient, off-road stylings of Team Arboreal, or the high-octane, speed-is-everything Team Kinetic?
Wear your team's colors and apparel with pride, and receive exclusive team gear
Exclusive prizes are awarded to the team with the most Rep
Gain access to your team's exclusive channel on the Descenders Discord server
Before I get started, shout out to Warner Bros for supplying a copy of Doom Patrol... Season 2 for this review. Now... let's get weird!
Story:Season 2 starts out with a little of Dorthy's backstory. She came to be because of the interesting relationship Dr. Niles had with a primitive woman named Slava, introduced in season 1's Doom Patrol: Hair Patrol episode. I'd call her Beast Woman.
Needless to say... it wasn't love at first sight, they sort of grew on each other... like a beard. They're secret... hairy... love affair remained in secrecy thanks to Dr. Niles making the wise decision not to give her up, so now we have Dorthy today.
I'm still scratching my head about Dorthy's look though, but... I guess she could look like that as a result of having a prehistoric mom. Anyway, we got a glimpse of her (from behind) as season 1 closed out, which worked as far as hooking viewers for the second season.
That glimpse into Dorthy's backstory made me just want to give her a big hug and take her out for the best day ever (in a covid-free world), full of fun + shopping to update her look + new types of food... and even introduce her to gaming (because... it's awesome). She was a member of the circus forced to be a sideshow act (as the Ape Faced Girl) and was treated harshly by the ring leader because of her look & the same amazingly deadly abilities her mother had. The audience wasn't exactly the nicest group of onlookers either.
After a little justice took place, dear old daddy stepped in and took her home with him where she belonged. It's still a jacked-up relationship though because he feels that it's safer to keep her locked up... but it's a toss-up as far as agreeing or disagreeing with that. It protects her, but it also protects humanity.
One thing I liked seeing was Dorthy come out of her shell (to an extent) once she was with her daddy and the ever dysfunctional Doom Patrol. She was smiling, vibrant, and speaks a bit more when she feels comfortable. Her interaction with Cliff definitely has some comedic charm to it. Cliff Steele swears like he's trying to break a world record for most F-Bombs used in life, and you have Dorthy... this sweet little girl who tries to interact with him and join in on his activities. It's a funny dynamic.
Cliff was working on his car one day, swearing as usual... and in comes Dorthy saying she's never ridden in a car before. Clearly, he was annoyed, and she stood there with this smile on her face that he reluctantly gave in to (with an F-Bomb). It was just hilarious and delivered some much-needed comedy that shined through the clouds.
Season 2 continues to maintain the interesting titles for episodes that I like. Each episode has the main focus of the episode in the name... followed by Patrol (i.e. Fun Size Patrol). There aren't as many episodes in Season 2 as there were in Season 1, but I think they had to do that for the first season in order to introduce all the cards. Nevertheless... they could have found a cool way to keep the episode count somewhat consistent. We're talking 9 episodes compared to 15 in the first season. They had a few creative pieces tucked in there pairing Cliff Steele & Cyborg, and another with Rita Farr & Cyborg... which could have been extra added in to make up for it. It would've been great to see them create some standalone extras around these concepts, that would've made my day.
Beekeeper & Borg (by the way, does anyone else sense a bit of chemistry between these two?)
In season two, the Doom Patrol continues to battle their own demons while trying to figure things out to avoid pending... Doom (again... and again). So I guess the "Doom Patrol" is quite fitting. Dangers continue to pop up episode after episode (including the ongoing threat of Dorthy's demons), but I won't spoil it for you.
Oh... maybe one spoiler (minus details). The superhuman fight between Jane and Dorthy was pretty cool, and it was a breath of fresh air to see more action.
For the most part... even with the team taking on baddies, I can't say that I saw a lot of crime-fighting action going on. You might see a punch here or there, but... for the most part, I was left yearning for more. Season two for me... still feels like the team is dealing with growing pains. I'm not familiar with the Comic's storyline but... I look forward to the team coming into their own.
Here are a few of the baddies you will see this season:
Red Jack is freaking... brutal.
The person that caught my attention more so in Season 2 was... Rita Farr. You can see Rita Farr (aka Elasti-Woman) progressing as she begins to embrace her abilities more so than treating them like flaws... in part because of Cyborg training her. I didn't really see it from anyone else, Rita's on the road to being a true superhero. She's saying, she's training, and... she's taking action. I love that.
You see a glimpse of what could be as far as the other is concerned, but... it's not on that level. I know that they were working through things mentally and emotionally, but I'm talking about superhero training. So I appreciate the fact that they wrote this in, and I want to see more from the others in season 3... which includes Cyborg. I don't just want to hear about Cyborg's greatness... I want to see what makes him great. I want to see the Cyborg opening cans of whip ass left and right, the Cyborg that pulls off the W with a second left on the clock.
The writers are able to deliver, they just have to do it. It's not like he's just a new hero on the block, and the baddies are there... so I'd like to see more fighting. They could have stretched some of the situations out with the villains and not only showcased his abilities but also gave him a chance to work with the rest of the team on fine-tuning their own more. I wish they gave Red Jack at least 3 episodes, it was like... dang, this guy is brutal and he had personality.
Anyway, regardless of not training to be superheroes (apart from Rita Farr), the Doom Patrol gets some training in the field. As far as the story goes... Dorthy was the main focus of the season, even when her story was on the backburner... she remained in their mentions. Ultimately the season is wrapped up with Dorthy as things come to a head with her mother, father, and her most deadly demon. I don't know what they plan on doing in Season 3 but my fingers are crossed that it starts with a bang stemming from the end of Season 2... there should be a huge battle because all of the heroes were in situations with a baddie.
Visuals: Visually speaking, Doom Patrol Season 2 delivers episode after episode. The costumes are solid (even if I wish they would adjust Cyborg's eye up just a little to make it even). From Red Jack to Dorthy's demons... the designers did a solid job. Crazy Jane's transformation was even awesome when she went supernatural and flamed on (I was like... wow). The thing I appreciate most about most of the visual effects... is that they didn't look cheesy. It doesn't have to be over the top to look good, it just has to look believable and I feel like they nailed that.
The camera angles were solid too, unusual angles were thrown in there when needed for those trippy scenes. Although a film enthusiast may focus on specific angle types more than I would, I did notice the low angles + bird's eye view to give off the impression that some of Dorthy's demons were huge (that's just the name I call them).
Audio + Extras:As far as audio goes... I know (I know... I know) the show's theme music is fitting, I'm just not crazy about it. Other than the theme music, I loved the sound effects from the misadventures + the show concepts like Steele & Stone. You get 5.1 surround sound which delivered... but nothing really jumped out to me outside of when the action was high + explosions.
The extras include Doom Patrol: The Magic of Makeup... which was pretty cool, and I think is a feature that would actually appeal to the cosplay fans in the house + those of you into costume and make-up in general. Dorthy's stunt double looks just like her once all the makeup is on. Seriously... just like her. It's an interesting segment, which also showcases some of the other characters like... Larry (unbandaged).
This segment of the show lets me know that Cliff wants to fight crime, and he does at one point... in a very awkward messed-up way that ended with someone giving him... the finger.
I kid you not... Cliff Steele reminds me of my Brother-In-Law to an extent.
Doom Patrol 2: Come Visit Georgia PSA... is pretty much what you'd expect.
Price: Pricewise, Doom Patrol: The Complete Second Season, comes in at $29.98 for DVD and... $39.99 for Blu-ray. I don't know about this one, I'd price it at about $30 to $35 tops for Blu-Ray and $25 for DVD. It didn't end bad, it definitely makes you want to find out what the freak is going to happen in season 3... but they have to remember that the pandemic robbed the fans of an episode.
You can get it at the WB Shop for the MSRP or Walmart which prices it at my ideal price. Your call.
Overall, Doom Patrol: The Complete Second Season isn't bad... but I really want to see them do more. Rita is moving forward, I really liked that... but they really have to get their act together and bring it in season three. Maybe I'm speaking from an action movie junkie's perspective... but I want more episodes where butts are handed to them with a 48-Pack of whoop-ass and a double order of knuckle sandwiches.
Masking up is what these particular videos are all about, but also do your best to start your week out on the right foot... in a positive mood. On that note... stay tuned for the upcoming podcast episode where I dive deeper into applicable info that can impact your mood, health, and even... relationships. Level up!
I must say, I've missed writing articles. The pandemic has taken its toll, all hell broke loose in the Capitol and it's just like, wtf dude? One thing that never changed was the flow of video games. I'm still wondering how it's all being done at the pace that's being maintained, but the industry has found a way to do it.
Hitman III is out now, and The Medium drops in a few days. There could have been more big games in January, but these games get a chance to shine. We also have some pretty good bundles available now.
This isn't the free money I was talking about in the header, but you can get Painter from this bundle and use it in the Corel Painter art contest for a chance to get in on $30,000 in cash and prizes! (Jan 19 - Feb 19, 2021) Paint, draw, win!
If you planned to do some online shopping this weekend, get a $50 Amazon gift card and you will get $15 in free credit with coupon code GIFTCARD2021!
Shout out to Raw Fury for providing a copy of Per Aspera for this review.
I jumped straight into this game to experience it without any expectations (based on trailers, etc.), and it extended beyond my expectations. I don't know why I thought this game was just going to be some sort of space SIM, but I was wrong... wrong... wrong. It's not to say that my assumption was a bad one, but... it has more depth than I anticipated.
I wouldn't call it Simcity: Space Edition... but fans of that sandbox franchise can easily feel right at home with Per Aspera. You aren't building on earth, you're terraforming on mars and forging a way for humans to exist on the planet... all the while making sense out of being a conscious AI. This pulled me right in... and kinda sorta reminds me of Ghost in the Shell to an extent (except you're heading a revolutionary Mars mission minus a humanoid body).
Story:Per Aspera's story revolves around AMI, an AI that was sent to MARS for terraforming. She was designed for the purpose of colonizing the planet's surface for the human population to have a... second earth to call home.
Going back to AMI's conscious AI, as the story develops... so does her knowledge... but the way she thinks... will be determined by you. The story starts out simple enough and gets you in a groove until a twist is thrown into your calm, cool, and collected space sim builder's story.
You go from wondering how you're going to set things up for solid colonization... to wondering how in the heck you're going to defend them from a threat that comes out of nowhere and shakes things up in your system and the building efforts. Granted you have acts of God that will occur, but... the main threat is an unknown enemy that emerges. (At the time of this review) I'm currently trying to figure out where they are after locating the direction they came from.
Since you have to make decisions that continue to develop AMI's AI in this story... you're also working as a sort of digital detective to determine whether this is an outside threat or an attack from within. There was something that was said in the story that made me feel like it was an inside job, but I will see how it ultimately plays out.
Gameplay: Acting as AMI, gamers aren't just making decisions on how she thinks, you have to make all the decisions in how you terraform MARS (duh of the day), and how you respond to others you're in communication with. Thus far, I've been in contact with a Doc, a Psychiatrist, and an unknown enemy. I think it adds to the depth because you don't get that feeling of loneliness that some other builder's give off. It feels like someone is with you. Before I go any further... check out some gameplay:
As you see, you will have to mine for resources, use those resources to create manufacturing plants, etc.
Your terraforming tools will increase as you log more game time and invest in R&D, and there will be a lot more game time to log. Initially, the menu will include the following options (minus some of the choices you see here):
Core (includes):
Areological Scanner... which scans a certain sector of the red planet (based on where you place), and will uncover new resources + mysterious locations that require research (this is part of the story).
Worker Hub... is the area where your bot/drone/worker goes when it's idle. Rather than have your drone at a distance... the hub can be placed where your drone is needed the most. This reduced production time by cutting down on the commute.
Spaceport... is the area that the colonies will access to enter and exit the planet.
Storage Center... is a facility that allows you to store material for later use. This may not come to mind to use, but trust me... use this as often as you can. Why? There will be times when you really need those resources and you don't have time for them to be created in manufacturing. I can't stress this enough, use these to your advantage... and make sure that you have them close to the area where you're expanding. This gives you immediate access to your resources with minimal commute for the bots... and strategically... if you start using these once they're available, your builds will be quicker.
Maintenance Facility... your builds will require maintenance, so you will have to place these in strategic areas to ensure that repairs are possible.
Mines (the section that includes tools that you will use to mine their respective resources.):
Water Extractor
Aluminum Mine
Carbon Mine
Chemical Plant
Iron Mine
Silicon Mine
Factory (includes):
Worker Factory... this facility creates your robotic workers.
Electronics Factory... assists in builds like spaceports, worker hubs, etc.
Food Factory... produces food (RkRk would be nearby).
Glass Kiln... produces glass.
Parts Factory... provides needed cogs and things like that.
Steel Factory... I think you get the picture (it produces Steel).
Polymers Factory... get your polymers here!
The sectors don't really need much of an explanation, but... do your best to keep them in a central location so that you have what you need to keep your terraforming efforts in full swing. The storage centers can more so be placed in the outskirts if that's what you fancy or place them nearby so that they can be unloaded there. You could place the center nearby and one at a distance so that the workers can quickly grab what they need (maybe a worker can be in that vicinity to focus on storage near the factories). It's all up to the way you play it.
Power (includes):
Battery... stores excess power (this could come in handy if you want to utilize power in an area that doesn't require a larger source nearby) or just place it near a source to be released when needed. You can string these to an area that needs a little power.
Solar Farm... generates power from the sun and releases it at night with a power output of 30 MW. You will have to keep an eye on how many facilities you connect to these power generators or else you can overload them.
Wind Farm... generates 50 MW of power by way of the wind.
These sections will be unlocked as you progress.
Colonies (include):
Colony... is the housing for the colony.
Research Outpost... is the area where researchers go to research something you've uncovered on mars. This includes abandoned facilities, that may or may not have been created by an unknown threat.
Terraforming (includes):
Greenhouse Gas Factory... releases greenhouse gases to increase the planet's temperature.
* There are other things that I have yet to unlock... like the Hyperloop, so it's safe to assume that the options increase from what you see above. Just like the military option.
Military (includes):
Drone Hive... is a defense tower that is great to place near areas that require defense the most.
Assault Drone Factory... builds assault drones that also defend but... they can also go on the offensive.
The experience changed for me once an attack happened because I went from solely thinking about my build and strategy in that regard, to thinking of my war strategy. Yeah... you can set up a good defense, but I wanted to get on my offense. One tactic I pulled off actually... is something I don't believe the developers anticipated anyone to do. That opened the door and my eyes to something else because what happened next was something I didn't anticipate. (It basically tipped the scale in my favor.)
I basically sent assault drones out as far as I could... and as some of you know, once combat is done... they will return back to your location (right?). Well... after setting up drones in a particular area, instead of returning back to my location... they took off. They didn't just roam just to roam, they went on the attack destroying things that I have yet to see with the areological scanner. They went up quite a ways until they were eventually destroyed... but I believe that a lot of damage was done to the unknown threat before they were taken out.
I plan on increase their strength and their numbers before doing this again (and I hope to see them react in a similar way)... which brings me to the skill tree. The more you build up your skill tree... the more your abilities, increased capacities, and increased tools unlock. You are able to conduct Engineering, Space, Biotech, and Military research. Currently, my monthly RP is 2.7... which means it takes a while to research various things like increasing my Drone Hive levels and unlocking things like Bioengineered Cyanobacteria. I'm most interested in the Biotech sector, which will allow me to unlock things like a Dome Colony and even... Oxygen Release Plants that I'm currently researching.
Military is necessary, but anyone that knows me well... will tell you how much I love plants (which is a lesser-known fave). So I look forward to unlocking these while keeping the antagonist at bay with my drones. At the same time... I also can't help but wonder if we're the actual bad guys in this story.
This section and the Military sections will have the most research ahead of the other two in order to protect my terraforming and help the colonists thrive.
Go in early on Military research as soon as you access the option, it will benefit you in the long run. You don't want the attackers to show up and you're completely defenseless... because they will destroy your hard work.
The building can take a while if you don't fast forward the gameplay, but the ability to change the speed goes a long way... even the ability to pause so that you're able to take a step back and implement or change your strategy.
Per Aspera is definitely a Base Builder/RTS, but you aren't just building in one area awaiting enemies to attack... you're terraforming across the planet with an interesting storyline.
Tip: Set a timer based on how long you want to play this game... because time can fly by. I was on SDGT Live for like 3 hours one day. I looked at the clock and was like... holy shih tzu puppies!
As far as combat goes, outside of positioning your attack drones, sending them to attack enemies... and positioning drone hives... I can say that I haven't experienced a lot of depth in that department just yet. The game doesn't just run on combat elements alone, so that's a good thing, but I will see where it ultimately goes (since I'm only about 12 hours in). I say that to say I haven't covered a crucial amount of ground yet... but a threat emerged when I began to get in a groove with building, so there should be some bigger threats out there.
Taking on assault drones is literally a numbers game so far. If you have more drones than the enemy sends in... you win if they're in reach or you send them to attack. So if you have 60 drones, and the enemy has 50, you win... and will likely end up with 10 drones left.
Before I jump into visuals, I wanted to jump into the replay value for a second. Considering the options you can choose from (as far as the story is concerned)... that alone increases the replay value because you can start over making different decisions to see how things work out. Your building and strategy can switch up from one session to the next, so the options in that regard are endless... and on top of that, you have a sandbox mode too. I'd probably use the sandbox mode to find out if a build would work well or not, but I'd probably stick with the story mode ahead of the sandbox mode (out of the box).
Visuals:At first, the visuals looked like they were more so something inspired by... Autocad. Once you begin to zoom to the planet's surface and tilt the camera (as seen below)... you get a good view of the 3D models. The game has a cel-shaded look that reminds me of a playset.
The scrolling you see here might seem like it's moving in sections... but that's just me using the scroll wheel, it's actually very smooth. While I don't mind the visuals... the combat (at this point) is nothing to write home about visually.
Price: Pricewise... Per Aspera lands at $29.99 for the standard version, and $34.82 for the Per Aspera Deluxe Edition (interesting price) but it's less than $5 more than the standard. This version includes the OST + an Artbook + an Audiobook.
I would recommend the deluxe edition for the Artbook, but... especially for the Audiobook if you want to revisit the action in audio form. I have a few truck drivers in mind that I want to gift this to.
The audiobook is $1.99, the artbook is also $1.99, while the OST is $6.99 ala carte. So if you aren't gifting or only have a specific ala carte purchase in mind... grab the deluxe edition and save some money.
