Wide Awake & Gaming

Wide Awake & Gaming gaming reviews, blogs, articles and the like... with a lil bit of bacon. fueled by coffee Contact Me at WideAwakeAnd [email protected]

[awakegaming]

Brand New Digs

Thank you Tumblr for housing my content for so many years, but I have moved to a new site at www.wideawakeandgaming.ca Please keep visiting the site and look for more updates on Twitter @awakegaming

[awakegaming]

Don't... think we're the same, you little brat. You think the whole world hates you because someone didn't treat you right... You're nothing but a little kid throwing a tantrum. You know, I seriously hate this world... Don't put me in the same shoes as a half-ass brat like you... Please? Haha...

Tohru Adachi, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

[ninjahbiggs]

I will be posting some more (alot actually) Horizon vids soon, and they will actually be with some commentary as well! For now, I’m stuck typing, and you’re stuck reading. The above video shows some menu surfing, but also shows off the tripcaster and it’s tutorial mission being cleared. An integral piece of equipment, and lots of fun!

[awakegaming]

Shadow of Mordor: My Journey (pt 3)

Not much to add in terms of comments here. Just more glorious gameplay of one of my favourite games. Trying to catch up on saved videos, so they will be piece meal for the next bit, as it takes FOREVER to render vids in share factory at night, and I have Horizon to play and share right now as well!

[awakegaming]

Rayman Legends Castle Rock Level

Just wanted to share this video for two reasons. 

1. Rayman Legends is awesome, and these musical levels are just fantastic They take quick and accurate timing, but are easy to master. They just end up being a lot of fun.

2. Testing out adding some commentary to my videos. It’s a hard thing to do, as I need to stay quiet and not wake up my family sleeping pleasantly upstairs.

I will be trying to add some commentary to more of my videos going forward. They will be quick expositions mainly at the beginning of videos, just to provide framework. I don’t want to be a youtube “personality” laying on tonnes of inane talking over my videos. I just want to showcase great games.

Anyway, let me know what you think! I will try adding more commentary to videos not already published on youtube (just easier for me), so expect more voice overs after the next two Shadow or Mordor and Horizon videos.

[awakegaming]

Part 4 of my gameplay vids from Horizon!

Now, as an adult Aloy, I got to see the scope of the Horizon world map. It’s huge, and I couldn’t be happier to see that!

Some footage of using the scan, destroying watchers, and trading with a merchant.

[awakegaming]

Here’s another 15 minute chunk of Horizon: Zero Dawn for your peepers!

Absolutely LOVING this game! I will be posting more on this game as I go through it. expect a flurry of videos. and by flurry, I mean one or two a day, lol.

The above is the last part of the growing up “tutorial” part of the game. Wonderfully done, and really connects you with Aloy. GOTY for sure (so far, lol)

[awakegaming]

FFXV: Deathclaw

Here is the final video I saved from FFXV.... I really hope to get back into it soon, but my gaming backlog is absolutely humongous! Plus, I have about 24 more characters to get through in Battleborn! 

Gamer problems?

[awakegaming]

Shadow of Mordor: My Journey (pt 2)

Full disclosure, I have played this game before. It was about two years ago,and the vanilla version, but it has formed how I am playing this playthrough. I am leaving nothing to chance this time, and gathering as much intel as I can from enemies, weakening as much of their forces as  can, exploiting all the weaknesses I discover, and eviscerating side quests. Basically, I am devouring this game and loving every second of it!

The above footage is right after the prologue and when the whole game is installed. For that reason there are a few tutorials that pop up here and there, and I do bounce back and forth in the menus changing costumes, etc. I ended up going back to the OG outfit for the first chunk of gameplay, as the cut scenes are not, unfortunately, reflective of costume choices. 

Regardless, I frigging love this game!

[awakegaming]

Horizon Zero Dawn: Part 1 & 2

Spoiler Warning! 

I will be posting videos regularly from this game with story sequences intact. The game is brand new. Read and watch at own risk.

Spoiler Warning Concluded!

Now with that out of the way, the above video contains the first 15 minutes or so of Horizon: Zero Dawn. I would just stream, but the game is so gorgeous that I don’t want to take up a fifth of my tv with the streaming details. As a result, there may be chunks of time in between videos where I didn’t record, or the videos are shorter just to ensure I recorded everything. 

What it really comes down to though is, YOU SHOULD GET THIS GAME....

You can’t tell from these first few videos, here’s another one-

- but the gameplay is TIGHT, the creature designs are smart, the main character is charming/badass/strong/intelligent/skilled/realistic, and best yet, not hyper-sexualized. Aloy comes off as a real woman, due in part to us watching her grow up, so to speak, in the first half hour to 45 minutes of the game. You’ll see, if you picked up the game or watch my videos, that she is a pretty woman, but not overdone like Lara Croft. Though, she still remains as lethal as her. She feels natural, strong, and I think so far seems to be a positive representation in gaming for women. 

Good on ya Guerilla games!

WAY more videos to come! Just had issues uploading what I had so far last night. Enjoy these little snippets until then. 

[awakegaming]

Battleborn Character Showcase (8 of 30): Phoebe

So, if you follow me, you have already had a small taste of my playtime with Phoebe from my DLC 5 post. This video is taken from the same session, as what better reason to play as Phoebe than when there is a whole DLC named after her?

I knew I was going to enjoy her based solely on how cool she looks. Add in the fact that she destroys in multiplayer, and you have a winner. Unlike with Pendles, I had plenty of opportunity to try out her ultimate skill. This is due in part to how long the DLC op takes to complete, but I don’t care because it was alot of fun! Great area control with the storm of rapiers raining down on opponents!

Plus, she has some great maneuverability built into her secondary attack. I didn’t go the route of extra damage in the combo with secondary attack, as I wanted to just get used to her on my own first. I think if I used her in multiplayer, that would be a good way to go though.

Great character, good movement options, decent attack strength, and loads of options to get in and get out. I’ve found another one I like!

up next.... I’m not sure yet.... I have a pesky main quest that I need to clear by winning a match as a defender, so there could possibly be a defender in the mix soon. 

[awakegaming]

Shadow of Mordor: My Journey (part 1)

So, in celebration of the announcement of Shadow of Mordor 2 (I already forget it’s announced name, lol) I thought it might be nice to start sharing my vids of Shadow of Mordor GOTY!.... Also, I just grabbed this on the cheap and am loving playing it again. I was going to share this anyway :)

The first vid is short, but shows the prologue section. Fun fact: if you purchase this online and try to play the game before it is done downloading, the above video perfectly shows how far you can get before it boots you to main menu to finish the download. Actually not that bad a chunk of game to be able to play before it completes.

anyway, expect WAY more videos of this game as I work my way through it again, with special notice to the DLC once I get to it. The first chunk of videos will be 15 minute chunks recorded in sequence, but will transition to moments of relevance later on. I wanted to show how the game progresses at the beginning, and had thoughts of streaming all of it, but the game is different for everyone by design. I don’t think any of the warchiefs or captains are the same between playthroughs, though I could be wrong.

Great frigging game though!

[awakegaming]

Banner Saga

Get 

This 

Game 

Now

Not only does it have fantastic Ralph Bakshi inspired artwork, but it sports a great story, decisions that carry real weight, and a fantastic strategy gameplay and leveling system. I had the Android version previously, but playing it on the big screen with a controller just feels so right!

[awakegaming]

Battleborn Character Showcase (7 of 30): Pendles

Again, yes I know I am not very good at this game, lol. 

Actually, I would argue I’m alright at this game, but this experiment of showcasing all of the 30 Battleborn heroes has shown me that I am definitely NOT alright with all of them. That being said, I think I perfromed adequately with pendles, as long as you forget about all the needless deaths.

I really like his mechanics, and wish that I had performed a lil better, and the opposing team had put more of a fight up against ours, so that I could try out his Miasma technique. Never got to unlock it, but I think the above video gives a decent view of what it is like to play as this snake-man. 

He’s very different from the rest, as you are almost required to try and flank the opposition and take out the stragglers. I LOVE this approach! 

I have to say, playing as each character at least a little bit has really given me an appreciation of the amount of work Gearbox put into this game. Great and varied character design, wonderful tweaks as the game has aged, and dedicated staff. I REALLY hope there is more to come!

up next, a clever “riposte?”…..I suck at fencing jokes ;)

[awakegaming]

Battleborn DLC 5: Phoebe and the Heart of Ekkunar

Here’s the first part of DLC 5 for your peepers. The rest will be posted shortly as part of my Battleborn Character showcase, as I had never played as Phoebe before, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to kill 2 birds with 1 stone/rapier.

I’ve really enjoyed these dlc missions, so I hope there are more to come. Wouldn’t surprise me if Gearbox rewarded their loyal fanbase, but we shall see.

[awakegaming]

You look sickly! Need a cup of broth, before I slit your throat?

Uruk, Shadow of Mordor

[awakegaming]

God Eater 2: Rage Burst

Here’s a bit of character building, the opening movie and first mission from God Eater 2: Rage Burst on PS4. Got this on the very cheap recently, and it includes the awesome God Eater Resurrection as a free download as well. 

Definitely a monster hunter “LITE”, but a very welcome game in my collection. I will post more footage, but it may be a while. I am waiting for something to be a challenge, or worth noting. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the game, but it isn’t very difficult, and is more of a time sink for me. 

I’m sure it will ramp up soon, as I am fairly early on, but I haven’t had a challenge in the 20 or so missions I have completed. 

Either way, fun lil title. Just be aware it is a psp port