Folgen
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Yehuda Halfon travel back to Midgard to follow our favourite dad in God of War Ragnarök. On the news, more Warhammer 40K and a new Sims competitor making waves.
Original recording date - April 11, 2023.
Game of the Show: God of War Ragnarök
Published by Santa Monica Studio, MSRP $60, Buy the game.
In 2018 the God of War franchise got relaunched in Norse mythology. After we killed all(most?) of the Greek gods now we get to do it again but in the cold. We haven’t talked about the first game but there are some connections to the second one so here we go (yay spoilers for a 5-year-old game).
In the first game were playing Kratos in some kind of Nose country he has a kid Atreus and they go on a journey to the highest mountain in the realms to spread the ashes of Kratos’s late wife. While there we are hunted by some gods because we’ll bring Ragnarök to the lands. We kill three gods during the game, Modi and Magni & Baldur. This leads to their parents (Thor and Freya) seeking revenge against us in the second game.
In the second game God of War Ragnarök we are back in the same world but now we are trying to stop Ragnarök. If the first game was more about Kratos learning how to communicate with his son and filling his wife's last wish in this game everyone learns about redemption and trying to change their destiny. The whole forgiveness arcs of Thor and Freya are amazing. If in the first game Kratos always told Atreus to close his heart to the suffering of the world in this game Kratos finally understand that this is a gift and not something that needs to be changed.
In this game, we meet Odin, and we learn how much he’s afraid of losing and how far he’ll go just not to lose and to keep his power. I think that we can talk for hours about this game, but we only have 20 minutes, so do yourself a favour and play this game, it is that amazing.
On the news:
PC Game Pass has just launched in 40 new countries Unlike The Sims, Life by You is absolutely pro-nudity Retro-inspired shooter Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun blasts onto PC in May EA debuts EA Sports FC branding--
You can subscribe to the podcast feed at theburn.live, support our shows by visiting support.theburn.live and join our Discord community at discord.theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Yehuda Halfon check out Chained Echoes, a homage to old-school JRPGs with contemporary mechanics and a pixel art flair. And on the news, we discuss the new upcoming addition of Warhammer 40,000.
Original recording date - March 28, 2023.
Game of the Show: Chained Echoes
Published by Matthias Linda, MSRP $25, Buy the game.
A new (end of 2022) old school like J(like)RPG. The game takes place in Valandis where there is a long-lasting war. In the beginning hours of the game, we learn how the game works. Unlike other JRPGs there is no level-up in the game, you get skill points and can buy new skills and upgrade them. Part of the skills are active and others are passive.
During the game, many new characters join the group, but it feels tight and not just to make the group bigger. The story is very well written, but the most innovative thing in the game is the combat. Throughout the combat, there is a bar the as long as you keep your marker in the green you cause more damage and take less damage, but if you get to the red you suffer more damage, this could have been nicer if the combats themselves weren’t so much damage sponge.
If you loved the old JRPGs give it a go, the plot is nice and well-written, and the combat is new but still feels old school (unlike the new JRPGs that try to make everything new). It’s part of the GamePass so that’s always good, it’s not a long game, I don’t remember when was the last time I played a 40-50 hour JRPG.
On the news:
The 10th edition of Warhammer 40K has been announced. They will make it more streamlined, with many updated rules. The tactic will stay the same but it will be faster rounds. The rule book will be released in the summer, and all the army rules will be released for free at the same time:
10th Edition Warhammer 40,000 – Your Questions Answered! - Warhammer Community (warhammer-community.com)
Our friend Eran launch Caregiver on Kickstart. Aviv is working on a tabletop RPG called Godflesh. You can follow the playtest on Twitter.Creative Corner:
Our friend Eran launch Caregiver on Kickstart. Aviv is working on a tabletop RPG called Godflesh. You can follow the playtest on Twitter.--
You can subscribe to the podcast feed at theburn.live, support our shows by visiting support.theburn.live and join our Discord community at discord.theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
Fehlende Folgen?
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Yehuda Halfon go to war against the abyss in Wrath of the Righteous, an excellent RPG that captures the feel of its tabletop origins. On the news, a major boon for indie developers with Epic opening up its game store for self-publishing.
Original recording date - March 13, 2023.
Game of the Show: Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
Published by Owlcat Games, MSRP $50, Buy the game (Humble partner link).
Wrath of the Righteous is the second CRPG from Owlcat, following Kingmaker, both take place in the Pathfinder campaign setting and follow the tabletop adventure paths of the same name.
In WotR, we play a part in the crusades around the area known as the Worldwound, a crack in the physical world into the Abyss, a realm of demons. Throughout the campaign, we help push back the forces of the Abyss and find the true intention behind the creation of the Worldwound.
Like its predecessor, the game uses the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game ruleset, including over 20 character classes and all that comes with them. It’s a very accurate representation of the tabletop game and one of WotR’s major hindrances: First, the game UI/UX does not do a good job of explaining the rules, when the player is allowed to do something, and how. Second, many decisions in the creation of the game that aims to imitate a tabletop campaign are just not good when transferred to the video game medium - that can be seen with the overworld travel and associated game mechanics.
But those weaknesses do not hurt the game much. The story is very well written and told. The combat system is intricate and involved. When you find the right challenge level for you, it feels amazing to win battles, figuring out how to make the mechanics work for you.
On the News:
The Mageseeker brings sick 2D action to the League Of Legends world next month Epic launches self-publishing tools, calls out Valve again: 'Steam has created a real problem for the industry’--
You can subscribe to the podcast feed at theburn.live, support our shows by visiting support.theburn.live and join our Discord community at discord.theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Yehuda Halfon fight a demonic invasion with beloved Marvel heroes in Midnight Suns and discuss game announcements such as the Elden Ring expansion, Final Fantasy 16 previews and early access launch of Kerbal Space Program 2.
Original recording date - February 28, 2023.
Game of the Show: Marvel’s Midnight SunsPublished by Firaxis Games, MSRP $60, Buy the game (Humble partner link).
Midnight Sun is a strange beast. It’s a roleplaying game, a tactical turn-based strategy game, and a deck-building game, all at once. And it works! The good people at Firaxis said to themselves “what if we made Dragon Age, but with Marvel characters and the combat uses cards!”.
In the game, the world is under attack by Lilith, the mother of demons, and we play her resurrected child, destined to lead humanity in the battle against her. The Hunter is an original character made for this game and can be customised by the player. The rest of the crew is made of various Marvel comic characters, from the Avengers to Blade, some X-Men and others.
The titular “Midnight Suns” are mostly those characters with something to do with magic or the occult, like Magik, Nico and Ghost Rider. The variety of characters is decent, although some of the adaptations are not to my liking - specifically Iron Man and Doctor Strange.
Its combat system is exciting and captures well the comic book feel. It’s a tactical combat which uses a deck of cards for attacks, similar to games like Slay the Spire or Monster Train. Using regular attacks fills up the heroic meter for the entire party, which in turn allows you to use heroic ability cards. The game’s characters specialise in different areas of combat, such as single enemy attacks, crowd control, generating hero points, or environmental damage. Team composition becomes important.
What the game is lacking compared to its predecessors is its limited combat arenas, which are always just as big as the screen and unlike XCOM have no element of exploration; and the lack of verticality which could have fit very well with the superhero genre.
On the News: Microsoft Signs 10-Year Contract To Bring Xbox Games To Nintendo Consoles DLC for Elden Ring: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion Is Officially In Development - IGN People get preview copies of FF16: Final Fantasy 16 hands-on preview: Square Enix’s FF16 is pure action - Polygon Baldur’s Gate 3 digital deluxe upgrade is free as early access reward KSP 2 - is in early access but not in a very good state: Kerbal Space Program 2 early access review: a catastrophic re-entry | Rock Paper Shotgun--
You can subscribe to the podcast feed at theburn.live, support our shows by visiting support.theburn.live and join our Discord community at discord.theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Yehuda Halfon discuss Jedi: Fallen Order, reminding us of everything we like about Star Wars. Microsoft comments on GamePass's sales in the litigation around the Activition-Blizzard merger, and EA's bids to create their new FIFA replacement.
Original recording date - February 7, 2023.
Game of the Show: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderPublished by Respawn Entertainment, MSRP $40, Buy the game.
Jedi: Fallen Order reminds me of everything I like about Star Wars, with contemporary graphics and gameplay that draws inspiration from classic Star Wars games like Dark Forces: Jedi Knight. I liked it so much that I immediately proceeded to play Titanfall 2 from the same developers when it first came out.
Dark Souls and especially Sekiro influence the game’s progression and combat system: Shadow Dies Twice, as combat relays heavily on timed parries and blocks. Enemy respawns after resting at a checkpoint, and you may lose your XP if you die.
However, the game does include multiple challenge settings, including a Story Mode. You can feel like a badass Jedi Knight, even if you’re not up to par with their parry mechanics.
But the sliding sections continue to be the worst part of the game. No, Aviv, the worst part is the puzzles.
On the News: Double Fine PsychOdyssey is a 20+ hour series documenting the development of Psychonauts 2 Microsoft confirms Game Pass cannibalizes sales EA ‘closing in’ on deal with Premier League--
You can subscribe to the podcast feed at theburn.live, support our shows by visiting support.theburn.live and join our Discord community at discord.theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan go back to their childhood with the new Ninja Turtles game! And on the news, we talk mods, remakes and why can't we have nice things.
Original recording date - June 20, 2022.
Game of the Show: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's RevengePublished by Tribute Games, MSRP $25, Buy the game.
The name ‘tribute’ is so fitting to this company - they created a masterpiece of a game that honours the SNES version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and puts a modernized twist on top of it. It’s a 4-10 hour experience depending on the difficulty setting but so worth it.
Maybe I’m a bit nostalgic since I played the SENS version so much
First of all, you can play as April which is amazing The fighting mechanism has a lot of combos and moves you can make (as opposed to the limited amount of the SNES). You can hold, dodge, create air moves, and super moves, there is full support with your multi-directional controller. There is player interaction, you can high-5 a person to transfer some health which feels super fun. Multiplayer is awesome, you can jump into people’s games and they can (if you want) jump into yours 11/10 I paid $80 for it - no regrets!On the News: Ron Gilbert doesn’t want to talk about Return To Monkey Island anymore A Fan is Making a Warcraft III Remake in the StarCraft II Engine Battle royale Spellbreak shutting down after Blizzard buys studio Persona 5 Royal is Coming to Nintendo Switch--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan rule ancient civilisations in Old World, a mix of Civilization and Crusader Kings. On the news, we had plenty of announcements on June's "game fest", and Aviv released a new game!
Original recording date - June 20, 2022.
Game of the Show: Old WorldPublished by Mohawk Games, MSRP $40, Buy the game (Humble partner link).
The most common description of Old World is something along the lines of “Civilization and Crusader Kings had a baby”. And this is pretty much what this game is all about - you choose an old-world kingdom (in the Mediterranean setting) and do your Civilization stuff, while in parallel you have to secure and train your heirs, influence your council and foreign rulers and deal with events.
It’s more structured than CK though, as you collect “victory points” that get you to the end of the (timed) campaign through conquest or the “ambitions” (quests) system.
Another innovation of Old World is the “order system” for movement where a unit can act multiple times per turn (to an extent) and “orders” is your action currency which you can increase by population, influence etc.
Recommendation? Hard for me to fully recommend yet - it kind of feels right in the middle for both Civ and CK so it doesn’t fully scratch an itch. Maybe I should get back to it after I’m free from CK for a bit.
On the News: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s hot new professors pose the ultimate decision Hell yeah, Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Portable are coming to Steam (October 21, 2022) Every trailer & replay from Summer Game Fest 2022 week Activision Blizzard board says there's “no evidence” they tolerated any "reported" harassmentTrippin’ Troll Trucker Tales
--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan look at the new hit crafting survival game V Rising, where you play as a vampire and most rebuild your castle and enslave humanity. And Untitled Goose Game, a former hit of chaotic shenanigans.
Original recording date - May 30, 2022.
Recall: Omer’s Crusader Kings III campaignBuy the game (Humble partner link)
I promised an update on my CK3 “conquer my way to Jerusalem” effort: I was doing well and I was hoping the Mongol invasion would throw the region for a loop and allow me to gain some ground, but the kingdom of Jerusalem survived it, won the conflict and is now huge and strong. I ended up being a small kingdom squished between two big Christian kingdoms, one holy war later I got assimilated. The end.
Game of the Show: V Rising
Published by Stunlock Studios, MSRP $20, Buy the game.
The new hit survival crafting game that took over Twitch. We play as a vampire, awaken from their sleep after hundreds of years and we need to rebuild our castle and hunt down those possessing the “v blood”, which are bosses spread across the open-world map.
As is par for this genre, you can play with friends on servers of up to 40 players by either PvE or PvP rules. it gives a bit of an MMO feel to the game, especially when hunting later bosses in the game. That’s the impression I for watching the game on Twitch. As for myself, I played the game solo.
I like the game and it got very good impressions across the board. However, it has a slow start. The early game has many tasks that take a while to complete and long travel times across the map. In the mid and late-game stages, there are ways to mitigate this, with mounts, shapeshifting the more. Experience players will also build their castles in more accessible areas than just the starting zone.
The game is early access, but it’s already full of content and in my opinion, very much worth the price.
Minigame: Untitled Goose GameWhat is there to say about the puzzle game that is Untitled Goose Game? You’re a goose, you seem to not like people very much and you’re on a mission which I can’t spoil (there’s a story there).
As a goose (which has the personality of geese I have around where I live so I can confirm) you can do all the things the average goose does: Honk, flap your wings, lower your head, walk run and swim - unlike geese flying isn’t an option. You go through different areas of your town and to get to the next one, you have to complete your goose to-do list - then you would most likely annoy enough people to trigger some reaction that takes you to the next zone: You visit the garden, commercial area, local pub and more.
There are two difficulty tiers to the game - the official todo list which is a nice 4-8 hours experience and the secret todo list which has tons of cool events that are more challenging and you don’t know what they are as you’re playing the game.
I had fun: Honked at people, stole a bunch of stuff, and played as a goose.
--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan go back in time to the Last Epoch, a new take on the ARPG genre. Omer has also been playing a lot of Crusader Kings 3, trying to conquer the Holyland! On the news, we discuss PlayStation Plus changes and Tomb Raider's new potential.
Original recording date - May 20, 2022.
Recall: Crusader Kings III
Omer has been playing it non-stop since the last episode, some tips on what helped in settling into the game.
Minigame: Unpacking
Game of the Show: Last Epoch
Published by Eleventh Hour Games, MSRP $35, Buy the game.
Getting a “Diablo-like” experience is no easy feat!
I was looking for an Action RPG I can play solo and Last Epoch is probably the closest thing. The story isn’t very compelling (yet?) but the classes are unique, and the skills are flashy but way less than Path of Exile or Lost Ark (in a good way!)
Got your passive skills, your skill passive trees (eh…)
This is also a single-player game with apparently unfinished multiplayer so you’re playing solo, but with multiplayer chat available which I think is great.
On the news:
The Last of Us Remake Targeting Holiday Release Window Per Insider New PS Plus brings trophy support to classic games Embracer sees "great potential" in its Tomb Raider acquisition, including remakes | Eurogamer.net Sony reveals game lineup and launch dates for PlayStation Plus relaunch--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan take up the mantle of medieval kings in Crusader Kings 3, the newest and most approachable grand-strategy game from Paradox Interactive. We also go back to the excellent rogue-lite deck-builder, Monster Train.
Original recording date - April 29, 2022.
Recall: Monster Train
After we discussed the game in Episode 18 when Omer played it, Aviv recently got hooked on the game.
The short rounds and diverse strategies make this game something special. You have five different types of decks (and the DLC adds a six) and each run uses two of those decks. Even when playing with the same combinations you have different strategies that are based on the Champion you pick, the upgrade path and the different game mechanics that synergise well with those deck types.
Bottom line: highly recommended.
Game of the Show: Crusader Kings III
Published by Paradox Interactive, MSRP $50, Buy the game (Humble partner link)
Aviv has been a long time player of Paradox strategy games, with Stellaris, Crusader Kings 2, Heart of Iron 4 and Imperator Rome.
Crusader Kings 3 has proven to be the most approachable Paradox game to date. The interface is cleaner, tooltips help explain how to do everything a lot better. If in CK2 I was often stuck on how to get more money or how to advance in technology, those mechanics are better presented and just as deep.
At launch, CKIII have 50x the content that CKII had, such as diverse religions and cultures. When CK2 launched, you could only play as Christian kings; Muslim, Norse and other cultures were only available through expansions. In CK3, they are all present from the beginning. They also make other systems more generic so that they could be used by any ruler type and not just the crusaders.
Bottom line: if you always wanted to try those big grand strategy games, this is an excellent one to start with, and it’s included in Game Pass.
--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan look at the medieval warfare world of Chivalry 2, with all its grit and gore. On the news, we discuss the future of cloud gaming and the announcement of Soul Hackers 2.
Original recording date - February 21, 2022.
Game of the Show: Chivalry 2
Published by Torn Banner, MSRP $40, Buy the game (Humble partner link)
With all the (high) fantasy games I play it’s hard to remember what mediaeval combat was really like - chaotic, messy, lots of people swinging sharp (or blunt) objects in all directions and the occasional battle horn sounds.
This is exactly what Chivalry 2 tried to replicate - I played the first one quite a lot but the second one takes everything to a new level: The team objective maps are colourful and very well built, great soundtrack (seriously, this is what you hear at the final 2 minutes when a fight is close, it’s so hype) and is accessible both for new and skilful players.
The chaotic nature of Chivalry 2 makes it so even if you are really good mechanically, you will eventually die and if you're bad mechanically (like me) you can play strategically and push the team and a whole for a win.
The team is constantly pushing new updates, one came out last week, so much fun!
On the News
Soul Hackers 2 — Announce Trailer | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam
Google Stadia has reportedly been demoted, but it might show up in your Peloton - The Verge
Inside Google's Plan to Salvage Its Stadia Gaming Service
Microsoft is keeping Call of Duty on PlayStation - The Verge
--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan help break London free in Watch Dogs: Legion, and discuss the turmoil in the gaming industry with the news about Microsoft big purchase.
Original recording date - January 28, 2022.
Game of the Show: Watch Dogs: Legion
Published by Ubisoft Toronto, MSRP $60, Buy the game (Humble partner link)
The game that got me into the Watch Dogs series! Really disliked the original, played the sequel for 5 hours before giving up but this one really hit home, I tried to think about why that is -
London, probably my #2 favourite city in the world after NYC, can’t say the same about SF. Very accessible, support the ‘wet’ approach to missions and didn’t feel it forced me into being stealthy (which I enjoy in moderate amount but rather go in guns blazing). Play as anyone is really well executed and fun, I got to form an emotional connection with a bunch of strangers and I’m sure people’s experiences will be different.
As with the previous games in the series, they are trying to take current bleeding-edge tech and make a “what if” those were an integral part of everyday life. But in Legion, they also tried to tie into it some of the political climates of 2018-2019 with privatised police forces, European detention camps in England and mandatory instalment of tracking chips.
All of this could have worked if not for COVID. Two years into the pandemic we see exactly how likely draconic regulations are to work – not very. The England of today could not enforce those regulations on its citizens, even if they wanted to – and it’s debatable if they even agreed on any of it.
On the News
Microsoft makes a big bet that it can fix Activision Blizzard's troubled culture - CNN Activision Blizzard Declines to Voluntarily Recognize Union Blizzard announces 'brand-new survival game' set in new universe - Polygon--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan take a look back at the games we played and enjoyed during 2021: were our expectations met? What are we expecting from the year to come? And general gaming trends we enjoy.
Original recording date - January 14, 2022.
Recall: Episode 14 – 2020 Year in Review
2021 Expectations
Omer: I just want Baldur’s gate III to come out of early access and diablo 4 to be out on Stadia (wouldn’t bet on the latter but one can hope). UBI+?, Lost Ark
Aviv: Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, Hitman 3, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake
Favourite Games of the Past Year
Omer (that are not League of Legends)
Inscryption – PC
Chivalry II – PC
Probably the most mindless fun game I played. Great soundtrack
Solasta: Crown of the Magistar - PC
Pokemon Unite - Switch
Most surprising game of the year, just…special and weird
Pokémon Unite | Episode 27 | The Burn Podcast
Honourable mention: Loop hero
Loop Hero (Ep 20) - The Burn Podcast
Aviv
Hitman 3 – PC
Hitman 3 | Episode 16 | The Burn Podcast
Persona 5 Strikers – Playstation 5
Persona 5 Strikers | Episode 19 | The Burn Podcast
Expansion/Remake: Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut – PlayStation 5
Ghost of Tsushima | Episode 30 | The Burn Podcast
Early access game: Dyson Sphere Program – PC
Honourable mention: No Man’s Sky – Playstation 5
No Man's Sky (Ep 25) - The Burn Podcast
2022 Expectations
Omer: Just want Baldur’s gate III to come out of early access and diablo 4 to be out on Stadia (wouldn’t bet on the latter but one can hope). UBI+?, Lost Ark
Aviv: Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection – just give me an excuse to play those games again. Elden Ring – I’m not going to play it myself, but I have watched all Form games and this won’t be any different. Babylon's Fall –I’ve been waiting for it for a long time, release already! Tiny Tina's Wonderlands – yes, please.
--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan are leading the revolution in Far Cry 6, the newest chaos simulator by Ubisoft; then, Riot Games latest craze led by Arcane, the acclaimed TV series as well as a slew of new products.
Original recording date - November 19, 2021.
Game of the Show: Far Cry 6
Published by Ubisoft Toronto, MSRP $60, Buy the game
I absolutely love the Far Cry series. I played every title to completion but I’m kind of conflicted about this game and it may be the first Far Cry title I’m going to take my time finishing.
From a gameplay standpoint, this game has all the tropes of a Far Cry title (open world, fetch-kill quests galore) and on top of that, the developers threw a bunch of mini-games and mechanisms that are flavour-of-the-year: you can fight a mini-fighting game, send troops to timed missions and wait for them to come back to get rewards, there is plenty to do.
But at the end of the day, if you’re looking for a Far Cry experience, 6 doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of innovation to the core gameplay loop - it’s the same quests in a different setting (map is open from the get-go so you can start anywhere) so you need to be prepared for a lot of repetition on your way to liberate “not-Cuba”. Some pros - the setting, music and doubling down on you being a chaos-agent is fun, NPCs are colourful and you get to ride a horse!
On the News
Riot Games says eSports isn’t profitable, but that’s OK Arcane is the best possible introduction to the world of League of Legends League Of Legends spin-offs Ruined King and Hextech Mayhem are out now Double Up is the newly added mode in Teamfight Tactics--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan explore the world of necromantic adventures in Iratus: Lord of the Dead. In the news: Animal Crossing new expansion and a new game from the creator of Stardew Valley.
Original recording date - October 22, 2021.
Game of the Show: Iratus: Lord of the Dead
Published by Unfrozen, MSRP $30, Buy on Humble (partner link)
Do you like Darkest Dungeon? Do you think it’s too hard and unforgiving? Do you like playing the bad person? If the answer to all of the above is yes have I got a game for you!
Iratus is heavily inspired by Darkest Dungeon, somewhat in the design and mechanics - you go through different levels on a map, encountering different enemies which you can defeat by harming physically or making them go insane. The cool thing about Iratus is that when you defeat enemies you take their body parts (brain, armor, bones) and use them to craft your own units.
When you win you can enhance the skills of your different units, give them equipment and do a lot of cool stuff. Oh, and you also play the bad person so you’re battling the forces of light which are kind of cool.
On the News
'Dead Cells' creator will release firefighting game 'Nuclear Blaze' on October 18th Stardew Valley creator reveals Haunted Chocolatier • Eurogamer.net Animal Crossing First Paid DLC Makes You Decorate For Villagers--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan talks about our game of the year contender: Solasta: Crown of the Magister, an old-school, turn-based RPG. We also touch on the major Twitch leak and its implications.
Original recording date - October 8, 2021.
Game of the Show: Solasta: Crown of the Magister
Published by Tactical Adventures, MSRP $40, Buy on Humble (partner link)
What a fantastic game! If you know me, I’m always on the hunt for the ‘authentic’ D&D experience inside a video game, and this one is providing it in one of the most convincing ways I’ve seen.
The movement and the turn-based combat system is pretty similar to Divinity: Original Sin, but everything around it is so unique - there is a big emphasis on lighting (fighting in darkness, dim light, dark vision etc.) and an abundance of spells, I thought I’d never see in a game that creates value and provide a fabulous fantasy (create food!). This game allows me to roleplay the way I like without being too... strict about being a super hard cRPG. The AI is pretty good (enemies with high int. Target the spellcasters).
The most remarkable thing, though, is seeing and hearing the dice rolls. cRPGs numbed us to the mechanics, but the skill checks and attack rolls bring the authentic feeling back.
Cons? Voice acting is somewhat basic (but in a good way still), the beards are strange (which is whatever), and there’s no bard class (!!!!).
Game of the year for me unless Far Cry 6 is a miracle.
On the News
Twitch resets stream keys following major hack, just to be cautious
--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan invade Japan in Ghost of Tsushima, an extraordinary work of media and Japanese culture. On the news some leaks from GeForce and upcoming PlayStation games.
Original recording date - September 17, 2021.
Game of the Show: Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut
Published by Sucker Punch Productions, MSRP $70, Buy on PlayStation Store
Ghost of Tsushima is an amazing free-roaming adventure game, set in feudal Japan during the first invasion of the Mongolian empire from Korea. We play as the last Samurai survive a catastrophic battle, fighting to reclaim the island of Tsushima and free its people from the Mongols.
The game is an extraordinary work of media, drawing from influences like traditional Japanese culture and films by Akira Kurosawa - the game even includes a "Kurosawa Mode", making the graphics black and white as well as adding film artefacts.
The game's world is very tight. The main missions and side content flow together and are firmly rooted in the Japanese culture and environment. You truly feel like a samurai, from your fighting styles, skills and behaviour.
Ghost of Tsushima kept me engaged from start to finish. It took me around 50 hours to complete on easy difficulty, including most side content. The game's structure and size are just right - I much prefer this length to Assassin's Creed 100+ hours experience.
The Director's Cut includes an expansion, Tales of Iki Island. On the one hand, since the base game was so great I wanted to play more of it. However, after the very emotional ending of the base game, moving over to a smaller scale story felt overdrawn and not as impactful.
As I expected, when Sucker Punch needed to introduce new side content for the expansion, the connection to the game's setting and the world started to unravel. As an example, the new Animal Sanctuaries include a mini-game that requires you to use the PS controller's motion sensor, an activity and interface design that are completely disengaged from the rest of the game.
On the News
GForce Now leak? , summary. (I don’t care if it’s real I just want a new Titan Quest and a sequel to Titanfall 2) PlayStation Showcase 2021: the 8 biggest announcements God of War Ragnarok will conclude the Norse saga because games take too long to make--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan discuss the newest game to be adorned with the Dungeons & Dragons title: Dark Alliance, a reboot of the original franchise from the beginning of the 2000s'. On the news: Crysis has remastered again; Playerunknown with a new game and No Man's Sky fresh update.
Original recording date - September 3, 2021.
Game of the Show: Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance
Published by Tuque Games, MSRP $40, Buy on Steam
I really really REALLY wanted to like this game: On the surface, it has all the components of something I would enjoy: Warhammer Vermintide II vibe, some Destiny II co-op game that you can also solo, distinct classes (no magic wielders T_T) nice campaign with enemies that are all voice acted (the ‘acts’ feel very nice), diverse enemies - but some reason I couldn’t stick to it for more than 5-6 hours and I wonder why.
The gameplay of Dark Alliance is fairly unique: The developers wanted to create a ‘skill based’ third-person game so instead of a hack-and-slash (which is what I’d like to do) you get a combo system, few types of dashes and a complex parry-block system with each enemy has their own mechanics. The control scheme isn’t super intuitive (must play with a controller, mouse and keyboard scheme was hard for me to play with).
The real issue I had with this game is that it’s wasn’t fun solo, at all (as opposed to Vermintide II that give you bots or destiny which is 100% solo-able in story mode). The classes complement each other so if you’re not matchmaking it feels lacking and to me felt kind of lonely and unfun. I took FOREVER to find a group and by the time I found one they were high level and sprinted through the map.
I may get back to the game someday but I really wanted to like it, and it feels bad that I didn’t.
Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus | Dungeons & Dragons
On the News
Crysis Remastered Trilogy launches this October Playerunknown's next game Prologue is open-world survival No Man's Sky is a sci-fi city management sim now, why not?--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan go up the levels of a cyberpunk future in The Ascent, a new action RPG with hacking and guns. On the news: A new game from Firaxis in the Marvel universe and some interesting Magic the Gathering crossovers.
Original recording date - August 20, 2021.
Game of the Show: The Ascent
Published by Neon Giant, MSRP $30, Buy on Humble (Partner Link)
The Ascent is an action RPG in a cyberpunk, transhuman sci-fi setting that puts us in the shoes of an indent, owing our lives to corporations and sent on errands that include mostly killing a log of people, creatures and robots.
The good: the world is wonderfully crafted. Lots of little details, levels filled with people, amazing soundtrack and music. The space station we play at feels truly alive. The game does a good job mixing classic cyberpunk tropes with contemporary adaptations, such as switching the primary influence from Japan to China. We actually have a cyber-deck that is used to hack into systems!
The combat system works well. Moving around the levels shooting enemies is fun. There are some environmental destruction elements and you have to use the level design to win some of the battles. The game also employes a high/low firing stance that is needed to defeat some enemies.
Not as good: the main issue with the Ascent is variation. After a couple of hours, it starts repeating itself. There is not enough variety of weapons and special abilities – it takes around 5 hours to get some interesting stuff and even then the difference between them is not great. It lacks what makes ARPG great – a complex system of character customisation, with many abilities you can pick between.
The Ascent just doesn’t feel like our choice matters.
Play it through Game Pass; don’t buy at full price.
On the News
Midnight Suns is a new Marvel tactics RPG from XCOM studio Firaxis Magic: the Gathering crossing over with Fortnite, Street Fighter, Lord of the Rings, and more--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
-
In this episode of THE BURN, hosts Aviv Icel Manoach and Omer Timetwister Kaplan compete in Pokémon Unite, a new multiplayer online battle arena - with Pokemon! How did they not done it sooner? We are also taking a look at No Man's Sky, on the PlayStation 5.
Original recording date - August 6, 2021.
Recall: No Man’s Sky (PlayStation 5)
Game of the Show: Pokémon Unite
Published by TiMi Studio Group & The Pokémon Company, free to play, get it on the Switch store
I didn’t think there is much innovation to be had in the MOBA space, especially the lane-based sub-genre (Eternal Return is a nice twist on non-lanes), but I’m happy to report I was wrong!
Other than the overabundance of progression mechanics and currency systems (I’d be much instead of paying $20 and get one progression system with some cosmetics, but I get why it’s free to play), the game is incredible: Performance-wise it was coded Switch-first, unlike Arena of Valor that has issues, so it’s super smooth, aim-assist makes it so even on low-levels the game isn’t too demanding but you can pull off some high-level mechanics if you wanted to.
The only weird thing gameplay-wise is that you can’t see the score during the game, which makes me a bit paranoid. Besides that, because it’s F2P and at the end of the day, it’s about Pokemon (especially when different Pokemon experiences on Switch are $60), I expect good longevity for this game. Fun times!
'Pokemon Unite' is a great gateway for new MOBA players, but the microtransactions are Trubbish
--
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, comment and leave your reviews on your preferred listening app, at theburn.live.
Our theme was created by @AnneDorko with vocals by @FishyTwitch.
- Mehr anzeigen
