Assassin's Creed: Valhalla: PS4 Review

Developed by Ubisoft Montreal
Published by Ubisoft
Platform: PS4

The twenty second Assassin's Creed release sends everyone back to the past again.

This time though, it's to Viking times we head with the tale of Eivor, a Viking (male or female, it's your choice) who's caught in the middle of the conflict between the Vikings and the marauding Anglo-Saxon hordes.

Caught in the invasion, Eivor's world is further complicated when he/she meets the Hidden Ones and joins the fight against the Order of the Ancients....

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla starts with brutality as Eivor's family is slaughtered in front of them, and the brutality continues through, from the kind of attacks Eivor can launch to the stealth attacks. It's a gory game, but its bloody atmospherics work well.

There are a few bugs here and there, with Eivor occasionally crashing into mountainsides, and buildings, at the most unexpected and inopportune moments. It's a shame that Ubisoft didn't sort these before launch.

But much like Assassin's Creed: Odyssey did, the game delights in its open world - and occasional side quests. From events like having to outdrink a co-villager (an intriguing use of quick time) to more chunkier missions, the game's open world comes to life and breathes on its own terms. Being guided from mission to mission feels a little less like a grind this time around, and while there are hundreds of hours to kill within, the choice is there to dawdle or to follow the game.

And in parts, it looks beautiful too. From blood-soaked encounters to gorgeous sunsets and rises along coastal areas, this is a game that clearly prides itself on its visuals - they'll look even more spectacular on the next gen engines.

At the end of the day, it's an Assassin's Creed game, and it really doesn't flout what you've come to expect of the series - it's playable enough, despite glitches, but its timesuck is only worth it thanks to the story and the visuals.

Fuser: PS4 Review

Developed by Harmonix

Published by NC Soft

Platform: PS4

It's time to get back behind the turntables in Harmonix's Fuser.

This rhythm game gives you the chance to spin the wheels of four record players, and build mixes into songs. In the single player storyline, you get to progress through clubs, add mixes to tracks and generally build your reputation as the next Armand van Helden, or Fatboy Slim. Mix in time and you can make four elements literally sing to the crowds.

It's about what you'd expect from the geniuses that made Guitar Hero and Rock Band but it represents an evolution from the publisher as the game can be played without any additional bits to the console, meaning it's literally all there in your hands.

It helps the developers have had access to a great back catalogue of hits, mixing all genres from dance to pop - there's not likely to be something on this soundtrack that doesn't get you into the vibe of the game, and that's a great thing for setting some atmospherics in a year that's seen dance parties well and truly off the agenda.

Fuser is also an exceptionally social project too, with users being able to share mixes, and effectively creativity. It's a great touch given the main raison d'etre for music is to inspire others. 

But if you want to learn more than the basics, Fuser's also a great tutorial. From looping beats to dropping tracks, this is a music sim like never before - it's well worth it and may inspire you in ways you'd never have expected.

Should you buy an XBox Series S?

Microsoft's next gen consoles have launched, and while the majority of them have sold out globally, the company says more are on the way, as gamers scrabble to join the future of their hobby.

But should you choose the digital version?

The design: There's no denying the cuteness of the XBox Series S. Its sleek white thin design is one of the smallest consoles on the market. While some mocked its big black fan that sits on one side of it, making it look like the kind of turntable a FJ may have had in the 80s, its minimal appearance means it can sit comfortably in any home entertainment unit, and not look out of place. Better than the PlayStation 5's new look and the almost monolithic XBox Series X, the S is easily the design winner of the next gen launches.

The controller: Bit of a disappointment this one. Not only does it look like the last gen's controller, there's no real feeling it's been adapted for the next generation, which is massively underwhelming. While it does feel chunky, and not in any way clunky, the insistence on pursuing a battery-led solution for power feels more 2010 than 2020. And even though the batteries last for a long time, there will still come a time when the ominous empty battery logo will appear on screen.

The start-up and set up: Easy as to do, thanks to using the XBox app, the console can be up and running in moments alone once out of the box. There's a simplicity that's easy to appreciate here. It's noticeably quicker to power up than its last gen brothers, with a nice melting logo coming to life on the screen. And all you have to do is press the XBox button and away you go.

The HUD: Again, this feels slightly underwhelming for a next gen console. It's essentially the same as the last generation in terms of look and feel. You negotiate your way around as usual, and never the twain shall meet. It's still simple and clean, easy to use, and concentrated more on ensuring you can just get on and play. But it doesn't have any next gen bells and whistles.

Load times: They're a bit quicker admittedly, but most people won't really notice, as there's an expectation you launch a game and you're into it. It's not rocket science, but there is a noticeable difference when the custom SSD kicks in and makes sure you're at your destination rather than fiddling on your phone while you wait. Long term, as the games get bigger, and the graphics quality pushes the load times, you'll see a difference.

The storage: This is perhaps another minor issue with the "lesser" version of the console. With only 364GB of the 512GB available for use, the console's somewhat stymied by the lack of space to store games. It's even more noticeable when you remember this is a digital-only console and you can't pop out a game disc to load up later. And given some games these days are upto 150GB (Call of Duty, Destiny), this is a stinger that can't really be sweetened by the use of an external drive.

The games: Bit of a double-edged sword this one. Unless you have an aversion to launch titles. Whilst the last gen launched with a new Halo, and a range of other titles (Ryse: Son of Rome, Zoo Tycoon- all part of the 23 strong launch bunch back in 2014), this latest has launched on XBox at least with not a one. It's massively disappointing, and while Halo was delayed, it does make you wonder why a launch title couldn't have been procured. Most of the titles on the next gen are about upgrades - so if you already own it, then you can update to the next gen version. Watch Dogs: Legion and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla launched near to the XBox Series S launch, so that's an easy crossover. 

Where the digital XBox Series S comes into its own is with the Game Pass subscription. Essentially an instant library, the 100-plus titles will grow as time goes. And the fact you can use these titles anywhere across PC and XBox means Microsoft is positioning itself strongly as an enabler, not a destination for games, which is a big thing for the coming years.

Overall, if you're wanting to join the next generation, then the XBox Series S feels like a nice starter level entrant. It's becoming clearer that Microsoft is looking beyond traditional gaming models, from the use of its GamePass to the crossplay elements with PC and XBox, so perhaps in a strange way, the consoles themselves are becoming gradually redundant. 

While download times are still way too long on a XBox (even with fibre, some titles take upwards of a day to download), the pros just about outweigh the cons with the XBox Series S - that is, if you can find one before Christmas.

Win a double pass to see Words Between Walls at the cinema

To celebrate the release of Words Between Walls in cinemas December 10, you can win a double pass, thanks to Sony Pictures.

About Words Between Walls

Diagnosed with a mental illness halfway through his senior year of high school, a witty, introspective teen struggles to keep it a secret while falling in love with a brilliant classmate who inspires him to not be defined by his condition.

Starring Charlie Plummer and Taylor Russell

Words Between Walls is in cinemas December 10

Win Mulan on Blu Ray

To celebrate the release of Mulan, you can win a copy of the New Zealand shot movie.

Thanks to Disney and Sony Home Entertainment, you can win a copy of Mulan on Blu-Ray.

About Mulan

To save her ailing father from serving in the Imperial Army, a fearless young woman disguises herself as a man to battle northern invaders in China.

“Mulan, as a character, is a wonderful role model for young girls and boys, too. She sticks to who she is and keeps her family values strong.” - Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

“Liu pulls off all [her martial-arts] moves with vim and verve, and she conveys the essence of the story's defiantly disobedient rebel, too.” - Marie Claire

HOW TO WIN

All you have to do is email your details and the word MULAN!

Email now to  darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com 
Or CLICK HERE NOW  

Exit The Gungeon: PS4 Review

Developed by Singlecore Games
Released by Devolver Digital

Platform: PS4

The sequel to Enter The Gungeon, and of a similar tongue-in-cheek ilk to Broforce, this pixel-led shooter is one to put a bullet in sensible gameplay.

Resuming after the first ended, it's up to you to enter a series of random levels, survive the menace and get through to the end with a degree of health in hand, and your safety guaranteed.

With the gungeon collapsing around you, it's up to you to shoot your way out, and have a bit of a blast doing so. Simple yet effective, the pixel-led carnage is a lot of simple bitesize fun that will see you generating new weapons after collecting power ups.

A large jump, combined with the dodge roll from the first game become necessity to help get you through the levels, and while there's nothing specifically different from the first, it's still a great deal of easy fun.

The pixel look is functional and yet also cutesy, and the gameplay is sufficiently strong enough to keep you engaged on the couch, as you scroll your way up the levels.

Ultimately, Exit The Gungeon does what it says on the tin. It won't shatter the mold, but it does more than adequately fill the time.

A Christmas Gift From Bob: Film Review

Cast: Luke Treadaway, Ginger cat Bob

Director: Charles Martin Smith

If you're expecting A Christmas Gift From Bob to pack the same emotional punch as 2016's Street Cat Called Bob, you'd probably best check your expectations at the door.

Treadaway returns as busker James Bowen in this sanitised dark tale that's more interested in going once-over-lightly about a crisis than plumbing the dramatic depths. It is Christmas cinematic fare, one supposes.

Bowen is celebrating his success as an author and a cat-based busking legend - however, he comes across another homeless person being persecuted and unhappy with the Christmas period. So, sitting him down at a restaurant, Bowen decides to tell of a Christmas past where it nearly all went wrong for the pair.

There's not much depth in A Christmas Gift From Bob; it knows what it wants to do, from its close up shots of the cat looking cute to its light take on the darker side of the festive season. There is a gritty depressing film lurking deep somewhere in here, but Charles Martin Smith's not interested in mining that and giving the film the redemptive arc it's so suited for.

Instead, what emerges is something as wafty as a cloud, with commendable messages about kindness to others, sermons about not judging by appearance and of community coming together in an unexpected way.

What's also well handled is the reality of poverty, and how one simple mistake can send a massive ripple into the psyche of those caught in it and how circumstance and a chain of events can conspire against one at what should be one of the happiest times of the year.

A Christmas Gift From Bob dissolves into the obvious sentimental mush toward the end, and you'd have to hard a cold, hard cynical heart to ignore its "stronger together" message after 2020's absolute blitzkrieg of a year.

Thanks to a sensitive turn from Treadaway, delivering depth when there really is none, and the requisite cutesy shots of the titular cat, this will hit the audiences where it wants to - but it does lack the genuine warmth and feelgood nature of the first.

Whether it leaves you feline Christmassy depends entirely on your own disposition toward cinematic manipulation and a predictable plot points.