A carrot. A ladder. An axe. A lamp. A wheelbarrow. What do all of these things have in common? No, it’s not farming. They’re all weapons waiting to be thrown at your next opponent. Welcome to Bloodroots.
Bloodroots is an action-packed, fast-paced, violent videogame that puts you in the shoes and fists of Mister Wolf. You have a bloodthirsty desire to smash some skulls as urgently as possible by any means necessary. This is the premise of Paper Cult’s E3 demo, and it’s an oddly satisfying, therapeutic and hilarious experience.
Firstly, combat feels fluid and fast. Its nature might compel most players to try and take down opponents as quickly as you can, but it’s more about the visual journey than the high score (although a global leaderboard is there if that’s your thing). You whack, smash, throw, spin and dash at your opponents, weapon in hand. Everything can be used in your arsenal, and it’s a thrill seeing how you can combine various items over a sequence of events. For example, I grab a lamp and slam it into my opponent’s head. Next, I jump into a wheelbarrow and slam head-on into my next enemy, ramming him into a tree. Next, I grab a chain and swing it against a trio of unlucky dudes. Also, for good measure, I grab a ladder, bring it over a campfire and fling burning wood at the next guy who dares to stare at me.
Controlling Mister Wolf offers a wealth of entertainment that even losing doesn’t feel bad. Because you’re in control of the action, every scenario feels different and refreshing. More often than not, the action is incredibly ridiculous; you’ll get plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. There’s also a high level of replayability as you can observe the platforms and environment around you, to see how you can efficiently eliminate your foes.
The minimalistic art style reminds me of some of the early 2000s cartoons I used to watch (hello, Samurai Jack) and its simple use of colour allows the Wild West to burst with life. The graphics feel so fluid and crisp; it is hard to step away from this immersive, violent action game. The sound effects are also satisfying as you hear every punch and slice complementing your movement and execution.
Bloodroot‘s action-packed gameplay borrows from titles such as Mr Shifty and Hotline Miami but offers a refreshing spin on the genre. Thanks to a lively Wild West setting, minimalistic art design and the ability to take advantage of almost everything in your environment, Bloodroots is a thrilling experience. We’re looking forward to diving deeper into this Tarantino-esque experience and see what else lies in store for Mister Wolf. One thing’s for sure; we’re all thirsty for more.
You can play a demo of Bloodroots on PC by subscribing to Paper Cult’s mailing list. Bloodroots is set to release Summer 2019 on PC, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
It’s easy to look at Yakuza 0 on the surface and compare it to the likes of Grand Theft Auto. It’s a natural assumption, but Yakuza 0 is far more than its western counterparts. It’s a gripping tale of the realities that Yakuza face – Japanese mafias who must balance crime, honour and chopped pinkies on a dark road.
The prequel to the Yakuza plot begins in 1988’s Japan with two young Yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu and Majima Goro. Both find themselves involved in a criminal dispute following the events that occur at the Empty Lot, the centrepiece of a power struggle for all the Yakuza organisations in Japan. In Kamurocho, Tokyo, Kiryu is suspected for murder after the man he collects money from winds up dead in the Empty Lot. Kiryu’s boss and family patriarch, Sohei Dojima, offers a promotion to second-in-command of the Dojima Family to whoever finds the deed to the land. Choosing to leave the family, Kiryu meets a man named Tetsu Tachibana, who promises to help Kiryu clear his name.
Meanwhile, in Sōtenbori, Osaka, Majima runs a successful cabaret club after being exiled from the Tojo Clan due to the botched Ueno-Seiwa hit years earlier, involving his oath brother. Despite the success of his club, Majima is under constant surveillance, and the city serves as his prison. One day, Majima’s supervisor, Tsukasa Sagawa of the Omi Alliance, offers him a chance to rejoin the clan by assassinating a target named Makoto Makimura. Both Kiryu and Majima set out to find the truth behind such a power struggle, as well as maintain their innocence and safety.
Yakuza 0 is the perfect start to the Yakuza franchise. As it’s a prequel, it’s easy to follow the main protagonists without the complicated timelines from later games. What follows is a harrowing tale of dirty politics, real estate power struggles and the cost of loyalty. Alternating between the two protagonists puts you on edge as you wait to see how their lives interlock. You’re not able to manually switch between the characters, such as in Grand Theft Auto V, but its emphasis on deep, vivid storytelling allows you to follow each character’s journey thoroughly.
Yakuza 0 is packed with cinematics and cutscenes, so if you usually skip them, Yakuza 0 will frustrate you. There’s also no English dub, so reading subtitles will serve either as a barrier or a familiar experience. But, as the exposition builds and you unravel the political dynamics, the story will genuinely surprise you. The plot is also complemented with excellent voice acting. Despite the language barrier, emotion translates so clearly and is deeply felt. The main storyline took me about 25 hours to complete, but it’s easily double that if you follow the substories, and you’re guaranteed to stumble into a handful of odd moments.
Substories are a dramatic shift in tone, and this is where Yakuza 0‘s comic absurdity shines through. From pretending to be a flamboyant producer or avoiding an 8-foot man known as Mr Shakedown who steals your money with a single king punch, Yakuza 0is aware of its medium. Underneath all the melodrama, Yakuza 0 is packed with quirky humour, cultural fetishes and over-the-top politeness. The dichotomy may sound like a misstep, but it’s what makes Yakuza 0so uncommon.
Kamurocho and Sōtenbori are also filled with mini-games. If the substories aren’t entertaining enough, you can take a spin at the SEGA arcade or throw some darts. Release some steam from the clan’s latest dilemma by belting out some ’80s ballads on karaoke or dance it off on the dancefloor. Take a break by fishing down at the river, if that’s your style. There is such an impressive assortment of errands and activities to do in Yakuza 0.
Kamurocho and Sōtenbori are tiny, but don’t let their size fool you. Satisfy your appetite with various food outlets, visit the convenience store for last-minute inventory items or take a break at the nearest bar. The cities are decorated with bright, neon lights and colourful storefronts, making Kamurocho and Sōtenbori an authentic red light district. Citizens are often in their little world, and their ecosystems serve as a homage to Japan’s economic success in the late ’80s.
As you stroll through the nightlife, you’ll encounter thugs who are in the mood for a good punch. Yakuza 0 is still a very violent game, so combat is inevitable. Between Kiryu and Majima, there are three variations of combat; a typical brawler style, a quicker style that utilises rush combos, and a beast/slugger style that incorporates the environment around you, such as throwing bicycles or chairs at your opponents. In Majima’s case, it’s swinging a baseball bat fluidly and with precision.
Combat often feels like you’re bashing human piñatas endlessly until millions of cash fall from their holes. Button-mashing can get you through most brawls, but it’s worthwhile to master dodges, blocks and switching between the three fighting styles to adapt to the situation. Manoeuvering through opponents can feel clunky, and the camera isn’t always optimised to your favour, but it’s richly satisfying to beat your enemies down with a single fist. Combat also incorporates a Heat system, three bars that charge up every time you pack a hit, giving you more outrageous finishers and powerful combos.
But after a while, combat gets tiresome. Towards the latter half of the storyline, I chose to avoid these delinquents if possible. Fighting with random opponents becomes repetitive and predictable. The ability tree can give you upgrades, such as increasing your health pool and maximising your Heat range or adding new combos, but much of it seems confusing. Sure, there’s the occasional challenge, such as those who wield guns and fire from a distance, annoyingly inhibiting your ability to fight. There’s also the fat Yakuza who are relentlessly swinging a large sofa on your head or have a more significant health pool. But combat becomes a means to an end and loses its charm in the long run.
Yakuza 0‘s PC graphics are great, supporting 4K graphics and 60 frames per second. But its character models are a little outdated. Interacting with NPCs conversationally is fine, but they often share the same animations and facial expressions. Kiryu and Majima look fantastic with their classy Yakuza outfits, but their pores are so prominent and clogged, I wish I could teach them how to exfoliate. There are occasional glitches such as hands magically going through someone’s chest, but it’s not a dealbreaker. The cinematics is excellent, presenting themselves as not only the core entertainment value of the series but also like short-films in their own right.
Yakuza 0‘sstory is captivating and the characters are well-written. There’s even a touching moment after the credits have rolled that moved me to tears. Yakuza 0 is hard to categorise. It’s a blend of adventure, brawler, soap opera, crime thriller and even a dash of role-playing is added into the mix. The world it inhabits is a fictional red light district, not quite as open of a world as Grand Theft Auto V, but just as immersive. Its tone is continually shifting from stoic and serious to bizarre and humorous. Despite the repetitive nature of combat and outdated character models, Yakuza 0 is unafraid to push boundaries. You’ll catch me cracking my knuckles in the next title, Yakuza Kiwami.
Déjà vu. The feeling of having already experienced the present situation. Like that soccer ball; I had just kicked it a minute ago, and somehow, oddly, it’s back where I first spotted it. Or perhaps the eerie weight sitting in your gut, that you have walked through this part of the woods over and over and over again.
Oxenfree encompasses this experience of mind games, horror antics and beyond. Winner of IGF 2016’s Excellence in Visual Art award and Night School Studio’s first video game slash supernatural coming-of-age mystery, Oxenfree forces you to assess your paranoia and channel it towards digging for clues lying on Edwards Island. After about five hours of anticipating, sweating and worrying over the mysterious paranormal activity set in the island, I praise Oxenfree‘s ability to leave you feeling raw and exposed – an exposure you’ll be feeling for many nights to come.
You play as Alex, a 17-year-old, blue-haired rebel and joining her is her best friend, Ren and her new stepbrother, Jonas. You’re on your way to Edwards Island for the overnight senior high school beach party, a tradition that appears to have dwindled in popularity. Upon arrival at the island, you are joined by Clarissa, ex-girlfriend of Alex’s deceased older brother, Michael and who Alex seeks to reconcile hard feelings with; and Nona, Ren’s total Woman Crush Wednesday and Clarissa’s best friend.
What innocently starts as a hang at the beach with some beer cans and a game of Truth or Slap, slowly becomes a teen thriller as Alex and her friends accidentally unleash ghostly spirits and are soon forced to solve the haunting secrets of the island, with time ticking and their lives on the line.
Oxenfree will serve you well if you have a natural knack for curiosity; exploration is a crucial mechanic as you navigate through Oxenfree‘s woods, old forts, barracks and towers. Despite the undertones of horror and mystery, I appreciate that as you wander through Oxenfree‘s world, you have time to do precisely that.
The deeper I searched into the various landmarks, read over the worn down signs and peeped inside antique shops, the more vibrant and more authentic my experience as Alex felt. I honestly felt immersed in the island and my usual, ‘let’s-leave-before-my-mum-turns-this-into-a-lecture’ mentality was put aside, even for a few hours. Other critics note that the pacing in Oxenfreefeels annoyingly slow, but as someone who naturally enjoys learning new things about a game’s lore or the backstories of characters around me, I thought the game offered enough balance between exploration and story.
Don’t get me wrong, Oxenfreeisn’t just a nice walk in the park – there are spooky events I encountered that made me flinch or jump out of my seat. Even after playing it for the second time, Oxenfreeknows how to keep you on your toes.
As you explore the game, it offers various endings for Alex and her friends, depending on the choices you make. Your navigation and responses as Alex can significantly affect the conclusion at the end of the game. In my first playthrough, I was confused, a little jarred and unsure about whether I agreed with the decisions I made. In my second attempt, I was more content with the outcome.
The urgency lies not only in escaping or solving Edwards Island’s riddles, but to also unravel Alex, her friends, and ultimately, yourself. I felt compelled to do the second replay of Oxenfree not only because of how immersive the world is, but because I realised that I am responsible for my choices and how that affects others. As a coming-of-age story, you get to decide what kind of person you want Alex to become. Her life is in the palm of your hand.
This night has turned banana bread, really fast.
As you converse with characters, dialogue bubbles appear, and you can choose how you’d like to respond. Each response leads to unique banter, emotions and outcomes, and each choice feels distinct. Answers flowed with the conversation, but there were times when I interrupted someone mid-sentence, and it felt awkward and rude. It was a little frustrating, and I wish the developers added some consistency to this mechanic, as I often chose to wait until the end of my companion’s story before I decided a response.
But dialogue bubbles eventually fade out, meaning that if you’re not quick enough to choose, you end up saying nothing. Sure, silence can often evoke emotion far louder than words – but in one instance, I had caused a lot of unwanted tension, thanks to not being able to click a response.
Although Oxenfree‘s characters are teenagers, their vernacular doesn’t feel whiny or obnoxious as I remember when I was 17 years old, but rather, intelligent and sophisticated. The voice acting is compelling and establishes familiarity with Alex’s friends. Some former Telltale Games developers (The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands) are responsible for building the backbone of Oxenfreethanks to their storytelling roots.
Oxenfreeultimately explores the power of human connection, navigating through our choices and often dealing with the consequences. With over 12,000 lines built into the game, Oxenfreedemands your full attention and requires you to listen to what the characters have to say and what the island, more importantly, wants you to uncover.
This island is a lie. There are many concealed truths about Edwards Island.
As I interacted with the island’s landmarks, there was a mixed layer added in the gameplay through the radio Alex can tune. You can access a portable radio throughout your time on the island. Each station welcomes different sources like warped, jazz music or old news reporters muffling through announcements.
As I slid through different frequencies, the graphics also transform, making the radio an eerie, yet inviting tool. I appreciate that the receiver serves as a way to navigate through the levels and objectives, never letting you feel like you were out of options. Be warned though: the radio stations also welcome unwanted presence, give you goosebumps down your spine and make you question, “Wasn’t I here just a minute ago?”
My doctor isn’t going to be happy with my blood pressure this year.
Aside from the clever use of radio stations to satisfy your ears, the music composed by Scntfc is warped, distorted and eloquently penned as it beautifully illustrates the mood of every chapter I explored through. In one instance, I was drowning in the ominous urgency the instrumentals provided, causing me to despair with fear. Other times, I felt nostalgic about my childhood thanks to its lighter, emotional beats.
Throughout Oxenfree, you also encounter individual tape players that you spin at certain speeds which evoke unique melodies that sounded suspicious, unearthly, and daunting. Combine these flavours and you receive an explosion of atmosphere that stands well on its own without the support of graphics, plot or voice acting. Oxenfree‘s soundtrack is worth listening.
But of course, what would a video game be without its graphics. Oxenfree‘s visuals are unlike any I have seen in any other game. Lead artist, Heather Gross, takes inspiration from her childhood of walking through the woods and spending time on the beach, to masterfully paint this darkly playful, yet soft blending of children’s illustrations with adult complexity.
Many of Oxenfree‘s settings have dark palettes, especially with the entire game set during the evening and early hours of the morning. But Gross includes many subtle highlights that visually complement one another, creating a creepy, curious atmosphere.
I enjoyed staring at the green glow of caves, the red hues caused by flickering lamps and undertones of purples and browns amidst the woods. Much of the graphics were smooth but came with a few glitches where the characters climbed over a fence but seemed to be jumping in the air instead. Despite these minor hiccups, the visual landscape of Oxenfreeis satisfying.
The caves look beautiful, sure, but it’s about to get a whole lot messy.
Oxenfreeis an epic, coming-of-age teen thriller that both magically captures the fantasies of ghostly spirits, mysteries on an island and time-warped loops, and the significance of history, relationships and our choices. These underlying messages and features eloquently translate through unique visual palettes, a soundtrack that teleports you through time and a radio that somehow summons both answers and the monsters we all want to hide from.
Despite minor hiccups in dialogue pacing and glitches, these small road bumps will be the least of your worries. If you enjoy games like Limbo, Life is Strange, and What Remains of Edith Finch, you will find satisfaction in exploring Edwards Island. Now, if you see that soccer ball I mentioned earlier, give it a kick for me, will you? Come and see me when you’ve done that.
Noelle Reyes 