Initial Thoughts: Final Fantasy Tactics A2

“Initial Thoughts” isn’t really appropriate for this review, but I’ve not finished the game yet. However, I have clocked up over 120 hours so far.

It’s a grid-based, turn-based battle system where the focus is on exploiting the weaknesses in your enemies without breaking randomly assigned rules. There are a few storylines and mission strings to follow, but for the most part, you just take on battles as you like, fighting a variety of opponents in a range of settings. Almost guaranteed to keep you going for a very long time!

Initial Thoughts: A Link Between Worlds

A return to the top-down, adventure games! I love this so far. It’s very similar to the old Zelda games – in fact, I’m pretty sure it’s using a version of the map used in the Minish Cap. I’ve got this feeling like I’ve been in this world before.

The nicest thing about this game is the ability to merge to walls and move in an extra dimension. As a seasoned Zelda player, this is a nice change. It makes solving the puzzles a little more challenging – the hookshot is not always the answer!

I’m expecting great things!

Assassin’s Creed Rogue (2014) Review

Rating:
EU Release Date:	Nov 13, 2014 (for Xbox 360)
Total play time:	Approx. 60 hours (story mode)

I’m a total newbie to the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Having only played the Black Flag demo before, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this game, which is apparently the seventh in the AC series. The running, killing and hiding bit was obvious, but you get so much more than that.

You play as Shay Patrick Cormac, a young assassin working under the mentorship of Achilles Davenport, who I am sure will be familiar to fans of the series. After a literally earth-shattering experience, Shay defects, intent on stopping the plans of the assassins and willing to give his life in the course.

There is a huge free-roam element to this game, if not others in the series and a lot of hidden treasures to find, so although the story is quite linear, there is plenty to distract you from it, should you want to take the scenic route through the game. Warehouses to loot, gang headquarters and settlements to liberate, hunting, frontier clashes, citizens in distress… Even once you’ve finished the story, there will be other things to keep you playing, especially if you’re an achievement hoarder like me.