Category Archives: Videogames

Videogame Reviews, Videogames

Why Spider-Man 3 Will Flop

Leave a comment

Predicting the future of video games can be tricky, but based on recent trends, Spider-Man 3 is headed for trouble. Spider-Man 2 rode the success of its predecessor, yet it introduced elements that divided players. While the first game delivered strong combat, a gripping storyline, and stayed clear of controversy, its sequels progressively leaned into social messaging.

The Miles Morales spin-off was generally well-received, but Spider-Man 2 brought in what some consider unnecessary political symbolism, self-insert characters, and forced inclusivity. Interestingly, the Middle Eastern version of the game omitted these elements, sparking debates on whether such changes impact sales.

Now, with Spider-Man 3 placing Miles as the sole protagonist, the game’s success will no longer be buoyed by Peter Parker’s popularity or pre-order momentum. If trends continue, pre-order numbers will decline, and defenders of the game will be quick to attribute criticism to race rather than consumer disinterest. Just like The Marvels, expect a campaign to shield it from failure.

Will Spider-Man 3 defy expectations, or will it crumble under its own weight? Time will tell.

Videogames

No Man’s Sky: A Redemption Story with Limitations

Leave a comment

Before its release, “No Man’s Sky” promised an unparalleled gaming experience. The journey from a disappointing debut to its rise in popularity has been well-documented by The Internet Historian, and it’s indeed an inspiring story of dedication and persistence. However, having delved into the vast universe of the game, I find it boring.

Yes, “No Man’s Sky” is visually stunning. The sheer variety of planets and their unique landscapes can be breathtaking, and space battles are entertaining. Yet, at its core, the game revolves around mining. While the concept is intriguing, the repetitive nature of the task tends to overshadow the brilliance of its aesthetics.

Though its expansive universe boasts countless planets, there’s an underlying feeling of monotony. The lack of a compelling storyline or memorable gameplay elements makes it hard to find a reason to revisit.

While many praise its phoenix-like resurgence, for me, “No Man’s Sky” remains an interesting, albeit incomplete, experiment. Perhaps future updates or additions will change that perception, but until then, it remains a once-explored galaxy in my gaming universe.

World War Joe

Videogames

JoJo’s All-Star Battle: A Disappointing Stance

Leave a comment

Given the immense popularity and cultural impact of the JoJo series, a fighting game made the most sense. However, from the moment I booted it up, it felt as though I had been transported back over a decade.

Rather than feeling like a fresh, 2022 release, the game seems reminiscent of something from 2012, both in aesthetics and gameplay mechanics. Its lack of inventiveness, sluggish pace, and unimpressive visuals make it stand out—for all the wrong reasons. One can’t help but wonder: what could have been if the developers had partnered with renowned franchises like Tekken or Street Fighter? A crossover reminiscent of “Marvel vs Capcom” could have revitalized the game with superior graphics and gameplay physics, not to mention tapping into the fan bases of these established series.

In its current state, “JoJo’s All-Star Battle” offers little to no redemption. A score of 0/10 might seem harsh, but it’s truly reflective of the experience. Die-hard JoJo fans might find some solace in WWE 2K23’s Community Creations, which offers the chance to don JoJo skins and immerse oneself in a far superior gaming environment.

World War Joe

Videogames

Marvel Strike Force: Spider-Man (Miles)

Leave a comment

I need some help from the great Mike Singeltary for this one

“Can not play with him. Can not win with him. Can not coach him. Can’t do it”

I have exhausted all my options with Miles Morales. I have upgraded him; I have surrounded him with a great group and every time he disappoints me. Clearly, I am doing something wrong with him and I don’t know what.

Miles checks off most of my boxes. He gains Stealth, has an unlockable attack all enemies move, great team ups, there is nothing wrong with his game, its just he doesn’t fit in the teams that I assemble. For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend him, but maybe you might have some ideas of what I’m doing wrong.

Videogames

Doctor Strange: Marvel Strike Force

Leave a comment

Doctor Strange

Take him out immediately. Strange starts off with Winds of Watoomb which applies two negative effects to the primary target and flips all positive effects of every enemy to a negative one. Which means whatever positive perks you start off with are going to be removed and you lose your starting advantage in the very first turn.

Strange isn’t the most durable on my roster, so whenever I bring him I usually have someone like Luke Cage or Juggernaut on the opposite side of the field using Taunt to take the pressure off of Strange. Strange also has the Book of the Vishanti which brings back a fallen teammate  and heal everyone on your side depending on how far you’ve upgraded it. Strange, when given the right protection, is one of the most effect characters in the game.

World War Joe

Videogames

You Can’t Have Two Endings

Leave a comment

Choosing between multiple endings has become a staple in videogames today. Series like Mass Effect and The Walking Dead let you carry over the decisions from previous games into the new ones. However, those decisions and endings aren’t massively different, but still give the player a feel that their choices matter.

Games like Injustice 2 and Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath have ruined their sequels because of their multiple outcomes. The ending of Injustice 2 lets you pick the Batman, good ending or the Superman, bad ending. Choosing Batman’s ending means Superman and Brainiac are defeated. Superman is then imprisoned in the Phantom Zone and vows revenge. The Superman ending is massively different. After defeating Batman and Brainiac, Superman uses Brainiac’s mind control ability to control Batman, and seemingly the rest of the Justice League becoming the ruler of earth.

So how would Injustice 3 start? What ending do they start with? Do you get to choose how it starts? Right there you are making 2 massively different games that the events of the previous game are vastly different. Maybe NetherRealm are buying time with their Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League videogame coming out in 2022.

Mortal Kombat hit a home run with MK9 where they reset the timeline and you got to play the game from the beginning and started a more linear timeline. MK10 was even better where they introduced the next wave of MK characters and started to give the old classics their final endings. Then MK11 happened and took away all the progress of the previous two games. The ending of that game, Lui Kang is now in control of the timeline and has the ability to red con the entire series again.

Then NetherRealm decided to reset the timeline again with MK11 Aftermath where again time travel was the theme. The issue is the endings. You can play as Lui Kang, defeat Shang Tsung, and reset history in a nice happy way. Choosing Shang Tsung’s ending makes him the ruler of the realms and going on a bloody crusade to rule over everyone. Again, two vastly different endings. There is a rumored April 2023 date for MK12, but now we don’t have a clear ending on the previous game so its difficult to tell how the next installment will begin.

Do you think NetherRealm backed themselves into a corner making vastly different endings? Let me know what you think.

SimptasticJoe

Videogames

X-23 : Marvel Strike Force

Leave a comment

Easily one of my favorite characters in the game. X-23 has all the healing abilities as Wolverine, but I mainly use her because of the attack Feral Rage, which attacks the most damaged opponent for 4 attacks and if that enemy gets defeated, she continues the attack on to the next most damaged opponent. So, depending on how powerful the targets you can take out many opponents in one attack. 

Simptastic Joe

Videogames

Thor : Marvel Strike Force

Leave a comment

0 downside to Thor. He deals a ton of damage on his 1st attack; his 2nd attack damages adjacent targets and his 3rd attack shoots lightening at all opponents and Stuns them. He is part of the Cosmic and Mystic classes so you can use him for the long run. I’m also leveling up Heimdall and Loki as well so all 3 give each other Asgardian buffs. And eventually the more damage Thor takes, he’s able to unleash a massive counter that hurts all opponents. Thor is a character that is built to be in a lot of starting rotations so I highly recommend putting a lot of points into him.

Simptastic Joe