Bioshock Infinite Review - On Cloud Nine

From the second the game opens, with you, Booker DeWitt, a former agent with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, are sat on a boat rowing through murky waters late at night en route to a lighthouse. This opening scene had me invested already, the writing and the voice acting were both incredible, in the lighthouse, things didn't change. But it's not until you reach Columbia that Infinite's true grandeur can be observed.

Columbia is easily one of the most striking environments in gaming history, from your first steps, the gorgeousness of the architecture and art style will entrance you, if you are anything like me. I spent a good 20 minutes just walking around the first area after the rather violent baptism of Booker DeWitt, exploring for collectibles such as Silver Eagles, the games currency, and items to restore my health.

Gorgeous architecture is a common site in Columbia

The world of Infinite feels alive: the buildings float graciously through the sky and it is easy to get lost in time watching them. There are so many little great things to see and overhear, my favourite in the opening 40 minutes or so was the barbershop quartet singing God Only Knows. 

I meant to only play an hour or so before I wrote this review, but Bioshock Infinite has the power to suck you in, so I spent about 2 or 3 hours playing, forgetting about even writing this. It was hard to pull myself away.

Don't think that just because you play the main protagonist you are the focus of the story, oh no. Infinite is most definitely the Elizabeth show Featuring Booker DeWitt. Elizabeth, the Lamb, will be the best ally you could hope for, both keeping you alive and keeping your ammo levels topped up, and playing a much larger role in the story as it unfolds.

Elizabeth wants a high four and half.

The stand-out moment for me so far, is the first time you get to ride on the Sky Lines. I literally have no words for how amazing that was. There is a true sensation of speed but you never feel out of control, you can speed up, slow down, reverse and execute Sky Strikes, a devestating attack on opponents who are below you, think air assassinations in Assassin's Creed but more awesome.

Adam and Eve are gone - replaced by Salts, for use with the eight, I believe, Vigours, the new powers. My favourite Vigour so far is easily Murder of Crows. Not only is the name cool but so is the actual power, win/win all round. 

Bioshock Infinite isn't perfect, the textures are sometimes bland and the AI seems slightly... off somehow. But those two little faults I have found do not hamper my enjoyment of the game at all. Infinite is easily one of the best games I have played in recent years. 

I have four parting words for you all, Go buy Bioshock Infinite

AC III: My 2012 Letdown

The year was 2012, and my heart was filled with joy. It was coming, at long last. The first true Assassins Creed since Ezio's first outing several years previously. We'd had Brotherhood and Revelations, but those had only made me tire of the Italian prince. Sure, he was charismatic and tough as nails. But I hungered for a new time period, a new hero. And I saw it in the half British, half Native American that was Connor Kenway.

This game had been in development for three years. I remembered the quality, and quantity, within AC II and my mind boggled at what Ubisoft could do with that much time. They built a new engine for it, NextAnvil and it seemed to be the future of the industry. So much excitement, so much love. And so. Much. Hype. Looking back, I really should have seen the warning signs: It had Skyrim Syndrome. Now, I want you to understand something. I like Skyrim, as I like AC III. But both were blown far out of proportion, slated as era-defining when, in fact, they were simply another pair of games.

So, how did it all fall apart? The simple answer is complexity. It forgot what it was, at its very core: A stealth game. The first game had it in spades, although it suffered from a water-soluble assassin and repetitive quests. Assassins Creed II hit the nail on the head, with a fine balance between in-game content and fresh missions. The two spin-offs, for that it how I see them, bundled in a bunch of extra stuff that the series could have done without. Turret Defense? I'm good, but thanks for asking.

I was promised an internal struggle, a personal drama that we had not seen before. A man, born of a Templar, who wants to do the right thing. He was supposed to follow justice, regardless of what side it befitted  What we got instead was a copy-pasted assassin who was as dull and cold. Minus the death of his mother, he shows little or no emotion throughout the game. When his father, Haythem, appears, Connor just kind of shrugs his shoulders. No real resolution, nothing. Altair had a better story, and he hardly spoke.

Currency is something that serves no purpose in the game. You can't buy banks, you can't use it to upgrade your homestead. What you can do is craft things, which you then sell. So you spend money to make money, which you then spend on crafting. It's a vicious circle. It can be used to buy other weapons and upgrade your boat, I admit. But I completed the game without doing either. Money was simply unnecessary. I miss buying new armour for Ezio. Bring that back please, Ubisoft.

Finally, the bugs. Oh good Lord above, the bugs! I understand that it was a new engine, although they used a lot of the same code from their Anvil engine. But seriously, play-testing it thoroughly may have helped. You had three years! We deserved better than glitching guards and floating horses. I shot a redcoat out of existence, and I don't mean I killed him. I mean the arrow hit him, and the simply vanished. Also, when trying to draw my sword, it stuck in front of a guard. It looked like Connor was really fond of that particular fellow.

All in all, this is my most disappointing game of 2012 for one, strong reason. It had such potential, and it knew it. It made promise after promise and had us fanboys on the edge of our seats, before slapping us and chuckling 'better luck next time!'. It stung, and we won't forget it. Don't let us down again, please. I don't want Blag Flag sitting here this time next year, and neither do you.

Ouya & MakerBot: A Match Made In Hell

You may remember a previous article where I touched on the mod-it-yourself debacle that is the Ouya. Some are singing its praises, while others see it as a stupid 'flash in the pan' idea. I'm one of the latter. It's tiny, it's inferior in almost all aspects and it looks simply terrible. Not to mention the fact that the controller is bigger than the console. You wouldn't let that happen with Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo, so why do these charlatans get away with it?

But I digress.

Ouya, in a bid to be oh-so-quirky, have teamed up with MakerBot so that people who buy their 'console' can print their own 3D cases. Now, I won't lie. I like modded console cases. I can think of several at the moment that get me salivating, such as the Iron Man Xbox 360. If done correctly, they can be works of art in of themselves. But the Ouya cases, from what I can see, look like they've been forged from melted-down crayons.

But it doesn't stop there. Oh no. It isn't like you purchase the Ouya and get a free one-time pass to send away for your little case. You have to buy the 3D printer. I'm struggling to find a price for that make, but they're not cheap, easily four times what you're paying for the console. So that's, what, ninety dollars for the console, four hundred for the 3D printer. And then you need the ink, or whatever they use. Yeah.

This is Ouya dripping you for every penny you have. They know we love new and ingenious things, and they're preying on it. Greatness comes at a price. And with this 'free-for-all' approach, they have to pull their overheads from somewhere. And it's going to be right out of your pockets.

Throwback Thursday: Metal Gear Solid

On September 3rd 1998, the gaming world was changed forever and as far as memory serves, sometime in 1999 my young life was also changed forever, when into my hands fell the original Metal Gear Solid.

At the time, my young mind really couldn't comprehend the awesomeness that was MGS, but now looking back, I can say that the original is in my top 5 games, ever. The order of the top 5 changes all the time, but MGS is a constant in that list.

Metal Gear Solid has a deep, involving (albeit slightly confusing) story with great characters and character development. We care about what happens to these characters.

Solid Snake, the protagonist, who according to character designer, Yoji Shinkawa, has a physique based on Jeanne Claude Van Damme and a face based on Christopher Walken, has to infiltrate Shadow Moses island to thwart the threat of a walking nuclear weapon - Metal Gear REX, which is being manned by the twin brother of Solid Snake, Liquid Snake. The full arsenal of which will be unleashed if Liquid and his group aren't given the remains of legendary super soldier, Big Boss. That's a brief summary of the plot.

Metal Gear Solid features some of the best boss fights I can recall in any video game, but the best, and the one I always remember most vividly is the Psycho Mantis boss fight. Which actually holds the record for the most innovative use of a video game controller (in the 2008 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.) I won't go into too much details about it because I am sure you have all played it, but if you haven't, It's something that you have to experience and telling you about it really won't do it any justice.

Going back to characters - the character design in this game is incredible. Not only is Snake an amazing character but the game is full of them. Overflowing with them even, from the Alaskan shaman, Vulcan Raven to Revolver Ocelot, whose weapon of choice as you may have guessed from the name is a revolver, a Colt Single Action Army to be precise. Every member of FOXHOUND is a glorious foray into how to design a well rounded character. But my favourite character from Metal Gear Solid is Grey Fox - a cybernetically enhanced ninja, who is neither friend nor foe to Snake but opposes FOXHOUND. There is just something about how badass he is that makes him a stand out character for me.

I won't say anything about the ending(s) because you have all played MGS and if you haven't then, as with the Psycho Mantis boss fight, talking about it won't do it any justice. So if you haven't played Metal Gear Solid, go do it. Now, stop reading this, and go play Metal Gear Solid!

Activision: Next-Gen Visuals

The gaming beast behind Call of Duty, Spyro The Dragon and Crash Bandicoot have given us a mouth-watering glimpse at the might the PS4 and Xbox 720 could be throwing about. The following pictures and video comes from Jorge Jimenez, the technical director behind the curtain. He feels that greater visuals are crucial to the aspect of storytelling, and will allow a deeper emotion connection with characters. Which is fortunate, because I really felt the CoD universe was missing was that emotional bond. Scathing aside, the man has a good point, I have to concede.

The results of his hard work, years of it, are simply breath-taking. But despite our collective awe, he isn't done yet. Oh no. He feels that the hair, teeth and eyebrows need more work. I think he's already well on his way to making some graphic geeks cry with joy, but the man's a perfectionist.

Now, what follows after is not a representative of what will be in all next gen games. It is simply how far they can push the system visually. Running a full game with that kind of detail would probably unleash a Lovecraftian portal and let our lord and master Cthulhu have his way with us. Or it just wouldn't run. There's that too. Anyway, enough bumping of lips. View and quiver!

Courtesy of Gamespot

None of those are real people. They are all computer-generated. It really gives goosebumps to see what can be done with enough power. Obviously this won't be an everyday occurrence in gaming. Yet. But as the technology leaps forward year by year, it's looking like it could be within our lifetime. And now, for the video.

Minus the jerkiness and lack of depth in and around the mouth, as well as the teeth, it's stunning. This is the future, and I can't wait to see more of the same.

MGS:V - No David Hayter?

image from 1up.com
David Hayter as Snake.

The Phantom Pain is officially Metal Gear Solid 5. How shocked are you? Not shocked at all? Good.

As a long term fan of the stealth action game and loving David Hayter's voice work as Solid Snake in every Metal Gear Solid game to date. His voice just fits Snake so well it is hard to imagine anyone else filling the vocal shoes.

It also appears that Hayter wasn't even asked to be the voice of Snake in MGS:V going by his Twitter feed.

Now, there is another argument that you could make and that is Hayter wasn't asked because it was mutually assumed that he would feature in the game, in some way. Kojima is known for misdirection and theatrics when releasing games, and it seems like he has pulled out all the stops with Metal Gear Solid 5, lest we forget "The Phantom Pain" and "Joakim Mogren / Moby Dick Studios"

This could be the end of Hayter's reign as Snake, but I, for one, truly hope it isn't.

Facebook and Exciting News

First things first, we now have an official Facebook Page so check that out, like us and leave comments and feedback, we cant wait to hear from you. 

Also and this is quite a big deal (to me at least) we have officially breached 1000 page views. Thank you to everyone who has dropped by for a little read. We promise to not slow down now and we will only be bringing you loads more glorious content, I have a couple pieces I'm looking forward to getting out, I believe Sean is the exact same and I can't speak for our new boy, Alex, but I'm sure he is chomping at the bit as well.

So again, thank you all. It means a lot to all of us here that you are reading what we are writing.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS): Early Thoughts

Guess what came in the mail today? I'll give you a clue. It is matte black, has two huge screens and allows me to spill monster guts in glorious 3D. Struggling? It's a bundle of sorts, from the makers of Mario and friends, with Capcom backing them. You're still stuck? Okay. Look at the title of my article and try again. It's MH3 U, people!

I wouldn't blame any of you if that description didn't have you immediately jumping to the JRPG hunting festival. As I've said before, we in the West are more blase to the world of Monster Hunter. It is to the Japanese what the Halo series is to us: A brilliant cash cow, but also a cult classic. They have huge meets where hunters trek through the wilderness together, and they practically foam at the mouth when a new game is announced. I admit, I love that madness, that passion for the series. We could do with a little of that.

Enough about the fans, what about the game? Well, it is, at its bones, a shameless port of Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii. The first few hours, at any rate, unfold almost exactly as its aging sister, albeit with slight variations in the script. It's manhandled to explain the new 'online' features, and I use that word sparingly. It lacks the true multiplayer feeling of the Wii U, and you really feel it. But more on that later.

You start off the game with a full list of starter weapons, which is a big plus. It allows for experimentation between playing styles, from the sluggish yet mighty great-sword  to the nippy dual blades and don't forget the standard sword and shield. This is a feature that was missing from Tri. I spent the best part of half an hour simply toying around with the wide range of weaponry. I settled for the slightly vanilla sword and shield, by the by. And I'm loving it.

There is a lengthy introduction to the various mechanics, as well as features like faring and fishing. These felt unnecessary to me, having played its predecessor, but to newcomers I imagine it would have appeared simple and engaging. At least, that was how it felt when I first began playing Monster Hunter. The first few quests run in a similar vein, getting you adjusted to the idea of foraging which plays a huge role in the game. But after your first encounter with the mighty Lagiacrus, a huge water dragon, things start to pick up. Less than twenty minutes later, I was smacking down some Ludroth and warming up to take on a giant velociraptor. I'm pretty excited to get back to that.

The touch screen menu is actually pretty handy. It's fully customisable, so you can opt to have your HUD on the lower screen, leaving the top one almost totally clear. I opted to have my map on the bottom, as well as a virtual D-pad and my combo list. Saved me a lot of back-and-forward nonsense so far. On the topic of the D-pad, it's slightly ridiculous in Ultimate. It's used to control the camera, although you can snap forward with the left shoulder button. It's in an uncomfortable location, since often you will be running when you want to change camera angle. So you're working the thumbstick, while trying to use the D-Pad. If you are unfamiliar with the 3DS, look and see the problem for yourself:

Luckily, that's solved with the virtual D-pad and lock-on feature. Sadly, that doesn't help with underwater exploration. Its clunky and resulted in my death at the hands of a furious sea serpent. The Circle Pad Pro seems like a worthwhile investment, and it is one I will definitely be looking into.

Visually, it's a treat. They have managed to take something designed for a console and bring it to a handheld with almost no loss of quality. The animations are smooth, the creatures run and attack seamlessly and the scenery is gorgeous. Mnus the grass and plant textures, but this isn't Super Gardener Man so I forgive it.

My early thoughts? It is better than the original, in a hard-to-explain manner. Despite the clunky camera controls, it runs beautifully and supplies a lovely, portable experience.  I feel as though it has finally found its niche on the 3DS, and I look forward to jumping in more. Speaking of which....I have a Great Jaggi to take down!

Let the hunt begin!

We're Expanding!

Big news, lads and ladies.

You may have noticed that that our last article was written by a new fella. If so, sharp eye. If not, shame on you. Anyway, we're proud to inform you all that that someone is Alex Langley, the most recent addition to the Fair Play team! We're all looking forward to working with him and bringing you more varied, more frequent material.

Until then!

AC IV:Black Flag Gameplay Trailer!

You read that one right! I come to you now, at this ridiculous hour, with the taste of something new: Assassin pirates. Now, if you haven't seen the announcement trailer, you can watch it here. Basically, the story is going to all spin around Edward Kenway, grandfather of AC III's Connor, and his life as both assassin and swashbuckling highwayman of the Seven Seas.

You're going to bump into some interesting characters, Blackbeard to name but one, and visit some exotic locations. Hopefully, this beauty will not disappoint like it's predecessor and actually deliver a fresh and engaging experience. Gameplay seems to be moving towards the naval battles from the last game, which can only be a good thing. Those were exquisite. However, this trailer, and the direction of the series in general, gives me no small deal of worry.

Assassination, the game's bread and butter, seems to be featuring less and less in the games. My prime concern is this: How do you assassinate when you're in the middle of a great, bloody boat battle?That's just murder. There's no careful planning, no re-attempts, trying to find the path of least resistance. It's just stab stab, cough, die. In the same vein, I can see the boats as being more of a means of fast travel between ports, a simple means of moving from target to target. It needs to return to its roots, and not in a Revelations kind of way.

Secondly is the trailer itself. It's hyped up as a gameplay trailer, but it still feels rather cinematic. Everything seems very linear, very focused and polished. We all want to see the raw footage, what the beast is like to ride and not how well it performs on a good day. But regardless, it has pulled me into the old Assassin fever. I cannot wait for November 1st, even if I am let down by the end product.

Want to judge for yourself? Find the Gameplay trailer below!

XCOM: Enemy Unknown Coming to iOS

  

I think the title pretty much says it all in this case to be honest, news out of PAX East confirms that the fantastic strategy and alien blasting game by Firaxis and 2K, XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be coming to iOS devices in the Summer.

The video below, from Jake Solomon, who is the lead designer on XCOM, which I found earlier tonight, makes me really optimistic for how this can turn out. 

Wasn't that amazing? Look how pretty! Also, it is the FULL game, not a streamlined version, not a companion app, the FULL XCOM experience that you have had the chance to play on consoles and PCs alike. 

If you haven't had the chance and don't already own this game, and would like it on your iDevice, Summer time should be a hoot for you.

Injustice: Gods Among Us. One To Watch.

This is another favourite of mine that has been bubbling away on the back-burner. It's a one-on-one stage brawler, in the same vein as the great Street Fighter. And the roster? Well, names keep piling up, but let me shorten it down: It has many of your buddies from the DC Universe. Now, don't worry, it isn't another Capcom Vs Marvel. No, this one actually looks amazing.

Let's start with the stage design. You'll be smashing your way through familiar turf, such as the Fortress of Solitude and the Batcave and I literally mean smashing. The terrain is almost fully destructible, and certain parts can be utilised by your fighter to lay down a serious beating.  It's all very exciting, if somewhat familiar. But here is where it gets interesting. You can batter your opponent through multiple tiers of the same stage, racking up the damage as you go. That's pretty awesome, I must admit.

The character types are split into two categories: Brutes and Gadget-users. Superman and Batman, respectively, are the perfect embodiment of that class distinction. Superman will pick up the car and beat you around the head with it, whereas Batman will blow it up with projectiles. Super meters are another mechanic which is a common one in fighting games. The meter gradually builds up, and when it's full you can unleash your full potential. Another new addition to that, however, is the wagering system. If you want to interrupt an enemy's combo, you can bet a portion of your super meter to stop them. If you bet more, you win. If not, they continue their assault. This is going to add a nice strategic element to what would have otherwise been a common, if still impressive, beat 'em up.

Now for the story. This tends to be the weakest part of fighting games, and I hope that it won't let me down. The story essentially revolves around Superman losing his wife, unborn child and closest friend to the hands of the Joker. In a fit of rage, he establishes a new world order to prevent anything like that happening again. You can side with Superman's group of superheroes who uphold his laws, or the rebel heroes that back up Batman. It sounds interesting, if basic. I'll need to buy this game and complete it before I can pass real judgement.

All in all, this is a game to watch, especially if you're a fan of DC Comics. It will be released for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U in April 2013. The official site can be found here.

Sorry Folks. Flashback Friday Takes A Backseat

You read that right. I have to inform you, with serious sadness in my heart, that Flashback Friday will be on temporary hiatus. Due to my work, and its location (I'm in the West Coast of Scotland, it's all mountains and lochs) I have so-so internet access and NO console access. That means I can't revisit and review some of my favourite oldies. I'm gutted, maybe even more than you guys.

On the plus side, I'll be able to review DS and 3DS games soon! So there you are: One door closes and another opens. I am sorry guys, if and when it returns I will scream it from the mountaintops for all of you to hear.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Bundle Pack

Today, ladies and gentlemen, is the release date for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate in Europe. Released on both the 3DS and the Wii U, it boasts dual-platform gaming. For those of you left confused, it essentially means you can port your game save from your Wii U to your 3DS for on the go gaming. Now, I'll admit, that is a rather interesting idea. Today, I'll be discussing the 3DS XL Bundle Pack, which includes not only the latest handheld from Nintendo, but also a copy of the game. Seems like a bargain to me!

I'll be purchasing this bundle in roughly two weeks time, so keep an eye out for the follow-up review. I love the gameplay of the Monster Hunter series, and I can hardly wait to play this port of its older sister, released a few years back on the Wii. So make sure to check back, for Hunting Season begins soon!

A Couple of Things

Thing the first - A massive thank you to everyone who has read, shared, commented and been involved with getting Fair Play up to 800 page views so far, you are all amazing people. That includes Sean and myself by the way.

Thing the second - Another thank you to Sean who has basically kept the site going recently, by posting content and sharing our articles while I have been so far in my own head that I couldn't get out.

So basically, in conclusion - Readers, sharers, that one comment-er we have so far, thank you all and hopefully our next 800 page views are more interesting for you all.

The Supergiant Rises Again: Transistor

You may recall me reviewing a certain game a little while ago. It's name was Bastion, and it was a goddamn glorious game. Honestly, it's on the top five. Ever. But I figured it could only be a one-time deal, right? A fluke? Well, Supergiant Games had unveiled a trailer for their new brain-child: It's title is Transistor, and it's set to be every bit as fantastic.

Running on what the trailer shows and from what I gathered, it sticks to the typical isometric puzzle platformer style. This is a brilliant idea, it really suits the art and styling of the game. As for the art style itself, it looks beautiful. It is very similar to the art in Bastion in its use of sharp lines and vivid colours, but has unique character that is difficult to name. It promises the same depth that it's younger brother did, which will be welcomed by the indie crowd with ecstasy. 

The title refers to your main weapon. You play as a young woman who is attacked by a group of assailants. She barely fends them off, taking the strange device they dropped. As you play through  you learn more about its strange origins and unlock further abilities. It's an interesting twist on the classic heroine story, and I'm sure it will have a lot of option content that you can return and find post-completion.

They expect it out by 2014, with a Question and Answer session being held at PAX East. I'm so excited about this game, I can barely contain myself. Oh. It looks like I couldn't contain myself after all. If it is half as good as it's shaping up to be, I will get it without hesitation. One to keep an eye on, folks.

Supergiant's official site can be found here.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate: App Delayed

Hello everyone! On behalf of Fair Play Gaming, I apologize emphatically for our sporadic articles. You can tell I'm sorry, we're using long words! On a serious note, we're back and better than ever! Without further ado, let's tear in.

You may or may not be familiar with the Monster Hunter franchise. If you're Japanese, you were no doubt born with a Lagiacrus tattoo on your bottom. If you're from anywhere else, perhaps not so much. It's a huge earner in its native Japan, but other countries never really caught the fever.  But this latest installment may have changed that. Released for both the 3DS and the Wii U, this title looks to contain the classic monster hunting, weapon crafting madness. But they haven't had the best of starts.

The data relay app, which allowed shared saved between the Wii U and 3DS versions, has been pushed back. Not only that, but the packet relay tool has also been delayed. The tool is currently the only method of connecting online via the handheld 3DS, using the Wii U as a router of sorts. They're expecting to be released on March 22nd, to coincide with the European release.

This is a major disappointment, I would imagine, for Monster Hunter fans overseas. The transfer of saves in particular was a huge selling point, and fans who bought the game would be left only with disappointment. Fortunatly, this problem will not affect us in the UK. I'll still be buying the game on its release tomorrow, and reviewing it as soon as completion permits. Until then!

Further details may be found here.

New Star Wars Battlefront?

Did you love Star Wars Battlefront? I know I did, I played it with my brother quite a lot, I loved it. So when I heard there may be a new one coming at some point, my face nearly cracked with the size of my smile.

Then I read more into it, and as always, there was a caveat - Battlefront 3 will only be released if a game that is nothing like Battlefront sells well. The game in question is Star Wars: First Assault.

First Assault is said to be a downloadable 8 vs 8 shooter, one team plays as the rebels, the other as the empire. Sounds good right? Yes, I thought so too.

First Assault its self sounds pretty good, but I've seen screenshots and it just looks like a generic, bland, FPS. Which is a bad thing! One of the main things I loved about Battlefront is how much I felt like I was in the Star Wars universe, the screenshots look like they could be any interchangeable modern FPS.

Call of Duty: Clone Wars anyone?

Let's just hope that between now, and the prospective Spring release of First Assault, and if that does well the hopeful release of Battlefront 3 - things change.

The Tyranny of King Washington Episode 1: An AC DLC Review

It sounds awesome on paper: George Washington goes mad with power and turns the USA into a dictatorship. Connor, the game's protagonist, must then tap into his Native side to topple the corrupted figurehead. I snatched it up because, with a premise like that, I just had to play it. And, since we're being honest, it wasn't much fun at all.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a badly put-together addition. It was really interesting to see the fallout from abuse of the Apple's power. A piece of ancient technology, it could bring civilisations to their knees in the wrong hands. And that's exactly what happens, with the downside of turning Washington mad. IT was great to see great men such as Benedict Arnold playing ball for the bad guys.

Another awesome point to make is the atmosphere that is set. Bodies litter the Frontier, wolves run amok in large packs and the Bluecoat forces are more common than ever. Natives are being made into slaves, and you really get to dip your feet in that culture. Spirit quests, totem spirits, it's all in there. But while that is one of its greatest points, it's also one of the weakest.

About a quarter of the way through Episode 1, Connor drinks tea from the Red Willow Tree and goes on a vision quest. The journey he goes on feels less psychedelic and more lazy. You follow three wolves for a bit, then hunt down an elk by listening for its heartbeat. You kill the elk and feed it to the wolves, waking up shortly after. And then it gets downright stupid: You get the Wolf Cloak, which allows you to turn invisible. Seriously. At the cost of a regularly depleting health bar, you can go Predator on their arses. I took out an entire fort using only that.

It breaks any real element of stealth, and becomes a get-out-of-jail card. It can be used for escaping, even when your enemy is looking directly at you. You can also summon a spectral wolf pack, who aid you in battle. At least, that's the intended function. They kind of just stand there most of the time, occasionally jumping in to give you a hand.

This new DLC feels buggy and unpolished, a feeling which disappoints me but doesn't surprise me. The entire game had that feeling, so why change the theme? To wrap this brief review up, I did enjoy the 'what if' idea. What I didn't enjoy was its painfully poor execution, somewhat sloppy storytelling and lack of emotion. I would advise giving it a look if you're into alternate history. Otherwise, best to leave it.