First Impressions: Avengers Beta (War Rooms)

Last week, I gave you some thoughts on the story mode of Avengers, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics’ massively ambitious take on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. This weekend I was able to jump back into the beta, and this time I focused more in on the War Rooms, the big selling point behind the game.

First Impressions: Avengers Beta (Story Mode)

If there’s one area that the Marvel machine has yet to conquer, it’s video games. Despite a few notable exceptions like the PS4 exclusive Spider-Man and Telltale Games’ take on Guardians of the Galaxy, video games based on the characters ruling the multiplex have been few and far between. But Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix are looking to change that with Avengers, an extremely ambitious game that looks to put a Destiny spin on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Thanks to Marvel artist Mark Brooks, I got the chance to try out the Beta earlier than most folks, and I gotta say, the potential is definitely there for this to be THE game for any Marvel fan.

First Impressions: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

The original Marvel Ultimate Alliance game is one of my all time favorite video games, so the news that the Nintendo Switch would be getting Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order as a system exclusive was extremely exciting to me. After a decade without this type of game (and after a lackluster sequel was released), I was overflowing with hype around the game. Would it rekindle the feeling I had when the first game was released? Would I find myself doing multiple play throughs with different team combinations like the first game? As I near the end of the story mode of the game, I can confidently say that all signs are pointing to yes.

Good Job, Booaaahhh

Like many people, the past few months of my life have been dominated by Red Dead Redemption II. On a near daily basis, I was riding the plains, helping passerbys, righting wrongs, occasionally causing wrongs, hunting animals, chasing bounties, and more. It’s safe to say that I got my money’s worth out of Rockstar’s latest game, and it’s earned a god-tier level among the many games I’ve played in my lifetime.

First Impressions: Spider-Man

Spider-Man has starred in his fair share of video games throughout the years, but the past few years have seen a steady decline in the quality of his interactive titles. The days of Treyarch’s Spider-Man 2 and Web of Shadows had all but disappeared by the time the Amazing Spider-Man 2 tie in game came around (a game that somehow pissed me off even more than the movie did). For a long time, it seemed like I’d have to settle for getting my web-swingin’ fix from the regular Lego Marvel games released every few years or so.

Until this past Friday, when Insomniac’s Spider-Man was released.

Spotlight on Token’s Taproom!

Barcades are typically something you’d find in larger cities like Boston, New York, or Chicago, so having one in my hometown was a real treat. For a long time I’ve heard of these fabled locations that housed both arcade games and beer, but never got the chance to check them out. That is, until now, with the opening of Token’s Taproom. I don’t typically highlight local bars in these columns, but after stopping in two weeks in a row, I felt like I had to join the chorus of praise for this awesome place.

First Impressions: God of War

When it was announced that Santa Monica Studios would be dipping into the world of God Of War for a fourth entry, I, like many, just assumed we’d be getting the same game as the previous entries in the franchise, but in a new mythological setting. But when I started up the fourth entry in the series, simply titled God of War, I wasn’t prepared for what I was going to get. Gone is the intense, action packed uber violent combat. In its place is an over the shoulder, tightly focused evasive style of fighting, albeit one that is still violent. The main character, Kratos, isn’t even interested in hunting down the gods of the new Nordic realm that he’s made a life in. In fact, the main crux of the story of this new entry is his quest to bring his wife’s ashes to the highest peak in the realm. Alongside his son, Atreus, Kratos makes the long journey to the peak, all while new enemies try to prevent him from reaching his goal.

Video Game Review: Injustice 2

Injustice 2 (2017)

Developer: Netherrealm Studios

Consoles: PS4, Xbox ONE

In nearly every sense of the word, Injustice 2 is an improvement. From the graphics, to the game play, to the sheer depth of things to do, Injustice 2 absolutely changes and updates everything that was great about the original game (which was quite a lot). The new “loot system” customization options for characters is both overwhelming and addictive, and ensures that you’ll never be able to stop saying “okay, just one more match” whenever you fire it up.

Let Me Take You For A Ride?

The latest rumor to overtake the Internet is the possible reveal of Marvel vs. Capcom 4. After a mysterious “4” logo popped up on social media with the logos for Marvel and Capcom at the bottom, the video game community exploded into a frenzy. Some are believers, and others (like myself) are major doubters. But, if Marvel and Capcom were able to get together for another brawl, what would it look like?

Does Whatever a PS4 Can

For a while now, this Spider-Man fan has been suffering. Since the release of Shattered Dimensions 5 years ago, Spider-Man games have routinely dipped in quality, bottoming out with the Amazing Spider-Man 2 video game, which somehow had a worse Green Goblin than the one in the movie. With my other favorite superhero kicking ass and taking names with the Arkham series, why was Spider-Man being delegated to decreasing returns as the consoles got more and more powerful? All I needed was a studio to take the reins on the character and return him to his former video game glory.