Console Wars

Written By Joey Carole & Egan Click

When I first heard news of the Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Wii-U I was extremely excited.  What gamer wouldn't be? In the past hardware updates gave us great strides in graphics, innovative ways to play, and they allow developers to give us bigger, better games.  So as each company unveiled their new systems I immediately started weighing the differences to see which one I would use to usher in the next age of gaming.  Each company entered the console war with a different approach, Nintendo is clearly the innovator of the bunch by making the gamepad an integral part of the system.  Microsoft wants more then just a game console, they want your Xbox to play tv, music, and games with ease.  Then there's Sony, putting the vast majority of its focus on traditional gaming, and new exclusive IP's.  So which one is the best you ask? Well, read on to find an extensive breakdown of the features that set each console apart from each other.

PS4

Sony has had the best sale's numbers in the group, beating out Xbox-One and the Wii-U in console sales almost every month since launch.  The User Interface remains pretty close to the PS3, its easy to navigate, fast and responsive.  There are some cool new features such as Share-Play, Remote-Play, and Playstation Now.  Share-Play allows you to invite a friend to take control of any game your currently playing.  You'r friend can take control of your game for 60 minutes at a time allowing them to try it out, help you get passed a particularly hard part of the game, or even play against you in a local multiplayer match if the game allows it.

Remote Play requires you to have a Playstation Vita portable system.  This feature will link your PS4 and your Vita together with a quick sync.  This only needs to be done once and you can now enjoy streaming your PS4 games to your Vita.  A strong WiFi network is needed for this to work fluidly.  This feature still works if your Vita is on a separate WiFi then your PS4, it can even be connected to an LTE Hotspot.  But for a fluid and non disruptive gaming experience you will most likely need to be on the same WiFi network as your PS4, or have substantially good internet.

Playstation Now is Sony's new game streaming service.  You can either pay $20 per month, $45 for three months, or pay per game.  The prices have a very wide range on pay per game rentals, from $2 for a 4 hour rental, all the way up to $50 for a 90 day rental, and those prices change depending on the game... Really confusing but thats because the developers have some choice over the price points.  Just like Remote Play, Playstation Now requires a pretty solid connection to play fluidly.

The Dualshock 4 controller is my favorite part about Sony's new system.  It fits the hands comfortably, features a rechargeable battery, light-bar, speaker, touchpad, and a share button.  Sometimes the light-bar correlates with the game your playing, for example if your injured maybe your light-bar will pulse red.  Otherwise the only purpose it really serves is a cool accent, Sony said it will act as tracking function for their Virtual Reality headset "Project Morpheus" said to be released in the first half of 2016.  The touchpad is also a nice addition, games might have you swiping back and forth on the touchpad to open a door, or complete a more complicated action instead of just pressing "X"  Some developers put this feature to good use and a lot of them ignore its existence all together.  A quick press of the share button will let you save a screenshot or a 15 minute clip to your hard drive.   You can easily transfer these to an external hard drive and do whatever you want with them from there.

Playstation Plus will cost you $50 for a year,  Keep your eyes open and it's pretty easy to get a deal.  I got a year for $20.  Absolutely worth the price with all the free games they throw in every month.  Sony just tried it's hand at its first playstation exclusive original tv series "Powers"  which you can watch only if you have Playstation Plus.  It received mixed reviews so who knows if/when we will see another attempt at a tv show for Playstation.

The only real complaint I have is that PS4 could be a better and more friendly home network media hub.  I used to stream movies and music from my laptop to the Playstation 3 through my WiFi network flawlessly, no wires needed.  PS4 doesn't have any features to help in this department.  To sum it up PS4 is a younger, faster, stronger, version of the PS3 with some neat new features.  As cool as these new features are, they really are only cater to those willing to invest a lot of time and money into their  set up.  The monthly subscriptions can add up quick now a days and not everyone who owns a PS4 owns a Vita to go with it.

Nintendo

The Wii U has been out the longest out of the consoles and probably by now has the lowest amount of total sales.  Critics think Nintendo is in the dust riding the coat tails of the Wii and it's massive win last generation.  The main menu is identical to the Wii and also the 3DS.  It's really easy to navigate, to go online, chat on Facebook and the best part about it is I can do it from my controller.  The main menu is all tile formated in which all your apps/games are a button lined up with all your other junk.  I prefer it over the other two because it's all right in front of you after logging in.  You can move them around or put them in folders.  Since it's across all their platforms, I am completely used to it.  

Their online services are free.  So things like Miiverse, online multiplayer, and wiiu voice chat cost you no money.  The kicker is that their is no chat function in games unlike the other two where you can set up a party and talk to your friends while gaming.  The decision for it to be in the game is up to the developer and they must design it.  Certain games have used it fantastically like Monster Hunter 3 and Trine where you just have it on all the time.  Other games like Mario Kart you can only talk to people on your friend list while waiting for the next race to start.  Even though I like to chit chat with my brothers while I game, leaving it up to the developers has really opened up a discussion about the usefulness of voice chat.  Anytime I'm playing the other two systems I don't use it anyways.  Online games chat is rarely strategical or even game related.  More often its used to get a rise or a laugh, it's attention seeking behavior that never adds to the game.  I do get bummed out about it for specific games but there is so many other ways to communicate that it doesn't really matter.  The microphone is in the controller so no more uncomfortable headsets.

I was hoping for a wider game library.  Most importantly some sort of RPG to soak up a lot of time.  A few are coming out eventually but nothing that is really grandoise.  I always refer back to the Nintendo staples of Mario Kart and Smash which I am fine with.  Nintendo gets flack for releasing the same titles every generation but it works, the games are nearly perfect (no bugs/glitches/framerate issues.)  When they do publish a game that is new, like Bayonetta 2 or Xenoblade, it receives a lot of attention and is slow to be forgotten.  On average the critic reviewer scores is much higher on Nintendo exclusive games than exclusives on the other systems.  Games on Xbox One and PS4 are just starting to see high review scores that the Wii U has been sitting on for years now.  The graphics aren't as high quality but plenty of games like Lego City Undercover, Pikmin, and Bayonetta 2 have really been jaw dropping.  Especially when I get to use the controller as a first person camera in a game.  Hello VR, we've already met.

Their reward system outranks the other consoles as well because its free.  RIP Club Nintendo.  To those who weren't aware of its supremacy let me give you a run down.  Buy a game, get a code, register that code and take a survey and get points.  Wait a week and take a post play survey and get a few more points.  These points can be spent on a revolving, monthly, prize contest where you can get free games and/or physical goods.  These are mostly virtual console games (games featured on previous nintendo consoles) or t-shirts.  Once a year if your points stack up, you get a status.  Elite member, gold member, silver member. You get rewarded for buying games that you wanted in the first place.  These yearly prizes can be collector items that are only obtainable through this or digital games that are great.  They are closing it down this year and it's sad because it was way to good and a gesture you don't see enough in the gaming industry.  

Nintendo also has started implenting downloadable content in their games which has the community in desperate lockdown mode.  I've found it pleasantly alright.  I've gotten suckered into season passes in the past when the content is lackluster and the price break of 20% off is still too much.  But I first got into it for Hyrule Warriors because it was 20 for 4-5 packs.  I got it discounted from my job to under 50 so I figured why not I've liked them game after playing it the first day.  The packs are humongous and make end game content nearly infinite.  They are so daughnting that i haven't really cracked them.  I need a second person so if you are a person plz help.  SOS.  Mario Kart gave 200 CC for free and I paid 12-15 bucks for 16 new tracks, new characters and karts.  Worth it in my eyes.  Each map can be played 5 different ways (50,100,150,mirror,200.)   Sure it's still stuff that should be ingame but if it extends the shelf life of a game I love playing in house, out of the house, and online, why not?  I don't second guess it and I just buy it.  I have trust in Nintendo.  This generation might have gone by to fast but their is still some gunpowder still left in the canon.  

I like where Nintendo has went.  It helped me get out more since titles aren't holding me inside making me play them.  There has been a few games that cracked the 100+ hour mark and other games I beat in a sitting.  It has a little bit of everything and priced accordingly.

Xbox One

The XboxOne want's to be the only device left on your entertainment stand.  With the capabilities to watch live tv, stream music, play games, access app's, and even Skype it has all the features to do the job it sets out to achieve.  You can even snap the screen in to two parts so you can change the music track without interrupting your gameplay, or keep an eye on your sports game while your using Skype.  Xbox One also hosts Ea Access, not available on either of the other two systems.  EA Access is a pretty cheap $5 month or $30 a year (on top of your xbox live gold fee) to allow unlimited access to the EA vault of games.  Don't be fooled though because the "EA vault of games" doesn't include every EA game ever, they have a list somewhere of EA games that come in the vault.

Xbox's "Game's with Gold" program provides free games each month and special discounts, It is pretty much the equivalent to Sony's PS+.  It give's pretty great value and is worth the year subscription just for some of the games they give away.  If you own either Playstation or Xbox I would recommend getting Xbox Gold or PS+.

In order to watch your TV through the Xbox One your cable box or satellite has to be plugged in through the back,  So unfortunately you can't get rid of that cable box entirely.  You also must have both the cable box and the Xbox turned on so your essentially using twice the electricity to watch TV.  The voice commands are pretty cool when they work properly.  Its nice to just say pause or mute if you get a phone call instead of fiddling with a controller.  Some channel changing commands rarely work properly and its easier to do some things manually.  The "One-guide" is the Xbox One's version of a TV guide.  Depending on your cable provider this might work great or it might be really buggy.

The User Interface on the Xbox One is set up with "Tiles." These tiles allow you to set up your home screen how you want by assigning whichever applications you want to whichever tiles you want.  I like having optional customization but we only get one basic layout for these tiles and no matter how I set them up it doesn't seem to provide any extra convenience.  I find the menu navigation a little more confusing then the other systems.  The response time is also pretty poor,  I usually find myself waiting a few seconds after trying to open up my friends and achievements lists, or trying to send a party/game invite.  The other consoles seem to handle these tasks instantaneously.

I've tried using the feature to split my screen up a couple of times.  I only found it distracting while gaming but It's nice to have in case I ever do want to use my XboxOne for Skype or maybe keeping an eye on a sports game.  Xbox One also lets you save screenshot's and clips, however these can not be relocated to an external hard drive and must be uploaded the the Microsoft OneDrive (which you must have xbox live gold to use).  The controller is pretty light and can either be plugged in to a micro-usb or run on two triple A's.  It's a pretty standard video game controller, two thumbsticks, d-pad, triggers, and four main buttons.  Microsoft didn't really add anything new here.

Overall the Xbox One can carry out the broadest range of features.  It's nice to have so much going on in one box but I feel like its a little unnecessary if you already have any of the several different tech products available to us that carry out these same functions.   If Microsoft can iron out the little nuisances and glitches allowing these features to work together just a little more cohesively, the Xbox One could be king.

Recap

So if you actually made it through this whole article,  hats off to you.  You probably realize there is no sure-fire best console.  It's a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and as gamers we are extremely fortunate to have this many unique options.  Not too many years ago  the controller and the games were pretty much the only differences that separated one game system from another.  My personal console of choice is PS4, I love what they've done with the controller, I get a lot of value from PS+ and I enjoy the Sony exclusive titles more than Nintendo, or Microsoft.  My co-writer Egan chose the Wii-U because of it's innovation's, rock solid franchises, and free online services.  Xbox One has the potential to take the throne in my eyes, but I need to see some work on the User Interface and a few more great exclusives before it's there.

Bloodborne Review

(This video review contains footage of some boss fights, if you consider this a spoiler do not watch and check out the written review below!)

Gamer's have a love/hate relationship with games developed by From Software.  Their newest title, BloodBorne, is no exception.  If you need any proof that the two emotions are entangled, it waits for you here.  As you die, die, and die again endless grief fill's the space between the tv and yourself.  Only to be washed away in relief as you strike down the boss who killed you far too many times to keep track.  Such is the cycle of BloodBorne, "We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood."  A quote from the game, that to me, symbolizes what its all about.  Overcoming the extreme difficulty of From Software games feels incredibly rewarding and that's what keeps people coming back.  The mentality here is, "If I can beat BloodBorne, there's no game I can't handle."  Package all of this into a dark, gloomy, nightmarish version of Victorian London labeled Yharnam and wrap it in a psychological cryptic narrative.  The result is a game that betrays the rules of basic game design and is much better off for doing so...

Essentially a darkness has enveloped the city of Yharnam, the only citizens not turned into monsters are hidden from sight, leaving you to clean up the city and occasionally fight other Hunters like yourself.  I have mixed feelings about the story.  Nothing in this game is explained to you.  You are fully expected to figure out everything for yourself.  The only thing in this game I found even resembling a tutorial were a hand full of notes in the main hub area, called The Hunters Dream, explaining which buttons are used for attacking and which button is used to dodge.  In some ways this is refreshing and in other ways its frustrating, the same can be said for so many things in BloodBorne.  Overall letting the player figure it out for themselves work's and I only would have changed this approach with the narrative.  Yharnam appears to be so intricate, and have so much depth.  But by the time the credits scroll you still know very little about the insanely awesome bosses or characters you met in your journey.  I think a lot of RPG's are cluttered with boring lore and backstory that I usually end up skimming or skipping all together.  In BloodBorne I was hoping to find these tidbits of lore and they never came around.

The Art design in this game is stellar, from the scenery, to the monsters, to the weapons.  Gamers have been fighting monsters for decades and the ones presented for us to slaughter in BloodBorne are top notch terrifying.  The weapons are cool and unique, each one has two fighting styles that can be switched in and out mid combo.  Some of them are traditional swords or axes while others turn into maces or have guns built in.  The combat is done very well, in all of my many deaths I never really felt cheated in a way where I felt as tho I didn't deserve to die.  A feeling I'm sure many gamer's are familiar with.

The polish can be seen in every single stone that makes up the city of Yharnam.  I only wish there was a little more diversity in the area's of the game we visit.  One section has you fighting through a creepy forest which was neat but other then that the entire game feels like different rooms of the same dungeon.  The color scheme consists of grey.  Grey castles, grey bridges, and grey sewers.  There is other colors used but even the blue's in the water and on some creatures seem to have strong undertones of grey mixed in.   Red appears in the form of blood but thats about it.  This isn't a horrible thing, the game still looks great.  I understand the developers were going for dark and beautiful but I don't think that point would be lost with just a touch more color or a touch less grey.  There is also some stuttering frame rates if you happen to be fighting too many enemies at once.  

Enemies are defeated by studying the attack animations.  Each one has a variety of strong and weak attacks,  sometimes stringing them together to throw you off.  Once you learn how they move it becomes slightly less difficult to chip away at there health bars between attacks.  Even near the end, monsters I fought in the beginning of the game were able to take me down if I made a mistake.  A lot of enemies are slow enough to run past if there's a safe area on the other side but any attempt at blindly hacking and slashing your way through this game will be met with grim results.  Bosses require specific strategies and like to change up there move-sets mid fight.  I was only able to beat one boss on my first attempt while most others took me between thirty minutes to an hour.  A couple of them took me even longer.

There are so many nooks and crannies in this game that you must explore or risk missing out.  I believe nearly half of the bosses are optional and could be missed, there is no indicator if a boss is guarding the path you need to take or if they are just guarding a dead end.  Most bosses are guarding some type of reward so it's worth taking down each one you come across.  There is no map included in this game so you must try to remember which area's you have explored already.  A challenge in itself considering everything is gray.  There is multiple endings to this game, and if no one told you that you might never know.  Various actions in the game can change things and none of these actions seem to have any impact at the time.  My advice is to be cautious with the choices you make, and do not kill non threatening npc's.

There's a tricky co-op system that requires some in-game currency called insight which you use to ring a bell, if someone else is in the same area as you and also happens to be ringing a bell then they will join your game.  I asked for co-op assistance for two of the boss battles I was having issues with.  BloodBorne also contains a New Game+ mode for post game content and randomly generated dungeons for you to explore if you need a break from the main areas of the game.

Final Thoughts

The first few hours of BloodBorne will make you feel like a scared little boy lost in a busy city with nothing but a runny nose.  By the time you're finished you will be the Karate Kid.  It's a great feeling to have conquered this game, allowing you to turn each corner with confidence, but it take's time and patience to get there.  The scenery is gorgeous but lacking in diversity, weapons and creature design is top notch.  The narrative is cryptic, and ultimately really interesting, but it's so vague in it's explanations that it's very hard to appreciate in just one play-through.

Pro's

+Challenging game provides great feelings of great accomplishment

+Incredible Monster and Weapon design

+Excellent responsive combat.

Con's

-Not enough scenic diversity

-Vague narrative

-Challenging game provides great feelings of deep frusteration

Score

8.5/10

Nintendo Direct 4/1 Impressions

Written By Egan Click

Nintendo has been having an uneven year so far.  The 3DS is having a stellar year and it looks like it will keep that pace throughout with such LONG titles like Monster Hunter 4u, Xenoblade Chronicles, and countless other rpgs that take a lot of time to complete.  It also got an new version which is fantastic.  But as a Nintendo Fan Boy, I've felt out of touch with my Wii U.  Sure there are a few eshop games here and there that raise my interests but the two Nintendo published entries (Kirby and Mario Party) did not.  I felt like both those games are already showcased in other games.  There is the Wii U Party Game and Wario for party games (plus a few eshop titles too) and platformers are every where on the console.  So I already went into the Direct hoping for more focus on the Wii U.  I need a game on here that deserves some serious attention and long play sessions. All I'm using my Wii U for at the moment is to chat with my brother while we play MH.  Did I get what I was looking for?

Kind of.



What I got that is actually definitive and hard set were updates to games that I already own.  Some free and others paid content.  Mario Kart's new courses got pushed up a month which is unheard of in game development.  It's coming out on my birthday (the 23rd) and looks great.  Nintendo is also giving out a free update for 200 cc which looks like F-Zero X when you are driving.  So fast and is an easy purchase by me to get the two new dlc packs.  16 new courses between the two and new characters and karts seem like a good buy for probably 15-20.

Also Super Smash is getting updated with two new dlc characters.  Mewto and Lucas.  This is pretty neat but it's paid content.  I might get Lucas and I already get Mewto for owning both copies of the game.  I wish they would add other stuff too like maps and whatnot.  Hopefully that's in the update that comes along with the new characters.



They finally showed this game but with no release date or even time table.  It looks like an anime and I really enjoy both series so this is a must buy for me.  It looks like a turn based rpg but it was mostly a trailer that had little game play segments in it.  Keep your eye on this one.

Mario Maker got pushed into late summer early fall for Mario's 30th anniversary.  Hopefully a demo comes out for me to justify paying 40 bucks for it.  Making levels seems like a fun activity to do with friends but will any of my friends care to?  Probably not.

Yoshi is coming out in the fall and the new amiibos look adorable.  The game looks cute and co-op will be really intimate.  Date night anyone?



Splatoon is getting amiibo support too.  If they pull it off right, this game is looking to drag my Wii U into the summer along with Mario Kart.  4 v 4 third person shooter.  The game play is unique and fresh.  Team work is essential.  Going to make my mouth water thinking about Gears of War - Annex (King of the Hill mode).

Fatal Frame is getting localized and looks really crisp.  Will work perfectly with the game pad because now you can actually take pictures with your controller.  Must buy and will probably scare me out of my pj's.

Some cool looking indies like Starwahl but no dates so nothing worth talking about.  Also virtual console stuff like N64 and DS but I want NEW.

The only thing I really wanted to hear about was localisation efforts on X which is coming out in Japan at the end of the month but nothing.  Same with Star Fox and Zelda and Devil's Third.

There's a new Pokemon freemium game coming out for the 3ds which is going to be in the Rumble series.  Whatever.  I just got the shuffle and it's alright.  It's better then street pass but it's still just time filler waiting for my bro to get on MH.

New animal crossing game where you design houses.  Amiibo like cards are launching with it.  Seems kind of strange.  I love the series but am not really interested in the house design element.

New Fire Emblem that is coming out in 2016 looks amazing as I was expecting.  You are the main character, 2 alternative paths to choose from.  Must buy and will be excited.

Puzzle & Dragons is coming out in May and it's two separate games in a 30 dollar package.  If you like bejeweled or puzzle fighters then this is your type of game.  Reminds me of the customization from Shin Megami too where you can rank up your minions continuously throughout the game.  Going to play the demo before I get more for my 3ds.



Last game I'll mention is Attack on Titan.  I guess this is an anime.  It looks like a 3rd person action adventure.  The thing that really intrigued me is it's 4 player coop online.  Probably a must buy if I can convince one of my brothers to get it.  We will play any coop game.

Final Impressions

+ Variety of games coming out
+ Free updates and reasonably priced DLC
+ Splatoon and Xenoblade!

- Strange gimmicky games for very niche markets. Pokemon Rumble freemium and Animal Crossing
- Not enough Hard Dates.
- Most of this was expected.

Score
7.7

BloodBorne! First Impressions.

To Be or Not to Be

What's up everybody.  So by my guesstimation I'm just passed the half way point in Bloodborne. Newest hit by From Software games released one week ago today, well received by critics but certainly not for the casual player. From Software is the bully on the playground that actually has a lot of friends.  I'm a victim and failure of their previous game, Dark Souls 2 left me with a bloody nose on the playground.  I felt that the release of Bloodborne was in some way an opportunity for me to redeem myself.  A little nervous that it would be a lot of aggravation and very little fun I'm proud to say Its been a little aggravation, and a lot of fun.  If you decide to pick up this game, my advice is to stick with it passed the first main area which is 2 bosses in.  Around this time is when the game mechanics start to sink in, allowing you to move around this incredibly dangerous world with a little more ease.  The first few hours of the game certainly feels like walking on egg shells.

This game requires a very buddhist zen mind-set and lightning reflexes.  It's a game that teaches you how to beat your enemy by making you lose to them over and over until you've memorized their entire move-set and how to counter it.  As soon as one monster becomes an easy fight, a bigger badder one is waiting for you around the corner.  Every boss requires time to practice with a trial and error attitude, swapping out one strategy for another along with a few pieces of gear.  These bosses torment your mind the same way they torture your avatar.  You will fail many times over against these guys until you finally learn what works.  What comes next is the reason why people love this game.  After landing the final blow in a boss fight the words "Prey Slaughtered" sprawl across the screen.  It's the most rewarding, weight-lifting feeling I've gotten from playing a game.  Ever.

I do recommend playing this game with a guide handy, unless you plan on multiple play-throughs.  Reason being is there are multiple things you can/must do throughout the course of the game to unlock what's being called "The True Ending" in forums and wiki's.  If you accidentally or purposefully kill certain NPC's, make the wrong choices, or even advance past a certain point without doing certain things the "True Ending" will not be available to you.  Which really sucks given how hard it is to make progress in this game.  If you believe in salvation through suffering, or you just like pain, Bloodborne is your game.  I highly recommend it to anyone who thinks they can handle a truly difficult but highly rewarding experience.  A full review will be posted here when I manage to beat this game.  Give me a little time though cause this ones tough!

The Anticipated #1 March 2015

Welcome to The Anticipated #1.  Here to let you know what's coming in hot!

Bloodborne

by From Software, the PS4 exclusive action RPG hailed as the spiritual successor to demon souls.  Bloodborne releases March 24th.  I will be doing a review... considering I can actually beat the game.  The developer is notorious for extreme difficulty.

The challenge is not the only thing people find appealing in Bloodborne.  An Incredibly horrific backdrop painted in countless shades of grey looks beautifully terrifying. The few clips I have seen for this game feature some of the most insane creature designs since that foreign film Pan's Labyrinth.  Not to mention the developers have an already impressive track record.  Dozens of reasons to be anticipating this game.  Watch a trailer here.

My excitement level: 9/10

Mortal Kombat X

Of course were excited to pull the spine's out of the throats of our friends.  Mortal Kombat is always worth a purchase just to see all the brutal fatalities.  It seems every day now we are hearing rumors and confirmations of characters that will appear in the newest game of the series.  So far 26 fighters are confirmed with 9 still rumored for the April 14th release.  This time around we get to play as popular hollywood icon's Jason and Predator... If you pay extra for the special edition or dlc.  If you wan't to know how I feel about this check out my last post on game dlc's.

But that doesn't stop me from anticipating Mortal Kombat X.  Gamer's know what they're getting with the Mortal Kombat series, and I'm ready to consistently hand out fatalities.

My excitement level 7.5/10

Avengers: Age of Ultron

comes out may 1st! Just about a month out.  The first film made roughly $207 million dollars in its opening weekend, more then any other movie in box office history.  We will see if the sequel can take it's place.  I for one am really excited.  What's not to love about all the greatest marvel hero's in one movie?  Check out the latest trailer here!

My Excitement Level 10/10

Keep checking back for the latest reviews, news, and a look ahead at what's coming your way!

The Day the Music Died.

Written By Joey Carole

Try to remember 2002, Nickelback, Nelly, and Linkin Park are on the radio.  Spiderman, and Lord of the Rings are playing at the movies.  George W. Bush is president.  Sony and Nintendo have been dueling it out for the console crown and Microsoft just came on the scene.  It's an exciting time, a hulkish new console with green accents has entered the console war.  Also birthing xbox live and the capabilities for DLC, downloadable content.  Developers were experimenting with adding content post launch.  It was awesome, Michael Jackson was still alive and now we could see new stuff in our games months after release instead of waiting years for a sequel.  Hearing about DLC was new, we wondered what we could come to expect.  Some developers did it for free, just to keep community support strong with their game and some did it for profit, but it was usually reasonably priced and worked in everyones favor.

Jump forward to present day and the term DLC makes me feel anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering ...

Evolve by 2k has DLC coming out March 31st featuring 4 new hunters and 1 new monster The Behemoth!!!!  The 4 new hunters are all included with the $25 season pass and roughly $7 each without it.  The monster is free to anyone who pre-ordered but $15 if you did not, regardless of your season pass status.  Did you know Evolve had 44 pieces of DLC on launch day all priced between $2-$7?  If you wanted to buy all the DLC and get everything Evolve has to offer, this would cost you $60 for the game + $136 (roughly) for all the DLC and $25 for the season pass.  Your'e looking at over $200 here...  Did you get all that?

Now to play devils advocate all 44 pieces of DLC offered at launch for Evolve by 2k are purely cosmetic.  It's nothing but guns and character skins.  Meaning no matter how much money is spent there is no advantage gained over other players, which beats out some other games, *cough* Last of Us *cough*  But this is still not okay.  Skins used to be un-lockables in games usually taking some time to get, giving players something to strive for, a sense of achievement and a visual cue to opponents that you aint a noob! don't mess with the best!  Now character skins tell your opponents you paid extra money for a little video game flare... Not nearly as cool.

Now if 2k games only charged for cosmetic stuff,  I could get over it. Or a trade-off would be nice, like every 500 kills you unlock a hat or you can pay $2.  It really sucks that a player can't earn those same skins by being good at the game.  But why should I care if someone else wants to spend an extra $100 making their character look cool?

(Oblivion Horse Armor notorious as the worst paid DLC ever)

So on top of all this extra paid DLC, 2 months after release there is 4 additional Hunters and 1 additional monster you must pay to play.  This means if you don't cough up extra on top of the $60 price for the game then your missing out on almost half of the unique playable characters... This is where the developer is taking advantage. For a game with a heavy focus on multiplayer and little to no storyline leaving half of the characters locked is like missing half the game.  It's hard to say for sure but the developers most likely already did the work on this extra content but chose to with-hold it from the game at launch so they could put a squeeze on consumers later on.

It's become common practice with developers to ship locked content on your game disks, only giving you access after you pay additional fee's for DLC.  Game's such as Destiny from Mega-developer Bungie are advertised as "Massive expansive universes, ready for you to explore!" and are sold only featuring a small portion of said massive universe with "Many more planets to explore!" promised in future paid DLC patches...

It's also becoming more standard for games to come with a season pass now and they are usually priced between $20-$30, but you're rarely if ever guaranteed a time frame for the DLC included.  Or even what kind of DLC it might be.  Bioshock: Infinite promised future game content DLC with a season pass.  The game released March 26, 2013 and Part 1 of it's 2 part DLC didn't release until November, 2013.  Roughly 8 months after release, and part 2 didn't come out until  one full year after the game release.  Completely unreasonable.

Nintendo has more recently been using Amiibo's which are tiny plastic figures that are compatible with certain games.  Certain Amiibo's will unlock game-specific content depending on which figures you have.  So purchasing one Amiibo can unlock content in multiple games for you.  I'm not very familiar with this one so I can't weigh in on if the price is worth it.  Other types of dlc like micro-transactions have started to plague our games as well but that's a whole other discussion.

Now this isn't the case with all developers, some of them (CD Projekt Red) have promised free smaller DLC's such as cosmetics, maybe some extra weapons, and small missions post launch in their upcoming Witcher title.   Likely with larger content patches at a price later on.  A DLC strategy I fully support, it's handled the way DLC should be.  All content already made by the developer is put on the disk and given to the player at launch.  Anything made after launch is only charged for if the content is substantial.  It show's respect to the player.

It's unfortunate DLC has become what it is. But there's always a way to come out ahead.  Don't buy season passes unless you know what's coming with it.  Wait and see what kind of feedback it gets.  Hold off a little bit and DLC almost always drop in price or go's on sale.  Depending on how often your online, services like PS+ can get you more then you're moneys worth in free games and DLC's each month as well.  Oh, and I actually like most of the game's I talk about here even if it feels like they are being bashed! I only dislike how they treat DLC!