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Urban-themed open-world adventure "E-ring" trial preview: as beautiful as the trailer

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 19:55:16 +0800

On September 22, the offline testing event for "E-ring" allowed players to experience the prologue and first chapter of the game's main storyline on PC, along with about an hour of free exploration.

Since I didn’t skip any dialogues or cutscenes during the main storyline, it took about an hour and a half to complete, leaving little time for free exploration. Although I got to experience some of the highlighted features from the first PV, such as driving, buying a house, and battling motorcycle bosses, I still felt like I only explored a small part of the map and was left wanting more.

The producer stated that the version we played would differ significantly from the final version; mainly, the playable areas were limited and some subsystems were not implemented. However, the main storyline and some attractive features from the PV were available for testing. While exploring the game's large map, I encountered few noticeable bugs, especially enjoying the feeling of free climbing and searching for items.

From my subjective experience, even in its incomplete form, "E-ring" basically achieves the highlighted features shown in the previous PV. The camera work, character performances, and voice acting during story cutscenes were all quite impressive.

There’s a radio to listen to while driving. The combat design combines stylish action with convenient controls, making it very easy to get started. Teaming up with teammates to execute flashy combo moves to finish off enemies feels seamless. Besides a few areas in the city that felt a bit empty due to the lack of exploration and interaction content, I was deeply impressed by "E-ring," which closely aligns with the theme of "urban open-world supernatural." It is undoubtedly a strong competitor in the 2D open-world genre.

New urban legends + containment elements + urban culture One and a half hours was just enough to fully experience the prologue and first chapter of the game. The voice acting, camera work, storytelling pace, and the blend of exploration and combat all demonstrated high completion levels, indicating little difference from the final version.

The game takes place in a modern metropolis called Hightlow, with technology levels similar to our current reality, featuring skyscrapers and busy transportation lines. It is currently troubled by various evil "anomalies," causing objects to disappear mysteriously and distorting the spatial structure of entire facilities, even creating "twisted corpses" to attack intruders.

The protagonist has lost their memory but possesses an extraordinary perception of "singularities" that can eliminate anomalies, leading to an invitation from the head of the anomaly management bureau, Elphied, to join the external agency, Ebon Antiquities. Along with the team in the antiquities shop, they take on various tasks to eliminate anomalies while managing the shop.

Of course, the details of the storyline are rich, with many hints about identity and world-building buried in the first two chapters; for spoiler prevention, I will only provide a brief overview.

Locker anomaly The game’s story naturally combines urban legends and anomaly containment gameplay, using common facilities and items to build suspense and create exploration scenarios, such as endlessly extending subway cars and vending machines that suddenly become enemies. The atmosphere of several story cutscenes was well done, and the shocking moments were executed without dragging on, truly reflecting the producer's idea of "creating game content around urban life."

Another highlight of the storyline is undoubtedly the natural, genuine character performances and meticulous cutscene arrangements. Honestly, the 2D open-world genre has become increasingly niche, and fewer creators are finding ways to eliminate the "awkwardness" of 2D performances. "E-ring's" cutscenes are a positive example, particularly with the character Mint, who, while having her own highlights, captivated my attention more with her candid and endearing personality than with any occasional fan service moments, which is quite rare.

Accessible and exciting combat experience Players can form teams of up to four people. In this version, besides the protagonist, only Mint, Nanali, and Sayaka could join. Each character has distinct weapons and attack rhythms, with some able to perform ranged attacks. However, the combat process is not very complex, even having no entry barriers, as characters basically have normal attacks, small skills, and ultimate moves, with simple UI and operation.

The typical combat flow involves spamming normal attacks, watching teammates' icons for combo opportunities, and pressing the key for that character when their icon shows lightning effects. After a flashy combo animation, players return to the cycle of normal attacks to charge energy until the ultimate move is ready for use.

This is, of course, under normal circumstances. When I first encountered the mysterious motorcycle enemy "Headless Iron Rider" from the PV, I found its strength significantly higher than the common wild creatures or side bosses on the map, highlighting the importance of perfect dodging.

Successful perfect dodges trigger special effects and brief bullet-time effects. As an open-world RPG, leveling up the team is the most effective way to face strong enemies. After using some materials given in the test version to significantly boost the protagonist's level, I was able to easily defeat the motorcycle boss.

From my perspective, while the combat design is excellent and the special effects are top-notch, the lack of depth in controls leaves a somewhat formulaic impression. I wonder if future systems will supplement this. However, the requirement to consume "dodge beads" (maximum of three) when dodging leaves ample room for imagination, suggesting that various challenging boss battles could be designed around this system.

Thoughtful urban exploration experience Due to time constraints and much of the content not being implemented, I could only have a superficial experience with a few systems from the PV during the exploration phase.

First, regarding the much-discussed driving system, this version features four types of vehicles, including two sports cars, one SUV, and one sedan, which can be summoned after purchase. The detail of needing to enter from the left side of the car is commendable. However, the driving feel and detail are not very refined, resembling the experience of driving a toy car that won’t break.

Each vehicle has different attributes and can be modified. High-speed handling becomes difficult, and there are collision feedback effects when hitting other vehicles or obstacles, but if players seek a more realistic and complex driving feel, the current version clearly falls short.

The challenge of free urban exploration lies in the mobile platform’s limitations, where many creators resort to placing items on rooftops, turning urban exploration into "rooftop exploration." The current version of "E-ring" exhibits this tendency, often requiring players to find suitable paths to climb various buildings' rooftops to touch collectibles or defeat bosses.

However, the development team has also hidden numerous exploration items and random battles in many everyday facilities and scenes, creating a well-rounded exploration experience. With almost all walls and obstacles being climbable, even this not fully developed map felt engaging while I wandered around, which is quite rare.

Conclusion The excellent first PV for "E-ring" raised many players' expectations, and like many others, I had doubts about whether the game could realize its ambitious designs. However, after several hours of gameplay, despite noticeable content gaps, the foundational structure of "E-ring" did not disappoint. In simpler terms, the promises made earlier largely came true, and the quality of cutscenes and character performances brought me significant surprises.

I specifically drove around recklessly to explore the freedom of the map, discovering many secluded areas I initially thought were inaccessible, although the lack of content made the overall map feel somewhat empty.

Beyond anomaly elimination (combat), urban exploration, and storyline progression, "E-ring" leaves ample room for imagination, and I eagerly await its refined presentation to players.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of the Rift Review - Farewell Semli

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:19:33 +0800

The "Trails" series has finally reached its 20th anniversary. Starting from "Trails in the Sky," the story triggered by that song has gradually expanded from two young protagonists to an extremely vast world view with dozens of major characters.

"Trails of the Rift" is about 90% complete—this is what President Kondo mentioned in an interview earlier this year. From the first encounter in Semlia to the subtitle of the fourteenth main installment, "Farewell, Semlia," it seems to suggest the impending conclusion of the "Trails" story.

It’s like following a series; although "Trails to Azure" had little impact on the main storyline, just witnessing the moment when the characters I've invested hundreds of hours in achieve their bonds is my motivation to follow the president to the end.

Inheritance and Evolution of GameplayThe gameplay mechanics of "Rift" inherit from "Azure 2," with real-time battles in the field, turn-based command battles, and circuit-building all consistent with the previous installment. While it's familiar territory for veteran players, the series has accumulated many elements, and new players may need extra time to familiarize themselves with the tutorial entries.

On this basis, the game has added some embellishing systems: Awakening, B.L.T.Z., and Z.O.C. B.L.T.Z. and Z.O.C. are mechanisms available to all characters; B.L.T.Z. can be seen as an expanded version of the previous game's S.C.L.M., requiring the AT reward "Gale" to activate.

When activated, a random backline character will join in support, enhancing combat skills and magic power, or boosting recovery and support skill effects. This can also trigger alongside S.C.L.M. attacks, allowing three characters to attack in one turn. The battle scenes are quite lively, and backline characters gain actual combat roles rather than just extra experience.

Z.O.C. can be activated directly in the field or initiated in turn-based battles to enable full amplification status. When triggered, the speed of monsters in the field becomes significantly slower, allowing players to safely knock enemies into a stunned state. In turn-based combat, Z.O.C. allows characters to break speed limits for consecutive actions, often enabling four or five consecutive turns, from buffing to bursting, creating a complete cycle. Some combat-focused characters gain substantial advantages from this system.

Awakening is a unique ability for certain characters, such as Van's Demon Armor form and Rean's Divine Unity. In a fully charged state, it can be activated directly in the field. This not only boosts all stats but also allows overwhelming power to ignore the enemy's strong attacks, maintaining a continuous assault. When distributing chips in turn-based combat, it can sustain enhanced status, greatly enhancing the combat experience.

The amplification gauge is easily filled, allowing players to freely engage strong enemies, effectively transforming "Trails" into a style reminiscent of "Ys."

Additionally, there's a delightful element: the return of the angel sheep "Pom." Like in the 2D era of "Trails," Pom will flee upon seeing a person, being in a high evasion state, requiring chip scans to hit it in the field.

Typically, utilizing the Z.O.C. mechanism allows players to encounter all Poms, and once in turn-based combat, an S-tech bombardment can be used, yielding consistently high rewards. Particularly, the Seven Star Stones are often given at 999 each, significantly altering the grind introduced since the transition to 3D. Even though there are still dozens of characters to develop, the speed of development has been elevated by Pom.

While "Azure 2" is on par with "Flash 2" in terms of narrative weight, it boasts rich gameplay content, which carries over into "Rift." Mini-games, card games, stealth, and hacking are all present in "Rift."

The "Black Courtyard," adapted from "Fairy Garden," has improved in terms of grinding, changing from route selection to a more Roguelike board mode. Players can freely choose from rewards, encounters, buff enhancements, or random events without being forced to grind through monsters.

The rewards from various events have also been enhanced, sometimes allowing players to find Pom squares directly on the board to unlock Pom reward stages, providing significant positive feedback.

Moreover, the previous dull card drawing method has been replaced by the straightforward "Interpret Magic Book," allowing for 100 consecutive draws without animation, resulting in a much smoother experience.

A Hearty Dive Amidst FillerWhile discussing "Trails" inevitably involves talking about the narrative, this time "Farewell, Semlia" offers a story worth viewing, so I won’t delve into details, only sharing my personal impressions.

First of all, rest assured that "Rift's" story doesn't suffer from the same excessive filler as "Azure 2." It advances the main story by 20%, with further explanations regarding the universe and treasures beyond. However, correspondingly, the game digs a bigger hole at the ending, leaving players concerned if the protagonists’ story will conclude in future "Rift 2."

The narrative is divided into three lines: Van's Agency Line, Rean's Imperial Heroes Line, and Kevin's Picnic Squad Line.

Van's storyline is the most significant, featuring many key and exciting moments, though there are still traces of filler at these connection points. Lackluster daily story arcs and 4SPG toilet humor occupy much of the content, making the process feel slightly prolonged and dragging.

Rean's storyline is much tighter, with the grown-up members of Thor's more mature in their actions. Unfortunately, aside from Fie and Black Rabbit, other new and old Class VII members don’t appear, only existing in nostalgic dialogue, presumably to set up the next installment.

The high-stakes battle between Rean and Clot has transformed into a mechanism similar to Demon Armor combat, retaining the skill that consumes a turn to recover. There’s also a gathering of members from the Eight Leaves One Blade style, alongside the debut of the Sword Saint, making Rean's storyline my personal favorite in this installment.

Kevin’s Picnic Squad story is much lighter, serving as a breather amidst tense narratives. Although it’s a pity Liza didn’t appear, watching the interactions between 3 and 9, the antics of the big guy, and Kevin's various quips are still quite entertaining.

Overall, while the narrative remains predictable, there are still touching points, and nostalgia can boost its score. However, for new players, the abundance of names and events, combined with convoluted jargon, makes comprehension difficult, even with the built-in encyclopedia.

Conclusion"Trails of the Rift" still suffers from narrative filler issues, but fortunately, this installment significantly advances the main storyline. Alongside the compact Rean line and lighter Kevin line, both nostalgic and exciting elements are abundant.

The combat and gameplay mechanisms accumulated throughout the series present a rich state in this installment, and even appear complex for new players.

With more exhilarating field battles, faster-paced command battles, and enhanced efficiency after the return of the angel sheep "Pom," this installment provides an interesting play experience.

As the new title for the series’ 20th anniversary and with the storyline pushed to 90%, "Rift" may not be ideal, but it lays a decent foundation for the conclusion. I only hope that the president can fill all the gaps in the final 10% of "Rift 2," providing a satisfactory ending for us who have followed the series for 20 years.

Score: 8.0 Points

Pros:

New mechanisms enhance combat excitement
Return of angel sheep lowers grind
Significant advancement of the series’ main storyline
Nostalgia and engaging old character stories coexist

Cons:

Complex combat mechanisms increase learning curve for new players
Van's storyline has some filler
The ending digs a bigger hole

"StarCraft: Remastered" and "StarCraft II: Campaign Collection" to Join XGP

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:12:44 +0800

Phil Spencer announced that "StarCraft: Remastered" and "StarCraft II: Campaign Collection" will join PCGP/XGPU on November 5.

"Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings" Release Date Announcement

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:09:24 +0800

Enter Hobbiton and create your own Hobbit. Although it hasn't officially become the certified Hobbiton village yet, you can work together with everyone to help this quaint little town thrive. Whether it's decorating your Hobbit home, tending to your garden, fishing by the clear pond, foraging for fruits and herbs in the wild, or trading with the townsfolk, you can experience the serene and comfortable pastoral life right at your doorstep. You can also prepare meals to host fellow Hobbits and strengthen your bonds. "Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings" will be available on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC on March 25, 2025.

"The Axis Unseen" Gameplay Demonstration

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:03:57 +0800

"The Axis Unseen" is a heavy metal horror game created by members who worked on "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" and "Fallout." Hunt nightmarish monsters from ancient folklore in a mysterious open world, collect their enhanced sensory powers, and explore elemental arrows. But be careful, as hunters can also become prey. The game will be available on PC this October.

"The Legend of Zelda™: Echoes of Wisdom" Release Promotional Video

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 21:59:40 +0800

Unidentified rifts have appeared throughout the vast land of Hyrule, causing a phenomenon called "Divine Concealment" that engulfs people and objects. The swordsman Link has also vanished due to this concealment. The surviving Princess Zelda encounters the fairy "Toly" and receives the incredible wand "Toly's Wand" from him. To save the people and Link, Princess Zelda and Toly embark on a journey across Hyrule. Princess Zelda can utilize the power of Toly's Wand to unleash the ability of "Replication," allowing her to duplicate various items throughout Hyrule. In the Hyrule world, where Link is lost, fate is entirely in Princess Zelda's hands. "The Legend of Zelda™: Echoes of Wisdom" is now available on the Switch platform.

Delta Operation: A Rising Force in FPS with Fewer Weaknesses

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 21:54:39 +0800

In the gaming world, it’s rare for a few "annual staples" to completely dominate a category. While many genres have influential evergreen series like "Final Fantasy," "Monster Hunter," "Pokémon," and "Diablo," the gaps between each official sequel often stretch for several years, preventing annual fatigue.

Today, when discussing the most significant annual gaming genres, FPS ranks high, with the "Call of Duty" and "Battlefield" series firmly holding market and player attention due to years of brand accumulation and technical expertise. Many instinctively associate FPS with these two games—one focuses on close-to-medium-range combat, while the other offers an irresistible semi-open battlefield experience with various vehicles. Fortunately, the industry saw a surge with "Escape from Tarkov," which revitalized traditional FPS gameplay with its innovative hardcore search and extraction mechanics.

Among the major new entrants trying to carve a niche in this field, "Delta Operation" stands out as one of the most anticipated titles. Beyond its decades-long classic IP, popular gameplay modes of large-scale battles and search and extraction, a rich customization system, and distinctive operator characters, what resonates with me more after several playtests is a sense of ambition. After refining their craft through titles like "Crossfire" and "Call of Duty Mobile," the studio behind "Delta Operation" aims to deliver an immersive and innovative experience for FPS enthusiasts across multiple platforms.

The approachable and flexible "Warzone" mode The game’s "Warzone" mode, commonly referred to as "treasure hunting," primarily aims to collect resources on the map and successfully extract them, selling them for currency to purchase stronger weapons, armor, mods, items, and ammunition, enhancing players' base attributes and weapon capabilities to improve survival rates and establish a self-sustaining economic loop.

The mode's primary appeal lies in the risk-reward dynamic: once players are killed or fail to extract, all equipment taken in will be lost (most likely looted by enemies), leading to substantial financial loss. Clearly, high initial investment in gear increases the likelihood of high returns, but a single misstep can result in total loss—I’ve seen streamers lose millions in gear. This thrilling experience of life and death amidst ups and downs is a core attraction for countless players worldwide.

Some survival extraction games are labeled "hardcore" mainly due to their realistic yet traditionally FPS-contradictory mechanics, such as manually loading bullets, no crosshairs in UI, and no visible remaining magazine count. While these features are integral to their unique charm, drawing many players for a sense of realism, they also pose significant barriers to newcomers. After multiple tests and extensive feedback, the developers decided to retain the core extraction mechanics while aligning weapon controls with common FPS standards, combining highly realistic firearm details and a solid feel with traditional player habits, effectively lowering the entry barrier for new players.

The shooting mechanics received widespread acclaim during the initial limited testing, with realistic recoil settings and bullet dispersion that may initially challenge new players. However, with the weapon customization system allowing fine-tuning, many discovered changes in shooting feedback, gradually appreciating the nuanced yet authentic firearm experience, returning to the essence of shooting enjoyment. Furthermore, the development team created detailed reloading and weapon-switching animations for dozens of firearms, ensuring no detail was overlooked, which, combined with realistic military-themed skins, piqued many newcomers’ interest before they even started playing.

In terms of map design, regardless of size, areas close to extraction points are divided into several distinctly graded difficulty zones. New players wishing to avoid confrontation or compete for high-value caches can enter less combative maps in a "bare-bones" state, defeating AI enemies and scavenging various containers for items of different tiers, then extracting calmly.

It’s worth noting that peripheral areas may also yield valuable loot, aiding new players in familiarizing themselves with maps and building confidence. As players master map layouts and operator traits, they’ll find the skill synergies between different operators merit deeper exploration.

Undoubtedly, the operator system is one of "Delta Operation's" most notable features. Currently, the game includes seven operators, each possessing unique tactical gear and items beyond firearms, ensuring every team member plays an irreplaceable role. This design compels players to consider appropriate tactical approaches and operational logic based on character choices, effectively catering to diverse player needs and abilities.

For instance, skilled streamers on various platforms predominantly favor high-mobility operators like the Dragon and Red Wolf, leveraging their abilities for impressive multi-kills; meanwhile, the Bee Medic, recognized as the most beginner-friendly operator, excels in area healing and quick support, making her invaluable on the battlefield.

Among the most surprising operators is the Hacker. Not only does she have an appealing appearance and a Cantonese accent, but her key item, the "Signal Decoder," can instantly reveal the number and approximate location of nearby enemies, a feature that has left many accustomed to playing stealthily in "Warzone" distressed.

The highly practical gear and tactics, along with thoughtfully designed operator roles, allow players to utilize smoke cover, powerful healing, and wall-bouncing explosives creatively. Whether focused on searching, high mobility, or direct assault, players can find strategies that suit their playstyle, ensuring enjoyment of the extraction experience without facing overwhelming hardcore designs or seasoned players right away.

The "Warzone" mode will feature four maps: Zero Dam, Longbow Valley, Aerospace Base, and Baksh, themed around the Asara resistance, natural landscapes, and showcasing Havoc Corp's cutting-edge technology. Each map varies significantly in size, types of strongholds, building styles, and outdoor scenery, with Longbow Valley’s vast vistas concealing hidden dangers, while the Aerospace Base is filled with buildings, stairwells, and assembly areas that have witnessed countless intense battles.

Additionally, the game features a unique Mandel Brick puzzle escape mechanic. Simply put, Mandel Bricks are special, randomly respawning rewards. Successfully extracting them allows players to unlock various weapon appearances with keys and sell them for triangular tokens, which can be exchanged for weapon skins in the shop. Given their rarity, the process of acquiring them is certainly not easy.

Players often need to fight their way to the core area to obtain Mandel Bricks. Once picked up, other players can see your location on the map, and you must carry the bricks to a decryption point for a 4-minute decoding process. Successfully holding this position yields rewards, as undeceoded Mandel Bricks are nearly worthless. Outside of skirmishes, trench warfare, and attrition battles, tactical teamwork can help avoid conflict, such as leaving two teammates to draw fire while the brick carrier exits from special extraction points. In related streams, some broadcasters employed tactics like "feinting" to confuse enemies into aiming in the wrong direction, extracting Mandel Bricks with minimal cost, providing fresh insights for players like me struggling with direct combat—there's another way to play the game.

Being able to traverse land and air defines "Full Battlefield." From my hands-on experience, the "Full Battlefield" mode in "Delta Operation" has an entirely different pace and atmosphere. You can only truly grasp the subtle balance that sets it apart from the search and extraction mode by playing it. It's hard to imagine that these two modes could coexist in the same game and share the operator mechanics.

Once players enter combat in this mode, they are immediately enveloped in an atmosphere reminiscent of a real battlefield, with varied attack routes and layered defensive nodes. Players have a clear sense of purpose and direction, avoiding disorientation from the map's vastness. They can advance on foot or use various vehicles, including armored cars, tanks, armed helicopters, and assault boats, to help capture points.

These heavy firepower units can facilitate tactics like infantry-armor coordination and air support while utilizing large-caliber weapons for easy scene destruction, effectively dismantling enemy defenses. This aligns with the roles of these vehicles in reality, adding tactical variation to the Full Battlefield gameplay.

The tactical gear and items of each operator chosen by players significantly impact the expansive battlefield, especially since the mode supports up to 32×32 players compared to the three-person squads in the search and extraction mode, allowing for more creative combinations. After several rounds of testing and adjustments, the offensive options and pathways are increasing, while the balance of power between attackers and defenders is steadily improving. Issues raised by some streamers, such as obstacles causing player entrapment and limb damage, have been addressed, allowing players to focus better on the combat experience.

Before entering the battlefield, players must clarify their desired responsibilities, combat inclinations, and roles within the team, then select an operator—whether assault, support, engineer, or scout. Each class has its strengths, but they achieve greater synergy when combined, exemplifying that 1+1 can equal greater than 2. For instance, while the assault class provides essential mobility and firepower, without the support class's smoke cover, ammunition resupply, and timely healing, they could easily become overwhelmed by a defensive engineer entrenched with a machine gun.

The current maps have cleverly designed elements, including area size, elevation differences, and obstacle placements, creating varied battle environments that include open outdoor spaces, tight indoor areas, diverse cover options, and flanking routes. Despite the intense player-versus-player combat, the actual experience remains refreshingly distinct each time.

For example, in the "Ash Zone," the supply warehouse is easy to defend but hard to attack. Conventional thinking suggests rushing the front entrance against entrenched machine guns and fire points. However, if players can use vehicles to create new assault points, it can significantly alter the battle's dynamics. In "Critical Point," defenders seem easily positioned to snipe enemies emerging from underground passages. Still, attackers can effectively mitigate distant threats through coordinated infantry and vehicle tactics. Additionally, being in high ground doesn’t guarantee safety; a careless moment might lead to an assault from above by an armed helicopter.

Players must constantly consider their roles, teammates' positions, whether to flank or engage directly, and adapt to the tactical changes brought by various vehicles and environmental destruction, making every combat experience full of unpredictability, each entry offering a different game feel.

Since its first reveal with cinematic-quality story animations in 2023, "Delta Operation" has garnered attention not just for blending two popular gameplay styles and featuring top-notch firearm mechanics. The "Black Hawk Down" campaign mode, although not launched today, cleverly intertwines nostalgia with a fresh worldview and story setting. The conflict between Havoc Corp and the Asara resistance adds depth to players' connections with their characters, tasks, and the critical Mandel Bricks, going beyond mere combat to trigger thoughtful engagement.

For a major FPS title, achieving broader impact hinges on narrative continuity and completeness, which subtly enhances player involvement and IP loyalty. I’m pleased to see "Delta Operation" is diligent in this aspect.

From its announcement to the first test and today’s full launch, "Delta Operation" has undoubtedly achieved notable breakthroughs in various areas. It successfully unifies visual quality and gameplay feel across both PC and mobile platforms; despite having two vastly different modes in content and pacing, players' experiences maintain a rare consistency.

By observing various content creators' experience videos across different testing phases, it's clear their critiques have evolved from foundational gameplay and content structure issues to more specific concerns like item drop rates and balance, indicating that "Delta Operation," through player feedback, is gradually refining itself. This allows inherent advantages like visual quality and shooting mechanics to shine. We have reason to believe that today’s launch is just the beginning; this game is poised to usher in a true wave of transformation and enhancement in the FPS genre.

Marvel Rivals: A New Superhero PVP Shooter With 25 Heroes to Choose From

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:04:56 +0800

On September 19, the offline trial session of the superhero PVP team shooting game "Marvel Rivals," licensed by the official Marvel IP and developed by NetEase, was held in Hangzhou. This was my first hands-on experience with this highly anticipated new release. Although my hands-on experience lasted only about an hour, it was still enough for me to understand the game's basic gameplay, system features, and core hero abilities.

A Massive Number of Heroes Accurately Recreates the Charm of the Originals

In the current beta version of the game, there are a total of 25 heroes to choose from, including (forgive me as I start naming names, but this may be important for fans) Banner (Hulk), Punisher, Storm, Loki, Doctor Strange, Mantis, Captain America, Rocket Raccoon, Hela, Black Panther, Groot, Swordsman, Frostflower Snow, Iron Man, Venom, Spider-Man, Magneto, Scarlet Witch, Thor, Winter Soldier, Penny Parker, Star-Lord, Namor, Adam Warlock, and Jeff the Land Shark.

Since the development team mainly referred to Marvel Comics rather than MCU movies or games, the character designs generally reveal a simplicity and sharpness reminiscent of the comic originals. In their default appearance, there aren’t many modern modifications or out-of-place decorations, and the characters' expressions are quite fitting. Overall, the design closely reflects the feeling given by the originals. Therefore, as a comic fan, I feel a strong connection with the character designs in "Marvel Rivals," especially when seeing the 2D animated characters on the main interface, which further enhanced my affection for the game.

Secondly, from the character selection, you can see that although the roster includes highly popular heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, and Doctor Strange, it also includes relatively niche characters like Mantis, Frostflower Snow, and Jeff the Land Shark. However, judging by the quality of the character designs, battle animations, and skill designs, the development team didn't neglect the niche heroes. Even these lesser-known characters have excellent animations and first-class designs, especially the adorable Jeff, who has already inspired many fan-made animations and art from players overseas.

Lead designer Guang Guang stated that this already generous hero lineup will continue to expand for the official launch on December 6, and the team plans to release new heroes at a fairly high frequency. This is mainly because the development team has signed a full Marvel heroes license with Marvel Games, meaning they do not need to obtain individual permissions from Marvel to start development. Which heroes to include and when to release them depends mostly on the game's content updates, such as new seasons, themes, and storylines. So, if your favorite character hasn't appeared in the lineup yet, don't worry—there's a good chance they'll make a grand appearance soon.

Synergy Exists Between Some Heroes

Low Entry Barrier, Emphasis on Teamwork Currently, there are three roles for heroes: Strategist (support), Duelist (damage dealer), and Defender (tank). The operation difficulty ranges from 1 to 5 stars. This rating doesn’t represent the hero's strength or importance in the team. For example, Spider-Man, due to his web-swinging mechanic, has a 5-star difficulty, while Scarlet Witch has a 1-star difficulty. However, if her skills and ultimate are used properly, she can deal massive AoE damage to enemies.

The role of a hero is determined more by their designated role than by their star rating. For instance, tanks have high health and, combined with mobility or defensive skills, can withstand prolonged attacks from damage dealers. If supported by a healer, they can endure significant damage. On the other hand, damage dealers, especially long-range ones, are fragile and can lose health quickly in duels, but they have a low learning curve, like Rocket Raccoon and Star-Lord, who mainly use firearms and have simple, intuitive abilities.

Strategists (support) offer more variety and aren’t limited to traditional "healer" roles. For example, Loki can create multiple clones to distract enemies. These clones don’t move or attack, but they have high health and can effectively draw enemy attention when placed strategically. This perfectly aligns with Loki's personality and abilities from the comics.

In terms of combat, "Marvel Rivals" mainly adopts a "ground-based" battle system. Although many heroes can fly in the comics, most actions and combat in the game happen on the ground. Even characters like Scarlet Witch and Star-Lord can’t stay airborne for long.

This design choice helps balance the game but also has its downsides. For example, tank-heavy teams with support can be very hard to break. Though attacking teams might try to flank them, there aren’t many viable paths, which might frustrate fans of heroes who can fly in the comics.

The character movements in the game feel stable and similar to those in Valve's "Deadlock," but this is a TPS MOBA game with a long time-to-kill and complex mechanics. "Marvel Rivals," as a fast-paced, high-intensity PVP hero shooter, could benefit from a faster tempo.

Conclusion

Many people's first impression of "Marvel Rivals" may be that its art style is somewhat similar to "Overwatch." However, for Marvel IP fans—especially comic fans—once you start playing, you'll quickly realize its unique charm. Beneath the high-quality and faithful superhero designs lies an easy-to-learn system, deeply explored skills, and intense, team-based combat. Whether you're a seasoned fan of competitive shooters or just here for the Marvel IP, you'll find something to enjoy in the game. And since the game is free, it’s sure to generate a lot of attention when it officially launches on December 6.

Enotria: The Last Song Review – Complex RPG with Performance Issues

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 22:53:31 +0800

Apart from the basic elements of combat, Enotria: The Last Song indeed has its unique aspects when it comes to breaking out of the "Souls-like" design framework. However, the game's obscure and complex RPG system, along with performance issues like unstable frame rates during critical moments, truly prevent this title from stepping into the center stage of the show.

Street Fighter 6 "Terry" Launch Promotional Video

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 22:50:31 +0800

The content of the 2nd added character of Year 2, "Terry," in Street Fighter 6 has now been released in three game modes. In "World Tour," new missions have been added; in "Fighting Center," show off the newly acquired moves and actions to Fighters all over the world; in "Battle Arena," you can enjoy added stories and combo training, among other content.