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Valor Mortis Is A First-Person Soulslike That Tries Too Much

Valor Mortis Is A First-Person Soulslike That Tries Too Much https://ift.tt/Xk2BUfe The soulslike genre has been around long enough now that it's easy to pick out its most recognizable traits. Whether it's managing stamina in combat, the risk of losing progression with each death, health items and enemies that respawn when you reach a bonfire, lantern, or some other recognizable checkpoint; all of the best in the genre adapt these in their own distinct ways.  Valor Mortis is no different, but attempts to stand out through its shift in perspective. By moving the action to a first-person view, Valor Mortis affords itself novelty, which works well with snappy and satisfying combat that rewards deft parries and patience in equal measure. But it's also marred by a weak story and sluggishly paced opening hours that betray the more captivating moments in its second half, where Valor Mortis' most interesting narrative beats and combat encounters finally deliver on some of ...
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Alan Wake 2 Is What You Get When Remedy Believes In Itself

Alan Wake 2 Is What You Get When Remedy Believes In Itself https://ift.tt/nimZw7Y

When we last spoke to Sam Lake about the long and winding road to getting Alan Wake 2 made, he said, "What we have now as Alan Wake 2--I'm so happy it's this version. I'm so happy we did not get the opportunity to go with the earlier ones because I'm still very excited about this creation and what we are doing with it." While I never doubted the authenticity of the sentiment, it wasn't until I played it myself that I really understood what Lake meant.

I played close to two hours of Alan Wake 2, and, in numerous respects, it was impressive. Lake's quote specifically referenced the shift to survival horror and, based on limited slices of the game, it's already clear that was the right call. There are core mechanics carried over from the first Alan Wake that just make so much more sense in this Resident Evil 4-inspired survival-horror mold. The gameplay systems now feel like a vital part of a cohesive whole, as opposed to a fun gimmick with limited mileage layered on top of a thriller-themed action game.

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As a longtime fan of the studio, however, the most exciting thing for me wasn't how good it felt to burn away the shrouds of darkness enveloping enemies before firing gunshots. Nor was it investigating an environment and piecing clues together to open up a lock. Or even soaking up the unsettling atmosphere of the Dark Place, a surreal alternate dimension that now serves as Wake's prison. What really stuck with me was the pervasive sense of confidence in the execution of ideas, stylistic choices, and decidedly Remedy flourishes. Making Alan Wake 2 a survival-horror game may have been the big breakthrough for Remedy, but it feels like its greatest triumphs could only have come after the games the studio created since Alan's first visit to Bright Falls.

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