November 2018 PlayStation Plus Games: Initial Thoughts
With every passing month, PlayStation Plus members receive digital presents from Sony. This month on PlayStation 4 we were given four different playable games. Each game from a different genre and studio, and since I haven’t played a single one, I thought it might be fun to talk about my first encounter with these games.
Burly Men at Sea
This indie title from Brain&Brain is an interactive storybook. The point and click nature lend itself well to the short story format. The game follows three burly men with glorious beards after they find a message in a bottle. After opening the bottle, they find a blank map with their home island in the center.
As you take control of the characters, you are tasked with finding out more information about this map. The town barista tells you that the treasure map was made for an adventure, but it is up to you to fill the empty map with points of interest. Hopping into your boat begins your adventure and the game branches out from there.
Hundreds of stories are possible in Burly Men at Sea, and the game lets you know that after your first tour. Each story provides you with a code that when redeemed on their website, BurlyMenatSea.com, allows you to order a hardcover version of the story you just played through.
The stories are fun and witty with silly jokes from the three men and their ridiculous situations. I would recommend you give this game at least two separate completions. Each playthrough is only about 30 minutes, and the game has an easy Platinum trophy for those that care about such things.
Roundabout
Think, That 70’s Show meets Crazy Taxi, in a world that looks like Katamari. That is my one-sentence description for this game.
You want more? Okay!
Roundabout is a driving puzzle game made by No Goblin about a driver named Georgio. She is a new limo driver that has a fascinating ability to drive her limousine in circles. You must pick up passengers and drive them from point A to point B while collecting stars and dodging obstacles.
Each passenger pick-up begins and ends with a silly clip shot in live-action. Not a single person in these clips are full-fledged actors, but they never take themselves too seriously.
Your limo can get power upgrades and cosmetic changes to give you a sense of ownership for the silly transportation vehicle. Each mission gives you points for your ability to handle each trip, so power-ups like Slo-mo became my go-to upgrade.
Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition
A remastered version of a 2011 game, Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is, pedal to the metal, first-person gunplay. You play as Grayson Hunt, as he takes his team of soldiers on missions for a General Sarrano. After completing one of the first missions in the game, Hunt finds out that he has been sent to kill civilians that have been trying to uncover General Sarrano’s corrupt actions.
While trying to run away from Sarrano, Hunt’s uncontrollable anger gets the best of him and causes a crash landing of both spaceships. Now while on an unknown world, you have to fight your way out to survive.
Bulletstorm’s guns are not the most creative, there are only about 7 different weapons. Each weapon is upgradeable with points you receive from killing enemies. The game’s “Skill Shot” mechanics give you more points for pulling off specific types of kills. I found myself using the Leash gloves to grab my enemies and shoot them when they became incapable of shooting back. It feels like a broken game mechanic.
This game is mindless shooting just like the name, Bulletstorm, suggests. Not to say that senseless shooting is a bad thing. Sometimes it is nice to sit back and destroy enemies and environments. The characters look similar to the Gears of War franchise, and the lack of jumping shows the age of this game. I will probably finish the campaign mode and never play the game again.
Yakuza Kiwami
The gem of this month’s PlayStation Plus membership. Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the 2005 game Yakuza. This story-driven title takes place in Japan during the 80’s, and you take control of Kazuma Kiryu, a member of a Yakuza family.
Early in the game, your best friend kills the patriarch of your family while trying to stop some genuinely terrible actions. Kiryu takes it upon himself to protect his best friend and goes to prison for 10 years.
After serving his ten-year sentence, Kiryu emerges to a different city, where everyone has a portable phone, and the Yakuza families are split. Kiryu has to find out what has changed in the city he once knew.
Yakuza Kiwami is a martial arts movie with semi-random enemy encounters. Back before his prison sentence, the name Kiryu was feared, but now he is a nobody. You have to work your way back to fighting shape. Yakuza feels like Grand Theft Auto open-world exploring with more fighting techniques.
As you progress through the story, you gain XP to “remember” your four fighting techniques. The signature Dragon style is only remembered by defeating a specific rival character which makes those battles extremely tense.
This title is a must download for anyone with a PS Plus Subscription. Sink your teeth into a compelling story filled with violence and organized crime.
November has been a good month for free games in the PlayStation Store, and I hope this was informative. Check back next month when they give us our December PS Plus games.