Pixelrater

What you need 3 large potatoes 1 kielbasa 1/2 large onion 1 bell pepper vegetable oil 4 tbsp brown sugar 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp mustard 1 tsp dried thyme

First off The Order: 1886 doesn't deserve the vitriol it has seen before it released. There is so much hate and scorn for games and between gamers lately and it saddens me. Not every game is going to be a perfect ten or five or whatever fucking rating system is used. If a game scores close to ten like a six or seven it's still good but not great. I'm not a fan of this trend of shitting on a game if it doesn't do something innovative or have a twenty plus hour campaign, but that's for another post I suppose.

So what is The Order: 1886? Well in my opinion it's a good game overall that has some issues holding it back from being better. The atmosphere the talented folks at Ready at Dawn have created is breathtaking. Visually this is hands down the most impressive game I've see on a console to date. The entire package feels authentic from the voice acting to the attire. Even the slick sci-fi weapons feel like they belong in the alternate history that has been created. Without giving too much away you play as a knight named Sir Galahad who is a part of The Order, a group sworn to protect the world from what are referred to as half-breeds also known as Lycans or werewolves. These beasts and man fought for centuries and although the half-breeds were outnumbered, their strength led them to victory. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table continued to lose miserably but then discovered a mystical liquid called Blackwater that has immense healing powers and can significantly extend life. Yet even with this newfound advantage humanity continues to succumb to the half-breeds. It's not until the Industrial Revolution with the help of Nikolai Tesla that the Knights are able to turn the tides of war in their favor with advanced weaponry. That's as much as I'm going to give away but it was fun playing along side historic figures such as Nikola. I enjoyed the story and characters overall but honestly didn't find myself attached to any of them. To be fair not many games have gotten me attached to a character the way The Last of Us did with Ellie. Throughout the campaign you'll come across some scientific weapons that are varied and make you feel like a badass which was another strength the game has.

So what is holding it back? Is it the campaign length? Nope, not for me. I clocked in about seven or so hours from start to finish with moderate exploration and I didn't manage to find all the collectables or read every newspaper and I don’t think I will go back to try to any time soon. I know everyone hated the QTE's (quick time events) but they didn't bother me until they found their way into boss battles. Talk about being ripped from any sense of desperation. There is no tension and the battles don't feel like life or death situations because you don't feel the struggle. You merely dodge and either counter with a quick or strong attack.—that's it. The enemies you encounter throughout The Order consist of humans known as The Rebels, guards, and sadly only a handful of half-breeds. Enemy AI feels like it could have been ripped from GoldenEye back in the Nintendo 64 era. They rarely present any challenge as they simply pop in and out of cover occasionally tossing a grenade and rarely flanking. The basic formula is walk through a hallway or alley to a room and clear out a few waves of enemies and proceed with the story. There is a single stealth mission that offered a nice change of pace and I appreciated it's slight spike in difficulty. Another disappointment is that you'll obtain fun sci-fi weapons but won't have them for very long and have to resort to the generic shotguns or pistols that we've seen in every other shooter.

Even with my criticisms aside I had an enjoyable time with The Order and don't mind that I paid full price. In all honestly after I platinum the game I'm probably going to trade it in because I see no reason to revisit the story. The groundwork has been laid for Ready at Dawn to take this IP from a good game to a great franchise. I look forward to a sequel with more weapon and enemy variety, more action, and boss battles that make my heart race. I want to feel fear when I run across a half-breed and don't want this to be my last trip to London.

I’ve had my new 3DS XL for about a week now and man am I happy I don’t have to go back. What makes the new 3DS XL “new” compared to the old one? Well you can read my geekier more involved breakdown here but the overall gist is the new system is much snappier doing everything from downloading games to navigating menus and switching between apps. Perhaps the biggest upgrade in my opinion is the vastly improved 3D that really changes the overall experience and is what Nintendo should have been aiming for when the original 3DS launched. Now, if the system is moved out of the sweet spot with 3D mode enabled the picture doesn't blur and break like it did previously. This is made possible because of a faster processor coupled with a front facing camera that tracks your head movement and is able to adjust the 3D viewing angle on the fly. To my surprise this not only made playing during my commute on the doable but enjoyable. There are also two new added shoulder buttons and a c-stick commonly referred to as “the nub”. If you want to future proof your purchase I recommend buying the new XL as some upcoming games will only be playable on the new 3DS such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D while others like Code Name S.T.E.A.M. and Majora’s Mask control much better thanks to the c-stick but are still playable with both previous 3DS models.

Let me start out with what I really like about the new 3DS XL. I am obviously a fan of the aforementioned speed and 3D improvements along with a lot of other things like the color which in black is sexy. I just can't get on board with the red unit. I mean it’s a really nice color black. It reminds me of a gunmetal grey with a carbon fiber style pattern on the outside. I’m also a fan of the SNES colored letters on the buttons even though I love the SNES buttons every other territory gets on the smaller new 3DS. Another subtle refinement is the display's outer shell is flat instead of being slightly bubbled like before. Because of this I find it easier to slide in and out of my pocket than my old XL. I’m not sure if the speakers have been upgraded but they sound clearer and louder compared to the previous models. Also from what I’ve read Nintendo claims they haven’t upgraded the top display but for some reason it looks better than my previous XL’s display. This may be due to the fact that the overall picture is consistently sharper since the 3D rarely breaks because of the Super Stable 3D feature. Moving the headphone jack from the front left edge to the center is also a welcome tweak as well as the quieter display hinge. Gone are my fears of waking my lady laying next to me in bed because of he thunderous cracks from opening or closing the lid. During my playthroughs with Majora’s Mask the c-stick was responsive and got the job done without any issues. Some people are comparing it to the nub that IBM ThinkPad computers used to have, but I find it much more comfortable than that. Contrary to what others have said I feel like it was the right choice over a second circle pad as it looks like an additional full joystick would shift the X, A, B, Y buttons lower and would create an awkward reach and balance issue while holding the system.

It isn't all roses as there are a few things about the newest 3DS incarnation I don't like. Unfortunately the Super Stable 3D doesn’t do a good job of tracking my eyes while I'm laying in bed in the dark with my glasses on, but I didn’t expect it too. While I think the new finish is really nice I’m afraid that it might be easier to scratch or scuff if I drop it. If you keep the wireless off like I do you won't find a physical button/slider because the toggle now resides within a software menu a few taps away. Another annoying addition to me is the auto-brightness which can thankfully be disabled in the settings menu. I had to disable it because my 3DS would lower the brightness while I was sitting in the same area without my lighting conditions changing. My only other minor complaint is the movement of the stylus from the right side of the unit to the bottom. To me it was easier to quickly pull the stylus out from the side rather than have to fumble pulling it out from the bottom edge while playing a game.

Overall the above list of complaints are minor and the pros outweigh the cons considerably. If you haven’t taken the plunge into the 3DS family now’s the perfect time with a faster system, vastly improved 3D, and an excellent library of AAA and indie titles to play through. It’s also a hell of an improvement from the original 3DS or a 2DS. You may be wondering if it’s worth upgrading if you currently have a 3DX XL and my answer is it depends. If you primarily play games in 2D, a slower system doesn't bother you, improved c-stick and shoulder button controls don't entice you ,and you don't care that some future games will only support the new 3DS XL, then stick with your current system. For me it was money well spent after selling my original XL on eBay and I would never go back.

I’ve had my new 3DS XL for about a week now and man am I happy I don’t have to go back. What makes the new 3DS XL “new” compared to the old one? Well you can read my geekier more involved breakdown here but the overall gist is the new system is much snappier doing everything from downloading games to navigating menus and switching between apps. Perhaps the biggest upgrade in my opinion is the vastly improved 3D that really changes the overall experience and is what Nintendo should have been aiming for when the original 3DS launched. Now, if the system is moved out of the sweet spot with 3D mode enabled the picture doesn't blur and break like it did previously. This is made possible because of a faster processor coupled with a front facing camera that tracks your head movement and is able to adjust the 3D viewing angle on the fly. To my surprise this not only made playing during my commute on the doable but enjoyable. There are also two new added shoulder buttons and a c-stick commonly referred to as “the nub”. If you want to future proof your purchase I recommend buying the new XL as some upcoming games will only be playable on the new 3DS such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D while others like Code Name S.T.E.A.M. and Majora’s Mask control much better thanks to the c-stick but are still playable with both previous 3DS models.

Let me start out with what I really like about the new 3DS XL. I am obviously a fan of the aforementioned speed and 3D improvements along with a lot of other things like the color which in black is sexy. I just can't get on board with the red unit. I mean it’s a really nice color black. It reminds me of a gunmetal grey with a carbon fiber style pattern on the outside. I’m also a fan of the SNES colored letters on the buttons even though I love the SNES buttons every other territory gets on the smaller new 3DS. Another subtle refinement is the display's outer shell is flat instead of being slightly bubbled like before. Because of this I find it easier to slide in and out of my pocket than my old XL. I’m not sure if the speakers have been upgraded but they sound clearer and louder compared to the previous models. Also from what I’ve read Nintendo claims they haven’t upgraded the top display but for some reason it looks better than my previous XL’s display. This may be due to the fact that the overall picture is consistently sharper since the 3D rarely breaks because of the Super Stable 3D feature. Moving the headphone jack from the front left edge to the center is also a welcome tweak as well as the quieter display hinge. Gone are my fears of waking my lady laying next to me in bed because of he thunderous cracks from opening or closing the lid. During my playthroughs with Majora’s Mask the c-stick was responsive and got the job done without any issues. Some people are comparing it to the nub that IBM ThinkPad computers used to have, but I find it much more comfortable than that. Contrary to what others have said I feel like it was the right choice over a second circle pad as it looks like an additional full joystick would shift the X, A, B, Y buttons lower and would create an awkward reach and balance issue while holding the system.

It isn't all roses as there are a few things about the newest 3DS incarnation I don't like. Unfortunately the Super Stable 3D doesn’t do a good job of tracking my eyes while I'm laying in bed in the dark with my glasses on, but I didn’t expect it too. While I think the new finish is really nice I’m afraid that it might be easier to scratch or scuff if I drop it. If you keep the wireless off like I do you won't find a physical button/slider because the toggle now resides within a software menu a few taps away. Another annoying addition to me is the auto-brightness which can thankfully be disabled in the settings menu. I had to disable it because my 3DS would lower the brightness while I was sitting in the same area without my lighting conditions changing. My only other minor complaint is the movement of the stylus from the right side of the unit to the bottom. To me it was easier to quickly pull the stylus out from the side rather than have to fumble pulling it out from the bottom edge while playing a game.

Overall the above list of complaints are minor and the pros outweigh the cons considerably. If you haven’t taken the plunge into the 3DS family now’s the perfect time with a faster system, vastly improved 3D, and an excellent library of AAA and indie titles to play through. It’s also a hell of an improvement from the original 3DS or a 2DS. You may be wondering if it’s worth upgrading if you currently have a 3DX XL and my answer is it depends. If you primarily play games in 2D, a slower system doesn't bother you, improved c-stick and shoulder button controls don't entice you ,and you don't care that some future games will only support the new 3DS XL, then stick with your current system. For me it was money well spent after selling my original XL on eBay and I would never go back.

I’ve had my new 3DS XL for about a week now and man am I happy I don’t have to go back. What makes the new 3DS XL “new” compared to the old one? Well you can read my geekier more involved breakdown here but the overall gist is the new system is much snappier doing everything from downloading games to navigating menus and switching between apps. Perhaps the biggest upgrade in my opinion is the vastly improved 3D that really changes the overall experience and is what Nintendo should have been aiming for when the original 3DS launched. Now, if the system is moved out of the sweet spot with 3D mode enabled the picture doesn't blur and break like it did previously. This is made possible because of a faster processor coupled with a front facing camera that tracks your head movement and is able to adjust the 3D viewing angle on the fly. To my surprise this not only made playing during my commute on the doable but enjoyable. There are also two new added shoulder buttons and a c-stick commonly referred to as “the nub”. If you want to future proof your purchase I recommend buying the new XL as some upcoming games will only be playable on the new 3DS such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D while others like Code Name S.T.E.A.M. and Majora’s Mask control much better thanks to the c-stick but are still playable with both previous 3DS models.

Let me start out with what I really like about the new 3DS XL. I am obviously a fan of the aforementioned speed and 3D improvements along with a lot of other things like the color which in black is sexy. I just can't get on board with the red unit. I mean it’s a really nice color black. It reminds me of a gunmetal grey with a carbon fiber style pattern on the outside. I’m also a fan of the SNES colored letters on the buttons even though I love the SNES buttons every other territory gets on the smaller new 3DS. Another subtle refinement is the display's outer shell is flat instead of being slightly bubbled like before. Because of this I find it easier to slide in and out of my pocket than my old XL. I’m not sure if the speakers have been upgraded but they sound clearer and louder compared to the previous models. Also from what I’ve read Nintendo claims they haven’t upgraded the top display but for some reason it looks better than my previous XL’s display. This may be due to the fact that the overall picture is consistently sharper since the 3D rarely breaks because of the Super Stable 3D feature. Moving the headphone jack from the front left edge to the center is also a welcome tweak as well as the quieter display hinge. Gone are my fears of waking my lady laying next to me in bed because of he thunderous cracks from opening or closing the lid. During my playthroughs with Majora’s Mask the c-stick was responsive and got the job done without any issues. Some people are comparing it to the nub that IBM ThinkPad computers used to have, but I find it much more comfortable than that. Contrary to what others have said I feel like it was the right choice over a second circle pad as it looks like an additional full joystick would shift the X, A, B, Y buttons lower and would create an awkward reach and balance issue while holding the system.

It isn't all roses as there are a few things about the newest 3DS incarnation I don't like. Unfortunately the Super Stable 3D doesn’t do a good job of tracking my eyes while I'm laying in bed in the dark with my glasses on, but I didn’t expect it too. While I think the new finish is really nice I’m afraid that it might be easier to scratch or scuff if I drop it. If you keep the wireless off like I do you won't find a physical button/slider because the toggle now resides within a software menu a few taps away. Another annoying addition to me is the auto-brightness which can thankfully be disabled in the settings menu. I had to disable it because my 3DS would lower the brightness while I was sitting in the same area without my lighting conditions changing. My only other minor complaint is the movement of the stylus from the right side of the unit to the bottom. To me it was easier to quickly pull the stylus out from the side rather than have to fumble pulling it out from the bottom edge while playing a game.

Overall the above list of complaints are minor and the pros outweigh the cons considerably. If you haven’t taken the plunge into the 3DS family now’s the perfect time with a faster system, vastly improved 3D, and an excellent library of AAA and indie titles to play through. It’s also a hell of an improvement from the original 3DS or a 2DS. You may be wondering if it’s worth upgrading if you currently have a 3DX XL and my answer is it depends. If you primarily play games in 2D, a slower system doesn't bother you, improved c-stick and shoulder button controls don't entice you ,and you don't care that some future games will only support the new 3DS XL, then stick with your current system. For me it was money well spent after selling my original XL on eBay and I would never go back.

It doesn't look like the Metroid series is going to get another official entry any time soon. I say official because there are many Metroid style games out there and Xeodrifter is one of them. That's not to say it's a bad thing but I have to point out the obvious inspiration.

Xeodrifter has some clever mechanics and much like Renegade Kid's previous title Mutant Mudds it takes advantage of the 3D on Nintendo's handheld not just for the visuals but as a gameplay mechanic as well. You start out journeying through space when all of a sudden you collide with an asteroid scattering your ship's power core between four worlds. As you probably guessed it's up to you to scour every inch of each world to find all your power core pieces to head back on your way. You start out with basic movement, jumping, and shooting with no ammo limit, so feel free to shoot until your pixelated heart is content.

Four worlds doesn't sound like a lot but you'll be revisiting each one multiple times as you play. From the start of the game you can travel between all of the worlds although you won't be able to get very far. The majority of each world is locked off to you and will only open up as you gain new abilities by beating bosses. Each boss grants you a new skill like teleporting between the foreground and background and being able to turn into a submarine to explore the watery depths. You won't find much variety in the bosses you encounter since it's the same boss each time but with different abilities and attack patterns. Luckily Renegade Kid managed to switch it up just enough to make the repetitive encounters not feel dull and cheap and I found myself really wanting to beat him again and again. With each encounter the boss progressively gains more HP and forces you to use your abilities in tandem together to guarantee success which may take a few attempts. To help ease your defeat there is a checkpoint and HP replenishing system before each battle so losing doesn't mean starting the entire level over. I like the weapon upgrade system in Xeodrifter. Instead of gaining new weapons tied to one or two abilities you find upgrade units for your sole gun scattered throughout each world and you use these to upgrade five different properties whichever way you like. This style system enables you to mix and match and find a weapon style that suits you at any time. I favor spreading my upgrade units between "rapid fire" and "higher damage" but you may find a combination that works for you.

So do I think you should get this game? Sure! Especially if you're into Metroid style gameplay and if you've never played a Metroid title but want a fun action/adventure platformer you can't go wrong with Xeodrifter. The overall campaign length is on the short side, about a few hours, but there is a lot to love and a lot more hidden passages to discover and upgrade units to find and equip. You'll likely find yourself revisiting these four planets time and time again. It's a game that reminds me why I fell in love with games and that shines through in each pixel and chiptune sound effect. Xeodrifter is available for Steam and Nintendo 3DS on the eShop.