Parkour of the Dead!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Dying Light was released January 27, 2015 and I was very unsure if I was going to purchase this title.  I heard that Sony Entertainment was working on a free to play, MMO zombie game called H1Z1 and it was going to be released shortly after the PC early access on January 15, 2015.  Both looked like awesome games, but I didn’t know if it was really necessary to own both titles (I love zombies and all, but how many different zombie games do I need in a few month span?).  I consulted Twitter on the matter and the H1Z1 team was quick to reply with “Very different zombie experiences.  If you have the funds I would recommend both :)”.   After watching H1Z1 gameplay on YouTube, I strongly agree that both offer very different zombie experiences but I wouldn’t suggest getting both… even if you have the funds.

Dying Light is an exhilarating game.  The parkour system is where the game truly shines.  However, the rest of Dying Light leaves much to be desired.  When the game was first announced, Warner Bros Studios and Techland boasted that there would be four playable survivors. However, close to launch they removed all but one.

In Dying Light you play as Kyle Crane, a sympathetic hero who is less than appealing.  Contracted by the GRE (a secret government organization of some sort) Kyle Crane is sent to Harran, Turkey to locate a rogue agent and retrieve a secret stolen file.  As you bond with the survivors in the Tower, you narrow down the suspect to a rising Warlord, Kadir “Rais” Suleiman who is using the file to blackmail the GRE.  As the game concludes, the final fight with Rais is just pitiful. Simply match the correct buttons displayed and you are the victor.  Lame.  The story unfortunately, is short and cliche. I beat the main game in nearly a week, however the side quests are way more satisfying than the actual campaign.

The multiplayer is identical to the campaign with the exception of pvp challenges.  In the challenges, players race to kill the most zombies or complete some other feat for bonus xp.  Each player plays as a differently attired Kyle Crane and players team up to complete story missions and side quests.  As in most games, Dying Light is far more enjoyable with a friend or three.  Having someone watch your back (especially when lock picking) is a life saver as well as facing off against hordes of the undead.  Though the multiplayer is fun, I would have prefered a totally separate multiplayer game mode (besides Be the Zombie) rather than following along the campaign.

Be the Zombie mode is entertaining but pales in comparison to the regular multiplayer game.  As a Zombie you protect your nests as competing human players try to destroy them.  As you continue to play as a Zombie you are also able to unlock further zombie skills, which is way cool.

The city of Harran is breathtaking, as you scavenge your way through the maps completing story missions and side quests.  The city is wonderfully detailed and feels almost like a character itself.  There are two main sections of Harran, the Slums and Old Town.  The big difference between these areas is that in Old Town, is more vertically composed allowing players to climb up massive buildings… just don’t look down!

The skill trees offer fantastic benefits.  When first engaging in the world of Dying Light, Kyle Crane is pathetic (how is this guy a special agent?!).  His stamina depletes after killing one or two zombies at most, but adding to the skill trees increases his parkour, survival and fighting abilities.  A nearly maxed out Kyle Crane is incredibly satisfying to play as.  The skill sets are broken down into three categories, Survivor, Agility and Power sets.  Unfortunately, the abilities are fewer than I would have preferred and each fully maxed out Kyle Crane plays exactly the same as the next player’s.  Each of these skill trees have their own experience levels and depending on how you play, you will max out a different set before the rest.  The individual experience is interesting. Instead of combing through each skill set to pick out one perk, if you just leveled up Survivor you can only choose a skill from that skill set.  Once you achieve level 24 for each Survivor, Agility and Power skills, you are maxed out and the game ends up feeling redundant the more one plays.

The crafting system allows players to customize weapons with specific types of damage such as toxic, bleeding, electrical and burn damage.  The weapon options in game are rich and robust, offering weapons as simple as water pipes and hammers to exotic weapons like machetes and katanas.  Crafting allows players to create throwing stars, molotov cocktails and the always essential medical kits.

In Dying Light, lockpicking closely resembles the lockpicking in the Elder Scrolls titles.  In locked trunks and lockers you will find rarer items than when you just scavenge.  Always keep an eye out for police vans, which have a high difficulty rating, but offer premium weapons and even guns.

Guns at first are basically unseen, but after your first skirmish with Rais you will find military and police rifles galore.  I personally prefer melee weapons as gunfire draws the undead (just smash them in the face!).  Guns in Dying Light are not particularly awesome (you use R3 to ADS… weird…) and work best against human enemies.

The day to night cycle is a blast.  In the day, zombies are slow, sluggish and generally travel in smaller sized groups.    Playing during day light is great when you are first starting Dying Light but the real party starts at night.  Night time play is way more difficult as increasingly hostile zombies are plentiful and the game offers double xp for agility and power.  Halfway through leveling up, I realized it is way more beneficial to hunt at night than during the day.  During the day, if Kyle Crane dies you lose survivor xp (which is crazy aggravating), but during the night dying costs you no xp whatsoever.  As long as you can handle your shit, completing quests or hunting is best done after night fall.  Double XP baby!

The largest qualm I have with Dying Light are the issues between PSN and the developer.  I pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition of the game, and at launch I was unable to use the special pre-order Master Scavenger skin.  It still doesn’t work.  The Ultimate Edition’s season pass, though included with the game, doesn’t work either.  Shortly after launch, an expansion pack, Cuisine and Cargo, was released that offers two hardcore missions which I am still unable to use.  Seriously, get your shit together.  If I didn’t pre-order the game, I could be playing it as we speak… or type or write… you know what I’m getting at.   It’s bullshit that the people who actually pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition are punished and ultimately makes me not want to play the game.

Dying Light is a great game, however I wouldn’t suggest buying it.  Don’t get me wrong, I immensely enjoyed that whole week of playing Dying Light, but once I was finished with the campaign I became quickly bored.   Several of my PSN pals who also picked up Dying Light at launch haven’t touched the game since the first month it was released.  Between the short and trite campaign, lack of multiplayer options, being able to quickly max out one’s character and the issues from the developers, I feel absolutely cheated.  Personally, paying $79.99 just for the joy of parkouring is simply not worth it.  I should have just bided my time for H1Z1 to get my zombie fix.  C’est la vie.

The Roman Verdict-  C+

P.S.  If you are going to purchase Dying Light, do yourself a favor and don’t buy the Ultimate Edition.  It will not work properly and the developers haven’t even addressed the issues with it.  You are better off just buying the game and DLC separately.

1… 2… 3… 4… I Declare a Thumbstick Grip War!

Kontrol Freek Alpha

The DS4 is an amazing controller; it’s comfortable, sleek and innovative.  However, the thumbstick grips are kind of… shitty.   Correction: they are shitty.  After a year of intense video game action satisfaction, the grips to my DS4’s thumbsticks became absolutely ravaged.  This travesty led me to investigate different grips to protect my controller’s fragile thumbsticks.

And so it begins… again….

Welcome to Round 2 of my thumbstick grip reviews!  If you read my first grip review, you will recall my grip allegiance lies with Kontrol Freek.  In the first round, I tested out Grip-It grips and two sets of Kontrol Freek products, the Ultra (concave) and the CQC (concave) grips.  In Round 2, I tested out Orb grips and three sets of Kontrol Freek grips, Ultra X (convex/domed), CQC X (convex/domed) and a new Kontrol Freek product, Alpha.

Kontrol Freek products are fantastic and definitely a great buy.  I wanted to create a grip set that was similar to the Kontrol Freek Vortex which has a concave short grip on the left and a taller convex grip for the right.  So this time around I ordered the domed versions of the Kontrol Freeks I previously reviewed.

Orb Grips

First of all, before I get into the Kontrol Freeks, let’s talk about Orb grips.  They are garbage.  Don’t purchase these grips.  Yes, they will protect your thumbsticks, but at what cost?  Orbz grips are made from hard plastic and are incredibly uncomfortable.  I tried to get used to them, but alas I could not.  They are just awful.  If you want grips with the only purpose being to protect your thumbsticks, just get Grip-Its.  Orb grips are cost effective at around $6 for a set of 4, but Grip-Its cost around $5 for a set of 4 and are far superior.  I don’t think I need to add anything else.

Kontrol Freek Alpha

The Alpha grips are a new product in the Kontrol Freek family and they felt great.  The Alpha grips have an extremely low profile in comparison to other Kontrol Freek products and a wider surface.  I personally prefer the Alpha Kontrol Freeks for non-FPS endeavors.  The low profile and wide surface make them great for side scrollers like LittleBigPlanet 3 and I enjoyed using them for Minecraft, where higher profile Kontrol Freeks felt unnecessary for control and comfort.

Kontrol Freek CQC X

The CQC X grips give the thumbstick a medium height and a domed surface.  After messing around with Kontrol Freeks, I loved using a mid length grip for the left thumbstick for tighter movements and a long length right grip for a greater range of sight when ADS.  Many gamers swear by concave grips for the right thumbstick claiming it gives greater control because of the recessed nature.  I was expecting not to care for the CQC X grips, but to my surprise I prefered them over the concave versions!  I was able to make tight movements by rolling my thumb around the surface and was super comfortable to use L3.   Like the Alpha grips, using the CQC X grips as a set is also excellent for side scrollers and other non-FPS games as the domed shape makes it easy to roll one’s thumb along it’s surface.

Kontrol Freek Ultra X

The Ultra X grips have a longer length in comparison to other Kontrol Freek products.  Using the Ultra X grips as a set is uncomfortable for me, the longer length for the left movement thumbstick gets in the way and I prefer a short or mid length thumbstick for greater and tighter movement control.  However, using one Ultra X on the right thumbstick gives wider ranger of sight and easier target acquisition.

When using the concave versions of the Kontrol Freek Ultra X, Ultra, I couldn’t keep by thumb precisely in the middle and it was difficult to use R3 because of the longer length and depressed center.  Not to knock the Ultra grips, I just prefer the convex versions.  As with a shorter profile concave left thumbstick, many gamers prefer a convex long length right thumbstick.  The domed thumbstick helps for a greater precision and ease of ADS when rolling one’s thumb along the surface.  Kontrol Freek has an alternate aesthetic version (gray colored plastic/rubber with an etched crosshair design) of the Ultra X grips, Snipr, that are specified for greater precision to snipe suckas in FPS games.

In my first round, I determined my favorite set-up was a Kontrol Freek mix-up of a CQC concave grip on the left thumbstick and a FPS concave grip for the right.  After testing out the domed/convex versions of these grips my opinion has flipped!  Double domed all around!  So my new favorite grip set is a CQC convex grip for the left thumbstick and an Ultra X grip for the right.   And I thought it couldn’t get much better!

Kontrol Freek CQC X & Ultra X

Everyone has their own preference.  One of my friends, like myself, enjoys a CQC X (convex) grip for the left thumbstick and a Ultra X (convex) grip for the right and another prefers a CQC X grip for the left thumbstick and an Ultra (concave) grip for the right (this set up is the opposite of what most pros utilize)*.  It’s all about preference.  Though, something every gamer who has tested out the Kontrol Freeks with me can agree with is that Kontrol Freeks are awesome.  My buddy was certain he wouldn’t like playing with Kontrol Freeks.  I asked him to play just one game with them and if he didn’t like them I could always remove the grips.  Needless to say he changed his mind!

I highly recommend Kontrol Freeks.  At $10-20 a set, they are a bit expensive but totally worth it!  I personally own five different pairs and I love mixing them up to try new set ups.  Each of my DS4 controllers sports a different set up depending on which game I play.  It is also worth noting that Kontrol Freek products also guarantee a higher K/D ratio.  Though this is not my top prerogative, I can agree that my K/D ratio has indeed raised since using Kontrol Freek products.  Additionally, if Kontrol Freek products aren’t amazing enough for you, I have carpel tunnel in my wrists and while using Kontrol Freek products drastically reduce my chronic pain when playing video games for hours.  If you are unsure which Kontrol Freek product to purchase I would highly suggest giving the Vortex set a try.  With one shorter profile concave grip and one longer length convex grip you get the best of both worlds at one great price.

The Roman Verdict-  Kontrol Freek Alpha-    A-

Kontrol Freek Ultra X-  A-

Kontrol Freek CQC X-  A

Orb-                              D

*I determined this by the popularity of the Kontrol Freek Vortex and the default set ups for pro controllers like Scuf Gaming products.

It’s Smashtastic!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

I love smashing it up.  I do, with all my heart.  If you read my Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS review, you already know this.  On November 21st 2014, Super Smash Bros. was released for the Wii U and I eagerly picked up my pre-ordered copy.

Super Smash Bros is crazy fun, especially with a friend or three!  Smash battles become epic with 8-Player smash;  if you don’t have seven pals to play with, you can compete against seven CPU controlled Amiibo.

Let’s talk about Amiibo.  Amiibo are figurines that are purchased separately and when scanned on the Wii U gamepad, have different functions in specific Wii U games.  In Mariokart 8 when an Amiibo is scanned, it changes the standard Mii outfit into a Captain Falcon or Link-centric outfit,]. It’s darling.  In SSB however, the Amiibo becomes a custom fighter that levels up and is a great partner in Team Smash battles.  And, as I previously mentioned, these custom Amiibo fighters can be used in exhilarating 8-Player Smash.

The Classic Mode is similar to the 1-Player smash modes in previous Super Smash Bros. titles, but has been updated to shake up the smash.  Instead of fighting your way through random or specific challengers in some preordained order, you move your character’s game piece into your choice of random enemy token hordes to take em’ on, and in all variations, fighting the final boss Master Hand.  In contrast, the 3DS version of Classic Smash, you pick a path and depending which path you choose, you fight random challengers until you reach Master Hand.  The different variations of Classic Smash make each version unique in all the right ways.

A new mode, Smash Tour, treats Super Smash Bros as a board game.  You play as your Mii, collect powerups for Attack, Defense, Arms, Speed and Special as well as new fighters and trophies that offer special bonuses to gameplay.   In this game mode you don’t pick your Smash fighters. Instead, each player is given two random fighters and through collecting them on the gameboard or defeating other players, you gain new ones.  This mode is turn-based and at the end of the given turns, you use your amassed collection of Fighters to take everyone down.  I’ve played this mode several times and I always lose to the damn CPU players, damn it!  With friends this is way more fun. I’ve played with a few, though the CPU has defeated all of us!  This is a great way to learn how to use specific fighters and navigate through specific levels.  I get my ass kicked, but that’s okay… I am generally good with a few fighters.  Link has always been my favorite character since the first installment, I enjoy also using Captain Falcon, Falco and I’ve been lovin’ Little Mac.

The character selection is fantastic, boosting over 48 different fighters from Nintendo’s diverse history!  You have Mario, Dr. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Bowser Jr., Wario, Rosalina and Luma, Mr. Game and Watch, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Link, Zelda, Sheik, Ganondorf, Toon Link, Samus, Zero Suit Samus, Pit, Dark Pit, Palutena, Marth, Ike, Lucina, Robin, Kirby, King DeDeDe, Meta Knight, Little Mac, Fox, Falco, Pikachu, Charizard, Lucario, Jigglypuff, Greninja, Duck Hunt, R.O.B., Ness, Captain Falcon, Villager, Olimar, Wii Fit Trainer, Shulk, Pac-Man, Mega Man, Sonic and custom Mii Fighters!  That’s just ridiculous!  And with future DLC content, more fighters will be available!  Hello Mewtwo!  I’m loving the alternate Bowser Jr. avatars that transform him into one of seven Koopa Kids!  The character selection is identical as the 3DS version, however you unlock them by completing Classic mode with different fighters instead of the either/or system with the 3DS (either beat Classic Mode with different fighters or unlock a character for certain amounts of Smash bouts completed).

I was elated when I realized the level selection of SSB on Wii U differed from the 3DS version.  Each SSB title shares a portion of the levels like Battlefield and Final Destination but each version has exclusive levels!  To my surprise and excitement, my favorite level Temple has returned (it’s humorous that in my SSB 3DS review I bitched about missing it, and it’s back!  I love you Nintendo!).

The Stage Builder is neat, especially if you become bored with the level selections (which never happens to me!).  Utilizing the Wii U gamepad, you draw tiers of the level and add items like Springs, Cannons and Moving Platforms.  It’s fun to play around with and awesome to see how players develop custom stages. Some dude created a Zelda Triforce stage (it’s legit!).  It would be great though to have more options to play around with as well as Stage backgrounds.

Torn between Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U or 3DS?  Out of both Super Smash Bros. titles, I highly recommend the Wii U version.  The slight issues for the 3DS, the small size of the screen, the uncomfortable nature of using the 3DS as a console and the wear and tear of the circle pad are null and void for the console version of the game.  Or you can always own both!  If you’re like me, you can never get enough of that sweet sweet smash action! Super Smash Bros is a must have for anyone with a Nintendo Wii U, period.  And if you don’t own a Nintendo Wii U, buy one so you can play Super Smash Bros.  It’s that good.

Super Smash Bros.’ gameplay is enjoyable for players of all skill levels!   It is one of the best fighting games that is fun for the whole family or a couple friends and a few cold ones.  Heck, at the 2014 Video Game Awards it took home first place for the fighting game genre!  So what are you waiting for?  Get it and get your smash on!

The Roman Verdict-  A

Grand Theft Awesome

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Grand Theft Auto V is a masterpiece.  To be honest at first I was ambivalent of the title.  The last GTA installment I played avidly was Grand Theft Auto III, way back on Playstation 2.  To be fair, I played so much GTA3 that maybe I wore myself out.  I thought I was above driving around aimlessly, spraying suckas and gaining Wanted levels.  But I’m not.  GTAV and it’s online counterpart are incredibly satisfying.

I am not much for story modes in video games.  I usually enjoy playing multiplayer online in most games, doing exactly what I want to do.  Not saying that story modes in games are not fun, some are fantastic and some… not so much.  I just want to do what I want to do.  But there’s no shame in my game.  For the review process, I feel neglecting a story mode in let’s say Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, was neglecting an integral part of the game.  So I plow my way through story modes in order to give as thorough a review as possible.  GTAV’s story is not only great, it’s spectacular.

The story revolves around three main characters, Franklin, a young gang banger from the hood who wants more for himself, Michael, a retired gunman with a dysfunctional family and Trevor, an absolute psychopath.  Each character has a special ability to aid you throughout the story. Franklin slows down time while driving to make those tight-ass turns a breeze, Michael slows down time for taking that perfect headshot and Trevor can deal more damage while taking less.  Using these abilities is fun, and utilizing them correctly can be the difference in completing a mission or getting wasted.

The story intertwines these characters beautifully as the story unfolds, delving into each character’s personal lives and in some cases exploring their pasts.  At first, I was less than excited about the story mode.  You start as Franklin, and unless you’re passionate about gang banging, the character is boring (at least for me).  But when he is introduced to Michael, a guy who you see in the beginning bitching about his jerk-off son, the story becomes engaging as the two develop an unlikely friendship.  And then there is Trevor, a trailer park madman willing to take anyone and everyone out in order to expand his growing meth and illegal firearms empire. He is my favorite character and just a blast to play as.  The trio’s strange relationship is the backdrop to government corruption, the entertainment industry and street violence.  GTAV is exciting, hilarious, statirical and ultimately most excellent.

I would love to explain the story in further detail, however I wouldn’t want to spoil the amazingness that is GTAV.  Though, one issue I did have with GTAV’s story is that the select-an-ending isn’t very satisfying.  It very much feels like the denouement of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, That’s All Folks!  If you play through GTAV without doing many side missions, it takes roughly twenty five hours to complete.  That’s a good amount of time that you become involved with these characters to have such an incomplete and anti-climatic ending.  At the end of the day, it’s alright; I loved every violent moment of GTAV.

Grand Theft Auto Online is a very different beast.  You create your character with a great amount of customization tools.  You pick the parents of the character, which alters certain characteristics like nose and face shape and then tweak each characteristic, like nose size, to your heart’s content.  GTA Online’s character creation isn’t as thorough as any Elder Scrolls title but it gives you a great amount of options.  A qualm I had with the character creation is trivial, but it would have been nice to change the height and weight of a character.  I know it’s probably because it was easier for the Rockstar game developers-  different heights and weights would require an immense amount of tailoring from climbing fences to entering vehicles.  But I digress.

Familiar faces from GTAV help you along the way, offering characters missions or Jobs, and other help like putting bounties on other players or bribing police.  Completing Jobs, racing, robbing convenience stores, selling stolen vehicles or killing and/or robbin’ fools (players and NPCs) earn your character cash ( and Rank Up points) to buy up to two safe houses or garages, vehicles, clothing, tattoos and haircuts.

Ranking up your character gives more weapon and vehicle options and also customization options for the aforementioned character.  As you play and exercise certain skills, your stats improve allowing you improved stamina, shooting, driving, flying and stealth skills.

Playing GTA Online can be both exhilarating and frustrating.  Random players for jobs sometimes will kill you, which can fail a mission and drives me nuts; just kill assholes in the open world damn it!  Higher up players sometimes will spawn trap you, you get into a heated gunfight, lose your ammo and keep respawning to be run over, sniped or gunned down repeatedly by the same guy over and over again.

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!  GTA Online features a passive mode, which I didn’t realize existed for some time. This mode allows you to be impervious to other players with not being able to use weapons or the weapon wheel as a penalty.  This is both a good thing and a bad thing.  While not being able to use weapons, you can’t even harm NPCs which is terrible when you collect wanted stars.  To avoid other players you can start a private GTA Online session, however it may be more difficult to draw players into Jobs.

In GTA Online, you can join or start a crew and invite other players from GTA Online or your friend list.  Playing GTA Online is the most rewarding when you roll deep.  Drive by shootings, Jobs and robberies are all much more fun with a friend or two.  Rockstar will be also adding Heists in the future which I am super psyched for.

Be warned: killing NPCs and other players will cause your mental status to increase which rewards players with extra Rank Points for killing you.

If you head to Rockstar’s Social Club website,  you can register to join a crew or create one and members recieve free in-game swag.  When enrolling however, I was frustrated I couldn’t use RomanVagabond, my PSN username, because it contained a “profane” element, VAG.  Seriously Rockstar?  GTAV is riddled with vulgarities and racial slurs but I can’t use a legitimate eight letter word?  So I hope ya’ll don’t try to create Social Club usernames like vagrant, extravagant, divagate, gavage, cleavage, ravage or savage because they are obviously vulgar.  Humorously enough though, on my Social Club profile it shows my PSN name.  Fools.  Learn English yo!

The graphics at times don’t exactly look next gen (obviously it was adapted to next gen and not made for, but it still runs at 1080p).  People in game look good but don’t look great, especially in features such as skin texture, hair and facial hair.  Roads that are curved look as if they are composed of short straight lines instead of a smooth curve.  The lighting, buildings, vehicles and scenery look fantastic, especially at specific times of day and look spectacular during sundown.  I unfortunately never had a chance to play the PS3 version of the game and therefore can not compare them; though a friend who was watching me play recently mentioned how much better the graphics look on the PS4 in comparison to the PS3 version.

New to the series is a first person mode, I found it to be great with gunfights for extra precision but I enjoy driving and generally moving around in third person.  In the option menu, you can customize when you switch from first person to third person depending on the situation.  Rad.

Grand Theft Auto V is an excellent game filled with a killer story, an amazing multiplayer mode and a never ending assortment of activities.  Don’t feel like killin’ and robbin’ fools or partaking on missions and races? Go arm wrestle, play tennis or practice yoga!  Grand Theft Auto V and Online is more than a game; it is an experience.

The Roman Verdict-  A

Sack In Action!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

As soon as I obtained a Playstation 4 (November 15, 2013) I highly anticipated the third installment of LittleBigPlanet.   The LittleBigPlanet series is probably one of the greatest modern platform franchises, and one of my favorite Playstation titles.  Between the side scrolling action, beautifully designed levels, bountiful collectibles, costumes and unparalleled fun, LittleBigPlanet is nearly a perfect game.

Media Molecule, the studio that birthed the beloved LittleBigPlanet franchise, also developed the sequel, LittleBigPlanet 2.  LBP2 shook up the formula, adding gadgets for greater depth in play, though the story was far from engaging and rather boring and uneventful.  But it was still crazy fun, even though it wasn’t inspired as the original game.  For the third LittleBigPlanet, which was making the next gen jump from Playstation 3 to Playstation 4, Media Molecule entrusted it’s development to Sumo Digital.  Little Big Planet 3 is the second best game of the franchise, adding new sack creatures Toggle, Oddsack and Swoop to shake up the play styles.

The change in developer from Media Molecule to Sumo Digital was a great move.  The first LBP was phenomenal though the second seemed forced and trite, using gimmicks to make up for the lack of new original content or gameplay.  Not that I hold this against Media Molecule, it’s difficult to reimagine a game that was as spectacular as LittleBigPlanet.  Sumo Digital did a stupendous job reinvigorating the series with a greater selection of gadgets and new sack creatures.

LittleBigPlanet 3 revolves around Newton, voiced by the amazing Hugh Laurie, who tricks poor sackboy into releasing the evil Titans upon the land of Bunkham.  The Titans want to drain Bunkham of it’s creativity and now our hero Sack Boy must free the forgotten heroes of Bunkham, Oddsack, Toggle and Swoop to save it from the dreaded Titans.  Not too much going on there, but hey it suffices.  The story isn’t superb and there’s not much of a climax, but is way more fun and interesting than the second installment of LBP.

The new sack creatures are a fun and invigorating invention to the series, Toggle is especially a blast!  Using L1, a player can change Toggle from a big strong fellow, to a miniature fast version.  Oddsack is a four legged sack creature reminiscent of a dog and allows players to run up walls, wall jump and run at fast speeds.   I found the character to be enjoyable but he pales in comparison to using Sack Boy or Toggle.  Swoop is a sack creature that is essentially a bird, you fly and swoop.  Unfortunately, the idea of flying is more fun than the reality of flying in LBP3 and I very much disliked playing as the fowl friend.

In LBP3, gadgets have returned, however, instead of a gadget exclusive to a single level or set of levels, the gadgets can be used in any level utilizing a sack pocket.  The gadgets change the dynamic of the game, from using the suck and blow gun, the Pumpinator, the Boost Boots, Hook Hat or various other gadgets allow you to discover hidden crevices of previously completed levels.  The Boost Boots are definitely the most fun and rewarding to use, allowing the player to boost in different directions in combination to jumping.  Going back through the levels to scour for collectables is a blast with the Boost Boots, allowing the player to jump over the minor inconveniences while exploring the level the first time.

A huge flaw of LBP3 is the control scheme.  Gadgets, most Sack creature abilities, grab and climb all use R1.  When attempting to use the Hook Helmet, or Swoop’s swoop ability in close proximity to another player you will grab them instead and plummet to your doom.  Which is incredibly aggravating.  I am unsure why the studio instead didn’t use L1 for abilities (like Toggle’s) and gadgets which would have easily remedied the issue, but it’s beyond me.

The amount of glitches is astounding, sometimes you fall through random spots in the levels and gadgets you select become unselected.  Unfortunately, the bugs (and frustration) really destroy the integrity of the game.

The costume collectables are way too few in this new installment of the series.  Instead you visit Zom-Zom’s boutique and purchase costumes using collected bells.  The bells are scattered throughout the level world.  Unfortunately, purchasing the costumes is way less fun than scavenging through the levels and working cooperatively with other players.

The game introduces a new style of level design in which you enter a world and through exploring, utilizing different gadgets or sack creatures, discover new levels.  I really enjoyed this style of open world play and it was a great addition to LBP.

The levels are fun and engaging.  With the new gadgets and characters, Sumo Digital crafted wonderfully devious levels with fantastic level motifs (not as great as the first, but way better than the sequel).   I thoroughly enjoyed playing throughout Manglewood, a 50’s motif open world, from its cheesy B horror movie-esque level, Lights, Camera, Traction! to the mini Sack Boy feast in Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?  However there is much more to be desired, LBP3 feels shorter in comparison to it’s previous games with much less content.  Not including the introduction level sets, Prologue, there are only three open worlds, Book One: Manglewood, Book Two: The Ziggurat and Book Three: Bunkum Lagoon.  How I wish there was more; but to be fair, no amount of levels will quench my relentless LittleBigPlanet thirst.

The character designs are awesome from the creepy cat lady, Nana Pud to the mostly film composed Marlon Random.   Though a gripe I had was a character, Papal Mache who’s the host of sorts of the third level world, the Ziggurat.  His name is Papal Mache but no part of the character is paper mache!  This is silly, but it pissed me off.

No sequel will be better than the first LittleBigPlanet.  Hey, it’s a tough act to follow!  Don’t get me wrong, LittleBigPlanet 3 is an excellent installment of the series and I loved every glitchy moment.  If you are a fan of the previous Little Big Planet games, Little Big Planet 3 is a must have.   Even if you’ve never played another LBP, it is a great game to play solo, for the family or a bunch of friends in multiplayer madness.  It is an entertaining, charmingly adorable and challenging game filled with never ending user content and replay value.  Yeah baby, we’re sack in business!

The Roman Verdict- B

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfun!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

With every new Call of Duty there is mass hysteria.  Gamers quickly dismissed the new entry to the franchise, claiming that Exo Cloak was unfair, the RW1, a one shot kill pistol, was overpowered and numerous other childish complaints.  After Ghosts, to be honest, I was less than excited for Advanced Warfare…  that is until I watched the first gameplay trailers.  Seeing the exo suit in action, the double jumping, the boosting as well as reading about the new pick 13 system; I became feverishly excited.  Oh the possibilities!

I preordered the digital Atlas Pro edition almost immediately so I could get the best deal on the DLC as well as the other bonuses like special equipment and weapons.  I was able to play Day Zero on the Sunday before Advanced Warfare’s release after preloading the game the previous day.  I was not disappointed.

Advanced Warfare was released November 4th of this year as with every Call of Duty predecessor.  Sledgehammer games took three years to develop Advanced Warfare, longer than most installments in the Call of Duty franchise, and it shows.

The advanced movements feel more precise rather than other futuristic shooters like Destiny.   Using the double jump you can burst forwards, left, right or backwards with a flick and a click of the left thumbstick.  If you loved the mechanics of Black Ops 2, Advanced Warfare handles similarly with the additions of double jump and boosting techniques.  It feels great.

The Perk 13 system is both awesome and disappointing.  I enjoyed being able to sacrifice Killstreaks in order to have extra perks, however I didn’t love the return of Wildcards.  In several Perk slots, I would rather have multiple Perks in one category rather than one of each (besides using wildcards to gain one extra of a perk type).   Though Ghosts was entirely mediocre, besides Extinction, I did enjoy the pick-whatever-perk system where perks are given various values and you can mix and match to your heart’s content.

The Exo abilities are neat, the Exo Cloak is fun especially when staying stationary for a moment or moving slowly (though if you are running or jumping you stand out like a sore thumb), the Exo Shield and Stim can be a real life saver (if utilized properly) and other abilities are fairly enjoyable to use with specific loadouts.  However, I didn’t like that Dead Silence became an Exo Ability, I would have prefered it to be a perk.  Sadface 😦  (I’m also pretty bummed that Armor Piercing rounds are non-existent in AW.)  The Exo Abilities have a duration time and run out pretty quick and should be used sparingly.

The grenades and tacticals options are limited-  unless a Wildcard is used, you can only have one or the other.  The Variable grenades are fun, allowing you to switch between EMP, Flash and Tracker functions. Though when in a pinch, it can be a disadvantage having to cycle through the types.

Sledgehammer Games did a great job of balancing Advanced Warfare.  The Killstreaks aren’t too overpowered, though some complain that they are less useful than in other installments.   Don’t like getting killed by Explosive drones?  Use Hard Wired!  Don’t like getting killed with the Tracker Sight?  Use Cold Blooded!  Don’t like players using Silencers?  Equip a Parabolic Microphone on your weapon!  The guns also feel very balanced and each weapon of a type isn’t overpowered in comparison to another.  I find that players select guns based on personal preference, which is exactly how it should be.  No gun should specifically outshine the others.  In Ghosts it felt like every asshole used a Honey Badger, but why shouldn’t they?  It was an assault rifle that had great handling and range; you can spray and pray as well as hit snipers in the distance.

Supply Drops are a new addition to Advanced Warfare.  They function similarly to Battlefield’s Battle Packs.  You receive Supply Drops when you die and by upgrading your exo in the Campaign mode.  Drops can contain temporary Killstreaks, as well as specialized gear and weapons.  The weapons and gear are distinguished by three different tiers;  Enlisted, Professional and Elite.  The gear is for aesthetic purposes, however, the weapons have different stats and even attachments in comparison to their stock counterparts.

Supply Drops can also be obtained by purchasing Doritos and Mountain Dew.  Look under the cap, inside the box or on the outside of the bag to grab codes that unlock custom Doritos/Dew gear, Double XP or Rapid Supply Drops.  After purchasing one or more products, enter the code at dewanddoritos.com and viola, free swag for AW!  I drink Dew and consume Doritos at a fairly alarming rate (much to my doctor’s chagrin) so for me this was an added bonus.

Consume Doritos and Dew responsibly.

I was also elated that character customization had returned.  In Ghosts I enjoyed being able to alter my soldier’s appearance as well as complete objectives to gather new customization options.  The Advanced Warfare customization offers greater selections to choose from and more options.  The customization starts off with choosing your soldier’s gender and face.  After you can pick their helmet, glasses, shirt, loadout, pants, knee pads or shin guards, shoes and exo.  You have four different customization slots to change your soldier’s outfit on the fly.

The Campaign chronicles Jack Mitchell (Troy Baker), a soldier who lost his arm and his bestie Will Irons in an explosion while in a mission in Seoul, Korea.  At Will’s funeral, Mitchell is introduced to his father, Jonathan Irons (Kevin Spacey), who offers Mitchell a second chance at his privatized army corporation, Atlas.  Mitchell is given a cybernetic prosthetic arm and enters the ranks of Atlas fighting against the KVA, a terrorist organization lead by Hades, a dude with a fauxhawk.  Obviously, Atlas isn’t what it appears to be; Irons is a megalomaniac fascist and is willing to sacrifice millions of lives in order to bring the world peace.   It’s up to you to stop him!  Oh no!!!

At first, I didn’t particularly enjoy the campaign.  The story was decent and had greater depth than other FPS games, however I just wasn’t captivated.  Throughout the campaign and after missions you are given upgrade points in which to (you guessed it!) upgrade your exo.   After upgrading your exo at certain points you unlock Atlas Campaign items for multiplayer.   When I had finished the campaign, I realized that I had unlocked different items than my PSN friends.  Replaying the Campaign, I searched the levels for Intel and completed tasks (get 40 kills with grenades etc.) and unlocked further Atlas Campaign items.   The second time around the campaign was way more engaging. I understood how to use the various exo abilities (that are not featured in the multiplayer) as well as vehicles that I was just miserable with the first campaign run.  The campaign has some really awesome missions. In Traffic during a car chase, you leap from bus to bus shooting KVA suckas.  It is truly invigorating.  With all of the extras and fifteen missions, the campaign has much to offer and has great replay value.   I love when game designers offer incentives to playing the campaign, and Advanced Warfare has plenty.

The Exo Survival is enjoyable but can become repetitive and boring.   You play with three others and attempt to wipe out enemy waves and complete objectives.  Through the duration, you upgrade your exo, exo abilities and weapons.  If you complete Exo Survival on Riot, you will unlock a bonus zombie wave!   It’s big fun.  My favorite alternate mode in the Call of Duty franchise is Extinction, not that I prefer aliens to zombies, it’s quite the opposite.  Extinction was fantastic because every player selected a role to play in the team.  You could be a weapon specialist who deals extra damage, a tank who could take extra damage, a medic who could revive fallen allies with great speed or an engineer who could fix equipment quickly and make traps extra deadly.  You could level up your Extinction character and even unlock new equipment and special abilities.  The gameplay of Extinction made it stand out in comparison to Zombies.  The bonus zombie wave in Exo Survival teased gamers with the return of zombies in future DLC, however it will not feature similar gameplay to Treyarch’s Zombies.  It is unknown how the zombies with be implemented, though I’m hoping that the gameplay will be similar to Extinction but with Zombies and more story based than wave based.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed friends (you should too! Extinction was the best thing about Ghosts!).

The multiplayer is fun, like crazy fun.  The levels are fairly engaging, but sometimes fall short.  I love Defender, a military base underneath the Golden Gate bridge, the snowy Bio Lab and many other levels, but some drive me nuts!  In Greenband especially, with all the double jumping and boosting I find that I fall off the level like every ten seconds!   Oh and Ascend, how I loathe thee… It’s okay though, every FPS had levels that you love and others you despise.

The greatest problem with multiplayer is the lag.  Instead of dedicated servers, gamers piggyback on one another during playlists, which is obviously the reason why the lag is so terrible.  Fifty percent of the time or more, I have terrible lag (I have an open Nat type and reset my modem frequently).   When trying to mantle or jump over shit I find I’m just walking repeatedly into walls which is extremely aggravating!  Through a new feature, you can actually see your ping in lobbies and compare it to other players.  I hate it when I have one bar!  It brings me great sadness.  Double sad face 😦 😦

I despise most of the Call of Duty community, which I always find to be a great drawback to the franchise.  You still find plenty of campers and spawn trappers.  Personally, I play casually.  I am not crazy good or terrible at the game, I just want to have fun and bust a cap in a fool’s ass.

I hope that in the future, Call of Duty offers casual playlists for the casual gamer that offer a penalty to experience.  When Clan Wars start, lobbies can be ridiculous and I for one have no interest in playing with the “professional” or try hard community (I don’t want to play this game several hours a day to remain competitive, I have a life and other games and obviously a  kick ass blog to write!)

Advanced Warfare is fun and exhilarating.   The new super agility abilities paired with Call of Duty’s already dynamite shooting mechanics and you have one hell of a game.   If you’re a fan of the Call of Duty franchise, but unsure if Advanced Warfare is worth it; it is.  Trust me, this ain’t no Call of Doo Doo. (Heh, Doo Doo!)

The Roman Verdict-  A-

Get Your Smash On!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Super Smash Bros has been one of my favorite Nintendo games since the first installment on the N64.   Super Smash Bros on the 3DS is nothing short of awesome.  If you’ve played and enjoyed any SSB titles, you will love this portable version.

If you have played one Super Smash Bros, you’ve played them all (besides characters and levels).  This isn’t a bad thing; hey if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.   I enjoyed the levels on the 3DS version (though to be fair I don’t think I’ve played any levels on SSB that I couldn’t stand). The Dreamland level was particularly awesome for me since I owned the game on the original Gameboy when I was a kid.   There are several levels from SSB installments that I would have loved to see return. I know t that’s a bit idealistic but my poor heart yearns for Temple.

Even though it took me only a matter of days to unlock every character and level, there is plenty to do that will have folks coming back for more.    The new feature exclusive only to the SSB 3DS title is Smash Run.   Smash Run is a mode where players scramble through a dungeon-esque map where they collect attack, speed, defense and other bonuses prior to an epic free-for-all smash battle royal.

Notable new characters joining the Smash are  Little Mac, Charizard (sans Trainer), Greninja, Pacman, Villager, Duck Hunt and Megaman.  You can also use your custom mii to make one of three mii combatants (brawler, gunner and swordfighter), these for me are more for novelty’s sake but hey they’re fun (I made my cats!).   Dr. Mario returns to SSB and Mewtwo will be part of the Wii U and 3DS downloadable content (when purchased, the content will be for both SSB!), and let’s face it, who doesn’t love a psychic kitty?

The biggest issue for Super Smash Bros 3DS, is that it unleashes hell upon the console.  The circle pad is great for most games, but with the frantic competitive play, the circle pad tears and breaks with excessive and strenuous play.  When playing SSB 3DS I had to take it easy, which is extremely difficult; much like the Hulk, I like to smash.  After only a week (or less!) of SSB action, it added more wear and tear on my circle pad than with months of playing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and Pokemon  X.

Unfortunately, sometimes the action is lost on the small 3DS screen, but that’s the whole point of a handheld system (here’s an equation for ya’ll:  small size=portable).   I found it hard to tell which way my character was facing when the screen was totally zoomed out on larger levels so many times when this would occur I would button mash and hope for the best.

Honestly, I prefer console editions of Super Smash Bros in comparison to the 3DS version.  However, if you want to take Super Smash Bros on the go (or just can’t live without SSB), this my friends, is as good as it gets and will hold you over ‘til the Wii U version is released this holiday season!

The Roman Verdict-  B+

10 & 1/2 Inch Assassin

The Square Enix Play Arts Kai Deathstroke is awesome.   Standing at 10.6 inches tall, the figure is modeled after the Arkham Origins version of the character and is truly impressive.  Currently, Square Enix is taking preorders for a Deathstroke variant with gold and black paint instead of the gray blue and red orange on the standard version of the figure.  The variant will be available in November,  and is limited to 1000 pieces; 500 will be sold at NYC Comiccon 2014.

The figure is super articulated, with double knee joints, toe joints and so many points of articulation it’s kind of ridiculous.  If you enjoy having an action figure you can position, Square Enix’s figures (besides Deathstroke) are right up your alley.

The figure comes with five alternate hands, each corresponds with certain combinations of Deathstroke’s sword, pistol, staff and assault rifle.  I would have preferred  another of hands, so he could hold  different sets of items instead of having one right hand that specifically holds the pistol.  I would have loved an alternate unmasked head for Deathstroke, because hey, who doesn’t love a guy with an eyepatch?  Slade is a total dreamboat.  LOL ❤ 😉

Deathstroke is primarily composed of PVC, and soft material is used for the shoulders (to keep the figure super poseable) as well as certain aesthetic details like harness, gun holster etc. etc.

The paint is done well, it’s not perfect though (for you obsessive compulsive collectors).  Flecks of the red orange paint were on the insides of Deathstroke’s alternate hands and some of the intricate details are not perfect.  I am borderline obsessive when it comes to paint on figurines (when picking out a figure I’ll search every figure at a store for paint perfection), however the few flaws in the Deathstroke paint doesn’t drive me crazy or anything (I am way too focused on how badass he looks!)

The display stand that comes with the figure is… interesting.  It is a clear stand (though I would have prefered black) that you must assemble with sub par instructions (it’s not super difficult to assemble or anything if you have half a brain).  It can keep the character stable either by his mid section or by his neck depending on which attachment is used for the stand, which is nice, I like options.  The stand’s height also can be raised or lowered, so when you find that perfect pose you can display it like a champ.

If you’re like me, a Deathstroke enthusiast, this figure is a must buy (especially because there is such a limited assortment of Deathstroke figures and none are as impressive as this figure). At nearly a hundred bucks, Deathstroke is totally worth it [(Seriously, my next toy venture has already been decided: the Square Enix Batman) I have no choice. much like the power of Christ, the power of Batman compels me.].  I love you Square Enix Deathstroke, truly, deeply, forever and ever.

The Roman Verdict-  A-

Check out my Square Enix Deathstroke Unboxing Video

My Filthy Addiction

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Destiny, the MMO/FPS/RPG, was released by Bungie and Activision September 11th.  I, for one, was ecstatic especially after playing the Beta during July.  I even wrote my first blog about it.  Ahhhh… memories.

I preordered my copy to gain access to the Beta and afterwards, I realized I wanted to upgrade my standard Destiny edition to the Guardian, which included an expansion pass, exclusive emblems, a legendary starship, a red Ghost shell and some other shit that made the Guardian edition totally worth it.  Unfortunately Gamestop had sold out of the Guardian edition and I was told the people who pre-ordered it may not even receive it; Bungie had sold more pre-orders than they had copies.  Assholes.

Anyways, I realized the Digital Guardian Edition available on the PSN store was roughly $20 cheaper (put that in your pipe and smoke it), you could download Destiny prior to launch and play immediately on the 11th.  So that’s what I did.

On September 11th, roughly around 1am, I was able to play and I did so until 10am the next morning.  So worth it.  Besides changing a few things here and there, Explore levels mutated into Patrol, story levels were switched around a bit, etc. etc.; not much had changed.  And since Bungie made us begin our characters again, without new customization options, the first 8 levels to my character were a chore.  Don’t get me wrong, I was still very much elated to play.  A redeeming feature is that the first update on the first or second day it was released unlocked the second subclass (and nerfed it and rightfully so, having one subclass more powerful than the other creates an imbalance making one technically inferior) instead of having to level to 15.

Besides gear and weapons, the biggest difference to the Beta was the addition of the Moon (it was on the Beta but without playable levels), Venus and Mars.  On each planet there are higher level story levels, patrols and strikes.  When you hit level 20 though, a new Vanguard playlist opened up with higher difficulty strikes.

Each level up to level 20 basically consumes an hour of your life.  After level 20, you level up not by experience but how much Light your armor has.  The more light the higher level.  Finding armor that contains Light and leveling up armor is a chore.  The material that allows you to level up your armor is kind of a pain in the ass to get and you need a shitload of it.

I love Destiny, truly, deeply, however the game becomes rather routine.  Everyday I check my Vanguard bounties [they’re basically the same every day, (melee kill 20 enemies without dying, kill 100 enemies with precision damage, complete 6 cosmodrome patrols, etc. etc.) ] take a few, complete them, do a few strikes, rinse and repeat.  I’m not a huge fan of Crucible, the PVP portion of the game, so I usually don’t complete Crucible bounties, and disappointedly, you can earn only so many Vanguard marks (money to buy Vanguard paraphernalia) before you max out (100 a week).  Once I max out in the week, which happens pretty quick, there’s not much else to do (obviously if you enjoy the Crucible this may not be an issue).

A huge issue with the game is the use of matchmaking.  Matchmaking is used only with the strikes, which are epic boss fights, and Vanguard strikes but not during the Daily missions or Weekly Strikes.  This produces a problem, because other than hunting down players on Gamefaqs.com or other video game message boards, you’re stuck completeing the task alone if your PSN friends are not on, or if you don’t have any.  The latter isn’t a problem in my case, some of my friends are several levels below me or are not on at the same time of the day so it’s quite frustrating when I want to complete strikes and missions I need aid on.

I find the Crucible plays much differently than patrols, strikes and story missions which are expansive and includes several ranges in which to pick off the enemy from.  Crucible matches are fast paced, op, one hit kill fire fights in most cases where the victor is the player with quick reflexes or button mashers.  I am not either of these, I usually excel at FPS games when I take my time and play tactfully.  In my opinion, I would love Bungie to create a PVP Patrol mode, one where not only can you take missions and destroy hordes of Fallen, Hive, Vex and Cabal but also hunt enemy players or fight a band of Guardians.  For me, this would feel more natural for Destiny PVP than slamming in Call of Duty-esque game modes.  And being at level 27, I don’t find danger or become overwhelmed in Patrol missions.  Gimme danger, little stranger.  Hook a brother up, Bungie!

The graphics are wonderful, that obviously hasn’t changed; from leaving footprints on the moon to splashing through small pools of water, Destiny is gorgeous.

The music can be fantastic sometimes, setting the mood for epic battles galore but unfortunately there is no way to mute the music or change the level in respect to game effects.  Some effects are just super goofy, especially the sounds Guardians make when dying, in danger and low in health.  The voice actors used are fantastic, specifically Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones who voices your Ghost (your rubix cubed robot companion thing) and  Lance Reddick portrays the Titan Vanguard Commander Zavala.

The plot is thin, like paper thin.  I mean it’s there, there’s just not much going on with it.  But that’s okay.  The first time watching is usually somewhat interesting and mildly entertaining, but they can be boring.  Very very boring.  The worst part is that you can’t even skip the cutscenes that you have already seen.  Since in beta I beat the second story mission with all three characters and I have beaten it with another three new characters in the full game, I have watched the same clip twelve times plus a few more for Vanguard bounties; so let’s round it to an even fourteen.  That’s just ridiculous.  Imagine watching the same 5 minutes of a movie over and over again and it’s not even a funny or worthwhile YouTube clip.  But with upcoming expansions I’m pretty sure we will get more story, I mean I’d really like to know where these aliens I am massacring are from.  I hope the story becomes more engaging, exciting and adds another dimension to the game.

Don’t despair friends, this review is not to discourage you from purchasing this game.  It is a great game and has its moments, but there’s so much to be desired.  Bungie has a contingency plan, expansion packs and crazy amounts of updates.  They take in consideration to what we gamers would like in Destiny and are always looking for feedback.  Even on their forums, one main board is dedicated to feedback, which is awesome.  In general, you can not look at this game as a finished product.  Bungie has gigantic plans for Destiny and I trust that in an expansion pack or so, this will be a totally different game (not really, but you can see what I’m jiving at).  Destiny has ridiculous potential, it’s  a diamond in the rough.  For reals.

Destiny has turned me virtually into a junkie.  Now I’m homeless, looking for clean wifi dispensaries while I chase my high level to level; it rots me away at my very core.  But I love it.

The Roman Verdict- B-

Get a Grip!

The Dual Shock 4 controller is one of the greatest and most comfortable controllers I have ever used.  However, one of the most prevalent issues with the DS4’s design are the grips on the thumbstick.  With moderate use throughout the year my DS4 thumbsticks were ravaged (think sunburned peeling skin).  If you own a Playstation 4 you know exactly what I’m talking about.

With my recent acquisition of a brand spanking new DS4, I decided to take precautions to keep the thumbstick in pristine condition and thus began my quest to find the best DS4 grips out there.  

My search yielded results when I discovered Kontrol Freek.  The grips claimed not only provided greater comfort and less fatigue but also boasted increased K/D (kill to death ratio) and the reviews were great.  Kontrol Freek designs several grips ranging in color, texture, height and shape.  

I ordered two sets of Kontrol Freek, the Kontrol Freek Ultra and CQC which are both concave grips.  I also ordered Grip-Its, which only cover the immediate tops of the thumbsticks and offer protection, comfort and obviously grip.

Within two days (thanks to Amazon Prime) I received my orders and was ecstatic to take them for a test run.

 The Grip-It products were a nice quick fix to my deteriorated DS4 thumbsticks.  However, I didn’t find them especially pleasing to look at or comfortable due to the gecko-hand raised surface for texture.  The Grip-It grips were simple enough to apply to the thumbsticks but were difficult to place precisely.  They did add comfort and protection

Blue Grip-It

The Kontrol Freek Ultra in comparison to the CQC have increased height.  When using the KF Ultras I found them to be rather uncomfortable, though I did notice I could use a higher sensitivity with ease and was aiming with more precision.  The Ultras fit perfectly on my thumbsticks and are easy to install and remove, though you want to do so gingerly, as to not fuck up the actual DS4 thumbstick grip.

Kontrol Freek Ultra

The Kontrol Freek CQC were higher than traditional thumbsticks, but I found them to be increasingly more comfortable than the Ultras.  The CQC allows for tighter movements (hence the close quarter combat name) with comfort and great grip.  The CQC grips sit nicely on the thumbstick, however I thought they had given me a XBox One or PS3 version, because you can spin them with just a little pressure.  This does not in any way negatively affect my gaming experience, it was just something I noticed.

Kontrol Freek CQC

Kontrol Freek have grips called Vortex, which is designed to be the best of both worlds.  The left grip is shorter and close to the CQC with it’s concave design and the right has increased height similar to the Ultras though it is convex.  

After playing around with each set separately I decided to combine them in a Vortex manner.  I found this combination to be ideal. However, I regret getting the concave Ultras instead of the convex version.  Because of the extra height, my thumb didn’t rest nicely in the concave grip, it merely rolled along the edge.  So the concave nature didn’t really aid my grip, but it’s not a big deal or anything.

Kontrol Freek Mix Up- CQC and Ultra

 The Kontrol Freek products are quite pricey.  Most grips range between roughly $10 to $20 for a pair (you can nab a set for a better deal if you want to go all out).  If you are a serious FPS gamer, Kontrol Freek products are a must buy.  I noticed my general K/D was raised, not that I really give a shit, it was just refreshing to see Kontrol Freek’s claims backed up.  I also found Kontrol Freek use eases my thumb and wrist fatigue.  I suffer from carpal tunnel so sometimes I find playing video games to be excruciatingly painful and since using the KF’s, my wrist and hand pain has been minimal (especially after playing Destiny straight for nine hours).  

Kontrol Freek Mix Up Height Comparison- CQC and Ultra

It is also worth mentioning that because of the increased height of my right thumbstick, my reaction time to jump or melee (I use the Tactical button layout in Call of Duty) is a bit slower, which has fueled my quest to find a button remapped controller.

I am very pleased with my purchases and plan to purchase two additional sets of Kontrol Freek, the Ultra X and the CQC X.  The Ultra X and CQC X are the same as the KF’s I own (respectively), however they are both convex.  I enjoy being able to mix and match my Kontrol Freek products to create a custom grip.  I’m considering trying Orb grips, which are similar to the Grip-Its, but with a different texture for tighter close quarter movements and non-Call of Duty endeavors (Little Big Planet is totally my jam). 

If you want to protect your DS4 thumbsticks, lessen thumb fatigue or improve your game (or D, all of the above), check out Kontrol Freek products. 

The Roman Verdict-    Kontrol Freek CQC-  A-

                                     Kontrol Freek Ultra- B

                                      Grip-Its-                  B-