Author: Trafficblast

Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man for PS4 is one of the most anticipated games of this year, which is something the webhead isn’t all too familiar with. He’s had a rocky history with some truly great games peppered throughout the past four decades, but none of them have quite hit the fever pitch that Insomniac’s take on the character has.

So how did our friendly neighborhood wall crawler get here? Well, we at GameSpot looked back at Spider-Man’s history in video games, from humble beginnings on the Atari 2600 to swinging through a virtual, open-world Manhattan. Without question, Spider-Man has evolved alongside video games. Early 2D games attempted to capture what the hero was about with simple web-shooting mechanics and eventually beat-’em-up action, and as games moved into the 3D space with fully-realized open worlds, Spider-Man swung through them (whether or not his webs actually attached to buildings).

And speaking of the web-swinging, we got the chance to speak to Jamie Fristom, who kicked off and helped create the physics-based swinging system that made its debut in 2004’s Spider-Man 2, which released on PS2, Gamecube, and Xbox. Unsatisfied with the swinging in the first Spider-Man movie game, Fristrom went into the office after hours and created a prototype, which eventually went on to be implemented in the next game. It’s an interesting story of game development, for sure, but as a defining point in Spider-Man’s video game history, it’s an absolutely essential story to hear for fans of the red-and-blue hero.

In fact, Spider-Man 2 set the bar for all of the webhead’s games moving forward, thanks in most part to that swinging system, which was very well received by critics and fans alike. Even with the upcoming PS4 game, our hero can’t step out of Spider-Man 2’s shadow. Whether it’ll surpass that game or be able to swing on its own as another great entry in the series… well, we’ll just have to wait for reviews to find out. Until then, take some time to revisit the past and watch The History of Spider-Man In Video Games.

Capcom’s Devil May Cry launched for the PlayStation 2 in 2001, and the impact it had on video games can still be seen clearly today. Originally conceived as Resident Evil 4, the game was spun-off from the company’s beloved survival horror franchise and, in doing so, established a brand new genre. Coming from the mind of Hideki Kamiya, Devil May Cry was a game that delivered intense and dynamic action with flare. Back then, it looked and felt like the Matrix mixed with a John Woo flick set in an eerie gothic world.

In the years since we’ve had numerous games that build upon what the original Devil May Cry establish for gameplay and presentation. Whether it’s Bayonetta, Okami, Nier: Automata, or the many other so-called character action games, they all owe a debt of gratitude to Dante’s original adventure. In March 2019, Devil May Cry 5 will be released, and this has inspired us to go back and see just how well the first game in the series has fared over time.

In the video above, Lucy and Tamoor take a trip down memory lane and discuss the original Devil May Cry, dissecting its gameplay, story, characters, and more through the lens of 2018 to figure out how well it holds up and whether it’s still worth playing.

Although Devil May Cry 5 primarily stars Nero, who returns from the fourth entry in the series, Dante will also be in the thick of the action once again. During Gamescom 2018 Capcom confirmed that the longtime series protagonist will be making a return in the newest game, and he’s got a sweet motorcycle that can transform into weapons. Watch the Devil May Cry 5 Dante reveal trailer to see his debut.

During the show we also got hands-on time with the game, and you can watch Devil May Cry 5 running at 60 FPS in 4K to see how Nero plays. Capcom has confirmed the Devil May Cry 5 release date as March 8, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

We teamed up with Daybreak Games to giveaway 50 H1Z1: Viper Launch Bundle Codes!

The Viper Launch Bundle includes:

• Viper Outfit
• Animated Viper AR-15
• 3 Apocalypse Crates
• 500 Crowns (can be used to purchase crates in-game that unlock new customization items for your character.)

50 winners will be emailed a code. Entry is open to United States residents only. No purchase necessary. Competition ends September 9, 2018 at 11:59 PM PDT.

About the game:

H1Z1: Battle Royale is a pure, fast-paced battle royale shooter re-imagined and built for console. Drop in to a massive map in search of weapons, ammo, vehicles and air drops to get a leg up on the competition and be the last one standing.

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As a 2D platformer, Freedom Planet draws much of its inspiration from classic Sonic the Hedgehog. The game exhibits a riveting sense of speed, lively retro visuals and music, and clever level design packed with exciting touches. Challenging large-scale boss fights typically reserved for 2D side-scrolling shoot ’em ups, such as Gunstar Heroes and Contra, are frequent and satisfying. There’s great ambition in what Freedom Planet manages to blend together, and while some of its highest moments are accompanied by a few blemishes that are difficult to look past, it’s still a joy to play.

Freedom Planet’s story starts out simple: when an alien force invades the peaceful planet of anthropomorphic protagonists Lilac, Carol, and Milla, the three are called upon to help thwart the tyrannical ambitions of its evil leader, Lord Brevon. Despite sounding rudimentary, the story makes a big show of itself with lengthy cutscenes interspersed between each of its 10 stages. There’s a great amount of detail written into the world and surrounding lore with characters and locations given more background than you’d expect.

Unfortunately, none of this development ever amounts to anything remarkable or intriguing, often relying on a bevy of tropes to push the narrative forward. What’s worse is the main cast’s painfully overacted performances, which results in a litany of cringeworthy moments in both funny and serious scenes. It is possible to play the game in Classic Mode, which removes all the story cutscenes. While this benefits the experience as a whole, you simply wouldn’t know this to be the best way to play the game without having experienced the mediocrity of its writing and presentation first.

Where Freedom Planet is likely to hook you is in its level design. There’s a ton of pleasure to be had zipping to and fro across the varied multi-lane pathways of each stage, which feature a wealth of loops to pass and well-placed hazards to avoid. The routes are generally easy to navigate with brief platforming challenges that keep you moving from one pathway to the next. Like the 2D Sonic games that inspired it, Freedom Planet’s stages are split across two parts, but the separation between them isn’t heavily signposted, instead pushing you from one section to the next as soon as a boss is defeated. This subtle shift increases your time spent running across stages, and as each one comes to close, you’ll feel a stronger sense of accomplishment to the trials and tribulations you experienced in your journey through it.

Each stage exudes its own personality, and there’s plenty of visual diversity present. You’ll clear through shopping malls inspired by Chinese-motifs, explore bamboo forests, and cross a fleet of airships. There’s some decent pixelated art on display, but a lot of it appears flat with textures from the foreground and background often blending together, which can cause minor inconveniences during certain platforming challenges.

Speaking of which, a higher focus on platforming provides some welcomed respite from racing towards a stage’s finish line. In addition, you’ll often stick around in some areas to engage in melee combat against crowds of enemies. All of this is aided by how each of the three playable characters have their own distinct modes of navigation and combat. While Lilac can use her Dragon Boost ability to instantly zip across the environment and make short work of enemies in her way, the more combat-oriented Carol and defense-focused Milla have to rely on their pounce and energy shield abilities, respectively, in order to pick up speed and dispatch foes. Each of their abilities lead you toward new paths you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise, and you’re rewarded for putting in the time as other characters, as they occasionally get their own stages designed specifically around their abilities.

Bookending Freedom Planet’s stages are boss fights that are as tough as they are ostentatious. They’re not too demanding at first, but as you progress, they start to require advanced tactics that test both your timing and reflexes. There’s an impressive sense of scale to the battles. One fight has you dueling against a giant robotic mantis who jumps all around the battlefield to slice you, while another has you engaging in a high-speed chase with an an evil snake mercenary piloting a massive dog mech. These moments are some of Freedom Planet’s most memorable, especially because each character has very different ways of dealing with them. Lilac has to rely on her standard melee and jumping spin attacks to hit bosses, using her Dragon Boost to fly up in the air to avoid screen-filling attacks. On the other hand, Carol doesn’t have the same conveniences as Lilac, instead relying on precision platforming and her wall jump ability to avoid larger boss attacks.

Lilac and Carol are the definite highlights of the roster, as their utilitarian movesets make them a joy to use. Both characters are rewarding to play in their own right, providing their own unique thrills and challenges. However, the same can’t be said for Milla, whose abilities feel more like an afterthought to round out the pack. Compared to her more able-bodied comrades, Milla lacks any meaningful way to quickly pick up speed, which often slows down the pacing of levels that are more built around moving swiftly. Her energy shield’s short range is a pain to use, and its various attacks aren’t all that functional when you’re moving through areas filled with enemies due to their slow startup.

Milla’s abilities are admittedly entertaining to use against bosses–whose difficult patterns oftentimes feel more built around the abilities of Lilac and Carol. At times, these instances feel like they’re weighed against you, but they often pave way to tense and fulfilling uphill battles that demand you to act more defensively. A momentary satisfaction, this sense of reward quickly wears off when you begin a new stage and realize just how much you’re bypassing threats simply because of how long it takes for Milla to fight against normal enemies.

Despite echoing the design of early 2D Sonic games, Freedom Planet manages to create its own take on the formula that’s well worth playing. For a game that emphasizes tightly-paced stage design and challenging boss fights, it’s disappointing that the game’s story never reaches the same heights. But if you have any vested interest in Sonic-like games or 2D action-platformers, you’d be remiss not to add this one to your queue–just make sure to play in Classic Mode.

Steel Rats combines Trials-like platforming with a bleak, dreary, post-apocalyptic world, all the while telling a story about the titular motorcycle gang. Each gang member has their own unique abilities, but they all feature a blade-equipped front wheel that allows them to attack enemies, cut through obstacles, and climb up walls and ceilings.

Steel Rats is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC, though no release date has been set as of yet. For more information about Steel Rats and other games we’ve seen at PAX West 2018, keep your eyes right here on GameSpot.

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