TGO Daily | Thursday July 8, 2021 | Same Assassins, New Creed?
In the news today: Assassin's Creed may become a game service like GTA 5 and we have a Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin review roundup.
TGO Daily | Thursday July 8, 2021
✏️From the Author
We tend to lose power during most regular thunderstorms. At least, more often than not we do. Color me surprised then that we didn’t lose it once during Tropical Storm 5. Why would that happen?
Well, I’ve figured it out. We spent time preparing for lost power! Movies and shows downloaded, electric lamps set out in strategic places, generator filled up - we were as prepared as we could be to not have power. Now I know the secret to keeping power is preparing to NOT have it! Life is silly, sometimes.
Until next time,
Brandon
Assassin’s Creed Shaking Up its Series
Bloomberg broke a story on the next iteration of Assassin’s Creed, before Ubisoft confirmed Assassin’s Creed Infinity in their blog. However, Bloomberg is reporting some things that Ubisoft has not yet divulged.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier is reporting that his sources tell him the next game will be a live online game service, inspired by the large successes surrounding Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto 5. Their sources said that,
“Infinity will contain multiple settings with room to expand to others in the months and years following its debut… Individual games on the platform might look and feel different, but they will all be connected.”
Ubisoft’s official statement has been more cryptic. Ubisoft did confirm that the Ubisoft Montreal & Quebec studios would be teaming up for this title; normally Montreal and Quebec work on different alternating titles in the series. Ubisoft did not confirm that the game will be as a service, saying instead this was an opportunity for the series to, “…evolve in a more integrated and collaborative manner that’s less centered on studios and more focused on talent and leadership, no matter where they are within Ubisoft.”
What does all this mean? Well, we don’t know for sure right now. What the game will look like and what it means for the series are all up in the air. Jason Schreier’s final thoughts on the matter may give us some more indication, but the main thing we’ll have to do is wait for more news to come.
Review Roundup: Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Capcom’s latest title, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, is set to release this Friday July 9th, for Switch and PC. The reviews have started to pour in on first impressions of the game, so let’s take a look at what critics are saying.
The JRPG puts you in the shoes of a rookie ‘Rider’ who sets off to investigate a strange light making Monsters go berserk. You control Monsters (called, ‘Monsties’) similar in vein to Pokémon. You breed them, catch them, and fight them.
The game is currently sitting at an 82/100, with 84% of critics recommending it on OpenCritic. Critics all seemed to be in the same general agreement on the pros and cons of the title.
Pros:
Many praised the combat as providing that addicting gameplay loop that Monster Hunter is known for - with particular praise showered on the Monsters. The turn-based combat was applauded for taking what makes Pokémon combat fun, then adding Monster Hunter flair to it.
The animation and overall look of the game also received adoration, as Eurogamer’s Malindy Hetfeld put it, “But battles, like the rest of the game, look amazing. They come alive with speed lines, great attack effects and really fun special attacks between Monsties and rider…This stuff is so over the top, well animated and exciting…”
Cons:
The biggest con critics found was with the story. Many found the plot lacking or just feeling unfocused compared to the rest of the title.
Overall, the game seems like a lot of fun for fans of turn-based combat or ‘catch-em’ games like Pokémon. John Carson of GameInformer sums it all up best:
“Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin’s story might not light the world on fire, but it’s a fun experience that can acclimate new players to the great elements of the Monster Hunter series. Combat encounters are full of rich strategy, and Monstie collecting and gear customization kept me coming back even after the credits rolled. If you’ve been curious about Monster Hunter, but feel intimidated by the main series, Stories 2 might be just the entry point you’re looking for.”
💡 Read More
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum drops trailer and release date. The trailer doesn’t show too much, but we do get to see some different environments and pre-alpha footage of some main characters from the LotR series - such as Gandalf.
The Super Mario movie will be a Peacock exclusive in the US after it leaves cinemas. The animated Super Mario movie is expected to release in 2022.
Frostpunk's three expansions finally coming to PlayStation and Xbox. The expansions will be available separately, together in a season pass, or as a complete edition with the base game on July 21st.
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Thanks for the read <3