Alpha got word that he’s been selected to host a new Twitch Show called “Babyface and the Heel” – and he’s super excited. So excited that he didn’t realize what had ultimately happened. Tune in now to see who his co-host is…
Show Notes:
Episode 74 – Pre-Dreamhack Atlanta Catch Up – DHATL19
Host: Kevin Lane
Website: http://thebacklogpod.com
Socials: http://bio.fm/backlog
Fortnite Creator Code: Backlog
Show Notes:
Intro
Episode 74 – Wednesday November 13th, 2019. Coupon Code TEAMEMAR for 20% off – use link at bottom of website for quick accessRecap & Current EventsDreamhack Atlanta the 15th-17th – The Backlog is Press Working on 2 shows Impromptu with Kevin Earl and Earl Babyface and the Heel (BatH) with Alpha and Jimmy Thompson
New Releases
Death Stranding Call of Duty Modern Warfare WWE2K20 Outer Worlds Red Dead 2 PC Greedfall Gears 5 Borderlands 3 Untitled Goose Game Disney + Switch Witcher 3 Overwatch Zelda Links AwakeningTop 3 Backlog Items
Marvel’s Avengers Movies Spider-Man PS4 Days GoneGame Reviews
Greedfall Audio Trip Frost Punk Devil’s Hunt Men of War 2 Assault Squad VigorComing Soon
Jedi Fallen Order 11/15 Golem 11/19 Pokemon Sword & Shield Google Stadia
Initial release date: Sept 12, 2019
Mode(s): multiplayer / single player
Developer: Digitalmindsoft
Genre: Real-time Strategy
Platform: PC
Price: $24.99
My Price: Free Review Copy Provided
Final Score: 30
In the days of Command and Conquer, Star Craft and others from generations ago, you would think this remaster/Remake wouldn’t be so terrible – the groundwork has already been laid, however this game played terrible. I couldn’t get comfortable on the controls – the weapons were clunky and did not cause the impacts and destruction I expected. I honestly couldn’t play this game for more than a half hour before I turned it off. The graphics weren’t close to what I was hoping for, the mechanics were clunky at best, and the instruction was nil.
If you are a die-hard RTS fan, you may find joy in searching for a game and trying to make it work the way they hope it does, but honestly, there are better games out there that are free to play– so I suggest a hard pass at this one.
Developer 11 bit studios
Publisher 11 bit studios
Platform PlayStation 4
Released Windows April 24, 2018
PlayStation 4, Xbox One October 11, 2019
Genre(s) City-building, survival
Mode(s) Single-player
Price: $34.99
My Price: Free Review Copy
Final Score: 85
I’ve had the opportunity to play quite a few SIMs and RTS Games in my day – from WarCraft/StarCraft to SimCity, Tropico and even Cities: Skylines… So when I play a game like Frost Punk, which feels like a strong mixture of both types of games, I got a bit of heightened excitement. I didn’t expect to like this game as much as I did if I am being honest; however I liked how the game introduced us into the game with the understanding of what we’re up against. The Cold, and Ourselves.
I spent a few different rounds working real hard on understanding the upgrades and cost/analysis benefit of dedicating engineers and workers to the different assignments. I like how (similar to other Sims) they assign a name to each individual person walking around… I guess if you wanted to get too crazy you could focus on who is who and all that… but that’d be a bit crazy. Instead, I put my focus into trying to keep up hope while making decisions that were how I’d want my own leadership to be. The cool thing is that they give you all sorts of play styles.
My final score is 85. I found the game to be deep and tense, with potential difficulties that surpassed my skills in these types of games. At the end of the day, the only thing bringing this game down for me is the repetition and nature of these types of games. I can’t keep my attention on them long enough to go too crazy with them, no matter how much I enjoy SIM type games. That’s not a knock on FrostPunk though… I like how this game puts the focus on you while combating a natural enemy in The Cold. I’d say wait for this one to hit a sale and swoop it up, or buy it now if you’re super interested in the concept. I’d say it’s worth the price.
Developer Layopi Games
|Publisher: 1C Company
Genre: Action Adventure
Multi-player: No Multiplayer/No Online
Rating: M
Release Price $34.99
My Price: Free Review Copy
In Devil’s Hunt, you play as Desmond, formerly a rich guy by day and underground Boxing Champion by night. Now an employee of the Devil, Desmond quickly seeks a guy who may help them win the war, or possibly allow him to break his contract.
The game felt similar to God of War 3 meets Diablo – with less fighting options, characters, combat, etc. The initial flow felt pretty good, but the enemies were limited. I got bored of the combat here and there, but some of the boss fights were decent… they just took way too long.
It would have been nice to have an introduction back story on Desmond. You are kind of thrown into the character without any real details to explain who he is and why he’s so rich. It’d be nice to care more about him. There also isn’t much replayability on this game. Once you beat it, you probably won’t pick it up again. You can beat it in what felt like under 10 hours, and at $34.99 that’s not a bad starting price for a mid-level game.
I didn’t hate the game by any means, and with an initial discount price, they know they aren’t trying to trick you into thinking this is an AAA title. That being said, there are plenty of better games that go for much less right now (like Diablo or God of War 3 if you haven’t played them) so I would say wait for a sale unless you have an itch to play it. You may not be disappointed.
Developer: Kinemotik Studios
Publisher: Andromeda
Price: 19.99 Early Access
My Price: Free Review Copy
Final Score: 92
When I first played a Rythm based VR game like Beat Saber, I was hooked. The movement, the tracking, the VR style arena, the awe of it all… and the sound. It all meshed perfectly in such a simple game. Rythm based games have been an amazing part of our gaming culture for quite some time – when games like Kareoke Revolution and DDR Max were household names, we just couldn’t get enough of our music based gaming.
Rockband and Guitar Hero brought us a new way to play rythm games, and the end result is perfection in VR. Audio Trip builds upon the incredible foundation that Beat Saber has successfully embraced – with new ways to handle the beats, Audio Trip feels like a fresh new idea while keeping the same concept we know and love. Slash, Pound or Tunnel yourself through each song – work up a sweat – and dance your way to new high scores.
At the time of this writing, Audio Trip is Early Access for now – and it only has 10 songs available. With a low price-tag of $20, I’d definitely recommend this game knowing they will be adding 10 more songs once it leaves Early Access. But that’s the question – will it ever leave Early Access? I say it will, because there is just too much going for this game. It’s well built, stable, fast paced and fun. These types of games sell VR because it doesn’t seem to induce motion sickness and people grasp the concept pretty easily. I’m not a fan of having to wait for music packs – and I hope that this game gets a side-load option like Beat Saber has – but I know the music industry folk like to get their huge cuts of profit – but $20 bucks for 20 songs – that’s worth it. Skrillex, deadmau5 and Lady Gaga highlight the first 10 for Early Access.
I played this game on Windows Mixed Reality -> Steam VR with an HP WMR Headset.
Initial release date: July 30, 2018
Mode(s): multiplayer
Developer: Bohemia Interactive
Engine: Unreal Engine
Genre: Survival game
Platform: Xbox One
Price: Free to Play w/ microtransactions
My Price: Free Starter Pack provided
Final Score:80
Vigor is a unique Battle Royale game from Bohemia Interactive that definitely has hints of what makes DayZ a great game sprinkled with increased suspense and action. I like how Vigor plays, allowing you to mold a play style of survival or pressure, amongst an even playing field (aside from boosts). Boosts are purchasable using the in-game currency (which can be accrued in-game by completing tasks or by spending cold-hard cash) and allow you to retain your weapons and whatnot after the round is over – making things slightly easier.
The goal here isn’t just to be the last man alive, it’s to make sure you get the loot and materials you drastically need to secure your shelter, defend, attack, and escape. The game-play and controls feel a bit more stiff than a COD, BF or Fortnite game, and feel closer to that of DayZ. That works for this style game, but with the fast paced maneuverability of these other games, it definitely feels somewhat lacking.
The game has some issues, including minor banding & character model glitches – and sometimes waiting for a round to start can take a while. Even through that, the game is fun at its core and the Micro Transactions don’t put too much of a Pay2Win feel with the boosts. I find it funny how expensive the costumes tend to be, but they gotta get paid somehow. I imagine the store would be more profitable if they pumped out a ton of costumes and outfits for much lower price. Fortnite can charge that much due to demand but these other games charging as much for less detailed characters is a shame.
All in all, I give this game an 80. It’s a decent game, free to play, and gives a unique look at Battle Roayles. I’d like to see it on more platforms and a bigger player base, but it is what it is. You should check it out – it’s worth the time to try it.
Unfortunately our original Greedfall review was lost in a database issue, but the quick rundown is simple. Greedfall is a fun game with lots of potential. The final consensus from the Backlog is that this is a game you will desire to beat once you get into it… and beating it could take 30-60 hours depending on your playstyle. The graphics are great (although the cut-scenes are a bit robotic) and the gameplay is solid. Check this one out and definitely pick it up if you are into Story Based RPGs.
As we stare Halloween dead in the eyes and witness game after game get deployed to our systems – we realize how quickly that backlog grows. This podcast started with J&K all the way, and by gosh, it takes two to tango when we talk about the games of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Kevin welcomes back Joel, Joe, Joey Joe – however you want to refer to him, the result is the same. You always get a little bit of something something. J&K talk about Fortnite Chapter 2, Call of Duty, Realm Royale and a whole slew of other games on the radar for 2020. And you could say Kevin even goes on a “Tangent”…
Episode 72 was originally recorded on the Backlog’s Twitch Channel “http://Twitch.tv/BacklogNetwork” but the quality of the audio wasn’t sufficient for export to our audio only audience. This episode is a rehash of TwitchCon 2019 in San Diego as well as an In Studio appearance of Caleb George, known as Thee_Godfather – a streamer of the week in LS5 and owner of his own community, the “Stream Mafia”.
You can find Godfather’s information by going to http://twitch.tv/thee_godfather and looking at the panels below his stream window.
Enjoy the show.
Follow the Backlog. http://bio.fm/backlog
