Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)

Game Title: Rise of the Tomb Raider                   Publisher: Square Enix, Microsoft Studios

Year: 2015 (Xbox 360/One, PS4), 2016 (PC)      ESRB Rating: M

Platform: PC                                                        Genre: Action - Adventure 

·         Fun Factor: The game is very fun and it's hard to put it down once you've gotten into it. It's high paced game play keeps me on the edge of my seat, and the low paced areas of the game keep me in anticipation wondering when the next big thing is going to happen.

·         Learning Curve: The game is very easy to get into. Right when you get into the game, there is a small tutorial that prompts you to press a certain key depending on the situation. 

·         Graphics: The graphics are very good. Since it's a next gen game everything is highly textured and runs great. Unfortunately I can't run the game to it's max (thanks gtx 650) but it still looks great on medium settings. 

·         Audio:  How would you rate the music and sound effects of the game?

 The sound is also great. Each explosion makes it seem like I'm actually in the game.The music the game isn't that memorable though. It sounds like generic orchestral music you would use in a game like this, but it sounds great nonetheless.

·         Controls: The controls are very easy to remember once you've learned them. They're very common keys on the keyboard you would use and doesn't have you reaching all the way across to execute a certain command or something in the game. 

·         Story: The story is very immersive, and as I said it is very hard to put down once you've picked it up. There are high paced areas of the game where you are running away from explosions, and heavy gunfire. There are also lower places in the game, like you have to escape a prison or something. They're all great moments.

·         Characters:  If there are characters in the game you played, how would you rate the characters?

Laura Croft is the main character in this game (as in every other Tomb Raider game). She is now not hesitant to kill which makes wondering what she is capable of compared to the last game.  

·         Level Design:  How well were the levels designed?  Did they fit well with the overall concept of the game, and work well with the controls, learning curve, and/or characters?

 Level design is very good. It is very easy to follow, and know where you have to go.

·         Changes:  If you were to make changes to the game, what changes would you have made to the game? There are no changes I would make tot his game at all.

·         Recommendation:  Would you recommend this title to others?  Why or why not?

      I would highly recommend this game. The story is great, very well paced, and looks amazing.

The Legend of Zelda (1986)

Game Title: The Legend of Zelda                        Publisher: Nintendo

Year: 1986                                                            ESRB Rating: None

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System          Genre: Action-Adventure 

·         Fun Factor:  I would say the game wasn't overly fun but it was fun enough to keep playing. Once I would die, I would find myself wanting to continue on where I was exploring. For me, it's almost the same thing over and over, just with a slightly different setting and different enemies. 

·         Learning Curve:  The game is very easy to pick up. Just go into the cave, pick up your sword and start mashing A. If you have full health, you have the ability to throw your sword which makes killing enemies very easy for the sword goes through plants and walls. 

·         Graphics:  For the time, the graphics were pretty good. I was able to distinguish what enemy is what, and what certain things are on the map like doorways.

·         Audio:  The music is very repetitive for it plays the same song over and over on loop. Sound like when you're health is low is very helpful for when you have to be more careful and look for more hearts or fairies. 

·         Controls:  The controls are very easy.You move around with the D-Pad,  A is sword, and B is item

·         Story:  There isn't really a story to the game. You're just kind of thrown into the game with very little knowledge on what do do and where to go. All you know is that there is a princess named Zelda and you have to rescue her from Ganondorf. 

·         Characters:  I wouldn't really consider Link any sort of character in the game. There isn't any real development like there are in other Legend of Zelda games like Twilight Princess or Wind Waker.

·         Level Design:  For the concept of the game, the level was pretty good. One thing I didn't like about it is the real use of any kind of map. It's just a green dot on a gray square and you have no real sense of where you are and where you need to be.

·         Changes:  One change I would make to this game is to add an actual map. I had no idea where I had to be any of the time and I just found myself mindlessly wondering around.

·         Recommendation:  I would recommend this game to the hard core retro game enthusiasts. If you're coming to this game from any other Zelda game, it'll be hard to pick up since there isn't any real story to it.