Topic: Accessibility

I am currently working towards degrees in video game design and in computer science, so from that you can infer two things: I am and have always been a total geek, and video games are a monumental part of my life. So much so, in fact, that I would argue some of my most meaningful relationships, lessons, and generally memorable experiences have stemmed directly from my love for video games. If you’re anything like me, I bet you’d find it somewhat traumatizing to imagine never getting to enjoy video games ever again. To non-gamers and video game haters like Jack Thompson *cough* loser *cough*, that might not seem so bad; but, to us that’s like losing the ability to live hundreds of lives at once. Sadly, this is a reality for a lot of gamers out there right now.

According to statistics from Game Accessibility Guidelines, 1 out of every 5 casual gamers are disabled. While these gamers’ disabilities vary widely, some of them experience conditions which seriously limit their ability to game. That means roughly 20% of regular gamers may be missing out on a lot that games have to offer. This statistic alone is tough to accept, but that doesn’t even include people who experience conditions that negate their ability to game altogether. There are a few major categories that help explain what effects some of these disabilities yield.

The first category describes sensory impairments which typically limit or prevent the player from receiving feedback from the game. For example, the player is unable hear an explosion in-game or is unable to distinguish between colored wires in games like “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes”. Next there’s motor impairments which are known for reducing the player’s ability to react quickly and to tell the game what to do. This kind of impairment makes twitch-reaction games virtually impossible because of how fast the player must provide input. It also inhibits the ability to play RTS’s and basically any other fast-paced game. Lastly, many gamers experience cognitive impairments. Players who experience cognitive disabilities often have trouble managing multiple resources in-game and experience difficulties in learning mechanics. Basically, as games grow in complexity, many players are unable to play because their disability can render the massive amounts of mechanics and resources overwhelming. All these categories inhibit major mechanics in games from being experienced to their full potential by literally millions of gamers. Thankfully, gamers have been rising to the challenge and making some cheat codes of their own to combat these disabilities over the past few years.

A new movement in the world of game development revolves around making sure everybody has equal access to games. In recent years, developers and other organizations have been raising awareness of the issue and getting brilliant minds to come up with what is called “Assistive Technology Solutions” specifically designed to overcome the disabilities experienced by our fellow gamers. These innovative products are being specially designed for each category of impairment to deliver accessibility to every gamer; they range from speech recognition software that allows the player to control a computer with his or her voice, to controllers that track your eye movements. Other products that are being pursued seem straight out of Civ 5’s future era and allow the player to control a game using his or her thoughts.

One new product that has been making headlines recently is the new Xbox Adaptive Controller. The controller employs USB ports, Bluetooth, Xbox Wireless, and Xbox One’s copilot feature to deliver a completely customizable style of play. Microsoft collaborated with several charities and foundations to design the controller to be as inclusive as possible before release. This is a great example of a major company taking point in the accessibility movement and sets a precedent for other companies to follow.

I for one am very proud of the steps the industry has taken towards making games more accessible; however, the struggle is an ongoing one. As technology advances at an exponentially increasing rate, more and more people who suffer from disabilities fall behind; and not just in the video game world, but in all forms of emergent media. Additionally, the great minds at work on making tech more accessible are limited by financial restrictions. It’s a difficult challenge to face, but some of the brightest minds of the 21^st century are hard at work trying to overcome it. In my opinion, it’s clear that accessibility in technology is gaining traction as a popular dialogue and will continue to do so. I believe that we will see more amazing innovations in the industry over the next decade and am certain that we’ve only scratched the surface of what we can do for gamers with disabilities and what games have to offer for everyone.

 

Bierre Kevin J, Westin Thomas, “Game Not Over: Accessibility Issues in Video Games”. IGDA Games Accessibility Special Interest Group, Nov 2014. Accessed 23 Jan 2019.

GameAccessibilityGuidelines.com, “Game Accessibility Guidelines”. Accessed 23 Jan 2019. http://gameaccessibilityguidelines.com/

Microsoft, “Xbox Adaptive Controller”. Microsoft, 2019. Accessed 23 Jan 2019. https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/accessories/controllers/xbox-adaptive-controller

Review: Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is stunning. The game follows the main character’s journey to Helheim (viking hell) to retrieve the soul of her dead lover from the goddess Hela. The tale revolves around the female warrior’s symptoms, which has led the game to be praised by many for how accurately it displays the symptoms of PTSD and psychosis. Ninja Theory used Unreal Engine to create an absolutely terrifying, yet beautiful to look at, depiction of hell and its surroundings. You’ll probably spend just as much time looking around at different scenery as you do focusing on the puzzles at hand. Furthermore, Melina Juergen’s motion-capture performance as Senua is outstanding. The only setback we really found in this game was that the basic fights that pop-up as the player explores can, at times, get repetitive.

The game mechanics are difficult to master, but make for interesting, intense fights. Somewhat reminiscent of Dark Souls, the game pits you against only one or a few enemies at a time, as each towers over Senua and is difficult to defeat. Additionally, the game makes use of a lock-on system which allows the player to target a single enemy at a time. Senua’s ability to occasionally put things into slow-motion is extremely helpful when taking on a troop of demons at once and should utilized as much as possible. Overall, the game runs well and the threat of permadeath that hangs overhead keeps the player on his or her toes at all times. While some might not agree, we personally enjoyed the fighting mechanics and every foe we battled, especially the boss guys, each of whom is truly awe inspiring. Each boss battle brings with it an entirely fresh setting, personality, and fighting style. From an alpine forest set ablaze, to a dark dungeon, these bosses are the stuff of nightmares. That being said, we had hoped for a little more out of one battle in particular, and a little more variety in the lesser enemies. There are very few types of basic enemies that Senua encounters in Helheim, and some of the battles seem to arrive just to keep you from getting bored in times where dialogue runs too long. Sometimes, the same enemies will spawn over and over every ‘x’ amount of distance and you’ll just wonder when you can finally progress. Overall though, the gameplay is significantly more than above average and is directly impacted great level design in an even more phenomenal location.

The colossal mound of shipwrecks that encases Hela’s kingdom is incredibly petrifying. From the moment that the hulking silhouette is visible to the player, the feeling of uneasiness that the developer so clearly wanted players to experience is present until the end of the journey. From the massive expanse of the area around Helheim, to the cavernous depths of its chambers, the hairs on the back of your neck will be raised in alarm. In immersing a players in a story, creating a mesmerizing setting in which to share a tale with them is key. Ninja Theory delivers such an environment with a sense of pride in their artwork that will leave your jaw hanging every time you enter a new area. The studio’s portrayal of Norse Hell can be praised as no less than a feat of artistic excellence. While the static art is stunning, there lies at the center of this game one artist that is the pinnacle of all the things that make Hellblade beautiful. Melina Juergen, the actress whose mo-cap performance brings Senua to life, is amazing and her role in creating such a moving story cannot be overstated. As intimidating as the warlords of Helheim are, none are comparably as badass as Senua. By the transitive property, we could only infer that Senua inherits that trait from Melina herself; so if you see her walking down the street, we do advise that you not get her angry.

We love stories here at PC Marauder, and are ecstatic when a studio delivers us one like this. We enjoyed Hellblade and look forward to seeing more inspiring stories from Ninja Theory as they explore new possibilities in their future endeavors.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice developer: Ninja Theory

Review: Shadow of the Colossus Remastered

Shadow of the Colossus will always be remembered as one of the greatest games of all time for several reasons that were reinforced with this updated installment of the game. The aspects that made the original game so memorable included visually stunning level and character design, a massive environment to traverse, a wonderfully cryptic story, and the unique gameplay that revolves around the 16 boss battles in which the player scales giant beings to defeat them. All of these elements return in the remastered game to offer an equally breathtaking experience. Just like its original release in 2005, this game is truly a work of moving art. Sadly, however, the equally memorable bugs that haunted the game continue to plague us in the re-release.

Shadow of the Colossus Remastered offers a masterfully crafted map that is too often unable to be thoroughly enjoyed due to stubborn camera angles that will constantly have you battling the right stick of your controller. Additionally, while the concept of climbing Colossi is truly magnificent, the player character often seems to have a mind of his own. Constantly, we found ourselves warring with him to climb in the direction we wanted to go. Maybe he’s just a bit dazed from being comically thrashed around by the beasts we are forcing him to scale, but the bottom line is he simply doesn’t enjoy listening to you all the time. The same goes for the character’s trusty steed, Agro, who made us detest horses across all virtual worlds. While the game forces you to have a soft spot for your four-legged companion by the end, Agro is a complete mind of his own and will most likely make you yearn for the horses of Skyrim instead.

Lastly, a lot of the game comes down to the randomness of the Colossi’s movements. While it does make for more realistic motion on their part, it was a constant source of frustration. Dark Souls offers difficult gameplay and makes players rage, but it comes down to the player’s approach to the enemy that gets him or her killed. On the other hand, Shadow instills the same rage but completely at the game because it is often the randomness of the game that prevents players from completing a battle. A player can do everything right, but Wander (the main character) may simply run out of stamina due to repeated thrashing from the bosses with no break. That being said, it is still worth the play.

For players who are interested in the epic stories games have to offer, Shadow of the Colossus offers a tragedy the rivals those of Greek Mythology. If you have the patience and the sense of wonder that Shadow calls for its fans to have, this game is ideal for sitting down and passing the controller around with some friends to switch off on fighting the Colossi. What’s great is that even after the game is over, it retains play value by offering a time trial mode for each boss battle.

While Shadow of the Colossus continues to experience some drawbacks in gameplay, it still holds its place as one of the coolest games of all time with its remake as it continues to push the boundaries of game art, level design, and storytelling in video games. For a relatively quick playthrough, countless jaw-dropping visuals and a truly moving experience with some controller throwing sprinkled in here and there, Shadow is well worth the reboot.

Shadow of the Colossus Remastered Developer: Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan

Review: Ravenfield

Alright, we constantly have the issue of having an awkward amount of time before any of us need to leave home. Like, when you get back from dropping your brother off somewhere, come home, then have an appointment in 50 minutes so you gotta leave in 30. It sucks, there’s not enough time to do anything and too much time to just sit around. It seems like this predicament is precisely what Johan Hassel (SteelRaven7) had in mind when he thought of the idea for Ravenfield. Don’t be confused though, we’ve spent well over 30 minutes playing this game, and more than a couple hours in a single session.

Ravenfield is a customizable, large-scale-battle, FPS. It takes elements that are similar to Battlefield 1942, and simplifies them to the point where the game can pretty much be picked up and enjoyed by anyone. It’s in early access right now, but the end goal is to make a game that can be easily modded by anyone using the Unity editor. Eventually, the battles will be entirely the player’s own with few limitations. Right now, the game features easy combat and simple vehicles like tanks, trucks, ATV’s, and even several planes. Each can be driven by the player and can be pivotal in battle across the massive maps.

That’s essentially all there is to the game. It’s big battles with kick-ass action, and it’s easy to play. It’s simple and awesome. We love Ravenfield and if you’re looking to kill a few minutes or some boredom, you should check it out on Steam.

Ravenfield Developer: SteelRaven7

Review: SNES Classic Edition

The SNES Classic is something we’ve been looking forward to for awhile now. Instead of individually reviewing all of the 20 previously available games and the one newly accessible game on this throwback console, we will simply review it as a whole. When we finally unboxed it and took a crack at some classics like “Earthbound” and the original “Super Mario Kart”, we were excited to see that it made up for the few shortcomings with Nintendo’s previous NES Classic console, and successfully delivered the retro feel so many of us love.

Some common complaints of the original console were audio bugs, the short length of the wires and some basic glitches with some of the emulations. Thankfully, the SNES Classic Edition offers consistently functioning gameplay with enhanced pixel graphics and controllers that can be held from a more comfortable distance. The size of the system is also very convenient and has been downsized and made more durable. It basically feels like a big Gameboy Color prior to being hooked up to the TV. More importantly, the SNES is fun to play. For a fairly good price, players can relive the days of 20 classics and the unreleased Starfox sequel; it even has an option to create a mock display of a CRTV while you play if you are really wanting to relive the days of your parents. The system isn’t for everyone, so don’t waste your money if you aren’t into retro gaming; however, for those of you who are, it’s not a bad purchase at all. We unboxed the console a little over 2 weeks ago and have already found that cracking open some cold ones with the boys and tag-teaming “Super Mario World” is a hell of a time. We’ll definitely enjoy chipping our way through the games the SNES Classic Edition has to offer over the next few months.

SNES Classic Edition Developer: Nintendo

Review: Ghost Recon Wildlands: Predator Challenge

Just to be clear, this is not a review of Ghost Recon: Wildlands as a whole, just of the Predator Challenge that was recently added to the game. For those of you who don’t know, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s extraterrestrial enemy will be making a surprise appearance in Ghost Recon from December 14th until early January. The appearance comes in the form of a single, short, side mission in the jungle of the Caimanes province. During the mission, the Ghosts encounter a sobbing woman, a number of dead Unidad soldiers, and several locations that seem straight out of the 1987 space horror, before finally having a showdown with the Predator himself. We played the challenge already and lived to tell the tale (after not living a few times of course). So what did we here at PC Marauder think of Predator’s surprise arrival in the jungle of Bolivia in 2017?

As stated above, the side-mission is short and ends with a fight between us and Predator. Throughout the course of the mission, the player encounters several locations displaying scenes that any fan of the movies would quickly confirm to be the work of the Predator. The signature music and purr of the beast can be heard as the squad creeps through the jungle, spewing dialogue that seems straight out of the film. The anticipation of the final battle really starts picking up when the player discovers the trail of green blood which leads the Ghosts to their hunter as he tears through the last surviving Unidad soldier. Upon finally catching up to the monster, the final battle ensues which feels a lot like a classic boss battle out of an arcade game. The Predator uses his cloaking device to disappear and will occasionally reappear to screech or launch projectiles that cause one-hit kills before disappearing again. His attacks are very pattern based and the player will find that as the Predator takes more damage, he attacks more frequently. It’s all a matter of shooting the hunter as fast as possible whenever he appears, make sure you don’t miss because this guy has A LOT of health. The battle does feel a little bit played out if you aren’t into it, but with the classic theme music blaring as lasers annihilate your squad, big fans of the franchise will find that it’s more difficult not to get a kick out of this gimmick than it is to not enjoy it.

In short, the mission really just serves as a way to advertise the Predator Pack DLC that includes new attire for the player; but, at the end of the day, it’s a free 15-20 minutes of kick-ass alien huntin’ so we aren’t complaining. Plus, if you do manage to massacre E.T., you get to wear his mask the next time you take out a buchon. So, it isn’t a huge add-on, and it isn’t wildly exciting, but it’s free and it’s fun. So our final word, get a few friends together, gear-up, act like the 80’s movie commandos you are, and show the Predator whose planet he just messed with. Disclaimer: You’ll probably die.

Ghost Recon: Wildlands Developer: Ubisoft

Review: Hob

We’ve been following Hob since its announcement in 2015 and were very excited to play it. Developed by Runic Games (creators of Torchlight I and II), Hob is an action-adventure, 3D Platformer that immerses players in a crumbling, dangerous, and breathtakingly beautiful world. While the beginning of the game sees the main character exploring a stunning environment, the world shows its true nature when a run in with a toxic being costs the little, red figure his left arm. The story behind the spreading parasite and the ever changing landmasses of the world of Hob, is slowly revealed over the course of the game through a wordless narrative. The narrative itself is progressed through the character’s exploration of the unfamiliar environment, and the interactions between the character and the various creatures, locations, and automatons that reside in the perilous world. The many unknowns surrounding the circumstances of the events in Hob are what drives the player to keep pursuing the truth against ferocious enemies and through mechanical caves; each of which inspires the player with a sense of discovery and awe.

The gameplay itself, to us, was just as awesome as the art. While occasionally camera angles make movement difficult, and cost us a few lives in our playthrough, it’s easy to adapt and to work around such difficulties. The few times we had issues with platforming were not severe enough to anger us and decide that the game was “clunky”. The combat involves familiar mechanics from other games, but is mostly fresh in itself. It is somewhat simple, with basic sword slashing, punching, and target lock-on, but it was fun, sometimes fairly challenging, and rewarding whenever a smaller enemy splattered at the hands of our little, red character with his massive, mechanical arm.

Sadly, the puzzles in Hob are not all that challenging. Many of the puzzles simply involve moving big blocks to new spaces, and the ones that don’t involve this are almost always pretty simple to figure out. The game is very linear. Even as an open-world game, getting lost, caught off track, or having trouble finding where to go is never an issue. Other than the main plot, there isn’t much to do. Then again, Hob is about discovery and curiosity; maybe an open-world wasn’t the way to go, but it’s still interesting and enjoyable. The puzzles are more casual than other puzzle games, but Hob is about the story, so we didn’t really mind that we didn’t need to look up a walkthrough just to finish the game.

Overall, Hob is a great game, and we’re sad to see Runic Games shut down after three great experiences. If a challenge is what you’re looking for, Hob might not be your first choice. Contrarily, if you are a curious player who plays games for a good story, then Hob is a pretty sound investment. Casual players who are looking for a quick game to play one week should definitely give it a go.

Hob Developer: Runic Games

Review: Cuphead

Cuphead can be summarized in two words, challenging and beautiful. The artwork and difficulty of the game are what have grabbed the spotlight since its release in September. Developed on the Unity engine, Cuphead was designed in the style of cartoons of the 1930’s. Each background is a hand-made water color adapted for the screen, and each animation is hand-drawn. The wild characters that StudioMDHR designed for the game are unimaginable unless witnessed firsthand. Everything about the game’s visuals is jaw dropping.

While there are a few classic platformer levels sprinkled into the game, the gameplay mainly revolves around boss fights. Each boss is entirely different from the last, both in mechanics and artwork. If you’re into platformers and call yourself an expert, we wouldn’t suggest going into Cuphead with too much confidence. It’s difficult to master, as each boss needs to be individually mastered in themselves through blood, sweat, and oh-so-many tears; each of which is made saltier by the thoughtful water being on the second island that keeps track of your limitless deaths. As each boss falls to your mighty ceramic hands, the sense of accomplishment grows and encourages your journey onward.

For players who like a challenge, Cuphead is for you. This 2D platformer is fresh, addictive, and enjoyable in nearly every aspect. A great candidate for the potential of the rising indie development scene, StudioMDHR’s Cuphead is one of the most fun games we’ve played in awhile.

Cuphead Developer: StudioMDHR

Review: Call of Duty WWII

The latest installment of Call of Duty, developed by Sledgehammer Games, greeted players earlier this month with a long awaited return to the franchise’s roots. The familiar setting of the European Theater has always been a prime setting for the explosive action and emotional events that we once looked forward to in a CoD game, before we lost them in wild imaginations of the future. With all of the anticipation, however, fans built up huge expectations in their minds. So, 2 weeks after its release, how do we at PC Marauder think Call of Duty WWII is holding up?

In the months leading up to the game’s release, Sledgehammer promised the fans of the franchise A LOT. First off, for the few who really cared, a compelling campaign was one of the promises Sledgehammer wanted to deliver. The story follows a small group of soldiers through the last months of WWII in Europe, starting with the notorious Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy on D-Day.  Essentially, we were promised that the main character, “Red”, was not a super soldier. Sledgehammer promised that we would not be the savior most CoD games made us, but that we would play as an infantryman who would experience the true horrors of war. The initial landing on the beach in the first sequence of the game truly lives up to those expectations. As if directly out of Saving Private Ryan, Red’s landing party is forced to abandon their boat as soldiers are cut down by MG’s before the front of the boat even opens up. Upon actually reaching the beach, the player witnesses first hand the disturbing events that occurred at Normandy as limbs fly and soldiers scream for help. Red’s friend, Zussman, is also stabbed and only barely survives the day. Finishing the first level is met with a sense of relief that anyone survived at all. The terrifying action and outright disturbing imagery tees up the game to be emotionally wrenching and brutal. Prepare for disappointment.

While the battle for Normandy had the potential to set the tone for the rest of the game, the dramatic allure is quickly lost as the player can begin to pick up a pattern. The story progresses without as much character development as we would’ve liked, with the only character we really cared about being Zussman. Every now and then there was a intermission where the bullets stopped flying before the writers tried to reinvest you with shock-value, literally ripping one of your comrades to shreds with an MG or grenade. Sure it was upsetting and made us want to fight back, but it became predictable. Even basic dramatic elements were tossed to the wind. For example, Sledgehammer spent roughly 8 of only 11 campaign missions characterizing an angry Sgt. comparable to MW2’s Shepard, only to completely reverse all of what we knew about him because Red gets a little emotional in the last level. In this cliche turn of events, Zussman (the only likeable character) is saved! Inevitably, Sledgehammer also falls short on making you no more than a grunt, as Red withstands countless injuries and scenarios that would’ve surely led to death for even Bane from Batman. So, in short, if you’ve been awaiting a compelling campaign, we’re sorry.

On the other hand, the reason most people play CoD, and the reason it became so popular in the first place is its multiplayer. Luckily, CoD’s fresh new multiplayer look, mechanics, and gamemodes are everything we’ve been waiting for! For starters, the reversion to classic weapons like the MP-40 and the M1 Garand is amazing. While ranking up the weapons and unlocking attachments is very easy and you may as well start with everything unlocked, the guns themselves are fun to use and look and sound beautiful. Sadly, that does bring up a complaint. The speed at which rank ups happen in CoD: WWII is actually insane. There no real sense of achievement when something is unlocked, especially because most unlocks now come by chance out of supply drops similar to CS:GO. Even what can be unlocked lacks the ability to deliver the full affect that good customization can bring. Basically, if a game implements customization, it needs to go all-out. Call of Duty has dabbled in customization before but only allows a little of it in WWII. Also, what the player can actually use, as we said, is greatly up to chance. Contrarily, we are happy to say that the new gamemodes are wildly entertaining. While basic gamemodes make their regular appearance, new objective-based modes are making their first debut. The immersive “War” gamemode puts players in attack/defend scenarios, with objectives like refueling tanks, building bridges, and targeting AA guns. The gamemode makes players really feel like they are in a large-scale battle as it rips through Europe. For players looking for a goofier style of play, the new Gridiron gamemode plays like Halo’s grifball. In Gridiron, teams fight over a ball and try to throw it into the opposing goal while defending their own. It’s simple but fast-paced and excellent all around. Lastly, the new  HQ allows players to roam and customize in between game sessions. It’s a cool concept that is reminiscent of Destiny’s “Tower”. Although some of its main mechanics aren’t actually fully functioning yet, we hope that Sledgehammer will get these mechanics working and are confident that the result will be worth the wait.  Overall, the online multiplayer is fresh and for the first time in awhile, feels like more than simply a retexture.

Lastly, Nazi Zombies is back. Even though we would like to see more guns, it is much more immersive and even more strategic than recent installments. There are only two maps presently, both with completely different gameplay. The first map, “The Last Reich” has an in depth story to be discovered with plenty of events to keep you playing instead of maybe getting tired of simply surviving. Personally, we prefer this map because it is atmospheric, spacious, objective driven, and unique with each playthrough. The other of the two maps is just a small, two story house that is under attack by the vast zombie hordes. It’s not all that pleasing, there isn’t much to do, and there are no purchases to be made apart from a few perks and wall-guns. No paths need to be cleared and no windows can be repaired either. It’s fairly boring and repetitive, but if simply surviving is what you prefer in Nazi Zombies, you may enjoy this map more than we did.

Overall, CoD: WWII is a good game. The story isn’t great and the multiplayer has some basic shortcomings, but none that we haven’t seen in other recent installments. To be fair, it’s the first Call of Duty we’ve been excited about in years and are happy with CoD: WWII. Even if it isn’t 100% what we wanted to see, it’s certainly a step in the right direction. At the end of the day, we’re just happy we’re fighting on the ground again instead of in spaceships and exosuits. WWII may not restore every bit of our confidence in the franchise, but we’re still happy with it and are excited to see what Call of Duty has to offer next.

Call of Duty: WWII Developer: Sledgehammer Games