Rant: Paid Loot Boxes. F*ck 'em.

For those of you who got the reference of the relation operand commonly used in Java as to express "not equal to," well done to you! However, if you're new here and came because of the coding joke, go read something else on the blog.

'Cause today I get angry.

For those of you who haven't been following recent gaming news, loot boxes are becoming more and more prominent in video games. Which usually isn't a problem, until I rectify my original statement which was incorrect as to build for a more dramatic effect: they're paid for. That's right kiddos; you pay you 60 dollars for your video game and then get to keep spending money to get a box that will randomly get you loot that you may or may not have wanted or already had. *Excessive and Angry Sigh*

I don't like this practice(If you couldn't tell). But the ESRB is fine with it apparently. They said in an email to Kotaku that the "ESRB does not consider loot boxes to be gambling." It's profoundly frustrating, but there's little to be done about it. Gambling is a legally defined thing, and expanding that definition within the ESRB could lead to lawsuits directed at it. However, there should be something done about this.

The nature of loot boxes are simply predatory, nothing more. But the lack of outrage is something I find worrying. The reason it should worry you is that it severely affects a game's pacing. Just like writing a book, designing a game requires attention to detail: everything must be looked at. A such, a developer who wants to input some form of a loot box system can simply tweak the pacing of the game to be a little slower so that more people are more tempted to buy loot boxes. So even if you are committed to not buying a single loot box, your game is now left, purposefully, flawed as to get you to pay more money.

There are plenty more people who can tell you a but-tonne more information about this subject, such as Totalbiscuit or Jim Sterling, but I figure that I'd give my own two cents as well. And to any readers of this-

Boycott these games. Seriously. If the practice becomes unprofitable, the developers will stop doing it. The GTA modding scandal, where thousands of players of GTA 5 gave the game bad reviews on steam as to lower it's overall score due to the producers throwing out a popular modding addon to, is proof that consumers can speak with their wallet. And no, you can't "just not buy the microtransactions." You have to make it so they lose your business. Otherwise it will still be profitable to them.

And they'll keep doing it.

Review: Overgrowth: 9 Years in the Making

I can still remember this brutal bunny brawler (mmm, alliteration) in it's early years. Just as bloody as it is now. Just as gore-geous.

For those of you who don't know, Overgrowth is a third person brawler in which you play as a bunny who bleeds like no-one's business, who fights other rabbits who also bleed like the fucking River Nile after some idiot killed everyone and threw their bodies in the damn thing, which is NOT okay Jerry! Those were potential readers! Yes, I know they probably didn't have internet! That doesn't mean you can just waste money, to then BURN more of it!

Anyway, yeah, Overgrowth is not for people who faint at the sight of blood. But for those of you who enjoy a hard brawler with parkour elements, this is the game for you! It also has Steam workshop integration, which helps with the lack of content outside the story mode. The only thing it's really missing is online multiplayer, but considering the need for precision in the combat, I can see why it doesn't exist.

But that's about it. I really don't have much in the way to criticize here. Sure, it lacks content, but it stays true to what it set out to do 9 years ago. That's a big number for an indie game. I mean, for Kingdom Hearts 3 it's fine, but whatever. We're talking about indies here damn it. And an indie game that takes 9 years is more than a game.

It's a work of love.

And you know that shit's good.

Review: Armed with Wings: Rearmed: Slippery Butter

Armed with Wings is a series that originated as a small flash browser game, and has grown into a full Steam release in Armed with Wings: Rearmed. Now we see how that Flash game experience has affected a full, retail price game.

And in short: it's not all that great. I enjoy it, but that's because the combat system is buttery smooth and it has a wave based survival mode. But the single player campaign, level design, and other irksome choices make this game a sale-only purchase.

Let's walk through it piece by piece.

1. Level Design
1. Level design in this game is, to be honest, somewhat sloppy. Especially considering the game's combat focus. It's designed as mix of combat and platforming. Where as this is more of a side scrolling 2D beat'em up, and doesn't quite have the sharp air control that would fit it, as the next point clearly illustrates.
2. No Jumping?
1. There is no jumping. It's all automatic, activating when you reach an edge. And it's floaty. Which means it can be somewhat unreliable. Now, you can unlock a jump, but it's an ability tied to an unlockable weapon system, which, in short, means that you'd have to sacrifice a different, more combat focused ability for it.
3. Invincibility Frames??
1. In combat, it's important to be able to break out of literally impossible situations, otherwise, it can feel like the game is screwing you. Of course, this depends on the situation, but in Armed with Wings: Rearmed, it can feel like it's on the game. Why?  There are no invincibility frames. Which means that enough enemies, when grouped together, can juggle you better that that one guy who is the only person you know who is good at fighting games and always brings them over whenever he visits just to rub it in your face.
1. If you are one of those people, you are literally the worst. 
4. Limiting Combos???
1. This is probably the most sinful choice made here, bringing this game pretty close to the first circle of video game hell(I think. I keep messing up one and two. Wait, which one's the one that's just the FFX laughing scene played over and over again?). The main thing that makes this game's combat good is a nice assortment of moves that you can switch between mid-combo. Unfortunately, half of every string is locked behind an extended combo ability, which means that if you're chosen sword doesn't have that, you're pretty much at a major disadvantage.

Soooo, I can't say its perfect. In fact, it's far from it. But the combat is amazing. Smooth combos occur when you combine your up attack with your neutral to two successive downs then a airborne down special. A buttery smooth combo of powerful attacks. Beautiful.

Too bad the rest of the game slipped on shitty margarine.