ENSLAVED: ODYSSEY TO THE WEST

Ever the masters of narrative-driven single-player experiences, back in 2010, Ninja Theory delivered Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, a game that many consider one of the studio’s best works ever to this day. Sadly, the game ended up a commercial failure. Though acclaimed by many for its storytelling, characters, performances, and its take on the classic Chinese tale of Journey to the West, for whatever reason, it failed to attract a sizeable audience.

NOTE: This feature contains spoilers for every game that is mentioned. If we begin talking about a game you don’t want spoiled, skip ahead to the next entry.

WOLFENSTEIN: THE NEW ORDER

Wolfenstein as a series has never been afraid of flights of fantasy, and The New Order, in typical Wolf fashion, has plenty of that going on as well. To secure lunar launch codes, BJ infiltrates a Nazi base on the moon, killing Nazis, destroying drones, and even donning a spacesuit and walking on the moon’s surface. It’s one of the game’s best missions that serves to exemplify how far-flung the series can get with its stories (in a good way).

Killzone 2

While Guerrilla Games has become well-known for the Horizon series, remastering Killzone 2 for the PS5 seems a given. It’s the game that put the company on the map and its excellent visual fidelity, attention to detail, fun gun play and solid multiplayer would make a smooth transition over to the console. If a new sequel on PS5 isn’t coming any time soon, then it makes sense to revisit Killzone 2 in some capacity.

Magical Scissors – Puppeteer

The charm of the PS3 platform game that time forgot, Puppeteer, is all in the presentation. Set up like an elaborate puppet show, the interaction with this charming setup comes from your magical scissors, the Calibrus, and how it can cut through the fabric scenery in delightful and charming ways to continue progression. It takes the craft aesthetic further than its closest competition in games like Tearaway or Yoshi’s Wooly World can hope to match.

Sony has updated its PlayStation Now game streaming service with a few new titles. These include Puppeteer, Way of the Samurai 3, Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don’t Know, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 and Braid.

It’s an overall intriguing mix of games but Puppeteer and Braid are arguably the stand-outs. Developed by SCE Japan Studio, Puppeteer presents a new platforming experience with awesome aesthetics that focuses on a puppet named Kutaro who must retrieve his head after being decapitated. Braid, on the other hand, comes from Jonathan Blow and is credited as being one of the many games that helped push indie gaming into the mainstream. It’s an involving platformer that uses time manipulation mechanics for progressing through the story.

PlayStation Now is currently available on PS4 for $19.99 per month or $44.99 per month and offers a significant library of PS3 games to play. What are your thoughts on this month’s additions? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more information in the coming months, especially at Sony’s E3 press conference on June 15th.

PlayStation Plus users in the United States will see two new game releases on May 20th. These include the awesome PS3 platformer Puppeteer and PS Vita puzzler Surge Deluxe. Both games will be available for free via the Instant Game Collection when the PlayStation Store updates tomorrow.

Puppeteer sees you playing a boy named Kutaro who is turned into a puppet and must retrieve his head in order find his way home. You’ll be able to collect different heads on your journey for different abilities and also take advantage of magic scissors to fight off dangerous foes. The best aspect of the game is its puppet show-like presentation which needs to be seen to be believed.

Surge Deluxe on the Vita is more straightforward. Clear blocks by matching the same colour. You can do this by swiping across the touch-screen a la Candy Crush Saga, but you’ll need to work fast lest pipes burst and things go haywire. What pipes? Good question.

Let us know what you think of these two titles in the comments.

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After reporting on the PlayStation Plus titles that European subscribers would be receiving for free, it was recently revealed what North America subscribers would be receiving.

PS4 users will also be getting Stick it to the Man! on PS4 and Puppeteer on the PlayStation 3 so you can rest assured of some awesome content. Sports fans will have the option of PES 2014 while beat ’em up enthusiasts will have Skullgirls Encore to indulge in. Both games will be on PlayStation 3.

Meanwhile, PS Vita fans will receive two free titles in the form of Limbo and Surge Deluxe, the former being one of the best and most visually appealing platformers of all time.

These games will be available for download on April 30th as part of the Instant Game Collection. Do you see anything you like? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below as well as what you look forward to for next month.

If you’re currently situated in Europe and subscribing to PlayStation Plus, then you’ll love what May has in store for you. Indie puzzle platformer Stick it to the Man will be available for free on PS4 starting on April 30th but that’s not all.

Payday 2 and Puppeteer will be available for PS3 gamers. This means you’ll have access to one of the best co-op multiplayer titles and one of the best platforming games of the last generation. But that’s not all – PS Vita users will receive Everybody’s Golf, a title that promises to makes full use the PS Vita’s rear touch pad functionality and the touchscreen controls.

All of the above will be available from April 30th onwards. Stay tuned for more information on the US list of free games for PS Plus subscribers in the coming week and let us know what you think of the current spread.

Game Overview:

In Puppeteer, players will take up the role of Kutaro who wields a pair of magical scissors. Using it, Kutaro can cut his way across and take down some fascinating enemies. We recently reviewed the game and awarded it a superb 9/10. You can read the full review here.

The game is published and developed by Sony exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

Check out the video walkthrough of Puppeteer below and let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below.

For video game guides, tips and wikis, check out our gaming portal here.

Usually platforming games don’t have a great story to back up the awesome gameplay and if they do, it’s often spoiled by blatantly inauthentic dialogue delivery. Surprisingly, the story is one of the most substantial components of Puppeteer and goes a long way in setting up a joyous mood during gameplay. We won’t go into the depths of the plot since it really is something you should experience yourself. But for introduction’s sake, you take up the role of Kutaro who has been captured by the wicked Moon Bear King.

This crazy teddy bear detains children and captures their souls by ripping their heads off so that they can serve him in his mammoth castle. But Kutaro is lucky as he manages to get hold of Moon Bear King’s mystique pair of scissors, the Calibrus. As he makes his escape, the player will run into an enchanting cast of characters, both good and evil set across a good deal of challenging levels. The story is jocular and you’ll enjoy your share of laughs during the twelve hour long campaign.

"It is a pleasant sight to see Kutaro seamlessly slicing and dicing his way through, thanks in part to the beautiful physics and animation."

As you go through the initial levels you will be introduced to the unique platforming mechanics of Puppeteer. Using the Calibrus the player needs to cut through curtains and drapery so that Kutaro can make his way across the level. Kutaro can also slice through them like a tailor cuts through a piece of silk. It is a pleasant sight to see Kutaro seamlessly slicing and dicing his way through, thanks in part to the beautiful physics and animation.

As players progress through the game, other items like the hook and the ability to slam and throw bombs get unlocked. Using the combination of Calibrus and other abilities, players will not only need them during platforming but also to take down the numerous bosses hiding in the castle. The only thing that may bog down the experience is the inclusion of quick time events to finish off these enemies.

Each of these bosses is ridiculously fun and the way they are presented is worth applauding. Early on you will face the Weaver which is nothing but a drape wrapped across a spear. As obvious as it gets, the player needs to cut through it in a certain way whilst avoiding a pounding.

"Furthermore, the game tries its hardest to showcase itself as a puppet show with splendiferous narration and voice acting."

Another standout battle is against the General Bull which you will face in the coliseum. Here you have to use your wrestling move Slam to defeat the annoyed bull, while the referee, a monkey, counts to three. Had it not been for the excellent presentation, these boss battles would have been monotonous.

Furthermore, the game tries its hardest to showcase itself as a puppet show with splendiferous narration and voice acting. This is coupled with the audience shouting and getting shocked in awe and desperation according to the actions performed by the player, which adds even more authenticity to the game. Minor touches like replacing the pause screen with the word“Intermission” and bringing down the curtains after a level ends go a long way in capturing the player’s imagination.

The art style closely resembles that of a piñata and although Puppeteer may not be the most visually heavy or realistic title, it’s still a pleasure to watch. Each and every level is different from the other, the colors are vibrant and the feel of the entire level sliding in and out to load another section is mind blowing. There is a lot of creativity at work here and it shines.

There is plenty to do in the game once you complete the single player campaign. You can replay the bonus stages that you have unlocked during your play-through and revisit the campaign to collect all the heads and picture books that the game offers. The game also supports PlayStation Move and performs great for people who are comfortable with it. There is a lot of content on offer here, but suffice to say that it won’t appeal to every single PlayStation 3 owner.

Puppeteer might be one of the best PlayStation 3 games developed and coincidentally, just like Okami, it’s releasing near the end of a system’s life cycle. Unlike Okami however, one hopes that this gem is enjoyed by as many players as possible in its initial release.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 3.