Destiny 2 – The Dreaming City Curse, Uldren’s Revival, etc

You could write a book on the number of unresolved plot points in Destiny 2. The Dreaming City curse, Uldren’s revival as a Guardian, Mara Sov’s disappearance, the Nine, the Dredgen, Mithrax – the list goes on and on. Heck, we’re only now seeing some plot progression regarding the Darkness aka the giant pyramid ships, but that’s at a venerable snail’s pace. Don’t even get us started on all the threads from Destiny 1 that are still yet to be resolved (like what the Traveler even is).

In one word- yes. Not a Hero and End of Zoe are very different beasts, both in relation to the base game itself, as well as to each other. But both these DLC packs provide about a couple hours each of a a great blend of horror and action, while also answering unanswered questions from the main game and furthering the franchise’s story in meaningful ways. More notable, in that regard, is Not a Hero, which picks up right after Resident Evil 7 ended.

"Both these DLC packs provide about a couple hours each of a a great blend of horror and action, while also answering unanswered questions from the main game and furthering the franchise’s story in meaningful ways."

Not a Hero puts you in the shoes of franchise veteran Chris Redfield. It begins as Mia and Ethan are flown off to safety in a helicopter that belongs to the Umbrella Corporation, whom Chris now seems to be working with. That was one of the biggest questions everyone had as Resident Evil 7 ended- how and why is Chris Redfield working with the big bads of the Resident Evil franchise? Not a Hero tackles this question right off the bat, so while props have to be given to the DLC for getting the big mystery out of the way, fans of the series might not be satisfied with the execution of the same.

When it comes to how Not a Hero treats characters and story beats exclusive to Resident Evil 7, though, the results are much more satisfying. The Bakers were fascinating new characters in the base game, and the unhinged Lucas Baker was, perhaps, the most interesting of them all. Not a Hero is centred almost completely on Chris’ attempts to track down and take down Lucas, and it’s great to watch and be part of.

In terms of how it plays, Not a Hero is notable different from the base game. You start off with a markedly stronger arsenal of gear and weapons, so the feeling that pervaded the majority of the main game, one of being underpowered and always in danger of being overrun, isn’t present to the same degree here. Not a Hero is much more action-oriented in its approach, equipping you with powerful weapons right off the bat. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad, though. The DLC pack still manages to be tense and scary on a number of occasions- ammo is still scarce, so deciding how and when to use which weapons is still very much an integral part of the combat, while the addition of new types of enemies makes things even more interesting.

"Not a Hero is much more action-oriented in its approach."

More importantly, though, it’s not all about the combat. While there aren’t very many puzzles for you to contend with, disappointingly enough, there are still times when progress is gated, so the Metroidvania style backtracking that was such an important part of the base game itself is present here too. It also helps that the DLC adds an entirely new area for you to explore, so the comfort of a familiar environment isn’t something you can count on either. Not a Hero, then, is not exactly more of the same for Resident Evil 7 fans- it’s got a very different approach, with a much larger focus on action, but regardless, it’s a satisfying addition to the franchise for those who enjoyed the base game.

End of Zoe, on the other hand, is a different beast altogether. Where Not a Hero is a much more action-oriented DLC, End of Zoe is much more tense and jumpy. Where Not a Hero is full of things, both in terms of how it plays and the narrative threads it tackles, that Resident Evil veterans will be comfortable with, End of Zoe attempts brand new things. And though it doesn’t all work as well as one would hope, the end result is quite satisfying.

It’s a bit hard to talk about this DLC without giving anything away, to be honest, but let’s try- End of Zoe, surprisingly enough, doesn’t actually have you play as Zoe, with protagonist duties falling instead to Joe Baker, Jack’s brother. Unlike Jack, though, Joe isn’t infected, and is in full control of his faculties. What’s most interesting about End of Zoe, though, is that the entire DLC is played with a huge emphasis on melee rather than guns. Joe isn’t exactly the best at using any kind of weaponry too well, but on the other hand, he is great with his fists, and he lets them do the talking a lot through the DLC. This actually ends up leading to a very differently playing Resident Evil experience- the melee focus is definitely skewing towards action, but it requires you to get up close and personal, stringing combos in increasingly tense situations, and thereby lending a unique ‘horror’ feel to proceedings as well.

"What’s most interesting about End of Zoe, though, is that the entire DLC is played with a huge emphasis on melee rather than guns."

It feels like a pretty interesting experiment, though sadly, it’s not as fleshed out as it might have been in a full length campaign- nevertheless, this is definitely a direction for gameplay that I am eager to see Capcom experiment with. The story, on the other hand, feels extremely bland and empty, with not much meat to it. Zoe herself is woefully under utilized, and sadly reduced to being not much more than just a plot device, and the resolution is hardly essential. I suppose it is good if you want more background to these characters, especially Zoe- but it’s not the kind of leading role one might have imagined for her, and the resolution is definitely something you can live without.

Sure, Joe Baker is an excellent character, and playing as him is a unique and enjoyable experience, and I’m certainly not wishing the DLC hadn’t feature him in the capacity that it does. After Resident Evil 7, though, I was expecting End of Zoe to have a much larger focus on Zoe than it actually does, and that’s a little disappointing. End of Zoe, then, is an interesting experiment, and seems to hint at some interesting possibilities for the future of the Resident Evil franchise. It’s not essential, and not even necessarily more of what makes Resident Evil 7 so good- but for fans who are always up for more Resident Evil, this is a pretty good package, all said and done.

Not a Hero and End of Zoe are, ultimately, not afraid to try new things, to break away from the structure that defines the base game of Resident Evil 7– and for that, both DLCs have to be applauded. Does everything they do work? Not exactly. But both these DLC packs are worth playing, if for very different reasons.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

It took Capcom a very long time to actually release the DLC they promised for Resident Evil 7 right at the beginning of the year, but it’s here now. The first of these is Not A Hero, bringing fan favorite Chris Redfield back into the fold. It’s good DLC, especially since it injects a dose of action into the proceedings, that some of the newer fans of the series, weaned on the installments that immediately preceded Resident Evil 7, might have felt was missing from the game.

If you need help clearing the DLC, or just want to see how it plays out, we are here to help. Below you will find a full fledged video walkthrough of the DLC, with the ending. Just remember, it also has full spoilers- so if you watch it, you will be spoiled not just on the DLC, but also possibly on the main game as well. You have been warned.

Hello Neighbor

Have you ever wanted to play a stealth game where your neighbor was the enemy, probably wanted to kill you and had an adaptive AI to prevent you from trying the same trick twice? Hello Neighbor is probably your best bet. It’s an intriguing mix of survival and stealth as you explore numerous different ways to infiltrate your neighbor’s home. Recent updates have diversified the gameplay even further with the ability to double jump and escape the neighbor should you be caught. The real question is whether Hello Neighbor will finally hit its December 8^th release date and not suffer another delay. It arrives for Xbox One, PC and Mac OS.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Nintendo has been continuously scoring home runs this year, offering a good to great Switch title almost every month since launch. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 from Monolith Soft joins that club and it’s certainly a momentous title to close the year with. Along with a massive open world that should – if it’s anything like previous titles – offer hundreds of hours of gameplay, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has a new story. Set on the backs of Titans, a scavenger named Rex discovers a Blade known as Pyra and must take her to Elysium, a paradise of sorts. There are colourful characters to meet along the way, different Blades to acquire, abilities to learn, combos to create and beautiful areas to explore. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is out on December 1^st for the Nintendo Switch.

Resident Evil 7: End of Zoe/Not A Hero

It’s hard to believe that this year began with an excellent title like Resident Evil 7 and to cap that off, we’ll be receiving not one but two DLC on December 12^th. Not A Hero is the free DLC focusing on Chris Redfield and his hunt for Lucas Baker after the main story while End of Zoe is a paid DLC pack that sees Zoe meeting up with a stranger named Joe. It’s also the same day that Resident Evil 7: Gold Edition launches so you can experience all previously released DLC along with the new additions in one great package.

Okami HD

After many, many moons, Capcom is finally fulfilling my wish of seeing Okami on PC. The fact that this is Okami HD, a remaster of the classic action adventure Zelda-like title, and it’s also coming to PS4 and Xbox One doesn’t hurt either. If you’ve never played Okami, it follows the tale of Amaterasu, who must stop the eight headed demon Orochi from conquering the land. More than just a higher resolution and widescreen support, Okami HD offers the chance to revisit one of the most underrated video games of the PS2 era. It releases on December 12^th.

Battlefield 1: Turning Tides

December marks the release of Battlefield 1’s next DLC Turning Tides. Or at least, it’s the first stage of the content release which will include battles on land, sea and air along with two new maps – Cape Helles and Achi Baba – out this month (an additional two maps arrive next month). You can expect six new weapons like the M1917 Trench Carbine, Type 38 Arisaka and the M1917 MG among other weapons. New vehicles, a new faction, a new Operation and the Conquest Assault mode where players must take back and hold areas occupied by defenders will also be coming. The first wave of content will arrive on December 11^th 2017 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC players while the second wave is out in January 2018.

Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris

Despite every single indication that this will be another bland DLC for Bungie’s Destiny 2, Curse of Osiris at least offers…some new story. Essentially, you’ll be looking for Osiris, the legendary Warlock, and attempting to battle the Vex’s next big evil plan. This involves heading to Mercury and The Infinite Forest, which offers random arrangements of levels and time periods, along with forging new weapons. There’s even something called a raid lair to add on to the Leviathan and which should hopefully be more fulfilling. Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris is out on December 5^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

DOOM VFR

After bringing DOOM to the Nintendo Switch by some miracle, Bethesda Softworks is now gearing up for DOOM VFR. This is the virtual reality version of the game but it still maintains the demon slaying, bone-tearing, arm-ripping action that defined the original. While we’re not sure how the fast-paced experience will translate to virtual reality – where the less insane movement, the better – but it certainly has us intrigued. DOOM VFR will be coming to PlayStation VR and HTC Vive via Steam on December 1^st.

Fallout 4 VR

More Fallout 4? Yes, there’s more Fallout 4 and this time, it’s heading to HTC Vive. The controversial first person shooter/RPG has seen a number of updates, DLC, the Creation Club with its lame add-ons and so on. But this time, we get to do it all in virtual reality. The highlight of Fallout 4 VR is the fact that this isn’t just a slice of the game. It’s the entire experience and for what it’s worth, early impressions seem favourable if not outright excited. Still, if you want something to justify that VR purchase that isn’t called DOOM VFR, then Fallout 4 VR will be available on December 12^th via Steam.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (Xbox One)

One of the most eagerly anticipated Xbox One exclusives isn’t even from Microsoft, nor did it start out as an Xbox title. We’re talking about PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the 100 person Last Man Standing title that’s swept the world with 22 million copies sold on Steam. From its humble roots on Early Access, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has shattered a number of records on Steam and version 1.0 is currently in the testing phase. That version will release in late December for PC users but Xbox One players can look forward to playing it through Xbox Game Preview on December 12^th.

Final Fantasy 15: Episode Ignis

So it’s not exactly meant to be the meatiest content releasing for a game in December but Final Fantasy 15: Episode Ignis does look pretty fun. Releasing on December 13^th, the DLC will focus on Ignis as he temporarily teams up with Ravus Nox Fleuret aka Luna’s brother in order to secure the safety of both Noctis and Luna. Ignis’s abilities are pretty interesting as he throws spell dagger and can target numerous enemies at once. The story should also help fill in some awkward holes – like how Ignis was blinded and what other events occurred in Altissia while Leviathan was stomping around.