Here I am with yes, another game review. Now there are few games that open with your playable character being murdered. I can feel the spoiler rage from here since you guys come here knowing I don’t do spoilers. Ok, so technically yes, that is a spoiler, but considering it’s one of the first thing that happens in the game, I’m calling it as not counting as one. My blog, my rules, and insert smug smirk here. If the title of the game wasn’t enough to clue you in to the plot, then there you have it. Airtight Games and Square Enix have taken the murder mystery game concept to a whole new level by having players solve their own murder with Murdered Soul Suspect.

You play as recently deceased Detective Ronan O’Connor who, in addition to wanting to continue his investigation into a particularly nasty serial killer called The Bell Killer, is also coming to terms with his new existence as a ghost. Salem, Massachusetts is the setting for the story, which is a stroke of genius on the writer’s part. In addition to the things you will learn about your character, the killer, and the other supporting NPCs, you’ll also uncover rich history about the town. This makes for an intricate and in-depth interplay of stories and information which deepen the overall story and add to the incredibly atmospheric tone of the game.

The gameplay itself is stealth and investigation based. If you are after fast-paced action, then this is not the one for you. But if you are a fan of the detective genre, love finding clues and piecing them together to solve thrilling mysteries, then you will love Murdered Soul Suspect. There are moments where the game feels “actiony,” but they are few and far between. It does have plenty of delicious plot twists, and I doubt many people would see them coming. All those little twists and turns along the way genuinely surprised me, and that ending, wow. Ok breathe. I am not going to tell you how it ends.

What I will tell you about the ending, indeed the ONLY thing I will tell you if this. If you are a completionist who loves solving all the puzzles, challenges, finishing all the collect quests and uncovering all those hidden secrets (of which this game has plenty) then listen up. Make sure you get all this done before you zone into the final scene of the game. You will get a warning that pops up letting you know that you cannot get back to the main game, and they aren’t kidding. Unlike many other games, you can’t free roam after the credits roll to finish off all those little side quests and nab your achievements. Once you finish, you finish. And the only way to quell the disquiet in your little 100% completionist heart, is to replay the game from the start.

The concept of this game is relatively simple, but through masterful storytelling and beautiful artwork, you will be treated to a richly immersive gaming experience that stirs up some pretty deep emotions. The more you learn about your character and events surrounding him and the investigation, the more you will feel. The gradual, slow reveal of backward character development is done brilliantly here.

The controls are nice and straight forward (handy reminder here that I am a PC gamer, which means they are likely even more user-friendly on your consoles). Puzzles are logical but also really make you think hard, giving your cranium a lovely workout while you play. Any fans of mystery and detective genre games who love a great story should check out Murdered Soul Suspect by Airtight Games and Square Enix. It really is wonderfully put together and will be a gaming experience you are sure to enjoy.

Yes folks, another game review. And yes, another article about Batman. Well, you did all get pre-warning on the title page of my blog that this is basically the inside of my head, so what can I say? The inside of my head has a lot of games in it, and Batman is pretty much a permanent fixture in there. Which is probably one of the many reasons I’m such a happy person! Anyway, I digress…

Batman Arkham City is the next instalment in Rocksteady’s Arkham series, picking up several months after the first game. Now, you all know I don’t do spoilers, so filling you in on the basic plot without spoiling the first game will be moderately challenging. Lucky for you all, I love a challenge.

Arkham City takes place within an enormous fenced off section of Gotham. Imagine all of Gotham’s unsavoury types, including some very famous faces from Batman’s infamous rogue’s gallery, all locked in, enjoying their turf wars, ruling the streets and doing what they do best. Now imagine a lunatic politician is in charge of it all, being aided and advised by a mad scientist. Add some innocent civilians for good measure and you have the perfect storm of chaos and violence that can only be a job for Batman.

City is a much larger game than Arkham Asylum, covering a far greater area and telling a much longer story. Expect your playthrough of the main story to take roughly two to three times as long as Asylum. And notice I said “main story”? That’s because in addition to the core tale of the game, City introduces side missions, offering you the opportunity to interact with even more characters and villains and immerse yourself even more fully into being Batman.

Combat is very similar to the first game, with added tweaks that make your freeflow fighting even more fluid. There are more gadgets for you to enjoy and detective mode has seen a slight revamp. No, there is no batmobile in this game, sorry. But getting around the map is no problem. It may be large, but you never feel like you are aimlessly or endlessly heading towards your goal. Traversing the skyline is a breeze with added gadgets like the grapnel boost, which send you gliding through the air at speed, practically flying.

There is a lot to love in this game. Personally, my favourite feature that had me literally squeal with excitement is Catwoman being a playable character. Anyone that knows me knows I love her just as much as I adore Batman. And yes, I ship them. Hard. While Selina’s story is relatively minor compared to Batman’s, its fun and she is thoroughly enjoyable to play. I actually prefer her combat style to his. It’s more graceful and elegant and feels almost effortless. I’d love to see her get her own standalone Arkham game, with a cameo from Bruce, of course.

Arkham City is a worthy sequel to Asylum, and in many ways, a superior game. The graphics are slightly better and it takes the concept of Asylum, gloriously expanding on it to give us more to do, more to see and more to experience and enjoy. If you liked Asylum, you’ll love City.

To those who’ve read my last blog post, this next review should come as no surprise to you. Valve’s Left 4 Dead 2, the very worthy sequel to its 2008 zombie shooter, which was released in 2009. Such was the success of both games, fans have been screaming for a third instalment for ages, which sadly, seems not to be. But as long as we still have these two amazing games to enjoy, let’s rejoice in them!

Left 4 Dead 2 follows the same basic gameplay mechanics as the first game. You have four playable, human characters, The Survivors, and you need to fight your way across a map from safe room to safe room and ultimately to safety. The sequel introduces us to four new characters, with our old favourites from the original appearing in a special campaign, which ties the stories of the two games together.

But enough about the similarities, let’s talk about what’s different. Firstly, the weapons. Not only do firearms get a major upgrade in this game, with a pimped Sniper rifle (my personal favourite), AK47 and two versions of combat shotgun, Left 4 Dead 2 introduces us to melee weapons. Golf clubs, cricket bats, police batons, katanas, baseball bats (again, my personal favourite) and even frying pans and guitars can be used to beat zombies into oblivion as you fight your way through hordes. The ultimate melee weapon, the chainsaw, is a glorious piece of destruction, cutting through the undead like a knife through hot butter. The only drawback to the chainsaw is that it is dependent on fuel, which cannot be replenished via drops, unless you find a whole new chainsaw. The fuel may be limited, but the fun, is priceless.

Left 4 Dead 2 brought us Uncommon Infected, kind of an in-between of Common and Specials. These guys generally behave like Common but have certain attributes that will cause you to need to rethink your strategy. Just a few examples; armoured zombies need to be shot in the back, hazmat wearing undead are immune to fire and Fallen Survivor zombies (who can drop loot, yay!), will run away from you if you attack them.

The next big difference is the new Special Infected you’ll meet. And by meet, I mean run from, shoot and scream at they make every attempt they can to ruin your day. All the original Specials from the first game are back with a vengeance, albeit, slightly changed graphic-wise to indicate how they’ve further mutated since the events of the first game. All their abilities and therefore, tactics you’ll need to defeat them, remain identical, however.

The first new Special is the Jockey. Almost resembling a miniature tank, this tiny pest will giggle and shake as it runs around, before leaping onto a Survivor’s head and literally riding them, like a jockey. Not only does this alone cause damage to Survivors, and not only does its maniacal laughter in your ear the whole time its riding you drive you insane, the Jockey will make very attempt it can to steer you into further danger. Fire, cliffs, pools of acid (which we’ll get to next), and of course, more zombies and Specials. Just like the Hunter and Smoker we remember from the original Left 4 Dead, once he has you, you cannot break free and need to be saved. Best to try and shoot him before he jumps onto someone, but failing that, get him off your teammate quick with gunfire, your melee weapon or a punch.

Next up is the Spitter. A lovely lady (possibly before she became infected anyway), tall and slender, with a protruding belly and bright green, acidic spit dropping from her mouth and neck. And, yep, you guessed it, she spits this acid. Mercifully not into anyone’s faces, rather, on the ground. This pool will grow and spread, and the longer you stand in it, the more it hurts. Best to take her down before she spits, but if she’s too quick for you, get the hell outta that spit pile and fast. Oh and, she collapses into a second pile of spit when she dies, so careful, yeah?

The Charger, is a hulking, noisy monster, although smaller than the tank, with one enormous arm. His other arm is so small and shrivelled, its almost laughable. But one he charges and grabs you, you cannot break free and a teammate will need to come to your rescue. Most of the time you can sidestep him, because once he starts charging, he cannot stop until he hits something and cannot change direction. But if he catches you even on his periphery, he will send you flying, allowing him to do far more damage to your teammate while you recover.

Last, but by no means least, The Wandering Witch. Yeah, remember the Witch from the first Left 4 Dead? She’s back and she’s brought friends. Versions of her that don’t just sit still and offer you the chance to crown them, or avoid them. No… witches that walk around. The good news? They’re slow until aggroed, so in some ways they are easier to avoid than the static Witch. And you can technically shoot them a couple of times before they will aggro, they aren’t as temperamental as their stationery sister. The bad news? They still do the same damage the original Witch does and have the same hit points when triggered, so, best to avoid. And, they cannot be crowned with a shotgun.

The Director-controlled gameplay is the same as the first game, and the maps are fun and inventive. It’s still all about teamwork, and yes, as with the first game, The Director will absolutely punish you if you break the rules. My personal favourite map is Dark Carnival, which feels like a more expanded version of those final scenes from Zombieland, only, even more fun if you can believe it. Overall, Left 4 Dead 2 is a strong sequel and fabulous game in its own right. It took the Left 4 Dead concept and improved upon it, without losing any of the uniqueness that makes these games far more than just zombie first person shooters. Highly recommended.