OTAKU REVIEWS: "Bloodborne"

     As a fairly casual gamer I have always been curious about the Demon Souls and Dark Souls series. The difficulty and perception that accompanies such a title has been a debate topic since the first launch. Is it too hard? Is it too long? Is it boring just dying repeatedly? These are all pretty valid questions, and I honestly don't have the capacity or the knowledge to really answer them fully. So, with the next spiritual sequel to the franchise just on the horizon, I thought I would give it my best shot and make a final verdict for myself. Keep in mind that I haven't played any of the previous games, and I won't be judging the entire series based on this one title. I'm just going to check it out and see if I can try to explain it  further to people who are in my similar shoes on their opinions about these types of games. And what better way than to play, Bloodborne, the most recent PS4 exclusive.

     The first thing you're going to notice about this game is the style. Holy crap is this game OOZING with it! I am a huge fan of Gothic architecture and design. Especially Gothic literature. It always makes for a dark and interesting perspective of natural things. That combined with the horror atmosphere of a game like Evil Within or Silent Hill, and you've got the start to a pretty exciting game. The amount of detail in the buildings, enemies, weapons, and environments is almost inspiring. It's obvious that the developers put a ton of passion into their work here, and we get to reap the benefits of it.

THE STORY
 
     You awaken strapped to a bed with an old man in a wheelchair stalking over you. Already terrifying as hell! He then warns you of your quest while injecting you with what appears to be blood. He asks you if you're ready to make a contract which directs you to a character customization menu. You can use the fairly detailed gauges to recreate almost any look you'd like for your character model, which was a very welcomed touch. Just after you get injected you experience incredibly vivid hallucinations of monsters consuming you. After which you wake up again. In the same bed, but this time no terrifying creatures trying to get to you. You flee the room and you're immediately greeted by an enormous wolf that's devouring a corpse. With only fists to defend with you strike a few blows to its head just before he rips into you. Then those familiar words that you're going to see a lot of appear on the screen. YOU DIED

     Upon dying you arrive at an old church in the middle of nowhere. Laid out on the steps are your beginning weapons, of which you can only choose two. I went with the Pistol and the Ax. This is where the game starts to get really exciting. Now you have the means to defend yourself and progress through the world. A surprise I came across was that you can adjust your weapon settings at will. I could hit a button and my character would pull the handle of my ax and turn it into a two-handed great ax that dealt more blunt damage and stunned. This is incredibly cool and can make for some impressive combos in fights.

     Once you've returned and dealt with the wolf who killed you before, a path opens and you venture into the gloomy European city. Here creatures of the night have run rampant and virtually taken over everything. Someone within the city has sent out help from people known as Hunters, or people like you. It's your job to rid the streets of these horrors and help people where you can.

GAMEPLAY
 
     My only complaint about the game is its lack of direction, but that is also one of its strong points too. Right from the git go you're just kinda thrust into this world with no narrative or development. You get your weapons, you get abilities, and you get going. That's pretty much it? To quote the game itself, "That's just what hunters do! You'll get use to it..."
     Even though you have no idea where to go, this creates for some pretty awesome exploration. Not having an objective or a map lets you search and seek out new things to find and do.
     The combat itself is very intense and fast paced. You have to be ready at any time for an enemy to attack. Especially the big ones! There are so many different enemy types and locations for them to sneak up on you from. And they are all dangerous. Crippling hits, paralyzing thrusts, toxic spews. They all seem to behave very naturally as well. Marching through the streets, hunting, eating recent victims, and causing general panic and unease. I have never been so on my toes during a game in my life. Even some of my past favorite horror titles!

     Leveling in this game doesn't really take place in the traditional sense. To improve your abilities you must obtain as many Blood Echoes as you can. These are found by defeating enemies or through various items located in the locations. When you feel like you have enough you must make a trip to your closest Dream Refuge Lantern. These little lights teleport you to the Hunter's Dream, a protective area where you can speak with a woman who takes Echoes for experience, repair weapons, and purchase new gear. However, you need to be extremely careful during your trips back to the lanterns. Because if your character dies you lose ALL of your Echoes. It is possibly to recover them, but you must retrace your steps to where you think you died, and defeat the random enemy who may have picked them up after you demise.

     Every item you find or use has an important purpose, making random drops very exciting. Whether it's a Hunter's Mark which lets you escape from overwhelming fights to a safe zone, or Coldblood Dews that provide you with extra Blood Echoes to level up your traits, or Molotov Cocktails that light up enemies in a single throw. Everything has meaning and must be watched constantly. For they could be the only thing that saves you from death in a tight situation.

COOPERATIVE PLAY

   If the difficulty proves too much, or the solo gameplay starts to get lonely, you also have the option of co-op! I was surprised to see this in a game of this type, but I love that they included it. Though it's not as easy as you might think. To initiate co-op you must first gather a list of materials and get your character to a specific level. I believe you need two types of bells, one purchased with a rare currency, of which you can only obtain by defeating bosses and finding rare items. This will take you some time, even with a walk-through. So don't expect to hop in immediately with your friends at your side.

OVERVIEW

     In closing, Bloodborne is aggrivating, fun, well designed, and an excellent PS4 exclusive. Very few developers would take such a risk on this type of game in the current generation of consoles, but to me it's a welcomed addition. Bloodborne breaks through the breezy first-person shooters and simplistic RPG's with flying colors and a realm of reality. Though the lack of direction can be incredibly frustrating at times, the amazing gameplay and style encourage you to investigate and progress further. This is absolutely not a game for everyone by any means! If you're prone to stress and angry rages then you will NOT have a good time. But for those who want a beautifully designed game and an intense combat experience, this is perfect for you.

Score: "8 out of 10" A Must Try!!!

-Otaku Anonymous

ANIME SHOWCASE: "Gourmet Girl Graffiti"

     I don't know about you, but sometimes I really just want to watch a boring anime. By that I don't mean an anime that has no value or overdone themes, but a nice normal story with interesting characters. And Gourmet Girl Graffiti is just that. No monsters, no epic fights, no flashy cinematic scenes. Just three girls and their passion for food and friendship. Now, I totally understand if that's not your thing, but for those of you who're sticking around, let me explain this extremely cute anime.

     The story focuses around our main character, Ryo Machiko. She's a teenage girl who lives alone now that her grandmother recently passed away. She loved her grandmother, and they spent a lot of time cooking together. Through that, Ryo developed a love for food and cooking as an art. She starts to notice however that her food is losing it's flavor. The recipe is correct, the meal looks perfect, the smell is delicious, but the food still comes out lackluster.

     All of this changes once her cousin, Kirin, comes in from out of town. She wants to study at the same school as Ryo, so she stays once a week to start her new course. Both girls are drastically different. Ryo keeps to herself and is very quiet, while Kirin on the other hand is small and outgoing. Ryo has her doubts about the new living situation, especially after meeting her in person. She changes her mind though for the time being and decides to other her a home cooked meal. Kirin quickly accepts, for she's very use to bland and artificial meals from her mother at home. Plus she has heard of Ryo's cooking talents before.
     Ryo prepares a wonderful stew to fight off Kirin's impeding cold from the weather, and Kirin loves it so much that she even forgets to say grace! Kirin gives numerous compliments towards Ryo's food. She offers a bite and Ryo tries it for herself. And it's good! Her taste for food has returned after so long! Kirin comes to the conclusion that her flavor went away because she was eating alone. She then pledges to be Ryo's new closest family and to spend dinners together every visit. Ryo happily accepts and they begin their new friendship.

     I really like how natural they portrait the girls in this series. They are very well animated, and their character shines through their designs and demeanor. Both have moments of cartoonish delight, but they mostly stay very real and emotional. I love how excited they make Kirin when she starts to walk around Tokyo for the first time, and when she enjoys other one of Ryo's meals. And the way they illustrate Ryo's eating method is extremely detailed and colorful. You see her passion in every bite she takes. It does an amazing job of drawing you into their world, and it makes you want to be apart of their meal time as well.

     Another thing about this anime is THE FOOD. It looks absolutely beautiful! I use to frequently watch the Food Network with my mother when I was younger, and some of the programs made the food they were discussing look like its own character. That's exactly what this show does. Each individual meal looks unique and delicious. Something great about this anime is that they actually describe the meals as a whole and show some of the process it takes to produce them. Ryo also provides some science behind the foods and their taste. Sometimes she even describes ways they can improve your health or the way you feel. It's very inspiring, and if you pay attention you might learn something you never knew.

     I'm really enjoying this anime, and I would recommend it to anyone. Like I said before, if you're only into epic battles and sword fights then this is clearly not for you. But if you'd like a nice change of pace and a nice cute anime to sit and watch while enjoying a meal, then give this one a shot. I promise you'll be very satisfied. Both visually and emotionally. Though I recommend eating before, cause you'll definitely be craving some food after.

     Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the review and the anime! I left a link below to the first episode if you'd like to check it out. Thanks Otakus!

-Otaku Anonymous

Link to first episode: http://www.crunchyroll.com/gourmet-girl-graffiti/episode-1-warm-juicy-668665

ANIME SHOWCASE: "Comical Psychosomatic Medicine"

     If you like gag comedy and just plain off the wall anime series, then I have a treat for you. Comical Psychosomatic Medicine is a new show to hit the anime scene, and so far it has been accepted very well. I wasn't sure what to expect before watching the first episode upon its release, but after watching it I am more than satisfied with the results. It's hilarious, intelligent, and very well scripted. The episodes have a run time of about five minutes, and boy do they pack a lot into them!

     The strength in its humor is that the writer ties in smart puns and dialogue with actual fact based medicine and diagnosis for existing illnesses. One second a character is acting ridiculous and making ostentatious comments, and another character will be explaining the ratios for panic attacks in men and women across the globe. They tend to talk very fast, which makes it a bit hard to keep up sometimes, but the quick jokes you may miss are some of the real highlights of the skit. I just love how they make you laugh while helping you learn something you may have never known at the same time. If you're like me and you're a complete knowledge junkie, then it's a nice little treat.

     I did some extra research into the manga the show is based on and found some very colorful looking characters that have yet to make an appearance. Needless to say I am dying to see how they react and hold themselves when introduced in the coming episodes. So far we have been introduced to the young doctor and nurse in the center of the picture above. Our nurse is very goofy and empty headed, and our doctor tries to teach her knew medicine all while trying to keep his cool. It makes for some pretty funny moments.

     The first episode's theme is "ED" or "Erectile Dysfunction". I'm sure you can only imagine how that goes down, and I definitely don't want to spoil anything for you here. My eyes were glued to the screen the entire time, and I surprisingly learned a few new facts about depression and the male brain that I never knew!
     My diagnosis; you should check out the first episode and have a good laugh. If you're interested I left a link below so you can stream it instantly. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did because I'm definitely coming back for more when new episodes are released.
     Thanks again Otakus!

-Otaku Anonymous

Link to watch episode 1: http://www.crunchyroll.com/comical-psychosomatic-medicine/episode-1-669463

OTAKU REVIEWS: "Castle Raid 2"

   I don't know about you, but I really enjoy a good strategy game. Nothing makes me feel better than besting someone with both my mind and my gaming skills in video games. The only problem I've encountered is that the market is flooded with terrible strategy games. Most of them seem like cheap knockoffs of already popular games that really don't keep your attention for very long. But Castle Raid 2 really broke the endless cycle of awful games. It's a mobile phone medieval style strategy game (That was a mouth full!). It has epic battles, knights, elves, orcs, magic, and even DRAGONS! So let me tell you about it!

STORY

   The story takes place just after the previous game when your character, the Blue Commander, defeats the Crimson Leader and his army. After banishing him out of your land, a red orc leader emerges and pushes your weakened forces into the ice mountains to the West. Desperate and backed into a corner, your character allies with the Crimson leader to take back your home.
   Something really fun about the story is that the characters appear to be self aware that they are in a game. They throw out every cliché in the book, and even make references to the story. It's pretty funny and made me giggle a few times during the cut-scenes. The whole story is pretty simple and plain, but it was a nice touch to a game that really didn't need one. The art was the main focus for me. I enjoyed the design of the characters and style of the world. It had and almost Saturday morning cartoon feel to it that really took me back.

GAMEPLAY

   The majority of the game focuses on a single battlefield with two castles on either side. Your job is to amass enough forces to push to the enemy's castle and destroy it. Sounds easy right? Well, they added something in addition to your standard units. Each castle has a tower on both sides, one for offense and one for defense. These things can turn the tide of a battle in a split second. One can fire long range missiles that can kill multiple units at once. The other can send lightning at attacking warriors when they enter its field. These add an exciting element to the combat and keep you on your toes.

   Aside from the cool features, you will still see your standard infantry. You have swordsman, archers, and cavalry to start. Later you can unlock wizards, King's guard, rogues, and more.
   Before you go into battle you have to select up to five units to deploy throughout the match. One that you'll always have is your peasant. This unit doesn't fight at all. Its only job is to search the battlefield for trees to cut down for supplies. You need supplies to make more soldiers to attack with. Protecting your peasants is the most important part of the entire fight. If you can't secure your supplies while cutting off the enemy's then you will lose quickly.
   To deploy someone you just tap their icon then tap the spot of the field that you want to place them. My only complaint with this is that once they are release you have zero control over them. They will act on their own and auto-target. This can be great while you're crafting soldiers, but can also seriously mess up your plans.

   As you progress through the story and the different maps you'll earn points that you can use to buy different infantry types and upgrade your existing ones. The upgrades are noticeable in combat and give you a distinct advantage, but they will not carry you. You will still have to play well to make it through battles and not use the upgrades as a crutch. This was nice to see and definitely made the game more exciting.

MULTIPLAYER

   The developers were kind enough to implement a working multiplayer system that you can play against someone with you on the same screen. It works just as well as the regular game, and you can play the same maps from the campaign! It's a lot of fun to play with your friends. Just make sure you have at least a five inch screen or it can get a little cramped at times.

IN GAME PURCHASES

   A lot of people are worried about micro transactions with any mobile game. A few great games I've played have been ruined by the locks their transactions have on  the game to the point where you'll just stop playing and move on. This game doesn't have that issue. It initially cost $1.02, and you get the entire game. You can buy more points to upgrade your units if you need it, but you don't need to buy them at all. Because of the natural progression of the game you will just upgrade regularly. It gets more difficult with time, but never to the point where you are forced to buy currency to overcome it.

OVERVIEW

   I am very pleased with this game. It had my attention, it was entertaining, and made me laugh at times. For only a dollar, it's an incredibly well made and fun game. There are no existing bugs, and the gameplay is well designed an incredibly addicting. I would highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys medieval style games or strategy games. You won't regret your purchase.

Score: "8 out of 10" A Must Try!!!

-Otaku Anonymous

5 Creepy Anime To Watch For Halloween

   I absolutely LOVE Halloween! Everything about this time of year just brings a permanent smile to my face. The leaves changing, the smell of bonfires, the bloodthirsty schoolgirls with axes chasing you endlessly. Ahhh...bloody bliss...
   Another reason why I love this time of year are the horror movies that come out. Ever since I was a child I enjoyed scary movies and monsters. So when I was interested in watching anime for the first time I naturally sought out those same types of disturbing and gory shows to experience. And needless to say I was not disappointed. Because of that a lot of my personal friends have been asking me for creepy anime to watch now that Halloween is finally here again.
   So here's my list of creepy and gory anime for all you freaks like me to enjoy this season!

1. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei (When They Cry)

   When They Cry, a personal favorite of mine, is a supernatural/physiological murder mystery. It's hard to describe the plot without revealing too much about the twists, so I'll be very vague. The story is told through the eyes of the main character's vantage points. In some cases, the story even changes completely as you continue watching each character's background. And with an incredibly creepy opening theme and cinematic to boot it will be sure to freak you out.
   The brief plot is this. A young boy discovers that a photographer he knew has been brutally murdered after investigating some strange events that surround their small town. Eager to find the reason for his death, he dives into the secrets of the people who walk around his home every day, including his closest friends. What he finds is both deeply disturbing, and very haunting. To show you just how messed up this show can be, the opening two minutes shows the main character beating two young girls to death with a baseball bat.
   Yeah, now that's my kind of horror!

2. Deadman Wonderland

   If you're looking for gore, an intense story, all in a bright and colorful setting? Then look no further than Deadman Wonderland. This crazy show has it all! From interesting characters, to gripping twists, and unbelievably gory fight scenes.
   The story focuses on a young boy who awakes in his home room to find all of his fellow students and friends have been violently executed. The police come in and after an investigation they arrest and convict him for all of the murders. Despite his pleas, they show a plethora of false evidence planted by an unknown third party.
   Now that he's a convicted murderer, he's sent to Deadman Wonderland, a maximum security prison that is built to be an elaborate theme park. Here guests can watch the inmates battle for their freedom in mostly fatal games. Our protagonist has to find out who framed him to clear his name, all while trying to survive the over the top death traps and psychopaths.

3. Highschool of the Dead

 

   No horror list is ever complete without one zombie flic! And this is by far my favorite. With hundreds of fleshy zombies, several badass main characters, a gripping plot, and gorgeous teen girls toting high caliber weapons and swords. What's not to like?!
   This plot is told through the eyes of the main male protagonist and recounts his experiences through the apocalyptic events. While sulking on the roof of his school after finding out his former girlfriend is dating his best friend, he witnesses a few teachers being attacked and devoured by an odd looking man. He immediately rushes to his former love and tries to escape with her and his friend. From there it explodes into an intense and suspenseful thriller full of guns, zombies, and booby physics!
   This is a must see for any fans of zombies or great stories. You won't be disappointed!

4. Another

   This anime is a bit different than anything I have ever watched. Another sets a very eerie tone from the moment you start to the moment you attempt to sleep after. Each character is interesting in some way, the settings do a great job of heightening the scary elements, and the deaths are very gory and painful to see. This is another anime that I can't talk too much about without revealing some important elements, so I'll be brief.
   The story follows a young student who has just started at his new school. He's a bit nervous, but he quickly befriends a young girl who goes to the school as well. After arriving in the school for just a short time, some very strange events start to plague the students and staff of their school. Out of the ordinary deaths, and dark pasts start to come into play once the two characters begin to investigate the cause of all these odd situations.
   It's sure to grab your attention, and the twists will leave you reeling for days.

5. Soul Eater

   With a town straight out of a Halloween fantasy, Soul Eater is your guaranteed must watch anime for the Halloween season. Witches, ghosts, zombies, and Death itself are just some of the amazing elements that make people come back to this anime for more each time.
   The plot focuses on a group of young teens, each with their own unique and entertaining personalities, who attend an academy that teaches you how to wield supernatural weapons to combat the dark magical forces of the world. And Death himself is their headmaster! You watch as they master their skills, form relationships, battle their inner demons, and defend the world from the dark creatures and villains who try to destroy it.
   This anime is a bit long, so I'd recommend saving it for last. You're sure to enjoy it, and you'll be binge watching it by the end of this article.

Some Other Excellent Suggestions...

Hellsing

Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)

   I hope you find these suggestions entertaining and enjoy them as much as I have. Halloween is always a great time to hangout with friends and watch some scary/out of the ordinary shows and movies to get you in the spirit. So dress up, eat some candy, and watch some anime! Happy Halloween Otakus! :D

-Otaku Anonymous

OTAKU REVIEWS: "Destiny"

   So for those of you who have been living under a rock for the last few weeks you may have missed the most anticipated video game launch of the year. Our friends at Bungie finally released to us their newest gaming creation; DESTINY. This game is quickly breaking records and becoming the most popular game of the season. Destiny is a fantastic mash-up of MMO and FPS elements to create one of the most well rounded games in existence. That mixed with an incredibly successful server launch has made this game an instant favorite amongst current gamers. But what specifically does Destiny bring to the table? What sets it apart from the previous video games that have tried and failed in the past? Well strap in and I'll tell you about it!

THE PLOT

   Bungie is notorious for their in depth storylines and grand background setup for their games. Their biggest title, Halo, has one of the most interesting and detailed background plotlines I've ever come across in a game. This unfortunately does not shine through in Destiny. Not much of the underlying story is revealed during the game, and there really isn't much of an actual plot to begin with. Small fragments of the history and background of the storyline are brought up during missions and cut scenes, but never go into specific detail. You know who the enemies are, but you don't know where they came from. You know who you are, but not much of your past is revealed. You know the setting, but you have no idea what happened to lead you to this point. To someone watching from afar this would seem very confusing.

   Basically your story begins with the tiny robot who is always seen by your side searching for your remains. The Ghost as he's called then resurrects your body and awakens you to a very distant future. He says there's no time to explain and he rushes you out of danger. From there you both dive into a fast paced and intense adventure with giant killer robot aliens, ancient celestial beings, diverse alien species, and exciting gun fights galore.

   Yet, something tells me that Bungie is holding out on us. I believe that more and more of the story will be told to us through more content and a possibly sequel in the near future. There are a ton of plot holes in this story, but they leave you wondering what happened and why. Curiosity can drive some gamers crazy though, and Bungie knows this. I don't think it will be long before our questions on the story will be answered very soon.

GAMEPLAY

   The actual gameplay is incredibly well put together and addicting. The MMO aspects of the online missions mixed with a first/third person perspective make the experience of exploring the open world very personal and fun. Plus, the game is just so pretty! Every detail of the world, from the landscapes to the enemies is beautiful and makes you want to explore every crevice as you go.

   There are three different classes to choose from at the beginning. You have a choice between the built to kill Titan, the slick and fast Hunter, or the super powered Warlock. Each has their own different skill set and special abilities. Sometimes it even feels like you're playing a game of Rock Paper Scissors when fighting against people in different classes. The abilities of each give the game a great sense of balance and provide for alternate playthroughs. If you start as a Titan and beat the game or get bored, then you can jump to a Hunter class and level that character's abilities and gear up for a new experience.

   The main focus of the game are the story missions and the Strike challenges. You can also obtain "Bounties" from people throughout the game that are worth experience, money, and sometimes rare items. These can be very fun, but can also drag on at times. Occasionally you might come across a group of missions that are eerily similar to one another. This would get frustrating, but as you progress you can unlock multiple sets of difficulties for existing missions that provide better rewards an tougher challenges. The Strikes however are more specific challenges meant for teams to tackle together, but they can be done alone. These are my personal favorite thing to do in Destiny. There's nothing like getting one or two of your friends together in a fireteam and bringing down a huge boss with your individual powers and weapons. As a bonus, there are daily and weekly Strike challenges constantly being replaced to keep you preoccupied for hours.

TRAVELING

   Something I like is that you actually "travel" from place to place. To get to another planet you have to fly into orbit and plot a course to your next objective. This may seem like an annoying process to some, but I feel like it brings a nice sense of realism to the play style. In total there are six different locations that you travel to in space. Your body is awoken on the first planet Earth by your personal Ghost in the beginning. From there you can make your way to Venus, Mars, and even the Moon.

 

   There are two means of travel in the game. One is your personal space ship that you find in the beginning of the story shortly after you're brought back to life. You can purchase and earn new and amazing looking ships as you go through the story and finish online matches. While you can't pilot your ship in game, it's still really cool to see it in cinematics as you go from place to place and enter lobbies.
   The other mode of travel is your Sparrow. When your ship finally takes you to the area you want to go, your Sparrow is what gets you around on the surface. These high speed hover bikes are very fun to drive and get you from point A to point B in a hurry. You can also purchase and find these bikes just like your space ship. Ghost can summon your Sparrow at will, and they can be used in many ways in and out of combat. I'm really looking forward to the day they might add Sparrow races to the online multiplayer options with the standard kill based matches.

THE TOWER

   The Tower is the central hub for the entire game. This is where you turn in bounties, purchase gear, meet up with your team, join a faction, and so much more. You also get to explore The Tower entirely in third person perspective. This can be really fun because you get to see how other players view you and what you look like with your hard earned gear equipped and displaying proudly. And the gear and weapons you can't carry anymore can also be stored in vaults here to save until later.

   You can also interact with fellow players here who are taking a break themselves from the fields. I have actually received helpful tips from players at the Tower after making friendly conversation. Finding people to join a fireteam to defeat objectives and Strikes isn't hard to do here as well.

MULTIPLAYER

   The online multiplayer is known as The Crucible. You have several different options when it comes to match choices. You have CLASH, CONTROL, RUMBLE, SKIRMISH, and SALVAGE. Clash is your basic six versus six team deathmatch, Control is a capture and hold based match, Rumble is every man for himself, and Skirmish and Salvage are the same as Clash and Control except with half the people. Each mode is very fun and offers new options for each play style.

   The combat has an extremely familiar feel to Halo in a lot of ways. Yet, it still has an upgraded charm to it. Shooting and fighting is fast paced, and the vehicles seem a bit less indestructible than in a lot of online shooters. In many modern shooters the matches seem to provide no challenge after a while of playing. But Destiny provides a handicap for the new and old players to the game in the form of weapon neutrality. All weapons deal the same amount of damage regardless of their output, and the same goes for the defense of armor. This makes you focus more on skill rather than how powerful your equipment is.

   If you're one of the people that finds this unfair towards people who play the game for the gear and the dominating kill streak, then don't worry. Another multiplayer option soon to be released will be known as IRON BANNER. Here you rely more on your special abilities from your armor and weapons. You could basically consider it the "hardcore mode" for the more intense Destiny players.

CUSTOMIZATION

   There is A LOT to personalize in Destiny besides just your vehicles. From your armor, to your character's appearance, to your weapon loadouts. You can even customize the abilities of your weapons and spec them how you like. In a lobby AND in combat! It's so useful and makes everything that much more strategic. When you reach a specific level you can shade your armor so everything matches in a color coordinated scheme as well.
   You can really tell they put a lot of thought into the choice of the player and how they want to play the game, and that is very appealing. Something that kind of bothered me though was the fact that there are slots for equipment that don't seem to matter at all. They hold no bonuses for your abilities, and just appear to be there for show. In my opinion this is wasted space and opportunity. These items could be used to boost your character further instead of only making them look cool.

(Below are images of my personal gear and the varied things you can earn and adjust on them.)

REVIEW: 9 out of 10 "A Must Try"

   All in all, Destiny is a fantastic game. The amazing blend of elements from almost every existing genre is fun and makes the game insanely addicting. What the game lacks in story it more than makes up for in gameplay. There's always something making you want to come back to the game. Whether it's trying to upgrade your armor, earn new weapons, rank up your character, or explore the world. And with Bungie's plans for new content being added soon there may be even more to attract players to this new release. I have personally logged in many hours into this game and have enjoyed every minute of it.
   Destiny is quickly becoming a favorite for the gaming community and myself. If you enjoy shooters, RPG's, MMO's, or adventure then I highly recommend that you try Destiny. You won't be disappointed.
-Otaku Anonymous