Gaming
Nidhogg 2 Review: Gruesome mutant fencing simulator
Nidhogg 2 is a game about moving from one side of the screen to the other. It’s also much, much more. It’s also about impeccable timing, leveraging momentum, reflexes and your ability to predict having a knife thrown at your head. With only two buttons to remember, Nidhogg 2 grabs the old cliche of ‘easy to learn, hard to master’ and jams it in your face.
When I first boot the game up, I’m bombarded with a pulsating soundtrack and eclectic visuals. I admit I paused for a second. Although I’ve never played the original Nidhogg, I have seen screenshots. Gone is the blocky minimalism, replaced instead by a claymation-style that I initially found off-putting but grew to love as I played through a few rounds.
In motion, there’s a lot going on. Both the character models and the stage backgrounds are horrible (in a good way), seeing you fight through a variety of gruesome stages and usually the innards of your previous self that still litter the ground. Melee kills are particularly brutal and leave a big stain as a reminder of where it all went wrong.
It all just clashes together in a way that I enjoy, low-pixel, technicolor gouts of blood juxtaposed with the fairly elegant way the game actually handles. The background animations keep things flowing but don’t detract and regardless, the combat demands your concentration so much so it’d take a nuclear bomb going off in your living room to distract.
As I jump into the single-player (which effectively acts as an extended DIY tutorial/testing ground), it’s not hard to see what makes Nidhogg 2 great, even if you are fighting terrible AI that switches between running onto your sword or kicking your ass all over the map.
Matches start with two players on opposite sides of the arena. Depending on where you start, you’ll always be pushing to get to the opposite side of the screen. Your opponent? They’re trying to go the other way, effectively making them a roadblock. Respawn timers are low so killing the opponent is often just a way to get some breathing room and make it to the screen edge, bringing you to the next stage where it all begins again.
This tug-of-war mechanic makes for some incredibly tense moments where you realise you’re on the final screen and you only need to get past your opponent one more time. More often than not, these moments devolve into standoffs as you desperately wonder whether you should go high or low.
What I love about Nidhogg 2 is that killing your opponent is always secondary to the main goal of reaching the side of the level. When you have the momentum, it’s not uncommon to simply ignore your opponent, simply slipping past them if the opportunity arises. There are no points for kills, just the unending desire to push on to the next stage.
That said, the combat is great. It manages to be both frantic yet measured, with four weapons that effectively act as a game of rock-paper-scissors-broadsword. One hit is still a kill and there are no hard counters per se, but different weapons have their own pros and cons (expanding on the original Nidhogg which only had the fencing sword).
The hand-to-hand melee is a little overpowered and can cause some frustration, especially when it revolves around being close to your opponent and spamming the attack button. There were moments when I found myself being curbstomped seemingly at random just by being close to an unarmed opponent.
When you add in bottomless pits to traverse, the potential to disarm your opponent with a well-timed swing and the last-ditch option to launch your weapon at your opponent’s head, everything becomes much less predictable but rarely unfair.
Where Nidhogg 2 truly shines is its multiplayer. While I’m assured the original Nidhogg was better suited for local play around the couch rather than online, the matches I played of Nidhogg 2 were excellent with virtually no lag.
Going up against another real-life human makes the game infinitely more fun. Fights become chaotic and the mind games are in full flow, usually devolving into foot chases and bare knuckle beatdowns when each player decides to hurl their weapons at each other upon respawning, clanging together harmlessly in the air.
My only disappointment with Nidhogg 2 is that there isn’t more to do. Once the initial rush of playing a new game wears off, I can’t help but feel that at its core it just needs something extra. It’d be nice to see a team game mode with 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 or even just a more fleshed out single-player.
As it stands, if you’re looking for a few rounds of frantic fencing action with some friends, Nidhogg 2 has charm and guts by the bucketload.
Gaming
Shift Up unveils the intriguing details behind the physical packaging of Stellar Blade for the PS5
It appears that many
are eagerly anticipating the launch of the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade. Shift Up, the developer, has shared a lengthy video showcasing the “secrets” found in the physical box of the game for PS5. From what we can gather, these secrets include a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for cosmetic items.
We must clarify that while we do appreciate the variant cover, it may be more appealing than the game’s standard art. However, it is not something we would typically classify as a “secret.”. However, what’s interesting is that Shift Up has confirmed through the comments section that this will be the case in all regions. Additionally, the visually striking action RPG will remain uncensored worldwide.
「Stellar Blade」 Physical Package Secrets⚠️#StellarBlade #PS5 #Disc pic.twitter.com/WQSzKUSDQ4
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) April 22, 2024
It’s refreshing to witness a developer going the extra mile for physical collectors, and it’s evident that the developer is determined to leave a favorable mark in the console realm. Stellar Blade is set to make its highly anticipated debut this Friday, April 26th, exclusively on the PS5.
Gaming
Here are all the patch notes for the new PS5 firmware update that adds the community game help feature
Sony has recently launched the newest PS5 system software update, which is always an exciting occasion for avid PlayStation fans. With a size of slightly over 1GB, you can download and install it right away. As always, the question remains: What exactly does the update bring to the table?
According to the official patch notes, there have been some notable improvements, particularly in the area of game help. We are introducing an exciting addition to our platform: the Community Game Help feature. This feature enhances the PS5’s Game Help system by providing you with gameplay videos from fellow players. Players have the option to choose whether or not they want their gameplay videos to be shared using this feature.
If you’re concerned about it, you can now hide your Remote Play connection status as well.
Presenting the complete patch notes:
- Game Help has been enhanced with the addition of Community Game Help features
- Within Game Help, players can find Community Game Help hints in supported games. These cues come from gameplay videos that other players have shared.
- If you’re up for it, you have the option to contribute to Community Game Help by giving permission for your gameplay video to be automatically recorded and included in the feature after it’s been reviewed
- If you want to join in, navigate to Settings, then Captures & Broadcasts, followed by Captures, Auto Captures, and finally Community Game Help. From there, simply choose the option to participate. Users have the option to unsubscribe whenever they choose
- During Remote Play, players now have the option to hide the persistent message “Remote Play connected.” that appears on their game screen. To ensure a seamless gaming experience, navigate to the Settings menu, then proceed to the System section. From there, locate the Remote Play option and activate the Hide Remote Play Connection Status feature
- The system’s software performance and stability have been significantly enhanced
- The messages and usability on some screens have been enhanced
While not the most groundbreaking update, the Community Game Help feature has the potential to be intriguing, contingent upon the number of games that offer support for it. What are your thoughts on the latest update? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has received an exciting update that introduces a new graphical mode, elevating the game’s visual experience. With a smooth frame rate of 40 frames per second and enhanced resolutions, players can now immerse themselves in even more stunning and detailed environments. Now downloadable on PS5 with the latest patch 3.2, this mode is compatible with 4K TVs that can handle up to 120 Hz. Before this update, Avatar PS5 only offered quality and performance modes. However, with this new option, players can now enjoy the benefits of both modes after downloading the 2.4GB update.
Throughout the PS5 era, 40fps modes have been a rarity, much to the disappointment of the hardcore community. Insomniac Games first introduced them in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and later added the feature to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. They also included it in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Other PS5 titles, such as Hogwarts Legacy, Lies of P, and God of War Ragnarok, also offer 40fps modes.
In addition to that, Patch 3.2 for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora brings along the following:
Worldwide:
- Research Station Alpha now features a convenient Fast Travel option
- The issue of controller re-mapping and resetting on game restart has been resolved
- Addressed multiple instances of crashes
- I corrected a few spelling errors
- Addressed the issue of voice lines overlapping during dialogue
Primary Objectives & Optional Objectives:
- [Main Quest: Shadows of the Past] This main quest is an intriguing journey into the depths of history. Addressed a bug that previously hindered quest progression in co-op mode
More bug fixes have been implemented.
- [Available on all platforms] The rescued human characters no longer return to the Resistance HQ wearing masks
- Available on all platforms. There is a noticeable improvement in the visibility of NPCs when they are at the edge of the Player’s vision
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