​​Pistol Whip (SteamVR)

Step one, put on the VR Headset. Step two, pick up the touch controllers. Step 3 start Pistol Whip. Step 4 become John Wick.  

This is a VR rhythm game where you are propelled through a level with pistol(s) in hand shooting enemies and dodging bullets to the beat of the music.  You are constantly in motion and the action never stops until the song has ended or you get hit by 3 bullets.  After my first hour of playing I was drenched in sweat and the next day I was sore all over, but it was worth it.  I've been trying to use VR as an exercise replacement recently and this game along with Beat Saber is a decent workout.  

There are around 10 stages that have 3 difficulties and I started on normal and I was able to finish each level and it was a good challenge, then I cranked it up to hard and lasted about 20 seconds.  There are a ton more enemies at that difficulty which I actually like since it made me feel more like John Wick and thankfully the game has a no fail mode like Rock band so I turned that on since it only affects your score which I really don't care about that. The game is a blast and is perfect for parties as each stage last 2-3 minutes and watching another person dodge and shoot makes for some good times.  There are more stages planned with the next one releasing next week.  

Verdict:  Buy  

Darksiders Genesis

I really like the Darksiders games and each one has been a different experience.  Darksiders 1 was like a hardcore Zelda with great puzzles and intense combat, the second was more combat focused like the old God of War games, but with a ton of loot, and the 3rd felt like Dark souls.  

The latest game is somewhat like Diablo with it's isometric camera and combat, but it doesn't have a ton of weapon and armor drops.  It actually feels more like the Lara Croft isometric games that came out a couple of years ago.  If you play solo you can switch between two characters, Strife and War, and each one has their own abilities and combat styles that you will have to switch between regularly.  It has couch and online co-op which is nice.

I've only put in an hour so far and I like it, the combat is quick and fluid and I like the art style. One nice feature that I wish more games had is that you can increase the font size which is nice when you are playing at 4K as some text is just too small, Outer Worlds are you listening?

I do have a couple of gripes.  I really don't like the voice for Strife as it doesn't seem to fit the character for me, War is awesome though.  The map is awful as I had a hard time finding my character and since there are a ton of secrets and hidden paths you need to use it a lot so hopefully I just missed something or they will patch it.    

Mitch bought the game on Stadia and so far he has had an excellent experience with the platform and I'll have to take his word on that as I was not a founder and somehow I don't trust google to keep it going for more than a couple of years.  

Verdict:  Buy

Halo Reach

Since I have game pass I gave it a quick try on PC and it had an issue where the audio sounded muted and it really ruined the experience so I'll give it another they fix that issue.  Other than that the game looked and controlled fine so I'm excited to try it as it's one of two Halo games that I have never finished.  

Star Wars: Fallen Order

Good

• Finally a good Star Wars game, how long has it been? 
• The tutorial level is awesome and filled with some huge set pieces.   It nails the Star Wars feeling. 
• The graphics look great in HDR especially the lightsabers, and I love using the lightsabers as a source of light in dark caves.
• Of course the music is awesome and the sound effects put a huge smile on my face.  
• The combat at the hardest difficulty level feels like Dark souls lite, but it's not as punishing which I'm happy with.  I love the Dark Souls games and wanted an adventure game to take some of its ideas and they did it perfectly. 
• The lightsaber skills are fun to use and the kill animations are awesome.
• Exploring the world is fun with tons of secrets and shortcuts to find.
• Voice acting and story is decent and I'm curious to find out more.
• If you fall off a cliff you come back right where you fell off with a little bit less health.  
• If you have a good PC just get the Origin Premier sub for $15/month so you can play this game pretty cheap. The length is around 12-20 hours so easily beatable in a month. 

Bad

• Remember to let go of the block button before trying to attack otherwise nothing happens. 
• Read reports of long loading times but mine have been quick on PC.
• Miss R2D2 and C3PO.  

Verdict

• Can't wait to play this weekend. 
• Recommend if you like Star Wars or adventure games. 

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare, Xbox Elite Controller V2

Well I think I'm going to get back into the swing of things and start pumping out some gaming blogs again.   I've gotten some new toys since I last posted and it's November now so there are a ton of games to talk about.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare (PC)

I remember when Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare first came out in 2007, and how addicted I was to the multiplayer.  I remember gushing about it to my friends, Joe and Rusty, and got them addicted as well, with Rusty so enamored he played just about every night for an entire year.  The leveling up and constant feed of new guns was exciting and addicting.  When you reached the max level it was a tough decision whether to prestige or not and start all over again. Each year when a new version would release I'd spend a couple of months playing with friends and having a blast. Since the release of the Xbox One though I really haven't played the series much at all.  The main reason is I like playing on the PC for the better graphics and loading times, but I also like to play with a controller and using that on PC vs users with a k/b mouse never turned out very well. 

I wasn't planning on buying the new version, but it came with my video card and I must say the game is stirring up those old feelings.  The best part is that the game is now cross platform and it groups users based on input mode so I'm able to play on my PC being match with others using a controller so now it's perfect.  The game went back to its origins and feels like the older games.  In the recent releases the game was about moving around the maps with lightning speed and twitch shooting, this game rewards tactical play which makes it much easier for us "older gamers".   There is so much to unlock, you still unlock a gun at each level, but now each gun its own set of unlocks so you are constantly getting something for every match you play.  There's been so many times I've started to quit the game and saw that I'm 2 kills away from an awesome attachment that I play another round. 

The campaign is great so far with some unbelievable graphics, this is one good looking game and it runs at 4K 60fps with HDR and ray tracing with no issues.  The sound is amazing as well and I've had to turn down the volume as the explosions and gunfire keep rattling my walls that I think I am in a warzone.  All the maps are free as well this year so no more map packs that split the community.  Call of Duty is back!!!!

Xbox Elite Controller V2

I've had the original Elite Controller since it first came out and it's my favorite controller. The main reason is the addition of the 4 paddles on the back which can be mapped however you like.  I hate clicking in the Left stick to run especially in COD where you do that a lot.   I bought a program, REWASD, that allows me to map the paddles to any keyboard or mouse button since the Xbox software only allows remapping to the original buttons.  The only issue I had was that the rubber grips came off and I tried super glue but that only worked for so long until I got some new grips. 

I wasn't sure that I really needed to get the new V2 since it's $179 which is $30 more than the V1 which is already a lot to spend on a controller.  After spending last night using it though for me this is the best controller I've ever used.

Pros

• Buttons have a nice tactile feel when pressed
• Every button, including the paddles, have a nice feeling "click" when you press them which sounds silly but somehow it makes a huge difference
• Paddles are shorter
• I wasn't sure that I'd like the feel of the shorter paddles but with the new "click" they feel awesome and much better than before. 
• With the longer paddles I would sit the controller down and it would trigger the button and this is no longer the case.
• Analog Stick Tension
• You can adjust the tension in the analog sticks and I've used that on the right stick to make aiming in FPS games so that I can up the aiming speed.  
• 3 Internal Profiles
• You can store up to 3 profiles for remapping different games.
• There is a now a light for this switch which I'm not a fan of since I play in a dark room. 

Mixed

• Built in Battery and Charger
• I'm not really a fan of non replaceable batteries
• Comes with a charger that sits in the carrying case so you can charge from there which I really like and it works with the chatpad attached as well. 
• Grips
• They have redesigned the grips, but I'll have to see if it holds up over the long run.

Cons

• The V1 accessories do not work with the V2.
• Not a huge deal but it would have been nice to have more stick choices.