For Honor

I was ready to leave For Honor on a high note before its release with my wonderful two game comeback that matched developer Ubisoft’s ambitions to make a game that was as fun to watch (if not funner) than it was to play, eSports cometh! However in my last year of university I bonded with two of my roommates over our mutual fondness video games. Had there not been that, things would have been a lot rougher between us. On my suggestion the library bought this game to be rented out (You can rent games from the library now! It’s how I played most of these games) and one of my roommates bought the disc, while another borrowed and we game shared (which I wouldn’t recommend unless you super trust someone). We played a few rounds and got bored quickly. An exercise and learning lesson in utilizing the ‘Games as a Service’ business model For Honor fell off quickly for all except its most die-hard fan base despite an excellent dueling system because they didn’t update or add enough content to keep players interested. Maybe they’ll learn for the next round or pull off a resurgence like Rainbow 6 Siege (another game we played together).

Ghost Recon: Wildlands

Another much buzzed about Ubisoft product with an exciting launch it was unable to keep momentum with, Wildlands held interest in my house group and we caught up during the early access beta which was Ubisoft’s most successful to date with 6.8 Million Players. Its launch received mixed reviews praising its open world nature but as with most open worlds it was considered repetitive. I caught up with it again during Xbox Live Gold’s Free Play Days and had fun grabbing the Road Warrior, Long Shot, and Teamwork! achievements for long-range shooting. It’s nothing special but it’s a good time waster.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect 2 is my favourite video game of all-time. EA’s first bungled release of 2017, (the other being Battlefront II) took one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises down a notch; highlighting the shortcomings of getting a computer to do a person’s job, drawing attention to false sexist claims, and being all around an average game. I still haven’t played it, neither has any fan of the series I know.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I bought this game on opening day because it was Zelda and I hadn’t played a Zelda game before. Also it was one of the best reviewed games of all time next to  Ocarina of Time (I was 5 when that came out so maybe that was too young. Though what age is too young for the heart of a gamer). Also I had yet to buy a Wii-U game at launch so this was my last chance and I took it.

I was intrigued that you could go straight from the training grounds to the final boss so I did, deftly avoiding the one hit kill enemies that punched way above my weight class. It was a strategic climb to the top of the mountain and into the palace where I took away half of Ganondorf’s health then promptly got my ass kicked once my weapons were overused and broken. I climbed to the tip-top of the castle after enough tries and flew back to the horse stables. It was a unique experience, but I have yet to return and finish the job.

I have a hard time grappling with the idea that something so beloved by so many could not be for me. I want to love it, I spent $90 and an out-of-the-way bus trip on a cold March morning for it. Many of my friends have loved the series since Ocarina of Time and both that and this game are among the top reviewed games of all time. However, the setting of Hyrule is an old-fashioned place, with a wear and tear management system that’s too tedious and a too old-fashioned place for me. Perhaps in time that will change.