By Jennifer Tan AKA Mrs Fett
Monday night started the season for the fourth installments of many titles, including Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and Battlefield 4, both released last night at every GameStop Midnight Launches around the Coachella Valley. With permission, and an amazing turnout, customers got the chance to play BF4 first hand, on one of four Gaems Vanguard PGE’s set in store. Although our lack of internet halted an FPS tourney, no one seemed to mind. The campaign gameplay was enough to keep everyone entertained, and at the edge of their seat with ground-halting cinematics and crystal clear 1080p resolution.
Each GameStop had their own ideas of celebrating the new releases, and I will admit a pirate/military theme seemed a little difficult to blend cohesively, but La Quinta pulled it off quite well. A live DJ, a split photo booth, half military themed with camo mesh, cut out stands, and poster, and half pirate themed, with AC pirate hats, swords, chests and flag props to take photos with, delicious cupcakes, treats and pirate decor really set the atmosphere from just, meh, to entertaining. Employees also took the next step and dressed in their piratey best, while serving customers.
Assassin’s Creed had already struck a home run the moment that they decided to set the game in the pirate age. How could you NOT want to play as a pirate?! Campaign is set on both land and sea, and with your environment being a life or death factor, you must know your surroundings, there are no blind killing sprees. Combat mechanics are relatively the same, with the real combat taking place in multiplayer. Wolfpack, is definitely the selling point for Ubisoft’s new installment, and was the only place where you really felt like assassination was the name of the game.
BF4 is also just as pleasing. DICE has been throwing around its “Levolution” feature, and it really does bring a new sense of urgency to the game. Your environment not only affects how you physically react to a situation, but strategically as well. Often you find a blizzard has affected your weapons, radar, and in some cases reroutes your enemies. Although DICE brought new mechanics to the title, it has again failed to make Battlefield 4 a contender in the FPS arena. With Call Of Duty: GHOSTS right around the corner, both titles will have to step it up with their next-gen features, if they hope to keep their consumer bases loyal.
