BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend The followup fighter from ArcSystems impresses with a wealth of options and a deep layered system REVIEWS, PAGE 10 Batman Top 5, PAGE 23 YEAR 11, NO. 34 WWW.GAMINGINSURRECTION.COM Third Quarter 2018 An arcade experience Years after its expected arrival, Dave & Buster’s hits Columbia from the editor hen I began Gaming Insurrec- to school and wedding planning, GI tion 16 years ago in my kitchen, has not been my primary focus. But W I didn’t foresee there would be that will change shortly. The closer long layoffs between issues. I get to graduation, the easier it is to I never anticipated taking a lot of work on GI and pull together a com- time off because I thought I’d be do- petent and complete issue. We’ve ing journalism for the rest of my life. scaled back in recent years, but it is I didn’t think I’d be in a new career, by no means dead. Expect to see more but here I am. work done in the coming months and I am currently an accounting stu- an increased presence online. dent, working toward a second bach- I might be a little busy with life out- elor’s degree at a local college. I have side of journalism and video games, been doing this in some form or but we haven’t forgotten about Gam- fashion since the fall of 2016 when I ing Insurrection in the slightest. finally made the decision to take my Enjoy the issue. current day job a step further. I have maintained a good GPA, and I am pro- jected to graduate in May 2020. I am also getting married again the month Lyndsey Hicks, editor-in-chief before graduation. In between working fulltime, going GAMING INSURRECTION Editor-in-Chief Facebook Lyndsey Hicks Facebook.com/ GamingInsurrection Editor-at-Large Brandon Beatty YouTube Website User: GamingInsurrection www.gaminginsurrection.com Twitter @GamingInsurrect LYNDSEY HICKS BRANDON BEATTY editor-in-chief editor-at-large GI REVIEW POLICY Scale is from 1 to 5 as follows: LYNDSEY HICKS is co-founder BRANDON BEATTY is 1 — Broken. Absolutely do not play this game. A broken mess staff and editor-in-chief of GI. She enjoys editor-at-large for GI. Brandon from start to finish. Game is unplayable and irredeemable in all areas. watching various anime with her writes reviews when the mood strikes him, produces the quarterly 2 — Substandard. The game isn’t for everyone. Some mechanics future husband, editing, picking apart work; others need work. Overall design is questionable in some Harry Potter lore and planning her Otaku Corner column for The Strip areas. and enjoys planning anime con- future school schedule with 3 — Average and meets expectations. Mechanics work and vention road trips with his lovely it’s a decent package overall. It’s playable, and you’ll come back to graduation in mind. Lyndsey resides future wife. Brandon resides in the game. in Columbia, S.C. Columbia, S.C. 4 — Above average. Exceeds expectations. Overall, a great game worth keeping in a gamer’s library. Presentation and mechanics all work as expected and add to or enhance the gaming experience. CONTACT: CONTACT: 5 — Masterpiece. Everyone should play this title at least once to lyndseyh@ brandonb@ experience what it has to offer. gaminginsurrection.com gaminginsurrection.com 2 contents 03 editorial Lack of interest in E3 grows t used to be that E3 was the high- light of my year covering video games. I would make these grand Iplans of watching the confer- ences and coordinating with my writers to make sure that GI was ready to go when it came time to publish what we saw. And then a confluence of events occurred: Coordinating became corral- ling, my writers dwindled to two, time became a scarce commod- ity and I gradually lost interest in the Lyndsey Hicks show. That group of CRY OF WAR events wasn’t unexpected after all. I saw the handwriting on the wall long before we lost writers and didn’t add back to the roster. And I made the decision Disney’s Aladdin blows away to go back to school, which I knew Lyndsey Hicks would severely limit my time for any outside activities. To be further hon- competition with stellar soundtrack est, we’re a retro publication, and as BEAT.TRIP.GAME a gamer, there was nothing shown in the ensuing years that jumped out laddin is one of the greatest animated lamp is quite wonderful, pun intended. The tune that signals close-proximity danger and as must-buy purchases for a retro- features ever drawn. Disney’s master- melody is flirty but evokes mystery just like the upcoming levels of the game are every- inclined gamer who longs for the old piece about an impoverished boy with the titular cave. thing as advertised. days of gaming. A a heart of gold who finds a magic lamp But there was something good: I that changes his fortunes is the basis for 4. The Genie’s Lamp: A riff off one of the 7. “Direct From the Lamp:” The Genie’s proc- was free to cover whatever I wanted to in the summer issue. It made a lot a great soundtrack and an even greater game. film’s signature tracks, Friend Like Me, the lamation of being the host of his lamp and Using the events of the much-praised film, the Genie’s Lamp is a souped up instrumental of sense to just go with whatever I guiding Aladdin is a welcome respite from the game version features a fantastic soundtrack track of the raucous single that introduces the felt like publishing, and it didn’t hurt previous levels in the game that had Aladdin that borrows heavily from its source material fan-favorite Genie. All that’s missing is the late that I had more time to do whatever I wanted as well. and creates some gems of its own. great Robin Williams’ indelible voice and we’d attempting to escape the Cave of Wonders. A The minute that you have to decide have that fun movie favorite that everyone welcome respite, indeed, that features talk from the Genie and escaping to freedom. The to let something go that seems like 1. “See How Snakelike I Can Be:” The boss knows the words to. it’s always been there, the decision fight with scene-stealing villain Jafar is fun keyboard mix here is punctuating and the fo- feels painful. And then the benefits and the accompanying song is just as fun. It’s 5. “A Snake Am I?”: This track appears in the cal point, which means it steals the show. start rolling in. It was incredibly free- a rhythmic timpani drum track that actually lead up to facing off with Jafar for final time ing, and I don’t regret letting myself helps with the timing of facing off against in the game. It’s a moment of preparation as 8. Magic Carpet Ride: The showstopper is a lower my workload. Not covering E3 Jafar in his snake form. well as a minute to rest after a punishing fight riff off of the Academy Award and Grammy meant not covering a show a month later than I wanted. And not covering with Jafar in his supreme sorcerer form. The Award-winning favorite “A Whole New World.” E3 meant I could focus on retro titles, 2. Storming Jafar’s Palace: Though you never track is nice and mellow, disguising the bruis- Though there are several versions of this in see in the film version just how Aladdin and ing fight that lays ahead. ideas and concepts more often. the game — given that it’s the signature song Abu managed to make it inside Jafar’s palace Who knows, maybe in a few years of the film — this version is the most well- when I feel more inclined, I might to the main floor of action, the game handles 6. Abu Blows It: If you know how the movie done. It follows the scene so well that you can cover it once again. I wouldn’t hold it quite nicely with a playable section or two. goes, you know that Abu is the source of your my breath waiting for that, though. The track that goes with it is equal parts ad- trouble in the Cave of Wonders. His greed is sing along with the track and have it perfectly paced and timed as if you’re watching the film venturous and daring. directly responsible (along with Jafar) for Lyndsey Hicks is editor-in-chief causing you to become stuck. While your com- alongside. The instruments are well chosen, of Gaming Insurrection. She can be 3. Cave of Wonders: A great track that plays panion might be treacherous and foolish, the too. This is the definitive version of the track reached by email at in the section where Aladdin finds the Genie’s accompanying track is anything but. This is a in the game. [email protected] All photos by Gaming Insurrection The D&B Experience Busted or worth the hype? GI judges the Dave & Buster’s in Columbia STAFF | Gaming Insurrection e at GI believe in the arcade experience. We arcade experience in several various locations. Back believe that a trip to the arcade should be when the scene was viable in the famously hot WANT satisfying and worth making. If not for the town, Dave & Buster’s — a mythical arcade chain — W games, then for the atmosphere and compe- was rumored to put down stakes in town.