Space Ninjas - What Else Needs Said?

Game of the Day

Warframe

ESRB Rating: [M] Violence, Blood

As the title suggests, you play as a space ninja known as a Tenno in Digital Extreme's game, Warframe. Interestingly enough, and surely no coincidence, the word tenno comes from the same Japanese word meaning "heavenly emperor". Your character, known as a warframe - of which you have access to many, is a noble warrior of sorts. There are various factions to battle against in different missions on the planets of our solar system - from the zombie-like Infested to the robotic experts, Corpus.

(Mission Select: Planet Select)

Each warframe has its own unique abilities which sets it apart from others. You start with access to only a few, but they're not any less powerful than others you can acquire. Acquiring materials throughout your missions will grant you the ability to mash them all together in what's called the foundry to create anything with a blueprint, be it a weapon or a warframe itself. However, in order to acquire blueprints, you must either find them in missions or purchase them on the marketplace. This costs a small chunk of credits you receive for completing missions, or a small chunk of buyable (with real money of course) platinum credits. Once you're able to craft these in the foundry, you will have to wait a specific amount of time before it's completes - don't want you to blast your way through the game and not want to come back, do they? Did I mention that warframe blueprints come in various parts, thereby costing even more credits to craft? (seen below)

(Foundry)

Does the expensive crafting turn me away from the game? Somewhat, it takes 12 to sometimes 24 hours to craft items, but I just don't play until it's done simply because it's a nuisance knowing I have an item coming while I'm leveling my other items. That's not the point of the game though, so I can't say it makes much of an impact on me. I'd like to see some cheaper crafting though. 

Moving on (as I mentioned "leveling items"), each of the weapons and warframes you obtain can be improved through missions, both accomplished and failed, giving you the ability to improve them even further through what is called upgrades (mods) - makes sense, no? There are many upgrades - from improved health, energy, and damage, to enemy and/or loot markers on your radar, to even running for a longer period of time or letting your abilities last for longer periods of time.

(Mods)

You'll pick up a lot of upgrades in your game time, but you can easily sell any you don't want, or use them to add ranks to existing ones to gain improved benefits. For example, a mod may grant +5% damage to your pistols, and improving its rank may increase it to 20% or above. Mods are only allowed on specific items, and are thus indicated on the mod info: warframe, pistol, rifle, shotgun, melee, etc. Any combination or mod upgrades can be used as long as it doesn't exceed your allotted points. As your weapons and warframes level up, these points increase. 

The gameplay is fast-paced, and requires you to move a lot, so be on your toes. To help with the space-ninja theme and the quick actions you must make, the developers threw in some fancy mechanics like wall running to keep you mobile. You play each mission with a primary weapon (such as an assault rifle, bow, or shotgun), a secondary weapon (like kunai, a revolver, or a hand-crossbow), and a melee weapon ( a sword, an axe, a quarterstaff, and knuckle weapons for example). Some players have unlocked the use of floating devices that follow their warframe and help with missions by shooting and using their own abilities. Others have unlocked a strange bat-faced dog known as a kubrow to kelp with their missions. And even others have unlocked both.

All-in-all, this game is fun. I couldn't play this for a long time, because it gets kind of grindy (playing the same missions over and over for materials, blueprints, mods, experience, etc.) Some people don't mind, while some do. Luckily, this game is easy to come back to at any point and play for a few missions to kill some time. I would recommend giving it a try, though the update for the client can be a little exhausting upon the initial launch.

(Warframe: Volt ability use)

(Arsenal: Equipment)

(Marketplace)

What Makes A Game Enjoyable To Me

I thought I'd take some time to enlighten any who would read this as to why I think games are good or bad. We all have different points-of-view when it comes to liking or disliking something - for video games it's no different.

You see, I enjoy a game with a great story or a story you can craft yourself through intricate decisions within the game. Being able to change events within a game (even to the slightest) lets me feel like I make a difference in the game no matter how small that change may be. Choice is a big attention-grabbing factor in today's games - as it should! It gives the gamer a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of power knowing they control the fate of their character and the world around them.

Another turning point for me is the gameplay. Do the controls make sense in the initial layout - I shouldn't have to change my controls right off the bat, although some people do because they're picky. If I find it difficult to play the game with the controls given to me, I begin to reconsider. If I can adapt to them easily, I don't mind that much. I guess what I'm saying is if I have to reach across the keyboard for an important key-binding, the developer in charge of this needs a swift kick in the rear for being a goof. Does the gameplay flow smoothly? From puzzle solving to sword swinging to explosion making, nothing should feel heavy, slow, or lazy. You know what I'm talking about. I'm sure you've encountered a game where a jumping animation took far to long to complete or swinging your weapon felt like forever.

Those are the most important to me, but another 1-up factor for me is music - is it annoying and repetitive throughout the game, or does it enhance the perception intake combined with graphics and gameplay? Although it's not the most important as there are often options to turn music off, I don't feel as though I should turn it all the way down for any game (though for some I do).

I don't focus on the graphics as much as some gamers do, because I feel as though you don't need the most high-def camera to tell a story through a photograph. Sure I like when the scenery looks nice and pretty and realistic, but I end up turning my graphics to medium just so I can smooth out my gameplay - I'm not focused on how many ripples are made in the water if it's raining, because that doesn't have anything to do with my travels across a river or the dragon above me or, or, or.

I guess these are just some things I take into account when I "review" games, even for myself. They're not in any particular order - just in the order of my thoughts. A rant of sorts, albeit informational and highly opinionated.

Game On!