Minecraft is one of my favorite games of all time. So to say that I was excited for a new installment of the franchise is a bit of an understatement. Minecraft Dungeons has been a very fun game that I’ve put about 12 hours into so far and I plan to put in a handful more. I’ve enjoyed almost every second of it, and while it’s a relatively new game I’m close to getting every achievement already. It’s very clear that the developers are dedicated to providing more content to the game and making it into something more. Because of that, I wanted to write a review of my impressions after my first play-through and then look at it a year or two down the road. Let’s jump into it. Story (6 / 10) In my experience with dungeon crawlers the story tends to be lacking to some extent. The Diablo games have decent stories, but because of the format it’s hard to be immersed and, in my opinion, actually care about why you’re spamming all of your buttons. I definitely wasn’t expecting much from the story of Minecraft Dungeons, but in terms of how the story was portrayed I’d actually argue it was very well done. The cut scenes were brilliant and there was a clear purpose throughout the game. This is mostly credited to the narration that was implemented and kept it in line with the Minecraft style of in-game entities not having dialogue. In other words, the story was told well rather than just text-based dialogue you want to skip more than read. However, it wasn’t exactly a good story. Now, that’s not to say that the story was bad, it was more just in the middle of the two. Minecraft is made to be played by anyone of any age, and so I wasn’t expecting a dungeon crawler iteration of the game to have a dark story or anything amazing. But not only was the story short, I didn’t find myself caring about killing the bad guys to save the day. I just wanted to complete the level and get some more loot. On top of that, what makes me absolutely love a story is the ending. And without spoiling anything, this ending was just kind of meh. Nothing major happened, it was just another boss and a cool cut scene with a bit of a cliffhanger for DLC but that’s it. The story didn’t grab me in any way. Maybe I’m asking too much but I really don’t think I am. Replayability (10 / 10) The replayability of this game is insane as you would expect with a dungeon crawler. However, because of the randomly generated maps it’s very easy to rerun the same level over and over and over because it’s always a little bit different. On top of that, Minecraft Dungeons has a lot of different difficulty settings. So you can raise and lower the difficulty with each mission. But more than that there are also three versions of the game that involve difficulty. Starting off with Default you beat the game going up against some kind of tough enemies. Once you finish you enter Adventure mode where there are more enemies that are harder to kill and drop more loot. Past that is Apocalypse mode where it gets harder to match your character’s power level. It’s a great game to play over and over. Challenge (8 / 10) The challenge can be too easy at times, but rarely did I come across a situation where I was just steamrolling the bad guys. And with the multiple difficulty settings and modes it’s very easy to tailor the game to an experience you’re looking for. Graphics & Art (10 / 10) The graphics and art style of this game is perfect. Based on a game that is basically 3D 16-bit content, the game actually does a really good job of honoring its origins while creating its own style. There is a mixture of the Minecraft blocks and almost animated realism with bushes and lighting that feel natural even though they aren’t anything like the blocks surrounding them. The whole game looks like it has a shader pack infused into it and it’s beautiful. On top of that the developers didn’t shy away from the goofiness we see in Minecraft sometimes too. For example, the keys are absolutely adorable and funny to watch run about. Uniqueness (6 / 10) This game does feel to some extent unique. Because of the art style, the mobs you’re facing, and the mechanics of the game it’s not exactly like other dungeon crawlers. However, it feels like a vanilla dungeon crawler. Unlike other games there aren’t classes in Minecraft Dungeons and the skill trees and abilities are tied to loot anyone can find. The experience isn’t necessarily unique to each individual player nor is it entirely different from other games like it. Outside of the randomly generated maps the bosses and the overall gameplay is very similar throughout the game. While it does allow for a lot of customization, it is in every way very vanilla. Entertaining (8 / 10) Thanks to the gameplay, replayability, online coop, and art style, this game is definitely entertaining. As I stated above, I’ve put close to 12 hours into this game already and will be putting a few more into the game before giving it up in any sense. It’s a very satisfying and fun game. However, because of the random generation and the dungeon crawler aspect it can sometimes be a bit annoying to search an entire dungeon because they can be absolutely massive. And with the game’s current state having some glitches and various lag issues based on connection (or in the Switch’s case the docked version has some frame-rate issues according to an SBR member who owns the game on Switch as well). Gameplay (8 / 10) The gameplay is fantastic and arguably the most appealing part of the game. There is a large diversity of weapons with varying speeds, range, and effects. On top of that there are a ton of different enchantments appearing in multiple fashions. This means the absence of classes is noticeable, but not necessarily a huge issue because the diversity of weapons and effects allows for each player to tailor the gameplay to their style, to an extent. One of the issues I do have with this game, something that Destiny also struggled with is the power mechanics. Because the game relies on the increasing difficulty of enemies you have to in turn increase the power and damage output of your weapons. This means that even if you like one weapon over another, you’re almost forced to use the new weapon if it’s a bit higher than the other otherwise you’re going to get smacked. That being said, the enchanting system where you’re rewarded for leveling by getting points you can dedicate towards weapon / armor effects works really well. You don’t have to save your points if you can just dismantle your old weapons / armor and get the enchantment points back. Overall, the gameplay is fantastic and I recommend people who aren’t Minecraft fans (MAX) try it out. Game Length (4 / 10) This game is short, like very very short. I beat it with SeeJayOG in under 4 hours and now after 12 hours in I’m almost 100% the entire game and a lot of that time involves going back and replaying levels I’ve already beat. The base game is only about 7 or 8 missions. And while there are a handful of secret missions you can unlock and the random generation allows for a lot of replayability, it felt uncomfortably fast and I really hope the DLC is able to fix this issue. I feel the developers relied too heavily on the replayability of the game. However, the use of things like NewGame+, different classes, randomly generated areas, and a longer campaign all create natural replayability. Collectibles (7 / 10) There are a lot more collectibles in this game than I originally thought and with the secret missions, numbered chests, and secrets within each level it’s very easy to be compelled to collect everything. I’ve definitely seen other games do the collectibles better, but the collectibles in this game, especially considering how much the game is centered around collection, aren’t bad. Soundtrack (5 / 10) The soundtrack isn’t bad. I know the 5 / 10 may make it seem like that but it’s going up against some big competition: Minecraft. Minecraft’s soundtrack is one of the best I’ve played, it’s the kind you can toss on in the car and just feel the vibes of block breaking and building. But Minecraft Dungeon’s soundtrack wasn’t special by any means. I was expecting to be blown away to some extent, and maybe that expectation wasn’t fair. However, considering the quality, uniqueness, and popularity of the original I think it’s fair to expect a bit more from Minecraft Dungeons.

Little Nightmares is one of my absolute favorite indie games of all time. SBR member Czar Tog even calls it his favorite game ever. Developed by Tarsier Studios, it ventures towards a world unlike any other. Recently, Czar Tog, RyMx01, and I spent some time running through the game. Afterwards we sat down and discussed the different points of the adventure that are outlined below. Little Nightmares is a unique and entertaining experience with some of the best artistic choices I’ve personally seen. It’s story is great but is taken up a notch with the DLC and I cannot wait for the second installment in the franchise. Let me know in the comments below if you agree with our rating of Little Nightmares! Story (7 / 10) The plot of Little Nightmares is dark and creepy but for some reason one of the most attractive and interesting I’ve come across. Tarsier Studios truly encapsulates what it means to show don’t tell. From there start you’re just as lost and confused as Six, the character you play throughout the main game. As you make your way through the game more of the world is revealed to you. And that’s really how the story progresses. Little Nightmares isn’t as much a game centered around a story as it is following a character as they traverse a dangerous and confusing world. And interestingly enough, that is both this game’s strength and weakness when it comes to story. It’s an amazing adventure that isn’t supposed to be clear. Its confusing lore and diverse characters will either bore you or envelope your thoughts during and after a playthrough. The story is centered around the exploration of the world that’s put in front of you. And while dark and creepy it is an amazing world to discover. The best part of the story is the DLC. After beating the base game I highly recommend checking out the DLC as it has more diverse gameplay and explores the world in another way. But on top of that, it ties together the world and the story of the first game that makes the first game exceptionally higher quality. Replayability (7 / 10) Little Nightmares has some decent replayability for a puzzle game but nothing major. There are a lot of collectibles and sections of the game you may have missed before. But outside of that the game does suffer from the replayability issues we see in many puzzle games. Once you beat the game the puzzles lose their challenge. After the challenge is gone so is a large part of the game’s appeal. There are some chase sections but they’re relatively linear, there is no right way to do it per se but there is a best way, and that best way isn’t hard to determine on your first run through. Challenge (9 / 10) As with many puzzle-based games, Little Nightmares is faced with the task of creating puzzles that are diverse, difficult but not impossible, and above all: fun. Tarsier Studios does a phenomenal job of this. While some sections may seem redundant, the diversity of enemies, environments, and tasks allow for consistent challenge throughout the game without being overly difficult all the time. Of course there is always a puzzle or two that stumps someone but they’re far and in between. Graphics & Art (10 / 10) If there is anything about this game that makes it worth playing it’s the art style. It’s a very unique and appealing aesthetic that doesn’t hold back anywhere. The forced perspective allows the art to be portrayed in absolutely stunning ways, often using size to express the “small fish in a big pond” feel mixed with horror. It’s gross but not the shun your eyes kind of gross. The developers could not have chosen a better art style for their game, it perfectly captures the feel of everything they were aiming for. Uniqueness (10 / 10) Little Nightmares is an extremely unique game. I’ve yet to come across a 3D side-scroller with an art-style and world so in sync with one another that consistently provides a solid level of challenge and intrigue. If you ever forget the name of the game just by describing it you can likely get someone to know what game you’re talking about even if they’ve only seen the trailer. The Little Nightmares experience is like no other. Entertaining (10 / 10) Little Nightmares is a relatively short game. But between the enjoyable and challenging gameplay, the unraveling world, and the shocking events that take place it’s an extremely fun short game. The level of challenge lets you enjoy the game without being overly frustrated, and as you delve further into the game and maybe even the DLC (highly recommend) the gameplay gets a bit more complex and the world changes. The more you play, the more you want to play. Gameplay (8 / 10) The gameplay in this game is great. It’s not hard to pick up and understand how to navigate the world you’ve fallen into. It’s pretty intuitive but it doesn’t necessarily change. Some of the puzzles are different and when you delve into the DLC the gameplay does shift up quite a bit. But outside of that it’s the same gameplay throughout. And while it’s fun, it can make it difficult to distinguish the evolution of your character outside of the story. Game Length (8 / 10) As discussed above, Little Nightmares is a pretty short game. Even with the DLC the total length is around 3 - 5 hours depending on how difficult you find the individual puzzles. But the base game itself did feel short, and just short of the “short enough to make me want more but long enough to leave me content”. If it weren’t for the option of DLC I’d have had to give this a slightly lower score. 3 hours of content for a puzzle game isn’t terrible, and it’s a really good 3 hours. But taking into account the price of the game ($20 for base) and the lack of diverse gameplay within the base game it’s difficult to give this a higher score. Had the game been as long as both the DLC and the base game combined it would be perfect. Collectibles (10 / 10) The collectibles in this game are some of the better sets of collectibles I’ve seen, especially for a puzzle game. As you traverse the world you come across little Nomes you can hug, candles you can light, and statues you can break. All of them feel natural to interact with and fit perfectly into the world. Sticking out while blending in at the same time. The collectibles unlock achievements but more than that they unlike concept art and art from the game that’s accessible from the in-game menu. And to top it off, the game is very clear about how many collectibles you have and don’t have in each section, making 100%ing the game much less of a headache. Soundtrack (8 / 10) Horror games and thrillers play around with soundtracks and their use in ways that other genres don’t. There was nothing truly memorable about Little Nightmares’ soundtrack. That’s not to say the soundtrack was bad, but rather it wasn’t a dominant. Which is actually a good thing. In many games, you’ll find that they are at their best when the soundtrack is loud, catchy, and evokes strong emotion. But with a horror / thriller game like this one the absence of music is often the best choice. Little Nightmares did have a soundtrack and it appeared when it was supposed to and was silent when it needed to be. That being said, there are some moments in the game where the music could have been more, but overall it was good for the game.

Firewatch has come to be one of the first games I recommend to people when they're looking for something story-heavy. The introduction sequence alone is a heart wrenching exploration of reality. The game follows a linear plot but incorporates a choose-your-own-story style of dialogue and an open world style of movement. The free movement couples well with the murder-mystery feel and gorgeous scenery. Let's take a deep dive into the individual ratings I gave for this game that resulted in such a high score. Story (10 / 10) Firewatch is a story-heavy game that is full of brilliant themes, undertones, and every other word your English teacher used in High School to describe The Great Gatsby. The game's writing is nothing short of brilliant. The story begins before the game, in a unique sequence where you choose different paths that all lead to the same result. When your character Henry makes it to his job as a fire lookout you start to choose your own dialogue as you develop a friendship with another fire lookout, Delilah. Because players choose between a handful of options during dialogue they are plunged into a connection with the characters that feels real and vulnerable. And the best part? The game makes you feel like the focus isn't at all on the characters. You are distracted by a mystery. And more than that, you are distracted by the world you've been thrown into. There are pieces of the world you find scattered in boxes. Distant relationships and helicopters. All piled together to make you feel isolated, alone, and yet, not. The game's strongest part is its story, and I highly recommend playing it for the story alone. Replayability (8 / 10) The game actually has a surprising amount of replayability considering the linear story line and limited gameplay mechanics. But as I'll continue to say throughout this review, it is the story that makes it. Because there is such an emphasis on the mystery another play through once you know the outcome is highly appropriate. Playing back through the game and knowing what the end is is interesting. You can catch things you missed the first time, try dialogue you hadn't considered prior, and even see the glaring answers to the questions you had been asking in your first run. With that being said, it's understandable why many wouldn't want to play through it again. There is a lot of reason to do so but nothing really compelled me to try again once I had already finished. Challenge (8 / 10) The game is best described as an interactive movie. There aren't many puzzles or challenges per say, but that isn't the game's focus. It would take away from the feeling of dread towards the second act if I was frustrated by a difficult puzzle. Many games can do this well, however, it would have been out of place in an experience like Firewatch. The lack of real challenge is good for the game, but because of the open world and free movement it can sometimes be difficult to navigate later on. As you explore the world and progress through the plot more and more sections open up, and it can become difficult to get to where you need to go. There is a provided map and compass as well as landmarks, so maybe I'm just bad. Graphics & Art (10 / 10) The only thing just as good as the story is the game's art style. By committing to an artistic graphics style instead of realism the game enables a higher level of immersion. And the consistent use of orange hues is a constant reminder of Henry's job as a fire lookout. This game consistently shows up online with screenshots that show Firewatch's beauty. Uniqueness (10 / 10) Many of the game's core mechanics (dialogue options, mystery style, gameplay) are not unique, but the experience is, and that's what matters. There are plenty of mystery games, but none explore the roller coaster of conspiracies that this game does. There are plenty of games that provide dialogue options, but none reveal a relationship like Henry and Delilah's. Entertaining (9 / 10) This game is relatively short but does a good job of holding your attention. The story starts quickly and the mystery piece of the game follows suit. It's very easy to play this game in one four hour sitting and enjoy the majority if not all of the experience. Gameplay (8 / 10) The gameplay is centered almost entirely around exploration and dialogue. There is very little variety in these mechanics, but considering the diverse environments and the changing world with a shifting story the dialogue supports, Firewatch doesn't suffer from the lack of gameplay diversity. And considering it's a short game there isn't a lot of time to get bored with it anyway. Game Length (8 / 10) The game is, as I've said, very short. But it really is the perfect length. There is a very clear beginning, middle, and end to the plot. And having the option to comfortably play the game in one or multiple sittings is a definite plus. The game's story matches perfectly with the length. That being said, it's important to take into account that the game felt a bit long at some times when in reality it's a pretty short game in terms of run-time, clocking in at 3 - 5 hours. Collectibles (6 / 10) The game does have collectibles, and they're pretty cool, they offer an incentive to explore the world more in-depth. However, because of the emphasis on the story and the general exploration, the collectibles don't feel as compelling by default as we see in many other games like Hue or even Halo 2 Anniversary. On top of that it was actually kind of difficult for me to to determine what the collectibles actually were. But that doesn't mean it isn't rewarding to adventure through the game, find easter eggs, find collectibles, and 100% the game. Soundtrack (10 / 10) In third place for best part about this game is the soundtrack. It's the kind of track you can put on your phone to listen to while you go on a road trip. It perfectly emphasizes the rises and falls of the game without taking away from it. It's perfect for the game. Firewatch is currently on sale for $20 on Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and PlayStation 4. The developers, Campo Santo, reportedly partnered with a production studio to turn the game into a feature film.

Hi everybody, I hope you're doing well. Last year we have one of the largest community events on Halo: Reach, and with the resurgence of its community on MCC we thought it was a good opportunity to do another one! This time we're aiming for more organization and in turn a larger variety of games. One of the ways we're trying to heighten the organization is by allowing you to choose what games we play! By following the link below you'll be brought to a Google Form where you can choose a selection of different games we have ready to play. https://forms.gle/NEbjjaJ9Csm5jrGX8 If you have any questions / comments / concerns please feel free to comment below or reach out to me @Robot Bubble directly! When is the event? Saturday, February 8, 2020 @ 6:00pm EST What platform is the event on? Halo: Reach on the Xbox 360. The game is backwards compatible so you can play it on your Xbox One variant. Please note that this event will NOT be taking place on Halo: The Master Chief Collection. I have a friend who isn't in SBR, can they come too? Absolutely, everyone is welcome and the more the merrier. We're running everything on a first-come first-serve basis. Lobbies can hold up to 16 players and they fill up quick! The event starts at 6:00pm EST, can I show up late? Of course. It's likely we'll be running several hours and the player count will rise and fall. We'll be adjusting the games we play based on the number of players we have and what everyone in attendance wants to play.

Hello and welcome to Soul Brother Rangers Gaming! I'm Robot Bubble, Chief of Staff here at SBR. Our community made up of diverse gamers from all across the world that explore the challenges of every game, genre, and platform available. With opportunities such as competitive tournaments, streaming, videos, an active forum, and SBR based events at our fingertips, we're able to grant members of our community more opportunity and promise in the gaming world. Here at SBR, we're all about growing the community and the players within it. Whether it be increasing individual members' skill by working together, completing a game on the hardest difficulty, or just looking for someone to play with, we know that you'll fit in as a member of SBRGaming. Check out this montage showing members of SBR across our favorite games! Now that you're apart of the community, you'll be in our next video, mentioned in our newsletter, or asked to join a competitive team! Being a member of our community has a lot of benefits. One of the most popular events we offer are tournaments. Every few months everyone will get together on games like Overwatch or Rainbow Six Siege for a fun Round Robin tournament. Play against other members of SBR and fight for your chance at some prizes! Use the SBRGaming Forums to discuss everything gaming. And even some things not gaming. The SBR community is a tight-knit group of people dedicated to building a fun and welcoming gaming experience for everyone. From Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering, to Hitman 2 and Pokemon, the SBR community does it all! We even have our own PC Minecraft server and Xbox/PC Ark: Survival Evolved Server. Invite your friends, sign up for the next event, and start gaming! While a lot of members do use the forums, the main form of communication in SBR is the SBRGaming Discord. And if you aren't already, be sure to follow us on social media like our Facebook Page where we post original memes and gaming news! Laslty, please read our Forum and SBR Membership Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, contact an SBR Staff Member.