After a teaser some days ago, miHoYo detailed on December 19 the buff Zhongli will get in the Closed Beta Test of Version 1.3 of Genshin Impact (PC, PS4, PS5, Mobile, Switch soon).
Note that all of the following is still subject to change. This is what will be implemented in Beta Test Version 1.3. However, following the feedback from this test, additional changes will be made when Version 1.3 actually releases in February 2021. In other words, please don't start arguing forever about all the builds posted by YouTubers yet.
To All Travelers,
We understand the love that everyone has given Zhongli, and the rapt attention being paid to any future changes to him. As such, we apologize for the tardiness of this announcement concerning said adjustments.
View the full notice here >>>https://t.co/l8gBFcFn1P— Paimon (@GenshinImpact) December 19, 2020
Buff to Zhongli's Passive Talent "Dominance of Earth"
Right now:
This only increases the damage of Planet Befall (Elemental Burst) by an amount equal to 33% of Zhongli's Max HP.
After the changes: The damage dealt by all of Zhongli's physical attacks – Normal, Charge, and Plunging – will be increased by 1.39% of his Max HP. Moreover the increased damage of Planet Befall by +33% of Zhongli's Max HP isn't being removed.
For Zhongli's Elemental Skill Dominus Lapidis: the damage of the Stone Stele, its Resonance, and Holding Mode will be increased by 1.9% of his Max HP.
Adjustment to Elemental Skill Dominus Lapidis' Holding Mode
Right now:
Causes nearby Geo energy to explode, causing the following effects:
Creates a shield of jade. The shield's DMG Absorption scales based on Zhongli's Max HP, + has 250% Geo DMG Absorption. Deals AoE Geo DMG.
If there are nearby targets with the Geo element, it will drain a large amount of the Geo element from a maximum of 2 such targets. This effect does not cause DMG.
After the changes:
Causes nearby Geo energy to explode, causing the following effects:
If the maximum number of Stone Steles has not yet been reached, it will create a Stone Stele. Meaning holding the skill button will give you the same effects as tapping it, plus additional effects.
Creates a shield of jade. The shield's DMG Absorption scales based on Zhongli's Max HP, and has 150% Physical DMG and Elemental DMG Absorption. Meaning the shield will now have 150% absorption for any type of attack in the game.
Deals AoE Geo DMG.
If there are nearby targets with the Geo element, it will drain a large amount of the Geo element from a maximum of 2 such targets. This effect does not cause DMG.
The interruption resistance when using Dominus Lapidis' Holding Mode will be greatly increased.
Adjustments regarding Geo Elemental Mechanics for All Geo Characters
Changes to Geo Resonance "Enduring Rock"
Right now:
Increases resistance to interruption. When protected by a shield, increases Attack DMG by 15%.
After the changes:
Increases Shield strength by 15%. Additionally, characters protected by a shield will have the following special characteristics: DMG dealt increased by 15%. Dealing DMG to enemies will decrease their Geo RES by 20% for 15s.
Changes to Geo Shields:
Not only the Geo Shield casted by Zhongli but all Geo Shields in the game are receiving a buff in version 1.3. From "having 250% Geo DMG Absorption" to "having 150% Physical DMG and Elemental DMG Absorption".
Meaning the Geo Shield created by Zhongli's Elemental Skill, Noelle's Elemental Skill, and when picking up Geo Crystals dropped by Geovishap Hatchlings, are all getting buffed.
miHoYo in a nutshell explained that instead of buffing Zhongli because players keep complaining about him, they took this occasion to try and rework Geo characters as a whole. Taking the "utmost care" to better balance Genshin overall.
Lastly, Personally, I believe all these changes, while not final, are very promising. And again shows that miHoYo really is listening to feedback. And as I explained in the past, at the very least, miHoYo is actually very receptive of feedback from English players in particular. On the other hand though, I hope that Zhongli getting buffed towards a role as a damage dealer rather than as a support doesn't mean we'll just keep getting DPS based content over and over. miHoYo previously teased that content that would make support characters more useful would be coming, and I hope it still is.
Genshin Impact will receive its version 1.2 update on December 23. Read all the details here.
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Halo Services on Xbox 360 Will be Going Offline in December 2021
All good things must come to an end. It looks like online services will be coming to a close for Halo on Xbox 360 in December of 2021.
Announced via Halo Way Point, 343 shared that the studio will begin to sunset Halo Xbox 360 services to fully focus on the future of the franchise and most likely Halo Infinite. In one year from now, online services for Halo Xbox 360 titles will be discontinued. Owners of the game will still be able to play the games indefinitely, but some online features, such as online matchmaking, will be limited or disabled. 343 also mentioned that they intend to be very transparent about the transition and to keep players in the loop. Digital sales of the game have also been taken offline as of today.
The games that will be affected will be Halo: Reach, Halo 4, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Spartan Assault, and Halo Wars.
343 also included a chart that will show what aspects of each game will be supported later down the line. You can take a look at the chart below.
It is sad to see these services go, however, it was always inevitable. Halo on the Xbox 460 was a giant part of my childhood and early teen years. Playing Halo 3 online at 2 o'clock in the morning was one of my fondest gaming memories.
I think this would hit a little harder if 343 didn't do such an incredible job with The Master Chief Collection. That game truly contains everything needed to make it the ultimate Halo experience. While I am sad to see the original experiences go, the true Halo experience will live on through MCC.
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Update 1.05 is Out Now for Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox and PlayStation Systems
The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 has been riddled with controversy and bugs. A whole lot of bugs. The first hotfix was first introduced last week and fixed some issues. But the game still needs much more work. Now, CD Projekt Red has pushed out the latest update, hotfix 1.05, for PlayStation and Xbox systems. PC players will be getting the update sometime soon.
The fix comes with a long list of bugs that have been fixed. The update reconciles bugs from quests, gameplay, UI elements, visual elements, performance and stability improvements, and miscellaneous aspects. You can take a look at the list right here.
Again, PC players will be getting this update soon. However, there were some bugs that were fixed primarily for PC players and console-specific players. As a Series X player myself, I am happy to see that the first fix listed for console-specific players was that the image sharpness with chromatic aberration and film grain turned on has been improved. If you look up any video online on how to improve visual fidelity, the first tip would be to turn those off.
I am interested to see how much this update has fixed. Since I am on Series X, I haven't run into too many performance issues. But man, there sure are a lot of bugs that need fixing still.
Cyberpunk 2077 is currently available for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia. The game can also be played via backward compatibility on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. If you purchased the game digitally from Sony or Microsoft, you can now get a full refund if you choose to do so. The game was also taken off of PlayStation's digital storefront.
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Miyamoto Takes Fans on a Tour of Super Nintendo World in Latest Direct
During a special Nintendo Direct, Shigeru Miyamoto took us through a detailed look of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Japan. The new amusement park contains all of the characteristics and charm any video game fan would expect to see from a Nintendo game, but now it is in real life.
To start, Miyamoto, who introduced himself as Mario's Dad, jumped out of a warp pipe that was in front of the entrance to the park. He explained that the park was now complete and he would like to give everyone a quick tour of what to expect inside the park. Plus, he even gave a quick nod to former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata who sadly passed away in 2015 by mimicking the arms motion he used to do while beginning Nintendo Directs.
To begin, we were shown the entrance to the park, a giant warp pipe. Which I have to say is probably the best idea for the entrance. Once passed through, you are taken inside of Peach's castle with the castle music from Super Mario 64 playing in the background. There is even a painting on the right of Bob-omb battlefield, the first level in Super Mario 64.
Next, Miyamoto demonstrated some of the activities that can be interacted within the park. One of the activities was a coin block that can be tapped from the bottom using a Power-Up Band, a band that goes around the park guest's wrists. These bands look to function very similarly to Magic Bands from Disney. Once guests tap the coin block, they will be rewarded with coins that guests can check the status of on a smartphone app. Miyamoto also demonstrated another activity that tasks guests with hitting a pow block at just the right moment to receive another reward.
We were then taken on a tour of an underground maze level, which looked similar to the iconic 1-2 level from Super Mario Bros. The maze was filled with brick blocks that can be tapped for rewards and bob-ombs that explode. There is even one section of the maze that greatly increases the size of all of the blocks as if you are turning into mini Mario.
Next, we were shown the gift shop, the 1-up-Factory, which contains all of the goodies guests can purchase. Miyamoto demoed one of the new creations that will be available for purchase called Tokotoko Mario, a toy that makes Mario walk if you push the attached shell behind him.
Kinopio's Cafe will be the restaurant guests can sit down at and have a meal. Of course, all of the dishes are Nintendo themed. On top of that, there are giant screens around the restaurant that show into the kitchen. Inside, it looks like the place is being run by toads. It was pretty adorable.
To close, Miyamoto stood in front of Bowser's Castle, which contains one of the park rides Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge. Miyamoto stated that they wanted to build a ride that has never been done before and that it took six years to create.
Super Nintendo World is set to open on February 4, 2021 in Universal Studio Japan. The park will also be coming to Los Angeles, Orlando, and Singapore at later dates.
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Microsoft is Offering Refunds for Digital Purchases of Cyberpunk 2077
Just a few days ago, CD Projekt Red apologized for how poorly the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Cyberpunk 2077 was performing and also for the lack of transparency. The development studio noted that they would be offering refunds if players would like to return their purchase. Some players were met with hesitation first, stating that players will not get a refund and should wait for a patch. But then Sony released a statement yesterday that it would accept all refunds as well as delist the game from the PlayStation store. It looks like Microsoft is following up with refunds as well.
The Xbox Support Twitter account tweeted that it would be expanding its normal refund policy to those who digitally purchased Cyberpunk 2077 from the Microsoft Store. Unlike Sony, Microsoft did not mention if it would be taking the game of the digital storefront. As of this writing, it appears to still be available.
Cyberpunk 2077: To ensure that every player can get the experience they expect on Xbox, we will be expanding our existing refund policy to offer full refunds to anyone who purchased Cyberpunk 2077 digitally from the Microsoft Store, until further notice. https://t.co/04TcniwVzy
— Xbox Support (@XboxSupport) December 18, 2020
The link will direct users to the Xbox support page. Under the notifications bar, there is another window titled "Cyberpunk 2077 refund policy." This brings up a pop-up window that states: "We know the developers at CD Projekt Red have worked hard to ship Cyberpunk in challenging circumstances. However, we also realize that some players have been unhappy with the experience on older consoles. To ensure that every player is able to get the experience they expect on Xbox, we're expanding our existing refund policy to offer full refunds to anyone who purchased Cyberpunk 2077 digitally from the Microsoft Store, until further notice. To request an Xbox refund, follow the steps on our Xbox refund page."
The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 has been a dumpster fire, to say the least. The shady rollout of review access by only offering PC codes and the blatant lying from CD Projekt Red is going to leave a sour taste in the mouths of many fans out there for quite some time.
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FIFA 21 — How to Complete the Serge Gnabry Player SBC
FUT Freeze is in with a bang for FIFA 21 today. After a few days of player SBCs that just didn't hit the mark, EA dropped an absolutely massive card in Serge Gnabry. Not only is he now a central attacking player, but his card is downright filthy. Of course, given the repeatable Icon SBC that pushing fodder through the roof, it'll be expensive to complete. That said, I think it's worth it. Check out some solutions below.
Look, dropping Gnabry into your team is going to run you just shy of 230,000 coins. That is not cheap. However, the closest tradeable option to him in the Bundesliga is probably Rulebreakers Marco Reus. That card currently runs for just over 400,000 coins, and I think Gnabry is the better player.
Of course, part of that depends on your playstyle, but if you run a German league side you need to consider grabbing Gnabry. He's a top-tier player in my eyes. If you need some help with solutions, give a look below for some inspiration.
If you don't plan to run either a Bundesliga or German side, you probably shouldn't complete this. However, you should definitely do his loan card for use in Friendlies. Personally, I use a Serie A squad, so this is a pass for me. That said, I can't deny that, for my Bundesliga bros, this is an awesome player. I'll have a ton of fun using him to complete those Bundesliga Icon Swaps over the weekend.
FIFA 21 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. FUT also has a new batch of Road to the Final cards in packs, making this weekend extra fun. Check back tomorrow for the next player SBC.
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FIFA 21 Drops a Third Batch of Road to the Final Cards Into FUT
FIFA 21 is dropping quite a bit of new content into FUT today. Not only have we gotten yet another new player SBC, but there's also a new objective player to earn in Kevin Volland. Plus, all the Prime Icons are now in packs. Not that you'll pack one, but at least it's a possibility. However, the biggest news is that EA has put a third set of Road to the Final cards into packs. As a reminder, these are live, so they can get boosted down the line if their team does well in Champions League or Europa League competition. Check out the squad.
The business end of the biggest competitions in Europe are almost here.
A third #RTTF side is now available in #FUT21. By reaching specific team milestones, items can receive additional stat upgrades all the way through the #UCL and #UEL finals: https://t.co/sCuzRfRD6A pic.twitter.com/PkvYgQBsiS
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) December 18, 2020
I don't think I'll surprise anyone when I tell you that Raphael Varane's live card is going to cost an arm and a leg. Maybe even a kidney to boot. He's the most popular defender in the game, and Real Madrid will probably advance past Atalanta in the Champions League. Other players in that competition that should probably advance are David Alaba, Joao Cancelo, and Julian Brandt. It's not a sure thing, but their teams seem poised to advance.
Elsewhere in the Champions League competition, you have players like Gini Wijnaldum and Mauro Icardi. If I were betting, Gini should get the boost, but Wijnaldum's Liverpool squad is missing some key defenders. And look, PSG is a good team, but they're up against Barcelona. That's essentially a toss-up.
What is incredibly odd is that there aren't any Chelsea players included. That team is killing it in domestic play and didn't have a player in either of previous teams outside of an SBC. It seems weird to not include such a big club.
The central defender you never even knew you needed
A new #FUTFreeze
Player is now unlockable through Objectives in #FUT21 pic.twitter.com/l03G6PN8j5
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) December 18, 2020
On the Europa League side, most of these seem more like a sure thing. Lorenzo Insigne's Napoli side has a tough test with Granada but should have the horsepower to advance. The same goes for Ante Rebic and his Milan team against Red Star Belgrade. Ajax and Dusan Tadic have Lille, which seems winnable as well.
The other two seem like a bit more of a toss-up. Paul Pogba's Manchester United team should deal with Real Sociedad, but it feels like we never know which United team is going to show up. And then there's Takefusa Kubo and Villareal. They'll have to go up against Red Bull Salzburg. It's winnable, but, much like PSG vs. Barcelona, I don't think I'd bet on this one.
All told, I don't mind this selection of players. Obviously, guys like Varane, Wijnaldum, and Pogba are going to cost a fortune. However, some of the lower-tier players are both affordable and fun. For instance, that Insigne would sit nicely in my Serie A squad. The same goes for Rebic. And, as someone who always uses Kubo in my career mode saves, he will be a super sub for me almost immediately. It'll be interesting to see if we get a few more RTTF players over the course of the next week.
FIFA 21 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The third RTTF team is in packs for the next 10 days. Plus, FUT Freeze is still happening, giving you plenty to do. Make sure to check back tomorrow to see who the next player is.
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On December 18, Cygames revealed several new screenshots and gameplay for Granblue Fantasy Relink (PS4, PS5). The gameplay most notably showcases protagonist Djeeta and her party members challenging an enemy fleet.
Granblue Fantasy Relink is an action RPG based on Granblue Fantasy, the popular gacha RPG by Cygames. While the game was first announced in 2016, it has yet to be released and the development is currently in its Alpha version. The game's staff explained the development so far in detail at the Granblue Fes 2020 event earlier this December. Most notably, Cygames apologized for announcing the game so early. Director Tetsuya Fukuhara mentioned that in a normal situation, it should have been announced in Summer 2021.
The screenshots and gameplay feature a handful of the charismatic female characters of Granblue Fantasy Relink, voiced by talented seiyuu: The female protagonist Djeeta, voiced by Hisako Kanemoto. The female knight Katalina, voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro. The mysterious rose donned beauty Rosetta (Rie Tanaka, who recently voiced Lisa in the Japanese dub of Genshin Impact). And the young mage Io (Yukari Tamura).
The gameplay video is the same live gameplay revealed at Granblue Fes 2020. The comments from the staff and seiyuu have been translated. Be sure to active the closed captions by clicking the CC button at the bottom right of the YouTube window.
A collaboration event with Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba is also ongoing in the Granblue original game. Granblue Fantasy Versus also recently added Yuel as a new playable character. Through DLC.
Granblue Fantasy Relink is now coming in 2022 on PS4 and PS5. Following the latest announcement at Granblue Fes 2020 this December. Back in April 2020, Yuito Kimura and Tetsuya Fukuhara shared ideas on possible new Granblue games once Cygames is done with Granblue Fantasy Relink.
Granblue Fantasy Relink In-Development Gameplay and Screenshots – Mega Fleet Battle
The post Granblue Fantasy Relink – Cygames Shares Additional Promising Screenshots And Gameplay As The Action RPG Sails Towards 2022 by Iyane Agossah appeared first on DualShockers.
Back 4 Blood Closed Alpha Guide — Here's How Those Cards Work
Back 4 Blood went into a limited-time closed alpha on December 17, 2020, and is planned to continue until December 21. Players are invited to see roughly what to expect when the game from Turtle Rock Studios launches next year. You can see exactly what we thought of the closed alpha by reading our first impressions, but if you're curious about the in-game cards, then keep reading.
To nutshell it, cards in Back 4 Blood essentially give players an advantage of some kind. Some offer nothing but a positive buff, while others may give a substantial buff at the cost of a debuff elsewhere. For example, having a 10% increase in movement speed will disable the ability to sprint, 30% extra health will come with -10% stamina, and so on.
These cards are assigned to "Decks", of which you can have a total of 15 cards per deck. You can assign 1 loadout card which will be instantly available at the start of each campaign. The other cards are "Drawn Cards" and I'll get into explaining those shortly. Before we continue, let me just clarify that each campaign is broken up into stages.
Cards are categorized into 4 categories, each offering different benefits in their focus area. Reflex cards mostly focus on stamina and speed while Discipline cards go into ammo, and damage received or given. Brawn is about health and melee, and Fortune is about loot and how ammo is used. Or at least something along those lines anyway.
Each category has certain cards that grant specific starting weapons for example or add an extra inventory slot. Some cards apply to just your character, others apply to the entire team. It's worth noting that the cards you choose are not all going to be used, in fact, you'll probably only use at least 6 or 8 cards in total so it's worth choosing which ones you think will be beneficial should you have to use them. Here's why.
When you start a Back 4 Blood campaign and you've chosen your character, you can select one of your saved decks. The loadout card becomes active instantly, so if you assign a card that grants you an AK47 starting weapon as your loadout, you'll start with an AK47 rather than your character's default weapon. You are then dealt with random cards from your drawn cards list, of which you can select 1 card from 3 different draws.
Basically, you'll start the campaign with 1 loadout card and 3 other cards.
Each time you get to a safehouse and start the next stage, you'll be allowed to choose 1 additional card before you leave. That's not all though, as when you wander across the levels you have a chance at stumbling across a random basic card, picking this up will throw a totally random card into your active cards inventory. To keep track of what cards are active you can open a screen and see what cards do what.
It's not all positive as Back 4 Blood will have the Game Director choose its own Corruption cards at the start of the match and also at the start of each stage. These cards can have more ridden enemies added, or special enemies such as a Recth or Hockers, etc. These cards are said to offer the player replayability as the way levels play out can change based on the corruption cards.
It's an interesting system that also finds you having to tactically decide on what cards to bring into play. When offered, do you take up the opportunity to have unlimited secondary ammo, or do you grant the entire team a small health buff? Do you start with an extra slot for explosives, or do you start with an M1 Garand? As the game draws closer to launch I imagine there may be a bunch more cards to choose from, but the selection currently is already fantastic.
Back 4 Blood is to be launching June 22, 2021, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. You can read our first impressions based on the closed alpha right here.
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Back 4 Blood First Impressions – A Bloody Good Time
When I first picked up my controller to play Left 4 Dead 12 years ago on my trusty Xbox 360, I thought that it would be the kind of game that would just tie me over in between playing GTA 4 and Fable 2. Little did I know that it would become one of the best games I've played and how much time I lovingly poured into it. Weekends sat with a giant pizza and friends screaming "Watch out for the witch!" while popping zombie's heads have been some of my best gaming memories. When I found out that Turtle Rock Studios, the developers behind the original Left 4 Dead, were developing a new "co-op zombie genre", I couldn't tell you how excited I was and now, here I am, playing that very project in Back 4 Blood closed alpha. To say it met all my expectations so far is probably an understatement.
Jumping into the closed alpha, I was greeted with the usual array of menu options where you can tweak things like your gameplay difficulty, accessibility options, and game controls. Thankfully for me, Back 4 Blood does offer players controller support and even though, initially, I was somewhat concerned if it would be fluid enough in a high-action game like this, I shouldn't have worried as I found out later when getting stuck into a match. Regarding modes, the game plates up either a 'Campaign' where four-players run-and-gun their way throughout different post-apocalyptic environments or 'Quickplay' if you fancy jumping straight into a random match.
The most notable change for Left 4 Dead fans coming in is a brand new rogue-lite element of a card system that it dishes you out at the start of each match and then incorporates throughout your playthrough. Replacing a skill tree, these cards give players an opportunity to design their very own perks and boosts. You can construct your deck how you choose and pick certain cards at the start of each game to give your character a bit of a buff-up to help maintain your survival. The cards are broken up into four categories: Reflex, Discipline, Brawn, and Fortune. Not only are you designated 15 card slots that are then shuffled up, allowing you to then pick three cards at the start of each match and then one card at a time after completing a round, but you can also find randomly placed cards in-game so looking around each room can be a big bonus.
Just like in Left 4 Dead, Back 4 Blood has a Game Director, and instead of an AI, this mechanic is now placed right into the hands of the player who presents Corruption Cards at the start of each match. This adds in elements such as fog, making it harder to see oncoming dangers around you or making ammo more scarce. It also changes the world around you so not every match will be the same. Zombies and other creatures don't spawn in the same spots, and can actually pop up in surprise locations. This helped keep away that dreaded repetitiveness; at least so far in the alpha.
The closed alpha test allotted me four Cleaners that I got to choose from. Each character follows a certain archetype which is familiar in the Left 4 Dead series. Walker, Holly, Evangelo, and Hoffman have each their very own personality akin to Coach, Ellis, Nick, and Rochelle, as well as their own weapons and perks. Heading into a match and finding myself in that all too familiar safe house, those nostalgic feelings came rushing back instantly. It was apparent from the very first moment I entered into the gameplay that Turtle Rock Studios have passionately poured out what they have been wanting to do for so long, and that is to create a Left 4 Dead fit for today. The familiarity to it all had me feeling like I had never left, like putting on my old, comfortable jeans. And as soon as the door opened up, I was back to what I loved most and that's popping zombie's heads.
As I mentioned earlier, I had doubts about whether using a controller would make me feel at home in Back 4 Blood but, surprisingly, it worked perfectly. I was more than capable of fast responses and aim control whilst keeping up with my keyboard and mouse using companions, although from what I could tell, not many inputs can be reassigned on a controller. What I noticed within the first hour was how dense the hordes were. Don't even think about taking a little break as there just isn't time. Zombies gush in from every opening you can think of from doors to windows but thankfully, and if you're lucky, you'll have supportive teammates that have your back so things don't get too overwhelming. For me, this is the true meaning of Back 4 Blood, gathering together a solid group of teammates and working methodically to survive so we can all safely get to the next safe house.
Of course, zombies aren't your only enemy in Back 4 Blood. As you run and gun your way whilst coated in copious amounts of blood and guts from one place to the next, you'll come across special infected like The Stinger. Just like The Hunter from Left 4 Dead, The Stringer hides and then jumps around but this time it sprays globs of phlegm at cleaners that glues them to the spot. You'll also come across Retch, like Boomers, they vomit acid over players. The Tall Boy or Bruiser is an extremely horrifying sight to see as it towers over players with its huge arm but probably the most dangerous infected that I could see from playing the alpha is The Ogre. This 20-foot beast eats bullets for breakfast, and while I couldn't bring one down in my playthrough, my guess is that you need to arm yourself with some serious equipment like bombs and molotov's.
The level designs throughout the Back 4 Blood alpha are similar to that of Left 4 Dead in structure and what your main objectives are. Weaponry felt impactful and a pleasure to hold, especially the squishy sound when driving a bullet through a near-by zombie. One of the main differences I could tell in this area in regards to similarities with Left 4 Dead is that you now can have weapon add-ones like iron sights which you can purchase by collecting cooper coins, found within the missions, before each match or finding some scattered around between fighting hordes.
All in all, I'm extremely impressed with what I've played so far. Back 4 Blood exceeded my expectations and then some. But, if I had to nit-pick at any doubt I have, then it would be that the developers keep a keen focus on the all-around player experience and that they will continue to add new and interesting features to keep this game alive and kicking for as long as possible so that it doesn't fall into a pit of monotony.
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