https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jRtpMKLsts Ever since my generation picked up Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue as kids, we’ve been Pokémon addicted. Listen, I don’t care how old I get I will always hold Pokémon high in my heart. When I was a kid I was straight-up obsessed with Pokémon Red and I don’t use the word obsessed lightly. It was the first thing I did in the morning before school and I would often times fall asleep with the Gameboy in my hands. Ever since those days, I’ve always longed for a 3d version of those great RPG classics. The Cool thing is now we MIGHT have what I’ve wished for with Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Evee!

The Good

Well, well, well based solely on the trailer it’s tough to make out exactly how the gameplay would be, but we’ll do our best. The integration of Pokémon Go and Let’s Go Pikachu seems like a real idea even though I honestly can’t see myself getting that into it considering there’s just no way I’m searching for AR Pokémon…again. I’m not sure if you can use all of the Pokémon that you’ve captured on Pokémon Go or what the deal is, but nonetheless, it’s cool to have that just not be for naught. The graphics look very clean and playable. It reminds me of the good ol’ days of walking through tall grass and having Pokémon jumping out at you to battle. Too bad you can’t actually battle, I’ll get to that more in ‘The Bad’ section.  The Switch continues to impress graphically showing that graphics isn’t all about the power under the hood of the console. Co-op is definitely going to be a really cool aspect and I could see a lot of time being spent in this mode and it could be a nice mode if you’re looking to do something with a girlfriend or just looking for a casual gaming experience with a friend.

The Bad

My hopes were absolutely crushed when I learned you can encounter Pokémon, but yet not be able to fight them. The capturing system seems a just like Pokémon Go which is boring as can be. Not to mention it is dreadfully annoying too since a lot of times the Pokémon you’re trying to capture just runs away for no rhyme or reason. Like, isn’t that most of what Pokémon actually do, you know fight? I don’t know, but that was a major buzzkill in my eyes. It seems it’s not the mainline RPG that would mimic the ones of yesteryear that we’re all hoping for. With that being said they did announce that the mainline RPG will be out sometime next year!

So while it might not be exactly what I was hoping for it will still be interesting, so check it out right here Let us know your thoughts below!

After all of the mysterious snips of video we were shown yesterday in regards to Bethesda's new projects, we are pleased to announce that Fallout 76 trailer has officially dropped! We still don't know much about this new title, but will be following it and will let you know as soon as we have more developments on this. Either way, we are super excited. A new Fallout game was totally unexpected, but totally welcome by us at SPG! Maybe one day they will drop a new Elder Scrolls game, too. Until then, we will have to just enjoy Skyrim on Switch and every other conceivable console or device that they can master it for. Here is the video:

We’re not sure to make of it, but Bethesda and the Fallout crew just put out a teaser of sorts. Being big fans of the Fallout series, we are excited, to say the least. In the gaming community, there have certainly been mixed reactions about Fallout 4, but that won’t stop us from wanting to get our hands on the latest Fallout content.

So What Is It?

Well, we wish we had more to go off of than a 3-second video which you could watch here, but the likely thoughts are Fallout 5? New Fallout 4 DLC? Or even a remastered 3 or New Vegas. Honestly, I’d be excited for just about all of these possible outcomes. So let’s speculate for a minute.

Fallout 5?

They did so much right with 4, but there were some drawbacks that the gaming community has not let up on which drags the opinion of the game down a bit. If they take the dynamic storytelling, base building, power suits, and character customization from 4 and build on those aspects I think they’ll have another monster hit on their hands. So here's to hoping to another fine installment of a great series.

Remastered?

I hate to admit, but I never got the chance to sink my teeth into 3 and I would love to in a non-dated format. If it’s New Vegas remastered that would be dope as well. New Vegas is a masterpiece of a game and its storytelling can be hard to top in the video game industry. There’s always a reason to go back and play New Vegas. If you're someone who's reading this and hasn't played it go! Go now and play it.

Fallout 4 DLC?

No. I really hope that’s not it. That would be disappointing, to say the least.

Let Us Know Your Theories Below

I’m not quite sure what this says about my personality, but nearly every new thing that Fortnite announces my reaction is usually a mixture of dramatically asking why and countlessly envisioning myself being killed by someone using these new items. First was the crossbow, then the mini-gun, then the guided missile system, and now the jetpacks none of them have broken the game, so maybe it’s time I start accepting these new items EPIC continuously comes up with. With all that being said…Sigh. I’m not even happy I’m writing something positive here. I expected this to be sort of like the guided missile system which I said from day 1 it was a horrible idea, but I’ll be man enough to admit I was wrong about this one. I think honestly, I have, sort of, a PTSD from when the Halo series (and plenty of others) decided that would be a great idea to include a jetpack. I hope my sarcasm is coming through because that was pretty awful. Luckily Fortnite did something they couldn’t do right; they pulled off a fair and balanced jetpack.

Here's The Skinny

For starters, there’s a gas gage. This means you can run out of gas if you’re not careful and so far, judging by the videos there are a lot of people who are not careful. It does make for some funny falls. I haven’t fallen yet, but I’m sure I’ll have my day. Secondly, you can’t go stupid high which is good. They are dulled down to what you might expect. In my opinion, they’re like a better version of hop rocks. They’ll go high enough to give you an edge on the competition but won’t allow for stupidity. It works well with the building component of the game because if you’re fighting someone who is building and find yourself with no materials you’re not dead in the water like you’d normally be. You can use your jetpack to gain an advantage or simply get out of dodge. I’ll be honest I’m usually not one to follow trends and to get hype over every little thing a game or company does, but other than the guided missile system EPIC has really shown out and I believe is paving the framework for other companies to follow. Give the gamers what they request and good things will happen. Hopefully, we see more of this in the years to come.

As always please let us know your thoughts and grab a nice pair of sweats and relax. You earned it.

Fortnite has quickly taken over the video game world for all ages. The player customization, diversity of game modes, replay system, and the simple yet addictive battle royale concept are genius innovations that other games haven't completely tapped into. Or have they.

Where It All Started

As an athlete and sports games were always an easy draw for me. A competitive, trash talk filled NBA 2K, Madden, or FIFA game was all I needed, but in 2007 the release of Halo 3 changed everything. Side Note: It still has the best theme music ever. Don't believe me? Just check out this beautiful viral rendition of it and tell me you didn't get goosebumps. Now back to the post, FPS quickly took over my gaming world along with everyone else. With arguably one of the greatest storylines in gaming, everything from the campaign, to Xbox live play was entertaining. One of Halo’s first innovations was combining the two. Halo 2 was one of the first non-PC games that you can play the campaign with friends online. Along with an assortment of online game modes. Now when I look at the all popular Fornite I can't help but notice that a lot of the aspects that make the game extremely popular and fun were done by the Halo franchise, and to be honest, I think Bungie and Halo did it better. Let's start with the customization aspect. Fortnite allows you to purchase or unlock multiple skins, pickaxes, backpacks, etc. without giving a tactical advantage to the game. I'm sure you've heard or read the following - "These items are cosmetic only and grant no competitive advantage." The statement alone has become a meme. Halo 3 allowed customization of your Spartan Soldier or Covenant Elite, with different armors, helmets, etc. also without giving a tactical advantage in the game. Although you could always tell the good players from the bad based on their soldier. I was running from a flaming Hayabusa armor wearing Spartan soldier just as fast as I'm running from a John Wick/Omega. Another aspect of Fortnite is its limited time game modes. Boredom is not an option when they give you an opportunity to try new styles of play such as all legendary guns, 50v50, or even the sponsored infinity gauntlet Thanos game mode. Halo was far ahead of its time with an identical aspect of limited time games modes such as the all popular SWAT, shotty/snipes, rocket race, etc. It was a genius idea to not only create diversity in the game but to test new game modes to see popularity and possibly make improvements down the road. When it comes to professional gaming or streamers a game replay mode is imperative to their work. One of Fortnite’s biggest updated added a replay system that you can see full gameplay from different angles and multiple perspectives. This, being a great addition, hs come with many flaws and bugs that are supposedly getting fixed. Nonetheless, it is a great feature, but let us not forget the Halo theater mode. It was a steamers wet dream. Halo 3 and its theater mode was such an innovation as it sparked a youtube channel Machinima dedicated to making productions like shows and mini-movies from Halo 3 gameplay. if anything Halo 3’s replay mode was the one aspect that was far before its time. All in all, I'm not trying to take away from Fortnite's success, however, what I am doing is attempting to put things into perspective for an internet that seemingly has a very short memory. While yes, Fortnite is doing a ton of things right they're not the originators of many of their ideas. It doesn't make them bad, or biters or anything like that let's just put some respect on Halo's name. Love live Master Chief, and no not that friggin' imposter that 343 claims to still be Master Chief.

As always, leave your comments below! And Be sure to check out the rest of our post here.

 

Do you remember those point and click adventures from when you were a kid? We’re talking the likes of Putt-Putt, Pajama Sam, and Spy Fox. The real OGs of the point and click adventure game genre. Those games that were so epic when you were a little kid. Your parents loved them because they were able to shut you up for a few hours in the pre-tablet era. Even as time went on, games like ‘The Secret of Monkey Island’ were created to port that kind of experience over to the adult crowd. Aside from those big, well-known titles, there are indie game studios still in love with the genre who are breathing life back into the point and click adventure in new and interesting ways. In particular, we have been given an exclusive look at an upcoming game called ‘SOL705’ (pronounced “soul-705”) SOL705 blends the point and click adventure genre of games with comedy, 90’s nostalgia, and mystery with a modern twist.

First Impressions

When we first got our hands on the game, we noticed the classic 8-bit style with a modern twist. Gone are the days of the old school limited 8-bit art style for this game. This is more closely related to pixel art as you’d see surfing the art subreddit. Its simple, yet complex and totally beautiful. We’re big on visuals here at SPG, in-case you haven’t caught on! The backgrounds are crafted from what seems to be a mashup with photography and digital painting. They look totally cool and make cruising around the SOL705 world interesting and fresh. The way the characters can interact with them makes them feel fluid and dynamic even though they seem to be 2D images. The characters are all well-designed and you will find yourself rooting for them to solve the mystery at hand. The entire story takes place over 7 days since you’ll (the main characters) have to get back to school, but the gameplay will make you want to solve it as fast as you can!

Storyline

Without ruining anything we can safely say something strange is going on in the town. The story takes place in 1974, so you’ll be jumping back in time for this adventure. Some people in the town are starting to act super strange and then animals are acting even stranger, so you’ll have to get work asap to figure out what is going on here. It honestly reminded me a bit of Stranger Things, let me know in the comment section if you agree there. Along the way, you’ll meet some interesting characters and they share some similar archetypes we have seen in sci-fi before; there are the adventurous kids,  crazy mad scientist, and some new takes on the genre. This fact just makes it that much more enjoyable because you’ll find yourself relating to those character types we know and love.

Gameplay

We’ve already established that this is a point and click adventure type of game. Your primary interactions will be to examine, talk, pick up, or use the different people and objects in the environment. Don’t worry the interactions and dynamic feel of navigating the town will keep the game feeling fresh.

Verdict - SOL705

Though we were only able to play a brief demo of the game, we already see some real promise in this newcomer to the point and click adventure game genre. If you’re into narrative-driven games that don’t require a ton from you in the skill department and rely more on puzzles and thinking, you’d probably be a fan. If you are into solving mysteries, then you are in the right place with SOL705. For more on SOL705 and other upcoming point and click adventure titles, stay tuned right here to Sweatpants Gaming.

If you would like to support the game’s development please click here.

If you want to get the demo for yourself, you can download it on these platforms:

   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooyjaVdt-jA   Yay. Another one, I don’t know how many people out there will feel the same way, but I’m honestly just tired of Call of Duty titles. It could be a combination of a few things maybe it's my teenage years Halo over COD bias, the abundance of COD titles over the years, or the stale state of COD games for about the past 10 years. In any case, as I read through the countless reviews and speculations of BLOPS 4 I can’t hide my indifference. Usually, I get excited about most game releases even if it’s one I know I won’t play because I want to check out a specific game mode or some aspect of the game. Or I’m just interested in the route the game is going. Now, I have to admit, I wasn’t even mildly excited for BLOPS 4. Personally, I feel like COD has just run its course.  Anyway, here’s my brief first impression. First Impression: OMG yes! They are adding a battle royale mode! And wait they’re really going to add a 5v5 with tactical roles? No freaking way! One thought go through my mind when I heard and read these types of comments, like, just really? Is it not enough to take one popular game mode, you really must try and exactly mimic 2 of the most popular games from the past few years? Are they really going to do it better than Overwatch & Fortnite/Pubg? I have my doubts. Hey, listen, I get it – you have to adjust and grow with the times, but how about some originality? Some of you are probably rolling your eyes at this point because whatever most games take aspects of other and make it their own. There’s no bigger example this year than Fortnite and Pubg, but in my opinion, it was a great opportunity to truly use Fortnite’s build system already in-game fighting mechanics. It adds a full new dynamic to the mode. Now, sure COD will undoubtedly throw some new twists into the fray, but it just doesn’t seem genuine to me. Who knows? It might surprise me, but it’s safe to say I won’t be overly anxious to get into this one.  

What are your thoughts? Check out the video and share your thoughts in the comment section below. Also, If you like what you see here please consider becoming a contributor by dropping us a line here! 

Let's get the talk going about a new graffiti game? Where they been at? With all of these amazing single player games dropping, you figure someone would breathe life into the genre. Don't get me wrong. I have a ton of respect for Graffiti Kings and the other super artistic games on Oculus. I'm an artist myself and love any opportunity to create. I'm talking about a story driven game devoted to dirty dirty street art, though. That's what I'm dying for! Marc Ecko's ' getting up' has a very special place in my heart. It came out sometime during high school when i was doing some of my peak gaming and having a ton of fun. It was a game that gave me a taste of the graffiti life that i had been tempted by so many times. I had so many friends into bombing. It seemed like everyone did it back then. I have a bit of a bias there, for sure. I am an artist and love all things graffiti, but I'm sure there are people out there who loved this game regardless! I would hope so. And let's not forget our friends here... That's right! You can't tell me that you owned a Dreamcast and didn't play the hell out of this game! Well... actually I think my Dreamcast came with the game... so... yea. But still... This, Crazy Taxi, and Power Stone (OMG remember Power Stone?!) were the heavy hitters for me as a kid on Dreamcast. That was pretty much before the internet as we know it, too, so you had to learn about new games by word of mouth when you were a kid. Pretty crazy! Mentioning the prolific and groundbreaking likes of Jet Set Radio almost makes me want to boot up the crappy iPad version. That game was and still is a visual masterpiece. If you were into couch single player then you were no doubt playing this game in its prime. It was one of the Dreamcast's premier titles throughout its lifetime (even though that was way too short.) I had loads of fun with this game unlike the kind of fun i can remember having with any other game recently. I would LOVE to see another installment using an updated movement engine for the skates.

To wrap it up...

I just want to take a quick moment to pray to the almighty gods of gaming that we may be able to see a game like one of those very soon. We need a new narrative-driven graffiti game. They were great games and there hasnt been a good one in far too long. And before you even start,.... no... Subway Surfers is not a graffiti game! Get the hell outta here! I want some nitty gritty, cop chasing, crime committing street art action in my life again soon!! -tom.

We've recently been in contact with a game maker by the name of DGGamesWorkshop, (DG stands for Dragonglass if you were wondering) and they asked us to check out their trailer for their new game "Bugs Must Die". With a name like that, I had no idea what to expect. However, I must admit I was intrigued by the name for some reason. We've attached the trailer so you can view it as well and leave your takes in the comment section below.

OUR TAKE:

It reminds us of many of the old-school games we used to play on SNES and NES, which is not a bad thing. I'm glad as a community gamers seem to be getting over the fact that its good gameplay that matters, not graphics. With that being said it definitely has a unique style to it and some pretty impressive pixel art to go with it. The gameplay is very similar to Nuclear Throne, which got amazing reviews, and is inspired by an old NES classic Jackal. The top-down shooter genre is a lot of fun when done right. It adds more of a dynamic gameplay element rather than a side-scrolling platformer. The bad guys can come from 360 degrees rather than just one direction. There seems to be some MOBA elements within the game (I could be wrong classifying them) which in my opinion is pretty cool. They've added what seems like an ultimate, which can be referred to as your "Z" power. I think it will make for a good twist on the genre. I'm definitely excited to check out the actual gameplay. It is slated to hit Steam sometime this year, but in the meantime make sure to check back for our exclusive look at the "Bugs Must Die" demo. As soon as it's finished we'll be able to provide a more in-depth look at this exciting title!

The kid (and the adult) in me is going wild today. After the latest update, which was implemented last night, Tilted Towers is being repaired. The giant crater that had been in the middle of Tilted is now patched over with a truck sitting on top of it. Now while it doesn’t sound all that exciting it’s a sign of things to come. I’m a big proponent of map changes as often as possible. It keeps things from becoming stale while not completely overhauling any bit of the game. Some people have been calling for other maps, so there’s some variance, but honestly, as long as they continuously update the original I don’t see a need for additional maps. It also keeps the balance between casual players and experienced players since casual players won’t have to learn all the “in’s and out’s” of each new map that comes out. This strategy also has a hidden benefit too – the devs can manage the drop rate of certain places. If somewhere gets too “hot” they can simply add in or take away that spot causing a shift in drop rates. This could be huge for balance and competition.

Epic Games

Epic is seriously firing on all cylinders. Every time I have doubts about Fortnite they deliver better than I could imagine. I think they are truly paving the way for a new way of developing games. They listen to their community and then pump out tremendous content. Every time I thought something was going to be cheesy it is delivered in a very well thought out. Keep up the good work Epic!