RUST Review for PC

RUST:

Fending off Angry Cavemen Looters

is Actually Pretty Fun

From the creator of the smash hit indie game Garry's Mod come another wild success: RUST, a survival game similar to that of Minecraft or the extremely popular DayZ mod for Arma II, which now has a standalone release. In RUST, you are a caveman-like being out in the wild. Your goal is to survive. In doing so, you must build shelter and hunt, along with defending yourself from the creatures of the night. When you do not encounter severe amounts of lag, the game is quite enjoyable.

A Personal Experience from the Game

After a couple hours into the game, I found myself with a small shack in the middle of the dense forest. I figured that I would live out there, due to the fact that I did not want to be found by other players, because that runs the risk of "friends" who will steal your supplies. I worked my way up and acquired a bow, along with some other items. One day when I was out looking for supplies, though, I heard noises in the area in which my home was located. I walked around the area and everything seemed fine. I just brushed it off, convincing myself that it must have just been an animal running by. The next day, I went to go and find more supplies, and when I went back to my house, I was surprised to find another player waiting inside. I pulled my bow and asked what he was doing. He said that he had not seen anyone in the house the previous day or that day, so he claimed it. So, I decided to make a deal with him. I let him stay there, in exchange for him gathering supplies for me. We built a huge house with many rooms. And then we were looted. That is how RUST works. It is about surviving. The game is completely unpredictable, due to the thriving multiplayer community of all different kinds of players. Rust is an immersive experience best played with friends.

RUST Screenshot showcasing what a house looks like in the game (left)

My only issue with RUST is that at times, the game can be extremely laggy. Sometimes when I am in the middle of doing something very important, the game will just start to lag out on me. It ruins the experience, but since the game is still in Steam Early Access, I'd imagine that Garry Newman will fix it before its official launch.

The NERDict

+ Immersive Survival Experience

+ Extremely Enjoyable with Friends

+ Unpredictable "Story" Every Time You Go On

- Very Laggy (at times)

Rating: 8

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Review for the Xbox One

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
An Amazing Next-Gen Experience

Set sail for the high seas in Ubisoft's newest entry in the Assassin's Creed series. This game puts you in the role of Edward Kenway, a pirate seeking fame and fortune. In Assassin's Creed 4, you spend a good deal of your time out at sea exploring the vast open ocean and listening to the shanties sung by your crew as you go. You encounter many other ships that carry cargo, and you can pillage as you please. Kenway and his men can engage in naval battles with these ships, and plunder all the loot along with lowering notoriety or including the ship in your fleet. In my experience, I had the best time just sailing the ocean and being a pirate.

Black Flag is most definitely a cut above Ubisoft's last entry, Assassin's Creed III. I felt very limited in Assassin's Creed III, and felt like I never really left the game's tutorials. I felt more of a sense of freedom in Assassin's Creed 4, and never felt restricted as I ran the rooftops in Havana and explored the Caribbean sea. Also, the game looks amazing on my next-gen console. Everything runs smoothly and makes me feel even more like my $60 was well spent.

Blackbeard (pictured left) and Edward Kenway (right)

Assassin's Creed 4 also features both competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes. I've thoroughly enjoyed every one I've tried so far. My personal favorite has to be the Wolfpack gamemode, in which you and 3 other players work together against AI targets. The multiplayer is a great experience, but I was more sold on the game's campaign.

Screenshot from the Wolfpack gamemode, in which the players have to
defend the chests from the enemies trying to open them

The NERDict

In my opinion, Assassin's Creed 4 is probably the best launch game for the Xbox One. It is an absolute must have for anyone who purchased a next-gen console. I've climbed many viewpoints, fought many battles, and sunk many ships and hours into Ubisoft's best game in the franchise since Assassin's Creed II. Black Flag does great things for the story, and I cannot wait to see where Ubisoft takes the franchise next.

+ Vast Open World

+ Intense Naval Combat

+ Amazing Multiplayer

- James Kidd: The Most Irritating Character in

any Assassin's Creed game so far

Rating: 9.5