Maybe over a quarter of the staff leaving Infinity Ward and then suing the company that has been holding their money hostage isn't enough evidence that Activision is indeed a giant evil bastard.
What poor decision making.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
"M" Rated
Something that has been bothering me lately has been the insane amount of swearing in games. I think it's been annoying me more recently because every new game I've been getting has copious amounts of profanity.
The first shocker was Bad Company 2. I'm not even talking about the campaign, which was pretty tame, but the f#$%ing multiplayer has it too. The really crazy thing is that it's the computer yelling random obscenities when the computer isn't even playing. There aren't any bots in the matches so why should the computer be talking? I understand they want to make the match sound busier than it may actually be, but I do enjoy the yelling for updates on the status of the match like "They're taking point Alpha!" and the like. If the game is gonna swear at me just do it before or after the match like Gears of War or CoD: WaW...nothing like getting cursed out by Jack Bauer.
Another new game series that has never had a problem with swearing is Splinter Cell and now Conviction is loaded with it! It doesn't sound scary or intimidating....just juvenile. The swearing can be so thick at times it just sounds like a middle schooler just learning the finer points of cursing and is determined to show you how badass he is.
It's extra annoying because when I'm just playing to have a good time and a NPC is calling me everything under the sun my wife is telling me that there's no way I'll be playing this garbage when Masen is around and I have to agree. I don't want my kid picking up these habits. If he's gonna learn to swear he'll learn it from the public school system just like his dad.
Why can't a game be "M" rated for just having "Mature" context and not swearing and BOOBIES! Mass Effect and Bioshock are 2 game series that actually deal with mature content in a responsible and adult manner. They deal with complex issues and choices without copious amounts of dollars being thrown into the swear jar.
The first shocker was Bad Company 2. I'm not even talking about the campaign, which was pretty tame, but the f#$%ing multiplayer has it too. The really crazy thing is that it's the computer yelling random obscenities when the computer isn't even playing. There aren't any bots in the matches so why should the computer be talking? I understand they want to make the match sound busier than it may actually be, but I do enjoy the yelling for updates on the status of the match like "They're taking point Alpha!" and the like. If the game is gonna swear at me just do it before or after the match like Gears of War or CoD: WaW...nothing like getting cursed out by Jack Bauer.
Another new game series that has never had a problem with swearing is Splinter Cell and now Conviction is loaded with it! It doesn't sound scary or intimidating....just juvenile. The swearing can be so thick at times it just sounds like a middle schooler just learning the finer points of cursing and is determined to show you how badass he is.
It's extra annoying because when I'm just playing to have a good time and a NPC is calling me everything under the sun my wife is telling me that there's no way I'll be playing this garbage when Masen is around and I have to agree. I don't want my kid picking up these habits. If he's gonna learn to swear he'll learn it from the public school system just like his dad.
Why can't a game be "M" rated for just having "Mature" context and not swearing and BOOBIES! Mass Effect and Bioshock are 2 game series that actually deal with mature content in a responsible and adult manner. They deal with complex issues and choices without copious amounts of dollars being thrown into the swear jar.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Red Dead Redemption
so this game's totally been under the radar, dont think we've had a single mention of it on here and there's not exactly alot of hype surrounding it...yet. but damn this trailer looks sweet, can see this on definately turning a few heads come release.
Thoughts on current trends.
I've been thinking a lot lately how gaming is changing and evolving, and what it's gonna look like going forward. This was really brought to the forefront of my mind with games like Heavy Rain being released, as well as Alan Wake just around the corner. Cut from the same psychological thriller mold, these titles embrace a very cinematic quality in their approach to narrative, almost trying to capture what it would be like to be responsible for the events of a film, as they happen in real time.
At this point I'll hop on my high horse and wax philosophic about how games are intrinsically different from film, and should be treated as such. Game storytelling is almost paradoxical - without borrowing from other artistic genres, games really don't have much storytelling ability behind them, but after those elements are borrowed, games can tell stories in such a way that it makes them unique from any of these other mediums. The question we need to ask ourselves is how much do we want to let those other mediums' influence the direction games are headed?
I'm not certain that the direction that Heavy Rain and Alan Wake are moving in is a natural one. I almost feel like the development process behind these (admittedly awesome looking) titles is one of fear of progression. They're still holding very closely to the parent art forms they were so influenced by, and lack the ability to branch off and become their own product. Heavy Rain, as interesting of a concept, as gorgeous as it was, was still just a playable movie filled with quick time events. Alan Wake looks a little more on the playable end, but we'll have to wait and see.
I think one of the most interesting futures for games comes from the social aspect. Socialization and gaming have never really been that far apart, but rarely is that socialization in the framework of the game. It's usually been outside the game, in the "culture" of gaming (i.e. Arcades). With the rise and popularity of games like Farmville, Yo-ville, Mafia Wars, and other Facebook games, we're seeing elements of socialization being spun into the fabric of the games design.
Why are these games so popular? I should probably play one before writing about them any further, but I'm afraid that I'll get hooked like so many other people I know. These games have struck a strong chord in the hearts of so many people, probably due to it's strong connection to the social networking. Farmville follows design rules that reward/require the player to help and be helped by their friends. This isn't anything new to games as a whole (Borderlands anyone?) but by integrating it into the preexisting social network, all they had to do was package a product someone would be attracted to.
Let's go to a real world example. Susie is really kinda interested in gaming, but lacks the conviction to make the commitment. A DS would probably be a great choice, but she would have to buy the system, learn about the games, find something she likes, and if she wants to do the cooperative gameplay, she'd need to find a group to play with. Farmville doesn't beat around the bush, though. It follows the same simple rules console games have, it's available on a platform she won't need to make any additional investment in, and the social aspects of the game are already there because they're built around a current, active, comprehensive social network.
Am I looking forward to Farmville 2? Hardly, but I am excited to see how socialization works it's way into gameplay. I socialize a great deal while I play games, but the game isn't encouraging me to do that, it's my own goal and hopes. I don't really know how it's all going to change, but I am excited to see a different direction of thought starting to influence how we make games. I can only handle so many games that are like films...
At this point I'll hop on my high horse and wax philosophic about how games are intrinsically different from film, and should be treated as such. Game storytelling is almost paradoxical - without borrowing from other artistic genres, games really don't have much storytelling ability behind them, but after those elements are borrowed, games can tell stories in such a way that it makes them unique from any of these other mediums. The question we need to ask ourselves is how much do we want to let those other mediums' influence the direction games are headed?
I'm not certain that the direction that Heavy Rain and Alan Wake are moving in is a natural one. I almost feel like the development process behind these (admittedly awesome looking) titles is one of fear of progression. They're still holding very closely to the parent art forms they were so influenced by, and lack the ability to branch off and become their own product. Heavy Rain, as interesting of a concept, as gorgeous as it was, was still just a playable movie filled with quick time events. Alan Wake looks a little more on the playable end, but we'll have to wait and see.
I think one of the most interesting futures for games comes from the social aspect. Socialization and gaming have never really been that far apart, but rarely is that socialization in the framework of the game. It's usually been outside the game, in the "culture" of gaming (i.e. Arcades). With the rise and popularity of games like Farmville, Yo-ville, Mafia Wars, and other Facebook games, we're seeing elements of socialization being spun into the fabric of the games design.
Why are these games so popular? I should probably play one before writing about them any further, but I'm afraid that I'll get hooked like so many other people I know. These games have struck a strong chord in the hearts of so many people, probably due to it's strong connection to the social networking. Farmville follows design rules that reward/require the player to help and be helped by their friends. This isn't anything new to games as a whole (Borderlands anyone?) but by integrating it into the preexisting social network, all they had to do was package a product someone would be attracted to.
Let's go to a real world example. Susie is really kinda interested in gaming, but lacks the conviction to make the commitment. A DS would probably be a great choice, but she would have to buy the system, learn about the games, find something she likes, and if she wants to do the cooperative gameplay, she'd need to find a group to play with. Farmville doesn't beat around the bush, though. It follows the same simple rules console games have, it's available on a platform she won't need to make any additional investment in, and the social aspects of the game are already there because they're built around a current, active, comprehensive social network.
Am I looking forward to Farmville 2? Hardly, but I am excited to see how socialization works it's way into gameplay. I socialize a great deal while I play games, but the game isn't encouraging me to do that, it's my own goal and hopes. I don't really know how it's all going to change, but I am excited to see a different direction of thought starting to influence how we make games. I can only handle so many games that are like films...
God of War III...again
Alright, I just finished up the game last night. It took me about 12.5 hours. Overall, it was a great time and it's a stellar game, but it's not without flaws and there's no way I'D ever give it a 100/100. Rather than doing a "review" I thought I would just list the things I like and dislike about the game, and that should just about cover everything.
LIKE:
-The visuals: It's gorgeous to look at. The Kratos model is probably the best-looking video game character ever (not gay). HOWEVER, I will have more to say about this in the "dislike" section. Also, there was never any slow down or lag in the game. Even with 50 guys on the screen it ran as smooth as if there was nothing.
-The audio: The music, sound effects and certain voices are excellent. I just went and replayed the Hercules battle last night to get a trophy and the music during that part is especially awesome. The voice of Hades was another high point. Gravelly, resounding bass and just...freaky, which is appropriate for the king of the Underworld. Also, the Helios head does this little scream every time you pull it out to light your way.
-The scale: It's a big world you're fighting in and the game designers do a lot to help you remember that. From the first battle on top of Titans climbing Mount Olympus to the multiple times you go up and down the chains from the top of Olympus to the depths of Hades to a battle with Cronos himself, it's amazing.
-The revamped magic system: Each magic spell you have in this game is tied to a specific weapon, which eliminates the need to pause to switch weapons. Now, you use the d-pad to select weapons and don't need to worry about switching magic, too, since they're tied together. I like this system much more because it just eliminates trying to remember which magic you have equipped. Now I know that when I have the Blades of Exile on, when I hit R2 it's going to summon the Army of Sparta and lay waste.
-The secondary weapons: The Bow of Apollo and the Head of Helios are pretty useful secondary items that you can use to light enemies on fire from afar and blind enemies, respectively. I used both of these much more than I thought I would. Unfortunately, the designers did not incorporate the 3rd secondary item, Hermes' Boots, into gameplay much at all. There are a few parts, mainly immediately after you acquire them, that you use them to run up walls, etc., but VERY rarely after that and that's a little disappointing. It CAN be used offensively to charge through groups of enemies, but I never did that.
DISLIKE:
-Other character models: Many of the characters other than Kratos don't look nearly as polished. Hera and Aphrodite's chamber maids come to mind immediately. Hera's scenes only involve her talking to Kratos and when the camera cuts between the 2 there's such a huge contrast in the level of detail. She almost looks like something out of a PS2 game. The same thing goes with those chamber maids. When you initiate the sex-minigame (now a staple of the series) the camera pans off of Kratos and Aphrodite onto the maids and they also look like PS2 models. On the plus side, though, there's Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, Helios, Hades, Hercules and they all look good.
-Lack of variation in the weapons: Three out of the four weapons in the game are chains with spikes on the end. I can't figure out why they did this. The 4th weapon you get is basically just an electrified blade-on-a-chain that you use ONCE to power up some platforms. The non-chain weapon is awesome, and I wish they could have come up with something else. I would have liked to see a battle axe or a mace, maybe. Or a samurai sword. Just kidding.
-The roll: One of your defenses in battle is the roll. Just move the right analog stick in any direction, and you'll roll that way. Sounds great, right? Well, it would be but for the delay at the end of the roll. Yes, after you roll and land on your feet there's a SLIGHT delay where you're just kind of stuck there; you can't move, you can't jump, you can't attack. I said that it's slight but when there are 50 guys on the screen coming after you it feels like an ETERNITY. This was the same in all 3 games and it always bothered, but never so much as in this one.
-The frustrating boss battles: Again, all 3 games have done this, but it's never gotten under my skin until this one. In the boss fights in these games, you'll often have DOZENS of other small guys attacking you during a boss fight. It could just be because I played on Hard difficulty rather than normal for this 3rd game, but man it got really old. I just think it's a really CHEAP way to make a boss battle more difficult.
-The story: It's basically just God of War 2 all over again. You don't like Zeus. You want to kill Zeus. Why? Because he tricked you into giving up all your powers at the beginning of God of War 2. And why did he trick you into doing that? Because you were abusing your powers and being a dick.
-The character of Kratos: He's boring. He's one dimensional. He wants to kill Zeus just because he wants revenge. Also, I really can't stand the voice of Kratos. I don't know who did the voice, but it just seems like they try too hard to make him seem badass. Well, at least it wasn't Nolan North or Vin Diesel.
-The ending: I was not a fan. That's all I'll really say. I suppose I should have known I wouldn't like the ending since I wasn't invested in the story and I thought Kratos was kind of a jerk. Oh well.
In conclusion, I'll say that even though I had lots of problems with the game, I still enjoyed it. It was a spectacle to behold and it's fun to be in control of all the mayhem. Another thing about playing on Hard is that while it's difficult and frustrating, it's that much more satisfying when you can finally beat the area you're stuck on. It deserves all the praise it gets for its graphics and scale and "epicness" but that can't change the fact that the story is rehashed and Kratos is a stale character. I mean, even Zeus and Hermes tell this to Kratos during the game: "You always fail and never learn from your mistakes." The game itself is certainly not a "fail" but I think the writers could have come up with something more riveting than another revenge plot for this epic game. If Kratos had been fighting FOR something (other than revenge) or in defense of something....it could have been so much better. Take the epic movies "Braveheart" and "Gladiator" for example. While I love both movies, there's no doubt in my mind whether I like (that depiction of) William Wallace or Maximus more. Wallace fights for his country and for freedom and Maximus fights to get revenge on Commodus for killing his family and trying to kill him. Like I said, I really enjoy both movies, but there's not really any contest of who you like more/feel more sympathetic for/want to win more when you really think about it.
LIKE:
-The visuals: It's gorgeous to look at. The Kratos model is probably the best-looking video game character ever (not gay). HOWEVER, I will have more to say about this in the "dislike" section. Also, there was never any slow down or lag in the game. Even with 50 guys on the screen it ran as smooth as if there was nothing.
-The audio: The music, sound effects and certain voices are excellent. I just went and replayed the Hercules battle last night to get a trophy and the music during that part is especially awesome. The voice of Hades was another high point. Gravelly, resounding bass and just...freaky, which is appropriate for the king of the Underworld. Also, the Helios head does this little scream every time you pull it out to light your way.
-The scale: It's a big world you're fighting in and the game designers do a lot to help you remember that. From the first battle on top of Titans climbing Mount Olympus to the multiple times you go up and down the chains from the top of Olympus to the depths of Hades to a battle with Cronos himself, it's amazing.
-The revamped magic system: Each magic spell you have in this game is tied to a specific weapon, which eliminates the need to pause to switch weapons. Now, you use the d-pad to select weapons and don't need to worry about switching magic, too, since they're tied together. I like this system much more because it just eliminates trying to remember which magic you have equipped. Now I know that when I have the Blades of Exile on, when I hit R2 it's going to summon the Army of Sparta and lay waste.
-The secondary weapons: The Bow of Apollo and the Head of Helios are pretty useful secondary items that you can use to light enemies on fire from afar and blind enemies, respectively. I used both of these much more than I thought I would. Unfortunately, the designers did not incorporate the 3rd secondary item, Hermes' Boots, into gameplay much at all. There are a few parts, mainly immediately after you acquire them, that you use them to run up walls, etc., but VERY rarely after that and that's a little disappointing. It CAN be used offensively to charge through groups of enemies, but I never did that.
DISLIKE:
-Other character models: Many of the characters other than Kratos don't look nearly as polished. Hera and Aphrodite's chamber maids come to mind immediately. Hera's scenes only involve her talking to Kratos and when the camera cuts between the 2 there's such a huge contrast in the level of detail. She almost looks like something out of a PS2 game. The same thing goes with those chamber maids. When you initiate the sex-minigame (now a staple of the series) the camera pans off of Kratos and Aphrodite onto the maids and they also look like PS2 models. On the plus side, though, there's Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, Helios, Hades, Hercules and they all look good.
-Lack of variation in the weapons: Three out of the four weapons in the game are chains with spikes on the end. I can't figure out why they did this. The 4th weapon you get is basically just an electrified blade-on-a-chain that you use ONCE to power up some platforms. The non-chain weapon is awesome, and I wish they could have come up with something else. I would have liked to see a battle axe or a mace, maybe. Or a samurai sword. Just kidding.
-The roll: One of your defenses in battle is the roll. Just move the right analog stick in any direction, and you'll roll that way. Sounds great, right? Well, it would be but for the delay at the end of the roll. Yes, after you roll and land on your feet there's a SLIGHT delay where you're just kind of stuck there; you can't move, you can't jump, you can't attack. I said that it's slight but when there are 50 guys on the screen coming after you it feels like an ETERNITY. This was the same in all 3 games and it always bothered, but never so much as in this one.
-The frustrating boss battles: Again, all 3 games have done this, but it's never gotten under my skin until this one. In the boss fights in these games, you'll often have DOZENS of other small guys attacking you during a boss fight. It could just be because I played on Hard difficulty rather than normal for this 3rd game, but man it got really old. I just think it's a really CHEAP way to make a boss battle more difficult.
-The story: It's basically just God of War 2 all over again. You don't like Zeus. You want to kill Zeus. Why? Because he tricked you into giving up all your powers at the beginning of God of War 2. And why did he trick you into doing that? Because you were abusing your powers and being a dick.
-The character of Kratos: He's boring. He's one dimensional. He wants to kill Zeus just because he wants revenge. Also, I really can't stand the voice of Kratos. I don't know who did the voice, but it just seems like they try too hard to make him seem badass. Well, at least it wasn't Nolan North or Vin Diesel.
-The ending: I was not a fan. That's all I'll really say. I suppose I should have known I wouldn't like the ending since I wasn't invested in the story and I thought Kratos was kind of a jerk. Oh well.
In conclusion, I'll say that even though I had lots of problems with the game, I still enjoyed it. It was a spectacle to behold and it's fun to be in control of all the mayhem. Another thing about playing on Hard is that while it's difficult and frustrating, it's that much more satisfying when you can finally beat the area you're stuck on. It deserves all the praise it gets for its graphics and scale and "epicness" but that can't change the fact that the story is rehashed and Kratos is a stale character. I mean, even Zeus and Hermes tell this to Kratos during the game: "You always fail and never learn from your mistakes." The game itself is certainly not a "fail" but I think the writers could have come up with something more riveting than another revenge plot for this epic game. If Kratos had been fighting FOR something (other than revenge) or in defense of something....it could have been so much better. Take the epic movies "Braveheart" and "Gladiator" for example. While I love both movies, there's no doubt in my mind whether I like (that depiction of) William Wallace or Maximus more. Wallace fights for his country and for freedom and Maximus fights to get revenge on Commodus for killing his family and trying to kill him. Like I said, I really enjoy both movies, but there's not really any contest of who you like more/feel more sympathetic for/want to win more when you really think about it.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Crysis 2 Trailer
Am I the only person that's seen this? The first time I watched it my mom happened to be in the room and we were both blown away. I mean...is it all in game footage? I know that Crytek has made what many call the best looking game ever in Crysis 1, but that footage is ridiculous if it's in engine. I'm really glad that they're bringing this series to the consoles because when it launched the PC guys were lording it over our heads. It'll probably kill the consoles processors, but whatever.
Probably in my top 5 fav trailers ever.
Probably in my top 5 fav trailers ever.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Alpha Protocol
I've been keeping my eye on this game for quite some time. It looks like a great Dragon Age + Oblivion / James Bond = awesome. A spy RPG sounds awesome to me and from the footage I've seen, it looks like they are doing a pretty cool job, giving you choices on what type of spy you want to be: suave, aggresive, etc., etc. And it's Obsidian and they are definitely known for putting out some quality products.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lox7IGllexU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyznNNNwHso
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lox7IGllexU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyznNNNwHso
Splinter Cell: Conviction and....other things...
I'm surprised no one has really put up anything SC related so I'll do it first. I held off getting it for a few days because since my wife hasn't worked in a month and won't be working for another month, since the birth of my child, the cash flow has slowed. It pays to have a sugar momma.
Anyways, I started looking at my pretty large collection of 360 games and pretty much all the games in it I love for one reason or another. From Blacksite Area 51s arcadey, fun, campy alien sci fi shooter to Dragon Age and Fable 2. So I says to myself, "I have a lot to hock here that would allow me to get SC." I called GameStop and asked about several games to trade in and the total was 96 bucks. The manager then tells me if I can add in a 6th next gen game I'll get an extra 40% in trade. I hung up the phone and had a revelation! I had a crap ton of games that I LOVE, but will more than likely never ever play again or games that I would love to play, but won't be able to because they are such a ginormous time suck...Dragon Age and Tales of Vesperia come to mind.
Amateria helped me compile a list and from memory it went something like this. Quake 4, FEAR 1 and 2, Blacksite, Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero 3, Fable 2, Darksiders, Mario Kart DS, Super Mario 64 DS, Tales of Vesperia, Eternal Sonata, Dragon Age (a handful of others I can't think of) and 4 controllers. With the 40% extra and then getting a EBgames rewards card for another 10% I got 50% back more on the trade in of games. Altogether I got $215 bucks. I got SC and am holding on to the other $156 for my eventual purchase of a PS3 (which is my ultimate end goal)!
I know I sing the praise of Goozex and while it's ultimately the far superior game trade service I wanted actual dollar value credit to go towards a PS3.
Anyways....on to SC. Not to brag, but I think of myself as kind of a bitchingly good SC player. I've completely dominated all the previous games on all difficulties and played them to death (except for the garbage Double Agent one). The new SC is really good and I think a natural evolution the series should have taken to go more mainstream like all game companies do and to modernize the series. Sam controls more fluidly than ever, but it does come at a price. This modernization leaves some of the old SC fans out in the cold. "Mark and execute" completely takes the fear out of bashing a door down that has more than one person behind it. Regenerating health makes death a little more laughable and overall I think the game MAKES you fight more than the old games. There are many more enemies and far fewer ways to sneak around them. I was a big fan of not killing a person in the original unless it was part of my actual mission. I would knock out a person with secondary ammo or hit them in the head with cans or trash and elbow them in the head. I would also only allow myself to finish missions only using the pistol. It was a good way to up the difficulty for myself and a much more rewarding way to play.
Bottom line for the new SC is that it's awesome, but there are some control issues that go against the very well established formulas set by other large 3rd person shooters (b/c SC is now much more of a shooter/stealth hybrid than ever before). I think that putting the "crouch" button on the shoulder buttons is pants on head retarded while making the "Left Thumbstick" reload is really dumb because these two buttons could EASILY be interchanged and only help the game. I DO like having to hold in the "Left Trigger" to stay in cover because it keeps you much more assure of whether or not your stuck in cover...RS: Vegas was the first to do this that I know of.
Having played to death and made mad fanboy love to the Assassins Creed series it's very interesting to see how majorly AC has impacted the new SC. I bit of a downer at times when the lines between Ubisofts games start to blur....the newest Prince of Persia feels thrown in as well...especially during platforming.
The game is awesome and I still can't wait to get my PS3!
P.S. The moving from one cover to another is cool, but I WOULD LOVE to mention that as far as I know "Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard" did it first and that game was pretty bad and the feature was almost never used. It's funny to see such a powerhouse game lift ideas from no name games that are downright bad at times.
P.P.S. One more critique then I'm done I promise! I can't believe they don't have a button or option to switch your perspective from right to left so that you can see around corners better.Chaos Theory had it and so did Army of Two: The 40th Day and so did Matt Hazard. It seems especially helpful in this game and it isn't even an option.
Anyways, I started looking at my pretty large collection of 360 games and pretty much all the games in it I love for one reason or another. From Blacksite Area 51s arcadey, fun, campy alien sci fi shooter to Dragon Age and Fable 2. So I says to myself, "I have a lot to hock here that would allow me to get SC." I called GameStop and asked about several games to trade in and the total was 96 bucks. The manager then tells me if I can add in a 6th next gen game I'll get an extra 40% in trade. I hung up the phone and had a revelation! I had a crap ton of games that I LOVE, but will more than likely never ever play again or games that I would love to play, but won't be able to because they are such a ginormous time suck...Dragon Age and Tales of Vesperia come to mind.
Amateria helped me compile a list and from memory it went something like this. Quake 4, FEAR 1 and 2, Blacksite, Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero 3, Fable 2, Darksiders, Mario Kart DS, Super Mario 64 DS, Tales of Vesperia, Eternal Sonata, Dragon Age (a handful of others I can't think of) and 4 controllers. With the 40% extra and then getting a EBgames rewards card for another 10% I got 50% back more on the trade in of games. Altogether I got $215 bucks. I got SC and am holding on to the other $156 for my eventual purchase of a PS3 (which is my ultimate end goal)!
I know I sing the praise of Goozex and while it's ultimately the far superior game trade service I wanted actual dollar value credit to go towards a PS3.
Anyways....on to SC. Not to brag, but I think of myself as kind of a bitchingly good SC player. I've completely dominated all the previous games on all difficulties and played them to death (except for the garbage Double Agent one). The new SC is really good and I think a natural evolution the series should have taken to go more mainstream like all game companies do and to modernize the series. Sam controls more fluidly than ever, but it does come at a price. This modernization leaves some of the old SC fans out in the cold. "Mark and execute" completely takes the fear out of bashing a door down that has more than one person behind it. Regenerating health makes death a little more laughable and overall I think the game MAKES you fight more than the old games. There are many more enemies and far fewer ways to sneak around them. I was a big fan of not killing a person in the original unless it was part of my actual mission. I would knock out a person with secondary ammo or hit them in the head with cans or trash and elbow them in the head. I would also only allow myself to finish missions only using the pistol. It was a good way to up the difficulty for myself and a much more rewarding way to play.
Bottom line for the new SC is that it's awesome, but there are some control issues that go against the very well established formulas set by other large 3rd person shooters (b/c SC is now much more of a shooter/stealth hybrid than ever before). I think that putting the "crouch" button on the shoulder buttons is pants on head retarded while making the "Left Thumbstick" reload is really dumb because these two buttons could EASILY be interchanged and only help the game. I DO like having to hold in the "Left Trigger" to stay in cover because it keeps you much more assure of whether or not your stuck in cover...RS: Vegas was the first to do this that I know of.
Having played to death and made mad fanboy love to the Assassins Creed series it's very interesting to see how majorly AC has impacted the new SC. I bit of a downer at times when the lines between Ubisofts games start to blur....the newest Prince of Persia feels thrown in as well...especially during platforming.
The game is awesome and I still can't wait to get my PS3!
P.S. The moving from one cover to another is cool, but I WOULD LOVE to mention that as far as I know "Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard" did it first and that game was pretty bad and the feature was almost never used. It's funny to see such a powerhouse game lift ideas from no name games that are downright bad at times.
P.P.S. One more critique then I'm done I promise! I can't believe they don't have a button or option to switch your perspective from right to left so that you can see around corners better.Chaos Theory had it and so did Army of Two: The 40th Day and so did Matt Hazard. It seems especially helpful in this game and it isn't even an option.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Gears of War 3
The game was officially, officially announced last night, along with a trailer.
It looks like they shaved Cole's head and then glued it to Dom's face.
I hope the whole game isn't gray like that. There has been lots of talk about jungle environments and underwater stuff (not sure how THAT will work), though.
I'm looking forward to another rockin' campaign (hopefully 4 player this time??). My expectations for multiplayer are extremely low. Bring on Horde mode again tho.
It looks like they shaved Cole's head and then glued it to Dom's face.
I hope the whole game isn't gray like that. There has been lots of talk about jungle environments and underwater stuff (not sure how THAT will work), though.
I'm looking forward to another rockin' campaign (hopefully 4 player this time??). My expectations for multiplayer are extremely low. Bring on Horde mode again tho.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Swordfish Studies and Fiddy Cent
Okay....I'm kind of a shooter junkie. I play great shooters, mediocre shooters and even downright bad shooters. 1st or 3rd person makes no difference to me.
Recently I played thru the entire game of "Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard" and it was no easy feat. The game went on for FAR too long, but for some reason even as I was explaining to my understanding wife that I hate this game I felt compelled to finish it. I wanted to see then end. I finished it and shipped it back out on goozex 2 days later.
Next I got "Army of 2: The 40th Day." I am still a BIG fan of the first game which I played for hours and hours both with brjahu, my brother, a few strangers and myself. This new one wasn't bad at all and had some amazing set pieces, but I found myself being just....bored by it. I didn't dislike it. I thought that some control issues were badly implemented and that aiming was a little "slidey," but that it was okay overall. Anyways, I decided to not even finish the game and shipped it out again on goozex yesterday. I finished Matt Hazard, but not The 40th Day...weird.
Anyways, I finally come to my point. Last night I started "50 Cent: Blood on the Sand" and it's awesome. Really tight controls and no nonsense gameplay. The game borrows very heavily from Army of Two over any other shooter and it somehow one ups a major studio like EA MONTREAL.
The story is ridiculous, but the action is fast and tight. You fortunately have no control over your AI partner so he never slows you down and is ALWAYS helpful. The soundtrack is a huge list of 50 Cent songs and the swearing is some of the most prolific in any game to date, but man is it fun.
Just nice to play a game that knows its a game and focuses on fun and fast paced gameplay over story or content. I guess that sometimes I get so bogged down by judging a game on it's content or if it's artsy or "worthy of play" that I forget to just have fun.
It is CO-OP so I would truly love to run through this game with another member of G-UNIT...let me know.
Friday, April 9, 2010
The Downfall of IW
It's falling apart... I blame Activision...
http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/exodus-continues-at-call-of-duty-developer/1396096
http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/exodus-continues-at-call-of-duty-developer/1396096
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
God of War III - Review
So i just finished my 2nd playthru of GOW3 and this game is nothing short of phenomenal, i know the word "Epic" is a bit cliche but GOW goes beyond Epic and it's already my fav game of 2010...
The game starts pretty much straight up where GOW2 left off and it has to go down as the most epic (yes sorry that word again) opening to any game i've played, the sheer scale of this game is like nothing i've seen before. For those who've played Shadow of the Colossus you've experienced some pretty awesome battles...GOW just pisses all over it and i can fully appreciate why it's taken so much time and money to produce.
The Combat is the core gameplay and they've nailed it again, very slick seemless hack and slash. Plenty of variety and complexity to the combos too and it's not just a case of picking your favourite move and repeating over and over (square, square, triangle anyone who's played GOW1 & 2) the AI is pretty smart and certainly on the harder difficulties makes life pretty hard so it's essential to mix up attack patterns and choice of weapons. As the game progresses it gratually rewards you with new ablities and weapons which all come in handy during the course of the game and there's something for everyone there so you can kind of go about your business how you choose.
Graphics are pretty much up on the top tier of this gen and when you consider the scale this game is being rendered on it's something pretty special. It's paced very well, some neat puzzle sections breaks up the intensity of the combat and the boss battles are always nicely built up to so you always feel like theres something you're fighitng towards. The story is well told using a combination of some cool art graphics and the in game engine to create the very nice cutscenes.
It's hard to talk about the best parts of this game without spoiling so i'm going to bring this review to an abrupt end, it's just a game that everyone should get their hands of at somepoint as mentioned before #1 game for me this year so far.
The game starts pretty much straight up where GOW2 left off and it has to go down as the most epic (yes sorry that word again) opening to any game i've played, the sheer scale of this game is like nothing i've seen before. For those who've played Shadow of the Colossus you've experienced some pretty awesome battles...GOW just pisses all over it and i can fully appreciate why it's taken so much time and money to produce.
The Combat is the core gameplay and they've nailed it again, very slick seemless hack and slash. Plenty of variety and complexity to the combos too and it's not just a case of picking your favourite move and repeating over and over (square, square, triangle anyone who's played GOW1 & 2) the AI is pretty smart and certainly on the harder difficulties makes life pretty hard so it's essential to mix up attack patterns and choice of weapons. As the game progresses it gratually rewards you with new ablities and weapons which all come in handy during the course of the game and there's something for everyone there so you can kind of go about your business how you choose.
Graphics are pretty much up on the top tier of this gen and when you consider the scale this game is being rendered on it's something pretty special. It's paced very well, some neat puzzle sections breaks up the intensity of the combat and the boss battles are always nicely built up to so you always feel like theres something you're fighitng towards. The story is well told using a combination of some cool art graphics and the in game engine to create the very nice cutscenes.
It's hard to talk about the best parts of this game without spoiling so i'm going to bring this review to an abrupt end, it's just a game that everyone should get their hands of at somepoint as mentioned before #1 game for me this year so far.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Borderlands
Btw, congratulations to 3N3MY on the birth of his son!
Borderlands is in the mail from Goozex, just in time for my vacation to San Diego. I don't know if any of you still play this but I would love to do some co-op when I get back on the 12th. I bought Borderlands on Steam for the PC, making the mistake of purchasing a digital copy that I can't trade or sell... so I used some points on Goozex to get it.
Anyways, I've been playing a lot more on the 360 lately. Add me on LIVE if you haven't already... JuniperRed
Borderlands is in the mail from Goozex, just in time for my vacation to San Diego. I don't know if any of you still play this but I would love to do some co-op when I get back on the 12th. I bought Borderlands on Steam for the PC, making the mistake of purchasing a digital copy that I can't trade or sell... so I used some points on Goozex to get it.
Anyways, I've been playing a lot more on the 360 lately. Add me on LIVE if you haven't already... JuniperRed
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