The Game Viking!

Big Bang Game Industry

2008-02-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

The game industry can’t seem to stop itself. Software sales alone jumped 34% to $8.64 billion in 2007 from 2006 and are predicted to surpass $10 billion in 2008. Growth is always healthy, but are creative and fun games becoming replaced with bigger and better versions of proven genres?

After I made the move to a current generation console, I was neither expecting nor thrilled about buying $60 games. What happened to the glory years where games ran a cool $40? The answer is that big name games cost much more to develop than in the mid 90’s. An $800,000 budgeted Playstation game would be considered a smash blockbuster if it sold over 1 million units. A single AAA current generation game costing upwards of $20 million is seen as a disappointment by a studio if it only sells 1 million units.

I’ve noticed the increased price for games has changed my purchasing habits. Years ago I would be much more willing to try out a unique looking title that may only be receiving 7’s or 8’s in reviews. At $40 a pop it didn’t seem too bad to go out on a limb every once in a while and try something new. But with games being more expensive now, I tend to not even think about buying a game with reviews less than an 8. If I go out and buy every $60 game that I think looks even decent, how am I gonna be able to afford the $2 Pabst at the bar?

Since studios must rely on such large software sales, they aren’t as likely to release the creatively fun and original games that I idolize. Look at some recent/upcoming games: Devil May Cry 4, Gran Tourismo 5, Grand Theft Auto 4, Ace Combat 6, Call of Duty 4, Metal Gear Solid 4, Virtua Fighter 5, Tekken 6, Resident Evil 5… While these games are all quality titles and some of my personal favorites, they are all just fine-tuned modified versions of the originals. The market is potentially becoming stale and filled with clones.

Luckily a handful of original games come out every year that still can rock the foundations of game design. Digital distribution is also providing a great outlet for smaller developers to get their titles into consumer’s hands. By not needing a publisher, developers can afford to charge less for games distributed online. Xbox Live Arcade games typically sell for $5-15 and produce some original new titles that are a breath of fresh air. Mediums like these are starting to be a great breeding ground for independent studios to get out material that would normally never have a chance to see the light of day.

Nintendo is also doing the industry some good with its casual game market. The Wii and DS led system sales in 2007 and much of that had to do with the type of software Nintendo was putting out. Many of the games were new, inventive, accessible to non-gamers, and plain fun to play. Last year marked the legitimate solidification of the casual games market and I am finding myself investing more and more time into these pick-up and play games. It’s just good to know you can jump in and have some fun without needing to invest multiple hours into an epic title.

While the most high profile games will continue to one-up each other in production values and flare, there is a limit to how many games of one type people can play before becoming bored out of their mind. Thankfully there is still hope for new innovations and the ability to get that into the hands of open-minded gamers. 2008 and beyond is going to be a real eye-opener on the split between causal games and hardcore games. While the monotonous pitfall is ever present, digital distribution allows for fed-up indie developers to churn out normally inaccessible hits for everyone to get their hands on.

2008 Gaming Preview

2008-01-22T22:20:00.001-08:00

My 2008 preview is up over at The Synthesis. First article in a long time, check it out!

The Synthesis 2008 Gaming Preview

Intel buys Havok

2007-09-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

The Irish founded Havok physics engine was purchased by Intel yesterday for a reported $110 million. Havok will continue to be ran as an independent company but will now have Intel as its parent company.

I am surprised that Havok has actually not be purchased yet, as it was founded in 1998 and has been such a featured toolset in so many games. Anyways, hats off to Havok, they helped push games into the current state they are in today and continue to impress.

BioShock Review

2007-09-06T00:59:00.000-07:00

In the 1950’s an underwater city has been erected where the greatest minds in art, medicine, and engineering can freely pursue their creative paths without the hindrance of laws or regulations. Hidden from the rest of the world, the city is Rapture and its founder is a man known as Andrew Ryan. Like most philosophies, the enlightened city of Rapture sounded good in Ryan’s head, yet over the years it has taken a dark and twisted turn from its utopian ideals. After genetic altercation was discovered people began overdosing on their vanity and it destroyed their minds. A war broke out, and all hell broke loose.

While technically BioShock is a first-person shooter, it is difficult not to attempt to classify it as a role playing game and/or action title like the System Shock games that came before it. After a plane crash in the middle of the ocean, the player makes it to a lighthouse and discovers the water entombed Rapture. Armed with a wrench and the first plasmid Electroshock, BioShock evolves into a beast of its own.

A scientific citizen of Rapture created these plasmids that re-write a person’s genetic code and enables them with such unnatural “powers” as electricity. Plasmids are mapped to the left side of the controller while the traditional FPS weapons are on the right. The bumpers are used for plasmid/weapon selection and the triggers use the equipped instrument of survival. The typical fire, ice, and telekinesis plasmids make an appearance but there are also ones such as Enrage which turns an enemy berserk, Target Dummy which creates a replica of the player and draws enemy distraction, and even the Security plasmid which makes enemies susceptible to alarms and turrets. Needless to say, while the player can only have six plasmids equipped at a time, there are more than enough types available to suite any player’s style.

The enemies in Rapture are referred to as Splicers because they have become so junked up on genetic alterations. In order to upgrade plasmids and unlock more slots, the player must get his hands on the most valued substance in Rapture called Adam. Adam can be found in the bodies of deceased Splicers or humans, and acquiring Adam introduces us to the more infamous enemies in the game who are actually not enemies at all. These would be the Big Daddy and Little Sister characters who roam the world and harvest Adam. The Little Sisters are monstrous little girls who crawl out of pipes in the walls and extract Adam by using a syringe tool. While the Little Sister is doing her nasty deed, the Big Daddy is standing guard protecting his investment. The Big Daddy is a large diving suited shell of a man equipped with a rail gun and a disconcerting temper. These characters, if left alone, will have nothing to do with the player. They will go about their business as usual and exist as they have been before you arrived on the scene. But beware; once the player or a greedy Splicer attempts to harm the Little Sister in order to come up on some Adam, he/she will have the Big Daddy to deal with and that is no push over of a foe.

Here is where the player is given a moral dilemma. After defeating the Big Daddy that is protecting the individual Little Sister, the player can either harvest her for the Adam that she possesses and thus kill her, or he can cure the Little Sister and free her of her curse, but at the cost of receiving only a fraction of the Adam. Each player may decide on a different path when it comes to which is more important; saving the innocent or worrying about himself.

Along with being able to upgrade your character with plasmids, there are also three types of Gene Tonics: Physical, Engineering, and Combat. The player can equip six of each type at a time and once equipped the tonics take effect instantly. Physical tonics can make you stronger and more powerful, engineering tonics help with hacking security systems, and combat tonics improve your ability to deal and resist damage. There are a shitload of tonics to either discover or create and the player will need to decide which category is more important along the journey. The six main weapons can be upgraded as well and each weapon can handle multiple ammo types that are suited better for certain enemies. After talking to others who played BioShock, none of us approached the game the same way.

This alone says a lot, especially when dealing with first-person shooters since they can be regarded as the most repetitive genre in gaming. And while these features may sound like interesting gameplay tweaks, they can seemingly become set aside as it is the world of Rapture that steals the show.

Rapture sucks you in the second you enter its walls and it is near impossible to tear your eyes away. The 1950’s motif mixed with WWII propaganda, utopian undertones, and limitless amounts of water combine to bring to life one of the most immersive gaming environments ever created. It looks fabulous and it’s creepy as hell.

The game spans around seven different areas ranging from sadistic medical facilities, slums turned prison camps, a maniacal theater district, and industrial factories. Every area is dilapidated from the carnage that has taken place in Rapture. Rubble is around every corner, apartments are torn apart, fires are burning, and the ocean is slowly attempting to reclaim the city.

Some of this stuff is a real trip. Corpses are strewn everywhere, blood litters the pavement and walls, people have been hung in the town square, and others have been tortured or medically experimented on. Slaughtered families, including children, are still sitting in the living room of their ravished apartment with the television broadcasting an emergency signal. People are coated in plaster and positioned as living statues in the theater district. Make no mistake; BioShock is a very dark game in both its color scheme and content.

BioShock developer Irrational had a whole team dedicated solely on water graphics and physics. While the game takes place entirely indoors, Irrational wanted to make sure the player was always aware of the impending sea. There is running water produced from every nook and cranny, pools of standing water that the player must wade through, and an organic moving current flowing past every window. Sorry Wave Race 64 but you just got ousted.

Once again it is the audio that ties everything together. BioShock boasts a haunting mix of orchestrated and piano-induced tracks guaranteed to chill your bones. There is also some classic 1950’s pop music interlaced that clashes against the somber landscape and confuses the senses. Add in quality sound effects and the audio blends with the visuals in a way that creates an unforgettable ambiance. The constant trickle of water ensures that the player is engulfed by the liquid at all times.

The voice acting is just as superb. Most of the story is explained through radio transmissions and by picking up audio diaries that the residents have left behind. While this may sound like a cheap way of explaining what happened to Rapture, it isn’t. There are only three scenes in the game where the player does not have complete control and must sit through storyline. These do not last for more than a few minutes in length and as such the overall experience never feels broken. The events of Rapture can be found by listening to the audio diaries and investigating the environment. It is a great way to let the player decide how involved he/she wants to become in Rapture’s history and ideally it draws upon the end user’s innate curiosity to flesh out the world.

For the most part I only have very minor complaints with the game. The two that stand out the most should be mentioned as they were more prominent than the others. There was not enough enemy variety for my taste. The Big Daddies and Little Sisters were fantastically unique and the handful of different Splicer types were all quality as well, but just a few more would have been cool. Plus, it seemed like all of the enemies were introduced within the first area of gameplay. Spreading out the encounters may have been more rewarding. Secondly, the player cannot die. You can carry up to nine first aid packs to heal yourself during battle, but even if you die (which I did often) you will be respawned at a Vita-Chamber with no consequence. The enemies will retain however much damage you dealt before dying and you don’t lose any items or get penalized for failing. This began to bother me after a while because the player isn’t really forced to figure out a strategy in using all the cool abilities he has decided upon. You can just go out, take some damage off a Big Daddy, die, and repeat until the area is cleared. I found it to be an odd design choice, as it didn’t really make some situations as difficult or intense as they could have been.

I could go on another couple of pages about how much more there is to do in BioShock such as becoming a hacking expert, doing enemy research by taking photographs, collecting and creating items through invention machines, and dealing with security cameras and bots. But the facts remain; the controls are tight and responsive, the game is drenched in style and substance, the art and design are fantastic, the story is great, the AI is phenomenal, and oh yeah, it’s fun. I honestly cannot wait to return to BioShock after the New Year and play it an entirely different way than my first outing. Play this game alone, at night, with the volume pumped and prepare for one of the most intense and unforgettable experiences with a game in recent memory. I haven’t been in bed after a gaming session with my mind playing tricks on me this bad since Resident Evil 2. Even if you don’t like shooters, go buy this game. It is a must play for any video game fan.

Retail Profits: Special Edition

2007-08-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

I wrote this about a year ago but it is just as prevelent today. Especially with the three different versions of Halo 3 coming out reaching a pricetag of $130 for the game and a Master Chief replica mini-helmet. BioShock had a special edition with a Big Daddy statue as well. I guess these are cool for kids with a bunch of cash to burn, but I already think a regular price of $59.99 is too much. Anyway, let me know how you feel about it.

There is a new plague contaminating the gaming world. Oh no! What could it be? Our worst nightmare has come to life with the emergence of Special Edition/Limited Edition games. This whole ruckus began in the DVD world, as any self respecting collector knows about the double dip. A double dip is when a studio releases a film and then a few months to a year later release a “Special Edition” version with new extras and/or transfer and audio. This spineless profiting tactic begins to enrage a fan of the film because after dropping $20-30 the first time, they have to spend another $20-30 for the better version. The best example of this can be found in the Star Wars Trilogy. From VHS to DVD this series has spawned not just two releases of the set but multiple editions. We have the original theatrical trilogy, the widescreen edition, the enhanced THX version, the re-released 1997 special edition, etc. This in turn always makes me cautious when buying a new release DVD. I have found myself not swooping on a film that I may really enjoy because of the fear of having to re-buy it at a later date.

I recently experienced such a feeling when I purchased Resident Evil 4 for the PS2 last fall. I eagerly walked into the store and asked for the title. “All we have left is the Limited Edition,” I was told. I was in a rush, the extras sounded cool, and I was a fan of the series. So for ten more bucks I got a metal case with different artwork from the regular edition and a bonus DVD with a making of feature. I decided that I had come out on top and returned home a satisfied customer. That is until I viewed my extra disk and was slapped in the face with a ten minute pile of shit. I gained minor insight to the development of the game. Any information thrown at me could be easily found online. Ten bucks may not sound like much money but it could have been put towards an 18-pack instead of wasting 10 minutes of my life.

Afterwards, I began noticing more and more titles being released with the Limited Edition sticker pimp slapped across their covers. Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Limited Edition. If that paragraph of a title alone doesn’t piss you off then maybe the soundtrack, tin case, and graffiti book for ten more bucks will. Another ten dollars down the drain can get you Driver: Parellel Lines Limited Edition with soundtrack and a behind the scenes feature. True gamers want to play a good game, not be drowned in accessories. The list of companies jumping on this bandwagon is rapidly increasing. Why pay the extra cheese when there is no difference in game content?

Now, for some games that have done it right. Virtua Fighter 4 was released to critical acclaim only to be followed by Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution a year and some change later. Are two new characters, improved graphics, and the addition of the original Virtua Fighter worth $49.99? Apparently Sega didn’t think so and thus posted the new release with an MSRP of $19.99. I can live with that. Another huge title was double dipped with Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistance. It was released again with a price of $29.99 and the inclusion of an all new online multiplayer mode, Replay Theater to view all cut scenes, the original Metal Gear 1 & 2, plus mini-games. For two titles that already kicked major ass, these double dips were handled perfectly.

So beware fellow gamers, this is only the beginning. We must make a stand and not allow ourselves to be mesmerized by fancy extras thrown in our face. Unless it’s a plush Chocobo doll, how can anyone resist Final Fantasy swag?

Eternal Sonata Demo Impressions

2007-08-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, it is a horrible fact that this game is going to be the game this fall that everybody should play yet nobody will. The reason? Because it is not going to get the advertising that it deserves and it will be buried by the 20 other established big name releases coming out in the surrounding months. This brakes my heart because Eternal Sonata is shaping up to be one of the best RPG’s to hit the current generation systems yet.

This game takes place in the famous composer Frederic Chopin’s dream world as he lies on his deathbed. Eternal Sonata is a traditional Japanese role playing game and some people may hate on it at first glance for not offering anything new. Although it looks like a number of RPGs from the past in terms of combat, Eternal Sonata needs only one chance to change your mind.

The combat system is an evolving entity of its own. It begins turn-based, then as the player gains experience it starts taking elements away so that eventually the combat is much more real-time. For the demo the player is at level two and this allows a nice mix of turn-based and real-time combat for someone who has never played Eternal Sonata.

Another factor in battles is that areas of the arena are shrouded in light and dark. Depending if either a party member or enemy is situated in the light or in the shade, different abilities are at their disposal. For instance, each party member has a special move, one for light and one for dark. Depending on where he/she is in the arena depends on which move is available and thus not only do players need to be mindful of which abilities each party member has, but also mindful of the character’s positioning as it will effect battle strategy. The same goes for enemies, which can even be physically altered by the shade/light. This seemingly minor twist to combat is just enough to switch things up while retaining some of the familiar.

I totally love the look of Eternal Sonata (OMG I TOTALLY LOVE IT!). From the character designs, environments, visual effects, coloring, and polish, Eternal Sonata has a style of its own. The game is hauntingly linear, but I don’t really mind this while exploring massive areas/dungeons. The cut-scenes are shot well and animations look great.

Since this story takes place in Chopin’s dome I figured that the music has got to be worthy of such an association. From the few areas that the demo allows the player to explore I can say that so far the score for Eternal Sonata is top quality.

While the relatively short demo spans only a small village and a few forests, there are not many negative things I can say about Eternal Sonata. Plus there are enough elements that have me wanting this game even more than I did last week. Personally it has been much too long since I got to play through a quality JRPG and I miss the nostalgic style of gameplay and presentation. If you fancy yourself an RPG this fall, check out Eternal Sonata on September 17th.

Stranglehold Demo Impressions

2007-08-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

The demo for John Woo Presents Stranglehold came out this Wednesday on Xbox Live, along with a demo for Eternal Sonata (which I will have impressions posted shortly). But for now let us take a look at Stranglehold shall we?

Stranglehold is a cool idea with big ambitions and I was on the fence as to how this game would turn out. It has all the ingredients to be a third-person shooter rivaling the brilliant Max Payne, but if not executed perfectly Stranglehold may just be the game that COULD have been better than Max Payne. After playing the demo, which consists of the games first level minus the boss, I am still undecided.

This demo is fun. It is a tad easy for my taste but from what I have heard Stranglehold eases you into the game and then punks your skills by ramping up the difficulty significantly. The harder difficulties are unlocked after beating the demo and I enjoyed the frantic pace and more challenging areas. The player has access to two of the four “Tequila Bombs” which are his special moves. Heal does what you think it does and Trueshot allows the player to zero in on an enemy and pull off a one hit kill. Beat the demo a few times and you will eventually have access to all of the Tequila Bombs. These include Barrage, which turn Tequila invincible and ramp up the strength and firing speed of your weapons, and a smart-bomb type attack that kills everyone in the vicinity in a cinematic full of flying doves and shot up thugs.

A brainchild of John Woo and Chow-Yun Fat, it is no surprise that Stranglehold is very cinematic. Long cut-scenes have the player feeling like he is watching a movie and the gameplay lends to the notion that this game could be a feature film. The player also gets a taste of another gameplay element called Standoffs. Twice in the demo Tequila enters the Standoff mode which is when he finds himself in a situation surrounded by bad guys. The camera becomes fixed and cycles through each enemy who is actively trying to gun down Tequila. By using the right stick to aim and the left stick to avoid incoming bullets, Tequila can take out each threat and ideally come out unscathed.

Stranglehold is touting itself as having Massive D that is supposed to stand for Massive Destruction, but every time I read it I just think Massive Dick and start giggling childishly. Stranglehold is processing tons of destructible Havok objects in this game and rooms will be transformed for the worse after Tequila does his dirty work. Many objects are highlighted to bring the player’s attention to more effective targets that can cause chain reactions or change the environment in order to aid the outnumbered Tequila.

I played through the demo three times and enjoyed it more during each playthough. The harder difficulty is a better challenge and after becoming familiar with the areas the player is really able to create some fabulous shoot-outs. Hopefully the full game can keep bringing fresh ideas and fun levels throughout the final build. If you like guns and Massive D(ick), check out Stranglehold either now with the Xbox Live demo or when it releases on August 27th.

Mario Strikers Charged Review

2007-08-08T21:38:00.002-07:00

Mario Strikers Charged revisits the franchise and finds a more than satisfactory home on the Wii. This 4 v. 4 soccer title has taken all the great elements of its predecessor and strengthened its side during the off season. Players choose a captain (Mario, Bowser, Donkey Kong, etc.) and also three sidekicks (Boo, Koopa, Hammer Bros., etc.) to fill out the lineup. The ability to individually pick your sidekicks, instead of them being assigned like in the previous Strikers, bumps up the strategy as each sidekick now has attributes and a special maneuver which allow for more of a team feel instead of sidekicks being just another body on the field.

But still it’s only the captains that can perform megastrikes. These moves can send up to six balls hurdling towards goal in an attempt to take a substantial lead. On defense the opposing goalie has to block the barrage using the Wii Remote, which acts as the goalie’s hands. It is a great battle and skilled goalies can shut the attacker out. But beware because if the attacker can nail the megastrike, the shots will be hurdling much faster towards the screen.

Each captain also has their own special moves to change the game dynamics. For example, Mario becomes super sized as he turns into Super Mario and can squash the competition under his feet. Donkey Kong has an area clearing Thunder Wham strike and Waluigi can create impenetrable vine walls that can be used to trap players or block shots.

The Wii Remote is used very sparingly in this game and that is because it isn’t needed that often. I like this approach as it makes the motion controlled instances more exciting and the game plays more smoothly that it would with a ton of forced motion gimmicks. The graphics in Strikers Charged are very clean and it looks great for the Wii. Levels are nicely varied and they offer tons of interactivity. The presentation feels more like an arena battle than a soccer match.

Charged is a fun game but playing against the computer will get repetitive sooner than later. This should not be a problem as Charged is the most fun when matched up against human opponents. Strikers offers up to four players either online or off. Players will notice that when playing against others, megastrikes and play buildups will not be as easy. This is because your friends are less compassionate than the computer and the game quickly turns into a brawl. While this changes the gameplay a bit, it results in a frustrating yet undeniably competitive time with friends.

Once again Nintendo delivers a great multiplayer game with a mass of unlockables to blast though. Some smaller issues aside, Strikers Charged is a fun title and one of the best releases for the Wii in the past few months. If you have a Wii and are bored with your current game selection, grab some friends and get on the pitch with Mario Strikers Charged.

GTA IV DELAYED

2007-08-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

Well if you haven't heard about this since it was announced last week, GTA IV has been delayed until Spring 2008. Does this suck? Yes. Is this good? Yes. With so many freaking games this fall, GTA IV was going to be one of the most time draining of the bunch. Thankfully I know have those 80 hours to distribute towards the 12 other games I will be playing in the next four months. And that makes one more game I can purchase. So while we have to wait that much longer, the delay of GTA IV is an actual blessing in disguise.

I am sure every other publisher in the world is excited about this news as well since that is one less MASSIVE title off the list, giving gamers extra cash to spend on other games.

Many fingers have pointed at the PS3 build as being the culprit for the delay, as presumedly the Xbox 360 version was rearing to go. GTA games are notoriously buggy so these extra six months will bring us the most polished and fine-tuned GTA IV that we could ever want.

Welcome

2007-08-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

Glad you all could make it through the transition with me. Had to get a slicker address for people to find me. Don't forget to bookmark this new address!!

-Mark

Fall Preview Part 2

2007-08-03T21:13:00.001-07:00

I decided that my Fall Preview of the games in my previous post was just not enough for this year, so how about ten more! With all three consoles becoming at least a year old in 2007, this translates into more solid games for us to enjoy. 2007 has the strongest line-up in a while and I could probably write a Part 3 with 10 more games. But for now check out these titles (some more PS3 and Wii entries since I neglected them last preview) which should all be on numerous people’s lists this fall.

Warhawk
PlayStation 3
August 2007

Incog Inc.’s newest IP (Intellectual Property) is Warhawk, an online multiplayer action game. Incog is responsible for one of the greatest PS2 titles, and the best Twisted Metal game ever, Twisted Metal Black. I played the shit out of Twisted Metal Black, which was a great multiplayer title that never got old in its own right. Warhawk looks to take the fundamentals that Incog nailed in Twisted Metal and rework them into a completely new and just as addictive game exclusively for the PS3.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Wii
August 2007

Metroid Prime 3 is a must-buy for Wii owners. My first time ever playing a Wii was at E3 2006 and the game was Metroid Prime 3 (which I had to stand in line FOREVER behind stupid Adam Sessler who sucked balls at it). The Wii Remote controls fit perfectly for this style of gameplay and from what I played almost a year and a half ago, Nintendo has integrated it so well that players will forget all about the lame non-motion controls of old. I didn’t get a chance to play Metroid Prime 2 but heard it was good. Even without a major graphical facelift, MP3 should blow the first two games out of the water.

John Woo Presents: Stranglehold
Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
September 2007

Following the main character Inspector Tequila from the 1992 action classic “Hard Boiled”, John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat bring us Stranglehold. While Fat stars in the game, both of these legends had a say in the game content in order to make it as close to a John Woo film as possible. Fully destructible environments along with promising environmental interactions during bullet-time result in some truly Woo-worthy moments. Will the gameplay be fun throughout the entire experience or will players get tired of it by the third level? The jury is still out.

LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii
November 2007

The immensely popular LEGO Star Wars franchise is back and offers the ability to play through all six Star Wars Episodes in one game. I have never got my hands on a LEGO Star Wars title but older players seem to enjoy it just as much as the youngsters do. Even more new characters are being added from the franchise to bring the running total to over 160. Mix and match to create customize characters and use the Wii Remote for an all new experience. This will be a holiday title for both kids and Star Wars fans alike.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
PlayStation 3
October 2007

Another series that I haven’t ever played but always receives critical acclaim, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction makes its current-gen debut exclusively for the PS3. Insomniac games, along with Jak and Daxter developer Naughty Dog, have perfected the platforming genre with amazing animations and witty slapstick humor reminiscent of Pixar/Dreamworks animated films. From the video of the newest Ratchet & Clank offering I can say that it looks beautiful and has a slew of new gadgets which should be a riot to play around with. This is yet another title that is guaranteed to be worthy of your fall money.

The Orange Box
Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3
October 2007

Okay, so you are on a tight budget like me, there are way too many releases this fall to buy all of them, and you need to get the most for your money. You want value? Enter Valve’s The Orange Box. For the $60 price tag of a normal game you get they award winning Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode 1, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. It sounds too good to be true but it is in fact reality. The add-on episodic content contributes a solid amount of gameplay after Hal-Life 2 ends. Team Fortress didn’t have my attention at first but it is primed to become the best class-based multiplayer squad game yet. However, the main interest for me in this package is Portal. This tripped-out puzzle game has the player using portals to solve some surprisingly complicated objectives. If you like shooters, GET THIS GAME.

Lair
PlayStation 3
August 2007

Lair is the first game to fully embrace the SIX-AXIS controls for the PS3. You fly around on your dragon and battle enemies both in the air and on the land. The idea of this game is sweet; who doesn’t want to battle it out in the skies against other dragons and their riders, only to land in the middle of a hand-to-hand battle and douse the opposing army in face-melting flames? If the controls are pulled off correctly this game could work. The graphics look good and the premise is quality; we shall wait and see.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Wii
December 2007

I have never been a big fan of the Super Smash Bros. series but a lot of people are. This newest entry supports full online functionality and new playable characters. The two highlights are Wario and, stunner when announced, Solid Snake. It has been stated by series creator Masahiro Sakurai that Brawl will feature the traditional GameCube controls since they found that too much Wii Remote motion control was ruining the gameplay. Get your friends together and prepare for battle in early December.

Folklore
PlayStation 3
October 2007

Folklore is a PS3 exclusive action/RPG game that has a lot of promise. The game looks fantastic with an awesome fantasy feel, great character design, and a heap of special effects. Being whisked away into a magical world, Folklore reminds me of a Spirited Away storyline mixed with some of the dark imagery from Pan’s Labyrinth. Not a whole lot of info has been released about this game so if you are an action/RPG fan keep your radar for this game on lock.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
November 2007

Another in-your-face game that I am pumped to see deliver is Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. One being a flawed mercenary and the other a medicated psychopath, these two bad dudes look like they are not ones to be fucked with. Little is known about this title too, but I do know how one of the levels flows and it sounds like good times. Starting on the rooftops dressed as window washers, Kane and Lynch (along with the rest of their team) prepare for their plan to unfold. After making their way down the side of the building they break through the glass and navigate towards the floor level. Making their way out to the city streets they are confronted by what seems to be the entire police force and a shootout the likes of Heat begins. Perfect. Created by the team behind the Hitman series, this game is a shooter with squad commands and hopefully we will learn more before it comes out in a few months.

E3 and Fall Preview

2007-08-03T21:12:00.001-07:00

Well it has been a while since my last post. E3 was a non-stop flood of info as usual and I could hardly keep up with it myself let alone write a ton of blogs about it. Work has been busy lately too so I promise to try and get back into a routine here.

On that note, this post is a melding of my favorites from E3 as well as a Fall Preview so that you all have a heads up as to what I am excited for in the next five months. I am leaving out such guarantees as Madden 08, Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, and BioShock either because of their obvious ability to have every gamer’s attention already or them being previously highlighted on my site. Sorry for all the Xbox 360 love but this is gonna be a huge fall for Microsoft, and being an Xbox 360 owner I am finally pumped to expand my collection.

Assassin’s Creed
Xbox 360 and PlayStation3
November 2007

This game has been on my radar ever since I saw it at E3 last year and it is shaping up to be one of the leading games this fall. Assassin's Creed takes place during The Crusades and you play as Altair, an assassin in a secret guild who must gather information to take out targets throughout the game. I love the era this game takes place in while the art and environmental feel that Ubisoft Montreal has seemed to capture looks amazing. Gameplay involves a brand new control scheme that lets the agile Altair scale walls, trounce rooftops, and blend into a crowd with ease. I cannot wait to get my hands on this title.

Virtua Fighter 5
Xbox 360
October 2007

Already released on the PS3, Virtua Fighter 5 is finally making its way to the Xbox 360. With finer tuned gameplay and rumored cleaner graphics than its Sony version, VF5’s main draw over it’s own competition is that the Xbox 360 version will be fully online through Xbox Live. I am getting sick of the new trend in game sequels, but the Virtua Fighter series is my favorite fighting game and it is going to be a joy to get back into this near perfect fighter. Look for my customized Wolf to be clotheslining the competition all over Live this fall.

Super Mario Galaxy
Wii
August 2007

I don’t really know what to say about Galaxy. This is going to be the greatest Super Mario game since Super Mario 64 and possibly the best one ever made. Taking advantage of the Wii Remote in all its glory, Galaxy is going to clear even more Wii units off the shelf (like it even needed any help). In this game Mario travels from planet to planet visiting different fully 3D worlds with variant gravitational effects. Just go buy this game the day it comes out and toss it in your Wii. I wish you luck in trying to turn it off.

Mass Effect
Xbox 360
November 2007

This Xbox 360 exclusive title is being brought to us by the RPG masters over at BioWare. Mass Effect takes place some time in the future and, besides its gorgeous looking graphics, it promises to take us on an amazing journey with characters that we actually care about. A vast setting, fully customizable characters with skill trees, fun combat, and a seemingly endless amount of branching storylines are sure to please RPG fans to the fullest. With the possibility of each playthrough being drastically different in story and character development, Mass Effect is another one that I cannot wait to dive into.

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
Xbox 360
October 2007

One of my favorite series is making its current-gen debut and exclusive Xbox 360 release this fall with Ace Combat 6. I played all the Ace Combat titles on the PS2 and I am heavily anticipating this newest effort from Namco. Photorealistic terrain and the arcade style combat that serves up some of the best dogfights around is back and also fully supported by Xbox Live for battles of up to 16 players. If that doesn’t sound like fun then I don’t know what does. Keep those formations tight and watch out for bogies!

Heavenly Sword
PlayStation3
September 2007

I was initially biased towards not giving a crap about this game because it looked like a female version of God of War (I know Matt, you can say “I told you so” in the comments). After watching more videos and developer commentaries about Heavenly Sword, the game just looks so damn polished that it is hard not to mention it. Plus the graphics are through the roof with production value. Look for this PS3 exclusive title to boost PS3 owners bragging rights in September.

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Xbox 360 and PS3
October/November 2007

While Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction for the PS2 and Xbox wasn’t the greatest title to hit the market, I enjoyed the hell out of it and played through the whole thing. It was an open world GTA clone but it had its own image with some great gameplay ideas that seemed to be limited by the hardware at the time. With the new consoles able to handle much more processing power, Mercenaries 2 looks to be everything that the first game tried to be. Calling in air strikes to level both jungle and modern environments should have me smiling from beginning to end.

Eternal Sonata
Xbox 360
September 2007

Finally Xbox 360 owners are getting the RPGs that they deserve and Eternal Sonata has been slated as the sleeper hit of the fall. Taking place in composer Frederic Chopin’s head while he lay on his deathbed, Eternal Sonata has an original look and feel to it that instantly sucked me in. With a battle system centered around light and dark sections of the combat area, the changes to party members attacks and abilities adds a new dynamic to fights. With so many established huge hits coming out this fall, Eternal Sonata is destined to become buried in the commotion. But for the RPG enthusiasts out there, make sure to keep your ears open for this potential gem.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Xbox 360, PS3, and PC
October/November 2007

The first Call of Duty for the PC was one of the greatest shooters I had ever played. Not only did it have great visuals, pacing, and presentation, but the audio was blowing my room apart and had me freaking out due to the intensity and immersion that Call of Duty captured. But after, and even before, Call of Duty and its subsequent two sequels, the WWII shooter genre has become one of my least enjoyable gaming experiences. There are so many damn WWII titles out that I guess developer Infinity Ward heeded the complaints and decided to bring the franchise to the modern era. I have no doubt that Call of Duty 4 will finally bring the same awesome experience that the first title produced, and thrust us face first into this new setting. It is unbelievable that all the screenshots released so far are using the in-game engine.

Army of Two
Xbox 360 and PlayStation3
November 2007

It is hard for me to resist a good Co-Op game. I love the feeling of working with a partner(s) to beat the computer and let everyone know we were unstoppable. Electronic Arts new title Army of Two is becoming the ultimate two-player Co-Op game as you team up with a buddy in order to make a shit-load of cash as a well-tuned mercenary duo. Not many details have been released about gameplay mechanics, but if this game is anything close to what the screenshots indicate, then I am all for it.

So there it is, a small taste of things to come. I didn't even get to everything so maybe I will get a Part 2 up soon...

PS3 Price Drop

2007-08-03T21:11:00.001-07:00

It looks like Sony could not even wait for E3 to make their first big announcement. The PS3 will get a price drop by $100, but don't get too excited. Basically the 20 gig PS3 is gone and the previous $599 60 gig model is going to be $499. Now, for the original $599 pricetag, consumers will get an 80 gig PS3 along with a copy of MotorStorm.

So for the same $599 you will recieve 20 more gigs and MotorStorm. Is it worth it yet to pick up this package? Not in my book. Sony is hoping this will spark holiday sales and it probably will. Personally I will wait for a real price drop and some better games, especially during this killer fall that the Xbox 360 is going to have. Count it!

Kanye Hearts Akira

2007-08-03T21:10:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, even Kayne West loves Akira as is evident in his new video entitled "Stronger". Check out the video here, it is a total rip. But don't take it from me, here are some insightful comments left on Kanye's page.

"Parts of this video are based on scenes from Akira,, this super dope anime movie that came out in the 80's .. but wutever this video is the shizz"

-higherstate

This calculus inspired equation might sum it up best.

"Japan+Kanye+Daft Punk+Hype+Akira=genius"

-dauphine

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2007

2007-08-03T21:09:00.002-07:00

It is my favorite time of year, E3 baby!! Well that and the Tokyo Game Show. Okay, so E3 this year has officially been reworked from the traditional shit-storm super event of years past that played host to 60,000 attendees and is now a much smaller event (around 5,000) for only press and industry folk. Look for the Entertainment for All expo to take E3's place during October. It is open to the public with 4-day Passes going for $90 and fewer day passes a bit cheaper. But who cares about the new format, it is still guaranteed that some major bombs will be dropped at E3 (or the E3 Media and Business Summit as it is now known). Can't wait for some new trailers, announcements, and news for what's on the horizon in the coming year!

The Darkness Review

2007-08-03T21:09:00.001-07:00

The Darkness is a wild ride and that is exactly how the game starts out, in the back of a car being chased by the cops. Based on the Top Cow comic, you play as Jackie Estacado, a mafia hitman working for your Uncle Paulie. Too bad that Uncle Paulie’s idea of a 21st birthday present is ensuring you don’t live to see your 22nd. The Darkness saves Jackie’s life and these devilish serpent heads take their rightful place on either side of Jackie’s shoulders, aiding him on his path towards revenge.

This is a first person shooter but along with the typical weapons found in a shooter, the player also gets to control The Darkness on his journey. There are four different Darkness Powers to be obtained throughout the game. Staying in the dark is what gives The Darkness its powers; so constantly exterminating light sources is a crucial part of the game. The Darkness attempts to differentiate itself from other shooters in these regards and it succeeds, to a degree.

The first Darkness Power Jackie has control over is called Creeping Dark. Creeping Dark plants one of The Darkness heads on the ground and gives the player full control to take out thugs. Creeping Dark works great for stealth kills and can clear out areas for Jackie without him ever being in harms way. Creeping Dark can slither along walls and the ceiling, but it isn’t without its problems. Transitioning to a wall or ceiling is very disorientating and The Darkness head can sometimes become stuck which is frustrating. A tad bit better controls for Creeping Dark would have made it much more fun.

The Demon Arm is a razor sharp appendage that is quite useful. Demon Arm can skewer enemies much like Bishop’s demise in Aliens. Enemies can be flung with the Demon Arm, as it is capable of lifting large objects that would be impossible for a normal human. Object moving is only used in a handful of puzzles and players will quickly learn that its most useful skill is smashing out light sources. This is quicker than manually aiming weapons at each light bulb in the game and saves on ammo too.

Darkness Guns are worthless. They drain the player’s Darkness Power rapidly and are no more efficient than the regular handguns. I don't even want to waste space talking about them.

A bit past halfway through the game, Black Hole is introduced. This creates a sort of gravity bomb that draws enemies and objects into its crushing force. This move looks great but it is almost too effective as no enemy has a chance when caught by it. Much of the rest of the game is a breeze just for the fact that Black Hole is so powerful.

The most used, and creepiest ability that The Darkness manifests, is consuming the hearts of killed enemies. By pressing “A” next to a dead body, the right head of The Darkness plunges into the lifeless chest and rips out the heart, gnawing on it and ultimately swallowing the prized possession. What is the point of this you may ask? To level up your Darkness Power of course! This move is way cool but can get repetitive after doing it 300 times. Still, I have never seen this in a game before and it gets my seal of approval.

The last element under Jackie’s disposal is the power to summon Darklings. These sadistic little demons come in four varieties such as the Berserker, Gunner, Kamikaze, and Lightkiller. The Darkling AI is not very refined and I found the Darklings to be more useful in distracting enemies than working beside you.

I applaud Starbreeze for attempting something new in the shooter genre but it feels as though The Darkness cannot decide if it is an adventure game with supernatural powers or a hardcore shooter. After gaining the first two Darkness Powers the player hardly needs to even use his weapons. The same can be said the other way where the player can just go through the entire game using his guns only. While the option for players to decide on how to handle situations is always welcomed, the balance between the two could have been more complementary.

The weapon variety is limited and the dual pistols, which are the first weapons in Jackie’s possession, are the most effective throughout all five chapters. There was nothing cool or interesting about the weapon types and they did not add to the gameplay. Handguns were the most accurate and fastest choice, and seemed to deal close to the same amount of damage as the assault rifle. Plus dual-wielding handguns when next to enemies allows for some super hardcore executions. There is nothing like shooting someone in the gut and then sticking the barrel of the other gun in their mouth and pulling the trigger.

Speaking of, The Darkness is definitely not for kids. Not only are the executions brutal and watching hearts get devoured over 300 times a bit excessive, but also some of the cutscenes were making my jaw drop. The freaked out audio and ambiance of the game combined with the mature subject matter creates some intense moments in The Darkness that may be difficult for some to stomach.

The graphics in The Darkness are, well, dark. The game takes place in two areas, NYC and a nightmarish Otherworld where WWI has never ended. NYC is oozing with the gritty night feel of being in a big city after hours. Between the action Jackie travels the subway, which is his main method of getting to the different areas of the city, and it is captured perfectly. The demonic WWI Otherworld is a visual treat as well. Great art design makes traveling here a nice change of scenery, although it can be confusing at times as to where you are on the expansive battlefields. Non-player character animations are stiff and the characters wave their hands around like idiots while talking.

The audio in The Darkness is superb. SFX are great and the soundtrack is nice, but most of all the excellent voice acting lends to making the environment feel alive and engages the story. Mike Patton, lead singer of Faith No More, lends his vocal talents to become the voice of The Darkness. Without this unforgettable voice, The Darkness would not have been the seething entity that it comes across as. The music is intense during battle and there is a cool somber theme that plays between levels.

The Darkness multiplayer is a joke. This game was meant for the single player experience and should have been left at that. Players can either be mobsters or Darklings in eight player matches. The Darklings are faster while mobsters are stronger. A small amount of crummy maps and only four game types don’t help either.

The Darkness was a game I had been anticipating, as it could have been awesome or really bad. In the end it came out as neither. The tweaks attempted to freshen up gameplay was appreciated but did not quite work. There was some major downtime in the subway sections between levels and the side missions were basic find and kill jobs that increased game time but did not add to the experience. The story was the real drive for me to want and finish The Darkness, but even that left a slew of unanswered questions. During the slow summer months The Darkness is worth checking out, just don’t expect it to eat your heart out.

Call of Juarez Review

2007-08-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

Saddle up partner; Call of Juarez is taking us back to the Wild West. This is the story of Billy and Ray, two guys on the run and on the hunt. After young gun Billy is framed for killing his mother and stepfather, Bible preaching Ray goes after Billy with the Lord on his side. You see Billy’s stepfather is Ray’s brother, and Ray doesn’t take the news of him being murdered too well. The real reason for the two deaths falls on an unruly gang of outlaws searching for the pendant in Billy’s possession. This pendant just so happens to be the key to the lost gold of Juarez.

You play as both characters throughout the game, with Billy and Ray alternating levels. Billy is quick, wields a whip to swing around on, and can rock a bow like no other. Most of his missions deal with more emphasis on sneaking and platforming. Billy has both villains and Ray after him so you are always feeling the hunted when in Billy’s moccasins.

Ray on the other hand is what I would describe as a true product of the West. This reformed gunman has found solace in the Good Book and cast away his questionable past. That is until the day his brother is murdered. Most of Ray’s missions consist of hunting down Billy as well as cleaning up the remaining outlaws tracking Billy. Ray is a bit slower but he can take more damage than his younger and more nimble prey. Using a more head-on approach, Ray also has a slow motion “Concentration Mode” that allows him to target and take down multiple enemies at once. And best of all Ray can equip the Bible as a weapon to strike fear into the souls of the wicked, hurray!!

I enjoyed Ray’s missions a bit more. They were more action orientated and there is something about yelling verses at an enemy with the Bible in one hand while unloading six rounds into him with the other. I must say that shooting an arrow through an enemy’s head with Billy got some well-deserved smiles from me as well.

The graphics in Call of Juarez are not that great. The atmosphere is rather dry and brown as I am sure it was back then, but this limits Call of Juarez’s variety. CoJ does do a very nice job at capturing the feel of the country frontier though. Environments are massive with huge draw distances that reproduce the setting in CoJ nicely. There is a great train robbery level too. NPC animations are stiff and a bit silly looking, although enemies reacting to slugs while in Ray’s Concentration Mode are awesome.

The one aspect of this game that really brings everything together is the music. CoJ has a fantastic western themed soundtrack. From moseying country ditties to more energetic action compositions, CoJ nails it. I was pleasantly surprised in the audio department and it made my experience that much more memorable. The voice acting doesn’t take itself too seriously with its stereotypical lines, but I got a kick out of them.

Multiplayer is like any other first person shooter but with a western theme. There are four character classes and a wide range of maps, some good and some bad. Multiplayer in the CoJ Universe works and is still fun. People should be spending a decent amount of time on Live with this.

When the dust settles some people are going to love this game and others are going to hate it. CoJ brings nothing new to the FPS genre and players will not give it a chance for this reason alone. While simplistic and repetitive, I still enjoyed it overall. This game is more of a great rental than a solid purchase. But for fans of westerns CoJ has two guns, one for each of ya.

GTA IV

2007-08-03T21:07:00.002-07:00

Here it is. Trailer number 2.

Manhunt 2 Controversy

2007-08-03T21:07:00.001-07:00

Well Manhunt 2 has been making headlines during the last week. Coming out for the PS2 and Wii, the sequel to one of the most hardcore games ever has been banned from sale in the UK. I played the first Manhunt on the PS2 when it came out and there was some fucked up shit goin down in that game. But of course I loved it and finished the murderous adventure. My favorite weapon had to be the plastic bag. It was so simplistic yet suffocating somebody with it created one of those "holy shit" moments in my life. Not really one of the "holy shit that was kinda crazy" moments but more of the "holy shit that was kinda wrong" moments. The first Manhunt did have the most brutal death I had ever seen in a video game and from the sound of it the new title doesn't let up from the first.

A few days after its official UK ban, it was revealed that Manhunt 2 would receive an AO Rating (Adults Only) here in the US. While this is not a governmental ban like in the UK, both Sony and Nintendo have a policy of not allowing AO rated content for their systems. No console video game has ever received an Adults Only rating before.

After all these reports last week it just made me want to play Manhunt 2 even more. This game must be real twisted. There were some quotes from an IGN.com video featuring some Nintendo editors whom had sat down with the game that spiked my interest even more. They go as follows:

Matt Casamassina

"This is the most gruesome game I have ever seen."

"People who have watched us play this..they are grossed out."

Mark Bozon

"I have never seen anything or played anything that is more violent than this."

(Referring to the Wii motion control) "It's frightening. It is absolutely frightening...Every step of the way you are doing the motion and seeing a reaction that is bloody and violent."

Hey, sounds good to me! Whenever somebody says anything along the lines of "this is the craziest shit I have ever seen" I am pretty much sold and destined to check it out. Since the end of last week, Manhunt 2 has also been banned in Ireland and Take-Two has decided to shelve the project until they can decide on what they want to do.

They can obviously alter the game to bring the rating up to a Mature rating or they can appeal the AO rating that was given. I don't see Take-Two bowing out because they believe in their games and feel that they have the right to make what they want. Yet if the game can't get to consumers than they have an even bigger problem. It looks like we will just have to wait and find out but I would like to get my hands on this game as soon as possible.

Ace Combat 6 Trailer

2007-08-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

The first trailer for Ace Combat 6 is up finally and I'm LOVIN' IT. Nothing beats dogfighting some fools down with a couple of Sidewinders. I have been playing Ace Combat for many years and been so pumped for a current-gen title. Check it out over IGN.com.

Ace Combat 6 Trailer

2007-08-03T21:06:00.000-07:00

Winning Eleven 2008 First Info

2007-08-03T21:05:00.002-07:00

YES, finally a legit entry for the series as last years Xbox 360 effort was lacking in content and customization. Just go and read the article at IGN.com because I get too excited for this game every year and will just end up writing 16-pages about it. Here are some of the first screenshots for your footballing eyes!

Grand Theft Auto IV Details

2007-08-03T21:05:00.001-07:00

Some interesting news stories caught my eye last week but I did not piece them together until today.

Last week I saw this article reporting on Take-Two's Second Quarter revenue. Net revenue dropped $60 million when compared to the same period last year. Take-Two has been caught in a slew of legal issues since the nude patch was discovered in GTA: San Andreas, as well as questionable stock option practices. Recently management has gotten a face-lift, Take-Two closed their NY offices, and laid off a solid number of employees in Europe. I always found it amazing that the makers of such a huge franchise like GTA and 2K Games could be doing so poorly.

It was announced today that all of the episodic content for GTA IV will be exclusive to the Xbox 360. The episodic content will be released in 2008 and PS3 owners will be out of luck. I found this interesting because the GTA series had always come out on PlayStation first, and also I found it awesome since I own a 360. But tons of former PlayStation titles have become un-exclusive during this newest generation cycle, as PS3 sales are still waiting to take off. I just figured that Take-Two went with Microsoft because their online service is more sophisticated and has a much larger install base.

Then it was also revealed later today that Microsoft is paying Take-Two $50 million for the GTA IV: Episodic content exclusive rights. Coincidence at all? Sounds to me that Take-Two needed some cash and told Microsoft they could have exclusive rights, or vice verse.

But either way in the end it is I who wins again. Look for GTA IV to release on October 17th and a new trailer to debut on June 28th. Can't wait.

Forza Motorsport 2 Review

2007-08-03T21:04:00.002-07:00

Let me begin by professing my love for racing games. The first game I ever owned was Excitebike for the NES (Yes, even before Mario Bros.) and I was hooked ever since. While there is always a special place in my heart for games such as Mario Kart and other arcade-style racers, the introduction of Gran Tourismo for the Playstation got me hooked on simulation racing. After playing Gran Tourismo for almost ten years, Forza Motorsport 2 is my first departure from Sony’s flagship title. Gran Tourismo’s Polyphony Digital changed racing games forever but Turn 10’s Forza Motorsport 2 brings its own car to the track. Start your engines!

Arcade Mode has three options: Exhibition, Time Trial, and Free Run. Placing in Exhibition unlocks cars and whichever track the player is on. Time Trial unlocks the specific car for each challenge. These unlocked cars can be used in either Arcade Mode or Multiplayer. Free Run allows the player to use any arcade or customized car on any track. But nobody really cares about Arcade Mode; it’s all about the Career Mode.

Career Mode is where the pedal hits the metal. Here you will find over 300 cars to collect and tune in order to build your racing empire. When you start a career you will be prompted to choose a region. The player can claim America, Asia, or Europe as their home and depending on which region you choose largely affects what will be filling your garage in the initial stages of the game. For example, if the player chooses Europe as his region he will receive discounts and access to European cars like BWM, Ferrari, and Audi early on in the game. The catch is that he will have to shell out more cash and work his way through career mode to get his hands on high-performance American and Asian vehicles. Choose wisely as this initial crossroads determines how the rest of the game will unfold.

As the player wins races he earns not only credits to purchase new cars and upgrades, but also experience points. Depending on how well a race is ran and what place the player earns, he will increase his Driver Level. As the Driver Level increases, rewards such as discounts on home region cars, new vehicles at dealerships, and new race venues will become unlocked. Along with Driver Experience the player gets Vehicle Experience for whichever brand of car he is driving. Vehicle Experience earns you discounts on specific upgrades such as drive train, brakes, weight reduction, etc.

Customization in Forza 2 is almost endless. There are all the performance upgrades you could want such as Engine & Power (exhaust, ignition, fuel systems, turbo), Platform & Handling (brakes, shocks, transmission, weight reduction), Tires & Rims, and Body & Aero. Each individual upgrade has three options: Street, Sport, and Race. So a Street Intake Kit will be the cheapest with the least performance increase and a Race Intake Kit will be the most expensive with a major performance increase. Players can even swap out whole drive train types turning a rear-wheel drive into a four-wheel drive or anything else you desire.

Before customization:

There are nine categories that can be specifically tuned even further by the player to find that perfect combination for his driving style. These are Tires, Gearing, Alignment, Anti-roll Bars, Springs, Damping, Aero, Braking, and Differential. With multiple areas in each category available for tweaking, this is a car enthusiast’s dream.

The paint editor is a whole other monster unto itself. There are almost endless possibilities here as well. Each car is split up into six panels. With over 950 shapes, patterns, letters, and manufacturer decals and over 4,000 layers to play with, dedicated artists will have a field day with this detailed and easy to use editor. I have spent almost half my time with Forza 2 just in making my cars look the part.

After customization (this took about 10 minutes):

Turn 10 and partners Toyo Tires did major research for the newest Forza. They wanted to make sure that the interaction between the car and asphalt was as realistic as possible. While the game runs at a lovely 60 fps, the physics are calculated at a blistering 360 fps. This data can be viewed at any time by pressing up on the D-Pad. Cycling through these menus shows the player everything from tire friction, suspension changes, body weight distribution, tire temperature, damage, and more; all in real-time. It is insane how much information is being processed at once and real gear-heads will be able to use this info to help fine-tune their rides even more.

While the framerate and physics are phenomenal, this meant that something had to take a hit and it was the graphics. Car models are excellent but they suffer from aliasing issues. The tracks got the worst end of the deal. They are bland and boring, there are only daytime races, and never is there a change in weather conditions. Personally I would rather have authentic feeling cars than gorgeous tracks but one can’t help and notice that Forza 2 could have looked much better.

There are damage effects that add to the simulation experience not only visually but through gameplay as well. If you smash into a wall not only will your bumper be lying on the ground, but damaged shocks will affect steering and engine damage will result in performance hits. Take enough damage and your car won’t even be able to continue the race.

The online community that Forza 2 has set up is very solid but it is going to be the users who determine its success. Ranked and Non-Ranked matches are available if the player wants to jump in a race. Your specific tuned cars from Career Mode can be raced online to see how they match up to the competition. Microsoft also hosts weekly tournaments with up to 256 entrants whom must go through qualifying stages to get into the tournament, and then progress through a bracket system to reach the championship race. There is an auction house where players can buy/sell vehicles and skins from/to other players. Even saved photos of your cars can be uploaded to the Forza 2 website to share with your friends!

Forza 2 is a simulation and certain cars are going to be more difficult to handle than others. Difficulty options cater to both noobies and pros alike. Assists such as anti-lock braking, traction control, stability control, damage, tire wear, etc. can be turned on or off depending on the player’s skill level. For the ultimate experience turn every assist off and get rewarded not only with the most authentic representation of the car in the game, but also more credits for being such a badass.

I have had a blast with Forza Motorsport 2. From creating dream cars to building my garage to painting and playing online, Forza 2 is THE game for racing fans. I would have liked more tracks and track variations as playing the same ones over and over left me wanting more. Turn 10 has put a lot of hard work into making this game feel authentic as hell and they delivered.

And now for the paintjob I created last weekend after the A’s swept the Giants. Enjoy!

Halo 3 Beta Impressions

2007-08-03T21:04:00.001-07:00

First off, big ups to B-Rad who hooked me up with a code straight from the guys at Bungie themselves so I could get my fragged-out paws on this beta. And yes, Brad does work on a little show called Family Guy that some of you may have heard about.

Okay, got that out of the way, now how did my two weeks of Halo 3 Multiplayer go? I had a blast suckas! There are some criticisms and that is always going to happen, especially in a beta build. We will get to those later. Let me just say that those who know me know that I am not the most knowledgeable Halo expert out there. I never had an Xbox so I couldn’t tell you where the Needler is on the Hang ‘em High map, but for someone who never owned the games I can confidently say that I have played my share of Halo. Longtime friend and fellow video game lover The Mike and I played Co-op through Halo during Christmas Break ’01 on his brother’s Xbox. Oh yeah, we beat it in one day. Throw in some GTA III on my PS2, some Super Monkey Ball (as I recall) on The Mike’s GameCube, some bomb ass Christmas dinner leftovers, and you have a recipe for one of the greatest days I have ever experienced. My skills improved with Halo 2 along side another old school homie that goes by the gamertag “Loves2Cyber”. You may have seen us on Xbox Live dominating. Little did you know that we were drinking 40 oz.’s of Budweiser each night and still cleaning up shop.

Sorry for that little diversion, the memories were just flowing through the old noodle for a second there. So Halo 3. What’s new, what’s different, what’s good, and what’s bad? Keep in mind that this is all from the Beta build and not the final Halo 3 build so changes will most likely be made. Let me start with the weapons. Weapon balancing has always been an issue for Halo players and there were changes between Halo and Halo 2 that turned some players off to the sequel. Well get ready for more new weapons and tweaks in Halo 3.

The new weapon that won a place in my black heart is the Brute Spiker. This little handgun is an adequate number at close range, though there are better weapons. However duel wielding the Spiker vastly increases the effectiveness, and enemies in your close proximity will turn into Swiss cheese (my favorite). These are no joke, just make sure to not attempt a Spiker attack on somebody half way across the map because of their limited range.

The other major addition is the Spartan Laser. This bad boy produces instant kills and will annihilate vehicles. The price you pay for raining down laser death is a long charge time between shots so make them count.

And oh yeah, how could I forget to mention that players can now grab mounted machine guns and rocket launching turrets from their positions and lug them around as a normal weapon! This vastly decreases mobility but the firepower is tremendous. Great idea.

Some special equipment types have also been introduced to mix up gameplay. The Bubble Shield grants a protective barrier for players to hide in. It is great to see this deployed as a grenade is coming in only to see the shield raise and have the damn thing bounce right off! But remember kids, if the enemy enters inside your shield it is game on again. The Power Drain lowers player’s shields allowing for some quick kills, the Grav Lift sets up a jump-pad wherever deployed, and the Tripmine allows for some nasty traps to be set.

We had one taste of a new vehicle called the Mongoose. This 4-wheeler could hold a buddy on the rear and was a quick and agile alternative to the Warthog. The tradeoff was almost no protection so don’t think that you and a friend are gonna be racking up kills with this vehicle. The Mongoose calls for a strictly in and out operation.

Three maps were available in the Beta and are known as Snowbound, Highground, and Valhalla. Highground and Valhalla vastly overshadowed Snowbound in both level design and fun factor. Highground runs from a beach up the hill to a base with some caves on the sides. Having the high ground in this level is key and both defending the base and attempting to attack it was a blast. Valhalla was the largest map of the three and played a lot like one of my favorite old maps Blood Gulch. Bases on each end, a river, hilly terrain, and a handful of vehicles led to an anything goes match every time. Snowbound had force fields at all the underground entrances which switched up gameplay, but nothing else really grabbed my attention in this level.

So now it’s time for some of the bad. Surprisingly the graphics in the Beta build of Halo 3 weren’t that much different from Halo 2. I didn’t really mind this because I would rather have solid gameplay over eye candy, but it still remains a fact that graphics are a large factor for people when they formulate their opinion on a game. I would like everyone to remember that this is not the final product so I wouldn’t freak out about it yet.

Weapon balancing tweaks were also still needed, but that is the whole point of having a beta so that problems can be noticed and addressed for such things. The beta ended on Sunday so players are just gonna have to wait until September 25th to play Halo 3 again. Until then check out the box art that just recently got released and I will see you all online in a few months.

Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars Review

2007-08-03T21:03:00.001-07:00

Along with first-person shooters, real-time strategy games just seem to be made for the PC. The mouse and keyboard combo in both these genres is fast and precise, two things that are needed in such games and translate poorly to console controllers. C&C3’s controller setup is actually decent, but it is still the biggest drawback to the Xbox 360 version. It can just be too slow and inaccurate when trying to find units, select individual troops, or navigate the map. For the most part I was actually impressed at how well the controller was put to use for the genre. Let’s just say I was expecting much worse.

Tiberium Wars has slick FMV cinematics coupled with live-action scenes staring Michael Ironside and Billy Dee Williams that paces the story nicely and keeps it entertaining. The production on these live-action scenes is high while still maintaining a nice B-movie style feel to them. The story mode is 38 missions long with two different campaigns to play through. Missions are varied and fun, but there is nothing new for experienced RTS players to be impressed by. After the story mode is over players can roll online for some more action as C&C3 offers five different multiplayer modes and never any lag. The different factions are well balanced so online matches never feel one sided.

The graphics are not as good as its PC counterpart but they aren’t bad enough to distract from the game. I did run into some minor AI issues however, both with my own units and enemy units. Once I had a vehicle factory near a beach and as vehicles were being pumped out they started piling up. I could not get them to navigate away from their spawn point and eventually I had to spend some more cash and resources to get them airlifted out of the area. I am not a huge RTS fan or that well versed in the genre but I had a good experience with C&C3. While not perfect, fans of RTS games only have a few options on the Xbox 360 and Command and Conquer 3 should be at the top of the list.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction Announced

2007-08-03T21:02:00.001-07:00

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series has been a pivotal franchise since its first release in 2002. Not only did Splinter Cell give Xbox a new mascot with Sam Fisher and competition to Sony’s Metal Gear Solid series, but it also became an example of the power the Xbox could produce with its dynamic lighting.

Splinter Cell games have always been stealth based, focusing on staying in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment, and then slipping past the AI unnoticed. As long as Sam was flooded in darkness he was free to formulate his game plan and do what it took to complete his mission. Ubisoft Montreal has decided that in Splinter Cell: Conviction, the fifth game in the series, the rules are going to change.

It is reinvention time; Gone will be the mostly nighttime themed levels of light and dark. After the events in Double Agent, Sam is now a full-blown fugitive. No more are the black sneaking suit, trademark night vision goggles, or advanced gadgets. All those have been traded in for a hoodie, duffle bag, long hair and a scruffy beard. This doesn’t sound like a traditional Splinter Cell game and that is because Conviction isn’t.

In order to make Conviction work, some key mechanics had to be rebuilt from the ground up. During the day there are no dark corners available for the player to retreat to after being spotted or to surprise the enemy from. Sam will still be using his environment for survival but, with no backing from the government, he must resort to the people and objects in his vicinity as his tools. Conviction’s advanced enemy AI and crowd dynamics are the new stars of Splinter Cell. Taking place in public locations while Sam’s face is all over the news means that laying low is the name of the game.

Scripted enemy patrol patterns have been replaced with ordinary people living out their daily lives. Pushing civilians around, vandalizing, or general strange behavior is going to get folks complaining to the police, and will ultimately result in the realization of who Sam actually is. But this can be what allows Sam to see another day, as blending in with a crowd is the best way to disappear.

For example, to rid himself of a security guard, the player may choose to blend in with a crowd to slip by a cop unnoticed. A guy is hanging outside a café that Sam roughs up, thus drawing the security guard out which is then lured behind the building and ambushed. Or maybe Sam needs a distraction to focus attention away from the target. Shoot a gas tank or grab a girl’s laptop, smash it on the ground and duck into some bushes. These are only a few solutions as Conviction is a sandbox of options making levels new each time you play them.

Objects are also a huge part of gameplay and Ubisoft wants players to not be limited in accessibility. From tables and chairs to papers on a desk, Sam will have everything at his disposal to fight with, use for hiding, or create distractions. And don’t worry, darkness will still play a factor as Ubisoft Montreal are working on even more advanced lighting techniques. Deciding to set Convictions during the fall means that there will be many long shadows manipulating the environment to work with.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction is due out in the fourth quarter of this year. These images are still very early in development and by this winter we should be seeing a much more polished experience that, if pulled off, could be a fresh feel to a stagnant genre.

GTA IV Update

2007-08-03T21:01:00.002-07:00

Just try and tell me that these new pics don't look sick as hell. There are still 6 months left on development for GTA IV, it is only gonna get better.

Half Life 2: Orange Box Announced

2007-08-03T21:01:00.001-07:00

Valve has announced the contents of their new Half Life 2: Orange Box which will be out at the end of the year. This might sound crazy but stick with me here. For the price of a regular game ($60) players will get the original Half Life 2, HL2: Episode 1, the brand new HL2: Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2.

The HL2 Episodes star Alyx Vance who was our hero Gordon Freeman's sidekick from Half Life 2. We get to play and see her side of the story in these episodes with a third planned to come. I have been following Portal for a while now and it is going to rock. Portal is a puzzle game involving your portal gun which allows for some seriously mind-bending adventures through walls, floors, ceilings, etc. Finally there is Team Fortress 2 (the original Team Fortress was built on the Half Life 1 engine) which is a strictly online class-based multiplayer shooter featuring 9 different classes to choose from.

This may be the ultimate package for gamers this winter with a variety of different game types to please just about everyone. Check out the screenshots of HL2: Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress respectively.

Xbox 360 Text Input Device

2007-08-03T21:00:00.002-07:00

The most radical update to Xbox Live this month was the addition of instant message capability. Now, besides voice chat, Live Members can IM other players as well as PC users allowing for a more connected community experience. The problem is that messaging people is a quick and easy way to talk yet inputting individual letters through the controller takes forever. One solution is to get a USB keyboard and plug it into your Xbox 360 but Microsoft has an even better plan. Their Input Device is reminiscent of a cell phone keypad and helps you get your text on son! The Text Input Device will be sold separately and plugs into the base of the controller. I think this is a great idea. It looks like the controller was made for this keypad; it is supposedly lightweight and I cannot really see it getting in the way of gaming. Just slide your hand down to text and bring it back up for some headshots! Price and release date have not been set but since the IM service is up and running, expect Microsoft to release this baby soon. If you own an Xbox 360 you can check out a video of the keypad at work by clicking on the “What’s New” tab in the dashboard.

Aegis Wing Review

2007-08-03T21:00:00.001-07:00

I have really enjoyed Xbox Live Arcade. It reminds me of the games that I fell in love with at a young age by both bringing back tried and true classics as well as offering up new arcade titles. Aegis Wings is a new title out this last week and returns us to the days of side-scrolling shooters like Gradius. But there is a slight twist…

Three students named Scott Brodie, Danny Dyer and Matt Monson developed this game during a summer internship at Microsoft. These guys talked their way into letting Carbonated Games help them to put out their very own Xbox Live Arcade title. Aegis Wings is a 2-D scrolling shooter that was designed as a multiplayer game and features four player capability, either locally or online.

The biggest change that Aegis Wings has to offer over other shooters is the ability to link together with up to three other ships during the game to form a larger and more powerful ship. This leaves one player in charge of flight with the other attached players manning the guns. Pretty cool idea fellas.

Graphics include some 3-D objects in the backgrounds while the player and enemies are small and uninspired. The audio is just as bland as well as the boss battles which consist of “dodging the attacks and shooting the weak spot” style of gameplay. There are some clever special weapons such as a shield that deflects attacks back at the enemy and a wormhole that incapacitates enemies and their attacks.

In the end Aegis Wings is the same standard shooter that we have all seen since the early days of gaming. It is not original, pretty, or innovative, but it was made buy students who have a passion and desire for gaming. The full version of this game is free of charge so support your peers, go download this title, and give it a play.

BlackSite: Area 51 Preview

2007-08-03T20:59:00.002-07:00

BlackSite is an arcade shooter coming from Midway and is due out this September. Xbox Live members were treated to a demo available in the Marketplace last week and I had a chance to spend a little time and see what we might have to look forward to this fall.

The demo is really short and consists of just two areas, a gas station and mini-mall. The player arrives in the small town of Rachel, Nevada near Area 51, along with two squad-mates. It is a rainy night and by the looks of the burning fuel trucks and lack of living people, not all is right here in Rachel.

Your squad-mates can be positioned by pressing the Right Button to do basic things like take cover or open doors. But this is no strategy shooter and when it’s go time, your allies will hold their own and you needn't worry too much about them. BlackSite uses a morale feature so as long as you are accurate and not taking much damage, the team will work together. Start waiving your gun around like a maniac or get rode on by some aliens and your team will start to freak out. They will lose accuracy and even go down. The nice part about BlackSite is that you don’t have to worry about morale too much because it is reset after every battle, hence the emphasis on arcade shooter.

Both the graphics and audio in the demo are slick. The environment is destructible and when bullets start flying in the mini-mart, you will definitely know. Signs, windows, vending and slurpie machines are all destructible as well as the concrete pillars out front. Gas tanks take too much damage and blow cars apart, aliens are running around, and it is just a good amount of chaos for the player to jump into.

The second section of the level is much shorter and less interactive but lends to the most memorable scene in the demo. After laying waste to a wave of aliens in the streets of the mini-mall, their big brother falls out of the sky and smashes into the mall. The resulting slow motion shockwave looks awesome and cars get tossed passed the player as the new enemy makes his presence known.

So if you have Xbox Live you should download this demo to at least check it out. Again, Blacksite: Area 51 will be out in September and has the potential to be an enjoyable, action-packed shooter.

Spiderman 3 Review

2007-08-03T20:59:00.001-07:00

Spider-senses are tingling; this game is garbage! I know that it must get old hearing me bag on games made out of movies, but I really am trying to save you money. Just like Spidey’s bipolar disorder in dealing with the black suite, Spiderman 3 cannot seem to find exactly what it is trying to do.

Spidey 3 has both movie related storylines and original ones made for the game. This is both good and bad as the original storylines add more characters from the Marvel Universe, they also just make the game that much more of a jumbled mess. Expect to see Kingpin, The Lizard, and other cameos along with some fictitious gangs out to destroy Spiderman. There honestly is not a single solid storyline; Spiderman just does what he has to do to make the world a better place.

The initial dive into Spiderman 3 is very promising. Activision, like the previous Spiderman sandbox titles, has nailed swinging around New York City. While it is super simplistic, R Trigger shoots Spidey’s webbing and players steer with the left analogue stick, swinging handles so smoothly that I spent most of my time with this title doing just that. The experience of webbing around town is captured perfectly.

There is a wealth of other activities to take part in, but they are structured poorly and are simply mind numbing. Spiderman 3 consists of 42 missions, some photo missions, races, challenges, collectables, etc. The missions vary from stopping speeding vehicles, swinging Mary Jane around town, and fighting gangs. There is no imagination or innovation behind these and after a handful of missions I was right back to exploring the city one web at a time.

The real downfall of Spiderman 3 is the combat. There are a good variety of moves that are unlocked throughout the game, but all the battles consist of the same strategy. Wait for the enemy to attack, counter the attack with your slow motion spider senses, land a few hits, and repeat. Even the boss battles that should be more involved follow this simple pattern. It is enough to make you want to shoot webbing down your throat in order to end it all.

Much like the initial glee of web slinging, the visuals of Spiderman 3 look impressive yet ultimately fall flat. At least developer Treyarch nailed our hero. Spiderman’s character model looks great, he is by far the best looking object in the game. Spidey’s animations are also fantastic, especially while he is maneuvering through the air from building to building. The other characters were neglected so much that those whom crossover from the movie are barely recognizable. Manhattan overall consists of bland gray building textures that keep you wishing for more detail since most of your time is spent between them.

Besides web slinging, the voice work of Bruce Campbell as the narrator/tutorial guide is the only selling point for Spiderman 3. If you love Spiderman as much as I do then go see the movie and drop the $60 you saved on this game towards your road trip to Comic-Con.

The Last Remnant

2007-08-03T20:58:00.001-07:00

Square Enix has just announced their newest RPG title under development called The Last Remnant. No release date has been announced as of yet but Remnant will be released on both the PS3 and Xbox 360. Square's press conference did not offer a trailer although some gameplay was shown. The main character is named Rush Sykes (I like) and while little is known about combat, the video hinted that battles will be of large scale. And oh yeah, it is using the Unreal 3 engine. Check out the first images below.

Forza Motorsport 2 Demo

2007-08-03T20:57:00.002-07:00

Goddamn I love racing games. Forza Motorsport 2 got a demo released this week on Xbox Live Marketplace. 650 MB of racing bliss comes to us in a bundle which includes only one track but three different classes of cars and a total of 24 rides to jump into and blast around in. I did not play Forza Motorsport for Xbox when it came out two years ago because I have been a loyal Gran Tourismo player since the PS1 days. But it got great reviews, had tons of customization, and the one thing that GT never has had which is damage.

The demo looks fantastic. I am just using VGA cables, no HD or componant hookups at all, and Forza is still insanely detailed. Little things such as brake disks turning red from heating up and drivers in the cars moving and shifting like real life add to the perfection of world class game making. The driving and physics are dope, replays rule, and it is just as slick as they come. Expect Forza 2 to blow the doors off all the racing simulator competition out there when it drops on May 29th.

Xbox Live Update

2007-08-03T20:57:00.001-07:00

A spring update is in store for Live members this week. Xbox Live will be receiving a nice little face-lift with some much needed new features. The biggest change is an instant messaging chat ability to the 360 that can be ran while listening to music or watching movies and TV shows. The IM will also be able to have conversations with other PC users and mobile users. You might want to hook up a USB keyboard though as using the controller just doesn't seem like it would be worth the time.

Some other cool tweaks include the ability to watch, rewind, and fast forward video while it is still downloading. Users can now also set their consoles to shut off after downloading and Xbox Live Marketplace will get its own menu page in the dashboard.

Earth Defence Force 2017 Review

2007-08-03T20:56:00.002-07:00

Take Starship Troopers meets War of the Worlds and you get Earth Defense Force 2017. Too bad it isn’t nearly as fun as watching Michael Ironside get his legs ripped off by a tanker bug. They sucked this game's brains out.

As extraterrestrials arrive on planet Earth, they begin an invasion Independence Day style. Basically they just let loose hoards of giant bugs and robots that are not friendly, to say the least. You play as a soldier in some unit that was trained to deal with such a threat. It really doesn’t matter since there is absolutely no story. If you have seen or read any sci-fi noir tale then you know what is going down in EDF2017. The super cheesy dialog and voice work are icing on the cake.

The story is non-existent, how about the gameplay? Zzzzzz…oh yeah, you shoot things, lots of them. The gameplay blows. It goes a little something like this – aim, fire, repeat. Since there are so many enemies and they are so large, there really is no skill involved in taking them out.

Spread this formula throughout 53 painstakingly repetitive levels. I challenge anyone to get through the first dozen and still be interested. Both the character design and environments are very limited. It is peculiar when a battle is going down in Japan and the next level takes place in Europe, yet the city is EXACTLY THE SAME. Nice try.

Lets go over some other oddities shall we? How about the ability to take down enemy air ships with an ordinary assault rifle. That’s a laugh. And then when the fighter falls out of the sky on to our hero’s head, he takes no damage. Most of the environment is destructable but almost too easily and without consequence. Only 6 achievements are available and no online play equals lameness.

This game is bad, I don’t think that I have even given one redeeming quality throughout this whole review. Yet somehow I was stuck playing EDF2017 for two hours my first sit-down, which is surprising. I think with a bigger budget and a little more inspiration, EDF2017 could actually be entertaining.

Another one bites the dust

2007-08-03T20:55:00.002-07:00

Ken Kutaragi, the inventor of PlayStation, has left Sony. He will be replaced by Kazuo Hirai in the upper management shit-storm that is trying to deal with lackluster sales. I am thinking that this officially drives the nail in Sony's coffin. Is the PS3 soooo bad that even the guy who led every PlayStation development and release up till now is outta there?? The details are not specific on Kutaragi's abandonment as of yet, but I can speculate that he saw what was happening with the PS3 and felt that it was time to bounce. Good work Ken, you changed the gaming world and I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to take on next. Check out IGN.com for more info.

Armored Core 4 Review

2007-08-03T20:55:00.001-07:00

2007 marks the ten-year anniversary of the Armored Core series. The good news is that mech fans are still playing this game, the bad news is that very little has changed in ten years.

It has become apparent over time that AC has been fine-tuned for hardcore mech lovers. AC has always been known for its in-depth customization which allows specific and a seamlessly endless amount of options to create your machine gun wielding, plasma rifle toting, laser mounted, rocket launching, flying, walking, gliding, metal death machine.

The best part about AC4 is that you can take said customized mech and battle online against friends or mortal enemies in a variety of matches. Being able to check out other player’s mechs and strategies used in battle helps fine-tune the perfect machine for ultimate domination. Sadly the single player campaign is full of dull missions, un-inspired graphics, and tiny battle areas. The sound is good with weapon and explosion effects making up most of the action.

The AC franchise is just what I remember jumping into ten years ago. If you are still trying to fabricate the perfect mech, then AC4 is the next logical step. If you are looking for a fun gaming experience with lasting appeal, avoid AC4 like the plague.

Boom Boom Rocket Review

2007-08-03T20:54:00.002-07:00

Boom Boom Rocket takes its own stab at the growing rhythm game genre. But this time it’s with fireworks! A combination of Fantavision and any other rhythm game, BBR launches fireworks into the sky and players must hit the corresponding face/directional buttons to the beat. The detonation line is at the top of the screen and depending on how accurate the explosion is to the song, players are rewarded with a bonus gauge bar. Fill it up for extra points but beware. If too many flaming death-balls slip past and the gauge runs out, it’s game over.

The gameplay in BBR is simplistic but the difficulty is not. Easy is a good warm-up for familiarity, medium is hard, and hard is impossible. Fireworks begin to change speeds, multiple inputs are required, and the sheer number of rockets fills the screen.

The graphics are colorful and fun, but nothing new. The nighttime cityscape is much too dark. The fireworks need a backdrop to emphasize their magical displays, but it ends up being a drab and boring shadow.

The weakest aspect of BBR is its song list. Comprising of 10 tracks, the music is a techno twist of familiar tunes that in the end just don’t do it. After playing a song ten times in a row trying to achieve a new high-score I was losing my sanity. Not having memorable tunes that are enjoyable to play leads to a massive decline in lasting appeal.

There are a good number of game modes though. The 10 track single player campaign, a split-screen and online versus mode, leaderboards, and the ability to download content (nothing available yet) round out the package. Hopefully future downloadable tracks will be significantly improved over the current selection.

Despite the shortcomings of BBR, I do enjoy the game for what it is; a simple, challenging arcade title that you can pick-up and play to kill some time. To me, that is what Xbox Live Arcade is all about. It is NOT worth $10 however. Microsoft seriously needs to check their pricing for XBLA games. Half that price would work just fine.

Def Jam Icon Review

2007-08-03T20:54:00.001-07:00

The previous two Def Jam games have been solid fighting experiences, but will Icon be a “Gangsta’s Paradise” or will we meet it at the “Crossroads”?

I enjoyed the first two Def Jam games and, while not being the greatest brawlers around, they captured the urban feel while maintaining tight gameplay. In Fight for NY and Vendetta, there was a great character editor that was used to create your Def Jam persona whom would take to the streets and bring the mutha fuckin’ ruckus. As the lengthy Story Mode progressed, new moves, clothes, tattoos, and jewelry could be purchased and equipped which came together in a way that made players feel they had developed a one-of-a-kind persona. There was good level design (throwing your enemy on the subway tracks to get killed by a speeding train stands out), a nice variety of weapons, and some brutal throws and finishers. Developed under the EA Big label, it wasn’t anything mind-blowing, just done well and especially for a game in the fighting genre. The other cool thing was that while there were some 1-on-1 matches, most matches were up to four characters dukin’ it out at once. This allowed for some though and intense fights which led to a real hatred towards certain characters, but more importantly made the games more strategic and fun.

Okay, enough about the past, lets get to the present. Def Jam Icon is the third installment in the series and it takes a drastic change in formula. Gone are most of the features that made Def Jam fun in the first place, notably the weapons and custom moves that were set up in the same fashion as the SSX series. The team behind Icon decided to make the focus of the entire game on the music. The Story Mode no longer emphasizes character development but instead switches the goal to creating a record label empire. The actual fighting aspect of the game feels like an afterthought as you take down other artists or hired help that may be preventing your label from getting off the ground.

And guess what, it shows. The fighting sucks ass. It is totally boring, slow, and bland. Going with the music theme, the environments move to the beat. As damage occurs from the fight at hand, hazards will become apparent and players can use the music bouncing booby traps to deal massive damage to their opponents. It sounds like a good idea in theory but it just doesn’t translate into fun gameplay.

If players miss an environmental attack due to timing issues of the music track, they can remix the song on the fly with their magical record scratching technique or even flip the song to a different track. This is important because you either have to back your enemy into a trap by repeatedly pummeling them or by grabbing and tossing them into the direction of danger. At least if players miss their chance they don’t have to wait for the song to hit the specific beat again. But this is all the fights boil down to. Gone are the weapons, grapples, and combos of old and instead we are given basic high/low single-button attacks and the lame ability to toss thugs across the screen.

I have to give credit to where credit is due, and that is in the graphic and sound departments. The highly interactive levels are amazingly detailed and constantly changing. As the environments get abused by the brawl, new hazards are revealed and certain objects react to certain beats in the song. This makes the world of Def Jam Icon feel extremely rich and alive. The character models are perfect and range from artists such as Ghostface Killah, E-40, and Sean John. The game runs at 30 fps and can feel a bit sluggish while there are some interesting color saturation choices much like in NBA Street Homecourt. The track list is deep and fully licensed uncensored hip-hop. The voice work is done by the artists themselves and not half bad. Sound effects are great and there are always a million of them going off at once in each crunked-out level.

Props to those who worked on this game for trying something new. Icon has great music and graphics, but a below average story and frustratingly weak controls. If this is the new direction for the Def Jam series, hopefully they can find a way to incorporate the old, but good, aspects back for the next round. Fighting fans and hip-hop heads will both be crackin 40oz.’s in tribute to what could have been.

Xbox Live goodies this week...

2007-08-03T20:53:00.002-07:00

A quality week for updates, downloads, and releases on Xbox Live. First off is the new gameplay mode for all you Gears of War freaks out there called, Annex. Annex sets up a marker on the map with a maximum amount of time given to it. Teams must control the marker to get the points off of it and once the points are drained the marker vanishes and relocates to a different position on the map. The team to reach the required number of points first wins the match. This updated mode, along with a few fixes to gameplay, should make those still addicted to the Lancer happy. Also out this week is a new Halo 3 video documentary discussing the multi-player maps and tweaks we can look forward to. Running at around 5 minutes, Halo 3 is looking like an instant life-drainer to us all. Oh yeah, and the Beta comes out May 16th so if you have signed up for it or own Crackdown, you have just over a month to wait. Also on Xbox Live arcade this week is the new game by Bizarre Creations (who developed Geometry Wars Advanced) called Boom Boom Rocket. I am looking forward to this one and should have a review coming soon!

Virtua Tennis 3 Review

2007-08-03T20:53:00.001-07:00

For some reason tennis just translates well to video games. From Super Tennis, Mario Tennis, Wii Sports Tennis and beyond, they are all fun to play. And one of the best has always been SEGA’s Virtua Tennis. Sadly, not much has changed in the series over the years.

VT3 is fun, and for me, that is the most important attribute in a game. The problem with VT3 is that while it’s fun, there isn’t much that sets it apart from the original Virtua Tennis. The biggest change in gameplay is the increase in the game’s realism. Drop shots really drop creating a mad dash to the net and forehand/backhand angles are improved. All this leads to heightened court movement, which really works to strategize each point. The AI can be rough in VT3 so knowing how to work the court to your advantage is a must.

I understand that there isn’t much to tweak in a tennis game; it is pretty basic. But the button layout in VT3 is still the same as in VT1. Serving is the same and there are buttons for topspin, a slice, and lob. Some added english to shots would be nice and serves could use some more precision. Fans looking for a new brand of tennis will not find it here.

The career mode is satisfying; users create a player in a decent editor, then through mini-games level up their skills to climb the world rankings through tournaments. On the way new rackets, outfits, and such are unlocked along with skills challenges. The VT mini-games have always been a blast and still are. They are simple but surprisingly addictive, which in turn makes leveling up your character’s skills addicting as well. Xbox Live supports singles and doubles matches along with the mini-game competitions. There is a lot to do here.

The real treat in the newest VT is the updated graphics. 20 real-life players are featured in VT3 and most of the player models are spot on (I could have used some more curves on Sharapova however). The animations and motion capture are excellent as well. Everything from Roddick’s serve and thundering forehand to Nedal’s sprinting and Federer’s backhand are just like watching them on court. Some of the facial models are kinda scary though. While most of the visuals are focused on the court, the stadiums as a whole look good and the fans get into the action.

The VT series has always had a horrific butt-metal soundtrack (comparable to the insane techno soundtrack throughout the Winning Eleven series) and it makes its lackluster return again in VT3. Aside from the music, the sound effects of rocking a cross-court backhand or busting a slam down someone’s throat works well. We also get some player grunts and moans to bring it all together.

Being a fan of VT since the original, I can say that I had a great time revisiting the series. VT3 is a blast to play and multiplayer matches can get pretty intense. It is unfortunate that VT3 feels like an updated version of its predecessors ported to the current generation platforms. It is worth a purchase for hardcore tennis and VT fans, but should be a fun rental for everyone else.

Rock Band!

2007-08-03T20:52:00.002-07:00

Harmonix leaked news to its new title Rock Band this week. Put out by MTV (who bought Harmonix) and EA, Rock Band will feature a guitar controller, bass guitar controller, drum controller, and microphone. Gone are the days of two player jam sessions, welcome in the new era of four player rock shows! It is reported that Harmonix has also solved a big issue in internet lag, allowing all members of your band to play online in a smooth as butter experience. Guitar Hero blew up the scene so hard that the cover bands of the previous games are no more, allowing for fully licensed tracks straight from the artists themselves. The next level is officially here, time to really get this party started! Lets hope that there are online tournaments to crown the ultimate rock band, that would be awesome. I am also assuming that webcams can be used while practicing with your band, to make sure each member is rocking accordingly. A holiday 2007 release date is set for Xbox 360 and PS3 as of now. More details about packaging, song lists, etc. to come soon...

GTA IV First Visuals

2007-08-03T20:52:00.001-07:00

Rockstar released the first teaser for GTA IV this afternoon and it looks quite impressive. The minute long clip mainly showcases the environment of GTA IV and the detail in the city alone is vastly improved over the last generation of GTA games. With just the city bustle and no action or car chases going down, it is going to be even more interesting to see some footage of GTA IV processing the life of Liberty City in all its glory. Our main character looks like a Jean Reno knockoff involved in the Russian mafia. Maybe Rockstar will even change up the gameplay for us a bit, seeing as we have technically been playing the same game over and over in different locations through the past three titles. Keep your controllers crossed and hope for some more details/media soon.

Check out the trailer at Rockstar's GTA IV page here

The Elite

2007-08-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Xbox 360 doesn't have HDMI support. Xbox 360's 20 GB hard drive is way too small. Yeah, I feel for y'all about these complaints because they are mine too. Not that I have a dope TV to put my games on anyways, but it is always reassuring to be ready for the future. That didn't stop me from getting my 360 last November, and while being a satisfied customer, Microsoft went ahead and topped their high end console with something better. Enter the Xbox 360 Elite. To be released April 29th, 2007, the Elite comes with the same core console as before but with HDMI cables, a whopping 120 GB hard drive, controller, and headset, all in black. The price of this new beauty? $479.99 USD. Microsoft has specified that games will still be based around the 20 GB hard drive and owners of the old 360's will not HAVE to upgrade. Thats cool with me. I have become used to new and better products being released and know that I cannot ever have the newest one. Do not get me wrong, I want the Elite (because it's black and has a cool name) but whatever. If you have slacked on getting a 360 so far, no more excuses.

God of War II Review

2007-08-03T20:50:00.002-07:00

Aries!! Oh wait this is God of War II…Zeus!! Yes, everyone’s loveable, ruthless, not-give-a-fuck Kratos is back in the sequel to one of the best action games ever made. The first GoW was not perfect, but it was damn close. Sony Studios Santa Monica knew this, so GoW II is more of the same, which is really, really good.

The story is the weakest part of Gow II, which is saying something because it is as engaging as ever. After a cold shoulder from Zeus is turned on Kratos, he vows to find the Sisters of Fate in order to change his destiny. With the help of the Titans, Kratos declares war upon Mt. Olympus; only him and his burning blades will be standing upon the rubble in the kingdom of gods. The problem is that reaching the Sisters of Fate is a near-impossible task, and one which the majority of GoW II is comprised of.

The gameplay department remains almost the same. If you played GoW you can pick up the controller and jump right into GoW II, the buttons are mapped identically. Also returning are the on-screen button-matching mini games that provide the gruesome final blows to the larger enemies and bosses. I must admit, as I took down my first Minotaur, I had forgotten how delightfully violent some of the kills were in this series. It felt so right to be back delivering godly judgment to those who dare stand in Kratos’ way while bathing in fountains of their ill-fated blood.

There are some new secondary weapons for Kratos to find and power-up. Fortunately GoW II lets players swap them in and out on the fly with R2, avoiding annoying time-outs in the action to go into the menu and change weapons. Another new power for Kratos are the Wings of Icarus. While not allowing Kratos to fly but rather float farther distances than normal jumping would allow, the wings do not drastically change gameplay but instead allow for better level design and puzzles.

The puzzles in GoW II are well thought out and do not detract from the action too much, though there are a handful of them that will have gamers using their problem solving skills. Much of this has to do with the terrific level design, which spans cities, temples, forests, and even a few flying levels to mix things up. But do not be fooled, there are some intense moments in the game and you will die often. Thank Zeus that Santa Monica implemented an often and accurate checkpoint system. Because checkpoints occur so regularly, trial and error is encouraged and the pace of the game flows instead of having to play the same fifteen-minute section over and over.

There were some really engaging and epic boss battles in GoW and GoW II gives us even more. While there are three which stand out above the rest, the other battles are a nice mix of humans and mythological beasts, all which are enjoyable. The top three however, are three that will not be forgotten easily in gaming history.

GoW surprised everyone with what it could do using the PS2 hardware and being the last major title before the PS2 is retired, GoW II pushes it to the edge. More detailed and technically stunning than its prequel, GoW II must be seen first hand. I am having trouble writing about the graphics because I cannot think of any faults. Character design and animations are top-notch, cinematography and camera angles are used at blockbuster movie levels, and environments are both varied and lush. The CG cutscenes steal the show and viewers may find something wet on their chin; it’s called drool. Along with Metal Gear Solid 3 and Final Fantasy XII, GoW II is the best it gets on the PS2. Mix in perfect audio comprised of epic, sweeping orchestras and superb sound effect to complete this legendary package.

It is sad to see the PS2 go but I am glad it went out with a bang. PS2 owners and action game fanatics everywhere must play this game. As for Kratos, the end is just the beginning…

Alien Hominid HD Review

2007-08-03T20:50:00.001-07:00

Alien Hominid was release just about two years ago on the Gamecube and PS2, but now it has arrived for download on Xbox Live Arcade. After being shot down passing Earth, our main character must try and recover the pieces of his ship in order to get off this rock we call home. A 2-D side-scrolling shooter whose inspiration is clearly derived from such classics as Contra or Metal Slug; Alien Hominid’s artistic style, humor, and all around charm sets itself apart. The hand drawn animations are original and sharp, while still violent enough to show your alien biting off enemies’ heads from above. At 16 stages and some minigames on the side, there is not much length to the game, but that isn’t a problem since the difficulty will have your fingers sore from hitting the continue button so often. Alien Hominid is as tough as it is fun. Since it is such a great pick-up-and-play game like most of the Xbox Live Arcade releases, frustration breaks will give you the patience needed to exact your revenge upon us feeble humans. 800 Microsoft Points ($10) will score you the full game. Give Alien Hominid a chance; you just might remember how entertaining a simple game can be.

More PS3 traitors!!

2007-08-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

The never ending good news for Xbox 360 owners keeps rolling in. This week it was announced that both Ace Combat 6 by Namco and Devil May Cry 4 by Capcom will NOT be PS3 exclusives anymore and WILL be released on the Xbox 360 as well. Grand Theft Auto IV has already been confirmed as coming to the 360 simultaneous with the PS3, and even Metal Gear Solid 4 has been rumored to make the jump. Have the years of exclusive games become extinct? Xbox 360 still has Mistwalker Studios' games Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey under contract which is a huge, Fable 2, Gears of War, and others. PS3 has Final Fantasy XIII and officially Metal Gear Solid 4, but Sony is getting dropped quick. Stay tuned for updates on who's in bed with who.

MLB 2K7 Review

2007-08-03T20:48:00.001-07:00

Baseball season is upon us and so is 2K Game’s MLB 2K7. I have never been a fan of baseball games given the fact that they bore me and I have always sucked at them. I know, it’s hard to believe I cannot be good at EVERY game. But MLB 2K7 actually kept my attention for over nine innings. Hitting and pitching are fun, but fielding and baserunning still need some attention. Giving the command to climb the wall in order to rob a homerun or throwing to/through cutoff men have some issues. Also sometimes fielders decide on some odd choices to barehand a ball or attempt plays that they simply cannot make. This results in extra bases for your opponent and an increase in anger. On the offensive side, players sometimes hiccup around the bag and unexpected outs will occur. The graphics in MLB 2K7 are great, minus the crowds. Stadiums looks fantastic as do most player models, but there are some who look nothing like their real life counterparts. 2K Games has implemented something called “Signature Style” meaning that you will see at the plate nuances such as Nomar checking his batting gloves, as well as fielding animations exclusive to individual players. Most baseball fans will enjoy MLB 2K7 but hopefully we will get an even finer tuned release next year.

GDC Keynotes

2007-08-03T20:47:00.002-07:00

We got the two head honchos this year at the Game Developers Conference to give keynotes. Phil Harrison spoke on Wednesday afternoon for Sony and Shigeru Miyamoto got the Thursday slot. Being my first GDC, I had never seen any of the guys behind the games in person so I was a little juiced to say the least. The keynotes were held in the South Wing Esplanade at the Moscone Center. The room held around 300 people (maybe?) and, being a member of the press, I got to skip the line and head for front and center.

I couldn’t wait to hear what Phil Harrison had to say about the PS3. Sony has got to do something big before they are totally left in the dust by both the Wii and Xbox 360. I was anticipating something along the lines of Harrison saying how the PS3 is fine, there should be nothing to worry about, and then dropping a ton of numbers to bore everyone to death. Luckily I was saved from such blasphemy. Phil’s speech was entitled “Game 3.0: Developing And Creating For The 3rd Age of Video Games”. Game 1.0 was defined as the disconnected console with static game disk and Game 2.0 was the connected console or PC with static game content on the disk. According to Mr. Harrison, we are now in the Game 3.0 era, which consists of such wonders as customization, content creativity, community, localization, collaboration, social service, and emergent entertainment. Okay, I thought, where is this headed? Yeah, everyone these days are about online play, downloadable content, and the gamer community. How is Sony going to revolutionize what we already have? Enter Phil Harrison’s announcement for the PS3 called “Home”. Home runs off the PS3 browser and is a 3D social networking service. First you create your character and Sony has provided a pretty in-depth editor to customize your online self. Environmental lobbies have streaming high definition video playing advertisements and gameplay videos, advertising banners that can be updated as well as voice chat. There are different lobbies such as the gaming lobby with bowling, arcade games, pool, etc., a cinema to view movie and television trailers, and also a “Hall of Fame” trophy room for each player to show off his/her gaming achievements. Players have their own private apartments where they can deck out their virtual living situations as well as invite friends over to hang out and party. All and all it is a pretty slick and fancy interface. Home looks cool and I know that people are going to eat it up, but for me do I really care about this? It is cool to be able to hang out with the handful of friends that don’t live near me, but why would I want to go bowling in the virtual lobby when I can go down to the neighborhood bowling alley and drink beers? I just don’t think that I want or have that much time to spend on another life. The Home Beta will be released in April with the full service launch being Fall ’07.

Now for some software announcements. Singstar, which has sold over 2 million units, has moved to the PS3 with Singstar Online. In this updated version users are able to get video previews of songs, buy new songs in the store, record performances, and leave/receive performance comments. This to me just is another avenue for the music industry to make a shit load of cash and rub horrible pop music in our faces. I cannot wait for this to be all over the PS3 servers so I can either kill myself out of a pop culture overdose or laugh my ass off at losers youtube style. Singstar Online will be out May/June in Europe and later ’07 in the US. Finally we saw a new game called Little Big Planet. This game is under development by a new company named Media Molecule and is a completely dynamic title to build and play in. Players can easily create their own levels/worlds and share them with everyone else. Like Singstar you can share your levels with others around the world, see how your creation is ranked by how many times it has been played, leave/receive comments, etc. Once again, Little Big World is probably going to be a huge hit with the masses but I am not sure if it is going to change the gaming world. I do have to give Sony props for at least moving in the right direction. The push to get people to be more creative and not just sitting around shooting people is a plus in my book. This should help Sony but they still have not addressed their key problem, which is having quality games on their system. Put some good releases out that people can have fun with and you will sell more systems.

Thursday brought to San Francisco a gaming legend, Shigeru Miyamoto. Speaking of moving in the right direction, Nintendo has their shit together. This was a huge event for me since Miyamoto created most of the games that started my gaming career. The creator of Donkey Kong, Mario, and Zelda brought a very personal message for the attendees this year. He started by explaining the change in games over the last few years. In 1998 the top games were GoldenEye 007, Gran Tourismo, Banjo-Kazooie, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Mario 64. In 2004 the top games were GTA: San Andreas, NFL 2K, Madden, and Halo 2. Quite a change in game types for just a six yar span. Miyamoto was worried that gamers were being turned into zombies with this new shift and also, could Miyamoto-type games still work in today’s gaming trends?

Nintendo realized that games were becoming too complicated for casual gamers and only hardcore gamers were the majority of the current market. Thus they wanted to expand their audience, and games like Brain Age, Nintendogs, and Animal Crossing have helped to bring in people that previously would have never played games. Nintendo wants to bridge the gap between age and various backgrounds with both the DS and Wii, and as an entertainment company, they were willing to take risks in order to provide what they hold highest, FUN. Miyamoto felt that the biggest risk in Nintendo’s lifeline so far has been the Wii. The GameCube was viewed as just a step in Nintendo’s story as they were waiting for the right technology to be available. According to Miyamoto, there was a dilemma after the GameCube came out which was did Nintendo want to run the risk of trying to reach out and bring in new gamers, or did they just want to go ahead and improve the hardware like usual? When the Wii was debuted at E3 in 2006, Miyamoto knew they had made the right decision as he viewed the long lines and happy faces that littered Nintendo’s booth.

When developing a game, Miyamoto does not dwell on small details or specific parts of a game. His end goal is to entertain and he always mentally pictures if the player will have a smile on his/her face while playing a game. Take Wii Sports for example. There is only one stadium, no licenses, only three innings are played, you cannot bunt or control fielders, etc. In the end it is not a very realistic game at all when compared with other current generation platforms, yet people are enjoying Wii Sports now because of a different form of realism; the ability to interact in a simplistic manner with others. Oh yeah, and have fun doing it.

There is an obvious difference in company agenda and the respective business plans between Sony and Nintendo. Sony has opted for the hardcore gamer scene where graphics, audio, and complexity reign supreme. They are attempting to bring in people through their PS3 Home and creative games such as Little Big Planet, but they are more of alternative distraction to the long-standing game formula that will keep gaming stagnant. Nintendo on the other hand has decided to return to its roots: entertainment. Interactive and simplistic controls, ease of use, and innovative gameplay have been prioritized over advanced hardware upgrades. Already being a hardcore gamer I cannot pick which is a better plan. I do have to give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt though. I am very impressed at their risk taking and ability to always be challenging the norm. I haven’t had a Nintendo console since the SNES. I have a N64 but I didn’t get it until much later, after I turned to the PlayStation side. I think I am ready to head back to the land of my gaming roots and revisit Donkey Kong, Mario, and Zelda. Good work Nintendo, I think you are going to win this one out.

NBA Street Homecourt Review

2007-08-03T20:47:00.001-07:00

Street is back and it is time to show those young punks where your roots are. Homecourt is the first next-gen Street title from EA and a nice addition for sports fans. I played the shit out of NBA Street Vol. 2 and while Homecourt is a solid title, it doesn’t feel like it has progressed very much.

So we start out creating a baller by choosing a pre-set face and blending that with two pro players faces, kinda freaky. For example, I chose the white yokely guy and mixed him with Dirk and AK47. After your baller is ready to hit the court you choose two no-name teammates to round out your team and enter in your homecourt. I loved seeing Vacaville show up every time after pulling off a gamebreaker to represent my citaaaay!! Dominate for a while and you will be able to recruit actual NBA players so don’t worry, just build that reputation.

Street plays like it always does, with a few minor tweaks. There are only two trick buttons now, the X and Y buttons, with the L and R buttons being your modifiers. Not too complicated but enough variety to pull off some great combos. Speaking of, the animations in Homecourt steal the show. Some of the tricks and dunks here are so over the top outrageous but luckily the animations linking them all together are just perfect. For example, build up your trick meter with a seven trick combo, head to the top of the key where your teammate is crouched down, step on his back as he springboards you into the air, complete a few 360’s and land on top of the rim, Spiderman crouch against the backboard and leap into a back flip dunk, grab the ball on its way down with your feet, toss it back up and slam it through for another point. Just another day on the street son! The dunks are the real “wow” factor in Homecourt and you will be saying “wow”, along with some other choice words, quite often. Gamebreakers are cool; players can build up a six-point swing by maxing out the trick gauge for three points and then bustin a triple dunk to knock off three points from the opposing team.

The graphics are next-gen worthy but they were kinda bland in the color department. I understand that EA is trying to play the nostalgic card here and make the visuals feel a bit dated, but in the end the filter used just seemed to make the colors washed out. Plus on replays there is a fisheye lens shader that comes up around the screen. I guess I just want to see some flashier full screen love. There are some WNBA players in Homecourt (why? I don’t know) but I did bounce pass an ally-oop off Lisa Leslie’s dome which I replayed about 30 times laughing my ass off.

Like I said, Homecourt is a fun and solid sports title, but besides unlocking new shoes and jerseys and maxing out your baller, there isn’t much more that captured me. You can take it online; do some challenges, yadda yadda. Pick up Homecourt if you still haven’t gotten into a Street game or are already a huge fan.

Major League Baseball 2K7

2007-08-03T20:46:00.001-07:00

Ich-i-rooo!! I viewed the trailer to MLB 2K7 a few weeks ago and was blown away. The attention to detail in this sports title was trippin me out, especially since I have never been a fan of baseball video games. I find them boring and plus I suck at them. Strangely enough after the trailer was released, I was instantly excited to play this game not believing that it could look as good as my eyes were telling me. Well I just got through a few sessions of the demo on the 360 and I actually had fun! Maybe it was because the animations were superb, character models mostly spot on, the replays/camera angles were amazing, or the commentary by Joe Morgan and Jon Miller was actually bearable. I cannot remember the last MLB game I played, it might have been an EA title around 2003. There is the possibility that I have been out of the MLB gaming scene for so long that I have not seen this coming, but MLB 2K7 over-shot my expectations by 430 yards to center-right field. Playing this game really feels like you are on the field with the players which is what I think should be the main goal of a sports title. I didn't get all the controls down but basic batting and pitching was fun and actually kept my attention for once. The demo sets you in the final three innings of last years NLCS game between St. Louis and NYM. Maybe all this glee is because I had a two out, two run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win the game as the Mets. Oh yeah, and I called it. Shea Stadium went ballistic!!

Crackdown Review

2007-08-03T20:45:00.002-07:00

Crackdown is the newest GTA sytle game to hit the 360. Created by David Jones, the original creator of GTA, is Crackdown that revolutionary or just more of the same? The biggest difference that Crackdown has over other open-ended games is that you are an enhanced human capable of superhuman abilities. As you play through Crackdown, players receive orbs that level up their stats. The more you shoot, the better your weapon skills get, the more you find agility orbs, the faster you run and higher you jump. Driving skills, explosives, and strength are also upgradable. Crackdown is a very vertical environment, and it feels great to leap rooftop to rooftop and pick up cars like The Hulk. The most addicting part of Crackdown has to be collecting the agility orbs scattered throught the city rooftops. Each time you level up your agility you can jump higher and thus reach more orbs.

There are three gangs in the city that must be eliminated and each gang has a leader as well as lieutenants that make up their crew. Try and go for the head honcho right off the bat and you can kiss your genetically modified ass goodbye. By taking down the underlings, the gang will become weaker. Take out the lieutenant that handles weaponry and the troops will be less gun savey. Needless to say, the more lieutenants that are taken out beforehand, the easier the gang leader will be to take down.

Crackdown’s graphics are cell shaded and comic looking which really fits with the super-powered theme. The gun and explosion audio are deep but the game’s music is a techno nightmare. Headaches will ensue. Gameplay is like GTA except the aiming. You can manual fire or lock-on GTA style, but you cannot cycle through enemies like in San Andreas. This wouldn’t be a huge problem except that dead enemies can still be targeted which leads to issues of trying to target someone pumping lead into you and the target-lock being stuck on a non-lethal corpse. Driving is decent but there is not a ton of different vehicle varieties. Online play features a Co-Op mode that allows for two players to simultaneously be playing in the game world. Co-Op is my favorite online mode and the inclusion of this in a GTA style game is a feature I hope will be consistent from now on.

This game is not very long, about 8 hours, and there is no storyline whatsoever. I became bored with Crackdown after ridding the world of two of the three gangs, only playing a bit more to collect more agility orbs. In the end Crackdown is a good game but really nothing that will blow you away. Most people will be picking up this title for the Halo 3 demo and if that is your main reasoning, you will find a solid game to leap around in until it’s Halo time.

Boom Shaka-Laka!!

2007-08-03T20:45:00.001-07:00

Awww, yeah...

Addiction - noun: The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

My favorite Xbox Live Arcade game to date is one of the first releases for Live Arcade, Geometry Wars Evolved. This game is a simple upgrade of Asteroids, with a bunch of firework explosions littering the screen and shit flying everywhere. It starts out slow but then amps up the amount of enemies to make sure your high score will never be touched again. Geometry wars, for me, follows the definition above. This is an amazingly simplistic game, but the reason it works is because it is fun, challenging, and can be picked up for 15 minutes or 2 hours. A great little app that I still go back to every week to get my nostalgic gaming on. I highly recommend downloading Geometry Wars if you have a 360 and haven't played it yet. Anyways, the point of this post is that the makers of Geometry Wars Evolved are coming out with their next Xbox Live Arcade game in a few months. Boom Boom Rocket is another simple designed game. Shooting fireworks into the sky in this music game has you pushing the four face buttons on the controller when said color reaches its explosion hight. Simplistic? Yes. Addictive. Guaranteed. Comprised of a list of around ten techno'd out classical songs, Boom Boom Rocket will be on my Xbox HD as soon as it is released.

Ghost Rider Review

2007-08-03T20:44:00.002-07:00

I wish I could banish all movie-licensed video games to the depths of Hades to forever be played by the people that make them. Then I think that I could finally sleep at night. Ghost Rider follows the same garbage cookie cutter formula that all movie games do. Ever heard of a little title named God of War? If you have played that masterpiece then you will be able to pick up a controller and rock Ghost Rider instantly because it is the exact same game, but worse. It has the same control configuration (including the right analogue for dodging), the same button matching kills, the same everything. There is nothing original about this game. The sad thing is that it doesn’t even play as well as God of War so it makes it even worse. Enemy design is crap and insanely limited. You will see the same demons, ninjas, and clowns throughout the entire game. Graphics, story, and the length of this title are all poor. Ghost Rider was basically thrown together in time to coincide with the movie release as just another product for the marketing department to try and sell. As a gamer, avoid this game at al costs. If you pick this up as a Ghost Rider fan/collector, you might find it collecting more dust than playtime.

Clover

2007-08-03T20:44:00.001-07:00

Thank God. When I heard that Clover Studios had been dissolved after the amazing Okami was released for the PS2 last year (a game of the year nomination), I almost lost my mind. How could a studio that put out such a quality game get the axe so fast? Luckily, it has been announced this last week that heads from Clover Studios have reformed and opened its doors again as Seeds. Seeds is being led by former Clover president Atsushi Inaba. Other main members have worked on such titles as Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, Dino Crisis, and Okami. Needless to say, I am really excited for this new studio to be created. Just like Mistwalker Studios which is made up of ex-Squaresoft employee's responsible for Final Fantasy, Seeds will join it on the list of the most highly anticipated developers. Mistwalker has Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey which are Xbox exclusives bleeping on the radar. Lets hope that both new companies can come through with some gaming goodness for all to enjoy. Keep your eyes open for updates.

Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 Review

2007-08-03T20:43:00.001-07:00

GOAL, GOAL, GOAL!!! A new year and a new long-ass title, Winning Eleven (WE) brings back the footie gameplay that fans know and love. The Xbox 360 port of the game is a more bare bones version of the PS2 title, but it still does what it is supposed to do - create and immerse players in the most realistic and exciting game of soccer on earth.

WE has always had licensing troubles and as long as EA holds the FIFAPro license, Konami is going to have troubles in this department. Gone from last year is the German Bundesliga although Bayern Munich is still around and licensed. There is full licensing for the French Ligue 1, Dutch Eredivisie, Spanish La Liga, and Italian Serie A, as well as most national teams and a handful of other clubs. Noted absences in the unlicensed department include the German and USA national teams as well as the English Premier League. The EPL has the correct player models and names but not the correct team names or kits. Unfortunately you cannot edit these items either so your stuck with what you get. Konami did get the licenses for Manchester United and Liverpool which is at least something I suppose.

Graphics have been bumped up a bit for the first release on the next-gen market. The lighting on players give them a nice shine but their hair and jersey's are still stiff as a board. This release seems like a quick spit out and hopefully next year WE will get a whole new engine reworking for the next-gen versions. Another cut in the 360 version is in amount of stadiums available. Only 8 are on the 360 compared to the 27 stadiums on the PS2. Yes 27, a HUGE difference.

Luckily, WE has never been about the graphics but instead for its amazing gameplay. Ball physics have been made even more realistic and this translates into some intense loose ball situations in the box. Ball physics also play a big part in the middle of the field as sometimes players recieve lucky bounces and can get through multiple defenders. This can be annoying on defense but it is realistic and does happen in real life so I guess we cannot complain. Once again player animations have been expanded and are phenomenal. My favorite thing about WE is that you can play 100 matches and still see something new. Each situation is unique in every single game. Not for beginners, WE 2007 has a steep learning curve but it’s worth the investment. Veterans will be able to jump in and start playing and there are a few new tweaks on set pieces to master. For newbies, WE is filled with tough AI and sensitive controls that might result in a smashed controller against the wall. The first copy of WE 6 that I got, it took me over 6 matches to score my first goal.

The other, and even more spectacular aspect of WE is that you have to really WORK for your goals. They will be elusive and frustratingly close; the tension built when a much needed goal is in the balance will have tensions flying. But when that goal does finally come after a four person string of passes combined to a shot cracking off the crossbar resulting in a rebounded volley, nothing can be more satisfying. Once you feel the thrill of scoring in WE, you will be addicted to wanting that gratification over and over again.

Online play is very basic, you set up criterion to find another player willing to play. There are leaderboards for ranked matches that can be fun to climb, but if you have another soccer fanatic in your group of friends that you love talking trash to, WE 2007 will let you yell at each other as much as you want. I can never wait to get home and challenge my soccer arch-nemesis Geordie to more matches (and unfortunately for him I always dominate). Always highly recommended over EA’s FIFA series, WE 2007 should not be missed by any soccer hooligan.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Review

2007-08-03T20:40:00.001-07:00

When I think winter I think snowmen, cocoa, and hot fires. The only relation to Lost Planet would be the hot fire of rocket-launching mech destruction. You are Wayne (yes, best video game name ever) and reside on an arctic world man is trying to colonize. The problem is that it is too cold for humans to survive and oh, yeah, there are huge bug monsters called Akrid that inhabit said world already.

A combination of 3rd person shooting and mech piloting, Lost Planet is all about whoopin ass. Gameplay is nothing too groundbreaking. You have a grappling hook that is pretty cool and controlling the mechs are where the most fun will be had. While the world settings could have been bland because most everything is covered in ice, the graphics really make it feel like an inhabitable wasteland without boring us to death with endless snow. Indoor Akrid caves contain some great visuals as well. Lost Planet boasts quality special effects and the smoke particles from rockets rushing past your head and explosions are very impressive. There are lengthily cut-scenes between levels that are great to look at but the story is so sketch you might just want to skip them.

The animations are very well done also, but when a rocket or enemy knocks you down, Wayne goes into his “falling down” animation. It looks good but the problem is this; when multiple mech/enemies are barraging rockets and lasers at you, as soon as his animation is completed you get instantly pummeled by the next volley and cycled into the infamous “falling down” animation again. This can get really annoying when shit is hitting the fan. Oh and why can't I aim up or down past about 75 degrees?? That is another pain for Wayne. I don't know if the developers did that on purpose to make the game that much harder or what. Bad choice none-the-less.

The game is fairly easy, you are constantly losing energy while in the cold and must continually recharge it by killing enemies or you will die. This is a nice little twist to make sure players are consistently wreaking havoc. The best part of Lost Planet is the boss battles. Boss’s are usually many times larger than your mechs, are super challenging, and will have you pressing retry multiple times until you find their weaknesses.

Multiplayer has a variety of gameplay styles and supports up to 16 players in matches at once. This can create some intense battles between snow pirates. Multiplayer still feels much like the campaign mode though and I enjoyed the single player experience a bit more. I had some high hopes for Lost Planet and while it won’t blow your mind, it is a great winter title that will get you through the often slow post-Christmas slump in games. A recommended play through.