2010 will bring us some great games. Really great games. In fact, the games have already started with the release of Mass Effect 2, and BioShock 2 in two weeks. But 2010 will also bring something else. Microsoft and Sony will be bringing their first tries at motion control with Natal and the Wand, respectively. These are definitely interesting and unique pieces of hardware, and are much anticipated. Unfortunately, they have been the victim of mixed feelings. Some people love the idea of motion controls like Natal. They feel it is going to add not only a great place for casual games but a great place for new hardcore games, too. Many feel that casual games are the only thing that these technologies can do, and they just can't support the hardcore. Others feel motion control is a waste of time, and any implementation in hardcore games will most certainly ruin them.
I have always felt since the widespread success of the Wii that motion control was almost guaranteed to show up in Microsoft's and Sony's consoles. There is no denying that the idea of a new way to control a game is intriguing, and as proven by the Wii, successful if done correctly. Microsoft and Sony are doing something different however. They aren't just creating a Wiimote with a 360 guide button on it. They are doing unique and different motion controls. Because of this uniqueness, many developers have started to create games for the platform, and many hardcore developers have been sent dev kits by Microsoft and Sony to toy around with. Should a gamer be concerned? Is it justified for someone to worry if their favorite franchise will be ruined because of motion control? Or should the masses be quiet?
It's a mixed bag. Let's start with Natal. Natal is different from the Wii motion control is several ways. First, it has no controls. Your body is the sole control. This is the main feature of Natal, and this is what seperates it from competition. Microsoft seems to be employing a two-way strategy with Natal. First, they recognize that the majority of success the Wii has gained has been from casual gamers. This is why Natal is aimed at being a great casual gamer machine. As shown by the demo game "Ricochet", Natal can be a great and unique casual gaming platform. It does everything a Wii does without the need for a control. You can even get a work out with Natal without having to buy a board to stand on. However, Microsoft also realizes the potential Natal has to appeal to the hardcore. Unlike the Wii, Natal will be up next to an already strong console, the Xbox 360. Microsoft would love for some hardcore appeal games to utilize Natal in some way. Whether this be by menu navigation or waving your hand to issue squad commands, the possibilities for Natal to be in the hardcore world are endless. This is because of the nature of the tech, as it is just a camera, not a new system or controller. To summarize, Microsoft is prioritizing an all-around experience with Natal where it will have multiple functions in multiple areas.
But what about the PS3 Wand? Sony has recovered from its initial sales slump this past year. PS3's are beginning to sell, and Sony will surely take advantage of this. Just like Microsoft, Sony has created more that just a peripheral. While MS has taken out the controls, Sony seems to have refined, making their wand more responsive, more reliable, and cooler that a WiiMote. Couple that with the abilities of the PS3 Eye camera, and Sony has a great technology. Sony is not aiming towards the casual, it seems. Sony feels their new control can be full implemented in any game, including existing hardcore franchises. They want their devs to make games that are not necessarily casual only. They want the Wand to be much more core Sony fans focused, while still competing on the market. They are also taking advantage of the fact that they have the same amount of responsiveness supposedly as Natal with an actual controller for tactile feedback. Sony wants to make the Wand a new way for devs to make games, not just a new implementation.
No one can say for sure what the developers have been up to with this new tech. We still probably will have no idea what to expect in terms of software until E3. For now, here's what I feel gamers should think. Motion control is something that should be welcomed. In an industry that thrives on innovation, new ways to play should always be welcomed. Although the Wii may not appeal to the hardcore as much as the 360 and the PS3 do, it still accomplishes something. It's currently the only place you can get full motion control games that appeal to most ages. It only makes sense MS and Sony want a piece of this goldmine. And just as the Wii has gravitated towards the casual more and more, so will the new motion tech. Real hardcore games with the gamepad won't ever completely go away. If someone doesn't like it though, they don't have to buy it.
It is undeniable, however, that some devs will most likely try to put some Natal in their games (looking at you, Cliffy...). How this will eventually end up is anyone's guess. Will some games try to overextend themselves by using too much Natal? Probably one or two. But my guess is that just as hardcore has failed to appeal on the Wii, too much motion implementation will not appeal to the hardcore even if it's in a hardcore franchise. Games that use a gamepad and are good at using the gamepad will stay that way. Developers should find out quite quickly that too much motion will ruin their games. They will also learn that less is more. In my opinion, many hardcore games will only succeed in motion control if they use it with a gamepad, and sparingly at that. It will be the games that use motion for menu navigation or squad commands that will do well and show that motion can be used in games. Here's the catch. Natal can do this, but the Wand cannot. Sony is positioning it's motion control as a fully new way to control. In my opinion, it will have a much harder time catching any hardcore appeal rather than Natal.
Verdict: don't worry. In my opinion, most games should stay to the core of the way they are meant to be controlled. Some games may try to implement motion, and some may go full out with motion, but devs will learn what works and what doesn't in time. Many will find that the casual will be the main market for motion, but that motion does have possibilities to go further into gaming. And, as always, if you don't like something, don't buy it. As for franchises, I think many will slowly try at something in terms of motion. Gears, in my opinion, will not be full motion controlled. I would expect squad commands (as there are rumors that say Gears 3 will be squad based). The heavier franchise with motion should be Fable III. Lionhead seems to be increasingly interested in Natal, and Fable III will probably use it quite a bit. Only when it is released will we really see if it works or not. Finally, I expect many RTS's to get the motion treatment. The controls work well with this kind of tech.
See you next week.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
15 Things I'm Exited For.
I am really excited right now. 2010 as a gaming year is about to begin, starting with the release of the much anticipated Mass Effect 2, and in two weeks from that, BioShock 2. And in a month from that we have a new Final Fantasy and the Game Developers Conference. Like I said, I'm excited. What exactly am I excited for this year? Well, I've made a convenient list for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.
Year of the...I have no idea.
Who knows who will reign supreme this year. It's anyone's game. So far every year has been dominated by a console, in my opinion. 2007 was the Wii's year, as it's phenominal release in November of the previous year and it's several first-party release titles were great. 2008 was definitely Microsoft's year. After the gigantic lift it got from Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 at the end of the previous year, MS had the best variety and number of games. That, and both the Wii and PS3 were at weak points. 2009 was finally a Sony year. After the long sought after price cut and the number of exclusives they had last year, Sony did it for '09. Not to mention they had an exclusive be awarded Game of the Year. This year is open for any of them, as they all have advantages and weaknesses that could determine their year. Nintendo will finally get some first party titles out this year, which will please the hardcore. Microsoft will also have many exclusives and big games come out, namely Halo: Reach, and they will have the launch of Natal. Sony will be riding of the tail of their previous year success, and also have a motion control and big games come out. I for sure will be watching this battle.
E3
2009 brought back something gamers have been missing for a while: a good E3. Ever since the incredible downsizing in 2007, E3 sucked. It just wasn't the spectacle and amazing show it should have been. 2009 fixed that. E3 was back in full force, and was probably one of the best shows of all time. Many of the companies that dropped out of the show came back for this show, and the convention was brought back to full glamour and size. And even though the show looked amazing, what really made it good was the amount of announcements. The quality of E3 has always been determined by how good and how plentiful the announcements were. This show had it's share of surprises. Of note were the announcements of Natal and the PS3 Wand, which were not shocking but definitely interesting. Earth shaking gameplay like Halo 3:ODST and God of War III were awesome. E3 in 2010 can only be better. Over 100 companies will be showing stuff at the show, and most of those will be revealing never before seen games. E3 is back, bitches.
The Return of Sony
I am so happy for Sony. Finally they get what they deserve. The last console generation was dominated by Sony. By far, the PS2 was the leader of the gaming consoles of the last generation. This was because Sony was dedicated to created a console that's primary purpose was to play great games. The best games were on the PS2. Always. Fast forward to the present, however, and you'll see a company that was not fully prepared for the next generation. Sony did not have a good start. The PS3 was too expensive, was too unnaproachable, and did not have any good games. Nintendo and Microsoft dominated. 2009 brought back Sony from the edge of darkness. They proved that they can have a good console with great games for a great price. 2010 will be the rise of Sony, and will see Sony become a true competitor like it should be, and not a loser as it seemed. The PS3 is positioned to make a dent in the Wii and the 360 with many of it's exclusives. Top that with the fact that it is now affordable (same price as a 360, and only $100 more than a Wii), and you have a true successor to the PS2.
Bring on the Blizzard
2010 will see the return of one of the great companies today: Blizzard. Blizzard has always had weird development cycles. They always take such a long time to make games. There are many explanations to this, but it all leads to the same thing: people getting pissed because they have to wait longer for their next game. Blizzard has created such a craving with gamers. Even though they do take a while, everything they release is of the best quality. All of their games are of the highest caliber. 2010 will see the release of not just one title, but two. The first and most notable is that of StarCraft II. It's been ten years since the release of StarCraft. Gamers will be picking this game up in hordes. The final expansion to World of Warcraft will be released also, which will also be popular. Blizzard will finally show what they have been working on as a development company this year. Not to mention the tons of rumors that their next unrevealed project will be unveiled this year. Will it be another MMO? A console game? Only this year will answer that.
Sequels!
2010 will be another year for the sequels. Face it: gamers like sequels and buy more sequels than they do original IP's. It's the security. Gamers know what to expect to an extent when buying a sequel. They'll know if they will like it or not, or if they should stay away, something that is much tougher with a new IP. Think of the biggest selling games. Modern Warfare 2, Halo 3, God of War 2, Uncharted 2...all sequels. It is no surprise developers like to make sequels more than IP's. It's almost guaranteed money. 2009 saw many successful sequels, and this year is no different. Mass Effect 2, BioShock 2, Final Fantasy XIII, God of War 3, Halo: Reach, Call of Duty 6, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Dead Space 2, Army of Two: The 40th Day, StarCraft II, and Medal of Honor, just to name a few. Get ready to go back to your favorites. Because 2010 is full of them, and conferences are sure to announce more. My guess? How about Mirror's Edge 2, Uncharted 3, Borderlands 2, Half-Life 2: Episode 3, and Infamous 2?
Changing of the Seasons
2010 is bringing something new to gaming. Normally, gaming has relese seasons. Usual the routine starts with a big number of releases in the beginning of the year. This slowly trickles down until July, where releases come to a dead stop. They start picking up around August, and by November, there's a release every week. 2009 stopped this somewhat, partially due to Modern Warfare 2. So many people were scared of losing money to MW2 (rightly so) that they pushed their games to earlier or later dates. This created a interesting side-effect. Many games that released in August sold very well, and many games that were pushed to later this year are now getting more mainstream coverage. Publishers have noticed that there are unused parts of the year. They have seen that these places could potentially be the perfect place to release their game. 2010 should see many games getting spread to different parts of the year. Although this won't be drastically different (I'm pretty sure Summer will still suck for releases), games seem to be spreading out a bit. It's good news to, because it gives the gamer longer periods of time to enjoy games.
Modern Warfare 2, Suck my balls.
Modern Warfare 2 shook the gaming world. It showed that games have the potential to make tons of money, more than films. It also showed that it's possible to live up to hype. Finally, it showed that the gaming world has tons of potential to go even bigger and better than MW2. 2010 will see developers trying to make even better games with even bigger budgets, just so that they can prove they can stick it out with the tough guys. Specifically, MW2 has created a competition storm in the modern warfare genre. MW2 has supremacy here. For now. Games like Medal of Honor, Spec Ops: The Line, and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 are directly and blatantly aimed at taking down the giant. In fact, the developer of Bad Company 2 had stated one of his team's goals is to knock MW2 out of the top. It's cool to see developers directly aiming at doing better than another game. It makes the games better and gives gamers more choices. Will any of them succeed? Who knows. But there is a case to be made for strength in numbers. Unfortunately, MW2 has 6 million of them.
Bungie's Curtain Call
2010 will see the final Halo game from Halo's creators, Bungie. Halo is without a doubt one of the greatest and most recognizable franchises not just in gaming, but in the entertainment industry. To see it's original creators leaving it for bigger and better things is both sad and happy. Bungie is a great company, and they have always been dedicated to making amazing games. The Halo franchise has seen it's ups and downs, but at the forefront was its creator. The dedication they have to their community and to their games is amazing, and to see them make a final Halo is wonderful. And since it is the last Halo by Bungie, its sure to be a great one. Halo: Reach looks phenominal, and many suprises and reveals are left this year leading up to its eventual release at the end of the year. Have no fear however. Bungie isn't gone. They are working on a completely new IP, hopefully to be announced soon, and Halo isn't gone either. The franchise has been handed over to Microsoft's internal studio 343 Industries, made up of former Bungie employees. Still, it is a somber moment to see the year when Bungie's Halo takes it's final bow.
Natal
2010 will see the attempt by Microsoft and Sony to level the playing field with Nintendo with their motion controlling technology. I am most excited for Natal. Microsoft seems to have planned their foray in motion very carefully. The 360 has been established as a great medium for the hardcore, and Natal will be aimed at the casual, for sure. Doing this ensures that MS gets appeal from all sides. But Natal is also being implemented by many hardcore studios, such as Lionhead Studios and even Epic Games. Natal could have a chance to be implemented in hardcore games, something that has not been done by Nintendo. By giving Natal the ability to work as a platform by itself or as an add-on to other games, Natal is aimed at hardcore and casual at the same time. Even if Natal ends up being a tool for menu navigation, it becomes that much closer to doing something no one has done before.
Indie Games
2010 will surely be a great year for independent developers. 2009 showed that indie devs can fit in with the bigger devs, they just have to approach it differently. Indie devs are finding homes in the small community based gaming circles, such as Steam, Xbox Live, and to an extent, the PSN. The best indie games of this year have come from these arcades, and show that indie devs can afford to make a high quality game with profit through digital distribution. I expect many other companies will announce new games for XBL and PSN, and many non-indie devs will make smaller games to compete too. Of note is the fact that digital distribution has become almost entirely dominated by indie devs. The future of digital distribution will first be decided by indie devs, and not by the big companies. Score one for the underdog.
Disagree or agree with my excitement? Or are you excited for something else? Leave your comments!
Year of the...I have no idea.
Who knows who will reign supreme this year. It's anyone's game. So far every year has been dominated by a console, in my opinion. 2007 was the Wii's year, as it's phenominal release in November of the previous year and it's several first-party release titles were great. 2008 was definitely Microsoft's year. After the gigantic lift it got from Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 at the end of the previous year, MS had the best variety and number of games. That, and both the Wii and PS3 were at weak points. 2009 was finally a Sony year. After the long sought after price cut and the number of exclusives they had last year, Sony did it for '09. Not to mention they had an exclusive be awarded Game of the Year. This year is open for any of them, as they all have advantages and weaknesses that could determine their year. Nintendo will finally get some first party titles out this year, which will please the hardcore. Microsoft will also have many exclusives and big games come out, namely Halo: Reach, and they will have the launch of Natal. Sony will be riding of the tail of their previous year success, and also have a motion control and big games come out. I for sure will be watching this battle.
E3
2009 brought back something gamers have been missing for a while: a good E3. Ever since the incredible downsizing in 2007, E3 sucked. It just wasn't the spectacle and amazing show it should have been. 2009 fixed that. E3 was back in full force, and was probably one of the best shows of all time. Many of the companies that dropped out of the show came back for this show, and the convention was brought back to full glamour and size. And even though the show looked amazing, what really made it good was the amount of announcements. The quality of E3 has always been determined by how good and how plentiful the announcements were. This show had it's share of surprises. Of note were the announcements of Natal and the PS3 Wand, which were not shocking but definitely interesting. Earth shaking gameplay like Halo 3:ODST and God of War III were awesome. E3 in 2010 can only be better. Over 100 companies will be showing stuff at the show, and most of those will be revealing never before seen games. E3 is back, bitches.
The Return of Sony
I am so happy for Sony. Finally they get what they deserve. The last console generation was dominated by Sony. By far, the PS2 was the leader of the gaming consoles of the last generation. This was because Sony was dedicated to created a console that's primary purpose was to play great games. The best games were on the PS2. Always. Fast forward to the present, however, and you'll see a company that was not fully prepared for the next generation. Sony did not have a good start. The PS3 was too expensive, was too unnaproachable, and did not have any good games. Nintendo and Microsoft dominated. 2009 brought back Sony from the edge of darkness. They proved that they can have a good console with great games for a great price. 2010 will be the rise of Sony, and will see Sony become a true competitor like it should be, and not a loser as it seemed. The PS3 is positioned to make a dent in the Wii and the 360 with many of it's exclusives. Top that with the fact that it is now affordable (same price as a 360, and only $100 more than a Wii), and you have a true successor to the PS2.
Bring on the Blizzard
2010 will see the return of one of the great companies today: Blizzard. Blizzard has always had weird development cycles. They always take such a long time to make games. There are many explanations to this, but it all leads to the same thing: people getting pissed because they have to wait longer for their next game. Blizzard has created such a craving with gamers. Even though they do take a while, everything they release is of the best quality. All of their games are of the highest caliber. 2010 will see the release of not just one title, but two. The first and most notable is that of StarCraft II. It's been ten years since the release of StarCraft. Gamers will be picking this game up in hordes. The final expansion to World of Warcraft will be released also, which will also be popular. Blizzard will finally show what they have been working on as a development company this year. Not to mention the tons of rumors that their next unrevealed project will be unveiled this year. Will it be another MMO? A console game? Only this year will answer that.
Sequels!
2010 will be another year for the sequels. Face it: gamers like sequels and buy more sequels than they do original IP's. It's the security. Gamers know what to expect to an extent when buying a sequel. They'll know if they will like it or not, or if they should stay away, something that is much tougher with a new IP. Think of the biggest selling games. Modern Warfare 2, Halo 3, God of War 2, Uncharted 2...all sequels. It is no surprise developers like to make sequels more than IP's. It's almost guaranteed money. 2009 saw many successful sequels, and this year is no different. Mass Effect 2, BioShock 2, Final Fantasy XIII, God of War 3, Halo: Reach, Call of Duty 6, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Dead Space 2, Army of Two: The 40th Day, StarCraft II, and Medal of Honor, just to name a few. Get ready to go back to your favorites. Because 2010 is full of them, and conferences are sure to announce more. My guess? How about Mirror's Edge 2, Uncharted 3, Borderlands 2, Half-Life 2: Episode 3, and Infamous 2?
Changing of the Seasons
2010 is bringing something new to gaming. Normally, gaming has relese seasons. Usual the routine starts with a big number of releases in the beginning of the year. This slowly trickles down until July, where releases come to a dead stop. They start picking up around August, and by November, there's a release every week. 2009 stopped this somewhat, partially due to Modern Warfare 2. So many people were scared of losing money to MW2 (rightly so) that they pushed their games to earlier or later dates. This created a interesting side-effect. Many games that released in August sold very well, and many games that were pushed to later this year are now getting more mainstream coverage. Publishers have noticed that there are unused parts of the year. They have seen that these places could potentially be the perfect place to release their game. 2010 should see many games getting spread to different parts of the year. Although this won't be drastically different (I'm pretty sure Summer will still suck for releases), games seem to be spreading out a bit. It's good news to, because it gives the gamer longer periods of time to enjoy games.
Modern Warfare 2, Suck my balls.
Modern Warfare 2 shook the gaming world. It showed that games have the potential to make tons of money, more than films. It also showed that it's possible to live up to hype. Finally, it showed that the gaming world has tons of potential to go even bigger and better than MW2. 2010 will see developers trying to make even better games with even bigger budgets, just so that they can prove they can stick it out with the tough guys. Specifically, MW2 has created a competition storm in the modern warfare genre. MW2 has supremacy here. For now. Games like Medal of Honor, Spec Ops: The Line, and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 are directly and blatantly aimed at taking down the giant. In fact, the developer of Bad Company 2 had stated one of his team's goals is to knock MW2 out of the top. It's cool to see developers directly aiming at doing better than another game. It makes the games better and gives gamers more choices. Will any of them succeed? Who knows. But there is a case to be made for strength in numbers. Unfortunately, MW2 has 6 million of them.
Bungie's Curtain Call
2010 will see the final Halo game from Halo's creators, Bungie. Halo is without a doubt one of the greatest and most recognizable franchises not just in gaming, but in the entertainment industry. To see it's original creators leaving it for bigger and better things is both sad and happy. Bungie is a great company, and they have always been dedicated to making amazing games. The Halo franchise has seen it's ups and downs, but at the forefront was its creator. The dedication they have to their community and to their games is amazing, and to see them make a final Halo is wonderful. And since it is the last Halo by Bungie, its sure to be a great one. Halo: Reach looks phenominal, and many suprises and reveals are left this year leading up to its eventual release at the end of the year. Have no fear however. Bungie isn't gone. They are working on a completely new IP, hopefully to be announced soon, and Halo isn't gone either. The franchise has been handed over to Microsoft's internal studio 343 Industries, made up of former Bungie employees. Still, it is a somber moment to see the year when Bungie's Halo takes it's final bow.
Natal
2010 will see the attempt by Microsoft and Sony to level the playing field with Nintendo with their motion controlling technology. I am most excited for Natal. Microsoft seems to have planned their foray in motion very carefully. The 360 has been established as a great medium for the hardcore, and Natal will be aimed at the casual, for sure. Doing this ensures that MS gets appeal from all sides. But Natal is also being implemented by many hardcore studios, such as Lionhead Studios and even Epic Games. Natal could have a chance to be implemented in hardcore games, something that has not been done by Nintendo. By giving Natal the ability to work as a platform by itself or as an add-on to other games, Natal is aimed at hardcore and casual at the same time. Even if Natal ends up being a tool for menu navigation, it becomes that much closer to doing something no one has done before.
Indie Games
2010 will surely be a great year for independent developers. 2009 showed that indie devs can fit in with the bigger devs, they just have to approach it differently. Indie devs are finding homes in the small community based gaming circles, such as Steam, Xbox Live, and to an extent, the PSN. The best indie games of this year have come from these arcades, and show that indie devs can afford to make a high quality game with profit through digital distribution. I expect many other companies will announce new games for XBL and PSN, and many non-indie devs will make smaller games to compete too. Of note is the fact that digital distribution has become almost entirely dominated by indie devs. The future of digital distribution will first be decided by indie devs, and not by the big companies. Score one for the underdog.
Disagree or agree with my excitement? Or are you excited for something else? Leave your comments!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Dead Space
Dead Space is a unique game. It tries to rejuvinate a genre that, at the time of its release, was completely dry and uninspired. The horror genre has gone downhill in the last 10 years, and only a couple games have succeeded at real horror. Does Dead Space succeed at making people scared, or does it follow its predecessors' habit?
Positive Petes
-That's some scary s***: Dead Space is one of the scariest things I have ever experienced. Everything in the game is set to do one thing: make you shit yourself. The game does everything right to make the setting one of the scariest settings in a game. No worries about falling short in the horror genre. Dead Space is a horror game, down to the core.
-Sound of silence: Dead Space does something I have never seen in a game. One of the primary ways the game scares you is that of sounds. Whether it be an ominous noise, a shreek, or even the absense of noise, sound is a primary tool in creating fear. A broken heater may cause a constant noise to where you let your guard down, only to be attacked that very minute. The sound of singing and screaming makes your mind go crazy wondering where the next attack may be, only to result in no attack at all. And by far, the best example of sound is that of "no oxygen" gameplay sequences. Parts of the ship have no oxygen, and therefore have no sound. This means you hear nothing at all. Not even yourself. Enemies can surprise you like never before here, and it's one of the scariest experiences ever. Dead Space proves the absense of something is as powerful as the presence of it.
-Alive environment: The USG Ishimura, the ship the game takes place on, always feels like it should: a ship that has been infested by a terrible and rapid infection, tearing apart not only the members of the ship but the ship itself. The Ishimura always instills a sense of rapid fear. You want to get off the ship. You know what terrors are on the ship. These types of emotions make the things you must do to escape the ship that more important. Normally the constant structure of fix this and find that would get boring. But the feeling of desperation that you have due to the great presentation of a setting gone to hell make it worth the effort.
-An arm and a leg: By far one of the best parts of the game is the gameplay in order to defeat enemies. The necromorphs (the infected monsters in the game) can only die by having one or more of their limps cut off. The game gives you a plasma cutter, and it's up to you to figure out how to kill the monsters. At first this is a horrifying experience; the first time you see and necromorph you want to shoot it to kingdom come. This doesn't work, however. The game forces you to strategically take down enemies by dismemberment. The fear you have of the enemies forces you to refocus your mind and take them down by cutting off limbs. This becomes increasingly important later on, as the necromorphs become tougher and bigger in number. Knowing how to kill efficiently and quickly is important.
-Plot device, Mr. Frodo: Dead Space's plot escapes another horror genre flaw: bad plot. Dead Space's plot is full of twists, mystery, interesting characters, and even the occassional "What the hell?" moment. The story of a simple repair mission with a simple engineer named Isaac Clarke that turns into something much bigger makes the game not just about scare tactics but about the story. By far, this game has some of the most interesting characters I have seen in a game. This could be due to the story's very good job at making you feel isolated. Any human contact is important, and the player knows the plot is in its high point when you do meet a person. Without spoiling anything, the ending of this story surprised me, something not many games have done. I did NOT see this one coming.
-Shiny: Upgrades in this game are awesome. The game contains a bench upgrade system, where the map contains at least one "bench". Everything from your armor to your weapons can be fully upgraded. Here's the interesting part: you can only upgrade by finding power nodes among the environment, which requires you sticking your head in some places you may not want to. It's this risk versus reward scenario that makes upgrading that much cooler. Another cool upgrade element is that of leveling your armor. Throughout the game you can buy a stronger set of armor, adding plates and more armor each time. These upgrades are not only great gameplay wise, but the player can see the upgrades on Isaac. Pretty cool.
-It's-a-me: Surprisingly, Dead Space has a bit of platforming and puzzle elements in it. This is done by two powers of Isaac's suit: kenesis and stasis. Kenesis allows you to move objects in the environment much like telekinesis. This is used quite a bit in the game to get through an area, and is a nice break from the usual. Stasis is also used generously, as it gives you the ability to slow down things in the environment, like a spinning fan or a broken elevator door. Nice elements that are surprising and refreshing. There are also puzzles in the game, some which are somewhat difficult. Great variety.
-That's irrational: This game feels so much like another scary game, BioShock. In a good way, however. The scary moments remind me of scary moments in BioShock. Much like the latter, Dead Space uses different techniques to scare you, such as the absence of things, dead bodies waking when you least expect it, and scary moments coming when you least suspect it. However, where BioShock's primary goal was not to scare, Dead Space's is. In a way, Dead Space is a constant and heightened sense of fear that BioShock has moments of. It's a different experience, but many elements in the game feel reminiscent. BioShock fans should like this game.
Negative Nancys
-Can I rest a bit?: Dead Space can sometimes be too scary. It's goal of terrifying you sometimes works too well. Many times the constant sense of fear you have may lead you to overreact to a situation. And when you do let your guard down, the game finds a way to scare you right at that moment, making your fear ten times worse. It's a great feeling for most of the game, but it can sometimes feel that you are just working for the next scare tactic, only to let your guard down once and meet that scare tactic right in the face.
-Hookshots wanted: The plasma cutter is an amazing weapon. It's versatile, useful, and overall the best weapon in the game. Unfortunately, with the amount of weapons in the game, most of them become to hard to use or useless all together. After buying the plasma rifle and the line gun, most other weapons feel gimmicky. By far the biggest culprit of this is the flamethrower. Normally a weapon like this would be useful in a game. But because necromorphs require limbs to be cut off to die, lighting them on fire is useless. It just doesn't do anything. Many weapons fall under this curse. And of the weapons that are useful, many of them were only useful for a particular situation, and not as powerful as your initial weapon. Hopefully Dead Space 2 will have weapons that are useful, and aren't put in there just to be there.
-Now my feet won't touch the ground: Zero-G is awesome for the most part. The one annoying apart of Zero-G is the fact that you must aim for the platform you want to go to, and then jump. This wouldn't be so terrible if it didn't require the player to stand at least 30 feet back. It makes no sense that I should have to back up after walking up to a wall just to walk on it. I should be able to walk right on that wall. It is also annoying that I cannot shoot my weapon during a jump. Many enemies ended up hurting me during a jump, something that could have been avoided by giving the ability to shoot. Not a major problem, but it can be annoying.
-Shoot the thing in it's mouth: There are a few sequences in Dead Space where an enemy may have a hold of you and you are required to shoot its "weak spot" to destroy it, ala Lost Planet. The problem is during these sequences there is not aiming assist. So you may be completely lost as to where you have to shoot, or even where you gun is aimed at. This is by far the biggest flaw with Dead Space. These sequences should be awesome, but the fact that it's near impossible to shoot due to not knowing where your gunfire is going ruins the fun.
Thing You May Have Missed
-Dead Space tracks your progress through the Ishimura throughout the entire game. When you do finally finish, New Game Plus becomes available, giving you not only another armor upgrade, but keeping all that you did unlock and all the secrets you already found in the game. Replayability for the win.
Final Comments
Dead Space is one of the best horror games I've ever played. All of it's flaws are minor, and are completely trumped by all of the good things this game brings. Never before have I been that scared than with Dead Space. I can't exaggerate this more: don't turn off the lights when you play this game. You will literally pee yourself. It's that scary. A great thing, however, is that the game never feels overwhelming. It's scary, but the type of scary that you want more of. The great story of desperation that you play makes all the scariness worth it as long as you survive one more minute, do one more task, and get off that ship. The game takes an entirely new turn when you learn of what happened to the Ishimura, and you find yourself once again bearing the terror to uncover the story and live to tell the tale. Dead Space is worth a try and a buy. You won't regret it. Just don't plan on sleeping for a bit.
-That's some scary s***: Dead Space is one of the scariest things I have ever experienced. Everything in the game is set to do one thing: make you shit yourself. The game does everything right to make the setting one of the scariest settings in a game. No worries about falling short in the horror genre. Dead Space is a horror game, down to the core.
-Sound of silence: Dead Space does something I have never seen in a game. One of the primary ways the game scares you is that of sounds. Whether it be an ominous noise, a shreek, or even the absense of noise, sound is a primary tool in creating fear. A broken heater may cause a constant noise to where you let your guard down, only to be attacked that very minute. The sound of singing and screaming makes your mind go crazy wondering where the next attack may be, only to result in no attack at all. And by far, the best example of sound is that of "no oxygen" gameplay sequences. Parts of the ship have no oxygen, and therefore have no sound. This means you hear nothing at all. Not even yourself. Enemies can surprise you like never before here, and it's one of the scariest experiences ever. Dead Space proves the absense of something is as powerful as the presence of it.
-Alive environment: The USG Ishimura, the ship the game takes place on, always feels like it should: a ship that has been infested by a terrible and rapid infection, tearing apart not only the members of the ship but the ship itself. The Ishimura always instills a sense of rapid fear. You want to get off the ship. You know what terrors are on the ship. These types of emotions make the things you must do to escape the ship that more important. Normally the constant structure of fix this and find that would get boring. But the feeling of desperation that you have due to the great presentation of a setting gone to hell make it worth the effort.
-An arm and a leg: By far one of the best parts of the game is the gameplay in order to defeat enemies. The necromorphs (the infected monsters in the game) can only die by having one or more of their limps cut off. The game gives you a plasma cutter, and it's up to you to figure out how to kill the monsters. At first this is a horrifying experience; the first time you see and necromorph you want to shoot it to kingdom come. This doesn't work, however. The game forces you to strategically take down enemies by dismemberment. The fear you have of the enemies forces you to refocus your mind and take them down by cutting off limbs. This becomes increasingly important later on, as the necromorphs become tougher and bigger in number. Knowing how to kill efficiently and quickly is important.
-Plot device, Mr. Frodo: Dead Space's plot escapes another horror genre flaw: bad plot. Dead Space's plot is full of twists, mystery, interesting characters, and even the occassional "What the hell?" moment. The story of a simple repair mission with a simple engineer named Isaac Clarke that turns into something much bigger makes the game not just about scare tactics but about the story. By far, this game has some of the most interesting characters I have seen in a game. This could be due to the story's very good job at making you feel isolated. Any human contact is important, and the player knows the plot is in its high point when you do meet a person. Without spoiling anything, the ending of this story surprised me, something not many games have done. I did NOT see this one coming.
-Shiny: Upgrades in this game are awesome. The game contains a bench upgrade system, where the map contains at least one "bench". Everything from your armor to your weapons can be fully upgraded. Here's the interesting part: you can only upgrade by finding power nodes among the environment, which requires you sticking your head in some places you may not want to. It's this risk versus reward scenario that makes upgrading that much cooler. Another cool upgrade element is that of leveling your armor. Throughout the game you can buy a stronger set of armor, adding plates and more armor each time. These upgrades are not only great gameplay wise, but the player can see the upgrades on Isaac. Pretty cool.
-It's-a-me: Surprisingly, Dead Space has a bit of platforming and puzzle elements in it. This is done by two powers of Isaac's suit: kenesis and stasis. Kenesis allows you to move objects in the environment much like telekinesis. This is used quite a bit in the game to get through an area, and is a nice break from the usual. Stasis is also used generously, as it gives you the ability to slow down things in the environment, like a spinning fan or a broken elevator door. Nice elements that are surprising and refreshing. There are also puzzles in the game, some which are somewhat difficult. Great variety.
-That's irrational: This game feels so much like another scary game, BioShock. In a good way, however. The scary moments remind me of scary moments in BioShock. Much like the latter, Dead Space uses different techniques to scare you, such as the absence of things, dead bodies waking when you least expect it, and scary moments coming when you least suspect it. However, where BioShock's primary goal was not to scare, Dead Space's is. In a way, Dead Space is a constant and heightened sense of fear that BioShock has moments of. It's a different experience, but many elements in the game feel reminiscent. BioShock fans should like this game.
Negative Nancys
-Can I rest a bit?: Dead Space can sometimes be too scary. It's goal of terrifying you sometimes works too well. Many times the constant sense of fear you have may lead you to overreact to a situation. And when you do let your guard down, the game finds a way to scare you right at that moment, making your fear ten times worse. It's a great feeling for most of the game, but it can sometimes feel that you are just working for the next scare tactic, only to let your guard down once and meet that scare tactic right in the face.
-Hookshots wanted: The plasma cutter is an amazing weapon. It's versatile, useful, and overall the best weapon in the game. Unfortunately, with the amount of weapons in the game, most of them become to hard to use or useless all together. After buying the plasma rifle and the line gun, most other weapons feel gimmicky. By far the biggest culprit of this is the flamethrower. Normally a weapon like this would be useful in a game. But because necromorphs require limbs to be cut off to die, lighting them on fire is useless. It just doesn't do anything. Many weapons fall under this curse. And of the weapons that are useful, many of them were only useful for a particular situation, and not as powerful as your initial weapon. Hopefully Dead Space 2 will have weapons that are useful, and aren't put in there just to be there.
-Now my feet won't touch the ground: Zero-G is awesome for the most part. The one annoying apart of Zero-G is the fact that you must aim for the platform you want to go to, and then jump. This wouldn't be so terrible if it didn't require the player to stand at least 30 feet back. It makes no sense that I should have to back up after walking up to a wall just to walk on it. I should be able to walk right on that wall. It is also annoying that I cannot shoot my weapon during a jump. Many enemies ended up hurting me during a jump, something that could have been avoided by giving the ability to shoot. Not a major problem, but it can be annoying.
-Shoot the thing in it's mouth: There are a few sequences in Dead Space where an enemy may have a hold of you and you are required to shoot its "weak spot" to destroy it, ala Lost Planet. The problem is during these sequences there is not aiming assist. So you may be completely lost as to where you have to shoot, or even where you gun is aimed at. This is by far the biggest flaw with Dead Space. These sequences should be awesome, but the fact that it's near impossible to shoot due to not knowing where your gunfire is going ruins the fun.
Thing You May Have Missed
-Dead Space tracks your progress through the Ishimura throughout the entire game. When you do finally finish, New Game Plus becomes available, giving you not only another armor upgrade, but keeping all that you did unlock and all the secrets you already found in the game. Replayability for the win.
Final Comments
Dead Space is one of the best horror games I've ever played. All of it's flaws are minor, and are completely trumped by all of the good things this game brings. Never before have I been that scared than with Dead Space. I can't exaggerate this more: don't turn off the lights when you play this game. You will literally pee yourself. It's that scary. A great thing, however, is that the game never feels overwhelming. It's scary, but the type of scary that you want more of. The great story of desperation that you play makes all the scariness worth it as long as you survive one more minute, do one more task, and get off that ship. The game takes an entirely new turn when you learn of what happened to the Ishimura, and you find yourself once again bearing the terror to uncover the story and live to tell the tale. Dead Space is worth a try and a buy. You won't regret it. Just don't plan on sleeping for a bit.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
In the news.
I thought about doing something different today for my blog. As you may or may not know, I follow gaming news. A lot. Everyday I check at least 4 different websites to hear what happened in the gaming world that day. It's a big way that I get the amount of information I can get to write my posts, and a big reason I have so much knowledge of the current gaming world. So I thought I'd share my daily ritual with you. I've picked 5 news topics from the gaming world today which I will share and give my two cents on. Hopefully this will be a pleasant change from my usual journalistic approach to posts, although that's what I like, and what I'll continue to do for the rest of this blog's life (which is hopefully long!). Anyway, let's get to it.
January 12, 2010 - Speaking on the Nintendo Weekly show, President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime stated the company will be taking its time with the upcoming Zelda title for Wii, and that it won't see a release until its perfect. "Right now, it's still in development. But the key message that Mr. Miyamoto and Mr. Aonuma is telling us is that it really has to be perfect when it launches," he said. "That really is what the Zelda fan is expecting." "So for all of those Zelda fans out there right now, I would say enjoy The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, and know that the Zelda title for Wii is going to come out when it's perfect," he said. Fils-Aime's comment doesn't exactly mesh with an earlier report saying the new title would ship in 2010. Last week, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata was quoted by Asahi Shimbun Daily in Japan as saying the next Zelda for Wii will ship before the end of this year. Nintendo Japan has yet to officially make an announcement on its release date, however. -courtesy IGN.com
I like it. I am always a supporter of taking your time in making a game. There is definitely a direct correlation with the amount of time taken on a game and the quality of a game. A great example of this is Blizzard. They take a while to make their video games, and by a while I mean upwards to 5 years, which is long for any game. They have always stood by their creed of releasing a game "when it's finished". Nintendo taking their time on the next Zelda tells me that they want to make it the highest quality possible, and not just pop out a game to appease people. This also shows me that the new Zelda should be something different and unique, as they are taking more time on new ideas and new gameplay features, which is exciting. Three cheers for Miyamoto and the boys at Nintendo.
One of the biggest points of contention with Xbox Live's Games on Demand has always been the arguably steep price of many of the titles on the service. The digital releases of older games have often caught flack for price tags that, in some instances, nearly doubled those of their retail counterparts. he complaints have apparently not gone unheard; Xbox Live's Larry Hryb announced on his Major Nelson blog that a number of Games on Demand titles are getting price reductions today. Included among them: Bioshock, Saints Row, Prey, MX vs. ATV Untamed, and Civilization Revolution -- all of which are dropping from $29.99 to just $19.99. -courtesy 1up.com
This type of news shows the great potential in digital distribution. A great game like BioShock is available for just 20 bucks digitally. And although I still love buying my games on disc, this shows that the digital market is a great place for old games. I know myself that if I missed a game somewhere along the way or I just didn't play it, it'll be hard to find that old game in any type of store. Although you can try at GameStop, some people don't like used games and/or the way GameStop works anyway. They shouldn't get jipped just because they want to play and old game they might have missed. Games on Demand gives the ability for people who didn't play a great game like BioShock to play it for only 20 bucks, which is awesome. Now, here's the bad news: digital distribution has such a long way to go because of storage. These games are 3-4 GB games to download, and that takes up a lot of a hard-drive. Until we start getting higher storage drives, maybe in the terabyte range, we won't be seeing any real success in selling new games on the digital distribution market.
Random House and Electronic Arts are hoping to cash in on the new Dante's Inferno franchise with a book tie-in that was announced today. It will offer a chance for gamers to be exposed to the classic poem upon which the game is based, and include plenty of extras for the fans.
The new version of the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translation of the Inferno will be released bearing the cover from the game. It will contain an introduction by Dante's Inferno executive producer Jonathan Knight, a "16-page, full-color art insert" and the original poem.
The original poem features Dante and his descent through the circles of hell. For various reasons, it's a bit heavier on philosophy than demonic slaughter, but it may appeal to those who were intrigued by the basic premise of the game and want to learn more. -courtesy 1up.com
Rebranding a legendary poem like the first part of the Divine Comedy with a video game cover is stupid. The video game "Dante's Inferno" came way after the actual legendary poem Inferno by Dante Aligheiri. I for one think it's an insult to cover something that high in literary merit with a video came cover. It just degrades the actual text. And however much you might want to say "don't judge a book by it's cover", people do it anyway. Putting the game cover on the book is going to cause people to misinterpret it. People will most likely think it's some type of novelization, while in actuality, it's a very old and symbolic epic poem. Reading Inferno is way different than playing the game, I promise. While the game does take several measure to accurately recreate the description of Hell in the book, it isn't the book. Reading the poem will be a completely different experience that the game. And I am pretty sure those who are attracted to the game may not like the poem so much. Although the devs took a lot from the poem, the poem isn't about a crusader warrior retaking his love from Satan by fighting through Hell. It's still a great poem, just not that. Stupid decision. Then again, it's EA. Just one step down from Activision.
If you were hoping to get your hands on Star Wars: The Old Republic this year, this won't come as welcome news. A forum thread on the Old Republic forums from BioWare employee Sean Dahlberg confirms the game is set for 2011. "While we have not announced a specific date, we can confirm that we are targeting a spring 2011 release for Star Wars: The Old Republic," he wrote. That sound you're hearing is millions of fans' voices crying out in terror, and being suddenly silenced. On the other hand, you may get to at least try the game this year. Dahlberg goes on to note that sign-ups to be a tester are still open, and the company is planning of plenty of new reveals as we slowly approach the game's release. -courtesy 1up.com
I'm sad. I really wanted this game this year. It sounds like a really amazing and innovative MMO, and I'm a sucker for BioWare games. 2011 when you think about it is rational though. It's been in the works since around the beginning of 2008, so that gives it about 3 years of real work, which sound about right. BioWare always makes good games, so the time they are taking should be considered nothing less than necessary to make a good game. What's really interesting is when you consider there is a whole year left before they even think about releasing the game. This means they could have whole new areas, gameplay elements, story elements, and other things they haven't even shown yet. Now that's exciting. I see a new MMO on the horizon my friends. Not one that wants to compete with WoW, but work with it as another great game in a very small market. And believe me, there is room for another MMO. If anyone can do it, it's BioWare. And I'm gonna sign up to be a beta tester in the next couple weeks, I'm sure.
Are you a Wii bowler? You think you're good at it? If so, 86-year-old Jack Davis of Vandalia, Ohio, would like to speak to your ass. Because he's going to kick it. Davis claims some 40 perfect 300 scores in Wii Bowling, which he's played more than 4,300 times since he moved into the assisted-living home where he plays in August 2007. "What I like about it (Wii bowling) is, if you find a spot you can stay on all the time, you can get a pretty good score," Davis said. "And, you get 300 once in a while." Now, 40 perfect games is not out of the realm of possibility for anyone, once you find that groove. Maybe the biggest challenge is staying committed enough to the game to log that total. Playing 4,300 games of anything is hardcore by any definition, however, much less an 86-year-old guy. -courtesy Kotaku.com
Holy. Balls. A senior citizen could school everyone I know in Wii Bowling. That is crazy. Wii Bowling is really reaching out to the elderly. I don't think anyone could have anticipated that the Wii at its release was going to be this popular with the elderly. But they are flocking to the Wii like a moth to a flame. This is really a great thing, as it gives many that can't go bowling or play tennis for real due to their physical restraints the ability to have fun. It's a great side-effect of the Wii's fun factor, and I am glad that Wii Bowling has really become fun for everyone, not just the young crowd. But holy shit, this guy is good. 40 perfect scores. That's fricking amazing. I think I scored close to a perfect once. ONCE. I never had a streak of perfect games. And I certainly never clocked that many hours into any video game, much less Wii Bowling. I'm glad Davis found something cool. And I don't think I wanna play this guy. Not that he isn't a great guy. I just think that he would pwn me to the point of wanting to hide in a box for the rest of my life.
That's your five for the day. Let me know what you thought of this blog, that is, if you liked it or not, what you thought could be better, etc.. And of course, I love your comments, so leave them in hordes. Thank you very much, and have a lovely afternoon. Or night. Whenever you read this.
January 12, 2010 - Speaking on the Nintendo Weekly show, President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime stated the company will be taking its time with the upcoming Zelda title for Wii, and that it won't see a release until its perfect. "Right now, it's still in development. But the key message that Mr. Miyamoto and Mr. Aonuma is telling us is that it really has to be perfect when it launches," he said. "That really is what the Zelda fan is expecting." "So for all of those Zelda fans out there right now, I would say enjoy The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, and know that the Zelda title for Wii is going to come out when it's perfect," he said. Fils-Aime's comment doesn't exactly mesh with an earlier report saying the new title would ship in 2010. Last week, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata was quoted by Asahi Shimbun Daily in Japan as saying the next Zelda for Wii will ship before the end of this year. Nintendo Japan has yet to officially make an announcement on its release date, however. -courtesy IGN.com
I like it. I am always a supporter of taking your time in making a game. There is definitely a direct correlation with the amount of time taken on a game and the quality of a game. A great example of this is Blizzard. They take a while to make their video games, and by a while I mean upwards to 5 years, which is long for any game. They have always stood by their creed of releasing a game "when it's finished". Nintendo taking their time on the next Zelda tells me that they want to make it the highest quality possible, and not just pop out a game to appease people. This also shows me that the new Zelda should be something different and unique, as they are taking more time on new ideas and new gameplay features, which is exciting. Three cheers for Miyamoto and the boys at Nintendo.
One of the biggest points of contention with Xbox Live's Games on Demand has always been the arguably steep price of many of the titles on the service. The digital releases of older games have often caught flack for price tags that, in some instances, nearly doubled those of their retail counterparts. he complaints have apparently not gone unheard; Xbox Live's Larry Hryb announced on his Major Nelson blog that a number of Games on Demand titles are getting price reductions today. Included among them: Bioshock, Saints Row, Prey, MX vs. ATV Untamed, and Civilization Revolution -- all of which are dropping from $29.99 to just $19.99. -courtesy 1up.com
This type of news shows the great potential in digital distribution. A great game like BioShock is available for just 20 bucks digitally. And although I still love buying my games on disc, this shows that the digital market is a great place for old games. I know myself that if I missed a game somewhere along the way or I just didn't play it, it'll be hard to find that old game in any type of store. Although you can try at GameStop, some people don't like used games and/or the way GameStop works anyway. They shouldn't get jipped just because they want to play and old game they might have missed. Games on Demand gives the ability for people who didn't play a great game like BioShock to play it for only 20 bucks, which is awesome. Now, here's the bad news: digital distribution has such a long way to go because of storage. These games are 3-4 GB games to download, and that takes up a lot of a hard-drive. Until we start getting higher storage drives, maybe in the terabyte range, we won't be seeing any real success in selling new games on the digital distribution market.
Random House and Electronic Arts are hoping to cash in on the new Dante's Inferno franchise with a book tie-in that was announced today. It will offer a chance for gamers to be exposed to the classic poem upon which the game is based, and include plenty of extras for the fans.
The new version of the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translation of the Inferno will be released bearing the cover from the game. It will contain an introduction by Dante's Inferno executive producer Jonathan Knight, a "16-page, full-color art insert" and the original poem.
The original poem features Dante and his descent through the circles of hell. For various reasons, it's a bit heavier on philosophy than demonic slaughter, but it may appeal to those who were intrigued by the basic premise of the game and want to learn more. -courtesy 1up.com
Rebranding a legendary poem like the first part of the Divine Comedy with a video game cover is stupid. The video game "Dante's Inferno" came way after the actual legendary poem Inferno by Dante Aligheiri. I for one think it's an insult to cover something that high in literary merit with a video came cover. It just degrades the actual text. And however much you might want to say "don't judge a book by it's cover", people do it anyway. Putting the game cover on the book is going to cause people to misinterpret it. People will most likely think it's some type of novelization, while in actuality, it's a very old and symbolic epic poem. Reading Inferno is way different than playing the game, I promise. While the game does take several measure to accurately recreate the description of Hell in the book, it isn't the book. Reading the poem will be a completely different experience that the game. And I am pretty sure those who are attracted to the game may not like the poem so much. Although the devs took a lot from the poem, the poem isn't about a crusader warrior retaking his love from Satan by fighting through Hell. It's still a great poem, just not that. Stupid decision. Then again, it's EA. Just one step down from Activision.
If you were hoping to get your hands on Star Wars: The Old Republic this year, this won't come as welcome news. A forum thread on the Old Republic forums from BioWare employee Sean Dahlberg confirms the game is set for 2011. "While we have not announced a specific date, we can confirm that we are targeting a spring 2011 release for Star Wars: The Old Republic," he wrote. That sound you're hearing is millions of fans' voices crying out in terror, and being suddenly silenced. On the other hand, you may get to at least try the game this year. Dahlberg goes on to note that sign-ups to be a tester are still open, and the company is planning of plenty of new reveals as we slowly approach the game's release. -courtesy 1up.com
I'm sad. I really wanted this game this year. It sounds like a really amazing and innovative MMO, and I'm a sucker for BioWare games. 2011 when you think about it is rational though. It's been in the works since around the beginning of 2008, so that gives it about 3 years of real work, which sound about right. BioWare always makes good games, so the time they are taking should be considered nothing less than necessary to make a good game. What's really interesting is when you consider there is a whole year left before they even think about releasing the game. This means they could have whole new areas, gameplay elements, story elements, and other things they haven't even shown yet. Now that's exciting. I see a new MMO on the horizon my friends. Not one that wants to compete with WoW, but work with it as another great game in a very small market. And believe me, there is room for another MMO. If anyone can do it, it's BioWare. And I'm gonna sign up to be a beta tester in the next couple weeks, I'm sure.
Are you a Wii bowler? You think you're good at it? If so, 86-year-old Jack Davis of Vandalia, Ohio, would like to speak to your ass. Because he's going to kick it. Davis claims some 40 perfect 300 scores in Wii Bowling, which he's played more than 4,300 times since he moved into the assisted-living home where he plays in August 2007. "What I like about it (Wii bowling) is, if you find a spot you can stay on all the time, you can get a pretty good score," Davis said. "And, you get 300 once in a while." Now, 40 perfect games is not out of the realm of possibility for anyone, once you find that groove. Maybe the biggest challenge is staying committed enough to the game to log that total. Playing 4,300 games of anything is hardcore by any definition, however, much less an 86-year-old guy. -courtesy Kotaku.com
Holy. Balls. A senior citizen could school everyone I know in Wii Bowling. That is crazy. Wii Bowling is really reaching out to the elderly. I don't think anyone could have anticipated that the Wii at its release was going to be this popular with the elderly. But they are flocking to the Wii like a moth to a flame. This is really a great thing, as it gives many that can't go bowling or play tennis for real due to their physical restraints the ability to have fun. It's a great side-effect of the Wii's fun factor, and I am glad that Wii Bowling has really become fun for everyone, not just the young crowd. But holy shit, this guy is good. 40 perfect scores. That's fricking amazing. I think I scored close to a perfect once. ONCE. I never had a streak of perfect games. And I certainly never clocked that many hours into any video game, much less Wii Bowling. I'm glad Davis found something cool. And I don't think I wanna play this guy. Not that he isn't a great guy. I just think that he would pwn me to the point of wanting to hide in a box for the rest of my life.
That's your five for the day. Let me know what you thought of this blog, that is, if you liked it or not, what you thought could be better, etc.. And of course, I love your comments, so leave them in hordes. Thank you very much, and have a lovely afternoon. Or night. Whenever you read this.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The New Year.
Looks different, doesn't it? Yup. I decided the new year should bring something new to the blog, so I did a complete redesign. It took a lot of work to get it to be how I wanted it after I found the template. Hope it serves you guys well. Nothing layout wise has changed, so don't worry about finding anything. I have added a couple things however. You'll see that I now have my Live gametag at the top corner of the page rather than the "about me" that blogger provides. I am also implementing two new things to the page. I will have a video and a screen of the month. This month's is the CGI Mass Effect 2 trailer and a screen from Spec Ops: The Line. Check back every month or so to see the new vid and screen. The intent was to make it look smoother and cleaner, while giving it a more modern and up to date feel. Now, on to the real business.
2010 brings a little thing called predictions. 2009 brought many surprises in the gaming world. New motion control peripherals and cameras, new sequels, and even some newcomers to the field. 2010 will see these things succeed or fail. So, what do I think will happen this year? Well, it's still really early to make any good predictions, but I'll start with some for your reading pleasure. Keep in mind this is only a few, and as gaming conferences come up I'll do prediction blogs for them seperately. But to start of the new year, let's get a few out anyways.
-Nintendo will announce an upgrade to the Wii with HD graphics. It will be able to sustain high quality graphics like the 360 and PS3, and it will go to 1080p. The new Wii will be an upgrade, not a replacement, much like the DSi to the DS. It will be fully backwards compatible. It will be around $250-$300.
-Nintendo will also announce several first-titles for 2010 releases, like Metroid and possible a new Star Fox. The new HD Wii will release with the new Zelda, which won't come out until 2011 at best.
-The new Legend of Zelda game will be much different from any other game in the series. It will be a very dark story, darker than Twilight Princess, and it will not follow the same flow as other games. Likely guesses are less dungeons and more high action and adventure setpieces.
-Microsoft will release Natal in the fall under a new name with "LIVE" in the title. It will cost a max of $100, and it will come seperately and also be packaged with a new Xbox 360 for $300. This new package will have a redesigned 360 in some way, and will be for the purpose of getting the casual crowd with it's packaged-in Natal.
-Gears of War 3 will be announced and shown in some way or form. It will use Natal for more than just menu navigation.
-Many other 360 titles will announce title updates to allow menu navigation in their games with Natal.
-Sony will announce more second-party titles, possibly a new Jak and Daxter and/or Sly Cooper. A new inFamous is also likely, as is a Resistance 3.
-Sony's motion wand will NOT have a good release, and Natal will become much more popular. Expect a release much like the Playstation Eye.
-Blizzard will announce a game for consoles is either in development or that a current game, such as Diablo III, will be ported to a console.
-Diablo III will be pushed even more into 2011.
-All game sequels in 2010 will oversell their predeccessors EXCEPT for BioShock 2. Sorry, Diego.
-All games will reach record sales this year. But not as much as Modern Warfare 2. Hell no.
-Medal of Honor will fail in a blazing fire.
-Steve Ballmer will be fired. YEAH!
-Activision will of course sell some stupid peripherals to everyone. And everyone will buy them in hordes. Damn you 5-button plastic guitars. DAMN YOU.
-Bobby Kotick will again say that video games are not for fun but to make money, and that developers should not have fun making games. Then he will immediately after be attacked by several Activision employees, who will beat him up with Guitar Hero guitars, DJ hero tables, and Modern Warfare 2 night vision goggles.
-Mickey Rourke will return for a sequel to Rogue Warrior, entitled Rogue Warrior: I Need Money Badly.
-Michael Pachter will be right about everything. As usual. Again. And again.
Okay, maybe some of those end ones are a bit of a stretch.
2010 brings a little thing called predictions. 2009 brought many surprises in the gaming world. New motion control peripherals and cameras, new sequels, and even some newcomers to the field. 2010 will see these things succeed or fail. So, what do I think will happen this year? Well, it's still really early to make any good predictions, but I'll start with some for your reading pleasure. Keep in mind this is only a few, and as gaming conferences come up I'll do prediction blogs for them seperately. But to start of the new year, let's get a few out anyways.
-Nintendo will announce an upgrade to the Wii with HD graphics. It will be able to sustain high quality graphics like the 360 and PS3, and it will go to 1080p. The new Wii will be an upgrade, not a replacement, much like the DSi to the DS. It will be fully backwards compatible. It will be around $250-$300.
-Nintendo will also announce several first-titles for 2010 releases, like Metroid and possible a new Star Fox. The new HD Wii will release with the new Zelda, which won't come out until 2011 at best.
-The new Legend of Zelda game will be much different from any other game in the series. It will be a very dark story, darker than Twilight Princess, and it will not follow the same flow as other games. Likely guesses are less dungeons and more high action and adventure setpieces.
-Microsoft will release Natal in the fall under a new name with "LIVE" in the title. It will cost a max of $100, and it will come seperately and also be packaged with a new Xbox 360 for $300. This new package will have a redesigned 360 in some way, and will be for the purpose of getting the casual crowd with it's packaged-in Natal.
-Gears of War 3 will be announced and shown in some way or form. It will use Natal for more than just menu navigation.
-Many other 360 titles will announce title updates to allow menu navigation in their games with Natal.
-Sony will announce more second-party titles, possibly a new Jak and Daxter and/or Sly Cooper. A new inFamous is also likely, as is a Resistance 3.
-Sony's motion wand will NOT have a good release, and Natal will become much more popular. Expect a release much like the Playstation Eye.
-Blizzard will announce a game for consoles is either in development or that a current game, such as Diablo III, will be ported to a console.
-Diablo III will be pushed even more into 2011.
-All game sequels in 2010 will oversell their predeccessors EXCEPT for BioShock 2. Sorry, Diego.
-All games will reach record sales this year. But not as much as Modern Warfare 2. Hell no.
-Medal of Honor will fail in a blazing fire.
-Steve Ballmer will be fired. YEAH!
-Activision will of course sell some stupid peripherals to everyone. And everyone will buy them in hordes. Damn you 5-button plastic guitars. DAMN YOU.
-Bobby Kotick will again say that video games are not for fun but to make money, and that developers should not have fun making games. Then he will immediately after be attacked by several Activision employees, who will beat him up with Guitar Hero guitars, DJ hero tables, and Modern Warfare 2 night vision goggles.
-Mickey Rourke will return for a sequel to Rogue Warrior, entitled Rogue Warrior: I Need Money Badly.
-Michael Pachter will be right about everything. As usual. Again. And again.
Okay, maybe some of those end ones are a bit of a stretch.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Game of the Year: Assassin's Creed II
What can I say about Assassin's Creed II that will truly deliver a good reason why I chose it for Game of the Year? In truth, it is a very odd pick if you look at the other games of this year. Some people will choose Modern Warfare 2, or Uncharted 2. Those are great games, and deserve the recognition they are getting. Why would I pick Assassin's Creed II?
Maybe it's because of the extreme dedication of the studio that made the game. Ubisoft Montreal made an amazing game in Assassin's Creed, delivering one of the first real next-generation experiences. The story of Desmond and his Assassin ancenstor Altair left a mark on the rest of games, and to this day it's known as a one of a kind game. But Ubisoft Montreal wanted more. They wanted many things, in fact. They wanted, first and foremost, to adress their fanbase. Many complaints were made of Assassin's Creed. Many people said it was too repetitive in mission structure. Many said they didn't like the abrupt break in story with Desmond. Ubisoft Montreal wanted a better experience that would live up to their imaginations. Things like true crowd blending and the real experience of being and assassin. They wanted to create historical accuracy. Real cities and real people would be the only way Ubisoft Montreal could justify and complete a sequel. Ubisoft Montreal, as many others, knew that wants are one thing and action is another.
So they took action. They literally began with a record-breaking act. They gathered the biggest development team in history, leveling off at a whopping 450 members, all lead by a previous producer of the first Assassin's Creed game, Patrice Desilet. This number has never been seen in a game. EVER. Ubisoft Montreal began with their want of historical connections. Teams spent almost a year in Italy's famous cities of Rome, Venice, and Florence taking notes, pictures, and studying up on each and every significant building's history, look, feel, and overall presentation and historical significance. They studied the countryside of Tuscany, noting the customs and culture. They studied famous historical figures of the Renaissance era. Names like Da Vinci, Machiavelli, Sforza, Medici, Pazzi, and even Pope Alexander VI were extensively researched. In short, they wanted to do everything right.
So they had the stuff, they just needed to put it into a good video game. This is where they filled one more want: listen to the fans. They wanted to fix what the loyal fans thought could be better. More importantly, they wanted to fix the things that turned people away from the first game. They did this by mission variety. Assassin's Creed II would not be the same "investigate, plan, kill" structure of the first. Each mission would be different in some way, and it would be applicable to the story, not just part of a video game. They would also fix things like fluidity in the story, with much more of the overall story taking place in the animus, making it unneccessary to make Desmond come out of the animus as much. Ubisoft was dedicated to fixing the things other felt they did wrong, so this time they could know they listened.
The game was shaping to be a great sequel. But it had to more than that. It had to be better, bring things in that gave it that "wow" factor. Here, Ubisoft Montreal once again fulfilled a want. Make a better experience all around. They wanted the Italian Renaissance setting they picked to bleed fun in a video game. They created awesome setpieces, like a flying machine mission, a carriage runaway mission, and others. They gave players the ability to assassinate in several ways with several different weapons. Players could choose how they wanted to kill, much like real assassins. They gave awesome customization like clothing and armor. They gave the game a complete overhaul with an economics system and crews like courtisans to hire to distract guards. They even put new gameplay elements like cryptic free-running sequences and the ability to blend in any crowd, not just monks like the first game. They were on the fast-track to make a great sequel, better than the first.
Thus, the game was released. Ubisoft had done a phenominal job in putting Assassin's Creed II out. Sadly, this isn't the reason I picked the game for Game of the Year. It helps a lot, and it certainly is a great accomplishment, but not my reason. After all, it must have been the game itself that actually pushed me to pick it as Game of the Year.
It could have been that the story of the game is true art. The game contains plot twists, turns, suspence, thrills, love, and everything else you could ask from any good story. The story of Desmond introduced in Assassin's Creed was instantly one of great mystery and intrique. Through Altair Ibn La'Ahad we learned the conspiracy of the Templar and modern Abstergo to control all minds under their corrupt ideas. The end of Assassin's Creed left everyone with a look of wonder and awe. What was the wall all about? Assassin's Creed II's choice to pick up EXACTLY after this moment was wise, and makes the two games seem as one blended story, which is evident as the game goes on. Desmond's escape from Abstergo with Lucy shows the true growth of this sequel, as the previously captive and week Desmond is now on the run, beating up enemies, and even doing some free-running. The introduction of more great characters like Shaun and Rebecca along with the great character of Lucy and Desmond give the game the great supporting cast it had in the first game. But what happens when Desmond goes back into the animus?
What happens is a natural growth. Desmond's new ancestor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, is quite different than Altair, as is his story. Desmond experiences becoming an assassin through his ancestor, as the tragedy of family death strikes Ezio to become what his father and relatives are: assassins. This learning experience takes the story from small beginnings to large outcomes. The story of revenge turns into a story of learning. Ezio initially wants to learn enough skills to kill the man who killed his father and brothers. Ezio soon learns he has much more potential, and begins to continue to learn more. As this unfolds, he learns of a bigger conspiracy, and that the man who killed his father was part of a much bigger operation, and that the death of his father was part of this operation. Ezio begins to learn of the Templars, and the pieces of Eden hinted and teased from the first game. The story takes highs and lows as every story does. Of note is the amazing number of supporting cast. Not just the number, but the fact that they are all extremely different and strong characters. A person like Leonardo Da Vinci serves as your confidant. He aids and helps you, and he feels like a true friend. People like Lorenzo de' Medici show nobility and honor. Even small supporting cast like Caterina Sforza show the humor and free-willing spirit of the renaissance.
It's these human connections you gain from the story of Ezio that make you love every moment of the game as it goes. But it's those climactic moments of the story that cause you to really invest something in the game. It's that moment where you realize things are bigger than they seem that makes you care about what you are doing. It's those moments that you are pulled out of the animus and forced to realize that you are part of something bigger that make you realize what you are trying to do in the game. It's the moment you realize when you turn off the game that you've come further in your abilities in the game that you realize the game actually is teaching you how to be an assassin in a way. That the story is rubbing off on you, and you realize that it's doing exactly what it should: being a story you care about, enjoy, and more importantly, a story you want more of.
I would hate to spoil and ending like the one in Assassin's Creed II. By far, it's ending makes me want to play a sequel even more than I wanted to play a sequel when I finished the first game. Once again, you realize that you are but a small piece in a much bigger puzzle, and just when you think you've solved the puzzle, you realize the puzzle was actually just a piece of a much bigger problem. And just like Desmond says at the end of the game, many players will find themselves saying a phrase at the end of the animus' story: "What the fuck?". It's the mystery that makes the game good, as it always has. By far however, it's the conclusion with Desmond that really makes the game a great experience. Desmond becomes a true assassin, in every sense. The player feels they accomplished what they sought out to do. Finally, all that training did something.
So, was it the story? Once again, no. It wasn't the amazing story that made me pick the game. The story was amazing, and I loved every moment. In fact, I picked it for Best Story for my awards post. There must be a reason then why I picked the game. Maybe it was because of the phenominal gameplay.
The gameplay is simply amazing in every way. Where the gameplay really shines is when it surprises you. This first is shown when Ezio is a baby, and the game prompts you to hit buttons to move your feet or arms as a newborn. That's just cool. The real refinement you see in the free-running shows that Assassin's Creed will ALWAYS be the king of free-running in games. Just like the first, if you think you can climb it, you can. It's this real freedom in the environment that makes you feel like you're actually in Italy. Of course, this wouldn't be complete if the game didn't feel like Italy. The recreations of famous Italian cities and landmarks is remarkable. The amount of detail and sheer beauty that the cities have in this game makes it worth just running around and spectating the surroundings. The amazingly crisp graphics and historical accuracy give the vistas real beauty, something not seen in video games very often.
Which is where this game's gameplay shines. It does things not often done in video games. Assassin's Creed II immerses you with it's gameplay. The assassin's blade initially is an ancestral gift, used for only the most dire of situations. As you go on in your assassin education however, you realize it's just a tool. A tool among many other elements to take down foes and serve justice. As you grow in theory and in thought of the assassin, so does your methods. The introduction of a double blade opens up possibilities like never before. When two guards before had to be dispatched in much harder ways, your new found experience give you the ability to assassinate two people at once, a skill which is extremely useful in the game. As you go, you learn to disarm foes, poison them to kill or distract, use mercenaries and courtisans to distract, and truly master several different ways to do things.
Gameplay gives you a real sense of how to act in the game, but it's the setpieces of the game that truly test your abilities. The carriage chase on the way to Venice or the aerial assault with an experimental flying machine throw you into new gameplay situations, where you either use your knowledge to succeed or you fail and suffer the consequences. The excitement given by these brief but lasting elements in gameplay makes the moments that may start to seem dull suddenly be brought back to life. These sequences come at the exactly right moments in the game to shift perspective and enjoyment, and give the game the extra push it may need at times to keep up excitement.
Gameplay, that must be it. Well, once again, I must confess this is not my reason. Although Assassin's Creed II's gameplay is near perfect, it is nowhere near my reasons or my choice. I think I've held my reasons long enough however. What was my reason for picking Assassin's Creed II for Game of the Year?
It's simple: if every game was made like Assassin's Creed II, and has the amount of fun, detail, and just sheer quality that it has, everyone would play video games. I have never seen in the entire length of time I have been involved with video games a game that has more quality and true dedication to being a good video game that Assassin's Creed II has. Ubisoft Montreal understands what video games should be: great experiences, fun experiences, and works of art. Assassin's Creed II shines in every way imagineable. Plain and simply, it is a darn good game. It immerses the player not like a video game, but like a work of art. Where games like Modern Warfare 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 may be great video games, they will never reach the potential and real quality that Assassin's Creed II has. A game like Modern Warfare 2 sets out to be a great video game, which is not a bad goal. But a game like Assassin's Creed II sets out to be a great experience, which sets it apart from other games this year. It doesn't aim at anything specific in terms of gaming. It's a phenominal experience, and truly proof that video games have the potential to be real works of art just as much as movies, paintings, or the dramatic arts do. Assassin's Creed II is an amazing experience, and it's a game that every gamer deserves to experience. For this reason, and this reason alone, did I pick Assassin's Creed II for my Game of the Year. The great things like the studio's dedication and hard work, the great story, and the amazing gameplay all give it merit as a great video game. But there has to be something that sets it apart from the other great studios, great stories, and great gameplay, and the thing that sets it apart is this element of overall quality experience. Assassin's Creed II is a great video game, but there is no justice served by just calling it this. It's a great experience, worth recognition past the veil of video games.
Here's hoping that 2010 brings us gamers as good of video games as 2009 did. Have a great New Year.
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