The Gamer Studio

Alt Tab – Thinking Out Loud.....

I love RPG’s…maybe too much. Whenever I am not writing here, or doing other worldly tasks, you are likely to find me with some music in the background reading text on the screen to follow an interactive story that generally entertains me. In spite of that, there is one pet peeve that is quick to make me shake my head. Its irritating, unnecessary and when you go through your first play through, you cannot skip because you fear you will actually miss something.

I am talking about the pork in dialogue.

Some of you may wonder what I am talking about. One of my favorite RPG’s that I played last year happened to be Eternal Sonata. The intrusive combat along with the beautiful music made me enjoy myself most of the time. But the game’s dialogue must have added an extra 2 hours to the game! There wasn’t a single thought that these characters could keep to themselves. Another experience that makes me shake my head is Final Fantasy 12. Yes, the same game you either love to hate or hate to love, is another chronic offender. It is enough to make me cynical, especially when I have heard the same directions for the 20^th time, which isn’t necessary when the directions are on the map.

I understand that the game needs to give out information to flesh out the experience. I often enjoy finding out what the game characters are thinking, especially when it adds to the story and thus the experience. It just doesn’t need to be over intrusive to the point to where the same things are repeated to characters that are supposedly talking to themselves. It slows down the pace in an already slowed down genre, and that’s me thinking out loud.

New Mass Effect DLC: Worries and Relief

If you've been worrying about whether or not Bioware would be sending gamers downloadable content with the amount of work they have (almost 5 games), worry no more. They have revealed their new DLC for Mass Effect. However, even with the revelation of a new race and planet, are we really getting anything new?

On one hand, it is possible the environment behind the picture they give out is just a placeholder. Or even better, a small part of the content. Bioware doesn't seem to be the type to rehash environments for entirely new content. On the other hand, they did rehash content for almost all of their side quests and a large part of the planets you could visit. There is nothing here that proves they will or will not continue this tradition and not make the game content completely unique or incredibly mundane. The side quests in Mass Effect lead to the latter, but the main quests lead to the former.

None of this means that anyone should be sad to hear about the news of DLC. Why? For a couple of reasons. One, this is a entirely new race. Two, the events of the new content (An asteroid colliding with a colony), seem epic enough to justify belief that it will be treated as a mission planet. The only sad thing to hear is that it doesn't happen after the game. Although we know the Batarian will have some sort of impact, it would have been nice to see it happen after the game ends. It sort of dilutes the impact when you already have Saren to worry about, making it feel just like a side planet. Although, a large side planet.

So in this situation where two outcomes are equally likely, it is best to wait and have faith. It may be argued that Bioware is not creating as unique a game experience as Baldur's Gate 2 anymore. But they haven't yet made a game that is a complete disappointment either (Jade Empire was quite good if you ignored the obvious faults.) So have faith in Bioware before you rush to make any judgments on them.

Special Edition, Limited Edition, Collector's Edition, no thanks...

Now, is it REALLY worth the extra 10, 20, or sometimes over 30 dollars retailers want you to shell out for an upcoming game or DVD? What exactrly will this "special" edition yield? A 2'' tall figurine? An artbook that wont increase in value? A helmet that'll collect dust on my mantle? A "special" pat on the back? I'm the type of person that loathes clutter so you won't find me displaying figurines, helmets, or anything of that sort. I'll just keep going to my local game retailer to buy the "frugal" edition, thank you very much! Tell me what good will that metal case do? Will it shield you from a stray bullet or an arrow shot from a rogue elf? I dont think so. You put your disc in it, plain and simple. Not worth the extra 10 bucks. Those 10 dollars could go towards another game purchase, a bangin meal at McDonalds, or a 6'er of beer. I'd go for the latter...

Okay, let's flip this around for the collectors out there. Why is buying the collector's, limited, or special edition so essential? Hmm, well lets take Devil May Cry 4's special edition. It includes a steel case, a "bonus" DVD, another DVD with episodes of the DMC anime, and a swanky slip cover for the casing. I'll admit, its a really handsome package. Worth the price? Well...for the collector, I think so. Another example, Halo 3 for the Xbox 360. It had 3 skus and all of them did well.  The Legendary edition being the top tier of the trio included the game disc, an interactive Xbox 360 bonus disc with several featurettes, a beastiarum, Legendary DVD, and a Master Chief helmet case. The Limited edition had all of the Legendary goodies sans the helmet and DVD beastiarum.

To close this up, Special Edition, Limited Edition, Collector's Edition....whats the deal? You have space on your shelf for knick-nacks, dodads, and doohickeys? Enjoy your uber editions. If you couldn't care less about extra trinkets and a larger price tag...you know the deal. Just get the standard fare. See you online folks.

 

Sony’s PSP – 5 Reasons Why You Should Own One.

It isn’t hard to see that the Nintendo DS is winning the handheld war. Those who refuse to believe only need to see the software sales, attach rate, and the critical praise that the dual screened wonder has garnished. The fight however, isn’t completely lost on Sony’s second try in the portable business (the original Playstation Portable PocketStation is not forgotten.) For those who refuse to acknowledge the PSP's existence, I present the top 5 reasons to get into the system before the holidays.

5. The New Slim Version of the PSP [PSP Lite]

The old school PSP is bulky. It is one of the reasons we here think that it did not take so fast. Only those with the most generous of pockets are able to fit the widescreen wonder in their pockets. Last September, Sony changed that by releasing their new PSP model. It boasted a smaller frame, better battery life, more faceplate colors, and a feature that we will get into later that gives this thing an actual edge.

4. 1^st Party Titles

For those of us who remember some of the original titles that came out for the PSX, it is obvious that the good folks at Sony software are good at making 1^st party titles for their systems. Series such as Syphon Filter have found new life on the system after being all but left for dead in the console world. Also, the fact a new God of War is to appear on the system should almost be a reason within itself.

3. Metal Gear Solid

If you're anything like the average gamer, the story of Metal Gear Solid is anything but solid. Between the back stabbing, muddled dialogue, and cryptic messages, you have nothing but jibba jabber* most of the time. The gameplay however, is nothing to fear. Those of you who have time to play both Metal Gear Solid Acid titles and Portable Ops will enjoy themselves thoroughly.

2. Composite Cables

If you’re like Shief, you cannot stand looking at that small screen. Even if the PSP has the widescreen capability and is clear as a bell, some of us want to play it in all of its glory on those brand new HDTV sets that set our children’s college funds back a few years. The composite cables changed all that, as they allow you to hook up that PSP to your TV and use it as a controller. Unlike other devices in the past, it is rather simple to hook up and translates extremely well on screen, almost turning your PSP into a portable console.

1. Tactical RPG’s

The number one reason to get a PSP are the awesome tactical RPG’s that are available for the system. Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, Disgaea, and Jeanne D'Arc are not only critically acclaimed, all three are TGS Certified to take you out of your world and into theirs. Warning for those who dare; these games are addictive and will last you a long time, so when you're playing your 20^th round in Disgaea or grinding in Final Fantasy Tactics trying to get those final classes, don’t say you were not warned.

This system is far from dead. For any Nintendo head who shows you numbers, dare them to take up a game of Portable Ops or Disgaea and see if you cannot change a few minds. It isn’t a winner, or is it a viable threat to the empire of the Nintendo handheld. But if it continues to improve like it has over the last few months, it will be able to slice out its own piece of the Handheld pie, and avoid Game Gear/NGage/Neo Geo land.

 

Is Something Wrong With Me?

As all of you gamers know, our tastes change often. One minute, you're craving some guns and gore. The next, you're in the mood to test your brain. Days later, you have the need for speed. Then you get the itch for a good ol' street fight. It's inevitable that as we grow older and delve deeper into gaming, our preferences will shift often.

With that said, there are some games that are just destined to always grab our attention. No matter what happens, some franchises demand our thumbs (or wrists in the Wiimote's case) attention. And the #1 franchise that consistently captures hearts worldwide is our favorite plumber, Mario Mario.

When a Mario game is announced, gamers worldwide leap for joy. Smiles reach from ear to ear. Past memories of the warp zones and goomba stomping are recalled. So when Super Mario Galaxy was announced to be the "true" sequel to Mario 64, we all wept a tear of joy.

So the game is released to massive success. Cool. Critics and gamers alike all embraced the planet hopping platformer. As well they should have, because it's a freaking amazing game. But.....

When I first played Galaxy at a local Gamestop before release, I described my feelings to fellow message board gamers. I explained that while impressive, Galaxy just didn't give me the same "WOW" factor Mario 3 and Mario 64, and even Super Mario World did. I was immediately labeled a hater, Sony fanboy, idiot, and other things of the sort.

As I said last column, I now own both a Wii and Galaxy. It's been 2 weeks, and I have played Galaxy 3 times. 3. T-H-R-E-E times. And one of those times I fell asleep for an hour, only to wake up with the game still on. Now don't get me wrong, I like the game. It's ingenious and charming. The problem is, I'm starting to think I have outgrown Mario. And that's pretty sad if it's true. I own the second highest rated game ever, and I can't even play it for more than 30 minutes before I quit.

So my question is, am I the problem? Or is the game overhyped? I mean, after countless videos and reviews, EVERYONE was convinced this was an absolute game for the ages. But I've never had such a hard time playing a game that is receiving the praise Galaxy is. I considered dropping out of high school over FFVII. I logged countless hours on Chrono Trigger. I can recite every cutscene on the original MGS. I have seen every glitch known to man in Ocarina Of Time, including the fake triforce. I mean, come on! I need to know if I'm just being irrational about the game or not. So if you have an opinion favoring mine, or completely opposite, let me know. I'm interested to know if it's just me or not. Until next time gamers.

The Great Wii Chase Revisited

Remember my wild goose chase to secure a Wii? Well it ended at 10pm this morning. After such a journey to find one, I'm a bit disappointed at how it all ended. On Sunday, I walked into my new local Gamecrazy (I moved a couple months ago.) I asked about a Wii and the employee told me to check tomorrow. Of course I doubted it would actually be there, but what the hell. So this morning, I arrive there at 10am (opening hours.) I walked in, and asked the same guy about a Wii. He's like "maybe I have one." So I told him that I might like to buy the one he might have, and that was it. He actually got 2 in that morning, so I'm sure someone else got lucky and bought the other one not too long after I left. I got Mario Galaxy along with it; I know my girl will love it! Well, now I'm patiently waiting for March 9th when Brawl hits the states. See you guys in the arena.

Taking Names and Keeping Score.....

I'm using a program called Game Collector. It's a desktop application that'll catalog your video games in a database. I've been using it for several weeks and I enjoy it a lot. There are all sorts of ways to track your titles, whether it be by title, producer, year, genre, completion, or a number of other categories. There's also a wizard in the program for adding games, which makes it a snap. Here are a few screen shots.

To find out more here's a link.
http://www.collectorz.com/game/

Time to get organized people.

My Money's Worth

Today I finished my fourth playthrough of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Why's that so important, you ask? Because I rarely finish my games multiple times. Most just aren't fun or good enough to warrant a second or third playthrough, and even if they are, I'll be occupied with another game before I get a chance to finish it again. Normally, I would've dug out a game months or even years later. With the game not fresh in the back of my head, I find it helps keep the game fresh that way. Another reason is that games usually don't give enough incentive to play through them again. So with many games being on rails, for all intents and purposes, going through the exact same motions again isn't appealing most of the time.

Something as simple as an alternate ending, multiple level paths, more and different characters just aren't all that common. It's not that developers can't do it; Chrono Trigger, and Contra: Hardcorps did all of these things during the 16-bit era. Trigger, for instance, had more than ten different endings. Hardcorps featured characters with different abilities, differing levels, as well as multiple endings.

But what even more games miss than all of the above are meaningful extras. Something that makes it worthwhile to replay a game. That doesn't include a tacked on multiplayer (Grand Theft Auto), or a tacked on single player campaign for that matter (Unreal Tournament III, I'm looking at you). That doesn't include a list with meaningless numbers attached to it, nor does it mean collecting all 800 Jade Monkeys.

The Jade Monkeys would actually be fine, if the little critters only had some use in the game. A lot of games are filled with endless fetch quests like this posing as legitimate features. The reward for collecting 800 Monkeys is…. A message stating you've collected all 800 Jade Monkeys. Of course, simply playing the game should be enough, provided it's fun. The problem is that fun does not mean perfect in every way, and the Monkey collecting is extremely tedious most the time.

Which brings me back to Uncharted. Uncharted has it's own Jade Monkeys, called treasures. They're also useless, and the search is not nearly as fun as just going through the regular game. But Uncharted actually rewards a player for collecting these things. Multiple times even.  Depending on how many treasures and treasure points you rack up, you get infinite ammo, weapons not normally available, new costumes, access to concept art for the game, and many other things. While we've seen it all before, we haven't seen all of them together in a single game. And Drake does come with some surprises.

There's the filters that change the look of the game to sepia, black and white and next-gen (extremely bright). My personal favorite is the mirror option. This mirrors the complete game from left to right. It's not a complete make-over, but it gives you incentive to play through the game again, especially coupled with all of the other extras. 

The chance to cut loose with infinite Magnum ammo on those shotgun wielding bastards, in a mirrored world, with a filter of your choosing and a new costume makes all the searching worth it. For me, it was just fun playing the game in a language I understood other than English.

That makes it worth getting all those damn Monkeys for, even though Uncharted is so good. It's one of the few I would've played again anyway.  And it still it threw all that additional content at unsuspecting gamers.  And it's not alone. Games like Folklore and Rockband have so much downloadable content that the time put into these games probably doubled.

Developers take note. These things aren't just extras. This is the way you create fans. A game that's forgotten after a slightly underwhelming six hour campaign won't have gamers remembering your names, let alone remembering when your next game comes out.

My MAGFEST Experience

Its Thursday afternoon, 12 o’clock and I’m making my arrival. I head into the Hilton Mark Center and head downstairs to the registration tables. I’m greeted by a friendly staff member who tells me that the system is down temporarily. No biggie. I head into the soon to be merchandise area to hang out and hear some chatter amongst the small group that has also arrived early. I see a Killer Instinct cabinet that’s running and a Simpsons cabinet that looks torn apart.  I walk towards the ballroom area; above the door it says “Console Room”. I peek in and see a plethora of TVs and game consoles. Everything from the NES to 360 was on hand. I got really excited at all the possibilities this one room could hold! I walked back to the Killer Instinct machine and there was a small group huddling around the machine. I haven’t heard the words, “C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKERRRRR!!!” in years and it felt pretty amazing.  I then sit down with a bunch of PC guys soon afterwards. Beside them were their PCs and one guy already had his running with Call of Duty 4 on it.  One of the dudes is really annoying; he’s going on about which internet browsers are best and how Firefox is possibly the worst one of them all.  He must think he’s God gift to the keyboard and mouse. His voice echoes off the walls and ceiling of the place. I wonder what the people in the upstairs lobby must be thinking…

It’s nearing 1:15pm and more people start to file in. At this time the doors to the Console Room finally open up. Every monitor is lit up with title screens of dozens of games. There are several PCs lined up against the wall that are running emulators of the NES; they are ready to go as well. To the rear of this massive area, there’s a stage set up for Rock Band. There’s already a group of guys setting up for a round of that.  So far I’ve counted about 40-50 people that are in the console area.  I walk over to an Xbox to try my hand at Marvel VS. Capcom.  I win a couple of matches by mashing the buttons until an expert comes and knocks me and my team onto their asses.  Oh well, I'll move on to the next game! Looking at my watch its 2:20pm. My cohort, Adam, has just stepped off of the stage from playing Rock Band. His group did a great job and the crowd was getting into the song they performed. I walk over to a Playstation 2 machine and watch a pair of gamers duke it out on Guilty Gear on a Sony Bravia LCD display, not too shabby. I didn’t know which characters were which but it looked awesome. I glance over to my right and see an SNES with my favorite racing game of all time, Rock n Roll Racing! Truly, I was at home. Fuckin bad ass!  I play a few races on that and I set the controller down. I take a look at the wall, there was Marvel VS Capcom 2 being displayed via a projector. MAGFEST was in full swing.

At 2:45pm, I head upstairs to the restaurant for some lunch and a couple of rum and cokes. After a filling lunch, I roll back downstairs to the console room where they have enforced a bag claim policy. Wow, that was fast! I put my gear on a table and take my camera and notebook with me. I wanted to see what the LAN room was all about so I walked down a series of corridors to the LAN area.  As I got closer to the LAN area, the sound of the console area was getting quieter and quieter as if I was inside of a sound vacuum. I reached my destination and I saw 8 rows of tables lined up with an ethernet cable at each seat. There were several people around with their PCs set up. These guys are going to make me dump more money into my PC at home. My goal was to have my PC running as strong as these folks. One gamer has Crysis running on his machine. It wasn’t running at peak performance but it was at least playable. Three others are playing a Quake mod that looks cell shaded.  The overall atmosphere of this area is very calm, almost library-like. I like it. It’s like an oasis from the anarchy that’s the console area.  Nice comfy rotating office chairs make this place an ideal spot to browse the net, play a game, or just goof off. 

While I’m in here I hear some music…like a band warming up. I follow the sound to the adjacent room to discover a stage with lights set up and a sound engineer in the back. I guess this is where the musical performances will be. I do recall seeing Over Clocked Remix in the MAGFEST program, those guys rock. Well, I’m off to the console area to see what’s going on in there. On the way there I see New School Mickey and Jose El Mexicano from Screwattack.com. I shook their hands and chatted with them for a little bit.  Jose is a lot of Mexican.

The merchandise area is in full swing now. Shirts, posters, figurines, games,and other paraphernalia are being sold. Dealers from around the area are selling their wares. I managed to buy Ikaruga for $30 bucks from a guy that had a table set up. I’m glad I didn’t walk past that gem. One table had masks from Team Fortress 2. They had all the characters and they looked awesome. Too bad Halloween is nine months away! Inside the console room the crowd thickens, but not to the point where its closterphobic. I’m playing games like Marvel VS Capcom 2, Soul Calibur 3, Super Smash Bros, Virtua Fighter 5, Mega Man, and even some Super Mario 3. Everyone is enjoying themselves and the atmosphere feels like an arcade. I spoke to a guy that drove all the way from Jersey to be at MAGFest. I’m sure there are others that traveled even further to this event. The remainder of the evening was spent walking around chit-chatting with gamers and playing more games of my own. I ended my day at about 11pm and headed home. After a 50min train ride, I was exhausted. I couldn’t wait to do it all again the next day.

Friday morning I make my return to the Hilton. I proceed down the escalator and pass the registration desk and I saw the ScrewAttack table front and center. They were showing the Angry Video Game Nerd DVD on an LCD monitor. Jose and Mickey manned the table. Over to the side I saw Handsome Tom and Stuttering Craig from ScrewAttack.com. I shook their hands and got a picture with them, pretty awesome!  I chatted with them and they are totally down to earth guys. I purchased the AVGN DVD and walked over to the Halo 3 tournament room. This was my first time seeing the game up close. The tournament room wasn’t that big, there were 2 LCD monitors and 2 projectors. After spending months on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Halo 3 seemed so slow to watch. CoD4 has spoiled me way too much.

 

One of the events of the day was a ScrewAttack Q&A at 2pm. Craig answered several questions from the crowd. There was talk of the next Ironman of Gaming competition and what’s planned for ScrewAttack in 2008. I was unexpectedly surprised when Brett Vanderbrook and Chad Williams of PBC productions showed up. I’m a fan of The New Adventures of Captain S, and there was talk of a second season of the web series. The gathering was even serenaded by a couple of guys playing a flute and a guitar.

After the Q&A, I went to the console gaming room which was booming with people. I was watching Isaiah 'Triforce' Johnson during his charity gaming marathon. He is putting himself against a couple dozen games that he has to beat without continuing. Not even once. A tall feat, but Triforce isn’t a stranger to breaking records. I donated some money to his cause and continued to watch him play. This guy’s concentration could not be broken. 

While I was watching Triforce play, two guys were pushing an arcade machine that was on a cart. It was silver, had a massive Sony monitor and 2 speakers on the side, it really looked unique.  I followed them and watched them set it up. Upon closer inspection of this mystery device, I saw that it was a BeatMania IIDX machine. I’ve seen these machines on www.youtube.com  played by Japanese players with some insane skills. One of the staff members showed me how good he was and man, he was an expert at that game. Guitar Hero has nothing on this rhythm game. Shit was crazy. I stood there for about 20 minutes watching people attempt to play it and epically fail. It was all in good fun though. I had an awesome time.

After planting myself at the BeatMania machine, I decided to call it a night. Wow, MAGFest is here and it totally rocked. I thought I’d never see anything like this In my part of the country. The atmosphere was so warm and I felt like I was amongst my own, gamers. Everyone was in good spirits and I didn’t see a disappointed look anywhere. The spirit of competition was in the air and I was in the midst of it all. I wanna shoutout everyone that had a hand in making MAGFest the coolest thing that’s hit the east coast gaming scene.

Top 10 End of the Year EDITION

Well, it’s been a crazy year for gaming, and we definitely mean that in a good way. With the holidays and the year winding down, we here at The Gamer Studio give you a look at last year’s best, last year’s worst, and the biggest surprises of 2000 and lucky number seven.

This is the one you have been waiting for. The top ten games of 2007, as voted on by us. Without further ado, here are the best games of 2007.

10. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions {PSP}

The king of the Tactical RPG on the PSP, which is no easy feat considering the heat that the system brought in that genre this year. It also proves that a classic, is a classic, is a classic, as this port still rates as high as it did back in the day. Its just a perfect port of the game we fell in love with years ago.

9. Guilty Gear XX: Accent Core {PS2}

Heavy Metal? Undoubtedly, and also one of the most balanced and tactical fighters this side of Virtua Fighter. Hours have gone by with us playing (read: losing to Shief) and having a blast. Tons of characters and tons of ways to play, there is no way to go wrong here.

7-T. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune {PS3}

Fiending for some Indiana Jones gameplay with beautiful visuals? Look no further. With smooth controls and a atmosphere that is alive with life, Sony received another exclusive from Naughty Dog that it can hang its hat on for years to come.

7-T. Half Life 2: The Orange Box {Multi}

How do you spell value these days? Apparently O-R-A-N-G-E, as this collection of games is more than your money’s worth/ It contains concise ports of both Half Life 2 and Half Life 2: Episode One, as well as Half Life 2: Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. If you cannot find fun with this we question your gamer nature.

6. Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3 {PS2}

Not quite the average RPG, but Shin Megami Tensei games never are. Like other Shin Megami Tensei games, Persona 3 has you battling demons, attending school, and managing your personal life. Its greatness is the addictive, quirky quality that keeps you coming back for more.

5. God of War II {PS2}

Even though it was released early this year, any gamer would be remiss if they forgot this gem. Known as the PS2’s last major hurrah, this game would take over all who played it. With it’s scalable difficulty, over the top gory gameplay, and Kratos cool factor, it was hard for anyone to put this one down.

4.Mass Effect {X360}

BioWare has done it again. Mass Effect actually combines the world of First Person Shooter and RPG and merges it with a populated universe full of life (human and otherwise) to give you a gaming experience like no other. With tons of side missions and the promise of downloadable content to add to your adventure, I don’t see how someone can go wrong.

3.Bioshock {X360}

Flying under the radar and shocking the world (no pun intended), Bioshock breaks definition by providing a single player experience to draw you in. The city of Rapture is an endearing place, even if you have to fight your way out of it, and even then, you will enjoy every single minute of it.

2. Super Mario Galaxy {Wii}

The king of platformers returns with a game that was full of Miyamoto wizardry which brought the king his crown. Concise controls, beautiful visuals, bizarre locations, fun side quests, and even cooperative gameplay round out the package. If you have a Wii, there is no reason why you should not have this game in your library.

1. Call of Duty IV {Multi}

Its hard to begin, but when there is a game that can bring gamers together from every single system camp to praise its dominance, well that should tell you just what type of game Call of Duty IV is. From the stunning visuals that feature authentic locales, beautiful effects and destructable objects, to the gameplay that gives the player the option to play how they want, the scalable difficulty that can turn this game from a casual players dream to a hardcore players challenge, and even soundtrack work from Guru, every single one of us here at TGS can talk hours about our experience online and off. Without question, our game of the year, as a matter of fact we are going back to play now!

Surprises of the Year

Well, it’s been a crazy year for gaming, and we definitely mean that in a good way. With the holidays and the year winding down, we here at The Gamer Studio give you a look at last year’s best, last year’s worst, and the biggest surprises of 2000 and lucky number seven.

This time, we turn your gaming pallets to the pleasant surprises of 07. These games caught our eye (and I am sure yours as well) to make this one of the better years for the hobby. Street Fighter IV (Announcement), skate., Bioshock, Blue Dragon, and Ratchet & Clank:Tools of Destruction make our list, and here is why.

Street Fighter IV {Unknown}

We tend to be huge fighting game enthusiasts here at The Gamer Studio, and a lot of our love took hold when we first got a chance to play Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior. 7 years since their last outing, the news of a brand new sequel got us all excited.

“The world was treated to a teaser trailer on October 17^th that displayed a heavily stylized Ken and Ryu fighting in an open field with splashes of ink littered across the screen.”

skate. {Multi}

Back when we saw screens for this game months ago, we couldn’t have dreamed how much this would turn the extreme sports world on its ear. With its vibrant online world, interesting characters, and the powerful attachment you get to feel with your character, this EA title actually made you want to get better.

“Being a one time Tony Hawk player, I was lost at first. But as I got into it I felt a certain rapport with my character, and wanted to get better, even if I didn’t have goals to accomplish.”

Bioshock {X360}

Flying under the radar with big titles such as Metroid Prime 3 and Halo 3, this was a sleeper title…..until you played it. Originally a PC game and then developed on the 360, this FPS kept you guessing with it’s  story, guns and gadgets.

“This is how single player should be done in first person shooters.”

“With most games of that caliber, you know too much about them before release. Bioshock just jumped on the scene with little fanfare, and forced gamers to take notice with, of all things, itself. No hype machine, no commercial every 15 minutes, just itself. For that, I salute thee.”

Blue Dragon {X360}

The pinnacle of Old School RPG achievement, Blue Dragon was a throwback to when sprites were 2D and save points were few and far between. Definitely not for the casual RPG fan, those who were fiending for some old school got it in spades.

“Blue Dragon is just proof that we can still play turn based games without feeling like we are stuck in the past”

Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction

Pretty much the hero of platformers on the Sony systems, this series has found success on both the PSP and the PS2. It was a question on how they would take the series to the next generation. Luckily, they brought the beautiful graphics and the exciting gameplay that Insomniac has built its name upon.

“From the start of the game, I couldn’t stop playing. The incredible visuals remind me of a Pixar movie.”

“The weapons are unique and original and the comedy in the game keeps everything interesting.”

Flops of the Year

Well, it’s been a crazy year for gaming, and we definitely mean that in a good way. With the holidays and the year 2007 behind us, we here at The Gamer Studio give you a look at last year’s best, last year’s worst, and the biggest surprises of 2000 and lucky number seven.

First up, we give you the bad news, as we give you five of last year’s biggest flops. They do not have to be bad, but they have to destroy your expectations, and we see that with Lair, Odin Sphere, Assassin’s Creed, SSX Blur, and Area 51. We didn't bother to put a number, because they are all equally disappointing.

Lair {PS3}

Merging Sixaxis controls with a precision based aerial fighter isn’t good, especially when you hype a game as the saving grace of your system for a year.

“This game had a formula for success…Then, the game got released.”

“Horribly implemented controls, frustrating missions, and a lack of sound design choices (such as no analog controls) destroyed this game.”

“Lair is a game of missed opportunity. The game's setting and atmosphere could've been utilized to make an awesome new IP, but instead it failed because of shoddy programming."

Odin Sphere {PS2}

Beautiful art direction and critical success from the east is all well and good, but if you add slowdown and redundancy, you're given a game that grabs your attention now, but never seems to get finished.

“Not only do you play through the same background every single level, not only do you play through the same levels every single book, but the only thing to make each book different are the characters you control, the bosses you face, and the story. Sorry, but that isn't enough to make it enjoyable in a lot of peoples eyes.”

SSX Blur {Wii}

SSX Blur is the next gen installment of a usually stable franchise. This game provided you with mediocre controls and a unneeded redesign that made this game leave you with a dirty feeling.

“All the stages are rehashed from the all the SSX games, they dropped the in-your-face wild characters for cartoon models of the characters, Moby looks like Jay-Z…”

Assassin’s Creed {Multi}

So much hype followed this game, from the beautiful screens to its female lead designer. Too bad the glitches and slowdown killed what could have been a GOTY contender.

“A setting unique to videogames, great graphics and sounds, and a huge open world, where you could execute assassinations in many ways. Too bad all of that stayed on paper.”

“The character you control can barely move!”

Area 51 {multi}

Unreal 3 Graphics, proven series, Havok Physics? Must Win? WRONG! In a year that has blessed the gaming world with gems of FPS such as Call of Duty 4, this game falls square on it’s face.

“I cannot believe how short this game is. It can be finished in one or two sittings, and there's no replayable extra content to keep you...”

“This feels unfinished.”

“Find a light gun, a couple of quarters, and hope the Laundromat has this, because that’s the only way to purge yourself.”

The War On.....The Console War.

Hey all. Happy New Year to our loyal readers! I want to vent about a personal beef I'm carrying with me from last year. I want to briefly discuss gamers obsession with the console war. I LOVE discussing gaming and everything that it encompasses. But I'm tired of having to defend every opinion I have from someone who doesn't like the console I happen to be discussing. So here is my open letter to all gamers who won't stop fighting a pointless war (including myself at times.)

        Dear Gamers,

                        I am writing this letter to ask you all to stop making my time on the internet a living hell. I have been gaming since the age of 5 (20 years), and I have seen some great games and systems come and go. I have played just about any game worth playing in my gaming "career" and finished most of those I have played. I have owned just about every console ever released, and some handhelds also. I've spent god knows how much money on this "habit" of mine and never felt I was making a mistake. In short, I does this gaming shit.

                        Just like most of the gaming world, I frequent forums (such as ours here at The Studio) and discuss the latest gaming news with other like-minded gamers. Most of the time I enjoy myself, and often learn things I might not have otherwise. But this generation of consoles started a war the likes of which I have never seen. I always thought that competition was great for the gaming industry, and with games like Bioshock, Mario Galaxy, and Uncharted, competition is forcing all 3 companies to put their best foot forward. For that, I'm sure we are all grateful. With that said, the attitude of most gamers nowadays is almost too much.

                        Did you happen to like Ratchet And Clank: FTOD perhaps? I did too! Too bad Mario Galaxy was "better." Are you a fan of Twilight Princess for the Wii? Great game. Too bad the Gamecube version has a higher average score. Did you happen to finish the fight at all? Yeah, the 4 player co-op was bananas! Too bad COD4 wipes the floor with Halo. Did you hear MGS4 might jump to the 360? Yes I did hear that, but I heard it will be on 13 DVD's. Any chance you bought Unreal Tournament 3 for the PS3? Nope, I would have but no one plays PS3 online.

                        If you have seen any type of comments like that lately, or other more extreme ones, you aren't alone. This "console war" is turning gamers into hyperactive marketing tools. The bullshit I have to read on a daily basis is crazy. I know, no one is forcing me to frequent these forums. It just sucks that people who don't know any better usually seek info from these forums, only to be forced to read a bunch of fanboy propaganda. What happened to gamers looking out for gamers? When the Gamespot fiasco hit the fan, gamers rightly stood up and told the world that Kane and Lynch sucked. Think that would have happened if it was a console exclusive? Hell no, the war would have raged on.

                        Look, it's cool to have a console of choice, or a company of choice. It happens in other walks of life. I only wear Nikes and Jordans. Only boot I've ever known is the mighty Timberland. I'm a sucker for Papa John's pizza and McDonald's fries. I love Wendy's nuggets. Thing is, no one tries to change my mind about these things. But if I say I prefer the PS3? I'm stupid for paying for a glorified Blu-Ray player. Never mind the fact that I own over 25 games for it and only about 12 Blu-Rays (8 of which I got for free from a hookup.) This shit has got to stop somewhere, and I'm trying to do my part in 08. Now I'll still discuss and debate the strengths and weaknesses of each system at any time, it's what I do. But no longer will I tear down or build up a system strictly based on who makes it. I'm asking you all to do the same. Let's make 2008 a bigger and better year for gaming than 2007 was.

Gamer For Life
Tashaun Brown

Personal Responsibility...Happy Holidays.

 

Perhaps when my parents taught me the value of personal responsibility and showed me the efforts of good parenting, I listened. Maybe I actually have common sense that some people lack. Whatever it may be, it is telling. Child rearing in this country (Yes...I said rearing, pause for laughter) has taken a turn for the worse. The "pundits", and I do use this term loosely, of the videogame world such as Jack Thompson and Kym Worthy (along with countless others) claim that the gaming industry is tearing our value system asunder. The big bad videogames, according to them, are simply ripping at the moral fabric of a once perfect world.

What is interesting is that there are many other more logical reasons for "the end of the world." Latch-key kids, a lack of drive for parents to raise thier kids, and the fact that people are simply idiots, all factor into the equation. But never mind that for a second. It would seem that no one would like to blame the parent who buys the more than bloody videogame for the child. No child is going into any Gamestop and buying Manhunt II with their allowance money because the store manager thought he was a good boy this year. The parent has to be present with the child and purchase the game before it can corrupt their mind.

What these people need to realize is that the industry isn't just for children anymore. Most of us grew up in the Mario/Contra era when the goriest game was a over the top ketchup blood based fighter. With the adult audience rowing as rapidly as it has in the gaming world, there is more of a need to try different things to get our attention. Would you go to a movie if all they showed were children movies? Exactly.

The medium has evolved, and has changed a bit from what we remember it. Videogames are not JUST for children anymore. The onus of these responsibilities should not fall upon the companies who are in it for the buck, or the game store that is trying to create sales, or the media trying to get attention. It should go to the people that SHOULD have the most vested interest in the child, the parents. These crusaders seem to forget that the people these children see most have the most impact on them. Personal Responsibility, remember it during this holiday season.

The Great Wii Chase.....

Let me start by saying that I have never seen a Wii in any game store with my own eyes. Well, excluding the display console of course. Since the day of launch, I have never witnessed a Wii being purchased. This is amazing to me on so many levels. 1 other odd Wii related fact before I share my story: I have never been to a household that contains a Wii. So over 15 million have been sold, yet I cant find one in a store or a home?

My girlfriend saw the commercial for Mario And Sonic at the Olympics a couple weeks back. She said she really wanted to play that particular game. So being the loving boyfriend that I am, I decided to see if I could get lucky and run into a Nintendo Wii somehow amidst the holiday shopping. I tried the usual suspects, no luck. Tried to use Wiitracker.com, but they only had 600 dollar bundles. Looked at Ebay and Amazon, way overpriced. So we decided to try again after Christmas.

Then the wild goose chase began. Saturday afternoon phone call. Loud yelling. Excited friend of mine at Circuit City says he has one IN HIS HAND that he is holding for me. I hop in the car and I'm there in what seems like 37 seconds. Maybe 38. I enter the store, debit card in hand, and I see said friend empty handed and cursing at the manager. It seems that a woman complained about my friend holding the Wii hostage and he had to give it up. He tried to explain that I was on route with the money, but no dice.

Dejected, we head to my house. While driving, we began to discuss our close call. Said friend looks at the Best Buy circular which has a Wii advertisement. So we wonder, Sunday shipment perhaps? Nah, no way. So naturally, I sleep in on Sunday and wake up around 1 pm. At about 3:30 pm we head to Best Buy to check out the buy one, get one free Blu-Ray sale. We browse around, look at some movies (and girls), and I casually ask a random employee about the Wii availability. After laughing for a bit, he says "We got 100 this morning, but they're all gone." Are you KIDDING ME!!!!! If only we weren't so skeptical.

Sunday night. I'm elated my Dolphins finally put one in the win column. Friend calls. Brilliant idea. New York City. Nintendo store. Shipments every single day. Store opens at 9. We will arrive at 6:30 and wait. Sure to get one right? One problem. Christmas shopping has my pockets hurting. So I turn to my girl and ask her what she thinks about our plan to catch a train at 5 am to try and nab a Wii on her behalf. I explain that she has to come cause I'm short on money right now. She balks at that suggestion. So we run through about 10 different plans. In the middle of the 11th, she says "You know what? I don't even want it that bad." And just like that, the Great Wii Chase was over.

Looking back on those events, I am starting to see why the Wii is selling like crazy. It reminds me of Pokemon when it first hit the scene. People who never ever played the game or watched the cartoon were losing it over the cards. You know why? Because you wanted to be the person who had what everybody wanted. It gave you power, made others envy you. The Wii is the new Pokemon. Don't believe me? Walk into a Gamestop tomorrow, stand in the middle of the store, and yell "I'm going home to play my Nintendo Wii!" See if you make it out alive. I'll admit, I was running around collecting those cards myself. But it won't happen twice buddy. So Nintendo, thanks for nothing. I'll be just fine with my PS3.

The Holy Trinity.....

Let me say this to you guys out there. I love my PS3. I'm a technology nut, so the PS3's all in one capabilities are right up my alley. I also own a 1080p HDTV, so I am probably one of the few people actually using the PS3 to its full capability right now. For those who don't own a HDTV, or happen to purchase consoles just to play games (gasp!), the PS3 may be a disappointment thus far. However, Sony recently released some pretty damn good games for the black and chrome monster. Some people may have been too busy writing Sony off to notice, but I wasn't one of them. I happen to own all 3, and they're the only 3 games I have been playing for the past 2 months. I even dubbed them "The Holy Trinity." I'm speaking of Ratchet And Clank, Call Of Duty 4, and Uncharted.

Ask any PS3 owner what the best 3 games on the system are right now. Go ahead, I'll wait. The answer was? Yeah, I thought so. Look no further than these 3 titles to see why the PS3 is far from out of this console war. It's also telling that 2 of the 3 are PS3 exclusives, but that's another story for another time. The fact of the matter is as much as 2/3 of the gaming universe would love to see Sony wither away in the wind, its not happening.

Now I'm not here to argue for the PS3 or against the Wii or 360. At least not until one of these companies pays me. But I am writing this column to point out an interesting fact about the PS3 thus far. Before it's launch, everyone spoke about the PS3's original "Holy Trinity." That would be MGS4, DMC4, and FFXIII. Since launch, DMC4 has went multiplat, FFXIII has been pushed to holiday 08 at the earliest, and MGS4 has been pushed to Spring 08. So who would have thought at this point we would have not one, not two, but 3 AAA quality titles not including the OG "Holy Trinity?" Not I my friends, not I. See you next time people.

PS3 vs Wii - The Year In Review (Part 2 - The Whole Picture)

In part 1 of this 2 part series, I took a look at the Wii and PS3 exclusive game libraries. After a few comparisons, the Wii's lineup was just a bit too much for the PS3 to handle thanks to it's first party efforts. This time around, I'll take the entire libraries into account. Any game on each system will be included in my comparisons. Once again, I'll examine the Top 5 and Top 10 lists for each console according to its Gamerankings.com rank. Only 1 review is needed for a game to be included. Here we go.

PS3
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare                                         94.4%
2. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion                                             93.2%
3. Rock Band                                                                        91.6%
4. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction                     89.1%
5. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition     88.7%
6. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune                                               88.2%
7. Resistance: Fall of Man                                                     87.0%
8. Ninja Gaiden Sigma                                                          86.9%
9. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2               86.9%
10. Virtua Fighter 5                                                               86.8%

Wii
1. Super Mario Galaxy                                       97.4%
2. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess          94.2%
3. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition                           91.2%
4. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption                          90.1%
5. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure     87.0%
6. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock                    86.4%
7. Super Paper Mario                                        85.3%
8. MLB Power Pros                                            84.9%
9. Geometry Wars: Galaxies                             82.5%
10. Madden NFL 07                                           81.9%

Now we have 2 brand new lists to play around with, sort of. While the PS3's list had an extreme makeover, the Wii list looks pretty much the same. Only 3 games were added, compared to the PS3's 5 (I only counted Oblivion once to be fair.) Another fact of note is the Wii list now only boasts 1 game that outranks the PS3's best game. This is compared to the 4 from the exclusive list. So at first glance it would seem that Sony's 3rd party games are the strength of the system, while the Wii is dominated by first party greatness. Sound familiar anyone? Let's look closer.

New Franchises - Wii (2) PS3 (3)
The Wii still boasts 2 games which aren't sequels. No change there. The PS3 drops to 3 new franchises, which evens things a bit. However, 1 of those 3 just happens to be the 3rd best game on the PS3 (Rock Band), and all 3 crack the PS3's top 7. Meanwhile, neither of the 2 on the Wii crack the top 7. Another tidbit of note: Every new franchise on the PS3 outranks the 2 on the Wii.

3rd Party Games - Wii (6) PS3 (10)
Do you see this people? Next time someone tells you that Sony are the only ones who can do anything with the PS3, show them this list. Please show them. Not one of these PS3 games was made by Sony. Not a single one. Meanwhile, Nintendo made 4 of the games on their list, and 3 of them are in the Top 5. So obviously it is possible for 3rd party devs to have success on the PS3. Good ones anyway (still lookin at you EA.) And Nintendo are still leading the way on their console like they always have. No surprise there.

Variety
Both lists are well represented in this regard once again. The Wii is missing a fighting game, while the PS3 has no sports represented. Other than that it's a solid mix on both sides.

Well folks, it's that time again. The Wii won last week's battle, but the PS3 wins the war. I mean really, if Madden 07 is in your top 10 at this stage of the game, there's a problem. Seriously. Oh, for anyone wondering what the PS3's 11th game is since Oblivion is up there twice.....It's EA's Skate. The Wii has some truly magical titles at the forefront, but not too much going on after the initial wave. The PS3 on the other hand, has a solid lineup with no real weak titles to choose from. I'm gonna have to roll with the PS3 here people. Whether you agree or disagree, feel free to let TGS know. Just drop your comment and it will be seen. Unless you disagree with me, in which case I'll delete it swiftly and without hesitation. See you next time.

PS3 vs Wii - The Year In Review (Part 1 - The Exclusives)

My how time flies. It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since the PS3 and Wii crashed the next gen party. The past year has seen gaming as a whole reach unseen heights. With success comes hate though, and the fanboys fought at a blistering pace. One particular argument has peaked my interest among many though. Which console has the superior lineup, PS3 or Wii? It's relatively easy to argue for either console in my opinion, but most people are pretty one sided when it comes to this question. After an analysis of both libraries using different methods, I concluded that the winner depends on how you compare the 2. Like Jay-Z said.....Men lie, women lie, numbers don't.

Most people use exclusives as ammo when defending or bashing the current gen consoles. This makes sense because it allows for the consoles to go head to head with one another. So I hopped on Gamerankings and looked up the top 5 and top 10 exclusives for each system. Now by exclusive, I mean that the game is only on 1 of the current gen consoles. As an example, if a game is on Wii, PS2 and PSP, it counts for the Wii. Here are the lists as of Thanksgiving day. The minimum review amount was set to 0 to include any game that has been reviewed at least once.

Wii
1. Super Mario Galaxy                                          97.7%
2. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess            94.2%
3. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition                              91.2%
4. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption                            90.0%
5. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure       86.8%
6. Super Paper Mario                                           85.3%
7. Trauma Center: New Blood                              85.0%
8. MLB Power Pros                                               84.9%
9. WarioWare: Smooth Moves                               81.9%
10. Trauma Center: Second Opinion                    80.9%

PS3
1. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction     88.8%
2. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune                               87.8%
3. Resistance: Fall of Man                                      87.0%
4. Ninja Gaiden Sigma                                           86.9%
5. Warhawk                                                           84.2%
6. SingStar                                                            84.2%
7. MotorStorm                                                       82.6%
8. Hot Shots Golf 5                                                81.8%
9. Heavenly Sword                                                81.0%
10. Time Crisis 4                                                   80.0%

Now we'll play with these lists for a lil while. The first thing that jumps out at you are the scores right? The Wii has an unmistakable advantage there. The Wii's top 4 games all outscore the highest ranked game on PS3. Advantage: Wii? Not so fast. If we dig a lil deeper, we can learn some things about each console from these lists. Here's a few comparisons I noticed.

New Franchises - Wii (2) PS3 (4)
The Wii has only 2 games on the list that aren't sequels. Meanwhile, the PS3 has 4. So right now, the Wii is pretty much the sequel machine when it comes to their best games. Nothing new there. The PS3, on the other hand, debuted 4 new franchises to good reviews. So while Nintendo stuck to their guns for year one, Sony introduced a few new games that could very likely be better the second time around.

3rd Party Games - Wii (5) PS3 (7)
Look at the Wii's top 5. 3 Nintendo games, 1 port of a Capcom game, and another Capcom game. So basically only 1 of the 5 highest rated Wii games is from a 3rd party. And there are 5 outta 10 3rd party games on the list, but 1 is a port and 2 are just different entries from the same game. Meanwhile, the PS3 has 7 third party games in their top 10. Yet everyone is screaming about how hard it is to make a game on the PS3. If Sony are the only ones who can do it, why do they only have 3 games in the top 10? Hell, Insomniac has 2 of the top 3 spots! Naughty Dog, Team Ninja and Incognito round out the top 5. No Sony, hmmm.

Variety
Both lists are well represented in this regard. The Wii has a bit of everything. Platforming here, survival horror there, adventure up the street, sports around the corner. You name it, it's probably represented in the top 10. PS3 is more of the same though. Most of the same genres are represented, so this category is pretty much a wash.

I could go on for hours, but in the second and final segment of this comparison I will add multi-platform games to the mix. Will the inclusion of those games give the PS3 the edge over the Wii in the battle for software supremacy? You'll have to wait and see. But for now, the sheer greatness of the Wii's flagship titles gives Nintendo the edge when it comes to exclusives.

After-Action Report

Replaying Bioshock after the amazing first run through can be a surprisingly eye opening experience. The second time through most games usually falls into 1 of 2 categories. What was amazing at first will be either uninspiring the second time, or it will still send a good shiver through you. Bioshock's impressive levels still amaze and captivate, but the enemies you face are simply not as exciting as they were before. You lose connection to the enemies when you realize they are not different than the enemies in the previous level, quest enemies being the exception. Honestly that isn't a bad thing; it just seems to be a mistake in an otherwise amazing package. What the game could have used is less generic enemies and more level specific enemies that you felt truly belonged there. Not to say they don't exist, because they do, it's just that you see very little of them.

The level design is still great and chilling like the first time around, and this is partly due to the amazing sound. However, the latter levels are still a disappointment and feel like a mess in an otherwise great package. Bioshock could have used a lot more sidequests; it just seems that a game like Bioshock could have used more open ended gameplay instead of the restrictive linear gameplay that it had. Some sidequests do exist, but they can't really be called sidequests. At the end of the day, Bioshock is still a good game. Just give it a go after a couple of months and it'll still be just as exciting as it was before.

A Look Into Where Video Games are Played...

This week I'd like to share my little kingdom...were dozens of hours are spent fragging noobs, leveling up, clearing Tetris lines, dungeon crawling, and constructing combos; my gaming area! Enjoy fellow countrymen.

Online Videos by Veoh.com

No...you handle it... NO S%$T Sherlock

So In the middle of the wonderful mastery of Half Life Two Episode Two ( Read our Review here) I am faced with a certain situation.

Our always helpful Ms Alyx "My Parents named me with a y because they are smrt" Vance has recently got past an "incident" and seemingly, without any baiting, puts up silent but deadly Gordon Freeman for tasks that will try him mentally physically and sonically...with no harm really to her self. NOt just that, she sounds like she has gotten dependant on you to do the work, having no qualm with lending your services.

And this got me thinking, while this is the worst thing ever, it is something that would irk the shit out of you had it happened in real life. Imagine.

Your in line at a store, and with the girl that everyone thinks your boning but you may not but you just silent enough for people not to ask questions, who asks you to get something off a shelf. No problem right. Its for her, and she is going to hold your place in line.Now, imagine that girl taking a laundry list from everyone in that line for "humanity's sake" forcing you to get everyone's shit from the shelf.

You would rather get the red rings of death during the middle of a Call Of Duty 4 Online multiplayer 1 kill away from Commander. All while the batteries run out in your damn controller as it runs on the screen "Please Reconnect Your Controller".

I know the game is based on the fact that we, as human beings, need action to make it complete...but, dont attach it with the feeling of being a bitch.

Thanks.

It's Nariko's World.....

Well the day I've patiently waited for has came and gone. I am now the very happy owner of Heavenly Sword. I know you want to ask the same question Dave Chapelle did in Undercover Brother, so feel free. "Is it everything I ever dreamed?" The answer I have for you so far is a resounding yes.

Keep in mind I am only on Chapter 2, so I have not seen the whole game.

Ninja Theory wanted to give us an interactive movie, so to speak. On that front, they delivered the goods. This is indeed a very cinematic experience from the very beginning. I really do feel like I'm watching a movie. Ninja Theory did their best to give us a story worth caring about, and they succeeded with flying colors. Just watch the interaction between Nariko and Kai (her friend), or Nariko and her father. There is genuine emotion portrayed in each scene. I've never felt this way about video game acting before. Don't get me wrong, there are a LOT of games around with superb writing. But this game takes superb writing and matches it with superb performances. King Bohan is a riot, as are his minions. They all have great personalities (especially Flying Fox and King Bohan), and you get the feeling that they are more than just an excuse for a boss fight. I'm really impressed as you can tell.

Graphically, this game is beautiful. The facial animation is top notch, and it makes every character believable. The environment is very bright and lush, although most of the enemies look the same. All of the main characters look great though. The game doesn't have the same sense of scale as God Of War (which it is compared to often) but it does have it's moments where you just sit back and look at it in awe. Everything moves smoothly, and the animation is great. Just witness Nariko in action, she makes ass whippin look good.

The battle system is a lot deeper than Kratos's button mashing style. Try it here if you choose, you won't last long. Enemies only attack when they see an opening, unlike the demo where enemies just ran at you while you waited to counter. The result is a nice mix of attacking, countering, and defending. You have a meter at the bottom of the screen which fills up as you fight. It fills faster the more damage you do without getting hit, and how you fight plays a part also. The bar has 3 "medals" along the way, so filling it up to the first medal awards you that medal and so on.In other words, don't keep spamming the same combo if you want to unlock all the goodies in the game. You can earn 3 "medals" in each section of a chapter, so you will have to be quick and efficient fighter to unlock everything. You can unearth new moves, combos, artwork, and videos along the way.

Sonically, the game also shines. There is a nice mix of tranquil music (mostly during cutscenes), and heart pumping battle ready jams (during battles of course.)  The pace of the game changes quickly, and the music does the same. The sound effects are very crisp. I played one mission where I had to shoot cannon balls at King Bohan's catapaults, and the boom from the cannon was intense. It even scared my daughter a bit.

There are the "quicktime" events that God Of War is known for. I haven't encountered too many yet, only 3. One was the one from the demo, one was Nariko climbing the side of a mountain, and one was during my first fight with Flying Fox. I will say this, the events have many different outcomes. For examples, I did the same event with Flying Fox 4 times and got 4 different results. It was great, I almost felt rewarded for getting it wrong. They move much quicker than God Of War also, so it almost became a trial and error thing for me.

The much talked about Aftertouch system works great. You can hold a button after throwing an object and guide it with the Sixaxis. While it makes for some very unrealistic projectile motion, it's a blast to play with. On the second stage, you have to shoot arrows at foes with Kai from a tree. Guiding the arrows to shoot them in the groin was so fun, in a twisted way. It takes a bit to get the hang of it, but there are 2 missions in the first chapter that do a good job of introducing the system.

I have read that this game is quite short, and that is such a shame because it is a phenomenal game. If it was 2 or 3 chapters longer, it would probably be getting no less than 9's in most reviewers eyes. But who cares, it's a fantastic game every PS3 owner should own without a doubt. I look forward to seeing the rest of the game for both the fast paced actiob and the top notch storytelling and "acting." Props to Ninja Theory for seeing their vision all the way through and delivering what may be the first truly unique experience for the PS3.

Jerz

The Punished shall be served.

For those of you who are in the know, and if you bother to read any of my (albeit sparse) blog posts, you would know that due to a unforeseen unfortunate unforgivable (alliteration FTW) series of events, I am left without a PC rig or any Next Gen systems. While I am taking a break from the new fangled machines and their HD ratios, I have gotten into it with some Gems of the generation of yesteryear.

One of those games that I seemed to have missed was “The Punisher”. And I am upset that I havent gotten a hand on this gem earlier.

 

 

Talk about satisfying, there have been few games in recent memory that had contained the sort of raw action that is actually befitting of Marvel’s anti-hero. The game’s over the top action and outlook leaves little to be imagined, and recently I haven’t found anything more satisfying than grabbing a human shield and blasting him and his buddy in his chest, then interrogating his boss over a stew of piranhas.  The only two quirks that bothered me while blasting through this experience were  the fact that you LOST points for killing after interrogation, as well as the lack of length. I really sped through this game, and adding to the fact that I have a busy schedule should let you know just how fast this thing can get gamed through.

The first was very disappointing because I have ( Thanks to Taskmaster) read through the MAX comic, and those in the know, know just how dastardly and gritty the punisher can get.  Add that to the fact of how COOL it looks when you actually take a perp out, and you actually start to get the feeling that the game is taunting you when you finish the criminal in a way a sociopath would classify as a religious experience.

[ MAX Comic: If you have to read any book, read this one, thank me later]

Bottom line, those with some time on their hands and a little (this game is cheap) time on their hands should get their hands on this.

 

Bonus Points: Those who actually play this around friends and say fuck the style points. J

Squaring Off...

The late 90s could be remembered for lots of things...great music, awesome TV shows, low gas prices, etc. Back then we didn't have this crazy shit called, the internet nor did we have to share the highway with Toyota Prius' traveling in the fast lane at 45mph.  Back then was when hip-hop was at its finest and the Playstation reigned supreme.

Speaking of that, remember all the games RPGs that developer SquareSoft had? Im talking about titles like Xenogears, Einhander, and Chrono Cross to name a few. To me, I thought Square was on top of its game back in the 90s cranking out games faster than you can complete them. Many of those games fetch a premium price on sites like Amazon.com and eBay.  I considered myself lucky to find Xenogears for about $20 for a Greatest Hits copy that was brand new.  I'm still on the first disc, BTW...  It makes me kind of mad that I didn't snatch up some of these titles back in the day.

Here are a few titles that defined SquareSoft back in the day...

Parasite Eve is a survival