tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21920336642386124202024-03-13T16:36:18.969-07:00Ludology 101ludology, from ludus, the Latin word for 'game' = the discipline that studies game and play activitiesHerr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-9954813111112729152015-12-07T11:01:00.002-08:002015-12-07T11:54:40.981-08:00Zrbo Reviews: Halo 5: Guardians (343 Industries, 2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXfe8RsbK136KDlZYnMGaeyqTe6q226gUVNLS3TCUJOpO43eigCAd25wKwnvrt7S7xEww2Q_7qlsFY59mfprfNCbswM8xxP-eHAIMF54SDYf0tpbpQPY_Yp8xSJYKxaj6G9ZQvq5fmzEs/s1600/halo-5-guardians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXfe8RsbK136KDlZYnMGaeyqTe6q226gUVNLS3TCUJOpO43eigCAd25wKwnvrt7S7xEww2Q_7qlsFY59mfprfNCbswM8xxP-eHAIMF54SDYf0tpbpQPY_Yp8xSJYKxaj6G9ZQvq5fmzEs/s320/halo-5-guardians.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It's been three years since Halo 4, the first Halo game not made by Halo creators Bungie. Handled now by Microsoft's internal game studio 343 Industries, Halo 5: Guardians is the debut Halo game for Microsoft's Xbox One game console. Considering the Halo franchise is the standard bearer for the Xbox brand as a whole, the game has a lot to prove.<br />
<br />
Last time we were here when <a href="http://ludology101.blogspot.com/2012/12/zrbo-reviews-halo-4-343-industries-2012.html" target="_blank">Halo 4 debuted</a> it was the beginning of a new era for Halo. Halo 4 was the start of a new trilogy, helmed by a company that wasn't its creator (sound similar to another space opera soon to debut?). Halo 4 mainly succeeded by actually making an attempt to humanize its characters. Series hero Master Chief was finally given some actual thoughts and feelings and was left reeling at the end of Halo 4 (SPOILERS!) with the death of longtime AI companion Cortana.<br />
<br />
Originally Cortana was a way for the game to allow for some dialogue in a game otherwise viewed from the perspective of a near mute cyborg. In contrast to Master Chief's gruffness, Cortana was plucky, chatty, and yes, attractive to the eyes. Halo 3 started hinting that perhaps there was something more to this relationship between a half-human cyborg and his AI companion. Halo 4 nearly gave us a love story, with Cortana sacrificing herself at the end in what amounted to a poignant scene of loss, or at least as poignant as you can get for a first person game primarily involving the shooting of aliens. Halo 4 was generally well received.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkP0Tur6l1lbZPIAEGBXPOBNN3BKbUIdXV0yzQAACeQvLGvC8Jl4mglggKBvF9rZl_RotmWnnRUl9PK_RH1gWtxfEWb-5ZoXEkGWfxvrFaTUV1w_MgkmfEAy8LZMygpdkQx0zuhKhRTBSj/s1600/lockevchief.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkP0Tur6l1lbZPIAEGBXPOBNN3BKbUIdXV0yzQAACeQvLGvC8Jl4mglggKBvF9rZl_RotmWnnRUl9PK_RH1gWtxfEWb-5ZoXEkGWfxvrFaTUV1w_MgkmfEAy8LZMygpdkQx0zuhKhRTBSj/s320/lockevchief.png" width="249" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Who do you believe? Locke or Chief? Eh, it doesn't matter anyway.</i></div>
<br />
In the build up to Halo 5: Guardians the marketing hinted at a story of the Chief going rogue. This seed began in Halo 4 with the Chief at one point defying orders. Presenting Chief as going rogue looked to put a fresh spin on the series. The marketing introduced a new character, Agent Locke, presenting a contrast to the Chief by hinting that there were going to be two sides to this story and that perhaps Chief wasn't as innocent as we thought he was. This was a great setup, basically causing us to question the hero we've always rooted for. What did Chief do to lose the trust of his bosses, and more importantly, the trust of the people who saw him as a hero?<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, 343 Industries seems to have wasted this potential. The marketing was fairly misleading (IGN <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/10/26/halo-5s-ads-lied-to-you-2" target="_blank">posted an article</a> saying that the marketing outright lied to you). While Chief does defy orders during the course of the game, you could hardly say what he does constitutes as "going rogue". There's a lot of setup with very little payoff. Not only that, but 343 Industries went back to the well by delivering a campaign similar to Halo 2's, where the game was split between playing as two different characters. Here it's Master Chief and Spartan Locke. One of the gripes here is that the majority of the game you play as Locke while there's only a handful of levels where you play as the Chief. There's also a few levels that attempt to do something new where there's no actual gunplay, but just you walking around investigating and talking to people. While these levels are not unwelcome, on further playthroughs these levels can be completed in about 30 seconds. Considering we get to play so little as series star Master Chief, I wonder if the resources spent on these combat-less levels would have been better spent giving us at least one more level playing as the Chief.<br />
<br />
The story's not terrible but it's incredibly easy to see where it's going by the end of the second level, and it never really deviates from that easy to spot trajectory. All in all, after the setup of Halo 4 it seems a lot of potential was squandered here, and that's what makes the story somewhat disappointing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuymn7Hum5i7XpFxJtSiO1ARg5WfaV-qzMeDakanwXQromYwh-31VJ_5DcXTzHUU_XcTH9xhwMWMul2Ggv0dMVR4UDdqbuh8ll2qYEFqJgEGs6VfEUDneQANmsEnTFyWM3KywKvqk-zOK/s1600/halo-5-guardians-e1419182386177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuymn7Hum5i7XpFxJtSiO1ARg5WfaV-qzMeDakanwXQromYwh-31VJ_5DcXTzHUU_XcTH9xhwMWMul2Ggv0dMVR4UDdqbuh8ll2qYEFqJgEGs6VfEUDneQANmsEnTFyWM3KywKvqk-zOK/s320/halo-5-guardians-e1419182386177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Multiplayer is where the fun is really at.</span></i></div>
<br />
That all being said, the game nearly redeems itself by giving us arguably the best Halo gameplay we've ever had. If you want to play Halo online against other people, and this is where 98% of player's time is going to be spent anyways, Halo 5 can't be beat.<br />
<br />
Halo 4's multiplayer gameplay missed the mark by chasing the tail of the Call of Duty series. Since Call of Duty 4's debut in 2007 (just months after the release of Halo 3, arguably the high point of the Halo series) the CoD formula has come to dominate mulitplayer online first person shooters. Halo 4 caved in to the CoD formula by providing loadouts, basically allowing players to choose their starting weapons and other various powers. While I could see how it seemed like a good idea at the time, in the end it just didn't quite work, with players leaving Halo 4 multiplayer behind faster than they've left previous Halo games.<br />
<br />
Halo 5 rectifies this by going back to what made Halo fun. Gone are the Call of Duty style loadouts and perks. Now everyone begins with even starts - same weapons, same abilities, making it the game of skill that earned the series its fans. This is classic Halo, but 343 Industries has updated the Halo formula and brought it into the modern age. The weapons feels fantastic, and each feels unique.<br />
<br />
A trend in recent first person shooters has been providing new movement options and new ways to get around the battlefield. Halo 5 follows this trend by adding the clamber mechanic. It essentially means you can climb over things, or grab onto ledges and pull yourself up. I've found that this mechanic works wonderfully, adding whole new ways to traverse maps and provides for new tactical options. Once I got the hang of it I could traverse maps like a master gymnast. This, combined with a few other new moves, such as sprinting, shoulder-charging, and the difficult-to-pull-off-yet-incredibly-satisfying-when-you-do ground pound maneuver, gives the classic Halo gameplay a much needed overhaul.<br />
<br />
There's a few nitpicks I have. The new Warzone gametype, a mode that combines fighting other players as well as computer controlled enemies, can be a welcome change from the usual game modes but I've found that with the addition of more players on the battlefield (12v12, the largest a Halo game has ever had) things become a little too chaotic. I find Warzone fine as an occasional diversion, but not something I'm itching to play over and over.<br />
<br />
The other nitpick is with the graphics, or maybe really it's the art direction. The graphics look pretty good for an Xbox One game, but maybe not as good as I would have hoped. Also, 343 Industries continues to over-complicate the armor you can choose for your character. Everything is overwrought and busy, nothing looks simple and clean. And worst of all, the armor all looks very plasticky. I've yet to find a piece of armor for my character (and you can collect literally hundreds) that looks good. If only they'd have gone back to Halo: Reach and followed how Bungie did the armor designs for that game.<br />
<br />
Overall, what Halo 5: Guardians lacks in story, it more than makes up for it with the multiplayer gameplay. I personally can't get enough of it, with the conclusion of each match giving me that "one more game" feeling.<br />
<br />
Zrbo points (campaign): 2.5/5<br />
Zrbo points (multiplayer): 5/5Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-79852276213274267362014-06-27T15:28:00.003-07:002014-06-27T15:28:48.734-07:00Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Kojima, 2010)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxZ5bC1-MOPwlEomfykbqbuaVd7n7H1mXHO7wc6wnUaPTHJBhyphenhyphentGZFlUPmPafOKTW8RJj8rAec6_M0r_RyFUA8Bz4eThT0M752ps4TloAf0EnCxg6ynteSot_u5ZkLo-21Wj7O7jQHvoj/s1600/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker-jpg-1550344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxZ5bC1-MOPwlEomfykbqbuaVd7n7H1mXHO7wc6wnUaPTHJBhyphenhyphentGZFlUPmPafOKTW8RJj8rAec6_M0r_RyFUA8Bz4eThT0M752ps4TloAf0EnCxg6ynteSot_u5ZkLo-21Wj7O7jQHvoj/s1600/metal-gear-solid-peace-walker-jpg-1550344.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is the fifth entry in the storied Metal Gear Solid franchise (and the umpteenth entry in the entire Metal Gear franchise). Whereas the previous entry <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/metal-gear-solid-4-guns-of-patriots.html" target="_blank">Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots</a> featured series protagonist Solid Snake as an aging war veteran grappling with his purpose as a soldier in a near future world overrun by private military contractors, MGS: Peace Walker goes back to the past. If you'll recall, <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/metal-gear-solid-3-snake-eater-kojima.html" target="_blank">Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater</a> took place against the backdrop of the 1960s Cold War between the USA and USSR. In an ambitious piece of storytelling MGS3 told the story not of Solid Snake, but of his father, Naked Snake. MGS3 used the backdrop of the Cold War to tell the story of how Naked Snake would become the series antagonist Big Boss, in a move somewhat similar to how the Star Wars prequels told the story (however poorly) of Anakin becoming Darth Vader. It's just that MGS3 did it much, much better and is widely considered the best entry in the series.<br />
<br />
Taking place in 1974, Peace Walker details how Big Boss and his band of mercenaries set out to create their perfect little haven from the world, known in later games as "Outer Heaven". The location for this outing is a unique one in videogames, taking place in the jungles of Costa Rica. Series director and mastermind Hideo Kojima uses this setting as a place to further elaborate on the machinations of the Cold War powers, with the Soviets and Americans vying for control of the Central America region in a bid for geographic supremacy.<br />
<br />
The use of Costa Rica isn't just window dressing either. There's a certain character in the game who will go into exhaustive detail of the history of the country, its geography, its inhabitants, its flora and fauna, even why its coffee tastes so good. It's all rather excessive and rather unnecessary, and it doesn't help that the character relating all this info is rather precocious. It's really just another sign of Kojima's typical penchant for excessive detail.<br />
<br />
What's also on display here is Kojima's usual blending of the hyper real with the hyper absurd. A perfect example: during the mission briefings a character will go into great detail on the grim implications of Cold War strategies and maneuvers, but while the mission is underway the enemy's state of mind is conveyed using Looney Tunes like "zzz's" hovering over a soldier's head to indicate that he's sleepy. This is such a well known aspect of the MGS series that the "!" mark appearing over an alerted soldier's head and the <a href="http://youtu.be/KNJ1B_2b17s" target="_blank">accompanying sound effect</a> are absolutely iconic among gamers.<br />
<br />
This leads to Kojima's unabashedness for breaking the fourth wall. Many modern games try to keep hidden that they are actually games that you're playing, often with tutorial sections given in-game reasons for existing (such as the tutorial stage being a boot camp where the player is being trained). Kojima dispenses with this notion - he wants to remind you that what you are playing is a game. This is quite noticeable in the often diegetic way that characters talk about functions in the game. A character might say something like "Remember Snake, hit the X button to reload your weapon!", with no attempt made to hide this mechanic behind some in-game veil.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuiRT4yIBt5OONgC9ccrN3T2rFQTlgQzdP4-NDeB-pro7d86QR7dRMmdqbjmec2pCMVjaw5mpPFJm97VPJXDOpqeuvKGvjEaakUJ1IU6Sz4bSELJ7vWoVU6J66zletuTfd4ZOHsMKrJVg/s1600/Hot_Coldman.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuiRT4yIBt5OONgC9ccrN3T2rFQTlgQzdP4-NDeB-pro7d86QR7dRMmdqbjmec2pCMVjaw5mpPFJm97VPJXDOpqeuvKGvjEaakUJ1IU6Sz4bSELJ7vWoVU6J66zletuTfd4ZOHsMKrJVg/s1600/Hot_Coldman.png" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Speaking of absurd, this character's name is 'Hot Coldman'</i></span></div>
<br />
The game structure of Peace Walker is noticeably different than previous franchise entries. The game uses a mission structure where the player can choose which mission to undertake and the order in which to undertake them. I found this to be a refreshing approach to the standard MGS game, and I enjoyed that many of the missions were much shorter than in previous games. The player can even repeat the same mission again and again. This gives the game a stripped down approach, with many of the more advanced tactics of previous entries having been removed. This change in game structure is most likely due to the fact that Peace Walker was initially released as a game for the Playstation Portable, Sony's answer to Nintendo's Game Boy. Peace Walker was made available in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection on the Playstation 3, where the first three entries in the series, along with Peace Walker, were given the high definition treatment to bring them up to modern graphical standards (this was the version I played).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gcLecnuHE0L-beyvCRqwVRqJmOM5eOYebA0EKjTH8WnLOzRFKy-UkmEC9TiEP6VLskONeZlE9-UE5icdvkZKVHWB5_seNuIyq_wiM19LUjuki6_V8BgfmZTOJNN8lbsaMb5g_XhsGbq9/s1600/screenshot_psp_metal_gear_solid_peace_walker032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gcLecnuHE0L-beyvCRqwVRqJmOM5eOYebA0EKjTH8WnLOzRFKy-UkmEC9TiEP6VLskONeZlE9-UE5icdvkZKVHWB5_seNuIyq_wiM19LUjuki6_V8BgfmZTOJNN8lbsaMb5g_XhsGbq9/s1600/screenshot_psp_metal_gear_solid_peace_walker032.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Overall I greatly enjoyed Peace Walker. The stripped down approach to the gameplay and mission structure kept things feeling fresh, and the plot moved Big Boss's story forward in a big way. The game also makes great use of a comic book-like art style. This was initially seen very briefly back in Metal Gear Solid 2 when pictures of the Illuminati-like "Patriots" were shown in a hand drawn sketch style. In Peace Walker it's been expanded so that nearly all of the cutscenes are done in this style. It looks great.<br />
<br />
Hideo Kojima has pretty abandoned the notion that MGS 4 would be the last entry in the franchise, having recently released MGS: Ground Zeroes as a sort of prequel to the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, which looks to continue the story of Big Boss and how he ultimately becomes a symbol of evil (<a href="http://youtu.be/QG_8ZMtQ58Y" target="_blank">watch the trailer here</a>). In a bit of a controversial move, Kojima dumped long time Snake voice actor David Hayter for... Keifer Sutherland. From the previews I've watched, it's just plain weird to hear Sutherland's voice coming out the mouth of Snake, even if both actors share a similarly gravelly voice. Well, I suppose I better start playing Ground Zeroes, until next time.Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-58236304240023807562014-02-08T11:48:00.001-08:002014-02-08T11:54:27.319-08:00Play it Again, Zrbo: On PacingThere's many aspects to what can make a videogame great. These can include aspects like solid core mechanics, such as those found in Tetris, or great level design, like in the Super Mario series. One aspect often overlooked is the pacing of a game. A well paced game, one that ratchets up the stakes just right, must balance a rising sense of difficulty with a satisfying level of accomplishment. Many modern games often lean to hard on the latter, patting you on the back for the most mundane of things (which last year's Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon parodied to the extreme <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pItOJfE_GYg" target="_blank">during it's tutorial</a>). Games on the other end feel too hard or punishing without the feeling of much gain. But sometimes a game gets it just right, finding that equilibrium between success and tension.<br />
<br />
I recently replayed Resident Evil 4 and Portal 2, and I walked away from both games with an admiration of their exquisite pacing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXN_w5s_OrG2OzUrFdPG5YtWMpuL5LLouh5mfwkh4ejregKfBEkw45QtIyqQ-xZNOGWITM0ZCfcwI3ApJJyyL-Sjtkzi0el3-JcS88RHKNcsXkjVy-sPNfzl3ECPu4PTZgIQOz63UtbiCe/s1600/Resident-Evil-4-resident-evil-894836_1600_1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXN_w5s_OrG2OzUrFdPG5YtWMpuL5LLouh5mfwkh4ejregKfBEkw45QtIyqQ-xZNOGWITM0ZCfcwI3ApJJyyL-Sjtkzi0el3-JcS88RHKNcsXkjVy-sPNfzl3ECPu4PTZgIQOz63UtbiCe/s1600/Resident-Evil-4-resident-evil-894836_1600_1200.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I've <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/number-3-resident-evil-4-pre-title.html" target="_blank">already written before</a> about the opening of Resident Evil 4. Arriving in a remote Spanish village, hero Leon Kennedy must rescue the president's daughter. It couldn't possibly be a stupider premise (to begin with, why would the government send just one man?). But that's beside the point. The game is paced marvelously well.<br />
<br />
In my previous post on the game I wrote about the opening level and how not 10 minutes into the game, when the player has just gotten used to the basic mechanics, the game throws a huge angry mob at the player in a nailbiting sequence. While this sequence is most definitely a difficulty spike, it sets the player up for the rest of the game. Once you've gotten past this initial encounter, arguably the game's most difficult, the player feels that they're able to accomplish what's to come. Leon will plow through dozens of zombie-like townsfolk, work his way through an old castle filled with occultist zombified monks, and finally traverse an island military base. The difficulty comes on so smooth you'd think this might be the videogame incarnation of the Alan Parsons Project (though you won't doze off, I can guarantee that much). The frequency with which upgrades are doled out, the increasingly difficult scenarios the player is placed in, and the way the game moves you from one set piece to the next all conspire to make Resident Evil 4 an expertly paced game.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouB6ikNG0KpP7l6s386oTIyJDkW4DYa-G_w7RLZ94luWEarN70-UvLqHFrrHSz7eMe3E9nX1qTcArtO4IkEpCHJ6CkIYmU8RZHP6Rte4H2Ouzdu9UHUc5pCJEnhXdP-p6EzHvO0gpse3Q/s1600/portal2-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouB6ikNG0KpP7l6s386oTIyJDkW4DYa-G_w7RLZ94luWEarN70-UvLqHFrrHSz7eMe3E9nX1qTcArtO4IkEpCHJ6CkIYmU8RZHP6Rte4H2Ouzdu9UHUc5pCJEnhXdP-p6EzHvO0gpse3Q/s1600/portal2-007.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Portal 2, <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/zrbos-favorite-big-games-of-2011.html" target="_blank">one of my favorite games of 2011</a>, is another game I had the pleasure of replaying recently. It too is paced remarkably well. The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cRozk5-gao" target="_blank">zany opening</a> gives way to calm exploration as your character is thrust back into this science-facility-gone-wrong. Time has passed from the first game and mother nature has taken her toll on the facility, with plants and roots having overrun many of the opening puzzle rooms. If you're paying attention you'll even notice that the first few rooms are actually the opening puzzles from the original game. While Portal 2 is much longer than the original, the momentum of the game never lets up as the designers at Valve have made the difficulty curve so smooth that you'll be accomplishing mind-bending puzzles before you know it. The storytelling is also quite good, as over the course of the game you'll come to know the origins of the murderous HAL-like GLaDOS as well as the history of the Aperture Science facility itself. Just like they did with <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/play-it-again-zrbo-half-life-2.html" target="_blank">Half Life 2</a>, Valve know how to craft a well paced videogame adventure.Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-55206148476841443382013-09-01T13:04:00.002-07:002014-02-08T11:49:03.903-08:00Play it Again, Zrbo: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnNEfxshcHat3QbZiS5XR6T3LdTbw-PfJu_Pa6rX-1YJ7ogt62O_vfrxzAmL2fpBUxhz2AylkGV4X49L2dpViHZ1FSwf6npcVi_VL_6MK23zGK-sGAigHcg1lbX5BSC4mvqyAAbNTH-OB/s1600/mgs4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnNEfxshcHat3QbZiS5XR6T3LdTbw-PfJu_Pa6rX-1YJ7ogt62O_vfrxzAmL2fpBUxhz2AylkGV4X49L2dpViHZ1FSwf6npcVi_VL_6MK23zGK-sGAigHcg1lbX5BSC4mvqyAAbNTH-OB/s400/mgs4.jpg" height="215" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
You may recall that back in 2009<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/metal-gear-solid-4-guns-of-patriots.html" target="_blank"> I wrote a fairly long review</a> of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Recently I played through the game again and after re-reading my review I still have many of the same thoughts. It's still a masterpiece - I would go ahead and call it the most ambitious game ever made - but that doesn't mean it's <i>the best</i> or even <i>most enjoyable</i> game. I'd describe it more as <i>really interesting</i>.<br />
<br />
Game director/producer/writer Hideo Kojima is still in desperate need of an editor. I spoke in my review of the outrageously long cinematic cutscenes that the player has the... um.. <i>delight</i> of getting to watch. It's true that part of watching these scenes are what gives the game it's charm, and yes, Kojima at least occasionally gives you something to do during these cinematic sequences (such as being able to view a flashback from a previous MGS game, or being able to take over a video camera), but it doesn't stop them from being occasionally interminable. I realized how quickly I got tired of Drebin, the arms dealer who acts somewhat like the Cheshire Cat (and who looks suspiciously like Wesley Snipes). Each time you defeat one of the game's bosses, Drebin calls up to deliver some overly long monologue on how the boss got the way she was and what she represented. Each story is overly detailed and long winded. They're a total bore and the explanations are frankly, just kind of silly. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U81QRrFv1Lc" target="_blank">Here's one</a> if you really feel like watching.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzreeeBlkkh3ws6f1_7yDqomXgnhWCbWxNLGafBj2KW3y368X_NSh-SFkUeZS3O8jPE9KjUdsn1ydYlbMG0En0cf4YoC_mBdYxzrfNe9RE0FNQAtli93EaTno2SuMZ4YDpBdCmfN1RFmD/s1600/DrebinMGS4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzreeeBlkkh3ws6f1_7yDqomXgnhWCbWxNLGafBj2KW3y368X_NSh-SFkUeZS3O8jPE9KjUdsn1ydYlbMG0En0cf4YoC_mBdYxzrfNe9RE0FNQAtli93EaTno2SuMZ4YDpBdCmfN1RFmD/s320/DrebinMGS4.jpg" height="320" width="196" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Drebin's back... sigh</span></div>
<br />
Kojima's tendency for overly long and unnecessary explanations was most notable to me during the final movie-length cinematic that follows after you beat the game. For the entire game your character, Solid Snake, has been trying to figure out what the villain's big plan is. It's a completely over-complicated, overwrought mess that I won't go into here. By the end Snake's figured it all out, you watch about a full hour long cinematic that includes all the various characters, with each character given plenty of time to have their piece and say goodbye and then the credits finally appear to roll... Then the game drops a surprise by cutting to yet<i> another</i> cinematic, and brings back a character who at this point should be completely, irrevocably dead, who then proceeds to explain to you yet a whole other very different explanation of the events that just transpired during the game. My mind was so fatigued with explanations by that point that I barely followed anything this character was saying, I just wanted the game to be over. Someone has uploaded the entire shebang to Youtube, which you can watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=napjMrAx0KQ&t=0m0s" target="_blank">here</a> (skip to minute 57 to get to the fake credits).<br />
<br />
I think part of the problem here lies with the fact that for all intents and purposes, Metal Gear Solid 4 was supposed to be the grand finale to the series, and since Kojima didn't plan on coming back to these characters, he wanted to make sure that each one of them got to say something and that anything that needed to be said was said.<br />
<br />
And, inevitably, for whatever reason (money? fame? boredom?) Kojima has now gone ahead and announced Metal Gear Solid 5. Of interest is that instead of keeping long time voice actor David Hayter as the voice of Snake, Kojima has brought on board Keifer Sutherlund as the new voice. Now, Kojima is notorious with playing mind games with his fan base (MGS 2 is basically just one big mind fuck), and I know myself and a few others believe that this is essentially all a long con and that David Hayter will be there in some form or another.<br />
<br />
So that's it. Metal Gear Solid 4 is an extraordinary game. The cutting edge graphics have been surpassed by this point, it's funny how they actually look a little dated to me now. The soundtrack is still phenomenal, but I went through that in my original review. I'll leave you with the opening cinematic of the game, with Snake's now infamous monologue (at least among gamers) on how war has changed, set to the beautiful "Love Theme":<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Wv3Ey_pPlXk" width="420"></iframe>
Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-34930868004212283522013-07-10T16:10:00.000-07:002014-02-08T11:49:16.454-08:00Play It Again, Zrbo: Half Life 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzlQyxPzBMOLdRpPMM7Ic1IYioJsgAk848yMsZMhVSagGWJbA6bWEAQDcP4JiygaVo5r_fV7lCE4E2DBhj_7gDflesx6yLkBsmn7A66XxG7px1RR6MqnV-7xEoTQ-41JrY8vgaxMCQFH3/s1600/halflife2_4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzlQyxPzBMOLdRpPMM7Ic1IYioJsgAk848yMsZMhVSagGWJbA6bWEAQDcP4JiygaVo5r_fV7lCE4E2DBhj_7gDflesx6yLkBsmn7A66XxG7px1RR6MqnV-7xEoTQ-41JrY8vgaxMCQFH3/s320/halflife2_4.jpeg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
There's very few other games I would want to kick off this new series with other than <i>Half Life 2</i>. The game is not only widely considered one of the greatest games of the past decade, it's absolutely a contender for the best first person shooter of all time. I recently picked it up again after playing through other, lesser shooters (<i>Bioshock Infinite</i> *cough*) because I was yearning for a well constructed game. It did not disappoint.<br />
<br />
Playing through <i>Half Life 2</i> again I was reminded of just how much game-makers Valve got things just right. Nearly every single aspect of the game is top notch. The graphics, while far from cutting edge, are more than serviceable and hold up well for a nearly nine year old game. The level design and pacing couldn't be much better (though the final quarter drags just ever so slightly), and the character development, in a game in which the main protagonist is completely silent, is extremely well done. This playthrough I was especially impressed with the quality of the voice acting, something even most AAA titles don't get right.<br />
<br />
If you'll recall from <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/number-2-half-life-2-point-insertion.html" target="_blank">my old post on the opening</a> of <i>Half Life 2</i>, the game finds you once again in the shoes of MIT physicist Gordon Freeman. Just like in the original <i>Half Life</i>, the game takes place entirely in the first person perspective, never cutting to a cinematic or pulling control away from the player. While the concept of the silent protagonist has become a conceit in modern gaming, supposedly making the player feel more "immersed" in the game world, Valve not only nails it here, but essentially sets the bar, something no other first person shooter I've played has yet to surpass.<br />
<br />
As I mentioned, I was really taken away with the voice acting this time around. Everybody just nails it, from the suited G-Man in his completely bizarre <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HBwxbWVb-M" target="_blank">stilted intonation</a> (reminding me a bit of the backwards talking segments from <i>Twin Peaks</i>), to Doctor Kleiner's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUUgqkyvy50" target="_blank">bumbling scientist in a lab coat</a>. But I was especially impressed this go around with two voices in particular.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27-GDACOTJfCY6nLaRIwNR1SduchUe3f5vFC3U8nC318jus6sYm7wXyq9i7e7moCBb6-vEcUGw8QSB8p6Dg5T8-IzX9aEnVSF-TKlkf-i1FEjlv04BIuXM4NtKOb1YBizC_dDv6l905PD/s1600/half-life-2-welcome-city-17-doctor-breen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27-GDACOTJfCY6nLaRIwNR1SduchUe3f5vFC3U8nC318jus6sYm7wXyq9i7e7moCBb6-vEcUGw8QSB8p6Dg5T8-IzX9aEnVSF-TKlkf-i1FEjlv04BIuXM4NtKOb1YBizC_dDv6l905PD/s320/half-life-2-welcome-city-17-doctor-breen.jpg" height="223" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dr. Breen welcomes you to City 17</span></i></div>
<br />
The first is the voice of the main antagonist, Dr. Breen. Looking somewhat like Dennis Hopper in a turtleneck, Breen delivers several monologues throughout the game that are just delivered brilliantly. A Pétain-like figure urging you to sympathize with the occupying Combine, Dr. Breen can be heard several times throughout the game speaking on all sorts of matters. Upon arriving in the dystopic City 17, the player is greeted with a message from Dr. Breen welcoming them to the city. I love the ever so slight weariness to his words, as if you can tell that deep inside he wishes it didn't have to be this way either. Listen to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFU6hxFfJac" target="_blank">the opening speech here</a> (the first 45 seconds or so, though I urge you to stick around and listen to the second speech as well, which begins immediately after). He pulls it off perfectly, and I especially love that little pause he often gives before referring to the alien Combine as "our benefactors". Later on in the game, in an increasingly agitated set of speeches (beginning at 5:03), he chastises the Combine forces for being unable to capture Gordon Freeman. You can just hear the exasperated frustration in his voice as he refers to Freeman as "an ordinary man". Kudos to the late Robert Culp for such a terrific performance.<br />
<br />
The other great voice is that of Ellen McLain. Known better as the voice of the HAL-like GlaDOS from the <i>Portal</i> games (and as a voice in the new <i>Pacific Rim</i> film), McLain voices what's generally referred to as the <a href="http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Overwatch_Voice" target="_blank">Overwatch Voice</a>. A female voice heard over the radio of the masked "Civil Protection" units that Gordon Freeman regularly encounters, the Overwatch Voice is this eerie police radio dispatch voice mixed with words that describe human activities as if they were viral outbreaks, all delivered in a disjointed, completely flat, clinical tone. The Half Life wiki describes it as "medically-inspired Newspeak to describe resistance activity in the context of a bacterial infection and treatment". The Wiki also says the voice is inspired from various films such as an announcer in the film version of 1984 and Farenheit 451. Whatever the influence, it's really well done, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6pZkmCPwlI" target="_blank">you can listen to clips here</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJHA6RSuH266tVBVtZ2sSlEqQ1ZJTz-x2VqrHlpwZ4R3DavTcgkc9dqFo7-F4HJ6fHCm7ohpSEVoS7pk_QLnSsoXlbdAkZeBij-B-aEbyVE6ea6qry5XfPYjDwN9FqS0jMoWMEyhQCN2k/s1600/48-Half-Life-2-1080p-Wallpaper-Garrys-Mod-Highway-17-COAST-Landscape-Environment-scenery-set-piece-Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJHA6RSuH266tVBVtZ2sSlEqQ1ZJTz-x2VqrHlpwZ4R3DavTcgkc9dqFo7-F4HJ6fHCm7ohpSEVoS7pk_QLnSsoXlbdAkZeBij-B-aEbyVE6ea6qry5XfPYjDwN9FqS0jMoWMEyhQCN2k/s400/48-Half-Life-2-1080p-Wallpaper-Garrys-Mod-Highway-17-COAST-Landscape-Environment-scenery-set-piece-Bridge.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The infamous bridge crossing</span></i></div>
<br />
The game as a whole has a great sense of pacing and place. Short physics-based puzzles are often placed between enemy encounters, lending a sense of relief while giving the player something to do. Then there's all the great locations the game takes you to. Any of these places will be instantly recognizable to anyone who's played the game: the red barn, the horror-tinged Ravenholm, the bridge crossing (possibly my favorite sequence in the entire game), the invasion of Nova Prospekt on the beach during sunset, the interior of the Citadel. And those areas further highlight the brilliant structure of the entire game itself. For about two thirds of the game you are fleeing the Combine, trying to put distance between you and your pursuers, and then without ever drawing attention to it, you find yourself invading <i>them</i>. It's really well done. I do have to say however that near the end when you're fighting through the streets of City 17 that I found the game to drag ever so slightly and was relieved when I finally made it to those Citadel walls.<br />
<br />
<i>Half Life 2</i> continues on in episodes 1 and 2, an attempt at "episodic gaming" that didn't quite work out as Valve planned. Both episodes continue the strong level design and character development, and the ending of episode 2 is so sudden and shocking that it leaves the player somewhat dazed (and terribly sad), but to this date we're still awaiting the resolution in a fabled <i>Half Life 3</i> (which Valve won't acknowledge it's something they're even working on). We've had our Star Wars and our Empire Strikes Back, now we need the resolution.<br />
<br />
<i>Half Life 2</i> is a great game. It's definitely smart, well-paced, and has characters that you really care about. I would even recommend it those who aren't normally drawn to gaming. Now just give us <i>Half Life 3</i>, Valve... please??Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-4050135062444191142013-07-09T15:34:00.000-07:002013-07-09T22:57:04.196-07:00Just One More Time, Play It Again, Zrbo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1_ShwIBA9scarTEYmISTG_R3f8NgRv7_8JmdInGWygQEjgR3fl8YkQ9t8pVvjPsNy1DklDwnf8ktJ8bWL3JrFRAA-tEKSgoLMpdq1ndaPC95YY6ABBg0djZkoQv5hyphenhyphenLM0e4zTx3UNBE0/s1600/play-it-again-sam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1_ShwIBA9scarTEYmISTG_R3f8NgRv7_8JmdInGWygQEjgR3fl8YkQ9t8pVvjPsNy1DklDwnf8ktJ8bWL3JrFRAA-tEKSgoLMpdq1ndaPC95YY6ABBg0djZkoQv5hyphenhyphenLM0e4zTx3UNBE0/s320/play-it-again-sam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Welcome to my new series. When playing videogames I often play through a game the first time to experience the game and get a feel for its mechanics. Sometime later, usually about a year or so, I like to go back to that game and play through it again. Just like with films, I find that often you can get more out of a game the second time through. You notice the foreshadowing, you see the hints, you admire the characters and story just a little more. You may notice some detail or utilize a game mechanic that you didn't get a chance to the first time around. I find that the second playthrough is important in solidifying an opinion.<br />
<br />
In <i>Play It Again, Zrbo</i> I'll be doing just that. Playing a game a second (or even third or more) time, seeing if it holds up, and if I admire it any more or less. So put on a white jacket and bow tie, light a cigar, and join me as I play it again.<br />
<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-27810762860791526022013-05-18T12:44:00.000-07:002013-05-18T17:16:39.923-07:00Zrbo Reviews: BioShock Infinite (Levine, 2013)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtcbO6XUGNonPNX4zOkCHWEg5krOib054fvArcg7fF9DC8XEO0Jpwc8-oQ167YfSDVBOzKSvhHaInH_qURJ7LF0blBN-5BcqIiHJrAxrT1KvZtaNmJmws8KEn9TWMl_6UYq6NnVfgowKe/s1600/bioinfinite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtcbO6XUGNonPNX4zOkCHWEg5krOib054fvArcg7fF9DC8XEO0Jpwc8-oQ167YfSDVBOzKSvhHaInH_qURJ7LF0blBN-5BcqIiHJrAxrT1KvZtaNmJmws8KEn9TWMl_6UYq6NnVfgowKe/s400/bioinfinite.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Let's get it out of the way up front: <i>BioShock Infinite</i> is a flawed masterpiece. Arriving with enormous hype, the game was meant to be creative director Ken Levine's crowning achievement. Expanding and iterating on 2007's <i>BioShock</i>, <i>BioShock Infinite</i> was destined to tell a grand story. Set in 1912, <i>Infinite</i> promised to explore everything from American Exceptionalism to turn of the century <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Great_Awakening" target="_blank">Christian revivalism</a>. Where <i>BioShock</i> showed the disaster in Ayn Rand Objectivism, <i>Infinite</i> promised it would have something to say about America's past. Booting up the game for the first time I was excited to see how these themes would play out, to see how Levine would use the <i>BioShock</i> template to explore issues rarely addressed in gaming. Instead I found a game that utilizes those issues as little more than window dressing, delivering serviceable game at best. At least he bothered to include an absolutely amazing ending.<br />
<br />
Set in an alternate universe version of 1912, you play as Booker DeWitt. Deep in some gambling debts, he's enlisted to go to the flying city of Columbia to retrieve a certain girl. "Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt" you are told over and over again.<br />
<br />
Arriving in the secessionist flying city of Columbia, the player is treated to an idealized version of turn of the century American life. Columbia is obsessed with America to the extreme, with the founding fathers seen as saints, and George Washington as the second coming of Christ. The entire city is the plan of self proclaimed prophet Zachary Comstock. As you explore the city, and eventually find the girl, you come to witness that all is not as bright and cheerful as first appears. There's dark undercurrents to this white-washed version of America.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcRf-c9_r3jFQFUsY_6ugpC5FZ6NUpuB_oiPeKaYnKKaoPqeKLDEYlmKBTCX_gQdXDJVW7yDhIPK8boW4vxCLQZrLDM5NdH-95jovXF9CLmMSuAqzHp4UTw7B2lKNMXF6uXWL7KNczx34/s1600/Bioshock_infinite_wallpapers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcRf-c9_r3jFQFUsY_6ugpC5FZ6NUpuB_oiPeKaYnKKaoPqeKLDEYlmKBTCX_gQdXDJVW7yDhIPK8boW4vxCLQZrLDM5NdH-95jovXF9CLmMSuAqzHp4UTw7B2lKNMXF6uXWL7KNczx34/s400/Bioshock_infinite_wallpapers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
But back to the girl. Her name is Elizabeth, and curiously she's kept apart from the rest of the citizens of Columbia, locked in a tower. Ken Levine spent years developing her character, and Courtnee Draper gives a great performance. At times Elizabeth veers dangerously close to becoming a Disney Princess, but I'll at least give it to Levine that she never quite crosses that line. However, I feel there's a lot more they could have done with her. Though we get to know her fairly well, there's times where I just wanted Booker to ask her some basic questions, like, what are your feelings about being a locked in a tower for your entire life? Elizabeth is also gifted with a strange power, able to open rifts in space-time, often resulting in glimpses of a strange future, one where movie theaters are showing something called <i>Revenge of the Jedi</i> and where automobiles drive around playing strangely familiar music.<br />
<br />
After finding Elizabeth most of the rest of the game involves Booker and her trying to escape Columbia. While the opening of the game is spectacular as you are introduced to this idealized America floating in the sky, the middle of the game suffers. Basically you end up running around Columbia, running into various
characters and struggles, but all in all not much really seems to happen. All of these amazing ideas are right there for exploration, from America's treatment of Native Americans, to slavery, to Reconstruction, to religious zealotry... and the game does very little with it all. To tell the truth I was fairly bored. The entire middle 50%
of the game almost feels like filler. It's not until about three
quarters of the way through do things pick up again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxOlv_wPwn37VpDy29wMObpK4f45KD9x5hhbPb_ROoFqbY-yE0x7YqCubm0dUz1Ytcaq_YjbbSTmZmTulUd28fzJWnQAWac8hCbus8wBvvRgPDgPez2Hr6Olz9_pvE27CzZYTTwq8OLDV/s1600/bioshock-infinite-elizabeth-wallpaper-gd7qtpg7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxOlv_wPwn37VpDy29wMObpK4f45KD9x5hhbPb_ROoFqbY-yE0x7YqCubm0dUz1Ytcaq_YjbbSTmZmTulUd28fzJWnQAWac8hCbus8wBvvRgPDgPez2Hr6Olz9_pvE27CzZYTTwq8OLDV/s320/bioshock-infinite-elizabeth-wallpaper-gd7qtpg7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Almost a Disney Princess... almost.</i></span></div>
<br />
But when they do, oh boy do things get interesting. I really
don't want to ruin anything here because the ending is wonderfully
executed. I didn't quite believe the game reviewers when they said the
last 30 minutes were some of the most extraordinary they've experienced
in modern gaming, but I will admit that my jaw hit the floor, accompanied by a
huge grin on my face when I finally got there. When the credits rolled I
had to rush to the Internet to discuss the ending with others. It's
like the first time you saw Inception or the Sixth Sense where you leave the
theater discussing with others all the different layers of dreams,
whether Leo was still in a dream at the end, and wow, so I guess Bruce
Willis was ghost the whole time! So at least there was some pretty good payoff at the end, but it was a bit of a slog to get there.<br />
<br />
Ken Levine certainly drew upon a slew of popular influences when crafting Infinite. The opening scene at the lighthouse practically screams<i> Close Encounters of the Third Kind</i>, while the floating city of Columbia seems influenced in part by Jules Verne and cloud city from <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>. Ken Levine <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/news/movies/55005632/get-thee-to-the-geek-bioshock-infinite-movie-influences?page=all" target="_blank">has cited</a> 1944's <i>Meet Me in St. Louis</i> as an inspiration, drawing upon it's classic Americana look.<br />
<br />
Then there's the more curious influences. Throughout the game the player comes across moments where familiar yet out-of-place for the era songs can be heard, but all done in a very unusual style. Everything from a pipe organ version of <i>Girls Just Want to Have Fun</i>, REM's <i>Shiny Happy People</i>, to <i>Fortunate Son</i>. What makes these musical pieces all the more interesting is that they're not inserted into the game Baz Luhrmann style, unnecessarily crammed into the game to get us to smirk fondly. Instead the reasoning behind their placement is explained through plot and makes surprisingly sense once you understand what's going on. Upon completion of the game one realizes just how much the lyrics speak to the characters and the story. <i>Girls Just Want to Have Fun</i> takes on a tragic meaning, while The Beach Boys' <i>God Only Knows</i> becomes a summation of the entire game. It's actually rather ingenious once you've played through the entire game.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KRe2YSvWJJs" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
So here we are. What do I think of the game? I'm divided. One of the first pieces I read upon completion was <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/arts/stories/s3733057.htm" target="_blank">this bit</a> by Daniel Golding and I instantly connected. Where was the nuance, where was the moral dilemma? I'll just let Mr. Golding speak:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In taking the game seriously, I want to be as clear as possible: <em>BioShock Infinite</em>
uses racism for no other reason than to make itself seem clever. Worse,
it uses racism and real events in an incredibly superficial way—<em>BioShock Infinite</em>
seeks not to make any meaningful statement about history or racism or
America, but instead seeks to use an aesthetics of ‘racism’ and
‘history’ as a barrier to point to and claim importance. <em>BioShock Infinite</em>
presents a veneer of intelligence—with wholly unexplored and mystifying
asides to complicated concepts like Manifest Destiny and the New
Eden—without ever following through. Without any deeper exploration of
these ideas, <em>BioShock Infinite’s</em> use of American history and
the Columbian Exposition is illusory, and already puts the lie to the
claim that by engaging with these themes, <em>BioShock Infinite</em> is the place to find substance in mainstream videogames.</blockquote>
Over at the A.V. Club's Gameological Society, John Teti <a href="http://gameological.com/2013/03/review-bioshock-infinite/" target="_blank">points out</a> the false equivalence present in the game's message:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Levine sets up a conflict between American exceptionalism and
rabble-rousing populism, but he punts by casting practically every
prominent figure in Columbian politics as an irredeemable asshole... The takeaway is that anyone who seeks power is a scoundrel... The intellectual dodge of calling everyone a loser excuses <i>Infinite</i> from having a meaningful political point of view.</blockquote>
It's true, the game, like it's predecessor, promises to show us the danger in following a line of thinking too far, in the original <i>BioShock</i> it was Objectivism, here it's more or less American Exceptionalism, but unlike in that first game, the game leaves the player with nothing to takeaway except "they were all bad people". Levine seems unwilling to take a stand, and the game suffers for it.<br />
<br />
However, I just can't get over that ending. It was fairly brilliant, and managed to wipe away most of the bad taste the rest of the game left in my mouth. If <i>The Usual Suspects</i> had been a poorly directed movie but still included the same twist ending, you'd probably think "damn that was a boring movie, but wow, who woulda thunk Kaiser Soze was him??" I was prepared to give the game a fairly low rating, but the ending actually turned me around somewhat. If anything, now that I know the twist, I'd like to play through it again so that I can enjoy all the hints and foreshadowing. Until then, I'll leave you with my score.<br />
<br />
4/5 Zrbo points Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-62517290431553730512013-05-04T10:42:00.001-07:002013-05-04T10:55:34.144-07:00The Music of Bioshock InfiniteI recently completed playing Bioshock Infinite, the long awaited successor to 2007's Bioshock, regarded as one of this generation's gaming masterpieces. There's a lot to say about Bioshock Infinite, which I'll get to in a proper review. For now you just need to know that the game takes place in 1912, in the flying city of Columbia.<br />
<br />
But everything's not quite what it seems in this turn of the century steampunk wonderland. As you make your way around Columbia you might overhear a little music playing in the background, perhaps in a shop, or coming from someone's record player in their home. If you stop and listen you'll notice there's something familiar about this music. That song playing as you stroll down a Coney Island-like boardwalk... is that? Yes, it is indeed my friend. Let's take a listen perhaps some of the most strangest renditions of songs you assuredly know.<br />
<br />
Lou Albano playing the pipe organ?<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mQheaCpjH0I" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
Tears in the key of Fears?
<br /><iframe width="420" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CAA_zE5a3JQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
<br />
It ain't me who turned this into a negro spiritual.
<br />
<iframe width="420" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GNhB-K2IoCc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
<br />Ed Cobb in a skimmer hat?
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RBZdwfp4LtQ" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
And perhaps the most impressive...<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4coaEB4tabU" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
I'll try to get my review up soon.<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-40366648532540363912013-04-16T14:45:00.000-07:002013-05-04T10:09:00.960-07:00The Small Games of 2012 (Part 2)<br />
Pardon me, it took a bit longer to get through some of these games than I anticipated. Well, really, that's not entirely true. My gaming life has been taken over by another game recently, but I'll address that one soon enough in a separate post. Here's a <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-small-games-of-2012-part-1.html" target="_blank">link to part one</a> if you wish to go back and take a look. For now let's get back to the other small games of 2012 that I played:<br />
<br />
<b>Mark of the Ninja (Klei Entertainment)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4oGfWNZRuU07HpWVIeEcli0b-wCGDrnyGZFcK8KZhxszFDpn-ySop7EdHi0TmXvJ3aGu9cD9A2N_YT0JUWNhfzr0K_1nzxrzm3KrOzuoc4FJcRzTfZNNyU7w-TMaOmiZxPsoXnaOyn5C/s1600/ninja.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4oGfWNZRuU07HpWVIeEcli0b-wCGDrnyGZFcK8KZhxszFDpn-ySop7EdHi0TmXvJ3aGu9cD9A2N_YT0JUWNhfzr0K_1nzxrzm3KrOzuoc4FJcRzTfZNNyU7w-TMaOmiZxPsoXnaOyn5C/s400/ninja.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Mark of the Ninja is a game of stealth. It borrows heavily from other stealth games while implementing clear visual mechanics to create a remarkably good game. You play the role of a ninja, with the story told through beautifully animated cutscenes. As you traverse through the world on your way to various objectives (sometimes it's to secure an object, other times an assassination) you rely on stealth to get accomplish your goals. What makes the game work so well is that the mechanics are implemented so well. Each patrolling guardsman has a vision cone (just like in the original Metal Gear Solid) so you know exactly how far he can see, each footstep you take emits a ring of sound so you know exactly how loud you are, and each light shows you exactly whether you are able to be seen or if you are tucked safely in the shadows. The game gives you a whole arsenal of weapons and tricks that encourages multiple playthroughs. Want to get through without ever being detected? Utilize your distraction items. Want to be a ruthless murderer? Sneak up on a guard and slit their throat. Mark of the Ninja is a great little game that gets stealth just right. It's available for PC and Xbox 360.<br />
<br />
<b>Skrillex Quest (Jason Oda and Skrillex)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGSDOXKnIR7xd9mJ98RXB63g2Sn-RcEWPKWBAWR_vllLYJbq-ch5kw6SNN99tb0PkNycAGSRYmnmqtl3DAgC_mnxglpTKAo3A_QMDyMiF7Du4mxKT3kQSPznic1_bOjmXiu1J3nhD_gNg/s1600/skrillexquest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGSDOXKnIR7xd9mJ98RXB63g2Sn-RcEWPKWBAWR_vllLYJbq-ch5kw6SNN99tb0PkNycAGSRYmnmqtl3DAgC_mnxglpTKAo3A_QMDyMiF7Du4mxKT3kQSPznic1_bOjmXiu1J3nhD_gNg/s400/skrillexquest.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Now here's a game out of left field. Skrillex Quest is a free-to-play browser game that's surprisingly good. Your character, "P1", is on a quest to save the world by removing the glitches. You see, the glitches are there because there's dust on the cartridge. The entire game is a great deconstruction/amalgamation of old videogames. With a great 8-bit aesthetic, the game crams so many references it's difficult to keep track of them all. At one point it's straight up the original Legend of Zelda, at times the original Dragon Warrior, then there's a bit of Goonies II (the semi-sequel to the movie that was only ever a videogame), and even some random 80s movie references (I know I caught some Neverending Story dialogue in there).<br />
<br />
Designed by Jason Oda, who also did the amazing parody <a href="http://nothingsgonnastopmenow.com/" target="_blank">Perfect Strangers game</a> (also free-to-play in your browser) not too long ago, the game is basically a marketing vehicle for dubstep artist Skrillex's latest album (who makes a cameo in boss form near the end). The game is set to the song "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e_3Cg9GZFU" target="_blank">Summit</a>", which is actually pretty good. The game only takes about 15 or so minutes to play through. I highly recommend giving the game a whirl, you can <a href="http://www.skrillexquest.com/" target="_blank">find it here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP (Capybara Games)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3bHkNwMTZKOEpYTtYIxkjVrToLatDRJw95EeZn4GRy1lUZorL66vdY5pNc4Ughj_3r9PR0kFCgEqdwCDMAvRnz7-TUGkpL7AKmGQZ3mxvAtPBQKwvYsl0nMog_jm7K91KYQ7Ss1hS_1X/s1600/gamswordandsworcerylilwayne530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3bHkNwMTZKOEpYTtYIxkjVrToLatDRJw95EeZn4GRy1lUZorL66vdY5pNc4Ughj_3r9PR0kFCgEqdwCDMAvRnz7-TUGkpL7AKmGQZ3mxvAtPBQKwvYsl0nMog_jm7K91KYQ7Ss1hS_1X/s400/gamswordandsworcerylilwayne530.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Now for something similar yet very different. Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP uses a similar retro 8-bit look to Skrillex Quest, but instead of an action game, gives us an old fashioned point-and-click adventure. I'm divided on this game. I absolutely loved the visuals - and the music, by Jim Guthrie (who the game seems to want to continually remind you did the music), is really well done.<br />
<br />
The way the story and dialogue are delivered are fun as well. The game starts out by having an 8-bit cigar smoking man introduce us to the "experience" we are about to undertake, very much in an homage to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-Man_%28Half-Life%29" target="_blank">Half Life's G-Man</a> or the X-Files' <a href="http://x-files.wikia.com/wiki/Cigarette_Smoking_Man" target="_blank">cigarrette smoking man</a>. Then we're off on the adventure, with the dialogue delivered in a sort of ironic self-awareness, employing the royal "we" (sample dialog goes like this: "We continued on our epic quest, though we were feeling hella tired"), and with characters named "dogfella" (a dog) and the lumberjack "logfella". My problem with the game is in the puzzles themselves. Maybe I'm just not skilled in point-and-click adventures but I often had to consort a walkthrough in order to get through the game. It's not that the puzzles themselves were necessarily difficult, it's that their presentation was difficult. Occasionally there appeared to be a puzzle when there really wasn't, thus wasting my time needlessly clicking around when there wasn't anything to be found. What it comes down to is that I really just didn't like the "game" aspect of the game. It's a shame too, because the rest of the experience was really good. It's available for PC and most tablets.<br />
<br />
<b>FTL: Faster than Light (Subset Games)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR_UgW8epN-5BJjKgf-Mu1jzIQ3wrRM2QWHpLITmQxWXqdbo7Pn_J0l9fIMceWx1mpdghN8f0iwxMtipKLCHlqbSEA42_KemAq_ZbfCFAFyzf1NAPBol4Y0ssOJQIY-ropblISevRI8Hj/s1600/ftl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR_UgW8epN-5BJjKgf-Mu1jzIQ3wrRM2QWHpLITmQxWXqdbo7Pn_J0l9fIMceWx1mpdghN8f0iwxMtipKLCHlqbSEA42_KemAq_ZbfCFAFyzf1NAPBol4Y0ssOJQIY-ropblISevRI8Hj/s400/ftl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
FTL: Faster than Light came out last year, but I didn't pick it up until about a month ago. Sometime last year all my favorite game blogs and reviewers started to gush about this game and its addictive properties. I didn't pay it much mind at the time because of the type of game that it is: a roguelike. If you're unfamiliar with roguelikes, Wikipedia describes them as "a sub-genre of role-playing video games, characterized by level randomization, permanent death, and turn-based movement". I'm typically not a fan of roguelikes, I find them too hard and not very satisfying as they're typically based around how long you can survive before dying, and not about any sort of plot or character development. I generally prefer my games to have some sort of story. But I decided to pick up FTL when it went on sale on Steam and I've been hooked since.<br />
<br />
The premise is that you're piloting a little spacecraft, trying to navigate through space to reach the end and warn your people about some sort of incoming invasion. Rather than dealing with Star Wars-like dogfight combat you instead are in command of all the various subsystems of your little spacecraft. One of the designers said he was inspired by Star Trek where the captain yells out orders like "man the torpedoes, divert power to the main engine, seal the hull breach!" In FTL you're constantly juggling your resources while trying to survive. Every time you "jump" into a new system you are met with a randomized event. Sometimes it's space pirates, sometimes a friendly merchant, sometimes a ship that needs help, sometimes nothing. The randomness of it all is what makes it fun, though occasionally frustrating. I've had a game end in as little as three minutes, I've also had a game go as long as an hour. FTL: Faster than Light is really a great little game and very worth picking up. It's available on Steam/PC for ten bucks.<br />
<br />
<b>The Year of the Indie Game</b><br />
It feels like there's a shift happening in games right now. There's a surge in small indie games and it seems that people are taking notice. After the recent Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco I read several online journalists remark that they could notice a change at the conference, that the small indie games were being taken more seriously than ever before, and that the gulf between small game developers and big AAA title corporate behemoths was becoming much more noticeable. The quality in small games is quite high, with these games often delivering interesting and creative experiences, while the AAA game industry is pushing out the same old stuff (mainly shooters) and suffering for it (the recent "Tomb Raider" <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/tomb-raider-hitman-sleeping-dogs-all-failed-square-enix-249692.phtml" target="_blank">sold over 3 million copies but the company behind it is saying the game was a failure</a> - maybe they need to rethink their priorities). Maybe that's why Sony is specifically courting a lot of indie developers for the new Playstation 4 which should be out later this year. While I still dig playing those big budget AAA titles, there's a lot of good competition being offered up by the small guys. Hopefully I've helped you find some good ones.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-31406176518106590072013-03-25T12:32:00.001-07:002013-03-25T17:45:58.170-07:00Here ye, here ye! Steam Sale is about!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G5J_uRp2pUP4ceZWGpEaI5xe_-_JY5NsKXpie_zfKSgUUolNWp7J2L4BRwNRIXr48wkwSnkf1kWcexOAJfBDGSQEmT81MQ_5Wz-xEAz8LiXMJeYLwGohyphenhyphenq6rkh-gPrL2Qj0VjIsXB4CM/s1600/bring-out-your-dead-1665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G5J_uRp2pUP4ceZWGpEaI5xe_-_JY5NsKXpie_zfKSgUUolNWp7J2L4BRwNRIXr48wkwSnkf1kWcexOAJfBDGSQEmT81MQ_5Wz-xEAz8LiXMJeYLwGohyphenhyphenq6rkh-gPrL2Qj0VjIsXB4CM/s320/bring-out-your-dead-1665.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
I've been proselytizing these videogames to you, dear readers, for years. Now you have the chance to get some of these games for dirt cheap. As Steam is want to do, it's currently in the midst of its Indie Spring Sale, with most of the following games 50 to 80 percent off. I won't bother you with any more fuss, here's what's available and a link to my opinion:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-small-games-of-2012-part-1.html" target="_blank">To the Moon</a> - $3.99<br />
<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/yes-i-realize-its-already-march-but-i.html" target="_blank">Terraria</a> - $2.49<br />
<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/zrbos-favorite-games-of-2010-part-2.html" target="_blank">Limbo</a> - $3.99<br />
<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-i-hated-208-game-of-year.html" target="_blank">Braid</a> - $3.99<br />
<br />
And two games I've played but yet to review:<br />
<br />
FTL: Faster than Light - $4.99<br />
Dark Souls (sequel to <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/better-late-than-never-zrbos-favorite.html" target="_blank">Demon's Souls</a>, my favorite game of 2009) - $19.99<br />
<br />
And as a final note, it was recently announced that Fez, <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/zrbo-reviews-fez-phish-2012.html" target="_blank">a game I adored</a>, will be coming to Steam/PC sometime in May. Enjoy!<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-12046033430994084022013-01-29T13:29:00.000-08:002013-01-29T13:43:19.232-08:00The Small Games of 2012 (Part 1)2012 may not have brought about the apocalypse, but it did produce a slew of excellent small games. So excellent in fact that multiple media outlets have awarded the small games <i>Journey</i> and <i>The Walking Dead</i> game of the year. <i>Journey</i> comes from thatgamecompany, who brought us 2009's <i>Flower</i>. <i>The Walking Dead</i>, based on the comic/TV series, comes from Telltale Games. Unfortunately, I haven't played either (my Playstation 3 broke this summer so I haven't played <i>Journey</i>, and no matter what good words people say about <i>The Walking Dead</i> I'm just not that interested in zombies, even if those zombies are used as a metaphor for the human condition). Instead, I'll discuss here those small games that I did manage to play in 2012. Ready?<br />
<b><br />To the Moon (Freebird Games)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg90v_LrpjjPG0jY86IBsLnRa4uNNRYS1DnxnWewd0B8fTF8v8MQpRLPqCYywcJhM9_DdIA-MlgfVv_5eWz9jQFLsRBHkQg7IjA0xSLFWjJyW_uDURvlcCFUX_bS7t6glXsdGqXKHJ0Dc/s1600/This+Game+To+the+Moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg90v_LrpjjPG0jY86IBsLnRa4uNNRYS1DnxnWewd0B8fTF8v8MQpRLPqCYywcJhM9_DdIA-MlgfVv_5eWz9jQFLsRBHkQg7IjA0xSLFWjJyW_uDURvlcCFUX_bS7t6glXsdGqXKHJ0Dc/s320/This+Game+To+the+Moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>To the Moon</i> was a game with a great premise. You play the role of two scientists who have been summoned to a dying man's house. The man has a last wish, he wants to go "to the moon". These scientists have the means that will allow the dying man to accomplish this. Using a fancy machine the scientists are able to enter the dying man's mind and relive his memories, subtly altering them so that the dying man will have the memory of going to the moon. One part <i>Inception</i>, and one part <i>Citizen Kane</i>, the premise and overall idea of <i>To the Moon</i> is brilliant. The game utilizes a retro 16 bit art style, so it looks like an old Final Fantasy game from the 90's. While the gameplay itself isn't very deep- it's basically a point-and-click adventure- the story draws on a lot of emotional strings, from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsAsJUTsYxs&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">the gentle</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZDyKMQaqNo" target="_blank">piano pieces</a> that it uses, to the secrets the two scientists find in the dying man's memories. Even the idea of going "to the moon" may not have meaning it initially appears to.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately much of the emotional impact the game is undercut by one of the scientist characters. Nearly every time something poignant happens, he's there to make some sassy or sarcastic comment. It's like watching the end of the movie <i>Titanic</i> with Rose about to say goodbye to Jack forever with the whole theater on the verge of tears when some guy blurts out "Hey buddy why don't you just get on the flotsam with her, ya big dummy!".<br />
<br />
I kept thinking that the creators of the game thought up this grand emotional tale but didn't want to be seen as sissies by their guy friends, so they made sure to have a completely annoying and unnecessary character ruin several moments of potentially great emotional impact. Despite this, I guarantee that you will probably find yourself in tears as the final scene plays out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Fez (Polytron)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZd1vsTbeUvIfcDjluUUJ4OtEoobdtTCBKv_QVuS9GM_rj4736bTKcS6dCDzuZEdorq7NuxIkXvEF1VB5CBIK1SAyS2wbOMmalTyCF82tTlCKVmc4Z5H_L6seMEglOUiT53cuppmvM8zz/s1600/fez-screenshots-oxcgn-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZd1vsTbeUvIfcDjluUUJ4OtEoobdtTCBKv_QVuS9GM_rj4736bTKcS6dCDzuZEdorq7NuxIkXvEF1VB5CBIK1SAyS2wbOMmalTyCF82tTlCKVmc4Z5H_L6seMEglOUiT53cuppmvM8zz/s320/fez-screenshots-oxcgn-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/zrbo-reviews-fez-phish-2012.html" target="_blank">I've already discussed</a> my love of <i>Fez</i> and needless to say, I still think it was an absolutely fantastic game. A perfect homage to videogames of the 80's, <i>Fez</i> managed to make me feel like a kid all over again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Alan Wake's American Nightmare (Remedy Entertainment)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqFMs-DI_52Sx4ubME1eW4pq1JPr3gSEahvste-6AqbU4gE1JXkAWaWK9_SMr5KAKYJ8Pz6p_hHUK0dUDnMebGja0Hggmsw2c4hRhjkBcPnYb-xPfccReuf2HvZSAEiYpeHmlMu0W_SRG/s1600/AlanWakesAmericanNightmare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqFMs-DI_52Sx4ubME1eW4pq1JPr3gSEahvste-6AqbU4gE1JXkAWaWK9_SMr5KAKYJ8Pz6p_hHUK0dUDnMebGja0Hggmsw2c4hRhjkBcPnYb-xPfccReuf2HvZSAEiYpeHmlMu0W_SRG/s320/AlanWakesAmericanNightmare.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A semi-sequel to 2010's <i>Alan Wake</i> (<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/zrbos-favorite-games-of-2010-part-3.html" target="_blank">which I wrote about</a>), this small downloadable title continues the adventure of the titular author who finds himself trapped in his own nightmares. Breaking free of "the dark place" from the first game, Alan Wake- ahem... <i>wakes</i> up in a semi-real bit of Arizona, having surrendered some of his memory in order to do so. The game tasks Alan with recovering those memories in a style reminiscent of <i>Groundhog Day</i>. While it continues with the same style of gameplay as the original, American Nightmare introduces a real nemesis, an alter-ego version of Alan named Mr. Scratch (whose name, in a small bit of brilliance, is never actually pronounced, with only the sound of a scratched record whenever anyone says his name). Mr. Scratch is an excellent foil to Alan, a womanizing douchebag who knows Alan's plans since he essentially <i>is</i> Alan.<br />
<br />
Like the original, the game has excellent voice acting. Alan Wake really does come across as a real life horror novelist stuck in his own story. On top of this, the entire game is taking place inside an episode of "Night Springs" (think <i>Twilight Zone</i>) which is sold well by having the game narrated by a Rod Serling soundalike. While the gameplay itself isn't very challenging, the game has just enough flair and humor to recommend it. You can watch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmoNfBY52dc&t=0m1s" target="_blank">first few minutes here</a> to get a taste of just how self-aware this game is (for example, I love how the episode of Night Springs is "written by Alan Wake").<br />
<br />
--------------<br />
That's it for now, as soon as I finish up one last small game I picked up during the holiday Steam sale I'll be back with part 2.<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-84582289839741081032012-12-17T12:50:00.003-08:002012-12-17T12:55:10.670-08:00Zrbo's Five Favorite Songs of the YearIt's nearing the end of the year, so it's time to start rolling out those year-in-review lists. Here's my selection for my favorite songs of the year. And yes, <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/zrbos-5-favorite-songs-of-year.html" target="_blank">just like last year</a>, you may notice that some of these songs aren't necessarily from 2012.<br />
<br />
<b>#5 - Psy'Aviah - "Timor"</b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nxS5bQedIBs" width="420"></iframe>
My fifth favorite song of the year is a Shakira song. No, really! Belgian duo Psy'Aviah (not to be confused with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0" target="_blank">that other Psy</a> who dominated 2012) deliver a fresh take on a song from a completely unexpected artist and genre. While the song has a completely different structure and delivery than <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUr63zEIxqw" target="_blank">the original</a>, the underlying political themes still come through. Psy'Aviah's album "Introspection-Extrospection" is also my favorite album of the year. Oh, and hey, look who uploaded that video!<br />
<br />
<b>#4 - Pepsi & Shirlie - "Heartache"</b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tzHC5BtqjtU" width="420"></iframe>
In last year's list I included a song that was most definitely not from 2011, and this year the trend continues. It may be 25 years old, but Pepsi & Shirlie's "Heartache" is like True Blue-era Madonna musical gold. While this version is fine, I've actually been listening to the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=230LUht9N8c" target="_blank">extended remix</a> more often.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>#3 - Armin van Buuren featuring Sharon den Adel - "In and Out of Love"</b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TxvpctgU_s8" width="420"></iframe>
I realize it's just a trite piece of euro-trance, but there's something about this song that has me hooked. Maybe it's that piano riff that gets stuck in my head, or maybe it's because I'm somewhat in love with Sharon den Adel (who was also on this countdown last year). Considering that it's one of the most watched videos on Youtube though, someone else out there must also be hooked. Like the previous entry, I've been listening to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6obcN9og5c" target="_blank">extended/album mix</a> more than the original.<br />
<br />
<b>#2 - The Gregory Brothers - "Oh my Dayum"</b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DcJFdCmN98s" width="420"></iframe>
I was seriously tempted to put this song at number one I love it so much. I've probably listened to it an average of once a day since I first heard it. I've already discussed my love for it here on this blog. I'm not sure what else to say besides DAYUM!<br />
<br />
<b>#1 - Covenant featuring Necro Facility - "Lightbringer"</b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IbkinPZoupw" width="420"></iframe>
The album this song is from came out late last year but I didn't appreciate it until I saw Covenant live in San Francisco a few months ago. Covenant continue to turn out some great tunes, and Lightbringer is no exception. Turn up the volume for maximum danceable effect.Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-38524559276517819562012-12-10T14:30:00.000-08:002012-12-10T14:51:28.581-08:00Zrbo Reviews: Halo 4 (343 Industries, 2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_5wg7rwEYiJgRFWJkSVmyu-dkeHMDKuO_hc4uYHn4SlS1IwZkjv0JQBMyPiQcMRWdwBRLiOVonpobUZQqPtkul4hyphenhyphenUJotmcZAQ31tDPj-nIxFJMKVGhBk5UuV7rYdQPo-qToekYVfucZ/s1600/halo4cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_5wg7rwEYiJgRFWJkSVmyu-dkeHMDKuO_hc4uYHn4SlS1IwZkjv0JQBMyPiQcMRWdwBRLiOVonpobUZQqPtkul4hyphenhyphenUJotmcZAQ31tDPj-nIxFJMKVGhBk5UuV7rYdQPo-qToekYVfucZ/s320/halo4cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Reviewing Halo 4 is no easy task. As the first in a new trilogy of an already storied franchise, reviewing Halo 4 is perhaps a good exercise for what critics will face when reviewing the new Star Wars movies when they inevitably arrive. Developer 343 Industries has the weight of a massive franchise to carry, with huge expectations to meet, and they mostly succeed.<br />
<br />
It's nearly impossible to review Halo 4 without taking a look at it's reason for being. Franchise creator Bungie has moved on to develop its own new franchise (codenamed Destiny), leaving Microsoft, the owner of the Halo franchise, to find a new developer. Instead of hiring an established development studio Microsoft went ahead and created its own. Enter 343 Industries (named after 343 Guilty Spark, one of my favorite characters of the series). Microsoft was not stupid in doing this: Halo is its multi-million AAA premier franchise, and the folks there knew they had to get everything just right. They made plenty of good decisions. First, they brought on former Bungie member Frank O'Connor as the Franchise Development Director. Frank, or Frankie as he's generally known to the Halo community, has been deeply involved with the integrity of the franchise since Halo 2, the keeper of the never-seen "Halo Bible", ensuring story cohesion and integrity throughout the games. Next Microsoft poached some of the best talent in the game industry, bringing people in who worked on the highly acclaimed Metroid Prime games, former Bungie staffers, and as Halo 4 Executive Director the amazingly named Kiki Wolfkill to helm the project.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNEk99MSA_hZgg-RYIJ0NntzQJIVjqYWOVtEMrMqzcMms80Syy704ij6BGSq_SOHBYd3QKqchh6sUO-FqfuD-dLnRg5ev0mQX4N7GK0k8JnMJVzS55teJWaCjl1ie1XjAMm3zFzKnb6eE/s1600/kiki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNEk99MSA_hZgg-RYIJ0NntzQJIVjqYWOVtEMrMqzcMms80Syy704ij6BGSq_SOHBYd3QKqchh6sUO-FqfuD-dLnRg5ev0mQX4N7GK0k8JnMJVzS55teJWaCjl1ie1XjAMm3zFzKnb6eE/s320/kiki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Seriously, that really is her name</i></div>
<br />
On top of the burden of assembling a new team, there was the problem of finding a story to tell. At the end of Halo 3 the war had been won; Halo 3: ODST was a nice, moody side story; Halo: Reach was a prequel. Everything was wrapped up nice and tight. Again, going back to the Star Wars analogy, creating a new trilogy in the Halo universe must be what it's like over at Disney right now, trying to come up with a new story while honoring what came before. Luckily for 343 Industries, Bungie left them an out.<br />
<br />
I've <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/zrbos-favorite-games-of-2010-part-1.html" target="_blank">spoken before</a> about how I thought the end of Halo 3 was a brilliant move. As in many blockbuster trilogies there's the question of what to do with the hero at the end. Do we have him (or her) make the big noble sacrifice, securing freedom and safety for the world through their death, or do we have them overcome the odds and win, coming home to a hero's welcome and living happily ever after? Bungie did neither. Series protagonist Master Chief saves the galaxy but instead of making it home to celebrate with everyone else, he's in a sort of limbo, adrift on a derelict spaceship thousands of light years from nowhere, sleeping in a cryosleep tube, with only his holographic Artificial Intelligence companion Cortana to watch over him. Those who were willing to go all the way and complete Halo 3 on its highest difficulty (or who were lazy and just <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwz8aqiWOsk" target="_blank">went to Youtube</a>) were treated to a tease of the derelict ship approaching some sort of planet. And that's exactly where 343i picks up the story.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qMdSBQpaq1fGDM_46q7EPwlEdEAMRad_Rw34NqF3pyxAdfoLGl08U_hTVRhVSbvZ78FMxsHFzobE8C9BenEEIl0MsKinDMQytNR58FAc2xo8bayhx9s4L7_CwmDnjCovizeI0Eij2RrK/s1600/requiem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qMdSBQpaq1fGDM_46q7EPwlEdEAMRad_Rw34NqF3pyxAdfoLGl08U_hTVRhVSbvZ78FMxsHFzobE8C9BenEEIl0MsKinDMQytNR58FAc2xo8bayhx9s4L7_CwmDnjCovizeI0Eij2RrK/s320/requiem.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>We're not in Kansas</i></div>
<br />
Halo 4 does two things incredibly well: the core gameplay is nigh perfect, arguably the best it's ever been in the series, and second, for the first time a Halo story has a strong emotional core.<br />
<br />
Instead of opening on the adventures of Master Chief, the game begins with an exceptionally executed cinematic. We're treated to a scene of Dr. Halsey, the ethical boundaries pushing scientist who created the supersoldier 'Spartan' program, of whom Master Chief was one of the first. Halsey is being interrogated by someone unknown. The scene has arguably more depth than anything in the Halo franchise before it. It not only gives us an understanding of who the Spartans are and why they were created, but provides the thematic thread of the story by questioning these soldiers' humanity. Are these Spartans saviors or brainwashed killing machines? Lastly, I want to point out the technical achievement of this scene. It may not come through on a Youtube quality video, but the CGI in this scene is incredible. I would swear that Halsey is an actual actress, not a digital creation. Simply phenomenal work.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gT9USsI3FP4" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
The game proper picks up with Master Chief being awoken in his cryosleep tube by Cortana (who has never looked so well defined or... sexy). The derelict ship is being boarded as it drifts towards this unknown planet. Cortana, who has served as the series way of guiding you and providing details and insight, is going a little crazy. In the established Halo fiction Artificial Intelligences begin to deteriorate after a certain amount of time, entering a state known as 'rampancy' where they essentially think themselves to death. This provides the impetus for the rest of the story.<br />
<br />
This is where things get interesting, as that motivation is kind of odd. While the first two entries in the series portrayed Cortana as your computer sidekick, Halo 3 began hinting that there was something more between this blue hologram and the cybernetically enhanced Master Chief. Halo 4 pushes this even further, moving the relationship towards that of a love story, though never quite going so far as to verbalize that, leaving players to ponder just what the relationship is that these two have. It's actually quite well done, and there's something about that never-actually verbalized love makes the relationship, and Cortana's deteriorating situation, that much more powerful. And it ties in wonderfully with that opening scene. While Master Chief becomes almost robotic in his killing, Cortana's increasingly volatile state seems to make her more human - after all, in order to be crazy you have to exhibit some sort of emotion.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5z_eRY6BGrQQyJv9ynaj4JrUdCRXuUzc4P0kRaCsfzkq2uBOGhAhaAUWtroPCij0lNeGy2fmvyCveIOEAmAABW-yP0I0j7H4nj_OP7lkKhcH3AzaxGTyiiYnUHqIL7Lx9jLbgHFTlQIn/s1600/cortana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5z_eRY6BGrQQyJv9ynaj4JrUdCRXuUzc4P0kRaCsfzkq2uBOGhAhaAUWtroPCij0lNeGy2fmvyCveIOEAmAABW-yP0I0j7H4nj_OP7lkKhcH3AzaxGTyiiYnUHqIL7Lx9jLbgHFTlQIn/s320/cortana.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>They're in love... I think?</i></div>
<br />
Eventually Master Chief and Cortana are sucked inside of the mystery planet, known as Requiem, which turns out not to be a planet at all, but a completely artificial hollow world built by the ancient long-vanished civilization dubbed 'the Forerunners'. The Chief fights his way through new and interesting foes, uncovering ancient secrets and mysteries. The game is quite fun, though at times the encounter design isn't quite up to par with previous games. Also, the story and your motivations become a little muddled, though I've found this to be an issue with all Halo games.<br />
<br />
And a little muddled is probably what someone would feel like if they hadn't played a Halo game before. If you aren't familiar with the fiction, you would rightly feel confused as various elements are brought to light. In fact, the entire plot of the game is pulled from these hidden computer terminals you could find in Halo 3. These terminals provided a backstory that was arguably better written and more compelling than the surface story. They detailed the fall of the Forerunner civilization by simplifying that downfall in the form of two lovers, the Librarian and the Didact, penning letters to each other as a soldier might send letters to his wife from the front lines. There's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6ZXld_Zfq4" target="_blank">fairly exceptional scene</a> in Halo 4 where this story is brought to the forefront, but, if you hadn't played a Halo game or read the terminals from Halo 3 you would have no idea what's going on. Even if you had found the terminals you might not understand what's going on as they progressively revealed more story as you played on higher difficulty levels, so you could only get the full story if you played through Halo 3 on the highest difficulty AND found all the secret terminal locations.<br />
<br />
This leads me to a few of the game's faults. The story presented involves knowing the Halo universe in detail and often involves the player having to go outside the game to get more of those details. An example: once again there are hidden terminals in Halo 4 that provide access to short cinematics that fill in some of the backstory. But in order to view these you need to go to the 'Halo Waypoint' app or website, log in, and view them. Why these cinematics aren't on the game disc itself is beyond me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLt-rFbeu5tabhgc3iyHPU-85Uo1TzRarFb3UH1hYuKqe_s52ldwegnt6nhaRC_ueW_6DHXZPnkSA3PL7i_NzdDuPXWf4k0rZ2o4kUkcGholuzDLYXmm1DokaIQ0IFrYYpO-QAZ5sAMpsJ/s1600/halo-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLt-rFbeu5tabhgc3iyHPU-85Uo1TzRarFb3UH1hYuKqe_s52ldwegnt6nhaRC_ueW_6DHXZPnkSA3PL7i_NzdDuPXWf4k0rZ2o4kUkcGholuzDLYXmm1DokaIQ0IFrYYpO-QAZ5sAMpsJ/s320/halo-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Most of my other gripes are mainly concerned with technical issues. 343 Industries has revamped Halo 4's multiplayer (where most players spend most of their time anyways) to be more competitive with the juggernaut that is the Call of Duty series. While many of the changes are controversial (essentially adding in the perk-unlocking system that the Call of Duty series is known for) I have actually come to enjoy them. But in the process they trimmed some of the options that have become staples that the Halo franchise was known for. For example, 1-flag capture the flag has been removed (where one team is defending the flag and the other is trying to get it), precision editing in the Forge level editor has been stripped out, and the campaign theater mode is missing (which allowed you to rewatch your story-mode games, edit movies, and take screenshots). These features have become such a reliable part of the franchise that they've become known as 'legacy features'. There's been some talk that some of these features may be patched in later, but for now they seem like oddly missing gaps.<br />
<br />
Another misstep is in the music. <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-elegance-of-halos-title-screens.html" target="_blank">As I mentioned recently</a>, Marty O'Donnell and his music are out, Neil Davidge of Massive Attack fame is in. The music works decently, and it does have a few memorable moments, but all in all it's just somewhat lacking. As <a href="http://cruellegaceyproductions.com/halo-4-review-presentation/" target="_blank">one reviewer noted</a>, the music seems much too reactive. I'll just go ahead and quote him as I think he says it best:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The music gets sad, exciting, or ominous in all the right places. But it
is reactionary. It builds upon feelings I am already feeling. In
previous Halo games, O’Donnell’s music would actually change the way I
played. As The Silent Cartographer [level] begins, O’Donnell’s thunderous drums
and pounding cello lines prepared me for a battle that wasn’t even on
the screen yet. By the time my [ship] touched down on the beach, my
adrenaline was already pumping. I hit the ground and slammed head on into
the awaiting Covenant forces with everything I had. I played
aggressively, because the music made me aggressive. This is the power
Marty O’Donnell’s music commands, and it is noticeably missing from Halo
4.</blockquote>
The second thing of note with the music is how hard it is to hear. Someone in the audio department had a field day adjusting volume sliders. Mainly, the guns in the game sound loud, <i>really loud</i>. It makes them feel visceral and powerful. But no one bothered to turn up the music, leaving the score often times obscured by the sounds of really loud guns going off in your face. There's one <i>brief</i> moment when <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6T5WHpKK-E" target="_blank">the classic Halo monks</a> can be heard, while it's not until the credits that we at least get a reworking of the classic 'Never Forget', though it's oddly and unfortunately not included on the official soundtrack.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5WqKJJrY6AM" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">This is what we came for Neil</span> </div>
<br />
Overall, Halo 4 is a fairly amazing accomplishment. The team at 343 Industries had the unenviable task of being a new studio working on an established franchise with a devoted fanbase. They not only managed to create a game that feels like a Halo game, but they arguably created a much more emotionally engaging story than any previous Halo titles. On top of that, they created an exceptionally good looking game, pushing the boundaries of current generation console hardware. Seriously, those opening and closing cinematics would make Pixar jealous. There are some odd missteps however, mainly in the technical and audio department, though there's some hope that these can be rectified through patches.<br />
<br />
Ultimately Halo 4 provides a terrific foundation for the new trilogy. The world has more surprising stories to offer, and I'm excited to see where they go with the work they put into character development, and most importantly, I can't wait to see where they take the Master Chief both physically and emotionally. Disney - the bar has been set, your move.<br />
<br />
4.5/5 Zrbo points<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-17254040517181016782012-11-16T13:17:00.001-08:002012-11-16T13:33:42.358-08:00The Elegance of Halo's Title ScreensNovember 6, 2012 saw the release of Halo 4, the newest installment in Microsoft's premier franchise. I'll save my review for another post. For now I wanted to share something that's otherwise completely innocuous: the Halo title screen.
Ever since I picked up the original Halo I've been in love with the music. Series composer Marty O'Donnell (and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHRKHNZLebY" target="_blank">Flintstone's jingle creator</a>) created an amazing soundtrack for the series, one that eschewed from games of the time by incorporating elements of classical music, world music, and, most memorably, Gregorian chant. Each of these elements are distilled into the Halo title screen, that initial screen that greets you every time you boot up the game. Let's take a look at them.<br />
<br />
<b>Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g6T5WHpKK-E" width="420"></iframe><br />
The ur-Halo title screen begins with Halo's iconic Gregorian monks while the camera swoops around the ring-world structure. Ahh, it's like I'm in an Enigma video. The music shifts to a bit of classical style music, and then moves into the marvelously named <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHouKE70h0E" target="_blank">Rock Anthem for Saving the World</a>, another of Halo's iconic themes. Notice the touch of world music with the tribal sounding female vocals in the background. Future Halo titles generally dropped the world influences and pushed more into the classical direction.<br />
<br />
<b>Halo 2 (2004)</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/L9funHEj2nA" width="420"></iframe><br />
The sequel's title screen includes the iconic Halo monk chant adding in some female voices and instrumentation. Then the music shifts briefly to one of my favorite pieces of music, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTpP0ftoIc8" target="_blank">Unforgotten</a>, before heading back into some more monkish chant, with some female monks thrown in for good measure (monkettes?). Instead of showing the titular Halo ring, now the screen pans around the (fictional) African city of New Mombassa under attack, highlighted in a purple silhouette. I like to think there's a certain solemnity to Halo's title screens, the combination of music and images providing a sort of soothing calmness, something you wouldn't expect out a game that requires you to mercilessly kill aliens.<br />
<br />
<b>Halo 3 (2007)</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ju4oFoSR9Ms" width="420"></iframe>
The third Halo entry was Bungie Studios's biggest to date, needing to show off the chops of the new Xbox 360 hardware. They didn't disappoint. For me, this is my favorite screen of the bunch. As the camera whips around the alien Covenant ships uncovering a gigantic alien artifact in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro, we're treated to a full suite of wonderful music. Again, it begins with the monk chant, moves into the appropriately named <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TMhVqz7Alc" target="_blank">Choose Wisely</a>, moves quickly through the energizing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd-hhoOAaKY" target="_blank">Movement</a>, finishing up the definitive version of Unforgotten, this time relabeled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDZscyf8lU" target="_blank">Never Forget</a> (@3:16), which at about 4:10 brings in the piano keys which to me sound, however briefly, that it's going to transition into <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmbw8OycJrE" target="_blank">My Heart Will Go On</a>. This is a classy, elegant title screen if there ever was one.<br />
<br />
<b>Halo 3: ODST (2009)</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5cXTVEFiS7w" width="420"></iframe>
The next entry in the franchise, Halo 3: ODST, was a bit of a departure. Instead of continuing where the series left off, we're presented with a side story. This one follows a group of ODSTs (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) partaking in a mission that was concurrent with the events of Halo 3. The game was inspired by film noir, with the main character finding himself alone at night in the alien-occupied city of New Mombassa. Your character was much more vulnerable than the normal series protagonist and the game's atmosphere accentuated this. Here Marty O'Donnell utilized saxophone to great effect. The title screen shows main character "The Rookie" in a moment of calm before being dropped into the nighttime city (this is the best video I could find, ignore the visuals and concentrate on the music). The saxophone creates just that bit of tension and mystery that was crucial to the nighttime atmosphere of the story.<br />
<br />
<b>Halo: Reach (2010)</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/geerEVswIuM" width="420"></iframe>
2010's Halo: Reach was a prequel to the original Halo, showcasing the fall of the planet Reach to the Covenant invaders. Going into the game, it was already established that this was going to be a losing battle, and the music reflects that. The horns have been more emphasized, giving it a more somber tone. After a brief introduction that includes a bit of a tribal beat, we're presented with a simple matte painting of one of Reach's vistas. The horns are mournful, almost <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Xrlf3taEo" target="_blank">Taps</a>-like, but the music still sounds like Halo.<br />
<br />
<b>Halo 4 (2012)</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WA6Vd9sdt04" width="420"></iframe><br />
And so here we are now in 2012 with Halo 4. What makes this iteration particularly notable is that Microsoft brought on a new team of developers to helm the franchise, 343 Industries, with former developer Bungie having moved on to other pastures. A new studio means an entirely new team. Gone is Marty O'Donnell as lead audio director. To compose the music for this game 343i brought in Neil Davidge of Massive Attack fame. Gone are many of the more classical elements of the music (with most of O'Donnell's work almost completely removed to many fans chagrin), replaced with more chilly electronica, which is appropriate not only because of Davidge's familiarity with the genre, but fits in well with the new alien setting. That being said, the title screen defies this new sound and takes its cues from the more classical, mournful music of O'Donnell. It even brings back that element of world music with the prominent female vocals and the piano keys and horn that pick up halfway through. A beautiful title screen, I've found myself just watching this for a few minutes before actually playing the game.<br />
<br />
Well, thanks for indulging me as I reminisce here. I'll be writing up my review sometime soon (hint: it's good). In the meantime, back to shooting aliens, pew pew pew!<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-39644809389803378052012-08-17T12:38:00.001-07:002012-08-17T12:38:58.984-07:00An Excellent Critique of the Free-to-Play ModelThe piece "<a href="http://kotaku.com/5931691/theres-nothing-to-steal-why-everyone-hates-the-free+to+play-switch" target="_blank">There's Nothing to Steal: Why Everyone Hates the Free-to-Play Switch</a>" by Kotaku's Owen Good is a terrific critique of the free-to-play model that's becoming increasingly popular with games. Free-to-play games are games in which there is no initial monetary investment required to play. This is usually supplemented by offering additional abilities for a cost. So, for example, a game might have a cool-down period, where you're only allowed to play for a certain amount of time. If you pay extra money you can buy extra time. I don't think it's a terrible system, and for certain games I think it works.<br />
<br />
Take Angry Birds: it's free, but you can spend money for special powers and bonuses, but they're not at all required to enjoy the content of the game. The model breaks down at a certain point though, usually when the game is bigger in scope, or when a game is multiplayer focused, such as with an MMO (a genre that is increasingly becoming free-to-play). Good writes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There's also some merit in the idea that a person who's participating in
something for free isn't as invested in the experience as those who
have paid for it. In massively multiplayer online games, this is a valid
concern and expectation. Other players are teammates in raids,
adversaries in PvP, and drivers of the in-world economy. And it's a
role-playing game. While there are dozens of quest-givers and NPCs there
to move the game's basic story along, a human community that's
committed to playing along enriches the larger context of your
superhero/science-fiction/dungeon-crawling fantasy. Someone showing up
to a free buffet may socialize with others at the club; he might also be
there just to stuff cocktail shrimp in his pants pockets.</blockquote>
Later he goes into an interesting idea that (supposedly) originated from Russell Simmons of Def Jam Records:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Human beings have an inherent need to steal. Deep down, customer
satisfaction is rooted in the sense you are either getting something
for nothing, something extra, or at least you're getting the better end
of a bargain. It depends on a zero-sum system: I'm gaining or taking
something, someone else is losing or giving it up. When a game goes free-to-play, even if there's a premium tier with extra
features, the owner is declaring there is now nothing that can be
stolen. And even if something is being offered for free, everyone can
have it, making it less desirable. This truth of human nature is why
people joke about leaving junked furniture on the curb with a sign on it
saying "$20" to con someone into taking it away.</blockquote>
I think there's a truth to this argument. By giving away the product for free, you don't create a sense of investment in the player. There's no feeling of exclusivity, of being in a club. Also, it just seems bad from a game mechanics point of view. If I can pay extra to have the biggest sword on the battlefield, I'm essentially paying to win.<br />
<br />
It's like the collectible card game <i>Magic</i>, if you can afford to buy more packs of cards than your opponent, you are more likely to have better cards and win more often. You remove any sense of progress, that idea of "hey, if I persist at this game, one day I too will have the Magic Sword of Unending Strength". In a free-to-play world all you're left with is, "ah shucks, I'll just pay the 99 cents so I can have the same sword." Doesn't sound like much fun. <br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-86072850676708616562012-06-24T13:53:00.001-07:002012-06-25T10:53:31.730-07:00Zrbo Reviews: Fez (Fish, 2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoqzft5x2WaFoBNzzqIQgPQonL0f3ltCZPUtgAZaXMF-9gfGJs5b70T8EQ2ZaEghP0nzhnAOGqEnb6nPjhgdP76fbwWTcabZwgvN0E3nh71jyB9ROBo87_VhHlJpBYvm-PoJSTZy0b02a/s1600/Fez-XBLA-Release-Date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoqzft5x2WaFoBNzzqIQgPQonL0f3ltCZPUtgAZaXMF-9gfGJs5b70T8EQ2ZaEghP0nzhnAOGqEnb6nPjhgdP76fbwWTcabZwgvN0E3nh71jyB9ROBo87_VhHlJpBYvm-PoJSTZy0b02a/s400/Fez-XBLA-Release-Date.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Earlier this year the film <i>The Artist</i> arrived in theaters and was met with critical praise. Set in black-and-white, <i>The Artist</i> deftly managed to capture the feeling of early movies of the Hollywood silver screen. What made it a success is debatable, but one thing it did so well was to capture the essence of old black-and-white films. <i>The Artist</i> was not meant as a send-up or parody, but rather as an ode to films of yore. In our modern world drenched in irony and knowing winks, <i>The Artist</i> possessed a magical quality in that the participants involved took the subject seriously. It wasn't just a matter of the movie being in black-and-white while the characters walked around gently mocking our perceptions of these classic films. Instead, <i>The Artist</i> took its source material in earnest, treating it not as send-up but as an ode, creating what felt like a long buried treasure from the golden age of film.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Recently I finished playing through the game <i>Fez</i>. As I was playing through I had many of the same thoughts I had had as when I watched <i>The Artist</i>. Here was a game that managed to capture that feeling I had when I was young and playing early Nintendo games for the first time, those whimsical creations that required my own imagination to fill in the gaps.<br />
<br />
In short, <i>Fez</i> is <i>The Artist</i> of videogames.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnXg8hyphenhyphenXq3KR-LMhF4Sn7I7RvBUlRqbEE8STgVC0UsO_OirX0o6QEkQMnkxT_gLUx2ZxVg0C6IfWpodpaSlaWqBYhrvh_qp9LImowaIT_9lr6xO_oVgldnEpdvzALZ69jb9dY7sgO_BPh/s1600/fez-screenshot-600w.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnXg8hyphenhyphenXq3KR-LMhF4Sn7I7RvBUlRqbEE8STgVC0UsO_OirX0o6QEkQMnkxT_gLUx2ZxVg0C6IfWpodpaSlaWqBYhrvh_qp9LImowaIT_9lr6xO_oVgldnEpdvzALZ69jb9dY7sgO_BPh/s400/fez-screenshot-600w.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Fez</i> is the creation of one Phil Fish. Five years in the making, Phil Fish
slaved away at making his idea a reality. During this long time in development
Fish would show the game at various game-industry gatherings, with the
game garnering intense interest, even picking up a few awards before it was even completed. Phil Fish's story, and the creation
of <i>Fez</i> itself, is chronicled in the documentary film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1942884/" target="_blank"><i>Indie Game: The Movie</i></a>, a movie I've yet to see but one that's also already won several
awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance (I honestly have no clue how prestigious this award is or isn't, mind you). This film
also chronicles Jonathan Blow, creator of critically acclaimed Braid (<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-i-hated-208-game-of-year.html" target="_blank">that I despised</a> if you remember). <br />
<br />
While <i>The Artist</i> presents itself in black-and-white, with no talking and only musical accompaniment to back it up, <i>Fez</i> accomplishes the same thing, only in the context of videogames. It's presented in a quasi-looking 8-bit world, giving it the look of an authentic early Nintendo game from the 1980s. Featuring a delicious soundtrack that hearkens back to games of the same era (we'll get back to the soundtrack later), pick up and play <i>Fez</i> and you'll feel like you stumbled across some old game that you never had the chance to play when you were younger.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4N9gyF_fSP9VR-5PCWESWjK0FKVSJ_ZmnaYA8x2mp2ke9SRSXKC8g5Z6j6Gt7sk8P12xdZyNV5YZJR4uyHvCumVY-nupl8zWaOziG6UQIQNKhI4QgXDPzRhsm-_v9V9rggPDcC1Asisrs/s1600/fez-11362695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4N9gyF_fSP9VR-5PCWESWjK0FKVSJ_ZmnaYA8x2mp2ke9SRSXKC8g5Z6j6Gt7sk8P12xdZyNV5YZJR4uyHvCumVY-nupl8zWaOziG6UQIQNKhI4QgXDPzRhsm-_v9V9rggPDcC1Asisrs/s320/fez-11362695.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Phil Fish has really managed to capture that feeling of what games felt like back in the golden age of Nintendo. There's really something magical going on here, and it's done in a completely non-ironic way. As most of us are aware, irony is in vogue, and recently released games that have attempted to capture the feeling of games of yore have accomplished this by drowning themselves in irony. Take 2009s <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/3d-dot-game-heroes/reviews/3d-dot-game-heroes-review-6260112/" target="_blank"><i>3D Dot Game Heroes</i></a>, a game I rather enjoyed. It too featured a retro 8-bit aesthetic and played like the original <i>Legend of Zelda</i>. The thing is, <i>Game Heroes</i> was insistent on making the player aware of these similarities by constantly making fun of a variety of cliches from games of the time period, such as by mocking the often poorly translated wording of old Nintendo games (such as the infamous "<a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-am-error" target="_blank">I am Error</a>"). The irony was even imbued in the concept of the game itself, with the world of <i>Game Heroes</i> being composed entirely of pixelated blocks and cubes. While the game was quite fun, it was desperate in its constant winking to the player, wanting the player to "get" its references.<br />
<br />
<i>Fez</i> on the other hand, divorces itself from irony almost completely. This is a game that looks and feels like it came out of 1987. As I was playing it, I was amazed at just how much it took me back to my childhood. It captures that feeling of having to use your imagination to fill in the gaps, to construct your own narrative as to what this world is and what's going on. It's a nearly impossible feeling to describe. The feeling is akin to not just the memory of playing tag or hide-and-go seek, but to that actual physical experience of joy I had back when I did. It's a superb accomplishment that can be attributed to its graphical look and sense of place, its music, and, as I mentioned before, something deeper going on in the game itself.<br />
<br />
That "something deeper" is in the gameplay itself. In <i>Fez</i> you play as Gomez, a small little marshmallowy looking figure who acquires the titular fez hat, allowing him to shift the perspective of the world at will. Though the game looks like a classic two dimensional platformer, such as Super Mario Bros., the entire perspective of the world can be shifted 90 degrees on an axis at will. This not only means all objects have four sides, but the perspective of the object itself counts. It's not just what the object is, but in how it's perceived upon a two-dimensional plane, an M.C. Escher painting made into game form. Really, the only way to properly describe this is to show some gameplay:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5X9fQIj24YM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
The understanding of how perspective works in this game is key, and can take a bit of getting used to, not unlike understanding how portals work the first time playing <i>Portal</i>. This allows the game to offer interesting puzzles. As the game progresses they get more and more clever.<br />
<br />
But there's even more going on here (cue Inception: "We need to go deeper"). Phil Fish has imbued a second layer of puzzles that are not necessary for completing the game, but that provide a whole new perspective on the game itself. It's hard to go into detail without ruining the game, but it would seem Fish has taken several cues from modern day <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_reality_game" target="_blank">Alternate Reality Games</a> (ARG), where some of the gameplay extends beyond the screen. Go deep enough and <i>Fez</i> can really begin to tax your brain, requiring serious brainpower to decode its clues. These clues not only provide more puzzles, but provide a deeper backstory to what otherwise looks like a shallow game universe (not unlike TV's <i>Lost:</i> did you ever want to know what <a href="http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Valenzetti_Equation" target="_blank">The Numbers meant</a>? Hopefully you were paying attention to <i>Lost</i>'s ARG). Phil Fish even manages to throw in a few <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/search/label/metal%20gear" target="_blank">Hideo Kojima</a>-like mind benders, such as early on when the game appears to crash. This is the first game in ages where I actually busted out a pen and paper to make notes that looked something not unlike John Nash's scrawls in <i>A Beautiful Mind</i>. Seriously, there's an entire alphabet I've yet to decipher.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiBmdh7AivXK-uy0TTQCcOIxFlQ1EMD9VZEs6tOkEEnCq51MnX6a7kC7QlxtpfpUv_hsuNqP8ZqKcL1-9lINjsNxwIMM__1ghVfRX4I1xRHjj7TS7-9GIuSRjiEn34mxf8X5Nc0yN4uzX/s1600/Fez1-620x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiBmdh7AivXK-uy0TTQCcOIxFlQ1EMD9VZEs6tOkEEnCq51MnX6a7kC7QlxtpfpUv_hsuNqP8ZqKcL1-9lINjsNxwIMM__1ghVfRX4I1xRHjj7TS7-9GIuSRjiEn34mxf8X5Nc0yN4uzX/s320/Fez1-620x.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The other aspect that makes the game so wonderful is the music. Performed by a group called Disasterpeace, the music and the game come together exceptionally, pairing with the game in a superbly delightful way (<a href="http://disasterpeace.com/album/fez" target="_blank">listen to it here</a>). At times there's a certain lazy daydream quality to the music. The A.V. Club's new Gameological society described <i>Fez</i> as "<a href="http://gameological.com/2012/04/fez-review/" target="_blank">M.C. Escher with Vangelis on Keyboards</a>". Each track fits perfectly with the in-game location in which it appears. Tracks such as <a href="http://youtu.be/1y5szNZehps" target="_blank">Compass</a> and <a href="http://youtu.be/KeWFzsqLsH0" target="_blank">Beacon</a> have that daydream quality I mentioned, fitting as they both play during the sunny seaside locales, while the song <a href="http://youtu.be/MdY-iueFsoo" target="_blank">Puzzle</a>, with its slightly ominous edge, arrives as you being to unwrap the game's mysteries. The forest song <a href="http://youtu.be/0UDkdQ39XTc" target="_blank">Nature</a> is perhaps the best constructed song, starting off sounding like drops of dew falling from leaves, almost meditative like, the dew drop sound slowly builds into a musical rainstorm. Finally, the track <a href="http://youtu.be/4_DFp-XbKQo" target="_blank">Majesty</a> appears in the game as you finally open the last door (or is it?) and discover a truly magical place. Oh, and remember how I said some of the secrets were hidden outside of the game? Apparently if you<a href="http://www.geek.com/articles/games/fez-soundtrack-contains-hidden-information-20120420/" target="_blank"> run the soundtrack through a spectrogram</a> you can find even more clues. Like I said, <i>Fez</i> has many secrets.<br />
<br />
Playing <i>Fez</i> is like taking a trip back through time. A time before games had to be edgy or ironic, before big budgets and realistic looking action were the norm. Back when a game could inspire wonder and excitement with just a few colorful character sprites and a memorable 8-bit tune. <i>Fez</i> manages to capture that feeling of what it was like to play games before the Internet, when you had to talk to the other kids at the schoolyard to know which bush you needed to burn in the<i> Legend of Zelda</i> to find the secret passageway. It's those little things, like having to take pen and paper notes, relying on word of mouth to get secrets around, having to go outside of the game to retrieve clues (akin to the note that came with the game <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StarTropics#Immersive_letter" target="_blank">StarTropics</a></i> that you had to douse in water to reveal the secret code) that bring me back to that feeling of being a kid playing the Nintendo in my bedroom. There's that wonderful music, perfectly fitting for each game locale, and providing spot-on accompaniment for such a compelling world. Finally there's those digital sunsets, watching in awe as the game world transitions from day to night and back again.<br />
<br />
It's hard to imagine another indie game coming out this year that would top my feelings for <i>Fez,</i> expect to see it on my game of the year list come December. Currently the game is only available for the Xbox 360, but if and when it comes to PC I'll make sure to give word.<br />
<br /></div>Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-70515388964339933592012-05-07T13:47:00.004-07:002012-05-07T13:58:23.486-07:00Zrbo's Favorite Big Games of 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9b6CyKoM_ijbDcvR0Dq-OxQ43h5m_6c1l04JinWLGAbyuBTPEQzmcysjuzp5ZBG8Df3BxwFG9nAw3wQtqUhGhhafH1ZfcykBYFLFzr4HtZH46WL5zs70hmt2keul7dg_o_hL0EddbEuRm/s1600/Skyrim+dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9b6CyKoM_ijbDcvR0Dq-OxQ43h5m_6c1l04JinWLGAbyuBTPEQzmcysjuzp5ZBG8Df3BxwFG9nAw3wQtqUhGhhafH1ZfcykBYFLFzr4HtZH46WL5zs70hmt2keul7dg_o_hL0EddbEuRm/s320/Skyrim+dragon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</b><br />
<br />
When Skyrim was released last year on 11/11/11 I somehow didn't realize how much it would take over my gaming life. Though I had sunk 100+ hours into its predecessor, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, I somehow didn't foresee that I would get just as sucked into this game space.<br />
<br />
What Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls series in general does so well is provide a richly detailed world to explore. One can lose themselves for hours just exploring the various countrysides and landscapes. While Oblivion had a more generic Tolkein fantasy aesthetic going for it, with it's green forests, rolling hills, and meandering streams, Skyrim takes its cues from a more Nordic influence. Taking place in the far North of its world, Skyrim offers tall rugged mountains, pine forests covered in snow, people clad in animal skins, the northern ocean shore being essentially an ice shelf. Sharing a similar cold, brutal aesthetic with the currently popular Game of Thrones universe, it seems this is currently the new popular look for fantasy.<br />
<br />
Skyrim's world offers a great place to just explore at your whim. Around every corner there's always a new cave, waterfall, stone keep, or village waiting to be discovered. The Elder Scrolls games provide me with a feeling of being a kid like no other game I know. As a kid I used to run around the hills behind my house with some friends. These hills provided not only a great view of the ocean, but loads of interesting geography. There were the hills themselves with wandering cows and a line of trees at the top that seemed so far away, while down in the ravine was the creepy forest that turned into a muddy bog. There was even a secret path through there where someone had layed down a few boards over the muddy water. One time we found a little encampment back in the hills, maybe some homeless people, who knows.<br />
<br />
Playing Skyrim reminds me of all these experiences, of just being a kid and exploring the world around me. In an interview game designer Cliff Bleszinksi of Gears of War fame <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/these-games-inspired-cliff-bleszinski-john-romero-will-wright/" target="_blank">said</a> that Skryim "renewed his sense of nostalgia associated with being in the woods and
never knowing what was around the corner. They
tie back to his childhood... the most primal of feelings." I couldn't agree more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuKIByyRlFjhfvNn4e4v4MZGJ_bhge-Ck_lRyuw8Hm42ILkBq0K-P-n27OrF_wYqShLS9UjJ5KGiq6ccfwQzdAzR-kBq4pRgf8bWtRrY03knVpXlchHxxXbUTBCRpyYA5mtIZQgGjL9iY/s1600/portal2.200.04.lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuKIByyRlFjhfvNn4e4v4MZGJ_bhge-Ck_lRyuw8Hm42ILkBq0K-P-n27OrF_wYqShLS9UjJ5KGiq6ccfwQzdAzR-kBq4pRgf8bWtRrY03knVpXlchHxxXbUTBCRpyYA5mtIZQgGjL9iY/s320/portal2.200.04.lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Portal 2</b><br />
<br />
The sequel to 2007's amazing, award winning Portal, this sequel had a lot to live up to. The first game was essentially a bonus that came bundled with <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/number-2-half-life-2-point-insertion.html" target="_blank">Half Life 2</a>, but ended up becoming just as big a success. Lasting just over two hours, short enough to be played in one afternoon, Portal provided a physics puzzler combined with a satirical take on lab testing as the player awoke in an elaborate testing facility being guided by the murderous HAL-like "GlaDOS" (Generic Lifelike Disc Operating System). The game was a huge success, helped in part by it's meme-worthy phrase "The cake is a lie" and the amazing end-credits song "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ljFaKRTrI" target="_blank">Still Alive</a>" sung by GlaDOS herself.<br />
<br />
Like I said, Portal 2 had big expectations to live up to, and it mostly succeeded. Now a full fledged game spanning 10 or more hours, Portal 2 not only expands on the depth of its puzzles, but also greatly expands the world of its testing facility by introducing the player to the CEO of the facility Cave Johnson (voiced by J.K. Simmons) and the quirky A.I. pal Wheatley (voiced by Stephen Merchant) as you are guided through the underbelly of the facility.<br />
<br />
It largely works, though sometimes the game guides you through the puzzles more than it should. The addition of two-player co-op, with some really ingenious puzzles, is really well done. But the game doesn't quite have the same magic as its predecessor. I think I'll let Justin McElroy (now of <a href="http://www.theverge.com/" target="_blank">The Verge</a>) explain it:<br />
<br />
<i>"Portal 2</i> is outstanding, really, a top-to-bottom success from
one of our best developers, and 90 percent of me is completely delighted
I got to take the journey. But in the process of falling in love with <i>Portal 2</i>, I lost something kind of magical about <i>Portal 1</i>.<br />
<br />
The first <i>Portal</i> wasn't just a great game, it was one that knew
when to make its exit, knew how to leave me pining for a future so
great that no reality could match up.<br />
<br />
It was, in short, a crush."
<br />
<br />
<i><b>Disapointments:</b></i><br />
<br />
<b>Deus Ex: Human Revolution</b><br />
I really wanted to like this game. It did some things well. It captures the feeling of a cyberpunk/Blade Runner future with its neon-hued aesthetics, the core gameplay was fine, and I still think<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/zrbos-5-favorite-songs-of-year.html" target="_blank"> the soundtrack</a> is amazing.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day though, it just didn't grab me, and I think I know why. The game began by envisioning a near-future where cybernetics have started to become commonplace. This leads to the interesting ethical dilemma between the haves and the have-nots. If Joe Shmoe can get a cybernetic arm and double his job output, then how is the non-cyber Jane Shmoe supposed to compete? The game raises this neat philisophical dilemma... and then just doesn't do much with it. It's just window dressing. I kept waiting for the game to get back to that question, but it never really did. Oh, and the ending was eerily similar to that of Metal Gear Solid 4.<br />
<br />
<b>Gears of War 3 </b><br />
The gameplay was great, the best of the series. What I didn't like was that with the addition of four players (up from two) the fights devolved into a shooting gallery. The first two games limited you to main character Marcus Fenix (voiced by John DiMaggio, AKA Bender from <i>Futurama</i>) and his buddy Dom. This allowed great gameplay sequences where one player layed down cover while the other moved in and flanked the enemy. Each battle felt like real teamwork. Expanding the cast to four characters watered down the strategy and most fights just became a shooting gallery.<br />
<br />
Then there's the ending which not only includes the biggest damn Maguffin of all time, but also ruthlessly denies the player ANY explanation for all the questions they've been wondering. Let me just tell you what happens *spoilers - not like it really matters*: You ignite the magical Maguffin bomb that will kill all the bad guys but leave all the good guys alive (huh?) and then the character who's going to finally explain all those questions you have has a scene that goes like this: "Let me tell you the secret, the secret is... eerk" *drops dead*. Thanks for nothing Cliff Bleszinksi.<br />
<br />
<b>Year as a whole: </b><br />
I spent a good deal of the year going through backlog or playing through games a second time. I also spent a lot of time playing smaller indie games, like <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/yes-i-realize-its-already-march-but-i.html" target="_blank">Terraria</a>, <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/yes-i-realize-its-already-march-but-i.html" target="_blank">Bastion</a>, and games from the Pixeljunk series. The best game I played this year by far was Demon's Souls, which came out in 2009, but one that<a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/better-late-than-never-zrbos-favorite.html" target="_blank"> I showered with praise</a>.<br />
<br />
This year I'm most hyped for Halo 4, Borderlands 2, and perhaps most of all Bioshock: Infinite (with perhaps <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEBwKO4RFOU" target="_blank">the coolest looking demo</a> I've ever seen).Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-28310609742640068572012-03-12T11:28:00.000-07:002012-03-12T11:50:12.130-07:00Zrbo's Favorite Small Games of 2011Yes, I realize it's already March, but I still haven't gotten around to talking about my favorite games of 2011. Since there's so many good ones I want to talk about I've decided to split my favorites into two groups: the small games (usually by an 'indie' developer) and the big AAA titles (usually by large gaming studios). The following are my favorite small games of 2011.<br />
<br />
<b>Terraria (Re-Logic game studio)</b><br />
<b> </b> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpieHcS8V9ZyhQJTtFMRNkMiEze1j5jrcWBQJ0Lf71WYev2t1SIzz7tXgNxGX866fSgTBpm8ie531yXdYQJVi_XTX6qvucrKaRBxO3lLBaad0CS4dkfARbeA2-ccVMS23k-EC6J27jjAj/s1600/terraria-steam-wiki-600x343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpieHcS8V9ZyhQJTtFMRNkMiEze1j5jrcWBQJ0Lf71WYev2t1SIzz7tXgNxGX866fSgTBpm8ie531yXdYQJVi_XTX6qvucrKaRBxO3lLBaad0CS4dkfARbeA2-ccVMS23k-EC6J27jjAj/s320/terraria-steam-wiki-600x343.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This is a fantastic little game I bought during a Steam sale for $2.50, and it was well worth 10x that much. Have you heard of Minecraft? Well, Terraria is like a 2-D version of Minecraft, though that doesn't quite do it enough justice. Terraria is part of this new movement of crafting games, basically games in which you are given a large world to run around in in which you create (or <i>craft,</i> if you will) items, weapons, and buildings out of various materials found in the world. You start off in a randomly generated world with only an axe for chopping wood and a pickaxe for mining brick, and from there, well, you can do anything you want. You probably want to begin by chopping down trees to build a house so you can survive the denizens which come out during the night. From there you'll want to start mining underground to get materials to upgrade your pickaxe, and then explore a little bit further to find some new items, then explore a little bit farther to see what's over that nearby hill, then return and make your house bigger, then talk to that NPC who moved into your house, then start spelunking into the depths below... and around this time you realize you've become addicted to this little gem of a game.<br />
<br />
For a solid month I was addicted to my little Terraria world. What makes it work are the mild RPG elements they've added in, so there's always some newer, better armor or weapon that you can find or craft if you play just a little longer. The art style, with it's retro-16 bit sprite characters, combined with the quirky music, really makes the game shine. It's really amazing to look around online to see some of the structures people have built, which must have taken days, if not weeks, to complete (after spending hours just to construct my rinky-dink house I realize how much incredible effort must go into these). Check out <a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/07/13/10-incredible-terraria-creations/" target="_blank">some of these creations</a> here. A great little game all around.<br />
<br />
<b>Bastion (Supergiant Games)</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEc9AOxOdHW4gYWjUVviDx9eAtqxUL24iLQNav-qnMycDpOSeRo3yIx3RqbcTHVz8eQlpyRtj5pshA7-6m_mFRRrIH9jf6_JMLvM8jb34z1gfgFPsCV7tL8vBImP-urh439WeC2HPub9VM/s1600/16538__bastion-launch-trailer2-532x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEc9AOxOdHW4gYWjUVviDx9eAtqxUL24iLQNav-qnMycDpOSeRo3yIx3RqbcTHVz8eQlpyRtj5pshA7-6m_mFRRrIH9jf6_JMLvM8jb34z1gfgFPsCV7tL8vBImP-urh439WeC2HPub9VM/s320/16538__bastion-launch-trailer2-532x300.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Bastion is the main reason this post got held up, I picked it up over Christmas but just recently got around to finishing it. The first game from Supergiant Games studio (developed by my old favorite Gamespot editor-in-chief Greg Kasavin), Bastion has already walked away with a slew of game awards, and it's easy to see why.<br />
<br />
The game tells the story of 'the Kid' who wanders a sort of post-cataclysmic world looking for meaning. There are three points which make the game shine: the outstanding art design, the music, and most importantly, the narrator. The entire game is narrated, every action you do, every thing you see, it's all being narrated as if this were a story being told, and the narrator is brilliant. He sounds like an aging black man from Louisiana, speaking with a mild drawl. Combined with the hand drawn world and the way the land "rises up" as you walk around, Supergiant Games created something really special here. The best way to describe it is to show it, so <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX48y24t9iU" target="_blank">watch the trailer here</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZAuKkv4eZE#t=00m55s" target="_blank">some gameplay here</a> to get an idea of what I'm talking about.<br />
<br />
I mentioned the music, which is also worth checking out. The musical score itself is neat, with many of the tunes combining twangy acoustic guitars with electro-clash (there's<a href="http://kotaku.com/5871695/the-best-game-music-of-2011-bastion" target="_blank"> a great article here</a> with some snippets worth listening to), but what really takes the cake are the songs "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8cELTdtw6U" target="_blank">Build that Wall (Zia's theme)</a>", "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlfUcnSbKDA&feature=related" target="_blank">Mother, I'm Here (Zulf's theme)</a>", and "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDflVhOpS4E&feature=related" target="_blank">Setting Sail (Coming Home)</a>" which is a fantastic mashup of those first two songs and which even brought a tear to my eye as it played over the final credits. This is a must play game (and like Terraria is also available on Steam for those PC players out there).<br />
<br />
<b>Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (Namco Bandai)</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuFIz0XNzpvam5z356a5Rsb4UsRLRfpCDq51uWGVuuCCVp_2K2VcCfxfeAJwA2aeBA9EI24pUa43vIupKQwnkg5mpjSAa3nFM0iHRsbSTZGlzY0gJDd8ZL9MH_ksx6sWDxG9dqs-COSmo/s1600/pac-man-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuFIz0XNzpvam5z356a5Rsb4UsRLRfpCDq51uWGVuuCCVp_2K2VcCfxfeAJwA2aeBA9EI24pUa43vIupKQwnkg5mpjSAa3nFM0iHRsbSTZGlzY0gJDd8ZL9MH_ksx6sWDxG9dqs-COSmo/s320/pac-man-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Could the best small game of 2011 be a successor to a thirty-plus year old ur-videogame? It just may be. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, a follow up to 2007's Pac-Man Championship Edition, is truly a marvel, a perfect example of how to update an aging concept and make it completely fresh. In this version of the iconic franchise, Pac-Man roams the board gobbling pellets as usual, but this time there are many, many ghosts on the board, and they're all asleep. As Pac-Man goes by each sleeping ghost, those ghosts wake up and begin pursuing Pac-Man. You can keep accruing a following of ghosts, I've had more than a hundred in one game, before eating the big yellow pellet and turning around and eating all those delicious purple ghosts. It's so terribly satisfying.<br />
<br />
What makes the game work is the way the board keeps changing. Whenever you've cleared one side of the board (left or right) a bit of fruit appears on the other side. Eating this fruit causes the cleared side to 'warp' and change into a new configuration, complete with new ghosts and pellets. Each successive transformation causes the speed to ratchet up a notch, which can eventually lead to Pac-Man moving faster than you've ever seen him move before (at top speed it's ludicrously fast). To top if off, they've given Pac-Man some electro/club music accompaniment which gives the whole game a terrific sense of style. Combined with a flashy Tron-like color saturation and it feels like you're playing Pac-Man in some exclusive nightclub.<br />
<br />
As with Bastion, the best way to highlight how the game works is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d53XwhPfRCI" target="_blank">to watch some gameplay video</a> (skip to late in the video to see how stupidly fast it gets too). The game gives you a smorgasbord of different levels/maps to play on and a ton of different game types, all or which are constantly being doled out to the player as they complete levels, thus giving the game a nearly endless amount of replayability. While the game technically came out in 2010 I didn't have the chance to play it until last summer. Regardless, it just may be my favorite small game of 2011 (though Bastion is a very close second).<br />
<br />
That's it! Stay tuned as I'll be putting up my list of favorite big games sometime soon.Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-36729346280268097392011-12-20T13:52:00.000-08:002012-10-30T11:32:22.782-07:00Zrbo's 5 Favorite Songs Of The Year<i>Can you guess which one isn't from 2011?</i><br />
<br />
Here we are again folks, the end of another year means it's time to start rolling out the 'best-of' lists. Let's take a walk down memory lane to see what songs I most enjoyed from the past year. These might not necessarily be the <i>best</i> songs of the year, just the ones I found myself listening to again and again. I guarantee at least one surprise.<br />
<br />
<b>Lady Gaga - "The Edge of Glory"</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QeWBS0JBNzQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Ok, so I like Lady Gaga, can you really fault me? After all, I was somewhat obsessed with Madonna about a decade ago, and since Lady Gaga is basically the modern day equivalent (<a href="http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/64490850.html" target="_blank">though don't tell that to Gaga apparently</a>) you can see why I might like her. Though <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/nail-on-head.html" target="_blank">I didn't find</a> her newest album to be as good as I had hoped, I've still managed to find myself liking at least a few of the new songs, <i>The Edge of Glory</i> being one. I first heard this song when Lady Gaga <a href="http://youtu.be/9fEZRnOV63w" target="_blank">performed it on American Idol</a> while wearing some sort of amazonian inspired headdress while perched on top of a giant wall making love to some dancer/model before committing mock suicide (sounds about right). The song starts innocently enough, but really gets good once she starts ratcheting up the intensity with "I'm on the edge with you.. <i>with you... WITH YOU!!!</i>". Throw in some deliciously 80s sax courtesy of the late Clarence Clemons right before he passed away, and you have a great little pop song. Surprisingly, this isn't really one of my favorite LG videos, I prefer to just listen to it, but here's the fairly tame video for your viewing pleasure.<br />
<br />
<b>Michael McCann - "Icarus"</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZiN6t7K7txw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<br />
It's well established here that I'm a big videogame fan, so here's the obligatory videogame bit. Taken from this year's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/deus-ex-human-revolution/reviews/deus-ex-human-revolution-review-6330172?tag=summary%3Bread-review" target="_blank">Deus Ex: Human Revolution</a>, sequel to one of the greatest games of all time, <i>Icarus</i> is just a fantastic bit of cyberpunk inspired music that still manages to send chills down my spine every time I hear it. The music just oozes style, perfectly fitting the technological dystopia of the near future found in the game. It might also help that I'm currently reading <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash" target="_blank">Snow Crash</a>. Best part - I haven't even gotten around to playing the game yet.<br />
<br />
<b>Sergio Mendes - "Alibis"</b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/tfXnoi5bKTs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<br />
I mean this completely un-ironically. Ever since fellow blogger Little Earl <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/80s-tape-tracks-7-12.html" target="_blank">posted this song in his 80s mix tape series</a> I've had this song inexplicably stuck in my noggin. Sure, it's definitely not from 2011, but it doesn't mean that a 25+ year old gem can't sneak it's way onto the list. It's just deliciously infectious without needing all that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war" target="_blank">signal processing</a> that's meant to get your attention, and Joe Pizzulo's voice is so, so smooth. To top it off, this video is such a great relic from a different time. I've constantly found myself singing this song out loud as I go about my daily business. Damn, I might have to go listen to it again right now.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>VNV Nation - "Space & Time"</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLiNr57387k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
It's a year in which a new VNV Nation came out; ergo, a VNV track must appear in my list. The lead off track from VNV Nation's album <i>Automatic</i>, this song is so very quintessentially VNV while also managing to be something very different. There's the inclusion of electro-harpsichords, Ronan Harris' voice is more 'punchier' than ever (it sounds like he's eating that opening line), and there's even the vaguest hint of something approaching dubstep during the break (without delving into it so much as to sound like he's riding the fad). All in all, a great track from a great album.<br />
<br />
And the winner is...(drumroll)...<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Within Temptation - "Faster"</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='380' height='310' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0yO6yPD5DfA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
When I first heard this song earlier this year I literally (not figuratively) stopped in disbelief at what I was hearing. This was Within Temptation, the same symphonic metal band I had heard back in the early 2000s when I was living in Germany - the band that had that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reGlno9aUpw" target="_blank">hokey looking Pagan-metal aesthetic</a>? I wasn't even aware they were still around. The only song of theirs I still listened to was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ru84WSabN4" target="_blank">their cover</a> of Kate Bush's <i>Running up that Hill</i> (also with the hokey Pagan-metal aesthetic). Now here they were with a video that actually looked professionally made and sounded good - <i>really</i> good.<br />
<br />
A little Internet research later I learned that not only is Within Temptation still around, but they've become the biggest musical export out of the Netherlands (what does that say about a country's music when their most popular band does metal - imagine them nestled up there on the chart next to Beyonce and Kanye).<br />
<br />
Apparently in the intervening years since I left Europe they've been working hard, pushing out a slew of albums. Their latest album, <i>The Unforgiving</i>, is actually pretty damn good. They took their sound in a more mainstream direction, something that I think works greatly to their benefit. It's also a dreaded concept album with characters and a plot, complete with an entire comic book (sorry, <i>graphic novel</i>) <a href="http://www.within-temptation.com/comic/" target="_blank">series</a> penned by some actual known guys in the biz. I've watched the entire accompanying short film that goes along with the album and it isn't terribly good. But this song, <i>Faster</i>, just rocks my socks off.<br />
<br />
Sounding like it should be featured during the credits of some Jerry Bruckheimer film accompanied by explosions, <i>Faster</i> not only rocks, but the video looks good too. Lead singer Sharon den Adel is just an amazing bombshell to look at (can you believe she just finished two back-to-back pregnancies?), with gorgeous eyes the likes which haven't been seen since <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHngF_b3NuE#t=02m47s" target="_blank">Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles</a>. Where on earlier albums her voice could occasionally sound shrill (waif metal? - did I just invent a new genre?), here she sounds much more confident and sultry. You can't even detect a hint of a Dutch accent, almost like she's been taking vocal lessons from a country music artist.<br />
<br />
An energizing rocker all around, this one is great to listen to while driving, though a little dangerous. It's my top pick for 2011.<br />
<br />
<b>Runners-up:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0" target="_blank">Rebecca Black - Friday</a>: It's like an anti-song parody of everything wrong with pop music nowadays, yet it's somehow stupidly infectious.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISMyCIsrxPc" target="_blank">VNV Nation - Streamline</a>: I initially thought this song was a bit of filler, but it's grown on me more than any other song on <i>Automatic</i>. Everything after the first chorus is sheer bliss.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUuInD9HLaE" target="_blank">Within Temptation - Sinead</a>: Here's WT doing what's essentially a dance song, far removed from anything metal. I love the concept for this video - they're the band playing in
the nightclub where a scene from the album's story is taking place.<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-67237110000251554512011-10-27T12:36:00.000-07:002011-10-27T12:57:18.646-07:00The Beatles: Rock Band Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifwiC2E6vJd4R1ecMtfTsbG8BIkFgtBMUe16sDK0B47XmowvJr8yR8khOuDbpuS2EQwQelurW1fEaXeARCqENzDQIqLiQOXqTmItbKr1_uzuSN26cQeG84ID10usTXYvcsHMw1_4Jn7Kt/s1600/rock-band-beatles-gameplay3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifwiC2E6vJd4R1ecMtfTsbG8BIkFgtBMUe16sDK0B47XmowvJr8yR8khOuDbpuS2EQwQelurW1fEaXeARCqENzDQIqLiQOXqTmItbKr1_uzuSN26cQeG84ID10usTXYvcsHMw1_4Jn7Kt/s400/rock-band-beatles-gameplay3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The Beatles were inarguably ahead of their time. As fellow blogger Little Earl used to remind me often, nearly all modern pop music has it's roots in what The Beatles did. Psychadelia? Check. Hard Rock? Check. Electronica? Check. Perhaps the only thing The Beatles didn't invent was dubstep. Indeed, they really forged new musical ground that continues to be explored to this day. It's too bad then that The Beatles: Rock Band comes well after it's time. That is meant as a great compliment - let me explain.<br />
<br />
The videogame genre that's come to be known as the "music rhythm" genre began with the original Guitar Hero back in 2005. It soon developed a cult following, and with the release of Guitar Hero II a year later, seemed to explode in popularity. It became <i>the</i> party game, with friends lining up to take their turn on a plastic guitar. Through this plastic guitar with brightly colored buttons, players were expected to play along with a song by hitting the corresponding colored buttons as they were shown on screen. It was an elaborate karaoke of sorts, providing the thrill of being a guitar god without having to actually deal with the incredible difficulty of actually having to master true guitarmanship.<br />
<br />
Soon a competitor came along in the form of Rock Band. Now people could play as a whole band, with plastic guitars, basses, drum kits, and microphones. Rock Band was definitely a step forward and took itself ever so slightly more serious than the Guitar Hero series. It was also around this time that the music rhythm genre began to become oversaturated. More and more versions kept being knocked out to bring in more cash: Guitar Hero 80s edition, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (complete with virtual G&R Slash as a playable character), Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Guitar Hero: Van Halen. These were all quick cash-ins, usually with little to no input by the featured artists, often featuring songs that supposedly 'inspired' the artist (seriously, a Foo Fighters song in Guitar Hero: Metallica, WTF!?).<br />
<br />
Finally, in 2009, came word that The Beatles had given the Rock Band franchise permission to do a Rock Band version of The Beatles. Only this time things would be different, the surviving Beatles (and Yoko, don't forget Yoko) would have direct control on what was to be featured and how it all would be presented. They even went so far as to insist that their name be featured <i>before</i> the familiar Rock Band title, and thus we ended up with the magnificent The Beatles: Rock Band.<br />
<br />
It's such a terrible shame then that The Beatles: Rock Band (TB:RB) was one of the last specific-band music games to come out. If only it had been the first, all the other titles would have benefited greatly, because the design of TB:RB is fantastic. Everything about the game screams quality.<br />
<br />
The art style is superb, with cartoony looking versions of the fab four that have a somewhat whimsical look about them, apparently crafted under strict guidance from Apple Corps. (actually the whole game seems to have been strictly overseen by them, whoever 'they' are). The presentation is fantastic, taking you on a chronological journey, starting you off playing in the Cavern Club, to the Ed Sullivan show and all places inbetween, ending up on the roof of the Apple Corps. rooftop. For songs recorded at Abbey Road the game has added in "dreamscape" venues, with abstract whimsical nods to various songs (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6VhRFrZqDg">watch this</a> to get what I mean).<br />
<br />
This chronological progression really lets you see how the band progressed musically. The songs performed in the Cavern Club feel much more raw and live than the later tracks performed at Abbey Road studios which feel much more processed and musically dense. This is all helped by the various photos and short movies that you unlock as you progress. Some, if not most of these short movies are never before seen snippets and outtakes from various performances, movies, and interviews, though Little Earl would have to be the final judge on just how rare these really are.<br />
<br />
TB:RB feels more than just a game, it's like an interactive history lesson that lets you play along. I feel like I actually learned stuff about The Beatles that I didn't previously know (like how the white album doesn't have more than two songs in a row sung by any given member). Ok, it's not going to wow a true afficianado, but for someone uneducated in Beatles lore, it offers a terrific overview of what The Beatles were about.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh415J9_mi442ozB4e3PZsj5AJii6K-ReZIMlMwYu227F_d_njo0ui3zh1jR5U-jCQgnut6TaUJO0uXVNLkNc7OVEDTK_8pLiUbUoqmk4Ld-KfaktuXA40YUnH0wxTs7MjWmOG20Og5FLM9/s1600/Stage-the-beatles-rock-band-11313283-1280-960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh415J9_mi442ozB4e3PZsj5AJii6K-ReZIMlMwYu227F_d_njo0ui3zh1jR5U-jCQgnut6TaUJO0uXVNLkNc7OVEDTK_8pLiUbUoqmk4Ld-KfaktuXA40YUnH0wxTs7MjWmOG20Og5FLM9/s320/Stage-the-beatles-rock-band-11313283-1280-960.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>It's like an interactive history lesson that let's you play along</i></span></div>
<br />
There's all sorts of little details that make this package work. Like when you pick a song to play, in the first few seconds before the song plays there's audio of the band warming up to play the song, with perhaps a few practice chords or John muttering to someone to turn an amp up. Or how between each musical venue a short montage plays showing you some famous scenes and audio snippets to show what the band was up to. Perhaps the most impressive is the opening to the game, with an amazingly done montage that takes you through the full gamut of The Beatles (seriously, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFulcbGzaZ8&feature=related">I could watch this</a> a hundred times and still enjoy it).<br />
<br />
Overall The Beatles: Rock Band is superb package. I haven't even yet mentioned that the game supports not only the typical Rock Band staples such as guitar, bass, and drums, but the game allows for two microphones to be hooked up for vocal harmonies. My only disappointment with this game is that I wish it had been <i>even more</i> of a history lesson. As it is there's only something like eight short movies that you can unlock, I would have been fine with twice as much. But really, there's not much to complain about. It's just such as shame that this game came out in late 2009 after the music rhythm genre had already reached saturation, which resulted in poor sales. If this had come out earlier it could have laid the foundation for all sorts of music-games-as-history-lessons. Imagine a Pink Floyd: Rock Band, or Nirvana: Rock Band. Instead the only thing to come out since is... Green Day: Rock Band, ugh. Well, one can dream, but in the meantime I've gotta get back to my game and see if I can earn my 5 stars on Helter Skelter. 5/5 Zrbo points.<br />
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-86700964834645124852011-07-28T11:20:00.000-07:002011-08-10T12:23:26.787-07:00Better Late than Never: Zrbo's Favorite Game of 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1LP9xHrN7r-vgLxVSzcfLYbiRDG90_GnNGpG7_geoptomm1HgehlnyVlN4hZpJSuqrkZlHVZyudBp4mA3eU4glg9jtS8lHbkVWPSfQvLZCGeLRfi-J7FDL2d5k9EyHD_-Ddxxt3MV-cU/s1600/demonssouls580main2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1LP9xHrN7r-vgLxVSzcfLYbiRDG90_GnNGpG7_geoptomm1HgehlnyVlN4hZpJSuqrkZlHVZyudBp4mA3eU4glg9jtS8lHbkVWPSfQvLZCGeLRfi-J7FDL2d5k9EyHD_-Ddxxt3MV-cU/s320/demonssouls580main2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639304705136336146" border="0" /></a>This post was originally going to update my list of favorite games of 2009 when I discovered that I had never actually made a post detailing those games. So think of this as a lost post that should have been posted a year and a half ago... if I had actually gotten around to playing my now favorite game of 2009 back then.
<br />
<br />And the winner is... Demon's Souls! Ah, Demon's Souls, how did I not notice you back when you arrived to critical acclaim at the tail end of 2009? Even my go-to videogame review site, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/rpg/demonssoul/review.html?tag=summary%3Bread-review">Gamespot</a>, gave it the 2009 Game of the Year award and I <span style="font-style: italic;">still</span> paid little-to-no attention to this wonderful, wonderful gem of a game.
<br />
<br />Perhaps I didn't pay much attention to (or chose to ignore) Demon's Souls because of the reviews. The reviews were all extremely positive, but they all said the same thing: that the game is brutally difficult. And it is. Make no mistake, this is not some videogame-as-art kind of game, this is truly a gamer's game.
<br />
<br />What makes the game so difficult? Well, to begin with, Demon's Souls eschews many facets of modern game design that have become the norm. Take the simple concept of the checkpoint. In most games the game is constantly saving your progress in the background, so that when you die you lose a few minutes of time and are usually placed near the beginning of the encounter that got you killed. Demon's Souls dumps this concept and makes it so that if you die you have to start the ENTIRE level over again, with all the enemies back in place. Not only that, but the game punishes you further by cutting your life bar in half when you die and by making you lose all of the souls (i.e., experience points) you've acquired unless you make it back to the place where you died and touch your bloodstain on the ground to retrieve your collected souls.
<br />
<br />While that's usually the most cited reason for difficulty in Demon's Souls, there's certainly other ways the developer's have gone out of their way to make life difficult. Get this: the game does not include a pause option - as in you can't stop the game. Enemies will often be waiting in hiding and you can't see them until it's too late. If you do manage to survive to the end of the level and make it to the boss, you will find an absolutely cunning foe that requires all the skills you've learned to stay alive. And if you die during the boss fight, well it's back to the beginning of the level again.
<br />
<br />So why would anyone go through with this torture? Well, for starters, the gameplay is just fantastic. Your character always responds to each press of the button, and the flow of combat, block, thrust, parry, block, stab, is so well honed and refined. What makes it so rewarding is that when you mess up and die from an attack it's always <span style="font-style: italic;">your</span> error. Rarely will you have the problem of "WTF, I hit the button and my character didn't respond!". The combat mechanics work, and work well. It's just such a pleasure to engage in combat, learning all the subtle nuances of blocking, parrying, and swinging a sword around.
<br />
<br />Another reason why the game is so fantastic is the multiplayer system. It's not however your typical multiplayer system. In Demon's Souls you play in your own world, but you can see the ghosts of other people playing in their world. This helps alleviate the lonely eerieness and sense of isolation as you wander around imposing castles, caves, and the like. Seeing someone's ghost running around gives you a sense of comfort knowing that someone else in a parallel world is going through the same tribulations.
<br />
<br />The game makes a really wonderful use of these ghosts through the use of bloodstains. Occasionally you will stumble upon a bloodstain on the ground. When you touch it a red ghost pops up and reenacts the last few moments of another player's life so you can see how they died (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQrmeAJJONk">watch this for an example</a>). This is extremely useful in such an unforgivingly brutal world. You approach a blind corner, see a bloodstain on the ground and decide to touch it. A red ghost appears, runs around the blind corner, and then moments later comes running back only to keel over and die. That lets you know that there's <span style="font-style: italic;">something</span> waiting around the corner. It's an absolutely brilliant mechanic, in that it can forewarn you about something without having the developer's resort to a sign or an NPC saying "hey you need to be careful ahead".
<br />
<br />In addition to the bloodstain feature is a system in which other players can leave short messages scrawled on the ground that give you hints as to what to expect. It might say "Beware of the enemy ambush ahead" giving you yet another leg up. Coupled with this a recommendation system where you can recommend a message if you find it useful. The more people who recommend a message, the more likely it is to remain there, and every time someone recommends one of your messages you get a small health boost. It's an ingeniously wonderful system.
<br />
<br />I haven't even begun to talk about the game world itself. It's a bleak, imposing world that marries elements of horror with traditional fantasy/Tolkien tropes. All the names have a decidedly Eastern European flavor to them (Boletaria, Vingard, etc.), plus there's a bit of Lovecraftian horror going on (such as the final boss known as 'the Great Old One' who looks suspiciously Cthulhu-esque). The various bosses have equally imposing names: The Adjudicator, Dirty Colossus, Maneater, Maiden Astraea, The Old Hero. The design of the various castles and settings really does evoke a sort of foggy-streets-of-Prague-at-night feeling. Overall, it's a wonderfully terrific atmosphere that further adds to the feeling of misery and gloom.
<br />
<br />So, there you have it. Demon's Souls is a fantastic game that ignores traditional game mechanisms while bringing some wonderfully new mechanics along. When you finally manage to make your way through a forbidding castle, careful every step of the way, and manage to defeat the boss at the end, the game truly makes you feel a sense of accomplishment few other games can achieve. It's not hard for me to say that Demon's Souls is not only my favorite game of 2009, but one of my favorite games of all time.
<br />Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-57695904930694114912011-05-10T13:51:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:48:48.394-07:00Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream, 2010)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83yZ7pGDGqxNrI6fFYJ2Ip0uYmgUYFCw9jYHcokDW7OqXkzM0HQUcZeLvdQBp-DuuiyxFYGmgbSqCyEbRPtuKWYM6YEh0yq5-aiJTdRAsoLmDOWVZC0ct8883IjXCq0ilYOpYAnBELp2j/s1600/heavy-rain.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83yZ7pGDGqxNrI6fFYJ2Ip0uYmgUYFCw9jYHcokDW7OqXkzM0HQUcZeLvdQBp-DuuiyxFYGmgbSqCyEbRPtuKWYM6YEh0yq5-aiJTdRAsoLmDOWVZC0ct8883IjXCq0ilYOpYAnBELp2j/s320/heavy-rain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605194568346352306" border="0" /></a>I'm here to review Heavy Rain, a game for the Playstation 3 I just finished playing and one that I'm not sure exactly what to say about. To begin with, it's been marketed as a new type of videogame storytelling, one where your actions in the game influence the outcome of events in ways never thought possible before in videogaming. The makers call it, perhaps somewhat pretentiously, "interactive cinema". To add weight to this lofty ambition, the developers, Quantic Dream, have gone all out in the CGI department, using motion capture to create highly detailed characters that at times look almost real (check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WprIQc6mIo4">the original E3 2006 demo</a>). It's all quite a large feat, and Quantic Dream, well, they <span style="font-style: italic;">kind of</span> pull it off, but not quite.<br /><br />Remember in the past when people thought up the idea of interactive movies, where the audience would be watching a film, and when prompted, decide what a character should do next by pressing a button and inputting their choice? Except no one wanted to do this - you go to the movies to be immersed and entertained, not asked what you want the protagonist to do next. Well, this interactivity is at the crux of Heavy Rain, and it actually manages to work, perhaps because the player is the sole decision maker. In this sense it vaguely resembles an old Choose-your-own-adventure book.<br /><br />Heavy Rain is a murder/mystery story revolving around a handful of characters, each with their own motivations and desires, on the hunt for the elusive 'Origami Killer'. The killer kidnaps children who are then found dead a few days later drowned in water holding an origami figure in their hands. It makes for a great setup, and the characters are fairly believable and fit the story well. The story opens with a prologue with you playing as the main protagonist Ethan, a father of two children. One day one of your boys gets killed due to some slight negligence on Ethan's part. The game then shifts forward a few years where we find Ethan has become a distraught wreck, divorced from his wife, living in regret over his first son's death. Soon, his second son gets kidnapped by the Origami Killer, setting in motion the events of the game.<br /><br />It's an intriguing story, as Ethan's desire to find his boy is made all the more urgent considering he's already lost one of his children. Other playable characters include a comely journalist, an aging private investigator, and an FBI agent.<br /><br />The other aspect that makes the game unique is the control scheme. Done away with are standard button mapping concepts such as "Hit A to jump", instead each action your character performs is determined by an onscreen prompt that guides you in how to perform a specific action. While difficult to explain in text, it works ingeniously well as the button presses become proportionally difficult to the task at hand. It also adds a sense of bonding with each character that doesn't usually occur in a game,<br /><br />Heavy Rain has many terrific moments. Playing as Ethan, the Origami Killer begins sending you messages. These messages outline tasks Ethan must do if he wishes to save his son. Some are straight out of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Saw</span> series of movies (though it should be noted that the game is primarily a whodunnit and not a horror flick), and since you are carrying out the action using approximate button presses, it makes the action that much more visceral and exciting. In one of my favorite sequences, Ethan is told by the killer that he must drive for five miles going the wrong way on the freeway. It's an intensely exciting experience, one that had me jumping out of my seat as I struggled to keep control of the car and not hit any oncoming traffic (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh61Dx8NtIw">watch it here</a>).<br /><br />This leads into the next interesting mechanic that Heavy Rain offers. Your characters can die. And you don't get to start the scene over. So if one of the characters doesn't make it, their plotline is finished, they won't have anything else to contribute to the rest of the game. This ties in neatly with the choose-your-own-adventure feel of the game, leading to branching stories and scenes that may or may not occur depending on your actions. Luckily I managed to keep everyone alive and got an appropriately rewarding ending, though it should be noted that none of the endings are considered 'the right' or 'best' ending.<br /><br />However, the game has many, many faults. To begin with, it's a slow start. The first third of the game is a bore, as you learn the basics of the control scheme through such mundane tasks as brushing your teeth or making a sandwich.<br /><br />Second, Quantic Dream is a French company and they used all French voice actors. Sure, many of them have terrific American accents, but frequently the French accent slips through, ruining the sense that I'm supposed to be a grizzled P.I. in Philadelphia. This is most notable with the character Lauren and Ethan's two sons, who just sound so, so, French.<br /><br />The game suffers from some pretty large plotholes as well. A major recurring plot point that strongly suggests Ethan has something to do with his own child's kidnapping is glaringly never resolved. Near the end of the game, once the plot begins to come together, you'll find that suddenly characters who have never met suddenly know each other. This is a major distraction from an otherwise intriguing story.<br /><br />My final grievance comes from the fact that the identity of the Origami Killer always remains the same. I was under the impression that depending on how you played, the identity of the Killer would be different, that way each playthrough would be truly unique. Alas, this is not so, and it somewhat undermines the fundemental idea that your actions determine the outcome. Additionally, the actual final identity of the Killer is a bit of a cop-out and a let down.<br /><br />So what do I really think of the game? I loved the control scheme, and I enjoyed the branching narratives and different ways the action can be played out in each scene. I would love to see another game like this made with the same controls and choose-your-own-adventure style of storytelling, but one done with voice actors who actually sounded like they were supposed to, and one where the plot made more sense. There's a lot of potential here to create more engaging, meaningful stories, someone just needs to figure out how to make it all work.<div><br /></div>Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-28957065294468992872011-03-01T13:52:00.000-08:002011-03-12T15:56:30.792-08:00Zrbo's Favorite Games of 2010, Part 3<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mass Effect 2 (Bioware)</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9niQ8xaSQPPbXNgtQwcb3A0NJQih45OC6Idz1MGVNE7EvSnKvfiIxNf5j7YwNoLkRgN682oM4f6dNNpTpYbYq3acP2gQ_5_Bs-U7KHW_M2suz4pQfvtFqwj3zLiA5HBZhPUeND0_TmtZ/s1600/illusive+man.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9niQ8xaSQPPbXNgtQwcb3A0NJQih45OC6Idz1MGVNE7EvSnKvfiIxNf5j7YwNoLkRgN682oM4f6dNNpTpYbYq3acP2gQ_5_Bs-U7KHW_M2suz4pQfvtFqwj3zLiA5HBZhPUeND0_TmtZ/s320/illusive+man.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579233264578169730" border="0" /></a>Here it is, my final favorite game of 2010. Mass Effect 2 is a sequel to 2007's Mass Effect. Developed by Bioware, the Mass Effect universe is perhaps one of the most original and exciting new sci-fi universes to emerge out of the videogame soup in the past few years, one entirely devoid of Space Marines. The universe of Mass Effect is a highly developed one where complex relationships between various characters and species helps to create a truly believable universe.<br /><br />The Mass Effect series is interesting in that often your character is given choices which can dramatically effect events later in the game. The sequel takes this even further by taking your save file from the original Mass Effect (considering you completed it) and carrying over that file to the new game, along with all the choices you made.<div><br /></div><div>I thought this was a fascinating feat, as so many little decisions (and big ones) you made in the first game have relevance in the sequel. For example, without giving too much away, you have the choice in the first game to sacrifice one of your overly aggressive teammates. In the sequel there's an entire plotline, quite an important one at that, that revolves around this character. In my first game I let the teammate live, but in a different game if I had let him die then this entire plotline would not have been there for me to explore in the sequel, or at least it would have been dramatically different. This is part of what makes the Mass Effect games so interesting, each game is entirely your own game, no one else's Mass Effect universe looks quite the same as your own due to a culmination of your decisions.<div><br /><div>Another aspect of what makes the Mass Effect universe interesting is that, unlike in much sci-f where humans are the dominant species exploring the universe (think Star Trek), here humanity has arrived late to the party while other spacefaring races have had several hundred, if not thousands, of years to grow, develop, and conquer. This means that there are all sorts of technologies, fueds, and relationships that are available for exploration.</div><div><br /></div><div>What puts this universe a step ahead of other sci-fi is how just <span style="font-style: italic;">how well</span> these ideas have been thought out. The original Mass Effect (and also featured in the sequel) featured an in-game codex, essentially an encyclopedia, of everything relating to the universe. Not only is each codex entry expertly written, but the explanations are all plausibly scientific for nearly every conceivable facet of space-travel. To top it off they gave these entries narration, so that you can listen to them being read. The voice actor they choice delivers the information so well that it actually made it a joy to listen to all of the scientific rationale for how space ships have gravity or can travel faster-than-light (example <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVvvN3csi_g">here</a>).<br /></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>So what makes Mass Effect 2 fall short for my game of the year? To understand that we have to look at the changes that were made between the two games. The biggest difference is that the combat has been completely overhauled from the first game. It's much more exciting and visceral now. The designers also stripped away most of the inventory management, and the exploration of individual planets. Basically Bioware stripped the game almost entirely of it's role-playing game elements. I don't mean this in the literal sense, you are definitely still "playing a role", but all those other elements that make up RPGs, such as inventory and stat management have been almost completely removed.</div><div><br /></div><div>While this does streamline the combat and the overall feel of the game, I felt that as a consequence the developers were left with no way of resolving conflict outside of combat. So now instead of being able to influence some outcome through wits, you are now left with just the option of shooting your way through various encounters. The game focuses now more on action than on cerebral choices.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which leads to my second point. Many of the choices in the first game felt more complex, more meaningful. For example, near the end of the first game you have to choose the two teammates who will accompany you on the mission. Later you get separated and have to make the decision to stay with one to help fight off the approaching enemy or go rescue the other from certain death. Either way somebody dies, and it can be a tough, tough decision to make. In Mass Effect 2 the decisions just don't seem to have the same impact. They come across more like "Do you want to eat a burrito or a taco?" (ok, not really, but you get my point). There's just something <i>lacking</i> in the emotional investment you have when making these decisions. Now this could all be rectified depending on how these decisions play out in the conclusion when Mass Effect 3 ships (this year supposedly), but for the time being I was left feeling a wee bit disappointed.</div><div><br /></div><div>There's a few other issues I have with the game that don't need a lot of detail but I'll rattle them off here quickly. Some of the new teammates are brilliantly conceived, such as your lizard-man doctor Mordin (who you can <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxrO5-HPIAw&playnext=1&list=PL4CAFF9BED13F66A7">get to sing a little Gilbert & Sullivan</a> if you know how). Others, such as Thane or the Justicar are not as well thought out and on my second playthrough I realized just how downright silly/cartoony some of these characters came across.</div><div><br /></div><div>There was a part where I arrived at a spaceport and there were literally four minor characters from the first game all standing in the same area who all said virtually the same thing ("Hey remember me, you rescued me way back at the beginning of the first game, it's great to run into you again!"). This gave me a bit of that "small-universe" feeling, not only do I just happen to bump into this person out of the billions of people in the entire galaxy, but there just happens to be three other people who I know all standing around in the same area? I was definitely reminded here that I was merely playing a game at this moment.</div><div><br /></div><div>My final grievance is with the story itself. The game was billed as the dark second chapter of the Mass Effect story (the developers pretty much called it the 'Empire Strikes Back' of the story), but almost the entirety of the game was devoted to waltzing around the galaxy recruiting new teammates, with a short 'final confrontation' at the end. I also found the beginning of the game puzzling, you basically get killed right at the beginning of the game and then are brought back to life by a shadowy pro-human group (led by 'The Illusive Man' pictured above and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euLqcYrCMy8">voiced terrifically</a> by Martin Sheen). It seemed to me one big contrivance/excuse to 'reboot' your character. The whole thing felt a little off to me. It would be like if the infamous part where Vader tells Luke he's his father happened at the beginning of Return of the Jedi, rather than the end of Empire. If the writers wanted to do this, why didn't they have you die at the end of the first game?</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it. No one game gets my vote for game of the year, but all three games together, Halo: Reach, Limbo, and Mass Effect 2, form a pretty good core of great games. Now, I promised honorable mentions, so here they are:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Red Dead Redemption</b> - This was practically every other reviewer's game of the year. It's by the makers of Grand Theft Auto but instead of taking place in a modern day city, it takes place in the Wild West. With a huge world to explore it captured the mood of all your favorite westerns and let you play as the cowboy. It had a truly great atmosphere but I just cannot forgive the actual gameplay, which was just awful in my opinion. Sorry, but this is a game, and for it to be considered good you gotta give me good gameplay.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Alan Wake</b> - A psychological thriller about a horror novel writer who, in the middle of a bout of writer's block, decides to vacation with his wife in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Part Twin Peaks, part Stephen King novel, the game does not try to hide its inspirations (King is mentioned <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4YRctghLOk">in the opening line of the game</a>). It was a pretty good game, and the narration by Alan Wake is excellent, but I never felt spooked or particularly 'psychologically thrilled'.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Bioshock 2</b> - The original Bioshock is one of my favorite games of this console generation. The sequel takes the Ayn Rand objectivist dystopia of the first game and now has it run by a collectivism-worshipping psychiatrist. The gameplay was great and it was fun to visit the underwater ruins of Rapture again, but the game was completely unnecessary, the first game told a complete story, there was no need for a sequel.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's it for this time, see you in a year!</div><div><br /></div>Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-19578429828308391982011-02-07T13:53:00.000-08:002011-02-09T19:58:27.073-08:00Zrbo's Favorite Games of 2010, Part 2<span style="font-weight: bold;">Limbo (Playdead Studios)</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2HTo4dNCpSM70lzEf38gzJ9WNismlSqnn1M3be1qS2p3o_rR-4aZCP-073xrElJ3thD3SexrSU6QzKC0YdGIOp3YU8RpakKZE5Goj8-78pC_R6FZY2PhPTqpRGPKQLK3QZ-DiFh5bsy2/s1600/limbo05.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2HTo4dNCpSM70lzEf38gzJ9WNismlSqnn1M3be1qS2p3o_rR-4aZCP-073xrElJ3thD3SexrSU6QzKC0YdGIOp3YU8RpakKZE5Goj8-78pC_R6FZY2PhPTqpRGPKQLK3QZ-DiFh5bsy2/s320/limbo05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571069692564137410" border="0" /></a>My second contender for my not-quite-game-of-the-year is Limbo, a downloadable game from the Danish studio 'Playdead Studios', a most fitting name for a game about a young boy trying to survive somewhere between life and death.<br /><br />You play as a young boy who wakes up alone in a black-and-white forest. You are looking for your sister. There's something other-wordly about the place you are in... like you are in some sort of limbo. The game uses no text to explain anything to you, there's no dialogue, and the sound design is utterly superb in that there's virtually no music, with the game relying only on natural-sounding effects, such as the sound of rushing water or the wind rustling in the trees. Only later in the game does a little music pick up, and when it does, you hardly even notice the change.<br /><br />This all contributes to the superb atmosphere of the game. The entire experience is done in black-and-white with a film grain effect to give it the impression you're watching some old Ingmar Bergman film (and yes, I can say that now that Little Earl has shown me the Seventh Seal). There's a certain creepiness as the young boy makes his way across a black-and-white landscape, never uttering a word. Just shades of black, white, and gray. For a look at the game check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfNyf0Z5f0g&feature=fvst">this video here</a>.<br /><br />At it's heart Limbo is a puzzle platforming game, requiring you to figure out how to proceed as you move on. And the game punishes mistakes with a grizzly death. Didn't see that bear trap lying in the grass in front of you? BAM, the little boy dies. Luckily the game never sets you too far back, so dying becomes not only a learning experience, but also serves up a morbid pleasure in seeing just how the little boy will meet his fate.<br /><br />In many ways the game is similar to 2008's Braid, which reviewers loved, and if you recall, <a href="http://cosmicamericanblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-i-hated-208-game-of-year.html">I absolutely hated</a>. But where Braid was told through obnoxious overwrought text, telling a story so vague that is was indecipherable (was it about loss? the trials of love? nuclear weapons?), Limbo gets its strength from its outright minimalism. There's no dialogue, no terribly written poetry to read, just a boy in a black-and-white world with a gigantic spider coming his way.<br /><br />And it's amazing how much the game accomplishes without any of the usual storytelling means. The only discernible feature of the boy is his eyes. These little white dots add a certain character to the boy, and when confused by a puzzle the boy might shift his eyes towards something helpful or useful, such as rope hanging above that the player might not otherwise have noticed. They're very much like when cartoon characters turn off the lights and we can only see the whites of their eyes.<br /><br />So why isn't this my game of the year? It's difficult to pinpoint exactly. It could be that the game is short and doesn't feel as big or meaty as the other two contenders on my list. Also, the ending is just a tad bit weak. As the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/puzzle/limbo/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary%3Bread-review">Gamespot review notes</a> in it's only criticism, it "ends abruptly". Just a slightly longer coda and this might have been my game of the year. Hell, I'll at least give it my "best downloadable game of the year". Limbo is available for the Xbox 360.<br /><br />Next time I'll finish off my favorite games of 2010 with a look at my final pick as well as a few honorable mentions.Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192033664238612420.post-77816783079263896612011-01-28T13:52:00.000-08:002011-01-31T11:28:34.014-08:00Zrbo's Favorite Games of 2010, Part 1Welcome and make yourself comfortable as I bring you my favorite games of 2010. You'll notice I didn't say "Game of the Year" as while I played many games this past year, some of them great and not so much, I couldn't whittle my choices down to one game I thought was the best or most represented what the year was about. Instead I've chosen my three favorite games of the year. I greatly enjoyed each of my three selections but I found each one had certain flaws that I just couldn't look past, which I'll discuss as I move through each selection. I'll start with one for now, with the other two in subsequent posts. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Halo: Reach<span style="font-weight: bold;"> (Bungie Studios)</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisV7Bkssm2WVlt8Y1BjYmrIiALDi0hr2EvHcvNMrklTStQN9aKDsc3TmM7Z1alyY5B0kKlioyGoyn5mc1thnGZ71gQ-pukFzgehTtixulsZ000PYEEc4H7BcIfRIHT2WD34HudYrSUAscZ/s1600/halo-reach.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisV7Bkssm2WVlt8Y1BjYmrIiALDi0hr2EvHcvNMrklTStQN9aKDsc3TmM7Z1alyY5B0kKlioyGoyn5mc1thnGZ71gQ-pukFzgehTtixulsZ000PYEEc4H7BcIfRIHT2WD34HudYrSUAscZ/s320/halo-reach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567359777432720322" border="0" /></a>In case you didn't know, the Halo series of games are some of my favorite. The original Halo: Combat Evolved pretty much made me a convert to console gaming, something I completely avoided throughout the better part of the 90s, preferring to stick with PC games, most notably Diablo 2 and the venerable Starcraft. Halo changed all that for me as it showed that a shooter could be played with a controller instead of keyboard and mouse, plus it had great mechanics, and was a delightfully whimsical blend of sci-fi tropes from the past 30 years (Larry Niven's Ringworld combined with Giger's Aliens, Schwarzenegger's Predators, holographic AI buddy Cortana looks like she's from Tron, and my favorite character <a href="http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/343_Guilty_Spark">343 Guilty Spark</a> is like C-3PO is he went insane and became murderous).<br /><br />The Halo trilogy, opening <span style="font-style: italic;">in medias res</span> as our hero 'Master Chief' escapes from the surprise attack on the human stronghold 'Reach', tells the tale of Master Chief and humankind's struggle to overcome the alien religious conglomerate known as 'the Covenant', only to discover in the process the parasitic alien life form referred to only as 'the Flood', ultimately defeating both in Halo 3. I loved Halo 3 and thought it had an utterly appropriate ending to a series that came to define console shooters (and did I mention how I'm convinced <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VybS1C-4CAk">the special ending</a> (@7:00) you get by finishing the game on the highest difficulty is a nod towards the end of The Beatles' <span style="font-style: italic;">A Day in the Life</span>?).<br /><br />So when Bungie announced they were doing <span style="font-style: italic;">one more</span> Halo game I was a bit shocked, though simultaneously delighted. I was intrigued as this time Bungie decided to make a prequel, with the game taking place during the fall of Reach. This is something fans had been clamoring for for a while, as the only account of the fall of Reach was in book form, sanctioned by Bungie as official canon. I especially loved the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3MabEog3yQ">initial reveal trailer</a> for Halo: Reach, with it's almost 9/11-meets-Hindenburg disaster sense of confusion and dread.<br /><br />So how is the game? Well, Bungie have finally perfected their craft, with the overall gameplay feeling butter smooth. The weapons are a delight to use, and the artificial intelligence of the enemies is hands down some of the best in any game. The graphics have been improved, the options expanded, and Bungie have added in a progression system to make the addictive multiplayer even more so. From a pure gameplay standpoint, this is my favorite game of the year. From the story standpoint, not so much.<br /><br />Bungie have never been very good storytellers. The story suffers from some poor writing, poor character development, and for the hardcore fans, they basically retconned the entire story of the book, causing the fan forums to explode in anger. The last part didn't matter as much to me as I never read the books, but still, I have no idea why Bungie changed the story so much when previously they've been so particular about making sure the story kept its logical integrity (there's even a mysterious 'Halo Bible' Bungie consults to make sure nothing contradicts anything previously established). I did however enjoy the ending, as we got to see a few characters we hadn't seen since the original Halo, and I loved how <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E05sbntzSIQ">the final scene</a> (@1:27) is the original opening from Halo.<br /><br />Actually, my main gripe is with some of the presentation and options Bungie mysteriously left out. It's a little too much to go into here, but I do miss the old version of Firefight, and why they removed the Lowball gametype is a mystery to me. Mainly, Bungie promised the most comprehensive Halo possible, complete with all the bells and whistles from previous games but with MORE. Funny though how I feel that there's fewer options than in Halo 3.<br /><br />In the end I suppose it doesn't matter, because as long as the gameplay is good (and it is very, very good) I will keep coming back to it (according to my <a href="http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/Default.aspx?player=Herr+Zrbo&sg=0">Bungie.net profile</a> I've already logged more than six and a half days of continuous play). At the same time I'm glad that Bungie have signed off on the Halo franchise, giving control to Microsoft's newly minted 343 Industries.<br /><br />Stay tuned next time as I reveal my second favorite game of the year, a black and white game that features no words and almost no music.Herr Zrbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15728690738360128504noreply@blogger.com0