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In Brief: Can the new Medal of Honor live up to expectations?

I’m always on the lookout for another FPS to play (and that’s not including all I’ve got left to complete in Modern Warfare 2). And so I’m getting pretty excited about the new Medal of Honor video game. Details are currently scarce, and there’s just that one image of a bearded badass dude, released a couple of months ago. I’m intrigued. I just hope it can live up to the expectations people are going to have for it. There’ll also be the Modern Warfare comparison. Explosive stuff.

Going a bit further, I’m interested about the mention of these mysterious so-called ‘Tier One Operators’. Using these personnel, the new Medal of Honor has the potential to weave a powerful, multi-layered story alongside the mandatory solid gameplay. Modern Warfare 2 provided this calibre of gameplay in spades, but the main story campaign was somewhat lacking. Just some thoughts I wanted to jot down. Share yours!

Rise up to the challenge

In contrast to a previous post on this subject, ‘Measuring Difficulty in Games‘ I’ve come up with an interesting slant on this topic. I was having a chat with Rockers Delight and it sparked the ol’ grey matter into action. I ask: Do you actually challenge yourself enough when it comes to gaming?

If you were to go to the gym and hit the treadmill, you’d set it at a level you’re comfortable with, then every now and then you might kick it up a gear and see how you cope with it. Same with the weights room when you’re polishing those guns. Ahem. The point it, when trying to attain peak physical fitness, you don’t stay within your comfort zone, you try and raise the bar, up your game, and other clichés.

On a game like Modern Warfare 2 for example, I take the standard approach of having a play-through on regular difficulty before trying again on a harder difficulty level. Rockers Delight prefers heading straight in on veteran or else she wouldn’t enjoy it. When you’re at the top of your game, why not? I’ve never started a game right from the beginning and put it straight onto hard, yet there’s always one exception to the rule…

Continue reading Rise up to the challenge

Top 5 games to watch out for in 2010

I’m finding that 2010 is whizzing along at a brisk pace and for the most part, I’ve just been left in its wake with my mouth wide open. Not anymore. I’m currently working my way through finishing off the achievements for existing games such as inFamous, Burnout Paradise and Assassin’s Creed II. But there’s something missing. What’s next?

And so, I turned my mind to the upcoming games that are due to hit us this year. I’ve not picked any favourites, but rather games that are all unique and special in some way. Let’s take a look, shall we?

My pick

1) MAG (Massive Action Game) [PS3 Only]

To kick off this list, you can’t get more unique than a game that can support up to 256 players at once in online multiplayer. MAG is available now, but time will tell if this innovative genre has legs. Warhawk blazed the trail and SOCOM: Confrontation took the combat to the ground, but Zipper Interactive might have truly combined the best of both worlds to create a slice of gaming heaven. The question on my lips is whether people are going to be bothered enough to ditch the sublime Modern Warfare 2? I suspect not.

2) Halo: Reach [Xbox 360 Only]

After the damp squib that was Halo 3: ODST, Halo fans are hoping that the swan song for the franchise will go out with a bang. The Halo series pretty much defined online multiplayer gaming for Xbox Live and has been one of the most successful online franchise of this generation. Whatever your thoughts are on FPS games or online multiplayer, Halo is, and will remain a big deal for this year.

Continue reading Top 5 games to watch out for in 2010

In Brief: shades of grey

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed playing through inFamous and being the hero. But all those pleas for help… so many civilian casualties… all crying out for a hero. To be perfectly honest it got a bit too much at times and I had to get away from it all. Yet to get maximum-strength superpowers, the game forces you to either be worthy of a halo, or otherwise be downright evil. There are no shades of grey.

So as I’d already played through the game once as a hero, it didn’t really sit well with me playing through again being evil just for the sake of it, it seemed. I’d like a sequel for this franchise to be a bit more morally ambiguous. Give me shades of grey. Something substantial that I can really sink my teeth into. Though I won’t deny, the dynamite combination of great controls and gameplay, and the immersive comic book storytelling has probably affected me more than I’ve realised. Fantastic game.

Uncharted universe expands with Eye of Indra

You all (should) know by now that I love the Uncharted series. So when a new four-part motion comic series called Uncharted: Eye of Indra hit the PlayStation Store, I was all over it. What’s strange is that apart from a couple of mentions, Eye of Indra has been relatively under-promoted. Maybe Naughty Dog is just testing the water at this stage?

For Uncharted fans Eye of Indra is a must buy. The motion comic series is a prequel (note: yes, its canon) to Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune containing some enlightening back story for Nathan Drake, a plot twist, and at least one person you’re not going to expect. Apparently this particular series is just the first of many, which is a decision I applaud. This means that Uncharted fans can quench their thirst with an Uncharted game every couple of years with extra multiplayer DLC and motion comics to flesh out the Uncharted universe in-between games.

I got the Uncharted: Eye of Indra Multiplayer Skin Pack which includes all four parts of the motion comic and two Uncharted 2 multiplayer skins, although you can get the episodes separately if you really want to. The skins pack contains Rika for the heroes and Pinkerton for the villains. Go check it out!

I’m not usually one for speculating, but what the heck. Time to move on to a bit of speculation: maybe all the motion comics will simply fill in the gaps between each Uncharted game? That leads me to guess that another series could fill in the pieces between Drake’s Fortune and Among Thieves, with another series set after Among Thieves, rather like a sandwich. A very tasty sandwich.

I’ve dismissed the possibility of Naughty Dog taking the Uncharted series into the ahem, mostly ‘uncharted’ waters of episodic gaming. Sure, GTA IV’s episodes seem to have worked out all right, Criterion went purely down the DLC route, but Half-Life 2’s episodes are taking a long time to deliver. I think the DLC/episodic content for Fallout 3 is probably the best example of this sort of idea done right. However for Uncharted’s linear gameplay, in my personal opinion it isn’t worth Naughty Dog’s time and money to go down this particular route. Their current setup seems to be working out well so far.

Have you bought any DLC? If so, was it worth it?

Thoughts on Assassin’s Creed II

I hope that you’ve figured out by now that I don’t do reviews (even if I’m guilty of filing these articles in the ‘review’ category). In my mind, a decent review takes considerable time: exploring every square inch of the game, playing through on multiple difficulty levels, and analysing both audio and visual quality with pain-staking precision in a lab, somewhere in Switzerland. Probably.

My method just involves playing the game, really, like any other gamer would. I play it, and from that I either love it or hate it. Or somewhere in between. As simple as that. You get the gist.

In an interesting twist, the first game was the subject of my very first post on this blog.

An old friend returns

And so, just like that, with a quick recap of what happened in the previous game, Assassin’s Creed II begins straight after. I don’t know what you thought of the opening, but I felt it was particularly weak: the graphics appeared sub-standard and the whole voice acting/character interaction was more wooden than any boat or vessel you’re likely to encounter in either the Holy Lands or Renaissance Italy. Maybe Uncharted 2 had spoilt me, as it had definitely raised the bar for what could be achieved in tis regard in a video game. Nevertheless, it had me worried. But having said that, such ‘back in the real world moments’ were equally as weak in the first Assassin’s Creed.

Continue reading Thoughts on Assassin’s Creed II

Is 2009 a Vintage Year For Games?

I can’t believe my luck this year: I’m an avid gamer, and I find myself spoilt for choice at the moment. This is one of those years in which the sheer amount of quality games releases have well and truly out-stripped my budget! With several games that could legitimately be called ‘Game Of The Year’, I’ve been wondering if 2009 could be called a vintage year for video games?

SO, let’s take a look at some of them, shall we?

Killzone 2 (February 2009)

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Killzone 2 kicked off the start of the year’s gaming heavyweights with a solid FPS following on from the events in the first game on the PS2. Killzone is to the PlayStation franchise like Halo is to the Xbox franchise. Now, I love my FPS games, but Killzone 2 just didn’t do it for me. Graphics to die for and gameplay to match? Is that not enough for me?! Well, I only have so much money this year, and I have been saving my money for the big releases in the last half of the year. I’m not ruling out buying this at bargain basement prices in the future.

Resident Evil 5 (March 2009)

Resi followed on in fine form with perhaps a repetitive formula (pardon the pun) but with great visuals, a new and interesting setting for the series so far, and good gameplay. I get scared silly with zombies and their kind, which is why I’ve avoided this release so far. Maybe I’ll pick up this game in the future just out of curiosity. But seriously, zombies. I shudder at the thought.

Continue reading Is 2009 a Vintage Year For Games?

Uncharted 2 Is Epic

When I found out that one of my favourite games of all time, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, was getting a sequel I already knew it was going to be great. I mean, it had to be, right? With Naughty Dog constantly striving to push the bar ever-higher and with the PS3 as a platform, great things were going to be accomplished. The end product is a masterpiece. Every PS3 gamer should grab a copy- heck anyone who’s remotely interested in gaming should pay some serious attention. Uncharted 2 has set a new standard in video games for character interaction, visuals, and gameplay.

Some people will have you believe that Uncharted 2 is the video game of the century, but in my eyes it is simply the game of the moment. And rightly so. The original Uncharted’s perks and flaws weigh quite heavily in my opinion of its sequel, leading me to reach a different conclusion to the majority of the gaming press. The original for me, remains a classic and perhaps purer experience. In some respects it felt like next-generation gaming due to intelligent level design. Exploring the Fortress immediately springs to mind: remaining local to one area, gradually scaling different levels and reaching new areas. In contrast Uncharted 2 flits back and forth between a myriad of locations a la Indiana Jones. This is no bad thing in itself, it’s just that as in my opinion there was nothing particularly bad about the original game, it means I’ve not fallen in love with the sequel like most people have.

Continue reading Uncharted 2 Is Epic

Hands-on with the Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta

If you’re reading this and you’ve not yet played the beta, then yes, either by robbing a bank or bribing Naughty Dog you somehow need to get into the Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta right now. It’s that good. For those who have pre-order Uncharted 2 or managed to snag a beta key, access is granted from September 15th. I’m led to believe that general availability of the beta is September 29th.

My initial thoughts: graphics are dripping with quality, gameplay is solid and spot-on, and overall it’s serious fun!

I dn’t know where to start with this initial hands-on look. I suppose I’d like to mention first that I was very, very sceptical of the prospect of multiplayer within the Uncharted franchise. After all, the original Uncharted remains my favourite game so far, and going through the single player adventure was enjoyable, but it was my experience, and so Uncharted felt like my personal, special game and I didn’t really want to share it with anyone.

Now that my disclosure is out of the way, I’d like to tell you right now that everything I thought before was wrong. Naughty Dog have treated the Uncharted franchise with continuity, fluidity, and respect. So much so that the multiplayer experience behaves and feels like the authentic Uncharted experience you remembered from the first game: perfect. Added game mechanics, such as grabbing riot shields for cover, and lugging around heavy relics, feel like natural extensions to existing abilities.

Continue reading Hands-on with the Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta

Filtered: Gamescom 09

I’ve been catching up on all of the announcements focusing on the PlayStation brand at Gamescom 09. I’d like to share with you a list news items that have caught my eye and what I think about them:

PS3 Slim– About time! The reduced price has been needed for months, the brand cleanup is a wise move, and Sony have finally found a voice with their marketing campaign!
LocoRoco Midnight Carnival– I’m a die-hard LocoRoco fan, and this upcoming PSN download looks really… well, fun! New gameplay mechanics should keep things fresh.
PlayStation Home update– universal game launching from within Home looks quite compelling, but there are still numerous problems with accessing Home for some people: downloading areas, connection issues etc, that might prevent them from utilising this functionality.
Digital Comics Store for PSP– I’ve got to hand it to Sony- this looks pretty damn sweet! Why has it taken this long though?! Unfortunately though, it’s only for the US at the moment. Boo. Hiss.
New Uncharted 2 footage goes without saying *drools*
Firmware 3.0– Hopefully this should expose ‘what’s new’ on the PlayStation Store, and across the PlayStation Network, helping people feel more connected to the PlayStation community and kept up-to-date with what’s going on. The rest of the firmware update is incidental in my opinion.
LittleBigPlanet Water!– This should be a very interesting new game mechanic, and may persuade me to visit LittleBigPlanet once again.

And that’s it! If there’s anything I’ve missed, I’ve either forgotten about it, or I’m not really bothered about it.