the electronic entertainment expo this year was one of the best shows i have seen. while it ended about 2 weeks ago, i'm going to talk about it now.
E3 decided to let it's doors open to the public, or at least the people who could afford tickets, again this year so the show was bigger and badder than last year when it closed it's doors to the public and only let people of the industry and press in. so on with the games.
Microsoft
Microsoft showed that it had lots of money this year during it's press conference, by having Ringo Star and Paul McCartney come to show off the beatles rock band game, Tony Hawk with his latest game Ride, which includes a skateboard without wheels peripheral. and all of their new exclusive titles. Modern Warfare 2, Mass Effect 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, Halo ODST, Halo Reach just to name a few, oh and a Metal Gear Game. Microsoft sure came out swinging. towards the end of their press conference they showed off their shot at motion control with project natal (pronounced Nah-Tahl) a completely hads free way to game. it showed of some really cool features, such as face recognition, because it's too hard to work the profile system, picture scan technology, a microphone, and several other things that seem a bit too cool to be true. Mr. Molyneux showed up to speak about his project with the natal, and praised it like it was the second coming. the game that was showcased buy lion head studios CEO was a kid. quite literally just a kid, but he's got a cool british accent. it was neat to see how the character in the game recognized that the player was a bit worried during the tech demo, either because of facial recognition or voice tone. however it worked the player had a full flegged conversation with this AI. so, if you're worried about your kids not making friends, or if you don't have any yourself you might want to look into this game. microsoft made some announcements that clearly stated that they want their xbox 360 to be the only technological device that anyone uses ever, with their partnerships with facebook, twitter, and last.fm. microsoft has invaded the living room and is taking over it seems, and it looks like they wont stop until every one has an xbox 360.
Nintendo
Nintendo's press conference was like a 3 course dinner, with a bland and uninteresting appetiser, which was the samething you had for lunch(Nintendo bragging about how they still have a vice grip on the handheld market). an equally bland with questionable side dishes for the main course( showcasing new games for the DS, like proffessor layton, and some style game for the girls, several RPGs, golden sun included, and a few more casual games). then nintendo ended the meal with the best desert you've had ever(new metroid game with a side of mario galaxy 2). what i have to say to nintendo is this. yes we know that you still rule the plain of handhelds, yes we know that you have sold more consoles than sony or microsoft combined, yes we know that you still have you're core franchises, and yes we know that you have plenty of people playing games that weren't playing games before. about that last point. what really bothers me is that they would show case games for that causual crowd. for those of you that have no idea what the causal crowd is, it's those people that play peggle, diner dash, cake mania(which are the same games by the way) bejeweled, and other games that were invented soley for the act of killing time. nintendo announced several games of that nature, when people who play said games don't even know that E3 even exists. they only know of it because either their kids or friends who are gamers keep on talking about it even though it ended 2 weeks ago. so nintendo make some games yourself! it's hard to i know, but if you can come up with another unique title like pikmin, which in my opinion is nintendo's latest original franchise and not those Wii instert noun/verb here. it would really be beneficial to you and to the comunity of gamers and game developers alike. people look up to nintendo because they've lasted this long. please don't keep seling yourself out to casual games it's a crying shame what you're doing to yourself nintendo, pick it up. until you do, i'll be playing mass effect on my xbox 360.
Sony
nothing much to tell here due to microsoft buying out some of sony's exclusives(metal gear, final fantasy). sony introduced a new PSP, with nothing all that impressive or new, it no longer requires umds, that's cool...right? and they showed of a wii mote painted black with the playstation symbol slapped on. sweet. they still have good games though, god of war, ratchet and clank, and as word has it, a new game from the team that brought us ICO and Shadow of the colossus.
E3 in general
there were a lot of original games showcased this year at the show. WET, the Sabatour, Brink, Alan Wake, and Brutal legend to name a few. however there was also a lot of titles with the number 2 in them. mass effect 2, modern warfare 2, bioshock 2, left 4 dead 2(6?). it's not that i'm not exited for these games, it's just that they are all sequells, some continuing the story others a completely new episode with the same engine. i'm both proud and appreciative of the original games that are coming out, good on you for making them! but all these sequels. i am indeed looking forward to what happens next in rapture in bioshock, i am looking foward to what is to become of commander shepard in mass effect 2, and what historical figure can i kill next in assassins creed 2. but other games like left 4 dead 2, i though that this was going downloadable content for my game. i like the game left 4 dead, i really do, however 4 campaigns are just not enough, you can only play through them so many times until you can play them with your eyes closed, even with the random elements generator. but oh well thats how the cards fall. all in all it was a good show, and i still would like to go there one of these days. perhaps i'll actually be a video game journalist and be able to publish my thoughts in a magazine, or atleast online and get payed for it. E3 is out there and it's calling to me.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Knights of the Old Republic is regarded as one of the best Star Wars games ever. KOTOR uses an interesting system where the players choices decided how the story unfolds. Players can be evil or good, depending on the choices which they make. KOTORs combat system is based of an edition of the table top game Dungeons and Dragons.
The story of KOTOR starts off by having the player in a ship that is being attacked by Darth Malak, the main bad guy. The player gets off the ship and lands on the planet Taris, and begins looking for a Jedi that was on the ship. From there the player eventually gets off Taris and embarks on an epic journey of betrayal, making new allies, and solving mysteries, of course this is all up to the player and what they choose to do.
As mentioned before, the combat system runs on sort of a D&D system. Players can acquire new weapons, and customize and upgrade them. The combat works in turn-base, however it looks and feels real time. KOTOR allows to plot out strategies of moves in series of four moves, and can pause the action to set up the next four moves. Players can also plot the next moves for their party members as well, this can lead to some pretty heavy, well coordinated attacks. As, with all RPGs, there is much dialogue to be done. KOTORs dialogue system give players several options to choose from to further the conversation. Each choice affects how the character reacts towards the player. This element of the game forces players to look over their options before continuing. Each character in KOTOR is voices, however some have the same voice track which is either read by a male or female voice. The important characters are voiced by top notch voice actors that give life to the characters that they are voicing.
The music of KOTOR is, as expected, orchestrated by John Williams, at least the original songs are. There is the main theme of Star Wars, and others which are recognizable from the movies. However, the original compositions for the game sound and feel like Star Wars.
The graphics of the game are pretty decent. It’s not the graphics, so much as how the designers use the systems power to create the environments that the players visit. Each area in the game has recognizable architecture and characteristics, which create a unique experience for each world.
All in all, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic is one of the best Star Wars games of all time. With the ability to be either Jedi or Sith, a rock solid combat system, a great storyline with lovable characters, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic is a necessary addition to any Star Wars fan and gamers library.
The story of KOTOR starts off by having the player in a ship that is being attacked by Darth Malak, the main bad guy. The player gets off the ship and lands on the planet Taris, and begins looking for a Jedi that was on the ship. From there the player eventually gets off Taris and embarks on an epic journey of betrayal, making new allies, and solving mysteries, of course this is all up to the player and what they choose to do.
As mentioned before, the combat system runs on sort of a D&D system. Players can acquire new weapons, and customize and upgrade them. The combat works in turn-base, however it looks and feels real time. KOTOR allows to plot out strategies of moves in series of four moves, and can pause the action to set up the next four moves. Players can also plot the next moves for their party members as well, this can lead to some pretty heavy, well coordinated attacks. As, with all RPGs, there is much dialogue to be done. KOTORs dialogue system give players several options to choose from to further the conversation. Each choice affects how the character reacts towards the player. This element of the game forces players to look over their options before continuing. Each character in KOTOR is voices, however some have the same voice track which is either read by a male or female voice. The important characters are voiced by top notch voice actors that give life to the characters that they are voicing.
The music of KOTOR is, as expected, orchestrated by John Williams, at least the original songs are. There is the main theme of Star Wars, and others which are recognizable from the movies. However, the original compositions for the game sound and feel like Star Wars.
The graphics of the game are pretty decent. It’s not the graphics, so much as how the designers use the systems power to create the environments that the players visit. Each area in the game has recognizable architecture and characteristics, which create a unique experience for each world.
All in all, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic is one of the best Star Wars games of all time. With the ability to be either Jedi or Sith, a rock solid combat system, a great storyline with lovable characters, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic is a necessary addition to any Star Wars fan and gamers library.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is a game that is known as the game with only boss fights. So, how does it do? In a word: Epic
Shadow of the Colossus follows a nameless character that travels to a forbidden land to perform a ritual to resurrect what we can only assume is his deceased lover. In order to complete the ritual, he is commanded by a big voice in the ceiling to find and kill the colossi that roam the land, though the price he’ll have to pay will be severe.
Gameplay in Shadow is rather simple: go find a colossus, kill it, repeat. However, this is not to say that Shadow is boring. Each colossus battle is huge, and requires a different strategy to defeat it. Each fight gives players a sense of accomplishment afterwards, because every single colossus make the player feel small and insignificant in comparison to the size of each one.
Shadow of the Colossus has a huge world to explore, which is beautiful. In fact the game gives you a horse to make travel easier because of the scale of the world. Each area of the world has a level of detail which makes the world believable, with deserts that span for what seems like miles, forests with lush green trees, and ruins of forgotten cities.
The soundtrack of Shadow completes the game. Every score is an original composition which puts players in the game even more with its epic sound. The high paced, melodic orchestral sound gives each battle a cinematic feel as the player progresses through each battle. The music escalates when the player advances on the colossus and is able to strike at its weak points.
All in all Shadow of the Colossus is a worthy experience to any one that considers themselves a gamer. With amazing gameplay, sound, graphics, and story Shadow is a necessary addition to the library of Playstation 2 owners.
Shadow of the Colossus follows a nameless character that travels to a forbidden land to perform a ritual to resurrect what we can only assume is his deceased lover. In order to complete the ritual, he is commanded by a big voice in the ceiling to find and kill the colossi that roam the land, though the price he’ll have to pay will be severe.
Gameplay in Shadow is rather simple: go find a colossus, kill it, repeat. However, this is not to say that Shadow is boring. Each colossus battle is huge, and requires a different strategy to defeat it. Each fight gives players a sense of accomplishment afterwards, because every single colossus make the player feel small and insignificant in comparison to the size of each one.
Shadow of the Colossus has a huge world to explore, which is beautiful. In fact the game gives you a horse to make travel easier because of the scale of the world. Each area of the world has a level of detail which makes the world believable, with deserts that span for what seems like miles, forests with lush green trees, and ruins of forgotten cities.
The soundtrack of Shadow completes the game. Every score is an original composition which puts players in the game even more with its epic sound. The high paced, melodic orchestral sound gives each battle a cinematic feel as the player progresses through each battle. The music escalates when the player advances on the colossus and is able to strike at its weak points.
All in all Shadow of the Colossus is a worthy experience to any one that considers themselves a gamer. With amazing gameplay, sound, graphics, and story Shadow is a necessary addition to the library of Playstation 2 owners.
Burnout 3
The Burnout series has been around for a while and this is the third installment of the series, and it far surpasses all of its predecessors.
First off let’s start with the gameplay. Burnout 3 is fast, the graphics give players an extreme sense of speed. Each car handles differently and has their own unique qualities as to why the player would choose one over the other. The track selection of Burnout 3 is huge and there are 3 areas that players can travel to choose from its courses. The single player experience of Burnout 3 offers a lot to players to keep them hooked for quite some time, with plenty of unlockables and extras. Burnout 3 also has its traditional crash mode and even features a new “road rage” mode where players try to take out as many computer opponents as they can before time runs out. Burnout 3 also has an online multiplayer mode, with crash sessions, races, and road rage modes.
Burnout 3’s soundtrack has music which is high paced and energetic to fit the game, and it does so perfectly. The soundtrack features artists such as yellowcard, finger eleven, my chemical romance, and many more. As far as sound design goes, it too is up to par with the rest of the game. Each car has a different sounding engine, which is a nice touch. Tires screech like they should. When cars crash the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass fill the air, as cars smash into each other on screen.
The graphics are top notch for the generation of consoles that it’s on. The cars look beautiful and each one shatters, bends and breaks like a car should. Crash sequences are a sight to behold; each one is as unique as the last. While it may be frustrating when players crash into the many pedestrian cars that occupy the road, it is almost forgiven by the sight of the car pirouetting though the air with shards of metal and glass following in an almost choreographed fashion.
All in all Burnout 3 is an excellent racing game with amazing graphics, sound, and gameplay, and it is a necessary addition to any racing fans library of games. The only complaints that I have with Burnout 3 is the load times on the Playstation 2 version. Also some songs the soundtrack cannot be turned off.
First off let’s start with the gameplay. Burnout 3 is fast, the graphics give players an extreme sense of speed. Each car handles differently and has their own unique qualities as to why the player would choose one over the other. The track selection of Burnout 3 is huge and there are 3 areas that players can travel to choose from its courses. The single player experience of Burnout 3 offers a lot to players to keep them hooked for quite some time, with plenty of unlockables and extras. Burnout 3 also has its traditional crash mode and even features a new “road rage” mode where players try to take out as many computer opponents as they can before time runs out. Burnout 3 also has an online multiplayer mode, with crash sessions, races, and road rage modes.
Burnout 3’s soundtrack has music which is high paced and energetic to fit the game, and it does so perfectly. The soundtrack features artists such as yellowcard, finger eleven, my chemical romance, and many more. As far as sound design goes, it too is up to par with the rest of the game. Each car has a different sounding engine, which is a nice touch. Tires screech like they should. When cars crash the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass fill the air, as cars smash into each other on screen.
The graphics are top notch for the generation of consoles that it’s on. The cars look beautiful and each one shatters, bends and breaks like a car should. Crash sequences are a sight to behold; each one is as unique as the last. While it may be frustrating when players crash into the many pedestrian cars that occupy the road, it is almost forgiven by the sight of the car pirouetting though the air with shards of metal and glass following in an almost choreographed fashion.
All in all Burnout 3 is an excellent racing game with amazing graphics, sound, and gameplay, and it is a necessary addition to any racing fans library of games. The only complaints that I have with Burnout 3 is the load times on the Playstation 2 version. Also some songs the soundtrack cannot be turned off.
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