Return to Ostagar

New DLC coming out for Dragon Age on January 5th, entitled "Return to Ostagar." Should be a great opportunity to get some revenge on the horde that did some unkind things to some friends of yours. Price is $5, might be worth it if there's enough going on there. Should be some promising items available as well.

Braid Complete

Finished the story mode and managed to collect all of the puzzle pieces along the way in Braid. Quite a few devilish puzzles -- I have to admit I didn't solve all of them without help. And the final level, incredible. I knew what was coming, but I was still affected by the conclusion. What an experience.

Plants vs. Zombies Complete!

As I mentioned before, I've been having fun with Plants vs. Zombies. I finally managed to clear the adventure twice, and each mini-game, puzzle, and survival mode to get the gold sunflower trophy! Bobsled Bonanza was particularly tough.

Woo I'm awesome.

An Unlikely Pair: Assassin's Creed II and A Boy and His Blob

Friends and family were very kind to me with their gift-giving this year. Lots of great books and games. I've played a little bit of an odd pair of games, those being Assassin's Creed II and A Boy and His Blob.

I've posted about the game before, but in brief, Blob is adorable puzzle platformer in which you use the Blob's shape-changing abilities to get you around obstacles and past enemies. The challenges are smart but not frustrating, although I've only just started the game. The art and sound are perfect, with the hand-drawn backdrops and animation perfectly presented. It's a slow, smooth game that requires a quick mind without many quick reflexes.

Contrast that with Assassin's Creed II, in which you kill a lot of people. Brutally. But there's a whole lot more to it, thankfully, that breaks up core story missions. This game also has a lot more story than the first, which I'm very much into, dovetailing Desmond with Ezio in a past-future drama that is sure to go deeper into the rabbit hole. I've had fun bouncing around the open world, just finding things to do. You can easily get lost in the sub-missions, finding vantage points and courier missions in the incredibly-modeled environments. Controls are tights and fighting is much crisper than the last game. It really is Assassin's Creed 2.0.

Steam Sale and Braid

If you haven't heard, there's an amazing sale going on via Steam. I picked up some gifts for friends and had to get Braid for myself. I know there's been so much critical acclaim for this game in the past year, even by myself, but as yet I haven't played it yet. But I picked it up on Steam, and wow.

Braid is hauntingly beautiful, evoking emotion with its music and visual design. The story, told in book chapters, is equally good. Just played through the first world, and the gameplay is solid and the tricks with the time-shifting mechanic are innovative and seriously wow-inducing.

If you have not played this game, you owe it to yourself to give it a go.

Top Ten for 2010

Gaming for 2010 is starting to look like 2007 Part II. We've got so many sequels coming out, it's incredible. Bioshock, Mass Effect, Super Mario Galaxy, Lost Planet, and Assassin's Creed II (yes it came out in 2009 but not for PC!) are all returning in 2010 for their second chapter. But there are only so many titles you can follow. With dozens coming out just in the first quarter alone, what are the most exciting -- at least to me? Well I'll tell you. Here are my Top Ten games for 2010.

10. Final Fantasy XIII
Rounding out the top ten is FFXIII. The first of the series to appear on the PS3, the futuristic RPG has a chance to be the best yet. Or a huge disappointment.

9. Okamiden
The hand-held sequel to the PS2 adventure game, Okamiden features a cute little dog-deity and a childish rider adventuring and using magic via the stylus. If it shares the same Zelda-like heritage of its ancestor, it should be a great action-adventure game.

8. God of War III
I've always known the first two games were great, if brutal, third-person brawlers in the Castlevania or Diablo style, with a style all of its own. But since playing the recently-released remastered collection on PS3, I'm certainly looking forward to the first native PS3 version. Should be a bloody good time.

7. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
I'm cautiously optimistic about this one. The last game, Prince of Persia, was a delight, with its lighter focus on combat and more centered around acrobatic exploration. This "darker" game may be more towards the fighting and brooding style. Let's hope they go easy on the dark eyeliner.

6. Professor Layton & The Final Time Travel
We've all had a lot of fun around my house with the first two translated games in the series, most recently the Diabolical Box. If Nintendo keeps up, we should have the third game, The Final Time Travel, in the United States in 2010.

5. Metroid: Other M
It's been a while since new life was breathed into the Metroid series. Prime was ground-breaking at the time, and while Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was good, Other M looks to be an incredible remake of the classic franchise. With additional character exposition, there could be a great story behind this Team Ninja-powered brawler.

4. Command and Conquer 4
A fitting location for this game, and only slightly influenced by its title. I've enjoyed the latest outings in the series, and the refinement and final chapter should be a proper send-off. Mobile and flexible bases along with additional options promise expanded game-play options beyond just tank rushes.

3. Super Mario Galaxy 2
The first game was an adorable and challenging adventure in a bright and detailed world. The two-player co-op was also a fun game mode, something my wife enjoyed teaming up with me on. I'm hoping the addition of Yoshi and new environments to explore keeps the same charm and bright visual design while still being a challenging platformer in a dynamic, three-dimensional space.

2. Mass Effect 2
This properly epic space RPG gripped me in 2008, and I'm very much looking forward to the sequel. The fact that the choices you made in the previous game will carry over into the new game interests me, and it will be cool to see the impact that you made in the game world. The "darker" feel of the sequel worries me, but should still be a great adventure.

1. Gran Turismo 5
The granddaddy of them all, this is a big reason why I bought a PS3. Two years later, I might get to play GT5 on it. With luck, we could see GT5 in the States by June.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands

Time rewind is back.

With the recent announcement of the upcoming Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, we will be getting a new installment of the franchise in May, 2010. The game is said to take place between the events of Sands of Time and Warrior Within. And judging by the video shown at the VGAs, we should have the ability to rewind time and replay through sections of the game, the innovative feature in the original series reboot Sands of Time.

I really enjoyed the most recent Prince of Persia, and hope that the new "hardcore" game doesn't take away from the sense of wonder and the acrobatic exploration I've come to enjoy and understand as a hallmark of the franchise. Warrior Within and The Two Thrones really turned me off of the series due to their focus on fighting. If I want God of War, I'm going to go play God of War. Prince of Persia is something different altogether. I hope they keep that in mind.

Off to play God of War.

One Month Left to Mass Effect 2

Less than a month away from Mass Effect 2, and the BioWare crew have been inundating the internets with all sorts of screens, videos, and additional details about the second installment of their epic space RPG.

A new feature from Gamespot talks a little bit about the intro to the game. From the first teaser trailer released around almost a year ago, the fate of Commander Shepherd, "your" character in the game, was in doubt. But it seems that the introduction to Mass Effect 2 will expound upon the inter-game time, and whether Shepherd really is what he seems to be. Or was. In any case, it should be interesting to watch, and I'm looking forward to release.

Possibly most surprising (and hopeful, to some) is that both the PC and Xbox 360 version of the game will be out at the same time. PS3? Nowhere in sight. Seems Sony's platform is getting the PC treatment this time around. Curious that Dragon Age saw a wide release. Although it could be that the widely-reported delay in Dragon Age was due to the PS3, that could be part of BioWare's decision. Since I'm playing it on PC, it's immaterial to me, anyway.

Mirror's Edge Complete

Finished the story mode of Mirror's Edge over the weekend. It was a fitting ending, and one obviously left open for a sequel. Given that there have been statements confirming an eventual sequel, it wasn't surprising. But it was properly dramatic and a good end to the admittedly brief story.

I tried going back to do some of the time trial stuff, but I'd really lost my patience. I wanted to get to the end of the story, but falling over and over just to beat the clock doesn't drive me. Maybe I'll go back to it. But probably not. Maybe the sequel will clear up spiking difficulty and sequences of unarmed Faith versus legions of dudes with automatic weapons.

More on Pirates of the Carribean LBP Pack

Guess the rumor has been proven true! On December 22nd, the level and costume kits will hit the PSN. The primary pack, the premium level kit, available the low, low price of $5.99, has a wealth of objects, including five new levels and a costume -- the cannibal -- along with almost two hundred objects, materials, switches, decorations, stickers, music tracks, a new background, and of course, the highly-anticipated water environment! Just an amazing deal for your $5.99. This will be one to get for sure.

The costumes seem neat as well. The big pack includes "Sack" Sparrow (haw haw), Elizabeth Swan, Will Turner, Captain Barbossa, Tia Dalma, and the squidy Davy Jones. Seperately each are $1.99, or save 50% off and get all for $5.99 in the pack. Not too bad for the costume collector.

Below video shows off the costumes (just love the Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow!) and levels that mimic some of the scenes from the movie series:

Mirror's Edge Pickup

I had initially written about Mirror's Edge over a year ago, having played its demo fresh out at the time. I decided not to get it at release after some mixed reviews. But I found a used copy on the cheap, and decided to give it a fair shake.

I'm having fun, but it's certainly at a cost. There are sections that are really tough, especially where guys are shooting at you. It feels deeply unfair that all you can do is run away as five guys mow you down with shotguns. The particular shotgun section took me a good twenty tries to finish, and try as I might I could not get past without killing them, which I feel is a little contrary to how the game works.

However, during the complicated platforming across rooftops, the game is a blast. Especially the time trials, the feeling of racing from building to building is a lot of fun. The sense of speed and danger is in your face, and each fall and failure due to oncoming train is a real jolt.

I probably would have been a little miffed buying this game for full price, especially given its relatively short story mode, but at a bargain price, it's worth plowing through some of the frustrating parts to get to those great expanses of uninhabited rooftops.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy

The last micro-expansion for Sins of a Solar Empire, Diplomacy, has been announced for some time, but it's recently become available for pre-order. And, as a reward, anyone who pre-orders can play the beta. Which certainly makes the deal sweeter. The expansion is supposed to expand upon the relationships one can create with other players, CPU and human players alike. A new envoy ship provides special abilities that affect your standing with one faction or another. Should prove to add interesting options for those less inclined to total war.

Rumors of New Pirates DLC for LittleBigPlanet

There are rumors of a new DLC pack coming for LittleBigPlanet. New levels, new trophies, and water! The community will be pleased to have real water, if the rumors are to be believed. I'm just looking forward to some fun new levels to play from the MM crew. No word on a release date, still unconfirmed at this point.

Plants vs. Zombies

Man I need some kind of TD tag. With my past forays into stand-alone titles like Pixeljunk Monsters, Defense Grid: The Awakening, and of course the original Warcraft III TD maps, it's maybe my most-played game type.

Plants vs. Zombies has been my most recent pickup. For $9.99 on Steam, I think it's certainly worth it. While not strictly a tower defense game, it has enough of a strategy feel to push all my buttons.

Graphically, the game is simple. Low res, but workable. Thankfully, the cartoony feel of the plants and zombies allow me to overcome my deep-seated fear of the undead and play the game, even at night!

The gameplay is varied, if a little shallow. There are a huge amount of towers, from pea shooters to watermelon catapults, wall-nuts (get it?) and spiky hedges. Night-time modes and aquatic hazards add a little complexity. But it's never difficult to see what you need to do, although there are a few strategies beyond just building a ton of crap to get in the way of zombies.

There are also endless varieties of mini-games, puzzle modes, and the main adventure mode. Heck, there's even a zen garden where you can grow all sorts of little plants.

Definitely getting my money's worth out of this title. If you enjoy strategy games, it's worth checking out.

Zelda Spirit Tracks Reviews

Holding off on picking up The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks -- gotta leave something on the Christmas list! But by all that I've seen, the game is pretty good. Kotaku has a pretty good roundup of reviews, all generally positive. The Metacritic score is 87. And Gamestop has some pretty good things to say.

It doesn't seem like a blockbuster to drop everything and go get, but it is a good follow-up to Phantom Hourglass and a worthy entry to the Legend of Zelda series. Cool with me.

The Fiction of Resolution as Innovation

I recently read an article on Kotaku, an interview with EA CEO John Riccitiello. The conversation echoed another discussion I'd had recently, in which I'd argued how more pixels can never equal more fun.

HDTV manufacturers and Monster Cable would like you to believe that to have any fun in gaming you need a hugely expensive high-def 240Hz 3D display coated in the blood of your enemies with gold-plated cables wrapped in baby seal skin. But Riccitiello and I both believe that that increased resolution is not true innovation.

Nintendo has gotten a lot of criticism for not going high-def, cheaping out and not standing up to par with their competitors in the visual department. But as I think about the most innovative games I've played over the past two years, not a single one of them has involved amazing new graphical wizardry as a key innovation.

LittleBigPlanet has pushed the boundaries of what we see as a game community. While modding has been around on the PC for a long time, Media Molecule showed just what an easily accessible toolkit could make on a console. And the charm of the dressable Sackboys rivals that of the Mario gang -- even those cute little baby ones!

Naughty Dog has shown with Uncharted 2 that you don't need to go out to a movie theatre to experience a blockbuster experience. More than anything, Uncharted 2 has made environments that react the way you think they should, with physical interactions that make sense, from desks breaking to buildings falling down, all while you're in the middle of the action. Not to mention the intense and believable characters and their expert voice actors.

And as far as cinematic experiences go, Metal Gear Solid 4 is one of the best. Kojima and crew are borderline megalomaniacs, and yes it looked good, but the greatest resolution was in the range of emotion drawn from the characters in the game, especially the haggard and drawn Solid Snake. Knowing he goes to his death, the old warrior again takes the world upon his shoulders, and you feel his weariness -- quite literally in some gameplay sequences.

Low-res games have had a massive impact as well, and have really pushed the boundaries of how we acquire access to games. World of Goo and Braid are good-looking games, but hardly need high definition. Their digital-only distribution and high levels of polish and innovating control schemes prove that you don't need a big studio or really even much of a publisher relationship to put your game out there.

The success of Flower has had the same impact, and while it is a beautiful 3D game in high definition, it tugs at your heart strings, with incredible musical composition and a message that is your own to interpret.

The recent New Super Mario Brothers Wii is only the last in the line of first-party Nintendo that eschew high-def for good fun. They've brought the quality time and again, in Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Super Paper Mario, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart, and more. Each game has had the perfect formula of gameplay -- easy enough for everyone to pick up and play, while deep enough for veterans to master. Nintendo has somehow found that perfect balance of accessibility, innovating in the marketplace, bringing games to more gamers than ever before.

Yes, given the choice, I will choose HD where I can. But it doesn't make a game any more fun. Good graphics simply allow a game to be presented competently. Story and characterization, music and emotion, accessibility and community, and the actual game that you are playing beneath those graphics -- these are the areas where games have innovated in the past 24 months. And we will continue to see games that, while having good graphics, will create more believable and more fun games that do not depend simply upon the next graphical update.

Continuing Adventures in New Super Mario Brothers Wii

Had a chance to play some more NSMB Wii last night. I'm still having a lot of fun with the game. In my play-through, I'd warped past world four (yes I know I'm a dirty cheater), so I've gone back to the world and played through some of the levels again. It has a cool beach theme, and I like a lot of the new enemies, especially the mud-ball throwing crabs. Adorable. I found myself smiling every time I hopped, skipped, and jumped my way to the end of the level, and Mario does his little twirl and hat doffing in celebration. His voice changes depending on your power-up (or lack of). Whenever you're mini-Mario (a-la the shrink power-up) he sounds like he's been turned up to 2x speed. And the fireworks whenever you rescue a capture Toad blink star and 1-up shroom power-ups make me happy, too. That's what I just love about this game -- it's just plain good fun.

New Guild Wars 2 Video -- Races of Tyria

Exciting new trailer showcasing the five playable races available in Guild Wars 2. Very exciting. I love the new art style -- it preserves just enough elements of the original Guild Wars while progressing. Perfect for a two-hundred year gap between the game worlds. No idea when the game might be available, but it's going to be good.

LittleBigPlanet: One Year Later

It's been the year of LittleBigPlanet around here. It released to much fanfare and a little bit of controversy back in October 2008, and we're still playing it a year later. My kid liked it so much that we actually had a LBP-themed birthday party. I'm not kidding. He's even taken to bringing his replica Sackboy to school where they play Sackboy tag. Adorable.







And here we are a year later, and the shine still has not worn off this charming and fun game. Recently, the Media Molecule team released a big update that added some features and functionality to the game, on the heels of the big anniversary re-release of the game, conveniently bundled with new PS3s for this holiday season. More and more community levels and great DLC content come out all the time, including this properly awesome Ezio get-up.

It's been a great year of gaming, including the dynamo that is LittleBigPlanet. Long live LBP!

Another Gran Turismo Demo?

There's nothing like a little bit of Gran Turismo 5 news to bring the fanboys and the haters out. This is no exception. Apparently there is a "demo" coming to the PSN in a few weeks -- most likely a thinly veiled marketing attempt for Nissan, similar to the Toyota Prius special edition release from GT4. But we'll see. And maybe the game will come out in 2010!

Forza 3 Runthrough

Had fun playing some Forza Motorsport 3 last night. Two-player is a great race mode; you have just enough friendly competition. I have to say the most fun was probably banging million-dollar Bugatti Veyrons off of the barriers in New York City. Also, the twin remade muscle cars, Camaro and Challenger, was fun as well in Sebring.

I was impressed with the number of cars available in Forza. Although Gran Turismo has strictly more cars, Forza has more manufacturers, most notably the ones missing from GT like Bugatti and Lamborghini. And while the game doesn't look quite as good as GT, it is still a lot of fun, and definitely has a more forgiving driving model if you're looking for something not quite as serious as Gran Turismo.

Impulse sale on Sins of a Solar Empire

For anyone interested in picking up Sins of a Solar Empire, Impulse is running a sale now. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Sins is only $9.99. Quite a steal for a fantastic strategy game.

Dragon Age: Origins Complete

Though my problems with crash and loading bugs conspired to keep me down, I was finally able to finish the main campaign in Dragon Age: Origins.

The end battle and boss fight was a treat, properly epic and allowed you to see lots of character cameos. It was pretty tricky, too. Very well done.

I felt a little let down at the end, because a lot of my decisions drove off or doomed different characters or factions. I'm hopeful that in a second play-through I can improve the world a little rather than get by. I suppose that says a lot about how you can get emotionally invested in the characters and setting of Dragon Age, in that you can regret making the wrong decisions in a simulated world. I certainly did. But I was happy to finish. On to round 2.

New Super Mario Brothers Wii Complete

Well, when I say complete, I mean I beat Bowser. And wow, what a fun boss fight that was. A great trick in the beginning, and a crazy run for your life afterwards. Ah, what fun. We'll all look back on this later and laugh.

But really, the game has been a lot of fun, and there's still a bunch more to do. I skipped around a little bit (and yes, I took warps in the form of cannons, bad form to be sure) so I have some levels to go back and enjoy. Lots of Star Coins to pick up, secrets to find.

There's also the whole subject of World 9. A new twist, to have a world past Bowser's domain! Maybe I shouldn't give too much away for those who haven't finished the game. Suffice to say that while entirely optional, it taunts you, and it's not easy to get to any of the worlds within...

Assassin's Creed II Review Roundup

Although I haven't breathed a word about the game, I've been looking forward to Assassin's Creed II. I enjoyed the first game in spite of its flaws; the ages-old conflict between the Templar and the Assassin orders, being drawn from history into the current era, it really captured me.

So I'm excited to read that the recently-released sequel has garnered widely praised reviews. Gamespot praises plot, visuals, and animations. 1UP names the game a proper sequel in every way. And IGN keys in on the biggest flaw of the old game; namely, that objectives other than the main story missions were boring, repetitive, and useless. Not so in Assassin's Creed II.

With universal acclaim, Assassin's Creed II seems to be a proper revision, a true addition to a great, fledgling series. With availability on all major platforms, this is one not to miss.

What We've Been Waiting For -- New Super Mario Brothers Wii

We picked up New Super Mario Brothers Wii yesterday day, and wow it's good. New Super Mario Brothers Wii does for platforming what Uncharted 2 does for 3rd-person action-adventure. It pushes the boundaries and treads new ground while retaining a core game that is accessible for any player, and looks really good doing it.

First of all the game is adorable. The very first thing I noticed running through the first level (1-1) was the music, and the reactions of the enemies to the music. At a certain point in the music loop, during a kind of drum backbeat, the koopa troopers do a little shimmy and shake to the music, and the goombas do a little jump sequence. In some of the overworld sections, the trees sway to the beat. The new costumes, especially the penguin suit, are incredibly cute. The rest of the characters, enemies, and environments have a colorful charm, and is one of the best looking games on the Wii. The sounds match, with pieces you can hear borrowed from other games. I've heard original NES sounds, Super Mario Galaxy bits, and lots of original additions, including the cartoon-y penguin suit flipper steps, all with perfect fidelity and excellent timing.

But all this cuteness and attention to presentation doesn't take away from the game itself. It's classic tight platforming controls in a dynamic environment. There are more things that move, shoot, twist, and tilt than ever before. There are some truly challenging sequences, and situations that explore new ground in the Mario series. I've had a lot of "Oh, wow!" moments, usually just before dying because I'm too busy enjoying the view.

Thankfully, 1ups and powerups are all over the dang place. You can barely swing a penguin flipper without slamming into a Toad house (where you can win powerups to carry along with you like in Super Mario 3), or you can rescue a poor captured toad stuffed into a chest or ? block for red mushrooms or 1ups. There are red coin sequences throughout many levels that give freebies, and hidden 1ups right where you'd expect -- hidden areas, invisible blocks, and rapid starman runs. See world 1-2 for the most fun you can have with a star ever!

Several new mechanics I've enjoyed: First, I really like the motion controls. There are these platforms or other objects in the game world you can orient by tilting the Wii remote. Picture a flat platform in front of the flag. You can tilt the controller way to your left, and the platform follows suit, so you can run up it and hit the top of the flag. There are variations on this where you have to dodge incoming shots, illuminate dark areas, or capture items above and below you. Really cool moments.

Also the new suits are a lot of fun, and they expand the game options. The penguin suit (and ice flower suit, similarly) allows you to make stepping stones out of your enemies to get to high places. There's a level where there are probably eight million Bullet Bills. Here, if you have the penguin suit or ice flower, you can turn danger into opportunity by freezing those fools and jumping right up them like icy stpes. If you have enough nerve, you can actually attract a big group of them all the way to the end of the level where you can freeze them all and jump up to the top of the flagpole to get a 1up. All sorts of opportunities for mischief.

The levels in the game offer great reasons for replay. Not only are you competing on points, but you're collecting all the star coins to unlock various things, as well as trying to find all the secret endings to various levels -- especially the Boo houses! Somehow I wandered out of a secret exit in a ghost house in world 3, and took a cannon shot to world six! Wasn't expecting that.

Oh, and the game will actually PLAY FOR YOU when you suck too bad. Last night I just died endlessly on this tough stage, I was just flaking out. The game told me "It looks like you're terrible -- would you like Luigi to take the lead there?" I said "Hell yes! Play yourself." Then I sat back and watched the Green Man play through. Guess Luigi's good for something after all!

All this talk of the one player experience of course leads right into the multiplay features. With up to four players in a level at a time, there are some mad crazy hijinks. It actually makes the game tougher, but this probably isn't surprising. Unlike a four-player game like LittleBigPlanet, in NSMB you can collide with other players. I constantly find myself trying to run somewhere, only to find another player's character in my way. So if you're all trying to run up a platform that is rapidly dropping off the screen, you're limited by the slowest player. This game can end even the strongest of friendships.

Probably the best way to experience multiplay isn't by going through the main game cooperatively, but instead doing coin battles or free-for-all game modes with multiple players. In this way, since you've already beat the level to progress through the main story mode, you can unlock that level to play multiplay. You can then compete to get the best score or the most coins with other players. That has proven to be a lot of fun, because there's less riding on the line. If you all fail out, you don't have to use a continue or restart a critical boss level.

Whew. Nearly a thousand words later, I still have more things to say about how much I like this game. But this is enough for now. If you have a soul, and you have a Wii, this game will entertain you and actual, in-person, meatspace friends for hours and hours. You will marvel at the ingenious and devilish level designs and wow over the cute and amazing spectacle. You will experience the joy of victory and (if you are like me) the agony of defeat. But most of all you will have a lot of fun.

Uncharted 2 Completed

What a roller-coaster ride. Finally finished Uncharted 2 and it was a ton of fun. The ending was just as explosive as the rest of the entire game. I can't say enough things about it. From the over-the-top run-and-gun sessions, to the moving sequences on the top of trains and trucks, stealth action, and puzzle platforming, there's a lot here to like and it moves seamlessly in between genres. That and it looked and played the entire game, I was rarely frustrated or at a loss of where to head next. Certainly worth a replay to experience again.

Dragon Age: Origins

I took the plunge yesterday and picked up Dragon Age: Origins. Pretty much everyone else was playing it, and I just couldn't miss out. And I'm really glad I haven't. Even though I've only played a couple hours, the quality of this game has really shown.

I'm playing as a City Elf warrior, and I really liked the origin story. A tale of place and privilege, got to get my hands dirty against an abusive human, very satisfying. The origin stories both provide a good starting point to learn the game and mean a great deal as you go along. You never quite forget your origin, and everyone is always letting you know they know who you are.

Combat is fine, not the most satisfying experience. But it's competent.

The story and characters though is where it's at. I've enjoyed the immense amount of dialog and the number of cut scenes that show the action. Ferelden feels like a lived-in place, and if not quite as dynamic as GTAIV's Liberty City, still feels very much alive. And it certainly draws you back for more.

Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Preview

Can't believe I haven't said a word about the upcoming DS title The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. The release date of December 7 is coming up soon, and is a game I'm anticipating, since I really enjoyed the best control of the previous Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

However, the whole Link on a Train thing has gotten some criticism, while I've never really had a problem with it. I think our hero looks pretty awesome up on that train engine blasting fools with a huge cannon. Anyway, ars technica had a little bit to say about the game. Previewer is pretty positive about the feel of the game, especially for any old-timers who played with model trains. Even considering it's not just for old people, I think the move to land-based transportation will be immaterial, as 95% of the game will be in dungeons using gadgets -- and let's not forget that instead of just battling them this time, Link will be able to command the phantoms! Should be a bunch of fun.

Some video!

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Begins!

Picked up Uncharted 2: Among Thieves last night. The game has received rave reviews universally, and they aren't lying. From the outset the game is a blockbuster, with incredibly detailed environments, great action, and amusing and dramatic writing and voice acting.

The story is told, at least in the beginning, as a series of flash-backs, and I'm really into the hook. I'd love to know just how Nathan Drake ended up hanging out over a cliff from the back of a frozen trainwreck. That's pretty much the guy's life in a microcosm.

I've only just started, but I have the feeling I have a wild ride ahead of me.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

I haven't been into many of the Ratchet & Clank games in the past, and I'm not sure why. Probably because I did most of my platforming on the Wii. But I recently tried out the demo of the new Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time on the PS3, and was really impressed. It's reviewed very well, according to Metacritic ratings.

The demo takes about ten minutes, but shows off some great puzzle platforming and a boss fight. The time-shifting puzzles and slow-down really add a great gameplay element, using copies of yourself to perform cooperative actions -- sorta like Braid. Makes getting from point A to point B much more interesting.

And controlling your character is a blast. The controls are so tight, you feel really in control of your actions. Never once did I think I was a victim of awful controls or camera views, like I have in other recent puzzle platforming in games like Prince of Persia, Uncharted, or Assassin's Creed.

The game is also funny, good-looking, and kid-friendly. Alex really has a lot of fun watching the beat-em-up action and platforming. The environments are lush and full, but never distracting and never unclear about which direction to head. It uses a good, short, room-by-room method where you never wonder about which way to go. It's a bit linear, but each room is so interesting you don't care.

While I'm probably going to wait a bit to pick this up, it's definitely going on my wish list.

Guild Wars Halloween 2009

Been so so so long since I played any Guild Wars, but around this holiday season there are a bunch of good reasons to play a bit -- namely, Halloween treats! Starting last Friday, the Halloween events are ongoing in Guild Wars, and you can get all sorts of yummy and useful items just for normal adventuring. In addition to the bonus drops, you can also do quests and games for more prizes, including the yearly hats! I'll have to dig out the scarecrow mask and jump into the festivities.

Dragon Age Journeys: The Deep Roads

The first installment of Dragon Age Journeys went live last night, and is now upon us like a horde of darkspawn. I played through the first chapter, subtitled The Deep Roads, over the course of a few hours last night. The best way to describe it is a flash version of Diablo only with turn based combat a la Final Fantasy. The gameplay is satisfying, and a neat feature is the unlocking of items for use in Dragon Age: Origins. Completing a certain quest can unlock an item, as does taking three short surveys throughout the course of the game. I thought that was an interesting idea... trade feedback for an in-game goodie. There is also a very nice helm that can be unlocked, but doing so requires completing 5 achievements. I've managed 3 of the 5 so far, with only one of them seeming to be dificult to accomplish: Killing an Ogre with full party health remaining. THAT will be a serious challenge. I've tried and failed several times. Regardless, it's a fun diversion. You can find it here.

Command and Conquer 4 Preview

Great preview at Gamespot for the upcoming Command & Comquer 4: Tiberium Twilight. I really like the previously-announced commander class system, allowing you to choose your specialty -- either offense, defense, or support. There's also a greater emphasis on a rock-paper-scissors combat mechanic where different weapon and armor types have greater or lesser effect. A visual effect, showing colored tracers of fired weapons of certain types, clues players in to their effectiveness. Along with the mobile bases of some of the factions, there really seem to be some interesting refinements to the RTS gameplay of the title. Looking forward to its release in early 2010.

Glowing Blobby Reviews for a Boy and His Blob

A Boy and His Blob released last week, and the reviews have started coming in. I had posted the trailer of this game before. Reviews have been very positive, with rankings in the 80% range. Although it's a simple platformer, the art and animation is so adorable, you can't help but love it. There's literally a hug button that does nothing else but make your child avatar hug his blob companion.

At its core, the game is a platformer with strong puzzle elements. The blob can take various forms to help you get past these puzzles. Fighting isn't a strong mechanic, as most enemies, save for bosses, can simply be bypassed. The game is much more forgiving that the original NES title, and a checkpoint system, infinite lives, and infinite jellybeans allow you to play as you will without worrying about losing progress.

I'm certainly adding this game to my wishlist.

RPG Fatigue -- Demon's Souls and Dragon Age

Couple of hot new medieval fantasy RPGs have come or will come about this fall. Demon's Souls is a PS3 exclusive and a hard-core gamer's wet dream come true. A level-grinding and body-grinding experience, the difficult gameplay turns death into a reward, through the unique multiplayer features by allowing you to learn from other people's deaths as a warning.

Even more highly anticipated is, of course, Dragon Age from RPG master BioWare. Dragon Age is billed as the spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series, and promises to have the strong story and quality voice acting for which the blockbuster developer is known.

These titles come on the heels of other critical and commercial successes such as the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3, Persona 4, Fable II, Risen, Sacred 2, Dragon Quest IX, and more. And while each has its own twist, its own claim to fame, they each have a core gameplay mechanic: smack things and get stuff so you can smack bigger things. Yes it's a gross oversimplification, but it's close to the truth.

And I'm just tired of all of them.

I feel like I should be really excited for Dragon Age. It promises to be an epic event, a visual masterpiece, and an intricate story in a detailed world. What's not to like? As a PS3 owner, I should be proud of the Demon's Souls exclusive, buy it and crow about my platform's ascendancy. But I don't care about either. And I can't exactly pin down this general feeling of apathy.

Looking back over my recent purchases, I can't stand on any high horse and claim moral victory over the piñata-bashing RPG horde. Katamari Forever is a game where you just roll things up, over and over and over. Scribblenauts is a game only of what you make it, with flawed controls. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is a RPG, which I loved, pretty much making me a hypocrite. And Defense Grid is such a narrow experience that it is literally a game made as a copy of a modification of another game.

The only correlation I can make is that the older I get, the less I care for adult titles. I've long given up on first-person shooters, with Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 the only ones I've played recently, along with Crysis and UT3, with those still a rare event in a long dry spell, as they are mostly LAN party titles. Dragon Age and Demon's Souls are just about as M-rated as you can get without straying into AO territory. Maybe I just don't have the stomach for the visceral, well-rendered violence, or just don't care to simulate acts that too closely mirror the awful events in our real world. I think parenthood has really affected my sensitivity to violence, and the decreased desire to expose my kid to those kinds of games before he's ready.

And maybe it's not only their content, but what's missing. These games frequently eschew any cooperative multi-player features as well, officially relegating themselves to sitting all alone in your basement or computer room. When I sit in my basement or computer room alone gaming in Sins of a Solar Empire, Demigod, Mario Kart, or Katamari Forever, I can at least get on Ventrilo and yell at people cohabitating my virtual world.

Here at the end of my ramblings, please know this is not a criticism of either the games specifically, either Dragon Age or Demon's Souls, the people who play them, or even RPG games in particular. Rather, I'm trying to figure out why I don't care for them.

Maybe it's because I'm old and uncool. I certainly am old and uncool, but whether that's a contributing factor, I don't know. Is it time to hand in my PS3 and unregister my Steam account, because surely I won't do anything cool with either? Am I a bad person for not lining up to buy Demon's Souls, Dragon Age, or Uncharted 2? I always wondered if I would play video games for my entire life, my tastes never changing and staying forever young -- at least at heart -- by staying current with gaming and Internet trends. It seems that maybe my wondering can end, answered by a barely audible and disinterested "No."

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Complete

Finished Bowser's Inside Story this afternoon. The last fight was a lot of fun, but certainly tricky. Had to pull out all the stops. Just tough enough -- it was the first battle I'd actually failed.

I was expecting one more battle, but the ending was very appropriate. Funny to the end.

Mass Effect 2 Release Date

Looks like we'll be seeing the second chapter of Mass Effect 2 here in North America on January 26, 2010. Really looking forward to this title. A little concerned about this "dark, gritty" feel we keep hearing about, but hopefully they stick with more of a space epic RPG than a grungy shooter. Only a few months until we find out.

Bowser's Inside Story Nearly Complete

Finally had some more time to play the wonderful Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Crazy busy weekend and beginning of the week, but now I'm back at it.

I've made it back to Peach's Castle, trying to rescue the princess and clear out the evil lord. No, this time it's not Bowser. Crazy, I know. The enemies here are the toughest yet, and a mini-boss trash robot fight was crazy. Luigi getting shoved into a trash can cracked me up.

But, my game just told me to take a break. What gives?

Oh now it's ringing at me. Better pick it up!

I get the feeling there's only a little bit left of the game to play, but I'll enjoy it while it lasts!

Defense Grid Awakened

Finished the story mode of Defense Grid: The Awakening. Last missions was a great finisher, took me a couple tries but I knocked it out.

It's worth going back and re-playing the missions, as there are different modes to try out, including the Grinder mode where you face 99 waves of creeps, and tower-limited modes where you can only have either 10 or 20 towers at one time. Have to give some of those a shot.

Supreme Commander Pickup

Wow the Direct2Drive deals have been good to me lately. Defense Grid, Silent Hunter III, and now Supreme Commander all for $5. That's some good savings!

Played through the first mission of the campaign in Supreme Commander on normal difficulty. This is an old-school tough RTS. Even the first mission throws you into the thick of things quickly, and just rushing the front door doesn't do the job. I need to refine my skills!

Absolutely love love love the camera operations. Finally playing this game two years later on a great PC makes the experience fantastic. I can zoom all the way from orbital satellite view down close very quickly, makes navigation a snap. I think it's goofy that you can drag-select buildings and engineer units, though. I really like how in Sins of a Solar Empire drag selections only get combat units.

Much more to play of course, but it's a good start. Hopefully I can put up with the highly stereotyped "tough colonel" long enough. He's already grating on my nerves.

Defense Grid: The Awakening

Defense Grid: The Awakening has been out for a while, but it recently went on sale at the Direct2Drive 5-year anniversary event. Not a super value at $19.95, but at $5? Yes please.

Defense Grid mimics the traditional tower defense genre, with a futuristic theme. Aliens are trying to steal your power cores, and it's up to you to capital A Awaken your, uhm, defense grid. But hey, to be fair, it's a pretty tough defense grid.

Towers are varied, if a little indistinct. Maybe that's just me. There are only so many ways of making a tower-like structure. However, the maps and environments are detailed, from dusty plains to ice fields to fiery lava expanses.

The missions have ranged from straightforward to tricky. Some have nearly limitless tower placements, while others are single paths. You can really maze the aliens around in the open maps, but they're certainly tougher. The challenge throughout the game is good, and I've had a little trouble where my strategy has been weak.

You get awards and because it's a Valve-published game there are Steam achievements as well for people who dig that. Medals are available for certain scores on the game, and you get a better score for using the fewest resources possible.

In all, Defense Grid: The Awakening is a fun tower-defense style game for fans of the genre. While it doesn't radically reform gameplay, it has refined it, picking up where more-limited mods and web-based flash games have left off.

More Fun With Mario, Luigi, and Bowser

Only had little pieces here and there to play more of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, but it continues to delight. The game can be pretty tricky, meaning the difficulty of the fights can be tough I think if you don't do the timed battle responses well. I have some trouble getting the timing right for counter-attacks dropping down from the top screen, but I guess that's the point. However, a little practice makes perfect.

I have the feeling I'm well over half-way through the story of the game, with most areas unlocked. It still feels very fresh, and I love the way that additional abilities and ways of moving around the game world continue to be unlocked. The world itself isn't very big, but because you keep opening up new ways to jump, swirl, burrow, and slide, you can reach farther and higher to access previously unaccessible areas. Makes me really appreciate the design of the world.

The Bowser boss fights have been a lot of fun. Particularly the last fight I had with a train rumbling down the tracks. The train entered into a hill and transformed the hill into a living construct that healed when clouds rained on it. Really imaginative. And satisfying when I slammed that hill into another barrier, exploding it. I finally got that train and those traitors inside! They'll think twice about crossing the Koopa King!

Massive Sins of a Solar Empire Balance Changes

Ironclad released today a crazy-huge set of balance changes for Sins of a Solar Empire and the Entrenchment expansion, viewable in the forum announcement. I think it's great that they've listened to the community and addressed game balance, now a year and a half from initial release. Real service to their customers.

Still reading over the changes, and while many of them seem beneficial (in that they just generally increase abilities or ship damage) a lot of the changes address shortcomings to ships in relation to abilities and starbases found in Entrenchment. Specifically, the siege vessels have all been increased in power and reduced in cost due to their difficulty in operating against starbases or other defensive installations.

The most exciting change I see is the update to the Halcyon Carrier of the Advent faction. The note from Ironclad reads: "Halcyon Carrier:
Adept Drone Anima reworked - now grants 1/2/3 extra squadrons instead of 1/2/3 extra strikecraft per squadron." More squadrons = goodness! Now it can be a serious carrier.

Gonna have to try these options out in multiplay soon.

Rolling on With Katamari Forever

Great LAN party. I had my fill of Demigod, and Company of Heroes and Team Fortress was fun as well. Mostly it was great to get to see people from out of town, and get some serious discussion of PAX done!

Had a chance to close out the weekend with some more Katamari Forever. The game is cool and real casual, but I take it way too seriously. Some of the levels are pretty tricky with how you should go through them (specifically the Venus-building money level in the forgetful King's Cosmos), and I just can't do it well. Even though it's a little frustrating, it's fun to keep retrying.

However, a couple of the levels I managed to score a 120 out of 100, and that's supremely satisfying. The King dialog is great as well, his feigned surprise at your scoring over the total amuses me greatly. The dialog throughout the game is great, and I especially like the insulted tones in which each of the kings address you if you start rolling before they're done telling you the goals of a level. It's the details on this game that make it more than just rolling up a bunch of crap on a ball.

Day 2 of LAN Begins

Liveblogging for Saturday below:

LAN Party Begins!

Let's do it up right. Liveblogging below:

That Little Guy Is So Cute!

I don't know if it's the wagging tail, the boundy leaps, or the fact that flowers sprout where footsteps fall, but that little creature from Okamiden on DS is adorable. New trailer below shows cuteness glory:

Gratuitous Space Battles

I laughed so hard when I saw this game: Gratuitous Space Battles. At first glance it looks like a ridiculous concept, but the strategy occurs before the game. You design your ships from modular components, set their behavior, and then let them fly. Big emphasis on huge explosions and laser blasts. Pretty much it's how Strong Bad would design a video game.

Release Dates Keep Dropping

New Super Mario Brothers Wii now coming November 15. Perfect time for a holiday release. This game will sell like if you could have a game that would make hotcakes come out of your Wii.

Splinter Cell: Conviction comes out for PC and 360 on February 23rd. Once a month only for so-so movie releases, February may contain releases such as Mass Effect 2, BioShock 2, Dante's Inferno, and White Knight Chronicles.

Finally, although not exactly a release date, Nintendo has announced that the Wii will officially be $50 off, and now retails for $199.99.

I Can Deal With That

A release date for Gran Turismo 5 actually really really really officially no kidding announced. Yes, it's March 2010, and yes, that's the Japan-only date, but hey, it's within the next twelve months! Hopefully we'll see it in the US by June. There was a 3-month lag (Dec 28, '04 and Feb 22, '05) for the Japan and North America releases for Gran Turismo 4, so hopefully this will be pretty much the same thing.

Katamari FOREVEEEEER!!!

Wow so I'm a little ashamed I completely missed the release date of Katamari Forever. Which was yesterday. Which I missed. Blah.

But never fear! I picked up the game at the game hut, and popped it into my Pea Ess Three. The insanity picked up from there. I was treated to flying bunnies, pink pandas, and the Prince himself, along with the Kind and Queen of the Cosmos, and the new RoboKing.

We've played through the first couple levels and the same charm and gameplay is there, with some new twists. There are additional goals along with the typical "Grow really big in a short time" goal, making your strategy different from level to level.

Huge graphical update of course. So many objects on the screen at once, the levels are much fuller than the PS2 incarnations. Plus I love the cartoon, brushed art style, really smacked of the hand-drawn look of Valkyria Chronicles, which is a plus in my book.

Glad to be rolling up a katamari again on the new system. Should be fun to play with a group this weekend at the LAN!

Gold Trophies in Mario Kart all Grand Prix Events

At long last, I finally managed to make gold in all events in Mario, woo! I hope Laura has newfound respect for me. Of course I don't have even close to a decent grade in any of those races, but hey, once step at a time. At least I unlocked a bunch more stuff.

Only took a year and a half.

Live Coverage of Fall LAN

Getting geared up for gaming this week -- live coverage of LAN activities starts Friday.

Demigod Update 1.19

New Demigod update today, along with a new Impulse app update. The Demigod update adds a very nice feature -- a replay viewer. Should be able to record games and replay them so I can take video of my massive kill count as Regulus, like I did in the last game yesterday evening! The replay feature allows you to view the replay at different speeds, remove the fog of war, view upgrades purchased, standard stuff. I will personally be very happy to use this new feature.

Along with the match recording, new balancing changes are in, specifically different purchase prices for a lot of one-use items, along with ability changes on some items. Lots more bugfixes.

Glad to see the devs keep working, because we keep enjoying their game!

Wolf of the Sea in Silent Hunter III

Last week I picked up Silent Hunter III as part of the Direct2Drive.com 5-year Anniversary deals. Silent Hunter has a steep learning curve, and I was certainly frustrated by the game at the start. There's very little in the way of explanation, and the main game menu leaves a little to be desired. Now that I've gotten into it a little bit, I'm having a great time preying on Allied shipping coming through the Atlantic. Some screens!

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Completed

I also forgot to mention that I completed Uncharted: Drake's Fortune last week. The ending was good, but man it was frustrating at times. I probably did the end sequence a dozen times before I figured out what I had to do. I was just throwing my hands up going "WTF?!" But I was glad I played it. Turns out there weren't nazi undead, but there were undead and nazis, much to my surprise! The creepy sequences weren't that bad, and didn't make me stop playing. In all, a decent shooter and fun action-adventure game. The sequel comes out in October, but I'm likely to wait on that one for a while.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

When I picked up Scribblenauts last week, I also picked up the new Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Initially I played Scribblenauts, but once I started in on Bowser's Story, I have not been able to put it down. It's just a lot of fun.

For starters, it manages to meld classic RPG elements of equipping and levelling up characters with action and timing gameplay elements characteristic of side-scrolling Mario adventure games. When I found myself as Mario and Luigi returning adrenaline particles into Bowser's arm muscles via hammer bashes in a kind of rhythm game in order to pump him up enough to lift an entire castle, I knew the game was pretty special. There are so many crazy gameplay moments that you just can't see anywhere else. Bowser's towering hulk blowing massive fireballs, so cool. So many others, they're all great action elements and are a good break from the turn-based combat.

However, even in the "regular" turn-based combat in the game, you barely sit still. This ain't Final Fantasy where you hit "Attack" and come back twenty minutes later with a sandwich. You have to jump and hammer enemies in evasion and counter-attacks. As Bowser, you have to shield yourself or punch out those foolish enough to step up to the Koopa King. Long Mario's punching bag, you get the feeling that if he had a little more brainpower to match his brawn, Bowser would have been running the Mushroom Kingdom a long time ago, because he's a rough dude. It's a blast to get to play as him.

Bowser just steals the show. The character portrayed in the game is this kind of dimwitted but intensely strong anti-hero that you can't help but laugh at and cheer on. Yes he's just plain mean, but hilarious to watch do it.

So much of the game is just plain funny. The RPG tropes that get stomped all over in several sections really cracked me up. My favorite was the boss who advised you to go and save your game, because you never really know what's going to happen next! From Bowser's funny dialog to Mario and Luigi's emphatic gestures and fast Italian speech, all the elements are there for an amusing, quirky ride.

The game looks great, too. Mario and Luigi are bright and animated, Bowser is hulking and detailed, and the environments are lush and cool. Soundwork is the same high quality, from hammer bashes to flame bursts.

Wow I just can't say enough about how good this game is. Six hours in and not once have I been frustrated or lost or unhappy. Every combat is interesting and crazy, from the enemies to special attacks to shifting internal and external combat.

I'm really happy I picked this game up, and if you like RPGs at all, this is not one to miss.

Need for Speed Shift... Good?

Uuuuuuggggh dammit. After the travesties that were Need for Speed: Undercover and Need for Speed: Prostreet, I'd just about sworn the entire series off. Although I'd had a great lot of fun with the Undercover and Carbon issues, the last two were just awful. And I was sad, because I really liked the series, and as a great arcade racer on the PC, it couldn't be beat.

So now the new issue, Shift, is out, and I assumed it would be crap. I thought I could just go on drooling over Gran Turismo screens and waiting for that to come out. But noooo, Shift comes out and is actually good, begging me to experience its loud, revving action.

The problem is I have Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Scribblenauts, Silent Hunter III, Uncharted, a LAN party coming up, and a Microsoft exam to study for. Probably gonna have to wait on it...

The Unmatched Potential of Scribblenauts

Just picked up Scribblenauts, and it's adorable. It's also a great game. It's a great game because it really allows you to play. Not the WoW / Sacred 2 whack-a-mole "play" type, or the Call of Duty / TF2 shooting gallery "play", or even the Company of Heroes / Sins of a Solar Empire crank-out-units "play". No, I'm talking about like when you were a kid throwing things down the stairs to see what would happen play. Like when you would pit armies of Lego bricks against stuffed animals play. Running arou nd outside hide-and-seek play. Scribblenauts allows you to go nuts, to just try new things, to be creative and play a game like a child, with few objectives and a story only you create. It's just a heck of a lot of fun. Sometimes we take our gaming way too seriously. I'm glad to see a game like Scribblenauts on the unserious spectrum.

WTB: One Change of Pants

... Cause I just got really excited.

The intro video for Forza 3 is circulating, and it just looks incredible. This is probably the only game series that makes me sad I don't own a 360.

A Boy and His Blob Trailer

Although I'd heard about this game a while back, I hadn't posted anything about it yet. Another bright spot on the Q4 2009 Wii release schedule, A Boy and His Blob is an adorable puzzle platformer based on the NES game of the same title. The trailer shows a bunch of gameplay, and I love the puzzle elements combined with classic jumpy platforming. Plus, the game, art design, and full-motion video is just adorable. The game releases October 6th. Trailer below:

Late to the Party with Uncharted

Two years too late I know, but I just picked up Uncharted: Drake's Fortune this week. Waiting for Scribblenauts is giving me the shakes, so I needed something to take the edge off!

Uncharted is fun, it's a solid action game. I enjoy the platforming elements, a little bit like Prince of Persia styles, probably more like Tomb Raider but I never really played those. The gunplay is satisfying, and the melee attacks are rewarding -- love the slow-mo action.

What really impressed me is the look and sound of the game. Obviously it looks good, but it's just really detailed. The water effects are great, and the tombs and jungles you bounce around in are alive. The voice work and sound effects are just top-notch, especially Nolan North as Nathan Drake.

Uncharted is a solid experience -- it's no Metal Gear Solid, but it's a fun action game that doesn't have to do with zombies, undead nazis, or children scaring you to death.

Okami for DS?

Although I wrote about this game a year and a half ago and still haven't picked it up, the news of a DS version gets me excited. Okamiden is a shrunken version of the original game, and just looks adorable. Not much info yet, but the preview below shows promise:

Legal Woes for Mech Warrior 5

Let the trouble begin already. It seems that the guys who hold the Robotech patent are suing the MW5 devs about some IP infringement. Let's hope this doesn't delay the development of the new Mech Warrior game.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Completed

I picked up the second Professor Layton game last week. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box sees the Professor and apprentice Luke seeking out the Elysian Box, a supposedly cursed artifact of a mysterious origin that kills all who open it. Once the box kills his mentor, Layton promises to find the box and its origin in the hopes of explaining his teacher's death.

I enjoyed the game a great deal. First of all the writing, voice work, and visual design are all top notch. The presentation of the game is incredibly polished and unique, blending anime style with old English conventions. The full motion video sequences are a delight, and add greatly to the text-driven conversations in presenting the story.

And what a story it is. The characters within are interesting, if a little caricatured, but Layton and the other main story characters are nuanced and likable. You're forever rooting for the cool and calm Layton and his plucky apprentice, along with all the other protagonists. Predictably, the story takes a huge twist, but ends perfectly.

The puzzles that make up a huge majority of the gameplay are satisfying. Few take the cop-out of tricks, but just enough to make yourself feel clever. The best are three-dimensional visualization puzzles, such as filling boxes with irregularly shaped objects or imagining how an unfolded cube would look folded back up. The rope and maze puzzles are also fun, made easier by a memo function that allows you to draw freely on an overlay without interacting on the puzzle below, tracing the paths of wires, ropes, and other objects. A few puzzles deeply puzzled me, but not so much that the hints didn't help, making the search for hint coins a fun and necessary part of the game.

The additional mini-games, such as the camera assembly and subsequent photo mode, hamster exercise, and tea brewing games are a fun distraction, adding to the main story and giving great benefits if you choose to complete them.

In all, the second puzzling adventure from Level-5 Games is a fun time, and you won't be able to put it down once you start because you, just like Layton and friends, will want to find out the real mystery of the Elysian Box. The final puzzle is a fantastic payoff not to be missed!

Scribblenauts Creative Director Interview

Good interview with the creative director of 5th Cell, the crew behind the much-anticipated Scribblenauts. Video below:



Scribblenauts releases next week. I have my pre-order ready!

Official Title for Command & Conquer 4

The upcoming C&C4 has an official title -- Command & Conquer 4: Tiberium Twilight. Not to be confused with princesses or vampires, C&C4's title reflects the last game of the series. I'm a little sad to see the end one of my longest-running franchises -- and Joe Kucan! -- but it should go out with a bang!

Always Fun With More Company

Hadn't tried it in a while, so I met up with Mike and we played a couple matches of Company of Heroes. It used to be our game of choice, but new beaus Demigod and Sins of a Solar Empire have all but replaced it. I decided we should dust it off a bit, since we really hadn't done much with the Tales of Valor expansion.

Played a couple matches, had a blast. I employed the new T17 armored car to great effect, really chasing the CPU units around the map. With a 500 victory point match, and us holding four out of five since the beginning of the game, it really didn't last long. Had a great couple short matches. Didn't get into the bigger units, but that's alright. Sometimes games without tanks are more fun!

Batman: Arkham Asylum

I think I'd be amiss if I didn't say something about the new Batman: Arkham Asylum. Besides being a spelling test, the game by all accounts is a fantastic third-person brawler. It seems to leverage the beloved franchise well while providing excellent atmosphere. The characters and voice work are top notch, with everyone mentioning Mark Hamill's excellent reprise of the Joker from the Batman: The Animated Series.

Along with the audio, the visuals look great. Not only are the graphics some of the best around, the visual design carries on the look and feel of the recent movies, the dark, gritty, and sinister feel of Gotham City, especially deep within this forsaken facility.

As for the gameplay, it plays like a Splinter Cell without gun. But you get to substitute fists, feet, and batarangs for guns! You can pull off punch-out style combos, stun attacks, and the classic inverted drop-from-the-ceiling stealth take-downs. Visual queues allow you to respond to your enemies' actions, and counter their attacks on you.

Overall, reviews are nearly universally positive. Three major outfits, Gamespot, IGN, and Kotaku all give glowing scores. The Metacritic score is a 91, pretty amazing.

While it's not really my thing, the game has a lot to offer for anyone who is a fan of the series, but also just a fan of good third-person action adventure games. The game is out this week for PS3 and Xbox 360, and will be out for PC in mid-September.

Gran Turismo 5 Further Details

More information arose out of the cacophonous din of the Leipzig Gamescon last week. First, one of several new videos from the Tokyo 246 track, confirming its return to GT5, in a Subaru Impreza rally car looking very tidy.

More Gran Turismo 5 Info

Kotaku is a little critical of the damage modelling within Gran Turismo 5. A new damage demo was available at Gamescon, and it seemed... Unwieldy. Hopefully that game feature will be improved, or simply configurable to be disabled at will.

And finally from 1UP, some vital statistics from Gran Turismo 5: 1000 cars, 20 tracks in 60 configurations, YouTube video uploads, Photo drive, voice/text chatrooms, damage system, and more.

I just know that as long as they have the Top Gear test track, I'm going to be happy. Now if we could only get a release date!

Crysis 2 Teaser Double Feature

Two total teasers for Crytek's second installment of Crysis available below.

Guild Wars 2 Trailer

The trailer for Guild Wars 2 was released yesterday. It's viewable on the main site or below. I for one am pretty excited -- at least it looks good, and carries on the same visual style and charm of the first game. We'll see as more details arise if they managed to ruin the gameplay or evolve the original experience.

Imminent Guild Wars 2 Announcements

There's been some activity (finally) regarding Guild Wars 2. On the official wiki, the head of ArenaNet Mike O'Brien has teased the announcement of details. The official Guild Wars 2 site looks poised for an update as well. We might finally hear if GW2 is going to be a cheap WoW grinding power-level piece of crap or the evolution of instanced, cooperative adventure-action in the Diablo/Dungeon Siege school that I know and love. Please, please don't add raiding and persistent zones (aside from the rumored and hilarious huge PvP areas) because that would totally ruin the game. If you want griefing, kill-stealing, and plain old sheer desperation, just play EQ2.

Just All Kinds of Stuff!

Haven't been around the intergoogletubes for a while, so it's been hard to keep up on the news.

Probably the most exciting stuff is the wealth of conventions that is going on this fall. GenCon Indy just wrapped up last week, and the Penny Arcade Expo is going on in a couple weeks, starting at the beginning of September. Then, QuakeCon was just finished as well. By all accounts, the BYOC meet was intense.

The new PAX East Coast has me very interested as well. That con goes on in March 2010 in Boston, Mass. Boston is close enough to me to drive, so I have vowed to make the pilgrimage with gamer friends to the event. I hope we can pull it off!

Tons of StarCraft II news and hands-on previews, but that game is dead to me.

In Pokemon news, HeartGold and SoulSilver have been slated for a spring 2010 US and Europe release. I haven't touched those games, and the DS remakes should be a good addition to the series. Two more DS titles have me excited: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box and Scribblenauts, both of which seem like surefire hits. Both will be available by the middle of September.

As far as online play, we've mostly been sticking with Demigod and Sins of a Solar Empire. Sins has proven great fun, but the length of the game makes it hard to play regularly. That's where Demigod comes in!

Enforcers Enforce Like They Do

Something I don't typically see is a huge group of Vasari Enforcer cruisers smacking around a couple capital ships, but that's just what the screens below depict. We had a good 3v3 game last night in Sins of a Solar Empire. Mike was getting his assault on by throwing a huge fleet around, and he managed to corner a couple of TEC capital ships near their home world. Against roughly twenty Enforcers, the TEC had no chance.

StarCraft II Delayed to 2010

No surprise at all, but StarCraft II has officially been delayed until 2010. I was skeptical that it would come out this year at all.

It's cool. I think I can wait a few more months before the game comes out and I complain that it's really only one third of a game and missing features anyway.

New History Kit from Media Molecule

A big new kit is in the works from the Media Molecule team: The History Kit. A wild departure from most of the past packages that consist mostly of costumes, the History Kit has new stickers and materials from ancient cultures, including the Roman Empire, Egypt, and more. This kit is interesting because of the expansion of the look and feel of the game. Most of the objects are modern or graffiti-like, and the realistic (if still cartoony and cuddly) look of the History Kit means new and more options for world-builders. The trailer is available below.

Dragon Age chat hosted by PRC

For those of you interested, here are the logs of the Dragon Age chat we at the PRC hosted on our IRC servers yesterday. There are three... the main chat, the log of the questions answered by the Bioware folks in the background while the chat was going on, and the log of discussion after the channel was opened back up, which has a ton of info in the form of questions posed to Craig from Bioware and the PRC team.

Command and Conquer 4 Teaser Trailer

Official Command and Conquer 4 trailer is available. Completely over the top, just how I like it!

English Katamari Forever Trailer

Finally have an official trailer for the English version of Katamari Forever, and it's a bit kooky!



I have to agree, that turkey does look delicious. The game looks like a delight as well. No official release date, but it's guaranteed that when this comes out, I will pay money to acquire it.

Great Battles in Our Solar Empire

Played a great and challenging game of Sins of a Solar Empire last night with Mike and Greg. We haven't done a whole lot of multiplayer, but it's a lot of fun. We all each prefer one of the races, so we have a lot of variety when we play.

Greg had an interesting strategy. Expand quickly, but once he encountered enemy opposition he turtled up, going to starbases and economic improvements rather than building a fleet. By not researching his fleet requisitioning, he focused on his economy and was earning far more credits than the rest of us due to his low overhead. As a result, he shunted those credits to me and Mike, allowing us to buy ships with abandon. At one point later in the game I queued four capital ships at once, while their crew research was being done.

In the end, the enemy was no match for the Vasari and Advent fleets backed by TEC capital. But we had some great fights with enemy fleets and starbases before they went down. Some pics below:



Above: The Vasari fleet under Admiral Mike with their front-line Enforcers take the brunt of the attack from the Orkulus Starbase as the legion Advent Fleet commanded by Lord Nick brings their beam weaponry to bear. Below: Advent Transcencia Star Base and TEC Argonev Star Base support one another to defend a system from the remnants of the escaping enemy Vasari fleet.

inFamous Complete

Finished up the last couple story missions of inFamous last night. It was a pretty satisfying conclusion, with a twist I actually didn't see coming -- even though I'm notoriously bad at predicting plot.

The last boss fight was a thrill, with the perfect transition from "Wow this is tricky, not sure if I'm going to get through this" to "Ah alright, I can actually do this!". Although you can go on in the city, collecting and freeing up additional areas, the conclusion leaves open your continued progress and seems to obviously set the franchise up for a sequel, which most people will probably hope for.

Having gone most of the good route, I'd like to replay from the "dark side" to experience the other types of missions that I didn't play. There's a potential for some different story conclusions, and I'd like to see how those could fit in. So a real opportunity for a decent replay. But in all a great first run-through.

Spore Galactic Adventures

I recently picked up the Spore Galactic Adventures expansion, which I've been playing with my son, and it's just a whole lot of fun.

First of all, the new content has a ton of charm. The first few missions that I did -- one of which was a Shakespearian Romeo and Juliette adventure -- had great writing and the wholesome, bubblegum appeal that I've come to enjoy with Spore. And the new stuff works seamlessly within the existing game, and allows you to have greater enjoyment with those creations that you've labored over throughout all the other games you've run. You can take adventures just like missions in Space mode that actually put you down on a planet, and you get to walk around and look at stuff, going "Hey, I made that" or "Wow I totally fought those guys before" and "Stupid piplup creatures are here and throughout the entire galaxy!" And if you get tired of the dynamic adventures in Space mode, you can always create your own using the amazing tools that come with the game.

I can't say enough about the new tool sets. Using the tools, you can create your own adventures and terraform the planets where your adventure is set. But they are the most full-featured and easy-to-use tools I've ever encountered. I've played with Maxis tools for a long time, ever since the SimCity 3000 days, and these in Galactic Adventures are just unmatched. When I was terraforming, I was just awed by the options and the ease of use, I literally uttered out loud "I can't believe how good this is."

For example, as sort of a test, I created an adventure with some direction for Alex. You start with your captain, placing that placeholder creature anywhere on the planet. I spawned a tank vehicle, something I'd created before in a previous game, and set a goal on that vehicle that directed the player to destroy it. I experimented with various ways of destruction, but ended up placing a number of bombs (which I put on a respawn timer just in case) that the player could lob at the tank. Because the tank had a high HP value that one bomb wouldn't knock to 0 in one shot, I just edited its health, and voila, one shot one kill.

I then created a small enemy base, again using buildings that I'd created in previous games, and required the player to seek out a key (hidden under the tank they should have destroyed) to open the gate that allowed access to the base. I terraformed a ramp into a formerly impassable hill that allowed a path into the base. Hidden past patrolling guards (that I'd created in past games, that I set in "aggressive" behavior and enemy detection ranges for and determined their patrol path) was another key, that opened a gate to where captive and adorable Pikachu creatures were held. Once you opened the gate, the Pikachus were freed, and your mission was over.

Throughout the process, I was able to customize character movement, behavior, and speech, object properties, music, environments, terrain, vehicles, buildings, ambient objects, and mission goals. With Spore Galactic Adventures, Spore finally has that possibility of being the "everything game" where you can use your own creations to recreate any other game experience, from GTA to Legend of Zelda to Pong or whatever, and other original things completely up to your imagination.

It's my hope that the online community will continue to develop good adventures, similar to what the LittleBigPlanet online has become, a constant source of innovative and charming game experiences. Galactic Adventures has definitely given the game that potential.

More on Command and Conquer 4

New information has surfaced from an interview C&C4 designer and story writer Samuel Bass gave. Read it here.

A couple things I find interesting. The first big change is this idea of persistent profiles that exist throughout the game modes. From offline campaign to online multiplay, you gain experience as a commander, allowing you to unlock different units and abilities. Additionally, you have a class, either offensive, defensive, or support, giving you unique abilities in the field.

While I normally like to play the entire game I've paid for, this idea could be interesting. Sounds like they're taking a page out of the CoD 4 book. Bass does say that the game has more units that any C&C game ever, so it might not be so bad.

Second, the mobile base is a new gameplay twist, and should prove interesting in multiplayer matches. Because the resources you want often aren't mobile, but you can exhaust them, it's nice to be able to move around to more relevant areas.

But the best thing I read was this quote from Bass: "As a nice side effect, since C&C4 requires players to be online all the time in order to prevent cheating, we'll be shipping without any form of DRM." Cool! It only took them three years to catch up to Company of Heroes. But that's a good thing, if a little late.

Probably another year before we see C&C 4, no release date set yet, but it will be exclusive to the PC at least for a time.