Milden Gaming

Photo Dojo Released At Long Last

2010-05-10T13:58:00.003-04:00

Finally, Photo Dojo is out. I heard about this months ago, played it at PAX, and now it's out. For the next couple weeks, it's free to download from DSi Ware. I suggest you check it out!

LittleBigPlanet 2?

2010-05-10T11:04:00.003-04:00

I've consistently said there won't be a true LittleBigPlanet 2. MediaMolecule would not want to split the community and do anything to upset the ongoing ecosystem.

Now, however, news of LittleBigPlanet 2 got a little bit more plausible. Although the actual magazine isn't out yet, an advance look of an upcoming GameInformer issue appears to confirm that there is a sequel. Of sorts.

From the sound of things, the level editor is going to be miles beyond even the impressive editor in the first game. There's even mention of a working Command and Conquer clone? This I would have to see.

But no news on whether LBP2 would just plug into the existing network, allowing the two titles to share levels and content. At least there is word you can port your characters from one to another. Given that LBP is the only game I've ever gained Platinum on, I want to keep the streak going.

Update, it's for reals.

Free Release of Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries Available

2010-05-06T08:22:00.002-04:00

Released way back in 2002, Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries is my favorite in the giant- walking-robot-shooter genre. I played the game's single-player campaign easily a half-dozen times, enjoying the campaign missions and the ability to salvage mechs and use those parts on your own rigs.

Now it's back, and it's free. The brilliant team at Mektek have lobbied Microsoft Game Studios to give up the code and release it free of charge. You can get it here. In addition to the game's stock missions and mechs, the Mektek team's additional mech packs are part of the distribution, bringing the total equipment available to astronomical levels.

If you've never played the game, now is as good a time as any. The jury's still out if we'll see the promising MW5 reboot, but at least we have MW4:Mercs to tide us over.

Engineer Gets His Due

2010-05-06T08:19:00.004-04:00

Finally in the works is the Team Fortress 2 Engineer Update. Long wished for, the newly-released video is our confirmation:

Are we past update 100 yet?

Update: Yeah, 119. Whoops!

Tecmo Bowl Throwback Released

2010-04-30T08:51:00.003-04:00

To little fanfare, Tecmo Bowl Throwback was released yesterday on Xbox Live, and, supposedly, the Playstation Network. I've been watching my PS3, but still no love yet. But look out! It's imminent. I can't wait to go crazy with the Chiefs.

Guild Wars Designer Details Combat System

2010-04-29T12:44:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Milden Gaming, an adjunct blog of ArenaNet.

*ahem*

The second part of the Guild Wars 2 combat system series from Eric Flannum, lead designer of Guild Wars 2, released today. The first part was released yesterday. In concert, the two articles detail a lot of the high-level concepts behind the combat system in Guild Wars 2, bringing some exciting and fundamental changes to the system.

First of all, the skill system has expanded from eight to ten skills available in a character load-out. Interestingly, five skills are determined by the weapons and class of the character itself. Weapons range from the sets that existed in the first game, and add new ranged options such as the single-handed pistol, double-handed rifle, and a new two-handed melee weapon, the greatsword. The choice of weapon then determines which skills fill out the first half of the skill bar. The other five can be chosen by the player.

Elite skills seem to be even more serious than the previous game. Still limited to one on the skill bar, the elite skills will likely have even greater impact on the game, but used less frequently, to make them seem more special.

Along with the changes to skills, the use of physical space and motion seems to be increasingly important in GW2. The designer uses an example of an attack that causes a character to leap up in the air after a team-mate used a skill to launch it skyward. There are also possibilities for environmental weapons. A character might pick up a boulder with a skill, or man a siege weapon, modifying the skill bar in a manner seen when assuming different forms in Eye of the North. Along with area-of-effect and flanking maneuvering, the use of space in Guild Wars 2 is light years beyond most games, even single-player titles.

The changes seem like great evolutionary steps in refining and bringing more options to the table in Guild Wars 2. I'm excited to see what more changes bring to the overall framework.

My 5th Birthday Present

2010-04-28T12:49:00.002-04:00

Say hello to my little friend! It's my 5th birthday present on my main character in Guild Wars. Pretty cool, I think.

Five Years of Integrity and Fair Play

2010-04-28T08:22:00.004-04:00

Guild Wars turns five this week. Actually I think it was April 22nd, but close enough. The game for me was an incredible experience, a giant world to explore and share with my friends, or strike out alone on my own to overcome any obstacle and make a name for myself.

The victories in the game were sweet. Conquering the core story missions, perfecting missions, clearing elite zones, vanquishing zones, and gaining titles. A successful dungeon delve, made possible with Eye of the North, was the best kind of experience, bringing an almost table-top RPG feel to video games.

There were frustrating times, too, not due to the framework of the game, but within the game, failures to prepare and react. The failures were fair, and never took away from the game, and in fact allowed you to keep playing even though you'd failed. This type of measured penalty, when other games, especially MMOs, imposed crushing penalties in the event of player failure and death, really opened up the game to me, allowing me and my colleagues to venture farther and wider without fear.

So it's with great hope that I read words from the Guild Wars II developers and smile, because it seems that they're at it again. Five years ago they broke away from all the things that made MMOs no fun to me, and they continue to rethink what it means to play in a persistent world.

I loved Guild Wars combat for the skills system. At the time, I was huge into Magic: The Gathering, and I saw the parallels from a very high level. In Guild Wars, you got to go out and collect the "cards" and build your "deck", where the cards were skills (usually elite ones) and your deck was your character's skill-set itself. It was hugely compelling to me, and to a lot of people, where you get to set things up the way you want while coming up with clever interactions. Guild Wars II takes that a step further by increasing the physics of the situation, by allowing objects and effects to interact the way you think they would, with conjured clouds and whatever. Add into that the increased amount of customization that come with a total of five races and so many classes, and you have a great mix to play the way you want.

One of the things that really hooked me in Guild Wars was that it merged online play with a single-player story experience. Especially in the first game, the sweeping, epic story of the fall of Ascalon and the flight westward really captured me. With Guild Wars 2, there will be even deeper story immersion, and it will come out with the choices that you make in the game itself. In Mass Effect 2 style, the story will wrap itself around your character, rather than the other way around. This, maybe more than anything else new, is what gets me the most excited.

A new way to play the game with other human players also promises to change the entire landscape within Guild Wars 2. The developers have talked a lot about wide open expanses and encounters involving dozens or hundreds of people. They system that they intend to set up will allow players to group organically rather than pair off into a bunch of five-man groups. When a huge monster sweeps down on a trade route, nobody travelling through is going to shout "Healer LFG" or "Group LF tank 7/8". Everyone's just gonna grab their weapons and start beating the crap out of the baddie. Healers will heal, tanks will tank, wizards will nuke. Under the GWII system, everyone who participated in the fight will get rewards. No kill-stealing, no loot-ganking. Doesn't that sound like a ton of fun?

In short, Guild Wars II promises to be an evolution, not a remake, of the first game. But it continues the core belief of fun and fair play, building a system where players can help each other rather than be huge jerks. There's no subscription fee. There's no competition for areas and monsters. Loot and character levels take a sideline to skill and planning. Sounds like fun to me.

Nintendo 3DS This Year?

2010-04-21T10:16:00.004-04:00

I've been following news of the 3DS for some time, ever since the official announcement from Nintendo. The official press release said that the new hardware was supposed to be shown in the flesh at the 2010 E3 and out by March 2011. However, a new update suggests that Nintendo may beat their prediction and release the hardware by October. Whether this is just in Japan or in other markets is yet to be seen. But I'm increasingly interested in the handheld space, and a more full-featured Nintendo product that is backward compatible with the DS could replace my existing Lite. More info in June with E3.

Tecmo Bowl Throwback Achievements

2010-04-19T08:41:00.003-04:00

Real or fake, achievements have been announced for the upcoming Tecmo Bowl Throwback. As I'd previously posted, I'm certainly looking forward to the game. Tons of nostalgia and ripe for a remake. No release date yet announced, but I'm hoping that with the achievements coming out that it could be soon.

Changes Come to Kryta in Guild Wars Beyond

2010-04-16T14:50:00.004-04:00

New updates to GuildWars, possibly to coincide with the upcoming fifth anniversary of the game, center around the ongoing conflict in Kryta and the war between the Shining Blades and the White Mantle. Still not entirely sure what the updates mean specifically, but keep an eye on the game updates page for more details. Today, you can get your White Mantle or Shining Blade character costumes; what they mean for the future is unknown.

Hey Look a Wii Game: Lost in Shadows

2010-04-16T08:32:00.003-04:00

Little bit of old news, but a game that I haven't seen before and may be coming out in the next few months. Previously known as Tower of Shadow, the game Lost in Shadows is a puzzle platformer with an interesting twist: you are a shadow yourself, cast against the background of the game world. I see a major Team Ico influence, but I think it's an homage rather than a straight-up ripoff. The screens I've seen are just pretty. Should be something to watch.

A New Ferrari For Everyone!

2010-04-16T08:27:00.002-04:00

... Well, everyone who works at Blizzard.

I feel like I was just talking about this, but they're at it again. With new pets and mounts put up on the in-game store, Blizzard made a blizzillion bucks at it. Hope they find a good use for the money, like using it for insulation in their secret volcano lair.

Circle Back Around on Valkyria Chronicles

2010-04-16T08:20:00.003-04:00

One of my most favoritist games on PS3 is still Valkyria Chronicles. Certainly under-appreciated in the west, probably because it's not Modern Warfare, the game pushes all the right buttons for me: tactical turn-based combat, great art style, a good story, compelling characters. I haven't gotten any new games since March's Pokemon HeartGold, so I was looking through the box to break something old out. And Valkyria Chronicles was there.

Started from my cleared game save data and started a new game. There's a higher challenge level on the second play through, and it allows you to skip straight to the combat missions without having to watch each cutscene, although I've enjoyed still watching my favorites. You also start with all your squads leveled up and with any weapons you've collected along the way. I had fun playing through the first couple story missions, and I hope to keep going with it if time allows. Really puts a smile on my face. Except in the sad parts where I :(

For any of you new PS3 owners who haven't heard about or checked the game out, you really should. I'll even let you borrow my copy!

Get Ready to Pay $100, WoW Fans

2010-04-08T14:43:00.004-04:00

With news reaching us that the StarCraft II Collector's Edition now comes with a WoW in-game pet, my prediction is this: a lot of people with more money than sense buying the game for $100, plucking the card with code for said pet out of the nice shiny box, and then throwing the rest in the trash.

My feelings for StarCraft II are well-known. But the pet included in the box is both a shameless hook to bait WoW players and a smack in the face to anyone who really cares anything about StarCraft without caring a whit about MMO-based garbage. What a ploy to gain sales. Notwithstanding that the base SCII package is $59.99, approximately $10 more than other PC titles and approximately $59.99 more than I intend to pay for anything coming from Blizzard.

Ah well. Frankly I just liked to have things to complain about. If you like StarCraft, go crazy buying three games each for $100. Maybe you can put someone at Blizzard over the edge to get their third Ferrari.

Five Years in Tyria

2010-04-07T10:15:00.004-04:00

The end of April marks the fifth anniversary of Guild Wars, five years of gameplay in the best MMO experience ever, in my opinion. Although I haven't been back to the game in several months, I have many fond memories of April Fool's events, many dungeon delves, title accomplishments, fissure runs, and so much more. It's been a game great to play with friends and alone, with the satisfying action-based combat and customizable character skill sets that I enjoy.

Even better has been the price. Yes I ponied up for the first game and three expansions to the tune of $200. But, had I been paying a subscription for the game these entire five years, assuming the going rate of $14.95, I would be out an additional $897. Even for the fun times I had in Guild Wars, that's a pretty steep price.

With Guild Wars 2 potentially out next year, this is a scary figure. If NCSoft moves to some sort of subscription service, I will not be playing Guild Wars 2. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. But in any case, I'll always have my memories of the five years in Tyria.

Outstanding Gameplay Footage of Other M

2010-04-01T11:24:00.002-04:00

Although Other M was non-existent at PAX East, a new video has surfaced of gameplay from the game that makes me even more excited for this upcoming Wii title. View it below (live game starting 30 seconds in):

Really looks great. Fast but measured 2.5D action combat, great boss fights, vibrant environments, and that great switch into first-person 3D view. This one is on the list for sure.

PAX East 2010 Final Day

2010-03-31T15:13:00.002-04:00

Sunday was the best day. It's too bad that just as we got into the swing of things we had to wrap it all up. I started the day in the pitch your game idea panel, which was hilarious. The best idea and winner was iDrag, in which you use your iPhone as a way to connect with other players and then drag race. Probably illegal, but still has some hilarious potential.

Directly folling that panel was the Sunday PA Q&A which was really funny. There were a lot of words of thanks for setting up PAX East, several thank you's for the work done for Child's Play, and a lot of hilarious moments including a challenge for Mike and Jerry to arm wrestle. Mike won, but Jerry was quite worried that even in losing he may have damaged his gravy train's drawing implement. Maybe a tactical error, there.

After the panel I wandered around and got some merch. Went over to MC Frontalot's booth and said hey, got his new album Zero Day and a t-shirt, thanked him for the great show and went on my merry way. Picked up a PAX East shirt, had to do that of course.

The closing ceremony was later in the day, in which the final teams of Omeganauts battled for first place. Their trial was a relay of NES games, going in order from Super Mario Brothers to Rad Racer to Tetris and finally to Contra. The battle was tough and fraught with technical difficulties, ending in somewhat of a controversy, but it was entertaining nontheless. With a promise to meet back in one year, PAX came to a close.

We didn't want Sunday to end, so even after the actual event was over we gamed late into the night in the Boston Sheraton lobby. More Settlers of Cataan was played. We even tried to get Wil Wheaton to play with us, but he was pretty wiped out. I can't blame him. But even the fact that the conversation happened is the real reason for PAX -- getting together and acting like a real community. And I came away with the same feeling that Wil did. Gamers, as a group, are a welcoming bunch, and even though we're too often hanging out at home, when we get together, we're a close-knit group willing to put a lot of other things aside to accept other people and have fun.

Monday showed its face with rain and cold winds, the emotions of sadness at the end of the event made real in the very atmosphere. But we pressed on, ever westward, back home into the embrace of our loved ones. The promise remains -- let the accepting spirit of PAX live on in the days between in all that you do, act as Wil says and don't be a dick, until once again you can be welcomed home at another PAX.

PAX East 2010 Friday and Saturday

2010-03-30T16:17:00.005-04:00

Friday was the actual beginning of the con. I spent the morning walking in Boston, and checked out the Boston Public Library. There is some incredible artwork and architecture in the building, I highly suggest checking it out. Then it was back to the convention center for the start of the show.

This began the first part of standing around in lines. This was a big part of the experience. I liked the games that were done in the queue room, but after a couple days it got to be a little bit stale. There's a real opportunity for other vendors to leverage this time to do game demos and presentations. Wizards of the Coast could pick a couple people out of the audience and teach Magic the Gathering, or a game development company could do a live demo. There's a lot of time that vendors could reach a lot of people, and the people in line could be entertained while they wait. I felt this was a big missed opportunity.

After a bit of a wait (actually a couple hours) we finally got into the convention center proper. I went straight up to the expo hall and checked it out. I was a little underwhelmed with the Nintendo booth, but started my crazy campaign of Pokewalker connections. Went over and checked out the Split/Second demo which I really liked. However, I waited too long and didn't make it into the Wil Wheaton keynote, which kind of bummed me out. I heard it was fantastic.

Hung out in the handheld area for a bit, no one was really working on anything, and then met up with the rest of the crew later. We toured the expo hall and checked things out, then grabbed dinner at the mall. Back to the expo for another wait in line, and we prepped for the Friday night concerts starring the Protomen, Anamanaguchi, Metroid Metal, and MC Frontalot. Frontalot especially, being one of the biggest reasons I'd come to PAX. The wait was killer, things were late getting started, and I was kind of bummed to wait so long. But finally things got kicked off, and the longer the show went on, the better things got.

Finally MC Frontalot came on, and the show was great. He performed several songs from the new album Zero Day, full of great tracks. I picked the album up at the convention, even though it's not out yet, yay! I especially liked his performance of First World Problem from the show and of course the Penny Arcade Theme. I went to bed happy at 2am, and only the first day was over.

Saturday dawned late, since most of us were wrecked. I got to the floor late, and saw my first glimpses of some of the great cosplayers: dudes in Gears of War and Fallout 3 armor, ladies in Bayonetta getup, partners and groups. Cool to see. Went back to the expo hall, hung out in the room for a bit, and then back down to get our game on. We played a couple games of Settlers of Cataan, a couple with complete strangers. That was a ton of fun. All throughout PAX we had people asking us to game with them, it was a great community. We played Settlers to finish out the night, and went back to the room to crash in prep for the last day.

PAX Trip, Day 2

2010-03-25T22:24:00.003-04:00

Had a great second day of travel from Cleveland to Boston. The travel was very smooth, made it from Cleveland to Boston in an unheard-of eleven hours. Especially with stops, that was some incredible time.

Once we got to the train stop, we were pleasantly surprised by the area we parked in. Nice new condos in a cool suburb. Great place to place our rides. We then took the train ride into Boston, which was pretty easy. We then took a short walk to our hotel, stopping to see a Mercedes SLK 55 on the way in, very nice. The city was crazy busy but the walk was good.

After we got into the hotel, we set our stuff down in our rooms. Unfortunately, our room wasn't going to work for three large men, and we managed to get switched to a suite. Great luck.

Then we decided to go out to eat. Got a good tip from the hotel, went to a place called Bukowski's, which was a tiny little bar but served food as well. Got a great stout called Murphy's, a nitro blend that was super-smooth. We were trying to meet another group who was wandering around slightly lost in Boston, and were holding a table for them. However, as we were holding the table, I saw a familiar face come into the place -- Wil Wheaton. No joke. The waitress was trying to find a spot for them, came over to us and said "Could they have this table?" I just about fell over myself offering up our table, sacrificing our friends spots for Wil. We tried to be cool through dinner, and once he got up to leave I told him good luck at the speech. He said thanks and said that he was nervous but was finally getting excited for it. It was pretty cool to met him, he seemed like a cool guy, and I'm glad he's going to be giving the keynote for PAX as one of the voices of the PA nation.

Afterwards, geeking out about meeting an icon, we all came back to the hotel, had some shots, and are currently hanging out in the hotel. Hell of a great first day, and it can only possibly get better from here.

PAX Trip Begins Today!

2010-03-24T11:26:00.003-04:00

Finally heading out for the biggest nerd convention ever tonight. Massive road trip out east to Boston. It's going to be epic.

Games I hope to see:

Nintendo -- Other M and Mario Galaxy 2 demos
2k Games -- Civilization V
Ubisoft -- Prince of Persia
Twisted Pixel -- Comic Jumper
SCEA -- Maybe, just maybe, a GT V demo?

Acts and panels I hope to see:

Uber-geek Wil Wheaton talk at the keynote
MC Frontalot rock the mic, like instead of a silence
Bill Amend talk about his dead-tree comic at a convention founded by guys who make a digital comic
A PA panel of some sort

There's a ton of other things going down, and of course all the free play opportunities: throw down in some Smash Brothers, battle pokemans, get a game of Settlers going, and maybe play D&D several hundred miles from home. The trip starts tonight, arriving in Boston on Thursday, with the con officially kicking off Friday. It's going to be like nothing else.

Oh Yeah, By The Way...

2010-03-16T08:14:00.003-04:00

... Apparently C&C 4 comes out today. Clearly I couldn't be bothered to pay attention, since there are approximately eleven million games more interesting. Although there are no reviews up anywhere, it's not looking promising. This last chapter of the Command and Conquer saga could be a real stinker.

Heavy Rain Complete

2010-03-16T08:03:00.002-04:00

I knew I was getting toward the end, but didn't know it was just about done. I finished Heavy Rain last night, and finally got down to the truth of the story. Expertly well done, great conclusion to the story, and as tragic as the events were, a pretty happy ending, mostly. Glad to see that the loose ends were tied up well in an epilogue of sorts, allowing you to enjoy your victory (or stare on in chagrin at your defeat). As I thought, Kasey did have her theory straight way before I had worked things out. I knew I kept her around for a reason.

Overall, the game is a big success. It keeps you tied to the stories and the characters that populate it, and really care about what happens to them. Even if the controls occasionally made me wander around like an idiot in the free-move mode, the quick-time events and on-rails sections are so superb it's worth the tiny frustration to get the game to its close.

I can't wait to discuss my version of the game's events with other players to see how what I did influenced the story.

Heavy Rain Filling Up My Evenings

2010-03-15T14:37:00.002-04:00

Started playing Heavy Rain this weekend, and I just about can't stop. From the beginning the game gripped me with its visuals, control scheme, interesting and deep character cast, and mysterious story. I've played about five hours so far, and there have been so many good moments. It's hard to talk about the game without giving much away, so I won't post specifics, but there have been so many interesting and novel elements in the game, combined with so much emotional impact. It's really an amazing example of the new type of story-driven gaming we've seen from the likes of Quantic Dream and BioWare. If your tastes lie somewhere between story-driven shooters, mystery novels, and interactive media, the melding of media within Heavy Rain is not to be missed.

New News for Civ V

2010-03-10T10:56:00.002-05:00

Only recently announced, lots more details are now coming out about Civilization V during this week's Game Developer Conference. A big theater presentation about the new game is chronicled in a great write-up at Kotaku.

There are a couple really interesting things that have changed. First, the difference in combat and how units can share spaces. One of the things that have bugged me for the longest time is unit proliferation and how you can have a million infantry units. It's a bear to manage, and it feels like individual units are almost useless. I've been happier with modern strategy games like Demigod, Sins of a Solar Empire, and Company of Heroes where a handful of great units are preferable to hordes of vanilla ones. Well, it seems that Civ V is taking a page out of their playbook. Units in Civ V will now no longer stack in spaces (beautiful, beautiful hex spaces), requiring you to have fewer at any given time. This makes combat a far more manageable affair, and treats units more like armies rather than a smaller squad. Big change, and I really like it.

The other addition that interests me is this idea of city-states. Apart from multi-city civilization that are the main factions in the game, city-states may arise in the game. They are just that, a nation of one city, that you can trade with, fight, etc. It gives a little more dynamic political climate, some more unpredictability, and some more differences in the size of your potential enemies or allies.

The game just looks gorgeous, and I'm excited to try out a fresh take on the Civ series. Even if I am a latecomer to the franchise, I love the core gameplay of turn-based strategy and open-ended empire building. Should be good.

Of Course It's Good; But Will I Play It?

2010-03-09T09:42:00.003-05:00

Two of the games from my Top Ten for 2010 released this week: God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII. Both reviewed very well, especially God of War III. The adulations will only increase in their adulation. Last week, Heavy Rain dropped, another critically acclaimed step forward in gaming. But specifically, in the God of War III case, do I even care?

We've been incredibly spoiled for choice in the past year to six months. The quality and scope of released titles have been unbelievably good. The uptick isn't just due to review score creep or the dumbing-down of gaming. There have been so many genuinely remarkable games released in the past year that it's staggering. Consoles are at that sweet-spot of maturity and acceptance, and the Windows 7 release has attracted more people to PC gaming. Developers are experienced enough that every game has a level of polish and innovation never seen before. But the quality and amount of games may be reaching a tipping point in the industry.

All this makes it increasingly hard to shoe-horn games into a busy schedule. The average age of gamers is going up if not growing up, and that can mean less time to play. We also play games that last longer now. Developers and publishers themselves are designing games to be more valuable to us, by adding multiplay or persistent worlds, downloadable content whether free or pay-for to lengthen the game experience, and generally make games better to make us want to play them more. And there are only so many hours in the day to fill up with gaming.

I think all this is leading up to a market for video games that may actually decrease. Even if growth in the market continues, the advance in the longevity of games defeats the growth of new entrants into the market. Even if you never sleep or work, there's still only so much time in a day and time before other games release. If the games increase in length and value in an attempt for publishers to attract customers, that decreases the availability for gamers to buy and presumably play those games. It's a vicious cycle, because if value and length of gameplay is the basis for competition, eventually all games will be perpetual experiences that you'd never stop playing. The market for video games may simply trend to one game per player per lifetime.

WoW of course is the ultimate example. Assuming games are a perfect substitute for one another, a WoW player may never buy another game (expansions don't really count) and keep playing the same one for the rest of their life. That's good for Blizzard, but the market shrinks as a result. The only way to achieve any more growth in the market is to add participants, and it's unlikely that people who play WoW will breed, or to rely upon people jumping ship to another game that they can play for the rest of their life.

Now, games aren't a perfect substitute, and not everyone can play the same game for the rest of their life. But already we, as consumers, pass on so many games and platforms due to time, not price or quality.

Of course I don't want game developers to make short, terrible games. Nor do I want fewer games to choose from. But from where I sit, those publishers and developers might be trying to cut up an ever-decreasing gamer time pie. What might happen in the near future is price increases in games to combat decreasing sales. Frankly, already games are too inexpensive for what we get out of them.

That long aside done, no, I probably won't play God of War III or Final Fantasy XIII. Not because I don't want to, just because I don't have the time.

Title Created Just for Cory

2010-03-03T07:54:00.003-05:00

That title is Tecmo Super Bowl Throwback. Seems that Tecmo is getting back into the video game scene, and I'm personally pretty jazzed up about it. I loved the game back in the day, and it's about time the overly-complicated Madden series had some kind of alternative. As long as you can continually run back and forth down the field to avoid potential tacklers, Throwback will be a fun, old-school throwback classic retro good time.

Crysis: Warhead Complete

2010-03-01T15:14:00.003-05:00

I picked up the Crysis Maximum Edition on Steam on sale last fall for $13. It was less than regular Warhead alone, so I just got it all. I'd never played Warhead, and although it was some time before I got to it, I was in for a delight. Although the fresh feel of the original game was worn off just a little, some new innovations added some kick to the experience. Several big boss fights were a great highlight, combined with the great stealth-action-shooter gameplay of the first game. I had a great time rocking through the game up to its explosive conclusion. Expertly paced, amazing graphics, tight controls, an open environment in which to accomplish your goals, there still hasn't been a better first-person shooter than Crysis and Crysis: Warhead.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Dated, Looking Ridiculously Fun

2010-02-26T15:44:00.003-05:00

Another one of the games I'm most looking forward to in 2010, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the sequel to the biggest Nintendo title from 2007. Lots of new information came out during this week's Nintendo Media Summit.

One of the most satisfying parts of the first game was the outstanding visuals and colorful and dynamic environments that made up its levels. It seems that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is no different, as shown in the newly-released screenshots. The super-large land looks particularly fun, and should be great to run around in.

Another one of the things I liked most about the first game was all the boss fights. Early in the game you get a great introduction to a crazy piranha plant, and the Bowser fight is memorable and challenging as well. The sequel promises to have just as many great fights. Gobblegut (a massive, earth-worm-like dragon who features in the Wired article) looks like a fun encounter, and the mechanical Malletoid (shown here by 1Up). The sense of scale has always been great, as you battle over-large enemies that dwarf Mario.

As always, there are new gameplay mechanics. The big new twist is Yoshi, allowing transformations and abilities that Yoshi can perform to help Mario reach new areas and overcome obstacles. Excavation is accomplished through the use of Yoshi's drill, allowing the exploration of the internals of planetoids. Undoubtedly we'll see a handful of goofy new powerups as well.

The game seems to be coming along nicely, and should another great installment of the Mario adventure franchies. Super Mario Galaxy releases on May 23rd.

Metroid: Other M Dated, Details, Shows Loads of Promise

2010-02-25T11:10:00.003-05:00

News coming forth from the Nintendo Media Summit 2010 revealed lots of details for upcoming titles this year, including the high-profile Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M. I wrote about Other M in my anticipated games for 2010, and the new details coming out is getting me excited.

First of all, the increased in narrative and story, even giving voice to Samus Aran for the first time, is one of the things I'm most looking forward to in the game. (1 Up has good info on the intro.) Previous incarnations, from the Metroid Prime series to the portable and 8- and 16-bit versions have always been light on story. The story, then, picks right up from Super Metroid, an over fifteen-year gap between the two games, and presents a narrative that gives new life to the universe.

The presentation of the gameplay also really interests me. The game manages to merge the viewpoints of the two generations of the Metroid franchise: the 2D titles of the NES, SNES, and GBA, and the 3D Prime trilogy. You'll be able to swap between a stylized side-scrolling fighting in a flat plane and a first-person visor view reminiscent of Prime simply by pointing the Wii remote at the screen. Other M makes a nod to its roots and its most recent offering while merging the two into something more than the sum of its parts. Battles will use both interface methods to tackle enemies, giving you options during the fight.

The core of the game is a adventure-action game in line with the franchise. Exploration, boss fights, and puzzles will surely be part of the experience. But it's certain that nothing before has looked as good as this Other M. The game is dated for release on June 27th.

Lots More on Command & Conquer 4

2010-02-22T08:34:00.003-05:00

First of all, the extremely disappointing fact that there will be no LAN play available from C&C4. I'm sure this is all done in the name of convenience and security for the player, but the real purpose is content control. It's both DRM and map limiting to prevent players from running their own games. I'm sure they'll be selling maps for C&C just like those Infinity Ward criminals. However, I am a fan of the series, and if the game is decent, I may still invest in it. No one else I know really plays it, so the multiplayer isn't that big of a concern for me.

More interesting, however, are the evolution of the game-play options within Tiberium Twilight, specifically the decreased important of gathering materials with which to build your armies. Combined with a mobile base and ninety-some playable units, and we should have a rocking good time. The game is out in three weeks on March 16. Crushing DRM is certainly a reason not to buy, but I'll reserve judgement until its release.

Civilization V Announced

2010-02-19T08:42:00.003-05:00

I really only got into Civ IV recently, so the announcement of a fall 2010 release of Civilization V is a most timely event to keep the fever going. Screenshots from Kotaku show an intensely detailed world rendered by a new graphics engine that promises to deliver a great-looking experience. But gameplay has always been the thing for Civilization. Given that Firaxis was bought up a couple years back, there might be questions about how much control they would have over their venerable franchise. I suppose we will have to wait, and hope.

Burnout Paradise DLC Deal

2010-02-16T07:59:00.004-05:00

Back in January of this year, fans of Burnout Paradise saw the writing on the wall (or the posting on the Twitter) that there would be no more DLC forthcoming. After huge updates like the free Bikes pack (that also included day/night cycles and weather), endless new cars, and the excellent new area Big Surf Island, there will be no more.

However, Criterion and EA are offering us, the fans, a special deal. For $30, those who don't own the game can get the game and every single piece of DLC. For $20, current game owners can unlock every DLC offered. That's one heck of a deal. The offer runs only until March 31st, and is only available on the PS3. Certainly one to consider.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy Released

2010-02-10T09:08:00.002-05:00

Sins of a Solar Empire released its second and final micro-expansion yesterday, Diplomacy. Unlike the previous Entrenchment, which put in new units like starbases and artillery cruisers and mines, Diplomacy adds more subtle changes to the game in the form of differences in player relationships. Probably the most exciting feature is the ability to issue missions to pirates and other player factions in the hopes to deliver a feint or put pressure on another opponent. Also added is a diplomatic victory option for those particularly suited to owning a quadrant without all the annoying rebuilding after planetary bombardment. More information is available in a guided tour from an Ironclad developer.

Although I've been in the beta program, I'm eager to try the 1.0 version. We'll have to get some multi-player set up!

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Story Mode Complete

2010-02-10T08:32:00.002-05:00

I completed the story mode of Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time yesterday evening. Great conclusion to the story and a couple good boss fights, very satisfying. I did not complete a bunch of the collectible stuff by the end, but luckily there is an option after completing the story that you can go back in time before the last boss battle and continue to explore the galaxy, searching for components, plans, and other collectibles.

I chose to continue my search, and in doing so I picked up the ultimate weapon, the RYNO V. A combination mini-gun and rocket launcher, the RYNO V (aka Rip You a New One) mows down enemies and plays Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture as you blast away. I literally could not stop giggling it was so hilarious. I love this game so much.

Crysis 2 Dated

2010-02-09T10:28:00.002-05:00

We've seen teasers for Crysis 2 as far back as August of last year, but now the game has been dated for Q4 of 2010. We'll see if they're able to stick to that date. While everyone wants to get a holiday release out there, this being the first time the series has come to consoles, including the complicated PS3 platform, it might be a stretch. However, I'm hopeful. I loved the hell out of the original game and the follow-up Warhead, and the second installment could help bring the innovative open-world style and breathtaking graphics to a landscape of bland, mostly-on-rails shooters.

Quest for Booty Complete, Crack in Time Purchased

2010-02-05T14:46:00.002-05:00

Finished Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty last night, and immediately went out and picked up Crack in Time. Just from playing the beginning of Crack in Time, I feel like it's the best of the bunch, and the first couple were really good. Of course it's had a couple extra years of polish, but the first couple levels really pop and the interview with Quark to start out the game sets a hilarious tone. This is going to be fun.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Complete

2010-02-04T11:42:00.004-05:00

Finished Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction last night. Great ending, good fight at the end and makes me interested to play the next game in the series, the downloadable smaller Quest for Booty. A lot of things about this series really appeal to me, from the quick action gameplay to the high production values and great voice work and humor in the cut-scenes and story elements. I can't believe I haven't played them before, they're exactly my style. Picked that up Quest for Booty last night and should be ready for the snowy weekend coming our way.

Updates to Prepare for Coming of Diplomacy

2010-02-03T13:38:00.003-05:00

Updates just went out for Sins of a Solar Empire and the first expansion Entrenchment. The updates are in preparation of the imminent second and final expansion Diplomacy, which I preordered and have been playing since October because the nice folks at Ironclad Games decided to let pre-orders in early. Diplomacy is scheduled out in 1.0 form this month, and with this update as its harbinger, we should see it imminently.

Mass Effect 2 Complete

2010-02-03T08:34:00.003-05:00

Finished the single-player story of Mass Effect 2 last night. I'm really at a loss for words.

I was having a conversation with a friend a couple nights ago, about how there's a certain plausibility that I like about the universe of Mass Effect 2. It feels genuine, everything is explained, and even the science isn't too far removed from what could be possible. You can buy into what they're selling, and I think that makes the events that take place in the universe between the characters that much more impactful. You believe that the character exists, and you can feel sympathy to what is going on with them.

Throw all that out the window in the final mission in Mass Effect 2. Without going into too many details, they break every rule and throw realism out the window. The ending was fun, don't get me wrong, but it was so incredibly outlandish that it seemed I lost the actual Mass Effect 2 somewhere along the way and played the end to some other game that happened to have all the same characters as Mass Effect 2.

There were some great moments, though. Some of the best run-and-gun action with a real reason to hurry, as someone's life depended on you being quick about it. The interpersonal events, the choices that you make, will make you second and third-guess yourself, and that's the game's strong point. I think I can write off the ridiculousness and take hold of the grounding effects of the relationships between the strong characters, the love and loss and shared trials of the cast of great individuals. No matter how implausible or outright silly their task, they accomplished it at great odds and did it together, and that's how I'll remember the game.

Especially because I have no words to explain anything that happened in the story. Seriously, what just happened?

Pershings Rule the Field

2010-02-02T09:18:00.005-05:00

Rarely do games go long enough in Company of Heroes to really enjoy some of the end-game units, but last night we played a match where I had ample opportunity to run around with a Pershing tank, granted by the American Armored specialty. I was tearing up bases and chasing down Hetzers, as you can see.

After rolling through two enemy bases, I encountered this Hetzer, after I'd demolished his twin. I had a lot of backup in the form of Shermans and Sherman Calliopies which can rain down the destruction. But this Hetzer stopped and decided to take a stand. I rewarded it with a shot to the face. You can see the results.

Thanks to my teammates for defending the points while I marched my Shermans around like it was Georgia. Good match.

Rumbling Down the Spirit Tracks

2010-02-01T10:09:00.003-05:00

Even with much noise about Mass Effect 2, I haven't given up on Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. I played a bit more this weekend, managed to visit the last of the train spirit guys and open up the last temple in the fiery mountains. The boss fights have been the highlight of the game, although pretty much everything is fun. Looking forward to delving into the last temple and cleaning it out of whatever mean baddie lurks at the heart of the dungeon.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

2010-02-01T08:59:00.002-05:00

I was able to borrow a copy of the first outing of Ratchet and Clank on the PS3: Tools of Destruction. I'd played the demo of A Crack in Time and loved it, but I wanted to check out the previous game first. I haven't been disappointed.

Tools of Destruction is a fun, funny, light-hearted and explosive romp through varied and interesting environments. The focus of the action, the weaponry and combat, is simple and entertaining. The sheer breadth of weapons, from seeking missiles to nanite swarms and tornado launchers to disco balls, any given fight is yours to approach as you see fit. Get up close and personal with the shotgun-like shard gun or whip your foes into submission with the shock ravager, or just blanket the area with plasma fire. Different foes are weaker against certain weapons, but it's never a mystery what is appropriate, so you never struggle for a suitable weapon to cut through the swaths of foes.

Besides the action, the story and dialog is actually interesting and funny. You play as (presumably) the last survivor of a legendary race, trying to find the secrets of your people before an arch-villain does so, and uses those secrets against you. But the tongue-in-cheek and deliberately corny delivery of some of the lines is great for laughs and contributes to the mostly unserious tone of the whole game.

And that's really what I like about Ratchet and Clank. It's lighthearted all around, from the story to the gameplay, rewarding without being punishing. In other words, perfect for spending hours playing on a weekend. Looking forward to finishing this and grabbing A Crack in Time.

Return to Liberty City on PC and PS3

2010-01-29T09:07:00.002-05:00

Finally announced for the PC and PS3 platforms, Rockstar will release their big DLC packages The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony on March 30th. The extra content has been available for nearly a year on XBox Live, but is now trickling down to less-favored platforms.

The packages had wide critical acclaim, but I think I may have moved on from GTAIV. The technical issues and DRM that hampered the title on the PC really got in the way of my enjoyment. It was certainly a good game that I had a lot of fun with when it worked, but it was hard to get past the graphical bugs and continual disk read errors. At $40, unless the games are bug-free, I wouldn't consider subjecting myself to that frustration again.

My Thoughts on Mass Effect 2

2010-01-27T09:15:00.003-05:00

I picked up Mass Effect 2 yesterday and spent a couple hours playing the intro and beginning sections of the game, and I was blown away by the entire experience.

From the beginning, I imported my character, which game me a bunch of bonuses like starting at level 2, and a lot of resources in the form of bonus credits and research materials. The intro also played according to my choices from the last game, and allowed me to reconfirm some of the actions I took. For example, when recalling memories, I could either confirm the previous game action or remember it differently, and I assume that would actually change the fact for the future of the game. The memory recall really brought a lot of the game back and helped cement your place in the world, and was a great reintroduction to your character and the universe. It's great to feel that the game wraps itself around the decisions you've made and will continue to make.

The gameplay is similarly stellar. I was worried a more shooter-y feel would ruin it, but I really prefer it. Controls are sharper, weapons feel better and more impactful, and the visual cues to damage you give and take are great, from the energy bars displayed to blood spatters and reactions to the force of a grenade or shotgun blast. You really feel like you're doing some damage. Now, I was a little disappointed in the "hide and heal" health mechanic. Similar to Modern Warfare health, if you hide and don't damage, you heal up. When you take damage, you apparently grow really gross red veins around your monitor, like it's alive. Very strange. Can I just have a health bar please? It would make medipacks relevant, which I still haven't used yet.

Apart from the core gameplay, the dialog sessions and mini-games are engaging and engrossing. Being able to meet up again with characters from the past and having a drink with them, or the new renegade and paragon options where you can interrupt conversation with an action really pulls you into the world and puts you in Shephard's shoes. The characters here feel like they bow and bend to your will, like you are some incredible force of gravity that warps the world around you, and that's exactly how you should feel, being the star of a game. Of course the voice acting is top-notch, with Martin Sheen putting in an incredible performance and all the other characters bringing a depth and malice to their roles. I've also had a lot of fun with the hacking games, a kind of pattern matching exercise against the clock to either find specified code segments or connect circuits against the clock. A big improvement from the "frogger" recreations in the previous installment.

Only a short way into the game, I can tell this is going to be a fun ride. Although I know the ending will of course be a setup for the already announced final episode in the trilogy, it will be a great time getting there, even if the conclusion won't really be that. But, of course, when that does come, you'll have an even greater wealth of history and decisions to fold into the final chapter.

Mass Effect 2 Reviews Are In

2010-01-26T08:05:00.002-05:00

Mass Effect 2 releases to general audiences today, and the reviews are in. Overwhelmingly they are glowing, from Gamespot's 9.0 Editor's Choice, to an even higher IGN review, and Kotaku has many good things to say as well.

I was never really doubting the fate of the game, as it was in good hands, and it's not like it's something they've never done before. But it seems like they've delivered above and beyond. We've had a large number of sequels in the past year, making it seem like new franchises are taking a back seat to teams cruising on previous successes. But if the polished and sprawling games like Assassin's Creed II and Mass Effect II are what we get instead of brand-new worlds, I think I'm okay with that.

Hopefully my PC and mostly DRM-less game is waiting for me at the shop this morning.

Gratuitous Space Battles Pickup

2010-01-22T11:03:00.002-05:00

After writing about the game back in September, I had to try the demo which I just discovered recently. It's pretty fun actually. So fun I decided to get the whole game.

Most of the game consists of building your own starfleets from a number of ship hulls and tons of weapons and other components. You're able to configure your strike fighters and bombers, long-range or AA frigates, support cruisers, or hulking behemoths bent on wiping out your enemies. Once configured, you can issue commands to your ships, and then send them into battle. Once in the fight, you actually have no direct control over the ships. It's really an interesting concept. After the battle, you can view statistics and see what worked and what didn't. Really a statistician's (and nerd's, probably) dream.

Probably the most interesting component of the game is the online level creator. You can build your fleet how you want it, and then issue a Challenge to other players. Through the Online Challenge interface, you can select, download, and play these Challenges and play against other player's fleets. There have been some pretty interesting ones. A rating system for difficulty and enjoyment allows players to rank the levels that they play, and the cream rises to the top, as it were. Cool system for expanding on the missions within the game.

And it's a good thing that there are player-created missions, because unless I'm missing something, there are only a handful of missions within the game. But at least there are the missions you can play with wave after wave of enemies.

That's all beside the point, because the game is really about making huge ships and then making them explode in interesting ways. And this definitely cuts to the chase and gets the job done.

4^10 and Epic Space Goodness

2010-01-21T08:56:00.002-05:00

Wow this is my 400th post. Not too shabby I guess.

Moving on to relevance, just found the Mass Effect 2 trailer. Wow, it gives me chills. Martin Sheen's voice acting is fantastic. I can only hope the rest of the game carries this serious tone, great story, and expert voicing throughout. Enjoy below:

Mass Effect 2 Preordered

2010-01-20T15:30:00.002-05:00

Lots of buzz around Mass Effect 2, and of course it's coming out next week, very much looking forward to it. The first chapter was one of my favorites from 2008. I hope they don't mess it up too badly by being Modern Warfare in Space. I think we'll be fine, though. They chattered endlessly that DA:O was going to be so dark and scary awful that you'd cry yourself to sleep -- or just not sleep. And see how that turned out? I only virtually killed one child through the course of the game. Hardly gritty noir stuff there. So I don't think they'll ruin Mass Effect too badly.

Over the weekend, I put my money down and reserved a disk-based copy. I purchased Dragon Age over the Internets, but I've learned my lesson about doing that with EA games. They destroy you on the DRM. DA:O was rendered unplayable after literally every patch, and eventually I had to do things that broke the EULA just to play it. So I'll be getting a hard copy and doing DRM like it's 1995 -- with a disk check. It would be pretty cool if they got you to bust out the manual and look up the eighth word on the fifth line of page 22, but I doubt it will happen.

A Brief Intro to Spirit Tracks

2010-01-19T11:26:00.003-05:00

I was gifted with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for Christmas, but didn't play at all until I finished Assassin's Creed 2. Now that I'm into the new Link adventure, I am just loving it. It has a lot of charm, and I welcome the companion in the form of spirit Zelda. Her witty and insightful comments bring a lot of life to the game.

The game itself has a huge amount of charm, from the environments and towns to little touches like the train and Link's hilarious facial expressions. It's the perfect game to play in and laugh along with.

I've only gotten into the first couple dungeons, but the two boss fights so far have been a delight. I didn't have to think too hard to figure out how to defeat them, but the second was a perfect challenge, requiring you to draw paths and evade your enemy, leaving me with a half sliver of heart at the end. The game so far has been perfectly paced. I'm looking forward to returning to it!

God of War Complete

2010-01-18T21:29:00.004-05:00

Even though it's been out several years, I just completed my first ever play-through of the original God of War as part of the newly-released God of War Collection on PS3. The graphical update stands up pretty well, even though some of the pre-rendered movies look a little dated.

My overall experience with the game was pretty mixed. There were high points, and then there were really low points. Some of the platforming sections of the game were intensely hard and unforgiving. In fact, most of the stretch of the game in Hades was ridiculously punishing, including the insta-death falls from the horizontal spinning blades of death. Not content only to test your will to throw a controller in one dimension, the vertical blades of death didn't kill you outright, but only forced you to replay the same stupidly difficult section endlessly until you passed it. My relief was short-lived, as I was then greeted by yet another set of vertical spinning blades of death. Yay.

Prior to Hades, there's a section were you have to kick a box across the room in a race to (once again) avoid instant death. You have to get your timing exact, otherwise you have to play it over again, watching the same annoying intro screen. Then there's the Blades of Hades section (not actually in Hades, but in Pandora's Temple) where you have to tight-walk on wooden beams and avoid more spinning blades. What is with these spinning blades? One mis-step, then, and you either fall off straight away or get chopped and pushed off, and you start over.

So, the platforming sections were pretty bad. However, the fights for the most part were intense and rewarding. Especially towards the end of the game, when your Blades of Chaos are maxed you, you can string together immense combos, working your enemies over in a mix of speed and brutality. It was most rewarding, strangely, in Hades, where the toughest sets of normal enemies meet you, and one brief section in Athens facing pumped-up, towering giants. You have so many weapons and moves at your disposal, you can work anyway you want, and this free-form battle system that aids you just enough to never worry too much about targeting or the camera is the greatest strength and greatest enjoyment in the whole game.

It is then incredible that these fight sections are the briefest of the entire experience. For a game that bills itself as a brutal brawler, you do a whole lot of jumping over ridiculous obstacles. I played the game through on normal, and I never once got offered "Easy Mode" (a result of dying too much) on combat sections. Maybe once or twice would I fail a fight, but then get the right of it, and move on. In the platforming sections, it would take me dozens of tries to get it right. Incredibly frustrating.

The final fight of the game then was just the icing on a terrible cake. I simply could not win. By that time, it was 2am, I was incredibly pissed after pulling my butt through Hades and beating two fights already, and the only way I won was by giving into Easy Mode for the first time in the whole gaming and winning with like three button presses. FYI, Easy Mode is Easy. Why couldn't Normal Mode be Just A Bit Challenging?

Given my experience with the game, I doubt I'll play God of War II, or even look much at the new installment coming out for PS3 in the next couple months. I was originally interested in it, but if they put any insta-death platforming sections in that force me to endlessly play the same section of gameplay again, it's not worth my time.

Platinum Sackboy

2010-01-16T13:37:00.001-05:00

Last night, with a little help from my friends, I got the platinum, 100% complete trophy on LittleBigPlanet. So yeah, just about as complete as you can get.

Now They're Just Messing With Me

2010-01-15T08:19:00.002-05:00

I posted a couple days ago about the release date on Gran Turismo 5 slipping to a to be announced time. I posted several weeks ago about the impending Toyota FT-86, my new great love in sports cars. Well, it seems that Toyota and Sony Computer Entertainment have teamed up to taunt me with a video of my future car in my future video game. I'd be really upset if I weren't so excited about the prospect of piloting this and so many more cars at some point in the next twelve months.

The Soldier of Mass Effect 2

2010-01-14T08:19:00.002-05:00

This guy's voice annoys me, but the demo of what the Soldier class can do in Mass Effect 2 really gripped me. I played as a Soldier in my first play around, and loved the assault rifle and pistols. It's probably going to be my route for the second time around, and it's good to see that the tightened up combat in Mass Effect 2 has a place for a dude with a lot of guns.

I Suppose It Was Inevitable...

2010-01-13T08:58:00.002-05:00

... that Gran Turismo 5 would be delayed again. But, word is, it is. Of course, the date was only really announced for Japan, and rumors are that the delay is for a simultaneous world-wide release. However, the realist in me has to be prepared for the worst -- that GT5 is simply a ploy to get people to buy PS3s, and that the game is not in any way real.

Going on Four Years with Company of Heroes

2010-01-12T09:26:00.004-05:00

Company of Heroes is one of those games that just hasn't stopped being fun. Given that it has a great multiplayer component, and the folks I play with are generally pretty good and affable chaps, it's no surprise I keep coming back to it. Also, it puts a huge stupid grin on my face.

Had a match last night, a 2v2 with the humans as the Allies. I was the British and just let loose with some crazy artillery barrages. In particular, this AT squad met with an unfortunate end.

These guys are doomed.

Told you.

Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver Get US Release Dates

2010-01-11T15:43:00.002-05:00

Never much of a mystery, it was sure that the US versions of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver would get a March-ish release. However, that's now been confirmed, and both will be available on March 14th. I can say with only a small amout of schoolboy shame that I will be buying both copies -- and taking for myself which my son doesn't want.

Assassin's Creed Complete

2010-01-10T11:26:00.003-05:00

Finished up the story mode of Assassin's Creed last night. Managed to collect up all the hidden fragments as well. I really liked the ending, and events leading up to it. Little echoes of the first game, in how Ezio approaches the final fight. The ending added a lot to the fiction of the world, and really gets me excited for the end of the trilogy. There are a few ways they can go with this, and all could be cool. Also, the game had one of the best end credits sequences ever.

Music in Games: Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together

2010-01-07T15:27:00.004-05:00

The games I've been into lately, and many in the past, have had such a great collection of music. LittleBigPlanet sports such a great set of licensed music that make it a joy to leap around playful environments. Assassin's Creed, which of course I've been into a lot recently, has some incredible original music by Jesper Kyd. Since so many games I've been playing recently have great music, I've been collecting tracks from soundtracks included with games (like Dragon Age), free downloads from the creator (Kyle Gabler), or via the Amazon MP3 store (which has great selection and no useless DRM). So I wanted to share some of my favorites below. Which games do you think have had great music, original or licensed?

My current list:

Sia - Breathe Me (Prince of Persia)
Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Mirror's Edge)
Jesper Kyd - Venice Roofops (Assassin's Creed II)
The Daniel Pemberton Orchestra - Rock The Jungle (LittleBigPlanet)
The Go! Team - Get It Together (LittleBigPlanet)
Christopher Tin - Baba Yet (Civilization IV)
Jeremy Soule - Land of the Golden Sun (Guild Wars)
Jeremy Soule - Festival of Lyss (Guild Wars)
Jeremy Soule - Guild Wars Theme
Inon Zur - Dragon Age: Origins Theme
30 Seconds to Mars - This is War (Dragon Age: Origins)
30 Seconds to Mars - 100 Suns (Dragon Age: Origins)
Cafe Tacvba - Volver A Comenzar (LittleBigPlanet)
Kinky - Cornman (LittleBigPlanet)
Kyle Gabler - Best of Times (World of Goo)
Shira Kanmen - Downstream (Braid)
Jami Sieber - Maenam (Braid)

New Info for Gran Turismo 5

2010-01-07T09:35:00.003-05:00

With the announcement of the official cover to Gran Turismo 5, more details are coming to light from various sources. GT Planet has uncovered more details about game modes and features, including environmental factors like night racing and weather, as well as game modes and cars relating to Indy Racing League and NASCAR. Now that the cover has been teased, the game should be right around the corner, or as my wife says, "Just a couple more years!"

Restoring the Family Lands in Assassin's Creed II

2010-01-04T15:48:00.002-05:00

Having just a ton of fun with Assassin's Creed II. There's always something new and interesting to do. The story missions have been a great source of entertainment, and the story that takes you from city to flooded city is full of action, romance, mystery, and more than a few laughs. I've made it maybe halfway through, and the mystery is really heating up, providing more backstory into Desmond's ancestry and the ancient conflict between Templar and Assassin.

However, probably the most fun I've had is filling up the family estates with an incredible amount of collectibles. The Villa Auditore at Monteriggioni holds all the paintings, codex pages, feathers, seals, weapons, and armor that you collect throughout the world. They're all rewarding, especially the art gallery, where you can browse through the Renaissance artwork you purchase and collect in your dealings. The status of the estates provide a valuable mark against you can gauge your progress within the game, and gives a great deal of satisfaction when you can cross something off your list. It's one of my favorite parts of a nearly flawless game.

Return to Ostagar

2009-12-31T14:25:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-28T11:03:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-12-28T00:07:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-27T10:41:00.004-05:00

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

2009-12-24T14:13:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-21T15:09:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-21T12:47:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-21T09:58:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-21T08:17:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-15T13:45:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-15T08:27:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-11T10:55:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-11T08:43:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-10T11:40:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-10T11:35:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-07T11:43:00.005-05:00

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

2009-12-07T09:33:00.003-05:00

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

2009-12-04T12:47:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-04T08:59:00.008-05:00

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?

2009-12-04T08:37:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-01T08:22:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-25T20:35:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-24T13:32:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-20T08:17:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-18T07:59:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-16T10:50:00.007-05:00

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

2009-11-16T08:07:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-05T08:35:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-02T14:29:00.004-05:00

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!

2009-11-02T09:43:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-28T08:53:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-26T10:29:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-23T14:16:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-22T11:09:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-21T09:14:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-19T10:59:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-17T17:29:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-16T15:58:00.003-04:00

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.