Best of E3 2012

So I'm going to be lazy (and extremely late) with this entry, and just list my 5 favourite things I saw over the E3 period. Before I start, however, it was disapointing that so few NEW games were announced, with most being at least rumoured at for a few days beforehand. I can safely say that a couple of the things in my top 5 were things I heard about for the first time at E3.

Disclaimer: I do not own the footage seen before. These are all from the youtube pages of Playstation, Ubisoft, IGNEntertainment and GameTrailers

NUMBER 5: Splinter Cell: Blacklist demo
It's no secret that I love stealth games, and the last Splinter Cell game was one of the first things I bought for my 360. So when I saw the gameplay demo for Blacklist, I almost crapped myself with joy. Sam Fisher is back, and he's brought the mark and execute function with him. But it's undergone a serious makeover; where Fisher had to take his shots in a stationary function, the mechanic can now work in motion.

It also looks as if players will be able to chain multiple Mark and Executes together, like some kind of homocidal poetry in motion. While this looks as stealthy as a bear covered in cooking pans, it also looks hella fun.
On the other side of that, however, is the new kinect functionality, where voice commands can be used to distract enemies, and initiate air strikes by your fellow fourth echelon super spies. It looks cool, but like most Kinect functionality, I can see it wearing kind of thin.



NUMBER 4: Beyond: Two Souls reveal
So in 2010, Quantic Dream released Heavy Rain, an interesting experiment that had a great story, but maybe not enough game for most gamers. It was certainly different, playing out more like an interactive movie than a game, though player choice mattered more than most games can ever say they did. But hey, whatever, I still enjoyed it, and I think it's one of those games that everyone should try at least for one chapter.

And how is this relevant? Quantic Dream have announced their first release since Heavy Rain, titled Beyond: Two Souls, and that's damn exciting for me. It's a story revolving around Jodie Holmes, a young woman who is always accompanied by a ghostly presence, whom she calls "Aiden". Aiden can interact with the environment and communicate with Jodie; it's effectively the games second playable character.

Story details are sketchy at the moment, but from what I can gather, Jodie (and by extension, Aiden) are on the run from some form of Law Enforcement, and the pair must use Aiden's supernatural abilities to escape and survive. Having not seen much gameplay from it, I don't know many details for sure, but I would assume that it's somewhat similar to Heavy Rain. Also, Jodie ids played by Actress Ellen Page. Sweet.

Here's a trailer!



NUMBER 3: Assloads of Assassin's Creed 3
So we've known about Assassin's Creed 3 for quite some time. But despite this, how much gameplay have all of us actually seen? Not much, would be the answer. Well, at E3, we were treated to 3 demos, as well as a reveal at some pocket-sized assassin fun.

Now, it's common knowledge at this point that tree running is now an option, but until now, we could only speculate as to how well it works. I can say, quite confidently, that it looks as smooth as any other free running in previous games. Using forks in trees as junction points allows Connor to flow quickly through the trees and to switch paths at a moment's notice. As well as this, we saw some hunting, the effects of snow, and the furious viciousness of Connor's melee attacks.

As well as this, we saw a trailer demonstarting the game's naval combat, featuring Connor in his very own pirate-y get-up. It all looked cool, but whether or not this plays well, or is the new Den Defense (I haven't forgotten you yet, Revelations!) is yet to be seen. Finally, some gameplay of a Boston market showed off some new hiding techniques in the assassin repertoire, as well as some very cool kills (bayonet stabbing one guy and shooting through him into his buddy is sweet!) and rounded out the enormous amount of AC3 coverage.

But then some PSVita footage was shown. Yes, the tiny bundle of gaming joy will feature it's own AC game, featuring a female French-African assassin named Aveline. Sweet. So yea, thats an Assload of Assassins Creed.









NUMBER 2:Watchdogs Demo and reveal
So at E3 this year, there were maybe 2 or 3 new IP's on show. And Watchdogs was one of the best things about the show, as well as one of the newest. It's gameplay looks open-world, and the focus seems to be on taking out targets (like another certain Ubisoft property). What sets this game apart from every other open world game that involves killing, Watchdogs has a focus on hacking, as it's set in a world where so much information and so many process are control by a central operating system (which may be a reality in the near future, if it isn't already).

On top of the interesting premise, the demo suggests multiple player characters, tight cover based combat, and a nice amount of freedom in how you approach situations. I'll leave you with a demo for you guys to see for yourselves.



NUMBER 1: The Last of Us gameplay
The last of Us was announced quite some time ago, and despite this, we've seen very little actual gameplay. If any at all. So it was awesome to actually see something from Naughty Dog at E3, and it was surprising to see how brutal this game is. You can clearly see some of the animations are courtesy of Nathan Drake, but where Mr Drake would crask wise while knocking a guard out, Joel just snuffs a guy out while he struggles for breath. It's certainly a departure from anything that Naughty Dog has done before.

In the demo, we see how the lack of ammunition and the importance of strategy impact this game. Certain approaches to situations will be more difficult than others. We also see that Ellie isn't the hand holding escort mission style of NPC, as she participates in combat, but sticks to the shadows so she doesn't get herself killed. It'll be interesting to see this one when it hits stores. Heres the last demo for the day!



Honourable mentions ironically go to Dishonoured which seems to provide a seriously mental amount of freedom to go about your missions with. Dishonourable mention for Gears of War Liberation, which only had a 45 second reveal trailer with no gameplay. And a big WTF to Rockstar Games who didn't even show up.

See you next time!

Max Payne 3

So, just a little background on my Max Payne history: I was aware of the series, but up until a few weeks ago, I hadn't actually played any of the games. But with Max Payne 3 coming out, I swiftly downloaded the previous games on the XBL Marketplace to get a little background on the series. I must say, I enjoyed the bullet-time, John Woo shooting, but what clinched it for me was the surreal, oft over the top Noir style and Max's own dramatic self-narrations, with some poor metaphors thrown in for good measure. And because of that, I was honestly a little taken back by the latest game's bright, tropical setting. Was I right to suspect that maybe it was less noir? Would the gameplay make up for it if it was? Read on to find out!

STORY
Years after the end of Max Payne 2, Max has retired from the NYPD and found himself unable to stay in his new-found rut of painkillers and alcohol (after an incident involving a bar shootout and a powerful mob boss). After fleeing with the help of his now business partner, Raul Passos, he relocates to São Paulo and goes into private security for the wealthy Branco family.

This new business venture eventually turns sour, as Rodrigo Branca's wife, Fabiana, is kidnapped at a nightclub. This sends Max and Raul on a mission to get her back, taking them from the bright neon lights of the club, to the rooftops of the city and to the slums of the favelas.

Contrary to my original thoughts, Max Payne retains it's distinctly noir feel despite it's bright, exotic location. It still features dubious characters, secret agendas and a city with a seedy underbelly. The series does seem to have lost it's over the top nature (outside of gameplay), but very little has changed in the Max Payne story structure. If you've played an entry in the series before, this will feel familiar, but also new.
Some may find certain plot points very easy to see coming, but as soon as I thought that, the game threw in a massive left turn. So yea, Max Payne 3 is somewhat predictable, but not everything is as it seems.

PRESENTATION
When we look at the previous games, we see (aside from the blocky graphics)a lot of grey, black and white. Max Payne 3 not only improves in the graphics department (everything looks amazing), but the colour palette has also expanded substantially. Yes, I know, many people will claim that this is evidence of MP3 losing it's noir style, but I feel that it's more about the story than anything. And besides, while the game is colourful, everything looks surprisingly grimy, lending to the game's seedy aesthetic. For me, this keeps a certain noir style.

The soundtrack is a great mix of local Brazilian dance tunes, orchestral music and licensed tracks (one particular scene in an airport stays at the forefront of my mind thanks to the music), and it really helps the locations and action in the game feel real and powerful. That said, I often didn't notice any music during gunfights because the gunfire just sounded so intense. On top of that, the bullet time sound effect is really overwhelming.

The voice acting is pretty solid; James McCaffrey reprises his role as the titular character, and paints Max as a tragic character who wants to change, who wants to better himself, though through poor choices and worse luck keeps travelling the same dangerous path. Max really comes into his own as a character, dealing with the demons of his past and the demons of his addictions at the same time, and alot of this character is possible thanks to the gritty, grissled voice that spouts one liners and self loathing.

GAMEPLAY
Max Payne 3 is not your typical 3rd person shooter, and any gamer with any Max Payne experience may not quite recognize the the new trimmings that Payne has acquired. But first, the basics. The shooting mechanics work really well, running and gunning feels fast and fluid, with the character animations feeling more natural than previous games with the same engine (GTAIV and Red Dead Redemption) helping that significantly. Dual wielding weapons are a viable choice, and different weapons work for different situations, forcing you to change up your approach depending on the environment and enemies.

Now onto something familiar: Bullet time. Yes, it's back and yes, you're still able to send Payne flying across the room as well as you ever could. Your bullet time is governed by a meter that fills with the more kills/headshots and risks that you take, while emptying at a fair pace. This makes for some incredibly cinematic action scenes as Max flies over a rail while peppering the enemies below, or as Payne dives down a flight of stairs whilst blasting his unsuspecting opponent in the face with a shotgun. The bullet time is extremely satisfying.

Next up, something less familiar to the Max Payne series: a cover system. Blasphemy, I know, but hear me out. It actually works quite well. Don't worry, the game wont become a pop-up shooting gallery, just because you can stick to a chest high wall. Staying in cover will get your ass killed, as your enemies wont just stay in place. The opponents in Max Payne 3 are some of the most aggressive I've seen in gaming today. Running and gunning puts you at risk of bullet perforation, but cover leaves you open to flanking. The key to success is balance: run, gun and dive to your content, but using cover as a momentary reprieve from death.

I do have to say that the game doesn't have any problems with gifting you a cheap death, and this becomes quite apparent in the closing minutes. On the most part, the difficulty is well balanced, but there are some moments of absolute infuriating cheapness. Aside from this, I really can't think of much to whinge about.

REPLAYABILITY
After playing through Max's suicide mission once, new difficulty modes open up for play, including hardcore and old-school. On top of this, the New York Minute mode allows players to go through each chapter whilst trying to increase their ever counting down timer with skillful shots and accuracy.

Then theres multiplayer. Now normally I don't care about multiplayer in primarily single player games, but I think Max Payne 3 is worth a mention. If the servers work for you, Max Payne 3 offers the only really successful implementation of multiplayer bullet time. It takes some getting used to, but it makes for some thrilling online moments.

OVERVIEW
Max Payne 3 is a new standard for sequels. It takes the original game, mechanics and style, and builds on top of it. Some features change (the setting, for instance) and certain mechanics are added (cover systems) but it still keeps the basic feel of a classic Max Payne game. It's familiar, but new. The story is compelling, and deals with issues not normally touched upon in games (the separation/similarities between the rich and poor, dealing with addiction and loss). The gameplay is fast and frantic, and never gets boring.
The difficulty can seem a bit unbalanced at some points, but is generally quite manageable. The game looks and feels great, and whether you're new to the series or an old hand with Payne, this game is worth a look.

That's it for this week, next week (or the week after, depending on how I feel about the frequency of these things) I'll be reviewing either Starhawk, Dragon's Dogma or Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Yea, I'll be busy this week (or this fortnight, who knows?) See you next time!!

Binary Domain

I know I said I probably wouldn't do a review this week, but I picked up Binary Domain on the cheap and smashed it in a surprisingly short time frame. I also thought to myself, "I haven't really trashed a game in a review for a while, maybe it's time to do that again". Well, if anyone was looking forward to me doing that, you're gunna have a bad time. And by that, I mean everything went better than expected. Though it's not perfect. Allow me to elaborate!

STORY
To sum it up nice and quickly, Binary Domain is the best I-Robot/Terminator game never made, and it's narrative shows it's influences proudly.The game is set in a world where robotics has become a massive part of society, and androids are present in almost all aspects of everyday life. As a result, The New Geneva Convention was written, restricting and monitoring the use and misuse of this technology.
Players control Dan Marshall, a former US Army Special Operative, who is now part of a Rust Crew; a team of highly trained Special Operatives utilized solely to uphold the New Geneva Convention. In this case, that means hunting down Yoji Amada, head of the Amada Corporation, who has been accused of creating Robots who look exactly like humans (and don't even know that they are robots themselves). Dan must now infiltrate the heavily guarded upper city of Tokyo with his associates, earning their trust and kicking robot ass in the search for answers as to how and why the human robots (known as hollow children) are being made.

The basic plot of Binary Domain is one that hasn't been tried in recent memory, and it works surprisingly well. It presents players with the plot point of human-seeming robots, and a cast of allies who, at any moment, could turn out to be androids. Hell, even Dan himself could be a robot. It's certainly interesting to see how the characters deal with the revelation of the Hollow Children, and if/when the doubt sets in.

PRESENTATION
Binary Domain is a somewhat decent looking game. The animations are smooth, and the graphics are crisp and pretty to look at. The visual style certainly has a lot more variety than other games of the 3rd person variety. For example, the game begins in the dark, grimy harbour surrounding Japan's seawall. It's in the middle of a storm, and it all looks very dark, and grungy and kind of depressing. Later on, however, the game transitions to one of Tokyo's upper levels. The city is very bright, with nearly all white surfaces, neon lights all over the place: the typical futuristic city setting. Those are just two examples of the variety to be found in Binary Domain's visuals.

The soundtrack has a suitably techno vibe, but is otherwise fairly uninteresting. The voice acting, on the other hand, is delivered with a surprising amount of feeling. The script itself may not be much to write home about, but the way the repeatedly cheesy lines are delivered really endeared many of the characters to me. So yea, good delivery doesn't excuse bad writing, but the characters do seem like almost real people.

GAMEPLAY
On the most part, Binary Domain has some pretty standard gameplay. It's a third person shooter with a cover mechanic, and it's honestly pretty good at what it does. While very Gears of War in nature (from the roadie runs, to the weapon wheel, to the love of cover), the gameplay differentiates itself in two very unique ways.

The first way is through deep squad control via either quick button presses, or voice control. Now I've had mixed functionality with the voice control, and when it doesn't work for a long time in a hectic gunfight, you'll find yourself more inclined to use the buttons. Some dialogue options are also available to nurture your squad's trust in you, leading to some branching storylines near the back end of the campaign.

The second way that Binary Domain really sets itself apart is in the class of enemies you encounter. You won't fight Russians, Zombies or Aliens here. Just robots. All robots. And despite you never killing an organic being in this game, the gun fights maintain a sense of visceral violence, mostly due to the high amount of destructibility your foes present. Shoot a robot in the legs, he'll crawl like crazy at you and try to grab you. Shoot him in the head, he'll begin to fire at both friends and foes. Shoot him in the arm, he'll use the other arm.
Add to this the fun visual of scrap metal flying as you unload into an enemy, and it really does feel like one of the more violent games out there. Yet you'll never shoot another opposing human being. Odd.

There are several huge boss battles that pepper the main campaign, and despite them all appearing different and attacking you differently, the way these go is usually the same. Shoot the glowing bits til you can safely stop. It kind of cheapened some of the boss fights for me, but they are still entertaining despite this.

There are also light RPG elements involved, and the way they're equipped is somewhat interesting (you have a set amount of spaces for nanomachines which take up varying amounts of slots), but the effects are so minuscule that you'll barely notice.

REPLAYABILITY
As I mentioned earlier, there is a trust system in the game, and I personally would be interested in going back through and trying to see what differences there are when you neglect certain characters etc. However, if you aren't looking to see different branches to the storyline, the gameplay will be more than enough for me to come back. I really enjoyed taking down bots, as it felt somehow really removed from what you'd normally battle in a game like this. Yes, I'm sure you fight robots in other games, but this is the first title to make me really FEEL like they're robots that I'm shooting, and not just standard characters dressed like robots.

OVERVIEW
Despite being a game that received very little publicity or hype (or perhaps because of this) Binary Domain may be one of the better shooters that I've played recently. It's one of the few games where shooting robots feels like shooting ACTUAL robots, and the gunplay is just so visceral and awesome that I can't stop thinking about it. The graphics are decent, and the varying visual design keeps the game looking fresh, while the characters are all (mostly) likable. Couple that with a fresh, new story, and we have an under the radar hit.

Next week, look for my Starhawk review. See you next time!!!

Prototype 2

So I've been thinking about having a week off between this review and my next one (which very well may be Max Payne 3). Just need some time to get my head straight, and clear a few games off my to do list in the process. So anyway, on with the Prototype 2 review!

STORY
Prototype 2 picks up where the previous game ended, with Alex Mercer fully realizing his Infected Super Being persona, and about ready to take on the city that's been trying to take him down. In an interesting tonal shift, instead of playing as Alex Mercer, players control Sgt. James Heller, who, instead of just being an unstoppable killing machine who now lives to spread the Mercer Virus, is a VICTIM of the virus; having lost his wife and child to the aftermath of Mercer's destructive fury.

Heller somehow convinces his superiors to send him into the red zone, with the single-minded intention of killing Mercer, no matter the cost to himself. However, he gets a little more than what he bargained for when Mercer forcefully infects and evolves the Sergeant into his very own copy of himself. After realizing what he has become, Heller sets out to finish what he began: he will kill Alex Mercer.

The story is most definitely an improvement over the previous game, with Heller being a somewhat likable character at times, though not necessarily on par with other characters in the industry. He has a near justifiable excuse for wreaking the amount of havoc as he does, though it's still massively over the top. That said, if I was given powers like these guys, I doubt I'd be able to resist throwing a few tanks around.

The writing is pretty generic, with a lot of swear words thrown in to distract from the lack of decent dialogue, though I'll be the first to admit that I doubt many people will be here for the story. It's not the worst I've seen in gaming, but it's no Mass Effect. It certainly has a few good characters and plot twists, but it's not much more than a basic frame for the gameplay.

PRESENTATION
The graphics engine appears to have had very little upgraded since Prototype, and a lot of the animations are still reminiscent of Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. The game is alot more visually interesting than the original game, mostly due to the increase in colour for the majority of the game.

The soundtrack is largely quite forgettable, with loud bass and heavy percussion to emphasize the intensity of the combat. It's all very tough sounding, but doesn't invoke any emotional response other than "I want to beat the shit out of these guys"
On the other hand, the voice acting has improved significantly. Heller really conveys his anguish at his family's death, as well as his limitless fury at Mercer. Mercer on the other hand sounds less whiny bitch, and more cold, calculating infected ruler. It's probably the high point of the game's presentation.

GAMEPLAY
It's time to face facts: chances are that if you're intending on purchasing Prototype 2, you aren't doing it for it's story or production value. While neither of those are terrible, the gameplay is most definitely the main event here. It reaches a level of over the top, uber empowering violence that few games can achieve, and despite the lack of variety as far as missions go, the gameplay very rarely feels repetitive.

The gameplay revolves around Heller's virus powers, which are quite similar to Mercer's in the previous game. This time, instead of choosing between one defensive and one offensive power, players get the option to map a power to one of two attack buttons, allowing mid combat switching. There are 5 offensive powers to switch in and out so that keeps things interesting.
The defensive powers have been replaced by singular shield power, providing a suitable barrier from damage, as well as the ability to reverse certain attacks.

The other faucet of Heller's powers provide the option for super powered travel. Traversing the landscape of New York Zero is both quick and fun, with James running up buildings, gliding over gaps and speeding to earth to deliver ground shattering punches from miles above the intended targets.

The game features some stealth gameplay, but its some of the most simplistic and (quite frankly) easy stealth play that I've ever seen. However, I can't deny that consuming foes and disguising yourself in their form isn't funny as hell.

REPLAYABILITY
Prototype 2 has some of the best gameplay for just mucking around in an open world, it's over the top, entertaining and it works really well. On top of that, there are a bunch of different collectibles to hunt for. And when that's all said and done, the RADNET system provides little challenge modes, where your scores are compared with your friends in a sort of Autolog style of presentation. It informs you when you've become a challenge leader, or when you lose a rank, so for any competitive gamers out there, this is a must have feature.

OVERVIEW
I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Prototype 2's main event is most definitely it's gameplay. If you're the type to champion storytelling in videogames, P2 may not have enough to really keep you engaged for the duration. Along with that, the graphics and overall presentation isn't anything overwhelmingly special. It looks good, but doesn't stand out. However, the gameplay is so visceral and empowering that I can't give this a recommendation; at the very least for those who love open world games and over the top action.

So yea, maybe a week off (if only to buff up on Max Payne 1 and 2, in time for the new one) and yea, I'll keep you guys posted. See you next time!

Twisted Metal

Hello again and welcome to another installment of Tophat Gamer! We find our intrepid reviewer as he returns to some sort of a routine with his weekly posts... Ok, enough of that. This week, I've been trying to kick the habit of procrastinating in other games when I've already set one aside to review. As such, this may not have the sort of in depth detail about the game you're looking for. What it does have, is my honest opinion on the game, and I may even elaborate on why I found it hard to NOT play other games.

STORY
So the story of Twisted Metal follows three separate story arcs surrounding a vehicular combat tournament from which the game gets it's name. The driving force behind the tournament is a charming, if a little unhinged, man named Calypso. The three story arcs focus on the competitors Sweet Tooth, Mr. Grimm and Dollface, as they attempt to destroy the competition and win the wish on offer by Calypso.

The story is a little strange, in that it runs each story arc one after the other, thus making it difficult to try and iron out a continuity (as certain characters appear to die, then become the focus of the next chapter). Nonsensical issues aside, the somewhat reality removed campaign missions are bookended by nice little grindhouse style cutscenes, each elaborating on the twisted individuals in the contest. And the characters, while deranged, all sit at different points on the tragic spectrum, offering interesting personalities, back stories and goals (if nothing else).

PRESENTATION
Twisted Metal is an odd little game; it seems intent on keeping the personality of it's older, classic titles in the series. However, in doing so, it seems to have been left behind by the rest of the industry. Now, I'm not saying that Twisted Metal looks bad; it's graphics are certainly passable, and everything runs quite smoothly. It just doesn't hold up against other vehicle-centric games, such as Motorstorm and it's ilk.

What does look good however, are the cutscenes present in the single player campaign. The grainy texture, along with the often dark (yet somehow light-hearted) story presented remind me of the Grindhouse style of films. The only problem I can see with this, however, is that the darkness of the cutscenes tend to leave a massive disconnect from the somewhat ridiculous and sometimes silly gameplay sections.

The soundtrack is full of heavy, pulse pounding metal tracks from the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Rob Zombie, and Judas Priest, which certainly fit the dirty, action packed gameplay to a t. The original soundtrack is mainly played during the story scenes, and are mostly quite creepy sounding (fitting the subject matter quite well). Voice acting, on the other hand, is mostly forgettable, but with special mention going to Calypso's voice actor, for being one of the creepiest, yet eerily charming character voices I've ever heard.

GAMEPLAY
The gameplay of Twisted metal is fairly simple, and hasn't been revisited for quite some time. For that reason alone, Twisted Metal would be worth a try. Luckily, it's also pretty good at what it does, however be warned if you aren't an online multiplayer fan. Much of this game is intended to be played online, as the single player campaign can be take down in an afternoon (if you're eager enough).

So, the basics: drive around a highly destructible environment and take down your many opponents before they do the same to you. It's essentially a shooter, but in cars. To help you in your carmaggeddon (yes, I realize that's actually another game), there a multitude of weaponry pick-ups that rain down destruction on the enemy. You also have your own side arm, which is usually either car mounted machine guns, or some form of standard firearm (used by your passenger).

On top of these murderous items, your vehicle also has it's own signature weapon. This can vary from the ice cream truck's robot mode, to the tow-truck's taxi launcher, to the motorbike's chainsaw... that you throw. What I'm getting at, is that there is a decent amount to diversify each vehicle from the others. Some have higher armor or speed, while some have more powerful special moves. It's easy to spot the overpowered vehicles, however none of them are at too much of a disadvantage.

The only problem with the vehicles in Twisted Metal, is that all vehicles can be used by all factions. This might just be me, but Sweet Tooth's Ice Cream Truck should really be limited to the clowns. I think a more elegant way of making (most) vehicles available to all factions would be to just make copies of them all, but with different visual tweaks. Making them all available to all factions cheapens the roster for me a little bit.

My only other complaint is with the number of game types. Most are just a tweak on the usual drive and kill formula, which works. However, when the game adds in further elements to the mix, it really shines. The "Racing" mode is interesting, despite the controls and physics not really lending itself to racing gameplay. The Nuke Mode is almost a capture the flag game type, where players must capture the opposing team's leader and drag them to a nuke launcher (using them as a sort of launch activation). Once launched, players must control the missile and blow up the opposing team's faction statue. It sounds ridiculous, and it is; but it's also very fun.

REPLAYABILITY
As I mentioned before, the game is very multiplayer focused. While I'm sure the four player splitscreen works well enough and is fun, chances are it won't match the insanity of a full 16 player twisted metal tournament. Problem: I'm really only inclined to play multiplayer alot on certain games, and only with people I know. For me, Twisted Metal lacks a certain amount of replay value, since it's single player section is not only laughably short, but also mainly functions as training for the multiplayer. Still enjoyable, but not as much as it could have been.
As per usual, there's also a bunch of trophies to satisfy all you completionists out there.

OVERVIEW
Twisted Metal brings back a genre and amount of over the top action we haven't seen in gaming in quite some time. While looking rather dated, the game still plays rather well, with a short but still satisfying group of 3 story arcs to fill the single player campaign. The game will (probably) satisfy anyone with a particular love of online multiplayer carnage, but single player enthusiasts should maybe only give this one a rent.

That's it for another week, I think I might pick up Prototype 2 tomorrow, or Tuesday. See you next time!!

Journey

Wow, I've been really slack with the reviews lately... I know they used to be on Sundays, then Tuesdays, now who knows..? And alot of that has been me being busy with work and work related activities, as well as just wanting to play some games that I haven't touched in ages, but really enjoy playing. Trying to squeeze full length game reviews into this time frame isn't working so well for me, but when there are Downloadable Titles like I Am Alive, and Journey, I find it frees up my time. Not much, but enough. Anyway, theres an insight into my life for all one of you. On to the review!


STORY
Journey is an interesting game, in that while it doesn't have much exposition or dialogue (at all), it still has an interesting and thought provoking story. It's also interesting that with so little explanation, the story can be so good at tugging at your emotions.

Without spoiling anything major, Journey is essentially about a lone cloaked figure making his/her way to the only truly noticeable landmark in this world; a large mountain with a holy beacon of light hitting it's peak. Your character does this at the behest of an ethereal god-like being, and on this journey, you find out some interesting things about the land and it's inhabitants via stone etchings.
It's certainly a unique way of conveying a story, and I'm sure that not every gamer will appreciate it. However, if you're one of those people who doesn't need a lot of details to piece a story together, and you enjoy filling in the blanks, then the ambiguity of Journey will suit you perfectly. It's difficult to understand how exactly a game like this can get my hair standing on end, but few games can get that kind of a response from me.

PRESENTATION
The first thing you'll notice about Journey is that it looks AMAZING. The animations of the characters and creatures are fluid like water, and it's interesting to see that a game set mainly in a large expanse of desert seems to have more in common with water. The flowing characters are on example of this, and the sand effects also lend to this. The sand flows like water down a stream and makes the environment seem all the more beautiful.

The music is very sparse, but when it does become more intense, it gave me goosebumps. I've never heard such a good use of silence, quite tones and orchestral music in a game before. Adding to the soundtrack are the little chirps that players are capable of making, which add to the atmosphere by themselves. The game's atmosphere, generally speaking, is one of loneliness. The Journey is across a desolate desert, through which you'll rarely come across a travelling companion. And when you do, communication is limited to untranslatable chirps. I'll speak more on this feature in a moment, but I thought I'd mention it as it really does help convey the mood of Journey.

GAMEPLAY

The gameplay, much like the rest of the game, is very basic but still very enjoyable. There are only two button functions, Jump and Chirp. The game functions mainly as a platformer, where players jump their way through the levels to the end. The jumping is floaty, but unlike games like LittleBigPlanet where accuracy is necessary, the weightlessness of Journey's jumping feels right.

Across the land you'll often find certain collectibles that will lengthen the jumps you can perform (presented visually through your character's scarf). Hieroglyphs can be found to lengthen the scarf, while little cloth creatures may re-energize it, allow you to jump again. The scarf essentially acts as a stamina meter, and the amount of light on it is how full it is. Very basic and very easy to pick up. This is good, because there's very little instruction.

There is another way to refill your scarf, and it involves Journey's very unique multiplayer. As I said before, the tone of Journey is one of loneliness, but also one of discovery. And while you discover power ups, you'll also discover the occasional travelling buddy. The chirping function here helps players refill their partner's jump gauge. But the interesting thing here is that there are NO identifying features about your partner(s). No Gamertag, no names at all. So it's really strange when you start feeling a connection to your travelling companion, and it's startling when you notice your new friend has been replaced by someone completely different.

It's a cool little gameplay mechanic, and I highly suggest at least two playthroughs; one with, and one without a companion. I noticed a difference I couldn't quite put my finger on, and I'd like to see if others could find this also. There really isn't much to the gameplay, but what's there is not only basic but fun too.

REPLAYABILITY

Journey is a really short game. As in, you could finish it in one sitting. So are you going to spend 20 dollars on a game you'll only play for 4 hours? Probably not. However, Journey is the sort of game that you could play over and over again fr various reasons. It could be that the music hit you in just the right way, or the visual style was just too good to not revisit. Or maybe you just want the same chills you got from that section of the game. And trust me, when it happens, you'll know. On top of that, there are a number of hidden features in the landscape that I'm sure to go back and discover.

OVERVIEW

Journey is an interesting game. Most gamers may pass it over because of it's basic gameplay and ambiguous story, but there are definitely people who will love it. It really is a love it or hate it game. So, if you're into amazing visuals over mega-detailed graphics, and a less is more approach to music and gameplay, then you should shell out the $20 for Journey. You won't regret it. Next week should be my Twisted Metal review. It's a load of fun, but I'm being distracted by alot of games at the moment. So anyway, see you next time!

I Am Alive

This week, I thought I'd review two downloadable games, seeing as I didn't do a thing during the Easter weekend. So let's start it off with Ubisoft's Survival Horror title, I Am Alive.

STORY
I Am Alive follows the journey of a lone man who has traveled across America, back to his hometown of Haventon, approximately 1 year after a cataclysmic disaster known only as the Event. As a result of the Event, massive quakes rock the city and have created massive chasms. The air is polluted with massive amounts of dust, making it near impossible to breathe at the worst of times, and obscuring vision like thick fog.

The survivor you play as has returned home in search of his wife and child, having not heard from them since (possibly) before the Event. He begins with few items to call his own, among which are a gun (with no ammo), some rope, a backpack and a video camera. It's with this video camera that we witness the "cutscenes" of the game, where the traveler leaves video diaries and records key moments in his journey. The playback of these moments are the framing device for this adventure, and it works quite well.

There's a large mystery surrounding both the details of The Event, and the whereabouts of the main character's family. It's intriguing to find out all these little bits of information as you play.

PRESENTATION
I Am Alive is a game that was in and out of development for quite a long time. Longer than the usual development time for a game (let alone a downloadable title). Normally, that would be a warning sign, but with I Am Alive, the effects of it's development cycle aren't quite as easy to see.

The graphics, for starters are quite noticeably dated, and for a full price retail release, that would be a massive problem. However, considering the price of the game and quality of it's other aspects, it's not so much of a dealbreaker here.

The game's music is haunting and ambient, which adds to the atmosphere of this run-down, dilapidated and lonely setting. On top of that, the majority of people you meet want to kill you; the remainder of which want you to give them your limited supplies. It's a harsh environment, a survivalist's paradise, and the music reflects that.

While the graphics aren't the best quality, the visuals aren't all bad. The environments are reminiscent of Silent Hill; desolate, deserted streets, obscured by a thick cloud of dust. The feeling of uncertainty is unmistakable as you try to figure out whether that shadow in the distance is an armed enemy, or an unarmed, injured survivor.

GAMEPLAY
The actual gameplay of I Am Alive all revolves around survival, however the basic mechanics switch between shooting and platforming regularly. The first thing you may notice is that your supplies are very low. Your character first states that he only has a few items, and the gun he carries doesn't have any ammunition. Supplies you find can recover your health and your stamina, as well as increase your stamina bar if it loses size.

While ensuring your survival, you'll often come up against other survivors who will kill you for your supplies. To avoid this, and stay alive, the game becomes kill or be kill. Limited ammo means that you'll want to avoid conflict if possible, and when firing your weapon, you'll have to take out the most dangerous foes first. In a one on one battle, it's easy enough to whip out the machete and perform a struggle kill on someone.

It's interesting to see, however, that even with no ammo, your gun can be used as a valuable weapon. When threatening opponents with it, you'll find that other survivors will freeze and put their hands above their heads in surrender. In this state, you can order them to back off, to the point where you may be able to knock them into a nearby hazard. It's an interesting mechanic, and it works well. The only problem I can see with it, is that your foes often forget that you have a gun the second you put it away.
Enemy types are pretty limited, but there are special variants with thick body armor that prefer a different approach.

The combat and scavenging is broken up with platforming which is somewhat reminiscent of Uncharted. However, the main character is no Nathan Drake or Ezio Auditore; his climbing does have limits. As he climbs, his stamina drops until the bar is empty. When the bar is empty, the length of it decreases until its gone entirely. With no stamina, the survivor will fall to his death. There are ways around this, such as using equipment to take a breather mid-climb, or using supplies to recover stamina.

As you can see, the careful management of supplies makes its way into all aspects of this game. However, your supplies may also buy information concerning the survivor's family. You have to make a choice, do you help these survivors and gain information, or do you keep the supplies just in case you get hurt or your stamina bar drops?

At it's core, I Am Alive is a survival game at its best. The things that I Am Alive does best work exceptionally well, while some of the basic mechanics (particularly climbing) can be frustrating do to a lack of polish.

REPLAYABILITY
While there are no multiple endings or multiplayer options, I feel that I Am Alive is worth more than just one playthrough. There are a number of supplies and survivors that need them, and the odds of you finding them all the first time through are very slim.
Finding out as much as you can about the survivor's family is interesting, and the unique approach to confrontations makes me want to play it over and over.

OVERVIEW
I Am Alive is an interesting game. It's long time in development is certainly noticeable with it's graphics, though the visual effects from the dust create an eerie, lonely atmosphere, that definitely makes up for it. The gameplay mechanics are mostly functional, while a little rough around the edges. Despite that, being able to threaten a thug with an unloaded gun is certainly a cool feeling.

While the game has some great ideas, if it was a full priced retail release, I'd have difficulty recommending it. As it is, however, I Am Alive is only $20, and I'd say that it's totally worth it.

Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow with my review of another downloadable review. See you next time!