Metro: Last Light - Review

...I wonder if they have Nuka Cola in Russia.

Metro 2033 established a cryptic, and occasionally frighting post apocalyptic world that was filled with a unique take on the post apocalyptic setting, and really pulled you into the dystopian setting. IT had plenty of faults, but there was certainly promise, and while Metro: Last Light hits many of the same issues as the original, it offers an overall better experience, and stands on it's own as a story of despair and hope, and the thin line between them in humanities darkest hour.

Like it's predecessor, Metro: Last Light is based off of the novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky, throwing you into a post apocalyptic Russia, where civilization has been forced underground into the winding tunnels of the Moscow Metro, while all manner of mutated monsters now lurk both above and below ground. The survivors have fractured into several factions who now fight over the few remaining resources, instead of banding together, putting humanity at risk of destroying itself. While Metro 2033 did have two possible endings, Last Light goes with the normal/bad ending as the backstory in which the main character, Artyom, destroyed a sentient race called the Dark Ones with a missile strike. Now, several factions are vying for control of the entire Metro System, and war seems increasingly likely. The story focuses on Artyom's journey to find a Dark One who somehow managed to survive the annihilation of it's race, and unravelling an insidious plot that threatens to destroy what is left of humanity as he struggles with guilt over the destruction of an entire race at his hands.The plot starts out very strong, and helps, alongside the atmosphere and world, to immerse you fully in the game. However, around the last third of the game, the story takes a really odd turn into the supernatural. It's not an awful story from that point on, but it feels like there was a huge missed opportunity to focus more on the dystopian Metro's survivors and a plot more grounded in reality. The finale is really kind of a dud as well, ending the game with a thud, instead of a bang, but overall the story is even better than the original, and does a good job of telling a tale of it's own instead of rehashing the original.

The characters are, for the most part, kind of dull. The Russian accents occasionally sound really forced and bad, though there are a few bright moments in the conversations between people and characters. It can sometimes seem as if the other characters hold your hand a little bit more than they need to, but there are large stretches of the game where you are alone and left to your own devices too, which keeps it from becoming a real issue. You can also discover hidden journal notes that, in a interesting twist, are written by Artyom himself, that offer great insight into his thoughts on whatever events are occurring, places he is visiting, or characters he is interacting with. It's an odd choice, considering Artyom himself is a silent protagonist outside of the loading screens where he runs down what is about to happen, but it's still an appreciated feature.

The atmosphere of Last Light is outstanding throughout the game. Exploring the metro tunnels is both creepy and thrilling, and the forays above into the ruin of Moscow are breathtaking and chilling. Some sections in the metro can feel a little too drab, but the variety found over the course of the game keep things interesting and fun. The game does a good job of mixing up action sequences, as well as slower moments that allow you to explore a bit and really take in the attention to detail. These slower moments are frequently some of the best, and there are plenty of hidden secrets and moments that are well worth the time to find.

The gameplay offers plenty of choice on how to approach situations, but the fights can be quite frustrating. While you can go in guns blazing, Last Light really rewards those who take the stealth route. In fact, often times it almost seems like Last Light is more of a stealth game than a shooter. Don't be surprised if your knife or fist feel like your primary means of eliminating human enemies. Monster encounters though don't offer a stealth option, which helps keep things fresh, though these fights range from simply okay to downright ridiculous. There are also a few boss battle style fights that feel uninspired and forced, and are more of a nuisance than a challenge. They can be quite discouraging, and can break the immersion a bit.

The enemy AI leaves a lot to be desired. Human enemies are predictable, and easily manipulated along with being just downright dumb. There are occasions where they won't even notice you taking out a friend a few meters away. The monster AI on the other hand is a little too difficult. Aside from being tough to take down in the first place, many bounce all over the screen, and attack you in numbers that can overwhelm you. They come at you very aggressively as well, and sometimes mistakes even on the normal or easy difficulty can be fatal. There's no real middle ground either really, fights are either just too easy, or too hard.
Also just as important to the gameplay are your gas mask and filters, which help you survive on the toxic surface, as well as some more dangerous parts of the Metro. Extra filters can be scavenged from supply crates and fallen enemies, and without them your gas mask is useless. You'll be warned when you need to replace the filter, but without one, you will suffocate and die. Gas masks can be damaged, but every once in a while you can find a replacement. Damaged masks don't function less efficiently than undamaged ones, but the cracked glass can interfere with your vision.

The weapons, while not numerous, are very diverse and offer plenty of choices for everyone, and each weapon can be modified with several attachments, which helps you really outfit your arsenal to your style. There are also throwable knives, claymores, and grenades. The economy system is, like the original, interesting, if not well executed. In the Metro universe military grade ammunition is the currency of choice, and it's rarity makes it extremely valuable. This ammunition can be used in weapons increase the damage and gives an advantage over enemies, but every shot you take is one less you have to use buying weapons, lesser ammo, and other goods. You could easily go through the game without ever visiting a store though, and I often forgot I could even use the military grade ammo in my weaponry, though on the high difficulty you can occasionally be forced into using it if you get too trigger happy.

There are some technical issues that can derail the experience on occasion. Texture loading in issues happen a somewhat often, and on the 360 the game crashes on occasion for no real reason. The PS3 version reportedly has some even more glaring issues including constant auto saving, frame rate dips, and even a glitch that allows you to go through chapters with all enemies frozen in place, though having not played the PS3 version I can't speak of how frequent or glaring these problems are.

SUMMARY

Metro: Last Light is not the kind of experience you usually get with shooters. The game world and environments are extremely detailed, offering a visually stunning and immersive experience, while the plot does an excellent job of giving you a reason to really enjoy wandering the Metro and the ruins of Moscow. It's not as strong a single player shooter as it could be, but it's still a fun and unique experience if you can forgive the terrible enemy AI and technical issues.

Pretty Fluffy

Where Metro: Last Light Succeeds

+ One of the most unique and well designed game worlds.
+ Great attention to detail.
+ Plenty of reason to explore, even in the confines of the linear gameplay style.

Where Metro: Last Light Fails

- Gameplay is uneven
- AI is either too hard or too easy, never just right.
- Technical issues can jar the experience on occasion.

Information
Metro: Last Light
Developer: A4 Games
Publisher: THQ
Genre: First Person Shooter
Rating: M

Ashes Cause Anger

...Look at the wall of rage.

I've been kind of out of it for the past two weeks, so I haven't been getting into a whole lot of writing for my blog. I am getting back into it and I have a ton of stuff I'm working on that will hopefully be done shortly. To tide you over until then, I will be talking about that Mass Effect DLC so, uh just gonna leave this here...


Spoiler Alert!
You've been warned!



Mass Effect 3 Day One DLC Causes Huge Community Backlash

By now just about everyone knows that Mass Effect 3 will be getting a bit of day one downloadable content. I don't think Bioware really planned on telling us so soon though. And can anyone really blame them giving the huge tsunami of backlash they have gotten? Maybe they knew we'd react like that. For the uninitiated who have decided to ignore my spoiler warning, Mass Effect 3 will have a piece of downloadable content available called "From Ashes" that will introduce a new mission and a new squad member. And he's Prothean. Yeah. That's a pretty big bit of DLC. Now, if you've got your N7 Edition preordered then your all set, the DLC ships with that version of the game. If not, it will be available for 800 Microsoft Points on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Now that those bases are covered...

A lot of people have gotten very upset with Bioware and how they seem to be moving to monetize Mass Effect as much as possible as of late. The art book, the figurines, and now this downloadable content, some people are saying that it's going to far. To be fair, something like this as downloadable content seems a bit of an odd move. Bioware's Michael Gamble explained that "The content in "From Ashes" was developed by a separate team (after the core game was finished) and not completed until well after the main game went into certification." He also mentioned that this DLC wasn't really aimed at newcomers or casual players of the series, but more for the longtime and die-hard fans (such as myself).

As far as the downloadable content goes, I have mixed feelings. I understand the point of the downloadable content being geared towards the longtime players but, I feel as if this is the kind of huge important revelation that's should be weaved into the main story. Not reduced to some kind of side show. I am kind of upset about that. At the same time though, the only reason this would be reduced to an optional side mission is if it isn't actually important to the end game result, or that it is not necessary. I will be a bit disappointed if that is the case but Bioware has a much longer history of success than they do failure. Michael Gamble himself said that the game you get out of the box is completed and is as they intended it to be released. Which means that The Prothean was not originally going to be in the game at all (I assume.) If that is the case, then "From Ashes" would have been downloadable content whether it was released day one or day 217 and a half. Actually, when it comes to DLC why do we seem to be so upset when it's something that is being released at a games launch but don;t seem to have as much of a problem with content that comes out after the game is released? I understand some of the underlying pieces sometimes, especially when it's something that could be perceived as being hacked right off the main game and then sold. But as far as Bioware has said, that was not the case here. I have never heard a developer come out and say that a piece of day one content was unrelated to the main game, but Bioware has done just that. What reason do we have to not believe them?

On the maximizing of sales from the Mass Effect franchise I can only say this. So what?

This is a game series that is going to go far beyond this trilogy, and it already has. No one bats an eye if Halo or Call of Duty push out figures and books but if Bioware decides they want to release an art book celebrating the artistic history of the series people start screaming like spoiled children? I have seen way more backlash against this OPTIONAL extra stuff that Bioware and EA have been releasing related to Mass Effect than I have most other game franchises. I just don't understand, especially since all of this is OPTIONAL and can be passed over or ignored one doesn't want anything to do with it. It's just silly how much people are overreacting to these things. Mass Effect has a huge expansive universe that has been developed, and it would make much, much less sense to not try and capitalize on that than it would to do exactly what Bioware and EA are doing. No one is forcing anybody to buy this stuff either. As they also are not forcing you to buy "From Ashes." It is there if you want it, and if you don't, then thats great too.

Did I mention it's OPTIONAL?

Some people have gone so far as to cancel their preorders or decide not to purchase Mass Effect 3 because of all of this. To the people doing that, it is your right to do so. But really think before you do it. I don't see as much of a cause to not pick the game up because of marketing moves. As I said above, much of this is merchandise that is made specifically for fans of the series. Yes they have a DLC code or two tied to them but if it really bothers you so much that some people will be getting a new weapon or armor set that is just extra content, you may want to reexamine how excited you are for this game. Mass Effect 3 will be one of the most important games of the year, and will likely be one of the best. If you've stuck it through the first two and loved them, then trust in Bioware to deliver on their promises.

Of course that's just what I think...


I will have some excellent new content coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled. As usual, spread the word, go like the facebook page, and keep reading. Oh and you guys should comment now and again! I am open to feedback, criticism, suggestions, and discussions.

Until next time...

Image Sources:
#1. http://social.bioware.com/forums/forum/1/topic/323/index/9382439/18
#2. http://xboxlivemedia.ign.com/xboxlive/image/article/121/1219156/image1_1329863585.jpg

All Used Up

...Running on empty.

Lately a lot of rumors have been popping up about the next generation of consoles, particularly the next Xbox. Some of these have sounded somewhat believable while others, well...not so much. One of the more fanciful rumors has reported that the next Xbox console will not allow gamers to play used games on it. This just sounds plain ridiculous. A console that won't allow us to play used games? In what way is that a solid business plan? Then again, game developers and publishers have been saying for a while now that they don't appreciate the fact that they see next to no money from the sale of used games.

However, a move like this is in no one's favor.

I will be upfront about this: I depend on used games. I do not pull in a lot of money so I don't have the funds to go buying every new game that I want to play. New game purchases for me are special occasions reserved for games that I simply have to have the moment they are released. So for the dozens of games that I want to get, but not enough to buy them new, picking them up used is the only way I can play them. And I have really loved some of those games. However I am a gamer on a budget, and that means I need used games in order to get my game on at times. I am not alone on this. Plenty of of people pickup used games as a cheaper alternative. Even people that have the money to buy all the new games they want still pick up used games now and again because they are cheaper, and we always would prefer to spend less money.

What developers and publishers get upset about is that most of the time, they are not seeing a cent of those sales. Most used game sales go straight to the store that sold the game. The argument is they are missing out on sales because of this. While that's not entirely wrong, it's also not entirely right either. In order for the game to be used it has to be sold in the first place. That's where the initial sales come from. Now while they may be missing out on extra profit, they still make money off the initial sale. However, the video game industry is a business, and as such  developers and publisher's want to make as much money as possible. That's just good business sense. In order to try and maximize their profits, some developers and publishers have begun using online passes and special "day one" DLC to try and generate extra revenue from the gamers who buy used or use as incentive for buying the game new.

This is where we, the gamers, start to have a problem though. As I said before, some of us just don't have the kind of cash to go buy new games all the time, and we buy used because we either want to save a few bucks, or because we don't have the extra cash to begin with. However, in a lot of cases, after you add in the cost of an online pass, you may as well have just bought the game new. In a few cases you actually wind up spending even more money, which is not what cash strapped gamers want to hear. Then there's the "day one" downloadable content that is offered as an incentive to buy the game new. This isn't in and of itself a bad idea, but instead of offering extras it seems some developers remove chunks of the game and offer that as the incentive. Take for instance Catwoman from Arkham City. She is featured quite prominently on the back of the box, all of her character specific Riddler trophies, and even her own skill tree are in the game right out of the box. Yet, if you didn't buy the game new, you have to pay extra to access that content. You could argue that it is still an extra feature, and yes not everyone will care that it;s missing, but a lot of us don't like the thought that significant sections of a game get boarded up if you don't buy the game new. It's almost like extortion in some cases.

However we can't really compare used games to other kinds of "used" markets either. Used cars usually have performance problems and aren't in as good condition as their new counterparts. Used furniture works much the same way. A used game, with the exception of some scratches, is exactly what it was new. Same game, same experience, nothing broken or changed (usually.) It's hard to say that used game has less value than the same title new, simply because it's the same experience. Of course over time, newer titles come out and the older games get outdated, and of course the price drops then anyway. But in some ways, you can't blame developers for wanting to see more profit from the used games, because they are, essentially, the same thing that's being sold used.

There are arguments that there are better ways to handle used game sales, some of which actually sound pretty interesting. One that I thought about is that larger publishers and developers could handle their own used game sales. If you want return the game back to them instead of selling it to Gamestop or a similar business, then the publisher or developer give you something in return for doing so, maybe credit towards a future purchase or online store credit, and then they can sell the game (not at full price obviously) again. There are some problems with this model, and an obvious one is that it is a choice, but dedicated players could really win from this, as do the developers and publishers.This is just one of many ideas on how a game company could generate profit from used games, but the current model of online passes seems to be, at least for now, they way most games will go.

This could soon all be moot though. Digital distribution is becoming a bigger and better way for gamers to purchase their games, and since you can't resell a digital copy (not legally anyhow), the used game market completely disappears online. Steam and Origin have become the way to buy games for PC users, and Steam in particular has blossomed into the kind of place gamers love to shop at. There's always some kind of deal going on, games are somewhat cheaper online, and there is a huge catalog to choose from. I mean really, no one can blame EA for wanting a piece of that extremely good looking pie. No matter what though, Steam has brought digital distribution a long way in the games industry, and that means that used games could soon become fond memories of a not so distant past.

For now however, used games will remain a part of the industry and it will continue to be an issue developers and publishers will try to find a way around in the ultimate goal of making more money than everyone else. Of course some people argue that those of us looking to save some cash are just penny pinching misers. That is also true sometimes...

This one might be a bit behind now, and there is a lot I didn't go over, but most of what I went over is what is important. My next post is about Fallout and why America is the only reason it works the way it does. (because I can not beat that dead horse enough apparently.) And that will be followed by some fun things.

Also looking at some more changes. So keep reading, sharing the word when you can, go like the facebook page (link to the side now!) etc.

Peace out y'all!

Image Sources
#1 - Industrygamers.com
#2 - Geekosystem.com

Information Research Source
Game Revolution

The Golden Age

...Bask in the glory!

A lot of people, myself included, often have a lot of complaints and concerns about how the gaming and the industry as a whole. We see a lot of things that worry us, or make us think that the games industry might become a shadow of what it used to be. We see games like Modern Warfare 3 and worry that First Person Shooters might become glorified Michael Bay shooting galleries. We see the closure of studios that made awesome games and grow concerned that only the giant companies will be able to churn out games, or we see once great publishers and developers on the brink of bankruptcy. Everywhere we look it seems things are not going well. Some have even argued that the best days of gaming are behind us.

However, despite the many things that upset me or worry me these days I have never been more excited about where gaming is headed. In fact, I think the best is just around the corner.

When I talk with friends, or write various pieces, I often find myself somewhat depressed. Especially when I look at some of the games I have played the past year or two and see how many disappointed me, or just weren't very strong titles. The other day though, I took another look and saw just as many that surprised me or lived up to the hype around them. So I decided to think on it more, and I realized something should not be all that shocking, but yet still felt like a revelation. In order to set that up, think about this for a second:

This is what games looked like ten years ago.

Look at all that blood...

This is what they look like now.

At least the trees are safe.

I really hope the difference is obvious. Graphics have moved so far ahead in just ten years, we actually doubt we can improve them much further right now. Graphics may not be everything in a game but they can really help pull players into a game world and with the graphical power we have nowadays. We can create detailed worlds and characters, and we can create better visual effects with the technology we currently have. Thanks to this, we have some truly realistic looking games, such as Crysis and Forza 4, as well as some very interesting art styles in games like in Limbo and Catherine. We have games like Skyrim, where the game world feels truly alive, and even classics like Mario and Legend of Zelda have benefited from the advances made in graphical technology.

It's not just graphics though. Gaming has become something that just about everybody does in some fashion. With all these people playing games, indie developers have been able to find an audience for their games. Just browse the internet for games sometime. There are literally tens of thousands of independent projects and companies that produce all sorts of games. It's not just the well known ones like Castle Crashers and Limbo. The internet is filled with hidden gems like Super Brothers: Sword and Sorcery EP. In fact, some of the better games of the past five years have been indie titles. Independent developers also aren't obligated to make their games a certain way nor do they have a publisher or larger group to answer to. This has allowed for some truly innovative games from the indie developers. I mean look at the success of Minecraft if you don't believe that indie games can succeed in the industry. The past five years of gaming have also brought countless innovations and changes to the industry thanks in part to the number of people playing now. The Wii was hyped by Nintendo as a big change for gaming, and for a while it was. The Wii successfully pulled in a huge new crowd to video gaming, and proved, at least for a little bit, that motion control can be more than just a gimmick. They've followed that up with the 3DS, a handheld with glasses free 3D. While the games may not quite be there yet, the technology behind it is impressive.

It's not just indie games that have benefited from gaming becoming a popular activity. Because of the number of people playing, games rake in all kinds of dough for their developers and publishers. This enables them to hire better staff to create better games. This has shown up particularly in the writing department. Fifteen years ago most developers could not afford to pay for actual writers. A few people  involved with the game development would usually be given the task to do the bulk of the writing. And if you look at some of the games from fifteen years ago, that doesn't really seem all that hard to believe. Nowadays however, we have some truly talented people penning incredible scripts, worlds, and lore for our favourite games. The rise of the writing quality has allowed for the creation of some of the best stories and worlds that we have ever seen in gaming in the past few years. Mass Effect and Bioshock are examples of games that have truly raised the bar for writing in games. The amount of money pouring into the industry has also enabled developers to hire better voice actors, and bring in more experienced and diverse personnel for everything fro creating the soundtrack to designing the game art.

RA Salvatore is writing game fiction now. Surely Stephen King isn't too far behind...

Of course there are bad parts about the industry and where it's headed, but when hasn't there been?  Gaming today sits upon the precipice of maybe going somewhere no entertainment medium can take us. With books you can read stories, but what it looks like, or what it might feel like to be in that story are left largely up to your imagination. Not a bad thing, but sometimes we want to see what we're reading. So then we've got movies, which take written stories and then show us what it would look like. It brings us into the world the story is trying to tell. However, we're still just an audience. We don't have any control over what's going on, and we don't have any say in how things happen. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, but often times we want to experience these stories for ourselves, or to put ourselves into the characters shoes, or hell, even just insert our actual selves into the story and make it go how we would want it too. This is where gaming shines. It puts us into these stories and settings and allows us to experience them directly. Sometimes we experience them as a defined character, other times the character is more or less us. We could soon see games that will take us places movies and books just simply can't. We've already seen many situations in games were the decisions we're given aren't necessarily good or evil. Some decisions in games are judgement calls.

Now we're seeing games like the upcoming Rainbow Six: Patriots where every decision and option is in a morally grey area, and it's up to you whether defeating the bad guys should come at any cost. Then we have the Mass Effect trilogy, which takes every decision you make and lets it snowball up until the upcoming conclusion, where every choice you have made will determine the fate of the whole galaxy. Who lives, who dies, if you even succeed at all. Entire civilizations could disappear because of your choices. Games like this can cause us to examine who we are as people, and what decisions we'd make when push comes to shove. Even without these choices, we're beginning to see games that make us feel like we're part of what's going on. We're not just playing as a big dot that eats smaller dots, we're experiencing an event  through a characters eyes. We're not just watching the action unfold before us, we're taking part in it. Even classic titles like Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Pokemon feel more alive than ever before.

And if you just want to run around blowing people's heads off in Fallout: New Vegas, you can do that too.

My seven year old gaming self thought Microsoft Flight Simulator 95 was one of the most incredible games ever, and I thought that games that looked any better wouldn't be something that  Iwould see until I had kids. Really if I look back on it, gaming has come so far in such a short time. It's almost unrecognizable from when I was kid. Even more so for people who grew up in the era of arcades and the Atari 5200. And you know what? I think it's going to grow and change just as much in the next fifteen years. Call it a hunch.

Perhaps the Unreal 3 tech demo "The Samaritan" reinforces the hunch...

Well that was long one, I hope you enjoyed it.
Until next time!

Image Source:
#1. http://3.s3.envato.com/files/4040128/Golden_Glow_Preview.jpg
#2.http://i.neoseeker.com/screenshots/R2FtZXMvUEMvQWN0aW9uL0FkdmVudHVyZQ==/diablo_ii_the_lord_of_destruction_image2.jpg
#3. http://www.geforce.com/Active/en_US/shared/images/articles/600-crysis-2-computer/Crysis2-screen3.jpg
#4. http://www.boomtron.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Salvatore-R-A.jpg
#5. http://www.udk.com/elements/img/galleries/Samaritan2.jpg

A Look At 2012

 ...I patiently await the day the zombie apocalypse begins.

Well 2011 has ended. We've all reflected more than enough so now we look towards the coming year in gaming. If the Mayans are right, it will be our last and (re: they aren't) it looks like this will be a pretty good year to end it on. Plenty of high caliber titles are due out this year, and some big announcements seem imminent, and who knows what else we might see this year. So lets take a look at whats on the way.

The Games 
(Note: I can not possibly talk about every last game here, so I'm only touching on a few of the bigger ones, or ones I feel should be on the radar for most people.)

There will be plenty of huge games getting released this year, and we have one of the biggest dropping at the end of the month. Final Fantasy XIII-2 is set to hopefully mark a return to form for the Final Fantasy series. The past two titles have not been received well. In fact, the MMO styled Final Fantasy XIV was so bad they had to temporarily shut the game down so they could fix the myriad of troubles that plagued the title at launch. Luckily, it seems that the sequel to Final Fantasy XIII seems set to fix the things that upset players and keep the things that worked. A new combat system should also prove to help keep things interesting. Soul Caliber V is also set for release at the end of the month as well, a day all fighting genre gamers should have circled. In fact the first three months of the year seem to be set to be one of the bigger parts of this years game release schedule, with The Darkness II, Syndicate, Twisted Metal, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Asura's Wrath, Max Payne 3, Tom Clancy's Future Soldier, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Ninja Gaiden III, Dragons Dogma, DOTA 2, Kid Icarus: Uprising and SSX are all set for release in the first three months of the year.

There's two games also out in the first three months that RPG fans everywhere should be waiting with baited breath for. Mass Effect 3 is set to cap off Commander Shepard's trilogy with a huge bang. Every event in the past two games has lead to the epic finale and given what we've seen so far, this could be the best game from Bioware yet. They have made the bold claim that every plot point will be wrapped up nicely in this game, and the potential for the game to end in many different ways, including a few where you fail to save the galaxy, could make for one of the best endings to a story in gaming history. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has flown far under the radar so far but that seems hard to believe from my viewpoint. With a story penned by fantasy author RA Salvatore, a visual style courtesy of Todd MacFarlane, and the design being overseen by Ken Rolston, a Bethesda veteran, there should be plenty of interest to begin with. Then there's the games refreshingly new story and universe. Along with that a very cool combat system and condensed, yet deep skill tree. Most gaming critics and experts have walked away from previews with nothing but nice things to say about the new IP.

Then at the end of March brings us the launch of Diablo III (hopefully, finally.) This is a game people have been waiting years to see release, and finally Blizzard fans can rejoice that the games March 31st release date seems set in stone. The dungeon crawler has some new classes and improved AI and combat, not to mention a beautiful graphics system and the marketplace where players can sell the gear they find online for real cash. People have been waiting a long time for this one, and hopefully, Diablo III can live up to the hype.

Sadly after that awesome start to the year, there won't be a whole lot in the way of top caliber titles to look for. Aside from Prototype 2 in April, Darksiders 2 in June, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time at the end of June, and Dust 514 also at the end of June, there won't be a lot to look for, which should give those of us strapped for cash plenty of time to get caught up and get ready for the usual flurry of releases in the Fall. Right now the only games to really be looking for are the Tomb Raider reboot, Halo 4 and Far Cry 3 but most of the big name titles won;t be announced until E3. The big game people are waiting for in the fall/winter is Bioshock Infinite. Given the gameplay we've seen so far, it's a safe bet that this game is set to be among the biggest of the year. The visuals are impressive, and the narrative is shaping up to be pretty deep, though it might not top the original Bioshock.  The city of Columbia also appears to have been just as well crafted as Rapture. It's a safe bet we'll be seeing the usual release from Call of Duty but aside from that we're not really sure what else to expect after September ends. Borderlands 2, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and Metro: Last Light are among the games that have no release date set but are expected to ship at some point this year.

The Announcements and Reveals


We've already heard some bubbling rumors about what we might be seeing this year, but this entire section is mere speculation and personal thought. So don't take too much of it to heart.

We've seen an awful lot of stuff regarding Half-Life 3 as of late. First the shirt worn by a Valve employee, then the supposed references in the acceptance speech from Wheatly's VGA award win, and finally the appearance of a website that bore the Half-Life 3 logo and appropriate logos related to the games development (if it exists). Valve has dismissed it all as "the community trolling the community" but there's an awful lot floating around right now, so something must be up right? Sadly, we'll likely have to wait until E3 until we get our answer, if we get one at all. 

There's also been a lot of rumors that the next Xbox console is set for a reveal at E3 2012. While I have never seen Microsoft come out and say it won't be, my gut says that it won't be. They've just redesigned the dashboard and tried to get the Kinect to become a big pat of the Xbox 360 experience. Not to mention there are several big titles, chief among them Halo 4, that would make more sense to hold off until next year if an announcement and then hopeful launch next year. Then again, it may be time to start at least considering the rumor as a possibility. A few years back Microsoft told us the 360 was halfway through it's life cycle, and if that's true, we only have two or three years left until the next console. That's not the only reason this could be true. The eighth generation of consoles is starting. The Wii-u is set for a release at some point this year (likely the fall), both Sony and Nintendo have released their newest handhelds (North America will be getting the PS Vita in Feburary). But like with Half-Life 3, we'll have to wait until E3 before we really figure this one out.

Then there are all the games and companies that are due to make some announcements. Bioware did just announce Command and Conquer: Generals 2, but that's being developed by a new studio. Given some of the rumors surrounding Dragon Age, I'd wager we'll be seeing the next installment announced at some point. Grand Theft Auto V has been announced but that's about it. Expect lots of details to be fleshed out in the coming months leading up to E3. Something else to watch for is more information about Halo 4. We saw the reveal at E3, but have learned little else since. Expect E3 to be the place where we will really get a solid look at 343's first game with the franchise.


Well there you go. It's not much, but there's a brief little look at what to look forward to in 2012. It's shaping up to be an awesome year yet again to play video games, bu then again , when isn't it awesome? I'd also like to wish everyone a (late) Happy New Year. I hope that you'll keep reading and checking out this place through this year too.

Oh! And if you want to comment on any of my blog posts, feel free to do so. I welcome input and other opinions.


Image Source Links
#1: http://www.kaheel7.com/userimages/2012-mystery.JPG
#2. http://www.gamepur.com/files/images/2011/final-fantasy-xiii-2-screen.jpg
#3. http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2011/08/Mass-Effect-3-41.jpg
#4. http://theallgamingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ss29-hires.jpg
#5. http://theurbangamer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xbox720-pic-3.jpg

Flufflist: The Top Five Western RPG's Of All Time

...No there is no Zelda here.

With the release of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, western RPG's made a bold statement. Despite having no multiplayer whatsoever, it has been one of the best selling games this year. It is also one of the best reviewed, with over 50 perfect scores from critics, and the player reception has been just as good. It actually has me thinking about where it might end up in the all time RPG's list a few years from now. It also made me think about all the other western RPG's I've played, and their legacies too. So here, from me to you, is a list of the top five western RPG's of All Time (from my point of view)

Oh and spoilers and stuff....you've been warned.

Honorable Mention: Neverwinter Nights

Neverwinter Nights is a rare game in my mind, and it holds a special place with me personally because this was the game that really got me into RPGs. I had always been a somewhat casual gamer kid before I found my dad's copy of Neverwinter Nights, but I was hooked forever afterwards. At the time of it's release, Neverwinter Nights had some pretty decent graphics, but it was the turn-based gameplay based on Dungeons and Dragons 3rd edition rules that had people interested. The solid gameplay is every D&D fans dream when it comes to taking the pen and paper experience to the digital world. The story was solid, though it did slow at times. However, these all took a backseat to the multiplayer and mod community. The robust multiplayer allowed players to pick from a multitude of severs to play consistent campaign's, as well as the campaign that shipped with the game. But for me, the thing that sets this game apart is the mod community. Neverwinter Nights shipped with the Aurora Toolset, which allowed players to create their own campaigns to play in the game. Couple that with the people who made new items, hakpacks to use with the toolset, and custom audio, and some of these campaigns actually beat out the one that came with the game. There is practically YEARS worth of excellent gaming to be found on the internet thanks to the community that loves the game so much. And that's really what sets this game apart from the others on this list (except Morrowind perhaps) is that the community actively made improvements to the game. While the game shows some serious age now, it is still worth picking up, because there is still so much to discover through the community.

#5. Planescape: Torment

If you like to be evil, and you don't want any morality conflicting your decisions, then Planescape: Torment are right up your alley. The dark and emotional story are unlike anything else I've played in an RPG. The story isn't about happy endings or saving the world from evil. It's about a man simply named...uhh...The Nameless One, who he is unable to remember who he is when he wakes up in a morgue at the start of the game. As you play you learn that The Nameless One is immortal but every time he "dies" he forgets his past. Your free to discover the truth how you see fit, and the games dark setting and premise feel refreshingly different from usual RPG's. Really this is one of the stronger stories in a game, because it's more personal. Your choices in the game often times have unpredictable consequences and makes playing the game fun and engaging, You also have the ability to learn new abilities by "remembering" one of The Nameless One's past lives, which is a genius idea. The game had some incredible music and voice acting as well, and a lot of it still holds up today. The interface is also intuitive, even today, keeping menus and screens limited so you can focus on playing the game. The gameplay is also very solid, if a bit easy. While Planescape: Torment earned a great critical reception at release, people avoided it for some odd reason. Perhaps the dark story and setting were a little too different at the time. Whatever the case, Planescape: Torment is a cult classic that has never earned the attention it deserves, but that doesn't diminish how incredibly brilliant it really was and still is.

#4. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Morrowind is the ultimate game for exploration. The story starts with you on a prison ship, as you are transported to a small port. The guards call you up from below the decks. They check you out in a ever so brief tutorial of how the game works, which doubles as your character creation process. They politely suggest you visit a man named Caius Cosades and then send you on your merry way. From that point on the island of Vvardenfell is your oyster. You can go anywhere, do anything, be anything. Join a guild, help one of the three big houses that run the province, go side questing, or just go run around the island until your bored. For me, I never was even able to finish the story until about two years after I got the game. I got so involved with the world and the various quests and people and places that I never felt a serious desire to wrap the main story up. This game is unlike the others on this list because the story and characters take a backseat in this one entirely. Storytelling has never been Bethesda's strong suit, and they wouldn't argue that. That's because The Elder Scrolls games have always been about doing whatever you feel like doing. But Morrowind made you just feel like doing something, even if you didn't know what. The world is incredibly detailed as far as aesthetics and content are concerned. And all you have to do is see the sheer number of readable books to know that there is a pretty detailed history to go through if you feel like it as well. Morrowind also has a fairly dedicated mod community that has made numerous improvements to the game that have kept the game fresh even after Elder Scrolls IV came out. Morrowind doesn't need a super detailed story to make it enjoyable. Sometimes, just firing up the game and knowing you can do whatever comes to mind on a given day makes it incredibly addictive.

#3. Mass Effect

Mass Effect is a prime example of excellent storytelling and world building in an RPG. While the gameplay is solid, and the graphics are certainly breathtaking, Mass Effect took a leap forward for games with it's story and characters. The story's premise is as follows: The Reapers, a sentient race of machine-like beings who sweep through the galaxy every 50,000 years or so and wipe all sentient life out of the galaxy. They've repeated this process for millions of years. Now it;s up to Commander Shepard and his crew to stop them once and for all. I have never played anything even close to what I get with Mass Effect when it comes to story. It's like playing a Sci-Fi movie, except your in the drivers seat. The world itself is spectacularly well put together. All the alien races have their own histories, the technology has interesting concepts, and the codex that builds as you explore the game world shows just how much effort Bioware took in building the galaxy you wander through. Really some of the history of the galaxy is so interesting it almost demands some games of their own. The characters are extremely memorable, and they all have different personalities, motives, and views on the universe and how things work. Wrex, a Krogan Battlemaster, enjoys fighting like most of his species, but is also one of the few who cares about his dying races future. Meanwhile you have Garrus, a Turian who hates to let the bad guys win. So much so that he is an "ends justify the means" type. He's also an extremely talented soldier, he's like Dirty Harry and Batman mixed into one package. Mass Effect's universe is so deeply detailed, it seems almost certain that we'll be playing in it long after Commander Shepard's story is finished this March. Just so long as we stay away from the elevators...

#2. Knights of the Old Republic

Back in 2003 Star Wars had already had a rich history when it came to games. Rouge Squadron, Dark Forces, the Jedi Knight games. But when Bioware were given the opportunity to create an original story in the Star Wars universe, they were given a golden opportunity to put their company on the map. It was also a big risk, taking on what became the biggest Star Wars game ever, which included a huge risk by setting the game thousands years before Darth Vader was even a whiny little brat named Anakin. But Bioware not only delivered a solid game, and they also didn't just delivere the most memorable Star Wars game ever. Bioware delivered on of the greatest RPGs of all time. The game wasn't just an RPG with Star Wars sprinkled in. Every second of the game feels like Star Wars.The gameplay was solid, if a little easy at times. The soundtrack was also incredible. They didn't rip tracks out of the movies, they created an original score that gave the game it;s own feeling, while also still sounding like something straight out of A New Hope or Return of the Jedi. But it was the characters and the story that really make this game memorable. Characters like HK-47 and Carth Onasi are just as beloved by Star Wars fans as Darth Vader or Obi Wan. They also develop very well, and have interesting back stories of their own. The story though, was what really made Knights of the Old Republic memorable. In my opinion, it's not just good, it's better than even the original trilogy of Star Wars movies. It's paced so perfectly, you never feel like things are rushing along or are moving too slowly. The side quests and companion quests are just as fun and detailed as the ones in the main story. And the big twist, that you are (or at least used to be) one of the most evil forces in the entire galaxy came so far out of left field you never saw it coming. It was like "Luke I am your father" all over again. My jaw had to be screwed back into place after it happened. Perhaps the biggest compliment one can give Knights of the Old Republic, is that it holds up so well. It does show it's age when compared against today's newer RPGs, but the characters, the story, even some of the gameplay, near the top of the pack. The only question left to answer now is will The Old Republic MMO live up to the legacy of the original?

#1. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

The oldest game on this list also happens to be the best. Simply put, western RPG developers have been trying to top this one for more than ten years, and while many have gotten somewhat close, no one has been able to fully top what this game did. It's main story alone is almost 70 hours short. Add in the side quests, class specific quests, an companion quests and this game is nearly 200 hours in length. The story is incredible in and of itself, taking a few twists and turns en route to a hell of a final showdown. The game, for it's time, was absolutely drop dead gorgeous, and even today, while clearly dated, they aren't half bad. The characers in Baldur's Gate II are by far some of the best in gaming period. Minsc (and Boo!) alone has earned a place in gaming lore forever, but add in characters like Imonen, the childhood friend of the protagonist, Yoshimo, the mysterious swordsman, and Edwin, a rouge wizard who enjoys insulting you (and gets transformed into a girl if you play through his side quests)  and you have a great party to adventure around with. In fact, even with room for five people to take with you, I found it difficult to choose from the extensive list many times. Add to all that the gameplay and leveling systems which were nearly flawless, and you have a game that just stands at the top of the mountain. The story is thrilling, the characters interesting and detailed, and the world is vast and deep. Nothing has quite reached the level of fun, depth and storytelling that Baldur's Gate II reached.

So there it is. I imagine more than a few of you are wondering are a few different games are here. So post up what you think in the comments. Did I get it really wrong? Do you agree? Let me know!

Until next time space cowboy...

Weekly Wrap Up: A New Format

Before we get started...

Okay, so you know how this blog has been updated here and there with some in depth stories and pieces? Yeah that's changing today. I'm making some changes to make this place somewhere where you can keep coming back all the time to find new stuff to read and listen to. A lot of this will be a work in progress as I go along, and more changes will more than likely to occur. As per the usual, your guys job is to spread the word as much as you can, and mine will be to keep them (and you) coming back for more.

Don't fear though, if you enjoyed what I used to do, those kinds of things will still be here, and I will still be writing new ones. But I felt like I could make this blog somewhere people flock to for the most interesting reading material about video games period. So, let's see how this goes.

- Nolan


...Let it begin.

The reason I almost missed Thanksgiving dinner.

This past week was, for us here in America (ummm....hell yeah?) was Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally Black Friday, the single biggest shopping day in the world. Ridiculous sales are on in every shop and everyone knows it's the best chance they have to haul in huge savings while doing Christmas shopping. Nonetheless the world continued to spin, so here are some of the highlights in news and interesting accomplishments from the past seven days.

South Korea's "Cinderella Law" Goes Into Effect

Fearing the problem that game addiction in a technologically focused country could have on the next generation of Koreans, South Korea has put into effect a law that bans players under the age of 16 from playing online between midnight and six in the morning. The law was drafted in April, and while it initially only covered MMORPGS, the law was extended to cover all kinds of gaming.

The law has met (obviously so) some harsh criticism from various gaming groups. The Korean Association of Game Industry, a massing of fourteen publishers and developers, has called it "excessive prohibition" of a specific group, and reportedly has plans to file a lawsuit.

The obvious reason behind this law is that teenagers should be spending the evening hours sleeping rather then gaming, but the law calls into question the civil liberties of children. And while the Korean government have made their views crystal clear, one has to wonder if this kind of law could spark similar reactions elsewhere in the world. The law also calls into question whose job it is to see that children get a decent amount of sleep, but for now this law is here to stay.

Curious Elder Scrolls Player Finds Entire Continent Beyond Skyrims Borders

One person playing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim decided he just had to know what lay beyond the invisible boundaries of Skyrim's game world. I'm not entirely sure what he was expecting when he turned no-clip mode on to see what lay beyond Skyrims invisible borders, but I can guarantee he did not expect to find the entire continent of Tamrieal. The player took numerous screenshots as he flew around, seeing such sights as the Vvardenfell volcano and the Imperial City (well, the land area it sits upon anyhow.)

The question now is what exactly are they doing there? The most likely answer is so that when players look out over the horizon, they can see familiar landscape landmarks from past games, to help them feel like they are in the same world as the past Elder Scrolls games, but who knows? Maybe there is some sort of secret Bethesda hasn't let us in on yet.

New Xbox 360 Dashboard Launches December 6th

The title is somewhat self explanatory. Microsoft will roll out it's newest version of the Xbox Dashboard on the 6th. Aside from a sleeker look, the new dashboard will have greater integration for Kinect Voice Recognition. This is also the same day that the Microsoft will be launching some new TV and movie apps, so Xbox users should be paying special attention to this date.

All in all a quiet week overall, but the "Cinderella Law" (as it is apparently being called) that went into effect in South Korea this past week is an obviously important event. South Korea has earned a notorious reputation for how seriously they take their games, and for how long some people play them. But, as stated above, this law causes many questions to appear, and some have no clear answers. I personally find this law a bit of drastic step, and for parents it's somewhat of a slap in the face that the government has decided that they can't keep their children offline. We'll see what kind of an uproar we get from this law in the coming weeks.

Are The Golden Years of FPS Gone? Can We Fix It?

...Master Chief is rolling in his power armor.

The marquee match-up in the shooter world these days is Battlefield and Call of Duty. Both had games out this year, and both spent quite a bit of time saying that theirs was going to be better than the other. They sank millions upon millions into their respective games. Modern Warfare 3 shattered sales ratings and Battlefield 3 has been among the top sales as well. Plenty of people are playing, and the critical reception has been seemingly positive.

So why are these games both so bad?

Metacritic's user rating for Modern Warfare 3 is a 28. Let that sink in for a moment. And before you go saying, "Oh but that's just all the haters reviewing it poorly because they think it's trash." If you compare it to the previous three entry's there is a disturbing trend that one can see. Black Ops has at least garnered an average score from users of about a 58. But Modern Warfare 2 is almost as disdained with a score of 31. Then we look at Modern Warfare and see an 84. This series has been around long enough that those figures are not just people hating on the franchise. The critics always seem to give these games high scores, but in the court of public opinion, Call of Duty has never been worse. And you know what they say...the people are always right.

So why is it so bad then? Well if we again go to Metacritic, a lot of people are upset by the poor quality of the multiplayer, and the single player campaigns  Michael Bay explosionfest. Most people are seeing this game as a $60 map pack, and the maps are average or worse. The only feature that hasn't been lambasted by players is the Spec Ops mode, but even that mode isn't having it's praises sung. People have accused Call of Duty of failing to change or do anything new or interesting, and given the way the player reaction to the newest installment, it's getting really hard to argue the point. In order to write this I sat down and play it myself for some firsthand perspective. The honest answer is: I found myself very upset and frustrated by this game. The multiplayer frequently had me in fits of rage has higher leveled players with ridiculous weapons and perk packages slaughtered me. I am no slouch at shooters, but I was almost always hovering at around an even K/D ration or worse and a score in about the lower end of the board. Some of the weapons are just ridiculously overpowered, and some even came back from Modern Warfare 2. The maps might be the worst they've been in a Call of Duty title. It really felt like they were assembled to the point of 'just good enough'. The campaign really is just a Michael Bay explosion experience. Whatever the critics are seeing, I, and many others, can't see it.

How Not To Make A FPS

But don't think Battlefield 3 is escaping my attention here.

This game has almost singlehandedly made a case for why shooters should just not bother with a story mode sometimes. Not only does it rip elements of other games (especially Call of Duty: Black Ops) to compromise it's story, it is the most emotionless shooter story I think I have ever played. I felt like a mindless drone playing it. And then, halfway through, they try to make you care about soldiers, whose names you've heard have maybe twice and have the emotion and characterization of a rock, by throwing in a 'tragic event'. Even as the game tries to insist that I should care about whats going on, I find myself with no reaction to anything that happens, aside from my appreciation of the production values. At least Call of Duty has the immortal Captain Price as a memorable character, not one character from Battlefield 3 will be remembered past the end of this year. I actually had to replay it briefly just to remind myself who the main character was. The multiplayer is decent but it has yet to blow me away. There are some issues with balance during some games, especially between players of high and low rank, and snipers can sometimes get to be too much of a problem on the more open maps. There is also a clear favor for most players to play the engineer class, sometimes entire teams ignore the other three classes. Again, I don't see how this game has been so well received by critics.

And these two are not the only games in the first person shooter genre that have caused some people to question where this genre is headed. Resistance 3 has been called average at best, Medal of Honor's reboot was but a shadow of it's former self, and Call of Juarez: The Cartel is one of the most insulting games to ever be released. Go watch this video if you want an explanation: Extra Credits: Call of Juarez

So all this negativity has to have at least one or two of you re-examining the FPS genre. Believe me, a few weeks ago I hadn't felt this bad about the genre but recent events have demanded we sit down and look at these games and ask some questions about what is going on here.

So, there are problems, we can see that now. The real question now is: Can we fix it?

Honestly, I don't know.

There's a few reasons I think that way, and first and foremost is sales. I can sit here and point out flaws all day, and the public opinion can dip into the negative numbers on Metacritic, but the big companies have made it pretty clear that if we keep buying these games they will keep making them, and they will stay the course unless the backlash is big enough. Medal of Honor's reboot is getting a new game, desptie some harsh words against it from critics and payers alike, all because the game sold millions of units. Video Games are a business after all. I get that. Developers and publishers want to rake in as much as they can.

But you reach this point (reason number two inbound) where you start sacrificing quality for quantity. I think we are defiantly seeing that with Call of Duty, which Activision insists must be released yearly. Battlefield's main series does not have a game every year, but the Battlefield franchise also seem to be on the boat of yearly releases. These games have started getting progressively worse, that is almost undeniable, and part of it is the publishers insistence on having a new iteration of a franchise every single year. When you put that kind of development window on the table, even if you have two studios taking turns the way Infinity Ward and Treyarch have been, two years or so is not enough time to craft a masterpiece. Corners have to be cut, and deadlines must be met.

Pictured: The Boat of Yearly Releases

Which brings me to reason three. The apparent lack of progression. For some reason, these games don't seem to take steps forward in the areas that really matter. Example: Modern Warfare 2 was a real step backwards from Modern Warfare in a lot of peoples eyes, and Treyarch was due to release the next Call of Duty title. They had to come up with some ideas to try and get people back into the franchise. So they came up with COD points, a system where you earn spendable credits while playing the game to buy equipment and weapons as you progress. While it was a somewhat skeletal system overall, there was a clear framework in place for a big step forward in how a player progressed in the Call of duty series. With some more tweaks and support it could have become a staple feature. Instead, after Black Ops came out, and Infinity Ward was up to bat yet again, they insisted that the two development teams were separate and would not use each others work. Guess what they did not even consider bringing back in Modern Warfare 3? That decision made no sense whatsoever from any standpoint. It hurts the franchise's progress, and it subtracts an interesting feature from your game.

And now we come to point four of this increasingly depressing list. The lack of will to try and be different. Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, and Medal of Honor may all be different franchises with different backgrounds but they all have two things absolutely in common. They are setting their games in the 'modern war' time, and they do not show any signs of trying anything different anytime soon. The lack of creativity is starting to spread it seems, and it is really making the genre a stale place to be. Yes Halo is out there still, and sure Resistance and Killzone are trying, but the sales (yet again) don't lie. For whatever reason we are not yet sick of going to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia to fight terrorists. And now there's the disturbing trend of blowing up, or threatening to blow up, New York City (see: Modern Warfare 3/2, Battlefield 3, Rainbow Six: Patriots). This happend with the World War II setting as well, we got game after game in the setting, the sales kept growing and growing and then they just, stopped. Players started to get bored and started accusing developers of a lack of originality. So why is that not happening now? It's been nearly five years since Modern Warfare really kicked off this trend, and it is still running strong. Does no one else want to shoot something other than a terrorist or Russian for once in a game?

"Are they Terrorists or Russians?!" "Whats the difference?"

I have a list that goes further than this but I'll stop because my point has been made. All of these things are contributing to a genre that just is not what it used to be. It used to be hard just to pick which FPS you were going to go with, now it's getting hard to decide if your even going to get one, if any. Fixing this problem will not be easy, and it is going to require some of us who aren't voicing our concerns to step up and start letting these developers know we need some changes. We can make this genre interesting again, it's not so far gone that it will always be a world of explosions and dull grey and brown, but we have to be a part of making the change, or else developers and publishers will keep giving us the same things over and over again.


Well that was...long. I was going to start getting into how to fix it, but I think it's easier to just go through my points about what is wrong and just add to the end of it 'so fix it'. I hope you guys liked this one. As usual, please, spread the word, go like the facebook page (link to it on the page coming soon) and give me some feedback. Comment, email me, give me some ideas. I'd really appreciate it.

We Need A Proper Award Show

...No Spikes VGA's do NOT count.

This is about the time of year when we, the gaming masses, begin debating about what game deserves the honor of Game of the Year. It's also a good time for us to reflect on the many other great games we've seen over the year (or in some cases the not so great ones.) But the gaming industry has several places that give away awards to the top games of the year.

But we are missing one that really shows up somewhere everyone can watch and enjoy AND really rewards the industry as a whole for it's work, not just the games themselves.

Do not tell me that Spike's VGA's are an equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are not. They had about a dozen or so award categories last year, want to guess how many awards I actually saw get awarded? Three. Maybe four if you count the farce that was best voice acting, which they gave to the host of the show over several, much more deserving efforts (sorry Neil Patrick Harris, but it's the truth...) Everything about this award show is a joke. It's all about trailers of new projects and the really cool people who decided to show up at our award show from elsewhere. Green Day doesn't go up on stage during the Grammys to announce a new album and M. Night Shyamalan doesn't announce his next big movie in the middle of the Academy Awards. Even if some of these other award banquets and shows have become shadows of what they used to be, it's still about celebrating the work of the industry. Spikes VGA's are about next years work, while finding time to kind of recognize the work of the past year. Also (get ready because I'm about to do some large font and caps...): MOST ANTICIPATED GAME IS THE BIGGEST JOKE OF AN AWARD EVER. PERIOD. 


I'm okay now...

And while we have award shows, they almost always seem to avoid one very important part of any industry: the people behind it. Movies, TV, Music, and Theater all have awards shows that honor, not just the work, but the people. They give out awards to individuals who were important factors behind some of the best works of the year. We do not currently have an award show that really does that. The one award banquet that gets close is the one that is held at the Game Developers Conference every year. However those are only given out to longtime members of the industry like Peter Molyneux or Sid Meier. I never see any real award given to anyone in the industry for their current work. While the games are the real stars of these shows, there are people behind them who deserve some of the recognition.

Really, the GDC awards are the closest we get to a real celebration of the industry. Almost everyone in the industry, aside from a few eastern developers (which is a shame, because they should be there too), is at this show and attends the awards banquet. The awards are decided upon by the industry, for the industry. The fans and players do not get a say in the awards here. This is all about the gaming industry. While yes, we the gamers should get a say somewhere in there, it's nice to have an award show where the industry takes a good look at itself and decides who's doing the best work.

We need a true award banquet where we can see the past year in retrospect, and really remember all the great things we got to see, and all the hard work that the people behind these games put in. Every other entertainment medium has one, and they are always doing their best to respect their industry and look at all the amazing things that they have accomplished. Why should we not do the same?

I'd like to start pushing the people reading this regularly to go out and share this with all the gaming people you know. Seriously, just mention it, show it to them if they are around while you read. It'd be really cool if that followers bar on the side grows or the likes on the facebook page shoot up.


Until next time.

Show Some Appreciation - We Don't Have To Have Betas

... I love the metro.

The Battlefield 3 Beta has been live for about a week now for those who had early access, and somehow the complaining has been constant it seems. There is plenty that needs fixing but, hey it's a beta, not a finished product, and the whole point of having a beta is to see what is working right and what isn't. That said we're supposed to be as judgmental as possible so the developer can see what isn't working, and what people like or don't like about the game. This gives them time to fix things up a bit before the game is released.

But what I don't get is why people are complaining about what ISN'T in the beta.

I'm with you guys who want another map, it'd be cool if we could roll around in vehicles and uh....test that too. But at the end of the day, this is not the full game, and things are going to be missing, and we can't get the full experience until we buy the game.


Bu if you think that I'm just pointing out the people who just want a new map, your wrong. Some people were downright angry when DICE announced that Operation: Metro was the one, and only, map in the beta. There was such a negative reaction to the announcement that PR rep Daniel Matros went off on the EA forums for Battlefield a week and a half ago, saying, "The vibe I'm getting now is just that tons of ungrateful people don't understand how much work we are putting on this game how many overtime hours we are doing and also how many meetings we are in to ship a game like this."


He did go on to explain why they picked Metro, but the point is valid. I think we sometimes forget the hell developers go through in the final month of development. If you think it's some kind of joke, or don't believe the crunch is all that difficult, trust me, look it up sometime. The last month of game development is filled with all-nighters, late night meetings, last minute changes to complex part of the game, and in some cases this comes with very little room for error. It's not fun, and only those who truly love what they do would go through it. Now factor running a beta into that mess. Do you really think the developer needs to hear whining about what map the picked to put in the beta? 


I'm not saying you can be upset with things that are in the beta, or be disappointed by the map because you played it and didn't like it, but complaining before the Beta was even out, or complaining that they should "have to" release a map with vehicles on it isn't okay.

We've forgotten that Beta's aren't something we are entitled to have. It is a developers choice, and when people pull of the stunts they've been pulling with the Battlefield 3 Beta, it might make other developers hesitant about releasing one. For me, nothing is more satisfying then having played a game early and given feedback that will help shape the game in some way or form, so why do some people think it's a demo of a finished project, or that they should be getting more than what they are already given (for free I might add.) Yes it is a developers job, of sorts, to listen to the player during a beta. But not about why their map selection blows. That doesn't help make the game better. 


But maybe I'm a minority here, and that's fine with me. 


Battlefield 3: Ungrateful Fans Get an Earful From DICE

Alright, this will probably be my last chance to ask before the big day comes around, but I'm still looking for donations for Extra Life. It's coming up really soon (the 15th of October) and I really want to try and top the measly little dollar figure I got for Fletcher Allen last year.

The link at the top of the right hand page will take you to my donation page where you can learn more and donate. I will seriously be forever indebted to those of who put something forward. Every cent really does help, and the appreciation I have for every cent is huge.

Until next time people...

Crytek Takes Control of Homefront and Why It's A Good Thing

...The best looking modern war is right around the corner.

It's been awhile, but with no way to play games recently, and a dwindling amount of time at my disposal, it's been difficult. Luckily, both are being fixed (can you fix a lack of time?) so I should be getting a few more posts in here and there.

If you haven't heard yet, Crytek, the developer behind Crysis and Far Cry (the original one) has aquired the Homefront IP and will be making the next game in the series now that the original developer, Kaos Studios, has gone the way of the dodo bird. 

If you don't remember Homefront, it's probably because it wasn't a very good game. For me it was one of the biggest letdowns I've had in gaming in recent memory. Just listen to the story:

In 2013, after the death of that crazy wackadoo Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-un, the crazy wackadoos son, unites North and South Korea under a single banner. Over the years leading up to the game, China falters due to economic stagnation and the middle east gets into a war about oil (gee, ain't that original...). But the US gets the worst of the worst in the years before the start, dealing with the same economic stagnation China deals with, social unrest rises quickly, there's a Texas succession talk, and a deadly outbreak of a strain of bird flu that becomes known as the Knoxville Cough. In 2022 the US economy collapses altogether. Then in 2025, the Korean Republic launches a satellite and detonates an EMP above the US, knocking out all electronic devices. They then invade the US, taking Hawaii, dropping paratroopers into the midwest, and irradiating the Mississippi River to divide the US in half. And that's where the game open, with the US fighting to take back their country from the Koreans. 

For we Americans, we've never really had a game where we fought a war on our own soil (Turning Point DOES NOT COUNT....) so this game had the potential to really hit home for those of us playing from the American perspective. The game even had real life American stores and comapnies who had signs and buildings in the game, just to drive the point home. Many of the previews of the game made it seem like it was going to be one of the best games of the year, instead it was so forgettable, I actually had to double check that it was in fact released this year. What really bothered me about it is that I can see a great concept here, and the game has some good story ideas, but Kaos Studious just couldn't get the game to reach it's full potential. 

So why does the simple fact that Crytek is behind it change anything?

Well, for one thing, they will be taking a good chunk of time on the next game. The planned release isn't until 2014, and that's assuming it never gets pushed back. This gives Crytek time to take a look at the foundation Kaos built, and decide what should stay, what should go, and what needs tweaking. It also gives them plenty of time to actually make the game, and it will give Crytek the opportunity to be patient with things, something FPS games don't always get. 

Crytek's track record, while brief, is also reason to have hope. Far Cry is widely reguarded as one of the better games of the past ten years, and of course one can not talk about Crytek without their most incredibly beautiful game, Crysis. These games have been well received, and Crytek has proven that they are among the top-tier FPS developers, even if they are lacking a large track record. Crysis is usually among the best looking games ever discussion, and Far Cry is a beloved classic at this point, showing that their games also have longevity after their release. That is excellent news for a franchise whose first game has already been forgotten a few short months after it's release.

A symbol of hope. And ridiculous graphics standards for PC users. 

Of course all of this simply means that all the potential that Homefront had now has a second chance. I'm truly excited by this move because now there is an opportunity for Homefront to become the franchise it looked like it could become last year. Games that don't succeed don't usually get this kind of second chance. Just ask Silicon Knights how that Too Human sequel is coming. But we still have a long wait before we see what Crytek can do with the IP and until we see some concrete evidence of what they're up to, we'll just have to let our imaginations do some work.

Oh and a side note, in case there was a shadow of doubt about it, Skyrim is indeed getting an M rating. I can't imagine why... 

Until next time...

P.S. Like the new changes? Nothing big but I think the blog looks much crisper now.