Playing Cards is a serious business

I’ve never played Magic:The Gathering before. I know this means I’ve lost the little bit of “Geek Cred” that I may have earned, but I have played a number of Trading card games (what most people refer to as TCG’s) in the past (of which will remain unnamed for reputation’s sake). With Stainless Games and Wizards of the Coast’s (creator of the original card game) newest release on the XBLA, I figured that now was a good time to get familiar with what is seemingly one of the most popular card battling games to exist. I can honestly say that, after entirely too many hours playing this game,  I have definitely missed out on a great franchise.

While the game itself is littered with small lags and a confusing Xbox Live  multi-player element, it is still a great introduction into the series. Beautifully crafted cards, an ongoing tutorial as you get deeper into the game (you can turn it off if it gets annoying), and a really simple interface make this probably one of the best “teaching” programs for learning the game. While it won’t teach you the finer points of a traditional TCG since it does not allow for deck-building or a deeper customization of the pre-existing decks (all you can do is add new cards that you win for being victorious in your duels either through the story or online), it does give you a sense of the grand scale of play that this game offers. With multiple colored decks that each have their own strengths and weaknesses that can also be combined with one another into some pretty deadly combinations, there’s a lot to the game at hand. But don’t think that after you’ve mastered this game you can walk into any hobby shop and master the tables because this game is only a slice of what actual players experience out in the world of reality.

One of the main problems with this game is a problem I mentioned earlier and is one that sets it apart from the traditional card game as both a positive and a negative: the inability to build and customize your decks. While it’s been rumored that the developers will eventually allow for players to build decks and buy different booster packs, until that happens the game really doesn’t have the same sense that makes games like this so great and that is actually learning what works and what doesn’t within a deck. These games are more than anything else games of trial and error mixed in with a little bit of luck and while this offering does show you that luck of the draw is an important piece of the game the decks are still built mostly like they should be for optimal playing which means you don’t have the feeling that most players get when they finally realize they’ve built the right deck for their play styles and crush their opponents. This does mean though that the game remains a relatively inexpensive ten dollars and that you don’t have to drop hundreds of dollars in order to be a worthy opponent online. This is one of the catch-22’s of all TCGs: those who spend the most money have a better ability to build better and more powerful decks and makes them seemingly inaccessible to a “casual” player unless they’re surrounded by others who are just like them. This is where the 360 title shines; in the fact that it gives the casual player (at least for now) a chance to learn and enjoy the game without spending an entire paycheck or maxing out a credit card in order to build a playable deck.

One other problem that both hardcore and casual players will find is the online offering. It does work but takes some getting used to and is quite limited in its offering. The games can be slow (much slower and laid back than playing an actual game) and the only offering that seems to be over XBox Live is the 2-4 player duel. Cooperative mode and “Two-Headed Giant” mode (which seems to be like a double co-op duel between two teams) seem to be limited to offline multi-player (though if I’m wrong please let me know as I just couldn’t figure out how to play either of those over the Internet), which does make sense with the nature of both of these modes. It would be nice if they could make it work as the Two-Headed Giant mode seems, after it being explained to me by a veteran magic player, like it would be a lot of fun (its quite difficult for me, a casual player of this game, to really explain it in-depth so I’ll refer you to Laura Mills and Anthony Alongi of Wizards to explain it a bit better: it’s old but it gets the job done).

While hardcore Magic players will find the game’s few limitations frustrating , new and casual players will find a game that is quite addictive and a good learning experience that really makes the game itself seem more accessible and not nearly as scary as looking at row upon row of magic cards and books that one would find if they were attempting to get involved in the actual game. Stainless Games and Wizards of the Coast have created a game that could quite possibly hook more players (and their wallets) and it almost seems as if making this offering a full magic game might take away from the subtle introduction that it is into the vast world of Magic: The Gathering. Both companies really need to pick their path wisely as they may end up doing what the actual game seems to do: scare off casual and new players with having so much to learn and do before you can actually play a game. To me it seems like this idea works better as an interactive, basic instruction manual and should remain that way (deck-building or not) as both casual and hardcore players can still find tons of enjoyment from the game without it being a full experience.

The idea, which is nothing new, seems to be a popular topic these days as more online distributors rise up and vie for your gaming and entertainment dollar. While companies like Netflix and Gamefly have been around since the late 90’s and the early turn of the century (Netflix was founded in ‘97 while the latter in ‘02) many more companies and even publishers have begun to toss their hat into the digital distribution arena. This means that, while we lose physical media, we have a faster and more readily available resource for our gaming purchases. But what does that mean for us, the consumers, as physical, real life competition begins to drop and soon all we’re left with is a computer screen and a “buy it now!” button?  But to what extent will it affect us? Will the industry be buffeted by it or will it collapse in on itself?

Let’s look at a few major concerns that have cropped up around the industry:

1) Pricing/Competition: With fewer competitors who are selling you that shiny new copy of  “Modern Warfare 2″ or “Final Fantasy XIII” it would be a wise choice to be worried about the future of pricing. With lack of competition comes a lack of price cuts, of specials, and of waiting for a used copy to hit the shelf because there really is no reason to cut prices when no other companies are around to do it as well. But digital distribution companies like Steam, Impulse, and a slew of developers on the iPhone have shown that the idea of the “sale” will not go away.  Almost every weekend and usually right before a new game comes out both Steam and Impulse will either throw in free games with purchase/reservation or drastically drop prices in an attempt to keep you interested in their services. Impulse even goes the extra mile and with some games allows you to purchase (for an additional fee) an actual hard copy and box of the game. Even when physical video game stores do crumble there will always be competition for your entertainment dollars. One good thing about publishers getting involved with allowing you to directly purchase your games from them would be that with no middle man to pay off to sell their games it is possible that companies, in an attempt to sell more copies, could easily drop the prices much lower than your local Game Stop or Best Buy can since they lack the overhead that physical stores would have. Competition and pricing is something that you certainly should not worry about as they’re both always going to be around.

2) Actual downloads/ connection speeds: This is one that could cause some problems in the future unless things are changed by the time digital distribution does become a mainstream thing. One of the benefits of being able to get in your car, drive to a store, and buy a game is that you don’t have to rely on much (except your income and a car) in order to get it. In many rural country areas internet speeds are still struggling with dialup connections so even if you did want to download that shiny new copy of Gears of War 2 it would take a few seconds short of forever. Even those with cable or DSL connections could be facing some bad times as, in an attempt to stop pirating, many ISPs have started to enact download caps, which means once you’ve downloaded this amount (usually anywhere from 3 – 10 GB’s) your company will actually start to throttle and slow your speed down. If we become a nation reliant on downloading our entertainment, and most games run anywhere from 2 – 12 gigs, it would seem that unless something changes and the throttling stops becoming a popular prevention method, and if the expansion of DSL and Cable connections don’t begin to spread out into more country areas that many people will be limited in their purchases or may not be able to purchase games at all. This problem could be the achilles heel of digital distribution and may end up being the reason why stores like Game Stop will remain open indefinitely in order to service those who have been neglected by service providers.

3) Rentals: This is one of the major things happening right now. Companies like Hollywood video and Blockbuster are bleeding money as they attempt to find a way to compete with companies like Netflix and Gamefly. The truth is that their demise, unless they find some way to adapt, is almost a certainty. Blockbuster has tried with having its own Netflix-like service that allows you to return them through the mail or in the store but the stores seem to have been neglected by the corporation these days. I know personally that when I try and rent something from Blockbuster, be it a game or a movie, I can almost never find what I am looking for or very little of anything else: this makes returning it in the store in order to rent a new game essentially useless. Keeping one or two copies, while saving them money, means there are less people who are renting the games at one time. They seem to have a rein on this with the movies, especially since they give a guarantee that if its not in stock you get to rent something for free if its a new release, but it still means that you have to wait for someone to actually bring the movie back before you can check it out, free or not. While this does happen with Netflix its not near as often as with blockbuster and turn around time (depending on where you are) is usually a day or two. Unless these companies begin to evolve into a more modern and affordable business plan they’ve really got no chance at competing with online distributors or even the “RedBox” business plan that allows for one dollar a night rentals at kiosks in front of popular locations such as Target, Walmart, and many grocery stores where you’ll be anyway which means that if you get there and there’s nothing to rent, it isn’t as big of a deal as making a special trip to Blockbuster only to find nothing and have wasted your time.

4) Collectibles: Collector’s editions that have been coming out, with a few exceptions, have been horrible. Spending an extra 10 – 30 dollars to get a tin case instead of a plastic one to me just isn’t worth the money. A few games have put additional things that could be worth it or have made the case extremely nice and packed in enough goodies to warrant the cost (Fallout 3’s collector’s edition, which came in a cool lunch box, also came with a bobblehead and an art book for only $10 more). These collector’s editions will most likely never go away and will hopefully become better deals than just the aesthetics that they usually are. Steam, when a sequel comes out or a new game by an older developer is about to be released, will actually give you the first in a series or will give you another game by that same developer if you order the game early. Keep in mind that you aren’t even paying extra but getting it completely free which, in my opinion, is better than a tin clamshell any day. As far as those who do love that you can keep a physical collection, hopefully Microsoft and Sony with their new ideas (the PSP Go which is an all digital system and Microsoft’s new Downloadable games service which is coming soon) will still allow you the option, either in store or like impulse does online, of getting a physical copy. This could also allow gaming stores to keep their doors open as it is another crowd it could cater to. There will always be those people who buy two copies of a game: one to play and one to keep and if they take the ability for them to do that away you may just lose a lifelong customer who used to spend double the amount most people do on the same games.

5) Hard Drives / Data Backup: With Microsoft charging an arm and a leg for its hard-drives and the possible chance of corruption and loss of data, digitally downloading those hard earned $60 worth of game becomes kind of a crap shot but one that can be easily fixed. We already see it with the major consoles, if you purchase something and end up deleting it later on you can re-download it at no extra charge. The problem with this is who wants to sit there and re-download for an hour or so to play a game again? While Sony allows you a massive hard drive in comparison to Nintendo and Microsoft you can also switch it out with any 3.5″ hard drive without any type of repercussions, with the other two companies it takes modifying the systems which is something that casual gamers really don’t know how to do and also voids your warranty as well as having the ability (on the 360) to allow you not to play online. This presents a problem for the casual gaming crowd as it becomes a chore to play older games that you have a craving to play again if you’ve already deleted them off of your 360 or your Wii.

The bottom line is that, while Game stop and other places will be hurting, they will most likely never go out of business and even if they do it won’t be for a long time. Until we can get fast, uninhibited internet access for everyone the idea of gaming going completely digital won’t ever happen and even then, you’ll still have droves of people who would rather a physical copy over a downloaded one.

Hippies? Check. Weapons and psychic powers with which to beat them? Double check.

In the heyday of the Super Nintendo, there were many games that surfaced with the status of a “triple A” title. While there was still a lot of shovel-ware on Nintendo’s second try at a true system it was not to the extent that we have now with the Wii and had with the Gamecube. This also meant, with so many great games coming out so quickly, that if a game was not marketed correctly it would immediately get looked over and tossed into the junk category.

Earthbound truly was one of those poorly marketed games that came and went as a thief in the night. Those who were lucky enough to snag a copy of this gem (and the still foul-smelling Earthbound “Scratch-n-Sniff” strategy guide) were rewarded with a quirky adventure, memorable characters, and oddball humor that just wouldn’t stop. Earthbound was a role playing game for those who wanted something different than the traditional fantasy setting and it delivered in wave after goofy wave.

Released the same year as Chrono Trigger (Squaresoft’s crowned king of RPG goodness that is still to this day usually at the top of almost everyone’s favorite RPG lists), Super Mario World 2, Donkey Kong Country 2, and Killer Instinct. Earthbound ,which in Japan was already a top-selling game series with its first iteration that came out years before on the NES being one of the most popular games on the system, had a lot to compete with. Within the states the game was released by a company that was more known for its adventure games than for RPGs within North America (HAL Laboratory, which is famously known for the creation of the Kirby and Adventures of Lolo) and also with very little marketing behind it. The game was released with little gusto and fell towards the wayside, selling less than half a million copies worldwide (in comparison, Chrono Trigger sold over three million copies).

The story revolves around Ness who, after being warned by a powerful fly from the future named Buzz Buzz that the world is in danger, begins a journey that will take him all across the world in an attempt to stop a hostile alien, Giygas, from taking over and dominating the future. Throughout the game you’ll encounter blues brother lookalikes, geeky inventors named after fruit, and a cult completely obsessed with the color blue, all while forging friendships and developing your psychic powers in order to save the day.

The battle system is a traditional Dragon Quest first-person experience while the rest of the game is played as a birds-eye view. The graphics, while slightly dated now, worked wonderfully for their day and gave the game a quirky, modern feel to it that is wonderfully strange yet appealing to the eyes. A well-written storyline and constant humor keep the pace of the game lively and will keep you wondering what will come next throughout an adventure full of NPCs and enemies that will keep you entertained and coming back for more.

That Earthbound has built up a cult following that, to this day, is still fervently loyal to it is a testament to how good the game actually is. At its release it received high scores from multiple gaming publications within North America but the multiple re-releases and the sequel have still not reached the states. Many people have devoted years of their time to translating the sequel for English-speaking audiences and even constantly petitioning Nintendo of America for an official release here to no avail. Also in the June and July 2008 issues of Nintendo Power, it was voted as the #1 most requested game for the Wii’s Virtual Console (with the original game that was never released here close behind in the #4 and #2 spots consecutively).

This game is definitely one that should be on anyone’s list who is looking for a good RPG and is definitely worth the effort to find a copy. The game could have had such a better success in the past if not released the same year as one of the most highly anticipated titles on the system as it was one of the diamonds in the rough of the mid-nineties. Poor marketing and bad release time both went hand in hand to doom this game and its sequel from never seeing a stateside release again and frankly, the American gaming world is a slightly more blue place without it.

Terminal Reality, a company with very few hits under its belt, recently released Ghostbusters: The Video Game on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC systems (Red Fly Studios, a different company, produces the game for the rest of the consoles). The game is an entirely new story line written by none other than the original team of Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd who had been working on and penning an idea for a new Ghostbusters movie already and decided to merge the two ideas.

The story follows the Ghostbusters two years after the events of the second movie. The player takes on the role of a man simply known as “Rookie”; a new recruit added to the team as an experimental weapons tester. With this role comes certain hazardous duties and so as to not garner any type of affection for you, the team never refers to you by your real name. Because of your job title though, you’ll receive upgrades to the trusty proton pack that would make even the statue of liberty dance to an upbeat 80’s tune: a stasis beam that allows you to freeze or slow down your enemies, a Meson Collider that allows for homing shots and a rocket-launcher like expulsion of energy towards your ghostly antagonists, and a slime weapon that allows for the dispersal of positively-charged slime and a “slime-tether” system that can be used to trap ghosts or fix broken landscapes. Throughout the game as you receive these you’ll be able to upgrade each weapon type (as well as your proton pack itself which is the standard weapon) a total of four times each upgrading cool down, damage, rate of fire and the like to make your ghost busting that much more enjoyable. Throughout the game’s events, you’ll also be given some more insight into the franchise’s two previous story lines, further fleshing out the characters (both bad and good) from the previous two stories.

There are a number of things to talk about with this game. I am a huge fan of the franchise and so this game, which honestly is one of the first good Ghostbusters games, does hold a bit of a special place in my heart. Almost the entire original cast is there in all of its voicing glory (minus Louis Tully, the accountant played by Rick Moranis) and the characters sound spot on. Its what I would imagine the ghostbusters would sound like after their claim to fame especially Venkman (voiced by Bill Murray) who sounds more like a pompous ass than ever.

The game also looks and plays great with only a few minor exceptions. While the PKE meter (the item you use to find hidden ghosts, cursed artifacts (the collectible in the game), and sometimes even just your way around the map) works well it’s almost slightly annoying how it does work. While it will track items and enemies sometimes it does so a bit too well especially with the often hard to find cursed artifacts throughout the game. Half the time when it said there was supposed to be an artifact right at my feet I could still never find it. Another small problem came with the HUD, or at least the lack of one. All of your energy and your life bars lie along the right side of your proton pack and while it worked in a game like Dead Space (where your health was seen on your spinal chord in a big bright blue bar) to me it just seems to be a bit too small and lost while you’re concentrating on so much going on around you in fights. These two complaints are small in comparison to the dreaded loading screen you will experience if you don’t install this game. While hearing the theme song and seeing some of the franchise’s classic items is cool, hearing it every time you die for a few minutes a piece can become painfully annoying and if you plan on playing on a difficulty above normal (which in this game is Professional) prepare to have the song stuck in your head for weeks on end because you’re going to be hearing it a lot.

These are really the only three complaints I’ve had about the game. It looks great and the weapon effects on the landscape look wonderful. There’s nothing better than running your proton pack through a room and seeing the char marks along the walls and ceiling, as well as the destroyed items within. That’s right, the majority of the landscapes throughout the game are quite destructible and on the PS3 and 360 versions you’re awarded for either being completely destructive or attempting to be as careful as possible (the destructive being slightly difficult, with the conservative path being insanely hard). The pacing is what you would expect from such great writers and works well with the story, mixing humor and seriousness throughout your ghost wrangling career to deliver a great experience that will be worth playing even for those not familiar with the movies. The multiplayer also works great, intermixing cooperative ghost hunts with a survival mode that is a lot like horde mode in Gears of War or Nazi Zombies in Call of Duty: World at War.

While the 360, PS3, Wii, and PS2 titles all have the same story, the latter two consoles drop the realism and instead go for a more cartoon look to them. Looking a lot more like the Ghostbusters cartoon that came out years back, they also have replaced the proton pack life/energy system for an actual HUD that sits at the top left of your screen. They also dropped the upgrade system for the proton pack and instead Egon just gives you the new weapons (with no chance to upgrade those weapons later on). The animated games look great even without the realism and the Wii even boasts (on top of its usual motion control offering) two-player co-op on the same system.

While the story line is fairly short (8 – 10 hours) the multiplayer and co-op (depending on which system you get it for) definitely make this game a purchase if not at least a rental. Now don your proton pack, jump in the Ecto and remember, when someone asks you if you’re a god, you say yes!

So, we’ll start with the little white box that is really the only option if you want to spike someone’s head with a yield sign and then go groom a dog with “real petting motions!”™. I’ve been a bit confused by Nintendo’s Wii Motion-Plus accessory and the reasoning behind it. If I remember correctly when the company was first touting this system around as the ultimate in entertainment they were showing off the responsiveness of the motion sensor and how accurately movement was tracked. The accessory, which supposedly allows for a true 1:1 tracking experience, is really only meant to appease to sports games and third-party titles since Nintendo has proven with titles like Metroid Prime and Mario Galaxy that proper use of the hardware is possible. The product just seems pointless this late in the game and honestly seems like something that should have been built into the system all along with how strongly their ad-campaign was for it in the first place. I also don’t see this being an accessory people will buy for all four of their controllers and I’m almost afraid that this technology will go the way of some of Nintendo’s other current ideas on improving your Wii experience where there will be very few games that use it correctly or even at all. On that note is there another game other than Animal Crossing utilizing the Wii Speak yet? No? Fantastic. It also makes a full controller (Wii remote, nunchuk, and now motion+ add-on) $80 so for a full set plus the system you’re looking at a more expensive console than the PS3 with an extra controller and an HDMI cable. Of course, all of the accessories that don’t come as a default are completely optional for both systems so that makes it a bit of a moot point.

Moving on down the line we come to Microsoft and its motion sensing little creation that is rumored to be due out next year – Project Natal. While this project seems like an interesting take on motion controls I feel like it could have such better promise outside of the entertainment world. The videos showing them moving through menu screens and the 360’s dashboard seem like the best use of the technology so far. Could you imagine class rooms, board rooms, and presentations with this technology available to use? That seems like a better way to use it then giving me a Burnout game where all I can do is move my foot up and down for forward and reverse and steer with an imaginary wheel. In comparison with the other motion projects it also looks a bit pricier: multiple webcams, independent processors, this thing seems like a console in itself (which may be fueling the fires on certain rumors that Microsoft is releasing an improved console). If I have to spend as much money as I do on the system in order to have motion controls, I’m really just not going to be interested and probably neither will casual gamers who aren’t looking to drop a couple hundred extra dollars on something for their system. Also, unlike the Wii and the Playstation 3’s ideas on game play Microsoft has chosen to completely remove the controller and instead allows you to be the controller yourself. This idea seems like it could cause problems if not for the hardware or software then for the players themselves. It’s going to be interesting to see the evolution of this piece and see just how well it will actually track you when a lot more is involved than just driving motions or swipes.

The last in line is Sony’s with the inventive name of “Sony Motion Controller” which, by the way, just screams innovation in the name alone. When I see this offering, which is comprised of two wands that work with the Playstation Eye, I can’t help but feel a little sad and anxious at the same time at the comic possibilities. I mean when I see the two wands I immediately picture the video of the kid with the light saber flailing about. The idea that it can re-pixel the wands to look like whatever it needs to on screen is an interesting idea but just doesn’t seem as horribly innovative since the Wii came out. I wish I could talk more about it and what it does but there really wasn’t much more to say. It seems like it will work as a kind of combination of both Nintendo and Microsoft’s ideas in a sense except that you’ll be on screen as the main character and instead of a wand in your hand it will be a gun or something else along those lines that further ruins a child’s chance to build their imagination. Also, I can’t wait to see the Japanese game offerings for their new “dating” simulations that they seem to enjoy so very much.

Actually, yeah, I can wait for that one because frankly it’s scary.

Blowing things up has never been this much fun

“Better Red than Dead” is an occurring theme throughout the Red Faction series but in none of the other games have you been able to see it and feel it as well as you can in Volition’s (makers of the previous Red Faction games and Saints Row) newest installment Red Faction:Guerrilla.

After the death of his brother at the hands of the EDF (the Earth Defense Force, which is currently the corrupt government upon Mars after liberating it from its previous corrupt government) Alec Mason, the game’s protagonist, gets thrown in to the liberation of Mars and the newly found “Red Faction” group. Throughout the game, Mason will encounter the EDF and the Marauders (a group of martians turned thug) as he begins to liberate Mars from its oppressors by bringing up the morale of the citizens and lowering the influence the government has upon the five sections that are currently inhabited upon the red planet.

This is, unfortunately, where the story stops. While there are still some major points within the game that I won’t spoil for you the cookie-cutter storyline that Red Faction employs is most likely going to be its lowest point throughout your play experience but one that should not deter you from purchasing and enjoying this game. You see, the wonders of Red Faction don’t lie within the storyline but within the great multiplayer and physics aspects of the gameplay. It looks exactly how a game in the middle of a console’s lifespan should look with rich graphics and textures that show very little if any pop ins for all of the action that goes on while you’re smashing away at buildings which is both a positive and a negative towards it: it looks exactly how you expect it to look, nothing special but nothing horrible either.

The physics play a major part within the game, allowing you to smash and destroy literally anything that stands within your way (people, buildings, walls). A ton of enemies within a building that you want to kill? No problem, just set charges on the major infrastructure points (something you will quickly learn through playing the game) and take down the entire building, killing your victims in the process. While most games with destructible environments just allow you to massacre a building or blow a hole in it, on Mars every piece of the building can be destroyed and if you don’t blow it up just right you’ll find half of a house still standing or even worse, that second half of the house falling backwards right on top of you which has the ability to seriously injure and/or take you out of the fight.

While the physics are great fun and definitely carry the single player campaign from becoming too boring with monotonous missions and a bland storyline, the multiplayer aspects of the game are a beast all its own offering a hot seat mode called “wrecking crew” (which pits players in timed destruction modes and, well, that’s about it. The wrecking crew probably shouldn’t have even been included as there really just isn’t much there) and then a full on XBox live component that offers a number of different play styles all revolving around, you guessed it, death and destruction. From the usual free for all deathmatch modes to the insanely fun destructor mode (which pits two teams, each with one selected person as its designated “destroyer” that gets points for their teams by destroying buildings while the rest of the two teams have to defend them/ kill the other) there is a ton of replay value as with each kill, victory, and match played you net valuable experience points that allow you to level up and unlock new multiplayer modes, character models, and other minutia for you to have fun with. Within the multiplayer mode, players can also switch it up by donning the various “packs” that are placed all around the maps. Each pack will give you different abilities and power ups that allow you to take on a different role for your team. From the jet pack which, that’s right, allows you to fly temporarily to get on to some of those harder to reach places to the healer pack, which allows you to heal yourself and your team mates around you the packs can quickly turn the tide on a multiplayer game and bring about a completely different spin on the same match types you’ve played time and time again. The whole multiplayer aspect has, for those who have played it, a kind of Tribes aspect to it which is definitely a great thing. So far there has been nothing more fun than a game of jet packs and rocket launchers and seeing everyone flying into the air and attempting to rocket someone in the face.

While I don’t usually enjoy games that are more focused on the multiplayer than the single player for one reason or another (either that the single player just plain sucks or its like every other game that comes out around the same time (I.E what’s up with three open-world games coming out less than a month apart from one another: Infamous, Red Faction, and Prototype?) ) but I really did enjoy this game. Even the single player has its moments and certainly never becomes so boring that I turn off the game after playing for 20 minutes. The fact is that the physics, the weapon selection, and the pacing of the single player keep you coming back for more to complete it and the multiplayer, with its robust selection of features and still throwing in the destruction found in the single player, both offer a ton of playability and fun and while the multiplayer will keep you coming back for way longer than the single player will both should definitely be given a chance as they combine to make a really great game.

For those who love gardening and are interested in the Zombie Apocalypse

So as I was looking for a break from the free-roaming mayhem of Infamous and Red Faction: Guerrilla (which I’ll post my thoughts on next week when I’ve played some more of the multiplayer) I remembered that Popcap games (makers of insanely popular games such as Bejeweled and Peggle) had released a new tower defense game (well, they termed it a “Flower-Defense” Game) that I had been dying to get my hands on.

The game I’m talking about is Plants Vs. Zombies which is an interesting little combination of puzzle game and tower defense that offers loads of quirky characters and dialogue (the Michael Jackson zombie is, by far, my favorite thing to kill and see on the screen at the same time) as well as delivering an amazing experience for the price ($20 through Popcap for the PC and Mac systems, but oddly enough only $10 on Steam as of writing this article). Throughout the game you’ll go through different “house” locations (front yard, backyard, rooftop) and will plant different flowers,nuts, and fruits that will help save your precious lawnmowers (and yourself) from the zombie horde.

The game, surprisingly enough, offers a ton of different ways to play with the regular story mode (that boasts 50 levels) and then a ton of mini-games that will keep your interest once you do complete the story. On that note, don’t go into the game expecting an epic tale of zombies versus plants, it is still your typical tower defense game with a purpose and very little more ( which is perfectly fine because most people go into these games expecting entertainment and challenge over some great story line).

The style and characters presented within the game will give it a memorable flair throughout your playing. The second you meet your neighbor, Crazy Dave,  you’re going to quickly remember him and enjoy every second you get to see of him. Beyond that, the zombies all come off as interesting and unique enemy types that will sometimes leave you scrambling when there is a huge wave of them and the little notes they leave you at times are amusing in a “we’re coming eat your brains” sort of way (yeah, I’m sticking with that thought).

This is the first game of Popcap’s that I actually feel confident in recommending on this website. While Bejeweled and Peggle are interesting asides they are definitely something I haven’t gone beyond playing the free online versions of. Plants Vs. Zombies is something I strongly recommend buying but if you’re still wary you can, as per the usual with Popcap Games, play a demo of it before making your final decision and laying down the cash.

He’s so famous, he’s INfamous!

So I finally blew the dust off of my Playstation 3 and tried out Infamous. I’m a fan ofthe Sly Cooper series (which came from the same developers, Sucker Punch) and definitely am having a good time with the game so far. If you liked Crackdown or are a fan of super-powered sandbox games in general then Infamous will be a game for you. The graphics are a nice, dark shade and the controls work pretty well even with all of the options the different abilities give you.

One of the big things I’ve enjoyed about the game is that you’re never so powerful that you don’t have to worry about dying. It’s not a game you can play like Grand Theft Auto even though it lies in the same general genre of gameplay. You constantly have to hide and attack from a distance or the enemies (which can become painfully annoying at times) will very quickly gun you down. This makes you think a bit differently about how to play the game and gives a different spin on a superhero that doesn’t involve invulnerability or bullet-proof skin. The story line could use a bit of work but still comes off as an entertaining, albeit cheesy, chunk of the overall fun of the game. The bottom line is that its just an entertaining game where it becomes fun to shock criminals and grind along power lines and train tracks.

Probably one of the main turn-offs is something that a ton of different reviews have already touched upon and that’s the climbing itself. While in 98% of the areas you can scale and climb to any point on the game’s three islands if there is a fence (of any type it seems, whether its chain link or a picket fence lining a ramp) Cole (the game’s protagonist) seems to just not be able to grasp it and climb. The idea of this is baffling since we see someone that can scale a building with nothing less than some water pipes and window-sills but can’t climb something that I could jump up when I was 10. It wouldn’t be such a problem if the majority of the game didn’t center around this concept. Another problem for me is that the array of powers that they do give you just really aren’t terribly necessary. As fun as they are to use and as great as they look I still spammed the default lightning power more than anything else I got throughout the game’s progress. This isn’t a horrible thing, and probably my fault more than the developer’s fault, but just something that irritated me a bit as I realized it more and more.

The game also suffers a bit of the same problem that Assassin’s Creed had, the side missions that you have to do while attempting to “liberate” the town get increasingly repetitive as you progress but th

Cooperative is definitely the way to go with this game but even in single player mode I’m still enjoying it and feel as if it gives the game more challenge since you have to manage both inventories (which means giving each character health, weapons, and adequate ammo) and you have to struggle to keep her alive (as well as yourself since the game is tailored to two people) through the game. This then gives you more things to think about and forces you to make some tougher decisions on how you want Chris and Sheva to act.

I think the problem is that games like Dead Space and Gears of War have spoiled me on the whole third-person shooter concept. I’ve gotten so used to being able to run and shoot at the same time that I find that I have to force myself not to try in Resident Evil. Dead Space just proved that you don’t have to be a slow game to keep it scary and that is constantly running through the back of my mind. I mean, the main character of Resident Evil is a hardened military soldier who has been through these situations time and time again but can’t aim accurately while moving any more than he could in 1996 while an engineer wearing a massive metal suit in space can without even flinching? The numbers and the reality of the situations don’t add up. Of course, we are talking about killing zombies in Haiti and hellspawn in space so reality doesn’t really have precedence here.

The storyline, as stated earlier, seems to be really stale so far. I can’t decide on if it’s because I’m slowly getting tired hearing about Umbrella and all of its evil deeds or because it just doesn’t seem to have the same flair that previous installments did. It doesn’t make the game unplayable but can make it painful to hear the conversations between all the characters. That could change since I’m only about halfway through but if it sounds and looks like a bad storyline halfway through the game chances are the second half will be just as cliche. I look at it like a horror movie; you can’t expect award-winning performances and seeing the heads pop off of zombies always brings a smile to my face so it’s a fair compromise.

Street Fighter, a game that brings smiles of nostalgia and clenched hands around controllers for most gamers who haven’t been living under a rock since the late 80’s and early 90’s of gaming, is a fighting game that has finally brought in the fourth installment of the series. Taking many of the series classic styles and keeping true to them, Capcom has also modified and revived the game-play to bring it into this next generation.

Street Fighter has always been a game that I’ve been on the fence about. While I enjoy the occasional round of Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 or Soul Calibur, Street Fighter has always been a series that I’ve held at arm’s length for the sheer fact that I’ve never been very good at it. Picking up the newest one was actually a difficult decision but one that I have yet to regret. While the game brings back all of the original characters from Street Fighter II it also brings back some fan favorites and introduces new characters for players to try their hand at.

The balancing of characters is the same as any other fighting games with “tiered” fighters who are supposed to have an equalizer or a major challenge for each and every character on the roster but can still be overcome by changing your skills or mastering some of the more advanced tactics the game provides such as “Focus Attacks” and “Focus Cancels”. These two new ideas have been introduced to the series and are a slight replacement for the previous “tech hit” system that required an insane ability to time your movements in comparison to the attacks of your opponent in order to completely nullify the damage they may have dished out. While tech hits were more advanced and you were considered a god if you could master the ability, the focus moves bring in an easier interface with a greater ability to mix them up into your routine and conquer. Also added, in place of the multiple level supers in earlier titles, is the revenge system. The revenge gauge builds as you take damage (unlike your super gauge, which builds from both giving and receiving damage) and once you reach the line about 75% through the bar you can unleash an “Ultra” move. These ultras, when they connect with your opponent, have the ability to do some pretty devastating amounts of damage and can quickly turn the tide of battle in your favor if you are in a pinch, these are actually a lot more dangerous (though harder to pull off) than the super moves because the gauge seems to fill up insanely quick compared to the super meter, so fast that in some matches I’ve actually had a player hit me twice in one round with Ultra moves.

The game itself brings in some new innovations to the look and feel of the franchise. A new art style colors and animates characters in a realistic but at the same time very “anime” way. Kicking someone in the stomach and seeing their eyes bulge out has never been so entertaining but at the same time seem to be a natural look and feel to how a fighting game should act when you play it. While the action does seem to have been slowed down to an extent the pacing is more natural and allows for games to play out based more on the skill of both players instead of the ridiculous speed that comes with previous “turbo” games.  The levels have even been given a shine and provide great, entertaining places to pummel your friends to death while not presenting too much “noise” to where it would distract you from the game at hand.

Unfortunately, while I would love to give this game a thumbs-up for everything it brings to the genre, the two biggest problems with the game are some of the most crippling I have yet to see for a game and only one is the fault of the actual developer. The first problems are the controls itself: Microsoft and Sony just did not seem to have fighting games in mind when they created their controllers for the new systems. The joysticks, as well as the d-pads, are horribly loose and unresponsive and make performing some of the more advanced ideas of Street Fighter IV not only next to impossible but painfully frustrating. While there are some remedies for this problem (from modifying your controllers to shelling out $150 for a an arcade stick) it makes it really difficult to fully take advantage of the game’s super and ultra moves and can make beating the harder difficulty levels as well as online play (against people who have either bought the arcade stick, gotten used to the horrible controllers, or modified them) next to impossible. This blocks out the ability to climb the leader boards and unlock some of the more advanced titles, icons, and characters. Unfortunately on this point both systems suffer from the problem of bad controllers but the PS3 seems to have a slight advantage with a bit firmer and slightly more responsive gamepad than its Microsoft competition.

The second problem lies within the online play and really the lack of a major piece (at least in my opinion) that makes playing Street Fighter with other people the experience that it is within an arcade. Though Capcom has added in the ability to turn on and off “Fight Requests” (where Xbox Live players can challenge you while you’re going through the Arcade Mode) which is very true to the arcade fashion of the game, the lack of a lobby means that really there isn’t much talking going on before and after a match and, while understandable, takes away from a lot of the multiplayer promise that Street Fighter IV has and can be a large downside to the feel of it. Other than that the stability seems to be solid for the network (something that is rare within the first few months of launch when everyone is playing) and the lack of slowdown during a game is a welcome surprise (though can change depending on you and your opponent’s internet connection).

Overall, admirers of the fighting genre as well as those who have been aching for a chance to get in the series will enjoy it. While the controls can be frustrating and take away from the enjoyment of the game you can still do and learn enough of the techniques to hold your own and can also make initiating an ultra and super move more of an accomplishment for the hard work you’ve taken to master the controller’s problems (even if its just luck).  The online play, while quiet since no one really talks while fighting (which is both a huge pro and a con at the same time, sadly enough, since having twelve-year-olds curse me out has never been a wonderful experience) is an enjoyable experience with fast connection times and at this point plenty of people aching to tear into you and climb the leader boards to the top of the list. There is also a lot of life within the game with hundreds of unlockables and a multitude of characters to unlock and try your hand at.

The Bottom Line:

Presentation: Presented in a new art-style with a mix of traditional 2D-fighting scenery and 3D character models as well as attacks that utilize a mix of cell-shading and high-resolution graphics, this fighting game is definitely delivered in a beautiful packaging that sets a new standard for the “traditional” fighting game style.

Sound: Typical street fighter soundtracks bring you cheesy rock/rap songs meant to pump you up and get ready to destroy your opponents. The soundtrack for Street Fighter IV doesn’t fail to deliver in this category with songs that definitely are not orchestrated ballads but get the job done of being good fighting songs that don’t deter you from slamming your heel into someone’s skull.

Replay Value: With all of the bells and whistles that most fighting games come equipped with, Street Fighter IV bring plenty of replay value. Unlockable characters, new costumes, personal actions, icons, titles, and the multiplayer (both on Xbox Live in ranked and unranked as well as on one system) the game offers many different reasons to keep coming back and playing the game, both in single and multi-player, again and again for as long as you can stand it.

Difficulty: Though the game brings a lot of the old-school Street Fighter feel for veterans it is also easily accessible by newcomers to the series. The removal of “tech hits” (a more advanced form of block/parry that relies on timing) that was present in some of the more recent iterations of the series and the addition of the revenge meter and focus hits takes away some of the more advanced techniques but ushers in new and innovative ways that advanced players can master their characters.  The problem with this is that (especially as far as the Xbox 360 is concerned) that the controller itself with its poor d-pad as well as analog stick make it considerably more difficult to master and manipulate some of the more advanced maneuvers that many veteran fighting game players are used to. The PS3 version suffers less, but only slightly, with a marginally better control scheme and layout.

Street Fighter IV is now available for both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 for $59.99 and was published by Capcom and developed by Dimps and Capcom

Though games have begun to lack in quantity during the Spring and Summer season this year, downloadable content for your favorite Fall releases are definitely beginning to pour out in order to keep old releases fresh and active in everyone’s systems. From multiplayer maps in Gears of War 2 and Call of Duty: World at War to completely new content in Fable II, Fallout 3, and Grand Theft Auto IV there is still plenty of life in the games of 2008.

Fallout 3 had the first of four content packs released for it this month. Operation: Anchorage pits you in the middle of the war for Alaska between Chinese communists and the American army in a simulator mission in order to aid ex-members of the Brotherhood of Steel (one of the major factions in Fallout 3) in a treasure-finding mission. For 800 Microsoft points the buyer will receive an entire new area to play through that comes packed with four missions (each of which gives you an achievement and can bring your grand total up by 100 points), new weapons and equipment  (which consists of a new rifle, new power armor, a new melee weapon, and new “stealth” armor) which can be received once you complete the entire pack in the actual world of the game, and a look at what the world looked like before Washington, D.C had the big bomb dropped on it and sent the world into chaos and super-mutants.

The area that you’re sent into is a welcome addition and a pleasant change from the world of Post-Apocalyptic D.C; Bright colors have replaced the gloom and doom as you look around and find yourself in a snowy area that actually shows plant life and sunlight around you. The biggest problem I found is that this will be the only time that you get to see this area within the content pack. Once you complete the simulator mission there’s no going back to it which means enjoy the extra content while you can because once it’s over the only way you can get back to Anchorage is that you have to replay the exact same missions on a different save.

The missions are fairly straightforward and completely combat-based. From solo missions that allow you to sneak around or go Rambo on your Chinese enemies to actually being able to commission a squad of soldiers to follow you around in order to help you complete your objectives there is definitely a lot of slaughtering involved and very little exploration to be had. There is one path to follow and attempts at deviating from that path will bring you to the confines of the simulator’s virtual walls within the missions. The entirety of the content pack will last you anywhere from two hours on up if you really decide to take your time with the tasks at hand.

There is one optional mission involved within the content pack and that is the gathering of “intel” shown as little glowing red briefcases along your travels. Gathering all ten of them is completely optional but will unlock a special perk for your character once the simulator is all over. Though not entirely difficult to find since there aren’t a ton of paths toward your goal they do require some careful searching and keeping your eyes open as you travel.

The content pack was quite buggy at the point that I played through it so it is strongly recommended that you save often in order to not have to replay the entirety of the content over again. It froze a total of three times for me throughout playing it (which might not sound like much but is quite a lot over the three hours that it took me to complete it). Also ten dollars, while not being a terribly large amount of money seems to be a bit too much for the little bit of extra content that you do get through it. If they would add the content as a permanent part of the game instead of a one-time thing it would seem to be a better purchase for players who desperately want more to see and do within the game.

While it is a worthwhile purchase, it is better for players who plan on replaying the game or for players who are just beginning the game as, just like with Mass Effect’s DLC, you have to play on a save that is not a completed game. This is fine but means that unless you plan on using them, the new weapons and equipment as well as the new perk are completely useless if you’re already a level 19 who is decked out with missile launchers and laser weapons galore.

The Bottom Line:

• Presentation: Colorful new scenery that showcases the beauty of Fallout 3’s engine but no real major improvements or cleanups within the game. There are still a few pop-ins on characters and scenery but nothing too major to turn it away.

• Sound: Nothing really new here. The soundtrack isn’t anything to write home to and, just like in the actual game, provides nothing more than atmosphere to what is going on in the game.

• Replay Value: Absolutely none unless you replay the missions on a new game or a different save but even then you’ll be playing the exact same missions over and over again.  The differences between going good and evil are absolutely none as well since it’s just a simulator and will play out the same way regardless of your alignment.

• Difficulty: Straightforward missions that are completely focused on combat. If your character is based around stealth, lock picking, and hacking you may have a few problems but not enough to turn you away from the new content.

Now available for Xbox 360 and the PC. At this moment it seems that none of the four DLC packs are going to be made available for Sony’s Playstation 3.

Capcom’s newest addition to its Survival-horror/Zombie action game franchise, Resident Evil 5, finally had its demo released on American shores (This week for Xbox 360 owners, Next week for PS3). Though it only shows two of the games levels it showcases a familiar feel to veterans of the game’s previous installment, Resident Evil 4, as well as impressing with upgraded graphics

The control scheme that was applauded in 2005 as being a revolutionary new change to the Resident Evil franchise returns in the fifth installment with very few (if any) changes to the style. There is still no “running and gunning” or even aiming while you’re moving. This is something that some reviewers have voiced complaints about but seems to work for bringing up the tension in what is supposed to be a horror game. Running and 180 degree quick turns also make a return as well as laser-sighting on certain weapons which allows for precision aiming even through the third-person “over-the-shoulder” perspective. Though new IP’s in the genre like Dead Space have used certain elements from this series’ control scehemes they have also brought about extreme improvements on it as well showing that you don’t have to have a slow, paced shooting game in order to keep the tension high. The RE5 control scheme works but could have taken a lesson or two from the newer games in order to vastly improve game play. This is a minor annoyance to veterans of the series that are used to the gameplay but may turn off newcomers to the series who have become accustomed to faster shooting and quicker gameplay.

The levels shown in the demo showcase what seems to be a new improvement in the game, pulling roots from some of the genre’s newest up and comers “Left 4 Dead” and “Dead Space” these levels showcase Infinite Re-spawns of enemies as you wait for something specific to happen within the game. This means that as long as you’re alive and the timer is still going zombies will continue to appear and attack you until you either kill the boss or the objective is completed. This shows that the series is in fact capable of evolving to new industry standards while also keeping to its own roots. Each level also comes with different weapons to try out for each character as well as a mini-boss; a familiar sack-wearing, chainsaw wielding character in one and a new mini-boss with a giant axe in the other.  The game also features one very important feature which will certainly make the game more enjoyable for players as now you can play in 2-player Co-Op on a single system or over Xbox Live and the Playstation Network. This is possible with Capcom now having two main characters who are actually playable in the game: Chris Redfield from previous Resident Evil Games and a new character named Sheva Alomar who not much is known about at this point except that she is a member of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA)’s African branch and is assisting Chris on his investigations into Africa and the tri-cell corporation.

The only downside that has really been seen so far, like the installment before it, is that the game never seems to become truly terrifying. Though you may die there never seems to be a point in the demo in which you are genuinely frightened. This could also be attributed to the fact that this series, which was made popular in the 90’s with the first installment, has used many of the same tricks it still uses to scare players and most (me included) have probably come to expect when something will actually happen in the games.  This may also be attributed to being a demo and Capcom not wanting to spoil any of the storyline fragments within the game while still showcasing the game itself but the series has seemed to lose a lot of its “horror” aspects and shift more towards an action game that just happens to involve angry zombies, diseased Spaniards, or raging Africans.

The game, while not really bringing anything new to the genre showcases what next-generation graphics should look like with these games. Polished graphics, great-looking locales, and truly realistic looking enemies bring this game to a new level and could easily make it a contender for Game of the Year 2009. If Capcom brings the same passion they have been known for in previous Resident Evil titles and make this game a winner it will easily be worth the $60 price tag this March.

There is also a confirmed collector’s edition through Gamestop (and other stores as well) that will sport a $90 price tag and come with:

• Chris Redfield Figurine
• Tricell Messenger Bag
• BSAA Patch
• Kijuju Keychain
• Bonus Disc including a making-of featurette, a digital art gallery and a trailer for Resident Evil Degeneration
• The game and bonus disc in a Special Collector’s Steel Book Case (Much in the same style as the Gears of War 2 collector’s edition case)

As well as a limited edition strategy guide ($29.99) that comes with:

• Strategy Guide in hardcover casing with exclusive behind-the-scenes content
• Resident Evil 5 calendar that starts in March to coincide with the game’s release and goes until March 2010
• The strategy-guide itself, other than the behind-the-scenes content, will be the exact same as the regular strategy guide.

A boy and his blob takes on a whole new meaning in this Indie-developed game for Xbox Live

What do you get when you cross aliens, a mysterious galactic force out collecting those aliens, and a bottomless pit in the shape of a blob? You get developer Twisted-Pixel’s hilarious new take on the platforming genre, “Maw”, which hit XBLA shelves on January 21st. The game was showcased on the floors of 2008’s Penny-Arcade Expo (PAX) and earned the Audience Choice award during the expo’s showcase of new independent games.

Equipped with only a leash gun, you play as the title’s protagonist Frank; an alien who befriends and controls the real star of the game, Maw, by “leading” him around the levels of the game in order to get him to grow and gain new abilities which allow you to solve the level’s puzzles and continue on through the game. Maw starts out as a tiny pink blob on your screen who is only able to eat the tiny puffball creatures that inhabit the first (and most of the subsequent) planets in the game. As he eats more his size increases and he is able to eat the larger and fiercer creatures that play an integral part of the game. Being able to eat these larger creatures becomes important because as your blobular friend eats certain animals he inherits the abilities that each of these creatures possesses; these abilities become necessary to solve the puzzles that Frank and Maw encounter as they progress through the game’s straightforward level designs.

Though the difficulty has been turned down, controlling Maw can become slightly annoying at times with no true way to get him to go where you would like (all he does is follow you and hopefully he’ll get the hint and do what you were planning for him to do), and the storyline itself is quite bland and mostly non-existent the experience itself is there and will push players forward to finish it. This game is a colorful and light-hearted take on the platformer genre that will have experienced players chuckling at the antics of Maw and newcomers to gaming receiving a good introduction on how a game should be played and especially the definition of what a quality game actually is.

As of January 21st, Maw was available on the Xbox 360’s Live Arcade System for 800 points ($10) and is well worth the price tag for anyone who thought that platforming was becoming a bit stale, for parents looking to get their children a light-hearted, kid-friendly game, or for achievement hunters (as most of the game’s 200-point achievements can be received through a weekend of casual playing or a day’s play-through).

Twisted Pixel has also recently announced that Maw will be getting three additional levels in the coming months for the small price of 100 MS points a piece. Each of these levels are supposedly going to flesh out a little bit more of the story and will play as “Deleted Scenes” from the game as well as coming equipped with an additional achievement for each. No specific dates have been given but Twisted Pixel did say that these would be three seperate releases from one another.

Bottom Line:

• Presentation: Colorful, well-done graphics that are truly amazing for an Xbox Live title and easy-to-like characters make this a winner in the presentation department. The game, while easy, can easily grab players of all kinds and allows for a truly enjoyable experience.
• Sound: The Soundtrack is a mix of funky music and hearing Frank yell for Maw as well as Maw running away from enemies is a truly humorous experience that almost always seems to get a laugh.
• Replay Value: Moderately Low, though achievement hunters may replay the game in order to get the full 200 points most people will be done with the game once it’s over. That may change though with the promise of extra levels and content looking promising. This could substantially raise the value if the levels are actually worth the price.
• Difficulty: Good for newcomers to platforming and younger gamers but can almost become boring to seasoned veterans. Older gamers will have to look towards the overall enjoyment and humor presented in the game as well as the art-style to hook them into this title.

For more information on this game, visit the website http://www.whatisthemaw.com