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.

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!

I figured today I might step down from this soapbox and actually take a look at what I and many others attempt to do within this world: critique things. There are many of us who wear this hat: movie buffs, book critics, political pundits, even the lowly video game journalist sits among them.

But why do we feel that we are privileged enough that our opinion should matter to those who do not take up the mantle and put their thoughts and writing skill on the line? What even makes us think that you care about our opinion in the first place? In a world where opinions on whether someone likes or hates something and why are a dime a dozen these days. This especially comes with the ease and anonymity the internet gives us that anyone now can be John Q. Reviewer and start standing up for what they believe to be…L33t. (I think that God kills a puppy every time that word is used)

What it seems to boil down to is little more than 3 things: articulation, experience, and popularity. Today we’re going to break these down and why they actually matter in hopes of shedding some light on how exactly this industry seems to garner such popularity and such hatred at the same time while also managing to stay profitable enough to keep people employed within it.

The first point is an interesting one and is quite a relative term. The style in which someone writes, as long as it follows the general rules of grammar, of punctuation, and of spelling can be molded and enjoyed by different people in different ways. This point builds on to the popularity section as well since those who enjoy how you write will want to read more. How you write though, as long as it follows those standard guidelines, will not make your opinion any more or less valid than another but may mean that you cater more to specific crowds. I won’t critique my own writing and say “well I cater to those people and everyone else” because I most likely don’t. A twelve-year-old will probably find my reviews boring whereas an older teen to adult might be able to settle in a bit more with the language, ideas, and references I make. Going higher up the age ladder most older readers would most likely find the topics I discuss here shallow and immature and really not holding any relevance to the world at hand. These are three very different groups of people that will never all be pleased at one time and all that I or any other writer can hope to do is at least make the topics informative and interesting enough to grab one of those demographics and maybe a little bit from the other two. So in that aspect writing and articulation, while helpful at becoming a successful writer in the long run because you can adapt to certain crowds and environments, will not make you a successful or even popular “opinion-slinger”.

Experience, our second point, is one that I think falls into that all-important “have to have it” section. While anyone can write, not just anyone can write about video games in a way that makes them sound like they know what they are talking about. A lot of “famous” (and I use that term very loosely) writers in the industry have years upon years of being in the middle of it all. Contacts with developers, all-access passes to early releases of a game and to a slew of other perks can make someone seem like their opinion should be the end-all be-all when it comes to gaming but how does that matter on a game-by-game basis or even to those who only care to know about a game and not about the industry itself? Also, with gaming experience can come biases and an overall hatred of certain development companies, publishers, even consoles and game franchises themselves. I wouldn’t expect someone who gives nines and tens to Final Fantasy games to also be reviewing Madden 2010 and take him seriously when he gives it a four because it “just doesn’t have enough depth to the game”. This brings up the question: “if you’ve beaten the game why wouldn’t your opinion be just as valid as someone else who beat it as well?” That does boil down to the experience factor: those who have been not only playing games for a long time but have been playing them specifically to find something wrong with them will be able to look for if a game is good or not with better accuracy than those who are new to the business or those who just play games for enjoyment. This can be a double-edged sword as those who are so used to picking out little flaws and mistakes can become entirely too picky or forget that gaming is a hobby that is supposed to be fun more than a serious sport (although don’t tell anyone that in South Korea where gaming is their unofficial  national sport). The good of that can be that they know how the industry and its fans works and can appeal to them more with their reviews: they know what people like and know what to look for in games that appeal to the crowd. They understand the trends and know to an extent what will be considered a “good game” at the time. Experience, if handled right, can be a valuable tool to the video game journalist but can also be a person’s biggest albatross.

The third and final point that we’ll talk about is one that wraps the other two points together: Popularity. Reviewing and critiquing games (and anything else) boils down to appeal and sounding like you know what you’re talking about whether involved within the industry or not. Many people would venture that reviewers are unnecessary weights upon the industry and that people should form their own opinions without someone else influencing them. This, in all honesty, is true but those who have advanced access to games, get to play them for free, and can deliver you news that you care about is a great resource because let’s face it: it sucks to drop 60 dollars on a game that you were hoping is good and then turns out to be one of the biggest piles you’ve ever played (we’ve all been there). Finding a reviewer who your tastes meld with and who seems to like the same things that you like is a very great help to making those tough gaming decisions. Chances are that if you both like the same things and he hates this new game you will probably hate it too. This means that as a reviewer biases will be made and should be slightly adhered to: if you review a game that is completely out of left field for you and that you have no experience in you may find yourself quickly losing the audience you’ve worked so hard to gain. While there are some people who can keep their ideas and opinions in a strictly professional manner those are few and far between in the gaming industry.

To sum it all up, anyone can give their opinion on video games, but the fact that reviewers such as myself and a myriad of others are willing to put themselves and their skills on the line (and not hide behind anonymity on a forum page) is what makes us who and what we are within the industry. This does not and should not make us famous but instead should make us humble servants of the industry and its consumers. We work for both the suits and the public in order to get the good games out and rolling and also to let people know they can’t release a bad game without some repercussions or someone noticing. So next time you agree with a reviewer, next time you see a magazine that you like don’t shun it but instead pick it up and use the tools that are given to help make your gaming experience the best one possible. This does not mean you have to agree with everything we say (and you should let us know when you don’t and why) nor does it make our opinions any more important than yours but the fact that we are doing this because we enjoy it and because we want to help you enjoy it as much as we always have means that you should take advantage of it before you too become an old salt of the gaming industry and start to go numb from the bad games that will always be released. Becoming popular, even when you can consider yourself a great writer who is experienced with playing games or who is involved within the industry is still more than anything a lucky break. It takes being noticed by the crowd you’re pandering to and even then falls to nothing more than pure, absolute luck. This should not be a deterrent to people who are attempting to get into the industry but is definitely one hurdle that they should be aware of.

Alright, I’m climbing back up on my box.

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.