Platform Nation » Mike Murphy (chibicomics)

On The Horizon

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:31:40 +0000

So, after my GOTY list, the next logical step is to take a look at what’s coming out this year that I can’t wait to get my hands on, and why. Let’s dive into them…

The Darkness 2- The first game, to this day, means a lot to me. Starbreeze are a group of developers I’m extremely jealous of, and The Darkness remains their high watermark to me. Moody and atmospheric with a gripping narrative, the first game was everything that I was looking for coming into the then-new generation of consoles (BioShock and The Darkness were the first two “next-gen” games I played). With all of that on the table, Digital Extremes have a lot to live up to now that they’re behind the wheel. It helps that both Mike Patton and Paul Jenkins are still on board, so that (along with a solid demo) gives me hope. Fingers crossed for this one.

Mass Effect 3- As I near the end of my first run through Skyrim, my first reaction is that I’m good with RPG’s for a while- don’t really feel the need to play one anytime soon. But then I think about Mass Effect 3, and that all goes right out the window. More than the amped up combat, more than the game’s engine running at its peak, more than anything else that’s going to define that game, I just want to finish Drake Shepard’s story. As anyone who knows me is aware, Mass Effect is my favorite series of this generation. And without question, ME3 is the one game I’m looking forward to most this year.

Silent Hill: Downpour- Love/hate relationships are never healthy, but sometimes they can’t be avoided. That is exactly the type of relationship I’ve had with the Silent Hill series for a long time now. Being a fan means riding an emotional roller coaster that never levels out. Next up for the series is Downpour- another new entry from a another new developer with yet another slightly different approach to the series. Honestly at this point, I don’t know what to expect. That being said, my love for the series runs deep, and still outweighs my hate for it. So, with that being said, I’ll still give a new release in the franchise the benefit of the doubt until I’ve played through it.

The Witcher 2- The 360 port of last year’s gorgeous, jaw-dropping foreign fantasy epic has me really pumped. I know it won’t look or run as smooth, but given the fact that I have a mid-range graphic card in my laptop, those are compromises I’m more than willing to live with in order to finally get my hands on this game. Time for a little fantasy noir.

Max Payne 3- I love the Max Payne series. Ten years on, those games still resonate with who I am as a writer, and how I look at video games. And now we’re back with part 3, developed in-house by Rockstar. While Remedy not being involved had me nervous at first, at least they’ve given their blessing. I hope the game lives up to its past entries, and reinvigorates the character. He deserves to be out there more than he is.

Aliens: Colonial Marines- Ever since I first saw Aliens in my younger days, I’ve always wanted a game that lived up to everything Cameron accomplished in that film. We’ve had tons of Alien games over the years, but none have come close to capturing the action, fear, and tension of the film. From what we’ve been shown thus far, it looks like Gearbox have nailed it.

Bioshock Infinite- This is the big one. Five years ago, Bioshock layed down what could be done in terms of storytelling and twists in modern video gaming, and now it looks like Ken Levine and company are about to redefine and elaborate upon that original statement. As long as they stick the landing and deliver on everything that’s been shown, Infinite looks to be an important event in gaming.

Far Cry 3- The entire Far Cry series (most of what Crytek produces, for that matter) has been divisive and lead to great arguments and debates over the years. While not a fan of the first release, 2 really gripped me and held tight all the way through to the end. While the “definition of crazy” reveal at E3 last year brought a few laughs at first, taking a more serious look at what it accomplished shows that the studio has a firm grip on what makes these types of games good, and have fine-tuned those elements. I can’t wait to crawl around the jungle and hunt some mercenaries.

Prey 2- I know we really haven’t seen much game play. I know the first game was… average at best. I know these things, and yet I couldn’t be more excited for Prey 2. The idea of playing a bounty hunter on an alien world is right up my alley. I’m reserving judgement until we actually have a better sense for what the game is, but if it pulls off half of what it’s promising, I’m in.

Alan Wake’s American Nightmare- If playing through a more action-focused, brief dlc installment of Alan on the road means I’m that much closer to getting Alan Wake 2, I’ll gladly put my time in with this side story that’s more Rodriguez than Lynch. I’m sure the story beats will be minimal, but at this point I’ll take what I can get. I’ll follow Remedy anywhere.

I Am Alive- What we’re going to be getting in this dlc release is a stripped-down, simplified, action-oriented take on what was originally envisioned several years (and one or two project leads) ago. Still, the concept is an interesting one, and I like the sound of making my way through a dead city fighting for survival and bluffing my way past enemies.

Resident Evil 6- The recently-released trailer reminded me just why it is that I still love that series all these years later, warts and all: it’s a Japanese take on crappy American b-movie tropes, and at its core, the game is about the characters. I get the feeling part 6 is going to be one giant thank you note to the fan base before an admittedly much-needed reboot/re-imagining gets underway. And after the entertaining yet unfulfilling outing that was RE5, that may be just what’s needed.

Syndicate- I don’t have any kind of history with the original release. I felt that was important to get out right at the start. I am, however, a huge fan of Starbreeze, and am reasonably sure they’re going to bring their a-game to this release, and do their best to show respect and reverence to the original.

GTA 5- Every time Rockstar drops a trailer, I get this smile on my face that I don’t get watching reveals from any other developer. They get right to the core of what I look for in video games and storytelling. Yes, at their core, every GTA story has boiled down to a somewhat likable character getting stuck in a life they don’t really want to be a part of anymore. But hey, that’s crime fiction. What makes GTA an amazing series is the skill they execute those stories with. Add to that commentary on the economic collapse America still finds itself in the middle of, and GTA 5 has the potential to be a definitive statement on the long-running series.

Tomb Raider- Lara Croft by way of Lost with an open-world environment sounds awesome to me. While it’s debut at E3 last year may have left a lot to be desired in terms of getting a sense for how the whole game will play, it’s still an interesting premise. I’m very curious to see just how well they pull it off.

How about the rest of you? What are you looking forward to this year?

A Personal Best Of The Year List, 2011: Part 2

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:01:01 +0000

5 – Resistance 3:
The first two games in this series didn’t click for me. By the time I got around to playing the first Resistance this year after finally getting a PS3, I was too far removed from the fact that it was a launch title- and looked it- for me to enjoy it. But the more coverage I saw on it’s third installment, the more interested I became. Resistance 3 manages to do what another title on my goty list last year (Singularity) did- place narrative first in a fps release. R3 is quiet, somber, and depressing, yet realized in an absolutely gorgeous manner. The end of mankind never looked better.

4 – Deus Ex: Human Revolution:
Being a child of the 80′s, cyber-punk is a genre I hold near and dear to my heart, despite the fact that it’s filled with tropes and archetypes that are hard to justify in today’s modern world. Human Revolution acknowledges these problems, and then promptly throws them out the window with a “who the hell cares” attitude. The game embraces cyber-punk, and extrapolates a fictional world that would be plausible had the genre not fallen out of fashion. Disposable daily digital newspapers, hackers, servers, and a million other Gibson-esque buzz words all build a convincing sense of place and urgency. You may realize that all of this borders on nonsense, but it’s played straight by the characters, and that’s enough to get you invested in this near-future retro tale.

3 – Saints Row The Third:
Since it’s original release, I’ve had an appreciation for the Saints Row series. While the original was about as cookie-cutter as you could get, part 2 showed those first signs of going off the rails in the best way possible. And now here we are with Saints Row The Third- what may just be the most video game of video games to come out in I don’t know how many years. Volition embrace the medium, and create a masterpiece of pure joy and stupidity. Put simply, Saints Row The Third embodies everything that is good in video games. Gangstas in Space.

2 – The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim:
I’m not usually one to join a chorus, but there’s no reason to go against the grain when it comes to Skyrim… if you’re not playing it, you should stop what you’re doing right now, and fix that. For what feels like the first time, Bethesda have created a title that you simply love, not love despite it’s flaws. Because even the flaws in this game (and they’re in there) are amazing. Horses fighting dragons, giants launching trolls into orbit, baskets on heads… I’ll remember these glitches and bugs almost as much as I’ll remember the first time I took on a dragon, or encountered a talking dog, or any other of the hundreds of amazing moments Skyrim has to offer. Bethesda have created a game so dense, it will literally carry you over until their next release. Which I can not wait for after seeing what they’ve accomplished.

1 – Portal 2:
As best as I see things in this industry, Valve have become the Pixar of video games. Their output is minimal, carefully selected, and even more carefully crafted. By the time it reaches you, the player, their releases run like a well-oiled machine. Without a doubt, Portal 2 is not only the most recent example of this, but the best example. Everything in Portal 2 is so well-implemented that playing it goes beyond immersion; they have built a world, and you’re in it. This also applies to the writing, as Portal 2 had what was easily the most compelling narrative I’ve experienced all year. The characters- all of them- have very fine-tuned arcs that play out in comical and heart-breaking fashion. Exploring the ruins of Aperture 1.0, Wheatly tagging along, GLADoS being GLADoS, the introduction of Cave Johnson… all of these elements worked together in harmony to create what was the game of 2011 for me.

A Personal Best Of The Year List, 2011: Part 1

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:48:22 +0000

Honorable Mentions: Arkham City (haven’t started it yet), Tropico 4 (just started it), Ms. Splosion Man (haven’t finished it yet), Renegade Ops (close, but no cigar), and Bloodrayne Betrayal (close, but no cigar).

Here we go…

10 - Two Worlds 2:
Equal parts Elder Scrolls rip-off and Eastern European jank-fest, Two Worlds… 2… is a surprisingly deep and rewarding RPG experience. Filled with quests that often make little to no sense or are just plain bat-shit crazy, an uncharacteristically rich crafting and enhancement system, and fun exploration and gameplay, this is a title that draws you in with its weirdness-factor and keeps you hooked through addictive mechanics.

Given how cheap it sells for at this point, if you’re coming down from a Skyrim high, and looking for something to get you by until Mass Effect 3, you’d be hard pressed to find a better bang for your buck. Despite its horrible opening chapter’s best efforts, I couldn’t help but put this one on the list.

9 – Dead Space 2:
As Aliens was to Alien, so is Dead Space 2 to Dead Space. Expanding the fiction both literally and figuratively, DS2 wisely moves past the concept of the original with tight, cramped horror on a ship adrift in space. In addition, the combat feels tightened up and refined, producing one of the best controlling and responsive third-person titles I’ve played through in a few years now. While Issac’s story may be coming to an end with Dead Space 3, I’m sure the franchise will continue on through the years, and that makes me happy – as I’ve stated before, we need more good horror games.

8 – Bastion:
Everything Bastion does, it does to near-perfection. Supergiant Games, with their first major release, manage to tell one of the most engrossing tales of the year using one of the oldest and most basic genres in gaming- the isometric overhead action game. Bastion is both an epic and intimate fantasy tale about the end of a world, and given the price point and amount of content, everyone who loves the genre owes it to themselves to experience it. The icing on the cake is the Narrator, a device I’m sure will be co-opted by others over the next year or two.

7 – LA Noire:
At times, it may be hard to separate the art from the artist with LA Noire, given all the behind the scenes drama that went into its production. All things considered however, LA Noire still stands as one of the best crime stories told this year, poured into what may be the most-realized and accurate game world created this year, or in any years prior. The pitch-perfect tale of Cole Phelps tragic rise and fall through the ranks of LA’s finest grabbed me by the collar and took me on a journey I’ll not soon forget. Between the amazing facial animation tech, it’s big-budget adventure game nature, and the Rockstar spit-shine, this was one game that stuck in my head months after I completed it.

6 – Dead Island:
I wasn’t prepared for what Dead Island managed to accomplish. Namely, taking elements from almost everything I like in gaming, and combining it into one big sloppy stew of a game. Mix in equal parts Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3, Dead Rising, Eastern European jank, and Borderlands, and you’ve got Dead Island. The game is busted in a plethora of ways, but still manages to provide a driving experience regardless. Lazy menus, sloppy animation choices (no matter the character model, once you cut off a zombie’s head, it instantly changes to the same default head over and over – once you see it, you can’t un-see it), and a narrative that is constantly inconsistent with its own logic can’t stop this one from pulling me in for at least an hour every time I start it up.

Jurassic Park Review (PC)

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:00:49 +0000

Game Review: Jurassic Park (PC)

Release: November 2011

Genre: Adventure

Developer: Telltale Games

Available Platforms: 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Mac, iPad

Players: 1

MSRP: $29.99

ESRB Rating: Teen

Website: http://www.telltalegames.com/

On paper, the idea of Telltale producing a Jurassic Park episodic game sounded highly promising. Add to the mix their claims of being strongly influenced by Heavy Rain (a personal favorite from this generation), and all things pointed towards Jurassic Park being top-10, best of the year material. Unfortunately, that’s not what has been delivered. Combining QTE elements with standard Telltale puzzle solving didn’t produce the exciting, riveting experience they were hoping for. If anything, they learned the wrong lessons from Heavy Rain.

JP takes place both during, and after the original movie. With a fairly large cast of characters the player will bounce back and forth controlling, the primary stars of the game are Gerry Harding and his daughter Jess. While the cast of the film is on one side of the island fighting for survival, Gerry and the others are facing their own struggle on the other side, allowing for different locals to be explored that were only referenced, or never mentioned at all, in the source material. It’s a clever way to approach the story, and is one of the game’s strong points.

Early on in the game.

Progression is made through a hybrid style of game play that’s new ground for Telltale. Part traditional puzzle/adventure game, and part a series of interactive quick time events, game play is meant to evoke the feeling of being in the middle of an interactive movie, capitalizing on the source material as much as possible. There’s four episodes that make up the structure of the game, each one taking anywhere from two to three hours to complete. While there’s a fair amount of exploring a scene needed to figure out each puzzle to proceed, the game is surprisingly linear, given the open nature of the setting.

Well, that happened.

As with Telltale’s previous release, Back to the Future, the game is at it’s best when evoking fond memories of the original source material. The score is spot on, the world further fleshed out, and in-jokes and references come by the bucket-full. During certain moments, the qte’s can be effective and heighten the tension of a scene. The writing and character interaction is sharp and enjoyable for the most part, as writing is almost always a strong suit for Telltale. Tonally, the game knocks it out of the park. While this may not be saying much, the game is easily one of the best in the long line of tie-in’s that have been released over the past near-twenty years since the film first came out.

"You were almost a Jess sandwich!"

Despite the high points JP pulls off, and the warm and fuzzy memories it evokes, actually playing it feels like a constant tug of war. Dividing the game into essentially two halves- part adventure game, part qte romp, doesn’t work out in it’s favor. The qte game play borrowed from Heavy Rain lends to the frantic thrills that should come with a Jurassic Park story, but then as soon as those moments have ramped up, the game slams on the brakes and dumps you into a puzzle. Any sense of tension built up is removed, and ultimately you’re left feeling frustrated as the puzzles aren’t even that challenging. Heavy Rain worked because it was built upon the idea of a visual language, where the movements you were mimicking became almost instinctual due to becoming familiar with the icons. Jurassic Park tosses that aside, choosing to focus on random button prompts. Finding a rhythm is never a possibility, and like qte’s at their worst, the game boils down to repeating scenes over and over until you get it right.

Faster. Must go faster.

Jurassic Park should be better than it is. Given Telltale’s proven track record, it’s a shame to see how the game has turned out. With far better titles in their catalog, and Heavy Rain dirt cheap new or used, this one is hard to recommend to any except die hard fans and those who are Telltale completionists.

Because you knew it was coming.

+Excellent overall presentation.

-Bad design choices and game mechanics.

-Not up to snuff with Telltale’s back catalog.

5 out of 10

Legion Earbuds Review

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:00:19 +0000

The Legion earbuds from iFrogz are a set of noise-isolating headphones built to keep the outside world out, and whatever you’re listening to in. There’s several other features built into them that make them a solid package for anyone searching for a new set of earbuds. The cord is built to be anti-tangle, which it succeeds at for the most part. Bass is replicated incredibly well, given the small size of the buds. Built at a slight angle, the earbuds are very comfortable to wear, only becoming less so after about two or three hours of use. With all of that going for them, retailing at $25 seems like a fair trade.

Packaged in a standard small, plastic bubble pack, the Legion earbuds stand out with a stark blue and black design. Everything you need to know about the earbuds is listed on the back of the package, including their ‘guts’ a 9mm driver unit, 1.2m long cord, and a standard 3.5mm jack, making it a good fit for everything from iPods to laptops. Getting into the packaging was easy enough, the plastic was thin enough that there wasn’t that annoyance that comes with opening most sealed bubble packs. The two pairs of earfit pieces that come with the buds can be easily missed, so look for them before tossing out the plastic container.

Getting the Legion’s set up is as simple as picking the right earfit pieces for you, so that they’re just the right size, and plugging the earbuds into your device of choice. Using them both indoors and outside both provide roughly the same amount of noise-cancellation, making them good all-purpose ear buds. At both extremes (really quiet settings, and blasting something full volume), they perform great, with absolutely no audio hiss or popping.

While great earbuds in and of themselves, the biggest problem with the Legions is the cord. It’s not quite as non-tangle as they would like you to believe. Right out of the package, there was a stubborn tangle towards the plug end of the earbuds, and after about a week of use the buds themselves are wound up pretty good, sometimes needing to be stretched out before being put to use. Other than those minor issues, usability isn’t an issue at all.

The Legion earbuds have a great design to them- looking as sleek and inviting as the packaging they come in. For as much as iFrogz has packed in them, they’re surprisingly lightweight, and never feel heavy in your ears. All the sound levels are perfectly equalized, and as mentioned earlier, bass sounds great. The earfit pieces already mounted on the ear buds fit well, and with the other two sizes included, there should be no problem finding a build that’s just right for your ears. They fit snug and keep their place, bringing all outside noises to a low muffle. You should have no problem hearing what your listening to no matter what situation you’re in.

At $25, the Legion earbuds are a great investment. The minor hitches they have are the same that come with all earbuds, but their high points are better than most other types on store shelves, most of which cost more. They do what they’re advertised to do, and do it exceptionally well. If you’re looking for a new pair of earbuds, for both indoor and outdoor use, you’ve found them.

For more information about Legion and iFrogz products, please visit their website.

Generator Rex: Agent Of Providence Review (PS3)

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:30:19 +0000

Game Review: Generator Rex: Agent of Providence (PS3)

Release: November 2011

Genre: Action Platformer

Developer: Activision

Available Platforms: PS3, 360, Wii, DS, 3DS

Players: 1

MSRP: $40

ESRB Rating: E for Everyone

Website: www.activision.com

There’s EVO’s on the loose, and only one person can put a stop to their destructive rampage Generator Rex. Based on the Cartoon Network series of the same name, Rex is an action platformer that can be played by anyone, but is maybe formatted a bit more for its pre-teen audience. The problem is there are several technical and game play issues that will keep anyone who plays it from actually enjoying it.

Several years ago, there was in incident in which nanites were released into the Earth’s atmosphere, afflicting several people on a genetic level. Called EVO’s, most of them have gone mad and are wreaking havoc all over. Following the plot of the series, Rex is dispatched all over the world to put a stop to them. Aided by all the supporting characters from the series, your ultimate goal is to put a stop to Van Kleiss. The main villain of the series, he’s trying to take over the world by controlling those who have been infected by the nanites. Putting a stop to him will roughly take you somewhere in the neighborhood of six to nine hours.

Generator Rex is most easily compared to other adventure platformers like God Of War. Each level has its own specific small, medium, and large enemies to deal with. Combat is very uniformly similar… you enter a combat area, take out a few waves of enemies, rinse and repeat. The directional pad allows you to swap between your core abilities, such as Rex’s over sized fists, allowing you to deal with enemies is a variety of ways. Collecting what amounts to xp throughout the levels, you can enter a sub menu that contains a basic leveling system. Each of your four main attacks can be upgraded, allowing for faster progression and higher damage.

The game gets points for recreating the look and feel of the show in a mostly satisfying way. The entire cast voice their roles (John DiMaggio is always a welcome addition to anything he’s involved in), and the art style is as faithful as possible to the series. When Generator Rex is at its best, you feel as though you’ve been dropped into the middle of an episode, distracting you from the arduous task of actually playing through it. Boss encounters can sometimes be at least visually interesting, and those with the collector bug may find themselves hunting for hidden items.

There’s a laundry list of problems with the game, mostly revolving around the unavoidable fact that it’s just poorly designed. Being that it’s a title built for multiple platforms, even running on the PS3, Rex looks like a mid-gen PS2 game. I have a feeling this is because there’s a Wii version, and Activision wanted to do the least amount of retooling from port to port as possible. Add to that horrible, sluggish, and sometimes unresponsive controls, awkward animation, a non-compelling story, and astonishingly repetitive levels, and the game just isn’t up to snuff when stacked side by side with its peers within the same genre.

Fans of the source material may gain a few hours of enjoyment from Generator Rex, but anyone who enjoys games, and has played a fair amount of them is advised to steer clear. There are so many other options within the genre, both for mature players (God of War) and younger players (Ratchet and Clank), that the title’s $40 price tag, while obviously meant to be a budget impulse buy, is still too steep a ticket of admission. The show may have it’s charm and appeal, but those same traits only coat the surface of this poorly made release.

+Visuals match the shows bright aesthetics, and the cast is top-notch.

-Boring, repetitive level design.

-Reeks of being made solely to capitalize on fans of the show, with no regard to overall quality.

4 out of 10

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken Review (PSN)

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:14:59 +0000

Game Review: Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken (PSN)

Release: October 18, 2011

Genre: Platformer

Developer: Ratloop

Available Platforms: PlayStation 3

Players: 1-2

MSRP: $11.99

ESRB Rating: Mature

Website: www.rocketbirds.com

Featuring improved visuals, additional levels, and plenty of other new features, Hardboiled Chicken is a port of the PC release of Rocketbirds. Part platformer, part adventure puzzler, with a few dual-joystick segments thrown in to boot, Hardboiled is a solid PSN release held back by a few minor issues. Despite these snags, its still a great throwback to classic adventure platformers.

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken isn’t exactly Braid, and that’s a good thing. The game has a paper-thin story, but that’s not really the point. The point of the game is running and gunning through hordes and hordes of Imperialistic Penguins. Rocketbird himself has old, mysterious ties to the Penguin Empire and its top enforcer. The plot unfolds through quirky animated segments that separate the levels, and there’s never really a dull moment. Hardboiled is a tightly-paced title that moves you from beginning to end in a fairly compelling manner.

The game play is traditional left to right platforming/exploration and progression. As mentioned earlier, there are hints of the Oddworld series, as well as titles like Prince of Persia and Flashback. Three jet pack segments break up the action, and transition the game into almost a dual-joystick shooter. I say almost because really you’re firing in whatever direction you’re pointed. So really, these segments become about your jet’s thrust, and timing your button taps so that you’re lining up with enemies as they go flying by. Light puzzle mechanics enter into the game in the manner of brain-bugs that allow you to possess out of reach Penguins. Taking them over allows you to unlock doors, line up crates, or just mow down the poor guy’s cohorts.

The animation of the characters and the highly-polished nature of the world is easily Rocketbirds highest quality. Put simply, the game just looks pretty. Add to that tight controls and fun run and gun game play, and the game makes for an easy sell at twelve dollars. While the story may be almost non-existent, there’s a great tone to Rocketbirds. It’s one of the few games that is actually funny. Considering how hard humor is to get right in games, this is no small feat. And, without meaning to mention this last, the soundtrack is just as odd and quirky as the game itself. While you may not think so at first, the two make for a perfect fit.

There’s lots to like with Hardboiled, but it’s not a game without faults. As can be a problem with smaller titles, repetition can become an issue. After the second jet pack sequence, a third felt tacked on and unnecessary. Also, outside of the three main mechanics of run and gun, puzzle solving, and dual joystick segments, nothing else was added or refined to the game. It is what it is, and while no one part overstays it’s welcome within the four to six hours it will take you to complete the game, by the end you’ll be ready to part ways with it.

In the current gaming landscape, the idea of odd is fast becoming an outdated concept. For this reason, in addition to the great experience it provides, Rocketbirds is an easy recommendation. It won’t change the way you look at games, but it’s a great ride you’ll enjoy from start to finish.

+Beautiful presentation and character animation.

+Funny, quirky tone that is rarely seen in gaming these days.

- Short and slightly repetitive in nature.

8 out of 10

Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2012 Review (PS3)

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:00:44 +0000

Game Review: Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2012 (PS3)

Release: September 2011

Genre: First-Person Shooter/ Hunting Simulator

Developer: Cauldron Ltd.

Available Platforms: 360, PS3. Wii

Players: 1-4

MSRP: $79.99

ESRB Rating: Teen

Website: www.cabelas.com

Cabela’s latest release in their long-running franchise, Big Game Hunter 2012, straddles the line between on-rail shooter and FPS. While if you have even a passing familiarity with the series, nothing in this release will come as a surprise to you, there are still a few unexpected high points contained within its brief campaign. That being said, the low points many have come to expect from the series are still present.

Big Game Hunter 2012 drops you in the roll of a hunter who’s signed up for a world-tour game hunting competition. As you’d expect, you’re taken to several continents in search of the biggest and best game to track and hunt. There’s three ways to play Move, Top Shot Elite, and the stand-alone controller. Reviewed with both the Top Shot Elite and regular controller, the easiest way to interact with Cabela’s was just using the controller. Responsiveness was one to one accurate, and remembering the placement of all the buttons was never an issue. The tools and guns at your disposal are just diverse enough to never get repetitive, however there were a few items (such as the camera) that barely got any use at all throughout.

Playing through each level is as straight-forward as game design gets. You’re put on a path, and you walk forward until you pick up your game’s trail, then you walk forward some more until you come up on it. You can look around your immediate surroundings, but save for a few hidden paths, there’s nothing to really be gained. The environments themselves are as diverse as they need to be, showing off whatever region you’re in fairly accurately. The path to your game is usually filled with random smaller wildlife either scurrying past you or flying above. Anything on the screen is up for grabs, with sub-goals for collecting certain amounts of the smaller creatures before the end of the level.

Big Game Hunter 2012 is, at its core, mindless fun. Some may take issue with the simulated killing of animals, but in the face of game after game being built upon killing aliens, mutants, or even other humans, that argument has no bearing in this review. The arcade nature of the level progression draws you in, and keeps you playing until the game’s conclusion. There’s a satisfaction that comes with tagging a moving target, or hitting your prey in just the right spot for a take down. If you’re a part of the mainstream/casual demographic this game’s being marketed to, or if you’re looking for a good distraction between major releases, Cabela’s 2012 just might fit the bill.

Where the title struggles is its inability to decide if it wants to be either an on-rails or first-person shooter. Every step of the way, you’re reminded of this as game play just never feels as satisfying as it could. As a first-person shooter, its too limited in scope- the path is a narrow one that never really encourages exploration, interactive tracking segments feel completely unnecessary, and a gripping narrative just isn’t there. As an on-rails shooter, Cabela’s 2012 lacks the diversity, combo-driven game play, and roller coaster nature that has come to define the genre. When compared to the greats in either class of shooter, like Dead Space Extraction, Modern Warfare, House of the Dead, or Resistance 3, Big Game Hunter just can’t hold its own. Coupling these issues with a light gun that’s largely unnecessary (and barely-functional) leaves picking this one up at full retail a tall order.

All in all, Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2012 was an enjoyable distraction from a heavy season of top-tier releases. It will never be seen as a high watermark in gaming, but then again the series never aspires to do so. At it’s heart, Cabela’s is an arcade game, meant to be played with friends in short bursts of one to three hours. Taken on that level, it succeeds. If you’re at all interested though, avoiding having to pay full retail price is highly recommended.

-Fun, compelling arcade action.

-Best played with standard controller.

-Entertaining in small doses, at the risk of becoming highly repetitive.

7 out of 10

A Valley Without Wind Preview (PC)

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:20:12 +0000

The unique, still-in-beta PC and Mac title A Valley Without Wind is brimming with potential and possibility. It’s a game that combines side-scrolling randomly generated levels with crafting elements, all wrapped up in a sci-fi/fantasy package. What developers Arcen Games refine and better elaborate on between now and the game’s official release will determine just how much of that potential and possibility is realized.

A Valley Without Wind drops you into the world of Environ after a mysterious apocalyptic event has occurred. Small pockets of humanity are all that’s survived of our species, and it’s your responsibility to protect them, explore the world, and decide the course of things to come. The game is presented in a fashion that brings back memories of Zelda 2: Link’s Awakening. There’s an top-down map representing the world that allows you to travel freely, and once you’ve selected a square to investigate, the games shifts into a 2D sidescroller.

The game play is all about exploration. There are areas within areas to discover and explore, and it’s all procedurally generated meaning no two games will ever play out the same way. Each world is unique. Attacks and spells are mapped to the left and right mouse buttons, and spells are created through crafting. There are tons of raw elements and crafting recipes to be discovered throughout the world, all of which augment existing spells or create entirely new ones. A staple early on for me was the stone-throwing spell. Powerful, effective, and it’s got good range.

The exploration element of Valley is where the game shines most. It’s a decent-size map presented to you at the start, and wanting to go from place to place just to see what’s out there is a huge motivating factor. While dense, the crafting system is rewarding in its own right once you get the hang of it. Between these two elements of the game alone, you’re looking at hours and hours of content. Even better, if you purchase Valley while it’s still in beta, you’ll be getting it for half of its MSRP. Ten bucks isn’t a lot to ask for when it comes to this much content.

A huge concern with the title as it stands currently is its visual presentation. Without meaning to sound as damning as it will obviously come off, the game looks amateurish. Well-crafted (if not repetitive) backgrounds clash with poorly rendered CG characters, removing any sense of cohesion. On top of that, the game gives you a huge info dump at the start, and then sends you off and running. Valley is dense, and that it doesn’t really walk you through any of the terms, vernacular, or even help you get any kind of understanding of the world and it’s rules can be a huge problem.

A Valley Without Wind shows great promise. While there are some deep fundamental issues that should be considered and refined between here and it’s release, there’s still time for the final product to be one worth either your ten dollars, or maybe even your twenty dollars. We’ll see how the final product shapes up next year.

Dark Souls Review (Xbox 360)

Mike Murphy (chibicomics) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 23:59:50 +0000

Game Review: Dark Souls (360)

Release: October 2011

Genre: 3rd Person Action/RPG

Developer: From Software

Available Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Players: 1

MSRP: $60

ESRB Rating: Teen

Website: Dark Souls

Two years ago, Demon’s Souls sparked a small, loyal following that, seemingly overnight, grew into a large phenomena. Those in the know would speak of it in hushed tones, often labeling it with the “this one separates the men from the boys” label. It was lauded for its presentation, challenge, and, if not innovative, at least fairly unique online features. But even the game’s biggest supporters couldn’t ignore the game was plagued by several technical issues that seemed to actively fight against its design. It’s a shame, then, that Dark Souls, its spiritual successor from the same developer, From Software, is now on the shelves to great fanfare, and yet suffers the same issues.

The world of Dark Souls is a grim one. Set against a Gothic fantasy backdrop, the game plunges you into the role of a hollowed human; zombie-like in appearance and devoid of any shred of humanity. You begin in a prison that serves as something of a tutorial. For the uninitiated, Dark Souls is a third-person action game with RPG elements. Once you have a grasp on the basic elements, and take down the first of many giant bosses, you’re (literally) whisked away to the completely open world that comprises the main game. After a brief chat with a lonely NPC, you’re given your marching orders: there’s two bells one above, and one below. What happens when you ring them? Well, no one knows for sure, actually. To be blunt, story isn’t what you come to Dark Souls for.

No, what you come to Dark Souls for is the game play. There are ten classes to choose from at the start, each with varying stats and bonuses. For newcomers, I’ve found either the Pyromancer and Bandit best to start with. Regardless, most classes can handle both melee combat, and magic attacks (most, not all restrictions apply across the board). If you’re hoping to gain any kind of deeper understanding of the play mechanics, or even just what everything in the game does, you have to go down avenues that most games don’t deal with. With little to no explanation in-game, and a two-page instruction manual, Dark Souls encourages gaining info through online communities, Wiki’s, and other forms of research. The investment you have to make into playing this game is a steep one. Add to that a deep online part, filled with attacking or aiding other players, leaving notes in the world, joining clans and guilds, and you’ve got yourself a title packed with content. Most of which you won’t understand at first.

Visually, Dark Souls is absolutely gorgeous. There’s a rich color palate, diverse locations, and really interesting character designs. It shows a tremendous amount of growth from their earlier release a title filled mostly with shades of brown and grey, and dungeon after dungeon. The game is at its best when dealing with tension, which is almost constant. Around every corner could be another unseen foe or death trap, a fact that keeps you on edge from the moment you load your save. The game, just like its predecessor, has been compared to climbing Everest, and having gone through this twice over now, I mostly agree with that sentiment. The game play drives you forward despite the inherent frustration that comes with the ridiculous difficulty, and when you overcome a specific obstacle, you feel like you’ve conquered the world. This game is a beast.

That being said, there’s another side to the game. If Dark Souls chose game play over animation priority, could run at a stable frame rate, had a functioning camera, a capable targeting system, and explained its own rules, it would stand as one of the greatest action titles in recent years. As it is, Dark Souls is a game that sells itself on its tough-as-nails attitude and not its technical ability. The appeal is there, and it is most definitely a game you want to like, but in the end Dark Souls must stand up to the criticisms lobbed at every other retail product, and in that regard it fails on several fronts. Put simply, the way you get good at Dark Souls is by learning to compensate for what it does poorly. While the game serves up a very compelling experience, these issues can not be ignored.

Make no mistake, there is a high barrier of entry for Dark Souls. It is a game built on repetition, accepting your limitations, and grinding through the same scenarios dozens upon dozens of times. None of those things are the problem with this game. It’s that the game does not give you the tools or abilities to survive that grueling process that makes is such a maddening experience. Going under the assumption that you’re one to enjoy a game despite it’s flaws, by all means dive in you’ll be in for a treat. If, however, the thought of a game punishing you for playing it poorly while at the same time preventing you from playing it smart sounds like the opposite of why you play video games, steer clear.

- One of the hardest games out there in recent memory, partly due to bad design fundamentals.

- Visually stunning with a great overall presentation.

- Plays better than Demon’s Souls in several regards, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

6 out of 10