Review – God of War 3

March 21, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Reviews

Here it is. What should have been a launch title for the PS3 in some form is now upon us. Though, what made the first three so special besides the great combat, was the epic set pieces. Yes, the PSP still did a good job with that. Naturally, I wouldn’t review this and instead just post some quick impressions telling you to get it immediatley. But honestly, God of War 3 didn’t turn out like I thought it would.

I thought the E3 demo was garbage. It just looked like a pixelated mess. Considering PS3 games aren’t required to have some sort of Anti-Aliasing, I figured it just went that route. Uncharted 2 did a good job with the AA, Killzone 2, not so much. But fortunatley, the final, full-retail product, looked a smooth as can be. This, coupled with amazing graphical effects that give a sense of depth and scope, I will probably crown this as best looking console game (Crysis still owns them all). There is a neat focus effect depending on the foreground/background that help you get into the game, or just down-right make this feel like a movie.

And that goes hand-in-hand with the set pieces. The action sequence in this game is unbelievable. It pulls you in, gives you freedom of gameplay, but also varies that gameplay according to what actions are present. Again, it’s amazing. But then, the rest of the game happens. From here, it’s not as epic. Maybe a reel-in tactic? Whatever the case may be, the rest is a let-down. Now, there are a couple more sequences that are of epic proportions as well, but it being a small fraction of the game, doesn’t help the game be the ultimate experience. There is moreof an emphasis on many enemies and using your power to destroy them. The most powerful attacks are really all you need. I got to a point where all I did was press triangle to attack, because it was so powerful I didn’t need anything else. Though there still are a few instances where you’ll come across some down-right dirty enemies, requiring strategic dodging and countering. But there’s not enough. I even finished the game with all treasures found and all weapons upgraded. Because of this I really have no need to play again. Also, these epic set pieces seem to be a one-time thing. Once you know how it goes down and when you need to press a button, it’s just Heavy Rain set in Greek Mythology.

There were some control issues that were actually common knowledge, so it wasn’t just me. I vaguely remember this from GoW2, and other people on the net have confirmed this with the GoW Collection. When double-jumping, sometimes the game will register it wrong and you will be shot straight down to your death. I died more this way than from enemies. It’s pretty sick. With all the complaints I’m seeing, I’m surprised this is still a apart of the game. In short, GoW doesn’t do real double-jumping like every other game.

Conclusion: If you’re on the fence, just hold off. Even as a GoW fan you might not be happy with a $60 purchase. It’s just not as epic as the others, and when not awing you with epic sequences, the fighting is very basic. Even with new weapons and magic, everything can be maxed during the first play-through. For instance, I recognize how much more epic GoW is compared to Dante’s Inferno, yet, I had the drive to go through DI four times. Rent if you’re not working on a backlog, otherwise, save it for the summer drought…if that even occurs this year. But remember this: The game is not bad. It’s just that it feels like it could have been put out a few years ago, and the focus here became epic sequences rather than awesome combat.

God of War 3 Control Issues And Perfect Dark

March 18, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Editorial

Well GameFly got GoW3 over to me the same day as Perfect Dark’s release. Juggling between the two, I can still make out the fact that Perfect Dark is an incredible game even today. The mission design is just awesome. I will be putting a lot of time into it, like back in the day. If there was some magical way to upload our character stats from the N64 memory card – that would be amazing.

As for GoW3, these graphics are phenomenal. While Crysis still carries the crown, for a console developed title in a brawler franchise, this is just fascinating. Even though graphics don’t necessarily make the game, here, they really pull me in. If this is just a PS3 thing that the 360 isn’t capable of, I hope to see more titles on the PS3 with such engaging visuals.

Though, I’m a bit bored with the game. I feel like I’m just chugging along, going through the motions. The first level was so amazing, that the rest of the game, so far, feels slow and tame. I’m also having problems with jumping. When doing the double-jump, the second jump may not always register correctly, and will just throw you to your death below. This isn’t always the case, just when you’re trying to advance. Most of my deaths have been from this. Luckily though, I’m not just a loon as it appears to be a known issue. I think it’s a GoW thing as I vaguely remember this from the second game. Is it GoW? The PS3 controller? PS3 wireless connection? A combination?

The C&C 4 Review/Rant

March 17, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Editorial, Reviews

As some of you may know from reading this blog, I am a huge Command & Conquer fan. Some of you may also be familiar with how pissed I got when things started slowly going south. EA purchased Westwood, rushing the release of Tiberian Sun and released C&C 3 which almost completely disregarded Tiberian Sun (although, the expansion made for the purpose of pleasing fans tried its best to piece everything together…but the damage was done). With C&C3, most of us knew it was done. One of the developers of Tiberian Sun who left with other Westwood vets to start Petroglyph, spoke out on what they planned to do with the C&C franchise. This world was awesome.

We had the mysterious Kane, tiberium crystals that started mysteriously appearing around the world, and the Tacitus artifact found in a crashed alien ship, along with the emerging of Cabal. All of these neat plot points started opening up, with fans eager to hear how it continues. It even goes deeper with Tiberium veins, blue crystals, mutants, visceroids, etc. Depth very much comparable to Bungie’s Halo universe. But all of these details were left out of C&C3. Why? My only guess is the people working on C&C at EA decided they wanted things done their way. I was able to stomach it though. The game was fun, but not exactly the evolution we were hoping for from Tiberian Sun. Again, we just accepted it. It was almost as bad as an Alien and Predator fan witnessing the Alien vs. Predator movie. It changed everything.

So now we get C&C 4: Tiberian Twilight. My thinking is that after the retribution of Kane’s Wrath, we’ll get a part of what Westwood intended to bestow upon the fans. We wanted to learn more about the Scrin, the tiberium, Cabal…all those above plot points. But unfortunately, none of that is found here. For one, the polish and production found in previous games is certainly very low-budget here. It was going down-hill anyway, but now it has come to a cliff. I hate to talk bad about the dev team on this, but everything looks bad. Even the FMV was full of stupid filler crap. I’m fine with using unknown actors, and the acting was fine for this medium, but there was no substance. No resolution. Nothing to tie previous plot points together. I didn’t care anymore.

As for music, a huge staple of the earlier releases, it’s also slightly disappointing. TD and TS set the mood. The music, written by Frank Klepacki, was amazing and would be something you could listen to outside of gaming. There is actually a cool score written for the game, but it would have been better off as cues within the gameplay. We’re missing the rocking music, the atmospheric doom sound – anything resembling the Tiberium Universe.

It seems though I was playing the game for the story and not the gameplay. Part of that is true. C&C3 was already a let down, but I was eager to follow the story and see Joe Kucan again as Kane. How was the gameplay? This time around it is not a base-builder, but an RTS similar to Dawn of War II…but not. I don’t know. EA said they were experimenting with different ways to play an RTS, and while it is different, it’s not necessarily what should be packaged. I mean, it works as a game, but it’s pointless. I guess it’s fun to try out, but ultimately has no real strategic point like DoW or Company of Heroes. And I really don’t know how to explain it. It has no point.

You have a mobile base called a Crawler which you build units from. You then build the right mix of units to take out the enemy. If they have air, get anti-air. Rock, Paper, Scissors. There are some points around the map you can grab colored tiberium crystals to help you out. But it just doesn’t seem to mean anything to me. I like the addition of tons of units to choose from which are unlocked by leveling up. Also from leveling up, you gain abilities and buffs to be used on units. That whole element is great for an RTS. But the actual gameplay is, again, pointless.

This is a sad time. The Tiberium universe was a fantastic and exciting storyline with much potential, but to the dismay of fans, we are left with nothing. It has been taken away. It’s like watching Alien vs. Predator, Quantum of Solace, or Blade: Trinity. It takes away what makes it great, and leaves us behind. But why has it been taken away form us? Originally, Westwood was purchased by EA because of the cash potential. Once secured, Tiberian Sun was rushed out to meet the demands of upper management/stock holders/whathaveyou, to secure maximum profit. But when C&C3 came around, it really looked like they tried. Like they had freedom. But who made these decisions that changed the Tiberium Universe? Did ex-Westwood employees leave on bad terms making the team at EA feel they need to do their own thing? The lore was right there, yet not even used.

R.I.P.

Command & Conquer 4 Impressions

March 16, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Impressions

I played through the beta and it seemed to have a lot to offer, but as the full retail package, the game seems very low-budget. It doesn’t feel like C&C so far. Even though there’s no reason to dwell on it, I really wish the Tiberium universe evolved from Tiberian Sun. I guess there’s more story to learn from the campaign, but in the end I feel like I’m watching Alien Vs. Predator all over again.

I plan to finish the campaign rather quickly and hope to have a review up soon.

Brutal Accomplishment

March 15, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Editorial

A lot of people didn’t like Sonic Unleashed. I personally find it to be a great game. I originally figured it was universally panned because people do that with Sonic games. And evident by their achievements, or just by them admitting, most haven’t even played it. But there’s something else here that may turn people away – the game is brutal.

Playing the game, I feel ten again on a Saturday morning. This game is challenging. I haven’t played a game like this in a long time, and I’d almost compare it to Ninja Gaiden, though that was easy to master. Now this game isn’t difficult due to bad design. It’s designed to be hard. Last-minute reactions is really what the game’s difficulty centers around. And once you understand these last-minute ordeals, it then comes down to precision to pull it all off. Completing various levels, especially the end-game, I felt extremely accomplished. Here’s a video of the last level done to perfection. It may look easy…but it certainly isn’t:

I challenge everyone to play Sonic Unleashed. It’s fun, difficult, and rewarding.

What other games do you find to be a brutal accomplishment?

BlueGamer Weekly Twitter Updates

March 15, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Twitter

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Blur Code Giveaway

March 12, 2010 By: MrBibbz Category: Game Talk

Hey guys and gals I’ve got an extra code for the Blur MP demo. How do you win this a chance at this and getting a free 48 hour LIVE trial? Simply reply to the this post and I’ll randomly select a winner tonight.

Bluecast Episode 24 – This Is Lag

March 12, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Podcast

For the 24th episode, the crew touches on the week’s most played game, Bad Company 2. There’s a little discussion on the Activision/IW issue, DRM, dedicated servers and a lot of nonsense. Sean wants you to know that there is a BlueGamer YouTube page. Check out what Sean adds to the favorites…

Intro music by The Brazilian Game Metal Gods, MegaDriver.

An Update On Ubi’s DRM

March 08, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Editorial

To give you some background information, Ubi Soft has this new DRM that requires an internet connection to play their game. Yeah it sucks, but my view is don’t let that stop you from playing the game. Get a crack for it so if the servers do go down, you can still play. Some people don’t want to give Ubi their money…but that doesn’t do anything. Again, have fun and play your game.

Unfortunately and fortunately, a group of hackers, most likely PC gamers, attacked the servers that do the authentication. This shut the servers down, disabling “5%” from playing their game (or so they say). These hackers were trying to prove a point, which I find troubling that most gamers I talk with online actually agree with. Fortunately, this may lead Ubi to trying other methods, though they could be worse DRM.

In the end, this ‘point’ disallowed many customers from playing their game. It’s too bad either is happening, but it’s part of the evolution of retail gaming. Going from different formats to different retail spaces, it’s all an evolution. In the meantime, I will enjoy the games I want to and get around the DRM if need be without negatively affecting someone. You might think Ubi is in it to fuck with us, but I kind of doubt that.

In relation, at a gaming community I frequent, one of the founders didn’t like my opinion so he said this:

Ugh, just fuck my eye socket with a knife already. We get it, you read Jerry Holkins post saying everyone but the public is at fault and will repeat that argument ad nauseum. Unfortunately, just because Jerry is right most of the time in his observations, it doesn’t mean he is this time around. You’ve said your peace, now let other people get a word in without hearing the same stuff thrown back at them.

Even if you don’t take it from me, I’m not one to attack others in a forum. I speak my mind and find no reason to get ‘upset’. Maybe that’s some “personal-forum-body” trait that I just don’t possess. So, my non-attacking personal opinion resulted in that above response from a founder of a community I enjoy visiting. It’s very disappointing. This dude is known for this behavior anyway. Funny to, because within the same discussion another poster ‘attacked’ me yet that went unnoticed.

I thought I escaped this nonsense leaving Evil Avatar…

BlueGamer Weekly Twitter Updates

March 08, 2010 By: Adam Blue Category: Twitter

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