Xbox One: What I think

May 21, 2013 by 4 Comments

So I, with half the internet, watched this afternoon’s Microsoft Xbox ONEne Reveal. (Is it “ONE” or “One”?). Here are a few thoughts that I think pretty much sums up a lot of the feeling I got watching Twitter and chatting with fellow blogger James during the event.

  • Games: Where were they? This whole EA partnership makes me feel icky and the lack of NCAA among the four “Pillars” of games was disappointing. I would bet real American Dollars that NCAA games sell better than both UFC games and NBA games (but of course couldn’t touch FIFA or Madden). I could take or leave Call of Duty: Ghosts. The feed I was watching wasn’t in HD, so I didn’t get the full effect of the compare and contrast to MW3 and MW:G, so maybe that could have made an impact, but EA and COD did not get me excited about playing games on the Xbox One.

    I will play games on this machine, right?

  • Details: Sure, they had a few technical details (processor speed, RAM) but what about the harddrive? The optical drive? I know it has been reported elsewhere that the new Xbox would have a Bluray drive, but I would really like to have that confirmed.
  • That controller: It’s a thing of beauty.

Xbox One Controller

  • The other stuff: The TV/Cable/DVR integration is really, really slick. I know a lot of people poo-poohed it, but I think that if it seamlessly, it’s going to be awesome.
  • The Kinect 2: The new Kinect has promise. Clearly there is potential there. If nothing else, telling the Xbox to turn on and it recognizes me and logs me in, that is pretty slick.

So, am I getting one? Probably. Most likely. For a host of reasons (brand loyalty, the Halos, the achievements). But is it possible I’ll opt for the Playstation 4 this generation? It’s a possibility. A slim one, but a possibility nonetheless.

Will you be getting one?

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May Releases

May 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

With a HUGE E3 right around the corner, the releases for May are mostly lackluster. Metro Last Light has me the most interested this month, but I’m not too excited about May.

Week of May 14th
Metro Last Light Limited Edition – I loved Metro 2033, so I think I’ll be grabbing a copy of Last Light. Such a claustrophobic game that was!

Week of May 21st
Worms Collection
Resident Evil: Revelations
Fast & Furious: Showdown – As far as ridiculous game premises go, you can’t really go much more ridiculous than the Fast and Furious movie franchise.

Week of May 28th
Fuse
GRID 2

Week of May 21st
Resident Evil: Revelations
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Sniper Elite V2
Fast & Furious: Showdown

Week of May 21st
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Fast & Furious: Showdown

Week of May 21st
GRID 2
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
Metro Last Light

Week of May 14th
Metro Last Light Limited Edition

Week of May 21st
Worms Collection
Resident Evil: Revelations
Fast & Furious: Showdown

Week of May 28th
Fuse
GRID 2

No releases for the Playstation Vita for the month of May.

What are you picking up?

(Note: As always, all Amazon.com links have our affiliate code embedded in them. If you purchase something through our link, we get a little commission. It’s appreciated.)

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XBox 360 – Injustice: Gods Among Us (mini review)

May 4, 2013 by 2 Comments

The single-player’s story mode is very similar to the most recent Mortal Kombat or DC vs Mortal Kombat AKA – the first Injustice game.

In my book, this is a good thing. I appreciated the cinematic sequences that were in between each fight but, not that it forced me to play characters that I didn’t want to play(i.e. Cyborg), while not letting me play others(i.e. Shazam). Now, this was somewhat related to the story that they crafted but, it would have been nice to be able to pick which character’s story/role you would like to be a part of as it played out. The “Battle” mode on the other hand will allow you to choose any character to play as and after beating a certain number of opponents you get a picture with a voice over that gives you that character’s ending story.

The playable characters are plentiful and the alternate skins are a welcome addition.

Each character has a super move that just rocks the other player – Aquaman has one of the eye-catching ones, and I recommend you check out the others Superman, Flash, Doomsday, etc. as they are all very entertaining.

I have only played online multiplayer once but, I can’t see myself playing the game into the wee hours of the morning night in and night out. The fun which I enjoyed from the single player alone was worth the purchase price to me but, I’m a confessed comic book fan. There will be DLC and the first character to be added to the roster is “The Main Man”, Lobo.

Here is a taste of what he can do!

If you’re a DC Comics fan or like the recent Mortal Kombat fighting mechanics, you should pick up this game. If you’re neither of those – rent it or take a pass.

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Weekend Gaming

April 26, 2013 by 1 Comment

These have been quiet around these parts (Thanks, Nick, for keeping the lights on) lately, but we’re still getting our gaming in when we can. It has been a bit of a struggle for the buttonmasher family to do much because our prime-time gaming time is on the weekends, and the past two month’s worth of weekends have been mostly spent on a remodeling project, completely redoing our master bathroom. BUT! The end is in sight, and this weekend has the potential to be the last weekend of remodeling. Fingers are crossed! (Of course soccer games and other extra-curricular activities keep us busy, but not that busy).

So while gaming will hopefully pick up in the coming weeks, this week will probably light again. But I will definitely find time to get back to New Eden and to EVE Online. I recently discovered I was “doing it wrong” with my current Cruiser Build (a Minmatar Stabber) (“A fun ship to fly, but not a terribly effective one” according to EVE University) so I am anxious to try my new build before I move on to my Minmatar Rupture (“Star of the cruisers“).

If there’s time, I’m still waist-deep in Bioshock Infinite and would really like to make more progress in that. Oh, and there will probably be quite a bit of Kingdom Rush on the iPhone.

What will you be playing this weekend?

Filed Under: Gaming

Dark Souls II: Beams and Washes

April 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The vibe of Dark Souls, enhanced by the dreary color pallet and ambient lighting of each named area, is no doubt characteristic. It plays an active role in the psychology of the game – successfully in some areas where light affects gameplay, and not so much in others where the environment is just an afterthought. I want to see Dark Souls II to be all the more oppressive and stressful, and this can be done in part by maintaining a strong sense of environment in every staged area of the game. Adroit use of light will accomplish just that. So, I have some suggestions.

To begin I shall briefly cover some of the staged areas of Dark Souls where light successfully played an active part in the environment and thus affecting gameplay – with the hope that the vibe of the sequel can follow suit.

Firstly, Lost Izalith. Down, down, down, down, down. The world of Dark Souls’ Lordran is not a sprawling vista stretching from horizon to horizon; It is topographical, and Lost Izalith is at the bottom. It is a cavernous area flooded with lava. Your only safe way of traversal is on gnarly tree roots and scattered debris. This wouldn’t be so bad if the lava wasn’t so blinding..

LD4bZ

Yes. In a brilliant artistic gesture, Dark Souls chooses to blind you to a degree with lava light in the deepest area of the game. The blindness is skillfully akin to the sunglare of a setting sun. The effect is not crippling but impeding enough that, as seen in the above photo, roots and the craggy feet of 20-foot horned monsters can be difficult to immediately discern. Cruel.

The other area of mention is probably the most infamous in the entire game: Tomb of the Giants. The use of lighting here is successful because… there is none. Without the skull lantern, which needs to be equipped thus denying you a shield or 2nd weapon, you are a rat scrambling in the dark. The terrain of TOG is like a Pakistani cave system (because I’ve been in so many): sharp turns, sudden drops, dead ends. All the while the area is populated with some of the hardest-hitting enemies in the game. Should you choose to go without the skull lantern – and maintain some sort of defense in this dark dreadful place – the faint, jittery glow of these skeleton monsters are the only indication that you’re not alone. Equip the lantern, and you can move forward, though sometimes players may much prefer the dark:

So, for every area of successful lighting – for every Lost Izalith, Tomb of the Giants, New Londo Ruins (I’ll include Depths, though it would sort of go against my better judgment) – there are other areas that are not quite up to par. Duke’s Archives is the main offender, while Catacombs had the potential and will get by with only a misdemeanor. Though I praise the area for its interactivity, Duke’s Archives is nothing more than a box with uniform midday lighting. It is butt. I would gladly exchange rotating stairways for a dim place with halos of light given off by a grid of hanging lanterns. The midday lighting conflicts with the presence of the luminous attacks of the Summoners that are placed throughout. The Archive’s main halls are big enough that, were they not completely lit, the Summoners’ charged attacks would be the only sure points of orientation. And that’s totally cruel – Dark Souls cruel. Perhaps, another idea, the vaulted ceiling could be a source of light – the only source of light – throwing down heavy shadows.

Duke's Archives: Blaaaaahhhhhh

Duke’s Archives: Blaaaaahhhhhh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outdoor areas such as Undead Burg and Anor Londo are a welcome relief from the claustrophobic, dungeon crawling ones. This is wrong; The only place of relief and rest should be the two meter radius around a lit bonfire. To change this wrongdoing, I suggest giving the outdoor active weather systems that can affect character movement. Thus, during a rain shower, taking shelter under an archway or extended bridge would bring sure-footing but would also surely attract enemies seeking the same strategy. Likewise, a gray and dreary sky is neat but quickly becomes familiar and easy to be complacent with. Perhaps shifting shades of gray, a shadow cast by something so large that it even casts through an overcast sky.

In summary (read: tl;dr) I’d like to see more use of direct light, sometimes trailing off to light more of the area, sometimes acting as an immediate dynamic of the gameplay. Dark Souls II should do without the easy ambient washes like Duke’s Archives and Anor Londo and create areas that are distinct in the shadows and glow that are their makeup. This will lend itself to the psychology of the environment, affect the gameplay and thus maintain the universal oppressive vibe that I long for in Dark Souls II.

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Doing More With Less: What I’d Like to Feel in Dark Souls II

April 23, 2013 by 2 Comments

I am not wont to making top-10, top-5, top-x lists. Nor am I comfortable being forced to decide on a ‘all time favorite whatever‘. My interests are far too wide and my attention is far too short. But if you pressed a talon to my jugular and prompted me to pick a personal “Game of the Year” for 2012 I would, without even flinching, declare it to be Dark Souls. I shall not delve into the reasons but suffice it to say that the dank, musty world of Lordrain and the demanding gameplay therein had consistently drawn me deeper and deeper and deeper – more so than any game had since perhaps Diablo 2 (I must have a thing for dank, musty places). Therefore, the few details, snapshots and demo videos of Dark Souls II that are seeping out of FROM Software’s studios are filling me with an odd mix of excitement and anxiety: Excitement in that a sequel is now all too real; anxiety in that I hope it doesn’t – for lack of a better word – suck. In fact, these few details and snapshots gave me pause for reflection, specifically concerning the atmosphere and environment of the first Dark Souls – the vibe – and ways in which they can be improved in order for the sequel to be all the more devastating.

Part of the masochistic appeal of Dark Souls is all those inconvenient spaces one must battle the enemy. The first thing that comes to mind is the Capra Demon boss battle. This gladiatorial event is not fought in a spacious arena; The 10-foot, dual-meat-cleaver-wielding, goatskull demon (and his two vicious bloodhounds) is fought in a narrow, cramped courtyard in the Lower Undead Burg. Another instance is fighting a black knight on a spiral staircase in The Perish; or an armored boar in the entrance hallway to the Duke’s Archives; or those two Anor Londo archers flanking your narrow path – on a buttress –  up to a 2-foot ledge on the side of the castle. These are examples of immediate gameplay design within the named staged area – and the sequel should not alter these.

I suggest that the designers take a step back and assess the composition of these named staged areas, the aesthetics, and the potential vibe these elements can create. I am not calling for a more lavish spacious place to battle – do not confuse my idea of environment as a place with greater graphical detail. The environment I am envisioning is a dynamic, foreboding place that enhances the ever-present sense of danger. And Dark Souls achieved this in specific areas of Lordrain; in other places however areas feel flat. For Dark Souls II to achieve a universal sense of oppression and danger I propose over the next few posts the adroit use of two very basic elements: light and sound. Keep the inconvenient battle places the way they are, enhance the environments, and you’ll have one intense and exhaustive sequel that will not only stand tall over its predecessor but find itself in top-x lists for years to come.

DS2

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April Releases

April 2, 2013 by 3 Comments

April usually isn’t a month of too many marque games, and this April isn’t much different. Injustice: Gods Among Us looks interesting (and a lot like MK vs. DC 2, minus the MK) but other than that, not a whole lot to write home about.

Week of April 2nd
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
Defiance

Week of April 16th
Injustice: Gods Among Us
Painkiller: Hell and Damnation

Week of April 23rd
Dead Island Riptide Special Edition
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Week of April 30th
Minecraft – Xbox 360
Fuse

Week of April 16th
Injustice: Gods Among Us (Pre-order Bonus Includes 0 Promotional Credit)

Week of April 16th
Pandora’s Tower

Week of April 16th
LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers

Week of April 16th
Sacred Citadel
Victoria II: A Heart of Darkness

Week of April 23rd
Dead Island: Riptide
Star Trek

Week of April 16th
Injustice: Gods Among Us (Pre-order Bonus Includes 0 Promotional Credit)
Painkiller: Hell and Damnation
ArcaniA: Game of the Year Edition

Week of April 23rd
Star Trek
Dead Island Riptide Special Edition
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Week of April 30th
Fuse
Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut

Week of April 30th
Soul Sacrifice

What are you picking up?

(Note: As always, all Amazon.com links have our affiliate code embedded in them. If you purchase something through our link, we get a little commission. It’s appreciated.)

Filed Under: Gaming

In My Hands

March 26, 2013 by 2 Comments

bioshock-infinite

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EVE Online: A Rookie’s Perspective

March 6, 2013 by 1 Comment
The essentials of this affair lay deep under the surface, beyond my reach and beyond my power of meddling.
                        – ‘Heart of Darkness’, Joseph Conrad
 

Now four months in, I find myself at a compelling point in my experience with EVE online. I am above complete ignorance but also still enough of a whelp that I must remember my place – my rank- in this indifferent universe bristling with pilots of mixed motivations and alignments. Nonetheless, I am finding myself a little more situated within New Eden, making my way around with a little more grace, and am beginning to perceive the workings within and without, though my untrained eyes may still misunderstand or overlook things.

When pondering the immensity in which I now find myself, I feel like someone listening in to Marlow, the primary yarn-spinner of ‘Heart of Darkness’, whom at the onset it is said: …and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze. The linguistic design of Joseph Conrad and the programing design of EVE Online developer CCP Games share a likeness in that both created a place that is somewhat enigmatic but still definite – we may not immediately understand the essentials of this place, nor the higher workings, but so long as we are here let us do with it what we can and increase herein.

To an extent this is how my rookie mind perceives the fundamental mechanics of EVE online. To label the game as endless is a bit of a misnomer; it would carry the context of something that has a solid beginning and a centralized, climactic ending that is forever out of reach. Let us then label the universe of EVE – if label we must – as a singular levitating entity that could care less if you’re in it or not. The purpose – the meaning – therefore exists in all those glowing nebulous hazes dotted with planets and streaked with asteroid belts, and other celestial bodies rich in resources. Yes. EVE is a naturalistic experience. Indeed, as Marlow begins his descent into the African jungle he muses: I wondered whether the stillness on the face of the immensity looking at us two were meant as an appeal or as a menace. The affairs of an EVE pilot are self-made, even when they unfold under the self-made affairs of tens-of-thousands of other pilots; the universe does nothing more than provide the space, time and resources. No favors.

Increased knowledge and ability is the motivating – nay, the compulsory – force that prompts me to log in daily. New tactics to apply, new keyboard shortcuts use, a new attempt to work around a particular problem or a new fitting to balance a ship’s weakness. There is a reoccurring realization that something can be accomplished, but done so without the need to grind or level up. Indeed, the universe is abundant enough. If you find yourself grinding I posit that 1) You’re moving too fast, 2) you’re not being creative enough, and 3) you need to practice six sigma – EVE Online is just as much game as it is MetaGame.

CCP Games just reported a record-breaking 500,000 Eve subscribers. When I log in, the game has reported anywhere between 22,000 to 62,000 players currently online at that time. These are the people who fulfill my buy orders for Upgraded 1mn MicroWarp Drives. These are the people who undersell my batch of Combat Scanner Probes. These are players who fight with other players for wormhole space, stage sieges, gank, coordinate fleet attacks, reprocess, refine, buy, sell, and operate in corporate hierarchies far beyond my meddling rookie mind. Marlow confesses: Nowhere did we stop long enough to get a particularized impression, but the general sense of vague and oppressive wonder grew upon me. I am just one pilot in a universe of 500,000. I am my own. I am responsible. So, grow a pair, make a plan, and get out there.

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March Releases

March 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment

This is going to be a BUSY month. This is a trip down memory lane with Sim City launching this month. I’m going to have a tough time resisting that one. But I have to focus my energies on the real gem of March: Bioshock Infinite.

Also: Snipers.

Week of March 5th
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3
Tomb Raider: The Final Hours Edition

Week of March 12th
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

Week of March 19th
Gears of War: Judgment – Gears of War, enjoy your week in the spotlight. If it lasts even that long.
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct – This will definitely go on my “play one of these days” list.

Week of March 26th
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14
Army of TWO The Devil’s Cartel – The all-caps “TWO” let’s you know they mean business.
BioShock Infinite – And there it is, the crown jewel of this early year of video games. Possibly the swan song that takes us to the next generation?
Sniper Elite V2: Silver Star Edition – Clearly March is the Month of the Sniper.
Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin
Dark – I know absolutely nothing about this game.
Fuse

Week of March 5th
The Amazing Spider-Man

Week of March 12th
Lego City: Undercover – As Kevin McAllister said in Home Alone: “It’s for the kids.”

Week of March 19th
Need for Speed Most Wanted
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

Week of March 26th
Pandora’s Tower – And with that, I think it’s time to put the Wii section to bed. Good night, sweet prince.

Week of March 5th
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Mirror Fate

Week of March 19th
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

Week of March 5th
SimCity – It doesn’t need a number after it! It’s SimCity. I am SERIOUSLY considering picking this up. but it will put a serious damper in my EVE time, which is going to be taking a hit a few weeks later when Bioshock Infinite hits.
Total War: Shogun 2 Gold

Week of March 12th
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
Sniper Elite V2
Heavy Fire: Shattered Spear

Week of March 26th
BioShock Infinite
Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin [Download]

Week of March 5th
Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk
Tomb Raider Survival/Collector’s Edition
MLB 13 The Show
MLB 2K13

Week of March 12th
God of War: Ascension
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

Week of March 19th
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

Week of March 26th
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14: Masters Historic Edition
Sniper Elite V2: Silver Star Edition
BioShock Infinite
Army of TWO The Devil’s Cartel

Week of March 5th
MLB 13 The Show

Week of March 19th
Dead or Alive 5 Plus

What are you picking up?

(Note: As always, all Amazon.com links have our affiliate code embedded in them. If you purchase something through our link, we get a little commission. It’s appreciated.)

Filed Under: Gaming
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