Lots of games add an "Online Multiplayer" mode to their games nowadays to extend gameplay hours and replay value way past its normal hours which legitimize high price costs for a game. It has gotten to a point in game development that multiplayer is the main focus of the game and not the campaign or single-player experience. With that in mind, many publishers market their games as an involving multiplayer experience and want the consumer to buy the game for the multiplayer side. It's true that multiplayer orientated games are really fun and exciting and worth buying for just that mode; however, there's a problem when one buys a multiplayer orientated game and finds that no one plays it.
It has happened one too many times to me where I buy a game hoping to have a fun time with other gamers online only to find little to no players whatsoever playing. To name a few in the past, I have bought Homefront, Brink, Red Orchestra 2, Nexuiz, and Breach to find little to no players online. The last game I got lucky on was Awesomenauts which still has a community (thankfully). I faced that same problem when deciding to buy Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 just this past Sunday where Steam had a free weekend and sale for the game. During the free weekend, 100,000+ players were on and finding a game was no problem. Even with a sale price, the game cost $40 which is no pocket change when such a large part of the game revolves around multiplayer. I still really like Call of Duty and was pleased with the experience I had over the free weekend and decided to buy the game. The next day, the player count had dropped all the way down to 9000 players (at least it's OVER 9000!). Still, I've been playing the past few nights and was able to get into games fairly easily albeit everyone playing were high prestige and much more experienced than me compared to the free weekend. So this time I got lucky. But it looks like I face that dilemma again with two games on sale today: "War of the Roses" and "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier".
Source: Youtube Channel ubisoft
With "War of the Roses", I can try out the game from the free weekend to see if I like the game, but I won't be able to gauge how many people will stick around for the multiplayer after I purchased the game. For $5, I won't be losing out too much compared to having spent $40 on Call of Duty. For "Ghost Recon Future Soldier", I'll have the single-player campaign to play. But the sale includes a bundle with 3 expensive DLCs for multiplayer. The problem is, will there still be people playing multiplayer? Again with the multiplayer trap. The DLCs at normal price cost $35 while the sale brings it down to $29 and the bundle chops it down to $9. That sounds like an awesome deal, right? The problem is, you could be paying $9 for a mode that's unplayable because no ones on to play it. The bought "Binary Domain" under similar circumstances and ending up finding only one person on multiplayer which wasn't enough to play a match. That game had an interesting single-player experience, but paying for the DLCs was regrettable. I don't know if there are any sources or sites that allows players to figure out how many players a game's multiplayer gets on average each day, but it'd be nice to know if I'll be able to play multiplayer in a game before buying it (especially when it's nothing but multiplayer). So the purpose of this article? Do your research and be sure to check on forums and such to be sure there are players regularly online for a game if you plan on buying it for the multiplayer experience. Players should be able to get refunds on games they bought with zero players online.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
NewNews - ShootMania Storm Open Beta
Official Site: http://www.maniaplanet.com/shootmania/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/229870/
Source: Youtube Channel ubisoft
I mentioned ShootMania Storm a few times last year and had hoped to play it during the Winter of 2012 but was later delayed to Early 2013. Not having checked for a while, ShootMania Storm had showed up Steam with a "demo" which happens to be Open Beta. ShootMania Storm is a twitch-based First-Person Shooter that allows players to create their own levels and customize their character look. Much like classic twitch-based shooters such as Quake and Unreal Tournament, gameplay is extremely fast-paced and requires quick reflexes. Other players won't be standing still as much and will most likely be flying all over the place which makes it really difficulty to land hits. I'm downloading the Open Beta right now as I write this article, but watching tournament videos of the game I can say that the graphics are absolutely gorgeous. The gameplay is very fluid if not scary seeing how fast everything goes. I really hope this game gets really big and captures a strong community of level creators and custom game makers. I love Call of Duty and many other tactical-shooters in the past decade, but I really miss the excitement and craziness of twitch-based shooters. So I'm hoping ShootMania Storm will bring some of that community back. ShootMania Storm officially releases in April 2013 and is available on Steam for a 10% discount for pre-purchase of $17.99 from its regular price of $19.99.
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/229870/
Source: Youtube Channel ubisoft
I mentioned ShootMania Storm a few times last year and had hoped to play it during the Winter of 2012 but was later delayed to Early 2013. Not having checked for a while, ShootMania Storm had showed up Steam with a "demo" which happens to be Open Beta. ShootMania Storm is a twitch-based First-Person Shooter that allows players to create their own levels and customize their character look. Much like classic twitch-based shooters such as Quake and Unreal Tournament, gameplay is extremely fast-paced and requires quick reflexes. Other players won't be standing still as much and will most likely be flying all over the place which makes it really difficulty to land hits. I'm downloading the Open Beta right now as I write this article, but watching tournament videos of the game I can say that the graphics are absolutely gorgeous. The gameplay is very fluid if not scary seeing how fast everything goes. I really hope this game gets really big and captures a strong community of level creators and custom game makers. I love Call of Duty and many other tactical-shooters in the past decade, but I really miss the excitement and craziness of twitch-based shooters. So I'm hoping ShootMania Storm will bring some of that community back. ShootMania Storm officially releases in April 2013 and is available on Steam for a 10% discount for pre-purchase of $17.99 from its regular price of $19.99.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
GameLight - Ys: Memories of Celceta
Official Site: http://www.xseedgames.com/
Source: Youtube Channel YotakaOfALoY
In 1993, two Ys IV games were released: "Mask of the Sun" for the Super Famicom and "The Dawn of Ys" for the PCE Super-CD Rom. Both never saw a western release, but there were fans of the series that translated the game. I tried the Super Famicom (Super Nintendo) version and did not like it. Ys 3 had gone an entirely different route by going 2D-Action style combat while Ys 4 went back to the original bumper car mechanics. Thankfully the remake for Ys 4 will take what the remakes of the Ys series has done and add even more to it than ever before. Rather than a top-down view, Ys: Memories of Celceta will have a dynamic camera angle where it switches between top-down, behind the character, and so forth for a more involving experience. Aside from just taking the role of Adol Christin (the main protagonist in the series), the player will also get to use other characters within a party. The game has already released in Japan so there are gameplay videos up that can be watched. It looks like the player can actively block and dodge now! As excited as I am for this new installment in the Ys series, I lament the fact that I don't have a PS Vita. We can thank XSEED Games once again for bringing another awesome title from Japan over to the West.
The game will release exclusively for the Sony PS Vita on September 24, 2013.
Source: Youtube Channel YotakaOfALoY
In 1993, two Ys IV games were released: "Mask of the Sun" for the Super Famicom and "The Dawn of Ys" for the PCE Super-CD Rom. Both never saw a western release, but there were fans of the series that translated the game. I tried the Super Famicom (Super Nintendo) version and did not like it. Ys 3 had gone an entirely different route by going 2D-Action style combat while Ys 4 went back to the original bumper car mechanics. Thankfully the remake for Ys 4 will take what the remakes of the Ys series has done and add even more to it than ever before. Rather than a top-down view, Ys: Memories of Celceta will have a dynamic camera angle where it switches between top-down, behind the character, and so forth for a more involving experience. Aside from just taking the role of Adol Christin (the main protagonist in the series), the player will also get to use other characters within a party. The game has already released in Japan so there are gameplay videos up that can be watched. It looks like the player can actively block and dodge now! As excited as I am for this new installment in the Ys series, I lament the fact that I don't have a PS Vita. We can thank XSEED Games once again for bringing another awesome title from Japan over to the West.
The game will release exclusively for the Sony PS Vita on September 24, 2013.
Monday, February 25, 2013
NewNews - Diablo 3 on PS3/PS4 is a pimped out Gauntlet
Official Site: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/
It was a bit of a surprise to hear Blizzard reveal a Playstation 3/4 version of Diablo 3 in the making since they had previously announced in the past that they gave up on consoles. One of the changes from the PC version to console is that it will offer offline gameplay which has turned into a nasty argument in the Diablo 3 community with a lot of PC players feeling cheated and betrayed. The need for constant internet connection has caused multiple problems for PC players where players are randomly kicked off their game, can't login, or have lag issues which was a major problem for those playing Hardcore mode. The requirement of constant internet connection was a way of combating piracy, cheating, and providing a safer auction house compared to those who used to go on seedy 3rd-party websites that might have cheated players out of their money back in the Diablo 2 days. The other difference from PC to console is that console will have 4-player local multiplayer. With 4-player co-op on the same screen and a hack-n-slash playstyle on a controller, it'll feel like a pimped out Gauntlet game. Gauntlet is an old arcade game where 4-players adventure together with nothing but a ranged attack and potions while being able to collect power-ups. With Diablo 3's in-depth RPG elements such as multiple tier equipment, various abilities with runes to modify their aspects, and 160 levels to work up to, I imagine Diablo 3 to be like a Gauntlet game on steroids. As awesome as this sounds, I probably won't be getting it as I did buy Diablo 3 on PC day 1 and am rather satisfied with the experience I got out of it. For those who haven't gotten it yet and want to play 4-player co-op together when it's out on consoles, have 3 buddies chip in and play it together. No announcement of a release date yet.
Source:
-Joystiq - Diablo 3 on PS3 and PS4 will allow offline play
 |
| Source: Joystiq |
Source:
-Joystiq - Diablo 3 on PS3 and PS4 will allow offline play
Friday, February 22, 2013
GameLight - Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS)
English Wiki: http://monsterhunter.wikia.com/wiki/Monster_Hunter_Wiki
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
I love boss fights in videogames, and Capcom games generally have a lot of awesome boss fights in their games from the original Mega Man games to their more recent games like the Devil May Cry series or Dragon's Dogma. One particular series in Japan revolves around big boss battles and has since became a huge hit. But over here in the West, the name "Monster Hunter" doesn't hold much weight and is viewed as a niche game among the community. Despite not having a strong following in the West, Capcom has continued bringing the Monster Hunter series over and this time it will release on the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS.
The Demo for Monster Hunter 3 for the 3DS had released and so I quickly downloaded it yesterday to get a taste of it. I have played a bit of the Monster Hunter series in the past for the Sony PSP and know that I enjoy the game, but I didn't continue playing very long back then as I had many other PSP games I wanted to play on the system and didn't want to spend the time on what could've been 100+ hours slaying giant dragons and beasts. I now have the opposite problem where the Nintendo 3DS is lacking in games I want to play and want something with high replay value. So I was pretty excited to hear that Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate was being brought over to the West.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is a sort of Action-RPG that isn't quite straight-forward and story driven. The player goes out into the field and hunts beasts for food, gather materials for crafting, and fight large monsters per request as quests. In doing so, the player gradually becomes stronger with better equipment. The main draw of the game is multiplayer where several players band together to fight a giant boss together. In the 3DS demo, players can choose 1 of 2 scenarios to take on which requires the player to take down a boss under 20 minutes. I was given the choice to pick a weapon out of 12 different types to take on the boss. The demo is very tricky for those who have never played a Monster Hunter game as it doesn't explain the mechanics of the game or controls and thrusts the player into the field. Using a bow was really tough in terms of aiming and I imagine having the 2nd analog stick attachment would make it infinitely better; however, the lock-on ability made controlling the camera a bit more tolerable. Instead of an over-the-top hack-n-slash and ultra slick combat mechanics found in games like Devil May Cry, the Monster Hunter series has the characters move in a sort of rigid way that is more realistic. In this manner, all attacks, actions, and item usage is planned out, strategic, and meaningful. It is impossible to mash buttons and hope to win, and I suppose that's what makes the multiplayer formula work so well with the game as party members rely on each other to succeed in a quest. The boss fights are incredibly tough but very exciting. 20 minutes may seem like a lot of time to fight one boss, but it doesn't seem so after all the fighting, surviving, and preparation. Judging from my experience on the PSP version of Monster Hunter, the demo for the 3DS is showing a minuscule amount of content that is truly offered in the game. Personally, I don't think it's an easy game to get into for most gamers, but those that can grasp the concept of the game and find interest in it is rewarded with a gratifying experience. The biggest problem I find in the Nintendo 3DS version of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate right now is the lack of Online multiplayer. There's a local multiplayer mode, but I rarely ever see anyone with a 3DS around the people I know and I doubt they'll get the game if they do have one. This falls into Capcom's seemingly big scheme: the Nintendo Wii U has online multiplayer and can share save data with the 3DS, but you have to buy both individually. Cross-play support is a growing trend that's showing up often in Sony's systems where a player can buy a PS3 version of a game and get a free download for the PS Vita to play and share save data between the PS3. That's a neat idea. But it seems Capcom or Nintendo (I don't know who it goes through to make cross play possible) wants players to pay for both versions which equals $100. This puts me in a difficult situation. I want to play the game, but I also want to play online. I don't have a Nintendo Wii U so I have to get the 3DS version if I want to play it at all. If only the 3DS had online play, it'd be just perfect. In any case, fans of the series should really check out the demo for both 3DS or Wii U depending on which ones they have if at all while those new to the series should check up on some guides online to know a little about the game. In fact, I'll write out the controls right here for a head start:
Circle Pad: Move Character
Digital Pad: Pan Camera
Weapon Sheathed
Y: Use Item
X: Draw/Ready Weapon
A: Interact/Action Key
B: Crouch (While Standing) / Tumble (While moving)
L: Reset Camera Forward (Tap) / Bring up belt menu (Hold)
R: Run (Hold)
Weapon Drawn
Y: Sheath Weapon
X: Regular Attack
A: Alternate Attack
B: Back Step (While Standing) / Tumble (While moving)
L: Reset Camera Forward (Tap) / Bring up belt menu (Hold)
R: Alternate Attack 2
For Bows, Press X and A at the same time to coat your Arrows in substances
Good luck, Have fun, and check the game out to see if it's for you.
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
I love boss fights in videogames, and Capcom games generally have a lot of awesome boss fights in their games from the original Mega Man games to their more recent games like the Devil May Cry series or Dragon's Dogma. One particular series in Japan revolves around big boss battles and has since became a huge hit. But over here in the West, the name "Monster Hunter" doesn't hold much weight and is viewed as a niche game among the community. Despite not having a strong following in the West, Capcom has continued bringing the Monster Hunter series over and this time it will release on the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS.
The Demo for Monster Hunter 3 for the 3DS had released and so I quickly downloaded it yesterday to get a taste of it. I have played a bit of the Monster Hunter series in the past for the Sony PSP and know that I enjoy the game, but I didn't continue playing very long back then as I had many other PSP games I wanted to play on the system and didn't want to spend the time on what could've been 100+ hours slaying giant dragons and beasts. I now have the opposite problem where the Nintendo 3DS is lacking in games I want to play and want something with high replay value. So I was pretty excited to hear that Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate was being brought over to the West.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is a sort of Action-RPG that isn't quite straight-forward and story driven. The player goes out into the field and hunts beasts for food, gather materials for crafting, and fight large monsters per request as quests. In doing so, the player gradually becomes stronger with better equipment. The main draw of the game is multiplayer where several players band together to fight a giant boss together. In the 3DS demo, players can choose 1 of 2 scenarios to take on which requires the player to take down a boss under 20 minutes. I was given the choice to pick a weapon out of 12 different types to take on the boss. The demo is very tricky for those who have never played a Monster Hunter game as it doesn't explain the mechanics of the game or controls and thrusts the player into the field. Using a bow was really tough in terms of aiming and I imagine having the 2nd analog stick attachment would make it infinitely better; however, the lock-on ability made controlling the camera a bit more tolerable. Instead of an over-the-top hack-n-slash and ultra slick combat mechanics found in games like Devil May Cry, the Monster Hunter series has the characters move in a sort of rigid way that is more realistic. In this manner, all attacks, actions, and item usage is planned out, strategic, and meaningful. It is impossible to mash buttons and hope to win, and I suppose that's what makes the multiplayer formula work so well with the game as party members rely on each other to succeed in a quest. The boss fights are incredibly tough but very exciting. 20 minutes may seem like a lot of time to fight one boss, but it doesn't seem so after all the fighting, surviving, and preparation. Judging from my experience on the PSP version of Monster Hunter, the demo for the 3DS is showing a minuscule amount of content that is truly offered in the game. Personally, I don't think it's an easy game to get into for most gamers, but those that can grasp the concept of the game and find interest in it is rewarded with a gratifying experience. The biggest problem I find in the Nintendo 3DS version of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate right now is the lack of Online multiplayer. There's a local multiplayer mode, but I rarely ever see anyone with a 3DS around the people I know and I doubt they'll get the game if they do have one. This falls into Capcom's seemingly big scheme: the Nintendo Wii U has online multiplayer and can share save data with the 3DS, but you have to buy both individually. Cross-play support is a growing trend that's showing up often in Sony's systems where a player can buy a PS3 version of a game and get a free download for the PS Vita to play and share save data between the PS3. That's a neat idea. But it seems Capcom or Nintendo (I don't know who it goes through to make cross play possible) wants players to pay for both versions which equals $100. This puts me in a difficult situation. I want to play the game, but I also want to play online. I don't have a Nintendo Wii U so I have to get the 3DS version if I want to play it at all. If only the 3DS had online play, it'd be just perfect. In any case, fans of the series should really check out the demo for both 3DS or Wii U depending on which ones they have if at all while those new to the series should check up on some guides online to know a little about the game. In fact, I'll write out the controls right here for a head start:
Circle Pad: Move Character
Digital Pad: Pan Camera
Weapon Sheathed
Y: Use Item
X: Draw/Ready Weapon
A: Interact/Action Key
B: Crouch (While Standing) / Tumble (While moving)
L: Reset Camera Forward (Tap) / Bring up belt menu (Hold)
R: Run (Hold)
Weapon Drawn
Y: Sheath Weapon
X: Regular Attack
A: Alternate Attack
B: Back Step (While Standing) / Tumble (While moving)
L: Reset Camera Forward (Tap) / Bring up belt menu (Hold)
R: Alternate Attack 2
For Bows, Press X and A at the same time to coat your Arrows in substances
Good luck, Have fun, and check the game out to see if it's for you.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
NewNews - Run down of Last Night's PS4 reveal
Source: Youtube Channel VideoGamerTV
Here's a quick run-down of last night's presentation of Sony's new Playstation 4:
Featured Information
-Releases during the Holidays of 2013
-New PS4 Eye incorporates motion sensing in 3D space
-PS4 Controller has better Six-Axis motion sensing
-Improved analog stick grip design
-Curved shoulder button for smoother interaction
-Touch sensor plate on the front of the controller
-Share button makes live streaming more accessible
-New chip allows play of a game while downloading it
-Stream games through use of Gaikai
Misc. Info
-PS4 doesn't support DualShock 3, but will support PS Move
-PSOne, PS2, PS3 games are playable, but through Streaming
-PS4 supports 4K resolution output, but not the games
-PS4 cannot play PSN purchased games natively
-Possible that Used games might get blocked
-Video Capture capabilities
-Entertainment media streaming supported (Netflix, Hulu, etc.)
-Capcom reveals their new engine Panta Rhei
-Remote play with mobile devices (PS Vita)
Games planned for release
-Diablo 3 (Blizzard Entertainment)
-Killzone: Shadow Fall (Guerrilla Games)
-Destiny (Bungie)
-Unnamed Final Fantasy Game (Square-Enix)
-InFamous: Second Son (Sucker Punch)
-Deep Down (working title - Capcom)
-The Witness (Jonathan Blow)
-Unnamed game (Media Molecule)
-Watch Dogs (Ubisoft)
No price has been announced and speculation of increase in retail games have been passed around but not confirmed. For me, I'm most interested in hearing more about Square-Enix and Capcom's new games for the system as well as seeing more of Bungie's new shooter "Destiny". We'll probably get a chance to learn more about the Playstation 4 at GDC or E3 this year.
Sources:
-Joystiq
-Kotaku
-PlayStation Blog - DUALSHOCK 4 Revealed: Pushing the Boundaries of Play
-Engadget - PlayStation 4 games revealed: a preview of what's to come
-Cnet - Making sense of the PS4 game lineup
Here's a quick run-down of last night's presentation of Sony's new Playstation 4:
Featured Information
-Releases during the Holidays of 2013
-New PS4 Eye incorporates motion sensing in 3D space
-PS4 Controller has better Six-Axis motion sensing
-Improved analog stick grip design
-Curved shoulder button for smoother interaction
-Touch sensor plate on the front of the controller
-Share button makes live streaming more accessible
-New chip allows play of a game while downloading it
-Stream games through use of Gaikai
Misc. Info
-PS4 doesn't support DualShock 3, but will support PS Move
-PSOne, PS2, PS3 games are playable, but through Streaming
-PS4 supports 4K resolution output, but not the games
-PS4 cannot play PSN purchased games natively
-Possible that Used games might get blocked
-Video Capture capabilities
-Entertainment media streaming supported (Netflix, Hulu, etc.)
-Capcom reveals their new engine Panta Rhei
-Remote play with mobile devices (PS Vita)
Games planned for release
-Diablo 3 (Blizzard Entertainment)
-Killzone: Shadow Fall (Guerrilla Games)
-Destiny (Bungie)
-Unnamed Final Fantasy Game (Square-Enix)
-InFamous: Second Son (Sucker Punch)
-Deep Down (working title - Capcom)
-The Witness (Jonathan Blow)
-Unnamed game (Media Molecule)
-Watch Dogs (Ubisoft)
No price has been announced and speculation of increase in retail games have been passed around but not confirmed. For me, I'm most interested in hearing more about Square-Enix and Capcom's new games for the system as well as seeing more of Bungie's new shooter "Destiny". We'll probably get a chance to learn more about the Playstation 4 at GDC or E3 this year.
Sources:
-Joystiq
-Kotaku
-PlayStation Blog - DUALSHOCK 4 Revealed: Pushing the Boundaries of Play
-Engadget - PlayStation 4 games revealed: a preview of what's to come
-Cnet - Making sense of the PS4 game lineup
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
GameLight - Shin Megami Tensei IV
Official Atlus Site: http://www.atlus.com/
Source: Youtube Channel Extagia
I was a bit weary when purchasing my Nintendo 3DS because it was uncertain whether enough games that I'd be interested in would release and make the system worth buying. So far this year, we've got a Fire Emblem Awakening. We're already about to start the 3rd month of the year and that's only been one game worth mentioning. Thankfully, we have games like Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, Animal Crossing: New Leaf as well as Project X Zone and Pokémon X&Y and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Soul Hackers on the horizon. But what will the future hold? What else might 3DS owners look forward to?
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne was released in Japan back in February 20th, 2003, exactly 10 years ago. Since then, most SMT games have been spin-offs with the exception of "Strange Journey" for the NDS being part of the main series story. In last year's Tokyo Game Show, it was revealed that Shin Megami Tensei 4 was being developed and will be released for the Nintendo 3DS. So it seems that Japan will be able to continue the main story once again in SMT 4 for the 3DS this May. The question is, will the Western market see this game? That depends if it does well in Japan first I suppose. Considering that Atlus has brought over most of the SMT games to the West, we can expect SMT4 to show up eventually. Staying true to the SMT series, combat looks the same which worries me a little. What can they change to make this newest installment interesting compared to the rest of the series?
Source: Youtube Channel Extagia
I was a bit weary when purchasing my Nintendo 3DS because it was uncertain whether enough games that I'd be interested in would release and make the system worth buying. So far this year, we've got a Fire Emblem Awakening. We're already about to start the 3rd month of the year and that's only been one game worth mentioning. Thankfully, we have games like Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, Animal Crossing: New Leaf as well as Project X Zone and Pokémon X&Y and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Soul Hackers on the horizon. But what will the future hold? What else might 3DS owners look forward to?
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne was released in Japan back in February 20th, 2003, exactly 10 years ago. Since then, most SMT games have been spin-offs with the exception of "Strange Journey" for the NDS being part of the main series story. In last year's Tokyo Game Show, it was revealed that Shin Megami Tensei 4 was being developed and will be released for the Nintendo 3DS. So it seems that Japan will be able to continue the main story once again in SMT 4 for the 3DS this May. The question is, will the Western market see this game? That depends if it does well in Japan first I suppose. Considering that Atlus has brought over most of the SMT games to the West, we can expect SMT4 to show up eventually. Staying true to the SMT series, combat looks the same which worries me a little. What can they change to make this newest installment interesting compared to the rest of the series?
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
GameLight Review - February 19, 2013
I have accumulated a large list of completed games that I can't possibly review through, and so I'm going to make a list of those games in this fashion:
[Name - System - Genre]: Recommended - Notes
[Child of Eden - PS3 - Rail Shooter]: Yes - It's really short, but quite the experience. The art style and music is unique while the gameplay is challenging.
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
[Vanquish - PS3 - 3rd-Person Shooter]: Yes - An exhilarating Action game that utilizes cover-based tactics with fast-paced Action.
[Bullet Run - PC - First-Person Shooter]: No - While the game was interesting and had some unique game mechanics such as fast-reload trigger, the game could not provide itself stable with the cash shop and has been set to shut down next month.
[Noitu Love 2 Devolution - PC - Action-Platformer]: Maybe - The game has incredible pixel art for sprites and backgrounds with a very retro feel to the music and gameplay. The game was short and had fast-paced action, but ultimately didn't feel very satisfying at the end. It's not expensive, so it's maybe worth checking out for those who enjoy 2D side-scroll Action-Platformers.
[Sonic CD: Steam Edition - PC - Platformer]: Maybe - I didn't like Sonic CD as much as the first 3 games on Sega Genesis when I played it all those years ago; however, I bought the Steam Edition on a whim to revisit it. I had a much easier time getting through the game than I did when I was younger, but I thought it was only okay. Includes both music tracks from US and Japan's versions as well as a "Tails" mode after you've beaten the game once.
[Shank - PC - Action]: Yes - Taking influence from old-school 2D Action-games, Shank delivers a challenging and satisfying experience. There's a 2-player mode with an entirely separate story that explains everything that happens before the single-player campaign. Combat is deep and versatile.
[Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad - PC - First-Person Shooter]: No - The single-player campaign is essentially one huge tutorial that simulates what multiplayer would be like. The game is riddled with bugs and affects hit-boxes, triggering events, and object collision. Multiplayer still has some players on, but only in 1-5 servers and are generally put on "realistic" which makes it really difficult for anyone new to the game.
[Dead Island - PC/PS3 - Action RPG]: Maybe - The game is definitely fun with a friend and I would recommend having a friend to play alongside with. The PC has more problems than the PS3 version, but has better graphics and the ability to mod. The game was mostly enjoyable on the PC, the controls just didn't work well with the layout on a PS3 controller but was still fairly entertaining.
[Zeno Clash - PC - Action]: Maybe - I bought the game for $1, and it was okay for $1. The game was entertaining in that punching enemies was hilarious. The game felt kind of sluggish and boring a lot of the times, but it was also a unique adventure in a very odd and obscure world. Totally not worth $10, wait for a sale.
[Binary Domain - PC - 3rd-Person Shooter]: No - There were many times where I really enjoyed the game where the game had beautiful graphics, funny dialogues, and memorable boss battles. But the game had so many flawed game mechanics that was frustrating that it's not a game I could really recommend.
[Borderlands 2 - PC - First-Person Shooter, Action-RPG]: Yes - More challenging than the first game with more loot, more enemies, and more quests. Borderlands 2 was quite the experience but is definitely defined by its multiplayer as playing with 3 other friends made the game a lot more fun.
[Persona 4 Arena - PS3 - Fighting]: Absolutely - As #6 on my top 10 games of 2012, Persona 4 Arena turned out to be incredibly fun with easy to learn game mechanics compared to most fighting games, a story mode, beautifully hand-drawn sprites, an awesome soundtrack, and a robust online battle mode. This game is sure to provides hours upon hours of gameplay.
[Super Mario 3D Land - 3DS - 3D Platformer]: Yes - Though not nearly as fun and memorable as Mario's other 3D games, Super Mario 3D Land was still pretty entertaining with very challenging levels in the end-game.
[Orcs Must Die! - PC - Action, Tower-Defense]: Yes - Having traps fling Orcs around, have them fly all over the place, and decimating them with all sorts of spells and weapons made for a satisfying tower-defense experience with the player being heavily involved in the fight.
[Saint's Row The Third - PC - Action]: Yes - It's sad, but I think Saint's Row The Third has ruined my experience for GTA games now. Although the game suffers some bugs and glitches, the amount of content and gameplay time it provides makes it worthwhile to play through. Following the open-city gameplay of past games, everything that seems logical is thrown out the window and greatly exaggerated into a ridiculous action-flick. It's a ton of fun and one that's enjoyed with a friend in co-op multiplayer.
[Wizorb - PC - Arcade]: No - I heard many great things about Wizorb, but I didn't feel any of it while playing through the game. It's a breakout game with very light elements of RPG/Adventure where the player can donate the money they've accumulated to rebuild the broken town. The player use a few abilities to aid them in the play field, but the uses of abilities are very limited. The retro-style pixel graphics is endearing, but the monotonous and repetitive music put me to sleep as well as the gameplay. If you must play a break-out game, check out "Shatter".
[Don't Starve - PC - Adventure Survival/Simulation]: Maybe - It's not a game everyone would enjoy, but those who like exploring in games that's non-linear and full of discovery would definitely get a kick out of Don't Starve. Although it's not officially out yet, players can pre-purchase it and immediately start playing the beta as the developers brings out new content periodically. The player must gather resources, use their wits, and fight to survive a strange world of monsters and starvation.
[Faster Than Light - PC - Strategy, Simulation]: Yes - Playing almost like a rogue-like RPG, the player commands a ship through a galaxy full of hostile ships, dangerous environments, and many other perils while fleeing the rebel fleet. The game's unforgiving nature forces the player to make hard decisions that would help the crew or destroy them while upgrading weapons, balancing the power throughout the ship, and choosing fights.
[Castle Crashers - PC - Action-RPG, Beat-em-up]: Yes - The widely popular X- Box 360 Indie game has finally been ported to PC with online co-op multiplayer in all its classic beat-em-up glory. A player can level their characters to be strong tanks, quick archers, explosive magicians or an omnipotent hybrid with 3 other friends as they fight unusual enemies in a crazy adventure to save all the princesses of the world.
With this, I am hoping I can focus more on games I really want to have an in-depth review for rather than going through each and every game I've played through.
[Name - System - Genre]: Recommended - Notes
[Child of Eden - PS3 - Rail Shooter]: Yes - It's really short, but quite the experience. The art style and music is unique while the gameplay is challenging.
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
[Vanquish - PS3 - 3rd-Person Shooter]: Yes - An exhilarating Action game that utilizes cover-based tactics with fast-paced Action.
[Bullet Run - PC - First-Person Shooter]: No - While the game was interesting and had some unique game mechanics such as fast-reload trigger, the game could not provide itself stable with the cash shop and has been set to shut down next month.
[Noitu Love 2 Devolution - PC - Action-Platformer]: Maybe - The game has incredible pixel art for sprites and backgrounds with a very retro feel to the music and gameplay. The game was short and had fast-paced action, but ultimately didn't feel very satisfying at the end. It's not expensive, so it's maybe worth checking out for those who enjoy 2D side-scroll Action-Platformers.
[Sonic CD: Steam Edition - PC - Platformer]: Maybe - I didn't like Sonic CD as much as the first 3 games on Sega Genesis when I played it all those years ago; however, I bought the Steam Edition on a whim to revisit it. I had a much easier time getting through the game than I did when I was younger, but I thought it was only okay. Includes both music tracks from US and Japan's versions as well as a "Tails" mode after you've beaten the game once.
[Shank - PC - Action]: Yes - Taking influence from old-school 2D Action-games, Shank delivers a challenging and satisfying experience. There's a 2-player mode with an entirely separate story that explains everything that happens before the single-player campaign. Combat is deep and versatile.
[Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad - PC - First-Person Shooter]: No - The single-player campaign is essentially one huge tutorial that simulates what multiplayer would be like. The game is riddled with bugs and affects hit-boxes, triggering events, and object collision. Multiplayer still has some players on, but only in 1-5 servers and are generally put on "realistic" which makes it really difficult for anyone new to the game.
[Dead Island - PC/PS3 - Action RPG]: Maybe - The game is definitely fun with a friend and I would recommend having a friend to play alongside with. The PC has more problems than the PS3 version, but has better graphics and the ability to mod. The game was mostly enjoyable on the PC, the controls just didn't work well with the layout on a PS3 controller but was still fairly entertaining.
[Zeno Clash - PC - Action]: Maybe - I bought the game for $1, and it was okay for $1. The game was entertaining in that punching enemies was hilarious. The game felt kind of sluggish and boring a lot of the times, but it was also a unique adventure in a very odd and obscure world. Totally not worth $10, wait for a sale.
[Binary Domain - PC - 3rd-Person Shooter]: No - There were many times where I really enjoyed the game where the game had beautiful graphics, funny dialogues, and memorable boss battles. But the game had so many flawed game mechanics that was frustrating that it's not a game I could really recommend.
[Borderlands 2 - PC - First-Person Shooter, Action-RPG]: Yes - More challenging than the first game with more loot, more enemies, and more quests. Borderlands 2 was quite the experience but is definitely defined by its multiplayer as playing with 3 other friends made the game a lot more fun.
[Persona 4 Arena - PS3 - Fighting]: Absolutely - As #6 on my top 10 games of 2012, Persona 4 Arena turned out to be incredibly fun with easy to learn game mechanics compared to most fighting games, a story mode, beautifully hand-drawn sprites, an awesome soundtrack, and a robust online battle mode. This game is sure to provides hours upon hours of gameplay.
[Super Mario 3D Land - 3DS - 3D Platformer]: Yes - Though not nearly as fun and memorable as Mario's other 3D games, Super Mario 3D Land was still pretty entertaining with very challenging levels in the end-game.
[Orcs Must Die! - PC - Action, Tower-Defense]: Yes - Having traps fling Orcs around, have them fly all over the place, and decimating them with all sorts of spells and weapons made for a satisfying tower-defense experience with the player being heavily involved in the fight.
[Saint's Row The Third - PC - Action]: Yes - It's sad, but I think Saint's Row The Third has ruined my experience for GTA games now. Although the game suffers some bugs and glitches, the amount of content and gameplay time it provides makes it worthwhile to play through. Following the open-city gameplay of past games, everything that seems logical is thrown out the window and greatly exaggerated into a ridiculous action-flick. It's a ton of fun and one that's enjoyed with a friend in co-op multiplayer.
[Wizorb - PC - Arcade]: No - I heard many great things about Wizorb, but I didn't feel any of it while playing through the game. It's a breakout game with very light elements of RPG/Adventure where the player can donate the money they've accumulated to rebuild the broken town. The player use a few abilities to aid them in the play field, but the uses of abilities are very limited. The retro-style pixel graphics is endearing, but the monotonous and repetitive music put me to sleep as well as the gameplay. If you must play a break-out game, check out "Shatter".
[Don't Starve - PC - Adventure Survival/Simulation]: Maybe - It's not a game everyone would enjoy, but those who like exploring in games that's non-linear and full of discovery would definitely get a kick out of Don't Starve. Although it's not officially out yet, players can pre-purchase it and immediately start playing the beta as the developers brings out new content periodically. The player must gather resources, use their wits, and fight to survive a strange world of monsters and starvation.
[Faster Than Light - PC - Strategy, Simulation]: Yes - Playing almost like a rogue-like RPG, the player commands a ship through a galaxy full of hostile ships, dangerous environments, and many other perils while fleeing the rebel fleet. The game's unforgiving nature forces the player to make hard decisions that would help the crew or destroy them while upgrading weapons, balancing the power throughout the ship, and choosing fights.
[Castle Crashers - PC - Action-RPG, Beat-em-up]: Yes - The widely popular X- Box 360 Indie game has finally been ported to PC with online co-op multiplayer in all its classic beat-em-up glory. A player can level their characters to be strong tanks, quick archers, explosive magicians or an omnipotent hybrid with 3 other friends as they fight unusual enemies in a crazy adventure to save all the princesses of the world.
With this, I am hoping I can focus more on games I really want to have an in-depth review for rather than going through each and every game I've played through.
Friday, February 15, 2013
VGCulture - Why everyone hates Sonic the Hedgehog 2006
Official Site: http://www.sega.com/games/sonic-the-hedgehog/
Source: Youtube Channel shadow76412
Quite often, you'll hear many negative comments on a Sonic the Hedgehog games released after 2004. "Because it's a Sonic game" or "It's just really bad" are some generic comments you'll hear when the community describes why they didn't like the newest Sonic game. Some may just join the bandwagon and bash on Sonic without ever playing a Sonic game while others have played the Sonic games and cannot articulate why they hated the game so much beyond "because it's bad". I try my best not to believe everything said by critics and players on games as I've played and enjoyed many games that others do not like while I would fail to see games that many others enjoyed. So last year, I found Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) for $15 and thought I'd finally give it a try. I can explain in detail now of why everyone hated Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) for the Playstation 3. But there were things I liked about it.
What I liked:
-Beginning cinematic was incredible and really beautiful
-Environments were colorful and lively
-A lot of the music was good
Everything that went wrong:
Aesthetics
-Camera control would move erratically quite often obscuring vision
-You can't see anything in the chase scenes when the camera faces Sonic
-In-game, the models actually look really bad and outdated
-Some level designs look so generic that it's difficult to discern where to go next
-Animations and hit-boxes are incredibly glitchy that look odd and affect gameplay
Buttons (Controls)
-In many of the scripted scenes, movement causes odd glitches
-When moving in wall running sequences, the sensitivity is impossible to control
-Controls for running scenes are unruly and clunky
-Homing attacks don't always trigger correctly
-Driving vehicles, snowboarding, etc. all feel too loose and aggravating to play
Concept and Content
-Way too many glitches with Sonic flying off screen or falling through the floor
-Scripted scenes often times don't go according to plan and kills Sonic
-For some odd reason it takes 5 minutes just to load a 1 second dialogue
-Loading takes a long time and comes up very often between scenes
-Boss battles have faulty hit-boxes and terrible camera controls
-The open town gets old really quick with lots of load time and boring quests
-Running scenes are riddle with hit-boxes problems where everything kills you
-It weirded out a lot of people for Sonic to have a romance with a Human
-There's 3 parts to the game, but levels are re-used a lot
-There are many times where I felt lost and the game doesn't help explain much
Duration
-The #1 biggest complaint is loading times, they happen often and last a while
-I wasted 2 hours just drudging through the bugs in the first level
-It was painful going through the game once, yet there's still 2 more parts left
-Getting through levels felt like a chore and having to start all over was annoying
-Getting lost in town and not knowing what to do next was a huge waste of time
Fun
-I tried so hard to like the game, but each new level made me hate it more
-It was frustrating enough to deal with glitches, but long load times made it worse
-It's a shame because I see a lot of great ideas in the game, but execution is bad
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) easily took the spot of Golden Axe: Beast Rider as the worst PS3 game I have ever played thus far. It's not uncommon to run into bugs in videogames, but to have them blatantly break the game constantly just by normally playing the game is inexcusable. I understood why so many Sonic fans had lost faith in Sega after playing that travesty of a game, but I had hoped Sonic would make a grand return someday. I heard promising things about Sonic Colors and have recently played Sonic Generations and seeing a return of the Blue Hedgehog. For those who want to get into Quality Assurance and Game Testing in the Interactive Entertainment Industry, I highly recommend this game as it makes it easy to make mock reports on what went wrong during just one play through of the game.
Source: Youtube Channel shadow76412
Quite often, you'll hear many negative comments on a Sonic the Hedgehog games released after 2004. "Because it's a Sonic game" or "It's just really bad" are some generic comments you'll hear when the community describes why they didn't like the newest Sonic game. Some may just join the bandwagon and bash on Sonic without ever playing a Sonic game while others have played the Sonic games and cannot articulate why they hated the game so much beyond "because it's bad". I try my best not to believe everything said by critics and players on games as I've played and enjoyed many games that others do not like while I would fail to see games that many others enjoyed. So last year, I found Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) for $15 and thought I'd finally give it a try. I can explain in detail now of why everyone hated Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) for the Playstation 3. But there were things I liked about it.
What I liked:
-Beginning cinematic was incredible and really beautiful
-Environments were colorful and lively
-A lot of the music was good
Everything that went wrong:
Aesthetics
-Camera control would move erratically quite often obscuring vision
-You can't see anything in the chase scenes when the camera faces Sonic
-In-game, the models actually look really bad and outdated
-Some level designs look so generic that it's difficult to discern where to go next
-Animations and hit-boxes are incredibly glitchy that look odd and affect gameplay
Buttons (Controls)
-In many of the scripted scenes, movement causes odd glitches
-When moving in wall running sequences, the sensitivity is impossible to control
-Controls for running scenes are unruly and clunky
-Homing attacks don't always trigger correctly
-Driving vehicles, snowboarding, etc. all feel too loose and aggravating to play
Concept and Content
-Way too many glitches with Sonic flying off screen or falling through the floor
-Scripted scenes often times don't go according to plan and kills Sonic
-For some odd reason it takes 5 minutes just to load a 1 second dialogue
-Loading takes a long time and comes up very often between scenes
-Boss battles have faulty hit-boxes and terrible camera controls
-The open town gets old really quick with lots of load time and boring quests
-Running scenes are riddle with hit-boxes problems where everything kills you
-It weirded out a lot of people for Sonic to have a romance with a Human
-There's 3 parts to the game, but levels are re-used a lot
-There are many times where I felt lost and the game doesn't help explain much
Duration
-The #1 biggest complaint is loading times, they happen often and last a while
-I wasted 2 hours just drudging through the bugs in the first level
-It was painful going through the game once, yet there's still 2 more parts left
-Getting through levels felt like a chore and having to start all over was annoying
-Getting lost in town and not knowing what to do next was a huge waste of time
Fun
-I tried so hard to like the game, but each new level made me hate it more
-It was frustrating enough to deal with glitches, but long load times made it worse
-It's a shame because I see a lot of great ideas in the game, but execution is bad
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) easily took the spot of Golden Axe: Beast Rider as the worst PS3 game I have ever played thus far. It's not uncommon to run into bugs in videogames, but to have them blatantly break the game constantly just by normally playing the game is inexcusable. I understood why so many Sonic fans had lost faith in Sega after playing that travesty of a game, but I had hoped Sonic would make a grand return someday. I heard promising things about Sonic Colors and have recently played Sonic Generations and seeing a return of the Blue Hedgehog. For those who want to get into Quality Assurance and Game Testing in the Interactive Entertainment Industry, I highly recommend this game as it makes it easy to make mock reports on what went wrong during just one play through of the game.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
GameLight - Etrian Odyssey IV
Official Site: http://www.atlus.com/etrian4/home.html
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
I'm surprised the Etrian Odyssey series is still being brought over considering how niche the target audience is. Etrian Odyssey IV Legends of the Titan makes its debut as the first in the series to launch on the Nintendo 3DS and is back for more classic Dungeon Crawling RPG. The Etrian Odyssey series is a throwback to classic cRPGs like Wizardry where the player forms their own party of adventures with various classes to choose from, drawing their own maps, and traversing dungeons in first-person view rather than a top-down view. I had played a bit of the first Etrian Odyssey and my experience from it surprises me that there's a market for the series in the West. In the first game, customization and skill building was very cluttered having all the skills of a class clumped into one huge list. Lots of preparation in equipment and skill building is needed before setting out and lots of grinding is required just to survive the initiation quest like in a lot of classic cRPG dungeon crawlers. With such archaic systems of the past, I didn't think the series would continue to be made and brought over to the West. I never got far with the first game and so I missed out on the 2nd and 3rd installment. It's a game that's definitely not easy to get into and requires a lot of patience, but what got me interested in the game and kept me interested was the bright and colorful, animé-esque art style with its retro style, FM-synth produced music by none other than Yuzo Koshiro. I've been a fan of Yuzo Koshiro ever since The Revenge of Shinobi on the Sega Genesis and ActRaiser on the Super Nintendo, and so I wasn't too surprised to see that the catchy and whimsical soundtrack was composed by him. When I heard a fourth one was about to release on the Nintendo 3DS, I was curious if any changes would be made. Luckily, a demo came out in the eShop market and allowed me to download it onto my 3DS. Here's what I got from it:
-Main structure of gameplay and combat is essentially the same
-Art style is the same, but environments and backgrounds are gorgeous
-There's a skill "tree" now, so it's really organized rather than one huge list
-Enemies are no longer static 2D sprites, but animated 3D models
-A "Casual" difficulty level that makes the game easier
-Initiation quest is a lot more straight-forward and comprehensive
-An over world like map (not sure if it's new to the series or not)
-Music is an orchestral ensemble instead of the usual FM-Synth tunes
-Dungeon maps are even easier to use with the circle pad
In short, my experience with the demo thus far has been really enjoyable! The Demo allows a maximum of 30 plays, 10 character slots (there's 30 in the full game), a level cap of 10, and everything else seems unrestricted. I have to admit that preparing my party, talking to all the NPCs, gathering my equipment and allocating my skill points to the party took a very very long time, but it's part of the charm to the game that makes it feel so personal (as it always has in cRPGs). Although it follows the same structure as the first game, this iteration seems a lot more tolerable for a wider audience than before. I feel rather compelled to get the game now. If you're even a bit curious about the game, I highly recommend downloading the demo to see if it's for you. Etrian Odyssey releases February 26, 2013 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
I'm surprised the Etrian Odyssey series is still being brought over considering how niche the target audience is. Etrian Odyssey IV Legends of the Titan makes its debut as the first in the series to launch on the Nintendo 3DS and is back for more classic Dungeon Crawling RPG. The Etrian Odyssey series is a throwback to classic cRPGs like Wizardry where the player forms their own party of adventures with various classes to choose from, drawing their own maps, and traversing dungeons in first-person view rather than a top-down view. I had played a bit of the first Etrian Odyssey and my experience from it surprises me that there's a market for the series in the West. In the first game, customization and skill building was very cluttered having all the skills of a class clumped into one huge list. Lots of preparation in equipment and skill building is needed before setting out and lots of grinding is required just to survive the initiation quest like in a lot of classic cRPG dungeon crawlers. With such archaic systems of the past, I didn't think the series would continue to be made and brought over to the West. I never got far with the first game and so I missed out on the 2nd and 3rd installment. It's a game that's definitely not easy to get into and requires a lot of patience, but what got me interested in the game and kept me interested was the bright and colorful, animé-esque art style with its retro style, FM-synth produced music by none other than Yuzo Koshiro. I've been a fan of Yuzo Koshiro ever since The Revenge of Shinobi on the Sega Genesis and ActRaiser on the Super Nintendo, and so I wasn't too surprised to see that the catchy and whimsical soundtrack was composed by him. When I heard a fourth one was about to release on the Nintendo 3DS, I was curious if any changes would be made. Luckily, a demo came out in the eShop market and allowed me to download it onto my 3DS. Here's what I got from it:
-Main structure of gameplay and combat is essentially the same
-Art style is the same, but environments and backgrounds are gorgeous
-There's a skill "tree" now, so it's really organized rather than one huge list
-Enemies are no longer static 2D sprites, but animated 3D models
-A "Casual" difficulty level that makes the game easier
-Initiation quest is a lot more straight-forward and comprehensive
-An over world like map (not sure if it's new to the series or not)
-Music is an orchestral ensemble instead of the usual FM-Synth tunes
-Dungeon maps are even easier to use with the circle pad
In short, my experience with the demo thus far has been really enjoyable! The Demo allows a maximum of 30 plays, 10 character slots (there's 30 in the full game), a level cap of 10, and everything else seems unrestricted. I have to admit that preparing my party, talking to all the NPCs, gathering my equipment and allocating my skill points to the party took a very very long time, but it's part of the charm to the game that makes it feel so personal (as it always has in cRPGs). Although it follows the same structure as the first game, this iteration seems a lot more tolerable for a wider audience than before. I feel rather compelled to get the game now. If you're even a bit curious about the game, I highly recommend downloading the demo to see if it's for you. Etrian Odyssey releases February 26, 2013 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
GameLight - Brutal Legend
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/225260/
Source: Youtube Channel gamespot
Look what's decided to show up on PC after its initial launch 4 years ago! Brutal Legend is an open-world, Action-Adventure, Real-Time Strategy game that heavily references the metal genre of music. The game features voices from heavy metal musicians such as Lemmy Kilmister, Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford. The main character Eddie Riggs looked a bit like Jack Black during the conceptual stages of designing the character and so the development team decided to ask him personally if he wanted to work with them on the game and he agreed. You can pre-order now on Steam and receive 2 exclusive Team Fortress 2 hats and early access to the multiplayer beta. Brutal Legend for the PC releases on February 26, 2013 for $14.99 pre-order and $19.99 normal price.
Source: Youtube Channel gamespot
Look what's decided to show up on PC after its initial launch 4 years ago! Brutal Legend is an open-world, Action-Adventure, Real-Time Strategy game that heavily references the metal genre of music. The game features voices from heavy metal musicians such as Lemmy Kilmister, Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford. The main character Eddie Riggs looked a bit like Jack Black during the conceptual stages of designing the character and so the development team decided to ask him personally if he wanted to work with them on the game and he agreed. You can pre-order now on Steam and receive 2 exclusive Team Fortress 2 hats and early access to the multiplayer beta. Brutal Legend for the PC releases on February 26, 2013 for $14.99 pre-order and $19.99 normal price.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
GameLight - Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires
Official Site: http://www.tecmokoeiamerica.com/dw7e/
Source: Youtube Channel Plutogames1
Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires is sneaking up soon and I didn't even notice. Expanding Koei's Action Hack-n-Slash game Dynasty Warriors 7, Empires provides various new content to the already addictive war game. With Empires, players can create their own characters (FINALLY, been waiting for that in the original and Xtreme Legends), build their own faction using those characters, share their characters with other players online, and play Empire mode which adds a whole new dynamic to the game. Rather than progressively move from one level to the next, the player is presented with the layout of Ancient China and must devise plans of conquering all of it using strategy, tactics, and diplomacy along with their hack-n-slash skills in order to win. More weapons will be added, and a new system called "favorite weapons" allows certain characters to change their musou attack depending on which weapon they wield. I'm not sure if I'm ready for Empires yet as I haven't even opened Xtreme Legends to play yet. This is sure to be one game I'll keep an eye out for this year. Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires is set to launch on February 26, 2013 exclusively for the Playstation 3.
Source: Youtube Channel Plutogames1
Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires is sneaking up soon and I didn't even notice. Expanding Koei's Action Hack-n-Slash game Dynasty Warriors 7, Empires provides various new content to the already addictive war game. With Empires, players can create their own characters (FINALLY, been waiting for that in the original and Xtreme Legends), build their own faction using those characters, share their characters with other players online, and play Empire mode which adds a whole new dynamic to the game. Rather than progressively move from one level to the next, the player is presented with the layout of Ancient China and must devise plans of conquering all of it using strategy, tactics, and diplomacy along with their hack-n-slash skills in order to win. More weapons will be added, and a new system called "favorite weapons" allows certain characters to change their musou attack depending on which weapon they wield. I'm not sure if I'm ready for Empires yet as I haven't even opened Xtreme Legends to play yet. This is sure to be one game I'll keep an eye out for this year. Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires is set to launch on February 26, 2013 exclusively for the Playstation 3.
Monday, February 11, 2013
VGCulture - League of Legends Lunar New Year Skins
Official Site: http://promo.leagueoflegends.com/lunar-revel/en.html
Every year, Riot Games will celebrate Chinese/Lunar New Year with the rest of the community with special releases of Champion Skins. This year, it's not just 1-2 skins, but 5 of them. For a limited of time, players can buy a special oriental themed skin for Annie, Cassiopeia, Corki, Jarvan IV, and Xin Zhao. I'm most fond of Jarvan IV's Lu Bu skin and Xin Zhao's Zhao Yun skin which both has the likeness of those character designs from the Dynasty Warrior's series by Koei. Aside from Champion skins, there also special wards, gifting, summoner icons, and a paper craft contest. Click on the top link to check the details. Happy Chinese/Lunar New Year's! May fortune and good health bless you all.
Friday, February 8, 2013
NewNews - Nintendo Wii U ZombiU Bundle out Feb. 17
Wii U Page: http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu/features/
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
Looks like there will be a special bundle on its way for the Nintendo Wii U that includes many things that will prepare players for upcoming releases. Aside from the Deluxe version of the main console that holds 32 GB worth of memory and the Wii U Pad, the bundle will include a Pro Controller, a copy of ZombiU, a free download of NintendoLand and an exclusive art book for ZombiU for $389.99.
To list them:
-Wii U Console
-Wii U Pad
-Pro Controller
-ZombiU Game
-ZombiU Art Book
-Free NintendoLand download
That's the console, 2 games to play, a pro controller for all other games that might need them, and a special bonus art book. It's $40 more expensive than just the Deluxe Set by itself, but $70 cheaper than buying the Deluxe set, Pro Controller, and ZombiU game together, saving enough money for another purchase of a game. The Bundle is set to release on February 17th. I wonder how long this bundle will stick around? It's definitely a consideration for me should I decide to buy a Nintendo Wii U. Thanks for sharing the news Joystiq!
Source:
-Joystiq: Wii U ZombiU bundle coming to North America Feb. 17
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
Looks like there will be a special bundle on its way for the Nintendo Wii U that includes many things that will prepare players for upcoming releases. Aside from the Deluxe version of the main console that holds 32 GB worth of memory and the Wii U Pad, the bundle will include a Pro Controller, a copy of ZombiU, a free download of NintendoLand and an exclusive art book for ZombiU for $389.99.
To list them:
-Wii U Console
-Wii U Pad
-Pro Controller
-ZombiU Game
-ZombiU Art Book
-Free NintendoLand download
That's the console, 2 games to play, a pro controller for all other games that might need them, and a special bonus art book. It's $40 more expensive than just the Deluxe Set by itself, but $70 cheaper than buying the Deluxe set, Pro Controller, and ZombiU game together, saving enough money for another purchase of a game. The Bundle is set to release on February 17th. I wonder how long this bundle will stick around? It's definitely a consideration for me should I decide to buy a Nintendo Wii U. Thanks for sharing the news Joystiq!
Source:
-Joystiq: Wii U ZombiU bundle coming to North America Feb. 17
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Retroview - Phantasy Star Zero
Official Site: http://www.sega.com/games/phantasy-star-zero/
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica
I remember waiting for Phantasy Star Zero to come out. My wish for a Phantasy Star game on the Nintendo DS had come true and was so close. It was one of the very few games I pre-ordered and picked up on the first day. That was over 3 years ago when it was released back in November 10, 2009. I didn't play over 100 hours on it like I thought I would, but I did manage to complete the main part of the game at least once. Phantasy Star Online held a lot of great memories for gamers and so many were excited for Phantasy Star Universe. Unfortunately, it wasn't met with the same type of love and appreciation for the game.
Many other gamers didn't like Phantasy Star Online to begin with because of the lack of story considering it's an RPG (there was absolutely a story to the game, but you had to pay attention to the conversations and message nodes to understand what was happening). With Phantasy Star Universe, fans complained it was TOO much story and not enough gameplay among other changes to classes, combat mechanics and such. Sega responded by making Phantasy Star Zero meet up between the two for an enjoyable experience for a portable system like the Nintendo DS. They balanced the amount of story with gameplay while returning the combat mechanics back to the original Phantasy Star Online while adding some new ones such as charging attacks and abilities.
The game takes advantage of the touch screen which has access to maps, AI commands, and text messages. Then, there's also free online cooperative gameplay with players around the world. I tried it and it really worked! Online gameplay on the Nintendo DS was definitely better than the Nintendo Wii at the time. Everything that made the Phantasy Star series past PSO fun returned with lots of different weapons, feeding mags, strategic 3 part combo attacks, and cooperative play.
With a game like Phantasy Star Zero, I was hoping more developers would be able to create games with as much content, online accessibility, and replay value in the future for handheld systems. I was hoping Heroes of Ruin would be one of those games for the Nintendo 3DS but ended up having no end-game content. I guess I can count on Sonic Team to continue to make games I wouldn't mind playing for hours on end when it comes to the Phantasy Star series. Especially with Phantasy Star Online 2 coming out.
Although I didn't play it as much as I thought I would, it's a game I still come back to once in a while. The game is still pretty pricey at most retail stores, but it's worth playing if you enjoy Action-RPGs and own a Nintendo DS or 3DS.
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica
I remember waiting for Phantasy Star Zero to come out. My wish for a Phantasy Star game on the Nintendo DS had come true and was so close. It was one of the very few games I pre-ordered and picked up on the first day. That was over 3 years ago when it was released back in November 10, 2009. I didn't play over 100 hours on it like I thought I would, but I did manage to complete the main part of the game at least once. Phantasy Star Online held a lot of great memories for gamers and so many were excited for Phantasy Star Universe. Unfortunately, it wasn't met with the same type of love and appreciation for the game.
Many other gamers didn't like Phantasy Star Online to begin with because of the lack of story considering it's an RPG (there was absolutely a story to the game, but you had to pay attention to the conversations and message nodes to understand what was happening). With Phantasy Star Universe, fans complained it was TOO much story and not enough gameplay among other changes to classes, combat mechanics and such. Sega responded by making Phantasy Star Zero meet up between the two for an enjoyable experience for a portable system like the Nintendo DS. They balanced the amount of story with gameplay while returning the combat mechanics back to the original Phantasy Star Online while adding some new ones such as charging attacks and abilities.
The game takes advantage of the touch screen which has access to maps, AI commands, and text messages. Then, there's also free online cooperative gameplay with players around the world. I tried it and it really worked! Online gameplay on the Nintendo DS was definitely better than the Nintendo Wii at the time. Everything that made the Phantasy Star series past PSO fun returned with lots of different weapons, feeding mags, strategic 3 part combo attacks, and cooperative play.
With a game like Phantasy Star Zero, I was hoping more developers would be able to create games with as much content, online accessibility, and replay value in the future for handheld systems. I was hoping Heroes of Ruin would be one of those games for the Nintendo 3DS but ended up having no end-game content. I guess I can count on Sonic Team to continue to make games I wouldn't mind playing for hours on end when it comes to the Phantasy Star series. Especially with Phantasy Star Online 2 coming out.
Although I didn't play it as much as I thought I would, it's a game I still come back to once in a while. The game is still pretty pricey at most retail stores, but it's worth playing if you enjoy Action-RPGs and own a Nintendo DS or 3DS.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
NewNews - PC Players Get SFxT DLC Characters
Official Site: http://www.streetfighter.com/us/sfxtk
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/7178/
Source: Youtube Channel CommunityGame
I bought Street Fighter x Tekken on Steam about 2 months ago thinking that I would never get to see the 12 additional characters on it not to mention the PS3 exclusive characters. To my surprise, I saw a special deal on Steam today that just happened to be just that. The 12 DLC characters that has long since been out for consoles and PS Vita has finally made it out on PC without any warning from the media as far as I know. To make this even better, the DLC pack is 75% off for only $5 from now until February 20th. There probably aren't a lot of players for PC, but I had bought the game mainly to play single-player and to play locally with friends so the deal I got for the game and the DLC characters is still cheaper than paying for the original game on console. I just have to deal with Games for Windows Live. As for the additional Characters, here's the roster:
Street Fighter:
Sakura
Blanka
Guy
Cody
Elena
Dudley
Tekken:
Lars
Alisa
JACK-X
Bryan
Christie
Lei
I haven't touched Street Fighter x Tekken for a month now. I think this is a good time to play it again.
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/7178/
Source: Youtube Channel CommunityGame
I bought Street Fighter x Tekken on Steam about 2 months ago thinking that I would never get to see the 12 additional characters on it not to mention the PS3 exclusive characters. To my surprise, I saw a special deal on Steam today that just happened to be just that. The 12 DLC characters that has long since been out for consoles and PS Vita has finally made it out on PC without any warning from the media as far as I know. To make this even better, the DLC pack is 75% off for only $5 from now until February 20th. There probably aren't a lot of players for PC, but I had bought the game mainly to play single-player and to play locally with friends so the deal I got for the game and the DLC characters is still cheaper than paying for the original game on console. I just have to deal with Games for Windows Live. As for the additional Characters, here's the roster:
Street Fighter:
Sakura
Blanka
Guy
Cody
Elena
Dudley
Tekken:
Lars
Alisa
JACK-X
Bryan
Christie
Lei
I haven't touched Street Fighter x Tekken for a month now. I think this is a good time to play it again.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
NewNews - TERA Online entirely free today
Official Site: http://tera.enmasse.com/
Source: Youtube Channel enmasseentertainment
Tera Online went free-to-play 2 months ago with lots of limitations as mentioned in an earlier post. It might have been a way to test the waters or analyze player reactions before going entirely free, but that doesn't matter now as En Masse Entertainment has launched an entirely free Tera Rising today. No more subscription fees, no monthly payment, just the game and of course a micro-transaction store. The shop will include clothing, mounts and consumables, nothing too extravagant that would give PvP players an advantage as far as I know.
For those unfamiliar with Tera Online, it is an Action-MMORPG that utilizes combat mechanics found in action-games rather than the usual point-n-click/Tab-action combat found in most MMORPGs. This means that players will have to actually aim their attacks in order to land hits on an enemy. It's still an open-world experience with instance based dungeons and PvP. I participated in the Beta and really enjoyed it. If you're interested in Tera Rising, click on the top link, register for an account, download the game, and you'll be ready to play in no time.
Source: Youtube Channel enmasseentertainment
Tera Online went free-to-play 2 months ago with lots of limitations as mentioned in an earlier post. It might have been a way to test the waters or analyze player reactions before going entirely free, but that doesn't matter now as En Masse Entertainment has launched an entirely free Tera Rising today. No more subscription fees, no monthly payment, just the game and of course a micro-transaction store. The shop will include clothing, mounts and consumables, nothing too extravagant that would give PvP players an advantage as far as I know.
For those unfamiliar with Tera Online, it is an Action-MMORPG that utilizes combat mechanics found in action-games rather than the usual point-n-click/Tab-action combat found in most MMORPGs. This means that players will have to actually aim their attacks in order to land hits on an enemy. It's still an open-world experience with instance based dungeons and PvP. I participated in the Beta and really enjoyed it. If you're interested in Tera Rising, click on the top link, register for an account, download the game, and you'll be ready to play in no time.
Monday, February 4, 2013
GameLight - Ys I & II Chronicles+
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/223810/
Source: Youtube Channel RPGamerdotcom
I was so happy with the localization of Ys Origins and Ys The Oath in Felghana released last year. I bought both games last summer but didn't have the time to play them. I still had other games to finish, but couldn't help it anymore and installed The Oath in Felghana and started playing it. Right afterwards, I saw Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles+ on the Steam special page. Once again, XSeed Games bring the Western market another Ys title. Ys 1 and 2 has been remade, re-released, and ported countless times ever since its original release in the 1980's. Ys 1&2 defined the Action-RPG genre when it was still in its infancy and is one of the most influential games of its kind. Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles+ takes the player back to the original games with recreated art, updated music, and a more familiar hack-n-slash control scheme instead of the bumper-car style gameplay the game was original known for. Of course, all the original art assets, music, and gameplay style is still selectable. I've played through the first Ys and thought it was okay. I never got far in Ys 2 because it was very confusing. The original Ys games were extremely grindy, and so I'm hoping the remakes won't be. I'm willing to give the two games another play and try with the release on PC. Ys I & II Chronicles+ will be available on Steam February 14th, 2013 for $12.74 pre-purchase and $14.99 when it reverts back to its original price.
Source: Youtube Channel RPGamerdotcom
I was so happy with the localization of Ys Origins and Ys The Oath in Felghana released last year. I bought both games last summer but didn't have the time to play them. I still had other games to finish, but couldn't help it anymore and installed The Oath in Felghana and started playing it. Right afterwards, I saw Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles+ on the Steam special page. Once again, XSeed Games bring the Western market another Ys title. Ys 1 and 2 has been remade, re-released, and ported countless times ever since its original release in the 1980's. Ys 1&2 defined the Action-RPG genre when it was still in its infancy and is one of the most influential games of its kind. Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles+ takes the player back to the original games with recreated art, updated music, and a more familiar hack-n-slash control scheme instead of the bumper-car style gameplay the game was original known for. Of course, all the original art assets, music, and gameplay style is still selectable. I've played through the first Ys and thought it was okay. I never got far in Ys 2 because it was very confusing. The original Ys games were extremely grindy, and so I'm hoping the remakes won't be. I'm willing to give the two games another play and try with the release on PC. Ys I & II Chronicles+ will be available on Steam February 14th, 2013 for $12.74 pre-purchase and $14.99 when it reverts back to its original price.
Friday, February 1, 2013
GameLight - God Mode
Official Site: http://www.atlus.com/godmode/
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
Atlus seems to be publishing a 3rd-Person shooter called God Mode which takes the player and 3 of their friends into the depths of hell to fight off legions of enemies in a crazy 4-player co-op game. The story is somewhat straight-forward. When the game starts, the player is dead. But, the player is also from a lineage of an ancient god that was banished from Mt. Olympus and thus opens a door of opportunity to the player to fight through purgatory and become a god. With the story sounding "meh", I took a look at the gameplay and was captivated by what this game might be capable of. There seems to be tons of weapons, items, enemies, customization, and in-game dynamics that will make each play through unique. What the developers hope to achieve in conveying is a retro-style, arcade like feel of Action games so that players can have instant gratification from the moment they start to the very end. Not enough details about the game is released yet, but it's one I'm going to keep an eye on. God Mode will be released for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC through PSN, XBLA, and Steam respectively early 2013.
Source: Youtube Channel IGN
Atlus seems to be publishing a 3rd-Person shooter called God Mode which takes the player and 3 of their friends into the depths of hell to fight off legions of enemies in a crazy 4-player co-op game. The story is somewhat straight-forward. When the game starts, the player is dead. But, the player is also from a lineage of an ancient god that was banished from Mt. Olympus and thus opens a door of opportunity to the player to fight through purgatory and become a god. With the story sounding "meh", I took a look at the gameplay and was captivated by what this game might be capable of. There seems to be tons of weapons, items, enemies, customization, and in-game dynamics that will make each play through unique. What the developers hope to achieve in conveying is a retro-style, arcade like feel of Action games so that players can have instant gratification from the moment they start to the very end. Not enough details about the game is released yet, but it's one I'm going to keep an eye on. God Mode will be released for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC through PSN, XBLA, and Steam respectively early 2013.
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