2012 was definitely a fun year with lots of fun games. Here are my top 10 picks of 2012 that I'd probably recommend:
10) New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel Nintendo
Finally deciding to buy a Nintendo 3DS with the release of the XL version, I picked up New Super Mario Bros. 2 as my first game for the system and completed it practically in one day. To complete all the available levels took me a few more days. Considering how little time I spent on the game, $40 was quite a hefty price for the game. The game was incredibly easy, even when compared to New Super Mario Bros. 1; however, Nintendo was able to create a Mario game that was still fresh and new. New Super Mario Bros. 2 reminded me: "Don't be greedy". The game was easy, but there were many instances where I find myself falling into bottomless pits or running into an enemy because I got greedy. The formula is essentially the same, but with an emphasis on collecting coins. It's an enjoyable game and one that anyone can get into.
9) Resident Evil: Revelations (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
I wanted more games for my 3DS and there weren't much available. Seeing a discounted price and good reviews for Resident Evil Revelations, I decided to grab a copy and try it out. I was so impressed by it. Beautiful graphics, great controls, a return of a more suspenseful and eerie atmosphere, and a whole lot of fun to play. It has a nice balance between horror-survival and Action that makes it stand out from other games of the genre. Resident Evil Revelation is possibly the best looking game on the Nintendo 3DS right now.
8) Torchlight 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel runicgames
My friend and I were going to get Torchlight 2 to fill in the time before Diablo 3. After D3 was released and still no TL2, our interest in the game faded away. When it finally released, I expressed my interest in still playing the game as I did enjoy the first one for the most part (it got boring near the end for me). I waited for a sale and got the game for $10 at 50% off and my friend bought it on a whim after hearing about it so much. We were both pleasantly surprised with the game. The world is more open rather than running from floor to floor, loot was much better, the new classes were all unique and exciting to play, and it was much faster paced than the first game. The game is different enough from Diablo 3 that I'd recommend playing for a different experience.
7) Awesomenauts (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel ronimogames
My major concern with buying the game was "are there people playing the game?" It is the biggest problem with multiplayer games where the community is weak and the game dies out in popularity before it can even take off. When I first bought the game, there were very few people playing unfortunately. Thankfully, after a few sales on steam in the last 2 months of 2012, a reasonable amount of players were on. The game has a certain charm to it that makes it easier for more people to get into which made it easier for me to convince some of my friends to get the game. It's probably not going to be played competitively in the e-sports scene, but it's balanced and entertaining enough for a casual audience to enjoy.
6) Persona 4 Arena (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel AtlusUSA
A lot of fighting games came out in 2012, and I'm really happy to see that as fighting games have gotten sort of weak a few years ago. But one particular fighting game stood out in 2012. Developed by the minds behind BlazBlue, Persona 4 Arena takes the characters and setting of popular Playstation 2 RPG "Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4" and works out a plausible story where friends and new faces are pitted against each other in crazy and stylish battles of man and their shadows. The game is very easy to grasp which helped me convince my non-fighting game playing friends to join me and still have fun playing it.
5) Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel Valve
I don't even remember how long I've waited for the release of CS:GO, but I was elated to see a release date and was excited to see what has changed. Unlike the change from CS 1.6 to CS Source, actual environments are added to the levels, guns look and sound better, the overall feel of the game mechanics are smooth, and the community behind Counter-Strike is still very strong. The change to the buying window to a circle is very strange and is most likely designed for both consoles in mind and Valve's new Big Screen mode where everything can be controlled through a gamepad. True, Counter-Strike has yet to see an actual sequel, but I really like each iteration that has come out of the game thus far and am excited to see how much more CS:GO will evolve.
4) DotA 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel dota2
Who would've thought that popular Warcraft 3 custom campaign "Defense of the Ancients" would be picked up by Valve to make a standalone game rather than Blizzard themselves only to realize that Blizzard really was working on one. The dispute and controversy between Blizzard and Valve was saddening, but they seemed to have reach a resolution to carry out both games without getting in each other's way. DotA 2 has not been officially released, but players and myself have applied for a beta key and have been granted with one. It is a bit strange having changes from what most were used to from the original mod, but the ones that took notice to problems to the Warcraft 3 engine really made the experience of DotA 2 a lot better. Hotkeys are put into one row now rather than being all over the keyboard. Players who queue up must accept joining a game so that leavers, those AFK or not ready are not put into a game with everyone else who ARE ready to play. Items are put into a single shop rather than separated into 10 shops. Players who get disconnected can reconnect. The User-interface is clean but still provides everything the player needs to know. Many problems that were evident in the original mod were addressed in the stand-alone and has made DotA that much better. The learning curve is still extremely steep and very difficult for new players, but the recommended items and skill based-match up help players ease into the game a little better. After being absent from DotA 1 for nearly 3 years, it was great being able to play it again in a much more organized fashion in 2012 with DotA 2.
3) Dragon's Dogma (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel CapcomUnityVideos
I cannot believe I did not spend more time on this game. Dragon's Dogma was one of my most anticipated games of 2012 and for good reason. The boss battles are epic, the world is massive, class choices are versatile, gameplay is challenging, and despite being a single-player game it's quite involving. The game does have its rough edges and nuance of elements from other RPGs that bothers many players such as the ally NPCs being very chatty, a messy inventory because of crafting materials, and of course ally AIs doing really dumb things. It's also pretty frustrating fighting a boss for nearly 20-30 minutes with only a few hits off left only to get killed in one hit (happens quite often). Still, I have barely scratched the surface of Dragon's Dogma and cannot wait to return to the game.
2) Guild Wars 2 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel Gamehelper
I have mentioned before that I had no interest in Guild Wars 2 when it was first announced; however, my stance on the game changed as I started to see the new classes (Engineer), saw new game mechanics (dodging), and was urged by a friend to get it alongside him to player cooperatively. He was so excited about the game while I was just somewhat interested. When it finally came out, I was sucked in with the amount of customization the classes had, the steady progress through the story, and accessible PvP/WvW modes. Guild Wars 2 had turned out a lot more than I would have ever imagined and I think I even like it more than the first one. I'm only half way to level maxing one of my characters but still enjoy what the game has to offer. This is possibly the most enjoyable MMORPG I have played up to date and hope that it has lasting interest for years to come.
1) Diablo 3 (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel gameplay9000
Diablo 3 got a lot of attention in 2012. It had a huge backing in hype, big controversy in design choices such as the real money auction house and having to always be online to play even single-player, outcry from fans about problems with launch, imbalances in items and classes, and promises made by Blizzard to have PvP which still hasn't happened yet. Yes, Diablo 3 had a lot of negative feedback from the community despite the waves of praise from the critics. I, myself, did not like how the story evolved, the latter part of the game's boss battles, and frequent disconnections from the game's servers or even the lag when playing solo. Despite its flaws, I spent over 200+ hours on Diablo 3 and continue to enjoy what the game has to offer as the developers over at Blizzard Studios has rebalanced the classes, consistently fix problems, added a whole new layer to the game with paragon levels and uber bosses, and still plans on adding new content without having players pay more as DLCs. The ability to switch out any skill builds is exactly what I wanted without having to worry about putting attribute points in the wrong stats. The first two main bosses were incredible and are these best in the series. The slightly slower game-play than Diablo 2 is counter-acted by a much more strategic and hectic battle in Diablo 3. Yes, I had disappointments with the game, but I still had a ton of fun with it nonetheless.
Honorable Mention:
Phantasy Star Online 2 (Jp) (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica
Had this game come out in the West in 2012, THIS would be my number one choice of 2012. I had the privilege of playing PSO2 on the Japanese servers thanks to knowing people from and who go to Japan and my slight ability to read certain words in Japanese. I couldn't place this game as a choice for 2012 as I did not spend nearly enough time with the game and is not officially out in the Western market. Through my 12-15 hours of playing Phantasy Star Online 2, I really enjoyed my experience with the game in many aspects. The story is integrated throughout the world as cut-scenes and dialogues, graphics and environments are current and beautiful while still capturing the charm and nostalgia of the original PSO, class changes offer versatility through a single character, and combat mechanics are stylish and intuitive compared to it predecessors. Randomly generated maps and abrupt events within a quest keep the game fresh and multiplayer is made very easy with the lobby/party style match making. The game is so much fun and I cannot wait for its actual release in the West which has already been announced for a Spring launch in 2013.
Showing posts with label GameOn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GameOn. Show all posts
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Games that Looked Bad
Featured Games:
Clan of Champions (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - PC: 43/100
Source: Youtube Channel LordTronix
The combat looks shallow, the graphics/settings are generic, the game was poorly received by critics, yet I'm still interested in playing this quirky little game. Clan of Champions is a localized version of the Japanese game "Gladiators Vs.". I first saw the game on Steam and looked it up. Developed by ACQUIRE Corp. and published NIS America, the game seemed to have somewhat of a chance of at least getting noticed. Unfortunately, it was only reviewed by 5 critics according to MetaCritic and all of them scored it lower than 60/100. It's understandable though. The game launched at, and still is at, $40 base price with DLCs available. The game doesn't seem to have very much depth to it. It's simply a straight up, instanced-based, Action game moving from one mission to another with some customization. Still, if this game ever sees a price of under $10, I'm going to give it a chance.
Ravaged (PC) - PC: 65/100
Source: Youtube Channel 2DawnGames
I'm sick of buying so many FPS games that's exclusively multiplayer if not multiplayer focused and finding out that no one plays it anymore. So when I saw Ravaged for the first time, a red flag went up right away telling me to stay away from it. It launched at a price of $20/$30 (I can't really remember) and quickly dropped to $10 only to received sale after sale the month afterwards. Just today, it has another sale as a free Weekend deal where players can try the game out the next 2 days before deciding to buy it for $3.39. This is telling me that the community is very weak for this game. It's not because it's a bad game, but because there are so many FPS games that are played or free which makes for an incredibly competitive market. So it seems the problem with this game that makes it look so bad is not having enough players. From the trailer, it looks like the maps are huge. When you only have a few players in the game, there are less confrontations making for a rather slow experience rather than a fast-paced one. I'm downloading it now to try it out for the free weekend, but I doubt I'll buy it as the community will diminish fairly quickly.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - (52/52/48)
Source: Youtube Channel Pornoak Leo
Despite being a "Resident Evil" game, it looks like the game is a straight-up shooter. Developed by the guys who worked on SOCOM, this collaboration between Japan's studios and a Western Studio turned out to be a failed effort as critics and players alike expressed their disappointment with the game. The game was apparently riddled with glitches and bugs, horrible controls, idiotic AI scripts for both ally NPCs and enemeis, a short single-player experience, and a multiplayer with tons of problems. Not to mention the game requires Games for Windows Live to play, yuck. The game looks a lot like the optional modes for Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil Revelations where it's like an Arcade shooter. Despite all the negative feedback this game has received, I'm still willing to try it out as long as I'm able to get it for under $10.
Other Games:
-007 Legends
-Battleship
-Deep Black: Reloaded
-Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
-Fable: The Journey
-Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse
-Fray
-Game of Thrones
-Gettysburg: Armored Warfare
-Gotham City Impostors
-Hybrid
-Inversion
-NeverDead
-Of Orcs and Men
-Orion: Dino Beatdown
-Painkiller: Recurring Evil
-Risen 2: Dark Waters
-SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny
-The Expendables 2 Videogame
-Tryst
-Viking: Battle for Asgard
-Way of the Samurai 4
-Wonderbook: Book of Spells
Clan of Champions (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - PC: 43/100
Source: Youtube Channel LordTronix
The combat looks shallow, the graphics/settings are generic, the game was poorly received by critics, yet I'm still interested in playing this quirky little game. Clan of Champions is a localized version of the Japanese game "Gladiators Vs.". I first saw the game on Steam and looked it up. Developed by ACQUIRE Corp. and published NIS America, the game seemed to have somewhat of a chance of at least getting noticed. Unfortunately, it was only reviewed by 5 critics according to MetaCritic and all of them scored it lower than 60/100. It's understandable though. The game launched at, and still is at, $40 base price with DLCs available. The game doesn't seem to have very much depth to it. It's simply a straight up, instanced-based, Action game moving from one mission to another with some customization. Still, if this game ever sees a price of under $10, I'm going to give it a chance.
Ravaged (PC) - PC: 65/100
Source: Youtube Channel 2DawnGames
I'm sick of buying so many FPS games that's exclusively multiplayer if not multiplayer focused and finding out that no one plays it anymore. So when I saw Ravaged for the first time, a red flag went up right away telling me to stay away from it. It launched at a price of $20/$30 (I can't really remember) and quickly dropped to $10 only to received sale after sale the month afterwards. Just today, it has another sale as a free Weekend deal where players can try the game out the next 2 days before deciding to buy it for $3.39. This is telling me that the community is very weak for this game. It's not because it's a bad game, but because there are so many FPS games that are played or free which makes for an incredibly competitive market. So it seems the problem with this game that makes it look so bad is not having enough players. From the trailer, it looks like the maps are huge. When you only have a few players in the game, there are less confrontations making for a rather slow experience rather than a fast-paced one. I'm downloading it now to try it out for the free weekend, but I doubt I'll buy it as the community will diminish fairly quickly.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PS3/Xbox 360/PC) - (52/52/48)
Source: Youtube Channel Pornoak Leo
Despite being a "Resident Evil" game, it looks like the game is a straight-up shooter. Developed by the guys who worked on SOCOM, this collaboration between Japan's studios and a Western Studio turned out to be a failed effort as critics and players alike expressed their disappointment with the game. The game was apparently riddled with glitches and bugs, horrible controls, idiotic AI scripts for both ally NPCs and enemeis, a short single-player experience, and a multiplayer with tons of problems. Not to mention the game requires Games for Windows Live to play, yuck. The game looks a lot like the optional modes for Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil Revelations where it's like an Arcade shooter. Despite all the negative feedback this game has received, I'm still willing to try it out as long as I'm able to get it for under $10.
Other Games:
-007 Legends
-Battleship
-Deep Black: Reloaded
-Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
-Fable: The Journey
-Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse
-Fray
-Game of Thrones
-Gettysburg: Armored Warfare
-Gotham City Impostors
-Hybrid
-Inversion
-NeverDead
-Of Orcs and Men
-Orion: Dino Beatdown
-Painkiller: Recurring Evil
-Risen 2: Dark Waters
-SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny
-The Expendables 2 Videogame
-Tryst
-Viking: Battle for Asgard
-Way of the Samurai 4
-Wonderbook: Book of Spells
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Games that Looked Good
There were a lot of great looking games that caught my attention and/or received good feedback from critics and players alike in 2012. The list is simply staggering, and I'm probably missing a few games in the list as well. I will be highlighting some of the games I would've liked to have gotten and/or made time for in 2012:
Some games I would've liked to have gotten/made time for:
Code of Princess (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
The Nintendo 3DS doesn't have nearly as many games as it predecessors did which makes it a bit more difficulty to enjoy the system when there's nothing to play. Code of Princess was a game that caught my interest as it reminded me of a great beat-em-up with RPG elements called "Guardian Heroes". The game is said to have two members who worked on Guardian Heroes which might be the reason why some of the direction in game mechanics and art style is similar. The game features many playable characters, tons of quests, online play, different stat builds, and some competitive modes. It looks like a game with high replay value which I was looking for as I have completed the majority of my 3DS games. I should've bought it when it was still $30 at Amazon...
Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
I bought FFXIII-2 knowing I wouldn't be able to play it anytime soon as I have yet to even begin FFXIII itself. I've heard the many complaints on FFXIII and similar ones in FFXIII-2, but there are those who still really enjoyed them. I know some who 100% completed FFXIII-2 it. I'm hoping this will be the year I finally sit down and get through those Final Fantasy games.
Mugen Souls (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
Mugen Souls looks complete ridiculous and insane which is probably what seems so interesting about it. The Art style is very similar to the Disgaea series but is by a different developer (possible that it's the same artist). The game seems to have a certain charm about it and the plethora of customization is very appealing. I'm hoping it gets a lower price tag before I get it though. I also need to finish up more PS3 games before I even think about picking this game up.
The Last Story / Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
These two games are considered the last of the Wii games worth buying and ones that I was hoping to have brought over stateside really badly. Still, I didn't buy it "yet" as I have tons of Wii games uncompleted and is rarely touched. I had so many reasons for being so hesitant in buying these two games. I have spent a lot on other games, I still had many uncompleted games, these two games are RPGs and is sure to take a lot of time, and there doesn't seem to be any decline in price for either games. I still have a grand desire to get and play these two games and have heard incredible experiences players had with the games. I would have probably put these two games as top games of 2012 had I played it.
Ys Origin / Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel XSEEDgames
I didn't hold back to buy both Ys games when I heard they were being brought over to stateside on Steam. I have waited 6 years to be able to finally play Ys: Origins and yet I never made time to play through either one yet. 2012 was seriously packed with an incredible library of great games that kept me really busy. Ys: The Oath in Felghana had a release on PSP before, but I didn't care much for it until it was released on PC. It's a remake of Ys 3: Wanderers of Ys and so I decided to find and play the SNES version in preparation to playing it. Ys 3 was one of the games I really wanted as a child but never got and it was probably a good thing I didn't either as the game had many flawed design choices and was incredibly difficulty. But being able to complete it now, I am now probably able to appreciate the remake a lot more. These two are high on my list of "to play" once I complete a few more games.
Other great games that came out in 2012:
-Akai Katana
-Alan Wake (PC)
-Alan Wake's American Nightmare
-Asassin's Creed 3
-Asura's Wrath
-Armored Core V
-Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland
-Avernum: Escape From the Pit
-Blades of Time
-Bullet Run
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
-Closure
-Darksiders 2
-Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition
-DayZ
-Deadlight
-Dead or Alive 5
-Devil May Cry HD
-DiRT Showdown
-Dishonored
-Dust: An Elysian Tail
-Dyad
-Endless Space
-Far Cry 3
-Fez
-Forza Horizon
-Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
-Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time
-Guardians of Middle-Earth
-Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus
-Gungnir
-Halo 4
-Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
-Hero Academy (PC)
-Hitman: Absolution
-Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2
-I Am Alive
-Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
-Jak and Daxter Collection
-JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver.
-Kid Icarus: Uprising
-Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
-Krater
-Kung Fu Strike: The Warrior's Rise
-LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
-LEGO The Lord of the Rings
-Lollipop Chainsaw
-Lone Survivor
-Mark of the Ninja
-Mass Effect 3
-Max Payne 3
-Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
-Medal of Honor: Warfighter
-Miasmata
-NBA 2K13
-NFL Blitz
-New Super Mario Bros. U
-Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
-Nintendo Land
-Need for Speed: Most Wanted
-Okami HD
-One Piece: Pirate Warriors
-Orcs Must Die! 2
-Painkiller: Hell & Damnation
-Paper Mario: Sticker Star
-Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
-Persona 4 Golden
-Pokémon Black and White 2
-Pokémon Conquest
-Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
-Prototype 2
-Quantum Conundrum
-Ragnarok Odyssey
-Ragnarok Tactics
-Rayman Origins
-Realms of Ancient War
-Record of Agarest War 2
-Resident Evil 6
-Retro City Rampage
-Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure
-Rock of Ages
-Scribblenauts Unlimited
-Serious Sam 3: BFE
-Shank 2
-Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
-Silent Hill: Downpour
-Silent Hill HD Collection
-Skullgirls
-Sleeping Dogs
-Sniper Elite V2
-Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
-Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2
-Sorcery
-SoulCalibur V
-Sound Shapes
-Spec Ops: The Line
-Spelunky
-Starhawk
-Stealth Bastard Deluxe
-Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
-Super Monday Night Combat
-Syndicate
-Tales of Graces f
-The Unfinished Swan
-The Walking Dead Video Game
-Tokyo Jungle
-Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
-Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai
-Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
-Tropico 4: Modern Times
-Twisted Metal
-UFC Undisputed 3
-Unchained Blades
-War of the Roses
-Warriors Orochi 3 / Hyper (Wii U)
-World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
-WWE '13
-XCOM: Enemy Unknown
-Yakuza: Dead Souls
-ZombiU
-Zone of the Enders HD Collection
Some games I would've liked to have gotten/made time for:
Code of Princess (3DS)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
The Nintendo 3DS doesn't have nearly as many games as it predecessors did which makes it a bit more difficulty to enjoy the system when there's nothing to play. Code of Princess was a game that caught my interest as it reminded me of a great beat-em-up with RPG elements called "Guardian Heroes". The game is said to have two members who worked on Guardian Heroes which might be the reason why some of the direction in game mechanics and art style is similar. The game features many playable characters, tons of quests, online play, different stat builds, and some competitive modes. It looks like a game with high replay value which I was looking for as I have completed the majority of my 3DS games. I should've bought it when it was still $30 at Amazon...
Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
I bought FFXIII-2 knowing I wouldn't be able to play it anytime soon as I have yet to even begin FFXIII itself. I've heard the many complaints on FFXIII and similar ones in FFXIII-2, but there are those who still really enjoyed them. I know some who 100% completed FFXIII-2 it. I'm hoping this will be the year I finally sit down and get through those Final Fantasy games.
Mugen Souls (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
Mugen Souls looks complete ridiculous and insane which is probably what seems so interesting about it. The Art style is very similar to the Disgaea series but is by a different developer (possible that it's the same artist). The game seems to have a certain charm about it and the plethora of customization is very appealing. I'm hoping it gets a lower price tag before I get it though. I also need to finish up more PS3 games before I even think about picking this game up.
The Last Story / Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
These two games are considered the last of the Wii games worth buying and ones that I was hoping to have brought over stateside really badly. Still, I didn't buy it "yet" as I have tons of Wii games uncompleted and is rarely touched. I had so many reasons for being so hesitant in buying these two games. I have spent a lot on other games, I still had many uncompleted games, these two games are RPGs and is sure to take a lot of time, and there doesn't seem to be any decline in price for either games. I still have a grand desire to get and play these two games and have heard incredible experiences players had with the games. I would have probably put these two games as top games of 2012 had I played it.
Ys Origin / Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel XSEEDgames
I didn't hold back to buy both Ys games when I heard they were being brought over to stateside on Steam. I have waited 6 years to be able to finally play Ys: Origins and yet I never made time to play through either one yet. 2012 was seriously packed with an incredible library of great games that kept me really busy. Ys: The Oath in Felghana had a release on PSP before, but I didn't care much for it until it was released on PC. It's a remake of Ys 3: Wanderers of Ys and so I decided to find and play the SNES version in preparation to playing it. Ys 3 was one of the games I really wanted as a child but never got and it was probably a good thing I didn't either as the game had many flawed design choices and was incredibly difficulty. But being able to complete it now, I am now probably able to appreciate the remake a lot more. These two are high on my list of "to play" once I complete a few more games.
Other great games that came out in 2012:
-Akai Katana
-Alan Wake (PC)
-Alan Wake's American Nightmare
-Asassin's Creed 3
-Asura's Wrath
-Armored Core V
-Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland
-Avernum: Escape From the Pit
-Blades of Time
-Bullet Run
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
-Closure
-Darksiders 2
-Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition
-DayZ
-Deadlight
-Dead or Alive 5
-Devil May Cry HD
-DiRT Showdown
-Dishonored
-Dust: An Elysian Tail
-Dyad
-Endless Space
-Far Cry 3
-Fez
-Forza Horizon
-Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
-Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time
-Guardians of Middle-Earth
-Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus
-Gungnir
-Halo 4
-Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
-Hero Academy (PC)
-Hitman: Absolution
-Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2
-I Am Alive
-Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
-Jak and Daxter Collection
-JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver.
-Kid Icarus: Uprising
-Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
-Krater
-Kung Fu Strike: The Warrior's Rise
-LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
-LEGO The Lord of the Rings
-Lollipop Chainsaw
-Lone Survivor
-Mark of the Ninja
-Mass Effect 3
-Max Payne 3
-Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
-Medal of Honor: Warfighter
-Miasmata
-NBA 2K13
-NFL Blitz
-New Super Mario Bros. U
-Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
-Nintendo Land
-Need for Speed: Most Wanted
-Okami HD
-One Piece: Pirate Warriors
-Orcs Must Die! 2
-Painkiller: Hell & Damnation
-Paper Mario: Sticker Star
-Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
-Persona 4 Golden
-Pokémon Black and White 2
-Pokémon Conquest
-Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
-Prototype 2
-Quantum Conundrum
-Ragnarok Odyssey
-Ragnarok Tactics
-Rayman Origins
-Realms of Ancient War
-Record of Agarest War 2
-Resident Evil 6
-Retro City Rampage
-Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure
-Rock of Ages
-Scribblenauts Unlimited
-Serious Sam 3: BFE
-Shank 2
-Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
-Silent Hill: Downpour
-Silent Hill HD Collection
-Skullgirls
-Sleeping Dogs
-Sniper Elite V2
-Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
-Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2
-Sorcery
-SoulCalibur V
-Sound Shapes
-Spec Ops: The Line
-Spelunky
-Starhawk
-Stealth Bastard Deluxe
-Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
-Super Monday Night Combat
-Syndicate
-Tales of Graces f
-The Unfinished Swan
-The Walking Dead Video Game
-Tokyo Jungle
-Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
-Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai
-Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
-Tropico 4: Modern Times
-Twisted Metal
-UFC Undisputed 3
-Unchained Blades
-War of the Roses
-Warriors Orochi 3 / Hyper (Wii U)
-World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
-WWE '13
-XCOM: Enemy Unknown
-Yakuza: Dead Souls
-ZombiU
-Zone of the Enders HD Collection
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Played and Disliked
The list of games I played and didn't enjoy as much is the shortest one, so I think I'll be able to talk a little about each one.
Binary Domain (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
To be fair, I did enjoy the game from time to time throughout the playthrough; however, the amount of flaws made it more frustrating than enjoyable. The premise of the story isn't entirely new, but it was provocative and intriguing. The writing was humorous and made dialogues between the characters more interesting rather than just moving the plot along. The graphics were incredibly beautiful, especially a lot of the city scape settings. With so much going for it, what made it considered so bad? The biggest gimmick in the game was the ability to give voice commands to your allies. You can tell them to rush forward, give cover fire, praise them, or yell at them. Unfortunately, the voice command system was always going haywire and giving absurd directions or insulting your team mates when you want to praise them which affected the relationship level system between the main character and his allies. I ended up turning off the voice commands which limited me to 2-4 choices of responses using key presses whenever presented with a question. Then there's the relationship level system mentioned earlier. Commending an ally or performing extraordinary feats will raise your relationship level with allies while friendly fire and undesirable responses to questions will anger them and lower your relationship level. The higher the relationship level, the more likely an ally will listen to a command while lower levels will often get them to ignore you. The problem is that friendly fire happens quite often as allies tend to run in front of gunfire almost constantly despite being purposely in front of them. Sometimes they'll ask a question in mid-combat and immediately get angry as an enemy interrupts them. The relationship level also affects the ending the player gets, so it makes it that more difficult to raise their levels to the max. Movement can be clunky, and firefights mostly consist of covering and firing. Boss fights are quite large and exciting, but they're also buggy, tedious, and annoying at times. This game probably should be in the first list as it was pretty fun shooting tons of robots and blowing things up, but it's also a game I couldn't recommend a friend and not a game I'd want to revisit anytime soon. I guess I felt that this game could've been so much more but isn't.
Home (PC)
I did not enjoy this game. It's an Adventure game presented as a retro-style, 8-bit thriller as the player tries to figure out what had happen in the brief past as the main character retraces his steps back to this own home. The story was shallow, the pacing was incredibly slow, and every possible ending was intentionally ambiguous to try to reach for something deeper in meaning which didn't matter. I do have to commend the game's ability to create a somewhat eerie atmosphere, but that's about it. Thankfully, it was only $1 and nothing more.
Journey (PS3)
Journey is by no means a bad game. The concept is unique, the graphics and environment is beautiful, and the experience was interesting; however, I just didn't enjoy it as a game. Most of the game was just holding up and walking. I fell asleep a few times from the short 1.5 hours of completion of the game. The most riveting part of the game was probably the very end. I won't say anymore as the whole playthrough is an experience and I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. Also, it quite pricey to have a $15 tag on it for just 1.5 hours of gameplay. I would probably recommend anyone to play through it once at a friend's house who has the game just for the experience as $15 just isn't worth it. Journey is more like an Art piece than a game.
Nexuiz (PC)
It's not that I didn't enjoy the game, it's that I didn't get a chance to. Nexuiz is an arena-style shooter akin to First-Person Shooters like Quake and Unreal Tournament. It's fast-paced, has tons of character abilities, a nice line up of weapons, and beautifully crafted levels. But the problem is, no one plays it. I bought the game, was excited to try it out, went online and saw 2 people in one server and 1 guy in his own server. Despite numerous sales, promotions, and even the addition of Steamworks compatibility, the population of Nexuiz is extremely low to none. Thankfully, there's still a practice mode where I can mess around in the game against bots. It's a fun game, but ended up disappointing with no community behind it.
The Secret World (PC)
So what happened with this game? A few years ago, it was announced and caught the attention of the industry by storm. But once it came out, this MMORPG was shot up with a spark of interest and quickly melded with the rest of the MMOs out in the market. I had the opportunity to try the game out during a free weekend and was presented with nearly 2.5 hours of cut-scenes and dialogue while only 30 minutes of those 3 hours was spent killing a few enemies. It's a strange mechanic to have the player press every attack over and over with the number rows when moving around with WASD and dodging is such a big part of the combat system in the game. It made the controls feel cumbersome and messy. A lot of the combat felt "ho-hum, it was kinda interesting" where it didn't seem to deliver the excitement and fast-paced combat it promised in these past few years. It's evident that the publisher couldn't keep the subscription base model anymore and moved to a pay-once with micro-transaction model much like Guild Wars 2. The game might have gotten better as I played farther into it, so perhaps I'll give it another chance in the future if it's still around.
The War Z (PC)
I bought this game knowing it uses the same exact formula concocted by the modders for DayZ, that it was still in Beta form, and that it included micro-transactions. What I didn't know was how hard it was just to play with a friend, how incredibly slow the pacing of the game was, and how very little the player is rewarded. The War Z is an obvious rip-off of the popular ArmA 2 mod "DayZ" where players are dropped into a desolate world of scarce resources, mobs of zombies, and human players who are more likely to kill you for your supplies than help each other to survive. In the first hour of playing the game, my friend and I worked on trying to meet up only to find ourselves dropped on opposite sides of the map. He was killed 3 times in a row by another player with a gun while I died of zombies overwhelming me whenever I found an item. 90% of the time will be spent walking to a destination or running away from zombies. 7% of the time, you'll be finding items and walking through a village or city. And the rare 3% of the time, you'll be fighting zombies and/or shooting other players. It's pretty exciting finding a weapon, item, or just nourishments, but that feeling is quickly dashed when you're killed by an unsuspecting zombie that made no sound or by another player sniping you from far away. So far, the game seems to work well for trolling other players by staying stationary at a city and killing other players who pass by, hackers who go around killing players with aim-bots with sniper rifles and such. The game provides quite the experience, but I don't think I'll be able to make the $13.50 I paid worth it. This game has so much negative feedback right now that I doubt it'll last much longer. From the poor launch to the handling of design priority, the developers and publisher of the game has a very bad reputation amongst the community. This was probably the most disappointing game I played in 2012.
Binary Domain (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
To be fair, I did enjoy the game from time to time throughout the playthrough; however, the amount of flaws made it more frustrating than enjoyable. The premise of the story isn't entirely new, but it was provocative and intriguing. The writing was humorous and made dialogues between the characters more interesting rather than just moving the plot along. The graphics were incredibly beautiful, especially a lot of the city scape settings. With so much going for it, what made it considered so bad? The biggest gimmick in the game was the ability to give voice commands to your allies. You can tell them to rush forward, give cover fire, praise them, or yell at them. Unfortunately, the voice command system was always going haywire and giving absurd directions or insulting your team mates when you want to praise them which affected the relationship level system between the main character and his allies. I ended up turning off the voice commands which limited me to 2-4 choices of responses using key presses whenever presented with a question. Then there's the relationship level system mentioned earlier. Commending an ally or performing extraordinary feats will raise your relationship level with allies while friendly fire and undesirable responses to questions will anger them and lower your relationship level. The higher the relationship level, the more likely an ally will listen to a command while lower levels will often get them to ignore you. The problem is that friendly fire happens quite often as allies tend to run in front of gunfire almost constantly despite being purposely in front of them. Sometimes they'll ask a question in mid-combat and immediately get angry as an enemy interrupts them. The relationship level also affects the ending the player gets, so it makes it that more difficult to raise their levels to the max. Movement can be clunky, and firefights mostly consist of covering and firing. Boss fights are quite large and exciting, but they're also buggy, tedious, and annoying at times. This game probably should be in the first list as it was pretty fun shooting tons of robots and blowing things up, but it's also a game I couldn't recommend a friend and not a game I'd want to revisit anytime soon. I guess I felt that this game could've been so much more but isn't.
Home (PC)
I did not enjoy this game. It's an Adventure game presented as a retro-style, 8-bit thriller as the player tries to figure out what had happen in the brief past as the main character retraces his steps back to this own home. The story was shallow, the pacing was incredibly slow, and every possible ending was intentionally ambiguous to try to reach for something deeper in meaning which didn't matter. I do have to commend the game's ability to create a somewhat eerie atmosphere, but that's about it. Thankfully, it was only $1 and nothing more.
Journey (PS3)
Journey is by no means a bad game. The concept is unique, the graphics and environment is beautiful, and the experience was interesting; however, I just didn't enjoy it as a game. Most of the game was just holding up and walking. I fell asleep a few times from the short 1.5 hours of completion of the game. The most riveting part of the game was probably the very end. I won't say anymore as the whole playthrough is an experience and I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. Also, it quite pricey to have a $15 tag on it for just 1.5 hours of gameplay. I would probably recommend anyone to play through it once at a friend's house who has the game just for the experience as $15 just isn't worth it. Journey is more like an Art piece than a game.
Nexuiz (PC)
It's not that I didn't enjoy the game, it's that I didn't get a chance to. Nexuiz is an arena-style shooter akin to First-Person Shooters like Quake and Unreal Tournament. It's fast-paced, has tons of character abilities, a nice line up of weapons, and beautifully crafted levels. But the problem is, no one plays it. I bought the game, was excited to try it out, went online and saw 2 people in one server and 1 guy in his own server. Despite numerous sales, promotions, and even the addition of Steamworks compatibility, the population of Nexuiz is extremely low to none. Thankfully, there's still a practice mode where I can mess around in the game against bots. It's a fun game, but ended up disappointing with no community behind it.
The Secret World (PC)
So what happened with this game? A few years ago, it was announced and caught the attention of the industry by storm. But once it came out, this MMORPG was shot up with a spark of interest and quickly melded with the rest of the MMOs out in the market. I had the opportunity to try the game out during a free weekend and was presented with nearly 2.5 hours of cut-scenes and dialogue while only 30 minutes of those 3 hours was spent killing a few enemies. It's a strange mechanic to have the player press every attack over and over with the number rows when moving around with WASD and dodging is such a big part of the combat system in the game. It made the controls feel cumbersome and messy. A lot of the combat felt "ho-hum, it was kinda interesting" where it didn't seem to deliver the excitement and fast-paced combat it promised in these past few years. It's evident that the publisher couldn't keep the subscription base model anymore and moved to a pay-once with micro-transaction model much like Guild Wars 2. The game might have gotten better as I played farther into it, so perhaps I'll give it another chance in the future if it's still around.
The War Z (PC)
I bought this game knowing it uses the same exact formula concocted by the modders for DayZ, that it was still in Beta form, and that it included micro-transactions. What I didn't know was how hard it was just to play with a friend, how incredibly slow the pacing of the game was, and how very little the player is rewarded. The War Z is an obvious rip-off of the popular ArmA 2 mod "DayZ" where players are dropped into a desolate world of scarce resources, mobs of zombies, and human players who are more likely to kill you for your supplies than help each other to survive. In the first hour of playing the game, my friend and I worked on trying to meet up only to find ourselves dropped on opposite sides of the map. He was killed 3 times in a row by another player with a gun while I died of zombies overwhelming me whenever I found an item. 90% of the time will be spent walking to a destination or running away from zombies. 7% of the time, you'll be finding items and walking through a village or city. And the rare 3% of the time, you'll be fighting zombies and/or shooting other players. It's pretty exciting finding a weapon, item, or just nourishments, but that feeling is quickly dashed when you're killed by an unsuspecting zombie that made no sound or by another player sniping you from far away. So far, the game seems to work well for trolling other players by staying stationary at a city and killing other players who pass by, hackers who go around killing players with aim-bots with sniper rifles and such. The game provides quite the experience, but I don't think I'll be able to make the $13.50 I paid worth it. This game has so much negative feedback right now that I doubt it'll last much longer. From the poor launch to the handling of design priority, the developers and publisher of the game has a very bad reputation amongst the community. This was probably the most disappointing game I played in 2012.
Monday, January 7, 2013
GameOn - Games of 2012 - Played and Liked
Hopefully everyone had a great holiday season and is prepared for the new year. 2012 was an amazing year for gamers as it was filled with tons of wonderful titles. It was one of the funnest years for gaming despite the decline in retail sales in the market. For this week, there will be a GameOn reviewing 2012. I'll be going through games I played and enjoyed, played and disliked, great games I missed out on, games I'm probably glad I didn't get, and a final pick of games I would personally recommend from 2012.
These are the games I played in 2012 that I enjoyed:
Highlights
Awesomenauts (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel ronimogames
The game looks silly and absolutely absurd, but I believe that's part of the charm to the game. It's made to be a 2D MOBA, but is probably better understood as an Action-Platformer Tower-Defense game. I was pretty hesitant about getting the game as I wasn't sure how populated the game was as most multiplayer-intensive games I've purchased in the past end up being empty or bad. Thankfully, as the game got 3 sales within the last 3 months of 2012 the population rose and provided some really fun games. The game's fairly easy to learn but still challenges even the most hardcore of players. It was one of the most delightful games I played in 2012 and hope that it continues to grow in popularity as time passes on.
Chivlary: Medieval Warfare (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel TornBannerStudios
I played a bit of the original Half-Life 2 mod back a while ago and enjoyed concept of medieval fights with swords, shields, and lopping heads off. So when I heard that a stand-alone version was finally going to be made, I was happy for them and was ready support them when I could. During the Steam Winter Sales not long ago, I bought the game and finally got a chance to play it one night for about 3 hours. Although the game felt familiar from the original, the improvements were evident and limitations were lifted. The game's a lot of fun mixed with a lot of frustration. Thankfully, winning isn't a big part of the game. It's all the fights and kills you racked up that makes this a fun distraction to hop into and mess around in much like in Team Fortress 2. So far, the community is very strong and hopefully continues to grow throughout this year.
Fortune Summoners: Secret of the Elemental Stone (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel mentaldagger
I mentioned this game quite often throughout the year and finally started playing it only to find that the game was significantly more challenging than I had anticipated. I started the game playing on the hardest difficulty as my friend in this video did and completed the game. It was definitely possible to get through the game, but there was a lot more grinding and persistence required just to get to the next part of the game. I had restarted the game on the easiest level and am still able to enjoy the game as it reminds me of the Castlevania games I've played in the past. It's tough trying to get this game under $10, but it's worth it if Action-Adventure games is your thing.
Hotline Miami (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel DevolverDigital
This was probably the most surprising game of the year for me. I had no intention of getting the game after seeing the cover art and some of the gameplay. But day after day, I saw this game pop up on blogs, reviews, and comments of how great this game was. I decided to give it a chance when it got a 50% off deal during the Steam Winter Sales. The game's a puzzle game! It's weird to say and it's not listed as so, but that's what it is. The player must find the quickest and most efficient way to kill off all the enemies of each floor without getting killed themselves which was pretty easy considering all it takes is one hit or one shot. The action is fast-paced, challenging, completely hilarious, and has one heck of a soundtrack to match it up. I also really like how visceral the game feels. From the graphics to the sound effects, all the action the player makes has a very tangible feel to them and it makes each kill feel very satisfying.
Persona 4 Arena (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel AtlusUSA
I wasn't planning on getting the game so early as I haven't even played the original Persona 4 game yet and do not know the story or characters. Still, I had friends who really enjoyed the game and urged me to get the game. After about 20-30 matches, I have come to the realization that Persona 4 Arena is possibly the most accessible 2D fighting game I have ever played that anyone can pick up and play. The mechanics to the game are universal through all the characters and they're as simple as mashing one button to do an incredible combo. Because of this, I was able to convince all my friends who don't play fighting games to give it a chance. A lot of fighting games were released in 2012, and I believe this was the most unique and original title to come out throughout the year.
The other games I played:
-Ace of Spades
-Blacklight: Retribution
-BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend
-Borderlands 2
-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
-Diablo 3
-DotA 2
-Dragon's Dogma
-Dustforce
-eXceed Collection
-FTL: Faster Than Light
-Forge
-Guild Wars 2
-Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax Ultimate Boy
-Heroes of Ruin
-Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
-Legend of Grimrock
-New Super Mario Bros. 2
-Phantasy Star Online 2 (Jp)
-PlanetSide 2
-PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
-Primal Carnage
-RaiderZ
-Realm of the Mad God
-Resident Evil: Revelations
-Sine Mora
-Street Fighter x Mega Man
-Street Fighter x Tekken
-Symphony
-Tekken Tag Tournament 2
-TERA Online
-Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
-The Darkness 2
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
-Torchlight 2
-Tribes: Ascend
These are the games I played in 2012 that I enjoyed:
Highlights
Awesomenauts (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel ronimogames
The game looks silly and absolutely absurd, but I believe that's part of the charm to the game. It's made to be a 2D MOBA, but is probably better understood as an Action-Platformer Tower-Defense game. I was pretty hesitant about getting the game as I wasn't sure how populated the game was as most multiplayer-intensive games I've purchased in the past end up being empty or bad. Thankfully, as the game got 3 sales within the last 3 months of 2012 the population rose and provided some really fun games. The game's fairly easy to learn but still challenges even the most hardcore of players. It was one of the most delightful games I played in 2012 and hope that it continues to grow in popularity as time passes on.
Chivlary: Medieval Warfare (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel TornBannerStudios
I played a bit of the original Half-Life 2 mod back a while ago and enjoyed concept of medieval fights with swords, shields, and lopping heads off. So when I heard that a stand-alone version was finally going to be made, I was happy for them and was ready support them when I could. During the Steam Winter Sales not long ago, I bought the game and finally got a chance to play it one night for about 3 hours. Although the game felt familiar from the original, the improvements were evident and limitations were lifted. The game's a lot of fun mixed with a lot of frustration. Thankfully, winning isn't a big part of the game. It's all the fights and kills you racked up that makes this a fun distraction to hop into and mess around in much like in Team Fortress 2. So far, the community is very strong and hopefully continues to grow throughout this year.
Fortune Summoners: Secret of the Elemental Stone (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel mentaldagger
I mentioned this game quite often throughout the year and finally started playing it only to find that the game was significantly more challenging than I had anticipated. I started the game playing on the hardest difficulty as my friend in this video did and completed the game. It was definitely possible to get through the game, but there was a lot more grinding and persistence required just to get to the next part of the game. I had restarted the game on the easiest level and am still able to enjoy the game as it reminds me of the Castlevania games I've played in the past. It's tough trying to get this game under $10, but it's worth it if Action-Adventure games is your thing.
Hotline Miami (PC)
Source: Youtube Channel DevolverDigital
This was probably the most surprising game of the year for me. I had no intention of getting the game after seeing the cover art and some of the gameplay. But day after day, I saw this game pop up on blogs, reviews, and comments of how great this game was. I decided to give it a chance when it got a 50% off deal during the Steam Winter Sales. The game's a puzzle game! It's weird to say and it's not listed as so, but that's what it is. The player must find the quickest and most efficient way to kill off all the enemies of each floor without getting killed themselves which was pretty easy considering all it takes is one hit or one shot. The action is fast-paced, challenging, completely hilarious, and has one heck of a soundtrack to match it up. I also really like how visceral the game feels. From the graphics to the sound effects, all the action the player makes has a very tangible feel to them and it makes each kill feel very satisfying.
Persona 4 Arena (PS3)
Source: Youtube Channel AtlusUSA
I wasn't planning on getting the game so early as I haven't even played the original Persona 4 game yet and do not know the story or characters. Still, I had friends who really enjoyed the game and urged me to get the game. After about 20-30 matches, I have come to the realization that Persona 4 Arena is possibly the most accessible 2D fighting game I have ever played that anyone can pick up and play. The mechanics to the game are universal through all the characters and they're as simple as mashing one button to do an incredible combo. Because of this, I was able to convince all my friends who don't play fighting games to give it a chance. A lot of fighting games were released in 2012, and I believe this was the most unique and original title to come out throughout the year.
The other games I played:
-Ace of Spades
-Blacklight: Retribution
-BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend
-Borderlands 2
-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
-Diablo 3
-DotA 2
-Dragon's Dogma
-Dustforce
-eXceed Collection
-FTL: Faster Than Light
-Forge
-Guild Wars 2
-Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax Ultimate Boy
-Heroes of Ruin
-Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
-Legend of Grimrock
-New Super Mario Bros. 2
-Phantasy Star Online 2 (Jp)
-PlanetSide 2
-PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
-Primal Carnage
-RaiderZ
-Realm of the Mad God
-Resident Evil: Revelations
-Sine Mora
-Street Fighter x Mega Man
-Street Fighter x Tekken
-Symphony
-Tekken Tag Tournament 2
-TERA Online
-Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
-The Darkness 2
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
-Torchlight 2
-Tribes: Ascend
Friday, April 20, 2012
GameOn - MOBA Games - League of Legends
Official Site: http://na.leagueoflegends.com/
Source: Youtube Channel RiotGamesInc
If we are to talk about MOBA Games, League of Legends (LoL) is bound to be the one game to be brought up (other than DotA 2 which isn't officially out yet). I have accumulated close to 600 hours on LoL since I first started 2.5 years ago when DotA was still my main MOBA game. That is perhaps the most I have ever spent on a single game (even more than Phantasy Star Online). It is undeniable that Riot Games' League of Legends is the most popular MOBA game on the market and one of the most played online games. Although there are many similarities from DotA's cast of characters, many of the champions in LoL are distinct with their own personality, unique play-style, and story background. The game is constantly expanding, improving, and updated so that the game's quality continues to further itself. A new champion is released every month with changes to existing ones to balance out the gameplay. There are many things that Riot does right with the new MOBA genre: simple to learn gameplay while still keeping it highly competitive and challenging, organized user-interface and comprehensible item shop, impeccable level design and art style that distinguishes objects from each other and the environment, and listening to the community to keep them involved. Like many other games, it does have its faults. The community is filled with younger audiences which unfortunately brings a lot of immaturity, whining/raging, name calling, and profanity filled goodness along with high egos and arrogance (this is not a generalization, you can tell the difference before schools out and right when the time they get back home). Children aren't the only ones to blame as many adults can be just as disrespectful and uncouth as they are in the streets. In short: the general community of LoL is ill-mannered and hard to get along with. That doesn't mean that everyone who plays LoL are going to rip your head off if you happen to do something wrong. In fact, I had a few matches where players from both teams were very courteous and joked around a lot which made the game really enjoyable (rare case, but they exist). Another problem is that the game frequently suffers from lag, bugs, disconnections to the server, glitches, and problems (usually right after a new patch). The Riot team is incredibly hard working though and has always made it a point to notate all issues and remedy them. The following for LoL is very strong and so there are a lot guides and videos that help players understand the game better. LoL is very balanced and the dynamics of how the game can be played makes for a very interesting match each time one plays. I highly recommend League of Legends for anyone who wants to play a MOBA game as an introduction to the genre as it's one of the easiest to learn and get into. Click on the top link and click play for free on the upper right hand corner to begin downloading and playing. This concludes this week's GameOn event, I hope everyone enjoyed it.
Source: Youtube Channel RiotGamesInc
If we are to talk about MOBA Games, League of Legends (LoL) is bound to be the one game to be brought up (other than DotA 2 which isn't officially out yet). I have accumulated close to 600 hours on LoL since I first started 2.5 years ago when DotA was still my main MOBA game. That is perhaps the most I have ever spent on a single game (even more than Phantasy Star Online). It is undeniable that Riot Games' League of Legends is the most popular MOBA game on the market and one of the most played online games. Although there are many similarities from DotA's cast of characters, many of the champions in LoL are distinct with their own personality, unique play-style, and story background. The game is constantly expanding, improving, and updated so that the game's quality continues to further itself. A new champion is released every month with changes to existing ones to balance out the gameplay. There are many things that Riot does right with the new MOBA genre: simple to learn gameplay while still keeping it highly competitive and challenging, organized user-interface and comprehensible item shop, impeccable level design and art style that distinguishes objects from each other and the environment, and listening to the community to keep them involved. Like many other games, it does have its faults. The community is filled with younger audiences which unfortunately brings a lot of immaturity, whining/raging, name calling, and profanity filled goodness along with high egos and arrogance (this is not a generalization, you can tell the difference before schools out and right when the time they get back home). Children aren't the only ones to blame as many adults can be just as disrespectful and uncouth as they are in the streets. In short: the general community of LoL is ill-mannered and hard to get along with. That doesn't mean that everyone who plays LoL are going to rip your head off if you happen to do something wrong. In fact, I had a few matches where players from both teams were very courteous and joked around a lot which made the game really enjoyable (rare case, but they exist). Another problem is that the game frequently suffers from lag, bugs, disconnections to the server, glitches, and problems (usually right after a new patch). The Riot team is incredibly hard working though and has always made it a point to notate all issues and remedy them. The following for LoL is very strong and so there are a lot guides and videos that help players understand the game better. LoL is very balanced and the dynamics of how the game can be played makes for a very interesting match each time one plays. I highly recommend League of Legends for anyone who wants to play a MOBA game as an introduction to the genre as it's one of the easiest to learn and get into. Click on the top link and click play for free on the upper right hand corner to begin downloading and playing. This concludes this week's GameOn event, I hope everyone enjoyed it.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
GameOn - MOBA Games - Avalon Heroes
Official Site: http://avalonheroes.en.alaplaya.net/
Source: Youtube Channel alaplayaMovies
One MOBA that is rarely talked about or even known to many is Avalon Heroes. Little background information can be found on the development of the game, so I'm unsure if the game was Korean developed or when it was first launched, etc. Avalon Heroes is also one that follows DotA quite closely from the 25 level cap, to the various shop merchants, and Warcraft 3 engine feel. What's unique about Avalon Heroes is that other than the usual battle mode, there's an adventure mode where up to 8 players can traverse a dungeon and fight a boss, a scenario mode where it tells a story, an arena mode where the goal is to eliminate the enemy hero, and a lobby where players can hang around to socialize and trade. It's pretty evident that the quality in development is a bit low. The graphics are outdated and blocky, the user-interface is convoluted and incredibly difficult to navigate through (the shop organization is atrocious), and descriptions of skills and items are much too wordy. The game does take quite a bit of getting used to, even for DotA veterans and it's possibly why the game isn't very populated. Still, there's quite a variety of heroes to choose (still a lot more than Rise of Immortals) and the various modes make for a different experience. I think it'd be a fun game if one can find a group of friends to play adventure mode.
Source: Youtube Channel alaplayaMovies
One MOBA that is rarely talked about or even known to many is Avalon Heroes. Little background information can be found on the development of the game, so I'm unsure if the game was Korean developed or when it was first launched, etc. Avalon Heroes is also one that follows DotA quite closely from the 25 level cap, to the various shop merchants, and Warcraft 3 engine feel. What's unique about Avalon Heroes is that other than the usual battle mode, there's an adventure mode where up to 8 players can traverse a dungeon and fight a boss, a scenario mode where it tells a story, an arena mode where the goal is to eliminate the enemy hero, and a lobby where players can hang around to socialize and trade. It's pretty evident that the quality in development is a bit low. The graphics are outdated and blocky, the user-interface is convoluted and incredibly difficult to navigate through (the shop organization is atrocious), and descriptions of skills and items are much too wordy. The game does take quite a bit of getting used to, even for DotA veterans and it's possibly why the game isn't very populated. Still, there's quite a variety of heroes to choose (still a lot more than Rise of Immortals) and the various modes make for a different experience. I think it'd be a fun game if one can find a group of friends to play adventure mode.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
GameOn - MOBA Games - Heroes of Newerth
Official Site: http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/
Source: Youtube Channel machinima
If you're a DotA veteran and you seek challenge from a hard-core game, Heroes of Newerth (HoN) would be the game for you. With the help of major DotA contributor "Icefrog", S2 Games had developed Heroes of Newerth within the world of their "Savage" series with the gameplay mechanics from DotA. Many of the limitations and problems the Warcraft 3 engine suffered from has sought solutions within HoN. The game is very fast-paced, highly competitive, has over 100 heroes to choose from, and is now free to play. The graphics are beautiful with a more up to date graphics rendering compared to the Warcraft 3 engine and has a really nice lighting and effects visual that creates really nice animations for spells and attacks. Unfortunately, HoN has its own problems. Because of its steep learning curve, the game is very difficult to pick up and play. Furthermore, the community within HoN is relentless and unforgiving. Players will talk down each other, even within the same team. The attitude of players can range from the immature to the most profane one can encounter on the internet. Although the animations and effects are really nice, the overall color scheme and graphics style makes it really difficult to distinguish units from the environment. Others might complain that the game is "too" similar to DotA and doesn't offer anything new. Still, my experience with HoN was mostly good and I really liked all the different characters to choose from. There's still a lot of dynamics and variation to keep the game fresh and exciting every time I play it, and it's definitely worth checking out now since it's free to play (originally a $30 purchase).
Source: Youtube Channel machinima
If you're a DotA veteran and you seek challenge from a hard-core game, Heroes of Newerth (HoN) would be the game for you. With the help of major DotA contributor "Icefrog", S2 Games had developed Heroes of Newerth within the world of their "Savage" series with the gameplay mechanics from DotA. Many of the limitations and problems the Warcraft 3 engine suffered from has sought solutions within HoN. The game is very fast-paced, highly competitive, has over 100 heroes to choose from, and is now free to play. The graphics are beautiful with a more up to date graphics rendering compared to the Warcraft 3 engine and has a really nice lighting and effects visual that creates really nice animations for spells and attacks. Unfortunately, HoN has its own problems. Because of its steep learning curve, the game is very difficult to pick up and play. Furthermore, the community within HoN is relentless and unforgiving. Players will talk down each other, even within the same team. The attitude of players can range from the immature to the most profane one can encounter on the internet. Although the animations and effects are really nice, the overall color scheme and graphics style makes it really difficult to distinguish units from the environment. Others might complain that the game is "too" similar to DotA and doesn't offer anything new. Still, my experience with HoN was mostly good and I really liked all the different characters to choose from. There's still a lot of dynamics and variation to keep the game fresh and exciting every time I play it, and it's definitely worth checking out now since it's free to play (originally a $30 purchase).
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
GameOn - MOBA Games - Realm of the Titans
Official Site: http://realmofthetitans.aeriagames.com/
Source: Youtube Channel MachinimaRealm
Realm of the Titans was lead and designed by two DotA professional players who entered in various tournaments around the world and saw potential in the genre. After the two returned to China from studying in Australia, the now CEO and Lead Designer of Realm of the Titans got a team together and started development. Realm of the Titans was still in development when League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth was announced and eventually released and so it was dealt with much negativity from the fanbase of LoL and HoN. Unfortunately for me, I never got to try Realm of the Titans yet and have been waiting for it to go out of beta for who knows how long. So far, those who have tried the game thoroughly have praised it for its large cast of characters (more than twice as much as Rise of Immortals), its balance in competitive play, and its polish. I can't back those claims just yet as I have not tried the game, even though I've been meaning to for an entire year now (Alpha Testing started back last year April 7, 2011). In terms of gameplay, map design, and core concept, the game is closer to DotA than most MOBA games (aside from Heroes of Newerth). For a Chinese developed game, it sure looks impressive. I'm very willing to try out this game.
Source: Youtube Channel MachinimaRealm
Realm of the Titans was lead and designed by two DotA professional players who entered in various tournaments around the world and saw potential in the genre. After the two returned to China from studying in Australia, the now CEO and Lead Designer of Realm of the Titans got a team together and started development. Realm of the Titans was still in development when League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth was announced and eventually released and so it was dealt with much negativity from the fanbase of LoL and HoN. Unfortunately for me, I never got to try Realm of the Titans yet and have been waiting for it to go out of beta for who knows how long. So far, those who have tried the game thoroughly have praised it for its large cast of characters (more than twice as much as Rise of Immortals), its balance in competitive play, and its polish. I can't back those claims just yet as I have not tried the game, even though I've been meaning to for an entire year now (Alpha Testing started back last year April 7, 2011). In terms of gameplay, map design, and core concept, the game is closer to DotA than most MOBA games (aside from Heroes of Newerth). For a Chinese developed game, it sure looks impressive. I'm very willing to try out this game.
Monday, April 16, 2012
GameOn - MOBA Games - Rise of Immortals
Official Site: http://riseofimmortals.com/
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
It's been a while since I've done a GameOn and have chosen to talk about Massive Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games this week. It's a fairly new genre and is not officially called MOBA but is used to describe any game that plays similarly to the globally popular Warcraft 3 custom campaign map "Defense of the Ancients" (DotA). In a MOBA, there is generally two teams consisting of players taking different roles to fulfill a need to win a team fight. Throughout a match, both teams try to push their own army into the opponent's base and destroy the main core to win. What's unique about MOBA games is that its core concept is similar to a tower defense game, plays similar to a top-down Action-RPG, and originated from an RTS custom campaign map which retains some of its elements in the genre (MOBA originated from a Starcraft custom campaign, DotA made it popular). There are dozens of characters to choose from, the dynamics of the game changes all the time with team compositions, players level up throughout a match and learn new skills, buy items to become even stronger, and participate in mini-boss fights in the map.
With the success of DotA, many developers wanted to have their take on the new found genre without the limitations of the Warcraft 3 engine. One such game to emerge is "Rise of Immortals" and heavily based on the theme of Mythological beings from various cultures. The game's art style and characters remind me of "Demigod", another MOBA game that was fun but unfortunately suffered from unbalanced gameplay and clunky user-interface. I liked how there was a 3-player cooperative mode to play and practice on a new character in the game. In most MOBA games, players are often tossed into the fray and had to learn everything along the way which made for a steep learning curve (it's not really like that anymore). Rise of Immortals wanted to make the game a bit more involving for players since those who played DotA would know that nothing was kept and a player starts fresh at level 1 every time. In Rise of Immortals, players can earn currency to purchase items that slightly increases an ability of a character to give a bit of advantage and allow a sense of progression like an RPG would. During a match, the player can rotate the camera all the way around and play at an angle they feel most comfortable playing in. The game is still refining itself as all online games tend to do, and here are some things they hopefully improve on:
-The character roster is rather limited (a little better now than when I tried it)
-Gameplay is still imbalanced (some characters are useless while other clearly have an advantage)
-Movement reaction is sluggish or delayed (Not sure why, but there's a slight delay in movement when clicking)
-Less login bugs (A lot of players seemed to have trouble logging in)
It's been a while since I've played the game and I feel like playing it again once more just to check out the new characters. It's free to play so anyone interested shouldn't hesitate to click on the link on top and try the game out.
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
It's been a while since I've done a GameOn and have chosen to talk about Massive Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games this week. It's a fairly new genre and is not officially called MOBA but is used to describe any game that plays similarly to the globally popular Warcraft 3 custom campaign map "Defense of the Ancients" (DotA). In a MOBA, there is generally two teams consisting of players taking different roles to fulfill a need to win a team fight. Throughout a match, both teams try to push their own army into the opponent's base and destroy the main core to win. What's unique about MOBA games is that its core concept is similar to a tower defense game, plays similar to a top-down Action-RPG, and originated from an RTS custom campaign map which retains some of its elements in the genre (MOBA originated from a Starcraft custom campaign, DotA made it popular). There are dozens of characters to choose from, the dynamics of the game changes all the time with team compositions, players level up throughout a match and learn new skills, buy items to become even stronger, and participate in mini-boss fights in the map.
With the success of DotA, many developers wanted to have their take on the new found genre without the limitations of the Warcraft 3 engine. One such game to emerge is "Rise of Immortals" and heavily based on the theme of Mythological beings from various cultures. The game's art style and characters remind me of "Demigod", another MOBA game that was fun but unfortunately suffered from unbalanced gameplay and clunky user-interface. I liked how there was a 3-player cooperative mode to play and practice on a new character in the game. In most MOBA games, players are often tossed into the fray and had to learn everything along the way which made for a steep learning curve (it's not really like that anymore). Rise of Immortals wanted to make the game a bit more involving for players since those who played DotA would know that nothing was kept and a player starts fresh at level 1 every time. In Rise of Immortals, players can earn currency to purchase items that slightly increases an ability of a character to give a bit of advantage and allow a sense of progression like an RPG would. During a match, the player can rotate the camera all the way around and play at an angle they feel most comfortable playing in. The game is still refining itself as all online games tend to do, and here are some things they hopefully improve on:
-The character roster is rather limited (a little better now than when I tried it)
-Gameplay is still imbalanced (some characters are useless while other clearly have an advantage)
-Movement reaction is sluggish or delayed (Not sure why, but there's a slight delay in movement when clicking)
-Less login bugs (A lot of players seemed to have trouble logging in)
It's been a while since I've played the game and I feel like playing it again once more just to check out the new characters. It's free to play so anyone interested shouldn't hesitate to click on the link on top and try the game out.
Friday, December 9, 2011
GameOn - Indie Game Composers - Andrew "Zircon" Aversa
Official Site: http://zirconmusic.com/
Source: Youtube Channel KenoguLabz
Hoo boy, this guy is gonna be a bit harder to talk about. Why? Because Andrew Aversa (aka Zircon) is no stranger to the industry and to his medium. His latest work on indie developed game "Return All Robots!" still reminds many of us that he still has ties to the indie scene. Have any of you heard of Fruity Loops? Have any of you used the program? There's a good chance that you might have heard his demo "Just hold on" which he collaborated with his wife Jillian Aversa. Do you listen to music from OC Remix? There's a very good chance that you've heard his remixes then. Ever watched a show called "Heroes"? Yup, he did the music for that series too! So what's difficult about talking about him? He's done so much that it's hard to describe his style, summarize all his works, and pretty much tell you how awesome he is! Having done multiple videogame remixes, won various awards in music competitions, scored music for critically acclaimed shows and games, co-founding the company in creating new samples and presets for synths, and even teaching new composers at Drexel University. I first found out about Zircon through OC Remix and listened to a lot of his remixes. He works a lot with electronic/synth instruments on Trance, techno, and from the example video above you can see that he'll do other genres like bossa, funk, atmospheric, etc. He describes his music being Organic Electronic music. Let's just say anything he makes sounds "big" or "grand". If you want to listen to more of Andrew Aversa's music, click on the link up top. You can buy his tracks off his bandcamp site, contact him for creating music for whatever you may need, and even learn more about music through his tutorials. Also, be sure to check Jillian Aversa's stuff (his wife) as her collaborations with Zircon has created many great works. This has been an awesome week of music and I hope everyone enjoyed what these great guys have to offer.
Source: Youtube Channel zirconst
Source: Youtube Channel KenoguLabz
Hoo boy, this guy is gonna be a bit harder to talk about. Why? Because Andrew Aversa (aka Zircon) is no stranger to the industry and to his medium. His latest work on indie developed game "Return All Robots!" still reminds many of us that he still has ties to the indie scene. Have any of you heard of Fruity Loops? Have any of you used the program? There's a good chance that you might have heard his demo "Just hold on" which he collaborated with his wife Jillian Aversa. Do you listen to music from OC Remix? There's a very good chance that you've heard his remixes then. Ever watched a show called "Heroes"? Yup, he did the music for that series too! So what's difficult about talking about him? He's done so much that it's hard to describe his style, summarize all his works, and pretty much tell you how awesome he is! Having done multiple videogame remixes, won various awards in music competitions, scored music for critically acclaimed shows and games, co-founding the company in creating new samples and presets for synths, and even teaching new composers at Drexel University. I first found out about Zircon through OC Remix and listened to a lot of his remixes. He works a lot with electronic/synth instruments on Trance, techno, and from the example video above you can see that he'll do other genres like bossa, funk, atmospheric, etc. He describes his music being Organic Electronic music. Let's just say anything he makes sounds "big" or "grand". If you want to listen to more of Andrew Aversa's music, click on the link up top. You can buy his tracks off his bandcamp site, contact him for creating music for whatever you may need, and even learn more about music through his tutorials. Also, be sure to check Jillian Aversa's stuff (his wife) as her collaborations with Zircon has created many great works. This has been an awesome week of music and I hope everyone enjoyed what these great guys have to offer.
Source: Youtube Channel zirconst
Thursday, December 8, 2011
GameOn - Indie Game Composers - Magnus "SoulEye" Pålsson
Official Site: http://www.souleye.se/home
Source: Youtube Channel ChaoticHarmonyEcho
VVVVVV is one of the only games throughout my duration of working on this blog to have given a high 9/10 in my GameLight Reviews (the other being Metal Gear Solid 4). One of the major factors that made me fall in love with the game is the music scored and produced by Magnus "SoulEye" Pålsson. He did such an incredible job for VVVVVV that he has become a little "too" associated with chiptune music. I say this because Pålsson has expressed desires to work more with music than just chiptunes, but he's so good at it that clients want him to make MORE! His work with VVVVVV utilizes scales of modes with simple bass lines and melodies which make it catchy and easy to groove with. The easy going yet high energy music really helped when going through some parts of the game, especially at "veni vidi vici". I was seriously humming along with the music the entire time I played the game AND I replayed the game a 2nd time to get 100% on everything. Although I exhausted my short play time of 10 hours on it (takes me only about 2 hours to beat the main game), the game was very enjoyable. The music just made the game that much better as I played through it. Here's one of my favorite tracks.
Source: Youtube Channel Gamemasternumberone
If you like what you hear, you can visit Magnus "SoulEye" Pålsson's Bandcamp site and buy the soundtrack for VVVVVV. Or if you're looking for some Chiptunes to plug into your game, contact him at is official website up top. I also recommend playing the game VVVVVV. You can get the game on Steam for $5.
Source: Youtube Channel ChaoticHarmonyEcho
VVVVVV is one of the only games throughout my duration of working on this blog to have given a high 9/10 in my GameLight Reviews (the other being Metal Gear Solid 4). One of the major factors that made me fall in love with the game is the music scored and produced by Magnus "SoulEye" Pålsson. He did such an incredible job for VVVVVV that he has become a little "too" associated with chiptune music. I say this because Pålsson has expressed desires to work more with music than just chiptunes, but he's so good at it that clients want him to make MORE! His work with VVVVVV utilizes scales of modes with simple bass lines and melodies which make it catchy and easy to groove with. The easy going yet high energy music really helped when going through some parts of the game, especially at "veni vidi vici". I was seriously humming along with the music the entire time I played the game AND I replayed the game a 2nd time to get 100% on everything. Although I exhausted my short play time of 10 hours on it (takes me only about 2 hours to beat the main game), the game was very enjoyable. The music just made the game that much better as I played through it. Here's one of my favorite tracks.
Source: Youtube Channel Gamemasternumberone
If you like what you hear, you can visit Magnus "SoulEye" Pålsson's Bandcamp site and buy the soundtrack for VVVVVV. Or if you're looking for some Chiptunes to plug into your game, contact him at is official website up top. I also recommend playing the game VVVVVV. You can get the game on Steam for $5.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
GameOn - Indie Game Composers - Jake "Virt" Kaufman
Official Site: http://www.biglionmusic.com/
Source: Youtube Channel nintendolife
I'm not sure if I should even call Jake Kaufman (aka Virt) a "indie" game composer since he has a lot of experience in the industry. I first took notice of Virt when Contra 4 was about to be released on the Nintendo DS. He had the honor of composing/arranging the tracks to the Contra series as well as doing the sound effects for the game. That was one friggin hard game that I never beat on normal mode (which has the true ending).
Source: Youtube Channel t3ht4ilzd0ll
Some notable games he's done the music and sound effects for are: Shantae (GBC), Godzilla: Domination (GBA), Scurge: Hive (GBA/DS), The Legend of Kay (PS2), Contra 4 (DS), Red Faction Guerrilla (Xbox 360/PS3), Shantae: Risky’s Revenge (DSi Ware), and upcoming DSi Ware game Mighty Milky Way. What I really love about Virt's work are his remixes. He has a ton of remix projects he's done in the past with killer guitar riffs. He's very versatile and so he works with all sorts of genres, platforms, and companies in creating the type of music they need. He still does remixes and arrangement when he's not working on a new game.
Source: Youtube Channel Kodylee21
Out of all of Virt's original work, the music from Shantae is my favorite (I hardly remember the music from Scurge: Hive, that game was confusing). But I love his remixes even more because of how creative he is with them. This Super Metroid Medley remix he did was for Dwelling of Duels. In any case, if you're an indie game developer and looking for a great musician to create a killer track, then go click on the top link and contact the man. Jake "Virt" Kaufman is a man who knows what he's doing for any possible genre and will be sure to deliver.
Source: Youtube Channel nintendolife
I'm not sure if I should even call Jake Kaufman (aka Virt) a "indie" game composer since he has a lot of experience in the industry. I first took notice of Virt when Contra 4 was about to be released on the Nintendo DS. He had the honor of composing/arranging the tracks to the Contra series as well as doing the sound effects for the game. That was one friggin hard game that I never beat on normal mode (which has the true ending).
Source: Youtube Channel t3ht4ilzd0ll
Some notable games he's done the music and sound effects for are: Shantae (GBC), Godzilla: Domination (GBA), Scurge: Hive (GBA/DS), The Legend of Kay (PS2), Contra 4 (DS), Red Faction Guerrilla (Xbox 360/PS3), Shantae: Risky’s Revenge (DSi Ware), and upcoming DSi Ware game Mighty Milky Way. What I really love about Virt's work are his remixes. He has a ton of remix projects he's done in the past with killer guitar riffs. He's very versatile and so he works with all sorts of genres, platforms, and companies in creating the type of music they need. He still does remixes and arrangement when he's not working on a new game.
Source: Youtube Channel Kodylee21
Out of all of Virt's original work, the music from Shantae is my favorite (I hardly remember the music from Scurge: Hive, that game was confusing). But I love his remixes even more because of how creative he is with them. This Super Metroid Medley remix he did was for Dwelling of Duels. In any case, if you're an indie game developer and looking for a great musician to create a killer track, then go click on the top link and contact the man. Jake "Virt" Kaufman is a man who knows what he's doing for any possible genre and will be sure to deliver.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
GameOn - Indie Game Composers - Daniel "C418" Rosenfeld
Official Site: http://c418.org/
Source: Youtube Channel UndisciplinedStallio
Daniel Rosenfeld (known to most people simply as C418) was asked to do music for Minecraft when chatting with Markus "Notch" Persson (former Lead Developer of Minecraft" on an IRC server. C418's work on Minecraft is more subtle and atmospheric as players would spend hundreds of hours in the world and wouldn't want a certain tune to play over and over again. But because of this, the music is definitely a "Background" music used for the game. I honestly couldn't really get into the music for Minecraft, but it worked well while playing...for the most part. There's a lot of slowed down tempo piano-only tracks with an occasion of some synth pads and leads with very subtle beats on a few of the songs. It's not so slow where it's sad, but lonelier. It makes sense though since the game is mostly one guy building things within a world with zombies and those green exploding monsters showing up once in a while. Rosenfeld plans on pursuing music within the gaming industry for as long as possible. With the success of Minecraft and a fan-base for his music, it'd be great for him to continue. If you like his music, be sure to visit his site up on top and purchase his soundtracks!
Source: Youtube Channel UndisciplinedStallio
Daniel Rosenfeld (known to most people simply as C418) was asked to do music for Minecraft when chatting with Markus "Notch" Persson (former Lead Developer of Minecraft" on an IRC server. C418's work on Minecraft is more subtle and atmospheric as players would spend hundreds of hours in the world and wouldn't want a certain tune to play over and over again. But because of this, the music is definitely a "Background" music used for the game. I honestly couldn't really get into the music for Minecraft, but it worked well while playing...for the most part. There's a lot of slowed down tempo piano-only tracks with an occasion of some synth pads and leads with very subtle beats on a few of the songs. It's not so slow where it's sad, but lonelier. It makes sense though since the game is mostly one guy building things within a world with zombies and those green exploding monsters showing up once in a while. Rosenfeld plans on pursuing music within the gaming industry for as long as possible. With the success of Minecraft and a fan-base for his music, it'd be great for him to continue. If you like his music, be sure to visit his site up on top and purchase his soundtracks!
Monday, December 5, 2011
GameOn - Indie Game Composers - Danny Baranowsky
Official Site: http://dbsoundworks.bandcamp.com/
Source: Youtube Channel IndieGameMusicHD
I'm going to talk about some pretty awesome people who compose and produce music for the indie game development scene this week. First up for this week's GameOn event is Danny Baranowsky. I first took notice of Baranowsky's work when Super Meat Boy released as a full fledged game on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade. At first, I only thought the music for Super Meat Boy was "okay" and somewhat "catchy". As I played for longer durations of the game, I realized one of the greatest aspects that made me keep playing the game was the music! I've taken quite a liking to Baranowsky's style of semi-retro/electronic upbeat tracks with a complex melody. It kept the game at a frantic, fast-paced frenzy if not a haunting and daunting mood from all the death traps littered throughout each level. When the developers of Team Meat moved on to create "The Binding of Isaac", an Action dungeon crawler with Rogue-like RPG elements, Danny Baranowsky once again joined in and created a morbid feeling track that really accentuated the grotesque theme and art style.
Source: Youtube Channel 8BallsEmperor
In terms of listening, I think Super Meat Boy's tracks are more fun to listen to. But what really got me liking the music in "The Binding of Isaac" is how effective it was in the game. The impact it had on the game's environment and the player's mental state was a large part of the experience while playing. The tracks are a mixture between some orchestration with dark electronic synths and pads which make it sound eerie. You can check out Baranowsky's site on the top and listen to samples of his other works and even buy them. I'm very excited to see what he works on next.
Source: Youtube Channel IndieGameMusicHD
I'm going to talk about some pretty awesome people who compose and produce music for the indie game development scene this week. First up for this week's GameOn event is Danny Baranowsky. I first took notice of Baranowsky's work when Super Meat Boy released as a full fledged game on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade. At first, I only thought the music for Super Meat Boy was "okay" and somewhat "catchy". As I played for longer durations of the game, I realized one of the greatest aspects that made me keep playing the game was the music! I've taken quite a liking to Baranowsky's style of semi-retro/electronic upbeat tracks with a complex melody. It kept the game at a frantic, fast-paced frenzy if not a haunting and daunting mood from all the death traps littered throughout each level. When the developers of Team Meat moved on to create "The Binding of Isaac", an Action dungeon crawler with Rogue-like RPG elements, Danny Baranowsky once again joined in and created a morbid feeling track that really accentuated the grotesque theme and art style.
Source: Youtube Channel 8BallsEmperor
In terms of listening, I think Super Meat Boy's tracks are more fun to listen to. But what really got me liking the music in "The Binding of Isaac" is how effective it was in the game. The impact it had on the game's environment and the player's mental state was a large part of the experience while playing. The tracks are a mixture between some orchestration with dark electronic synths and pads which make it sound eerie. You can check out Baranowsky's site on the top and listen to samples of his other works and even buy them. I'm very excited to see what he works on next.
Friday, October 14, 2011
GameOn - Fighting Games - Street Fighter x Tekken
Official Site: http://www.streetfighter.com/us/sfxtk/
Source: Youtube Channel CapcomUnityVideos
I remember being excited and confused when Capcom announced Street Fighter x Tekken when both fighting games have a totally different battle system. It seems that it falls more into the Street Fighter cross over style with games like SNK vs. Street Fighter and such. The game features a 2-person tag team which means you can play along side a friend and even a full out 2 vs 2 with all 4 players on the screen. The 2-player tag system allows a player or players to switch smoothly between the characters to chain a long string of attacks between them for the maximum damage output. With a cast from both Street Fighter and Tekken, it's going to be very interesting with the mash-ups a player could do. I'm not sure if they're going to be adding all the characters that people want since players already devising match-ups such as Fei Long versus Marshall Law and Akuma versus Heihachi. Currently, there are 22 characters listed on the site. There could be more, and I hope there will be without the need to buy them as a DLC. But this is Capcom we're talking about, and they've been milking with DLCs like crazy lately. I'm actually pretty hyped for this game since it's a different battle system and won't really replace a game that I'd be otherwise be playing (example: getting Soul Calibur 5 might mean playing Soul Calibur 4 a lot less). Looks like this won't be out until March 2012, which is fine. I hope this means more characters will be added.
Source: Youtube Channel CapcomUnityVideos
I remember being excited and confused when Capcom announced Street Fighter x Tekken when both fighting games have a totally different battle system. It seems that it falls more into the Street Fighter cross over style with games like SNK vs. Street Fighter and such. The game features a 2-person tag team which means you can play along side a friend and even a full out 2 vs 2 with all 4 players on the screen. The 2-player tag system allows a player or players to switch smoothly between the characters to chain a long string of attacks between them for the maximum damage output. With a cast from both Street Fighter and Tekken, it's going to be very interesting with the mash-ups a player could do. I'm not sure if they're going to be adding all the characters that people want since players already devising match-ups such as Fei Long versus Marshall Law and Akuma versus Heihachi. Currently, there are 22 characters listed on the site. There could be more, and I hope there will be without the need to buy them as a DLC. But this is Capcom we're talking about, and they've been milking with DLCs like crazy lately. I'm actually pretty hyped for this game since it's a different battle system and won't really replace a game that I'd be otherwise be playing (example: getting Soul Calibur 5 might mean playing Soul Calibur 4 a lot less). Looks like this won't be out until March 2012, which is fine. I hope this means more characters will be added.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
GameOn - Fighting Games - Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
Official Site: http://www.marvelvscapcom3.com/us
Source: Youtube Channel CapcomEuro
It makes me sad that I'm going to be buying another copy of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but it seems to be the trend in fighting games to add some extra content to the existing game and resell it. The thing is, there will be 8 new levels and 12 additional characters. The one I'm most excited about is Phoenix Wright among other characters such as Ghost Rider, Hawkeye, Strider Hiryu (yay for his return!), Fire Brand, and Vergil. With so many new characters joining the roster, I can't help but buy it when it's released. I'm hoping there will be a new mode of sorts to play since I play solo quite often if I'm not playing local multiplayer. I don't play any of my fighting games online, though I really should for the "Ultimate" experience. From my experience with online play on MvC3 (the only fighting game I've played online so far), the connection is pretty smooth and delivers a pretty legitimate competitive experience. One of the problems I had with MvC3 was the amount of characters compared to MvC2, and this new expansion seems to remedy that. I'm not sure if I really want to spend $40 for those new characters right away. I should probably wait it out and actually play the fighting games that's barely touched right now until I can get it for $20. The only problem is if suddenly Capcom decides to release "Super Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3". They seem to do that quite often. I skipped over getting "Super" Street Fighter 4 and then got it when "Arcade Edition" came out. Nonetheless, I can't wait to play as Phoenix Wright!
Source: Youtube Channel CapcomEuro
It makes me sad that I'm going to be buying another copy of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but it seems to be the trend in fighting games to add some extra content to the existing game and resell it. The thing is, there will be 8 new levels and 12 additional characters. The one I'm most excited about is Phoenix Wright among other characters such as Ghost Rider, Hawkeye, Strider Hiryu (yay for his return!), Fire Brand, and Vergil. With so many new characters joining the roster, I can't help but buy it when it's released. I'm hoping there will be a new mode of sorts to play since I play solo quite often if I'm not playing local multiplayer. I don't play any of my fighting games online, though I really should for the "Ultimate" experience. From my experience with online play on MvC3 (the only fighting game I've played online so far), the connection is pretty smooth and delivers a pretty legitimate competitive experience. One of the problems I had with MvC3 was the amount of characters compared to MvC2, and this new expansion seems to remedy that. I'm not sure if I really want to spend $40 for those new characters right away. I should probably wait it out and actually play the fighting games that's barely touched right now until I can get it for $20. The only problem is if suddenly Capcom decides to release "Super Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3". They seem to do that quite often. I skipped over getting "Super" Street Fighter 4 and then got it when "Arcade Edition" came out. Nonetheless, I can't wait to play as Phoenix Wright!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
GameOn - Fighting Games - Soul Calibur 5
Official Site: http://www.soulcalibur.com/
Source: Youtube Channel RajmanGamingHD
The first time I played Soul Calibur was at a nickel arcade. It was like many other 3D games out around time of its release such as Virtua Fighter, Tekken, and such. What really got me into Soul Calibur was when my father bought me Soul Calibur 2 and I didn't really know what it was (I didn't even know I had played Soul Calibur 1 at this time), but I liked the premise of a fighting game based on swords (I love swords). My father had bought me the gamecube version with Link as the special character for the system. From the different swords, to the quest like legend mode, Soul Calibur was a different fighting game for me and I really enjoyed it. When 3 came out, it was only for PS2 and I ended up not getting it. When my father had bought me the PS3 one Christmas, he got Soul Calibur 4 with it (among 11 other games). To my dismay, I was disappointed that all the characters were created using the customizer they created. I felt a lot of the personality of the characters were all watered down since they had similar features. On the bright side, the level of customization was very high. I didn't play Soul Calibur 4 as much (I don't play a lot of my fighting games all that much because I have so many games now) but I'm still excited for Soul Calibur 5 for some reason. It seems that Ivy is more properly robed. I assumed she was gonna go all out seeing the progression from SC2 to SC4. It's mainly the new characters being introduced that has me interested in the game. One of them is Natsu, but I won't be as interested if she's a direct copy of Taki (she's Taki's student). I'm still so interested in fighting games even if I don't play them too often (anymore) mainly because of the amount of games I have now than I did before. It's also mainly because fighting games, shoot-em-ups, and First-Person Shooters were the main genres I played throughout college because I didn't have enough time to sit down and play for a long duration. With more time now, I'm getting back into RPGs like crazy. Still, with the release of fighting games like Soul Calibur 5, I want to get back into Fighting games a least a little bit.
Source: Youtube Channel RajmanGamingHD
The first time I played Soul Calibur was at a nickel arcade. It was like many other 3D games out around time of its release such as Virtua Fighter, Tekken, and such. What really got me into Soul Calibur was when my father bought me Soul Calibur 2 and I didn't really know what it was (I didn't even know I had played Soul Calibur 1 at this time), but I liked the premise of a fighting game based on swords (I love swords). My father had bought me the gamecube version with Link as the special character for the system. From the different swords, to the quest like legend mode, Soul Calibur was a different fighting game for me and I really enjoyed it. When 3 came out, it was only for PS2 and I ended up not getting it. When my father had bought me the PS3 one Christmas, he got Soul Calibur 4 with it (among 11 other games). To my dismay, I was disappointed that all the characters were created using the customizer they created. I felt a lot of the personality of the characters were all watered down since they had similar features. On the bright side, the level of customization was very high. I didn't play Soul Calibur 4 as much (I don't play a lot of my fighting games all that much because I have so many games now) but I'm still excited for Soul Calibur 5 for some reason. It seems that Ivy is more properly robed. I assumed she was gonna go all out seeing the progression from SC2 to SC4. It's mainly the new characters being introduced that has me interested in the game. One of them is Natsu, but I won't be as interested if she's a direct copy of Taki (she's Taki's student). I'm still so interested in fighting games even if I don't play them too often (anymore) mainly because of the amount of games I have now than I did before. It's also mainly because fighting games, shoot-em-ups, and First-Person Shooters were the main genres I played throughout college because I didn't have enough time to sit down and play for a long duration. With more time now, I'm getting back into RPGs like crazy. Still, with the release of fighting games like Soul Calibur 5, I want to get back into Fighting games a least a little bit.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
GameOn - Fighting Games - Tekken Hybrid
Did everyone have a good break yesterday for Columbus Day (assuming you got a break)? This week's GameOn theme is upcoming fighting games (all of them being being spin-offs or sequels). Today's topic is Tekken Hybrid; it's a 3D CG Movie packed with the original Tekken Tag in HD and I think Tekken Tag 2 Tournament.
Source: Youtube Channel NamcoBandaiGames
I'm not a huge fan of Tekken (even though I own Tekken 1-6) but I do like the premise of the stories for each character and how they all tie together. I dreaded the creation of the live action movie for Tekken, and so I was really happy to see a 3D CG movie in the works planned to be released as Tekken Hybrid as that's how a movie for Tekken should be presented. I just hope the story and choreography lives up to its reputation within the games. Lots of tournament and/or competitive players are excited about Tekken Tag 2, and it makes sense if you see some of the crazy combos pro players perform utilizing the tag system:
Source: Youtube Channel MitsuGTO885
That's scary! After 1-2 rounds in, your character will miss the feeling of the ground. Tekken Tag 2 will have a steeper learning curve compared to the main game as its use of the Tag system is necessary if a player wants to be remotely competent against someone who plays the game often. I'm already god awful at the game controlling one character, I can only imagine how bad it would be like controlling two characters. The arcade cabinet should be available internationally sometime this month, but the PS3 version won't be seen until sometime next year in 2012.
Source: Youtube Channel NamcoBandaiGames
I'm not a huge fan of Tekken (even though I own Tekken 1-6) but I do like the premise of the stories for each character and how they all tie together. I dreaded the creation of the live action movie for Tekken, and so I was really happy to see a 3D CG movie in the works planned to be released as Tekken Hybrid as that's how a movie for Tekken should be presented. I just hope the story and choreography lives up to its reputation within the games. Lots of tournament and/or competitive players are excited about Tekken Tag 2, and it makes sense if you see some of the crazy combos pro players perform utilizing the tag system:
Source: Youtube Channel MitsuGTO885
That's scary! After 1-2 rounds in, your character will miss the feeling of the ground. Tekken Tag 2 will have a steeper learning curve compared to the main game as its use of the Tag system is necessary if a player wants to be remotely competent against someone who plays the game often. I'm already god awful at the game controlling one character, I can only imagine how bad it would be like controlling two characters. The arcade cabinet should be available internationally sometime this month, but the PS3 version won't be seen until sometime next year in 2012.
Friday, September 9, 2011
GameOn - Shmups - Castle of Shikigami 3
On the last day of this week's GameOn series of Shoot-em-ups (Shmups), I'll be talking about Castle of Shikigami 3 and the sub-genre Danmaku.
Source: Youtube Channel jedikevin20
I could've talked about Touhou, but I seem to talk about Touhou whenever it's about Shmups now (and so does many other Shmups gamers), so I chose a non-obvious choice. Castle of Shikigami 3 is a vertical shmup danmaku (or more commonly known in English terms as Bullet Hell) where the levels consist mainly of enemy bullets. There aren't that many Bullet Hell shooters in the United States (as far as I know) and the ones that are brought over are extremely rare (argh, still can't find Ikaruga!). I first tried Shikigami no Shiro 3 (Japanese name for it) through a demo on PC and really enjoyed the unique characters, the music, the spectacular 3D-like graphics and effects, and the challenge of the "extreme" difficulty. So when I heard that it was being translated and brought over to the States for the Wii, I really wanted it. The voice acting is atrociously bad, but it's bad in a way to be considered humorous and laughable. It added to the light hearted vibe the story gave considering its insane difficulty. From the video above, it doesn't seem much. This video here is closer to what a Bullet Hell usually looks like:
Source: Youtube Channel YannBer16
That excitement and thrill you get from barely escaping through enemy fire in such a chaotic moment is the charm of most Danmaku/Bullet Hell games. It gets even crazier with a 2nd player joining in. For Castle of Shikigami 3, the story/dialogue of the characters changes depending on who the player chooses and who they're paired up with. Bullet Hell and even just shooters in general aren't as popular anymore (at least in the Western Market), but those that get brought over or are made are usually of the Bullet Hell style sub-genre. The most recent one I bought and played is indie developed Jamestown. I actually still play Castle of Shikigami 3 and see how little continues I need to use before beating the game each time and because I find the dialogues to be hilarious between the characters. I hope you enjoyed this week's GameOn and I encourage everyone to try out all these sorts of Shoot-em-ups in the future.
Source: Youtube Channel jedikevin20
I could've talked about Touhou, but I seem to talk about Touhou whenever it's about Shmups now (and so does many other Shmups gamers), so I chose a non-obvious choice. Castle of Shikigami 3 is a vertical shmup danmaku (or more commonly known in English terms as Bullet Hell) where the levels consist mainly of enemy bullets. There aren't that many Bullet Hell shooters in the United States (as far as I know) and the ones that are brought over are extremely rare (argh, still can't find Ikaruga!). I first tried Shikigami no Shiro 3 (Japanese name for it) through a demo on PC and really enjoyed the unique characters, the music, the spectacular 3D-like graphics and effects, and the challenge of the "extreme" difficulty. So when I heard that it was being translated and brought over to the States for the Wii, I really wanted it. The voice acting is atrociously bad, but it's bad in a way to be considered humorous and laughable. It added to the light hearted vibe the story gave considering its insane difficulty. From the video above, it doesn't seem much. This video here is closer to what a Bullet Hell usually looks like:
Source: Youtube Channel YannBer16
That excitement and thrill you get from barely escaping through enemy fire in such a chaotic moment is the charm of most Danmaku/Bullet Hell games. It gets even crazier with a 2nd player joining in. For Castle of Shikigami 3, the story/dialogue of the characters changes depending on who the player chooses and who they're paired up with. Bullet Hell and even just shooters in general aren't as popular anymore (at least in the Western Market), but those that get brought over or are made are usually of the Bullet Hell style sub-genre. The most recent one I bought and played is indie developed Jamestown. I actually still play Castle of Shikigami 3 and see how little continues I need to use before beating the game each time and because I find the dialogues to be hilarious between the characters. I hope you enjoyed this week's GameOn and I encourage everyone to try out all these sorts of Shoot-em-ups in the future.
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