Man Zero

Review: Bioshock 2

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:59:42 UTC

Bioshock 2 isn't going to change the world like it's predecessor. It's a subtle evolution of the formula set by the first installment. And if you liked Bioshock (apparently most of the modern world did), you'll probably like Bioshock 2. If you didn't, this isn't the game that's going to win you over. GraphicsThe game looks great. Essentially, it's a...

Graphics

The game looks great. Essentially, it's a more polished and evolved Bioshock. It's got an over-riding blue feel to it, which makes sense given Rapture's location. It definitely feels like it's own self-contained world that you can't see outside of this series. This might go without saying, but you better be down with the steampunk aesthetic otherwise you might want to stick to Call of Duty. I only mention that because steampunk tends to wear on me pretty quickly. It works here, but I can see where people might be less than enthused about it.

Controls

Dear Every FPS Developer: Can you guys get together and decide, once and for all, if R1 fires your weapon or R2? That would be fantastic. Thanks!

But seriously, it controls fine. I had to just keep reminding myself every time I picked it up that R1 selects your weapon and R2 fires. Shouldn't be a problem once you get used to it, but seeing as I jumped right from a couple of rounds of Killzone 2 into this, it took me a minute to adjust. But it controls essentially like the first game.

Gamplay/Plot

So this time around, you're one of the Big Daddies. It's eight years after the first Bioshock and Rapture is not doing any better. You're looking for your Little Sister Eleanor, who's actually the daughter of certified nutjob and current head-honcho of Rapture, Dr. Sofia Lamb. Lamb is the big bad and she's got an army of Big Sisters, grown-up Little Sisters, to take you down. It's all very well written and thought out and I won't ruin too much of it as the story is one of the better parts of the game.

You've got some new plasmids to mess around with and you can duel wield with your main weapon, which comes in handy. Hacking is a lot better done here too, replacing the pipe-puzzles with a "stop the needle in the color-range" hacking interface. You can also steal Little Sisters from by taking down their Big Daddies and then using them to collect ADAM. You have the choice to either harvest the Little Sisters or set them free. Either way, once you clear all of the Little Sisters in the area, you have to go up against a Big Sister, which is a tough fight.

Ok, so here's the thing: to be completely honest, I'm not a huge fan of the Bioshock series. I know, sacrilege, but hey, it's just not my thing. I can see what people like about the series and I know I SHOULD be enjoying it, but it just doesn't click for me. So this is a hard one to really gauge. I will say that the game depends on you buying into the world. If you don't, it's not nearly as rewarding. It's, in many ways, more of the same, but refined. And that's great if you liked the first one. Me, not so much.

Final Thoughts

I know Bioshock is good. I know Bioshock 2 is an evolution of that game. But it's just not for me. Fans of the first game will be more than happy with this one. Those of you less keen on Rapture (it's just me, isn't it?) should probably skip this.

Bioshock 2

• Platform: XBOX 360, Playstation 3, PC
• Price: $59.99
• Players: 1
• Online: Deathmatch, teamplay, capture the flag
• ESRB rating: M for Mature
• Developer: 2K Marin
• Publisher: 2K Games
• Who It's For: Fans of the first game, steampunk nerds
• Strengths: Cool story, interesting style
• Weaknesses: Nothing revolutionary
• Man Zero score: 8/ 10

Review: PixelJunk Shooter

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:51:54 UTC

I'll confess that this is the first PixelJunk game I've actually played. I kept hearing about them everywhere but never sat down and experienced one. After Shooter, I'm much more likely to check out the previous entries.

The idea behind Shooter is deceptively simple. Your goal is to fly around in a tiny little ship, rescuing tiny little spacemen stranded amongst tiny little enemies. The real fun (and challenge) comes with the different physics puzzles that come with your mission.

The push-pull of Shooter is water versus lava. For example, you can maneuver your ship to release water onto a patch of lava, making it turn to malleable rock that you can then shoot through to get to new areas and save more of your men. As you progress through the game, the puzzles become more complex as new elements are added and new tools become available. It gets quite addictive, to the point where you're telling yourself "OK, just ONE more level THEN I'll go to bed."

This all seems pretty straightforward, but trust me, it's quite complex. The nearest analogs are the classic Lemmings or the recent World of Goo. The graphics are simple on purpose and they really work for the somewhat whimsical style of the game. Two player mode adds more depth to an already brilliantly designed game. My one complaint would have to be the overall length. An average gamer could finish the thing over a long Saturday afternoon. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a better value for your ten bucks.

PixelJunk Shooter

• Platform: Playstation 3
• Price: $9.99
• Players: 2
• Online: n/a (local Co-Op only)
• ESRB rating: E for Everyone
• Developer: Q-Games
• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
• Who It's For: Puzzle fans
• Strengths: Cool physics, addictive gameplay, creative problem-solving
• Weaknesses: Length
• Man Zero score: 9/10

First Impressions: MAG Beta

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:59:24 UTC

If you've got a PS3, you've probably at least heard of MAG (Massive Action Game). The idea is pretty simple, actually. Online only, squad-based first person shooter action. The hook is that matches can consist of up to 256 players, divided into 4 companies of 4 platoons of 4 8-person squads (got that? 4 x 4 x 8 = 128 players, or one side of the battle). Does it work? Depends on who you're playing with.

When you first start MAG, you're asked to pick a private military faction. You've got Seryi Volk Executive Response/S.V.E.R. (pronounced like something you'd do to the limbs of a monster in Dead Space), Raven Industries, and Valor Company. Each comes from a different part of the world with different objectives in the "Shadow War" and different weapons and gear. But pick wisely, as you're pretty much stuck with your first choice unless you want to delete all your progress and start over. It would be nice to be able to level a character from each faction to get a feel for who you want to sign-up with.

Like most major shooters these days, there's a moderate level of RPG-style customization involved in creating a character and leveling through game play. You can pick specific weapons and hairstyles and level through the ranks to gain skill points to upgrade your character. After achieving certain ranks, you unlock the ability to apply for leadership roles. These include squad, company, platoon, or the whole she-bang.

Graphically, it looks just OK. Is it the best looking game in the world? No. But it doesn't look like War Gods either. That was seriously the first game that popped into my head while trying to conjure an awful looking game. Go figure. But it's not really about the graphics. MAG is all about the gameplay.

The thing is, not unlike Batman, MAG's greatest strength is also it's greatest weakness. The squad-based play is really immersive and if you have good leadership and bunch of team-players, it works really well. The leaders can assign squads to attack or defend specific locations and when they comply, it makes for a great time. You really feel like a member of an elite force trying to accomplish an objective. But when people simply run around shooting everything that moves and ignoring the leadership directives (or when there aren't any clear directives in the first place), it devolves into mediocre shooter territory. The success or failure of the game will depend on whether or not the players embrace this somewhat unfamiliar play-style.

My other main complaint is the grenades. Holy crap, the grenades. First, it takes like 10 minutes just to throw one. All other FPS's seem to have a button dedicated to throwing grades. Tap it, or hold it down for a longer throw, and you're off. Not with MAG. In MAG, you have to scroll throw your weapons, select the grenade, throw it, AND THEN scroll through your weapons back to your main gun. In the time it takes to do that, you've probably already dead. It's a ridiculous oversight and I hope the final release has some option for a more traditional grenade handling. Second, they're WAY too powerful. If a grenade goes off anywhere near you, not just directly underneath you, you're either dead or your screen gets so blurry and unreadable that you'll be dead soon enough. Scale 'em back a bit, guys.

Regardless of the grenade issue (seriously, it's really bad), I'd say I had a lot of fun about half of the time. That was when everyone was on-board with the conceit of the game and working together for their faction, not just their own score. The other half was pretty standard fair. We'll see when the full game launches if people really buy into MAG or if it simply becomes another decent shooter in a over-populated genre.

Review: Uncharted 2

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:00:58 UTC

"Uncharted 2 is a better action movie than most action movies." I tweeted that on Monday night after playing just a few scant hours of the single player campaign. After completing the game Thursday night, I can safely say that Uncharted 2 is the best game I've played all year, probably the best game available for the PS3, and a strong contender for game of the year. It's that good.

Graphics
This is the game that fancy new HDTV was made for. The game is simply a wonder to look at. You know that fuzz that grows just beneath the hairline, down either side of your neck? Yeah, Nathan Drake has that. There is an amazing attention to detail here that a lot of games wouldn't bother with. The textures look magnificent to boot. The only complaint I had, and it's a small one, was the creepy cow-eyes on some of the characters. But other than that, you're not likely to find a better looking game on any system.

Controls

Uncharted 2 handles incredibly well for the amount of running, jumping, climbing, shooting, sideways glancing and ballroom dancing Drake has to perform throughout the game. On the whole, it feels intuitive and responsive. There's times when climbing that you have to fiddle with it to make Drake lean the right way to reach a cliff or swing out on a poll to jump, but you get used to it pretty quickly.

What I found the most impressive about the controls were the way they so seamlessly transition from one environment to the next. One moment you're using a sniper rifle, the next on top of a moving train. And it all feels natural.

Gameplay
Whoa boy. This game is damn fun. I finished it in a rather brisk 12 hours, but that's without collecting all the treasures and trophies that add some replay value to completists. But really, it did not feel like 12 hours at all. Uncharted 2 is so expertly plotted and paced that it feels like it's over in an instant. No game has as successfully captured the adrenaline and excitement of a great action movie like Uncharted 2 has.

The thing I noticed most was how funny the game can be. Drake is a wise-cracker by nature, sort of a cross between Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and Mal from Firefly. There were several times where I laughed out loud. I give credit to not only the fantastic script, but also to the brilliant voice actors. They really did a great job of making these characters believable as humans, making you as a gamer care about their fates.

Another thing Uncharted 2 does really well is balance the gameplay types. There's intense shoot-outs, hand to hand combat, running on top of trucks in a convoy chase scenes, puzzle-solving, stealth. And it all works. There's times when you will get frustrated but nothing to really get bent out of shape about. Plus, the game is really forgiving, offering tips after you've struggled long enough trying to find a secret lever or the correct symbol combination.

I didn't really get a chance to play around with the multiplayer that much. Having the game before launch date meant there were only 13 people online when I tried the other day. And none of them apparently wanted to play with me. But if it's anything like the multiplayer beta that came out a few months ago, I can see Uncharted 2 becoming a online favorite.

Final Thoughts
If you own a PS3, buy Uncharted 2. If you don't, buy a PS3 and then buy Uncharted 2. I really can't recommend it enough. Is it a perfect game? No, there are a few issues here and there, but nothing really important enough to take away from an amazing gaming experience. Do yourself a favor and get it on Tuesday.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

• Platform: Playstation 3
• Price: $59.99
• Players: 1
• Online: Co-op, deathmatch, teamplay
• ESRB rating: T for Teen
• Developer: Naughty Dog Software
• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
• Who It's For: Gamers, action movie fans
• Strengths: Great story, fantastic graphics, enthralling gameplay
• Weaknesses: Some weird cow eyes
• Man Zero score: 10/ 10

Sony PS3 Motion Controller to Hit Spring 2010

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:47:47 UTC

Sony announced yesterday (or tomorrow? I'm not sure how the time-change works for Japan) at the Tokyo Game Show that the Motion Controller should hit the shelves sometime next spring. Additionally, a special motion controller optimized version of Resident Evil 5 will be popping up around that time. Oh, and it looks like this: (C/O Kotaku)

(C/O Kotaku)

Review: DiRT 2

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:47:45 UTC

I have a confession to make. Unless it has the name "Mario" or "Kart" in the title, I don't really play racing games. So DiRT 2 (can someone please explain to me why the "i" is lowercase) was a new experience to me. And it was a pretty fun one at that.

Graphics
The game is gorgeous. Particularly, the damage you will undoubtedly (and repeatedly) inflict on your car looks fantastic. This adds to the overall immersion of the game. Having actual, visible consequences from taking a turn too fast really adds to the experience. Additionally, the replay features look near photo-realistic.

My only qualm is with the "extreme" aesthetic. The game looks like a giant Mountain Dew ad. Definitely not my cup of tea, but I'm sure plenty out there will dig it.

Controls
DiRT 2 handles like any other recent racing game. Acceleration and braking is controlled by the right and left trigger buttons, left stick is steering and and the right stick manages the camera. My natural instinct is to use the right stick to steer, but I eventually got used to it.

That said, the controls are rather unforgiving. Hardcore racing fans will probably appreciate the precision necessary to handle these cars, but more casual gamers more used to hurling turtle shells will have a bit of a learning curve.

Gameplay
Rally racing fans are naturally going to love this game. There's ton's of different tracks, each with their own specific challenges. Your goal, aside from the obvious of trying to win all the races, is to level-up your character by gaining experience points and cash, which can be used to buy new cars and upgrades. The level of customization offered by the game is nowhere near the level of something like Gran Turismo, but it's adequate for the type of game DiRT 2 wants to be.

Your trailer acts as your home base of operations as you travel the world, taking on different racers and different tracks. You can also win the favor of the different real-world drivers in the game, a sort-of friendship mini-game. One the coolest, yet somewhat unsettling aspects of the game is the way the drivers talk to you. It just feels weird to hear someone use your name when addressing you but it also really adds to the overall experience.

As far as the actual racing is concerned, I'd place it somewhere between dead-on simulation and arcade-style racing, leaning a little more toward the simulation side. I had to flip to "Easy" to win a race for the first time. It's definitely precise, but there's always the Flashback. Take a turn too hard and slam into a wall as the rest of the pack passes you by? Hit the Flashback button to rewind the race to before your fatal mistake and try it again. It's an easy way to make the game a little more forgiving. Plus it gives you a chance to play around with the replay camera.

Final Thoughts
As far as rally games are concerned, DiRT looks like the one to beat. While it's not perfect, I can see players logging tons of hours online and off, trying to get every little trophy and unlockable the game offers. Serious racing sim fans will have to wait for Gran Turismo 5 whenever the Illumanati decided to finally release it next year.

Man Zero Sez: I likes!

DiRT 2

• Platform: Playstation 3 (review), Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, DS, Windows PC

• Price: $59.99
• Players: 1
• Online: 8 player challenge and multi-event races
• ESRB rating: T for Teen
• Developer: Codemasters
• Publisher: Codematers

• Who It's For: Rally-racing fans
• Strengths: Deep and immersive gameplay, high replay value
• Weaknesses: Extreme aesthetic, unforgiving controls
• Man Zero score: 8.5 / 10

Courtney Love, rest of Nirvana unhappy over Guitar Hero 5

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:07:11 UTC

According to her incomprehensible Twitter feed, Courtney Love is planning on suing Activision for the inclusion of late-husband Kurt Cobain's in Guitar Hero 5. Which would have legal merit if Activision didn't secure the rights to use his image. Which they claim they did. From Courtney Love. I don't know about you, but I would think that a company...

Image Courtesy of Activision

I don't know about you, but I would think that a company like Activision, who's been making Guitar Hero games and licensing both music and artist likenesses for what seems like forever now, would probably check into getting someone's permission for the undead Kurt Cobain. Cnet seems to think the same thing. Plus, it's Courtney Love.

Additionally, it seems Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic aren't too pleased about the zombie Cobain either. According to a AP Story, the surviving members of the reason Creed exists were "dismayed and very disappointed" that players could use the Cobain-atar for any song, not just Nirvana jams. From the story:

"While we were aware of Kurt's image being used with two Nirvana songs, we didn't know players have the ability to unlock the character," they said. "This feature allows the character to be used with any kind of song the player wants. We urge Activision to do the right thing in 're-locking' Kurt's character so that this won't continue in the future."

The idea of a cow-eyed Cobain singing "Play That Funky Music" is somewhat unnerving. But the sanctification of Kurt Cobain has to stop. If he was so anti-corporate rock and capitalism, he probably shouldn't have signed with a major-label. It's revisionist history at its finest.

09/09/09: The Dreamcast Turns 10

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:50:03 UTC

A moment of silence for our fallen friend, the Dreamcast. Here's a great retrospective care of IGN about the little console that could've but never got a fair shake. I'll always love you, Dreamcast. It's thinking!

A moment of silence for our fallen friend, the Dreamcast. Here's a great retrospective care of IGN about the little console that could've but never got a fair shake.

I'll always love you, Dreamcast.

It's thinking!

God of War 1 & 2 On Blu-Ray This Holiday Season

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:42:08 UTC

This, this is awesome. Sony announced yesterday that God of War 1 & 2 will be re-released on a single Blu-Ray with updated graphics running at 60 fps and 720p. They're also throwing in trophies. Best part, it's only $40, the cost of both the games on PS2. If you've never played the God of War games, this is...

Image Courtesy of SCEA.

If you've never played the God of War games, this is the perfect way to get caught up with the series before the crazy awesomeness of God of War 3 hits in March. Here's what Sony has to say about the release, care of Kotaku:

"We are excited today to announce God of War Collection," said Scott Rohde, vice president, Worldwide Studios America. "Our fans spoke and we listened; thanks to our partnership with Bluepoint Games, fans and newcomers to the series can experience the epic God of War and God of War II saga in stunning 720p on PS3. This Blu-ray Disc compilation brings Kratos to PS3 even earlier than expected."

Xbox 360 Drops in Price (Officially)

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:42:32 UTC

Joystiq (and the rest of the internets) is reporting the official price drop of the Xbox 360, following, no doubt, the announcement and price cut of the PS3 Slim. You can now grab a $300 Elite and a $250 Pro. Snatch the Pro now though if you're planning on picking one up, as it is most likely going to...

Image Courtesy of Joystiq

Me personally, I'm a PS3 man, but I don't blame you if you go the 360 route. Netflix streaming is pretty cool. But so are Blu Rays. Awwwwwwww snap!

Breaking: Sony Announces PS3 Slim

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:40:54 UTC

Moments ago, Sony announced the PS3 Slim, the console revision no one saw coming (jokes!), at GamesCom in Germany. It'll sport a 120 gb hard drive, consume 34 percent less power, 32 percent less space, and cost a scant $299. Look for it the first week of September. In the meantime, current gen systems will are now priced at $299....

In the meantime, current gen systems will are now priced at $299. Stay tuned for more details and hopefully picture or two.

Updated: Picture after the jump.

Image Courtesy of Engadget.Atkins would be proud.

Earthworm Jim Returns!

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:11:28 UTC

Kotaku is reporting that Earthworm Jim is set to arrive by the end of the year on 360, PS3, and Wii via their respective online services. Here's some obligatory PR speak from Gameloft: "We are delighted to partner with Interplay to bring Earthworm Jim to multiple downloadable platforms," said Gonzague de Vallois, senior vice president, Gameloft. "The game, with...

Image Courtesy of Gamespot.

Kotaku is reporting that Earthworm Jim is set to arrive by the end of the year on 360, PS3, and Wii via their respective online services. Here's some obligatory PR speak from Gameloft:

"We are delighted to partner with Interplay to bring Earthworm Jim to multiple downloadable platforms," said Gonzague de Vallois, senior vice president, Gameloft. "The game, with its humorous and edgy style, is a great fit for today's gamer who craves a fully immersive experience that is fun and easily accessible. We look forward to delivering a fantastic game."

The 360 is getting a one-month timed exclusive, which seems to be the norm these days. No word yet on what version of the game is being ported. Either way, be stoked that the shear cracked-out-edness of Earthworm Jim will be squirming your way soon.

Sega planning low-key Dreamcast 10th Anniversary

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:09:22 UTC

Kotaku is reporting that Sega is soooooo over the Dreamcast and rather than drudging up the past and reminiscing about could have been, the company is not throwing a sweet kegger in honor of the late, great platform. From the article: "Generally we won't be doing anything that's official," [Mike Hayes, head of Sega West] said. The main reason...

Kotaku is reporting that Sega is soooooo over the Dreamcast and rather than drudging up the past and reminiscing about could have been, the company is not throwing a sweet kegger in honor of the late, great platform. From the article:

"Generally we won't be doing anything that's official," [Mike Hayes, head of Sega West] said. The main reason is that Sega has reinvented itself as a software company. And it's important for us to focus on the other platforms that are alive and current."
"Informally, because there are people in the company who were involved in the Dreamcast launch, there will be celebrations," he said, "But as a company, publicly, that's going to be something we're going to be pretty low key about for obvious reasons. We're effectively a different company."

The Dreamcast will always hold a very special place in my heart as it was the first, and to this date, only console that I've purchased on launch date. I'd always been a Nintendo kid (and later Sony) and the Dreamcast was the first Sega system I fully embraced. A few short years later, the Dreamcast was toast and Sega had vowed to never make another console. Too bad, really. The Dreamcast had a lot of potential and some damn sweet games. I even modded mine with toggle switches to perform an easier swap trick.

So remember, come 09/09/2009, pour one out for your lost hommie, the Dreamcast. And then play "Tha Crossroads" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

Starcraft II delayed, all of South Korea weeps

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:56:09 UTC

It was pretty much inevitable, but Blizzard announced this week that Starcraft II (Starcraft Harder) won't be landing in your Zerg-hands until next year. Kotaku explains: Activision Blizzard's reason for the delay of StarCraft II is reportedly tied to the relaunch of its upgraded Battle.net service, which handles multiplayer for all things Blizzard. In a statement to the Blizzard...

It was pretty much inevitable, but Blizzard announced this week that Starcraft II (Starcraft Harder) won't be landing in your Zerg-hands until next year. Kotaku explains:

Activision Blizzard's reason for the delay of StarCraft II is reportedly tied to the relaunch of its upgraded Battle.net service, which handles multiplayer for all things Blizzard. In a statement to the Blizzard community, the developer writes "Over the past couple of weeks, it has become clear that it will take longer than expected to prepare the new Battle.net for the launch of the game."

Meanwhile, riots have been reported all across South Korea. Those guys sure love their Starcraft.

Super Mario AI Challenge

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:11:33 UTC

Deep Blue is so ten years ago. All the cool AI's are playing Mario. At least according to a new challenge issued by Danish scientists and reported by Popular Science. The idea is to create a AI that can learn to beat a modified java version of Super Mario Brothers. From the article: "As far as I'm concerned, Mario...

"As far as I'm concerned, Mario is the computer game, both as a gamer and as a good machine-learning challenge that requires a broad set of skills," said Julian Togelius of the IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in a New Scientist interview.

I think the true test of intelligence is whether or not the AI systems are able to detect the warp zones and use them effectively. Cause c'mon, even a four-year-old knows about those.