washedupgamer

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:31:00 +0000

Next up from my Gamefly queue is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for the 360. Force Unleashed is pretty much a standard beat-em-up game dressed up in Star Wars clothing and was published by LucasArts in September 2008. You play the role of Darth Vader's sith apprentice, known in the game only by his codename "Starkiller". It is interesting to note that while the game was developed by LucasArts for the 360 and PS3 a total of 5 other developers worked on the game for other systems including PS2, Wii, PSP, DS, mobile versions, and others. The Metacritic rating for the 360 version is 73, with the other versions averaging around 70.

Pros:

Authentic Star Wars experience. LucasArts headed the development of this game and it is evident that they put a good deal of work into putting the Star Wars touch on it. There are many familiar characters making appearance and lots of lore references throughout the story. Much of the classic Star Wars music is featured throught the game as well and is worked nicely into combat and cinematic sequences. The storyline of Force Unleashed is also considered to be an official part of the Star Wars universe according to George Lucas and is meant to help bridge the timeline gap between Episodes 3 and 4.
Graphics and audio. The game has fairly good character/environmental models and cutscenes. The texture work isn't the best but is passable. I found some of the environments to be striking but other to be fairly bland. The voice acting in the game is done really well and Vader and the Emperor sounded dead on even though the original actor's voices weren't used.
Force Powers. The abilities your character has are fun to play around with and do a good job creating the feeling that your character is a powerful Force user. My favorites were force gripping someone and throwing them off of a ledge, while force choking someone and impaling them with a light saber worked as well -_-

Cons:

Length. Force Unleashed is a very short game, somewhere in the range of 8 hours. I've read that the DLC adds a few hours, but it still clocks in under 10. The game has a lot of unlockables and seems like it was designed with multiple playthroughs in mind, but I found one run through was enough for me. This one point alone makes it hard for me to recommend to anyone, unless you can find it cheap or rent it.
Combat. While I found the Force powers to be fun, the overall feel of the combat isn't good. The controls are OK but I found myself wrestling with things like hit detection and the camera. The melee combat isn't fluid and many basic enemy types can block your lightsaber attacks. I also found myself struggling with hit recovery time. When you are hit with an attack your character is generally knocked down and it takes a very long time to recover, to point sometimes that you only have a split second to react after getting up or you'll be knocked down again.
Level design. The level design in Force Unleashed is generally uninspired and sometimes downright bad. There were many instances where one step off of a platform sent me plummeting to my death with no chance to recover and caused me to lose 5-10 minutes of gameplay. The camera generally makes it hard to see the pitfalls around you so sometimes you'll fall to your death and you never knew anything was there.
Difficulty. The difficulty in this game is really poorly balanced. You'll spend most of your time tearing through groups of Stormtroopers with ease but the bosses at the end of the levels are like hitting a brick wall. They tend to spam unblockable attacks and will block 90% of what you throw their way. I had to turn the difficulty down to avoid becoming too frustrated with the game.

Conclusion:

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a decent game, but it is evident while playing that it had much more potential. The mechanics of the game are average at best and the fact that it is Star Wars is what drags it out of the realm of mediocre and into the world of OK. If you can find it cheap then it is worth your time but otherwise I can't recommend buying it new off the shelf.

Starcraft 2 Replays

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:13:00 +0000

The Starcraft 2 closed beta is underway and Blizzard doesn't have it under any NDA protection, which means that there are tons of gameplay videos and information available. Here are the three best sources of replays with commentary that I've found so far:

HDStarcraft: This is my favorite source so far. He does commentary on his own games and is knowledgeable and entertaining. Check out his YouTube channel, and he also has a website here. Here is a sample video:

BlizShouter: I also like what BlizShouter is doing on his YouTube channel. He does commentary on his own games and other top player's games and knows what he is talking about:

HuskyStarcraft: Husky tends to do some zany things but his replays are fun to watch as well. He also just started doing dual commentary with HDStarcraft which should be good. Check him out on YouTube or watch this sample video:

Batman: Arkham Asylum

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:14:00 +0000

So I just signed up for Gamefly and the first game I put on my list was Batman: Arkham Asylum for the 360. I've heard great things about it but with all the great titles that have come out recently it never really made it on my list of games to buy. I'll keep my thoughts on it short and simple, and the TLDR version is this: find a way to play Batman AA sometime before this console generation runs it course!

Pros:

Great graphics. Batman AA uses the Unreal engine to it's greatest effect and is one of the best looking games I've seen on the 360. Character models and textures are exceedingly well done and the environments are very well crafted.
Fluid combat and controls. Everything from the punches, jump kicks, and sleeper holds to the batarangs, grappling hooks, and explosives feel solid and well done. Combat is very fluid and the control scheme on the 360 controller is nicely laid out.
Story. I'm not a Batman buff but I can tell the developers put a lot of thought and research into the Batman mythos while creating this game. There are a ton of references to the more obscure characters in the Batman universe and they did a good job of fleshing out the backstories of the main villains of the game. The plot of the game itself is well thought out with enough twists and turns to keep the pace exciting.
Voices. Mark Hamill (yes that Mark Hamill) does an outstanding job as Joker. His performance is actually one of the best parts of the game and adds to it's atmosphere incredibly.

Cons:

Ending. The ending is a bit awkward but I came away feeling that was a minor dip in an otherwise awesome game.
Voices. I know I listed the Joker's voice work as being a plus but I found that the performance for Batman was a bit lack luster and Harley Quinn's voice was just flat out annoying at times. Here again however, I found the voices to be tolerable and probably only seeming to lack quality when measured against how great the rest of the game is.

Conclusion:

I highly recommend this game. It ranks right up there with the best games of this console generation and if you don't take my word for it just look at the multiple Game of the Year awards it has won and the universally great reviews it has garnered. It is available for 360, PS3, and PC and costs $39 used for consoles at Gamestop these days.

Gaming Podcasts

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 07:37:00 +0000

I'm finally getting around to delving into the world of podcasts and I've found a few videogame related shows that I'd like to share:

Rebel FM at eat-sleep-game.com: I've found that the three regulars on the show are very knowledgeable when it comes to gaming and games of past and present and their commentary has been witty and entertaining. Games of all genres and platforms are discussed on this show with emphasis generally placed on console games.

Active Time Babble (ATB) at 1up.com: This show is one of the many found at 1up.com and focuses very heavily on RPG titles. In fact they're so into RPGs that their last show was a two hour discussion focusing on Roguelikes o_o Again with this show I find the hosts to be very knowledgeable about gaming and the discussions are easy to listen to as well.

RPS Podcast at rockpapershotgun.com: Two guys with British accents talking about PC gaming. Here again the hosts know what they're talking about when it comes to gaming and their discussions are pretty entertaining.

So if you have any free time during your commute or at work or wherever just download any of these podcasts and put them on your mp3 player of choice to take care of your gaming urges. If you are interested in finding other podcasts some other ones to check out are the shows at 1up.com, giantbomb.com, and Major Nelson's show.

Free Mass Effect 2 Resources

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:11:00 +0000

There are a number of free resources out there to get you through anything that ME2 will throw your way. The best thing about the internet is that people will put tons of work into the smallest things for little to no praise and for free -_- I feel sorry for those guys that pick up a $20 strategy guide every time a new games comes out.

GameFAQs.com: This is a great free guide site for any game that comes out on any platform. The ME2 section delivers as usual.

Video Guides: Sometimes written guides aren't enough to get you through certain sections. There are many walkthrough videos available on sites like YouTube. Check out the EvilChicken Media channel for a plethora of ME2 videos (and other games as well).

Wikis: I never really understood where people get the time to update wiki sites, but somehow it always gets done. Check out the wikia.com Mass Effect 2 site for tons of information and resources. Be aware that this particular wiki combines Mass Effect 1 and 2 into one site.

These three categories should get through any areas of ME2 that you may have issues with. Have fun, ME2 is definitely worth delving in to.

Mass Effect 2

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:03:00 +0000

Mass Effect 2 came out last Tuesday and I find myself a week later having completed a full play through, clocking in at 37 hours. As I try to think of how to describe the experience a few things come to mind... deep immersion, outstanding audio and visuals, and the best dialogue sequences I've seen in a game to date.

Immersion: There are a number of different elements that work together in ME2 that almost seamlessly draw you into the game. Storytelling, voice work, and visuals all combine to make you feel like you are in Shepard's boots deciding the fate of the universe yourself. The end result is that while being drawn in the game it eventually becomes a story about you. I have a feeling that Bioware worked very hard at this aspect of the game and I believe they pulled it off as close to perfect as current gaming technology allows.

Audio and Visuals: I should start off by saying that ME2 by far has the best voice work in any video game I've played yet. NPC personalities shine mainly due to the great voice casting and performances. An additional bonus is that any NPC in ME2 that was in the original is being voiced by the same actor. This is another area that I think Bioware worked very hard on and they definitely hit their mark. The spacey ambient techno tracks throughout the game add nice flourishes of personality and the driving battle music draws you right into the action.

ME2 has really awesome visuals. Levels designs and environments are supremely detailed and there are points where you just have to stop and admire the incredibly high level of talent that went into creating this game. Character models have awesome detail and Shepard's textures and facial expressions are particularly well done. I should note that Bioware specifically worked on facial expressions and eye movements for this game and it really payed off.

Dialogue: The writing for the character dialogue throughout the game is very well done and Bioware's implementation of their conversation system makes it shine. ME2 is ultimately a story about you and your crew members with a small framework of the main plot built around it. They did an excellent job developing the backstories of your potential crew members and how you eventually handle them is completely up to you. If five different people you know play this game I'd bet that everyone one of them makes five different sets of choices and the story would end differently for each one of them.

I'll cut off my thoughts on ME2 here. The game tailors itself to each individual so it is hard to talk about it other then in broad terms. Almost all gamers should find ME2 accessible since Bioware worked hard on streamlining the RPG elements of the game to make it a sleeker experience overall. The best thing about the game is that if you don't take the story seriously and blow past the recommendations it throws your way you will find yourself disappointed in the end and wishing you had done things differently, just like in real life.

Thoughts on Borderlands (Xbox 360)

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:52:00 +0000

I can't do a full review on this game because honestly I couldn't bring myself to actually finish it. I'll just give some general thoughts and impressions of the game.

Borderlands is an FPS/RPG hybrid released by Gearbox Software on 10/20/2009 and has been released for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. It can basically be described as a sci-fi version of Diablo. You kills lots of enemies and pick up lots of loot off the ground. There is an MMO style quest system in the game that basically points you to the general areas you are supposed to be at and the story progresses as the main quest line is completed. The main quest story is pretty generic but the humor found throughout the dialouge and characters in the game do just enough to keep the story from falling flat on it's face.

One of the main selling points of the game when it was being released was the huge amount of items that can be found. 100,000+, a million, a bazillion... I think I saw all of those numbers thrown around. I suppose this technically is true, but only if you count a shotgun with a +11% damage modifier as being a different item then a shotgun with a +12% damage modifier. There are basically 8 different types of guns, shotguns, pistols, revolers, etc. Each base weapon type can have a number of different modifiers from a common pool and from that you magically get hundreds of thousands of weapons and nearly limitless tactical options (very active imagination required). Gearbox greatly exaggerated this feature of the game. I assume they were trying to tickle the fancies of all those old Diablo 2 veterans out there to help push units.

The game world is set in wide open barren areas with the occasional dungeon or town here and there. The drab colors and empty landscapes do little help the game. The drab environments combined with the pseudo MMO style quest system makes the single player game play like an MMO with no one else logged in. You keep expecting to see other people running around questing but you never do. To me this makes the game world feel very empty and not much fun to trudge through.

The lone point of this game that felt well done was the co-op gameplay. The game instantly becomes much more enjoyable when you have someone else to share it with. That ties in with the "empty MMO" feeling that I thought the game was saturated in. When you have a buddy to play with the game lights up. I did find however that the public online play on Xbox Live was pretty much useless. If you log in to a public game there are generally 3 other people running around doing random tasks and not working together as a group, basically an MMO with only 4 people logged in. When you have a friend(s) actively playing with you online or locally the game really picks up since you can start delving into things like team tactics.

If you have people at home that you can play with or good friends online to play the game together with then I do actually recommend this game. If you are planning on playing this as a single player game then I'd have to say stay away and spend your money on one of the many other quality titles that have come out over the last year.

I'll post the IGN review here. They fall into the trap about talking about the merits of the loot system, but they do get it right about the multiplayer:

Gaming with your own kind

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:38:00 +0000

Xbox Live is a great platform for online console gaming but there is one problem that consistently rears it's ugly head every time I attempt to play a game's multiplayer feature: other people.

This may seem like a bit of a paradox to some. Why would I even bother to play a game online if I lost a little faith in humanity every time I loaded up a multiplayer game? This is because many A+ quality games are mainly designed to be played with other people. For example, Left 4 Dead 2 is a triumph of the co-op shooter genre but due to the common denominator of the general Xbox Live populace being so dreadfully low it makes it next to impossible for a normal person to enjoy.

Imagine yourself (a grown adult) playing a game with a room full of nasally 14 year olds that feel to need to describe every action they are performing (I'm climbing down this ladder now guys!), trash talking 20 year olds that spew forth a stream of expletives in response to every source of stimuli in the game, and that one guy that plays the game 10 hours a day and is so much better then everyone else that it is almost pointless to play. That is what joining a public game on Xbox Live is like. Fun? No, not for me.

I believe the reason that Xbox Live is home to the dregs of gaming society is simple: accessibility. All someone essentially has to do is go to Walmart, buy an Xbox, go home and plug it in to their internet and they are online. It is the most popular console on the market in terms of playing games online and technology has advanced to the point where almost everyone has high speed internet in their home. The high price of Playstation 3 has been a barrier keeping out many gamers and the price and technical aspects of maintaining and upgrading a PC prevents many people that aren't tech savvy from gaming on that platform.

There is an interesting article in the January edition of Game Informer where Marc Whitten (the GM of Xbox Live) is being interviewed. The interviewer (Matt Helgeson) asks "This is more of a cultural issue, but there can be a nastiness in the community on Xbox Live... Is there anything you can do to alleviate that?" Marc Whitten's response is essentially "I'd like to get better about telling you that you're walking into a bar and not the zoo." This makes sense to me and I'd love for them to persue that line of thought.

When an adult wants to relax or have fun they don't go out to Chuck E. Cheese or a college student lounge. They find people their own age to hang out with or go to a bar or a restaurant or something of that nature. To a kid McDonald's is the height of culture and Chuck E. Cheese is their Mecca. They would get kicked out on sight at a bar. A college kid hangs out in dorm rooms or lounges or parking lots and aren't quite adults but not kids any more.

Gaming has become a mainstream norm and the business of video games is now bigger then both the movie industry and the music industry. Modern Warfare 2 just eclipsed 1 billion dollars in sales. I think it is time for the game industry to upgrade their moderation department. There are enough people playing games now that it makes sense to break them into different groups rather then clump everyone together in hopes that enough people are available to fill games. Breaking people into different age groups online should be getting serious consideration from game developers out there, especially for Xbox Live.

On a platform like Xbox Live you should be presented with the option of playing with people in your own age group or playing with anyone else that doesn't care about their age group. The age groups should look something like this:

Children up to 12 years old
13-18
18-25
25-35
35-55
55+

This would also help enforce game ratings by making certain games available only to their respective age groups (children could only play E rated games for example). Again if you choose to you could ignore the age group settings and be put into a pool of people that don't care who they play with. You could also play with anyone on your friends list or anyone you invite to your game at any time you wish.

I'm not sure if a change that big could be worked into the current version of Live but it should be something that developers are looking at for the future in the next generation of consoles. In my opinion it would be a drastic improvement over the current service they are providing.

Interesting day in gaming news

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:05:00 +0000

There seems to be a lot of interesting news coming out of the gaming industry today so I'll recap the choice tidbits:

Star Trek Online's February 2nd release date is rapidly approaching and Cryptic has released another trailer promoting their MMO. In case anyone is interested they will be running an open beta from January 12th to the 26th.

Bioware has come out of nowhere and announced that they will be releasing a $40 downloadable expansion for Dragon Age. The new expansion will be titled "Awakening" and will feature new lands to explore, new skills/abilities/specializations, the ability to respec your character (getting your skill/stat/ability points back and redistribute them), as well as 5 new potential party members. At this point I'm not really sure what I think of this move since it seems way to early to release a DLC of this scope. If this content was ready so close to the release of Dragon Age then it should have been included in the original game. Bioware has already been criticized for the optional DLC they had available at the launch of the game, but this may be the straw that breaks the camel's back for some. I think I'll probably be one of the suckers buying into it though......

An 8-bit remake of the original Left 4 Dead has been released and it seems that the poor chap's site has already been suspended for exceeding bandwidth o_O If you are interested in trying it out check FileShack for the file.

One final piece of news is that we will probably be seeing our first official looks at Fallout: New Vegas here in the coming month.

New Bioware Videos

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:33:00 +0000

Bioware has recently released new videos discussing Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect 2. The Star Wars video is a continuation of their "Developer Dispatch" series and talks about what went into designing the two dark side force user classes in their upcoming MMO. The Mass Effect 2 videos are trailers taking a look at Thane and Grunt, two new characters in the soon to be released RPG.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Mass Effect 2

Cheap Ass Gamer

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:19:00 +0000

To keep the holiday spirit thing going I thought it would be useful for people to find games as cheaply as possible for themselves or as gifts. Cheap Ass Gamer is a site that keeps track of all of the latest deals on videogames and posts them on their site on a constant basis. If you know of a specific game you want to buy just go to the site and type it in the search and you'll be given the cheapest places to buy it.

If you are interested Ars Technica recently did an interview with the founder of the site here. He gives some tips on how to buy games on the cheap, so it is worth a read.

Holiday Game Suggestions

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:21:00 +0000

The holidays are already upon us and I thought I'd take some time to compile a list of quality games to treat yourself to or pick up for the gamer in your life. Five of the recommendations have been released in the past six months and the last two are due to be released in January. This gives you a mix of new releases and something to spend any Christmas gift cards on.

Dragon Age: Origins

Available for: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Metacritic Score: 91 (PC version)
ESRB Rating: Mature

Dragon Age is a solid RPG released by perennial favorite Bioware. The game is best played on the PC but is definitely worth it on the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well. If you or your gamer enjoy good old fashioned swords, spells, and dragons then try this game out. You can check out my review of the game here, or watch the following IGN video review:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Available on: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Metacritic score: 94 (PS3, Xbox 360)
ESRB Rating: Mature

Modern Warfare 2 is the latest installment of the ever popular Call of Duty franchise and to put it in simple terms, a cultural phenomenon. It officially had the biggest launch day in pure revenue numbers of any release in the entire entertainment industry selling 4.7 million units and generating $310 million in the US and UK. That was in one day, and beat out any other form of entertainment media including movies and music. I can't really argue with that, and it has universally received glowing reviews. Check out Modern Warfare 2 if you are looking for military shooter gameplay.

Assassin's Creed 2

Available on: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Metacritic Score: 92 (PS3)

ESRB Raiting: Mature

AC2 is the latest release in the stealth action genre and a continuation of the Assassin's Creed franchise. The first AC was criticized for things such as repetitive gameplay elements but by most accounts the original game's flaws have been buffed out and Assassin's Creed 2 shines. If you are a fan of stealth action, the check out this game.

Left 4 Dead 2

Available on: PC, Xbox 360
Metacritic Score: 90 (PC version)
ESRB Rating: Mature

The release of Left 4 Dead 2 has been met with a great deal of controversy but in the end it turned out to be a really good game. The main issue gamers had with the game is that Valve promised frequent updates for the original Left 4 Dead but turned around and announced a sequel in Left 4 Dead 2 with a targeted release of only one year after the original came out. Gamers felt that they had been duped by the company and wanted continuing updates instead of having to pay for a whole new game. Nonetheless, the game is out now, it has sold well, and it has received universally good reviews from the community.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Available on: PC, Xbox 360, PS3

Metacritic Score: 92 (Xbox 360)
ESRB Rating: Mature

The Dark Knight rides yet again in this quality title from developer Rocksteady Studios. You control Batman as you progress through the fabled Arkham Asylum as you attempt to gain back control of it from the Joker, whom has escaped and taken over the facility with the help of his gang members. It features Mark Hamill as the voice of the Joker... that alone should make it worth the purchase.

Darksiders

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: January 5th, 2010
ESRB Rating: Mature

Darksiders is being released right after Christmas and should enjoy a lot of sales when people are looking for something to spend their gift cards on. You play as War, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and are tasked with figuring out why the apocalypse was triggered and the world destroyed prematurely...

Mass Effect 2

Available on: PC, Xbox 360
Release Date: January 26th, 2010
ESRB Rating: Mature

The sequel to Mass Effect and the second in a planned trilogy, Mass Effect 2 should be well worth the wait. You again play as Command Shephard and are given the task of recruiting a squad capable of confronting a mysterious new threat to the universe. The original Mass Effect was one of the best RPGs I have ever played, and I am expecting the same out of it's successor.

So there it is, my suggestions to fill your gaming needs over the holiday season or as presents for the gamer in your life. Thanks for reading and if you have any suggestions feel free to send them my way.

Gaming Social Media Roundup

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:37:00 +0000

Lately I've noticed a big increase in gaming companies "getting" social media and starting to push their products in those markets. Some of the companies offer in-game prizes or deals on their games through their social media outlets so it is worth your time to follow their efforts. I'll run down three of the more prominent companies to help get you started. It is worthwhile to note that not all of the social media sites you find for companies are legit so I'll steer you towards pages/sites that I've found to be active and real.

Note: This articles only deals with Twitter and Facebook.

Blizzard

Warcraft: These focus on WoW and mostly offer news and interaction with the community. Lately they have been offering prizes such as vanity pets or mounts for participating. If you are into that kind of thing it is worth to follow.Twitter Facebook
Diablo: Focuses on news regarding the upcoming Diablo 3. Twitter Facebook
Starcraft: News regarding the upcoming Starcraft 2 series. Twitter Facebook

Bioware

Twitter: Bioware's main Twitter feed. It tends to reproduce a lot of content from their individual game feeds so if you don't want a lot of spam just follow this one.
Mass Effect 2: General news about the game. Twitter Facebook
Dragon Age: More news. Twitter Facebook
SWtoR: This is Bioware's upcoming RPG set the in Star Wars universe. It isn't updated very frequently but I'm sure that will ramp up as the game comes closer to release. Twitter Facebook

Bethesda

Twitter: Bethesda's main feed. They combine all of their titles into one in this feed and give out news and updates.
Fallout 3: Fallout 3 on Facebook. It is also updated with information regarding other Bethesda titles. Facebook

So there is an overview of what three of the big players in the video game industry are doing in the social media field. Since I've followed these feeds I've noticed it becoming more and more common for companies to break news via these outlets. Many times you'll see the big gaming news sites getting their news from these feeds and simply reposting it. If you want your info ahead of the news sites just follow/fan/subscribe to these feeds. There is also a direct level of interaction with these companies that can't be matched elsewhere, and that is really what social media is all about.

If you find yourself following any of those feeds you might want to check out the washedupgamer Twitter and Facebook pages as well -_-

Dragon Age Toolset Released

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:34:00 +0000

This one is for any modders out there. Bioware has released their Dragon Age content creation toolset to the public and allows anyone with an interest in the development side of gaming to try their hand at creating their own DA adventures/assets.

If you watch Bioware's video trailers on the toolset you'll think content creation is easy enough for an 8 year old to crank stuff out but it is actually quite the opposite. This software is pretty in-depth and anyone that isn't very tech savvy will find the interface difficult to navigate and the development concepts difficult to grasp. Making a simple area may be too much for average users to complete and creating anything resembling a full quest requires advanced scripting to make anything function.

You will also need a registered PC version of Dragon Age to be able to use the toolset. You also need a PC version of Dragon Age to use any content created by the community. Consoles will only ever see extra content released in the form of paid DLC downloads from Bioware.

If you do however find yourself interested in DA content creation, the toolset can be downloaded on this page at the Bioware website. The official toolset forums can be found here and community created content can be found here. There is a video series on Youtube detailing the basics of using the toolset but it is hard to follow since there is no sound and vague text describing what is happening as the guy blazes through menus... check it out here (watch in full screen to see text):

Dragon Age: Origins, Xbox 360 Review

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dragon Age: Origins has been released by Bioware and continues their long tradition of quality entries in the roleplaying videogame genre. This title is the first in a planned series and tells the tale of the stoic Grey Wardens and their struggles against the Blight, a horde of bloodthirsty Darkspawn led by Archdemons in the form of Dragons. Dragon Age has been released on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 and was developed by the Bioware Edmonton studio and published by EA, which Bioware is now a subsidiary of. I will be reviewing the Xbox 360 version of the game.

Gameplay:

Dragon Age has been described by Bioware as the "spiritual successor" to their Baldur's Gate series, but for me it played more like a combination of Neverwinter Nights and Mass Effect. Imagine the RPG stylings of NWN combined with the controls, character building, interface, and dialogue of Mass Effect and you'll have an idea of what Dragon Age is. Bioware decided to take a break from the D&D ruleset that they have used in their fantasy RPG titles and chose to go with their own character building and rule system, similar to those found in Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect.

For those of you unfamiliar with previous Bioware titles this game is a fantasy RPG that is heavily dialogue driven. Choices you make in converstaions and your actions drastically alter the story line as you go. Think of it as those old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books but done in videogame form. As you progress through the game you meet new companions, level up, acquire new skills and equipment, and adventure through the game world.

One other area worth mentioning is that depending on the type of character you create there are up to 5 different "Origin" stories that you will begin the game with that explains your character. For example, if you create a Human noble, you play through a story of political intrique involving you and your family. If you choose a Mage you will be presented with a story about how you make the transition from an apprentice to a full member of the Circle of Magi.

Controls/Interface:

This game was built to be very similar to NWN in the way combat works. Combat is meant to played in a style where you are frequently pausing the game to issue commands to your characters to employ the best strategy available at the moment. This allows players to manage the large array of skills, spells, AI commands, and potions that are available while fighting large numbers of difficult opponents.

The console versions of the game (Xbox, PS3) differ largely in the control interface when compared to the PC. In the console version, when you pause the game a circular menu appears that allows you to select your abilities and spells. The PC has a standard quickbar menu to assign your skills to and doesn't require navigating through the radial menu. One other feature that makes the PC version a bit better in the control department is the addition of a second overhead camera view that gives you a better view of the battlefield.

Realm-time combat is more streamlined in the console versions by reducing the number of enemies to lessen graphic processing restraints, but at the same time the enemies are made more difficult to balance things out. You will also auto-target enemies to make combat smoother. There are also quick-slots available to map your controller's buttons to certain skills, simulating a quickbar on PCs.

Graphics:

The one big disappointment for me on the 360 version of the game is the graphics. In an effort to lessen the graphic processing power needed for the game on consoles there are many textures that have been replaced with low resoultion versions. Many background objects and landscapes have very low resolution textures that seem very unnecessary at times and really break your enjoyment of the game. In some cases even the character resoultions are poorly done. The golem character Shale (available in one of the downloadable add-ons) has some very low res texutres when zoomed in for dialogue sequences and are just flat out poorly done.

Overall the graphics on the 360 version seem like they are from a game that should have been released 3 years ago. This is rather disappointing because many gamers recently experienced Fallout 3 which features amazing graphics on the Xbox 360 and never suffers from any slow downs or framerate issues even during large combat sequences. From what I understand the PS3 has higher quality resolutions but at the same time suffers from more framerate issues. Most reviewers say the graphics on the PC version are much better and up to par with other RPG titles recently released. If graphics are a major sticking point you should definitely go with the PC version of Dragon Age.

Sound/Music:

I found that I was always satisfied with the music, sound effects and voice acting in the game. The music was done by Inon Zur, who has worked on many other Bioware titles. I generally found the voice acting to be acceptable and many of the main characters are admirably done and were voiced by actors such as Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek: Voyager) and Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate).

Downloadable Content:

There are two major downloadble content add-ons (DLC) that expand upon the original game. The first is called The Stone Prisoner and presents you with a new quest line to unlock the character Shale. This DLC actually comes free with new versions of the game and is meant to get gamers to buy new retail copies rather then second hand copies from companies like Gamestop. This way the game developer sees the money and isn't pure profit for the used game chains. Shale is a beast of a tank character, so I'd recommend this DLC if you don't have a new copy of the game.

The second major DLC is Warden's Keep and opens up a new quest that allows you to take control of an old Grey Warden fortress. The major features of this DLC are a new chest that allows you to store items in, access to a new line of abilities for your character, and a few new items. I found this DLC to be very disappointing because it costs $7 for what amounts to 45 minutes of gameplay and a few novelties. The storage chest was the most useful item by far, but if you have the PC version there are already mods available that replicate this for free. The new abilities granted in the quest are nothing to write home about and the new armor pieces are pretty much replaceable by armor already found in the base game. If you are on the fence about buying this, then I'd recommend that you don't.

There is a third DLC available but it is only a new set of armor. The good thing about it is that it's free with new versions of the game, like The Stone Prisoner. It unlocks a set of "Blood Dragon" armor but you still have to actually buy the armor from a vendor in-game which you will have to pay for with your own gold. Why you have to buy the armor from an in-game vendor after paying real life $ for it is beyond me. The armor is also just average in it's stats and there are more powerful armor sets available in the base game. A unique feature of this DLC is that it will unlock a set of Blood Dragon armor in the upcoming Mass Effect 2 game from Bioware as well, which is cool. In the end if you don't have a new version of Dragon Age I can't really recommend it.

Other Thoughts:

You will see the game being billed as having "hundreds" of hours of gameplay, but that simply isn't true. A complete playthrough of all of the main quests and thorough exploration of many areas and side quests took me 40 hours to complete. That is also including the Stone Prisoner and Warden's Keep add-ons. Maybe if you factor in multiple play throughs to experience all of the different origins stories then you could stretch it out further, but that doesn't count in my book.

A good thing about the game is that it is a Bioware RPG... and a bad thing about the game is that it's a Bioware RPG. I say this because while Bioware produces high quality games, they have become very very formulaic. They have been criticized in the past for their dialogue driven plots having only good or evil choices with a middle of the road option here or there. For example, give the hungry orphan a few coins, slap him around and take the clothes off his back, or walk away. While this is a decent system Bioware has pretty much ridden it into the ground at this point. Dragon Age only slightly improves on it by adding in one more shade of grey here and there. If you are a veteran of Bioware titles you will almost be able to predict your available responses before you see them, but if you haven't played a Bioware game then you're in for a good time. Bethesda has done a really good job in handling this issue in their RPGs (Oblivion, Fallout 3) and maybe it is time for Bioware to develop a new system or significantly expand on what they have.

One final thought... for some reason this game reminds me a lot of Jade Empire. If you enjoyed that then you'll probably find yourself enjoying Dragon Age.

Conclusion:

Dragon Age: Origins is yet another solid RPG from Bioware. It has great story and quest content and is really what makes the game. Tactical gameplay and deep character development also add to the title and should fulfill any RPG fan's needs.

There are some negatives inherent to the Xbox 360 version however. Disappointing graphics mar an otherwise outstanding effort, especially when compared to the likes of Fallout 3. The DLC content is also weak and offers players little incentive to buy into it. If you have the option to play Dragon Age on the PC then definitely go that route as you will have improved graphics and access to a plethora of user generated content.

In the end I would recommend Dragon Age: Origins to any RPG fan. It is a very solid game but for me it falls short of the massive pre-release buzz it was getting.The 360 version is a bit underwhelming so go with the PC version if you can.

Score: 7.9 out of 10

Here is the IGN video review for anyone interested:

Final Fantasy XIII Twitter Offer/Release

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:44:00 +0000

I wanted to put this up in blog form since I found it pretty interesting. There is a promotion being offered for Final Fantasy 13 that unlocks an in-game item if you make enough Twitter posts that include the #FFXIIXBOX hashtag along with the webpage link. This is probably the most interesting marketing technique I've seen used with Twitter so far and has the potential to be a really effective viral marketing strategy.

It has also been announced that FF13 will be seeing an Xbox 360/PS3 release on March 9th, 2010 in Europe and North America. It is being released in Japan on December 7th of this year. Check out the FF13 trailer from this year's E3:

PC Gaming Accessories: 2009

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:20:00 +0000

Something every PC gamer needs if they want a leg up on their competition is quality accessories. By accessories I mean mouse, keyboard, headphones, etc. If you are rolling with a 5 dollar ball mouse from Walmart you are at a rather severe disadvantage compared to what's out there.

It's easy to go crazy with high dollar gaming accessories, just like it is with anythingthing else, but top end performance can be had at literally half the price of the fancy stuff. With that in mind I'll be focusing on quality budget items as well as looking at reasonable top end accessories. The Christmas shopping season is coming up so this should help out with lighting up the eyes of the PC gamer in your life come December 25th.

*Note: I have a preference for Logitech equipment and it shows in this guide. I'd like to point out that I am in no way affiliated with Logitech Group nor am I receiving any compensation for these recommendations.

Mouse:

A high quality mouse is probably the most important tool in a PC gamer's arsenal. Size, weight, and feel are all important factors when it comes to choosing a mouse and optical mice are king. Another important feature on a mouse is it's DPI tracking ability. The higher the DPI the smoother and more precise the experience.

Logitech MX518:

Cost: $39.99

I own and use the original version of this mouse which came out a few years back and it is still going strong. The new versions have special graphic skins on them for a more unique look. The best feature for me is the thumb buttons, which I use extensively as movement keys in MMOs, very convenient. The MX518 is listed at 1800 DPI but can be tweaked to 2000 in the Logitech software suite that comes with the mouse. Check out the following video for a review:

*Note: None of the following videos are my own. If you wish to visit the uploader's page on YouTube right click the video and click on "Watch on YouTube".

Logitech G9:

Cost: $89.99

The Logitech G9 is our first top shelf item and is basically the Cadillac of gaming mice. It has a long list of features including interchangeable grips, removable weights, on-the-fly DPI adjustment with mouse buttons, and 3200 DPI. Check it out:

Keyboard:

Logitech G11 Gaming Keyboard:

Cost: $63.99

A quality keyboard is a great thing to have in your gaming setup so we'll first look at the Logitech G11. This keyboard features an extra set of programmable macro buttons, backlit keys, and a switch that allows you to turn off that pesky Windows key while gaming. A bonus with this keyboard is that the macro keys let you get by without the need of an extra controller such as the Logitech G15 or Belkin n52TE as shown later in this guide.

Logitech 967740-0403:

Cost: $14.99

You can get by with a standard keyboard for your gaming needs but you should still be on the lookout for quality. Try to stay away from anything less then $10 and look for something along the lines of this Logitech keyboard. A number pad is also a must since the extra keys will be necessary for mapping keys in your games.

Headset:

Logitech ClearChat Pro USB:

Cost: $39.99

A good headset is a necessary item for gaming. The enhanced quality of the surround sound allows you to pick out your enemies quicker and helps to cancel out background noise that might interfere with your gaming. A built in microphone also helps out tremendously for voice chat. The Logitech ClearChat meets all of these needs admirably at a decent price point.

Creative Sound Blaster Arena:

Cost: $99.99

The Creative Sound Blaster Arena is a high end gaming headset that was designed specifically with gaming in mind. It was designed for maximum comfort while being worn for extended periods of time, ample noise cancellation so it can be worn in any noisy venue that you may be gaming at, top end sound quality, and features a quality microphone. Check out this video from the manufacturer:

Mousepad:

BELKIN WaveRest:

Cost: $9.99

A high quality mousepad is a bit of a luxury but many gamers swear by them. I personally go for comfort and don't need a large mousing area, so I go with a Belkin WaveRest.

steelseries 63005SS:

Cost: $7.99

This steelseries pad offers quality at a low price. Go for this if you don't need a large mousing area and prefer to not use a wrist pad.

RAZER RZ81-00030101-B2M1:

Cost: $34.99

Here we have the high end of mouse pads. This Razer pad offers a large mousing area with specialized surfaces for speed or control and is bundled with a quality wrist pad.

Controller:

Logitech G13:

Cost: $75.99

Macro controllers aren't necessary for gaming but I find that they greatly enhance my gameplay, especially in button hungry MMOs. Remember that if you went with a Logitech G11 keyboard you can substitue that for a macro controller if you choose. Check out this video to see what this style of controller is capable of:

BELKIN F8GFPC200 N52TE:

Cost: $69.99

The Belkin n52TE is another macro controller that offers the same functionality as the Logitech G13 but cuts $10 and doesn't have an LCD screen. Check out this video for an overview:

With that I'll wrap up this review of PC gaming accessories for 2009. Adding any of these products to your arsenal will have you on the road to playing like a pro. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them here.

If you are interested in a guide for building a gaming PC from the ground up check out the guides section over at Arstechnica.com.

I'd like to note that I used newegg.com as my source for listing all of the devices because they have provided me with great service and fast shipping over the years. I highly recommend them for all of your PC hardware needs.

One last time for good luck... I have not received any compensation for any of these recommendations so don't sue me FTC :)

Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition Review

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Bethesda released the "Game of the Year Edition" of their game Fallout 3 on the 13th of this month and I was there day one to buy it. The quality of their games is so good at this point I think they just automatically assume that they will get multiple "Game of the Year" honors from various media outlets and actually work the name into their releases ahead of time... see: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion GotY, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind GotY, Fallout 3 GotY.

The Fallout 3 GotY edition is simply the full retail game packaged with the 5 downloadable expansions that have been released in the year since it came out. I tore through the original game in about 2 weeks and sold it shortly after so I no longer had the disc. I did however still have the save game files on my Xbox 360 and was pleased to find that my GotY edition game picked up the files without any issues. The 360 version of the game has two discs, one for the original game, and one that you install all of the DLC to your hard drive with. The PC version is also packaged this way, but the PS3 blu-ray disc has everything on one. I should note here that there is a known issue with the PS3 version of the game in Canada and it can't load saved games from the original version of the game. The problem is being addressed by Bethesda however.

Now that those details are out of the way I'll begin my assessment of the game. A simple description of Fallout 3 is that it is a sci-fi RPG set in a future where the world has been ravaged by nuclear war.You take control of a character that has been raised in an underground bunker their entire life and you are setting foot into the nuclear wasteland for the first time. The plot is driven by a lengthy questline that takes about 40 hours at a casual pace. When you include the DLC expansions the full game is about 65 hours long. The game features a lot of guns and shooting but melee weapons are also a viable option.

I'll elaborate on this basic description by saying that Fallout 3 is the most visually pleasing videogame that I have ever played up to this point in my gaming career. The post-apocalyptic theme is expertly portrayed through fine details that are easy to miss at first glance. It seems that every object in the game has been through a war and this is communicated through dents, chips, scratches, charring, tears, rips, and stains. Every texture has been created in a manner that conveys age, use, and deterioration. When you walk through an abandoned street in DC you feel a sense of hush and doom brought on by the crumbling walls, blasted holes, and charred remains. When you wander the countryside the skeletal frames of once bustling buildings jut out from the broken ground in the distance and serve a harsh reminder of the devastation of atomic war.

The visual elements of the game are complemented by the lush atmospheric soundtrack. I could use some adjectives like "dark" and "haunting" to try to describe it but it really wouldn't do it justice, just check out this track on Youtube.

Gameplay elements such as the constant scrounging for ammunition, the poor condition of your equipment with the continuing need to repair it, and the sometimes maddening search for a place to rest ties everything together. When a battered thug bursts out from an alleyway screaming incoherently and firing bullets from an antique sidearm you really feel like you are struggling for survival in an unforgiving world. There are many times in the game when you just have to stop and stare and appreciate the artistry that went into creating the Fallout 3 world.

In my time spent with the game I've only been able to find one obvious flaw. The game was plainly designed to be played in first person mode and this is demonstrated by the odd control mechanics in 3rd person. This is actually a carry over from previous Bethesda games but it is still somehow present in Fallout 3. What I'm talking about is when you are moving forward in anything other then a straight line, your character will kind of glide in that direction as they continue a forward running motion. It is rather hard to describe it is so I'll include a video as well, check it at the 45 second mark.

I know that is a minor gripe but when you are in the game it will be a lot more obvious to you. Beyond this I did experience some game crashes and severe slowdowns on the 360 version and that is real rarity for a console game so I have to mention it.

I'll move on from here and start on the individual DLC expansions included in the Game of the Year edition. For general information the DLCs are about 3-5 hours long but can be longer with more in-depth exploration. I'll try to talk about each one without spoiling too much, so here we go:

Broken Steel:

If you haven't experienced any of the DLC yet this is the first one you'll want to embark on. It changes the original ending of the game so that instead of your character dying they go into a coma and reawaken two weeks later in the Brotherhood of Steel compound. The level cap is also raised from 20 to 30.

Overall this is probably the most well made DLC in the series and sets you on a mission to destroy the Enclave once and for all. You get to see the bad ass giant robot Liberty Prime in action again and the subsequent explosions he creates is always fun. You also get a Tesla Cannon and good times are had.

The one low point in Broken Steel is probably the Olney Powerworks section. It seems like they made it much longer then they should have just for the sake of adding content for the player to work through. Once you get into the meat of the story though you will quickly forget about it.

Here is a quick trailer for Broken Steel:

Operation Anchorage:

This was the first DLC release in the series but it isn't the best. You find yourself entering a military simulation program that must be completed before being able to access a cache of weapons/items/armor. The simulation follows the fictional Chinese invasion of Alaska and the purpose of the simulation is to train soldiers to get ready for combat duty.

This expansion was a bit odd in that you are completely stripped of all of your items from the beginning and forced to complete the entire DLC using weapons and items provided. When you exit the simulation you do get your equipment back though. The gameplay almost becomes something like a Call of Duty Light and you are forced to make your way through various Chinese encampments before finally shutting down their main facility.

To sum it up, the DLC areas themselves are actually pretty well done but it so completely takes you out of the Fallout world that it is questionable why they felt the need to create it.

The Pitt:

The Pitt was the second DLC released in the series. It takes you to the ruined city of Pittsburgh where you are tasked with infiltrating the ranks of enslaved steel workers to get your shot at the head honcho of the operation. There are a lot of moral choices involved in this DLC and at various points you can choose to side with the workers or decide to take out the headmaster and take the reigns for yourself.

The areas and textures in this expansion are probably the most well done out of all the releases. They really capture the harsh and gritty feeling of the Fallout world. To help add to this feeling you are again stripped of your items in the beginning and left to fend for yourself. This creates an atmosphere where you almost feel like a caged animal.

The only negative to this DLC is that is is rather short. In the 360 version they included an achievement to collect 100 steel ingots in the steel yard area but I felt this was done only to artificially lengthen the DLC. If you are hellbent on completing this for the 360 or in any of the other versions, a video walkthrough can be found here.

Point Lookout:

Point Lookout is the fourth in the series, and in my opinion probably the least well done. My main gripe with it was that it is very short. There are a number of side quests and exploration to do along with a time consuming achievement that can add to the play time, but it was the shortest DLC of the bunch for me.

The basic premise is that a boat driver appears that is offering rides to Point Lookout State Park down the river in Maryland. This is a rather sketchy plotline but it develops further down the road. Once you get to Point Lookout you run into a ghoul fighting off some wild tribesmen in an old mansion and join in on the action. It sounds really odd but yeah, that is really what happens. You then continue on various disjointed missions until you are finally done the DLC.

One of the only redeeming elements of this DLC is the ghoul character Desmond. His voice acting and dialouge are very well done and the character in general is strong enough to carry the expansion. There is also a cool psychedelic trip out scene that is unlike anything else in the entire game, but it is very short.

So the disappointing quest line in the DLC combined with the odd backwater bayou theme makes this the poorest of the bunch for me. If you are reading this and have been downloading the expansions, I would recommend that people skip this one unless they are into Fallout or just want the achievements.

Mothership Zeta:

This is the fifth and latest DLC released in the series. For some reason Bethesda decided to go with the cliched idea that you are abducted by a UFO and subjected to various tests this time around. You eventually escape captivity and from there run amok on the spacecraft and fight for your freedom.

The basic idea in this DLC is another sketchy one but they manage to pull it off fairly well. The interior spacecraft environments and textures are very well done and there are some cool moments in the quest line. In the end you get to operate a death ray super cannon attached to the spacecraft to fight another ship, and is a unique experience within the game. You also get a number of new alien oriented weapons, the coolest one being the Drone Cannon IMO.

Overall this DLC is rather well done with the only low points being the tired story idea and the sometimes tedious length of some of the missions.

In the end the DLCs are top notch when it comes to the new areas, models, textures, weapons, quests, and scripting. A few of them are questionable from a concept level and are sometimes tedious in their at times forced mission lengths, but as a body of work they are very well done.

For anyone that is a Fallout fan the DLCs and the GotY edition are definitely worth the buy. If anyone out there hasn't played Fallout 3 at all now is definitely the time to get it with DLCs packaged in free. If you still have the original Fallout 3 disc you may want to download the choice expansions (Broken Steel, The Pitt, Mothership Zeta) and leave the others, or you could trade in your copy for a GotY edition.

Thanks to anyone out there reading and if you have any comments by all means leave one. I'll leave you with a video review that IGN did on the GotY edition. Their opinions differ a bit from mine on some of the DLCs (namely Point Lookout), but they generally got it right.

AVGN: Godzilla

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:51:00 +0000

I'm posting this up because repping the Angry Video Game Nerd/Cinemassacre Productions is never a bad thing. The Nerd goes through Godzilla titles from the olden days and has a laugh out loud ending:

Video Games | ScrewAttack | Angry Video Game Nerd: Godzilla

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

MMArmy - browser based game

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:28:00 +0000

Over the past few years I've noticed that browser based games have become more and more popular and with the explosion of Facebook games like Mafia Wars have almost become a household name. With titles such as Free Realms and Quake Live we have even reached the point where 3D games with pretty nice graphics are playable within browsers. There are also a few "classic" browser games such as Runescape and Second Life that have been around for the better part of a decade.

One browser game that I've enjoyed recently and wanted to give a shout out to is MMArmy. To sum it up it is basically mixed martial arts done in Pokemon fashion. You recruit fighters for your camp, train their stats up, and then pit them against other player's fighters. I suppose you have to be a bit of a MMA fan to enjoy it but I am and I do. There is a lot of randomness and luck involved in the simulation of the fights but there is a good bit of strategy and know-how involved in preparation.

If you happen to find yourself interested in the game then there is a nice tutorial here and a more in-depth player made strategy guide here. There is also an active community in the forums where help/socialization can be had.

The standard financial model of "free" browser games also doesn't really apply here. Most of them draw you in on the merit of being free-to-play but you quickly find out that you have to spend real money to buy items so you don't end up being cannon fodder for the big boys. There is a one time "premium" upgrade available for $20 in MMArmy but all it does is allow you to customize the looks of your fighters, unlock special costume pieces, and give your team an avatar. It doesn't affect gameplay at all and isn't needed for anyone that isn't interested in customizing their fighters.

So if you find yourself getting tired of the Facebook games and happen to be an MMA fan, then check out MMArmy. My team on there is the E-Town Soldiers, bow down -_-

South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:10:00 +0000

Last week I fired up my Xbox and at the home screen I noticed an advertisement for a Best Bet game called "South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!". "South Park" and "Tower Defense" are two phrases I would have never thought of putting together during my lifetime so I was naturally intrigued. I downloaded the demo and after an initial run through I was impressed enough to spend the 800 MS points to unlock the full game.

What the game essentially boils down to is a standard tower defense title with a South Park theme. Apparently "tower defense" qualifies as an entire game genre now and even has it's own Wikipedia entry... It says that there were Starcraft tower defense maps but I can't recall any from back in the day, just the plethora of them in Warcraft 3. If you played any Warcraft 3 then you remember Defense of the Ancients custom maps... even that idea is being ripped off and made into commercial titles. I can't believe it but there is actually a "Defense of the Ancients" article on Wikipedia... who on earth has the time to write and maintain that, wow.

Anyway, I'm getting off track. South Park Tower Defense is a fun little game that will give you about 5-10 hours of gameplay in single player depending on how good you are. There is a single player campaign mode that is 11 levels long and each level has 2-3 stages in it. Some of the stages are easy but a good number of them take a number of playthroughs to get the right strategy down.

What makes this title unique the in tower defense category is that you control up to 4 separate characters that each have special abilities. You build up these powers by throwing snowballs at enemies as they pass by. Most of the powers are just different ways of dealing mass amounts of damage but some of them differ, such has Kenny causing every mob on the screen to drop money at once. This all adds another aspect to the gameplay and gives you something to do other then just watch enemies run by and build towers.

Since this is a South Park title it includes all of the trademark crude humor so it definitely isn't something small kids should be playing. That being said all of the characters are authentically voiced and they do a great job of capturing the South Park humor in the game. If you are a South Park fan it is worth checking out on just that merit alone. On the topic of the characters there are a number of unlockable ones in the game that range from Jimmy and Timmy, to Bebe and Pip, any many others.

The one bad mark about the game is the multiplayer. The co-op play wasn't much fun because the only thing to do other then build towers is mash the A button to throw snow balls. One person generally takes over the tower building duties while everyone else is stuck mashing the A button and maybe running around to collect cash.

That being said I had fun with the game and is worth the 800 MS points if you are a South Park fan. I just want to point out that there is a video review of this game from IGN on Youtube and the guy is completely off base with his assessment. He starts the review off by saying "South Park has struggled to find an identity in the world of video games and those struggles continue on the Xbox Live Arcade". South Park has always been about crazy mindless fun and that is exactly what this game embodies. He really couldn't be any more wrong with that statement. The video can be found at this link.

Here is a video that hits closer to what the game really is:

Interesting Gamers: Raph Koster

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:27:00 +0000

This is the first entry in what may end up being a series regarding interesting figures in the gaming community. Raph Koster, the lead designer of Ultima Online and former Chief Creative Director of Sony Online Entertainment will be my first subject.

Raph began his career in gaming after graduating from Washington College in Maryland with an English degree in 1992 and started work on LegendMUD. From that point he moved forward with his education and ended up graduating with a Master's degree in Poetry from the University of Alabama. He then somehow made the jump from there to the hugely influential Origin Systems and became the lead designer on Ultima Online.

Using this experience Raph then moved to to Verant Interactive/Sony Online Entertainment and began work as creative director of Star Wars Galaxies. With Sony Online Raph grew into the role of Chief Creative Officer and worked on Everquest 2 and subsequent expansions until 2006.

At this point Mr. Koster moved on from Sony to form his own company, Areae, with the intention of creating a software platform that lets users create their own virutal worlds. This plan was realized with the release of Metaplace. Mr. Koster changed the name of his company from Areae to Metaplace and as of today that is where he is at in the world.

I first read about Raph when I came across his blog, simply titled "Raph's Website". Intrigued I typed his name into Wikipedia and began reading about a guy that was recently placed at #11 in the top 20 most influential people in the MMO industry. I then checked out Youtube and found a video featuring him speaking at a industry conference. At this point in his career he has the luxury of being able to speak on topics such as the theory of virtual economies, social networks, and games about tasting a peach, but I found it very interesting to watch.

The topic of the video seems to be the distinction between "playing" and "gaming" and how they should be approached. The primary point that he presents is that games today are essentially giant spreadsheets that keep track of what a gamer accomplishes and assigns them imaginary rewards for reaching different milestones. He then presents the idea of creating a game about the abstract concept of tasting a peach and talks about the questions that brings up.

A point he brings up during the discussion is that the biggest and most successful games on the market are the ones that present very little choices for the gamer, and pegs them into roles that need to be fulfilled or they fail (World of Warcraft is the example). He says that the games that present the most amount of freedom to gamers, with the biggest worlds and least amount of restrictions fail to find an audience and never make it off the ground.

I feel that though Mr. Koster has noble views on what games should be, he hit one of the major issues of game design on the head with those statements. The average gamer cannot function without a defined set of rules to follow and achievements to fulfill. If there is no carrot on a stick for a gamer to chase after then there is no reason for the game to go on. The challenging part of this idea is that also, if the carrot is too far out of reach for them they will stop and move on to something else. This is really the supreme challenge for MMO designers and something most of them fail at. This need for fulfillment through achieving different milestones is something that exists at a basic level in human nature and something that games, especially MMOs, feed on to successful.

There is an interesting question from the audience during the discussion where someone mentions that social networks like MySpace have such large populations that the lowest common denominator becomes the accepted norm so that a baseline for communication can be established. I feel that this also holds true in the social network that exists in games such as World of Warcraft. However, I believe that MMOs have become so popular that this network has extended beyond individual games and rather exists as an MMO community rather then one particular game. When you speak to an MMO gamer they have generally tried a large number of different games and when a new MMO comes out they run out and try it right away. What we see now is large numbers of gamers from different MMO populations converging in a new game and falling back on the lowest common denominator of communication and expectation.

So a problem is born from that base level of expectation. A game designer needs to fulfill what is expected of their game to hook gamers in, but they also have to find ways to push the boundaries and create new experiences to keep gamers there. Creating different versions of the same grinding treadmill doesn't work and that is why we have so many MMOs failing these days. Just look at this announcement today saying that Matrix Online is going to be shut down in two months.

I applaud Mr. Koster for exploring new ways to bring games to gamers, and thank him for his thought provoking ideas presented in this discussion (he is the guy that does most of the talking the beginning).

Will Wright on Game Design and Web 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:22:00 +0000

So I found an interesting video from FORA.tv depicting Will Wright talking about how game design and Web 2.0 are intersecting (see the end of the post). Basically he touches on how he believes that most people are narcissistic by nature and the more you power you give a gamer to express themselves through their character or game, the more involved they get in the game. I kind of have to take his word for gospel on this one since he designed the best selling PC game of all time, The Sims.

He then goes on to speak about how Web 2.0 and the whole social networking craze links in to his theory. In my opinion services like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter are narcissistic in nature since they allow a person to create their idealized identity online. A person doesn’t have to deal with their broken down car, mass layoffs at work, or a pending breakup/divorce online. They can create as glitzy of a profile they want and let others think their lives are the greatest thing since sliced bread. They can also wallow in their own self pity and solicit the sympathy of others to boost their egos. People can do whatever they want on social networking sites and portray themselves however they want. That is why they are mega popular, and that is why Will Wright’s theory should be promoted to fact.

Will Wright’s point also applies to MMOs as well. They have exploded in popularity because they let people create an idealized online version of themself. Who cares if you are jobless 30 year old living in your Mom’s basement when you are a valued member of an elite WoW raiding guild? You can turn yourself into Superman if you want to. That is the allure of an MMO and what draws gamers to them like magnets.

So, Will Wright, you are a much smarter man then I. I mean the guy just left his job at EA to form a think tank.

Wild West MMO… Oregon Trail on roids?

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:20:00 +0000

It’s a slow news day so I’ll link an interesting article on mmorpg.com. It discusses historical based MMOs and specifically one set in the Wild West era in US history. The author talks about his vision of what a Wild West MMO should be and different game mechanics that would be involved.

To summarize, he describes an FPS PvP driven game based around “reputation” earned and lost on either side of the law through gun fights, cattle rustling, bank robberies, bar brawls, things of that nature. He touches on other MMO aspects such as crafting, economy, services, and so forth.

Sounds like a cool idea but I see a major flaw, there would pretty much be no end game. There are only so many gangs to bust up or high noon gun fights to sling bullets in. I think the focus of the game would have to be shifted to the other MMO aspects such as exploration, crafting, and survival.

Think of Oregon Trail on steroids. There you are constantly fighting for survival against disease, hunger, and raiders. A wild west MMO would be an excellent scenario to inject the feeling of danger into. Who cares how many bandits you can grind out in one sitting when your character’s body is being ravaged by a particularly savage case of dysentary? How long can you hammer away on an anvil repairing cart wheels when your dude hasn’t eaten in 5 days? What happens when you come back from a successful hunting trip and find your house/wagon ransacked and burned to the ground?

A huge problem with MMOs these days is that there is no feeling of mystery or danger involved. You can just go to each game’s version of WOWHead, type in a quest name, and instantly get a step by step set of instructions on how to complete every quest in the game. You can even download plugins that points you where to go and gives you popups on what you should be doing.

I would picture a western MMO as starting out as a clean state. Just the original US states and a vast expanse of wilderness and the occassional frontier town to the west from there for players to explore and populate. If there was an ever changing terrain of players moving and towns popping up it wouldn’t be practical to establish any sort of detailed map on a website. There would be mystery and danger involved, like how the old west really was.

So yeah, you could incorporate the FPS elements into the game that the original author was speaking of, but that should only be a part of a larger picture. I’m hoping that the next generation of MMOs evolve past the do X amount of quests and kill X amount of creatures until you hit the max level mold that developers are beating into the ground right now. Hopefully they move towards dynamic areas and dynamic content that can’t be tracked and cataloged on 50 different websites.

Just of old time's sake, here is a humorous review of Oregon Trail:

Reposting entries from the old site...

noreply@blogger.com (washedupgamer) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:16:00 +0000

I'm posting a few non news related entries from the old Wordpress version of washedupgamer, so no, the site isn't blowing up.