Maccas Musings

Reckless Racing 2 (iOS)

2012-02-09T21:26:00.001-05:00

Wow, another iPad/iPhone game and all this after I went on a rant about how I don't play that many mobile games......

I quite enjoyed the first Reckless Racing on the iPhone and Pixelbite recently released the sequel on the iTunes Store for five bucks. Since I'm a sucker for top-down racing games in the vein of Micro Machines I picked it up immediately and I'm glad I did.

One of the issues with the first Reckless Racing was that while the racing was a lot of fun, there was no structure to the game. You basically had a number of tracks and you could either do a single race, a hot lap, or a 'delivery' race. The game's sequel takes the same basic gameplay (to be honest I didn't notice that much of a difference in the racing itself) but adds new tracks, new cars and, most importantly, an excellent career mode.

Much like Gran Turismo you start off with a small amount of cash with which to buy your first car, you can the race in one of the available Cups (each with several races) and earn prize money to either upgrade your car, buy a new one and also unlock more Cups. The career mode isn't super in-depth but it's enough of a structure to keep you more involved in the game. There are 24 new tracks - 6 different locations with 4 tracks on each.

Because of the warped (but wonderful for the consumer) economy of the iTunes store $4.99 can seem like a lot for an iOS game but if you're a fan of the first Reckless Racing I think it's definitely worth a look.

Smash Cops (iOS) and Little Racers STREET (XBL Indie)

2012-02-03T21:52:00.000-05:00

Do you remember Micro Machines on the NES? Top-down 2D racing with neat, inventive tracks - it was a ton of fun. That type of top-down driving probably took it’s next evolution in the original Grand Theft Auto on the PC which added a city and traffic rather than just a race-track.

I bring up those two titles because over the past few days I’ve been playing two games that definitely channel those two classic titles; Smash Cops on the iOS and Little Racers STREET on the Xbox Live Indie channel.

I downloaded Smash Cops for $2.99 on iOS after seeing screenshots on the iTunes storefront. As you can see from the screenshots it looks like a really nice high-res version of the original Grand Theft Auto and the game’s title pretty much describes what you do in the game; you’re a cop and to stop fleeing suspects you have to smash them with your car, Chase HQ-style. There are 22 missions/levels that are divided into three basic types; pursuit levels where you have to chase down a suspect (or several) and smash their car to bits to stop them, time-trial levels which are basically check point races against the clock, and other time-trial style races where you have to navigate obstacles (cones or traffic on the highway) within a certain time. The pursuit races are obviously the most fun and the further you get into the game the more hits opposing cars require before they stop. At the end of each mission you’re given a grade out of five stars depending upon how quickly you took down suspects, how much damage you suffered and how much damage you caused. You then use the stars you’ve earned to unlock new levels and also new vehicles. Much like a lot of ‘freemium’ games you can also unlock missions by purchasing them with real-world money (barf).

As I mentioned before, the screenshots are what prompted me to take a closer look and they don’t disappoint, particularly on the iPad. The graphics are crisp, clean with bright vivid colours and the frame-rate is rock solid. The audio is also enjoyable with an 80s TV show-style theme tune.

Even the controls are pretty neat; to get your car moving you basically hold your finger behind the car and that propels it forward, if you move your finger to the left of the car it turns it right and vice-versa. A second touch of the screen triggers your nitro which allows you to launch forward and ‘smash’ other cars. It’s a very simple control scheme but it works very well.

Unfortunately, despite all these great things the game falls flat because of samey mission design and uninspired city layout. I tend not to play iOS games in long stretches but even after a few short play sessions missions in Smash Cops would start to get pretty boring. Compounding things is the fact that the city itself, despite being very pretty, is uninspiring in its planning with mostly a basic grid design largely devoid of jumps, hills, wide highways, winding roads and so forth. It’s a shame because this is a game I really, really want to love but in the end it`s just nearly as good as it should be.

At the other end of the spectrum is Little Racers STREET, an Xbox Live Indie title that is much better than it has any right to be. Developed by Milkstone Studios, a three person Spanish development studio, Little Racers STREET is a top down racing game in the vein of Micro Machines or Pole Position. What instantly grabbed me about this game are the fantastic controls and driving model that are so wonderfully tight and responsive.

There is also a brilliant career mode inspired by Gran Turismo wherein you start with a certain amount of cash, have to buy your first car and then work your way up five different car classes. You win money with each race which can then be used to buy upgrades or brand new cars. There are 30+ different cars based on real-life models and a dozen or so different tracks with various weather effects.

The game is an absolute blast to play and I found myself playing this little indie game despite having half a dozen full price 360 games on backlog. The best part? Little Racers STREET is a dollar! That’s right, it’s just 80 Microsoft Points which makes it a no-brainer. There is a demo available but the demo track has you using higher level cars which are much more difficult to drive without practice and if anything the demo almost put me off the game but at a dollar I took the plunge and am absolutely glad I did. Get this game!

Lavan

So I cancelled my Vita pre-order......

2012-01-27T22:43:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I finally did something I had been meaning to do for some time; I cancelled my Playstation Vita Pre-Order. Last year when the Vita was first announced I immediately went to Amazon and pre-ordered it. It looked like, and still is, an incredible piece of hardware. A beautiful OLED screen, front and rear touch screens, two analog sticks (finally), and some pretty impressive horsepower behind the scenes. The price-point is also solid at $250 for the Wi-Fi version. Most importantly, the games look phenominal and not just ‘phenominal for a handheld’, but phenominal period.

So why did I cancel my pre-order? A couple of reasons;

The first reason has to do with game pricing/value proposition. As of today, Vita games are anywhere from $30 to $50. In some cases, such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss, I’m sure these prices reflect the development costs of creating games that almost as good as their home console brethren. But, as good as Uncharted:GA looks, I have a hard time believing that it looks 7-8 times better than Infinity Blade 2 which is only 6 bucks on the iTunes store. In fact, I`d say Infinity Blade 2 looks just as good as Uncharted.

In fact, for the price of Uncharted you could get Infinity Blade 2, Grand Theft Auto 3, Reckless Racing, Death Rally, Real Racing 2 HD, Bike Baron and Edge. All of those are top notch, graphically intensive, quality games. That doesn’t even include the regular iTunes sales where you can get many of those games for 99 cents (and so could even add more games for the price of Uncharted).

Or, comparing apples to apples; Ridge Racer for the Vita is $30 and, by many accounts, is a piece of garbage. For one sixth of the price (and again, on sale for less - I got it for 99 cents!) you could get Real Racing 2 for the iPhone which has 30 different cars, 15 tracks, a 5-7 hour career mode, looks gorgeous, and plays like a gem just using the touch screen and the accelerometer.

The second reason I cancelled my pre-order has to do with the handheld gaming experience itself or more succinctly, what I want from handheld games personally.

The main selling point of the Vita is the fact that it can bring PS3 quality, and type, games to the portable space.

The thing is, for me at least, if I actually have the time to play games then I want to be sitting on the couch getting the full experience on a home console with my TV and surround sound, rather than hunched over a small screen, headphones in my ear while my wife screams at me to take out the garbage.

Now if I commuted to work and had to spent 30-40 minutes sitting on a train this may be a different story, but as it stands, if I’ve got more than 10 minutes to play games, I would rather do so sitting on my couch or in front of my PC. If I only have a few minutes to burn then I’d want to play something brief and bite-sized like Bike Barron, Drop 7 or Spell Tower - rather than a facsimile of a home console experience. What’s the point of playing 90 seconds of a Grand Theft Auto game? You wouldn’t even get past a cut-scene!

So despite the fact that the iPad and iPhone do have many games that compare to home console-type titles - I rarely play them. I spend far more of my time playing bite sized games such as those I mentioned and for those, my phone (or tablet) is just fine.

That said, don’t think for a minute I won’t be tempted the novelty of new tech and that gorgeous OLED screen come Vita launch day....I do have a Y chromosome after all!

New PES Video

2012-01-16T22:31:00.001-05:00

I made a new PES/WE montage video using footage from PES 2011 and PES 2012 (though mostly the former). Check out the link below, feedback is much appreciated.

Also, don't forget to read my Top 10 Games of 2011 in my last two posts.

Lavan

Top 10 Games of 2011: Part 2

2012-01-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

Just to recap games 10 to 5;

10. Spell Tower (iOS)

9. Bastion (PC)

8. Rayman Origins (360)

7. FIFA 12 (360)

6. Crysis 2 (PC)

And also to reiterate once again that I didn't play Skyrim, The Witcher 2, Batman: Arkham City, Deus Ex, and Uncharted 3 and all of those are games I'd expect to be vying for a Top 10 spot.

Without further adieu.....

5. L.A. Noire (360)

Much like Crysis 2, I feel L.A. Noire is a very underappreciated and almost forgotten game. When I read/listen to comments by most journalists you get the sense that this is really a failed version of GTA 1947 and to believe that is to completely miss the point. Sure, there's a gorgeous open-world depiction of 1940s Los Angeles, and sure it's a Rockstar game, but L.A. Noire is an old-school adventure game through and through.

At its core L.A. Noire harkens back to the 80s and 90s graphical adventures but it's wrapped up in great visuals, incredible facial capture technology and a brilliantly written script.

The story does drag on one act too long and the actual game mechanics can get a tad monotonous at times but L.A. Noire is an unforgettable experience and a game that you simply can't miss.

4. Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (PC)

If you've followed my writing over the years you'll know that from 1998 to 2005 I had what could be described as a love-affair with Konami's signature soccer gaming series. However, somewhere around the mid-2000s they started started to lose the plot and things got very stale. Meanwhile, EA Sports stepped up their game and revitalized their FIFA series. PES 2010 was a solid game but lacked the pure fun of the series' best titles.

With PES 2012, the magic is back! The game isn't perfect but I haven't had this much fun since J-League Winning Eleven Club Championship on the PS2. I still find the online play severely lacking compared to FIFA 12 but single-player is insanely addictive.

I prefer the PC version not just because of the improved graphics but also because of the brilliant user-made patches that add a plethora of real-world teams, leagues, kits and stadia.

3. Portal 2 (PC)

A Masterpiece.

If this were any other year Portal 2 would be my number one with a bullet. From top to bottom everything about this game screams quality. I love Stephen Merchant's turn as your sidekick Wheatley and J.K. Simmons as the enigmatic Cave Johnson. I love the visual style and witty narrative. But most of all I love the gameplay. Valve have found the perfect sweet-spot with the difficulty of their puzzles and solving each one brings a fantastic sense of satisfaction.

The game also has one of the best endings in recent memory.

Truly Valve's finest game since Half Life 2.

2. Saints Row: The Third (360)

No, really. Seriously.

I didn't plan for this to happen. I actually feel guilty for liking this game more than Portal 2 but I can't help it - minute to minute there is no game I have had more fun with this year than Saints Row: The Third.

Since the series' inception Saints Row has always been seen as a poor mans Grand Theft Auto but this is the game where the series comes into its own - and it does so on its own terms, not as a GTA clone. Sure they may both seem incredibly similar on the surface but, open world aside, they could not be more different when it comes to gameplay style.

As Rockstar's GTA series has moved towards gritty realism, the folks at Volition have said 'fuck it' and made Saints Row: The Third the most batshit insane gaming experience ever! Best of all, it doesn't just own it's madness, it flat out revels in it and you get the sense that even some of the characters within the game know what they're doing is insane. From a quick glance at previews you might think that the madness I'm referring to are juvenile things like using giant dildos as weapons or a 'fart in a jar' as a stun grenade - you'd be wrong. I would love to give one of a dozen concrete examples from the game but to do so would be to spoil the surprises. Suffice to say, there are things in this game that you would never imagine you'd see in a videogame.

Underpinning the crazy mission design and lunatic narrative right turns are excellent shooting mechanics, a purposefully arcadey driving style, and fantastic mission variety.

Like I said, I didn't expect to like this game that much and I am a self-proclaimed GTA fanboy but I played Saints Row: The Third for 27 hours (including all the optional side missions) and I can't recall a moment that I wasn't smiling from ear to ear.

Play this game.

1. Battlefield 3 (PC)

After loving Battlefield: Bad Company 2, this was easily my most anticipated game of the year. I had it pre-ordered on both the 360 and the PC, I bought a new 22 inch LED monitor for my PC and yet, there was a moment, after playing the public beta that I thought - uh oh, this is not very good...graphical glitches, a crappy narrow Rush-mode map....actually, this is kinda crap. Did I just waste my money?

That was a notion, or should I say a fear that persisted right up until launch day. Fortunately, just 20 minutes of the Caspian Border map on the PC and my fears were allayed and the more I played it the more it became clear that this game not only met my lofty expectations, it exceeded them.

Between the PC and 360 versions I've played Battlefield 3 for almost 60 hours. Those 60 hours are almost all exclusively multiplayer and, really, that is the only reason to play this game. There is a single player campaign but its boring, poorly paced and largely devoid of invention. Multiplayer is where Battlefield earns its keep and I just can't stop playing it.

Battlefield 3 takes the excellent class-based shooting of Bad Company 2, refines it and then adds more - more vehicles, more weapons, more gadgets, larger maps and importantly, on the PC, more players. As I've said before, 64-player Battlefield 3 on a good PC is the finest argument for a new console generation around. You truly feel like you're in a war zone with player-controlled aircraft buzzing overhead, vehicles littering the battlefield and destruction everwhere.

But, what this game specializes in is creating these amazing, unique moments of utter chaos that in other games would be the result of carefully orchestrated scripting, but in Battlefield 3 are the result of emergent gameplay. Anyone who has played this game has experienced at least one 'Battlefield Moment' - be it the time they cleared out an entrenched capture point by attaching C4 to a jeep, driving at top speed and then jumping out at the last minute to detonate the explosives, or perhaps the time they ran up a hill, got to the summit and almost dropped their controller as the flaming wreckage of a F-18 fighter jet flew just over their head!

From a technical standpoint, the PC version is almost peerless. The graphics in DICE's Frostbite 2 engine are simply jaw dropping. I am continually amazd at the player models, the animations, the lighting and particle effects, the environments and more. This is the best looking game I've ever seen.

The audio is also no slouch with some phenominal sound design. It's not just the thunderous boom of machine gun fire, or the rumbling of a nearby tank that's impressive - it's the fact that you can sometimes tell where gunfire is coming from not just from the location the sound is coming from but also from the different sounds bullets make when they hit different surfaces!

Even the browser-based Battlelog interface is solid with excellent stat tracking and the ability to simply browse the web while you're waiting for the game to load or a sever spot to open.

If you haven't guessed by now, I love this game. I mentioned at the beginng of this article that there were a few games that I hadn't played but suspect they would likely be on this list if I did. Battlefield 3 is one of the main reasons I haven't. The shortcuts to The Witcher 2, Arkham City and Deus Ex are sitting on my desktop but I still haven't played them because when I do get a free minute I'd just rather be playing Battlefield.

Battlefield 3 is my 2011 Game of the Year.

Lavan

Top 10 Games of 2011: Part 1

2012-01-01T12:13:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

This post was supposed to be up about a week ago but I've been slacking during the holidays. It seems almost every year in the past 5 years has been a 'great year for gaming' and 2011 was no exception. There were so many top notch games that I wish I was back in undergrad and actually had time to play half the games I wanted to! That said, these were my Top 10 Games for 2011.

Note: Since I didn't play all the games I wanted to (damn you adult life!) the following are some notable titles that I didn't play but suspect they could/would have made my personal Top 10:

Batman: Arkham City

The Witcher 2

Uncharted 3

Football Manager 2012

Skyrim (!)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Of those titles I strongly suspect that the Witcher 2 would be on this list since I had so much fun playing the first Witcher game and from all accounts the sequel is even better.

Macca's Top 10 Games of 2011

10. Spell Tower (iPad)

I think it's a testament to the addictive nature of this iOS game that I I've only been playing this game for six days and yet it still makes my personal Top 10 ahead of a number of other games.

A genius combination of Scrabble and Drop 7 combined with a sub-$5 price point makes this game a must buy.

9. Bastion (PC)

I picked this game up for only $5 on a Steam sale and at that price I really feel like I stole it. Bastion is an old school-style 3/4 isometric view shooter/adventure game but what makes it so special are the gorgeous visuals (check out the screens below), the unforgettable soundtrack and the great story.

It's a fairly short game but what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up in quality.

8. Rayman Origins (360)

There aren't too many 2D platformers that come out nowadays, let alone a 2D platformer that retails at a $60 price point like Rayman Origins does but Michel Ancel's newest game is worth every penny. Controls are super-tight and the level design, while the very definition of linear, is ingenious. It also doesn't hurt that the game looks like a Saturday morning cartoon and the soundtrack is on-par with Bastion.

I absolutely adore this game.

7. FIFA 12 (360)

I love the online play, be it the new head-to-head leagues mode or the utterly amazing online teamplayer. I love the absolutely unparalleled feature-set from the myriad of teams, leagues, tournaments and the super-addictive RPG-like development of your Be A Pro player. I love the top notch visuals and audio. I love the new 'tactical defense' controls and the improved responsiveness of the attacking play. I even love the FIFA Ultimate Team mode.

But I absolutely fucking hate how utterly monotonous this game in single-player. FIFA 12 suffers from the same problem that hampered last years title in that every CPU controlled team plays the exact same way, particularly when it comes to playing defense. It doesn't matter whether your playing against against Barcelona or Accrington Stanley - every CPU controlled team is equally adept at defending with even the crappiest rated defenders able to emulate Franco Baresi in his prime.

It's the only blemish on what is otherwise an absolutely outstanding package but it is significant enough to keep this game out of my Top 5 and also put FIFA 12 behind PES for the for the first time in a number of years.

6. Crysis 2 (PC)

A title that I think was unfairly maligned in the gaming press, I think Crysis 2 on the PC was easily one of the best shooters of 2011.

It wouldn't be a Crysis game if I didn't mention the visuals and despite the complaining by hardcore PC nut jobs Crysis 2 looks incredible. If you doubt the fidelity of the visuals just take a look at Duncan Harris' stellar Crysis 2 gallery at DeadEndThrills. The game's depiction of an under-attack New York is both stunning and haunting at the same time

However, it's not just a pretty face - CryTek refined the already solid gameplay of the first game and it's significantly easier to switch between suit powers/abilities. The ability to approach mission objectives on a spectrum of a stealth to full-out guns blazing is still present and provides a much appreciated break from the scripted corridor shooter formula that you see in games like Call of Duty.

Rounding off the package is a solid narrative and stirring score composed by Hans Zimmer.

That's half of my personal Top 10, games 5-1 on Thursday!

Lavan

PS2 + Gameshark + Swap-Trick = Gaming Bliss

2011-12-21T18:01:00.003-05:00

An oldie, but a goodie (x2). Just thought I’d share two Winning Eleven/Pro Evolution Soccer montages I made many, many years ago when Winning Eleven was king. The resolution may be a bit grainy but it was the early 2000s and capture equipment wasn’t that great. Oh, the days of importing Japanese football games and the PS2 ‘swap trick’!

Hope you enjoy them!

Lavan

GTA: Vice City – Amazing....but still not as good as San Andreas

2011-12-21T17:56:00.004-05:00

I posted just over a month ago that I was going through Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the second time (on the PC) as it was the only GTA game that I hadn’t completed multiple times and didn’t have that fond memories for. As I stated in my post, one of the reasons I didn’t dig it that much the first time around was that I was playing it during a particularly rough time in my personal life. No such problems this time and I have to say I enjoyed the hell out of it. Including side missions Steam had me clocked in at 18 hours to complete it. All the positives I mentioned previously (mission variation, the environments, the art/aesthetic) still hold but I think I understated just how fucking incredible the soundtrack is. Even half-way through the game I was still hearing songs I hadn’t yet heard or had forgot were on the soundtrack, and unlike many other similar open world games (True Crime, Saints Row, other GTAs), there wasn’t a single station that I disliked. Much like the music in San Andreas, the tunes in Vice City really solidify the time period in your mind. Incredible stuff.

I also really enjoyed some of the later missions especially the mission entitled G-Spotlight (see below) where you have to ride a motorcycle through and across buildings.

But, despite having a hell of a time, I still think it ranks well behind GTA IV, The Lost and Damned, Ballad of Gay Tony, and San Andreas because of the narrative and in particular, the massive gap in the story towards the end of the game. Like every other modern GTA game you progress through the main narrative mission by mission. Vice City differs slightly in that there is a point in the story where the primary narrative comes to a dead stop and you’re not able to progress until you complete a set number of side mission threads. While these threads are entertaining (the G-Spotlight mission is in the Candy Suxx side mission thread) they don’t really add much to the major narrative and it takes a good 4-5 hours to finish these before the main narrative re-starts. By that time all story momentum has been lost and the resumption of the main narrative thread just consists of two missions (a very short penultimate mission and an incredibly annoying Scarface-Say-Hello-To-My-Little-Friend inspired final mission) and then you’re done. The big surprise/twist is that your buddy Lance Vance has sold you out but the emotional impact of that is lost because you haven’t seen the guy for the past 5 hours and he’s also a bit of a dick anyway.

It’s all a bit of a disappointment.

GTA IV definitely has it’s issues as I feel the narrative goes on for a few hours too long in the final third but it picks up momentum with the ‘Mr and Mrs Bellic” mission where either your cousin Roman gets gunned down on his wedding day or his bride does. This kicks things up into high gear for the finishing straight and you have a much greater attachment to Roman than you do to Lance.

I felt the narratives in both TLAD and BOGT were paced excellently and I loved everything about San Andreas.

Still, despite my gripes, I enjoyed the hell out of Vice City and I definitely think it's worth another play through if you haven't visited the city in a while.

Lavan

Dead End Thrills

2011-12-21T17:20:00.011-05:00

Quick note about an incredible website I stumbled upon - Dead End Thrills - a website made by games journalist Duncan Harris. The website consists of his ever-growing portfolio of absolutely stunning videogame photography – basically he captures incredible, jaw-dropping screenshots of videogames. The images aren’t just incredible because of the graphical fidelity and the visual tweaks he’s made to them, they’re special because of the moments he’s captured. Check out the link and if you don’t find your next desktop wallpaper there then there’s something wrong with you!

Lavan

Sideway: New York

2011-12-02T20:50:00.004-05:00

As we move into the busy season of gaming I’ve also been super busy with work. Fortunately, I've managed to steer clear of the behemoth Skyrim – not because I’m not interested in it, on the contrary, it's because I’m fairly certain that’s all I’d play for the next 2 months at the expense of all the other great games coming out right now!

What I have been playing is a nice mix of some old school games, some mainstream newer stuff and a few neat independent gaming titles, one of which is a very neat side-scrolling platformer named Sideway: New York for the PC.

I picked up Sideway off Steam after really being struck by the graffiti-inspired art style. You play the game as ‘Nox’ a graffiti artist who has been turned into a piece of 2D graffiti by his nemesis and it’s your job to work your way through New York to rescue your friends. Developer Playbrain markets the game as a ‘2D Platformer in a 3D World’ and while that seems like an odd slogan it actually describes it perfectly. The environments are all 3D areas but since you’re a 2D sprite/piece of graffiti you can only get around the environment by moving along the flat surfaces. The entire conceit has mostly aesthetic ramifications rather than gameplay ones but it’s enjoyable nonetheless.

The controls are snappy and along with the usually 2D platforming tropes such as jumping attacks you can also do spray-attacks, kicks and also use your spray can to draw-in new platforms (but only in certain designated areas). It’s definitely not going to challenge the likes of the 2D Mario games but I found it a lot of fun and at only $10 it’s worth checking out for the art-style alone. You can download the Sideway: New York demo on Steam and the Playstation Network.

Lavan

Kudos for Auntie Poulet

2011-11-13T17:17:00.004-05:00

The past few days since I`ve got back from Chicago have seen some retro gaming with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PC) and Metropolis Street Racer (Dreamcast). Of course, it almost goes without saying that both of those were sandwiched between some mandatory Battlefield 3 on the PC.

Vice City remains the only Grand Theft Auto game since GTA 2 that I haven’t finished more than once and, truth be told, it was because I didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as GTA 3, San Andreas or IV. Playing it a second time though made me realize my lack of fond memories weren’t a result of the result of the game itself but moreso the time in my life I was playing the game. I remember getting the game during my miserable first year of medical school where everything felt like a slog so I’m not surprised that the game felt like a bit of a chore as well.

Playing it now, 9 years after release, I’m actually having an absolute blast despite the clearly antiquated game mechanics. The cast of characters is hilarious with my favourite being the leader of the Haitain gang; Auntie Poulet. The missions are a ton of fun and I love that you can use the sandbox nature of the game world to help you. For example, in a mission named Naval Engagement you have to break up a drug deal taking place between the Haitains. You can check out the video below – you have to approach their mansion by water, take to the shore, steal the briefcases and then make it back to home base with the police on your tail.

The first two times I attempted the mission I would get smashed off the road by the ultra-aggressive police car. So, to make things easier, before the mission I just flew a helicopter and ‘parked it’ around the corner from the Haitain mansion – then after I picked up the briefcase I just had to run to my waiting chopper and fly home with the cops left in the dust!

Of course, the star of any Grand Theft Auto game is the game world and the atmosphere and Vice City excels. I love the Miami-inspired architecture, the pastel 80s color scheme of the city and the soundtrack is absolutely incredible – Michael Jackson, Hall and Oates, REO Speedwagon, Luther Vandross, Lionel Richie and I could go on. Great atmosphere, great game though I must admit that playing it on the PC helps mitigating the previous issues of load and save times when this was on the PS2.

The other title I`ve been playing is Metropolis Street Racer for the Dreamcast. I never owned a Dreamcast during the system`s prime and this was a game I only briefly played before but I`ve always been intrigued because I’m a massive fan of Bizarre Creations’ Project Gotham series which was the spiritual successor to MSR.
I’ve only played an hour or two of MSR but the game still holds up fairly well. The Kudos system in the PGR series is front and centre here as well but rather than show the Kudos score in real-time while you’re racing, you get to see it at the end of the race. Like PGR you get Kudos for driving clean sections and drifting but you also get Kudos for finishing laps within a certain time. The more Kudos you get, the more races you can unlock. Another neat touch is that the game uses the Dreamcast’s internal clock to determine whether races are held during the day or night. Very novel idea for a game from 2000! A solid title and a reminder that it's a damn shame Bizarre Creations shut down. RIP.

The Vet and the nOOb

2011-11-06T10:36:00.002-05:00

Despite some issues with the multiplayer community I still enjoy the Modern Warfare series. Activision released a really fun commercial recently with Jonah Hill, Sam Worthington, and a (currently) unemployed basketball player.

Time for a new console generation?

2011-11-04T16:06:00.001-04:00

Since I last wrote it’s pretty much been all Battlefield 3 for my gaming time. I’ve spent now approximately 7 hours on the PC and 8 hours on the 360 version. Because my friends are on Xbox Live I’ll ultimately spend more time with the console version in the upcoming weeks/months but I think, in almost every respect, Battlefield 3 is significantly better on the PC. Furthermore, as the title of this post alluded, it’s the first PC game that’s made me wish that my console were more powerful.

After playing some of the single player in Battlefield 3 on the PC, I think it would only be mildly hyperbolic to state that, visually, the PC version absolutely shits on the console version. Again, it’s not just the resolution, but the lighting, the animations, the textures, the particle effects and more. That’s not to say it’s an ugly game on the 360, far from it, it looks very nice but on the PC it is simply jaw-dropping.

Of course, Battlefield 3 isn’t the first PC game in recent memory to look better than it’s console port. Crysis 2, released earlier this year, was another stunner but graphical fidelity aside, the gameplay was more or less the same on the consoles as the PC. This is not the case with Battlefield 3. The (slightly) increased map size, increased number of capture points, and the more than double the player count makes the game way more intense and, on the major maps, much more fun. There’s also more vehicles and improved destructibility of the environments in the PC version as well.

It’s clear that the Frostbite 2 game engine that DICE created is a bit too much for the current crop of consoles but then again, should we be surprised? On November 16th, the Xbox 360 is going to be six years old! A top of the line PC from 6 years ago would probably struggle to run a quarter of newest PC games released today. There’s a finite limit to just how much power developers can squeeze out of the current crop of consoles and I think they are reaching that limit now.

Does that mean that I’m ready to buy the Xbox 3/720/Next/WhateverItsCalled tomorrow? No. There are still dozens upon dozens of games still to enjoy in this current generation but I also wouldn’t be surprised if at the next E3 Sony and Microsoft unveil their next generation of hardware for release in 2013. A looming next console generation is always an exciting time but the transition to the next generation should be even more intriguing as there are many questions that need to be answered that would never have been addressed before; What happens to digital distribution? Will either Sony or Microsoft have the stones to reject physical media or, at the very least, de-emphasize it? What happens to downloadable content? Will I be able to play my downloaded Xbox Live Arcade/PSN games on the next system? What will become of motion control? Will there even be true next-generation hardware or is the next step adoption of an On-Live style cloud-based streaming service?

Lots of questions and I’m hoping we’ll get an answer to some of them at the next E3. In the meantime, I am more than happy to run and gun on the 360 and PS3.......but oh the PC version of Battlefield is just so freakin’ good!

Lavan

GTA V

2011-11-02T21:28:00.007-04:00

I'm a massive, massive fan of the Grand Theft Auto series. Today Rockstar released a teaser trailer for GTA V, enjoy!

GTA San Andreas was one of my favourite games of all time so I love that they've gone back to California. The even in that short video the environments look incredible and I can't wait to drive around that game world.

What do you think of the trailer?

Lavan

Battlefield 3

2011-10-28T20:12:00.005-04:00

Yes, it’s been a bloody long time. I definitely underestimated the rigours of not only work but fatherhood and while I’m still busy as shit (as most people are) I’ve decided that it’s time I get back to writing. And what better place to start than with my most anticipated game of the year – not FIFA 12, not PES 2012 – no, it’s Battlefield 3! I absolutely adored Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s multiplayer and ever since the first videos of Battlefield 3 I’ve been waiting with baited breath for the PC and 360 versions.

After several hours with each game I have to say it doesn’t disappoint. First off, the PC version looks incredible. This current console generation is getting long in the tooth and Battlefield 3, even moreso than Crysis 2 and The Witcher 2, shows us the most compelling argument for new console hardware. It absolutely puts the console version to shame. Not only from the standpoint of the resolution but the textures, the draw distance, the increased detail, the lighting, the animations and much more are stunning. Just look at the picture above – that’s a screenshot and yes, the game really does look that good!!

From a gameplay standpoint, if you’ve played Bad Company 2’s multiplayer then you’ll know what to expect. I would still argue that Call of Duty’s 60fps engine is smoother but I far prefer the team-based objective gameplay in Battlefield. What really makes the game so enjoyable is the fact that you don’t have to be a killing machine to be successful. In fact, more than half of the matches I play I end up with a kill/death ratio less than one but I still rack up the points from doing support actions. I think it’s genius how they’ve incentivised many support actions (from repairing vehicles to even spotting enemies) so that it’s in your best interest to be a good team-player because you’ll end up with more points.

My two favourite classes are Assault/Medic, as you can rack up points by healing and reviving your teammates, and Engineer as you can repair vehicles and you have access to all manner of RPGs!

The level design is hit and miss, depending upon not only the map itself but also the platform – the PC version supports 64 player games (32 vs. 32) while the 360/PS3 version only has a max of 24 player games (12 vs. 12). The PC maps also appear to be marginally bigger than their 360 counterparts with a tad more space and a few more capture points (if you’re playing the Conquest mode – and you should) but the increase still isn`t proportional to the number of extra players.

As a result, for the smaller maps such as Grand Bazaar or Tehran Highway I prefer the 360 version as it`s less hectic and you`re not dying every 20 seconds. However, where the game shines is the big maps and it`s here that the PC version is just incredible. A 64-player match on `Kharg Island` makes you feel like you`re not just in a skirmish but in a full-blown war. There are multiple planes and helicopters flying overhead (all controlled by human players), vehicles racing around the map, buildings being blown up left right and centre – it`s breathtaking.

A word must also be said about the sound design in this game which is very impressive. Multiple explosions and an RPG whizzing inches over your head sound just as good as they look.

Unfortunately, it`s not all sunshine and roses. The web-based interface for the PC version is a pain in the ass and you have to use the same system to look at your stats from the console version. I didn`t realize you had to use the same email address when you sign up for each version so somehow I now have two different `Battlelog` accounts, one for each platform, and am waiting on Customer Service to merge my two accounts (if they can/will).

I will have continuing thoughts and impressions in the upcoming weeks and I’ll also chime in on FIFA, PES and a bunch of other games. And this time, I promise, I won’t disappear for a year.

For the three of you reading this, go buy Battlefield 3 now and don’t forget to add me – “DrMacca” on both Battlelog (PC) and Xbox Live.

Lavan

Football Manager iPhone!

2010-06-09T09:21:00.003-04:00

[Note: I wrote this a few days ago but have been too ridiculously busy to post....lazy, I know]

I find it interesting how the pricing scheme for Apps/Games on the iTunes store has totally changed my perception of value. Now a $2.99 iPhone game better be damn good because I can get a dozen fantastic games for just $0.99! So, at $9.99 Football Manger Handheld better be phenomenal. Fortunately, despite a few niggles and missing features, it pretty much is!

I have an interesting relationship with the Football (previously Championship) Manager series. I love it to death but I am also terrified of the game. Why terrified? Because I’m weak willed and have a very addictive personality. Back in the late 90s I almost failed out of undergrad because I was so utterly addicted to Championship Manager 3. I played that game to death, bleary eyed until 4am, sometimes until, very literally, the sun came up. In fact, I’ve stayed away from the most recent versions of the game because I know I don’t have the time to dedicate to them.

You’re probably wondering why, with such a weakness for all things Champ/Football Manager I bothered to get the iPhone version of the game. The answer – I’m an idiot and I just couldn’t resist the appeal/novelty of being able to carry around a version of Football Manager on my phone! It’s something I couldn’t have fathomed 10 years ago, it’s like carrying crack in your pocket....wait, that’s a bad analogy, but you know what I mean.

Football Manager Handheld is definitely a stripped down version of the PC/Mac title with only one active nation at any one time and no 3D game engine (though the 2D engines of the previous games is available). There are also numerous features/options missing. Just off the top of my head I can recall that you can’t make custom formations, you can’t assign player specific roles/tactics, you can’t assign team captains, you can’t fine players, assistant managers/coaches/scouts don’t have stats and so on. However, while I could sit here and perhaps come up with a dozen features that aren’t present, there are hundreds of things that are and most importantly, the fundamental gameplay and sense of immersion is definitely there.

I’m finding myself just as addicted to this game as I was to previous games in the series. Managing your squad, wheeling and dealing in the transfer market, the thrill of promotion, the agony of relegation, it’s all here. Sure there’s only one active nation but there are 11 different nations available, 34 different leagues and tens of thousands of players. Players have a full compliment of stats and different personalities. The financial and transfer model is sound with lots of depth. While the tactics don`t have the same depth of the PC title you still feel like your tactical changes make a difference. The biggest compliment I can give the game is that it’s the first iPhone game that I’ve played when I haven’t been commuting, sitting in a waiting room or sat on the toilet! I’ve actually sat down on the couch next to my wife and played the game while she’s watched TV and I’ve already played 5 seasons in just a few weeks! It’s important to note that I can’t say that would still be the case if I had Football Manager on the PC installed as well but it does give an indication of the quality of the game.

The game does have a few bugs, notable of which is the fact that the game doesn’t resume after you take a phone call! There’s an auto-save after each match but if you get a call in the middle of a cup final you’re screwed (unless you ignore your wife’s call....but you wouldn’t do that....would you.....ahem). Since there`s only one active league you can`t be a Mourinho and jump from league to league. Also, several years into the game I`m finding that far too many young players turn out to be absolute studs – it seems even mediocre teams have three or four world class players.

There are a few other minor bugs but one look at the official SIGames forum reveals that Sports Interactive are paying attention to the complaints and unlike the FIFA series I fully expect these problems to be fixed in a future patch. One aspect of the game that won`t/can’t be fixed is the somewhat clumsy nature of the controls – the small size of the iPhone screen makes shifting and switching around players using your finger a bit fiddly and slow but I don’t think it’s a game breaker.

If you`re someone who plays a lot of iPhone games and is into soccer I`d wholeheartedly recommend Football Manager Handheld. Sure it`s $9.99 but in this case I think it`s worth it.

Lavan

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

2010-05-27T15:16:00.001-04:00

EA Sports’ FIFA World Cup game (I’m too lazy to write out the bloated full name again) came out a few weeks ago and I’ve been having fun with the game despite some problems. Prior to playing World Cup 2010 I played through another league season in FIFA 10 to get reacquainted with the game engine and to also see if the newest FIFA 10 patch fixed the myriad of bugs in the manager mode (shockingly, it didn’t). After getting used to FIFA 10 again I switched to the new game and it’s definitely apparent that World Cup 2010, while not a major leap in gameplay, is a lot tighter and more refined game engine.

The biggest changes for me are the control responsiveness, particularly with one touch control and taking the ball down off the chest – it’s a lot swifter and less floaty than the previous game. Also less floaty are the crosses though they still seem to hang up in the air a bit too long and I would love to be able to drill in a high cross and thump in a header with the same aplomb as I would in Pro Evo.

Penalties have been revamped and I have to give credit to EA Canada for trying something different. The new system combines a side-to-side power/accuracy bar along with last year’s simple point and shoot method. I’m still getting the hang of it but thus far I do like the fact that nailing the corners seems a lot more difficult.

Graphics as expected are excellent with player faces pretty much on par with those in Pro Evo. The TV style presentation has been improved slightly with a few new substitution animations (though these are still pretty poor) but the game still has that odd disconnect when it comes to celebrations where your player does one thing in the game engine but in ensuing cut-scene they’re doing something completely different.

Feature-wise, I really enjoy the World Cup qualification modes but much like the Manager Mode in FIFA 10 there are numerous bugs (many of which you don’t hear a mention about in the mainstream gaming press) and simulation oddities. Stats tracking is absolutely bunk. I won the World Cup with Canada and though Rob Friend scored in every game in the finals at the end of the tournament the stats page stated that he had only played 2 games and scored only one goal. In fact, apart from Tomas Radzinski no one else on the team had played more than three matches – this despite the fact that I’d clearly played 7 games. Yes, somehow I won the World Cup with a 0-0-1 formation in the last 4 games!

Simulation results between computer controlled teams are bizarre and my Canadian team played in a World Cup that included Fiji, Andorra and Somalia (all three of which got to the knockout rounds).

Likewise, stats and achievement tracking in the Captain Your Country (Be A Pro/Legend) is screwy. I managed to make the first team squad and become Captain of Argentina with Martin Palmermo but didn’t receive the Xbox 360 Achievements for either. Even when I imported by Be A Pro character from FIFA 10 (a nice option....but it resets your bloody player attributes so what’s the point?) I didn’t get the achievements. Checking out the forums at 360Achievements.com it’s not a problem that’s isolated to my game and seems random – some get the achievements, some don’t.

The player ratings system in Captain Your Country, much like that in Be A Pro in FIFA 10, is fundamentally flawed as I’ve had numerous games where I’ve had boatloads of goals and assists only for a central defender to win man of the match. My favourite was getting 3 goals and 2 assists in single game with Martin Palermo in a 5-2 win against Peru only to have Gago win man of the match because he completed 3 out of 3 passes. Brilliant.

The Online World Cup mode is a neat idea – you play through the group and (if you qualify) the knockout stages – but be prepared to play the same five teams over, and over again – Spain, Brazil, England, Argentina and France. I really wish EA Sports would have a separate matchmaking service for those who don’t want to play with the 4 and 5 star behemoths. While it is a thrill to eke out a 1-0 win over England with Vietnam, its equally frustrating to be Vietnam and lose 6-0 to Brazil against a 12 year old shithead who makes you watch every replay and celebrates each goal like it’s a world cup winner.

I realize I’ve listed a lot of negatives about the game but when an incremental update comes out at full price I think it’s reasonable to expect things like stats tracking and simulation results to be working properly. Since FIFA 10’s Manager Mode shipped with numerous bugs that have yet to be patched (and I doubt they ever will) I’m not confident EA Canada will bother to fix the problems in World Cup 2010. I’m still enjoying the game and I guess when push comes to shove I still paid full price for it but that’s also because I’m a football gaming freak. If you’re not, you may want to hold on to get this used for a bit cheaper.

Lavan

Blur? More like Bleurgh!

2010-04-14T18:28:00.001-04:00

Project Gotham 2 and 4 are two of my favourite racing games ever and even though it’s difficult to argue against Forza 3 being the best console racing game money can buy, I still love going back to PGR 4 for the odd race. I love the driving model (straddling the line perfectly between Arcade Racer and Simulation) and I think the Kudos system is fucking genius.

So when I heard that the creators of PGR Bizarre Creations wouldn’t be doing another PGR game I was a bit sad. When I heard they were doing an arcade-style ‘combat’ racing game I was a bit worried. And after playing the closed Beta a month ago I wanted to vomit.

Okay, maybe vomit is perhaps a bit too strong so let`s just say I was really, really, really disappointed. It`s basically a more combat-intensive version of Mario Kart mixed with Modern Warfare and disguised under the semblance of the genuine racing game. Now if you’re a hardcore fan of Mario Kart then this game is definitely worth checking out. I don’t dislike Mario Kart but one of the things that always pissed me off was that you could have raced your ass off, be meters away from the finishing line and then “BOOM!” someone nails you with a (insert color) shell, you lose the race, and are suddenly reminded that you’re not actually playing a racing game. Regrettably for Blur (at least for me), is that this seems to happen ALL THE FUCKING TIME!!!

When I first started the Multiplayer Beta I was frequently racing against players who were at a higher experience level and had unlocked better cars (again, think Call of Duty’s unlock system) and yet I would race the pants off their faster cars only to be shot, shocked and rammed at the finish line. This literally happened my first three races and by the third time I was ready to throw the controller out the window. It`s not like I don`t like Arcade racers – I adore Burnout Paradise but even with the aggressive nature of the shunting it`s the actual driving that matters. Sure you can wreck my car, but you have to use your skill to actually catch up to me – not get me in your crosshairs from 400 meters away.

I then decided to change my focus, think of Blur not as a racing game but as a shooting game – it’s not about finishing on the race podium but about shooting people. That’s all fine and dandy but the problem is that if I wanted to shoot people I would just play Bad Company 2 or a whole host of other legitimate shooters.

Clearly, I’m not the target audience for Blur but what upsets me is that there is one thing that Blur does better than any racing game I’ve played – 20 car fields with little to no lag! Yes, twenty car fields. In those rare quiet moments of actual racing Blur is fantastic when you’re racing against 19 other players and my biggest disappointment is that Bizarre Creations couldn`t make a PGR game using this tech.

Again, if your idea of a racing game is Mario Kart and if you don’t understand the big deal about vehicle damage in simulation racing games then Blur is probably right up your alley. For me, I`ll be staying far, far away in Forza 3-land. And hey, you never know, maybe Blur will be the racing game equivalent of an electric fly zapper – drawing cornhole-happy, no skill douche bags away from legitimate racing games and keeping them there. Yeah, I`m not a fan.

The Blur multiplayer beta is now open to everyone on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Lavan

PS In case you were wondering.

Map Pack Costs How Much?

2010-04-13T23:13:00.001-04:00

[Don’t forget that you can check out my (deep breath) “2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa” demo impressions in my previous post.]

I mentioned in my 2010 FIFA World Cup demo impressions that I could understand if gamers were a bit peeved at the fact that World Cup is a full price game. This reminded me of the recent sales figures for the Modern Warfare 2 ‘Stimulus’ Map Pack. With only 3 new maps and 2 old maps the pack sold for a ridiculous $15 and the announcement of that price prompted the expected internet uproar. However, Activision recently announced that the pack sold a whopping 2.5 Million ‘copies’ (or downloads/or whatever)!

My initial thought upon hearing that news was “Great, every one of you fuckers who paid $15 has just screwed the rest of us because you’ve basically told the game industry that $5 per new multiplayer map is the going price.” However, when I think about how I didn’t really have a problem with spending $60 on a World Cup ‘update’ for FIFA 10, I guess it comes down to how individuals perceive value for money. For me, and the amount of play time I’ll spend with it I’m prepared to pay full price for a World Cup licensed FIFA game. Likewise, for the 12 year old snot nosed racist, homophobic shitheads who play Modern Warefare 2 $15 of daddy’s money is fine because they can get hours upon hours of enjoyment glitching the game, cheating and generally pwning noobs in the new maps.

I guess the bottom line is that if you feel strongly that a product/game is too pricey than instead of whining about it, just don’t buy it.......

Lavan

PS I was kidding about my generalization of Modern Warefare 2 players. Not really.

2010 FIFA World Cup Demo Impressions

2010-04-12T18:56:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned in my last post, the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (yes, that’s the full title) demo came out last week on Xbox Live and PSN. After a solid few matches I have to say I’m impressed but not quite as impressed as I’d have hoped to have been – even if this is an incremental upgrade and not FIFA 11.
The demo lets you play a 4 minute `Group Stage’ match between Italy and Spain in Durban. Right off the bat the expected EA Sports flash and fanfare is present but again it’s the little details (or lack thereof) that make the difference. The stadium looks fantastic, the confetti looks great, but why would the World Cup trophy itself be pitch-side before a group match? Likewise, even though they’ve been slightly modified, the substitution animations/sequences are still utter crap. The goal celebration sequences are also still completely inconsistent with what happened just before the ball went in – if you score, run to the touchline and skip the user-controlled celebration; the cut-scene may show you standing still in the 18 yard box celebrating.

The better the graphics become, the more jarring the lack of consistency and little details and becomes. Fortunately/Unfortunately, those graphics are very good. It may be my imagination but the faces in World Cup appear improved from FIFA 10 and very close to the awesome faces in PES 2010. There also appear to be a few new animations – I saw a Torres scuffed shot that looked great.

On the pitch the game definitely seems a tad faster – not something I’m a big fan of but definitely not a game breaker. Control and responsiveness are both tightened up and players bring the ball down a lot quicker. Shooting also seems a bit improved and you can fire low and hard shots more frequently. Crosses are still a bit ‘floaty’ like in FIFA 10 but obviously not as bad as those in FIFA 09 and 08. The game still allows you to bypass midfield a bit too easy and it can often become end to end unless you make a conscious effort to hold on to the ball.

Overall, I enjoyed the demo and looking forward to some of the other features they’ve listed for the final game. According to the demo the final build will have 199 National Teams and full Qualifying. One of my favourite modes from the last World Cup game – the Scenario Mode is back with real-life scenarios from qualifying for South Africa 2010 and also scenarios from the 2006 Finals. EA Sports also state that the game will have a ‘free live service [that] will deliver new scenarios during the 2010 FIFA World Cup’. The Captain Your Country mode (Be A Pro/Be A Legend) present in Euro 2008 is also back and there will be an online World Cup.

It’s a lot of features and some minor gameplay tweaks – is it worth $60 ($70 in Canada....even though the dollar is on par......)? Well, that’s a good question. Since 2010 World Cup provides many teams, game modes, stadiums and some (minor) gameplay tweaks I’m not too fussed to pay full price for it but I can definitely see why some would be upset at the pricing.

The game comes out April 27th and I’ll be posting day one impressions.....or at least trying to! ;)

Lavan

EA Sports: 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Demo: Italy 0 - 1 Spain

2010 FIFA World Cup Demo - out tomorrow!

2010-04-07T21:20:00.003-04:00

According to Eurogamer the 2010 FIFA World Cup Demo will be out tomorrow on both Xbox Live and PSN. The demo will feature Spain vs. Italy. Apart from the odd game here and there I haven't been playing much FIFA 2010 recently so it'll be good to get back into some console football.

Impressions tomorrow.

Lavan

FIFA Online and Heavy Rain

2010-04-04T17:36:00.000-04:00

It seems that starting off with an apology is the standard greeting for all of my blog/website entries and I won’t break the trend here so; sorry for not updating for an absolute age. There are a variety of excuses I purport that include; work, wife being pregnant, work, my computer carrying the new website design dying (hard drive fried), family stuff, alien abduction, and so on and so forth.

Fortunately/Unfortunately, not a great deal has been going on in the soccer-gaming world except for the FIFA Online Beta and the Ultimate Team add-on for FIFA 10. I managed to score a spot in the beta for the former and found myself quite impressed. Unfortunately, I haven’t been playing the PC iterations of the last few FIFA games so I can’t compare the gameplay but I still found it surprisingly deep and a lot of fun. The stats laden manager-mode at the heart of the online game is right up my alley and I’m looking forward to the third phase of the beta.

I haven’t yet downloaded the Ultimate Team add-on for FIFA 10 yet because much of my recent console gaming time has been with non-sports games.

Speaking of non-sports games, when I haven’t been playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 on the360, I’ve been blown away by Heavy Rain on the PS3. I know it’s only April but both Heavy Rain and Mass Effect 2 are easily contenders for my game of the year already. You’ve probably read reviews galore about Heavy Rain and while I readily acknowledge it’s not a game that’s going to grab everyone I found myself utterly enthralled by its grim, gritty, dark world. Developers Quantic Dream did a masterful job of characterization and I loved the way the game manipulates the player both emotionally. It’s in the realm of emotion that the game really sets itself apart from the pack for me. Other games have made me feel emotion like the thrill of scoring a last minute winner in a football game or the connection to your crew that you feel in Mass Effect 2. However, Heavy Rain was the first game to instil a sense of dread and fear in me. In fact, at times the game generated such a genuine sense of unease that I had to stop playing – and it didn’t do it with Gieger-esque monsters, cheap scares, or gore either.

What also helps the game is that the multitude of various branches in the story lends a real sense of permanence to your actions; if you screw up and let a character die then that’s it – they’re done. This also means that a lot of gamers will have had very different story experiences through finishing the game.

Heavy Rain isn’t perfect – I really wish Quantic Dream had hired an all American/Anglophone cast and there’s a twist at the end that seems a bit outlandish (though not as bad as the batshit crazy supernatural twists at the end of Quantic Dream’s previous game – Farenheit). However, for what it does well and does uniquely, Heavy Rain deserves special recognition.

Lavan Chandran

NHL 10 Goal

2009-10-03T17:35:00.000-04:00

EA Sports: NEW VIDEO2

FIFA 10 Out Now.....in Europe...damnit!

2009-10-03T16:55:00.000-04:00

Much like last year, Europe gets FIFA 10 a good few weeks before North America in a move that has me scratching my head once again. Perhaps someone from Konami's old marketing department made a move to EA Sports and came up with this bright idea?

Speaking of Konami, the PES 2010 demo has been up for a good few weeks and after some solid play I have to say the demo actually surprised me. Nothing revolutionary, but I like the changes in game speed, the shooting is solid and after not playing Winning Eleven in a good few months I was reminded again just how good the off-the-ball AI is. The visuals are also pretty damn good with some stunning player faces. I'm also intrigued by the new tactical options and player cards.

Of course, the same negatives are still present - the dribbling is restrictive compared to FIFA, the cross-field balls still have too much pace, and the overall presentation still pales in comparison to EA's game. I'm also still amazed that Konami can still managed to screw up even the limited licenses they have with Alonso and Arebeloa still at Liverpool. I'm sure that'll be fixed in the final game (er....I think) but you think Konami would try to put their best foot forward for a demo.

*sigh*

In another head scratching move, I checked out the demo for Football Genius on Xbox Live and while I think it's neat to have a soccer trivia game I have no idea why it's 800 MS Points ($10). This could easily have been an Xbox Community/Indie game selling for at least half the price and if that was the case I'd pick it up. It also doesn't help that the demo questions are pretty piss easy.

Okay, now back to Batman Arkham Asylum.......what a game!

Cheers,
Batman...er...I mean Lavan

Off to Paris for a week!

2009-09-11T16:40:00.001-04:00

Some more FIFA 10 demo impressions just before I leave for my (belated) honeymoon;

I will revise my impressions - the more I play the more I am really enjoying the changes they've made. The new dribbling is very subtle but you start to notice it at slow speeds and subtle movements/turns - still not the revolution EA Sports were making it out to be but improved nonetheless.

Player movement without the ball is completely analog with regards to speed - i.e. if you just want to jog back into position slowly you just move the analog stick slightly. This will be great for online team play if you want to get back into position but there's no rush to do so.

I retract my statement about player interactions only being graphically impressive - after more games I think it's a big change. You can now foul or even shove players off the ball just by moving the stick (you don't have to hold down A/pressure or the speed burst button) and you can really tell the difference between stronger and weaker players.

The ref often gives cards without resorting to a cutscene - it's all done in game and seamlessly. Likewise, you can take free kicks quickly without any cut-scene or change in camera angle. I know Winning Eleven has done this the past few games but neat to see it here. Also, you can take quick goal kicks and the players don't automatically teleport back into position by the time you've got the ball.

Free kicks are still ass but you can now select the free kick taker without going into the menu - just hold down R2.

I love the shooting - you can really drill the ball with certain players and Fat Frank (Lampard) has one hell of a shot.

There are a few weird bugs (my keeper clearly stopped a penalty shot from crossing the line and it still counted) but overall I'm really enjoying this the more I play it.

FIFA 10 Demo (PS3) Impressions

2009-09-10T18:35:00.001-04:00

After what seemed like forever Sony finally posted the FIFA 10 playable demo up on PSN. Some quick thoughts after six or seven matches;

i) Lots of new tackling animations and in particular last-ditch tackles and shot blocks. These are really neat and make the play even more dynamic around the box with more rebounds, blocks, and ricochets. There are more than a few times players will hurdle over a tackle and this will take them off stride - I`m not sure I`m totally keen on this. On one hand it`s neat that a player can dodge a tackle and keep his balance, but there were other times I would rather my player go to ground and win the foul.
ii) Player interactions (i.e. shoving/shoulder barge) graphically look very impressive but functionally I`m not noticing much of a difference.
iii) Ball physics are improved, the ball is less floaty than last year and the crosses are almost perfect now with a fantastic degree of whip with good players. For some reason the long cross-field balls still seem to hang up a bit in the air too long. Shooting is improved with more pace on the ball and I scored from outside the box once in those six matches.
iv) Again, I`ve only played six or so matches but I`m not seeing a massive differences in the dribbling and nothing as of yet groundbreaking with the `360 degree` dribbling.
v) Keepers are very agressive coming off their line but I`m a bit concerned that this might lead to more chipped goals as in those few games I think I saw at least four chipped goals.
vi) You can dribble around the keepers - I sold Cech on a beautiful step over and fake shot with Messi before walking the ball into the net.
vii) Response times are very good and at this point I`d say they`re as good as Winning Eleven without having those pinpoint turns on a dime.

That`s all for now, I`ll write more later but color me impressed. My favourite demo moment was when a CPU Ashley Cole took the ball of Messi and in response I tried to mow him down with a flying slide tackle using Toure and not only knocked down Cashley but followed through and hit little Messi as well!

FIFA 10 Demo Out Tomorrow!!

2009-09-09T19:53:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, the demo's only available in Europe on PSN and Xbox Live however it's fairly easy to create a dummy European PSN account and I'll definitely be posting impressions tomorrow. The demo will be available in North America next week. I have no idea why they would bother with the delay. The teams available in the demo are; Chelsea, Chicago Fire, Juventus, Bayern, Barcelona and Marseille.

On the official FIFA site there's a great new trailer showing a glimpse of some new features including some new animations, particularly for keepers and defenders, and some great player-player interactions like shoulder-barging players off the ball. You can check out the video here.
Another one of my favourite franchises releases in full retail next week, NHL 2010. Last year’s game was fantastic and by the demo that was released recently there’s every indication that the 2010 incarnation will be even better. If you’ve tried the demo and weren’t impressed be sure to set the gameplay settings to ‘Hardcore’, then you’ll notice much more realistic passing (the success of passes is far more dependent upon player positioning (rather than 40 foot tape-to-tape backhanders), there’s a slower pace to the play and some brilliant board play. You can now pin players to the boards and really work the puck down low. It’s really neat. Regrettably, I won’t be around next week so I won’t get to play the game on release but I’ll be trying to play the heck out of it before FIFA comes out .
Of course, that’s when I’m not playing some of the other top notch games coming out this fall! I was looking up the release dates of games I’ll be picking up and I’m not sure when the heck I’m going to be able to play them all!

NHL 2009 - Sept 15
Scribblenauts DS - Sept 15
Bad Company 2 - Sept 30
Gran Turismo PSP - Oct 1
Uncharted 2 - October 13
FIFA 10 - October 20
Borderlands - October 20
Forza 3 - October 27
Ballad of Gay Tony - October 29
Modern Warefare 2 - November 10
Gran Turismo 5 - Dec 29

I’ll pretty much be picking up all of those games and I still have a number of games I’ve purchased but have yet to get to most notably Mirror’s Edge, Infamous and Fable 2! That said, as a gamer I’d much rather have this problem than the opposite. Oh to be back in high school or even undergrad where you can pull of those marathon 10 hour gaming sessions. I remember playing the original Quake on MPlayer via dialup late into the morning during highschool. Not sure work, or the wife, would appreciate that now!

Lavan
(getting his butt kicked online in Battlefield: Bad Company - that's what you get for playing a game a year after everyone's already got used to it)

2009-09-07T20:45:00.000-04:00

While I’ve been waiting for my copy of Batman Arkham Asylum to arrive from BestBuy.ca I played and finished Prince of Persia for the Xbox 360. I love this game – everything from the art-style to the audio and the great controls is top notch. Yes, it’s true that you pretty much can’t die (your companion Elika saves you at the last minute) I think it works well and encourages exploration by not punishing you if you try a jump that doesn`t work. I also love the interactions between the two main characters, the `Prince` and the Princess Elika. At numerous times through the game you can hit the Left Trigger to initiate a conversation between Elika and the main character and these really help flesh out the story of the world. Of course, if you don’t give a crap about the story you don’t have to hit the trigger and you can just play but I think you’d be missing out. Not only are these conversations written well, there is some genuine charm behind the banter between the two characters. The fact that Elika also serves a gameplay function further helps to really create a tangible bond between these two characters. Unlike, that idiot Dom in Gears of War she wasn’t a clichéd annoyance tagging along for the ride – she’s actually a character you enjoyed having around, much like Alyx in Half Life 2.

However, what prompted me to write today is the ending of the game. Now, if you haven`t finished the game skip the next few paragraphs – or better yet, go play the game and come back.

At the end of Prince of Persia Elika dies. Okay, not a big deal, there have been other tragic endings in videogames but what makes this one stand out is what Ubisoft pretty much force you to do afterwards – bring her back to life and the only way to do this is by freeing the evil god Arhiman you spent the entire game trying to imprison! Upon awaking Elika`s first, and only, word is; “Why?” A good question because she willingly sacrificed herself to save her kingdom from Arhiman.

Now if this sequence was a non-interactive cut-scene it wouldn`t be that perplexing as the protagonist has his own motivations for bringing back Elika; throughout their conversations during the game it`s apparent that he values human life more than the inanimate structures of the Princess` kingdom, he doesn’t believe in fate, and of course, he has feelings for her.

But it is not a non-interactive cut-scene. There is a cut-scene where you imprison Arhiman and Elika sacrifices herself and is placed on an altar outside the great temple. Thereafter, the player is given control of the protagonist and there is nothing else to do in the game but save the princess by releasing Arhiman again. There`s no choice of leaving her, honouring her sacrifice and ending the game. Instead the only way to `finish` the game is to undo everything you did in the last 8 or so hours. It`s a very strange feeling to be almost forced to do something you don`t agree with and it`s also the first time I can remember when my motivations have been polar opposite to the motivations of the character I am controlling in the game. Yes, the `Prince` would want to save Elika but I don`t want to and I am controlling him! Again, if this was all out of my hand then I think I would have been able to accept it but to be given the illusion of choice was a bit off-putting. Even my wife who watched the ending was asking why I was releasing Arhiman and my only answer was that it was the only way to finish the game.

While the ending didn’t sully my enjoyment of the rest of the game it did leave me feeling a tad manipulated. Of course, not everyone will share my opinion of the ‘right’ thing to do and if you wanted to save Elika then you’re motivations would be absolutely congruent with the Prince’s and the ending would be fine.

In the grand-scheme of things it does allow Elika to be present in the inevitable sequel which is a positive (though Ubisoft could have just kept her alive at the end of this game).

Lavan
(would willingly let a woman die.....to save the world)

Ashes Cricket 2009

2009-07-31T13:48:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

I hate moving - well, actually, I hate packing and unpacking. My wife and I have recently moved into our first home and while it's exciting it's a big pain in the butt to try and find 'Item X' from the 3487 boxes you have scattered around the house.

Anyway, while over at my friend's house last week we checked out the demo of Codemasters' Ashes Cricket 2009. The last cricket game I played was Graham Gooch Cricket on the Atari ST (I didn't have a PC good enough to try out the Brian Lara games) so it was quite a thrill to check out Codies' new title.....and color me impressed. Not only do I enjoy the TV-style presentation, the gameplay and in particular the batting seems really deep and enjoyable. There are a nice variety of strokes both off the front and back foot. Bowling is also fun and I even like the QTE catching sequences when you're fielding.

As of yet there's no confirmed US/North America release but I have to think they must have some plans because they did release the demo on the US Xbox Live marketplace. If all else fails I guess I could import the PS3 version which would be region free.

If you're a cricket fan check out.

I need to go unpack some more.

Lavan

PS If you're a fan of 1UP.com's podcast (Listen UP), last week included some discussion about FIFA 10 and Garnett Lee seemed pretty damn impressed with the full/free 360 degree dribbling in the game.

FIFA 2010 - October 2nd 2009

2009-07-15T20:45:00.001-04:00

Finally, some more soccer gaming news;

Firstly, EA Sports announced that FIFA 2010 will be released on October 2nd, 2009. No announcement on the demo, hopefully we get that a month or so prior to give us a good taste of the gameplay.

Secondly, Konami have released some new screens of PES 2010 - you can check them out here. The game looks purrty (as a Liverpool fan I'm happy with the choice of team in the screenshots) but more interesting are some of the tactical screens which show some modified and new player movement options. I've been so burned by PES/WE in the past two years that I'm so hesitant to get excited about the game but at the same time my interest has been piqued.

I've been playing Fitba on Xbox-Live (via Community Games) which is a fun distraction and worth a look at 400 MS Points if you're a fan of oldschool football games like Kick Off and S.W.O.S.

You can check out the demo on Live.

Lavan

Sally's Salon.

2009-06-30T21:18:00.001-04:00

I think I might have found the gateway drug for getting my wife to play videogames. My wife discovered Sally`s Salon for the Nintendo DS and has been playing it non-stop It's published by Capcom and is basically a point and click...er...tap game where you manage a spa - it's all controlled via the touch-screen.

Not particularly something I would play for a prolonged period but definitely you might want to check out for any friends who are casual gamers.

In 'less-casual' gaming I've been playing the hell out of FFVII for the PSP and also Red Faction: Guerilla for the Xbox 360. The sheer amount of destruction in Red Faction is astounding and what makes the game so damn fun. Multiplayer is also a blast as all of the most fun modes revolve around environmental destruction.

One of my favourite multiplayer gaming moments happened last week - our team was pinned down as one of the opposing team had posted himself at the top of a large pillar with both the sniper rifle and rocket launcher. After a few minutes of getting killed while trying to shoot him down I remembered I was playing Red Faction and the solution was simpler - just switch to the melee sledge hammer, run up to the pillar and smash the hell out of it until it collapsed!

Great fun! Now I just have to figure out a way to get my wife to play it........

Lavan

PS Well done to the U.S. for getting to the finals of the Confederations Cup and being 2-0 up on Brazil!

I don't read sitting on the bog anymore....

2009-06-21T21:07:00.000-04:00

.....because I'm too busy playing videogames! Seriously, after finishing Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on the DS I've turned my attention to my oft-neglected PSP with the re-release of Final Fantasy VII over PSN! Not only does FF VII look fabulous on the smaller PSP screen but I think the PSP is the way to go for playing Japanese RPGs because I don't have to worry about the annoying lack of a save-anywhere feature. Instead, I can just flick the PSP into sleep mode and then pick up where I left off later on. I'm also loving going down memory lane with FF VII, it's a fabulous game and I really enjoy the materia system.

In soccer-gaming, EDGE Magazine has FIFA 10 as their cover-story along with an in-depth interview with David Rutter and Gary Paterson who've been helming the series' amazing comeback as the premiere football title. The interview is 8 pages long and it's neat to read them acknowledge that PES/WE was by far their favourite football title prior to turning FIFA around. Just an indication of how far the once-mighty Konami has fallen.

The biggest game-specific announcements in FIFA 10 have been regarding true 360 degree movement of players. I'm excited but also a little bit nervous as to how EA Sports pull this off. Sure attacking play promises to be more fluid but I wonder what will happen to the defending and how attacker-defender interaction will be modulated.

On the FIFA 10 blog David Rutter also revealed that the new title will finally have a proper practice mode - about bloody time!

Lavan

Site Redesign, 80 Million For Ronaldo!?!?

2009-06-12T15:01:00.001-04:00

Hi All!

Hopefully you got here via Maccas Sports Gaming Page - if not...how the hell did you get here? Regardless, the main site is undergoing a slow and painful redesign but hopefully the new layout will let me post and update more often than I was before.

Along with aesthetic and behind the scenes functional changes there will also be some content changes. Of course I`ll still be focusing on soccer gaming but I`ll also be doing non-soccer and also non-sports game reviews. Along with work, the wedding, a buying a home, and general laziness another reason I wasn`t updating as much was due to a bunch of non-sports games that were occupying my time. I hope to add short reviews and impressions of non-sports games that tickle my fancy.

One of those non-sports games that I`ve been playing more recently has been Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS. I actually just completed the main story part of the game today and from start to finish I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with this game. Everything from the presentation to the story to the unique (but not overdone) use of stylus controls was top notch. Most amazing is that Rockstar Leeds managed to cram in almost all of GTA IV's Liberty City right into the game! With the exception of Alderney/New Jersey all of Liberty City is represented, block for block, accurate to the 3D next-gen game.

The game itself uses a 2/3rds top down view with some quasi-cell shaded graphics which work wonderfully well on the DS and despite the traffic and pedestrians the action hardly ever slows down. The missions resolve around the GTA stable of driving and shooting but there's a great variety and the three final 'boss' missions are a blast. There`s no voice work but the story unfolds in 2D comic-book style static cut-scenes and the main character Huang Lee has a some great one-liners.

The game controls via the D-Pad, shoulder buttons (for lock-on) and the four face buttons but the use of the stylus is unique and varied - having you do activities ranging from hot-wiring a car, to assembling a sniper rifle, to arming/disarming a bomb!

If you have a Nintendo DS I wholeheartedly recommend this excellent title - the single player clocks in at about 7 hours but there are lots of other mini-games and activities that you can still play even after the story is done.

Well that's all for today. Hope you followed E3 last week - while there were a ton of exciting titles on display I'm always dismayed by the fact that sports gaming (with the exception of racing games) never makes a big splash in LA. That said, there were some FIFA 10 tidbits.....360 degree dribbling, anyone?

:)

Lavan

Kaka belongs to Jesus....and Real Madrid

2009-06-10T15:20:00.000-04:00

I guess a more appropriate title for my first post in ages should have addressed the fact I haven't posted or reviewed on the site in many months. The following are my (lame) excuses;

- Work
- Got married
- Work
- I am lame
- Non-sports gaming
- Laziness

As you can see pretty much none of those excuses hold water so I'll stop now.

Anyway, I've decided to add an actual blogger feed so even if I can't post reviews as quickly as I want to (currently I'm moving at glacial speed) I can still write some random musings.

I'll stop now as I have to check if this feed actually works on the webpage.

Lavan