From Mother Russia comes "MorphX" -- though you've probably never heard of it. It's a budget-priced action adventure set in a post-apocalyptic Moscow (like the infinitely better "Metro 2033") after a bunch of aliens done took over the world. To be honest, this isn't a terrible game (especially when you factor in the budget price), despite some asshole on a message board's proclamation that "'MorphX' is the Worst Game Ever" that I just happened to glimpse. It's also worth noting, however, that the game acclaimed some sort of award in Russia for its sheer greatness -- funny since the game came out of Russia to begin with, isn't it? Gee, perhaps someone there had a pro-national agenda. (Although if they and everyone else gave "Metro 2033" Game of the Year honors in 2010, also from Russian devs, I'd be in agreement. Just sayin'...)
As per usual, I'm ranting and raving here. Let's just say that it's my feeling, having played "MorphX," that it's a fairly decent diversion if your standards are a little lax and you, like me, can actually find yourself enjoying games that aren't AAA standard. I don't need to play "Gears of War" or "Halo" or "Call of Duty" twenty-four seven to have fun with a controller in my hands, and I don't need bleeding edge graphics and sound, or even a coherent storyline -- although that's definitely something I take into consideration when reviewing a game. But this is a budget game with some neat ideas that handles smoothely and offers a few elements of fun buried deep within its overall mediocrity -- but not awfulness.
First things first. Your character in "MorphX" awakens in an alien breeding ground with no memory of his past, like virtually every other video game protag we've ever seen. But just because amnesia promises moments of self-discovery and plot revelations, don't expect any of that. I dare say beyond the aliens take over the world motif the game puts on display, this game's plot probably doesn't even make sense in its native Russian. One moment you're killing aliens right alongside humans, the next the humans are shooting at YOU for some confounding reason. The plot is moronic at best, poorly acted by its voice-overs, and piss poorly presented aside from an okay rendered cinematic at the beginning of the game. Warning: if you're a plot gamer, avoid this one already. Hell, even "Quantum Theory" (my last reviewed game) told a better tale despite making not a lick of sense just because it was all so blissfully surreal. The plot of "MorphX" doesn't even have that going for it.
It's too bad too, because the basic idea behind "MorphX" is a good one. How much of your humanity would you sacrifice to save the world? That central theme could'a been a contender, but it doesn't play out in any sort of way that's truly interesting. It does make for the game's strongest gameplay conceit, however, in that by collecting 'biomass' you are able to take your character's inevitable mutations in several varying directions that you yourself have a direct hand in. Should you increase your melee damage or increase your character's overall health? These choices and many more await, and represent the game's biggest and brightest feature.
Other than these customization options, this is an old-school third person shooter whose engine bears an uncanny resemblence to the one used in "The Suffering" on last generation consoles. Yeah, the graphics are dated, but colorful. Lighting effects are nice despite an overall darkness that too often makes you rely on your "alien eye" night vision mutation, but I digress. The game doesn't look bad, just behind the times. And if you're expecting it to conform to more modern third-person action game conventions like taking cover and blind-firing at your opponents, drop those expectations now. This is a run-and-gun shooter the likes of which pre-dated "Gears of War" and even "Kill.Switch." And, honestly, I'd prefer that any day of the week to a third-rate ripoff like the aforementioned "Quantum Theory," which, while okay, completely lacked an identity of its own.
But speaking of lacking in identity, "MorphX" unfortunately falls into this trap a few times itself by offering badly designed, generic, and vaguely Giger-esque aliens to kill in droves. One wishes these off-world creatures had more personality, but instead make you long for the diverse group of foes presented in games like "Half-Life," or even the less-than-diverse but still personality-charged gang from "Halo." These baddies aren't scary, they aren't cool, and I really feel like an opportunity was lost to provide them with anything except the most generic video game villain traits, like cloaking and shielding attributes. But hey, at least there's a giant one that's almost cool -- at least until you face it again at the end of the game as a boss and realize it'd be a giant pussy if it didn't have so much backup.
The depth of "MorphX"'s customization options is what really makes the game worthwhile despite very functional but uninspired gameplay mechanics. Mission objectives and puzzle-based elements can be obtuse to a point of annoyance, the music sounds like an 80's Genesis album (listen to that track on the title screen and tell me I'm wrong!), and the third-person action is generally about spamming melee buttons or blazing away at your enemy while standing in the open with no concern for tactics. This game just oozes a retro vibe that I can't honestly say I minded, but by not even trying to keep the pace with more current games it deserves its inevitable place in obscurity.
Final Score: 6.6
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
"Quantum Theory" Review (Xbox 360)
It would be positively silly of me to begin any review of the third-person action game "Quantum Theory" without mentioning "Gears of War." Now, granted, it's my belief that while the "Gears" franchise is just as awesome as everyone says it is, it's NOT as original as many would claim. Some third-person shooters that required tactical use of cover that pre-date "Gears" are "WinBack" and, more importantly, "Kill.Switch." But with "Theory" there can be no doubt -- this game is a blatant knockoff of "Gears of War." From the beefy, gravel-throated men in oversized armor gruffly running around and shooting things on down to the inclusion of the so-called "roadie run," "Theory" is undoubtedly a game that would not exist were it not for "Gears" -- or, more importantly, the success of "Gears."
Naturally, such a lack in originality is already a mark against a game from page one. I mean, the game damn near steals its control scheme from "Gears" on down to the button. Given that the game comes from a developer in Japan, the whole concept seems rather offensive as a Western gamer. I mean, a bunch of Japanese coin counters looked at the Western market, realized "Gears of War" was making an ass ton of money for all involved, and concluded, "Hey, this is what Western gamers want. Let's make that game over again, sell it to Americans who won't know the difference, and it'll be huge!" But, of course, we do know the difference, don't we?
So, that's out of the way. "Quantum Theory," apart from having maybe the worst title ever slapped on the package of an action game (it sounds like a damn science class!), stumbles right out of the gate because of its clone-like nature. That and because it forces you to compare it to "Gears," not only a better game but one that presumably has a much larger budget. The graphics in "Theory" just can't compete, nor can the soundtrack, or even the sound effects. So if this is a problem for anyone who has even remotely considered playing this game -- don't bother. In other words, lets put it like this -- if "Gears of War" is Sylvester Stallone, "Quantum Theory" is his brother Frank.
However, I hasten to add, "Theory" is actually a fairly playable game once you cut through all that "Gears" clone bullshit. While I can't recommend it to avid "Gears" heads who would be much better off playing through either game in that franchise a third, forth, fifth, sixth, or seventh time (or whatever), I would dare suggest that a less diehard "Gears" fanatic with time on their hands between "Gears 2" and "Gears 3" give it a look. It would also be suited to gamers who have never played a "Gears" game before -- but why they would want to start by playing "Theory" instead of copping a used copy of the original "Gears" is beyond me, and another story altogether!
"Theory" casts you as Syd. A scarred, surly muscle man clad in armor that no human being could move in. His single-minded goal in this post-apocalypse setting is to destroy The Tower, a sort of living structure that is unleashing something called Diablosis upon the already ailing world, transforming humans into monsters. Like most Asian games released in the States, something might be lost in translation here, because I couldn't make much sense out of any of it. Suffice it to say, the gameplay has to pick up the storyline's slack -- which is fine, since this is an action game.
Basically, if "Gears" does it, so does "Theory." The controls aren't quite as fluid, but a do an admirable job replicating the feel of "Gears." It's definitely familiar territory right from the go. It's just... not as good. Fortunately, after Syd enters The Tower, the game does finally decide to try to carve out a slight identity of its own. The setting is pretty cool, as The Tower really feels alive. The best moments in "Theory" force you to react to changes in The Tower, like walls that suddenly spring up from the floor, or do the opposite, leaving you naked and in the open when you thought you had a good position on the field. Other cool moments involve gravity-defying shootouts on the back of flying bridges or worm-like creatures. These moments come a bit too late for the game's own good, but they do come, and once they do they are, thankfully, used quite often.
The weapons the game offers are many and capable, but not necessarily standout. I found myself relying on heavy machine guns instead of potentially cooler sounding stuff like a gun that shoots saw-blades. The more inventive weapons are just too difficult to get a drop on your enemy with, usually don't come with enough ammo, and the end result is always the same with any weapon -- killed enemies stumble backward and explode into green or red fountains of grue. Now, I'm as big a fan of body-specific damage as anybody, but I can't say I minded shooting the foes in "Theory" only to see them burst in brightly colored displays of gore. It's a nice change of pace and rather satisfying -- particularly headshots, which are maybe too difficult to pull off, but do come with a slow-mo close-up shot of your enemies' mutated skulls liquifying as your bullet finds its target.
Syd is not alone in battling The Towe, either, as he meets a female companion along the way(scantily clad in the grand video game tradition) that will "aid" him in battle. Now, I use the term "aid" loosely when it comes to her ability to indirectly deal damage to your foes -- but you can summon her at will and throw her -- yes, THROW her -- at your foes. It's a very powerful attack that can see her cleaving even your bigger, stronger opponents in half with one direct shot, and it's a cool, albeit random edition to the "Gears" style gameplay.
The Tower's design is kind of cool, but the graphics can't keep up. Also, the game generically offers doors and openings that Syd cannot enter despite the fact that he blatantly should be able to do so, which is just bloody annoying to me. The game just screams generic all around, point of fact -- especially in the early stages.
"Quantum Theory" is a very difficult game for me to score. I only paid twenty-five bones for it less than a month after its release, something that must be considered, as I did enjoy parts of the game despite myself. It's a solid, playable shooter that just so happens to stand in a long, dark shadow of much better games -- even games that themselves drew inspiration from the same source material (see "Drake's Fortune," "Dark Sector," "Army of Two," and "Kane & Lynch"). Bottom line -- "Theory" has its moments, and if you're bored of playing through "Gears" multiple times and want an almost exact clone of that game with a new campaign and a few additional bells and whistles, "Theory" is worth a look. It's not a terrible game, it just lacks its own identity, which, to many, is more than enough reason to dismiss it outright.
Final Score: 6.4
Naturally, such a lack in originality is already a mark against a game from page one. I mean, the game damn near steals its control scheme from "Gears" on down to the button. Given that the game comes from a developer in Japan, the whole concept seems rather offensive as a Western gamer. I mean, a bunch of Japanese coin counters looked at the Western market, realized "Gears of War" was making an ass ton of money for all involved, and concluded, "Hey, this is what Western gamers want. Let's make that game over again, sell it to Americans who won't know the difference, and it'll be huge!" But, of course, we do know the difference, don't we?
So, that's out of the way. "Quantum Theory," apart from having maybe the worst title ever slapped on the package of an action game (it sounds like a damn science class!), stumbles right out of the gate because of its clone-like nature. That and because it forces you to compare it to "Gears," not only a better game but one that presumably has a much larger budget. The graphics in "Theory" just can't compete, nor can the soundtrack, or even the sound effects. So if this is a problem for anyone who has even remotely considered playing this game -- don't bother. In other words, lets put it like this -- if "Gears of War" is Sylvester Stallone, "Quantum Theory" is his brother Frank.
However, I hasten to add, "Theory" is actually a fairly playable game once you cut through all that "Gears" clone bullshit. While I can't recommend it to avid "Gears" heads who would be much better off playing through either game in that franchise a third, forth, fifth, sixth, or seventh time (or whatever), I would dare suggest that a less diehard "Gears" fanatic with time on their hands between "Gears 2" and "Gears 3" give it a look. It would also be suited to gamers who have never played a "Gears" game before -- but why they would want to start by playing "Theory" instead of copping a used copy of the original "Gears" is beyond me, and another story altogether!
"Theory" casts you as Syd. A scarred, surly muscle man clad in armor that no human being could move in. His single-minded goal in this post-apocalypse setting is to destroy The Tower, a sort of living structure that is unleashing something called Diablosis upon the already ailing world, transforming humans into monsters. Like most Asian games released in the States, something might be lost in translation here, because I couldn't make much sense out of any of it. Suffice it to say, the gameplay has to pick up the storyline's slack -- which is fine, since this is an action game.
Basically, if "Gears" does it, so does "Theory." The controls aren't quite as fluid, but a do an admirable job replicating the feel of "Gears." It's definitely familiar territory right from the go. It's just... not as good. Fortunately, after Syd enters The Tower, the game does finally decide to try to carve out a slight identity of its own. The setting is pretty cool, as The Tower really feels alive. The best moments in "Theory" force you to react to changes in The Tower, like walls that suddenly spring up from the floor, or do the opposite, leaving you naked and in the open when you thought you had a good position on the field. Other cool moments involve gravity-defying shootouts on the back of flying bridges or worm-like creatures. These moments come a bit too late for the game's own good, but they do come, and once they do they are, thankfully, used quite often.
The weapons the game offers are many and capable, but not necessarily standout. I found myself relying on heavy machine guns instead of potentially cooler sounding stuff like a gun that shoots saw-blades. The more inventive weapons are just too difficult to get a drop on your enemy with, usually don't come with enough ammo, and the end result is always the same with any weapon -- killed enemies stumble backward and explode into green or red fountains of grue. Now, I'm as big a fan of body-specific damage as anybody, but I can't say I minded shooting the foes in "Theory" only to see them burst in brightly colored displays of gore. It's a nice change of pace and rather satisfying -- particularly headshots, which are maybe too difficult to pull off, but do come with a slow-mo close-up shot of your enemies' mutated skulls liquifying as your bullet finds its target.
Syd is not alone in battling The Towe, either, as he meets a female companion along the way(scantily clad in the grand video game tradition) that will "aid" him in battle. Now, I use the term "aid" loosely when it comes to her ability to indirectly deal damage to your foes -- but you can summon her at will and throw her -- yes, THROW her -- at your foes. It's a very powerful attack that can see her cleaving even your bigger, stronger opponents in half with one direct shot, and it's a cool, albeit random edition to the "Gears" style gameplay.
The Tower's design is kind of cool, but the graphics can't keep up. Also, the game generically offers doors and openings that Syd cannot enter despite the fact that he blatantly should be able to do so, which is just bloody annoying to me. The game just screams generic all around, point of fact -- especially in the early stages.
"Quantum Theory" is a very difficult game for me to score. I only paid twenty-five bones for it less than a month after its release, something that must be considered, as I did enjoy parts of the game despite myself. It's a solid, playable shooter that just so happens to stand in a long, dark shadow of much better games -- even games that themselves drew inspiration from the same source material (see "Drake's Fortune," "Dark Sector," "Army of Two," and "Kane & Lynch"). Bottom line -- "Theory" has its moments, and if you're bored of playing through "Gears" multiple times and want an almost exact clone of that game with a new campaign and a few additional bells and whistles, "Theory" is worth a look. It's not a terrible game, it just lacks its own identity, which, to many, is more than enough reason to dismiss it outright.
Final Score: 6.4
Thursday, October 28, 2010
"Alan Wake" Review (Xbox 360)
As per usual, in the month of October it is my goal to seek out and play games with a macabre or horror theme in honor of Halloween. This year, I finally got around to "Alan Wake." Having finished it, I can't say I have a clue what happened in the story. All I can say is that I enjoyed the gameplay and the creepy atmosphere quite a bit. "Wake" never blew my mind the way that developer Remedy's first game, a little number called "Max Payne," did... but there's no arguing with a solid, horror-themed shooter.
You, not surprisingly, fill the shoes of novelist Alan Wake. He and his wife are vacationing in a small but vibrant town called Bright Falls, hoping to get away from the hustle and the bustle of New York City. Wake almost immediately comes off like a pompous yuppy with nothing but contempt for his own fans, but he does kinda-sorta grow on you as the game goes on. In any case, soon his wife goes missing and it appears that one of Wake's horror novels is coming to life all around him. Townsfolk, and murders of crows, are being possessed by some kind of darkness, and only the presence of light -- and a few well-placed gunshots -- can stop them. It's all about as compelling as a vivid nightmare, but just like a nightmare it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense once you wake up and think about it. The game really believes its storyline and characters are far more interesting than they actually are, and Remedy even tosses in some self-satisfied references to "Max Payne" and the Norse mythology that permeated that game's backdrop. But "Payne," with its pulpy overtones, never took itself too seriously, while "Wake" by and large does. The dialog is eye-rollingly unconvincing, and some characters that are meant to add comic relief just grate on the nerves. (If you've played it, yes, I'm referring to Wake's agent and best friend Barry.) There's just a smugness to it all that makes it even less charming than it would otherwise be, like a self-satisfied M. Night flick that's nowhere near as accomplished as it wishes it was. But it is nice to play a game where you're not a cop, a soldier, or a badass Spartan covered in the ashes of his dead family. Nope. You're just... a writer. With issues, granted, but your job is to sit on your ass for a living.
Fortunately you never just sit on your ass during the actual game. As soon as his wife vanishes and the residents of Bright Falls brandish axes and meat cleavers and chainsaws in his general direction, Alan is forced to pick up a gun and fight back. But a gun by itself isn't enough, as these shadow-possessed psychos are protected by a shield of darkness that only a flashlight can break, leaving them vulnerable at last to traditional firearms. It's a nice spin on your typical shooter, and adds just the right amount of tension. This game doesn't make you feel like a badass -- it makes you feel like you're fighting tooth and nail for your survival, and that you always have at least five fewer bullets in your gun than you'd like. It doesn't play out like a traditional survival horror game with its linear, story-driven levels and action-focused gameplay, but it's certainly more tense than your typical shooter, which perfectly fits the tone and themes of the game. The possessed (or Taken as they're called) attack when you least expect them to, and with a feral ferocity that's startling.
Enemies do lack variety, however, which hamstrings the action slightly. Once you've faced both large and small shadow-possessed maniacs and flocks of ravens straight out of Hitchcock's "The Birds," you've seen pretty much all that the Darkness can throw at you. Well, short of demonically possessed trash cans, deer floats, and tractor wheels -- which all just come off as sort of silly and disposable. But damn they hurt when they come hurtling at your pretty boy novelist's face! At least a few key sequences featuring shadow-driven bulldozers and such add some much-needed variety.
"Wake" positively drips with atmosphere. Much of the game is spent traipsing through the forested hills that surround Bright Falls by dark of night, and the environments look believable, scenic, and appropriately eerie. Despite this, it's hard to get lost while playing the game, and you never feel an overwhelming sense of being obstructed by false walls either -- even though you are. This is a clear sign of good level design. Though you may tire of the rural roadways and shadowy woods before the end, it's never oppressive and feels appropriate to the story. Best (or worst) of all, there's always some rock or tree for an enemy to pop out from, keeping you always on your toes.
"Alan Wake" is a strange game. Its storyline and characters are only interesting until you deduce they're all headed down a one-way street straight to nowhere, and the gameplay is simple and can be, at times, a little on the repetitive side. But the rich atmosphere, the constant feeling of suspense, and the flashlight-as-weapon feature all make for a very enjoyable romp through the woods on a dark and stormy night. Recommended.
Final Score: 8.0
You, not surprisingly, fill the shoes of novelist Alan Wake. He and his wife are vacationing in a small but vibrant town called Bright Falls, hoping to get away from the hustle and the bustle of New York City. Wake almost immediately comes off like a pompous yuppy with nothing but contempt for his own fans, but he does kinda-sorta grow on you as the game goes on. In any case, soon his wife goes missing and it appears that one of Wake's horror novels is coming to life all around him. Townsfolk, and murders of crows, are being possessed by some kind of darkness, and only the presence of light -- and a few well-placed gunshots -- can stop them. It's all about as compelling as a vivid nightmare, but just like a nightmare it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense once you wake up and think about it. The game really believes its storyline and characters are far more interesting than they actually are, and Remedy even tosses in some self-satisfied references to "Max Payne" and the Norse mythology that permeated that game's backdrop. But "Payne," with its pulpy overtones, never took itself too seriously, while "Wake" by and large does. The dialog is eye-rollingly unconvincing, and some characters that are meant to add comic relief just grate on the nerves. (If you've played it, yes, I'm referring to Wake's agent and best friend Barry.) There's just a smugness to it all that makes it even less charming than it would otherwise be, like a self-satisfied M. Night flick that's nowhere near as accomplished as it wishes it was. But it is nice to play a game where you're not a cop, a soldier, or a badass Spartan covered in the ashes of his dead family. Nope. You're just... a writer. With issues, granted, but your job is to sit on your ass for a living.
Fortunately you never just sit on your ass during the actual game. As soon as his wife vanishes and the residents of Bright Falls brandish axes and meat cleavers and chainsaws in his general direction, Alan is forced to pick up a gun and fight back. But a gun by itself isn't enough, as these shadow-possessed psychos are protected by a shield of darkness that only a flashlight can break, leaving them vulnerable at last to traditional firearms. It's a nice spin on your typical shooter, and adds just the right amount of tension. This game doesn't make you feel like a badass -- it makes you feel like you're fighting tooth and nail for your survival, and that you always have at least five fewer bullets in your gun than you'd like. It doesn't play out like a traditional survival horror game with its linear, story-driven levels and action-focused gameplay, but it's certainly more tense than your typical shooter, which perfectly fits the tone and themes of the game. The possessed (or Taken as they're called) attack when you least expect them to, and with a feral ferocity that's startling.
Enemies do lack variety, however, which hamstrings the action slightly. Once you've faced both large and small shadow-possessed maniacs and flocks of ravens straight out of Hitchcock's "The Birds," you've seen pretty much all that the Darkness can throw at you. Well, short of demonically possessed trash cans, deer floats, and tractor wheels -- which all just come off as sort of silly and disposable. But damn they hurt when they come hurtling at your pretty boy novelist's face! At least a few key sequences featuring shadow-driven bulldozers and such add some much-needed variety.
"Wake" positively drips with atmosphere. Much of the game is spent traipsing through the forested hills that surround Bright Falls by dark of night, and the environments look believable, scenic, and appropriately eerie. Despite this, it's hard to get lost while playing the game, and you never feel an overwhelming sense of being obstructed by false walls either -- even though you are. This is a clear sign of good level design. Though you may tire of the rural roadways and shadowy woods before the end, it's never oppressive and feels appropriate to the story. Best (or worst) of all, there's always some rock or tree for an enemy to pop out from, keeping you always on your toes.
"Alan Wake" is a strange game. Its storyline and characters are only interesting until you deduce they're all headed down a one-way street straight to nowhere, and the gameplay is simple and can be, at times, a little on the repetitive side. But the rich atmosphere, the constant feeling of suspense, and the flashlight-as-weapon feature all make for a very enjoyable romp through the woods on a dark and stormy night. Recommended.
Final Score: 8.0
"Dante's Inferno" Review (PS3)
Wow, what a great idea for a game. Take the classic descent into Hell, ripped from the pages of medeival poet Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy," but just make it all a little more kickass -- for example, instead of Dante the poet as the protagonist, let's make Dante a scythe-wielding crusader with a cross stitched into his bare chest. And do it in the style of the classic action franchise "God of War." Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout right there! What a concept!
Well, I'd be lying if I said this game wasn't fraught with missed opportunities. But not nearly as many as you've probably heard. Critics were unduly harsh back in early 2010 when "Dante's Inferno" streeted, perhaps because it is undeniably a "God of War" clone and perhaps because the game does admittedly lose some steam near its conclusion. But as for me, I had more fun slashing my way through Hell than I've had in quite some time. Gamespot's score of a 6.5 out of 10, for example, certainly doesn't do this game justice. "Dante's Inferno" may not deliver on all of its many promises, but it comes damn close.
Again, you are cast as Dante, but not the Dante we know from history. This Dante is a deeply flawed individual who manages to earn your affections merely because of his stubborn refusal to accept his fate, or that of his lover Beatrice whose soul is condemned to Hell for having a little too much faith in his virtue. He's a dark, brooding character in much the same vein as Kratos from "God of War" (which is undoubtedly not a coincidence). And like Kratos, he's a real badass. At the beginning of the game rather than die from a should-be fatal wound, he hands the Grim Reaper his ass and steals Death's own scythe, claiming it as his own before heading south toward Hell in an attempt to redeem himself and rescue his beloved Beatrice from the affections of a very horny Lucifer. It's dark but overblown enough to still feel like a video game story instead of a somber meditation on the afterlife. In fact, peeling back the onion that is Dante's character makes for a very compelling story, and the title character is certainly one of the deeper and more interesting video game characters to come along in quite some time -- this side of the Ghost of Sparta, anyway.
It's satisfying as Hell (pun intended) to kill waves upon waves of demons with Dante's stolen scythe. But as scary as that weapon looks, it's Beatrice's crucifix (which literally shoots crosses into his demonic enemies' faces) that really gets the job done. In fact, that cross must be twice-blessed by Jesus Christ Himself, because its mere presence greatly reduces much of the game's challenge factor on lower difficulty settings, as it's a powerful ranged attack that can never be depleted. Combining this with the scythe, some very cool magical attacks, a quite fair number of combo moves, and, best of all, some tight controls makes killing things in this Hell seem like Heaven.
And the design of the game, by and large, is very inspired. Morbidly inspired, granted, but such is the source material. Sure there are a few typical horned demons to contend with as well as some flying creatures that could just about cameo in any action game ever made, but then there are the truly grotesque souls of Lust who, despite a very feminine appearance at first glance, are not shy about thrusting a huge, claw-tipped penis directly at your face. Likewise the mutant souls of Gluttony are gas-filled flesh bags who don't mind using vomit and/or shit as a weapon. Boss encounters are likewise quite memorable, including such baddies as one who rips swords from his own body and throws them at you and one which pits you against the eyeless guardian of the gates of Hell -- the decider, so to speak, of which souls belong in which circle of Hades. It's unfortunate that Lucifer, "Big D" himself, in all three of his guises no less, comes off as just plain silly. First he's a groping shadow-man, then he's a giant laughable beast with bat wings for a goatee, and finally he's your typical horned satyr whose only memorable trait is his giant swinging balls and a member that could make Mr. Ed jealous. After fighting a three-headed beast with mouths for eyes and a demonic Cleopatra with tongues for nipples, Lucifer himself just doesn't get the blood pumping.
But perhaps this boss encounter with the Devil himself best describes the "Dante's Inferno" experience. Early on, the game is amazing -- a true contender to the "God of War" throne with its epic story, cinema-quality production values, and of course its depiction of Hell. Again, you've barely been playing the game for five minutes when you challenge the Grim Reaper himself to a duel. Now that's how you kick off an action game! And despite what you've probably read, the game stays strong up until maybe the 80% completed point. After the tangled forest of Suicide, it's admittedly all downhill, but just getting to this point -- what a ride it's already been.
Unfortunately that's when the real suffering begins, as the devs clearly tried to pad out a somewhat short experience by scrapping solid level design and forcing you into a series of trials that would be better suited as bonus content. For example, you are tasked with killing a series of respawning enemies without using magic at one point, and then killing five creatures while attacking from the air without ever letting them touch the ground. It's silly, it's boring, and it feels like exactly what it is -- padding. Many reviews have mentioned this portion of the game as something of a deal-breaker, but I argue is it any worse than the final portion of "Devil May Cry 3" that forced you (again bearing the name Dante) to repeat several previous boss encounters before you could proceed to the endgame? And that game was quite acclaimed when it came out despite an equally, if not far more annoying buildup to the final confrontation. Those bosses were hard as hell to beat the first time -- fighting them again was just plain infuriating.
All this leads to the aforementioned final battle with the Devil himself, which again fails to fire on all cylinders, but the same is true of many good games. One just wishes "Inferno" didn't feel like two development teams worked on the damn thing -- one, creating 80% of the game, doing a "God of War" worthy job, while the other, responsible for that last 20% not really having much of a clue what makes a good hack-and-slash actioner work. It's this split personality that sadly prevents me from hailing "Dante's Inferno" as a modern classic, but it still comes dangerously close. The music, the voice acting (apart from a silly-sounding Lucifer), the story, the atmosphere, the cinemas, and the gameplay are all excellent. Perhaps the only other flaw that bears mentioning is the annoying 40 second long minigame one must slog through to save the tortured souls of Hell -- it makes the notion of damning them instead and salvaging those 40 seconds of your life, even if you want to redeem Dante's own tortured soul, far too tempting indeed. But virtually everything else in "Dante's Inferno" achieves A-list status, and were it not for such an epic fumble near the finale, what a ride this would be. Hell, even opening doors is fun -- you impale a fat demon with your scythe and pound a button until the stubborn S.O.B. rolls up like an iron curtain and gives you access to the next chamber. Good stuff.
So yeah, it's true that this game has some very tragic flaws. But if you're a fan of hack-and-slash action games like "God of War" or even "Devil May Cry," miss Dante's descent into woe at your own peril. This is very nearly a classic, but, as per usual, the Devil had to go and fuck it up.
Final Score: 8.0
Well, I'd be lying if I said this game wasn't fraught with missed opportunities. But not nearly as many as you've probably heard. Critics were unduly harsh back in early 2010 when "Dante's Inferno" streeted, perhaps because it is undeniably a "God of War" clone and perhaps because the game does admittedly lose some steam near its conclusion. But as for me, I had more fun slashing my way through Hell than I've had in quite some time. Gamespot's score of a 6.5 out of 10, for example, certainly doesn't do this game justice. "Dante's Inferno" may not deliver on all of its many promises, but it comes damn close.
Again, you are cast as Dante, but not the Dante we know from history. This Dante is a deeply flawed individual who manages to earn your affections merely because of his stubborn refusal to accept his fate, or that of his lover Beatrice whose soul is condemned to Hell for having a little too much faith in his virtue. He's a dark, brooding character in much the same vein as Kratos from "God of War" (which is undoubtedly not a coincidence). And like Kratos, he's a real badass. At the beginning of the game rather than die from a should-be fatal wound, he hands the Grim Reaper his ass and steals Death's own scythe, claiming it as his own before heading south toward Hell in an attempt to redeem himself and rescue his beloved Beatrice from the affections of a very horny Lucifer. It's dark but overblown enough to still feel like a video game story instead of a somber meditation on the afterlife. In fact, peeling back the onion that is Dante's character makes for a very compelling story, and the title character is certainly one of the deeper and more interesting video game characters to come along in quite some time -- this side of the Ghost of Sparta, anyway.
It's satisfying as Hell (pun intended) to kill waves upon waves of demons with Dante's stolen scythe. But as scary as that weapon looks, it's Beatrice's crucifix (which literally shoots crosses into his demonic enemies' faces) that really gets the job done. In fact, that cross must be twice-blessed by Jesus Christ Himself, because its mere presence greatly reduces much of the game's challenge factor on lower difficulty settings, as it's a powerful ranged attack that can never be depleted. Combining this with the scythe, some very cool magical attacks, a quite fair number of combo moves, and, best of all, some tight controls makes killing things in this Hell seem like Heaven.
And the design of the game, by and large, is very inspired. Morbidly inspired, granted, but such is the source material. Sure there are a few typical horned demons to contend with as well as some flying creatures that could just about cameo in any action game ever made, but then there are the truly grotesque souls of Lust who, despite a very feminine appearance at first glance, are not shy about thrusting a huge, claw-tipped penis directly at your face. Likewise the mutant souls of Gluttony are gas-filled flesh bags who don't mind using vomit and/or shit as a weapon. Boss encounters are likewise quite memorable, including such baddies as one who rips swords from his own body and throws them at you and one which pits you against the eyeless guardian of the gates of Hell -- the decider, so to speak, of which souls belong in which circle of Hades. It's unfortunate that Lucifer, "Big D" himself, in all three of his guises no less, comes off as just plain silly. First he's a groping shadow-man, then he's a giant laughable beast with bat wings for a goatee, and finally he's your typical horned satyr whose only memorable trait is his giant swinging balls and a member that could make Mr. Ed jealous. After fighting a three-headed beast with mouths for eyes and a demonic Cleopatra with tongues for nipples, Lucifer himself just doesn't get the blood pumping.
But perhaps this boss encounter with the Devil himself best describes the "Dante's Inferno" experience. Early on, the game is amazing -- a true contender to the "God of War" throne with its epic story, cinema-quality production values, and of course its depiction of Hell. Again, you've barely been playing the game for five minutes when you challenge the Grim Reaper himself to a duel. Now that's how you kick off an action game! And despite what you've probably read, the game stays strong up until maybe the 80% completed point. After the tangled forest of Suicide, it's admittedly all downhill, but just getting to this point -- what a ride it's already been.
Unfortunately that's when the real suffering begins, as the devs clearly tried to pad out a somewhat short experience by scrapping solid level design and forcing you into a series of trials that would be better suited as bonus content. For example, you are tasked with killing a series of respawning enemies without using magic at one point, and then killing five creatures while attacking from the air without ever letting them touch the ground. It's silly, it's boring, and it feels like exactly what it is -- padding. Many reviews have mentioned this portion of the game as something of a deal-breaker, but I argue is it any worse than the final portion of "Devil May Cry 3" that forced you (again bearing the name Dante) to repeat several previous boss encounters before you could proceed to the endgame? And that game was quite acclaimed when it came out despite an equally, if not far more annoying buildup to the final confrontation. Those bosses were hard as hell to beat the first time -- fighting them again was just plain infuriating.
All this leads to the aforementioned final battle with the Devil himself, which again fails to fire on all cylinders, but the same is true of many good games. One just wishes "Inferno" didn't feel like two development teams worked on the damn thing -- one, creating 80% of the game, doing a "God of War" worthy job, while the other, responsible for that last 20% not really having much of a clue what makes a good hack-and-slash actioner work. It's this split personality that sadly prevents me from hailing "Dante's Inferno" as a modern classic, but it still comes dangerously close. The music, the voice acting (apart from a silly-sounding Lucifer), the story, the atmosphere, the cinemas, and the gameplay are all excellent. Perhaps the only other flaw that bears mentioning is the annoying 40 second long minigame one must slog through to save the tortured souls of Hell -- it makes the notion of damning them instead and salvaging those 40 seconds of your life, even if you want to redeem Dante's own tortured soul, far too tempting indeed. But virtually everything else in "Dante's Inferno" achieves A-list status, and were it not for such an epic fumble near the finale, what a ride this would be. Hell, even opening doors is fun -- you impale a fat demon with your scythe and pound a button until the stubborn S.O.B. rolls up like an iron curtain and gives you access to the next chamber. Good stuff.
So yeah, it's true that this game has some very tragic flaws. But if you're a fan of hack-and-slash action games like "God of War" or even "Devil May Cry," miss Dante's descent into woe at your own peril. This is very nearly a classic, but, as per usual, the Devil had to go and fuck it up.
Final Score: 8.0
Thursday, September 23, 2010
FYI: How I Score Video Games
As a video game reviewer, I do have an admittedly strange way of scoring the games I have reviewed. For instance, I take one rather unusual thing into account -- the purchase price of said game when I bought it, not its actual release price. So if I pay 10 bucks for "Rogue Warrior," an admittedly so-bad-it's-almost-good game, I'm much more likely to enjoy it than I would have had I paid full retail, thus allowing me to give it a score of 5 out of 10, which it otherwise wouldn't warrant. The same goes for games like "Bioshock 2" that I forked over sixty bones for -- I rate it according to my degree of personal disappointment vs. cost. It doesn't mean, if I give it a 6 out of 10, that I think it's just one number higher than "Rogue Warrior," for example. Hopefully this should shed some light on how my stupid brain works...
"Singularity" Review (PS3)
Russian mutants are a current and "totally in right now" fashion statement in video games. If you don't believe it, look at the "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." series, the awesome "Metro 2033," the upcoming budget title "MorphX," and, of course, "Singularity." Strangely, both "Singularity" and "Metro 2033" are my current favorites in 2010 -- although there's a lot out there that I've yet to play, I strongly suspect they will remain very near the top of that list. Sadly, both FPS games seem to have fallen by the wayside in the wake of powerhouse releases in the "Halo," "Modern Warfare," "Bioshock," and "Battlefield: Bad Company" franchises. This is probably to be expected of any new I.P., and it's too damn bad, because these are some damn fine games that I'll remember for a very long time.
In "Singularity," forged by a little known company called Raven Software (sarcasm), you are an elite U.S. soldier named Nate Renko who, like most FPS leads never speaks even when being directly spoken to, making him seem either deaf, moronic, pricky, or all of the above. "Hey, buddy, I just asked you a question!" Still, he's got a slight problem because his chopper just crashed on Katorga-12, a former Soviet facility during the Cold War that pulled a "Wolfenstein" with the Reds taking over for the Nazis by dabbling in some seriously forbidden science. This resulted in a "Half-Life" Black Mesa-sized "Oops!," unleashing hideous mutant freaks with a taste for flesh and all kinds of time and space craziness -- that, naturally, you'll get to dabble in yourself.
Well, I don't know what it is about Russian mutants, but they're starting to look a whole lot scarier than the rest of the world's mutants, because even the first of them that you'll face in "Singularity" might have you tinkling in your pants just a wee bit (no pun intended). Some scripted moments, in particular, made the first "F.E.A.R." look like amateur hour in terms of startling the shit out of me -- and many of these were in the first twenty minutes of gameplay. In fact, the earliest creatures you'll face are perhaps the scariest in the entire game, if not the most challenging. But one thing is certain -- there are some memorable baddies in "Singularity." Not "Metro 2033" memorable, but memorable all the same. (One blind creature with exceptional hearing is worth mentioning.) And "Singularity" has something "Metro" certainly does not -- this is an old school shooter and a damn good one. Despite a few jolts, it's not a survival horror game, but a straightforward actioner where even battling non-mutated foes is good, gory fun. In fact, it's gernerally preferable, which one might say makes it the polar opposite of the aforementioned title.
Your arsenal of weaponry is one of the best in recent years, delivering the down and dirty goods. The FPS action just feels right. The guns bark in mostly the right ways, and enemies react with gushing blood and sometimes severed limbs. One prototype weapon even allows you to follow your bullets into their targets as they explode into satisfying dismembered chunks. Raven proves yet again it can deliver in the action department here, and this is only aided by your ability to upgrade your weapons and make them steadily more potent, much like in 2009's "Wolfenstein" (no coincidence since Raven also developed that gem as well).
Also like that "Wolfenstein" redux, your ability to cause destruction is not limited to your firearms. As the game progresses, you will be able to manipulate time in ways that may age your human enemies to the point where you literally watch them turn to dust before your very eyes, or slow down time to give you a leg up on the competition. When it comes to the game's environmental puzzles, these abilities (also upgradable, btw) can sometimes come across as gimmicky, but there are clever moments too. One just wishes that the game allowed you to think outside the box a little. You are too limited to what the game wants you to do, meaning to progress you might not be able to turn that locked metal door in front of you into a rusted pile of debris, but that other one to your left that the game has designated sure as hell can be.
So, yes, the game is very, very linear. But this gives it a brisk, action-packed pace that scarcely ever relents, unlike its cousin "Wolfenstein." It also packs in some challenge, even on its easier settings. Its environments look suitably desolate and bleak in the present, but reflect an entirely different atmosphere in the past (which you visit frequently). The graphics, overall, are quite good, the frame rate is liquid smooth, and the soundtrack befitting the tone of the material. Complete with a decent storyline and several endings -- one which resulted in some delicious moral ambiguity -- this results in a great single player package. (Multiplayer is said to be good too, but I wouldn't know.)
In closing, "Singularity" is another awesome notch in Raven Software's belt that goes all the way back to its "Doom" engine antics with "Heretic." Russian mutants sure are fun to kill, and I recommend any FPS fan who has had his fill of "Halo" and "Modern Warfare" to give this new I.P. a look see. You won't regret it.
Final Score: 8.8 (Exceptional)
In "Singularity," forged by a little known company called Raven Software (sarcasm), you are an elite U.S. soldier named Nate Renko who, like most FPS leads never speaks even when being directly spoken to, making him seem either deaf, moronic, pricky, or all of the above. "Hey, buddy, I just asked you a question!" Still, he's got a slight problem because his chopper just crashed on Katorga-12, a former Soviet facility during the Cold War that pulled a "Wolfenstein" with the Reds taking over for the Nazis by dabbling in some seriously forbidden science. This resulted in a "Half-Life" Black Mesa-sized "Oops!," unleashing hideous mutant freaks with a taste for flesh and all kinds of time and space craziness -- that, naturally, you'll get to dabble in yourself.
Well, I don't know what it is about Russian mutants, but they're starting to look a whole lot scarier than the rest of the world's mutants, because even the first of them that you'll face in "Singularity" might have you tinkling in your pants just a wee bit (no pun intended). Some scripted moments, in particular, made the first "F.E.A.R." look like amateur hour in terms of startling the shit out of me -- and many of these were in the first twenty minutes of gameplay. In fact, the earliest creatures you'll face are perhaps the scariest in the entire game, if not the most challenging. But one thing is certain -- there are some memorable baddies in "Singularity." Not "Metro 2033" memorable, but memorable all the same. (One blind creature with exceptional hearing is worth mentioning.) And "Singularity" has something "Metro" certainly does not -- this is an old school shooter and a damn good one. Despite a few jolts, it's not a survival horror game, but a straightforward actioner where even battling non-mutated foes is good, gory fun. In fact, it's gernerally preferable, which one might say makes it the polar opposite of the aforementioned title.
Your arsenal of weaponry is one of the best in recent years, delivering the down and dirty goods. The FPS action just feels right. The guns bark in mostly the right ways, and enemies react with gushing blood and sometimes severed limbs. One prototype weapon even allows you to follow your bullets into their targets as they explode into satisfying dismembered chunks. Raven proves yet again it can deliver in the action department here, and this is only aided by your ability to upgrade your weapons and make them steadily more potent, much like in 2009's "Wolfenstein" (no coincidence since Raven also developed that gem as well).
Also like that "Wolfenstein" redux, your ability to cause destruction is not limited to your firearms. As the game progresses, you will be able to manipulate time in ways that may age your human enemies to the point where you literally watch them turn to dust before your very eyes, or slow down time to give you a leg up on the competition. When it comes to the game's environmental puzzles, these abilities (also upgradable, btw) can sometimes come across as gimmicky, but there are clever moments too. One just wishes that the game allowed you to think outside the box a little. You are too limited to what the game wants you to do, meaning to progress you might not be able to turn that locked metal door in front of you into a rusted pile of debris, but that other one to your left that the game has designated sure as hell can be.
So, yes, the game is very, very linear. But this gives it a brisk, action-packed pace that scarcely ever relents, unlike its cousin "Wolfenstein." It also packs in some challenge, even on its easier settings. Its environments look suitably desolate and bleak in the present, but reflect an entirely different atmosphere in the past (which you visit frequently). The graphics, overall, are quite good, the frame rate is liquid smooth, and the soundtrack befitting the tone of the material. Complete with a decent storyline and several endings -- one which resulted in some delicious moral ambiguity -- this results in a great single player package. (Multiplayer is said to be good too, but I wouldn't know.)
In closing, "Singularity" is another awesome notch in Raven Software's belt that goes all the way back to its "Doom" engine antics with "Heretic." Russian mutants sure are fun to kill, and I recommend any FPS fan who has had his fill of "Halo" and "Modern Warfare" to give this new I.P. a look see. You won't regret it.
Final Score: 8.8 (Exceptional)
"Prince of Persia" 2008 Review (PS3)
I loved the last-gen trilogy of "Prince of Persia" games, and have quite fond memories of the original game as well. But the annoyingly titled just "Prince of Persia" (somebody couldn't think of a damn subtitle or what?!) circa 2008 should take its place beside 1999's "Prince of Persia 3D" as one of the series' biggest disappointments. It seems that both Hollywood and the game's publisher are now in agreement, as the 2010 movie version is based on "The Sands of Time," more or less, and gaming turned its back on 2008's Prince and went crawling back to the one who came before him in the aforementioned trilogy, begging for "just one more chance" like a regretful ex-flame until he finally relented and okayed a fourth.
Again I differ from the gaming press in my opinion, but normally I differ in the other direction, as is the case most popularly (according to Youtube hits) with games like the original "Kane & Lynch" or "Dark Messiah of Might & Magic." Not because I'm a contrarian just to be a contrarian -- generally speaking video game reviewers and myself aren't divided by that huge of a gulf of opinion. But I expected more from a "Prince of Persia" game. This one just felt like the devs went off the deep end. My single greatest complaint with "Bioshock 2" was that it felt too much like a watered down "Bioshock" one. 2008's "PoP" went the other way by changing far too much and completely alienating me as a longtime fan.
But let's talk turkey. In "PoP," neither a remake or a sequel, you play as a new, claw-handed Prince who really, really wants to come off like a likable rogue but instead just lacks in personality. His quest allies him with Elika, who also plays a major role in the gameplay itself, as the two seek to imprison an evil god released into the world and bent on its destruction... You know the drill, which is fine. But don't expect anything as good as what the now-dubbed "Sands of Time Trilogy" offered in terms of story. This one may be more charming than "The Warrior Within," the first trilogy's only slight stumble with its lack of a tonally incoherent Godsmack tune, but that's not high praise.
But none of this is the problem. The problem is that the game literally almost feels like it doesn't need a gamer to actually play it. It goes beyond easy -- a lot of the time it feels like it plays itself! This would be a slight problem if this were a brand new I.P. called "Arabian Nights" or some such, but it wouldn't be unenjoyable per se as it sometimes recalls the "Sonic the Hedgehog" days of olde. But as a "PoP" game, it just doesn't feel right. The original game was known for its devious difficulty, while the "Sands of Time Trilogy" required your reflexes to be at their keenest, and were it not for a certain dagger that rewinds time, it too would have been merciless on the player. Not so with 2008's entry. Without said dagger, it's up to Elika to drop in for a convenient save if you miss your step and fall toward your demise -- which she does, as often as you like, the only penalty being you have to start a pre-ordained point a few seconds away at worst from where you made your last mistake. In essence, you'll never die. Ever.
The emphasis is, as always, on platforming and parkour-like moves that will take you from Point A to Point B. That was true of all the games in the series, but here combat plays an even smaller role than ever before -- and thank the gaming gods for that. Squaring off with opponents in this game is boring and sometimes frustrating. It almost feels like a mini-game where you pound buttons and hope to break through your enemy's defenses, but not a very good one. Even though the rest of the game is too forgiving and sometimes feels like it's running on rails, these action moments, moments which should provide a nice change of pace, are tedious and annoying.
The graphics and the level desgins, at least, all show off some quality. And it really isn't a bad game. The problem is that the designers thought they should fix something that was never actually broken to begin with. It quite simply doesn't feel like a "Prince of Persia" game, hence my disappointment. Others may feel differently if they are joining the series for the first time, but the game's overall lack of challenge should suit the casual gamer best.
Final Score: 6.9 (Fair)
Again I differ from the gaming press in my opinion, but normally I differ in the other direction, as is the case most popularly (according to Youtube hits) with games like the original "Kane & Lynch" or "Dark Messiah of Might & Magic." Not because I'm a contrarian just to be a contrarian -- generally speaking video game reviewers and myself aren't divided by that huge of a gulf of opinion. But I expected more from a "Prince of Persia" game. This one just felt like the devs went off the deep end. My single greatest complaint with "Bioshock 2" was that it felt too much like a watered down "Bioshock" one. 2008's "PoP" went the other way by changing far too much and completely alienating me as a longtime fan.
But let's talk turkey. In "PoP," neither a remake or a sequel, you play as a new, claw-handed Prince who really, really wants to come off like a likable rogue but instead just lacks in personality. His quest allies him with Elika, who also plays a major role in the gameplay itself, as the two seek to imprison an evil god released into the world and bent on its destruction... You know the drill, which is fine. But don't expect anything as good as what the now-dubbed "Sands of Time Trilogy" offered in terms of story. This one may be more charming than "The Warrior Within," the first trilogy's only slight stumble with its lack of a tonally incoherent Godsmack tune, but that's not high praise.
But none of this is the problem. The problem is that the game literally almost feels like it doesn't need a gamer to actually play it. It goes beyond easy -- a lot of the time it feels like it plays itself! This would be a slight problem if this were a brand new I.P. called "Arabian Nights" or some such, but it wouldn't be unenjoyable per se as it sometimes recalls the "Sonic the Hedgehog" days of olde. But as a "PoP" game, it just doesn't feel right. The original game was known for its devious difficulty, while the "Sands of Time Trilogy" required your reflexes to be at their keenest, and were it not for a certain dagger that rewinds time, it too would have been merciless on the player. Not so with 2008's entry. Without said dagger, it's up to Elika to drop in for a convenient save if you miss your step and fall toward your demise -- which she does, as often as you like, the only penalty being you have to start a pre-ordained point a few seconds away at worst from where you made your last mistake. In essence, you'll never die. Ever.
The emphasis is, as always, on platforming and parkour-like moves that will take you from Point A to Point B. That was true of all the games in the series, but here combat plays an even smaller role than ever before -- and thank the gaming gods for that. Squaring off with opponents in this game is boring and sometimes frustrating. It almost feels like a mini-game where you pound buttons and hope to break through your enemy's defenses, but not a very good one. Even though the rest of the game is too forgiving and sometimes feels like it's running on rails, these action moments, moments which should provide a nice change of pace, are tedious and annoying.
The graphics and the level desgins, at least, all show off some quality. And it really isn't a bad game. The problem is that the designers thought they should fix something that was never actually broken to begin with. It quite simply doesn't feel like a "Prince of Persia" game, hence my disappointment. Others may feel differently if they are joining the series for the first time, but the game's overall lack of challenge should suit the casual gamer best.
Final Score: 6.9 (Fair)
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