Starhawk Beta Impressions

If you’re lucky enough to have gained access to the Starhawk beta in some way or other (perhaps you are a PlayStationPlus subscriber) then this hands-on preview is of little value and you should probably use this time to scan the servers for an open game. For everyone else, I will be walking you through LightBox and Santa Monica studio’s public beta for the much anticipated, Starhawk.

Starhawk is the spiritual successor to Warhawk, a multiplayer-only game and the first ‘full retail title’ to be available on the PSN store as well as on blu-ray. The 3rd person, action-packed game pitted two teams fighting for dominance of the land and skies. Its main strength was the variety of combat options, allowing you to control armored vehicles, turrets, jetpacks or the ever-popular Hawk aircrafts. Much has changed and to the better thankfully, though, judging from the beta it seems this new iteration is pushing for a different set of user habits.

Sony has already confirmed that Starhawk will feature a single-player campaign, something some would argue was sorely missing from 2007’s Warhawk, though that is not on show here. The private beta focuses only on two multiplayer modes, ‘Capture the Flag’ and ‘Team Deathmatch’. Right off the bat, as you spawn, you descend to the battlefield in a pod. This new addition not only looks cool but allows you to adjust, within limits, where you’ll be landing. From there the game is unsurprisingly very reminiscent of Warhawk with a new space-centric theme and a substantial facelift. There are some notable new features and, more significantly, a new ‘build ‘and battle’ system. Upon collecting resources, players can now construct facilities such as automated defense turrets, sniper towers or even vehicle spawn stations within their bases effectively adding an RTS mechanic to the game. This new feature is bound to change the battle dynamics as it requires more strategic collaboration amongst team members. While I failed to establish synergy with my fellow team mates, the potential for tactical cooperation is apparent and that potential will undoubtedly be tapped come clan recruitment time.

Another notable change is with the aircraft itself. Sci-fi fans will be pleased to hear that the Hawk now doubles as…wait for it…a mech. At the tap of a button, you can take your aerial threat to the ground, making it easier to target land-based vehicles and infantry. Having said that, it is now the only way to effectively target land-based opponents as the Hawk can no longer hover. As disappointed as I was, the omission made sense to me, given the new ability the aircraft now sports.

Flying the Hawk is still as thrilling as ever, though I found the dearth of people willing to partake in dogfights a little disconcerting. I am fairly certain this was a symptom of beta blues and all that will change when Starhawk finally hits the shelves (digital or otherwise).

All in all, the game is showing alot of promise and already looks to be a sure bet for fans of Warhawk or newcomers alike. The single-player campaign will also prove to be an attraction for the old school gamers (like myself) that still find comfort in the offline gaming experience. Starhawk is due for release on the PS3 this May and I highly recommend you keep it on your radar.

Dark Souls Review

Back when it was released, I reviewed Demon’s Souls and stated that it was the best RPG on the PS3 yet. Two years on and little has changed. Though not a game for everyone, Demon’s Souls provided a unique and challenging experience that was as engaging as it was difficult and had a risk / reward balance unrivaled in the world of gaming. Dark Souls is not a sequel but a descendent of Demon’s Souls. In some respects it is almost identical to its predecessor though its differences, as one quickly discovers, are substantial and can change the way you play dramatically. For anyone unfamiliar with From Software’s atmospheric RPG dungeon crawler, the marketing tagline on the box is perhaps the best advice one can give: “Prepare to die” – because whether you like it or not, die you shall.

Dark Souls is a action RPG that starts you off selecting your character’s class. This decision influences your starting stats and equipment but does not really close doors for you. Meaning, if you decide to start as a knight, you can still acquire sorcery later on in the game…and you can still become quite adept at it as well. Once your character is prepped up, it is time for Dark Souls’ tutorial, if one can even call it that. It’s important to realize that, like Demon’s Souls before it, Dark Souls is uncommunicative by design. Do not expect much assistance from the game along the way. There are no help menus, no loading screen tips, even the printed manual the comes with the disc will provide scarce tidbits of information…very scarce. The game requires you to figure things out for yourself either through trial and error or by utilizing the built-in peer assistance devices that make up the game’s online component, something I will get into later in this review. For the next few paragraphs however, I will discuss the game’s various mechanics in a nutshell. Skip on to the later parts of the review if you wish to keep Dark Soul’s convoluted systems a mystery to be discovered, as per From Software’s intentions.

Dark Souls plays alot like its predecessor, allowing you to assign equipment to both your right and left hands. Each melee weapon has a variety of attacks such as a basic attack, a heavy attack and two-handed attacks. Dark Souls is all about precision and timing, so no matter how powerful your character gets, you can still be eliminated by a common lowly enemy if you act rashly. Defeating almost any enemy in the game grants you souls, which acts as XP and currency. You can use souls to level up your stats, to buy spells and miracles, to re-enforce and repair equipment, even to purchase intel from dodgy NPCs. Souls are everything you will hold dear in this game. Upon death, you will drop your souls in the exact location you perished, giving you a chance to return to that location and recover them…should you die along the way, the older batch of souls will be gone. Therefore it is never a good idea to venture into the unknown with a wealth of unspent souls.

Those familiar with Demon’s Souls will recall how, from the sanctuary of the Nexus, one can select the world they wished to venture to, progressing slowly in each one, killing demon after demon. For better or worse, this system has been eliminated. The world is now a seamless phantasmagoria, one that may seem somewhat linear until you begin to discover pathways to other areas or shortcuts back to charted territory. The game does not require save points, as it auto-saves every single action you make almost instantly. In other words, your actions have permanent consequences, which is sort of the game’s mantra. There are however what one could call sanctuary checkpoints, known as bonfires. At bonfires, you can trade in souls for stat level-ups, you can attune your spells and miracles and a variety of other adjustments should you acquire the respective items or abilities. Bonfires can also be kindled (ie upgraded), which brings forth another important aspect of the game, and one that further distinguishes it from its infamous predecessor.

In Dark Souls, the use of health items and MP have been significantly altered or perhaps eliminated would be more accurate a term. Indeed there are no more health items to be obtained. Early on in the game, you will acquire an Estus Flask which has limited uses (starting off at 5). Using the Estus Flask recharges your health as a health item would. When your limited uses run out, you’ll have no way of recharging health and you will require a trip back to a bonfire. At the bonfires, your Estus Flask recharges and as the bonfire is kindled, your Flask quantity increases. This works similarly for spells. There is no longer a mana bar and each spell has a limited number of uses. This may significantly alter the way you play the game because you can no longer rely solely on ranged sorcery. When the spell uses run out amidst a gritty demon battle, its time to get up close and personal.

Catherine Review

Do you consider yourself a pervert? Would you dump your partner if you found out they were a robot? These are just a few of the questions you’ll get asked in Catherine, Atlus’s unique puzzle adventure. Catherine is the quintessential ‘not-for-everyone’ game for various reasons but whether you’re hopelessly addicted or have no interest in playing, its originality cannot be over-looked. A quick glance at the box-art or the splash screen and you know you’re in for a gaming experience like no other, one that explores various themes including sexuality, love, marriage, infidelity and guilt…quite a tall order for a puzzle game.

The story of Catherine revolves around Vincent Brooks and his long-time girlfriend Katherine. Katherine is looking to take their relationship to the ‘next-level’ but Vincent is quite happy to leave things as they are. As Katherine starts to mount the pressure, Vincent begins experiencing strange nightmares. However Vincent has more things to worry about when he ‘accidentally’ has an affair with a blonde free spirit named Catherine. Things get more ominous when Vincent realizes that dying in his nightmares means dying in real life as well – and with men dying in their sleep all over town, Vincent is determined to survive the nights…that and to keep his polygamous situation a secret from both Katherine and Catherine. Thus the torment begins…

Catherine takes place in two ‘realms’: the Stray Sheep (the real-world bar Vincent and his friends hang out in every evening) and Vincent’s nightmares. In the bar, Vincent can talk to his friends, the bar keep and other customers, he can drink and listen to music or he can play Rapunzel, an arcade puzzle game available in the bar. When Vincent is done with the Stray Sheep, he can go home and sleep…effectively initializing the nightmare sequences. In his nightmares, Vincent is donning only his boxer shorts and holding a pillow…oh and he has sheep horns as well.

These sequences constitute Catherine’s main gameplay mechanic which is scaling towering structures by arranging and climbing blocks. If that sounds a bit weird it’s because it is, but its also great fun and quite challenging. Vincent can only climb one block at a time so he needs to push and pull blocks to make staircases. Each type of block has different properties. Some blocks can’t be moved while others are heavy and require more time to move. Cracked blocks crumble after standing one them twice and as you progress you’ll encounter a variety of other blocks with properties that I won’t disclose so as to not spoil the element of surprise. Catherine’s block mechanic requires a lot of practice for you to be able to think within the game’s constraints and to plan accordingly. A good example of this is the game’s twisted sense of gravity. As long as a block is connected by one edge to a block below it, it won’t fall. It will only fall when there are absolutely no blocks below it, which can take some getting used to.

As is the case with most Japanese games, leniency does not feature heavily. The tower you’re ascending is constantly crumbling so you are required to think fast and act fast. In certain boss-type levels you’ll also be haunted and attacked by massive (and quite terrifying) manifestations of your fears and anxieties…often linked to developments in Vincent’s story. These ‘creatures’ are constant threats and will make your job substantially more difficult. When you finally reach the end of a sequence, you’ll escape through a door to the welcome sounds of Handel’s Hallelujah chorus. Nightmares are generally made up of 2-5 sequences separated by “landing” areas where you can save and discuss climbing technics with other ‘sheep’ trapped in the same nightmare. To progress to the next sequence requires you to step into a confessional and answer a random question. The questions change every time you repeat a level but they are all of the same variety and your answers affect the game’s strange morality meter. Depending on how you answer questions and how you interact with the sheep on the landing or with people in the bar, Vincent’s story will conclude differently. A nice touch no doubt, but generally not enough motivation to replay the story mode.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review

Movie tie-ins have long since become a running joke in the gaming world. Marketing gimmicks hashed out in uninspiring conditions to meet a brutal deadline. More often than not, the best such games can hope for is to be as mildly entertaining as their respective brainless blockbusters. And while this review is admittedly late, I very much doubt that anyone was waiting for someone to tell them that Dark of the Moon is a mediocre game at best – but prior to the game’s release date, there was cause for optimism. A little over a year ago War for Cybertron pulled off an amazing feat – it was actually quite decent. Now let’s not get carried away, it wasn’t a classic by any stretch of the imagination but it certainly exceeded most expectations. High Moon studios were lauded by some and when Dark of the Moon was announced, there was reason to believe the game would be more than mere shovelware.

The events of the game take place sometime before the movie, so if you still plan to watch the film despite all sound judgement and reason, Dark of the Moon won’t be packed with ‘spoilers’. While the story won’t turn you off Transformers forever, it won’t be memorable either, so don’t expect to feel any connection with the ensemble cast of Autobots and Decepticons at your disposal.

Dark of the Moon’s single-player campaign has seven chapters, the majority involving a specific Transformer each. And while the campaign is short, clocking in at around 6 hours, it’s long enough to expose all the cracks and deficiencies. For anyone new to the series, Dark of the Moon is a third-person action shooter where your characters, as one would expect, can transform between robot and vehicle forms. While vehicle form is useful for quickly traversing stretches in the levels, its utility in combat is limited, albeit fun to smack into enemies. In robot form, you’ll have both destructive and strategic weapons and abilities, depending on the Transformer you’re in control of. Robot form is the one you’ll be using most often even though the controls are quite clunky. New to the series is the ‘Stealth Force’ mode, which is basically an aggressive vehicle form on steroids. Stealth Force basically transforms you into a mobile uncanny doomsday machine capable of unleashing tremendous firepower but quite susceptible defensively. The problem with Stealth Force is that it actually looks funner than it is and you’ll more often than not feel overwhelmed as oppose to overwhelming. Nevertheless, it’s good to have variety in the way you dispose of endless waves of foes.

Graphically, the game is sloppy despite some well made animations. The visuals feel rushed, as is the case with virtually every other aspect of the game, and have not really evolved since the last Transformers outing. The environments look stale and the levels, uninspired. While I am not a big fan of the films, they do give the impact of scale – massive robots, engaged in combat with a plethora of collateral damage. This does not really come across in Dark of the Moon which is a shame given that the world is in grave peril and visual reinforcement would have been more than welcome. The sound on the other hand does a much better job of communicating turmoil and fierce combat, especially the in-game sound effects.

It’s safe to assume that what fans really enjoyed about War for Cybertron was online play, and while more volatile and not quite as sharp, it remains the best part of Dark of the Moon as well. What strikes me as the main problem with all the game’s mutliplayer modes is that they often highlight core gameplay problems. The adverse effects of bad controls are magnified, couple that with lag (which may or may not be an issue for you depending on your connection) and we’re talking about frustration of epic proportions. Still if you have a good connection and would like an online experience that’s different than most shooters on the market today, you might find Dark of the Moon entertaining…temporarily. Just to be clear, online multiplayer is by no means a saving grace but some of the best moments the game has to offer.

It’s hard to think of Dark of the Moon as anything but crass movie advertising of the interactive variety and so it’s hard to take it seriously as a game in its own right. Given their efforts with War for Cybertron, we can assume that High Moon Studios know that movie tie-ins can be…should be better games. It’s a shame the opportunity was wasted especially considering that, on paper, the Transformers license should translate into a thoroughly kick-ass game.

The Six Forsaken Franchises

Recently, Epic Game’s ‘CliffyB’ openly stated that he thought it would be “dumb” not to make more Gears of War games. With the third iteration approaching soon, Cliff and his team don’t plan to stop there and why would they? Along with Halo, Gears of War is considered Microsoft’s flagship exclusive series and a notable source of revenue.

Some years ago, Kojima publicly stated that Metal Gear Solid 4 was to be the end for Snake and co. Few took him seriously as Konami was in no state to abandon their magnum opus. Sure enough, two Metal Gear games were announced shortly after, though neither a direct sequel. Even when the stories run dry or the games become stale, designers have a plethora of ways to inject life into their flagship series, through a prequel, a spin-off or the increasingly popular reboot.

Not all series are lucky enough to garner such support. While some games are rushed to intensive care units and fountains of youth in an attempt to extend their life way beyond reason, others are forsaken early on and never allowed to fulfill their vast potential, often struggling to survive (or even make) the jump to next-generation hardware. Here’s a look at some of these unfortunate IPs, lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance at a comeback:

Strider (Arcade, NES, Mega Drive, PS. 1989-2000)

Perhaps best known now as the glaring omission from the Marvel vs Capcom 3 roster (and an early hint of what is now known to be Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3), Strider was an engaging and fast paced side-scroller with a blade wielding protagonist.

Back in the late 80s, Capcom released the side-scroller on arcade as well as an NES version of the game shortly after. The two versions were completely different, even following different story-lines (the NES one closely resembling the Manga tie-in). A version similar to the Arcade game later came out on the Mega Drive but then around 10 years would pass before Strider Hiryu rode again (though its worth noting that Capcom did license out the Strider franchise in the mid-90s, however the games were mostly ports and a hugely unsuccessful sequel). Then in 2000, Capcom released an official sequel for the arcades and on the PlayStation. It was a 2.5D side-scroller and, though the game was easy and ridiculously short (the game could be completed in 30mins), it was hugely entertaining, Sadly however it was Strider Hiryu’s last outing as a game protagonist and now survives only as an extra character in Capcom fighters, not even fit for a starting role in Marvel vs Capcom 3.

Killer Instinct (Arcade, SNES, Gameboy, N64. 1994-1996)

A highly popular fighter when released in the Arcades and on the SNES, and was thought by some to have taken “the best of both worlds” (those ‘worlds’ being Capcom’s Street Fighter and Midway’s Kortal Kombat). Killer Instinct’s success saw it stripped down and ported to the Game Boy to take advantage of the popularity of Nintendo’s handheld system. An arcade sequel soon followed and though it was not ported to consoles, the N64 got a reworked version called Killer Instinct Gold. Both the arcade and N64 versions got their fair share of success but the series would stop there. Many of my friends still lament the days of Killer Instinct (limited though they were) and there may yet be good news on the horizon. Sometime last year, the silence was broken when rumors surfaced that the people at Rare (now a Microsoft studio) spoke of a desire to make Killer Instinct 3. Given the success of the recent Mortal Kombat reboot, a comeback may be on the cards.

Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes Review

Some game designers have stumbled upon a formula for making highly-addictive digital download games and it goes a little something like this: Take a standard match-3 game mechanic which is simple but tried and tested, modify and expand on it to give it more depth, add what are known as ‘RPG elements’ giving the game continuous purpose and release it with a solid campaign mode. If you play your cards right, ie paid proper attention to the individual aspects, your game will be a magnet for puzzler and RPG fans alike. If you liked games such as Puzzle Quest, you’ll know of the alluring quality such games can possess. Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes is all that and more. In fact, its arguably the most prominent example of how these two genres can be seamlessly fused.

Clash of Heroes, previously released on the Nintendo DS some 2 years ago, is set in the ‘Might and Magic’ universe and follows the story of 5 heroes who command armies of Elves, knights, wizards, demons and the undead. The campaign mode puts in you control of all 5 heroes in fixed succession. Each character campaign takes about 7-9 hours to clear completely (including side-missions) so not only the campaign mode pretty lengthy, but it provides welcome diversity as well. Each character commands different units with different abilities and gains access to different equipment with different status effects so while the actual gameplay doesn’t change, each character campaign feels somewhat unique.

The gameplay is an interesting amalgamation of match-3 puzzle, strategy RPG and tower defense. Each player takes turns arranging units on a battle frontline. Units randomly appear on an invisible puzzle like grid. Vertically matching 3 standard units of the same color creates what the game refers to as an Attack Formation. The same 3 units arranged horizontally will create a defensive wall. The goal is to reach the other players baseline in order to deplete their HP to 0. Each unit and attack formation has its own HP and will damage the opponent for the same amount assuming the attacks reach the opponent’s baseline. In addition to standard units, there are also Champion units which take up either 2 or 4 blocks on the grid and are significantly more powerful than the standard ones (though their attacks take longer to charge). Champion Formations are creating by arranging 2 (or 4) same color standard units behind them. The system may seem slightly convoluted at first but with a little hands-on experience, one can get a hang of the game pretty quickly despite the tutorial’s inefficiently gradual explanation.

The game’s interface is simple but attractive. The anime style character designs are lively and just the kind of visuals that shine in HD. Traversing areas in the campaign mode is not a free-roam but involves moving from spot to spot as if on a board game. So while nothing much really happens on the screen, that fact that everything looks vibrant is a plus. Though it is bizarre how much loading time is needed between one screen and the next. Given the absolute simplicity, the excessive loading is inexcusable and does ultimately take its toll on the pacing of the campaigns.

In addition to the campaign mode, Clash of Heroes features an addictive multiplayer mode. Whether online or offline, multiplayer battles involve the same gameplay but provide a completely different challenge. Playing against human opponents naturally brings a different edge to the game, but even more so since both players have access to the Hero abilities. Hero abilities are special attacks that gradually charge during battles. Most AI opponents in the campaign mode do not have Hero abilities and, given their capacity to turn the tides, having to defend against them is a substantially different challenge altogether.

Overall, Might and Magic Clash of Heroes is one of those games that is hard to drag yourself away from. Even whilst writing this review, I found myself taking lengthy puzzle breaks. Unlike Puzzle Quest, Clash of Heroes is by no means a Bejeweled clone. In fact, as a puzzle experience, it’s fairly unique. Though it may be in the higher price bracket than the average PSN / XBLA game, its lengthy campaign mode and deep multiplayer potential makes it a definite bargain. If you are a puzzle, strategy and/or RPG fan, this game comes highly recommended.

Outland Review

Platforming is not what it used to be. Then again neither is gaming nor, in fact, are gamers. Things have changed, gaming has developed and classic platforming is nostalgic but passé. Be that as it may, I am one of many gamers with a soft spot for some good old-fashioned 2D platforming, especially since I often find 3D platforming to be frustrating and uninspired. During the last couple of years, numerous side-scrollers were released via digital download and some were quite good. Most, however, just flattered to deceive.

…And then there is Outland.

Outland is a 2D plaformer with a polarity twist. The system may not be new but adds depth to the game’s otherwise rather simple mechanics. If you are familiar with Ikaruga’s polarity system then Outland won’t seem too different. You play has a nameless, faceless hero that can alternate between dark and light power. The power of ‘Evil’ is red and ‘Good’ is appropriately blue. This is not part of some morality system á la Infamous, in fact the only significance is that there are two colors – red and blue. You can only kill enemies of the opposite color and shield against beams or projectiles of the same color. Hence the point of the game is platforming with strategic and timed switching of colors.

This may sound overly simple but the end result is quite good. The game is appropriately paced and gets more and more challenging as you progress without ever feeling cheap or tedious. In every level, you’ll acquire new powers or skills that can either prove useful in combat or necessary for progression. Outland has a semi-open world system that let’s you backtrack in levels or revisit other levels via a teleport system. Completists will feel compelled to revisit earlier sections that required certain abilities not yet acquired, however   revisiting levels is completely optional.

In addition to the single player campaign, there is arcade mode which involves timed playthroughs of the levels as well as co-op mode that lets you play alongside a friend, as long as your friend is not literally beside you because Outland’s co-op mode is online only. It is a shame, but most of the co-op specific challenges are wicked.

The game’s primary strength is its core devotion to platforming. There is combat, there are upgrades but everything serves the platforming. The level designs are balanced, never too hard but consistently challenging, especially near the end. Outland also has fantastic boss battles. Most are big and require superhuman patience and planning. In fact, the entire game requires a patient approach. There may appear to be beams and enemies all over the screen but if you look around properly, you’ll find the gaps you need to aim for and then you can traverse perilous sections comfortably.

Outland is visually slick. It’s not extravagant but has a visual language that complements its color-coded gameplay. There are no real cutscenes to speak of barring a few storyline sequences that are merely narrated and, undoubtedly, the weakest part of the game. Outland is the type of game that is hard not to admire. It does alot with a little and it looks and sounds great but is never overly self-indulgent.

It is hard not to like Outland unless you really dislike the genre. The very nature of side-scroller platforming garners some frustration which is not everyone’s chocolate sundae, but if you’ve ever lamented the stale state of today’s 2D platformers, Outland is for you.

L.A. Noire Review

Since it was announced some years ago, L.A. Noire seemed a very intriguing concept. Solving crimes against a 1940s Los Angeles backdrop – Grand Theft Auto meets L.A. Confidential with an investigatory game mechanic to ensure the setting is more than just a thematic ‘skin’ to a Rockstar open-world convention. It’s been a long time coming but it’s finally here, having braved its way through the perils of development and past the watchful eye of the local media council. So is L.A. Noire the real deal or just repackaged novelty?

L.A.Noire lets you rise through the law enforcement ranks as Cole Phelps, a war-hero with a past looking to make a name for himself as a detective. The game starts you off as a street cop though, after a few cases, you’ll find yourself promoted to detective as you make your way through the precinct divisions. What starts off as a series of isolated cases becomes part of a greater mystery as Phelps and his various partners continue to clean the notoriously dangerous streets of the City of Angels.

What really differentiates Team Bondi’s thriller from the other rides in the Rockstar theme park is the investigation mechanic. As Phelps you’ll need to probe various crimes scenes and locations, searching for clues that may be relevant to building a case or finding significant leads. It is due to these segments of the game that L.A. Noire often gets likened to Heavy Rain but in reality the two games differ greatly. While the latter relies solely on QTEs (quick time events) and features dramatic plot branching, L.A. Noire employes a more conventional open world set-up, much like the ones we’ve gotten accustomed to with past Rockstar titles. The manner in which cases are solved can vary from player to player but not drastically so as the possibilities available are limited.

An integral part of investigations is the interrogation of witnesses and suspects. These people of interest will be asked various questions and you’ll have to decide if they are being truthful or not. When accusing a suspect of lying, you’ll have to provide evidence from the list of clues you’ve obtained, so naturally the better investigation work you’ve done, the more prepared you’ll be for questioning. Failing to provide the adequate evidence will see your suspect or witness get hostile and less cooperative. If you know the person is hiding something but you don’t have evidence to back an accusation, you can opt for the doubt option which will see Phelps re-question a suspect’s response without flat out accusing them. So the key to good detective is work is uncovering all the clues and faring well in the interrogation room but that may prove more arduous than it seems. Obtaining clues is made easy because it is not up to you to decide which clues are relevant to the case and which are not…that distinction is made automatically by the game. In the interrogation room however, things get fuzzy. While there appears to be a clear cut method of distinguishing an honest statement from a deceiving one, its never quite so easy…and thankfully so. However interrogation dialogue often strays off the line of questioning which makes it hard to determine what Phelps is trying to get at. While someone may be telling the truth, Phelps will doubt them no matter what you select and so the whole interrogation takes a turn to the absurd and it becomes clear how little control you have over proceedings. The mechanic doesn’t outright fail but experiencing these little jarring moments stirs up the feeling that the game is not quite there yet.

As mentioned, L.A. Noire is an open-world game, so you can take a break from detective work to drive around and see the sights. Team Bondi has done a great job in re-creating 1940s Los Angeles and, if you are familiar with the city, you’re bound to recognize some sites and landmarks. The scale of the city is quite remarkable, but most of it is very look-but-don’t-touch. With the exception of random street crime side missions, L.A. Noire doesn’t have the plethora of mini-games and side quests usually associated with Rockstar games like GTA and Red Dead Redemption. In fact, if you just proceed from case to case, letting your partner drive you to locations, you can be forgiven for not realizing L.A. Noire is ‘open world’ at all. This may come as a disappointment to sandbox fans but I must admit that it does help pacing the cases. It would seem odd to stop for a game of darts while on the way to the coroners office so it was likely a conscious decision to keep gamers focused on solving cases rather than enjoying a night on the town.

There is no doubt that L.A. Noire is a good looking game all around but it is the emphasis on facial animations that is particularly stunning. Seeing as reading facial cues is integral to determining wether a suspect is lying or not, this aspect of the game was clearly worked on immensely…and it shows. This, complemented by terrific voice acting, makes for stand-out character performances…a feat not easily achieved. The city looks great and there is even an option to play the game in black and white…to make that film noir feel all the more apparent. The game’s musical soundtrack consists of much jazz and various tunes of the time to help keep the mood authentically 40s and relevant to the overall theme.

L.A. Noire has all the elements of game destined for mass popularity. It has a compelling theme, an original approach, fantastic visuals and a heavily financed marketing push. And while the game has a lot going for it, the thrill is not quite there. There is effort but too many discordant moments leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. L.A. Noire is a very good game but, ultimately, not quite the game it wants to be.

Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP Review

Though I’ve been a fervent Apple user and supporter for a good part of my life, I have never been a stern advocate of the iPad. I don’t doubt that it’s cool, I just think its price heavily outweighs its use. Let’s face it, there is hardly anything I can do on the iPad that I cannot manage with more efficiency on my laptop or iPhone…that is until Superbrothers. At the time of writing this review, Superbrothers Swords and Sorcery EP has become available for the all other iOS devices however it is a game best experienced on the iPad. Fortunately for me, I find myself in temporary possession of an iPad 2 and nothing on it or about it has impressed me quite like Superbrothers S&S EP.

Superbrothers is by no means your conventional iOS game, in fact it is unlikely to resemble anything you’ve played before. If you can imagine thatgamecompany (developers of flOw and flower) making a King’s Quest-style point and click it may end up looking something like this. It is enough of a game to be considered one but odd enough to pose the question in the first place. I often prefer to refrain from using the term interactive art as i feel its a throughly problematic classification, but I cannot think of a better way to describe Superbrothers than as a work of art, an interactive work of art.  The game only really employs two interaction mechanics: touch either where you want the character to go or what you want him to interact with and turn the iPad (or other iOS device) to the portrait (vertical) orientation to enter battle mode. Battles are few and only really require aptly timed taps to strike or evade, still in the context of the game, the system works

The key to enjoying Superbrothers is to allow yourself to get sucked in. This is where I feel the large screen of the iPad coupled with a pair of noise canceling headphones can really make the difference. While the gameplay is so basic, it borders on the archaic, Superbrothers has a potent mood and a mesmerizing soundtrack that really packages the experience in a unique and enticing way. From its pixel-art visuals to its sublime text-based storytelling the game comes off as an intelligent and sophisticated experiment. It’s not quite a full-length game but I do suspect, had it gone on for much longer, it risks diluting its intriguing formula for interaction.

To claim that the soundtrack is phenomenal would be a massive understatement. In my humble opinion, it may be one of the best original video game soundtracks ever. It’s rich, atmospheric and is guaranteed to give you goosebumps. It not only works brilliantly with the game’s mood and visual approach but is a tantalizing listen in its own right as well. In fact, given the many references likening the game to a musical record, it is quite easy to believe the whole game was built around the music. The music and the wonderfully executed sound design really elevate the experience to something quite special.

An interestingly implemented feature of the game is the Twitter integration option. The type of integration is standard enough – at certain moments in the game you are prompted to tweet textual passages you’ve unlocked by other obtaining a certain item or completing a certain mission. Naturally tweeting is optional but the texts are often absurdly humorous that anyone would be forgiven for genuinely wanting to share, though the game itself instructs you to use this feature “with moderation” as if to say: use sparingly to not de-value.

If the intention of this game, or better yet this EP, is to test the waters then I truly hope many get on board and buy it. At 5$, it is well worth the investment. It may not keep you occupied long but at times it is a real treat to behold and a unique audio/visual experience. If anyone out there is looking for an example to strengthen the case of videogame as art, this game is for you.

Wacky Nintendo

In the interest of being topical, I would like to take the much fancied Nintendo 3DS launch as an opportunity to look back at some of Nintendo’s wackiest hardware ideas. Some scored big wins for the Japanese gaming giants, while others dealt hefty damage to Nintendo’s reputation. Ultimately, the company that virtually single-handedly resurrected the industry from its demise in the mid 80s, should be commended for always thinking out of the box.

Without further ado, in chronological order, here is the list:

R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy):

Released with the earliest versions of the NES was R.O.B., a gaming peripheral / controller which was meant to demonstrate that Nintendo was about innovation and that the future of gaming had arrived. R.O.B. was a robot buddy that was meant to play games with you. Of course this was restricted to a couple of titles (literally), as playing with R.O.B. wasn’t really feasible, only 2 games were ever shipped. It’s worth going on YouTube and watching R.O.B. in action. I found it ridiculously hilarious and awe-inspiring all at once. While the peripheral didn’t actually function as intended (or more accurately, as advertised), it did serve its purpose remarkably well. The NES went on to surpass all expectations and its success arguably made today’s generation of gaming consoles possible.

Verdict: Neutral. Questionable hardware, genius marketing.

Super Scope

Having enjoyed Duck Hunt on my NES, I was looking forward the next generation SNES light gun. Needless to say, I didn’t see the Super Scope coming. Nintendo found it ‘appropriate’ to release a light gun in the form of a bazooka. I’ll admit, upon release, I was dying to get one but, in retrospect, I can understand my mother’s hesitation at buying me a gun the size of a small bicycle. The thing was massive and that didn’t bode too well for Nintendo. Sales were pretty abysmal and frequent complaints regarding strained shoulders and neck pain after moderate use led to Nintendo’s quick decision to can the accessory.

Verdict: Fail. Which is kinda sad considering today’s plastic guitars, drums, golf sticks, fishing reels…you’d think there would be a market for a plastic bazooka.

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