The latest trailer from Saints Row 3 is a brutally sharp "fuck you" to the popular upcoming releases of Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3. For anyone not familiar with those games (where in the nine hells have you been living? in space?).
Anyway, you can get right up to date with this fitting video describing both publisher's recent behaviour.
Which reminds me, is Saints Row 3 trying to say here it's the third dog ... cat? running away with the bone?
Unfortunately I doubt it, but it's quite pleasing to see a game embrace its free nature and over-the-top humour as much as Saints Row the third does, while at the same time mocking the most popular and current linear first-person shooters. You can watch the trailer here:
I am an advertorial. No seriously, it says so right here.
Thursday 27 October 2011
Thursday 20 October 2011
Rage Review
Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake, Doom 3D, ...
id has a legacy of first person shooters that not only helped define the genre, it perhaps single-handedly sculpted its defining aspects and tropes.
It's not unsurprising then that after so many years of silence and hard work on their latest franchise, the stakes were bigger than the distance I tend to keep from Activision.
But did Rage hold up to the hype? Unfortunately the question is more, could Rage ever really stand up to the hype?
I could sum the PC version of the game up in one brilliant picture:
The PC version of Rage is Fubar, and although game releases for that particular platform very rarely ever went smooth, this one has already been listed in the PC annals of a complete cluster fuck due to a lack of correct drivers, and textures looking like they're from the prehistoric year of 2000.
As a game reviewer this gives me a lot of mixed feelings. The technology behind the engine is certainly phenomenal and that is because id took huge risks to once again provide genre-defining graphics, ...
Yet, the amount of problems on the PC release beg the question if enough development and QA went into that platform in the first place?
The end-result is pretty damning for id.
During the Eurogamer Expo we were shown a few early passages in the game, and it looked a vibrant open world. The comparisons with Borderlands and Fallout were never far away, and perhaps by this time it's a reference that's been overdone already.
But playing the game, it doesn't take long to realize the open world and large vibrant wasteland, is nothing more than an optical illusion. At its core Rage is still a corridor shooter, except its walls give you the impression that there's a whole wide world lying open .... in vain.
It's a very fine optical illusion and I think very few would mind playing through it, but I was still reminded of a self-mocking and ironic quote from a Gearbox dev during a preview of Borderlands 2 saying "Our artists did a lot of research, they actually found out there's other colours in the palette"
As amazingly deep and colourful as Rage's characters are, as brownish pale and montone the colour palette in Rage is.
And that brings out another important aspect of Rage. You can compare Rage as a genre-game with an identity crisis. It's a shooter combined with both racing sequences and quite a few what we would call RPG elements such as quests, fleshed-out character personalities, ...
But it's like with Mr' Jekyll and Mr. Hyde where the shooter element keeps the RPG elements in check. The world is open but the game still holds your leash tighter than a Beegees pants. Heck, tighter than David Cameron's vagina. And before any Indigned Conservatives start spouting nonsense. Of course he doesn't have a vagina, he's an asexual lizard after all.
But anyway, they included a linear story that still feels generic and bland, etc ...
Rage is more of a cautious attempt of flirting with other genres, but being afraid of stepping too far and for that reason doesn't go as far as it should go.
The good news is, as a shooter Rage is still an id game at its best. You have a vast arsenal of over-the-top and unique weapons that each sound and fire as they should. My favourite being the sniper rifle with a bang and kick as it should be. Additional props also to the Wingsticks, which can be compared to sharp boomerangs you can use when the enemy closes in on you. And don't think Rage makes the mistake of having your melee opponents run into you in a very British queue all lined up to be popped in glee. They're insidious critters hopping and rolling in to claim your head all too eager. As AI goes, it's incredibly good. Also great is the fact that the bullets have a kick and you can see the effects of the impact on your opponents. Shoot them in the leg and you'll more often than not see them hobble towards you instead.
The shooter elements in Rage are all great, and graphically it is a stunning game. But it still doesn't detract from the fact that with the lazy writing, short time-span and too many old clichés in there, it can only be a decent to good game.
Rage is as potentially wasted as its wasteland setting.
id has a legacy of first person shooters that not only helped define the genre, it perhaps single-handedly sculpted its defining aspects and tropes.
It's not unsurprising then that after so many years of silence and hard work on their latest franchise, the stakes were bigger than the distance I tend to keep from Activision.
But did Rage hold up to the hype? Unfortunately the question is more, could Rage ever really stand up to the hype?
I could sum the PC version of the game up in one brilliant picture:
The PC version of Rage is Fubar, and although game releases for that particular platform very rarely ever went smooth, this one has already been listed in the PC annals of a complete cluster fuck due to a lack of correct drivers, and textures looking like they're from the prehistoric year of 2000.
As a game reviewer this gives me a lot of mixed feelings. The technology behind the engine is certainly phenomenal and that is because id took huge risks to once again provide genre-defining graphics, ...
Yet, the amount of problems on the PC release beg the question if enough development and QA went into that platform in the first place?
The end-result is pretty damning for id.
During the Eurogamer Expo we were shown a few early passages in the game, and it looked a vibrant open world. The comparisons with Borderlands and Fallout were never far away, and perhaps by this time it's a reference that's been overdone already.
But playing the game, it doesn't take long to realize the open world and large vibrant wasteland, is nothing more than an optical illusion. At its core Rage is still a corridor shooter, except its walls give you the impression that there's a whole wide world lying open .... in vain.
It's a very fine optical illusion and I think very few would mind playing through it, but I was still reminded of a self-mocking and ironic quote from a Gearbox dev during a preview of Borderlands 2 saying "Our artists did a lot of research, they actually found out there's other colours in the palette"
As amazingly deep and colourful as Rage's characters are, as brownish pale and montone the colour palette in Rage is.
And that brings out another important aspect of Rage. You can compare Rage as a genre-game with an identity crisis. It's a shooter combined with both racing sequences and quite a few what we would call RPG elements such as quests, fleshed-out character personalities, ...
But it's like with Mr' Jekyll and Mr. Hyde where the shooter element keeps the RPG elements in check. The world is open but the game still holds your leash tighter than a Beegees pants. Heck, tighter than David Cameron's vagina. And before any Indigned Conservatives start spouting nonsense. Of course he doesn't have a vagina, he's an asexual lizard after all.
But anyway, they included a linear story that still feels generic and bland, etc ...
Rage is more of a cautious attempt of flirting with other genres, but being afraid of stepping too far and for that reason doesn't go as far as it should go.
The good news is, as a shooter Rage is still an id game at its best. You have a vast arsenal of over-the-top and unique weapons that each sound and fire as they should. My favourite being the sniper rifle with a bang and kick as it should be. Additional props also to the Wingsticks, which can be compared to sharp boomerangs you can use when the enemy closes in on you. And don't think Rage makes the mistake of having your melee opponents run into you in a very British queue all lined up to be popped in glee. They're insidious critters hopping and rolling in to claim your head all too eager. As AI goes, it's incredibly good. Also great is the fact that the bullets have a kick and you can see the effects of the impact on your opponents. Shoot them in the leg and you'll more often than not see them hobble towards you instead.
The shooter elements in Rage are all great, and graphically it is a stunning game. But it still doesn't detract from the fact that with the lazy writing, short time-span and too many old clichés in there, it can only be a decent to good game.
Rage is as potentially wasted as its wasteland setting.
Monday 17 October 2011
Orcs Must Die Review!
Orcs Must Die from Robot Entertainment doesn't really pretend to hide behind the most intricate concept or story. Its premise is crystal-clear. Gotta stop that Orc invasion.
You have an insane arsenal of traps at your disposal ranging from the usual spike trap, or swinging blades and sizzling brimstone floors but you are also granted magic items, as the protagonist isn't exactly an apt mage. In fact, he's a cocky dimwitted wise-guy. And I like him for that. Evil Dead is never far away when playing, and that can never be a bad thing. Especially not when playing as the Chin.
It's also an incredibly fun game with a surprisingly deep gameplay. Don't let the simple premise fool you with that. The developers have cleverly put fighting in the game as a means of thinning out the Orc rank in between traps/spells through the use of either melee or ranged. The game lends itself more to a ranged style however, especially with a very satisfactory albeit inaccurate crossbow. It is this fighting that gives the game a more intense gameplay than most tower defence games I've played. It's easy to fall into the trap of playing the game as a simple tower defence game but that would not be doing the gameplay any justice. On top of that, the in-game fighting means it's not impossible to get the upper hand again if the monsters bypass some traps.
The map is also often laden with regular objects that you can cleverly use at your own disposal. You can shoot down chandeliers for example, or pots with lava.
The maps are varied and although they usually favour one or two methods. Bottlenecking orcs, slowing them, then frying them like oversized piggies is one of the most satisfying things I've done in a videogame for the last month or so.
Unfortunately, you'll find yourself going back to roots and improved archers for most of the time, and it's sad how the majority of the traps will collect dust because there's little use for them. I don't think I ever used steam traps and a few of the wall blades for example.
The graphics and animations are extremely solid and pleasingly cartoony. The traps have a distinct look and the cut scenes although adding little to the story, are a nice refreshment and are enjoyable to watch. The entirety of the game is exceptionally well-designed. Give this Robot a chapeau tbh.
The only thing thing missing is a form of co-op in the game. Although I can imagine co-op would need a restructuring of maps and scaling difficulty the game almost feels designed to work together through either the use of combining traps or perhaps each defending your own corridor and backing each other up. It's a shame because it would give the game the ultimate extra value.
A very recommended game that lends itself perfect as a few hours of stress-relief!
You have an insane arsenal of traps at your disposal ranging from the usual spike trap, or swinging blades and sizzling brimstone floors but you are also granted magic items, as the protagonist isn't exactly an apt mage. In fact, he's a cocky dimwitted wise-guy. And I like him for that. Evil Dead is never far away when playing, and that can never be a bad thing. Especially not when playing as the Chin.
 |
| Hurrrr |
It's also an incredibly fun game with a surprisingly deep gameplay. Don't let the simple premise fool you with that. The developers have cleverly put fighting in the game as a means of thinning out the Orc rank in between traps/spells through the use of either melee or ranged. The game lends itself more to a ranged style however, especially with a very satisfactory albeit inaccurate crossbow. It is this fighting that gives the game a more intense gameplay than most tower defence games I've played. It's easy to fall into the trap of playing the game as a simple tower defence game but that would not be doing the gameplay any justice. On top of that, the in-game fighting means it's not impossible to get the upper hand again if the monsters bypass some traps.
The map is also often laden with regular objects that you can cleverly use at your own disposal. You can shoot down chandeliers for example, or pots with lava.
The maps are varied and although they usually favour one or two methods. Bottlenecking orcs, slowing them, then frying them like oversized piggies is one of the most satisfying things I've done in a videogame for the last month or so.
 |
| Sizzlin' Orc |
Unfortunately, you'll find yourself going back to roots and improved archers for most of the time, and it's sad how the majority of the traps will collect dust because there's little use for them. I don't think I ever used steam traps and a few of the wall blades for example.
The graphics and animations are extremely solid and pleasingly cartoony. The traps have a distinct look and the cut scenes although adding little to the story, are a nice refreshment and are enjoyable to watch. The entirety of the game is exceptionally well-designed. Give this Robot a chapeau tbh.The only thing thing missing is a form of co-op in the game. Although I can imagine co-op would need a restructuring of maps and scaling difficulty the game almost feels designed to work together through either the use of combining traps or perhaps each defending your own corridor and backing each other up. It's a shame because it would give the game the ultimate extra value.
A very recommended game that lends itself perfect as a few hours of stress-relief!
Wednesday 5 October 2011
RIFT Patch 1.5: Win a free copy! (CLOSED)
It's surprising how apart from some quick previews there haven't been many articles here yet on MMO's. Especially considering how we will soon get absolutely bombarded with them for the next months to a year with titles such as KOR, GW2 and Wildstar, because for some reason the community hasn't agreed yet on a fitting acronym for the latter.Gameplay-wise RIFT has about the same combat and addictive/grinding gameplay like all other MMO's. The comparisons between RIFT and WoW for example have been beat to death so far, so I'll spare you of that boring drivel. But RIFT does offer a level of detail rarely seen in other games, granting it a slick, translucent feel of a triple A game. In an interview a long time ago, Trion mentioned that to stay alive in the competitive world of mmo's, they needed to adept and evolve. Rift's answer to that was definitely by it's amazing graphics. It is a bold move as well since the lower the specs an mmo has, typically the more subscribers it can rake in. You can see that by having a look at previews of the new Star Wars mmo, or by Blizzard's constant catering to its own Midas-complex.
The other commendable element is Trion's fastpaced highquality patching service. In my interview with Hergen Thaens, the German community manager, I was told it was their aim to keep bringing out a new patch packed with new content each 6 weeks. In its latest patch we got a new battleground, a new post lvling system to customize your role even more, and my favourite: Chronicles, which is a sort of co-op mode for dungeons. An amazing feature that's just perfect for the people that play it only casually with a friend or partner.
The story of Hergen Thaens himself is both remarkable and enviable, having been picked for the function after he quit his old boring job. Having been active in the German community he was being referred after there was a job vacancy for a local community manager.
It proves, there's hope for us all!
He also hinted at an expansion for the game, so we can start speculating on that.
To celebrate the new patch I have a free copy of RIFT to hand-out, courtesy of Trion, to anyone currently living in the UK or Belgium. All you need to do is tell me what the world of Rift is called:
A: Azeroth
B: Kansas
C: Telara
D: Erfworld
Mail me your answer, name and address at confuzzledgeek AT gmail DOT com and I will randomly pick a winner with the correct answer.
If your email bounces back, please get off my interwebs, turn off your computer, and do the world a favour and never turn it back on.
I'd like to thank the German community manager Hergen Thaens, but also the French communtiy manager Michael Servotte for the free copy, the interviews at Eurogamer Expo, and for just being all-round awesome peeps.
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Saints Row 3: The Wide World of Genki
Saints Row 3 keeps on releasing trailers with some serious WTF value. I wouldn't even bat an eyelash if they'd show it in one of those freaky Japanese reality TV shows. I'd really like to know who slipped crack in the coffee of these developers during their "brainstorm" meetings. Or in this case more accurately: Who slipped the coffee in their crack.
The latest video shows "Fun for the whole fucking family" I'd honestly doubt Peggy would agree, but it's definitely the first time that the word "ethical" hasn't got me fast asleep on my desk like a sloth who overdosed on prozac.
The only bad thing? The winner gets to keep his or her own life, awwww.
The best part? An octopus gun. I'm looking forward to nut shot with that....
Watch it here:
This advertorial is sponsored by THQ to promote hilarity of ethical proportions.
The latest video shows "Fun for the whole fucking family" I'd honestly doubt Peggy would agree, but it's definitely the first time that the word "ethical" hasn't got me fast asleep on my desk like a sloth who overdosed on prozac.
The only bad thing? The winner gets to keep his or her own life, awwww.
The best part? An octopus gun. I'm looking forward to nut shot with that....
Watch it here:
This advertorial is sponsored by THQ to promote hilarity of ethical proportions.
Sunday 2 October 2011
OnLive Review
OnLive is a cloud-based gaming system that has been live in America for some time, and only just recently joined the European market, especially the UK and Belgium. Because of that they had a massively marketed booth in Eurogamer Expo and I had the chance to have a chat with one of their CEO's.
Cloud-gaming is much like streaming your games. The games are running on hardware somewhere else, and you simply play the game "on the cloud". It's actually a quite natural step in today's digital world. Where we used to have everything located on our personal computer, much of our info nowadays is already on the cloud. Think of Twitter for example, and Apple's latest belated iCloud.
Streaming games might seem odd but it has a few inherently powerful benefits. The most important one is that since the games are running on different hardware, you can actually run near any game whatever specs your computer has. "If you can run Youtube videos, you will be able to run our games" I was told during the private interview.
OnLive is also a cross platform console, so it can be played on your TV (although it will need a USB port), your PC, laptop, Mac, but even your iPad. During the developer session in Eurogamer Expo we saw an example of From Dust, running on an iPad almost as if the game was made just for that application. Smooth and fluently.
Of course the downside of the games running on the server's hardware, is naturally that the quality of your game becomes inherently tied to your broadband infrastructure. If your network cannot cope you'll be inevitably witnessing huge latency. For that reason OnLive will work on a PC, but if you have decent hardware then I strongly suggest you stick to a traditional way of playing.
If you're a hardcore gamer or you're into e-sports, then it will matter even more, since you will never be able to beat the response-time you would have normally, than with OnLive.
It's still an amazing console, so small and lightweight you could easily take it with you when you travel, and as it's cross-platform it makes it an even more practical device.
Cloudgaming is definitely the future of gaming, but the jury is still out on its verdict on OnLive. But since OnLive is heavily marketing its release in the UK with promotions and great deals, I heartily recommend any gamer be it hardcore or casual, to pick this up. Perhaps even more so if you are the latter, since it is so accessable.
Cloud-gaming is much like streaming your games. The games are running on hardware somewhere else, and you simply play the game "on the cloud". It's actually a quite natural step in today's digital world. Where we used to have everything located on our personal computer, much of our info nowadays is already on the cloud. Think of Twitter for example, and Apple's latest belated iCloud.
Streaming games might seem odd but it has a few inherently powerful benefits. The most important one is that since the games are running on different hardware, you can actually run near any game whatever specs your computer has. "If you can run Youtube videos, you will be able to run our games" I was told during the private interview.
OnLive is also a cross platform console, so it can be played on your TV (although it will need a USB port), your PC, laptop, Mac, but even your iPad. During the developer session in Eurogamer Expo we saw an example of From Dust, running on an iPad almost as if the game was made just for that application. Smooth and fluently.
Of course the downside of the games running on the server's hardware, is naturally that the quality of your game becomes inherently tied to your broadband infrastructure. If your network cannot cope you'll be inevitably witnessing huge latency. For that reason OnLive will work on a PC, but if you have decent hardware then I strongly suggest you stick to a traditional way of playing.
If you're a hardcore gamer or you're into e-sports, then it will matter even more, since you will never be able to beat the response-time you would have normally, than with OnLive.
It's still an amazing console, so small and lightweight you could easily take it with you when you travel, and as it's cross-platform it makes it an even more practical device.
Cloudgaming is definitely the future of gaming, but the jury is still out on its verdict on OnLive. But since OnLive is heavily marketing its release in the UK with promotions and great deals, I heartily recommend any gamer be it hardcore or casual, to pick this up. Perhaps even more so if you are the latter, since it is so accessable.
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