Ugly Baby Studios » Reviews

Review: Pokemon Soul Silver

Nathan Blush — Tue, 11 May 2010 22:28:08 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to review Pokemon Soul Silver, the newly remade version of Gameboy Color classic, Pokemon Silver. I have some experience with the series, having previously played through Pokemon Diamond, which was part of Generation 4 of the Pokémon series, along with Pearl and Platinum. The new version of the game introduces 3D animation into the gameplay mix, creating an impressive visual experience.

As a fan of the Pokémon franchise, having played through at least one game from each generation, I really enjoyed this game. There are a number of new and different gym puzzles this time around, which make the game more interesting and fun. The new story line in the game was great, and added positively to the overall experience. You play as a 10-year-old, trainer on a quest to save the world from two very destructive Pokémon™, Dialga and Palkia, who control time and space. You’ve already seen them: they are the mascots for these remakes, appearing prominently on the front of the box. Giratina is the mascot for Platinum, and controls the Distortion World. It’s a little mind blowing that a 10-year-old kid would be given this kind of power and responsibility, however as with any sequel, they always look for bigger and better. And oh how they get better and better!

HeartGold and SoulSilver were released in September of 2009 in Japan, and made their way stateside in March of 2010. These remakes are similar to the GBC games except for some changes. This game includes all 493 Pokémon, and is compatible with the Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum games. The gyms are completely remade including the 3-D elements introduced in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. The gym leaders can be battled repeatedly at much higher levels, giving the player more challenges. Menus are now opened with the DS touch screen rather than a button, making it easier to use items. The battle sequences remain the same as in previous games, wherein you use the touch-screen to order your Pokémon to attack, use items, switch Pokemon or run from the battle. What I do find pleasing, as someone who played the original, is the fact that the PokéGear has a function on its radio that allows you to listen to the original songs on the different routes that you travel through on your journey to be Pokémon Master.

The storyline follows the original with only minor changes. 3-years have passed since Team Rocket took over Silph Co. in Kanto (the region where Red, Blue, and Yellow versions took place) and no one has heard from them since, except for a few minor appearances trying to steal Slowpoketails for profit on the black market, or trying to capture Gyarados from the Lake of Rage. The main goal is to control Pokémon around the world using the Goldenrod City Radio Tower. In Gold, Silver and Crystal, very few of the Rocket admins and executives were given names or had distinguishable features, but this time around each is given their own look and Pokémon so they stand out from their lackeys. Another aesthetic Ienjoyed was introduced in Platinum. Each gym leader, elite 4 member, and Red, are given their unique animated battle sprites and intro. Red, if you don’t already know, is the game adaptation of Ash Ketchum from the anime, and he also represents the character from Red, Blue, and Yellow.

Another aspect I found interesting is the Pokéwalker, which allows the player to transfer Pokémon to a little Poké Ball shaped “Tomagotchi” type device, and as the player walks, the Pokémon gains experience and can travel through different worlds.

Overall I find this to be an improvement from Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. Many of the aesthetic changes are very cool to look at, which makes the game more interesting to play even while evoking a nostalgic reaction for Pokémon Silver. I recommend this game both for the hard-core Pokémon fan and those just starting out.

Now to wait for the upcoming new Generation 5 which is to come out in Japan in the fall. The new games Pokémon™ Black and White.

Mass Effect 2 Review

Jason Ward — Tue, 11 May 2010 21:50:59 +0000

It’s fair to say that Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome game. So awesome, in fact, that if the ‘net could burst from an overfilling of positive reviews, this is the game that would have doomed the whole damn thing. Going into the experience I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I’d finished the first Mass Effect, and while it was a pretty good game I felt like it lacked in a few areas, not the least of which was a dry-as-dirt first quarter spent wandering the Citadel like a chimp on a banana hunt. So it goes without saying, then, that when I approached the new Mass Effect I was pretty much steeled for a dull introduction to what would eventually be revealed as a pretty good game.

I was wrong. Mass Effect 2′s intro is among the most exciting, gripping, well executed game opener’s I’ve ever seen. If it had been a CG cut scene I’d have been on the edge of my seat, but getting to actually play through that explosive, shocking–the list of adjectives could go on for days–introduction, well…had me on the edge of my seat, fiddling with thumbsticks as I desperately tried to save Commander Shepard and her crew from certain doom.

Perhaps my favorite part of the new game is having the ability to pull my existing character from the first Mass Effect into the new game, with an opportunity to make a few different choices in career and appearance. I opted to change neither, of course, and begrudgingly accepted that I would now start over with my character’s level progression. I was rather surprised and pleased to learn that although I was starting at a “low” level again, this time around my Shepard was actually much more powerful than in the previous game, which in turn made the leveling seem more satisfying than I’d expected it to be. Far from making me feel artificially powered down, instead it seemed more like my Shepard had been down for awhile and just needed a little loosening up.

In Mass Effect 1, I played as close to “neutral” as possible, but ended up with a slight leaning toward Paragon. This time around, I made a role playing choice: death had changed Shepard, and she would be hardcore Renegade. As the game progressed there were, I’ll admit upfront, a handful of choices I made that scored me paragon points, though in the interest of posting no spoilers I won’t tell you which those were. For the remainder of the game, however, I managed to steer pretty closely to the Renegade side, even taking cognizance of Samara’s statement that she might have to kill me once we’d completed the mission; thus, when the opportunity presented itself, I chose to kill her and recruit her evil daughter, Morinth, figuring she wouldn’t kill me unless I opted to sleep with her. Well…maybe not sleep.

ME2′s combat and weapons/upgrades management system is greatly simplified and streamlined compared to its predecessor. Gone are the long hours of sifting through countless iterations of ammo types and levels, or various levels of weapons of every sort. In its place is a slick, easy to use interface with a leaner set of options that, while taking away some of the flexibility of its predecessor, greatly improves the player’s ability to outfit each member of his or her team with the best gear quickly and efficiently. Too, the new combat system is much more TPS (Third Person Shooter), and the player’s ability to aim well really pays off. Headshots are your friend. Except when they’re aimed at your head, of course.

Visually, ME2 is a delight, with a wide variety of different locales all rendered in gorgeous detail. The sci-fi trappings are not just futuristic, but they also look used and lived-in, creating a sense of a galaxy populated by living, breathing people. There are the occasional graphical glitches that seem to be the hallmark of the HD generation, with little bits of pop-in here and there, but for the most part it’s hardly noticeable. It’s also fair to say that you’ll be so engrossed in the story that you probably won’t notice most of the little glitches even when they do happen.

The 5.1 mix is fantastic and really works to enhance the mood of the game. I tend to play in darkness as much as possible, with the surround sound cranked up so as to really immerse me in the experience, and ME2 did not let me down. From environmental sounds to enemies trying to flank me, the audio track is rendered with superb attention to detail and had me completely living in the experience within minutes of powering on the game.

Enjoyed:

Virtually everything. Mass Effect 2 is a cornucopia of goodness, and I feel comfortable calling it the best game of this generation so far. The artwork, audio, voice acting, writing and gameplay all work together with the precision of a well crafted symphony, sucking the player into the experience in ways that few games ever will.

Disliked:

The fact that the game ended at all comes to mind immediately, but thanks to the DLC the game can go on for a bit longer. If there’s one thing I dislike about the experience, it’s that there hasn’t been enough DLC to keep me happy yet. The other thing I wasn’t fond of is the fact that the lesbian love experience is nonexistent this time around. I played my Shepard as a female and had previously established a relationship with Liara, so I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to continue that.

Would have changed:

Beyond the obvious “no graphical glitches,” which I accept as par for the course in the HD generation, my big gripe really is just with the reduced accessability to the love interest of your choice. There’s plenty of hetero-love to be had, but the fact that the first game allowed gay relationships while the second one doesn’t seems like a step backward, so I’d have carried that element forward. Hopefully it’ll return in Mass Effect 3.

All in all, Mass Effect 2 is a top tier game well worth your time and money, even at full price. By now it’s possible to find it on discount pretty regularly, so don’t let anything stop you: if you own a 360, this is a shouldn’t-miss experience.

Preview: Halo Reach Beta

Juliet Flores — Tue, 04 May 2010 05:59:12 +0000

In a word. Fun!

For a Beta, it’s pretty well rounded with just some minor things I noticed that will probably be fixed before release. I witnessed multiple grenades bouncing up after hitting stairs in at least one level. I’m pretty sure those things are heavy and gravity pulls the other way, as a rule. The four major ”classes,” “power ups,” (whatever they’re calling them this time around), aren’t as balanced as they could be, either. The player choses which “class” they’ll play at the beginning of the match and after death, right before respawn, which helps to somewhat balance them out, but it’s easy to see which are more advantageous than others. In their own right each is pretty useful, though the one that stands out as the most useful is the shield. Basically you get limited god mode for a short time; you can’t move but no one can kill you, either (from what I’ve seen.) The next standout is the cloak, which draws attention mostly for its flaws. I say flaws because, as I’d sit motionless in the cloak, I’d inevitably be sniped (headshot) from all the way across the map after having just watched the shooter spawn, after I cloaked… The other two powers sprint and the jetpack, are pretty balanced, each with their obvious advantages and disadvantages.

All in all I’m impressed with the beta so far, and look forward to playing the “gold” version with its various problems hopefully ironed out. Visually the beta has smooth, crisp graphics and familiar gameplay, with a blend of new and old weapons. The biggest problem I have with it is that, like many other online multiplayer games, there is no way to filter out players who have no lives and have spent the last eight years of their lives playing Halo ad nauseum, practicing their e-penis waving skills. The only time they are in any danger of losing is if a scenario works out as a 4v1 and they run out of ammo.

Beta is fun, can’t wait for release!

Nintendo DS My Weight Loss Coach

Juliet Flores — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:20:21 +0000

Everyone at some point in their lives wants to improve their health, but adapting to a more healthy life style entails a lot of details. Eating healthier and being more physically active can be somewhat of a challenge when we’re not used to it. Honestly, I cannot remember nor do I have the time every day to journal about what I ate, how many calories I consumed or if participated in any exercise activities. I’ve attempted to keep track of my daily progress, but in the face of a busy life I haven’t had much luck. Hey, tracking this stuff is important to me, not only to see how far I come in the end, but to focus on my ultimate goal. So, I decided to hire myself the most affordable personal coach a person on a budget-especially my budget, oh paycheck granting gods-can buy.

My personal coach goes by the name of “My Weight Loss Coach” (Ubisoft). It’s a fun way to keep track of your progress to becoming a healthier individual! The game comes with a pedometer which you plug into the Nintendo DS on a daily basis to keep track of the distance traveled throughout the day. In my first two days I managed to climb Mount Everest without even having to pack for the trip…hey what more can a person ask for? It has motivated me to keep on walking, take the stairs at the office, park further away, and to go that extra lap around the block, just to get those steps adding up on the pedometer. I want to see what else I can climb!

In the Daily Session you keep track of on the calendar your pedometer reading, the challenges given to you by your “Coach” in order to track your physical activity for the day. Depending on how physically active you were it will give you a distance bonus to your next milestone…who knows, without even knowing it and without breaking much of sweat you may have completed an Olympic Marathon. Awesome!

Your Daily Session also tracks food balance. Food balance is somewhat genius. At the end of the day you give a detailed account of what you ate and it will give you on the food balance a total of calories consumed according to what you ate. You get to drag from the food groups the servings of food you ate and feed your coach from general fruits, vegetables, different kinds of meats-almost anything you can find on the food pyramid-yes even fast food. This feature of the game has to be my favorite, which probably tells you I eat too much fast food. I always wanted to keep track of my calorie intake and this is as easy as it gets. I am now eyeing the fruit bowl more enthusiastically then I do the cookie jar. Usually.

If you want to invest in a fun way to keep track of your progress, become more aware of your weight and overall gain a healthier life style, go out and get Nintendo DS My Weight Loss Coach. It’s easy to use, not to mention fun, provides you with healthy tips, and personally I look forward to keeping track of my progress at the end of the day. Keep in mind that buying the game and turning it on will not magically make the extra “fluff” around the middle go away; it is up to you to make the changes. The game is a tool to keep track of your progress, see how far all your hard work takes you and motivate you to become a healthier person. So, clip on the pedometer, put on your running shoes, turn up the tunes on your MP3 player and report back to your coach! Soon you will see not only was it fun but it was so worth it.

I’ll try to keep you guys posted on the healthy improvements I make with My Weight Loss Coach. Till then, get out of the way-I have mountains to climb.

Same old crap: Different game

Mike Kukuk — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:59:44 +0000

How games remain just the same as they have always been.

Although I will use FPS as an example in this article, I realize that Resident Evil: 5 is not one. I compare to that genre because AI need is often strict, as are graphics (closer adjusted view = higher GPU requirements, texture fidelity, etc.) and large levels to keep pacing. Also, FPS games (for some, like myself) offer more immersion, (first person = me, not some puppet I control) yet, many will submit that they can cause motion sickness or sometimes feel like they are ‘looking out a window.’ Many sub-genres have been done ‘FPS-style’ a few times with muted success, but I still personally find little to be immersed into when staring at any 3rd person character’s butt (or even over a shoulder).

What I will be discussing here and critically pointing out is gameplay fundamentals that have not changed. This translates to elements that remain exactly the same as when the very first games were conceived.

Graphics
Graphics can be pretty, people are wowed over them. Reality-wise, only a minimum of feedback is required in this area to perform or achieve any desired effect. Graphics have become like the too popular big breasted girl syndrome – offering mass cleavage but no personality underneath. The true requirement graphics must meet falls into feedback, but is typically delivered via beautiful texture mapping or special effects.

Primary purpose of Graphics = player feedback.

Artificial Intelligence
Sad to say – there is no such thing. “A.I.” actually refers to the illusion of intelligence, created by commands telling animated objects to go through a command set like “If this = this, then, go do that.” As complicated as pathfinding (pre-placed game world paths for “AI” to follow) can be, it is remains just a set of commands that those objects follow to ‘search’ for the player. Game AI has changed very little since the very first video games were created… thats nearly 40 years.

Primary purpose of Game AI = Direct opponents, followers or objects of rescue or protection.

Manipulable objects
These give the player the illusion of having control over and interaction with the game world, whether they are merely objects to destroy (like mushrooms in centipede) or bricks to bump (Super Mario) or statues to move for some reason (like Resident Evil).

Primary purpose of Manipulable Objects = player interaction.

Sound effects
Audio can be important, interesting, intriguing, haunting, scary, thrilling and heart pounding. Yet, sound effects primary purpose is to reveal information to the player and deliver feedback so game play can proceed.

Primary purpose of Sound Effects = player feedback.

Controls
Well thought out control systems (like ease of comprehension in button use & placement) universally connects players via immersion into the the game world, promoting the ‘illusion of actually being there.’ Bad controls force difficulty, frustration, impede and obstruct any effort on the players part to try and enjoy, destroying any possible seamless interaction in said world.

Primary purpose = game world connectivity.

Arenas and areas: linear hallways or free form, open worlds
Open areas containing places to go, things to see, interact with, use as cover, etc. From a simple open rectangle having only a few squares, to the most realistic 3D map, the principle remains the same, it is the area in which game play takes place. While some are confining & claustrophobic, others are open, freedom promoting vistas.

Primary purpose = game world & environment.

Music
Music can provide feedback and foreshadowing, yet as a rule should not be forced upon the player (like Halo). Ideally, the player will be offered choice to allow or eliminate, and therefore the game will have a separate ambient track, if such elimination is chosen.

Primary purpose = immersion into game world & environment, and setting of feeling and ‘tone’.

Story
This is usually the reason to play, the tale, the main characters story, what causes interest, or the backdrop for the game. It is not necessary to pay attention to the story, as many stories can be ignored and still enjoy the game; yet it still provides a base framework around which the game is constructed, no matter how simple.

Primary purpose = backdrop.

The typical videogame generally will have all these elements in some amount and variety, from the most simple to the most complicated. These are the elements I am speaking of when I discuss gameplay fundamentals, as they do not have to be complicated in order to exist. They can be created and utilized in very simple and creative ways, and nearly every successful video game that was created before games that are now being published had these elements too.

To Underworld and back again

Mike Kukuk — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:34:49 +0000

The story of one character’s trip across the wastes…

Imagine for a moment – a book that writes itself. All you would need to be is that character, be placed in that world, have it be an interesting setting that you can interact with on many levels, and the ‘story’ would flow from that point. Fallout 3 is that ‘book’. Sure, you can follow the quests (whether main or side), but you don’t have to - there is tons to see and do aside from that. You might still stumble into the occasional quest that starts suddenly, but you can always back off – no one is forcing you do it, or even complete them.

I have played quite a bit of Fallout 3, and I suppose now is a good time for a review, although – maybe a bit late. I have also played Fallout 3 as a “good guy”, “bad gal” and a “neutral guy.” Bear in mind, I have had no experience with previous Fallout games, so I will not be making any sour whining noises about that, and how ‘it does not meet my sex fantasy expectations of what a dream game needs to be’ – blah, blah, blah.

Backdrop
Fallout 3 is a wasteland, filled with blowing sand and burning seeps, radioactive areas that are dangerous, leaking barrels killing or damaging the unwary. There are also lots of rocks, big shelves and walls, caverns, & cliffs to sneak around or get to the top of so as to see better, to get a vantage point or just protect your back. Many buildings are rubble, others you can explore. It just takes investigation, and curiosity – and sometimes that’s half the fun.

The story’s backdrop, we have all heard about – 1950 science fiction nuclear aftermath. Giant radiated movie ants and roaches, and even a mini game of ‘whack a mole’ (short – part of a quest, pound 10 moles with a stick). Everything that seems like debris adds ambiance, is dangerous or, is something actually useful – if you can just find out for what. But there is plenty of funny 1950′s childhood retro fear here on tap, so feel free to enjoy it. Typically, (for me) 1st person view was the most fun to play in, but I tried 3rd person too, as it is good for running and skipping sneaking all the time, which does eat up a lot of REAL time by the way.

Similarities
Also, I have taken the time and looked previous fallout games over somewhat, and can see there are differences, such as what monsters didn’t make the cut, number of weapons, plot, perspective of play (1st/3rd, overhead) and other various nuance. Granted, Bethesda does have a certain way of doing things, and Fallout 3 is a fine example of that style. I would not say that it is “Oblivion with guns” because that game had a lot of sword-based ‘club-bashing’ of monsters. Not like real swordplay, but kind of. If you play Fallout 3 in that way (melee) you will probably have a similar experience, play wise. Other similarities include dialog interaction with NPC’s, as that is identical.

A final similarity would be ‘dungeons’ that look increasingly similar to each other after about 40 – 50 hours or so. This game at least leaves the player with a better rational of why opponent characters are in those areas, but not always. “dungeon” areas begin to all look a lot alike after awhile though, and that is part of what brings on a sense of boredom, along with similar monsters being there, and similar various stuff to collect. Once one hits the level 20 cap it’s pretty much dullsville incorporated, unless you start really toying with the game.

Many folks complained about travel in STALKER, as anywhere you wanted to go it was walking. Well, the same applies here, with an exception that once you have been there, you can always fast travel back to shortcut your time to a mere load screen. There are dangers, of course, like the occasional enemy in the immediate area who jumps you, but that does not always happen. This is also a similarity with Oblivion and Morrowind, although Morrowind referred to it as “teleporting.”

Gameplay
Game play is not at all like your typical shooter, except the barest comparison. Most FPS games (Halo, COD for example) have enemies that attack in hordes, and are all very twitch based, meaning – your reflexes and quick aiming ability account for much of ‘actual gun skill.’ Not so here, as Fallout is an RPG, so you play a character that must learn to use guns (or whatever) just like in real life, and that takes time to master. While this can leave something to be desired at some levels, by level 20 you will have a pretty tough character. So, although you might get some armor, you will be relying on health packs and good old fashioned brains to fight most of your battles.

This of course, brings up what is so very great about Fallout 3 – it is no cheesy hallway run, where your only reward is some ammo, or finishing the game. You can attack from many, many different directions, and possibilities exist for one who is strategic, creative and patient. Wide open spaces means maybe you can attack from above, below, either side, with an enlisted follower, by setting traps, sneaking, head on, big guns, small guns, melee, or even leading a different enemy into their ranks by trickery. “Dungeons” (buildings, caves, metros, etc.) are not so different, as finding an enemy to trick into attacking them isn’t always available, yet do often have turrets that you can hack and manipulate to your own ends. It’s a rare game where you can be truly devious in an attack.

What else is different from a typical FPS? To start, there is food. There is many, many types of food, and drink. (I have found more than 4 types of booze already… and it can have good effects and bad, that are useful… but risky…). Food like: Squirrel stew, iguana on a stick, iguana bits, insta mash, mirelurk cakes, sugar bombs, to name but a few (so, squirrels survived?). All help your health, and add a bit of radiation (except for a few). Not exactly damage, but it will be over the long term, if you get enough of it (500 rads or so). Food helps your health when you are shot up, as can many other things like water (dirty or purified) but it takes quite a bit if you are really shot up. Stimpacks are more like healthpacks – for ‘no radiation’ health, and there is an area in the interface/Pipboy where you must add it to limbs, head and/or torso too, when you get really shot up and become crippled. You can easily choose which, and, stimpack effectiveness is delivered by medicine skill level.

Junk, weapons & skills
Junk in Fallout 3 can be used to build things if you possess an appropriate schematic, using about 4 items of what could only be considered crap, you can make something of worth (a weapon) that can be used, repaired or sold. Small gun skills are very useful, as is repair, because ammo is hard to come by, as weapons have damage levels that repairing them will increase, which adds effectiveness. Big guns do great damage, but are harder to come by, and use ammo up quick. All ammo has NO weight, so you could always collect it anyway and just sell it. Small guns are plentiful, and have more of a sniper aspect, whereas big guns require more personal exposure for lesser accuracy, and sometimes take awhile to “wind up”.

Melee weapons can be a hardship. because not all enemies get in your face – some either run away, or stand off at a distance and peck at you or just rail gun you. Some love to throw grenades at you too. Try advancing on a robot with a flame-thrower and you will see where the sneak skill and a stealthboy (temporary invisibility) comes into play. So, obviously, unarmored fists can be a challenge too. The game has a particular level of hardship from around level 5 to about level 8, not sure why, but it gets really tough. If it gets too tough for you, well, just use the interface and set it easy mode, ya crybaby whiner. I suppose that is the part of the game where they teach you about “running away.” (Do I get experience points for that?)

Repair skill is a very worthy skill to have. Not only does it help you keep a weapon working well, it brings it to a maximum damage efficiency (according to your skill). It is also good because you can do field repair when needed (if you have another weapon or armor like it with you, it works by combining two similar items), and that also saves weight and makes the items you carry worth more… that is, less to haul back to sell.

There are many, many guns, assuming you have the skill to use them… sniper rifle, hunting rifle, assault rifle, SMG, shotgun, flamethrower, minigun, gatling gun, missile launcher, railspike, minikuke, various ‘nades, mines and some ‘homemade’ stuff. (really nasty stuff) But, not something you would want to waste, (made from junk you find). Oblivion made you work at becoming skilled at something, and here – you just assign points for ‘surviving’ to the next level, as it is all automatic. Much of the junk you found there was just that. Junk.

Luck has a part to play in creating a character, but it is a subtle thing. Where Strength allows more weight to be carried, and power (like punching), Perception means you detect enemies earlier than they do you, if it is high enough. Endurance affects health (hit points) amount, Charisma seems to have almost no effect, except in quests with speech and challenges. Intelligence affects number of skill points at level up, Agility affects how many points you get in VATS. All of those give bonuses if high, and supposedly actually affect your character in tangible ways (like Agility effects movement) but I have not seen that in all of them. So, in this way, Fallout 3 departs from Morrowind and Oblivion in a major way. Luck, as I have observed, might effect battles and hits, but I have experienced something else… more intriguing. Luck affected what my enemies went through to get to me once it was high enough. Funny as heck to watch, too.

Case in point: When my luck was low, I had many encounters with Talon merc’s, and they were always waiting for me, outside some doorway or on the other side of some entrance or exit. When my luck became a 9, I noticed a subtle shift of them getting reamed by other enemies long before they ever got near me. Poor idiots. So, Luck did change game play quite a bit, but bear in mind – I was sneaking at the time.

Sneak skill is also a mixed bag…I mean to say, many enemies will not see you sneaking in the dark, but many still will. It helps some, but it will not make you invisible to all. I have seen the entire wasteland, and made plenty of effort sneaking around enemies I didn’t want to deal with. It’s a mixed bag. Sometimes I could sneak past, sometimes I ran like a chicken, sometimes they saw me, sometimes one brutal shot convinced them it just wasn’t worth it.

Perks & VATS
Certain perks are good if taken right away, like Educated and Comprehension. You will probably find at least 35 books…so, double the points will be nice, as there are about 300 to find. Perks have been discussed in many other reviews, and so has character building, so I will dwell on other things. Weight, for example, and how you much can carry, is based on Strength (even average). my character is a 6 strength, so I can carry 210 lbs, which is a large amount of stuff early on. For ‘ease of use’ reasons, ammo weighs nothing, as do many ‘drugs’ and a few other items. Drugs that boost health, boost damage, intellect, perception, charisma and other needs to ‘get ‘er done’. Typically very addictive, of course.

VATS is interesting, and several perks make it FAR more useful. Initially, it might feel like a cheat when you hit an enemy in the face several times and all they do is flinch, or you just plain magically miss. It is more effective at close ranges (later in the game – medium range too) but you will still spend plenty of time finding ways to ‘interact directly’, say, with a grenade or land mine. Some enemies will also recognize a land mine when they see it – so be prepared, not all Scorpions are dumb as a brick.

A.I.
AI isn’t bad – I have found that enemies will sometimes chicken out and run off when attacked, and some will flank the long way, showing up unexpectedly. They also often change their mind about running away. Keep in mind that the game will be very gruesome and gory, perk or no perk. Generally, any AI is on patrol of an area; which isn’t so bad, as many animals are territorial and do about the same. Scorpions are a ‘get in your face’ type, like raiders, only really fast. Centaurs are a bit slower. Although many enemies are ‘in your face’, like Oblivion, some are not, some flank, some retreat… you will see varied differences in speed, approach and handling. Some enemies hate fire, others hate plasma, some hate melee, some are armored, some are perceptive. It takes awhile to figure out what’s best for who, but just about anything works by level 20.

Animation
Some animations in the game are not great, as Oblivion’s animations were not bad, per say – but there were times when a dog trying to go down a hill just wasn’t able to do it on the slope. So, the walk staggered the drop, looking very, very fake, dropping 3 or four feet at a time just to go down the slope (invisible stairway!). Well, dogs here have the ‘stagger’ too. Aside from any battles – your dog can just “sit and stay” if that is what you wish. But, he also runs off and finds crap if you ask, like chems, guns, ammo, etc…which does make him quite useful. I lost my dog – was too greedy I suppose. I sent him off to get stuff when I didn’t need it one too many times. Eventually, he did return, but it seemed like forever – I thought he was long dead. Also, sometimes stuff floats, (like chairs, tables, etc.) and enemies will float away (rare, but it happens).

The animations in the beginning of the game are just horrible. The vault had characters without expressions, and they basically just stood around, and some animations look, well – cheesy. All in all it’s not reason to abandon the game, but sometimes it just doesn’t cut it and can be jarring. “Oh, yeah – video game”. Sometimes the AI is ‘ice skating’ when off in the distance. but, But, Oblivion has that too. There are better physics to make up for all of shortfalls, I suppose. And, you don’t see enemies facing the other direction when they shoot at you, like say, in GRAW. Add to problems – the ‘occasional’ texture pop in when you turn your head to look another direction. It slowly fills, and looks strange. I have experienced a few other weird glitches that were video related, but I reloaded and they went away.

The “vault” aspects sort of left me with a “what do I do?” feeling, but – eventually, I would just save and experiment. Interestingly, it put me well on my way to “vault martyr”. I did dig around some, and steal as much as I could before I left (lets see other martyrs try that!). After leaving the vault, I finally found Megaton…which was also slow. Even tried to bang the hooker, but it seemed like all she did was relieve me of my caps (money). I didn’t even hear any fun noises. Irritated, I reloaded the game file, and did something else. I was just curious anyway, but could get the same treatment from someone at J-lube.

Something you might want to try – and that is sneak. Not only does it give critical damage if enemies are not aware of you, but it also allows to to listen in on conversations you might not normally hear enemies make. Some of them are hilarious to be sure. I recall tossing some ‘nades down onto some raiders who couldn’t locate me, and one said “Oh, SHIT!” Then the grenade exploded, and he groaned. His buddy replied “You deserved it, dumbass.” I just about laughed myself ill on that one. Super mutant conversations are also somewhat entertaining…

Assessment
So. The ‘Oblivion’ trees are gone, and so are long load times. There is still loading, but it is shorter, and the frame rate (at least on a 360) is pretty decent, especially when installed to the hard drive. Very little water to be seen, maybe a river and a few radioactive ponds. So, I have seen the entire wasteland, and it is a big place. I finished the main quests and side quests, but I see a 200 hour game potential if one is in no hurry, however, the main quest will probably tap at about 15-20 hours, max. For $60 or so you can go out and write your own (although imperfect) adventure,…. so, what’s stopping you?

———————

With all of that in mind, here is an example of the book that I mean, in my own words, following my actions, early on in my game. Your experience will likely be quite different (I mean, aside from the shooting – but hey, you can always run away).

My characters story….
I headed off into the wastes looking for some adventure, and a scrap. I pointed myself via one of the little arrows on the compass, just to see how the feature worked. Checking my map, I had been to a few of them. But one steered me to an old broken freeway overpass, and from my concealed rock-ledge perch, I saw some raiders at the entrance of the overpass, and so I snuck along a lower rock line so as to not be seen in my ambush. I crept right up to the side of it, keeping low, to the overpass edge. Suddenly – one of them heard my steps – but, my back was covered, and so was my right flank. Hidden from my view, she came along the wall, turned and ran up to me in the open with a bat, and I let her get in close and – BLAM! - shotgun says no way.

This alerted another raider, and he came running with an assault rifle – big mistake – he also got in too close, and my shotgun said so. This in turn alerted another raider (or – already was) who ran up with a knife. Well, you know what they say, ‘bring a knife to gunfight’, and all that. I crept up the bridge after resupplying via their ammo cans. I figured that higher on the overpass was a probably great place for a guy with a sniper rifle.

I got up a ways, and daybreak began to dawn, a bit too quick for my tastes, breaking cover, I ran up to a big semi truck to grab for use as protection, but was seen. Poor Mr. Ballbat didn’t have a chance. BOOM! Another raider tried to flank me left, and – hey – I was right! He had a sniper rifle. Didn’t do him much good, I forced him into a close up scuffle, and shotgun beats sniper at 4 feet any day. I saved, took a few steps and saw more raiders up ahead. One came running with a flame thrower, one with a bat, one with a knife. I set a mine and threw a grenade – somehow, the flame thrower guy skirted around, but the other guys got mowed. He cornered me next to the truck, and had just enough distance where I was getting real cooked, as he was real quick with that fire tosser. Yeeouch!!!

Taking damage, I threw 2 more ‘nades – the first one killed him, the second was a waste. Then, the supposedly protective truck next to me exploded, damn near killing me. Dang! I forgot about that. I had just one little health bar left – I was almost dead, heart pounding in my ears.

Curious, I reloaded my game and tried it differently. I ran up quickly and set a mine right at a pile of planks that crossed a collapsed section of the overpass, where ‘Ol flamey would be forced to cross. He saw me, and I tossed a grenade, which missed. I threw another, it also missed. He hit the mine, and that was a big boom – body parts flew everywhere. Yuck!

But… the other guys were gone! I couldn’t figure it. I looked around, and thought… hmmm… wonder if the force of the grenade blast knocked them off the bridge… ??? I walked back across, and down under the bridge and searched where I thought they might be. I found one – obviously the fall killed her. I never did locate the other guy. Poor rat bastige.

Got me another sniper rifle tho, and a number of rounds. Ugh. What a mess.
–

Review: World of Goo (WiiWare, PC)

Jason Ward — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:50:36 +0000

If you haven’t already done so, turn on your Wii or PC and download 2DBoy‘s masterpiece of game design, World of Goo right now. Yes, it really is that good.You may have seen review scores elsewhere: 9, 9.5, 10–and it deserves every single one of them. While we don’t do numeric scores here, if we did you could rest assured that World of Goo would get an 11. And a half. I’m sure you’re asking in your very best faux Eric Cartman voice, “But why?” Well let me tell you.

In one theory of game design (one with which I agree wholeheartedly), it is deemed wise to make your game accessible–which is to say that it should be easy for people to pick up and play with minimal instruction. World of Goo achieves this better than any game I have ever seen-it literally requires no instruction whatsoever. You point, you click, you drag, and if you have 2 brain cells floating around in your skull you will have figured out the basic mechanics of the game exactly 5 seconds into the first level. Now don’t mistake that for me saying the game is easy–this game will kick your ass in ways that most others could only achieve by breaking your thumbs.

For the first 2 or 3 levels you will have a chance to become increasingly familiar with the basics of the game and the behavior of the goo balls with which you will build structures of varying types; after that the challenges will ramp up quickly. World of Goo never cheats or pulls a fast one on you–the mechanics are always simple, and the goals all share in common that they require you to think. As you progress through the game you will be introduced to numerous new kinds of gooballs with varying properties. Some of them stick together and stay forever. Some can be set and reset over and again. Some fly. Some burst into flame.

But there’s something more than even the game itself that is truly an inspiration: the guys who built it. World of Goo was created by just two guys–in debt, no office, working out of Coffee Shops in San Francisco. Seriously. Gamasutra has an interview with these guys and it’s quite amazing and enlightening to look at what they’ve achieved and the way in which they’ve achieved it.You should read the full interview for a lot of insight into their process, but here’s an excerpt from Kyle Gabler, one of the devs, that should be taken seriously to heart by anyone who has a dream, some skills and the passion to work their ass off:

“Here’s my financial situation. I have $60,000 of student loans. When I left EA, I had $30,000 in the bank, so a net worth of negative $30,000. So, I guess if we can start a company with negative $30,000, then I think everyone should know that it’s possible to start a company. You don’t have to have money. All you have to do is be stupidly optimistic. ”

Amen, brother!

Rock Band 2: Day One Impressions

Jason Ward — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:19:27 +0000

Today saw the release of Harmonix and MTV Games’ Rock Band 2 for Xbox 360 (sorry other platforms, you’re just going to have to wait!), and I spent several hours with the title–with of course some friends–to really get to know the game. Rock Band 2 starts out much the same as Rock Band 1 (even to the point of having a remarkably similar intro sequence set in what appears to be the same desert), and aside from new items such as an improved calibration utility and access to the new “Challenges” in multiplayer it never really diverges from the first game in any significant ways.

Character creation is largely unchanged, with a limited number of hair styles, faces, etc from which to choose. More outfits become available as you progress through the game, but the consensus among the group I played with was more or less “who cares? Let’s get to the music already”, and I couldn’t agree more. Rock Band 2 offers 84 new tracks out of the box, with a code to allow you access to an additional 20 songs via download in the near future for a total of 104 songs. At $59.99 that comes out to about 58 cents per song, which is not too bad of a deal.

Rock Band 2 obviously works fine with Rock Band 1 instruments, though I did notice that my guitar had significant difficulty in activating Energy, a problem I’ve never had with it in Rock Band 1. Drums appeared to work fine as well, as all three of those playing the game consistently scored in the high 80′s to high 90′s in all the songs we tried, including those in day 1′s various challenges. I’m actually looking forward to trading up to Guitar Hero World Tour instruments next month now that we know all the instruments will be compatible, as the Rock Band instruments, while nice in the larger guitar sizes, have never really lived up to the quality of Red Octane’s instruments.

Beyond the 84 on disk and 20 downloadable free tracks provided by Harmonix, it’s also possible to export 55 of your Rock Band 1 tracks for use, and this operation is easy and seemless to achieve as long as you’re willing to spend the 400 MS Points ($5) required. While sort of a shame that you have to pay to transfer songs you already own, we can thank the music industry’s greed for that extra squeeze. Fortunately at only $5 for 55 songs you’re paying just under 10 cents per song, making the fee more of an annoyance than a true obstacle. Imported songs work great and are easily accessible just like they always were in Rock Band 1, and if you want to delete individual songs from your hard drive you can do so. Be forewarned, you’ll need 1.52GB of free space. I had to delete a few demos to free up enough.

I’ll continue to post more impressions as we progress through the game and unlock more features, but at this point I believe it’s safe to call Rock Band 2 what it is: a superbly priced track pack for Rock Band 1, and given what you get for the price it’s definitely worth a buy if you have the first game. If you don’t have the first game, I’d recommend waiting for the Special Edition bundle to come out for Rock Band 2 (or get Guitar Hero World Tour’s bundle, as the instruments are compatible across both games) and then snag RB1 on the cheap via gamefly or some other used source (or hell, just rent or borrow the disk). All you need is the disk and five bucks to score those 55 songs, making it a bargain even if you’re starting with RB2.

My weekend affair with Assassin’s Creed

dragon — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 21:54:41 +0000

Without a doubt one of the most impressive games Ive played thus far.

I’m an Animator, and I think I spent hours just marveling at the great system they have employed for Altair’s movement. He has a natural flow to him that helps make his character seem alive. The cut scenes are handled in such a way that lets the player keep limited control of the character as well as change camera angles.

AS is a game that is built around a solid core mechanic. In my opinion all the best games take a predictable, stable, fun mechanic and build the game up around that foundation.

The game gives me a real sense of adventure. When I enter a city I feel like the city has a life to it. One of the things that sells this is the incredible AI system. The NPC’s feel like they have not only intelligence but real mass and presence in the world. You cant just run where you want, you will collide with people in a realistic manner. The citys are breathtaking, the level design is just gorgeous. Some of the vistas are awe inspiring, they have such a look of authenticity to them.

The game has a sci-fi angle that i was not aware of, but it makes the game even more compelling. Their use of the genetic memory system helps tie the game’s elements together and gives them ways of advancing
the story in a unique way.

I will follow up my thoughts the farther I get in the game, but for now I am in love with the adventure that the game has laid at my feet. No game is perfect, but when a game dares to push the boundaries, and offer up something fresh I’m there.I will continue my adventure and let you in on how I feel once its done…

Guitar Hero III Wii version first taste

Jason Ward — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:48:23 +0000

I’m going to do this a little bit differently than your typical review in that I’m going to start it before I’ve actually completed the game. The idea is that as I progress through the game, I’ll make some extra notes here, tell you about my experiences thus far, and either bitch & moan or fawn lovingly. Knowing me, probably a bit of both, so we might as well start it off right.

Guitar Hero III for Wii is fun. “No shit”, you’re thinking, all the freaking GH games are fun. Yeah, but this is more fun, and it’s that way for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it’s 10 bucks cheaper than the PS3/360 versions. What can I say, I like saving cash, and 10 bucks off the cost of entry is 10 bucks I’ll spend on addons from DLC to peripherals down the way. Second, having vibration feedback let you know when Star Power is available and then when it’s active, kicks ass. Third…

I was really surprised at how much it caught my attention to hear my numerous screw ups emanating from the guitar itself rather than from the TV. That may seem like a trifle to the hardened GH fan, but I enjoyed it a great deal. It added an extra layer of interactivity to the game and drew me in just a little more than I otherwise would have been (which is a good thing, I’ve always enjoyed the GH series but can’t say I’m particularly good at it on the harder modes nor have I ever been utterly swallowed by the series, but after not realizing I played for 4 hours tonight, I have to say that yeah , I was sucked in).

As you’re already aware, the graphics aren’t on the level of Xbox 360 or PS3, and you’d be loco to expect them to be. That said, this isn’t a game about graphics, and it never was: this is a game about Music and the way you play it, pure and simple. It could have a black background with the fret bar and music and it’d be just as much fun for the player (though to be fair, onlookers would be bored faster). As it stands, the graphics are very serviceable, a shade nicer than the PS2 counterpart, with better lighting and particle effects when they do appear.

“What about the Guitar!?” you ask? Well, let me put it this way: The Wiimote powered Les Paul is the best Guitar Hero controller to date, hands down. It is heads and shoulders above the Xbox 360′s X-Plorer and the PS2′s Gibson SG. We could debate the aesthetics all night (some folks love the SG and are bitching about the Les Paul on forums; personally I like the Les Paul. I thought the SG was serviceable but nothing extraordinary, and I liked the X-Plorer until I owned one, now I can’t stand the POS). The controller has a fair amount of heft to it, though it’s not significantly more so than the older guitars, and when you put the Wiimote in it feels just a bit heavier. I know, I know, imagine that more mass would add to the weightiness of an object!

More to the point, the wireless works as flawlessly as you expect, with no discernible lag. The Wiimote tucks into the back of the guitar quickly and comfortably, with room for the little strap and a small cable to connect to the Wiimote nunchuk style. The fret buttons all have ample squish feedback (that’s the technical term, I swear! Look it up!), and the face buttons all work as you’d expect. I know, a real shocker. The strum bar clicks quietly, more so than on previous versions, and is barely audible at all during gameplay. The good news about that is that when you screw up, the Wiimote’s tiny speaker is that much more audible thanks to the strum bar being quiet. Ah, being reminded that you’re a screw up was never so satisfying

For tonight, that’s all I’m going to give you, bedtime calls and tomorrow, the real job calls too. Dammit. In the next update I’ll tell you a bit about my first boss battle, my first online battle, and what I think of the song selection as it’s been revealed to me so far. Please, for the sake of my ego, remain on the edge of your seats…

Guys? Guys?…Hello?