LBP; CODWAW; MKVSDC; ME; SM [crazy catching up and first impressions]

Create your own set of fun with these five totally different (from each other) games!

If you all did not catch all of the acronyms in the title, let me break it down for you. I have recently purchased (within the past month) five new video games. Little Big Planet; Call of Duty: World at War; Mirrors Edge; Spiderman: Web of Shadows and Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe.

All of them are wonderful games, I would highly recommend any of them. Yes, some of them have their flaws, and others seem almost flawless, but all in all, I am glad I spent the gobs and gobs of money it took to buy all these games (if you can do math, you know how much I've spent). I haven't been writing much because (A) I've been working and doing other things and (B) because I've been playing all of these awesome games.

But briefly I want to let you know my impressions on every one so far. Call it a mini-tiny-teeny review.

Little Big Planet:

This game is simply just a big ball of fun. I haven't even started creating my levels or gotten into all the crazy aspects of dressing my sack person, but still, I had fun with it for the hour or so that I played it. It's one of those games that's extremely unique, and might require a bit of understanding as to just what the developers were really trying to accomplish in making this video game. So far it seems as if it's going to be a hit. I mean, what other game gets people excited because they allow you to dress up as Street Fighter characters?

Call of Duty World at War:

Once I heard that this game was basically going to be all the things of COD4 and more, I didn't even thing twice about buying it. I didn't read any reviews, I didn't rent it, I just bought it. Suffice to say it has not let me down in the least. Online is just as fun as COD4 and the first person story mode (so far) is better than that of COD4. It's as if this is just an add-on to an already great game. An add-on that I payed $60 for, but an add on no less. And it has not left me disappointed; in fact, if this was the only game I bought in the last month I would be just fine.

Mirrors Edge:

You've seen my preview for the game, and I can safely tell you that the actual game is living up to the preview I gave it. The story-line doesnt necessarily knock me out of my chair so far, but the whole aura of the game is simply amazing and unique. While I was playing it today I was thinking that this could definitely be a good movie. Not because of the first person aspect, but because I have a good feeling about the main character and her story as the game progresses. My mind may change down the road, but I still think a hot asian girl jumping from buildings trying to escape people who are constantly shooting at her would be a pretty good way to be entertained for 1.45 hours or so. Call me crazy.

Spiderman: Web of Shadows

Ok, the voice acting...actually check that PETER PARKERS' voice acting sucks. I don't know who is the voice behind it, but it sucks. Every other Spiderman game I have played has had the voice of Spiderman/Peter Parker believable. In this particular instance I almost want to just plug audio receptors to my brain and look at subtitles while I imagine my own voice. But other than that the game plays fine. The fighting is fun, the fact that you can have Hero friends and Villain friends is a plus, and it seems as if the story line, since it comes from a comic book, is going to be entertaining.

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe:

If you have been keeping up with this blog for about five or six months then you know that when I first heard about this game I thought it was a joke. It just didn't seem to go together. The whole concept of classic super heroes fighthing against the most gruesome set of video game characters (blood spilling wise) to hit consoles in the past decade and a half just didn't seem appropriate. The more and more I learned about the game I started to come around. Now after owning it today (which it is also the first MK I've ever owned), I have to say that it is pretty fun. The only gripe I have about it so far is that Wonder Woman just doesn't look like Wonder Woman *sigh*.

I hope that was helpful to you all a little bit. All of these games are fun and fantastic in their own way and it makes me excited to be a player of video games. I bought everything for the PS3 except Spiderman, which I probably should have just went a nice 5 for 5 in that department, oh well, I have to give my 360 some kind of love right?

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Mirror's Edge [preview]

The First "first person" game ever?

So I finally fired up my Mirror's Edge preview that I have been meaning to get around to for about a week now. My only regret is that I did not get around to it sooner. I am currently playing Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Little Big Planet, Call of Duty: World at War, and what I have most recently reviewed Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty. The latter is probably not going to be played as much as the three former.

I haven't been the most adamant about keeping up with which company is coming out with what and what games are coming out when. I know what to keep an eye out for, but I haven't been on top of my game, so to speak, in terms of keeping up with EVERYTHING about video games like I used to be. And the reason for that is, well, real life and the fact that I have a huge opportunity coming my way soon that I have to get ready for (more on that in future postings). And I currently work, so that is taking up a good amount of my time.


Back to Mirror's Edge. I remember the first time I heard of this game, I picked up a copy of EGM and it was the cover story. As I was reading I was thinking, "If they can pull this off, this would be not only incredible and amazing, but genre changing (or creating for that matter)!" As I walked into one of my local GameStops I had mentioned to one of the salesmen that I was worried that this game was going to let me down. That it was going to somehow be much lower than my expectations, and that worried me. Not only as a gamer, but as a lover of creativity and the ability to pull ideas out of your head and make them work to the best of their abilities.

As I was playing the demo of ME I noticed something, this game is incredible. It is honestly unlike any game I have ever played in my entire life. The feel of it, the sense of oneness with the character. For the first time I actually felt like I was the character, rather than feeling like I was playing a characters story that usually I can't relate with. Whether it be a super hero like Spider-man or a cartoon character figure like Crash Bandicoot; Snake from Metal Gear Solid, or even Mario, I never related to those characters, I just enjoyed the fact that I got to play as them and some, through their amazing story. The Cloud Strifes and Aeris' will always have a place in my video game heart, but never once did I actually feel as if I was the character in question. Mirrors Edge has done that to me and I have only played the demo!!!!

So far it is EXCEEDING my expectations, which, by video game standards, is pretty dog on rare. Becasue although the hype leading up to awesome games are warranted, sometimes after you get done playing them you think, "That was great, but not great enough for me to have salivating over its release for the past year." This isn't to say that those games are bad, or to say that there arent other games that exceed gamers' expectations, it's just simply that Mirrors Edge is going to be one of those games, I hope, that I can look back on and say, "In a time where I thought I'd seen it all, and I was wondering if we had hit a ceiling in the creative process of video games, they come out with something so personal and extraordinary as this."

I can't promise that this is going to be one of the top 10 games of all time, or that this will even fall under the category of my own top 10, but if the controls, gameplay, and sheer fluidity of, what I consider to be the first real "first person" game can hold up to what I just experienced in the demo, then this could change the way the "first person" genre is defined.

Jeremy aka Adridius

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty [review]

Ratchet and Clank was first released for the PlayStation 2 in 2002. It has since emerged as one of the premier 3D platform shooters. Since that time, Insomniac has brought us eight great games spanning over the PS2, the PSP, and the PS3. So with all of this historic achievement already under the massive gun filled arsenal that is Ratchet and Clank, Insomniac had their work cut out for them in their latest installment in the series: Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty.
The game starts off with you as Ratchet, after defeating Emperor Tachyon you immediately begin to look for Clank, who was kidnapped and taken by a mysterious being named Zoni. Along for the mission with you is Talwyn, and you soon realize that Captatin Darkwater, whom you have been looking for to find Clank, is dead. After fighting on a ship, you get shot to Hoolifar Island by Rusty Pete, where you wash up on shore with nothing but your handy wrench. And there the search for Clank begins.
When you first arrive on the island you will notice that the graphics are smooth, well designed and cartoony. It’s not supposed to look drop dead gorgeous because this game is more on the comical cartoony side than anything else. Still, do not mistake cartoony for rough edges and blocky characters. The graphics look real enough to allow you to be amazed at the art, but still cartoonish enough to remind you that this is a cartoon type game and that you are a fictional character. It manages to not take itself too seriously while still having a genuine respect for the surrounding areas and the supporting characters along with the main cast.
Speaking of the main cast, the voice acting is done surprisingly well. At first glance, if you have never played the series, you may look at the character as a knock off Crash Bandicoot or something of the like. When in fact, Ratchet and everyone he comes into contact with have their own personalities. Those personalities start to show themselves early on and it is furthered by the fact that the voice acting is not only good, but believable. At no time am I playing the game where it seemed as if the voice behind the character did not fit.
The part of the voice acting that helped the overall sound of the game was the fact that, just like the graphics, the voice acting does not take itself too seriously. The game is intent on delivering a good story line with a protagonist and an antagonist along with twists and turns, but in conjunction they sill manage to throw in a little comic relief that is corny and yet funny. It is just the type of humor that kids, as well as adults, can laugh to. For example, in one instance you are trying to get a door to open and one of the supporting characters says, “We need to read the words from the book of the dead.” The following lines are then, “I’m a little tea-pot short and stout, here is my handle here is my spout.” And then the door opens. In another instance you must say the secret password to get another door to open, and the password is, “butterscotch, snickerdoodles.” Again, nothing to make you roll on the floor and laugh, but just comical enough to remind you that even though this game is serious and has a respectable story, it is still a cartoon game with a bit of a kid feel too it.
But one thing that is absolutely not simply for kids is the amount of ammo and arsenal at your disposal. In the beginning, when you crash land on the island, you do not have anything other than your wrench. This is so that you can learn the games controls and the ins and outs of some of your gear such as the Omniwrench Millenium 12 and the Swingshot. Once you finish a certain task on the island you begin to slowly accumulate your arsenal of weapons. These can range from the simple, the Magma Combuster which shoots fireballs, to the absurd, the Tornado Launcher, which launches a Tornado that is surprisingly pretty simple to control with the SIXAXIS motion controller. Other gadgets include the Fusion Grenade, which is a thermonuclear hand grenade and the Lightning Ravager, which is a whip with lightning attached to it. There are other gadgets that you accumulate throughout the game as well that were not mentioned. All of these gadgets have the ability to level up and become stronger the more that they are use.
Since Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty is a 3D platformer you would think that there might be problems with the camera. As many hours as I’ve played I couldn’t tell you that there is much of a problem. If anything it is the same problem one might run into on any 3D platformer, and that reason can vary with each individual player. Overall it worked fine, the only thing I would mention as a negative is the inability to press a button, such as R3, and have the camera automatically be behind you. This is just one small nuance that I have been used to having in other platformers, but it is by no means a huge deal.
Gameplay is what you would expect. It can be fast paced, it can be slow, it can be run run run run run, or it can be a patient waiting game. But for the most part it is simply in one word, fun. Whether it be blasting people away with our Magma Combuster or tilting your SIXAXIS controller to control your Tornado Launcher, it’s classic Ratchet and Clank and it’s a fun experience. At first, I thought that (on normal) the game was rather hard since you do not have many points for your health to work with. And then I found out, to my surprise, the game is extremely forgiving, at least in the early stages.
At times I would be doing great in a certain mission or task, and then I’d die. To my surprise when I came back to life, certain doors that I had blown through were still blown through; weapons I had leveled up, were still leveled up; and all in all, through big fights there were a lot of chances to get more health and to get more ammo for my guns and other gadgets that I had. This game really pushes you to succeed (in normal mode) and it is much more fun because of that fact. The one area that most impressed me was the lateral strafing and jumping. Strafing is what you’d expect, move side to side to dodge bullets and enemies. But the fact that I was able to jump side to side as well as I was able to move from side to side was an enormous tactical advantage that I had in a game. This aspect of maneuvering doesn’t require too much thinking as is true with some other parts of the game.
All in all, if you are a fan of the series you will no doubt be impressed with Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty. And you absolutely know what to expect: gadgets and guns are this franchises staple. If you are new to the series this is not a hard game to pick up on. You might be a little confused as to why someone who looks like a cat, or a fox, or whatever you think he might be, is looking for a little robot, but it will all make sense in time. During that time, you should be able to crank out hours of fun in Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty.

Score 8/10

Jeremy aka Adridius

Vote for Video Games! [Election Night]

OBAMA! McCAIN!

We need to make sure that whoever wins, we come together as AMERICANS after this is all said and done!

Editors note: This blog post is geared toward Americans as it contains thougts about the election. It is by no means a statement of "America is better than the rest of the world" and by all means I encourage you to still read it if you are from another country. But keep in mind it is for Americans on the day we decide who our next leader will be. Thank you- Adridius

Usually video games and politics don't mix. But I felt compelled to just write a little something about the election.

It is great that we can live in a country where so many different people have so many various opinions about the world and how it operates. Some people like horror movies, some people like comedy, some people like Twilight, others like Harry Potter. Some people prefer a quiet walk on the beach while others prefer hanging out in a club. One group would campaign for Xbox 360 if it were a candidate and a whole different set of people would campaign for PS3.

We have Fanboys, nerds, geeks, music lovers, conservatives, liberals, democrats, republicans, reds, blues, optimists, pessimists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics, athiests, scientists, philosophers, sociologists, journalists, bloggers, mad people, happy people, sad people, weird people, smart people, dumb (with relativity) people, people who make not so good decisions and people who always make the best decisions; CEOs, plumbers, construction workers, bankers, lollygaggers, lazys, musicians, DJs, singers, actors, TV watchers, book fanatics and of course, gamers.

We are a diverse group of people in America (and frankly all over the world), so we have to get out and vote. If you didn't vote today, I'm sure you have your reasons and I'm not going to blast you for it. But if you didn't vote today simply because you were lazy and didn't feel like it, here's a big wag of the finger and a tsk tsk.

There is a gaming point to all of this. We all may be Wii, PS3, or 360 fanatics, but we all have one thing in common, we are gamers. We like long games, short games, story-lines, fighting games, RPGs, racing games, customizable games, casual games, and so forth. We are all gamers and we are part of a large community even though we are all indiviuals and may not agree on everything (like who is the best player in Super Smash Brothers Brawl). We must take that idea and apply it to however the election turns out because we are all Americans. We may be different, but we are all unifiably the same in one respect, we live in American and we are part of a bigger whole.

If McCain wins, get behind him, if Obama wins, get behind him. We cannot be Red and Blue (unless of course it is an online multiplayer army game) forever, we must be unified after this election no matter how it turns out. Happy Election Day everyone!

-Jerem aka Adridius

NBA Live 09 [review]

It has been over ten years since the first NBA Live was released on the Genesis. Since then NBA Live has added new features, create-a-player, and all new ways to enjoy the game of basketball in a video game. If you are familiar with the series then you will be familiar with modes of the game such as Dynasty Mode and the NBA All-Star Weekend. But NBA Live has added a few new wrinkles to their already popular franchise.

When you first put in NBA Live 09 into your PS3 you will instantly notice that the graphics of the game are well done. They seem polished, well put together, and the players faces and body language seem pretty natural. If someone else, who was not familiar with the game, were to walk into the room, they might possibly mistake NBA Live 09 for a real NBA game on your television. Sadly though, when you start to play it does not necessarily feel like an NBA game.

NBA Live 09 has all the workings and makings of a solid NBA game, but the execution fails. While playing in a regular exhibition mode, or even in some of the special modes such as the Rookie Challenge, I always felt that the game did not possess the fluidity that should come with a sports game; especially one that represents a sport that is played all over the world. Strictly speaking on the mechanics of how the player is operated; I always felt as if the game was one step behind what my controller was telling it to do, a lag if you will. The problem is that I was not online at the time, I was offline playing a game against the computer. The game of basketball is almost like a ballet in a sense that your movements have to be fluid and graceful if you are to execute, and instead of getting a standing ovation from the audience I felt as if this game deserves a round of boos with tomatoes being thrown for how rigid and stiff NBA Live 09 plays. Please do not misunderstand, the game plays pretty well, but from a guy who used to play NBA Live 98 on his PS1 when growing up I have to honestly tell you I do not feel much of a difference as far as the fluidity of the game, and that’s disappointing.

As far as the overall gameplay, it can be fun and interesting. This is definitely not some arcade version of a basketball game where you the player can constantly get away with throwing the ball down court and slamming it in for the score. There are mechanics to the play calling, there are times when you must be patient, and if you aren’t smart while you are playing the computer, even on a standard level, will beat you. In real life players can’t blaze down the court for a score all the time so it should not be expected to be any different in a video game.

On the subject of gameplay there is a new feature this year in the NBA Live series that has interested numerous amounts of people; the Dynamic DNA along with NBA Live 365. These are separate and yet joint features that work together for your overall unique gaming experience. First Dynamic DNA; this is basically at it’s core a statistic and tendency gauge. If you go and look at certain players DNA in your roster, you will see what kinds of play ability they excel in (such as posting up, or spotting up) and what kinds of play ability they lack (such as pick and roll or isolation). This goes a long way in helping you determine what situation your player should be in to excel in any given situation whether it be defensive or offensive. Understanding each players tendencies will ultimately give you the advantage because planning and execution will be much easier if you are familiar with the players. DNA also plays a role in tendencies that are in-game. During halftime you can see your entire teams DNA and understand what areas are your strong points, and what areas are your weak points. Not only do you get to see your own DNA during halftime and at the end of games, but you also get to see your opponents. Again, this helps with planning and execution. During a game you are also given the opportunity to see what areas of the field your player excels in. For example, if I am running down the middle of the lane with LeBron James and go left to shoot and score, I will then see at the top of the screen a message such as “LeBron James Middle Perimeter go left 35%.” NBA Live 09 constantly keeps track of your players strengths and weaknesses throughout your gameplay.

And keeping track of gameplay is something that NBA Live doesn’t only do in the virtual world, but in the real world as well. After entering in the code that you received when you purchased NBA Live 09 into NBA Live 365, with internet access NBA Live 09 will automatically update players DNA during the 2008-2009 NBA season. This puts a literal spin on the word “live” and can make strategy that much more difficult for gameplay. Because let’s say Tony Parker is having a great first few weeks, and then he gets cold. A certain play that you ran well with Tony Parker the first few weeks may not work as well the next week because he’s off. This can totally change the dynamics of NBA Live 09 and your experience therein. There is however a problem with all of this. If, somehow, you do not have your box that you bought the game in, or you bought it used and the place you bought it from doesn’t have the box, you then have to go online and purchase (for 10 USD) the NBA Live 365 feature. Once again, to me, EA has taken something that should be free and made it into a recipe for making money. I can’t blame them for trying to make money, but the problem I have is that Madden has been doing updates like this for a few years now and it’s always been free. True, it may not be as intricate as NBA Live 365, but the concept is the same and the idea is not terribly original.

Other modes in the game include Dynasty Mode, which is basically a season long stay with one team while you try to win the NBA Title. Then there is NBA All-Star Weekend which consists of the Rookie Challenge which is Rookie players vs. Sophomore players; the three point shootout; and the dunk contest. Basically all the aspects of the real All-Star Weekend are able to be recreated in virtual form.

An interesting mode that is also in the NBA Live 09 is the Scenario Play. In this mode you can set up a game scenario to your liking. If you want to have the Celtics play the Lakers, you can do that. If you want to have there be only 20 seconds left on the clock with the Lakers up by 2 you can do that. If you want to have there be three seconds left and you try to score at the buzzer, you can do that. You have the power to create any scenario you want and practice, or just play for fun, to see how well you can react to the situation you have put yourself in.

Online play is interesting. The one gripe I have about online play is the lag. As I was attempting a free throw shoot I noticed that I would have to press the O button sooner than I would in an offline game. This can get very frustrating especially when your internet connection is in the green. A new feature to online mode (that would be much better without all the lag) is Team Play. This is almost self explanatory as you, and up to nine other people can all control one player on two teams and play against each other. This can be either really fun, or really frustrating in the same respect to how playing a real pickup game can be fun or frustrating. People will ball hog, people won’t know how to play their position, and some people won’t play good defense. Overall, I like the concept so it’s not a total loss.

All in all, NBA Live 09 has a lot to offer, even more than some of the things that I’ve mentioned above such as Be A Pro, NBA Live Academy, and the FIBA world championship. If you are a basketball fan, you will enjoy this game probably just as much as football fans enjoy Madden. However, the fact that there is more than one professional basketball game to choose from you might want to look elsewhere for better gameplay, mechanics, and fluidity. NBA Live 09 is probably everything you’d expect from EA and the Live series, but it fails to live up to the enormous hype it can generate from year to year.

6.5/10

Jeremy aka Adridius