MK vs DC [I'm actually starting to like it..really]

I just took a look at the above video for Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and guys, I have to admit, my excitement meter just went up a few more percentage points. This demo takes you through the game and shows off some of the moves and gameplay of characters such as Sub-Zero, Scorpion, The Flash, Batman, Superman and Sonya. What caught my eye is how ruthless the DC Universe characters actually appear to be. If you have been keeping up with this blog for a few months you will most notably remember me writing that I was skeptical of how these two worlds could collide because they seemed like polar-opposites.

A couple aspects of gameplay caught my eye as well. The fact that the levels themselves are interactive makes for a more glorified fight. It isn't simply a back and forth effort with walls dictating how far left or right you can move. Superman actually plows Scorpion through at least four walls, which is awesome. The other aspect of gameplay that I found intriguing is that you as a fighter can pummel your opponent in mid-air if you knock them off the side of a cliff. This is demonstrated when Flash fights Sonya.

All in all, Midway seems to be doing a great job with this game. And I was assured by a blog that Batman and Scorpion will not share the same move of slamming you back and forth on the ground with their legs. All of you that noticed that just act like you didn't see it because it won't be in the final game.

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Marvel vs Capcom 3 [oh my gosh I hope this happens]

Quick post today. There will be a Marvel vs. Capcom 3 according to Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President of Production. He was asked whether a new game may be coming, he said:

"Yes. And maybe sooner than you think."

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! People...I really want to comment on this, but I am busy at the moment, but I wanted to put it up for you all to see. Maybe I'll come back and comment on it later, just know that I'm SUPER-DUPER-DUPER excited if this game does come to fruition. OMG!

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Sims 3 [trailer]

Sorry I've been slower on my postings awesome readers, but it is summer, and as far as video games go, it's a slow time of year. Especially when this year's E3 was one of the worst in recent memory according to some things that I have read. And one of the main reasons I didn't focus on E3 coverage is because it was all over the net and I figured if you found this website you could easily find an E3 coverage center. But I will be trying to post more regularly because I would hope the reason you are all coming back to read is to be informed, but also because you enjoy what you are reading, that's my ultimate goal. You can find the news anywhere, but I hope I'm offering you a bit more 'flare' if you will. Be advised as well it's a busy season for me because I am looking for a real job. As much as I love writing for my blog, it doesn't pay, duh. So keep that in mind too awesome readers. But with that said, on to the show!

Now for my comments on Sims the third (or officially Sims 3). I especially like how the trailer begins with the movie announcer guy (does anyone know ANYthing about the guy, if so, leave me some knowledge) asking the question, "What if all you ever did was stay in your house..and then one day someone opened the door." From then on it's pandemonium. Babies are crying, buildings are burning, and people are kicking tiny puppies. Actually, it's none of those, but there does seem to be a lot going on in the city. People are talking, cars are moving, and it seems everyone has a smile on their face. *Sigh* If real life could be so magical maybe we wouldn't need the Sims. It would be weird to watch someone play the guitar with actual music notes being emitted from the center of the instrument.

At any rate, The Sims 3 looks like it will be fun. Personally I haven't kept up with the series since the very first one and the early expansion packs. I've played a bit of the Sims 2 and it's fun. I'm looking forward to the Sims 3's release however, and i hope to get back into the series. What do you all think? Are you looking forward to to the third installment of the series (well, probably more like the 28th if you include the expansion packs ;-D)?

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Mystery PS3 game...look up in the sky...[speculation about a photo]

Man with the Super "S" on his cape? Hmm....

The BBC's Darren Waters is teasing us with the above photo. According to him he can't talk about this game. Referring to the game MAG that had details released Waters said:

"This was not the game I was referring to ... And so I still can't talk about it. Or even tell you what it's called."

He adds that the game from Sony will be extremely innovative:

"We could be on the brink of a step change in what games consoles are capable of in terms of story-telling and immersion."

Now would that be game consoles or game's themselves? Or are they kind of feeding off of each other. Seriously though, this has caught my attention and I am ready to see if this is all some kind of joke or are we on the brink of a revolutionary game (as far as gameplay) such as what the GTA series did for games with a sandbox style of play.

Is it going to be a new genre of game? Will the graphics really push the PS3 to the limit? Usually a system is pushed to the limit when a "next-gen" system is introduced. This is not to say that that is the ONLY time we can see a system pushed to the limit, but we definitely see more innovation toward the turn of a new gaming generation.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the left hand side of the picture kind of sort of maybe look like a Superman "S", logo and all? I doubt that's what it is, especially when Superman hasn't had a single good game. Poor Superman, he's worse than Sonic has been in recent years. This is sad... Oh well, what do you guys (and girls) think? What kind of innovation are we on the "brink" of here? Let me know.

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Is being an 'expert' a bad thing for a reviewer?

Do casual gamers view Ninja Gaiden II as better or worse than the 'expert' gamer? And does it matter?

Danc at Lost Garden had an interesting take on the evolution of the video game reviewer. He mentions that over time there might not be a need for 'expert' reviews because the 'experts' have a tough time taking into account a first time buyer, or someone who is not on a hardcore level. Therefore their ratings for games will be skewed either positively or negatively without taking into account the general masses. Here's his piece and then I'll comment.

"If you are serious about providing objective insight into a game, either a title you are building or one your are reviewing, your expertise is not enough. In fact, your vast mastery of game related skills is mostly likely causing a giant bias in your judgments. You need to fight this bias by observing other players over and over again. They will do things with the game that are a source of wondrous insight. Your expertise becomes a tool for making great changes based off these insights, not one for predicting a priori exactly how all users will react to the game.

As for the current review industry, it is built on the unstable foundation of expert opinion in the absence of actual player observation. As games evolve and become ever more about first time learning experiences, the traditional game review will become increasingly irrelevant. It is arguable that they've already stopped informing most buying decisions and now serve as little more than entertainment for the hardcore niche. As the value proposition of reviews falter, the vast, churning, capitalist forces of creative destruction will replace them with a much richer set of game criticism that offers real value to its readers."

It is an interesting thought. Though, when I read it, I wonder, is there any way that we can fix this? We can't just simply pull people out of the street and ask them what their opinion of a game is. Well, maybe we could. This action is already being done on certain websites with a "reader" score and the "expert's" score. I've always found it interesting that the reader score is almost 100% of the time higher than the expert's score by at least five percentage points or so (this is not scientific so take that for what it is).

On the other hand, I've heard this argument before, and it's one that I've thought about myself many times. I haven't heard it put quite like this, but I have heard it before. I think the author of this statement has a great point. We can't simply look at a game, as reviewers, from the perspective of our expert analysis, we have to think, "How will the general audience like this game and why?" On the flip side, we can't simply think in terms of the average gamer either, we also have to look at the game as a piece of art while understanding what makes that piece of art good, bad, or average. It's a fine line that simply isn't in black and white. One day reviewers may do a better job getting a particular message across that won't scare off the casual gamers and still be inviting to the hardcore gamers as well. I think currently the system of "reader" reviews and "expert" reviews still stands as the best happy medium we will get. To me, that's not a bad thing.

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Hydrophobia [coolness trailer]

Readers, what is the one element (fire, wind, earth, water) that captivates you in both video games and in real life? Give-up? WATER!! Well, maybe some of you aren't as captivated by water as seeing a nice summer breeze go through a tree that has caught on fire, but still, water can look extremely beautiful in both real life and video games. Hydrophobia is a game that takes place entirely on a ship while the rest of the world is flooded. The catch is that your main character, as the title suggests, is terrified of water. I don't know about you all, but this already makes me interested in checking this game out. I don't know a release date yet, all I have for you right now is this trailer. Keep in mind, all of this is IN GAME footage. Enjoy, and let me know what you think about the physics engine for the water. I think it's amazing and probably the best I've seen.

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Final Fantasy XIII [video]

*GASP* I don't even know what is going on in this video, and yet, while I was watching it I was short of breath...or maybe I was holding my breath. Same thing right? Final Fantasy XIII looks like Advent Children. Except, it's a video game. And unless my eyes deceived me, at one point it appeared that the graphics I was seeing was IN-game ALL-the game. While I haven't played a Final Fantasy since VII that grasped at my emotions and totally engulfed me in the story line, I'm hoping that this graphical wonder by Squeenix will be one to remember, especially with it's counterpart, Final Fantasy Versus XIII set to hit the scene soon after as well (I'm not exactly sure when both of them are scheduled for release, but I'm fairly sure that XIII will come before Versus XII). And check out the cute girls man! That's awesome. And what's also way awesomely cool is the fact that this one seems more action packed. Not that the previous entries weren't, but motorcycles, guns a blazing and fast movements usually catch anyone's eye.

If you can't tell already, I'm a Final Fantasy buff. No I havent played and/or beaten every FF, but I still have such an appreciation and respect for the series and the developer. I hope this one is one to remember for the ages. Enjoy the video.

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Madden 09 [preview]

"We want to make year's Madden so good that you simply can't go back and play '08," said Senior Producer Phil Frazier of Madden '09.

Interesting. In the video he talks about how at the beginning of the game Madden will actually cater to the player. If I'm really good at running the ball, but not so good at throwing it, the difficulty adjusts to make throwing a bit easier. From the grass, to the gameplay, Madden 09 is looking like it literally will be the best Madden ever.

For those of you that are still part of the "I hate how Madden has no competition and they keep putting out the same game every year" club (which I am part of as well, at least for now) Frazier had something to say about that. He mentioned that EA Sports doesn't look at it like that (hmmm, then why have we really basically had the same game for years now, especially since you got that exclusive contract? Huh Phil?). He said that they are competing to be the best video game experience out there. They are competing with Grand Theft Auto IV and Bioshock, not just football games.

As good as that sounds, and trust me it sounds good, I just can't buy it. When there is no other game out there that lets you play as your favorite team and players, of course by default you have to grab the only one on the shelf (not counting the atrocity that is NFL Tour). Sure they want their video game to be able to compete with the likes of GTA and Bioshock maybe in terms of critics and awards, but let's be real here, they have no competition because they are the main stage of their niche franchise. So, like I said, it sounds good, but it's simply not a good explanation for me as to people passing judgment on your company in regards to making the same Madden every year. I hope this year it can change, because boy does this one look good.

I particularly like the new TD celebration feature. If you go to a specific spot on the field and press a button you're player will perform a celebration. For example, if you press the corresponding button next to the stadium wall you will do a Lambeau Leap. Man, I'll probably be doing a lot of those. All in all, this year of Madden does indeed look like it will be revolutionary, but at the same time, be wary Madden fans, don't accept anything until you've played it yourself. As for my take, you will get it when I get to play this game in the next month or so. Have a good one.

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Elebits 2 [news]

Konami has officially announced that there will be an Elebits 2. Before Wii fans get excited, it won't be on the Wii. No, it's not jumping name-brand systems entirely. Elebits 2 will be coming for the touch-screen friendly DS. Elebits 2 will officially be called Elebits 2: The Adventures of Kai and Zero.

This installment of Elebits seems to involve a bit more than just a big game of hide and seek. According to the press release Elebits 2: The Adventures of Kai and Zero will implement puzzles that can help be solved by certain kinds of Elebits.

Utilizing each of the Elebits' special powers, players can solve puzzles, reveal hidden paths, freeze flowing water, turn darkness into light, levitate rocks, and much more.

Interesting. So it definitely won't just be a point and shoot crossover to touch screen. Expect to see E2 this Fall. What do you guys think? Will it be as good as the first? Or will it capitalize off of what the first did well and then add a bit to it? Personally I enjoyed the first. It was a nice fill-in for a more intense first person shooter on the Wii before Metroid came out (which I still haven't finished dangit). But yeah, I'm looking forward to it and I might need to pick this one up . Let me know what you all think.

-Jeremy aka Adridius

MK vs DC Universe

Remember a while back when I was discussing the oddity of having Batman fight Sub-Zero? And do you also remember how I was questioning the co-existence of Superman in the same fighting game as Scorpion? One side is gore galore and the other side is your fathers superhero. Well today I find out that instead of fatalities there will be a certain finishing move called a brutality. What's the difference you asked? Well, brutalities are, well, brutal and not fatal.

Does this give any of you a sense of relief? Does it mean that these two universes can now co-exist? Do you still think Midway is out of it's mind? I for one am excited to play this game, but I'm not excited enough to want to own it yet. What about you all? What do you think? Will this really work? (I've asked this question I think at least a couple times before this on previous posts, so if you've already answered, it's ok to answer again).

-Jeremy aka Adridius

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots [review]

Snake may be old, but he can still kick your butt!

“War transforms us.” Those famous, or possibly soon to be famous words by Solid Snake sum up the message in Hideo Kojima’s epic piece of art Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

If you last remember (spoilers ahead for those who haven’t played MGS2), Snake and Otocon recovered a list of the 12 Patriots. All of those on the list had died 100 years ago. This ending made me personally anticipate the sequel to this game more than any game I have ever anticipated. I wanted to know who the Patriots were, why were they out to control America, and how were they managing to do something so intricate as control who gets into the oval office all the way down to controlling fashion trends. Little did I know that I would get much more information than I even thought possible.

Lets get one tidbit out of the way for all of you readers who have still yet to play the game. You might recall me doing a post about Konami asking video game magazines not to include install times and cut scene length in their reviews. Well in this review I will include both. Firs, the load times; initially when the game started to install I thought it was just a one time thing. The first install time took around the ballpark of 8-10 minutes. Throughout the game you will encounter about four more install screens (sorry for not having an exact number, I didn’t think to write this down). Each of those installs will take roughly five minutes at most. So all in all, you are looking at about almost 30 minutes of install time. The game took me about 36 hours to beat, so 30 minutes is really small relative to the actual length of the game.

As you start the game, Old Snake is in a warzone. You don’t know why he has grown old, and moreover you have no idea why everyone else from the previous two games still appear to be young. But Snake is still Snake even if he his old. He has his bandanna and his cigarette; classic Snake through and through.

As the game progresses you meet up with the Mark II. It is a small robot that Otocon invented to help you get through the game. The Mark II is good for instances where you want to check out a nearby building or location, but don’t want to run the risk of Snake getting caught. Since Snake has an automatic camouflage suit he can crouch down and send out the Mark II to go inspect the area. The other neat aspect of the Mark II is the fact that it is invisible to the enemies eye. This gives you more comfort as you inspect the area.

Another new aspect of MGS4 is the Solid Eye. Instead of having a map of the area and being able to see the enemies site range as in previous Metal Gear’s; you now have more of a radar. This can be much more challenging to master than previous forms of detecting where enemies are. An added feature, however, is the ability to tell whether an “enemy” is friend or foe. In some points of the game you run into people who could care less that you are there. These people are usually the rebels and welcome you attacking the enemy. Enemies who are closer to red are to be avoided and enemies who appear with blue next to their name are friendly’s.
As you’ll notice from the very beginning of the game, the cut-scenes are long; very very long. If you are used to playing a game where the longest cut-scene is the ending and that particular ending is only 5-10 minutes I must warn you that you may not like MGS4 too much. Five-ten minute cut-scenes disappear quickly from MGS4 and they progressively get longer and longer as more and more of the story is revealed. If you are a fan of MGS4, you should have no problem with it. But even so, do not be surprised when you play the game for only 10 minutes or less between two 15-20 minute cut-scenes. What you are experiencing is an epic work of art. When you play through the game the first time, if you skip anything, and I mean anything, you will not get the full affect of what Kojima is trying to deliver. And trust me, as a gamer and a Metal Gear fan I urge you to watch every second of the cut-scene. If you do not have time, you can pause it and come back. Just don’t accidentally press “skip” which is an option all cut-scenes have.

Onto the graphics; they are what you’d expect from Metal Gear and Kojima. They are top notch. In game graphics are the same as the cut-scenes. Not once did it appear the cut-scenes were better polished than the actual game, it all flowed well. Following along the lines of the five senses I noticed that the sound was incredible. The first few hours I played MGS4 I was playing on a surround sound system. I literally felt I was in the middle of a war-zone and it made the game that much more realistic.

When it comes to gameplay, Kojima gives you what you’d expect. A great third-person shooter which controls easily, but doesn’t make it so that it’s automatic aiming. Another interesting aspect is the way you can buy weapons. Early in the game you meet a guy named Drebin who is “neither enemy nor friend.” He sells guns and other weapons. Instead of walking over a gun you have and simply having to leave it there, the gun automatically gets sold to Drebin and you get to keep the ammo. In the process you get Drebin Points and then are able to go to his shop at any time, when you press the pause menu, to buy any of his weapons if you have the necessary Drebin Points.

The other neat feature is the first person view for guns. I’m not going to sit here and say that MGS4 is on par with a real first person shooter such as Call of Duty 4, but by golly, it’s great for a game that is considered a “third-person shooter/stealth” game. Plainly put, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

When it comes to story and presentation, Kojima has outdone himself. For those of you that had trouble keeping up with MGS1, MGS2, and MGS3’s story lines, you will be in for quite a ride. MGS4’s story-line is so intricate and so specific that some of you may not fully understand it until you play through it a second or possibly third time. This is not to insult the intelligence of anyone reading this review, I’m simply stating that I held onto about 92% of the words spoken and even I had trouble keeping up the first time. I had to literally listen sentence by sentence and focus in on what I was listening to even slightly understand it more than the average gamer. If you have never played any of the MGS series and you think you will be ok playing MGS4 without playing the others, I implore you to reconsider or else you will be extremely lost and probably won’t enjoy the game as much.

The story takes place across the world. Snake goes from the Middle East, South America, to Europe and to another place I will not disclose due to spoilers. Trust me on this, you’ll love it. The story is so well put together I laughed, I almost cried, and I actually felt compassion for some of the people I was killing. Interesting characters are introduced, and old favorites make a comeback. This literally is an epic motion picture put onto the PS3 for your gaming pleasure. There are so many pieces of subtle symbolism that involve rose petals, the names of people, and the snake in the Garden of Eden. The production for this game is probably the best I’ve ever seen, and that’s coming from a Final Fantasy and Lost Odyssey fan. The characters and their personalities haven’t changed one bit. And the new ones that you will meet beget a personality all their own that makes you appreciate them as if they have been around since the first Metal Gear Solid back in 1998.

All in all I could go into more detail about the game, but that would give away too much of the story. I could tell you about all the wonderful new characters you will encounter, but again, it’s better for you to experience it for yourself. Instead what I will do is leave you with this quote by a character you will meet at the end (which will be sure to surprise you all):

“We are both trapped inside the same cage…liberty.”

Overall Score: 10 (explanation: I usually don’t think any game is perfect, including this one, but this will go down in history as one of the best pieces of art of all time; movies or games)

-Jeremy aka Adridius