Trust me, there is tons of cool newer stuff over there. Some of the content on here has been or will be moving over there.

Once again, you can find the new blog here.

Trust me, there is tons of cool newer stuff over there. Some of the content on here has been or will be moving over there.

Once again, you can find the new blog here.

Walking into Mass Effect 2, I had extremely little time spent with the first installment. Realizing this was a hefty loss, I decided to drop into the game after  quickly equipping myself with a fair amount of  knowledge of Shepard’s previous adventures via the internet. I won’t say I don’t regret trudging through the first Mass Effect before I delved into the sequel, but the game does try to accept newcomers to the best of its abilities. Importing your battle-hardened Shepard from the first game lets you continue your custom story with the weight of past events still present. If you decide to start clean, the past events are chosen for you.

As if the stress from earlier events wasn’t enough, literally minutes in you witness the tragic demise of the Normandy, and Commander Shepard violently struggling for oxygen whilst descending deeper into space. These opening moments set the universal tone of the mission you are about to embark on. Thanks to the mysterious Illusive Man and those at Cerberus, Shepard is supplied with the Normandy 2.0 and a full crew to accompany it. This is when your diverse team of the galaxy’s greatest begins fabrication. The Collector’s defeat requires only the best of the best and it’s your job to seek them out.

Each squad member that you recruit has a unique reason for their commitment, along with a problem that your asked to resolve. You may choose not to help them out, but earning their loyalty will severely affect your chances of coming out alive in the final suicide mission. It is important that your priority is to acquire everyone’s trust before you hand them your life on a platter and tell them to protect it. unfortunately not everyone will be satisfied with your choices while assisting them with their dilemma.  although they may not completely hold up their end of the bargain, you will need learn your team’s strengths to survive your mission.

A large amount of the game has you popping in and out of cover during intense firefights. The controls and overall feeling of these events are top notch. The guns that are at your disposal may not be as varied as your would like them to be, but it covers the main archetypes while introducing some new flavors to your arsenal. Each battle set-piece felt expertly constructed and if I played my cards right I  ended up having the advantage in most situations. Each bullet that erupted from my gun felt like it had weight leaving me hungry for more extra-terrestrial scum to be exterminated from existence (see what I did there?). Blending the heart-pounding action of a shooter and the massive story arch of a RPG is no small feat to be achieved.

With this in mind, the RPG feel of Mass Effect 2 have been adjusted accordingly. Looting enemies is gone and a new “loot system” has been put in its place. Every mission has a set amount of experience, money, and resources that can be allotted. This choice of a more streamlined character progression truncates most of the wasted time you spend staring at miscellaneous items left on a corpse. Balancing specific stats has also been extracted: points are given for purely upgrading specific abilities you tend to use on the battlefield. Shepard’s armor may look great but odds are you will be staring at it even after you save the galaxy from imminent doom. The armor is made to fit your play style and nothing else. Suprisingly enough, Modern Warfare 2′s multiplayer contains more generic RPG customization than Mass Effect 2, and I have no problem with that.

It strictly isn’t possible to leave this game without wondering what would of happened if you had decided differently. During the final events of the game I could not work up the strength to take my eyes away from the screen. The fact that everyone around you is not guaranteed to make it out with alive depending solely on your decisions, can be heart-breaking. 3 members of my team were lost on the Collector planet and as it happened I was completely shocked and saddened simultaneously. I have never in my life, played a game where I had such a great impact on those around me. Mass Effect 2  reaches deep into your heart and mind to create a personal story that will be stitched into your consciousness for years to come.

STORY

Storylines exist in almost all current media, more recently music (à la Green Day’s American Idiot). Not everything needs a story, but without one you feel as if your traveling through someone’s exotic dream. Video games started without them and have evolved into something very close to an interactive book. Even games that have no need for a story whatsoever have a hardly concievable narrative tacked on to the overall experience. The various ways you can portray a story is almost all of the fun in itself.  Super Mario Bros. is a prime example of telling a tale through visuals rather than flat out dialogue. This can be good or bad depending on what relationship you want with the viewer.

Just recently I had a lengthy conversation with a friend of mine about video games and their future. It got me thinking about the influences we currently have that determine a good game from a great game. With so many titles hitting the market with different ideas packed onto each disc, things can get overwhelming.  Most of us tend to judge games by their cover forcing many developers to wow us with a unique perk that their game contains. A large majority are overlooked simply because they do not contain innovative traits.  Our minds have created a filing system to predict what quality the game offers based solely on what we’ve seen, and not what we’ve played. If you browse through multiple “Best Of” lists you will find many of the contenders have some key attributes that place them so highly.

5. Dragon Age: Origins

While not always a heavy RPG player, I couldn’t pass up Dragon Age: Origins. Only an hour into and Bioware has you making hefty decisions that shape your place in the world. The lore is very realized and detailed greatly throughout the game. The simple fact that the 100 hours you spend in the game was different from the thousand of others who played it is absolutely amazing. Bioware has a brand new IP on their hands that I hope to see well into 2010.

4. Infamous

Hands-down the best open world title I’ve ever played. I can’t quit thinking about all the things I can do inside the world  Sucker Punch created in Infamous. The game’s pacing almost nears perfection with how they layer each of Cole’s abilities as you progress. Electrifying enemies in a variety of ways is rewarding as ever and gives you the feeling of a true super hero. While the story might be a little far-fetched the gameplay stands out among the rest in 2009.

3. Borderlands

What more could anyone want? Borderlands includes everything you would want in a post-apocalyptic shooter RPG. Storyline aside, Borderlands shows off some of the best addictive gameplay to date. I could spend hours either with friends, or by myself  lost in the world of Pandora without a sign of light from reality. Mowing down enemies with your buddies is the best way to appreciate the hordes of enemies it throws at you. The vast amount of weapons and other items contribute to this very diverse game. What started out as a sleeper-hit has exploded into a triple-A title worthy of a sequel.

2. Batman: Arkham Asylum

One of the rare games in 2009 that left me stunned. For way too long Batman games have been mediocre and bland. That was until Rocksteady Studios sculpted this masterpiece of a game. Arkham Asylum bursts its way through the other Batman games and leaves everyone wanting more. The team and Rocksteady went back to the essential Batman and based a video game on some of his core attributes. Arkham Asylum puts you directly in the boots of Bruce Wayne’s alter ego with jaw-dropping results. The combat system is fluid and extremely responsive making for an outstanding experience.

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Naughty Dog crafted an elegant blockbuster hit, that I will eternally enjoy. Not only are the graphics some of the best I’ve ever seen, but the characters that occupy the game are magnificently captivating. The voice-acting merits awards for the sheer perfection they achieved. Every moment in Uncharted 2 had me on the edge of my seat gasping in awe. 2009 was Naughty Dog’s year without a doubt.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare revitalized the Call o f Duty franchise greatly. Taking a unique look at the more current aspects of war it strayed itself from World War II. This was a happily taken idea since at that point, WWII shooters flooded the video game market. Not only was it excellent in its single-player experience, the online competitive multiplayer dominated its competition.

It’s November and Infinity Ward has bestowed upon us the sequel to last year’s juggernaut, Modern Warfare 2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 rarely disappoints and generally improves on the first iteration.  Each sprawling set-piece you riddle with bullets is  simultaneously glorious and gritty. From rolling through snow in the middle of Siberia, to the war-torn Washington D.C., it keeps you guessing. While each different locale is very intense and includes some reason for being there, the story jumps around throughout the game.  It was obvious from the start Infinity Ward decided to include a set number of  “awesome” instances involving the player and weaved a linear story around it. This isn’t bad, but sometimes the loosely written story has you scratching your head in confusion.

The graphics are noticeably improved from the first game. Each weapon is very distinct and reacts uniquely with different surfaces. The sound of bullets touching the ground are heard faintly while you reactively pull the trigger. Enemies will begin flanking you as fast as they can, leaving you do quickly decide each move you make. Explosions are absolutely beautiful and grenades have never been more fun. All of these things are tremendous improvements on the original, making for an extremely well polished sequel.

The missing element of heroism with each level in the first game has unfortunately been lost. By the end of the game you don’t feel like you accomplished what you were aiming for since the beginning. Modern Warfare 2 feels more like a highlight reel at best; It was exhilarating to experience, but looking back at the times in between grants you a very dull feeling.

author’s note: Sorry for the short review. I’m very tired and I just wanted to get a little something out there.

Project Natal in action

We now reside in a time of life when exercise and nutrition are heavily endorsed. With millions of food products and technology clouding the society, health is being put aside. Video games are becoming ever popular due to the amount of money and advertising that is taking over our mindset.

Change began in the video gaming industry with the release of the Nintendo Wii. This once “next-generation” console (that which can be highly debated) raised the bar for motion control in video games. Some were skeptical before it’s release, but many began to see the targeted market the Wii was aiming for. Yes, there are still some hardcore games but most of the titles are movement based games. I’m not saying that hardcore games shouldn’t include motion control but they don’t need to rely on it to be entertaining. Many games don’t want to hold up their arm to be in range of the sensor bar only to be able to aim correctly in a shooter. This leads to people suffering from constant arm pain or a trip back to where they bought it from. Fun can be achieved with a party game which usually requires friends and family to allow continuous laughter and enjoyment.

E3 2009 unveiled Sony and Microsoft’s tickets into this craze of motion control with Project Natal and currently named, Playstation Sphere. Both are still in development but are directed towards the same demographic. Microsoft made a crucial decision to portray Natal as an add-on to most games, not a necessity. This means that the next Halo game won’t require you to pay the money for Natal just to be able to play it. If anything it will be an option for those who have purchased Natal to use its capabilities to enhance their gameplay experience. Sony’s idea on the other hand seeks the same use as the Nintendo Wii. Sony already tried to force the Sixaxis on us and it miserably ended up being a forgotten failure. If this follows suit I believe it will not be a successful product, because over 50% of their player base are hardcore gamers.

Wii Fit is an excellent excuse for buying a Wii and it’s success has been well noted. Peripherals like that are enjoyable and benefit those who take it seriously. Many people do daily excercise with Wii Fit because it’s simple and intricate. The excercise genre is popular but completely separated from the others. I am willing to accept that fact that there will always be these types of games with motion sensing consoles. Unfortunately I don’t think the developers of the Sphere and the Wii want their ideas linked only to getting fit.

Those who play a game for hours on end have no desire to stand up with arms flailing for ever. Sony and Nintendo need to take a look at Microsoft’s marketing view and build upon it. It’s obvious that people aren’t looking to spend $100+ next year to have the popular games completely divide themselves from the use of motion controlling. They want something that is fun to use, and not a hassle.

2009 has been filled with many blockbuster titles, even ones that entail motion control (ie Dead Space: Extraction, Madworld, and Okami). If you look at the top games for the Wii on any website though, most will be games that were multi platform and have little to none motion control. I think with additions like Natal and hopefully Sphere we will see a drastic change in this. We want to like motion controlling, we don’t want to dread it.

This weekend I played a theatrical movie, and it’s name is Uncharted 2. Moments in and you get the feeling that there are a plethora of cinematic qualities tucked inside this game that are unlike thousands of others before it. Almost instantaneously after pressing the infamous “start” button your left in the control of the most enjoyable fortune-hunter I’ve ever seen. Nathan Drake has been betrayed and he now sits in a de-railed train car with a bloody wound above his hip. Unbeknownst to him this abandoned train car is a few feet away from sliding off a cliff somewhere in the Himalayas. With Drake now aware of his imminent doom, he begins to assess his options. This is one of the many moments where the game flawlessly converts to gameplay. Immediately the train lurches even further off of the cliff and causes Drake to descend closer to his ominous fall. Luckily, Drake still has enough in him to grab onto the door jutting out from the back of the car. From here you must climb your way near the top of the cliff and eventually make the final life-saving jump. Once you make it to safe ground I guarantee you will breath a sigh of relief simultaneously with the games protagonist.

Events like these are scattered throughout Uncharted 2, making the game ever-changing and very intense at times. From dodging a pursuing helicopter in a office building that is exploding with you inside it, to nearly escaping death from a hulking tank following you through city streets;Uncharted 2 doesn’t let you go until the very end. Naughty Dog managed to place in unique actions depending on Drake’s current situation that create a sense of realism that I have yet to see in a video-game. The firefights make for visceral events etched into the masterpiece that is this game. While the weapons are your general variety, each firearm felt distinct while running from cover to cover trying to flank the oncoming swarm of enemies.

With that in mind, the game does hurt itself in smaller areas. I found myself constantly sticking to a wall for cover while an oncoming RPG was hurdling my way. Trying to jump frantically off of a cliff caused some deaths because Drake felt the need to hold on to the ledge to make sure that I wanted to run like hell. Even battling in train cars caused for some unnecessary deaths due to the imaginary glue on the walls. Scenarios like these were annoying, yes, but couldn’t ruin a game of this value.

The men and women who contributed their voice talents for the game (notably: Nolan North) should be honored. Each cutscene was presented in the most amazing in-game graphics to date, along with superb voice-acting. Not to mention the story feels like it was stole from a multi-million dollar movie’s script. I never had the idea in my head that this is a story forced onto me because Naughty Dog created the gameplay first. You constantly feel as if you are the actor in this magnificent tale.

A video-game cannot offer more that what is delivered in Uncharted 2. Every aspect of this amazing endeavor left me astonished. From the beginning I had the gut feeling that I would end up buying a Playstation 3, and one of the reasons would be this very game. In conclusion, all I can say is buy this game. Trust me, you won’t regret it.