tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58478762907985253152024-03-13T19:00:09.694+00:00One Last LifeMusings and observations from the world of gaming.Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-22019184834639230882015-08-28T00:11:00.000+01:002015-08-28T00:11:11.511+01:00<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Rocket League - Why it's my favourite Sports game since Sensi</b></h2>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s11.postimg.org/o1oa6vbqr/Rocket_League_PS4_Ann_ds1_670x377_constrain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://s11.postimg.org/o1oa6vbqr/Rocket_League_PS4_Ann_ds1_670x377_constrain.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
I don't like sports games. Hell I'm not really a fan of sports in general. When people start talking about Football I tend to nod and agree a lot. On occassion I'll have picked up enough from the news or other discussion to pretend I have an opinion, or that I have some idea of what I'm talking about. I don't. I really dont. Which means sports games have to an extent never really clicked with me. <br /><br />Sure there's the odd game of Fifa, or a dabble with Virtua Tennis or even an NHL or NBA game, but they never grab me beyond the first few minutes I play them. Traditionally I've far prefered the sports games with a twist. The Speedballs, the Sensible Soccers and now Rocket League.<br /><br />Football with rocket cars. That's all you need to say about it. The concept is so blindingly simple it's incredible to think that no one apart from developer Psyonix has taken the idea and run with it. <br /><br />It's as simple to play as it is to describe. You control one of up-to four cars in the team and have to drive, boost and attack the ball till it winds up in one of the goals. That's it. But it's through it's simplicity that it's true depth emerges. You have two key buttons that make all the difference. Jump and Boost and both do exactly as you would expect. Tap jump twice and you perform a double-jump. Hold a direction on the left stick and double tap and you'll lurch in that direction, allowing you to make quick, precise strikes wherever you wish.<br /><br />Fill up your boost meter and you can rapidly increase your speed. Ram opponents at top speed and you remove them from the game for a few valuable moments. Combine this with the jumping maneuvers and you can hurl yourself around the arena at high speeds, perfect for that last minute save or goal from out of nowhere. <br /><br />The real skill lies in aerials though. When the car is in the air you can control it's rotation, pitch etc. Apply some boost and you travel in that direction while airborne.<br /><br />I wouldn't normally spend so long discussing the specifics of the controls in a game, but in this case they are so perfectly intuitive and add so much depth and nuance to the way it plays that it's impossible not to praise the game and not mention them.<br /><br />And this is a game I feel I cannot praise enough. For a long time my online multiplayer has been made up of team based shooters, or survival-style games. Now I spend my evenings crossing in the ball, knocking it away from the goal line or even scoring from an aerial hit I launched from halfway up a wall (You can drive on the walls too).<br /><br /><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Gs94zH2lIX8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gs94zH2lIX8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Rocket League has been such a success that MLG has already held it's first Pro-Tournament. It's in no small part to Psyonix pushing the game as a new entrant into the world of eSports, a field already dominated by the DOTAs, League Of Legends and CounterStrikes. And it seems to be paying off. Youtube hosts "Goals of the Week" videos and people are talking about this game.<br /><br />I could go on, but to be honest there's not much else to say. It's football with rocket cars and it is absolutely glorious.<br />
<br />
<br />
Rocket League is currently available on PS4 and PC<br />Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-69874229961943502942015-07-13T22:57:00.001+01:002015-08-27T23:37:31.183+01:00Satoru Iwata: 1959-2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.laserlemming.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/satoru-iwata-banana-e1367043854644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.laserlemming.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/satoru-iwata-banana-e1367043854644.jpg" height="265" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It’s a shame that the piece of news that kickstarted my revival of this blog is such a harsh one.<br />
Satoru Iwata, President and CEO of Nintendo has passed away, aged only 55. <br />
Mr Iwata started out as a games developer for HAL Laboratories, working on the Kirby, Pokémon and Smash Bros franchises. He also programmed the classic Balloon Fight for NES. After many years he was promoted to CEO, taking the reins from the late Hiroshi Yamauchi, and becoming the first person outside the Yamauchi family to run the company in its one hundred and twenty-six year long history. He guided Nintendo through the launches of two of the most successful pieces of games hardware ever made in the DS and Wii. But he never lost touch with his development roots, reportedly getting involved with programming right up until 2012’s Nintendoland on WiiU (He helped tweak the code for the Balloon Fight mini-game).<br />
In his own words he said “On my business card I am a Corporate President. In my mind I am a game-developer, but in my heart I am a gamer.” It was a philosophy that translated directly to his interaction with fans of Nintendo. While his opposite numbers at Sony and Microsoft were standing out on stage at E3 in trying to hype up their latest AAA blockbuster, Iwata was being turned into a Muppet, an Adult Swim cartoon, sparring with Nintendo of America COO Reggie Fils-Aimé and most importantly of all, talking “Directly” to the people buying Nintendo games. He brought a sense of fun and joy to an industry that so often seems these days to be embarrassed by that. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NDGUixiK5g4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NDGUixiK5g4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
So it’s with a heavy heart that I wish his family, friends and colleagues all the best. One of the brightest lights in the gaming industry has blinked out. His legacy is one of both joy and happiness, which few can argue is a beautiful one.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Video from Eurogamer.net </span>Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-88358076822514842272014-10-03T19:25:00.001+01:002014-10-03T19:25:08.715+01:00Sick Kids Save Point–Update 2<p><img src="http://s18.postimg.org/uzsny3tx5/cropped_skspbannerv33.jpg" width="457" height="89"></p> <p>So there’s seven days to go till I undertake my 24 hour gaming marathon as part of the Sick Kids Save Point Event! I’m still looking for as many people as possible to donate, and you can all look forward to a big Facebook and Twitter push in the week running up to the event! But this update is mostly about what you’ll see on the livestream I’ll be providing!</p> <p>Now all the games I’m about to mention are subject to change, based entirely on my whims and possibly, your suggestions and recommendations.</p> <p>The 24 hours will be split up into various segments, each of which will involve a different game. My plan is to play something for three hours, then another game for an hour and repeat that pattern. This will mean I play six games for big three hour chunks, and six other games in smaller one hour chunks.</p> <p>The three hour chunks are intended to be used for games that I’m either currently playing, or games I’ve been holding off on especially for this event.</p> <ul> <li>Dark Souls (From Software’s punishing Action-RPG) <li>Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor (3rd Person Action-Adventure in the Lord Of The Rings universe. Think Assassins Creed mixed with Arkham Asylums combat) <li>Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (Over the top 80’s styled First Person Shooter starring Terminator and Aliens icon Michael Biehn) <li>Civilization V (Turn-Based grand strategy game) <li>Elite: Dangerous (Deep space combat and trading simulation)</li></ul> <p>I’ve still got a space for one more title. This MAY end up being Alien: Isolation, depending on how my PC copes with it. Failing that I’m willing to take suggestions and requests!</p> <p>The one hour games will be smaller or older titles. Potentially retro titles from older systems.</p> <ul> <li>Sonic The Hedgehog – Mega Drive <li>Super Mario World – Super Nintendo Entertainment System <li>007 Goldeneye – Nintendo 64 <li>Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night – PlayStation <li>Gradius V – PlayStation 2</li></ul> <p>So I’ve got a good mix of old and new titles to get through. Hopefully there will be something there for people to take an interest in.</p> <p>As always I need as many donations as possible, so if you could all spread this to your friends on facebook, twitter etc I’d be very grateful!</p> <p>Once again the ways to donate are as follows: <p>1 - In person. If you work with me, or know how to get a hold of me, then you can give it directly to me or fill in my sponsor form. <p>2 - Through my Just Giving page.<pre><code>https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83<br /></code></pre><br /><p>3 - Via text message: Just text SKSP83, followed by £2, £5 or £10 to 70070. This allows you to make your donation anytime, anywhere!<br /><p>Thanks again everyone!</p><br /><p><a title="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83" href="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83">https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83</a><br><a title="http://sickkidssavepoint.com/" href="http://sickkidssavepoint.com/">http://sickkidssavepoint.com/</a><br>#SKSP</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-66145914069002571232014-09-20T23:24:00.001+01:002014-09-20T23:24:28.551+01:00Sick Kids Save Point - Progress Update<p><img src="http://s18.postimg.org/uzsny3tx5/cropped_skspbannerv33.jpg" width="460" height="90"></p> <p>So it’s been a couple of weeks now since I announced my participation in this years Sick Kids Save Point event.</p> <p>Firstly I just want to say a big thank you to all the people who have donated so far. I’d especially like to thank the Charities and Sponsorship department of Next PLC, who have very kindly donated £50 to the cause. This puts me at £95 of my £250 goal so a great start but a long way to go yet.</p> <p>So other than an update on how the fundraising is going I’d like to talk more about the actual event itself.</p> <p>As I mentioned in my previous post I’ll be playing for 24 hours non-stop from Friday the 10th of October, through to Saturday the 11th. What you may not know is that I shall be live streaming the whole event online for people to watch. You’ll be able to tune in at any point and see what I’m playing and how I’m doing, as well as interact with me through the stream chat. The stream will be available on either my Twitch.tv page or my Hitbox page. The actual link will be plastered over Facebook and Twitter at the time.</p> <p>In the meantime I’d love people to continue to donate. Every penny I can raise will make a massive difference and go a long way to supporting the fantastic work that the Sick Kids Friends Foundation does.</p> <p>As before you can donate in the following ways:</p> <ol> <li>In person. If you work with me, or know how to get a hold of me, then you can give it directly to me or fill in my sponsor form. <li>Through my Just Giving page. <br><a href="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83">https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83</a> <li>Via text message: Just text SKSP83, followed by £2, £5 or £10 to 70070. This allows you to make your donation anytime, anywhere! </li></ol> <p>So once again thanks to everyone that’s helped out so far. I’ll be back with more updates very soon!</p> <p>#SKSP<br><a href="http://sickkidssavepoint.com/">http://sickkidssavepoint.com/</a><br><a href="http://www.edinburghsickkids.org/">http://www.edinburghsickkids.org/</a><br><a href="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83">https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83</a></p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-66640836763006770432014-09-04T00:33:00.001+01:002014-09-04T00:33:35.049+01:00Sick Kids Save Point 2014–SPONSOR ME!<p><img src="http://s18.postimg.org/uzsny3tx5/cropped_skspbannerv33.jpg" width="451" height="93"></p> <p>On October 10th I'll be taking part in the 2014 Sick Kids Save Point event, to raise money for The Sick Kids Friends Foundation. The event involves playing games for 24 hours.</p> <p>The foundation supports the work of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. The Hospital receives over 100,000 children through its doors each year from all over the country. Money raised goes towards extra comforts, which make time in hospital better for children as well as:</p> <p>* Facilities<br>* Extra medical equipment<br>* Support for sick children who are cared for in the Community<br>* Funding for extra training and research</p> <p>Over the past five years, Sick Kids Save Point has raised over £60,000 for the charity. </p> <p>This year I will be one of the many people who will game, through the night, in support of this fantastic cause.</p> <p>So I’m basically looking for as many people as possible to donate whatever they can to help out.</p> <p>There are three main ways to donate:</p> <ol> <li>In person. If you work with me, or know how to get a hold of me, then you can give it directly to me or fill in my sponsor form.<br> <li>Through my Just Giving page. <br><a title="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83" href="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83">https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83</a><br> <li>Via text message: Just text SKSP83, followed by £2, £5 or £10 to 70070. This allows you to make your donation anytime, anywhere!</li></ol> <p>I’ll be posting more in the run up to the actual event, with updates on how the total is coming on, any form of major sponsorship I’ve received (I’m currently investigating a few possibilities) as well as how you can follow the actual marathon itself!</p> <p>Finally, I’m hoping for everyone to spread as much awareness of this campaign as possible. If you see my tweets, Facebook posts or even people you meet, please share them, like them, retweet them etc so we can all make a difference in lives of so many young people who need all the assistance we can give.</p> <p>Thank you all.</p> <p>#SKSP<br><a href="http://sickkidssavepoint.com/">http://sickkidssavepoint.com/</a><br><a title="http://www.edinburghsickkids.org/" href="http://www.edinburghsickkids.org/">http://www.edinburghsickkids.org/</a><br><a title="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83" href="https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83">https://www.justgiving.com/Chris-Devlin83</a></p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-73877647673452772552014-07-10T02:18:00.001+01:002014-07-10T02:23:58.756+01:00The Last Of Us – Finally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5847876290798525315" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5847876290798525315" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://s27.postimg.org/ggta8g1xv/The_Lastof_Us_feature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://s27.postimg.org/ggta8g1xv/The_Lastof_Us_feature.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Just over a year ago, Uncharted developer Naughty Dog released it’s highly anticipated The Last Of Us. I picked it up not long after and promptly proceeded to not play it, despite the universal praise and acclaim it has gathered. Fast forward to tonight and I’ve finally finished it off, after a drawn out play through over the course of several months. So what do I think? Does it live up to all the glowing reports its received?<br />
<br />
I’m finding it hard to put into words just how I feel about it. On one hand it is most certainly a masterpiece of technical brilliance, writing, voice acting and mechanics that make sense. On the other hand I find myself asking, “Did I enjoy it?”<br />
<br />
No. But that’s alright, simply because of how the game presents itself. The Last Of Us is a depressingly bleak world to inhabit. Set twenty years after a parasitic fungal outbreak has seemingly annihilated human civilisation, Joel is tasked with taking young Ellie on a cross-country journey of the greatest importance. As part of their journey they have to deal with the infected populations, who have mutated into several differing forms and, perhaps most dangerously of all, other humans who care only about their own interests. The game takes place over approximately a year, split up into seasons, which focus on each part of their journey.<br />
<br />
The interplay between Joel and Ellie is easily one of, if not the best example of a relationship in all of videogames. Naughty Dog have crafted two believable, relatable characters that you want to care about and who change and grow over the course of the main game. It’s bar-raising stuff and is rightly being highly praised for it. Voice actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson put in excellently subtle performances for Joel and Ellie respectively. Johnson won a BAFTA for her work on the game, while both her and Baker won VGX awards.<br />
<br />
Technically the PS3 is being pushed to it’s limits and this is one of the best looking games you’ll find on PS3. Everything about the visuals is eye-catching, from the wonderfully subtle particle effects to beams of sunlight bursting through trees and cracks. Frame rate does suffer in one or two cases, but never at critical moments.<br />
<br />
So back to why I didn’t enjoy myself.<br />
<br />
The Last Of Us is in many ways about surviving, very often by the skin of your teeth. Ammunition and the supplies needed to craft everything from med kits to nail bombs, are very scarce with decisions constantly having to be made. Med kits and Molotov cocktails share the same ingredients of rags and alcohol, but with a limited supply what are you going to prioritise? Joel, while an accomplished survivor, is not a one man army and is not a trained marksman, making each shot you take that much more important. Conservation of these items is vital to progression.<br />
<br />
Then there are the infected. Coming in three distinct varieties, each of them are extremely deadly and two of them are capable of instantly killing you if they get too close. There are often far too many to take out with guns, so stealth and sneaking become primary concerns whenever enemies are near. Most infected can be taken out with a stealth kill, but these are always risky, especially with the more deadly types.<br />
<br />
But the real bastards of the title, are other survivors. There are quite a few that you’ll encounter throughout the game and with a handful of exceptions they’ll cause trouble and grief.<br />
<br />
I’ve said that I didn’t enjoy the game, but it’s more because the things you do in the game are harsh and hard. You are in an unforgiving world, where death is always just around the corner and everyone in it is fighting desperately and brutally to stay alive. The tension in each combat encounter is palpable and leaves me feeling drained and exhausted.<br />
<br />
But I still savoured every minute of it. Each tense encounter as an enemy makes their way towards my position when all I have left to defend me is a piece of pipe. Each time I swung the camera around just to take in to scenery. Each time I managed to squeeze another med kit out of my supplies before the next bullet hit me. Each time I saw Joel and Ellie grow that little bit more.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5847876290798525315" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The Last Of Us deserves every plaudit and award it has picked up in the last year. It deserves the be played and discussed, as a genuine step forward for the medium. It especially deserves it for coming from a developer of high-budget blockbuster games, which so often play it safe and try not to do anything which might put off those who by little else than Fifa and Call Of Duty. The Last Of Us is a genuinely moving, and thought provoking game.<br />
<br />
You need to play it.<br />
<br />
The Last Of Us is available now on PS3.<br />
The Last Of Us: Remastered will be released on PS4 on 29th July 2014.Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-31587355118266217422014-06-11T01:19:00.001+01:002014-06-11T01:19:15.794+01:00E3 2014: Ubisoft Highlights<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-deSMC7xtOqQ/U5egfmBZseI/AAAAAAAAAJA/TcDFj-R_hAo/s1600-h/UBisoft-Logo%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="UBisoft-Logo" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="UBisoft-Logo" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aV4eC7x6990/U5eggePDoxI/AAAAAAAAAJI/DGgaot8hAck/UBisoft-Logo_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="458" height="257"></a></p> <p>The second of the big publishers to display their wares, Ubisoft once again recruited actress, gamer and voice of Lana on Archer Aisha Tyler to host their show. So what should we expect to see from one of the quirkier publishers within the industry?</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8c5c8f2e-7437-4aac-9771-bed6f8e4bb36" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y6t-34FbydE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y6t-34FbydE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Straight out of the gate we got Far Cry 4. Continuing it’s open-world tradition, the game once more features a mentally unstable antagonist for players to take on alone, or with friends.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:6fd906c6-fb8e-4b6e-ad59-6c88f4fa2e35" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dcaONVYsaTc?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dcaONVYsaTc?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>For the tween-age girl in all of us Just Dance is getting a new edition. While in itself not earth shattering news, it comes with support for smartphones as well as the ability to record your own dance moves and share them around the world.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5ab10cc4-cec1-435b-8ea2-b04ce6876b8d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yPq_NVi-TC4?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yPq_NVi-TC4?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>The game itself got demoed at the Microsoft show, but Ubisoft showed of a Cinematic trailer to give some more background to the post-pandemic world the story takes place in. </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:029793b3-6726-4f0a-b6f2-5fbd1c7df4bb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LGCikQ18T3k?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LGCikQ18T3k?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Driving games are surprisingly under-represented this year, but one of the biggest is Ubisoft’s team racer The Crew. Comprising a compressed version of the entire USA, it’s possible to conduct coast to coast race events that take up to two hours to complete.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:977b0fb0-ac2f-44b0-b3f2-8e55fa81ede0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xzCEdSKMkdU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xzCEdSKMkdU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:526f3465-1265-48a0-81d8-b0f7c2a12618" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Og9q-i98E4?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Og9q-i98E4?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>The latest installment in Ubisofts biggest franchise, Assassin’s Creed Unity is the first game to be designed only for the next-generation systems and PC, meaning 360 and PS3 owners will have to upgrade if they want to experience everything it has to offer. As revealed during the Microsoft conference up to four players can take on Assassinations and other missions together, all to the backdrop of Revolutionary France. Launching later this year Unity looks to be the next major step for the series.</p> <p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ba3c55d4-d921-446d-b66e-c9b8058cbe4e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YipWBBvGk2M?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YipWBBvGk2M?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div></p> <p>Returning to the fitness game trend of several years ago, Shape Up aims to bring competitive and video game elements into the mix to help give motivation to those who find traditional fitness games dull.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:b97beec4-6693-4b1d-8e08-39278b1e1d0b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kLEnGY70Zas?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kLEnGY70Zas?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Perhaps the most thought provoking and interesting game to come out of any of the conferences, Valiant Hearts – The Great War delivers an experience of World War I, a conflict gaming has traditionally not visited before. Presented with reverence and based on real letters from those who fought in the trenches, Valiant Hearts looks to be a title well worth investigating more.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:11b1bf69-01fb-4b1d-bb37-394aae6e5a8e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6wlvYh0h63k?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6wlvYh0h63k?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Easily the biggest surprise of E3 so far, it was also the most welcome. It’s been six years since we last had a Rainbow Six game and while it’s not clear exactly how the single player elements of the game will play out, the multiplayer gameplay show above looks utterly fantastic.</p> <p>Overall Ubisoft had a very solid show. Some interesting new titles and some follow ups to old favourites should keep Ubisoft doing very well for the immediate future.</p> <p>Coming up in the next 24 hours I’ll go over what Sony had to show, as well as the announcements and highlights from Nintendo’s Digital Event and Treehouse Live.</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-30840175602630905012014-06-10T18:54:00.001+01:002014-06-10T18:54:26.783+01:00E3 2014: EA Highlights<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lgNs4RlHsCA/U5dGTalWzfI/AAAAAAAAAIo/WTcN4EZWTsE/s1600-h/ea-logo-black-723x250%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="ea-logo-black-723x250" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ea-logo-black-723x250" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cFXGDYQBj2A/U5dGUJJWjVI/AAAAAAAAAIw/B_pd4ZKUGNA/ea-logo-black-723x250_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="472" height="174"></a></p> <p>Following on from the Microsoft show, EA put on their own spectacular to show off their upcoming titles.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:033a2a16-0fde-4cca-a7e5-dbfeaf55ad3d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2yKv45X_OIo?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2yKv45X_OIo?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>EA were first up, and started things off with a behind-the-scenes look at the DICE developed Star Wars Battlefront. Promising an authentic Star Wars experience it’s not expected until 2015.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:7e4a37fa-cdc4-4216-a708-7e58004f8d94" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CQQtOiFOYtk?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CQQtOiFOYtk?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Following on from the trailer shown at the Microsoft conference, Bioware demoed gameplay from Dragon Age Inquisition.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:449a0f1e-0eac-4838-b8a7-50a0ac0ffcc4" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wHjMWTcrQDE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wHjMWTcrQDE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>But it was their official announcement of a new Mass Effect that drew the biggest response as Bioware teased some details for the return of the Sci-Fi RPG franchise.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:87ebee9c-0c43-477b-86bc-9973af464783" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kAh9NXJg5ZU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kAh9NXJg5ZU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>As much as EA is associated with Battlefield, Fifa, Madden and Need For Speed, it’s very easy to forget they also make The Sims. The newest version promises to create weirder stories and the ability to design your Sims’s personality.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e167a87a-1c7c-4ae0-8619-a3db8476cfd8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y5cQQej6jww?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y5cQQej6jww?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>UFC kicked off the first of the EA Sports offerings. Playable Bruce Lee was one of the highlighted features.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:f56e9fe1-4cd0-4d60-9c3f-cc8dfa9824b0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vUE56k8duIU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vUE56k8duIU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>NHL continued the Sports offerings, with increased visual fidelity especially within the Stadiums.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:71fbd9ea-cec0-4c63-aed2-8a2d362e8493" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMRo8rifJGM?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMRo8rifJGM?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Taking a break from people hitting each other, Burnout and Need For Speed developers Criterion step away from fast cars to extreme action. Taking inspiration from Youtube videos of extreme sport stunts, Criterion are hoping to be able to forge something around the idea of multiple vehicles as shown above.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:7224852d-36ce-4bef-bf29-385ce22a4659" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYcPfisx018?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYcPfisx018?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Utilising the DICE developed Frostbite engine, PGA Tour takes a new step within the franchise. The introduction of “Fantasy” courses, creates fresh opportunities to give players new places to play.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:731c2f03-de83-4adf-99b2-b5fb8f8d118a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gdS6Zm_1COM?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gdS6Zm_1COM?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Admittedly catering more to the US market than anywhere else, Madden 15 revamps the Defensive options open to players as well as introducing new replay options.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:7168f16a-f282-4fa3-ac97-22ef8467a32b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4vAgdqVldbo?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4vAgdqVldbo?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Moving into eSports territory EA highlighted their very own MOBA game, Dawngate.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ac6658dc-09b1-48dc-b864-792471642704" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-KcK8wOcE14?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-KcK8wOcE14?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Teased briefly last year, the sequel to critical, if not financial success Mirrors Edge looks to be back in 2015.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:41e02ff7-afd6-417a-9455-0179463093d2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i5g8FkBByVc?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i5g8FkBByVc?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>With a final look at Sports games, FIFA 15 promises to have players with memories, which will affect how they interact on the pitch.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:222b1d43-96c5-4ea8-bc98-889079435cb0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X75Vv5psFgg?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X75Vv5psFgg?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Wrapping things up was highlight of the show, Battlefield: Hardline. Taking the basics of Battlefield and mixing it with Payday, players take on the role of either the Police or Terrorists in objective based multiplayer.</p> <p>Overall it was a strange show. While there were no disappointments it was very safe, with no big surprises or reveals. Mass Effect, Criterions new title and Battlefront are too far away to get too excited about yet. So good looking games, but just a touch under-whelming overall.</p> <p>Coming up soon, I’ll take you through Ubisoft and the future of Assassins Creed, The Division and more.</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-23571583171314828862014-06-10T16:37:00.001+01:002014-06-10T16:37:15.130+01:00E3 2014: Microsoft Highlights<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IBjfLUHfMms/U5cmJ-hRgII/AAAAAAAAAIQ/H2i_wcQeeGw/s1600-h/new_xbox_one6.jpg"><img title="new_xbox_one" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="new_xbox_one" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wFWHkfNHYGA/U5cmKbNGxPI/AAAAAAAAAIY/STI2JZkzMJM/new_xbox_one_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" width="475" height="128"></a></p> <p>Another year, another E3. As usual Microsoft were first out of the gate with their conference, looking to continue clawing back Sony and PlayStations’ early lead in this new console cycle. Going into the show it was clear that there was only really one direction for them to take. Games, games and more games. No TV, Kinect or User Interface distractions, just pure games. So did they deliver? </p> <p>The short answer has to be a resounding yes. With an opening promise to show nothing but wall to wall games, the new head of Microsoft’s Xbox Division Phil Spencer more than made up for previously disappointing shows at prior E3s.</p> <p>What exactly did they show that made a compelling case for Xbox One? Read on to find out.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1b343d4c-dacf-4a3c-b0e0-73b418ec8671" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/paOP8gok1GM?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/paOP8gok1GM?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">The new Team American: World Police game…. Oh wait, actually it’s Call Of Duty.</div></div> <p>As predictable as the Sun rising and setting, there is a new Call Of Duty title on the way. Developer Sledgehammer games first title in the series jumps straight in with an all new take on the biggest franchise in Interactive Entertainment. Set in 2054 it arms players with some futuristic, but plausible, new weapons and technology, much of which is already in development in some shape or form. It looks sufficiently bombastic, with a few additions that wouldn’t be out of place in Titanfall and seems to be a rather fresh look at the fatiguing franchise. Oh and Kevin Spacey plays the baddie.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:dcfaf3aa-85b9-49e2-8137-1f26e201b9c3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pD97w9pOG0g?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pD97w9pOG0g?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Fast cars go fast around roads. Apparently</div></div> <p>A new Forza Horizon title was shown off in trailer form and looks to continue the spin-off from the main Forza line. Expect to see a brand new day/night cycle and dynamic weather when it launches September 30th. Also, free Nurburgring track DLC for Forza 5 available now.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:69ee5857-0aa2-418f-867b-ca9841f61541" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r_B2dK81KtY?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r_B2dK81KtY?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Become the beast</div></div> <p>A new trailer for co-operative shooter Evolve shows off a brand new monster. From Turtle Rock, the team that created Left 4 Dead before being snapped up by Valve, it promises to be at least as good as it’s spiritual predecessor.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:3531bc97-7098-42ea-a4dc-70e485ef39f9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kwyjHkkETcc?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kwyjHkkETcc?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Friends that slay together, stay together.</div></div> <p>While most details of the next-gen Assassin’s Creed title, Unity, were divulged at Ubisoft’s own show later in the evening, Microsoft were given the world-premiere of the four player co-operative gameplay that it includes. Up to four players can take control of a highly trained Assassin and work together to take out targets.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ac659148-26a4-413a-8c9d-076ea841a49f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xnXlKrBItc0?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xnXlKrBItc0?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">No one expects the Dragon Age Inquisition!….. Sorry, it’s late.</div></div> <p>The latest installment in the Dragon Age franchise from RPG specialists Bioware, launching later in the year.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5d6ed829-87c5-4601-9d84-194572c1a66c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s_LmilGAhaM?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s_LmilGAhaM?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:bfc4caea-14f1-4644-ad99-3edf61724417" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/foDEbAbOVZE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/foDEbAbOVZE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>If there was one Xbox One exclusive that had me interested prior to the Microsoft show it was Sunset Overdrive. From Resistance and Ratchet & Clank creators Insomniac Games, Sunset Overdrive is manic, colourful and very over the top. Gameplay is fast and varied, with multiple options for navigating around the world, as well as many different ways of dispatching the various mutants and survivors you encounter. It’s certainly peaking my interest in what it has to offer.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:75635bb4-5e65-4c4d-97f5-94a302198c8a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rff3hwi9b-Y?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rff3hwi9b-Y?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Award for biggest smile of Microsofts Conference goes too.</div></div> <p>I wouldn’t normally have included an announcement of DLC here, but I have for the simple reason that the trailer is just so full of win. Available now.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:15938921-6af9-4393-a5a2-529d559391ee" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uT4CQGhTTAs?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uT4CQGhTTAs?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Return to Albion in Fable Legends</div></div> <p>Lionhead demoed some footage of their upcoming multiplayer action RPG Fable Legends. The game allows four players to fight their way through encounters controlled by a fifth player, who can place monsters and traps to try and hinder the heroes.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:12a419ed-9bd4-48d2-a566-2f4bb8fa47db" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_eP1SJZRqiM?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_eP1SJZRqiM?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Create and share your own games with friends and the rest of the world.</div></div> <p>Returning after it’s debut at last years show, Project Spark gives players the ability to create their very own games that they can share online with other players and friends. In addition it will also include the return of classic Rare character Conker, though it’s not yet clear in what capacity this will be.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:428f2602-3062-471d-9e94-f4d41bda7ab1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-TpXE8eSZuM?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-TpXE8eSZuM?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>One of the brand new games showcased was beautiful platformer Ori and The Blind Forest. Looking to have a touching storyline it’s being developed by Moon Studios for Xbox One, 360 and PC.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:55ab0fca-f988-462f-8193-925b80a5efb9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bczSeAhn0Ag?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bczSeAhn0Ag?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">The return of the biggest Xbox exclusive will provide a great entry point</div></div> <p>It was next to impossible to NOT have some form of Halo announcement at E3. While Halo 5 was notably absent, the Master Chief Collection for Xbox One, provides an amazing entry point for newcomers to the franchise as well as a fantastic value proposition. The collection will launch in November and contains:</p> <ul> <li>Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition</li> <li>Halo 2: Anniversary Edition</li> <li>Halo 3</li> <li>Halo 4</li> <li>Live Action Series Halo: Nightfall produced by Ridley Scott</li> <li>Access to Halo 5: Guardians Beta</li></ul> <p>All run from within one unified menu system, players can create custom playlists of levels, mixing and matching from each of the titles within the collection. Also included are every multiplayer map released for the games, as well as the original Halo 2 multiplayer. Speaking of Halo 2, it’s been given a full re-master, so each game on the disc will run at 60 frames per second at full 1080p HD. This astounding collection will ship on a single disc for $60 (So expect £45-£55).</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:561a086d-eef6-4988-81d4-3784661815ec" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fpXPYBLY9HA?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fpXPYBLY9HA?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>From the creators of indie hit Limbo, Inside will be launched first on Xbox One.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:74fafa78-2b9c-4ad0-a967-e6ed25e7a033" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lVnqS1HYPGs?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lVnqS1HYPGs?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Inside, wasn’t the only indie game Microsoft had to show off though. Several different titles were revealed through the above trailer. Particular highlights for myself included Cuphead, Mighty No 9 and Below, each of which looks to bring something fresh and exciting to their respective platforms.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:71309b63-9997-4f9c-987a-35191e875d2d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dSA05HzdNBE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dSA05HzdNBE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Stupid name, but can’t wait for the game</div></div> <p>When SquareEnix released their Tomb Raider reboot last year, none were more surprised then myself when it turned out to be absolutely excellent. So I was very happy when the sequel was announced and teased above. Shame about the name though.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:db3cbad2-429d-4b01-b8bc-705a47e644f8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CatJ6tBigKc?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CatJ6tBigKc?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Geralt, what a dude</div></div> <p>The Witcher series of games has always passed me by so far. I completely missed the original title, and I’ve had the critically acclaimed sequel “Assassin Of Kings” waiting to be played for quite some time. But I think I’ll be giving it a proper go after seeing more of the newest installment. A dark fantasy world, with engaging combat and RPG elements puts it high on my list of games to look forward to in 2015.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:f955ce0a-b9ef-4f82-86d4-3779cde3553f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7HRFbNC6DK8?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7HRFbNC6DK8?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>A rebirth for a little known Xbox title, Phantom Dust was shown for the first time. While not much is known about it right now, it is slated to be released in 2015.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:cda42389-6ddb-446f-9636-de1aa9c086fa" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JhBAc6DYiys?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JhBAc6DYiys?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Another title originally revealed last year, little has been seen of Tom Clancy’s The Division since. But here we get some live gameplay footage of the multiplayer cover shooter with tactical elements. It’s certainly one to be watching over the next year.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:2936b1eb-6e8e-4595-a7e3-843313d47907" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OEPufgiJp9g?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OEPufgiJp9g?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>An announcement and a trailer were all we got for Platinum Games newly announced Scalebound. Be sure to expect their signature style as well as substance as we see more in the future.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:38005b90-3d14-485a-9d47-c96a54cfc69d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v6lKDqM-8HQ?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v6lKDqM-8HQ?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Awww yeah!</div></div> <p>If there was one early 360 title that I loved unconditionally it was Crackdown. After a disappointing 2010 sequel Microsoft are finally bringing back the original super-powered open-world game. This was the big one for me. Not Halo, Sunset Overdrive or any of the others. Crackdown. Nothing is quite as much fun as being an over-powered agent of justice, especially when you work for the shadowy and sinister “Agency”. If Microsoft can bring more titles like this to the Xbox One in the next few years I’ll be much more inclined to get one.</p> <p>So there we go. Microsoft’s offering for the next year or so. They achieved exactly what they had to do, which was show off nothing but games. </p> <p>There may have been a lot of multi-platform titles, but they had some good exclusives and set the bar high for the rest of the show.</p> <p>Join me in the next couple of hours as I share highlights from the EA and Ubisoft shows, as well as Sony’s 2am blowout from this morning. Capping it all off with Nintendo later this evening.</p> <p>Enjoy!</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-6367545098441223912014-05-22T01:33:00.001+01:002014-05-22T01:33:57.725+01:00So much to talk about, so little time…<p><img src="http://s27.postimg.org/ok6xpyj77/too_many_games_pile_of_shame.jpg" width="442" height="253"></p> <p>So it’s been a couple of months since I last updated this blog. In that time there have been some amazing news stories, I’ve picked up my PS4 (Expect more about that in the near future), some of this years biggest games are about to beginning hitting shops and we’re now a mere two and a half weeks away from the gaming blow out that is the E3 trade show in L.A.</p> <p>I’m going to try and get through some of this stuff in the next two weeks, just in time for E3, which should prove to be very interesting.</p> <p>A quick look at what to expect in the next two weeks:</p> <p>- Oculus Rift: What it is and why it could very well change the future of interactive-entertainment.</p> <p>- Next-Gen Judged: Where PS4 hits and where it misses</p> <p>- Watch_Dogs: Is it a glorious pedigree or a slobbering mutt?</p> <p>- E3 Preview: What to expect from the big players this year</p> <p>I’m especially looking forward to writing about the Rift and I’m even more excited to get a shot of one at some point.</p> <p>But that should do for now.</p> <p>See you real soon!</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-16830459369662479292014-03-08T01:23:00.001+00:002014-03-08T01:23:18.226+00:00“Never, ever, fart on another mans balls.”<p><img src="http://s29.postimg.org/o70shwhyv/stickoftruth.jpg" width="445" height="259"></p> <p>Advice to live by and one of the things “South Park: The Stick Of Truth” hammers in at every available opportunity. </p> <p>Announced just over two years ago, developers Obsidian Entertainment (Recently known for Knights Of The Old Republic II and Fallout: New Vegas) have spent the time since, crafting what is possibly the best TV show based game in recent memory. To accomplish such an unexpected feat they were joined by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who not only wrote the story and voiced the characters, but also were heavily involved in all aspects of the games development. This ensured that the title genuinely feels like its a part of South Park as much as the TV show or movie.</p> <p>Players take on the role of the “New Kid” as you move into the quiet mountain town and begin to make friends. You soon encounter the main characters of the show and become involved in the type of child-like role-playing games we all played in our youth, but with the usual South Park twists. Here a Grand Wizard is just as likely to do battle with a Meth-head, Ginger Kid or an aborted Nazi Zombie Foetus, as they are to face off against an Elf.</p> <p>The game itself is structured as a fairly light RPG. You gain experience through battles and various actions, which allows you to level up abilities and equip more powerful weapons and outfits. I take care to say outfits and not armour as the things you wear will be as varied as the locations and enemies you will face. You also gain various patches and “Strap-Ons” which, when attached to your gear, provide bonuses to various stats and abilities. Finally you have perks, which are permanent bonuses that you can unlock as you make more friends around the town. </p> <p>Combat is very similar to that found in the Paper Mario games and doesn’t suffer at all from the comparison. Your character, who is always referred to as Douchebag regardless of what name you choose, is paired with one of several familiar characters (Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Cartman, Butters or Jimmy), each of whom has their own specific abilities and attacks. You can choose from a melee, ranged or magic (Fart) attack to take on the groups of enemies you face. </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5b243612-ae0c-4c3c-b8bb-d348094e2fd0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hGA5FJZKCcs?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hGA5FJZKCcs?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">I probably wouldn’t watch this at work…. Or in front of any kids</div></div> <p>Farting and fart jokes, as with the show itself, are at the very heart of Stick Of Truth. They form a crucial component in battles, and are used in a number of ways even when you’re simply making your way around the town. These range from pre-emptively farting on an enemy before combat starts, or using a long-range fart to distract guards and sneak through an area undetected. The four main farts that make up your arse-nal (sorry) are learned as you progress through the game and it’s in the tutorials for these attacks that one of the games, very few, flaws are apparent. </p> <p>Sometimes the on-screen directions for the attack, have no bearing on how you actually use it in game. So in effect they teach you the wrong way to do it. This lead to at least one occasion where I had to repeat the same tutorial section around ten times before I finally got it, which was intensely frustrating. But it’s one tiny niggle in what is easily one of the funniest and most entertaining games I’ve had the pleasure to play in a long time.</p> <p>It’s not possible to talk about Stick of Truth without commenting on it’s visuals. The team at Obsidian, along with the guys as South Park Studios have created a game that, battle information aside, looks exactly like the show. Characters move with the same crappy animation and all the environments have been recreated with amazing attention to detail.</p> <p>This attention to detail extends to the various items, quests and characters you encounter throughout the game. It’s a goldmine for South Park fans as old characters re-appear (Hello Scuzzlebutt, Mr Hankey and Damien) and there are more references than it’s perhaps possible to find.</p> <p>Most of all it retains it’s wicked sense of humour. Nazi Zombie Foetuses are just one of the “I can’t believe they did that” moments you’ll encounter and certain scenes were so potentially offensive that they were deliberately censored by publisher Ubisoft on the console versions for certain countries (PC players in the UK need not worry though as it’s completely uncut). It’s produced more belly laughs, sniggers and grins than any other game I’ve played in years.</p> <p>It won’t be to everyone’s taste. If you don’t like South Park, then this probably isn’t going to change your mind. But for those who enjoy the show it’s definitely worth your time.</p> <p>Now screw you guys, I’m going home.</p> <p>South Park: The Stick of Truth is out now on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-85986833463704028692014-02-20T01:03:00.001+00:002014-02-20T01:03:08.750+00:00Titanfall or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love Stompy Robots<p><img src="http://s22.postimg.org/4lvkq0e81/Titanfall_wallpaper2560x1440.jpg" width="454" height="265"></p> <p>I’m finding it surprisingly hard to articulate exactly how I feel about Respawn Entertainments debut title “Titanfall”. It’s a game that lends it’s anecdotes more to an oral retelling than through a written review or preview, as I struggle to convey just how much enthusiasm I’ve got for this game after just three days of the beta.</p> <p>So what is Titanfall?</p> <p>From what I’ve played I feel I can best describe it as “Call Of Duty with free-running and giant robot suits”, though that is doing the game a massive disservice. Fundamentally it plays, and in some areas feels, very much like a Call Of Duty game. You unlock new equipment and abilities as you gain XP, complete weapon and kill based challenges and complete objectives within the game. So far so COD. But it’s the changes, and more importantly the additions that Respawn have layered over the game that make it so much more than another version of that game.</p> <p>The most obvious addition is the Titans themselves. When the game starts, each player has around three minutes until their Titan is available to use. This time can be reduced by killing both AI controlled “Grunts” and player-controlled “Pilots”. Once the timer hits zero you are free to call in your Titan at any point, activating the titular “Titanfall” so called as it literally falls from the sky for you to board. Jumping inside changes the nature of play quite significantly, as you switch from a vulnerable human who can die in only a handful of hits to a massive machine of death and destruction, able to take huge amounts of damage before being knocked out of commission.</p> <p>Cleverly though, Titans are not invulnerable. It would have been very easy to make them nearly invincible against human players, but Respawn have made it relatively simple for humans to hold their own against these massive machines. Each Pilot loadout has an Anti-Titan weapon, designed to dish out a decent amount of damage. More interesting though is the ability to “Rodeo” on top of an enemy titan. Utilising the double jump (More of which later) you can clamber on top, rip open a hatch and inflict significant damage on them, forcing the pilot to either disembark to pick you off, or get one of their team-mates to do it for them.</p> <p>None of this stops the Titans from being anything other than amazing to see and use. I defy anyone not to smile when they call in their very first Titan and watch as it slams to the Earth, ready for boarding.</p> <p>Perhaps one of my favourite moments came in my last match of the Beta. I had been Rodeo riding on an enemy Titan and managed to inflict enough damage that the Pilot was forced to eject to avoid dying. The force of his ejector seat threw me far into the air and as I was on my way up I called in my Titan. As I began to fall back to earth my Titan shot past me, landed and caught me just as I was about to hit the ground.</p> <p>That’s just one small moment from many others, but it was the one that made me go “Fuck yeah!” more than any other. I didn’t stop grinning for five minutes after it.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1397dcaf-e4c6-43de-809b-2a151776a09e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oDW70NupF9w?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oDW70NupF9w?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Despite being a shit shot I still come 2nd overall here!</div></div> <p>Beyond the Titans, the movement system for Pilots has been reworked to allow some stunning free-running abilities. You can run along walls, leap from surface to surface and activate your small jetpack to provide a very short, but potent burst of height. This completely changes how you move about the levels. Windows are now a very viable entry-point for buildings, and stringing together combos of wall-runs, double jumps and climbs will allow you to get to places you’d never even consider in other FPS games.</p> <p>There’s so much more to the game than just these elements though and for the most part they all work really well. However there are just a couple of things that take some of the sheen off the game.</p> <p>Graphically Titanfall is nothing to write home about. It’s not a bad looking game, but for something that Microsoft are hoping will be the first system selling game for the Xbox One it’s frankly a bit of a disappointment. Textures are relatively low-res, the frame-rate sometimes stutters when there are more than two titans fighting and it lacks ANY kind of destructible scenery. </p> <p>The other main gripe relates to the low player count. In a world where most multiplayer shooters are allowing at least 16v16 matches, Titanfall caps it all at 6v6, opting to fill out the maps with AI controlled “Grunts” and “Spectres”. Many people aren’t happy with the low count, but the main problem I’ve got is the poor, poor AI for the non-human characters. They pose no real threat, will happily ignore you if you run past them, and will often stop and stare at an opposing AI until you walk up to them.</p> <p>I can understand why the player count was dropped. The maps probably just didn’t work with that many Titans at once. So instead of having to limit the number of available titans, they just dropped the player count and brought in AI to make up the numbers. Which is a fine idea. As the major selling point of the game, to limit who can use a Titan and who can’t, would massively reduce the enjoyment players can have. But the implementation of the AI is flawed, at least right now.</p> <p>There’s nothing to say some of these flaws won’t be fixed for the games March 14th release date, but by this point it should really only be small tweaks and adjustments being made, not massive changes to the AI systems.</p> <p>I’ve not even talked about the various modes and maps available, but in all honesty there isn’t much really new about them. You have standard Attrition (Team Deathmatch) and Hardpoint Domination (Capture & Hold) modes, along with Last Titan Standing (Everyone spawns in a Titan, when you’re dead, you’re out) and many more in the full game.</p> <p>The two maps in the beta were both quite different as well. Angel City was a tightly enclosed urban map, with lots of alleys and buildings to practice wall-running and double jumping though. It also created some up-close Titan battles, as players would try and Robot Punch each other to death. Fracture was a more open, green area with some wide open spaces, allowing the Titans to really move around and show what they can do.</p> <p>Hopefully I’ve gotten across that I REALLY like Titanfall. It takes the formula that COD has been pummelling into the ground for the past six years and gives it a fresh new look and feel, something it was drastically in need of. If you’ve ever enjoyed multiplayer COD you’ll find something to like in Titanfall.</p> <p>Titanfall is released March 14th on PC, Xbox One and Xbox 360</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-13120815576819155512014-01-11T21:53:00.001+00:002014-01-11T21:53:20.743+00:00The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds<p><img src="http://s18.postimg.org/qobd19wt5/A_Link_Between_Worlds_Scene_Art_5.jpg" width="431" height="218"></p> <p align="justify">The Zelda games have a problem. Which is a strange thing to say about a series that is so universally adored and which has never managed to produce anything less than stellar games. It’s this very popularity which creates the problem though. Nintendo have developed the core formula that the games follow for almost 30 years now, to the point that the games have become slightly predictable. </p> <p align="justify">Each new game will have a slightly different hook. Wind Waker introduced a vast sea to navigate. Skyward Sword used the motion controls of the Wii to create the most in-depth sword combat the series had seen. Most innovative of all was the introduction of the Ocarina in the seminal Ocarina Of Time, which allowed Link to travel in time, control the weather and alter the time of day amongst other things. </p> <p align="justify">But underneath these features, the games remain fundamentally unchanged from 1991’s A Link To The Past on the SNES. Link makes his way through a linear series of dungeons, collecting the items within each one until he can gain access to the final dungeon and the final battle within. It’s a formula that has served the series well, but one which fans are beginning to grow weary of.</p> <p align="justify">Enter A Link Between Worlds. Ostensibly a sequel to A Link To The Past, ALBW returns to it’s predecessors version of the kingdom of Hyrule and tells an all new story within its established world. This time around the kingdom is being threatened by an evil from an alternate version of Hyrule known as Lorule. This allows for the same world-hopping gameplay as the original title, with Lorule taking the place of the Dark World.</p> <p align="justify"><img src="http://s28.postimg.org/782cmzwfh/zelda_a_link_between_worlds_game_110_v_image512.jpg" width="427" height="246"></p> <p align="justify">It takes a lot of cues from it’s older sibling. The sound effects, music and visuals are all updated and reworked for the more powerful hardware of the 3DS, but it’s all recognisable as coming from A Link To The Past.</p> <p align="justify">So far so Zelda. However it’s the changes here that make the game stand out from more recent entries in the series. </p> <p align="justify">Link can rent items at any point in the game. Previously Link would have to gain each item individually, and only when the game dictated he should. These were located within the various dungeons Link would encounter and could only be tackled in the order the developers intended. Now if you have the Rupees you can get all the items within the first half hour. The catch being that if you get killed you lose all your rented stuff. Later on you are able to buy the items outright which costs substantially more than renting, but is well worth it as you can then have them upgraded. This means that the dungeon designers can focus more on creating interesting puzzles instead of locking off half of the level until you’ve found the correct item.</p> <p align="justify">It’s a massive change which alters the flow of the game significantly but also allows for the other major change in the game.</p> <p align="justify">Dungeons no longer have to be tackled in a specific order. If you want to go straight to the Ice Palace you can do that. If you’d rather attempt the Thieves Hideout first, then you can do that as well. Each dungeon signposts if there are any items you need, so you can go in prepared. It creates a fresh feel to the game as you can no-longer predict exactly what you’re going to run into next. </p> <p align="justify">One of the main annoyances in the games from Ocarina Of Time onwards, was that of the “helper” characters. These would constantly push Link in the correct direction, ensuring that you were never stuck wondering where to go next. Some would pester Link regularly, while others would be borderline patronising as they explained the most basic of in game mechanics even as you neared the end.</p> <p align="justify">Thankfully ALBW doesn’t have anything like this. As a result you’re more likely to stumble onto new and interesting things as you just explore the world. As a concession to newer players though there is a built in help system for those times it’s not clear what they should be doing.</p> <p align="justify"><img src="http://s28.postimg.org/622y1xxil/rsz_linkbetweenwall.jpg" width="429" height="248"></p> <p align="justify">Finally there is what is the probably the most traditional of the new mechanics. Link now has the ability to merge in to the walls and surfaces he encounters, becoming a 2D painting that can manoeuvre through tiny gaps. This has many applications, not all of which will be immediately obvious, and it encourages experimentation. It has some especially excellent uses in the boss fights throughout the title. </p> <p align="justify">It is also the way that Link travels between Hyrule and Lorule, as he slides into cracks in walls. As with the Dark World from A Link To The Past, Lorule is a twisted mirror of Hyrule. The layout of the world is the same, but it’s inhabitants and its structures are radically different. It creates the basis of some excellent puzzles, as Link travels back and forth between the two.</p> <p align="justify">It’s hard to find anything to complain about here. The whole package is highly polished and refined and is without doubt one of the best Zelda titles in recent years.</p> <p align="justify">For players who may have gone off the Zelda games, or have just never played one before, this acts as a great way to get into the series. For Zelda fans it’s a glimpse of what Nintendo could potentially do with the series going forward. It’s certainly a must have for owners of 3DS.</p> <p align="justify">The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is out now on Nintendo 3DS.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:d3c182b6-6e56-4cd1-8f53-626867b0373d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/O_auhDR8VjU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/O_auhDR8VjU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-64245886642995057482014-01-08T00:12:00.001+00:002014-01-08T00:12:30.140+00:00Alien: Isolation<p><img src="http://s30.postimg.org/55efsn3r5/alien_isolation.jpg" width="454" height="195"></p> <p>Almost one year ago Gearbox Software released what is quite possibly the most disappointing title of the past generation. Aliens: Colonial Marines was a mess of gargantuan proportions, riddled with bugs and bearing little resemblance to the title people had been promised. As such many people saw it as the nail in the coffin of the Alien franchise in video-games. Which made the rumours of Alien: Isolation all the more surprising when they began to emerge several months ago.</p> <p>Today the title was officially unveiled with a trailer and several websites detailing hands on time they had spent with the game.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:c2b7bd12-779a-4785-9625-2f0471ef2d81" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dF85LNxj1-U?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dF85LNxj1-U?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">In your living room, people WILL hear you scream.</div></div> <p>Probably the first point to make is that first and foremost this is a game based on the movie Alien, not Aliens. With a focus on creating a tense and terrifying experience, developers Creative Assembly (Best known for the Total War strategy games) are creating a game that has more in common with horror hits like Amnesia and Slender than anything else. </p> <p>The player takes on the role of Amanda Ripley, daughter of the films primary protagonist Ellen Ripley, as she searches for the whereabouts of her mother. Not much else is known about the plot at this point, but she somehow finds herself on a ship with a Xenomorph loose aboard. The aim of the game is to escape from the ship and the creature, while presumably discovering more of Ripley’s fate.</p> <p>Perhaps most interestingly of all is the fact that there is only going to be one Alien in the entire game. Where previous games based on the franchise have thrown waves of the Xenomorphs at a fully armed player, Isolation instead focuses on one, highly dangerous threat. Amanda has no real weapons to speak of, instead relying on what implements she can find or craft as she makes her way through the game. This makes that one Alien extremely dangerous and the best tactic is one of avoidance, so expect to spend lots of time peeking round corners and hiding in lockers.</p> <p>The Alien franchise has never had an exceptional game based on it. There have been some good games and some horrendous games, but Isolation is currently making all the right noises. If Creative Assembly can live up to this early promise and indeed take the franchise back to its horror roots they may have finally given the movies a game to be proud of.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:3c5ea17e-7d62-4b69-aefb-420962ed4393" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V8O5dbfpHc8?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V8O5dbfpHc8?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>Alien: Isolation is currently set for a Late 2014 release on all major formats. </p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-70407935309514596272013-10-28T01:23:00.001+00:002013-10-28T01:23:03.695+00:00Return Of The Bat – Arkham Origins<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XRylAzuCp8s/Um28dChSRDI/AAAAAAAAAGs/sPy0cJoUZV4/s1600-h/BatmanOrigins%2525202013-10-26%25252022-13-53-67%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="BatmanOrigins 2013-10-26 22-13-53-67" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="BatmanOrigins 2013-10-26 22-13-53-67" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-U9SYg2IuqxI/Um28dneGdQI/AAAAAAAAAGw/XW9MyDPqaf4/BatmanOrigins%2525202013-10-26%25252022-13-53-67_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="462" height="294"></a></p> <p>It was with some trepidation that I approached Batman: Arkham Origins. It’s predecessors Arkham Asylum and Arkham City were both stellar examples of how to craft a meaningful action-adventure game around a comic book licence. They are arguably the best comic book games of all time. Rocksteady, the London based developer of both Arkham games, came from relative obscurity to create what will be for many two of the best games of this current console cycle, myself included.</p> <p>As the first game in the series not developed by Rocksteady, Arkham Origins has a lot to live up to, but I’m happy to say that it mostly delivers on the expectations players have from an Arkham title.</p> <p>WB Games Montreal have made sure it features all the gameplay mechanics from the previous titles, so you can look forward to stealthily taking down a squad of goons from dark corners, solving Riddler challenges (Enigma at this point), investigating crime scenes and swooping over the streets of Gotham. Your back-up comes in the form of the ever faithful Wayne family butler, Alfred, who runs things back at the Batcave (Making it’s first proper appearance in the series) and keeps the Batwing fueled nicely for you.</p> <p>In terms of additions to the single-player there is nothing earth-shatteringly new to be found. Gotham is split into two halves, Old and New, and Bats finds himself swooping from one end of the city to the other as he follows leads and clues. Those who have played through previous title Arkham City, will find Old Gotham very familiar as it’s basically the same space from that game, except this time it’s still in use as a City, rather than a massive Prison. This gives a strange sense of Deja-Vu, knowing that you’ve visited these places before, but now you get to see them as they were before the Arkham City storyline takes place.</p> <p>As well as the extended play-space, which is open from the start, you have fast-travel points which utilise the Batwing to quickly drop you close to where you wish to go, although these need to be unlocked via some of the Enigma challenges. It’s a welcome addition as while gliding through the streets of Gotham is perfectly fine, it can take some time to move long distances.</p> <p>The storyline is every bit as strong as previous titles, this time focusing on a younger, more aggressive Batman as he encounters some of his most notable villains for the first time. Mixed into this is a public that don’t believe he exists and a corrupt Police force out to bring him down, meaning that beyond Alfred, Bruce is very much alone in his quest.</p> <p>However, despite the overall quality of the game there are some things that just don’t feel right.</p> <p>Combat seems slightly off. Not by much, but if you are used to the combo timings from Asylum and City it can take some time to re-adjust to the tweaks made here. It’s most apparent when facing groups of five or more, which the game loves to do quite often, and can mean you making what seem to be very silly mistakes and missing obvious counters.</p> <p>The grapnel seems quite flaky about what it will or won’t lock onto, often pulling you in completely the opposite direction if you aren’t paying attention. Sometimes it won’t lock onto a ledge five meters away, instead favouring the top of a crane in the distance. It’s a small annoyance that I found really noticeable, very quickly.</p> <p>Coupled with the weird grapnel lock-on is what seems to be a lower ceiling for the glide manoeuvre. It just doesn’t seem to be able to get the height I would think it could. As mentioned before the grapnel just seems to refuse to lock onto certain things, especially over a certain height. I found the most notable example of this was on the bridge connecting Old and New Gotham. It’s not possible to scale the towers to the top, instead you get about half-way there, which leaves you very open to gunfire from below when gliding past.</p> <p>There are other small things too. Sometimes I find Batman won’t climb on something that he very clearly should be able to. Sometime he appears to slide around on top of railings that he’s perched on.</p> <p>There’s also at least one major bug in the PC version that requires a reload of your save game if you attempt to open up one of the Fast-Travel points. The only way to do it just now is to purposely activate a glitch within the game, which takes practise and patience, although a patch is surely on it’s way.</p> <p>It’s a lot of mostly small things that all serve to make the game slightly less enjoyable as you’re hitting up against strange effects that draw you out of the experience. Luckily they are all fairly simple to ignore and you can continue on with the game more-or-less unimpeded. </p> <p>This is definitely not a game I would recommend to a first time Arkham player. Arkham Asylum and City are both superior games and should be used as an entry point first before Origins.</p> <p>However, if you are a fan of the previous titles Arkham Origins is very much a game worth your time. While it perhaps lacks the polish of Asylum and City it’s so very close to being there. Had they pushed it back a month or two to clean up those complaints you would easily be reading nothing but praise for it right now. As it stands it’s an ever so slightly flawed Gem and well worth considering.</p> <p><br>Batman: Arkham Origins is out now on PC, PS3, 360 and Wii U</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-27684412683671513272013-10-09T02:56:00.001+01:002013-10-09T02:56:02.403+01:00It’s Criminal<p align="justify"><img src="http://dekstopwallpaper.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/GTA-V-Game-Start-Wallpaper--1007x566.jpg" width="456" height="259"></p> <p align="justify"><strong>Yes I know, this came out three weeks ago. I know I’ve not mentioned it even slightly before and I know it’s completely different to all the other games I’ve written about so far. But I finally got my grubby, paupers hands on this last week and while I’m nowhere near even halfway through yet I think I’ve managed to get a basic handle on how I feel about it. Oh and there will be small mission SPOILERS for anyone who is concerned about that. </strong></p> <p align="justify">To understand what makes GTA V work, you have to look at the flaws in GTA IV.</p> <p align="justify">Rockstar’s Liberty City based tale of an Eastern European immigrant with a past looking for a new start was grim. It was a dark, depressing tale about the pursuit of the fabled American dream. Niko Bellic, was a man with a violent past who found himself getting pulled deeper into the organised crime and chaos of a digital New York when all he wanted was to live in peace and quite.</p> <p align="justify">Not a bad story, but one that robbed the game of a lot of the humour that was present in its predecessors. Gone were the larger than life weirdoes and nutcases, with only one or two people left to fill that role.</p> <p align="justify">The gameplay itself didn’t fit with the character of Niko, who always lamented the violence in his past, but had absolutely no problem amassing a huge body-count throughout the course of the game. In part that was down to the sandbox nature of the game, allowing players to do whatever they wanted within it, but it made the character seem hollow and hypocritical.</p> <p align="justify">Liberty City itself was dirty, grimy and thoroughly depressing to inhabit as well. Grey, brown, rust and washed out colours made up every corner of this landscape. While no doubt a deliberate design decision it was perhaps too realistic in it’s portrayal of urban-decay. It was an astounding technical achievement and still looks phenomenal today, especially on PC with mods, but it just wasn’t a fun place to be a part of.</p> <p align="justify"><img src="http://www.gtagaming.com/images/gtaiv/screenshots/049.jpg" width="452" height="257"></p> <p align="justify">Beyond that there really wasn’t that much to do beyond the main missions either. Online modes aside, small mini-games littered the map and players could interact with other characters through their cell phone but it was a far cry from the diversions littering it’s immediate predecessor San Andreas.</p> <p align="justify">GTA V capably addresses all of those concerns.</p> <p align="justify">For the first time in the history of the franchise there is more than one playable character. The triumvirate of Michael, Franklin and Trevor take the franchise forward in a new way, allowing you to play missions from the perspective of whatever one you like and swap between them instantly. Each has a wildly different personality as well. Michael is a retired ex-thief who finds himself drawn back to his old life while his spoiled family falls apart around him. Franklin is the young up and comer, looking to make some money and get out of the gang culture he grew up with. Then there’s Trevor. Wonderful, crazy Trevor. He’s a psychopath pure and simple, but with unresolved history between himself and Michael.</p> <p align="justify">Each character brings something to the table. Michael and Franklin are the straight men, designed to push on with the serious part of the storyline and taking on fairly serious (in tone) missions. Trevor however, is tailor made for all the crazy stuff players tend to get up to on their own. Within a few missions with Trevor you’ll have undergone an arson attack on a rival meth-gang, shot satellite dishes off trailer-park roofs with a Sniper Rifle and stuffed a drunk Chinese business-man into an Ice Box. Suffice to say there is no hypocrisy with him and going on a murderous rampage is entirely within character.</p> <p align="justify">Then there is the city itself. Returning to the state of San Andreas you are treated to a sumptuous homage to modern-day Los Angeles. Los Santos is everything Liberty City was not. It’s bright, colourful and extends far off into the distance beyond it’s city limits.</p> <p align="justify"><img src="http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/314913_S/grand-theft-auto-5-screens-offer-a-peek-at-los-santos.jpg" width="455" height="261"></p> <p align="justify">While not as expansive as the original San Andreas game (There’s no cities of San Fierro or Las Venturas), there are still countless miles of wilderness to the North of the city. Beyond the main storyline there are many diversions including several sports games, hunting, stock market trading as well as the traditional Taxi and Ambulance side missions. Property purchasing makes a welcome return as well, allowing you a constant source of income and often opening up new missions relevant to what you’ve bought.</p> <p align="justify">The traditional structure of getting jobs from characters hasn’t changed. What has been introduced are prep missions. In previous titles a heist would generally take place over one mission, from start to finish. Now you can select a crew and a strategy before doing your prep. Prep may involve stealing some vans that will get you into a target unnoticed, or casing the building with some light recon. These take place over two or three missions before finally carrying out the job. It adds a bit more depth to the game and follows on the style of what was quite easily the best mission from GTA IV</p> <p align="justify">It also takes a couple of cues from Rockstar’s last sandbox epic, Red Dead Redemption. The inclusion of “Strangers and Freaks” side-missions, which involve small contained stories, and random events such as muggings and stick ups which you can intervene in however you see fit, have both made their way to Los Santos. One highly memorable S&F mission saw Michael fighting off drug-induced hallucinations of aliens with a mini-gun.</p> <p align="justify">As always GTA V is as much a love letter to America as it is a scathing indictment of modern society. The parodies fly constantly, including LifeInvader (Facebook), Righteous Slaughter 7 (Call Of Duty) and the return of Republican Space Rangers (My personal favourite). Lazlow, radio shock-jock from each game since GTA III, is finally seen as the host of exploitative talent show Fame or Shame, as well as appearing on the talk radio station. There’s also a TV throwback to the Exploder movies mentioned in radio adverts in Vice City.</p> <p align="justify">The game also comes with GTA Online, which went live a few days ago. At this point I’ve not really done more than dip my toe in it, but I’ll have some opinion up on that within the next week</p> <p align="justify">Overall it’s yet another fantastic title from the team at Rockstar North. To release a title so late in this console cycle that can still impress as much as this does is no mean feat. It’s going to be extremely interesting to see just how much more impressive the PS4, Xbox One and PC versions will be when they finally get released.</p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify">GTA V is available now on PS3 and Xbox 360 at retailers or digital download.</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-26494342049015555672013-10-05T23:24:00.001+01:002013-10-05T23:24:51.996+01:00Still Alive!<div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ad563f95-7298-4d12-a9c5-ad3e584af0cb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y6ljFaKRTrI?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y6ljFaKRTrI?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <p>No I’ve not forgotten about this thing. Been a busy week gaming wise so I plan to have some posts up in the next few days.</p> <p>Look forward to my thoughts on GTA V, a couple of browser based titles and a look at the Battlefield 4 beta all coming in the next week or so!</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-62886821362927885962013-09-28T18:17:00.001+01:002013-09-28T18:17:26.129+01:00Steamy Palms<p><img src="http://media.steampowered.com/steam/store/livingroom/controller/SteamController.jpg" width="437" height="320"></p> <p>Valve’s final announcement of the week was, as expected, the unveiling of the prototype Steam Controller.</p> <p>The most obvious deviation from current controllers is the lack of dual-analogue sticks on the unit. Replacing these are twin trackpads (Think of your laptop) with unique haptic feedback technology, which allow for games traditionally dependant on mouse input to work seamlessly. RTS and other games heavily based on the use of a mouse should now be much easier to control with this pad.</p> <p>The haptic feedback built into the trackpads, which are also clickable, allow the user to feel various textures and other physical sensations through their fingers. It’s something extremely difficult to describe without actually experiencing it yourself, but by all accounts works extremely well.</p> <p>In the centre is a touchscreen which will allow an infinite number of button combinations to be displayed, as well as game specific information (Maps, inventories etc) once developers start integrating it into their titles.</p> <p>It’s just in the prototype phase at this point and will be included with every beta unit sent out, presumably to be tested as much as the Steam Machine and OS. They will also be available seperately when launched next year.</p> <p>As always, more information can be found <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/">here.</a></p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-52127776567602815262013-09-26T00:37:00.001+01:002013-09-26T00:40:33.881+01:00No it’s not an Iron or a fancy Mop<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="177" src="http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2013/267/Machines_79757_screen.jpg" width="453" /></div>
As expected, Valve today officially announced the development of Steam Machines, the set of dedicated PC systems designed to run SteamOS.<br />
<br />
SteamOS, which I <a href="http://onelastlife.blogspot.com/2013/09/all-aboard-steam-train.html">talked more about on Monday</a>, will be the Linux based operating system which allows you to play your PC games on your living room TV (Or any TV for that matter) in a simple and easy manner.<br />
<br />
Several hardware partners are already developing systems which will be available to the public at some point next year. Gamers will be able to purchase a system to suit their needs and budget, while retaining the ability to upgrade the hardware as they see fit.<br />
<br />
In the meantime Valve have developed their own prototype hardware to run SteamOS and have 300 beta kits up for grabs to Steam users. Anyone interested in being considered for one of these kits should follow the instructions <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="312" src="http://www.daimer.com/data/Image/steammop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="445" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steam Machines will not look like this. Probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While I am very happy to see Valve taking this route I do wonder how the general public will look upon the various versions of Steam Machine that will be available. One of the main advantages of consoles over PC is that “It just works” out of the box. You don’t need to worry about the spec of the system, or upgrading it a few years down the line. I’m sure it’s something Valve will have considered and they’ll have multiple options when it comes to this.<br />
<br />
Fridays announcement also seems to be related to controller options. Presumably the gamepad for SteamOS/Steam Machines and news on how Mouse and Keyboard will integrate. Some rumours are pointing to a possible Left 4 Dead 3 unveil with some wild speculation even going as far as saying SteamOS may even support the upcoming Oculus Rift VR system.<br />
<br />
As before I’ll post more as I hear it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/NkEYnXd5VkY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-75724725864141688742013-09-24T04:34:00.001+01:002013-09-24T04:34:44.899+01:00All Aboard The Steam Train!<p><img src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/1912a6v3bybr8png/ku-bigpic.png" width="477" height="273"></p> <p>Continuing their ever-onward march to world conquest, PC developer and digital-download pioneers Valve have just announced the upcoming release of SteamOS. </p> <p>SteamOS is to be Valve’s first major push into the living room space currently dominated by Xbox and PlayStation, and is one of three announcements promised for this week. The others are certain to include the oft-rumoured, but never seen, “Steambox” and one other surprise which many are hoping will be the announcement of the most anticipated PC game of all time. Half-Life 3.</p> <p>I’ll cover those announcements as and when they happen but for now I want to talk a little about SteamOS.</p> <p>As a highly customised version of the Linux operating system, it is designed to run on a dedicated living room PC, and will offer an experience similar to a home console. Friends lists, web browsing, etc. Not to mention all the features they’ve not talked about yet.</p> <p>So why should you bother? What will Valve offer that you can’t find on PlayStation or Xbox? What are the potential hiccups and obstacles in their way?</p> <p>Both SteamOS and standard Steam have a number of key plus points. The first, and arguably the most important of these is variety and pricing of games. </p> <p>The value for money and sheer size of the Steam catalogue is astounding. There are games dating back over many years, at mostly reasonable prices. Almost every major multiplatform title (With the exception of EA games) is available and usually at a lower price than its console cousins. The legendary Steam sales offer tremendous numbers of games at massive discounts. Even when a sale isn’t on, you can often find “Steam Keys” available from other online retailers at a lower price than Steam itself (These let you add the game to your Steam account). It creates a healthy market where competition is encouraged, resulting in great deals for gamers who shop around.</p> <p>So SteamOS comes with a vast library of PC games, past and present, at your disposal. If you already have a Steam account every one of those games you own will be available, in some form (More on that in a minute) through the system. Unlike PS3 and Xbox 360 you won’t lose all your purchased downloadable titles when you move to a newer model.</p> <p>However it’s not all perfect. One issue is that SteamOS itself is based on Linux and not Windows. This means that all the games on Steam that currently have a Linux version available will run just fine on SteamOS. However anything else will not run on the system. To get around this you have the option to stream from another PC in your home to the SteamOS. So you could have one dedicated gaming PC in another room and still play your games in the living room. It’s not the most elegant solution, but until Linux ports of games become common it’s going to have to do.</p> <p>But for me, the main stumbling block is that many PC games just aren’t suited to TV and controllers. Mouse and Keyboard has been the standard control scheme for PC since the eighties. FPS on PC are mostly tweaked to take advantage over the greater degree of accuracy and speed it offers over a traditional gamepad. Real-Time-Strategy titles like StarCraft, Company of Heroes and the Total War series just do not work with a controller. It’s not a massive problem, as most games today offer support for pads, especially the Xbox 360 controller, but there will be games that will not play well on anything other than a mouse and keyboard.</p> <p>But it’s still early days. It’s a great experiment from Valve and one that could create a viable alternative to Xbox One and PS4 in the next couple of years. I personally cannot wait to see how it pans out.</p> <p>For those curious about PC gaming in general you can’t really go wrong with downloading the Steam client and having a look at the store. Many games have demo versions and there are even several Free-To-Play titles such as Star Trek Online and the ever popular Team Fortress 2.</p> <p><a href="http://www.steampowered.com">http://www.steampowered.com</a></p> <p>To see the announcement for SteamOS, with more details, then visit this link: <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/">http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/</a></p> <p>Join me on Wednesday night for some discussion about the next announcement.</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-89986115106880652212013-09-13T19:27:00.001+01:002013-09-13T21:33:22.093+01:00Humble Pie – Nom nom nom<img height="306" src="http://cliffelberez.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/marla-eating-pie.jpg" width="442" /><br />
It’s that wonderful time again. The time when the lovely people over at <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/">the Humble Bundle</a> provide us all with a delicious sampling of gaming goodness.<br />
For those with no idea what I’m talking about it’s all very simple.<br />
The Humble Bundle consists of 4-5 games and the customer chooses how much they want to pay for them. You can be as generous, or as miserly as you wish. Fancy getting all these games for the princely sum of 1 pence. You can do that. Alternatively if you’ve woken up like Ebeneezer Scrooge on Christmas morning you can go as high as you like.<br />
The money taken in is split between charity, the developer and the people at Humble Bundle themselves. As with the amount you pay, you can decide exactly who gets what from your donation. Give it all to charity, split it evenly or cut out someone altogether.<br />
Steam keys (Allowing you to activate the game on your account there) are given for donations over a dollar, and if you spend more than the average price which is usually only around 5 dollars, you get some added extras such as additional games, soundtracks, artwork and more.<br />
So these games must all be pretty poor if they’re practically giving them away. Well not really. <br />The current bundle consists:<br />
<ul>
<li>Trine 2</li>
<li>Mark of the Ninja</li>
<li>Eets Munchies Beta</li>
<li>Brutal Legend</li>
</ul>
That’s just the basic bundle as well. Pay over the average and you’ll also receive Indie hits Fez and FTL: Faster Than Light.<br />
Just a few weeks ago behemoth publisher EA had their own bundle on the site, giving access to some of their recent AAA titles such as Battlefield 3, Dead Space 3, Sims 3 and Need For Speed: Underground with ALL the proceeds going to charity.<br />
It’s a great, cheap way to add to your library as well as give yourself a warm fuzzy feeling at having done something good.Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-47169437098391408112013-09-11T02:27:00.001+01:002013-09-11T02:27:20.555+01:00Remastered, Remixed and Refined – 3 Platform games you should probably play<p> </p> <p><img src="http://operationrainfall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/RL_Ocean_World3.jpg" width="475" height="285"><br></p> <p>There’s a lot to be said for the humble platform game. In a world where the biggest selling titles are military based shooters and crime epics, it’s almost hard to believe that the most iconic games character of all time is a short, fat plumber with a porno-tache who jumps on turtles and guzzles magic mushrooms. Super Mario Bros laid down the template for just about every platform game that has followed in the last twenty-eight years. </p> <p>Three of the most recent platformers to come out follow slightly different takes on that template. </p> <p>Any child who had access to a NES system in the early 90s almost certainly would have played a certain Capcom title based on a popular Disney cartoon with a catchy theme tune.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:89d7817f-981b-4dbe-8dd4-8809e7e76576" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D6ZY3A833Bw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D6ZY3A833Bw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">1,2,3…. DuckTales AWOOHOO!</div></div> <p>Colourful, well designed and punishing at the same time. DuckTales was one of the NES most iconic platformers. In development for the past two years DuckTales: Remastered is a very faithful remake of the original title, with only a handful of changes and concessions to modern players. </p> <p>The most striking change of course is in the presentation. Replacing the originals sprites with the hand-drawn HD versions you see above makes the game look, and indeed move, like the cartoon did. Scrooge still runs, jumps and pogos his way around the five diverse areas, but this time a bit of storyline has been grafted onto the skeleton to give some context for visiting Transylvania and the Moon. Every character is fully voice-acted, often by the original actor from the show, lending the game a fantastic air of authenticity.</p> <p>The levels themselves are mostly kept as they were. Each one remains a 2D plane, but now has some superb 3D backgrounds to give the environments a bit character and life of their own. There’s also some new areas added in the form of a tutorial and a new level leading up to the final boss.</p> <p>For those who remember the original it’s a fine piece of nostalgia, but younger players may find that it’s not quite to their liking.</p> <p>But DuckTales isn’t the only classic Disney platformer to be getting a revamp. While the NES had DuckTales, the Mega Drive would play host to Disney’s superstar mouse in one of the systems early big titles.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1f667019-13fe-4859-9818-3f6c4ff77f60" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UzPg9X5FKIU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UzPg9X5FKIU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Is Minnie really worth all this effort. Really?</div></div> <p>The team behind the remake of Castle Of Illusion have taken the fundamentals of the original classic and given them a wonderful polish. Mickey retains his floaty jump as he bounces through the many levels to reclaim the Rainbow Gems from the evil witch Mizrabel and rescue Minnie. </p> <p>Where DuckTales: Remastered settled for a straight remake, with almost exact level layouts recreated, Castle Of Illusion instead remixes the whole thing. The Castle itself is now explorable, with it’s own secrets to discover as you journey from world to world. Each level, follows the themes, enemies and basic style of the original but are otherwise completely new takes on the established areas.</p> <p>There are new sections where Mickey can move freely in any direction and the transition from strict 2D movement to 3D is achieved almost seamlessly. The 3D movement is most obvious outwith the main levels, as you explore the Castle itself, bringing to mind some favourable comparisons with the seminal Super Mario 64.</p> <p>All in all it’s a good fun game, with a healthy dose of that feel good Disney magic in it.</p> <p>If there’s one other series of platform games, besides Mario, that has it’s own special magic to it, then it would have the Rayman games.</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8e00ef07-231e-4d84-8da6-c88cd93510b4" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xOLFCUbrVGA?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xOLFCUbrVGA?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Whoever is playing this sucks. Either that or he was getting some really weird slowdown. That’s his story and he’s sticking to it.</div></div> <p>The only all new game of the three, Rayman Legends is the follow up to 2011s Rayman Origins. Tasked with rescuing as many Teenies as possible, Rayman has to make his way through several themed worlds fighting Toadmen, Undead Mexican Skeletons and other weird creatures.</p> <p>Rayman has always been a series I’ve admired from a distance but never really spent any proper time with. But Legends has certainly gotten my attention over the past few weeks. Everything about it oozes polish. The artwork is gorgeous, the animation smooth and the music just has to be heard.</p> <p>Each world consists of eight levels or so, with a Boss level and a Musical “escape” level at the end. The basic levels are all well designed with sneakily hidden secret areas to find, most of which lead to captured Teenies. But the stars of the game for me are the Musical levels found at the end of each world. While none of them quite reach the level of awesome set by the very first one, each and every one is a delight to play. I’ve replayed several of them multiple times simply because they’re such good fun. Rayman must run, jump, kick and punch his way to the end, all in time with the music. Watch the video above for an idea of what I’m talking about.</p> <p>Rayman himself handles perfectly. The controls are nice and tight, making it very easy to put him where you want when you want him. Of the many times I’ve died I’ve not once been able to blame the controls. </p> <p>Being a Ubisoft game it also features a very european sense of humour and it’s often left me smirking at it’s wit and charm. </p> <p>I don’t want to go on much more, but I’m more than confident to put Rayman Legends right up there with the best 2D platform games of all time.</p> <p>So there you go. Three great games, each with a different take on the classic genre done in a modern way. All three are out now on all the major systems, although Rayman is the only retail release of the three.</p> Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-83774357998096306532013-09-10T03:30:00.001+01:002013-09-10T04:16:47.398+01:00Comments welcome!Someone mentioned to me today that they'd had trouble posting a comment as they didn't have any form of google or blogger account. Having looked into it I've tweaked the settings so that anyone can comment! Please let me know what you think!Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-55481469709127976372013-09-10T03:26:00.000+01:002013-09-10T03:26:21.976+01:00Fear Itself<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pixelgardenstudio.com/media/posts/0508749001362772261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://pixelgardenstudio.com/media/posts/0508749001362772261.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<u><br /></u></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">NOTE: The youtube clips posted may contain swearing so might be best to wear headphones or turn the sound down. There is also definitely screaming and loud noises.</span></h4>
<br />
Those of you who've ever listened to me babble on about games in real life will very possibly have heard me mention my feelings on "scary" games.<br />
<br />
I don't like them.<br />
<br />
That's not to say I don't appreciate them, far from it. Many of them are excellent games, I'll just never play them as I don't like to be scared. Which puts me in a bit of a situation, as I'm sure if I could get over my inherent dislike of things going "boo" I would find some truly fantastic games to play.<br />
<br />
Games like 2010's Amnesia: The Dark Descent. There you find yourself unarmed, as you tend to be in a lot of modern horror games, making your way through dank, unlit cellars and rooms with only a lantern to guide you. You solve puzzles and basically try and escape from the unspeakable terrors that pursue you.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTlWBtz62Z0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just a teaser of what Amnesia will do to you.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
To look at a still screenshot of Amnesia tells you nothing about what the game is like. You have to play it, or at least watch someone else play it, to have any idea of what to expect. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Amnesia, as I mentioned earlier, makes use of one key element to creating fear. You have no weapons and no way of fighting back against the monsters you face. It's an simple, yet clever piece of design. In an entertainment medium that is so often dedicated to empowering the player and giving them the tools to deal with anything the game throws at them, to have that stripped away is quite disconcerting. It's a simple way to induce fear and it's being utilized more and more often.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The sequel, <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/239200" target="_blank">Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs</a>, is the next title in the series and is due for release today on PC. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I find that mostly it's the idea of being scared that puts me off. Slender, based on the prevalent "Slender-Man" character was one of those rare horror games I actually downloaded and played (for two minutes) before retreating to Youtube again to watch other people lose their minds. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ve-l3B2nQk4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not creepy in the slightest. No siree.....</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If the idea of walking through a dark forest at night, collecting bits of paper before turning around to find a 7 foot tall man with no face and elongated arms less than a meter away appeals to you then you can find the most recent version of Slender here: <a href="http://www.parsecproductions.net/slender/">www.parsecproductions.net/slender/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One small piece of hope I find though is that I've finally gotten over my Resident Evil aversion. I've found the most recent title, RE: Revelations to be highly enjoyable and very bearable for my low-fear threshold. That said Resident Evil hasn't been true Horror in a long time but that's an entry for another time. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm glad I find games terrifying though. Movies, TV and books haven't given me a truly good scare in a long time so it's nice that there's something that can.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Sleep well. Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5847876290798525315.post-3668190847710184892013-09-04T01:32:00.000+01:002013-09-04T01:56:52.553+01:00Independence - Yes or NoLiving in Scotland, the Independence debate is raging on at the moment. With a referendum due next September, people are starting to pick their sides and everyone is being asked their opinion.<br />
<br />
Fuck that, this is a games blog.<br />
<br />
I've been playing a few indie games recently. More so than usual anyway. The first one came out last month and was a title I'd waited for since I first read about it last year. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/x5KJzLsyfBI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Gone Home, as I'm sure many of you know (If indeed there are any of you. I'm still sure I'm the only one who reads this stuff), is a game about nosing around a house, rifling through drawers and cupboards, reading other peoples mail and generally throwing the notion of other peoples "privacy" into the bin. And by God is it good. The only real problem with it is how to talk about it without spoiling the experience. You see Gone Home is a game about discovery, and not just in the "Ah-ha! I found the key!" sense. To talk about the game is to take away some of that discovery. Some of that mystery. So in the broadest possible terms here is what Gone Home is about.<br />
<br />
You return from a year-long trip abroad to find your family home empty. No parents, no little sister. The aim of the game is to find out what has happened while you were away and where your family has gone. That's it.<br />
<br />
You find yourself walking from room to room, looking for those hints which all add up to create a better picture of what's been happening. But it's the subtlety of those hints which impresses. At no-point is anything spelt out for you as you wander the corridors and rooms. There are occasional voice-overs from your Sister, who is at the center of the "main" story, but excluding the very end of the game you are left to piece it all together in your head. So as I said before, you find yourself reading letters and diary entries, opening cupboards and looking under the bed.<br />
<br />
<br />
The atmosphere in the game is just incredible too. You're
new to this house so everything is unfamiliar to you. There's a storm
raging outside. The house is old and prone to creaking and thumping.
Your own mind begins to convince you that at some point the game is
going to abandon its realistic tone and suddenly you'll be confronted by
something. The game itself even panders to that fear, so much so that
right up until the end I wasn't sure if it would. It manages to create
an unease in you, which only disappeared for me at the end, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.<br />
<br />
Setting the game in the mid-nineties also allows a certain level of nostalgia to creep in for players of my age. For example there are numerous cassettes dotted around that can all be played, which feature bands from the 90s. Someone in the house is an avid fan of the X-Files it seems, from the number of VHS tapes found in the living room.<br />
<br />
It's the smaller details that help create that bigger, more
vibrant story in your mind. There are rooms associated with one
character in particular, which all seem to have at least one almost
empty bottle of Whiskey somewhere, none of which are highlighted or have
your attention drawn to them any more than anything else. You could
very easily play the whole game and never even notice them, but those
who take their time to explore and take it all in will be very well
rewarded.<br />
<br />
But it astounded me just how much I felt I knew these characters through nothing more than what I found in the course of the game. It's through this fantastic writing and slow exposure to who and what they are that made them more realistic people. These aren't video game characters at all. They're just a family, with the same problems, quirks and nuances as any other in the world. Each of them has a story for you to discover and each of them has an ending.<br />
<br />
This is not a long game at all. I finished my playthrough in about three to four hours, but I was taking my time with it. I dare say if you were to rush through it you could perhaps do it in an hour or less, but you would be robbing yourself of a truly fantastic experience. Take your time and absorb it all.<br />
<br />
This is now my go to game for people who've never played a game. It's intelligent, thought provoking and genuinely mature. I would encourage my mother to play this game. Hell I'd encourage my grandmother to play this game.<br />
<br />
It's the kind of game that re-affirms my love of gaming. That not everything has to be a huge budget console title with a cinematic score, shouty Space-Marines and 1080p 60FPS at a price of £50.<br />
<br />
Try Gone Home. It's available from the games website <a href="http://www.gonehomegame.com/">http://www.gonehomegame.com/ </a>and is well worth the $19 you'll pay for it.<br />
<br />
So yes I am very pro-indie at the moment. If it means more innovative, truly interesting titles like Gone Home are out there alongside the big budget titles then it can only be a good thing. Imagine a world where there were no indie films like Reservoir Dogs, only Michael Bay films............ Oh god.Cheeky Devlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14707703729005827141noreply@blogger.com0