Coming soon: post-PAX reviews and previews

Hello out there eager readers! 

Just wanted to drop by to say that we will be posting reviews, previews and cool stuff that we saw and played at PAX very soon! We're compiling our thoughts for posts while simultaneously playing Diablo III for PS3 (which we purchased yesterday and are loving!) We should have news up in the next few days on: The Wolf Among Us (by TellTale games), Batman: Arkham Origins (by Warner Brothers), The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, and the PS4 and XBox One consoles, plus a few other games and experiences. Stay tuned!

Trailers! Batman: Arkham Origins and The Wolf Among Us

Just a quick post about two games we hope to see at PAX next week!! Speeder has determined that we will be running to the Warner Brothers booth for Batman first thing Friday morning. The Wolf Among Us is Telltale Games' new game to come out later this year. You should all know Telltale for their award winning Walking Dead game. This new one is looking excellent thus far. Any how, enjoy!

PAX Prime 2013 is approaching!

It's almost that time again. That magical time when downtown Seattle is flooded with nerds of every facet for several days. Video gamers, cosplayers, tabletop gamers, developers, writers, bloggers...ALL THE NERDS! We are less then three weeks away from making the trek to PAX Prime 2013, and Speeder and I could not be more excited! There's going to be a lot to see and luckily, we will have an additional day to explore this year. Of course, it's near impossible to see absolutely everything but we've definitely thought of a few things that are must-sees in our eyes. On the list is the demo for Batman: Arkham Origins, the Oculus Rift virtual headset, XBox One and/or PS4, a live show from the guys at the Chainsawsuit podcast, live show by the awesome Doubleclicks, new Cards Against Humanity (and possibly their panel) and so, so much more. 

But it's not just the games and performances that make PAX an excellent event: it's the people too. As I described in a previous post regarding PAX last year, there's an absolutely astounding sense of camaraderie among all of the PAX patrons that surround you day to day. I consider myself to be a somewhat socially anxious person at times, but being in a very large room full of these people did not bother me in the least. I felt like I actually belonged, that these people and I shared the same passions towards gaming and everything else that PAX is about. You'd strike up a conversation with someone in line with you or even sit down and play Cards Against Humanity. And most of the time, you wouldn't even get their name. You'd have some laughs, and then when the line started moving again, you'd go on your way. I've never experienced something quite like it in my past adventures. One of my favorite PAX stories actually came from this type of brief interaction. We were waiting for a panel about getting into the games industry, and so a group of us decided to play Cards Against Humanity. A guy sat down and asked to play, we said yes (of course) and he told us his first name. We all had a good time for a while, and then it got close to the panel. The aforementioned gentlemen told us sorry, but that he had to go. A few minutes later, the panel room opened and he walked in ahead of us audience members. When we got into the panel, he was one of the speakers up on stage. Turns out, this guy was one of the higher-ups in Naughty Dog Games. This was simply amazing to me, and a stunning example of what PAX really is: a place where EVERYONE can meet up and enjoy what they love with like-minded people.

We will be trying to live tweet as much as possible so that we can share what we take in, so be sure to follow our twitter account! The connection at the convention center was sketchy at times last year, but we will try our absolute best.

PAX Prime 2013 or bust!!

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea......The return to Rapture.

Just wanted to put this up because I want nothing more than to play this right now.

Apparently you will now be able to play as Elizabeth in this first episode of upcoming DLC and that's enough to sell me on it.

Review: The Last of Us

Today, I'm going to review The Last of Us. We're only about half way through this year and I've played a lot of games, but I think it's safe to say that this game is definitely one of my favorites. It may even be one of my all time favorites (a replay and time will test that theory). In any case, let's get to it! I will try to keep the spoilers at a minimum, but still POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!

The Last of Us is primarily about a man named Joel and a young girl named Ellie. These two characters are not related to each other (I did not realize this when I saw the trailers) but are thrown together in a post-apocalyptic world full of enemies, both human and zombie alike. The story takes you across the United States, beginning in Boston. The few remaining cities with human inhabitants have quarantine zones run by the military, and Boston has become one of these "safe" areas. It is there you meet Ellie, a young orphaned girl who Joel becomes contracted to protect and deliver to a safe house of the rebel group known as the Fireflies. The Fireflies work against the military militia, believing that they are not doing anything to help the current situation of the human race. Needless to say, things fall apart and Joel and Ellie find themselves having to survive a world outside the quarantine zone where Infected and rogue humans roam freely. Each chapter of the story is a season of the year which is reflected in the environments and feel of the game. It is also a very clever way to show how much time is passing. Again, I really don't want to give away too much of the story because it is so beautifully crafted but ultimately it really is Joel and Ellie against the world, and you really start to feel for these two characters. 

It has to be said that this game is spectacular at creating an emotional response in the player. You not only build an attachment to Joel and Ellie, but also to other characters that are encountered during the journey. However much like another favorite of mine, the Walking Dead game, you learn very quickly not to get too attached to side characters. The environments also invoke emotional response. A scene you are walking through can be beautiful, and yet there is almost always a feeling of dread and hopelessness underneath. Despite the fact that nature is blossoming and thriving, there is a sense of loneliness and abandonment. And of course, the challenges Joel and Ellie must face together make you feel for them, make you care about what will happen to them. Not only that, you are forced to make difficult and quick decisions all the time. This game definitely puts a meaning to the phrases "dog-eat-dog world" and "survival of the fittest". It's also a stunning experience in just how far a game can push it's player on an emotional level. 
It was also interesting to see a different point of view from the younger characters of the world of Last of Us. The main bulk of the story takes place 30 years after the pandemic started, so younger characters like Ellie who were born after the event have no concept of what the world was like before. For example, at one point you are wandering through a town and there's an old ice cream truck sitting in the street. Ellie actually has to ask Joel what it is because ice cream trucks don't exist anymore in a world where humans are the endangered species. It's a fascinating take on how a person would grow up in this world, 

The game play of Last of Us is excellent but definitely took some getting used to. Most zombie-survival games are about shooting first and asking questions later but this game is really about stealth. And it's not the easiest stealth system to learn either. I found myself dying on multiple occasions because I was not patient enough and did not plan my moves ahead. Ammo and supplies are limited so you have to conserve as best you can and take down enemies in the most effective manner available. Admittedly, there were times where I just ran in and shot everyone down but it left me with far fewer bullets, med-packs, and health by the end. The best approach is usually sneaking up on your target and taking them down quietly. Luckily, you do have distractions available at your disposal to make this process easier. Bricks and empty bottles can be employed to draw enemies towards a certain spot for an ambush, or away from your hiding place. Again, it takes time to master this technique of cat and mouse, but it becomes very satisfying once you get the hang of it and helps you conserve your resources for tougher enemies.
You are not usually alone while wandering through this hostile world. Usually, there is a NPC with you (namely Ellie) that provides limited aid as you progress. These computer controlled characters can be helpful, as in opening doors or shooting your opponents along with you. However, there were definitely times where the NPC's were more of a hindrance than a help to me during combat. Sometimes they would get in the way when I was trying to hide against a wall or behind some cover, and more then once they gave away my position to the enemies stalking me. Most of the time this didn't happen, but the times that it did made me very frustrated. Luckily though you are not completely reliant on the NPC's in combat.
Like many games more recently, the Last of Us has an item crafting and upgrade system. While I had been burned on a few of these systems with other games recently (*cough* Dead Space 3 *cough*), I found this one to be fairly easy to use. The weapon upgrading requires a work bench, but was easy to use. Finding gears in the world allows you to upgrade various aspects of the different weapons you find and allows for you to increase how many weapons you can switch between during combat. Item crafting, however, is available at almost anytime. This was really helpful as you could replenish your med-packs, explosives and shivs as long as you could find the needed supplies. Which brings us to another central focus of the game: foraging. This game rewards thorough searching of the areas you move through, which definitely adds a sense of realism. It was also nice to actually see all of your equipment and guns attached to Joel's backpack as most games do not physically show your inventory on the character model. 
Again, realism. 

Concept art of a Runner

Now, let's get to the nitty-gritty of any zombie game: the zombies. Let me begin by saying that once I found out the zombies in Last of Us are humans infected with a type of fungus (a REAL type of fungus might I add), there was instantly an added level of creepiness to them. The idea of a person having a fungus control their mind and eventually grow out of their body makes my skin crawl. And while the idea is upsetting enough, the actual physical models of the Infected are disturbing as well. The runners, the fastest class of Infected, look much like a very sickly human and fit a more classical zombie archetype. But as you get to more advanced stages, such as the Clickers and Bloaters, you begin to see creatures that more closely resemble walking, living fungal colonies. And if all of that wasn't creepy enough, the sounds all of these different Infected emit just cements the fear that they incite as you are playing. Runners make a lot of the typical zombie noises but they also like to scream on occasion, almost as though the person they once were is still trapped inside the shell. And the Clickers...well, they sound like the female ghost from the Grudge movies. It made my palms sweat every time I would hear one in the distance. Much like the human enemies, stealth is key to surviving the encounters with the Infected. And if you just run in and shoot, you will almost always end up attracting ALL of the Infected in an area to your location. There are even times when just sneaking past is the best tactic, particularly when it comes to groups of Clickers. Not only do they take more bullets to take down but if they manage to get close enough to you, the only way to keep them from killing you instantly is a shiv to the head. Note: always make sure you have plenty of shivs on you. My only complaint with the enemies of Last of Us was I felt like the balance of encounters was tipped a little more towards the human enemies then the Infected. Ultimately, this really didn't ruin the game for me but I was still surprised that a post-apocalyptic world after a large zombie pandemic did not have a lot more zombies shambling around. But on the other hand, having to deal with mass amounts of zombies all the time would completely take away from the stealth utilization of the game. I can understand why the developers went for a little more scarcity with the Infected.

Concept art of a Clicker, an advanced stage of the Infected

As for the graphics and design of the Last of Us, it is one of the more cinematic and beautiful games I've played recently. The environments are well constructed and look very organic. I also did not find myself getting lost very often which says to me that the design of the levels flowed naturally. I also really appreciated all the little fine details to the different scenes. The more you explored, the more layers you would find and usually the more collectables you would discover. I love Easter eggs like that. The character and animal animations were very crisp and realistic and I didn't experience much if any clipping or physics errors. The lighting was great for creating mood and I found that in the outdoor environments, the light sources seemed quite natual. All in all, this game seems very polished to me and I enjoyed the clear amount of time spent on all the details and presentation.

To end, this game was great. I love games that make me feel something for the world and characters I get to interact with. I wish I could speak more about the plot but I simply refuse to ruin it. Even despite the few faults I found, I just really enjoyed this gaming experience. So in short PLAY. THIS. GAME.  



 

Dead Space 3 DLC Review: Awakening

So recently, I was able to find the time to play through Dead Space 3: Awakening, the downloadable content released close after the game's release back in March. This addition starts off where the full game ends, continues to follow Isaac Clarke and Carver and is meant to serve as an epilogue to the main game. Almost more importantly though was rumor that the DLC was going back to the original horror genre that the first two games were built upon rather then the more action oriented game that Dead Space 3 ended up being. Naturally, I felt I needed to play it to see if these rumors were true and also to see what more there was to the story. I'm sorry to say, I was a little disappointed. But read on! And of course, there may be SPOILERS ahead!!

The game opens with Isaac waking up in what appears to be an apartment back on Earth. He stumbles into the bathroom, looks into the mirror and sees Carver instead of his own reflection. There's a flash, and Isaac and Carver find themselves once again on Tau Volantis after destroying the Necromorph moon by pulling it in and crashing it on the planet. In the wake of all the destruction, they have managed to survive. As it happens, some of the Unitologists have survived and are leaving the planet themselves. The goal becomes stealing one of the escaping ships to get off the planet and back to Earth as soon as possible. This is the first chapter. To be honest, the feeling of the chapter was about the same as Dead Space 3 in general to me: more action, less horror. However, there was one detail of this chapter that did in fact remind me of Dead Space 1 in particular: Unitologist soldiers going crazy. If you've played through Dead Space, you'll remember seeing various Ishimura crew members going crazy and usually killing themselves right in front of you. The imagery was downright creepy and really added to the fear of being trapped in the dead mining ship. While I didn't get the exact same feeling from the DLC, I still appreciated that the developers went back to the source material to create a feeling of dread. 

The second and third chapters take place upon the Terra Nova, one of the ghost ships floating over the ice planet. Carver and Isaac make it off the surface and attempt to fix the Terra Nova enough to jump it to Earth. But the Unitologists have taken up residence on the ship and it's revealed that a new cult within the Unitologists' ranks has taken over. These Unitologists have mutilated their limbs and wear hoods over their faces. They basically look as though they are trying to imitate the way the Necromorphs look. You have to fight your way through the ship and find the necessary parts to fix it. These chapters are definitely meant to feel more claustrophobic and haunted house like. The spaces are far less open then on the planet and darker too. Isaac and Carver are also having flashes in their heads revealing more about what happened on the ship. These flashes eventually evolve to encounters and serve as boss fights, which is reminiscent of the last boss fight in Dead Space 2. I won't reveal what happens in the end of the DLC, but it is supposed to serve as a more concrete ending to the main Dead Space 3 storyline.

Ultimately, I can see what the developers were trying to do with this DLC, but I ended up being fairly disappointed with it. There was a revisit to the horror feel the first two games were built upon, but it just wasn't enough. There were still points I felt freaked out, but it was not nearly the same as the primal fear I remember feeling from DS1 and DS2. The game play was the same as the main game (though that's to be expected) and I still ended up using my same two guns that I had from the main game. I did enjoy the revisit of being surrounded by people going insane from the Marker and the fear those scenes brought. But again, the whole thing felt "too little, too late" to me. While I have enjoyed the Dead Space series immensely, I feel that unless EA and Visceral choose to bring back the horror they utilized in the first two Dead Space games, the series is going to become boring. This DLC is worth playing through, but not for $10. Overall, it also did not fix the failures of the Dead Space 3 main game. 

Next up: Bioshock: Infinite AND The Last of Us (once Speeder and I finish it!)

It's been a long time.......

It's been far too long since my last post but I'm trying my best to get back into a regular writing schedule. With next week bringing big news from E3 and the release of The Last of Us on PS3, I should have plenty to write about. I'm also working on a post outlining my thoughts on the PS3/Xbox One and a detailed conversation about Bioshock Infinite between Felon and myself.

In other awesome news Felon and I will once again be traveling to Seattle in August to attend PAX Prime. Hopefully we will be posting more pictures and hands-on impressions during the convention this year.

Review: Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm

Starcraft was always one of my favorite game series when I was growing up. I played that game and Broodwar for hours at a time, entire weekends even. And although I enjoy playing all three of the Starcraft species and campaigns, the Zerg were always my favorite. So understandably, I've been pretty damn excited for the Starcraft 2 Zerg expansion to drop. This expansion is not just about the Zerg though. It's about one of my favorite game characters ever: Sarah Kerrigan aka the Queen of Blades. And I must say, it did not disappoint. Note: SPOILERS AHEAD!

So we begin the story with Kerrigan waking up in a lab after being rescued by Jim Raynor. She is mostly human just like at the end of the previous expansion yet she has also retained an ability to communicate with Zerg psychically. Soon after, Arcturus Mengsk's forces find the research lab and attack. Kerrigan is released to escape with Raynor and his forces and so she starts her journey. Ultimately, her goal remains constant through out the game: take revenge on Mengsk for originally abandoning her to the Zerg on Tarsonis. Still having a certain amount of control over the somewhat scattered Zerg, Kerrigan begins to rebuild her army in hopes of destroying Mengsk.

The Swarm Host, a new Zerg unit.

The basic game play is much like Wings of Liberty. You can control many more units (not sure how many because I've never tested for a limit) and amass your whole army with the click of a button. The old Zerg building requirements are still there: you must build on the creep and you can expand the creep by building certain structures. Luckily, you're given more options on how you can expand the creep quickly when in need. There are also more units capable of producing more creep such as the Zerg Queen. Very helpful for quick expansion and harvesting of resources. Zerg Hatcheries produce a lot more larvae at a time then they used to as well, which means that you don't have to build a load of extra hatcheries to make an army quickly. One thing that did bother me though (and apparently bothered many other players) was the time-limit on a majority of the levels in the single player campaign. While I recognize that putting a time limit or time restrictions on a level can force a player to react more quickly with strategy, it takes away from the player being able to explore their options and, in most cases, their new units. Again, this aspect wouldn't have bothered me as much if it had not felt like EVERY level was timed in one way or another. It made me feel rushed. And although the Zerg have a reputation for being fast (ie. the term "Zerg rush"), I would have liked to have a bit more time to see what I was capable of. However, this detail didn't ruin the game in any way for me. It was just a tad annoying.

The Ziper, another new unit.

There are new Zerg units and upgrades for most of them. I found that I did utilize a mixture of different units throughout the game moreso then I used to in the original Starcraft. The single player campaign is built around this of course, but I still feel like the units are a little more balanced and have more uses then they used to. But my old Zerg instincts kicked in any way, and I still would have my Hydralisks and/or Mutalisks as the core of my armies.The unit upgrade system is a little different from WoL in that you have to choose between a couple options for the evolution of a unit rather then several that can all be applied to the unit. It is similar to the Research ability in WoL. There are Evolution Missions which show you the two different evolutionary paths
for the unit and then you must choose between one or the other. You can also upgrade Kerrigan as she is your hero unit. You can only have a few of Kerrigan's abilities active at a time, but you can switch them whenever you are in the home screen. The higher level she becomes, the more options open up. This can be advantageous because some of Kerrigan's abilities affect how your base or units function. The only part of the game I haven't played around with yet is the multiplayer. I hope to find time to play a few games and see if the Zerg strategy remains similar to what it was in the original Starcraft. 

Personally, I enjoyed the story. It's all about Kerrigan and what's going on within her, and that's exactly what I had wanted. Although you follow Kerrigan somewhat in Starcraft and most of the time in the Zerg campaign in Brood War, she is still fully the Queen of Blades. This game presents a different side of Kerrigan, more depth then in previous encounters. It also shows that Kerrigan does still have a human side even though it appears to be deeply buried sometimes. Remember how I mentioned that in pieces of the trailers it looked like Kerrigan was in her Zerg-y form again? Well, lets just say that those scenes are not just of flashbacks. I won't ruin the story too much by saying why or how she transforms, but she changes. This is another part of the storyline I liked. You'll just have to play it for yourself to find out the whole story! I had read a few comments from players who didn't like the relationship between Kerrigan and Raynor, that it was too dramatic or like a soap opera. But to tell you the truth, they have always had a deeper connection with each other that has always been hinted at in the games, and expanded upon in the novels (namely in "The Queen of Blades" book). It seems to me that Blizzard is just being a little less ambiguous about something that had always been there between the two characters. Therefore, it did not bother me. It is just another way to show Kerrigan as a deeper character then just a monsterous murderess. You also get to see more about the Swarm as a whole and how they think. While you got to see some of this in Starcraft through the Overmind and the cerebrates, this Swarm is a bit different. They had been created and maintained by Kerrigan when she was the Queen of Blades, so they behave differently from the original Zerg forces in the previous games. Again, it's interesting to see this different perspective especially through Kerrigan's eyes. The Swarm begin to resemble friends, even family at times. It's definitely a different side from how the Zerg appear in Wings of Liberty. The only unfortunate part about the story is that now I want to see the conclusion with the Legacy of the Void expansion!

All in all, I enjoyed Heart of the Swarm immensely and I look forward to seeing the next piece in the story. Kerrigan remains one of my favorite game characters and it gave me such joy to play as my favorite Starcraft race again. I felt like the new units were fun to add into the fray of battle and although I didn't use them all constantly, they still have a place depending on what strategy you choose to utilize. The story kept me captivated (and kept me from getting to bed on time) and seems to be a good addition to the Starcraft mythos. If you're a Starcraft fan, this game is definitely worth a look. And if you're a Zerg fan, this game is definitely worth playing through. FOR THE SWARM!

Quick review: Dead Space 3

As always, time flies and more and more games come out. And again, I've fallen behind! BUT I am determined to do at least a short review of Dead Space 3 and Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm before continuing on. So first up, Dead Space 3!

To begin with, I think I have decided this is not my favorite of the Dead Space series. Don't get me wrong, it still scared the hell out of me and I enjoyed every bit of it. But this piece of the series is definitely different from the previous two games, as many other reviewers have mentioned. 
The story once again follows Isaac Clarke, the main protagonist from the previous Dead Space games. You guide him as you escape from a human world being taken over by the Unitologists and make your way to a frozen world called Tau Volantis, the planet from the Dead Space 3 demo and the location which is believed to be where the whole Necromorph and Marker phenomenon began. All the while, you're trying to find the truth about all the horrors Isaac has been through and what has become of Ellie, a character that Isaac befriends in Dead Space 2.

The combat system remains about the same with the exception of the ability to hide behind cover. It is particularly useful when you face off against other humans shooting or throwing grenades at you. Not much use against Necromorphs though as they prefer to melee attack.

A Feeder Necromorph.

 There are a few new Necromorph enemies including the Feeders, a creepily skinny human skeletal creature that makes a high pitched noise and moves very fast. Speeder and I both were incredibly freaked out by these Necromorphs and although there is a strategy on how to get by them without having them swarm, more often then not, you are going to come out of the battle bruised and in need of a health pack. This game has also brought back the Necromorph variety known as Twitchers. These are the fast-moving stasis-using Necromorphs that can zoom up to you in a heart beat lest you slow them with your own stasis unit. Although I remember these enemies from Dead Space 1, I had forgotten just how much trouble they could be. Half the time, their quick approach to me would psyche me out, and I would miss them with my stasis multiple times. Although most of the other Necromorph enemies are the same as the previous two games, there are still a few surprises. They are still definitely disturbing and deadly.
The character graphics and environments are still well put together and beautiful. Dead Space has never really disappointed me with the graphical elements. The lighting is perfectly utilized to frighten you and make you search every corner for enemies and supplies. Likewise, the sounds that go along with these environments create the scene. There are lots of ambient sounds that create a feeling of dread and fear, such as something rattling around in the walls or a metal object falling and clanging to the floor in the distance. And the enemies themselves also have recognizable sounds that are utilized to not only warn you of their approach but also shake your nerves and make it harder for you to focus on your task.

Now for the parts I did not like as much. As I had feared, the gun crafting system confused me. Maybe it's because I was used to have a set way to upgrade a set amount of weapons as you did in the previous games. Or maybe I just didn't spend enough time tinkering with it, though I feel as though I logged a decent amount of time. The point is that Speeder and I both found that there were really only a few guns that we used, and we used them for most of the game. I can understand the developers wanting to branch out from the norm as a game series goes on, but I just feel like the weapon crafting was made unwieldy by how much variation was allowed. Sometimes less is more.
Like many reviewers, I was also a little disappointed with the game's deviation from the original survival horror feeling. I had read that the game developers wanted to present a little more action mixed in with the horror to appeal to a wider audience. While I can understand this move, I definitely think it ultimately took away from the game. It also served to alienate a lot of the fans who love the Dead Space series for it's excellence as a survival horror series. There are parts in the game that just get to be a little to action movie and not enough haunted house. But I still liked the game very much and the weapons crafting and more-action didn't ruin it for me.

All in all, Dead Space 3 is a good addition to the Dead Space series and mythos. While it doesn't have quite as much of a survival horror feel as the previous two games, it still has plenty of scares and tense moments that will make you leave the lights on while you play it. And maybe when you try to go to bed.

It's almost time for Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm!!

Phew! It's been a busy month for games, and there's only more to come in March. Speaking of this, I just wanted to stop by and mention a little about the game that I am looking forward to most at the moment: Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm.

If you've read my previous post about Sarah Kerrigan, you understand exactly why I have so much anticipation for this next expansion of the Starcraft universe. This game will be completely focused around Kerrigan, much like the Zerg campaigns from Starcraft and Broodwar. However, this installment is especially exciting because of the manner in which the previous expansion ended. WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD!! James Raynor, the primary character for the Terran campaigns in Starcraft, finds a Protoss relic that turns Kerrigan mostly human at the end of Wings of Liberty. But from the trailer for HotS, it is implied that Kerrigan still has a connection to the Zerg. Not only that, in the newest trailer, she is seen as the Queen of Blades again. Could these be flashbacks? Or does Kerrigan purposely find a way to turn herself back to her insect-like form? What will happen between her and Raynor, as the trailer suggests that she essentially goes rogue? So many questions! Almost a week to wait, and as a big Zerg fan, I have been waiting for this campaign since I heard Starcraft 2 was being made! Anyhow, I'll leave you with the most recent trailer and let you decide for yourself. Expect a review as soon as I play through it!

And P.S. don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Dead Space 3 or Aliens: Colonial Marines. I will get to those reviews soon! Well, once I can make myself get through Colonial Marines that is...

Preview: Dead Space 3

Today, thanks to Speeder, I got to play through the Dead Space 3 demo on the XBox 360.. I freaking love the first two games, so you can imagine my anticipation for this third installment set to hit stores around February 5th. If you've never played the Dead Space games before, picture Alien but with LOTS of zombie-like aliens. These games are downright frightening but I absolutely love them for it. I highly suggest playing through them before playing Dead Space 3 as all the games have a great ongoing storyline. 
The demo was pretty basic. It didn't give away much as far as what this installment plans for the progression of the story, but it did show a few new details to the game. It opens with a scene of Isaac Clarke (the main character of the series) waking up in a crash site upon a snowy planet. You quickly find yourself wandering in a blizzard to find shelter with little more than your plasma cutter and RIG suit. You continue to wander and encounter Necromorphs, a large necromorph creature, and new human adversaries. You also get to see the new version of the work bench and the new weapon crafting system. That's right, you can now construct customized weapons with parts you find. The system seems a little confusing right now, but I have a feeling that it will become clearer in the full version of the game. I hope this is true because there is a lot of potential for this system to be great and really useful, or overly complicated and frustrating.You can also still upgrade your suits and weapons like in the previous games.
The enemies and controls seem about the same as before. The necromorphs move and pop out of nowhere the same way as they have before: when you least expect it. I'm sure that there have been upgrades to the AI and the boss fights, but it's hard to tell with just this tidbit of game play. The controls are just how I remember them. Everything is assigned to the same buttons as the previous games, so I barely needed to read the little hints that kept popping up.Some may disagree with me, but I find it nice to already know the controls to a game. It is a good and easy way to tie a game series together and make it easier on gamers who want to play all the games in the series. 

All in all, I am very excited for this next installment of the Dead Space series. I love the scares and disturbing imagery the past games have given me, and the storyline compels me to keep playing them despite how creeped out I become. Hopefully, Dead Space 3 will live up to it's predecessors. And on a side note, now I must go off and play them again. With the lights out.

The Walking Dead: The Game. Seriously, PLAY THIS GAME.

So suddenly it's January, 2013. Which means that time has once again gotten away from me and I've been neglecting our humble little blog here. But no time to lament over that now! I have a very good game that I must talk about now, having just finished playing it in it's entirety.

Let me begin by saying that I now understand why The Walking Dead game has won Game of the Year 2012 from so many different sources. I've been gaming for a long time, but I can't remember the last time a game got so deeply into my head. The Walking Dead is a point-and-click style game, which means that you have a 3rd person view of the world and can move your character around to interact with items and other characters in the world. Almost everything you do results in the storyline changing based upon your decisions in what actions to take and how you interact with other characters. Seems fairly easy right? Wrong. This game forces you to make very tough, emotionally-intense decisions. AND you have a very limited time to select what you say or do in most cases. For example, you might be forced to take sides when two characters are arguing with each other. If you agree with one, you alienate the other and that could very well screw you over in some way later on in the game. It made me feel so overwhelmed and depressed at one point that I actually had to take a break from playing it for several days. I can't remember the last time a game was intense enough to make me stop playing it. But despite the intensity, the story is well crafted and provides good replay value. I found that right after I made a decision, I wanted to go back the next time I play through it and choose another option, just to see what would happen differently. When Speeder and I have discussed our games with each other, we have found our experiences are very unique. Of course, we found there were certain story progressions that don't change no matter what you choose, but we also found that both of our gaming experiences were very different from one another. Again, great replay value here.  

Lee Everett

The story itself is enthralling (and reminds me a lot of the pace of the graphic novels), but the characters also draw you into the game. You play as Lee Everett, a man who seems like a good person but has a clouded past. You also come across a little girl named Clementine who becomes another central figure in the storyline. There are many more people who you encounter in your attempt to escape the walking corpses littering the Georgia countryside, and the characters are written in such a great, human way that you end up getting really attached to most of them. But very early on, you learn that much like the Walking Dead graphic novels, you never know when someone's time might be up. I don't want to give too much away in this review, but the truth is that a lot of these characters aren't going to make it to the end of the game. And yet even knowing that, I still got attached to new people who came along as the story progressed. One of the aspects of a game that really draws me in and keeps me playing are characters that grow on you as well as characters who you grow to dislike, and this game has great character development on both sides.
 The graphics of The Walking Dead are beautiful even though the cel-shading style of animation may not be as realistic as other styles. This art style does remind me a lot of the comics though, and I can always appreciate when a development team pays attention to the source material and carries aesthetic details over to the game they make. The animations are smooth for the most part, and the facial expressions and body movements of the characters work well. The only problem I encountered was occasionally having a pause during certain action scenes, and I believe this was due partially to our XBox's disc drive. Other than that, the game ran great.

Like the title of the post says: PLAY THIS GAME. It may be an intensely emotional zombie-filled ride but it's definitely a game that should be played once through. I feel like many people may shy away from it because it is not as action heavy as a lot of other zombie games out there, but that does not stop it from being a truly excellent game. PLAY IT.


Aaaand coming up soon: Dead Space 3, Aliens:Colonial Marines and our Borderlands 2 cos-play.