TGS 2009 – PSP Go and Little Big Planet Portable Hands-on Impressions

At Tokyo Game Show on Thursday and Friday, I had two relatively brief opportunities to get my hands on the forthcoming PSP Go, due October 1st in the US and EU, and 1st November in Japan. My first hands-on was 3 minutes spent playing Gran Turismo, whilst the PSP was attached to a Sony employee by an elastic cord! It was rather off putting trying to play the Go whilst connected to a full grown woman, so I couldn’t really come to any sort of conclusion about the system.

However, the next day I was afforded a second chance to play 15 minutes of Little Big Planet on the lilliputian Go, and this time I was only attached to the playing stand, which made proceedings that much easier. I’ll start with some thoughts on LBP, which thankfully remains as fun and as charming as its home console brethren. The available stage had an Outback setting and contained all the gameplay elements that any fan of the original will be acutely familiar with: jumping, seesaws, swinging from objects and lots of pushing and dragging boxes. It all seemed well and good, though some of the problems that plagued the original were still present, most notably the fiddliness of moving between the foreground and background of the levels. Still, I am happy to report that all seems to be well in the strange universe of LBP.

As for the PSP Go, it’s a mixed bag. My main concern, the relative proximity of the face buttons, was a negligible problem at best. I didn’t have cause to use the d-pad, but simultaneously using the analogue nub and the face buttons was comfortable and easy. The system fits nicely in the palm, and does look the bees-knees. And although the screen is slightly smaller than the PSP 3000, it didn’t impact my enjoyment in any way, and to be honest, I didn’t really notice the difference.

However, one problem did rear its ugly head, and made me sour on the system considerably. Whilst using the analogue nub, face and shoulder buttons is easy, and surprisingly comfortable, my remaining six fingers were forced into a rather un-natural and uncomfortable position at the rear of the unit. Due to the significantly reduced size, my fingers were forced to interlock and overlap, which caused some minimal discomfort, which I can only imagine would be magnified over a longer playing session. I must stress here that I did only play for around 15 minutes, and I could only remove the Go so far from its display stand, as for security reasons it was attached by a short cord, thus I didn’t have the freedom of movement that I would have liked. Still, it’s definitely a concern.

Alongside my hands-on session, Sony’s backtracking on original statements suggesting there would be some sort of goodwill program, allowing the existing base of PSP users to trade in their UMDs for their digital counterparts, has led me to drastically change my tune concerning the Go. Add the high price point into the equation, as well as some worrying, though granted, limited rumblings that some retailers are refusing to carry it, and I really cannot justify picking one up for now.

I think the PSP Go is a brave and logical move by Sony. I can foresee it achieving a certain level of popularity initially, being a smart looking portable that has appeal for an audience that always welcomes new gadgets. But, I struggle to envision it sustaining any sort of continued success, particularly if Sony is unable, or unwilling to shift their position on a goodwill UMD exchange programme.

Hands-on Impressions From Tokyo Game Show - Day 2, part 2

Ok, here is part two of my TGS Day 2 round-up. The first part of day 2 can be found here. Day 1 is here.

Bayonetta

SEGA were on fine form at this year’s TGS. Alongside Bayonetta, Valkyria Chronicles 2 and End of Eternity which were playable and the Yakuza 4 mammoth preview constituted a very successful showing for SEGA and its partners. I was fortunate enough to get some behind the scenes time with Platinum Games’ Bayonetta, which meant I could play for longer, and avoided the queues on the main floor. I was a happy man! As for the game, the combat is absolutely frantic. Although it’s certainly more than reminiscent of Devil May Cry, I would say it goes a step beyond. During the first section I played, Bayonetta is fighting a collection of demons on a huge clock face, which has evidently fallen from a huge tower, and is now tumbling through the air. With so much going on, and so many OTT moves available, you would think it would run the risk of trying to do too much, yet I always felt in full control of the combat. It’s extremely pretty and it also sounded great. My only concern is, when playing through the whole game, will the frantic style begin to wear thin and become a little too repetitive, as I found to be the case in the Devil May Cry series. However, in a short burst at least, Bayonetta proves to be highly entertaining and worthy of the hype.

Monster Hunter Tri

My knowledge and experience of the Monster Hunter series is extremely limited. But, upon entering the Capcom demonstration room, in a hotel across the street from the main convention, I was ushered into a 4 player co-op game of the forthcoming western instalment of Monster Hunter Tri. It was fun trying to take down a massive beast with my fellow hunters, and I can certainly see the appeal of the concept. The guy who was leading us through waxed lyrical about the system of upgrades and special moves peculiar to each class, and it all sounded suitably impressive. However, it was not without its faults. It wasn’t exactly the prettiest game in the world, even for the Wii, and the slightly bumbling controls were less forgivable on a home console than they are on a PSP.

Samurai Spirits

SNK’s latest instalment is coming to the Xbox360. It all seemed ok, though I barely played it for more than 2 minutes. Truth be told, I had to play one more game at the 360 booth to receive these fetching badges (pictured), and SS was the only game that had no wait!

Biohazard: The Darkside Chronicles

I had two opportunities to play the follow up to Umbrella Chronicles, once at the Capcom booth and the other in the aforementioned press room. This afforded me the chance to explore levels from all three of the scenarios (Resident Evil 2, Code Veronica and a new narrative following Leon and Krauser), which all played in a very similar fashion to its predecessor, which I viewed as extremely good news, as I thoroughly enjoyed UC. The zombies seemed a little less susceptible to bullets this time round, there is a nice array of enemies and Capcom have once again ensured that the on-rails gameplay is supported by a strong narrative. I only had one real gripe, that being the overly wobbly and disorientating camera, which attempts to build suspense but ends up leaving you feeling a little travel sick. Otherwise, it’s another sound entry into the Resi series, and one that I will be picking up when it’s released in November.

Darkside Chronicles also provided one of the funnier moments of the two days. I played co-op with one of the girls at the Capcom booth, and she seemed rather impressed when I turned down her advice to play the demo on easy setting, inside opting for normal! Anyway, she held her own throughout the game, but pulled back at certain points to allow me to fully experience the game. However, her competitive nature quickly shone through, as time and time again she raced to pick up new weapons from the foreground before I had time to even register their presence! Oh well, I guess she needed something to keep herself amused after two days of playing the same game over and over again.

Ryu Ga Gotoku 4 – Yakuza 4

The extended trailer was definitely one of the highlights of the show, as well as being one of the highest profile Japanese titles featured. A good ten minutes longer than the trailer that I have seen doing the rounds online, it was as impressive as it was loud. Led into a closed-off theatre in the SEGA booth and greeted by hostess models, we were treated to a trailer which covered the 4 main characters, the story, combat, setting, product placement, available extra curricular activities and the voice talent. The story follows four main protagonists through their life on the streets of a pseudo-Shinjuku, and was as bloody as it was exciting. The combat is as crazy and unrealistic as previous instalments, and the cut scenes demonstrated an impressive eye for detail, and were a real graphical achievement. One scene that particularly stood out depicts one of the leads, a dangerous looking, hulking assassin, entering a Ramen store full of goons, which he proceeds to light up Desperado style with his vast array of pistols, one of which he keeps clasped between his teeth. Of course there are the obligatory past-time activities to keep you amused, like karaoke, bowling and visiting a hostess bar, and the create a hostess mode looks like it will provide hours of fun. A bearded hostess anyone?! The whole thing was extremely film like, and with the recent announcement that Yakuza 3 is getting an English translation, we may allow ourselves to be optimistic, that in time Yakuza 4 will follow suit.

More Lost Planet 2

Yes, I played it again, though this time I had a go at a different portion of the game. As I previously blogged about here LINK, on day 1 I played the 4 player co-op where you aim to take down a gigantic beast, in a very Monster Hunter style. It’s the same monster you take down at the end of the demo available on the PS3 store, and I absolutely love it. This time around, I played a 4 on 4 capture the flag type mode, which was also highly enjoyable, although wasn’t nearly as fun as taking down the beast in the first co-op demo.

Quantum Theory

Tecmo's venture into the realm of Gears of War clones was extremely forgettable. I applaud Tecmo for trying their hand at something a little different, for them at least, but the game has too many issues at present for me to be more optimistic. The concept of organic surroundings that shift according to your movements sounds very promising, but was not immediately evident in the demo. Graphically, its unimpressive, the combat was fiddly and unresponsive and it tried to ape GOW more than I was comfortable with.

Game Bar A-Button

As you may have guessed, this isn’t a game, but a bar. Myself, thedogbarks and a friend visited in the evening, had a couple of drinks, shot the shit with the owner and played yet more games. It’s a nice place to wind down in the evening, and is a 5 minute walk away from Akihabara. Well worth checking out, though due to its small size, you can’t always guarantee that you’ll get in.


So that was day 2, and I still have plenty more posts up my sleeve, including my reactions on the PSP Go, MGS Peace Walker and a picture blog. I’m currently debating as to whether I should brave the crowds tomorrow for one last visit. Deep down, I already know the answer.

Hands-on Impressions From TGS - Day 2, part 1

So day two is done and dusted, and the busy public days have just begun. I’m currently sitting at my computer, in my Saturn t-shirt, press pass dangled round my neck, now rendered useless, mourning the passing of two of the most enjoyable days of my time spent in Japan. It’s back to reality on Monday, with a possible brief return to TGS on Sunday, but in the meantime, here is the first half of my TGS Day 2 round-up. Part 2 will follow later today, with a look at the PSP Go, a picture journal of events and loads more impressions from TGS to follow shortly.


Uncharted 2

My first point of call for day 2 was Uncharted 2. As soon as the doors opened, I made a bee-line for the Sony booth, where I was able to sit straight down and get into my most anticipated game of the year. I know its near release, has a popular and widely available multiplayer beta, and has already garnered sparkling reviews, but I just couldn’t resist the chance to sink my teeth into the singleplayer a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. Set in the already familiar 5th stage, in a war-torn town, events unfold with Nathan Drake being chased down an alley by a runaway truck, and moves into a shoot-out and climbing section. The stage adequately demonstrated Drake’s combat and climbing techniques and was an absolute tour de force. And for the record, the water effects are excellent once again, with water realistically rippling, and leaving our protagonist’s clothes drenched. It was just a shame that, playing the JPN version, I wasn’t treated to the voice of Drake as I know it. It’s not exactly breaking news, but Uncharted 2 positively oozes charm.

Assassins Creed 2

First off, the demo had a really nice set up, with an English speaking member of staff demonstrating the controls and answering any questions I had, in full. I jokingly asked him how many times he had played through this section of the game, and he informed me “about 100 times”, with a smile. As for the actual game, there was only so much I could garner from the Venetian level. The climbing and diving head first off a building remain as exhilarating as before, but there were some very evident problems with the collision detection and the combat remains quite limited, especially considering that Ezio is supposed to be a multi-skilled assassin.

The first new feature that the demo guy wanted to show me was that you can now swim, the omission of which he was quick to admit was a little strange and frustrating in the first game. Obviously, this is quite helpful considering you are plying your trade in Venice! Another welcome new feature was the ability to earn money, which you can use to buy the services of onlookers. For example, you can hire a couple of fetching ladies, or strong armed thugs to cause a distraction to aid you in your endeavours. Graphically, the game looked a little rough around the edges, which is a concern consider how close it is to release. Overall, from what I saw and experienced first hand, Assassin’s Creed 2 is sure to please fans of the original, but is unlikely to win over its original detractors.

PSP Go and Little Big Planet

I was able to spend more time with the PSP Go on day 2. I have a few things to say about it, so I will save it alongside LBP portable, for the post after next.

End of Eternity

Initially, this was not a game that I was particularly interested in. However, I will soon be contributing to a UK based website, more on that soon, and they wanted some information about tri-Ace/Sega’s forthcoming RPG strategy gun-fest. End of Eternity, to be known in the West as Resonance of Fate, mixes aspects from a number of different games and genres, and from what I could tell from the 15 minute playable demo, did so relatively successfully. Combat is a quite straightforward, real-time affair, and by making use of angles, and positioning yourself between your other characters, you can pull off satisfying combos. It’s stylish in its presentation, though the in-game levels were quite bare and uninspiring for a PS3 and 360 title. Although very linear in its design, moving from one predetermined arena to the next, it was enjoyable and displayed a great deal of potential. We will just have to wait and see if it fulfils it.



I will post the rest of my day 2 round-up in the next couple of hours, where I will touch upon the Yakuza 4 video, Bayonetta and Biohazard – Darkside Chronicles amongst others.

Hands-on Impressions From Tokyo Game Show - Highlights From Day 1

Day one of Tokyo Game Show was as hectic as it was entertaining. From playable demos, and non-event keynotes, to golden thrones (sorry about the last post HERE) and SEGA Saturn t-shirts, it was absolutely a day well spent.

I’m a little pressed for time at the moment, with another early start ahead of me for day 2, so what follows are a few of my musings concerning day 1 of TGS. I will post in a lot more detail over the weekend and share the vast array of photos that I have been taking.


The Sony Keynote

The first part of the day for most of us, and a slightly disappointing one at that. There were no big announcements, and aside from a few interesting sound bytes from SCEI CEO Kazuo Hirai, there was nothing new. Kaz Hirai merely recapped Sony’s performance of late, stressed the importance of network and interactive entertainment, waxed lyrical about Little Big Planet, waved around a glow stick/motion control wand and talked about his dreams of video games that respond to your emotions. I will write about this in a bit more detail over the weekend.

God of War 3

I’m a big fan of the first two games, so I was positively chomping at the bit to finally have a go at the third installment. So I joined the back of the queue and prepared myself for a longish wait. An hour and 20 minutes later, and I was well and truly sick and tired of seeing Kratos pull out a Cyclops’ eye on loop, on a screen overhanging us waiting punters. Finally I was summoned behind an ominous black curtain, only to be ushered into a second, but much shorter queue!

Anyway, eventually I got my grubby hands on the game, and I have to say, I was a little under-whelmed. The gameplay was standard GOW fair, and there was a certain amount of graphical polish, but it just didn’t seem to come together. Granted, it was only a 15 minute demo, but it left me just a little less excited about its March 2010 release. Of particular concern is the dodge/roll command which is controlled by the right analogue stick. It was very difficult and disorientating to pull-off when used in tandem with other buttons.

Ninja Gaiden Σ2

Now this was more like it. A brisk 30 second wait over at the PlayStation booth, and I was playing a surprisingly entertaining PS3 title. I have never played a Ninja Gaiden game, so I had very few expectations and came out thoroughly impressed. The main character moves very smoothly and effortlessly, gracefully jumping from one enemy to the next, severing a leg here, and an arm there. It also featured some rather impressive backdrops, from modern rooftops to a river lined with cherry trees in blossom. Tecmo, you have my attention.

Lost Planet 2

Now, this was very, very good. An all too brief co-op with four players, but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless, Capcom have seemingly taken the approach of making a Monster Hunter clone, but with guns, and it comes across really well. Looks to be the ideal co-op games to play with friends, and its 2010 release is now firmly on my radar. Far and away the most fun demo I played all day.

Metal gear Solid - Peace Walker

This game received by far the most floor space at the Konami booth, with the Raiden led MGS Rising being notable only in its absence. Upon joining the line, we entered a small staircase, where we were greeted by a merc barking tongue-in-cheek orders. We were then led into a cargo crate full of screens and USB cables, where we were able to download the TGS demo of MGS PW to our own PSP, to take away and enjoy. I have only had a brief go, during my long wait for GOW3, but I will be dedicating an entire post to a review once I have had a chance to play it through more thoroughly.

Valkyria Chronicles 2

I loved the original, so I jumped at the chance to try SEGA’s sequel on the PSP. Sony had dedicated a large portion of their booth to the PSP, with a number of games available to play on a raised platform overseeing the show floor. Anyway, fans of VC will be happy to hear that this is more of the same, and I mean that in a good way. Despite the overwhelming number of kanji, I had no problem navigating the screens and taking the enemy’s base. The story book style graphics are still present, as are the central game mechanics, but as for the narrative, a real strength of the first game, the trailer didn’t reveal any new details.

PSP Go

I had the briefest of goes with Sony’s new, and apparently improved, PSP. A number of women from the Sony booth were walking around with a PSP attached to their belt by an elastic cord. They made for a rather oversized strap/accessory! I played Gran Turismo, and the proximity of the button layout didn’t cause me any problems. However, I spent far too short a time playing to give any real verdict, so I will try to get more of an extended session with the Go, elastic cord and Sony employee, tomorrow (which has now become today as I’m writing this!).

Final Fantasy XIII

It’s everything you would expect it to be, playing smoothly and looking amazing. Though I have to say, my gasps of awe were saved for the final screen of the demo, which revealed the price point of ¥8800, before tax! I had the chance to play through two short sections of the game, with two different characters, which were centered on a series of short fights. Instead of glossing over the experience, this is another post that I will save for the weekend.


So all in all, it was a great day, and a real eye opener. My plans for tomorrow are:

Buy those SEGA Saturn T-shirts
Take more pictures
Play Uncharted 2, the new Okami game, Heavy Rain, Resident Evil Darkside Chronicles, Assassin’s Creed and some of the smaller, lesser known titles on show.

For now, I better get some rest. Be sure to check back tomorrow.

What I'm Most Looking Forward to at Tokyo Game Show

Just 2 days to go until Tokyo Game Show 2009, and I cant wait. I will be in attendance on Thursday, Friday and maybe one of the public, weekend days. After attending the last 3 years on one of the ridiculously packed public days, I finally secured myself a press pass, and will have a preview and a recap of the event published in a magazine to boot.

Anyway, here are a few of the games and events that I am most looking forward to -


PSP Go – TGS will provide an ideal opportunity to have some hands on time with the new PSP, only a few days before the US and European release, and a month before the Japanese. I am intrigued by Sony’s portable update, but I do have some concerns about the proximity of the buttons, and the slightly smaller screen. TGS should give me a good chance to decide whether I will be upgrading or not, and it will be interesting to see if any announcement concerning trade-ins for existing UMD titles will be forthcoming.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – I don’t think I am alone in saying that I have been blown away by the footage and reviews of Nathan Drake’s latest escapades. Not having access to the beta, I am looking forward to finally being able to play the demo later this week and am already counting down the days until the October release. With Metal Gear and Final Fantasy going multi platform, I think this is Sony’s jewel in the crown, and it should receive plenty of floor space at the show.

Final Fantasy XIII – I remember reading that XIII will be playable at TGS, though I’m not quite sure if it’s going to be a new slice of gameplay, or what has been available previously. I will be sure to take advantage of any opportunity to play, and will be sure to have my kanji dictionary to hand to help me navigate all those tricky menus! However, for some reason I am more intrigued by……

Final Fantasy XIV - Square-Enix’s credibility may have taken a bit of a hit by announcing the forthcoming release of FFXIV at E3 a good 6 months before XIII hits shelves in Japan, and who knows how long before the rest of the world get it. Furthermore, their announcement that it will be a MMORPG, just like FFXI, raised some eyebrows. I really enjoyed my brief time playing FFXI, but it wasn’t a game without flaws. They will have to implement some big changes, and win over gamers who aren’t interested in taking their role playing online, but there is no reason to believe that they can’t. Chances are nothing will be playable, but I will definitely be queuing up for a peek at Square-Enix’s second FF foray into the world of MMORPGs.

Useless merchandise and free stuff – I already have my eye on the free MGS badges and t-shirts that Konami will be giving away, and I’m a sucker for Mog plush toys. Best bring a big bag, and leave my wallet at home.

Seeing a few familiar faces – I have a couple of friends who will be in attendance, so I will be sure to keep an eye out for them. Though I have to say, much like hunting for a particular game in Akihabara, TGS is best enjoyed on your relative lonesome, free to play the games you want to play most. And people have the cheek to say I’m a little anti social!

 

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - Big Boss’ return to the PSP has been announced as a playable demo, and a second, three level demo will be made available to download to your PSP and take away from the Konami booth. There are also badges and t-shirts :).

Metal Gear Solid Rising - Hopefully something will be shown for the next home console installment of the Metal Gear saga. Starring the formally derided lady boy turned robotic ninja hard man Raiden, details have so far been few and far between. Hopefully Hideo Kojima will deliver the goods yet again. And sticking with PS3 MGS titles, is it possible that the oft speculated trophy patch for MGS4 will finally be announced?

Playing games that I know I’m good at, so as to look cool in front of friends and strangers – See Resistance 2 at TGS 2008.

Avoiding games I’m god-awful at – Getting my arse kicked at Sega’s booth on a new Puyo Puyo game 2 years ago, in front of a large group of onlookers, taught me this important TGS lesson.

The Last Guardian - The team behind Ico and Shadow of the Colossus have been hard at work bringing their next game to the PS3. Not many details have been made available, but hopes are high. I’m looking forward to seeing something more substantial than the brief but brilliant E3 trailer, and have a new found desire to see more of this game, after having my first taste of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus very recently.

No More Heroes 2 – More Travis Touchdown please.

New IPs and unannounced titles – High profile sequels and big name franchises are all well and good, but everyone loves discovering something new and exciting. With console price cuts abound, the pressure is on for Sony and Microsoft to one-up the competition with a new killer app. Will TGS play host to such an announcement? I’ll tell you in a couple of days.

Project Needlemouse – I have no idea if any new information is due from SEGA concerning the promised return to 2D-form for Sonic the Hedgehog, but I can hope. A lot is riding on this title for SEGA, and fans like myself, whilst extremely weary of recent Sonic games, have every finger and toe firmly crossed. Do the hedgehog proud, SEGA. Werehogs and sidekicks, with the exception of Tails, need not apply.

Valkyria Chronicles 2 – I loved the first game on the PS3, and was a little surprised to hear that the sequel would hit the PSP as opposed to the home console. Still, I’m happy that this surprisingly thoughtful, deep, challenging and stylish strategy series will live on. Has been announced as a playable demo.

TGS Forum – This year features a keynote from President and Group CEO of SCE, Kaz Hirai as well as representatives from a wide range of industry movers and shakers. I do really want to attend, but being the morning of the first day, there may be more pressing matters at hand, i.e. playing video games.


Aside form all of this, other great looking titles like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Assassin’s Creed II, God of War III, Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles, Dead Rising 2, Halo Reach, and Castlevania – Lords of Shadow are all likely to feature in one form or another.

Be sure to check back from Thursday onwards for lots of news, and hopefully pictures, from the show floor.

But Where is the Box? - PlayStation Store and Downloadable Games

When I bought my PS3 around a year and a half ago, the PlayStation Network service had absolutely no influence upon my purchase. I’m not even sure if I knew what PSN was. Yet over the last year, it has played an increasingly substantial role in the way that I enjoy and use my PS3.

Initially, I had zero interest in downloading games. I never download music, from itunes or otherwise, and have always taken a perverse pride in the CDs, DVDs and game boxes lining my shelves, so the thought of downloading games from the PlayStation Store did not interest me in the slightest. In fact, it took a month before I even bothered to hook up my console to the internet.

After a while, I started to check into the store for the odd demo, and eventually I succumbed to my first downloaded game, Flower. Since then, the store has become a central part of my gaming experience. From the laid back experience of the mesmerising Flower, multiplayer fun with Worms to reminiscing with Final Fantasy VII, downloaded games have started to warrant more and more of my gaming time, not to mention space on my hard drive. With Battlefield 1943 and Shatter claiming the last few precious bytes of my original 40GB HD, I updated to a 120GB replacement. Flushed with my newly acquired bytes, I recently downloaded Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Fat Princess and Burnout Paradise Big Surf Island and there is plenty of space for Trine and mining the PS1 resources on the Japanese store.

I really don’t feel like I have to give much thought to paying £4 for a game like Shatter, or ¥700 for Flower. And the overall experience and amount of time I put into Battlefield 1943 still surprises me for a downloaded title. There is a great deal of quality and choice on show, and armed with an address and point card, it’s easy to set up multiple accounts across different regions.

For all of Sony’s past blunders with the PS3, be they real or imagined, PSN, and more specifically the PlayStation Store, is definitely something that they can be proud of. There is also a great deal of scope for future improvements, perhaps with an increase in episodic titles, and fingers crossed, PS2 titles. I have no idea about the technological ramifications of running downloaded PS2 titles, but it would seem to be a win win situation, with Sony receiving an influx of cash for titles that have long since paid for themselves, whilst gamers would benefit from easy access to a vast back catalogue of impressive games.


Odds & Ends

“The things I’ll teach ya is sure to beat ya, But nevertheless you’ll get a lesson from teacher”, so says Chop Chop Master Onion. I picked up a dirt cheap copy of Parappa the Rapper for the PlayStation on Friday, and I’m absolutely loving it. I didn’t play it when it first came out, so its all new to me. I will definitely be putting up a Parappa related blog once I have finished the game.

Entering The Halo Universe For The First Time

With Halo ODST just around the corner, I feel it’s about time that I finally delved into the Halo games that have been waiting patiently on my shelf. You see, I have never played a Halo game (aside from a 10 minute session on Halo 3), despite being a FPS fan, a heavy consumer of video games, and an Xbox 360 owner. I want to allow myself to get caught up in the hyperbole that will come hand in hand with ODST's release. To do so, I need to invest in what came before it. I will turn on my 360, and I will play some Halo.

My Halo negligence stems from my relationship with Xbox. At the time of release, I was too firmly entrenched in my PS2 gaming to be interested in the ugly brick that was the Xbox, thus many a quality title passed me by entirely. I finally bought a 360 about 6 months ago, when after a few pints too many in Akihabara, I decided to go home via the shops. This is never a particularly sound idea. “A 360” I must have said to myself, “that sounds like a good idea”. I’m pleasantly surprised that I didn’t drop it on the way home.

I had been considering buying one for a few months, as I was interested in playing Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising and of course Halo 3, but it took a couple of beers for me to see the true merits of such a purchase. Since that day, I have played only one game from start to finish, Dead Rising, which I thoroughly enjoyed, starting and almost immediately abandoning a handful of other titles. In fact, my fiancé has gotten far more mileage out of it, currently being a fair way through The Last Remnant. I’m not sure how much she is enjoying it though, as every time I look over my shoulder she seems to be stuck in a cave and/or loading screen.

 

On top of this, there is my propensity for the PS3. For one reason or another, I just happen to love playing it. Whether it’s my familiarity with the Sony brand, the games, the interface, trophies or the fact that more of my friends have PS3s, the 360 is severely losing the battle for my attention. I will now kiss my PS3. However, I am not a stubborn Sony purist, as I can quite clearly see the merits of Microsoft’s machine and some of the outstanding games that it boasts, but I just can’t motivate myself to play it. However, in my desire to experience the Halo series, I am determined to at least attempt to resolve this.

When I think of Halo I think of Master Chief, space travel, shooting from vehicles, tea bagging, a strong story and guns. As you can see, I really don’t know all that much about Halo! But that’s all about to change as I finally jump into a series that I’m bound to enjoy. It’s been 8 years coming, but I’m finally going to do it. All I have to do is turn off my PS3 first.



Odds & Ends

I got the final confirmation/paperwork for my Tokyo Game Show press pass last week. Having attended the last three years on the extremely busy public days, I’m really excited to get an opportunity to be there for both industry days, starting on September 24th. I managed to utilize a bit of initiative this year and offered to write a preview and round up of the event for a magazine, in return for a press pass. Voila, pass got! I will be posting lots of news and pictures from TGS, so watch this space.

I have been playing and thoroughly enjoying Batman - Arkham Asylum. Not wanting to add to the astounding number of online blogs dedicated to it, I will keep my comments to one bullet point. It’s an excellent game, and is extremely accessible for people like me, whose Batman knowledge comes from the films, and have no interest in comics. I do have one bone to pick though, and it concerns the Detective Mode, which allows you to see through walls, spot secret areas and locate armed guards, but causes you to view the game in a dull palette. The game rewards you for using this mode, but in doing so, the excellent visuals are sacrificed. I found myself spending the vast majority of the game in this mode. It would have been great if Rocksteady had better incorporated this feature with the visuals, or limited its use somewhat. Still, I’m nitpicking about what will probably stand as one of the best games of the year.

The Small Things That Make Great Games Great

It’s often the little things that stay with us the longest. A smell that reminds you of home, a simple conversation with a friend that has stayed with you for no apparent reason, a hazy memory from a night out, or a specific moment from a TV show that you can recall all too clearly. Its strange how these little, seemingly insignificant things stick with us. Video games are no different.

For every great game, there a couple of small moments or features that helped to make it what it is. It may only be a miniscule part of the entire package, yet its one of the first things that come to mind when you recall said title. The following moments are some examples from my gaming experience:

Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Master System)

Look behind you!

For all the enduring memories from this iconic game, there is one miniscule moment which has had a profound influence upon the way that I play video games. From the very beginning of Act 3, Bridge Zone, instead of heading forward, take a few steps backwards into the left of the screen. Low and behold, there is an extra life. To this very day, whenever I spawn into a new level, the first thing I do is instinctively check the surroundings directly behind me before pushing forward, no matter the game. And it’s all due to a tiny moment in one of the first games I ever played.


Burnout Paradise (PS3)

Custom tunes

I’m not a great fan of racing games. On the odd occasion that I do play one, it will only keep me entertained for a very short period of time. But Burnout Paradise is different. I come back to this game time and time again, most recently to play the Big Surf Island DLC, and I still thoroughly enjoy it. The ability to play your own custom soundtrack whilst drifting around Paradise City is a major contributing factor, and remains perhaps my favourite aspect of the whole game. I know that custom soundtracks are hardly anything new, but it feels like this game was designed to be enjoyed alongside your favourite tunes. It helps to make the game what it is, and is absolutely central to my continued presence in Paradise city.


Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

Dual shock

The Metal Gear Solid series is littered with ingenious little moments that challenge and reshape your view of the medium. These moments stay with you just as long as any boss fight, cut scene or character. The use of the dual shock controller in Metal Gear Solid is a perfect example of this. Psycho Mantis utilizes his unworldly powers to cause your controller to take a wander across the room, and the throbbing of the dual shock is utilized to sooth your aching muscles after a session of torture/button mashing. They represent two great examples of video games thinking outside of the box, and remain two of the first things I think about when recalling my first adventure with Solid Snake.


Call of Juarez – Bound in Blood (PS3)

Getting butterflies

Ok, just one more mention for Call of Juarez – Bound in Blood! There is a tiny moment which perfectly demonstrates why I like this game. At times, you may notice a butterfly fluttering around. If you stand still for long enough, guns prone, it will settle on the barrels of your gun, providing quite an interesting image. It is completely incidental to the story and gameplay, but its memorable nonetheless.


Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

Villa for sale

Final Fantasy games are well known for rewarding completist gamers who take the time to explore every nook and cranny of the world. and there are no shortage of small, lasting moments to chose from in FFVII. I have decided to go for the holiday villa situated in Costa Del Sol which can be purchased for a hefty 300,000 gil. It serves absolutely no purpose other than providing a free bed and sink (!), but it perfectly encapsulates the depth of this classic RPG. I always splash-out on this needless villa, delving further into the world of Cloud and co.


Uncharted (PS3)

Slippery when wet

I could spout on all day about how great Uncharted is. Featuring a highly likeable and charismatic lead, perfect balance between combat and puzzles, great settings and a memorable story, Uncharted will stand the test of time as one of the best titles to grace the PS3. But one of the things that grabbed my attention the first time I played was the water effects. Naughty Dog absolutely nailed it. I first noticed it whilst wading through the marooned Nazi submarine, and it continued to impress throughout the course of Nathan’s adventure. So next time someone asks you why they should play Uncharted, tell them water. 

Timsplitters 2 & 3 (Gamecube, PS2)

Monkey magic

Monkeys, here, there and everywhere. Ninja monkeys, robomonkeys, monkey assistants, zombie monkeys and of course, monkey curling. A great example of the sense of humour and uniqueness of the now defunct New Radical’s Timesplitters series. Maybe Haze would have benefited from some monkeys? I hope the series gets resurrected somewhere along the line, as the FPS genre could definitely do with the injection of genuine humour, sheer playability and monkeys that only this series can provide.

A Closer Look - PS3 Trophies – For Better or For Worse?

When I first became aware of PS3 trophies, it wasn’t something that piqued my interest. However, I have since been converted to collecting those shiny little emblems that occasionally grace the right hand side of my TV screen. I am a gaming magpie, if you will. I have been more than pleasantly surprised by how much such a simple feature has added to my gaming experience.

However, not everyone has been sold on the merits of trophies. A friend of mine once quipped, in reaction to some light hearted teasing about his paltry amount of trophies, that he “still plays games to enjoy them”. Clearly, the prevalence of trophies is not without its drawbacks. So, let’s have a closer look at trophies, as I attempt to present a balanced view on how they have affected how we play, for better or worse.

I think a good place to start would be the game I have spent the vast majority of the last month playing, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood. After a fair bit of slogging to get the final multiplayer trophy, I finally got the platinum yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed the single player campaign and the trophies provided a great reason to return and play through on the hardest setting. I got a great deal of satisfaction from ticking off the trophies, in a way that wasn’t intrusive to the overall game experience. For the most part, they came within the flow of the game, and with a few exceptions, I didn’t have to go out of my way to get them. But there were a couple of exceptions, and they contributed to my souring on the title somewhat.

The first was a bronze trophy, D Day, which requires you to prevent an entire brigade of soldiers from crossing a river on rafts, with only an inaccurate cannon at your disposal. You have to destroy every raft before they reach the bank, without exception. But, one raft is hidden behind a boulder on the near side of the shore, and is impossible to destroy unless you have pre-knowledge of its existence and at exactly what point during a 90 second sequence to shoot there. It’s virtually impossible to decipher yourself. I would estimate that I tried it 30-40 times before I finally fluked out. It wasn’t fun, but I stuck at it in my quest for platinum. These frustrations were further compounded by my quest for the loooong multiplayer trophies, which required a great deal of boosting. By the time the final trophy pinged, I was well and truly sick to death of the game.

A couple of days removed, and I have calmed down a little! But those slogging trophies most certainly tainted my overall view of a game, which if I had stopped playing after my first play through, I would have deemed excellent. (Ok, I promise I won’t write anything more in my blogs about Call of Juarez! It’s done and dusted).

Moving on, one of the main selling points of trophies is that they can expand a games appeal, ultimately providing a better value for money. A perfect example would be Uncharted, which I played through three times in the space of a week. I did so because the game was so effortlessly entertaining and also because I wanted the platinum. Without trophies, I would have enjoyed it just as much, but no way would I have played it so many times in such a short period. The shelf life of my games has increased dramatically since the advent of trophies, and I feel like I am getting far more out of them. Approaching this from a different perspective, this increased longevity also works for publishers. Metal Gear Solid 4 still receives its fair share of publicity every time Konami teases a possible trophy patch, more than a year since its release.

Conversely, trophies can also be used as a tool by shrewd publishers to make us part with our hard earned cash. As you may already be aware, Sony is repackaging God of War and its sequel on a blu-ray disc. The games are unchanged, aside from some visual tweaks and HD support, but they will be patched for trophies. As a fan of the series, I can envision myself buying this, but why when I already own them on the PS2? I suppose I am blinded by the trophies.

When considering trophies, it’s also important to highlight how exactly they are utilized. Some games intertwine them excellently within the gameplay, in a way that enriches the overall experience. The quick-fire trophies from Burnout Paradise immediately come to mind, as do those featured in the Sega Genesis Collection, which added an addictive new twist to some classic games and ensured that I tried every single title in the collection, discovering some gems that otherwise I probably wouldn’t have touched. On the other hand, some games are just taking the piss. A mish mash collection of challenges that add nothing to the game, demonstrate no gradient of difficulty and merely serve to frustrate. I’m thinking of Resistance 2’s 10,000 multiplayer kill trophy and Battlefield Bad Company’s level completion trophies. If you completed a level on hard, it wouldn’t unlock the normal level trophy.

One final drawback, and I’m starting to scrape the barrel here, is that it they can make older games seem oddly less appealing. I’m currently playing Ico for the first time, and although I’m enjoying it and playing fairly regularly, it’s just doesn’t pull me in and demand my unbridled attention. But, I know that if I was playing it on PS3 with trophies, I would be far more into it. It’s a shame, but I know what I like.

For my money, one of the biggest selling points for trophies is the challenge that they provide, and it’s an entirely optional one at that. Gamers love a challenge, and trophies are the ultimate reflection of that. Not only can we chose our preset levels of difficulty when gaming (easy, normal, hard, even harder), but now we can also chose to spice things up further if we so desire. Trophies allow us that added option, without intruding on the enjoyment of gamers who want to cruise through the game just once. You don’t have to chase trophies if you don’t want to.

In all honesty, with a very few exceptions, I don’t let trophies dictate what I will or wont play. However, they have undoubtedly altered the way I play and view my games. Trophies merely provide another way we that can connect with our games, and there is a satisfying sense of completion when you know that you have done everything you possibly could with your favourite games.