Mass Effect 3 Preview

This past week I was one of the first to play Mass Effect 3 in Las Vegas. We were only allowed to play a short section, but it shows a lot about the quality of the game. It is also worth noting that the game is still in development so a few things may change and be improved upon.

Commander Shepard returns with many familiar faces on both sides of the line. As for the story, I can’t say much. However, if you played the first two games you may like to know that Shepard and Mordin do find a female Krogan, whose race was reduces to just males due to a bio-engineered disease. Just a tease!

That was the goal of the mission we played. Rescue this female Krogan which took us through a few areas fighting mech and a larger boss mech. The graphics were amazingly detailed and way better than Mass Effect 2. Sound effects and vocals were spot on and the controls were friendly and familiar.

What’s new? Kinect voice commands allow us to open doors, research items, switch weapons, control your squad, in game conversations and perform attacks all with a simple voice command. This actually makes playing the game more fluid as you don’t have to pause the game to pick an ability. It works very well and I was a little skeptical about talking to the game. But after a few minutes it just seemed normal and even more fun.

Mass Effect 3 is looking great, I am very excited with what I have experience and I am even more so looking forward to the final release. It cannot come soon enough! Bioware is set to release another top notch Mass Effect game this march.

Modern Warfare 3

 

Modern Warfare 3’s campaign starts us right smack in the middle of World War 3 which is also where Modern Warfare 2 ended. Of Course, we also get a multiplayer experience and the return of Special Ops. I will cover each in this review.

Let’s start with the campaign. We are reacquainted with Price and Soap along with some new characters. This is one thing that draws people in, characters who actually drive you and are not just random soldiers. It helps immerse you into the story. And the story does not disappoint, in fact it was very well written and ties things off very well. The gameplay controls and mechanics are back and familiar. The graphics looks better and the sound is spot on with no disappearing acts (thankfully). As far as the difficulty and enjoyment of the game I can say it was a fun ride and a good challenge. Not overwhelming, but challenging. We do have along the story a scene that may be disturbing to some and you get the option to skip. This is smart and help widen the appeal and acceptance of the game. It took roughly 6 hours to complete the campaign.

Special Ops is another challenge, but luckily we can bring a friend! Here we have some timed and objective based missions that fit along side the story of the campaign. These missions play like the campaign and offer three difficulties. They are indeed fun and challenging, too! Along with those mission we get a new option. This is survival mode and the easiest way to describe it is by comparing it with horde of Gears Of War or zombie mode of the previous Call Of Duty games. The differences being that you face off against waves of military enemies and can purchase weapons, equipment and aerial support as you earn points/monies by killing said enemies. This is one that you want a friend as it gets very challenging. All of the game modes in Special Ops also have a ranking system that is separate from multiplayer, but otherwise the same concept.

Big bad Multiplayer is back with 16 maps at launch and more coming via DLC.  Quite frankly multiplayer is everything we know and love from Modern Warfare 2 with a few changes. We now have strike packages which we can alter the way are kill streaks work. Assault Strike Package works in the traditional sense while Support Strike Package works in, well, a supporting role. Not only does dying not count against your Strike Package, these kill streak options provide much needed support on the battlefield. An example being ballistic vests that you can earn then drop for your team. Another addition is  the Weapon Rank system. Choose your weapon as as you get kills with it, it ranks the weapon up and unlocks proficiencies and attachments. Proficiencies allow things like less recoil, multiple attachments, stability, and less flinching when hit-just to name a few. Jumping in to multiplayer was rush, the graphical change blew me away. It looks great and feels much more responsive and faster, too!

And last but not least let’s talk about Elite. Elite is a new service both paid and free that allows you to get stats, change load outs, improve your skill and even compete with others for prizes. Those of us that paid for the yearly membership at $49.99 or 4000 MS points get even more access and a years worth of DLC included. A few other things to point out is that the service integrates into the game and in accessible on the Xbox 360 (or PS3) as well as online and even as a smartphone app (iPhone and android). This is a way to extend the community of MW3 and future Call Of Duty titles and help create an more immersive experience. It was unfortunate that the service was not available on launch do to some server issues, but Activision is giving all of us that paid for it an extra month free. Not bad at all.

All in all, I am impressed with Modern Warfare 3. It provided a fun, challenging, and frustration free campaign. A immersive and fun multiplayer experience along with the new Special Ops that are just as fun as the campaign. In my plays through (yes more than once) I encountered no glitches and in multiplayer I can only see the usual lag or AT&T DSL connection problems I get with most online games. Based on my experience playing this game and the fact that I will be returning to multiplayer again and again, I hereby give Modern Warfare 3 a score of 9 of 10. It’s not perfect but it sure comes close. Wink, Wink.

Back To The Real World After Battlefield 3

 

EA and Dice teamed up to bring us the “most realistic combat experience” and they fell short. There are three playable options with BF3. The first is the campaign, then co-op and finally the multiplayer experience. When I receive a game that has all of these options the last thing I do is jump into multiplayer. Sure it’s usually a blast, but I want the most gratifying experience, I want to experience everything the game has to offer. With that concept in mind, let us break off and talk about the campaign.

This time around, like most games I play, I opted for Hard as my difficulty of choice. Upon starting the game and after a few missions we get the gist of the story and by the time you beat the game, well let’s just say I should have had a V8! The story as it turns out is not a page turner, it is very close to being a rip from Call Of Duty: Black Ops and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The nukes and missions in MW2 flash back as I ran through these missions and who can forget the interrogations in Black Ops?

Okay, so the story wasn’t exactly original but what about the gameplay and difficulty. The gameplay was fluid and worked quite well and wasn’t much different than I’m used to in Call Of Duty. The Difficulty was something unexpected. If it weren’t for the glitches, freezes, and enemy irregularities it would have been normal, maybe even easy. The Ai in this game was all over the place. One minute your putting 40 rounds into one enemy who is not dead yet, the next it’s one bullet to kill him. The Ai was also able to shoot through buildings, rocks, dumpsters and other solid objects-killing me quicker than the game would load that mission. And cover wasn’t cover, they always knew my location. However, with glitches there were points where I could shoot without being shot when I should have died and others that were the opposite. Just a few other glitches include game ending freezing on certain missions like Thunder Run and little staggered freezing that prevents you from moving correctly or making it to the next area without being shot. And truth be told 2-3 shots and I’m dead is fine with me, I like a challenge. But this game just did not feel right.

Graphics look good, but not great and after all the hype that we would get some amazing graphics fell short. But don’t get me wrong they did look good, but with the colors of the H.U.D. it just looked off and not as realistic as they hyped. Now I do understand that the PC version looks better, but that’s a whole other story. As for the sound it sounded awesome when it worked. The sound would cut out at points leaving no sound at all or in some cases we lost only dialogue, only music, or only sound effects. Not very friendly when you listening for gun fire or footsteps or maybe the roar of a tank! What they did do right here was the waves of the ocean, lighting and facial expressions and the lens flare made a few places look very good.

I would also like to point out how idiotic some of the ways we completed objectives. We have missions where we are in a tank and could easily complete the task in that tank, but no the mission requires us to get out and fight on the ground. This is unrealistic and there are many places where such nonsense occurs. Also those weapons didn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference between each other, other than the type of scope! With the glitches and irregularities along with rehashed story and unrealistic warfare, I seriously did not enjoy much of the campaign. To be honest I had more fun playing Duke Nukem Forever on hard than I did with Battlefield 3 and I take serious insult to the explicit nature of Duke Nukem’s latest portrayal.

Next let’s look at the co-op section. Here we can progress through only six, yes six, missions. They play much like the campaign only you must rely on a partner to succeed. This partner can be a friend online or a random individual. If you want the few co-op achievements choose a friend! There is not much more to say other than what was said about the campaign, though I must admit I found fewer glitches here. But they are way too short for any real enjoyment.

Multiplayer is what the game was built for, as if my review so far hasn’t indicated, and they succeed. The online gameplay runs mostly smooth with a large playing field and is actually fun. It also looks better and sound better than the campaign. You also get to operate tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets online and they operate ok. One thing missing is locale multiplayer. You can expect many to be playing this game online for quite some time, but as for me it’s being traded in.

After all is said and done, EA and Dice should have stuck to their strong points and made just a multiplayer game and left the campaign and co-op out. It’s such a stark contrast between the two that it leaves you stunned and baffled. I feel like this was rushed and with the amount of frustration from the single player, I have had enough. I am no where near compelled to keep playing online, not even for the Mass Effect 3 Beta!

Well that’s going to wrap it up here. I can recommend this game at $59.99, maybe when it reaches $20. Oh what’s that? You want a score between 1 and 10? Okay, let’s take a look at that. Single Player was a huge disappointment and didn’t get very much right. The same for Co-op, but multiplayer certainly shines. That’s 3 parts of 10. So I would have to say that each part represents a possible 3.33 of 10, thus my score would be 4 out of 10. Better luck next time EA and Dice, up next is MW3 and I wonder how they will fare?

Two Spideys, One Cataclysmic Event

As far back as I can recall I’ve always held Spider Man as my favorite super hero. Maybe it’s because I can relate to the Peter Parker as the higher IQ than normal, but not quite Reed Richards level, or the hazing and being picked on in school (not quite as much as Parker) or maybe it’s because we both like to dress up and fight crime. Well, I guess that last one is a stretch. I’ve also always liked spiders in general. With this mindset I’m usually willing to give a Spider Man game a chance. I found last years Shattered Dimensions fun and challenging. And based on my experience with Shattered Dimensions I was excited to pick up Spider Man Edge of Time.

And over the past few weeks when time permitted, I played through the campaign. First I must commend them on the story. The story is well written even though you can’t help but see where a few things were headed. On the other hand, we get some twists and turns that just about made my head spin! Without giving any spoilers, the basic premise is to try and save the world from a time paradox or disturbance that takes place with both our friendly neighborhood Peter Parker and the futuristic Spider Man 2099. They have to work together and you play one then switch to the other and then back again and again throughout. That’s after saving Peter Parker at the beginning of the game.

The controls are fluid and work almost perfect, much as they did in Shattered Dimensions. Crawling on walls is my only major problem here as it is too easy to get turned around or stuck. It was also easy to be running along and find your self starting to climb up a wall. The web swinging works very well and the combat system us still pretty sweet.

How does it look and sound? It looks good, I can’t complain. The in game graphics look good with only a few rough areas here and there. It’s not super realistic, but it does have a good cartoonish/comic feel. The cut scene animations on the other hand are stunning! Almost life-like and at a glance could be mistaken for live action. The voice acting was fair, with both Spider Men sounding almost too much alike. You can hear the difference when they speak to each other, but it other parts of the game you have to think about who is speaking. Sound effects and soundtrack blended perfectly. 

Starting the game sets you on normal by default and this will give most of us a challenge. Once you beat it on normal, you can try hard. Easy on the other hand was too easy. I would suggest playing on normal unless you have trouble. Most villains in this game, save for bosses, are fairly easy to defeat as long a you don’t get hit. The bosses on the other hand require a little more skill and timing. Levels range from running through levels defeated bad guys, collecting orbs, spiders and keys to free falling through buildings trying to avoid getting hit. The latter can be very challenging.

As you progress and earn orbs and gold spiders you can upgrade both Spider Men’s Combat skills and health. Each Spidey has a different special ability you can use and different fighting moves. Even so it’s not difficult to remember most of the moves. We also can unlock alternate costumes and news paper articles throughout the game.

As normal I played this on the Xbox 360 and most of the achievements are story based and combat based. You should be able to unlock quite a few just by beating the game. There are a few tough ones, like completing the game on hard and collecting all the golden spiders. That last one just takes time to look everywhere, but otherwise shouldn’t be too rough.

All in all the game is fun and challenging, but the fighting system does get tedious and I did run into a few glitches. One that required me to restart a checkpoint. Somehow I was able to get into a small room without disabling the shield, thus once inside I could not get back out. It did give me several hours of gameplay, I would estimate about 8 hours total including all those times I died. And then we do have challenges you can complete in each level as well. It’s not a bad game, but unless you’re a big Spidey fan like me – I would suggest renting it first. $59.99 isn’t exactly worth it this time around.

Gravity Guy WP7

Gravity Guy has made his way to Windows Phone 7. It is a highly addictive, fun, challenging, and sometime frustrating. I mean that in a good way. So what is Gravity Guy? The story is that Gravity Guy was held captive for breaking the laws of gravity. However, he escaped and is running for his life from the gravity troops (robot cops, anyone?). Your goal to escape and keep running using gravity by flipping it to get through each checkpoint. In Story you get 30 levels and 3 worlds and you can choose an endless option that keeps going longer than the Energizer Bunny, well maybe. Being an Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 we get achievements and there are leaderboards. You also get 4 player Multiplayer for a challenge amongst friends.

Gameplay and controls are pretty sweet and easy. Simply tapping the screen with the right timing to flip gravity and progress through the stage. That’s really it. Simple but fun. The levels get harder and faster as we go and that darn Gravity Troop is always right behind you. One wrong move and your either falling out of screen or caught by the trooper.

Graphics on this game a crisp and clear and just look amazing. The frame rate appears to be moving at a good speed. The soundtrack is perfect as it gets you pumped and is very energetic. It sounds like a game that would be too simple to enjoy, but once you start playing don’t expect to put it down too quickly. At $2.99 it is a reasonable price for on the go fun.

 

From Launch To E-Day And Beyond: GOW3

 

Gears of War 3 people, that’s what I just finished today. I completed the Campaign on Hardcore after a rough estimate of about 8-10 hours. Truly, a fun experience and quite challenging. However, before I dig into the game, let’s first talk about the launch.

I was there at The Fashion Valley Mall in the Microsoft Store at 10pm on Monday September 19th for their epic (No pun intended) launch party for Gears Of War 3. They opened the doors for all of us to grab some NOS, Vitamin Water, and POP Chips. Nothing like a snack before a long night of gaming. We also got to jump right in and play some Gears on one of many 360s that had setup for us. And along with the raffles and prizes they handed out a goody bag with a t-shirt, lanyards, Xbox 360 skin and more just for being one of the first one hundred people in the door. And then we had a a Wingman tournament, not a bad way to usher in the final chapter of Gears! I for one was lucky enough to win the grand prize in their raffle, a Gears of War 2 Marcus Fenix Bust by Triforce. It is sweet! And I must say the Microsoft Store was the place to be, it was jumping with excited fans who waited until midnight to get their copy.

Anyway, now on to the game. I played the beta and was not entirely impressed. I then got to play Horde 2.0 at E3 and that alone was enough to get me pumped. But having played the previous two, I just had to jump into campaign first-I wanted to know how this ends. In fact it ends…. Who am I kidding, I won’t spoil you so easily. So what can I tell you? The story is well written and it is honestly moving, if you are an emotional person you may just shed a tear here and there and then maybe over there.

Yes, the story arc is complete. Although a few questions will remain, maybe forever locked on that disc. Anyway, let’s talk about the graphics. Very well rendered and stunning. The gameplay and cut scenes both run smooth with a few minor exceptions. I had a couple of load scenes that wanted to stutter and once early on the frame rate seemed to struggle. But with the size of a game like this, it’s fine. We are not talking anything earth shattering.

The gameplay and controls are much as I remember from Gears one and two, but more natural. I found it very easy to jump right back into the game. And with the simplicity, I think we just might have a game that almost anyone could pick up and play. And lastly, I have to say the soundtrack was perfect!

I am very impressed with the game, and truly this is enjoyable as far as the campaign goes. I played through on hardcore and it was tough, but not “I’m going to pull out my hair” because of frustration hard. I got through most of the game without much trouble, but that last Act, especially the last chapter is a tough one indeed! I died more in that one last boss fight than I did throughout the entire campaign! All in all you’ll find new enemies and old, some that go down easy and others that will make you fight like you wouldn’t believe.

The inclusion of graffiti throughout the game adds character and realism but at the same time your so focused on the fight in front of you- you may miss it. The story is epic in many ways and will through you only a few curves. The cut scenes  are perfectly placed and provide just enough info. There is some language and while I don’t believe it is necessary, it’s not quite too much-but very close to being so.

When you hop online to play with your friends you can choose the normal Deathmatch options and all, but we also get to play 4 player co op in the campaign. That is pretty sweet and will come in handy when I go back and play through on Insane. We also get Beast Mode which is much like Horde, however this time you are the locust or lambent and you must survive wave after wave of humans. I found it difficult to get into as in not as enjoyable. But still it is a challenge to survive even one round! I think the concept of killing humans like that just bugs me a little. Horde on the other hand is just too much fun. Especially with the new money system which allows you to earn money as you kill and progress and but defenses and upgrades, ammo and weapons. Both play much the same just the opposite of each other in basic terms.

In Conclusion, if you love gears or are just getting into it-you should enjoy this. It is a very well rounded and well made game with a story that you want to follow. Is it worth the $60 price tag? Absolutely! I am enjoying the game and will be playing online for quite some time. Sorry Call of Duty: Black Ops, I have something better to play for the time being!

  

Raptor: Call of The Shadows

Back in the mid 90’s I was playing many games on the pc. Most of which were DOS games. There was Commander Keen, Duke Nukem, Doom,  Megarace and many many more. But one of my favorites was Raptor: Call of The Shadows.

In Raptor, you fly a advanced fighter jet called a Raptor a futuristic time. You are a mercenary and you are given the task to take out the enemies. This is  top down 2D side scrolling adventure. When released, it had some of the best graphics to date for it’s genre of games. Even today, those graphics still look great.

The game features 3 stages, each with 9 levels.Each level features one or two bosses. They get tougher as you go of course, but you don’t have to start and the beginning- although I recommend it. As  you progress you earn credits for each enemy destroyed and other  goodies they drop. You also can pick up some weapons as you go. However, after each level when you return to the hangar you can buy and sell weapons and shields to upgrade as you go. Some weapons are extremely powerful and expensive.  Here you can also save your game. Oh and you have no extra lives, when those shields run out-it’s game over!

This is fun and challenging and very easy to pick up and play. The DOS version was probably the best, but there was later released a Windows version and even a Linux version. But in December of 2010, it was put up on the app store for the iOS and in January 2011 it was made available on the Apple App Store for the Mac.

The iOS version is the one I have been playing on my iPod Touch and I must say they did an excellent port. The graphics are great, the music better and the controls are well different. You use your finger to navigate the fighter, as you move it fires, and you touch the screen in the upper left to release a mega bomb or upper right to switch weapons or pause the game. After two levels with this control scheme I found myself running through levels with little difficulties. If you so choose and can change the control to use the Accelerometer. But I prefer the finger method. See some additional screen shots below.