HALO on the iPhone?!

Gameloft has released the much anticipated N.O.V.A. (Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance) today and you may notice by looking at the screens below that it looks pretty darn close to that game we know as HALO. I haven’t had a chance to play N.O.V.A. yet but if it controls anything like Gameloft’s other iPhone FPS, Modern Combat: Sandstorm, I’m sure I will like it a lot. N.O.V.A. is $6.99 and you can get it by click here.

Check out the trailer below:

Halo Reach: A Breath of Fresh Air

Back at E3 ( No this isn’t another one of my Nintendo rants :O) Bungie was very vague about Halo: Reach. Now, having had read The Fall of Reach Halo novel, I got the connection the the Halo kingdom. Now, I have gotten sick of Halo FPS’s however, after seeing the first non-teaser trailer, I am very excited for this game. It seems like a breath of fresh air which is exactly what we need in a world of FPS’s look-a-likes. Now don’t get me wrong I love Halo and FPS’s as much as the next guy it just, they often feel the same. Leave it to Bungie to breath some fresh air into the genre.

Trailer courtesy of Youtube.com

Push Play: The Music Behind the Games

Gaming music has always had a place in my heart. I remember grabbing my boom box and taping the intro to One on One: Jordan VS Bird and playing the drop ship level from Aliens over and over again because I was entranced with the music. As systems and sound cards improved, so did the music, and now I find myself adding game soundtracks to my glowing collection of Anime and Movie scores.

Does that sound a little strange to you? Maybe you think there just isn’t enough good game music out there to make you want to buy a soundtrack. If that is the way you feel, let me challenge you to listen to the games you play. Notice how the music adds to the experience, much like a good score adds to a great movie. Think about the driving sound of the battles in Gears of War, and the great relive you felt as the music changed and dropped out, your audio clue that the battle was over…for now. Remember the haunting music that plays in the wraith mash in Fable 2, setting you on edge as you looked around each corner, trying to spot the banshees before they spotted you. Good music adds to the atmosphere of the game; we just tend to be so wrapped up in making sure we don’t die that we tend not to notice.

So maybe you’re considering starting a soundtrack collection of your own, but you have no idea where to begin. The following list, while in no way comprehensive, might help give you some ideas.

Video Games Live Vol 1

If you have no idea where to begin, consider picking up Video Games Live Vol 1. Video Games Live is a series of live performances of music from some of the most well known video games ever. The first CD is a compilation of fantastic video game music, including greats like Kingdom Hearts, Myst, Medal of Honor and a rocking rendition of the Castlevania theme that is a definite crowd pleaser.

The great thing about this compilation is not only is the music masterfully performed by great orchestras and choirs, it will give you a chance to experience music from multiple games. After listening to this compilation, you will hopefully get some ideas for some other soundtracks you may want to consider. Just remember that the older games aren’t going to quite sound as good as they do on this compilation.

There is one other good reason to buy this CD. It contains a suite from a game that has made several people decide that video game soundtracks may just be worth buying:

Halo

It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of the series or think it is overrated, one listen to the main theme for Halo will have you geared up to play. The combination of classical and rock influences make this score, composed by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, one worth owning.

All you need to do is listen to the main theme to see what I mean. It starts with an ethereal chorus, building up to the first strings of electric guitar. Before long, you are completely drawn into the music.

If you are looking to build a video game soundtrack collection, Halo is a great one to pick up. Some might even argue that the soundtrack outshines the game. Might be a bit of a stretch, but it is rather well done. It’s not far fetched, however, to argue this soundtrack was what made many people actually start considering the possibility that game scores could be on par with movie soundtracks.

Gears of War

Forgive the pun, but an epic game deserves and epic soundtrack. Gears of War definitly delivers. Composer Kevin Riepl is a veteran of gaming soundtracks, with credits ranging from Twisted Metal Black to the Unreal series. For Gears, he took a more movie-like approach, writing a score worthy of any war drama.

The theme sets the tone early, with a driving tempo and militaristic feel that fits the game perfectly. This is followed by the haunting overture “14 Years After E-Day,” adding the eerie feel the to the background of the story. Other tracks are also reminiscent of some of the major battled in the game, like the high pitched and fast paced “Miserable Wretches,” the overpowering “Running With Boomers,” and the powerhouse “Train Ride to Hell,” which builds to the finale, leaving just a hint of more to come in Gears 2.

Mass Effect

Anyone who played the game knows just how good the music of Mass Effect is. Jack Wall, Sam Hulick, Richard Jacques and David Kates combine to create one of the most unique soundtracks in recent memory. Borrowing heavily from the older electronic sounds of 80s Sci Fi, this soundtrack ranks up there as one of my all time favorites.

Just lietening to the theme will be enough to remind fans of the great atmosphere of this game., complimented by tracks like the powerful “Spectre Induction” or the uptempo “Uncharted Words.” With 37 tracks, there is plenty of music for fans of the game to enjoy.

None of the tracks on the CD are as good as “M4 Part II” by the Faunts. I remember listening to this song as it rolled with the end credits of the game, just being amazed by the fact Bioware found a song that actually fit the game. As a matter of fact, I found myself almost sad once the credits were over because it was that good. Of all the tracks on the CD, I have listend to this one the most.

So far, all of the soundtracks I’ve been recommending are from the last couple of generations of consoles. While gaming music has really come into it’s own in these generations, there are great soundtracks from earlier consoles worth purchasing.

Metal Gear Solid

I bet that if you are a fan of Metal Gear Solid, you probably have the theme playing in your head right now… or at least a clip of it with someone screaming “SNAKE!”

The music of MGS really helps set the tone for the game, and the soundtrack brings some of the more memorable set pieces of the adventure to mind. Just try not to remember franticly trying to find cover while taking out Sniper Wolf when you hear “Duel,” or lining up shots with the missile launcher while avoiding the attack of the “Hin D.” The soundtrack even includes the soulful “Mantis’ Theme” and sorrowful “Enclosure” (plays after you kill Sniper Wolf), which remind you of the serious undertone of the game.

Metal Gear Solid is definitely a great example of a soundtrack worth picking up from an earlier generation of consoles, but it’s still a CD based game. Earlier games relied upon midi synthesizers and other programing tricks to make music. It doesn’t mean these earlier game soundtracks are not worth tracking down, however. As a matter of fact, my favorite game soundtrack comes from the pre-CD consoles.

Chrono Trigger

If you have been listening to the podcasts, you should have seen this one coming. I was lucky enough to find the Chrono Trigger soundtrack a few years ago at Bookmans, and I have never regretted the purchase.

Composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, Chrono Trigger is considered by many to be one of the best soundtracks done on the SNES. Beginning with “Premonition,” it is clear that Mitsuda was able to get past the musical limitations of the system in a way most could not. Each area in the game has its own unique music, and yet they all blend together to make a great CD.

I’m not the only one who likes the music of this SNES RPG. In fact, the next Video Games Live CD is going to have music from the game in it, and those of us who preordered Chrono Trigger on the DS got a CD with fully orchestrated versions of music from the game.

So that’s my list of video game soundtrack recommendations. It is by no means all inclusive, and I intend on getting many more soundtracks to add to my collection, but hopefully reading about these soundtracks will get you thinking about some of your favorite gaming music. You might even think about tracking down a soundtrack or two for yourself. You might be surprised by just how good they can be.

Good Grief: Bad Things in Good Games – Halo 3 Skulls

Good Grief: Because sometimes even good games make you want to drop kick them out the window. They’re too good to despise forever but these are the things that made us hate them, even if just for just a little while.

*Halo 3 Skulls*

Pop quiz. What is the FPS genre best suited for? A: Fast paced tactics and frenetic, run and gun action. B: Tedious, slow, nose to the ground, level scouring, scavenger hunts. If you answered “A” you’re correct. If you answered “B” you actually enjoyed spending hours painstakingly combing the vast levels of Halo 3 for some tiny, infinitesimal, freakin’ minuscule skulls that could be anywhere, and often were. This is my single greatest gripe against one of the biggest, best, and most beloved games of 2007: Why in the name of all things fun and wholesome would you include in an action game a tedious side quest that requires players to literally spend hours searching every nook and cranny of the massive levels for an item smaller than a grunts IQ?

Warning! This article may contain minor spoilers. I use the word spoiler loosely. Because the only thing I’d be spoiling for you is hours of frustration and annoyance. Schucks. Otherwise if you enjoy torturing yourself divert your eyes.

To be fair, the skulls sound like a good idea as a concept; little easter egg items that can unlock achievements and different options for the campaign and contribute yet another dimension of prestige and camaraderie amongst Halo brethren. My problem is that the reality is far less quaint. Let’s think about this.

First: As I said, they are tiny. The levels in Halo 3 are not. The skulls can look like any other rock or debris and would be well hidden in the vast terrain even if they were placed practically anywhere. Second: They’re not just anywhere. Bungie bent over backwards to ensure they would be difficult to find, and they are, very. Often times finding them isn’t enough. The skull will be visible but out of reach unless you perform a special maneuver, stand on a co-op buddies shoulders, or mangle a pile of vehicles against the wall like a moron so that by standing on the heap you can jump up to reach it. Sheesh. And third: IT’S A SHOOTER! Leave the scavenger hunts to Banjo and Kazooie!

My biggest complaint, however, is a combination of these factors: the size of the skulls, the size of the levels, the nature of the shooter genre, and Bungie’s devious sense of placement. Fetch quests, excessive backtracking, and search and find item hunts are fine in a platformer, RPG or an Easter picnic but tend to grate against the very nature of first person shooters. Shoot, kill, repeat. Good, fast, fun. Search quests contradict the fluency of this most satisfying of formulas, bringing it’s kinetic energy to a grinding halt. The levels, gameplay, and controls aren’t designed for it and become cumbersome or awkward when used in that context. It’s like trying to play hopscotch with an SUV.

For a completionist like myself or anyone who appreciates a fair challenge and doesn’t want to have to resort to online walkthroughs or cheats, the skulls are a menace, a terrible blight on an otherwise great game.

It might not be so bad if they where slightly easier to find, but I can guarantee you, you’re not going to innocently stumble upon them in the natural course of the game. You end up having to clear the immediate area of enemies, because it’s hard to search for the proverbial needle in a haystack when the farmer’s jabbing you in the rear with a pitchfork. After you wipe everything out, which is the fun part, imagine that (sarcasm), you have to stop, backtrack, then slowly wander the empty region with your head to the ground like an idiot scanning every square inch of land. Now that’s what I call fun! (more sarcasm).

What really makes me mad is that if the whole effort just to cover every area isn’t obnoxious enough, Bungie actually made it so that a few skulls are only accessible for a certain period of time, sometimes just a few seconds, or in some cases only if you perform a certain action or fulfill specific criteria. It’s old news now so I’m sure I wouldn’t be spoiling anything, but just in case you don’t want the skull locations revealed I’ll be vague in my descriptions. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the fun of finding them on your own (definite sarcasm).

There’s one skull: it’s placement alone, perched atop a plateau, can make it tricky enough to reach, but located nearby is a wraith that can make snagging it even more complicated. The logical thing is to take out the wraith before your go for the skull except, no, you can’t. As soon as the wraith is destroyed the skull disappears! *Insert facepalm* Why make the skull disappear unless you’re trying to make it annoying?!

Another one (and get this, this is a personal favorite) is dropped by an enemy when you shoot them, but not just any enemy, no. That would be way to easy. The enemy in question leaps overhead and can only be hit for a few seconds before he’s gone. He’s not even all that visible. You can see him easy enough, but it’s not like it’s obvious. I’m sure out of the millions of people playing the game, someone was bound to discover this, but my question to Bungie is, “How in the world am I supposed to guess that on my own?” What are the chances I would? Since the enemy is no apparent threat why would bother with him. I spent hours carefully sleuthing that level only to give up in exasperation and look up the skulls location online. I couldn’t believe it! Not only is it in a ridicules location, but even once you know where it is, it’s a challenge unto itself nailing the guy and getting the skull to fall correctly. Could they make it any more complicated?

My all time favorite, though, is a skull so incomprehensible it defies me to even begin to describe it’s absurdity. It’s not even visible until you leap through a series of rings in a specific order like a circus poodle. This of course is after you have cleared the area of an outright infestation of baddies, but don’t you dare accidentally go through one of the rings while doing so. If you jump through one in the wrong order the sequence won’t work at all. Sorry, you’ll have to play the entire level all over again. Did I mention it’s located at the very end?

This entire sequence…is…asinine. The room is long and the order of rings is complicated which means you’re running back and forth to hit all the rings. Good…Grief. This isn’t like Super Mario either, where the next ring lights up. There’s no good chime, bad chime or anything to indicate if you’re doing it right or that that’s what you’re even supposed to be doing at all. It’s so ridiculous that, if you don’t already know what I’m talking about, I could tell you exactly where it’s at, but unless you know the combination of the rings it will still take you hours to figure out. I ask again, “How am I supposed to figure this out on my own?” How is this fun?

After a while I got smart and started using the video replay feature to search the levels out, but a lot of the skulls are so well stashed away that even that didn’t always work. That’s when I gave up and invoked the gamer’s secret weapon: Google. Seriously, why would I waste hour upon boring, frustrating hour when I can just cheat. Some of the skulls that are just hidden I can understand, but the rings are absurd and you know that 99.9% of the people who got that one looked it up online. You know it. I know it. Bungie knows it, and, I’m sure, would even encourage this kind of friendly corroboration within the Halo community, but why bother hiding them so well?

You know, all this effort might be worth it if the skulls did something really cool. You know, like when games used to have awesome cheat codes like “All Weapons” and “Invincibility” but the cherry on top of this dirt Sundae, the beautiful, magnificent, twisted irony is that after hours of agonizing tedium, activating the skulls you’ve busted your hump to find, only makes the game harder. Now that’s funny.