Dark Souls
Make no mistake about it. If you play Dark Souls, you will die. Not just one time, or five times, or even twenty times. You will probably die so many times you will lose count. Even the game’s website is www.PrepareToDie.com. Despite being a very punishing game, it is equally rewarding and offers an amazing experience to those with a decent dose of patience.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (AH) is the latest in the series of Ace Combat titles to hit the shelves since Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation back in 2007. In this arcade style aerial combat game you are put behind the throttle of some of the biggest baddest birds in the sky and pitted against numerous foes. Will this game hit the afterburners and soar, or crash and burn in twisted metal wreckage?
Gameinformer Overview – September Update 2011
Gameinformer Overview – September Update 2011
Can you believe it’s September? School has started and I hope you’re having fun in college, because I know I’m having fun while not in college! Either way, we have quite a few games to pick from today, so lets not waste anymore time and lets just jump in right away!
One of the first games listed in this months gameinformer issue is called tropico 4. Now, to be honest, this is the first time hearing of this game for me, but obviously this is the fourth installment in this series, so I suppose that would mean there are fans out there somewhere. From the looks of this game, it seems like it’s a replica of the sims games, except you’re on an island with a volcano on it. To me, this doesn’t seem interesting, but for those of you who are into this kind of thing, September 16th is the day to look forward to!
One thing that did come about early this September is Call of Duty XP! Unfortunately, I missed it this year, but rumor has it, that there will be another next year, so make sure you get signed up for this one, because I know I sure will be!
Next up on our list today is Borderlands 2! Unfortunately I never picked up Borderlands, the first one, but whenever Borderlands 2 is set to release in 2012, you can count me in, because I will not miss this opportunity this time! Graphically, it looks like the last one did, it has a very artsy and creative feel to it, so for everyone who fell in love with that look in the first edition, you should prepare yourself for some more, because Borderlands 2 is right around the corner!
One more upcoming title that has touched the hearts of all Playstation 3 owners is Resistance 3! When the PS3 system originally launched, this was one of the only games out for it at the time, so everyone who jumped on the Sony train early on, have had their fair share of gameplay in the Resistance franchise. So for everyone who liked the previous installments, get out your pens and mark September 6th on your calendars!
As always, there are a couple sports titles being released in the near future. Now, I used to be a huge fan of the NHL games back in the day, but as time progressed, I have evolved into a first person shooter beast, so I don’t play as many sports titles anymore, but I do like to keep a couple on the shelf just encase I need to break out a party game once in a while. Other than that though, I really have no use for any sports titles, for the simple fact that I’m not really a hardcore sports fan. I don’t play fantasy football and I don’t watch any sports games religiously, so as far as sports games go, they just don’t tickle my fancy.
Last, but not least, we have Guild Wars 2. Now, if you’ve been gaming for any period of time, I’m sure that you have got your hands on some MMORPG game and if you’re anything like the rest of us, you couldn’t put it down for years. This being said, when I hear about a new MMORPG being released to the public, I get a little tingly feeling inside and just as the ring called to Froto in the Lord of the Rings, every new MMORPG game calls to me and it’s not easy to resist!
Apparently, Guild Wars 2 is focusing very heavily on their storyline, which should be super interesting to see, because I think it would be fairly difficult to fluidly work in a strong storyline into any MMORPG game, but let’s hope that Guild Wars 2 doesn’t let us down and maybe GW2 will take off and we can all play it together and live happily ever after.
This just about wraps up this fairy tale, so bring up a browser and start researching some of these games a little deeper while you wait for Octobers issue of Gameinformer to be released!
Catherine
“Where all is but dream, reasoning and arguments are of no use, truth and knowledge nothing.”–John Locke
The best way to describe Atlus’s latest puzzle game, Catherine, is to say it is not your typical game. It’s certainly different than the standard game players will find on store shelves, but it’s different in a good way. On the outside, this game may seem simple, but brave through the nightmare and you will find an interesting and unique experience awaiting you in Catherine.
What Dreams May Come
In Catherine, we follow the story of Vincent, a regular guy who’s happy with the status quo of his life and would love nothing else to leave it that way. However, his long time girlfriend, Katherine upsets that quo by beginning to pressure Vincent into marriage. Vincent grapples over the notion of marriage, commitment, and eternal bondage later that night by himself over a drink at his favorite bar. Then along comes Catherine. No, you’re not crazy and that’s not a spelling mistake. The game has two “Catherine”s. One spelled with a “K” and the other with a “C”. Despite a close association by name, similarities stop there. Where his girlfriend Katherine with a “K” is grounded, disciplined and focused on the future, Catherine with a “C” is care-free, spirited and vicarious. With Catherine’s good looks, youthful charm, and a little bit of forward flirting, it’s barely a fair fight for slightly drunk Vincent. The next morning, Vincent awakes to find Catherine still with him in his bed thus starting a long nightmare of a love triangle that carries over into Vincent’s dreams.
It is in these dreams you tackle the majority of game play that makes up Catherine. Vincent finds himself in a nightmare world similar to Dante’s inferno where he must climb blocks to get to the top. To climb, you must pull and push blocks to create steps up to the next level and must do so quickly since the floor is rapidly falling beneath you. This adds a great level of suspense and gives a well balanced tension to the game causing you to climb as high and fast as possible. The towers become progressively more challenging and cause you to find a solution from a “top-down” perspective. While at first it may be difficult to think of different strategies, the game does a good job of presenting new techniques and ideas on how to climb throughout the game. There are quite a few techniques demonstrated for you, but you don’t need to worry about memorizing all of them. Majority of the puzzles can be figured out using the basic block techniques figured out early on in the game.
While the controls feel smooth for the most part, there are a few problems that can be frustrating. The controls are a bit “twitchy” at times and it is all too easy to push a block away when instead you wanted to pull it. Luckily, it’s a forgiving game which allows you to undo a move on the lower difficulty settings. The game’s camera angle can also be troublesome and limiting. This is especially made apparent when you go behind a set of blocks and there is no way to see yourself or no where you are making moving around difficult. It’s a minor complaint though and won’t greatly interfere with your game play.
This puzzle climbing makes up the majority of the game play and while it seems like this would become repetitious and boring, the game finds ways of making each level interesting by increasing the complexity and the variety of blocks. New blocks are constantly added to levels which cause you to change strategies and rethink the rules on climbing which adds refreshing and changing game play. For instance, you have blocks that will crumble and fall apart after stepping on them so many times, or blocks that are made of ice causing you to slide until hitting a non-ice block. Boss levels also add a change of pace and variety. Still, there were times where I did feel the climbing segments did become monotonous and repetitious but these moments were usually short lived and broken up by the games cinematic presentations and interactive intermissions.
Little Lost Sheep
The second half of the game consists of these interactive intermissions with Vincent at the bar which serves as a nice break from the puzzle climbing. The best way to describe this part of the game is it’s an interactive RPG-ish socializer. You get text messages from your two Catherines and can choose to reply to these messages in a variety of ways. You also can chat with your friends as well as fellow bar members giving more character depth to both Vincent and those around him. Not only do these interactions provide more story, but how you choose to respond to people will affect the outcome of the game. There are also quite a few treasures one can find while spending time at the bar for those willing to get up and explore the quaint little pub.
And once you beat the game there are still plenty of reasons to come back to Catherine. Not only are there 8 potential endings to the game but there is a multiplayer feature that is unlocked during your initial play through of the single player. The multiplayer is local based only but gives you two modes: co-op and competitive. Also unlocked as you go through the game are additional puzzle challenges with online leader boards showing best times and highest scores.
The presentation style is unique and gives an interesting and different atmosphere to the game. Much of the game’s story is presented through a blend of 2D anime sequences as well as 3D cell shading. If you’re a fan of anime then this style of story telling will feel like a natural fit. One possible downside is the length of these sequences in between game play. They can range anywhere between 2 minutes to almost 10. While they can get long, I definitely recommend sticking through them. The voice acting is fantastic and the scenes are well written and provide plenty comical and suspenseful moments.
Overall atmosphere is spectacular as well. The use of neon lights and shadows creates a bright but edgy atmosphere in the bar. Nightmare levels are filled with torturous machines, cries of fellow trapped souls falling to their doom, and moody and creepy music creating a dark and twisted atmosphere definitely leaving the feel of living in a night terror.
Something More Than Just Sex
Despite it’s strong sexual theme, the game isn’t about sex! Make no mistake, this is a mature level game that you do not want to play in front of your kids! However, while the game is very sexually themed and there are some scenes which demonstrate this, nothing graphic is ever shown (with maybe the exception of some of the bosses) and nothing seems out of line or overly done as some games tend to do. The story goes deeper than that and becomes more about relationships, maturity, and self discovery. Combined with it’s unique presentation and game play, Catherine offers an enjoyable and different experience than most games being released.
Final Verdict
For me Catherine is one of those games that you’ll either love it or hate it. It is a game that will take you by surprise if you let her. Surprisingly deep at times with fun and challenging puzzles with interesting atypical characters. The fact that the game is not centered around saving the world or rescuing damsel’s in another tower, but rather about an average guy with personal relationship issues trying to fight his own nightmares makes for a refreshing change as is the puzzle mechanic of the game. As mentioned before, it is a game that breaks away from standard norm and takes a risk…take a chance with Catherine and you might find plenty of reward waiting for you.
Motorstorm: Apocalypse
Motorstorm: Apocalypse is Evolution Studios third entry in the franchise. This time around the game takes place in a urban apocalyptic setting in a broken down environment called The City. Apocalypse has a more story driven feel to it then the other two Motorstorm titles, no matter how ridiculous it tends to feel. The single player is broken down into three players, Mash “The Rookie”, Tyler “The Pro”, and Big Dog “The Veteran”. With each also playing as the game’s level of difficulty.
Gameplay
The visuals in Motorstorm: Apocalypse are definitely above average, but it’s not what I was expecting, especially coming off some of the great racers we had last year, like Split/Second and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. The game definitely does a good job at making you feel like your racing through an apocalyptic “end of the world, no hold-barred” environment. Though, sadly at times you will be frustrated by the tracks that your racing on. While the destruction in Motorstorm: Apocalypse is a welcomed change of pace, the layout can be quite a confusing ride. One of the most irritating things in the game is navigating your way to the finish line. I never had a sense of where I should be going next because the tracks I thought were very confusing. Even though at times, it made for some pretty eye candy, watching the building debris fall from above, or the ocean water slam onto the shores, it didn’t make the ride that enjoyable due to a lack of consistency on the race track.
The controls on the other hand seemed very responsive and I never had much of a problem with them. You can nudge and wreck your opponent by hitting the circle or square button depending on which way you want to attack. You can also pick from five new vehicle classes; muscle cars, chopper, hot hatch, superbike, and the supercar. Each class is good for the variety of different tracks you come across.
Multiplayer
In most racing titles, the multiplayer is what keeps the racing genre going. Motorstorm: Apocalypse has a similar ranking experience to that of Blur. Basically it’s a level progression system in where your performance on the track dictates how quickly you level up to start unlocking more cars, perks, and other items like stickers to decorate your ride. Multiplayer supports up to 16 players across two different modes; Race and Elimination. Race is pretty self explanatory and the Elimination mode eliminates each driver that happens to be in last place when the timer reaches zero. Unfortunately, don’t expect a whole lot of people playing that mode, it was very tough for me to get into a game of Elimination with more than five people at a time.
I was pretty underwhelmed with the Multiplayer in Apocalypse. It’s a very bare boned experience given only the two modes you can play, while one of them almost being non existent. At times I just felt like I was playing a game of “who can crash first”. While my frustration with the tracks is well known, it adds even a more unpleasant feeling when your playing against human opponents. Aside from that, the leveling up works pretty well. You can also bet on certain players in the lobby before each race to earn chips towards your ranking up progression. The idea is too only bet on the players you think you can beat during the race. So look for the noobs!
Verdict
Motorstorm: Apocalypse is a title that I have been waiting on for quite some time now. While it’s not a bad game, I think I was expecting just a bit more from Evolution Studios. Instead of feeling like a constant crash test dummy, I wish they could of made the tracks just a bit more direct for fans who just like arcade racing, and not have to be plagued by trial and error. If you were a fan of the previous Motorstorm titles, then by all means give Apocalypse a chance. Just don’t expect to be blown away.
Video Game Apocalypse: Day 5
Well folks, this looks like our last day. Our apocalyptic journey has let us play through worlds destroyed by demons and angels, wastelands created from nuclear war, worlds overrun with zombies, and humans enslaved by an alien race. Today’s game takes out all of that…No zombies or nuclear war, no alien races or crazy robots…No gods. No kings. Only man.
Bioshock
(Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
I can think of no better game to end the world with than with Bioshock. Not only is it one of my favorite games of all time, but the setting for the game is a perfect fit for May 21st. Welcome to Rapture. The moment you step foot into the entrance of Rapture you can tell this will be an experience unlike most games out there. A giant statue of Andrew Ryan looms over you holding a banner with “No gods or kings. Only Man.” on it. From there, you plunge into the dark and disturbing world of Rapture. Rapture makes its home at the bottom of the ocean floor. The buildings and art are crafted in a style that is a mixture of Steampunk and Art Deco. When the neon lights are on, it can be a place of great inspiration and beauty, but when the lights go out (and most of them are), paranoia and monsters await you in the shadows. It is very quick to see, this is a world tearing itself apart.
Bioshock takes us into a world where mankind is freed from rules and authority. Where freedom of science, art, and imagination can run wild. Andrew Ryan, the creator of Rapture, built the city with cues taken from Ayn Rand’s Objectivism philosophy. But while the philosophy inspires Rapture, it’s the intensity that builds it. Each character you meet seems to embody this self idealism and intensity. You go deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole trying to uncover the truth about this city in ruins. What you find at the bottom is a disturbing and cautionary tale of human behavior and the dangers of total unquestioning belief.
Video Game Apocalypse: Day 4
We’re on Day 4 and only two days away from the R-day. So many great games to try to squeeze in before then that I might just cover a little extra today. Today I bring you a double feature. Actually, this was pretty easy to do since both games came neatly packaged in the same disc.
WARNING: This article may contain slight spoilers to Half-Life 1
Half-Life 2 (series)
(Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac)
Ladies, do you like the strong silent type? Look no further than Gordon Freeman, the main character in Valve’s Half-Life series. He is a man of many actions but so few on words. Half-life 2 takes place approximately two decades after the events in the original Half-Life where a science experiment at Black Mesa goes bad…very bad. A cross dimensional portal is created and confused/hostile creatures decide to invade Earth’s greener pastures. This leads to a military race of aliens to cross over onto Earth who quickly enslave the human race. Freeman I’m sure would have gladly lead the battles against the invading aliens if he hadn’t been put into a state of stasis by a mysterious deity-like man (only known as G-Man). While the human race is pretty much enslaved, pockets of resistance exist fighting back. 20 years later, Freeman is taken out of stasis by G-Man and inserted right into the middle of the human resistance.
In the games we’ve covered so far, world apocalypse has been herald by people or events out the main character’s control (as far as we know). In Half-Life however, Gordon Freeman was involved in the Black Mesa experiment thus being partially responsible for the human enslavement that followed. The guilty feeling doesn’t last long long, especially when you’re running through close apartment quarters, open fields, sewer systems, and many more environments with enemy fire nipping at your heels.
With the resistance gaining strength, you often run through these pockets of fighters. However, you spend much of your fight alone. This is quite okay since you do have some company in the form of creative weapons including the innovative gravity gun. Half-life 2 is only but one of the many treasures found in the Orange Box.
Portal
(Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac)
Ever have one of those days where you wake up alone, in a strange place not knowing how you exactly got there, and have a demented AI forcing you to run endless tests? If so then you’re probably test subject x for Aperture science. While a clean, white laboratory may not exactly be your typical apocalypse setting, running through test after test with no end in sight with only a companion cube for a friend feels like the end of the world. Portal isn’t very long, but the entertainment it provides with its puzzles is long lasting. If I were to be left behind with only a diabolical robot with an obsession with tests and a portal gun, I’d be okay with that.
Day 5 Preview: The perfect place for the perfect time.
MLB 11: The Show
Sony Computer Entertainment and developer Sony San Diego are back again to give us our yearly dose of MLB: The Show. While taking a quick glimpse at the cover athlete of MLB 11: The Show, things may not look so different considering Joe Mauer was on the cover in last years game. But do not let that fool you. Sony San Diego has made quite a big change in this years iteration. With one of the biggest changes being the all new Pure Analog Controls for hitting, pitching, and fielding. In the past, The Show used the face buttons to control every aspect of the game. While you still can switch the controls back to it’s original settings as the previous years, it is something fans should experience first, before hitting the pause button and going to the gameplay options.
The Show series has always had the reputation of being the most realistic baseball game on the market today, and with MLB 11: The Show it is no different. It’s been the type of game that if you are knowledgeable about baseball, it can be quite an amazing experience. But if your the type of person who just wants to swing the bat and hit everything out of the park, well your going to have a frustrating time. MLB 11: The Show is in no doubt a true baseball fans dream come true.
As I mentioned before, the biggest change Sony San Diego has made this year is with the new control scheme. With the right timing and precision, you will feel rewarded for just hitting a single right up the middle, or pitching a one, two, three inning. Hitting with the analog stick can be a frustrating experience at first for someone who is a novice to The Show series. I had some of my experience with this kind of control during my days playing the 2K series, who has had the analog hitting for quite some time now. It is something you have to practice at to master, but once you do it becomes a very fun way to play the game. By using the left stick you pull back to take your step towards the mound, then by pushing up to take your swing. It really is all about getting the pitchers timing down and how long it takes him to come to the plate. I really enjoy the new hitting mechanics. It adds more realism to the sim experience, and all in all Sony San Diego has done a pretty good job with it. I have noticed times where it wouldn’t seem like it was registering when I pulled back on the left stick. Which is extra frustrating when by simply pushing up on the left analog stick your player bunts the ball. But with some tweaks It is a welcomed change to the series.
Pitching is also completely revamped. In past games, you used the four faced buttons to select your pitch, while you hit the X button for your power and accuracy via meter bar. MLB 11: The Show uses the same back and up motion on the left analog stick, but focuses more on accuracy rather than timing. By pulling the stick back this will set your pitcher in motion. This is where your power comes from. As you come to the plate, you move the analog stick up towards the location of your pitch. It is very important to be accurate with your pitch, because if you leave one hanging across the plate a good hitter will knock it out of the park. If you happen to make a good pitch with perfect location the top of the bar will become yellow. It may sound easy but it really does take some practice to get your pitches close to perfect every time. The new pitching controls is actually my favorite part of the game. Yes it may need a bit of tweaking, but overall I think they did a great job with it. It really makes you focus on the hitter your facing and his tendencies.
Fielding and throwing the ball is also completely taken over with the left analog stick. This is probably the one area Sony San Diego could of spent maybe just a little more time with to get the throwing aspect done just right. When your throwing the ball, your player will have a meter to tell you how accurate your throws will be. If the circle lights up green, then your throw should be perfect. If it flashes red, then you could be in for some disaster. The only problem I have with this is that the throwing sensitivity is way too high. It is sometimes very tough to judge how perfect your throw will be. You basically just want to flick the analog stick instead of holding it down. I like the new concept, I just hope they spend some more time on getting it perfect for next years game. It’s quite obvious that the hitting and pitching were at the top of the to-do list more so than the fielding.
For people who’ve played last year’s game already know how beautiful the game truly looks. Everything from the lighting during day games, to the almost creepy realistic look of the players. The Show always shines in the graphics department. I can’t tell a huge difference in visuals from this year’s game to last, other than maybe the players facial animations or maybe how they stand in the batters box. But by no means is it a downgrade from the previous year. Even the stadiums look slightly more detailed, and crowd animations are a step up. It still remains the best looking baseball game that is out for this console generation.
The most popular aspect of The Show has always been it’s Road To The Show mode. This is basically your RPG for core baseball fans. You can either pick your favorite team to play for, or you can enter the draft and have it determine what team your going to start at AA with. Throughout the games you play you will earn XP that you can spend to improve your player any way you want. Do you want to be more of a contact Ichiro type player? Or do you want to have power and knock the cover off the ball like Ryan Howard? Whatever you decide, it sure is a time killer and a fun way to play the game. Their are a million ways to shape the player that you want to be. Throwing, fielding, and speed are also important if you want a shot at the Major Leagues. You will be rewarded on anything positive that you do during a game, not just hitting homeruns. Hit a sacrifice fly or have a long pitch at-bat are some the other things you will be rewarded for. Doing some of the little things will earn you big XP.
Additional added features to this years MLB 11: The Show are quite scarce. They added a co op mode that you can play with a friend against the A.I. and the online play isn’t much different as last year. It still works when it wants too but at times can still have lag. They’ve also made a little bit of changes to the online leagues to make things easier and more accessible. For the most fun that the game has to offer, stick offline with a Road To The Show character or start up a 162 game season with your favorite team.
Even though the game doesn’t offer much more than last year, MLB 11: The Show still remains the most surreal experience you are going to have on the baseball field without actually being on it yourself. With the additions of the Pure Analog Control, beautiful looking visuals, and slight upgrades to the RTTS mode it is in no doubt worth your time and money. Sure, you may put some wear and tear on the analog sticks by the end of the season, but the feeling of hitting a walk-off homerun in the 9th with the new controls. Priceless.
LittleBigPlanet 2
2011 is finally here and I can’t think of a better way to start it off. One of the first big games to come out this year is Media Molecule’s LittleBigPlanet 2. People were absolutely in love with the first game when it debuted in 2008, and rightfully so. Now you may be asking yourself, Why do I need a sequel to a game that is almost 100% user created? Well that’s a fair question, and by the end of my review I hope I’ve answered it for you.
LittleBigPlanet 2 in every way is a step above the first one. One of the biggest and most welcoming surprises is the quality of the story missions. I thought Media Molecule concentrated so much in getting the user created stuff right in the first title, that it was lacking in the single player levels. In the sequel, this is not the case at all. I found the story levels in LittleBigPlanet 2 to be very creative and much more enjoyable. Each world has it’s own theme so it never gets stale. Things can also get a little tricky for Sackboy as he makes his way through each section of the game. In addition to that, all of your Downloadable Content and user created levels from the first game will port over to the new one. I was glad to see the return of my Jack Sparrow Sackboy. The core gameplay of LittleBigPlanet still remains the same. But Media Molecule did add a few new things to the mix. You will often find grappling hooks to use to grab on to certain things in the level, that are just too far to reach. I thought this a cool new way to get around. Also, a lot of people complained about the jumping in the first game. I never really agreed with that, but it’s worth mentioning that there are a fair amount of jump pads in most of the levels. These make getting around quicker and easier.
Let’s be honest, what makes people come back for more LittleBigPlanet goodness is the user created levels. I personally have never had a creative bone in my body when it comes to creating original content levels, so I unfortunately will not be taking part in making my own. But for those who are, there are tons of things you can make and do. I’ve seen people making shooters, racing levels, and pretty much anything else that springs to your mind. It’s amazing how much is packed in for all the people who want to take advantage of building something great. There are hours upon hours of content that will easily make this game go on for a few years, or until we see LittleBigPlanet 3.
One minor complaint I have is with how the co-op works. Before you enter every level it will ask you if you want to join up with others that are playing this level. It does in fact do so, but problem is, it will send out an invite to one person and if they decline your invite, the game will just automatically put you into the game solo. It does not continue to look for other players. You have to keep returning to your pod and reloading the level you want to play. It’s not a huge deal but hopefully this is something that can be fixed in a future patch. Regardless, if you wanted to play with 3 of your buddies then this is probably your best bet with co-op, as I did not experience any problems playing that way.
Overall, LittleBigPlanet 2 is an amazing game, and a great way to start off 2011. If you liked anything about the first game, there is no doubt in my mind that you will love what Media Molecule has done with the sequel . It is in every way a more fleshed out and enjoyable experience. No matter what your age is, there’s enough “kid” in all of us to still enjoy the little things.
Killzone 3
Everybody knows the bar was set high when the original Killzone 2 trailer came out at E3 2005. Guerrilla really had to deliver due to the fact that the fans would not be satisfied if it was not close to what was portrayed. Fortunately, Guerrilla did deliver, and Killzone 2 was honestly one of the best looking games out when it was released. Even though the changes may be minor, Killzone 3 looks even better than its predecessor. I honestly had to pause the game and reflect on the days of Metal Gear Solid for PS1. I remember thinking that game looked amazing solely for the fact that you could see snake’s breath in the opening level. I look at Killzone 3 and think it’s amazing how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time. Maybe I’m forgetting something, but Killzone 3 is the most beautiful game I’ve played to date. It’s not just the graphics; it’s the aesthetic as well.
When you first dive into Killzone 3, you may not be able to pick out all of the changes made from the second game. While they all may be very small changes, the game is really a much better experience than the first. The first thing I noticed was that I never ran out of ammo. There are ammo crates located everywhere you turn, which is great because you are never frustrated due to lack of ammo. This game is about kicking ass, and you can’t do that if you don’t have any ammo. For some of the special scenario weapons the ammo is infinite, which is also great. Another change is the fact that you can carry two main weapons at a time now. I think this is genius. This means you no longer come upon a weapon you really want to use only to pass it up because you still need your assault rifle. You also have a great selection of weapons in Killzone 3 such as the WASP missile launcher (probably my favorite special weapon), the boltgun which fires exploding bolts and the Arc Cannon which explodes enemies into a million pieces. Another new addition to the game is the jet pack. It comes with two automatic rifles built into each side. While I think it is a great addition, I found my self dying a fair amount simply because I was more exposed while flying. The mech suit makes a return as well.
Anyone who has played Killzone 2 knows that it is a very impressive looking game. Killzone 3 raises the bar by making the game brighter and changing up the environments constantly, including the addition of snow levels, jungle levels and even space combat similar to that of Halo: Reach. The game never feels dull or repetitive; the environment is constantly changing.
One of my main concerns going into Killzone 3 was that I was going to feel nauseated like I did when playing Killzone 2. I can tell you that not once did I feel sick or nauseated. The camera is a lot more steady than the previous game, and surprisingly this makes a huge difference. It also means you can appreciate your surroundings a lot more while being in motion. You really see the full power of this game when you go up against the MAWLR towards the end. This was by far the most intense part of the game, and it played a decisive role in the score that I gave it.
There aren’t too many negative things I can say about Killzone 3, but there is one thing that made the game frustrating for me. I died a lot. The reason this was frustrating is because most of the time it was unexpected. Similar to Gears of War, Killzone 3 is based heavily on taking cover and shooting from cover; it is not a run-and-gun type of game. For me, this means that I should be safe in cover. This is not the case. There are many times in the game where you will think you are safe behind cover, and you are not. I found this frustrating because I would duck behind cover to regenerate my health and still keep getting shot. This wouldn’t be as frustrating if it the game didn’t depend so much on cover, but it does; if you are exposed to enemy fire, you can only really take a few hits before you are down on the ground. There were also many times when I had no idea who was shooting me, forcing me to replay a section 5-10 times before barely making it through. Like I said, this is honestly the one and only thing bad about this game. It excels in every other aspect, and in no way is this a reason to not play it.
Killzone 3 took me about 5 hours to complete. That may be a turn off to some people, but the game also lets you play cooperatively with split-screen. I’m not sure why they didn’t include the option to play it co-op online because I think that would have been a good time. I didn’t have any time to play with the multiplayer so I can’t really say much about it other than its fun and hopefully I’ll have time to sit down and play more of it soon.
Overall Killzone 3 is a masterpiece of power. I really had a great time with it, and I’m hoping we’ll get a Killzone 4 someday. People are saying this is the year of the PS3.
I’d say it’s off to a great start.