Gameinformer Overview – November Update 2011
This months Gameinformer cover features Transformers and the Fall of Cybertron. It’s a huge month for the online gaming community as Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is released within a week as well as a few other large titles in the upcoming months.
Beat Hazard Ultra
The best way that I can describe Beat Hazard Ultra is to take Super Stardust HD, put all your favorite dance/electro/dubstep music behind it and put thousands of music strobing lights on the screen at the same time.
When I first looked at a gameplay video of this game I couldn’t even keep track of what was going on, but soon after I downloaded it, I was already playing on Suicidal and it was pure fun!
Gameinformer Overview – October Update 2011
This month’s gameinformer cover features Link! A classic icon in the gaming world for any age gamer! Inside, there is are over 5 pages dedicated to link and his evolution over all of these years!
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!
E3 2011: Sony Press Conference
With all of the controversy towards Sony over the past month, there is no doubt everyone was looking at Jack Tretton for some sort of apology over the PSN outage nightmare. It’s no surprise that this is where the show would begin. I felt that Tretton seemed very apologetic and understands what he has put, not only the consumers through, but game publishers and developers as well. It’s an unfortunate event, but guess what people, it’s over with and all we can do from here is move on, and hope that we have an amazing finish to the 2011 year from Sony.
After the PSN talk things got right down to business. Showing off one of the most amazing franchises of this generation, Uncharted 3. I have been a huge Uncharted fan ever since the first game, and the series just keeps getting better and better. The demo that was shown by Naughty Dog looked absolutely gorgeous. The water effects and cinematic gameplay was like no other. I don’t know about you, but I honestly can’t wait for this title, and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t take Game of the Year for 2011, just like Uncharted 2 did back in 2009 when it won a handful of awards.
Then things moved quickly to Sony’s next big exclusive title, Resistance 3. I’ve never been a big fan of the Resistance series. Their not terrible games, I feel like their just missing something. Whether or not the 3rd installment will bring that “something” I’m looking for remains to be seen. But after the demo that was shown I wasn’t impressed at all. Hopefully the full game will be much better. Time will tell.
What I also thought was interesting was the 24 inch 3D monitor that was packaged with Resistance 3 and the 3D glasses all for 499.99$, Not bad. I’ll skip though, I’m still not completely sold on the whole 3D thing yet. I don’t want to have a seizure while I’m playing a game.
One thing that I was very satisfied with about Sony’s presser was the fact that we didn’t really get a lot of Move talk. Sure they did some, but not nearly to the extent of Microsoft did with Kinect in my opinion. They showed off NBA 2k11 with Move support, along with a few other titles I quickly forgot the names of. What I didn’t forget was Dust 514, a Sony exclusive First-Person Shooter which seems to be set in the future. We didn’t get a whole lot to look at it, but from what I saw I was pretty excited.
The end of the show is the thing we’ve all been waiting for. We finally know the new name of the NGP, the PSVita. Stupid name, but who cares, I thought the games on it looked very impressive for a handheld. Also, with the $250 price tag on it, it will give some competition with the 3DS. I really don’t think anyone saw that coming from Sony. What a great move on their part. I thought Uncharted: Golden Abyss was definitely some eye candy,although I could do without the gimmicky touch screen functionality on the front of the screen. But to each their own, they don’t force you to play the game that way if you don’t want too. Ruin also caught my eye. I like the fact that you can start a game on the go with your PSVita, and continue right where you left off, at home on your Playstation 3. I can see a lot of games taking advantage of that, and it’s a great idea.
Overall, I really was pleased with the Sony Press Conference. Not much Move talk, and the fact that you can get the PSVita for $249.99 stole the show for me. Uncharted 3 is going to be huge for them this year, and I think that game is finally a system seller. Everyone knows Sony has had a rough first half of 2011, and it remains to be seen how the second half of the year is for them. But I think they are definitely heading in the right direction.
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.
VGA 2010: Resistance 3 Debut Trailer
Last night at the VGA’s we got to see the debut trailer for Resistance 3, which is exclusively once again coming to the PS3. Also revealed at the end of the trailer was a release date for the game set for September 6, 2011. Sony seems to be heading in the right direction in 2011 with some top notch titles. Take a look at the trailer below.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Trailer Confirms Release Date
Was it worth watching the VGA’s tonight? probably not. So if you were too busy to check it out because you were playing games like me, then at least put the controller down for a second and take a look at the amazing debut trailer for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. Get ready to uncover the truth!