Wow, it’s been over a week…

Time flies when your having fun. I’ve been narrowing down the niche and the format of this blog, and I’ve pretty much decided that this is going to be exclusively about gaming. So, for all of you who were biting your nails for the Red Mars review, just trust me that the book is absolutely amazing, and we’ll leave it at that.

I finished Ghostbusters this past weekend, and I plan to have a review of that up very soon. I’ve also been playing way too much UFC for my own good, so you can expect a write up on that as well.

I have some pretty cool things in store for this blog, folks. So stay tuned for some pretty big changes over the next couple months.

Happy gaming!

Dark Sector Game Review

 

This is a review of Dark Sector, a third person action game for the Xbox360, Playstation3, and PC. The game was developed by Digital Extremes, and released in North America on March 25^th, 2008.

Story

Dark Sector’s storyline is definitely the game’s weakest link by far. It takes place in a fictional Eastern European nation called Lasria. You play as Hayden Tenno, a CIA agent tasked with taking out a terrorist who is planning to release a biological infection across the planet. Unfortunately, the storyline seems to flag behind from this point forward. Hayden is soon infected with the virus by the man he is trying to kill. The infection turns its victims into mutated creatures with metallic skin which hardens over time. There is really no coherent explanation given as to why he was infected in the first place. This symptom continues to bog down the remainder of the games plot. Characters come and go, with plenty of hints about their background with Hayden and the storyline; the problem is that the hints are never followed by revelations. This leaves most of the game’s dramatic moments feeling more than a bit flat.

While the cut scenes are well done and the voice acting is fantastic, the plot itself is so ill-paced that you tend not to care, as the motivations of the characters—including Hayden Tenno himself—are usually only hinted at, instead of being clearly shown. This is too bad, because the ideas the developers were playing around with had a lot of potential.

Audio/Visual

Dark Sector is a fantastic looking game. The levels are dark, gritty, and intense. The lighting in the game is the real stand out though, with subtly employed effects adding intensity and depth to fairly standard environments. Shadows are dark enough that you’ll want to avoid them when fighting. Being in a poorly lit room has a significant impact on the gameplay; and the developers obviously designs several of the combat scenarios around that.

The audio is decent, with firearms sounding appropriately powerful, and the pleading cries of enemies on the business end of your glaive make finishing moves and “finesse” kills feel much more visceral and satisfying. The music is nothing special, but doesn’t get in the way, either.

Mechanics

Hayden is a certified badass, no doubt about it. He stalks Dark Sector’s levels like a hunting panther. While only starting with a pistol and some attitude, Hayden quickly receives his most important upgrade; what amounts of a giant throwing star called the Glaive. Battles are well paced and strategic, forcing you to use the environment and number of enemies to determine your tactics.

Hayden uses a combination of firearms—which can be purchased and upgraded through the game’s “black market” system—and the glaive to defeat his foes. You’re presented with a range of pretty standard guns to choose from, including handguns, assault rifles, and shotguns. The black market works well enough, but can also feel somewhat clunky. The firearms feel satisfying and appropriately powerful.  That being said, the glaive is where the real action is at in Dark Sector, and is one of the more unique aspects of the game. Early on you’ll receive an upgrade which lets you control the glaive once you’ve throw it, allowing you to perform some awesome multiple kills. You can also dish out some brutal melee finishers when fighting in close.

The combat is definitely Dark Sector’s strong suit. It feels like you’re given an ever expanding tool box, with each of the tools feeling useful at different times, depending on the situation. The upgrades in the game generally work well, because they improve your capabilities without constantly forcing you to learn new weapons and powers. Each upgrade is basically a natural progression of what you can already do. By the end of the game, you’re combat prowess has grown by orders of magnitude.

The gameplay in Dark Sector is executed well enough to fuel your progression through the main storyline. Yet that doesn’t make the lack of a well told story any less of a bummer. While there is a multiplayer component in Dark Sector, I haven’t really spent any time with it and feel no interest in doing so. Based on other reviews and my own experiences with the game, the single player experience is definitely what the developers put their time and energy into.

In a Nutshell

Dark Sector is far from a perfect game. It suffers from some pretty bad pacing issues. What could have been a decent story comes across so disjointed that you end up feeling apathetic about it. The movement controls for Hayden can be kind of sticky sometimes, and there is also some occasional bad level design to content with now and again. However, none of these flaws are deal breakers for the game. When Dark Sector works, it works extremely well. It has some of the best third person combat this generation; with each of Hayden’s skills and weapons remaining useful and satisfying throughout the game.  It has a great visual style to it, as well as some very creepy atmosphere. If you’re a fan of games like Dead Space or Gears of War, you’re going to be in familiar territory with this one.

It would have been great to see some kind of “instant action” mode where you can experience more of the game’s terrific combat without having to subject yourself to the main storyline a second time. Dark Sector does have enough original charm to remain a decent and memorable action game in its own right. If you have the dough to pick it up used, you should definitely give it a shot. Happy hunting!

C+

Trine – I’m Kind of Excited About This Game

I’ve been glancing at this game now and then since I heard about it a couple months ago; but now that it’s close to release, I’m surprised how much I’m looking forward to it. It’s a budget release on the PC and PSN at only $30, and it looks like it’s got all kinda of heart. The art style looks absolutely beautiful. For fans of retro games like Gautlent, Ghost and Goblins, The Lost Vikings, etc… I think this one is definately going to hit the spot. Have a look at this gameplay trailer, then come back for my review sometime in the coming weeks.

All Quiet on the Blogging Front

Nothing awesome to post just yet; but I thought I’d throw a quick hello out there.

I am still working on Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. It’s a big ole’ cow of a book, but its definately worth the effort so far. Look for my review on that in the next two weeks or so.

I’ve also been playing through Dark Sector on the X360. You can expect that review up by the end of this week. So stay tuned!

Game Review – Prototype

 

 

 

Prototype is the latest super hero action game from Radical Entertainment, the same folks who brought us The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction back in ’05. That was an XBOX title which I never played, but Prototype has been my mini obsession over the last week and a half or so.

Story

You are Alex Mercer, a New Yorker who wakes up on a morgue slab about to be dissected by a couple of scientists in hazmat suits. Mercer flees the scene of this traumatic event, only to find that he has no memory. There are also a couple other minor oddities, namely that he can run up the side of buildings, pick up cars like toys, and take a volley of machine gun rounds without turning into a pile of raw hamburger.  He can also “consume” anyone around him. Consuming someone gives Mercer access to their memories, as well as the ability to shape shift into their physical form.  I’m only scratching the surface of what Alex Mercer is capable of in this game. Suffice to say he’s easily one of the most powerful characters we’ve seen in a while, especially in a game of this particular type.

Revenge is Mercer’s primary motive. He spends the majority of the game tracking down those responsible for his conditions. While this would ordinarily be easy for someone of Mercer’s unusual capabilities, there is the little obstacle of an infection spreading through the streets of Manhattan, turning its citizens into mutants. As the military tries to restore order, Mercer must try an unravel the mystery of his powers before the entire city rips itself apart.

The story in Prototype is pretty standard fare. There’s nothing innovative here. However, it’s the means by which the events are presented to you that breathe life into an otherwise run-of-the-mill tale. Mercer is able to sense the identity of someone who has knowledge of his past. Each time he consumes one of these individuals, a short narrated montage plays out describing that person’s knowledge of Mercer, or the games plot. Each bit lasts only a couple seconds. However, as enemies begin to pile up, we are shown more and more of the mystery surrounding Mercer, the military’s plans to counter the infection and other bits of back story. All of this adds up to create an immersive experience that’s a perfect fit for a next gen game.

The weakest part of the story is the motivations of Alex Mercer himself. It seems as if the developer couldn’t quite decide if Mercer was a hero, or a psychopath; so what happens is the game tries to present Mercer as both. This didn’t work very well for me, and it left the experience, even at the game’s conclusion feeling kind of aimless. Don’t get me wrong; this stories not bad. I just think that if the developers presented a more consistent, coherent character in Mercer, Prototype would have come that much nearer its full potential.

Audio/Visual

Overall, the game looks fantastic. Character models are detailed and well animated. Alex is able to shift from form to form on the fly, even in mid animation, a really nice touch. The city itself feels alive, with cars and crowds of pedestrians freaking out or strolling calmly along, depending on whether the infection has spread to that part of the city or not. The buildings themselves are the games weak point. The structures are boxy and fairly drab. However, they look good enough that you won’t really notice as you’re gliding along the rooftops, or running up the side of an eighty story skyscraper.

Again, there are no real innovations here. Prototype’s graphics do a workhorse job of immersing you, without getting very flashy.

The one standout in the game’s audio is the score. I thought the orchestral music which accompanies Mercer on his journey was absolutely brilliant. It had a pronounced superhero vibe, while still remaining subtle enough to stay in the background.  Good game music can be a rare find, with even the best soundtracks grating a bit after 15 hours of repetition. Prototypes music never felt forced, and never took center stage; but it was powerful enough to add an emotional punctuation mark to many of the game’s over-the-top moments.

The ambient city sounds are good as well; with constant military chatter, screaming citizens, car crashes, and explosions adding depth and intensity as the infection spreads throughout the city.

Mechanics

This is the game’s strongest point by far. Alex Mercer is a blast to control, through and through. Running up the side of buildings and jumping from rooftop to rooftop is an absolute blast. Consuming and shape shifting are also great fun. I felt in control of Alex at all times, with only the rarest occurrence of unpredictability when gliding or performing the “air dash” maneuver.

Mercer is able to weaponize himself in various ways, such as sprouting claws from his fingertips, or transforming one arm into a giant blade. The combat in the game is visceral, gory, and action-packed. Sometimes there are so many monsters, people, and objects on screen that it borders on absolute pandemonium. That would make things difficult for Alex if it wasn’t for a really well implemented lock-on mechanic. If there’s one game where you need a decent lock-on targeting system, it’s Prototype.

Just about every one of Mercer’s many abilities can be upgraded. I’m a sucker for upgrade systems; so this was a fun aspect. Upgrades and new powers are well paced, with replacements coming just as old powers begin to feel broken in.

There are a number of side challenges around the city that allow Alex to train his powers. Each of these are fun, and come with decent XP rewards the better you do. There are also 200 collectable orbs scattered around, with XP rewards coming after every 10 you collect.

In a Nutshell

Prototype is a great game that fell just short of its full potential. If you’re a fan of superheroes and comic book culture, this is going to be a must own for you. I could definitely see it as a game I’ll pull out every now and then to play around with, but it’s not one that’s going to stick with me five years hence. If you  Gamefly it’s definitely worth a rental at least. The folks at Radical are definitely headed in the right direction, and I have high hopes for a sequel. I just hope that if and when it comes, Alex Mercer is a bit less wishy-washy as a character.

B+

Jarate Sandvich – Episode 10

Last night’s podcast went extremely well, and seemed to be very well received. If you are into gaming (or beer), you should definately check us out. You can view the latest live show right here. Alternately, you can view the edited audio version of the podcast at Winehouse Factory.

The Prototype review took a bit longer than expected, but I’ll have it up later this evening. I certainly hope it’s worth the wait!

Shi No Numa – Impressions

I’m not calling this a review. I haven’t put the time into this map necessary for something as fleshed-out as that. I play, and will continue to play, these zombie maps pretty casually; mostly in spurts of 30 – 45 minutes; and for me, that’s kind of the whole point.

Shi No Numa is the newest Zombie Nazi map for Call of Duty: WaW. For the uninitiated, Zombie Nazis is basically a co-op mini game that was bundled in with COD. The game was built around a single idea. Up to four players are stranded together in a bombed out farmhouse that is being attacked by wave after wave of, you guessed it; Nazi Zombies. Each progressive level increases the number, strength and speed of the zombies. When you start getting into the upper teens and on the gameplay gets pretty intense. Players gain points from killing zombies and boarding up windows. They use these points to buy weapons to continue fighting.

Shi No Numa is part of the second COD downloadable map pack, and it certainly changes things up a bit. Instead of trying to hold and protect a small area or location, the idea is to run and gun for as long as you can. Instead of Nazi Zombies, you’re fighting Imperial Zombies. Shi No Numa means “Zombie Swamp” in Japanese. That’s an apt description of the map. You’re fighting zombies in what looks like an abandoned military base, complete with zip lines and booby traps; all surrounded by murky green swampland. It’s kind of hard to spot those crawlers in knee-deep green water. The idea is to keep moving, using the traps to cover your back while utilizing the zip line to make a quick getaway. The zombies are meaner and faster than any we’ve seen in either the original game or the first expansion. Oh, and did I mention they’ve added exploding hell hounds? Yeah, you know you want some o’ that.

That’s Shi No Numa in a nutshell. There’s a lot more to it which I’m leaving out. I honestly haven’t put a lot of time in it. However, this is one game that I can say I’ll be playing regularly six months or a year from now; and for me, that alone lends itself to a solid recommendation. The map is creepy, enjoyable, and intense. If you’re a Zombie Nazi fan on the fence about the 800 points (just under $10), or even if you’re one of the six people in the World who haven’t tried these games out, Shi No Numa is definitely worth the small price of admission.

Just Touching Base…

Hey folks, sorry for the lack of posting in the last few days. I’ve been playing the Hell out of Prototype, and plan to have it completed on Friday night. review will go up this weekend.

I am also reading through Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson again, I never quite completed it before, and I’d really like to. So you’ll have my thoughts on that when it’s finished.

Last, but absolutely not least, the new zombie map for Call of Duty: WaW. It’s called Shi No Numa. Watch for me review on that in the next day or two.

Book Review: Blood Music By Greg Bear

As Promised…

Blood Music – Greg Bear

I enjoyed Blood book a lot. It takes a pretty simple concept (what if microbes developed intelligence?) and stretches it just about as far as it can possibly go.  If you enjoy apocalypse fiction, thrillers, and a bit of hard SF now and again, this book is going to be right up your alley.

The book begins simply enough. Vergil Ulam is a slightly mad scientist working for a genetics company in the mid ‘80s. Though secretive (and rather reckless) experimentation, Vergil adapts some of his own white blood cells with the ability to communicate with one another. When Vergil’s employers find out about his side projects, he is ordered to destroy his work and summarily canned on the spot. Rather than dispose of his “children” Vergil injects some of the cells into his own body. You can probably imagine where things might go from here.

The cells multiply and grow more intelligent. They begin to “redesign” Vergil Ulam. You quickly get the feeling that this poor guy has gotten himself into a situation which is simply bigger than he is capable of handling. The story grows larger and larger from hear, until we’re dealing with conflicts on a global scale; conflicts which determine the fate of humanity itself.

Should you decide to check this one out, you should be aware that Blood Music is really two stories, instead of one. There is a breaking point within the novel which may put some people off. You’ll know it when you get there, and you’ll probably enjoy the book more if you’re prepared for it.

The novel raises some interesting what if questions. If microbes developed intelligence, what kind of beings would they be? How would they incorporate concepts such as individuality, mortality, and love into their society? It’s the kind of book that stays with you several days after you’ve finished it. For my money, that’s about as much as I expect from a really good novel.

I’ve read several novels from Bear and I’ve been very satisfied with them all. He writes hard science fiction, and his style is professional, clear, and polished. This is one of his earlier breakout works. While it remains an excellent story in its own right, it also shows a lot of promise for some of his later works to come such as the amazing novel “Legacy” published ten years after this one.

Shi No Numa: New Zombie Level for Call of Duty: WaW!

Seriously!!

Here is the brand new, just released trailer for the new zombie map for Call of Duty: WaW. It looks like the guys at Treyarch really put the pedal down on this one. Holy Crap!