Gus Johnson calling the game this year! Hot damn! Wait. Maybe I'll skip Madden this year. Nope, too late. In the cart.
Superficial first impression just looking at the thing (sigh): Gus sounds like something out of Joe Montana Sports Talk football. "The freak! (pause) Randy Moss (pause) gets his (pause) first reception of the game." Second thing I notice here is that the players on the sidelines look better. A lot better. In between snaps the game looks better. Coach and player models are much improved. More sponsors (bothered me last year just to have, like, one). The crowd still needs work. I wish the camera was less jerky, it follows the ball precisely so if a player is getting jossled around at the line the camera shakes back and forth rapidly.
They mailed in the music this year. Wow. Not good.
Superficial review done (maybe all Madden games get these days anyway except from Bill Abner) No gameplay for me yet. I'm still having too much time playing FIFA 10. However, I did simulate this years season, just to see how some of my potential fantasy players do. Below are the results for the Skins. Not good. I'll put it in the memory bank and see what happens at the end of the season. All the regulars at the top of the league. Manning, Bress, wait... Romo and Flacco? Bold. In rushing you get Gore, Turner, McGahee, Peterson. McGahee probably shouldn't be there. Receiving we have Colston, Marshall and Fitzgerald. I don't see Fitzgerald there because he doesn't have anyone throwing to him this year.
Biggest question I needed answered? Jake Delhomme. He finished the season with a 66.8 passer rating. 17 TDs with 17 INTs. Hmmm. We'll see how that plays out.
I've played my way though the single player campaign of Rainbow Six Vegas. When this game came out almost 3 years ago I did have a passing interest in it, but at the time the Ghost Recon series cranked out a couple good games so my tactical shooter fill was, well, full. I'll make no bones about this game. It is better then Advanced Warfighter. Maybe even better then GRAW 2... maybe. It's in there somewhere. Ok, so I did make bones about it.
I'm a long time fan of 'Clancy' themed games as I oft mentioned around here. The feelings I got playing the first Ghost Recon on the Xbox (not the PC, mind you) have stuck with me. They must be pretty powerful experiences because now when I get that familiar feeling I smile. I think it is somewhere in the even balance between planning and executing. I go into a 'Clancy Zen' kind of mode when that happens. I will even whisper to myself when I'm team leader "I've been here before guys, stack up, lets go" if in the moment.
Splinter Cell has also created a lot of those CZ moments for me and there-in me thinks I figured out why I enjoyed playing Rainbow Six Vegas so much. Half way through the game there was a moment where a gun battle died down but a couple bad guys were sitll in the room. They were talking with each other... "did you hear that?" "It's nothing Richard, you're hearing things." Right then I tossed a incendiary grenade at them and only heard screams. Ok, that's kinda creepy. Anyway, it's got more then a handful Sam Fisher type scenarios to navigate through. Your execution throughout the game feels similar to Chaos Theory. Very similar. Snake Cams, silencers, night vision, thermal vision, smoke, etc... The only difference is that you always end up using brute force to get out of a situation. No taking out one guy at a time, or even never taking out anyone. In RS you ultimately end up taking out everyone. Strangely, always ending up in a gun battle pulls the sense of power away from the gamer, instead of giving it to you like when controlling old Sam Fisher.
In the end, after finishing the game, I realize that I've just plainly completed another first person shooter. I'm left with the feeling that those old feelings I got from playing Ghost Recon are fewer and fewer between. That said though, Rainbow Six Vegas is the spiritual successor to both games like GR Summit Strike and Chaos Theory. In essence, it is a mash-up of those two games.
And that's a very good thing. (Sam Fisher, at play)
Well, Well, Well! What do we have here but an update about Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising. That's right! And I'm posting it. While I'm at it I'm also going to say that it's going to be 54 degrees in Raleigh, NC on Saturday... -1 in Columbus, OH. You can find some official details here. There's also a behind the scenes video which only confirms the thoughts I posted a couple weeks about ago about Codemasters trying to get everything right. Let's hope they don't get tangled up in it.
The talk (in their press release) about the logo design. This is alright by me.
To start... the intro is a mess. Japanese game. Yes... it makes sense, just 'Japanese sense.' Kind of like Lost Planet in that - as a player and participant in a story - you have to constantly be asking yourself, ok, ok... i am following this, oh, they said that because of this earlier. However, being involved in this type of game you have to also allow for the 'what the...?!' moments. Although, through my short time with Vampire Rain I haven't experienced that. Well, outside of the made up special forces faction of a made up secret information gathering government agency. Hey, the main character I'm playing is a secret WITHIN a secret. Does it get any better?
Artoon, the developer has been around for almost a decade. Yes, a Japanese game maker. From what I've read it looks to be made up of a handful of guys from Sega's old AM2 studio (Sonic, Panzer Dragoon). I also see that I've never played any other game developed by them as the Artoon company.
I am playing the game though, not too far in to be honest, but I've got to tell you... It's not very fun. Would I say 'bad'? Well... that raises a much larger question.
Is a bad game on a current generation console as bad as a game perhaps made for a glitchy PC from the early '90's? or how about a generic platformer from the SNES and Genesis days? How about a really thrown together game from the Atari days?
I think immediately I can remove the case against the glitchy PC game. Generally speaking I can just categorize them as 'Broken'. With current console games rarely do you get a game that is 'just broken' in the sense that there is a bug that prevents you from playing the game. Although, I don't like the current business model being used by some companies in that they seem to be launching games incomplete (as far as testing) and later update them via Xbox Live. I'm not sure if this is a way to see if the game is worth investing more money in based on initial sales or not. But I personally think it is a bad way to release games, if indeed that is true.
So what makes a game poor on a current gen system? Exhibit A would be Vampire Rain. It's just not fun. At no point does it draw you into it's world, which is necessary for a game like this one. It kinda has a feeling of Left 4 Dead. But without the fun and you can never, ever, improve your situation if things go bad. There are vampire type things that will kill you in 5 seconds and there is nothing you can do about it. NOTHING. I can get into trying to sneak around them but to what reward? Just reaching the next checkpoint?
Anyway, mess with a 'Nightwalker' and you are dead. It goes past funny, to sucking, back to funny when writing about it. Playing it is not funny. Sure it's funny when you are three stories up, thinking you are safe, thinking... 'okay, I know this guy is going to go ape shit once I start shooting, but i'm way up here, three stories up on a roof.' bang bang... you're dead. GAME OVER.
I ordered me some popcorn. Back in October. Expecting it to arrive for Christmas. I'm sure it happens all the time at work. Some nice lady comes by your desk or whatever selling cookies or candy for girl or boy scouts. I've never really been one to buy. Not because I don't like it, just because parting with money months before you get something is a difficult thing do do with any purchase let alone cookies. But I got suckered in to popcorn thinking it may make a good gift for someone at Christmas. So... for about the price of a video game I purchased me some popcorn only to never have it arrive. Turns out the den mother pulled a scam and kept most of the money.
Until today I figured my money was gone, but low and behold my 40 bucks was returned to me after all this time. So, what to do with this angry money? Save it? Pay my winter gas bill? Burn it at the next Cub Scout meeting I go to (ok, that's just wrong). I couldn't think of a better way then find the crappiest game I could and buy it.
So my goal here is simple. Find the most terrible Xbox 360 game I can. I think I've found a winner. According to Game Rankings and according to what I may find delightfully bad, I found Vampire Rain. A Splinter Cell / Horror game mash up.
I don't know if I've had a better time looking up a game then this one. Here are some choice quotes from reviews I've found:
Yes, you have found a gaming low point if you are playing this title. - Mike David, Gamezone
Getting sighted means you'll be instantly pursued, 28 Days Later style, and two hits later, you're dead. To Artoon, this obviously equals crazy fun, but to the average gamer it means a serious waste of money. - James Mielke, 1up
Getting to a stage where the game feels enjoyable is a long, dark, painful road.... at no point does it make sense to routinely make the player suffer at every turn. - Kristan Reed, Eurogamer
Makes you hate life. -Paul Randall, GamesRadar
If it weren’t for Tenchu Z, Vampire Rain would undoubtedly be the worst title I’ve had the displeasure of playing on the Xbox 360. -Serenity Now, Talk Xbox
I have never played a game that so desperately wanted you to fail and hate it. - Todd Douglass, Video Game Talk
I know games get hit up all the time, but this one looks like a treat. I'm picking it up soon. I've found redemption for my popcorn fiasco. Take that nobody!!
It's over now. Lots of games have been played during 'that' year. I have to say I've had a lot of fun doing it. I've really enjoyed starting a good collection of games and (working) consoles. So I feel it is sort of important to look back at the better ones...
First off, I'll have to say right now I'm enjoying Rock Band 2... as a drummer. I've had a lot of fun playing this with Audrea, and look forward to many more nights doing so.
But what is the best game I've played this year? Well, that would be Call of Duty IV. Folks, I have to say that this game, with out a doubt in my mind, takes the prize. I played the hell out of it. Offline and on. It ranks up there with my favorites of all time.
A couple other games worth checking out are Rez HD (XBOX Live), XXIII (PS2), and Brothers in Arms, Hell's Highway (XBOX 360). If you still have a Genesis, check out Comix Zone. Great game. I had a lot of fun playing those games. Fallout 3 (XBOX 360) is a good game for those with the time to immerse themselves in it and Assassin's Creed, which actually came out last November, is definitely worth checking out if you haven't already. Civilization Revolution on the 360 is a great time too.
It's worth noting that Rockstar's magnum opus GTAIV is just on another complete level.
As for 2009? I'm looking forward to it. 'Stoked', believe it or not, is the first game on my list, coming out later this month. Hopefully, Operation Flashpoint comes out later this year along with the much delayed new Splinter Cell.
As for the time being? I'm drumming away at Rock Band 2. I'm putting on my scull cap here in a few minutes and pretend I'm Mike D wailing away at the drums for the first time for 'So Watcha Want'.
It's worth mentioning that just the fact that I am getting around to writing about a game like this means I enjoyed it. I'm awful proud of myself for finally 'finishing' a triple A title this year. Let's get started:
STORY: 7
I'm going to throw out the dreaded 'mix bag' cliche here. After all it is WWII so it is tough to look at is strictly as a game. Gearbox is still going strong with a coherent story with the same set of characters as in previous games. Admittedly though, I haven't played one since the first, but it was refreshing to see Matt Baker and team back. I'm giving the game a 4 almost solely based on the attempt Gearbox made a creating a story. An 'A' for effort kind of thing. Maybe I want it to be better then it is? Regardless, see Matt Baker's decent into madness is fresh and different. However, the 'cut scenes' are edited choppy and the writers choose to bounce back and forth in time more then they should have. Combine that with Baker's 'visions' and it gets confusing. No doubt a 2nd playthrough would help that though. Anyway, a story is there and it is good.
OBJECTIVE: 10
BiA has wonderful gameplay devices that I enjoy. The cover system used is good and the level set pieces are very well done. There are plenty of different ways to complete an objective. I've read other reviews that liken it to 'whack a mole' gameplay. I see it, but don't agree in simplifying it down to that. I like the use of the map screen and really enjoy commanding a couple squads around the battlefield. Controls are simple and the team responds to your orders.
IN GAME ART & DESIGN: 7
Excellent full usage of HD. Menus are fast and clean, the opening menu screen is very well done. In game design is really well done, simple and uncluttered. I think it looks great. Cut scenes go from 'jaw dropping' to 'wow, they mailed this in'. Personally, I enjoyed the daytime battles but lots of reviews prefer the game better when it goes to night which just proves that most of them are entertained by flickering lights. The game is very impressive during the night portion of the game, but I wouldn't say it is much better. Interiors of buildings could have been done better. Other then a few odd moments the game looks fabulous.
AUDIO, SOUND: 7
Voice work is some of the best I have heard in a while. Environmental sounds like gunfire and explosions are as well. Towards the end of the game, I was hunkered down right outside a building when I realized that my teams voices echoed while shouting inside the building. Well done. Music is good. The game may be too ambitious for what the soundtrack accomplishes though.
GAMEPLAY: 10
I already covered this a bit up in objectives, but I say it again. I'm a sucker for the way the this game works. Command squads around a map to complete the mission. Good stuff. That said, there are a handful of 'Tank' missions. Meaning they plop you in the belly of a 'steel beast' to wreak havoc. It is fun, but it's like a different game. I'm also laughing as I write this because there is a strange tangent in the story where you try and save a kid while atop a building sniping off Germans. So, yes... there is a 'sniper level' hahaha.
EMOTIONAL IMPACT: 7
I got fairly involved in Baker's story. I wanted to know what was driving him insane and in the end it pays off pretty well. I was also impacted by what was going on with Hartstock. But you'll have to play the game for those moments because they are the best in the game. Part of the game touches on something rarely done well in video games... the opposite sex. Not with any of the main characters but you will find your heart aflutter when you see one of your team chase after a pretty girl into a burning city. One of the best parts in the game, actually one of the best things I've seen in a game ever. I found myself motivated a great deal and I gave more purpose to what I was doing. I wanted to save them.
LONGEVITY: 5
It is what it is. A WWII game and only one part of a much bigger story.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: 5
The game is a part of a series, I think the best is yet to come.
X FACTOR: 10
I enjoyed the game. I'm writing about it. Again, a triple A title delivers for me! yay!
PACKAGE DESIGN: 5
I purchased the 'Limited Edition' version. Very Band of Brothers. Giant, thick box that is deserving of the game inside. Now, the action figure and comic inside? Maybe not. But it works well. You're always going to get extra points for special packaging with me. Artwork is great. I like the simple duotone red sky with the soldier silhouettes.
FINAL SCORE: 78
Excellent game well worth anyones time. I've touched on some of the better moments of the game already, but I'll say again that approaching a burning city from the outskirts and marching straight into it is fantastic.
What a treat... EA sports has once again pushed out yet another year of Madden. Okay so, not so much a treat. Either way it is here and in my collection. Last year, after taking about a 10 year break from the popular franchise, I got it. All in all, I think I enjoyed it save for a few frustrating things (fumbles.). So why did I go back out and get it this year like a crazy person? For a couple of reasons. 1. You could get the Head Coach game in the special edition bundle. 2. It looked fancy enough. Okay, so those reasons suck. I got it because it is football season and I bought into the hype.
Where am I with the game? Through the Pre-Season with the Redskins.
How is it? Still fun. Contrary to what I've read, the game seems fairly balanced using the new Madden IQ thingy. A lot of reviewers underestimate the potential of this feature. I also think it is impressive from a coding stand point. It is difficult to say how it will play out during my regular season, but we will see. I'm curious to find out what happens if I am playing a far superior team and get crushed. Will my IQ be reduced to nothing thus diminishing the CPU skills for the next team I play? I'm still wondering if the IQ thing is to replace traditional sliders. I don't think there are CPU sliders in the game, which is different, but could be because of the IQ. What has me scratching my head then is that I can adjust User sliders though. A few people out there are reeeeaaaally upset about the lack of CPU sliders, but between the IQ and User sliders you can get a challenging, accurate game going on. Besides wouldn't adjusting User sliders one way or another, in effect, be adjusting the CPUs? Well, not entirely, but like I've already said, I'm having fun with the game.
How are the stats then, realistic? This is a very important thing for me. I'll toss a sports game out the window if I'm leading the league in every category, or finishing dead last in them all. I've played Madden games enough to know not to go with 15 min quarters. Right now I'm going with 12 min. I'm only through the pre-season, but so far stats seem solid. I'm a bit stuck in the mud with the running game, but in my last game against the Bills I put up about 150 yds rushing and 200 something in the air (with zero interceptions!!!)
How does it look? Great. And some moments... unbelievable. Viewing a replay is really a treat. But I will say that still images of the game make it look better then it is. Stadiums look perfect, and finally the crowds are not distractingly bad in a sports game.
How does it play? Good. But it damn well better. It still bothers me that players can get pushed as if on ice if contact with another player isn't just so. It is especially irritating after a play stops. Nit-picky, I know. But, ya know, football, my friends, is a contact sport, MAKE THE CONTACT WORK AND YOU HAVE A GREAT DAMN GAME. Jeeze.
Bells and Whistles? Lots. Pretty interface again. I'm a franchise player. In it for the long hall.
How did the 'Skins do in the preseason? Not bad. Move Cooley to FB Mr. Zorn and you will win.
Madden is still piling on little features like IQ every year, when, if they fixed a couple tiny things in the gameplay I, and the rest of the sports playing world, would be very happy.
The simplicity of the game design is what makes this game stand apart from most others. Braid is a complete thought. As I play the game I can't help but think about what if the game had come out during the height of 2-D platforming. What if somewhere in-between Super Mario Bros. 3 and Strider a game like Braid came out? Would the course of popular video game history have been changed?
While it is futile to compare video games to movies one thing is for sure; you can't help but do it with most current generation games. Alone in the Dark has chapters you can skip to like a DVD, Dead Rising is a send up to zombie movies, BioShock comes dangerously close to film noir at points. and I'm sure that there is some review out there that states CoD IV is an 'action packed, thrill ride'. So then why does such a simple game like Braid more closely garnish feelings so close to what a movie gives you? I guess I could battle back and forth with myself for hours on that, but in the end I would tell you the same thing.
Given the right circumstances, Braid is a game that can hit you like any good art form; literary, visual, or otherwise. I would liken the game to a movie like F. W. Murnau's 'Sunrise'. In that, if I were to talk about it, you might be turned off. It is something that has to experienced under the right conditions to get the full impact.
I can't review this game under the exact same structure I use for others. It has no package and I am going to stick to reviewing games that I can collect on my shelf (for now). I sometimes wonder what is going to happen to Xbox Live Games 10-20 years from now. Will we have all them stored somewhere, like our music, to pull up later when we want to enjoy them? Kind of makes things disposable to think about it that way. Time shall tell. As for now and for the topic of this particular blog, the game gets a 4.70 out of 5. Sans Package Design and Art of course.
Gus Johnson calling the game this year! Hot damn! Wait. Maybe I'll skip Madden this year. Nope, too late. In the cart. 
