The Elder Scrolls Online is Official!

Hey guys. Sorry for the long delay between posts. I've been preoccupied with other endeavours, and within the next week I might have a major announcement. In the meantime, just saw this news so I thought I'd give my take.

It's official! On the June cover of Game Informer, Bethesda will give the first concrete details on the MMO adaptation of its long-running series. (How does Game Informer get all the scoops?)

Typical of The Elder Scrolls franchise, Online will fall in the same realm as previous games, but instead of centering on one province every part of Tamriel is getting the treatment. "From Elsweyr to Skyrim and everywhere in between," notes the article.

The game is set a millennium before Skyrim, exploring a brand new portion of Tamriel's history where the Daedric prince Molag Bal attempts to conquer the entire land. Game Informer's feature will also discuss everything from "solo questing to public dungeons", as well glance at the PvP (player vs. player) system as three factions fight for control of Cyrodiil and the Emperor's throne.

This is the planned cover, showing the provinces of Morrowind and Black Marsh. Also worth noting is the ring in the middle, displaying a lion, bird and dragon, confirming what Tom's Guide published back in March:

Needless to say, I'm excited. The timing is curious, though. Maybe Bethesda senses World of Warcraft is floundering and Mists of Pandaria won't save it? Another thought: BioWare (The Old Republic) against The Elder Scrolls should make for a fun contest. Jeff out.


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Confessions of a Gamer's Girlfriend: My Afternoon with Halo: Reach

Again, Jess offers her newfound perspective on the gaming industry, this time behind the wheels of parting-Bungie's famous franchise. If you want to found out more, you can contact her via Facebook. I thank Jess again!

Home alone at my boyfriend’s house for an afternoon; I decided to check out Halo: Reach to see what all the fuss was about. Sure, I’ve watched him play it before. I’ve even done a little gameplay with a friend when it first came out. That said, I’m not the sort of person who can truly understand the inner workings of something unless I am left to figure it out on my own.

I’m told the game is the most fun if you play with a Live account. My boyfriend’s system is a Xbox 360, and he does subscribe to Xbox Live. However, I didn’t want my inexperience to mess with all his hard work. Instead I opted to use a guest account that was only local to his system.

Despite my eagerness to get right into the game, I opted to watch the full cut scene at the beginning. Though I found it interesting and well made, there were aspects that couldn’t be fully understood unless one had experience with the previous installments of the Halo franchise. 

Fortunately, I’ve heard many stories. So I think I did just fine.

Melee attack has always been my forte, so it was a small challenge adapting to the shooting style of the game. That didn’t last long. Within the first twenty minutes I had the controls figured out, and I was navigating the game without much difficulty.

The gameplay itself was quite interesting. The radar in the bottom corner of the screen was helpful for keeping on track and fighting enemies. There were also various ‘checkpoints’ to ensure I was going the right way and seeing the right things as well. The standard health and ammo count were also available on my screen. The ability to pick up alien weapons for use came in handy, seeing as there weren’t ammunition reloads readily available during gameplay (at least in the earlier part of the game I was playing).

The scenery was beautiful! Between shootouts there was plenty of creative and well thought out buildings and topography to explore. There was also these ostrich like animals running around which drove me to distraction! They were impervious to bullets, and it felt like they were ALWAYS in the way. That said, they added some definite realism and colour to the planet Reach. There is no planet in the universe that would only have ONE type of creature on it!

After two hours and a handful of firefights, I felt like I’d had enough. I am well aware people can get lost in this game for whole days at a time. That said, I’m sure much of the fun comes from playing with your friends, and I was alone. 

I foresee myself picking up the controller much more often when I move in with my boyfriend this May. I will absolutely have time for solo game play, as well as playing with friends. Will I play Halo: Reach again? Absolutely! However, to better enjoy my experience I will equip myself with some companionship on the battlefield. It can get awful lonely out there!

The Video Game Obsession of an Alleged Mass Murderer

Oftentimes the unhindered thirst to kill spreads gradually from a psychologically paralyzing event, like the tragic loss of a parent for instance. In mass murderers, the trigger event is so mentally damaging that their morals and judgment are clouded, and they convince themselves killing innocent people is justified. This is what happened with Anders Behring Breivik, the man alleged to have committed those mass shootings in Norway last year.

He saw himself as a martyr, publishing a manifesto claiming Norway was the victim of rampant Islamic terrorism, and perpetrating his spree was the means to publicize his beliefs. Seventy-seven people lost their lives, mostly teenagers, after a shooting rampage that killed sixty-nine; a bomb exploded two hours previous near the Prime Minister's office killing eight and injuring over 200.

While his trial is ongoing, receiving significant face time are World of Warcraft and Call of Duty, supposedly where he hatched a deep hatred for Islam and "practiced" his shooting skills. The accused played Blizzard's MMO upward of sixteen hours a day, after moving back in with his mother, and stated the game was only a "hobby". Also, he called Call of Duty "a war simulator" that "gives you an impression of how targeting systems work."

Yesterday, Kotaku posted a rather disturbing article delving into Mr. Breivik's World of Warcraft career, showcasing responses of disbelief from guild-mates and online friends alike. Most unsettling was his collection of forum posts, ranging from congratulatory to insensitive. Kotaku cites one particular post where Breivik, using his level 85 mage "Conservatism" says: "Better hated than forgotten, or what?"

Furthermore, Breivik admitted to using Call of Duty 4 to hone his shooting skills. Utilizing a "holographic aiming device" he explained the precision was so correct that "...it's built up in such a way that you could have given it to your grandmother and she would have been a super marksman." 

It's common fodder to associate video gaming with obscene violence, in turn trivializing a cultured industry, but there are other points major media is missing. According to The Vancouver Sun, Mr. Breivik also used meditation and steroids to prepare himself, and somehow that tidbit is omitted from most news reports I read. The media world is built on sensationalistic headlines, and claiming a video game responsible is more buzzworthy than "Man used meditation and steroids to commit mass murder".

(The proof is everywhere. After editing this piece this morning, conveniently, I had CBS This Morning on. Featuring international stories, they cited a New York Times article highlighting the role Call of Duty played, and not mentioning other things Breivik did to prepare.)

If you want more of Volatile Mode, make sure to subscribe via RSS feed or email in the sidebar, where you can also follow me on twitter. Also, please spread the word, which can be done below. 

Five Suggestions for the PlayStation 4 Launch Lineup

Hello everyone! Before I get this post going, I want to remind you all about my 100,000 hits giveaway extravaganza. Please spread the word!

Sony has slightly lagged behind Microsoft in the console race since the generation started, and while it's likely nothing changes until the eighth round, the Japanese giant can begin anew. Going into the hypothetical PlayStation 4, the far-ranging amount of exclusives trounces the Xbox lineup considerably, therefore the prospects of an early Sony lead are great.

But as I said before, the choice of which games to promote is a necessity. The Xbox 360 grasped the lead originally and never let go, on the heels of a multiplayer revolution. And Microsoft emphasized that and the console succeeded. Sony should utilize the same strategy, but focus on the PS3's major strength: its graphical capabilities. What is shaping to be a pivotal aspect of the eighth generation, and from the long list of exclusives, pushing the PS3 as equivalent to PC (and by keeping Steamworks) is possibly something Sony toys with as release dates approach.

Anyway, to the bulk of this post. Sony gets the Volatile Mode treatment with five suggestions for its launch lineup.

1. God of War IV. The God of War series is one of two visual darlings of Sony's unique bunch of exclusives, the other being Killzone. And with an announcement slated for tomorrow, Sony is obviously committed to continuing the franchise, but in what fashion remains to be seen. What better to commit to than the spine-ripping, decapitating, senseless fun of Kratos' march for vengeance?

It's unclear whether the game is early or later in development, thus a release date is unknown. But similar to Halo, if God of War IV is planned for the PS3, I strongly believe both corporations are releasing games prematurely. As the age of exclusives dwindles, and as the gaming industry becomes more competitive, forming an identity is more important than ever before. And associating a new trilogy within a popular franchise with a console is a great way to achieve that.

2. Gran Turismo 6. This entry I debated because of the elongated development cycle of its predecessor. However, not to include Sony's premiere racing franchise seems criminal. We learned last month that Digital Polyphony was indeed photographing tracks to recreate in GT6, confirming development. Although Sony would be crazy not to push a sequel given GT5 is the highest-selling game on the console.

In my list for Microsoft, I included Forza 5, which Gran Turismo could knock out of the park. Based purely on sales alone, evidently Gran Turismo trumps in popularity. Furthermore, the general resentment of Kinect from mostly everyone in the gaming community further outcasts Forza, whereas the limited profile of Move makes the controller a rarity among GT players.

If Gran Turismo 6 is planned for the PS4, the prospects are great.

3. LittleBigPlanet 3. I'd be disappointed in myself for not having this entry. Media Molecule, somehow, paved the way for players to frame other genres within a platformer. Both main games received critical praise and the adoring fanbase has done everything from racing to first-person shooters. Needless to say, the creativeness shines through.

But more importantly, LittleBigPlanet is one of Sony's strongest exclusives, and consistently performs both critically and financially. Completing the trifecta is inevitable, so delaying to another console expands the possibilities even further. For a franchise of this uniqueness, that may seem impossible; but the projected graphical boost could lead to even more interesting adventures for Sackboy and friends.

4. Heavenly Sword 2. Sadly, the unlikeliest option on this list. Ninja Theory, currently working on the reincarnation of Devil May Cry simply called "DmC", initially planned for a Heavenly Sword trilogy. Enslaved was mistakenly regarded as a sequel, but the studio later clarified. Then the disheartening news: an IT manager at Ninja Theory stated a series revival is improbable due to a studio focus on multi-platform support.

Coveted by fans for having an admirable heroine and engaging story, and collecting critical praise, Heavenly Sword 2 makes its mark as a lost opportunity. However there's always a chance.

5. The Last Guardian. Yes, I went there. It's been three years since The Shadow of the Colossus followup was officially announced -- E3 2009 to be precise. In that three-year span, only miniscule tidbits surfaced with no concrete information. Then Fumito Ueda left the project, throwing development into disarray. As time marches on, it's apparent the project won't be finished before a PS4 release.

The trailer looks remarkable and could pass as a next generation title. Let's hope the full game pans out soon!

If, on the slim chance any Sony executives take a gander at this list, I have no formal background in games producing. And this is only five recommendations -- many variations of this list exist I'm sure, so don't take my opinion purely into account. But don't forget it either. Jeff out.

What are some games you'd recommend? Leave your suggestions or dispute mine in the comments below. 

Also, if you want more of Volatile Mode, make sure to subscribe via RSS feed or email in the sidebar, where you can also follow me on twitter. Also, please spread the word, which can be done below. 

100,000 Hit Giveaway!

Hi everyone. There won't be a post going up because I have something to handle, but I wanted to throw this up quickly thanking everyone personally. When I started Volatile Mode back in 2010 I never thought I'd ever get remotely close to 100,000 hits; not even get a subscriber if I'm being perfectly honest. But for every new subscriber and reader comes new opportunities to form everlasting friendships. (And increase the chance of another giveaway.)

I actually held this giveaway before, but for outside circumstances I couldn't complete it. Right now, sitting in my Steam library are four invites to the premium version of Super Monday Night Combat. That's right -- only available on Steam. The follow to Uber's timeless classic of last year is still in development, so hold on to these until the game officially comes out.

Sidenote: Super Monday Night Combat will be free upon release; the premium version is slated to include a bunch of neat accessories from hats to additional skins. For the Team Fortress 2 crowd, this is the perfect present!

Here's how to enter: You must follow me on twitter and RT only one update I do on the giveaway. No need to flood others' feeds with a blog they don't care about. Only one retweet is necessary. I'll write down those accounts, draw four at random, and you can now brag about having the freemium version of Super Monday Night Combat.

I don't know when the contest ends, so we'll have to see. Now I'm focused on spreading the word as much as possible. And please do the same! Jeff out.


Again, I just want to thank everyone for reading the blog. The subscribers especially. Thank you all and have a good Monday.