Microsoft once made a bold statement. A statement that caused chuckling around water coolers everywhere. Okay, that is an exaggeration, but still doubt surrounds Microsoft's claim that Kinect will sale five million by Christmas. Even when I heard this, staying as objective as possible, I couldn't help but laugh. It just seemed so ridiculous that a peripheral costing $150 on top of the cost of a new 360 console, and each new game being sold at $49.99, someone was high at Microsoft's marketing division.
November 30, 2010
Standing With the Brotherhood
I'm a big fan of Assassin's Creed. The mysterious lore is so engaging that it's hard not to speculate. And I've spent over thirty hours playing the game, so I can give a valid review.
Most reviews I saw gave it a 9 or 8 and this is well-deserved. This game is basically the AC2 template set in Rome, and a weaker story. Although the story I don't blame them for since this is an offshoot of the franchise and an ending to Ezio's story, not a numerical release. Just make sure if you plan to get this game, play the first two so you aren't completely lost. Also, be prepared for a WTF ending (we've come to expect this from the series, but really, it gets me every time I see it).
Graphically, this game is a slight improvement to two. This is the most impressive feat the game achieves because when strolling through the streets of Rome or galloping on horseback (a welcome addition that adds to the realism) you really feel like you are in 16th century Italy. The view is breathtaking from any high ledge and Ubisoft does a particularly amazing job making it all seem real. People act like actual people and the voice acting is spot-on (lead by the growing annoying presence of Nolan North as Desmond). They gave the player all the liberties expected and this game fulfills the duty of truly being called "open world".
One thing that will keep people playing until next year's release is the sheer amount of stuff to do. It seems everyone is in need of an assassin. Courtesans, thieves, mercenaries and regular citizens all enlist Ezio's help in side missions. The ones I like best are the assassinations of Templar agents around Rome. There is also businesses to buy and operate, historic landmarks to purchase, and flags and feathers to collect. (Flags are limited to only 100 across Rome and there's only ten feathers, hallelujah).
The reason the game is called "Brotherhood" is that Ezio's main mission through the game is to reestablish the Assassin Brotherhood. In doing this, a brilliantly addictive metagame was implemented. The player can send his assassins all over the existing world, from Constantinople to Cologne, to complete contracts for florins (the currency) and items used to complete shop quests. There is a consequence to this: Ezio loses the ability to call his assassins in combat. Your assassins can be called in combat and tough spots in missions to ease the difficulty. And, oddly enough, they are better assassins than Ezio.
My favourite mode of this game, and I hope everyone else's, is the multiplayer. Basically, it's kill or be killed. The best way to describe it would be thrillingly frustrating. Every person walking could be out to get you, and when you make a mistake, it will cost you. Luck does play a big factor, though, so don't get too mad if you don't have a horseshoe up your ass.
The Assassin's Creed franchise has done something rarely happening these days: created a truly compelling world gamers can test their intuitive chops figuring out. This series has captivated audiences with its lore and inventive gameplay. I hope this time next year I'll be singing the same tune.
Most reviews I saw gave it a 9 or 8 and this is well-deserved. This game is basically the AC2 template set in Rome, and a weaker story. Although the story I don't blame them for since this is an offshoot of the franchise and an ending to Ezio's story, not a numerical release. Just make sure if you plan to get this game, play the first two so you aren't completely lost. Also, be prepared for a WTF ending (we've come to expect this from the series, but really, it gets me every time I see it).
Graphically, this game is a slight improvement to two. This is the most impressive feat the game achieves because when strolling through the streets of Rome or galloping on horseback (a welcome addition that adds to the realism) you really feel like you are in 16th century Italy. The view is breathtaking from any high ledge and Ubisoft does a particularly amazing job making it all seem real. People act like actual people and the voice acting is spot-on (lead by the growing annoying presence of Nolan North as Desmond). They gave the player all the liberties expected and this game fulfills the duty of truly being called "open world".
One thing that will keep people playing until next year's release is the sheer amount of stuff to do. It seems everyone is in need of an assassin. Courtesans, thieves, mercenaries and regular citizens all enlist Ezio's help in side missions. The ones I like best are the assassinations of Templar agents around Rome. There is also businesses to buy and operate, historic landmarks to purchase, and flags and feathers to collect. (Flags are limited to only 100 across Rome and there's only ten feathers, hallelujah).
The reason the game is called "Brotherhood" is that Ezio's main mission through the game is to reestablish the Assassin Brotherhood. In doing this, a brilliantly addictive metagame was implemented. The player can send his assassins all over the existing world, from Constantinople to Cologne, to complete contracts for florins (the currency) and items used to complete shop quests. There is a consequence to this: Ezio loses the ability to call his assassins in combat. Your assassins can be called in combat and tough spots in missions to ease the difficulty. And, oddly enough, they are better assassins than Ezio.
My favourite mode of this game, and I hope everyone else's, is the multiplayer. Basically, it's kill or be killed. The best way to describe it would be thrillingly frustrating. Every person walking could be out to get you, and when you make a mistake, it will cost you. Luck does play a big factor, though, so don't get too mad if you don't have a horseshoe up your ass.
The Assassin's Creed franchise has done something rarely happening these days: created a truly compelling world gamers can test their intuitive chops figuring out. This series has captivated audiences with its lore and inventive gameplay. I hope this time next year I'll be singing the same tune.
November 12, 2010
Call of Duty Syndrome
I was a huge fan of Call of Duty. Modern Warfare I still tout as the best competitive multiplayer game I've ever played. When I first saw the trailer for World at War, I almost shit my pants because the trailer was amazing. The first gameplay shown for Modern Warfare 2 also left me astounded. Then one night I had a revelation. I looked at the release dates for each Call of Duty game and realized all were right before Christmas, annually. I paused and went back to playing Halo 3.
Syndrome is probably not the best term to use, as I am no medical expert, but this effect seems to be growing like a tumour. (How many medical terms can he use within one blog posting? My god!). The prevalence of first person shooters and the importance the genre has had to advance the gaming medium has had a dramatic effect on what video gaming has become. It may be the natural occurrence of what happens in media; something gains popularity and then after a time society hates said something. Look at the abundance of 3D movies as a great example.
It first started with platformers, then RPGS in the 90s, and now shooters are sitting pretty. But I think this recurring trend will end with this generation of consoles. The sales for FPS have been through the roof (Black Ops just had the largest entertainment launch in history) with MW2 holding the previous record. And the Halo games can included in that mix as well.
Such dominance like this has one detrimental effect. Other genres are losing money because they cannot compete. I predict we won't see a game sell 15 million copies unless someone is killing someone else and that's the sad reality of what the industry is in its current state. Another thing I predict (I sound like a psychic) will be a pillaring of the industry (I now realize pillaring is not a term, but let me explain). There will be ridiculously popular genres and there will be not-so-popular genres. Those popular genres will consume all of the gaming community and those other genres will die out. Within those genres still existing, certain franchises will become pillars of the genre, basically keeping it afloat. This is the devil of video gaming and really the devil of business itself.
Could this possibly happen soon? I'd say so. The art of business and the love of the green stuff has taken over the pride and passion studios once had to making quality games, and now smaller studios are scrambling just to get by. People have blamed the closing of great studios (i.e. Pandemic) on the current economic environment but really it's because the studio wasn't making what was popular. In the case of Pandemic, LOTR: Conquest and The Saboteur had disastrous sales and EA said "You know what, fuck this" and closed the studio. This is the first step in what I am talking about.
If this is the ultimate fate for video games then I am scared. I love playing video games and it's what I have been doing for a long time, and will continue to do. But only the community, the ones actually buying the games, is the one group that can change this inevitability. Please do this.
Syndrome is probably not the best term to use, as I am no medical expert, but this effect seems to be growing like a tumour. (How many medical terms can he use within one blog posting? My god!). The prevalence of first person shooters and the importance the genre has had to advance the gaming medium has had a dramatic effect on what video gaming has become. It may be the natural occurrence of what happens in media; something gains popularity and then after a time society hates said something. Look at the abundance of 3D movies as a great example.
It first started with platformers, then RPGS in the 90s, and now shooters are sitting pretty. But I think this recurring trend will end with this generation of consoles. The sales for FPS have been through the roof (Black Ops just had the largest entertainment launch in history) with MW2 holding the previous record. And the Halo games can included in that mix as well.
Such dominance like this has one detrimental effect. Other genres are losing money because they cannot compete. I predict we won't see a game sell 15 million copies unless someone is killing someone else and that's the sad reality of what the industry is in its current state. Another thing I predict (I sound like a psychic) will be a pillaring of the industry (I now realize pillaring is not a term, but let me explain). There will be ridiculously popular genres and there will be not-so-popular genres. Those popular genres will consume all of the gaming community and those other genres will die out. Within those genres still existing, certain franchises will become pillars of the genre, basically keeping it afloat. This is the devil of video gaming and really the devil of business itself.
Could this possibly happen soon? I'd say so. The art of business and the love of the green stuff has taken over the pride and passion studios once had to making quality games, and now smaller studios are scrambling just to get by. People have blamed the closing of great studios (i.e. Pandemic) on the current economic environment but really it's because the studio wasn't making what was popular. In the case of Pandemic, LOTR: Conquest and The Saboteur had disastrous sales and EA said "You know what, fuck this" and closed the studio. This is the first step in what I am talking about.
If this is the ultimate fate for video games then I am scared. I love playing video games and it's what I have been doing for a long time, and will continue to do. But only the community, the ones actually buying the games, is the one group that can change this inevitability. Please do this.
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