The Fallacy of Overall Appeal: is Mass Effect 3 Trying Too Hard?

There are games developed for every creed, from the passive mobile player to the diehard, wait-outside-at-midnight FPS fanatic. And this audience segregation has made making a title aimed universally a noteworthy task. Not every release can provide that frenzied exhilaration and stay relatively understandable (or in some cases, painfully simple) and both developers and publishers recognize this fact.

But occasionally a game comes around that tries to break that intangible barrier, and usually fails. Even a dedicated base cannot entice anyone to gravitate from limited expectations into an overcomplicated, multilateral digital ecosystem. For example, that's like trying to explain modern society to a neanderthal. And with how systematic and overlapping the Mass Effect universe has become, only veteran players will be attracted to a third game.

That's why the decision to include "modes" (not difficulties) in Mass Effect 3 was puzzling. These options categorically change the traditional experience, from a story-driven action RPG into either one or the other. "Story mode" drops the difficulty considerably and focuses on the plot, while "Action mode" emphasizes combat and all dialogue choices are cut scenes. "RPG mode" is the proper way of playing.

Obviously, either BioWare or Electronic Arts made this set of options for unobstructed likeability. Though, their way of engaging players into either combat or story is questionable. It's hard to decipher whether they're strictly going after the casuals, or trying to grasp the popularity of first-person shooters with improved fighting mechanics. Allowing players to mold their gameplay is certainly noble and goes along with the franchise's themes, but dumbing-down the sophisticated story to blatantly advertise to the Call of Duty crowd is shameless and dishonourable.

However, Mass Effect's thrilling story and optional side-quests are the series' strongest points. Each battle-ready crew member shares a unique background and has a different reason or purpose in making the decision to help Shepard. Some are paid, some feel dutiful, some owe the Commander, and one simply has the strong urge to kill. Through conversations, Shepard explores their intentions and they form complex relationships which sometimes turn romantic. By not exposing newcomers to that variable type of gameplay, EA is limiting the game's value in a pathetic attempt to sell units.

Aside from the news of multiplayer (which works surprisingly well), the demo's leak in November of last year caused a firestorm of controversy from all directions. Fans loudly voiced their concerns over the potential linearity stemming from the change, and their concern is appropriate. The concern rests with speculation that BioWare shorted development in areas to adhere to this "Action mode", and ultimately to appease EA executives.

After playing through this new mode, Shepard portrays himself/herself like a bipolar lunatic. Personally, I don't know if responses are pre-chosen or randomly generated, but Shepard would choose option after option that contradicts previous talking points, fundamentally cracking his/her personality. The paragon/renegade system is shot to hell, and players won't witness the full round of ramifications from their actions.

The game is less than a week away, and this is a divisive issue for many people. Let's hope based on the hostility that BioWare changes tunes and refinements are made to not subtract from the overall experience. Likely that's not the case, however, and a major backlash occurs where desperate fans storm BioWare's offices demanding a refund. That would be hilarious. Jeff out.

Dear Battlefield 3 Console Players, Smarten Up Would You?

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I play Battlefield 3 on Xbox Live. I'm not ashamed to say it -- I can't afford a powerful rig and most of my friends play on console. But I am ashamed of the multiplayer culture, and what has transpired over Battlefield 3's six-month lifetime. I don't know the similar problems between PC and console, and this open letter only really relates to console players, and how I've learned the two cultures are quite unique.

On PC, more players and larger maps mean more aggressive, more exciting, more energetic gameplay. Every single game is grinding, unless one team demolishes the other, which seems to happen frequently on console. But the driving motivation to compete is what differs: presumably, on PC, stats are void and victory is most important. Adversely, console games are filled sparsely with great players, the rest being kill/death ratio-conscious idiots with no idea how to play.

This open letter applies to the console base if that wasn't clear.

There are two main modes in Battlefield: rush and conquest. Each demands the acquisition of an objective (objective being the operative word), either a station or headquarter, which without holding means a lost game. It's simple. In Conquest, no bases = shorter games = less fun. So why must you be irritable and not go after the flags? DICE built a multiplayer combat experience meant to simulate competitive, co-op focused action. Keyword there is competition. C-o-m-p-e-t-i-t-i-o-n. Not a hard concept to understand.

Flying aircraft is fun. Of course it's joyful. And destructive. Extremely destructive. As of right now jets are nearly impervious to anything but another jet. But that is to change in the next update, and two jet pilots will have too much working against them. Not enough to dominate the game. Though, until then, stalking aircraft spawn areas doesn't help anyone. I'm guilty of it, of course, but only when I feel my presence in the air isn't doing a disservice to my team.

This is especially the problem with new players, like the rush of Christmas players that see a helicopter and go. "Ooo! I wanna' fly that!" You aren't helping anyone. Furthermore, there's a convenient co-op mission that teaches players to fly choppers, and setting on hard difficulty is like playing online. Please use it.

Four roles exist and each has strengths and weaknesses. For instance, recon shouldn't be on the front lines. They should be spotting enemies and scoring head shots from afar, unless you're good with an ACOG. Assault and Support teammates should take the heavy burden of laying down suppressive fire and reviving teammates. It's not a complicated formula to learn. Engineers best serve on vehicle-emphasized maps and through some experience, dealing with hefty machines isn't hard either.

What I mean, basically, is on a map like Operation Firestorm standing back at your closest objective and sniping in toward B isn't useful to anyone. Especially if you don't know how to use a sniper rifle. Plenty of guides online show the proper way of aligning shots to best help your team's position.

It's tragic that high-caliber players consistently leave because of an idiotic squad. Eight people (out of a team of twelve) shouldn't be waiting around the helicopter spawn. An entire squad shouldn't be sniping from one location. And capturing objectives is obligatory; Battlefield 3 isn't a game that's won through brute force, it's not Call of Duty.

Maybe I'm playing on the wrong platform or trying to rationalize console players' behaviour, but expecting a team to lose whenever I enter (alone) isn't the best mindset. I've considered writing guides for each class/map, noting what to prioritize and what isn't worthwhile, and that might come your way in the near future.

Anyway, please enjoy yourselves and read through my other posts, like my experience through Dear Esther or my early impressions of the Mass Effect 3 demo (incoming within a week!). Jeff out.

Volatile Mode's Mass Effect 3 Demo Impressions

First loading up the Mass Effect 3 demo, I had my doubts. Bioware was their usual troublesome self, detailing too much before the game even demoed, and there is a collection of interesting stats about individual characters that I would've preferred to learn in-game. Especially in the second half of the demo, so if you play, prepare for spoilers. Therefore, prepare for spoilers by reading this.

As the menu loads up, you immediately have the chance to jump into single-player and multiplayer (which I'll discuss later). Both are equally impressive and addictive, though the multiplayer will serve the lifespan on the demo. The single-player portion is between 30-50 minutes, heavy with cut scenes, and split between two different points in the timeline.

Some controversy arose when the multiplayer details first came to light, because along with the news Bioware unveiled a rather distinct approach to single-player. Difficulties return, but the way we manipulate the game can be altered. RPG mode is the standard Mass Effect experience, story mode promotes the plot with limited combat difficulty, and Action turns all conversations into cut scenes (choices are picked for us) and ups the combat ante.

I tried all three, and needlessly to say RPG mode feels most comfortable. Mass Effect has a beautiful sense of individuality, but messing around with the traditional formula seems foolhardy. Franchise fans know what the gameplay is, so if this is some poor attempt to appeal to everyone, it's not working. But thankfully these are completely optional.

First, presumably near the beginning of the game, we see the Reapers annihilate Earth's defenses and invade Earth, while Shepard and Anderson make their way to the Normandy. No backstory was given, but apparently our hero is now back with the Alliance after his/her brief excursion with Cerberus. Various characters reemerge in this half, including Ashley (with her hair down and high-up in Alliance Command) and James Vega, a new character with no established background. We're also introduced to brand new ground forces called Cannibals, mindless, Reaper-mutated troops who can cannibalize fallen soldiers to regain health.

Second, we follow Shepard, Garrus, Liara and Wrex (yeah!) to the Salarian homeworld Sur'Kesh, where they are holding a female Krogan, a potential cure to the Genophage. It's unclear what Shepard's crew have offered in return, but Cerberus operatives spoil the party by quickly assaulting the planet. Mordin, already with the female Krogan, is waiting patiently as Cerberus interrupts his reunion with Shepard. After barreling through several leagues of soldiers (like a boss), we're then introduced to the deadliest of Cerberus' armada: the Atlas. A giant mech with rockets that appears raining from the sky (literally). After that confrontation is when the demo abruptly ends.

Combat feels looser and extremely fluid compared to previous titles, especially the ability to roll into cover. It's a nice touch and further laces that cinematic quality into the battle system. Furthermore, enhancing the individuality further is branching skill trees, essentially handing us full control on how to improve Shepard and crew. Additionally, new powers have been inexplicably introduced, incorporating grenades and a fresh set of abilities that meld into combat splendidly.

Mass Effect 3 drops March 6 in North America and March 9 in Europe. Who else is pumped?

The FPS Arms Race Takes Another Ugly Turn - Battlefield 3 Getting a Paid Service?

The faux-marriage between Activision and Electronic Arts blossomed last year with an arms race of previously disproportionate titles, a relationship (and divorce) that has again collected headlines. Praising the tyrannous publisher for its handling of Call of Duty, EA stated yesterday it is hoping to emulate the success of Elite, the paid-monthly service providing eager players with a continuous stream of content.

EA COO Peter Moore recently told IndustryGamers in an interview: "I think certainly you look at what our competitors do well, and certainly Call of Duty Elite... the numbers Activision have talked about, they've done a great job."

Pending an announcement next week about future Battlefield 3 DLC, it's unclear what Electronic Arts has planned. But acknowledging the tremendous success of Elite shows the publisher has at least considered a similar system, either enhancing the Battlelog or something completely separate. And as a now solidified Battlefield fan, I find this news frightening.

The implications are obvious: emphasizing such a service creates tiers of players who can't play together. And with the console versions pushing Battlefield sales to the peak, what once was an exclusively PC fanbase has morphed into a makeshift collective of the three platforms. PC players still account for the majority, but the number of console players (including myself) has elevated significantly since the game's launch.

Whereas Call of Duty virtually doesn't exist on PC, the console base is the single voice. Recognizing this, Activision quickly monetized the world's most popular franchise, proving its players are willing to shell out more money to enhance the overall experience. This social experiment was never attempted by Electronic Arts, and any effort to push downloadable content outside "expansions" has been met unfavourably.

Equating the cultures of each game is foolhardy, even if they are viewed as "competitors". And differentiating the cultures is obviously something EA hasn't considered, or else the publisher would understand the fanbase just isn't interested in an Elite-like system. I played Final Fantasy XI for two years, paying $180 annually for a game I was devoutly addicted to, and I wouldn't want to go an ordeal like that again.

So Electronic Arts, on the slim chance one of your representatives is reading this, don't follow through. The business sounds appealing -- but we aren't interested. They're chasing ghosts. Jeff out.

Please make sure to spread the word through twitter, Facebook, and submit to bookmark directory sites like StumbleUpon; all of which can be done below. The message must spread! 

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Review - Time Growing Old Doesn't Always Improve a Game

Square has built a stern reputation for its flagship series of creating idealistically imaginative worlds with flamboyant, somewhat believable characters, some of which are considered classics. But, somewhere along the line, the publisher decided to turnaround completely and issue a sequel, beginning with Final Fantasy X-2, that set a disturbing tone for fans and critics alike. And Square has followed suit again with a continuation of Lightning and gang's adventure, Final Fantasy XIII-2.
 
Three years after the saving of Cocoon, Serah finds herself among friends on Pulse, and missing her big sister. After a visit from a mysterious stranger, Noel, and still believing Lightning is indeed alive, she makes her way through the space-time continuum to find her sister and runs into some trouble along the way.

A driving gimmick through the campaign as new timelines are discovered is the solving of "paradoxes", temporal rifts combining different pasts and futures that play to the discoverer. The lacking plot makes these instances feel needless, often not contributing to plot advancement. Presumably, this is Square's method of either filling content or failing to present a backstory.

In a shocking twist, for a franchise often built on story-driven gameplay, XIII-2 is anything but. The constant need to time travel essentially renders a comprehensive story useless, by which the events of past, present and future unnecessarily complicate a rather simplistic tale. Past Final Fantasy titles have blended solid storytelling and the fulfillment of exploration -- an expectation of the rabid fanbase -- and as with XIII, one is sacrificed to emphasize the other. XIII-2 implores a wonderful sense of exploration with a lackluster story, while its predecessor opted for linearity.

Given the setup, the limited cast of characters is far less appealing this time around. Minus the sporadic reemergence of past characters, the player becomes well-acquainted with only Serah and Noel. While interesting, the banter is primarily expository with little development, including snippets from Mog, Serah's newfound Moogle friend. Rounding out the cast battle-wise is any number of creatures the player can collect through conflict.

One of the stronger elements of XIII, battling returns in a similar format with no major changes. Once again, players follow the Crystarium to level individual roles used in meshing Paradigms. Role-swapping is far slicker and easier to manage, thus more attentiveness is vital for success. This increased pace of conflict speeds up confrontations considerably, morphing a once-droning turn-based system into an engaging work of sport. Sadly, halfway through fighting becomes significantly easier in an inexplicable difficulty drop. (I went about a third of the game without leveling my characters once.)

Defining a role for each character doesn't feel as selective as before, where to fill the cast, defeated creatures can be captured and utilized in combat. Each monster is classified with a set of traits, including a role, which is easily leveled up through items. Players found themselves stuck sometimes in XIII, and this element eliminates that from happening. It is awesome to kick robot ass with a Chocobo.

Through all the explaining done in dialogue, paying attention to what characters are saying has bonuses. Carefully chosen answers net material additives but as well work toward a definitive ending, one of several confirmed for the game. Even from the beginning any question asked has implications, so pick responses wisely.

What feels like a misstep singularly is actually an improvement, at least from its predecessor's perspective. The linearity is eradicated but at the cause of a comprehensive story, and the game does more explaining than showing, effectively killing the experience. An aspect of what makes Final Fantasy great is that blending of discovery, character-building and plot-twisting, and apparently Square has lost its magic touch. It's quite fitting that for a game dealing with time, that time is killing the franchise.

The first review of 2012! One other huge announcement I wanted to make: I've started another blog called Crudeverse, just sporadic opinion unrelated to gaming. I wanted to start the project for a while; I was just looking for an excuse to, and the first official post described the Super Bowl for idiots. Check it out! 

Additionally, PlayStation Lifestyle has a great article recounting recent rumours of Star Wars: Battlefront III. Hope it's true. Jeff out.

4Chan Holds Their Own Version of the VGAs

Normally something as "informal" as this I wouldn't consider writing about, but this topic hasn't received nearly as much coverage as it deserves. Everyone knows 4chan -- the birthplace of almost every known meme online -- and its users from the /v/ board have taken the initiative of holding their own version of the oft beleaguered Spike's Video Game Awards, the aptly named /v/GAs, or Vidya Gaem Awards.

Sadly, I wasn't referenced to this until voting had closed, but that doesn't mean we missed the show! On February 11, they'll hopefully air the show live for the whole world to see.

Not a professional show by any means, probably just a group of kids in someone's basement, or I'm completely undermining the effort put into this thing. But whatever the case, I'm certainly intrigued. The categories are hilarious, especially the "Press X to Win" and "VY Canis Majoris" awards. (The nominees for the latter are perfectly correct, but I'm sure it's more an admirable gesture than anything else.)

Should be fascinating to hear what actual gamers think and not Spike's pathetic attempt at legitimatizing gaming.

Here's the recent trailer:

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Collective Review

Oddly, 38 Games' debut, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, received some welcomed buzz and an unusual amount of coverage given the non-"triple A" status and the newness of Curt Schilling's studio. (Yes, that Curt Schilling, former MLB pitcher.) The comparisons to Skyrim are undeniable, and while not an entirely polished experience, many reviewers agree that Amalur is a franchise to watch. The game launches today in North America, so let's see how it fared.

Gamespot: In the future, when you talk about Kingdoms of Amalur, the first thing you will probably mention is how fun the battles were. Incredibly, this RPG's combat is so exciting, it could have been used in a pure action game and would have held up just fine. In fact, from a swordplay, loot, and leveling perspective, Kingdoms of Amalur is as good as any RPG in recent memory. This is the role-playing game you should be playing if excellent action and progression are your primary concern.

Eurogamer: Whilst it's designed by Elder Scrolls veteran Ken Rolston (Morrowind, Oblivion) and has many features you'll recognise from BioWare's and Bethesda's games (an obsession with the arts of conversation and thievery, for example), Amalur isn't so flexible. You can't manipulate a complex story matrix of cause and effect the way you can in Dragon Age: Origins. You can't simply do whatever the hell you like the way you can in Skyrim.

IGN: Reckoning proves once and for all that great role-playing experiences don't have to sacrifice what matters most in any game -- gameplay -- while still remaining true to all of the minutiae that makes the best RPGs great. And while Reckoning certainly has its own flaws, I still found myself utterly satisfied with my experience and anxious to parlay the good news to fellow fans of the western RPG. Reckoning certainly isn't a game you should sleep on. Quite the contrary: Amalur demands your attention.

CVG: Question is, do you need another life-consuming world? Isn't Amalur's flighty fantasy fun enough to mark it out from the competition? We might question the need for a dip-in/dip-out epic, but we can't deny its effectiveness in hitting that goal. Reckoning is an epic for the man-on-the-go or, for those currently Skyrimmed, a gateway drug to real life.

GamesRadar: Amalur does a lot of things better than some of the best out there. The combat is stronger than Skyrim’s by a long shot, and the world feels more alive than games like Fable. It tells a good story well, and lays the foundation for a series we hope to see more of in the future, fate be damned.

Joystiq: Please understand, I have no desire to ruin this review for our readers. It's just that I don't want to ruin the game for me. To plow through Reckoning with no regard for the enormous array of tasks and quests, to ignore its hidden secrets, is a disservice to its lovingly crafted world.

Destructoid: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning does not beat around the bush. It knows exactly what it wants to be, what it wants you to feel, and what a Western RPG is when you boil it down to the bare essentials. It is a game designed, from beginning to end, as little more than an indulgent power fantasy, pure escapism where players get to be anything they want to be, and feel awesome doing it.

The average among many reviews I read pegs the game at an eight, a solid debut of 38 Games and perhaps the birth of a legendary franchise. From exploring the demo it appears to be deeply enriched with lore that RPG fans salivate of, and I guess those fans are shelling out user reviews on Metacritic. The current user score is 92.

Looks like I know what game I'll be renting next. Jeff out.

I just wanted to announce my new project, a separate blog featuring sporadic thoughts of mine. The blog is called Crudeverse, so if you are interested in my opinion on other things beyond gaming, that's the place to go. For real this time: Jeff out.

An Insominiac Thinks #1: The Days of Final Fantasy Numbered?

Hey readers. I've been openly honest about my inability to frolic in the field of dreams, and so I thought I'd utilize my sleeping issues by posting something. This series will find itself written near the oddest of times, where logic and reason aren't always governed. The content here could drive into the extreme, the foolish, the disheartening, or just the plain tired. Anyway, An Insomniac Thinks away!

I've been thinking long and incredibly hard since Monday -- the day I rented Final Fantasy XIII-2 (with a review pending earlier next week) -- and my thoughts have spread from how often time travel makes for uninteresting stories to whether a sequel was ultimately necessary. But then I started pondering if games weren't necessary and I entered dangerous territory.

For a long-running franchise like Final Fantasy, it's hard to discern which game brought upon the downfall, but spectacular changes (and genre changes) are all over the timeline. First infecting the series was Final Fantasy X-2, the sequel to a solidly finished story, and the initial time Square continued one of the numbered iterations. Reactions were mixed but mostly positive, with praises targeting the publisher's supposed revitalization of the franchise, something that felt unneeded by fans. At that moment, it was clear Square was ready to push Final Fantasy to the mass audience, and it did.

Come an MMO and a brand spankin' new focus on quicker, more fluid combat, Final Fantasy is in a far different state from the original 25 years ago. It goes to show how time flies these days. Though, change is vital to keep the games fresh, so if Square continues to innovate and revolutionize what defines a JRPG, then maybe the series has Hope (terrible reference, I know; that kid was effin' whiny) after all.

Time now for another failed attempt at slumber. I'll definitely expand on this topic after my review. Think of it as a... precursor, a teaser. Jeff out.

Pokemon Meets Final Fantasy With Surprising Results

The picture seemed perfect, but in retrospect, after playing Final Fantasy XIII-2 for a significant period of time, Lightning is barely seen. The focus is primarily on Serah, Noel and on other returning characters somewhat; extremely odd considering how Lightning's face was plastered everywhere. Maybe I'll do a separate post about that.

My review for Final Fantasy XIII-2 won't be up until Monday/Tuesday, but one aspect of the game introduced early on has magnified my Pokemon obsession. To try and accommodate for the lack of a proper cast of playable characters, Serah and Noel are conveniently joined by an armada of creatures that, after being fought, can join alongside our heroes. It's an obsessive mini-game that directly affects combat, as these monsters act as invaluable cohorts.

As far as I know, any creature except Cieth (former L'Cie who didn't complete their Focus in time) or bosses are tameable. And the beauty of this system is a splendid mix of battle-ready monsters utilizing every class imaginable, filling the void of a third party member. Unlike grinding characters in Final Fantasy XIII, pets are saved to individual paradigms, truly allowing for seamless transitioning in between sets.

What makes the system addicting is the blatant Pokemon-esque feel, actually giving the title longevity, something lacking from XIII. I find myself backtracking quite a bit to acquire the strongest monsters in each area, because not only does every one have its use, but creatures can consume each other and combine strengths. It works incredibly well, and hopefully we'll see it in future installations.

Additionally, each creature has a special ability specifically tailored for that role, like an AoE ground pound or multi-casting. The individuality of each creature is multiplied by dressing up through adornments, similar to the Costume mini-game from Pokemon Black & White.

I'm only a third through the plot, but widespread rumours indicate a possible three-quel. For a system that reams with familiarity, seeing it return would be a great improvement. And DLC is already coming in hot, so new creatures means new combinations. Get out there, and well, acquire them all! (Pokemon's famous catchphrase is probably copyrighted and I don't want to run the risk of getting sued.) Jeff out.

Looking for More Affiliates, and Another Blog Announcement

Hello faithful VM readers! There are just a few things I'd like to share. For one, I rented Final Fantasy XIII-2 so a review should be posted by Monday. Been really enjoying the game so far in the limited time I've had, so I'm looking for greater things. Secondly, Silverblade Sunday makes its triumphant return this week, with an interesting topic to boot, so please stay tuned for that. Thirdly, I wanted to thank everyone that came over from Rock, Paper, Shotgun who read my post on why Dragonborn is a rather interesting person. The highlight from RPS got VM 20,000+ views, almost doubling the total amount over the lifespan of the blog. And I even acquired a few readers in that time!

Now that those sporadic announcements are out of the way, here's the way I wanted to get to. As you can tell from reading my blogroll, there are a lot of fellow games bloggers out there. Many that do a similar thing to VM, and in fact, we've combined our collective talents to show the Game Writers' Network. It's hard to say how many bloggers are networked with the site, but it will be a great resource for those looking for quality video gaming commentary. I'll be posting there once a week, and I'll alert you guys in that day's post of the content.

And I also wanted to include that as a blogger, I'm always seeking further opportunities, so if by chance you come across VM through your online travels or from another affiliated blog, shoot me a message and we'll talk. That means a place on your blogroll, guest blogging, or using my talents for your site! Jeff out.