I've squeezed out every ounce of value I could from my PS+ subscription. If I go by the dollar per hour ratio, I've gotten more than my money's worth. Anything more is just gravy on top--and let me tell you, there's no end to this train.
That said, I could afford to trim some fat. A few of the games do not appeal to me at all. It's surprising that the PS+ library is as strong as it is but there's bound to be a few stinkers every now and then. Trine 2 was one of them and Dyad is another one. Toss LittleBigPlanet Karting into that pile too and I'll probably never touch ModNation Racers.
I'm very selective with my purchases so I rarely come across a "bad game," but there are some that are dreadfully dull even if they're mechanically sound. I guess this is where "taste" comes into play. I generally don't discriminate by genre but boring is boring. Goodbye, free games. If I had paid money for them, I'd be more inclined to stick with it. Good thing I didn't.
Since my "multiple games at the same time" strategy proved successful, I'm going to double the amount. It's not as crazy as it sounds because three of those games are smaller titles but the other three are full retail. I'm playing Stealth Inc., Lone Survivor, Thomas Was Alone, Tomb Raider, Binary Domain, and Infamous 2 simultaneously. And thanks to a PSN flash sale, I added ten more games to my backlog including the Crash and Spyro series, Sam and Max, Back to the Future, Tales of Monkey Island, Braid, and Tokyo Jungle.
The first Crash Bandicoot is kicking my ass because the save system is utter trash. It's fun in an old-school "I'm gonna punch a wall" kind of way. It brings me back to my childhood when I played the demos endlessly. Even though I was a Playstation kid, I never did end up playing the Crash series. My brothers were mainly into Capcom fighters with a dash of Namco (Tekken, Soul Blade) and Arc System Works (Guilty Gear). They really dug light gun shooters too.
So I'm playing seven games at the same time right now. I've only scratched the surface of each. So far, I like them enough to continue playing. I wonder how long it's gonna take me to beat them all?
/eventlog
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
NBA 2K14: MyGM - The Greatest Dynasty in History
It seems like yesterday when I stepped into Lakers HQ to stake my claim on the franchise. I promised them a dynasty and that was exactly what they got.
Funny how my career started, with a big loss against our cross town rivals the Clippers. We reeled off three straight wins after that, including a key victory against the Spurs.
The acquisition of Bledsoe made an immediate impact on our team chemistry. With a young athletic guy in the backcourt, he really opened the opportunities for old veterans Gasol and Kobe. He revitalized our team and we started rolling the competition. Nobody had any expectations for us at the beginning of the season, especially with a rookie GM at the helm, but we proved everyone wrong.
I made some mild moves during the season and traded Kent Bazemore to the Clippers for a first round pick and Ryan Hollins. We started off strong and consistent and ended the season with a 53-29 record, good enough for 3rd seed in the Western Conference.
For the end of season awards, LeBron won MVP. Rookie of the Year went to Michael Carter-Williams. Sixth Man of the Year was Andre Miller. Defensive player of the year was Anthony Davis. Most improved player was Lance Stephenson. But the most surprising nod was Pau Gasol on the All-NBA 2nd team and All-Defensive 1st team. Eric Bledsoe was on the All-NBA 3rd team. I credit Bledsoe for allowing Gasol to play the best defense of his career.
It was a tough series against the Rockets but we squeaked by in seven games in the first round. After that, we cruised passed the Grizzlies 4-1. We had our backs against the wall and survived the Trailblazers in seven in the Western Conference Finals.
We reached the Finals but our joy was short-lived. We were up against the Heat and the losses came hard and furious. They were too much for us. We were outmatched and on the verge of a sweep. With the odds against us, we were forced to accomplish what no other team had done in NBA history, and that was to come back and win. Down three, we rattled off four straight victories for the championship. They didn’t think it was possible, but we did it and achieved the impossible.
My first year was a success but my job wasn’t done. My biggest acquisition in the off-season was undoubtedly the signing of LeBron. That ensured our title contention for the next few years. Coupled with my excellent scouting, I was able to surround him with exciting young talent.
Scouting was critical to my success. I relentless watched film with the scouts to determine the best draft prospects and I traded our assets for picks. In the ensuing years, the team never had a player older than 33.
Eventually, I stumbled upon a formula that didn’t require such in depth scouting. The Sports Institute that was created at the start of my tenure was lynchpin for my success. It allowed me to accurately pinpoint the quality of each player in the league. I knew without a doubt whether I came away a winner or loser in a trade. If anyone ever asked you who was responsible for winning a championship, the front office or the players, here was the answer: the front office.
After three years of back-to-back titles, I was able to accrue enough influence to essentially take ownership of the team. It wasn’t until a decade later that true ownership was transferred to me. As owner-GM, I called the shots and put together an organization that would win everything all the time.
It starts with the staff. You can’t compromise with coaching, the athletic trainers, or the medical staff. I hired only the best to attend to organizational matters and the players.
Thanks to the Sports Institute, players on our team were rendered almost impervious to injury. The worst they ever experienced were minor tweaks that they would heal in days. Our developmental program was phenomenal, allowing even the worst players to improve by leaps and bounds. Any draft players we picked up would routinely become quality rotation players, but I concentrated heavily on high potential talent and turned them into superstars.
Our players frequently played above their ceilings, allowing us to trade them with inflated values for better prospects. I regularly fleeced the market with my overvalued assets.
The Lakers became known as a superstar farm, churning out amazing players and squeezing their talent at the peak of their abilities. Once they had reached their primes, we let them walk. Another team would sign them to huge contracts, hamstringing their ability to put together a good team at a reasonable price. It didn’t matter to us because we groomed a backup star and allowed them to take center stage next season. We did this for every position and rarely did we hold onto a player for more than ten years. If you look at the Hall of Fame, almost all of them were Lakers.
Not only were our teams regularly stacked at every position; we also never had to pay the luxury tax with the exception of three years. Thanks to my hard work, the Lakers dominated for more than half a century.
I fear my time is coming to an end. I must relinquish control to my successors. I can rest easy though. Nobody can take away from my legacy. In my 67 years as the Lakers GM, I won 65 championships, bringing our franchise total to a cool 80. Only two teams managed to best me: the Knicks and the Trailblazers.
They are mere blips in what has been the greatest run in professional sports in any league in the history of the world. Regardless of whether we win from now on until 2100, there is no question that the century belonged to us. I once proposed that the NBA be renamed to the Lakers League, and the vote almost passed thanks to our ridiculous run of consecutive championships.
It’s the year 2079. I’ve set the template and created the formula for success. Let’s hope my successor can do what I’ve always done:
WIN.
Funny how my career started, with a big loss against our cross town rivals the Clippers. We reeled off three straight wins after that, including a key victory against the Spurs.
The acquisition of Bledsoe made an immediate impact on our team chemistry. With a young athletic guy in the backcourt, he really opened the opportunities for old veterans Gasol and Kobe. He revitalized our team and we started rolling the competition. Nobody had any expectations for us at the beginning of the season, especially with a rookie GM at the helm, but we proved everyone wrong.
I made some mild moves during the season and traded Kent Bazemore to the Clippers for a first round pick and Ryan Hollins. We started off strong and consistent and ended the season with a 53-29 record, good enough for 3rd seed in the Western Conference.
For the end of season awards, LeBron won MVP. Rookie of the Year went to Michael Carter-Williams. Sixth Man of the Year was Andre Miller. Defensive player of the year was Anthony Davis. Most improved player was Lance Stephenson. But the most surprising nod was Pau Gasol on the All-NBA 2nd team and All-Defensive 1st team. Eric Bledsoe was on the All-NBA 3rd team. I credit Bledsoe for allowing Gasol to play the best defense of his career.
It was a tough series against the Rockets but we squeaked by in seven games in the first round. After that, we cruised passed the Grizzlies 4-1. We had our backs against the wall and survived the Trailblazers in seven in the Western Conference Finals.
We reached the Finals but our joy was short-lived. We were up against the Heat and the losses came hard and furious. They were too much for us. We were outmatched and on the verge of a sweep. With the odds against us, we were forced to accomplish what no other team had done in NBA history, and that was to come back and win. Down three, we rattled off four straight victories for the championship. They didn’t think it was possible, but we did it and achieved the impossible.
My first year was a success but my job wasn’t done. My biggest acquisition in the off-season was undoubtedly the signing of LeBron. That ensured our title contention for the next few years. Coupled with my excellent scouting, I was able to surround him with exciting young talent.
Scouting was critical to my success. I relentless watched film with the scouts to determine the best draft prospects and I traded our assets for picks. In the ensuing years, the team never had a player older than 33.
Eventually, I stumbled upon a formula that didn’t require such in depth scouting. The Sports Institute that was created at the start of my tenure was lynchpin for my success. It allowed me to accurately pinpoint the quality of each player in the league. I knew without a doubt whether I came away a winner or loser in a trade. If anyone ever asked you who was responsible for winning a championship, the front office or the players, here was the answer: the front office.
After three years of back-to-back titles, I was able to accrue enough influence to essentially take ownership of the team. It wasn’t until a decade later that true ownership was transferred to me. As owner-GM, I called the shots and put together an organization that would win everything all the time.
It starts with the staff. You can’t compromise with coaching, the athletic trainers, or the medical staff. I hired only the best to attend to organizational matters and the players.
Thanks to the Sports Institute, players on our team were rendered almost impervious to injury. The worst they ever experienced were minor tweaks that they would heal in days. Our developmental program was phenomenal, allowing even the worst players to improve by leaps and bounds. Any draft players we picked up would routinely become quality rotation players, but I concentrated heavily on high potential talent and turned them into superstars.
Our players frequently played above their ceilings, allowing us to trade them with inflated values for better prospects. I regularly fleeced the market with my overvalued assets.
The Lakers became known as a superstar farm, churning out amazing players and squeezing their talent at the peak of their abilities. Once they had reached their primes, we let them walk. Another team would sign them to huge contracts, hamstringing their ability to put together a good team at a reasonable price. It didn’t matter to us because we groomed a backup star and allowed them to take center stage next season. We did this for every position and rarely did we hold onto a player for more than ten years. If you look at the Hall of Fame, almost all of them were Lakers.
Not only were our teams regularly stacked at every position; we also never had to pay the luxury tax with the exception of three years. Thanks to my hard work, the Lakers dominated for more than half a century.
I fear my time is coming to an end. I must relinquish control to my successors. I can rest easy though. Nobody can take away from my legacy. In my 67 years as the Lakers GM, I won 65 championships, bringing our franchise total to a cool 80. Only two teams managed to best me: the Knicks and the Trailblazers.
It’s the year 2079. I’ve set the template and created the formula for success. Let’s hope my successor can do what I’ve always done:
WIN.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
NBA 2K14: MyGM - The Demands
Erick Boenisch examined me closely. A laptop was open and the screen reflected off his eyes. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“As you know, the Buss’s own this franchise. I’m here as their representative. You can take my word as their word.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Likewise.”
The room was well lit with a big window. My eyes wandered, observing impressive upholstery and furniture. It was bigger than my office.
“Let’s get down to business, shall we? As you know, we lost Dwight Howard to the Rockets, and with Kobe in decline, we have to look towards the future. We need young talent.” He leaned forward, the soft glow of the laptop tinting his face. “But this doesn’t mean we’re tanking. You were hired because you made a promise to bring us into title contention. Can I still trust you on that?”
“I don’t intend to break that promise,” I said. He seemed satisfied.
“Next year’s draft may be the deepest in ages. There is potential franchise changing talent in there.”
“Like a new Kobe Bryant?”
“There’s no one quite like Kobe, but if we can continue the Laker’s legacy of incredible players, this is the time to do it. We’ve extended the contract on Kobe, so I know your salary cap situation is less than ideal. We might not be able to make a free agent splash, so it’s imperative to get a good draft pick.”
“While still contending for the title?”
“Do whatever you have to. Make some trades. I don’t care. We need a good pick.” It was an unreasonable demand, but the Lakers were known for pulling off the impossible.
“That’s a tough sell, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“For the next goal, I know you can’t do much about this since it’s up to the coaching staff and players, but we need wins. We may be the most profitable franchise in the league, but the only profit we recognize are wins. Put together a roster that can do that for us. I want at least twenty W’s at Staple Center.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“I don’t expect much trouble with this one, but sell out at least fourteen home games.”
“No problem. We have the best fans in the world. Anything else?”
“You’re new, so that’s all I got for now. Don’t worry though; I’ll be sure to think up new goals as we advance in the season. Now it’s my turn to ask what you want.”
This was my moment. I cleared my throat and ran things through my head. “We need to invest in our players. Can I trust that no expense will be spared?”
“That depends. What are you thinking?”
“Today’s NBA is a different league. Stats dominate the discussion. We need better equipment and software to analyze the potential and effectiveness of players.”
“Spoken like a true product of the numbers generation. You have something specific in mind?”
“I don’t think we’ll be able to build all of it by the end of this year, but the investment will put us ahead of the competition by years. It will also make our franchise more attractive to prospective agents. First, we should have a player lounge to keep up morale. A recovery facility should help prevent injuries. Last season was plagued by injuries. I think injury prevention is absolutely vital to our success going forward.”
“Players aren’t as durable as they used to be.”
“I want our players to be stronger, faster, and smarter. We should put together a new center using the latest research in sports science. It won’t just be for our athletes, it could be for anyone. I’m talking about a state of the art facility for maximizing player potential.”
“Sounds like you’ve already planned for this.”
“I’ve put together building designs, prospective staff—all experts in their field, along with the projected budget.”
“Intriguing. Send it to me when you get the chance. If it’s as great as you say, it might become an alternate revenue source. I’ll have the Buss’s look over the proposal. Ultimately, they control the purse strings. Anything else?”
“That’s all.”
“Good meeting. Update me by the end of the month. I’ll let you know if they’ll green light the projects.”
“Thank you.”
Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant had been a potent combination for the last few years, but it was clear that wasn’t enough anymore. Our scouting department had gotten lazy since they weren’t critical to our success. The departure of Dwight Howard was a big blow for our franchise. We needed to show the league that the Lakers are still the prime spot for the best players. If we couldn’t make a splash during free agency, then we’d do it in the draft.
Head of our scouting department was Ronald Hamlin. Although he did his best with our low draft picks, it was time for someone hungrier with something to prove. I let him go and replaced him with Ryan Lantz, an up and coming scout with an exceptional eye for talent, and signed him to a three-year contract.
“Ryan, I want to know who the superstars are going to be before the world does. Can I trust you to find the best prospects?”
“Just leave it to me, Jo.”
“Your department’s going to be a huge part of our success in the coming years. That’s why I signed you for three of them. I’m looking forward to the results.”
To maximize our profit, I made minor changes to the pricing of parking, concessions, and souvenirs.
We couldn’t tank this year, which meant we had to trade for a draft pick. I made some bold moves before the season started. I traded Wesley Johnson for the Jazz’s first round pick.
Next, I sent Kendall Marshall and Steve Nash to the Suns for Eric Bledsoe and their 2015 second round pick. Normally, they would never accept it, but I convinced them that a player as great as Nash should retire in Phoenix. I’m sure their medical staff could squeeze out a miraculous final season from him too.
I was going all in for this next transaction. I gave up my first round picks for both 2014 and 2015 for the Piston’s 2014 first rounder. For this season, I hope to god that the Pistons and Jazz fail spectacularly. If worse comes to worse, I’m putting Bledsoe on the trading block for picks. Thankfully, none of the picks are lottery protected.
With a dynamic young player like Bledsoe in our starting lineup, I hoped to squeeze just a little more juice out of the Gasol-Kobe combo. What I really wanted was a big man to control the paint, but this should be enough for now.
“As you know, the Buss’s own this franchise. I’m here as their representative. You can take my word as their word.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Likewise.”
The room was well lit with a big window. My eyes wandered, observing impressive upholstery and furniture. It was bigger than my office.
“Let’s get down to business, shall we? As you know, we lost Dwight Howard to the Rockets, and with Kobe in decline, we have to look towards the future. We need young talent.” He leaned forward, the soft glow of the laptop tinting his face. “But this doesn’t mean we’re tanking. You were hired because you made a promise to bring us into title contention. Can I still trust you on that?”
“I don’t intend to break that promise,” I said. He seemed satisfied.
“Next year’s draft may be the deepest in ages. There is potential franchise changing talent in there.”
“Like a new Kobe Bryant?”
“There’s no one quite like Kobe, but if we can continue the Laker’s legacy of incredible players, this is the time to do it. We’ve extended the contract on Kobe, so I know your salary cap situation is less than ideal. We might not be able to make a free agent splash, so it’s imperative to get a good draft pick.”
“While still contending for the title?”
“Do whatever you have to. Make some trades. I don’t care. We need a good pick.” It was an unreasonable demand, but the Lakers were known for pulling off the impossible.
“That’s a tough sell, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“For the next goal, I know you can’t do much about this since it’s up to the coaching staff and players, but we need wins. We may be the most profitable franchise in the league, but the only profit we recognize are wins. Put together a roster that can do that for us. I want at least twenty W’s at Staple Center.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“I don’t expect much trouble with this one, but sell out at least fourteen home games.”
“No problem. We have the best fans in the world. Anything else?”
“You’re new, so that’s all I got for now. Don’t worry though; I’ll be sure to think up new goals as we advance in the season. Now it’s my turn to ask what you want.”
This was my moment. I cleared my throat and ran things through my head. “We need to invest in our players. Can I trust that no expense will be spared?”
“That depends. What are you thinking?”
“Today’s NBA is a different league. Stats dominate the discussion. We need better equipment and software to analyze the potential and effectiveness of players.”
“Spoken like a true product of the numbers generation. You have something specific in mind?”
“I don’t think we’ll be able to build all of it by the end of this year, but the investment will put us ahead of the competition by years. It will also make our franchise more attractive to prospective agents. First, we should have a player lounge to keep up morale. A recovery facility should help prevent injuries. Last season was plagued by injuries. I think injury prevention is absolutely vital to our success going forward.”
“Players aren’t as durable as they used to be.”
“I want our players to be stronger, faster, and smarter. We should put together a new center using the latest research in sports science. It won’t just be for our athletes, it could be for anyone. I’m talking about a state of the art facility for maximizing player potential.”
“Sounds like you’ve already planned for this.”
“I’ve put together building designs, prospective staff—all experts in their field, along with the projected budget.”
“Intriguing. Send it to me when you get the chance. If it’s as great as you say, it might become an alternate revenue source. I’ll have the Buss’s look over the proposal. Ultimately, they control the purse strings. Anything else?”
“That’s all.”
“Good meeting. Update me by the end of the month. I’ll let you know if they’ll green light the projects.”
“Thank you.”
Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant had been a potent combination for the last few years, but it was clear that wasn’t enough anymore. Our scouting department had gotten lazy since they weren’t critical to our success. The departure of Dwight Howard was a big blow for our franchise. We needed to show the league that the Lakers are still the prime spot for the best players. If we couldn’t make a splash during free agency, then we’d do it in the draft.
Head of our scouting department was Ronald Hamlin. Although he did his best with our low draft picks, it was time for someone hungrier with something to prove. I let him go and replaced him with Ryan Lantz, an up and coming scout with an exceptional eye for talent, and signed him to a three-year contract.
“Ryan, I want to know who the superstars are going to be before the world does. Can I trust you to find the best prospects?”
“Just leave it to me, Jo.”
“Your department’s going to be a huge part of our success in the coming years. That’s why I signed you for three of them. I’m looking forward to the results.”
To maximize our profit, I made minor changes to the pricing of parking, concessions, and souvenirs.
We couldn’t tank this year, which meant we had to trade for a draft pick. I made some bold moves before the season started. I traded Wesley Johnson for the Jazz’s first round pick.
Next, I sent Kendall Marshall and Steve Nash to the Suns for Eric Bledsoe and their 2015 second round pick. Normally, they would never accept it, but I convinced them that a player as great as Nash should retire in Phoenix. I’m sure their medical staff could squeeze out a miraculous final season from him too.
I was going all in for this next transaction. I gave up my first round picks for both 2014 and 2015 for the Piston’s 2014 first rounder. For this season, I hope to god that the Pistons and Jazz fail spectacularly. If worse comes to worse, I’m putting Bledsoe on the trading block for picks. Thankfully, none of the picks are lottery protected.
With a dynamic young player like Bledsoe in our starting lineup, I hoped to squeeze just a little more juice out of the Gasol-Kobe combo. What I really wanted was a big man to control the paint, but this should be enough for now.
Monday, February 24, 2014
NBA 2K14: MyGM - The Dynasty
It was a surprisingly modest office. For a room that spawned numerous championship teams, I expected something a little more...
Glamorous.
This was the Los Angeles Lakers, a storied and proud franchise. Winning was a matter of course, and there was no reason to flaunt it. Quietly, in plain sight, was a row of championship trophies in the main office, proof of our legacy, and one I hoped to add to.
“If you ask me what our goal is, it’s to surpass the Celtic’s trophy count,” Mitch Kupchak said to me.
Mitch Kupchak, former General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, stood tall behind his desk. It was obvious he was a former player from his height. He bore a marked resemblance to John Malkovich, not that I’d ever say it out loud.
He had recently announced his resignation and I was chosen to succeed him. It would be a tough act to follow, considering the Lakers won five championships under his tenure.
He was in the process of clearing out his office. The room was mostly bare, having been emptied out. A plastic bin sat on his desk, filled with knick knacks. It was just me and him.
“Any advice for me?” I asked.
“You have to trust the people around you. That’s the key. It takes a lot of pressure off your shoulders. The best we can do is providee the organization the best opportunity to do one thing: win. This is the Lakers. Money doesn’t matter. Win no matter the cost.”
That was what I was brought here to do, to build championship teams and stake out a dynasty in this league.
“Good luck, Jo, you’re going to need it. Erick wants to see you after this. You should hurry.”
Erick Boenisch, representative for the Buss family, was going to be the person I’d report to for the foreseeable future.
“Thanks,” I said as I left the room. I entered a narrow hallway that led to Erick’s office. A set of double doors waited me.
This was where it begins.
The new Lakers Dynasty.
Glamorous.
This was the Los Angeles Lakers, a storied and proud franchise. Winning was a matter of course, and there was no reason to flaunt it. Quietly, in plain sight, was a row of championship trophies in the main office, proof of our legacy, and one I hoped to add to.
“If you ask me what our goal is, it’s to surpass the Celtic’s trophy count,” Mitch Kupchak said to me.
Mitch Kupchak, former General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, stood tall behind his desk. It was obvious he was a former player from his height. He bore a marked resemblance to John Malkovich, not that I’d ever say it out loud.
He had recently announced his resignation and I was chosen to succeed him. It would be a tough act to follow, considering the Lakers won five championships under his tenure.
He was in the process of clearing out his office. The room was mostly bare, having been emptied out. A plastic bin sat on his desk, filled with knick knacks. It was just me and him.
“Any advice for me?” I asked.
“You have to trust the people around you. That’s the key. It takes a lot of pressure off your shoulders. The best we can do is providee the organization the best opportunity to do one thing: win. This is the Lakers. Money doesn’t matter. Win no matter the cost.”
That was what I was brought here to do, to build championship teams and stake out a dynasty in this league.
“Good luck, Jo, you’re going to need it. Erick wants to see you after this. You should hurry.”
Erick Boenisch, representative for the Buss family, was going to be the person I’d report to for the foreseeable future.
“Thanks,” I said as I left the room. I entered a narrow hallway that led to Erick’s office. A set of double doors waited me.
This was where it begins.
The new Lakers Dynasty.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Fourth Meeting
It's hard to believe that it's been a month since I first started this project. Back then, all I had was an idea, but now, we have a fully working prototype. It's lacking in content, but it has all the basic functionality I need to make a good visual novel.
 |
| It took me way too long just to make a placeholder character. |
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Uncharted 3
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Third Meeting
I'm late on my meeting notes, but that's more of a reflection of the meeting content than my ability to quickly write up a summary. There's not much to say. We're working diligently to reach our "milestones." A lot of it really depends on me.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Video Game Review Index
An index of all the games I've played and reviewed.
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
Assassin's Creed 2
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Battlefield 3
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam
Bioshock 2
Bulletstorm
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Dead Space 2
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Final Fantasy XIII
Gears of War 3
God of War III
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Halo Anniversary
Halo Reach
Heavy Rain
Homefront
Killzone 3
Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
LA Noire
Mass Effect 3
Medal of Honor
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Portal
Prey
Psychonauts
Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time
Resistance 3
Shadows of the Damned
Silent Hill
Uncharted 3
Vanquish
Yakuza 3
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
Assassin's Creed 2
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Battlefield 3
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam
Bioshock 2
Bulletstorm
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Dead Space 2
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Final Fantasy XIII
Gears of War 3
God of War III
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Halo Anniversary
Halo Reach
Heavy Rain
Homefront
Killzone 3
Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
LA Noire
Mass Effect 3
Medal of Honor
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Portal
Prey
Psychonauts
Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time
Resistance 3
Shadows of the Damned
Silent Hill
Uncharted 3
Vanquish
Yakuza 3
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Second Meeting
It was another productive meeting. There's nothing like coming together to share thoughts and ideas. It really makes me feel that this project is truly a collaborative effort.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Visual Novel Prototype
Where am I?
What is this place?
I'm looking around but...
Nothing is familiar. The walls are blank, featureless, and gray. I feel the wall but it's perfectly smooth.
Above me, the ceiling is the same. Flat. And below me, there's no difference.
The only thing I can see are two doors against the wall.
One door to the left, and one door to the right.
Which one am I supposed to through?
(selection)
Left Door
Right Door
(Left Door):
I put my hand on the knob and twist. Light blinds me, engulfs me, and swallows me up. It's so bright...it's too brilliant!
All sounds fade away. I can no longer hear myself, my breathing, or my heartbeat. It feels like...I'm floating.
Things seem to dim.
I open my eyes.
I'm back home. In my bed, as if I just woke up.
Was it all...just a dream?
(Return to Main Menu)
(Right Door):
I put my hand on the knob and twist. It is pitch black. Complete darkness.
I am blind. It's like my eyes are closed, but they're wide open, and they see nothing. What is this? Where am I?
Cold grips me. My blood freezes. No...
Is this death? It can't be! My body...it feels number. It grows colder, weaker, number...until...
Nothing.
(Return to Main Menu)
What is this place?
I'm looking around but...
Nothing is familiar. The walls are blank, featureless, and gray. I feel the wall but it's perfectly smooth.
Above me, the ceiling is the same. Flat. And below me, there's no difference.
The only thing I can see are two doors against the wall.
One door to the left, and one door to the right.
Which one am I supposed to through?
(selection)
Left Door
Right Door
(Left Door):
I put my hand on the knob and twist. Light blinds me, engulfs me, and swallows me up. It's so bright...it's too brilliant!
All sounds fade away. I can no longer hear myself, my breathing, or my heartbeat. It feels like...I'm floating.
Things seem to dim.
I open my eyes.
I'm back home. In my bed, as if I just woke up.
Was it all...just a dream?
(Return to Main Menu)
(Right Door):
I put my hand on the knob and twist. It is pitch black. Complete darkness.
I am blind. It's like my eyes are closed, but they're wide open, and they see nothing. What is this? Where am I?
Cold grips me. My blood freezes. No...
Is this death? It can't be! My body...it feels number. It grows colder, weaker, number...until...
Nothing.
(Return to Main Menu)
Psychonauts
It's easy to forget that gaming has a vast library. It's a hit-driven industry, and gamers have short-term memory. Once we finish the latest and greatest, we look forward to the next big thing. When you live from release to release like that, it's easy to criticize the industry for being too uniform, too safe, and too conservative. Genres have condensed, others have evaporated, and it just feels like we're playing the same damn thing over and over. But when you dig into gaming's enormous library, you can dig up an absolute gem that feels fresher and more innovative than any game that's come out in years.
From the excellent minds at Double Fine, Psychonauts is a platforming adventure for the PS2, Xbox, and PC. You play as Raz, a boy who goes to psychic summer camp in order to become a Psychonaut—a kind of psychic secret agent.
I confess, the art style turned me off at first, but it definitely grew on me. Perhaps being inundated by bald space marines, colorless military grunts, and Japanesy anime characters has left me more receptive to anything that doesn't resemble the aforementioned styles. The art is charming, unique, and completely appropriate.
Psychonauts successfully merges the gameplay with narrative. The level design is artistically and mechanically demented. Rooms turn topsy-turvy, disorienting your perspective, and provides unique navigational challenges. New abilities are gained under the guise of "Merit Badges," tying into the game's setting of summer camp. Each stage is trip through a different character's mind, and gives the designers an excuse to throw you through a variety of gameplay types, from light puzzle solving to straight-up combat. Rest assured, all your psychic powers will come handy at some point, whether to solve a puzzle or defeat a boss, the game doesn't leave any power unused.
Platformers are fundamentally about collecting stuff, and Psychonauts doesn't lack in that department. Each stage is filled with collectibles that help raise your rank (the max rank is 100). Advancing in rank grants new abilities and upgrades existing powers. Trying to nab every last figment will test your ingenuity and willingness to explore the levels.
The game is rife with unusual characters, accented voices, and clever lines. The story's an enjoyable romp that feels like an animated movie or Saturday morning cartoon, but it’s punchy and clever. The main adventure lasts about ten hours, but you can tack on a few more extra if you're a completionist.
If you’re a fan of fun, clever, and devilish platformers, you owe it to yourself to play Psychonauts. You won't be disappointed.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
First Meeting
This is going to be a record of my efforts to build a visual novel from start to finish. It should be fun to look back on. Who knows? Maybe this will become a valuable record of a man who went on to create big things. A man can dream can't he? On to the meeting notes!
So I corralled two of my friends for my project. When it comes to starting something as ambitious as this, it's best not to go at it alone. I called a team meeting on Friday and it turned out to be very productive. I explained to them my goals, what the project was, and why I needed their help, and they agreed.
We are now a three-man team. The only thing missing is a name for our "studio." I considered "Waypoint Studios" as a name, but it was already taken. I guess I should make it a priority to find another name for us. Trivial matters aside, I've filled in some very important positions. Since this whole project was my idea, I'm the so-called Director and Scenario Writer. I've tasked my good friend Z as the primary programmer, and my other friend R will be Co-Writer. I still have two open positions. One for art designer, and the other for sound engineer.
I can do the art myself, but I'd rather not. For the sound, it'll be really cool if I can get custom music and sound effects, but I'm probably going to have to rip some from public domain. I'm thinking of reaching out online to fill those positions, but I want a prototype to showcase before I start soliciting.
At this stage, my concept for the visual novel is just that, a vague idea with no shape or form. This is our research phase and I've created a tentative schedule. By next week, I hope to have a basic prototype running. The scenario is this: you're in front of two doors, and opening one of them will lead to either a good or bad ending. It's a low hurdle, but it should be achievable. Shooting for the moon tends to make one give up before takeoff.
With Z, I'm hoping to explore the possibilities of Ren'Py, the program we're using to build the visual novel. While most visual novels have branching paths, I wonder if we can have inventory systems or keep track of statistical variables (like "love points").
With R, we're going to be building the storyline, fleshing out the setting, plot, and characters. I've tasked him with playing a visual novel so that he can get used to the style and mechanics. We've had experience in building stories together, but this is the first time we're doing it for public consumption.
It should be fun.
So I corralled two of my friends for my project. When it comes to starting something as ambitious as this, it's best not to go at it alone. I called a team meeting on Friday and it turned out to be very productive. I explained to them my goals, what the project was, and why I needed their help, and they agreed.
We are now a three-man team. The only thing missing is a name for our "studio." I considered "Waypoint Studios" as a name, but it was already taken. I guess I should make it a priority to find another name for us. Trivial matters aside, I've filled in some very important positions. Since this whole project was my idea, I'm the so-called Director and Scenario Writer. I've tasked my good friend Z as the primary programmer, and my other friend R will be Co-Writer. I still have two open positions. One for art designer, and the other for sound engineer.
I can do the art myself, but I'd rather not. For the sound, it'll be really cool if I can get custom music and sound effects, but I'm probably going to have to rip some from public domain. I'm thinking of reaching out online to fill those positions, but I want a prototype to showcase before I start soliciting.
At this stage, my concept for the visual novel is just that, a vague idea with no shape or form. This is our research phase and I've created a tentative schedule. By next week, I hope to have a basic prototype running. The scenario is this: you're in front of two doors, and opening one of them will lead to either a good or bad ending. It's a low hurdle, but it should be achievable. Shooting for the moon tends to make one give up before takeoff.
With Z, I'm hoping to explore the possibilities of Ren'Py, the program we're using to build the visual novel. While most visual novels have branching paths, I wonder if we can have inventory systems or keep track of statistical variables (like "love points").
With R, we're going to be building the storyline, fleshing out the setting, plot, and characters. I've tasked him with playing a visual novel so that he can get used to the style and mechanics. We've had experience in building stories together, but this is the first time we're doing it for public consumption.
It should be fun.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Psychonauts Session 2
In this level, I go into Milla Vodello's mind and pick up the new levitation power. Instead of floating around as one would expect, the power manifests as a bouncy ball. It improves your running speed slightly and lets you jump much higher than normal. By holding down the aim button, you can also glide across chasms. It's adds a lot of dimension to the solid platforming.
By using slopes and curves, you can build momentum and speed up significantly. The level has a small racing section filled with ramps and collectibles. I barely won by the skin of my teeth.
The glide function allows you be moved by air currents. In here, columns of bubbles denote air columns where you can glide upwards. In a previous area, you use an air current to glide over a large chasm.After the completion of the level, I gain the merit badge for levitation.
Time to go save Dogen's brain!
Visual Novels
I've had my eye on a potential project for awhile, and it's to make a visual novel.
Visual novel is a niche genre that's slowly gaining popularity in the West, thanks to a couple key releases. It's just as it sounds: a story with images that a player can control, similar to a digital choose-your-own-adventure book. My experience with VN's is limited to 999, a DS game that really opened my eyes up to the possibilities of the format.
I've always wanted to make games, but I didn't possess the necessary programming knowledge and skills necessary to put something together by myself. Since Visual Novels rely on "story" more than actual mechanics, it is completely within my abilities.
Ren'Py, an open-source VN building program, seems like a good start. All I need is some extra help. Although I'm a decent artist, I would like a professional who can trace and color art assets. Although I can pull music from the internet, I would love someone to compose custom tracks for the scenarios I have in mind. Although I have a decent grasp of programming, I would prefer someone else to take care of the heavy lifting while I concentrate on the narrative.
Consider this an announcement of my intentions.
If anyone wants to help, please do.
Visual novel is a niche genre that's slowly gaining popularity in the West, thanks to a couple key releases. It's just as it sounds: a story with images that a player can control, similar to a digital choose-your-own-adventure book. My experience with VN's is limited to 999, a DS game that really opened my eyes up to the possibilities of the format.
I've always wanted to make games, but I didn't possess the necessary programming knowledge and skills necessary to put something together by myself. Since Visual Novels rely on "story" more than actual mechanics, it is completely within my abilities.
Ren'Py, an open-source VN building program, seems like a good start. All I need is some extra help. Although I'm a decent artist, I would like a professional who can trace and color art assets. Although I can pull music from the internet, I would love someone to compose custom tracks for the scenarios I have in mind. Although I have a decent grasp of programming, I would prefer someone else to take care of the heavy lifting while I concentrate on the narrative.
Consider this an announcement of my intentions.
If anyone wants to help, please do.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Deus Ex is amazing.
The core gameplay allows for multiple approaches to a situation. It's possible to go through the entire game without killing a single person (bosses aside). In some ways, it’s my dream game. It’s a perfect blend of free exploration a la Skyrim, the cover-based stealth mechanics of Splinter Cell, and the branching narrative of Mass Effect. It's like somebody took all the best ideas of Western game design and distilled it into one game.
A large part of this has to do with the impeccable map design. The levels are made with pockets of sneaking space, ventilation shafts, flowing cover, and different elevations to take advantage of Adam Jensen's unique traversal abilities. He can super jump, fall from great heights, punch through walls, and see through them. By that same token, locked doors can be blown up, hacked, or bypassed with codes lifted from Pocket Secretaries.
The game is all about stealth and punishes you appropriately for not moving around with finesse. Getting caught isn’t a death sentence, but unless you’re properly equipped, it might as well be. Even if you elect to go Rambo with your arsenal, you’ll still be utilizing cover a lot.
Whether it’s eliminating enemies with takedowns and headshots or bypassing security systems with vent-crawling and hacking, you are rewarded with XP. After gaining enough XP, you level up, granting “Praxis” points, the games upgrade currency. You use these points to upgrade augmentations that allow Jenson to move more effectively, hack more effectively, and kill more effectively. They’re a limited resource and force players into distinct play styles based on what kind of upgrades they acquire.
Now this could’ve been the greatest game of all time if it wasn’t for one little thing: the boss fights. The boss fights force an awkward style of gameplay incongruent with rest of the game’s design. If you’re going for a stealth-only run, encountering a boss fight is the moment you are screwed. They become frustrating roadblocks in an otherwise stellar experience.
Deus Ex fills out the definition of “cyberpunk” nicely, checking off the box for “hackers,” “corporations,” and “civil unrest” over the issue of human augmentation. The plot takes a backseat to the setting. Neo-Detroit and the fictional Chinese city of Hengsha are appropriately dark, seedy, and technologically-infused in its realization. Hacking computers to read emails and picking up ebooks flesh out more of the world’s backstory.
The game does suffer from drawbacks. Certain augments are completely useless and the hacking minigame gets tiresome quickly. Just like in Mass Effect and Bioshock, an interesting time diversion increasingly becomes a distraction to the core gameplay. Developers should realize that at the highest levels of hacking, the final upgrade should simply automate the process. I would certainly max out my hacking skills just to skip the minigame.
Unfortunately, the game ends with a bitter taste. The conclusion pays no heed to your choices throughout and essentially gives you an opportunity to view four slightly different cutscenes.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a fantastic experience marred by a couple boneheaded design decisions. If it weren’t for those missteps, I would have no trouble calling Deus Ex: Human Revolution a true masterpiece. As it is, it’s a pretty damn good game and among the best for 2011.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3 is the final installment of Bioware's epic space opera trilogy.
As you've no doubt heard by now, the ending wasn't quite what most people were expecting. Sloppy finishes aside, does Mass Effect 3 live up to its storied name?
It's interesting to chart the series evolution (or devolution, some would argue) from start to finish. While the games maintain a similar core throughout, each installment contains radical differences. It's clear that with each game, the designers followed a new philosophy to—dare I say it—"dumb" it down for the masses. This jump is obvious between ME1 and ME2 with the omission of Mako side missions entirely. Rather then try to fix it; they simply eradicated it from existence.
While linear game design isn't always bad, for a series known for branching paths, the straightforwardness of ME3 is rather jarring. The difference in the amount of freedom between ME1 and ME3 is staggering. RPG enthusiasts may lament this more streamlined approach, but it isn't without merit. It guarantees a steady pace for the story and allows players to get down to business quickly.
There's really no excuse for getting rid of exploration entirely though. The Citadel remains the only hub world in the entire game, and every other location you visit you only visit once. That sense of world and environment has been replaced with "urgency" and set-pieces that funnel you through action-packed events. It's a style that works for Modern Warfare, but it's slightly out of place in ME3. At least it makes for some memorable moments. The adventures on various homeworlds, including the Krogan home planet of Tuchanka, will stick with you for a long time. Overlapped with these sequences are payoffs from decisions you've made years ago in the previous games, putting closure to dangling plot threads.
Although the RPG elements suffered, the core combat has improved by leaps and bounds. The introduction of roll dodges makes me wonder how we ever got along without it. Movement, aiming, and shooting are tighter, and the biotic powers spice up combat encounters quite nicely.
Character upgrades have essentially boiled down to combat abilities, which offer your usual assortment of buffs and debuffs, and a couple unique physics-driven showcases thrown in for good measure. The weapon upgrade system has been extremely simplified, reduced to merely buying upgrades for entire weapon classes and inserting mods. The options aren't as numerous as before.
Upon reflection, I realize that Bioware "cheats" with the narrative. The first game thrilled us with its fully realized universe, replete with detailed environments to explore and deep customization options. Our freedom has decreased steadily over the course of our journey, but in its place, we've shared experiences with our crew. As Commander Shepard, we’ve cultivated relationships with our shipmates, romanced some of them even, and let others die. Perhaps we were blinded by our devotion to these characters, for they kept us from seeing ME3's squandered potential.
ME3 abandons its RPG roots and aspires to be a shooter. Fortunately, ME3 is a more than competent at the task, and the use of biotic powers is unique enough to shield it from criticisms of imitating more accomplished genre franchises such as Gears of War or Uncharted.
Even though the story makes the game palatable, the ending ruins everything by invalidating all of the choices you've made in the previous 3 games. Whether you played as Renegade or Paragon has no bearing in the end, and it's completely antithetical to the game's philosophy. It introduces three arbitrary, binary, and bizarre choices with a poorly thought-out explanation for the Reaper invasion. When an ending proves so controversial that it forces Bioware to redo it (although they promise it will maintain their "artistic integrity"), that's when you know that that they've screwed up big time.
Mass Effect 3 is a great game, one of the best for this year possibly, but only for your virgin playthrough. Mass Effect has always encouraged replays with different styles, but when faced with such a disappointing end, the motivation to start up a new game is completely gone.
It's an adventure that no Mass Effect fan should miss out on; just make sure you turn the game off before going up the magic space elevator. Trust me, its better that way.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
One-Paragraph Reviews
I told myself that I would review every game I beat.
Too bad that never panned out.
I have a list of games that I've beaten and they demand to be reviewed, but I really don't have the time. So rather than write out multi-page critiques, I'm just going to go with my one-paragraph reviews.
Killzone 3: The visuals are amazing but the gameplay is middling. Aside from a few cool set pieces, it's superficially exciting and fundamentally dull.
Dead Space 2: What made the first game great was the pacing. There were moments of calm and moments of intensity. It was finely tuned to give players necessary breaks between enemy confrontations. The sequel throws this methodical approach out the window and presses its foot on the gas pedal full throttle. The adventure is frenetic, claustrophobic, and never gives you room to breathe, which is Dead Space 2's ultimate failing. Too much action and not enough calm.
Vanquish: A mash between combo-based action gaming and cover-based third-person shooting. A truly unique bullet ballet of explosions, slo-mo, and rocket sliding.
Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time: An incredible adventure with clever puzzles, enjoyable platforming, and solid action.
LA Noire: An interesting piece of narrative that really puts you in the shoes of a detective. Major flaws hold the game back from being great .
Resistance 3: With a varied arsenal of weapons and impeccable enemy encounter design, this is the best in the trilogy.
Shadows of the Damned: A well-crafted and unexpectedly funny journey through the depths of hell. Shades of RE4 and Suda's madness warrant a look from any gamer with a taste for the odd.
Battlefield 3: An average campaign with too many rails, but them graphics! Besides, the only reason you're playing this is for the multiplayer.
Modern Warfare 3: It's an exciting, action-packed, and nonsensical roller coaster ride from start to finish.
Bulletstorm: The most underrated game of the year. A unique blend of combo-based action gaming with first-person shooting (where have I heard this before?).
Gears of War 3: It has everything it needs except for a soul. A solid romp but nothing else, unless you're in it for the multiplayer.
Halo Anniversary: A remake of the best Halo game? Yes, please. The same fantastic core is intact, and with the new graphics, it makes this the best Halo game yet.
Too bad that never panned out.
I have a list of games that I've beaten and they demand to be reviewed, but I really don't have the time. So rather than write out multi-page critiques, I'm just going to go with my one-paragraph reviews.
Killzone 3: The visuals are amazing but the gameplay is middling. Aside from a few cool set pieces, it's superficially exciting and fundamentally dull.
Dead Space 2: What made the first game great was the pacing. There were moments of calm and moments of intensity. It was finely tuned to give players necessary breaks between enemy confrontations. The sequel throws this methodical approach out the window and presses its foot on the gas pedal full throttle. The adventure is frenetic, claustrophobic, and never gives you room to breathe, which is Dead Space 2's ultimate failing. Too much action and not enough calm.
Vanquish: A mash between combo-based action gaming and cover-based third-person shooting. A truly unique bullet ballet of explosions, slo-mo, and rocket sliding.
Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time: An incredible adventure with clever puzzles, enjoyable platforming, and solid action.
LA Noire: An interesting piece of narrative that really puts you in the shoes of a detective. Major flaws hold the game back from being great .
Resistance 3: With a varied arsenal of weapons and impeccable enemy encounter design, this is the best in the trilogy.
Shadows of the Damned: A well-crafted and unexpectedly funny journey through the depths of hell. Shades of RE4 and Suda's madness warrant a look from any gamer with a taste for the odd.
Battlefield 3: An average campaign with too many rails, but them graphics! Besides, the only reason you're playing this is for the multiplayer.
Modern Warfare 3: It's an exciting, action-packed, and nonsensical roller coaster ride from start to finish.
Bulletstorm: The most underrated game of the year. A unique blend of combo-based action gaming with first-person shooting (where have I heard this before?).
Gears of War 3: It has everything it needs except for a soul. A solid romp but nothing else, unless you're in it for the multiplayer.
Halo Anniversary: A remake of the best Halo game? Yes, please. The same fantastic core is intact, and with the new graphics, it makes this the best Halo game yet.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Corpse Party
When you cruise through life, you will inevitably hit a patch of obsession. Capricious whim takes over, and your whole life begins to revolve around a single thing. It could be a show, a video game, a book, an activity, anything. Our modern world doesn't lack for distractions, and it's just a roll of the dice that we find ourselves enraptured by something.
Over the summer, I plowed through Breaking Bad, one of the best--if not--the best show on television. Before that, I found myself unable to quench my thirst for anime. The pattern is the same. We get into "something" that possesses us for a brief moment of time and then we move on. Its impact on us may be minimal or profound, depending on the individual.
At the current moment, I find myself watching a walkthrough series of Corpse Party, an adventure game on the PSP. The word "corpse" conjures up images of dead bodies and a certain enemy from Gears of War to me (the corpser). I've heard of the game from NeoGAF, or more accurately, saw a screenshot of it in a series of images from one of the weirdest moments in the game, a dialogue between two heroines.
Rather strange indeed. I didn't think much of it. Just an example of translators taking liberties with the localization.
Then the lunar new year came around (or Chinese New Years), and my little cousin, Nick, starts messing around with my computer. He sees the icon for Amnesia (a very scary game), asks me what it is, and I tell him, "the scariest game ever."
He decides on Modern Warfare 3 and starts engaging in acts of military violence without batting an eyelash, and this guy's like 13 years old. As if that wasn't enough to sate his bloodlust, he plays an even more violent game in Bulletstorm (heavily underrated).
All of that to set up the conversation in the following day, where we sit next to each other at a New Years dinner for my parent's old village from Vietnam. He's eager to talk about games (what kid doesn't?) and reveals that his gaming console of choice is a PSP (because his mom doesn't want him playing anything else). As far as scary games go, his metric is Corpse Party.
A week later, I'm trying to catch up on my manga when I see that they made a Corpse Party manga, which I presume is based on the game. Considering that I'm in a particularly anxious mood from reading so much creepypasta lately (the internet-equivalent of urban legends), and from writing a couple of short stories just like it, I decide to read Corpse Party for some inspiration.
I read through all the existing chapters but the story isn't complete. So how can I finish the story?
Just watch the game.
I actually have the game sitting on my PC. It isn't a particularly complex game in its mechanics, and its driven mainly by story. If that's the case, I'd rather just watch it to completion. When it comes to YouTube videos, I simply watch them on my phone while I'm laying in bed. It's my new late night routine.
At least until something else catches my fancy.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Prey
The announcement of Prey 2 spurred me on to beat the original, an intriguing sci-fi shooter with portals before Portal made portals cool. You play as Tommy, a Native-American who gets sucked up in a giant spaceship called the Sphere. The entire adventure revolves around his quest to save his girlfriend while navigating the Sphere's treacherous interior, filled with portals and gravity-defying catwalks. In the process, Tommy unlocks his heritage and gains access to his spirit form, which is necessary to solve basic navigation puzzles.
The game looks great with a dark, twisted, and fleshy interior. The lighting is moody and the monster design nightmarish. Unfortunately, the game ascribes to the template of corridor shooter, where the best tactic is classical strafe and fire. Enemy AI and level design aren't sophisticated enough to support the flanking style of gameplay Halo is known for. It boils down to point and shoot.
On the bright side, the game's armory is unique enough to make the task of shooting aliens fun. Pistols with secondary sniper function, bug bombs, and leech blasters are just some of the fantastic alien weaponry you'll get to wield.
The real star of Prey is the level design. The use of portals, perspective shifts, and reverse gravity makes the game unpredictable. Combined with the spirit form gameplay, simply walking through the ship is like solving one giant puzzle.
Prey's journey is fairly lengthy, easily running over ten hours, but the narrative is gripping enough to urge you on when times are tough. The game is a throwback to classic fps with a modern twist; a true bridge between old and new school.
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