PC News and Game Reviews

Left 4 Dead launched in November 2008. Since then I have been playing it religiously. I can honestly say its the first game that has held my attention this long, without growing tired of the content or game play.

Like most players I did not invest much time in the single player game. Although the L4D bots are excellent, they are still bots and can never come close to human companions. For this reason most player were drawn online to the fantastic campaign mode.

If I can make one major criticism of L4D, it would be the lack of content from the outset. I thought that 4 “movies” was not enough content to launch with, and that delaying the game to add more movies would have been a better idea, and lead to a better product hitting the shelves. That said I was surprised how the AI Director really did make each play through a completely different experience, however it is not strong enough on its own to make up for a lack of content and the fact that after 6 months

Online campaign mode is excellent. With a good team you will quickly overcome the game on expert, and earn your achievements without too much difficulty. Valve (Turtle Rock) have managed to meld excellent multi-player FPS action, with scripted crescendo events that would usually be seen in Half Life 2. The union of of classic multi-player with scripted events allows the developers to get the best of both worlds. They can deliver a strong narrative, while still making a game with excellent co-op play.

Where Left 4 Dead has come into its own is the versus mode of play. While I battled my way through the campaign mode I spared little thought for versus, but having played it for a few months…I can never see myself going back to campaign mode again!!! Vs puts two teams of 4 players against each other. Both teams get to play as Survivors and Infected, which each round being scored based on how well you did (or how poorly you did!!!)

The jewel of the versus mode for me has to be playing as the infected. The level of co-ordination involved to bring down a team of good survivors is astonishing. Smokers can be used to pull a well disciplined team apart, right after a boomer has blinded the entire team with some well place vomit!!! To add to that the excellent Hunter class allows spectacular acrobatic leaps from rooftops right down on top of your unsuspecting victims!! What I really love about this mode of play is that the sometimes predictable AI director takes a back stage, as human infected players can set ambushes that the infected AI could never hope to match (The top of the ladder in Mercy Hospital Finale being one that springs to mind).

The only disturbing trend I have seen in VS mode is the “race” to the safe room you sometimes see. Basically the survivors charge as fast as they can, seriously limiting the amount of time the infected players have to spawn. The end result is the level is over with a handful of rounds fired!!! ITs an exploit I thing the developers need to address, because 12 year old spotty teenagers are getting a great kick out of doing it over and over…..

I would have to give this game a 9.5 out of 10, its a gem. More content please.

While chatting to a few friends of mine some very interesting observations where made regarding PC Gaming in general. This blog is born out of an email sent by a friend having played the recent BETA of Dawn of War 2.

The review given by my friend was mostly negative. Most of the elements we enjoyed from the first game seem to have been stripped from this new sleek version of DOW?! The onus now seems to be on controlling smaller groups of men, in an attempt to push the DOW franchise more towards Company of Heroes (Which in our opinion is now a glowing symbol for Real Time Strategy). Now this move alone is not cause for concern, and indeed with the new Tales of Valor their are hints about controlling just one Tiger tank in some of the missions.

There is nothing wrong with trying to drive a genre forward, but I’m afraid all of the above can be viewed from a more cynical point of view. Stripping out base building will annoy people who like base building….like me. I enjoy being able to build defenses and indeed using base building as a game winning tactic (least we forget the Eldar teleport and cloak, build a webway and “appear” in your enemies base). I know I am not alone in my base building fetish. In COH it was great fun to build a structured front line of barbed wire, sandbags….tank traps etc…etc….

Now all this is leading me to this….they are dumbing down PC gaming. It’s blatantly obvious the console market is now bigger than the PC market, so PC gaming and indeed PC game developers are facing “The Console Effect”:

“Can you build a base with an XBOX controller”
- Yes but its very difficult, if not so annoying that its useless
“OK cut it and put more onus on the units”

“Can you select and assign teams for co-ordinated strategic strikes”
- Yes but its very difficult to do
“OK cut down the number of units, and lets introduce Boss fights!!!”

What in the name of christ jebus were you thinking!!!!! Boss fights!!!!! FFS!!!!!!
Why not just put Mario and Sonic in power armour and let us run them around the place picking up gold coins!

My friend made the point that the introduction of a commander who could gain XP, is a concept that was first introduced in Warcraft 3 (6 years ago). He then made a point that the first shooter to crack the console was Halo…..10-15 years after wolfenstein/doom/unreal had created the genre.

It must be really annoying for PC developers who have to dumb down their content and indeed detract from the overall experience to service a larger part of the market who cannot use “wasd”. It’s a very sad time…..”The Console Effect” is a creation the of Sony, Nintendo and MS…..and as we have seen with MS its not about innovation or improvement….its about making things look shiny and stupid, and requiring massive hardware to then run said content!!!!!

How long was World War 2! Seriously, if you were to play every WW2 FPS out there it would probably take you twice as long as the bloody war. In saying that though the Brothers in Arms series has been alittle different in its approach to the WW2 FPS. This is mainly due to its hint of RTS.

Unlike convensional FPS games in BIA you also control squads of troops. With each squad rocking their own specific weapons and abilities. This simple game mechanic has always made the series stand out from the wave of games in the genre. And once again its what keeps the series fresh and fun.

Gameplay = 9

As i’ve explained, BIA is alittle different from your standard FPS. You play as Sgt.Matt Baker, Baker’s been the lead character since BIA:Hill 30 or in timeline terms since Normandy.The 101st has reached Holland and you rejoin Bakers squad just at the cusp of Market Garden. While playing as Baker you will have control over between 1 and 3 squads. They range from Assault teams (Used to flank and attack suppressed enemies), MG Teams (Used to suppress enemies), Bazooka Teams (Used for taking out tanks and MG emplacements) and Standard Fire Teams (which double as both suppression and assault teams).

Of course Baker can also bag a few Nazi’s himself but you will quickly find that in BIA numbers make a major difference. Trying to rush an MG emplacement single handed is a sure fire way to get ripped in two. You really have to take advantage of your men to progress. Suppressing, flanking or finding higher ground is just a few of the examples of tricks you’ll need to use to get the drop on your enemy.

There is some change ups in the gameplay though. During some missions you may be seperated from your troops. These instances probably pose some of the biggest challenges in the game. You also get to man a tank for several missions. While fun the tank missions just seem like filler in an already short game.

The gameplay has held up quiet well since the first title. Also the minor tweaks, such as improved aiming and additional teams really add some spice to BIA:HH.

GFX = 8

The only way to describe the graphics in BIA:HH is ‘adequate’. At times the game can look outstanding and at others dated and alittle ugly. This may be down to the long delay with the release. But when your working with probably the best engine on the market at the moment, Unreal 3, there’s really no excuse for having average GFX.

The overall design is gritty and rustic which is fine but unlike something like Gears of War the style wasn’t captured with the same level of graphic quality. The game looks more basic or dull then realistic. In saying that though dispite this cinematics look great, aswell as character animations and explosions. So although the GFX are alittle dated they still do the job well enough.

Sound = 9

No complaints here. Weapons and enviromental sounds come across as authentic. Also the voice work is exceptional, with stellar performances from both Baker and Hartsock.

Longevity/Replay Value = 6

Unfortunitly this is where BIA:HH really suffers. With a measly campaign lasting only 6-7hrs, there really isn’t awhole lot of gameplay here. Although the story is well written there is alot of intrusive cinematics that cut into that 6hrs, so gameplay wise it might boil down to 5hrs. Also on the downside is the story, it progress’s the previous games well but new players coming in late will probably be completely lost.

On the multiplayer front the game will hold your attention for awhile but given both previous multiplayer games died a quick death don’t expect to have many players to play with in the near future.

Conclusion

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway is a good game. It has its problems sure, but as a fan of the series i’m happy enough with this iteration. If your new to BIA i’d definitly advise you to play the first two games before playing HH. Their now available on several systems including a double pack on the Wii.

Verdict = 8

Brief preview of Fallout 3 on the Xbox 360 (First 10 Levels)

The christmas rush is here again. Developers around the globe are working round the clock to have
games on store shelves for the holidays.And as always with this time of year we’re spoiled for choice
with dozens of games battling for our cash.One such game is the new offering for Bethesda, makers of ESIV: Oblivion and now Fallout 3.

First off i’d like to clarify, i have never played the original Fallout games. But judging from screenshots that really doesn’t matter as this new title seems to be nothing like its predecessor’s.
Of course we have a similar setting but apart from that gameplay, view and pretty much everything else has been changed for this new outing.

Outline/Gameplay

The game kicks off in typical RPG fashion as you design your character and lay the ground work to mold him into a certain class. I have to say i was really impressed with how Bethesda freshened this experiance up. When you start the game you literally start at your character’s beginings. After ploping out of your mother you are greeted by your father (Liam Neeson). And through him you make choices on sex and apperance. You then get to experiance a gaming first as you take your first baby steps around and discover your skills using a pop-up book. There’s more progression iinside the vault as you move up through childhood, teen years and finally become an adult.

Its then that the game really kicks off as you leave the safety of the vault and enter Capital Wasteland. Once outside you really get the Oblivion feel about the game. Lots of open world to explore and NPC’s to meet. You really have to take alook around your surroundings to find what to do. The story isn’t sppon fed to you. Its all around you, on the radio, in books and notes or just picked up by earwigging on NPC conversations.

Now on to the fun part, the combat. This is where Fallout really sets itself apart from Oblivion. Combat is handled in two ways. As a basic FPS, relieing on your own skills to take down opponents. Alternatively you can use V.A.T.S, this feature basically lets you target specific parts of your enemy with the hit percentage based of distance and your skill with the equipped weapon. Its comes in really handy when the surrounded as you can target multiple opponents to attack. It also works as a kind of overview/command tool, giving you the chance to think about your strategy before attacking.

There is a downside to V.A.T.S though, it relies on AP (Action Points). This means you are limtied to a certain number of shots. The amount per shot depends on the weapon equipped. Once you expend your AP you need to wait from them to replenish. I think this was a smart idea by Bethesda, if you had infinite AP the game would be more like an RPG from FP than an FPS/RPG.

GFX

Graphically Fallout looks gritty and dull, but in a good way. Th art design matches the setting very well and although it wouldn’t rival Crysis it suits the game. Of course the version tested was on the 360 so add some AA on the PC and it will look even better.

What really stood out so far is the graphic ways to kill your enemies. There’s lots of bloody murder with arms, legs, torso’s and heads flying especially when using V.A.T.S. There’s also the Bloody Mess skill which basically devastates your opponent to bits, this has been one of my favourites so far.

As with any RPG there’s not much to say about the GFX apart from they lend themselves well to emersing you into the gameworld.

Conclusion

So far i’m really enjoying the game. Although it is very reminescent of Oblivion it brings enough to the table to keep me involved. I think the best way to describe it is as a lovechild of Oblivion and Stalker. After 8hrs i’ve barely cracked the surface of the main story and i feel there’s a hell of alot more to experiance. Expect a full review soon.

If your in anyway into your console RPG’s, you’ed of realized as i have that up to now the Xbox 360 really hasn’t unleashed many jems in the genre. Sure we had Oblivion but outside that the rest were sub-par at best. Blue Dragon, Enchanted Arms, Eternal Sonata, these games all tried to set the bar for future action RPG’s on the 360 and failed misrably. Our last glimmering hope for 2007 was a big budget title by renowned RPG makers Bioware.

Given Bioware’s long running history with superb titles in the genre, most were expecting a solid title from its first dip into the next-gen console market. But in truth we got so much more. Mass Effect is in a word ’spectacular’. Though could you predict anything less from the creators of possibly the greatest console RPG of all time, Knights of the Old Republic?

Graphics - 10

Does it usurp Gears of War’s throne as prettist game on the 360. Well no, but its not far off. Being its an RPG title, ME obviously has alot more to render than GOW but its still by far the most beautifully crafted and textured RPG game engine ever created.

Character models are incredibly detailed, fully realised, wonderfully animated and almost photogenic. When engaged in diologue you really get sense of awareness and emotion from them. You get to feel every part of the story through them instead of simply reading it in text or through the voice work. And given there is so many different alien species in the game it is no mean feat to keep each one unique and at the same time fresh.

As with the character’s, the ME galaxy is extremely detailed and well textured. Be it a barren moon or an expansive space station, everywhere you go seems to come to life all around you. Much like KOTOR each world you visit has a destinct vibe which is really brought to life with the engine. This is one game thats trully uses GFX as a means to make the gameplay more immersive and fun instead of an expensive marketing ploy.

My only gripe here and the reason i came close to deducting a point is upon entering an area the texture buffer is too slow to keep up with the game. This basically means for 3-5 seconds character’s and elements of the world will be missing most details and look rather like globs of putty. This slightly breaks the atmosphere but not so much so that it ruins the game in anyway. This problem was also evident in GOW, hopefully future developers will be able to find a way around this problem.  

 Also all weapon models in the game are simply recolours. Don’t get me wrong they look cool but some variety would have been nice.

Sound - 10

Nothing quiet beats perfection now does it. As with the GFX the sound in ME really adds to the immersion factor and gameplay. Out of any genre, RPG titles really excel with good voice work and enviromental sound/music. And im pleased to say ME has all of the above.

What really stands out though is the voice work. In a game thats 20-30 hours you know thats got to be a big script. But unlike alot of new games ME is fully voiced, meaning every NPC character has a voice of there own. And even if some of them have but a few repeated lines, it again just helps to suck you into the game’s atmosphere.

Gameplay - 10

RPG’s over the years have always been for a certain type of gamer. Until Squaresoft’s Final Fantasy series popularity really took off in chapter 7 most casual gamers thought RPG’s were just for ‘nerdy’ types with too much free time. But over the years the genre has been fleshed out and made more universal.

With that in mind i feel Mass Effect will have the same level of impact on the casual game market as FF7 did way back in 97. Unlike many other popular RPG series out now, ME is just a joy to play. It isn’t all statisics, nullifying elements and the like. It’s a really a fun action shooter with some complex customization under the hood. So don’t expect to get by with +100 fire damage or +50 shell defense, you also have to have a keen dead eye and make good use of cover.

As stated unlike most conventional RPG’s ME plays alot like a shooter. You move in a squad of 3 which you can customize with the characters you meet in your adventures. Each member has different core techniques, be it combat, tech or biotics (mage type). And you’ll need to really think about the mission before selecting your crew. For example if your going into a battlefield in open range having a good sniper covering your movements can be the difference between living and dying.

You can choose to advance your crew member’s in any way you see fit, so for example Lt.Alenko has strong core tech abilites but if you wanted you good make him more rounded by upgrading his abilty with an assault rifle. And thats the great thing about the upgrade tree’s you can select different weapons or biotecs to be proficiant in. Meaning just because your character is well trained at healing doesn’t mean he/she can’t pull out a shotty and hold there own if they get cut off from the rest of the squad.

Why this is also interesting is as we know most gamers will connect or begin to favour certain characters in RPG’s. With the freedom available in this system it means you don’t have to change the way you play the game in order to have your favourite characters with you while progessing the story. Meaning if you like Alenko but prefer to destroy Security Droids rather than disabling them your free to do so.

Once you’ve assessed the mission and picked your squad you’ll be dropped into the area via the SSV Normady, the fastest ship in humanities fleet and piloted by Seth Green no less. When you come across enemies you’ll have complete control over your team mates, you can issue orders and formulate the best plan of action for that particular situation. This is all realtime, there’s no pausing to consider your options which just adds to the tension as you try to get your bearings under heavy fire.

I’m sure there’s probably some people thinking right now, “Is this another Deus Ex”, all FPS and little RPG, and i can safely say no. ME really takes equal parts, which makes it just as strategic as your fav RPG and just as entertaining and fun to play as your fav shooter. Its tough to explain the combat in ME since there’s never been anything like it. You really just have to play it to get a sense of how good it really is.

All in all i can safely say this is the most fun combat system i’ve ever experianced in an RPG title. I’ve been waiting for years for a developer to come along and take some of the monotony out of the genre and although Bioware came close with Jade Empire, this time around they hit it right on the button.

Replay Value/ Longevity - 9

The main story of ME will take you in the region of 20-30 hours to complete.Theres also plenty of side quests available on the different planets you visit aswell as missions you’ll be given from your commanding officers aboard the Normandy. Unlike many RPG’s the side quests are just as engaging as the main story and many have branching story lines taking you to different planets across the galaxy. Heck you even get to visit the moon, though unfortunitly i failed to find the lunar lander :(.

Outside of this you can also explore uninhabited planets in your Mako Hummer. By doing this you’ll be able to find rare items and it is nescesary to complete some of the side quests. One tip though, make sure you check the surface scanner (map) if your looking for points of interest. I didn’t realize this till close to the end of the game and had just been aimlessly wandering across the planet praying to hit paydirt.

There’s also plenty of 360 achievements to unlock, some of which will require several play through’s to achieve and some will even require you to play as certain classes. This i feel works as a great incentive to bite the bullet and see what the other classes have going for them. And since Mass Effect 2 won’t be hitting shelves for a long long time yet, why the hell not try em.