Video Game: League of Legends

League of Legends was a game I was pretty sure I wasn't ever going to get into.  I had heard about it a few times from various people, but with such a surplus of choices in this world, and the most valuable resource being one's time, I just didn't expect I'd ever come across a situation where I would be playing it.
Eventually several friends got into the game and urged me to download it.  It is actually a free to play game with a unique system which gives incentive to spend money on it, while it not actually being necessary.  This is a pretty great system because virtually most any playable aspect of the game is attainable if you play enough and earn points to make purchases, but at the same time if you want a character or aspect of the game sooner, you can spend real money and simultaneously support the game through funding.

The game is a little hard to explain, but one way to describe it would be to liken it as a cross between StarCraft and Diablo.  It is a RTS with action elements.  It is based upon the gameplay of a Warcraft 3 mod known as Defense of the Ancients.  Typically a match consists of 5 on 5, in a symmetrical map.  The objective of the game is to break down a path through three different lanes in order to reach the defensive side of the opponnents map and destroy their Nexus.  Throughout each of these lanes are turrets that defend from entry.  There are a constant spread of mindless minions that flow up each of these lanes for both teams, inevitably running into each other and fighting.  You use your unique choice of champion and their select abilities to help these minions push past the opponents minions, reach a turret, destroy it, and continue on in the lane moving ever closer to the nexus in order to attain victory.  Meanwhile the opponent attempts to defend their turret while trying to push yours.  It may sound pretty complicated at first, but is pretty easy to get the understanding during the first rounds of play and becomes extremely addictive and fun.

Each week there is a rotation of free characters to select from which allows you to try out champions at no cost and make a determination if there is one you would like to spend your hard earned points or cash on.  Characters range from tanks, support, damage dealers etc.  I have provided a pretty barebones description of the game for simplicity sake, but as you further in it there are all sorts of ways to customize and buff your characters via mastery points that you gain each level up (with a total of 30 levels.)   These are like talent trees in WoW for the familiar.  As well, there are different runes you can purchase that give certain perks to the characters as well.  Starting out, none of this matters though and as you progress it is pretty easy to pick up and understand.  It is a pretty competitive game.  Most people advise to start out versing in computer rounds so you may get the hang of your respective character.  If you have friends to play with, it is all the more enjoyable because it is a game that thrives on cooperation.  If you can get a group of friends together on skype so you can quickly communicate, you've already got an upper edge on a group of who aren't communicating.  One user's experience could vary drastically from another depending on this factor alone.

Regardless of that last notion, I highly suggest you try League of Legends out.  Right now it feels like the definitive version of this type of gameplay, while other game companies are scurrying to develop their own knock offs.  Both Valve and Blizzard themselves are working on "sequels" to Defense of the Ancients, which will inevitably provide a more of a fleshing out of this genre as a whole.  Right now though, you have nothing to lose but time by trying out League of Legends as it is free of charge.  Give it a try with some friends.  If cooperation and competitive gameplay is your thing, you are sure to have a blast.

Video Game: Bastion

Bastion takes a very unique approach to some tried and true gaming elements.  It is stylish, artistic, atmospheric, and although the story may not make a whole lot of sense while you're going through it, thanks to its excellent soundtrack and interesting narration, it feels heavy.

In Bastion, you are "The Kid."  The world has gone to heck due to an apocalyptic event dubbed "The Calamity."    All those that once existed are now gone, save for a few key characters.  Landscapes have been torn asunder.  Creatures that used to exist peacefully are now hostile.  Your task is to travel this desolate world in the sky and collect shards that will restore the Bastion, a place built for such an occasion, that has the power to restore the world to a previous time before the calamity occurred.

In Bastion, the action and game play reminds me a lot of Diablo. You collect choice new weapons and level up becoming stronger and with new perks each level.  You can upgrade said weapons and use a distillery to provide further bonuses to be used as you try to rectify the wrongs caused by the calamity.

As mentioned before, a key element to this game is its awesome narration which provides a very cool and unique atmosphere not found in many other games.  A grizzly voiced old man essentially recounts The Kid's tale as you go through with it.  The narration adapts to whatever you do.  If you select two oddly paired weapons, the narrator will make a comment about that.  If you walk off a cliff, the narrator will provide a tongue and cheek response to that mistake.  This narration, coupled with the appropriate music, culminates into what I considered a very enjoyable experience.  The game is not overlong, and does leave you with a yearn for more, and options to continue on with incentives to restart the game at the end.

If you haven't already, pick up Bastion for the PC on Steam.  If you can catch it on a deal, all the better.  It's worth the investment, in my opinion.

Video Game: Duke Nukem Forever

Gearbox, the developer behind the critically acclaimed FPS Borderlands, formed a subsidiary group, Tryptich Games to put the finishing touches on the game that the shut down 3D Realms left unfinished.  Many a Duke Nukem fan awaited Duke Nukem Forever for years, during its unnecessarily long development time.  Like anything that takes longer than expected to be released, while waiting, one wonders the two options, whether this delay was to polish something that would truly blow us away, or if the impending experience wasn't coming together quite right and in the end would be a product along the lines of which Duke Nukem might tell the game developers to "Blow it out your ass!"

Well after playing it to the end, in my humble opinion it's neither.  It is about what I expected.  The game really is a victim of its own hype.  Duke Nukem Forever became so infamous for how long it was taking to be released, that fans and haters alike kept close tabs on its progress.  Take for instance Guns N' Roses album Chinese Democracy as a similar situation.  Both of these cases, the end result is something okay, but underwhelms the listener/player so much in comparison to their anchored perspective of what they expected versus what they're getting, that it results in an uneven judgment and inevitable backlash.

Duke Nukem was panned for its outdated graphics, lack of innovation and strangely its title character's elementary behavior among other things.  The game actually plays all right.  It has a few humorous quips, as it attempts to capture a faux universe where everyone worships the ground Duke walks on for saving them in the past and hopefully will protect them in the future.  Another common complaint I've noticed is the adoption of more modern FPS elements, such as recharging health called Duke's Ego (like Halo's health system) and the ability to only carry 2 weapons at once (akin to modern war shooters).  This too, as well as a more linear playing field, disappointed some people hoping for the more run and gun type of atmosphere from the older games.

Ultimately, the game suffers from delivering a different experience than what the masses expected and hoped for.  The game plays fine and is not boring by any means traversing through action packed sequences and over the top driving scenarios reminiscent of any 80's action movie.  I'd recommend picking the game up on a severely discounted deal on Steam or in the bargain bin where you can most likely expect it to be soon for the console versions.  Go into it without the hype and notoriety it gained for its long development cycle, and without the critically negative reception it received flooding your mind.  Instead, expect nothing amazing and you may find yourself enjoying a decent shooter, which if anything, may serve to make you look forward in anticipation for Gearbox's actual creation of the next Duke Nukem game.

Video Game: LIMBO

LIMBO is an incredibly atmospheric platformer game.  I recently purchased it on Steam in response to a friend's recommendation.  It is really short, ending in only a few hours, but where it lacks in length, it makes up for in fun gameplay.
There is little to do with story in this game.  the details of the game read: "Uncertain of his sister's fate, a boy enters LIMBO."

Other than that, there is no narrative.  Not a single spoken or written word in the game.  Instead, it relies on the atmosphere to tell the story.  There is little music, save for a few unsettling queues during some changes in pace within the game.   As the boy, you make your way across a forest that you originally wake up in, into new settings such as a cave, city, machine etc.  All of this happens seamlessly as you move from left to right, completing various physics puzzles along the way.  Although admittedly short, the developers of the game reasoned that rather than create repetitive puzzles or variations/clones, it would be better to offer the unique puzzles they did create, short but sweet.

Pretty, artistic and affective to the senses, one's short stay is worth the price of admission into LIMBO.  There really isn't a dull moment, only fun condensed into this short game.

Video Game: Sonic Generations

I have always been a pretty big Sonic fan.  From the first games on the Sega Genesis, the combination of speed and platforming really appealed to me.  When the Sega Dreamcast came out, I was highly interested and ended up receiving Sonic Adventure for my birthday.  While some had concerns with Sonic's leap into 3d, at the time I had a blast playing it.

The majority's consensus is that Sonic games have been on a general decline since the beginning, many regarding the fault with the leap into 3d, accusing the series of never fully finding a foothold of success in modern gaming. I've personally played the majority of Sonic games that have come out from the Adventure series up through Sonic Colors, excluding the Black Knight Wii title which I heard was awful.  That list includes the likes of Sonic Heroes, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic 2006, Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Rush and Sonic and the Secret Rings.  While each has had their share of respective flaws, some being universally panned by critics, I nonetheless trudged through them all and found something noteworthy about each of them, even if the games themselves didn't shine as a whole.  Now though, with Sonic Generations, I can finally once again recommend a Sonic game without the requirement being that one be a die hard Sonic fan that is willing to look past some subpar elements.  It's fast and looks great.  Sonic Generations is genuinely a good game.

As an homage to Sonic's 20th anniversary, Sonic Generations sees the classic Sonic as well as the modern incarnation of Sonic play through levels from other games in two different perspectives.  Classic Sonic plays the levels in a 2d sidescrolling with 3d elements, while modern Sonic plays through in a 3d field with some 2d sidescrolling.  Classic Sonic utilizes the spin dash, while modern Sonic uses homing attack and a boost feature.  Although this may at first sound like a rehash, it is pretty awesome.  The levels are handpicked from different iterations,  some being from the classic 2d Sonic games, some from the Adventure era, and some from the not so stellar modern era.  Regardless of which era the levels come from, each and every one of them is great.  All of them have been reimagined and play differently, while still retaining their original concept.  This makes for some very inviting nostalgic moments.  Even the music is similar to the original levels, but redone in certain ways.  Ever imagine hearing Chemical Plant from Sonic 2's catchy tune with the main instrument being jazz flute?  Well now you can bring that dream to realization.

The story is what you would expect from a Sonic game.  It really is just there to set the stage to be able to do what the game does, bringing you through Sonic history, so the story is largely not what the game is about.  What is really great about this game is its re-playability.  After you go through the actual levels, in both classic and modern sonic mode, as well as the bosses, many other unlockables remain, such as 5 challenges per level x2 taking into consideration that both classic and modern Sonic have 5 per level, plus S-ranking each of the actual levels, boss hard modes, and challenges.  As well, collecting red rings per level.  Each of these things unlock art, music and skills that can be applied to Sonic.  On top of that, you can compete on the world wide leaderboards against other people's fastest times, so there really is a lot to do in this game.

Potentially the greatest thing about this game is that it goes back to what made Sonic fun originally.  Rather than speed taking a backseat to other tacked on gameplay elements, it instead takes the forefront here.  Sonic is once again all about speeding through a level, looking for the fastest routes, mastering twitch reaction with, for the most part, tight control. 

If you were ever a Sonic fan but have been put off by the games as of late, give Sonic Generations a try.  It is available for the HD consoles, soon for the 3DS, and cheap on Steam for $30.00.  At least, it will bring you back to a different time in Sonic's career, when he could actually walk the walk and not just talk the talk with weird voice acting.  This is probably the best Sonic game ever made.  Welcome back, Sonic.

Video Game: God of War

Simply put, God of War is a great game.  it is a near perfect blend of action, platforming, puzzle solving and storytelling.  I had always wanted to try it and had heard good things, but for some reason never did wind up getting it for the PS2.  More recently, I found the God of War collection fairly cheap for PS3, which contains the first two PS2 games with enhanced graphics.  I was not left disappointed.

Pulling from Greek mythology, God of War tells the story of Kratos, a mortal Spartan warrior, who's thirst for fighting never seems to be satiated.  From ancient Greek cities, to the multiple notable Greek Gods, God of War paints an epic story from start to finish, revealing the history of Kratos as the game progresses.  Eventually, this bloodlust results in Kratos having to make some difficult sacrifices.  Everything comes at a price.

As you journey through the game, you do a lot of killing of various demons and skeletons and collecting red orbs that upgrade your weapons and magic.  Seamless transition from fighting to puzzle solving is a trend the game makes as well.  The puzzles aren't anything mind boggling, but leave you with a sense of accomplishment once you've completed one and a grand entry to a previously blocked pathway opens up grandiosely.  At the end of each major area, you fight a major boss, smiting it with a combination of attacks and strategy, normally ending the fight with a cinematic QTE (Quick Time Event originally introduced in the game Shenmue and imitated in many other games henceforth). 

God of War is very atmospheric.  You really get the sense that you, as Kratos, are this coldhearted warrior with an unending drive to finish your objective.  Anything else is irrelevant and anything that stands in your way must be disposed of.  The game does a great job illustrating that Kratos is no ordinary human, as you watch as soldiers of various cities crumble or meet their demise, while you stand to the side and do nothing to help their situation, or worse, directly involve yourself with their demise.  A strong sense power and weakness is prevalent, with Kratos seeming like the only one who stands a chance against the conjured demons throughout the game.

If you have never gotten the chance to play God of War, pick it up cheap for the PS2, or the collection for PS3.  You're sure to have a blast.  After beating it, I'm anxious to try the second one and eventually the third specifically made for the PS3.

Video Game: Red Steel 2

I recently found the Red Steel and Wii motion plus bundle discounted in a Walmart bargain bin.  Although Red Steel 1 hadn't been my favorite game or anything, I had heard some really good things about Red Steel 2.  At the time, I also realized that at some point, Skyward Sword was going to require Wii motion plus, so I decided to give it a shot.  Man, Red Steel 2 did not disappoint.

Red Steel 2 shares only a few similarities with its predecessor.  The main character uses a sword and a gun.  That is about where the similarities end.  For those that never tried Red Steel 1, the game could be described as a very cheesy 80's action movie.  Horrible dialogue coupled with Wii launch controls and strange comic book cutscenes that didn't really help to immerse the player.  The game was not awful by any means, but the consensus what that it really left the player just wishing it would have been what they had hoped; a game that would satisfy the player's urge to wield a sword and slice up bad guys.  

Red Steel 2 delivers in this department.  Ubisoft once again didn't take the story too seriously, but this time its far more clear that zany is what they were going for.  In a heavily Western like setting, for some reason lives different samurai clans.  Some enemy samurai want a very special sword that the Kusagari clan has, so they slaughter all of the Kusagari.  Unfortunately the "hero" who had the sword was away while all this happened.  This premise allows the "hero" who looks like a mix between Vash the Stampede and a red mage, to seek bloodthirsty revenge.  The graphics are reminiscent of borderlands.  While there are a few things one could go about collecting in the game, like tokens and sheriff stars, as well as side missions, it is fairly linear.  This is a good thing in my opinion.  The game really just feels like a roller coaster of pure action.  You get a mission, head in that direction on the minimap, knocking into barrels and boxes that for some reason always have money in them, (money being used to upgrade your weapons and armor).  Once you reach the green arrow on the map, you fight the enemies.  Rinse and repeat.  This does eventually become a little repetitive, but a mixup between what type of enemies you fight and what type of moves you need to execute keeps it fresh.

Red Steel 2 is everything Red Steel 1 wasn't and more.  Pure action.  No extremely cheesy love interest with a damsel in distress.  Tight controls ala Wii motion plus.  Stylish graphics.  If you're looking for a game where you don't necessarily need to think about where to go next, but requires some good eye hand coordination and reflexes, give this awesome game a try!

Video Game: Portal 2

Portal 2 is just one more reason why the game developer's at Valve are master's at what they do. Valve has created some of the best first person shooter games in the past years, including my favorite multiplayer FPS, the Left 4 Dead series. During the Steam summer sale, my friend and I snagged a Portal 2-2 pack which made it even cheaper than what it currently was discounted to. Needless to say, once I started it up, I beat it in almost one sitting. That's not to say it is extremely short or anything, it is definitely longer than its predecessor. However I was hooked from start to finish.

Portal 2 is the sequel to the short but sweet Portal of a few years ago. In it, the protagonist is a human test subject, forced to go through demeaning "tests" while utilizing Aperture Science's Portal gun. It is a unique concept to the series. Basically, by using the Portal gun, one is able to step through walls, fall from ceilings, enter from the ground up and so on in order to solve puzzles that the infernal computer wants to put you through, all in the hopes of reaching the end of this maze. It makes for a lot of fun and is consistent with physics.

Without spoiling anything, Portal 2 starts up where Portal 1 left off. This time, the story is fleshed out a lot more. The game also plays like a sadistic comedy. The dialogue between the AI's is a riot to hear and really engages you in the atmosphere.

I have yet to try the Cooperative mode, which essentially is a whole other campaign in which you and a friend work together as portal toting robots, after finishing the single player game, but I will be doing so in the near future. If you enjoyed the first Portal, you are sure to love this next entry. It expands on the original concept in every way, going above and beyond.

 It is a shame to hear that Valve is considering not really focusing on single player games as much in the future, in lieu of preferring to create multiplayer games, as they certainly have a knack for it.
Give this one a try. It will not disappoint.

Video Game: Ghostbusters: The Video Game

There is no denying that the Ghostbusters movies are classics, filled with poignant comedy in every scene.  They are so legendary that they have become ingrained within American culture.  A third Ghosbusters film has been in the works for years upon years but only recently has started to really take off.  If you are a big Ghosbusters fan, you are no doubt aware that between all of this, Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis wrote the script for a video game.

The video game actually stars all of the original Ghostbusters, the secretary, as well as many other side character as voice actors.  You play as a recruit who has just joined the Ghostbusters.  In all honesty, it really feels like you're watching an extended Ghosbusters movie.  The game plays like a 3rd person shooter, similar to something like Gears of War or Resident Evil 4/5.  The dialogue is funny, clever and very nostalgic.  It will make you reminisce about and want to re-watch the movies for the 40th time.  To say that they captured the atmosphere of the franchise well is an understatement.  You revisit many settings from the films.  More story fleshes out certain parts from the films as well.  While they gameplay may get a little repetitive, mowing down ghosts with the assortment of Ghostbusting tools that fire with the uncanny rapidity of many modern firearms, and capturing them with the traps is pretty fun.

It is as cheap as $10.00 on Steam, or cheaper if you wait for a deal.  It is also available for the consoles.  If you're a fan of Ghostbusters at all, play through this game.  It is fun and engaging to hear all of the actors work their magic together after all these years, and will definitely make you anticipatory for the film that could come as early as next year.

Video Game: Left 4 Dead Series

Happy Halloween season bloggers and bloggettes.

It is the season where everyone gets in the mood to scare people, or scare themselves via movies, games, trips to theoretical haunted places, etc. Whether it is scares, thrills, gore, or spooky eeriness one seeks, October is the time to hunt for it. There are plenty of options out there for the thrill-seeking, however I figured I would take this opportunity to talk about one of my favorite games.

The word "favorite," is brandished about a lot by people to try and dramatically convey the importance of what they are talking about, which really serves to dilute its meaning. I'll talk a little bit about why I consider this game one of my favorites. I would say I am a team player. I receive gratification in accomplishing things collectively with a group of people. When a goal can be reached by the fusion of a unified effort, one can witness the genuine and blissful feeling of successful cooperation.

In essence, The Left 4 Dead games are the definition of a cooperative game. If you are a PC FPS fan, there is a good likelihood that you have already heard about and played these games. Created by Valve, the company behind Half Life, Counter Strike, Team Fortress and Portal, The Left 4 Dead games, like many multiplayer games, focus on teamwork in order to achieve victory. The difference in comparison to the other multiplayer games Valve has made is that, it is near impossible to be successful without teamwork.

In Left 4 Dead, the premise is that a zombie virus has overtaken the majority of the population. You and three other survivors must work together to make it to the safehouse in a desperate attempt to work your way to a rescue point. The games don't really focus strongly on story, and actually play out as if you were watching a zombie themed movie. Even so, it is still incredibly immersive. There are hordes of zombies constantly flying at you, trying to rip you to pieces, as well as special infected with certain powers that can easily incapacitate you. The best strategy is to stick together, because as a team, you can help a fallen survivor. If someone separates from the group, there is a good probability they are done for.

There are the regular campaigns where you work together with three others to beat what the computer throws at you. There is also the incredibly intense multiplayer mode, where the special infected are inhabited by real people, who work together to take your survivor group down before you can reach the end. Other modes that have been introduced over time include a survival mode, where you attempt to hold out at one place as long as you can, before the horde of zombies destroys you, and the multiplayer Scavenge mode, where you work together to collect gas cans around a map to lead to your escape. Each mode is a ton of fun. One could spend days just mastering one of those modes, only to find a fresh game in the next.

Left 4 Dead 2 expanded upon the original. I prefer the original characters from Left 4 Dead 1, but everything else about Left 4 Dead 2 is superior. The introduction of melee weapons, uncommon common infected, new special infected and more help it surpass the already phenomenal original. At this point, the majority of the original Left 4 Dead levels have been added to Left 4 Dead 2, with the included use of melee weapons, new special infected and improved gory graphics.

If you do not already own Left 4 Dead 2, I highly suggest you purchase it. Valve is very giving with its own games. Right now, among other great horror themed games, Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 are on sale on Steam for $6.79 each. In my opinion, this is a steal. If you have 3 other friends, you can buy a 4 pack for even cheaper, (20.39). Do yourself a favor and invest in one of the funnest and exhilarating games to grace the multiplayer FPS genre, before Valve removes the deal and you are Left 4 expensive.

Alternatively, if you haven't played it in a while, check out some of the new things, like altered ending maps for the L4D1 levels, mutations of regular game modes, or user made maps. The utility from successfully surviving with your friends for me, still remains unmatched.

Video Game: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

A while back, like the majority of the games I've played lately, I happened to find Battlefield Bad Company 2 on a Steam deal. Although I've never been fanatic about the modern day war first person shooters, I had heard good things from some friends about this particular game. In essence it it probably Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's biggest competitor. While I had done a good deal of multiplayer a while back, it wasn't until just recently that I beat the single player campaign.

I assume this is a similar case with the Call of Duty games, but the campaign played a lot like a war movie. The story, although somewhat forgettable, tells the tale of a squad that doesn't take crap from any Russians. You start off playing briefly during World War II, but the majority of the game takes place in present day, as the bad company squad attempts to figure out what the Russians are up to. There's also a side element to the story where the teamwork that this war requires brings a liberal pacifist helicopter pilot and a grizly conservative squadmate closer together. It had a pretty cool ending that set it up for the sequel that is sure to come some day. Make no mistake that this is a pretty big budget game. The levels, although linear, give the feeling of being expansive due to large outdoor open looking areas. The graphics are pretty stellar as well. I can remember looking at Goldeneye for the N64 and thinking it looked realistic, so it has always amazed me the progress throughout the years in realism in games, making the last entry look blocky and fake. The game makes use of a number of vehicles such as tanks, 4 wheelers and helicopters.

While the single player campaign allows you to use any weapon in the arsenal over time, when playing multiplayer, you choose a class to level your rank up while killing, as well as unlocking weapon alternatives and scopes. The classes are assault, engineer, medic and recon, each coming with a few unique perks that you can unlock over time to help your teammates turn the tide of battle. While the maps are cool and the amount of buildings and walls you can destroy seem limitless in them, after a while I felt like I was replaying the same levels too frequently. This didn't really detract too much from the overall game though. I think this was attempted to be addressed in some downloadable content that was released, called "Vietnam," which apparently has Vietnam era weapons and a few maps that respect the environment of the Vietnam war.

Overall, I feel I got my money's worth out of this game. I'm actually interested in what changes the sequel could hold. The game Counter Strike is one of my favorite team based realistic multiplayer FPS's. The multiplayer of Battlefield seems right down CS:Source's alley and the leveling up and unlockables really keep you hooked on playing, at least until you reach the end of everything you can unlock. If you enjoy realistic FPS games and are already a fan of the majorly successful Call of Duty franchise, give this alternative a try. I don't think it will dissapoint you.

Nintendo: 3DS and Wii U

I happened to serendipitously catch Nintendo's E3 press conference today.  I tuned in a few minutes into it while Shigeru Miyamoto flexed his arm and remarked on how strong he was getting from playing Zelda Skyward Sword. 

Overall, I thought the conference was really well done.  From what I have heard about the other console's conferences, it sounds like Nintendo's may have been the best this year, in terms of sheer surprise and big name games.  Love or hate Nintendo, there is no denying that they are an extremely intelligent company when it comes to providing growth to the video game industry.  In the past several years alone, Nintendo has managed to capture a much larger user base than ever before, making the Wii a household name.  By catering to these "casual" gamers, that includes families that may get together to play, young and old, it has lost some of the "hardcore" gaming crowd.  That hasn't affected the Wii's success in terms of sales though.  By focusing on essentially a different target audience all together, the Wii enjoyed multiple years without any strong competition.  This was brought about by Nintendo's forward momentum when it comes to innovation.

However, Nintendo seems self aware.  It knows that it alienated a good portion of its past user base by focusing primarily on the casual audience.  What was so stellar about their conference was that, while we have yet to see delivery, they have at least addressed plans to fix or drastically change a few of their plans to remedy the majority of issues people ever complain about when it comes to Nintendo.  This shows that they are truly aware about the gripes their consumers experience, and want to do something about it. 


This started with the emphasis on new A-lister games for the 3DS portable system.  I have yet to buy the 3DS (I live several months at least in the past when it comes to games, remember?  That makes the 3DS not nearly ripe enough for the pickin' just yet).  I have noticed the general consensus was that, while it is a cool enough device, the major problem has been the shortage of games for it.  Sure, everyone has known that a remake of the famed Zelda: Ocarina of Time is on the way for this summer, but what incentive has there been really to buy a system without games  worth playing?
Well, it is clear that Nintendo has been hard at work to fix this issue, by announcing many games that will be out by the end of the year.  They announced more first party titles to come out within 6 months than I can ever remember coming out in such close frequency.  A new "tricked out" version of Mario Kart will be coming out that looked pretty fast paced.  Of course Kid Icarus will be coming.  Star Fox 64, one of the greatest N64 games will also be getting the 3DS treatment.  An aforementioned Mario title that was alluded to with a tail in its title was revealed to have a lot of Super Mario 3 themes to it, which looked absolutely awesome and really peaked my interest.  As well, for the niche fans that fell in love with Luigi's Mansion on the Gamecube, a sequel, Luigi's Mansion 2 will be out before the end of the year, among other games.  This is definitely a lot of first party titles Nintendo is promising that will quickly fill the gaping hole in terms of 3DS content.  Some of these games may even convince people who had never intended on playing a portable system to jump in.  This is just what Nintendo wants, in its efforts to compete with its past performance with the DS sales.

Next, Nintendo announced the new home console, Wii U.  A lot of people are apprehensive of the name, as well as myself to an extent, but it's obvious why they chose it.  Because the Wii was about "We" and the addition of U makes the experience about "You."  Well at least that's what they said in the conference.  I assume it is mainly for marketing the Wii.  Sony has been doing it for years, tacking on a number to the end of Playstation.  Xbox has done it with it's 360.  The Wii has captured so many consumers that Nintendo would be illogical not to consider a way to use the Wii name to help its newest system.  Wii U even rhymes with Wii 2.

Anyway, they emphasized that two words could be associated with the new system.  "Deeper and wider."  The function of these words were used to describe and solve another issue of Nintendo's of recent years.  They want to bring back the hardcore crowd of gamers.  They admitted that the gaming industry has yet to capture both sides of the spectrum on one console, but believe that the Wii U is it.  Deeper game quality that gamers would never have thought they would realize, as well as a wider array of options (catering to the casual gamer).  The Wii U sports better graphics than its predecessor, either on par of better than the current HD systems.  This was a concern of gamers with the Wii, being that it does not display in high definition be default and the horsepower leaves something to be desired.  It also has an innovative controller with a 6.2 inch touch screen that allows the player to utilize different views within the game, or play the actual game that is on the television screen.


Nintendo also emphasized that 3rd party support is strongly backing them, by a montage of 3rd party presidents complimenting the Wii U.  They even had the EA president come out and announce a full backing of Nintendo.  This checks off another concern that has been associated with Nintendo for years, the lack of 3rd party support.  Nintendo didn't centralize on the topic of internet too much, but people speculate that it will have better support for online, which would solve yet another issue Nintendo has faced.

Overall, I was surprised at the quality of this conference.  Some people are excited about the news.  Others I have noticed are annoyed or indifferent towards it.  It is obvious that for better or worse, today Nintendo unveiled some major news to the gaming community.  Time will tell if this will prove to be just another gimmick, or if this innovation will lead games into the next generation on a high note, leaving other companies trailing behind and trying to catch up.

Video Game: Max Payne Series

I just recently finished Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne.  I had previously finished Max Payne a few months ago.  They tell a dark and gritty crime story in a film noir like fashion.  Max narrates a monologue throughout the graphic novel like cut-scenes, every phrase uttered like it came from a classic crime drama film.  These monologue's really are fantastically written, poetic in a way.  Throughout these two games, albeit different situations, Max Payne, a New York city detective is down on his luck, framed, assaulted and more.  When he develops the feeling of nothing left to lose, he pursues answers to questions that only serve to get him in deeper than one would want to be with the mafia, as well as other gangs.

The music is excellent, minor themed overtures throughout and fitting for the story.  Depending on if you're playing on the PC, the game can look really nice.  Max Payne 2 has noticeable upgrades in graphics from its predecessor.  The gameplay is tight as well.  Most people know the series is famous for its bullet time mode, where everything enters slow motion in your efforts to dodge bullets and shoot the enemies you are face with accurately.

Neither of the two current games lasts very long, but they do leave a long lasting impression.  Each has a sad and symbolic story that you are likely to reflect upon after the game ends.  A movie had been planned since Max Payne had originally been released in 2001, but didn't come out until 2008.  In theory it is a great concept, but Hollywood doesn't always deliver in game to film adaptations.  I have not seen the movie yet, but from what I had heard it isn't very true to the series.  I remember reading that Mark Wahlberg who plays Max Payne in the movie had said he never played the games and didn't intend on it, due to his "addictive personality," he didn't want to open up a gateway to game addiction.

A third game in the series had been announced that is to take place 8-10 years after Max Payne 2 seeing Max as older and more downtrodden than ever.  It was supposed to come out in 2009.  It had since been pushed back to 2010, and now 2011-2012 at some point unverified.  Although it apparently isn't going to be written by the same person as the first two, Sam Lake, nor will it be made by the same developers at Remedy, it will be handled by Rockstar Vancouver.  I am anticipating it.  If they handle it with the same passion and meticulous effort that was put into the past games, it is sure to be Amazing.  If you have not tried these first two games yet and their description and artistic atmosphere peaks your interest, I highly recommend you give them a try.

Video Game: Psychonauts

I recently finished the game Psychonauts, upon recommendation from a friend that I should play it. That game was released in 2005, which may give an indication as to how backlogged I have become with single player games due to just being too busy or entertaining. This doesn't mean that I haven't or don't play more recent games, because I do, but often times they are multiplayer games with friends which doesn't leave a lot of time for solo gameplay.

The beautiful thing about acknowledging potential good games when they come out, but holding off on them, allows you to be susceptible to drastic cuts in price when you finally get around to having time to try said game. Steam in particular, which I bought Psychonauts on, offers ridiculous deals on games bi-weekly and sometimes in even greater frequency than that. In general, you can stand to benefit a good deal by keeping yourself a few months in the past typically when it comes to buying video game media. For instance, just recently, my brothers and I scored a deal on a Playstation 3 that was very cheap. Within a short time after buying the PS3, we collected 5-6 A lister games for it, for less than the price of one of those games when they were released retail. With the amount of reselling and different business techniques like Steam nowadays, it has radically shifted many consumers perception of utility in regards to what a game is worth vs. the price to pay. Anyway, this has really gotten off on a tangent, so without further adieu, lets discuss Psychonauts.

Most people who have played Psychonauts would probably hold a consensus that it has an extraordinarily imaginative unique and creative style about it. The story sees you as Raz, short for Razputin, a kid who crashes a summer camp for gifted children who have the potential to hone their psychic abilities. At first, the camp counselors who double as psychic agent crime fighters intend to send Raz packing back to home, but soon find out he is more gifted than those who legitimately came to the camp. As Raz, you enter other people's minds in an attempt to fix what could be wrong with them, clearing out mental cobwebs, and emotional baggage (literally). It is an interesting and unique way to imagine the innards of some truly insane people's minds. It's a very wacky story, but works well and doesn't ever take itself too seriously. It could be summed up as a creative and humorous platforming game.

At first it seemed a little daunting, the amount of collectibles that are in this game. You've got fragments, arrowheads, badges, psi cards, and more. Luckily you find that unless you're trying to collect everything for the fun of it, you really can function for the most part by collecting what you see as you cross by it. I mention this, because I normally am not that fond of running around collecting things in order to progress in a game. Fortunately that's not the case, save one part of the game that doesn't take too long to get past. The game takes roughly 9-11 hours to beat depending on how fast you are going.

Overall, this is a really enjoyable game and look into some tongue and cheek fictional ways in which the human mind works (as well as the mind of some creatures too!). This game is just one more example of how the video game medium can be used to fuse art with fun game-play and a story that will have you laughing. The game begs for a sequel and it's promising that there may be one some day. If you get the opportunity and you enjoy decent platformers, I recommend you try this game for yourself. Delve into others inner psyche. Bounce on a psychic orb. Become a Psychonaut!