May 2011

L.A. Noire: It’s about the details

May 27, 2011

PS3 / Reviews / by Shawn Vermette Make a comment! / Tweet it!

L.A. Noire is a hard game to quantify. It is entirely unlike most games from Rockstar, or most other developers for that matter. It’s more of a gritty take on an interactive virtual novel than anything else. Whatever it is, though, it’s definitely worth the price of admission.

You play as Cole Phelps, a war hero and fledgling cop who’s trying to make the streets of 1940s Los Angeles safer for the people. Cole starts out as a beat cop, but by the end of the tutorial phase is promoted to traffic detective. The goal of the game is to rise through the ranks until you reach the top desk, Arson. Rarely will you concentrate on the goal though, because the gameplay is so enticing and draws you in so much.

L.A. Noire’s story is split into a number of individual cases that you’ll work at each desk, Traffic, Homicide, Vice, and Arson, with each one consisting of several phases. You’ll find yourself searching crime scenes for evidence, questioning witnesses, chasing down suspects on foot and by car, interrogating suspects, and even participating in a few shootouts. While each case plays out similarly, it never felt tedious or repetitive because the environment and cases are so well realized in the world that Team Bondi recreated. The gameplay really reminds me of a fully-fleshed out Phoenix Wright game, from the search for evidence to the interactions with those you talk to. When questioning a witness or suspect, you have the option to accept their statement as truth, doubt them, or outright accuse them of lying. Though, when accusing someone one of a lie, you have to have evidence to back up your assertion. Depending on how you treat each witness and suspect, the cases all play out in different ways. Getting interactions wrong could lead to cases taking longer than they otherwise would take, harmful endings for people who could have been saved, or arrests of the wrong suspect. The game takes all of this in stride and gives you a rating on each case. This gives L.A. Noire more replayability than you may think, since you can replay cases later in an attempt to do a better job or get a different ending.

To reduce the difficulty of the game for those who need it, Team Bondi included Intuition Points. These can be used to pinpoint evidence at a crime scene, get rid of one wrong response to a statement, or display the correct piece of evidence to use when accusing someone of lying. You get one each time you get enough experience to reach a new rank, of which there are 20. Thus, you can use a maximum of 20 hints in a single playthrough.

The graphics in L.A. Noire are phenomenal. The people are instantly recognizable by their faces, and facial expressions are amazingly accurate. The only gripe we have is that every woman looks to be in their mid-40s or 50s, even the children. The city itself is a nearly-faithful recreation of late 1940s downtown Los Angeles, and is enjoyable to just cruise around when you aren’t in a hurry to get to a crime scene. The soundtrack is vintage 1940s as well. (We did recognize a song or two also used in Fallout 3, amusingly.) As for the voice acting, the already-good work is helped a lot by the quality of the facial expressions accompanying the lines.

It may not be what most people expected out of a Rockstar-published title, but L.A. Noire is without a doubt one of our favorite games to date, and should be experienced by anyone.

Pros: Facial expressions are amazingly accurate, portrayal of 1940s LA is spot-on

Cons: Women all look old, no matter how old they are supposed to be

Thor: God of Thunder: Not Asgard’s finest

May 26, 2011

Reviews / Xbox 360 / by Andrew Passafiume Make a comment! / Tweet it!

When it comes to video games based on superheroes and superhero movies, Sega has published some of the worst. The two Iron Man games immediately come to mind, but you can now add Thor: God of Thunder to that list. While it certainly improves upon the standard set by Sega’s previous efforts, it still fails to deliver an experience that most people would consider fun.

As the title may suggest, you play as Thor, the all-powerful God of Thunder. The story borrows elements from the movie but doesn’t entirely follow the plot of the film, allowing it to stand on its own. You follow Thor as he attempts to stop the enemy of Asgard, the Frost Giants, from destroying his home world. There really isn’t much more to this story than that.

The combat is functional; you can pull off some cool-looking moves and special attacks, but these attacks are rather worthless as you find your basic attack is all you need to defeat most enemies. There are certain stronger enemy types and bosses you will encounter that will require you to perform certain special attacks, but outside of those rare moments, you will never feel the need to use them.

Here’s where I would make a comment about the enemy variety, but there really isn’t any. You will find yourself fighting the same three or four enemy types, with the exception of an occasional boss fight, throughout the game. The enemies are all really easy to defeat, as the same basic strategy applies to most of them: hit the attack button, occasionally block, and there you go. You can also upgrade Thor with new moves and special abilities, but you will never find a need for them.

The problem with creating a superhero video game stems from not being able to truly use Thor’s abilities as demonstrated in the comics or in the film. He is a god after all, yet he feels like just an ordinary man with a big hammer and some special moves. You never feel you are all-powerful at any point in the game. Sure, the enemies are easy enough to dispose of, but the few moments of actual challenge the game presents make Thor feel puny and insignificant.

Despite all of the flaws, the game does look decent and offers more variety in the visual and level design than I expected. The voice acting, featuring both Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, is forgettable but certainly not terrible. If there is anything this game did surprisingly okay, it’s the presentation.

Thor definitely improves upon Sega’s previous efforts. The game is actually a reasonable length for a full-priced video game, and it offers something that could pass as a somewhat enjoyable rental if you’re a huge fan of Thor (although even that is debatable). You’re better off just seeing the movie again than playing this uninspired God of War clone.

Pros: Decent presentation

Cons: Stiff and shallow combat; lack of enemy variety; extra powers and abilities are pointless

Thor: God of Thunder: Not Asgard’s finest

May 26, 2011

PS3 / Reviews / by Andrew Passafiume Make a comment! / Tweet it!

When it comes to video games based on superheroes and superhero movies, Sega has published some of the worst. The two Iron Man games immediately come to mind, but you can now add Thor: God of Thunder to that list. While it certainly improves upon the standard set by Sega’s previous efforts, it still fails to deliver an experience that most people would consider fun.

As the title may suggest, you play as Thor, the all-powerful God of Thunder. The story borrows elements from the movie but doesn’t entirely follow the plot of the film, allowing it to stand on its own. You follow Thor as he attempts to stop the enemy of Asgard, the Frost Giants, from destroying his home world. There really isn’t much more to this story than that.

The combat is functional; you can pull off some cool-looking moves and special attacks, but these attacks are rather worthless as you find your basic attack is all you need to defeat most enemies. There are certain stronger enemy types and bosses you will encounter that will require you to perform certain special attacks, but outside of those rare moments, you will never feel the need to use them.

Here’s where I would make a comment about the enemy variety, but there really isn’t any. You will find yourself fighting the same three or four enemy types, with the exception of an occasional boss fight, throughout the game. The enemies are all really easy to defeat, as the same basic strategy applies to most of them: hit the attack button, occasionally block, and there you go. You can also upgrade Thor with new moves and special abilities, but you will never find a need for them.

The problem with creating a superhero video game stems from not being able to truly use Thor’s abilities as demonstrated in the comics or in the film. He is a god after all, yet he feels like just an ordinary man with a big hammer and some special moves. You never feel you are all-powerful at any point in the game. Sure, the enemies are easy enough to dispose of, but the few moments of actual challenge the game presents make Thor feel puny and insignificant.

Despite all of the flaws, the game does look decent and offers more variety in the visual and level design than I expected. The voice acting, featuring both Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, is forgettable but certainly not terrible. If there is anything this game did surprisingly okay, it’s the presentation.

Thor definitely improves upon Sega’s previous efforts. The game is actually a reasonable length for a full-priced video game, and it offers something that could pass as a somewhat enjoyable rental if you’re a huge fan of Thor (although even that is debatable). You’re better off just seeing the movie again than playing this uninspired God of War clone.

Pros: Decent presentation

Cons: Stiff and shallow combat; lack of enemy variety; extra powers and abilities are pointless

Chaos Rings Omega: Tapping the well again

May 25, 2011

iPad / Reviews / by Graham Russell Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Square Enix loves an epic storyline. From their marquee Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games to other projects like Kingdom Hearts and Star Ocean, the company likes their games to take place within a fleshed-out universe. It’s not surprising, then, that they’ve decided to make their iOS franchise, Chaos Rings, into a whole suite of games. The first released in April of last year, and before Chaos Rings II, they’ve released a prequel: Omega.

In the game, developed by Wild Arms makers Media.Vision, you follow the story of Vieg, a suitably-JRPG protagonist with a big sword and spiky hair, as he’s summoned to a strange place and forced to take on other people and get through challenges to survive. We’ll try not to spoil the story, since largely that’s what’s new in this installment.

The battle system is very similar to the original: you select commands from a menu to execute turn-based attacks. You have special moves that you learn along the way, and you acquire consumable items and equipment to use as well. What sets the Chaos Rings series apart is its implementation of a team mechanic. At any one point, you’ll control a two-person party, and you can choose to act separately or as a pair. You take damage together when you team up, and you can’t choose different targets, but generally you’ll do more damage. Deciding when to go it alone is the element you have to master.

As with most JRPGs, you wander maps, opening chests, fighting random battles and solving the occasional navigation puzzle. Media.Vision kept the controls simple, which works well on both the iPad and the usually-cramped iPhone screen.

The visuals are rather nice for an iOS title. The polygonal models are a bit rough when scaled up to iPad-size, but all the 2D elements, like menus and character portraits, are crisp and lush and generally nice. It’s about what you’d expect from a PSP title.

Speaking of a PSP title, it seems a good time to bring up the price. Like the original, Chaos Rings Omega doesn’t come cheap ($11.99 iPhone, $14.99 iPad). While we’re usually wary of high-priced apps, when you think about the cost of a similarly-featured DS or PSP game, fifteen bucks isn’t so bad. And that’s what you’re getting here: it’s not a bite-sized game for quick breaks. It’s an epic, grind-heavy RPG that just happens to reside on your iDevice.

We’re impressed, really. We’d still recommend the first in the series, as this isn’t a substantial improvement in many ways and it’s best to start there. If you’re a fan of more traditional RPGs and like that one, though, you should definitely check Omega out. And then Chaos Rings II when it’s ready. You’re set for a while. That’s basically what we’re saying.

E311: Our most anticipated

May 25, 2011

Features / Opinion / by Shawn Vermette Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Well, E3 is upon us! While we’re gearing up for the show (which informally starts June 6), here’s what our staff members are most excited about at this year’s event.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations: I recently returned to the Assassin’s Creed franchise. I loved the first game, but I never went back to the series when it moved from the Holy Land to Italy, and now I am sorry that I didn’t experience Assassin’s Creed II right when it came out. I’m loving playing through Brotherhood (though I only have about 5 hours on my save right now), and I am entirely wrapped up in both Desmond’s and Ezio’s stories. I can’t wait to see how they tie Altair back into things, and the more games on my shelf where I can run along the rooftops, jump into a bale of hay, poison a guy, and leave knowing full well that he’ll fall over dead any second is A-okay with me.

Batman: Arkham City: I love Batman. He’s my favorite DC hero, and Rocksteady delivered the second good Batman game ever made (seriously guys, Lego Batman is fun and you should all play it). The combat was great, Rocksteady nailed the atmosphere, and hearing Conroy and Hamill bicker like back in the TAS days was wonderful. I can’t wait to see more of what Rocksteady has in store for the caped crusader.

Nintendo’s HD console: My 360 and PS3 may get more play time than my Wii, but I love Nintendo consoles because they play first party Nintendo games. I want to see Mario, Zelda, and Samus in HD! Also, it would be great if Nintendo announced that they’re abandoning motion controls.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception: There is nothing about Uncharted 2 that I didn’t like. Engrossing narrative, great characters, good range of weapons, tons of setpiece battles, and both competitive and cooperative multiplayer. I desperately want to see where Drake’s story is heading in its third installment, and seeing the multiplayer in action would be a blast, too.

Sony’s NGP: I love my PSP. It acts as an MP3 player (I’m using it to play music as I write this actually), a video player, and when I actually have time to kick back and relax, it plays games well, too. I’m not sure what to expect from the rear touchpad, but I’m anxious to see what developers can do with it, and any platform that is going to get an Uncharted game and (probably) a Valkyria Chronicles game will undoubtedly end up as a part of my collection. I’d like to hear some pricing details, and I’m hoping that Sony learned a bit from the PSP and will be releasing at a decent price point.

 

Project Cafe: It’s a new Nintendo console, there’s no reason not to be excited. 

Mass Effect 3: BioWare has a lot to prove with this one. Mass Effect 2 was generally well-liked by the gaming masses, but Dragon Age II caught a lot of flack for being rushed and feeling like a lackluster follow-up to an excellent game. People are reasonably worried about ME3. The recent delay has probably helped calm some people down about it, but until we actually get a glimpse of the game, it’ll be hard to remain absolutely positive about it. 

Batman: Arkham City: We still haven’t seen any gameplay from this follow-up to my favorite superhero game. The first impressions from GDC and PAX have been really positive, but I want to see for myself just how much better Rocksteady can make an already amazing game.

Dead Island: Most of us were absolutely floored by the first trailer that came out earlier this year; can the game live up to that? I doubt it. I do have hope that it will be a very enjoyable action game with a more serious story, similar to something we’d get from The Walking Dead.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: A question on a lot of people’s minds is this: will it actually be a Wii game, or will it be delayed so it can launch with Nintendo’s new console in 2012? I somewhat doubt Nintendo will pull that move again. Either way, it’ll be nice to see how the game is shaping up and, if shown at Nintendo’s press conference, they will be able to demo it without any major mishaps. I love this series and am dying for a new adventure with Link.

Bonus: Finally hearing something more about Beyond Good & Evil 2 from Ubisoft. I’m not getting my hopes up for that, though.

 

The 3DS’ fall lineup: Yes, I’m excited about Project Cafe. I’m excited about the NGP, and I’m excited about Mass Effect 3. But you’ve heard about that from everyone else. Besides that, I’m really wondering what of the myriad 3DS titles in development will be ready for this holiday season. Super Mario would be a big deal, clearly, but I’m truly hoping for Paper Mario and Mario Kart. Considering how far along they were last June, it’s possible, right? Right? Help me out here. I have a 3DS. I’m desperate.

Valkyria Chronicles III: It’s not officially announced for a U.S. release, but the game did better than both its predecessors in Japan, and, well, I’m optimistic. I admittedly don’t expect much from the E3 demo; after all, the game’s about the engrossing management systems and storyline, and the combat is largely identical. I just want confirmation it’s reaching our shores.

Might & Magic Heroes VI: Heroes V was largely a disappointment to me, but the series holds a spot in my heart for the months of fun I had with III and, to a lesser extent, IV. The game’s almost done, and with a new developer and a renewed focus on quality, it could be interesting.

Twisted Metal: David Jaffe and his team have clearly nailed the feel while updating the mechanics; I found that out with the playable demo last year. The real question is this: what sort of staying power is it going to have? Will there be a progression system? A deep campaign? Extra modes? I really want to know where they’re going with it.

That awesome thing we don’t know about yet: It’s great to get hands-on with things you’re already aware of, but the real thrill is learning about these secret projects and being introduced to things that are entirely new. This is what E3 is about, and it’s what I’m really psyched for.

 

Project Cafe: I’m sure this is everyone’s most anticipated announcement at E3 this year. And if even half of the rumors swirling around (the good ones, that is) are accurate, then this could stand to be my favorite Nintendo console yet.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Outside of Pokemon and Civilization, Elder Scrolls IV has taken up more of my gaming time than any other title/series. So to say that I’m ecstatic to see where Bethesda is taking the gameplay and world in Skyrim would be an understatement. It sounds as if it will have similar mechanisms to Oblivion, so I’m excited to see how it looks and feels.

Mass Effect 3: Okay, science fiction is my all-time favorite setting for games, movies, and books. The first two Mass Effect games blew me away for completely different reasons. I’m hoping that the third one will combine my favorite aspects of the two previous games to create an even better finale to the trilogy.

Final Fantasy XIII-2: Final Fantasy is my favorite JRPG series, and while Final Fantasy XIII didn’t live up to the massive hype(and honestly, what game could have?), it was still a solid entry in the series. To be able to go back and experience that world again will be awesome and I can’t wait to see it in action.

Tales of Graces F: I’m a late convert to the Tales series, having only played Tales of Vesperia. That said, it is my favorite JRPG of this generation, so I’m really excited to see what else Namco Bandai has in store for Tales fans in the U.S.

That’s what we’re hyped for. What are you excited about?

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →