Andrew Passafiume

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

November 16, 2009

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

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has the potential of being the biggest game release of all time. The hype leading up to the release has been massive, and it is safe to say the game lives up to most of that hype.

The story picks up sometime after the events of the first Modern Warfare, although it is sadly a letdown compared to the original. The narrative in Call of Duty games has never been fantastic, but Modern Warfare changed that by introducing memorable characters and some truly intense events. Modern Warfare 2 has the intense events and set piece levels right, but the actual story (and how it is told) is rather incoherent. There are a couple of nice twists, but they are rather meaningless and add up to a conclusion that just screams “SEQUEL!”

In terms of presentation, the game is beautiful. It is hard to top visuals like this, and it only amplifies the intensity of combat. Although there is not much of a graphical leap from the original, it still looks amazing by these standards. The score of the game, composed by famous movie composer Hans Zimmer, is fantastic and fits the mood of the game perfectly. On a technical standpoint, Modern Warfare 2 is a masterpiece.

The gameplay is separated into three main components: the single player campaign, the Special Operatives (or Spec Ops) co-op mode, and the competitive multiplayer. All three contain enough content to fit into their own game, but together they make up one excellent package. And although a lot of people will be buying this game just for the multiplayer, the campaign and co-op mode both supply extra content for those who want to take a break from ranking up online.

The story itself is not that great, but the actual gameplay of the single player is as intense and as fun to play as the first (if not more so). Many of the events are scripted, and the game proceeds in a very linear fashion (maybe even more so than the original), but there is a lot more variety both in the environments and in the things you do in each mission. Some people may be put off by the game’s linearity, but others will find the incredible rush of the action packed missions to be enough to look past it. 

The newest mode, Spec Ops, is a one to two player cooperative mode in which you take on different challenges using areas and scenarios from the campaign (and even some from the first game’s campaign). There are a variety of mission types, including survival modes in which you must face off against hordes of bad guys, and even some where you have to make it from one end of the map to another. These levels are tough, so it is recommended to play with a friend (especially on the higher difficulties). But if you can find someone to play with, you will also find yourself spending hours playing this very addictive game mode.

The multiplayer is the main selling point for many people, as it still remains the best competitive multiplayer shooter you will find. With a large variety of game types (from old favorites such as team deathmatch and sabotage, to new modes to the series like capture the flag) and plenty of character customization, the multiplayer is as deep as ever. 

You still gain ranks for earning points based on kills and special challenges you can complete, and there are still tons of different weapon types and perks to add to your character. The perks are like special abilities, and you can equip three per character. They could do simple things, such as make you reload your gun faster, or do something like jamming enemy radars in a small radius. 

There are also killstreaks, which award you for getting a certain number of kills in a row without dying. They range from a UAV (which detects all of the enemies on the radar), to summoning a helicopter to help take out enemies, and even a tactical nuke which decimates everyone on the map (including yourself). There are also now deathstreaks, which are ways to help newer players get a better chance of surviving and ranking up in the very competitive world of Modern Warfare.

All three of these gameplay types combine to form a game that is well worth the $60. Even if multiplayer is not your thing, the added Spec Ops mode will give you and a friend a chance to try out several different cooperative modes without worrying about being frustrated with the competitive side of the game. Overall, this is a sequel that lives up to the hype and manages to surpass the original in just about every way. It’s not perfect, but you won’t be complaining when you find yourself still playing this game six months later.

Pros: Amazing presentation; fantastic score; single player campaign is more intense and fun than the original; Spec-Ops is a great addition to the game; multiplayer improvements are welcomed, and the mode is as addictive as ever

Cons: Somewhat incoherent story; linearity of the campaign may be a problem for some

WET

November 11, 2009

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

WET is an action game that follows the same tradition as the Wii exclusive House of the Dead: Overkill with a style that is reminiscent of the old Grindhouse films from the 70s. WET is almost a homage to those films, with a lead protagonist that can survive pretty much anything and the most over the top action scenes you’ll see in any game. Although the style is there, the actual gameplay may not be for everyone.

The star of the game is Rubi, who has been betrayed time and time again, but this time seeks to get her revenge once and for all. The story introduces several characters, but other than more fodder for Rubi to kill, most of them do not play an important role in the story. And the few characters are helpful to Rubi are never in the story long enough for it to make a difference. Rubi herself is not all that interesting, as she swears at any chance she gets, kills most anyone that gets in her way, and has no personality beyond that. But this game is not about the story, it’s about the action.

Speaking on a purely technical level, WET is a pretty good experience. The Grindhouse look of the game, with the film grain overlay placed over the cutscenes and actual gameplay, gives the game a distinct look and feel. There are several loading screens that are masked by small movie clips you would see during a Grindhouse showing, and they are pretty funny and unexpected at times. Although the other way the game masks loading is by showing Rubi waiting impatiently in an elevator, which gets old very fast. 

The soundtrack is amazing, and all of the songs you hear are very catchy and truly stay with you long after a specific section of the game is over. On the other hand, the voice acting is a mixed bag. Eliza Dushku provides the voice of Rubi, and does a fine job, but the rest of the cast is less than memorable. No particular actor is bad, but they all leave a lot to be desired. It all goes together with the weak script and mediocre story, but once again, it is not the main focus of the game.

The gameplay is incredibly satisfying, especially in the first few levels. This game is all about killing enemies in the craziest ways possible, and it allows Rubi to execute plenty of slow motion jumps, slides, and wall runs while taking down wave after wave of enemies. There are even sections of the game that require you to rack up a high score while trying to stop countless waves of enemies to continue coming out of different location in a room. These are called “gauntlet” areas, and you encounter them a lot in the game.

One main draw of the gameplay is the fact that Rubi has two guns, and when performing slow motion moves, she can use both to take out two different enemies. One gun automatically locks onto the nearest target, while you aim the other gun yourself to take out any other nearby target. The lock on targeting does not work sometimes though, leading to you shooting the same enemy several times before realizing it is not actually locked onto it. It seems ridiculous (and it kind of is), but it mixes things up a bit and makes this more than just another action game.

There are several moments where platforming is not only blended into the combat, but just as a way to get from point A to point B. This is where the game tends to fall a bit short, as you will find yourself falling to your death several times without really understanding why it happened. Rubi sometimes just does not grab a ledge or fails to hang onto something just when you need her too. This can be incredibly frustrating during combat, when you have five or more enemies shooting at you, quickly draining your life. 

The gameplay is solid and a lot of fun, but by the halfway point, you feel like you have seen it all before. The game tends to drag its feet at this point, leading you through some very similar looking areas and encounters. It’s a disappointing second half of the game, to say the least, but it still has plenty of fun moments scattered about. 

Overall, WET is a fun game that can be a fun despite its flaws. And although the game is short, it can still feel like it goes on a bit too long. This is definitely a solid rental for those looking to spend a mostly fun filled weekend with an enjoyable action game, but there is a lot more potential here that isn’t not fully realized. 

ESRB: Rated M for mature; for strong language, intense violence, and plenty of blood and gore

Pros: Gameplay is basic, but is overall incredibly fun and satisfying; good soundtrack; Grindhouse style works well; solid controls

Cons: Sometimes auto aim does not work; awkward platforming elements; although the game is fun, by the halfway point, the thrills begin to wear off; lame story with several weak characters

Blockbusters: Big games, big hype, big sales

November 8, 2009

Features / Opinion / by Andrew Passafiume Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Usually when anyone uses the term “blockbuster” they refer to a movie that has made a lot of money at the box office; basically, a movie that people line up around the block to see. But can the same be said of video games?

Game sales are often calculated and compared to the sales of CDs and movie tickets, but is that really a fair comparison? There have been quite a few games that managed to break a few records, especially more recent releases. But are they “blockbusters”?

The two games that come to mind right away are Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV, two of the biggest video game releases of all time. They both had incredibly successful launches, and continued to sell well after their initial release months. So to define a blockbuster in this sense: it needs to have a huge launch, and it needs to continue to be successful after the first month. 

Let’s continue with the best selling game of all time: Wii Sports. Is that a gaming blockbuster? Most people consider it a simple pack-in mini-game collection that came with the Wii, not a title that is the equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster. But if it’s all about the game sales, then by all means, Wii Sports is definitely the best example of a gaming blockbuster around. 

This year, we are seeing two even bigger releases, ones that can be considered blockbusters before they are even released. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the first, just released and considered a huge success from many game critics. It received the best review scores of any game since Grand Theft Auto IV, and it looks like it might become a huge hit this holiday among gamers. But I think this game is called a blockbuster for a very different reason: the gameplay.

Many people compare it to the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first in the very successful Indiana Jones series, and one that is still considered by many as one of the best action/adventure movies of all time. Uncharted 2 is similar in its plot, main character, and in the fact that it is a fast-paced action game that plays out just like a big budget film. Whether or not the game sells as well as Halo 3 or GTA, it may be considered by many as a “blockbuster” due to how the game plays and how it compares to the movies we consider blockbusters. 

So does the opinion of game critics matter when it comes to a game becoming a blockbuster? Both Halo 3 and GTA IV received a ton of praise from most, if not all, game critics. But if GTA was considered a mediocre or terrible game by the majority of the game media, and it still sold well, would it be remembered by the gaming press or even gamers? And, in that case, would it still be considered under the gaming definition of blockbuster?

The second example of an upcoming release that is bound to be a huge hit is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The game is bound to be one of the best-selling games of 2009. How will it fare with the critics? Considering the incredible reception of the first game and of developer Infinity Ward, there is no doubt it will score high. It may be safe to say this will be a gaming blockbuster, but despite the positive reviews for Uncharted 2, will it leave that PS3 exclusive in the dust?

So, is the term blockbuster defined simply by how well the game sells? Or by how it compares to Hollywood’s most successful films? Or even by how good game critics consider it? We may never know, but we will continue to see what the industry is able to turn out, and how gamers will continue to respond to these games and the trends they follow or create.   

DJ Hero

November 1, 2009

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

Just when you think the music game genre has seen enough, along comes DJ Hero, a game that hopes to bring to you a new style of the genre previously populated by rock-based games. Although it follows some of the basic principles of rhythm games, DJ Hero feels like a brand new experience, with some of the best music in any music game to date. It may be over the heads of a lot of gamers due to it not being as accessible or easy to understand as something like Guitar Hero, but DJ Hero is an experience well worth trying out for yourself.

The game has a distinct look to it with odd character designs and plenty of celebrity DJ cameos. Although you will mostly be too focused on the note track to notice, the backgrounds and camera movements in the background during gameplay are dynamic and very well done. In terms of presentation, the menus themselves are very hard to navigate. Instead of listing all of the different set lists that you play through into one category in the main menu, they are all listed separately. It makes navigating through them all a tedious process and it can be hard to find the exact one you are looking for.

The presentation, overall, is excellent. And it is all blended together by the amazing soundtrack, which combines many different genres, artists, and eras together to make probably the best soundtrack in a music game to date. Some of these mixes may not be for everyone, but there is no denying that they fit the game perfectly and they all present a very fun (and also challenging) experience when combined with the actual gameplay. One small problem I had with the music is a lot of the songs are repeated in different mixes. Although the mixes themselves are completely different, it’s a bit of a letdown when you have three different mixes repeating the same song. 

The gameplay may seem complicated at first, but given a quick run through the well designed tutorial, you will quickly begin to understand the basics. The controller consists of the record part, which has three colored buttons you can press or scratch depending on the icons on the screen. There is also the crossfader, which is a small knob on the side of the turntable that can be moved left or right to move to a different track. The combination of button tapping, scratching the platter, and using the crossfader can become quite complex in later mixes and on the higher difficulties. But considering how addictive the game is, you will find yourself coming back for more and slowly improving your skills..

You also have a “euphoria”  meter, which is like star power in Guitar Hero, which doubles the amount of points you earn for each note successfully hit. You also have a rewind ability, which is triggered by spinning the platter around quickly. This allows you to replay a part of the song you just played, but with a score multiplier. All of these different elements may seem overwhelming, but given just a few minutes with the game, it will not be hard to grasp just how everything works. 

The multiplayer options are not incredible, but they work. The main multiplayer mode, which is a basic head to head battle to see who can get the highest score, is fun. Of course, you probably need to play this online to get the most enjoyment out of it, unless you have a friend who has a second DJ controller. The second mode is one that will probably attract more attention, and that is the DJ and guitar mode. Basically, one player uses the DJ controller like he normally would, and another plays with any guitar controller along with any of the ten songs available. This is actually a very fun mode, and I hope to see it fleshed out more in future installments. 

The controller itself is well designed and very lightweight. You can use it either on your lap or on a flat surface in front of you, whichever becomes more comfortable. And the table can be easily used for those who are right or left handed. The buttons work well, the platter feels sturdy, and the crossfader (while it takes a little adjusting too) works well enough even during the hardest mixes. It stands on its own next to the many Guitar Hero guitars as one of the best controllers for any music game. 

DJ Hero is a fresh spin on the music genre, with an innovative new controller that does not feel cheap, and a ton of original song mixes that will have you coming back for more. While it is not the a game that will change the genre forever like Guitar Hero did back in 2005, it certainly brings enough new things to the table to excite music game fans and new comers to the genre alike. 

ESRB: Rated T for teen; rated for suggestive themes and music lyrics

Pros: Excellently designed controller; fantastic variety of music; enough content and songs to keep you busy; addictive gameplay formula that keeps you coming back for more; the guitar mode adds a bit of a twist on the standard gameplay

Cons: Some songs are repeated in different mixes; menus are hard to navigate

The new horror

October 25, 2009

Features / Opinion / by Andrew Passafiume Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Over the years, there have been many video games that fit under the category of “horror.” Although it is hard to pinpoint the exact start of the survival horror genre, there are a few key games we have to thank for its success over the years. Despite the evolution the genre has gone through, we can still appreciate where it has come from, and what the future brings us for this ever-changing game genre.

Horror games have a way of scaring people unlike any other medium, as the medium involves an interactive element you do not get anywhere else. You are inside of this world, you are this character, and you must do what it takes to survive. Many games have captured this sense of fear; some use cheap scares, while others rely on psychological horror. Either way, while the genre is much different now, the basics are still the same: the player wants to be scared.

Many consider Alone in the Dark to be the first real horror game, or at least the first one to gain popularity. It followed a basic formula: a character is investigating or is trapped in a strange place, and they must survive or escape as they are being pursued by plenty of strange creatures. While it has not aged well, the game was a true horror hit back when it was first released, evoking a sense of fear you rarely get from playing a game at the time. It was from here that many developed began to develop more of these kinds of games, including a Japanese company we all are familiar with.

BioHazard, or Resident Evil as it is known in the States, was the first real horror franchise to gain a following and become one of the most successful video game franchises to date. The original, released on the PlayStation back in 1996, did not give the player as much control over the character or the camera as they would have liked. The characters controlled awkwardly, and the camera was fixed and would change angles when you would least expect it. This was done to create a true sense of terror, and it has been used in many horror games since.

Silent Hill and Fatal Frame, two other Japanese horror franchises, use some of the same basics as Resident Evil in terms of controls, but they go for an entirely different kind of horror. While Resident Evil relies on cheap scare tactics, those two franchises tend to focus more on the psychological aspect of horror. Silent Hill is especially well-known for this, giving us a foggy, abandoned town to explore, and a lead character that always has some kind of psychological issue they are dealing with. The monsters you see are meant to reflect on what the character is thinking or going through, as if they are figments of the character’s own imagination. They were meant to inspire fear, not simply “scare” you by the most rudimentary means, and they succeeded at doing so.

These games all are considered “old-school” survival-horror titles, since the genre has evolved much since then. It was not until Resident Evil 4 where the series, and the entire genre itself, was changed forever. This game completely disregarded almost everything about the previous entries in the main series and made it less about scares and more about intense fights and action sequences. The controls remained the same, but with a new over-the-shoulder camera perspective and much smarter (and faster) enemies, RE4 marked the beginning of a new era.

Since then, we’ve seen a few horror games that have continued to stick with the more traditional or old school formula, but the popularity of the genre rests with the new fast-paced, action style. Games like Resident Evil 5 and Dead Space continue to prove that horror can be successful, but like any other genre, changes are necessary to maintain the growth and popularity of it.  

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