Paul Bishop

Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground

November 28, 2007

PS3 / Reviews / by Paul Bishop Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Marking the latest in the Tony Hawk series is Proving Ground, an engaging foray into the street life of the common skater who is trying to make a name for himself through 3 career paths designed to improve his skating skills and eventually earn enough cred to hang with the legends.

Detail is the key to THPG. Right from the character creation menu you get a sense of the complex nature and nuance of the customization available throughout the game. Clothes, hair, boards and accessories are just the tip of the iceberg as you build your skill arsenal to fit your unique play style. Whether it is grinding, air, or grabs, the more you use your tricks the more you level and unlock increased stats associated to pulling off these feats.

THPG gives you three paths to explore through missions and skill boosting trick pull-offs; namely career, hardcore and rigger. The career lifestyle has you complete tasks designed around capturing video and photos for various magazines–the better the shots, the more you get paid, and the closer you get to becoming a brand name. The difficulty here is being able to set yourself up for a specific trick and then being swapped to a separate photo shot to capture your picture. Hardcore helps you develop certain skating techniques, such as the new agro aggro? kick, which you will use to prove your worth cleaning out skate parks of rival gangs. Lastly you can develop the DIY skater mentality through rigging your own ramps and rails to build your own dream skate park. This is hit-or-miss because of a clunky rigging editor that is irksome at best and downright annoying at worst as you attempt to rig specific elements together to complete goals.

Control mechanics can be a little daunting as you progress your way through the game, and while they are not impossible to master, they are not for the faint of heart either. Simple combinations required early on require extreme precision to pull off and may deter some casual gamers from progressing, but once you understand the controls, the intuitive nature of their design becomes second nature and a joy to nail the different combinations. How you grasp the controls will ultimately affect how you fare online, as the online community for the game tends towards the hardcore crowd. Still, online play provides another awesome outlet to truly measure your skills and given the seamless transition between the story mode to playing online. Other developers should take note and aim for this design.

The area maps are great for people like me who try to constantly explore; there are always these hidden nooks and crannies that seem virtually impossible to reach until you figure out the right jump or grind spot. If you get tired of playing the story or even the online sections you can always lounge in your personal skate area that you can build and populate with items you gain through the main game. And if that isn’t enough you can focus on editing all of your game footage together into a movie; this video editor is an interesting addition to the series and a worthy waste of your time. Needless to say there is plenty to do in the game and beyond the game making the price completely worth it.

Graphics were another one of those hit or miss items; a lot of times I felt the graphics were a worthy contender for the PS3, but then I would come across these blatant design flaws with environments and character creations. As good as the modeling was, it is almost a slap in the face that my character had an unmistakable line across the back of his neck, or the almost comic A

Jericho

November 28, 2007

PS3 / Reviews / by Paul Bishop Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Jericho (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) is an intense First Person Shooter from the occult mind of horror writer Clive Barker. In it you take charge of the Jericho squad, an elite seven man team dedicated to supernatural as well as conventional firepower, and when God’s first abandoned creation threatens to break its bonds and destroy the world, it is your task to stop the impending destruction. Each member of the team boasts unique powers and armaments necessary to quell the rising tide of demons and puzzles to get to the firstborn and lock away this abomination once and for all.

Gameplay

Justin: Jericho is trying very hard to be many different things. Is it an FPS? A tactical squad game? Maybe it’s survival horror? Had Jericho really focused on any one of those genres it could have been a success, but it just ends up doing multiple things poorly instead of one thing well. Weapons feel severely underpowered; unarmored cultists take multiple headshots to kill, and melee attacks are worthless because enemies aren’t programmed to feel pain. It doesn’t matter if you just hit that cultist in the head with the butt of your rifle, he’s going to keep slashing you with his weirdo tentacle thing, and then you will be dead.

Bishop: First off you have to be aiming at the head in order to get a head shot dude, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. I found one-shotting cultists in the head a perverse satisfaction, just to see them pop. I unlocked that achievement quite early, so I don’t know what you were doing wrong.

Justin: Maybe it’s because I’m not playing on easy? Moving on, squad actions feel like an afterthought. When your teammates spot an enemy they will stand rooted in their position, empty their clip, fire off their occult power, and then die. Rawlings will then run over to heal them and die. You will then run over to heal Rawlings and die. Then you’ll restart from the last checkpoint and repeat the process until you tire of the game and play something else. Ross’s command is made up of six people, and his commands are restricted to “Everybody follw me, Everybody stop, Alpha team take point, and Omega team take point.” That’s right. In the off chance that you hadn’t picked up on the game’s ties to religion your teams are Alpha and Omega instead of Alpha and Bravo. So. Very. Subtle. I get it Jericho squad; you’re God warriors. Can we move on now? It would be nice to be able to tell Alpha team to run around the right side of a building and flank the enemy while Omega runs up the left side and lays down suppressive fire. The levels are designed for it, and the game’s control scheme prevents you from taking advantage of it. Other sections just feel like they were designed for a single soldier, a team of two at most. There are lots of corridors in Jericho, and you will get stuck in them, and then die. And then you will restart from the last checkpoint. It’s just not fun. Scared and frustrated are not the same thing, Clive Barker. Guess which of those two things I am.

Bishop: I agree with you, mostly. While admittedly the developers bit off more than they could chew with all the enhancements, I think it makes the game more robust giving more people a chance to shine rather than focusing on a set gameplay.

Justin: Does robust mean overcrowded and not fun? Because that’s what CodeMasters’ “enhancements” add to what could have been a decent single-player experience.

Bishop: Just the fact that each squad member boasts different playing styles allows for several ways to approach the game, and arguably builds up the replay value. You can’t not pick a favorite; mine was Black, with her ability to snipe enemies long before they reach you, and her ghost bullet telekinetic specialty, she just plain rocked. I do agree that the squad commanding capabilities seem futile though–many times I would order alpha or omega forward and immediately the AI would overrule my decision 20 feet down the linear level. AI in general seemed hit or miss, both with foes and friendlies; many times my guys would take good offensive positions only to have the next bend being a complete 180 while my squad blatantly stood in the line of fire, but even the God of War inspired button sync cut scenes broke up the monotony of the FPS and blended almost seamlessly into the game.

Justin: I think my favorite was Rawlings. We seemed to think the same way. We’d fight yet another group of the same cultists (I swear, Jericho only has six or so enemy types), he’d mutter “Jesus H. Christ,” I know it’s quoting the guy, but make sure that comment is okay with Snowcone. and I’d finish his thought with “aren’t we done yet?” We really had a connection. I could tell he was having just as much fun in Al-Khali as I was. And he died a lot.

Plot

Bishop: Being a huge fan of Clive Barker I was thrilled to hear of his involvement with the title. While not the most involved plot, (gee, we have to save the world again?) it still manages to capture his signature style and feel with the devil really being in the details. Despite his prevalent Lovecraft-esque plotlines, the script and plot flow with small twists and turns to keep the tension mounting. The plot never reaches any sort of grand epic, but it kept me interested enough to keep playing. The real nuance, though, is presented in throw away comments during the game and unlockable additional material that fleshes out the characters. I even found the humor level dead-on with the caricatures of the squad (“Praise God and pass the ammunition”).

Justin: Plot is certainly the strongest part of the package here, but it really falls apart at the end. Setting up for a sequel and not finishing the story are different things. If anybody should know that it’s an established author like Barker. And as much as I wanted to know what happens next and learn about the firstborn I couldn’t bring myself to really care about any of members of Jericho squad. Characters aren’t developed well, they’re not fleshed out at all, and the game does little to encourage you actually switch between members of the team or actively remember each person’s talent. The only exception to this is Rawlings, Jericho squad’s second healer (the player character, Ross, is the first). So when you’re choosing a squad member to inhabit, don’t ever pick Rawlings; you’ll be down to one healer. Past that, members of Jericho squad may as well all be copies of the same guy holding a different gun.

Bishop: Yeah, the worst one being Jones, who seemed placed only in the game to manipulate puzzle levers with his astral projection. That and die a lot.

Graphics/Sound

Bishop: Graphics were decent on the PS3, not quite to the level of Resistance: Fall of Man, but they are nothing to balk at either. It really helps support the ambiance. Necessary flashlight use and the constant haze it pushes it closer to the Silent Hill level of feel, but not quite all the way to scary.

Justin: Gross out is not the same as scary. Jericho‘s environments are designed to make the player throw up a little. Sure, it looks nasty, but so does baby puke. And I’m not scared that baby puke is going to take over the world. I’m scared that it won’t wash out of my shirt. After playing Bioshock, it’s glaringly obvious that Jericho doesn’t create an appropriate atmosphere. I wanted to be scared; not amazed at how much red, gray, and brown could be jammed into one game. One bit of atmosphere that CodeMasters managed to pin down was sound. Weapons sound appropriate, and the characters overact in a way consistent with the prose found on the loading screens.

bishop – My nit pick would be around the linear level design and general bland nature of each zone. Each time era is a welcome change from the previous only because the previous eras become visually monotonous after so long.

Extras/Achievements

Bishop: Slightly adding to the replay value of Jericho is the unlockable material that is really more for completionists rather than casual gamers. Extra biographies, art and information are rewarded for certain feats. While the bonuses don’t really amount to a lot, they do bring nuance to the background material.

Justin: I played on the 360, and for those of you used to achievements, Jericho certainly doesn’t raise the bar. Melee 25 enemies, complete level X on hard, etc. The bonuses are nice, but they can’t save a lackluster game.

Overall Impressions

Bishop: I really wish I could give it more than a 3 out of 5, but it just doesn’t fully exploit the plethora of game mechanics it gives us, and truly become everything it should have been. I did enjoy this game though and am not sorry that I picked it up, though I wonder how long it will be in my collection.

Justin: 3/5 is pretty generous. From my perspective Jericho is a 2/5. Every concept in the game is a failure. Sure, Black’s occult power is fun to use, but you’ve got to remember that the game still features a useless Jones (why can’t I completely control my target?) and an always-dead-or-dying Rawlings. Environments are too cramped for seven people, and the story doesn’t end; it just stops. Assuming he could add an ending I’d much rather read Clive Barker’s Jericho: The Novel or watch Clive Barker’s Jericho: The Movie than play the game. Games, even horror games, are supposed to be fun, and fun is something that Jericho just doesn’t bring to the audience.

Folklore

November 16, 2007

PS3 / Reviews / by Paul Bishop Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Two strangers with seemingly separate paths are drawn to the mysterious village of Doolin where things are not what they seem. While one is looking to solve a murder, and the other is trying to find her past, both will be caught up together in the Netherworld where they hope to get the answers they seek.

I have a hard time calling Folklore a straight RPG as it has so many action/adventure characteristics that it has to be considered somewhere in between the two genres. There is experience and leveling but there is also a distinct amount of movement and tactical attacking that nicely balance each other out. In addition, the fights contain puzzle solving themes that take it beyond random button-mashing madness.

The game is played in two worlds; the real world, where you collect information and side objectives to further the story and the Netherworld, where you must fight your way past the Folk inhabitants. You must use the powers of captured Ids (spirits) to combat these enemies to gain more powerful Ids to fight with. Some Folk are like mini-puzzles as you attempt to find their weakness and exploit it to gain their powers. Others just take brutal beatings and still require a tug-of-war to release their spirits. Regardless, this mechanic is a valuable and rewarding aspect of the game.

I can’t emphasize enough how fun these battles became; testing different captured Ids against enemies, finding weakness and literally pulling the spirits out of them with an upward A

NBA 08

November 16, 2007

PSP / Reviews / by Paul Bishop Make a comment! / Tweet it!

First off, let me get this out of the way: NBA 08 is a good deal for the money considering it isn’t just the basketball game you are buying; it contains so much more in the way of mini-games and playable modes that it could choke a horse before you could get around to playing horse.

Unlike its console brethren, NBA 08 forgoes any sort of story line development of a career to focus on just playing the game. Being presented on the PSP, SCEA significantly focused the shorter one-game matches and mini-games to the quick pick-up mentality of the handheld; a majority of the sub-games could be completed within 10 minutes or less. Or if you are more inclined you could create a profile to stretch through playing a season or more interesting the conquest mode, which combines Risk and basketball.

Conquest places you as a city that must win games against surrounding cities to win the zone and move on to an essentially national match-up. As you win games you can gain losing team players to build a super team, and completing a zone allows you to unlock older legacy players to fill your roster. It is the tactics that make this more than just playing a straight basketball game simulator that help elevate this mode of NBA 08.

Other on-court mini-games range from the standard horse, to three-point competitions, including another tactical based Elimination match where you try to get each of your players to score six points. Once they do they are out and you are forced to try to finish the game with the remaining teammates for better or worse. It’s just the nuances that they threw into this game that make it more playable. Even if straight basketball isn’t your thing, there is an entire section dedicated to A

Lair

September 17, 2007

PS3 / Reviews / by Paul Bishop Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Filled with religious zealotry and political intrigue, Lair places you in the role of a dragon rider named Rohan who must protect his native Asylia from the invading Mokai. From navigating a sky full of enemy dragons and other bizarre monsters to plowing through opposing armies on the ground, an epic battle rests squarely on your shoulders as you fight past the secrets and blood to find peace for your homeland.

It is hard to review Lair without comparing it to Factor 5’s earlier masterpiece Rogue Squadron; both games share the same inspiration and depth of design while making it accessible to the common gamer. Mission objectives and medal rewards help focus you in each area and level replay constantly challenges you to come back and do better. Add to Rogue a grander feel and stunning graphics, and you have Lair.

Graphics easily set this game apart with stunning detail-laden areas that breathe life in beautiful High-Definition 1080p. Attention to shading and environmental effects abound, whether your eye is drawn to the whipping of the waves or the way the setting sun colors the city, Lair just begs to be visually adored as a work of art. Even the subtle transition from flying above the armies to landing in their midst provokes a sort of awe at the intricacies successfully created.

Levels are separate instances of zones with specific missions and objectives, whether it is protecting a fleet of barges, attacking an enemy outpost or turning the tide of a battle, your score is based on the carnage you inflict; the greater the damage, the greater the rewards which are unlocked. Everything from combos to making-of production movies can be acquired this way, but the real drive is completing a sub-set of tasks to get medals for bragging rights. While it doesn’t sound like much, it earns a lot of replay points in my book as I constantly go back to enjoyable levels to best myself and perfect my score.

The layering doesn’t stop there. In battlegrounds your actions control the morale of your army; the more objectives you complete the more you tilt the scales of war, and there is nothing more addictive than landing a dragon amongst a vulnerable squadron of enemies as you literally plow, swipe and burn your way through their ranks ensuring victory. Dragon to dragon fighting in the sky brings several fighting options as you can ram, shoot fire balls or occasionally get locked in a claw-to-claw match with the enemy as you both plummet towards the ground. Unfortunately, it sounds a lot cooler than it is to actually control.

Ultimately, the game almost falls apart with the mechanics utilized, never capturing the excitement of flight, but rather being bogged down in frustratingly lethargic responses. The use of the SIXAXIS takes the controller beyond anything currently available to the PS3 using the motion sensing technology to control so many aspects of your dragons flight and combat. I purposely held off on updating my Firmware to test the difference the 1.92 update would make, and while there was an increased temperance of sensitivity of motion, the overall mechanics remained slow to reaction. Steering proved the best use of the controller as you accurately move to your target, but other maneuvers seem silly as you slide the controller to the side only to have a pause before your dragon responds by ramming the dragon next to them. Banking in particular was slow and annoying as you constantly find yourself in constricted areas banking around a target you just can’t reach. There were brilliant times that I was caught in the fray and I felt a part of this epic battle, and others where I seemed to be miles away from the action and my slow flying mount would take forever to get back in to the thick of it as my allies were being brutally massacred. Faster flying would have improved a lot of the lethargy and maneuvering issues I experienced.

The targeting flip-flops from being unfair to your enemies to being unfair to you. In the air and on the ground it became an easy kill cheat for some enemies or on the other end of the spectrum a pain in the ass to lock on to a specific object. Much of the time I spent fighting the targeting system, I was missing vital objectives, making it a constant source of agony. The God Of War-inspired timed button mashing sequences were welcome diversions from the rote fighting, but even these became a little tired after some time, especially the dragon versus dragon death drops which almost felt like a high budget paper-rock-scissors match.

While this game may not have lived up to the months of hype it received before its release, it still shows a lot of the potential the PS3 system has to offer. Because of this and multiple other factors, the redeeming qualities out-weigh the negative detractors so it will be a game I keep and play for some time. As enjoyable as it is though, it unfortunately doesn’t perfect all the elements necessary in order to be the next A

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