New Games |
- Wha' Happened: National Poultry Day
- NieR's soundtrack is just as beautiful on solo piano
- The DTOID Show: Kid Icarus, Dishonored, and PANDAS!
- Preview: Three 1C Company games for the price of none
- Preview: Naval War: Arctic Circle
- Live show: Shoot Many Robots with devs on Mash Tactics
- Review: Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D
- Preview: What to expect from Risen 2's Treasure Isle DLC
- Why Mass Effect 3 haters need to calm down
- Luc Bernard talks Mass Effect gayness Vs. John Carter
- Jimquisition: The positive side of ME3's ending drama
- Bloggers Wanted: Disappointment
- Baldur's Gate 3 is part of a 'larger plan' and may happen
- Dishonored is looking diabolically delicious
- Humble Bundle for Android #2 includes Canabalt and more
- Fans compile logical breakdown of Mass Effect 3 ending
- PlayStation Move bundle with two games now on sale
- Heroes of Ruin trailer details story and environment
- Kingdom Hearts 3D to have 'longest ending in series'
| Wha' Happened: National Poultry Day Posted: 19 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT
Hurray for chickens! Aren't they just delicious and everything tastes like them. Fried, grilled or diced up and compressed into a nugget form they just keep on giving. But let's not forget that there is so much more to the world of poultry than the lowly chicken. There's duck, quail and peacock. What? You've never had peacock? Tastes a lot like chicken. Here's some stuff that tastes better than chicken... if chicken was something you could read. Flixist Michael Bay is making the Ninja Turtles an alien race. But.. but... NOOOOOOOO! Tomopop WonderCon coverage. More toys than you knew excited including Mass Effect and Batman. Japanator Japanator's Spring 2012 Anime Preview Guide. There's a lot of awesome coming. Prepare. |
| NieR's soundtrack is just as beautiful on solo piano Posted: 19 Mar 2012 03:00 PM PDT [Update: don't miss the NieR-centric piano concert celebrating the album's release on USTREAM at 5:30 PM on March 20th, Japan time!] |
| The DTOID Show: Kid Icarus, Dishonored, and PANDAS! Posted: 19 Mar 2012 12:40 PM PDT
Happy Monday, folks! Max and I are back from our weekend vacations in Hangover City, and before you ask, yes - we brought souvenirs. By which I mean, we brought back gaming news thinly disguised as souvenirs. Today, we've got a preview of World of Warcraft's upcoming Mists of Pandaria expansion, along with a trailer for The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition on Xbox 360, new screenshots of Arkane Studios' steampunk shooter Dishonored, and a summarized review of Project Sora's Kid Icarus: Uprising. We also announced the winners of our Ninja vs. Samurai contest to win a copy of Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus or Dynasty Warriors Next for the PlayStation Vita. Look for a complete gallery of the contest entries on our Facebook page very soon! |
| Preview: Three 1C Company games for the price of none Posted: 19 Mar 2012 12:00 PM PDT Unless you're a fan of the Red Orchestra series, I'd be willing to bet that most of you have never heard of 1C. In fact, most people haven't even had many opportunities to play games from its country of origin ... with the exception of Tetris. Yes, 1C is based out of Russia, that mystical land where most of us Americans assume bears run rampant and nobody ever smiles. One amazing fact about Russia is that people there actually play video games -- even the ones that involve them foaming at the mouth. Also, like a lot of other Asian countries, the free-to-play market is quite popular there (people don't invest a lot in powerful gaming PCs). I had the chance to check out a few of these so-called "Russian games," all of which are completely costless. So if you're pressed for cash, feel like trying something different, and, heck, aren't against the idea of potentially gaining a bit of culture in the process, then see what games are coming out of that country where you don't play videogame, videogame plays you. Men of War: Condemned Heroes, King's Bounty: Warriors of the North, Royal Quest (PC) Men of War: Condemned Heroes Seems like everyone with a gun is "of" something these days. The interesting thing about this particular WW2 strategy game is that your troops are members of what were known as "penal battalions." Apparently, Russia was so short on soldiers that they gave certain prisoners two choices: either stay in jail and rot, or join the army and be sent on the most hazardous missions available ... and gain your freedom if you live. So Men of War surprisingly features a controversial subject within Russian WW2 history. I've read about strapping bombs to dogs and training them to "find food" beneath tanks, but this one certainly takes the cake. All of the missions players embark on are based on historical reference, which should make some of these soldiers' no-win scenarios even more interesting. As for the gameplay: It's your basic RTS setup. Players are given a set amount of troops, and are tasked with accomplishing particular goals and objectives. The graphics are halfway-decent for a free game, and the combat has some admirable depth to it (even giving players the choice between context-specific squad formations). Check it out if you dig strategy and are curious about the Russian side of the Great Patriotic War. King's Bounty: Warriors of the North I can't say I've had many chances in my life to play strategy-based RPGs. The genre doesn't exactly top the charts, after all. That hasn't stopped lesser-known companies like 1C from trying to grasp a bit of that audience with the King's Bounty series. Warriors of the North takes the genre into a European direction, featuring Nordic and Saxon-based armies -- everything from Vikings to, well, more Vikings. Players build armies that move around the continent (map) independently and engage in turn-based battles with other armies. Each battle consists of a grid where combatants move their units around to destroy each other. It's that simple. Those who are fans of strategic RPGs will feel right at home with King's Bounty. You build bases, upgrade troops, maintain morale, and basically wipe the other player off the map. Considering the raping and pillaging that Vikings often did, some might consider this a "game for the whole family." One thing grandma would definitely like is how you can summon a valykrie to destroy your enemies. A f*ckin' valkyrie! Royal Quest If there's one genre that the free-to-play market has plenty of, it's MMOs. They are simple to monetize, easy to maintain, and last about as long as people are willing to play them. For companies that are anxious to make a quick and easy buck, never-ending games with microtransactions are like foreclosed homes to a Wall Street banker. I present to you: Royal Quest. To be fair, most of these types of games aren't cheaply made, and Royal Quest is no exception. Players choose one of three class types (melee, ranged gunman, or magic user) and embark on a journey of leveling, looting and lollygagging with other players. If you're at all familiar with MMOs and point-and-click RPGs -- I'm assuming most of you are -- then Royal Quest will be familiar territory. The game is simple, but does feature some decent variety. Players can expect no shortage of items and gear to add to their characters. Even gameplay has some nifty elements to it, such as certain enemies requiring specific element-based attacks to be defeated (i.e. fire monsters requiring water). Overall, the game seems like a decent diversion, wrapped up in a friendly, free-to-play package. If you're broke, crave a little interactive sustenance, and your parents refuse to finance this evil addiction of yours, at least 1C lets you score without spending a dime. Keep an eye out for these games when they release later this year. |
| Preview: Naval War: Arctic Circle Posted: 19 Mar 2012 11:00 AM PDT The seas surrounding the Arctic Circle are cold, choppy and not particularly welcoming towards us humans. At least not in 2030, where they have become warzones. Naval War: Arctic Circle is a speculative fiction naval strategy game and I'm terrible at it. Maurice took a look at the game at gamescom last year; now I've had the chance to give the challenging campaign a spin. I won't be starting a career in the navy any time soon, but I did get to beat up Russians and save some fishermen. Naval War: Arctic Circle (PC) The premise behind Naval War's two campaigns is interesting and thoroughly believable, albeit incredibly dry. Resources have become limited and tensions between Norway and her allies in NATO and the Russians have reached boiling point. NATO is trying stay out of it, while an alliance of northern European nations squabble over fishing rights with an angry, stubborn Russia. It quickly explodes into all-out naval war and you must organize your forces to protect fishing fleets, oil platforms, military installations, and your own fleets. The two campaigns put you in the shoes of a commander in the western alliance, or his Russian counterpart. In this preview build, only the NATO campaign was available. It's the recommended starting place, as it includes tutorials. The Russian missions represent a greater challenge in that you're expected to already have a handle on the game. Although I was glad to see tutorials making up the early missions, they were not particularly helpful. You learn how to select and move things, shoot other things, and drop sonars. That's pretty much it. The simple, common-sense stuff is explained, while everything else is left up to you to learn. It makes the tutorials seem a bit pointless, as anyone who will be tempted to get a game such as this is probably more than capable of figuring out how to select a jet and send it somewhere. Other than teaching you the most basic elements of the game, the tutorials also set the scene for the greater conflict. Giving context to the missions are newspaper articles and briefings. The press excerpts are short and a bit dull, but do a good job of giving you the feeling that your actions will have global ramifications. The briefings, on the other hand, are just a bit strange. Politicians, superiors, and colleagues talk like they are ripped right out of a terrible '80s action movie and they all appear to be idiots. During actual missions, the narrative is thrown out the window and it's just you, your hideous map, and some wire-frame icons representing your forces and those of your foe. While the battle map is an eyesore and completely utilitarian, it makes commanding your fleet a doddle. There's no heavily layered menus and all the information you need is at your disposal instantly. You can see the effect of your attacks through battle reports and alter your tactics accordingly; there's also no screen clutter. Individual battles go by quickly and you've usually won or lost before you even engage the enemy. It's not about explosive action -- it's more like hide and seek. Spotting your foe before they spot you is the only way to ensure that you come out of each hostile situation intact. Thankfully, there's a vast array of tactics you can employ so you can get the upper hand. Certain types of aircraft can deploy sonobuoys to detect submarines, for instance. Once detected, you can designate it as friend or foe, or use an aircraft to investigate it. When it's been designated as a foe, you can send your forces in to deal with it, perhaps a submarine or an incredibly slow helicopter. Turbo Tape Games have added a vast array of toys to play with, from simple mines to battleships and bombers. I'm not exactly what you would call knowledgeable about modern navies, but those who are will likely know exactly what to use for specific situations. I was just winging it early on. Despite the simple interface and automation, realism does appear to be the name of the game in Naval War; the drama comes from decision making rather than flashy combat. Every time I sent my forces to scout for the enemy, there was always the fear that a missile could come out of nowhere and send my chaps into the freezing waters. But if I managed to evade the attack, I could turn the tables and become the hunter. It's all about risk vs. reward. Naval War doesn't require you to be a micromanaging prodigy, as there's a lot of automation, like aircraft automatically returning to base when they start to run out of fuel. But for those who love fiddling with options and sliders, that's still possible. Once you get the hang of things, I recommend delving into micromanagement. You can choose formations, the altitude of aircraft, engagement responses, and a whole lot more. It's is still an unforgiving, hardcore game. The presentation and learning curve will likely put a lot of people off. But there is a clear intent to make it more accessible. I really am hoping for improved tutorials, because that will go a long way to encouraging those on the fence to take on the challenge. Even though the game handed me my arse on several occasions, I'm keen to play it again if it gets a bit more polish. |
| Live show: Shoot Many Robots with devs on Mash Tactics Posted: 19 Mar 2012 10:30 AM PDT It's special edition of Mash Tactics today. King Foom is being joined (via Skype) by some of the fine folk at Demiurge Studios while he plays their new automaton-scrapping escapade Shoot Many Robots. Aside from the action of the gameplay, Shoot Many Robots also features dress-up style character customization, including a fashionable Mr. Destructoid head. Tune in to get a good look at the game, and learn a little more from the people who made it. Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Destructoid's Twitch TV channel. Watch King Foom play a variety of games, each day with its own theme. With a heavy focus on community and viewer interaction, you can be as much a part of the show as anything else.
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| Review: Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D Posted: 19 Mar 2012 10:00 AM PDT I love Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. I love playing the game, hanging out with other people while they're playing the game, reading about the game, and watching videos of the game; you name it, I love it. It would have been really hard for Konami to make it so I don't enjoy playing one of my favorite games ever on my current favorite videogame console (the 3DS), but heavens to Murgatroyd, they came pretty close. Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D does not come off like the paragon of technical excellence that the original title did when it was first released on the PS2 in 2004. Part of that is because the 3DS is not a PS2. Nintendo's latest portable is capable of much more than that now-"retro" home console, as proven by titles like Resident Evil: Revelations. The other part is that Snake Eater 3D feels unfinished. There are a few cool new features here, but Snake Eater 3D is also a downgrade from the original in a lot of ways -- not something you'd expect on newer hardware. It'll be up to the individual consumer to determine if Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater's technical failings are damaging enough to cancel out the worth of the port's newly implemented features, and the original title's impeccable writing, scenario design, and gameplay design. Maybe you'll have a better time of reasoning that out for yourself after I break down some details for you. Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (3DS) Snake Eater is Kojima's best work, combining Hollywood action-movie tropes, pure videogame logic, densely packed Japanese pseudo-science fantasy, a period-piece war story, absurdist comedy, and heart-wrenching drama into a seamless whole. As far as Metal Gear games go, this one bursts with the most personality and creativity. That goes for both the game's scripted events and its allowance for the player to guide the story in a direction that reflects who they are. On the surface, Snake Eater's central theme is survival. That's a pretty common theme in games today, whether it's Call of Duty or Resident Evil. Part of what makes Snake Eater special is the lengths to which it goes to first limit the player in their capacity to survive, then allow them to overcome those limits in the most incredible, imaginative methods possible. There are so many ways to deal with the problems presented to you in Snake Eater, with so many bonuses, Easter eggs, diversions, and surprises to be found by those who are creative and lucky enough to discover them. The result of this dedication to variables is a game that truly makes you feel like a co-developer. The player is just as responsible for generating the particulars of their Snake Eater experience as Kojima and company. It's up to you to decide if you want to kill a guard, choke him out, sneak past him, or throw a snake to at him to scare him off. That's just entry-level stuff. The amount of choices the game gives you from there, and the truly bizarre events that you can bring about, is nothing short of astounding. Also worth noting is how much the game focuses on minutiae. More so than any other Metal Gear title, Snake Eater is about juxtaposing quiet moments with load, boisterous action scenes. How much action you play, versus how much time you spend in nature, is largely up to you. Personally, I love the hunting and gathering aspects of the title, so I tend to approach Snake Eater as an opportunity to commune with an artificial environment in as thorough (and hopefully conflict-free) a way as possible. I can spend inordinate amounts of time just in hunting different kinds of animals, sneaking around and listening to the sounds of the jungle, and goofing off, without getting bored. Others will focus on speed and lethality, working to move forward and take out enemies as efficiently as possible. Still others will focus on exploration and completionism, working to see every event, listen to every line of dialog, finish every task, and so on. Snake Eater is a true sandbox game. It may have a linear story, but there are many, many deviations you can take from that path to make the story your own. I could go on and on about all the things that make Snake Eater an amazing game. Let's get on to the specifics regarding this particular version. I've never liked the way Metal Gear Solid 3 controls, or the way most Metal Gear Solid games control. It's not that they're too limiting; it's that they're overly complicated and cluttered. Snake Eater 3D fixes a few of those issues, but creates new problems. The controls are definitely less cluttered, and the touchscreen menu makes operating your sub-screen a breeze. That said, the new controls will definitely throw off veterans who like the way Metal Gear Solid games traditionally play. The use of the face buttons to aim will be especially off-putting to longtime fans. It may not bother those who are new to the series, as the controls are serviceable. That's one of the many reasons why this port is best suited to those who've never played Metal Gear Solid before. The camera, however, is sure to annoy everyone. The depth of field is very hard to get just right, which is crucial in a game that's all about being aware of everything around you. There is also no simple way to quickly reset the camera back into position behind the player. The best way to do that is to quickly hit the "aim" button, which is pretty disorienting (especially if you prefer first-person aiming). The Circle Pad Pro definitely helps in making the camera, and all of the game's controls, easier to manage, but it shouldn't have been necessary. Konami could have enabled touchscreen aiming, or at the very least allowed us to customize the controls. With or without the Circle Pad Pro, there is never a way to auto-reset the camera. What's really weird is that with the Circle Pad Pro, there is a button for auto-resetting the character -- it makes Snake automatically face north. So Konami knew that we'd want to auto-reset something. They just didn't realize that it's the camera, not the character, that we need more control over. It may sound like a small gripe, but it's a huge oversight that makes playing through Snake Eater 3D a lot more confusing and convoluted than it needs to be. Speaking of playing through the game, I may be doing it wrong, but there seems to be a lot of stuff missing from this version. The secret dream sequence mini-game is missing, as is the monkey-catching mini-game, along with a few other little touches. If anything, Konami should have been adding content to a game that most interested parties likely already own. Snake Eater 3D is also lacking technical polish. The frame rate is low throughout, and some cut-scenes are even more choppy. This didn't bother me too much, but if you feel uneasy spending time with videogames that struggle to stay smooth, prepare to feel awkward. Instead of a smooth frame rate, 3DS players are presented with (what else) stereoscopic 3D effects, which look pretty nice, particularly in first-person mode. It's never quite as enveloping as the 3D in Ocarina of Time or RE: Revelations, but it still does a good job of making an unnatural polygon-based world feel more real. The game also appears to have slightly improved character models and animations. Snake's smirking and scowling seems just a touch more expressive, and the many colors of the jungle seem slightly more vibrant. It's strange that Konami went the extra mile with these visual flourishes, while permitting the frame rate to suffer so badly. It really does feel like there was a time that Snake Eater 3D was intended to be a visual powerhouse, but was instead rushed out before it could be fully optimized. Other 3DS-specific features include some occasional gyroscope controls that are difficult to acclimate to, and the ability to make your own camouflage by taking photographs of real objects with the 3DS camera. Neither feature stuck out as worthwhile to me, especially the camouflage thing, which, if abused, could completely void the value of collecting in-game camo. Probably the least flashy but most worthwhile addition to the game is the crouch walk from Metal Gear Solid 4. It really helps to keep the game flowing toward the player at a brisk pace. CQC has also been streamlined, making hand-to-hand combat much more breezy. That's what people like about stabbing guys in the neck, right? The "breezy factor"? There are a few other little nods to Nintendo in the game, like Yoshi dolls that are hidden in nearly every stage, and the occasional issue of Nintendo Power lying around in Snake Eater 3D's more upscale locations. These touches are cute, but they don't quite offset the amount of content that didn't make the jump from the PS2 original to this handheld port. It all results in a game with 9.5/10 ideas delivered in a 6/10 package. If you already own the original, or if you aren't keen on playing Snake Eater on a portable, then there is no reason to pick it up again. If you do want the game on the go, you may be better off waiting for the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection on the PS Vita. If you're never going to buy a Vita and you have no other way to get your hands on Metal Gear Solid 3, you should definitely grab Snake Eater 3D. Those who were hoping for a new or improved version of the game will be disappointed. Snake Eater 3D's sometimes-slapdash presentation weighs the title down. It's a far cry from the majesty we saw from Metal Gear Solid: The Naked Sample back at E3 2010. Still, some camera failings and an unreliable frame rate are not enough to completely crush one of the finest games ever made. |
| Preview: What to expect from Risen 2's Treasure Isle DLC Posted: 19 Mar 2012 09:30 AM PDT "Aaaargh!" is an exclamation often associated with pre-order and "day one" bonus downloadable content. You end up with an extra character, skin, or a weapon or two, often followed by Internet outcry when some of that content appears to be on the disc. In the case of Risen 2: Dark Waters, however, pre-ordering nets you the Treasure Isle DLC quest line which is said to feature a whopping five hours of extra content. I had some hands-on time with it the other day to gauge what's on offer, and from what I've seen it looks hard to arrrrgue against it if you're fan of Risen or pirates. Risen 2: Dark Waters - Treasure Isle (PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) Treasure Isle offers the chance to hunt down the lost treasure of Captain Steelbeard, who left clues to its hidden location in his diary. The problem is, Steelbeard's diary is missing some pages, and Risen 2 being an RPG, you'll have to traverse the world to find them first. Rather than simply adding another island to the game for a self-contained quest, Treasure Isle's quest line integrates itself into the main game, for the most part. Clues are found on islands you can visit throughout the game proper, and you'll only need the DLC to find them. Because of Risen 2's open world nature, you can always go back to these locations later on if you want to pursue the quest line and search for clues at another time. The search for each clue involves a sub-quest, complete with dialogue, walking around, and hacking and slashing your way through scurvy dogs (and gorillas). After spending about half an hour with one of these sub-quests while getting the hang of the controls, these quests appeared to be pretty fleshed out and far from a throwaway last-minute addition. If you've played any sidequest in a Western RPG like Fallout 3 or The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim in recent years, you probably know what to expect. Once you finally make your way to the eponymous island of treasure, the diary pages you've found throughout the quest line also offer tips for how to survive the traps that were left behind to keep unworthy landlubbers away. The diary is essentially a treasure map idea in book form, which makes you feel a bit like Dr. Jones figuring out the traps guarding the Holy Grail in The Last Crusade. At one point the effect of dialogue and choice in Risen 2 presented itself at an ancient temple, where the guardian of a shiny object offers you a choice. You can listen and offer to help this guardian in return for the artifact, opening up yet another quest in the process, or you can just ignore him, yank the artifact and make a run for it. Doing the latter unleashes all kinds of undead horrors as you try to escape and find your way back to the light of day, but that's the pirate life for you. Treasure Isle's boast of containing about 5 hours of content is quite a large one, but it's not hard to believe you'll end up spending that amount of time with it. Travelling the world to find all the diary pages looked like it would be of the same quality as the main game, and the amount of exploration, dialogue, and action for all the sub-quests that make up the quest for Steelbeard's treasure should make for a lengthy adventure. It looked like Piranha Bytes wanted to offer their fans a little something extra, and perhaps ended up with a lot more than they planned for, but it felt like the DLC won't detract from the main game while simultaneously offering more things to do and more jungles to explore. As for the main game, I was pleasantly surprised with how good it looked and how far Piranha Bytes has come since showing it at gamescom last year. It felt like a proper pirate adventure set in the wilderness of mostly unexplored islands, with a well-executed atmosphere adding to the joyful sense of exploration. Playing a PC build with an Xbox 360 controller, it was easy enough to get into it without having played the original Risen on either platform, and the UI and inventory management seemed fitting for console play without being overly simplified for the PC crowd. Plus, you can use parrots to distract enemies in encounters, or use a little monkey to scout ahead and enter small spaces. Since some of you were wondering about it in previous Risen 2 posts, I asked Deep Silver why the protagonist wears his eye patch the way he does; the strap going over the nose and under his ear. While it was mostly a decision of art direction to make it like that, in the game itself you'll notice that the protagonist actually has multiple straps that bind the eye patch to his head. You don't want to lose it in combat, after all. So, that's another one of life's mystery's solved! The Treasure Isle DLC will be available to anyone who pre-orders the game, regardless of region and platform. For once, Europe doesn't get the shaft. |
| Why Mass Effect 3 haters need to calm down Posted: 19 Mar 2012 09:00 AM PDT I realize that expecting reasoned discourse from the internet is a tall order, but the reaction to the Mass Effect 3 ending is beyond absurd. It transcends rationality and tips over into the positively juvenile. This is meant to be a counter to many fan complaints. I don’t have a response for all of them, but I definitely have some ammunition of my own. Let’s do this. MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT- YE BE WARNED!
There are -- as pointed out in this article at Gamefront -- dozens of concepts, questions, philosophies and the like that are raised, examined and then considered. A broad variety of topics ranging from free will to racism and gender equality has a role in the tale of Commander Shepard. Many have claimed that the ending of Mass Effect 3 doesn’t address these and gives fans the short shrift, but I think that’s bogus. ME3 answers a lot of questions. It gives closure to damn-near every single event that has taken place over the past few games, and every major theme gets some screen-time. In the last 10 minutes alone we have heroic sacrifice, unity of peoples, hope for a new tomorrow, and the consideration of the imperfection of humankind. And all of this is before the “multi-colored explosions” bit that so many hate on. It is at once a tribute to Shepard, a new beginning for the inhabitants of the Mass Effect universe, and the only true way to break the cycle and start over from scratch. In both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 there are references to the fact that the Reapers are guiding the evolution of organic life by putting the Citadel and mass relay network in place. It ensures that organic life will develop along pre-determined lines and discourages them from finding their own solutions to their own challenges. Legion comments on this in 2; by reflecting on the Reapers’ offer to provide the ‘heretics’ with a Dyson sphere, they neglect the importance of the journey, of discovering for themselves. When the Mass Relays are destroyed; it is a partial ‘reset to zero’ for galactic civilization. They still possess substantive tech, but with the war destroying local infrastructure and the collapse of the relay network isolating each species, they can steadily explore their own futures and mature with their technology instead of being rocketed ahead by the very bunch of sapient starships that came to kill them. I can’t think of any more substantive closure than that. Shepard, in every ending but one, dies so that everyone who survives the war can see a new tomorrow. "The ending is far too bleak!" Throughout the series the Reapers are built up as an obscenely powerful force that can and do easily wipe out all intelligent life. At the end of Mass Effect 2, when the camera panned out to show thousands of Reapers ready to come and retaliate against Commander Shepard, I thought that Mass Effect 3 was going to be awful. I couldn’t see how, given the degree to which this great force had been established that anything other than the game could be believable, maintain appropriate pacing, and avoid a deus ex machina in the ending. I was wrong. My fears were addressed, and in the best way I could have hoped. Instead of giving you “mindless crap”, everything is tied into building up the Galaxy for the final confrontation. All of your choices help civilians directly and unite the galaxy against the Reaper threat. Even so, you are treated to poignant morsels from your crew, both past and present, as well as countless people you have met along the way. Every choice you’ve ever made is shown to have significance, has some impact. I interpreted that, especially after finishing the game, as a metaphor for Shepard’s life flashing before their eyes. Nearly every question is answered, we see almost everyone’s homeworld, and we move towards clearing up any “unfinished business” as it were. BioWare shows you what all of your actions meant, all of the people you’ve helped or hurt. The whole thing is the “closure” fans have been asking for as we are shown the consequences of our actions. This is all in the face of that overwhelming power, the Reapers. As all of these choices are made manifest, the inevitable truth is made abundantly clear: success against the Reapers will not be without cost. The sheer chaos, the undisputable power of the enemy Shepard faces demands the utmost respect, and ultimately the highest price -- Shepard’s life. The poetic nature of that sacrifice shouldn’t be subsumed in all of this. Shepard has the most direct connection to the Reapers. As the game progresses we can see that Shepard's psyche is steadily being dominated by them. Shepard was given life after natural death to keep fighting, and when that fight is over, gives that life to stop them. It’s elegant and poignant to see that struggle end with the existential cessation of Shepard's only foe. "All you get to pick are different-colored explosions!" I contest the claim that there is no player choice and that the ending doesn’t reflect decisions from any games; especially when those complaints come from “fans.” I am operating under the assumption that these people liked the endings of the previous games, given that they are, you know, fans. In Mass Effect, regardless of any choices made before, you can choose to save the council, kill the council or pragmatically withhold Alliance forces to take down Sovereign. Nothing else you’ve done in the entire rest of the game matters, and regardless of what you choose Sovereign dies. It’s the same cut scene too, with the Normandy delivering the final blow. In Mass Effect 2, you have only two options. Destroy the Collector Base or preserve it, but either way it is the EXACT same cutscene that plays at the end. Weird. In Mass Effect 3, your choices affect whether or not everyone on Earth dies, how the Reapers are handled, and whether or not Shepard dies. There are parallels drawn to the indoctrination of Saren with the Illusive Man and you can see the steady corruption of good intentions and sympathetic ideals. It’s a cautionary tale against blindly charging forward with an idea without careful consideration of all options on the table, and all sides of the debate; a fun little comparison I like to make to the lion’s share of ME3 ending detractors. "The scene with the Stargazer invalidates the whole series!" Mass Effect constantly references our earliest space exploration efforts (Commander Shepard being an allusion to Alan Shepard). The 'bedtime story' is meant to give the child, and the audience, hope for the future of space exploration. It's fitting then that, after having established the notion of a new age for the Milky Way's residents, that we are treated to scene about the hope that Shepard inspired. I took it as a not-so-subtle nod to the generations of kids that were influenced by the early space programs, and a desire to that optimism imparted on a new crop of starry-eyed youngsters. Then I went back and checked something. It turns out that the Stargazer is actually Buzz Aldrin, the second person to ever walk on the moon. That scene took on a new significance for me, as it paralleled a lull in our own exploration after the conclusion of the Space Race. Now entering an era of privately funded ventures, we are on the cusp of another period of advances in extraterrestrial excursions. Aldrin, a consistent proponent of space travel is beckoning the child, and by extension us to look to the stars and hope, for the first time in decades. The real tragedy... Still, I think people should really be getting pissed about the fact that they changed Mordin's voice actor. It's bullshit. |
| Luc Bernard talks Mass Effect gayness Vs. John Carter Posted: 19 Mar 2012 08:30 AM PDT
[Destructoid's Director of Communications Hamza Aziz asked Jonathan Holmes to make a show called 'Sup Holmes?' so that Destructoid could later sell a t-shirt that says 'Sup Holmes?' on it. Pick up past episodes in podcast form, subscribe to the podcast feed, and find more episodes here.] Last week's Sup Holmes? (starts at 7:09) was a winner. We got Destructoid's old friend/arch enemy Luc Bernard on the show, and many golden eggs were laid. This is one of those eggs. We've got the latest episode featuring Phil Tibitoski (Octodad) (show starts at 1:26:28) coming soon to podcast form and Youtubes, with improved resolution and 95% more beatboxing. Watch for it my brothers and sisters! It will change your life... for the better! |
| Jimquisition: The positive side of ME3's ending drama Posted: 19 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PDT
So, fans are up in arms over Mass Effect 3's controversial ending, and there is much misery to be found on the Internet this day. Do not despair though, friends, for your humble Jim Sterling has found the positive side of this entire debacle. The drama surrounding Mass Effect 3 ultimately means good things for videogames. Really? Yes, really! The happiest man on the Internet explains exactly why. He also doesn't spoil ANYTHING in Mass Effect while he does it ... although he does talk about the end boss of Arkham Asylum, as if that should matter to anybody. |
| Bloggers Wanted: Disappointment Posted: 19 Mar 2012 07:30 AM PDT [When we're looking for blogs on a specific topic, we'll put out a Bloggers Wanted call. Check out the blog prompt, write your own response in the Community Blogs and tag it with the "Bloggers Wanted Essay Response" tag, and you may see your blog promoted to the front page. -- JRo] It's been pretty hard to avoid -- a lot of people are really unhappy with the ending of Mass Effect 3. I want to hear more about what other games have left you disappointed -- either because a series ended in a way you weren't happy with, or perhaps because a game you had hyped up in your mind didn't deliver what you were expecting. Tell us about the game, why you were disappointed, and how you think the developer could have prevented your unhappiness. Enough people have been talking about Mass Effect 3 that it's off limits for this topic -- pick something else. Everything else is fair game. To participate, just write a C Blog, title it "Disappointment: [Your Blog's Title]", and select the Bloggers Wanted Essay Response tag. Throughout the next two weeks, keep an eye on the blogs and get some discussions going with your fellow Dtoiders! |
| Baldur's Gate 3 is part of a 'larger plan' and may happen Posted: 19 Mar 2012 06:30 AM PDT If you were hoping for a new entry into the Baldur's Gate series and were disappointed when the countdown reached zero, there may be hope for you yet. Cameron Tofer of the development studio Overhaul Games recently had a chat with GameSpy and revealed that Baldur's Gate 3 is their long-term goal. Once this "Enhanced Edition" is completed, Mr. Tofer says he'll likely turn to Kickstarter to fund the next entry in this classic RPG series. Kickstarter is pretty clearly changing the future of videogames. HOW GREAT IS THIS?! For all my fellow RPG fans out there, let us grin together with excitement. I was completely fine with a remake+ of the original games since a lot of what prevents people from jumping in to these games is the technology. But a completely new third game afterwards? How perfect! Rope in old and new fans with the Enhanced Edition, and then continue that story for everyone to enjoy together. While the Enhanced Edition is currently geared towards a download-only distribution, I really hope the potential Baldur's Gate 3 gets a physical "Miniature Giant Space Hamster Collector's Edition" with an appropriate-sized manual. I mean, does anyone else remember the Shadows of Amn manual? That thing was about a gazillion pages and was spiral-bound. Spiral-bound! Baldur's Gate 3 is Beamdog's "Long-Term Goal," Kickstarter Funding Likely [GameSpy via Shacknews] |
| Dishonored is looking diabolically delicious Posted: 19 Mar 2012 06:00 AM PDT Bethesda today unleashed some new screenshots for Arkane Studios' unique steampunk shooter, Dishonored. Decadence and devilry rule the roost in this selection of very nice looking images. There's some concept art as well, if you're itching for more content. Check it all out in the gallery. Sadly, there are no Stilt Police in these screens, but I hold out hope that we'll be seeing much more of them in future. This game is starting to look seriously hot and the new screens have totally captured my imagination. What about you lot? Looking sharp? |
| Humble Bundle for Android #2 includes Canabalt and more Posted: 19 Mar 2012 05:30 AM PDT This new Humble Bundle contains extra love for Linux and Android by bringing notable indie games to those platforms for the first time. Of course, Mac and Windows users can join in the fun as well. Here's the line-up for this pay-what-you-want collection:
You'll need to pay at least $1 to get Steam keys, though surely you can kick in more than that if for no other reason than to get Swords & Soldiers. |
| Fans compile logical breakdown of Mass Effect 3 ending Posted: 19 Mar 2012 05:00 AM PDT Sick of hearing about Mass Effect 3's ending yet? If you're still furious over what went down, then you might find your opinion satisfactorily reaffirmed by this -- a logical breakdown of why Mass Effect 3's ending makes no sense. This weighty tome, which is still being edited, compiles all the arguments against BioWare's narrative decisions. It's only concerned with the writing of the ending, not with the impact of player choices or the accusations that fans were lied to. It seeks to demonstrate why the plot simply does not work. There's a heck of a lot to it, and should provide some intense reading for those still highly invested in the drama. Whether you dug the ending or not, it's amazing how much work, debate, and emotion it's inspired. I mean that quite sincerely. Videogames, indeed. Videogames. [Thanks, Ciel!] |
| PlayStation Move bundle with two games now on sale Posted: 19 Mar 2012 04:30 AM PDT The PlayStation Move bundle with a PS Eye, motion controller, Sports Champions, and Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest normally goes for $99, but it's been temporarily reduced to $79. I never did get around to trying out the latter game, but Sports Champions serves as decent introductory software to the Move and it makes sense that it would be included in a bundle like this. One of the simplest pleasures in life comes from going over to a friend's home, finding their PlayStation Move controller, and squeezing the device's white ball while they aren't looking. I promise I'm not a psychopath. Usually. |
| Heroes of Ruin trailer details story and environment Posted: 19 Mar 2012 04:00 AM PDT
Remember Heroes of Ruin, the 3DS hack n' slash RPG from Square Enix? If not, allow this trailer to refresh your memory. It's all about the gamer's story and environments, and there's plenty of footage to wet your whistle. While I'm not blown away, I'm at least hopeful enough that this'll be a fun little romp. Definitely interested in checking it out when it launches, which should be sometime in the near future. Also, it has shark people. That's a win. |
| Kingdom Hearts 3D to have 'longest ending in series' Posted: 19 Mar 2012 03:00 AM PDT Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura provided Famitsu some new information recently regarding the upcoming 3DS iteration. Among a few other tidbits, Nomura is confident that Kingdom Hearts 3D will boast the longest finale cutscene of the entire series, and that during the course of said scene, the true form of series villains Ansem and Xemnas will be revealed. Of course, he didn't elaborate on the fact that this realization will most likely pose more questions. As long as it doesn't go something like the following, I'm good -- "Now you know my true form! Now you will see me as a truly am! I...am...KINGDOM HEARTS!" “Many Truths” Will Be Revealed At The End Of Kingdom Hearts 3D [Siliconera] |
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