New Games |
- Hakuoki: Warriors of the Shinsengumi comes to PSP
- Divinity II: Developer's Cut out now on Steam
- LEGO The Lord of the Rings for handhelds now available
- Launch trailer sets the mood for Halo 4's Spartan Ops
- More modes for New Super Mario Bros. U detailed
- Live show: Hanging out with Jessica Nigri
- Review: Ragnarok Odyssey
- Nintendo's Wii U Deluxe digital promo is poorly designed
- Disney to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion
- Getting It Right: Sanitarium
- Dead Island: Riptide coming April 23 in North America
- Dynasty Warriors 8 announced, suck my hair!
- Review: Need for Speed Most Wanted (iOS/Android)
- Grand Theft Auto V to release Spring 2013
- Gameloft announces 12 titles for Windows Phone 8
- Warm up with some Tropico 4 Gold Edition screens
| Hakuoki: Warriors of the Shinsengumi comes to PSP Posted: 30 Oct 2012 03:30 PM PDT Aksys Games has announced that Hakuoki: Warriors of the Shinsengumi is coming to the PSP in North America. In this 19th century Kyoto-era hack-and-slash you'll be able to play two major storylines. One as the main characters from the Hakuoki series in an alternate universe storyline, or relive the events of Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom. A Fury mode kicks in when a character's life is drained, giving them extra power to kill. The downside is that too many Fury attacks can unlock a bad ending. No solid date was given, but we're guessing 2013. The PSP lives on! |
| Divinity II: Developer's Cut out now on Steam Posted: 30 Oct 2012 01:30 PM PDT Divinity II: Developer's Cut has already been available on GOG.com, but if you'd prefer going with Steam instead, that is now an option. As shown in the video above, the new developer's mode allows for some ridiculous scenarios and captures one of the best parts about PC gaming: having the freedom to make things go awry. The original game was far off my radar until I started getting interested in Dragon Commander, but I never did get around to playing it. This new edition might warrant a download, by the looks of the video and the budget-oriented $19.99 price point. Owners of Divinity II: Ego Draconis or Divinity II: Dragon Knight Saga on Steam can nab it for free. |
| LEGO The Lord of the Rings for handhelds now available Posted: 30 Oct 2012 12:30 PM PDT LEGO The Lord of the Rings released today for DS, 3DS, and PlayStation Vita (pictured above). While TT Games has done well for itself on handheld systems, the studio's LEGO titles have always seemed best played on consoles to me. The PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, and PC versions of the game are scheduled to arrive on November 13, 2012 should you happen to agree. Despite being very tempted by a few of the countless other LEGO games to come before this release and not being a LOTR superfan, something tells me this might just be the one. The scale of it all in particular seems promising. Are any of you in a similar position? |
| Launch trailer sets the mood for Halo 4's Spartan Ops Posted: 30 Oct 2012 11:30 AM PDT After finishing the campaign in Halo 4, the story will continue episodically with free weekly installments of Spartan Ops. Previously, we've been shown more of the missions themselves than the cohesive story they will tell, which is addressed in this latest trailer. Even if that narrative falls a little flat, this should still be reason enough to stick with Halo 4 long after launch week, to say nothing of War Games. Having seen some of the higher-end cosmetic items, it's going to take some time before I have my ideal set of armor built and Spartan Ops could prove to be quite helpful in that regard. |
| More modes for New Super Mario Bros. U detailed Posted: 30 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT Nintendo has detailed all the other modes you can expect in New Super Mario Bros. U. Challenge Mode will feature Time Attack, Coin Collection, 1-Up Rally, and Special. One example of a challenge is clearing a level without touching a coin. It's like they saw that one YouTube video and were like "HEY LET'S MAKE THAT A FEATURE!" You'll also be able to save replays in this mode, but you probably won't be able to upload your videos because that's just asking too much from whatever Nintendo's online service turns out to be. Additionally, there's Coin Battle mode where players have to collect the most coins. The person on the GamePad can actually design the coin layout in this mode, which is kind of neat. Lastly there's Nabbit, where players have to catch a character named Nabbit in levels. If you've caught him then you'll be given a special P-Acorn which lets you fly continuously through stages. The last bit of new info is that the World Map will be like Super Mario World's. The world is seamless, and you can go through the game in a nonlinear fashion. So you'll recycle the Super Mario World's overworld but it's too much to bring back the feather cape? Nope. I'm not bitter AT ALL. |
| Live show: Hanging out with Jessica Nigri Posted: 30 Oct 2012 10:30 AM PDT [Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Dtoid.TV. 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.] Join us tonight on Mash Tactics while we sit down with one of the lovely ladies of LT3, and one of the most popular cosplayers on the planet, Jessica Nigri. We'll be getting to know her a bit better as she shows off some of her latest creations, just in time for Halloween. As well, if time allows, we'll be jamming on some Borderlands 2 together for a bit of the evening. Don't miss your chance to hang out with us, ask a couple of questions, and possibly hop in for a game or two, only at Dtoid.TV! QotD: What character could you see yourself cosplaying as? |
| Posted: 30 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT The biggest problem with the PlayStation Vita is that many titles don't quite "get" it. Either they go in deep with all manner of touchscreen hybridization at the cost of player comfort, or they concentrate so hard on providing a full console experience they forget people don't always have over an hour to spare when playing on the road. Ragnarok Odyssey is such a success because it gets the PlayStation Vita. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's damn near perfect as an example of exactly how Vita games should be. This, right here, is a masterclass in handheld software design.
Ragnarok Odyssey (PlayStation Vita) Ragnarok Odyssey is a spin-off of the popular Ragnarok Online MMO, a brand I must confess a lack of familiarity with. Prior experience doesn't really matter, however, as the game is light on lore, heavy on action, and is likely going to resonate more with players of Capcom's Monster Hunter installments. While there is a light story, told mostly through optional NPC dialog, Odyssey has its sights trained primarily on tossing players straight into the action. The adventure begins with a surprisingly deep character customization mode. While heroes are built using presets, there are a ton of options, including 18 faces, 19 hairstyles and even 16 voices per gender. Hair can be tweaked using a full spectrum of colors, while each outfit (initially bound by class but later entirely swappable) has four dye schemes to choose. Progression through the game's multiple missions and chapters are fairly linear and straightforward. You pick a mission from the guild hall mission counter, head out to perform the task (usually killing certain monsters or collecting a number of items), then return with the spoils to pick another. That's more or less it. Missions are timed up to thirty minutes, though most of them can be completed well within that restriction, and so progress feels more like a lengthy procession of snack-sized challenges rather than a full, unified experience.
Players can choose one of six classes, each with its own set of skills and weaknesses. The Sword Warrior is a balanced class focused on both attack and defense, while the Assassin makes up for its physical weakness with speed. More specialized classes include the Cleric, a defensive tank that can self-heal, and the Hammersmith, a sluggish fighter that specializes in all-out attack. There is also the Mage for area-of-effect spells and the Hunter for long-range damage. You can change your class at any time between missions, which is a good thing, because it can take a lot of experimentation to find the job that finally "clicks" with your playstyle. Like Monster Hunter, players regularly head out into a territory made of multiple smaller maps and littered with monsters that drop valuable crafting material. Each class has a range of attacks and combo moves to pull off, though they control more or less the same. Regular melee attacks are performed by pressing the triangle button, while advanced skills are utilized by pressing circle at various stages of the melee sequence. Most classes can also guard with triangle and RB, as well as dash with the square button -- crucial for closing distances and avoiding enemy strikes. Combat is a satisfying barrel of brawler-style button mashing, and Odyssey isn't afraid to ramp up the challenge when it sees fit, assaulting the player with multiple aggressive foes or huge boss creatures that can take quite a pounding before falling. The difficulty spikes can be quite a shock to the system, especially as missions go from too easy to surprisingly ravaging at the drop of a hat. It's usually not too much of a problem, save for the fact that Odyssey often relies on the old cheap method of providing enemies unbreakable combos that are capable of stopping your own attacks far too easily. Most opposition can be skillfully overcome with smart use of dashing and guarding -- but be warned that often it feels impossible not to take damage, and some of the grouped opposition feels straight-up bullying as foes take turns to smack you down, render your character dizzy, or toss you halfway across a room. Annoyances aside, battles are pleasantly fast-paced, with a recurring theme of juggling beasts into the air and smacking them back down after some aerial combos. Attacks, dashing, and sprinting are all governed with an AP meter, which requires constant monitoring, but refills quickly, providing just the right balance between challenging users, and keeping them capable.
There's no leveling system, as per traditional role-playing games, and the only stat upgrades provided by gear are an attack bonus on weapons, as well as an inconsequential boost to all stats after clearing each chapter. Instead, characters improve by equipping cards collected at random from defeated monsters. Each player's outfit has space for up to eight cards, and clothing can be expanded to hold more expensive ones (each card has its own equip cost). These cards grant anything from attack and defense bonuses to elemental effects, extra healing properties, and bonuses to class-specific skills. Mixing and matching a winning combination of cards is a key component of the game, and it can take quite a bit of fiddling to find the build that works. In addition to cards, materials gathered in missions are used to refine weapons to enhance their damage output, expand outfits, and purchase aesthetic headgear for simple self-amusement. The headwear is a joy in itself, as players gradually unlock a range of accessories from simple helmets to paper bags, ghost sheets, and devil horns. Odyssey really doesn't take itself seriously -- there's plenty of scope to make a character that looks ridiculous. All told, the lack of leveling is a bold and interesting move, while the cards can often be far more compelling than simply gaining experience to hit the next upgrade. However, one detrimental effect is that it will often feel like there's a glass ceiling in place, preventing you from ever acquiring a rewarding advantage over the enemies. This has come to a head with my Cleric, which simply isn't dealing enough damage to take down a boss within the thirty-minute time limit. With nobody online currently available at my level to come and help, I feel like I'm stuck waiting until I can recruit, lest I retune my playstyle with an all-new class.
Upgrading equipment can also feel like a lot of waiting is required, due in no small part to the fact that some crafting materials may only be farmed by beating certain bosses over and over. The game really isn't good at telling you where items can be found, leading to either a good deal of guesswork or no small amount of Googling. Even worse, some of these drops can even be random, meaning that replaying a boss won't guarantee you'll get what you came for. Eventually, as with cards, you'll feel like you've hit a ceiling, unable to improve until you clear another chapter, and even then, unsure if you actually do need to fight an undiscovered monster or beat one from any number of previous missions. These complaints aside, Ragnarok Odyssey is still a ton of fun. Some may find the mission structure repetitive, but it's perfectly suited to the kind of portable experience that works best. It's designed to waste an hour of one's time on the player's whim, and in that regard it succeeds. What's more, with a ridiculous amount of content on offer (it easily rivals many console RPGs in terms of sheer volume), you'll be hard pressed to find a better standby title for those moments where you need a quick gaming fix without any fluff getting in the way. Players can cooperate locally or online via the tavern, which works exactly like the guild hall except missions are tougher. Up to four players can team up using a fairly robust and customizable matchmaking system. Each match room will have one player as leader, responsible for selecting missions, though missions are restricted by the unlock progress of the partner who's played the least (e.g., if someone on your team hasn't beaten the first chapter, you won't be able to play beyond that). Solo fighters looking for a bigger challenge can also enter the tavern unaided to play through missions on a tougher setting.
The online experience is decent for the most part, though it can occasionally suffer from temporary freezing that locks the action up for a few seconds at a time. When it's not doing that, it's responsive and fast, but it can happen at a rather irritating rate. It's a shame, because playing cooperatively really demonstrates how well the classes work together. There is also a fantastically deep range of communication options, with a full in-game chat system and characters able to pull of a large amount of amusing emotes. The controls are where Ragnarok Odyssey really shines, and it's here where I justify my prior claim that this game "gets" the PlayStation Vita. Almost all of the controls are performed using the physical buttons. Movement, attacks, cameras -- it's all done using the hardware. The only use of the touchscreen comes with potions (drink to heal or provide temporary boosts) and player interactions, all pulled off using virtual icons placed at the edge of the right-hand side of the screen, doing little more than expanding the control options in an intuitive, convenient way. Other games such as Unit 13 have done this too, but Ragnarok Odyssey really limits its input options to ways that make the game more efficient, rather than more showy. It isn't interested in forcing players to swipe across the screen in ways that keep their hands off the real controls. It only cares about exploiting what the Vita can do to make the user's time better. By putting potions and chat options on the touchscreen, it eliminates fiddling with menus and provides easy access to in-game features that are usually a hassle to navigate even through traditional input. I cannot praise this decision enough. Visually, this might be the best-looking Vita title to date. Avoiding the washed-out color scheme that seems to have affected many early titles, the bold and colorful art style is helped along by a range of flashy visual effects and fantastic animations that make for a vibrant and appealing game world. Environments are a little basic and flat, but the cartoon-style atmosphere helps them get away with it. What's more, the loading times are absolutely phenomenal. I don't think I've played a full-size Vita game that has been able to load so fast -- remarkable when one considers just how good it looks. I'm not sure what was done to get those load times so trim, but it's highly appreciated.
Ragnarok Odyssey is brave in its attempt to provide something different in a traditional package. It's cute, its combat is engaging, and its challenge isn't to be sniffed at. It can become frustrating at times, especially when trying to upgrade and improve one's character, and it can certainly grow repetitive. However, I have to say that this is absolutely the best PlayStation Vita game I have played, and I've played most of them. For all its missteps as an action-RPG, it is simply flawless as an example of how to make a Vita experience work. Judicious use of touchscreen controls, beautiful visuals, a smartly broken-up mission structure and eerily swift loading times makes this the gold standard for Sony's portable. If handheld developers don't take any cues from this one, they're absolutely doing it wrong. |
| Nintendo's Wii U Deluxe digital promo is poorly designed Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:45 AM PDT Nintendo really wants us to believe that they're serious about getting into the digital distribution game with the Wii U. Today, they announced the Deluxe Digital Promotion, available to purchasers of the Wii U Deluxe console, which will reward purchases of digital games made through 2014 with eShop credit. Sounds great, right? Let's take a closer look. Here's how it works, according to Nintendo's press release: The consumer purchases content either directly through the eShop or by way of a download code from select retail stores. After the purchase is made, the consumer is given "points" equal to 10% of the list price of their purchase (in dollars and cents; a $59.99 game is worth 599 points). The consumer can then track their accumulated points on a special website for the promotion and exchange these points in increments of 500 for codes which can be redeemed for $5 in eShop credit. Short version: Buy games, get points, trade points for code, trade code for credit. There are twice as many steps here as should be necessary, which is going to work out great for Nintendo. From the marketing perspective, they get to create another feature to distinguish the top tier model of the Wii U from its more basic unit and give the impression that Nintendo is taking the digital distribution bull by the horns with a valuable promotion to entice users to come check out the eShop. But the complexity of the system demonstrates that they aren't doing this with the benefit of the consumer in mind. They're just watching their bottom line. By making the offer convoluted, they're going to cut down significantly on the number of people who take advantage of it. And, on top of that, by inserting this middle tier of mystical promo "points," they will further reduce the amount of money they're paying out by not accepting point exchanges below the 500 point minimum, which could wind up a considerable savings on the macro scale should the promotion be a success in spite of itself. If Nintendo really wanted to offer value to its customers, they would have set up a straight exchange. If you have a Wii U Deluxe and you register it with Nintendo, the right thing to do with a promotion like this is to just flag those accounts and award them the store credit. This, on the other hand, is inconsiderate and a little underhanded. |
| Disney to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT As announced today in a press release, The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion (approximately half paid in cash, and 40 million shares issued). Perhaps more relevant to our interests as gamers, this move will indeed include LucasArts -- in addition to Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound. According to the PR, "the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations." Current Lucasfilm co-chairman Kathleen Kennedy is set to become the president of the company while serving as the brand manager for Star Wars and as executive producer on future films alongside creative consultant George Lucas. Up first will be Star Wars Episode 7 due out in 2015. Yes, this is finally, really happening. In a statement, Lucas said that "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I'm confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come." |
| Posted: 30 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT [Getting It Right is a monthly series in which I take a look at the elements that make up a classic game. What were the key ingredients that set it apart and make it hold up to this day? Read on to find out.] For a medium where a story can take you anywhere, videogames too often take a familiar route to the same place. Where are we going this time? A nondescript desert in the Middle East? A futuristic metropolis that is either 20 percent or 80 percent Blade Runner-inspired? Why is this when plenty of films take viewers to outlandish, fantastical settings that bring to mind nightmares and dreams -- not cliches of modern fiction? Where can we find such inspired worlds in games? There are a few that look inward instead of outward in creating a setting. The list is short: Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, Harvester and -- oh, yeah -- Sanitarium. I may celebrate every one of them for this series in due time, but for now we are taking a look at this little-known eerie PC adventure.
In a nutshell: Sanitarium begins in a mental asylum, yet it’s the most sane place you’ll visit in the game. On a journey to find out who he is and why he is being transported to different dreamworlds, Max takes on different avatars and fulfills various quests. This eccentric, polished adventure game is unlike any other in the genre. From its isometric view to the unsettling character designs, Sanitarium creates a bizarre reality through unconventional means. It’s an oddity, for sure, and one that got it right.
Mystique By Sanitarium’s end, many questions remain unanswered but most are buried within the environments and dialogue, waiting to be discovered on subsequent playthroughs. The story’s slow build-up and reluctance to give answers creates an unsettling atmosphere that sets the tone for the events to come. A lack of clarity in narrative may sour many games, but it's a big part of what makes Sanitarium so great. If waking up in a mental hospital isn’t disorienting enough, waking up in an abandoned town overrun by disfigured children should do the trick. Each chapter of Sanitarium throws the protagonist in a new environment and often in a new persona. While transitioning from a little girl to a four-armed monster seems completely random at first, the underlying symbolism starts to unspool and make sense of things. The storytelling, environments, voice acting, music, and dialogue build up an incredible atmosphere that is thick enough to cut with a knife. Sanitarium’s eccentricities recall the films of David Lynch, while the relentless horrors of the game’s story bring to mind Silent Hill. One thing these both share is a great sense of mystery that makes you feel uneasy but compels you to explore a dark, twisted world for answers.
Disturbing but not scary Sometimes, the horrors that pose no immediate threat are the ones that stay with us the longest. Maybe it’s an issue of over-familiarity but zombies, vampires, and werewolves just don’t provide a good shock anymore. Sanitarium’s disfigured children, lonely freaks, grotesque aliens, and mourning ghosts are far more unnerving to me. Sanitarium never seeks to scare, but its visuals often got under my skin, despite the dated graphics. Deformed humans acting as if there isn't anything wrong with them is unsettling on so many levels. Maggot-like aliens and cyborgs drilling holes into giant human fetuses make for a close second place. Even when the game returns Max to the mental ward, he is surrounded by hostile doctors and insane patients. There is no escape from Sanitarium's bizarre characters and world. While some areas are stranger and lonelier than others, everything in the game has the potential to disturb. It creates a unique, threatening atmosphere that isn't like much else in the medium.
Storytelling that works on multiple levels Sanitarium’s story has its faults, particularly in its final chapter. The hellbent antagonist’s motivation and mannerisms are exaggerated and unconvincingly villainous. It’s a bad fit for a game that provides a surprising amount of maturity in its approach. Take, for example, the first large area: A town overgrown with plant life and abandoned by adults after a comet hit. Now, the town is a lonely place where only mutated children reside. Some are more lost and cruel than others but most of them seem pretty content with the state of things. This whole scenario, like all the ones that are to follow, appears completely random at first glance. But then, the environment and characters begin to tell a different story. Every sub-story of Sanitarium takes place in Max’s mind which gives them all a deeper significance. Abandoned children, a history of abuse, a corrupt preacher, an alien force -- all of these things make sense by the end of the game. Even the ideas that aren’t directly addressed can be analyzed and interpreted in different ways. The mulch-faceted storytelling of Sanitarium is a dark and cerebral kind that gives the player tools to answer questions, instead of putting it all on a silver platter.
Feeling helpless Making a player feel out of control is a tricky thing to accomplish without eliciting the wrong kind of frustration at a game. When done effectively, however, it leads to some powerful moments. I forgot most of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories but I clearly remember the wheelchair sequence and the impact it had on me. Though the feeling of helplessness that Sanitarium evokes is more mental than physical, it achieves a similar feeling. Being locked away and abused by staff made me very uncomfortable throughout Sanitarium's asylum chapters. Not only will no one help out Max, they constantly lie to him -- some even bully him. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and 12 Monkeys didn't make me think, "Man, mental hospitals are awesome!" but they are nothing compared to the ones Max visits.
Large scope For a story that mostly takes place in one man’s mind, Sanitarium manages to take players across a lot of cultures, eras, and places. Name another game that lets you control an Aztec god, little girl, and four-armed alien. You won’t because there isn’t one. Despite being a large, ambitious adventure, Sanitarium feels personal throughout its entirety. Cut scenes consistently link things in the imaginary world with Max’s suppressed memories, making player’s remember that this is Max’s story. Even though you are Max for only a small part of Sanitarium, I never got a sense that he was abandoned as the focus. Exploring Max’s past is always at the forefront of the story, which makes for great narrative motivation. Each of the game’s dreamworld sub-plots are engaging on their own and are made even more engaging by being linked to a larger thread. Parts of the game seem stupidly ambitious -- sometimes to a fault (see: the terrible combat sections) -- but Max’s chapters have a way of grounding the story, making it a personal tale again. If you want to tell a great story, write a book. If you don’t want to write a book, an adventure game may do just fine. Due to the pacing and structure of action in the genre, adventures are most welcoming to deep, innovative storytelling. Players are more willing to take in large amounts of dialogue, developers are more free to explore ideas without violence having to always play a part, and fun puzzles can always tie it all together. Sanitarium is a damn good story. It may end a bit rough and take a while to get going, but I struggle to think of many game narratives of its caliber. It’s funny then to observe that Sanitarium begins with one of gaming’s biggest cliches: an amnesia-inflicted protagonist. Instead of using this as an excuse to have a cast of character ramble off exposition -- I’m looking at you, JRPGs -- Sanitarium creates a riveting narrative web work around the concept.
[Image courtesy of cky1988] |
| Dead Island: Riptide coming April 23 in North America Posted: 30 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT Dead Island: Riptide will be arriving in North America on April 23 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Along with the release date info is news of a special edition that you can get if you pre-order the game from participating retailers. The special edition extras include exclusive weapon mods, a digital strategy map, and a unique character skin. Also here's the boxart! It's pretty cool looking.
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| Dynasty Warriors 8 announced, suck my hair! Posted: 30 Oct 2012 07:30 AM PDT Dynasty Warriors 8, the next installment in the GREATEST SERIES EVER AND IF YOU DISAGREE YOU ARE A RACIST PROBABLY, has today been announced via Jump magazine. If you couldn't tell, I am kind of excited. So far, all we know is that it's been announced for the PlayStation 3 and is due to hit Japan in 2013. Also, Zhao Yun's new character model has been revealed, alongside a totally fresh face -- Yue Jin, from the kingdom of Wei. His introduction to the series has been a long time coming! I know, I know, a lot of people hate this series. I always find something to entice me, though. I refuse to be ashamed! I just hope they've gone back to giving each character its own unique weapon and moveset. Get that back and we are golden. NO SHAME! [Thanks, Ridead!] |
| Review: Need for Speed Most Wanted (iOS/Android) Posted: 30 Oct 2012 07:00 AM PDT Need for Speed Most Wanted is quite an anticipated game for many racing fans, heralding a welcome return to Criterion's open-world style, with tons of stylish cars and modes to boot. Naturally, this is an opportunity for EA to pare down the franchise and package for mobile devices in the form of Need for Speed Most Wanted for Android and iOS. Most Wanted mobile may not be open world (or developed by Criterion), but it delivers a decent bite-sized experience of the core game -- with a number of hiccups along the way.
Need for Speed Most Wanted (Android, iOS [reviewed]) No, the mobile version is not open world -- it's entirely menu-based, old-school racing action. I definitely understand the limitations of the mobile space, but I feel like this of all franchises would have been a great opportunity to seize the open world space on iOS -- even if it was just a snapshot of Fairhaven. To help satiate people looking for more than just regular ol' racin', Most Wanted races return, and function the same way as in the retail release. Every so often, you'll climb up the ranks and have the opportunity to take on an exotic car: beat it, and you'll earn it. This is essentially the game's "story," as you complete races that ultimately all go towards working your way up the "10 Most Wanted list." The bad news is, you still have to buy those awesome-looking cars once you beat them (more on that later). Like many racing games in the mobile space, your car's acceleration is automatic. You do have a lot of control over your vehicle however, as you can brake by holding the left side of the screen, powerslide while holding the right, and activate nitrous boosts by swiping up.
If you're so inclined, you can use gyroscope controls, but thankfully, a virtual touch wheel is an option. Touch controls feel pretty finicky at first, but once you adjust the sensitivity to your liking, it feels pretty spot on. Speaking of controls, overall, Most Wanted mobile feels great for a racing game, and I can't really complain in that department. Visually, it's impressive (even on my iPhone 4), and in my experience, there aren't really any mechanical issues/glitches to report. Firemonkeys Studios even succeeds in porting over what sounds like most of the soundtrack from the core game as well, which goes great with the enhanced visuals, giving off the allure of more than just a mobile title. The Autolog social features (which are done through Origin) are inoffensive, and gently nudge you with things like leaderboards and SP (Speed Points, which are essentially XP) comparisons to give you a little incentive to keep playing. But the presentation isn't the problem: the main issues are with a number of design choices that poke holes in the fun you'd otherwise have with it. For one, the game features the same annoying, kill-crazy cops from the console version. These cops don't have anything to live for: no wives/husbands, no dog, no prospects, and they've hit rock bottom. They'll kill you on sight or die trying. As you can imagine, this makes for a pretty uncomfortable experience; they can just pop up without warning on nearly any race. Then you add in the fact that if you're wrecked once, you lose the entire race, which is no fun for anyone -- especially if you've held a lead for the entire stage and just happen to make one mistake. Also, the intricate upgrade system found in the core game is missing here, making cars feel more like a commodity than a treasured acquisition -- and that's probably the end goal for EA Mobile, as they shuffle you into the microtransaction system.
Sadly, a lot of content is hidden behind a paywall, which forces you to grind through races you may not enjoy just to procure the in-game funds to continue -- of course, not before the game presents the lovely option for in-app purchasing. On top of EA's usual micro-pay tactics, you need Speed Points to even have the opportunity to purchase cars; then you need to spend in-game cash to acquire them. This backwards system is a staunch contrast to Most Wanted on consoles, where you can simply find cars lying around in the world and own them for good. It's unfortunate that on top of a $6.99 base asking price, there would be an effort to paywall people like this, especially when coupled with the fact that the game itself is actually pretty good. If you can fight through the lack of variety and questionable design decisions, Most Wanted mobile is decent little companion to the full retail release. It might not be the best racing game on the mobile market, but if you're hurting for virtual driving on the go, you should think about picking it up. |
| Grand Theft Auto V to release Spring 2013 Posted: 30 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT Rockstar has made clear their intentions to marry your daughter release Grand Theft Auto V in spring of 2013. Awesome. I'm sure we'll all be well and caught up on everything else coming out in the first quarter. I mean, it isn't as though there are half a dozen other major titles releasing in that window. In a post on their blog, the developer has stated that the game will be available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and pre-orders will open at retailers on November 5th. No mention of a PC release, though there's a history of console versions dropping first in this series, so that isn't terribly surprising. On a side note, one new promotional image was also revealed, with a blonde on a beach in a bikini with a smartphone in front of what looks like Rockstar's fictional version of the Santa Monica Pier. I hope they recreate that in the game. One of my favorite spots in southern California. |
| Gameloft announces 12 titles for Windows Phone 8 Posted: 30 Oct 2012 05:30 AM PDT Gameloft comes out swinging with 12 titles for Windows Phone 8. Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is one of the headlining games of the bunch. The franchise has sold over 6.3 million copies so far. Here's the full lineup:
All of the announced titles are set to take advantage of the Xbox services that the OS provides, including the ability to connect to follow Leaderboards and Achievements. Some in the lineup will support Play-Pause-Resume through Xbox's Cloud Storage, letting you pause on one device and resume on another. Gameloft says that all of the 12 titles will run on all Windows 8 Phones, including sets from Nokia, Samsung and HTC. |
| Warm up with some Tropico 4 Gold Edition screens Posted: 30 Oct 2012 05:00 AM PDT It's cold as hell in my office. I'm under a blanket, and I have my feet tucked under my dog. I'm chilled straight through and my nose is running. But things look quite the opposite in these new Tropico 4 Gold Edition screenshots. The upcoming city maker for Xbox 360 and PC shows an island paradise with tropical trees, sun-drenched mountains, and dancing girls. I feel warmer just thinking about it. But then I think about the game's Cold War setting. Cold. Cold. And I'm cold again. Tropico 4 Gold Edition is the standard game and the Modern Times expansion, all in one handy pack. It will be available in stores on November 13. |
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