I may or may not have just received a game that I may or may not have ordered a few days ago. It may or may not have been recommended to me by a few people and it may or may not be a collection of three numbers that may be greater than 8. I may or may not be starting it among many other new games I’ve collected from the bargain bins known as eBay and my local game store as soon as I finish my current project.
Bow in awe of the master of the art of subtle hints!
Words on a computer screen fail to convey the emotions this news brings to me. An English trailer has finally been released for Ace Attorney 5, or as it will be known here in North America, Dual Destinies. It looks like a LOT has changed. The new graphics, court system, sound, and apparently some of the voice acting is going to be a pretty big overhaul. I think that if they maintain their style of gameplay and story we will no doubt have another fantastic game on our hands. Whatever comes from this, you can 100% count on me buying this bad-boy as soon as it hits shelves and bringing all of my thoughts here!
Seeing more and more on Ace Attorney 5. It is really frustrating to only get Japanese trailers, because Im sure they are presenting a lot of information, but I cannot interpret any of it. I haven’t even seen an official statement on an American release. All I know so far is that Apollo will have an influence in the story. As a fanboy I of course want to see something of Maya, Iris, Trucy, and maybe Godot, but I don’t want to hear too much though. The joy of these games is slowly discovering everything for yourself. And I have got to say, I do not know how this graphical update into a 3D courtroom will work out, but I think we can get used to it. Well, as long as there is some form of English release, I will be all over it!
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is one of the best gaming investments you can ever make.
It is difficult to review a game like this, and especially difficult to find a place to start. After all, this is more of an experience than a game, though I know how cliché that sounds. I theorize that this is a result of it being the climax of a series I am deeply engrossed by, similarly to finishing a series of books or when I first wrote about Trials and Tribulations. Also, I fully expect to find the same issues when looking back at this as I did then: my head is swimming in the enormity of what I just experienced, and I cannot remember all of my good points and minute memories. But this time, I am sitting here dedicated to getting it all out there. I cannot promise you that I won’t spoil the small story points, but I will do what I can to avoid ruining anything for those who haven’t played yet.
Metal Gear Solid 4 picks up five years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 2. Keep in mind that MGS 3, Portable Ops, and Peace Walker all take place before Metal Gear Solid and pertain to the story of Big Boss and not Solid Snake. We discover that in the years after the Big Shell incident Snake has been aging at an extremely rapid rate due to being a clone. While he was trying to live a normal life, he gets called into duty one last time when Liquid, who opposed him in the first two games, resurfaces. He is sent into the Middle East (an anonymous country however) with new gear to confront him. Along the way we learn that much has changed since the Big Shell: innumerable proxy wars are being fought by private military corporations all around the world, and the mercenaries within are using nanomachines that are a part of the System that allows everything about them to be controlled and monitored. When Snake finally reaches Liquid, he discovers that he has entirely taken over the body of Ocelot, when in the MGS2 the simply shared the body unwillingly, and he discovers that Liquid’s plan is to gain control of the System, and thus the world’s military power.
From a gameplay standpoint the game behaves much more like Peace Walker than any of the Metal Gear Solid games before it. I think this can easily be attributed to the era we live in where every shooter needs to be similar or else the “hardcore gamer” might throw a tantrum. It’s stealth feels very similar, and its control scheme is difficult to tell apart. Though I have to say that I am very happy to see the return of the prone crawl, as I had become fond of it in my time with MGS3. I am also happy to report the return of the boss fights that the series is known for. I had grown painfully tired of shooting at vehicles in Peace Walker, so the bosses in 4 please me greatly. I have to say that not all of these bosses stuck out to me like the fights in the past. The first two are just long and drawn out without much difficulty, and the fourth is almost a complete knock-off of the Psycho Mantis fight from the first game. The third however was more enjoyable. It felt like a more concise rendition of the fight with The End in MGS3 due to its smaller environment, though it was less challenging by a landslide and had other weaklings running around. I have to raise a complaint in one area in regards to the gameplay however. Not once, but twice did it commit the same sin that the series loves to pull: throwing you into a new mechanic in difficult settings. The final sequence of MGS, the swordplay in MGS 2, and the vehicle section in Peace Walker. The first time MGS4 pulls this I made it out okay because the controls are relatively simple and the sequence isn’t actually all that difficult. The second time however was much harder because you have absolutely no idea what you are capable of in the mechanic because the game does nothing to instruct you.
Every Metal Gear Solid game I have played has made me feel very immersed in its gameplay, but has had a nasty habit of violently pulling me out of it by reminding me that I’m playing a video game. This game is no different, and really has me focused and involved in the missions until it goes and ruins it. Blatantly having the characters give controller commands out loud is just goofy, and in one part Otacon actually tells me to change the disk, and then remembers that I’m using a PS3 and that I don’t need to. That isn’t funny; it is a bad choice. Speaking of bad choices, early in the game one of the supporting characters actually poops their pants. No joke, you can even see the stain afterwards. I thought that the running gag of people peeing themselves was annoying, but this! And to make it even more absurd, the game tries to make this character seem impressive by the end of the game. I don’t care how many far-fetched explanations you give me game, nothing will let me see past something so stupid. Similarly, the game brings back Raiden, the protagonist of MGS2, and seems to be doing everything possible to convince me he isn’t the wussy he was back then. However, I have to admit that it did work. He is really cool in this game. But then again you could put the Duck Hunt Dog in the cut scenes Raiden is in and I would like even him.
In the end, in Metal Gear Solid the story is why we’re here. This game is do story heavy that I am convinced that the cutscene time outweighs the gameplay time. I am a story hound to the core, but this game is a bit ridiculous. The series is no stranger to long cutscenes, but they are much more plentiful in this edition. But I must admit that I still enjoyed it. The story is phenomenal, and does an extraordinary job of bringing me in. I care for the plight of Snake, and am drive to see him succeed. The story feels at times that it has too many facets, and is trying to weave too many different parts of the characters’ lives into it at once. In the end it works out alright, but I think it could have afforded to shed some of its girth. By far the greatest part of this game is the atmosphere it creates for Snake. What I mean by that is this: every video game pits its protagonist against great odds. They need to do this or else we don’t feel like we are accomplishing anything greater than what we could do in reality. In Metal Gear Solid 4 this is taken to a much higher level. The game is based around Snakes degrading condition, and as you get farther in the game he gets weaker and weaker. And yet he is facing entire armies or vicious enhanced soldiers, enormous AI tanks, and foes equipped much more thoroughly than he. You feel absolutely helpless, and let continue to keep on muscling through. I love the aged veteran trope in protagonists, so having a wrinkled, scared, and weary old man fight armies and disassemble enemy forces unseen under such circumstances is one of the greatest things I have seen in gaming.
Nothing explains this feeling more than the final sequence in the 5th and final act. I cannot go into detail for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but I can assure you that it was among the most jarring experiences in video gaming. Actually the entire 5th act had me at the edge of my seat, wondering how, if at all, the characters would get through. The final boss was a sort of monument to the series as a whole, and the epilogue really creates a feeling of conclusion. Not every loose end I have seen gets tied into a neat bow like Trials and Tribulations seems to have managed, but with the reveal of two more games we can expect Kojima to do a good job of solving that.
This game is another fine example of why I love stories in games. I feel something for each character, I want to resolve their conflicts, and I want to put an end to the overarching evil in front of me. And in the end, it is still one of the greatest tragedies I have seen in gaming. One line, issued my Otacon near the end had me nodding not only out of agreement, but out of real respect: “Snake has lived a hard life.” It moved me. Despite its flaws, Metal Gear Solid 4 has lived up to its reputation as a work of art in the world of gaming. By no means is it a game for everyone. It is here for people who want to feel the great accomplishments of a remarkable individual. For someone who wants to be a part of a story much larger than themselves. This is a game for me.
(*Clears throat*)
My friends, I have been playing League of Legends ever since Renekton came out. I believe that was October 2010. I love this game, and have been excited many times. But never, never, have I been as excited as I am now. That is, of course, because of THE SEJUANI REWORK!!! My prayers have been answered! My favorite champion (though that makes little sense as I am a dedicated Mid player) is finally getting the fix she deserves. Now I don’t sound pretentious when I say I like her. I am uber excited, and cannot wait for them out patch in my new boar-rider.
Are people honestly up in arms over the racism seen in Bioshock Infinite? I am not about to pretend I am some scholar who spits on those below me who “don’t share my level of intellect,” but I am going to be real here. Any piece of media, such as visual art, literature, cinema, and video games that takes place in a certain time period or location has ever right to truthfully depict the circumstances. Just as you would expect to see racism towards the Jewish population in Germany in the late 1930’s and through the 1940’s, or can expect to see women from one of the more traditional Middle Eastern countries to cover her face, you can be sure that anything set in the early 1900’s in the United States is going to involve segregation. Bioshock Infinite is set in 1912, and will thus show some if not a lot of segregation. Of course the game is going to make it obvious, because it wants to make sure you understand the setting. In fact, the game aims you towards combating the racist ideas. Keep in mind that segregation is not the only issue from the period that is shown. Corruption among leaders, class conflict, and the effects of war are all seen in the game and were would be prevalent in DeWitt’s time period. Even the two previous Bioshock games had points that subtly showed the inequality between races and genders.
If you want to take this further, you can look at almost any game that is set in the past and in a recognizable location. In fact, many games that people have no problem with are historically inaccurate. Many war games have interracial groups of forces, which is impossible until 1948. I just want people to try and expand their understanding of things before they explode in anger on the internet. Yes, Infinite has a theme of racism. However, it is not only historically accurate, but is also intended to make the player realize the horrors of such a thing in order to steer them against it. You can see this sort of thing throughout the entire history of literature and cinema, so please don’t be upset when it makes its way into video games.
Sorry folks, I’m not clever enough to do anything for April Fools Day. Cut me some clack, I’m on vacation. Hoping you all had a nice Easter.
This is the first time in a review that I have to recognize the freshness of a game. Bioshock Infinite only just hit store shelves, and it would be very easy to accidentally ruin it for someone. So for the sake of you, my friends, I will be taking a different approach to this review. Of course this means you can expect this to be spoiler free!
Now, if you have been keeping up with me for a while I know what you must be thinking: “Rainboom, mere months ago you ranted about not putting 60$ down on a new game. What’s up with you buying a brand spanking new game like this one, huh?” And I still believe that. But there is a difference between that and how I got Infinite. Please consider the amount of time this game has taken to be released. After loving the first Bioshock (and subsequently its so-called sequel that should very well have just been DLC) so much, I put my first five dollars down on a pre order for this edition as soon as possible. And after the YEARS it has been pushed back, I had slowly but surely paid it off. It is an interesting form of long term investment, and let me tell you: it paid off in full.
As I stated earlier, I will be entirely avoiding story related matters for the sake of not spoiling anything. It is something of a shame, because story in video games always ends up to be my favorite part to discuss. However, I can assure you that it is absolutely phenomenal. It is interesting, hard hitting, and one hundred percent Bioshock. I know that this is no new news, seeing as every reviewer and their mom has been going crazy over it. As someone who is an absolute story hound in the video game department, I have to say that even for my standards it is mind blowing.
Onto the gameplay. It is extremely reminiscent to the first two games, in that you use conventional weapons in your right hand, and super natural powers called Vigors in your left. It is still fun to blast away at enemies with interesting combos of powers and guns, but after a while I found myself using only one or two for any substantial amount of time. There was one that I don’t think I even used once. I think this is more based off of my playstyle, because I could recognize how much the powers added to the gameplay.
The guns are all essentially balanced, but none of them really stuck out to me. I found myself using the same two for most of the game. I attribute this to the removal of Bioshock’s inventory that housed every weapon in the game in exchange for the typical two weapon load out. I didn’t want to switch from my reliable revolver and shotgun because I was afraid to be without them in a pinch, were as in the older game I knew I could always pop out the trusty shotgun when things got heavy. This is something of a nitpick, but it bothered me. I also vastly prefer the old upgrade system to the new. In the past, each upgrade felt important, and I loved the aesthetic changes to each gun. This time I couldn’t notice any visual differences, and barely noticed the changes in use. Though I do prefer the improved Vigor upgrade mechanic. But I don’t like that I pay for all these things in Infinite with cash, as opposed to the ADAM or one use stations in the previous games. But once again, this is just nitpicking at a near flawless game.
Also, I am treading as lightly as possible here, but I have to make something very clear. You companion in this game, Elizabeth, is by far the greatest AI companion ever designed. She does exactly what one should do: help you do your job without doing it for you. I won’t go into detail for the sake of you finding out for yourself how great she is, but it is definitely worth noting.
Over all, I can absolutely recommend this game to a fellow Bioshock fan or lover of good narrative. 60 dollars is still a steep price for a game that is strictly a one player linear story. I wish I could get more in depth, but I want to keep the experience fresh for any who have yet to play. All I can say is that I love it, and that it blew me away.
