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Gameplay videos with commentary on old and upcoming games and demos will appear on my Channel several times a week.
Starting off on the Channel is the classic Gameboy Advance game: Megaman Battle Network 4 Blue Moon, Infamous 2 for the PS3 and FIFA 12!
http://www.youtube.com/reviewthe1
The game of 2011...
Skyrim
The open-world video game has just gone one big step forward as Bethesda Game Studios released Skyrim in late 2011 to immediate applause and anticipation of the many fans of the Elder Scrolls series. In modern times the open freedom of gameplay was normally left to Rockstar Games and their releases of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, but Skyrim takes it beyond anything anyone would have thought of. A game where you are the literal character yourself and it’s your decisions that create the outcome of the game, will you be a hero with your Dragonborn powers? Or a villain across the whole of Skyrim? The choice is yours.
It takes place 200 years after the events in Elder Scrolls Oblivion, released 2006, and places yourself as a descendent of the Dragonborns. A group of individuals that lived in the olden ages slaying Dragons that threatened to destroy the lands. The game begins with you heading to your death before Alduin, the World-Eater Dragon, appears suddenly sending chaos into the lands. Dragons had not been seen for years until then, and with you slowly learning the powerful words of the Thu’um, the Dragon language where certain powers in the forms of Shouts, can be used. You face adversity and pure heroism as you travel the massive landscape in search for the Elder Scroll to give some information to end the treacherous reign of Alduin in Skyrim.
The main ingredient to the game’s success is the value of freedom that is placed upon the player. You are able to literally travel anywhere in the extremely large diverse landscape around you, and every item or weaponry is available if you look closely. You can talk to anyone you want, and go off on tangents exploring dungeons and caves freely without the need for particular quests or anything of the sort. The game is created for you to decide your path through the storylines and questlines portrayed. In a game that contains over 250 hours of gameplay, it is never-ending to the limits of what you can do and what you want to become.
The trailer evoked many fans and people to demand the game as soon as possible, with main designers and creators of the game explaining how every mountain, hill or monument you see is definitely reachable and accessible completely. This follows the trend of the other Elder Scroll games but takes it to another level with exemplary graphics and gameplay that all future open-world games will have to somehow compete with to overcome it. There is freedom in choice of weapons you carry, the clothes you wear and what you do with the power in your hands.
Skyrim has been given fantastic reviews sending it into the upper stardoms of the gaming world even so soon after release. The game has smooth gameplay allowing full realism and freedom into your actions. Anything that pops into your mind is available for you to do, and the consequences and rewards are there to reap or to simply run from. No matter what console Skyrim is played on, the experience will be beyond any game you would have played before. A certain recommendation for a landmark game that will hopefully spark an even newer generation of open-world games.
The E3 Demo!
FPS action in its purest form
Bodycount
First Person Shooter (FPS) games have changed over time, but yet can still be found in their purest form. The form of picking up a gun and firing nonstop at waves of enemies approaching for no apparent reason, and with the objectives of simply killing everyone in sight. The most popular FPS in the last five or six years is arguably the Call of Duty series which shot to stardom after the Modern Warfare segment of the franchise was released. It gives the aspect of FPS a strong storyline and purpose in the main single player campaign modes, with the pure form of FPS still continuing in the online multiplayer environment.
Bodycount was released in 2011 under the Codemasters Game Publisher Company with a large emphasis on environmental destruction. Bullets and weaponry fired will destroy blockades, shields and even buildings sending explosions off randomly in different directions repeatedly. This gives the game a dynamic environment and terrain where anything you use as cover can be quickly destroyed and left to nothing. You are a single solider recruited by an organization known as “The Network” to infiltrate and discover the secrets behind the Militia and the mysterious individuals controlling it.
The game contains multiplayer and co-op modes along with a Team Deathmatches in the online world. In the campaign single-player mode, there is a new slightly experimental style of using cover whilst within a gun battle. You are able to duck behind anything in front to reload or to avoid heavy damage, and to peek out from around corners to fire accurate shots at the enemies nearby. Skillshots are prime part of the game, bringing in different points for the type of kill you decide to endeavor. These include the massively popular headshots, stealth kills and even surprise kills as well. All of these aspects add up to your final score at the end of each supposed level ranging in a grade system from A downwards. With these scores, you are able to compete with other players around the world with leaderboards being prevalent for each level played.
Bodycount has been given moderate to worse reviews that highlight its attractive environment and gameplay techniques. But also criticize the incredibly weak storyline and short campaign mode that only extended out to just over six hours. As the player, you are limited to what you are able to do compared to what the game expects such as fighting off an extremely large wave of enemy using the few skills and weapons available at the time. Many critics also attacked the lack of entertainment factor that other FPS games had instead such as the Battlefield and Call of Duty franchises.
Bodycount did not fare well in the gaming world, but it does bring back the purest form of First Person Shooter action with colourful visuals, awards for adventurous and stunning kills and simplicity in the missions. The highest let down of the game unfortunately come with the lack of story that is needed to become a success in the mainstream gaming world today.
E3 trailer in 2011
Could be one of the biggest games of 2012
Mass Effect 3 – Demo
I first have to explain that this is the first Mass Effect game that I’ve played in the now trilogy of games that have been released by Bioware and Electronic Arts. The demo is stunning alone, with fantastic graphics during action scenes and gameplay allowing smooth gun battles and movement. You control Commander Shepard in his quest to destroy the Reapers invading the worlds around you. Your task is to gather the support of other alien races and species to stop the robotic invasion from taking over completely in their destruction.
The demo begins with a long, but in depth, cut scene which immediately explains the scenario ahead. You are whisked away as the world around you collapses, and a gun battle begins against alien creatures with melee combat also integrated along with pistol and machine gun action. The intense destruction with the robotic colossals approaching sends you into the situation of running for your life as red hot laser beams strike the world. Buidlings are falling, meteors from the sky and you evade them all.
Overall, the down point of the games comes in the poor cut scenes where the display is slightly jumpy between individuals with slightly out of sync audio and gameplay. But the actions scenes make up for it against the odds with the combat system using a successful method of finding cover and shooting using an array of guns and special weaponry. You get incendiary firepower leading to exploding results, with other weapons including machine guns and long-range shotguns of the like. Each different gun has its own specific strong points for a scenario, and it’s up to whether you want to depend on pure power alone, or to work the angles with accuracy.
In conclusion, the demo reveals a lot about the gameplay and graphic engine that the official release will have. It gives subtle hints about what to expect further down the main plotline whilst also revealing the vast depth of the weapons and action scenes portrayed within. Mass Effect 3 could be one of the biggest games to hit the shelves in 2012.
Single player game play!
A mysterious crime appears in Los Angeles...
L.A. Noire
Rockstar Games are no amateurs to the gaming world by any means. With their highly successful commercial exploits of the award winning, but yet controversial, Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead series. This video game developer hasn’t shied away from the world with the introduction of L.A. Noire – a film noire-esque crime game based in the late 1940s of Los Angeles. The game continues the trademark open world environment of many of the other series created by Rockstar Games, but brings in new perspectives and technology in using the stylistic effects of an actual film noire movie and brings to life the aspects of crime during that time.
You control Detective Cole Phelps, a revolutionary cop, which moves through the ranks of the police force in chase of crime and the meaning behind why criminals act in particular ways. Phelps is a World War II veteran, still haunted by his past of killing with the events of L.A Noire happening afterwards. The game focuses heavily on interrogating and asking the right questions based on evidence found in a particular area. Your scores for each particular mission depend on how much evidence you find, and how you choose to answer your clients. It comes down to figuring out if they are lying or telling the truth using your knowledge and visual clues to determine results.
However, the action doesn’t die down by any means with car chases, high action cinematic shoot-outs and intensive hand-to-hand combat appearing randomly throughout the game. Rockstar Games keeps the open world element alive but more focussed on the storyline away from the destruction clearly viable in the Grand Theft Auto series. The best way to approach the gameplay is through following the storyline, as there isn’t much to do away from it apart from finding the collectible items or simply exploring the extremely large Los Angeles area. Killing random people is not something accepted by the gameplay by any means due to you being part of the Police, and weaponry is restricted compared to the other series by Rockstar Games.
Many fans of the games had complained about the lack of content upon the completion of the main storyline and the lack of additional features available. Freezing occurs randomly and textures fail to appear at random intervals leading to disruptive and frustrating gameplay at times. People have complained about the repetitive nature of the game in missions, and the lack of actions. However, this is backed up with clinically dashing and accurate portrayals of the Los Angeles area inducing fantastic graphics with true detective and crime work. It brings the atmosphere of a mysterious killer in the air, and allows the mainstream world to understand how crimes were solved back in the 1940s and 1950s. A very new perspective on games that stood out amongst all others in 2011.
L.A. Noire is a compelling and exciting game with a moving and attractive storyline coupled with graphics and a fantastic engine to solving crimes. Using evidence to help in investigations brings a new perspective to games overall, with many fans wishing for a sequel in the upcoming months ahead. This is a recommended game for those a fan of the crime and investigation, and even the open world view that the Rockstar Games company has trademarked over the years.
Some gameplay from L.A Noire
Survival Horror at its very best!
Dead Island
First person, melee combat and zombies. Dead Island brings these three factors to the next level as the survival horror game took the world by storm in 2011. The opening trailer to officially announce the game was immediately given positive reviews by gamers and reviewers due to its cinematic imagery and gentle brutality which brought it alive. Even though the game was approximately pushed back 4-5 years, the reception for the game was very positive with many of the top gaming websites commenting on the realistic combat and environments of the actual game.
As with most survival horror game with zombies, you are one of the few to evade a zombie infection which has rotted over the local area – in this case the fictional island of Banoi. As an individual completely void of any infection you are sent by other remaining survivors to complete tasks and missions to help them escape the island alive. You travel from the beach, to the city and even into the depths of the jungle discovering more about the mysterious infection and the single contact with the knowledge to escape from the island. You encounter rebellious forces that are selfish with the remaining food and life still remaining, and help to save those who require it.
The emphasis on melee combat was a large attraction of the game, with the first-person viewpoint gave a very realistic image. The intensely real graphics also add with the darkness of many rooms giving off a powerful horror and suspenseful aspect. You feel as if you really are in the position of the characters you control in the game, picking up any scrap of weapon you can find early on to give you protection. You search and create your own weaponry at the same time, honing your skills with experience points and learning new powerful techniques to take on the zombie army approaching you.
There are guns in the game, but they are strangely ineffective compared to other known zombie games where guns are mostly the main choice of weapon to use. You can pick anything up from a paddle to an iron pipe, from meat cleavers to even fire axes. There are heaps of different weapon choices and even more ways to modify them to help in your quests. You can give an electric shock to your weapon if you choose, or even add nails and bolts to a baseball bat or something else. The options are at the plentiful, and you simply have to search for the ingredients for it all as you play through the game. Everything has to be done manually and that is what makes the game fully realistic, and emphasizing the survival aspect beyond anything ever seen before.
Glitches appear repeatedly during gameplay, however, with textures not appearing quick enough or at all sometimes with online originally bugged completely with freezes constantly appearing with the co-op play. Most of the game needs the help of someone online to complete it as going solo makes the difficulty much too difficult for the average gamer at times. Technical flaws rummage through the game in its original state with a patch created on the day released to deal with over 35 flaws and issues already noticed by gamers.
Corrupted save files were massive problem, but most were sorted out instantly but some still remain.
Dead Island recently was given an extra boost with the release of the add-on as the Ryder White Campaign was released in early 2012, with many complaints that it took beyond too long for its appearance. However, the game continues to stage a large fan base with the hopeful anticipation of a sequel in the near future.
Official Trailer for Dead Island
Cole Macgrath returns again!
Infamous 2
“It’s choice – not chance – that determines your destiny.”
- Jean Nidetch
There seems to always be a growing appreciation and attraction for the ‘normal person becoming hero’ scenario. Witnessing the growth of an apparent mundane character into something that is arguably larger than earth itself brings a large audience. This links to movies such as the long running Spiderman and even Superman series’ that never seem to die down. The Infamous series brings it all back to this traditional form but in a new and more personal light than ever before.
When Infamous was released in 2009 the most immediate difference and highlight of the series was the use of the Karma system. Choosing between the good or bad routes to playing the game where each decision would lead to either a positive or negative growth or reception within the game itself. Typically the story is set around a simple bike messenger known as Cole MacGrath, who is caught in an explosion which takes apart a large area of the fictional Empire City. Macgrath then mysteriously develops electrical powers as he searches for the meaning of the devastation caused. Months later, he becomes the epicentre and difference for the fight of the mysterious Ray Sphere device as he discovers a horrible truth to what the future beholds.
Infamous 2 follows on directly after the events of the first game with upgrades in all areas. The now trademark Karma function of the series is used more to depict what missions are played and even the eventual ending of the plot as two different stories are told around the main missions set ahead. Pedestrians are more reactive to how you decide to play the game with them either rioting against you or helping you reach your selected goals and targets.
The free-running and comic book style game play is used in further effect as the player learns more about the protagonist and his reactions to the events appearing from all angles. The game goes into more depth with the storyline, bringing in old characters and new personalities to cover up the questions left hanging with no answer in the first game. Side-missions go beyond just the ordinary with bending depth which sends you into uncharted territories away from the main missions and storyline. Character progression is witnessed throughout in Macgrath’s personality and treatment of his close friends and acquaintances. Everything counts, and every decision leads to entirely different but yet exciting outcomes.
Melee has been improved significantly, with slow motion cut scenes being implemented to give a smoother effect to critical damage attacks and the new implementation of the ‘Amp’ – a physical weapon gained early in the game. The climbing and free-roam abilities of the game are stretched out even further as it takes place away from the original Empire City with newer enemies and combat styles added to suit a newer and faster paced environment.
In terms of control and gameplay, it’s all nearly identical to the original game so it’s easy to continue Macgrath’s quest for answers. The graphics are improved to concentrate on the new abilities and powers now available throughout the game and to give added personality with the player and the protagonist. You feel powerful, and with the destruction that is dished out through the game, there is nothing but eye-grabbing moments of action and adventure everywhere you decide to explore.
Infamous 2 carries on the addictive and trademark decision making approach that allowed its prequel to stand out against any other games of the time. It brings excitement in a smooth storyline fashion where the player learns about Cole Macgrath even more, and the horror within him about facing the eventual destiny at the end. The choice is yours as always: do you fight for your destiny, or fight for your own personal gain?
E3 Official Trailer, 2011
FIFA 12 – Offline
FIFA 12 (or FIFA Soccer 12), is another in the long standing series of FIFA football series released by EA Games. Released in late 2011, the game immediately delved into the popularity of its predecessors due to consistent gameplay, realistic scenarios and an ever improving graphics and gameplay engine. The newest member to the series lives up to its expectations with an even longer and deep Career Mode expanding well over 10 seasons with player transfers continuing and the rebirth and inclusion of the Scouting Network and Youth Squad. However, the largest difference between this particular game compared to the others is the new Tactical defending controls which were said to ‘revolutionise’ the game beyond any other football or soccer game made before.
Tactical was first revealed to fans on the beta released 2 months before the game reached the shelves. It brought a new dimension to defending away from the generally simplistic jockey and tackle methods of the other FIFA games. It brought in realistic ideas of positioning a player in the right place to make a challenge and improved the jockeying system so the person playing has to reach to tackle the ball at the correct time. Upon the game release, hundreds of complaints were made about the new system with problems in the controls and the amount of buttons needed to make a simple tackle.
Away from the defending, however, returns the smooth offensive and graphical engine of the game. Continuing the trend of the games created since the Playstation 3 began; the Arena still becomes the basis home screen of the game where you can access the different functions with ease. Career Mode, renamed from Manager Mode, is usually the most sought after game function away from the online environment. EA Sports improved several areas of the game including realistic transfers, more personality within actual players and the introduction of consistent growth as well. Arguments were created on the previous FIFA 10 and 11 counterparts that players would not improve over time in comparison to the reality of watching them on television, in FIFA 12 this is completely sorted out. In a long career mode, you have the ability to talk to the press and are forced to deal with player complaints and the pressures of winning silverware for your team.
Some problems still persisted with unrealistic transfers occurring, and the still lack of reaping financial benefit. Many small teams in the game are sometimes unplayable due to the lack of money given to them, and even winning trophies doesn’t guarantee a normal consistent cash flow. It still remains that the main mode of money-making comes in selling players in order to purchase newer ones with ticket-sales and revenue completely out of the picture compared to the older FIFA 06 and FIFA 07 games.
The game has its strong points nonetheless in breathtaking game play and strategies when playing in exhibition or even custom made tournaments. You have more control over your own Virtual Pro even though the once popular Be a Pro feature was unimproved completely. The new Impact Engine works with tackles and physicality reacting to proper physics in real life (however, glitches still occur), but overall shows a progression in realism of the game itself. Referees are still implemented with specific personalities to keep watch on, and give the person playing more to think about upon deciding on a strategy to use.
FIFA 12’s development in the series shows yet another improved game to add to the EA Sports releases with a high anticipation for the future FIFA 13 to hopefully follow the trend. The game still carries on issues from its predecessors especially in the Career Mode and sometimes in the ordinary gameplay with glitches and suspected scripting problems clearly obvious at times.
FIFA 12 continues its attractive and smooth gameplay
Online Gaming: Doorway to Abuse?
Cyber bullying is nothing of a surprise in a world now so interconnected with the internet and the various ways to communicate with people around the world. Tools such as Msn, Skype, Ebuddy and even file sharing and social websites such as Twitter and Facebook are all open doorways to communicate with anyone we like. This gives those the ability to compliment, greet and send files repeatedly but also allows any individual to send abusive remarks as well. The latter is also a growing problem in the gaming world with the online multiplayer activities sometimes heavily based around communication with random individuals.
The most popular multiplayer game to exist in a console medium is arguably the First Person Shooter of Call of Duty with it becoming heavily based on its multiplayer gameplay online rather than the offline game modes. This has attracted the attention of over a million gamers and players who utilise the online facilities to exert their skills in a fun and enjoyable way. However, the dark side still appears as players regularly chant or yell out racist comments when the game isn’t going their way. The fury and anger of losing due to the frustrations of gaming can lead to individuals releasing their anger in a less than respectful way.
This also leads to other areas of the world such as sport where racism is a growing issue due to the same issue of passion and frustration. It is completely unacceptable that areas focussed on purely entertainment and enjoyment are ruined with the darkness of racist and discriminatory language directed towards individuals who have bought the game to expect a decent treatment online from the gaming world. Personally, I believe this is a growing and scarily large issue with the lack of moderation that exists on the gameplay itself. The power of hiding behind a screen with a microphone is extremely strong, and not only blocks the identity of the user immediately but also allows them to continue without any degree of consequence at the time. They are still able to play for a long period yelling abuse before finally being deleted from the particular game.
It is natural to get frustrated at gaming and to yell out words and phrases, but this can be done in a non-abusive way which isn’t directed at a particular type or person. Swear words of the sort are heard repeatedly, which can bring up other debates on language control for the younger generations that play online in a variety of multiplayer games. However, a swear word is a much better way of exerting frustration than a racist remark.
The main cause and root of this behaviour can be found again due to the security of hiding behind a screen in the safety of one’s home. This is done on a variety of other games, especially sporting ones, where players would leave the selected match online if the game wasn’t going their way. They have the ability to leave because it won’t hit them physically due to the opposition not being anywhere near to them.
Online gaming is created for entertainment, and it is sickening that racist and disruptive abuse is used and directed at individuals who in return are just playing for enjoyment. Frustrations can run high over something people enjoy to do, but at the same time there are ways to exert this without abusing somebody else over a game.
Assassins Creed Revelations
It has been 4 years since Assassins Creed was released by Ubisoft to the world. A game that was extremely different compared to the mainstream games since the new millennium. First person action based shooters were dismantled in the face of fantasy and historical gameplay. Even though first-person shooters will always remain popular beyond belief (Modern Warfare 3 selling thousands by the minute), what the Assassins Creed franchise has given us is a new perspective of the past and how future. The story based around the year 2012 and the apparent destruction that awaits for us. Ubisoft tells the world its story that takes us back centuries into the past to relive historical events that may not have been possible 10 years ago. The intensive research done into each character; their history, past, future and characteristics are accurate and made for knowledge. The game is created to teach as well as entertainment, and through the franchise I have learn a lot about our past in different eras of time.
Revelations follows the protagonist of Desmond Miles, as the previous games did, and his latest adventures in the Animus machine. Immediately, it is revealed that Desmond has trapped his splintered body into the Animus machine in a state of unconsciousness that only he can break out of. After meeting Subject 16, Desmond returns to control and witness his ancestor Ezio Auditore once again as he nears the end of his life of an assassin. However, the adventure doesn’t stop as Ezio continues his quest for answers by reliving originally blanked out parts of Altair, the main character of the first Assassins Creed game. All the main questions and suspicions are answered in a thrilling plot as the game bends completely away from anything expected.
We are brought into a new mode of playing, a wiser gameplay that is less reckless in missions and more about thought and planning. This matches of course an aging protagonist whose body and mind have begun to merge away from each other, and we are forced to think the same way. The days are gone where you take on an army of 50 by yourself and succeed, and the new era has begun (and probably ended) with a tactical approach which is clever and purposeful. You don’t fight alone anymore, and you plan attacks based as a leader of an army. You feel in control rather than a walking target, and this has been building up since the sequel came out.
The trademark and famous free-running aspect of the Assassins Creed franchise is obviously continued with new and more exciting ways to travel using the added ‘hookblade’ – a device which allows transportation via zip line and also easier climbing techniques. However, the most exciting component comes in the creative department of custom made bombs. The player now can pick up ingredients from around the amazingly large and accurate domains of the world within the game, and combine them to create diversions or just pure destruction. This gives the player added control to their own personal techniques and preferences in the game whether this is stealth or pure-spited killing.
The controls and gameplay are the same as the previous Assassin Creed games so that fans and even new players to the series can freely enjoy and learn about the plot. The world is larger than ever with every single bit of it accessible and ready to be explored. Side-quests appear throughout with the largest component being the Desmond Miles part where you are able to learn about his childhood and development as a person even more.
Ezio is customizable further with the weapons and armor choices growing to suit the year the game takes place in. Colours and appearance is ready to be purchased with even stronger weaponry and rarer outfits becoming available when more quests and side-quests are completed. Ezio’s character progresses throughout as we learn his own personal story in finding love and compassion even at his older age, but his thirst for adventure still remains at a high. Ubisoft introduce a more tactical game play than ever before, with all the traditional fighting and stealth missions still intact.
Assassins Creed Revelations leaves the players begging for a finality to a plot that has now extended over 4 in depth and addictive games. With a newer and larger Assassins Creed game coming in the near future, and the fan base rising repeatedly, there seems to be nothing to stop the franchise from growing further.
E3 2011 Trailer
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