Bastion: Review

“Proper story's meant to start at the beginning, aint so simple with this one...”

I don't think I've ever wanted to review a game quite as much as I've wanted to review Bastion. My past reviews have mainly been focused on big name sequals from big name companies but theres a lot that bigger companies could learn from Bastion. Bastion was released as the first part of Microsoft’s 'Summer of Arcade' for Xbox Live Arcade, and what a way to kick it off. Developed by Super Giant games, Bastion is a beautiful and inspirational game that will capture your heart. It's simply a must-have for Xbox Live owners.


Bastion starts with the voice of a narrator, whose gravelly tones sets the scene. His first words tell you about your character, known simply as the Kid, who is lost and stranded in the sky after an event known as the Calamity. From there the Kid makes his way to the Bastion, the last safe haven, and is put upon a quest to save what he can of the world of Caelondia. To tell you more would spoil the story, which is all superbly voiced by the narrator, but what can be said is it's definitely an interesting one with a surprisingly deep set of characters and history. It's all told as and while you play and it's incredibly easy to just lose yourself into the game as each step truly does advance the plot. You'll be fighting from level to level, or trying to last each round in the survivals, and all the while you'll be learning about the rich world that surrounds you.

The afforementioned narrator, later known as Rucks, is one of the most unique things about Bastion. What's remarkable is while he's not explaining the storyline, he comments on almost anything, from your weapon load outs, to your falling from the level, and it ties everything together absolutely flawlessly. None of it feels forced or out of place and, most importantly, none of it interupts your experiance.

It's not just the voice acting which makes Bastion stand out though, every other sound, from the ground appearing, to the background music, to the sound of each weapon is wonderful and sounds perfect to the game. Every new environment you enter, and every turn in the plot, has a beautifully crafted soundtrack which fits so well with the style of Bastion.

Every part of Bastion is rich and detailed

On par with the sound is Bastion's visuals. The game is simply stunning to look at. The aesthetics of Bastion are one of the most stylish and beautiful to grace our consoles this year. As you move forward the ground springs up in front of you, walls and scenery fall down, and everything is completed for you to move on. It's never gets old and is a constant delight. Along with their own sound tracks each environment looks different, and has a different background or type of scenery and you don't ever get the feeling that you're just running over old ground. When it comes to Audio and Visual Bastion has really set itself out from the crowd and is a delight to the senses.

Unlike the other aspects of the game, Super Giant Games haven't tried to do anything innovative with Bastions gameplay, keeping it to a simple Action RPG. What they've done instead is refine it, so theres nothing unnecessarially clogging up the screen or wasting your time. You choose your weapons, assigned to two buttons, and you have a 'secret skill' assigned to the right trigger. You can also block on-coming attacks with a press of the left trigger too. The controls are easy to master and will serve you well throughought the game. Everything is well implimented, thoguh the actual gameplay can occasionally feel a little stale but it's a feeling quickly forgotten. There's enough enemies and situations to mix up the game as you journey through Caelondia.

There are a wide variety of enemies to battle when you're not taking in the scenery

What's interesting in Bastion is the level of customisation it gives you from such a simple set of facts. Firstly the game puts forward quite a few unique weapons to select, from a hammer to a bow, to a flamethrower. All these weapons can be upgraded till you're a force to be reckoned with. It's likely that during the game you'll find a loadout suited to your style and stick with it, but its nice to know the variety is there to break up the monanty should you need it.

Another way of customising the game is your access to special 'Tonics' and 'Idols'. Each have a passive effect to make the game that little bit easier or a lot harder, depending on how you want your experience to be. This does a good job of mixing up the game when you feel it getting that little bit too easy, or you want your character to have an extra boost for an oncoming difficult part.It's aspects like this that mean the simple gameplay can be tailored to your own style as just with a different set of weapons, tonics, and idols you've got a completely different fight on your hands.

All in all Bastion is a game that knows exactly what it set out to do and excels in every aspect of it. It's got a beautifully tied together story, a couple of interesting and deep characters, and some fun, customisable gameplay to go along with it. It's not just style over substance, there's a level of quality in Bastion that you're unlikely to find in any other game this year. You wont want to leave Bastion once you've picked it up, and you certainly wont forget Bastion once you've put it down.

L.A. Noire: Review

N.B.: This review was written using a 360 version of the game, before DLC was released, and therefore cannot necessarily be applied to all other versions. As always reviews are subjective and the thoughts and feelings of the reviewer.

Rockstar is a company synonymous with open world sandbox games; with recent big hitters like GTAIV and Red Dead Redemption. With L.A. Noire on the other hand it seems that Rockstar have taken to following a slightly different path. Does this pay off? Or should Rockstar be sticking to what they know best?

L.A. Noire opens with a hard boiled narration that you'd expect to find with a Noire style film. As the camera pans, the anonymous narrator talks about following orders, chains of command, and issues of trust. This immediately sets the scene and you go into the game wondering wether or not you're going to be back-stabbed or sold out at any moment. The camera then finds it way to Cole Phelps and his partner just out on patrol, before getting a radio call to something a little bit more interesting. Then that's it. That's the openning cutscene and that's how the game begins. You're now Cole Phelps and driving the car. Its a perfect opening to a mystery. Giving absolutely nothing more away then it needs to and the game follows the same path.

The rest of the games missions are laid out in the form of 'Cases'. All completely replayable at any time. You receive a short opening cutscene of some wrong doing, a car accident, someone tampering with a boiler, and then you're sent out to investigate. During each case you and your partner, who changes with each promotion you make, will drive from location to location. You'll question your suspects, and you'll chase down those that run. In the end its down to you to have all the necessary information and evidence to make a convincing and sealed case. A lot of the cases will seem completely separate to one and another and this may give the impression that the game is disjointed but theres actually an underlying mood that is constantly being built up through each case and character interaction. Every case gives you a better understanding of how the police work and whether they're quite all they seem to be. There's also cutscenes between the cases that show flash backs to Cole Phelps' life in 'Nam and its clear that its constantly going somewhere while never giving too much away. Cole is said to be a decorated war vetern with a silver star and the cutscenes will slowly feed you more information on that, along with how it ties into some of the more present day cases. This gives you insite into both the character and the story and its interesting to wonder where the main plot is going.

You'll be dipping into intriguing mysteries straight from the off.

That said, the game can prove to be a little too slow at times. While each case in itself can be quite addicting and hard to put down, the main arching plot is sometimes giving so little away that you wont be hooked enough. Its a hard balance to get right, and its one that will certainly hook some while completely losing others. However, the deeper the story goes the more you'll be engaged and wanting to see where it leads. You'll be asking a lot of questions, and suspecting a lot of different things, and for some the sheer interest of this will be enough to keep you going.

What helps to keep the story engaging and interesting is the voice acting; or should we say the 'acting'. L.A. Noire boasts a new technology in the gaming industry; that of MotionScan. Here the actors of the piece don't simply voice their characters but are filmed by 32 cameras which capture every facial expression. Every actor is expertly cast and fits really well into their role. It's clear the technology is new, there are times where faces blur, or dip straight into Uncanny Valley, but most of the time it stands up stunningly. There are real moments where you sit back and just appreciate the acting, the dynamic facial expressions, and just how accurate it is. It helps to give all the characters a realistic feel and at times you'll believe its a film. Where the acting doesn't necessarily stand up is in the interrogation. Where it can be quite easy to tell if someone's lying simply by how overly-charactered and dramatic their expressions are. In truth it might be hard to do a bit more subtly, especially from an actors point of view, but it can still sometimes break the immersion and bring back the realisation that you're still just within a game.

Aaron Staton of Mad Men fame really does a stand-up job as Cole Phelps.

L.A. Noire's gameplay is nothing like it's GTA predecessor, a fact that will throw a lot of Rockstar fans at the first hurdle. You still drive cars around a sand box city but the game is designed in a much more linear fashion. The game play itself has a lot more in common with adventure games, such as older Lucas Arts titles or current Tell Tale Game titles, but with the occasional car chase or gunfire scene. While anyone who is a fan of the mayhem and freedom of GTA IV is going to be at a loss with L.A. Noire, anyone who relishes a different kind of challenge, or just a nostalgic adventure game, will pick up and enjoy the game straight away. The questioning of the suspects and the collecting of evidence can really be a rewarding experience and those puzzles solvers out there will enjoy piecing everything together.

Te rest gameplay, however, doesn't offer enough variety throughout the course of the game. Every single case seems to play out in a similar fashion, with a crime scene, a few suspects, a gunfight or car chase, with an integration and finally an arrest. The only case that really stands out as being dramatically different is the final one, which is such a break from the norm that it just doesn't fit with the game at all. L.A. Noire can feel like you're taking the cases in your own direction, picking the suspects you think are lying, and hitting them with the evidence you think is hardest, but, as with many adventure games, there is always only one correct way of doing things, one correct answer. Sometimes something that seems to fit, or makes logical sense to the player, isn't what the story writers were looking for. While the game makes a point of still going, even with some suspects not giving you all the info you need, the conclusions you draw are always the same. You can never fail a case, and you can never go so wildly off the beaten track that your conclusions are wrong. Its this lack of freedom which is really apparent in the gameplay and the story. It would be far more interesting if there were more alternative routes and playstyles.

Taking a break from an important case to shoot a robber or two is all in a days work it seems...

Rockstar usually break up the monotony with a fine selection of interesting side missions. There's usually a vast selection of things to do around the city, people to talk to, things to explore, but L.A. Noire simply doesn't put this forward. While you're driving on your cases there are radio calls signalling side missions, many of which take more time to actually get to then they do to complete considering the size of the city. These are almost always a shoot-out or a chase, and simply lack variety in themselves. Theres also no sense of emergency, why should your character break away from the clincher of a case to chase down a thief on the otherside of Las Angeles?

Couple this repetitive gameplay with the slowpaced story and its understandable how many gamers just wont have the patience for L.A. Noire, especially if they're entering the game expecting more of GTA or Red Dead Redemption. That being said, and issues aside, L.A. Noire is better than the sum of its parts. It's still an incredibly immersive game which can prove to be really addicting and have you hanging on. When you finally feel like you're getting somewhere with the main story, and everything is tying itself together, you'll be dying to finish it, and the acting and characters really do prove to be impressive throughout the whole journey.

Authors Comment: L.A. Noire is more like Heavy Rain then it is GTA, and the amount of effort Rockstar have gone into to create the city of Los Angeles is, in my opinion, simply lost by the fact you drive from one place to another with your eyes on your minimap. Theres no sense of exploration, and the repetitive nature sometimes made me want to quit playing. What I hated most was driving the great deal of distances, when chatter with your partner died down it was simply just an effort that I ended up skipping almost every time. All that aside I did really love L.A. Noire. When I first started playing I couldn't put it down, I had to actually force myself to get food or else I'd have just gone without all night. While it wouldn't be my title of 2011, as it simply had a few too many flaws, I'm still glad to have it in my collection and anticipate the DLC.

Portal 2: Review

N.B.: This review was written using a 360 version of the game, before DLC was released, and therefore cannot necessarily be applied to all other versions. As always reviews are subjective and the thoughts and feelings of the reviewer.

Portal 2 is an odd game to review, mainly because of how its predecessor left us. In 2007, when the original Portal was released, it was heralded by many to be a near perfect game. Without sounding too much like a review within a review, the original Portal encapsulated a clever game-play mechanic, an intriguing story, and a wonderful atmosphere in a compact game. It was enjoyable on the first and second play-through and it's not hard to see why Valve were convinced to release a fully fledged sequel. But can Portal 2 truly live up to Portals greatness?

Portal 2 throws you back into the 'Long Fall Boots' of Chell, the voiceless protagonist from the first game. After the events of the first game, where she survived merciless testing and escaped aperture science testing facility, she's been dragged back into stasis and kept for a seemingly unknown amount of time. Chell is abruptly awoken from this stasis by Wheatley. An amazingly bizarre robot voiced perfectly by Stephen Merchant, who's own humour blends seamlessly with the humour we've come to know from Valve. Wheatley then continues to help Chell escape by moving the whole stasis chamber and suddenly casting you back into the old, decaying rooms of the Aperture science test chambers; Ready to begin a new adventure. It's from this moment you know Valve have a story worth telling and have a beautifully realised world, with wonderful characters, that they are about to show off. From start to finish you are fully immersed in Valves' world and are ready to believe anything they tell you. If you're a returning Portal Player you'll find questions you had left over from the first game are believably explained in this one. If you've never touched the original then you won't be at too much of a loss. The history and future of Aperture Science are all nicely explained by the characters, voice-overs, and just the environment that Valve have set out for you.

While Valve have done a wonderful job capturing the atmosphere, the graphics, and the aesthetics of Portal 2, it wouldn't stand up half as well without its brillaint and hillarious voice-acting and script-work. What truly brings the game to life is that every line is delivered in an almost perfect manner. There is no excess script that could be cut, or speech you'll want to skip past. Ellen McLain does a wonderful job reprising the role of GLaDOS, taking her to to new emotional depths, but you're also bound to enjoy the characters voiced by Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons. As almost a contrast to the harsh tones of GLaDOS, Stephen Merchant portrays Wheatley as a loveable, slightly baffled, idiot, who somehow manages to help you excape from Aperture Science unharmed. This contrast of voices and characters is what really captures you at the start of the game and, in a way, they're the reason you keep playing till the end as they're what really makes traversing the chambers of Portal 2 truly memorable. You'll find yourself even stopping just to listen to the end of each script, or stopping just to watch how emotive Wheatley can be despite being one lone orb. It's evident from the Developer commentary just how much time, effort, and love that Valve have put into crafting the experience of Portal 2 and how smoothly everything fits together.

Wheatley is a great addition and a truly memorable character.

The gameplay of Portal 2 is much the same as the first game. You're handed an Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, or Portal gun, and left to solve puzzles with it. The basic principle of the gun is that you can open two portals anywhere in the room and move yourself, or objects, easily through the room to reach new areas. While a difficult process to explain the game makes it easy to understand and, as clear from Valves developer commentary, a great deal of beta-testing went in to make it perfectly understandable and incredibly easy to just 'pick up and play'.

However, this is one of Portal 2's biggest, and most apparent, downfalls. Portal 2 has a habit of feeling like a tutorial for something bigger. Whether its the context of the test environments, or the brief use of some of the more creative 'gels' later on in the game, there always seems to be something more that you're building up to, but never ultimately see. Portal 2 also has a nasty habit of holding your hand through the whole game and doesn't really open itself up for anything challenging. Many of the puzzles are quickly overcome, and even have markings on the wall that easily point to the answer. Often its apparent that you're meant to be taking in the story instead and in these instances there is very little to do but keep an eye out for that one wall you can use and continue onwards. Luckily these sections have the wonderful atmosphere and dialogue to keep from being too dull and you'll still be fully immersed in the game world, but part of you will be aching to solve something, or at least jump through a portal or two.

Taking on the roles of Atlas and Pea-Body with a friend is one of Portal 2's greatest strengths.

Where Portal 2's gameplay truly shines is in the Co-Op, where Valve seem to have worked their hardest on creating new and fun puzzles. Unlike many Co-Ops where a single character can do all the work, leaving their partner lagging behind, the Co-Op campaign of Portal 2 really forces you to work together with your robot buddy, be them sat right next to you, or across the world online. It also makes it easy to talk, chat, and communicate, by being able to place signals right where you want your partner to look or shoot. Many of these puzzles offer a great deal more challenge than the single player counterpart, and sometimes having two heads will only confuse the matter, but this is part of the fun. This is the kind of gameplay that won the original portal so many fans, and it's odd that Valve have input so much cleverness into the Co-op and allowed the single-player to focus too heavily on the story. Where Co-Op falls flat is that is very much a one play-through experience and anyone who has previously completed it may be reluctant to try again with a friend who hasn't. After all there's only one correct way to complete the puzzles and knowing the answer takes away all the charm. That said though, the first play-through will take up enough of your time to leave you feeling satisfied at the end.

In conclusion Portal 2 is a wonderful experience to have. It'll take longer to finish then the original game and its packed full of atmosphere and witty dialogue that will actually have you laughing from the start. You'll be hard-pressed not to love the journey it takes you on and the new characters it introduces you to, and you're bound to take away some fond moments. However those returning purely to sample the clever gameplay from the original game better come partnered up, as the single-player game is just that little bit too easy and that little bit too empty at times. While the Co-Op game introduces many new and quirky puzzles that will leave you perplexed for awhile, the single-player is just that little bit too easy and has too many underdeveloped areas.

Authors Comment: Portal 2 is a brilliant game and truly worth playing, but its by no means flawless. I found it incredibly charming and immersive and was quickly addicted to it from the off, but there were many moments where it was just that little bit too much story and not enough gameplay. What really stood out to me, personally, was the Co-Op. I thought it would be horribly tacked on and, favouring Singleplayer over Co-Op tenfold, I thought I'd dislike it. I couldn't have been more wrong, it was the best bit of gameplay. I am sure my issues with the game will be fixed with the coming (free) DLC, and make me favour it as one of the best games of the year, but at the moment it just needs a little bit more something to be heralded as an amazing game...

Dragon Age 2: Review

N.B.: This review was written using a 360 version of the game and therefore cannot necessarily be applied to all other versions. As always reviews are subjective and the thoughts and feelings of the reviewer.

My first game review, just over a year ago now on March 14^th 2010, concerned that of Mass Effect 2. An excellent sequel to a Bioware game. It only seems fitting that after a lull of about 9 months that I return to the scene to review another sequel to another Bioware game. Is this one just as excellent? Dragon Age 2 may not boast one of Biowares best storylines, but it does hold some brilliant characters, some fun quests, and it’s definitely worth spending your time on.

To me Bioware are storytellers first, and game developers second. They have never failed to capture me and have never failed to portray unique new worlds in amazingly deep and rich environments. Bioware are synonymous with great memorable characters and epic plots. However, Dragon Age: Origins, never managed to keep me hooked into the characters. Aside from Alaister and Morrigan, who you met near the start, the characters failed to hold my attention. The plot, on the other hand, was as epic as can be to the point of cliché. A lone man/woman/elf/dwarf setting off on a quest to save the world from the dreaded blight. In Dragon Age2, Bioware seems to have thrown this formula on its head.

Dragon Age 2’s story is far more personal. Gone is the nameless, voiceless, hero from the first game. You are now Hawke, a human fereldan fleeing his/her home with their family in tow. Though you can no longer select a race, or as many starting classes, this is easily forgotten as it allows a much bigger scene to be set with a much more relatable character. It is made clear in the opening cutscene that Hawke is destined to become someone known as ‘the Champion’ and the story follows the years of him/her gaining this title and the aftermath afterwards. Almost the entire story is set in one city, Kirkwall, and in a way Dragon Age 2 suffers from this. The environments you see begin to grow old and somewhat stale and the storyline never feels very epic to the extent of it sometimes dragging a little. In fact, the whole story of Dragon Age 2 feels like a build up to something much bigger. In Dragon Age: Origins there was a very clear threat, a very clear goal, which was to rally everyone against the blight. Dragon Age 2, however, doesn’t have a present threat, or even an ominous one, each chapter seems to have a different goal and story. In the final chapter of the game its more clear what Bioware were trying to do; to weave a growing tension into the town, but the amount of irrelevant subquests you partake in distract from this totally. The opening cutscene itself hints that the Champion is needed for something much bigger but it never truly tells the player what or why. It's a story, that ends anticlimactically, within a story that never gets finished. So it certainly isn't Biowares best.

The tale of the Champion can be as Dark or as Honorable as you choose

However, with all that said the story of Dragon Age 2 is a much more personal tale than Bioware normally tell. This time your character has a family and a history. Some of the side missions have you performing deeds for them, and as you begin to move your way up in the town you can really begin to feel proud of what you accomplished and how you’ve climbed. Other roleplaying games could learn from this level of immersion as so many games try to cast you as a character with relatively little backstory and character fearing it may harm the customisation that they all strive for.

To aid the tale Bioware also bring to life a cast of unforgettable characters to help join and influence the storyline. These characters are well designed and beautifully crafted. There’s characters you’ll instantly love, and some that will down right irritate you, but that isn’t to say they are not well made. Each companion has their own storyline and optional quests which help to add depth, and they all have their own place within the city of Kirkwall. What’s even more impressive is the characters interactions with each other. As with other Bioware games the characters will often talk to each other as you’re running around and you really do get a feel for their relationships. Certain companions in your party clearly get on less well than others, whereas with some, such as Varric and Merryl, its clear they have a close and almost protective relationship. Sometimes you’ll also be treated to little cameos from Characters of the first game and companions of the ‘Grey warden’, a few of your companions have also been seen in Dragon Age: Awakening. It’s a nice feature that ties the two games together without feeling too forced.

Varric is but one of the new characters, and personally one of my favourite Bioware so far.

Graphically Dragon Age 2 is not the most stunning game but it’s definitely more impressive than its predecessor which, even at its release time, fell a little short. As always the environments are well designed and fully believable but there really needed to be a greater variety. Among the quests you visit seemingly different caves but all with exactly the same interior. They look nice but by the third cave or the forth tunnel you’ve seen it all before and are far less likely to explore each path. The character models, on the other hand, are all well designed, and the major characters all have a unique look and feel to them that’s befitting of both their personality and their place in the Dragon Age 2 universe.

In terms of sound Dragon Age 2 is impressive. The voice acting of every character, from the smaller quest-givers to the companions of your troupe, each stands out as believable and remarkable. The voice talent also benefits from a well written and often humorous script which is as fully believable as the voices. The music of Dragon Age 2 is also always fitting, changing when in and out of combat, even down to the use of Florence and the Machine song in the end credits.

The most noticeable difference in Dragon Age 2 is the gameplay. Fans of the original, or fans of older RPG’s in general, might feel that Dragon Age 2 has been ‘watered-down’ or ‘simplified’ but really the game retains quite a bit of customisation and levelling. True there is less specialisation, and you can no longer customise the armour of your friends, but there’s nothing truly missing. You still pick up weapons and armour, sell equipment and buy equipment, and monitor how much you are carrying at any given time. On top of all that the menus are easy to use, easy to follow, and even for someone new to RPG’s. That said, there’s more depth to the game if you look for it. Dragon Age 2 uses the Tatics feature present within Dragon Age: Origins. The Tactics remain in the background and can be very effective if done right. You are allowed to set your AI companions certain tactics, which look like simple formulae (i.e. ‘If x then y’) but can really make the battlefield far more manageable. Dragon Age 2 also sports a new feature, the use of ‘Cross Class Combos’ which are a good, if very underused, feature. As it suggests, different classes can aid each other to form a combo, but each class only has one at their disposal. It’s a neat feature which should have you working better as a team, but it’s simply just a version of rock-paper-scissors that can be quickly forgotten at the heart of the battle. One of the bigger changes on the surface is that you no longer tell your character to just attack and sit back while he or she starts fighting the enemy (which I never felt worked on consoles), you now have to attack for them. While it’s a simple change which leads to simple button mashing, its more engaging and you feel in more control of your character.

The combat of Dragon Age 2 is much more refined and enjoyable

However, combat isn’t the main focus of a game like Dragon Age 2. Sure your character can be a bloodthirsty warrior, or a powerful mage, but these games are always about the dialogue and the choices, which Dragon Age 2 certainly delivers. As with the combat, at first glance Bioware have simplified these features down. You now know which the ‘good’ option is and which is the ‘bad’ as they are colour coded to represent each choice ala Mass Effect 2. However, there are plenty of situations when you are just given a choice, with no colour, and you really have to think which will be the best outcome. Often these can be game or story changing, such as choosing to let someone live or die.

There’s a lot that could still be said but in conclusion Dragon Age 2 is a bit off balance. It’s clear Bioware have set a schema for their games and now it’s all about working out the kinks. With Dragon Age 2 Bioware have got some things a little wrong, but others very right. They do weave a brilliant tale, complete with a whole spectrum of emotions, but the storyline, ultimately, doesn’t deliver an epic quest that most will be expecting. This doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t be addicted from the moment you put the game in and it definitely doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy the journey it takes you on. The characters themselves are worth playing for, and you’ll always be eager to see what’s going to happen next.

E3: Review

Before I begin this article let me tell you a bit about myself.

Who am I?

My names Shaun Kellett, I’m a 21 year old gamer from Solihull, West Midlands. Technically, I’m an ideal target audience. I’m old enough to buy all the games and I’m old enough to be able to afford a lot of the games too.

So what do I play?

Well, I own all 3 seventh generation consoles and the 2 latest handholds, so surely I play everything? Well, not quite. If a game is multiplatform I buy it for the 360. I would buy 360 over the other consoles. Why? Simply because it’s my biggest collection, I like owning all my games on one console, plus all my friends play 360 so it’s likely to have the better online community for me, someone who doesn’t like talking to strangers. Down one from my 360 would be my PS3, played more often than my Wii. I own very few games for the PS3 and what games I do own are exclusives. I plan to own more over summer, titles such as Heavy Rain, God of War 3, Uncharted 2, and so on. Last but not least, my Wii, which I’ve played quite a bit but nowhere near. I can’t help but be disappointed with the Wii when it comes to third party help but they always succeed with their exclusives.

Why tell you all this?

I figure you need to know, you’re going to think “What makes his opinion different?”, “Where do his loyalties lie?” and most importantly, “Why should we listen to him?”. Truth is my loyalties probably do lie a little with Microsoft, but that’s because I use it most. I like to think I am opinionated but can offer an objective opinion, unlike a lot of fan boys out there. If you read my future reviews, you read my future articles, or you just read this E3 coverage you should know, I am always thinking about the game and the hardware; I am always fairly comparing it. There will be no ‘This is better on the 360 because...’ unless there’s a solid reason, there will also be no ‘PS3 is the better console because...’ unless, again, there is some reason that makes it so.

So, with no further a due, I am going to try and summarise my thoughts, my feelings, and my views of the E3 2010 Conferences into one article.

Its every gamers dream to attend E3

E3

E3 is a big, major, event for all gamers. As such its quite hard to cover in one article, there’s a lot I was impressed with and also a lot I was less impressed with. I’m going to try and focus on the individual conferences for each major developer. That means I won’t be mentioned the awful, awful laser tag from the Ubisoft conference, or any games displayed outside of the conference slots. Still, let’s see the highlights. (I've tried to include links to most of the new games and some links to Videos I think you should see, or just generally support my info!)

Microsoft - Xbox 360 and Kinect (Natal)

The biggest news from the Microsoft conference must have been the release of the new Xbox 360 250Gb, or an ‘Xbox 360 Slim’. There were rumours about its development and here it is, a smaller, edgier and apparently quieter console with a bigger hard drive and an in-built WiFi connection. It only took them how long to install this? While a big announcement its hard to be too excited about the new console. If you don’t already own a 360, now is the time to get one, but if you do then the chances are you wont be looking to upgrade too soon.

The second biggest news Microsoft had this year was actually a name change. Natal, Microsofts new motion sensor add-on, has been renamed Kinect. Obviously they’re going for ‘Kinetic’ ‘Connection’ and, whilst a clever name, it makes the system sound far too gimicy and, in my opinion, like a new brand of Lego toys.

While the name isn’t great the adapter actually is. The show went on to show that Kinect actually brings what Natal originally promised. The motion sensing appears solid and the games, while still just pointless mini-games, do appear to be a lot of fun. Ubisofts ‘Your Shape: Fitness Evolved’ looks to be a Wii Fit killer. If the on stage demo is to be believed, which obviously we assume it is, then Your Shape appears to deliver a whole new brand of fun fitness activities designed to keep up the pace and, hopefully, increase your fitness. One of the most impressive features, for me, was in the smaller touches. Kinect was able to determine height and body mass by watching the female presenter. It was truly impressive technology.

Alongside ‘Your Shape’ there were other games displayed. Sadly all appeared to be mini-games but I doubt anyone was expecting otherwise, due to the new software. There will be 15 launch titles all together and some titles with Kinect added features. It seems the games will have us riding rafts, dancing, and looking after virtual pets. The content may not be new, we may have seen it all before, but the way access the content is what is truly unique. Whats more is Kinect doesn’t just get used in game, it can be used to scroll menus by moving your hands, or by using your voice. Kinect hasn’t failed to impress me, despite its reasonably poor gameplay lineup. Kinect is something that is new, unique, and original, so it’ll be awhile before the truly great games are released. 2011, for example, we will see the arrival of a Lucas Arts partnership and ability to weild a Light Saber in almost virtual reality! (Though, in my opinion, this would have worked better with the Playstations: Move) (Video)

Kinectimals was just one of the Kinect exclusive games on show

Exclusives were also on Microsofts agenda, hosted by the gaming communities version of household names. People such as Epic Games’ Cliff Bleszinski and Lionheads Peter Molyneux took the stage to deal out some details on their next titles. While both Gears of War 3 and Fable 3 look to be impressive, nothing was as near anticipated as the release details of Kinect. Fans will have lapped up the Halo: Reach footage also on display, but it looks like just another Halo game but with added flying, to me. Perhaps more shocking in terms of games exclusivity was a Microsoft and Crytek deal, showing a new game ‘Codename: Kingdoms’ to release. While its still unsure what this will be, Crytek hasn’t fallen short yet, so it will be sure to be a big title.

Microsoft didn’t just hit us with exclusives though, in fact they opened up their conference with Call of Duty and followed it with Metal Gear Solid: Rising. While the latter does look literally breath taking, and the former is yet another Call of Duty game, I believe that these conferences should focus on Exclusivity and, stooping to selling Multiplatform games, isn’t exactly the way forward.

Microsoft Breakdown:

The Good:

• Kinect looks more awesome and impressive than ever.
• Details on Reach, Gears of War, Fable 3.
• A new exclusive Crytek game.
• The new Xbox 360 250 gb.

The Bad:

• No ‘real’ games as of yet for Kinect
• Time wasted on Multiplatform Titles

Nintendo

What to say about Nintendo?

Before E3 I had little time for my Wii. I was planning to get Mario Galaxy 2 sometime next week, but other than that I had no plans to touch it, and haven’t done, for almost a year. I thought the Wii was failing. It could no longer hold its own against the other two systems and, with Kinect and Move on the way, there was no place for it. I was wrong.

While Kinect blew me away at the Microsoft conference Nintendo just blew me away with software. Nintendo were the only company to talk purely exclusives. They didn’t have to stoop to games that were on other software, to beg you to buy them instead, but they had many, many first-party titles to wow and impressive. I was giddy with excitement and Reggie Fils-Aimes was ready to deliver the news in his usual, slightly intense, but enjoyable style. The Wii seems to be going back to its routes, doing what it did best, and appeasing the fans left right and center. There’s a new Donkey Kong Country, titled ‘Returns’ and there is a new Kirby game, Kirbys Epic Yarn, both of which look utterly fantastic and simply charming and both of which are, surprisingly, side scrollers. Its what Nintendo do best over and over again. I was also surprisingly impressed by the new Disney game, Epic Mickey, which, not only looked to be taking a new twist but is also being created by Deus Ex’s Warren Spector. The game saw Mickey ‘painting’ the environment to bring it back to life or using ‘thinner’ to delete things and even characters. It looks to be a darker gamer with some choices, just like Warren Spector is known for (Video)

Reggie was on top form like every year.

Perhaps the most impressive announcement for the Wii, by far, was the new details on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Miyamoto showed that, finally, Links sword moves 1:1 with the Wii remote, just as it should have done from Twilight Princess (Video). As a Zelda fan boy this is what grabbed my attention and this is where I began to drool. If that wasn’t enough my nostalgia buttons were also pressed by the announcement of a new, completely redone, Goldeneye. Only for the Wii. It was clear that Nintendos conference was designed at fans.

The biggest news for Nintendo were the details on the 3DS. (Video) Capable of delivering games in 3D on the move and without the need for graphics is certainly impressive, in fact I would be tempted to put it up there with Kinect. It was also specified that a slider could control the amount of 3D in a game, another impressive feature! There was little in the conference to show exactly how all this played out, but Twitter has been a-buzz with excitement from those who have had some time with it. I’m guessing it must be played to be believed. It debuted with a Kid Icarus game which, older fans, will probably be pleased to see. Its expected that the 3DS will have a lot of launch titles to support it.

Nintendo breakdown:

The Good:

• A lot of games coming out to appease the fans.
• Some SOLID titles on the Wii for a change
• Some third party games that actually look half decent
• The 3DS is sure to be an amazing piece of hardware with a lot of support.

The Bad:

• Unable to really tell what the 3DS is like

Sony

Last but not least came Sony. This was my least favourite conference. Many people will say I am biased towards Microsoft, but I feel my Nintendo coverage proves that I am willing to see things a tad more objectively.

Obviously Sonys big announcement were the Move details. It looks more responsive then Kinect and it will hit shelves sooner, and cheaper, than the Microsoft product. However, I think Move is a very ‘safe’ option. Kinect, I feel, delivers us something new and exciting whereas Move is merely an improvement on an existing games technology, the Wii-mote. That said, however, I think the Move has a lot of potential too. The game, Sorcery, looked great, but is sadly due a 2011 release. Another exclusive mentioned was ‘Heroes on the Move’, a game involving Jak, Daxter, Ratchett, Clank, Sly and Bentley; All of whom are well known names for the Playstation platform. Though the game looked little else than just slashing the Move around, it still looked quite a bit of fun.

The games people really wanted to see for the Move were also shown. SOCOM is going to have full move support, as is Killzone 3, both of which are pretty much are looking to be aweomse games. Most of all, however, most of them are going to be full games. Not gimicy party games, but full games. In line with this announcement older games will be patched for Move Support, included in which are Little Big Planet, Heavy Rain and, multiplatform game, Resident Evil 5. While I don’t think the Move seems as impressive as the Kinect in terms of Hardware they definitely have a better foundation of games to support the new controller.

Sony spent little time dealing with exclusives and, more so even than Microsoft, talked a lot about multiplatform games. Sony seemed to be trying to one-up the other consoles with ‘unique’ content which was only going to be in their version. It wasn’t impressive when Microsoft paid Rockstar, it’s not impressive now. Personally I’d rather see exclusives at these conferences, it’s the whole reason I watch. However, that being said Gabe Newell, of Valve fame, took the stage and went on the record to say that Portal 2 on the PS3 would be the best version and that the PS3 would be given plenty of Steams features (Video).

When Sony did talk exclusives they talked Little Big Planet 2, a title I think separates the PS3 from the other consoles. Little Big Planet let players create their own levels, Little Big Planet 2 aims to let players create their own games. The footage showed games developed within 24 hour periods, all of which looked unique, fun, and nothing like the original Little Big Planet. It definitely seemed to be taking creativity to a new level. (Video)

Sackboy is back to delight PS3 owners.

Hardware news, besides Move, Sony were heavy on the ‘3D’ capabilities of future games. There are already films out and a few games, James Camerons Avatar the game springs to mind, but Sony seem to be pushing to make it a norm. It does make you wonder though just how many people have, or in fact care, about stereoscopic televisions and, again, they used Multiplatform games, to show this off.

Other news from Sony involved a partnership with Coka-Cola, and a new PSP advertising campaign with ‘Marcus’ off of Rolemodels which, while funny, really wasn’t all that exciting (Video). Sony seemed to be fighting to change their ‘business’ look and become quirky and funny. I must admit, I enjoyed the presentation at their conference. Kevin Butler was a little cheesy but also enjoyable to watch in, what I think, might go down in E3 history. (Video) I am still left with the feeling that Sony try that little bit too hard though. It wasn’t as bad as the Ubisoft conference though but, obviously, I’m not mentioned just how cringe worthy that was.

Sony breakdown:

The Good:

• Move Support for Older titles.
• Move support for future titles.
• Valve are behind the PS3. That must stand for something. Actually that must stand for A LOT.
• 3D for many future games.

The Bad:

• Way, WAY too much time spent on Multiplatform Games.
• Move still hasn’t ‘wowed’ me.
• Almost Petty ‘one-up-ery’ on behalf of Sony against Microsoft.
• 3D is still very new. Not many people like the idea of A: Upgrading their TV’s to a stereoscopic one and B: playing games with 3D glasses on.

Break it down!

So there you have it. That’s my coverage and that’s my feedback. Its the longest game article I’ve written and there was a lot to say. I’ve missed out a lot of it because, well, I simply could waffle on for ages. I tried to restrict it to just the conferences, but my memory has become a little blurry so a few extra details might have slipped in and out. You’re probably going to think I’m bias and you’re probably going to disagree with me, but I don’t really mind. Personally I think every company really shone this year, everyone had something to show. I think the coming few years are going to be really strong for gaming companies.

Red Dead Redemption

N.B.: This review was written using a 360 version of the game and therefore cannot necessarily be applied to all other versions. As always reviews are subjective and the thoughts and feelings of the reviewer.

Red Dead Redemption is Rockstar Games’ spiritual successor to Red Dead Revolver in 2004. Over the course of its production the game has received a lot of a hype and a lot of backing from prospective fans, all hoping to see, what they thought was to be an amazing sandbox experience. Rockstar not only deliver on this promise but they take it ten steps further making Red Dead Redemption not only the best game you will have played this year but one of the best Sandbox games you will have ever played. Period.

The story of Red Dead Redemption is not your traditional quest for revenge. You fill the spurred boots of John Marston a man who is hunting down his old friends and comrades who, years previous, left him for dead. While initially this all sounds straight forward the game quickly reveals that he only does so due to his orders from the corrupt government who are currently holding his family members as prisoners. From the opening few cutscenes and the first few missions it is clear that Red Dead Redemption is going to keep you hooked in and it’s a trail well worth following. No story mission in Red Dead feels out of place, there’s the right amount of action missions, the right amount of escort missions, and the right amount of cattle ranching, to keep you playing on and on. While the story missions progress the main narrative you will run into 18 Stranger missions which present other stories within the world. These stories are much shorter but break up the game nicely, with the only criticism being they sometimes end a little unsatisfactorily.

The characters in Red Dead are befitting of the time and the story and they are all welcome guests in your tale. John Marston is one of the best new characters to grace our screens. He is the archetypal outlaw cowboy, morally ambiguous and mysterious, but above all else, he feels real. This is something shared with all the characters throughout the game. While still keeping with Rockstars usual style, of being slightly over the top and characterized, all the characters you meet feel like real people, they act and talk how you would expect and never break character. Red Dead Redemption deserves top marks for its story and characters alone before even beginning to mention the gameplay.

Keeping in sync with the story and its motley posse the sound and the graphics also befit the time and place of Red Dead. The characters are all voiced superbly and believably and each weapon sounds exactly as it should. Each explosion and each animal call also blend in seamlessly. The graphics of Red Dead are not the most attractive up close, but when surveying the land from the back of your horse you are still sure to be amazed. Where Red Dead really shines is, again, with its characters. Their interesting scripts and superb voice acting would be hampered if it wasn’t their superb graphical design. Each character you meet looks unique and distinguishable but they all fit nicely into the western scenario. No characters you meet through a sandbox game really stick out in memory as much as the gang from Red Dead Redemption. Along with the characters all the animals, from the horses to the birds, look and act just as you would expect.

Enter John Marston, Rock Stars best character to date.

The gameplay in Red Dead is as you would expect from a Rockstar game. There’s an assortment of action, freeroaming and mini games to entertain yourself with. There is plenty going on to keep you busy. You can progress with the story at your own pace, either quickly trekking through the narrative or meandering through stranger missions or jobs. Among the jobs are bounty hunter missions and horsebreaking tasks, to earn extra income.

Red Dead handles superbly. The gunplay provides the right amount of difficulty, making it occasionally too easy but always enjoyable. There is also the ‘Dead Eye’ mode, allowing you to slow down time and select your targets, adding to your cool gunslinger look. Controlling the horses is well designed and for the first time you will actually feel an emotional bond to your mode of transport.

Red Dead also houses a multiplayer mode, similar to that of Grand Theft Auto previous, however this time it’s a little different and a lot improved. You now have the option to free-roam, forming a posse with your friends and doing different side quests. If this wasn’t enough you’re also able to enter different death match and team based games, which separate a part of the map for you to shoot your way through. The multiplayer also has some challenges for you to meet to increase your level which in turn allow you to change your character and your mode of transport. Whether you’re into roaming around with friends, or slaughtering strangers online, the multiplayer will have you hooked.

While not the biggest Game Map, definitely one of the most epic

Red Dead Redemption does have a few nameable flaws, an obvious one being its hefty supply of glitches. Though Rockstar are said to be releasing a patch in the coming weeks at the time of writing Red Dead Redemption has almost as many glitches as it does people. None of these glitches are truly game altering though. On a few rare occasions missions may be failed because of them but overall they serve to be humorous rather than annoying.

There’s also an issue with the money. As with many freeroaming games the use of money in Red Dead can feel slightly redundant. If you balance your jobs, your missions, and your looting you are rarely out of cash. You can hunt and skin animals, providing additional income, and there are hidden chests across the world. At times it would be nice to have something extra to buy besides stock up on ammo you don’t often need or buying a new horse simply for a change.

There’s also a problem when it comes to Jobs you’ll do for the mission. While at first they seem unique and open a lot of tasks begin to repeat themselves. After about the third guy in an hour asks for a lift back to town, you begin to know that these guys are just going to take your horse. It would be better, and not too unrealistic, for Rockstar have made a few different interactions whilst you’re out and about, and a maybe a few extra jobs to while away your free time.

With all this being said, however, Red Dead Redemption really is an incredible game experience. Whether its the near perfect story and characters, the multiplayer and free roam, or just its sheer epicness that draws you in. Quite often it will be too easy to a seasoned gamer, and if you plow through the story it will be gone all too soon. However if you treat it right, and juggle the sidequests, the free roam, and the missions you’re bound to have an unforgettable experience.

Authors Comment:
At the time of writing this Red Dead Redemption has been my most played 360 game. I have racked up over 50 hours worth of gameplay time and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I can’t sell this game enough. While I don’t think its flawless, and there’s some bits I really think Rockstar missed out on, it is still my favourite game of 2010.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction

Conviction, the latest in the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series, once again follows the story of Sam Fisher. With a completely new reimaging of both the style and the gameplay it is easy to be sceptical of Ubisofts latest release. Fans of the original may be a little put off but Conviction is quite clearly one the best in the series.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction makes it known from the start of the game that you are going to be a completely different Sam Fisher to the previous games. Sam is now retired and off the radar but is found and contacted once again by his old ally Anna Grimsdóttír who quickly informs Sam of the hitmen on his trail and walks him through a route out of the market place. By the end you learn, through a brutal interrogation, that Sam’s daughter, Sarah, is still alive and so begins Sam’s involvement in the plot. Gone are the stories that place Sam with the backing of the secret government agency Third Echelon, this story is about Sam’s quest for revenge. The rest of Sam’s vendetta plays out smoothly, narrated in past tense by a hitherto unseen character being interrogated by ominous figures. This Splinter Cell story, while short, is easily the most emotional and involving. While the other Splinter Cell stories left you almost unmoved this one has you questioning and even caring about Sam Fisher and his daughter. There are a few flashbacks, which normally keep the pace and also keep you guessing and intrigued. That said, the game deserves to be a little longer. The best missions are near the end and there a few missions purely there to progress the plot, which, while fun, will have fans wanting to swap for more stealthier missions.

The Story is often progressed by Interogation scenes, where Sam utilising the environment to get information out his foes

The graphics of Splinter Cell are top notch. They may be running on an old engine, and in some places it may be noticeable, but you never feel like the graphics are really suffering because of it. There’s occasional screen tear and a few bad textures, particularly with on the characters hair, but the game itself is so immersive it is hardly noticeable.

The new style seen in this Splinter Cell is a gritty one, trying to focus on a far more realistic and brutal theme. When in shadow Sam’s opponents are lit up in full colour while the environment fades to powerful monochrome. While a gameplay feature, useful for the player to highlight their opposition, it is a stylish choice to implement into the game without it feeling too tacked on. The style is also seen in the cutscenes, the interrogations, and anytime the camera moves. The new visual direction does a good job of placing you in a fast paced action thriller without feeling like style over substance.

Style and graphics would be let down if the sound did not also live up but thankfully it does. Though the sound track can sometimes get a bit repetitive the rest of the sounds in Splinter Cell really highlight the movie feel. From the gun sounds and explosions to the dialogue, you are fully immersed in the Splinter Cell universe. Michael Ironside reprises the role of Sam Fisher and is joined by old cast members giving the dialogue an emotive and movie like feel, even if some of the lip syncing isn’t up to scratch.

Another style choice is the use of the projected objectives, where Sams missions or flashbacks are lit up on the sides of walls and buildings. Though not a startling new feature it does blend seamlessly into the rest of the game. There is one scene, however, where Sams emotions are flickered across the walls, which is a little too cheesy and really doesn't fit with the rest of the game.

In terms of Gameplay the Splinter Cell formula has been redesigned. Conviction still has its use of stealth, though rather than simply waiting in the shadows you are now stalking your prey. Gone are the use of non-fatal attacks, Sam is all about revenge and quickly kills all in his path. There is emphasis on speed with the new gameplay direction. In his old age Sam appears more agile, climbing walls and pipes quicker than before, and with some, often brutal, quick takedowns at the press of the button. With this concept of speed there is the new and innovative feature of ‘Mark and Execute’ which is likely to split the fans. By performing a hand to hand takedown Sam gains the ability to ‘Execute’ where he can ‘Mark’ up to 4 targets and kill them swiftly with the press of the Y button. While some fans of the original slower paced games might see this as a mere ‘kill’ button, where the last of the guards can be taken down in a matter of a second, there is really nothing like setting up a couple of kills and pouncing on a guard, providing a fulfilling and cinematic way to dispatch your opponents. This experience is sometimes ruined, however, when the execute has Sam shooting through walls at Guards clearly not in his line of site, these small glitches though are allowable and hardly frequently.

Conviction also boasts some of the fastest and most efficient cover seen in a game to date. While holding the L trigger a player can stick themselves to a wall to use as cover. From here they can hide, blindfire, or peek round corners. Its easy to get a hang of and mistakes are rarely made allowing you to conduct your stealth missions with smooth efficiency.

The Mark/Execute feature is a welcome and cinematic new gameplay feature

Despite Convictions short single player there is a co-op campaign designed to be played with a friend. The game easily boosts the story by a good set of hours and its almost as though the developers simply chose to focus their attention here, what with the current move of co-op and multiplayer gaming.

The co-op is where the game really deserves high marks as the fun experienced here is not quite comparable to other co-op games currently on the market. All the single player features are here and while lining up a few kills in single player is a fulfilling experience there is nothing like a co-op plan coming together with the two of you working fully in sync.

There are also a few extra game modes in the co-ops repertoire, with the Hunter, Last Stand, and Face Off challenges. Hunter has you playing through the campaigns levels, taking out a set amount of enemies while the Last Stand feature has you holding out against wave after wave of opponents. Within the Face Off feature a small area is designated for you and your friend to take out the opposition. In this scenario, however here friendly fire is enabled, and in fact promoted, as you battle to see who can take out the most enemy guards. Original fans may be dismayed to see the removal of Spy VS Merc and it is the only thing that really lets this co-op package down.

At the end of the day Splinter Cell: Conviction is a fantastic reboot of the series that’s only real flaw is that it leaves you wanting more. The story is more emotional and less forgettable than the previous titles and for once has you caring about the characters. From a gameplay standpoint fans will either love or hate the new direction, with less emphasis on stealth and more on action. There’s actually no real Punishment and reward for playing through the game as stealthily or aggressively as possible, which may not be what fans are truly after. However the new blend of action and stealth together keeps a good balance which is likely to appease all but the most steadfast of fans.

Shaun Kellett

Clockwork Musings

Authors note: I’m a fan of the original splinter cells and I thoroughly enjoyed Splinter Cell: Conviction. Though its really not as stealthy as before I think the new direction is a positive one, with a really good balance. I had a lot of fun playing through the campaign, though I really felt it lacked a few extra levels. I’ve also had a lot of fun playing it with my housemate but still haven’t fully completed the co-op (one of the reasons I put off doing this review so long).