This week was a busy one for the video game sector. E3 happened with all of the various announcements and demos, etc. So what have i been thinking about this week?
E3
As i mentioned E3 was this week. E3 has changed a lot from the "golden age" in the 90s and early 2000s. Now it seems to be targeted more to the mainstream press than a bunch of narrow interest sites. E3 was also a little better when people didn't have 1,000+ outlets to leak information. Apparently people don't respect non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) anymore.
Nintendo announced the Wii U (which is a really stupid name). Basically, they will likely advertise it as the Wii for You (you being the more "hardcore" gamer). The release date is still a ways off. The one strange thing about this console is the ridiculously large controller. It kind of sounds a little like a much advanced version of the Dreamcast VMU. Personally, i am not a fan of touch interfaces - so i have already written off the conosle (plus its Nintendo).
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Kinect: In Defense of Kinect
Well, i have seen the ravenous ire of the self-professed "hard core gamer" coming out of E3. Yes, i get it, some of you would never accept Kinect if it had the best game ever released. Yes, the early going has been somewhat rough, but here is why i don't agree with the doubters.
i do have a Kinect that i haven't played in a while (outside the recent Kinect Fun Lab stuff). One of the reasons is the game selection. A bigger reason may be that it makes me sore in some way every time i use it. Now for some random points. i do believe that Kinect should see a $25-$50 price cut at TGS or PAX Prime (ahead of the holiday rush).
1) Lag: lag in some games is more noticeable than others. i really don't notice it that much in the 5 games i currently have. There is some kind of lag already in every video game ever released. A big part of the problem with apparent Kinect lag is that one of the biggest potential lags here is the player. A game like Kinect Adventures (or Kinect Sports) may appear to some to have a greater lag, because it has to prompt players a little earlier for certain events.
2) No Controller: this is a paradigm that some people can't get their heads around. Basically, the controller itself is an abstraction. You have various buttons perform in game actions. The Kinect is basically using a punch instead of the B-button. So, it really isn't that different (in theory) from a regular controller. Yes, there are numerous potential ways to actually move without a thumb stick.
My favorite potential method would be having a center base region with no movement - a step forward past a line of demarcation would be equivalent to moving the thumb stick forward. i don't see why you couldn't just stay moving forward as long as you are forward of the center mark (holding the stick if you will). In other words just standing forward of the line would be constant movement. The same could be done with backward motion. i guess the problem with this scenario is that people tend to shift around a lot while playing.
3) The Games are Too "Kiddie": the simplified game (like mini-game collections) are one of the best ways for companies to get acquainted with the new technology. Eventually, you will see companies expand and improve what they can do (it may take several waves of game to do so). We're not there yet motion controls are still a relatively young paradigm. The Kinect method is younger still and less abstract than the Move or Wii (basically, those two have less demands on them). There are a lot of cool things that can and will be done with Kinect in the future. i would love a Too Human Kinect or RPG game, or even a decent platformer. There are ways to play "hard core" games with this type of control mechanism. Ironically, i think i might be able to target enemies in shooters better if i didn't have to use the thumbstick to do it.
4) The Software Will Improve: there is a difference of opinion among some on how much the Kinect can actually be improved over time. This may deal with a greater emphasis on "guessing" movements (to reduce lag), increased functionalities (like finger tracking), even may reducing distance needed. i believe there will eventually be a better responding Kinect 2, but the current model can be improved (regardless of real specifications). There are real limitations (but there is for everything else too).
5) Video Games Are Getting Stale: for me this is one of the factors why i was interested in Kinect. Basically, the video game market seems to be devolving into Hollywood - where everything feels like a rehashed sequel (well in Hollywood, almost everything is). How many shooters can they release in a year? Kinect is a place where developers can experiment a little with new mechanics, newer ("non-blockbuster") story lines, etc. Couple Kinect with XBLA and Indie games and you could see some really interesting stuff - it won't sell millions, but it will be a value added proposition for the console as a whole.
6) Voice Recognition: this was one of the things i liked about Kinect. The ability (expanding) to navigate the console with voice commands. The Bing search is a big plus in that direction. i also like the idea of using voice commands to help play the game. If it can reduce button presses maybe the controllers will last longer.
7) Hybrid Games: using certain Kinect functionality with a controller is an ineteresting concept. However, this will likely be utilized mostly for moving the camera and voice commands. i, for one, hope that this potential camera implementation will be better than the disappointing camera schemes i have seen so many of this generation. Basically moving camera up to 120°. It would be kind of nice to limit the dual thumbstick movement.
8) Misc.: No Virginia, Kinect games do not have to be on-rails. However, i would like to see more games that are. Revisiting lost genres and mechanics is also one of the potential benefits to Kinect. i could really go for a Spyro-ish (the Insomniac version) platformer for Kinect. There needs to be at least one "lightgun" style game released for this. i know i am getting kind of tired of the sandbox for sandbox sake games. Sure Oblivion was "huge" and there was a lot to see, but most of it was pretty worthless (virtually identical caves with little real purpose). i would much rather have a game on-rails with a better story than a sandbox game (with a weak story). Come on MSFT give me a100 hour turn based RPG for Kinect.
i do have a Kinect that i haven't played in a while (outside the recent Kinect Fun Lab stuff). One of the reasons is the game selection. A bigger reason may be that it makes me sore in some way every time i use it. Now for some random points. i do believe that Kinect should see a $25-$50 price cut at TGS or PAX Prime (ahead of the holiday rush).
1) Lag: lag in some games is more noticeable than others. i really don't notice it that much in the 5 games i currently have. There is some kind of lag already in every video game ever released. A big part of the problem with apparent Kinect lag is that one of the biggest potential lags here is the player. A game like Kinect Adventures (or Kinect Sports) may appear to some to have a greater lag, because it has to prompt players a little earlier for certain events.
2) No Controller: this is a paradigm that some people can't get their heads around. Basically, the controller itself is an abstraction. You have various buttons perform in game actions. The Kinect is basically using a punch instead of the B-button. So, it really isn't that different (in theory) from a regular controller. Yes, there are numerous potential ways to actually move without a thumb stick.
My favorite potential method would be having a center base region with no movement - a step forward past a line of demarcation would be equivalent to moving the thumb stick forward. i don't see why you couldn't just stay moving forward as long as you are forward of the center mark (holding the stick if you will). In other words just standing forward of the line would be constant movement. The same could be done with backward motion. i guess the problem with this scenario is that people tend to shift around a lot while playing.
3) The Games are Too "Kiddie": the simplified game (like mini-game collections) are one of the best ways for companies to get acquainted with the new technology. Eventually, you will see companies expand and improve what they can do (it may take several waves of game to do so). We're not there yet motion controls are still a relatively young paradigm. The Kinect method is younger still and less abstract than the Move or Wii (basically, those two have less demands on them). There are a lot of cool things that can and will be done with Kinect in the future. i would love a Too Human Kinect or RPG game, or even a decent platformer. There are ways to play "hard core" games with this type of control mechanism. Ironically, i think i might be able to target enemies in shooters better if i didn't have to use the thumbstick to do it.
4) The Software Will Improve: there is a difference of opinion among some on how much the Kinect can actually be improved over time. This may deal with a greater emphasis on "guessing" movements (to reduce lag), increased functionalities (like finger tracking), even may reducing distance needed. i believe there will eventually be a better responding Kinect 2, but the current model can be improved (regardless of real specifications). There are real limitations (but there is for everything else too).
5) Video Games Are Getting Stale: for me this is one of the factors why i was interested in Kinect. Basically, the video game market seems to be devolving into Hollywood - where everything feels like a rehashed sequel (well in Hollywood, almost everything is). How many shooters can they release in a year? Kinect is a place where developers can experiment a little with new mechanics, newer ("non-blockbuster") story lines, etc. Couple Kinect with XBLA and Indie games and you could see some really interesting stuff - it won't sell millions, but it will be a value added proposition for the console as a whole.
6) Voice Recognition: this was one of the things i liked about Kinect. The ability (expanding) to navigate the console with voice commands. The Bing search is a big plus in that direction. i also like the idea of using voice commands to help play the game. If it can reduce button presses maybe the controllers will last longer.
7) Hybrid Games: using certain Kinect functionality with a controller is an ineteresting concept. However, this will likely be utilized mostly for moving the camera and voice commands. i, for one, hope that this potential camera implementation will be better than the disappointing camera schemes i have seen so many of this generation. Basically moving camera up to 120°. It would be kind of nice to limit the dual thumbstick movement.
8) Misc.: No Virginia, Kinect games do not have to be on-rails. However, i would like to see more games that are. Revisiting lost genres and mechanics is also one of the potential benefits to Kinect. i could really go for a Spyro-ish (the Insomniac version) platformer for Kinect. There needs to be at least one "lightgun" style game released for this. i know i am getting kind of tired of the sandbox for sandbox sake games. Sure Oblivion was "huge" and there was a lot to see, but most of it was pretty worthless (virtually identical caves with little real purpose). i would much rather have a game on-rails with a better story than a sandbox game (with a weak story). Come on MSFT give me a100 hour turn based RPG for Kinect.
Monday, June 6, 2011
E3 2011: Microsoft Briefing Impressions
Microsoft had its big E3 presser today (i watched on TV).
i know the self-professed "hard core" gamer will decry this as one of the worst E3 press conferences ever. However, despite their delusion, they are not the target audience for much of what is coming out. Basically, the era of the old E3 (massive announcements) is over. Now it is service the "hard core" - which MSFT did with Gears of War 3, Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Tomb Raider,etc. Who cares if those titles have already been announced - E3 is now about more than the "fan" press. Gaming has achieved more mainstream status and the press conferences had to adapt (to more of a portfolio approach - show off a bit of everything). That said, the only real impact announcement i saw was Halo 4 (also 5 and 6 confirmed).
Much of the story for me with the MSFT presser was what wasn't there. There was no Gunstringer, no Rare (BigPark apparently is doing Kinect Sports Season 2) and how many of the rumors turned out to be not ready for prime time. Though that does not mean some of them aren't true. i have to think they have more going on that was announced. Voice commands were one of the things i wanted to see expand with Kinect - it looks like i'm getting my wish.
Disappointments:
* Kinect Star Wars - much of the disappointment i have with the title is that it has so many references to the prequels. i prefer to think the prequels never happened. i know demos have issues (particularly on big stages with motion sensitive games), but this really didn't look that good. Sure, this had control issues and seemed kind of bland, but it should sell well (with a little more polish and decent marketing).
Indifferent (not my "cup of tea"):
* Gears of War 3
* Modern Warfare 3
* Tomb Raider - i don't like the button press prompts
* EA Sports Stuff
* Ghost Recon Future Solider - gunsmith mode looked interesting
* YouTube - i guess it is sort of cool
* UFC service - i like the interactivity component, UFC itself - not so much
* Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
* Minecraft Kinect
* Kinect Disneyland Adventures - looks somewhat like a Disneyfied version of Kinect Adventures (not a bad thing).
* Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster - this is unapologetically aimed at the younger demographic.
* Dance Central 2: The first game was decent except the song selection kind of sucks. This version adds two player dance battles, campaign mode, the ability to import all songs from the first game and some other stuff. Why do "dance" songs have to be so bad?
Could Be Interesting:
* Mass Effect 3 - i kind of like the way the implemented Kinect voice commands into this one. However, i didn't really like the combat in the second game (generic 3rd person shooter).
* Bing voice search - voice activated search for all thing XBL, sound cool if implemented across basically everything
* New Xbox interface - hopefully it will be a lot faster than the current glacial New Xbox Experience.
* Live television - it isn't exactly the XBL Platinum rumored, but it could be interesting
* Ryse (previously Codename Kingdoms) - this game actually looks interesting to me. It seems to be a Kinect Brawler. This is definitely on my list of games to watch for. However, who knows when it will release.
* Forza 4 - i have owned all of the Forza games so far. However, i am not sure if i will get this one. i liked that Forza 3 was forgiving, i'm not sure 4 will have the same level of accessibility.
* Fable: The Journey - this looks way different from previous Fable games. i am curious how this one will turn out. The demo they showed was not great, but they have a while to nail things down (2012 release) - this is the first openly 2012 title i will be keeping my eyes on.
* Kinect Fun Labs - Apps for Kinect, the big question here is how much support will this actually see. Also where are they ultimately going with this?
* Kinect Sports: The Second Season - This is the sequel to the multi-million selling Kinect Sports. Apparently this is being developed by BigPark (what exactly is Rare doing?). This is basically eerily similar to Wii Sports. Games are scheduled to include Baseball (awesome), Tennis, Golf, Skiing, Football (US version) and Darts (is that really a sport?).
Edit: Apparently, Kinect Sports: The Second Season is being developed by Rare and BigPark
i know the self-professed "hard core" gamer will decry this as one of the worst E3 press conferences ever. However, despite their delusion, they are not the target audience for much of what is coming out. Basically, the era of the old E3 (massive announcements) is over. Now it is service the "hard core" - which MSFT did with Gears of War 3, Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Tomb Raider,etc. Who cares if those titles have already been announced - E3 is now about more than the "fan" press. Gaming has achieved more mainstream status and the press conferences had to adapt (to more of a portfolio approach - show off a bit of everything). That said, the only real impact announcement i saw was Halo 4 (also 5 and 6 confirmed).
Much of the story for me with the MSFT presser was what wasn't there. There was no Gunstringer, no Rare (BigPark apparently is doing Kinect Sports Season 2) and how many of the rumors turned out to be not ready for prime time. Though that does not mean some of them aren't true. i have to think they have more going on that was announced. Voice commands were one of the things i wanted to see expand with Kinect - it looks like i'm getting my wish.
Disappointments:
* Kinect Star Wars - much of the disappointment i have with the title is that it has so many references to the prequels. i prefer to think the prequels never happened. i know demos have issues (particularly on big stages with motion sensitive games), but this really didn't look that good. Sure, this had control issues and seemed kind of bland, but it should sell well (with a little more polish and decent marketing).
Indifferent (not my "cup of tea"):
* Gears of War 3
* Modern Warfare 3
* Tomb Raider - i don't like the button press prompts
* EA Sports Stuff
* Ghost Recon Future Solider - gunsmith mode looked interesting
* YouTube - i guess it is sort of cool
* UFC service - i like the interactivity component, UFC itself - not so much
* Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
* Minecraft Kinect
* Kinect Disneyland Adventures - looks somewhat like a Disneyfied version of Kinect Adventures (not a bad thing).
* Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster - this is unapologetically aimed at the younger demographic.
* Dance Central 2: The first game was decent except the song selection kind of sucks. This version adds two player dance battles, campaign mode, the ability to import all songs from the first game and some other stuff. Why do "dance" songs have to be so bad?
Could Be Interesting:
* Mass Effect 3 - i kind of like the way the implemented Kinect voice commands into this one. However, i didn't really like the combat in the second game (generic 3rd person shooter).
* Bing voice search - voice activated search for all thing XBL, sound cool if implemented across basically everything
* New Xbox interface - hopefully it will be a lot faster than the current glacial New Xbox Experience.
* Live television - it isn't exactly the XBL Platinum rumored, but it could be interesting
* Ryse (previously Codename Kingdoms) - this game actually looks interesting to me. It seems to be a Kinect Brawler. This is definitely on my list of games to watch for. However, who knows when it will release.
* Forza 4 - i have owned all of the Forza games so far. However, i am not sure if i will get this one. i liked that Forza 3 was forgiving, i'm not sure 4 will have the same level of accessibility.
* Fable: The Journey - this looks way different from previous Fable games. i am curious how this one will turn out. The demo they showed was not great, but they have a while to nail things down (2012 release) - this is the first openly 2012 title i will be keeping my eyes on.
* Kinect Fun Labs - Apps for Kinect, the big question here is how much support will this actually see. Also where are they ultimately going with this?
* Kinect Sports: The Second Season - This is the sequel to the multi-million selling Kinect Sports. Apparently this is being developed by BigPark (what exactly is Rare doing?). This is basically eerily similar to Wii Sports. Games are scheduled to include Baseball (awesome), Tennis, Golf, Skiing, Football (US version) and Darts (is that really a sport?).
Edit: Apparently, Kinect Sports: The Second Season is being developed by Rare and BigPark
E3 2011: Microsoft - Kinect Fun Labs
So, Microsoft had their big E3 briefing today (which i decided to watch on Spike). One of the things that came out today was Kinect Fun Labs.
Warining: launching Kinect Fun Labs without the Kinect sensor on is a bad idea. It kept giving me error messages that i couldn't bypass, even the guide button was not working to get out.
Kinect Fun Labs is basically a series of bite sized proof of concept "apps". They range from things like object scanning to person scanning. Really there are about 4 or so up currently (all free, all with 50 gamerscore each). This currently consists of Googly Eyes, Kinect Me, Build a Buddy and BobbleHead. Sparkler was shown at E3, but not up yet. Maybe i will try and post a few pictures if Kinectshare.com is still working. No, you cannot use the Kinect Me version as your avatar.
So, i've tried out all the available "games"... Basically this is a 770+ MB file (with other files to be downloaded at 200+ MB). The interface is kind of slow (can be launched from the Community section or Kinect Dashboard).
This mostly comes from the people at Good Science (Kinect Adventures, i wish they would have announced a sequel instead).
Edit: Here is a picture from one of them (too bad Blogger doesn't seem to be an easy way to embed WMV files - if there is it is really, really slow)
BobbleHead (not a very good scan result, they are both supposed to be me). It is kind of annoying in this and Kinect Me to line up for "scans" of your face. The glasses are a generic addition. i hope that isn't supposed to be the Space Needle in the background (if it is that is kind of pathetic).
Warining: launching Kinect Fun Labs without the Kinect sensor on is a bad idea. It kept giving me error messages that i couldn't bypass, even the guide button was not working to get out.
Kinect Fun Labs is basically a series of bite sized proof of concept "apps". They range from things like object scanning to person scanning. Really there are about 4 or so up currently (all free, all with 50 gamerscore each). This currently consists of Googly Eyes, Kinect Me, Build a Buddy and BobbleHead. Sparkler was shown at E3, but not up yet. Maybe i will try and post a few pictures if Kinectshare.com is still working. No, you cannot use the Kinect Me version as your avatar.
So, i've tried out all the available "games"... Basically this is a 770+ MB file (with other files to be downloaded at 200+ MB). The interface is kind of slow (can be launched from the Community section or Kinect Dashboard).
This mostly comes from the people at Good Science (Kinect Adventures, i wish they would have announced a sequel instead).
Edit: Here is a picture from one of them (too bad Blogger doesn't seem to be an easy way to embed WMV files - if there is it is really, really slow)
BobbleHead (not a very good scan result, they are both supposed to be me). It is kind of annoying in this and Kinect Me to line up for "scans" of your face. The glasses are a generic addition. i hope that isn't supposed to be the Space Needle in the background (if it is that is kind of pathetic).
Friday, June 3, 2011
Dview: BioShock 2 (Xbox 360)
The Bottom Line:
BioShock 2 is a shooter that finds us going back to the magical undersea base called Rapture. This game takes place years after the first game. So, the question might be - is this game as good as the first one? i would say not even close. The BioShock game (which i have to re-beat... eventually) had a certain element where the environment/ambiance was far superior (especially the first play). Also, Andrew Ryan was a much, much better character than Dr. Lamb. They both wanted a kind of utopia, but on opposite ends of the spectrum. The sequel did add Big Sisters (which are mostly annoying) and changed the way hacking was done. BioShock 2 has a shorter story and added multi-player. If you played the first BioShock, you know what to expect (just a slightly shorter and worse version). If you haven't played the first game, it is basically a shooter with plasmids (kind of like magic) and a little bit of RPG elements. Ultimately, the star of the game was Rapture itself.
Apparently there are 3 add-ons that i do not have (at least ones with achievements). They are: Rapture Metro Pack, The Protector Trials and Minerva's Den.
Grade: C+
What to Expect:
* More Big Daddies to fight
* Little Sisters to rescue or not
* Splicers (enemies) to attack - they might respawn at certain points
* A bunch of plasmids and tonics to use (some of questionable usefulness) to find or buy
* 100 Audio Tapes scattered throughout Rapture to find (give a little bit backstory)
* Upgradable (three levels) weapons
* Kind of a short main story
How i Played:
* Difficulty: Casual
* Play Time: 10-11 hours (beat it in two days) - story only, no online
* Achievements: 25 (for 535 Gamerscore)
* Verdict: Rent or Buy Cheap
Achievements:
There are 50 achievements available in the game (18 more with all the DLC). They are for things like: upgrading weapons, hacking, researching, dealing with Little Sisters and story related events. There are also multi-player achievements (unfortunately). 12 of the 50 achievements for the base game fall into that category (about 210/1,000).
BioShock 2 is a shooter that finds us going back to the magical undersea base called Rapture. This game takes place years after the first game. So, the question might be - is this game as good as the first one? i would say not even close. The BioShock game (which i have to re-beat... eventually) had a certain element where the environment/ambiance was far superior (especially the first play). Also, Andrew Ryan was a much, much better character than Dr. Lamb. They both wanted a kind of utopia, but on opposite ends of the spectrum. The sequel did add Big Sisters (which are mostly annoying) and changed the way hacking was done. BioShock 2 has a shorter story and added multi-player. If you played the first BioShock, you know what to expect (just a slightly shorter and worse version). If you haven't played the first game, it is basically a shooter with plasmids (kind of like magic) and a little bit of RPG elements. Ultimately, the star of the game was Rapture itself.
Apparently there are 3 add-ons that i do not have (at least ones with achievements). They are: Rapture Metro Pack, The Protector Trials and Minerva's Den.
Grade: C+
What to Expect:
* More Big Daddies to fight
* Little Sisters to rescue or not
* Splicers (enemies) to attack - they might respawn at certain points
* A bunch of plasmids and tonics to use (some of questionable usefulness) to find or buy
* 100 Audio Tapes scattered throughout Rapture to find (give a little bit backstory)
* Upgradable (three levels) weapons
* Kind of a short main story
How i Played:
* Difficulty: Casual
* Play Time: 10-11 hours (beat it in two days) - story only, no online
* Achievements: 25 (for 535 Gamerscore)
* Verdict: Rent or Buy Cheap
Achievements:
There are 50 achievements available in the game (18 more with all the DLC). They are for things like: upgrading weapons, hacking, researching, dealing with Little Sisters and story related events. There are also multi-player achievements (unfortunately). 12 of the 50 achievements for the base game fall into that category (about 210/1,000).
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Assassin's Creed 2: i May Actually Hate This Game
So, recently i have been trying to play Assassin's Creed 2... i know this game was somewhat critically acclaimed and tons of people out there supposedly love it. The actual game is ok - there are elements that i don't like (see partial list below). i think i'm on the 9th chapter or whatever they call it. i find it strange that games like this don't get slammed by people for being repetitive.
i find this game a hell of a lot more frustrating than fun. i have at least 8,000 words describing my current feelings for this game . There are a lot of repeats and very few would make it through language filters. If this game weren't so frustrating it would be better than the first one (frustrating but doable). i have seriously considered breaking the stupid disc. Difficulty levels are good. There are way too many timed sections as part of the main story.
Not only that, but this game takes some of my least favorite video game elements and adds them into one:
* Annoying puzzles - just to have annoying puzzles (referring to glyph puzzles)
* Poorly controlled vehicles (check) - i hate vehicles in games
* Escort Missions
* Stealth following missions
* Running down the enemy missions.
* Camera that seem to mess up occasionally (run and camera at same time is impossible)
* Jump puzzles (tons of them - forgivable without the next bullet point)
* Timed events - i hate timed events, especially jump puzzles (which are hard enough without a clock). Weird camera angles seem to crop up while doing these too. i am trying a assassin seal (in Venice) and am really annoyed. Why does the camera always face the wrong way at the start of these?
i find this game a hell of a lot more frustrating than fun. i have at least 8,000 words describing my current feelings for this game . There are a lot of repeats and very few would make it through language filters. If this game weren't so frustrating it would be better than the first one (frustrating but doable). i have seriously considered breaking the stupid disc. Difficulty levels are good. There are way too many timed sections as part of the main story.
Not only that, but this game takes some of my least favorite video game elements and adds them into one:
* Annoying puzzles - just to have annoying puzzles (referring to glyph puzzles)
* Poorly controlled vehicles (check) - i hate vehicles in games
* Escort Missions
* Stealth following missions
* Running down the enemy missions.
* Camera that seem to mess up occasionally (run and camera at same time is impossible)
* Jump puzzles (tons of them - forgivable without the next bullet point)
* Timed events - i hate timed events, especially jump puzzles (which are hard enough without a clock). Weird camera angles seem to crop up while doing these too. i am trying a assassin seal (in Venice) and am really annoyed. Why does the camera always face the wrong way at the start of these?
Friday, May 27, 2011
Dview: Dragon Age Origins UE (Xbox)
The Bottom Line:
Dragon Age Origins (DAO) is a "fantasy" RPG released by BioWare (the makers of Mass Effect, etc). Supposedly, the game is kind of a throwback to the Baldur's Gate style RPG. There is a lot of micro-managing of characters available. The romances in the game play out much like the first Mass Effect (with more clothing). There are 6 different "origin" stories to play at the beginning which may slightly impact the way the game world looks at you. The combat is a bit like that in their previous title (the far superior) Star Wars: Knights of the old republic. Basically you target an enemy and the character will keep attacking that enemy until they are defeated. This is a relatively long game (not JRPG long). One of the problems i had with the game is that the characters didn't really seem that interesting and there are some that feel like unnecessary duplicates - i guess they are there for their specializations. Like most WRPG, i got the feeling that your main created character was mostly a throwaway.
One of the reasons i got the Ultimate Edition is that BioWare kind of went crazy with DLC. There was an expansion and 8 DLC. This is going to be long. So, this "score" is for the entire package - and it gets bonus for a lot of content.
Grade: C+
Extraneous Commenting:
i mentioned the DLC on Ultimate Edition (which seems to be hard to find the XBLA version at brick-and-mortar retail). Here are the DLC packs included and the listed XBL prices
* Awakening (2,400 points, $30): This is the expansion to Dragon Age Origins. It picks up after the main story ends. Your character starts taking back a fort, then the game continues. You can import you character from the main game and gain access to new available skills. In my opinion, this is the best of the DLC stuff, but it is quite expensive for what it is. It is first accessed from New Game.
* The Golems of Amgarrak (400 points, $5.00): This is another add-on not accessible within the main game (start New Game). In this add-on, you will be going to a ruin to find out what happened to a group of adventurers. You will get a golem at some point and look for upgrades. This one is a bit more puzzle like at you may have to hit switches to travel to certain areas.
* Witch Hunt (560 points, $7.00): This is accessed from the New Game menu too. In this add-on (which may serve as a bridge of sort to the sequel, i'm not sure) you are trying to track down a former party member from the main Dragon Age game. Yes, the former member is a witch named Morrigan (one of my favorite characters from the main game). You can import a character into this DLC.
* Leliana's Song (560 points, $7.00): Accessed from New Game menu. This DLC is basically a back story of one of the characters you can get for your party in the first game (in the first city actually). Leliana is a bard (kind of a spy), who was tasked with creating havoc and placing stolen documents. The stolen documents lead to her problems. You start this relatively low level (level 10).
* The Darkspawn Chronicles (400 points, $5.00): Accessed from New Game. In this DLC, you face the final series of battles (most of them) from the perspective of the enemy darkspawn. This sounds cool in theory, but in practice it is kind of annoying. Basically you play as kind of a commander character. You go around an "enthrall" other darkspawn characters to form your party. Unfortunately, the "enthralled" character has a rather limited usefulness. You can't even use heal potions as them.
* Feastday Combo Pack (240 points, $3.00): This content is actually accessible from the main Dragon Age game. However, i fail to see its usefulness. Basically, all i could tell was that it added gifts that either drastically improved (or hurt) how characters feel about you - useful for romances and affinity skills.
* Warden's Keep (560 points, $7.00): This was one of the launch period DLC. Yes, it is accessible from in the main game (at the campsite). In this DLC you are tasked with retaking a former Grey Warden base and finding out about the past of a throw-away NPC.
* Return to Ostagar (400 points, $5.00): Accessed in game. In this DLC you go back to the scene of the first major fight (ok, slight spoiler, but it is really early on) and look for the armor of a fallen king.
* The Stone Prisoner (1,200 points, $15.00): Accessed in game. This was one of the initial two DLC. Basically, this was what they added to try and get people to buy the game new. Shale is a golem character. This DLC is about recruiting Shale and later doing a quest to find a little background.
What to Expect:
* A relatively long game filled with numerous opportunities for combat
* Somewhat boring/bland/repetitive characters - who aren't too intelligent
* Tactics - some degree of micro-managing characters
* Characters running into walls or other characters during combat
* A camera that doesn't like walls
* "Choices" in how to complete several tasks
* 6 origin stories that may mention other characters you meet later in your quest.
* 3 races (human, dwarf, elf) and 3 roles (warrior, mage, rogue)
Achievements:
This version of the game gets 1,750 possible points. Basically they are for such things as beating stages of the game, romancing characters, killing enemies, etc. There are not difficulty ones in the main game, but there are a couple in the DLC. Apparently, Darkspawn Chronicles has an annoying one with keeping a certain creature alive that may be one shot only (even with multiple game attempts). i got 1,480 on my first play through of these - it took me about 44 hours. The main game + add-ons accessible therein took me about 30 hours, the expansion about 10 and the out of game DLC was about 1 hour and 15 minutes each. There are still about 145 points i can add from the main game (i just need to finish another play through doing certain things).
Dragon Age Origins (DAO) is a "fantasy" RPG released by BioWare (the makers of Mass Effect, etc). Supposedly, the game is kind of a throwback to the Baldur's Gate style RPG. There is a lot of micro-managing of characters available. The romances in the game play out much like the first Mass Effect (with more clothing). There are 6 different "origin" stories to play at the beginning which may slightly impact the way the game world looks at you. The combat is a bit like that in their previous title (the far superior) Star Wars: Knights of the old republic. Basically you target an enemy and the character will keep attacking that enemy until they are defeated. This is a relatively long game (not JRPG long). One of the problems i had with the game is that the characters didn't really seem that interesting and there are some that feel like unnecessary duplicates - i guess they are there for their specializations. Like most WRPG, i got the feeling that your main created character was mostly a throwaway.
One of the reasons i got the Ultimate Edition is that BioWare kind of went crazy with DLC. There was an expansion and 8 DLC. This is going to be long. So, this "score" is for the entire package - and it gets bonus for a lot of content.
Grade: C+
Extraneous Commenting:
i mentioned the DLC on Ultimate Edition (which seems to be hard to find the XBLA version at brick-and-mortar retail). Here are the DLC packs included and the listed XBL prices
* Awakening (2,400 points, $30): This is the expansion to Dragon Age Origins. It picks up after the main story ends. Your character starts taking back a fort, then the game continues. You can import you character from the main game and gain access to new available skills. In my opinion, this is the best of the DLC stuff, but it is quite expensive for what it is. It is first accessed from New Game.
* The Golems of Amgarrak (400 points, $5.00): This is another add-on not accessible within the main game (start New Game). In this add-on, you will be going to a ruin to find out what happened to a group of adventurers. You will get a golem at some point and look for upgrades. This one is a bit more puzzle like at you may have to hit switches to travel to certain areas.
* Witch Hunt (560 points, $7.00): This is accessed from the New Game menu too. In this add-on (which may serve as a bridge of sort to the sequel, i'm not sure) you are trying to track down a former party member from the main Dragon Age game. Yes, the former member is a witch named Morrigan (one of my favorite characters from the main game). You can import a character into this DLC.
* Leliana's Song (560 points, $7.00): Accessed from New Game menu. This DLC is basically a back story of one of the characters you can get for your party in the first game (in the first city actually). Leliana is a bard (kind of a spy), who was tasked with creating havoc and placing stolen documents. The stolen documents lead to her problems. You start this relatively low level (level 10).
* The Darkspawn Chronicles (400 points, $5.00): Accessed from New Game. In this DLC, you face the final series of battles (most of them) from the perspective of the enemy darkspawn. This sounds cool in theory, but in practice it is kind of annoying. Basically you play as kind of a commander character. You go around an "enthrall" other darkspawn characters to form your party. Unfortunately, the "enthralled" character has a rather limited usefulness. You can't even use heal potions as them.
* Feastday Combo Pack (240 points, $3.00): This content is actually accessible from the main Dragon Age game. However, i fail to see its usefulness. Basically, all i could tell was that it added gifts that either drastically improved (or hurt) how characters feel about you - useful for romances and affinity skills.
* Warden's Keep (560 points, $7.00): This was one of the launch period DLC. Yes, it is accessible from in the main game (at the campsite). In this DLC you are tasked with retaking a former Grey Warden base and finding out about the past of a throw-away NPC.
* Return to Ostagar (400 points, $5.00): Accessed in game. In this DLC you go back to the scene of the first major fight (ok, slight spoiler, but it is really early on) and look for the armor of a fallen king.
* The Stone Prisoner (1,200 points, $15.00): Accessed in game. This was one of the initial two DLC. Basically, this was what they added to try and get people to buy the game new. Shale is a golem character. This DLC is about recruiting Shale and later doing a quest to find a little background.
What to Expect:
* A relatively long game filled with numerous opportunities for combat
* Somewhat boring/bland/repetitive characters - who aren't too intelligent
* Tactics - some degree of micro-managing characters
* Characters running into walls or other characters during combat
* A camera that doesn't like walls
* "Choices" in how to complete several tasks
* 6 origin stories that may mention other characters you meet later in your quest.
* 3 races (human, dwarf, elf) and 3 roles (warrior, mage, rogue)
Achievements:
This version of the game gets 1,750 possible points. Basically they are for such things as beating stages of the game, romancing characters, killing enemies, etc. There are not difficulty ones in the main game, but there are a couple in the DLC. Apparently, Darkspawn Chronicles has an annoying one with keeping a certain creature alive that may be one shot only (even with multiple game attempts). i got 1,480 on my first play through of these - it took me about 44 hours. The main game + add-ons accessible therein took me about 30 hours, the expansion about 10 and the out of game DLC was about 1 hour and 15 minutes each. There are still about 145 points i can add from the main game (i just need to finish another play through doing certain things).
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