Creative Bankruptcy

Battle: Los Angeles The game

2011-04-03T15:10:00.000+05:30

I liked Battle:Los Angeles the movie. I liked it enough to watch it twice in the theatre. I heard that a game tie-in was released and as it was only like 1.2 gb I downloaded it(with my new 2mbps connection :3).

The game's length was lesser than that of the movie (must be the first time in the history of movie tie-ins) and it was so bad that it was fun to laugh at. I'm guessing that the budget was abysmally low. I've seen budget shooters from Cit Interactive that play way better than this one.

It looks decent.

The "story" is told using some poorly drawn 2D comic panels and are animated in a hilarous way. They look like an animated storyboard. The voice acting was also terrible. The soldiers keeps shouting the same 4 lines repeatedly during combat .The weapons(only 3 totally) handle weirdly. There is no recoil and it feels like a game from the late 90s.

The graphics were surprisingly good(relatively) for such a crappy game. This game had one of the best looking fire effects i've seen in-game. Sadly all the effort was wasted. The devs could have used their time to add an extra hour(that's how long it lasts) or so to some other game instead of making this.

Bulletstorm

2011-04-03T02:30:00.000+05:30

Just finished playing this one. Seriously kick-ass game. Long time since i had this much fun with an FPS. While every other current FPS is linear, story driven(not always) and serious this one is just balls out fun/funny. Yes, it is linear, but the combat is so varied and open ended that it can be played differently every single time.

There are tons of ways to dish out pain here and it's all made possible with the leash and kick system. Pull them, kick them and blast them in slo-mo(or do various other things). Very easy to use and makes the combat extremely satisfying.
All the various kill moves(called skillshots) are given hilarious names -> Enviro-Mental, Parashoot, Kill-o-Watt, ... and loads of others which are mostly sexual innuendos. These skillshots are a necessity and killing with only bullets will drain ammo very quickly. The game rewards variety in the killing.

The story is very straightforward (with some epic set pieces) but it stands out because of the extremely foul language used. They've come up with some weirdly mashed up swear words. The constant banter between the characters is pretty funny. Way better than having a silent protagonist( i'm looking at you Crysis 2 >.<)

The game looks gorgeous. The Unreal engine keeps getting better and better. There are some seriously stunning looking vistas. The game was of a decent length and was varied in both combat and environments.

Thumping the ground to throw all enemies in the air never gets old.

Red Dead Redemption

2010-12-14T17:21:00.000+05:30

- Gorgeous graphics with almost zero pop-in.
- Has some of the best voice acting seen in games.

- The story was pretty good at the beginning and end but when the game shifts to Mexico it becomes completely over-the-top. You start working for two opposing factions at the same time and they never notice that.
- The ending of the game was shocking and one of the best I've ever seen.
- The open world gameplay is very dynamic. Random robberies, kidnappings and various other crimes occur all over the place and can be interrupted . There are plenty of bounties for wanted men. Has way more variety than any of the GTA games.

- I found the gun play a bit on the easy side. The auto-aim is too useful and most rifles kill people in one shot.
- Overall it is one of Rockstar's best. Has a lengthy and epic single player campaign which took me about 25 hours to complete.

Alan Wake

2010-07-18T15:13:00.000+05:30

This was a game that made me feel jealous of 360 owners when I saw the previews. Now that I've played it (twice actually) I can say that it was worth every bit of hype surrounding it.

The story is one of then best I've seen in a game in recent times. Its about a horror writer Alan Wake who goes on a vacation with his wife and his hunt to find her when she gets kidnapped. It turns into a horror game when the supernatural story he wrote comes to life. You also meet tons of interesting characters on the way. Revealing anything more would be a spoiler. I've read that the TV show Twin Peaks was an inspiration for the show. After watching the show I realised that a lot of the locations were exact replicas of the TV show.

The enemies in the game are possessed by a darkness. This includes people and poltergeists. The only way they can be hurt is by using light to remove their dark protection and then shooting them. This is done by using a flashlight and various guns which aren't out of place in a backwoods town. The gameplay is extremely tight and refined. The game is basically a survival horror game and Wake is constantly outnumbered. Choices have to be made about fighting or fleeing.

The safe havens/checkpoints in the game are places with a powerful light source(pictured below) . Also available are items like flashbangs (which decimate everything in sight), flares and flare guns(which functions as a RPG) which wouldn't be that useful in other games but are extremely powerful here due to darkness being an enemy.

This game is scary for a different reason when compared to something like Dead Space. In Dead Space the enemies try to startle you by suddenly jumping at you from vents. In Alan Wake this is done partly by using the Manuscript system. When roaming around Wake finds manuscripts of the story that is coming to life. Sometimes the manuscripts contain information about events yet to happen like "Alan Wake was then attacked by an axe murderer when he left the forest" or something. This creates tension as you know what is going to happen and wait for it . There are also certain set pieces where you feel like a total bad-ass . One memorable sequence is where Wake and a friend try to fend off a Taken (that is what the possessed enemies are called) attack on a rock concert stage using the fireworks on the corners of the stage while some sweet music plays in the background .

The gameplay is enhanced by some spectacular graphics. This game has the best lighting I've seen in a game(as it should have been in a game where light is the weapon). The dynamic shadows it creates are a sight to behold. The character models could have been better though they don't remove anything from the experience . The game also has some really spooky music sound effects and music score. The voice work in the game is top notch .

The story ends in an ambiguous manner and hopefully it will be explained better in the sequel (which hopefully comes out in the next 2 years). Overall this is one of the best gaming experiences I've had and something I will remember for a long time.

GTA 4 - The Ballad of Gay Tony

2010-06-29T17:05:00.000+05:30

The second GTA 4 DLC that was part of the Episodes from Liberty City pack. If TLAD made me like GTA again, this one made me fall in love with it again. It goes back to the over the top style found in GTA San Andreas. While TLAD was all dark and serious this one takes the exactly opposite approach. (They do go overboard with the color pink though. Everything from the minimap routes to text is in pink.)

This DLC has a more likable proganist than GTA 4 and TLAD. Luis Lopez has a dark past like every other GTA protagonist and is looking to lead a better life. He is the business partner and bodyguard of Tony Prince aka Gay Tony who owns nightclubs. These places add a nightclub management activity and also provide opportunities for Luis to dance and get laid. The story is integrated with GTA 4 and TLAD and provides a resolution to the diamonds that were lost in GTA 4. Most of the characters in the game are extremely over the top and awesome. The game went from good to awesome with the introduction of one Yusuf Amir . He is hands down one of the funniest and my favorite character in all GTAs. The story is also pretty lighthearted and ends on a happy note unlike the others.

Yusuf Amir - We gettin' Arab money

The missions given by Yusuf are some of the most action packed ones ever seen in a GTA game. He also provides some of the exotic weapons and vehicles in the game (including one uber awesome shotgun with explosive ammo and a gold plated Uzi). A lot of the missions involve helicopters though the controls for them are still bad. The game also introduces a base jumping mechanic which is used in a few missions and is available as a side activity (clutters up the map). They are not as interesting as the racing in TLAD. There are also a few drug wars activities available though I didn't spend a lot of time on them.

One thing that I didn't like about the game was the mission scoring system. Its very difficult to get good scores in all missions ( they are measures based on time taken, player damage, headshots , etc. ) and is purely for the hardcore completionists .

This is the last we'll see of this version of Liberty City and the next GTA game may probably be in a totally different location. I'm waiting to see how Rockstar is going to best this.

GTA 4 - The Lost and Damned

2010-06-21T20:50:00.000+05:30

I got this one in the standalone Episodes from Liberty City pack along with The Ballad of Gay Tony. For me the two games are very different from each other so I'm going to do separate posts .

To be honest I didn't like GTA4 that much. I hated the uber realistic nature of the game( unlike my favorite GTA San Andreas) and the fact that it ran poorly on my PC. I played TLAD on the 360 so the performance issue was solved ( I was annoyed by the huge amount of pop-in though. I could've reduced that a bit by installing the game)

After playing this one (more because of TBOGT) I fell in love with GTA again( and realised that most of my hatred was because of the performance). Unlike a lot of other people I like the protagonist of TLAD, Johhny Klebitz way more than GTA4's Niko Bellic. Though this episode is way shorter than GTA4 I found more interesting and memorable characters in it. Plot-wise it is brilliant. Rockstar sure can write great stories. There are a few familiar characters from GTA4 popping in now and then and a few events are integrated .

The auto aim felt weird the first time . I also didn't know until late into the game that you can go into free-aim mode by pressing the LT half way. The cover and aiming feels a bit clumsy but its nowhere bad enough to ruin the gameplay. It gets the job done. There are a couple of new weapons and vehicles thrown as well as new game mechanics. TLAD introduces a gang system wherein you can call for gang reinforcements during missions as well as mobile gun vans which sell weapons.

There are plenty of bike races all around the city and some of them are a lot of fun ( i.e. the ones on the beach). There are also new gang wars events all around the city and these help increasing the skills of gang members. These help in increasing the replay value.

Overall it is one of the best DLCs available and is a must play for GTA fans. It is bested by The Ballad of Gay Tony though.

Bayonetta

2010-06-11T23:42:00.000+05:30

This game is one of the most awesome things I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Never before has my jaw dropped this much during a game.The sheer amount of ridiculousness and awesomeness on display is mind boggling. This game is a defining example of "over the top".

You play as Bayonetta who is a witch suffering from amnesia. She can't remember anything about her past and is on a quest to find out about her past. The story is pretty nonsensical and it takes her through a lot of places . The game starts in a graveyard and ends in outer space. That's how ridiculous it is. The cutscenes are worth a watch though due to the insane action direction ( and extremely cheesy dialogue ) . They are EPIC.

The gameplay initially feels like Devil May Cry(which is referenced constantly along with other SEGA games like Sonic) with a mix of melee combat and guns. It quickly becomes apparent that this a totally new beast. I've never seen any other action game with combat this fluid. Bayonetta's hair turns into all sorts of objects ranging from huge fists and feet (pictured above) to a wide range of crazy looking monsters that are used to finish off bosses. Also available are torture attacks where Bayonetta summons various torturing devices and guillotines to exact painful death.(pictured below)

The most useful feature in combat is called Witch Time. When an enemy's attack is dodged successfully time slows down for a short duration. These are vital in the later stages which are hard. Enemies which appear as bosses in the early sections appear as regular enemies in the later stages. Normal gameplay is mixed up with vehicular sections now and then .

One standout feature is the design of the characters and locations. All the enemies look like screwed up version of angelic creatures. Most of the boss battles are huge and multi layered. The end boss battle is something I'll never forget. Its on a scale you've never seen before. All of this is supported by beautiful graphics and a solid frame rate. Overall its some of the most fun I've had in a game.

I'm looking forward to see what Platinum Games have in store for us in Vanquish

Video Games | Bayonetta | Hair Moves Gameplay Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Aliens vs. Predator

2010-06-07T22:21:00.009+05:30

This was the game that I played immediately after Halo 3. This is the game that made me realize that Halo 3 looks bad. I read in other reviews that the graphics were average but I loved it . Very atmospheric. Some of the best character models I've seen in a game.

There are 3 separate campaigns that take place in the same locations and each with their own separate story lines. The Marine campaign plays like a normal FPS. You get better guns as you proceed and you fight stronger enemies . There are the customary boss fights interspersed here and there. What makes it unique are the totally dark environments which have to be lit by flares( producing some beautiful dynamic light) and the enemies. The animations for the aliens is well done and looks really creepy.

The Predators campaign plays like a stealth game with abilities like cloaking and silent kills. Also available here are some really gruesome "trophy" kills where we get to pull out the spines of humans . Performing these kills is extremely satisfying . All the classic Predator stuff from the various vision modes to the unique weapons are on display here. They are recreated perfectly (both visually and aurally). The melee combat in this campaign is pretty easy though. Press the buttons popping up on-screen and you're done. No challenge involved.

The Aliens campaign is the shortest of the three probably because of the fact that the alien can't get upgrades like the marines and predators. Running on walls is disorienting at first but you get used to it. Stalking marines and tail skewering them is so much fun. Harvesting civilians(the civilian's face is introduced to a face-hugger) is also very enjoyable.

For me the gory kills alone make this game worth playing . Something different compared to the usual generic FPSes.

Video Games | Aliens vs Predator | UK Kill Moves Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

A montage of the gory kill moves

Halo 3

2010-06-06T19:14:00.001+05:30

I got Halo 3 bundled with the console along with Forza Motorsport 2 (which I probably will never play). I've played the previous halo games on the PC . I also don't play multiplayer so this is all about the campaign.

This being my first console FPS (with the 360 controller at least) I thought it would take ages to get used to the controls. I was surprised to find out that it was pretty easy to get used to and I was shooting aliens with extreme ease. It actually feels nice using the triggers for shooting (complementing that is the rumble).

The game was a lot of fun without it being too scripted like the COD games. Plenty of huge showdowns are perfectly placed throughout the game. I did notice a decent amount of back tracking though Bungie somehow managed to not make it repetitive.

I've heard a lot of people saying that the game looks bad. I thought it looked pretty decent and that was until I tried out some other games and realised that it did look ugly and Bungie hadn't even tried. The music in that game was EPIC though and really improves some parts of the game. The game's finale was awesome and I loved every minute of it.

I had a weird audio problem while playing the game and this really scared me because it was a new console and I though it got screwed up. I later found out that this was because of some Dolby Audio settings on the console which I changed.

I will be getting Halo 3 : ODST in a few days and I want to play that badly.

Restart

2010-06-06T17:33:00.003+05:30

After a very long time I've decided to start blogging again. I've given up twice till now due to my extreme laziness. I hope it doesn't happen again.

I got an Xbox 360 and I've pretty much given up on PC gaming. When most games start chugging(especially Assassins's Creed 2) and become unplayable, thats when you give up. Even games that don't look too good aren't running properly.

I'll start writing reviews of the 360 games I play and the only person who's probably going to be reading them is myself in the future. Let's see how this turns out.

Sandbox-style PC games of 2009 : Part 1

2009-02-22T15:10:00.001+05:30

1) The Godfather II
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Developer: EA Redwood

3rd person shooter with strategy aspects.
Inspired by the Godfather Part II plot. ( will deviate slightly from the story )
Improved extortion controls ( Blackhand 2.0 )
More emphasis placed on the squad mechanic with special skills for each soldier.
"Don's View", a strategic overview of the game world used to expand and protect the empire.

2) Mafia II
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Developer: 2K Czech

3rd person shooter.
Will be set in the 1940s and '50s in Empire City, a fictional city based on San Francisco and New York City.
Will have plenty of cutscenes (all in-game) which will tell a deep and gritty tale much like the first game.
Will feature more side missions than its predecessor (like taking over rival families, smuggling contraband, etc.)
Highly detailed graphics and enhanced vehicle damage modelling.

Rise of the Argonauts - Review

2009-02-15T12:34:00.000+05:30

The game's plot revolves around King Jason and his Argonauts as they search for the Golden Fleece with which he can bring back his assassinated wife Alceme.

++++++

Very good combat. Its brutal and satisfying. The slo-mo dismemberment using the sword and the head bashes with the mace are fun to look at. Its also one of the few things I actually liked about the game.
Some cool spell effects (though not very useful). One of the spells which causes the sword to shoot waves of wind is especially cool.
Very linear. I'm usually don't like the open world RPGs (excluding Fallout 3) where you roam around aimlessly grinding. There are almost no branching paths in the game. Just point A to B.
Decent looking and varied environments (though confusing to navigate) which look different from the usual Unreal Engine 3 fare.

- - - - - -

While the story is average it is fully ruined by bad voice acting and animations in the cutscenes. Except for the combat animations everything else looked bad.
Though linear its very difficult going from one place to another. The map is very poorly implemented and having to access it through the pause menu becomes irritating very quickly.
Too much backtracking in some levels and too much talking in the first half of the game. There is continuous combat only near the end of the game. There are very few encounters before that.
Lame boss battles. They are just normal enemies with a shit load of health and it takes a lot of time to beat them.

The game starts becoming enjoyable slowly and then abruptly ends. It would have liked the game if it had included more combat and was more polished in its presentation.

Awesome movie trailers

2009-02-02T11:43:00.000+05:30

I just came across two awesome trailers that premiered during Super Bowl. Being a fan of movies filled with special effects I loved both the trailers and am looking forward to the movies.

The first one is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen - The best free videos are right here

I loved the first movie(some of the best SFX i've seen) and will surely catch this one on the day it is released.

The second one is G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

GI Joe The Rise Of Cobra Official Teaser Trailer in HD Superbowl Spot Ad - Free videos are just a click away

I didn't expect this movie to be SFX laden but from the looks of the trailer most of the action incorporates CGI à la Transformers, especially the scenes with Snake-Eyes jumping around. One more thing that I noticed in various forums is that a lot of people already hate the movie and are sure that it will suck. They have reviewed the movie based on a 30 second teaser. This was the case for the first Transformers movie too. I hate it when people do that.

Anyway I will see both of these and will probably like them (especially the SFX parts).

Eden Lake - Movie Review

2009-01-22T16:17:00.000+05:30

Plot Synopsis - Nursery teacher Jenny and her boyfriend Steve, escape for a romantic weekend away. Steve, planning to propose, has found an idyllic setting: a remote lake enclosed by woodlands and seemingly deserted. The couple's peace is shattered when a gang of obnoxious kids encircles their campsite. Reveling in provoking the adults, the gang steals the couple's belongings and vandalizes their car leaving them completely stranded. When Steve confronts them, tempers flare and he suffers a shocking and violent attack. Fleeing for help, Jenny is subject to a brutal and relentless game of cat-and-mouse as she desperately tries to evade her young pursuers and find her way out of the woods. Source : IMDB

+++++++

Very effective and brutal horror because of the fact that its realistic and the events are completely plausible. One of the better scary horror movies in recent times.
Amazing direction and some fine performances by the couple and the kids too.
A refreshing change from the run of the mill slasher/horror flicks. A basic plot treated in a fresh and totally unpredictable manner.
Will affect you emotionally. I've never hated the antagonists of any movie to this extent. Shows the barbaric side of humans.
The ending. It'll make you angry.

- - - - - - -

A few plot holes.(Very few actually)
Not for everyone. Especially the ending which I also found difficult to stomach. This is the exact opposite of a feel-good movie. (I liked the movie nonetheless.)

Grand Theft Auto 4 - Review

2009-01-18T13:47:00.000+05:30

++++

Very good story with well developed characters (some of them get on your nerves).
Amazing attention to detail. I was always surprised by some tiny detail or the other.
Varied missions and side missions (though not as varied as San Andreas).
Very good character animation and physics. (The Euphoria engine at work)
Very funny dialogue, radio channels and TV.
Very good graphics in places (on my PC though). Amazing looking water and fire effects.

- - - -

Bad PC port. Horrible texture pop-in. It ruined the game for me.
Annoying friends system.
Realism - Not a good direction for the GTA series. San Andreas was a lot of fun.
Vehicles handle like shit.
No motive to do anything other than the story missions.

I did not enjoy GTA 4 as much as San Andreas. The bad graphics didn't let me. I'll probably give it a try again if I get a console.

Refresh

2009-01-17T21:55:00.000+05:30

I am going to start afresh again (hopefully for the last time). This time i am not going to just stick to the games I played. I am also going to write my opinions about the movies I see. I realized that if start writing long posts often i'll run out of stuff to write about. So I am going to write shorter posts more often.

Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare

2008-08-01T23:06:00.000+05:30

Developer : Infinity Ward
COD 4 is the best FPS I've played till date. The Call of Duty series (I have played all the preceding titles and loved them all) has moved from WWII to the present day. The guns and locations may be different but the action is still as visceral as it has always been.

Like previous titles the story is told from multiple perspectives, that of a British SAS operative and a US Marine. The story is presented well and it sucks you in. It has a few twists and turns, some that are predictable and some that you never expected. The campaign takes the player to varied locations all over the world and no two missions are similar. In one you'll be sneaking in the dark and sniping enemies whereas in another one you will start in midst of a heated gun battle in broad daylight. I especially liked the stealth mission in which you sneak around in a Ghillie Suit and the one in which you provide cover fire from an AC-130 Bomber. I liked them for their brutal realism. The campaign is filled with plenty of jaw dropping WTF moments.

I love the gunplay in the game because it just feels right( with very good hit detection) and enemies react to every bullet shot at them. This game has the most satisfying and brutal headshots (especially while sniping). The game is relentless in its pacing and is one helluva ride from start to finish.

COD 4 is also an audiovisual treat for gamers with good PCs. It looks amazing with very good lighting and sharp textures. The audio also feels just right and brings the heated battles to life.
The only gripe I have against the game is that the single player campaign is very short. This is remedied by addictive multiplayer and plenty of replay value. This game is an experience that shouldn't be missed by any gamer.

During the Hiatus

2008-08-01T19:35:00.000+05:30

I haven't posted in a long time. I kept postponing it for some reason or the other and almost forgot about it. I am missing the fun of blogging so I am now going to take a sincere effort to post regularly starting from today. I am also going to change the format of my reviews and I am going to make them bite-sized so that I can review more games. I am also going to provide a lot of collected information about the major games coming out this year. I am hoping to see more visitors.

(I am also currently a guest editor on my friend's blog Technomite)

Its Smokin'

2008-06-28T21:42:00.000+05:30

The following video is a pretty creative ad from Florida. It is part of the Tobacco Free Florida campaign and uses a Halo-like video game theme to spread its message. The main character kills all the enemies but succumbs to smoking. I doubt its effectiveness as it is aimed towards a specific target audience (and do people really stop smoking after seeing an ad) but i would love to play the game featured in it.

Another example is Metal Gear Solid 4 which also spreads a similar message during the installation procedure.

Whether they are effective or not its still good to know that games are being used for these purposes.

And Then There Was Light

2008-05-19T17:16:00.000+05:30

The current generation of games have one thing in common and that is good graphics. If you see some of the recent games you will notice that they try to closely emulate real life visually (a very good example would be Crysis). They achieve this by creating realistic lighting conditions.

The primary technique that is used for this is called High Dynamic Range (HDR) rendering. In the previous generation of gaming the lighting used was static which made them look flat and featureless. There was not much contrast between the dark and bright areas. HDR changes this by using dynamic lighting which imitates different levels of contrast and emulates how our eyes adjust to variations in lighting. Take a look at the following images from the game Farcry.

In the image with HDR you can see that the place where the light enters is very bright and has a bluish glow. This is due to an effect called Blooming where light is exaggerated at a specific spot. This emulates real life where you can't see a very bright light source clearly. You can also notice that the bright areas look brighter when HDR is enabled and they reveal more detail. The image without HDR looks pale in comparison. The following video will highlight the difference further.

The video is alternating between HDR and non-HDR. You can easily make out the difference between the HDR-enabled gameplay and non-HDR gameplay.

You would have noticed that when you walk from a darkly lit area to a brightly lit one it becomes very bright for an instant and your eyes take some time to adjust. This effect is also incorporated into games using HDR. It is seen in the video after 1 min 17 sec.

Another effect that HDR brings to the table is the transmittance of light through glass. Check out these pictures from Half Life 2 : Lost Coast.

Using HDR the amount of light that gets transmitted can be set and realistic illumination is achieved.

Examples

Half Life 2
Valve Software was the first developer to use HDR effectively in the game Half Life 2. Check out this footage from Half Life 2 : Episode 1 demonstrating HDR.

Crysis
One of the primary reasons for the near photo-realism of Crysis is the lighting. This game probably has every possible graphical effect. Checkout out this jaw-dropping footage showcasing the game's lighting effects.

The effect of the light seeping through foliage is called as God rays which is a real phenomenon.

As you can see from these examples HDR adds a lot of visual realism to games, but it comes at a price. A powerful graphics card is required to experience HDR in all its glory. When enabled on a low-end card it can bring the game to a halt. Post-2007 most games support it and have the option of turning it off. HDR has helped a lot in improving the graphical standards of the industry and will keep advancing as hardware develops. Games now have a brighter future.

Games to look out for in 2008 - PART 3

2008-05-06T22:13:00.000+05:30

1) Fallout 3

Fallout 3 is an action RPG being developed by Bethesda Softworks (The developers of Elder Scrolls : Oblivion). The previous installments in the series were all-time classics and this one aims to be the same. Fallout 3 takes place in post-apocalyptic United States in the year 2277. The main character ventures out of a fallout shelter into the wasteland in search of his father. The game is similar to Oblivion in its scope and has over 1700 endings based on the players actions. This game looks better than Oblivion which is a compliment. I'm looking forward to this one.

Images Courtesy Bethesda, Gamespot

2)Left 4 Dead

Left 4 Dead is a survival horror FPS where a group of 4 humans fight against hordes of Infected ( zombies). The fast moving zombies in this game are similar to the ones in the movie 28 Days later and less like the typical slow moving ones seen in George Romero's movies. This game uses the Source engine and will please twitchy trigger fingers by its fast paced action.

Images Courtesy IGN

3) Dead Space

Dead Space is a science fiction survival horror third-person shooter made by EA and they want to scare the hell out of you. The game is set on a space mining ship which has been occupied by a mysterious alien race. The player assumes the role of Isaac Clarke, a space engineer who gets trapped on the ship and must fight for his survival. The aliens in this game are pretty scary looking and can be killed only by dismemberment. As Isaac is just an engineer he has access to simple weapons which can be heavily modified( obviously due to his engineering skills ). There is also an animated movie based on this game coming out. The game is set to release close to Halloween( how appropriate). Check out these spooky (and gory) screens.

Images Courtesy EA, Teamxbox

4) Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction

This installment aims to re-invent the long running series. There are no more dark shadows to hide in and mainly no more trademark gadgets. Sam Fisher is a fugitive and has no support from the agency 3rd Echelon. The game has moved from its Light and Dark stealth mechanics. The main addition in this game is the improvisation of the environment and its use as a weapon. Ubisoft aims to create a truly dynamic environment which advanced physics. Sam must use the crowd to hide instead of shadows and can use any object (like a chair or even a printer) as a weapon. This will be accompanied by a strong story and some amazing technology( the lighting is pretty advanced). Splinter Cell has taken a new direction and I hope it works out well.

Images Courtesy IGN

Games to look out for in 2008 - PART 2

2008-05-05T23:07:00.000+05:30

1) Alan Wake

This game is made by Remedy Entertainment, the guys who made the awesome Max Payne series. Alan Wake is billed as a "psychological action thriller" and aims to have photo-realistic graphic qualities, realistic pixel shading, and dynamic shadows that change according to the position of the sun. This game is also being optimised for quad-core CPUs which is pretty advanced. There is still no release date in sight. Check out these screens.

Images courtesy Remedy Entertainment

2) Legendary

This FPS is unique because it adds mythological creatures into the mix. When the legendary Pandora's Box is opened the evil within it is released and mythological creatures begin to wage war against the world. You get to shoot werewolves, minotaurs, gryphons, golems ,etc. The game is shaping up well.

Images Courtesy IGN

3) Mercenaries 2 : World in Flames

This open world game is long due and the main reasons are the ambitious goals of the developers. The game is set in a fully destructible Venezuela and follows a revenge story. The gameplay is similar to the first game ( which i have played on my PS2 ) though the scope is much larger here. The game features some neat physics, fire effects and a lot of weapons ranging from guns to WMDs. There are also plenty of vehicles to pilot on the massive and varied terrain. i just hope it comes out this year.

Images Courtesy EA

4) Bionic Commando
This game is a sequel to an NES game. This 3D sequel is a third-person action game unlike the 2D side scrolling original. The swinging mechanism looks similar to the Spiderman games which is good. It also features close and long range combat in a variety of environments. It is also one gorgeous looking game. Check out these screenshots.

Images Courtesy IGN

5) Tiberium

Tiberium is a tactical first-person shooter set in the Command and Conquer universe. It features squad based gameplay mechanics and a unique multi purpose weapon which transforms into 4 different modes. I really liked the previous C&C Fps "Renegade" & am looking forward to this. It also puts the Unreal Engine 3 to good use.

Images Courtesy IGN

Games to look out for in 2008 - PART 1

2008-04-08T21:10:00.000+05:30

1) Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

I loved the first one and i am waiting to finish the fight. The game is already out for the consoles and has received positive reviews. The game is actually very similar to the first one and that is good enough.

Images Courtesy Ubisoft

2) Turok

This one is also out on the consoles and has received mostly positive reviews. The game looks pretty good too. I am waiting for some dinosaur killing action. I just hope they don't screw up the PC port.

Images Courtesy Touchstone
3) Mass Effect

After Gears of War, another hit Xbox 360 title is being ported to the PC with improved graphics and reconfigured controls.The interface has been redesigned for the mouse-keyboard combination and the game moves at a faster pace. The long load times that plagued the 360 version will be fixed in the PC. This is a must play game for every 360 owner and it hopefully will be so for PC gamers too.

Images Courtesy IGN.com
4) Brothers in Arms : Hell's Highway

The first game was a refreshing take on the stale World War II shooter genre. The game had characters who were believable ( They were actually based on real life soldiers ) . It added realism and tactical combat to the genre and was a success. Its sequel added more open levels and better enemy A.I. The third game adds a lot of features like a new cover system ( very much like Rainbow Six Vegas ), a more realistic camera system, slightly destructible environments, a deeper story and more developed & realistic characters. Did i mention that this game also looks beautiful.

Images Courtesy Ubisoft
5) Farcry 2

The first Farcry was a revolutionary game. It gave us amazing graphics, freedom to complete levels the way we like it and great gameplay. This time the developers want to take everything to the next level. The setting has shifted from tropical forests to the plains of Africa. The open ended combat will be more focussed and the enemy A.I is very intelligent. The game is built on a new engine and will feature every effect you would have ever heard about. Judging from the 13 minutes of pre-alpha gameplay this is going to be one hell of a ride.

Images Courtesy Ubisoft

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas

2008-04-02T19:15:00.000+05:30

As a fan of the more unrealistic and arcadey shooters i never really got into tactical shooters. This game changes that and then some. I never had so much fun playing a game in which i had to think first and then shoot. One more reason i liked this game is that it slightly deviates from realism by adding features like regenerating health.

Your teammates in action

The game is set in the neon lit Sin city, Las Vegas. This an amazing setting for a shooter and the Rainbow Six series. The player is cast as Rainbow team leader Logan Keller who along with two teammates has to protect Las Vegas from a string of terrorist attacks. The game starts in a Mexican border town and this level acts as a tutorial for all the actions at your disposal. The action then shifts to Vegas where you blast through a variety of casinos (all fictional) and hotels killing terrorists, saving hostages and diffusing bombs. The final level takes place in a fictional Nevada dam. The story is told through video feeds played through the heads-up display and not through cutscenes. The game has a cliffhanger ending which is resolved in its sequel.
There is also a terrorist hunt mode which sets you up against a fixed no. of terrorists and some conditions.

Colourful Vegas

The game though played in first person can be changed to third person when the player is near cover. From this position the player can blindfire or lay down suppression. Controlling the A.I. controlling teammates is easy with an intuitive interface and they follow the commands properly. Using them properly is necessary for winning some of the tougher battles. Most rooms have multiple entries which can be used to flank the enemies while your teammates engage them. The enemy A.I. is also pretty intelligent and aggressive. You are provided with a assortment of guns which range from sniper rifles to machine guns all of which can be modified with scopes, etc.
Overall the game provides a lot of options to fight each battle and the combat is satisfying.

Mexico looks beautiful too

This is the first Unreal Engine 3 powered game for the PC and it puts it to good use. Las Vegas looks amazing with all the colours. The character models are highly detailed. My only gripe was that there is no native widescreen support unless you patch it.

This is a must play for people who like tactical shooters and is also a good starting point for people to get into this genre.

Images Courtesy Xboxfocus.com, Ubisoft

World in Conflict

2008-04-01T20:32:00.001+05:30

Developer : Massive Entertainment

This is one of my favourite RTS (Real Time Strategy) games. What makes this game unique that there is no resource gathering or base building which is common in almost every other RTS. All the thinking must be done in the midst of the large scale battles.

The game takes place during 1989 during the downfall of the Soviet Union. This game takes place in an alternate history where instead of a cold war the Soviet invades USA as a last resort to remain in power. The player assumes the role of Lieutenant Parker an United States Army officer under the command of Colonel Sawyer. The player has to command a assault force to protect civilians and resist the invasion.

The chaos that ensues in every battle

The player can control four types of troops viz. infantry, armor, air and support. The units are air dropped into the battlefield and reinforcements are summoned in the midst of battle. The action is non-stop and you are swept from one massive confrontation to another. My favourite part in this game is the amount of destruction that takes place. When you actually see the battlefield after a mission you will realise that you have caused more destruction than the invaders. Almost everything in the battlefield is destructible.

More chaos

This is one hell of a good looking game. The attention to detail is amazing. All the units and the environments look amazing from any distance. The smoke looks very realistic and so do the explosions. The mushroom cloud which forms after a nuke explosion is a sight to behold. See for yourself.

Beautiful isn't it

This game is a must play for RTS fans and those who are into fast paced action games.
This game is so good that they are porting it to the Xbox 360

Images Courtesy Sierra

The Orange Box

2008-03-31T22:07:00.000+05:30

Developer : Valve Software

This is one of the best compilation of games you can get till date. It consists of the classic Half Life 2, its episodic sequels HL2: Episode 1 & Episode 2, a very innovative first person puzzler called Portal and Team Fortress 2 which is an online shooter.

The original Half Life 2 was the game that introduced me to the world of first person shooters.
It works and manages to look good even on low end PCs. It is a good mix of action, driving and puzzles. It also introduced the world to the now famous Gravity gun with which any thing could be used as a projectile. In the game the player is cast into City 17 which is overtaken by an alien military force known as the Combine and has to help the citizens and his ex-colleagues to fight them . They game ends with a cliffhanger ending which is the only gripe i have against the game.
The game was a stunning looker at its time and it still is. It has neat water effects(as you can see in the picture) and physics. One unique thing about the game and its sequels is that the main character never speaks and there are no cut scenes.

Half Life 2

Episode 1 resolves the cliffhanger ending but it is the weak link in the series. It isn't as good as HL2. It is very short(about 5 hrs) and it didn't move the story much. The environments were also pretty bland. The latest outing Episode 2 fixed all these problems. It has good story progression and is well paced. They game engine has been updated and this game has all the graphical effects out there and also features some cutting edge physics. The story has raised a lot of questions which will be resolved in Episode 3 for which i am eagerly waiting.

Half Life 2 : Episode 2

Now about Portal which is one of the most innovative games to have come out in the past few years. There is a portal gun which can place two portals at a time. If you enter one, you come out of the other. This simple concept is used in some really wicked puzzles which will make you think. It has a lot of humor interspersed throughout and this game deserves multiple playthroughs. Even though it is a puzzle game it still looks amazing.

Portal

I haven't played Team Fortress 2 as i don't play multiplayer games.
The orange box is a must buy for any shooter fan.

Images courtesy Valve

A bit about myself

2008-03-31T21:39:00.000+05:30

I'm a computer/internet/video game addict who has played literally every PC game which came out in 2007-08. I have always wanted to write some kind of a game diary containing my reviews about the games i've played and finally decided on creating a blog. writing reviews for all the games i have is going to take a very long time.

Some other stuff about me :

i'm a giant
i love technology
i hate sports of any kind( i don't even play sports in the form of video games)
i love firefox
i like linux and i support the open source movement
and i'll never stop playing video games

that sums up everything about me