Super Mario Galaxy - Nintendo Wii (Released November 16th 2007)
Considered by many to be the true spiritual successor to Super Mario 64, Miyamoto's magnum opus hits a Nintendo Wii near you to make you forget all about that doom-trip to Delfino Isle.
Set on the final frontier, Galaxy intends, like its legendary forebearer, to lift the platforming genre to new heights (no pun intended). And what a job it does: while 'inspired' by Psychonauts (a 2006 PC, PS2 and XBOX gem), Galaxy manages to feel fresh, original and innovative. It's hard to see where the platforming genre can go from here, but then that's what we said back in 1997 and Miyamoto and his golden touch have found a way.
The layout of the game will be familiar to players of Mario 64, consisting of a hub-world (in this case, the magical space station of Rosalina- a mysterious woman who seems to have befriended all the burnt-out stars....) and, within it, transportation to each of the Galaxies. There are 120 stars to be collected (though only 60 are required to beat the game) and every few collected stars allows the player to collect a grand star, which in turn allows access to more levels.
The gameplay consists of the formula instantly familiar to anyone who has played the Italian stallion's previous two 3 dimensional outings. It's simple enough, with one major addition- Infra Red support. Players will now collect tiny luminal fragments named starbits, which are pretty much coins- *in space*, and this is achieved by pointing the wiimote at them on the screen. These can then be spent gaining access to new galaxies or Mario's staple diet of mushrooms. It's not a huge addition, but it at least adds a new element to a system which hasn't changed over the last ten years, and the infra red support eliminates the need to run around in circles gathering currency (although it doesn't stop you doing it if you really want to!).
While incredibly simple, the gameplay here shines. Intelligent level design, including some ingenious gravity effects keep things fun, while bright, trippy visuals and a gorgeous soundtrack keep your senses suitably impressed. Usually involving tiny planets and black holes, player will spend their time hopping from planetoid to planetoid, using changing gravitational direction and a host of different ways to jump. Some classic level designs, such as the one where you jump across platforms which fall away after you touch them have received an innovational revamp, with the above design receiving a rubix cube like setup where you run around the outside of the cube. Other designs have stayed the same and are usually worse for it, such as the mediocre swimming levels. There is also the occasional level which changes up the gameplay completely, be it with a race sequence atop a stingrayesque thing, or with a chance to transform into bee Mario, these levels do provide some variation and work very well indeed for the most part.
Far from the greyish browns and brownish greys of the latest simulation shooter, Galaxy delivers what all good games should- pure gaming escapism. It's not complicated, difficult or realistic, but the faithful plumber's latest outing is simply a blast to play. Between the fantastic soundtrack (and yes, it does deserve a second mention) and the simple fact that you're flying through space at dizzying speeds and heights, Galaxy just makes you feel happy. And isn't that what it's all about? It may not be the best game I've ever played due to it's limited lifespan and over-whelming simplicity, but it's the Mario game we've been waiting for and it'll be talked about for years to come. In an industry clogged with cookie-cutter shooters and RPGs, Galaxy is a breath of healthy air. Pick it up, and enjoy it while it lasts because it's the best Wii game to date and one of the greatest games of 2007. Whether you're a seasoned Nintendgod (wahey!), or if this is your first time rescuing the princess, it doesn't matter, because Galaxy will appeal to young and old, fat or thing and male or female alike- and it should be praised for this. The bottom line is this: whoever you are, Galaxy is a blast to play and a rare treat, but at the end of the day it's simple, honest to goodness, princess-rescuing, and it's never been this good. Recommended.
9.5/10
Wednesday 2 July 2008
Monday 30 June 2008
Sunday 15 June 2008
Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) Review
Kojima's highly anticipated tactical stealth espionage epic has finally made it's way onto your Playstation 3, and there's nothing else quite like it. Nothing has ever sparked as much debate, as much love and hate and as much media attention as 2008s Metal Gear Solid 4. But does it live up to the hype?
The gameplay consists of the familiar tactical stealth espionage, but it's unlike anything you've seen before. The combat has been picked up, looked at, shaken around a little and ultimately revamped into a sweet ambrosia which keeps what we know and love and then makes it even more complex, more intuitive and, ultimately, by far the best stealth gameplay going.
It consists of approximately the same controls as the other entries in the series, but with a few important changes. The L2 and R2 buttons still bring up the gadget and weapon menus respectively, but not the L1 button controls targeting and R1 is the kill button. This leaves the triangle button to be a context sensitive trigger notably responsible for taking cover, while cross changes your stance from crouch to prone and back to standing. The latter is handled far more intuitively than in previous installments- Snake can now walk around crouched as well as prone, and player need no longer hold down the cross button to lie down- it is done with a couple of quick taps. This allows Snake to more quickly maneuver himself into a position where he can use the greatly-expanded gunplay system. While CQC has been made more complex, the gunplay is the biggest adjustment to combat and it's what the series needed. No longer are players unable to directly aim in third person mode- it is now possible to aim with the camera over-the-shoulder for more accurate shooting. This stands up remarkably well, with each weapon having its own distinctive feel. First person mode has also been re-examined, and players can now walk around while aiming in first person, something which will is used for good effect in tense firefights.
But the biggest adjustment to the gameplay is the camera- it's now fully in the player's control, unlike its slightly clunky predecessors which had a difficult top-down, stationary camera. This makes sneaking much easier and alleviates any camera-related issues experienced in past Metal Gear games.
All in all, the gameplay is a refinement of what has come before it and sets the standard down for games of any genre. While linear, the level design is tremendous, both from an artistic standpoint and a gameplay one, and the AI matches-up accordingly. The stealth is tense and thoughtful, the action satisfying, and the whole experience a deep, customizable and robust system which will take several play-throughs to master. It's tactical stealth espionage at it's very finest, though the action element is what makes it stand head-and-shoulders above what has come before it.
To be brief, MGS4 is hands-down the best presented game ever. The graphics are atmospheric, realistic and drop-dead gorgeous. The cutscenes are a true work of art, with more unforgettable action scenes than can be counted on all my fingers and toes. The sound, brought to us by Harry Gregson-Williams, a Hollywood composer, is suitably professional and epic, bringing us tense and atmospheric orchestrated pieces, while the in-game Ipod allows access to previous Metal Gear classics. Yet it is the confidence and grace with which MGS4 brings across these aspects which truly stands out. Cutscene switches to gameplay with such ease that it is easy not to notice that you're back in control. The game allows you to zoom in and change camera angles in the cutscenes, daring you to find fault with the visuals. And the whole experience is brought about like a movie, from the opening credits forwards. Out of 10, it would only be fair to give MGS4 a 14/10, to show how far ahead of the competition it is in terms of presentation.
The online component, released with the game, stands up well, while never taking the main spotlight. This is no throwaway multiplayer mode either: hours of your life will be consumed by Metal Gear Online, and you'll love every minute of it. It contains the same quirks as the single-player, and while laying down magazines or hiding in a box may not have the desired effect, it feels good to stick close to what we know and love. MGO is dissimilar to many other online shooters in its slow, tactical gameplay which relies on teamwork and communication. The perfect accompaniment to the main attraction.
All in all, Metal Gear Solid 4 is Kojima's finest hour, the PS3's saviour, and my favorite game of all time. Every aspect of this title excels- it's a tour-de-force of deep, outstanding gameplay, superb production values and unrivaled story progression. It's a cinematic masterpiece in terms of the memorable moments of story, be it humorous, action-packed or moving. It's the perfect end to a venerable and unforgettable series of games, and the story is more satisfying, more epic and more unpredictable than both the past Metal Gear games and all other games to date. From the opening credits rolling in the desolate yet intricately beautiful Middle-Eastern vistas to the final breathtaking reveal, this is a masterpiece. It's in the deep, experimental gameplay. It's in the stunningly awe-inspiring imagery. It's in the unparalleled production values. But most importantly it's in the greatest tale ever told, told in the most beautiful and unforgettable way imaginable. The emotions stirred by this game will never leave me. The way the whole piece comes together as a cohesive and brilliant package is something else though, and words simply can't describe the quality of the story and the cutscenes. It's the perfect game to put the perfect soldier to rest. Goodbye old friend. We salute you.
10/10
The gameplay consists of the familiar tactical stealth espionage, but it's unlike anything you've seen before. The combat has been picked up, looked at, shaken around a little and ultimately revamped into a sweet ambrosia which keeps what we know and love and then makes it even more complex, more intuitive and, ultimately, by far the best stealth gameplay going.
It consists of approximately the same controls as the other entries in the series, but with a few important changes. The L2 and R2 buttons still bring up the gadget and weapon menus respectively, but not the L1 button controls targeting and R1 is the kill button. This leaves the triangle button to be a context sensitive trigger notably responsible for taking cover, while cross changes your stance from crouch to prone and back to standing. The latter is handled far more intuitively than in previous installments- Snake can now walk around crouched as well as prone, and player need no longer hold down the cross button to lie down- it is done with a couple of quick taps. This allows Snake to more quickly maneuver himself into a position where he can use the greatly-expanded gunplay system. While CQC has been made more complex, the gunplay is the biggest adjustment to combat and it's what the series needed. No longer are players unable to directly aim in third person mode- it is now possible to aim with the camera over-the-shoulder for more accurate shooting. This stands up remarkably well, with each weapon having its own distinctive feel. First person mode has also been re-examined, and players can now walk around while aiming in first person, something which will is used for good effect in tense firefights.
But the biggest adjustment to the gameplay is the camera- it's now fully in the player's control, unlike its slightly clunky predecessors which had a difficult top-down, stationary camera. This makes sneaking much easier and alleviates any camera-related issues experienced in past Metal Gear games.
All in all, the gameplay is a refinement of what has come before it and sets the standard down for games of any genre. While linear, the level design is tremendous, both from an artistic standpoint and a gameplay one, and the AI matches-up accordingly. The stealth is tense and thoughtful, the action satisfying, and the whole experience a deep, customizable and robust system which will take several play-throughs to master. It's tactical stealth espionage at it's very finest, though the action element is what makes it stand head-and-shoulders above what has come before it.
To be brief, MGS4 is hands-down the best presented game ever. The graphics are atmospheric, realistic and drop-dead gorgeous. The cutscenes are a true work of art, with more unforgettable action scenes than can be counted on all my fingers and toes. The sound, brought to us by Harry Gregson-Williams, a Hollywood composer, is suitably professional and epic, bringing us tense and atmospheric orchestrated pieces, while the in-game Ipod allows access to previous Metal Gear classics. Yet it is the confidence and grace with which MGS4 brings across these aspects which truly stands out. Cutscene switches to gameplay with such ease that it is easy not to notice that you're back in control. The game allows you to zoom in and change camera angles in the cutscenes, daring you to find fault with the visuals. And the whole experience is brought about like a movie, from the opening credits forwards. Out of 10, it would only be fair to give MGS4 a 14/10, to show how far ahead of the competition it is in terms of presentation.
The online component, released with the game, stands up well, while never taking the main spotlight. This is no throwaway multiplayer mode either: hours of your life will be consumed by Metal Gear Online, and you'll love every minute of it. It contains the same quirks as the single-player, and while laying down magazines or hiding in a box may not have the desired effect, it feels good to stick close to what we know and love. MGO is dissimilar to many other online shooters in its slow, tactical gameplay which relies on teamwork and communication. The perfect accompaniment to the main attraction.
All in all, Metal Gear Solid 4 is Kojima's finest hour, the PS3's saviour, and my favorite game of all time. Every aspect of this title excels- it's a tour-de-force of deep, outstanding gameplay, superb production values and unrivaled story progression. It's a cinematic masterpiece in terms of the memorable moments of story, be it humorous, action-packed or moving. It's the perfect end to a venerable and unforgettable series of games, and the story is more satisfying, more epic and more unpredictable than both the past Metal Gear games and all other games to date. From the opening credits rolling in the desolate yet intricately beautiful Middle-Eastern vistas to the final breathtaking reveal, this is a masterpiece. It's in the deep, experimental gameplay. It's in the stunningly awe-inspiring imagery. It's in the unparalleled production values. But most importantly it's in the greatest tale ever told, told in the most beautiful and unforgettable way imaginable. The emotions stirred by this game will never leave me. The way the whole piece comes together as a cohesive and brilliant package is something else though, and words simply can't describe the quality of the story and the cutscenes. It's the perfect game to put the perfect soldier to rest. Goodbye old friend. We salute you.
10/10
Thursday 29 May 2008
Have you played...... Sin and Punishment
What is it?
Sin and Punishment is a 2000 shooter by Treasure, famed creators of Gunstar Heroes, Radiant Silvergun and Ikargua. You assume the role of, to start with, Saki. Japan has been running out of food, so tasty creatures called Ruffians were created to satisfy the hunger. Unfortunately, they have gotten out of control, turning the tables on the Japenese, who have now become the food, and it is up to Saki to stop it. The plot, while incredibly confusing, is fantastic in an incredibly OTT kind of way, changing from destroying the Ruffians, to saving the earth from an imposter earth planet (I know....).
Is it any good?
Sin and Punishment, with superb, imaginative shooter gameplay (including the ability to swat missiles back at enemies with your sword) and a fantastic, over-the-top style, is simply one of the best shooters ever. The unique combination of a light-gun game in which you can move from side-to-side, jump and roll as well as using your gun and sword is superb, and some of the levels (fighting entire enemy aircraft carriers as well as helicopters and jets, or an entire earth) are some of the best ever conceived, making this an incredibly enjoyable game. The only problem is that, like most of Treasure's games, it's incredibly short, designed for people to play it multiple times to advance high scores. The game originally was only released in Japan for the N64, but now it's on the Virtual Console in the west. There's just no excuse! I say give it a try, I guarentee that you'll at least find it very memorable.
Wednesday 28 May 2008
GRID (Xbox 360/PS3/PC
Race Driver: GRID, for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC (with a different DS version) is the new part simulation part arcade driver game from Codemasters Racing Studios, the developers behind 2007's rally racer DiRT. Apparently they like the capital letters.
I'm going to get straight down to this and say that GRID is actually a pretty good game. It was certainly a pleasant surprise, as I was expecting it to be another Need for Speed: Prostreet, but it's actually a lot like DiRT, but on streets, instead of dirt tracks.
You start off by creating a character, before being dumped into a race as a freelance driver with an appetite for success and a goal to earn $60,000 to pay for his (or her) first car. A few races in, you'll accumulate enough cash to set up your own team, and this is where GRID gets interesting. You can choose a teammate to support you appropriately, as well as choosing colour schemes for all the cars you acquire. If you've played Forza 2, you will be underwhelmed by the customization aspects in GRID. In fact, all the changes which you can make are purely cosmetic: there is no tweaking the cars performance like in most other car games, which is a blow for me, and certainly cheapens the game a little. I think that putting in car customization never makes a game too complicated- it can always be skipped, but without it, the simulation aspects of GRID seem less developed.
Fortunately though, the gameplay here is excellent. It cuts a fine line between simulation depth and arcade fun and it does it very well. It comes across somewhere between the TOCA games, DiRT and the PGR games. It has a steep learning curve, but, fortunately, its a short one, as you can be off and pulling off drifts in not-very-long. And really this is GRID's best aspect- it seems to maintain the best of both worlds, being both fairly deep and realistic, as well as fun and forgiving. The gameplay is the best part of GRID, and it is very good- while not challenging a Gran Turismo, it makes for a good distraction while you wait for the next one.
GRID does what so many car games don't do: it innovates. It has a rewind feature so that if you total yourself on a wall, the game allows you to rewind and restart from several seconds back. This is a superb feature and is superbly implemented- don't be surprise if every Tom, Dick and Harry of the racing world copies it unashamedly- it's that good. Not only does it relieve frustration which can so often occur with car games (to crash out having spent ages finishing a race....) but it encourages you to be daring, attempting outrageous drifts without fear of losing the race. It's also a great way to view the excellent crash animations if you like, without having to load up a race just for this purpose. Don't worry though, the feature can be completely ignored if you like, and both online and in pro-mode (the only way to upload lap records) it is left out, thus not cheapening the gameplay. If I had to make a complaint, it would be that the replay mode doesn't trigger when your crash isn't quite disastrous enough, so when your car isn't totaled, but you're still as good as out of the race, it can be frustrating- it needs to give the player the ability to trigger the feature when he sees fit. Don't get the wrong idea though, this is a superb feature which distinguishes GRID from the competition in a big way.
Multiplayer is also pretty streamlined. The quick match option chucks you into a suitable lobby, while custom match allows you to filter your search for matches. Arriving in the lobby and waiting for the current race to end can be a little annoying, and the game doesn't give you any way to relieve the boredom- when spectating there is no option to return to the lobby. The game seems to run fairly lag-free... as long as you don' t see any other cars. The other player's cars will seem to jerk backwards and forwards uncontrollably. While this doesn't affect gameplay in a major way, it is pretty annoying, especially when you go to ram another car just to find out that it's actually five metres ahead. It's not in every game, but it was frequent enough to be worth writing about, especially on the pc version of the game.
Indeed the console versions seem better in always every respect (believe me, it pains me to say that). The graphics, while superb (and probably the best in a racing game until GT5), are horribly optimized for the pc version, while the console counter-parts run smooth. I actually couldn't run the game on full graphics on my laptop (which can run World in Conflict on highest- a much better looking game). Just to go back to the graphics, they are very nice- the cars look great, the cities shimmer and sparkle, and the crowd actually doesn't look that robotic- the team at Codemasters Racing Studios have done a fantastic job again graphically, and GRID's graphics do surpass those of DiRT.
In the end, this is a great racing game, which is accessible while deep, and features some of the best graphics in a car game ever. The rewind feature is incredible, and the career mode does just enough in terms of team management to keep you interested in more than just the racing. The multiplayer is fine, featuring a persistent ranking system, although there are some problems. To be perfectly honest, this game surprised me, and while the lack of any real Forza-style customization hurts, this is the racer to be playing in the build up to Gran Turismo 5.
Presentation :8
Fairly long load times, but the game shows you interesting facts about your racing pedigree to keep yu occupied.
Graphics :9
Top-notch
Sound :7.5
The car noises are nice, as is the music in the menus, but the team-talk is repetitive and grates after a while.
Gameplay :8.5
Some of the best racing in a while.
Value :8
The single player is long enough, but it's a shame that the multiplayer doesn't really shine- missed potential.
8.2
I'm going to get straight down to this and say that GRID is actually a pretty good game. It was certainly a pleasant surprise, as I was expecting it to be another Need for Speed: Prostreet, but it's actually a lot like DiRT, but on streets, instead of dirt tracks.
You start off by creating a character, before being dumped into a race as a freelance driver with an appetite for success and a goal to earn $60,000 to pay for his (or her) first car. A few races in, you'll accumulate enough cash to set up your own team, and this is where GRID gets interesting. You can choose a teammate to support you appropriately, as well as choosing colour schemes for all the cars you acquire. If you've played Forza 2, you will be underwhelmed by the customization aspects in GRID. In fact, all the changes which you can make are purely cosmetic: there is no tweaking the cars performance like in most other car games, which is a blow for me, and certainly cheapens the game a little. I think that putting in car customization never makes a game too complicated- it can always be skipped, but without it, the simulation aspects of GRID seem less developed.
Fortunately though, the gameplay here is excellent. It cuts a fine line between simulation depth and arcade fun and it does it very well. It comes across somewhere between the TOCA games, DiRT and the PGR games. It has a steep learning curve, but, fortunately, its a short one, as you can be off and pulling off drifts in not-very-long. And really this is GRID's best aspect- it seems to maintain the best of both worlds, being both fairly deep and realistic, as well as fun and forgiving. The gameplay is the best part of GRID, and it is very good- while not challenging a Gran Turismo, it makes for a good distraction while you wait for the next one.
GRID does what so many car games don't do: it innovates. It has a rewind feature so that if you total yourself on a wall, the game allows you to rewind and restart from several seconds back. This is a superb feature and is superbly implemented- don't be surprise if every Tom, Dick and Harry of the racing world copies it unashamedly- it's that good. Not only does it relieve frustration which can so often occur with car games (to crash out having spent ages finishing a race....) but it encourages you to be daring, attempting outrageous drifts without fear of losing the race. It's also a great way to view the excellent crash animations if you like, without having to load up a race just for this purpose. Don't worry though, the feature can be completely ignored if you like, and both online and in pro-mode (the only way to upload lap records) it is left out, thus not cheapening the gameplay. If I had to make a complaint, it would be that the replay mode doesn't trigger when your crash isn't quite disastrous enough, so when your car isn't totaled, but you're still as good as out of the race, it can be frustrating- it needs to give the player the ability to trigger the feature when he sees fit. Don't get the wrong idea though, this is a superb feature which distinguishes GRID from the competition in a big way.
Multiplayer is also pretty streamlined. The quick match option chucks you into a suitable lobby, while custom match allows you to filter your search for matches. Arriving in the lobby and waiting for the current race to end can be a little annoying, and the game doesn't give you any way to relieve the boredom- when spectating there is no option to return to the lobby. The game seems to run fairly lag-free... as long as you don' t see any other cars. The other player's cars will seem to jerk backwards and forwards uncontrollably. While this doesn't affect gameplay in a major way, it is pretty annoying, especially when you go to ram another car just to find out that it's actually five metres ahead. It's not in every game, but it was frequent enough to be worth writing about, especially on the pc version of the game.
Indeed the console versions seem better in always every respect (believe me, it pains me to say that). The graphics, while superb (and probably the best in a racing game until GT5), are horribly optimized for the pc version, while the console counter-parts run smooth. I actually couldn't run the game on full graphics on my laptop (which can run World in Conflict on highest- a much better looking game). Just to go back to the graphics, they are very nice- the cars look great, the cities shimmer and sparkle, and the crowd actually doesn't look that robotic- the team at Codemasters Racing Studios have done a fantastic job again graphically, and GRID's graphics do surpass those of DiRT.
In the end, this is a great racing game, which is accessible while deep, and features some of the best graphics in a car game ever. The rewind feature is incredible, and the career mode does just enough in terms of team management to keep you interested in more than just the racing. The multiplayer is fine, featuring a persistent ranking system, although there are some problems. To be perfectly honest, this game surprised me, and while the lack of any real Forza-style customization hurts, this is the racer to be playing in the build up to Gran Turismo 5.
Presentation :8
Fairly long load times, but the game shows you interesting facts about your racing pedigree to keep yu occupied.
Graphics :9
Top-notch
Sound :7.5
The car noises are nice, as is the music in the menus, but the team-talk is repetitive and grates after a while.
Gameplay :8.5
Some of the best racing in a while.
Value :8
The single player is long enough, but it's a shame that the multiplayer doesn't really shine- missed potential.
8.2
Tuesday 27 May 2008
Have you played...... Chrono Cross
What is it?
Chrono Cross was a below-the-radar hit from Squaresoft back in 2000. Overlooked in comparison the the PS1's Final Fantasys (7, 8 and 9), Chrono Cross has never really seen the light of day.
In Chrono Cross, sequel to the now legendary SNES classic Chrono Trigger, casts you as Serge- a boy with a destiny and the ability to switch between two parallel worlds. Comparable to the afore-mentioned Final Fantasys (and from the same developer, soon to join with Enix to form Square Enix), Chrono Cross is comprised of FMV sequences, dialogue, exploration and turn-based RPG gameplay.
Chrono Cross's opening- this type of video will be familiar to fans of Final Fantasy
Is it any good?
Chrono Cross is considered by many (myself included) to be the best RPG of all time. Somewhat better designed than Square's flagship franchise, Chrono Cross stands tall as an example of excellent storytelling and themes, as well arguably the best turn-based combat system to date. Above all though, Chrono Cross is just a joyous game, with something quite special about it, and fans of JRPGs, or just games in general owe it to themselves to track this one down.
I would give it a 9.4/10
Monday 26 May 2008
On the Horizon: May 26th '08
Greetings my huge readership! (that's right, both of you.... in fact not even two people read this). This is a new segment I will do entitled 'On the horizon', when I discuss what games are coming out soon and my thoughts on them. It's really a chance for you to leave a comment, disagree with what I say, and generally debate how good these games will be. So here goes...
Probably the most important and most hyped game in the near future is Metal Gear Solid 4. It's the game which I bought my PS3 for (I adored the other entries in the series), so it will come as no surprise to hear that I think it looks fantastic. The gameplay looks a refinement of the slightly clunky other games in the series- for the first time (excluding MGS3 Subsistence- a re-release) the player directly controls both the camera, and the aiming, eliminating any complaints of clunky controls, and bringing the game more into line with other action games. Hopefully, it will still keep a distinctive Metal Gear Solid feel- not becoming too much like a Gears of War, or a GRAW.
As for the story, the fourth installment looks to take videogame storytelling to the next level. The Metal Gear Solid games have always been incredibly distinctive and cinematic, something which is probably down to the series' creator Hideo Kojima. Check out this outstanding theatrical trailer for a taste of what is to come.
To conclude, I'm anticipating that MGS4 will be the finest installment in the series, with more refined gameplay, and an epic climax to the superb story. I have jumped on the MGS4 bandwagon, and am planning a Metal Gear Solid cosplay, hiding in cardboard boxes outside Game on June the 12th. I suspect it will be Kojima's finest hour, and will truly push the limits in terms of videogame storytelling and cinematography.
Another game out soon is Ninja Gaiden 2 for the Xbox 360. The original Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) was probably one of the finest 3-D action games ever, so the sequel has a lot to live up to, which explains the hype surrounding the game. For me, the second installment looks like it will live up to expectations, but not surpass them, as a sequel which, while being worthy of the original, never really distinguishes itself. The combat looks even more gory and visceral (indeed the game has been awarded an 18 over here in PAL land, and an M rating in the states), and, to its credit, I reckon the game actually looks pretty good in motion, having previously seemed a little underwhelming. This video should give you an idea of the great visuals and gruesome gameplay.
I've already spotted a number of camera faults within gameplay footage (a major failing of the first game) and the combat doesn't look hugely deep or innovative. Nevertheless, Ninja Gaiden 2 is shaping up to be a worthy successor to an outstanding action game, showcasing fun, gory gameplay and an old-school level of challenge.
The above video surfaced on the web the other day, a teaser trailer for a new mature Wii action title called Mad World
Metal Gear Solid 4
Probably the most important and most hyped game in the near future is Metal Gear Solid 4. It's the game which I bought my PS3 for (I adored the other entries in the series), so it will come as no surprise to hear that I think it looks fantastic. The gameplay looks a refinement of the slightly clunky other games in the series- for the first time (excluding MGS3 Subsistence- a re-release) the player directly controls both the camera, and the aiming, eliminating any complaints of clunky controls, and bringing the game more into line with other action games. Hopefully, it will still keep a distinctive Metal Gear Solid feel- not becoming too much like a Gears of War, or a GRAW.
As for the story, the fourth installment looks to take videogame storytelling to the next level. The Metal Gear Solid games have always been incredibly distinctive and cinematic, something which is probably down to the series' creator Hideo Kojima. Check out this outstanding theatrical trailer for a taste of what is to come.
To conclude, I'm anticipating that MGS4 will be the finest installment in the series, with more refined gameplay, and an epic climax to the superb story. I have jumped on the MGS4 bandwagon, and am planning a Metal Gear Solid cosplay, hiding in cardboard boxes outside Game on June the 12th. I suspect it will be Kojima's finest hour, and will truly push the limits in terms of videogame storytelling and cinematography.
Ninja Gaiden 2
Another game out soon is Ninja Gaiden 2 for the Xbox 360. The original Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) was probably one of the finest 3-D action games ever, so the sequel has a lot to live up to, which explains the hype surrounding the game. For me, the second installment looks like it will live up to expectations, but not surpass them, as a sequel which, while being worthy of the original, never really distinguishes itself. The combat looks even more gory and visceral (indeed the game has been awarded an 18 over here in PAL land, and an M rating in the states), and, to its credit, I reckon the game actually looks pretty good in motion, having previously seemed a little underwhelming. This video should give you an idea of the great visuals and gruesome gameplay.
I've already spotted a number of camera faults within gameplay footage (a major failing of the first game) and the combat doesn't look hugely deep or innovative. Nevertheless, Ninja Gaiden 2 is shaping up to be a worthy successor to an outstanding action game, showcasing fun, gory gameplay and an old-school level of challenge.
The above video surfaced on the web the other day, a teaser trailer for a new mature Wii action title called Mad World
Sunday 25 May 2008
No More Heroes (Wii) Review
Is Suda's new game style over substance?
No More Heroes is the follow-up to the stylish, cult classic of 2005 by Suda-51. Its not so much as sequel, as an entirely new game with a similar art-style and bizarro sense of humour.
For those unfamiliar with No More Heroes, its a hack and slash action game, following douchebag Travis Touchdown's ascent to the top of the United Assassin Association leaderboard. Armed with a trusty laser sword (read:lightsaber) which he won in an online competition, his lust for blood sees him tracking down the top10 assassins, killing each one on his quest to become number 1. Killer 7, while certainly a great game, is arguable 'style over substance', with a restrictive, rail-shooter mechanic. Can No More Heroes keep the style, and gain the substance?
Where Killer 7 was restricted to an on-rails mechanic which wasn't awfully fleshed out and didn't work too well, No More Heroes lets you run around, slashing at enemies with your sword. The combat here is great- over-the-top button mashing has never been done quite like this before, and the combat system is actually very refined. No More Heroes doesn't overuse the wii remote, but still employs it adequately. You lock onto an enemy using the Z button, pressing A to attack with your sword and B to use a 'beat-down' attack, whereby he punches or kicks his foe. The twist here is that all combat is divided into two types- high, and low. Hold your wii remote upright to attack and block high, hold it flat to attack low. Now, the enemies will either be blocking and attacking high or low too, so you want to attack low if they're blocking high and vica versa. Where it gets interesting is that a high-down attack performed on a high-blocking foe will stun him, while a low one will do nothing, and vica versa. So if the enemy is defending high, you want to attack low, but beat-down high. After stunning the enemy, press B to use a wrestling move, which is performed by following on screen prompts on where to swing your wii remote, while Travis's throw corresponds onscreen. If you attack at the same time as the enemy, you will enter a dual-mode where you must follow a prompt to beat the enemy back. The whole concept of high and low adds a level of depth to the combat which could have been lacking. When the enemy reaches no health, follow the onscreen prompt to perform a brutal killing move and summon forth fountains of blood.
In No More Heroes combat is king, and it is incredibly satisfying. It might not quite have the style of a Devil May Cry, God Of War or Ninja Gaiden, but it has its own unique brand of violence, and it works very well. The best part of the combat has to be the boss battles, though of which there are ten, of course. All of these are very unique, and offer thrilling, challenging fights. While each boss in killed simply by inflicting enough hits, there are different tactics for each, and the fights play out very differently. In fact, the boss fights are definitely the best part of No More Heroes, so its great that there are so many. There are several sticking points though. There is no effective way of cycling your lock-on from enemy to enemy, so the game really decides who you target, but only at the worst of times. Rolling backwards to evade an attack usually results in the camera going 180 degrees and you rolling towards the enemy, but usually the attack misses anyway. Finally, the game is hard for the wrong reasons- a single enemy can be beaten simply by button-mashing until they're dead, but if you're attack a large group of enemies, and one sneaks around the back of you, his attack will disrupt your combo, and will usually result in death, and its difficult to keep track of where all the enemies went. Also, dying often results in having to replay large chunks of the game again. But these are seldom seen blips on the proverbial radar, and can be avoided once the player realises what they are. When they come up, they do tend to come up all at once, leading to some frustration, though it definitely isn't as bad as Devil May Cry's glaring camera issues.
But combat isn't the only thing going on in No More Heroes. Between assassination missions, you will need to collect enough money to pay for entry into the next round. You earn money by completing side-missions, or 'part time jobs'. These are accessed by visiting the job center in the hub world. You can travel around Santa Destroy, much like in GTA, on your big-ass motorbike, though the world really isn't nearly as detailed as GTA. You can visit your apartment to save (by going to the toilet), visit shops to buy cosmetic and gameplay upgrades like new clothes, weapons, and training, and you can pick up new jobs and freefight missions to earn more money. Freefight jobs basically entail killing around 20 enemies before they kill you (though often with a twist, such as you only have life point left), while part time jobs are much more varied. They are simple, but fun distractions, which use the wiimote in interesting ways, such as steering a lawnmower and such. You are paid based on your performance, and only one or two jobs will be necessary to earn enough to advance. They missions are fairly fun, though simple, and break up the hack and slash enough to make the game feel more varied than most action games. While Devil May Cry breaks up the action with badly-implemented platforming and nonsensical puzzles, No More Heroes has its own unique and fun way of breaking up the game.
Whether the like the graphics will depend entirely on whether you like the unique art-style, because you're not going to fall in love with the graphics from a technical standpoint. The town of Santa Destroy is filled with more pop-up issues, framerate problems and jagged edges than you can shake a not-a-lightsaber at. While these issues do hurt, I personally love the stylistic graphics of the game- the textures my be low-res, but they still look great. Lighting models are very impressive on Wii (the best so far) and the cel-shading works like a charm. With limited hardware, the only way to out-do 360/PS3 graphics is through art, and No More Heroes definitely pushes the envelope in this category. It's also worth mentioning that the bosses, as well as Mr Travis himself are a work of art- each one is unique, memorable and stylish.
Right off the bat, No More Heroes showcases the same bizarre style as its predecessor, which comes off rather well. The references to geek/pop culture are there for you to pick out, the crazy art-style fits perfectly on the Wiis underpowered hardware and the humour, while unusual, is top-notch once you get used to it. Indeed, I began to look forward to the end of every mission, when the girl from the video rental store calls to ask for an overdue porn film ('The video you returned wasn't the right one... it seemed to be of a man humping a pillow').
The town of Santa Destroy itself, a hub world for buying items, statbuilding and receiving side missions, while pleasantly designed, is nothing compared to Liberty City, for example. The depth just isn't there, from the lack of anything to do which isn't a shop or side-job to the low level of detail. Its a shame too, because driving your bike around is really fun, despite the lack-luster driving mechanics. Cars can't be interacted with in any way, pedestrians can't be killed (what's up with that?) . If that's the way No More Heroes chooses to go, then that's Suda's choice. Indeed, there are a number of seemingly poor design decisions in No More Heroes. The most obvious is the awful level design, in fact, the deliberately awful level design. All of the assassination missions are full of often very barren hallways, populated by identical enemies simply waiting to kill you. In fact, the road to the number 7 assassin, Destroyman, features three identical, empty warehouse in a row, full of identically positioned enemies. Why? It seems we'll never know what goes on in the mind of Suda 51, and I, for one, would probably rather not find out.
At the end of the day, though, No More Heroes surprised me. Even when I first picked it up, while fun, I felt it would get repetitive fast and the art-style didn't really seem to add much. But the more I played the game, the more I liked it- the enjoyment crept up on me a little, and I'm thrilled that I kept going. No More Heroes is one of those games which is truly more than the sum of its parts- the afore-mentioned ridiculous level design and the bizarro theme don't add much alone, but the game comes together to be something else. It's difficult to put a finger on it, but somewhere, Suda has created something quite special. Everything which seems stupid and unnecessary alone, comes together to create one of the most satisfyingly unique experiences in years..... What can I say? The man's a genious....
Presentation : 9
Graphics : 9
Sound :9
Gameplay :9
Value :7
8.4/10
No More Heroes is the follow-up to the stylish, cult classic of 2005 by Suda-51. Its not so much as sequel, as an entirely new game with a similar art-style and bizarro sense of humour.
For those unfamiliar with No More Heroes, its a hack and slash action game, following douchebag Travis Touchdown's ascent to the top of the United Assassin Association leaderboard. Armed with a trusty laser sword (read:lightsaber) which he won in an online competition, his lust for blood sees him tracking down the top10 assassins, killing each one on his quest to become number 1. Killer 7, while certainly a great game, is arguable 'style over substance', with a restrictive, rail-shooter mechanic. Can No More Heroes keep the style, and gain the substance?
Gameplay
Where Killer 7 was restricted to an on-rails mechanic which wasn't awfully fleshed out and didn't work too well, No More Heroes lets you run around, slashing at enemies with your sword. The combat here is great- over-the-top button mashing has never been done quite like this before, and the combat system is actually very refined. No More Heroes doesn't overuse the wii remote, but still employs it adequately. You lock onto an enemy using the Z button, pressing A to attack with your sword and B to use a 'beat-down' attack, whereby he punches or kicks his foe. The twist here is that all combat is divided into two types- high, and low. Hold your wii remote upright to attack and block high, hold it flat to attack low. Now, the enemies will either be blocking and attacking high or low too, so you want to attack low if they're blocking high and vica versa. Where it gets interesting is that a high-down attack performed on a high-blocking foe will stun him, while a low one will do nothing, and vica versa. So if the enemy is defending high, you want to attack low, but beat-down high. After stunning the enemy, press B to use a wrestling move, which is performed by following on screen prompts on where to swing your wii remote, while Travis's throw corresponds onscreen. If you attack at the same time as the enemy, you will enter a dual-mode where you must follow a prompt to beat the enemy back. The whole concept of high and low adds a level of depth to the combat which could have been lacking. When the enemy reaches no health, follow the onscreen prompt to perform a brutal killing move and summon forth fountains of blood.
In No More Heroes combat is king, and it is incredibly satisfying. It might not quite have the style of a Devil May Cry, God Of War or Ninja Gaiden, but it has its own unique brand of violence, and it works very well. The best part of the combat has to be the boss battles, though of which there are ten, of course. All of these are very unique, and offer thrilling, challenging fights. While each boss in killed simply by inflicting enough hits, there are different tactics for each, and the fights play out very differently. In fact, the boss fights are definitely the best part of No More Heroes, so its great that there are so many. There are several sticking points though. There is no effective way of cycling your lock-on from enemy to enemy, so the game really decides who you target, but only at the worst of times. Rolling backwards to evade an attack usually results in the camera going 180 degrees and you rolling towards the enemy, but usually the attack misses anyway. Finally, the game is hard for the wrong reasons- a single enemy can be beaten simply by button-mashing until they're dead, but if you're attack a large group of enemies, and one sneaks around the back of you, his attack will disrupt your combo, and will usually result in death, and its difficult to keep track of where all the enemies went. Also, dying often results in having to replay large chunks of the game again. But these are seldom seen blips on the proverbial radar, and can be avoided once the player realises what they are. When they come up, they do tend to come up all at once, leading to some frustration, though it definitely isn't as bad as Devil May Cry's glaring camera issues.
But combat isn't the only thing going on in No More Heroes. Between assassination missions, you will need to collect enough money to pay for entry into the next round. You earn money by completing side-missions, or 'part time jobs'. These are accessed by visiting the job center in the hub world. You can travel around Santa Destroy, much like in GTA, on your big-ass motorbike, though the world really isn't nearly as detailed as GTA. You can visit your apartment to save (by going to the toilet), visit shops to buy cosmetic and gameplay upgrades like new clothes, weapons, and training, and you can pick up new jobs and freefight missions to earn more money. Freefight jobs basically entail killing around 20 enemies before they kill you (though often with a twist, such as you only have life point left), while part time jobs are much more varied. They are simple, but fun distractions, which use the wiimote in interesting ways, such as steering a lawnmower and such. You are paid based on your performance, and only one or two jobs will be necessary to earn enough to advance. They missions are fairly fun, though simple, and break up the hack and slash enough to make the game feel more varied than most action games. While Devil May Cry breaks up the action with badly-implemented platforming and nonsensical puzzles, No More Heroes has its own unique and fun way of breaking up the game.
Graphics
Whether the like the graphics will depend entirely on whether you like the unique art-style, because you're not going to fall in love with the graphics from a technical standpoint. The town of Santa Destroy is filled with more pop-up issues, framerate problems and jagged edges than you can shake a not-a-lightsaber at. While these issues do hurt, I personally love the stylistic graphics of the game- the textures my be low-res, but they still look great. Lighting models are very impressive on Wii (the best so far) and the cel-shading works like a charm. With limited hardware, the only way to out-do 360/PS3 graphics is through art, and No More Heroes definitely pushes the envelope in this category. It's also worth mentioning that the bosses, as well as Mr Travis himself are a work of art- each one is unique, memorable and stylish.
Presentation
Right off the bat, No More Heroes showcases the same bizarre style as its predecessor, which comes off rather well. The references to geek/pop culture are there for you to pick out, the crazy art-style fits perfectly on the Wiis underpowered hardware and the humour, while unusual, is top-notch once you get used to it. Indeed, I began to look forward to the end of every mission, when the girl from the video rental store calls to ask for an overdue porn film ('The video you returned wasn't the right one... it seemed to be of a man humping a pillow').
The town of Santa Destroy itself, a hub world for buying items, statbuilding and receiving side missions, while pleasantly designed, is nothing compared to Liberty City, for example. The depth just isn't there, from the lack of anything to do which isn't a shop or side-job to the low level of detail. Its a shame too, because driving your bike around is really fun, despite the lack-luster driving mechanics. Cars can't be interacted with in any way, pedestrians can't be killed (what's up with that?) . If that's the way No More Heroes chooses to go, then that's Suda's choice. Indeed, there are a number of seemingly poor design decisions in No More Heroes. The most obvious is the awful level design, in fact, the deliberately awful level design. All of the assassination missions are full of often very barren hallways, populated by identical enemies simply waiting to kill you. In fact, the road to the number 7 assassin, Destroyman, features three identical, empty warehouse in a row, full of identically positioned enemies. Why? It seems we'll never know what goes on in the mind of Suda 51, and I, for one, would probably rather not find out.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, though, No More Heroes surprised me. Even when I first picked it up, while fun, I felt it would get repetitive fast and the art-style didn't really seem to add much. But the more I played the game, the more I liked it- the enjoyment crept up on me a little, and I'm thrilled that I kept going. No More Heroes is one of those games which is truly more than the sum of its parts- the afore-mentioned ridiculous level design and the bizarro theme don't add much alone, but the game comes together to be something else. It's difficult to put a finger on it, but somewhere, Suda has created something quite special. Everything which seems stupid and unnecessary alone, comes together to create one of the most satisfyingly unique experiences in years..... What can I say? The man's a genious....
Presentation : 9
Graphics : 9
Sound :9
Gameplay :9
Value :7
8.4/10
Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360/PS3) Review
Welcome to Liberty City
Immigrants are nasty people. At least that what Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar's most recent take on the American life. Playing as Serbian immigrant Niko Bellic, you will kill, steal, destroy and, well, just make Liberty City that little bit nastier.
Reviewing games like GTA 4 is difficult. They defy classification because they represent an entire genre, so reviewing the latest GTA game is like reviewing the open world, criminal action game genre. No game since Mafia has challenged Rockstar on the throne and, if GTA 4 has anything to say about it, nothing will for a very, very long time.
If you've been living under a rock for the past 10 years, you may not have heard of the GTA games.... Then again, if you've been living under a rock, I'm sure there are other things on your mind. Where was I... Oh yes, the Grand Theft Auto games have been some of the highest rated, highest selling and most talked about games of the decade, so it comes as no surprise that the hype surrounding numero cuatro has been huge. Millions of people will flock out to buy this game no-matter what you, I, or anybody says. But does Grand Theft Auto 4 live up to the hype? Meh. Mostly yes.
It is at this point that I should mention my relationship with the past Grand Theft Auto games. I hated them. While I could say that there was a lot to like (funny dialogue, free-roaming world, unique gameplay) I thought that the missions were often dull and that the combat was poor. The lock on system, where by you just held down R1 and pressed the 'kill' button repeatedly required no skill, was nothing like real combat, and ground after minutes. Most of all, I just got tired of freeroaming fairly quickly.
So here is number 4 to change my mind. While most things remain the same (the things which I liked), the combat system (which I hated) has been overhauled. Sounds great. I'm going to get the bad stuff out of the way first, and make it clear that, for me, the combat system is not a huge improvement.
Sure, it touts the no-doubt Gears of War-inspired cover system, taking a more realistic and more tactical approach to combat. But for me, it still isn't quite there. It only just misses the mark, but an inch is as good as a mile here, because the combat just doesn't feel fresh and exciting. The same lock on can be used from behind cover, making it more of a pop up, lock on, kill, go back to cover. It ends up being the same, monotonous, auto-aim and kill gameplay which dragged down its predecessors for me. To make matters worse, snapping to cover often doesn't work, and having to start the mission after good ol' Niko covers against the wrong wall is infuriating. A little time and patience can get over this, but it just shouldn't be there in a game like this, and it reminds me of Kane and Lynch, something which game developers should probably try not to do. Another issue with the combat is something which is worse on the PS3 version, but which is annoying at any rate. To auto-aim, you hold down the left trigger (Lt or L2) and your reticle will lock onto the most conveniently placed enemy. To manually aim, though, you must hold down the trigger halfway- so that it is neither depressed fully, or left upright. This is really annoying and finicky, and, particularly with the PS3 version of the game, you will find yourself manually aimed on somebodies head, when in the heat of the action, when about to press the 'kill' button, you slip and hold down the left trigger the whole way, locking onto often a different enemy to the one you were targeting. Worse still, if you depress the trigger again, you can't return to manually aiming where you were aiming before. Its these kind of mishaps which can simply be ignored, but should not be there if the more realistic combat wants to be taken seriously.
Most of all though, the combat just falls short of other shooting games (Gears of War would be a prime example), making it hard to recommend as a serious shooting experience. Perhaps this lack of quality is what make a more light-hearted approach to combat necessary before, and this newer more serious attempt just doesn't cut it. The game could have benefited a lot from a slightly better combat system, and I can't help but think that Rockstar either needed to make a poor, but at least light-hearted combat system, or a good, serious one.
Now we get to the good stuff about the game, and I'll start by saying that Grand Theft Auto 4 has one of the best stories going. It becomes more serious than the previous games, without ever losing the larger than life characters and clever dialogue. The game follows Niko Bellic on his quest from rags to riches (note: slightly better rags) as the plot twists and turns from love to betrayal and from friendship to revenge. This is possibly the game most comparable to a movie (Metal Gear Solid's storyline is probably better, but feels too OTT to be a movie) with both extreme action and interesting dialogue. To give any more away clearly wouldn't be a good idea, but I will say that there are also multiple endings to work towards.
The menus are top-notch, from the use of your phone, to taking the fight online, everything is streamlined and innovative, cutting out much of the nonsense found in other similar games. In particular, the afore-mentioned phone works very well and is a fresh and innovative introduction into the GTA universe.
Liberty City is huge, and this is really the game's best asset, and where it climbs above its predecessors. Most of the pop-up and lack of loaded textures from previous installments are gone, though a little bit does hamper the view at times. Make no mistake though, Liberty City at night is a site to behold, as it is at day, and it really does capture the essence of New York while maintaining its own atmosphere and ambience. The sheer amount and variety of things to do here is phenomenal too, from the requisite car-snatching, to newer, more refined touches, such as the in-game television and internet and locations like the comedy club. Relationships also play a big part, although, they're not as fleshed out as they could have been, which is disappointing. An unprecedented amount of locations to explore and minigames such as bowling and snooker mean that you'll always have something to do (although both the afore-mentioned activities happen to be fairly poor). It goes beyond words to explain what it feels like to be inside GTA 4, it really does compare to real life like no other game before it, and this is number 4's biggest improvement over its slightly empty predecessors.
At the end of the day, Liberty City just feels lived in, and its not just in the amount of things to do. The city has been detailed far more than any previous game, GTA or otherwise. Pedestrians react appropriately, and it isn't just the same six character models over and over. You'll find yourself honking your car-horn at motorists who pull out in front of you, adding to the immersion. But above all, the architecture and detail of the city streets goes above and beyond anything seen before, truly capturing the essence of New York. And yet everything has its own GTA flavour- from the statue of Happiness which holds a coffee-cup aloft to the uncanny amount of hookers which litter the streets Liberty City seems to have a healthy pulse, and its waiting for you to explore it. I think the phrase is 'full immersion'.
The previous games are famous for their car-destroying pop in and lack of textures and long distance, and its good to say that this has finally gone. Kind of. Its present, but instead of staring you in the face, it lurks around the corner, barely visible. But its still there, and its a shame because it can almost take you out of what is otherwise such a beautiful world. Yes, this is probably the best looking GTA game for its time yet, and Liberty City is actually astonishingly beautiful, both technically speaking, and from an artistic standpoint. It stands as a towering monolith of a game in terms of console graphics, and, though graphics on the consoles have been done better, they've never been this good and this big. As somebody who is partial to a little Crysis on high settings, the graphics don't astound me, but they are terrific none the less. Except for the trees. The trees, in all their 2-D glory, suck.
It will come as no surprise to hear that the voice acting, the noises of the city and the radio stations are all absolutely superb. It does absolutely everything you would expect it to, and then a little more, as the city sounds much more fleshed-out and real, than the, again, slightly empty predecessors, keeping in line with the rest of the game. As afore-mentioned, the radio stations are up to the series's standard, though, to be honest, never really push it forward. That said, not on station is a throwaway, and some of the same comic-genius found since Vice City is there (my personal favourite being Vladivostock). Everybody and their cat calling you 'Neeco Bellic' in their best Russian accent does get slightly annoying, but then it is your name, right?
Right from your arrival in Liberty City, you know that you are dealing with a quality product. The production values here are clearly huge (and they should be considering it will probably sell gazillions of copies). My major sticking-point is the gameplay, which just grinds you down throughout the 40 hour duration of the game. But then I prefer not to call it a game. I prefer to call it a journey, because that's what it is. Its a journey through a beautifully-realised world, a living, breathing game-world which stands as a towering monolith of what open-world games should be. You truly forget the fact that its half the size of San Andreas because of the frankly overwhelming level of detail and care which was put into this game. Its one of those games which does so much, so right that I would have to recommend it to anybody into fun, but its glaring faults, for me, hold it back from gracing any game of the year list. Myself, as an avid Starcraft player with my head so far up my anus that I would still hate the 360 if it cured cancer, I feel while I know that the storyline and game-world are fantastic, the grinding gameplay stops me enjoying it quite as much as I would. For me, its a game which is so near to that 10/10 perfection that some parts of the game adhere to, yet so far- it makes me feel sad that this game isn't quite what it could have been. For many, the shortcomings will be minute- but they're still there, tarnishing what this game could have been. Nevertheless though, undoubtedly the best GTA game to date, this is a blockbuster- a roller coaster romp through a terrific story, set in a terrific world, and, despite its shortcomings, its a ride which needs to be seen, to be believed.
Presentation : 10
Graphics : 9
Sound :9.5
Gameplay :7.5
Value :9.5
8.5/10
Immigrants are nasty people. At least that what Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar's most recent take on the American life. Playing as Serbian immigrant Niko Bellic, you will kill, steal, destroy and, well, just make Liberty City that little bit nastier.
Reviewing games like GTA 4 is difficult. They defy classification because they represent an entire genre, so reviewing the latest GTA game is like reviewing the open world, criminal action game genre. No game since Mafia has challenged Rockstar on the throne and, if GTA 4 has anything to say about it, nothing will for a very, very long time.
If you've been living under a rock for the past 10 years, you may not have heard of the GTA games.... Then again, if you've been living under a rock, I'm sure there are other things on your mind. Where was I... Oh yes, the Grand Theft Auto games have been some of the highest rated, highest selling and most talked about games of the decade, so it comes as no surprise that the hype surrounding numero cuatro has been huge. Millions of people will flock out to buy this game no-matter what you, I, or anybody says. But does Grand Theft Auto 4 live up to the hype? Meh. Mostly yes.
It is at this point that I should mention my relationship with the past Grand Theft Auto games. I hated them. While I could say that there was a lot to like (funny dialogue, free-roaming world, unique gameplay) I thought that the missions were often dull and that the combat was poor. The lock on system, where by you just held down R1 and pressed the 'kill' button repeatedly required no skill, was nothing like real combat, and ground after minutes. Most of all, I just got tired of freeroaming fairly quickly.
So here is number 4 to change my mind. While most things remain the same (the things which I liked), the combat system (which I hated) has been overhauled. Sounds great. I'm going to get the bad stuff out of the way first, and make it clear that, for me, the combat system is not a huge improvement.
Gameplay
Sure, it touts the no-doubt Gears of War-inspired cover system, taking a more realistic and more tactical approach to combat. But for me, it still isn't quite there. It only just misses the mark, but an inch is as good as a mile here, because the combat just doesn't feel fresh and exciting. The same lock on can be used from behind cover, making it more of a pop up, lock on, kill, go back to cover. It ends up being the same, monotonous, auto-aim and kill gameplay which dragged down its predecessors for me. To make matters worse, snapping to cover often doesn't work, and having to start the mission after good ol' Niko covers against the wrong wall is infuriating. A little time and patience can get over this, but it just shouldn't be there in a game like this, and it reminds me of Kane and Lynch, something which game developers should probably try not to do. Another issue with the combat is something which is worse on the PS3 version, but which is annoying at any rate. To auto-aim, you hold down the left trigger (Lt or L2) and your reticle will lock onto the most conveniently placed enemy. To manually aim, though, you must hold down the trigger halfway- so that it is neither depressed fully, or left upright. This is really annoying and finicky, and, particularly with the PS3 version of the game, you will find yourself manually aimed on somebodies head, when in the heat of the action, when about to press the 'kill' button, you slip and hold down the left trigger the whole way, locking onto often a different enemy to the one you were targeting. Worse still, if you depress the trigger again, you can't return to manually aiming where you were aiming before. Its these kind of mishaps which can simply be ignored, but should not be there if the more realistic combat wants to be taken seriously.
Most of all though, the combat just falls short of other shooting games (Gears of War would be a prime example), making it hard to recommend as a serious shooting experience. Perhaps this lack of quality is what make a more light-hearted approach to combat necessary before, and this newer more serious attempt just doesn't cut it. The game could have benefited a lot from a slightly better combat system, and I can't help but think that Rockstar either needed to make a poor, but at least light-hearted combat system, or a good, serious one.
Presentation
Now we get to the good stuff about the game, and I'll start by saying that Grand Theft Auto 4 has one of the best stories going. It becomes more serious than the previous games, without ever losing the larger than life characters and clever dialogue. The game follows Niko Bellic on his quest from rags to riches (note: slightly better rags) as the plot twists and turns from love to betrayal and from friendship to revenge. This is possibly the game most comparable to a movie (Metal Gear Solid's storyline is probably better, but feels too OTT to be a movie) with both extreme action and interesting dialogue. To give any more away clearly wouldn't be a good idea, but I will say that there are also multiple endings to work towards.
The menus are top-notch, from the use of your phone, to taking the fight online, everything is streamlined and innovative, cutting out much of the nonsense found in other similar games. In particular, the afore-mentioned phone works very well and is a fresh and innovative introduction into the GTA universe.
Liberty City is huge, and this is really the game's best asset, and where it climbs above its predecessors. Most of the pop-up and lack of loaded textures from previous installments are gone, though a little bit does hamper the view at times. Make no mistake though, Liberty City at night is a site to behold, as it is at day, and it really does capture the essence of New York while maintaining its own atmosphere and ambience. The sheer amount and variety of things to do here is phenomenal too, from the requisite car-snatching, to newer, more refined touches, such as the in-game television and internet and locations like the comedy club. Relationships also play a big part, although, they're not as fleshed out as they could have been, which is disappointing. An unprecedented amount of locations to explore and minigames such as bowling and snooker mean that you'll always have something to do (although both the afore-mentioned activities happen to be fairly poor). It goes beyond words to explain what it feels like to be inside GTA 4, it really does compare to real life like no other game before it, and this is number 4's biggest improvement over its slightly empty predecessors.
At the end of the day, Liberty City just feels lived in, and its not just in the amount of things to do. The city has been detailed far more than any previous game, GTA or otherwise. Pedestrians react appropriately, and it isn't just the same six character models over and over. You'll find yourself honking your car-horn at motorists who pull out in front of you, adding to the immersion. But above all, the architecture and detail of the city streets goes above and beyond anything seen before, truly capturing the essence of New York. And yet everything has its own GTA flavour- from the statue of Happiness which holds a coffee-cup aloft to the uncanny amount of hookers which litter the streets Liberty City seems to have a healthy pulse, and its waiting for you to explore it. I think the phrase is 'full immersion'.
Graphics
The previous games are famous for their car-destroying pop in and lack of textures and long distance, and its good to say that this has finally gone. Kind of. Its present, but instead of staring you in the face, it lurks around the corner, barely visible. But its still there, and its a shame because it can almost take you out of what is otherwise such a beautiful world. Yes, this is probably the best looking GTA game for its time yet, and Liberty City is actually astonishingly beautiful, both technically speaking, and from an artistic standpoint. It stands as a towering monolith of a game in terms of console graphics, and, though graphics on the consoles have been done better, they've never been this good and this big. As somebody who is partial to a little Crysis on high settings, the graphics don't astound me, but they are terrific none the less. Except for the trees. The trees, in all their 2-D glory, suck.
Sound
It will come as no surprise to hear that the voice acting, the noises of the city and the radio stations are all absolutely superb. It does absolutely everything you would expect it to, and then a little more, as the city sounds much more fleshed-out and real, than the, again, slightly empty predecessors, keeping in line with the rest of the game. As afore-mentioned, the radio stations are up to the series's standard, though, to be honest, never really push it forward. That said, not on station is a throwaway, and some of the same comic-genius found since Vice City is there (my personal favourite being Vladivostock). Everybody and their cat calling you 'Neeco Bellic' in their best Russian accent does get slightly annoying, but then it is your name, right?
Conclusion
Right from your arrival in Liberty City, you know that you are dealing with a quality product. The production values here are clearly huge (and they should be considering it will probably sell gazillions of copies). My major sticking-point is the gameplay, which just grinds you down throughout the 40 hour duration of the game. But then I prefer not to call it a game. I prefer to call it a journey, because that's what it is. Its a journey through a beautifully-realised world, a living, breathing game-world which stands as a towering monolith of what open-world games should be. You truly forget the fact that its half the size of San Andreas because of the frankly overwhelming level of detail and care which was put into this game. Its one of those games which does so much, so right that I would have to recommend it to anybody into fun, but its glaring faults, for me, hold it back from gracing any game of the year list. Myself, as an avid Starcraft player with my head so far up my anus that I would still hate the 360 if it cured cancer, I feel while I know that the storyline and game-world are fantastic, the grinding gameplay stops me enjoying it quite as much as I would. For me, its a game which is so near to that 10/10 perfection that some parts of the game adhere to, yet so far- it makes me feel sad that this game isn't quite what it could have been. For many, the shortcomings will be minute- but they're still there, tarnishing what this game could have been. Nevertheless though, undoubtedly the best GTA game to date, this is a blockbuster- a roller coaster romp through a terrific story, set in a terrific world, and, despite its shortcomings, its a ride which needs to be seen, to be believed.
Presentation : 10
Graphics : 9
Sound :9.5
Gameplay :7.5
Value :9.5
8.5/10
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