Mass Effect 3 Revealed

Bioware announced yesterday that their final installment in the Mass Effect series is due out for the holiday season in 2011 and gave a teaser trailer at the Video Game Awards.

The series centers on Commander Shepard who is tasked with saving the galaxy from a threat of ancient mechanical super beings known as the Reapers. The games were groundbreaking with the ability to choose Paragon or Renegade actions (good and bad) and your story will shape itself around your choices. Teamates lived or died by your choices and this allowed for extreme flexibility in the storyline. Additionally, the game featured a beautifully crafted story, excellent voice acting and well rendered environments. The games are immense in scope and take a long time to complete if you attempt the side quests.

Mass Effect 3 centers on Earth and Commander Shepard must lead the final defense on his home planet. There have also been hints that Bioware may be incorporating a new multiplayer function into the game to give the players even more immersion.

No doubt for the Holidays 2011 this will be the game to get!

Will WoW have a contender?

Everyone who hasn't been living under a rock for about the last 10 years know World of Warcraft is the dominant figure in in the MMORPG games boasting about 12 million players. In light of the new expansion set release (review coming soon!) Cataclysm, I thought I would highlight the much anticipated anti-MMORPG, as the development team calls it, Guild Wars 2.

The reigning champ

Set 150 years after the original series, ArenaNet's newest work features a completely redesigned world. Much like Cataclysm the game has dragons as the main antagonist, introduces new races and looks much flashier. The things that set Guild Wars apart from its competition is the wildly successful no subscription fees plan. Thats right, never pay a fee to play.

Perhaps a challenger?

Additionally, the game looks to set itself apart from other MMORPGs by making the combat more interactive and realistic. The persistent world engine will make events trigger even when you are not around that will affect the game, making the world feel as though it truly lives and never feel static.

The game itself looks to be a true winner, allowing casual players a chance to live along side the hardcore veterans. Keep an eye on this developer but for now WoW will remain supreme as Guild Wars 2 is not set to release until November 2011.

Best of the Bros?

Melee was the best selling Gamecube Game

In an interview this week with Famitsu magazine, translated on EuroGamer, the creator of the historic Super Smash Bros. franchise said that, if given the chance to make a fourth installment he would not make it like the Gamecube version. Masahiro Sakurai says that Melee was too difficult for anyone but hardcore gamers to pick up.

"There are three Smash Bros. games out now," Sakurai said, "but even if I ever had a chance at another one, I doubt we'll ever see one that's as geared toward hardcore gamers as Melee was."

Sakurai said the concept of Bros. was to be a response to the fighting genre's difficulty and how "hardcore" the consumers had become. The first of the series was an immense hit, loved by gamers and newcomers alike for its easy controls and benign take on fighting. With Melee, the development team attempted to make a much more in-depth and technical game that was extraordinarily balanced. They succeeded.

"Melee is the sharpest game in the series. It's pretty speedy all around and asks a lot of your coordination skills. Fans of the first Smash Bros. got into it quickly, and it just felt really good to play."

Melee was the number 1 selling game for the Gamecube and was a hit with fans of the series but the technicality was its downfall in Sakurai's eyes.

"If we want new people from this generation of gamers to come in, then we need it accessible, simple, and playable by anyone. You can't let yourself get preoccupied with nothing but gameplay and balance details."

Unfortunalty this means we will never see the likes of Melee again. Has the best of the Bros been put to rest?

Hidden Gems

This is the first post of a reoccurring topic on "Hidden Gems." I will try to highlight little known or underrated games or websites that deserve another look.

This week I am highlighting a great site recommended to me by a friend, Game Boy Online, that allows the user to play your favorite, classic Game Boy games online for free! Now the site is not run by Nintendo or affiliated with them but it has games like Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening, Metroid II Return of Samus, and most of the Pokemon games.

That being said, there continue to be holes in the system namely saving. Most of the games "saved" aren't recoverable once you close your browser unless you create a game ID but the site says they are working on it and, if you have a few hours to kill why not spend it by helping Link battle through a temple or raise a Squirtle by a few levels? Even if you don't want to create an ID to save you can always play the other great games!

XIM3 to Hamper Xbox 360 Shooters?

For those of you who don't know, FPS games are difficult on console controllers. Now you may be saying that there are many people out there who are experts with the sticks and can hit just about anything and, while that may be true for some, most people require some aim assist automatically built into the games. Developers behind the XIM system have found a way around that for those who want it; their newest creation, XIM3, allows players to use a mouse and a keyboard when playing instead of the regular controller. This gives players more control over minute details and could give an edge to those willing to pony up the estimated $175.00+

The twap that kills

I saw this video floating around of a nade kill in the new Black Ops game. Pretty unique way to die!

Fable 3 Review

Your brother rules with an iron fist. How will you rule?

Fable 3 was one of the most highly anticipated games of the season, but was all the hype warranted? This new installment transports you back into Albion, the mythological realm your Father freed in Fable 2. This time you play as the spoiled second child of the now deceased hero. Your older brother currently sits on the throne and has become a dictator to the people and seems to be spiraling out of control. Your mentor, Sir Walter, decides enough is enough and the two of you embark on a quest to depose your brother and make you a hero in the process.

The Menu systems of Fable 3 is improved from Fable 2 considerably. The biggest change is the Sanctuary. Left to you by your father, the Sanctuary is a stronghold you will be teleported to anytime you press start. It holds all of your costumes, weapons and achievements. It feels much more interective than a menu and fits nicely with the tone of the game. You will be able to fast travel to anywhere in Albion from the Sanctuary. The weapon system is also much more streamlined. You now start out with the weapons left to you by your father (not imported from save files) and these progressively get stronger as you upgrade them. There are also legendary weapons abound, over 50, but you must have upgraded your starter weapons first. The leveling system is now more balanced as you get "guild seals" which can be spent on anything from levels in your jobs to magical upgrades. All of this is achieved through the "Road to Rule" feature which limits what you can upgrade at which time.

The game play of Fable 3 is very much like all the other Fables. You have a melee weapon, a ranged gun and magic. Once again the magic is extremely overpowered and unbalanced and makes using any other form of combat unnecessary. You fight your way through quests and groups of baddies that Fable fans will be familiar with

The storyline of Fable 3 is pretty well done. I, like many, assumed the task of becoming king was the only part of the game but that's just the start. Once you gain the crown all of the campaign promises you made are called in and you can choose to honor your word or reject it. All of these decisions have moral and financial implications which, I won't spoil it for those who have yet to play, are very important in the final act. There are two problems I have with Fable 3's story. The first is that it is simply too short, you can rush through the story in a handful of hours and it seems like many parts dictate you not explore but approach the task at hand. The second is that after you become king you are put on a time line but the amount of time you are given does not proceed as I felt it should and, word to the wise, 121 days left does not mean 121 days left. Overall its an enjoyable romp but leaves the player feeling slightly unsatisfied.

The immense interactivity you are given before and after you complete the main objectives is astounding. Many of the side quests feel unique and are a lot of fun to do while there are also many "fetch" quests like any big game. The decision to have a family, own property and hold jobs is well done and mirrors other Fable but what is vastly improved is the online play. Instead of being a henchman you are now another hero and the linked screens system is gone. It is now fun to play with your friends instead of a chore.

Finally, the feel of the game stays true to the dry, and often childish, British humor that inspires it. One moment you will be facing down the destruction of Albion and the next you will be belching in a villagers face. It all seems somewhat contradictory and can make certain parts feel disconnected.

Overall I felt that Fable 3 is a very well made game but is much too short for the $60 price tag it commands. Rent it for a few days and you will have beaten it.

Inception: The Game

Based on the massive success of this summers mind-bending movie, Inception, director Christopher Nolan has announced that a video game is now in the works! In an interview with Entertainment Weekly the director stated, "I always imagined Inception to be a world where a lot of other stories could take place. At the moment, the only direction we're channeling that is by developing a video game set in the world."

Who knows whether this game will follow the storyline of the movie or have a side story that interacts with the movie. It could even be a completely separate ordeal, Nolan declined further details.

What we do know is that the game will be based in the movie's dream state, which was full of video game references.

Top 10 N64 Games

1. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The greatest adventure game of all time

Published in 1998 the game centers of Link, the hero of the Zelda franchise, as he again must save the world of Hyrule. The game was groundbreaking on a number of levels and was the first 3D Zelda game ever released. The fun of the game comes from the immense world, the memorable characters and the amount of depth in the game. In a time when "extras" were first being included in games LZOT forged ahead and filled the game with side quests and extra hidden fun. Called by many the "perfect game" I completely agree and it is my number one pick for N64 games ever.


2. Goldeneye 007

The first time you realized how fun multiplayer was

The success of Rare's 1997 release of Goldeneye is easy to understand. The one player missions followed the storyline of the movie to a T, it modeled in game weapons on real ones, and the multiplayer was amazing. The games multiplayer took over the lives of many boys lives as they fought against there friends but, more importantly, the fluidity and ease of use it achieved would spawn the shooting game genre and later be implemented in games like Modern Warfare 2 and Halo. This put FPS games on the map and ate up countless afternoons with friends.


3. Super Smash Bros.

A kid friendly fighter?

Super Smash Bros. went somewhere many people never thought to look. A kid friendly fighting game with cuddly characters, no blood, no gore, and no parental scare factor. The game used a unique system of trying to knock opponents off a map instead of depleting a health bar and offered unique characters with personality and depth. SSB became an instant classic and has since spawned two successful follow-ups.


4. Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64 breathed new life into an old favorite

Nintendo took a real risk with Super Mario 64. This was Mario's first foray into the world of 3D gaming and no one knew exactly how to bring a side-scrolling hero into the new world, no one except Shigeru Miyamoto that is. He brought Mario to life like no one else could ever dream of doing. Mario had complete control of a world that seemed more magical and complex than anything before. The game play was smooth and challenging with diverse levels and entertaining bosses. A long game that never got boring or repetitive.


5. Diddy Kong Racing

Do you use shortcuts or power-ups?

Although a controversial choice I truly believe this to be a gem. The level designs in DKR were imaginative and fun, if slightly repetitive but the real magic was the blend of a platformer and a racing game. It allowed the player to race in three different crafts (car, plane, and hovercraft) over 5 different worlds all focused around a storyline of trying to defeat the evil Wizpig. There were Boss races and hidden characters to find and once in the races the various power-ups allowed players to strategically race. Add to it a fun multiplayer and you have a game that outperforms almost any racer on the 64.




6. Banjo- Kazooie

A cute soundtrack added instant appeal

Banjo-Kazooie is perhaps most memorable for the humorous character design and simplistic yet charming musical score. The platformer was one or Rare's most successful game and centered on a bear named Banjo and his bird named Kazooie's attempts to save his sister Tootie from an evil witch. The game progresses through 9 distinct and imaginative worlds that feature comical graphics and surprisingly unique level design. A classic platformer and one of the best N64 games ever made.




7. Star Fox 64

All the different ways to battle Andross

The true genius behind Star Fox 64 was the simplistic level design which allowed the attention to be focused elsewhere. The levels scrolled along as the player controlled the ships altitude and lateral movements allowing the players to focus on wave after wave of oncoming enemies. Powerups, bosses, and secret routes were all included making the games storyline that much more interesting. Star Fox was able to use his trademark Arwing, a land tank, and a submarine and conquer the Lylat system in a number of different ways, allowing the player to alter their difficulty after almost any stage and rewarding players with many different ways to play. Selling over 8.8 million copies worldwide Star Fox 64 made its mark on the gaming world.



8. Wave Race 64

Free dolphin rides with every game

Wave Race 64 effectively made you feel the pounding of the surf. An unprecedented game, Wave Race used realistic physics to require players to time their moves to the rate of the ocean or risk losing. This was one of the first N64 games on the market and the first game ever to really nail the difficult subject of water. Add to that the originality and the fun gameplay and you have an iconic 64 game


9. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

Capitalizing on the growing popularity of the sport, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater burst onto the scene with detailed graphics, an awesome soundtrack, and huge levels. The difficulty of creating the first game in any genre is daunting and to have succeeded so thoroughly is unusual. Pro Skater allows users to be their favorite skaters and perform wild tricks in imaginative and detailed real life environments. The fluid moves of the game allowed players to have hours of fun and helped start Tony Hawk's empire in gaming.


10. Star Wars: Rouge Squadron

The Star Wars genre has been known to make mediocre games that only interest fans of the movies. Rogue Squadron offered a unique flying experiences that was accessible by anyone. The level designs were enjoyable and the physics of the game spot on. The game went on to sell over 1 million copies in the US making it one of the top 64 games.



Honorable Mentions:
While the originality or lasting importance of these games may have held them back they are excellent titles all deserving of replays!

• Perfect Dark
• Mario Kart 64
• 1080° Snowboarding
• The Legend of Zelda: Majoras Mask
• Paper Mario
• Madden '99
• Turok