Review: Outland

I’ve been itching to add a well-crafted 2D platformer to my list of downloadable PS3 games. When I bought Outland ($9.99 on the PSN store) I was hoping for something different and unique (the kind of traits I seek out in a game). Outland provided just the experience I was looking for, with its creative gameplay, crazy level design and a minimalist art style that complements the game’s polarity-switching concept and adds a ton of atmosphere.

The premise: 30,000 years ago, there was an epic battle between a great Hero and the Sisters of Chaos. The Hero was able to imprison the Sisters at the cost of sacrificing his own life. Now the Sisters of Chaos have found a way to break out of their prison, and you, as the reincarnation of the great Hero, must find and defeat them once again.

Developed by Housemarque and published by Ubisoft, this game can easily get you playing from start to finish. It helps that the gameplay is easy to grasp. Outland has very solid jumping and climbing mechanics and responds quickly to your commands; it feels just right when you understand how to move the Hero. No clunky physics here. At first glance it may seem difficult, but the tutorial does its job at preparing you for the dangerous world of Outland.

The Sisters of Chaos control both the powers of light (blue) and dark (red), and you too quickly gain that ability. This is what makes Outland’s gameplay special – you switch your Hero’s color from light to dark with the press of a button (similar to the Treasure classic Ikaruga). Certain obstacles in the game shoot out either dark or light energy, and being the same color as the energy balls will protect you from being hurt. Even enemies you encounter can be light or dark, and you’ll have to damage them by using the opposite color, so the trick is to know just when to switch - the R1 or right trigger is definitely your friend here.

It can get quite hectic as you progress through the game. As the difficulty ramps up, you’re going to see yourself constantly changing from Light to Dark. It can be quite challenging – it’s hard enough that it keeps you concentrated, and hooked. The difficulty was never a bad thing though – I always welcomed the increased challenge, and Outland keeps a great pace. Since new abilities are always just around the corner, the inventive level design constantly challenges you to hone your latest techniques. This keeps the gameplay fresh all the way to the end.

Some abilities, such as the power to destroy rocks and a slide-attack, give you the option of accessing previously inaccessible paths in older stages. There are coins to collect, which are solely used to purchase life and power upgrades. But don’t think for a second that an upgrade will allow you to steamroll through the next few stages – even with them, you’ll need to develop clever strategies to tackle upcoming obstacles.

The boss fights are creative and unique; each section of the Outland world pits the Hero up against a huge boss. To defeat them you must attack certain weak points and learn their crazy methods. Some let you learn their patterns, while others begin with a chase scene and end in an aerial showdown. Each boss is completely different, and at the start of each fight you know you’re in for an amazing encounter. There are five in total, and each one is as impressive as the last. It gave me that ‘Shadow of Colossus’ sense of epicness; that sense of wonder at climbing the Colossus searching for that weak spot, only on a 2D plane.

There is a multiplayer component - if you find the game too hard, you can enlist a friend to join your adventure. Sadly, co-op is only available as an online option – there’s no split-screen mode. Some might think of this as a letdown, but in all honesty this game is better appreciated if played alone, though having the option of playing co-op is a great addition. There are also co-op-specific challenges that you have to unlock by progressing through the game, and these challenges prove to be just as good as the single player level designs.

Everything about this game maximizes the artform’s potential, from the numerous types of enemies to the wide variety of level designs. The silhouetted foregrounds and expansive, layered backgrounds give the game a grand sense of scope. Every puzzle is unique in its own way, forcing you to abuse your new abilities to succeed or requiring skillful maneuvering to lessen the damage done as you traverse the complex streams of dark and light energies flying across the screen. With solid controls and the kind of hectic gameplay you don’t often see in modern-day gaming, Outland is so close to perfection.

The score for this game complements the world perfectly. It fits well with the art design and it provides the perfect atmosphere while playing the game. The soundtrack also helps make the boss fights even more intense, making me grasp onto my PS3 controller for dear life.

Outland more than satisfied my platforming urge. Priced at only $9.99 and clocking in at over a lengthy 12 hours, this is an excellent purchase. Its replayability, however, is at close to none. Though you can backtrack and access hidden paths, these secret areas serve only to give you more coins to upgrade your life and power. After finishing the single-player mode, the only replay value to be had can be found by playing it again via co-op, or experiencing the co-op challenges. Nevertheless, it’s still a great game – it’s certainly one of the best platforming games on PSN and XBLA and should not be missed.

Score: 95/100

Pros:

-          Great gameplay mechanic

-          Responsive controls

-          Amazing art design

-          Challenging level designs

Cons:

-          Weak replayability factor

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOsyTBhp4Hs]

Dragon Age 2: Legacy Review

Dragon Age 2: Legacy takes you into a section of the Deep Roads, where you uncover dark secrets of both the Hawke Family and the Grey Wardens!

Release Date: 26/07/2011

Platforms: Pc, Xbox 360, PS3

Price: $9.99 for PS3, 800 BW pts/ MS pts for PC and 360

Total run time: 2h, 30m (Blood/Force Mage Hawke, Aveline, Anders, Varric)

Difficulty: Moderate (there are a few hard encounters, but nothing a DA veteran can't handle; even on hard/nightmare)

Accessibility: Act 2, statue in your estate's library

Summary: Legacy takes a turn for the better, in terms of story, gameplay, visuals, and BANTER (Aveline actually has a sense of humor now)!

Visuals/Audio:

You'll all be glad to hear that they didn't reuse any areas at all, giving us several environment changes as we progress through the game. They've also improved on various environmental effects, allowing the area you're in to really set the mood of the game.

Nothing new in terms of audio, it’s the same old DA2 audio files at work here. 9/10

Story:

Not much can be said about the story, without giving away spoilers. Though I can say that the story of Legacy gives you an in-depth view on the history of the Hawke family, making the ever-so-bland character of Hawke a whole lot more bearable (It's just sad that Carver is still dull as fuck); more so if you rolled a mage. You'll also get to read several codex entries that bring more flavor to the world of Dragon Age. 8/10

Gameplay

The fights are a lot more fun this time around. You get more chances to interact with traps, and there are a few changes with the fight mechanics used on the darkspawn, but what really takes the cake is the final boss. The final boss encounter in Legacy is a whole lot of fun! It's highly interactive, it involves a decent amount of planning, has a lot of movement, and it's not too hard (unlike The Harvester)! If you've seen the cartoon "Avatar: The Last Airbender", you'll see that the final encounter is reminiscent of an Avatar going ape...which is a good thing.

The DLC offers a several items that are pretty neat.

1. Class-specific weapon for Hawke: You get to "customize" this as you go further into the game.

2. Armor set for Hawke: I'm not 100% on what the set bonus is (because I failed to get all the pieces in my run), but there is a set bonus! You get the four different pieces in four different locations as you progress in the game.

3. Jewelry and upgrades for your party members.

8/10

Total Score:  8.33/10

This DLC is definitely worth every single penny I spent on it. Sure, there may be a few things that could have been done better, but at this price, it'd be tough to complain.

Review: L.A Noire

Rockstar surprises us again with a unique game bringing something completely different to the table. L.A Noire is set in 1947 when crime was everywhere in L.A. You play Cole Phelps, a war veteran who works his way up from patrol cop to a detective in the LAPD. As you progress from case to case, getting promoted to different desks in Cole’s career, Rockstar still had a story to tell. L.A Noire is a great take on actual police work and the facial expressions in this game gives a convincing performance never before seen in a video game. It has its flaws but it’s definitely a world worth experiencing.

Story

Rockstar has always had high quality story-telling. L.A Noire was no different, and with their impressive facial expressions seen in their characters, it makes the story more satisfying.

Cole Phelps has a deep past. You are shown flashbacks of what happened he experienced during the war. As you progress in the game, you get a bigger picture of who Cole was and what he aims to be joining the LAPD. As you get closer and closer to the end, everything comes together leaving you shocked. It’s a great story, it shows a great pace that leaves you hooked and anxious to find out what happens next.

What’s amazing about L.A Noire is that along with the main story, each case you encounter has its own story to tell. The first few cases come out short and obvious but as you hit the homicide desk you are treated with good cases. This is what makes the detective work interesting. You get involved in the story and at the same time shape what happens in the end. You might send the wrong guy to jail or get a lucky hunch and bring out a confession out of a suspect. Each case plays out differently and in the end your left jaw dropped or disgusted about the case.

Gameplay

Its main focus is actual detective work. You interview witnesses, find clues, and interrogate suspects. If you’re worried about mostly going from place to place just talking and finding clues, don’t be. Gun fights, brawls and chases are everywhere in the game. Each case has some sort of brawl of gun fights in between conversations and looking for clues. It’s part of the story which is why it works. It doesn't feel like a filler to keep things exciting. When you’re about to interview a new point of interest, they shock you with the witness running away and a chase sequence happens out of the blue.

Chases can happen either on foot or with a car. It’s different every time. Even how you capture your running witness/suspect. On foot, some chases gives you the option to fire a warning shot stopping the suspect from feeling, some lets you catch up and tackle the guy. Car chases go differently too, some chases have your partner shoot the tires or you simply bump him off the road. It’s simple gameplay but is necessary for this kind of game. It might come out boring from afar, but if you’re playing the case from start to finish you don’t feel it. Brawls had the similar effects but it isn’t much of a problem since they end in like a min or so unless you get beat.

Gun fights for me is the biggest negative for L.A Noire. Knowing Rockstar for games like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead redemption, you’d think they would give you a decent gun play. It was just dull for me. Your default pistol comes as unlimited ammo, which makes no sense picking up any other gun. Auto aim also doesn’t help; I suggest turning it off because it destroys the gameplay.

I don’t know. I feel that Rockstar could have invested a little bit more in giving a better experience in the gun play. Yes, this isn’t the focus but I wasn’t expecting something this simple and dull. I’m not expecting crazy shootouts similar to other third person shooters but just a decent gunfight that would keep you on your toes.

With amazing facial capture, they not only provide a better story but also better gameplay. Interviews and interrogations are important in L.A Noire, and calling if the suspect/witness is lying or telling the truth is key to reveal new leads and clues for the case. During an interview/interrogation, you have a list of questions to ask your suspect/witness. They answer your question, and thanks to the amazing emotions shown in the characters faces, you use that to determine if he’s telling the truth, lying, or if  you doubt his answer. If their lying, they roll their eyes or never make eye contact. Some swallow, looking nervous. Some also look straight at you showing you that he has nothing to hide. It’s pretty amazing actually.

If you notice someone is lying, you must provide evidence from all the clues collected for the case. If you don’t have it you may doubt his answer. It’s a great approach on how interviews and interrogations go but one element ruins this experience.

You give them a question, they answer, and you either pick Truth, Lie or Doubt. If you get it wrong, you hear this sound hinting you that you picked the wrong choice. A different sound comes out if you called it right. This effect takes you out of the experience. I prefer making the mistake since it should be part of the game, hinting it should have not been included. They should have included it maybe as an extra after finishing the game but not during your first time. Imagine Heavy rain with a wrong sound or a correct sound affecting your game.

This is also present during a crime scene. A very creepy sound is played during a crime scene. When you’ve collected all the clues, that’s when the sound goes away hinting there’s nothing left to find. This again wrecks it. Let us make the mistake of missing a clue. Let us revisit the crime scene to check if we missed anything else. From what I understand, that’s part of detective work. They provide too many hints to help in the investigation and I think they should have toned down in that area. Oh and another thing, I don’t know if it was present in 1947, but you touch evidence and bodies with your bare hands contaminating evidence. There are no gloves worn by the cops putting their fingerprints everywhere. Maybe it’s a bit too extreme to point that out but i thought i should just point that out since this is about actual police work.

Don’t get me wrong, even with these hints that game still comes out challenging. As you progress it gets harder to read people faces if their lying or telling the truth and during my play through I’ve convicted the wrong suspect. You can still make mistakes in this game so you will be tested with those big decisions.

Graphics and Sound

Graphics in this game is all about the facial expressions added in their character models. This is the first time we get a very realistic character emotion in a game. This was the highlight of L.A Noire and the key element in their core gameplay. With that kind of technology, real actors can not only lend their voices to bring the character to life but to even act them out as well. It’s an amazing accomplishment to the point that people in the movie industry also took notice.

They also did an amazing job at re-creating LA back in 1947. They focused highly on quality and you can see it as you drive around the city. It takes 30 minutes to go through the whole map, it’s huge and the city looks alive. People walking in streets are very much alive since it's really hard to hit them with cars. They sure can dodge a speeding car. The game is still GTA-ish but with hats, and even though were cops in this game, going off the road can still be fun.

It’s 1947, and the sound effects and music heard in L.A Noire brings that year to life. The shootouts straight down to the interrogations, the sound effects and music really carry the game very well. It really feels like you’re experiencing 1947 for yourself. Rockstar did their homework. You can feel the amount of research they did to get that time right in every detail. Down from the clothes they wear, the cars in that time to even how they talked, they made sure they got everything right and I believe they nailed it.

Overall

Games as unique as this are coming out more often and we should be open to them. It’s nice to see new triple A titles taking risks at giving us something different for a change. An amazing take on how it is to be a detective back in the day with a great story to back it up. I never thought I’d have that much fun solving cases, finding clues and interrogating people. You’ll get lost in this world and when it’s over you will be asking for more. It has its issues but overall it’s a great first attempt and hopefully Rockstar revisits this franchise giving us more in the future.

Score: 90/100

Pros:

+Great Story

+ Amazing facial expressions in characters

+ detective work is actually fun

Cons:

- Gun gameplay is pretty dull

- Sounds hinting if your wrong or not during a conversation can ruin the game

Review: Portal 2(PC)

Portal 2 is one of those rare games that every kind of gamer should experience. It's not every day where you find yourself immensely entertained by just puzzles and funny dialogue. If you ask me, this type of hybrid puzzler is pretty much the hardest game to pull off in the framework of an FPS, but Valve took everything that made the first game great to the next level, making Portal 2 one of the most polished games you will ever play. Ready to test once again for science?

Portal 2 Developer: Valve Corporation Publisher: Valve Corporation Platform: PC, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360

Story

The story is pretty simple and it revolves around our good friend Chell as she tries to escape Aperture's testing facility. Valve updated the first game's ending, adding on an extra scene to explain why Chell finds herself back in Aperture. It’s nothing big - it really just sets up the game.

The game starts with Chell placed in one of the testers’ quarters and sent into a deep sleep for an indeterminable number of years. She wakes up in the same room and notices that the place has all but worn out in the passing time. You get a knock from the door and you meet Wheatley, an AI core planning to help you escape Aperture once again. During your escape, Wheatley makes a huge mistake, which leads to Chell being stuck testing for GlaDOS in the chambers once again. The real escape starts here.

In the story, the real hero as to why the narrative works as well as it does is the game's witty dialogue. Weatley, GlaDOS and a few surprises in the rest of the facility are what bring this game to life. You'd think having a silent heroine would leave a giant hole in the narrative but it actually complements what they aimed to do with the rest of the characters in the large, lonely facility. People wondered and hoped that Chell would be given a voice, but that would have ruined just about everything else; the dialogue wouldn’t work nearly as effectively if Chell had to converse with the other characters. Some video game characters are simply better off without a voice, and giving them the ability to talk ruins the experience. In the end, When you have finished Portal 2 you'll feel a sense of amazement at the game’s simple yet charming story and memorable characters. I left very satisfied.

"going crazy with portals!"

Gameplay

If you played the first game, then you know how the game works. You’re equipped with just the portal gun that creates a portal from one location to another, and that's all you get. Each puzzle in Portal 2 has you figuring out how to get yourself to the exit of each testing chamber, armed with nothing but your wits, and the ever-trusty portal gun.

The puzzles in each area seem impossible at first but are all completely doable; all you have to do is think outside the box. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. You don’t just think outside the box, you think outside the box with portals. With the ability to go wherever you want with simple clicks of your mouse or controller, valve challenges the way you think. Everything you need is right in front of you; your success depends on how you use what you currently have. The puzzles in Portal 2 are great. When you've succeeded in a stage that kept you thinking, you can't help but smile and appreciate how clever that one was.

The game is so polished that each subsequent puzzle has just the right amount of added difficulty. The first few stages give you an introduction, showing off some of the tricks and techniques made possible by the portal gun, but during these simple tutorials you’re still challenged to solve a puzzle, making the introductions of each feature effective. It may look difficult from afar, but the game is easy to grasp since they expose you enough to get the concept right away.

Game bugs during my play-through were almost non-existent, another example of how well Valve developed Portal 2. With a game like this that’s so complex and difficult to develop, a noticeable bug once in a while is understandable but there were none worth mentioning. As the credits rolled, I realized that the only thing that interrupted my experience was my initial failures at a couple of puzzles.

Each puzzle brings something new to the table. You won’t see a test chamber similar to the previous ones you’ve completed. The game actually gets better as you get closer to the end. With new features in the game like the different gels added or the beam-like bridge being thrown at the player for them to use and figure out, the game always stays interesting and continues to offer new surprises. What’s more, by having individual developers work on individual chambers they made sure that each chamber has their own identity for you to figure out and overcome.

The environment also stays fresh as you progress through the game. At the start of the game you’re placed to the usual test chambers but as you move closer to the end your introduced to a very different setting that organically gives the puzzles there a different feel. Portal 2 just keeps giving.

The only complaint I can think of is the replay value of the game. After all, it's a puzzle game and when you know each puzzle there's no point playing the game again, unless you’re one of those achievement junkies. The single player clocks around 8-12 hours. It may seem short for some, but you won’t regret owning Portal 2 when you start playing since the gameplay is just so solid. If you want more, the co-op mode is just as long as the single player and has a completely different story and scenario.

"Atlas and P-body in co-op mode"

If you thought that using one portal gun to make it to the exit was hard enough, co-op is even harder. You really need cooperation and I advise you to force a buddy to buy this game and a mic along with it so you can communicate. Everything you’ve experienced in the Single Player will be there and the difficulty is much higher here since you have another player to worry about. It’s a completely different experience and each puzzle in co-op is designed specifically for the mode. You’ll have to work with four portals now and figure out how to bring both players to the exit, not always an easy task.

Each multiplayer puzzle is just as well crafted as the ones in single player; it can get crazy fast and is loads of fun. If by any chance you have no friends at all and can’t find a partner, you can search for another lonely player with the fast search option but I strongly suggest playing with a friend. You will often find someone that has already figured out some puzzles you have yet to experience and that will ruin it. There are also players that hold your hands and don’t even bother to teach you how to solve the puzzle. This is a great experience and must be played with another player at the same level as you.

Graphics and Sound

The game’s graphics show a small improvement in quality over the first game. Since you explore more of Aperture outside the test chambers, some places can amaze you, but compared to the triple-A titles coming out this year, there's no comparison.

The voice acting though in this game is amazing. From GlaDOS constantly complaining and insulting you because you killed her last time, to Wheatley's funny, sometimes bizarre complaints and observations as you try escape the facility. As you go through puzzle after puzzle, the small talk and side-comments gives players a good laugh during or after a puzzle. It's great and I definitely had those instances where I stopped what I was doing and just listened to what they have to say.

Overall

Portal 2 is one of the best games I’ve played so far this year. Unique gameplay, witty dialogue, a simple yet satisfying story, and a well polished game. There’s so much that this puzzle game got right. The flow of the game is perfect and the difficulty of each puzzle is just right. Most games out now are somewhat similar or familiar in certain ways and you hardly find a game that provides something new for us gamers to experience. Portal 2 is a perfect example of how game developers can still wow us with something completely out of our comfort zones. I recommend even non-gamers to experience this game if they can. This is one title you should not ignore.

Score: 95/100

Pros:

- Amazing Single Player and Co-op modes

- Puzzles are challenging but not impossible

- Great dialogue and voice acting

- Well polished game

Cons:

- Weak replay value

- Short game

Review: Batman the Brave and the Bold - The Videogame (DS)

Holy dual screened handheld systems, Batman! When crime is a foot, you can be a sure a swift punch to the nose from an entity called Justice will deliver evil doers to their rightful place behind bars. Hammers of Justice! It's Batman the Brave and the Bold - The Videogame for the Nintendo DS.

Batman the Brave and the Bold - The Videogame

Publisher: WB Interactive Ent.

Developer: WayForward

Platform" Nintendo DS

Rating: E 10+

Release: 9/7/2010

Batman the Brave and the Bold for the Nintendo DS is a side scrolling beat-em-up wherein you control the Dark Knight and another hero from the DC Universe to fight evil on 8 levels. Each level plays out like an episode of the show complete with the episode title appearing before you enter the stage. The hero you are paired up with varies depending on the level you choose, the likes of Green Arrow, Aquaman and Red Tornado among others lend their abilities to help you traverse the different stages. Story: As I said earlier, each level plays like an episode of the show with little narrative outside of the villain comitting evil and you having to stop him/her. None of the 'episode' tie in together in the end so there isn't a coherent story through out the game. Gameplay: The gameplay is your typical side scrolling beat-em-up. You have a light and heavy attack, a special attack button, a jump button, a guard button, and a button for character specific abilities. The combat isn't deep but not super shallow. Yes you can just do the same attack pattern over and over again but you can mix it up with a launching uppercut and air juggle opponents.

Batman can use weapons from his utility belt sure as his baterangs, gas grenades and the infamous 'lightsaber belt sword' that can be seen in the cartoon series. You gain access to more gadgets as you beat levels be powered up by coins gained from fallen enemies and spent in the batcave.

The other heroes can do the standard light and heavy attacks but the animations depend on their super powers which is pretty neat. Their special attacks also vary and is either used just for combat or for platforming. For example, Green Lantern can create blocks from his power ring for you to climb on to reach higher ground, Red Tornado shoots out smaller tornadoes that can harden laval streams so that Batman can ninja jump on.

Chaining enough hits together can initiate a screen clearning dual move between Batman and the current DC Superhero he's paired with. Some of these attacks are hilarious and I do it just to watch em, one in particular is that Green Lantern forms a jet out of his ring energy that flies across the screen while dropping bombs as Batman and Hal are riding it.

Touchscreen implementation is very minimal in this game, limiting only to tagging out your current character with another, initiating the dual clear screen attack and switching between Batman's weapons. It works well and though I'm glad we aren't presented with campy touchscreen minigames in levels, I wish they would've added just a bit more.

My problem with the combat is since you can power up Batman's equipment, it comes to a point that he becomes too overpowered early on in this very short game. And with this game's ridiculous length, thats already saying a lot. Aside from the moments where you are force to use the other hero to traverse the level, there is almost no real incentive to anyone other than Batman.

Platforming is simple, you run and jump through the level and use the heroes' abilities to get across. Batman has his trusty grappling hook and he can latch on bars to shimmey his way, Green Lantern can air dash, Red Tornado can hover, Green Arrow's arrows can be used as stepping stones, you get the drift. Its pretty obvious when and where you need to switch between heroes and use their abilities, none of the stages will have you scratching your head.

At the end of every level is a boss fight, most are straight forward though some may actually require you to think a bit but ultimately offer very little to no challenge.

My final thoughts on this game. I like the fact that it's very true to its source material, you see a lot of references to the show and they are all done pretty well. Even with a voiceless narrative, you feel thepersonality of the characters and it pretty much feels like you really are playing a scene from the show. Voice clips during gameplay sound like the characters on the show and just adds to the personality of the game. The graphics are in a 32bit style and are very well animated. Some segments are hilarious, especially if you follow the cartoon.

I wish this game just offered more, in terms of both challenge and variety. Sure this is meant to target kids who watch the show but that is no reason to make this game as easy as it is. There isn't even a real consequence if you die in game. You either just spawn from a really close checkpoints or start a battle over again which still isn't saying much  Aside from a boss battle or 2, the only real challenge I find in this game is in the challenge mode where you only use the other heroes instead of Batman.

Still, I think this game is at least worth a solid rental, a good weekend distraction.

Score: 68 / 100 Pros: True to its source material solid mechanics nicely animated sprites

Cons: Baby easy Very little replay value graphics (though nice) feel dated, like a GBA game

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxnS1_Jd9os&w=560&h=349]