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 |  Rockstar: Red Dead Needs A Little More Polish.
posted by Master Dwarf at March 04, 2010, 10:50:07 AM
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source: http://kotaku.com/5485278/rockstar-red-dead-needs-a-little-more-polish
While speaking to investors, Take-Two CEO Ben Feder said Red Dead Redemption had been delayed because of "optimal" release schedules. Developers Rockstar say something a little different.
"We at Rockstar have always prided ourselves on the uncompromising quality of our games - and will always opt to take a bit longer to polish and fine-tune a game to be as perfect as possible when we think it necessary" a company representative says. "With Red Dead Redemption, we felt that these extra few weeks will make a big difference in helping us deliver you an experience beyond your expectations."
Now that sounds a lot more likely. Bit of a double-edged piece of news, this; it's good that they're taking the time to polish it a little more (it certainly helped Batman: Arkham Asylum), but then, it's worrying that a game due so soon still needed some work.
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 | White Knight Chronicles
posted by Mistle at February 13, 2010, 01:19:02 PM
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White Knight Chronicles (henceforth known as WKC for the sake of typing) is a game made by Level 5 exclusively for the PS3. If you forgot about it since that E3 video of it, you're not the only one. If you're not all that interested in it, you're also not alone. It should be noted at this point, that this game is not for the ADHD-of-heart, or anything less than the hardcore fans of Level 5, challenging games, serious grinding, or people who buy anything Japanese like JRPGs.
The gameplay is based mostly off numbers, don't let the free run fool you. The interface isn't as limited as the first impression unless you play a magic user, really. The progression is somewhat broken when you factor in the multiplayer aspect for your avatar, but you can choose to omit your avatar from the single player aspect of the game not far into it. The single player mode has lots of variety to try out various character builds before using your avatar, and the namesake 'White Knight', along with a story to tie it all together, however loose that may or may not be. Bad dubbing abounds, but that's easily overlooked if you don't think too hard about it, or are used to that sort of thing. Also, some familiar voice talents contributed to this game; not that it fixes anything, though. Graphics-wise, it's a bit dated, but it's colorful and well done, still HD eye fodder in many regards.
The leveling system is more skill-based, and story mode isn't the entirety of the game. In fact, story mode is not a good reason for getting this game at all. This game is really about the multiplayer aspects, and the online community of the game in general. Other reviews likely haven't factored this into reviews, but it really is a big part of the game, similar to Phantasy Star Online; same limited game scenario, but the interaction and personal contribution in the form of a player's character, Georama, and questing in a party make the game.
The Georama is the core of the online nonsense: it's the make-a-town that you improve, update, upload, and so forth. Can't find something? Go look around someone else's town, maybe they have it for sale. With an in-game mailing system, voice chat support, and an online bulletin board, you can expect this to keep you playing longer than the single player.
But, as with any game, they have shortcuts! The Playstation Home features purchasable content, including an ability to re-customized your avatar, for six bucks. Steep? Not really, if you'd rather not redo 200 hours of character leveling over some facial feature you just now found annoying. You can also buy some high-quality objects for your Georama.
Other aspects of the game include the fairly large maps (par for the course as a Level 5 game, i'm told), completionist-appeasing reincarnation, and trophies that involve hundreds of hours of mind-numbing grinding, and a rather thorough character creation. Jokes on your guy, though; that starting outfit is default, guy or girl. And your bad news: that White Knight? Single player only. But it would be rather game-breaking if it was in multiplayer.
Now is a good time to mention again that this game won't be for everyone. So, unusual is it is, i recommend you borrow or rent this for a weekend, give it a try before you buy. If it's your bag of "assorted monster parts to make rare equipment", then you're in for the long haul. If not, that's okay, too. There are other, more non-committal games for your ilk.
The sequel is already in the works; if you start grinding this game now, you might finish by the time the sequel lands.
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| Bayonetta - Yes, it's okay to stare, but only for a minute
posted by Mistle at January 06, 2010, 01:30:45 AM
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Some have tried to define it as "Dante as a chick," while some have failed to define in because they were staring at all the eye candy. The best definition was "A spiritual successor to the Clover Studio games(Viewtiful Joe, God Hand, etc.) and i'm inclined to agree with the last one. Bayonetta is a good introduction to the wonderful world of technical fighting. Not so much platforming, because this game does interesting(albeit confusing for first timers) things with that department.
Technical? Yes, it is. Some combos require timing, so mashing might change your combo drastically. Not that it matters, it's easy to get the hang of, and the combos are all gravy until you get to the later parts in the game when you might want something shorter. The move progression gets stale after the first time through, but the essentials are almost indispensable in later playthroughs. For the beginners, they have an 'easy mode' with an automated fighting system (easily deactivated through the equip menu) that allows new and/or unfamiliar players the chance to look halfway decent.
The scoring system is based on three factors: Combo, damage, and time. Score a high, continuous combo, avoid taking damage, and do both in a reasonably fast manner and you get rewarded with Platinum medals, the highest individual accolade. Collect three in one 'verse', or section, and you net a Pure Platinum medal for your effort. As shiny as that award might be, the level is an average of the individual medals, not the verse medals, so being consistently good is usually better than a stellar finish to a terrible start. Online scoreboards should also drive players to perfect their skills and show off their e-whatevers for all the internet to see, but anyone in the NA region has some catching up to do.
The story is intriguing and difficult to explain without giving anything away. It's filled with comedy and a few inside jokes, some burlesque, but mostly enjoyable. The dramatic story-progressing parts, however, are explained in chunks, so there's no subtlety to the small talk, and you get all your exposition at once. Nothing is added with repeat playthroughs, but what kind of action game would throw divergent endings at you? Not this one. You get what you paid for: Action, eye candy, and a long path to perfection.
As far as distractions, this game is loaded with it. Post-level bonus game, some alternate formats for level progression, and an impressive soundtrack all amount to a minor break in core gameplay, but they leave in those dreaded 'push this button at the appointed time' events, and you can't skip them, similar to RE5 (who remembers those?). The buttons don't change, but in higher difficulties the window is smaller, so knowing is most of the effort. They also have the button mashing for bonus points, and that translates into both higher damage and combo score, so slack off at your own risk.
What's bad about it? A few things to note:
- The distractions can get old fast if you're the grinding type who immerses yourself into 'perfecting this one part.' You can breeze through the levels, and the bosses are a level unto themselves, but everything is easier after you complete the game then return to it
- Second, to note other reviews, the PS3 has a loading issue. Loading more data? Not sure if that's the case, but it can get irritating. Thankfully, most of the loading occurs between action scenes
- You will curse getting hit the first time on the final verse of a 10-verse level, having achieved pure platinum on the other nine
- Alfheims. You'll find out
Over the top spiritual successor to Clover? More or less. Of course, i spent an extra thirty bucks to get this game before Christmas (and it was a very merry Christmas, indeed) and everyone in North America should be upset that the game was fully playable in English mid-December, but that's a corporate marketing matter. Get this game, unless you are vehemently against action games, comically excessive violence, and almost-nudity of the "librarian/secretary hot" main character.
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 |  Rawk SD - Wii Rock Band Importing and Custom Tracks
posted by Prowler at July 14, 2009, 07:20:18 PM
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Rock Band 2 owners for Wii rejoice: there is a way to import your Rock Band 1 songs into Rock Band 2 unofficially finally. Your Wii must be soft-modded (there are dozens of guides and programs available) first, then just head on over to the following website:
http://wadder.net/rawksd/
Not only that, but you can create Rock Band custom songs if you have the patience (and knowhow--but you can head to Scorehero to find out how).
This makes the Wii suck just a little less.
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|  Demon's Souls - In case you haven't heard, hard games are hard
posted by Mistle at March 30, 2009, 10:38:07 AM
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You ever play Ninja Gaiden for the xbox?
Remember getting your ass handed to you time and time again until you figured out how to not suck? And how you got through easy mode and started all over again when you thought: "I know the levels and monsters, I'll do a lot better on normal."
Remember how you didn't do better?
And how all this repeated when the hurricane pack came out?
Kind of like that. The game really has no room for failure(bosses can one-hit-kill you) and its online aspect is interesting: you get to see other players as ghosts and such, phantoms that, in some cases, you can call on to assist you, or you can see how they failed and not repeat their mistake, like watching the one guy run around the corner and into a bottomless pit, or watching the one guy back into the very same hole because he auto-locked on an archer and tried to get an angle on him.
This is a game that plays a lot on common sense, as there are no "boundaries" in the sense that other games have. Yes, you can walk into molten lava and die. Yes, you can hop down the hundreds-of-feet drop of a mineshaft and die. No, you won't be warned or given a final chance to not foolishly end your life through ignorance(edit - the NPCs will warn you about attacking them, but they won't stop you, and in all likelihood, vice versa when they try to kill you). Think Shadowgate, but less objective and it's always your fault.
The face editor is big, as it's really one of the few ways to stand out, but nothing says you can't make an ugly mug, or a non-characteristic face for your hero(ine).
The tutorial teaches you one fact about the game: You will die. No matter how well you do, your tutorial will end with you being killed.
Much like the other difficult RPGs, look forward to farming for exceptional equipment, because when you die(you will) you lose all of your trading commodity, souls. So farming safely is more important in this game than in others.
Multiplayer has a few features unusual in games: parallel singleplayer. You can play through a level and see others as ghosts, you can see how they die, and you can recruit others to join your world, via one of three gems. The second gem is for a comment-ridden level that will tell you that the lava field full of treasure is an "illusion." Clever or vague depends on you, and whether you heed the bloody memory of someone who ran into the lava and died. The third is the naughty one, the black gem. Force your way into another person's game and assume the soul of a shadow, and change how one of their enemies play, as you will be the enemy. Good things await those who win, the usual failure(read:death) awaits those who fail.
The overall atmosphere of the game is very western, even to the point that it has English voice actors. To note; RE5, Dead Rising, and other games with American characters have used English-language VA's, so it shouldn't be too surprising. When another friend attended the opening scenes and prologue, he, too, agreed that the depressing dark ages atmosphere has been captured quite well.
All in all, a good game, given that i've had limited exposure to someone else's JP copy, but i'm definitely looking forward to it. So much so that dying anonymously on the internets has never looked better.
BEHOLD! The opening trailer, HD: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/46884.html
Not sure on whether it will hit the US, but if you're that interested, you'll order the Asia-English version, like i did. My official rating: (℃ 。゜)＜Huzzah!
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| More samurai action on the horizon for the PS3
posted by Mistle at October 01, 2008, 11:19:12 PM
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Anyone who has played Way of the Samurai and Samurai Western is in for a treat: a third game, 侍道３, has been announced.
The games, to summarize for those unfamiliar, are similar to the Choose-your-own-adventure concept, where you can be a noble samurai and follow the bushido code, or you can piss everyone off and survive for the duration, killing anyone in your way.
The Japanese version is slated for a November release, with no news on an American release as of yet. Given the PS3's market, though, there's a good chance that it'll see the American Market.
i'll definitely be playing this in November.
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|  Serious Improvement for Final Fantasy XI
posted by Mistle at September 17, 2008, 06:28:13 AM
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Final Fantasy XI has received much feedback about people having to party with idiots or not at all, so they threw in this change: Level Sync
Simply put, other people can have their characters scaled down to a lower level, so that the "too high level" excuse is no longer valid. This means your affiliates can join you for grinding sessions and reap the benefits just as though they hadn't logged several days' worth of time more than you. The idea is to promote the social aspect of the game without limiting it to 'old groups' and 'new groups'.
Other updates are expected advances for the newest expansion, nothing of great import.
This was apparently news a friend had to impress upon me. If you ever played the game, or ever intend to, or got out of it, this is a good reason to lose your soul to it all over again.
Full article here : http://www.playonline.com/pcd/verup/ff11us/detail/3668/detail.html
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Xbox Live Phishing Scam