An Uphill Battle -- Supreme Commander Review

Suffering the inherent disadvantage of being a classic top-down real-time strategy game on a platform with 100% less keyboard-and-mouse control, Supreme Commander on the Xbox 360 immediately has an uphill battle to fight. Hellbent Games has made a valiant effort to retool Gas Powered Games' 2007 PC release for the home console, but in the end, this version is wholly inferior to the original.

Supreme Commander is a typical RTS for the most part, with three factions locked in bitter conflict for control of the galaxy. Players choose one of these groups and embark on a six-mission campaign, harvesting "mass" and building power generators to sustain their war machine, comprised of a variety of units and structures from an extensive tiered engineering system. The Xbox 360 version features a few units not seen in the original.

The major selling point of the title, though, is the epic scale of the battles that players will engage in, commanding massive armies over vast, expanding maps. The missions start small, but the battlefield grows with each successfully completed objective, leading to marathon engagements that can last 2-3 hours apiece. It isn't uncommon to find yourself managing a handful of individual skirmishes at one time, each from a different point on the map.

The ability to zoom in and out to an incredible degree is nice, but in the heat of battle, it can be difficult to direct the camera to a position that is conducive to managing your troops efficiently. I often found myself switching between the minimum and maximum zoom levels to first evaluate the battlefield and then to command my army. The perfect balance between the two is elusive, to say the least.

The entire control scheme, by nature of the genre and the platform, is quite cumbersome. Players may find that navigating menus and issuing orders in a timely and effective manner is a battle in itself, thanks to the dual analog + d-pad control scheme and a curious lack of on-screen information to guide their actions. In addition, player-controlled troops are sometimes unresponsive, which can be frustrating, especially when there are a number of micro-tasks to carry out.

Besides the main campaign mode, Supreme Commander also includes an online multiplayer mode, as well as skirmish mode, which is essentially a single-player emulation of multiplayer matches where AI opponents take the place of their flesh-and-blood counterparts. The games are highly customizable, and the Xbox 360 version features two brand new game types: King of the Hill (hold "the hill" to earn points) and Command Point (control a number of key positions on the map). Unit caps have been reduced to accommodate the 360, thus reducing the scope of multiplayer games, but also preventing game-breaking lag.

Overall, Supreme Commander for the Xbox 360 is a passable RTS, but one can tell that there is something better hidden beneath the unintuitive gameplay that unfortunately mars the experience and detracts from the fun that players could have potentially had with the game.

One Word Review | Guitar Hero

This is One Word Review, a concept that I shamelessly lifted from my friend Creighton over at eight bit childhood (it's okay, he said I could). The idea behind OWR, as we like to call it, is that videogames are so often rated, reviewed, and discussed to exhaustion that it is sometimes a relief to read a succinct, definitive description of a game--a single word that sums up the most prominent characteristics of the gaming experience. That's the idea, so here goes:

Cha-ching

Fear And Hatred: A Multi-Platform Experience

I recently played Atlus's Summon Night: Twin Age for the Nintendo DS, and while it was neither breathtaking nor abysmal, it did manage to ignite a tiny flame inside the dark, cavernous recesses of my mind. It got me thinking about themes common to videogames, movies, literature, and the real world; specifically "tension between races, propagated by fear and manifested in hatred."

Even if we were all some freaky, multi-armed Spore creations, it'd be impossible to count the number of videogames that address this theme on some level. According to my calculations, nearly every RPG since the dawn of time has been an interracial affair, and if not, there have at least been multiple tribes, nations, or townships involved. Without even branching into other genres, instances of interracial tensions in videogames easily number in the many-dozens, and are often revealed to be rooted only in ignorance and fear by the resolution of the story arc.

One group is usually so frightened by the mere thought of another, either because of ancient history, dubious folklore, or differences from what they know to be the norm, that they develop a primitive and irrational hatred for them. Then, of course, the other group echoes that sentiment tenfold.

It is a fire fueled by the misguided will of the masses, whose innocent trepidation leads them to vehemently defend their stance, and at the same time prevents them from ever questioning, "why?" It is only the eldest and wisest who seem to understand the truth of this grand misapprehension; knowledge that they inevitably impart to the protagonists and the players somewhere along the way. The error of the characters' ways is always painfully obvious to the audience. Why, then, should it be different when these themes occur in real life?

Few would oppose the assertion that an individual's creative endeavors are often reflections of his or her life experiences, or at least have roots therein, so one could easily say that many of these tales are at least partially allegorical. They relate either to what the artist has taken part in directly or witnessed at a distance, including historical and current events on a global scale.

Just like the fictional personalities in our beloved electronic entertainment, the world seems to repeatedly fall victim to the reciprocal "fear-and-hate" policy described above. From international governing bodies all the way down to the individual, this sad cycle affects everyone to some degree. This leads me to wonder if the lessons to be learned from these tales are indeed universally evident, because it has become abundantly clear, especially in recent years, that not everyone can extrapolate those same lessons from that which is "real."

Maybe the reality is in some way less tangible than the fiction, due to the objective, third-party perspective we assume in the latter. Or maybe the complete, unobscured picture is only visible in retrospect, upon finishing the story.

To be continued?

One Word Review | World Of Warcraft

This is One Word Review, a concept that I shamelessly lifted from my friend Creighton over at eight bit childhood (it's okay, he said I could). The idea behind OWR, as we like to call it, is that videogames are so often rated, reviewed, and discussed to exhaustion that it is sometimes a relief to read a succinct, definitive description of a game--a single word that sums up the most prominent characteristics of the gaming experience. That's the idea, so here goes:

Template

Tap N Slash -- Summon Night: Twin Age Review

The Summon Night franchise has undergone a significant amount of metamorphosis over the years, trying its hand at a number of RPG sub-genres, and achieving mild success with each. The latest from the folks at Flight-Plan taps into the unique input options of the Nintendo DS, and delivers a somewhat novel, but unspectacular gaming experience.

The game begins with themes straight out of role-playing 101: normally peaceful spirits overrun by darkness; an isolated, semi-human society that maintains an intimate relationship with nature; tension between races, propagated by fear and manifested in hatred; an orphaned brother and sister who must revisit their past; and magic. It's as if every RPG in history threw their individual plot elements into a hat, and Summon Night: Twin Age reached in to grab a handful. This doesn't necessarily mean bad things for the storyline, it just makes the player feel overly familiar and slightly used.

The game is essentially an action RPG hack-n-slash affair, with gameplay action ranging from movement to attacks to special gesture-commanded skills and magic, all controlled by the stylus. There are even a pair of toolbars that players can use to quickly access certain items and techniques in the heat of battle. The control scheme and combat methods are actually the game's strongest points, which is fortunate considering that the larger part of one's play time will be consumed by running through enemy-infested maps with blades and magic a-blazin'.

It's true that there is a lot of grinding to be done in Twin Age, and more crate- and pot-smashing than I care to engage in again for quite some time. It can become a fatiguing endeavor, then, when the mostly-uncontrollable party members commonly bear much of the burden and require little attention from the player the majority of the time. It also doesn't help when the action becomes so jammed that it is difficult to discern where one character ends and the next begins.

Certain aspects of the game work to counterbalance the fatigue effect, at least. Save points are placed in relatively close proximity of one another and levels/chapters are not obscenely long, allowing players to play Twin Age on their own terms and at their own leisure, rather than under the iron-fisted rule of the designers. There are also sections between chapters where players select party members to have conversations with. Because there are a fair number of characters to interact with, and because the player is given an initial choice to control one of two protagonists, these segments inject a touch of variety into gameplay that can sometimes knock on monotony's door.

Let us not forget the combat, of course, which asks players to interact more intimately with the game, making timed stylus taps, drawing lines on-screen, etc., in order to execute special maneuvers. Then there is the fact that the two main characters -- a fighter and a magic user -- are swappable on-the-fly, and have different trees of skills to work with throughout the game. Lastly, there is a crafting system with specific recipes and required ingredients that can be found throughout the world's various locales, and that produce some very powerful items.

Summon Night: Twin Age presents a generally gratifying gameplay experience, making good use of the DS hardware and offering players a unique and functional method of controlling the on-screen action. Where it stumbles is in the exploration surrounding that, and in its largely derivative storyline.

Katamari SHMUP 2.0 -- Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy Review

If I had to summarize Budcat Creations' Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy in as few words as possible, "Katamari SHMUP 2.0" would be one of the most apt descriptions I could come up with. An upgraded port of Kenta Cho's 2004 freeware PC shooter Tumiki Fighters, Blast Works is a side-scroller that requires players to use the fallen debris from downed enemy aircraft to augment their own ship, gaining offensive and defensive advantages as they progress.

There are no statistics or attributes given value by a collection of arbitrary numbers in Blast Works, nor are there are any magical glowing power-ups floating throughout the airspace; the characteristics and abilities of the player's aircraft at any moment are defined by its physical form, created on-the-fly by the player. This is done by catching the broken bits (or entire structures) of conquered foes with their own ship, eventually creating a sticky pile of random parts that are haphazardly (or strategically) clumped together.

Form equals function in Blast Works. Each part that is tacked onto a ship adds a new way to gun down foes, and also serves as a shield from enemy fire. One piece might shoot a rapid stream of bullets, while another will create large rings that move slowly across the screen. Even the direction of fire is based on the particular part and its orientation on the ship.

This offensive build-up doesn't go on forever, though, and although it is possible to snag enough wreckage to fill up the entire screen, enemy assaults can break pieces off of your craft just as quickly as they are attached. This unique concept keeps the gameplay interesting and dynamic, as players will rarely man the same ship configuration twice.

The actual composition of the game's main campaign is not terribly complex, however, as most of the missions you will embark on are very similar to one another. There is no storyline to what is essentially a child's play session, animated in videogame form, but that is of little consequence because one can still derive simple pleasure from participating in the action over the course of the game's 15 stages. Up to 4-player simultaneous cooperative play is a thoughtful addition, but any more than two players on-screen at once makes a visual mess of things.

Blast Works is more a toy to play with than a challenge to conquer. This is evident in the editor mode, which even the title suggests is the game's primary focal point. Players can build custom levels from scratch, using nothing but the most basic building blocks to create everything from the ships, enemies, and weapons to the scenery, music, and effects. The results range from very simple to incredibly detailed depending on the time and effort put into the work. Alternatively, pre-made items from the game's campaign are available to use, as well.

Once a design is complete, it can either be put to immediate in-game use or uploaded to an online bank of user creations at BlastWorksDepot.com. This website is a great resource for players who would rather not spend the time building, but still want to add a custom feel to their game. Everything from simple shapes to full levels are available for download, and because the website is linked to your Wii Number, transfers are quick and easy. Combined with the in-game editor, this feature allows for limitless expansion and an always-fresh feel. Sharing content is the reason to own Blast Works.

Conceptually, Blast Works is very "gaming 2.0," and is similar to what one might expect from LittleBigPlanet later this year in terms of customization and content sharing. Although the initial collection of levels in the main campaign can grow stale rather quickly, the potentially endless stream of user-created content and the unique and entertaining gameplay make Blast Works a very worthwhile addition to any gaming library.

One Word Review | The Sims

This is One Word Review, a concept that I shamelessly lifted from my friend Creighton over at eight bit childhood (it's okay, he said I could). The idea behind OWR, as we like to call it, is that videogames are so often rated, reviewed, and discussed to exhaustion that it is sometimes a relief to read a succinct, definitive description of a game--a single word that sums up the most prominent characteristics of the gaming experience. That's the idea, so here goes:

Emulife

Cannon Fodder: Protecting Our Industry

Sometimes I can't help but wonder whether or not the entirety of the videogame industry cares about the constant opposition that is presented by the mainstream media and the older, non-progressive population in general. Most of us in the editorial end of the industry find ourselves acting as advocates for those in the developing and publishing end -- we defend the games and the people who make them with our word-shields.

Now I'm not claiming that without the burly strength of myself or the hundreds of other videogame journalists out there that these folks would be utterly defenseless against the evil oppression of the man, because usually those who we are working to protect do a fairly good job of helping themselves, too. That's great.

Unfortunately, certain members of the industry sometimes make decisions that are, for lack of a better term, stupid. They somehow seem to forget that there are watchdogs out there who are hovering like vultures over industry members' every move, just itching to take a pot-shot at whoever they can.

Of course, the fashionable complaint nowadays is that videogames are violent in ways that are somehow different from every other form of media (such as movies, television, and books), and that these works of interactive entertainment are universally marketed to children, regardless of content, in an obvious attempt to poison our youth.

The defense to this sort of half-baked and ill-informed assertion always remains the same: that some games are for children, while some games are not. If a videogame is made for and marketed to adults, then it should be met with the very same opposition as any R-rated movie. Now imagine every one of those being met with the same torches and pitchforks that greet each new Grand Theft Auto game.

A problem arises when a publisher or developer does something to give fodder to that angry mob, in essence working against their own cause. Such is the case with the Collector's and Survival Editions of Bethesda Softworks' upcoming Fallout 3. Historically, the Fallout series has always been produced and best suited for a mature consumer base, but this time around, the bundled swag in the special editions of the game are likely to be construed as something different.

When toys are included in these packages, it is understood that one needn't be a child to own such things, so there is justification, but Fallout 3 comes with lunchboxes. Only children actually make use of lunchboxes as they are meant to be implemented, so why would a game that we claim is marketed to adults include one of them?

Any reasonable individual can see that this collector's item is meant to sit somewhere on display or to hold the other items that are come along with it, rather than to carry peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, crackers, and orange juice to school, but are industry opponents ever that understanding? They are just looking for ways to connect violent videogames to children, and this is that tiny thread that, in their eyes, does it. Why even give them the ammo?

It's an uphill battle. Every detail should be thought through... unless of course you are uncompromising in adhering to your vision, regardless of public opinion. In that case, my anti-authoritarian, defiant hippie side is with you, but my wish for the unconditional acceptance of our industry is not.

Not Quite Lost In Space -- Aces Of The Galaxy Review

GamerNode - If you are looking for some classic 3D space shooting action or a quick cooperative gameplay session for yourself and a friend, then look no further than Sierra Online and Artech Studios' Aces of the Galaxy, which delivers a healthy dose of both, in a visually impressive package.

Aces of the Galaxy offers players everything one might expect from the genre, and does so with gusto. It reminded me of Star Fox 64 (a good thing), featuring three types of weapons, a wide variety of enemy ships, and and choose-your-own-path type of level progression. What it most noticeably lacked were large-scale boss fights and anything more than a nominal storyline.

Each eight-stage trip through Aces of the Galaxy is unique because by activating warps within each level players are given the opportunity to choose one of three different planets for the next round of dogfights. There are 25 of these planets, in total, with three distinct themes: fire, ice, and asteroid (unsurprisingly characterized by a sea of planetary flotsam).

The action is fast-paced and intense, almost turning into what I would call a 'junior 3D bullet hell' during its most frantic periods. Players have an arsenal consisting of a rapid-fire chain gun, multi-target cluster missiles, and heavy-damage torpedoes, as well as the ability to scan for invisible enemies and slow down time for short durations. Each weapon can be upgraded via power-ups that are scattered throughout space, and they make a significant difference in enemy-obliterating efficiency.

Unfortunately, these upgrades do not carry over from one level to the next, and are often difficult to notice until the last minute, due to all of the semi-psychedelic activity going on at any given moment. Another small gripe is that the game doesn't include any sort of true large-area attack, such as bombs, to take out wads of enemies at once; torpedoes only inflict splash damage to ships within a very small radius of the primary target.

One very important addition to Aces of the Galaxy is cooperative play, which comes in both local and Live flavors. Throughout my experience with the game, however, I could not find a single online multiplayer match. I would assume that it is fundamentally the same as local play, with the ability to talk to one another and plan strategic assaults, but if nobody is out there to play with, this mode is effectively useless (For now? Forever? Who knows?). Local co-op, on the other hand, is great fun, and can potentially consume hours on end.

In a nutshell, Aces of the Galaxy is a well-made and enjoyable 3D space shooter. Although it lacks a few desirable components and may not have great story depth or especially unique design, it is good for its pure arcade-style gameplay and can be played over and over, in short bursts or at length. Add a friend and the game becomes that much more appealing.

A Bloody Good Time -- Ninja Gaiden II Review

The recent news that Ninja Gaiden lead designer Tomonobu Itagaki would be resigning from his position at Tecmo and Team Ninja was a shocking development in the videogame industry, but it comes as no surprise that Ninja Gaiden II, now the the swan song of the Itagaki era, is a stellar action title and a worthy successor to the critically acclaimed first entry in the series.

Ninja Gaiden II feels very much like an extension of the original Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox console. It follows similar chapter-based linear progression and features a nearly identical, although slightly upgraded visual style, as well as many of the same combat maneuvers, weapons, and environments. Veterans will easily recognize places such as the Hayabusa village and surrounding area as carbon copies of the first game, and will be intimately familiar with at least 6 of Ryu's weapons this time around. But does that mean that Ninja Gaiden II is nothing more than another rehash?

Fortunately, no. In terms of gameplay and fun, Ninja Gaiden II has taken what made Ninja Gaiden great and has refined and expanded upon it in a number of ways.

The first thing that players will notice about the game is that it is possibly the bloodiest game on the market. In this case, however, the blood -- or at least the cause of the blood -- is a functional addition rather than gratuitous excess. As part of the game's combat system, players are able to hack off opponents' limbs as fights progress, opening up new opportunities to land subsequent attacks and allowing them to vanquish foes more quickly and efficiently.

The combat, as a whole, is seamless and very well-executed. The basic premise here is that players are equipped with a basic skill set in the early-goings and given free reign to explore the system at their own pace. Moves and techniques are learned rapidly to give players a solid repertoire as soon as possible, and gladiatorial prowess is improved through the acquisition of new weapons, weapon upgrades, and most importantly, the player's increased understanding of the combat system as they progress through the game.

Attacks are arranged according to button-combo techniques for easy cataloging, but during combat, each attack is effectively based upon the preceding strike and Ryu's spatial orientation and motion. In Ninja Gaiden II, players can strategically string together attacks to accomplish very specific goals. For example, one can plan and execute a strategy of cutting off an opponent's leg and then impaling him through the back as he falls on-the-fly and with little difficulty. Additionally, it helps to use particular weapons and attacks for the many different enemies the game throws at you. While some enemies may be more susceptible to counters, others will cave under heavy all-out offense, and so on. There is always a degree of education taking place with regard to combat technique, and the game rewards players who do not simply mash buttons, but who choose strikes wisely and deliberately.

Players who use a less controlled approach will most likely still be able to complete the quest, however, thanks in part to a new, more forgiving health system. As Ryu is battered buy his enemies, he takes both immediate and lasting damage. Once all foes in an area are conquered, immediate damage is restored. Lasting damage remains until the player uses a healing item or reaches a save point. Combined with the improved fighting mechanics and less dangerous enemies, this makes Ninja Gaiden II's base difficulty level seem subdued, relative to that of the first game. There are, of course, higher settings for those of you who are better-trained killers than myself, however.

While this latest game from Team Ninja has obviously seen a myriad of improvements over its predecessor, there are still a few nagging issues, and even a couple of new ones.

The option to manipulate the camera using the right control stick has been added this time around, and is a welcome addition. The camera, however, still manages to find its way into awkward positions far too often. It still interferes with combat at times, making it difficult to see Ryu, his opponents, and/or the surrounding terrain. Team Ninja is known to take pride in creating challenging videogames, but for camera flaws to dictate the game's difficulty is just a shame.

Other issues include occasional frame rate slowdown, which during one scene was reminiscent of the blazing speed of a PowerPoint presentation, and the repetition of several boss encounters, which strikes me as a result of either lazy or overly time-constrained development. The boss fights, in general, leave much to be desired, and are less creative or significant than one might expect, usually ending quickly after a few good combos.

Faults aside, Ninja Gaiden II is an excellent game, and is among the best I've played this year. Although it would have been nice to see more Xbox Live integration than online leaderboards and video clips, it does provide a highly enjoyable single-player action campaign, and improves upon a standard set by the first 3D Ninja Gaiden game four years ago.

Rumble | Mini-Game Versus Minigame

As a writer and editor, producing blocks of text with correct grammar and usage is of the utmost importance to me, so it is not unusual that I check myself with the occasional dictionary reference or even peer review. More often, I find myself using the Videogame Style Guide for industry-specific terms that may not have officially found their way into common language as of yet. Usually I follow that to a T, but in this case, I had to contest.

The word minigame (or mini-game) has been used throughout the industry for quite some time now, but which is the proper way to write it? The Videogame Style Guide says that "mini-game" is correct. What does the internet say?

Minigame is in RED
Mini-game in BLUE

That seems pretty clear to me, and Wikipedia confirms the result. Minigame it is.

One Word Review | Metal Gear Solid

This is One Word Review, a concept that I shamelessly lifted from my friend Creighton over at eight bit childhood (it's okay, he said I could). The idea behind OWR, as we like to call it, is that videogames are so often rated, reviewed, and discussed to exhaustion that it is sometimes a relief to read a succinct, definitive description of a game--a single word that sums up the most prominent characteristics of the gaming experience. That's the idea, so here goes:

Cinemeld

Game Or Watch: What Makes A Game Great?

Gamers always have differences of opinion. What makes this industry fun (or maybe nightmarish?) is that the fans are incredibly outspoken and passionate enough to wage wars upon one another over their various points of view.

Although we can be broken down into dozens upon dozens of categories, today I would like to focus on two types of gamers who so often fail to see eye to eye. They are a) those who play primarily for the story that games tell, and b) those who seek refined gameplay and challenge. This is not to say that individuals can't represent certain degrees of both styles, but that many find one end of this spectrum to far outweigh the other.

I'm sure we all know someone (or maybe this is you) who cares for little other than jumping online and seeking out the most competitive gaming environments possible. For this gamer, storytelling is limited to the recounted tales of his or her last multiplayer session, where an attack strategy played out so flawlessly that it nearly brought tears to the eyes of everyone involved.

Or maybe someone is not the competitive type, but still reaches for games such as Ninja Gaiden (as I've been doing over the past few days), where the gameplay mechanics are so well designed that once one gains a solid understanding of how controller commands dictate the final, in-game actions, it flows like poetry in motion.

Both of these gamers can be classified as the "gameplay type."

Then there are the story whores. These are the people (again, like myself) who will sit down and play the latest Silent Hill, knowing full well that the combat vaguely resembles using chopsticks to slam cardboard cutouts against one another and that the gameplay will inevitably make them feel more than slightly frustrated, if only to experience the deranged events that take place within the game universe. These are also the people who play Final Fantasy games religiously, using the finely crafted, fantastic narrative to justify spending hours upon hours of selecting menu items to attack the same dozen or so enemies in the game.

These sad folk can be referred to as the "story type."

As I said earlier, preferences for either of these classifications aren't as simple as black and white, and I'm sure everyone would prefer all games to have phenomenal gameplay with totally engaging plots, but that is rarely the case, and at some point, players will find that they allow their games to err more on one end than on the other.

But which is more important?

My contention to this, although I consider myself one of the most all-around gamers I know and try to embrace as many different types of games as I can, is that a game's story (concept) is the defining characteristic, the factor that turns something good into something great, and what makes each game special. It is a tough call, because nobody really wants to play games with crappy gameplay, and one can argue that once the main storyline is over, the game has been tapped dry, but is it really?

Will extended online competition or tinkering with physics engines eventually get old, or even become obsolete over a long enough time frame? Perhaps. But does an incredible, engaging, and oftentimes emotional experience last far longer than any gameplay session? I think so.

Which brings me to June 12th, and the spark that originally ignited this flame of cogitation -- Metal Gear Solid 4. There has been quite a bit of uproarious discourse regarding one particular aspect of this game, and that it the length of its cut scenes versus the time players will actually spend playing the game. I say that people are complaining just to complain.

The Metal Gear Solid series has proven its chops over the years, and has earned its place among the greatest narrative franchises in the history of videogames. Anyone who has played previous Metal Gear Solid games, even if the gameplay wasn't anything revolutionary, has come away with something unforgettable. If the cinematic execution of expert storytelling is what propels a game to the next level, then I expect Metal Gear Solid 4 to achieve hall of fame status, and then some.

I'll just make sure I bring the popcorn...

Walk This Way -- Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Preview

What do you get when you combine the most popular rhythm/music videogame franchise of all time with what some refer to as "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band?" The answer to that question is RedOctane and Activision's upcoming Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, which I had the opportunity to play and discuss last week at a press event in San Francisco.

If you've played Guitar Hero before, then this installment is going to look very familiar. It features the same setup as previous Guitar Hero games, and runs on a slightly tweaked version of the Guitar Hero III engine. The big difference, of course, is that 26 of the game's 41 tracks are written and performed by Aerosmith. This is great for fans or casual rock listeners, but I probably wouldn't recommend the title to those who can't stand the band -- it could be a nightmare.

The 15 other songs are all by artists that have either influenced or collaborated with Aerosmith, and about half of those are master recordings, as well. Aerosmith was very involved with the development of GH:A, including the composition of the set list. They wanted the game to represent their work and history, so players can be sure that everything included is meaningful. The game even features body scans of the entire band and motion capture from frontman Steven Tyler.

The main career mode in GH:A follows the band from their roots as a Boston garage band to their mega-star status of the modern day. In each of eight venues from the band's past, players will jam to two "opening act" performances, followed by three from Aerosmith. Before each venue, there are clips from video interviews with the band, describing their experiences and telling anecdotal tales of people, places, and events.

While the band would have liked the song order in the game to perfectly reflect their real-world chronology, they understand that the nature of the medium requires simpler songs to come early on, and more difficult songs to be reserved for the later stages. In the end, the liberties taken by the development team provide for a smoother difficulty curve for players, and therefore a better game experience.

For competition-seeking Guitar Hero veterans, multiplayer remains, as usual, with Face-Off, Pro Face-Off, Battle, and Co-op modes. I didn't have the chance to test my mettle against other members of the press this time around, but I'm guessing that's only because they feared the wrath of my medium-difficulty shredding.

I may not be a huge Aerosmith fan (I do have some of their music in my personal library of tunes and easily recognize the vocal stylings of Steven Tyler), but my time with GH:A reminded me of just how easy it is to rock out to their music, and I expect that the breadth of the 38 year-old band's work will appeal to a wide audience when it arrives on the 29th.

Partial set list:

Nipmuc High School
Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes *Cover
Cheap Trick - Dream Police
Aerosmith - Make It
Aerosmith - Uncle Salty
Aerosmith - Draw the Line

Max's Kansas City
Joan Jett - I hate myself for loving you
The Kinks - All day and all of the night *Cover
Aerosmith - Movin' Out
Aerosmith - No Surprize
Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion

The Orpheum Theater
The Clash - Complete Control
New York Dolls - Personality Crisis *Cover
Aerosmith - Livin' on the Edge
Aersomith - Ragdoll
Aerosmith - Love in an Elevator

Half Time Show
Lenny Kravitz - Always on the Run
Black Crowes - Hard to Handle *Cover
Aerosmith - Back in the Saddle
Aerosmith - Beyond Beautiful
Aerosmith - Dream On

Moscow
The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary
Run DMC - King of Rock
Aerosmith - Bright Light Fright
Aerosmith - Nobody's Fault
Run DMC featuring Aerosmith - Walk This Way

The Tanks That Go Boom -- Battlefield: Bad Company Preview

For the past few days, I have had the privilege of trying out EA's newest squad-based shooter, Battlefield: Bad Company, on the Xbox 360. From what I have observed thus far, the game looks very promising, especially on the multiplayer end.

In the demo version of the game, single-player mode is limited to just one level, which sees the rag-tag B Company complete a short mission, only to discover what is essentially the focus of the rest of the game's plot. Bad Company is not your typical wartime campaign, but the tale of a squad that decides to take more from their service than what the military has to offer, in the form of mercenary gold.

Although I haven't had the chance to experience it at any length, players' progression in Bad Company is expected to be far less linear than many objective-based, military first-person shooters. As the company fulfills objectives, they are presented with more opportunities to explore the greater expanses of each battlefield, where golden rewards are likely to await them. This open-world approach is what should really set Bad Company apart from other games in the genre.

What I gathered from my single-player romp is that players' time spent in the thick of battle promises to be intense and frenetic, with copious explosions punching holes in the landscape and showers of bullets causing you to duck for cover whenever it is available. Nearly every environmental structure will be destructible, so creating a quick shortcut through a fence with a grenade or blasting a hole in the side of a building with a tank's cannon will be 100% viable options. Even the terrain itself deforms under fire, and it all adds a feeling of authenticity to the experience.

In contrast, the artificial intelligence still seems incredibly unintelligent, even if enemy soldiers are generally very skilled. They will shoot you from hundreds of yards away, through a cloud of smoke, but if you flank them just right, they will never register that you're standing ten feet away and plugging them full of lead in broad daylight. To be clear, I am not talking about stealth situations. These guys should notice you.

Hopefully the AI will be tightened up before the game's June 23rd release date, but until then, the multiplayer portion of the game will be up and running...and that's where the bulk of Bad Company's appeal lies.

The online multiplayer mode organizes up to 24 players into attacking and defending teams, comprised of 5 different types of soldiers, and a bunch of very dangerous war machines. The goals are simple: attackers try to destroy the defenders' two gold crates in order to overtake their base of operations; defenders try to prevent this from happening by killing off the attackers. The attackers win the conflict after taking a number of enemy bases, and defenders win by killing off every wave of the onslaught.

Individuals earn points for their performance, as well. Each downed soldier, destroyed vehicle, captured crate of gold, and even squad assist will get players one step closer to the next rank and the next unlockable weapon, so the entire effort is for the good of the team, but selfish at the same time. The setup works nicely, and most people who I played with tried to be as helpful and cooperative as possible. That style of play leads to high quality matches and (usually) sweet victories.

In addition to the synergistic actions of the different unit types (assault, demolitions, recon, support, specialist) there is also a variety of multi-person vehicles to help the squad be successful. Light and heavy tanks, helicopters, Humvees, boats, and the like are necessities on the battlefield, and playing around with them is a lot of fun. There's nothing like jumping into a tank and blasting the living daylights out of a building full of enemy soldiers, especially when one of your teammates is busy taking down a pursuing helicopter with the minigun mounted on top.

This multiplayer romp is not without its flaws, however. Far too many times, I found myself playing either on a team of one, or on a full squad with no opposition. The game, in its current state, doesn't auto-balance teams very well. Hopefully this issue will be addressed before the game's final release on the 23rd. That doesn't leave a whole lot of time.

Having never been a big fan of the Battlefield franchise, Bad Company certainly managed to impress me, and I will be looking forward to the full single- and multiplayer experiences in the coming weeks.

One Word Review | Ninja Gaiden

This is One Word Review, a concept that I shamelessly lifted from my friend Creighton over at eight bit childhood (it's okay, he said I could). The idea behind OWR, as we like to call it, is that videogames are so often rated, reviewed, and discussed to exhaustion that it is sometimes a relief to read a succinct, definitive description of a game--a single word that sums up the most prominent characteristics of the gaming experience. That's the idea, so here goes:

Floetic