Interactive Drama -- Heavy Rain Review

GamerNode - It's been a long time since we've done a review in this format here at GN, but with the branching plot, multiple possible outcomes, and overall variance in the player experience with Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain, we felt this was the best way to represent the title in a review. Eddie Inzauto and Jason Fanelli have finished one playthrough each, and this is what they have to say about it.

Don't worry, it's spoiler-free.

Eddie Inzauto: Hey Jason. It looks like we've both managed to avoid the spoilers and uncover the mystery of Quantic Dream's new interactive thriller, Heavy Rain. So what are the first words that come to your mind in assessing this thing?

Jason Fanelli: Un-freaking-believable story. I was so engrossed in these characters and this plot that I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. I really feel that if this game were instead a movie, the Oscar buzz would be out of this world. How about you?

Eddie Inzauto: I'm not speculating about Oscars, because who knows what those people are thinking sometimes, ha, but Heavy Rain has absolutely one of the best, most engaging stories I've experienced with anything on a game console. I found it to be incredibly intense for a surprisingly large percentage of the time I spent with it, and my connection to what was happening was quite different from what I normally feel while playing videogames. In fact, I'm reluctant to even call this a videogame; nothing about this experience was a game at all. They definitely nailed it with the word "HEAVY," though.

Jason Fanelli: "Heavy" is certainly one of the best ways to describe it, for sure. I found myself particularly interested in Ethan Mars. The absolute torture that this man must endure -- the kidnap of his son and the trials that the Origami Killer makes Ethan go through to save him -- is almost unbearable to me as a player. When a situation in a game makes a player cringe, you know that the writers were doing something right. Case in point: broken glass. I got chills every time I moved Ethan during that scene.

Eddie Inzauto: Exactly. The attachment to characters felt by the player is unreal, and it's very difficult to tear oneself away untitl the very end. What's amazing is that even in assuming the roles of multiple different characters, the game still makes the player empathize with all of them and become emotionally involved in each story thread. And when Heavy Rain reveals just how intricately woven together these threads are, you feel like you're on a fishhook. It's crazy that I found myself actually talking urgently and nervously to the screen at times (something I never do), exclaiming aloud at particularly disturbing on-screen events.

Jason Fanelli: What I love most about Heavy Rain is how every playthrough can be completely different. You and I even talked about our different scenarios, and my game ended incredibly differently from the way yours did, The fact that the story adapts to the player, and that the outcome could be such a deviation from other players, is the perfect formula for replayability, and Quantic Dream NAILED it with this. I know I want to change my ending, because I hated it. Too sad for words. No matter what the outcome, though, everything is set up perfectly: every scene, every conversation, even every thought process weaves into the fabric of the story. Not many games pull it off quite like this one does.

Eddie Inzauto: One thing that impressed me was the attention to detail in the plot, character behaviors, and environmental elements. A couple of small examples of this are playing with your son as Ethan and the way it builds a bond between the characters and, more importantly, within the player, or subtle clues in the characters and environment that influence what should be done next or that aid in unraveling the mystery. Especially when it all comes together, the effect can be flooring. And yes, after sharing just a few words with you about the actual content of your story, I know I must go back through and make different choices and/or perform differently during certain action sequences just to experience more fully what Heavy Rain has to offer. Which reminds me, what did you think about the way it's controlled? Were you a fan of this latest evolution of quick-time events, or would you say that there wasn't enough direct influence on the action?

Jason Fanelli: I thought the quick-time event part was perfect for this type of game. It gave the player some control, but the story was too intricate to give the player full control. By limiting the player's input, it gives the story that much more impact, especially during those times where you do everything you can and the outcome still sucks. What I did have a problem with was the walking action. It wasn't holding the R2 trigger that got to me, it was the loss of movement control every once in a while. One particular camera angle change made Madison walk in a circle non-stop until I pressed the button again.

Eddie Inzauto: I agree, it definitely took a long time to feel comfortable to not try to hold the left analog stick to guide the characters, but to just trust in the R2 button and occasionally "steer" him or her in the appropriate direction, too. The movement actually feels like it has roots in the driving genre, but has been implemented in a more clumsy way. As for the on-screen commands, I found them to be everything "QTE" (and I hate that term) should be. They are high contrast and very clear, for the most part, and they appear in locations on the screen that correspond to the action and where the player's eyes are likely to be focused. It was rare that I felt it was the game's fault that I made a mistake. Except of course the times when the characters' nerves got in the way, making the prompts jitter, bounce, and blur, and effectively delaying my response because of the difficulty in reading/seeing them. Again, this serves only to more intimately connect players to their characters. Overall, this type of control seems an excellent way to maximize the intensity of the story, which, unavoidably, is Heavy Rain's main focus. I also like the fact that there are so many different types of commands.

Jason Fanelli: The variety of commands adds a lot of the overall experience. Pressing R1 to move the right leg, then L1 for the left, was a great effect. The command I found most difficult was holding multiple buttons at once. There's one scene in particular as Norman where you have to hold seven (!) buttons at once to succeed. I had to do it four times before I got it right. I also like that every scene has multiple outcomes, but I wish I had more control over where I could stop to take a breather. The three times I screwed up the Norman scene, I had to restart the whole scene just to get back to the one little part I missed. I'm glad I did, because as I found out later, screwing up that scene can lead to someone's death. Which brings me to one of the best things about Heavy Rain: no Game Over screen. The game doesn't end until the credits roll, no matter who lives or dies during the adventure. Wouldn't you agree, Eddie, that it's this idea that makes every moment in Heavy Rain so intense?

Eddie Inzauto: That's true. I hadn't even considered a Game Over screen, because so little about Heavy Rain reminds you that you're supposedly "playing a videogame." It's just one cohesive experience, and whatever happens, happens. It's each player's individual story. I didn't try to restart any scenes, myself, but I did wonder how imperative success with the controller was to the outcome of a few of them. I get the feeling, though, that it's far less a "funneling" system than we talked about on a couple of VS Node episodes regarding dialogue in other games, as evidenced by the many differences between different players' playthroughs. Either way, not having a Game Over screen really keeps the player immersed in the experience, as does the quality of its audio and visual presentaton, which was very solid.

Jason Fanelli: The music was expertly written, perfectly setting the mood of every scene. This feat is made even more impressive by the fact that there were maybe five or six different tracks, total. I would have liked to have heard some more variety in the music, but what I did hear was wonderful. The score reminded me of Michael Giacchino's score for LOST: minimalist, yet beautiful at times; heavy and intense at others. The voice acting left a little bit to be desired, though. For a game that relies so much on story and plot, it would have been that much more effective if the voices didn't sometimes clash with the scenes themselves.

Eddie Inzauto: Agreed. That assessment is spot-on. Visually, though, I found the game to be beautifully crafted, especially in the way the environmental atmosphere always seemed to elicit the proper emotional response from the player. Again, though, it was the characters that left something to be desired, at times looking funny or awkward while delivering a line or making an odd movement. The uncanny valley is in full force at those moments.

Jason Fanelli: That damn uncanny valley.... Despite that, it was definitely one of the prettiest games I've ever played. Anyone who walked by while I was playing would stop and watch for a minute or two, amazed that a game could look so good.

I think that covers most of what the game has to offer without giving away any major plot points (which, loyal readers, is SO HARD TO DO you have no idea) What's your final word, Eddie?

Eddie Inzauto: I have to say that Heavy Rain is something of a revolution for gaming, and it tells one of the best stories I've had the pleasure of experiencing. From a "games" perspective, it's true that the movement controls are a little wonky, and there are a few small issues with its presentation, but this is a piece of work that must be viewed wholistically, for what is aims to achieve and what it absolutely succeeds at. If you're the type of gamer who's only interested in feeling comfortable with what's familiar, I would normally say this isn't the game for you. Instead, however, I'm going to say that you should try it out and expand your horizons a little. More likely than not, I truly believe you will enjoy it, and it will open up new ways for you to play games and new ways to think about what is possible via this medium. It is a masterpiece.

Jason Fanelli: I don't think I could have worded that any better. The shooter/blood-and-guts crowd isn't going to like this game, but for the gamers who are looking to branch out and try something new, this is game to do it with. You will not be disappointed.

Eddie Inzauto: And the moment of truth... your score?

Jason Fanelli: If the voice actors were on point and the walking was better, this would be a 10, but because of that, 9.5 is my score.

Eddie Inzauto: 9.5 here, too.

We are in agreement, Heavy Rain reigns supreme. PS3 owners, do yourself a favor and play this game.

Know Your Roots -- Resident Evil 5: Lost In Nightmares Review

In the first of two planned downloadable episodes to be tacked onto last year's Resident Evil 5 (which both require the original game disc to run), Capcom has revealed the details of Jill Valentine's previously unexplained disappearance during a mission with Chris Redfield prior to the events in Africa. Lost in Nightmares tells the story of Chris and Jill's search for Ozwell Spencer, one of three men who discovered the original Progenitor virus and subsequently founded the infamous Umbrella Corporation. This mission takes the duo back to an abandoned mansion in the woods, and in some ways, back to the franchise's roots.

Lost in Nightmares abandons the action-heavy gameplay and mob-based combat pioneered by Resident Evil 4, and arguably over-implemented in Resident Evil 5's main campaign, and instead opts to draw on the style of earlier entries in the series, leaving players to explore a mostly desolate environment with only a few enemy encounters. Rather than being constantly active, as in the most recent game, the players' state of alertness in Lost in Nightmares is more of an anticipatory fearfulness that keeps tension high throughout the entire mission. It is less about responding to the inevitable onslaught of virally afflicted hordes of townsfolk, and more about the shock of being ambushed by the occasional, more dangerous foe. The contrast between the temporary safety of exploration through most of the mission and the severely disproportionate danger when a threat finally appears is far more effective with regard to the horror genre.

The latter portion of the game switches to a weaponless confrontation in a dank sewer with a few of the same, anchor-wielding abominations that exclusively roamed the mansion earlier. There, Jill and Chris must work together to destroy the beasts using little other than a few key environmental mechanisms. Again, because they are not armed to the teeth and must avoid confrontation more than pursue it, the sense of danger and fear is enhanced... initially. In this case, however, the repetition of the same kill strategy a handful of times tempers that feeling, and can leave the player wishing that multiple different tactics on a single, stronger enemy could be applied instead. Still, the tandem effort and ultimate success is quite enjoyable, and a refreshing change of pace. Unfortunately, that feeling doesn't hold through the mission's end, because the final encounter features comparatively weak gameplay.

Longtime Resident Evil fans will get a little bit more out of the DLC than will other gamers. Numerous references to the original game are sure to delight those players in particular, as will a hidden trick to convert the over-the-shoulder camera of modern Resident Evil games to the static camera system of old. What makes little sense though, is why this was not included as a regular option, and why it was not made available for the entire mission. The old camera style would be a welcome addition; the change from the game's default perspective gives it a distinctively different feel, and once again serves to re-horrorize the franchise. Instead, players must investigate the mansion's front door three times to make the switch.

Regardless of shortcomings -- some may complain of too little combat, others of too little environmental description, and still others (like myself) of a crummy boss fight -- Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares is worthy of a purchase. Playing through this DLC is certainly better than not doing so. And on top of the main mission an updated Mercenaries game, Mercenaries Reunion, is included, giving players the opportunity to provocatively roam through a shanty town as Excella Gionne or make Majini-brain pudding with Barry Burton's devastating head-butts. All of this costs a mere $5, so longtime and recent RE fans alike should definitely give it a try.

What's Old Is New Again -- 3D Dot Game Heroes Preview

It's not uncommon for modern videogames to pay homage to the great masterpieces of previous generations, and after a web demo session with U.S. publisher Atlus for 3D Dot Game Heroes, I'm sure are happy that they do.

From Software's 3D Dot Game Heroes is an action-adventure title that puts players in control of The Descendant of the Legendary Hero, sent by the king of Dotnia to recover the age-old magical blade from its woodland resting place and use it to recover the sacred orbs that keep the land at peace. To do this, the new hero must travel to all corners of the world and vanquish the monsters of seven puzzle- and monster-filled dungeons, collecting new items and equipment to help him along the way. For those who still can't draw the parallel, a small fairy will join our adventurer and assist in whatever ways she can.

Yes, you guessed it. The game borrows heavily from the Legend of Zelda franchise, specifically the Nintendo Entertainment System's The Legend of Zelda, and it looks great doing so. After the historic exploits of the Legendary Hero, the King declared that Dotnia take a step into the future, and make the jump from classic 2D into the third dimension. The game captures this concept magnificently. The world and characters look like traditional 8-bit graphics that have literally sprung up out of the 2D plane and filled out into 3D space. Everything in Dotnia is made up of colored cubes and uses simple, low-frame animations as a parody of the pixelated sprites of yesteryear. But even though the visuals (and catchy, bleepy-bloopy soundtrack) scream, "throwback," it's not difficult to see that 3D Dot Game Heroes makes very good use of the PS3 hardware with things like shadows and reflections, particle effects, and all of the technical trappings of the current generation.

Before jumping into the game, which is expected to last anywhere from ten hours into the twenty-something range depending on the side quests undertaken, players will have the opportunity to create a custom hero in the game's editor. The cubic grid allows players to place the 3D-dot building blocks along the x, y, and z axis, cutting, pasting, and adjusting colors as they see fit. Each character is allowed a custom, seven-color palette, which is quickly and easily swappable to perfect the hero's look, and will require seven variations for animations such as walking, attacking, and celebrating newfound treasure. These designs will be fully tradeable via USB upload/download, and Atlus is planning a 3D Dot Game Heroes website where players can exchange their creations online. Unfortunately, this functionality will not be tied directly into PSN, and the multi-step sharing process will involve a trip to the computer. Of course the game disc will offer a very healthy selection of default characters to choose from, as well... including Santa Claus.

From there, players will pick one of three slightly different classes -- one with stronger magic, one a better swordsman, and one in between -- and set out on the journey. It is impossible not to recognize the similarities to The Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past: The camera defaults to a familiar, almost-top-down perspective. Secondary weapons, which are mapped alongside the attack button, include a boomerang, bow, bombs, and other time-tested equipment. A row of red hearts apples represents the player's health, with green ones for magic displayed below. The hero's sword grows and becomes more powerful (sorry, no projectiles) when his health is filled to its maximum capacity. A special item will allow for fast travel from point to point on the world map. There are many more similarities, as well; the feeling of the classic franchise just oozes out of this game.

That's not to say that there is anything wrong with this fact; from what I can see so far, there is plenty about 3D Dot Game Heroes that is fresh and unique. First, the game has a clever, humorous, and nostalgic script. It looks to be entirely self-aware, and the writing extends the 8-bit homage from Zelda across that entire era of gaming. One of the most exciting aspects of the game will undoubtedly be anticipating the memories Dotnia will drum up next. Even the loading screens, which an optional install will all but eliminate from the game, feature Dot-ified renditions of over 100 classic pieces of videogame box art, many of which are new for the North American version. We saw a handful of them and played a little game of "guess the box art" during the demo. It was a good time. Other little Easter eggs are sprinkled throughout the game world, and minigames based on tower defense and Breakout, as well as a twitch-response dash race, will allow players to take a break from the main adventure whenever they like.

In terms of the main gameplay, the dungeon's puzzles will not be limited to the same old tricks players have grown accustomed to over the years. Atlus assures us that the puzzle-heavy design includes many that are only possible as a play on this game's particular art style. They've also confirmed that all of the dungeon bosses can be revisited and re-slain. About 24 swords are included in 3D Dot Game Heroes, most of which will require extra player initiative to locate, and all of which will have differing attributes and special characteristics that will make them unique. The blacksmith can provide upgrades to the hero's sword, as well. He can widen or lengthen the blade, improve its spin and piercing attacks, increase its damage output, etc. Alternatively, the hero may choose to simply beat his enemies to death with a magic book that captures them in the game's bestiary. And when all is said and done, there will be two new difficulty levels, and a New Game + mode to enjoy Dotnia all over again.

3D Dot Game Heroes is scheduled for release on May 11th, exclusively on the PlayStation 3, with a classically low price tag of $39.99. Keep an eye out for my full review as that date approaches, and look forward to what promises to be a great fusion of old and new in 3D Dot Game Heroes.

Kratos In Hell -- Dante's Inferno Review

Just because a product lacks originality, or even if it's nearly a direct copy of another, that doesn't automatically mean that it's quality is diminished. After playing Visceral Games' Dante's Inferno, I have found this assertion to hold true. Despite the fact that the game does have a few major flaws of its own, Dante's Inferno is very enjoyable, with a fine combat system and skill progression, and truly impressive world design. Where it falls short is not in its unoriginality, but in what appears to be a late-game rush job that the developers would be silly to believe no one would notice.

The similarities can't be denied. While January's Darksiders was an exercise in Frankensteining together gameplay elements lifted from other franchises, including many from God of War, Dante's Inferno is so similar to Kratos' games that it's nearly a re-skinning of Santa Monica Studio's work. It becomes difficult to say that Visceral is actually responsible for creating this game, because if I had no prior knowledge of the developer while playing, I would, without a second thought, assume it to have been made by the God of War team. I feel like David Jaffe, Cory Barlog, and company may deserve some royalty checks.

With these not-so-keen observations out of the way, it is not hard to praise Dante's Inferno for refined and tangible combat that gives players a variety of differing ways to dispatch demon spawn and monstrous boss characters. Dante wields a scythe and a magical cross as his two primary weapons, these representing the diametrically opposed forces of Inferno and Paradiso, and also learns magic spells along the way that consume mana when cast during combat. What makes the combat effective is the way that Dante's techniques differ from one another and become more or less useful depending on the situation and opposition. The breadth of options also makes for far more interesting gameplay than something like Bayonetta, where many of the basic, pawing combos feel identical to one another. Each strike in Dante's Infeno, like the God of War games, has a heavy "feel" to it, and the sense of contact is intensely satisfying. The way enemies are thrown at Dante, however, is not perfect, with curious combinations making battles lack the sense of dramatic pacing that can be found more broadly over the course of the game.

A light "good and evil" system is incorporated into the game, and determines which skills Dante will learn as players progress through Hell. From a raw gameplay perspective, this game's pick-and-choose approach works better than a more severe morality system where the two sides operate like scales on a balance. Here, regardless of decisions, the player earns rewards equally and concurrently on both the light and dark sides of the coin. Unlike some other systems, this means that radicalism needn't be practiced in order to build Dante into a more formidable warrior, and players can play how they wish and make decisions as they like. The problem with the system, though, is that the choices amount only to either absolving or punishing enemies and NPCs for their sins, and have very little bearing on the game's overall plot.

Dante's Inferno does an excellent job of using finely-crafted representations of the circles of Hell as an invigorating and interesting interstitial fluid through which players will enjoy travelling between combat sequences. The attention to detail in these thoughtfully designed environments, which are viewed through a semi-static, yet always well oriented and dramatic camera, once again remind us why this development studio calls itself "Visceral." In the second circle, Lust, Dante battles naked demonettes who make sexually provocative gestures, touch themselves, and sprout tentacles from between their legs to capture him as he climbs a phallic tower to confront the area's boss characters. The third circle, Gluttony, is essentially a long digestive tract, featuring intestinal worms and fat, putrid enemies covered in mouths, including ones that replace their hands. These images will undoubtedly leave an impression on gamers, even though the actual narrative feels somewhat underdeveloped and doesn't reach its full potential.

The majority of the game's setting rivals the aforementioned examples in aesthetic quality, but its creative and immersive design takes an extreme nosedive as players near the end of the journey. The final circles of Inferno are characterized by repeated arena battles in a series of nearly identical rooms, each with specific requirements and limitations. It makes absolutely no sense why this would be so, especially at the end of the game. This design leads one to believe Dante's Inferno wasn't ready when EA and Visceral needed it to be (possibly for a head-start on God of War III, due next month), so the developers spit these sub-par bits out, slapped on an end-boss, and rushed the game out the door. It's quite unfortunate to have experienced this, after the care that went into the design of everything in the first seven or so of the nine circles.

Finishing Dante's Inferno is like playing two games. The tight, polished, interesting, and enjoyable God of War clone switches suddenly into a boring, forgettable, hack-and-slash game with no inspiration or variety, and the change can certainly leave a bad taste in the player's mouth at the end. Still, the value of the earlier stages and the core gameplay mechanics shouldn't be ignored, because those aspects are excellent. Fans of the genre should absolutely experience Dante's Inferno, but overall, the recently released Darksiders delivers a better, more complete package, and the upcoming God of War III sports a very promising pedigree that is also worth considering.

Sexy In Black: Turning Her On

So I recently hooked up with this new lady friend, and although we've only been seeing each other for a short time now, I'm getting the feeling that it's not going to work out. Although she's attractive and has sex appeal to spare, we're just lacking... chemistry, somehow. Something about her just doesn't feel right.

It mainly has to do with the way she demands we "play." She's very needy, and always wants to be touched. Don't let this girl fool you with her cat-and-mouse, hard-to-get facade; she craves for her buttons to be pushed, and wants it constantly. She's been this way since the moment I met her: she puts on music, dances, poses, and even strips for me, wearing little more than her long, black hair and high heels, and I tirelessly give her what she wants, when she wants, how she wants, over and over and over again. There are a few combinations of things that I do that she really enjoys (which she just had to spell out for me before we ever got started), and she climaxes more times than I can count.

I know it sounds great so far, but despite all this, and even though she can get a bit rough when I turn her on, there's no real passion in our little fun-time sessions, nor is there much experimentation with anything new each time we get together. We can do things slightly differently, but I rarely see a change in the way it all plays out, so what's the point? She's even got a few toys, but again it makes little difference to me because they pretty much all work the same. And as for her new moves -- she learns a few new tricks from time to time -- they can be visually impressive (she loves the camera), but they tend to leave me under-stimulated and under-satisfied when all's said and done.

Even with all her sassiness and her clever little tongue, she still manages to bore me when we've spent too much time together. I really want to like her more, especially since everyone else seems to be in love with her, but she's very predictable, and doesn't satisfy my need for something new and exciting. I feel like I'm living the same couple of hours with her every time we're together.

If we were serious (which I can assure you we're not), I would totally cheat on Bayonetta.

The Legend Of War -- Darksiders Review

To say that the combat in Darksiders is much like that of God of War and its dungeon design is a near-facsimile of modern Legend of Zelda games would be a fairly accurate description, but there is much more to this game than only simple analogies. Although very little is truly original about Darksiders, the final product carves out its own unique identity by successfully combining, and in many cases refining, the elements of all the works from which it borrows, and the amalgamation of gameplay mechanics in Vigil Games' debut title is a near-perfect love letter to gaming enthusiasts.

Darksiders is a tale about War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and on top of its mostly borrowed game design, it also takes creative license with the stories and characters found in Abrahamic mythology. In Darksiders, War's goal is to serve the Charred Council and restore the balance between heaven and hell, at the same time exacting revenge on those who have prematurely ignited an earthly "Endwar" and set him up to take the fall for that treachery. The story is a bit hard to follow at first because it throws so many names and events at the player at once, so it is not unlikely that one will find him- or herself cluelessly wandering forward until more is revealed and key plot points are clarified. Then again, story is not the primary appeal of this game -- it is all about gameplay: combat, character enhancement, puzzles, etc.

Darksiders features an excellent system by which War's power builds over the course of his journey. Shopping with the demon Vulgrim unlocks new abilities and combat maneuvers as War progresses, defeating enemies and collecting their souls for use as currency. This makes combat an ever-complexifying and increasingly enjoyable aspect of the game, especially as new weapons are earned, doubling and tripling War's attack options and turning battles into almost artistic exercises in stringing together as many different attacks as possible and vanquishing foes in efficient, yet stylish ways. A problem with going this route, however, is that in order to compound combat skills, the system must be overly simple to begin with... and it is. Early in the game, mashing the X button is just about the only option, aside from a single Wrath Power, and battling many of the same opponents feels a bit mundane. Unfortunately, in the explosive and action-packed opening scene, Vigil does not offer a glimpse at War's full strength, so the player is never fully aware of what goodies to expect later on, even though what awaits is ultimately enjoyable angel- and demon-slaying.

For all of its high-energy combat, button-prompted kill animations, mythologically dark, yet colorful enemy design, dramatic cutscenes, huge bosses, and varied, hellish environments, all on an epic scale, Darksiders is not the God of War clone these aspects might suggest, particularly in its overall structure. Like Zelda games, Darksiders is organized into self-contained "dungeon" areas where War must navigate rooms and defeat enemies on his way to that location's final guardian. In each of these unique, themed areas, War will find rooms that remain sealed until all enemies have been defeated, locked doors that are only passable after finding keys hidden elsewhere in treasure chests, and environmental puzzles ranging from connect-the-dots simplicity to genuine thought provocation and clever design. There are even maps and hoardseekers (like Zelda's compass, these note the locations of treasures on the map) tucked away in more chests, and special items such as a boomerang blade and grappling chain (hookshot, to Zelda fans) to find within each dungeon. These areas, as well as the more central parts of the game world, feature open layouts that unfold and allow further access as play progresses and War acquires new items and abilities. And although the dungeon design occasionally lends itself to backtracking, for the most part the game leaves the player just where it should when a new way forward becomes accessible, successfully making his or her gamer-sense tingle with approval.

Darksiders, in blending these two well-established videogame formulas, improves upon some of the weaker components of each, but at the same time creates new and noticeable shortcomings of its own. In focusing so much on great core gameplay, Vigil has crafted a world that is arguably too light on non-player character interaction, but does not convey a sense of isolation or desperation, either. The result is that the game world simply feels depopulated -- like it is missing something. It does reinforce the idea that this is purely a gamer's game, but maybe the world would feel richer with something more than hordes of enemies and strongholds full of puzzles. Even the overwhelmingly satisfying combat has a few minor issues. Blocking enemy attacks is less fluid than one might hope; War must stand perfectly still in order to successfully block incoming blows, and he cannot cancel out of his own attacks to defend himself. And when it comes to finishing foes off, players will undoubtedly love the kill animations, but repeating the same motions with enemy after enemy loses its appeal. It would be nice if there were a little more variety than the one-animation-per-enemy-type thing Darksiders has going on.

In the end, any complaints about Vigil Games' first outing are far outweighed by the reasons to praise it. If for no other reason than its ability to seamlessly fuse the best aspects of two great formulas, Darksiders is a triumph in game design, a platform to build upon (the ending hints at a sequel!), and something everyone who truly loves video games should try, because you'll likely love it.

Carrot, Stick, Go! 0: Why "Too Easy" And "Too Hard" Are BS

The most challenging thing about the difficulty levels of video games is critiquing them. It's not uncommon for reviewers to spend paragraphs detailing the challenge of a particular game as part of their overall assessment of said game's quality... and that's fine. However, I can't help but ponder the importance or thoughtfulness of such arguments under particular circumstances, namely penalizing a game for being "too easy" or "too difficult."

Let me preface my standpoint with a disclaimer: At some point in my gaming career, I have probably said that such-and-such game was "too easy," and therefore thought less of it, but that was then (maybe), this is now, and I have learned from my experiences with literally hundreds of games since any alleged remarks.

I have come to accept that there are three primary critical perspectives on individual games' difficulty levels. These are A) praise for a significantly challenging title; B) disapproval of a game's severe difficulty; and C) deridement for a lack of challenge. While the first of these, I agree, is a valid critique, I think the latter two can never be true when considering a game's objective quality. This may only matter if one considers the game review process to be something other than the publication of an individual's subjective opinion, but still, the distinction between these standpoints is important to understand.

To laud a game for its high level of difficulty is rarely as simple as that; praise for satisfying challenge in a video game most often hinges upon the fact that exceptional game design challenges a player to interact with the game world in a way that requires him or her to think, learn, and/or adapt to that specific virtual environment. It is not sufficient for a game to be difficult for difficulty's sake; that's just frustrating. But I think we all learned that during the 8-bit era, no?

Similarly, faulting a game for its difficulty should only occur when explicitly tied to a negative assessment of flawed game design. When a game fails to captivate a player because of prohibitive difficulty, it is not that it is "too hard," it's that the difficulty level in question is almost completely valueless. In these cases, there is no reason for the game to be difficult, and more importantly, its challenge provides no benefit to the player and in no way enhances the gameplay experience. Aside from these occasions, claiming a game's difficulty is too high is simply an admission of one's own lack of skill in manipulating that particular world or character(s), or failing to fully understand the rules under which the game world and mechanics operate. It is an entirely subjective statement. What's utterly impossible for me to succeed at may be effortless for someone else, and vice-versa.

A recent example of difficulty level being at the center of discussion about a video game was the response to From Software's Demon's Souls. Although the game was received with overwhelming positivity, some came to the "it's too hard" conclusion early on and never gave the game's underlying mechanics a well-deserved chance to reveal themselves. In actuality, it was these individuals' failure to ever understand how the game works that made their final assessments for them, and it was the critics who discovered that by learning and playing by the rules of the game world, ultimate success drew ever closer to their grasp. Demon's Souls -- and others -- are difficult by design; the process of exploring those designs is an essential component of the enjoyment derived from them.

But what about a game that is "too easy"? Is there such a thing, or are we simply too susceptible to confusing the term "easy" when we really just mean "boring"? Both easy and difficult games can be boring, but the common denominator between the two is poor design. Repetition, lack of novelty, or unrefined gameplay mechanics can all lead either an easy or difficult game into the same dreaded territory, but it is the easy games whose shortcomings in these areas are most often falsely attributed to difficulty, rather than the true root of the problem. There's a reason that when an easy game is captivating, harsh criticism of its difficulty level is hard to find. This is that reason. Ask yourself how many discussions you've heard about how Assassin's Creed II and Mass Effect 2 are "too easy." I'd wager not many, because they are easy, good games.

Good games are good regardless of how easy or difficult they are, and bad games are bad. Flaws in the core game design may be exacerbated by a less-than-optimal challenge, but usually it is those flaws that have created that challenge issue to begin with, making it impossible to make an objective qualitative statement about the game's difficulty level. So don't say a game is "too hard" or "too easy"... just say it is crap.

Balancing The Equation -- Mass Effect 2 Review

It's a great time for gaming when sequels begin to offer so much more than just simple rehashes, but instead entirely redefine their respective franchises. Following hot on the heels of incredible sequels Assassin's Creed II and Uncharted 2 comes Mass Effect 2, a game that has seen such improvement over its predecessor that it feels like a brand new franchise, and is easily an early front-runner for 2010 Game of the Year candidacy.

Mass Effect 2 is the second part in BioWare's trilogy about Commander Shepard and his epic adventures to save the galaxy from the ancient, bio-mechanical super-species, the Reapers. This time, and without giving too much of this top-notch narrative away, the focus is on building a team to act in retaliation against "Sovereign," the Reaper threat from the first game. Working with fringe organization Cerberus and its mysterious leader, The Illusive Man, Shepard's new mission takes him throughout the Milky Way in a captivating adventure that meanders considerably on the way to its exciting and suspenseful conclusion.

One of the biggest problems with Mass Effect was BioWare's struggle to integrate solid shooting mechanics into their RPG framework. The game's combat sections were simply less fun to play than its conversation-based story segments. This is no longer the case. Mass Effect 2 is as much a shooter as it is an RPG, from a gameplay perspective; the two halves have now reached a balance, and any cross-section of this game will yield at least a small taste of combat, dialogue, and exploration. Combat is smooth, seamless, and enjoyable, and strong enough to stand alone without the role-playing aspect of the game acting as its crutch. Issuing orders to Shepard's party is simple, effective, and gives the player nearly full control over all three of the characters in the active party at once, either via real-time, hot-keyed commands or more tactical pause-menu selections. This increases the player's options in battle based on the powers of whoever Shepard has brought along for the given mission, and induces the rare feeling of truly operating as a team, in synergy, to achieve goals and defeat the enemy. Characters in the squad are no longer vibrantly characterized through narrative and then transformed into cardboard throwaways during combat -- they are now important members of the team at all times.

Additionally, the six classes available for players to apply to Commander Shepard at the game's outset further diversify the combat experience. Each class, from the stealth, ranged combat specialism of the Infiltrator, to the kamikaze, weapons-and-biotics-style Vanguard, to the droid-controlling Engineer, dictates a different approach to confrontation. There are far fewer attributes and powers for players to manage, streamlining the user interface and departing from western-RPG tradition, but the powers that are included are all useful, and will be used throughout the game. In fact, there are no personal stats at all, no on-hand items, and very few weapons to keep track of, which will make haters of the first game's inventory very happy, but may disappoint those who would rather see a still-extant, yet improved system.

Weapons in Mass Effect 2 are fairly bland. Players will use the same few guns for much of the game, which can be a downer for arms junkies. Collecting various minerals on the many planets surrounding the many stars in Mass Effect 2 does allow for upgrades to weapons, armor, powers, and the ship, though -- a process that can be either compelling or annoying... or both. The system is such that at least some time must be spent scanning in order to reap the full benefits of upgrades. Depending on the type of player, one may pour hours into exploring the galaxy and probing for minerals, or may simply avoid ever improving any of the aforementioned components due to the grind of exploration, which amounts to directing Shepard's ship, the Normandy, across space maps and then moving a cursor along the surface of an on-screen sphere until the scanner responds. The rewards, however, are worth the trouble, especially in the game's later stages.

The other reason for exploring planets, which is to discover rogue radio signals that lead to hidden side missions, is far more rewarding on a personal level than on a material level. Scanning dozens of planets and then suddenly happening upon a planetary anomaly is an exciting experience, and only adds to Mass Effect 2's space traveller fantasy. And unlike its predecessor's side excursions, these missions offer the player real, fleshed-out gameplay, each involving a minor objective, with or without combat, and rewards of money, materials, or experience points. Luckily, finding one of these missions only requires a brief visit to a planet's orbit, and not a thorough scan.

What works especially well for Mass Effect 2 (and has been taken advantage of to a greater degree than in Mass Effect), is the creative freedom the outer space setting has afforded the developers. Theoretically, nothing is out of the realm of possibility regarding the game's setting because they would need only to create a new planet with entirely new rules. From a highly technologically advanced metropolis, to a harsh, chlorine-gas-filled rock world inhabited by nothing but giant insect-like creatures, to a planet where the star's light is so powerful that it will quickly deplete the squad's shields if they step out of the shadows -- and plenty falling in between -- Mass Effect 2 diversifies its environments exceptionally well, and that makes visiting the game's various worlds all the more interesting and exciting.

The feeling of space travel is well conveyed via the game's overall presentation, be it docking cutscenes, loading screens with 3D maps (even though loads are frequent and lengthy), the multi-layered and delightfully detailed galactic map, thoroughly saturated codex entries, or the information obtained through conversations between characters. The game is visually impressive due to the artistic design of the planets and characters, the screen-filing effects of powers in battle, and the excellent cinematography of the cutscenes, although it is technically flawed with occasional texture pop-in and character-model clipping issues. The audio is top notch, from solid voice acting and sound effects to Jack Wall's incredible score, which is quite possibly the best I've ever heard in a videogame. The orchestrated soundtrack's epic outer space theme blends perfectly into the action at all times, and this backdrop only improves the experience as players fight, converse, learn the scientific, economic, and political histories of stars and planets scattered throughout the Milky Way, and explore a bevy of unique environments before heading to the game's final confrontation.

The tasks players complete throughout the game, aside from planetary scanning, are well-integrated into the story. Though they are listed as "missions" in Commander Shepard's journal, nothing is derivative and little feels gamey about them. Each is distinct, despite the obligatory combat throughout most of them. The fact that the player is constantly experiencing something new, and it is all tailored to the narrative, helps the game to flow at an excellent pace and keep the player involved in what is going on in the adventure.

While very light on traditional RPG elements, BioWare's distinctive "conversation game" style is at it's best in Mass Effect 2, making this semi-real-time, third-person shooter a true place for players to assume the role of a character and embody a personality in an interactive story. The variation in Shepard's spoken responses are more clearly influenced by the choices on the dialogue wheel this time. As well, the Renegade/Paragon consequences and points are liberally doled out after conversations, making players feel as though every word counts and engaging them more completely. The improved battle system may place more of an emphasis on the team, but players' choices during the role-playing segments make Mass Effect 2 a story about the individual hero and his relationships with everyone surrounding him, each of whom are very deep characters with gradually revealed histories, personalities, and psyches.

Mass Effect 2 is a captivating experience that begs to be played and replayed. Its phenomenal presentation is augmented by its enjoyable combat, deep character development, and epic narrative, and only minor quibbles exist in each of these areas. Play this game; you'll be treating yourself to greatness.

Teeming With Demons -- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Preview

Did you ever feel like a black hole was opening up over some remote corner of the world, allowing demons and other strange supernatural creatures to cross over into your peaceful realm of existence? No? Well then this is going to be a strange journey.

That is indeed the basic story behind Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Atlus' newest addition to the SMT franchise. In this unique role-playing experience, which can aptly be categorized as arcane science fiction, players will find themselves exploring an alternate dimension where demons prepare to destroy the world as we know it. In the demon's eyes, humanity poses a threat of armageddon to itself, so the process may as well be hastened. According to the developers, the demons are at the same the story's external antagonists and a representation of humanity's destructive flaws.

Strange Journey puts a unique spin on classic JRPG mechanics, making players form a party, level up, fight in turn-based battles, use skills and items, swap equipment, etc. over the course of a 40-to-50-hour adventure. Missions tabs on the game's menu screen present the next steps in the journey, as well as approximately 60 side quests players can embark on. The special Demonica Suit the main character wears allows access to new areas by adding special "unlock" apps to its interface, and "sub-apps," which each take up a specific number of the suit's 10 slots, will provide special effects and bonuses for the party. Non-usable "forma" is another important part of the game, and is found via exploration of the game world. An area scanner points to new forma on the overworld map, which can then be collected and brought to the weapons dealer in town to produce new equipment for the party.

What really sets Strange Journey apart from the standard RPG is its focus on demons; demon collection, negotiation, fusion, and trading (the game's demon compendium lets you output passwords to give specific demons to friends) are all central to the game's mechanics. In fact, only one member of the 4-character party is human, so it will be wise to diversify and improve the group by enlisting the help of various demons and investing time in their development.

Whenever players encounters a demon, they're given the opportunity to talk to it and avoid a fight or even gain a new ally. Brief dialog choices and the effects of alignment on the interaction determine the outcome, and if the demon doesn't like the player, the fight is on. During combat, all commands are given at beginning of each round, to be executed all at once following the menu selection process. Because of this, battles play out quickly, and strategy is required to anticipate the results of mid-round actions. Of particular interest are the elemental strengths and weaknesses of all characters, which must be discovered by trial and error and can be exploited via the demon co-op system. Whenever an attack is made on an enemy using an element it is vulnerable to, all of the player's party members whose alignment matches the attacker will get a bonus attack for that round. By involving the three components of skill type, enemy weakness, and character alignment in the demon co-op formula, Atlus has created the potential for a great deal of strategy in how to be most effective in battle. At the same time, an "auto mode" button is included for fights with weaker foes who require no effort to vanquish.

From what I saw during Atlus' convenient web demonstration earlier this week (which was awesome in an E3-in-my-living-room sort of way), Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey doesn't look like it will be slacking with the SMT name, and seems expansive and immersive for a DS title. Look for it to hit North American shores on March 10, 2010, each copy shipping -- in true Atlus style -- with a soundtrack CD included in the box.

Inglourious Race Car Drivers -- The Saboteur Review

Pandemic Studios may have fallen victim to Electronic Arts' improved "cost structure" back in November, but before drifting loudly away on the late autumn wind, the Mercenaries and Star Wars: Battlefront series developer had one final message for Nazi Germany in its swan song title, The Saboteur. This visually striking open-world action title's atypical and interesting World War II story is offset by dated gameplay mechanics and slow development, making it easy to have mixed feelings for it. This is exactly how I felt while playing, but revitalizing Paris in the face of Nazi occupation grew on me throughout my time with the game.

In The Saboteur, players step into the role of Sean Devlin, a tough, bar-dwelling, Irish race car driver, who is persuaded to join the French resistance against Nazi Germany during the occupation of the early 1940s. He's in it principally for revenge, but this more noble cause is what finally gets him wound up enough to spring into action. This is one of the best WWII stories in gaming, told from a very different perspective than what we've seen in the past, and is far more appealing than the typical beach-storming, infantry-inundated military tale we've played through time and time again. The characters are interesting because they're flawed and human, but I found their individual personalities, superficial relationships, and sophomoric dialogue to be generally unlikable. This feeling was enough to make it difficult to relate to or become emotionally invested in them outside of the fact that they were fighting off the Nazi occupation... and blowing things up.

Blowing things up is indeed one of The Saboteur's main appeals amid gameplay mechanics whose roots lie squarely in the realm of earlier 3D Grand Theft Auto games. It's a familiar mission-based open-world structure, where various non-player characters pinpointed on the main map set objectives for Sean, either to drive the story forward or offer up some side-questing action. The missions seem to cover a wider spectrum than one would find in a GTA game, expanding upon the typical car theft, chases, shootouts, and sniping with stealth and disguise elements, climbing mechanics, and freeplay targets, which are specific Nazi structures throughout the game world that can be demolished at any time during gameplay. There is no obvious or immediate reward (aside from feeling like a champ) for setting off the fireworks on the freeplay targets, but doing so will have subtle effects on the game, reducing Nazi presence in the area and making Sean's life a little bit easier in the future. While the combat, driving, and climbing controls all feel clumsy and substandard when compared to contemporary titles in the genre, those moments where you jump out of your car and plant a bundle of dynamite on a fueling station or sniper tower and slowly walk away from the explosion are immensely satisfying and play out without the game engine trying to stop you from enjoying them.

The Saboteur's other calling card is its "will to fight" feature. In the beginning, the entire (and quite large) game world is a black-and-white, film-noir-reminiscent, depressing, and oppressive place, the visual style heavily impacting the player and reinforcing what is essentially the collective emotional state of the citizens of France under Nazi control. As missions are completed and specific Nazi strongholds and control points are retaken and/or depopulated courtesy of Sean's trigger and lighter fingers, color is restored and hope returns to the people in the face of adversity, a little at a time. As the will to fight increases, the dark, dingy, and spectrally desaturated neighborhoods formerly characterized by packs of roving Nazi guards and persistent rain turn to welcoming city streets bathed in warm lamppost light for strolling French citizens, and where the will to fight is low, only the bright Nazi flags, muzzle flashes, blood, fire, and other select elements stand out in vibrant color. Throughout the game, this extreme visual contrast has a powerful effect, and the Okami-esque revitalization of France is motivational and rewarding.

Unfortunately, The Saboteur at the same time suffers from many technical issues that detract from its superb aesthetics and unique style. Frame rate drops are frequent, as is shadow pop-in and a fair amount of clipping. Other glitches, such as enemies and NPCs spawning in ridiculous places or failing to carry out their prescribed mission-dependant routines, happen less frequently, but they still adversely affect the gameplay experience, at times preventing the player from completing missions without restarting. Enemy AI leaves much to be desired, as guards can detect, pursue, and raise the alarm on Sean from what seems to be a mile away during stealth sections, but in the midst of firefights they do little to save their own hides from incoming bullets, often standing in the open, just begging to be shot. When Sean has to run instead of fight, The Saboteur's simple, yet silly system of escaping Nazis comes into play. To escape, players must simply get outside of a red circle indicated on the radar, at which point they are instantly liberated from the alert. Taking a page out of the Assassin's Creed book, there are also hiding spots scattered throughout the city that will clear the alert status. Because of the frequency with which the alarm is sounded in this game, it all seems to balance out, but I feel a better system would have been less frequent, more intense hunts.

The Saboteur isn't a great game, nor is it a terrible one, although its constituent parts can be characterized using such descriptors. Great visuals, a unique approach to WWII-era storytelling, the "will to fight" system, and explode-and-run fun made me love what I was taking part in, but the actual nuts and bolts of the gameplay -- shooting, driving, climbing, stealth -- made me want to choke myself instead. Over time, though, I became acclimated to the sub-par mechanics and did enjoy my time with The Saboteur, and I think many players with the free time and cash can do the same. Unfortunately, the game had the potential to do great things with the foundation provided by its unique features and style, but it ends up feeling dated among a sea of competitors that all handle the gameplay end of things far better.