Popcap recently released a trailer for Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time. Though amusing, the clip doesn’t reveal much about the game, apart from the fact that we can expect time travel. The Plants as well as the Zombies have apparently learned how to traverse the time continuum and will can expect battles in places like Ancient Egypt and the Wild West. Other than that, the game doesn’t appear to be too different from the first.
Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time is expected to release on July 18th for free on iOS. No word yet of when an android or PC version will be released.
Can you feel that? That gut feeling knowing we are only a week away from the release of Man of Steel. And if you thought we were done with the trailers you would be right (in Bizarro speak). Nokia and Warner Bros. have released a special trailer for their partnership together that features a lot of new footage and even more of Hans Zimmer’s amazing score.
Sony will be the last press conference on Monday before the actual E3 show begins on Tuesday so they better use the opportunity to absolutely hit me (and you) over the heads with how insanely awesome the PS4 is going to be. Now I have already gone on record and said that Sony has already won me over with their February press conference when they solely put the focus on games. I expect E3 to continue this, especially since Microsoft is getting a bit of blow back from their gimmick heavy Xbox One reveal (which they did say beforehand would happen, but the internet cares not).
Like with Nintendo, we will offer up a few points that we think Sony should hit on to make sure gamers know the PS4 is a powerhouse that warrants their hard earned money this fall.
PS4 Price AND Release Date
This is in no way a guarantee to happen, but it will go a long way to helping out my wallet if I know the when and how much of the Playstation 4. Selfish? Yes, and I don’t mind. Sony could hold one or the other off for a later date, but they know all eyes will be on them on Monday so why not go ahead and throw us gamers a bone?
I still hold to my thoughts that the PS4 will beat the Xbox One to the shelves, if only by a week or so. October 25th still has a nice ring to it. It is a few weeks after a big PS3 exclusive (Beyond: Two Souls) and a week before the release of Call of Duty: Ghosts.
When it comes to the price of the system this is where the guesses are all over the place. Some analysts have recently ventured a guess and said that the PS4 could retail in the $350-$400 range. This is a pipe dream. Now don’t get me wrong, I hope to God that I can get a PS4 for under $400 come this fall, but I just do not see this happening especially with all the hardware under the hood of it. I am already mentally prepared for a $499 price point with a slight possibility of a second sku for $549. We are a different culture than 2005 when Sony floored us with “599 U.S. dollars” for the PS3. We pay $200 for new phones on a regular basis, a large section of the population have tablets that range anywhere from $250-$800, Apple overcharges for a brand name and our country proudly ponies up the cash. I don’t think Sony has to be worried of any backlash when they announce a $500+ console anymore.
Photo courtesy arcadesushi.com
Use Your Franchise Power
The real power behind Sony is in its bevy of quality studios and their franchises. Sony Santa Monica, Naughty Dog, Polyphony, Sucker Punch, Guerrilla and Media Molecule are huge developers that handle Sony’s biggest properties and there is not a bad one in the bunch. Microsoft only wishes they had studio strength like that which is probably why they have announced a new initiative to get more studios under their umbrella. We already know that Killzone: Shadow Fall and Infamous: Second Son will be launch titles for the PS4 and should be playable at the show. That is a good start. For Sony to really take a hold of the gaming community they need to show off the PS4’s potential with their other big names. Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank, God of War and others will all eventually make their way onto Sony’s next-gen machine and even just an announcement of one of these will certainly help matters. Please be Uncharted 4.
Let Microsoft Take The Hit On Used Games Fiasco
Ever since the Xbox One reveal, Microsoft has quickly gone from elation to damage control over the mixed signals about the online connectivity of its new console and the possibility of charging a full game fee for using games on other consoles. Now Sony has already gone on record and said that the PS4 will not be requiring an internet connection of any kind to play games, but the jury is still, mysteriously, out on a one-time use code for games that will link new games to owners consoles. I think this is inevitable and Sony and Microsoft are going to get a lot of flak, but it is most likely publisher driven. So since Microsoft is already the “bad guy” in this scenario let that keep being the story for as long as possible. Let the idea a new game code marinate in people’s brains for a few months before announcing that the PS4 will require them also. It may not be a popular decision, but at least most of the heat will have died down.
Photo courtesy turntherightcorner.com
Wherefore Art Thou Vita?
Even with slow sales, the Vita keeps chugging along and has, in the year and a half since its release, built up quite the quality library. The addition of PS Plus to the handheld has added a lot of extra value giving buyers anywhere from 6-11 free games with a year of Plus. Guerrilla Games Killzone: Mercenary is looking like the true current-gen handheld FPS we have been waiting on. Beyond that it gets a little thin, but fear not, Remote Play is coming along to save the day. News is that Sony is requiring all games that will release on the PS4 that are not Move oriented to have Remote Play between the console and the Vita. Now I know that Remote Play on the PSP was sketchy as hell, but the Vita is a powerhouse for a handheld system and should have no problem running a scaled down version of games with its beautiful OLED screen. The Vita will never be a competitor to the 3DS, but Sony can still ensure that it carves out its own unique niche.
Stay The Course
It has been so far, so good for Sony and the PS4 and there is no reason why they should not leave E3 feeling as if they are in the driver’s seat for the next-gen consoles. They took a calculated risk in February when they went all in with gamers. Microsoft will keep up with their “all in one” presentation for the Xbox One so all Sony needs to do is keep hedging their bets on the gaming community wanting a system that is built from the ground up to play games. This next generation will be like no other with Sony and Microsoft splitting paths on their company strategy when it comes to consoles. To me, Sony is easily winning the word of mouth battle with gamers and come E3 all they need to do is stay focused on the games.
In a recent interview, Joss Whedon announced that he will not direct Avengers 2 unless Robert Downey, Jr. returns as Iron Man.
“He is Iron Man in the way that Sean Connery was James Bond. I have no intention of making Avengers 2 without him, nor do I think I’ll be called upon to do that. I don’t think it’s in my interest, Marvel’s interest, or his interest, and I think everything will be fine.”
I don’t believe you truly understand what you are in for when you click play on this video. Even if you are a Saints Row veteran, nothing can prepare you for the dong-slinging, alien crushing, Keith David-having action in the new [amazon_link id=”B00BRQN2H4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Saints Row IV[/amazon_link] “War on Humanity” trailer.
Yeah, you read that right Keith David. Now that may not sound like anything new (especially for Mass Effect fans), but the fact Keith David is playing Keith David is so meta it makes my brain hurt with joy. I swear to God if Roddy Piper is in this game anywhere I will gladly bestow the title of “greatest game of this generation” to Saints Row IV.
Overreaction? Maybe? But I’ll be damned if I don’t love They Live.
Warning: Though I generally do my best to avoid them, there may be minor spoilers. That being said, nothing should compromise your enjoyment or gameplay.
Image courtesy of masonicgamer.com
Welcome to Neo-Paris in the year 2084. Technology is more prominent than ever, and much of the world is suffering for it. Sensen, a futuristic mind assistant, controls everyone’s lives – for some it is a blessing, for others a curse.
Meet Nilin (pronounced nill-in), an Errorist – that is, a memory hunter. Using a rare form of Sensen technology, Nilin has the ability to invade people’s minds – to take their memories, to destroy them, and to change them.
image courtesy of tumblr.com
The Errorists are revolutionaries, determined to end the rule of technology by destroying M3morize, the corporation monopolizing memories. The population has become overly dependent upon Sensen — it is used for everything from making calls to displaying shop names and caution signs. It is used to remove the negative memories of the blissfully unaware elitist class as well as to punish criminals and submit them to human testing.
Our story begins in the Bastille Fortress, where Nilin has been captured, imprisoned, and had her memory wiped. With the help of the mysterious “brother” named Edge she is able to escape, and so begins the journey to regain her memory and to punish those who took it from her.
Remember Me is a captivating game. Though the campaign only took me about 10 hours on the medium-level difficulty, I do not regret the money I spent to get it on release day, and there are a number of reasons why.
(1) The Story.
I absolutely love the story. I’m sure that I am not the only person who starts a game by making guesses about where the story will go – who will betray, who will falter, who will change sides, etc. But I found myself surprised at every turn. The storyline is original and captivating and, in some ways, scary. Now, when I say scary, I don’t mean that I was jumping out of my seat or screaming at my tv – no, I mean that it made me think. In some ways, Remember Me is a psychological thriller. In fact, the creators said in this interview that the story was inspired by modern social media and its impact on society. How do you think social media will be defined 70 years from now? I for one hope that this story remains just that – a story. This is not the type of change I want to see come to life in the future.
(2) The Combo Lab & Special Abilities
In a traditional Capcom Devil May Cry sense, the action gameplay is heavily dependent upon combos. Luckily, Remember Me does a fantastic job of distinguishing itself from other games. Rather than have a set list of defined combos, you get to make your own. As the game continues, you unlock pressens, links that can be combined in order to create completely customized combos (heh… alliteration is fun). There are 4 pressen types – damage (inflicts damage on the enemy), regeneration (increases your health), cooldown (reduces the cooldown rate on special attacks), and chain (amplifies other pressens). Every enemy you kill increases your total number of procedural mastering points (PMPs) – which is really just a fancy way of saying that you gain experience. The more experience you have, the more pressens you can unlock, and the more powerful combos you can make.
image courtesy of nerdist.com
Now, when I say that these combos are customizable, I mean it! For example, I spent most of the game with one of my combos completely dedicated to health regeneration. I knew that pressing X-Y-Y-X-Y-Y would quickly fill up my health bar – all of those pressens were focused on regeneration. But then if I found a boss fight where I needed to use a lot of my special abilities, I could easily change that combo to focus more on cooldown – perhaps I would change 3 of the regeneration pressens to cooldown pressens – that way I could maintain a comfortable level of health while still reducing cooldown time. The options are endless, and the Combo Lab is a fantastic aspect of the game. And it can be accessed and changed at any point in the game, even in the middle of a boss fight.
Special attacks are also a major part of gameplay. Nilin’s power comes from a sleeve she wears on her right arm. As the game progresses and as Nilin slowly regains her memory, her abilities increase, ultimately resulting in five special attacks:
(1) Fury –Nilin has a short rage attack where each hit increases the damage multiplier
(2) D.O.S. – All enemies are stunned for a brief period of time
(3) Camo – Nilin becomes invisible for up to 30 seconds
(4) Logic Bomb – Nilin places a short-fuse bomb on a nearby enemy
(5) Rest in Pieces – Nilin recruits an enemy drone, which attracts enemies and then blows up
Along with the Combo Lab, these special abilities make the game experience truly unique – there are countless ways to get through every skirmish, and each gamer will have their own preferences. And unlike other games, I actually found myself using every ability. Rather than picking a favorite or two, I found that it was easy and seamless to use them all – each has its own unique way of helping out.
(3) Memory Remixes
image courtesy of weknowgamers.net
Memory remixes are by far the most unique aspect of Remember Me. Nilin uses her powers to enter the mind of her victim and find a strong memory, usually something with a lot of emotional attachment and/or consequence. The sequence begins with a short cut-scene of the memory as it actually happened. And then Nilin’s job is to change the end result – something as small as closing a cup-holder, moving a bottle, opening a purse – and your job is to choose the right things to change in order to alter the memory. And keep in mind that this only changes the memory of what happened, not the event itself.
I don’t want to discuss the details too much since it is so much fun to figure out on your own. And if it’s not too late, I would advise not to watch any of the remix trailers – I watched one, and it definitely spoiled the scene.
The memory remixes, though rare, are a seamless part of the story. They execute perfectly, and they always make sense. This is not a game where you will find yourself doing meaningless tasks or wondering why you have to bother with this or that – no, everything you do is important, and it all weaves together perfectly.
(4) The Score
I don’t really have much to say here, except please take the time to LISTEN TO IT. The score is absolutely fantastic, and I can guarantee that I will own it. To put that it in perspective, I would like to point out that I have never owned a video game soundtrack before. This is the first time I have ever taken the initiative to listen to the music separately from the game.
(5) The Enemies
The enemies in this game are truly fantastic. From the Gollum-type Prowler Leapers to the electrifying Elite Enforcers – there are just enough different types to keep you on your feet, but while still letting you get used to them and learn how they move and act. By the time you reach the last few episodes of the game, you’ll have met every enemy type and you’ll know how to beat them all individually without taking a scratch. But then…it becomes a game of strategy. This isn’t your boring button-masher. When you find yourself fighting two Brute Skinner Leapers and two Elite Enforcers at the same time, you’ll need to find a very specific strategy if you want to live. But then if you take away the two Elite Enforcers and replace them with two Seraphims, you’ll have to completely change your tactics.
Perhaps this style isn’t for everyone, but I loved it. You know exactly how all of the enemies fight and how to defeat them, but then you have to apply what you know and adjust your strategy every time the circumstances change. It keeps your mind working, and your mouth grinning.
(6) Nilin
image courtesy of edge-online.com
I’m pretty sure that I want to be Nilin when I grow up.
Well…kind of.
As I said before, I found the story unpredictable and fascinating, and I found that I was always agreeing with Nilin’s choices. It was like she was inside my head. Any time I felt doubt about a character or about something she/we had done, she voiced the same doubt. Any time I felt anger, she did as well. The writers did a fantastic job of making the player want the same things that Nilin wants.
Once you play the game you’ll understand the “kind of” from above – Nilin is a great character, but everyone has their reasons for despair…
(7) The Achievements
I enjoy games where the achievements are, well, possible. I don’t want to have to destroy 39 enemies at one time by clenching the muscle on my left big toe…no, that’s not fun. Achievements are the most fun when they are actually achievable by the average gamer, and Remember Me handles this well. Just like any game, there are the regular story line achievements (completing each episode) and the difficulty achievements (completing game on hard), and there are the stragglers — things like defeating a certain enemy in a certain way, or pushing 40 leapers off of ledges (whoa. say that 10 times fast…leapers off of ledges leapers off of ledges leapers off of ledges…). Anyways, there’s nothing that I personally feel is impossible, and I believe that this game has just enough replayability that I’ll go back and get all of the achievements. Since the only games I’ve ever completed achievement-wise have LEGO in the title, I think that this will be a welcome change and a happy addition to my repertoire.
image courtesy of gameinformer.com
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end – let’s look at the negatives.
(1) The Sensen and your Environment
Imagine what would happen if you combined the beautiful landscapes and visuals of one of the more recent Assassin’s Creed games with the boring limited movement you’d find in Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within…and you’ll pretty much understand Remember Me. The graphics are gorgeous, but you don’t really get to experience any of it. The game has a specific path for you to follow, and unless there’s a hidden artifact nearby, you have no opinion in where that path should go. It’s a pretty big disappointment considering that there is so much potential for more.
image courtesy of dualshockers.com
Your Sensen has the unique ability of identifying the shortest path to your destination. The entire game is filled with little yellow arrows, always pointing you in the direction you need to go. It makes travelling between destinations rather dull. At one point towards the end of the game, you’ll find yourself in a tall room (maybe 4 stories high), and you’ll have to operate a number of switches and cranes in order to get to the exit. But rather than create a puzzle for you to decipher, your Sensen leads you every step of the way, even telling you when it’s safe to jump.
For me, this is one of the biggest disappointments in the game. There is so much potential for Assassin’s Creed or Uncharted-style platforming, but there was no initiative.
(2) The Combat Controls
Let’s think back to the combo system I discussed earlier. It’s great that it is so customizable, but I also found that the gameplay was not as seamless as I would have liked. I would occasionally find myself in the middle of a combo and it would suddenly disappear, leaving Nilin vulnerable to attack until I found my bearings and started again. I think that there are two main reasons for this issue:
(1) A combo can only be performed against one enemy; if you are in the middle of a horde and enemy B puts an arm between you and the combo you are performing on enemy A, then the combo is broken and you stumble.
(2) The button mechanics seems to fail sometimes – for example, I would begin a combo of Y-X-Y-X, but for some reason the game would do a Y attack and then begin the combo as X-Y-X (even if I hit the buttons at the correct times). So though I may have been hoping for a cooldown combo, I would instead find myself in the middle of a regeneration combo. Not ideal.
Though this was enough of an issue to get my attention, I would not say that it really effected my attitude towards the game, or my overall happiness. The broken combos were few and far-between, so they were never more than a minor inconvenience. And luckily, the game’s dodge move is seamless, allowing you to quickly evade enemies. So when your combo breaks at least you can get away easily.
(3) The Camera
Though it was never an issue during boss fights (probably due to the typical large arena size), the camera was sometimes a pain. If you climb a ladder, it will follow, but then when you get to the top it will remain where it is, looking straight up into the sky. As a relatively avid gamer, I’ve learned little things about the best ways to control a character – for example, if you’re turning the character to the left and decide to also turn the camera, you usually compensate by adjusting both sticks so that the character does not change direction. However, there were a few times when I would do this…and the game would just fail to understand. Nilin would continue to turn to the left even if I had my left stick pointing straight ahead. Luckily it was a rare issue, and the camera usually cooperated. But as with the combat controls, it was still annoying enough to gain my notice.
Those were my biggest concerns and they are really only minor in the long run. If we are lucky enough to get a sequel, I only hope that environment interaction gets a lot more attention.
Hopefully this review gives you a good idea of what to expect from the game. Of course I did not share all of the fun little secrets, since some of the tricks you will learn just shouldn’t be spoiled. Be prepared for an interesting story and some really fun boss fights.
image courtesy of cheatcc.com
I purchased Remember Me for the Xbox 360. It is also available on PS3 and PC.
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) is bringing two of their heavy hitters to the Playstation 4 this fall further expanding its launch library.
DC Universe Online will be ported over from the PS3 and the first-person shooter Planetside 2 will come over from the PC. Both are free to play and offer microtransactions to add to gameplay. I am happy to see Planetside making its way to a home console giving more people a chance to try it out.
It looks like console users won’t have to wait very much longer to get their hands on Blizzard’s massive sequel, [amazon_link id=”B00BGA9V2Q” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Diablo 3[/amazon_link]. The hack and slash dungeon crawler that fills our deep, hidden OCD desires to loot everything in site will be making its way onto the PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 3rd.
The control scheme has been completely reworked for consoles and best of all, it will not require an internet connection to play like its PC big brother. You can play online or can have local co-op for some old school adventure. Remember? You used to have friends that would come over to your house and you would play games together? No headsets or racist twelve years old. Good times.
We are still a bit over a week away from the release of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic adventure, [amazon_link id=”B007CM0K86″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Last of Us[/amazon_link], but today the first reviews began rolling out and it seems that the long desired game is living up to the massive hype. We will have our review ready for you as soon as we get our copy and undoubtedly lose ourselves in it. Until then, take a look at what other media sites are saying about The Last of Us.
“The Last of Us seamlessly intertwines satisfying, choice-based gameplay with a stellar narrative. It never slows down, it never lets up, and frankly, it never disappoints. It’s PlayStation 3’s best exclusive, and the entire experience, from start to finish, is remarkable”
“The Last of Us is a brutally realistic and often shocking depiction of a world in crisis, but is undeniably fun to play. It perfectly captures a civilization on the brink through its believable and hellish atmosphere. It represents one of the strongest console exclusives in a long time and is absolutely a must-have experience for mature PlayStation 3 gamers.”
“The relationship that grows between Ellie and Joel as they fight to protect one another is the most genuine I’ve ever seen, brought to life by superb writing and excellent performances. It’s more than a father-daughter archetype, more than an easy ploy to tug at the heartstrings. A deep love blooms between the two of them, tinged with a sadness that sometimes makes it difficult to bear.”
“In other words, as with so many post-apocalyptic stories before it—Hello, zombie clichés!—The Last of Us‘s fungal pandemic is really just table-setting for a much more intimate, human story. Like last year’s The Walking Dead game, this isn’t actually a tale of zombies and bandits and the end of the world. It’s a tale of loss and hope and friendship and family that just happens tofeature zombies and bandits and the end of the world. And it’s a fine, worthy tale, at that.”
“The Last of Us is a deeply felt, shockingly violent game that questions what we’re willing to sacrifice and, more disturbingly, what we’re willing to do to save the ones we love. The conclusion offers no easy answers. You won’t forget it.”
“The Last of Us is a bold work, especially for a developer recently known for strapping us into cinematic roller coasters. The Last of Us is not fun, at least not in the traditional sense, and that’s exactly why it’s so interesting.”
“There is more to The Last of Us than just combat and “emotional” story tropes. To touch on its setpiece moments, to detail its beautiful changes in pace, would be to spoil too much. It cannot be said enough, however, that Naughty Dog’s new best creation is complete, and when I saycomplete, I mean it to pay the highest of compliments. I do not want more from The Last of Us: I do not need more. As the last line was uttered and the credits ushered in the close, I was done. The Last of Us had achieved everything it needed to achieve in order to provide me with everything I wanted.”
” It achieves incredible emotional high points about as often as it bumps up against tired scenario design that doesn’t fit its world. Survival in the post-apocalypse requires compromise, but The Last of Us has given up something vital.”
Chances are if you are already getting [amazon_link id=”B00BRQN2H4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Saints Row IV[/amazon_link] then you are a bit on the ridiculous side. Don’t worry, there are a lot of us. If you expected the Collector’s Edition of the game to be anything less, you have another thing coming.
This insane set named “The Super Dangerous Wub Wub Edition” comes with the Commander in Chief version of the game, an 8 inch Johnny Gat memorial statue, a Dubstep Doomsday button (because why the hell not?) and the pride and joy of this $100 box of insanity, an actual replica Dubstep Gun.
To add more fuel to this crazy train, the Dubstep Gun will play the same song heard in the game when you use the weapon and come equipped with a laser sight.
