"Trip Report" is a special segment that aims to record the lasting impressions made by the gaming experience. When Jordan finishes a game, he will write a Trip Report within an hour of finishing, detailing his emotional state and any general feelings he has towards the game that has been completed.
Trip Reports are not reviews, will often contain spoilers, and are left unedited for purity.
I'm still shaking a little bit.
Mass Effect is one of those games that makes you care that it's over. I have a sense of accomplishment, sure, but it still feels like I could have done more. There had to have been a solution that didn't involve Saren killing himself, and I'm desperately wondering if things would have ended up the same had I chosen the Charisma dialog option instead of the Intimidate option.
That's how I know this was a good game, despite it's clunky inventory management system and major texture-popping issues: I regret things that I did during my life as Seraphina Shepard. I wish I hadn't had to have chosen between Ashley and Kaiden, and even though I still think Ashley was the right choice, Kaiden didn't deserve to die. My stomach tied itself in knots when Saren killed himself, and I felt ill knowing that it was my fault, and that things may have ended up differently if I had said something else. I chose to defend the Council; I decided that were they to die, the races of the galaxy would be without leadership, and without government the systems would fall into chaos. Now, an hour later, I'm still wondering whether or not I made the right choice.
It will be a while before my survivor's guilt over the Battle for the Citadel fades, and I say that with complete sincerity. I could have done more.
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
*UPDATED* BREAKING: Sentinel playable in MVC3, leaked by mystery publication?
The twitters have just produced this image, which appears to be a German publication of some kind confirming that Sentinel will be a playable character in Capcom's upcoming fighter Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. Sentinel, of X-Men fame, was a fan favorite in Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, and has been one of the most frequently requested additions to the MVC3 lineup.
At the moment, more information is virtually nonexistent. We're in the process of digging up a source for the image and will be updating this post with more information as it becomes available. Stay tuned!
Full-sized scan here.
UPDATE! Joystiq has confirmed Sentinel's inclusion in the game, as well as the addition of Darkstalkers mainstay Hsien-Ko. They even have videos! Go check it out.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Portal 2 delayed until April 2011, Cave Johnson unavailable for comment
When it comes to Valve games, most gamers have learned that good things come to those who wait.
Straight out of the blue and orange portals known as The Internet comes a press release from Valve Corporation, informing cube-loving and bejumpsuited daredevils everywhere that the "shortest delay in Valve's proud tradition of delays" has befallen their highly anticipated first-person-homicidal-AI-puzzle-and-isolation-simulator Portal 2.
Originally planned for a Holiday 2010 release, and then a February 9th 2011 release, this latest delay pushes Portal 2 back to April 20th for North America and April 22nd for Europe.
While this may seem disappointing, we at least know that Valve has a good track record for justifying its delays by (eventually) releasing stellar products. Right Valve? Right?
Via: Joystiq
Thursday, October 21, 2010
REVIEW: Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley
Take two cups of Earthworm Jim, three slices of Metal Slug, an eighth-ounce of Space Harrier, throw them in a blender with coconut milk and frozen strawberries, and you've got Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley.
Much akin to platforming classics of yore, Comic Jumper is very much a game about memorization. Certain enemies are most effectively killed in certain ways, and the patterns they use to attack you can be thoroughly countered by specific tactics of your own. I was often reminded of Ikaruga and other shmups while playing Comic Jumper; the mechanics commend you for being controlled and precise, and beating a particularly rough group of enemies grants a very rewarding sense of accomplishment. It's clear that each encounter has been carefully orchestrated, and that every enemy has a purpose in the level's overall flow.
As one would expect from Twisted Pixel, the level-design is nigh-flawless. Each gameplay "type" flows well from one into the other, and every stage presents its own unique challenges without becoming (unintentionally) gimmicky or convoluted. As someone who loves challenging games, I was surprised by how skillfully Comic Jumper manages to deliver a steep difficulty curve without inducing frustration, due to the game's incredibly forgiving checkpoint system. As Captain Smiley traverses each level he triggers invisible checkpoints along his way; it works very similarly to the checkpoint system in 'SplosionMan. When the Captain dies (and he will die) he immediately spawns at the most recent checkpoint with full-health. This simple yet effective method of metering out a player's life force helps the game remain challenging without becoming inaccessible.
Each level is broken down into four distinct styles: Platforming, Brawling, Vehicles, and, for lack of a better term, Shooting. The platforming sections dominate most of the game and are by far the most polished. Captain Smiley moves how you would expect him to, and both jumping and sliding felt like second nature after a few minutes. Aiming Smiley's dual-pistols is accessible enough that it takes little practice to hit targets, however being truly accurate with them requires effort and concentration. The brawling sections felt limiting at first, due to the fact that the player is unable to jump during them. The more time I spent with the game, however, the more I began to appreciate these sections as breathers from the intensity of the rest of the game.
The vehicle sections feel reminiscent of "vehicle" fights from classic brawlers like Battletoads or TMNT: Turtles in Time; they control almost identically to the platforming sections, however the level moves around the player, as opposed to the player moving through the level. The shooting sections change the gameplay from "2D sidescroller" to "3D-over-the-shoulder-on-rails shooter", and are by far the least enjoyable sections of the game. Similar to a hobbled Afterburner, the shooting sections were tedious and often dragged on too long. Cross-hair sensitivity felt low and less responsive than Captain Smiley's usually quick aiming skills, and while I got better at these sections as the game progressed, they never became as fun or engaging as the rest of the gameplay mechanics employed by the title. Still, the shooting sections are mercifully few and far between, and are not even close to being considered deal-breakers.
Clever and well written, Comic Jumper retains all the lighthearted charm of classic 16-bit shooters. The game is filled with exceptionally well acted dialogue and surprises that will be hilarious for die-hard comic fans and the uninitiated alike. Each comic book "era" that Captain Smiley visits is represented both truthfully and satirically, and the game does a wonderful job of highlighting what makes those styles ridiculous while still paying homage to what makes them great.
Overall, Comic Jumper is a fantastic game. Its challenging gameplay and self-referential humor kept me engaged from beginning to end. For 15 sawbucks, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not picking it up.
I give Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley 16 out of 20 Arbitrary Points™.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Mass Effect 2 massively discounted to great effect.
Mass Effect 2, arguably one of the greatest games ever made, normally goes for around $30.00, however today you can snag it for a cool 20 Sawbucks and 80 hours of your life.
Amazon.com, your online source for adult-sized dinosaur footie pajamas, is continuing their recent trend of awesomeness by making Mass Effect 2 today's Deal of the Day. Go get it while the gettin's good!
Source: @biofeed
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Capcom allocates investments for development of new IPs, restructures for year-round releases.
We as consumers generally think of gaming companies as being fun, free-spirited places. The film Grandma's Boy often jumps to mind when imagining the inner-workings of a development house.
When a company like Capcom issues their annual report to investors and share-holders, however, it becomes quickly apparent that these are real businesses run by actual businessmen. Mind blowing, right?
Stuffed to the rafters with super-businessy things like "Consolidated Business Performance Indicators" and "Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets," Capcom's Annual Report also contains tiny little nuggets of joy, provided you've got the patience to sift through the 100+ pages of corporate jargon.
Joystiq, being the hard-nosed investigative gumshoes that they are, have already returned from the sunken city of Reportalis with a release window for Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. I decided to do a bit of disquisitive diving myself, and came up with the following:
On pages 23 and 24 (of 104), Capcom lays out their plans for maintaining consistent year-round net-profit. In order to avoid a Q3/Q4-heavy income cycle, Capcom has restructured their development cycles in order to ensure that at least 1 major release is present in every quarter of the fiscal year. Hopefully this will help us consumer-folk avoid the horrible, horrible spring and summer droughts that have become the status-quo for the industry. Additionally, Capcom will be adding to their existing stable of franchises by "... allocating 20-30% of investments in development to new titles... ".
New franchises and year-round releases? Other companies could stand to follow Capcom's lead. As much as I love established franchises and new iterations of old favorites, innovation is the key to artistic growth and longevity for any creative medium.
Source: CAPCOM 2010 Annual Report
Friday, September 17, 2010
Can you go to Capcom's MvC3 Fight Club? Shoryuken!
The first rule of Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club is that you don't talk about Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club.
The second rule of Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club is that the first 100 people to show up get mysterious, presumably awesome swag. The rest of us will get some hands-on playtime with the Tokyo Game Show build of MvC3, which is pretty awesome in and of itself. If the caliber of MvC2's competitive scene is any indication, this competition will be down-right-fierce.
Fight Club will be held on Wednesday, September 22 in what we can only assume will be the supply basement of a seedy bar. Address and times at the source.
Source: Capcom Unity
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