Every year, Capcom hold an event in far off lands to showcase their future releases. This event is called Captivate (get it?), and Capcom are offering a chance to go there (over 18's only, with a valid passport!).
To be in with a chance, all you have to do is tell them (in no more than 200 words) what game you'd love for them to be showcasing.
Well, "who better to go than myself?" I ask. With any luck, noone at all...
My Dream Game - My entry for the Captivate Competition
Given my username, and my somewhat massive obsession with the Resident Evil series, you might be expecting me to tell you how great it'd be to get my hands on Resident Evil: Revelations, or just a quick glimpse at The Mercs 3D...but where's the fun in that?
No, my fun comes from seeing the glint of joy cross my fiancée's face, that glimmer in her eye as I present to her something that she's always wanted but never had the chance to get, so I saw this question and the answer popped right into my head.
The only game I'd like to be presented at Captivate 2011 would be Ace Attorney Investigations 2, the follow up to a series that my fiancée has played so much that she can recite lines like a shakespeare play, or giggle to herself as she remembers a joke about her dearest Edgey-poo.
To present Lindsey with the knowledge of its release date would brighten up both of our days; hers for finally knowing when the game will be grasped in her hands, and mine for finally getting some peace and quiet from the almost constant tirade of "Ask Capcom when AAI2 is getting released!"
So there you go...my dream game at Captivate 2011, and my reasoning why.
For more information on the competition, follow this link: [CLICKY]
Monday, 21 February 2011
Sunday, 20 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Twelve
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Twelve - A Game Everybody Should Play
It took me a few minutes to figure out which game I thought everybody should play. But here it is:
One of only a few games that are directly based on H.P. Lovecraft's weird-fiction, it is by far my favourite. A First Person Shooter with a twist; you spend at least half of the game without a weapon.
Apparently it was meant to be a part of an entire series, but this one was so badly recieved that all plans for the future were dropped. Oddly, however, everybody I've spoken to that has played the game has loved it.
It's got a fairly intriguing storyline, a mixture of several of Lovecraft's best pieces, but the most prominent feature is the gameplay.
The main character is scared of heights, for instance, so every time he nears a ledge he panics and the screen goes blurry. Spend too long at the ledge, and he'll go crazy. Gameplay elements like this crop up all over the place, making the game far more inventive than any other FPS at the time (with the exception, perhaps, of the System Shock series).
The health system is based upon damage of the body parts, much like Fallout 3. If the character breaks his legs, you have to splint them and take pain killers to carry on...don't have splints of pain killers? Yep, you're pretty much screwed, and you can try and walk all you want but it won't get you very far.
There are many more reasons for why everybody should play this game, but I don't want to spoil much, so I'll just leave you with the trailer and move along.
Day Twelve - A Game Everybody Should Play
It took me a few minutes to figure out which game I thought everybody should play. But here it is:
One of only a few games that are directly based on H.P. Lovecraft's weird-fiction, it is by far my favourite. A First Person Shooter with a twist; you spend at least half of the game without a weapon.
Apparently it was meant to be a part of an entire series, but this one was so badly recieved that all plans for the future were dropped. Oddly, however, everybody I've spoken to that has played the game has loved it.
It's got a fairly intriguing storyline, a mixture of several of Lovecraft's best pieces, but the most prominent feature is the gameplay.
The main character is scared of heights, for instance, so every time he nears a ledge he panics and the screen goes blurry. Spend too long at the ledge, and he'll go crazy. Gameplay elements like this crop up all over the place, making the game far more inventive than any other FPS at the time (with the exception, perhaps, of the System Shock series).
The health system is based upon damage of the body parts, much like Fallout 3. If the character breaks his legs, you have to splint them and take pain killers to carry on...don't have splints of pain killers? Yep, you're pretty much screwed, and you can try and walk all you want but it won't get you very far.
There are many more reasons for why everybody should play this game, but I don't want to spoil much, so I'll just leave you with the trailer and move along.
Friday, 18 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Eleven
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Eleven - Gaming System of Choice
This is a ridiculously hard one for me to cover, because I like gaming...not games consoles, thus I see all gaming platforms as having Pros and Cons.
No gaming platform is perfect, and very few have been completely non-functional, they all fit the needs of whoever wants them.
So how do I go about choosing which is my favourite gaming system?
I could, possibly, go by which I have the most games for, but this would be inaccurate. I have many games for the PC, but that's because they are often cheaper. There are many games for each platform that I'd love to get my hands on, but cannot yet afford.
The same applies for which has the most titles that I've enjoyed. I've played many more games than I own, and it's about equal for all of the platforms I've tried out.
Perhaps I should judge by which platform I have played on the most? This option seems like the best I have so far, but does fall prey to the very same problems as above. If I've only got access to certain games, then of course I'll go for the platforms they are available on.
I think, though, that anybody reading this will be getting annoyed at my apparent procrastination over this subject. Why can't I just hurry up and choose a damned platform that I prefer over any other?
So, without any further delay, I'll get it over with and say:
Yeah, I know, I'm cheating again, but asking me to pick just one platform out of the multiple options open to me? That's just cruel.
This is one of the many reasons why I cannot stand Console Specific Fanboys.
Day Eleven - Gaming System of Choice
This is a ridiculously hard one for me to cover, because I like gaming...not games consoles, thus I see all gaming platforms as having Pros and Cons.
No gaming platform is perfect, and very few have been completely non-functional, they all fit the needs of whoever wants them.
So how do I go about choosing which is my favourite gaming system?
I could, possibly, go by which I have the most games for, but this would be inaccurate. I have many games for the PC, but that's because they are often cheaper. There are many games for each platform that I'd love to get my hands on, but cannot yet afford.
The same applies for which has the most titles that I've enjoyed. I've played many more games than I own, and it's about equal for all of the platforms I've tried out.
Perhaps I should judge by which platform I have played on the most? This option seems like the best I have so far, but does fall prey to the very same problems as above. If I've only got access to certain games, then of course I'll go for the platforms they are available on.
I think, though, that anybody reading this will be getting annoyed at my apparent procrastination over this subject. Why can't I just hurry up and choose a damned platform that I prefer over any other?
So, without any further delay, I'll get it over with and say:
Yeah, I know, I'm cheating again, but asking me to pick just one platform out of the multiple options open to me? That's just cruel.
This is one of the many reasons why I cannot stand Console Specific Fanboys.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Ten
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Ten - Best 'Gameplay'
Until very recently, the word 'gameplay' didn't appear in the dictionary, and even now the definition can be rather vague.
Dictionary.com says:
I disagree with the first part...storyline has nothing to do with gameplay, but the second part? I'd say it's mostly right, but is open to a vast number of interpretations.
For instance, it could mean the type of controller you use to play the game, the rules that are expected in how to play the game, the actual controls within the game, etc.
For this blog, and I assume the entire '30 Days' process wherever you may find it, I gather that it means "the videogame that has the best controls."
So, after that little thought, the game I have chosen is:
Heavy Rain, by the creators of Fahrenheit, is a Playstation 3 exclusive that plays more like an interactive movie than the average videogame.
Does this mean it is bad?
A lot of critique surrounding the game focuses on how it is less like what most people consider to be a videogame, and more like a movie. But this is not new, is it?
Think of a Point & Click adventure, or a game like Capcom's Ace Attorney, and you'll soon realise that Heavy Rain is nothing more than a modern Adventure game.
Now why did I choose this game over any others?
Simply put, the use of the Playstation 3's Six-Axis controller is quite unique, along with the general layout for the standard controls you use throughout. Character control is no longer through the D-Pad or the Analogue sticks, but through the triggers.
You move forwards with the triggers, and the analogue stick controls the direction that your characters head is turned. Turn the head to face left, and slowly the character will head left, etc.
Fight sequences, puzzle sequences, chase sequences; all of them have their own unique way of being played or solved, and each time it just feels intuitive and all-round just makes sense.
What about you guys, could you pick better?
Day Ten - Best 'Gameplay'
Until very recently, the word 'gameplay' didn't appear in the dictionary, and even now the definition can be rather vague.
Dictionary.com says:
the plot of a computer or video game or the way that it is played
I disagree with the first part...storyline has nothing to do with gameplay, but the second part? I'd say it's mostly right, but is open to a vast number of interpretations.
For instance, it could mean the type of controller you use to play the game, the rules that are expected in how to play the game, the actual controls within the game, etc.
For this blog, and I assume the entire '30 Days' process wherever you may find it, I gather that it means "the videogame that has the best controls."
So, after that little thought, the game I have chosen is:
Heavy Rain, by the creators of Fahrenheit, is a Playstation 3 exclusive that plays more like an interactive movie than the average videogame.
Does this mean it is bad?
A lot of critique surrounding the game focuses on how it is less like what most people consider to be a videogame, and more like a movie. But this is not new, is it?
Think of a Point & Click adventure, or a game like Capcom's Ace Attorney, and you'll soon realise that Heavy Rain is nothing more than a modern Adventure game.
Now why did I choose this game over any others?
Simply put, the use of the Playstation 3's Six-Axis controller is quite unique, along with the general layout for the standard controls you use throughout. Character control is no longer through the D-Pad or the Analogue sticks, but through the triggers.
You move forwards with the triggers, and the analogue stick controls the direction that your characters head is turned. Turn the head to face left, and slowly the character will head left, etc.
Fight sequences, puzzle sequences, chase sequences; all of them have their own unique way of being played or solved, and each time it just feels intuitive and all-round just makes sense.
What about you guys, could you pick better?
Monday, 14 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Nine
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Nine - Saddest scene
This one was quite hard for me. I mean, I really had to think long and hard about this one.
Very few games have really tugged at my emotions, and I can honestly only think of one game that has really made me feel sad (though there is one other that came close).
So, here's my choice:
Yup, it's Ico again.
So, I don't really need to go into the storyline again. Instead, I'm giving you the ending video. If you have yet to play or complete this game, then do not watch this video.
I cannot stress this enough.
Needless to say, this ending is the saddest scene I have ever witnessed in videogaming.
Honourable Mentions
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the ending. Again, spoilers...but I found it to be quite sad.
This is from Killzone 2. It's less sad than epic, but it was a bit emotional. I never really liked the first game, but the storyline of the second was pretty damned good.
Day Nine - Saddest scene
This one was quite hard for me. I mean, I really had to think long and hard about this one.
Very few games have really tugged at my emotions, and I can honestly only think of one game that has really made me feel sad (though there is one other that came close).
So, here's my choice:
Yup, it's Ico again.
So, I don't really need to go into the storyline again. Instead, I'm giving you the ending video. If you have yet to play or complete this game, then do not watch this video.
I cannot stress this enough.
Needless to say, this ending is the saddest scene I have ever witnessed in videogaming.
Honourable Mentions
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the ending. Again, spoilers...but I found it to be quite sad.
This is from Killzone 2. It's less sad than epic, but it was a bit emotional. I never really liked the first game, but the storyline of the second was pretty damned good.
Sunday, 13 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Eight
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Eight - Best Videogame Soundtrack
Once again, I'm sorry guys, I have to cheat on this entry.
There are two game soundtracks that I can ick out for this, and there's no way I can pick one over the other.
My first choice is unsurprising for anybody that has been paying attention to my previous entries:
Silent Hill 2, by Konami, has a brilliant soundtrack. Composed by Akira Yamaoka, it is yet again one of the many reasons why this game is considered to be not only the best in the series but one of the best games available on the Playstation 2.
The soundtrack is highly emotive, managing to fit in perfectly with what is on screen at the time.
By far the best track is Theme or Laura (reprise):
My second favourite videogame soundtrack is from this game:
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was, believe it or not, my first ever Zelda game. Released for the GameCube in 2003, it was everything I had ever wanted from a fantasy game, it was fun, it looked great, the controls were perfect, great storyline, and one of the best soundtracks I'd heard in years.
Each island within the game had its own theme, and then there were themes for certain characters and locations. Each track perfectly portrayed the mood and feel of each specific item, with one in particular standing out as my favourite of them all:
Brilliant stuff.
So those are my favourite videogame soundtracks, what about yourself?
Day Eight - Best Videogame Soundtrack
Once again, I'm sorry guys, I have to cheat on this entry.
There are two game soundtracks that I can ick out for this, and there's no way I can pick one over the other.
My first choice is unsurprising for anybody that has been paying attention to my previous entries:
Silent Hill 2, by Konami, has a brilliant soundtrack. Composed by Akira Yamaoka, it is yet again one of the many reasons why this game is considered to be not only the best in the series but one of the best games available on the Playstation 2.
The soundtrack is highly emotive, managing to fit in perfectly with what is on screen at the time.
By far the best track is Theme or Laura (reprise):
My second favourite videogame soundtrack is from this game:
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was, believe it or not, my first ever Zelda game. Released for the GameCube in 2003, it was everything I had ever wanted from a fantasy game, it was fun, it looked great, the controls were perfect, great storyline, and one of the best soundtracks I'd heard in years.
Each island within the game had its own theme, and then there were themes for certain characters and locations. Each track perfectly portrayed the mood and feel of each specific item, with one in particular standing out as my favourite of them all:
Brilliant stuff.
So those are my favourite videogame soundtracks, what about yourself?
Saturday, 12 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Seven
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Seven - Favourite Gaming Couple
I don't like the vast majority of romantic couples that appear in videogames, as they always seem quite bland and purely there for fanatics to write fan-fics about. So, instead of that, I've taken this to mean "2 people that spend a lot of time together" or something similar.
With that in mind, I went for a game I've mentioned before. This game wasn't recieved well, but is a bit of a cult hit (with 73 on Metacritic).
This is Jen and Scree from Primal, released in 2003 on the Playstation 2, and they are my favourite gaming couple.
Both characters start off uncertain of eachother, cracking awkward jokes and very much disagreeing with the way eachother goes about things, but by the end of the game as details have been revealed about the characters' histories, they just meld together so perfectly.
If I haven't said it enough already, this game is perfect in so many ways, with the characterisation of these two being one of the bigger points.
Sadly the voice actor for Scree, Andreas Katsulas, passed on just three years after the release of the game. It is unlikely that Sony will ever continue the series from the mild cliffhanger ending, but we can always dream.
This is my favourite gaming couple, how about yours?
Day Seven - Favourite Gaming Couple
I don't like the vast majority of romantic couples that appear in videogames, as they always seem quite bland and purely there for fanatics to write fan-fics about. So, instead of that, I've taken this to mean "2 people that spend a lot of time together" or something similar.
With that in mind, I went for a game I've mentioned before. This game wasn't recieved well, but is a bit of a cult hit (with 73 on Metacritic).
This is Jen and Scree from Primal, released in 2003 on the Playstation 2, and they are my favourite gaming couple.
Both characters start off uncertain of eachother, cracking awkward jokes and very much disagreeing with the way eachother goes about things, but by the end of the game as details have been revealed about the characters' histories, they just meld together so perfectly.
If I haven't said it enough already, this game is perfect in so many ways, with the characterisation of these two being one of the bigger points.
Sadly the voice actor for Scree, Andreas Katsulas, passed on just three years after the release of the game. It is unlikely that Sony will ever continue the series from the mild cliffhanger ending, but we can always dream.
This is my favourite gaming couple, how about yours?
Friday, 11 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Six
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Six - Most Annoying Character
So, there were a fair few characters I could have chosen for this. They were all floating through my head and I just wasn't entirely sure which one to...hang on, my phone is going, be right back.
Oh just fuck off Roman, fuck off and die. Why do you always phone me right in the middle of something?
Look, hey, I'm sorry if it dissappoints you that I can't hang around with you and all of your other friends whenever you feel like some attention, but I'm busy trying to get you out of the damned mess you got yourself into.
Yes, yes, "American Titties" are all nice and good, but how about you wait for me to ring you instead?
*sigh*
I don't care anymore. I just. Don't. Care.
Honourable mentions
Claptrap - I actually got bored of playing Borderlands, to be honest, and one of the most annoying things about it was Claptrap. He's a character I'd love to love...but he's got so few lines that he gets repetitive and annoying.
Sherry Birkin - The daughter of one of my favourite characters happens to be one of the most annoying characters around. If you run too far ahead of her, she stops and sits down...in the middle of a zombie outbreak. ARGH!
So what about you guys? Most annoying character?
Day Six - Most Annoying Character
So, there were a fair few characters I could have chosen for this. They were all floating through my head and I just wasn't entirely sure which one to...hang on, my phone is going, be right back.
Oh just fuck off Roman, fuck off and die. Why do you always phone me right in the middle of something?
Look, hey, I'm sorry if it dissappoints you that I can't hang around with you and all of your other friends whenever you feel like some attention, but I'm busy trying to get you out of the damned mess you got yourself into.
Yes, yes, "American Titties" are all nice and good, but how about you wait for me to ring you instead?
*sigh*
I don't care anymore. I just. Don't. Care.
Honourable mentions
Claptrap - I actually got bored of playing Borderlands, to be honest, and one of the most annoying things about it was Claptrap. He's a character I'd love to love...but he's got so few lines that he gets repetitive and annoying.
Sherry Birkin - The daughter of one of my favourite characters happens to be one of the most annoying characters around. If you run too far ahead of her, she stops and sits down...in the middle of a zombie outbreak. ARGH!
So what about you guys? Most annoying character?
Thursday, 10 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Five
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Five - Game character you feel you are most like (or wish you were)
I spent a lot of time thinking over this, and there aren't honestly any characters that I can think of for either possibility (are like me, or I want to be).
So I decided to focus on a character that shared one quality with me, and this is what I thought:
For those of you that don't recognise where this is from, this is a screenshot from the cult-hit Playstation 2 title ICO.
My main reason for choosing this game? Ico (the boy with horns) is put in an unknown and dangerous situation, where he meets a strane girl (Yorda). Randomly, for no reason other than it being the right thing to do, he releases her.
Upon being released, it becomes clear that the same force that was waiting for Ico to snuff it is also keeping tabs on this girl.
Ico and Yorda work together to attempt to escape the ancient castle they are trapped in, all the while faced with the overwhelming feeling that they could fail at any time.
By the way, spoilers ahead for anybody that cares.
Towards the end of the game, Ico and Yorda are split up. Just as they are about to escape, something happens to stop them from doing so, Yorda is captured, and Ico plummets down a cliff-face and into unknown territory.
At this point, Ico could easily just turn away and find his own way out. Forget about Yorda.
But what does he do? He keeps going, finds his way back into the castle, and tries his best to save Yorda.
The ending is horrificly upsetting, but also heartwarming and completely worth it.
Play again for a second time and it's even better.
Why do I make the claim that Ico and myself share a specific personality trait?
I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic, and I'd like to think that in a similar situation I'd do the same. I already do everything I can to make sure my fiancee is happy, and I would be more than willing to give up what I have to make her happy.
I'm rambling a bit now, but basically that's the similarity I want to focus on, my willingness to go the extra mile to help others out.
What about you guys?
Day Five - Game character you feel you are most like (or wish you were)
I spent a lot of time thinking over this, and there aren't honestly any characters that I can think of for either possibility (are like me, or I want to be).
So I decided to focus on a character that shared one quality with me, and this is what I thought:
For those of you that don't recognise where this is from, this is a screenshot from the cult-hit Playstation 2 title ICO.
My main reason for choosing this game? Ico (the boy with horns) is put in an unknown and dangerous situation, where he meets a strane girl (Yorda). Randomly, for no reason other than it being the right thing to do, he releases her.
Upon being released, it becomes clear that the same force that was waiting for Ico to snuff it is also keeping tabs on this girl.
Ico and Yorda work together to attempt to escape the ancient castle they are trapped in, all the while faced with the overwhelming feeling that they could fail at any time.
By the way, spoilers ahead for anybody that cares.
Towards the end of the game, Ico and Yorda are split up. Just as they are about to escape, something happens to stop them from doing so, Yorda is captured, and Ico plummets down a cliff-face and into unknown territory.
At this point, Ico could easily just turn away and find his own way out. Forget about Yorda.
But what does he do? He keeps going, finds his way back into the castle, and tries his best to save Yorda.
The ending is horrificly upsetting, but also heartwarming and completely worth it.
Play again for a second time and it's even better.
Why do I make the claim that Ico and myself share a specific personality trait?
I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic, and I'd like to think that in a similar situation I'd do the same. I already do everything I can to make sure my fiancee is happy, and I would be more than willing to give up what I have to make her happy.
I'm rambling a bit now, but basically that's the similarity I want to focus on, my willingness to go the extra mile to help others out.
What about you guys?
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Four
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Four - My Guilty Pleasure Game
I have no need to cheat for this one. I've known which game would appear here since I read the list.
My guilty pleasure is no secret to those that truly know me, but I cannot help but admit that this game is amazing fun:
I bought this game not long after it came out, it was a Christmas present for my then girlfriend. Well, turns out I'd enjoy it more and actually spent more time playing than she did, and even managed to complete it before she did.
It was nice, for once, to play a game that was just fun, you know?
You literally just roll around as Helloy Kitty, battling block-like enemies with your wand, and occasionally fight a boss. You even get to unlock new outfits for Hello Kitty, and profiles of all her friends.
It's lighthearted, clearly intended for children, but I found it fun.
It is my guilty pleasure...what's yours?
Day Four - My Guilty Pleasure Game
I have no need to cheat for this one. I've known which game would appear here since I read the list.
My guilty pleasure is no secret to those that truly know me, but I cannot help but admit that this game is amazing fun:
I bought this game not long after it came out, it was a Christmas present for my then girlfriend. Well, turns out I'd enjoy it more and actually spent more time playing than she did, and even managed to complete it before she did.
It was nice, for once, to play a game that was just fun, you know?
You literally just roll around as Helloy Kitty, battling block-like enemies with your wand, and occasionally fight a boss. You even get to unlock new outfits for Hello Kitty, and profiles of all her friends.
It's lighthearted, clearly intended for children, but I found it fun.
It is my guilty pleasure...what's yours?
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming - Day Three
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, for my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Three - A Game That is Underrated
There are so many that I could list here today, but I decided that I cheated yesterday so should make an effort to just note one game that I think is criminally underrated.
My choice for this game?
None other than...
ObsCure by name, obscure by nature.
Created by a French development studio, ObsCure is an excellent near-parody of Teen Horror movies. Set in a school after hours, a group of students are caught up in a massive conspiracy involving several members of staff and...some weird looking plant things.
The game made several new steps for the survival horror genre that have mostly been ignored since. Steps that really shouldn't be ignored.
Enemies were harmed by light, and eventually it was possible to combine torches with your weapons to create more powerful weapons. Similar to what was introduced in Alone in the Dark: A New Nightmare, but vastly improved upon.
The best two features were the ability to play as all 8 main characters throughout the game. You could swap and change at any given point (by heading back to the main hub and actively talking to other characters), always having control of 2 characters.
Depending on who survives the game, the ending changes to reflect which characters are still alive.
The best part of the game was the introduction of a second player, a first for the survival horror genre. Just plug in a second controller and away you go. It had a few issues, sure, but it was a step in the right direction.
The game was well made, with good controls, and it even had an interesting setting & storyline. It was meant to be cheesy, and it managed to pull it off without coming across as goofy or childish. Each character was unique and even possessed unique abilities that could help in certain situations (one was good at lock picking, another strong with melee weapons, etc).
Despite how underrated the title is, there was a sequel released , ObsCure 2. Sadly, I haven't had the chance to play the title, but have been wanting to for many years.
I doubt it'll truly live up to the greatness that was the first game, but I can't imagine it being too awful.
ObsCure is a game I can recommend for anybody that wants to try out something new, innovative, creative, and entertaining.
Honourable Mentions
Ok, cheating a little bit. There are still a few other games that I'd love to briefly mention.
Primal for the Playstation 2 was a brilliant Action Adventure RPG-esque game about multiple-dimensions that have been brought out of balance by a war between two gods. It's got a Heavy Metal theme, and a strong, independant, and attractive female lead character. It was the first in a planned series that sold so badly it was soon scrapped. The voice-actor for the secondary character also died several years after release, so I don't think a re-launch to the series would be very good without the guy.
Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. It's a long winded name, and it sounds quite rude when you think about it, but it was still a good game. You play a graffitti artist trying to make a name for himself in a future that has been turned into a Police State. One of the best ways to fight back is by tagging or painting over their propaganda. It was a mix between Grand Theft Auto, Prince of Persia, and that DreamCast game about graffitti (I want to say Jet Set Radio?). It sounds a bit naff, but the storyline is brilliant, as is the gameplay. Oh, and the soundtrack is superb.
Forbidden Siren, otherwise known as Siren in America, is a Japanese Survival Horror that scares the bejeezus out of me. Typical Japanese style, they decided to make it as hard as possible (made even harder for the second game, then eased off for the relaunch on the PS3), by introducing enemies that cannot be killed and forcing you to play as characters that cannot see, or cannot fight, etc. Despite its many shortcomings, it is a brilliant Survival Horror title, and vastly overlooked for the much easier to play Resident Evil or Silent Hill games.
Well, that's me done for today. What about you guys? Most underrated game? Or games?
Let me know!
Day Three - A Game That is Underrated
There are so many that I could list here today, but I decided that I cheated yesterday so should make an effort to just note one game that I think is criminally underrated.
My choice for this game?
None other than...
ObsCure by name, obscure by nature.
Created by a French development studio, ObsCure is an excellent near-parody of Teen Horror movies. Set in a school after hours, a group of students are caught up in a massive conspiracy involving several members of staff and...some weird looking plant things.
The game made several new steps for the survival horror genre that have mostly been ignored since. Steps that really shouldn't be ignored.
Enemies were harmed by light, and eventually it was possible to combine torches with your weapons to create more powerful weapons. Similar to what was introduced in Alone in the Dark: A New Nightmare, but vastly improved upon.
The best two features were the ability to play as all 8 main characters throughout the game. You could swap and change at any given point (by heading back to the main hub and actively talking to other characters), always having control of 2 characters.
Depending on who survives the game, the ending changes to reflect which characters are still alive.
The best part of the game was the introduction of a second player, a first for the survival horror genre. Just plug in a second controller and away you go. It had a few issues, sure, but it was a step in the right direction.
The game was well made, with good controls, and it even had an interesting setting & storyline. It was meant to be cheesy, and it managed to pull it off without coming across as goofy or childish. Each character was unique and even possessed unique abilities that could help in certain situations (one was good at lock picking, another strong with melee weapons, etc).
Despite how underrated the title is, there was a sequel released , ObsCure 2. Sadly, I haven't had the chance to play the title, but have been wanting to for many years.
I doubt it'll truly live up to the greatness that was the first game, but I can't imagine it being too awful.
ObsCure is a game I can recommend for anybody that wants to try out something new, innovative, creative, and entertaining.
Honourable Mentions
Ok, cheating a little bit. There are still a few other games that I'd love to briefly mention.
Primal for the Playstation 2 was a brilliant Action Adventure RPG-esque game about multiple-dimensions that have been brought out of balance by a war between two gods. It's got a Heavy Metal theme, and a strong, independant, and attractive female lead character. It was the first in a planned series that sold so badly it was soon scrapped. The voice-actor for the secondary character also died several years after release, so I don't think a re-launch to the series would be very good without the guy.
Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. It's a long winded name, and it sounds quite rude when you think about it, but it was still a good game. You play a graffitti artist trying to make a name for himself in a future that has been turned into a Police State. One of the best ways to fight back is by tagging or painting over their propaganda. It was a mix between Grand Theft Auto, Prince of Persia, and that DreamCast game about graffitti (I want to say Jet Set Radio?). It sounds a bit naff, but the storyline is brilliant, as is the gameplay. Oh, and the soundtrack is superb.
Forbidden Siren, otherwise known as Siren in America, is a Japanese Survival Horror that scares the bejeezus out of me. Typical Japanese style, they decided to make it as hard as possible (made even harder for the second game, then eased off for the relaunch on the PS3), by introducing enemies that cannot be killed and forcing you to play as characters that cannot see, or cannot fight, etc. Despite its many shortcomings, it is a brilliant Survival Horror title, and vastly overlooked for the much easier to play Resident Evil or Silent Hill games.
Well, that's me done for today. What about you guys? Most underrated game? Or games?
Let me know!
Monday, 7 February 2011
Thorpe Park 'Haunting'
An apparent haunting at Thorpe Park forces a planned ride to move location...
I hate to be covering this, but there's just so little room in a Facebook or Twitter update to fully convey my amazement at something like this being true.
I mean, I really hope it isn't because I can't find it on Reuters (thankfully) so it could just be something that was quickly churned out by one paper and spread like wildfire.
Anyway, let's get onto the main stuff here shall we?
Here's a Google News search for the story: [CLICKY]
And here's the article I'll be mostly refering to: [CLICKY]
So, workers at a construction site for a new attraction at Thorpe Park have apparently been experiencing some strange phenomena. According to Sky News:
There are 3 ways you can deal with a situation like this:
1 - Tell the workers to grow up. At this point you run the risk of offending your workers if they seriously hold the belief that they are being haunted, and in this day and age we all know that offending your workers beliefs can lead to massive financial loss on the part of a company.
2 - Get a Scientific team in. At this point, you're pandering to the beliefs of your workers, but you're doing it with an un-biased and objective group, they will go over the evidence and reveal their results. It may or may not be effective in convincing the workers, but would probably work out cheaper than being sued or by moving the entire construction location and delaying construction by a number of days.
3 - Call in Ghost Hunters. This is possibly the worst option. You're pandering to the beliefs of your workers, you're using a heavily biased group to provide what they consider evidence (photographs of dust, funny feelings, and wiggling a piece of plastic around on a board), and you're spending even more money.
Guess which one they went with?
So, here's the end result:
- Thorpe Park Bosses have to spend money on delays to the construction of their new attraction.
- Thorpe Park Bosses have to pay for a group of Ghost Hunters to check out the area, and "confirm" the fears of the workers.
- Thorpe Park Bosses have to pay for a Forensics Team to come in and check out the original location, and no doubt check out the new location.
Do you know how they could've saved most of this money?
Well, you tell me...what exactly is the difference between a Forensics Team, and
Exactly...
But money issues aside...why did this go this far anyway? Why did nobody sit the workers down and explain reality to them? Why, after doing this, did they not just ignore the rest and tell them to get back on with their work?
Have we really come to a point in our society, a point that many might consider full-circle back to the Bronze Age, where construction work (infact, any work) is delayed by FEAR. OF. GHOSTS?
I hate to be covering this, but there's just so little room in a Facebook or Twitter update to fully convey my amazement at something like this being true.
I mean, I really hope it isn't because I can't find it on Reuters (thankfully) so it could just be something that was quickly churned out by one paper and spread like wildfire.
Anyway, let's get onto the main stuff here shall we?
Here's a Google News search for the story: [CLICKY]
And here's the article I'll be mostly refering to: [CLICKY]
So, workers at a construction site for a new attraction at Thorpe Park have apparently been experiencing some strange phenomena. According to Sky News:
Staff building the water ride at Thorpe Park said they had encounted several strange phenomena, including what appeared to be a headless monk.
There were reports of objects being moved, workers feeling like someone was watching over their shoulders and sudden cold feelings being experienced.
There are 3 ways you can deal with a situation like this:
1 - Tell the workers to grow up. At this point you run the risk of offending your workers if they seriously hold the belief that they are being haunted, and in this day and age we all know that offending your workers beliefs can lead to massive financial loss on the part of a company.
2 - Get a Scientific team in. At this point, you're pandering to the beliefs of your workers, but you're doing it with an un-biased and objective group, they will go over the evidence and reveal their results. It may or may not be effective in convincing the workers, but would probably work out cheaper than being sued or by moving the entire construction location and delaying construction by a number of days.
3 - Call in Ghost Hunters. This is possibly the worst option. You're pandering to the beliefs of your workers, you're using a heavily biased group to provide what they consider evidence (photographs of dust, funny feelings, and wiggling a piece of plastic around on a board), and you're spending even more money.
Guess which one they went with?
A paranormal detection agency was called in by park bosses to carry out tests and found that an ancient burial ground or settlement could have been disturbed.
Managers at the theme park decided to relocate the ride to another area and also called in a forensic team to carry out further investigations.
So, here's the end result:
- Thorpe Park Bosses have to spend money on delays to the construction of their new attraction.
- Thorpe Park Bosses have to pay for a group of Ghost Hunters to check out the area, and "confirm" the fears of the workers.
- Thorpe Park Bosses have to pay for a Forensics Team to come in and check out the original location, and no doubt check out the new location.
Do you know how they could've saved most of this money?
Well, you tell me...what exactly is the difference between a Forensics Team, and
?
2 - Get a Scientific team in.
Exactly...
But money issues aside...why did this go this far anyway? Why did nobody sit the workers down and explain reality to them? Why, after doing this, did they not just ignore the rest and tell them to get back on with their work?
Have we really come to a point in our society, a point that many might consider full-circle back to the Bronze Age, where construction work (infact, any work) is delayed by FEAR. OF. GHOSTS?
30 Days of Gaming - Day Two
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, so my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day Two - Your Favourite Character
I've taken this one to mean any character that appears in any game, not just a main-playable character, which opens the field up to so many possibilities.
I've spent most of my life playing videogames, so I've gotten to know so many well developed characters (and quite a large number of shockingly under-devloped characters), so this one is very hard for me to decide.
Because of this, I have decided to narrow it down to my Top Five Videogame Characters. I know this is cheating, but it makes it easier for me, and gives me a chance to show you the varying games that I am a fan of.
So, here goes (these are, by the way, in no particular order. They are just Five characters that I think are the best).
James Sunderland - Silent Hill 2
The only main character I'm picking for this, because there's no way I cannot bring this guy up. Silent Hill 2 is often cited as being one of the best games of it's generation, and the effort put into creating the characters is one of the reasons behind this.
Without spoiling too much of the storyline for the game, James is heavily fleshed out by notes found throughout the game, the world itself, and the other characters and enemies that he encounters.
With a shocking twist at the end, James is revealed to be a surprisingly well thought out and developed character.
Urdnot Wrex - Mass Effect
Who wouldn't love this guy?
Wrex is a badass...but a badass with a heart. Ok, yeah, that heart is deep within a body encased in thick scales and exceedingly tough armour, but it's there somewhere.
For my playthrough of Mass Effect, I got to know Wrex better than any other Human in the galaxy, taking the time to unlock the mysteries of his personality.
Underneath all the machismo is...more anger and violence than any human could truly understand, but also a degree of intelligence that lends a certain degree of honour to his character.
If you took that option towards the end of the first game,you are truly heartless.
William Birkin - Resident Evil 2 & Resident Evil 0
William Birkin was probably my first favourite bit-character. I don't really know why...I just liked him.
He's devoted to his work, devoted to knowledge, and somewhat devoted to his family.
He only appears briefly throughout the Resident Evil series, and even then he's only a human for about 1/4 of that time, but Capcom have managed to flesh him out just that little bit with files and reports.
A child prodigy, he was working for Umbrella Corporation by the age of 16, and his time there was spent perfecting the T-virus and discovering the entirely new G-virus.
There have been rumours since the end of Resident Evil 2 that he may return one day, as Albert Wesker may have stolen a sample of his corpse, but these rumours have yet to be proven true.
Challus Mercer - Dead Space
A lot of people won't recognise this guy, as he appears only briefly in Dead Space, but I really liked how crazy he was...
He's a Untilogist and a Doctor, someone that spent far too much time studying The Marker, and he likes to spend his time in the game making your life a misery.
His end is messy, but it's not at your hands...
G-Man - Half Life
And finally, a recognisable face for most people that are interested in gaming.
The G-Man is the myserious puppet master of the Half Life series, making an appearance in every game so far.
Throughout the first game, you spot him in various odd areas that leave you questioning his intentions and his possible power, and then you get to the end.
He's the 'man' pulling the strings, and we still don't quite no why. Heck, we don't even know who or what he is.
Hopefully Valve will make an announcement soon on Episode 3, and we can finally get some answers about this guy!
So that's my Top Five videogame characters. There are more I could've listed, but I felt that these were the main five that I like the most.
So what about you guys, can you list just the one? Who is it? Or, who are they?
Day Two - Your Favourite Character
I've taken this one to mean any character that appears in any game, not just a main-playable character, which opens the field up to so many possibilities.
I've spent most of my life playing videogames, so I've gotten to know so many well developed characters (and quite a large number of shockingly under-devloped characters), so this one is very hard for me to decide.
Because of this, I have decided to narrow it down to my Top Five Videogame Characters. I know this is cheating, but it makes it easier for me, and gives me a chance to show you the varying games that I am a fan of.
So, here goes (these are, by the way, in no particular order. They are just Five characters that I think are the best).
James Sunderland - Silent Hill 2
The only main character I'm picking for this, because there's no way I cannot bring this guy up. Silent Hill 2 is often cited as being one of the best games of it's generation, and the effort put into creating the characters is one of the reasons behind this.
Without spoiling too much of the storyline for the game, James is heavily fleshed out by notes found throughout the game, the world itself, and the other characters and enemies that he encounters.
With a shocking twist at the end, James is revealed to be a surprisingly well thought out and developed character.
Urdnot Wrex - Mass Effect
Who wouldn't love this guy?
Wrex is a badass...but a badass with a heart. Ok, yeah, that heart is deep within a body encased in thick scales and exceedingly tough armour, but it's there somewhere.
For my playthrough of Mass Effect, I got to know Wrex better than any other Human in the galaxy, taking the time to unlock the mysteries of his personality.
Underneath all the machismo is...more anger and violence than any human could truly understand, but also a degree of intelligence that lends a certain degree of honour to his character.
If you took that option towards the end of the first game,you are truly heartless.
William Birkin - Resident Evil 2 & Resident Evil 0
William Birkin was probably my first favourite bit-character. I don't really know why...I just liked him.
He's devoted to his work, devoted to knowledge, and somewhat devoted to his family.
He only appears briefly throughout the Resident Evil series, and even then he's only a human for about 1/4 of that time, but Capcom have managed to flesh him out just that little bit with files and reports.
A child prodigy, he was working for Umbrella Corporation by the age of 16, and his time there was spent perfecting the T-virus and discovering the entirely new G-virus.
There have been rumours since the end of Resident Evil 2 that he may return one day, as Albert Wesker may have stolen a sample of his corpse, but these rumours have yet to be proven true.
Challus Mercer - Dead Space
A lot of people won't recognise this guy, as he appears only briefly in Dead Space, but I really liked how crazy he was...
He's a Untilogist and a Doctor, someone that spent far too much time studying The Marker, and he likes to spend his time in the game making your life a misery.
His end is messy, but it's not at your hands...
G-Man - Half Life
And finally, a recognisable face for most people that are interested in gaming.
The G-Man is the myserious puppet master of the Half Life series, making an appearance in every game so far.
Throughout the first game, you spot him in various odd areas that leave you questioning his intentions and his possible power, and then you get to the end.
He's the 'man' pulling the strings, and we still don't quite no why. Heck, we don't even know who or what he is.
Hopefully Valve will make an announcement soon on Episode 3, and we can finally get some answers about this guy!
So that's my Top Five videogame characters. There are more I could've listed, but I felt that these were the main five that I like the most.
So what about you guys, can you list just the one? Who is it? Or, who are they?
Sunday, 6 February 2011
30 Days of Gaming
So there's this thing going around on facebook at the moment, where you post a picture a day that fits within a specific theme. I've chosen, so my first 30 Days, to go with Gaming.
Day One - Your First Videogame
This one is a bit of a guess for me. I have fleeting memories of playing various un-named games at a very early age, on both the Commodore 64 and the ZX-Spectrum.
I had the added help of having a mother that was capable of programming games for me to play, so this meant I got to lay my hands on games that were only available through buying specific magazines.
But the one that sticks in my memory, that stands out as my first memorable gaming experience, is this:
The Hobbit text adventure was great, though it is very clearly a dated game, I mean just look at it:
I'm not one to focus on graphics, don't get me wrong, but this is very clearly an old game.
Released in 1982, it mostly follows what happens in the book...but given that it is a "choose your own adventure" style game, it can verge off of the beaten path.
I'm pretty sure that this is the game that got me so obsessed with Point & Click Adventures like Broken Sword, Monkey Island, etc.
That was my first game, and a bit of a hint at future titles that may appear over the next 30 Days. What about you guys? What was your first game?
Day One - Your First Videogame
This one is a bit of a guess for me. I have fleeting memories of playing various un-named games at a very early age, on both the Commodore 64 and the ZX-Spectrum.
I had the added help of having a mother that was capable of programming games for me to play, so this meant I got to lay my hands on games that were only available through buying specific magazines.
But the one that sticks in my memory, that stands out as my first memorable gaming experience, is this:
The Hobbit text adventure was great, though it is very clearly a dated game, I mean just look at it:
I'm not one to focus on graphics, don't get me wrong, but this is very clearly an old game.
Released in 1982, it mostly follows what happens in the book...but given that it is a "choose your own adventure" style game, it can verge off of the beaten path.
I'm pretty sure that this is the game that got me so obsessed with Point & Click Adventures like Broken Sword, Monkey Island, etc.
That was my first game, and a bit of a hint at future titles that may appear over the next 30 Days. What about you guys? What was your first game?
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