Ranting and Raving about everything from Entertainment to Gadgetry. Official blog of Vinny "Gamings Nirvana" Parisi

Friday, April 29, 2011

Random Ramblings: With Truth, Justice and the Adopted Kryptonian(?) Way Comes Great Responsibility... and Cake!

It's a great few months for comic book milestone achievements, with each of the two major juggernauts in the industry making a splash in the news.  DC Comics has recently released Action Comics #900 featuring Superman, while Marvel is putting the finishing touches on Ultimate Spider-Man #160 due to hit store shelves in June. 

At least he's not faking a Giant Squid attack to get the World's attention
The controversial Action Comics #900 is on everyone's mind because part of the story focuses on Superman's decision to renounce his U.S. citizenship.  A bold move for sure, but is this a political statement?  Or is it simply the natural, and frankly long time coming, character progression of an Icon who symbolizes hope for so many across the globe?  Honestly, I've always felt awkward having the Man of Steel's motto be "Truth, Justice and the American way."  I understand what it was supposed to represent back in the day during Superman's creation, but the times they are a changing.  Plus, with Superman having long since becoming a symbolic hero across countries the world over, it seems only fair that he would feel the need to show that he is a beacon of hope for all and not simply an instrument of the U.S. and their government's perception of good.  The point of Superman has always been that, even though he is an Alien from another planet, he represents the best qualities humanity has to offer; An ideal which does not belong to any country in particular.

"Not A Dry Eye In The House." 'Nuff Said.
Let's now shift focus to the Marvel side of things.  The variant cover for Ultimate Spider-Man #160, better known as the Death of Spider-Man finale, has officially been unveiled.  Illustrated by Joe Quesada, if this beautifully elegant art doesn't pull at your heart strings, you're probably devoid of emotion entirely.  Obviously the picture is of Peter and Uncle Ben walking off toward what I'm going to imagine is one of Heaven's many premiere fishing spots.  While I've never been a huge fan of the Ultimate Universe, this is certainly the most respectful and powerfully meaningful way to send off everyone's favorite webbed wonder.  This is definitely one to pick up, whether you're a fan of the series or not.

Valve: Microsoft, I think we can put our differences aside, for free DLC... you monster
On an unrelated matter, as I seem to typically end these posts (hence the "Random Rambling" aspect,) Valve announced today that the first DLC for Portal 2 will be available in the summer.  More importantly, at least for my wallet anyway, they announced it will be free across all platforms.  That's right, somehow Valve managed to convince Micro$oft that they should NOT bend us over and violate our bottoms for a change.  Honestly, it's probably just because Portal is available on PS3 as well, as opposed to the Left for Dead fiasco which was an Xbox 360 exclusive in terms of consoles.  Either way, this awesome news gets the first ever "Velvet Vinny's Seal of Approval" which will only be given out for acts of extreme amazingness.  Congratulations Valve, this is most certainly a triumph for which I'll be making a note of: Huge Success!  It is proving quite difficult to overstate my satisfactio... Okay I'll stop.  Seriously though, thanks for loving your fans.  It is genuinely appreciated.  Maybe one day you could come by and have some cake.  It's so delicious and moist... Alright I'm done.       

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Breaking News: The Marvel Universe MMO is happening!

Live from an event in San Francisco, Marvel has officially released details concerning the highly anticipated Marvel Universe MMO.  While the game isn't due out until 2012 there were a few key announcements made tonight:

First, and probably most importantly, it will be Free-To-Play.  That's right, F2P.  But before you facepalm and roll your eyes, Marvel has said, "This is the first high quality, high production value F2P game like this."  Brian Bendis, speaking live on from Marvel.com in a post conference interview, has said that the game is using a new engine and new technology that will blow fans away.
The Marvel Universe MMO will feature the largest character lineup to date
At launch, the game will feature more characters then ever previously available in a Marvel title.  These characters range from the obvious: Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, and Spider-Man down to the questionable and strange: Squirrel Girl.  Fans will be ecstatic to know that Nova has also been announced as a playable character, with many more to be revealed throughout the year.

As of right now, the game is only being developed for PC.  Specifically, Marvel has said via Twitter that, "PC is the only platform we're announcing for the #MarvelU #MMO at this time."  I will choose to keep my fingers crossed for a console release.

The game will pull storylines from across Marvel material: Including 616 comic elements, as well as various games and animation.  There will also be additional story arcs exclusively written for the MMO.  Brian Michael Bendis is in charge of writing the story, which focuses on Doctor Doom's latest scheme for total domination. 

The Marvel MMO will allow players to choose Marvel characters and interact in a multiplayer environment to cooperatively complete events.  In addition, each character will have his own story events to complete which will give gamers the chance to craft their own continuity.

Locations have yet to be announced, but it is assumed NYC, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and Latveria will be available among others.  I'm personally hoping for Atlantis and Asgard to be in the game. 

Any updates announced within the next few days will be posted as they develop.  Keep it here for the latest Marvel Universe MMO news!

   

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Random Ramblings: 'Tis a lovely Voice thou doth have. Doth thee hail from Westchester?

It's almost the end of April, which means May is nearly here (obviously...) What would otherwise be a totally unforgettable time of the year, suck it Mother's Day and your Hallmark Holiday greed, this May happens to be a very exciting time for nerds.  Next Friday is the U.S. release of Thor and while a select few Australian Jerkwads have already been treated to a premiere, seething jealousy be damned, I could not be more excited to midnight matinee this bad boy.  Everything I've seen and read (considering I own a copy of the script) makes this look to be the summer blockbuster to beat.  Green Lantern better be ready for a old fashioned prize fight punch-out.  Everything from the VFX, to the dialogue and atmosphere, down to the general tone of the film all look absolutely magnificent.  I've got a good feeling about this one.
"How darest Fast Five beat thee Mighty Thor at thy own Australian Box Office"
On another note, and I can't believe I'm saying this, the latest international trailer for X-Men: First Class debuted today and it looks... incredible?  I know, I was shocked too.  How could this have happened?  All of the pieces were in place for another train wreck of a film.  Fox producing? Check. Thorough butchering of the source material? Mega-Check.  Rushed shooting schedule?  Like you wouldn't believe.  Yet, after seeing Michael Fassbender wrap a a handful of Cuban soldiers in makeshift barbed wire nets and send them tumbling down a hill, I can't help but feel giddy with anticipation.  Sure the name blasphemously claims to take ownership of the First Class mythos.  But really, when were we ever, EVER going to get the chance to see characters like Havoc, Banshee, and Darwin appear in an Live-Action film without it being a reboot?  Never.  At least this way they have some time to screw with the timeline and introduce the actual members somewhere down the line in what I'm sure will end up being a new trilogy for the franchise. 
Seriously, what's with the helmet?? Is it an antagonist, central to the plot?
James McAvoy is also looking extremely awesome as Charles Xavier and I am very excited to see how he and Erik build the X-Men legacy together, including the school and of course Cerebro.  I find it funny that the marketing team is making such an obviously big deal out of Magneto's helmet.  Sure it looks cool, but with all the focus on Fassbender in these past couple trailers I'm starting to think maybe X-Men Origins: Magneto wasn't canned after all and we're all being duped into thinking this film has something to do with any other characters.  While I'm convinced his will be the standout performance, let's please not forget to give Mystique, Emma Frost, and Beast ample time to be awesome.

Finally, going from the silver screen down to the small screen, last night was the premiere of NBC's new singing competition The Voice.  The basic premise is that four of the industry's greatest performers: Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, and Blake Shelton each pick 8 American hopefuls to personally coach.  Each week they must then eliminate the team member they feel is the least improved.  The catch is that when initially selecting their teams they must listen to the contestants sing during a blind performance, meaning the judges can't see whoever is on stage singing.  It's supposed to prove that the show really is all about "The Voice" and that looks aren't important to the process.

As far as premieres go, I thought it had a strong first episode.  The audition episodes are always fun to watch, and while a few people were turned away, I have to say the level of talent is impressive.  I don't really enjoy watching most singing competitions, that A Capella one hosted by Nick Lachey is probably the only one I'll stomach due to my choir boy background, but the chemistry between the judges was enjoyable and entertaining.  Christina and Adam have already developed a mini-rivalry, with Adam stealing away most of the contestants Christina wanted to recruit by buttering them up with compliments.  (If more than one judge wants to recruit a contestant, the contestant gets to choose who they train with.)  I'm also a big fan of Cee Lo's personality in general, he's just a funny dude.  Altogether, I'd say it's worth checking out if you need a break from Idol but still crave that singing competition fix.  It won't disappoint.             

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Random Ramblings: I've never liked Reunions, but then again they're not as bad as Sony...

Let's just get straight into the heart of this.  I'm pissed, and so is the rest of the gaming community.  No, it's not because Portal 2 isn't long enough; cause let's be honest, that game could've been a million hours long and we'd still demand more GLADOS.  It's because for the past six days now all of the personal information that makes up my online identity has been compromised, and I wasn't informed about it.
It only does apathy, because they couldn't care less about the customers.
 How could this be possible, you ask?  Well, my dearest of anonymous readers, it would seem that six days is how long it takes for one of the biggest industry leaders in the entertainment business to realize what the F**K happened to their online network.  Sony's Playstation Network, PSN, has been down since last week.  When it first happened there was absolutely no information coming out of "The Big S."  It took until this past Saturday to give gamers an arbitrary statement about how Sony had elected to shut down the PSN on it's own to investigate a possible "External intrusion." Now, six days later, Sony has given gamers everywhere the most frightening kind of news an internet user can received: There personal information has been compromised.  The list of information stolen includes
- Name
- Address (City, State, Zip)
- Country
- Email Address
- Birthdate
- Playstation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN Online ID

Aside from the obvious feelings of WTF, I'd like to ask why exactly the public wasn't informed as soon as there was any potential of personal data being compromised.  I realize it is in the best interest of Sony to not cause a PR nightmare, but not telling anyone until this late in the game doesn't really seem to be causing any less of a problem.  I don't really care whether or not it's good for profits to handle this type of situation correctly, if my information is being passed around willy-nilly to ne'er do wells I'd want to know A.S.A.P. so I can protect myself.  Honestly it begs the question, in my best AVGN impression, "What the HELL were they thinking???"  This situation could not have been more poorly handled, and it's a shame because we're talking about 70 million people who will be affected by this.  Microsoft better be paying a Sherlock Holmes level of attention to this, because this kind of crap won't fly in the future.

*Update- U.S. Senator of Connecticut Richard Blumenthal has issued a statement to Sony demanding some answers.  To which I'd like to add, "Damn Straight, Son!" 

On a totally unrelated and more lighthearted note, the Gametrailers series Video Game Reunion is getting better with each passing week.  It took until this last episode, number 10 of the first season, to actually become a show worth watching.  If you haven't heard, the basic premise is of a video game reunion panel at "E4" featuring the real-life actors who have video games based off of them (i.e. Mario, Link/Zelda, Mega Man, etc.) It is shot in the style of a reality TV show. 

VGV fully embraces it's own ridiculousness








While it got off to a rocky start, VGV's constant commitment to outdo itself with over-the-top shenanigans and substantial fanservice makes it worth the 7-10 minutes it takes to watch each episode.  I recommend checking it out if your either a gamer, or just a nerd in general.  There are of course some standout performances, Luigi, Lil' P, and Mega Man to name a few, but the overall cast slowly grows on you until you crave for more story arcs to pan out and better jokes to be delivered.  Make sure to watch April O'Neil's newscast and read the information ticker on the bottom, it is a source of guaranteed amusement.  That's all for now folks, but check back soon for my reviews of Crysis 2 and Portal 2 in addition to the usual sillyness.        

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

First Impressions: Sonic Generations

It's been about 24 hours since the first gameplay trailer for Sonic Generations debuted and I've taken some time to process and carefully consider what exactly it is Sega is offering the fans for this historic 20-year Anniversary.  While it may not be the brand new experience I was initially hoping for, what we could potentially be getting is one of the best "Thank You" presents any company in the industry has ever offered their fans.

From the trailer, two things are made perfectly clear:  1) That Generations will be a spiced-up repackaging of some of Sonic's most popular stages of all time and 2) That gamers will be given the freedom to decide how they want to enjoy the game.

For those who've been bitten by the nostalgia bug, there is the choice to play as Classic Sonic.  This means speeding through levels from a 2-D perspective as the camera pans and zooms to highlight the most cinematic moments.  These 2-D levels will be a collection franchise-favorite stages, such as the immortal Green Hill Zone, and will be given an entirely fresh coat of 3-D paint complete with lively backgrounds.  Watching Classic Sonic jump and Spin Dash his way through old-school baddies such as Crabmeat is certainly a sight for sore eyes.  While the different Zones won't be pixel-for-pixel recreations of the originals, they will certainly pay their respects to the most iconic moments of the Hedgehog's history.  What I'm most excited for is to see some 3-D stages recreated as 2-D levels for Classic Sonic.  Imagine the original Sonic Adventure's Windy Valley made to be a side-scrolling stage.  The possibilities are certainly intriguing.  What's also impressive is that the physics of the original game, which were lost in the recent Sonic 4, seem to be fully intact.  From the sense of momentum all the way down to the Genesis's trademark "Leg-pumping running animation even while in mid-air," fans of the original games are sure to be delighted.
So... is that a really short totem pole or some really tall dandelions?
 Of course, players will also have the option of playing as Modern Sonic and blast processing (see what I did there?) their way through full 3-D environments that look to play as a mix between Sonic Colors and Sonic Unleashed.  Modern Sonic will come equipped with trademark abilities such as the Homing Attack and that new Power Slide thing he does when running at high speed.  Modern Sonic will also have a charge meter that builds when defeating enemies or pulling of mid-air tricks, which are done by using both thumbsticks after hitting a speed booster, that can be used to shift into turbo.  Running at such high speeds will cause the motion blur next-gen Sonic games have become known for.   

While no other stages aside from Green Hill Zone have been announced as of yet, it's probably safe to assume there will be a nice diversity to the selections.  My only hope is that the music is great enough to belong on a compilation disc of Sonic's greatest adventures.
The wonderfully vivid backdrops are simply stunning.
One concern I have is that Sega is attempting to craft a story in which there is a sensible reason these two generations of Sonic are coming together.  I'm willing to deal with hokeyness, after all the "Blue Dude with a 'Tude" is a humanoid hedgehog capable of breaking the sound barrier on foot, but I really don't want some convoluted, cockamamie scheme to be behind the reason these two universes come together. (see: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.)  According to Sega, the story opens with Sonic "and his friends" traveling through a rift in time caused by a "mysterious power."  Everything sounds tolerable enough except for that "and his friends" bit.  As I mentioned in my editorial, I certainly hope the merry band of furries aren't all along for the ride.  At least it's been confirmed that Sonic is the ONLY playable character; so thank God for small miracles, right?  Either way, Sonic Generations will sonic boom it's way onto store shelves in time for the 2011 Holiday season and will be available for the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

GN Reviews: Knights Contract- It must have looked better on paper.

Knights Contract.  Where to begin, where to begin.  A story of immortal life, witchcraft, the ignorance of man, and humanity's seemingly only redeeming quality, compassion.  Sounds like a pretty worthwhile premise to explore through virtual interaction, doesn't it?  Well, it certainly could be one day, but that day isn't today and the game to do it certainly isn't Knights Contract.

Let's start at the beginning, when we are first introduced to Heinrich and Gretchen.  Heinrich is an immortal, and since the idea of not dying makes little sense for a video game, the developers saw fit to give us Gretchen, a companion witch who serves as a never-ending escort mission from start to finish.
This Knight must share an agent with Nic Cage.
As far as the story, it goes as follows: Heinrich was an executioner during the time of the Witch Trials and is responsible for the death of six witches, Gretchen included. The witches, although actually a force for good, are blamed for a disease called "The Black Death" which is spreading across the land.  Before she was beheaded, however, Gretchen placed a spell of immortality on the executioner because she saw the uncertainty in his eyes of not wanting to take a possibly-innocent life.  Now resurrected 100 years later, it is Gretchen's job to stop her fellow witches from exacting revenge on humanity for wrongly executing them.  Why doesn't she want revenge herself, you ask?  Because it's part of the "Witches Code" to protect people.  Yeah... that's it.  Anyway, after running into Heinrich she forms a pact with him, the knights contract, which binds him to aid her in her journey and is promised mortality in return so he can finally find peace.

From here the gameplay unfolds, although I hesitate to call it "gameplay" for two reasons.  The first being that the game is broken up into short episodes a la Bayonetta.  At the end of each episode, 20 in all, players receive a grade based on the time it takes to complete a stage, the number of kills, number of finishers, and a bonus on top for skillful combos.  One problem with this is the episodic breakdown makes the game feel chopped up due to poor decisions on where stages should end.  Most episodes end at a random spot in the stage, so the next episode begins without any plot progression, as if episodes were merely separated by loading screens of new areas.  Fragmentation is actually a major flaw with this game, and it's immediately noticeable from the very beginning.  For the first 12 chapters, every literal minute of combat will afterwards result in a cut scene so that characters can speak.  Dialogue that should just be implemented during gameplay becomes standalone, non-playable cinematics.  And it actually happens every few steps, making the vast majority of the game a dislocated mess.  Combine this with the frequent and painfully long load times, and the end result is a jarring, joyless jaunt that feels utterly unsatisfying.
Verderinde. She's one bad-ass bitch witch.
The other reason I hesitate with the term "gameplay" is because there's little fun to be had even during the action sequences.  Combat is a tricky mess, making use of almost every part of the controller for every single fight.  Heinrich will constantly have to battle horrific camera angles and useless partner A.I, all while making sure Gretchen isn't being attacked by an off-screen enemy, making combat a frustrating chore that leaves everything to be desired.  Specifically, Heinrich has a normal and strong attack with his Scythe by tapping X or Y (XB360 controls,) a Grab with B, and a Dodge/Roll by tapping A.  Then to use Gretchen's magic, the right trigger must be held to access magic again using the four face buttons.  Or, to use powerful energy draining spells, which are replenished by collecting souls (killing enemies by using combos/finishers,) the left trigger needs to be held again opening up new actions for the face buttons.  Combine all that with one thumbstick for movement and another for adjusting camera, which you'll be doing VERY often, and a left bumper for lock-on, you have yourself a control scheme that's almost as absurd as a second season of The Cape (too soon?  Of course not, that show sucked.)

To replenish Gretchen's health, since her death results in a game over, Heinrich must carry her in his arms.  How does this replenish her health?  Ha, silly reader, Knights Contract doesn't bother wasting it's time with petty explanations.  The game is too busy spouting out senseless dialogue to match it's equally unintelligible gameplay mechanics.  That's right, for all the obnoxious cut scenes and excessive dialogue, most of it is entirely skippable, which thankfully is an option with Knights Contract.

At the end of every few episodes is a boss fight against one of the witches.  For the most part, these are the easiest parts of the game so long as Heinrich is holding Gretchen the entire time until her spells recharge.  Spells, once upgraded, do enormous damage and are often game-breaking.  One spell in particular, which ensnares enemies in a floor trap, can still be used on bosses to make them vulnerable to attacks.  Of course, there's always a catch, as rings true here.  For all the unsatisfying ease of each combat section of a boss fight, there is a dreaded Quick Time Event sequence to strike a killing blow.  These QTE's are merciless and unforgiving, giving only a moment's notice before disappearing.  The penalty for failing a sequence, which thankfully stays the same upon retrying, is to replay the boss battle with your opponent at half health, and Heinrich not regaining any previously exhausted magic or health.  In a word: Unreasonable.
Bad Dialogue and Impractical Nudity? Sounds more like a Porno.
While I hate to make a review feel so decidedly one-sided, Knights Contract has little merit worth mentioning.  The graphics are substandard for this point in this console generation's life cycle, although the environments do offer some diversity; ranging from a snowy mountain to a burning town and a castle covered in hair.  (Yeah, there's a witch named Repunzel and she has long hair.  It's okay, I yelled "WTF" too.)  The game does offer a new game plus feature, allowing all the upgraded magic and collectibles previously obtained to carry over to a new difficulty, and episodes can be replayed at will.  Unfortunately, the negatives far outweigh the positives throughout the entire experience.

Knights Contract ends up being an adventure that should have been subjected to early termination.  It's incredible issues with pacing (The last eight episodes of the game take place at the end of the journey.  That's almost half the game dedicated to the ending.) and painfully frustrating gameplay make it an adventure surely worth leaving behind.  Even though the game encourages replayability with it's wealth of post-game unlockables, it's still not enough to save this tortured title.        

Friday, April 15, 2011

Editorial: "Project Cafe"- Wii 2 Could be All That and a Cup of Coffee

For those who haven't heard the latest industry scuttlebutt, rumors of Nintendo announcing a new console at E3 are beginning to mount.  The so-assumed Wii 2 (Even though the Big N has never repeated a console title since the SNES days,) or "Project Cafe" as it is codenamed, is said to be packing enough power to make fanboys everywhere collectively Sploosh.  
Kudos to IGN for the Wii 2 details, and this Banner.
 So let me recap the basics:
1) The Wii 2 is rumored to be more powerful than the PS3 and Xbox 360 (I'll believe this after I've tested it myself. Seeing it wouldn't even be enough to make me believe this claim.)  It will run at full-HD 1080p resolution.  As far as specs go, according to a Destructoid article, the system has "a custom IBM PowerPC three core CPU, and "probably" an ATI R700 series GPU with shader model 4.1 support."  Which, in fact, would make it more powerful than current-gen consoles.  Of course, like I said, I'll believe it when there's proof.

2) The new console will be fully backwards compatible with any Wii titles.  Since the Wii was BC with Gamecube games, this makes me wonder if the Wii 2 could run GC titles as well.  Which would obviously be awesome.  Nintendo is also said to be "Considering" using Blu-Ray discs for the game.

3) The controller will be reminiscent of a Gamecube controller, complete with dual analog sticks, triggers and a D-pad.  The major upgrade though is the alleged 6-inch touch screen that will also be on the controller.  This touch screen is supposed to be fully integrated into the console experience as well as allowing full games to be streamed and played from the controller on the go.  Let me give that to you again; the CONTROLLER doubles as a portable system that can have full games streamed to it via the console.  This is either the greatest console ever conceived or the worst late-April fools joke to have ever broken my heart. (Damn you EGM, I'll never forgive you for making me think Sonic was in SSB: Melee.)

Of course, while IGN apparently has sources to confirm this info, we won't know anything for sure until Nintendo decides to whip out the big guns Cannons at E3 in June.  Suffices to say, I'm pretty stoked about the Hardcore market Nintendo is attempting to recapture with this potentially-groundbreaking new console.  The idea of this controller has really got me thinking about the shape and potential awkwardness to handle while playing console games though.  I mean, if it's supposed to be comfortable enough to use as a portable system, will it still be easy to use without looking down while playing a console game?  I assume the screen would have to be in the middle of the controller, unless it sticks out on top which I feel would be a little clunky.  At this point though, it's a mute discussion (to be having with myself,) so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.  Either way, I'm looking forward to this year's E3 with a heightened sense of anticipation like never before.  It's a good time to be a gamer.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Random Ramblings: Hush Arthur, I'm sure more MvC 3 DLC is on the way...

It seems like for every step forward game developers make, there is some contractual obligation to take two steps backwards.  Perhaps developers are coerced into some type of blood bond with those who seek to destroy the industry, and therefore have little control over the decisions they make.

If you're not yet thoroughly clueless as to what the hell I'm talking about, I congratulate you.  This week there were two announcements that I deem major enough to bare mentioning from two development powerhouses.  The first was a tweet from Capcom which claimed there would be no more support for MvC 3 as far as DLC is concerned.  This is upsetting for a number of obvious reasons, the most prevalent being the Jr.-sized roster as compared to the game's predecessor. What happened to all those rumors of Frank West and Doctor Octopus joining in on the action?

I guess it's possible that since the tweet technically said there were "no more announcements planned" that something could happen later on down the road, but this seems like the final nail in the coffin from my perspective.  Speaking of perspective, I guess I'd be less upset about the severe lack of DLC support if the game's online actually worked.  Have you tried playing a ranked match yet?  No?  Well don't worry about it, I've been trying for over a month and we still share the same record of 0-0.  I could forgive balance issues and terrible roster choices, even though I shouldn't, if I could actually enjoy the game; but Capcom seems hell bent on making MvC 3 the black sheep of the franchise family.  

In other news, Warner Bros. has registered half a dozen domain names for a Batman Hush related game.  At least I assume it's a game based on Hush given one of the domain names is "batmanhushgame.com"  There are two problems with this:  1) Arkham City isn't coming out until the Fall.  That's a helluva long ways away.  The last thing we need is for Rocksteady to start spreading themselves thin trying to over-saturate the market and capitalize on the success of the Arkham series.  Now there's no guarantee that Rocksteady is even making the game, but Hush is a pretty mature story, and considering the success WB is having with Rocksteady, it would make sense to keep them in charge of the serious-in-tone Batman games.  Which brings me to problem 2) While Hush is certainly a great comic book story arc, that does not mean it would make a great game.  The plot of the arc centers around an extremely powerful narrative, and while it certainly has the emotional aspects that make for an immersive gameplay experience, as well as a great collection of included rogues, it is much heavier on the drama than it is on the action.  Bottom line: Hush is a story I like to read but it's certainly NOT a game I'd like to play.      

But while this week may have been a bummer in terms of gaming news, at least there's still a new episode of Camelot to look forward to.  If you haven't been watching, either because you haven't heard of it or you don't have Starz, Camelot is a retelling of King Arthur's story.  While it takes a few liberties as far as faithfulness to the original stories, it is certainly entertaining and polished enough to be enjoyable regardless of your devotion to the tale.  Even though it's only 3 episodes in so far, there is plenty of drama, action and, of course, ladies with strong tendencies to disrobe in front of the camera (I could tell you that Lady Guinevere doesn't look good with her clothes off, but I'm only comfortable telling small lies.)  While I admit I'm not totally hooked and can bear to wait a few days before catching up on an episode I missed, it's definitely worth looking into; especially if you're a fan of the time period.  I love me some medieval times.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Editorial: What I want from "Sonic Generations"

So by now everyone knows about the new Sonic game coming out sometime this year for XB360 & PS3.  We also know that it will somehow incorporate elements of both Old-School and New-School Sonic games, as per the trailer showcasing two generations of the "Blue Blur" running alongside each other. 

Yet, since absolutely no details have been announced regarding gameplay, I would like to take this opportunity to express what I think the new game should play like.  In my perfect world, "Generations" will be a beautiful mash-up of Genesis-era speed-based 2-D platforming seamlessly woven into a 3-D adventure.  How would that work?  Well, there are two options, the Paper-Mario approach, where the player could choose to switch between 2-D and 3-D on the fly, which I DON'T want to happen, and there is the structured linear level designed approach, which I think would be both much more manageable and enjoyable.

Keep the old-school Logo and "SEGA" shout. You know the one I mean.
Imagine taking a tour through Sonic's storied 20-year history.  For the sake of stability, let's say the story revolved around Sonic having a near-death experience and his life is flashing before his eyes.  As the player, we would LIVE these experiences through different levels.  Since I've never had a near-death experience, I'm not precisely sure how these things work, but let's just assume the order of events doesn't necessarily have to happen chronologically.  That way, the 2-D and 3-D stages could blend together instead of simply starting at the beginning (2-D) and then transitioning to 3-D for the back half of the game.

Throughout the game we could relive classic stages, such as Green Hill Zone and Carnival Night Zone, but also be introduced to new stages (possibly "lost levels" or stages that have been cut or were unfinished from previous titles.)  For each stage, Sonic should "look" like the corresponding era from which the stage takes place. I.e. Genesis, Saturn, CD, Dreamcast, etc. While the 2-D stages should stay true to their retro-roots, they should also receive a graphical update a la Sonic 4: Episode 1.  What should NOT be updated, however, is the music for each stage. If I'm playing Green Hill Zone, I want that exact Genesis 32-bit music pumping out of my speakers.  For the new levels, they should of course create new music, but keep the sounds relative to the era.  If it's from the early 90's, it should feel like an authentic early 90's game tune.
Eyes on the Prize SEGA. This game could be "The One."
 Another important feature, one which I refuse to compromise on, is that this should be Sonic's story and his story ALONE.  That means two things: 1) Keep this a single player experience.  Sonic has always been best when experienced alone, you can't mix speed and instinctive reflexive choices with co-op, it will never work.  People don't think alike and react to situations differently.  And 2) Under NO circumstances should we see any of Sonic's pals as playable characters.  To be honest, I don't even want them in the game period.  But if Tails, Knuckles and (God forbid) Amy must make an appearance, keep it brief and keep their actions out of my control (I mean that literally, SEGA, and not in the figurative sense where you give me crappy controls...)

The third point I want to address is the inclusion of Bonus Stages.  Preferably a mix of the old-school original Sonic Stages, plus those "Collect the Blue Orbs" 3-D stages from the Sonic 3 days, and a new element to match the full powered next-generation console hardware.  The purpose of these Stages should of course be to collect Chaos Emeralds, and if the player has gathered them all by the time the game is over, add a "True Ending" to the story with a Super Sonic level + Boss Fight. (Read: Level as in let me play a freaking 3-D level as Super Sonic BEFORE having to fight a boss.  That was cool for SA and SA2, but it's not enough anymore.)  Also, once the Chaos Emeralds have been collected Stages should have the option to be replayed as Super Sonic, as tradition mandates, by collecting 50 rings and double jumping.  This INCLUDES the 3-D stages, which has never been done before.  It should happen for his 20th anniversary, it's a special occasion SEGA, so whip out the confetti cannons and make this game one for the history books by pulling out all the stops.   
"Wanna grab a Chili CheeseDog?"                         "You bet! Loser buys."

 A final point I want to address is creating an online community/atmosphere.  I know I said "No Co-op" and I stand by that, but there are a few ways to build a community online and give the game timeless replayability.  1) Online Leaderboards. No explanation required, time the stages' completion records. 2) Ghost/Shadow mode. Let players take the top leaderboard records and watch any uploaded stage completion videos.  Additionally, allow us to play a stage while a "Ghost" (the chosen leaderboard time's character) runs the stage alongside us, so gamers can physically see how the top players scored that time as well as imitate the strategies employed by practicing simultaneously.  3) Bring back the Chao Garden.  Yeah I said it, and why not?  You know those animals Dr. Robotnik/Eggman (how I LOATHE that nickname) turns into power sources for his robots?  Collect them and give them to the Chao to boost their power so players can competitively compete in online races, karate fights (improve this please!) and make up a few new challenges/mini-games as well. I said no co-op, but I think multiplayer is still important, as long as it stays far, far away from the core single-player experience.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head.  I may update this as time goes on, turning it into an Ultimate Wishlist of sorts. For now I think all of these things are plausible if SEGA puts all their eggs into this one basket and gambles on creating the greatest Sonic experience possible.  If it needs an extra year of development, so be it, Sonic is one of the best video game characters ever created.  Bottom Line: He's worth it.     

Look Ma, I'm on T.V.!!! (Well, internet TV anyway...)

So, as you may know, I went to PAX East 2011.  At said event I attended the panel of one of my favorite internet personalities ever, Keith Apicary of Talking Classics fame.  While I did get the chance to chat with him the day before his panel, I didn't realize he actually got a shot of me while watching his panel.  To check out his entire video, click the link here

To see me laughing my ass off, go to the 6:21 mark.  I'm the goofball with the glasses to the left-center of the shot.  The word "Keith's" is literally drawn over my sweatshirt.  It really accentuates my schnoz... Thanks Keith!    

Random Ramblings: Young Justice and Why Netflix Seems to Love Hentei

I'm quickly beginning to realize the structure of blogging is quite different from other types of writing.  By that I mean, I don't have to waste anybody's time with an introduction and am free to just jump right into things.

So I just began watching the new Cartoon Network series, Young Justice, after initially watching a bit of it at this past New York Comic Con.  For the uninitiated, Young Justice centers around the sidekicks and relatives of some major members of the Justice League: Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy, and Miss Martian (Eventually adding Artemis to the mix.)  The basic premise is the group of sidekicks feels they are ready to go out on their own and fight crime as a team so, under the guidance of Batman, training of Black Canary, and constant supervision of Red Tornado, the "Jr. Justice League" (as Speedy mocks it) is formed.  

As far as I can tell, the show has some minor flaws but as a series has the potential to be just as good as the other highly regard DC animations of the past.  The voice acting and animations are well polished, the action sequences are aesthetically pleasing and there are more than enough cameos from major Justice League members to keep the fanboys happy.

Where the show begins to run into some trouble is with the character personalities.  It's early in the series so these characters have room to grow, but Miss Martian is depicted as the headstrong girl who tries so hard to be a member of the boys team that she ends up screwing things up.  Cliches aside, she ends up coming off as foolish and whiney and I swear if I hear, "Duh, Megan!" (which is seemingly her catchphrase for when she's thinking out loud) in that sing-songy voice of hers one more time I might go crazy.  Superboy has some anger issues and Kid Flash (Wally) is a carbon copy of Teen Titan's Beast Boy.  Aqualad and Robin are fine.

On a side note, in the darkest corner of my mind that is allowed to enjoy sexism, I love that Miss Martian bakes the boys cookies and that Superboy is constantly losing his temper and yelling at her.  I can't wait for him to pimp slap that bitch. It's also a little silly that they're supposed to have secret identities but have no problem taking on baddies in their civilian clothes.  And that even though they share a HQ together they don't know Robin's secret identity just because "Batman told him to keep it a secret."  (He's always wearing sunglasses when not in costume.) A minor gripe but it's annoying nontheless.

On a different yet related note, I heard Netflix was going to be adding Anime to their instant stream catalog so I decided to check it out.  Well, someone needs to inform the good people at Netflix that there is a difference between Anime and softcore cartoon porn.  Personally, if I were Japanese, I'd be offended at the seeming assumption by American Incompetents that their animation is all about big-breasted women being violated by demons.  Don't believe me, look at the catalog of Anime Netflix currently offers: Rin, Sekirei, Queen's Blade, I could honestly keep going but I think you get the idea.  More than half their catalog is currently "TV-MA" rated shows that aren't getting that rating for their gratuitous gore and violence, which in our country would be perfectly acceptable (But that's a whole other social commentary for another day,) but rather for their intense sexual content.  Where are the uncut versions of things like Gundam or Dragon Ball?  Zoids?  Hell, I'd even take Sailor Moon.  It boggles my mind.

And I know I promised to reveal something about a certain "Sega fans dream come true" project, but the idea is still in the very early planning stages and I don't want to rev any engines before getting it off the ground.  Stay tuned though, because it will be an awesome endeavor if myself and the guys I'm working with can all pull it off.  

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Vinny has leveled up!

Not sure what my current geek status is, but this just came in the mail so I've definitely reached the next level.  Since I'm not really down with cosplaying at Cons (unless I find the Perfect Spider-Man Noir suit) I will now be wearing my Commander Shepard Hoodie when working the field.  Go ahead and laugh, but I'd prefer you tell me how awesome I am instead...