Cibele Review (PC): She's a poet

I was a shit teenager.

Save for a limitless, almost cliched ability to recall classic Simpsons lines, I was humourless. I dressed like Joey Fatone (or X member of Y boy band), but thought I had a unique sense of style and charm. I had frosted tips. I couldn't ride a bicycle, skateboard, or scooter. I couldn't snowboard. I didn't get my learner's permit. (note: still can't do, or don't have those things, so shit adult too?).

One of the most reassuring things about playing Cibele, is the message that pretty much everyone was or is a shit teenager. We are all, in spite of great talent and beauty, hideously insecure. We are (or were) unable to accept the genuine affection of others because we feel undeserving, or unable to let go of the comforts of home... and videogames.

The painful awkwardness of, what was for me, ICQ and Yahoo chat rooms are captured so perfectly in a loving dedication to Final Fantasy XI. A network of friends are pieced together through emails, photos, and chat logs. A cross section of the author's life and desktop are on show for all to see.

The dialogue sounds genuine, and really evokes the nervous energy of [clears throat] matchmaking. The music and sound design make up for the repetitive mock MMO combat. You won't be brought to tears by this tale of first love, but I hope that you, like me, are glad that something like Cibele is out there. It's odd, short and sweet.

Rose Coloured Glasses: Max Payne 3

Note: This post contains major spoilers for Max Payne 3.

When I first played through Max Payne 3's brutal single player campaign, the shocking depictions of violence are what stuck with me in the aftermath. Sometimes I'd be playing some relatively light-hearted fare like Rayman Origins, only to think back to Marcelo's immolation at the hands of the Cracha Preto, or the holes I'd pushed through some poor schmuck's face with my automatic pistol.

It was powerful. It was shocking. It hung around like trauma.

I loved the game because, and in spite of, these displays of gratuity. I can remember looking away from the TV when I thought someone's death was imminent, even Max's. Sure this meant I failed the odd quick time event, but it also meant I could sleep at night. It meant that I could stomach the tension of shootouts and close encounters with militiamen. It meant eventually seeing the impossible tidiness of Max's redemption.

Recently I've felt the urge to return to glitzy (and grimy) Sao Paolo, but that was effectively tempered by my unwillingness to pull the Xbox 360 out of storage and hook it up to an entertainment system which is at capacity (in terms of HDMI ports and shelf space). Thankfully, Steam came to the rescue with an unbelievable bargain: the game plus all downloadable content for a measly 8 US dollars.

It may have taken 3 days to download, but it was well worth the wait.

Despite my laptop struggling with the neon noir presentation (especially scene transitions) and the pin stripe of Max's suit, it's been a relatively smooth ride. Shootdodging against hordes of gang bangers occurred at a reasonable clip (just shy of what I assume to be 30 frames per second), my "rig" just can't handle the raw emotional power of Rockstar's scripted sequences. Voicework usually played out of sync with the rendered actors and my hardware approached alarming temperatures, but we got through in the end.

What was most surprising was just how well the action held up. I can remember complaining that I found the damage model (read: how you accrue damage) to be inconsistent, but this time around it felt just fine. I mean, you should go from dandy to deathbed after being hit with a sniper rifle or up close with a shotgun, shouldn't you. Also, since when have video games been known for realistic portrayals of pain thresholds in the human body? With a bit of patience, any combat situation is easily cleared - the only exceptions being 2 not-quite-boss fights in the penultimate chapter. If you take the time to search your surrounds and find a few bottles of painkillers, it's even more likely that you'll live to shoot your way through another day.

Back to the action, leaping through a dangerous battlefield in slow motion and peppering anything in your sight with precisely placed projectiles is still super cool. Pulling away from cover could be less awkward, but I'd be unreasonable for labelling that as anything other than a slight annoyance. It is bloody and gross fun perforating heads and body parts with a wide arsenal that covers everything from several variations of the modest pistol to the rocket launcher.

What really sets this slightly aged masterpiece apart from 2 years’ worth of blockbusters is Health's original soundtrack that even makes a title screen sad enough to force your head between hands. The stirring string arrangements that punctuate the bullets and blood (and usually accompany the titular character drinking and drugging himself into a stupor) are, with hindsight, more haunting than any instance of gun violence. It lingers, playing through my head whenever anything fails to go to plan. The grimy, foreboding tracks that are played throughout the bullet ballet are just as -- for lack of a better word -- catchy, and I've had the album on regular rotation since I started downloading the game last week.

One interesting observation, particularly after having just started playing the Tomb Raider reboot, is that the game tends to fetishise death. I was almost glad to see the camera focus on Max's death mask and various angles of blood spatter after having been subjected to arguably erotic angles on Lara Croft's multiple and gruesome demises. Granted, Tomb Raider seems that little bit more uncomfortably preoccupied with the protagonist's agony in the throes of death, but at least now I can find an example of this treatment on a man.

While we're on the topic of problematic treatment of women in games, they exist only to be saved in Max Payne 3. I realise this ties in heavily with both the noir theme and the premise of the original, but even the strongest (and, if memory serves, only surviving) woman character is shown to have some serious flaws and has to be saved by the lead male. It could also be argued that Giovanna is the only woman to survive because she exhibits some positive behaviours and is thus worthy of saving.

So, two years on, Max Payne 3 is still very much worthy of your time. If 10 hours of bloody, bullet-riddled mayhem didn’t sound appealing upon its release, it’s not going to be any more attractive to you now. That being said, I again found myself falling for and with Max from failure to stomach-turningly grisly failure. If you’re looking for a third person shooter with a compelling story and solid, cover-based shooting action, I can recommend this (again) without hesitation. 

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Review (iPad/PC): The allure of digital cardboard

I've tried my hand at a few Collectible Card Games (CCGs) over the course of my thirty years. I don't think I've ever played any in strict accordance with their respective rules though. Whether it was the first Star Wars CCG with my older brother, Beau or the Pokemon game with my brother from another mother, Matt, I was more enamoured with the idea of drawing a hand full of my favourite heroes rather than learning the mechanics of these games and building up to the perfect turn. A short order of friends and acquaintances willing to invest in these expensive pursuits was the main reason my collections were relegated to folders in my parents' shed, but I still feel a nostalgic pluck on my heartstrings when I see packs of nerds hovering over loose cards at my local comic book shop.

Enter the digital age. Folders worth of cards can now be accessed anywhere, there's no shortage of or problems in accessing competition, and there's no temptation to trade or otherwise lose valuable cards if my competitive side were to take hold. Sure, the thrill of tearing foil can't be recreated faithfully on a screen, but I'll be damned if Blizzard don't come close with Hearthstone. 

It's weird too, as I've had little to no investment in the characters, races, spells and lore of the Warcraft universe prior to now. I mean, I played Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness pretty heavily in my teens as well as my fair share of Warcraft III multiplayer, but all I can remember in terms of narrative is that one or more of these games may or may not have been set in Azeroth. I haven't ever played World of Warcraft, though I did enjoy watching my younger brother, Reuben's adventures as a dress-making Druid. The squeal I let out upon unwrapping Archmage Antonidas had everything to do with the card's obvious strategic value and rarity, rather than for any sentimental reasons. There's no reason why expanding my collection should be a thrilling proposition, but here I am, battling the temptation to spend more dough on virtual pieces of cardboard.

In terms of the actual game of cards, Hearthstone is deceptively simple. You pick a hero that represents one of nine different classes and jump into the action with a pre-built deck or build your own comprised of both class-specific and neutral cards. Heroes each have a different power which can be used once per turn and include the ability to craft weapons, summon minions, heal, or deal damage to specific characters. Matches are fast-paced with the ultimate objective of defeating the enemy hero. You can damage the enemy hero through direct attacks with hero powers, weapons and spells, or by deploying and attacking with minions. Each card and power costs mana, your pool of which builds (to a maximum of ten) with each turn. As a rule, attacks and minions that deal big damage generally require a lot of mana, so the tension escalates as the match progresses.

Classes are surprisingly-well balanced, with only a few Legendary (the highest category of rarity) cards undermining competitive match-ups. I was also pleasantly-surprised to see that each class plays substantially differently to the next. The Warlock deck is all about risk and reward, with a hero power and cards that, more often than not, hurt the holder as well as the opponent. The Paladin's spells focus on strengthening or neutralising the minions in play. The Warrior has command of fearsome weapons and can fortify itself with near-impenetrable shields if an opponent is too preoccupied with the distractions on the board. The Shaman... well, to be honest, I have no fucking idea how to use that deck but that's not to say that I haven't come up against some powerful, totem-wielding opponents. I've played hundreds of matches now and am staggered at the ingenuity of my opponents in using cards and powers that I had once thought useless.  

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is free-to-play with microtransaction support to buy new packs and embark on Arena runs. The Arena tasks players with selecting from a sample of three classes and then building a deck of random cards. Once you've composed your deck, you'll take on other combatants and try to amass as many wins as possible. After three losses you'll be given a key to access a modest cache of prizes (keep in mind that I'm not terribly good at the Arena format, so I can't confirm or deny what a bananas run would net you). You can purchase packs and Arena runs without investing real money, but you'll need to complete a few daily challenges to foot the bill with virtual currency.

For those of you thinking that high fantasy, tabletop nerdery may not be for you, I urge you to give it a shot. My lovely wife, Carly has not been known to love either of these things, but found herself battling in the Arena for hours during school holidays while I slaved away at work. We've had a few clashes in local multiplayer and it's here that you see the advantage in dropping a few bucks on Expert packs. I'd like to think that my wins were primarily on account of skill, but I know those few Legendary cards I'd come across were swinging matches in my favour.

I can't see my addiction to Hearthstone fading anytime soon. There's a single player expansion on the horizon and I'm obsessed with continuously tweaking my Warlock and Mage decks. While it's simple enough to pick up and play, there's a wealth of mechanics with which to experiment. It also bears mentioning that it's an immaculately presented CCG experience with beautiful artwork, a diverse colour pallette, delightful score, and more charm than your average AAA blockbuster. The buzz around this game is entirely justified; download it now so I can challenge you to a few rounds by the hearth.  

Grey Market Goodness

I probably should've told you guys earlier -- especially Borderlands 2 has since sold out -- but Turkey's greatest grey market website, CDKEYSHERE is dripping with value. On Saturday I picked up the aforementioned sequel to one of 2009's most overrated games in addition to the sleeper hit, Sleeping Dogs for under fifty bucks! No use of VPNs are required to redeem these codes either: just pop them into Steam and you're good.

It's my understanding that you shouldn't run into trouble if you use the region free codes. Having to use VPNs to bypass region restrictions -- which is a requirement for some of the codes that this site sells -- can potentially get your Steam account banned, so please exercise caution.

How did you get Sleeping Dogs for less than twenty bucks!?!

I haven't purchased any Origin keys at this point, and considering their product mix, I'm not likely to anytime soon. Maybe Medal of Honor: Warfighter will stir me to action? Are there any grey market sites that you can recommend?

Shameless advertising (because I love you)

EDIT: Just Cause 2 is no longer on promotion and is now being sold for the regular retail price of $29.79 on GMG. Hope you were able to act fast enough to take advantage. If not, the Blur and ozgameshop deal are still active. 

There are three deals that I've happened across in the last few hours that I have to share with you. Why? Because I love you all, that's why.

You have until April 6 to pick up the criminally-underrated racer, Blur for a fiver. One of the last releases from the shuttered studio, Bizarre Creations; Blur is essentially a kart racer with licensed cars. Be prepared for an abundance of colour, crashes and chaos in the rich man's version of Mario Kart. Much like Nintendo's signature racing game, you'll lose quite a few races cheaply. Unlike Mario Kart, you'll get seamless multiplayer and action that is perfectly set to Fucked Up's 2008 opus: Chemistry of Modern Life (note: album not included, but I highly recommend this aural accompaniment).

Next up is 2010's "Most Surprisingly Good Game" and also powerfully-underrated open world actioner, Just Cause 2. In retrospect, this is easily one of the best games released since I started writing and unlike Halo: Reach and Red Dead Redemption, I still play this game. Green Man Gaming are selling this gem for slightly more than a song ($7.49 USD to be exact). If you have a capable PC, I can't recommend this game highly enough. Take the plunge -- from a soaring fighter jet, from a helicopter, from a truck you've just driven off a cliff -- you won't regret it.

This is actually one of the more innocuous activities in Just Cause 2.

Finally, for Xbox 360 owners, a deal that is simply too good to be true. Online retailer of choice,  ozgameshop is selling a download code that gifts Gears of War 2, Halo: Reach and Fable III for $22.99 AUD. That's less than eight bucks a game; two of which are nothing short of essential, the other is a reasonably inoffensive Action RPG which may just be your cup of tea.

If you're on a small budget, there's three bargains that include three of the best games released in the last two years. If you've got a little bit more disposable income, stop reading and take advantage of these deals already!

High Horse Audit 2011: The Top 5 Games of the Year

Note: This post contains spoilers for Bastion. To see the complete list of games that I've played this year, click here. 

I've heard a few discussions about 2011 being the best year for gamers since 2007. While I agree that it's been a fantastic year for anyone who dabbles in the playing of videogames, I don't think that we've seen anything quite like the combo of BioShock, The Orange Box, Assassin's Creed, Halo 3, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 that devastated my social life four years ago. That being said, there were some fantastic games, and whittling this list down to five has been a challenge. 

This year, the indie gaming scene jumped into the spotlight. While I may not have been as dedicated to playing and reviewing these alternatives as some of my contemporaries, I nonetheless discovered that there were quite a few indie offerings that were as polished an experience as that found in your average AAA blockbuster. While I believe there'll always be a place for the heavy hitters in the industry, this year I've learned to ignore smaller projects at my own peril. 

So, without further delay, I present the five best games that I played in 2011.

5. Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony

As much a lesson as it is a game, Jamestown taught me how to play and love shoot 'em ups. By forcing me to work through already-completed levels on higher difficulties so that I could progress, I learned everything from ship (and thus, weapon) selection, through to timing the use of "Vaunts". I also loved the distinctive, pixelated art style and the unparalleled sense of achievement that came with defeating the final boss. There may not have been much of a story, but Final Form Games got me to engage with a genre that I haven't really touched since the arcade release of the original Metal Slug.  

 WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?

Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony coverage:

• In case you haven't played it: Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony Review (PC)

4. Super Mario 3D Land

There were times this year where I prided myself on being a contrarian: I didn't have much love for Uncharted 3 or Batman: Arkham City when just about every other writer couldn't get enough of those predictable, though polished titles. I was dead certain that I was going to find fault with Mario's latest adventure, but I was glad to be proven wrong. It may be formulaic, but it's also perfectly suited to gaming on the go. It also serves as a competent showcase for the 3DS' unique visual capabilities. I had a great deal of fun with this iteration, and am still making my way through the progressively devious special levels. I'm under-selling this actually, it's the best platformer that I've played in years. This was a great surprise, in spite of its familiarity. 

 What's old is new again

Super Mario 3D Land coverage:

• Letter from a concerned resident of the Mushroom Kingdom
• Super Mario 3D Land Review (3DS): Change is overrated

3. Bastion

The first time I finished Bastion, I cried. I lost my beloved pet Pecker when the Ura invaded the titular sanctuary, and I was presented with my avian companion's shell before I decided the fate of my companions at the game's conclusion. Rucks - the game's narrator and quest giver - tried to console me, but there was no bringing that bird back. This critter didn't have a name, and I didn't really interact with it in any meaningful way, but I felt as though I had failed when the credits rolled. I couldn't protect one of the few well-meaning lifeforms of post-Calamity Caelondia... and it hurt like hell. That's just one of the things I loved about Supergiant Games' first effort. I could go on about the soundtrack (which I still have on rotation), the innovative use of a narrator, the whimsical art style, or the solid Action RPG mechanics,  but you've heard that all before; and not just from me. 

Bastion coverage:

• Bastion: Innovation in Narration
• Bastion Review (X360): Tell me how the world ends
• I survived the "Summer or Arcade" and all I got was this avatar shirt

2. Gears of War 3

I'm pretty sure that I've not written about any game (in beta or final form) more than Gears of War 3. I've been a devotee of this series since the first instalment, and have come to love the hulking, foul-mouthed members of Delta squad like family. Distant family maybe, but still, family all the same. The last chapter of their battle against the Locust and Lambent hordes squeezed every last drop out of the Unreal 3 engine, and sets the bar for visuals on the Xbox 360. The third person cover shooting is as tight and enjoyable as ever, and I still go back to the campaign on occasion in the hope of picking up a few more cheevos. The multiplayer is still an addiction for me; though that learning curve for the cut-throat competitive modes can be pretty steep. Even if I only leave it alone for a week, my first few matches are usually characterised by low scores and a great deal of coarse language. I still love it though, and I'll continue to go back for more kills, deaths, and eviscerated torsos. 

 The first rule of Fight Club is...

Gears of War 3 coverage:

• Not in the face: The Gears of War 3 Beta protection prayer
• How soon is now? - Gears of War 3 Beta impressions
• This is how we do it (now, apparently)
• Wingman
• Shining Example
• In case you haven't played it: Gears of War 3 Beta Review
• Gears of War 3 Review (X360): Mad World Reimagined
• An Open Letter to the Gears of War 3 Player Community

 

1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

If there's been one game that I've been wanting to go back to, ever since I published my review it's Deus Ex: Human Revolution. It took all of my favourite elements from some of the best games released in the last ten years, and fused them into one compelling experience that captured my imagination. I spent hours in Detroit and Hengsha looking for every hidden alleyway, weapons cache and praxis point. I would gleefully reload save after save until even the shortest sequence of play went exactly as I wanted it to. I would agonize over every upgrade and wonder at what could have been. I would complete every side quest, and even test different outcomes to see what suited my interpretation of Adam Jensen the best.

The freedom that I was afforded in my approach to most situations was what had me coming back for a second playthrough. That freedom was also backed by stealth mechanics that actually worked, satisfying gunplay and some memorable chemistry between the lead characters. There may have been a few quirks: awkward NPC movement, some regrettable voice acting and some painful boss fights; but upon reflection, I loved the game because of these quirks, not in spite of them.

Let's not forget about the art direction and cyberpunk narrative that are at the core of this experience either. There are some genuinely-surprising (and thoroughly-predictable) twists in the main story arc, and the ambiguous morality system serves only to add to the intrigue. The issue of augmentation, and the political forces behind it gave off an X-Men-like vibe; and I found myself absorbed in this tale from beginning to end. 

Plus, you have retractable blades in your elbows... if that isn't enough for this to be considered "Game of the Year", then I guess I should just stop writing about them. Deus Ex: Human Revolution simply demands your attention, and it would be remiss for you (or I) to ignore its call. Now excuse me while I get back to my Hard, no alarms, non-lethal playthrough!

See that in the mirror? A winner is you!

Deus Ex: Human Revolution coverage:

• Human Revolution's path of least resistance leads right into man-mountain
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution Review (PC): Design of the Decade

What was your favourite game(s) released this year? Do you agree with any of my picks?

On the Brink of insanity

Just a quick tip: Brink is going for a song on Steam this weekend. You can grab the game and all DLC for 7 US dollars. With the current exchange rate, that is just shy of insanity! On the brink, even.

If you're on the fence, you can even trial the full product game at no cost over the course of the weekend. It's by no means perfect, but it's easily worth seven bucks.

Don't miss your shot at a bargain!

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine Review (PC): Brawling with my brainless battle brothers

I'll be honest with you: I've never been one for Warhammer 40K's lore, lofty dialogue or miniature figurines. Not that I have any objections to tabletop gaming, role-playing or dudes in bulky armour; I just have too much on my nerdy plate as it is. I did enjoy my brief love affair with Dawn of War II. Once again, not because of the source material; rather, it was a great strategy game in its own right. Now enter Space Marine. Same brand of brawny, quasi-religious tomfoolery, but from a different perspective. Instead of issuing directives from above, players get to step into the ridiculously-large boots of an Ultramarine. Will the close-up make these mammoths of men any more relatable?

Gratuitous title shot

The Good
Brutal Ballet - The combat system in Space Marine skillfully fuses third person melee and shooting into a violent dance that is satisfying to perform. The risk-versus-reward execution system makes some of the more crowded battles all the more exciting, with those last minute Fury activations being the difference between life and death. The weapon selection, while modest, offers additional ways to control the crowd and thus the carnage on screen. Do you snipe your enemies with ranged weapons and clean-up the rest? Or, do you run in with Bolter, grenades and Chainsword at the ready? All important decisions, and most yield favourable outcomes.

 All of the lights

That must've hurt - Execution moves look suitably brutal, and act as another reward for engaging in melee combat. The animations are - for the most part - fluid, and produce a satisfying amount of blood and gore. There are several different animations for each melee weapon, and they each serve to paint the Ultramarines (specifically, Captain Titus) as a force to be reckoned with.

The Bad
You look familiar - There isn't much variety in enemy models and voicework throughout the campaign.  You'll hear "It's the Space Marine!" in a terrible Ork-Australian accent so many times before the closing of the first few chapters that you'll be tempted to mute the game for the remainder. Not that I did, but my word was that idea tempting! It's also not long into the game when you first start yearning for some diversity in terms of look, sound and feel; and no, the jump pack segments do not count.
 

Walk in the park - Space Marine is fairly uneventful in terms of both narrative and difficulty level. With regards to the story: it's painfully predictable, and doesn't really tread into apocalypse territory until the final few chapters. Even then, Captain Titus always seems somewhat laissez-faire about the orc and Chaos Marine threats. The unlikable, poorly-developed support cast also meant that I felt as though I had nothing to lose, even when the situation managed to look bleak. Now about difficulty: on the default Normal setting, I very rarely felt troubled. I don't think I fell during any of the boss fights, and only really had myself to blame when I succumbed to the swarming orcish hordes. Careless spamming of stun and execution moves often led to my own demise; if only those moves didn't look so cool.

I can see right through you! - Clipping errors are rampant throughout the single player adventure. If you're backed into a corner and use an execution move, you'll likely find that your opponent has disappeared into a nearby wall as you continue your choreographed moves. If you commence one of these brutal animations near a ledge, you might even see the miracle of levitation! The visuals also stuttered frequently in the final few chapters; it wasn't so much a reduction in the frame rate as much as it was multiple, short (as in fractions of a second) instances of freezing.

You may not be able to see it, but I'm floating on air!

The Ugly
You're breaking up! - I couldn't connect to a single multiplayer match that was of a playable standard. Deaths came quickly, and often from an enemy that copped about two clips worth of my worthless ammunition. My connection speed was slower than an Ultramarine attempting to run through a vacuum!

Top heavy - Space Marine's multiplayer suite suffers from severe balance issues, with higher level opponents afforded equipment that has them raining death on newcomers. The ability to copy your assailant's loadout after death doesn't help things either, as there's a learning curve for each piece of equipment. As a result, I often found myself dying before I could comprehend the power of the weapons I'd just acquired, and the vicious cycle was reset.

The Verdict
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine is a solid game that is undermined by some poor writing, repetitive visuals and obnoxious sound design. The brutal, satisfying blend of ranged and melee combat never turns stale, but the same can't be said for the identical enemies and shallow support characters. The multiplayer aspect of the package also suffers from balance, depth and connectivity issues that led to me losing interest fairly quickly. If you're a fan of the source material, I'm sure that you'll get a lot out of the campaign. It's just hard to recommend this game given the release window, where better games are either already on the market or likely to come very soon.

Portal is free on Steam until September 20!

Dear Readers,

Just a quick FYI - according to Gamespot, Portal will be available as a free download via the Steam Storefront until September 20.

I can't say for sure whether the offer is valid for Australians (as I've previously purchased the game), however, Kotaku AU has verfied the story.

If you haven't played the game before, I would urge you to take the plunge. It's not like it will cost you anything!

Have a good weekend. What are y'all playing?

Regards,

Dutch

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Review (PC) - Design of the Decade

Until late last year, I'd never played any of the previous instalments of the Deus Ex series. I picked up both of Human Revolution's predecessors during one of Steam's delirium-inducing digital fire-sales after tiring from the numerous, pretentious rants that I'd read discussing the importance and influence of the original. Ten years after its release, however, proved to be too late for me to discover its magic. What I saw was ugly and unapproachable. I didn't even think to load up the sequel, Invisible War after that eyesore. Instead - shallow man that I am - I waited for the latest iteration, with enticing art direction and most importantly, rendered with all of the grandeur and beauty that I've come to expect from modern hardware. Read on to find if a prettier Deus Ex is more approachable or, at the very least, playable. 

The Good

Crack gaming - Deus Ex: Human Revolution is straight-up addictive. There's no sugar coating or sidestepping the fact: this game will cause you to lose sleep. Whether it was agonising over my next augmentation, wondering if I played that last conversation the right way, or getting lost in futuristic Heng Sha: I found it genuinely difficult to put my controller down and walk away. Even now after having completed the game, I still find myself going back to sneak up a storm.

Illuminating tale - Core to the game's addictive quality is its brilliant story that pushes to you question whether self-controlled evolution is the future of mankind or a propellant toward its demise. The central characters are all voiced expertly and some - like Pritchard - have an enjoyable chemistry with Jensen that evolves throughout the adventure. You can approach the story at your own pace and - in what I see as a master stroke - you're not obliged to experience it all. Not that I can see why one wouldn't want to comb through each of Detroit's dangerous streets and alleyways, but it's great that the game gives you the choice all the same. To give you an idea how deep the rabbit hole can really go, I highly recommend this piece from Rock, Paper, Shotgun. I found myself nodding enthusiastically in agreement.

Summon the funicular - Human Revolution's environments are dripping with cyberpunk intrigue. There may be a bit of recycling at play, but locations like The Hive and Picus Station are memorable and demand to be explored. I'm now halfway through my second playthrough and it's amazing how many new locations and conversations that I've found thanks to a different approach and a compulsion to collect everything. The various mechs, vehicles and augmented humans that you encounter are also impeccably rendered and designed. While not the most technically impressive release of the year, I challenge anyone to think of a game with more pleasing art direction. 

Who's your daddy? - Human Revolution's many influences are obvious, however, they are all treated with respect and in some cases, carried out better than in the source material. Conversations in this game aren't as frequent as they are in Mass Effect, but their outcomes are more ambiguous. The logs and literature don't contribute to the pervading sense of dread and calamity as effectively as those found in Bioshock, but they do give you a greater idea of the geopolitical landscape of the future Earth that Adam Jensen inhabits. The stealth mechanics are more fluid and forgiving than those from Metal Gear Solid 4, and discovery isn't tantamount to what the Penny Arcade team once described as sliding down a "shit-greased chute" for inept players. Human Revolution is a smoothie comprised of my favourite games.

Go your own way - I tried to go through the game without taking a life, but there was a time that I felt as though my hand was forced towards lethal weaponry. Not that I had to engage my foes, rather I decided that I couldn't walk away from this particular situation. After fifteen hours of using stun guns and my fists, I had to unleash the beast; or beasts as it were. Shotguns, revolvers, lasers, retractable blades: never has abandoning my principles been so much fun. The varied arsenal and tactics available to players affords a freedom that is almost paralyzing and there's more than enough to find and trial across multiple playthroughs.

Budgeting - I lost hours agonising over how to spend praxis points. Should I upgrade my strength to be able to punch through walls (in hindsight, yes!) or invest in my reflexes so that I can takedown two thugs at once? These choices are once again, a reason to lose sleep. A reason to keep you coming back and slaving away for more experience points. There were several times when I'd bought an upgrade only to then find an obstacle seconds later that could only be tackled with an augmentation that I'd opted to leave for the time being. This game taunted me on many an occasion, yet I still want more!

The Bad 

Corn bread - Last year, I commented that the voice-acting in Just Cause 2 was so heavily set on stereotypes that it was almost offensive. Human Revolution also features some regrettable voice direction with some African-American characters sounding like throwbacks to Gone with the Wind. Some Asian characters who speak in English are scripted with intentional syntax errors. I'm not saying that every Chinese hooker is going to speak English as though it was their first language, but at times it sounds forced and unnecessary.

Who's the boss? - As I've detailed in a previous post, the boss fights in Human Revolution felt alien when compared to the rest of the experience. They were often unforgiving and - worst of all - almost incompatible with players who choose espionage-flavoured augmentations (this Penny Arcade comic sums my experience up perfectly). One of these encounters can be made drastically shorter - to the point of farce - if you invest in the typhoon augmentation. The final two boss encounters actually bordered on enjoyable thanks to some of the choices I had made earlier in the game. It's a mixed bag for sure.

The Ugly

A litany of minor errors - As polished as the core action is, you'll come across a great many slight inconsistencies that can serve to lessen the sense of immersion you'll feel throughout the game. As per my lastpost, NPCs are sometimes completely unaware of some pretty big indiscretions that you'll carry out in plain view. There are also some big questions that certain play mechanics raise over sustained play:

• How come I need to rest for as long as twenty seconds before I can punch another enemy (or civilian)?
• Why would I upgrade my battery's recharge ability if it has no effect on depleted cells?
• If I'm so advanced, how come I can only sprint for the in-game equivalent of five metres?
• How come I can't fall a painfully-short distance without dying?

These are all petty in the grand scheme of things, but you'll easily get twenty hours plus out of this game, and such illusion-shattering queries are unavoidable (I'd strongly recommend you check out Bitmob's Mike Minotti's illustrated take on some of the game's flaws). For example, once I'd saved a game when I was sitting on top of an awning that was suspended about two metres above a tiny landscaped garden. Trying to engineer a non-lethal drop to said garden cost me more lives than all but one of the boss fights combined. I couldn't then reconcile the following ten minutes of goon smashing because if I couldn't survive falling from a one storey building, how could I cop a few bullets to the chest and still live to tell the tale? Sometimes, it's the small things that really detract from an experience.

The Verdict

There are scores of minor flaws and wrinkles that one would find in any given play through of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but after thirty hours of well written - though not always well-delivered - dialogue, slick stealth gameplay and varied locations, I'm still hooked. This game has sunk its augmented claws into my skin and I can't escape. Better yet, I don't want to escape. I'm happy to have a crack at every achievement, every weapon, every air duct and anyone that looks at me sideways.

Human Revolution's path of least resistance leads right into man-mountain

Originally, I had intended to invest more time in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition and cover the PlayStation Network PLAY promotion; Deus Ex: Human Revolution has rubbished all chances of that happening. Well, happening in a timely manner at least. Perhaps that's another flaw of Sony's plagiarised marketing scheme? Instead of leading into the peak of AAA retail releases, they've decided to run with it concurrently. Brave (read: stupid) move

Believe it or not, I've actually to play Human Revolution on my laptop. It had nothing to do with renewed faith in my rig that failed to run The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings effectively, rather a new means of cost-effective grey importation is my motive for returning to the Master Race's platform of choice.

To my surprise - and my wallet's delight - the game runs reasonably well at default settings. Apart from some minor instances of screen-tearing during cut scenes, it looks just as good as - if not better than - a console game. Maybe I can buy more games on PC? Only time (and system requirements) will tell.

As for how it plays, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is nothing short of essential for those who enjoy the following intellectual properties: Batman, Ghost in the Shell or Metal Gear Solid. If you're like me, however, and you're a fan of all of the above, it's terrifyingly addictive. I can't stop thinking about it. I want to stop writing and play it some more..... right now!

Human Revolution's stealth mechanics work well enough, with the camera switching to third-person when players seek cover. The map details enemy movements and - with the right choice of augmentations - can even display cones of vision and the duration of an enemy's sense of alarm. At times, it even feels more fluid than MGS: an apparent source of inspiration. The ability to cloak also nods to both Konami's espionage action title and my favourite anime franchise. On the downside, you really need to invest in hacking upgrades if you wish to reap any benefit from reamining unseen; and the mini game that is the core of this aspect of the experience is just plain tedious. I dare say that Bioshock's effort was more endearing than that found in Human Revolution.

 Really, you're serious? No-one saw me?

For the record, the combat is awkward and there are some inconsistencies in context that are sometimes off-putting; but these faults aren't really enough for me to go shy of recommending this wholeheartedly. The aiming mechanics are a little too stiff, particularly with long range weapons. Also, NPCs don't really seem to mind when you perform suspicious actions, like decloaking after hacking a door that they were supposed to be protecting (provided of course that you're on the safe, publicly-accessible side of the doorway). I'm happy to suffer the combat issues (except for the instance outlined below), as I'm taking the stealth route, and the ignorant civilians and guards provide the odd laugh.

The lone boss fight that I've conquered was unenjoyable and contradictory in terms of the choices that I had made for both augmentations and strategy. No dermal armour or aiming upgrades meant that I was barely able to put up a fight or even jump between sources of cover. The clunky inventory system didn't really help matters either, as I had to constantly drop or rearrange items in order to hold ammo that I would then hurl at this burly bullet-sponge. In the end, I had to rely on my opponent's careless disregard for explosive devices - specifically, his own grenades - to have any chance at victory. After dying twenty-something times trying to take him on legitimately, I decided to cloak and find a hiding spot, and watch nature take its course. A noticable blemish on the otherwise fun experience that Human Revolution has provided thus far.

How are you enjoying the adventures of Adam Jensen? Are you opting for the stealth option as well, or have you chosen to employ the Schwarznegger approach?

Franchise Rewind: F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin

Quick note: This post contains some spoilers for F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin.

Bargains, a non-existent sense of self-control, mild obsessive compulsive disorder and disposable income can sometimes lead to nonsensical purchase decisions; like the F.E.A.R Collection, which I obtained during the Steam Summer Camp Sale. On paper it doesn't look like a bad deal: the critically-lauded first instalment, the somewhat indifferent sequel and all of the downloadable expansions for each game for less than twenty bucks. When you then consider however, that I've owned each of these games previously - in some cases, multiple times - across two different platforms there isn't much merit to the repeated acquisition.

Well, you could at least argue that until you've read my review for F.3.A.R. The ridiculously enjoyable, though undeniably ugly conclusion to the trilogy provided that little spark of impulse that was required for me to push the "Add to cart" button. Previously not owning any iteration on PC also allowed for me to ignore that the series had long rested at the bottom of my pile of shame and therefore press the "Purchase" button.

Almost a week later and I'm glad to report that I do not regret the decision. If anything, my recurring absence of reason has provided me with about eight hours of skull-splitting, ghoul-impregnating fun that I refused to enjoy two years ago.

I still understand why I didn't make it through on my first playthrough: F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin was for the most part, an exhausting experience bereft of colour and humour. Your companions are big-balled, macho stereotypes who spout predictable dialogue across your comm. Your enemies - save for the recurring, under-aged villain, Alma - aren't overly engaging either; and no amount of collectable documents could serve to change that now that I've finally finished the campaign and seen over seventy-five percent of the irrelevant text that players can potentially find. 

 Yes, he sounds as smug as he looks.

A renewed interest in Sergeant Becket and his sexual assault at the hands of Alma - which prove to be the propellant for the events of the third game - was the main reason for reinvestigating this primarily-bland sequel. That and the shotguns in this game have a tendency to reduce enemies to a bloody mist that is sometimes accompanied by an arm or a leg; hilarious.

Most of the weapons in F.E.A.R 2 have some pretty visceral applications. Using the Hammerhead to pin Armacham soldiers to chain link fences was reasonably satisfying, as was the resulting bodily explosion from a sniper rifle headshot. The guns in this game make people fall apart and you don't get that in your Call of Duties or your Battlefields: reality holds back the hilarity.    

According to F.E.A.R 2, men are 98% blood.

As for the events of the game and the characterisation of the lead, F.E.A.R 2 has the narrative depth of a thimble. Sergeant Becket - much like the protagonist of the first and third games in the series, Point Man - doesn't say a single thing throughout the adventure. There's no concluding monologue to elaborate on what would have been a very traumatic event. There's no commentary or retorts on the musings and actions of his colleagues. Beckett just takes it. He's more than willing to spill his guts in the next instalment though, but when he's the focus of the story likes to be the strong, frustratingly-silent type. Outside of the disappointment provided by Becket’s lack of character, there’s also no hint of what happens to Armacham boss, Genevieve Aristide who completely evades the final chapter. It seems that story is not the franchise’s strong point. F.3.A.R’s focus on action as opposed to a muddled narrative is perhaps the reason that I view it as the strongest entry.  

F.E.A.R 2 controls well, but the meticulous direction through a seemingly-endless series of differently decorated corridors failed to endear me. Some of the firefights - particularly one against a mech about three hours in, and a warehouse sniper fight towards the end - caused a lot of frustration and often slowed the pace to a drag. Conversely, the majority of the action - including the mech segments - can be powered through without much objection from your opponents. I would attribute this to some unbalanced weaponry that is procured towards the end, but either way, Monolith failed to properly scale the difficulty of this adventure.

So maybe F.E.A.R 2 wasn't that much fun after all. That's not the point, I guess. The point is I've removed one game from my pile of shame: only about two hundred and something - still in my possession, God knows what the lifetime tally would be - to go.

Next up will be the Reborn expansion. Maybe the injection of the ferocious, part-time cannibal, Paxton Fettel can redeem this package?

 Dude, wipe up and help already!

Has a stellar sequel ever encouraged you to look at a series' roots? Have you ever enjoyed a prior instalment of a series more than the current one?

In case you haven't played it: Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony Review (PC)

If there's one genre that's never really endeared itself to me, it's the Shoot 'em-up. Whether you referred to these games as shmups or bullet hell, they all appeared and played the same to me. Even industry darlings like Ikaruga failed to engage me, so why bother sampling anything else that the genre has to offer ever again? I'm not sure if it was the pixel art, the testimonial from Rock, Paper, Shotgun, or some beautiful screenshots, either way Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony ended up as a purchase during the Steam Summer Camp Sale. There is a plot woven amongst the progressively-hellish levels, but it's hard to care for it when you've just spent the last three to five minutes dodging and shooting for your life.

The Good
Teach me how to love you - As above, I've rarely enjoyed any shmup that I've played throughout my lifetime. I can attribute that to two reasons:

1. I like challenge, but not the bullet hell-brand of "seriously, how the shit am I supposed to navigate through this obstacle course of death without losing all of my lives and potentially two or three credits," challenge. 
2. A lot of my friends were of the same persuasion, so there was very little chance that I would be playing these for any great amount of time as I usually prefer my AAA blockbusters when I'm playing solo.

The developers must have known about people like myself, because Jamestown does a great job of teaching you how to play. First of all, you're shown the "hitbox" for your chosen vehicle at the select screen: so you'll be fully aware of your ship's vulnerable area (note: you can only be killed by a direct hit). The alt-fire for each ship is also explained in the select screen and divided into two categories: standard and advanced. I trialled each and I rarely had much luck outside of ships from the standard category. Finally, Normal difficulty is only available for the first three levels, and while far from insurmountable, it made it very clear to me what enemies I needed to fear, when to "Vaunt" and other ways to protect my hitbox. It also allowed for me to grow in confidence; enough so to embrace "Difficult" and not run away in terror when I learnt that the last level can only be accessed after beating the first four on "Legendary" difficulty. I'm proud to say that I beat the campaign and I even managed to best a Gauntlet.

 Just breathe. You'll be fine.

Not just for n00bs - While Jamestown caters to novices and genre haters, it also has (what I imagine to be) more than enough challenge for bullet hell veterans. Five well-scaled difficulty levels, challenge packs and the Gauntlet awaits players with appropriate skill and dexterity. Gauntlets task players with beating every level in succession with the level-standard, two credits. Normal and Difficult Gauntlets end at the third and fourth levels respectively, the other three difficulty levels require you to finish the entire game. Challenge maps are usually timed survival trials, though several have some secondary objectives introduced such as flying through rings. For the record, I've beaten the Normal Gauntlet and three of the fifteen challenge maps. I've tried to do more, but I'm not quite there yet.

Unconventional beauty - Polygons be damned: Jamestown's wondrous landscapes and creatures - all rendered in hundreds of colourful pixels - won't fail to grab your attention. The action never stutters when the screen is ablaze with beams, lasers and aliens of all shapes and sizes. It's not only beautiful but functional as well.

Like a Boss - Each of Jamestown's boss fights are big, colourful and memorable. Whether it's the Lady of the Lake or a running battle with a drill mounted-train, be prepared to weave your way through more bullets then you'd find in a standard FPS campaign.

 Don't panic. I'm sure it didn't see you.

The way you move - Jamestown boasts mouse, keyboard and gamepad support. You'll only require three buttons for combat and even with a screen full of moving death, it never feels complicated. Deaths never comes cheaply, even in the final level where environmental obstacles are introduced. This game is hard, but you'll have no one to blame for your demise except yourself.  

The Bad
There is a story -  Like I said before, but it's told through static pixel art and green text. Jamestown's gameplay is so vibrant and hectic that the storybook narrative fails to keep up with it. By no means a deal breaker, but it is in a no way a reason to give this great game a go either.  

The Ugly
Local confusion - I understand that this is an indie game and the developers may not have had the budget to ship the game with decent netcode, but who plays local multiplayer on their PC? Don't get me wrong, Jamestown is a brilliant game; but online co-op would have made it nothing less than an essential experience.

The question of length - Even after having to replay the earlier levels on a higher difficulty to progress, Jamestown's campaign can be conquered in less than three hours. Hell, if you're any good at these games you could do it in far less time than it took me. I can't recommend this game highly enough, but you should know that it won't last you very long.

 GAME OVER, MAN! GAME OVER!

The Verdict
Jamestown had everything going against it: a difficult shmup on PC without pretty graphics and modern effects. Against the odds, it proved to be more fun than my five dollars deserved. It can be run on a system with very modest specs with just about any peripheral. It is riotous fun alone - I can only imagine how good it would be with company - and a quality learning experience as well. It pretty much demands to be played by anyone: bullet hell lover or not.  

Battle of the Bargain Bulge: My wallet's retreat from Steam's Summer Camp Sale

There are two times in a calendar year that I've come to fear. Times when reason is discarded on the promise of unbeatable prices, on all but the most recent of releases. I'm talking of course about Steam's two major sales: one in summer, one for the Holiday season, both causing unspeakable damage to the budgets and resolves of all but the most frugal of gamers. Now these sales are particularly painful for me because I am undisciplined and anything but frugal. People talk about their "pile of shame," but most can rest easy in the knowledge that their towers will be eclipsed by my quarry of unplayed videogames. I wish I could say that it was just digital acquisitions, but my desire to consume has led to a tangible and intangible mass of gaming gluttony. A mass that is only set to grow in size after some of the unbelievable offers that I’ve seen in the first few days of the Summer Camp bonanza.

 Beware of adorable marketing material!

Some of the offers seem too good to be true. Most would lead many (myself included) to question their preference for console gaming. Sure, the initial investment required to purchase a capable machine would be greater than the purchase price of a console; but at this crazy time of year, games can be three or so times cheaper than the console equivalent. Take yesterday's ridiculous Battlefield Pack as an example: $9.99 USD for one of last year's best shooters, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and all available DLC. Compare that to the best price for a console version which is $29.95 AUD for the game, plus another $19.95 AUD for the Battlefield: Vietnam expansion (on PSN) and another $20 plus for the Onslaught and Spec Act packs. Now I own the game and all DLC on the Playstation 3 and I seriously considered buying it on PC. I wish I could explain the logic behind this impulsive purchase decision, but it took all of my self-control to remove the pack from my cart.

Best. Value. EVER!

Let's not forget about the publisher packs either. Some of these deals are so amazing that you had best bring some smelling salts or - at the very least - ensure that you are seated whilst perusing the Steam Store. The THQ Hit Collection is causing me the most headaches. Dawn of War II and each of its expansions (including the recently-released Retribution), the self-maligned Homefront, Darksiders, Red Faction: Guerilla and more for less than the recommended retail price of a Platinum game for the Playstation 3. To someone who has spent most of their time buying for and playing games on consoles, such a proposition is baffling, though irrevocably beautiful at the same time. What have I done to deserve such unbelievable prices, holy Steam?

I'm not just buying console ports either. The Summer sale will allow me to indulge in some smaller scale releases that I wouldn't normally purchase. Garshasp: The Monster Slayer and the Magicka Complete Pack will be my first indie acquisitions, but I'm also looking at picking up Jamestown and Terraria before this circus of value comes to a close.

Events like this will only serve to secure Steam's monopoly of the digital market. EA recently announced their "Biggest Sale Ever," via their Origin service (sale items also feature on the iOS App Store and Xbox Live Marketplace) which is not only exclusive to customers based in the US but also fails to offer anything anywhere near as enticing as Steam's near-fortnight of peerless savings. There are rare challenges to Steam’s ability to offer value for money. Recent examples include Good Old Games’ (gog.com) offer of extra store credit to Australian consumers who purchased The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings at the inflated Australian region price and perhaps also, their Interplay “Staycation,” which allowed gamers to pick up the first two installments of the Fallout franchise in addition to turn-based RPG spin-off, Fallout Tactics for just under three US dollars each. GamersGate are worth a look as well, for sure; but ultimately, nothing beats a good Steaming.

Have you been indulging in the sale? Do you cherish these times of the year, or, have you come to fear them like myself?

Hot under the collar (or how Witcher 2 slayed my "gaming" laptop)

More than any other, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a PC-exclusive release that needs to find its way onto a console. Why? Because the PC as a platform has too many variables. Take me for example: my laptop is apparently - at least according to the launcher's auto-detect option - capable of rendering the game with medium settings at the highest possible resolution. At first I couldn't believe it: Triss Merigold's flawless, female form writhing naked next to Geralt of Rivia. No stuttering, no wrinkles. Visuals of the highest calibre appearing on screen. My machine wasn't even making that much noise.

The protagonist conversed with his captivating, scarlet-haired companion. Each face animated with a painstaking level of attention to detail. I could hardly believe my eyes. I had to go and ruin it by leaving the tent where the opening love-in was staged.

The frame rate slowed to a crawl. What I can only imagine to be the processor started screaming in a high-pitched tenor. My coffee table - where the laptop resides - was hot to the touch. I wasn't mad; I was just disappointed.

 NSFW at its very best

How to remedy this situation? At first I picked the most extreme solution. I lowered the resolution and changed the settings to the lowest possible configuration. It wasn't immediately noticeable, but I couldn't play the game like this. Geralt was washed out. So were the pursuing figures in the nightmare of the Wild Hunt. It mattered not, until I saw Triss again. She was pale, plain. She looked unhealthy. This would not stand, so I immediately closed the game. For the first chapter I thought I had found a work-around. Using medium settings and a reasonably-high resolution, Triss was returned to an immaculate state.   

So now that I finally got to play the game, I engaged in a series of well-directed conversations. I witnessed a siege which almost challenged my improvised hardware solution. Thankfully, the game still looked a cut above most console releases and I was happy to delude myself with thoughts of more acquisitions for the substantially-cheaper PC platform. Even the epic battle against the Kayran was able to be portrayed with an acceptable frame rate and no shortage of effects.

As the story progressed though, my faith in the makeshift configuration waned. Firstly there were issues with a sex scene in an Elven bath and then, the unforgivable end to the first chapter; the stuttering mess that was the battle to the barge with character models disappearing or stammering about in an unnatural fashion. Still I persisted, until the battle at Aedirn. So much heat and noise; none of which was created by the game itself. Sacrifices had to be made.

Sacrifices it would seem, are hard to suffer. Saskia's blank, textureless face. Geralt was once again blank and colourless. Someone needs to optimize this for a console; I don't care which one, it just has to happen. I need to know that what I'm seeing on screen is the best that it can be. I need to know that I don't need to spend upwards of a thousand dollars for the game to be as beautiful as it should be.

 How could you ruin a love so beautiful? Try setting the configuration to low.

Has anyone else picked up Witcher 2? Would any console gamers like to see it ported?